Running Giant: My Journey

So it's Sunday morning after the Ragnar, I am listening to the TV on the BYU channel and drinking a diet coke in a hotel room. I have had a rough day and needed some fairly quiet time. I was at church and forgot to take one of my medications that helps me to focus, and not hear every conversation, every baby crying, and every couple talking around me. I was so overwhelmed with sensory overload I had to leave the building before I could finish my Sunday meetings. The hotel room is because our apartment flooded, and the dehumidifiers are going full boar. So out apartment is close to a noisy 100º and we were advised to stay in a hotel until they could get things sorted with our home. Before my first run Friday morning I got a phone call telling me that our apartment was flooded. I thought the worst and was ready to find out home unlivable and filled with sewage. It wasn't I'll clear that up right now. But Silvia and I are displaced for right now. So I have yet to have the c...

So I would like to explain why I haven't had a post in a little while. The last two weeks I have been fighting a serious bout of depression and didn't make it out. School, work, and depression mixed make it difficult to get out. Because of this mix, I don't feel all that ready for Ragnar. I will be by the end of the weekend after I have gotten more runs in. Today I want to do 5 miles when I get home tonight with some speed drills. I will be running at dusk and into the evening. Tomorrow I have a nice and easy 9 mile run, where I need to take it easy. Saturday I will be getting another 5 miles in and do it going up the steepest hill near my house. Then Monday I will get 6 miles in after work. I am somewhat worried about reporting to my trainer about my slacking in running. But more worried about how it will effect my running next weekend. The run itself yesterday was brutal. I only ran 4 miles, and had to stop and walk twice (I think that was more mental than physical)....

I will be missing one of my runs this week and getting my other in on Monday. -Riley

So I wasn't able to get myself out of bed with enough time to go running this morning. I have been cycling when it comes to my bipolar. I am on the down swing right now and need to get a solid running schedule set up so I can make it a habit to get out of bed and start running. So here's what it will be. Monday: 1:30 PM Tuesday: 1:30 PM Wednesday: - Thursday: 1:30 PM Friday: - Saturday: Long Run, 7:00 AM Sunday: - So I am putting 1:30 PM until the end of the semester. After that I will adjust to 7:00 AM, which is the time I make it on campus to start my work for class. I will become a morning runner. With most mental illnesses you need to set up a consistent schedule to help keep them manageable. My school schedule is consistent and I will not change that. So I need to control what I can. Since I work retail I have some irregularity in my schedule already. But I can't let that stop me from success. Today I will have a second post after I do my speed training ...

So I did a 4 mile run with picking up the pace for the last mile. It was up hill for the first 2 miles then back down hill for the last two. It wasn't anywhere near as hot as it was Monday when I ran, and there were more people out and about. It was a good run. Well, I don't have much time, I need to head to work and get something to eat. So until tomorrow. -Riley

Today I ran up in Provo Canyon. The weather was cooler there than it was down at home. I followed the suggestions I have received for staying cool while I run. First I hydrated well, second I filled my water stored with cold water, third I chose to run by water, and finally I wore the right socks for running in the summer. I have come to the realization that I have primarily winter clothing for my running gear, so over the past month I have invested in some sleeveless running shirts, and have started to wear my first running socks I purchased because they are really thin. The run itself was really relaxing (up hill). I there were a lot of people on the trail because school is out and the canyon is a few degrees cooler then the city. I was the only runner out though, and I think that was because of the heat. There was a slight breeze most of the run, and when I was on parts of the trail that were all in the sun it was quite a blessing. Today I got a new piece of running gear. It...