Treadmill Run

Time: 79:10

Distance: ~20.8 kilometers

This year Craft and Karhu is sponsoring the YMCA North Shore Race Series which doesn't kick off until April, but we were able to take advantage of some our contacts. Meagan scored a week long pass to any of the six YMCA's near us. Fortunately, the closest location is across the street from our building.

We walked the 50 meters in the snow to the front door of the Y which was far enough for me to know that a run outside would mean: cold feet, narrow shoulders, impassable sidewalks and an achilles injury three weeks from now. It was going to be a treadmill run for me, but would I make it 80 minutes or just 8? I usually despise spinning my wheels, but for whatever reason, today was different.

I put the incline at 2.0 and started on my way to nowhere. I ran easy for 30 minutes while watching ESPN -- a luxury since we only get four channels at home. I learned that Michael Jordan is turning 50 and all week ESPN will be running specials on his legacy. It sounds like if there is a week to run inside, this might be it!

After 30 minutes I upped the tempo to 10 MPH (6:00/mi pace) and proceeded to listen to Sigur Ros while drenching the treadmill's display. I held pace for the next 30 minutes feeling like I was running relaxed but making the most of the indoor run. As most treadmills do, the machine started cooling down at the hour mark. I ran easy for 3 minutes to get a slight recovery, reset the timer and then started a brief fartlek of roughly: 2 mins on (1 off), 1:30 on (1 off) with pace ranging from 5:27 to 5:13 on the hard and 6:40 to 6:00 on the easy. I was making it up as I went along for the next 13-14 minutes.

I ended feeling pretty beat at the end of the nearly 80 minutes session and exceeded my goal of 12 miles. I hope to get outside and run on the roads soon, but it's good to know that making a workout of running on the treadmill at least makes it somewhat bearable for me.

Stretch Session

I went to the gym this evening and spent about 5 mins on the elliptical while Kristi was working out. I got bored and decided to hit up the fitness room for some solid stretching. My hips are relatively tight but that's always the case. By the end of the session I was feeling much more relaxed and my calves are noticeably less stiff.

I normally wouldn't post about a simple stretch session but I have to report that the new uniforms are in and they'll look pretty sharp at the front of the pack. I should post a picture but that would ruin the suspense for their debut on Sunday morning at 6:30 (that's half 6 if you're a knacker). That's right a start time of 6:30 am! Who does that? Oh, and for all of you running over 6 hours, you're in luck because there is a 4:30 am start time for the slow pokes.

Sorry slow pokes, have fun getting up before 4:00.

Really Early Morn' Treadmill

Time: 30:00
Distance: 4.0 miles

Before hopping a jet to Charlotte I ran on the treadmill down the street at the gym. My flight was leaving at 7:15 am which meant I was out of Norman by 6:00 am which meant I was on the treadmill at 5:10 am which meant I was up at 4:45 am. I wasn't alone at the gym as a couple other fitness fans were in attendance too. The trip was off without any hitches until Blake missed the flight in Minn./St. Paul.

Workout Shakeout

Time: 29:18
Distance: 4.16 miles
Pace: 7:03
Map

It was a lovely morning here in Nompton. I felt a little bad that I wasn't out cutting shapes on the track because the wind was completely absent form this morning's short jog. I got out the door a little bit later but I was only hoping to loosen up the legs for a workout this afternoon. I finished at the gym and stretched a little better than a few days ago. I made sure to do some eccentric calf loads and some other stretches to work on my hips. I'm looking to have a good one this afternoon on Norman High's track.

Easy Monday Morning

Time: 54:38
Distance: 8.02 miles
Pace: 6:49
Map

I got out the door on a run through the streets heading west and found myself near Alcott Middle School. The run was pretty standard with nothing exciting going on. I felt a little twinge in my plantar but I'm pretty certain it's because of the damn SuperFeet I've been using. The heel cup is starting to grow old and I may need to ditch the insert or find something else. I finished the run at the gym and pretended to stretch for 10 minutes.

Lose, Lose

Time: 45:00
Distance: 7.00 miles

The treadmill is an awful machine but so is wintry mix. I ran at the gym this morning because it was windy and I didn't feel like putting on a cold weather running costume. Too many articles of clothing to wash in the sink. The pace started out slow but was clipping along by the end of it. For some reason the treadmill limits you at 45 mins so I raced to the 7 mile mark. I would estimate the last mile was run around 5:20 pace and it was judged perfectly. The schedule had me at 8 in the AM and 4 in the PM. After work I was planning on suiting up for a 5 miler but, again, I didn't want to suit up for the wind which is now at 21 mph. Tomorrow is going to be nice so I won't be able to talk myself out of some jogs.

Windy Zig Zags

Time: 71:59
Distance: 11.05 miles
Pace: 6:31
Splits: 7:47, 6:52, 6:39, 6:30, 6:32, 6:22, 6:15, 6:18, 6:16, 6:07, 6:04
Map

What a crappy morning. I woke up to sustained winds of 20 mph or more and contemplated running at the gym on the 'mill. I set foot out the door and ran a block south and then headed east before cutting back south a block. I repeated the south, east, south, west routine for quite some time. I considered running 6 miles outside and then finishing up on the 'mill but that seemed just as bad as the wind. If you don't normally look at the map, I would recommend you doing so today because it shows a unique shape. I was just over 8 miles when I hit the Pickard/Imhoff intersection and turned to head straight north. Having the wind at the back was huge time.

I was definitely a big sluggish today which I'll contribute in part to the wind and the workout from yesterday. I didn't mean to drop the pace each mile but that's the way it went. I still felt heavy and the breathing wasn't as relaxed as it should have been. Tomorrow's long run could be interesting. The wind continued throughout the day but hopefully it will be finished by the morning.

Issued by The National Weather Service
Oklahoma City, OK
3:16 pm CDT, Mon., Mar. 23, 2009

... WIND ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM CDT THIS EVENING...

SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL CONTINUE AT 25 TO 35 MPH THROUGH THIS EVENING. THE STRONG WINDS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH A STRONG SURFACE LOW OVER CENTRAL NEBRASKA. SOME WINDS GUSTS ACROSS NORTHERN OKLAHOMA MAY EXCEED 50 MPH ESPECIALLY THROUGH 7 PM.

A WIND ADVISORY MEANS THAT SUSTAINED WINDS OVER 30 MPH... OR FREQUENT GUSTS OVER 40 MPH... ARE EXPECTED. WINDS THIS STRONG CAN MAKE DRIVING DIFFICULT... ESPECIALLY FOR HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES. USE EXTRA CAUTION.

Man with a Plan

Time: 32:54
Distance: 4+ miles
Gym

Carrot Top arrived at the shop around closing time wondering if I was going for a run. He had already put in some miles by the time I was able to join him and we took a tour of Brookhaven. Nothing too exciting on that front. This afternoon Jailhouse shot me an email with my training for the next 42 days. It looks reasonable, although he has me working out the day after St. Paddy's day. Idiot. I was supposed to run a 6 miler and a 4 miler today which I came close to doing. Oh well. On the drive home from work with Gustavo we drove by Downtown Fitness and I saw that Ms. Kristi Cook was banging away on the 'mill. I opted to walk up the street and amuse her for a few moments. In the back of my mind I knew that I was a few miles short on the day so I threw down a couple more miles just to impress the couple on the elliptical machine.

Man without a Plan

Time: 25:24
Distance: 3+ miles
Gym

I took a spin through the streets of Norman this morning and had to wonder why the streets were so quiet. I finally realized once I reached campus that it was spring break and all the students were off in another world getting hammered and flashing their tits. I finished the run at the gym and lifted some stuff in an attempt to get huge. I think I also may have ellipticalled both forward and backwards for 5 minutes each. I kept the run brief this morning so as to preserve the freshness in my legs. I'm also waiting for Jeffrey to hit me back with a 42 day plan. Yesterday I shot off an email to Jailhouse with the hope that he could help me come up with a plan to get me healthy and in 2:30 marathon shape for OKC. We'll see how it shapes up.

Spring Is Here?

Time: 35:44
Distance: 5 miles
Gym: morning

Last night at 'sicking Kristi showed me her Downtown Fitness card and invited me to join her at 6 am for some elliptical action. Not gonna happen. I was there a bit later and put in some time warming up the muscles for some decent stretching and eccentric loads. The achilles felt fine this morning after not really icing last night.

After working with Oscar all day I ran home from the shop on a windy but warm evening. The legs were feeling good and it felt like I was running at a good clip. The darkness probably made me feel like I was running faster than I actually was but that's okay at this point. The 80 degree temps today were a joy but the pollen in the air sucks. My allergies are killing me.

The Streak Goes Down

Time: none
Distance: none
Gym: morning

I got up and headed to the gym for some elliptical and biking kicks. I was warmed up and did my eccentric loads on the achilles that is feeling much better. I was hoping to run in the evening after work but Gustavo didn't bring his costume. I didn't feel like running in the dark and decided to take the night off. I also broke my streak of alcohol free days (AFDs). Yesterday during the run I was thinking about the last time I had a beer and I'm pretty sure it was last Sunday during the Academy Awards which means I had an AFW. And, actually it was wine that I was drinking. Tonight I had a Bud Light Lime which hit the spot while we watched the OSU vs. Kansas State game. Some "bracketologists" say that with the win OSU would be given a spot into March Madness. Next up is Bedlam here in Norman on Saturday.

Monday Run at the GT

Time: 37:45
Distance: 5 miles
Gym: afternoon

I dropped my stretch rope and the gym this afternoon before starting off on a run up to the grass track. The legs were feeling good and the achilles wasn't the least bit noticeable. It was definitely the best it has felt in well over a month. I decided to take a spin on the outer (1200m) loop which might not have been the best choice since I think uneven terrain might cause the achilles to a bit extra work. The grass didn't seem to bother anything but I know having the SuperFeet and Adrenalines on definitely provide much more stability than I normally like. At the gym I lifted a bit and worked my core. Nothing that exciting and probably not even close to the powerlifting that Tom does with his frat buddies.

Cold Front

Time: 28:03
Distance: ~4 miles
Gym: morning

I was up early and in the gym by the time Meagan called me. I rode the bike and frolicked on the elliptical. The achilles wasn't any more of a problem with two days of running behind me so I will probably go for another short one after work.

I was planning to meet up with Scotty for a jog but we missed each other due to the study he's doing. No worries though because I got in some decent stretching and drills while I waited. When I decided to press on I looped through campus and then the surrounding streets until I got about 4 miles. The achilles was not a factor but I can still find a spot of soreness if I press around. The eccentric loads and ice quickly followed upon finishing the workout.

The Streets

Time: 26:04
Distance: ~3 miles
Gym: afternoon

I spent a good portion of the morning wanging out at Winan's sipping brew. The streets were rather quiet this morning while I was reading articles. I also took a spin up to the grocery store to purchase some calcium heavy products. I think milk and yogurt are going to become a bigger part of my diet in the near future. When I finally hit the streets for my jog the winds had changed and the temperature had dropped from a tropical 76 to probably 66. Throughout the day the wind had been out of the southwest but during my run the wind was directly out of the north. Enough about the wind, the run was great. The achilles felt good and everything seemed to be working properly. I finished up at the gym with my stretch rope and spent a good amount of time working on the hamstrings. I was sure to do some eccentric loads and some heel walks. There was no pain or burning sensation to speak of and I was sure to ice upon returning home.

Running Skins

Time: 20:10
Distance: ~3 miles
Gym: morning

I sought out the bike and elliptical this morning which was a barrel full of monkeys. I'm talking a ton of fun! Sitting there dripping with sweat is my ideal way of spending a cool, windless foggy morning here in Norman. The 'crete was calling me but I decided to wait until later to run.

After work and spending a few hours at Borders with John "Big Ten" Green I went out on the roads. I decided to keep the run short and slow so as to not aggravate the achilles. The ol' heel is feeling better and is nearly without pain. I really have to press on the lateral side with my digits to get a pain response. Running skins was great given that my shirt smelled like funk.

Another Short Run

Time: 32:01
Distance: ~4 miles
Gym: morning & evening

I went to the gym in the morning and spent some time on the elliptical and bike. The achilles wasn't sore in the morning which is a good sign.

I ran home from work in the afternoon and took a route that is a touch over 4 miles. I continue to run really far back on my heal and still try no to toe off aggressively. I finished up at the gym and threw some weights around. The eccentric loads felt good and a short cool down on the bike capped things off. In the evening I could feel the achilles getting a little creaky. I made sure to ice a couple of times and take some Vitamin I. I'm not too worried about it because at no point was there pain, just a bit of inflammation and creakiness. I'll probably take the day off tomorrow.

Sale of the Day

Time: none
Distance: none
Gym: morning

I spent a little over an hour at the gym walking between white lifting machines in some semblance of a weight routine. My achilles still feels good but I'm not going to run today so that it gets proper recovery time.

When I got to work it was busy and it never let up. People streamed through the door all day but there were two solid bursts of customers that left Gus, Craig, Sarah and I helping multiple people at a time. The second onslaught started around 4 pm and lasted until 6 pm which is considerable given we close at 5:30. Gus had already left to put on his monkey costume (read: tuxedo) for some auction he was helping and Sarah had left around 4:30 which left me and Craig to attend to multiple families. Luckily, Scotty D had rolled through on his way back from OKC where he had done some wine tasting. He could see that we were slammed and while I was helping a gentleman with some kicks there was a friendly older woman looking at shoes. This is when the magic happened and Scotty stepped up to the plate.

Dizzle prefaced his sales pitch with, "I don't work here, but I could probably explain some of the shoes to you." She was interested in some of our top shelf varietals which Scotty is all too familiar with as he works at a liquor store. She started with the Nike Equalon and Structure Triax before settling on the Asics Kayano. Scotty was hustlin' because after she was done with shoes she bought some socks and then some clothes. If OK Runner sold midget horses she would have bought one from Scotty. It was brilliant. When it was all over her ticket came to a touch over $400 and we all had a good laugh at his skills. Jerry who actually works for the store came through a few moments later and was filled in on the details and his potential firing. We all soon left for NY Pizza when Oscar (Craig's nickname) texted me saying that Scotty's performance earned us $40 in drinks to be re-paid to me on Monday. That's a commission of 10% and a great time when pitchers are $6.

She Saw Me Cooking Eggs...

Time: 40:06
Distance: 5 miles
Gym: morning

This morning I spent some minutes on the bike and elliptical, nothing new to report there. In the afternoon I got off work a bit early and headed up to OKC with Scotty D. He and Spenis were going to go for a jog so instead of sitting at the house playing with Chelsea (Spenis' dog) I said, "Fuck it. Let's go running." I laced up the kicks and shed the shirt for our jog through a pretty decent neighborhood with rolling hills. Our group of three ran comfortably alongside the road and it felt great to be back out there. The pace was easy and I was very cautious with my stride. I made sure to land pretty far back on the heal and not push off too hard with the toes. Every 10 minutes I glanced at my watch half thinking I would start to feel a twinge of pain at any moment. I got to 10 minutes, then 20 and 30 sucessfully without any sort of discomfort. A 40 minute run is not usually the way to start a bit of a comeback, ideally you put in 20 minutes and call it a day. We returned to the house at 38 minutes and I felt confident enough to run until we hit 40. I would call this run a great success.

After some eccentric loads and a quick bit of ice to reduce any swelling that may have occured, we were off to McNellie's for some sweet potato fries and burger.

... thought I was back at it.

Patience

Time: none
Distance: none
Gym: once

Went to the gym in the morning to spend some time getting huge. The next time I go to buy a dress shirt I won't have to hunt for the measly 15 inch or the elusive 14 1/2 varietals. I'll be able to walk in and grab the beafy 18 inch Barry Bonds sized one and be on my way. The achilles continues to feel much improved and the eccentric loads haven't given me any problem.

Encouraging Recovery

Time: none
Distance: none
Gym: twice?

Another day spent at the gym however I'm getting encouraging signs from my achilles. The pain is substantially improved and the swelling is nearly gone. It seems like in the past 36 hours the achilles just wanted to start taking steps in the right direction which is great. I'm ready to get back out on the roads but it's my goal to wait until this weekend. Tom "Sloppy at Best" McArdle like to give a few extra days off when returning from injury so that if it feels good on Weds. you wait until Sun. to test it.