Note To Self

Today as I got on the trail the thermometer read 59. As I walked in my warm-up I thought I should remind myself that anything below 63 starts to feel chilly. And I learned that at 58 degrees my head steams after running. It's chilly enough to see your breathe. At this point I'm planning to evolve into fall gear. For now just the blue shorts and undershirt. As temps go down though, I expect to have to adjust to wearing more clothing.

I don't think I'll be ready to run a 5k this fall. There just don't seem to be enough weeks. I may have to push it into February or March. We'll see.

Today I did my deal; finished the course plus a little extra.

--Ben

9th Week of Running

Welcome to my Ninth week of running. I'm slow and way behind on the C25k plan I started with. (According to that plan I should be running a 5k today. However, I'm still mastering the third week of training having mastered it before, failed at the fourth week, taken a week off, and rebuilding.

When I started running I estimate my weight to have been 332, and this morning I weighed in at 325.5. So I'm getting a little lighter. My body tells me regularly on the trail that I need to get a lot lighter:-)

Still enjoying it, when I finish, not so much during the workout.

--Ben

Getting a Win

I measure things in small increments right now. My running times are small, (my mental increments are small, for instance I measure by telephone poles) but when I meet the requirement it's a win. Today I started winning again. I feel like this week I'll be back on track, and finish with a win each day.

--Ben

Neighborhood

Routine is life. Every time I mess with the routine, I pay a price. Today, I got up and started getting my gear together, only to find that my running shorts were in the washing machine wet. So I threw them in the drier, and waited for an hour to get them dry.

We only have one car right now while my wife's is in the repair shop, so I couldn't take the car to the trail. Instead I had to run in my neighborhood. So I'm an hour late, and in a different place. It turned out not to be a good run. I'll be running again later to pay for it.

--Ben

Leave it all

This morning I was out there again. Glad to have a normal week so far. Boring is better if it means a steady routine. I ran the third course. I've begun calling the weekly workouts courses, because of my slow progress. I run till I master a course, then move up to the next.

Today after four runs since vacation, I finished the course. Yay!

90/90 3m/3m/ repeat

I was exhausted, and had that vomit feeling in the pit of my stomach, but I did it. I montra'd my way through it. I kept a check list constantly in my head: Head up, look at the finish line, breathe, stay loose, use your arms to power your legs, run on your heels, leave no reserve in the tank.

That's the sum total of everything I know about running. I just kept repeating it till my trainer told me it was time to stop. It was when I stopped that I realized how hard I had pushed myself. Maybe harder than any run yet.?.

Overall, I'm still glad I chose to start running. I never thought I would be, but I actually enjoy it.

--Ben

Winning and losing

Monday is run day.

It is a win that I ran, it's a loss that I have regressed so much. I need to steady my routine. I have been too erratic lately. But I ran today.

Looking forward to Wednesday.

I'm thinking about doing some lighter running on my off days. We'll see.

Yesterday new friends, Tim and Andrea, encouraged me to run. They shared their love for the sport. Andrea recommended running with a group; specifically Annapolis striders.

--Ben

Better

I'm repeating the Week 3 program. And I almost did the complete workout today. I'm confident that next time I'll be able to complete it.

I pulled up on the last leg with about a minute left.

--Ben

weak one

Ok, the discipline of this blog has gone the way of my training discipline. It has been over a week since I posted, and for what it's worth, since I've run. I was traveling last week, and though my intentions were to run, I just couldn't get a chance. So back on the trail today. I woke up, and remembered the comfortable feeling of laziness. But I got myself out of bed chanting, "There are no reasons not to run at the trail."

I got dressed chanting that montra, and even repeated it all the way from my car. I got on the trail, and knew that things were different. Different from the last time I ran.

The last time I ran, I did the next step in training, and for a week was unable to complete it. Not even close. Today I stepped back which had been my plan for last week, but I am thinking now that a week off, plus a week of bad workouts is actually two weeks since my heart and lungs were being tuned. And it kicked my butt today.

But, it's me against me at this point, and I'm going to win. See you on the trail tomorrow.

--Ben

Week Five: Workout three

Friday is Die Day.

Ok, I hope to turn these posts into more positive news, but for now I finished another week and that's about the best news. I did not finish the work out this morning. I'm going to take next week and go back a week and master it a little more then reapproach this regimen.

I am not fit enough to do the running that is required, so I'm stepping back to do it again.

Right now I honestly can see how I'll ever run a 5k.

--Ben