Nick

Better Legs?

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Ran 1.8 Pace 10.6 min/mile

50 crunch/25 leg/10 push

I felt better tonight than yesterday.  I thought i was going faster, and i was, but not as fast as i thought.  No worries.  I am not trying to reach a specific pace, just monitoring what i am doing.  My legs did feel better.  The tightness i have been experiencing is in a weird spot, the lower outside section of my quads.  I have not figured out how to stretch there.  I keep trying, but i don’t feel it until i run…

I have been trying Kelly’s Chi Running.  I like it and think that it is a good long term move.  The only real problem i am having is that when i do focus on shifting my center of gravity a little forward, i end up running faster than i feel ready for.  I think this could be related to the fluctuation in my pace from pre-Chi running to post-Chi running.  I feel like i am going faster, getting pulled along by gravity, but i fight it – which results in some weird pacing…I don’t know.  We shall see with time.

I stopped a little sooner than expected due to a slowly developing stitch in my side. If i had been under 1.5, i probably would have kept running.  Over 1.5 i decided to stop and fast walk on to the house.  The stitch went away quickly and i feel fine and am breathing well.

Quick side note about an added benefit of not smoking or drinking coffee: My Teeth Are Getting Whiter!

Quickly to the digits

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Went to the Big K today and bought some $7.00 sweatpants so i don’t have to run in my zero degree Under Armor leggings or shorts.

Ran – 2.01 miles Pace – 10:15

50 crunch/25 leg/10 push

Pace a little slower, but my legs were a little tight.

Started back on Calcium and added Glucosamine/Chondroitin to the mix.

more on the Gizmo and some health

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I do think i will really enjoy this sportsband+ thing.  Today:

Ran 1.86 Miles Pace 9.45 min/mile

50 crunch/25 leg/10 push

Now that i have two runs uploaded to my nike account, there is more info in there to use for whatever we are supposed to use the info for…Seriously, it will show you graphically how your tempo was, where you were slow or fast.  Comparing your pace and distances over time should also be neat.  I don’t know how much i will play with that side of things.  I was mostly excited about the basic features.  I don’t own a watch, so timing my runs was difficult.  I like to run on paths and through woods and not stick to the roads, which makes calculating distance difficult.  Having a little device do it for me and update me live while running (if it is light enough to see outside) is really cool.

For instance, on today’s run.  I knew i wanted to make 1.5 miles if my legs felt up to it.  The voice of my body is primary in any of these decisions, but to look down and verify, “yep, past 1.5” and decide to walk in the rest of the way as a cool-down was nice.  I could have done 2, probably even 2.5, but i am trying to stick to my long-term plan – a little at a time, repeat, and add a little more.

Another use/side goal is to be getting at least 20 minutes of good cardio workout time each day.  I knew that i was not up to 20 minutes on my past 6-7 runs, and i did not quite get there today, but i am very close, and building a sustainable program.  I think this is going to help repair my lungs and strengthen my heart, which would be good.  I can already feel a huge difference in my lungs.  8 days ago my chest was a little tight and i was getting short of breath easily and quickly.  Now my lung capacity is much improved, the airways are more clear, i have no tightness, and i am not getting winded even in my running.  I can tell that there is still a long way to go.  I can start a run breathing through my nose, but after a half mile or so, i have to mix in some mouth breathing to get enough air into my lungs.  I can tell that my nasal passages are better than they were, but not really back to good yet.

The Tracking Gizmo

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I like the new data toy.  It did take me a few tries to get it started correctly, so i lost about 2 tenths at the beginning of the run.  Then i got it sorted and it was nice!  I put a little extra tail on the run to figure out some new future routes and to run off a little extra excitement.  Yet again, i stopped and stretched and cooled down and did my exercises and i wanna go back out!  For me, this is the way to go.  Always leave them wanting more…

Ran 1.3 miles Pace 9:44 min/mile

50 crunches

25 leg lifts

10 push-ups

and i’m out.

Who is a goober?

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I did it people.  I bought the nike+ sportband.  While waiting for the band’s usb thingy to charge, i signed up at nike to let them track my runs so i don’t have to create 400 excel spreadsheets, and read even more about this gizmo.  I am very soon to take it out for the first time…Indulgent?  Perhaps.  But i think enhancing and supplementing the enjoyment i am getting from running, as well as adding even more motivating power to get out and do it is a splendid way to celebrate one week off of smokes, coffee, and booze.  Technically the one week is not completed until tonight at 11, but i am not worried about bridging that gap.  I will let you know how it worked out…

Evening Numbers

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I ran the 1.1 mile route again tonight.  It was about 52 degrees and i had on my all back ninja under armor gear.  I put on some brighter shorts and a white tee as well as my headlamp to get visible.  My knee felt great and the run was smooth.  I felt like doing more, but i am going to continue to hold myself back a little bit to avoid injury and stay positive.

I tried out an old pedometer my dad found in a box.  It didn’t work.  I am really considering throwing down the 50 quid for the nike/apple sensor and wrist-band deal…

50 crunches

25 leg lifts

10 push-ups

and repeat continued…

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I did play golf yesterday.  I walked the full 18, but it was so slow that it was full dark by 17 tee.   One thing worried me, aside from very inconsistent play, my knee was bothering me by the 14th hole.  It didn’t really hurt, it just didn’t feel solid.  This made me very concerned about my pending run.  After golf, i did a full series of stretches, including lots of floor work, and then went for it.  My knee felt better after the stretches and actually felt better after the run than it did before i started.  After cool-down and more stretching and some floor exercises,  i did some research on runner’s websites like this one.  One of the cool things i discovered, in addition to more kinds of stretches and helpful videos of dynamic stretching, is that knee pain can frequently be overcome by strengthening your core and your quads.  I also found in black and white what i had figured out through trial and error, a shorter stride puts less stress on a bum knee.  This is all very good to discover because i would like to be able to increase my physical activity and not have to limit it due to injury or pain.

A quick word on running and writing about running.  I am running for a lot of reasons; to get healthy, to feel better, to lose a little weight and keep it off, to strengthen my core to improve my golf game, to help my lungs and heart heal  from years of bad behavior.  I am not doing this for vanity.  I don’t care about the weight aside from the health issues.  I don’t really care how i look.  Half my family is overweight, diabetic, inactive, and not in great health.  Also, getting rid of extra weight is one of the better things you can do for your knees.  Even though i was young (12, 13?) and healed quickly, i did break my knee and that never really goes away.  There is also a very practical reason.  I hate shopping and i don’t want to have to buy new pants.  There is some insight into why i run.  Why do i write about running?

I know many people out there in situations similar to mine.  We have had great adventures, but definitely made some choices that were not the best for the long-term care of our bodies.  Our awesome young adult metabolisms went on permanent vacation without even giving two-weeks notice.  It can be very difficult to change your patterns and routines and do something new or stop doing something old and ingrained.  I know how much it inspires me to read about one of my friends making a change and trying to feel better about themselves, to do better things for themselves, to break old patterns that clearly were not working and look for something else.  I hope that my struggle might help someone out there choose to take positive action in their own life, or find affirmation with choices they have already made.  None of this is about results, it is about the journey.  That is why i put my numbers up in my blog.  I am only running about 1 mile these days.  I am doing less than 50 crunches.  I have not made it to 10 push-ups yet.  But the small-scale of my accomplishments might help someone else feel better about their own.  Your numbers don’t matter (mine either).  Consistency matters.  Run a quarter-mile.  Do that every day that you can.  In no time you won’t be able to stop your self from running a half mile.  It builds…

and repeat

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more later, but to get it down before i forget – yesterday i ran 1.1 miles again, did 40 crunches, 25 leg lifts and 5 push-ups.  Not too bad after walking 18 holes of golf…

Breaking the Mile

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Today i ran over a mile.  I think it was 1.1, but once you get off the road and onto the paths through the neighborhood it gets harder to track with precision.  It felt great.  When i hit my prior half-way point at .35 from my starting point, i just felt good. I felt like i could and should go further.  Instead of turning around, i hung a left and entered “new” territory.

I was feeling strong and proud.  It was dark and, goober that i am, i had on my headlamp.  One of my neighbors shouted out a “Well, that’s a fancy light” – in my previous running life, this was the killer moment – i am in pain in my cone of TRY, or past that into my own world of non-thought, and someone wants to talk! – and it is no problem.  With full volume and no pause i shoot out a quick, “Thanks, i bought it for hiking but it has many other functions.”  He keeps it going!  “Well you need to see, you don’t want to trip.”  And as i am leaving the sphere of viable conversation i close with, “or get hit by a car.  See-ya!”

I finish the run, do some cool-down walking, then stretches on the big blue truck.

Back inside i do my floor stretches, rock out 48 stomach crunches, 18 leg-lifts and 8 push-ups.  I know the push-up number is a little low, but that is the most i have been able to do since i broke my left arm about 6 months ago.  Now i feel awesome.  I definitely have the bug.  I want to go out again right now.  But i will continue with the plan and play it safe and smart and live to run again tomorrow.  I will instead enjoy a nice walk with my Dog.  Hopefully i will remember to check-out from couch to 5k and from couch to 10k as my bud recommended.  I don’t care about races or marathons, but i do like advice about staying healthy, running safely, getting stronger, and other process oriented matters.

* to get up-to-date on this running saga, check out Running.