Long runs for this weekend:

This is the Labor Day weekend, and I have been going back and forth about my long run. I got a 15 miler to do this weekend, and I usually run them on Sundays, but It looks like we might be going to 6 Flags, and I don’t want to do both on the same day. So my options are:
1) Swap my Saturday 7 miler for Sundays 15 miler.
2) I could take Sunday off and run my 15 on Monday.
3) I could Cowboy up and just run them!

Not sure what to do.

Week 8 of my training for Chickamauga Battlefield Marathon:

Week 8, almost at the halfway point.
At almost the halfway point I am feeling good about my training and I feel like I will be ready to run my race. My only worry now is my speed, I am not as fast at I need to be, I want to run a sub five hour marathon. Now sub –five isn’t fast by any means but it’s a goal I should be able to reach.
So this week I have the following runs planed:
Tues 4 miles
Wed 7 miles
Thur 4 miles
Sat 7 miles
Sun 15 miles
My Sunday long run of 15 will be broken into two loops, this way I can stop back and reload my water and nutrition.

Things I need to do:
1) Stretch more, my mussels are getting sore and tight.
2) Drink more water.
3) Get more sleep

So that’s my week, I got a 7 miler tonight, note sure if I will run in the tread or on the street, either way I can’t get going until 08:00 pm.

Keep the rubber side down,

-b

Week 7 of marathon training is in the books:

Man this was a huge week for me. I ran 43.5 miles, and my feet feel like flapjacks.
All kidding aside this was probable the most miles I ever run in a week, and it felt good. Today, Sunday was a 14 miler, so I planned a double loop so I could stop back at the house and reload my water bottles.

Today I tried to match race conditions as closely as I could. I followed my planned nutrition, I ate one banana in the morning and two Rolaids, washed it down with about 8 ounces of water. Then on the road, I drank 4 large bottles of 75% Gatorade 25% water drinking every four minutes or so, this way my stomach can handle the calories, and if my stomach started to shutdown I would know it sooner than later. I also had three GU brand gels, I had `espresso love` with caffeine, boy do I love the taste, but more importantly my body loves it too. I also ate another banana when I stopped back at the house.

My pace was very consistent mile to mile so I felt pretty good about that. The only thing I was somewhat unhappy with was my per mile pace, I only managed to average 12:23, and at that rate I would run a 5:24 marathon. I got to get this down a bunch. I feel that I can get this down to 11:15/30, so I need to take a minute off this. Pulling a minute off this pace, I must be crazy, I am and I freely admit it, but I held back a little, I wasn’t sure I could make the distance, so I padded it. Next week I have to run 15 miles for my long run, and I am going to hit it a little harder and really work on the pace. I also plan on taking better care of my self this week, this means betting to bed earlier, eating better, stretching more, and watching what I eat, I think I can lose two pounds this week and get a little lighter. I got to ramp up the water and green tea intake this week and really flush out the body. And it can only get cooler out, right…. The warm weather has got to be taking 15 seconds from me, I know it is.

So my run was cool, I felt good, just minor soreness, my Achilles pain was all but gone. The weather was pretty good, somewhere around 75-80 degrees and humid, but that’s loads better then the 85-90 it has been. I choose a loop that I really hadn’t run much so it felt new. My two loops shared the same roads for about 3 miles, but when I ran the common mileage, I ran them in different directions. The fist loop was a little hilly, it had one long grade then went on for about 1.5 miles, and I should of run it the other direction, and worked on running downhill. That sounds funny, working on my descents, but running downhill is my weakness, I run them too slow, and the load on my legs kills, I know should be able to make some time on them. The actual marathon course does have some hills, mostly rollers, so I need to get better on the hills. The rest of the run was quite, the flats were flat, and it was overcast, so the sun was not an issue. My nutrition was good, and my stomach was fine the entire way.

I had some good tunes on the iPod, I downloaded some real good music from the bands Drunks Don’t Lie, AC/DC, Beastie Boys, Tom Petty and so on, so I rocked the whole way. Please don't judge, but I love to run to some a$$ kicking tunes. I wonder of anyone has done a study on music and running, I am sure someone has, but I wonder of they measured performance and volume. For me volume has lots to do with my running, crank it up tunes, and the legs crank up. I am going to have to do some research.

So in a nutshell, I had a real nice week, I made all my miles and then some, and it can only get cooler out right?

-Brian

P.s.: I signed up for Masters swimming, and Monday night is my first night. More to come on that Tuesday morning.

Goals and the Master Plan:

I have some current goals, and I need some new ones.
My goal that’s on the horizon is the Chickamauga Battlefield Marathon in northwest Georgia, Saturday November 10th this is my next `A` race. This my first marathon and I am about a third of the way though my training, and loving every minute of it, even the running on a tread, and even though I bitch and moan about it, I’m still loving it. So this marathon thing that I am doing, its part of my master plan. My new love is triathlon, I have done two this season, and if I could manage the time I would of done one every weekend. The marathon is doing many good things for me, I am getting in better shape, I’m learning mental toughness, I am losing a few lbs, and every step that I take is getting me closer to my stretch goal.

Stretch Goals:
Ok, its time for Show ‘n Tell, my next mid-range goal, my `A` race if you will for next season, is to train for and compete / complete a Half Ironman, yeah I said it, a Half Ironman. I’ve been doing so good, eating right, training right, sleeping enough, taking days off, working my nutrition, and I don’t want to regress, I need a that next goal. This is going to be my dangling carrot, this is going to drive me all off-season, and my marathon is just the foundation for my next journey.

Need to do:
I need to pick a race, I have a few options.
NA Sports puts on the Florida Half Ironman 70.3, this looks like a flat and fast course, registration is still open, and its at Walt Disney World, so I could take the family and spend a few days having fun, this is if I can walk afterwards.
Georgia Multisports Productions puts on The Coliseum Health System's Rock 'N RollMan Half Iron Triathlon, in Macon Georgia in early June. I did the sprint this year, and they put on a great race.
I have also found http://www.trifind.com/iron-h.html to be a good resource to locate races.

So in the next few weeks I got to pick a race and signup.

Almost forgot to add, I signed up for a Master swimming program. The pool that I have been training at just started the program. I signed up last night and I got to talk to the coach and he said that so far everyone who signed up was training for triathlon. So I am happy about that, can’t wait for Monday.

-B

My wife asked me, why do you run?
After about a minute of pondering the question, I said, because I feel like a superhero when I run. The 6 year-old in me blurted out the answer before the much older man that I am now got a chance, but the more I think about my answer the more I really think its the truth.

I can remember a sunny day running around in the backyard just zooming with my hands held out, leaning into the turns, jumping over obstacles and running just as fast as I could. I was a superhero. It’s funny, but I can still see my Mom looking at the through the window at me, I can still smell the flowers and the heat of the day, and I can still hear the music that was on the radio. The movie that plays in my head is now somewhat overexposed, bleached out at the edges and with every year that goes by it gets fainter and fainter. But when I run, I am that 6 year-old boy running around in the backyard, I get a warm feeling, and every once in awhile I will put my arms out and soar, because I am still that superhero.

-b

Marathon training update:
I am in week 7 of 18 of my training for the Chickamauga Marathon.
So far things are going fine, I have had the some soreness but for the most part it has been temporary. My biggest threat has been my Achilles tendons, I have had soreness on both down where it attaches to the heel bone. So I have been stretching and massaging it and doing long warm-ups before I run.

The mileage is ramping up this week to a total of 36, so my week looks like:
Monday Cross, but I ran to make up for last week, ran 5.2
Tuesday Should be 4, but I ran 5.5 to make up for last week.
Wednesday 7, I’m going to run this tonight, should be fun.
Thursday 4
Friday OFF
Saturday 7
Sunday 14

Lately the heat has been a real problem, we are 10-15 degrees above our normal temperature and it’s been killing my runs. This is my second summer in GA, and the heat is kicking my butt and m window for running outside is small, and much of my runs have been in the dark of night. In New England it can get very hot during the days, but it would always cool down over night. Here in GA, the AM temp has been just about 80 and real humid.

Ok, ok enough of my rant about the heat, I figure am going to be a much stronger runner for all miles and the heat fatigue. Give me a 65 degree day, and I know I’m going to be a much faster runner for the pain of this summer.

I can remember pouring hot water into my water bottle before a run in the frosty New England winter and hoping for a 100 degree day, so I got my wish.

-b

Emily and her first TRI, Iron Kids.

Emily and her first TRI, Iron Kids:
(Picture to come)
Wow, My Daughter Emily 8yrs competes in her first TRI.
August 19, 2007 was a great day, full of trepidation, smiles and esteem building that will last a lifetime.
I am so happy for her, because today she learned she can do anything, and that’s a life lesson that she will use over and over again.

Emily has been watching me train and race and said to me more than once that she would like to race. I thought how cool is that, my Daughter wants to race, and then I started to think to myself, why. Does she really want to race or does she want to please me. I really didn’t want her to race for the wrong reasons, she should race for herself and not for anyone else.
I found IronKids.com, Sara Lee sponsors 6 kids’ triathlons a season and it just so happens one of the races is just 20 minutes from the house. I talked to the family about it and Emily said she wanted to do it.

Emily’s Training:
Over the summer Emily has been taking swimming lessons at our local YMCA and she has been doing fine. We also have a 25 meter pool in out neighborhood so she is no stranger to water. Now that does not mean she can swim 100 meters freestyle easily, she mostly mixes it up swimming underwater, backstroke, and anything else that would get her to the end. We practices a few time in the pool, very low key, I did not want to put her in the position of having to please me. After a few times swimming 100 meters, I knew she could make the distance, so that was it.
Her bike was fine, we rode a few times and I knew the distance wasn’t an issue.
Emily’s running is good, we have done a few kids races so I knew she could do it.

Emily’s Race:
The day started like most race mornings, got to Transition and got set up. Iron Kids really did a great job on this, on the bike rack they placed a duplicate race number (bib) on the rack so you knew exactly where your bike went. We set up and I went over with her how to lay it out and in what order she needed to get things done in. You could see that many of the kids racing had parents that raced, chalk marks in the pavement at the end of the bike racks, tidy gear, it was cool. Ok T is set up off to the pool, this was the hard part. The pool was 6 lanes and the kid were to start 2 per lane, but for some reason they were starting them on per. First went the older kids (Seniors) ages 11-14, they had to swim 200 meters. This took a long time, and on top of that every so often they would take a break to let the racers on the cycle leg finish so the bike leg would be safer, and I am all for it. The swim started at 08:00 starting with the older kids and going down to the younger kids. Emily didn’t get into the pool until 10:45, but at this point the kids were swimming 2 per lane so it was going faster. It was hard for the kids to wait so long, and for the younger siblings to wait, it was getting hot. The swim was fine, on her last lap I ran out of the pool area and got into position just outside the transition area and waited. Here she comes! Some of the older kids that had already finished lined up on either side of the path to the transition and joined hands to make a human tunnel and when a racer came down the screamed and yelled to “Good job!”, “Go!”, “You can do it!” and it was just awesome. I cried when I saw my Emily run threw the tunnel of well wishers, I might be making more of it than it was, but it was true sport, and it was good hearted kids showing true sportsmanship.
So, into T1, this is where Iron Kids was real good, transition was laid out with number on the bike racks and they had staff that would see the kid’s number marking and lead the kids to their bike. Emily hit T1 fast, got out in the bike in about 2-3 minutes, not bad for a newbie kid. She road her three laps quickly and by the look on her face she was having fun. Back to transition for T2, and she was lead to her rack, she racked her bike and out the other end for the run. Now this was cool, the run mat was at the end of the transition and they had a water stop next to the mat. Emily blasted out of T2 grabs a water, drinks half and pours the other half over her head chucks the cup all while running, I though to myself wow she looks like a pro. I ran around to catch up with her on the run, and she was past the halfway point and running up a long grade and I could see that she had a side stitch. This is where I could see the lack of real training and heat where taking a toll on her, but this is part of triathlon, getting past the pain and pushing yourself. I though to myself this is what she needed, she need to fight through something hard and see that she can do it. She saw me as I stood their cheering her on, and I could see a smile take the place of the pain, and I could see that walk turn to a run. It was a downhill run to the finish, and finish she did, she is my hero.

Thoughts:
This is my opinion, so take it or leave it, but I believe triathlon builds kids both physically and mentally.
It worth the effort to expose your kids to as many things as you can, and let them decide if they like it or not.
Please do not mandate that your child do anything but get good grades and eat their vegetables.
Let them decide if they want to race or not.
And if nothing else, let then know you love them.

A proud dad,

-B

P.s.: I can not believe I forgot to add that we got to see the awesome Sara Mclarty.

Sara helped run the Iron Kids Atlanta/Dacula Georgia and did a great job. I heard many kids say that they wanted to be Sara including mine.

Sara is going on a world tour to train and race for an Olympic spot, and we wish her the best of luck!

Please check out Sara's blog at http://www.saramclarty.blogspot.com/

Go Sara!

-B

New shoes:

I bought a new pair of Brooks Radius 7s, and I love them.

Now the cool part, I’ve been running for a few years now, and I have bought many pairs of running shoes. I’ve had most major brands, but I have bought them on recommendations of fellow runners. And I bought them because of something I’ve read, and I even bought a pair because the looked cool, what a joke.
Now that I have started marathon training it is so important to stay injury free, I knew what I had to do. I needed to get a professional opinion and so many people recommended the

Big Peach Running Company (BPRC). (Note: that is not me on the tread) I don’t get into the city (Atlanta) much unless I am with the wife and kids, and we are usually going to the Zoo or to see a show, so a 90 minutes stop to a running store is out of the question. And I knew I needed to go to the BPRC by myself, I did not want distractions, enough said. So, I needed to have my oil changed in the car, so I packed my bike and dropped the car off, and off on the bike I went.

First impressions of the store were:
I found a place that has everything I needed to run. No more having to buy things unseen off the net, or settling for something that is sub par, or some junk that the Big Box stores sell because theirs more profit in it. I found my place for running gear.
So I road down maybe 5 miles and it was hot outside 100 degrees out, no kidding 100. I showed up to the store sweating and with my bike. They let me bring my bike in the store so it would be safe, thank you. I got inside and started looking around, I saw they had plenty of nutrition to choose from. I like GU brand gels and they are hard to find, and they have them, so already I was pleased. They had lots of hydration belts, they had lots of cool shiny object, and they had stuff that took batteries. All kidding aside they have the stuff you need.

Ok, to the main event, my new shoes.
After browsing a bit, and cooling down, I was still dripping sweat. I told the sales person that I wanted to get fitted for a pair of new running shoes. So we started talking about what kind of running I was doing, and I said I was training to run a marathon and I had just started adding some miles to my running. At the same time the sales person had me stand on a measuring device that pressure sensitive and connected to a plasma monitor. Now this thing was worth the trip to the store alone. On the display is showed my shoe size, my width, my arch height and it showed is color where I was putting my weight, the display looked like a thermal image of the bottom of my foot. So we continued of conversation about my running and I told the fitter that I had some Achilles tendonitis down around my heel and I thought it was because ill fitting shoes and my running style (style, not sure what to call what I do). So with this knowledge the fitter put me in a very neutral shoe and had me get on a treadmill and while I was running he captured it on video. After a few moments he stopped me and then he analyzed the video frame by frame. At the same time he was showing me what was going on and explained to me in easy to understand language in what categories I fell into. So with all of my information in hand he went into the back storage room and came out with 4 options for me to try. I tried a Nike, Mizuno, Asics and a pair of Brooks. After a few minutes in each I would record my thoughts mentally and tried on the next pair. With each pair the fitter would tell how they should fit and technically each pair would do for me. I am a super geek I wanted to hear it all. In all the Brooks felt the best, and after a few days and just 14 miles I can say I got a good pair.

I paid the same price I would have paid at a Big Box store, but the service I received was so much better. So, please go buy a pair of shoes from a trained fitter and support your local running shop.

Alright, what a love fest. I do not gain any financially benefit from this post. This just my opinion and I hope you gain some knowledge from it. Now, I do not want to discourage any financially benefits….

So checkout the Big Peach Running Store, and get professionally fitted.

-B

iPod and the Nike+ Plus gadget:

Ok, I confess I am a geek, if you can plug it in or it takes batteries I want it.
I just purchased the Nike+ iPod gizmo and man is it cool. I had to play around with the calibration a bit, but so far (7 or 8 miles) it been pretty accurate. I love toys, and I love running so put them together and man its like PB&J, it’s like bacon and pancakes, pancakes, I love pancakes.

So far this week I got all miles in and I am feeling pretty good. I have been making a real effort to stretch out each morning and during the day. I’ve been watching what I put in my mouth and taking in some high quality carbs and protein post workout. Everything I have been reading and listening too suggests eating as soon as you can or within the first 20 minutes to aid recovery. Recover, I am just now understanding what this really means, and how important it really is.

So this is my mission, to find some Yoga videos and few books on nutrition and research ways I can maximize my recovery. And get more sleep.

-Brian

Week 2 of the Corporate 5K Challenge training:

Week 2 of the Corporate 5K Challenge training:
We ran and the Arabia Mt Park in Lithonia Ga. and wow what a nice place to run.
The park has a paved multi purpose trail and the section that we have run switchbacks up and down and left and right. The park has many miles of trails and we have only run a very small portion.
We increased our runner count by 25%, ha ha ha, we had 4 runners last week and we added 1. It was hot and I know this is holding people back, it was 98 and sunny. Once the weather cools a bit I think we could have 10 + runners.
So the section we have been running is out and back for a total of 3.8 miles. The course is a bit hilly, with a mostly downhill decent to the turnaround and they you pay the gravity bill on the way back.

So that was our run, and I look forward to next weeks run.

-B

Recycle update and the Big Peach Running Co

Recycle update:
I found our curbside pickup company on the net and found some guidelines on what can and can not be recycled.
Recycling Guidelines
We can recycle the following materials:
· Aluminum cans - rinse and crush 1st
· Newspaper - newsprint only
· Steel cans - rinse and remove lids
· Plastic - only milk jugs, water bottles and soda sized bottles
We can not recycle these materials:
· Aluminum foil
· Styrofoam
· Cardboard
· Plastic bags
· Hazardous materials (see above list)
· Household trash
Although they say they do not recycle cardboard the do. I have been putting in my recycle bin: all items listed in the CAN and the following items, plastic shopping bags (tied in knots), cardboard boxes from cereal and cracker boxes, shoe boxes, clean pizza boxes and just about everything I can think of. So I will have to take a closer look and what is coming home from the stores to see had the waste can be managed.

Also, I just bought a new pair of running shoes from Big Peach Running Co, and they do to couple of cool things:
1) If you leave the box at the store they will recycle it.
2) They have a program called
BPRC “Re-use Your Shoes” Program
If you buy a new pair of running or walking shoes at BPRC - - and you’re willing to leave your old ones with us - - we’ll give you 5% off your total invoice. We’ll also give you the satisfaction you deserve knowing that your former treads are going to different organizations in and around Atlanta assisting the homeless and less fortunate.

Now, I did not know this, and I road my bike and all I had was my cycling shoes and I can not give them up (hot ride on some real busy roads, can't say I recomend it).

This is a very cool shop so give them a try.

More to come on the fit process of my new sneeks.

-B

Forgot to add:
You got to check out this site: http://earth911.org/ please.

-B

12 Miler, love the long run.

Week 5 is in the books.
This week was real hot and hard to get the miles in.
I joined Fitness 19 too beet the heat, join one gym and you get access to all other clubs, good deal.

Miles:
I made all the runs but missed a few miles. Thursday I had a company dinner and missed my 3 miles, so I made it up on Friday. Saturdays 6 mile run was cut short do to time constraints, and I was only able to get in 3. Sunday’s long run of 12 went fine, I ran in the morning to beet the heat. Starting temperature was 80 it got up to 87 and then it clouded up a bit and at the end it was 82ish. I ran with two bottles and had one gone at the half and it was getting hotter, I found a subdivision with the sprinklers going so I was able to fill a bottle of water with sprinkler water. With the extra water I had enough water to make all the way. At the end of the run I was only deficit 2 pounds, water weight I’m sure. I ran a slightly modified version of my 11 mile run, so the route was familiar.

Performance:
I am still running a little too slow, I averaged 12:16 per mile, and I am trying to get it to 11:30 a full 46 seconds faster. I was a little flat, my legs were tired. Not sure from what but I am sure the heat of the week and the day had something to do with it.

Next week:
Is the last of a three week cycle, and the last week has fewer miles then the previous two.
Monday Cross
Tuesday 3
Wednesday 6
Thursday 3
Friday Off
Saturday 6
Sunday 9

Thoughts during the long run:
1) Boy I got to run faster.
2) Am I going to be ready, I am slow on my long runs, I do not want to run a 6 hour marathon; (I am hoping for a sub 5 hour marathon).
3) Summer (school vacation) is over, my oldest starts school on Monday.
4) Life is pretty good and I am very lucky man. Now that’s not to say I haven’t earned what I have, a lot of hard work and keeping my goals insight have gotten me here. It’s my turn to give back, so what can I do. That’s the mission for the week.

So that’s it.
Come on week 6.

-B

Running on a gerbil wheel

Running on a gerbil wheel for my last three runs, it’s either that or die on the road.

The `feels like` temperature for the last week has been 100-108, and running outside is not fun.

So I joined a gym to run on the wheel, and at the same time I will start core strength training.

.

So all in all I am happy I joined, and I look forward to some cool weather.

Atleast its not S N O W.

-B

Please send some cool weather.

Winter would be nice.

My company is participating in the Kiser Permanente Corporate Challenge, and I am trying to get 30 people from my department to run or walk it with me. Last year my department had maybe 7 out of the 50 or so runners/walkers and I knew then we needed more. I have gotten 20-22 people signed up so I need the other 8-10, and I am working the room like a politician. I find running so rewarding so I am hoping to spread my enthusiasm and make a few new runners.
As part of my trying to organize my runners we decided that we should do company training runs on Tuesday after work. So I sent out an email to about 30 people about my idea about the group run. No this was a good, no a great idea, we were going to have a blast. Well I only had one problem, Mother Nature, she decided it was about time to turn up the heat. It was H O T, the `feels like temp` was 105, yup one hundred and five. I believe this to be the reason we only had 4 runners willing to risk life and limb for the company run.
We ran at Arabia Mountain trails in Lithonia GA.
It was hot.

-B

life is good

Week 5: 30 miles or bust
Its week 5 and today is a cross day, so I swam and stretched out at lunch.
Not much of a real workout, but I needed some real time to loosen up my legs and recover from last week. Speaking of last week, I was the `On-Call` person this week and boy did they call. Why does the person on the other end of the phone sound so cheerful at 03:00, and all I want to do is kill them.
Ok that’s in the past and I am going to get to bed at a reasonable hour and start banking some hours.
Enough negativity, I need to fill my soul with positive thoughts. That’s my mantra this week `positive thoughts`.
So this week I have cross on Mon, 3 miles on Tues, 6 on Wed, 3 on Thurs, Rest on Fri, 6 on Sat, and 12 on Sunday for a total of 30.
I think my Sunday 12 will be a modified version of my 11 from last week. I need to hide some water toward the last quarter of my run, I was a little dry on my 11. Is it ok to use someone’s hose to fill your bottle?

Races:
I might do a sprint TRI the weekend of 08/18, this is a 600 meter swim, 13 on the bike and 5k run. I’ve been meaning to do one of the `Tri the Parks` events, and I guy I talk to at the pool is doing it and it sounds like a good time.
I checked my schedule and all I have is a 6 mile on Sat and a 9 on Sunday. So it might just work out that I do the race rather than my 9 mile long.

Kids Triathlon:
My oldest Daughter 8 years old might do the IronKids Tri on Sunday 08/19, we have to check her schedule, as she might have cheerleading practice. She is psyched, she has been wanting to do a race for a long time.
So the numbers are, 4 laps in a 25 meter pool, 5k bike ride and a 1 mile run.
We have been doing some swim training and she can medley swim it about 3 minutes. Now the bike and run need some help, she can do it all, but we have to work on a pace. Kids don’t get pace she just goes hard, gets a side stitch slows until its gone and the goes back to 100%, kids.
I really want her to race it, but I am not pushing at all. I would love her to get the felling of being invincible, that she can accomplish anything that she works hard toward.
I know in my own training and racing that it’s hard and there are times where I just want to stop and give up, but I know if I can stay focused work the plan I know I can do anything.
And that’s something I want my kids to know first hand.

Thought:
My wife is great and I got to let her know it. I just might vacuum tonight and send her to shoe store.
;)

-B

WEEK 4 IS IN THE BOOKS! and Recycle

Alright, I got in my last run for the week, and boy was I tired.
WEEK 4 IS IN THE BOOKS!
I ran 6.5 at pace, or a little slower than pace, it was 85 degrees out and the heat is slowing me down, at least that the spin I’m giving it. I am pretty sore from this week and yesterdays long run, but I made it and that’s what counts.

Thoughts running wild in my head while I’m oxygen deprived on my long runs:
Recycle, nothing new, but I think I need to get to a new level, and convince others to make the leap. Lately I have been doing more and more, but know I can do a better job.
I hear a lot about a percentage of landfill waste, and I am not sure where we stand, but its my mission to research where we now and what is considered green.
My goal it to increase out percentage 10% each month until we are at green.

So I will do the do diligence and get make a list of thing we can improve on and see what the family think.

It's hot, and I feel like mud.

Boy it’s hot out, its Sunday @ 19:30 ish, and I need to run 6 miles.
Right now its 89 degrees out and I am tired from yesterdays 11 miler and I am trying to convince myself that I need to `Just do it`.

Yesterdays 11 miler was sweet, I stared out about 07:00 and ran 11 miles. It was warm, about 75 degrees out when I started, and 85 when I got home. The course I mapped out was a mix of medium rollers, two or three big hills and some flats. Most of the scenery was horse farms, forest and a few subdivisions. And lucky for me it was mostly shaded with no crazy canines like a few others I’ve run. I felt good and ran the entire way, my water lasted. My water weight loss during the run was just over 3 pounds, so I guess I could have drank another bottle.

Body parts: My knees were a little swollen and it felt strange. My Achilles tendonitis was starting to heat up, I guess from 1-10 it was a 3, but I though I had it beat. Today my legs are a little heavy. We took the kids to Lake Linear Islands water park, and we spent much if the time in the deep end of the wave pool, and today I could tell I wasn’t 100%. Monday as a cross day is going to be a welcome break from the running. I got to spend some time on the bike, I still have one or two tri’s left on my calendar.

So, I hope to get my but in-gear and get my six miles in tonight.

-B

Chickamauga Marathon training week 4 is underway.

Tuesday was an easy 3 miles, I ran it in the evening, it was pretty warm about 85 degrees with high humidity (Yup summertime in Georgia).
Wednesday was a 6 miler at pace, I ran it in the evening, it was pretty warm about 87 degrees with high humidity (Yup summertime in Georgia).
This was a great run I headed out at 20:30 ish, just about sundown, so most of the run was dusk to dark. I love running in the dark, well not completely dark, but with the moon, stars and occasional street light. The sense of adventure goes up 100% when running in the dark. Last night was no different, I got to run the last half in the dark, and boy does the scenery look different at nigh. Although I have run this same route many times before, at night it just looks different.
PLEASE wear something reflective so you can be seen, and know you course in the dark you do not want to get lost, well maybe you do….

So that’s it for now, I got a 3 miler tonight and Friday is a rest day.

Next up:
I flipped my long run from Sunday to Saturday, I have to work Sunday so I do not thing I will be up to 11 miles after work. After my run we are going to the water park to get some sun, float around, eat junk food and spend some time with the family. Yeah, floating around and junk food sounds pretty good.

-B