Getting Closer

The Anthem 5k is less than 2 weeks away. I am pretty excited about this race. I am coming off the Frostbite 5k in which I ran it in 26:31, My personal best. I was hoping for under 30 minutes, but I honestly did not expect that time.

I am running in the YMCA's Run to the Sun this Saturday. It is another 4 mile race. I like the adrenaline rush that comes with a race. I am very addicted to it right now.

I am glad the weather is warming up. It makes it a whole easier to go out run outdoors. I ran outside Monday night. I ran for about 4 miles at a track at an elementary school by my my house. Tonight I hit the gym. Did the elliptical for an hour and did some strength training. I usually run 3 days out of the week. Hit the gym the 3 others days and do another cardio exercise and do some strength training and take one day off all together. I really like this system. It helps break up some of the monotony of training.

I am a robot from the future....

If you don't get that reference it came from Last Night's How I Met Your Mother, when Marshal was getting himself pumped to run the NYC Marathon. I watched on DVR last night after I wen to the gym to run. That brings up 2 gadgets that have helped me in my training. These are necessities but definitely help me with my runs. They are the DVR and Ipod. Last year ,at this time ,I was a couch potato. I had to stay home and watch my favorite shows. Skip the gym, etc. Now I can train and work out at the gym and still watch my favorite shows. I have the Ipod nano with the Nike + sensor. The Ipod helps by letting me listen to my favorite music while running. The sensor helps record how far I went and the pace. Like I said these are not Necessities, but they do make my workouts a little more enjoyable.

As for the training, One lesson I learned Saturday Morning is make sure you get enough rest the night before you run. Friday was my birthday, so I decided to celebrate and stay up later than I should have. I did not do anything wild or crazy that night, but just did not get to bed until 2:00 AM. 7:00 Am came fast. Got up ran with the group. Half way through my head started to pound from not enough sleep. It was only a training day, but with the races being only 3 weeks away, I felt I wasted an opportunity to improve. I know a rookie mistake. I feel ready for the Anthem 5K. The City Run almost there. The Papa John's 10 miler, a little worried. I took the plunge and signed up for the Mini-marathon before the early bird deadline. For some reason I am not worried about the race. I guess I figure by that point I will have the 10 miler behind and the experience and lessons from that. Plus another month to prepare for it after the 10 miler.

This weekend I am running in the Frostbite 5K. My goal is to run it in about 30 minutes. The forecast keeps changing for Saturday, so who knows what to expect. One thing I have noticed is for me it it is easier to train outside now, than inside. It took me a while to get used running in the cold, but now if I run on a treadmill, it seems like I burn up. I have been purposely walking outside more and doing things outside to get used to the weather. I find this very strange.

Training in the Winter

I guess this is the time of year that separates the truely dedicated with those who are just mildly interested. This past Saturday with group run was brutal. I passed by a bank that displayed the time and temperature. It was ready 12 degrees. I was thinking to myself, this is crazy. We went for our run. Part of course that we ran was covered in ice and snow. I proceeding with caution, while I know it is important to get conditioned to run in these conditions, I also know if I slip and fall, I could injure myself badly with only a month to go to the Anthem 5K.

One thing for sure you have to be ready for all weather, because you never know what Louisville has in store for March.

The Rookie

Just before Christmas, I decided to buy my first pair of shoes that I bought just for running. Before hand I thought a "tennis" shoe was a "tennis" shoe. In my head I though how much of a difference can It make? I can answer that now, a lot. It surprised my how much better my feet feel after I run in the running shoes. I would recommend going to a running store, so they can help you choose the right shoe for your stride.

Another thing that I found out from talking to other runners is the advantage of the technical shirts and socks vs. cotton. Your skin does breath better and also does not hold the moisture in the fabric. I was amazed at the difference. I know for a lot of experienced runners this is old news, but for me it was a revelation.

I started my training program with Fleet Feet the second week in January. The first Saturday morning run from the store was my first with the group. We ran to Cherrokee Park and back for
about a 2 mile run. It was not really a bad day for January, mid to upper 40's. So the run wasn't really that bad. I felt pretty energized about the run. So much so That I decided to do the Snowman Shuffle the next week.

My friend John and myself decided to run in the race. Waking up as early as I do during the week to go to work, I headed out to the race. It was in the mid-20's. We were asking ourselves, "Is this sane?" My past two races in October were under better conditions. AThen the race began. This was the first time, any hills were in my runs. I was felling pretty good most of the race. I was doing a pretty good pace. I started to slow down going up the first hill, but I did it just fine. It was until the last hill going back up to Hogan's Fountain, we I had to walk for about a minute. Then I shaw the gazebo at the top of the hill, and I pushed myself up the hill. Finished the race in 37:07, 239th place. I was very pleased with that time. I was aiming for somewhere between 40 and 45 minutes. So exceeded my own expectations. After the race the conclusion between my friend and myself that this was totally worth it.