9-30-13 Stretch or PAIN!!!

Yesterday was a very hard day, today was just as painful until I started to stretch out my quads, then running this evening got rid of the remainder of the pain. I am doing much better now. I have six miles to run in the morning still, and am trying to figure out when I will doing it. I am feeling so much better now than I was 2 hours ago.

When I was teaching Karate I had students who complained about experiencing pains a day or two after a workout (I also have a wife who had the same issue when she did karate). My answer to them was always the same, "Repeat some of the workout you did to cause the pain you feel." Well I get my come-up-ins, my wife said to me yesterday. "Why don't you try doing some of the work out you did to cause the pain..." Yeah I was feeling pretty pathetic after that, receiving advice that I had given so many times before. So tonight I got to do what I needed and rework the muscles that were bothering me.

Overall I didn't think I would finish my run tonight. I started at a 11:30 pace and my body didn't want to cooperate with me, so I walked a half mile. I then picked up and ran, gradually increasing my speed as I went. I made my consistent time at just under 14 minutes per mile. I have been doing research and found out the way to get better times is... wait for it... run faster in your training, for as long as possible. After all the ideas on how to get a better time, I watched a bunch of You Tube videos and found out Fartlek's are the best tool. But another great tool is running harder in 2-3 workouts per week. So I decided my short runs are going to be my more intense runs. I want to improve the speed I am running at (but not too fast so as to avoid hurting myself) so I think this will work. After I run my marathon I am going to work on bumping my speed more.

If anyone has suggestions I would appreciate hearing them in regards to trainings.

Until tomorrow...
-Riley

9-28-13 I just ran 11 miles... really... big guys can do that?

This is going to be a two part post. First off, I missed my wake up time to run this morning, so I have to modify schedule for the day. Unlike last weekend I am not putting running at the mercy of playing, because running is fun, and I have some serious goals when it comes to running. So my schedule today will be to run at around 2pm or 3pm. I will be parking my car up at the top park in Provo Canyon and running home from there, with a loop around Riverwoods. I picked up my GU Roctane and grape electrolyte tablets yesterday. So I am prepared to utilize the nutrition I will be running with. Also yesterday I picked up a little plastic bottle thinking I would do the trick with Gels that was suggested at the running nutrition panel I went to, squeeze them into the little plastic bottle, and put water with it to make them easier to take. I got home to realize I got a couple of different flavors, so that won't be happening today. I also picked up my favorite sports beans for my shorter runs. And got some encouragement from one of the employees.

My actual run went down to Riverwoods, then up the monster Center Street hill, along 800 E. and then 400 N. for the finish.

Yesterday I weighed in at my doctors office, and retook my measurements last night to compare with what I had posted before in July.

Physical Measurements as of 9-27-13
Height: Same
Weight: 300 lbs.
Neck: 19"
Bicep: 17"
Forearm: 13.5"
Chest: 49"
Waist at Belly Button: 50.5"
Hips: 47.5"
Thighs: 27.5"
Calves: 19"
Shirt Size: XL, but own lots of XXL
Pant Size: 38/39 W  32 L

I'm happy to say that I have gone down in size enough where I need to look at new pants, and that all of my shorts are too big for me and will not be wearable next season. Nutrition... it's a hard thing.

9-28-13 The Run!!!

Scheduled Miles: 24

Actual Distance: 23.73

Week Average RPE: 3.9375

I'm exhausted. I gave it my all and should have probably downed a second gel at one point. I only did 10.34 miles and my legs won't listen to my brain at this point in time. I am so close to doing a half marathon in my training. Next week I will do a total of 26 miles (almost the distance of a marathon in training), my long run will be a total of 12 miles that I will do earlier in the day with a slightly warmer top on.

My run today was really good, even though I walked about a mile and a half at the end (and a mile or two cumulatively throughout the run). My run was slower, but I did get some longer sections of running in. I did 2.3 miles without stopping (which is a first for outside), followed by another 1 after downing my energy gel. Then I took a break. I have found that my walking breaks are getting shorter and shorter. I just get board with walking and need to start running again.

New fun rule I have when running, when every the Prodigy son Thunder comes on I have to run no matter how tired I am. I have a couple copies of the song on my MP3 player for that very purpose.

For my weekly goal I came just shy of what I wanted to accomplish, but am not sad about that in the slightest. I found out I am now 300 lbs. (25 less than when I started), I got every workout in, and I am up to date on my homework. Overall this has been a great week. Next week I will try that distance goal again, and not procrastinate as much when it comes to getting out on Saturday. I really struggled getting out the door but am very happy that I did.

I also discovered the discomfort of clothing with cotton on a longer distance, it started to really rub my foot raw towards the end of my run. I will suggest to everyone, get proper runing clothes, it helps. Also make sure to get the right clothes for the right season. Now it's time for alieve and more water.

Until next time...
-Riley

9-26-13 On track to accomplish my goals

I ran this morning and tried my little system of run until 3/4 a mile then run faster. I survived the first two miles like that but 3 and 4 were not going to happen. I am consistent with about a 13 minute mile for all 4 miles right now, which is nice. But I want to be consistent and faster, more important I want to complete a marathon.

Saturday I will be running 11 miles. It seems like a bog task to me. I am a little intimidates by the distance. I will be 2 miles off from running a half marathon, which I run one month from today, I am expecting to PR, :).

I am scared to run these long distances. They are intimidating. The more and more I read about marathons the more overwhelmed I get by the distance. I am running this because I want to, and I have to remember that every time I start to get overwhelmed. Right now I am trying to decide if I want to run another race after this one. I think I do but want to experience what it's like first before I decide. Maybe running a half will help me have greater insight.

Tomorrow I have a doctors appointment where I will weigh in and do my measurements for the end of the day for anyone who's interested.

Also here's a picture from my 5k last Saturday with some friends. It was the first 5k for a couple of them.

From left: Tim & Ashley Shawcroft, Irene & Dan Gudmundson, and Me (my wife is taking the picture she didn't run)

Until Saturday!
-Riley

9-24-13 Conversations with yourself

Have you ever noticed when you get really into something you start talking to yourself? It may be an internal conversation or out loud (people look at your funny when it's out loud and in public). I do it when I am into a piece of art I am working on and when I run. It goes to show that I'm getting into running if I am doing things during it that were almost exclusive to working on a painting. Tonight my conversation was the repeating of my affirmation to the best of my recollection. I was telling myself over and over again that My legs are strong, my lungs are strong, and my mind is strong. It worked, I made it through my distance I needed to hit tonight.

Tonight I did a measly 5 miles... who am I kidding 5 miles is still quite a bit of distance, and I have learned to respect the distances I am facing each run. I am excited for my 4 mile run Thursday because it's another short run for the week, but I miss out on the miles past 4 where I start to find my rhythm. I really like the miles past about 2.5, because my legs don't feel like they do during my warm up and first couple of miles. I would like to believe tonight was all fantastic that I ran 5 miles, but I am realizing that I really miss my sports beans for electrolyte replenishment. I was able to keep my water intake at a reasonable level but was super thirsty at the end and my body needed the fuel replenishment. I have a new respect for Gatorade and am only going to use it when needed, it is no longer a recreational drink for me.

It's a short post tonight, I need to order some Jelly Belly Sports Beans off of Amazon if they have them).

-Riley

9-23-13 Running a one sided love affair

Right now in my training book I am supposed to write a positive affirmation paragraph about me and running my marathon, and training. Right now I am still trying to figure out what to write and will include it at the end of this post.

Today is the first day of an overall increase in distance. I will be doing a total of 24 miles this week.

Today: 4 miles

Tuesday: 5 miles
Thursday: 4 miles
Saturday: 11 miles

I can run that in my own way because I am a marathoner.

Today I tried something a little different when I ran. Let me explain my thought process. I want to improve my mile speed. So I figured I could do that through pushing myself harder on my runs. So here's what I did, my 2-3 minute walk warm up and then started my run. I ran at my regular pace of a 13 minute mile until I reached 3/4 a mile, then upped the speed to an 11-ish minute mile until I reached my 1 mile, then stopped and walked for 2 minutes and repeated the process for miles 2 and 3 also. Mile 4 I walked for a third of it then finished off running it. I hope to increase my time at the faster rate until it takes over my current time.

The reason for my title today, a few weeks ago my wife informed me that sleep doesn't like me, and last weekend I confirmed my body is only somewhat fond of my after being so sick, and today was the realization that I like running but it doesn't quite like me yet. It's warming up to me don't get me wrong. It would even go as far as to say that we know each other. But is unsure still if it likes me. I should win it over within the next week or two as I start piling on more and more miles.

Affirmation:

I run because I have fun with it and I like it. I run because I am changing my life one step at a time. I am a consistent and strong runner and I will run my marathon to completion. My legs are strong, my lungs are strong, and mind is strong and the three together make me a strong and healthy man. When I run my mind is clear and I am able to sort though challenges in my life. I run because I am changing my family tree starting with me, and letting it filter through the generations. I run because it stabilizes my mood better than medication. I am a marathoner.

Thanks For Reading,
Riley

9-21-13 Segmented Running

Total Scheduled Distance:  21 miles

Actual Miles: 14

RPE: 3.375 (according to the Law of Averages)

Today I did a total of 10.14 miles. I had a 5k that started at 8, and finished with my new 5k PR of .... 41:19. Then after that I went directly to the gym to finish as much as I could of my 10 miles before my 11:00 a.m. geek out. I wish I would have just kept running instead of getting my geek on. I could have had more fun running. I made it 4 miles at the gym and it was good. I was a dripping mess of liquid awesome by the time I was finished. So it was a total of an hour and 40 minutes to get my seven miles in (mile 7 was really lazy compared to the rest. Miles 4-6 took 2 minutes longer than miles 1-3 (if I would have pushed a little harder when I had the energy I could have done a better time). My last three miles took place 5 hours after the end of mile 7. My wife and I went up Provo Canyon and did a half mile job, half mile walk until we reached 2.75 miles then we ran in the rest of it. It was slower than the rest of the day, but I believe it was some of the most rewarding. I got to spend time with my wife doing what I do most of in recent days and that is put miles on my shoes.

It was fun getting my wife out there and seeing her go through what I did when I first started even though there was 200 lbs. between our weights when we started. I am trying to convince her to run the Thankful13 5k with me (it's a half marathon, 5k, mile walk). It's Thanksgiving morning, the week before my Marathon, and fits in perfectly with my training schedule for the week.

Today I ran my second 5k, and it was more fun than the first for me. My ankles didn't bother me at all, but I still never really hit my stride (I'm pretending to have a stride that I hit frequently). I am sticking by that the first three miles suck when running. As I get a greater amount of endurance I will bust those three miles out before I run. It's strange to think that I like running more after I have run three miles, my body agrees.

Energy supplements when running. After my 5k I finished off my last three Jelly Belly Sports Beans (too little to late, I should have though ahead better and picked some up for the 5k this morning, then I did the Key Lime Accel Gel... I liked the hammer gel so much more. To hydrate myself when runing my 4 miles this morning I picked up a Gatorade, and sipped that over my entire run. Tonight I tried Pro Bar Bolt before the 3 miles with my wife. They were the tastiest energy supplement I have had so far. And finished my run with Powerade Zero. I want to make sure it's known I have downed a lot of water today and will be drinking more shortly.

The next item on my Riley Repair List, food going in the body. With school starting and getting sick my lackluster attempt at a diet failed with it.
So my goals this coming week body wise are:

• Bring lunch with me to school and eat it 3 days a week
• Get 100% of my running done

With that I say good night.

-Riley

9-19-13 A Matter of Time

Today I had the chance to run before school. The last song that played during my workout was A Matter of Time by the Foo Fighters (it ended with 1 second left on my cool down). My cool down consists of me going at my walking pace until I get tired of it then start my methodic run again for the last two minutes. I ran slower than usual (a 14:00 minute average mile, with my 4th mile being my fastest at just under 13 minutes. Since I have been sick for the past week I figured that would be a good call. I wish I would have gotten out of bed and to the gym 30 minutes sooner, then I would have gotten to my 5 miles. It takes just over an hour right now for me to make it 5 miles, I should be able to do it in under an hour when I am feeling 100%.

It was really nice to run today. I felt more alive doing that than being in bed sick. The little break was nice. I am ready to conquer the treadmill!

So this Saturday I am running a 5k, and want to shave 7 minutes off of my previous time. It's a big step to finish a 5k at around 40 minutes for me, but I think it's possible to do. I have discovered Jelly Belly Sports Beans as a way to maintain electrolytes. So I pop in two beans every 15 minutes, then drink water in between. It worked really well this morning.

Tomorrow I will be running another 4-5 miles. I am supposed to be running a total of 21 miles for the week, but that's not going to happen this week with running. Today to take it easy with my run I walked a 1/4 mile, then ran the next 3/4 mile. I repeated it with much success.

Well now it's time for homework and to get some sustenance.

Until Next Time,
Riley