For whatever reason, my run this morning felt like one of the toughest in quite some time. 7 miles, but the humidity felt worse than anytime during August. I was completely drenched today. Seriously - I looked like I had run through a sprinkler when I was done. I had to wring my clothes out before I hung them up out on the line - it was just plain nasty. And I could feel the humidity just draining the energy from me. However, at the end of the run, I can proudly say that I have completed day 26 of my run streak.
This past week has been difficult. My back issue that I complained about in the last post really began to worsen last Friday. We went to a movie last Friday afternoon, and when it was over I was so stiff and in pain I could barely get up. Saturday morning, however, I faithfully trudged my way through my compulsory 1 mile to keep the streak alive. Sunday felt a little better, but again, I only did 1 mile. Monday too. Tuesday I picked it up a bit as I was starting to feel better, and I did 2 miles. Wednesday I really was starting to feel better and I did 5 miles - but then as the day wore on, my back began to holla' back at me. So, taking my cue from earlier in the year, I called the chiropractor. I know, I know, I know - a lot of people think they are quacks, and they may be. But I can say this, I felt a difference in my low back pain after I was seen on Wednesday afternoon. And yesterday I was already feeling better. Maybe it is a mental thing, but even if it is, at least I don't have to hurt now the way I was. Can't say I have fully drank the kool-aide, but I'm getting there.
Keeping the streak alive tomorrow may prove difficult. Hurricane Irene may have some bands stretching this way tomorrow, and they are presently calling for quite a bit of rain. I have run in the rain before - but really only because it started raining while I was out. Only one time have I consciously chosen to run in the rain, and that was because my kids were still having soccer practice in the downpour and I needed to run - so I ran while they practiced. One possible rain plan is for me to utilize the hallways at the church. From end to end, our church buildings are almost a city block. It may be that tomorrow if it is really raining and the wind blowing that I go across the street and run from one end to the next and back . . . and back . . . and back.
Seate Streak: 26 days
Streak miles: 82.1
Friday, August 26, 2011
Friday, August 19, 2011
Lordy, Lordy, I feel . . .
Lordy, Lordy, I feel 40. If you are younger than let's say 35, then one of the blessed things that you get to look forward to in the years to come is that almost every day somewhere something on/in your body hurts. Not necessarily a debilitating hurt, but as you roll out of the bed in the morning and your feet hit the floor for the first time, something will let you know that you are alive. Maybe it will be your foot, as the plantar fascia stretches when you place full weight by standing. Maybe it will be your ankle that hurt 20 years ago, but every now and then it will just mysterious have flashback pains. Maybe it will be your shoulder, where you had just a little too much fun playing Wii bowling the day before. But more than likely, one of the areas that will hurt at some point as you age a little is your back. Sometimes you can tell it's going to be one of those days before you even roll out of bed, and in fact the process of simply rolling out of bed causes enough bite to make you want to just stay in bed.
I will confess to having been blessed with a relatively good back. I have friends who started having back problems in their 20s, and I must say that I have been quite fortunate. A few months ago as I prepared to go for a run, I "snorted" to clear out my nostrils, and a pain gripped me around my torso like a bear hug. I still went and ran, but not long after I finished the run I was on the phone scheduling my first ever chiropractor appointment. 3 treatments later, I was good as new (they said one of my disks has become misaligned, and when I snorted one of my ribs was knocked out of place. Mularkey? No idea, but I know I have not hurt there again, nor have I had any pain in turning my neck, as I had been for a while before). So I was a little taken aback (pun intended) last night when I began to notice a little pain in my lower back (completely different area). I sat with a heating pad for a bit before bed, but when I got up this morning it still was hurting, and I felt stiff. Pretty sure it's just a muscle strain, but it is something I'll be paying attention to over the next few days.
All that said, today I completed day 19 of the Seate Streak. 5.18 miles with a 9:09 per mile pace. That per mile pace really took a hit when I decided that I needed to walk a little bit. I am having difficulty slowing my pace down. Some of you may read my pace and think that already is pretty slow, but for me it is faster than what I need to be running. A 9:00 mile is very comfortable to me, but I feel that to be building for the longer distances, I need to find a comfort a bit slower, and if I still feel good I can speed up. I may start trying to do a little run/walk to manage my pace better, because too many times I look at my watch and see an 8:30 or 8:45 pace, and I know I need to slow down. This week I did sign up for the Neuse River Bridge Run Half Marathon in October, and the Myrtle Beach Marathon in February. As my mother-in-law is moving close to Orlando, I am still considering doing the Disney Marathon (and maybe even the Goofy Challenge if the registration isn't full by the time I decide - if you aren't aware, the Goofy Challenge is the Half Marathon on Saturday, and full Marathon on Sunday. 39.3 miles over 2 days. Many people run/walk the half so that it doesn't take too much out of them before the Marathon.)
Seate Streak days: 19
Seate Streak miles: 60.4 (avg. 3.18)
I will confess to having been blessed with a relatively good back. I have friends who started having back problems in their 20s, and I must say that I have been quite fortunate. A few months ago as I prepared to go for a run, I "snorted" to clear out my nostrils, and a pain gripped me around my torso like a bear hug. I still went and ran, but not long after I finished the run I was on the phone scheduling my first ever chiropractor appointment. 3 treatments later, I was good as new (they said one of my disks has become misaligned, and when I snorted one of my ribs was knocked out of place. Mularkey? No idea, but I know I have not hurt there again, nor have I had any pain in turning my neck, as I had been for a while before). So I was a little taken aback (pun intended) last night when I began to notice a little pain in my lower back (completely different area). I sat with a heating pad for a bit before bed, but when I got up this morning it still was hurting, and I felt stiff. Pretty sure it's just a muscle strain, but it is something I'll be paying attention to over the next few days.
All that said, today I completed day 19 of the Seate Streak. 5.18 miles with a 9:09 per mile pace. That per mile pace really took a hit when I decided that I needed to walk a little bit. I am having difficulty slowing my pace down. Some of you may read my pace and think that already is pretty slow, but for me it is faster than what I need to be running. A 9:00 mile is very comfortable to me, but I feel that to be building for the longer distances, I need to find a comfort a bit slower, and if I still feel good I can speed up. I may start trying to do a little run/walk to manage my pace better, because too many times I look at my watch and see an 8:30 or 8:45 pace, and I know I need to slow down. This week I did sign up for the Neuse River Bridge Run Half Marathon in October, and the Myrtle Beach Marathon in February. As my mother-in-law is moving close to Orlando, I am still considering doing the Disney Marathon (and maybe even the Goofy Challenge if the registration isn't full by the time I decide - if you aren't aware, the Goofy Challenge is the Half Marathon on Saturday, and full Marathon on Sunday. 39.3 miles over 2 days. Many people run/walk the half so that it doesn't take too much out of them before the Marathon.)
Seate Streak days: 19
Seate Streak miles: 60.4 (avg. 3.18)
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Embracing 40
This morning to celebrate my 40th birthday, the alarm went off at 5:30 so that I could get up, have a cup of coffee and a piece of toast, and head out for a 5 mile run. I am pretty certain that 10 years ago I would not have even imagined this would be what I would have done when I turned 40. Ten years ago I weighed at least 30 pounds more than I do now and I was struggling with asthma, enduring bronchitis at least twice a year. Today, I very rarely have any sort of issue with my asthma and I have not been really sick in . . . I can't remember the last time I was sick. Fact is, I am in better shape and health than I was ten years ago - heck, probably even better shape than I was 20 years ago, though I'm sure I'm not as fast now as I was then.
These facts were not lost on me one bit this morning as I ran. It's just funny, because while I may be 40, I don't feel at all like what I used to think 40 would feel like. Granted, what we consider to be old is relative. It's like in the church how some people claim that they like "traditional" music. That word "traditional" is truly relative, because for my 2 sons "traditional" music for them is what others would consider "contemporary." Likewise, when I was 19 I had a friend that was in his 20s, and I thought he was old. When I was in my 20s, I thought my friends in their 30s were old. My view on what age "old" is changes by the day.
One great thing about turning 40 is that I am now in a different age group for most races that I run in! No longer am I the old guy in the 30-39 age group - I'm now the youngest in the 40-49 age group!
Today was supposed to be a nice, slow run. It was supposed to be a slower pace, and I was going to judge that based on my exertion level. So I was surprised to find that it was only 4 seconds per mile slower than yesterday. Definitely feeling like this run streak is making me stronger.
Seate Streak: 16 days
These facts were not lost on me one bit this morning as I ran. It's just funny, because while I may be 40, I don't feel at all like what I used to think 40 would feel like. Granted, what we consider to be old is relative. It's like in the church how some people claim that they like "traditional" music. That word "traditional" is truly relative, because for my 2 sons "traditional" music for them is what others would consider "contemporary." Likewise, when I was 19 I had a friend that was in his 20s, and I thought he was old. When I was in my 20s, I thought my friends in their 30s were old. My view on what age "old" is changes by the day.
One great thing about turning 40 is that I am now in a different age group for most races that I run in! No longer am I the old guy in the 30-39 age group - I'm now the youngest in the 40-49 age group!
Today was supposed to be a nice, slow run. It was supposed to be a slower pace, and I was going to judge that based on my exertion level. So I was surprised to find that it was only 4 seconds per mile slower than yesterday. Definitely feeling like this run streak is making me stronger.
Seate Streak: 16 days
Monday, August 15, 2011
Fall into Summer
This morning it really felt like Fall out there on my run. I have noticed that when it is nice outside that it will not be until about the end of the first mile that I will need to wipe the sweat off of my brow. If I wait and run later in the day, I barely make it to the first half-mile. Today, it may have even been later as I was truly enjoying the beautiful morning. This morning stood in such contrast to last night when we were in the midst of torrential downpours as a thunderstorm battered our area. I was concerned that I might run into some huge puddles on the streets, but I was able to avoid them for a nice, smooth 5 miles at a 9:03 pace.
Presently I am at day 15 in my run streak. Yesterday I could not get myself out of bed in time to go run before church, and then I was concerned about the possibility of evening storms, so I went running yesterday after lunch. In the end, I made an excellent choice, because by the time we did get home last night from picking up our boys who stayed the weekend at my parents, the storms were raging. I need close calls like that one to remind that if I am going to try to keep up the run streak, then I will definitely need to do all that I can to get the miles done early in the day.
Today on my run I did notice my first bit of "pain" that I have had since I began running the streak. Embarrassingly enough, I'm pretty sure it has nothing to do with my running - instead, I think it came as the result of Jenn and I playing some Wii bowling on Saturday! Hey - when you're 39, even the small things can hurt sometimes! My dad and sister were asking me yesterday about "don't you need a day of rest?" Not to be arrogant - trust me, I don't have much of anything to be arrogant about - but when someone who runs a lot runs only a mile, that is a rest day.
Presently I am at day 15 in my run streak. Yesterday I could not get myself out of bed in time to go run before church, and then I was concerned about the possibility of evening storms, so I went running yesterday after lunch. In the end, I made an excellent choice, because by the time we did get home last night from picking up our boys who stayed the weekend at my parents, the storms were raging. I need close calls like that one to remind that if I am going to try to keep up the run streak, then I will definitely need to do all that I can to get the miles done early in the day.
Today on my run I did notice my first bit of "pain" that I have had since I began running the streak. Embarrassingly enough, I'm pretty sure it has nothing to do with my running - instead, I think it came as the result of Jenn and I playing some Wii bowling on Saturday! Hey - when you're 39, even the small things can hurt sometimes! My dad and sister were asking me yesterday about "don't you need a day of rest?" Not to be arrogant - trust me, I don't have much of anything to be arrogant about - but when someone who runs a lot runs only a mile, that is a rest day.
Friday, August 12, 2011
First step
Today I was reminded how true it is that the first step is the hardest. I don't know about you, but some days are harder to motivate myself than others to run. It used to be that I looked forward to my weekend runs, but lately I can't say that I have anticipated them all that much. In fact, some days it seems more like a chore. Yet, even chores must get done (at some point). This is why I'm glad to have started the run streak - gives me that little extra motivation to get out there and just get it done. At present I am not training for any race in particular, so I am just maintaining my conditioning - so that means that if I really don't feel like running far, then I don't have to.
Knowing that all it takes to maintain a "streak" is that you must run at least one mile every day, as soon as I take that first step out of the house I know that I have already added another day to my so-called-streak. No matter how bad I may feel, I know I can run a mile. After all - I've felt worse - say for instance around mile 19,20, or 21. I know it hasn't even been 2 weeks yet, but there is a sense of accomplishment for running every day for the past 12 days. Especially proud of the days that I ran at times other than early AM - which were last Friday and Saturday, and then this past Monday. Since the streak began I have averaged 3 miles a day. I realize that is not all that much, but I know if I keep up the streak that average will increase significantly as I begin training. Looking forward to cooler weather (I'll look back at this post in February and think "WTH?")
Seate Streak: 12
Knowing that all it takes to maintain a "streak" is that you must run at least one mile every day, as soon as I take that first step out of the house I know that I have already added another day to my so-called-streak. No matter how bad I may feel, I know I can run a mile. After all - I've felt worse - say for instance around mile 19,20, or 21. I know it hasn't even been 2 weeks yet, but there is a sense of accomplishment for running every day for the past 12 days. Especially proud of the days that I ran at times other than early AM - which were last Friday and Saturday, and then this past Monday. Since the streak began I have averaged 3 miles a day. I realize that is not all that much, but I know if I keep up the streak that average will increase significantly as I begin training. Looking forward to cooler weather (I'll look back at this post in February and think "WTH?")
Seate Streak: 12
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Seate Streak
I did not realize that it has been quite as long as it has been since I last posted. Since the MB Marathon back in February, my running has been pretty inconsistent. I'd run at most 3-4 days a week, and low mileage - usually nothing more than 3-4, but occasionally would do 5-6. I did run a 5K back in May with my son Jacob, and he beat me (of course), but I did come in first place for my age group - which should not be too surprising since there were not very many runners in the race (and NO, I was not the only one in my age group). I think I got intimidated by the heat of the summer early, and in June I logged a total of 10.2 miles. More than any nagging injuries (though there were a few), I had more excuses than anything. In my typical idiotic way, however, once it really started getting hot in July is when I started back trying to regularly run. Problem was I was still only running about 3 days a week.
It's about that time that I coincidentally read/heard in 2 or 3 different places about "running streaks." No, this is not "streaker running," which implies a lot less clothing than what I run with. A "running streak" is when someone runs for at least one mile every day. Every. Day. I came across articles about individuals who had completed running streaks of 20-30 years - running every single day for 20-30 years through whatever kind of weather. The articles spoke of people running on a treadmill in the middle of winter just to keep their streak alive. I read one article about a man (a United Methodist minister actually) whose wife's water broke, and he begged her to let him go run just one mile to keep his streak alive, which he already had going for several years. Just happening upon the articles over the course of a couple of weeks in July was like seeds being cast in my mind. I kept thinking about those articles and thinking about all the excuses I come up with to not run some days. Funny thing is, almost every day that I run I actually do feel better for the rest of the day. I'm more awake in the morning even though I awaken at 5:30 to get my run in before it gets hot. When my nose is congested, my run helps break up all that snot (now you know you're glad you read this). Mentally I feel refreshed after a run, because on my run I've either thought through all of my problems, or I've completely mentally checked out (I actually had to look at the map on my computer from my Garmin today to see where I had run - I could not remember!). So the idea for a "Seate Streak" began to form in my mind at some point in July.
This year I celebrate a "milestone" birthday - I'll turn 40 next week. I began to think about the possibility of starting a running streak on my birthday and see if I could do it for one year. But then Monday, August 1 rolled around. And then Tuesday, August 2. And then Wednesday, August 3. Next thing you know I had a run streak going. Friday I slept in and skipped my morning run, but as the day wore on I kept thinking about it, so Friday night around 6:30 I went for a run. Saturday I had to go help set up the soccer fields, and again was tempted to skip my run since I slept later than I should have - but again felt convicted and went and ran just before noon. Sunday was no problem, but then Monday came. I was the proud owner of a 1 week streak, and it came crashing on Monday when I hit snooze too many times. I thought maybe I would run at lunch, but by lunch it was already MUCH too hot. I thought maybe late afternoon, but by then it was CRAZY hot! I lamented to Jennifer that my streak was over, but that I would start the real streak on my birthday, and she said, "Why not go for a short run tonight after VBS? It's only a mile and it won't take you long to do that." So Monday night at 9:00 I went out and ran (did 2 miles). And the streak is still active today.
One thing I need to be careful about with this "Seate Streak" is that I do not want to over-do it. I vividly recall the 2 stress fractures that I had a couple of years ago from over-doing it. So I am being careful with my mileage and pace. On the days that I would consider my "rest" days, I am doing only about a mile or so. At first I thought it wouldn't even be worth it to put on my shoes for only a mile, but I have found that even that can be satisfying. I have to take my son to the orthopaedic doctor on Thursday to check on his broken wrist, and I'm going to bring up the streak and my past stress fractures to him. The big difference between now and when I had the stress fractures is then I was still pretty new to running - and I was running like crazy - hard/fast miles trying to become the runner I was in high school. At some point I began to realize that I will not run 5 minute miles again, and I'm OK with that. So now I can run and relax - breath in the scenery, and pray. I hope to be realistic with this streak and not become obsessed to keep it alive, but I see this as one way to keeping me accountable.
Seate Streak: 10 days
It's about that time that I coincidentally read/heard in 2 or 3 different places about "running streaks." No, this is not "streaker running," which implies a lot less clothing than what I run with. A "running streak" is when someone runs for at least one mile every day. Every. Day. I came across articles about individuals who had completed running streaks of 20-30 years - running every single day for 20-30 years through whatever kind of weather. The articles spoke of people running on a treadmill in the middle of winter just to keep their streak alive. I read one article about a man (a United Methodist minister actually) whose wife's water broke, and he begged her to let him go run just one mile to keep his streak alive, which he already had going for several years. Just happening upon the articles over the course of a couple of weeks in July was like seeds being cast in my mind. I kept thinking about those articles and thinking about all the excuses I come up with to not run some days. Funny thing is, almost every day that I run I actually do feel better for the rest of the day. I'm more awake in the morning even though I awaken at 5:30 to get my run in before it gets hot. When my nose is congested, my run helps break up all that snot (now you know you're glad you read this). Mentally I feel refreshed after a run, because on my run I've either thought through all of my problems, or I've completely mentally checked out (I actually had to look at the map on my computer from my Garmin today to see where I had run - I could not remember!). So the idea for a "Seate Streak" began to form in my mind at some point in July.
This year I celebrate a "milestone" birthday - I'll turn 40 next week. I began to think about the possibility of starting a running streak on my birthday and see if I could do it for one year. But then Monday, August 1 rolled around. And then Tuesday, August 2. And then Wednesday, August 3. Next thing you know I had a run streak going. Friday I slept in and skipped my morning run, but as the day wore on I kept thinking about it, so Friday night around 6:30 I went for a run. Saturday I had to go help set up the soccer fields, and again was tempted to skip my run since I slept later than I should have - but again felt convicted and went and ran just before noon. Sunday was no problem, but then Monday came. I was the proud owner of a 1 week streak, and it came crashing on Monday when I hit snooze too many times. I thought maybe I would run at lunch, but by lunch it was already MUCH too hot. I thought maybe late afternoon, but by then it was CRAZY hot! I lamented to Jennifer that my streak was over, but that I would start the real streak on my birthday, and she said, "Why not go for a short run tonight after VBS? It's only a mile and it won't take you long to do that." So Monday night at 9:00 I went out and ran (did 2 miles). And the streak is still active today.
One thing I need to be careful about with this "Seate Streak" is that I do not want to over-do it. I vividly recall the 2 stress fractures that I had a couple of years ago from over-doing it. So I am being careful with my mileage and pace. On the days that I would consider my "rest" days, I am doing only about a mile or so. At first I thought it wouldn't even be worth it to put on my shoes for only a mile, but I have found that even that can be satisfying. I have to take my son to the orthopaedic doctor on Thursday to check on his broken wrist, and I'm going to bring up the streak and my past stress fractures to him. The big difference between now and when I had the stress fractures is then I was still pretty new to running - and I was running like crazy - hard/fast miles trying to become the runner I was in high school. At some point I began to realize that I will not run 5 minute miles again, and I'm OK with that. So now I can run and relax - breath in the scenery, and pray. I hope to be realistic with this streak and not become obsessed to keep it alive, but I see this as one way to keeping me accountable.
Seate Streak: 10 days
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
