Late Update

Last night, when I got home from work, Electra and I went out for a little run together. She's only in 7th grade, so I really didn't expect her to keep up with me while I ran, so I jogged slowly and we talked while we jogged together.

She joined the Middle School Track Team, and her first meet is a week from tomorrow. I'm looking forward to seeing her on the track.

Delayed Entry

I couldn't post on Sunday, because the monitor on my computer at home died. I won't be posting until at least Thursday, since I'm going out of town and won't be able to get to a computer.

I went out on Sunday and did a little over 3 miles, mostly on grass. It was enjoyable, even the steep uphill for about 1/4 mile at the halfway point.

Sunday mornings, very few people are on the roads (they're all either sleeping or in church), so I had an easy time of it.

Inside once again

Today I ran on the treadmill again. Just to see if it gets any better. However, I forgot to pack the discman, so once again I was mightily bored. The advantage is that, even though I was bored, I couldn't slow down at all or take it easy on the pace.

I ran 5k, but when I finished and hit the "cool down" button (which slows the pace down way too much), it cleared the time off the display, so I don't know my exact time. I do know it was under 22:00 for the 5k. I ran a one-mile warmup and a one-mile cooldown as well.

Indoor Day

I decided to run on a treadmill today, since the weather was cold and windy outside. The wind was the kind which would make me keep my head down the whole time I was out there, which would only make things more dangerous. I went 3.5 on the treadmill, and did the whole thing in under 7:40 pace. I ran the first mile in about 6:30 and the last half mile in 6:00 pace (the top speed of the treadmill).

After my warmup, I reset everything to 0 and started off in 6:30 pace. Sometime after I reached 0.75 miles, I pulled the emergency stop out by mistake. The clip on the cord doesn't even work--it's rusted and corroded and the spring is stretched so it doesn't spring anymore. I had the cord tucked in the waistband of my shorts. Somehow, I pulled on the cord hard enough to pull the stop button out and shut down the machine. I didn't figure out what happened fast enough to start before the machine reset everything to 0, so I started again from the last distance I knew I had passed. I guess it's kind of like having to stop for traffic lights out on the road.

I've been thinking about treadmills, and in my opinion, these are the advantages and disadvantages of running on a treadmill:

Advantages:
1. Safety--It would be very difficult to get run over by a car, especially when your gym, like mine, is on the second or third floor above street level.
2. Convenience--The treadmill is always there and often available.
3. Temperate--You don't have to worry about rain, snow, ice or wind when you're on the treadmill.
4. Pace Running--You can learn to run at a precise pace, since the treadmill goes at a constant speed.
5. Amusement--It's possible to listen to music or even watch television from a treadmill.

Disadvantages
1. Chopped Stride--The running surface of the treadmill is too short, even for one of my modest stature. I can't imagine the difficulty someone 6'2" or taller would have on one of these machines.
2. Pace--The fastest a treadmill (at least all of the ones in my gym) will go is 10 mph, or 6:00/mile pace. I enjoy sprinting for portions of my runs, particularly the last half mile. It would not be unusual for me to run the last half mile in 2:40 or less, and that's impossible on one of these treadmills.
3. Convenience--All of the treadmills in the gym might be in use at any time, making it impossible to get a run in if you won't go outside. In addition, you can only use your gym's treadmills when the gym is open (of course if you've got enough disposable income to be able to afford a really good treadmill...) At least the street is literally always available.
4. Dizzyness--I can't be the only one who experiences dizzyness after stepping off the treadmill, can I?
5. BORING!--It is neccessary to bring music or have access to a television in order to keep interested. Next time, I'm bringing a cd player with Born to Run in it to keep myself going.
6. Almost forgot--that stupid emergency stop--It's there for a reason--to keep you from going off the end of the belt--but the cord must be too short or something, because it seems to be too easy for me to pull the cord and stop the whole thing.

Anyway, I think I'll still go mostly on the streets, sometimes on grass, and only run the treadmill occasionally.

Nice and Easy

Went about 3.5 today, nice and easy and off the clock. It was all on the city streets (makes the times I can run on grass that much nicer) and I was never in any danger of being killed or injured by a car. These Atlanta drivers are slipping--what's this world coming to when a pedestrian doesn't fear for his life while crossing the street with the light?

My weight is still under 150--I weighed in at 148.5 this morning. We'll see if it lasts the week.

Call it 3 and a half

I went out from home this morning--went about 3.5 slo, easy, and mostly on grass--the shoulder of the road. I feel pretty good after the mileage on the grass--I should find more places that are mostly grass that I can run. Unfortunately, even the parks around here have too much asphalt for anyone to run mostly on grass--unless I want to run around a soccer field about 12 times. I'd probable lose count pretty quickly.

My legs feel pretty good today, so I can start increasing my mileage again this week.

Easy and smooth

Went about 2.25 today, twice around the park and then some. I took it easy on the uphills, and strode out on the flats.

I finished in 15:37, so I was moving at a pretty good clip. I couldn't get in any exercising at all afterward, but I'll get some in tomorrow.

Let's call it 3

Today, I went about 3.5 miles, slow and easy, but I walked part of that distance. I don't think it was half a mile that I walked, but I'd rather shortchange myself on the mileage than overestimate it.

My weight is down to 148 as of this morning--I won't change the sidebar until it's been a few days, though.

The weather was beautiful, about 55 degrees and calm. I still can't get over the people who put on heavy winter coats whenever the temperature goes below 60 degrees. I'm outside in shorts and a t-shirt, and they're all bundled up for winter weather.

Off the clock, and it's a good thing, too.

Today I felt very tight; my left gastrocnemius tightened up on me at the beginning of my run. By the time I got to about 3/4 of a mile, it was loosened up enough to take easy strides. But at about 1.5 miles, my right gastrocnemius tightened up, making my strides short and choppy. I managed to get the kink out by about 2 miles, but by then I was only a half-mile from finished.

The slow pace, combine with oversleeping this morning meant that I was late getting to the gym, and late starting my run, and late getting back, and so I had to skip most of my post-run training -- sit-ups, pushups, etc.

I did stretch out after running, though.

Getting back into it

Today went well, I varied my pace, sometimes slowing down and others striding well. I took the long hill between 14th and 10th streets at a hard run, taking it easy on the streets before and after that stretch. I stayed off the clock today, since it was still supposed to be an easy day--no timing means I'm less likely to hurt myself again.

I had quite a scare last night. I went out to do an easy 2 or so, and my 13 year old daughter, who I'll call Electra, decided she wanted to go with me; but she didn't want to run, she wanted to ride her bike alongside me. I was only a few yards away from our driveway when I heard a skidding sound--not a car, but the sound of bike tires sliding across the road. Electra went down in the road, scraping up her arms pretty well, and hitting her head on the curb. Fortunately for all of us, we have instilled in her the idea that whenever you get on a bike, you put on a helmet. She was wearing hers, so all we have is a damaged helmet.

As I heard the skid, I turned around just in time to see her come down, and I immediately rushed over to her side. I'm still not sure whether her arm is entirely OK, since she comes from a long line of people (my side of the family) who just put up with injuries, aches and pains. She was holding her right arm a little bit awkwardly, so I ran her through a series of motions and asked her if any of them hurt. It appears that the only pain she has is in the part of her shoulder where she hit the road, and I think we can attribute that to the impact. I'm still going to watch the way she uses that arm for a while, though.

Easy Day

Today I'm taking it easy. I think I'll try to get my daughter to go out with me after I get home from work. I'll go easy for a mile or so, and see if she'd like to comt with me. Maybe I can get her to come up to the track. It's spring break, so the school should be deserted.

Yet another easy day

I took it easy today, going out in the early afternoon, and running about 2.5 miles, not including the warmup and cool down. My legs felt pretty good, relaxed and loose. Not much pain.

Still off the Clock

Took it easy again today, only going about 2.5 miles. I took it pretty easy the whole way,and I think I'm OK. I don't have any of the soreness or stiffness in my psoas muscle, and my Achilles Tendon feels pretty good, too.

I ran at the park today, followed by taking my son out for a day excursionaround downtown ATL. Could be the walking did my legs some good.

Off the Clock, Again

I took it easy this morning, only going about 2.5 miles, and off the clock. I felt pretty good, but my left Achilles was a little bit tight. It feels pretty good right now, but we'll see how it does later on.

My left psoas (or maybe my iliopsoas) has been giving me trouble, but I think I can run through it.

My weight is down to 150 today. I'll hold off on changing it until I've been at this weight for a few days.