Break time

I took the entire week off from running.

I finally got out for almost 6 miles yesterday morning but I hadn't stepped out to run the entire week since the half marathon last Saturday. It wasn't because I was sore or any other reason except I stared down the alarm in the early mornings and turned over for another hour of sleep instead. I'm supposed to be re-grouping but I didn't even think about it. Okay, maybe I thought but it was quickly put aside and not thought up again. I was simply taking a break.

I will venture out again but it seems incredible dark for this time of the morning. Maybe I'll take the few minutes to figure out a new plan. Nothing too big but something with a little structure so the alarm doesn't get ignored in November.
TT

Battle of Hill-otes

This past Saturday I ran a half marathon. It was a tough one to conquer since it's only description on it's website was: Description: Hilly. It was telling no lies. It was aptly named the Battle of Hillotes which was a play on the name of the small town of Helotes that it took place.

There was no way I was coming home without finishing. I took the past seven weeks and three days following a training plan I devised for myself by plotting it on a spreadsheet. I took 3 or 4 other 10 and 12 week plans that I had and figured out how I could improvise them into something I could actually use. I don't know if it was a good plan or not but it got me to where I wanted to go and that was crossing the finish line.

It was more than planning. It was getting up at 4:00 am and running 3 or 4 sometimes 5 miles before work. The alarm would go off and I would push to get up. Some days it was easy and some days there was no way I believed I hadn't just closed my eyes to fall asleep. There were a few mornings I was up and dressed to run before my brain realized I was ready to go. Coffee was gulped down in a few, hot sips and left for later. I had a finish line I needed to cross. I had work to do before I got there.

The morning of the race it was a cool 49-50 degrees but I knew it would warm up quickly. It only took until mile 2 to get the feeling back in my numb fingers and that was the last I thought about the weather. I had to stare down some mean hills and not just one or two but six, seven, steep and cruel ones. I got to the top of one and just looked out. The sun was coming up and there was a view to see for miles. This is why I do this. When and where else could I have been in this moment.

Looking back at my splits my pace was fast coming up through mile 7 but the hills had taken it out of me and I slowed to some snails pace the last half. I don't know what I was doing on mile 12 except maybe crawling? But none of that mattered since I had no pace goal. I only wanted to defeat the finish line and I did that last Saturday.

Since there aren't many in my age group that ventures out, I placed second in my category with a time of 2:38:38. I was a good 14 minutes behind first place (damn mile 12)! I can at least look at the bright side that the person behind me came in right at 3 hours which put me a good 40 some minutes ahead. It doesn't really matter since all of this is extra. My only wish was to get it done.

Done it is. I'm re-grouping to see what's next.
TT

Lots of miles

I could go ahead and give a long list of miles but I did that more than a few times already. I could go back to my last post to see where I left off and add the new numbers to that already too long list. I'll spare myself and you the list.

This past month of September I ended up with a total of 113.37 miles. That is more miles in a month for me in the past six years I have actual stats to compare. I ran 112 miles in October of 2010. It took me six years to do it again but I did last month. I have a total of 40.18 miles for this month and it's the eighth day of the month. That isn't a bad showing by any means. I am 26.38 miles away from meeting the best mileage in any year for me. I won't be doing it as a marathon in one day but give me a week and I'll probably have that stat blown too. 

Miles, miles, miles. I had someone ask me how I could run all those miles without anyone or anything chasing me. It's not the most original comment. It isn't original at all. How many times has everyone heard that one before? I probably couldn't even outrun someone if their intention was to chase me down. It doesn't take being pursued to run. 

Drive, confidence, consistency, strength, discipline, determination, endurance, courage. Chase me.

TT

Recap

Here is an up-to-date recap of the past month or so.

Day 1 -  6.24 miles
Day 2 -  3.55 miles
Day 3 -  8.17 miles
Day 4 -  5.07 miles
Day 5 -  4.17 miles
Day 6 -  5.63 miles
Day 7 -  Rest
Day 8 -  Rest
Day 9 -  6.41 miles
Day 10 - 9.08 miles
Day 11 - Rest
Day 12 - 5.27 miles
Day 13 - 4.52 miles
Day 14 - 4.22 miles
Day 15 - Rest
Day 16 - 4.73
Day 17 - 4.73
Day 18 - 5.05
Day 19 - Rest
Day 20 - Rest
Day 21 - Rest
Day 22 - 5.8
Day 23 - Rest
Day 24 - 12.04
Day 25 - Rest
Day 26 - 3.48
Day 27 - 5.05
Day 28 - Rest
Day 29 - 5.59
Day 30 - 4.11    End of September - Total 113.4 miles

10/1 Day 31 - 13.18
10/2 Day 32 -   5.04

October is off to a good start but I have Jury Duty today. We will see how it goes.
TT