I meet my match

This morning I ran my first double digit run, a 10 mile long run out at the River Trail. I have really been picking up some speed on the shorter 4 and 5 mile runs, so for some reason I foolishly thought I could run 10 miles at that same pace. I did it, and I paid the price.
The first five miles were easy, as I did not realize what kind of tail wind was propelling me. I knew exactly what I was dealing with when I turned around on mile 5 and was running into a strong headwind, slowing me down almost a minute a mile.
I was greeted by the first cramps I have experiences during this training. I had to make up for lost time, so I got to experience cramps in my calves, hamstrings and abdominal muscles. I was a mess and reached for the ibuprofin. As bad as it was, it was as till a great way to spend my day off.
On my next long run, a 12 miler in two weeks, I'll do a better job pacing myself. I will be praying for a nice day on April 29th in Oklahoma City, with minimal winds and no rain like they had last year.

100 miles

I hit my first milestone on Saturday morning, 100 miles. I planned for it to happen somewhere on Riverside, but it ended up happening on a treadmill at my gym.
I thought I was ready for cold weather running. And for my California friends and family, when I say cold weather running, I don't mean 30 degrees. It was 15 when I started, and below zero wind chills into the north wind. My gloves and hat were useless. I ran a mile into that wind then turned around and ran back. I was afraid of triggering an asthma attack or worse, so I finished on the treadmill.
It turned out being the best run of my training, time wise and energy spent to get to that time. It was my 24th run, 106 miles run.
In times past, I am not sure I would have finished that Saturday morning run. While I was disappointed I was not able to finish the run in the cold, it took some discipline to drive to the gym and make myself finish on the treadmill. I am starting to see the benefits of not just the physical, but the mental toughness and mental training that is necessary to complete this goal. It's amazing how much this has taught me about myself.

Six weeks and counting

It's been a very challenging week of training, not so much out on the trail, but just getting to the trail. A friend of mine passed away, and I went to New Mexico to preach at his funeral. That was priority over any marathon training, but with a little creativity and some sacrifice, I was able to stay on track and not miss any runs.
On Monday, I ran 5 miles in Albuquerque. Even though I lived there for many years, I was never serious about fitness then, and had never run that far at that altitude. I had walked five miles before, but never ran hard in a serious training mode. The altitude seemed to bother me for the first mile, but after that, it was a normal run. It was absolutely gorgeous, 38 degrees, clean air, mountains on one side, I think it even started snow for a few minutes, but it wasn't cold like Tulsa.
My 3 and 4 mile runs yesterday and today were par for the course. I don't like the two short runs, they are just a necessary evil.
I will end week 6 on Saturday with a 9 mile run. It will be my 24th training run, and put me over the 100 mile mark. I am looking forward to it, and I will find the flattest trail I can find.

Rain or Shine

Being a pastor, sometimes my schedule allows me to have a normal life, and sometimes it doesn't. When people are your "business", you never know what is going to happen, and they are the priority.
My best friends brother passed away this past week. As I sat and thought about my best friend, and his brother, it reminded me of many parts of our childhoods that I had not thought about in years. Times like this always make you grateful for what you have, and that is certainly where I am at this moment.
As for running, a long day at work and school precluded me for being able to get my 4 mile run in yesterday, so I ran today. Actually, a day off was probably what I needed. I ran a hilly 4 miles, but didn't have any shin splints. On my Wednesday run, on a flat track, I had shin splints the whole time. I guess I need to be thinking about setting a more realistic pace at this point.
Tomorrow, I will get in 5 miles on the flattest trail I can find. Then, on Monday, I will attempt a 9 mile run at altitude, a mile high run in Albuquerque. I'm anxious to see how that will be. Though I lived there many years, I was never a runner back then.

The week 5 grind

I was back on the road this morning for a 6 mile long run. After my two great runs last week, I didn't know whether to push hard or just get the mileage done at a slower pace. Because I ran 8 last week, I decided to go ahead and push a little today, and I ran the 6 miles at the same pace i ran my 4 mile run on Saturday.
For the first time in my training, I'm starting to get some aches and pains. My right heel, an ache that has been a problem in the past, started to get really sore on Friday. I also had an ache in my back today as well. I had some shin splints during the first 3 miles today as well. I am hoping these could all be taken care of with better stretching.

It's starting to get easier

Today, I decided to do my four mile run on a different trail. I had never run there and was not sure whether it would be hilly or not. To my dismay, there was a big hill about a mile in to the run. I felt really good though. I got lost in my music and the sunshine, and when I looked at my watch, it revealed I had run the first 3 miles at the fastest pace of my training. I finished with my fastest 4 mile run, by almost 3 minutes, and I felt great.
Along with the running, I have been on weight watchers. I have lost 11 pounds, and I am feeling such a huge difference. I did not think it would make that big a difference, then I though, what would it be like if I filled up a bag of sand with 11 pounds and tried to carry it on my back? I am really enjoying this so far.
At the end of four weeks, I have had 16 training runs, logged 67 miles. Next week, the training steps up a notch as I will break into the 20's in training miles in a week for the first time in my life.

Another beautiful day

What a beautiful afternoon. When I stepped out of my truck and on to the running trail at 5 PM this afternoon, it was 68 degrees. It was a perfect day for a run.
I have lost ten pounds since I started, and I am starting to really feel the difference in weight out on the trail, especially on the hills.
I ran my fastest 4 mile run on an outside trail today, and beat it by over a minute. I am sure it's a combination of the new shoes along with better endurance, but I am really starting to see improvement.

Midweek running blues

For some reason, the 3 mile run is my least favorite. I never seem to get loose, and it hurts the whole time. This morning was a little better. I decided to just get out there and run it as hard as I could and get it over with, and I did. There's really nothing else to report, but I guess these runs are necessary after the long runs to facilitate recovery.

It's the shoes

Back in the day, I used to love the Spike Lee and Michael Jordan commercials, where Spike Lee would ask Mike, is it the shoes?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Abr_LU822rQ


While, I am starting to wonder if it really was the shoes. I did my 13th training run today, my 4th long run. It was 8 miles, 56 total training miles. These 8 miles were by 40 seconds a mile the fastest ones I have run. What changed? It's the shoes!
After my four mile run Saturday, I walked into Tulsa Runner and asked for the exact same shoes I was wearing. The guy in the store wondered how in the world I had been running in my old shoes, with over 500 miles in them. At my weight, they should probably go much less than that.
Shod with my glorious new Brooks Adrenaline GTS 11's, it was like running on a cloud. That was about as comfortable as a run that started sub 30 degrees could be. I won't wait so long next time.