Running Giant: My Journey

Before the Run It's been a busy couple of days, and I couldn't get myself out of bed the past two to get anything done. My intention was to wake up early yesterday and get my run in... then my intention was to get my run in after my doctor appointment... then my intention was to get my run in after work... then my intentions were to run this morning while it was cool... intentions didn't make it happen. I couldn't get myself up to run in the morning, my doctor appointment went for over an hour longer than it should have, and I just couldn't bring myself to go out and run in the evening. Then there was a repeat of not getting out of bed this morning. Today's run and my run tomorrow will both be easier runs because the race is on Tuesday. I'm a little anxious about it. I have Monday off of work and will go get our packets for Tuesday then. It's going to be a busy weekend. I also need to wash my running clothes tomorrow or Sunday (probably Sunday). After th...

Pre-Run Not running on Saturday got me thinking about today's workout. It was originally going to be a strength training day, but I decided to change it to a running day. It's also supposed to be a bit milder today than tomorrow when it comes to the weather. I will be trying my hot weather get up (my normal running clothes but just a lighter colored shirt). I will be doing a repeat of last weeks runs, so it should be about 46-50 minutes total time. Today's Run Today was my furthest distance yet for any of my runs. I will be doing the same run on Thursday. As I was running today, my back really was bothering me. I stopped and walked a couple of times because of it. I think it was the impact as I was on the cement for the first part of my run. By the time I passed the halfway mark it was doing a bit better and I was able to finish my run. Running in the lighter colored shirt today was a big help. It was overcast and breezy for my of my run, when I got to the last leg without...

Morning I tried to get out this morning to run, but my legs were like lead, and my mind was in a similar state. I made it a half mile into my run (out and back to the car). It didn't end up happening for me this morning.  Evening I didn't make it back out this evening to take a second stab at my run. It's still in the 90's, and I am not ready for that today. I will be doing a repeat of this week's workout for this coming week, which will be Monday - Strength training, Tuesday & Thursday - 5 warmup | 7 min run / 2 min walk x4 | 5 cooldown, Saturday - 5 warmup | 7 min run / 1 min walk x5 | 5 cooldown. Not getting my run in really made it a rough day. I have been discouraged and tired all day. Week in numbers Workout:   Tuesday & Thursday: Warmup (5) | 7-minute run / 2-minute walk x4 | Cool down (5) Total Time:  1:21:25 Average Split:  0:18:25 Total Distance:  4.42 (4.94 with today's half mile) Shoes:  New Balance Fresh Foam X 880 v12 Thanks for readin...

Pre-Run Feeling much better this morning. A bit tired, but ready to get out and run in a couple of hours. It's going to be warm again today. I have scheduled 2.75 miles, which I am trying to change it up a little with the path that I'm taking, so I will be doing the small hill portion of my run a little later than normal. The Run It was a good run, until the half way mark. My heart rate was higher than I wanted it, and stayed high even with walking. So I kept walking, and it kept getting hotter. By the end my heart rate was where I wanted it on average, so that's a plus. I was too hot towards the end as well, I was getting a dizzy and sweating tons. I made it home at 2.5 miles and didn't think the last .25 would be worth it with how I was feeling. I came across another runner at around the 2 mile mark, which isn't common in my neighborhood, and got a fist pump and something like, "Keep going man!" I made it until he turned the corner before I was walking a...

Today running was difficult. I left work early because I wasn't feeling well. I thought that running might help. But it didn't. I failed to get my entire workout, contributing to a sour mood despite still not feeling well. I just couldn't bring myself to keep going mentally. Getting out there is still essential, and I'm happy about that. My wife is also proud of me for getting out there, so I have that going for me. The run was good until about 1.75 miles. That's where I just couldn't go forward. I'm unsure if it was the heat, not feeling well, or not being there mentally today. But I walked home in the shade. Now that I look at the numbers, my heart rate was still high when I got home. That could have played into it too. It could have been all sorts of reasons why I didn't get that last 3/4s of a mile in. No need to dwell on it. I just want to document some of my thoughts and feelings on stopping. For once, the first 15 minutes of the run weren't as...

Running today was a mental health run. Last night was a rough night with our little guy. He didn't want to go to sleep and stayed up until almost 11:00pm. His normal bedtime is around 8:30pm. We also had a 2-year-old staying with us because of someone we know getting hurt to the level of going to the emergency room. So we had their little one stay the night with us. So all of a sudden, two toddlers and my capacity to handle it at a 0. So yeah today was a run to process all the crap from last night. I thought for my run today I would do another change of scenery. I ran the path leading up to the park I ran on Monday. It turns out to be a little hillier than I thought it would be. I did 5 out of 6 running segments. I went out too hard for my first mile, and it zapped me for energy. On my watch, the run is showing up as 9 sets of stairs. One more and I meet my daily goal of 10. The run was a nice run, later in the day I would bet it's an even better path because it's lined wit...

  Pre Run It's early on the 15th. I could wake up at my regular time in the morning for the first time in a couple of weeks. Today it's supposed to be (according to my phone) 87° when I go out for my run. I will bring enough liquids so I don't keel over for some reason. I got Nuun electrolyte tablets that I'll be trying out today. I'll let you know how that goes. I got them because of how much I sweat when I run and because my lunch isn't long enough to get something else. Most importantly the containers are small (since they are tablets in a tube), so they won't take up precious real estate in our pantry. Something I have been thinking about a lot, thanks to a friend of mine who has had to start a new meal plan, is my diet. It's time that I work on that, otherwise, this change to running won't be fueled right. As the saying goes, You can't outrun a bad diet. So it's time for a change of some sort. I will start with decreasing added sugar, in...

That was a great run. I haven't felt like this after a run for a while. Yeah I have felt good, but haven't really been able to say it was a great run. What made it a great run? I stuck to the plan. I focused on breathing and kept telling myself to take it easy. The first part of my run was on the sidewalk, and like last time I ran on the sidewalk my low back started to hurt. Just at the point where it was at its worse, the sidewalk ended and I was running on the road again. My back is still stiff but stopped hurting shortly after the change of running surface. The route I ran was a gradual uphill for the first mile, downhill and flat after that. I did 5 sets of 6 minute run and 2 minute walk. On the first three I was able to run the full 6 minutes each time. The forth I lost the mental battle and stopped running for a minute or so, but the last 6 minutes I ran the whole thing. It was huge to me. I had enough gas even after my two minute walk where I know I could have done more....

I had a brilliant idea while I was at work. It was to go to Sunset Park near my house by the Missouri River. I would run down to the river and along it for a bit, then run back uphill and get in another half mile and then I would be done. By the time I went to the bottom of the hill, the realization I would be going back uphill had set in. It was harder than I thought. I walked most of the way back up the hill and kept losing my breath. I couldn't breathe deep enough to get it back. That hill sucked the strength right out of me. I will be doing it again in the future and earlier in the day. Running at 5:30 p.m. was part of my problem. As I was coming back up I crossed paths with a couple, and two other people just walking the path. I admit I was jealous that they were walking without gasping for air. It was a tough run and I know where I can do some hill sprints now. Tomorrow's run will be at my normal time around noon. I will then be taking Wednesday off and then training Thur...

Today was impacted by a late night last night and no baby sitter this morning. So I didn't make it out to run. I will be doing a 4 run week next week to make up for it. So run Monday, Tuesday, Strength training Wednesday, run Thursday, and run Saturday. Thanks for reading. -Riley

I made it out, and only had to use two mind tricks to do it. First one was having all of my running clothes laid out for myself so when I stood up at my desk I saw them. Which led to me changing into them at the beginning of lunch. Second I committed to 10 minutes of running, 5 minute warm up then 5 minutes of running. By the time I got to the 10 minute mark I just kept going. I was really struggling to get out today. It's right around 78° outside. So a little on the warm side for my liking when running. I like closer to 50° and a bit of rain. Since I produce so much heat while running it's helps to keep me cool, causing me to sweat less. The run was good, I ran more today than I did on Tuesday. Of the 4 six minute runs Number 1 was no stop, 2 was a 30 second walk, 3 was a 1 minute walk, and 4 was a 3 minute walk. My legs just gave out on that 4th leg of running. I'm a little under a month out from the Firecracker 5k, and know I will be able to finish, I just want to run as...

Cross Training 6/5/23 I will start by saying afternoons and evenings are not my most productive time for exercise, or I am just starting from ground zero with cross training as well. It's probably a combination of both. I made it for 20 minutes of cross training. I did a body weight circuit I got from Nerd Fitness, and it was supposed to have been done 3 times.  5 minute warm up (Jump Rope and Stretches) Squats - 20 Pushups - 10 Lunges - 10 each side Dumbbell Row - 10 each side Plank - 15 sec. Jumping Jacks - 30 It seemed easy enough when I looked at it. I have done all of these before and would be able to do them again no problem... is what I thought going into it. It was much harder than expected after not having done any of them over the past who knows how long. I made it through all of them one time, then all the way to jumping jacks the second time and my body said, "No more jumping jacks, I've had it!" So I stopped. Next week I will be doing it earlier in the da...

Pre Run Getting out early today didn't happen. I kind of regret it knowing today is another hot one. But I will be getting out later this morning. I've been struggling to wake up the past few weeks at my more normal time of 5:00 am. It's been hard because that's my decompression time. I also intend to move my Thursday and Saturday runs closer to that time. Typically when I can't wake up, it's because I am exhausted or going through a bout of depression (it feels more like the latter). When this happens, I start to lose interest in everything, which is one of the indicators I watch for. My depression is due to bipolar type II, which I was diagnosed with in my late 20s (it consists of more depression and hypomanic episodes). My medication works reasonably well in keeping the hypomania away and decreasing the impact of the depression. When I go through depressive mood swings, things don't feel right. I see it happening and feel nothing can be done about it. In ...

Before Running To start off, I didn't get my cross training in yesterday. I now have it scheduled for tomorrow. I did find on my watch that I have a strength training monitor, which will be nice to get some information about how much I'll be pushing myself during my cross training. Also, I just checked the temperature on my phone and it has it as a cool 88° during my lunch today when I plan on running. I have been bringing out a water bottle I got off of Amazon with a handy strap on it to keep hydrated. By the time I took my first drink on Tuesday it was quite warm because it had been in my hand for 20 minutes. I have planned a 2 mile run today. It's 5 sets of 5 minute run / 1 minute walk with a 2 minute stretch, 3 minute warm up walk then a 3-5 minute cool down. So max time hitting the road should be 38 minutes. I'm going to be pushing my runs to earlier in the morning so I actually have time to eat during lunch within the next couple of weeks. My aim is to be between...