Pausing Workout

I got up at 5:45 am with no assistance, nor any intentions of doing so. I figured since I was up, I might as well get my 8 mile run out of the way. So I did, and it was ok. I don't know if I didn't eat enough carrots growing up, or if it was just really dark out this morning, but I could not see a thing when I started. The park I go to isn't very well lit to begin with, but it was a little spooky.

By now, we all know what happens to me when I run in the morning, and like clockwork, I had to make a pit stop. Actually 2 pit stops this morning. Talk about annoying. Soon, my Ipod is going to start talking crap to me like this guy's does:



I can thank YouTube for this theft. Don't get me wrong, I love my Ipod and the fact that it keeps track of everything for me, it's awesome. I recommend the Nike+ system to anyone who is interested in giving it a try. And I am not being paid by them. Seriously.

Back to the Afternoon--For now....

Well, I woke up today at 6 am, fully intending on running 4 miles. 10 minutes later, I was back in bed. I just didn't feel like running at all, at least in the morning. I didn't want to deal with making my bathroom pit stop, which could come at any point in my run. That has been really, really annoying for me. The bathroom issue makes me not want to run in the morning.

So, I will return to running after work for now. It's not as hot outside this week and I am 'only' running 4 miles today. It's funny how 3 months ago running 4 miles seemed really far. Today I am hoping to run 4 miles in under 30 minutes. I ran 4 on Monday in 30:13. I don't know if I should care about my times, but I do, especially on the 'shorter' runs. I am marathon training right now, but secretly (well I guess NOT so secretly anymore....) I want my 5K time under 20 minutes as well. So, I went from one goal (be able to run a marathon in under 4 hrs....which I have yet to accomplish--my first attempt is on 10/21) to adding another goal (5K under 20 minutes) over the course of 3 months. I feel like I am close on both, but don't want to overdo anything and get injured. That would totally suck.

I am still upset about my cotton tank top from last weekends 10K, and I am mulling over the idea of adding a 2nd Marathon to my schedule at the end of March, 2008. I live in Knoxville, and I want to run the Knoxville marathon I think. I think I am going to do it.

Racoon Mountain 10K--Chattanooga, TN

This past Saturday I, along with my wife, her sister and her sister's husband ran in the Raccoon Mountain 5K/10K in Chattanooga, TN. We woke up at 4 a.m. in Knoxville and drove the 1.45 hrs to Chattanooga in order to make it to the race that started at 7:30 a.m. Waking up at 4 a.m. is early, and not exactly "my idea of a good time" in case anyone was wondering how that was.

I figured that since I was up 3.5 hrs before the race, I would have enough time to take care of my bathroom issues before the race. I chugged an iced tea at about 4:30 am to 'get the bowels moving', so I wouldn't have any issues during the race and I could focus on running....and it WORKED!! The strange thing was that the bathroom line for the dudes was a lot longer and slower moving before the race than the Women's bathroom line was. About 75% of the guys in line were going #2 also, and there was only one toilet in this park's bathroom. So, you were putting on a show in a way for the guys in line, who also had to do what you were doing. It was a little weird.

The race went really well. This was my first 10K, and I really liked it. I really liked this distance, and there was one massive hill. I mean massive (I should have known, since it was at Raccoon MOUNTAIN.....) I felt a little bad at the end of the race because I had been running with this guy "Robert" and we were chatting during the race and he noticed that the 2,3, and 4 mile markers were off. He had a Garmin watch and I didn't have any watch/timing device and Robert would let me know the times as we passed the mile markers. He was my 'race friend', until after the mile 5 marker when I LEFT HIM IN THE DUST AND SMOKED HIM!!!!!!! I thought about it for a second, like 'should I stay with him and finish the race together, or pick it up and hope he comes along...' I picked it up, and he didn't. Sorry, Robert.

Thanks to Robert (and his Garmin) I kept an 8:00/mile pace from miles 1-5, then the last 1.2 miles I finished in 8:26, giving me a 48:26 final time, and again THIRD place in my age group! I am 2 for 2 in getting prizes at races!



As wonderfully modeled by my wife and her sister above, the shirts were cotton tank tops. By far, the worst shirt I've ever received at a race. I will never wear this, not even to paint.



We ran around this reservoir for most of the race. It was an awesome course. Thanks to Sonya for taking these pictures!

Pretty Boring Week

Last Sunday, I ran a Half-Marathon by myself. It was tiring. This Saturday, I am running a 10K. So, this week has been pretty pathetic as far as running goes. I'm 'resting' and 'recovering'.

I ran, just not as far as my workout sheet was telling me. I am my own man.

I'll let you know how this 10K goes on Saturday. I am shooting for an injury-free, somewhere between 47 and 50 minute race. Wish me luck!

For dinner last night I had 8 oreos and a bowl of popcorn

You know why? Because I ran 13.1 freaking miles Sunday morning and felt like I could eat whatever I wanted throughout the day. I didn't really pig out Sunday however, I had a soda(shh...the iced tea machine was broken....) and a slice of pizza for lunch, followed by some tempeh (sp?), rice and zucchini between lunch and dinner, then dinner was oreos and popcorn.

I had to run an errand or two after my 13.1 mile run on Sunday, and after than I laid on the couch for the rest of the day. My knees were sore and aching a little bit and I just didn't feel like moving. So I didn't. It was actually pretty awesome to be able to flip back and forth between NCAA '08, the Milwaukee Brewers lose to the Cincinnati Reds, then I watched a movie (Spy Game) with Amber and I didn't have to move. To top it off, Amber gave me a massage on both of my IT bands, then iced and heated them. If felt really good.

Do you want to see a picture of a band who calls themselves Slow Runner??? Whether you want to or not, here:



Band pictures always make me laugh. What's the point? I am not going to buy your CD if you look good and the music is garbage. (see: NSYNC) Personally, what a band looks like doesn't affect me, so I guess I don't see the relevance of a band photo.

I've gotten into a bad, bad habit

WARNING: If you don't like talking about poop, or if you don't poop, stop reading right now. You have been warned.

OK, this last week has been very annoying/frustrating. Here's why:

I like everything about running in the morning, and I like doing other things in the evenings. My runs have been faster/easier as well (I don't think that's because of the morning running, just training.) From a strict running standpoint, this week has been awesome. However, I am pretty 'regular'. Meaning, every morning, about 10-11 am, I go #2. This hasn't been a problem until I started running BEFORE 10-11 am.

Running makes me poop. But only if there is poop to be pooped.

On all 4 of my morning runs this week, about 1-2 miles into the run, part of the run is 'running to the toilet'. It really sucks. And today, a day where I haven't ran, I haven't pooped (it's about 3pm). It's like my body is waiting for me to start running to poop. I really, really don't want to get into that cycle. What am I supposed to do?

I am running the equivalent of a 1/2 marathon on Sunday, and I don't want to be interrupted by bathroom issues. For that matter, I don't want any of my runs to be interrupted by bathroom issues. This entire week, I have been worrying about this before I start my run, and like clockwork, I've had the serious need to go #2 about a mile into the run.

I don't know if anyone has had this issue before, but I am clueless as to how to change this cycle. I really want to keep running in the mornings if possible. HELP!

Why is this so funny?

I don't know how I came to this video on YouTube, but it made me laugh real hard when I saw it. It might be because he is yelping while on there, and his buddy is just making it go faster and faster, with no reaction at all. Then he just walks away.

If you have never seen these two newscast clips from YouTube, you've been missing out.



WooWOOOO



Notice how when they 'demonstrate' the car whistle, they almost sideswipe parked cars, run a stop sign and speed in a matter of 5 seconds.

To change subjects, I have been morning running all week and I really like it. The running hasn't been perfect, but it has been good. I feel really good the rest of the day after I run.

I am running the equivalent of a 1/2 marathon Sunday, and a 10k next Sunday in Chattanooga, TN. I like running.