I confess, I have been unfaithful

No, not that kind of unfaithfulness, but in the electronic age, it could be considered that. :)
I found a new and easier way to log my mileage and workouts online and have been using it a lot lately. I have been using http://www.mapmyrun.com . I decided that it would be easier to just post my workouts and mileage on there, rather than write about my workouts. I got convicted of it today and decided I need to continue to write about my thoughts and workouts on here to give people an opportunity to "hear" me and understand what I have gone through. It has been an adventure and its no fun when someone is left on hold and is anxiously awaiting your next post.

I have not been running as hard or as often in the last 2 weeks due to life getting in the way and different projects that needed attention. I also would say I hit the wall a bit and needed to give my body a little more rest so that I can continue running with enjoyment and prevent injury. I will in the coming days and weeks continue to write about my running experiences. The last 2 weeks have in fact been perfect for running and thus I have enjoyed some nice runs where I didn't sweat to death or feel like death when I finished.

I have logged just under 32 miles for the month of September and thus I am still on pace to increase my overall monthly mileage from the month of August.

Until next time,

Scarecrow Runner

Labor Day weekend

Week to date mileage: 8.96

Labor Day Weekend I didn't do a lot.
Friday was a cardio day and I did 40 minutes of cardio/cross training. 20 minutes on the elliptical and 20 minutes on the bike.

Saturday was a rest day and although I was resting, I still managed to pull up my carpet in the living room and sand down some spots on the floor. It made my back hurt, so I still did some exercise. HA! And then watched football. AHHHHH.

Sunday was church and the weather changed finally. From 100's+ for more than 50 days this summer to the upper 70s and lows in the 50's/60's...absolutely beautiful...I went for a 5.7 mile run on Sunday afternoon and enjoyed it as much as you can. :) I was proud of myself for not stopping and walking at all..I pushed, persevered and finished. I also took the kids to the park and let them enjoy the beautiful weather. They absolutely loved playing outside all day.

Monday was again beautiful and we were all at home because of Labor Day. The kids played outside all day and we had the windows open and let the cool, refreshing air blow through the house. The kids loved it so much, that they ate breakfast, lunch and dinner outside! They even got blankets and laid on the ground for a while to relax. How refreshing is that? I ended up running 3.26 miles. My legs were so tired, but I pushed through and finished. It's all about building the leg muscles and endurance up. :)

Here's to another great week! Before you know it, Halloween will be here.

Scarecrow Runner

15K training week 1: Day 4

Daily Mileage 2.00
Weekly Mileage 12.4
Total time: 114:00

Last night I ran a swift 2 mile run. I was going to take it easy, but my legs said otherwise. I was actually running at a pretty good pace. I guess that happens when you start getting into shape. What used to be the norm for a workout and was slow is now transformed. When I think I am going slow, I am actually going a lot faster. :)
I ended up running 2 miles in 15:12. My first mile was in 7:29. While this is far from my times in college, it is still an accomplishment for me. I would like to get my 2 mile time back down below 14 and then ultimately below 12 minutes. So here is to a good workout and many more to come....I am definitely welcoming September with cooler temperatures.

15K training week 1: Day 3 and 4

Daily Mileage: 7.1 Weekly Mileage: 10.4Overall Time: 99:00




My workout on Wednesday consisted of some "track work". Of course I do not have a track to run on, so I simulated it on the treadmill as best as I could. It was some interval work that needed to be done for me. 4 sets of 800 meters. This is the equivalent of a 3200 meter run or 2 miles. I did a 1/2 mile warm up and a 1/4 mile warm down. In between each interval I jogged/walked a 1/4 mile or 250 meters. This brought my overall total for the day to 3 miles. I pushed myself pretty hard. The workout called for me to run it at 5k pace and lately my 5k pace has been between 8 minutes and 8:30...but my college pace was much, much faster and that is where I would like to be once again....somewhere in the upper 5 minute to lower 6 minute pace...I definitely got some work to do...


I ran the first 800 at a 7:03 pace...then the 2nd and 3rd 800 I ran at a 6:58 pace and the final 800 I pushed myself and ran at a 6:27 pace. I know running on the treadmill is not the same as running outside on the roads or track, but it definitely is a great substitute for running in the extreme heat...it looks like the heat wave is tapering for at least a few days. A cold front is supposed to push through on Saturday night and the highs for Sunday through Wednesday are in the mid 80s...much more like it! It may be perfect weather for my cross country run on the 10th...






Thursday, Sept 1st....the 1st day of September and I woke up feeling like total crap. I was extremely sleepy, fatigued and felt nauseous...not a good morning. Since I needed to go get my car tag during lunch today, I totally scrapped my plans for running and thought maybe I should just substitute my rest day on Friday for today, but no...I decided after lunch that I am still going to do my run today. It isn't a killer workout anyways. It is only a 2 mile run mixed with some strength training...I figure I will do some body weight lunges, mixed with pushups and situps and then do my strength workout on Friday...that would be a good way to workout hard to not have any running to worry about and just pump some mean iron. :) 


So here is to the month of September. I finished the month of August with 65.76 miles..looking forward to hitting close to 80 for the month of September as I push myself to train for the Tulsa Run in October. I haven't made a complete commitment to run this race yet, but that is my goal.

Week 1: Day 2

Daily Mileage: 4.1
Weekly Mileage: 7.4
Overall Time: 63:00

Today's workout consisted of 4 miles. I pushed myself pretty hard and wanted to work on improving my overall endurance and recovery. I ran the first 2 miles at a 7:30 pace and then walked .25 mile and then ran the last 2 at an 8:00 pace. I finished at 33:00 minutes and burned well over 700 calories. I think it was a good effort and even though I was tired going into it, I feel much better now.

Week 1 of 15K Training/Week 3 Warrior Training

Daily Mileage: 3.3
Weekly Mileage: 3.3
Total Time: 30:00

I know the title is confusing, but I have my sights set far and high. I am still very much training and preparing for the Warrior Dash on September 24th, but I have also decided to push myself further and train for a 15K...the Tulsa Run...it is 9.3 miles. I last did it in October 1999. I am going to do my best to do this and see how close I get to my time of 1:07:47.

Today (Monday) was week 3 of Warrior Dash training and Week 1 of training for the Tulsa Run. The training guide I have is from Hal Higdon's 15-K Training Guide and is a 10 week training course...perfect timing because the Tulsa Run is in 10 weeks exactly. How cool is that. :) I initially was using Hal Higdon's 8K training guide to try and bump my mileage and endurance up so I could run effective 5K's and feel it definitely did its purpose and now its time to push further literally.

Today's workout consisted of a 3 mile run and some strength training. I didn't really do a lot of strength training but still threw some exercises in there with the exercise ball, medicine ball and dumb bells.

I ran the 3 miles in a decent tempo and didn't want to kill myself on day 1.
I ran 3.3 miles in 30 minutes. It was a good workout and am excited to see some results soon.

1st annual Barney Shirey Memorial 5k

Daily mileage: 3.1
Week to Date mileage- 11.77

Race Time: 24:47 - 5K
Conditions were very sunny and warm -78 degrees @ 8:00am

I participated in the Barney Shirey Memorial 5K today in Tecumseh, OK. It was to honor a man from the area who died of a massive stroke last December. The race was to bring recognition to this dreadful health issue and all proceeds were donated for heart disease and stroke prevention. There was a great turnout. Well over 300 participants. Even Rumble the Bison was on hand to start the race.

The course was not the best course in the world as it weaved through the residential streets of Tecumseh. There was a lot of bad places along the way, but still was manageable. They had water at approximately every KM marker. I was once again frustrated that a race did not have split times or KM markers visable. It makes it hard to pace yourself if you do not know how far you have to run. I am a little down on myself as this was the first morning race I have run in a long time and I was not prepared. I was far from being hydrated enough and didn't have enough "gas" in the tank. I ate a bowl of cereal 2 hours prior to the race and don't think my body got anything out of that. My legs felt dead from my run on Thursday, so going forward, I will not run hard 2 days before a race. Light mileage before hand and LOTS of stretching.

I started off pretty hard and then tried to settle into my groove, but I just was not feeling it. I was not motivated enough and let my body dictate how I ran this race. I walked a total of 2-3 times in this race for about 15-20 seconds each time. I didn't want to walk, but I felt like it gave my legs a quick rest and allowed me to regain some strength so I could push myself harder in the end, which I did. I pushed myself so hard that I came 1 heave from throwing up at the finish line...I will give myself an A for effort at the end of the race. I was able to pass several runners and gain a few places at the finish line.

Another problem I had with this run was that they made it 2 divisions. 19 and under and 20+. You are lumped in with everyone and will not really know how you did with the runners in your age bracket. I finished 11th in the 20+ division and am not disappointed with this, but I know that I may have had a chance for a top 3 or 5 finish in my age division had it been done differently. I definitely ran better than I did in Tulsa 2 weeks ago and look to push myself in the coming weeks for some more improvement in my overall times.
I definitely need to step it up a notch or two to ensure that I can improve.

Warrior Training Week 2: Day 4 - Thursday Two-Mile

Daily Mileage: 2
Week to Date mileage- 8.87

Thursday night I went out for a 2 mile run. I ran it pretty hard and pushed myself. I wanted to see how my condition has been. I can't complain too much, but I know I have room to improve. My body has been tired and this training has been kicking my butt. My weekly mileage is down below normal, but I figured I needed a week of lower mileage to allow my body to regain some strength and prepare for the final leg of training.

The evening was cool and was a nice change compared to the many evenings of blazing heat. I didn't have it in me when I started the run, but soon snapped out of it and continued along and pushed myself. I hate running a short distance and then having to finish up a hill...sigh...but I know it will make me better in the end.

I finished my run in just under 15:30...not too bad, but there is room for improvement.

Ultimate Warrior training week 2: Day 2 and 3

Tuesday mileage- 1ish
Wednesday mileage- 3.67
Week to Date mileage- 6.67

I have gotten lazy in my posts lately and have not been as consistent as I should be.
Day 2 was a rest day and thus all I did was go out to where the race is going to be on Saturday and attempt to scope out the course. I was going to jog the entire thing, but made a bad judgement call. I drove to where the starting line was and assumed where the streets were that the course followed, boy was I wrong. I ended up running a good half mile outside of town. It was 103 out and I wasn't feeling it. It totally ruined me for any kind of running that evening. I was ready to get back to town and drive home.

I ended up jogging and walking some additional streets in the area and to no avail. I finally got in my car and found the right street that the course goes down and drove the course. It is going to be quite a bumpy and interesting course. An awesome long downhill at the beginning and then some long, gradual hills throughout. I don't know how fast this course will be, but I would love to run a very fast time...My time in Tulsa was 25:40....I am going to go out on a limb and push myself for a goal of 23:00...I know I can do it. I last ran that fast in July of 2006, one of my last road races and last times to run in the last 5 years....It's time to get a PR for my new age division 35-39. I have got to find someone to pace with and stay with them no matter how much it hurts. I think if I can push myself like that, then I will be fine...I finally broke a bad habit last race...I didn't get off to my normal jack rabbit start. Usually when the gun sounds, I take off in the leaderpack and get out in front of the slower runners. This time, I was in the middle of the pace and it took a bit before I crossed the starting line which hurt my time by probably 5-10 seconds. I did keep a good pace throughout and finished strong.

This weekend, I want to start off faster and cover more ground more quickly. Instead of starting off slow and running an average pace, I want to hit the first 1k or so hard and then if I hit the wall I have some wiggle room to work with on my time and distance...I found while training for the Summer Assessment Challenge that when I started off fast for my timed 12 minute run, that I was able to cover more distance in a shorter amount of time and then I could wind down at a slower pace and still finish ahead of my goal.

So I will try my best to get a good start and carry it all the way through the course.

Yesterday's workout consisted of running 8 x 300's. It was a speed workout intended to help strengthen me during the middle stages of a race. It is usually the middle where we all slow down and so instead of running a full 400, they shortened it so we are running faster in the latter parts of the distance. I ran a 1 mile warmup and a .67 warmdown before the treadmill shut down and cleared my data. I finished with 3.67 yesterday...definitely a decent workout.

Today's workout is set to be 2 miles. It is supposed to be a hard 2 miles, but I will make it more of a slower pace to stretch out and get the blood flowing and get some mileage in. We will see how it goes.

Ultimate Warrior training week 2

Ultimate Warrior training week 2

Daily mileage: 2
weekly mileage: 2

Well here we go with week 2 in my training. Today I am extremely tired from a very active and physical weekend. But I will run the race and persevere. I will not quit. If and when I have a bad workout like yesterday, I will push through it and learn from it. Much like our walk with Christ. We have to push through even when times are tough. Sacrifice. Perseverance. Persistance. Endurance. Christ didn't quit and neither should we. HE is our strength and our source! He is the solid rock on which I stand...all other ground is sinking sand....

Today calls for a 4 mile run and strength training. With my work schedule, I have to be strategic on what I do. So I cut my run down so I could focus on the strength training and will add an extra run this evening. Nothing like doing a double workout. Brings back the memories of the college days.:)
So I ran 2 miles today on the treadmill...I started off at a decent pace and then really picked it up in the last 1/2 mile when I decided I was going to shorten my workout...I just wasn't feeling it at the time and felt it would benefit me more to do it this way.

2 miles done...Finished it in 16:05...burned 300 calories....was running at an 8:13 pace...and ended with a 6:47 pace.

Strength training consisted of:

BW Squat 3 x 20
DB Lunge 10e 2 x 20
Crunches 3 x 40
Leg Curls 3 x15 (100lb)
Lat pulldown 3 x 15 (75lb)
DB Row 3 x 15
DB tricep 3 x 20

Ultimate Warrior week 1 training - day 5, 6 and 7

Weekly Mileage: 17.42
Friday - 0 miles rest day
Saturday - 5 hours of sanding. Lots of upper body exertion, mixed with legs and definitely cardio. I was sweating it up in that room and breathing hard from using the sander.
Sunday - 4 miles

Friday was a rest day for me after some heavy running on Thursday that left my IT Band sore. I have noticed with an increase in mileage that it is causing some issues. I definitely need to use the foam roller this week coming up to really work out the soreness and tightness.

Saturday was supposed to be my long mileage day, but instead I worked on sanding down the floor in the boys' room. This part of the project lasted about 5 hours in all. By the time I was completely down with this I was extremely exhausted and knew I would be sore. I thought about running that evening, but decided I had put my legs and body through enough and went to bed.

I awoke sometime in the early morning hours to one of the worst charlie horses ever! It was in my hamstring and I can still feel soreness there. Not a fun feeling at all...let's just say my legs were the sorest they have been in a long time...almost worse than when I ran my first 1/2 marathon...yikes.

I went to church after only eating a bagel and some cream cheese and having 2 cups of coffee and a gatorade...That was it for my morning fuel and then after church I came home and got ready for a run. I wasn't really feeling it. I drank two 12 oz glasses of water and headed out. There was a rather enjoyable breeze accompanying the heat and humidity that made it bearable, but the fact that my legs were so tired and sore made the conditions seem worse than they really were. I was supposed to run 5, but ended up only managing 4 miles mixed with a few short intervals of walking to cut down on the soreness and allow myself to push through the workout. I changed the path I was going to run and ended up running at the cemetery. It is 1 mile around and so I knew I could at least gauge myself better.

 Every time my feet struck the pavement felt like I was taking a beating and it wasn't getting better as the distance totals moved up. I was very blessed to have several water faucets to drink from along my run and get some water on my face and head to stay cool. Although I think it contributed to my wanting to stop more and give in. I will admit, my body won this round and I managed to squeak out some miles. My knee didn't feel the greatest and I am going to have to be careful with my IT band and make sure that I am stretching it out well and icing it if necessary. That is something I have not done enough of and I am finding out that without the proper care, it will flare up. I wish I didn't have this issue at all, it really makes running no fun at times. I want to be able to enjoy my run, but instead I am having to push through pain and fatigue...persistence is the key...I have got to keep moving forward and trudging along. It is getting me back in shape and my waistline is happy for it.

Ultimate Warrior Training week 1 day 4

Weekly Mileage: 13.42
Thursday -  4.67
Today's workout was to run 40-60 minutes of fartlek running...Since I am running at work my time is limited and thus I only went 45 minutes for this workout. I started off with a 10 minute warm up and finished with a 5 minute warm down. I did my running in intervals or a ladder as we used to call it... 2-3-4-4-3-2.
2 min hard, 3 min hard, 4 min hard, 4 min hard, 3 min hard, 2 min hard and 2:30 jogging in between each.

I varied my speed in each interval to change tempos and reflect race like conditions...go from a slower pace and pick it up for a solid :30 or 1:00 and then taper down and then back up. This kind of workout is definitely good for endurance and getting your speed back...I used to love these workouts in high school when we would run all over Marion and down to the park and through the woods across the creek and other fun routes that made running fun and exciting. I miss that kind of running. That is what I loved most about cross country. Not just running the streets, but running through nature and scenery. It really makes you appreciate God's creation and enjoy the sport of running and gets your mind off the grueling heat and miles you are putting in. I definitely need to find some alternative routes to run that would give me an escape from the norm.

Here is to a pretty solid week thus far. Tomorrow is a rest day and then Saturday will be a 5 miler, closely pushing me to 19 miles for the week. Sunday is a wildcard day and will probably log 2-3 miles to keep my legs loose after Saturday's long distance. That will put me about 21-22 miles for the week, definitely a successful week of training.

Ultimate Warrior Week 1 - Day 2 and 3

Weekly Mileage: 8.75
Tuesday workout: 2.75 no strength training
Wednesday workout: 4.00 - strength training

This week has already started to take its toll on me. I think my body is just run down from not enough rest over the course of the last few weeks and thus I am feeling run down and tired every day. I do, however; feel alive once I am exercising. It wakes me up and pumps some energy/blood throughout my lethargic body.
Tuesday I felt like total crap. I was extremely sore from my strength training on Monday and could hardly walk around anywhere without feeling pain. It was supposed to be a rest day, but I pushed myself. I wanted to feel better and not feel run down, so I went for an almost 3 mile run through the neighborhood. I wasn't out to prove anything or get a lot of miles, just something to get my blood pumping and help me feel better.

I ended up feeling pretty good that evening and didn't regret working out...although I had a mild fever the evening before and decided I was going to feel better and not let sickness get the best of me even if I don't get a lot of rest. I am going to push forward.

Yesterday's workout consisted of strength training which I did after my cardio workout. The strength training is kicking my butt and is almost too much to do right after running....but I am still pushing forward...gotta be the Ultimate Warrior. :)  My cardio workout consisted of 40 minutes of hills or stadium. Since I don't have a stadium nearby I chose the hill work...I hopped on the treadmill and selected the hill workout and boy did it kick my butt. I was trying to run fast at first, but realized if I am going to run 40 minutes worth of hills, speed is going to drive me into quitting earlier than anticipated. The hill elevation varied between 1 at the beginning to 6 in the middle and 3/4 at the end...it was tough. I burned well over 700 calories on this workout, but felt great later in the day.

Tomorrow's workout (technically today) is going to consist of 40-60 minutes fartlek running...it has been a long time since I ran for 60 minutes straight..and today I am feeling really tired and run down, so I will see how this goes.

Warrior Dash training week 1 - day 1

Well today starts my new training regiment. I have switched gears a bit and am training for the Warrior Dash to be held on September 24th, 2011 in Tulsa, OK. It requires more than just your typical running as you have to climb walls, go through mud pits, over tires and fire pits galore...it's gonna take some endurance and muscle to overcome this bad boy. They have a training program for cardio and strength training to help assist in your quest to become the ultimate warrior. I liked what I saw and am definitely motivated when a training program is laid out before me. It definitely helps push me along.

Today's workout consisted of a 3 mile run, but I only did 2 since I am coming off a race last Friday and my stinking shoe lace came undone while running on the treadmill and I had to ensure I got all my strength training in during my lunch break. I can make up the miles later.

After my 2 mile run, I kicked my own butt with some brutal strength training.

It consisted of the following:
all of these were done with 15 lb dumb bells; except the lat pull down and leg curls.
BW Squat - 2x20
DB Lunge- 2x10e
Crunches - 2x40
Leg Curl - 2x15 - 100lbs
Lat pulldown - 2x15 - 75 lbs
DB row - 2x15
DB bench - 2x15
DB tricep - 2x15
DB bicep - 2x15

Tulsa United Way Sand Run - 5k

Friday mileage: 3.6 (includes warmup time)
WTD mileage: 9.1
CT mileage to date: 44.1
5k race: 25:40

Temperatures dipped into the upper 70s with a nice breeze blowing after a bunch of storms swept through the Tulsa area on Friday. It made for a great evening of racing.

I was well loosened up due to a stretching class I participated in at work and did plenty of warm up prior to the race. I was disappointed that they did not have any of the course marked for distance and there were no splits provided...made it really difficult to race and pace myself.

There were several hills which proved to be challenging. I paced myself throughout the course and then kicked it hard the last quarter mile...I finished 4th in my age group by 16 seconds...and 59th overall.
My time was 25:40 and was an average of 5:09 per k.

My goal was 25:00 but I didn't account for the hills or lack of distance being marked.
It was a good test to see where I am physically and look forward to my next race in the next few weeks.

I am definitely pleased that I can say that I competed and didn't quit...should've kicked it even harder at the end and made up some time.

core week #2 - day 3 and 4

Wednesday mileage: 2
WTD mileage: 5.5
CT mileage to date: 40.5

Thursday mileage: 0 - rest day for race
WTD mileage: 5.5
CT mileage to date: 40.5
Yesterday was my assessment test date at work for our Summer Challenge and so I didn't really do a big workout and with my race being on Friday, I decided I need to not push myself so hard. I had to complete 1.84 miles in 12 minutes and get at least 30 push ups and 85 sit curl ups...I finished with 1.85 miles in 12 minutes and with my cool down went to a jog/walk for the last .15 miles and still managed to log a 14:30 - 2mile time...pretty sweet if you ask me. I also was successful in completing my situps and pushups. I did 30 pushups and 103 sit curlups...felt good to complete the challenge successfully and now I must wait and see who the winner will be. We had 7 remaining as of Monday and the winner will be decided by a drawing since we have so many competing and still in it. I would love to win the $150 gift card to BestBuy.

Today is a rest day for me as I am resting for my run tomorrow in Tulsa, but I am still going to go out and do a light 1 mile jog to keep myself loosened up and prevent extra stiffness. I hate taking a day and a half off...but I will pick back up on Saturday to prevent soreness.

My buddy Mike Finch, who ran Cross Country at ACCC with me and was one of my roommates, invited me to come participate with him in the Warrior Dash held in Tulsa on September 24th....after looking at all the information and pictures, I am totally going to do this...it is the kind of challenge I look forward to..something I have always wanted to do in a race...go through obstacles that include: mud, fire, barbed wire, cargo nets, tires, walls...can't get much better.

Beginning this weekend, I will begin my new training program. It will be a mixture of Cardio training and strength training...so stay tuned as I prepare to be the Ultimate Warrior! Tomorrow's race will be a good test of where I stand in the cardio/running aspect of things, now its time to put some strength and muscle into the equation...

My goal for the 5K is to be under 25:00....or as close to it as possible.
If I run what I ran on the treadmill Tuesday at 4:57 per kilometer, it would equal out to be a 7:35 pace per mile...I think I can probably do this. :)

Time to Warrior up! Funny thing I just thought of...my high school mascot was a Warrior...Ah jeah!

Core Training week 2 -day 1 and 2

Monday mileage: 0 - lightning storm
WTD mileage: 0
CT mileage to date: 33

Tuesday mileage: 3.5
WTD mileage: 3.5
CT mileage to date: 38.5

I was exhausted yesterday due to running 5 miles on Sunday night so late...so I didn't run during work and was going to wait till evening. Michele took Micah out for school shopping and while she was out a massive thunderstorm formed with wind and lightning and prevented me from going out and running...and the fact we lost our water again last night...so I decided to back it off and rest for one more day since I will be running a race on Friday.

I came in to work today and was tired, but knew I needed to run. I hadn't decided what I wanted to do distance wise or workout wise, but decided I needed to give myself a good "test" to see how I would compare on Friday during the race. I hadn't ran a timed 5k -per se in about 3 weeks. The last time I ran it, I ended up running it around 27:30, but wasn't going all out either. Today I set the average mile to right at an 8 minute mile pace/4:57 km pace....I finished my 5k distance in less than 25 minutes, which I feel is a great stride in the right direction and an improvement for me. I feel very confident that I can pace myself in the race and run at least a 25 minute 5K. We shall see what happens. I am going to taper my mileage off this week due to the race, but will increase again next week.

Here's to the heart of the week and my finishing touches for Friday.

core training end of week 1 - days 6 and 7

Friday Mileage: 1.90
WTD mileage 12.10
CT mileage to date: 28.10

Saturday mileage: 0 miles/ 3 hours of cardio exercise
WTD mileage 12.10
CT mileage to date: 28.10

Sunday mileage: 4.9
WTD mileage: 17.00
CT mileage to date: 33


I didn't get the rest of my mileage in on Friday because I was tired and ran out of time. I decided that I would get enough exercise through the weekend. Saturday started off with me speaking at our leadership conference at church and then that entire afternoon and into the evening I spent sanding Alexis' room with a band sander and disk sander...My training program said to get 60 minutes of cardio/aerobic exercise...well this was about 3 1/2 hours of labor intensive sanding. I sweat like a hog in the summer due to no air conditioning being on while i was sanding and used my arms, legs and back constantly. I feel that I got a good workout. :)

Sunday rolled around and so did some much needed rain! Praise God! It rained a good hour and cooled things off considerably. By the time I ran it was 86 degrees with 42% humidity. I will trade for humidity over heat any day. It is much easier to run in jungle like conditions than in the Sahara desert baking like a thanksgiving turkey. Yes, humidity makes you sweat more, but the workout felt pretty good. It was supposed to be a relaxing distance run, but the path I took was far from relaxing. A total of 4 hills with 1 of them a significant incline. These hills were pretty much heartbreakers for me. My legs have not ran on hills in a long time and so the hills zapped a lot of juice out of me. My knees hurt afterwards. I ended just shy of the 5 miles, but wanted to cool down before getting home. I finished with 4.90 miles and the last .10 was a steep hill and my knees had already been through enough. Sometimes you have to be wise and not go beyond what you are capable of.

With my past IT band issues I decided it would be best to shut down as it was beginning to get sore. Long distances, but especially hill workouts and uneven running surfaces irritate the IT Band and I ran on both of those in this run and decided to be smart as I have a race in less than a week that I want to be able to run in. I finished in a time of 49 minutes. This included a minute or two of walking at the half way point trying to get some water, but that water faucet was capped off and no longer in service. Talk about a bummer when you are wanting to refresh with some water to return over the hills on the way back home. I still feel this was an acceptable time as it was supposed to be relaxed. :) 'Tis better to get the miles in rather than burn out too early.

So two weeks of Core training are under my belt. Up this next week, Week 6 assessment at work and 5K Sand Run in Tulsa. Gonna be a busy week and my mileage will suffer.

Core Training week 2 - day 4 and 5

Thursday Mileage: 3 miles (26 minutes)
WTD mileage: 10.20    
CT mileage to date:  26.19
Friday Mileage: 1.90
WTD mileage 12.10
CT mileage to date: 28.10

Well the last 2 days have crept up on me and I have some information to write on. I left my running undershorts at home yesterday and thus could not workout at work. I was quite bummed about this as it greatly affected my mileage for the week. I decided to run last night instead, in the blazing heat. When I left to go run at the airport last night it was 104 at 8:30pm. I got almost all the way around the airport and the heat zapped me like a bug in a bug zapper. I had gatorade with me, but obviously the heat was too much and I wasn't hydrated enough. I felt completely drained and the heat soon got to me. I had to pull up short from my run..not sure of exact mileage, but assumed I ran real close to 3 miles...wanted to run more, but couldn't. It took me all evening to get cooled down in a not so cool house. I at least got some miles in and my legs and body felt it this morning.

I got up early and drank a protein shake for breakfast and headed to work so I could do my weekly assessment for our contest. This is week 5 and there are only 6 weeks total in the contest, so I am close to finishing the contest. The winner receives $150 to Best Buy. If there is more than 1 finisher, then we have our names placed in a hat and a winner is drawn...I sure hope I win that certificate. It would make everything feel that much more worthwhile. Today I was able to complete 30 push ups, 99 curl situps and managed to eek out 1.87 miles in 12 minutes...I was weak from last night and exhausted so I ran with my hands on the bar most of the way to just get through and be successful...one more week to go and I live for another week of competition.

I need to get some extra miles in this weekend and will probably do some running in the morning to prevent the heat from shredding my hopes. Till then get to running!

Scarecrow Runner

week 2 day 3

Mileage: 4 miles (40 minutes)
WTD mileage: 7.20    
CT mileage to date:  23.19
Calories burned: 701

Well I didn't run yesterday. I woke up late and didn't feel the greatest to start off with and then left my workout clothes at home thus I decided I would wait till I got home. I then realized I hadn't watched the movie I rented from RedBox and it was due by 9pm and still had some work to do on my daughter's bedroom floor. About the time I was going to go and run, I decided against it. I decided I would take my rest day in the middle of the week since I still am in the Summer Challenge at work and want to be more fresh come time to test, rather than be limping into a day of rest.

I stretched out today and man was I sore. I felt like I hadn't run in a week. My muscles were screaming at me and it seemed that they didn't want to participate at all. Need to drink some more water to hydrate myself and help them out a bit. I got on the treadmill and ran a warm up mile. I was definitely already feeling quite warm by the time I was done. LOL..I then proceeded to do my core workout for the day. It consisted of
6 x 400 meters with a walk/jog of 400 meters in between. I was supposed to jog/run a mile or two before and after, but due to time restraints, I was only able to do the mile warmup and warmed down on my last walk/jog interval. I did the speed work at a 10 which equals to about a 5:50 mile pace...it was fast. :) I mainly walked the intervals in between at a pace of 4.5-5.5. My heart rate would peak at about 168-170 and then recover to about 129-133, which is good. The last lap I did at 10.2 on the treadmill as I wanted to definitely push myself. It was definitely a hard workout, one of the more difficult ones to endure so far. I know it is going to make me better. My quads are definitely feeling it right now and I am sleepy, but all in all, it was a good workout.

I have a total of 9 days till my race...about 7 days of running left. I don't want to be tired come race time, so I will start to taper off by mid week next week and do a light workout on Wednesday, unless I am still in competition for the Summer Challenge. If that is the case, I will have to run a hard 12 minutes and I am not liking that idea...decisions, decisions.

Core Training - week 2

Mileage: 3.20
WTD mileage: 3.20    
CT mileage to date:  19.19
                                        
Went to a workout in the fitness center during lunch. I looked at my old schedule to see what class was being taught and it said "Hard Core". A complete abdominal workout that will kick your butt. You use the exercise balls, medicine balls, etc...when I arrived, I had forgotten the schedule was new effective today, so instead of abs, it was the "Guns" workout...all upper body. It mainly dealt with resistance with the bands and boy did my upper body get a workout..I am still tired from it. HA!

Prior to class I did about .30 miles/4 minutes on the elliptical to warm up and get the heart pumping.
After the class was over I went and put in a good 1.10 miles of variation work on the treadmill. It used different resistance and incline to simulate hills. It was a workout indeed. I did this for 10 minutes and had to get back from lunch. While my scripts were running towards the end of the day, I went back down to the gym and finished up my mileage for the day. I put in one hard/fast mile and adjusted the speed as I endured. I ended up at a 9.2 in speed at the end of this mile. It was taxing to say the least. My body was screaming and rightfully so after the workout I had endured some 4.5 hours before. Then I ran a slower paced mile as a cool down. I ended up going 1.15 miles along with a .10 walk/warm down. I definitely was exhausted today after this workout. Tomorrow is set for a 3.5 mile easy paced run..we shall see how that goes. :) I will face my adversary, the airport trails again and this dreaded heat.
:) Here is to week 2!

end of week 1 core training

Mileage 4.00
End of Week mileage: 15.99
End of week weigh in: 241

Last night I struggled due to the extreme heat. It was 103 at 8:30 in the evening. I ran at the airport, which has become my adversary. My longest run of the week was today as well. I was unable to calculate accurate mileage, but it was 4 miles, if not close to it.  For whatever reason, this trail/course always discourages me and is a heartbreaking place to run. I have yet to run the entire distance when I go out there. I think the heat has something to do with it, but its so long and drawn out and messes with your mind. I always seem to go out too fast and try to finish fast. Tonight I should've finished, but I will blame it on the extreme heat since that is why I feel i didn't finish. I ran for 31 minutes straight before having to take a quick breather and catch my breath. The humidity has been at about 35% and the air quality has been deemed not so great. The shirt I was wearing didn’t help. It is the kind that keeps you dry and from sweating, but I think last night I needed to sweat to cool off from the slight breeze that was blowing. My biggest downfall was that I was feeling overly hot. I probably could have finished the entire distance running, but it was supposed to be a comfortable pace and enjoyable run…HA! It was a far cry from that. 103 degree heat takes away any fun.

Nonetheless, I was able to complete the distance and get my miles in.  I was happy to get my mileage in for the week and continue to improve. It is a slow, gradual thing, but definitely is happening. I can feel it in my lungs and in my legs. I am also starting to trim up in my waistline. J Which is always a good thing. I stepped on the scales after running last night and it read 240.7..I couldn’t believe it. I haven’t cracked 240 in probably a year. My target weight would be 215-220. I will be happy to get back to that weight. I feel really healthy and good when I am there. That would mean a total loss of 30-35 pounds. I started at 252 and I am embarking on 240…wow..12 pounds, already? Really? That is motivation right there to keep going.

It will take a while to get acclimated to the extreme heat and I have to proceed with caution. This week it is supposed to be extremely hot. There is an extreme heat advisory for all week. The lowest temp this week is supposed to be 105. YIKES! I sure hope I will be able to compete in the race a week from Friday. It is going be just as hot during race time…so we will see.  My knee is feeling better all the time and I have to make sure it stays that way. I need to keep stretching it and massaging it to keep it loose and prevent tightness.

Here is to week 2 of core training. May it be a better week. :)

Week 4 Assessment complete

Today's mileage:           1.72
Week to date mileage: 11.99

Today, according to my training guide is supposed to be a day of rest, but because I am in the Summer Assessment contest at work, it was the day I had to do my assessment. I did it at 8am this morning and on no breakfast at that. My assessment consisted of as many pushups as I could muster up, total number of curl up situps and my distance in the 12 minute walk/run.

• I needed 27 push ups and stopped at 30.
• I need 80 curl situps and got 83.
• I needed to run 1.71 miles in 12 minutes and finished with 1.71 exactly. That was a 7:01 pace.
• A little secret with this...I had to hold onto the treadmill bar today to ensure I could force myself to run at such a wicked pace. I have been training well, but haven't done enough speed work over a specified time to compliment my runs...I was out of breathe and couldn't catch my breathe. Sad, but true!

I live for another week and there are only 2 weeks left in the competition. I know I can do this...up next? I gotta get 1.77 miles in 12 minutes. YIKES! That is a 6:47 pace! I haven't run that since college.
Lord help me. :)

I gotta keep it real though, even if I don't make it past next week's assessment, I still have a race to prepare for in 2 weeks from today. Looking forward to the excitement that surrounds a race...not ready to run the distance yet.

Up next for the weekend....1 hour of cross-training...aka: biking/walking/light jogging on Saturday
Sunday: run 4 miles at relaxed pace...in this heat...I don't think there is any relaxed pace

chalk up another 3 and we aren't talking basketball either

Mileage for day: 3.0
mileage for week: 10.27

Well today was the 2nd in a row for me to eclipse the 3 mile mark. This distance used to be so easy for me to complete, but years of poor health and no exercise will bring you back to reality and put a few more hurdles out there to clear before being in that kind of condition. I literally did not have enough mileage in or base built up to even consider making 3 miles. I would normally quit due to lack of motivation or fatigue.

Yesterday I ran a tempo run for a total of 30 minutes and today was supposed to be more comfortable and a total of 3 miles. I started off pretty comfortable and then towards the last 3/4 mile - mile I started to push myself a little more. I increased the speed on the treadmill and got some blood pumping so I have a feel for the speed I will have to maintain tomorrow for my 12 minute run portion of my Assessment.

The run today felt decent. I felt pretty good through the first 2 miles. I am finally building some endurance and my recovery time is getting quicker. I dropped from 176 to 126 in 2 minutes. I am still a bit above where my target heart rate should be when I am sprinting, etc. but it is getting better. With my recovery time at 40 seconds in 2 minutes, it puts me in the category of my RealAge is about the same as my calendar age. The faster it recovers, the healthier the heart.

I definitely need to get more rest at night as I was feeling pretty drained and sluggish today.

Tomorrow will be a push for me, but I feel confident I can do it. I must do 27 pushups, 85 situps and run 1.71 miles in 12 minutes. Time to step up and shine! I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me! Phillipians 4:13

Training Week 6 -

Weekly mileage to date=  7.27 miles

Today marks week 6 of my return to running form and I hit a small goal. I finally was able to break out of my funk and go through the wall that I have been facing since starting back up. Due to lack of training and endurance, every time I would go out and try and run a solid 2-3 miles I could never finish and often times ended up walking; of course extreme heat lingering in the 100's doesn't help with the confidence either.

The last 6 weeks have been to build my base and to get myself back into the idea of pushing the threshold and going beyond just a nice, casual jog through the neighborhood. I mean business! While I do not think I will ever obtain the speed/endurance/abilities from my days of running college cross country, I will do everything within my abilities to get back into competitive form. I have a goal and I am going to push myself to achieve it.

I started a new training program this week that is designed to get you prepared to compete in an 8K. While 8k's are not your standard race length, it is a solid program that will get me above a 5k skill set and just under a 10k distance. I have run in several 10k's and 2 half marathons and like those distances and as long as my knee holds up, that is where I will find myself.

Today my workout was a Tempo Run workout:
It consisted of running 5-10 minutes at an easy pace, shift gears and run 10-15 accelerating to a 15k pace and then decelerating for last 5-10 min. I probably went a little harder than I should have, but I tend to push myself a bit harder and have yet to find that "groove" on what my race tempo should be. This will take time.

I have been running on the treadmill to get myself built up and then I can go tackle the heat and have a good base to carry me the distance. Today's workout was tough as I pushed hard. I started at 6.7 on the treadmill for 10 minutes, then bumped it to 8 for 10 minutes and then dropped back down to a 6.5-6.7 for 10 minutes. I think I started off too fast and should have been more like a 5, but can't change the facts now. I survived, but it kicked my butt.

Total time run = 30 minutes
Total distance = 3.27
Total calories burned = 667
5k = 27:30 (definitely some room to improve) last 5k race I ran in was a 23:40 in July 2006.
Didn't have my IT band compression wrap on, so my knee is sore, but I did use the foam roller afterwards to work out the soreness.


Tonight will be ibuprofen and ice if necessary.

Up next tomorrow is supposed to be a 3 mile comfortable pace mixed with some strength training.
Here is to the next 8 weeks of training!

The Scarecrow Runner cometh

   This is my first post in this new blog environment. This blog will be to record all of the activities of my training and workouts to get back into running form.

   A few weeks before my 36th birthday I was a participant in the Corporate Challenge with my work. As I stood in the infield of the track and watched numerous individuals competing in the races the competitive fire began to burn deep within my core. A sleeping giant had awakened from its slumber and was beginning to stir. The giant had been put down for a longer than anticipated hibernation. More like a coma, if you ask me. There were few, if any remnants of a former college cross-country athlete lingering within.

   Hampered by nagging IT Band issues over the last 5 years made a return all the less realistic. The internal clock seemed to pass time more quickly the further along it was in operation. Three summers before I had shed 30 pounds off my frame and looked more like the runner I once was, but did not muster up the courage or motivation to endure in a training program and over the next several months those pounds came back with a personal vendetta.

  Through two job losses and other personal drama, the pounds continued to attach themselves to me and refused to play fair. I stepped on the scales the day before my birthday and did not like what I saw. I was well over 255 pounds and had at one time hit 260, a far cry from the days of a starving collegiate athlete who often was considered a heavyweight at a mere 195 pounds. So out onto the streets I ventured that birthday eve and managed to survive a 1 mile run. At least my pace was respectable, so not all hope had been lost.
 
The next 2 weeks would be a challenge due to our incredibly hot temperatures, but I managed to squeak out a few miles a week. At the end of June the fitness center at my work announced a Summer Challenge Incentive Program. It is a 6-week program where we all had to test ourselves doing pushups, curlups (the sititng down kind) and a 12  minute walk/jog/run and increase by 10% week over week. Originally there were well over 25 participants in this challenge, but as of Monday the numbers have shrunk to a total of 10.

  We are currently in week 4 of our Challenge program and it has definitely stretched me beyond my comfort zone. Going forward this blog will reflect my triumphs, defeats and everything in between as it pertains to running. I really am anxious to see how well I do with recording my information and improving regularly. This time next year I want to be in the best shape of my life at the age of 37 and not be ashamed of anything I have done during the last calendar year. I realized I was at the point in my adult life that if I chose to not to do anything that I was increasing my odds for sickness, disease and limiting my abilities to take care of my family going forward. I am willing to go the distance and persevere regardless of challenge that is before me.

As of today, I have been training for exactly 6 weeks and have built a core foundation to springboard off of going forward. The first 6 weeks were not the prettiest and I will spare you the details and drama I went through. Ultimately, I am still pushing forward. I have not allowed it to beat me into submission and force me to quit. My mental toughness has been sharpened and my physical toughness has been tweaked. I am ready for the challenge(s) that lie in the miles ahead of me and will be sharing along the way.

You may still be wondering why I called my blog the scarecrow runner..well I am from Kansas, enjoy the movie Wizard of Oz and am a runner...the town in Kansas that I was born in has a Wizard of Oz museum, so its only fitting. I am rather tall and lengthy and often times can relate to the personality of the scarecrow from the movie. Not that I don't have a brain, but the general personality. :) So...from hence forth, the scarecrow runner cometh.