10-25-13 Five things to do before a run that I learned today

1. Eat protien and whole grain an hour or so before hand, your body will like it
2. Get a good night sleep
3. Make sure your MP3 player & GPS Watch are charged and ready to go
4. Go the restroom
5. Have all your running snacks (me and my Sports Beans) and water prepped for your run

Only doing 3 out of 5 makes it a little harder to run. It was going to be a nice easy run this morning up to Bridal Vale Falls, but I missed a step and ended up being passed by this lovely couple running this morning. On there way back I had made it to a mile and was on my way back at a slow walk, and they passed me in the exact same spot. I bet that confused them greatly.

I'm a little anxious about my half marathon tomorrow, and am going to go pick up my bib in a few minutes as well as run my errands for the morning. Then I will be back with digital stylus in hand to work on my digital painting for class next week. My painting of the runner will be up once I get it back and finish it (I still have another 5 hours or so to paint on it.

Until tomorrow,
-Riley

10-23-13 Speed Drills, and another PR?

Right now my car is in the shop, so I am limited to the bus for my mode of transportation when my wife isn't around to be amazing and pick me up from school so I can make it up the canyon to run. So I took the bus to the hub where all the buses have transfers and what not, which happens to be by the runners corner (who sells those yummy sports beans I am always out of... maybe that;s why my run sucked Saturday, I didn't have the beans). So I got some sports beans and a light to attach to myself for running in the dark to chase away the boogieman who haunts the dark when I am surrounded in it. It's ridiculous to have a fear of the dark in my thirties... BAH! The light will help. So from there I decided (as I carried my overloaded backpack and gym bag) that I would walk the three miles to get home from where I was, and since I was carrying so much stuff I would be ok in counting it as a work out. It was a fairly hard workout. I walked at a brisker pace than usual, not to mention in was 60 degrees out and I was sporting a hoodie, and had 20+ extra pounds on me (which only 5 months ago was in the form of fat). So I got home covered in sweat, and really tired. So I rested and munched on a cucumber with Silvia who got home only seconds before I did.

Here is where the interesting part comes. It was super hard to get out today like it was on Monday, and I had a great finish to my workout like Monday. So I decided after my three miles I would do speed drills. Which is something I can do on a treadmill, so it was dark out which means no going to the canyon and I went to the gym instead. Keep in mind this is my first real attempt at speed drills. I did it in .25 mile intervals, starting at a 13:19 mile, and easy pace I can go at and catch my breath while still running. I started my first quarter mile at my slower pace to warm up a little, then transitioned to a 9:00 mile pace, at a half a mile I slowed down to my breath catching pace, then the last quarter mile I did a 9:30ish pace. I finished at 10:50. That smashed my previous PR time, but I want to recreate this time outside without the treadmill telling me what to do. I was able to pull off the 9:30ish pace on the first sprint for my second mile, but by the time I got to my second sprint in the second mile my legs were jelly. So I walked a half mile to finish off a half an hour work out.

I enjoyed my speed drills that I did, and am thinking I will do it again. I will do a nice and easy paced 2 to 3 miles then do the sprints. I wish I would have actually did my wonderful ideas for speed training earlier on.

I will be doing my 8 miles in the morning up the canyon. Until tomorrow some time.

-Riley

10-21-13 Relax and Run

Tonight I learned a valuable lesson, when you relax your body as you run, you end up running more fluid and effortlessly. I just finished 5 miles and my knee doesn't hurt at all. Every time I started to felt my joints, I said to myself, "Relax and run." I promptly relaxed and ran more smoothly.

Well, I am going to share something about me that sounds a bit crazy, but I am afraid of the dark. I tell you this because as I was finishing the last 30 min. of my run in the dark. I am lucky I had Silvia (my wonderful wife who puts up with my neurosis) with me. She was on her bike. If she weren't with me I probably would have set PR (personal record) by more than 3 seconds. I did an 11:52 sec mile, which is my new PR for a mile. But I know I can do better. Also this was mile 5 that was my PR. What a good night.

So this week is my half marathon, I am a little worried about the number of people that will be there and waking up on time. I am confident I will be able to finish and be able to sprint through the finish line! I paced myself at the beginning of my run tonight to warm up for the first mile. When I do my 8 miles this week I will pace myself for my first 2 miles and see if I can avoid any IT Band/Knee issues.

Last thing, when I was running I hit the "zone" and was in my own world, when a bike approached me and caused me to jump. It was funny.

Thanks For Reading,
-Riley

10-19-13 Roadkill vs. 16 mile run

Weekly Stats

Scheduled Distance: 31

Actual Distance: 23.44

RPE: 3.75

First I would like to say that by mile breakdown I won the fight with the 16 mile run, but it doesn't feel like it. I finished just over 11 miles of it before I started calling my wife in pain because I was barely walking at that point. I had to stop for about 5 minutes so I could make it to the Chevron station less than 1/10th a mile away. I think it has to do with my body mechanics (it's the some pain I have been going through), I am going to get a gate analysis done and see if I can address it through body mechanics.

Today was a rough day, I have been fighting a wicked bout of depression, and it seems like my meds haven't been able to hit it. I woke up too late to make it up the canyon with my wife, and my car is in the shop so I had to figure out an alternated plan for running besides the canyon today. I really missed how quiet, safe, and running friendly it is. So before I took my first step out the door I believe I had already defeated myself when it came to running today. Depression wise I am doing better than I was this morning, but am still running on the down side.

So after the traumatic finish to my run my mother in law came and picked me up, and drove me home. I really need to get this higher distance completed. Today was the first day I didn't think I would be able to finish even my marathon when it comes up. I believe it was a form of the wall. It was a sense of complete hopelessness. The pain mixed with that SUCKED!!!

Alright about the roadkill, there was at least one piece of roadkill per mile that I ran. The skunk was the worst one, I'm just happy it wasn't a fresh skunk, it would have been even worse then.

Well, thank you for reading, and look forward to next Saturday's post which will be done after I finish my first half marathon.

Until Then,
Riley

10-17-13 Last Post of the Day

I didn't make it out for my last run. So I will be heading out for my 16 miler on Saturday morning, since no runs the day before or after my big run.
Until Then,
-Riley

10-17-13 My legs are healthy, my mind is strong, my lungs are clear, and I'm going to finish my marathon.

First short post. Did 4.9 miles before school today. It was cold and breezy outside, my times weren't up to snuff for were they should have been. I am finding it hard to push myself harder than I am currently doing speed wise. Every time I have an idea on how to increase speed I stumble on the follow through. I need to change that bad habit. I still have another 3.1 miles to run today, and will include a full day recap with my third post for the day.

10-17-13 Not being able to sleep

It's just before 6 am. I am tired and cold and am trying to decide if I am going to go out and run now or wait until 8:30 or 9:00. It's my late day at school so I am leaning toward the sun being out as I run. Last night I didn't make it out for my short run. I dragged my wife with me to a meet and greet with a potential coach. I struggled being there ti begin with because it was such an alien environment to me. The coach;s name is Lisa Menninger. After sitting through her presentation, having a chance to meet her and knowing what my running goals are next year, I think she will be a good fit come January. She's up in SLC and it's looking like my wonderful wife and I will be moving back up north at the end of the year.

Well I have decided that going back to bed for a couple of hours is going to be my course of action. Oh  yeah to make up for no short run yesterday, I will be doing 2 today, one this morning and one tonight. Since that would be my space if I would have ran last night to this morning I am saying it's ok to do that.

Until tonight.
-Riley