Thursday, March 23, 2006

Failing

My new skinnier self is not doing so well. It's not happening actually. I haven't ran in almost two weeks and I'm eating worse than normal. I know that I've been busy with the play and all that, but I don't like to make excuses. I'm feeling particularly disgusting today as I ate left over ribs from The County Line on the Riverwalk in San Antonio, and Mrs. Parker bought me a milkshake from Jack in the Box.

Oh, regret, thou art a lovely enemy!

Friday, March 10, 2006

Heat

Setting
3/9/2006, 4:30 pm, the Apartment Complex

Distance
1.1 miles
probably more since I walked to the trash and mail before starting

Whether
Nice day, but it was HOT! Well, for this time of year. Mid 80s.

Run Time
8:00 I have to admit that I really don't know. But, I was running at a faster pace than normal so I think I could have possibly ran a mile in 8 minutes.

How Am I Feeling
Tired. I tried to keep a good pace instead of slowing to a crawl, like I do sometimes. The heat and just a general exhaustion from work added to the difficulty.

Going Through My Head
How much longer the run seemed without my iPod, even though it was a shorter run.

On the iPod A
No iPod. It was left accidentally in my bag at school, so I ran without it and then rushed to the school to retreive it.

Monday, March 06, 2006

Dedication

Setting
3/5/2006, 3:30pm, Out the apartment complex, right on Baker to the light at Bush. Turned left into the Country Club. Right on Country Club View. Right on Quail Hollow then right again on Baker. To the entrance of the apartment. Sounds like a lot, right? A disappointing...

Distance
...a disappointing 1.9 miles
I seriously thought it would be further.

Weather
A little cloudy, drab. 70s.

Run Time
No time taken. I'm guessing around 25-30 minutes. It was a slow run.

How Am I Feeling
My lower back and right hip are feeling better. It was my first run with my new shoes. They felt really good. My knees were a little sore and before I started running my right knee hurt a lot. I was actually afraid that I wouldn't be able to run. But it went away.

Today I was feeling really groggy, as I'd just woke up from a nap. It was the kind of day where I really would have rather stayed at home. I hadn't found enough time in past few days to run, so it was important.

Going Through My Head
How could I convince the City of Baytown to construct a quality running trail around this very congested part of the city.

On the iPod
One of These Things First Nick Drake
Adelade Old 97s
Let the Idiot Speak Old 97s
Nineteen Old 97s
Big Brown Eyes Old 97s
West Texas Teardrops Whiskeytown and Old 97s
Super Mario Bros. Theme Phish
Warming Down: The Outsider R.E.M. featuring Q-tip

Friday, March 03, 2006

New Kicks

Got me some new run-fasters (props to E in the North Country, T-town).

I went to Luke's Locker in Houston to get them and by the time I got home there wasn't any time to run before rehearsal.

Lukes is this really great running store that fits you with just the right shoe to for your foot type and level. The guy who helped me said that the shoes I got should help with some of the pain that I've been having in my joint because I was over pronating

Okay, it's time for school: "Over-pronation, or flat feet, is a common biomechanical problem that occurs in the walking process when a person's arch collapses upon weight bearing. This motion can cause extreme stress or inflammation on the plantar fascia, potentially causing severe discomfort and leading to other foot problems." Definition and photo courtesy of Foot.com.

You can learn more about it by clicking here

Actually, everyone pronates. People with high-arches under-pronate. I have increadibly flat feet, so I got some shoes that will hopefully fix that. You, of course, will hear about it.

Wednesday, March 01, 2006

Saturday, February 25, 2006 Was a Great Day to Sleep In...

...but I didn't.

For the second year in a row I ran the 10 K in the Cowtown Marathon and have the t-shirts to prove it. I have run off and on for the time inbetween, but not consistantly enough to keep me in shape. This year was no easier than last year except for simply the fact that I was prepared for the difficulty and soreness. Next year my goal is to run a half marathon (13.2 miles) and this is where I will chronicle my running.

My short term goal: Run 6 miles a week for four weeks, straight.

Here we go.

The Alpha Run

Setting
3/1/2006, 5:30 pm, the Apartment Complex

Distance
2.2 miles
Three times around the apartments is 1.1 miles and I went 6 today

Whether
Beautiful, not a cloud in the sky. High 60s. Perfect day to kick this thing off.

Run Time
22:56 This time is based on the music I played and the times of the individual songs (see below) This could be off and I actually think that I started about half way into Mockingbird.

How Am I Feeling
My lower back and right hip are hurting a little, just like I was afraid of happing. It could just be residual soreness from the 10 K on Saturday. My right knee is also a little sore as I take my last lap. That may be because I'm pounding too hard.

No short breath. I feel good except for the little aches and pains which I hope go away as I drop weight.

Going Through My Head
Starting this blog

On the iPod A device which allows me to tolerate running
On Shuffle:
Mockingbird, Derek Webb: Stretching and the start
Frustrated Cowboy, El Gato
Know Your Onion, The Shins
Take, Take, Take, The White Stripes
Powerless (Say What You Want) Nelly Furtato
The Dark is Rising, Mercury Rev (I love this song, but it's a crappy song to run to)
Looking for Someone, Genesis: warming down

Fun Running Fact
The Marathon's distance of 26.2 miles is only set as the official distance in 1921 by the International Amatuer Athletics Federation. Before it was set at the present distance a Marathon was any long distance race. Most were between 25 and 30 miles long, so long as everyone ran the same distance. This distance was selected because the starting line at the 1908 Olympics in London was moved back so the Royal Family could see the race. The distance was changed a couple of times after that but this distance was finally agreed upon for some reason.

Two Miles Tomorrow