Saturday morning was the proving ground well over 10,000 runners at the Bix 7 race. Being a race day I was a nervous mess as usual for a race. I slept pretty good as I was very tired, but I was up and starting my day around 3:45. Ava woke up to eat and I got up to shower and start my pre race routine.
I ate two waffles, two cups of coffee, and 20 oz of water to get myself ready. I then packed up my gear and by 6 am I was out the door. I know this is rather early for a race 15 minutes away from my house, but I just needed to get down to quit pacing the house and risk waking anyone up.
Once I arrived, I got my shoes, bib, race id, etc. all on and began the walk to the race. This year unlike last year I wanted to a decent warm up in prior to the race. My legs were tight and felt tired. I ran a half mile around downtown Davenport to loosen things up and found a place to get some stretching in. I think this was key to helping my body prepare. I made my way to my group color and I wanted to be near the front to try and get off to a good start.
One thing I learned after two years is that I that I am going to sign up for the faster heat next year. I became frustrated quickly to see thousands of people in front of me and to try to get around a wall of walkers. Come on! If you have no intention of running, get to the walker area. I scrambled all over Brady Street hill and and there was nowhere to go. It was so packed this year. I stayed calm because what was I going to go do about it? I am not sure I started my Garmin watch at the right time, but when I ran by the mile 1 marker the lady was calling out a mile split in the 9 minute range. I knew that it took a while for me to get to the starting line, but I knew I had to pick up the pace if I was going to hit my two marks:
1. Beat my 58:19 time of last year
2. Try to run in 55 minutes(which is a 7:51 mile pace for the race)
Mile 2 I took off and at one point I was running low 6 minute mile and I was thinking, "SLOW DOWN!". I knew that was not good because the course is tough and I did not want to hit a wall on mile 5 on the slow hill. I finally settled and ran mile 2 in 6:53. Mile 3 has a few tough hills and one that has me mentally every single time I run and I was able to sustain a good mile pace of 7:25. I was feeling good at this point, but it started to get warm out. I was sweating something fierce and slowly heating up internally.
I made the turnaround and fought my way back to Brady Street hill. I ran mile 4 in 7:27 which is still a great time and well ahead of my 7:51 mile pace.
Mile 5 I hit my wall. I felt depleted. I was very hot and my pace I had been running started to catch up to me. I had a huge decision to make at this point: I could either fall prey to the thoughts in my mind or suck it up and just get to mile 6 where the big downhill run begins. I decided I was going to tough it out. I fought up the slow incline and just kept at it. I ran mile 5 in 7:37. I really had to fight through mile 6. I put some ice on my neck to cool off and just tried to run a calm mile here knowing I still had two miles left. I dropped my pace a little bit and tried to keep going a rate that would help me for the final mile. Mile 6 I ran 7:52. Finally, the last mile. I cruised down the hill letting gravity take over. The worst part of the race is after the hill when you turn the corner and still have the long straightaway to the to finish. I held on strong and finished mile 7 in 7:02.
I DID IT! I prepared, pushed my body, and lived up to my mantra of GETTING IT DONE!
I ran the race in 52:36 which is right around a 7:30 mile pace. I crushed my two goals. I took almost 6 minutes off my time from last year. That is a huge margin. I also was way head of my ultimate goal of 55 minutes. I really surprised myself. I was not too sure I would be able to hit this time. I hit it once during the Bix @ 6, but that was on a cool night with a lot less people.
I can honestly say that I am very proud of myself. I never thought I would see a time like this for myself. This was a great confidence booster. A sign that things are falling into place for me. A sign that I can tackle any challenge that I throw my way. A sign that this marathon might not be as impossible as it seems.
A lot of friends ran very well in the race. It was great to see so many people out there running.
Yesterday, Aaron Maurer was a verb. I was GETTING IT DONE! There is no better feeling.
I am resting today(no bike ride as planned) as I am very sore today. I need to get my body ready for the next 5 weeks of training. If I can get through the next 5 weeks I will be ready for the marathon. It is only 55 days away.
In the end here is the breakdown
52:36 time with a split time of 23:14. I ended up 817 out of the 11,100 people who finished the race. I was 84/791 in my division of Males 30-34.
Pages
- Home
- About Me
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- Education Thoughts and Project Ideas
- Conference, MOOC, and Class Notes
- Gifted Education
- Project Based Learning
- Suggested Reading
- Board of Inspiration
- GETTING IT DONE!
- Race Schedule of 2011
- Race Schedule & Results 2012
- Race Schedule 2013
- Endurance Nation Training
- Race Photos
- 140.6 Triathlon Video Journey
- What Did We Learn This Week Series
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Book Review: The Nonrunner's Marathon Guide for Women: Get Off Your Butt and On with Your Training
From Amazon.com
The Nonrunner’s Marathon Guide for Women is a fun training manual for women who don't believe that running is their biological destiny but who dream of crossing the finish line nonetheless. It opens with a realistic training schedule and is chock-full of how-to's, quizzes, and funny observations, which Dais felt were lacking in the guides she had consulted.
The Nonrunner’s Marathon Guide for Women also integrates entries from Dias' journal, sharing everything would-be marathoners need to know about the gear, the blisters, the early morning workouts, the late-night carb binges, and — most important of all — the amazing rewards.
Anyone can do a marathon. This book just makes the experience a little more bearable and a lot more fun.
Product Description
Dawn Dais hated running. And it didn't like her much, either. Her fitness routine consisted of avoiding the stairs in her own house, because who really has the energy to climb stairs? It was with this exercise philosophy firmly in place that she set off to complete a marathon.
The Nonrunner’s Marathon Guide for Women is a fun training manual for women who don't believe that running is their biological destiny but who dream of crossing the finish line nonetheless. It opens with a realistic training schedule and is chock-full of how-to's, quizzes, and funny observations, which Dais felt were lacking in the guides she had consulted.
The Nonrunner’s Marathon Guide for Women also integrates entries from Dias' journal, sharing everything would-be marathoners need to know about the gear, the blisters, the early morning workouts, the late-night carb binges, and — most important of all — the amazing rewards.
Anyone can do a marathon. This book just makes the experience a little more bearable and a lot more fun.
My Thoughts
I bought this book for my Kindle app back during the Sunshine Deals for a few bucks. It was worth every single penny I spent. Not only did I gain some useful information about running my first marathon, but I laughed my way through her journey.
Dawn Dais has a real sarcastic and sharp witted way with words when describing the training of a marathon, but also keeping things in perspective about the feeling of pride.
I know I am not a woman, but this book can be read by men. One thing I valued while reading is that she is just a regular person like myself. Reading about her voyage made the goal of mine of running 26.2 miles more plausible and possible. I kept thinking that if she can do it, then so can I. This was not some professional elite runner who runs a 5 minute mile pace, but a regular human who struggles to get up in the morning to start running.
I valued her insight mixed with her humor. I highlighted many passages the relate to my journal from setting a goal, to finding others to help you, to broadcasting your goal to help you stay on track, to finding that inner strength on the long runs, to learning to deal with the setbacks that can come along the way to make you stronger.
I would gladly pay full price for this book and I hope others take the time to read this as well.
Friday, July 29, 2011
Training - Week 10 - Week 8 of Marathon Training - Friday - 3 Mile EZ - Pre Bix Run
I was able to get my run in this morning. I took things very slow and easy. My legs felt tired and a little heavy after just running 12 hours prior. I hope that feeling goes away by tomorrow morning. It was already humid out early this morning.
I am glad I got the run done. Aiden and Addyson run the Bix Jr. tonight so that will be fun.
Nothing more to say except that tomorrow is game time. I will see what I am made of. I hope I feel like yesterday and not today.
3 miles in 25:09 for a 8:18 pace(wait, that is the race pace from last year....I got this!)
I am glad I got the run done. Aiden and Addyson run the Bix Jr. tonight so that will be fun.
Nothing more to say except that tomorrow is game time. I will see what I am made of. I hope I feel like yesterday and not today.
3 miles in 25:09 for a 8:18 pace(wait, that is the race pace from last year....I got this!)
Training - Week 10 - Week 8 of Marathon Training - Thursday - 5 Mile Run In Evening Heat and Humidity
Whoa! The humidity right now is crazy. I was not able to get my run in this morning due to the massive storms and then teaching and then working on the house. Finally, around dinner I was able to sneak out for a 5 mile romp. It is 100 degrees with the heat index and 72% humidity. And the best part....I think I am finally getting somewhat acclimated to the heat. It did not bother as much as it has in the past.
With the Bix on two days away I did not want to go all out. Actually, I was a little worried running so late today, a morning run tomorrow, and then the Bix. I hope it is not too much. I have to do what I have to do to keep on track for my main goal of running a marathon.
I went out nice and easy, but I also wanted to get a little bit of running in around my goal mile pace of 7:51. I ended up running the 5 miles in 39:49 which is a 7:55 mile pace. I felt great actually. I was a little tired towards the end, but I know come race day I will have enough in the tank to push ahead.
I actually was surprised with this mile split because it felt pretty easy and relaxed. Now the Bix course is much more difficult and there are a lot more people to slow me up, but this run really dialed me in mentally to really help me believe that I can hit that 55 minute mark if I am feeling good.
I ran mile 1 in 7:51, then slowed up running 7:58 in mile 2, even slower mile 3 in 8:04, and then I worked on picking things up. I picked up mile 4 in 7:53 and mile 5 in 7:31. This is right where I want to be because I know my mile splits will probably look like this on race day with the hills and people. I know the final two miles I can pick up my pace and finish strong if I do what I set out to do.
A great day of running that hopefully is a sign of a great run Saturday. GETTING IT DONE!
**I did take all of Wednesday off. I was feeling incredibly tired lately feeling quite sluggish, sleeping poorly, and just not myself. I took it easy and slept well, rested, and it was the smartest decision I have made in a while.
With the Bix on two days away I did not want to go all out. Actually, I was a little worried running so late today, a morning run tomorrow, and then the Bix. I hope it is not too much. I have to do what I have to do to keep on track for my main goal of running a marathon.
I went out nice and easy, but I also wanted to get a little bit of running in around my goal mile pace of 7:51. I ended up running the 5 miles in 39:49 which is a 7:55 mile pace. I felt great actually. I was a little tired towards the end, but I know come race day I will have enough in the tank to push ahead.
I actually was surprised with this mile split because it felt pretty easy and relaxed. Now the Bix course is much more difficult and there are a lot more people to slow me up, but this run really dialed me in mentally to really help me believe that I can hit that 55 minute mark if I am feeling good.
I ran mile 1 in 7:51, then slowed up running 7:58 in mile 2, even slower mile 3 in 8:04, and then I worked on picking things up. I picked up mile 4 in 7:53 and mile 5 in 7:31. This is right where I want to be because I know my mile splits will probably look like this on race day with the hills and people. I know the final two miles I can pick up my pace and finish strong if I do what I set out to do.
A great day of running that hopefully is a sign of a great run Saturday. GETTING IT DONE!
**I did take all of Wednesday off. I was feeling incredibly tired lately feeling quite sluggish, sleeping poorly, and just not myself. I took it easy and slept well, rested, and it was the smartest decision I have made in a while.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Bix 7 - Goals and Expectations
I woke up this morning to head out for my 5 mile run, but as soon as I took off the rain decided to fall. I did not feel like being soak so I headed back home and will have to get my run in later.
I decided to take time this morning to go ahead and put my goals and expectations for the Bix 7 race down in print to help me make it visual and real.
I have found it to be highly motivating to go back and read posts from a year ago. This is the post from the Bix from last year where I ran the course for the first time.
I ran the course in 58:19 (8:19 mile pace)which was way better than I anticipated running. My #1 goal for this year at the Bix is to beat that time. I don't care what it takes, but I will beat that time. I have been training pretty well since then and I hope to see the benefits of my hard work.
However, I have another goal in mind. One that is going to be tough to achieve, but if conditions prove right and things fall into place I will have a chance to accomplish my #2 goal.
My #2 goal is to run the race in 55 minutes. That is moving for a distance and course like this. I have had some good runs and some bad runs lately so I am not sure what body will show up early Saturday morning.
If I don't get caught up on Brady Hill and Kirkwood for too long and not get jammed then that will be the first key. With so many people and where I am located for the race this will prove to be a challenge. I might have to some serious zigzagging to stay on course. I would be happy going onto Kirkwood with a 8:00 - 8:15 mile pace if it does get bottled up. I can manage the make up time with the rest of the race. Anything slower and I will be scrambling.
The other issue is the heat and humidity. Hopefully the rain we are having now will eliminate the humidity. I can tolerate some heat(it is not looking to be too hot), but the humidity kills me.
Running the race in 55 minutes will put me at a 7:51 mile pace which is a huge decrease in time from my 8:19 mile pace a year ago. That is taking 28 seconds off each mile which is some serious running on my behalf.
Running this course I know that I have to hit that turnaround station not feeling tired. I need to be able to get comfortable early on, hit that turnaround and begin to pick up my pace until the finish. I know where my mental breakdowns are on this course. I also know where my mind realizes that it is go time. This is helpful. I am shooting for a negative split from the turnaround which I don't think I have had yet in the several times that I have ran this course.
This race is big for me. I did not quite achieve my Moonlight Chase goal(I still ran well), but it has been eating away at me ever since. I hope to get in a great run Saturday.
I am off to start my day. Back to teaching some kids about the joys of middle school and trying to find time to sneak my 5 mile run in today.
I will be GETTING IT DONE this weekend! What are you doing to achieve your goal? Have you created a goal? If not, then it is time to get going.
I decided to take time this morning to go ahead and put my goals and expectations for the Bix 7 race down in print to help me make it visual and real.
I have found it to be highly motivating to go back and read posts from a year ago. This is the post from the Bix from last year where I ran the course for the first time.
I ran the course in 58:19 (8:19 mile pace)which was way better than I anticipated running. My #1 goal for this year at the Bix is to beat that time. I don't care what it takes, but I will beat that time. I have been training pretty well since then and I hope to see the benefits of my hard work.
However, I have another goal in mind. One that is going to be tough to achieve, but if conditions prove right and things fall into place I will have a chance to accomplish my #2 goal.
If I don't get caught up on Brady Hill and Kirkwood for too long and not get jammed then that will be the first key. With so many people and where I am located for the race this will prove to be a challenge. I might have to some serious zigzagging to stay on course. I would be happy going onto Kirkwood with a 8:00 - 8:15 mile pace if it does get bottled up. I can manage the make up time with the rest of the race. Anything slower and I will be scrambling.
The other issue is the heat and humidity. Hopefully the rain we are having now will eliminate the humidity. I can tolerate some heat(it is not looking to be too hot), but the humidity kills me.
Running the race in 55 minutes will put me at a 7:51 mile pace which is a huge decrease in time from my 8:19 mile pace a year ago. That is taking 28 seconds off each mile which is some serious running on my behalf.
Running this course I know that I have to hit that turnaround station not feeling tired. I need to be able to get comfortable early on, hit that turnaround and begin to pick up my pace until the finish. I know where my mental breakdowns are on this course. I also know where my mind realizes that it is go time. This is helpful. I am shooting for a negative split from the turnaround which I don't think I have had yet in the several times that I have ran this course.
This race is big for me. I did not quite achieve my Moonlight Chase goal(I still ran well), but it has been eating away at me ever since. I hope to get in a great run Saturday.
I am off to start my day. Back to teaching some kids about the joys of middle school and trying to find time to sneak my 5 mile run in today.
I will be GETTING IT DONE this weekend! What are you doing to achieve your goal? Have you created a goal? If not, then it is time to get going.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Getting It Done - Sometimes You Need To Take A Break! Part 2
In part 1 of this GETTING IT DONE post I discussed some insights I gathered from our little vacation to the Wisconsin Dells.
I promised that there was going to be a part 2 to this topic and here it is.
One of the things that I needed to be reminded of in my training is how unhealthy the large portion of our US population really is. I am far from a great looking person, but I could not believe how overweight so many people were at the water parks. I am not just talking about 10-20 lbs overweight, but obese size overweight issues. Amanda and I were discussing how there were more men overweight compared to women and that was after the women had delivered babies.
I could not feel anything but inspiration to help spread the word of fitness and nutrition after seeing so many unhealthy people. It helped me kick start my regimen after taking a day off to just being a slob. It is hard to eat healthy. It is hard when your whole life has been consumed by food that is not the best for you. Trying to break lifelong habits are incredibly difficult. But someone has to stop the cycle and make a change. Why not you?
What broke my heart while at the parks were the children who were very overweight. Some of these kids you could tell were just miserable being in a swimsuit. They way they covered their bodies or constantly checking themselves out. These kids are at a disadvantage. They cannot go grocery shopping. They don't have money to make the food decisions. They are at the mercy of their parents.
Typing this up a week after the trip ignites a fire in my belly to do more. I need to look at my habits and I still am working hard to eliminate some of my downfalls. However, we are human beings. Human beings are not designed to be perfect. We are designed to make decisions and rationalize what is best for us. We know what needs to be done. It is time to change this nation. It is time to start morphing ourselves into fitness machines and setting goals to help us achieve my mantra of GETTING IT DONE.
Being home in the summer there are small changes to help with living a healthy lifestyle.
1. Don't buy the junk. If there is food in the house, then I will eat it. No doubt about it. I go grocery shopping and I come home with snacks like sourdough pretzels that I know I don't want in my house around 9 pm at night. I buy them and sure enough I snarf them down right before bed and I wonder why I cannot achieve my racing weight goal. If you don't have it in front of you, then you cannot eat it. So eliminate the junk.
2. Working on staying mentally strong. Sometimes the best way to break down bad habits and barriers is to just stand up to the challenge. It is amazing how great you feel about yourself when you actually hold strong. The more you do it, the easier it becomes. The easier it becomes the greater chance of you better habits are of forming.
3. Learn from your mistakes. It is okay to have a minor setback or two. That is life. I have not achieved all of my goals, but when I don't achieve what I want it gives me time to reflect and pause on why and learn how to makes things more effective in my life.
4. Finally, the fourth one(I could go on, but this will be suffice for now). Don't be satisfied with living a mediocre life. If you are not happy, then change. Don't let your atmosphere and your small time here on earth be wasted with days of not feeling great about yourself. Get out and enjoy life. Even if you don't like exercising, taking the time to get out and be active will be enough to kick start your healthy habits.
I promised that there was going to be a part 2 to this topic and here it is.
One of the things that I needed to be reminded of in my training is how unhealthy the large portion of our US population really is. I am far from a great looking person, but I could not believe how overweight so many people were at the water parks. I am not just talking about 10-20 lbs overweight, but obese size overweight issues. Amanda and I were discussing how there were more men overweight compared to women and that was after the women had delivered babies.
I could not feel anything but inspiration to help spread the word of fitness and nutrition after seeing so many unhealthy people. It helped me kick start my regimen after taking a day off to just being a slob. It is hard to eat healthy. It is hard when your whole life has been consumed by food that is not the best for you. Trying to break lifelong habits are incredibly difficult. But someone has to stop the cycle and make a change. Why not you?
What broke my heart while at the parks were the children who were very overweight. Some of these kids you could tell were just miserable being in a swimsuit. They way they covered their bodies or constantly checking themselves out. These kids are at a disadvantage. They cannot go grocery shopping. They don't have money to make the food decisions. They are at the mercy of their parents.
Typing this up a week after the trip ignites a fire in my belly to do more. I need to look at my habits and I still am working hard to eliminate some of my downfalls. However, we are human beings. Human beings are not designed to be perfect. We are designed to make decisions and rationalize what is best for us. We know what needs to be done. It is time to change this nation. It is time to start morphing ourselves into fitness machines and setting goals to help us achieve my mantra of GETTING IT DONE.
Being home in the summer there are small changes to help with living a healthy lifestyle.
1. Don't buy the junk. If there is food in the house, then I will eat it. No doubt about it. I go grocery shopping and I come home with snacks like sourdough pretzels that I know I don't want in my house around 9 pm at night. I buy them and sure enough I snarf them down right before bed and I wonder why I cannot achieve my racing weight goal. If you don't have it in front of you, then you cannot eat it. So eliminate the junk.
2. Working on staying mentally strong. Sometimes the best way to break down bad habits and barriers is to just stand up to the challenge. It is amazing how great you feel about yourself when you actually hold strong. The more you do it, the easier it becomes. The easier it becomes the greater chance of you better habits are of forming.
3. Learn from your mistakes. It is okay to have a minor setback or two. That is life. I have not achieved all of my goals, but when I don't achieve what I want it gives me time to reflect and pause on why and learn how to makes things more effective in my life.
4. Finally, the fourth one(I could go on, but this will be suffice for now). Don't be satisfied with living a mediocre life. If you are not happy, then change. Don't let your atmosphere and your small time here on earth be wasted with days of not feeling great about yourself. Get out and enjoy life. Even if you don't like exercising, taking the time to get out and be active will be enough to kick start your healthy habits.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Training - Week 10 - Week 8 of Marathon Training - Tuesday - 3 Mile EZ Run
Today I am scheduled for a 3 mile run at an easy pace to help my body recover from the 13 mile run yesterday. I was so tired last night after sleeping terribly and getting up at 3:45 to run. I was still tired this morning. I woke up early again, but laid in bed until about 5:30 or so before getting up. I continued to lay around until around 6 before getting up and running.
You would think a 3 mile run would not be a problem for me to get done. I was having one of those mornings where I was tired and not motivated to run. Not everyday can one be excited to lace up and hit the pavement.
However, I did get going, but I think my shoes I wore teaching yesterday gave me shin splints(they are super old and in bad shape). My legs hurt the first part of mile 1, but I finally loosened up and decided to pick up the pace and push a little bit. I wanted to see how my body would respond to running at a faster rate than normal in case I need to kick it in high gear for the Bix 7 Saturday.
I ran the 3 miles in 22:56.
Mile 1: 8:14
Mile 2: 7:28
Mile 3: 7:05
My heart rate stayed pretty low during the third mile which is a great sign my body is making adaptations to my training.
I came home and was able to get about 20 minutes of core work done on the TRX before getting ready for school.
Not a bad morning. I still have two more runs to get in before Bix Saturday - a 5 mile and 3 mile. I hopefully can get rested up and quite feeling so tired. I just feel worn out all the time. This is probably due to some bad sleep lately.
Tomorrow I will be posting my goal times for the race. I have given this much thought and think I have things dialed in. Without goals it is hard to strive on my quest to GETTING IT DONE!
You would think a 3 mile run would not be a problem for me to get done. I was having one of those mornings where I was tired and not motivated to run. Not everyday can one be excited to lace up and hit the pavement.
However, I did get going, but I think my shoes I wore teaching yesterday gave me shin splints(they are super old and in bad shape). My legs hurt the first part of mile 1, but I finally loosened up and decided to pick up the pace and push a little bit. I wanted to see how my body would respond to running at a faster rate than normal in case I need to kick it in high gear for the Bix 7 Saturday.
I ran the 3 miles in 22:56.
Mile 1: 8:14
Mile 2: 7:28
Mile 3: 7:05
My heart rate stayed pretty low during the third mile which is a great sign my body is making adaptations to my training.
I came home and was able to get about 20 minutes of core work done on the TRX before getting ready for school.
Not a bad morning. I still have two more runs to get in before Bix Saturday - a 5 mile and 3 mile. I hopefully can get rested up and quite feeling so tired. I just feel worn out all the time. This is probably due to some bad sleep lately.
Tomorrow I will be posting my goal times for the race. I have given this much thought and think I have things dialed in. Without goals it is hard to strive on my quest to GETTING IT DONE!
A Story About How An Email From Borders and Amazon Lead Me To Thinking About Education
The other day I received the email that I am sure many of you also received from Borders about them closing up for good and thanking us for being customers over the years. Reading this letter really bummed me out as it made it a reality that one of my favorite places to go to get away will no longer be around. I can get lost in a bookstore for hours if you let me. Let me buy a coffee in the winter and let me escape to the rows and rows of books wishing I was loaded with money to buy them all.
As I finished reading that email my next email was from Amazon talking about their latest Kindle book sale where there are over 900 titles up for sale for the Big Deal sale. It was just a few weeks ago when they had the Sunshine Deal where I purchased a ton of books for $3 or less. Here was another batch of books up for sale very cheap.
Talk about contrasting business ideas. One type of business can no longer sustain while the other is thriving. How does a store compete when a major business can sell the same merchandise for much cheaper? We are in a pivotal moment in history as we change from one technological age to another. We are seeing, living, and breathing firsthand the effects of the world changing due to technology. Just as people had to transition in life from Copper to Bronze to Iron. You either adapted and upgraded or you were lost in the shuffle. This is happening now. In some ways scary because for the first time I actually feel part of a major historical movement and in some ways cool to see how things evolve. The effects are also in the economy as we are all well aware of as many jobs that sustained families are no longer needed.
I think back to my job as an educator. We are in a more pivotal moment of teaching than ever before. Prior to us teachers knew the job market. You farmed, worked factory, went on to accounting, etc. Today we are prepping students for a job market that nobody knows what is needed or what the job market is going to be. To make matters worse, we have people running education forcing us to teach the same and incorporating methods of assessment to gauge the learning that don't work. They are forcing us to be robots and uniform when that system is no longer needed. The future depends on people creating new jobs, new ideas, new ways to problem solve. No longer is filling in bubbles and memorizing a few facts needed. Why even memorize facts when I have Google at my fingertips at all times in my life?
The point of this post is this - the time is before us where we need to change. We cannot teach the same way in which we were taught(unless we had an unbelievable teacher). We cannot teach the same uniform way because the world is far from uniform. We can no longer rely on things always being there for us(Borders how I miss you already) because it can serve no purpose from one day to the next.
We must teach our students to be advocates for themselves. We must teach the value to constantly educate themselves to stay on the frontier/cutting edge. We must teach them to be problem solvers(even when they have no clue about something they must acquire the skills to engage and learn).
There is the Hebrew Proverb that reads, "Do not confine your children to your own learning, for they were born in another time." This sums up our current state of life and education. Teachers must be innovative and think of new ways to teach. We must force ourselves to think differently and approach education in new ways.
Dr. Medina presented at a conference this year and he made the following statement(found this on David Warlick blog)
“The human brain is designed to solve problems related to surviving in an unstable outdoor environment and to do so in nearly constant motion.”
Then he said something to the effect of, “If you wanted to design a learning environment that was directly opposed to the way that the brain works, you would design a classroom.”
Here I finish typing my little rant staring at the massive pile of books and magazines I purchased at Borders before they closed to hang on to my lasting memories of a great bookstore. I look back through my post and realize that another school year is approaching. This will be my chance to help several hundred students work to acquire the necessary skills for a future yet undetermined. To think that this all stemmed from two emails from two companies.
How are you going to approach your classsroom this year? What will you do to engage students and help them be successful in their lives?
As I finished reading that email my next email was from Amazon talking about their latest Kindle book sale where there are over 900 titles up for sale for the Big Deal sale. It was just a few weeks ago when they had the Sunshine Deal where I purchased a ton of books for $3 or less. Here was another batch of books up for sale very cheap.
Talk about contrasting business ideas. One type of business can no longer sustain while the other is thriving. How does a store compete when a major business can sell the same merchandise for much cheaper? We are in a pivotal moment in history as we change from one technological age to another. We are seeing, living, and breathing firsthand the effects of the world changing due to technology. Just as people had to transition in life from Copper to Bronze to Iron. You either adapted and upgraded or you were lost in the shuffle. This is happening now. In some ways scary because for the first time I actually feel part of a major historical movement and in some ways cool to see how things evolve. The effects are also in the economy as we are all well aware of as many jobs that sustained families are no longer needed.
I think back to my job as an educator. We are in a more pivotal moment of teaching than ever before. Prior to us teachers knew the job market. You farmed, worked factory, went on to accounting, etc. Today we are prepping students for a job market that nobody knows what is needed or what the job market is going to be. To make matters worse, we have people running education forcing us to teach the same and incorporating methods of assessment to gauge the learning that don't work. They are forcing us to be robots and uniform when that system is no longer needed. The future depends on people creating new jobs, new ideas, new ways to problem solve. No longer is filling in bubbles and memorizing a few facts needed. Why even memorize facts when I have Google at my fingertips at all times in my life?
The point of this post is this - the time is before us where we need to change. We cannot teach the same way in which we were taught(unless we had an unbelievable teacher). We cannot teach the same uniform way because the world is far from uniform. We can no longer rely on things always being there for us(Borders how I miss you already) because it can serve no purpose from one day to the next.
We must teach our students to be advocates for themselves. We must teach the value to constantly educate themselves to stay on the frontier/cutting edge. We must teach them to be problem solvers(even when they have no clue about something they must acquire the skills to engage and learn).
There is the Hebrew Proverb that reads, "Do not confine your children to your own learning, for they were born in another time." This sums up our current state of life and education. Teachers must be innovative and think of new ways to teach. We must force ourselves to think differently and approach education in new ways.
Dr. Medina presented at a conference this year and he made the following statement(found this on David Warlick blog)
“The human brain is designed to solve problems related to surviving in an unstable outdoor environment and to do so in nearly constant motion.”
Then he said something to the effect of, “If you wanted to design a learning environment that was directly opposed to the way that the brain works, you would design a classroom.”
Here I finish typing my little rant staring at the massive pile of books and magazines I purchased at Borders before they closed to hang on to my lasting memories of a great bookstore. I look back through my post and realize that another school year is approaching. This will be my chance to help several hundred students work to acquire the necessary skills for a future yet undetermined. To think that this all stemmed from two emails from two companies.
How are you going to approach your classsroom this year? What will you do to engage students and help them be successful in their lives?
Monday, July 25, 2011
Training - Week 10 - Week 8 of Marathon Training - Monday - 13 Mile Long Run
I had to reconfigure my running schedule this week to make sure I get my proper training in for my marathon, but at the same time leaving my body rested and ready for the Bix 7 race where I am hoping to accomplish one of my many goals this year (I will have a future post about my thoughts and goals for the Bix 7 race).
This weekend things were busy and looking ahead at my schedule I am realizing that life is going to become quite hectic going back to school and trying to get my three kids off to two different babysitters and all the things that come with being a parent.
Anyways, I had to wake up at 4:00, but I slept like crap all night and got up at 3:45 to eat some waffles and a cup of coffee before starting off on this run. I had to knock this run out early in the week so I rest my legs for the race Saturday. I had to get out early this morning because I am teaching a Moving to Middle class this week where we help upcoming 6th graders learn about the building, get their lockers, become comfortable with staff, etc.
I took off on my run about 4:40 and felt pretty good. I wanted to have a run where I had some easy miles, but some where I pushed a little bit to get my body ready for an upcoming half marathon race and also to help my body learn to push when tired.
I ran the 13 miles in 1:48 which is a really good pace for me running a 8:21 mile pace. I started mile 1 at 8:41 and ended with mile 13 being a 7:35 mile pace. You can see I had a wide range of running times. I mixed in some mild hills to work on pushing when tired. I did have to stop once to refill my water bottles. I cannot believe how much I sweat. It is quite gross, but I sweat mass amounts and therefore need to keep my body hydrated.
Watching and examining my HR% I am starting to see a slow decrease in my heart rate when pushing at the higher rates. It also helped that it was in the mid 70's this morning and not hot.
This was a great run. I had some mental breakdowns early on around mile 4(I had a bad mile) and later around mile 9. But I fought through those and once I did I became pretty upbeat and positive and the results reflect my mindset by how my running times increased/decreased.
The rest of the week will be some shorter runs and I MUST GET SOME CORE WORK DONE! I did not get my TRX work in this weekend as planned and with the storms yesterday I fell short of getting my 60 total miles in for last week by not getting my 9 miles on the bike done.
I look forward to a great week and a great race Saturday. Continue striving to GETTING IT DONE!
This weekend things were busy and looking ahead at my schedule I am realizing that life is going to become quite hectic going back to school and trying to get my three kids off to two different babysitters and all the things that come with being a parent.
Anyways, I had to wake up at 4:00, but I slept like crap all night and got up at 3:45 to eat some waffles and a cup of coffee before starting off on this run. I had to knock this run out early in the week so I rest my legs for the race Saturday. I had to get out early this morning because I am teaching a Moving to Middle class this week where we help upcoming 6th graders learn about the building, get their lockers, become comfortable with staff, etc.
I took off on my run about 4:40 and felt pretty good. I wanted to have a run where I had some easy miles, but some where I pushed a little bit to get my body ready for an upcoming half marathon race and also to help my body learn to push when tired.
I ran the 13 miles in 1:48 which is a really good pace for me running a 8:21 mile pace. I started mile 1 at 8:41 and ended with mile 13 being a 7:35 mile pace. You can see I had a wide range of running times. I mixed in some mild hills to work on pushing when tired. I did have to stop once to refill my water bottles. I cannot believe how much I sweat. It is quite gross, but I sweat mass amounts and therefore need to keep my body hydrated.
Watching and examining my HR% I am starting to see a slow decrease in my heart rate when pushing at the higher rates. It also helped that it was in the mid 70's this morning and not hot.
This was a great run. I had some mental breakdowns early on around mile 4(I had a bad mile) and later around mile 9. But I fought through those and once I did I became pretty upbeat and positive and the results reflect my mindset by how my running times increased/decreased.
The rest of the week will be some shorter runs and I MUST GET SOME CORE WORK DONE! I did not get my TRX work in this weekend as planned and with the storms yesterday I fell short of getting my 60 total miles in for last week by not getting my 9 miles on the bike done.
I look forward to a great week and a great race Saturday. Continue striving to GETTING IT DONE!
Book Review: Racing Weight
Product Description from Amazon.com
Most endurance athletes are concerned about their weight. They know that every extra pound slows them down. Yet normal dieting and fad weight-loss programs don’t work for athletes who need to fuel their training.Cyclists, runners, triathletes, and swimmers need Matt Fitzgerald’s Racing Weight Quick Start Guide, the first weight-loss training plan for endurance athletes. By applying all the principles of his best-selling book Racing Weight, endurance athletes will accelerate their season goals and race leaner and faster than ever before.
Athletes will devote 4 to 8 weeks to starting a weight loss of 5, 10, or 20+ pounds. The weight will come off quickly by following a schedule of high-intensity workouts, strength training, and a menu of calorie-restricted, high-protein meals and snacks. Low-volume and high-volume training plans help athletes maintain fitness even while they focus on weight loss.
With the Racing Weight Quick Start Guide, endurance athletes can lose weight quickly and get a jumpstart on reaching their performance goals.
My Thoughts
As I train for my first marathon I decided to give this a read. I posted several posts last year about the first version of this concept of Racing Weight. I found this book to be very helpful. As I read the Quick Start Guide I found much of it to be very similar to the Racing Weight: How To Get Lean for Peak Performance. That is not to say that it is a bad book, but for being a quick start it was still crammed with information. A lot of good information. I performed the calculations and I understood everything.
This book did help me gain the perspective needed to lose the necessary weight. I did not go to any of the websites and I did not follow the plan perfectly. However, I learned some very useful tips and ideas to help maintain my weight and how to shed a few unwanted pounds. I still have a ways to go, but this book is a great read to learning about the steps needed. I cannot say I learned tons of new information from the previous book, but by this book coming out I did refresh my memory on many things that I had forgotten about. If you have not read the previous book, then this will be a great resource for you. If you have already read the previous book, then I would check it out from the library and read through it for the new things added.
Sunday, July 24, 2011
New Coffeechug Journal - Favorite Reads of the Summer
Coffeechug Journal for 7.24.11
Head on over to my Tumblr site and post your answers to the latest journal prompt about your favorite reads of the summerhttp://coffeechug.tumblr.com/
Book Review: The Sportsman by Dhani Jones
Product Descripton from Amazon.com
Product Description
Now in his 11th season in the NFL, Dhani Jones has had an unusually long career for a football player. Just a few years ago, however, Dhani thought his playing days were over. Cut by the Eagles and the Saints, he was at a professional crossroads. When the Bengals called, though, he was more than ready and in the best shape of his life. And for that, he credits his off-season.
The Sportsman follows Dhani’s discovery that the parts of his life that, to many, seemed to be distractions— including an off-season TV show that sent him around the world to learn and compete in other sports—actually served to cross-train him in ways he’d never imagined, enabling him to become more grounded, globally aware, and, most surprisingly, a much better football player.
Part travelogue, part workout guide, part Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, The Sportsman is an invigorating account of Dhani’s global sporting adventures and the lessons he has learned along the way. From dragon boat racing in Singapore to carrying 300-pound rocks in Iceland to biking in Italy, Dhani’s adventures taught him to be tougher, smarter, and stronger than ever. The Sportsman is a reminder that by connecting to the world through its people and customs and the spirit of competition, we empower ourselves in ways that can surpass our craziest expectations.
My Thoughts
I read this book as one of the many books I have checked out to help me find some inspiration, great quotes, food for thought, and just working on finding examples of being GETTING IT DONE(my new blog post series and hopefully future book).
I enjoyed this book. I pulled out some good quotes and ideas from Dhani Jones as he discusses his life as a professional football player and also pursuing his other passions in life. He is trying to make a statement that there is more to him than just football.
What I liked best about the book is that many different sports were introduced from the countries that he traveled to for the show. In the end, Dhani was able to take away a new respect for the sports and also realizing that his training for football was not undermined. This was important because I think that young players need to realize that lifting weights is not the only way to strengthen the body and mind. It is very important, but working on strength through the vigor of working the core by try different things can be just as beneficial.
I have not seen is show, but I do have the season on hold at my library to check out. I have started to follow him on Twitter and I also plan to start wearing bow ties.
In the end I found this more of an entertaining sports read than anything else. I enjoyed each chapter. I walked away with the idea that the journey is far more important than the destination which is a great reminder for anyone who is striving to accomplish a goal in their life.
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Flat Classroom #13: My Project Pitch
Wow! It has been a long time since I worked on this project. In reality it was not that long ago that I was just starting the summer working like mad on my Flat Classrooom Certification Program. It is and was the best educational experience I have encountered.
Anyways, I realized this morning that I have many loose ends on several projects and ideas that I just need to complete before the school year begins. I know that once the school year begins my brain will be working like mad to come up with new projects and ideas.
Here is my project pitch. I plan to implement this project this school year so be on the lookout if you think you might want to participate. I will be setting everything up now through September and hopefully will unravel this project in October.
Flat Classroom Presentation.pptx
Anyways, I realized this morning that I have many loose ends on several projects and ideas that I just need to complete before the school year begins. I know that once the school year begins my brain will be working like mad to come up with new projects and ideas.
Here is my project pitch. I plan to implement this project this school year so be on the lookout if you think you might want to participate. I will be setting everything up now through September and hopefully will unravel this project in October.
Module 6: Global Project Design Elements
Challenge #13: Project Design
#13 Bonus!: Engage with Social Media
Flat Classroom Presentation.pptx
Training - Week 9 - Week 7 of Marathon Training - Saturday - 5 Mile Run and 11 Mile Bike
Woke up early to get my run and bike ride in before everyone woke up. I also was hoping for some cooler temperatures and finally I was granted sub 90 degree heat.
My legs were tired from the run yesterday. The heat really takes a toll on your body. I was reading about how it takes longer to recover from the intense heat and therefore you slowly get behind in your body recovery when trying to manage a training plan. I could feel the effects this morning.
I had one goal this morning and that was to run at a rate faster than my Bix 7 goal pace. I took the first mile as a warm up running it at 8:12. This felt great to run at this pace and not feel drained like the last couple runs. I knew that I could pick the pace up this morning. I ran mile 2 in 7:54 and I felt good so I decided to go ahead push my goal to run at a higher rate than my pace for the Bix 7. I ran mile 3 at 7:34, mile 4 at 7:27, and mile 5 at 7:30.
I finished the run at 38:56 which is a run that I needed to get under my belt. I am happy with this run. If I could keep this pace for two more miles next Saturday I am going to be ecstatic. This was a good run for me and it helped me mentally.
Soon after the run I jumped on my bike to get some riding in. I have not had a chance to ride yet this week which was driving me insane because I really wanted to get 60 miles in this week total(40 running and 20 biking). I have never achieved 60 miles in one week before. As I was started to leave my driveway the thunder was booming. I went out anyways and sure enough as soon as I got the remote part of the country it down poured. I was soaked. I had puddles in my running shoes. It was pretty cool actually. I did not have to worry about being hot. I tackled some good hills on Forest Grove and made my way home. My legs had a great workout today.
I rode 11.26 miles in 50:56.
Tomorrow is a rest day, but I will probably jump on my bike to get my 60 mile goal completed. Just a nice easy ride to get ready for the week ahead.
Keep working to GETTING IT DONE
Later today I will also knock out some push ups and TRX core workout because both are desperately needed.
My legs were tired from the run yesterday. The heat really takes a toll on your body. I was reading about how it takes longer to recover from the intense heat and therefore you slowly get behind in your body recovery when trying to manage a training plan. I could feel the effects this morning.
I had one goal this morning and that was to run at a rate faster than my Bix 7 goal pace. I took the first mile as a warm up running it at 8:12. This felt great to run at this pace and not feel drained like the last couple runs. I knew that I could pick the pace up this morning. I ran mile 2 in 7:54 and I felt good so I decided to go ahead push my goal to run at a higher rate than my pace for the Bix 7. I ran mile 3 at 7:34, mile 4 at 7:27, and mile 5 at 7:30.
I finished the run at 38:56 which is a run that I needed to get under my belt. I am happy with this run. If I could keep this pace for two more miles next Saturday I am going to be ecstatic. This was a good run for me and it helped me mentally.
Soon after the run I jumped on my bike to get some riding in. I have not had a chance to ride yet this week which was driving me insane because I really wanted to get 60 miles in this week total(40 running and 20 biking). I have never achieved 60 miles in one week before. As I was started to leave my driveway the thunder was booming. I went out anyways and sure enough as soon as I got the remote part of the country it down poured. I was soaked. I had puddles in my running shoes. It was pretty cool actually. I did not have to worry about being hot. I tackled some good hills on Forest Grove and made my way home. My legs had a great workout today.
I rode 11.26 miles in 50:56.
Tomorrow is a rest day, but I will probably jump on my bike to get my 60 mile goal completed. Just a nice easy ride to get ready for the week ahead.
Keep working to GETTING IT DONE
Later today I will also knock out some push ups and TRX core workout because both are desperately needed.
It is official - my brain has started thinking about school
I am getting back into school mode. Ever since my family vacation all thoughts seem to migrate towards education and our youth. The brain has switched the signal to begin transition from summer break to reality. Time to get it done!
Friday, July 22, 2011
Sesame Street Beastie Boys mashup
My favorite band(well favorite alongside Dave Matthews) mashed with the coolness of Sesame Street.
Training - Week 9 - Week 7 of Marathon Training - Friday - 7 Miles in the 90+ Degrees Heat
Whew! Was it ever smoking hot out today! I was not able to get my run in until mid afternoon which is the worst time to run. However, when you have three kids you have to make do with what you have. I took off around 2:30 or so for my 7 mile run. I really wanted to run at my Bix 7 pace, but once I got out in the heat I knew this was not going to happen. The bank read 92 degrees, but when I got home it said it felt like 98 degrees outside. The air was not moving at all and I could not find shade.
To be honest I did not feel too bad at first. I was moving at a nice pace that felt easy. I ran mile 1 at 8:21, mile at 8:12, mile 3 at 8:43 where I tackled a large hill to practice for the Bix 7 next weekend. It was at that point that my body started to fade.
I slowed the pace down and still felt okay running mile 4 in 9:04, mile 5 at 9:04 and then my body hit a wall. I felt very hot(obviously) and I just did not want to overdo it. My body has been through a lot this week with the 20 mile run on Monday, the waterparks Tuesday-Thursday with a 5 mile run yesterday that did not feel easy.
I took miles 6 and 7 very easy running 9:16 and 9:50 respectively. It is so hard to breathe in this heat and humidity. The run feels so much harder.
I know that heat plays a large part in how well I run, but I still cannot think that my eating the last couple days did not help matters much. I need this weather to cool off so I can get a few good running times in prior to the Bix. I need a good run to help me enter the Bix 7 race with confidence. I want to beat my time from last year, but I have not had a decent run in quite some time.
It will happen. I just have to be patient. I know you cannot have a stellar run every time you run and even less of a chance in this heat wave. It did feel good to get this run in after gaining some motivation from our little vacation (read my GETTING IT DONE post)
I finished this run in 62 minutes and 43 seconds which is a 8:57 pace.
I still need to mow the yard and I would like to get a bike ride in tonight. Bike ride might not happen after mowing so I will have to get a good ride in the morning if not.
To be honest I did not feel too bad at first. I was moving at a nice pace that felt easy. I ran mile 1 at 8:21, mile at 8:12, mile 3 at 8:43 where I tackled a large hill to practice for the Bix 7 next weekend. It was at that point that my body started to fade.
I slowed the pace down and still felt okay running mile 4 in 9:04, mile 5 at 9:04 and then my body hit a wall. I felt very hot(obviously) and I just did not want to overdo it. My body has been through a lot this week with the 20 mile run on Monday, the waterparks Tuesday-Thursday with a 5 mile run yesterday that did not feel easy.
I took miles 6 and 7 very easy running 9:16 and 9:50 respectively. It is so hard to breathe in this heat and humidity. The run feels so much harder.
I know that heat plays a large part in how well I run, but I still cannot think that my eating the last couple days did not help matters much. I need this weather to cool off so I can get a few good running times in prior to the Bix. I need a good run to help me enter the Bix 7 race with confidence. I want to beat my time from last year, but I have not had a decent run in quite some time.
It will happen. I just have to be patient. I know you cannot have a stellar run every time you run and even less of a chance in this heat wave. It did feel good to get this run in after gaining some motivation from our little vacation (read my GETTING IT DONE post)
I finished this run in 62 minutes and 43 seconds which is a 8:57 pace.
I still need to mow the yard and I would like to get a bike ride in tonight. Bike ride might not happen after mowing so I will have to get a good ride in the morning if not.
Training - Week 9 - Week 7 of Marathon Training - Thursday - 5 Miles in Wisconsin Dells
If you read my last post about
Getting It Done - Sometimes You Need To Take A Break!
then you would know that I spend the last three days up in Wisconsion at The Wilderness waterpark. We had a blast. We left Tuesday and I was able to get in a 3 mile recovery run from my long 20 mile run the day before(that seems like forever ago). I took Wednesday off as a rest day so I could just enjoy my vacation.
Thursday morning I woke up early before everyone else awoke and took off on a 5 mile run around the resort. After eating unhealthy and being in water for two days straight my body struggled through this run. Being outside in the sun and heat and water really takes a toll. I found this run to be hard and it felt like it would ever end.
However, I was able to check out some places on the resort that we have not seen before on our previous two trips. This place is beautiful. I ran on a bike path that had Lake Shelton to my left and the resort to my right. Some of the cabins and condos on the golf course were sweet. I want to stay in one of those next time.
I found this run to be very peaceful and relaxing despite not being easy. The sun was rising, the water, lakes, ponds, forests, etc. really allowed me to enjoy my vacation.
I ran the 5 miles in 39:45 which is a 7:56 pace. Nothing special, but I did push the last mile getting it done in 7:18 to end on a good note.
I spend the rest of the day swimming and driving home. I love summer vacation!
Getting It Done - Sometimes You Need To Take A Break!
I know many of you were so out of sorts to not have me post the last few days(100% pure sarcasm here).
I am back. My family took a little vacation to Wisconsin Dells relaxing in the many waterparks of The Wilderness during this heat wave. We went with my brother-in-law and family, rented a big condo, and just took it easy while the kids went crazy in the water. It was quite nice to get away, leave the To-Do-List, leave the the stressed of life, leave the online world(except the occasional peak at Facebook and Twitter with my coffee, but no work related elements) and just enjoy life. We did leave little Ava behind with my the grandparents because it was going to be way too hot for her and this did free up some needed time for Amanda and I to give our attention to Aiden and Addy.
The reason I share this and the reason that I included this in my GETTING IT DONE series is because we have to remind ourselves to take a break. We have to be able to step back and just do what we want sometimes.
I am currently in week 7 of my marathon training, but my 9th week in overall training and striving to get fit and overcome some mental barriers of mine. I have been working very hard to eat healthy, stay away from the temptations of food and beverages that can hinder my health and training, getting adequate sleep, and just really trying to live healthy. It has been hard, but I can honestly say that what I am doing is working and becoming habit. I know it is habit because while at The Wildnerness I left all walls down and just enjoyed life. I ate what I wanted when I wanted. I had to schedule or routine. I did not exercise(well besides swimming.....and I guess I did run Tuesday and Thursday). But, I tried to return to the life of not caring about my body, my health, and my future. I will tell you that I found it harder to be a unhealthy than to be healthy.
I felt gross.
I did not feel good about myself after eating like a complete pig at a very good restaurant.
I did not like myself come Thursday morning.
I became angry that I let myself do these things.
I became motivated to make sure I don't live this way.
Having these couple days to be a pig rejuvenated my passion for health and wellness and to GETTING IT DONE!
I went running Thursday morning on our last day. I got up at 6 in the morning to the most peaceful and relaxing area I have ever ran. After two days of getting off schedule I will tell you that the 5 mile run I performed was SO HARD! I was furious at how much energy it took to the run the 5 miles at a slow pace.
During this run I thought about where I was and where I am today. I thought about how hard it is some days to get up and run and exercise. But, I thought about how great I feel. I thought about the many milestones I have achieved in just this one summer. I have broken many mental barriers in these last two months. More barriers in those 8 weeks than in the last 5 years. I started to get hungry again to achieving my goal of running a marathon. I started thinking about my other goals I want to conquer down the road. I became hungry again.
I got back to my condo ready to get home and get ready to get back in shape. Ready to start GETTING IT DONE again.
If you are finding yourself in a rut or in a position where you are starting to lose your way or desire to achieving your goal, then take a step back, take little vacation and live life on the other side. Remind yourself of why you are changing for the better. Sometimes we have to touch the hot stove to remind ourselves that it is hot.
This vacation opened up my mind to many things. In my next GETTING IT DONE post I will talk about another element to my vacation that helped further motivate me to stay on track and get started with my other big goal: Writing A Book.
I am back. My family took a little vacation to Wisconsin Dells relaxing in the many waterparks of The Wilderness during this heat wave. We went with my brother-in-law and family, rented a big condo, and just took it easy while the kids went crazy in the water. It was quite nice to get away, leave the To-Do-List, leave the the stressed of life, leave the online world(except the occasional peak at Facebook and Twitter with my coffee, but no work related elements) and just enjoy life. We did leave little Ava behind with my the grandparents because it was going to be way too hot for her and this did free up some needed time for Amanda and I to give our attention to Aiden and Addy.
The reason I share this and the reason that I included this in my GETTING IT DONE series is because we have to remind ourselves to take a break. We have to be able to step back and just do what we want sometimes.
I am currently in week 7 of my marathon training, but my 9th week in overall training and striving to get fit and overcome some mental barriers of mine. I have been working very hard to eat healthy, stay away from the temptations of food and beverages that can hinder my health and training, getting adequate sleep, and just really trying to live healthy. It has been hard, but I can honestly say that what I am doing is working and becoming habit. I know it is habit because while at The Wildnerness I left all walls down and just enjoyed life. I ate what I wanted when I wanted. I had to schedule or routine. I did not exercise(well besides swimming.....and I guess I did run Tuesday and Thursday). But, I tried to return to the life of not caring about my body, my health, and my future. I will tell you that I found it harder to be a unhealthy than to be healthy.
I felt gross.
I did not feel good about myself after eating like a complete pig at a very good restaurant.
I did not like myself come Thursday morning.
I became angry that I let myself do these things.
I became motivated to make sure I don't live this way.
Having these couple days to be a pig rejuvenated my passion for health and wellness and to GETTING IT DONE!
I went running Thursday morning on our last day. I got up at 6 in the morning to the most peaceful and relaxing area I have ever ran. After two days of getting off schedule I will tell you that the 5 mile run I performed was SO HARD! I was furious at how much energy it took to the run the 5 miles at a slow pace.
During this run I thought about where I was and where I am today. I thought about how hard it is some days to get up and run and exercise. But, I thought about how great I feel. I thought about the many milestones I have achieved in just this one summer. I have broken many mental barriers in these last two months. More barriers in those 8 weeks than in the last 5 years. I started to get hungry again to achieving my goal of running a marathon. I started thinking about my other goals I want to conquer down the road. I became hungry again.
I got back to my condo ready to get home and get ready to get back in shape. Ready to start GETTING IT DONE again.
If you are finding yourself in a rut or in a position where you are starting to lose your way or desire to achieving your goal, then take a step back, take little vacation and live life on the other side. Remind yourself of why you are changing for the better. Sometimes we have to touch the hot stove to remind ourselves that it is hot.
This vacation opened up my mind to many things. In my next GETTING IT DONE post I will talk about another element to my vacation that helped further motivate me to stay on track and get started with my other big goal: Writing A Book.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Training - Week 9 - Week 7 of Marathon Training - Tuesday - 3 Miles and No Bike as Planned
I woke up a little late this morning. I was hoping to be up at 4, but I did not get up until 4:30. I was able to get dressed and get out running about 4:50. It was already 86 degrees according to the bank. I took it very slow and easy as my legs were sore from the run yesterday. I ran a nice and easy 9:15 mile pace running the 3 miles in 27:57. I had to knock out some of the fatigue from the run.
I wanted to get on my bike and ride about 10 miles, but that did not happen. For one, I don't know if my legs would have been ready for the bike. Second, I have a lot to get done this morning by 6:00 this morning so when I saw the time of 5:20 I figured I better not push my limits and call it.
I did get in my push-ups instead. I did sets of 19/31/25/25/51
I am at 23 miles running so far this week which seems crazy. I still have 17 more to go and I would like to get 20 miles in on the bike this week also to put me at the 60 mile mark which is something I have not achieved before.
I will be offline for the next couple days so enjoy yourself in all this heat. Keep working hard. I will post again on Friday.
I wanted to get on my bike and ride about 10 miles, but that did not happen. For one, I don't know if my legs would have been ready for the bike. Second, I have a lot to get done this morning by 6:00 this morning so when I saw the time of 5:20 I figured I better not push my limits and call it.
I did get in my push-ups instead. I did sets of 19/31/25/25/51
I am at 23 miles running so far this week which seems crazy. I still have 17 more to go and I would like to get 20 miles in on the bike this week also to put me at the 60 mile mark which is something I have not achieved before.
I will be offline for the next couple days so enjoy yourself in all this heat. Keep working hard. I will post again on Friday.
Monday, July 18, 2011
New Coffeechug Journal - Hardest Challenge
Head over to my Tumblr page to read the next journal question posed to all of you for today.
http://coffeechug.tumblr.com/
http://coffeechug.tumblr.com/
Training - Week 9 - Week 7 of Marathon Training - Monday - 20 Mile Run - The Worst I Have Ever Felt In My Life
Oh my Lord! Did I not feel horrible today. I am going to be honest and tell you that I don't feel excited for running a personal record of longest distance, I don't feel excited to push my body to a whole new level of training, and I don't feel excited for running 26 miles on September 25th.
Why?
Because I don't have the energy right now. I am surprised I can actually type right now. I felt horrible for this entire 3 hour run. I knew this was going to be tough the minute I started. I felt tired after the first mile and I ran that mile at 10:07 pace(I have never ran that slow before in my life!).
Mile 2 - I felt light headed and started seeing spots and color in my vision which is not good. It was also hot out. I woke up at 4 am to eat waffles, drink juice, water, and my coffee and took off at 5 am. It read 85 degrees on the bank at 5:10. Not a good sign for the next three hours.
At mile 2 I was worried about feeling light headed and seeing spots, but I decided to push on to mile 5 and gauge how I felt at that point. I then relaxed and fell into a good groove running, 9:14, 9:01, and 8:54 for miles 3-5. This is right where I want to be.
My strategy is to break the long run into chunks. For this run I stopped at 5 mile intervals to take in a GU, give my legs a quick breather, and then press on. This helps me mentally by breaking the run into 4 x 5 mile runs. By the end of the first 5 miles I felt okay. I refilled by water bottles as I was heading out to the country.
The second 5 mile leg felt like it took FOREVER. The country roads felt like I was running for eternity, but when I looked at my watch I had barely covered any distance. I ran these miles at a good pace, maybe even too fast which would later cost me. I did not realize I was moving at this pace until now and I think this was a cause of my later struggles.
Mile 6: 9:16(this has the walk included in the time)
Mile 7: 9:02
Mile 8: 8:40
Mile 9: 8:36
Mile 10: 8:47
I was brought back to Forest Grove by this point. I remember thinking right then while taking in another GU about wishing I could just stop. I was tired. I just did not have much in my tank. However, if you are aware of where I was you know that I have no choice but to run. I gathered up the strength to take off. I kept tell myself you can rest again in 5 miles. You can do this. GET IT DONE!
Mile 11:9:58(once again this includes the walk)
Mile 12: 8:44
Mile 13: 8:49
It was at the end of mile 13 that things really started to fall apart. I had to stop and refill my water bottles again. I was sweating so bad and actually at this point my sweating was almost no happening. I was so hot. I could not cool down. My legs were shot. I knew that I had to get to 20 miles and here I was doubting myself with 7 miles left. I was telling myself, "Hey you have made it 13 miles feeling like crap, you can run 7 more feeling like crap." I took off again to get to 15 miles.
At mile 15 I took another GU and had a nice little pace going running Mile 15 in 9:24, Mile 16 in 9:24, Mile 17 in 9:19. And then I ran smack dab right into the WALL.
My body shut down. I got to mile 17 which was on 53rd and I just lost it all. It was like my body locked up. I got the chills. I was COLD! I went from being super hot for 2+ hours and now I was freezing. At this point I wanted to get to 20 miles. I did not want to call it short. I kept thinking of several things to get me through this run(see below). I did not want to damage my body so I took it slow and easy(which frustrated me), but I got it done.
I walked .2 miles of mile 18 and ran the last .8 miles and finished in 10:13. I did the same for mile 19 and had to run even slower to finish in 12:21. Finally mile 20 I finished up in 10:54.
My triceps were quivering and cramping. I had nothing left. I got to my house and my vision started to narrow and I just had nothing left. I pushed my body to its limits, but I got it done. I succeeded. Maybe later when I feel normal I will be pleased with what I accomplished.
I did not blow this wall down, but I did chip away at it and finally managed to make it fall. I would be lying to you if I told I was not worried about running 20 miles two more times in this training. I hope I don't feel this bad again. It started bad, but I held on.
Here are the things that kept me moving towards my goal during this run.
1. The amazing Jeff Paul who took 6th place in the Ironmanhis blog here. You can read about the race here
2. I was also thinking about the amazing stories being shared on TV yesterday when they were showing one of the Ironman races on television. I kept thinking about these people and thinking that if they can fight through their struggles and finish a race that is way beyond what I am doing, then I can suck it up and get my training done. There was an 80 year old man who finished the 2 mile swim, 112 bike, and marathon run. Another man had to walk the marathon as he crashed and had to limp his way to the line. Another man had severe back pain from his chemo treatment. The stories just went on and on. It was so inspiring.
I feel good for staying strong. I feel like crap, but I will have a few days in Wisconsin Dells with my family to relax and recover from the run. I still have 20 more miles to run this week going for my biggest week of running ever and a big milestone for me for several reasons. I hope to maybe get a bike option narrowed down and start to ride on a better bike in the next couple weeks.
I did not give up when I could have easily packed it in. I could have made excuses, but I found a way to GET IT DONE! What are your doing to get it done in your life?
All in all I ran 20 miles in 3 hours and 9 minutes for a 9:30 pace and burned 3467 calories. Time for some food and a quick nap.
Why?
Because I don't have the energy right now. I am surprised I can actually type right now. I felt horrible for this entire 3 hour run. I knew this was going to be tough the minute I started. I felt tired after the first mile and I ran that mile at 10:07 pace(I have never ran that slow before in my life!).
Mile 2 - I felt light headed and started seeing spots and color in my vision which is not good. It was also hot out. I woke up at 4 am to eat waffles, drink juice, water, and my coffee and took off at 5 am. It read 85 degrees on the bank at 5:10. Not a good sign for the next three hours.
At mile 2 I was worried about feeling light headed and seeing spots, but I decided to push on to mile 5 and gauge how I felt at that point. I then relaxed and fell into a good groove running, 9:14, 9:01, and 8:54 for miles 3-5. This is right where I want to be.
My strategy is to break the long run into chunks. For this run I stopped at 5 mile intervals to take in a GU, give my legs a quick breather, and then press on. This helps me mentally by breaking the run into 4 x 5 mile runs. By the end of the first 5 miles I felt okay. I refilled by water bottles as I was heading out to the country.
The second 5 mile leg felt like it took FOREVER. The country roads felt like I was running for eternity, but when I looked at my watch I had barely covered any distance. I ran these miles at a good pace, maybe even too fast which would later cost me. I did not realize I was moving at this pace until now and I think this was a cause of my later struggles.
Mile 6: 9:16(this has the walk included in the time)
Mile 7: 9:02
Mile 8: 8:40
Mile 9: 8:36
Mile 10: 8:47
I was brought back to Forest Grove by this point. I remember thinking right then while taking in another GU about wishing I could just stop. I was tired. I just did not have much in my tank. However, if you are aware of where I was you know that I have no choice but to run. I gathered up the strength to take off. I kept tell myself you can rest again in 5 miles. You can do this. GET IT DONE!
Mile 11:9:58(once again this includes the walk)
Mile 12: 8:44
Mile 13: 8:49
It was at the end of mile 13 that things really started to fall apart. I had to stop and refill my water bottles again. I was sweating so bad and actually at this point my sweating was almost no happening. I was so hot. I could not cool down. My legs were shot. I knew that I had to get to 20 miles and here I was doubting myself with 7 miles left. I was telling myself, "Hey you have made it 13 miles feeling like crap, you can run 7 more feeling like crap." I took off again to get to 15 miles.
At mile 15 I took another GU and had a nice little pace going running Mile 15 in 9:24, Mile 16 in 9:24, Mile 17 in 9:19. And then I ran smack dab right into the WALL.
My body shut down. I got to mile 17 which was on 53rd and I just lost it all. It was like my body locked up. I got the chills. I was COLD! I went from being super hot for 2+ hours and now I was freezing. At this point I wanted to get to 20 miles. I did not want to call it short. I kept thinking of several things to get me through this run(see below). I did not want to damage my body so I took it slow and easy(which frustrated me), but I got it done.
I walked .2 miles of mile 18 and ran the last .8 miles and finished in 10:13. I did the same for mile 19 and had to run even slower to finish in 12:21. Finally mile 20 I finished up in 10:54.
My triceps were quivering and cramping. I had nothing left. I got to my house and my vision started to narrow and I just had nothing left. I pushed my body to its limits, but I got it done. I succeeded. Maybe later when I feel normal I will be pleased with what I accomplished.
I did not blow this wall down, but I did chip away at it and finally managed to make it fall. I would be lying to you if I told I was not worried about running 20 miles two more times in this training. I hope I don't feel this bad again. It started bad, but I held on.
Here are the things that kept me moving towards my goal during this run.
1. The amazing Jeff Paul who took 6th place in the Ironmanhis blog here. You can read about the race here
2. I was also thinking about the amazing stories being shared on TV yesterday when they were showing one of the Ironman races on television. I kept thinking about these people and thinking that if they can fight through their struggles and finish a race that is way beyond what I am doing, then I can suck it up and get my training done. There was an 80 year old man who finished the 2 mile swim, 112 bike, and marathon run. Another man had to walk the marathon as he crashed and had to limp his way to the line. Another man had severe back pain from his chemo treatment. The stories just went on and on. It was so inspiring.
I feel good for staying strong. I feel like crap, but I will have a few days in Wisconsin Dells with my family to relax and recover from the run. I still have 20 more miles to run this week going for my biggest week of running ever and a big milestone for me for several reasons. I hope to maybe get a bike option narrowed down and start to ride on a better bike in the next couple weeks.
I did not give up when I could have easily packed it in. I could have made excuses, but I found a way to GET IT DONE! What are your doing to get it done in your life?
All in all I ran 20 miles in 3 hours and 9 minutes for a 9:30 pace and burned 3467 calories. Time for some food and a quick nap.
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Coffeechug Concepts Diigo Updates 07/16/2011
- Funny how I still see so many people fall prey to these three ideas. We have all been there before and amazing how times have changed.
Training - Week 8 - Week 6 of Marathon Training - Saturday - 3 Mile EZ with Brick Workout
I wanted to get one more bike ride in this week. For some reason I feel like riding the bike has really helped my leg power and stamina in my training. Maybe it is just in my head, but it helps keep my legs loose and I do feel better after riding.
This morning I rode longer than what I wanted. I ended up riding 12.3 miles after running into the Hy-Vee Iron Kids Quad Cities Triathlon. This ended up being a very cool obstacle because what better way to be pulled off your course than to see kids of all ages working like mad on their bikes in the race? It was cool to see as I was trying to navigate my way off their course.
So I rode 12.3 miles in 52 minutes stopping at home to make sure the kids were okay and not destroying their mother. I hoped for a one minute transition, but ended up with a 7 minute transition. As I was leaving the house to run after gaining clearance I noticed our pool overflowing with water. My son has turned on the hose, but forgot about the pool. As I was turning off the hose and trying to remove the excess water I soaked my shoes so had to go back inside to get my other pair of shoes and then take off. My legs were starting to tighten up by this point, but I was finally off on my run.
I took the run very easy running the 3.12 miles in 24:37 which is a 7:53 pace. I was not trying to push hard as I know I have my work cut out for me Monday with my 20 mile run which also happens to be the hottest day of our major heat wave we are experiencing. That should prove interesting.
This was a great little workout putting me at a little over 35 miles of running for the week, a little over 24 miles on the bike, one TRX workout, one push-up workout, and two more push-up workouts with one more TRX core workout to get in by tomorrow night. Another great week of training. This has been a big week, but I know I will have time to recover next week when hanging out in water parks in Wisconsin Dells.
Week 6 is almost done for the week and another week of GETTING IT DONE! I just need to get my push-ups and TRX core workouts in. Have a great weekend.
This morning I rode longer than what I wanted. I ended up riding 12.3 miles after running into the Hy-Vee Iron Kids Quad Cities Triathlon. This ended up being a very cool obstacle because what better way to be pulled off your course than to see kids of all ages working like mad on their bikes in the race? It was cool to see as I was trying to navigate my way off their course.
So I rode 12.3 miles in 52 minutes stopping at home to make sure the kids were okay and not destroying their mother. I hoped for a one minute transition, but ended up with a 7 minute transition. As I was leaving the house to run after gaining clearance I noticed our pool overflowing with water. My son has turned on the hose, but forgot about the pool. As I was turning off the hose and trying to remove the excess water I soaked my shoes so had to go back inside to get my other pair of shoes and then take off. My legs were starting to tighten up by this point, but I was finally off on my run.
I took the run very easy running the 3.12 miles in 24:37 which is a 7:53 pace. I was not trying to push hard as I know I have my work cut out for me Monday with my 20 mile run which also happens to be the hottest day of our major heat wave we are experiencing. That should prove interesting.
This was a great little workout putting me at a little over 35 miles of running for the week, a little over 24 miles on the bike, one TRX workout, one push-up workout, and two more push-up workouts with one more TRX core workout to get in by tomorrow night. Another great week of training. This has been a big week, but I know I will have time to recover next week when hanging out in water parks in Wisconsin Dells.
Week 6 is almost done for the week and another week of GETTING IT DONE! I just need to get my push-ups and TRX core workouts in. Have a great weekend.
Friday, July 15, 2011
Training - Week 8 - Week 6 of Marathon Training - Friday - 3 Mile Easy Run
I don't know what it is about running in the evening/night, but my body always feels like crap. Anyways, I went out for my 3 mile run about 8:00 tonight. I took it nice and slow to help my legs relax and recover before my big 20 mile run on Monday.
My plan for today was to run Yasso 800's, but I have had a big week of training with the 18 mile run, Bix at 6 run, and the bike ride on my rest day. I decided to go against the plan. I have 6 miles left to run and the Yasso 800's called for about 6 miles of running. My legs were not ready for a 6 miles with 6 x 800 runs today. I played it safe and went with 3 miles tonight.
Mile 1: 8:15
Mile 2: 7:33
Mile 3: 7:11
I felt pretty good throughout the whole run and my heart rate recovered quickly after the run as to where it did not take much at all to feel normal again.
Hopefully I will be able to get in a brick workout tomorrow morning to give myself one more good workout to end the week and then a day of rest before Monday.
My plan for today was to run Yasso 800's, but I have had a big week of training with the 18 mile run, Bix at 6 run, and the bike ride on my rest day. I decided to go against the plan. I have 6 miles left to run and the Yasso 800's called for about 6 miles of running. My legs were not ready for a 6 miles with 6 x 800 runs today. I played it safe and went with 3 miles tonight.
Mile 1: 8:15
Mile 2: 7:33
Mile 3: 7:11
I felt pretty good throughout the whole run and my heart rate recovered quickly after the run as to where it did not take much at all to feel normal again.
Hopefully I will be able to get in a brick workout tomorrow morning to give myself one more good workout to end the week and then a day of rest before Monday.
Book Review: Heart of Iron by Kyle Garlett
Title: Heart of Iron
Author: Kyle Garlett
Book Release: November 1st, 2011
Book Website:
Book Description(from Facebook page)
On September 26, 1989, as an 18-year old high school senior, Kyle Garlett's life changed forever. It was the first time he heard the words, "You have cancer." But it would only be the first of four such devastating diagnoses - an ongoing battle with cancer that would take him through radiation, chemotherapy, a bone marrow transplant, and then even more chemotherapy when his cancer battle morphed into a secondary leukemia.
And just in case the 54 months spent in treatment that finally ended in 2000 wasn't enough, the very next year, following a pair of surgeries to replace two of his joints, Kyle was placed on the heart transplant waiting list, leading to an eventual transplant in 2006.
But survival wasn't enough for the then 35-year old. Just eleven months after transplant he crossed the finish line of his first triathlon. And on October 10, 2009, three years to the day after receiving his new heart, Kyle became the first heart transplant recipient to ever compete in the famous Ironman World Championship in Kona, HI.
My Thoughts
I have been spending this summer reading books that serve as inspiration to my goal of running my first marathon. I came across this title and decided to give it a try to see what I could take away from the book. I read the description and thought this will be a great story. What I was not in store for was how many operations and cancer situations Kyle had to endure. I was blown away as each time I read about his next setback in health he would fight like crazy to beat it to only have to endure another setback. This was very motivational for me. Here is a guy having to undergo so much(it really is mind blowing what he all goes through) While I complain about a marathon training program. It really put things in perspective for me. I am quite lucky to have my health and the health of my children.
Kyle serves as a perfect example of my little mantra, Getting It Done. He got it done each and every single time he was dealt a bad hand. To read his story and follow his journey as he then prepares for the Ironman is even more amazing. I cannot tell you how many times that I am out on a long run feeling tired when I think of his story and it propels me to toughen up and run.
I don't know that I would have the perseverance that he possesses both with his health and his goal of completing an Ironman.
I found this to be a great story and I hope this book falls into the hands of many because whether or not you are an athlete there is so much to be taken from his story. A great read and one that I will be encouraging others to read.
Author: Kyle Garlett
Book Release: November 1st, 2011
Book Website:
Book Description(from Facebook page)
On September 26, 1989, as an 18-year old high school senior, Kyle Garlett's life changed forever. It was the first time he heard the words, "You have cancer." But it would only be the first of four such devastating diagnoses - an ongoing battle with cancer that would take him through radiation, chemotherapy, a bone marrow transplant, and then even more chemotherapy when his cancer battle morphed into a secondary leukemia.
And just in case the 54 months spent in treatment that finally ended in 2000 wasn't enough, the very next year, following a pair of surgeries to replace two of his joints, Kyle was placed on the heart transplant waiting list, leading to an eventual transplant in 2006.
But survival wasn't enough for the then 35-year old. Just eleven months after transplant he crossed the finish line of his first triathlon. And on October 10, 2009, three years to the day after receiving his new heart, Kyle became the first heart transplant recipient to ever compete in the famous Ironman World Championship in Kona, HI.
My Thoughts
I have been spending this summer reading books that serve as inspiration to my goal of running my first marathon. I came across this title and decided to give it a try to see what I could take away from the book. I read the description and thought this will be a great story. What I was not in store for was how many operations and cancer situations Kyle had to endure. I was blown away as each time I read about his next setback in health he would fight like crazy to beat it to only have to endure another setback. This was very motivational for me. Here is a guy having to undergo so much(it really is mind blowing what he all goes through) While I complain about a marathon training program. It really put things in perspective for me. I am quite lucky to have my health and the health of my children.
Kyle serves as a perfect example of my little mantra, Getting It Done. He got it done each and every single time he was dealt a bad hand. To read his story and follow his journey as he then prepares for the Ironman is even more amazing. I cannot tell you how many times that I am out on a long run feeling tired when I think of his story and it propels me to toughen up and run.
I don't know that I would have the perseverance that he possesses both with his health and his goal of completing an Ironman.
I found this to be a great story and I hope this book falls into the hands of many because whether or not you are an athlete there is so much to be taken from his story. A great read and one that I will be encouraging others to read.
Training - Week 8 - Week 6 of Marathon Training - Thursday - Final Bix at 6
Thursday night was the last Bix @ 6 run until the big race on July 30th. Once again we had some great weather. It was warm, but not too bad compared to the heat wave coming our way today.
My quads were sore today. I had to really fight through the fatigue and soreness in my quads. They just have not quite recovered from the long run yet. I hope they recover soon as I have to get my 20 mile run in on Monday before leaving for the Wisconsin Dells.
The course felt easier tonight. Each run at the Bix at 6 I feel like my body has adapted and ran stronger each time.
When I ran the first time I ran the course in 63:42 for the 7.3 miles which is over an 8:30 mile pace. However, it was very, very, hot so that is the reason for such a slow time. However, I am not sure I would have broke 60 minutes on a good day.
The second time I ran the Bix at 6 I ran 7.26 miles in 56:56 which is an 7:51 pace and my personal best. I was very happy with this run because I felt really good both during the run and afterwards.
Last night I improved once more running 7.28 miles at a 7:44 mile pace which better than last week. This was with sore quads. I hope to run like this during the race.
I did earn another blister last night. On a run earlier in the week I developed a blister on my middle toe. This was my third blister in my training. Last night my shoe came untied while running down Brady St. hill and decided to just suck it up and run until I finished. Well, that .5 mile run earned me another blister on top of the blister I had on my middle toe. Needless to say my middle toe looks gross.
I have my running goals posted over in the sidebar and my goal for this race on July 30th is
Goal: Beat time from last year 58:19
I feel like I am in great shape to beat this goal. I hope my body feels good so I can push a little harder to see what I am made of, but we will find out in 15 days.
When I got home I completed my push-ups.
Set 1: 17
Set 2: 27
Set 3: 23
Set 4: 23
Set 5: 41
I am down to 72 days until my big marathon race. Hard to believe that 39 days have gone by in the training already.
GETTING IT DONE is my motto and that is what I am doing.
My quads were sore today. I had to really fight through the fatigue and soreness in my quads. They just have not quite recovered from the long run yet. I hope they recover soon as I have to get my 20 mile run in on Monday before leaving for the Wisconsin Dells.
The course felt easier tonight. Each run at the Bix at 6 I feel like my body has adapted and ran stronger each time.
When I ran the first time I ran the course in 63:42 for the 7.3 miles which is over an 8:30 mile pace. However, it was very, very, hot so that is the reason for such a slow time. However, I am not sure I would have broke 60 minutes on a good day.
The second time I ran the Bix at 6 I ran 7.26 miles in 56:56 which is an 7:51 pace and my personal best. I was very happy with this run because I felt really good both during the run and afterwards.
Last night I improved once more running 7.28 miles at a 7:44 mile pace which better than last week. This was with sore quads. I hope to run like this during the race.
I did earn another blister last night. On a run earlier in the week I developed a blister on my middle toe. This was my third blister in my training. Last night my shoe came untied while running down Brady St. hill and decided to just suck it up and run until I finished. Well, that .5 mile run earned me another blister on top of the blister I had on my middle toe. Needless to say my middle toe looks gross.
I have my running goals posted over in the sidebar and my goal for this race on July 30th is
Goal: Beat time from last year 58:19
I feel like I am in great shape to beat this goal. I hope my body feels good so I can push a little harder to see what I am made of, but we will find out in 15 days.
When I got home I completed my push-ups.
Set 1: 17
Set 2: 27
Set 3: 23
Set 4: 23
Set 5: 41
I am down to 72 days until my big marathon race. Hard to believe that 39 days have gone by in the training already.
GETTING IT DONE is my motto and that is what I am doing.
Training - Week 8 - Week 6 of Marathon Training - Wednesday - Active Recovery
Wednesday was supposed to be a rest day. My quads were pretty sore from the 18 mile run on Tuesday. As it approached the evening I felt like I needed to get out and work out some of the soreness from my legs. I jumped on my bike and rode 11 miles. This really helped to make my legs feel better. A good bike ride. First time really dealing with some strong winds and also first time riding during 5:00 traffic which was no fun stopping all the time. However, the ride did the job. I loosened my legs and feel much better mentally.
I also performed a TRX workout. I did a strength workout and finished with some more core exercises. Once again I did not think the workout did much for me, but when I woke up on Thursday my upper body was sore.
This was not necessarily a rest day, but a good active rest day and got the bike and TRX done which were both needed.
I also performed a TRX workout. I did a strength workout and finished with some more core exercises. Once again I did not think the workout did much for me, but when I woke up on Thursday my upper body was sore.
This was not necessarily a rest day, but a good active rest day and got the bike and TRX done which were both needed.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Training - Week 8 - Week 6 of Marathon Training - Tuesday - 18 Mile Monster
I did it! Another mental barrier knocked down in my head. I woke up at 4:40 this morning(40 minutes later than I wanted, but still early). I got up to get my run out of the way before the heat kicked in as it was going to be another brutal day of heat and humidity.
I got up and ate 2 multi-grain waffles, a 100 calorie chocolate pretzel snack, some Five Alive juice to wash down my vitamins, BCAA's, and joint pills, and a nice cup of coffee before embarking on this journey. I considered going down to the bike trail along the Mississippi River where I ran my 16 mile run last week, but decided not to due to time. I needed to get back to help with the kids and get them to Vacation Bible School.
Around 5:30 I took off from my house. There is nothing flat about where I live and therefore 18 miles of running is going to force me to tackle hills. It is amazing how much of Bettendorf you can cover when running 18 miles. I started off nice and slow because I did not want to hit a wall later on. I have been doing the following on these long runs and so far it has worked out great:
Surprisingly, my body felt great. Like the last run my knees gave me fits. I think this was due to the hills. I ran down Forest Grove which is a road that I forgot contains like 5 long gradual hills that are not enjoyable on a long run. I actually felt great running on them, but running downhill just destroys my knees.
I was cashed on mile 16 mile. My calves started to cramp and get very tight. I had to refill my water and I drank a ton of water the last two miles to make it.
This was a pivotal run for me. After not getting my goal Saturday night I lost a little of my motivation. I did not feel great running yesterday, so getting out this morning and GETTING IT DONE! was huge for me. I am not sure how I will handle the 20 mile run next week. I don't know about a marathon. There is something about 26.2 miles that just scares me. I know this is probably a common feeling for anyone tackling a marathon for the first time, but as I continue to run longer, the expectation of 26.2 miles is tough. I do know that if I can run the race at this pace I will break my goal of running under 4 hours.
The best thing about this is once again proving how strong we actually are when we leave the self doubt behind. I continue to be amazed at this. I had some miles in the run today where I was moving at a good clip for me on a long run:
Mile 10: 8:27
Mile 12: 8:13
Mile 15: 8:20
I don't feel too bad this afternoon. My legs are tired, but I don't feel like I have to lay down all day like I did on my last few long runs. I hope to have a great today tomorrow not running, but getting in TRX and maybe a bike ride depending on how the legs feel.
I am proud of myself and I hope that you are pushing yourself to new levels where you can be proud of yourself.
On another note, a great source of inspiration to me, Jeff Paul, has a big race this weekend in Racine. He will be competing in an Ironman 70.3. He recently posted a blog post about reflecting on where he was three years ago and where he is now. He is a machine right now. I hope he tears up the course. He is due. He has prepared. He is GETTING IT DONE! If you have not checked out his blog(Dream Big JP) please do so. Be sure to follow him on Sunday and send him some good luck as he has not had the best luck so far this year. However, I am feeling nothing but success for him this weekend.
I got up and ate 2 multi-grain waffles, a 100 calorie chocolate pretzel snack, some Five Alive juice to wash down my vitamins, BCAA's, and joint pills, and a nice cup of coffee before embarking on this journey. I considered going down to the bike trail along the Mississippi River where I ran my 16 mile run last week, but decided not to due to time. I needed to get back to help with the kids and get them to Vacation Bible School.
Around 5:30 I took off from my house. There is nothing flat about where I live and therefore 18 miles of running is going to force me to tackle hills. It is amazing how much of Bettendorf you can cover when running 18 miles. I started off nice and slow because I did not want to hit a wall later on. I have been doing the following on these long runs and so far it has worked out great:
- Taking a drink of water every mile
- Every 5 miles stop and take GU, walking briskly for .05 - .1 of a mile to let it settle
- Every 4 miles eat 2 Cliff Blocks
Surprisingly, my body felt great. Like the last run my knees gave me fits. I think this was due to the hills. I ran down Forest Grove which is a road that I forgot contains like 5 long gradual hills that are not enjoyable on a long run. I actually felt great running on them, but running downhill just destroys my knees.
I was cashed on mile 16 mile. My calves started to cramp and get very tight. I had to refill my water and I drank a ton of water the last two miles to make it.
This was a pivotal run for me. After not getting my goal Saturday night I lost a little of my motivation. I did not feel great running yesterday, so getting out this morning and GETTING IT DONE! was huge for me. I am not sure how I will handle the 20 mile run next week. I don't know about a marathon. There is something about 26.2 miles that just scares me. I know this is probably a common feeling for anyone tackling a marathon for the first time, but as I continue to run longer, the expectation of 26.2 miles is tough. I do know that if I can run the race at this pace I will break my goal of running under 4 hours.
 |
| Mental Toughness: Half Full or Half Empty? |
Mile 10: 8:27
Mile 12: 8:13
Mile 15: 8:20
I don't feel too bad this afternoon. My legs are tired, but I don't feel like I have to lay down all day like I did on my last few long runs. I hope to have a great today tomorrow not running, but getting in TRX and maybe a bike ride depending on how the legs feel.
I am proud of myself and I hope that you are pushing yourself to new levels where you can be proud of yourself.
On another note, a great source of inspiration to me, Jeff Paul, has a big race this weekend in Racine. He will be competing in an Ironman 70.3. He recently posted a blog post about reflecting on where he was three years ago and where he is now. He is a machine right now. I hope he tears up the course. He is due. He has prepared. He is GETTING IT DONE! If you have not checked out his blog(Dream Big JP) please do so. Be sure to follow him on Sunday and send him some good luck as he has not had the best luck so far this year. However, I am feeling nothing but success for him this weekend.
Training - Week 8 - Week 6 of Marathon Training - Monday
Monday I took the run nice and slow. It was very hot and humid. My body feels battered and torn so I did not want to push too much. I ran nice and slow running the 4 miles in 33:38. I never got into a good vibe on the run, but it felt good to get out and sweat like crazy. I need a few more runs to get my body stable in the heat.
I have a big week ahead with 35 miles of running. I have never ran this much before in a week so this will be a big week for me. In that 35 miles I have a 18 mile run which has me quite nervous.
Another big week to challenge my brain. GETTING IT DONE
I have a big week ahead with 35 miles of running. I have never ran this much before in a week so this will be a big week for me. In that 35 miles I have a 18 mile run which has me quite nervous.
Another big week to challenge my brain. GETTING IT DONE
Training - Week 7 - Week 5 of Marathon Training - Sunday Workout and Week 5 Recap
Sunday I woke up ready to get back on track after not achieving my goal of running the Moonlight Chase in under 27 minutes. I was tired and sore so I decided to jump on my bike to loosen up my legs and also because I had not been on my bike all week. While riding I decided to pick up the pace a little bit and to do a brick workout. Despite the stops at intersections I was able to ride 10 miles in 40 minutes for an 4:01 mile pace. This is my best ride yet. I then jumped off the bike, had a 1 minute transition and then ran 3 miles in the heat in 23:58. My legs were tired. I was running slow and not trying to push it too much. The first mile of run I had a sharp pain in my hamstring, but is slowly went away.
Later in the day I completed the final set of push ups for the week.
Set 1: 13
Set 2: 13
Set 3: 20
Set 4: 20
Set 5: 13
Set 6: 13
Set 7: 36+(I did 40)
It was a good workout to end the week on.
I finished the week with 33 miles of running which is one more than the plan scheduled, 10 miles on the bike, three push up workouts. I did not get any TRX training in, but I will incorporate that into training this week.
This was a big week for me as I was able to break my distance record with 16 miles, set a PR on the Bix course and still feeling great afterwards, and having a minor setback with the Moonlight Chase(but still running a PR and winning my Clydesdale division). I look to this week being another good week of solid training working on stretching and strength and conditioning.
GETTING IT DONE one day at a time.
Later in the day I completed the final set of push ups for the week.
Set 1: 13
Set 2: 13
Set 3: 20
Set 4: 20
Set 5: 13
Set 6: 13
Set 7: 36+(I did 40)
It was a good workout to end the week on.
I finished the week with 33 miles of running which is one more than the plan scheduled, 10 miles on the bike, three push up workouts. I did not get any TRX training in, but I will incorporate that into training this week.
This was a big week for me as I was able to break my distance record with 16 miles, set a PR on the Bix course and still feeling great afterwards, and having a minor setback with the Moonlight Chase(but still running a PR and winning my Clydesdale division). I look to this week being another good week of solid training working on stretching and strength and conditioning.
GETTING IT DONE one day at a time.
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Training - Week 7 - Week 5 of Marathon Training - Saturday - Moonlight Chase
Last night I ran in the Moonlight Chase. As you know from either running it or my previous posts this is a flat 4 mile course. I had set my sights on a race goal of under 27 minutes. After running the Bix at 6 Thursday evening I felt prepared.
I had studied my note, mentally ran through the run, and felt great going to the race. However, things took a little turn for me. First off I read the information wrong and I got my family there way early. I thought the kids ran their race at 6:30, but it was not until 7:30. So, the kids enjoyed a corndog and we just hung out until race time. They did a great job running. I am proud of them for going out and giving it their best. Addyson was a little overwhelmed with all the people around her and after about 20 seconds she broke out in tears and we walked it in. They were both excited to earn a ribbon, water, Popsicle, and a balloon after the run.
After waiting through the next race I started to get ready. I soon realized I left all my pre race ritual stuff at home. I know 4 miles is not that big of distance, but with my goal in mind this really frustrated me. I was out of sorts. I tried to eat some fruit snacks instead and that just did not sit well with me.
After a mile warmup and some stretching I was ready. I got into place, but in hindsight realized putting myself where I belong is not smart. People just cram in wherever and this would later hurt me on the run. Next time I should just sit back and wait for everyone to clear and then run.
The race started and it was so bottled up I could not get out to the pace I wanted. Looking at my Garmin data I ended up the running at an 8 minute mile pace for 40 seconds before being able to break free and get going. At that point I was not thinking positive because I knew that this is a huge time frame to make up in a short 4 mile race. I bolted and made the mistake of trying to gain too much ground too fast and had my heart rate up over 90% and running under a 6 minute mile pace for a short burst before finally settling in. However, that really burned up some major energy. With all that being said and done I ran the first mile in 6:51 which is 6 seconds off my goal time. Mile 2 I improved slightly to 6:49 pace and during this mile I got bottled up at the water station. I was not paying great attention as there are people everywhere on the run. I had to slow down, got bumped, decided to grab a water and then the lady pulled back on me and I had to come to a stop to apologize as I blasted her with the cup of water. That incident right there cost my my 4 seconds of my mile pace goal. Mile 3 I dropped in time to 6:52 I was starting to feel the effects of not staying calm and going out too fast earlier to make up ground. Right towards the end of this mile I got a side cramp unlike one I have never had before. I have had cramps before, but this one almost made me stop and call it. I was running with my hand literally grasped around my rib cage. After about a minute or so it finally subsided and this was at the end of mile 3 into mile 4. However, that cramp cost me some more time and I finished mile 4 in 6:55.
My total race time according to my Garmin watch was 27:45 for 4.05 mile which is a 6:52 mile pace. I will be honest and tell you that I am not happy with this time. Part of me knows I should be. My original goal for this race was to run under 28 minutes. I changed that goal to under 27 after running the Davenport Dualthon and running the final leg which was a 5k at an 6:46 mile pace. I thought for sure I could do this again. The way I have been running I was confident in meeting this goal. There are so many things that can change the course of achieving your goals. I can honestly say that I did everything training wise to be ready. Had I brought my pre race ritual stuff would that have changed? It is hard to say and there is not reason to play the What If game.
Going back to a post from July 11th, 2010 last year when I ran this race I shared the following:
I ran in the Moonlight Chase. This is a flat 4 mile course in Eldridge. I set a new personal best with my mile pace by finishing in 32:20. This is an 8:05 mile pace. I increased my PR by 11 seconds where my previous best was 8:16.
I read that part of the post from one year ago I cannot help but be impressed by what I have achieved. I am so glad I have documented my journey in running. This race last year was my first running race. I knocked off almost 5 minutes from my race time since last year. That is AWESOME! My mile pace has increased by a minute and 20 seconds. So with that in the back of my mind I have to remind myself that despite not achieving my goal, I am accomplishing an even more important goal of GETTING IT DONE by getting better everyday, leading a more healthy and active life, and seeing results.
I was not able to stick around as my kids were to their breaking point. It was late being after 10:00. Ava held on strong, but when we got home the heat and late night caught up with her as she threw up her whole bottle. During this fun time I received a text stating that I won the Clydesdale group. I took first in this division. The Clydesdale division is for big people like myself that weigh over 200 lbs. Some friends of ours were nice enough to pick up my medal and bring it to the house. This was cool to earn and kind of help place a positive to the end of the night.
Well, this race has provided me some new topics for my GETTING IT DONE series and now it is time for me to get out there and train. I have two workouts for today. Thanks to Amanda for sticking out the long night and dealing with the children during the race. None of this would ever be possible if she were not so amazing.
In conclusion here are the final results for my run and after contemplation through this post, I have come to terms with not achieving my goal and am quite happy with my results. However, I have not given up on this goal and before the summer is over I WILL run a 4 mile course in under 27 minutes to prove to myself that I can GET IT DONE.
Here are the official race results
Official Chip Time: 27:42
Overall Finish: 102/1501
Clydesdale Division: 1/75
A great night despite some personal setbacks. It was great to see Jeff and Jen Paul tear up the course. Congrats to Jen for her victory. It was also great to see Ben Driscoll run very well as well as our good friends Carrie and Kristy.
 |
| Aiden and Addyson ready to tear up the course! |
After waiting through the next race I started to get ready. I soon realized I left all my pre race ritual stuff at home. I know 4 miles is not that big of distance, but with my goal in mind this really frustrated me. I was out of sorts. I tried to eat some fruit snacks instead and that just did not sit well with me.
After a mile warmup and some stretching I was ready. I got into place, but in hindsight realized putting myself where I belong is not smart. People just cram in wherever and this would later hurt me on the run. Next time I should just sit back and wait for everyone to clear and then run.
The race started and it was so bottled up I could not get out to the pace I wanted. Looking at my Garmin data I ended up the running at an 8 minute mile pace for 40 seconds before being able to break free and get going. At that point I was not thinking positive because I knew that this is a huge time frame to make up in a short 4 mile race. I bolted and made the mistake of trying to gain too much ground too fast and had my heart rate up over 90% and running under a 6 minute mile pace for a short burst before finally settling in. However, that really burned up some major energy. With all that being said and done I ran the first mile in 6:51 which is 6 seconds off my goal time. Mile 2 I improved slightly to 6:49 pace and during this mile I got bottled up at the water station. I was not paying great attention as there are people everywhere on the run. I had to slow down, got bumped, decided to grab a water and then the lady pulled back on me and I had to come to a stop to apologize as I blasted her with the cup of water. That incident right there cost my my 4 seconds of my mile pace goal. Mile 3 I dropped in time to 6:52 I was starting to feel the effects of not staying calm and going out too fast earlier to make up ground. Right towards the end of this mile I got a side cramp unlike one I have never had before. I have had cramps before, but this one almost made me stop and call it. I was running with my hand literally grasped around my rib cage. After about a minute or so it finally subsided and this was at the end of mile 3 into mile 4. However, that cramp cost me some more time and I finished mile 4 in 6:55.
My total race time according to my Garmin watch was 27:45 for 4.05 mile which is a 6:52 mile pace. I will be honest and tell you that I am not happy with this time. Part of me knows I should be. My original goal for this race was to run under 28 minutes. I changed that goal to under 27 after running the Davenport Dualthon and running the final leg which was a 5k at an 6:46 mile pace. I thought for sure I could do this again. The way I have been running I was confident in meeting this goal. There are so many things that can change the course of achieving your goals. I can honestly say that I did everything training wise to be ready. Had I brought my pre race ritual stuff would that have changed? It is hard to say and there is not reason to play the What If game.
Going back to a post from July 11th, 2010 last year when I ran this race I shared the following:
I ran in the Moonlight Chase. This is a flat 4 mile course in Eldridge. I set a new personal best with my mile pace by finishing in 32:20. This is an 8:05 mile pace. I increased my PR by 11 seconds where my previous best was 8:16.
I read that part of the post from one year ago I cannot help but be impressed by what I have achieved. I am so glad I have documented my journey in running. This race last year was my first running race. I knocked off almost 5 minutes from my race time since last year. That is AWESOME! My mile pace has increased by a minute and 20 seconds. So with that in the back of my mind I have to remind myself that despite not achieving my goal, I am accomplishing an even more important goal of GETTING IT DONE by getting better everyday, leading a more healthy and active life, and seeing results.
 |
| The Maurer troop ready for a long night |
In conclusion here are the final results for my run and after contemplation through this post, I have come to terms with not achieving my goal and am quite happy with my results. However, I have not given up on this goal and before the summer is over I WILL run a 4 mile course in under 27 minutes to prove to myself that I can GET IT DONE.
Here are the official race results
Official Chip Time: 27:42
Overall Finish: 102/1501
Clydesdale Division: 1/75
A great night despite some personal setbacks. It was great to see Jeff and Jen Paul tear up the course. Congrats to Jen for her victory. It was also great to see Ben Driscoll run very well as well as our good friends Carrie and Kristy.
Saturday, July 9, 2011
A New Coffeechug Project
I am trying something new.
I have read some great books lately and one of the books suggested creating a small routine each morning to start your day off right.
I have decided to work on this and the resulting idea(s) was to journal a question/prompt each day.
Every morning I will post a question/prompt along with my answer. I would really enjoy it if you would also take time to respond to the questions you find worthwhile to respond to.
This little project is going to be hosted on my Tumblr account @ http://coffeechug.tumblr.com/
I have posted a prompt for today so head on over and take a peak.
One more thing to add to my plate, but one that will be a great way to start off my day each morning.
I have read some great books lately and one of the books suggested creating a small routine each morning to start your day off right.
I have decided to work on this and the resulting idea(s) was to journal a question/prompt each day.
Every morning I will post a question/prompt along with my answer. I would really enjoy it if you would also take time to respond to the questions you find worthwhile to respond to.
This little project is going to be hosted on my Tumblr account @ http://coffeechug.tumblr.com/
I have posted a prompt for today so head on over and take a peak.
One more thing to add to my plate, but one that will be a great way to start off my day each morning.
Coffeechug Concepts Diigo Updates 07/07/2011
- butterflies = air nachos
- #ukedchat Teacher: 'My stuff's not good enough to share' Me: Stop sharing it with the 30 children in your class then.
- The Ultimate Dropbox Toolkit & Guide http://bit.ly/bdD2Zw
- How To Easily Googlize Your Lessons: http://bit.ly/amyM1q
- 50 Fun iPhone & iPad Apps to Get Kids Reading and Learning http://ow.ly/343Tn #vanmeter @derondurflinger
- Here's a classroom project. Get your kids to prototype a mobile app. http://keynotopia.com no programming necessary. #design
- One more plug for my blog/video of the amazing Personal Learning Network builder @shellterrell http://bit.ly/b5aKku
- Collaborize Classroom... free online learning platform that allows students to engage & discuss http://ow.ly/2WpcZ #vanmeter
- RT @KristenCromer: Want to enrich your #DL10 experience? #FF @drstrangelearn #DL10ARG http://drstrangelearn.com
- Pick a bad photo, add a vintage effect and write something in helvetica. http://bit.ly/cGQeP2 works everytime.
- If you haven't seen it, watch this video. It will make a difference. Sir Ken Robinson. http://bit.ly/9L4Zqm #Edchat
- My blog & video of @shellterrell on personal learning networks: http://bit.ly/9uQwVn
- . @SteveMynett @toddsmithdesign Have you seen Ze Frank's latest on TED? http://bit.ly/cw1Put
Coffeechug Concepts Diigo Updates 07/08/2011
- RT @sefubernard: Prepping for @PGCbasketball's post #camp. Inspired to write this blog post on #rebounding – http://ow.ly/5ypdH Thoughts?
Friday, July 8, 2011
Training - Week 7 - Week 5 of Marathon Training - Thursday - Bix @ 6
What a great night to run! The weather was so much better compared to last week when we ran the Bix @ 6. It was nice to meet up with some people I have not seen all summer. I felt much better during this run. I properly hydrated, had some good carbs in me, and my mind I was running at a much more relaxed pace.
Every single time I run this course I cannot get over the little hurdles and challenges that it brings. This is a tough course. I felt that I really responded well to the hills and climbs on this course and when I finished I was not exhausted. I actually recovered very quickly. This is good because I did not want to go all out being that I have my race Saturday night.
I ended up running 7.26 miles in 56:56 which is a PR for me on this course. This is a good improvement from my best time of 58:19 last year at the race. This is a great confidence booster as it is another sign that my training is working as planned.
My heart rate was pretty standard at 163 which is right around 86% MHR. I know that one thing that caused me some concern was running down Brady St. hill. I could slow my momentum and I was moving a good clip and as a result I think I have a slight groin pull. Nothing too serious, but something to keep an eye on.
My mile splits are signs of where the hills caught up to me.
Mile 1: 8:15
Mile 2: 7:47
Mile 3: 7:40
Mile 4: 8:12
Mile 5: 7:40
Mile 6: 8:08
Mile 7: 7:20
Can you guess where the hills were?
This was the type of run I needed going into the Moonlight Chase tomorrow. I was feeling a little discouraged after my last three mile run and how tired I was knowing I would still have to run another mile at a good clip. This run reminded me that I can do this. I can capture my goal of 27 minutes for 4 miles. It is going to be hot so there are a lot of factors that can influence this race.
I am ready.
I have prepared.
I have been training very well.
I am going to do nothing but accomplish my goal of GETTING IT DONE!
Here is my reminder still staring me in the face. And I think I have decided to put tape over my watch to not know my times. I have decided instead to create a 27 minute playlist for the race. Any song suggestions? I am going to start off with Kid Rock, but have not had time to get past that yet. Throw me some suggestions and I will take a listen and possibly use the songs to help push me to accomplishing this little checkpoint along the way.
Every single time I run this course I cannot get over the little hurdles and challenges that it brings. This is a tough course. I felt that I really responded well to the hills and climbs on this course and when I finished I was not exhausted. I actually recovered very quickly. This is good because I did not want to go all out being that I have my race Saturday night.
I ended up running 7.26 miles in 56:56 which is a PR for me on this course. This is a good improvement from my best time of 58:19 last year at the race. This is a great confidence booster as it is another sign that my training is working as planned.
My heart rate was pretty standard at 163 which is right around 86% MHR. I know that one thing that caused me some concern was running down Brady St. hill. I could slow my momentum and I was moving a good clip and as a result I think I have a slight groin pull. Nothing too serious, but something to keep an eye on.
My mile splits are signs of where the hills caught up to me.
Mile 1: 8:15
Mile 2: 7:47
Mile 3: 7:40
Mile 4: 8:12
Mile 5: 7:40
Mile 6: 8:08
Mile 7: 7:20
Can you guess where the hills were?
This was the type of run I needed going into the Moonlight Chase tomorrow. I was feeling a little discouraged after my last three mile run and how tired I was knowing I would still have to run another mile at a good clip. This run reminded me that I can do this. I can capture my goal of 27 minutes for 4 miles. It is going to be hot so there are a lot of factors that can influence this race.
I am ready.
I have prepared.
I have been training very well.
I am going to do nothing but accomplish my goal of GETTING IT DONE!
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