1500 Miles and Beyond (Weeks 48 & 49)

On Tuesday 29 November, while running on a Treadmill at Camp Navarro in Zamboanga, I surpassed my recently modified goal of running 1500 miles in 2011. It was my 252 logged run of the year (an average of just under 6 miles per run), and at the conclusion of the run, I had run a total of 191 hours, 44 minutes, 50 seconds (approximately 8 days worth of running and an average pace of 7 minutes, 39 seconds per mile. I intentionally ran a few miles past 1500 on Tuesday to remind myself that just because I reached my goal, doesn't mean I need to stop. Still, my mileage over the past two weeks dropped off significantly. That is mainly attributed to spending 4 GLORIOUS days in Boracay, Philippines with Stephanie for my "R&R". Following the R&R I spent a few extra days in Manila, and with no gym in the hotel, I did no running for nearly a week. It wasn't until Sunday night of Week 49 that I actually ran, but managed to get in a long run.

My Totals for Week 48 (28 November - 4 December) are:

Total Runs Logged: 4

Total Miles: 29.4

Total Time Spent Running: 3 hours, 42 minutes, 25 seconds

Average Pace: 7:33 (min/mile)

My Totals for Week 49 (5-11 December) are:

Total Runs Logged: 1

Total Miles: 11.2

Total Time Spent Running: 1 hour, 23 minutes, 17 seconds

Average Pace: 7:26 (min/mile)

Although, not great running weeks, every extra mile puts me that much beyond 1500 miles. My Totals as of 11 December are:

Total Runs Logged: 255

Total Miles: 1527.7

Total Time Spent Running: 194 hours, 52 minutes, 29 seconds

Average Pace: 7:49 (min/mile)

Reflection Time! Although I'm not proud of the fact that I went a week without running, I imagine the rest actually did me more good. The 11 mile run on Sunday night felt GREAT, and I managed to keep a steady pace through the entire run. Still, I don't like to intentionally schedule breaks in my running routine mainly because I know there will be unplanned breaks, as life goes on. With exactly 1 week left in the Philippines, I'll be doing a lot of travelling over the next 7 days. It will be a challenge to find running time each day, so when I have the time to run, even if I'm sore, I feel the need to run. I'm not sure just how far I'll go by the end of the year. 1600 miles is probably a good guess, but really it doesn't matter. I wanted to prove to myself I could set a long term fitness goal, and stick to it, and I did just that. Every mile from this point on is just a bonus.

My first 60 mile week (Week 47)

I'll admit, it seems kind of silly to write this blog entry now. Really, I should probably go downstairs and finish my 1500 miles, but I figured before I do that, I should at least talk briefly about last week, as it was my biggest week of the year. It wasn't intentional; a planned trip to Subic on Thursday (Thanksgiving, coincidentally) made me want to run in the morning before my travel in case I didn't run when I got to Subic. As it turns out, I managed to run every day that I was there. It was great! Although it was hot, it was bearable, the air was fresh (at least compared to my normal running environment), and running on the road is always nicer than a treadmill (though it did slow me down a bit). By the time Sunday rolled around, it was a monstrous week of running, and despite all the running, I still felt really good!

My totals for Week 47 (21-27 November) are:

Total Runs Logged: 8 (2 runs on Thursday)

Total Miles: 63.7 (that's 9.1 miles/day on average, though my longest run was 8.7 miles)

Total Time Spent Running: 8 hours, 6 minutes, 12 seconds

Average Pace: 7:36 (min/mile)

Not counting Monday's run, my "as of" totals are:

Total Runs Logged: 250

Total Miles: 1487.1

Total Time Spent Running: 189 hours, 47 minutes, 07 seconds

Average Pace: 7:39 (min/mile)

REFLECTION TIME: With my 7.8 mile run yesterday, I am now a mere 5.1 miles from my 1500 mile mark. It's safe to say that by the end of the night, I will have surpassed my goal (for the second time this year). What will I do with the remaining 32 days of the year? I'll imagine I'll keep on running. It seems kind of silly to say that my NEW NEW goal will be 1600 or 1650 miles. Realistically, 1500 miles was more than I thought I would do at the start of the year. Now, I see just how far I can go. My legs feel great: no foot or knee pain, and my shoes have held up (though I ordered two new pairs yesterday). Like with most runs, the remaining in the year will be without much fanfare or celebration. I'm not doing it for the attention; rather, I'm doing it because it's good for me, and I enjoy doing it. Now if you would excuse me; I've got some running to do...

The Return of the Run Log!! (Week 46)

As I get closer and closer to the 1500 mile mark, part of me wants to push myself to run harder and longer. There is this desire in me to make it to 1500 miles in as little time as possible. At this point, I know I'll have no trouble reaching my goal; the question is when I will get there. By the looks of it, it will be much sooner than originally expected. This week marked the 4th time in 5 weeks that I surpassed 50 miles for the week (double my original weekly goal). For Week 46 (14-20 November) my totals are:

Total Runs Logged: 7

Total Miles: 56.9

Total Time Spent Running: 7 hours, 00 minutes, 41 seconds

Average Pace: 7:23 (min/mile)

As the title suggests, this week was the return of the run log. In early July my home computer stopped working the same time that my GPS watch stopped working. Of course my running log for the year was saved on that computer, and I hadn't made a backup copy. I knew the mileage I had run thus far (actually I was off by 2 miles), but everything else was a mystery. So I started fresh at Week 26 with new spreadsheet which I have used for the past 20 weeks. Well, thanks to my very computer savvy father-in-law, my computer is working again, and Stephanie was able to pull my first running log off it, and I combined the two. It's really cool to see the new total now after nearly 11 months of running.

My new "as of" totals are:

Total Runs Logged: 242

Total Miles: 1423.4

Total Time Spent Running: 181 hours, 40 minutes, 55 seconds

Average Pace: 7:39 (min/mile)

REFLECTION TIME: 76.6 miles remain until it's officially "mission accomplished". At my current rate, I'll reach that by the 1st or 2nd of December, a full month ahead of schedule. As for what I'll do for December, I don't have a specific goal in mind; I guess I'll keep running and see just how far I can go. Again, there is something inside me that wants to get to 1500 as fast as possible, but I also know the harder I push myself, the greater my chance of injury. I would say I've been lucky, but really I think that it's smart running that has kept me injury free this year. Now, I need to keep running smart so that I'm not doing my last miles on crutches. (Seriously, if I broke my leg tomorrow, I would crutch my way to 1500, but let's hope that doesn't happen.)

Some Fresh Hawaiian Air (Week 45)

ALOHA! What a treat that while "deployed" to the Philippines, I was granted the opportunity to go to Hawaii for a few days to discuss deployment issues with my headquarters and an incoming unit. I would say most people would not consider going to Hawaii part of any deployment, but this deployment has truly been unlike any others. While my time in Hawaii was VERY short, and while most of that time was spent in meetings, I still was able to do something I had not yet done...run in Hawaii with a GPS. During my three and a half days, I managed to squeeze in 3 runs. They were wonderful. The weather was cooler than in Zamboanga, and the air was so much cleaner. Here's the map Garmin provided me of my post 9-miler that I did on Friday.

Here is the same run, but zoomed in a bit. I was staying on Pearl Harbor, but was able to run on Hickam because the two are right next to each other, separated only by a fence (which has a gate to pass between both bases).
Funny thing, about the gate that separates Pearl Harbor and Hickam, is that at night if you are unfamiliar with the area it can be hard to find. On my first run in Hawaii (on Wednesday evening) I had intended to only run about 6 miles. I crossed onto Hickam with ease, but then it got dark and I got confused with the streets and multiple traffic circles. I eventually was able to find my way back (by following the fence until I found the gate), but my 6-miler turned into a 10 mile run. Oh well, I'm actually glad I got the long runs in, since I missed a day of running with all my travel.

Overall my totals for Week 45 (7-13 November) were:

Total Runs Logged: 5

Total Miles: 40.1

Total Time Spent Running: 5 hours, 09 minutes, 13 seconds

Average Pace: 7:42 (min/mile)

Running the 10 miles, and then another run on a very full stomach slowed me down a bit, but had little effect on my overall average pace. My "as of" totals from 4 July through 13 November are:

Total Runs Logged: 100

Total Miles: 616.7

Total Time Spent Running: 78 hours, 02 minutes, 36 seconds

Average Pace: 7:35 (min/mile)

My total mileage for 2011 thus fare is: 1365

Reflection Time: While I typically enjoy the Philippines, any time "away from it all" is a good thing, and what better place to be than Hawaii. Back in Zamboanga, I now have just about a month left of this deployment. That's right, my deployment has been curtailed by about 2 months, and I'm going back to Guam early. I'll be home before Christmas (it's not a surprise, Stephanie already knows). That is a very good thing, and while I'm not sure if I'll hit the 1500 mile mark before I leave, I will have no trouble reaching it before December 31st!

1300 Miles and Beyond (Week 44)

9 straight days of 8-mile runs. Part of me knows I can't keep up this pace. Prior to this week I never had more than a few consecutive days with 8-mile runs. To have logged more than 50 miles 2 weeks in a row, entering this week, I'm not sure what I was thinking to try to keep the 8-mile runs going, especially as I continue with my two-a-day workouts. Still, every day I stepped onto the treadmill to run, I was determined to go as far as I could comfortably go. Often when I first started I would think to myself that I wouldn't do 8 today, but I never let myself quit early; worried that if I let myself "slack" one day, I would be more likely to do it the next. Again, I know I can't keep it up, but I want to keep going for as long as I can. Keeping with that attitude, I had an overall outstanding week of running in regards to both miles (most to date) and pace.

My totals for Week 44 (31 October - 6 November):

Total Runs Logged: 7

Total Miles: 58.8

Total Time Spent Running: 7 hours, 18 minutes, 7 seconds

Average Pace: 7:27 (min/mile)

My "as of" totals from 4 July through 6 November are:

Total Runs Logged: 95

Total Miles: 576.6

Total Time Spent Running: 72 hours, 53 minutes, 23 seconds

Average Pace: 7:35 (min/mile)

With 3 consecutive 50+ mile weeks my total mileage for 2011 is now: 1324.9

REFLECTION TIME: Running at night has definitely helped boost my weekly mileage because I have more time to run. I can usually dedicate an hour to running each night versus in the morning when I only had about 45 minutes before I needed to get ready for work. In that extra 15 minutes, I can usually add an 2 more miles which over the course of the week is pretty substantial. Of course, I don't plan to run for an hour every night, though as I mentioned above, I'm worried now if I do less one day, I won't want to run a long distance the following day. More than 1300 miles into the 1500 mile "journey" it's about digging deep and finding the motivation to keep going. I'm so close, and part of me wants to get there as fast as possible which is why I keep pushing myself. We'll see what happens next week. With some travel planned there will be at least a couple of days I won't be able to run. Still hoping for some good mileage though.

Week 43 (24-30 Oct)

As far as running weeks go, this was certainly one of the least exciting weeks since the year started. Aside from the music I was listening to, and the treadmill I was using, not much changed from day to day this week when it came to my nightly runs. That being said, this week was also, the best running week I've had with regards to total miles, and so even though it wasn't exciting, it was definitely a good week for running

My Totals for the Week Are:

Total Runs Logged: 7

Total Miles: 53.7

Total Time Spent Running: 6 hours, 49 minutes, 52 seconds

Average Pace: 7:37 (min/mile)

While I intentionally kept the pace a little slower than normal, it didn't have too much of an effect on my overall total. In the long run (ha!) it probably helped me this week because I was never too tired or sore to actually run. My new totals for 4 July to 30 October are:

Total Runs Logged:81

Total Miles: 517.8

Total Time Spent Running: 65 hours, 35 minutes, 16 seconds

Average Pace: 7:35 (min/mile)

My total miles run thus far is: 1266.1

REFLECTION TIME! Not an exciting week for running, but with the 1200 mile mark far behind me, and the end of my running in 2011 so close (just 2 months left), even during weeks where the running isn't very fun, the excitement of actually hitting 1500 miles is enough motivation to get me on the treadmill. For two weeks now I've been running at night which I'll probably continue to do, though as long as I'm in Zamboanga I cannot run outside at night. There are too many potholes and not enough light to do it safely. Perhaps, I will try a day time run in Zam at some point just so I can use my GPS here, and upload my map to the blog. For now, I'll keep using the treadmill.

Okay, I know that if running on a treadmill isn't very exciting, then reading about running on a treadmill has to be even less entertaining. For those who stuck with it to the end, though, here is something that will hopefully "lift" your spirits. I saw this while driving the other day, and had to take a picture (I wasn't actually driving, just along for the ride).

1200 MILES!!

So in addition to loading ships, and observing the Filipino version of "safety in the workplace", I've also managed to do some running. In the past three weeks, I logged just over 90 miles. As mentioned earlier, while in Subic, the running shoes I had with me fell apart, which significantly reduced the running I did during the last part of Week 40, and all of Week 41 (I was in Subic for 10 days, and my shoes crapped out on me on the 3rd day). Undeterred, and determined to get my mileage back on track I really picked it up in Week 42. The end result: I met my goal for the year, 70 days ahead of my original schedule. Here's a break down of the past three weeks of running.

Knowing full well, that I would have a hard time running in Subic, in the days leading up to my departure, I made sure to get on the treadmill everyday, and log at least 6 miles. My totals for Week 40 (3-9 October) were:

Total Runs Logged: 4

Total Miles: 24.8

Total Time Spent Running: 3 hours, 2 minutes, 27 seconds

Average Pace: 7:21 (min/mile)

It was a little short of my weekly goal, but entering the next week I was determined to make it up and then some. This became extremely difficult to do in my Vibram's 5-Fingers. While I love wearing them, if I don't wear them with special 5-toed socks, then they tend to rub my feet. Well, I forgot to bring my socks with me to Subic, but decided to run in them anyway. Anticipating some blisters, I hit the road. By mile 5, I was hurting, and decided to wait until I returned to Zamboanga to continue running. I ended up with much less than I wanted, but better to protect my feet. My totals for Week 41 (10-16 October) were:

Total Runs Logged: 2

Total Miles: 13.6

Total Time Spent Running: 1 hour, 43 minutes, 32 seconds

Average Pace: 7:36 (min/mile)

Undeterred by two less than stellar weeks, but rather determined to get my mileage back on track, I went after it this past week. I actually switched up my running time too which I think helped some. Rather than run in the morning when I first wake up, I do my strength training in the AM. In the evenings, after dinner is when I run. This gives me a little more time to run, and although I'm usually tired by the time I go run, I'm still able to find the motivation. Knowing that my goal was to make up for my lost mileage this week, I decided to slow my pace down just a bit. The last thing I wanted to do was burn out by Tuesday or Wednesday, and not have the strength to finish the week. The slower pace (and determination to run every week) really paid off. I logged more miles this week, than any other week this year. My totals for Week 42 (17-23 October) were:

Total Runs Logged: 7

Total Miles: 52.2

Total Time Spent Running: 6 hours, 40 minutes, 2 seconds

Average Pace: 7:39 (min/mile)

My totals from 4 July to 23 October are:

Total Runs Logged: 81

Total Miles: 464.1

Total Time Spent Running: 58 hours, 45 minutes, 24 seconds

Average Pace: 7:35 (min/mile)

With that, on October 22nd, the 295th day of 2011, I competed what I set out to do on January 1st by the end of the year...I ran my 1,200th mile! My total mileage to date is now: 1,212.4!

Despite 1200 miles down, and the initial purpose of this blog complete, I'm not done yet. 10 weeks remain in the year, and I have nearly 300 more miles to go to reach my NEW goal of 1500. If I kept up the 50 miles weeks, I would be done before Christmas, but I know that is both unrealistic, and probably not great for my body. As long as I continue to strive for about 30 miles a week (just over 7 miles a day), I'll get to 1500 before 2012. The end is almost in sight; I just need to keep up the steady pace.