My want to - 15 Miles

Well I had meant to write sooner, but just been real busy at work and haven’t had time to. Things are still going good with the weight maintaining and the running. The want to in the subject line, comes from a saying that my Grand Pa use to say. He would say to do something you wanted to do you had to have the “want to” to do it in order to do it. The running had become a little boring this week; I’m not sure why it just had. Then yesterday the desire to run just came over me it was like I was craving it I just had to have it I couldn’t wait for this morning. My “want to” was back! This morning was a great morning to run it was 55 degrees at 6:00 AM that just doesn’t seem right for July in Alabama. My plan was to run 10, when I finished the 10 I felt so good (I guess it was the cool weather and the low humidity) I went ahead and did 5 more to make a total of 15. I did get real tired around 13, but I hung in there with it and got in the 15. My pace dropped off a little at the end, but I ended up with a time of 2:32:15 for a pace of 10:08. Well I’m going to go got to go into work tonight. I am going to try and start writing more doing this today not tomorrow.

Thinking 9 Jul 09

Well it’s 1:30 in the morning on 9 Jul 09 and I’m at work and just doing some thinking about where I’ve came from in just a little over 7 months and where I’m at now and where I want to go with this. Where I have come from? It really seems like a dream. I can look at pictures and it’s like that wasn’t really me. Where am I at now? It’s crazy, but I feel like I’m at a boring time now. I’m just not sure about this, I just feel blah now and I have a lot on my mind now from work to family. I’m glad I have this running to just get away from everything. I have been thinking though that I need to set me up an eating plan, a menu if you will and go by it. As I’m needing more calories because of my longer running and getting more calories I’ll have to admit I’m craving more FOOD…..stuff I haven’t had or wanted in over six months. I just feel like if I make me a weekly menu and stick to it that it will help with the temptation of wanting others foods that aren’t good. I may work on this tonight I don’t know. I’ve all ready been running it through my mind I just really need to put it down on paper. I am also looking forward to starting the marathon training plan; right now it is due to start on Jul 27. I don’t know I’ve been thinking again about not doing the San Antonio one and try to find one closer to home. Money is just tight right now as it is with everyone and I keep telling the kids we have got to tighten up then I’m planning this trip and my mindset is kind of like this is for me and I make the ¾ of the money that comes in for our family of four so I’m going to do this it’s my money! I honestly feel guilty about this, it’s like they need to sacrifice then so do I also. I don’t know I’ll surf the web and see what I can find closer to home. There is one in Huntsville in December that would only be a little over a couple of hours from home, but I got this desire to do it as close to the one year point of me starting this journey for some reason and that date would be 1 Dec 09. I don’t know I’ll pray about it and think about it and do some checking and we’ll see what happens. My long range goals seem kind of simple yet they are huge, of course the next big one is to do the marathon between now and the end of the year then of course keep the weight off and eat right. Saying them seems so simple, but when I think about all of the hard work and mental toughness it will take they seem scary. I just know I’ve got to do like I have up to this point to get me to this point and that is one small challenge at a time and focus on getting through each challenge. Well I’ve rambled enough. I hope to start sharing more of what’s on my mind with this and this was just kind of what was on my mind this morning…doing this today not tomorrow.

5K Knoxville Race Results and Thoughts

The Start of the race

Me at the start

Waiting in line for the bathroom

The crowd signing up for the race

Me after the race

Race was good in Knoxville my time was 25:24. I have to admit that I did have it in my head that I wanted to break 25, but hey I came close and I did cut almost a minute off since my last race in June and I have been distance training since then so like I said I’m real happy with the time. I did achieve my goals for this race. It was the highlight of my vacation and I wanted that something besides how much food I could eat as that seems to be how my past vacations have went. The second goal was to get the experience of a large crowd running in a race. I defiantly got that, but it was near as scary as I thought it would be. The race was very well organized and everything outside my control (registration process, bathrooms, finish, post race etc.) went real smooth and it’s evident that those putting on these larger races are good at it and do a great job. The thing I was control of, running the race was Ok I gained some experience. I did learn to avoid the urge to make up the time to quick from a slow start with that many people. I did go out to fast my first mile was 7:54 , that was too fast for me. My next two splits were 8:38 and 8:52. So see I got slower as the race went on. I don’t think that will be a problem in a marathon as there shouldn’t be any urge to take off fast, just to settle in at a good steady pace. I’m still not sure on my prerace hydration, I first thought I had had drank to much. I drank off and on all day probably close to my gallon a day I try to get. I stopped at around 5:30, but right up to the race start at 9:00 I was still peeing like a horse and the lines for the bathroom were about 15 minutes long. I think I ended up going three times between 7 and 9. My mouth got a little dry close to the end, but nothing major. Well let me wrap this up, the race was good, I was pleased and proud 7 months ago I weighed a hundred and five pounds more than I do now and couldn’t even run a hundred yards so yes I am proud of myself. Will I run it again next year? I’m not sure I’ll have to see first if we go back there on vacation and second what my goals are with my running next year and where I am at with it. Doing this today not tomorrow!

Pre Race Thoughts - 3 Jul 09

Well it’s July the 3rd Friday morning I’m sitting in Gatlinburg just being lazy today waiting to go shopping this afternoon then go run in the race tonight. It’s weird I know I have no chance to even place in my age group, but I’m nervous my stomach is a mess this morning. I don’t know if it’s because there are suppose to be more than a thousand runners there or what. The crowd does have me nervous when I look at pictures of the past races I can’t help but think how in the world will that big blog of people keep me from tripping over each other and that is a concern, will I get tripped? I just need stop and remember where I was at 7 months ago and be proud of where I am today and remember I’m not running to beat anyone else, but running to live a healthier fuller life. You know just putting my thoughts down now has helped. Sometimes I want to keep them inside and not share them because, what if things don’t work out the way I want, then I guess I’m afraid I’ll feel disappointed. It does help to process them I guess, so here goes my original intent of doing this race. Make the highlight of my vacation something other than how much food could I eat. I choose this one to get the feel of a large crowd at a race so when I do run that Marathon I will have experienced the larger race hoopla. I can’t help but want a new PR, but I’ve got to tell my self that doesn’t matter I’ll just run the race as it unfolds and fall back on my original two goals for this race and enjoy…..we’ll I’m out of here off to enjoy the day….doing this today not tomorrow!

Vacation and 14 Miler Baby!

Just got finished running 14 Miles in Gatlinburg!

How my vacations have changed. When I use to go on vacation it was largely about how much food I could eat and what kinds and sleeping late enjoying the time off. Now it’s about eating right and staying busy and still getting my workout time in. I’ve done pretty well on the eating I did eat a few ships the other day while we were in cades cove. It was an unplanned trip so I didn’t pack the right stuff and just had available what we had with us. See it does all go back to planning! As it shows below the above photo I go in 14 miles this past Sunday, Yes! When Jenny and I were here back in January there was this one trail we walked that was 4 miles, I told her I hoped I was able to run it when we came back in July, well I did run it and 10 more! Man it felt good, I was tired and sore for a couple of days after it, but it’s going to be one of those milestones that I look back on. I did have a problem on the run my nipples got irritated and bleed a little, it was painful I took my shirt off at about mile 9 and that stopped it. Tomorrow night I’m doing a 5K in Knoxville and I saw a running store up there on line I may run by there and get some suggestions on what I can do to prevent this or at least help it. I ran 7 on Tuesday and then this morning I just ran 5 since I’ve got the race tomorrow night. Running the race while on vacation is something else I’m trying to do with my vacations. Holiday’s special day’s etc. verses centering them on eating center them around something healthy physically etc. It’s tough but it is better than a big slab of ribs, beans and hot rolls. At least afterwards I feel good about what I’ve done. I’m constantly reminded that it’s the discipline in the small things, I’m not going to lie I wanted to turn the alarm off this morning at 530 and go back to sleep (hey I’m on vacation!), but just having the discipline to get out of bed and start putting my running clothes on was a step in doing my run today and I’ll have to admit I feel good right now having gotten it in. We’ll I got to run, doing this today not tomorrow!