1000 Mile Running Challenge

Looks like I have not been writing here in months.  Life is going well, fitness not as much as I wish it would be.  I was doing so well at the end of last year but since I just slacked off.  Ran a few 5k races but never trained for them and just haven't pushed myself like I should.  Seeing that it is summer I have been biking to work almost every day the last two months but I need more.

Last week (July 3rd), I was looking at my biking so far for the year and had already passed all of 2013 in 6 months.  Over 500 miles, not bad.  Running on the other hand was just over 40 where last year was over 175 miles.  A friend at work noticed and was wondering if possible to run 1000 miles in a year and how many miles would that be a day.  There started a new challenge.  1000 miles by Independence Day 2015.  That is 2.74 miles a day, 19.17 a week and about 82.19 miles a month.  Looking at that looks grueling but if I start at doing at least a 5k a day then I can bank up miles for when winter comes and I'm stuck using a treadmill or when I need a break for vacation and rest.  Three days have passed and already 1.3% done.

Now 1000 miles seems rough so I need to make a visual goal.  A city or location to run towards.  I didn't want to be stuck in Kansas or some back country southern town, so I look far south to Florida and just so happens that St. Augustine Beach is 1000 miles from my apartment.  Goal set.  Currently running through Milan and will be to the Michigan-Ohio border within two weeks.  From there it'll take about 2.7 months to get through that awful state.  From there I will hit the mountains through Kentucky and hit the states of Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia before finally reaching sunny Florida.  It's a stretch but should be quite an interesting journey.  For now I am off to run day four of this trek.  Care to join?!

Running Towards the Goal

So it has been a month since my first, an probably only, half-marathon.  Without actually running it I would have never known how emotional it could be.  Stupidly I somewhat gave up on training before, getting maybe a max of 7.5 miles in.  Finishing all 13.1 miles will be one of the most memorable memories of my life.  Quite sure I had a few tears on different stages of the race.

During the very first mile, there was a tear for the fact that I was actually doing it.  I think there were thousands of people running around me.  Once you leave the finish line there were only a handful of people along the way.  The next emotional scene was crossing the Ambassador Bridge, amazing how beautiful Detroit can look with the sun rising.  Being welcomed by the Canadian crowd pushed me passed the fourth mile.  The entire run through Canada had overly excited crowds with signs and cheers that somehow made you want to keep pushing.

Getting into about mile six or seven you pass into the tunnel and it gets hot and somehow the incline and decline surprised me.  It was sticky and took a lot of energy out but coming out with the blast of cold air was a sweet release.  Entering into the US is most appreciated as the border patrol is smiling and applauding, such an odd feeling.  Then the American crowds appear and you get another wave of energy.  However going further the crowds thin and near mile 9 or so I slip a bit on a water cup and my energy really starts to drain.

Throughout the race I told myself I was running this race for my roommate's father who recently passed.  This brought back emotions from nearly three years ago.  It gave me the courage to keep going, pushing beyond the pain.  Got through about mile eleven and ran into an old college friend and she somehow gave me more energy to do the last two miles.  She was just smiling as she always does.  Finally reaching the tall buildings of Detroit and seeing the split where the full and half marathons go their different ways, one turn to go!  Taking the last right I see the finish line, maybe a quarter mile away.  FUCK was it painful.  I gave it my all, legs burning, eyes a blur with tears, I DID IT!  Writing this brings all those emotions back but really without actually doing it I would never have been able to understand.

Well after that weekend I made sure to keep the spirit, signed up for the KONA Chocolate Run.  I finished that 10k today and it felt great.  Glad that even though it wasn't 13 miles, I still stayed motivated and achieved another goal.  The half-marathon led to a greater good.  Through October I did not feel I was living the healthy life I wanted to and had back during the Spring, even with the half marathon now complete.  Starting November 1st I made a goal with a friend that things were going to be different.  We talk every day about where we are at and what is working.  It is great to have that support and be able to bounce ideas off of someone working to the same goal.  Joined my gym buddy again almost every weekday since and continuing to push myself.  Exercise would be pointless with the food choices I was previously making.  Now completely cutting out restaurants for the month and instead concentrating on the food I am preparing.  Every ingredient has a specific purpose.  I have not felt this good in a very long time.  I feel like a new person.  Excited to see what the results are in the next couple weeks and beyond.  Here is to self-improvement, really that's the goal, isn't it?

Another Milestone

About 6 months ago I had the bright idea to sign-up for a half marathon.  Training started well, but over the summer I faltered.  I went up and down and never really seemed to get my groove.  Tomorrow the 20th shall be one interesting day.  Glad to take on this challenge but not sure how I will be able to handle it.  I fully expect to have to partially walk some of it.  I have made piece with this.  It wasn't what I planned but it is what it is.  My goal, and not at all a good one, is to finish in three hours.  if i do better that is great and any slower and i will not be happy.  i guess I should be pleased with even completing so that is what I will push for.  I have so much to say but the nerves are cutting in.  The thing that will get me to the end is race day determination, that or the chocolate milk at the finish line.

Also if you want to track the race my bib number is 16723 and you can go to the following website: http://live.xacte.com/detroitmarathon/.

Antici...pation

Everything has been leading up to this point!  Okay, a bit dramatic, but it serves its point.  I made my goal about 80 days ago and about a week ago I smashed it.  The 177 came and went.  More importantly, I made a goal to get fit and push myself to my own limits.  Around mid-March, I ran a 5k, getting a great time of less than 25.5 minutes.  Since then I have been training for my first ever 10k.  Well the time has come.  I worked hard for it and last week even got 22 miles in.  The nerves are building, it is a mixture of excitement and a touch of fear.  My goal is running within one hour and no breaking for a walk.  I put the work in and know what my body can do.  Now it is all mental, I can do this and will kick some ass doing it.  May look ugly, but it will get done.

Beyond that, I have had one hell of a past three and a half months at work.  Tax season was a bitch this year and I look forward to Brownie Day.  Everyone loves brownies, and it just so happens to be the same day taxes are due.  There were weeks I did not think I would make it.  I knew a co-worker or two would join me in the nut house.  However, we made it, just have to get through Monday.  Tuesday will bring brighter skies.

Well not really, though the warmth seems to be coming for a short visit, rain will join it.  This is exciting though because much like the milestone of the 10k or the end of another tax season, Spring will begin to creep its way in.  Things are really about to change.  The rain will finally wash the remnants of winter away and with the heat the world around will begin to transform into new beginnings.  Excuse my ramblings, the nerves are really kicking in for the morning.  Let's get this started!  To the next step!

Two Months Later

So I started on this health kick two months ago, January 24th, when technology told me I was overweight at 205.  Well I told it who was boss, twenty six pounds later I am at 179 and a mere two away from my goal of a BMI of 22.  Basically, I am kicking ass with 22 days still to go.  At this point I do not really care about losing weight (easy to say when I am so close), but more importantly, I care about making good choices going forward and sticking with my other goals.

Speaking of other goals, I have three weeks til my first 10k race and making some great headway.  Like I stated in a previous post, my 5k went quite well and I did not feel like walking at all.  Currently I can stay above running 30 minutes and actually look forward to my daily workouts.  I have reached 4+ miles at a time and some days I get six miles in with a break to hangout with friends, because why drive somewhere when you can run.  Next up is to throw biking into the mix.  Sadly the weather is not behaving.  With the turn of March into April, I am hoping the temperatures begin to rise as well as some rain to wash away the damaging salt.  Things are going to change and it is exciting!

3 Miles Down and 10 More Left

So ran my first race of the year Sunday and I think I basically kicked some ass.  My goal for the 5k was to get below 26 minutes.  At 25:29 I more than beat it!  I was not sure I would do this but it always helps to have something to work towards.  For the first time ever I felt as I actually was well trained and prepared, not once did I have the urge to work.  Although because i drink so much water my urge to pee was constant during the entire race, maybe it helped.  I am also surprised I did so well because the beginning of the race was packed for the first mile with slow runners and walkers and having to weave between them and around the many corners.  This track was also challenging because of the numerous hills through Ann Arbor, including the exhausting one in the very end.  I smashed it and basically took some names.  For sure a great way to begin the year and to get me pumped for the races ahead.

So where to next on my road to the half-marathon?  Well my next goal is to run a 10k this April.  On the 14th, i am running the Romero 10k to raise money for the La Mora Health Clinic in El Salvador.  With about a month to go I have lots of work to do, basically need to double my distance in 33 days.  With work this will be a challenge, but I know if I put my mind to it I should have no problems.  Once I break the 10k just need to double from there to reach my October goal!

The Countdown

So since tracking about 40 days ago I have lost 20 pounds and just have eight more to go until I meet my goal of 177.  Seeing as I gave myself until the end of tax season to get there it should fairly easy and possible to go past.  It is quite eye opening to track everything you eat, but I feel once Spring arrives I will be free from having to watch as closely what I eat.  Biking to and from work at that point will be a great change of pace as well as keep me to meet my goals for the year.

With that, this Sunday kicks off my running races for the year.  I am actually feeling quite comfortable and prepared for this one.  I only get about 10 minutes a day during lunch to run so can only get in 1.2 miles at a time, but emotionally I feel ready.  Personally I feel running is 60% mental anyways, and that is what I will work on leading up to this Sunday and more importantly October for the half marathon.

I didn't have much to say this time just a snapshot of where I am at and where I am headed.  As for the countdown, 6 days til the 5k, 35 working days til the end of tax season, and 230 days until the Detroit half marathon!