Foolish? No, Just Slow and Tired 2.00 Miles

2.00 miles run
0.25 miles walk

total: 2.25 miles
course: COD track

What was I thinking? I spent the weekend switching stuff from one room to the other, then, painting one of those rooms. I had help painting, but the ceiling was mostly my job. Michelangelo has more respect from me than ever.

My legs feel like Jello. My arm begs me for permission to fall off. All I could suffer through today were two very slow miles around College of DuPage's track. Another lap seemed to be a bad idea, so I walked a lap and licked my wounds.

These are the workouts, in a way, which matter most, the one which are more about mental focus than physical exertion. Back at it tomorrow, rested or not.

Buy something: Search Amazon.com for iPad 2
Search Amazon.com for Michelangelo

Fast Night at the Track: Gettin' Whupped by Skeeters and My Own Fat

3200 meters warmup
6x100 striders
1000 fresh (300) 4:30
800 fresh (300) 3:36
600 fresh (300) 2:45
400 good (200) 1:30
3x200 (100) (fresh {:46}, good {:42}, fresh {:45})
[800]
800 fresh 3:41
3x200 (100) (fresh {:50}, good {:45}, fresh {:49})
600 meters warmdown

total: 7.8125 miles

78°F | °C
Current: Clear
Wind: E at 0 mph
Humidity: 46%
course: Wheaton College track

Tonight was a whuppin'. While I never felt wiped out, from the looks of my last 800 and set of 200s, the gas had left the tank. Made sense that it would be. While last night's run was no barn burner, it was a longer one for me. Tonight's workout was almost as long.

Inhaled a few bugs. Served as the health care program for a gathering of mosquitoes who sucked more than their fair share of blood.

Frank and I were partners tonight. He is fantastic conversationalist, a guy with years of running behind him, and is a well-versed gentleman beyond the track.

I won't mind dropping another ten pounds and then seeing how this workout feels. I'm spent, with an easier day tomorrow. Planning a leisurely 4.36 miles in the afternoon.

Post 500 - Running With a Pacemaker (and Healthier Because of It)

My 500th post in the Runner's Dilemma

1.75 miles warm up
6x100 meter striders
3x1000 (300) [400] {5:02, 4:57, 4:56?}
600 meter warmdown

total: 5.0 miles

74°F | °C
Current: Mostly Cloudy
Wind: E at 0 mph
Humidity: 49%
course: Wheaton College track

I'm alive. This was not in doubt, per se, but how I would survive was a concern. Right now, I feel well enough. While I hardly screamed around the track, I held close to the pace I was asked to run, and finished when I was told to finish. What more can I do?

I ran with Lee. He's the pacemaker's pacemaker, with years of running behind him enough to smell a pace within seconds.

Not certain of my times, as I left them in the car, but those are close.

Such was my first track workout since April.

Training Aside a Train: 6.0 Miles on a Track Next to the Tracks

2.0 miles warmup
4.0 miles run

total: 6.0

75°F
Current: Mostly Cloudy
Wind: E at 0 mph
Humidity: 52%
course: Wheaton College track

Felt good. Not sure how fast I went (around 8:30s for my first two miles). Ran with the JSRC club for first time in months, though just for the warmup. They did some 150s and 200s while I ran four miles worth of laps.

It was nice to hear the rush of the train through the evergreens.

Not much to say. Spaghetti's boiling.

Looking for My Path, And Getting on Track - 4.75 on a Steaming Sunday

4.75 miles (47:02 - 9:54/mile)
0.25 miles walk

total: 5.0 miles

72°F
Current: Haze
Wind: E at 0 mph
Humidity: 89%
course: Glenbard South track

All I wanted was a lazing long run on the Prairie Path. The morning dripped with humidity, pretending the cool temperature was in fact cool. I got up late, got out the door late. I couldn't find the place to park my car.

So I went to the track where I knew I could get in a few miles.

I ran out of time, and what had I hoped to be a long run was a medium run. Could've been 5.0 miles, but I lost count. Before you heckle me, try counting 20 laps. It seems easier than it is.

The run itself was relaxed. My miles are sneaking up, and, through this morning's gallop, I'm up to 26.75, plus another 4.0 walked. These dogs are tired. Yesterday's rest day wasn't enough, but I gotta do what I gotta do, and what I gotta do is run through this. In a few months, I will feel like a runner again.

My legs are coming through a tough time of rehabilitation after a months sitting in a crammed desk amid the cacophony of a crowded workplace, and then, a tiny office with barely enough room for air. Too much sitting makes a body wrinkle like an arthritic hand.

Six at Nine Near Ten: Same Old, Same Old of Six Miles

6.0 miles (59:05 - 9:51/mile)
1.0 miles hard walk

total: 7.0 miles

73°F
Current: Mostly Cloudy
Wind: E at 0 mph
Humidity: 99%
course: Glenbard South track

finish
76°F
Current: Partly Cloudy
Wind: E at 0 mph
Humidity: 69%

I ran this same distance, same location last week in the same time. Today was slightly cooler, a lot more humid. Not sure how it compares; I felt more or less miserable each time.

I weighed myself before and after: 140.2 before, 137.6 after. If it only worked that easily.

This was my first morning run, starting today at 9:00 am. Tomorrow, I hope to get out earlier.

Another runner came around and did a couple or few miles at 6:00/mile pace. Good to see as I plugged around near 10:00/mile.

At a high school, smoking is often frowned on, but the workers putting in bleachers on the east side of the track, the visitor's side, apparently lit up as I gagged each time I went around the back stretch. I guess Glenbard South High School is OK with smoking on campus so long as it isn't a student.

Clouds and Hawks Overhead on Hot 3.5 Mile Run

3.5 miles (36:51 - 10:32/mile)

total: 3.5 miles

90°F
Current: Mostly Cloudy
Wind: E at 0 mph
Humidity: 56%
course: Glenbard South track

finish
83°F
Current: Mostly Cloudy
Wind: E at 0 mph
Humidity: 83%

A hawk screamed after a crow as I circled the bright black track. Thunderstorm warnings brooded with nimbus clouds, and I wondered if I would have time to get six miles in.

I had time, but I could only get in 3.5 miles. The black hawk must have smiled thinking he could find me laying like carrion in the first lane on the back stretch if I only I would have run another mile. I knew better, and didn't even walk after my run lest I encourage the bird.

Tonight's 10:32 pace isn't even that good. Fairly enough, it is what I ran, but only because my first mile was 9:57, and my second was 10:14. Mile three = 10:54, and the last 800 was 6:46, or 13:32. I met the day head-on, and the day won.

Tomorrow's another day.

Summer in the City
Lovin' Spoonful

25 Miles in Seven Days With Six Today

6.0 miles (59:05 - 9:51/mile)
1.0 miles hard walk

total: 7.0 miles

78°F
Current: Partly Cloudy
Wind: NW at 0 mph
Humidity: 44%
course: Glenbard South track

Today's goal was to run six miles, to equal April 6, 2009's distance. It didn't matter how slow. SSD. Short, slow distance. I managed that.

I felt well enough, though the last two miles were harder and slower. I weighed in at 142.8 before the run. I can't help but look forward to the same run 10 lbs. lighter.

With 25 miles in the last seven days, recovery is an issue. It will take time before the zip is back. My pulse at night shows residual stress, but will drop in the next few weeks.

Slow Burn - Three Miles Barely Run

3.0 miles run (28:59 - 9:40/mile)
1.0 miles hard walk

total: 4.0 miles

84°F
Current: Clear
Wind: N at 0 mph
Humidity: 46%
course: Glenbard South track

Hot. Run done.

The football field was freshly cut. Honey bees all around. A few hurdles in lane two.

Four Miles, Faster, Then Slower

4.0 miles (37:31 - 9:23/mile)
1.0 miles hard walk

total: 5.0 miles

79°F
Current: Overcast
Wind: S at 3 mph
Humidity: 52%
course: Glenbard South track

The 9:23s look better than they are. I finished the first two miles in 18:00, meaning my second two were 9:45s. I thought about doing five or six, but it wasn't in me. I didn't look especially hard for it either. All I really wanted was 20 miles in seven days. And I got that.

Time for a much needed shower.

The Mann, the Boss, and Five Miles on a Track Thinking of Both

5.0 miles (45:43 - 9:08.6/miles, last mile @ 8:43)
1.0 miles hard walk

total: 6.0 miles

74°F
Current: Clear
Wind: S at 2 mph
Humidity: 49%
course: Glenbard South track

finish
72°F
Current: Clear
Wind: S at 0 mph
Humidity: 51%

Decent night to run. After a two-hour nap mid-afternoon, I found my way to a lonely high school track an hour before sunset. No crows, just a few kids tossing a baseball in next to the high jump pit.

After a somewhat discouraging weigh-in August 1 at 140.0 lbs, I further resolved to focus on slow miles. That's where the fat's burnt, and that's going to do me more good than any speedy three-miler can do.

My first two miles were 18:23, mile four ticked in at 37:00 (18:37/two miles), and I finished with 45:43, meaning I was at 8:43 for my last mile, mostly due to picking it up the last 400.

It is a long way back, but tonight felt good.

To all my friends with whom I spent an incredible weekend. Thanks, guys.
Bruce Springsteen, Blinded By the Light



Manfred Mann's version (live)

My Steps Are Numbered: Four Miles (8,239 Steps)

4.0 miles (pace not known, first two miles = 18:10)
1.0 miles hard walk

total: 5.0 miles

78°F
Current: Mostly Cloudy
Wind: N at 5 mph
Humidity: 48%
course: Glenbard South track

No crows. Much sun. Ran 8,239.84132 steps, then walked another 2,059.96033. That's 521.25 calories. Need to run roughly 940,000 steps to lose 14 lbs.

17 miles in the last seven days, not counting walks.

Felt OK, with two days off ahead due to scheduling. Maybe Monday I can notch things up to a five miler.

This needs to go on my iPod.

Saved by Zero - The Fixx



(the original version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swzK7Q8teSM)

Another Three Miles, Starting a New Week

3.0 miles (28:36 - 9:32/mile)
1.0 miles hard walk

total: 4.0 miles

75°F
Current: Clear
Wind: SW at 2 mph
Humidity: 57%
course: Glenbard South track

I felt somewhat sluggish, most likely tired from drinking coffee in the evening at a little gathering I hosted. With just five hours of sleep, my legs were slow-going.

My next run, I want try five miles slowly, but will play it by feel.

iPodding It for Four Miles

4.0 miles (39:16.44 - 9:49/mile)
1.0 miles hard walk

total: 5.0 miles

80°F
Current: Clear
Wind: N at 3 mph
Humidity: 51%
course: Glenbard South track

Carried my iPod as I ran. Not so easy. 80 GB is heavy. It has, at least, a billion songs, all of them very long. Some heavy metal (get it?) Seriously, it is heavy from a running perspective. If I'm going to do this, an arm band is in order, or a smaller iPod.

I'm tired, and tomorrow will probably not run. I added a mile today, and kept my pace around 9:50. My last lap I picked it up a bit more than I should have, to 1:57 for the 400 - 7:48 pace.

Someone asked me why I log a hard walk. True, in the grand scheme of accumulating LSD, it isn't even a junk mile. It, though, wear-and-tear on my body, especially as I am cannot yet claim fitness. My Achilles hurt, for example. I also burned a good 100 calories in that walk.

Fourth day running within seven days. Haven't done that in many months. February 2009 was my last decent month of running.

(purchase one of these bad boys and I'll get a cut from Amazon)
Apple 80 GB iPod AAC/MP3 Video Player Black (5.5 Generation)

Nothing to Crow About: Three Miles Logged

3.0 miles (27:07.93 - 9:03/mile)
1.0 mile hard walk warm down

total: 4.0 miles

73°F
Current: Cloudy
Wind: N at 0 mph
Humidity: 53%
course: Glenbard South track

My want to lose five pounds by August 31. This means running as many miles as I can log, and a sensible diet. Starting back into running, though, I must add miles carefully.

I'll be aggressive, but I fought the temptation to pop on another four laps. Added up, I need 165-170 miles if I rely on running alone. I don't have enough time to get that done by then.

My pace was satisfying on the lonely track.

Two crows flew sentry, diving close to the football field, looking for snacks wandering in the grass.

Each mile was 9:03. I don't click my splits, and so all times are rolling guestimations.

Suspicious heat. My guess is closer to 80. I get the weather from typing my zip code and the word 'weather' into Google.

Smokey Gets in My Eyes as I Run Three

3.0 miles (29:00.60 - 9:40/mile)
1.0 mile hard walk warm down

total: 4.0 miles

77°F
Current: Cloudy
Wind: N at 0 mph
Humidity: 49%
course: Glenbard South track (see photo)

Mile one, about 10:00
Mile two = 9:27
Mile three = 9:33

COD's track is being rebuilt. Not sure when it will be done. This meant tonight's gallop would be at a new place, the nearby Glenbard South track.

I'll be sore tomorrow, and do not plan to run until at least Monday. Tonight was a good sweat, the second in a week.

Meanwhile, tonight, Smokey sings just down the road.

Truncated Workout - The Trunk of the Elephant's Child (video)

1.25 miles warmup
6x100 m striders
1000 m (400 m)
1600 m (400 m) (7:45)
800 (400 m) (3:40?)
1600 m (7:32)
600 m warmdown

total: 5.875 miles

52°F
Current: Clear
Wind: E at 0 mph
Humidity: 41%
course: Wheaton College track

Not a lot of juice in the tank today. Long week at work compounded by getting things done at home added up to one tired Tony. My 800 was supposed to be a 1000, and after my last 1600 was supposed to be another 1000.

Tired, not happy running in the back, but glad I ran.


The Elephant's Child (click)

The Elephant's Child by Rudyard Kipling (Narrated by Jack Nicholson, with illustrations by Tim Raglin and music by Bobby McFerrin)

Miles, Miles, Miles (That's It) 3x1600 Repeats

1.5 mile warmup
6x100 striders
3x1600 m repeats (400 m recovery) (7:54, 7:53, 7:44)
1200 m warmdown

total: 6.125 miles

48°F
Current: Partly Cloudy
Wind: E at 0 mph
Humidity: 51%
course: Wheaton College track

My favorite workout, but a hard one as I'm not fit. Not much to say other than the last mile was a gut catcher. On the whole, each fourth lap was hard.

Good reconnecting with so many of the guys.

Cool Track Heated Up With a Slow Plod

3.5 miles (9:00/mile)

total: 3.5 miles

38°F
Current: Clear
Wind: E at 0 mph
Humidity: 53%
course: Wheaton College track

Getting out to the track was good. While all I did was run the outside lap a bunch of times, I saw the guys, met a few new people, and felt good doing it.

Most of the group was there. They ran a variety of 800s and miles. Jim stood freezing with a stopwatch. I was kind of toasty.

I trodded in lane eight until I finished three miles. A brief warmup and warmdown completed it all, though everything was the same pace. It killed me to watch everyone, wanting to be fit enough to keep up, but I'm not.

Lonely Night on a Strange, Bloody Track

1400 meters warmup (15:36)
6x100 striders
2x200 f (100)[400]
1x800 change of pace -- 3:06 (93, 93)
f first 200
g next 200
f next 200
g last 200
jog 3:30 vf (550 meters)
5x150 f (50)
4x100
600 meters warmdown

total: 3.90625 miles

82°F
Current:Cloudy
Wind: SW at 0 mph
Humidity: 50%
course: COD track

Just ran the math of my run... light workout all said (by mile count, not effort)- 3.90625 miles. I ran it all pretty tightly, done from start to finish under 60 minutes. Was surprised there was not much recovery listed.

2x200 -- ran too fast for first one, and adjusted 39, 44.

800 = 3:06 with even splits per 400. :47 my first 200. No idea about other times.

Felt very wiped by the time the 150s came around, but tried to hold pace. Hard to run those alone. Very hard.

How alone was I was suspect. Three guys -- two huge twins, and one thinner guy, were filming. One had fake blood covering his head and face. The two big guys raced each other for 50 meters, and the thin guy recorded it.

Lonely Days, Lonely Nights Bee Gees