1-11-14 Eat Then Run

So I went to the gym and pounded out 3.28 miles today in the record setting time of 49 minutes (.28 was 5 minutes of that). I know I can do faster, and I tried... and tried... and did not succeed. I was running an 8 minute mile at one point for about a minute, that was awesome. But I didn't have the energy to sustain the run. I ran out of gas towards the end of mile 2. The problem was simple, I didn't eat before I ran. I just hopped in the shower (because I don't like running feeling grungy from the day before), and got ready, grabbed my water and walked out the door. I really should have eaten. It's like running a long run. Eat before hand then at about the hour mark (1:15 is my magic number to begin fueling while running), pop a gel or a waffle, and keep going, 30-45 minutes later repeat (my magic number here is about 30 minutes). So why not eat a bagel with peanut butter before you run? I should have today, then maybe I could have had the mental stamina to go longer. All that aside it was a really good run, my knee didn't bother me, as I said earlier I ran at a 8 minute mile pace for a while, and it felt good to produce liquid awesome (aka sweat). So the big thing I was reminded of today was to fuel before the run to have the gas to keep running. Also I don't feel like I sold myself short on my run today. It was 49 minutes of goodness, accept for dropping my new iPhone on the treadmill then having it hit the floor (it's fine don't worry). Not eating makes the mind weaker, your brain needs nutrients as much as your body, and that I think is one of the most important things I was reminded of today in regards to running. On a side note, I got out of the house at 9:30ish to run. I am slowly working towards becoming a morning runner. It's hard to be outside in Salt Lake and Utah county in the winter because we gets really thick inversion that builds up, and does a number to the lungs, since I have a canyon right by my house that goes up in elevation I am able to escape it, so I have no excuse to keep running on the treadmill. I like running outside more. But at the Salt Lake Running Co. they got masts that help to filter the air, and you look like Bane from the newest Batman movie while wearing it (if that isn't more incentive to run outside I don't know what is).

My nutrition, I have been following the 2500 calorie suggestion on my Livestrong app that I have on my phone and iPad. I failed miserably one day this week by topping out at 4000 calories. It was due to poor planning, and a weak will. I forgot to bring my lunch with me to school because I failed to make it the night before, and woke up at 4 in the morning and had some cereal. My lunch is around 600-1000 calories, I try to eat a big lunch so I can keep to a small dinner, like a sub at subway, or wait until I get home. I have been a little over on my non running days from 60-300 calories, but am feeling good about it so far. I am becoming a little more away of what I put in my mouth, and realize I am ingesting more bad fat and carbs than I should. So I am going to adjust that. I love rice, so it will stay as a staple for me. I also like chicken thighs over chicken breast because it is cheaper and has a little fat on it.

While I have been running, driving, and doing art I have been listening to a book called Quitter: Closing the Gap Between Your Day Job and Your Dream Job. It's about following your dreams and how to do it successfully while being in a job you don't love but you can like. Right now I am a full time student and spend my time running, painting, and writing my great journal of a blog. Since I am a student I look at that as my part time job. I have liked being a student, but had always been dreaming of what I would like to be doing instead and never really being satisfied. Last semester I had an epiphany, when it comes down to it I am not the best artist in the Illustration program at UVU. I will probably never be the best artist in the program. There are those who have more natural talent that they have cultivated over the years that I decided to pursue the dream of the moment, like teaching karate, selling cars, doing massage, and being overall not the most stable guy. But these artist who have cultivated there talents are inspirational to me, and inspire me to do more, and strive to become better. Even those who are a little like me and not the greatest artist that push themselves and strive to become better. This epiphany came when I decided to associate myself more with those who strive to improve and create great things. I may not be the best, but dammit I will do all I can to be successful, and create quality work. With my degree I want to do something I did when I was younger, and make games, and illustrate them, as well as illustrate book covers, and illustrate games that aren't my own. That's the first time I have written that down, and it feels good. Back to the book now, I need to treat being a student more like a job than I currently do. I need to start pursuing my dream now so when I get to graduation I am not floundering around. I need to find a job after graduation I can like that is consistent so I can get to the point where my dream pays the bills.

If you have a dream that you are chasing I would suggest this book to you. John Acuff did not ask me to write this suggestion. He has no idea this guy who started running to change his life has read it but I have and I encourage you to as well. A lot of what he talks about are things I have learned especially from running, like planning ahead, preparing, having an action plan, make sure you have the support of your significant other, and keep pursuing it. He is a Christian author and talks about his blog a lot, and works for Dave Ramsey (who I would also suggest you look into if you never have heard of him), because of his methods my wife and I have paid off all of our debt accept my student loans, and those are next.

All of the things I am talking about have to do with waking the giant within, So I am a committing now that I will chase after my dream in a new way, that is by maintaining my illustration blog (that will be integrated into my website www.rileyhornilluustration.com). Right now I am in a digital painting class and we are participating in Illustration Friday. So I will be posting my pieces from there each week as well as some of the other pieces I work on. So here's a blog address for illustration, http://rileyhornillustration.blogspot.com.

If you made it to this point of the blog, thank you for reading it all (even if you skipped some thank you).

-Riley