Week 4/January Re-Cap

Okay, so I technically have one more day left in the month, but I thought now would be a good time to review the past week as well as reflect on my first month of running. This week I've been in San Antonio, and as far as running goes, it has been nothing short of fantastic. I didn't do any any weight lifting or calisthenics this week, but that was mainly because I didn't want bring my computer (which has my workouts) into the gym. Still, I made it a point to do a lot of running which will hopefully counter act the increased calorie consumption caused by eating out twice a day. Now I know I could eat "healthy" while still eating out, but c'mon! I'm in San Antonio, Texas. There are too many BBQ, Mexican, and other great restaurants I can only get here, though not necessarily specific to San Antonio (i.e. Texas Land and Cattle, Freebird's, Taco Cabana, Chris Madrid's, The Smokehouse, B&B Smokehouse, Mi Tierra, and the Menger Hotel's Sunday Brunch). In other words, even though I'm running a lot, I don't anticipate of losing weight while I'm here.

Like I said, it was a fantastic week for running. Here are the stats:
Total Runs Logged: 6
Total Miles: 47.3
Total Time Spent Running: 5 hours, 33 minutes, 38 seconds
Average Pace: 7:05 min/mile

Yeah, it was a good week, and with the month all but done, and 4 full weeks into my running program, my "as of" totals are:
Total Runs Logged: 28
Total Miles: 168.6
Total Time Spent Running: 20 hours, 53 minutes, 16 seconds
Average Pace: 7:26 min/mile

From Monday through Saturday, I had 3 runs that were greater than 8 miles, and every one of them was "Great" (actually, I'd say darn near incredible). On Wednesday I ran 10.2 miles at a 6:55 pace!! If I've ever run that distance at that pace, I don't remember. I know that part of the speed is a result of increased running, but I know a good deal of it is also due to the colder weather. Although it has chapped my lips and hands and the cold air "burns" the lungs, it has certainly helped me run faster. When I return to Guam, it will be interesting to see what my pace is for longer runs. I would expect to slow down a little, but hopefully not too much.

REFLECTION TIME!
30 days into the year, and I'm well ahead of schedule. If I was to keep this rate up I'd hit 2000 miles before the end of year. Still, I'm hesitant to adjust my running goal just yet. Although, I've had lots of running success so far, it's hard to judge just how much running time I'll have for the rest of the year. Perhaps in a couple of months, I can reassess my progress and determine if 1500 or 1800 is possible for the year (though I'm not changing the website's name). Although I've had some soreness in my legs, and I'm currently sporting a small blister on my big toe, I've really not had any problems. There is also occasionally minor chaffing, but nothing I can't overcome. Although, I'm running with 3 different pairs of shoes, none of them are new so it won't be long before I need to buy new ones. I'll get into the "gear" later on, but for now my runs are going well, and I'm looking forward to running and other athletic "events" quickly approaching. Hopefully I'll see success in these events as a result of my running. If nothing else, it will certainly be something worth blogging about.

Week 3 Re-Cap

Hooray, another week down, and so much closer to my goal. Before I recap the last two days of the week (Saturday and Sunday), here are the new numbers.

My Week 3 Totals are:
Total Number of Runs Logged: 6
Total Miles Logged: 37.4
Total Time Spent Running: 4 Hours, 35 minutes, and 2 seconds
Average Pace: 7:21 min/mile

That brings my new "as of" total to:
Total Number of Runs Logged: 22
Total Miles Logged: 121.3
Total Time Spent Running: 15 hours, 19 minutes, and 38 seconds
Average Pace: 7:35 min/mile

As you can tell, 23 days into my first month, and I've already surpassed my monthly goal of 100 miles. I'll keep my goal "as is" for now, because I know as the year progresses, I'll dedicate more time to the Triathlons on Guam, as well as other activities. Until then, I'll continue to reap the benefits of running.

Alright, so Saturday morning, I left Guam early in the AM, and after about 18 hours of flying, layovers, and more flying, I arrived in San Antonio, TX mid-morning on Saturday (got to love the time change). For the next two weeks I'll be at Lackland studying AF Logistics. Not long after arriving in SA (but after I had eaten a feast of a Mexican Meal) I decided it would probably be a good idea to get a run in. This was not only to combat the food I had just eaten, but also to get my legs loosened up after sitting for so long (plus remember I was still feeling guilty about not running on Friday). While not as cold as other areas of the country, SA is a good 20-30 degrees colder in Guam. Similar to my Hong Kong experience, I noticed an increased effort in my breathing as I was sucking in the cold air. It wasn't overly difficult, but it was very different than what I was used too. Still after my Saturday PM run of 6+ miles, I noticed that I had managed to keep a good pace throughout the run (about 7:23 min/mile). Perhaps, while there was perceived increase in effort, there was no really increased exertion of energy.

On Sunday morning I went for run around 9:30, during which time I completely smashed my perception of cold weather running. Given that I had flown for most of the day yesterday, was still operating (mentally) in a different time zone, and was facing a different climate, I was expecting to struggle. When I looked at my GPS watch around the 5 mile point I noticed that less than 35 minutes had elapsed. 3.5 miles later (bringing my total run to 8.5 miles), my clock said 58:41, a 6:54 min/mile pace. Now, I've run faster before, but for that distance, I cannot recall the last time I maintained a pace below 7 minutes. To go from a 7:14 pace on an 8-mile run earlier in the week, to a sub-7 min pace is pretty darn remarkable. I would expect improvement, but not on that scale, so I have to attribute my speed to the cold weather. We'll see over the next couple of weeks if I can repeat that pace.

REFLECTION TIME!!
3 Weeks Down and 49 more to go, but I say that without any since of eagnerness or anticipation to see this year end. As I've said before, the past two weeks were hectic with travel, work, and preparing for my travel. It makes it hard to find time to not only run, but also write about it. That being said, I need the blog because it keeps me motivated. I know that if it weren't for me advertising my running to the world wide web, that I normally wouldn't make time to run on Vacation. The same goes for working long days. I'd make an excuse on why I couldn't run before or why I could skip the next day. 1 or 2 days is okay, but how many missed opportunities would that up to over the course of a year? The blog keeps me focused on my goal, and although there are days that it may be much easier to slack off, I'll feel like a slacker if I do. So even though it may be hard, I'll suck it up and keep running.

Week 3 Thus Far

As for my 3rd week of running, like I said before, on Monday we were in Hong Kong, so I ran 5 miles along the waterfront that morning. We left Hong Kong LATE Monday night and didn't make it back to Guam until about 6am on Tuesday. Unfortunately, that put a slight damper on my running/workout plans. Still, I managed to run a little more than 2 miles Tuesday night. Wednesday I had another "great" 8 mile run. Thursday morning, anticipating very busy day at work, I actually managed to get out of bed at 5am, and ran 6+ miles. It was great running, despite a lot of rain, but work was very busy and I didn't get home until very late. Because I got home so late I opted to sleep in a bit on Friday before going to work. As such, I was not able to get a run in on Friday.

I would say that I missed not running, but truth be told I was REALLY tired. I can honestly justify my break by saying that I've ran or worked out every day for quite some time (Saturday in Hong Kong we did a LOT of walking). That being said, I still feel a little guilt about not working out. I'll probably more than make up for it this weekend (in SAN ANTONIO), and then I'll feel better. In all honesty, I know the break will probably be better for me in the long run (haha) too.

While the past 10 days or so have kept me very busy, hopefully I'll se a bit of reprieve over the next few weeks. this may allow me to not only keep up the running schedule, but also keep my blog updated. I've enjoyed writing thus far, and hopefully as I continue on my running journey, I'll get into a better groove with my writing. Hopefully, with more travels planned, multiple triathlons, and a general willingness to embrace new adventures I'll be able to keep the blog exciting. I suppose running and writing a blog are both similar in the fact that if you don't mix it up every once and a while, it can get boring pretty quick. I'm going to definitely try to keep that from happening. So I'll keep running, but keep it fun too.

Major Catching Up to Do

Wow! It would be an understatement to say the last week and a half hasn’t been busy. Work (lots of it), travel, preparing for travel, and of course a fair amount of running. I suppose I should start out by recapping my running for the past couple of weeks.

Week 2:
Total Number of Runs Logged: 8
Total Miles Logged: 34.5
Total Time Spent Running: 4 hours, 20 minutes, and 19 seconds
Average Pace: 7:31

That makes my new "as of" total after 2 weeks of running:
Total Number of Runs Logged: 16
Total Miles Logged: 83.9
Total Time Spent Running: 10 hours, 44 minutes, and 36 seconds
Average Pace: 7:41

Now, my 2nd week of running had my first “great” run, but the real highlight of the week was not the distance but the location. Friday night Stephanie I flew to Hong Kong for the three-day weekend. Later on I’ll post pictures and blog about our adventures (Check it out on my Stephanie's Blog here), but for now I’ll just talk about the running. While most studies would probably say that running in a colder climate is easier than the hot and humid of someplace like Guam especially with regards to muscle fatigue and endurance. That’s probably true; however, after nearly a year and a half of running in Guam, I’ve come quite accustomed to it. Going from running in 80+ degree weather one day to around 50 degree weather the next is quite a shock to the system. . I am really not sure about the air quality in Hong Kong compared to Guam, but I will say that it was noticeably harder to breathe in the very “crisp” air. I ran about 5 miles on both Sunday and Monday and although the cold air provided a new challenge, it was great running in a new environment. Hopefully in future travel adventures I’ll continue my running as well. The running blog and goal for 1200 miles this will hopefully encourage me to maintain an active lifestyle even when on “vacation”.

Mid Week Check-Up (my first Great Run)

Week 2 is halfway over, and I'm still going strong. While it would certainly be more than troubling if just 12 days into the New Year I was already sick of running, it does provide comfort to know I don't dread waking up and going for a long run, like I do on Wednesdays. To be honest, I'd say I rather enjoy it. It gives me the opportunity to put every thought, worry, or trouble to the side and just think about running. The duration of the run leaves me tired and sweaty which is feels good because I've burned a lot of calories and done something that benefits my overall health. In addition, because it's early in the morning the weather is nice, not too hot and on days like today there's no rain or no wind, it makes for a great run.

So how do you define a "great run." I suppose that depends on the person running. For some, a run that's over before it even starts is a "great run" (of note, this probably doesn't help America's obesity problem). Other might consider a great run, a run in which they feel so good that they seem to forget they are running, or find themselves not checking their watch or GPS every few seconds to see how far or how long they've gone. Still others I'm sure consider any run with their friends or dog a great run. While I can see the value in all of the other "great runs" (with the exception of the first one), my definition is a little different. At least for now, for me a "great run" is quite simple; it's based on the pace I'm able to maintain.

Like I said, that defines a great to me for now, and as I progress on my running journey that is sure to change, if not in how I define, surely in the pace I determine to be "great." On typical "long run" days like Wednesday where I am running more than 8 miles, my goal is to run 8 miles in under 1 hour. That equates to less than a 7:30 minute/mile pace. Today was the first time I was able to do that in a while. I completed 8.1 miles in 59 minutes and 18 seconds which is a 7:19 pace. It certainly helps that the weather conditions were close to ideal: not too hot, very little wind, no rain, but I also think it shows that I'm getting faster, and that's a good feeling.

While a 7:19 pace is respectable, it is not my ultimate goal. To qualify for the Boston Marathon, someone my age needs to run a marathon in 3 hours and 10 minutes which is about a 7:10 pace. Now there are a lot of other contributing factors in marathons like aid stations to keep you hydrated, support from fans and fellow runners, and most importantly an extra boost of adrenaline, but there is definitely some training required to get yourself ready for that duration of a run (3 times longer than my current "long runs") and I do need to get faster. For at least the next couple of weeks my goal will be to continue to run 8 miles in less than 1 hour. Perhaps in February I can start looking at shaving time off that goal until MAYBE by the end of the year I'm able to do 8 miles in 56 minutes or less (7 minute/mile pace). It's a bit of a lofty goal, but one that is possible. Still that's not what I'm really looking for at this time. All I'm focused on is logging more miles, hopefully while completing a few more great runs. So for now, I'll just keep running.

Week in Review (3-9 Jan)

One Week down, only 51 more to go! I could say something about if I was able to keep this pace up I'd finish off the year with 1700+ miles logged, but realistically I don't know if that is possible. Instead, like any other addiction (though I'm far from addicted to running), I'll take it a day/week/month at a time. Here's a look back at the week:
Total Number of Runs Logged: 6
Total Miles Logged: 33.4
Total Time Spent Running: 4 hours, 19 minutes, 23 seconds
Average Pace: 7:46 min/mile

That brings the yearly totals to: (I'm counting the 1st and 2nd of January in this one)
Total Number of Runs Logged: 8
Total Miles Logged: 49.4
Total Time Spent Running: 6 hours, 24 minutes, and 17 seconds
Average Pace: 7:46 min/mile

REFLECTION TIME!!
A week into the program, and I feel good. I wouldn't say "excited" comes to mind when I'm waking up in the morning, but I am not regretting my typically morning runs one bit. My body feels good and while I am usually a bit tired and very sweaty after running, I haven't been sore or stiff before or after the runs. I know I am not stretching enough, but that is something I'll have to work to make time for. I will be in TX in a few weeks, and was reviewing running/triathlon events that were going to be going on while I was there. There is a 50/100 mile race in Huntsville one of the weekends I'll be there. I thought about signing up for a good minute, but with the 50 mile event already full, I knew that it wasn't realistic for me to try a 100 mile race when my longest run in the past year+ has only been 13.1 miles. Still, it's good to know I am excited about doing an ultramarathon and that the thought of doing one does cross my mine. I'll keep my eyes out for such events near me, and hopefully the opportunity will present itself. Until then, I'll just keep on running.

The Stick-N-Back Triathlon (JUST DO IT)

In my last blog I mentioned that if you're living on Guam and will be on the island January 16th, then you need to complete the Stick-N-Back Super Sprint Triathlon. Just a year ago it was my very first triathlon, and I loved it. If you've ever thought (even briefly) about doing a triathlon, then this is the one for you. If you're looking at spicing up your New Year's resolution to "get in shape", this is a great way to do that too. There is no training required. It's called a "Super Sprint" for a reason; it's super short. There is a 200M swim; a 10K bike ride, and a 4K run. If it's anything like last year, there will be about 160 participants, and of those, only 5-10 will be competitive triathletes. Everyone else will be there to "just do it". There are no prizes for coming in first, everyone gets the same t-shirt (it was a sweet shirt last year).


Like I said, there's no training required. You don't even need to sign up early for it. Kevin and I didn't, so we ended up being the last people to be registered for the race (#160 and #161). That being said, I'd recommend registering for it (though it's definitely not mandatory).

You can see in the picture above and the one below of me crossing the finishing line that I had on fancy "triathlon shorts". I also have a road bike, but that is certainly not a requirement. A lot of the people out there will be swimming/biking/running in whatever swim trunks they have. The same goes for a bike, and you'll see everything from expensive triathlon bikes to "cheap-o" bikes. The only requirement is that it have two wheels and pedals.

So there you have it. The "Stick-N-Back" is a great way to get a little taste of triathlons. If you don't live on Guam, Google the city you live in and "triathlon". I'm fairly confident you'll find a triathlon club, and I'm willing to bet they'll have a "Super Sprint Tri" that they'll offer this year. I know that if you're in the panhandle of Florida, Eglin AFB does "My First Tri" in June. If you do it and love, you've found a great new hobby. If you do it, and aren't thrilled about triathlons, at least you did a triathlon. Check out this website (conveniently called Beginner Triathlete) for more details on training for (if you insist) and finishing your first triathlon.

Okay, back to running. I was able to knock out 3.1 miles before PT and 1 mile after PT on Thursday. Today I was able to do 9.1 miles which included 4.1 miles pre/post PT and a five-miler for PT (including about 2 miles of trail running). The trail running slowed me down quite a bit, but it was a nice doing a different run, and the view of the ocean was really incredible too.

With the 9 miles today, that puts me at 25 for the week. That means that I don't have to run this weekend, but I probably will do it anyway. I've heard it's beneficial to my health.

Until my next entry, just keep running.

Mid Week Check-Up

5 Days into the new year and things are still going well (though never as planned). On the positive side of it, perhaps the "accountability" of a blog keeps me focused and motivated to stick to the plan even when the plan falls through. For starters, on Monday, I had an early morning (6:30) meeting to attend. Usually at about this time I'd be halfway through my morning workout (Monday's dedicated to Strength training). I suppose I had the option of waking up an hour earlier than normal, but that's just not going to happen. Typically, I like to do my workouts in the morning; by the afternoon I'm drained and not in the mood, and on a typical week I might have called Monday a wash and justified my lack of physical activity by noting that I ran Saturday and Sunday and would be at PT on Tuesday. As the first week of the year, and still eager to reach my goal, though, so I sucked it up and did my workout in the evening. Not coincidentally, I noted that my upper body was extra sore the next day during PT.
So I know it's silly and minor deviation, but a bump in the road nonetheless. Tuesday and today went just as I hoped logging 4.1 miles and 8 miles respectively. Still, I know all weeks won't be the easy on me, and I will face many challenges in the coming months. That's when I'll really need to stay focused, stay positive, and keep running.
By the way, if you interested in doing some extreme running, look into the "Badwater Ultramarathon." It's a 135-mile race that starts in Death Valley and ends at Mt Whitney. The race is from July 11-13. Go to http://www.badwater.com/ for more details. If that's a little too extreme you can check out http://www.ultramarathonrunning.com/races/#usa for a ultra running race near you. If that's still too extreme and you live on Guam, I HIGHLY recommend the Stick 'n Back Super-Sprint Triathlon. Get more information and the entry form here. I'll give you more details about this awesome race in my next blog, but if you've ever even thought about doing a triathlon, this is the one for you.
Until then...(I still haven't figured out how to end it)

So Here's the "Plan"

As I said in my first blog, 100 miles a month or 25 miles a week doesn't seem like a lot, and really if I was able to break it up over 6 days (gotta have a break at least one day), it would only be about 4 miles a day. That being said, I know that I realistically won't be able to run 6 days a week. Also, while my goal is to run 1200 miles this year, that's not my only goal. Although it's months away, I will have a PT test that I hope to score a 100% on. That means I'll have to do at least 67 push-ups in a minute. I also hope to compete in the Guam's Sprint Triathlon Series, the Guam Extreme Adventure Race (GEAR), the Xterra Triathlon, and any other adventure I can find on Guam.
So you can see that doing nothing but running won't be ideal for me. Mondays are dedicated as my "strength training" day where I'll focus on push-ups and pull-ups. Tuesday, Thursdays, and Fridays are Squadron PT days. While I may run during some of the PT days, I can't count on being able to do it all the time. Luckily, I'm usually able to run to and from PT (1-mile each way), and a little extra beforehand (maybe an extra 2 miles). That totals 12 miles and leaves Wednesdays and the weekends for "maximum running opportunities." I figure if I can squeeze in 8 miles on Wednesday mornings, I will only need to run 5 miles on the weekend. Of course this is very subject to change depending on travel (Hong Kong in 2 weeks!), other Guam activities (see previous paragraph), and just how I feel. Still, the blog and my overall goal for the year will hopefully keep me motivated to keep running which will keep the daily/weekly mileage manageable.
6 more miles down today, and it was done in the early morning (started around 730) which made it way more bearable. Total pace was 7:35 min/mile. It wasn't overly exerting, but it felt good to get out and get the legs moving.
Up next...a catchy phrase to end each blog entry (maybe).

Off to a Good Start (an Intro)

No, my 2011 New Year's Resolution is not to start a blog. In fact, since I know most New Year's Resolutions ultimately end in failure, I won't say that I have a New Year's Resolution for 2011. Instead I have a plan (sort of), and a goal. I want to run 1200 miles this year. That equates to the 100 miles a month or 25 miles a week. I know for most avid runners 25 miles a week isn't that much, but I wouldn't consider myself an avid runner. I enjoy running, and I'm pretty good at it, but when it comes to running, I tend to be on again, off again, and never very consistent. If there is a running event I'll typically train a few weeks before, but on a typical week, I'm usually not running that much. I decided that it would be a good challenge, and an interesting "experiment" to maintain a running schedule consistent enough to log at least 25 miles each week. Over the next year, I'm going to blog about my running experience. Of course 365 "running recaps" would get boring very quickly, so I'll try to spice it up a bit with details on other "Guam Happenings", "Running Tidbits", and anything else I find interesting (titles subject to change).

As for the first day of the new year, I figured it would be smart to start things out with a run. I did 10 miles in just under 1:20 in the late morning. All things considered, not the best time to run while on Guam. It was HOT, and there was no relief from the sun. It did give me time to think about what to name my blog. Unfortunately, most of my ideas were already taken (my fault for coming into the blog game so late). RunAndrewRun.Blogspot.com was already taken,but 1200in2011.blogspot.com was available so remember that when checking out my blog. It's going to be a good year for a run.