Friday’s Run (First Day of Fitness)

Day 1 of the 12 Days of Fitness.

Today was the last day of work until January 2nd. I plan to pick up my activities to start losing more weight and offset the holiday grazing. I ran today when I got home. My right foot is still talking to me, but It does not bother me any more when I run, but does after I stop. I ran around the neighborhood a new way. I believe it to be about three miles and it was slighty over. I ran non-stop, even thou it was a bit slow 10:17 mile, compared to Wednesday at 9:57, and all I wanted to do was stop, but I did not.

I decided that for the rest of December, I need to get use to three miles. Starting in January, I will trying to extend my distance to 110% for each new week.

12 Days of Fitness

The Twelve Days of Fitness, are a take off of the twelve days of Christmas starting on December 21st until January 1st, I plan to do at least one hour of physical activity; either being running or riding. I stated them here, but I have yet to actually do all the activities, but I want to meet them as a goal. I will add walking to the list as the wife and I get out.

1) first day – Friday 21st – run 3 miles, walk one, play softball
2) second day – Saturday 22nd – 23 mile bike ride, walk three miles
3) third day – Sunday 23rd – run 3 miles, walk 3 miles
4) fourth day – Monday – Bike ride
5) fifth day – Tuesday (Christmas) – Run 3 miles
6) sixth day – Wednesday – ride
7) seventh day – Thursday – Run 3 miles
8 ) eight day – Friday – Ride
9) ninth day – Saturday – Run 3 miles
10) tenth day – Sunday – Ride
11) eleventh day – Monday – Running 3 miles
12) twelve day – Tuesday – (New Year’s day) – Mountain Bike Ride with the Highlife (High School Boys from church)

Run Wednesday

Today, I ran at work. I wanted to extend my running to four days from three. I added Wednesday at lunch time. There are some regulars that run, Donna, Trish, and some others, and I wanted to run with them. I wanted to run three miles, but on this day I would run by myself. This would be my first run after the Jingle Bell Jog (last Saturday). It was painful. I was still sore and for some reason, I think it was because of softball that I hurt my right foot (top bone).

Jingle Bell Jog (5K)

This morning was cold. It was about 30 degrees when Teri and I arrived at Marie Kerr Park. We got our bib and finished our registration for the Jingle Bell Jog a 5K run. It also have a 1K Elf run. There were about (my guess over 200 runners).

We saw quite a few friends. First was the Parson’s; Denece (worked the snack table) and her daughters, who ran Kristen and Michelle. Also we ran into Carolyn Standerfer and Christin Johnson. Clay Patton and Zac were here. Clay helped in the run, so he did not run. Zac did and finished well. I saw a few folks from work, Andy Fisher and Don Weiss.

I ran the 5K in 29:08 and finished 112th overall. It was a bit hard, but I liked it. I did not have much of a kick at the end, but did pick it up a little bit. This is my first time running under 30 minutes. I stated in an earlier post that I wanted to beat 30 minutes. The actual resolution goal was 40 minutes. I did well on beating this goal. I have to remind myself that I have only been running for 2-1/2 months. 

Teri ran and walked according to her plan. She finished (looked really good) in 38:12. This was her first 5K and did better that I did in my first 5K. She looks like a runner.

Softball

Tonight, we played softball which due to a bye two weeks ago and last week being rained out, it seemed like a long time since we played. And it showed. We lost (our norm), but it was due to having one bad inning, were we gave away 10 runs. The score was something like 23 to 15, not that it mattered. But, I did OK, I hit three singles and one pop out. I did drop a ball for tagging out a runner, but the throw was a bit late.

Monday’s Run – Fastest

Tonight my wife Teri and I with good friends Tracy (my Healthwave’s coach) and her husband Sean Whittaker met at Joe Walker’s Middle School to run. I had decided that I wanted to run non-stop for a second time at a distance of 3.25 miles (5K distance). I wanted to be at or under a 10 minute mile. Saturday’s run was at 10.24 and tonight I ran it at 9:31 ave. I felt good and started strong, maybe too strong. I wanted to run hard to be ready for Saturday’s Jingle Bell Jog. I did the 3.25 miles in a total time of 30:52. I now believe it is possible for me to finish in Saturday run in under 30 minutes. My resolution is to do it under 40 minutes.

I stretched at home, but forgot (I guess) to really stretch my calves. When I was on lap 6 or 7, my left calf started to talk to me, it really cramped up. This is the first time, I have gotten a cramp. I ran with the pain. When I stopped, I walked two or three laps to cool down and stretch it out. We drove home and when I got out of the car, it was locked up tight. I am applying heat as I type. This thing hurts. It is tight as a drum skin, and I can’t it to stretch out or relax.

Everyone else ran strong as well. We are all doing different goals so we rarelly get to be able to sync up on the track so we can talk. Oh well… BTW, It was cold, at 38 degrees.

Saturday’s Run – Personal Best

Because visiting with some great friends, I am unable to run Sunday, so I decided to run on Saturday. I left the house at about 9:15am and decided to run around the block using my families normal walking route, which is about three miles. I did not use a “lubrication lap” (for warm-up) and started out slow to get warmed up. It was about 42 degrees and windy. I felt some pain, but really no big deal. It always makes me think I may be over doing it.  

I ran non-stop for 3.39 miles. A little longer then a 5K. I am running in the High Desert’s Runners; Jingle Bell Jog next Saturday and have a goal of running that race non-stop. I believe I am able to do that. See the results by clicking on the Motion Based logo or map. This is my personal best. I have never ran that distance non-stop before. It was not fast (10.25 mph pace) My plan is to learn to run the distance than improve on the time.

Thursday’s Nights Run

Teri and I got out to run about 7:00pm Thursday at Joe Walker Middle School. As we arrived, they (soccer team and coach) turned off the lights. There was enough light to see from the nearby park.

I know I wanted to run longer, so I ran the lubrication lap 400m and walked 400m. I then ran six laps or 1.5 miles. I walked a lap, and then ran 1.75 miles (or seven laps). It felt good. I could have ran more, but need to not rush things. To date that is the longest I have ever run non-stop (1.75 miles). I plan to keep on going.

The wind was really up at about 25 miles an hour. It wanted to blow us over from time to time. I do like it pushing me along. Here is my motionbased results.

Jingle Bell Jog

On of my resolutions for 2007 is to compete (more like complete) in a 5K and finish it in under 40 minutes. I want to run in the Jingle Bell Jog, put on by the High Desert Runners, here in the Antelope Valley. The only other time I ran in a 5K, I believe I finished in 43 minutes. I also desire to run this one non-stop (no walking). I have never ran that distance without a walk, so I am working hard on trying to make that distance.

What is nice is that they are sponsored with Grace Resources, (which I like to support).

Monday Night’s Run

I ran early Sunday and ran again Monday night. The run was cold, but I did not really mind. I picked up some knit gloves. I like knit, (sorry but this is kinda gross), my nose runs when I run. I need some thing to wipe my nose on. I put on my ipod and listened to podrunner and picked a cadence of 155bpm, that was nice. Podrunner is great, it is the same cadence for entire hour. DJ Steve boy, mixes all songs and clips up or down to the same cadence.

I changed my GPS (forerunner 305) to lap by distance instead of location. I set it to 0.25 mile to be counted as a lap. I have used a marker on the track to be the start/end for each lap. The issue for me tonight is in my walk lap, I walk in the second lap counting from the inside. That is a bit longer then inside lap or lap one. So my start and end laps are not by a marker, but my actual distance. After each walk lap, the new lap started earlier by an estimated 10-15 feet. It also when it “beeped”, the night light came on. Which is cool, but I am not sure what I did to have the light come on at each lap.

Here is my motionbased results.