Day 329, 36 To Go

November 25, 2013

As we approach Thanksgiving, I want to say what I am thankful for.  First, I am thankful that I only have to work 4 days this week instead of 5.  A 20% reduction in my workweek is something to be extremely thankful for.  If I had enough PTO left, I would have taken Friday off and had a 4 day weekend and I could have celebrated a 40% decrease in my soul crushing work week.  Alas, that is not possible since I used almost all my time off to go to Brazil this year.  I know, you feel so sorry for me, but if you go back and read about my trip, you will feel sorry for me a little bit!

I'll talk about other thing I am thankful for this week too.  What about you?  What are you thankful for?  Leave a comment and spread the word!

One thing I am not that thankful for is the colder weather.  Sure, it is easier to run in cool weather, but cool is different than cold.  It will probably get down into the upper 40's this week at night.  This is because of the Nor'easter that is going to hit the Northeast this week.  It will be a hell of a lot colder for those of you up there, and I do feel very sorry for you.  If you are the type of person who likes this cold weather, I don't understand how.  I really don't.  I can understand you not liking the intense heat of a Florida summer, but to enjoy 20 degrees, windy, wet, snowy weather...I will never get it.

I have taken to wearing my arm warmers on my runs.  It sounds like a silly thing, but just wearing the arm warmers makes it significantly warmer.  If you don't believe me, the next time you are out for a hot run, douse your forearms in cold water, and watch how much cooler you get.  The opposite works too.  If it is cold out and you keep your forearms warm, you can warm up your entire body.

So, the arm warmers are becoming a permanent fixture in my running gear.  I am sure that soon I will need the long pants and long sleeve shirts too. While I don't mind it that much, I am not thrilled by it.  I would prefer low 70s or upper 60s for running most of the time, at least during the day.  During the evening, 60 can feel pretty chilly.

If you live in a colder climate, invest in some Under Armor, gloves and warm socks for your runs.  You will not regret it!

Here are my numbers:

Time: 30:00

Distance: 3.36 miles

Pace: 8:56/m

Max Pace: 7:58/m

Calories: 345

Avg HR: 130

Max HR: 140

In cooler weather, it is even more important to make sure you are loose before you start running.  I realize this but sometimes, when it is cold and I go outside to run, I am too cold to warm up, so I just start running!  I should try warming up inside next time.  That is an idea...

Run for Life!!

Day 328, 37 To Go

November 24, 2013

Its beginning to look a lot like Christmas....

Yes, today was the day for putting up Christmas decorations.  I think it was took early since typically, I don't put up decorations until after Thanksgiving, but Honey is not the most patient person on the planet.  If it were up to her, we'd keep the Christmas decorations up all year.  That's not going to happen, of course, but I suppose a few days early is ok.  Thanksgiving does come a little late this year anyway.

I pulled all the boxes down from the crawlspace in the garage and Honey got to decorating.  I "let" her do most of the work because she likes it (and I don't) so it all works out.  I help with the heavy lifting and with anything that needs a little height like putting the star at the top of the tree.  We were done pretty soon, actually.  However, Honey was not done.  She wanted MORE!  So, we went out and got some more lights and other festive crap and put that up.  Not a lot, but some.  If I were to hand Honey a credit card and set her loose in a Christmas store, she could easily max out that card on holiday cheer.

I eventually set out for my run with the lights glowing brightly on the front of my house.  They made a nice, colorful welcome for when I returned since it was dark by then.  I have to admit, it looked pretty.  I have always kind of wanted an over the top front lawn like in the movie National Lampoons Christmas Vacation where Chevy Chase goes crazy on his front lawn!  Then I think of the electric bill and the effort to put it all up and I am happy with a spare few lights on my house.

Here are my numbers:

Time: 30:00

Distance: 3.15 miles

Pace: 9:31/m

Max Pace: 8:33/m

Calories: 337

Avg HR: 127

Max HR: 135

So another Sunday has passed me by without running long.  I am considering running a bit longer on Thursday because typically, I would run a Turkey Trot every year and it was 5 miles long.  I feel like I should do that on my own on Thursday.  I didn't see any local Turkey Trots and I didn't want to travel far for a run, so I will have to do it myself.

Happy decorating everyone!

Run for Life!!

Day 327, 38 To Go

November 23, 2013

Life is often unfair.  Have you noticed?  Take for instance, this morning.  Honey was so gracious last night in offering to get up in the morning so I could "sleep in."  After a long week of work and a week in which I didn't get a lot of sleep, I was very appreciative.  Every weekend, I let Honey sleep in on Saturdays since she gets up earlier than I do every morning (she also goes to sleep hours earlier than I do too) and I know she enjoys her sleep.  So far, so fair, right?

So, at 8:30am, I am awoken by my love.  "It's time to get up.  We have to help our friends Tony and Andressa move."

"What?  I thought I was going to be able to sleep in?"

"I did let you sleep and you knew we had to do this today."

So, I got up to help my friends.  I don't begrudge them at all, for I do remember offering my help (or perhaps Honey offered...I don't remember).  I do, however, begrudge Honey!  First of all, I didn't remember it was this morning.  Second, the only reason she offered to let me sleep in is because she knew she would have to get up early anyway.  You see, when Honey "sleeps in," she really SLEEPS IN!  She'll be in bed until 11am or later.  I barely get 8:30am.

Life isn't fair!

What is fair is that tonight, I got to see The Hunger Games: Catching Fire!  I loved it.  For those of you who do not know the story, too bad, I'm not giving a synopsis.  You can go to www.imdb.com for that or www.mrqe.com for reviews.  The story for the 2nd movie is quite similar to the first, however, the emotional stakes and the stakes of the populace in the movie are much higher.  The director of this installment went much darker and infused the story with much more emotion.  J Law (that's Jennifer Lawrence for the uninitiated) was fantastic as usual.  She is an Oscar winner after all.  The rest of the case was great too.  It had plenty of action, drama, romance and tension!  I highly recommend it.

For dinner, we went to Uno Pizzeria.  It serves Chicago style pizza which I was craving after an episode of The Daily Show where John Stewart went off on the pizza in comparison to NY pizza. NY Pizza wins hands down, but that doesn't mean Chicago pizza is bad.  Pizzeria Uno pizza is ok.  I have had Chicago pizza in Chicago and it was delicious.  It's like comparing real NY pizza to, say, Dominos.  But, it satisfied my craving.

Here are my numbers (which are nowhere long or hard enough to cancel out my dinner!!):

Time: 30:00

Distance: 3.49 miles

Pace: 8:36/m

Max Pace: x:xx/m

Calories: 376

Avg HR: 136

Max HR: 145

I don't have a max pace, again, because my GPS said I ran a max of 3:37 which I'm pretty sure I couldn't do.  I don't think I could sprint that fast.  I should try though....

Run for Life!!

Day 326, 39 To Go

November 22, 2013

It's Friday and I would love to go out to eat and see a movie.  However, I am freaking tired and feel it is better to just sit at home and rest.  Honey, however, is going to go over a friend's house for a birthday party.  I'm sure she would rather be with me (who wouldn't) but she is going to spend time with her friends anyway.  I made her go, actually.  You see, sometimes you need someone to help motivate you, even to have fun!

What about me?  Well, sitting at home, watching the boob tube and catching up on some much needed Zzzzzz's was fun for me.  Not fun in the traditional sense, but fun in that I will feel much better tomorrow.

Tomorrow, however, I plan on taking Honey out for dinner and a movie.  We will go see The Hunger Games: Catching Fire!  I am very excited about this because I enjoyed the book and I enjoy watching Jennifer Lawrence act even more.  She is fantastic and natural and real, which is more than you can say for most of Hollywood (like I have ever met anyone!)

Here are my numbers:

Time: 30:00

Distance: 3.33 miles

Pace: 9:00/m

Max Pace: 7:19/m

Calories: 356

Avg HR: 132

Max HR: 141

I like it when my numbers end up all even and what not.  I prefer lower even numbers, but 9 will do.  I will fill you in on our night out tomorrow.  I'm sure you are all very excited to hear about a boring married couple's night out for dinner and a movie.  As much as I would rather go out for dinner and a night at a swinger's club, I figure I am past that at this point in my life and marriage.  So, tough luck (for me, mostly!)

Run for Life!!

Day 325, 40 To Go

November 21, 2013

I swear I change my mind about what I want to do in the new year every day.  Its like I am a Libra who can't make decisions, except that astrology is stupid and I'm a Virgo anyway.  That means I am perfect, in case you don't know your Astrological signs.  It also means that I don't get along with Libras.  Can you guess what sign Honey is?  Yeah, she is a Libra.  She can't make decisions either, so maybe there is something to this Astrology after all!!

Maybe I will run into Harry Potter the next time I visit England too.

Today, I have been thinking that maybe if I don't run every day, I can do some more cross training.  Specifically, I want to lift weights again.  I want to bike and swim too, but I want to build some strength again too.  I am now 41 which means that my body is beginning the rapid decline into uselessness, so one good way to halt the inevitable decline is to strengthen my body.  I should include a flexibility regiment into whatever I choose since a lack of flexibility is one of the major reasons older people injure themselves.

Martial arts is a great way to maintain flexibility, power and agility.  On top of that, you might even learn to kick someones ass!!  That could be fun.  As of today, I struggle to defeat my four children in the daily, impromptu wrestling match we engage in.  I'm pretty sure a moderately strong woman in a wheelchair could take me out in a fight today, so I have a long way to go.

Round and round my ideas go, where I stop depends on when the spinning makes me vomit.  Seriously, two spins and I am dizzy enough to fall down.  I think that is another symptom of aging.  Anyway, let's check out today's numbers before I segue into another topic:

Time: 30:00

Distance: 3.05 miles

Pace: 9:49/m

Max Pace: x:xx/m

Calories: 321

Avg HR: 126

Max HR: 139

Two days under 9 min seems to have tuckered me all out.  Today was a slow one.   My GPS said my max pace was 5:10 which I know is bogus.  I never even got close to going fast today.  I think my GPS is playing games with me.  Stop it GPS. Christmas is coming and I can easily replace you!!

Run for Life!!

Day 324, 41 To Go

November 20, 2013

Life is full of rules.  Don't pick your nose...cover your mouth when you sneeze...don't spoon on the first date...and lots of others.  Why do we need so many rules and regulations?  Doesn't that just stop innovation and kill jobs?  Wait...this isn't a political blog.  Where was I...

Ok, rules. Did you know there are rules to running?  In fact, there is an entire book written by one of the editors of Runner's World magazine.  I have been checking out some of the videos on their site that detail some of the rules.

Check it out here: Rules of Running

If you are interested in the Rules of Running book, you can check it out here: Rules of Running

If the videos are any indication, the book is probably humorous as well as informative.  The truth is, you do need to know a few things before you step outside and go for a run.  For instance, it is not a good idea to run naked.  Just think of the bruising you'll endure in a track workout!  Or, maybe a more practical rule, don't wear cotton socks or clothes.  Why?  Well, cotton absorbs liquid and you will get blisters on your feet and you'll be carting around an extra 10lbs of shirt after a long run, not to mention you'll be chaffing in all the wrong places if you are wearing cotton pants.

Then you have all the rules surrounding what type of shoes you should wear?  This is a billion dollar industry, so you'll probably never get the right answer there.  Just find ones that are comfortable.  If you happen to live near a specialty running store, ask them.  They have some experience in that area.

Water.  It's important.  Drink it before, during and after you run.  Don't overdo it, just drink when you are thirsty.  You don't want to dehydrate or worse, over hydrate (hyponatremia...scary stuff!!)  You should also wear sunblock if you are going to expose yourself to a lot of sun.  This is every day common sense, but when you are running and the breeze is in your face, you'll never notice you are burning!

So, there are a lot of rules.  Check out the book.  I may do so also.  Looks like a fun read.

Here are my numbers:

Time: 30:00

Distance: 3.44 miles

Pace: 8:43/m

Max Pace: 7:00/m

Calories: 386

Avg HR: 139

Max HR: 150

One more rule...read my blog!!  That is the most important one!!

Run for Life!!

Day 323, 42 To Go

November 19, 2013

We are a little over a week away from Thanksgiving.  I normally am pretty excited for Thanksgiving, but this year, I am not.  I'm not sure why.  It might have something to do with the 7 or 8 pounds I have put on since I came back from Brazil and the knowledge that a hearty Thanksgiving followed by a month of cookies, candy, chocolate and another hearty Christmas meal will only make that number increase.

I once read that every pound of weight you gain will slow down your pace about 2 seconds per mile.  That means 8 pounds means I am running 16 seconds per mile slower all because I can't keep Klondike bars and Christmas butter cookies out of my mouth...every night.

I do love the holidays...my ass, however, does not.  Now that ass is slower than it was a month ago.  What is the solution, other than a tremendous amount of will power?

Give in.  NO!  Don't listen to him...uh, me.  What I will do, and all of you who fall into the same holiday trap, is to give yourself a day or two every week where you let yourself go a little.  Depriving yourself of all the holiday food you love will only make you fail and fail in a blaze of glory.  A little planned cheating is the difference between a 20lb holiday weight gain and a 10lb holiday weight gain.  And that, my friends, is 20 seconds per mile difference!!

Here are my numbers:

Time: 30:00

Distance: 3.38 miles

Pace: 8:53/m

Max Pace: 7:32/m

Calories: 345

Avg HR: 131

Max HR: 144

Now go enjoy some egg nog (yuck) or fruitcake (double yuck) and stop worrying about your expanding waistline.  Just pour that worry into crafting your weight loss New Year's resolutions.

Run for Life!!

Day 322, 43 To Go

November 18, 2013

Welcome back Monday.  Did you miss me?  This is going to be an extremely busy week at work if today was any indication.  By the time the work day is over, I have as much motivation to run as a crackhead has to get a job...maybe less.

What do you do when you lack motivation?  What should you do?  This is something everyone will face in their exercise routine.  I may face it more than normal considering I am not giving myself any breaks, but I have come across this issue in the past too.  A long time ago I heard someone say, "Just put your shoes on!"  It sounds too simple, but it really does work.  You don't NEED your iPhone, or your GPS watch or anything to go run...you just need your shoes...so put them on and you kind of have to just go.

So this is a simple solution for a complex problem.  It will work some of the time, but not all of the time.  There are other strategies to keep up with your workout routine.  The first and best option is to get a workout partner.  You can motivate each other to work out.  On days you are feeling lazy, they will have energy and vice versa.  The key is to not pick a really lazy workout partner!!

The next most important thing is variety!  Vary your workout.  Cross train outside your main sport.  Change up your workouts.  Run in different locations.  Get new music or a new audio book to keep you entertained.  As any married person will tell you, sadly, variety is the spice of life.  Vary your workout and you can help keep boredom at bay.

If all of these options fail, then take a day off.  If you are having a bad day or you aren't feeling well, sometimes, the best thing to do is to just take a break.  Just don't take a long break because the hardest thing to do is to start a routine, and if you take too long a break, it is like starting all over again.

Here are my numbers:

Time: 30:00

Distance: 3.00 miles

Pace: 9:59/m

Max Pace: 8:49/m

Calories: 311

Avg HR: 122

Max HR: 130

I was dragging ass today, as you can tell.  I just broke 10 min per mile.  I think it should actually be exactly 10 min per mile, but my GPS was generous.  Thanks.  Ok folks, go get motivated!  The New Year is almost upon us, so start making plans!!  Never too early to plan!

Run for Life!!

Day 321, 44 To Go

November 17, 2013

The week is over.  I suppose some people think that the week actually starts on Sunday, but I beg to differ.  Officially, sure, Sunday is the start of the week on many calendars, but who really views it as such?  When do you start your work week?  Monday.  When do you always tend to start your new diet?  Monday.  What day to you dread coming every week?  Monday.  So what day does the week really start?  Monday.

That settles that.  If you would like to offer an opposing opinion, please do so!

Why does this matter?  It doesn't.  Really, the only thing that matters is that today is Sunday and I am, again, not running long.  I am just going to do my normal 30 minutes.  Sucks.

Here are my numbers:

Time: 30:00

Distance: 3.28 miles

Pace: 9:09/m

Max Pace: 8:13/m

Calories: 352

Avg HR: 129

Max HR: 138

Another normal day out on the road.  Not much to discuss here, and I really don't want to talk about it anyway.

Let's do something more fun and talk about the celebrities who ran the NYC Marathon.  I don't know if you are like me, but I like to see which celebrities are running and then I compare my time to theirs.  Sometimes, I am faster and sometimes not.  Let's take a look at the celebrities who ran this year's marathon:

Andy Baldwin, 36, 3:17
Baldwin, a senior medical officer on the USS Makin Island and star of the TV series The Bachelor in 2007, ran his fastest New York City marathon yet, for two causes: to spread the message about diabetes through his “Kick it to the Curb” campaign and to support Camp Interactive, a New York City-based not-for-profit organization that brings technology education infused with leadership skills to inner-city youth. "I noticed that the race was more focused on the community this year," Baldwin, pictured above, said of his fifth race through the Big Apple and 47th marathon overall. "There were more fans out this year than ever before. It was a good day. I was happy to run my best New York time and do it for good causes."

Summer Sanders, 41, 3:24
The Olympic champion swimmer, who finished April's Boston Marathon in 3:33.13, crushed her goal of running sub-3:30, running 3:24, "a decade PR." The TV analyst, speaker, model, mom, and serious runner was featured in the November issue of Runner's World.

Patrick Wilson, 40, 3:32
An actor who appeared in the films The Conjuring, Insidious 2, and Young Adult.

Jennifer Correa, 38, 4:29
For Correa, the subject of RW's November Human Race feature "NYC Marathoners Stay Strong Post-Sandy," finishing the New York City Marathon meant much more than earning the medal. The Staten Island resident lost her home and nearly her husband when Superstorm Sandy tore through the area last year. "When I cross that finish line, I am putting it all behind me. It's going to be proof of my resilience," Correa said before the race.

Christy Turlington Burns, 44, 4:35 
The supermodel and second-time marathoner ran for Every Mother Counts, an organization that supports safe pregancies and childbirth for mothers worldwide. Burns ran the 2011 New York City Marathon in 4:20:47.

Brett Claywell, 35, 4:41
An actor who appeared in One Tree Hill and One Life to Live.

Nick Kypreos, 47, 4:43
A former NY Rangers player and 1994 Stanley Cup champion.

Bill Rancic, 42, 4:57

Rancic, the first winner of the show "The Apprentice," started his 26.2-mile journey in dead last, moving his way forward through the masses. His goal? To beat as many runners as possible. Each runner he passed earned him $1 that Timex will donate to Fab-U-Wish, a charity founded by Rancic's wife, Giuliana, that treats women battling breast cancer to a day of indulgences. After the race, Timex announced they will donate $30,000 to the organization. "I knew this would be a special day for a lot of reasons, but I'm overwhelmed by the support of this city, and I am so grateful that Timex is donating to such a meaningful cause," Rancic said. (We'll include his overall ranking once official results are available.)

(Photo by Diane Bondareff/Invision for Timex/AP Images)

Carol Mead, 48, 5:03

The First Lady of Wyoming.

Stephanie Abrams, 35, 5:03
A meteorologist on The Weather Channel and multiple-time marathoner.

Sam Ryan, 44, 5:32

An MLB Network studio host and reporter for MLB Network Showcase and Quick Pitch.

Pamela Anderson, 46, 5:41
The Baywatch television star and model, who ran her first marathon with her signature blonde hair tucked back in a blue baseball cap, finished the race for the J/P Haitian Relief Organization, a non-profit organization founded by the actor Sean Penn.

Michelle Beadle, 38, 6:08

Our November issue "I'm A Runner" subject and host of NBCSN's Crossover and correspondent on NBC's Access Hollywood ran 6:08 in her marathon debut.

Sarah Reinertsen, 38, 6:30

The first female leg-amputee to complete Ironman World Championship and a CBS Amazing Race star.

Out of the 14 celebrities, I was faster than all but 3!  One was an Olympic athlete, so that doesn't count.  The other two kicked my ass fair and square.  At least Pamela Anderson didn't beat me!

Run for Life!!

Day 320, 45 To Go

November 16, 2013

I like Saturday.  I would like it even more if my children understood that since it is Saturday, they should sleep in.  They don't understand this concept.  In fact, I would go so far as to say that they get up earlier on the weekends.  I think they do it on purpose.

Usually on Saturday, I get up to let Honey sleep since she gets up earlier than I do every day of the week.  She gets Derek ready for school.  She doesn't get up much earlier than I do...maybe 15 minutes, so I think making me get up early on Saturday is not a fair swap since she will sleep until well past 10am!  This is what it means to be married with children.  I don't recommend it!

I sat around most of the day doing nothing and I didn't get out to run until the evening.  I suppose I could have run earlier, but I was procrastinating.  I did spend some time on the web and I came across this commercial of people attempting to run at Ryan Hall's marathon pace.  If you don't know who Ryan Hall is, he is an American marathoner who currently holds the record for fastest American marathon.  I believe it was in Boston, so it doesn't fully count as a record since Boston is a point to point marathon with a total loss in elevation.  It doesn't meet the qualifications for a World Record, so I suppose it doesn't meet the qualifications of an American record, but he still has the fastest time.

Anyway, that time was 2:04:58 which is an average pace of 4:46 (12.6mph)!  What!!  That is freaking ridiculous!  It is unfortunate that Ryan Hall has been injured and has been unable to run a marathon in a while.  He keeps getting injured before his next marathon.  He keeps changing coaches and he is relying too much on the "almighty lord" instead of training right (he is a total god freak now) so he hasn't been able to toe the line of a marathon in a while.

Back to the commercial..check it out: Ryan Hall

How long do you think you could hang at this pace?  I think I might be able to hang for at least 30 seconds.  That is probably it.

Here are my very un-Hall like numbers for today:

Time: 30:00

Distance: 3.30 miles

Pace: 9:05/m

Max Pace: 8:06/m

Calories: 362

Avg HR: 132

Max HR: 138

Just plain slow.  I just have to keep on telling myself that next year will be better!  I talked about Polarized Training yesterday and I am continuing to work on my plan for next year.

I'm sure all of you are dyyyyying to know if I will continue with my blog next year.  This is also on my mind.  I don't know yet.  I am sure that if I do continue, it won't be a daily blog.  It will probably be at least weekly if not more frequently.  We'll see!!  Until then, keep running!

Run for Life!!

Day 319, 46 To Go

November 15, 2013

Yesterday I talked about my boredom with my current training plan.  This is still true today, but I have come to the realization that I am just out of luck for the rest of the year.  I will have to just suck it up.

That's fine, however, I won't just sit still and let the year go by without some research and preparation for next year.  I have already started reading up on training plans and new training methods.  One that has caught my eye is something called Polarized Training.

Polarized Training simply means that you split up your training into sections: basically very easy or very hard.  I have seem multiple models, but the bottom line is that you do 75% - 80% of your training very easy, and the rest is either just very hard, or a mix of very hard and hard.  Easy runs are run at a HR of less than 80% of max and very hard is over 80%.  Hard are tempo runs and they would take up the middle part of about 80% to 90%.

The variation that I have seen is that some studies show a mix of 80% very easy and 20% very hard with no just hard efforts.  This would take away threshold training.  This is a staple of many runner's training.  However, if you view some of the research, it appears that this training method produces great results.

Here is where I first heard about the method: Polarized Training

If you do a search on the Internet, you will find a plethora of other articles.  I have only read a few so I will have to do some more research, but I like the idea.  If you think about it, if you do most of your runs easy, you will be well rested and able to push really hard on your hard days.  This will allow you to reach your maximal potential!

Here are my numbers:

Time: 30:00

Distance: 3.12 miles

Pace: 9:37/m

Max Pace: 8:31/m

Calories: 338

Avg HR: 128

Max HR: 135

This was another easy day for me.  I guess I am sort of doing polarized training now...without the very hard efforts!  I won't actually change my training method until next year, but at least so far, I am leaning towards this method.  What do you think?  Please weigh in and share if you have any experience with this or know someone who has!!

Run for Life!!

Day 318, 47 To Go

November 14, 2013

I find that I am uninspired by my recent runs.  I feel like I need to shake things up, but I don't think I should be tampering with my running schedule since I am barely holding on as it is.  What to do!  This is common with runners...we get bored with our routine, with the miles we are running, with the people we are running with or with running in general.  This is why cross training is such a good idea.

I have not been cross training.  I think cross training would be great if I took a day off running 30 minutes.  However, any other exercise would just exacerbate my current fitness issues (over trained state).  I do feel better, a little, but since I only really feel good running maybe one or two days a week, I don't think I am better.  Most of my runs are a chore right now.  So, I am in a bad place and I need to find some motivation.

I have started to think about next year and what I am going to do.  I am enamored with this streak and I would hate to stop it, but I also want to recover.  I am going to take a wait and see approach.  When the new year rolls around, I will continue to run every day, but I will just run 1 mile for perhaps the first two or three weeks of the year and see if this helps.  Wait and see...

Here are my numbers for today:

Time: 30:00

Distance: 3.14 miles

Pace: 9:33/m

Max Pace: 8:41/m

Calories: 327

Avg HR: 125

Max HR: 132

I wasn't feeling bad, but I wasn't feeling very good either.  So, I just took it easy.  Glad the day is over!

Let's take a look at the last run on the 10 Can't Miss Running Adventures from Runnersworld.com.

Little Rock's Mud Run 5-K

Costumes and on-the-course fun trump speed in this Southern version of the mud run.

This isn't so much a location as a type of race.  These mud runs are held all over the country.  They also have obstacle course runs.  There are even runs where you face obstacles like zombies or people shooting paint balls at you.  They have a ton of these extra curricular runs that have encouraged a whole new group of people to run where they wouldn't have before.

Personally, I have never run one of these, but I think it would be a hell of a lot of fun.  I think the zombie one looks really cool.  I am a big fan of The Walking Dead, so it would be a scream to try.  Maybe it would even be more fun to be one of the zombies!!

Run for Life!!

Day 317, 48 To Go

November 13, 2013

Hump day is upon us which means we are past the halfway mark until the weekend.  It is also the day after the first snow of the year in the Northeast.  I'm sure all of you up there are very excited...or at least your kids are.  I don't think there was enough snow to cause any cancellations, but I remember, as a child, there was always hope!

Do you remember - those of you who grew up where there are actual seasons - the excitement of that first snow?  It meant that not only did you have a chance of getting out of school, it meant getting all dressed up in obnoxiously puffy winter jackets, hats, gloves, scarves, multiple layers of shirts and pants and boots.  All of this was mean to keep you warm and dry.  It never worked...at least the dry part.  Within 15 minutes, you were sweating and shedding clothes.  Making snow forts and having snowball fights and unfortunately, shoveling the walk, made you super hot.  Before long, you have your hat and jacket off and the only thing that made you put it back on was mom.  The gloves would usually stay on, unless they did not help you make snowballs, then you had to take them off to make your snowballs before you put them back on and unsuccessfully warmed them back up.

This was before you had to worry about driving in the snow or digging out your car to go to work or having to find child care because your kids were out of school but you still had to work.  Yeah, those were the days.  Today, the snow just makes me cold!  That is part of the reason I spent a few years in Hawaii and why I now live in Florida.  No snow!  I will always be nostalgic for those days, but in my old age, I can do without it!

Running in the snow is actually something I never did.  I have run in sub freezing weather including the NYC marathon where it was about 30 degrees at the start of the race.  It warmed up, a bit, during the race, but it was cold the entire run.  I have a lot of respect for those people who run in the snow.  I always used to go to the gym and use the treadmill.  Running in the snow is hard and dangerous, but whoever said getting in top shape was easy?

Here, it was about 60 degrees when I started my run.  Well, the temp was upper 60s, but the real feel was 62.  All I know is that when I got out there, I was cold!  60 isn't really cold, but when you are used to 80, it feels cold. Anyway, I didn't even bother warming up.  I was too cold, so I just started running.  Running in this weather is so much easier than running in hot, humid weather.

Here are my numbers:

Time: 30:00

Distance: 3.86 miles

Pace: 7:46/m

Max Pace: 6:42/m

Calories: 362

Avg HR: 140

Max HR: 160

Yeah, I felt good from the outset, even without warming up.  I am sure I could have pushed it harder, considering my top HR was only 160, but I ran how I felt, and I felt good, so that is all that matters.

Lets take a look at the next locale on the 10 Can't Miss Running Adventures from Runnersworld.com.

Glacier National Park, Montana

The shift in scenery is abrupt and rewarding at the crest of this 10-mile route in northwestern Montana.

Speaking of cold, it looks cold there, doesn't it?  Based on what she is wearing, it can't be that cold.  It is beautiful though.  I have to think that running in the shadow of mountains has to make you think about how small you are and how you fit into a huge universe.  I know that is what it would make me think about.  I want to do it!  Let's go!!

Run for Life!!

Day 316, 49 To Go

November 12, 2013

 As another week rolls by, so do the miles, one by one.  The landscape, ever unchanging, passes by my sight unnoticed.  My focus is only on one thing: placing one foot in front of the other, placing me closer to reaching my goal.  50 days separate me from a fly by night New Year's Resolution and actual success.  How often can you claim that you stuck to a resolution for the entire year, day after day?  I am pretty sure I never kept have.  The closest I have ever come was actually another running resolution.  This was the first.  I was around 28 years old, out of shape, somewhat asthmatic, and recently free from the shackles of a nicotine addiction.  I made a resolution that I would run 3 times a week, and I did it for six straight months before I injured myself.

Considering my abysmal failure of keeping all of my other resolutions, I will consider making more running themed resolutions for the upcoming year.  2014 is rapidly approaching and I have a myriad of ideas floating around inside my brain.  I take all suggestions seriously...so suggest away!

Here are my numbers for today:

Time: 30:00

Distance: 3.02 miles

Pace: 9:57/m

Max Pace: 8:06/m

Calories: 301

Avg HR: 120

Max HR: 133

I realized that part of my problem with recovery is that I don't actually attempt to recover.  When Honey would run with me, I would have recovery days, but now that her knees have failed her, I no longer have that motivation to slow down.  I made a concerted effort to take it easy today.  I did feel a little stiff and my ankle was bothering me, so it didn't take too much internal conversation to convince myself to slow down.  If you are a runner, you know that it is REALLY hard to do!  I did slow down though, but not really as much as would be necessary for real recovery, I think.  I still managed 3 miles, so I was pleased, but my recovery...not so much.  Oh well..

Let's recover together and check out the next running location in the 10 Can't Miss Running Adventures from Runnersworld.com

Capitol Reef National Park, Utah

A rural route's unpaved stretch winds past tall, imposing rock formations.

This is another desert like location, but I find this one a bit more aesthetically pleasing.  The rock formations and varied terrain is much more interesting than a regular desert.  I almost typed dessert...I always do that...perhaps I want a dessert.  Mmmmm...how about running through Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory?  Why don't I ever see that on any freaking list!

Run for Life!!

Day 315, 50 To Go

November 11, 2013

I'm feeling a bit off.  It is actually Monday, November 11th and I am writing the blog for Monday, November 11th.  It is quite strange to be on time and not behind due to endless procrastinating!  It feels pretty good too!  Sure, the chances of this lasting more than a couple of days is about 3%.  I am probably lucky that I don't write for a living because I would never hit my deadlines.  Its not like I am usually the type of person to be late for things.  That is probably not true.  If I think about it, I am probably late for most things.

Speaking of being late, I had to work today.  I was late for work today because I had a parent/teaching conference for my son, Derek, who is in Pre-K.  Yeah, not the most important parent/teacher conference I will ever attend, but it was the first for my boy.  The good news is that he is doing great and he is near the top of the class as far as being advanced (for someone in Pre-K).  I think that has to do with the fact that we read to him every night and I have fantastic DNA.

The conference was at 8:30 (when I am supposed to start working) so of course I was late for work.  I took a very short lunch to make up for the time, so all is good there.  You know something that I am never late for?  Races.  I am always super early for races because I hate feeling rushed.  When you have the stress of being rushed, it raises your HR and floods your body with Cortisol (stress hormone) and it can affect your performance.  Some people thrive on stress, but I think it has to be the right kind of stress.  Being late is never the right kind of stress.

Honey is from Brazil, and as a culture, they are late for everything.  For instance, if you have a party that starts at 8pm and you invite a lot of Brazilians to your party, the chances of anyone showing up before 11pm are zero to none, unless they happen to be married to an American who will freak out because they are so late. 

Just a little insight into another culture for you today.

Here are my numbers:

Time: 30:00

Distance: 3.43 miles

Pace: 8:44/m

Max Pace: 7:35/m

Calories: 347

Avg HR: 130

Max HR: 140

I felt light and smooth today.  I didn't push too hard and I enjoyed my run while listening to NPR.  Yeah, I wasn't in the mood for music today.  Instead, I felt like hearing about what is going on in the world.  I think I need to try listening to an audio book when I run.  I bet that would be a nice change from music and NPR and ESPN Radio.  I'll give it a shot...first, I have to buy one.  I am kind of against the whole genre of audio books because I LOVE to read, but since I have so little time to actually read, I need to be open minded and try it out.

Let's take a look at the next locale in the 10 Can't Miss Running Adventures from Runnersworld.com:

Boise Hills, Idaho

The undulating terrain of the Shingle Creek Trail forces runners to slow down as they take in the desert landscape.

I have to be honest.  I don't think I will ever visit this running location (as if I am going to visit all the others...but I want to!)  I'm not a huge fan of deserts.  I have been in a desert on the Big Island of Hawaii, and it was interesting, but it is not the most beautiful, peaceful place to be.  This picture does show a place that seems secluded and peaceful, but it also feels dead to me, and I prefer places that feel alive!  It is all about personal preference.  If you dig this location, then I encourage you to go visit Idaho!!

Run for Life!!

Day 314, 51 To Go

November 10, 2013

I predicted that today would be lazier and sleepier than yesterday.  I was right about the lazier part, but I didn't get to take a true nap today.  I did kinda,. sorta nap on the living room floor while the triplets pelted me with Hot Wheel cars, but as you can imagine, it wasn't that restful.

Still, my level of laziness, at this point right now (post run) is still quite high.  The run did put a little pep in my step, but it has been short lived thus far.  That is fine because my plans for the evening involve watching Homeland, The Walking Dead and Masters of Sex.  I do enjoy my Sunday night TV.  The only bad part is that I do not have any yummy junk food to stuff my face with.  I tapped myself out with the party last weekend and I have yet to get paid.  I do have money for essentials, but sadly, ice cream, potato chips and chocolate are not essentials (Honey would beg to differ about the chocolate part though).

Lets take a look at today's numbers:

Time: 30:00

Distance: 3.11 miles

Pace: 9:38/m

Max Pace: 7:30/m

Calories: 304

Avg HR: 122

Max HR: 136

As I suspected yesterday, I was slower today.  At one point in the run, I was starting to speed up but it felt hard, so I stopped and took it easy.  That was the laziness talking.

You know what would make me NOT be lazy?  Going to the next locale on the 10 Can't Miss Running Adventures from Runnersworld.com!  Take a look at this beauty:

Port Orford, Oregon

The sounds of crashing waves stand out in a cliffside area known as the Heads.

The Northwest part of our country is one of the most beautiful.  The lush, green landscape is due to the high amount of rain, so living there might not be all that cool, but look at that mountain/ocean view!  I tell you, after running for the last year and a half in Florida, I'd be excited to run in Kentucky, so these pictures are like running porn to me.  I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.  Peace and good night.

Run for Life!!

Day 313, 52 To Go

November 9, 2013

You know how when you sit around your house all day (or lay around) and do almost nothing and then you take a nap, then you do more of nothing...yeah, that was my Saturday.  Why is it, though, that when I do that, I feel like I am exhausted all day!  If I had been busy and running around all day I would probably have more energy.  Weird how that works, huh?  I have found that the days that I get up early, go for a long ride, maybe a swim and a run, I have energy all day (save for a short nap after all that exercise).  Amazing how the body works!

By the time I went for my run, it was pretty lazy, to say the least.  I didn't want to go, but about 15 minutes in, I was feeling pretty good.  Here are my numbers:

Time: 30:00

Distance: 3.26 miles

Pace: 9:12/m

Max Pace: 8:14/m

Calories: 347

Avg HR: 130

Max HR: 137

I can tell the future and I predict that tomorrow will be even worse (as far as speed and desire go).  I have nothing planned tomorrow either.  I have to wait until Monday until I have something to do.  That would be work and a parent/teacher conference for Derek, so that isn't all that exciting either.  You know what would be more exciting? Visiting the next location on the 10 Can't Miss Running Adventures from Runnersworld.com!

Copper Mountain, Colorado

Towering trees and tranquil streams define this no-vehicles-permitted paved route.

 I'm not a big fan of cold weather, but running in clean, crisp mountain air surrounded by towering mountains and majestic evergreen trees sounds so awesome.  I have the clothes to run in this weather, and I suppose I don't even have to run in the colder months!  I would also guess that there would be some altitude involved which increases the difficulty of any run.  Difficulty is not a hindrance as far as I am concerned...in some cases, it is even desired!  I love a good challenge!

Run for Life!!

Day 312, 53 To Go

November 8, 2013

Oh yeah, its Friday.  This weekend, I am not doing anything that requires effort.  Anything more than lying down or playing lazily with my kids, is off the table.  I have not had a relaxing weekend in a while, so I am taking advantage of it.  The only thing I have to do, and I'll do that tonight, is that I need to adjust the babies cribs because Joshua climbed out, and then later in the day, so did Kaylee (although she kind of fell out).  The cribs are already on their lowest level, so it is either we take the fronts off the cribs, which I don't think they are ready for, or I drop the mattress to the floor and hope that works.

I worked kind of late today, so my run was late, but I got it in.  Here are my numbers:

Time: 30:00

Distance: 3.36 miles

Pace: 8:56/m

Max Pace: 5:26/m

Calories: 349

Avg HR: 133

Max HR: 142

Normal run except you may notice my max pace is a bit high at 5:26 per mile.  I got chased by a dog!  It wasn't a big dog, but it wasn't an ankle biter either.  It looked like a bulldog sized dog.  He ran at me, but I was across the street and I figured he would stop at the sidewalk like most dogs do because most houses have the invisible fences. However, he continued past the sidewalk and into the street, so I turned tail and ran!  I turned and he was gaining, so I turned up the juice!!!  Whoosh!  I was out of there!  I think the pace I wrote was not my top speed.  The GPS lags a bit normally and I was like a blur!

You see, I'm not afraid of smallish dogs or anything, but I either have to run, or kick the dog in the face, and I don't really want to do that.  I would also be liable to get hurt since it is a dog with sharp teeth, so running was the best option.  His owner's chased him down and ushered him inside and offered me an apology...oh wait, no they didn't.  Bastards.  So next time, I'll kick their dumb dog in the face!! 

Let's jump to something more pleasant like the 3rd location on the 10 Can't Miss Running Adventures from Runnersworld.com:

 Old Briones Road Trail, California

Located in Martinez, Calif., this park is known for its lush meadows and mix of oak, sycamore, and willow trees.

 At first glance, this looks like New Zealand or maybe Ireland, but it is actually California!  Cali is a big place, so it is not surprising that it has beautiful landscapes such as this.  It looks so quiet and soft and peaceful.  You could get lost in your thoughts on a long run through this landscape.  Sign me up!!

Run for Life!!

Day 311, 54 To Go

November 7, 2013

It is Thursday, ATP (after the party) and I am still finding glitter everywhere, including the inside of my running shorts.  If only the glitter were actually pixie dust (of which the glitter was used to imitate at the party) I am fairly sure I would be running much faster.  I think just the idea of having a sparkly penis should help me run faster, but that's just me.

Here, by the way, are my numbers:

Time: 30:00

Distance: 3.40 miles

Pace: 8:50/m

Max Pace: 7:17/m

Calories: 339

Avg HR: 131

Max HR: 146

My time was fastish, but not sparkly penis fast, so who cares.  I think I should just move right to the 10 Can't Miss Running Adventures from Runnersworld.com.  Check out this locale:

 Harold Parker State Forest, Massachusetts

Roughly 25 miles north of Boston, Harold Parker State Forest in Andover, Mass. has a 1,000-foot boardwalk that cuts through the Mary French Reservation.

 Tell me you would not want to run on that path?  How cool is that!  I suppose you do have to be careful on this part of the path (its only 1,000 feet) or you might fall in.  That doesn't look like the type of water you want to fall in.  Their could be, like, snakes and alligators in there!  Ok, not alligators...I doubt there are any alligators in Massachusetts.  Still, if you are all awestruck by the beauty, you may end up being a part of that beauty for the rest of your short, wet, partially eaten life.  I guess it doesn't look deep, so you don't need to know how to swim.

Anyway, if this 1,000 foot stretch is this scenic, imagine how beautiful the rest is.  I just don't know when I will make my way back to Mass, since the only reason I went there in the first place was to go see the Boston Red Sox, current World Champions.  Yeah.  You know what I'd like to say about that?  I'd like to say, "Fuck you Red Sox!"  That's it.  I'm a Yankee fan so fuck the Saux!!!

So if I do go to MA, I'd love to go to this state park...and honestly, I'd love to go to another Red Sox game.  I love baseball and Fenway is a large part of that history.  It is a cool, if uncomfortable, stadium to see a game at.  Every baseball fan should go.

That's it for today.  Me and my sparkly penis are signing off.  Until next time, stay Fabulous!!

Run for Life!!

Day 310, 55 To Go

November 6, 2013

I'm beginning to think my hard run last Friday had consequences.  My hip is constantly tight and painful.  It shouldn't be like that.  On top of that, I can tell my legs are always sore.  Again, that shouldn't happen.  So, why is it?

Because I need rest!!!  I want a day off...wahhhhh!!!!

Ok, that is enough bitching for one day, especially when I am the cause of the problem.  Doesn't that just rub you the wrong way when someone complains all the time about a situation that they themselves caused?  Keep it to yourself whiner!!

So, now that I have shut myself up, I'll show my numbers for the day:

Time: 30:00

Distance: 3.11 miles

Pace: 9:39/m

Max Pace: 8:10/m

Calories: 324

Avg HR: 128

Max HR: 136

I've taken to writing my numbers down right after my run in case I have another GPS incident.  It drives me crazy when I am not able to properly record my running history, especially in this blog.  There is never any foolproof plan when you are dealing with technology.  I guess I could always set up a backup, but that is annoying.

I believe I mentioned that I had another great list to share with you.  This one is called the 10 Can't Miss Running Adventures from Runnersworld.com.

Acadia National Park, Maine

The 3.3-mile carriage road encircling Witch Hole Pond is part of a 45-mile system of paths in Acadia National Park.

I just love the look of this run.  Sure, the run they are showing is only 3.3 miles, but there are 45 miles of paths in the park, so your options are unlimited.  Can you imagine the peace you would feel, running through the fall foliage on a cool Fall day, surrounded by nature in all its glory?  I can!  I have only been to two national parks, both of which are in Hawaii, so I am sorely lacking in the National Park experiences.  I need to get out more!!  Honey is not all that into Nature, but I do have two young boys...so there is always a chance in my future!  Camping anyone?

Run for Life!!

Day 309, 56 To Go

November 5, 2013

I am assuming all the party prep, lack of sleep, carrying heavy stuff, running around like a chicken without a head and an overall lack of flexibility and strength training is what is leading to my body feeling like I got run over.  I have come to the conclusion that I need to get more flexible. 

I should first say that, compared to most, I am pretty damn limber.  I can bend over and touch my palms to the ground without much effort (with my legs straight, of course).  However, I have some areas that continue to cause me grief like my hips and hip flexors and my calves and lower back.  I had a friend who I used to run with in Hawaii, Alan, who loved to run but hated to stretch.  As he got older, you could see it in the way he ran.  You could see that he was uncomfortable and it was because of his lack of flexibility.  Sure, he would loosen up a little as we ran, but I could see it going downhill.  I see myself going down that road now and I need to stop it in its tracks.

I am planning on adding strength training and flexibility training to my new year goals.  Yoga will take care of both of these things, but so will stretching and lifting weights.  Hell, if I just got down on the floor, did some push ups and some pull ups and core training and some stretching a couple of times a week, I'd be golden.  Just typing that made me feel lazy.  I want to lie down and watch an all night Walking Dead marathon, or perhaps Buffy the Vampire Slayer.  Why those shows?  Because I like them, that's why!

Anyway, I have been doing dynamic stretches before I run and that seems to be helping a bit during my runs, but it is not enough.  Take a look at my numbers today:

Time: 30:00

Distance: 3.35 miles

Pace: 8:58/m

Max Pace: 7:27/m

Calories: 345

Avg HR: 133

Max HR: 149

I have been pushing the last couple of minutes, even on my easy runs, just so my body doesn't forget what it is like to run fast.  Can't say that is helping my aching joints, but it certainly feels good.

Tomorrow, I am going to start on a new list.  This will be similar to the last list where we explored runs that every American should do.  These are similar, but all different places.  One is more beautiful than the next!  What do you think the chances I can get Honey to go on vacation to some of these places so we can run?

If you guessed less than 0%, you'd be right.  I guess that is what duct tape and chloroform are for...

Run for Life!!

Day 308, 57 To Go

November 4, 2013

Those of you who read my blog on a regular basis, know that I LOVE Mondays.  Its my mostest favoritest day of the week!  Why?  Because the pesky weekend where I may or may not have relaxed is over and I get to go to WORK!  I get to work hard writing programs and creating reports and managing projects for my clients.  I contribute to a total TEAM effort and we make millions of dollars for the company I work for.  Why wouldn't I love Mondays!!  WHY!!!!!!

A positive attitude and positive self talk is supposed to help you in every facet of your life.  While the above paragraph is having no affect on my love of Mondays or my job, I do know that positive self talk while running does work.  I have used mantras while running to help me.  I have told myself that I was a good runner and that I could do it.  I have yelled at myself and called myself a pussy too.  I suppose that doesn't fall into the positive self talk, but sometimes, I am just being a pussy and I need to be yelled at.

Why am I talking about this?  Because I often hear people say, "I can't <fill in the blank>" and I think that is a self defeating attitude that guarantees you will fail.  Positive self talk and hard work and all that won't guarantee that you will succeed, but you are giving yourself a leg up on the competition, especially if the competition is your own head!

On my daily runs, I usually do not need to give myself positive self talk because I am dedicated to reaching my goal.  I do find that in races, however, when the pain is high, I do need it, and I do use it.  Sometimes, no matter how much positive self talk you engage in, you still feel like crap, but it is always worth a try.

Try it while you are running or walking or doing anything that is challenging for you.  Just never give up man!!  Don't be a pussy!!

Here are my numbers:

Time: 30:00

Distance: 3.23 miles

Pace: 9:17/m

Max Pace: 8:04/m

Calories: 340

Avg HR: 130

Max HR: 139

Another day in the books, my friends.  I am going to positive self talk myself to sleep.  Peace!

Run for Life!!

Day 307, 58 To Go

November 3, 2013

Yesterday was a long day.  We spent most of today cleaning up the mess that was made yesterday.  Part of the dress up for the girls was a pouch of "pixie dust" that they wore around their neck.  We used glitter since we didn't have Tinkerbell around to give us real pixie dust.  As you can imagine, there is glitter all over my house from one end to the next.  In fact, I am still covered in glitter.  On the bright side, if I go to strip club, Honey won't be able to tell the difference between the stripper glitter and the pixie dust glitter.  So I have that going for me.

Most of the mess was cleaned up and moved to the garage which is now a disaster area.  I don't know if I mentioned it, but I recently cleaned out and reorganized the garage.  Honey will be cleaning the garage very soon if I have any say in it!

I did run today.  Here are my numbers:

Time: 30:00

Distance: 3.04 miles

Pace: 9:53/m

Max Pace: 8:29/m

Calories: 311

Avg HR: 124

Max HR: 132

This was the best that I could do.  I had no energy or motivation.  I am lucky that I was able to go at all.  I really need a nap. Before I nap, I mind as well post my October numbers.  Here goes...

              Total Miles | Total Time
January          52.24    |    9:25:00
February         52.01    |    8:40:07
March            74.57    |   11:30:00
April            75.59    |   12:00:16 
May              79.51    |   12:31:00
June             82.35    |   12:40:19
July             92.09    |   15:01:00
August          100.52    |   16:15:00  
September        87.29    |   14:21:21 
October         102.79    |   15:45:00 

Here is a week by week breakdown:

Steve's Total Miles Logged: 102.79
Week 1: 22.11
Week 2: 25.25
Week 3: 22.09
Week 4: 23.06
Partial Week 5: 10.28

Total Running Time: 15:45:00

Honey's Total Miles Logged: 2.39
Week 1: 2.39
Week 2: 0.00
Week 3: 0.00
Week 4: 0.00
Partial Week 5: 0.00

Total Running Time: 30:00 

Honey's numbers are, to say the least, lacking.  It is not her fault though.  She actually wanted to run more, but I stopped her due to her knee issues.  She should be spending her time rehabbing her knee, but she isn't, so when she has no numbers in November, I can blame her.

As for me, I rebounded and put up the most miles I have yet for a month.  This is because I am running 30 minutes and because Honey is not running with me.  This is both good and bad...mostly bad.  I think my body is not handling the extra mileage and intensity very well.  Currently, I have pain in my right ankle, my left hip and my left foot.  I am also an old fart and that could have something to do with it.

When I took a look at the day by day paces, I actually had a decent amount of runs sub 9 min.  I didn't think I did, but it was as good as any month.  My overall time was the 2nd highest, yet I had the most miles, so I would say, overall, I ran faster throughout the month.  Only two more to go!

Run for Life!

Day 306, 59 To Go

November 2, 2013

Its party day, and of course, there was plenty to still do.  In the end, it all got done and the party was a raging success.  At one point, during the treasure hunt, I counted 27 children!  That included those invited along with their siblings and babies and perhaps some strays off the street.  I don't know how many adults there were, but there were a lot.  I would say, in total, there were probably about 50 people at the party.  My house is biggish, but not that big!  It was pretty awesome, once all was said and done.  It cost me a pretty penny and I probably won't be able to buy food for a couple of weeks, but the bottom line is that Derek was super happy.  He also got more presents than he will probably get at Christmas, so he was over the moon!

I'll get the run out of the way then I'll post some pictures since I have been talking about this thing for a couple of weeks.  As I mentioned yesterday, my GPS screwed me once again and I lost two days of running.  Friday was the first day and today was the second.  It was a long day and I didn't get out to run until after dark, as usual.  I have no recollection of how far or how fast I ran.  I know I went over 3 miles because unless I am hurt, I always make that a priority.  So, in fairness, I have recorded 3 miles at a 10 min per mile pace as my numbers for the day.  I am pretty confident I went faster, but I don't want to overstate what I did, so I will go the conservative route.

Here are my numbers:

Time: 30:00

Distance: 3.00 miles

Pace: 10:00/m

Max Pace: x:xx/m

Calories: xxx

Avg HR: xxx

Max HR: xxx

As this is the fourth time, maybe, that my watch has done this, I can't in good faith recommend this model to anyone.  I mean, I love the functions it offers and it is very accurate and comfortable and I can't live without it, but I am disappointed in this software defect that keeps popping up.

Anyway, lets take a look at some pictures of the party!!  Truly, the pictures do not do the party justice nor does it do all the hard work Honey put in justice...but it's what we have, so enjoy!

Baby Play Room

Birthday Boy Pirate!

Bouncy House Fun

Boys Dress Up

Cake Table with Yummy Brigadeiro and Beijinho

Cake...supposed to be Bucky

Bucky the Cake in all its glory!

Cake Table

Dressing room with hand painted cutouts

Front of the house...waterfall!

Girls Dress Up

Hand made Izzy Party Favors

Hand made Jake Party Favors

Hand Made Jake spoons for cake

Close up of cake table

Homemade Palm Trees!

Panoramic view of living room decorated

Derek excited about his presents

Present corner before opening

Sandwich boat with some other food

Hand made Scully Party Favors

Kids outside eating

Treasure map on floor

Triplets dressed for the occasion

 Run for Life!!

Day 305, 60 To Go

November 1, 2013

Its Friday.  One day before the party.  There appears to be way too much to do.  Honey is apoplectic.  Luckily we have some friends coming over to help or I may lose her before the party.  Wish us luck!

It was an extremely stressful day due to the fact that our cake was not turning out as we expected.  We were too busy doing other things that we did not put enough time and focus into the cake.  However, we are going to make due with what we have.  At this point, it is probably even too late to get a sheet cake from BJs or Wal Mart, so we are stuck with it.  At least I know it will taste really good (I baked it!)

I ran in the evening when I finally got out.  I was stressed myself, so I ran hard.  Unfortunately, I had some issues with my GPS (in the future, not today...you see, my GPS has a tendency to lock up and the only way to get it to work is to reset it and this tends to delete data...in this case, it deleted two days!  Mother Fucker!!  This is a really long aside...in fact, it is so long that I should probably take it out of the () and just start a new paragraph...but I digress...back to the run...) and I do not have all the run info that I usually have.

I remember pushing hard at the end to make it to 4 miles, so I know I made it.  I think I actually did 4.03, but I'm not sure.  I know I ran 4 which means I ran a 7:30 pace.  I have the important info, at least.

Here are my abbreviated numbers:

Time: 30:00

Distance: 4.00 miles

Pace: 7:30/m

Max Pace: x:xx/m

Calories: xxx

Avg HR: xxx

Max HR: xxx

My HR was pretty high, but that wasn't my limiting factor.  It was my muscles.  My legs were dying on me.  I am always sore these days, so I'm not surprised.  I'm sure I won't be able to run well for a few days after this.

Lets take a look at the last run in the 10 Runs Every American Must Do from Active.com.

Don't look at this as a workout more than as a sightseeing run. The Strip is too crowded at night for good running, and has many escalators and steps to hinder getting a true workout in during the day. But the lights and the attractions...unreal. Perhaps running the Rock 'N Roll Las Vegas Marathon is the way to see the Strip with an elevated heart rate.
I have been to Vegas a few times.  I don't have any crazy stories to tell because every time I went I was either married or attached to someone, and I am an honest guy.  At the same time, what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.  So, there's that.

I never wanted to run the strip until I saw that they had a Marathon there.  It seemed like an interesting place to run.  The problem with running on the strip, or even walking, is that no matter how much you move, nothing ever seems to get closer.  The reason is that the hotels are so damn big, that even from far away, they appear to be close.  But no, you just keep going and you never seem to get where you are going!  It is frustrating and awesome at the same time.  I have walked almost the entire strip and it was a tiring walk.  I would actually rather run it.  What about you?

Run for Life!!