Exercise Goals for 2008

:-)



OK, so...! This was my first big run since the shin splints made themselves painfully apparent. I've been on two half-runs as I healed -- definitely still hurt during those runs but not so bad. Before I started today's run I wasn't hurting at all. After the first running lap my left inner shin started to hurt and I was like damn. It didn't hurt nearly as much at the end of the following walking lap so I decided to go ahead again. It hurt less that time, which doesn't really make sense, but maybe warmed up or my technique was better. Maybe just endorphins were masking pain. Felt about the same the next two running laps. Completed the whole thing fine.

Right leg felt fine throughout! Never started hurting.

Left leg as of now really isn't bad at all. If I wasn't worried about shin splints I wouldn't be thinking twice about it.

(We run counter-clockwise and I'm wondering if that's why my left leg is complaining louder. May try running the other direction.)

And, meanwhile, my running ability has DEFINITELY improved. Felt like I could do the whole workout again at the end of it, way more energy/ less whupped than when we started doing this.

I really opened up for the last lap and especially the last 100 yards of the last lap, felt great.

Absolutely! Run clockwise one time, counter-clockwise the next.
I was running the indoor track at the Lowell Y one winter. They had a
sign posted saying which direction to run in on any given day of the week.
I was running every other day -- so always the same direction -- and
eventually my "inside" knee started hurting.

<hugs George>

Went clockwise today, and I feel FINE! We really pushed ourselves, and it was hot, and I was incredibly whupped when we were finished but my legs were fine!

I'm so happy!

I need to stay vigilant -- just because they're fine now doesn't mean they will be forever after -- and "fine" includes some soreness -- but I was able to focus on running instead of focusing on ow ow ow ow ow ow...

We went with two other people on Wednesday -- one who runs regularly, one who doesn't. Trackmom is definitely better than me but we're roughly evenly matched. For the last lap regular-runner decided to go faster -- Trackmom and I kept up pretty well (newbie didn't, but we'd been going slower on her account -- she did better than I did my first time out!)

Anyway, Trackmom and I decided to up the pace this time for all four laps -- it was just us -- and I was happy with the power/ speed I was able to muster. She said she's seen a major improvement just since we started. I think I'm a little bit past where she was when we started, now -- we're both better though so she's still ahead of me. (It was a challenge for her too but she was less whupped than I was at the end.)

I drank about a gallon of water when we were finished. (Not literally, but whew!)

Soz--

Glad to hear of a mind and a body that are cooperating. Good!

Well done, soz.

Well, despite a O week, I'm ending up the month of May with 75 miles and a total of 333.

What is wrong with this picture?


Does this look like a guy who can run eleven miles and then show up for Chinese and martinis?

Busy week coming up. Japan Run tomorrow morning and then a lap around the park after before picking up number and chip for the Five Miles NYRR Anniversary Run which will be held at 5:30 in the morning in Central Park. (George will tell you that when I run most mornings, so the Club is finally going along with my schedule.

Joe(my hat says Life is Good because Life is.)Nation

It's true.
He's nutz.

This month's goals are some sort of walk every day, rain or shine, whether I'm going into the city or not. Along with the usual weights 'n stuff.

Jes--

Walking in the rain? What about snow?

So today I ran with the All Stars from Japan. It was Japan in Central Park and these folks really know how to have a good time. It is a little disconcerting when you are running as fast as you can and the two Wonder Women keep stopping to take pictures of each other. Such fast women.

First Prize in the Raffle was two tickets to Tokyo.


I didn't win.

I did run really well. Missed my personal record by the twenty seconds I took to take in some water at three miles. (It was 72 degrees at race time) Lots of fun later at the Japan festival, so much fun I forgot to take pictures.

Also ran an additional four miles after the four mile race and then met up with my sweetie for breakfast on Broadway at French Roast.

'Twas a good day.
Joe('twas)Nation

By 20 seconds? Wow. You're in amazing shape for having just been very very sick. (I'm almost afraid to ask -- but are you currently healthy/ not sick? Or are you still sick AND you ran that well?)

Great job.

Thanks, sozobe. The New York Hack is an long lived upper raspatory (ha) condition/ailment/annoyance usually lasting from two to four weeks that hundreds have been fighting off throughout this past six months. (It's not just New York, I think George had something akin to it earlier.) I have an occasional cough now and again during the day, more often right around eight pm at night. I pretty much ignore it now because I know it will just go away.

My wife has the interesting theory that it is exacerbated by drinking a glass of red wine. She gets this idea most nights about eight o'clock right after I have a glass and cough.

Joe(I am about 98.6 percent well)Nation

My bloody bloodpressure is up so I went for a sweaty walk this morning.

That's true; snow in June is not 100% unheard of here. Today, though, it's going up to 78. I'll be walkin' around Fenway, actually.

Fenway? Perhaps the residue of testosterone will burn calories?

Sorry about the continuing cough, JoeN.

Good run today. Newbie joined us, and we slowed down again for her -- this was fine with me, Friday was quite a challenge (when it was just me and Trackmom). This was easy-peasy. (Good news -- running at any speed and "easy peasy" would not have belonged in the same paragraph up until very recently.) I sped up for the last 100 yards, that felt good.

Shin splints remain in abeyance! Huzzah!

We keep planning on and not quite managing to do three runs in a week rather than two, so we're going to do that first before adding on to the regimen, but we're about ready to take it up a notch I think. Maybe 2 consecutive laps then walk, 3 times, or something. (A mile and a half of running.)

Anyway, easing into that territory where running is fun and feels good, (as opposed to scary and exhausting) which I'm super happy about.

Well, I am a little bummed out. Got the results back on the New York City HALF Marathon lottery to he held on July 27th and ..... I didn't get picked. There's a limited number of slots, blah, blah, blah , better luck next year, blah, blah, blah, yadda,yaddd yadda.

And I've gained four pounds. Yipes! Pass the fruit salad.

(Do you think the Chinese food and drinks I had with Frank and Kicky on Friday and the Hot-hot Chicken Bean Nachos I had Saturday and the huge French Toast Breakfast I had after the race could have had anything to do with that?)

(By the way, I do not recommend Hot-hot Chicken-Bean Nachos as a carbo loader before a race. I don't. I just wanted to say that in passing.)

The good news is that I'm running at dawn tomorrow to celebrate the New York Road Runner's Fiftieth Year. Hoorah!

Joe(If you look closely the man in the picture on the left is expanding.)Nation

I'd've thought the chicken-bean nachos would've provided a lil propulsion.

Fenway was definitely good for residual testosterone (the boys were playing in Baltimore so the park was open for an event). Did, all told, something like an hour's worth o' walkin' and definitely in a pleasant place.

"in passing" hee!

Week 22

18.2 miles

Scheduled cumulative mileage: 440
Actual cumulative mileage: 457.6

[Loping through Laurel MD on the Virtual Jog to Georgia]

New York Hack
New York Half

I need to read more carefully.

Still dancing - even when the air conditioner at the studio dies.

If you hear about someone's heading blowing off - it'll be me. I was a total tomato head last night.