Five Miles Finished

It will be some time before I wax poetically about running. Right now, I'm just tired.

I just finished my first outside five mile run a long while. No PRs were broken. No one swooned and thought, "Wow, that guy is fast." A dog looked at me funny and a guy mowing a lawn gave me a nod. It's all good.

30:03 out (12:01/mile)
29:00 back (11:36/mile)
-----
59:03

The times are more for myself to give me a sense of how I'm progressing. The big news for me is that I ran the entire way. There are a couple killer hills that make me want to walk each time.

However, I felt pretty good 90% of the time. Unfortunately, that 10% remaining goes 5x slower, so it all feels strangely achy good bad tired upbeat.

Got it?

I also got out earlier than I had been despite only getting 6:30 of sleep. Getting out before breakfast, I believe, burns more calories.

The scale seems to be tilting in my favor, but it bounces around to much to declare any success yet. It is not going the wrong direction, so there's that. My goal is to lose 15 pounds and to have it gone by July 2018. I've only just begun (again).

Feeling Goodish

I climbed down a mountain on Saturday. Walked through a deep forest on Sunday. Today, I jogged.

The mountain is more of a mole hill, but no less a challenge.

The forest is within a suburb of Atlanta.

The jog was, is the same route as before, slightly faster.

3.6 miles.

43:35 - 12:06/mile

As a Monday update, I feel somewhat fitter but have little tangible proof. My weight hasn't really moved. My clothes fit the same. I do feel better.

Beating the Beast

I beat the RRR. The Ridge Road Route.

3.6 miles of up and down. Long slopes of agony. 90% humidity. 80 degrees.

A beast.

44:10 - 12:14/mile.

I'm not bragging. 12:14//mile is not brag-worthy. It, though, is a benchmark.

My legs are tired, sore, and stiff.

I'll live.

Pain, as they say, is weakness leaving the body.

Still aches. Pithy quotes don't change squat.

It Ain't Easy: Hills

The plan was to run 3.6 miles on my new there-and-back route. 1.8 mils each way.

My goal was simple: stay running, no matter how slow, the entire way. Hard?

Apparently. I made 1.25 miles. Walked. Jogged another 1.25 miles. And walked home. My pace was unexpectedly

Hills. Hills. Hills. Hills. Hills. Hills.

Hills.

This route has a name. Ridge Road Route. It has beaten me twice and things don't look good the next time.

It is mostly uphill on the way out in a set of rising tiers. It is short but it does not forgive. I'm not in shape to flatten it.

My scale believes I lost 2.2 pounds over what was about 55 minutes walk/jogging. Since my goal is to lose 15 lbs, I think at this rate, I'll be done in two weeks. If only.

Feels Like the First Time

It wasn't pretty. I joined the 3.0 mile group and ran about 1.5 miles before having to walk. After the turnaround, I jogged/walked. I'll say I ran 2.0 miles total.

I will survive.

To be accurate, "I Will Survive," by Gloria Gaynor really has nothing to do with a good run. Or a bad one. It is a bitter song of a woman trying to hold on after a nasty relationship. My situation is just an out of shape guy running in conditions he's not used to.

Saw several deer within a few meters. And a bunny.

A few good things came from this:
* For that 1.5 miles, I ran about 9:00 pace. I had no idea.
* There were enough runners at whichever pace.
* I can't help but get better.

It is a well-run club. Water stops, water at the store, safe trails on the Suwanee Greenway, good people. There was even a guy passing out Popsicles. I didn't get in on that. Next time.

Passing the Lovely Lake Foxcroft in 3.5 Miles

3.5 miles run
0.2 miles walk

total: 3.7 miles
course: Briarcliffe Loop

62°F | °C
Scattered Clouds
Wind: N at 13 mph
Humidity: 58%

Warm day in Chicagoland are growing rare.Our summer was dreadfully hot, but autumn is unpredictable. Today was much sunnier than the weather I posted.

The picture, not take today, is of a small lake -- more of a pond -- Lake Foxcroft. As a neighborhood park, backing up to Glen Ellyn, IL homes, plenty of families stop by for a quick walk, or weekend anglers look for dinner. I came across it around two thirds into my jog. (Read my thoughts before the run.)

As for the running, as I swing back into a routine, I found it more humid than I'm used to, and went slowly. No watch. Too early to care about time. No headphones. Too many interesting things to hear. No running tomorrow, but I'll be back at it Tuesday.

Catch me on Twitter. http://twitter.com/anthonytrendl

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My Keister Has Moved (Mere 1.4 Miles)

1.4 miles run1.4 miles walked

total: 2.8 miles

78°F | °C
Partly Cloudy
Wind: S at 2 mph
Humidity: 71%
course: neighborhood loop

With the amazing addition to our family, much has been turned around. Once again, as is the sad saga of my fitness, I am out of shape. For such a short run, I'm tired and sore.

Any interesting ads on my blog?

I weighed myself pre-run, and was unimpressed. I'm going to avoid weighing myself for the next month, and, if I stick with just getting my keister out there, expect progress.

Red Bandana: Ice Cream Running

Read the latest Red Bandana: A Runner's Dilemma

You have heard of bar hopping. Try ice cream running. Same thing, almost.

The idea is simple: run a defined route with stops along the way for ice cream. How far, and how many ice cream stops is part-strategy, part-fitness and part-(things can get ugly after one too many scoops).

In the Wheaton area, we are blessed with more than a few places to imbibe in ice cream.

Liberally defining things, I am including gelato. Ever have it? Kiosks all over Europe offer amazing flavors (in Hungary, I have even seen poppy seed gelato). Just for kicks, since it is more or less the same snack category, I am also including frozen yogurt.

First, if there are several of you running, I recommend using one credit card and evening out your accounts afterward. Basically, who has a pocket big enough to hold the card.

The entire run is around 10.5 miles. Keep stops short. Lactose intolerant people probably should avoid the run, though bathrooms are available at each location. Or, run faster.

Start in downtown Wheaton at Tates. Go conservative: one scoop of vanilla in a cup. No sprinkles. Enjoy the small town atmosphere, and move onward.

Tates Old Fashioned Ice Cream
109 East Front Street
Wheaton, IL 60187

After you have finished this stop, start slowly. The body is receiving a conflicted message here, so give it time. From Front Street, go east to Main Street, and run south. Cross Roosevelt, and keep going until you get to Farnham. Head east to Naperville Road, and take a right, going south again. Watch the traffic, but stay steady until you get into the Danada Shopping Center

TCBY The Country's Best Yogurt
278 Danada Square West
Wheaton, IL 60187

Try the chocolate here. This very clean chain yogurt place is a delicious treat for those watching their figure. But, again, one scoop. You have barely begun.

After a quick exit, work south to Butterfield Road, and run east for a few blocks. Two options abound, with an Oberweis Dairy and Dairy Queen within a half block. My recommendation is Oberweis all the way. Not only is it local, but they have some of the best quality ice cream you will find.

Oberweis Dairy
811 E. Butterfield Road
Wheaton, IL

Feel free to diversify at this point. Get some fruit in, and try strawberry.

Stay on Butterfield for your next location. This time, it is the sophisticated European charm of our one Glen Ellyn stop at Park Boulevard and Butterfield Road. No ice cream here. Just gelato (and some amazing pastries).

Ice Lolly Cafe (my review)
22W535 Butterfield Road
Glen Ellyn, IL

If you are lucky, they will have the tiramisu gelato available. The taste is spot-on. If not, maybe the hazelnut is in stock.

Work your way north up Park to 22nd Street, and head west to Lorraine Road, and turn north. Keep going, passing Roosevelt until Illinois Street. Turn left, and run west back to Main Street.

You are almost done.

Feel free to pick up the pace as you run north on Main into downtown Wheaton. More gelato at the final stop, the very comfortable La Spiaza Coffeehouse. The options for gelato are not as varied as you found at Ice Lolly, but the neighborhood pub sense of the place cannot be outdone.

La Spiaza
114 North Main Street
Wheaton, IL

Here, have all the gelato you can handle while sitting in a couch, thinking about gluttonary adventure you just enjoyed.

Running Playlist Song of the Week
Sugar, Sugar by the Archies (http://amzn.to/gm5pvC)
What is as sweet as ice cream? Summer romance. While we are not yet even into Spring, we are into ice cream. Like other bubblegum tunes, the lyrics are silly, the beat is happy throughout.

"Sugar, ah honey honey
You are my candy girl
And you've got me wanting you.
Honey, ah sugar sugar
You are my candy girls
And you got me wanting you."

———————
Writer Anthony Trendl eats too much ice cream, including the bowl of French vanilla seen pictured here. Contact me to send your favorite tips, songs, recipes, or to promote a road race. See http://anthonytrendl.com/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/anthonytrendl
Blog: http://anthonytrendl.blogspot.com/
Running blog: http://runnersdilemma.blogspot.com/

I Wanna Be The Sign Guy - 5.25 Comfortable Miles

Bank of America Chicago Marathon
10-10-10

5.25 miles run (44:40 - 8:30/mile) 

0.50 miles walk (7:50 - 15:00/mile)

6.00 miles walk earlier in the day 

total: 11.75 miles
course: Streets of Chicago, home treadmill

I want to be the guy in the sign tomorrow. I really do. Instead, I'll be carrying the togs of another runner who made, and stuck by, the decision to race. I don't get to be the guy in the sign because I did not do the job to get there.

Today, during a six mile walk around Chicago's Loop, I saw runners, I saw signs like you see here, and I smelled desire. Hundreds of people passed me who know the runner's dilemma. They understand what running is, and they followed through.

In the strictest sense, the Chicago walk was no workout, but calories were burned and so fitness is now six miles closer. Tonight's run, however, was a smooth, easy gallop, yet faster than I have run in a while.

Up early tomorrow to catch a ride with my marathoning friend. She's aiming for a sub-4 hour race -- she needs that to qualify for the 2011 Boston Marathon.

Did you catch my most recent Red Bandana column? High School Students at Chicago Marathon and a 2011 Challenge What's the challenge? Hint: It involves beer.

Lace Snapping My Calves - 5.0 Miles

5.0 miles run (52:00 - 8:54/mile)
0.50 miles walked (7:50 - 15:00/mile)

total: 5.50 miles
course: home treadmill

I'm eating ravioli. You don't care. Or do you? On its own, no. Why should you care what I have for a late evening snack? No good reason. So why bring it up?

Normally after a run, I'm not hungry. I don't know why. Maybe the blood vessels are so busy trying to keep me alive that my hunger muscles aren't interested in getting any action?

But now, hungry. I missed dinner, so I can see the correlation.

I'm getting the hang of my treadmill. The pulse thing doesn't work, unless, after four miles, I'm at 83 bpm. Wouldn't that be cool? I'm not that fit.

I felt good. Brand new ASICS GT-2150™ with Kayano® II Low Cut socks. Felt like I was on a cloud. New laces were snapping my calves.

(The book pictured above? It is free. If I only had a Kindle. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.)

I Hate Stopping - 2.5 Miles

2.50 miles run
0.75 miles walked

total: 3.25 miles

87°F | °C
Current: Partly Cloudy
Wind: NE at 8 mph
Humidity: 58%
course: neighborhood

I hate stopping. Unplanned stops, that is. If I plan in a stop, like yesterday, I'm good. No pride is impacted. Today, the heat, matched with the fatigue of carrying 15-20 extra pounds thanks to sub-par fitness, and whammy, I was done. While my pride is strong, my desire to be healthy is stronger.

Why not plan the stop? The weather, as you can see, is rough. Worse, when you subtract 1.5 hours, as I forgot to grab the weather before I left. Worse, when you add in the blazing reflective heat from the blacktops. And worse still when... No. That's all. I'm out of excuses.

Good friend Mark, who has been heartily running every day a steady three miles each, left me at 25 minutes. Not a worry. I encouraged him to press on while I took a short cut back to his place. Some short cut. He was there, smiling, with a glass of cold water and a few paper towels. We talked about important things for 30 minutes while we caught our breath.

A good, hot run.

Not There Yet - 3.5 Miles

3.5 miles run - 29:57.68 (8:34/mile)
1.1 miles walked
course: Briarcliffe

69°F | °C
Current: Partly Cloudy
Wind: SE at 12 mph
Humidity: 37%

finish
69°F | °C
Current: Cloudy
Wind: E at 12 mph
Humidity: 35%

Tonight was not too dissimilar in time from my gagging 3.1 mile treadmill run last week. That, though, was inside, with no hills, and slightly shorter. I'm reticent to compare too much, but both numbers show me that though I am becoming more fit, I've a long way to go. For the last several years at this time, I am in almost exactly the same spot. In fact, in 2009, I was simply faster.

I can't dwell on this. I just need more miles, more days, more focus.

Saw Brad Webb on his bike heading westward.

Pleasant Without the Valley Sunday - 6.1 Miles

6.10 miles run (55:58 - 9:10/mile)
0.36 miles walk
total: 6.46 miles

61°F | °C
Current: Partly Cloudy
Wind: NE at 14 mph
Humidity: 37%

finish
62°F | °C
Current: Partly Cloudy
Wind: NE at 13 mph
Humidity: 30%

course: Briarcliffe

The run went better than expected. Hardly speedy, but I felt a little wobbly today going out, and I know that treadmill speed can be deceiving. Just the same, the run was comfortable and :21/mile quicker than similar distances at Cardinal Fitness.

A few crackpot drivers chose to do rolling stops at stop signs, then didn't look. I actually had to yell at one driver to avoid being hit.

Nice weather for running and just about everything else. Corn-on-the-cob and grilled pork chops await on my deck along with a cold drink. Now you go do the same.

First Outside Run - 3.5 Miles

3.5 miles run
0.360395291 miles walk

total: 3.86 miles

70°F | °C
Current: Mostly Cloudy
Wind: SE at 7 mph
Humidity: 36%

finish
67°F | °C
Current: Cloudy
Wind: E at 8 mph
Humidity: 42%

course: Briarcliffe

First outside run. Mild inclines, new course, humidity, squishy post-rain ground. No wind.

Briarcliffe, as a course, will likely refer to one of several, all starting on my street, a sort of main neighborhood drag. I've charted 3.5-10.3 mile routes.

Yesterday, I bowled. Lucky Strike. Had a few lucky strikes, but mostly, used muscles that haven't been involved in my life in some time. I have the corresponding next day ache to prove it. I carried that ache on my run.

Not sure how fast I ran. No watch on purpose. Needed to run clear of the digital truth.

Not a bad run. Tomorrow, something longer.

A Long Rain, A Short Run, A Fine Time

41:03 (9:40/mile?)
4.25 miles?

total: 4.25 miles

52°F | °C
Current: Showers
Wind: S at 5 mph
Humidity: 92%

Not sure how far. Ran an easy 40 minutes in the humid aftermath of a day long rain.

Good running partners make good runs. Friends Mark and Jody came along, or rather, I joined them. We ran Jody's course at an easy lope, and enjoyed conversation along the way. Mark dropped off so to get the dogs, and when we came round again, the exuberant adult puppies were there to overwhelmingly greet us.

Time for some Hamburger Helper. Trying the Philly Cheesesteak kind. It expired in January, but, come on, who is kidding who?

(Buy some. If you buy enough stuff from Amazon, I can get some new ones!)

Hamburger Helper Philly Cheesesteak, 6.5-Ounce Boxes (Pack of 12)

Who Waved? Dusk Run - 7.0 Miles

7.00 miles run (63:25 - 9:04/mile)
0.50 miles walk

total: 7.5 miles

74°F °C
Current: Clear
Wind: E at 0 mph
Humidity: 50%
course: COD Loop

Someone waved 1.25 miles into my run. Might have been John Grebe, my running buddy from the JSRC. Can't be sure. John? You reading this? Where have you been?

My pace was steady. I gotta like that. My last 1.5 miles felt great. Longer runs after short layoffs often do, so how it percolates in the next week is what matters most.

Got a foot full of muddy water at the corner of Naperville Road and Rt 56. Looked dry. Wasn't. Simple as that. A stomach cramp from the massive pile of pasta I enjoyed for lunch. Deep breathes solved that.

Now that I'm running longer runs, I need to manage time better. Runs starting from my door are better than the beautiful Prairie Path runs. This is a start of that.

A Slow Run and a Short Poem - 4.36 Miles

4.36 miles (41:13 - 9:27/mile)

total: 4.36 miles

77°F | °C
Current: Partly Cloudy
Wind: E at 0 mph
Humidity: 44%
course: COD Loop

finish
75°F | °C
Current: Clear
Wind: E at 0 mph
Humidity: 47%

No iPod. Left it home. Drank water well all day. Ate well enough. And yet, slower than expected. Was last night's track workout the reason? Either way, this is all just base building.

Dripping with sweat. This morning, I weighed in at 136.8. I'm guessing now, even lighter.

Tonight's Run
Late summer grasshoppers hit my legs,
telling me not to quit when winter comes.
A solo Queen Anne's Lace tick-tocked in the wind,
a survivor of the recent road shoulder mowing.
Blackbirds in a natural choreograph worked hard to block the summer rays,
knowing, come December, there will no blackbirds to block a sun that isn't there.

Too Short 1.4 miles

1.4 miles (12:13 - 8:44/mile)

total: 1.4 miles

71°F
Current: Clear
Wind: E at 0 mph
Humidity: 42%
course: COD Loop

Too short. Barely broke a sweat. Felt the results of a layoff. Run felt edgy.

Linear:Nonlinear Mode Resolution Over 4.36 Miles

4.36 miles run (38:59.64 - 8:57/mile)
0.50 miles walked

total: 4.86 miles

78°F
Current: Clear
Wind: E at 0 mph
Humidity: 49%
course: COD Loop

Not quite sure how it is I went this fast. My legs felt heavy. My stride is stretching out, but is a long way from loose. I felt some bounce in my toes along with the slugging around of step-to-step. I am improving, and that's a nice way to finish the afternoon.

As I posted to my Twitter account:

The best thing about running with a cacophony of iPod music, traffic noise and my out of shape heartbeat is that in this, my thoughts organize.

As a writer both when working and on my free time, I often think in a linear:nonlinear mode, particularly in my creative work. Writing is a mix of craft and art, and so this tends to drain me of real processing of what I think. Hard to explain that here, but what happens as I run, all the noises are both completely tuned in and tuned out at once, a paradox of associating and disassociating on the same mental plane. The dogs barking, the cars honking, the singer singing and my own thoughts grinding away at yesterday's problems all go away. Things get sorted out.

This settling of my mind is what I need. This is more important than those blessed endorphins, and even more than the physical health benefits. Perspective, emotionally and spiritually, comes around.

30 Days and 4.3(6) Miles

4.36 miles run (40:40 - 9:20/mile)
0.50 miles walk

total: 4.86 miles

69°F
Current: Mostly Cloudy
Wind: E at 0 mph
Humidity: 69%
course: COD Loop

finish
71°F
Current: Mostly Cloudy
Wind: E at 0 mph
Humidity: 59%

A nice run on what is, in fact, a sunny day on this thirtieth day back into running.

Today was a new kind of day. I had run yesterday in the early evening, and did not have the same span of rest as usual.

While I am not yet fit, I am used to getting out and running, and with that, am trying to think about form, poise, stride and those kinds of things. In two weeks, my plan is to return to the track for whatever workout Jim thinks is a good idea.

Today's Course
Relooking at my 4.3 mile route, which originally I thought was 4.42 miles, it seems to be 4.36 miles. What is accurate? My GPS watch cannot decide either. What difference does it really makes? To be exact, 7.87 seconds per mile. Do I really care? No, because I know the route is pretty much the same. I can compare times in that context. These aren't carefully controlled track workouts. Maybe I cross the street at a different angle, or do not click my watch off precisely when I stop at a street light. Details.

For now, after several seconds of deliberated consideration, I'll move forward by recording the 4.36 distance, and the related pace. I won't back fix my mileage spreadsheet or anything, just as I did not with the 4.42 miles change. I prefer to be exact and accurate as it keeps me honest, but what counts as either is a bigger question than I am capable of solving.

A few runs I call 'COD Loop' for both the stats above and the post tags. That's just a ballpark took to remind me of where the run was. Having a name for every variation is more unwieldy that I want to deal with.

When I run the track, I fudge some as well, not bothering usually to adjust 1600 meters into a mile, but letting it go.

Weight
My weight is sneaking down. This morning it registered at a tidy 137.6 lbs. All is going in the right direction, and that's the pattern I need. I don't see how I'll be 135 on August 31 as hoped, but I am on track to get to 125 by May 1.

For David, the Super Chicken theme song (or, watch Jerry Seinfeld singing it), who thought there might not be useful songs for running. I know he likes this one.
"He will drink his super sauce
And throw the bad guys for a loss
And he will bring them in alive and kickin' (puk, puk, puk)"