I don't need to point out the fact that it's been quite some time since I last posted. It's not for lack of stuff to write about - we're still really busy even though Doug and Donald are pretty much the only ones still at home. Doug has games 3 to 4 days per week and we try to make it to as many as we can, even though if he's not pitching his appearances on the field are limited to chalking the batter's box, or playing bat boy.
I've been running a lot more consistently, and have finally started to drop some of my fat. I still have a long way to go to get to where I need to be weight-wise, and even farther to go to get to the point where I can start trying to be competitive in races.
I've run a 3 mile hill route at OIT several times in the last couple of weeks, but it still beats the snot out of me. I went for a 4 mile run last Wednesday, and then ran the 5k course at the Sports Complex with a co-worker (she had a race yesterday) on Thursday. We went to Steph's swim meet in Bend over the weekend so I didn't have a chance to run, but I made up for it by killing myself on the OIT route on the way back home. It's a challenge to run it, but it's helped me considerably on my flat runs.
I only have about 6 1/2 weeks to get ready for Crater Lake, and I'm really nervous about the altitude. The race starts at about 7600 feet, and I know from elk hunting at that altitude that it's not going to be pleasant. It usually takes me 2 days of hiking around to get so I can breathe normally - I think running 6.7 at altitude might actually kill me. Guess we'll see!
Monday, June 28, 2010
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Running the Himalayas
My Lake of the Woods 5k is over, and I survived...sort of!
The weather was perfect for running...minimal wind, temps in the low 60s, no rain...but the course itself was BRUTAL! It was supposed to be an uphill for the first 300 yards, then a gradual downhill for about half a mile, then a little 50 yard climb, and then flat to the turnaround point...and then the whole thing in reverse. For some reason the race organizers decided to change the course, and re-routed the 5k on a path that crested the summit of K-2, Everest, and one other peak that has yet to be named because it hasn't been climbed! Even Laurie (my running addict daughter) had problems not walking. Needless to say, I didn't PR.
There is one good aspect to my miserable showing. I'm motivated to get my fat butt in better shape for the 6.7 Crater Lake run in August. I have about two months to do it, so I'm working up a training regimen that hopefully will help me survive the hills and the altitude.
Lake of the Woods is in the past...time to focus on the future.
The weather was perfect for running...minimal wind, temps in the low 60s, no rain...but the course itself was BRUTAL! It was supposed to be an uphill for the first 300 yards, then a gradual downhill for about half a mile, then a little 50 yard climb, and then flat to the turnaround point...and then the whole thing in reverse. For some reason the race organizers decided to change the course, and re-routed the 5k on a path that crested the summit of K-2, Everest, and one other peak that has yet to be named because it hasn't been climbed! Even Laurie (my running addict daughter) had problems not walking. Needless to say, I didn't PR.
There is one good aspect to my miserable showing. I'm motivated to get my fat butt in better shape for the 6.7 Crater Lake run in August. I have about two months to do it, so I'm working up a training regimen that hopefully will help me survive the hills and the altitude.
Lake of the Woods is in the past...time to focus on the future.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Crunch Time...Again!!!
Well sports fans, my next race is only a short time away, and I'm not in any better shape than when I ran the last one.
My Lake of the Woods 5k is this Saturday. Great. I'm really excited about it. I can hardly wait. I don't think there are many runners signed up, so there is a really good chance that I really WILL finish last (and I'm not just talking last in my age group.)
So what are my excuses? If I listed all of them the list would be pages long, so I'll just jot down a few. 1) WIND. I HATE RUNNING IN THE WIND!!!! 2) WIND and Snow. We're now in June, but we had a week in May with 20 mph WIND and snow. 3) WIND and Rain. Since we came back from the baseball tournament in Reno in March, we've only had a handful of days when it wasn't snowing and/or raining with WIND. I enjoy running in the rain, but not when it's raining sideways because of the WIND! 4) WIND! WIND!! WIND!!! I'm tired of it.
Basically what it comes down to, is that I'm still in really lousy shape, still way overweight, and running isn't fun when you're in my condition. I love running when I feel good and I'm in shape, but when I'm out of shape and I know it's not going to be pleasant going for a run, it's hard to get off the couch and fight the weather.
This weekend I'm going to pay for it...just like my Pear Blossom 5k fiasco. Except THIS time I won't be able to hide among the other runners. I'll be so far behind the rest of the pack that I'll get the "courtesy clap" for actually finishing.
I'll post again when (if) I finish.
My Lake of the Woods 5k is this Saturday. Great. I'm really excited about it. I can hardly wait. I don't think there are many runners signed up, so there is a really good chance that I really WILL finish last (and I'm not just talking last in my age group.)
So what are my excuses? If I listed all of them the list would be pages long, so I'll just jot down a few. 1) WIND. I HATE RUNNING IN THE WIND!!!! 2) WIND and Snow. We're now in June, but we had a week in May with 20 mph WIND and snow. 3) WIND and Rain. Since we came back from the baseball tournament in Reno in March, we've only had a handful of days when it wasn't snowing and/or raining with WIND. I enjoy running in the rain, but not when it's raining sideways because of the WIND! 4) WIND! WIND!! WIND!!! I'm tired of it.
Basically what it comes down to, is that I'm still in really lousy shape, still way overweight, and running isn't fun when you're in my condition. I love running when I feel good and I'm in shape, but when I'm out of shape and I know it's not going to be pleasant going for a run, it's hard to get off the couch and fight the weather.
This weekend I'm going to pay for it...just like my Pear Blossom 5k fiasco. Except THIS time I won't be able to hide among the other runners. I'll be so far behind the rest of the pack that I'll get the "courtesy clap" for actually finishing.
I'll post again when (if) I finish.
Friday, May 21, 2010
Weather
The weather in Klamath has been really nasty since October, and I've gotten really tired of it. To give you an idea of what it's like, none of the trees in our yard have leaves on them yet. Normally by May 21st all of them are green, but Mother Nature has decided that we'll go from winter to summer without any spring in between, and I think she's confused about when summer is supposed to start. I watched the weather report last night, and we're supposed to have snow showers today and tomorrow. The wind has been blowing on a continual basis, also, which tends to discourage my running desires.
There was a parents' meeting for football last night, and I wound up talking to one of the coaches' wives who ran in the Eugene Marathon. Because of talking to her, my motivation to run picked up a little, so I headed out to the OC&E Trail when the meeting was done to try to get some miles in.
My running has been very erratic, to say the least. I managed to get 13 miles in last week (with a total of 3 runs), and my pace is very slow. As I mentioned earlier the wind has been brutal, and I really don't like running in the wind, so it's been tough to get off my lazy backside to run. Monday I went 4 miles, Tuesday we had 20-25 mph winds with rain so I didn't go, Wednesday we had more wind, more rain, and a baseball game so I didn't go, and I managed to get in 2 1/2 last night. Pretty weak training schedule, isn't it!
It's not possible to get in shape doing those kind of runs, so my goal in the Lake of the Woods Run 5 k is going to be the same as the lofty goal I had in the Pear Blossom 5k....finish in front of the last place runner. This time will be harder, because there are no where near the number of runners.
It's two weeks from tomorrow, and with weather forecasts predicting another week of wind, rain, and snow, the only thing that might save me is if the Henley baseball team makes it to the state championship so I don't have to run the race.
Go Hornets!
There was a parents' meeting for football last night, and I wound up talking to one of the coaches' wives who ran in the Eugene Marathon. Because of talking to her, my motivation to run picked up a little, so I headed out to the OC&E Trail when the meeting was done to try to get some miles in.
My running has been very erratic, to say the least. I managed to get 13 miles in last week (with a total of 3 runs), and my pace is very slow. As I mentioned earlier the wind has been brutal, and I really don't like running in the wind, so it's been tough to get off my lazy backside to run. Monday I went 4 miles, Tuesday we had 20-25 mph winds with rain so I didn't go, Wednesday we had more wind, more rain, and a baseball game so I didn't go, and I managed to get in 2 1/2 last night. Pretty weak training schedule, isn't it!
It's not possible to get in shape doing those kind of runs, so my goal in the Lake of the Woods Run 5 k is going to be the same as the lofty goal I had in the Pear Blossom 5k....finish in front of the last place runner. This time will be harder, because there are no where near the number of runners.
It's two weeks from tomorrow, and with weather forecasts predicting another week of wind, rain, and snow, the only thing that might save me is if the Henley baseball team makes it to the state championship so I don't have to run the race.
Go Hornets!
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Good Week
The weather yesterday was absolutely wonderful, so when I got home from work I strapped on my bright blue Nikes and went for a run. It was about 72, 5 mph winds, and blue skies. Other than the fact that it was a little bit warmer than what I really like (65 is about right for a good run), I couldn't have asked for a better day. There weren't any people on the OC&E Trail, which made it even better. What a great day!
The run, on the other hand, wasn't so good. I'd decided that I was going to go a full 5 miles, even though I had doubts about my ability to make it that far. I did an out and back, and went 5 miles, but it definitely wasn't pretty. I walked a couple of times (when I walk I add the distance I walk to the end of the run, so I did run a full 5 mles), and stopped for water at my pickup with 1 mile to go. Like I said it wasn't pretty, but 5 miles is better than what I've been doing, so there's hope! So far I've run 13 miles this week, and I plan on going for a fairly short (2 1/2) mile run this afternoon.
If I can figure out how to do it I'll put a mileage tracker on my blog so I don't have to keep track manually. If you're reading this (Laurie) and I don't have one feel free to comment on how to do it.
The Lake of the Woods 5 k is 3 weeks from today. Hopefully I'll be able to stay healthy and increase my miles/pace so I do better than my last race.
The run, on the other hand, wasn't so good. I'd decided that I was going to go a full 5 miles, even though I had doubts about my ability to make it that far. I did an out and back, and went 5 miles, but it definitely wasn't pretty. I walked a couple of times (when I walk I add the distance I walk to the end of the run, so I did run a full 5 mles), and stopped for water at my pickup with 1 mile to go. Like I said it wasn't pretty, but 5 miles is better than what I've been doing, so there's hope! So far I've run 13 miles this week, and I plan on going for a fairly short (2 1/2) mile run this afternoon.
If I can figure out how to do it I'll put a mileage tracker on my blog so I don't have to keep track manually. If you're reading this (Laurie) and I don't have one feel free to comment on how to do it.
The Lake of the Woods 5 k is 3 weeks from today. Hopefully I'll be able to stay healthy and increase my miles/pace so I do better than my last race.
Friday, May 14, 2010
Old Man Shuffle
It's been quite a while since I last posted...in fact, a little more than a month. What a slacker!
The Pear Blossom 5k gave me motivation to try to get in better shape. I'd forgotten how much fun races are, but as I mentioned a month ago my time was worse than atrocious, and I really do think that I could have walked almost as fast as I ran.
The week after the Pear Blossom I did 3 1/2 mile runs on two consecutive days, and then managed to strain my left calf. Rather than try to run through the pain, as soon as I felt the first twinge of pain I started walking, and was able to keep the injury fairly minimal. Since then I've gotten in 6 or 7 runs, and have gone on two 4 milers this week. My time is still really slow, but at least I'm getting some miles in.
This morning on the way to work I passed a guy that reminded me of something Tom posted in one of his blogs...the "Old Man Shuffle." For those of you who don't know what it is, it's when an old codger (like me) goes for a "run." They act like they're running, but their strides are usually really short, and they don't go much faster than a crawl. They don't pick up their feet - they just kind of slide them along the ground. They pump their arms, and bounce up and down, but their forward progress is pretty slow. I saw an old guy (older than me) on the OC&E Trail a couple of weeks ago, and his strides were short enough that his tracks were overlapping. I asked him how far he was going, and he told me "this run is pretty short. I'll get in about 8 miles today." I know from watching him before I passed him that he literally COULD walk faster than his running pace.
Every time I go for a run I think of Tom's post. I really hope that I'm not to the stage where I'm doing the "Old Man Shuffle."
The Pear Blossom 5k gave me motivation to try to get in better shape. I'd forgotten how much fun races are, but as I mentioned a month ago my time was worse than atrocious, and I really do think that I could have walked almost as fast as I ran.
The week after the Pear Blossom I did 3 1/2 mile runs on two consecutive days, and then managed to strain my left calf. Rather than try to run through the pain, as soon as I felt the first twinge of pain I started walking, and was able to keep the injury fairly minimal. Since then I've gotten in 6 or 7 runs, and have gone on two 4 milers this week. My time is still really slow, but at least I'm getting some miles in.
This morning on the way to work I passed a guy that reminded me of something Tom posted in one of his blogs...the "Old Man Shuffle." For those of you who don't know what it is, it's when an old codger (like me) goes for a "run." They act like they're running, but their strides are usually really short, and they don't go much faster than a crawl. They don't pick up their feet - they just kind of slide them along the ground. They pump their arms, and bounce up and down, but their forward progress is pretty slow. I saw an old guy (older than me) on the OC&E Trail a couple of weeks ago, and his strides were short enough that his tracks were overlapping. I asked him how far he was going, and he told me "this run is pretty short. I'll get in about 8 miles today." I know from watching him before I passed him that he literally COULD walk faster than his running pace.
Every time I go for a run I think of Tom's post. I really hope that I'm not to the stage where I'm doing the "Old Man Shuffle."
Monday, April 12, 2010
Survived!!!
The Pear Blossom 5k was really ugly, but I managed to finish relatively unscathed. My time was atrocious, but I wasn't trying to run it fast. I just wanted to get a race under my belt (and beat my co-workers). That part was a success. The weather was a little bit chilly - 36 degrees when we started - and I overdressed. I wore a pair of warm ups when I ran, and about 1/2 mile in wished that I'd just worn shorts. Oh well. It was fun anyway.
On another note, I've taken Tom's advice on signing up for another race so I stay motivated. I've signed up for the 6.7 mile run at the Crater Lake Rim Run on August 14th. I've been told that it's a brutal run, but it's far enough out that I think I can get ready for it. The biggest issue is that it starts at around 7600 feet, so lack of oxygen is a definite factor. I've already mapped out a couple of training runs that are at 6500 feet, so if I can put some miles in at that elevation it might not be quite so brutal.
I'll try to stay updated on here with my progress.
On another note, I've taken Tom's advice on signing up for another race so I stay motivated. I've signed up for the 6.7 mile run at the Crater Lake Rim Run on August 14th. I've been told that it's a brutal run, but it's far enough out that I think I can get ready for it. The biggest issue is that it starts at around 7600 feet, so lack of oxygen is a definite factor. I've already mapped out a couple of training runs that are at 6500 feet, so if I can put some miles in at that elevation it might not be quite so brutal.
I'll try to stay updated on here with my progress.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Will
Since the Pear Blossom Run is the day after tomorrow, I decided that I should do a quick post in case any of my family (in addition to Tom, who responded to my LAST post) happen to take a look at it.
This post is in reference to Tom's comment, in which he was concerned that I might not have my Last Will and Testament put together properly. Well Tom, even though I'm worth a lot more dead than alive, I don't have a will. Sorry!
Obviously he is concerned that I might have to be scraped up off the side of the road Saturday...a concern that is definitely legitimate. I've thought about it several times over the last couple of weeks. There are several opportunities for that to happen during the race. I could have a stroke, heart attack, collapse because my lungs don't work, or accidently start the race in front of someone and get trampled when they go by me. All of them are possibilities, but the last is the most likely. I don't know how they start runners, but there are 1182 people signed up for the 5 k and ALL of them have faster times than I do. If they start us according to the date we signed up I could have a couple hundred rabid runners laying down tracks on my back. Not a pleasant thought.
On a more positive note, my daughter Laurie let me know that my new Nikes showed up yesterday. I'm sure that when I start wearing them I'll be able to run twice as fast...or maybe I should say half as slow! I'm looking forward to getting them, even though I don't REALLY think my time will improve as a result.
Less than 48 hours until my 5k will be over. I'm looking at two more races to sign up for so I can have something to motivate me to run.
This post is in reference to Tom's comment, in which he was concerned that I might not have my Last Will and Testament put together properly. Well Tom, even though I'm worth a lot more dead than alive, I don't have a will. Sorry!
Obviously he is concerned that I might have to be scraped up off the side of the road Saturday...a concern that is definitely legitimate. I've thought about it several times over the last couple of weeks. There are several opportunities for that to happen during the race. I could have a stroke, heart attack, collapse because my lungs don't work, or accidently start the race in front of someone and get trampled when they go by me. All of them are possibilities, but the last is the most likely. I don't know how they start runners, but there are 1182 people signed up for the 5 k and ALL of them have faster times than I do. If they start us according to the date we signed up I could have a couple hundred rabid runners laying down tracks on my back. Not a pleasant thought.
On a more positive note, my daughter Laurie let me know that my new Nikes showed up yesterday. I'm sure that when I start wearing them I'll be able to run twice as fast...or maybe I should say half as slow! I'm looking forward to getting them, even though I don't REALLY think my time will improve as a result.
Less than 48 hours until my 5k will be over. I'm looking at two more races to sign up for so I can have something to motivate me to run.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
D Day
Saturday is the Pear Blossom Run. I'm not even close to being able to run it, even though it's only a 5k. My goal is to not finish last, and I'm not sure that that's possible. I'm pretty sure that there are a lot of people who WALK faster than I run. This could be really ugly. I'm hoping that I can finish the course in the allotted time (I think I have about 55 minutes...if I can't make that it's time to take up knitting!), and finish somewhere in the top 1141 entrants (there are 1142 signed up for the 5k).
I have been running, but because of nasty weather, baseball games, fallen trees, and a few other acceptable excuses my workouts haven't been consistent. We've had really nasty weather for about a week and a half, and it's not easy to get motivated when you have 30 mph winds blowing snow into your face. The winds were strong enough that they managed to blow my neighbor's 50 foot spruce down on our wooden storage shed, so I had to spend a good portion of last week dealing with that. Wielding a chain saw is a workout, but probably won't help much to keep me from getting lapped in Saturday's race.
I've been managing to run 3 to 4 days per week, but my mileage is still pretty low. I think the longest run I've managed to get in is about 3 1/2, and it wasn't pretty. Because of the winds I've been having Janet drive me upwind from my ending point, so the entire run is with the wind at my back. It's kind of cheating, but at least I've gotten some miles in.
Regardless of my training, I'm committed. Two days until D Day.
I have been running, but because of nasty weather, baseball games, fallen trees, and a few other acceptable excuses my workouts haven't been consistent. We've had really nasty weather for about a week and a half, and it's not easy to get motivated when you have 30 mph winds blowing snow into your face. The winds were strong enough that they managed to blow my neighbor's 50 foot spruce down on our wooden storage shed, so I had to spend a good portion of last week dealing with that. Wielding a chain saw is a workout, but probably won't help much to keep me from getting lapped in Saturday's race.
I've been managing to run 3 to 4 days per week, but my mileage is still pretty low. I think the longest run I've managed to get in is about 3 1/2, and it wasn't pretty. Because of the winds I've been having Janet drive me upwind from my ending point, so the entire run is with the wind at my back. It's kind of cheating, but at least I've gotten some miles in.
Regardless of my training, I'm committed. Two days until D Day.
Friday, March 19, 2010
2 in a Row
I ran again last night. Two days in a row! And I didn't die! An absolute freaking miracle!
Today is Friday, and I'm still at work, trying to decide if I want to run tonight, or take the day off. We're leaving town for 3 days and I have a ton of work that I need to get done before we go (that's why I'm still here), but I guess I can come back early tomorrow morning and do it.
I don't really feel like running, but I told two of my co-workers this afternoon that I was going to go 3 miles, so I should probably live up to my boast and actually do it. The weather is great (64 degrees, NO wind), but it's getting late and I'm afraid of the dark.
On the other hand, the Pear Blossom Run is April 10th, and I don't want to make a total ass of myself by finishing last in a 5 k, so I think I'll quit working and go. Screw it. I'm out of here.
How's that for self motivation?
See ya.
Today is Friday, and I'm still at work, trying to decide if I want to run tonight, or take the day off. We're leaving town for 3 days and I have a ton of work that I need to get done before we go (that's why I'm still here), but I guess I can come back early tomorrow morning and do it.
I don't really feel like running, but I told two of my co-workers this afternoon that I was going to go 3 miles, so I should probably live up to my boast and actually do it. The weather is great (64 degrees, NO wind), but it's getting late and I'm afraid of the dark.
On the other hand, the Pear Blossom Run is April 10th, and I don't want to make a total ass of myself by finishing last in a 5 k, so I think I'll quit working and go. Screw it. I'm out of here.
How's that for self motivation?
See ya.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Pear Blossom Run
Yesterday at work I was talking to Nicky Robinson, our accounting manager, and found out that she and another co-worker are signed up to run the 5 K in the Pear Blossom Run in Medford April 10th. She shamed me into committing to sign up also, so I guess I'll be embarassing myself in about 3 weeks. It's going to be brutal. I'm way overweight, haven't run since February, and don't feel very motivated to try to do well. This could be a real eye-opener for me. There are already 7 people in my age category signed up to do the 5 K...I'm sure all of them are ex-Olympians.
Since I'm signed up to run, yesterday I decided that I need to make some kind of an attempt to try to get in shape. Last night I went out to the OC&E Trail and did my normal 2 1/2 mile jaunt. I was able to make it the whole way without walking, but my pace was exceptionally slow. The run gave me hope that I might be able to lose some weight (I look like a hippo right now), and hopefully won't finish last. We'll see what happens. Doug doesn't have any games until Saturday, so I have no excuses for not going tonight and tomorrow night.
I'll keep my blog updated when I run so all of my fans out there (Laurie and Tom?) can encourage me.
Since I'm signed up to run, yesterday I decided that I need to make some kind of an attempt to try to get in shape. Last night I went out to the OC&E Trail and did my normal 2 1/2 mile jaunt. I was able to make it the whole way without walking, but my pace was exceptionally slow. The run gave me hope that I might be able to lose some weight (I look like a hippo right now), and hopefully won't finish last. We'll see what happens. Doug doesn't have any games until Saturday, so I have no excuses for not going tonight and tomorrow night.
I'll keep my blog updated when I run so all of my fans out there (Laurie and Tom?) can encourage me.
Friday, February 5, 2010
Into the Wind
I went for a run last night. That's TWICE in the same week! Amazing!
To be truthful, it wasn't what you could call a run, and I really didn't want to go, but I pretty much HAD to. My wonderful wife told me that she was having "Book Club" at our house, and that was my incentive. For those of you who don't know what "Book Club" is, it's when a bunch of crazy old women from our church get together to discuss the "book of the month"...whatever that is. Try to picture 15 nutcase old women with absolutely NO social life getting together once each month, reading their favorite passages from whatever book has been selected for the month, cackling with their old women voices at whatever witty comments get tossed out for review. After about an hour of absolutely pointless chatter, they stumble into the dining room for the goodies that the hostess has provided for the evening's festivities. Get the picture? Believe me, it's not something you want to experience first hand.
Back to the run...it was brutal. We had 20 mph sustained winds, with gusts reaching 30 mph. The wind was directly out of the east, which makes for a difficult run if you're doing an out-and-back on a trail that runs west to east. No matter which direction you head, you're going to be fighting the wind for half the run. We lived in The Dalles (Columbia Gorge...Windsurfing Capitol of the World) for 3 1/2 years, so I'm somewhat familiar with running in the wind, and know that it's better to head into the wind when you're fresh. Because of that, I switched the direction I normally run in hopes that the second half of my trip would be with the wind at my back, and a little less unpleasant.
It worked. At least as far as the return trip being less unpleasant. When I left the parking lot I ran with the wind at my back for the first 500 yards to the nearest mile marker, so I'd know how far I was running. With the wind at my back I felt good, but when I hit the mile marker and turned around, presto chango! I felt like I was trying to drag my truck. I don't believe the winds were 20 mph. I think they were closer to 60! I only ran 2 1/2 miles, but the 1 1/4 into the wind made it feel like a ran a half marathon. There were a couple of times when I was fighting the wind that I felt like quitting, and had to really fight to keep running, but I managed to pull it off and "ran" the whole way. The biggest mistake I made was that I timed myself. Not good. I won't bother to share my time with you. It was too ugly. Let's just say that I won't be timing myself again any time soon....but I WILL be going for another run.
To be truthful, it wasn't what you could call a run, and I really didn't want to go, but I pretty much HAD to. My wonderful wife told me that she was having "Book Club" at our house, and that was my incentive. For those of you who don't know what "Book Club" is, it's when a bunch of crazy old women from our church get together to discuss the "book of the month"...whatever that is. Try to picture 15 nutcase old women with absolutely NO social life getting together once each month, reading their favorite passages from whatever book has been selected for the month, cackling with their old women voices at whatever witty comments get tossed out for review. After about an hour of absolutely pointless chatter, they stumble into the dining room for the goodies that the hostess has provided for the evening's festivities. Get the picture? Believe me, it's not something you want to experience first hand.
Back to the run...it was brutal. We had 20 mph sustained winds, with gusts reaching 30 mph. The wind was directly out of the east, which makes for a difficult run if you're doing an out-and-back on a trail that runs west to east. No matter which direction you head, you're going to be fighting the wind for half the run. We lived in The Dalles (Columbia Gorge...Windsurfing Capitol of the World) for 3 1/2 years, so I'm somewhat familiar with running in the wind, and know that it's better to head into the wind when you're fresh. Because of that, I switched the direction I normally run in hopes that the second half of my trip would be with the wind at my back, and a little less unpleasant.
It worked. At least as far as the return trip being less unpleasant. When I left the parking lot I ran with the wind at my back for the first 500 yards to the nearest mile marker, so I'd know how far I was running. With the wind at my back I felt good, but when I hit the mile marker and turned around, presto chango! I felt like I was trying to drag my truck. I don't believe the winds were 20 mph. I think they were closer to 60! I only ran 2 1/2 miles, but the 1 1/4 into the wind made it feel like a ran a half marathon. There were a couple of times when I was fighting the wind that I felt like quitting, and had to really fight to keep running, but I managed to pull it off and "ran" the whole way. The biggest mistake I made was that I timed myself. Not good. I won't bother to share my time with you. It was too ugly. Let's just say that I won't be timing myself again any time soon....but I WILL be going for another run.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Starting Again...Hopefully!
I decided last night that it was time to start running. A couple of weeks ago I managed to go 3 days in a row and could still walk, so there's no legitimate reason to not go. I had to pick Janet up when I fed the horses, so I decided that instead of giving her a ride home I'd just run from the barn to Reeder Road (where I normally start), and she could pick me up.
I had no idea how far it would be, but decided that I'd give it a shot and walk if it got too tough. The weather wasn't too bad...about 36 degrees with a minimal tail wind...no snow, no rain...perfect for running. The really nice thing was that since we had a couple inches of snow earlier in the day and it was about 5:30 when I started, no one was on the trail so I didn't have to worry about looking good. I could just pound along the trail doing the "Old Man's Shuffle" (thanks Tom...now everytime I go for a run I'm worried about being one of the "Old Men" that you referenced in your blog), run at my 20 minute mile pace, and not have to share the meager oxygen supply on the OC&E Trail with other runners.
The run was actually almost pleasant. It had a gentle downhill for the first 1/4 mile, was flat for the next mile, had another downhill for about half a mile, and then finished with a gradual uphill. I don't have any cool things that compute mileage like Laurie, so I had to resort to Google Earth to figure out how far I went. I think it's about 2 3/4 miles. It was a relatively pleasant run for the first 2 1/4 miles. In fact, for about 100 yards I actually almost felt like I was a RUNNER and managed to finish the run before Janet showed up to pick me up.
Doug has a game tonight so I don't think I'll get to run...I'll give it another shot tomorrow.
I had no idea how far it would be, but decided that I'd give it a shot and walk if it got too tough. The weather wasn't too bad...about 36 degrees with a minimal tail wind...no snow, no rain...perfect for running. The really nice thing was that since we had a couple inches of snow earlier in the day and it was about 5:30 when I started, no one was on the trail so I didn't have to worry about looking good. I could just pound along the trail doing the "Old Man's Shuffle" (thanks Tom...now everytime I go for a run I'm worried about being one of the "Old Men" that you referenced in your blog), run at my 20 minute mile pace, and not have to share the meager oxygen supply on the OC&E Trail with other runners.
The run was actually almost pleasant. It had a gentle downhill for the first 1/4 mile, was flat for the next mile, had another downhill for about half a mile, and then finished with a gradual uphill. I don't have any cool things that compute mileage like Laurie, so I had to resort to Google Earth to figure out how far I went. I think it's about 2 3/4 miles. It was a relatively pleasant run for the first 2 1/4 miles. In fact, for about 100 yards I actually almost felt like I was a RUNNER and managed to finish the run before Janet showed up to pick me up.
Doug has a game tonight so I don't think I'll get to run...I'll give it another shot tomorrow.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Slacker
Okay, it's been quite some time since I last posted. When I went for a run on Thanksgiving my Achilles wasn't too bad, so I was pretty sure that I was okay to get back in the game. Since that little run I made my way back to the OC&E Trail and ran 3 days in a row. My tendon was tender each day when I first started, but after a couple hundred yards felt okay.
My major problem now is that I'm fatter than I've ever been, and extremely out of shape. I ran during lunch and only went 2 1/2 miles each time, but my times were atrocious, and I now know what it feels like to run while you're pregnant. Other than the fact that I don't actually have a baby inside kicking my bladder, I definitely have the weight and look the part...if I were to wear a wig on my next run people would be amazed that a woman my age could get pregnant!
It's now been about 2 weeks since I last ran, and I no longer have excuses not to go on a regular basis. Hunting has ended, my Achilles seems to be healed, Doug's games are all at night, and other than the 5 inches of snow we got yesterday the weather's not bad.
Time to quit being a slacker!
My major problem now is that I'm fatter than I've ever been, and extremely out of shape. I ran during lunch and only went 2 1/2 miles each time, but my times were atrocious, and I now know what it feels like to run while you're pregnant. Other than the fact that I don't actually have a baby inside kicking my bladder, I definitely have the weight and look the part...if I were to wear a wig on my next run people would be amazed that a woman my age could get pregnant!
It's now been about 2 weeks since I last ran, and I no longer have excuses not to go on a regular basis. Hunting has ended, my Achilles seems to be healed, Doug's games are all at night, and other than the 5 inches of snow we got yesterday the weather's not bad.
Time to quit being a slacker!
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