Monthly Roundup: August

I can't believe it's already September and that the summer has already come and gone. It went by so fast. August was an interesting and busy month. It included vacation, some heat and humidity and a new job. My training and weight loss had some ups and downs during the month, but still moving forward.

Trainings

Not a bad place for a 14 mile run.

My training this past month wasn't great. It included a lot of missed sessions. In fact, I missed more times than I actually worked out. I'm not happy with that. I'm not happy with myself. I expect more from myself. With that said, it was not all bad. I did have my longest run to date: a 14 mile run that I did on vacation none-the-less. That did in fact save my monthly total miles to look better than it should have likely been. I have started to bounce back from the missed sessions as well and have a renewed drive to get all my runs in. As I've mentioned before, my biggest hurdle is wanting to sleep for morning runs and just plain forgetfulness for evening runs. But I only offer that as explanation, not as an excuse. I cannot let myself make excuses and expect to improve.

Races

I had no races in August, but I think the 14 mile rhn should count as a psuedo-race. September has the Perfect 10 races, where I plan to run the 10K. They offer a 1.0 mile, 10K and 10 miler. I'd want to try the 10 miler, but the 10K fits better with my training schedule.

Some Monthly Stats

Geeky stats time for the month of August.

Running the Roads
Total Distance: 24.19 miles
Total Time: 6:13:02
Average Pace: 14:49 min / mile
Best Pace: 13:34 min / mile
Best Split: 12:59 min

Total Distance Year to Date: 117.52

Do you see that? I have run 117.52 miles since April. That's just on the road, nothing in the gym counted. Going from nothing, that number is hard to fathom for me. Then, I start to think what that number would be without all the missed training sessions and it's just so hard to take in. I can't even believe that number is real, for me to have done all that already.

Looking to September

Credit: austincc.edu

We're already fast into September. I thought a good way to look at the month is to set some goals for myself. Some will be more difficult to others. I will strive to accomplish them all. But goals should stretch you, so I'm not just picking things I know I can accomplish.

• No missed training sessions
• Add 1 non-running training session per week
• Run 40 miles total
• Lose 5 pounds

I think these are good starting goals. The first, no missed sessions is obvious. It is how things should be every month, but have not been yet so far for me. The second is something I want to add to increase my overall health and compliment my running. Ideally, I want to add yoga, weight and other cross-training activities to my workouts. I think I'd like to do yoga once a week to increase my flexibility and joint strength, weight train one day to work out other muscles and another day just doing other exercises, such as for my core. That is obviously a lot to add in, so I'm going to pull out the developer in me and apply the iterative approach. I'm going to start with one extra session a week, then come back and add more. Right now, with my new job, I don't have a gym. In our new office, we'll have one to use again, but for now that means my extra sessions will be something I will do around home. One extra time a week will be good for me I believe.

The next goal is to run 40 miles. My largest has been 30 outside, so I wanted to step it up from there. In addition, looking at the training plan for this month, this requires some of my week day runs to put the 45 minute side of the 30 - 45 minute window because I will need more 3 mile runs than 2 mile ones to meet this total. Lastly, I want to kick my weight loss up a gear. It has done ok, slowly losing a little with a slight setback recently. That is a change I really want to see that I haven't yet, so I want to push myself on that as well this month.

I've also decided to give the Nike+ Running app a try this month. We'll see how it goes. If you're on Nike+, look me up and add me. I used the screen name WickeeWickee.

What will September hold? More work, more progress, more success.

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Monthly Roundup: June

The month of June is complete. It's already halfway through the year, 3 months into training and just completed week 11 of my half marathon training plan. The weather is warming up, but I'm trying to still train strong.

Trainings

Call Miss Utility

I had good month of training. Like all, it had its ups and downs. I missed 3 training sessions, one of which was an 8 mile run. I was bummed after missing that one and not getting my run in. I did bounce back two weeks later, with my longest run to date, a 9.5 mile run. I tried to shift more of my running to outside instead of in the gym on the elliptical while the weather's nice. My training included over 30 miles on the road running. In June, I also set my best average monthly pace: 14:18.

Races

June did not come with any races. I'd like to run one every month, but time doesn't always allow for it. June held a lot of traveling, so the weekends were spent in various places, not conducive to running. I currently don't have any scheduled for July, but you never know if that will change or not.

Some Monthly Stats

Geeky stats time for the month of June.

Total Distance on the Pavement: 30.35 miles
Average Pavement Pace: 14:18 min / mile
Best Pavement Pace: 12:52 min / mile
Best Split: 12:37 min

Total Distance in the Gym: 2.50 miles
Average Pace in the Gym: 7:04 min / mile
Best Pace in the Gym: 7:04 min / mile

What's Next?

Next month is July. It'll likely be a hot one. I'm going to try and keep up my running outside instead of in the gym while I can. I'm not looking forward to when the winter months roll around. July will have an 11 mile and a 12.5 mile runs. It'll be tough, but good. I'm also going to try and push myself and work hard on losing weight. That is one area I've been struggling with. I'm going to keep myself more accountable and strict. 

What will July hold? More work, more progress, more success.

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May Round Up

The month of May was good to me and my training. I had some good mileage in (with a lot on the pavement), new gear, a great race and some new personal bests. I'm really happy with what I've done.

Trainings

The brightness helps you
run faster.

I had a fairly good month of training. I did miss 3 sessions during the month, 2 maintenance runs and a 3 mile weekend run. In the end, I don't feel too bad about that. I put a lot more mileage to the pavement, at 25 miles. I feel good by that new monthly high. I've improved my pace, increased my distances. My new shoes have really paid off. They feel great on my feet, have helped my ankles and knees feel better on my runs and they don't look half bad either.

Races

This month, I got in another race. This time, I didn't run alone. I ran the Cascades 10K Firechase along side Derek. I had hurt my ankle earlier in the week, so I had taken it easy during the week and was a little hesitant for the run, but everything turned out alright. In fact, everything turned out more than alright. In the race, I got a new PR for both average pace (13:13 min / mil) and split (12:20). Despite the guy who decides to juggle while he runs and you have to fight the urge to tackle / trip him, we had a lot of fun. I came out with an official time of 1 hour 24 minutes and 41 seconds. The best part was that while tired and sore, I didn't feel as bad as I did after my 8K in May. It's like I'm getting the hang of this or something.

Some Monthly Stats

Now's the portion of our show where I get all geeky and throw out a bunch of numbers and stats.

Total Distance on the Pavement: 24.99 miles
Average Pavement Pace: 14:35 min / mile
Best Pavement Pace: 13:13 min / mile
Best Split: 12:20 min

Total Distance in the Gym: 9.05 miles
Average Pace in the Gym: 7:46 min / mile
Best Pace in the Gym: 7:13 min / mile

What's Next?

Next month is June. The temperature will be rising and so will my distances. I'll have several runs to do on the road. Hopefully, I'll keep to my plan even on the road. In addition, my distance will increase to 9.5 miles. It will be a real test to me, but I'm ready for the challenge.

What will June hold? More work, more progress, more success.

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Some Things More Than Posts

A while ago I started adding some extra pages beyond just my posts. I wanted to round out a little bit with some additional content. With the layout I have, there's not way to make it too noticable, so it's just in the bar up top. Maybe eventually I'll play with the layout, but not today. I have a couple things planned to add. I don't want this to just become I ran in the gym, I ran outside, I ran outside farther. I writing all those posts because it helps keep me on track. They're not the most interesting most times, but I set out to have them as I make my push to the WDW1/2. I'm going to try and make a more conscience effort to put more in about how I'm feeling into some of them. At least the bigger weekend pushes.

About

I've added a page to be the home of the explanation of what I'm doing here. You can read the full version, which I'm rewording and improving over time. [In fact, as I try to write an abbreviated version here, I find things to add.]

I've been wanting to get in shape for a long time. Not just healthier and a couple pounds off, but really in shape. A large transformation. Before my wedding, I got about half way there. Unfortunately afterwards, I just hung out where I was, and then eventually jumped back up, slightly above where I started. I try to eat healthy and do an ok job of it. But from my past I know me. To lose weight I need to be active. I started the blog to help "keep me honest" while I tried to exercise and get fit.

My wife and I are both huge Disney fans. We both were long before we ever knew each other existed. One thing that I've discussed off and on is about wanting to someday do one of the Disney races. I always saw it as a someday after I'm in shape, then someday I'll start training and eventually someday I'll run one. That someday seemed like it would never really come. I put it off as one of those bucket list ideas I'd likely never get to, but would wish I could do.

My wonderful wife, Steph, decided to help make that someday come sooner. She knows how hard of a time I can have sticking to working out and how deep down in, I do need encouragement. She decided to make a way that I couldn't get out of it. So she devised a plan with a friend, Dave (of the soon to be Dopey Dave). Before I knew it, I had a running partner for a race. A big race. The Walt Disney World Half Marathon.

So now my site has an additional direction, a new purpose, like me. I'm tracking my journey to go from 0 to 13.1 miles. It won't likely be a straight journey, but more as the Doctor puts it more wibbly wobbly.  And like the Doctor, I'll have my companions along the way, Dave (as mentioned), and my former work mentor / nerf target, Derek. He's a sucker and got talked / peer pressured into it. Dave and Derek, you two can fight over who's the Legs, the Nose or Mrs. Robinson.

And I'm even feeling like I enjoy running at times, which just doesn't compute in my head.

Data

Mmm... data...

I'm a geek. It's the truth. I'm trying to track all sorts of information, getting all sorts of data points. And I figure, if I have it, I might as well do something with it. And if I'm doing something with it, I might as well share it. So that's what is page is all about. I originally shared the Google Doc inline of my data, but my site was being flagged as being "potentially dangerous" when linking to it (I'm looking at you, Facebook), so I dropped that portion. Now I'm throwing in some graphs, which hopefully over time will be more useful. I want to show my progress, so as I get more data, I'll probably be able to put together some more interesting charts. For now, I'm just showing my average pace (semi-useful) and distance run (less useful, since it's dictated by my training plan).

You may not care to look at that, but that's ok. I'm doing it partially just because I can, so that's good enough for me.

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April Round Up

I may only be starting my 3rd week of my training program, but I am completing my first month of training. My first shoes-to-the-pavement run was on April 11. Coupling that with hitting the gyms, I've had a month of working out. Not only that, April also included running my first race of all time. I'm so happy with what I've done so far. I feel some real accomplishment.

Trainings

I ran all the way to the end
of a silent film.

My training has gone well. I started running at the gym on the elliptical. I also got out and went running. I have my sights set on Walt Disney World in January with my half marathon training plan. I've utilized the run-walk-run method from Jeff Galloway, which has been perfect for me. It's really worked exactly as advertised. It helps me to keep a good pace, without getting too tired and helping with the strain on my muscles. Every training session I try and improve. It may be more distance, it may be a quicker pace or it may be trying to improve my technique a little. I've played with some different tech and some apps, trying to find the right mix that works for me. It's still in flux, but I have a set that works pretty well for me right now.

Races

I completed my first race ever, not a 5K as you might suspect, but the Rockstar 8K. The race was held here in Burke, VA, just around the corner running down and back Burke Center Parkway. The race was ran by Potomac River Running. They have a couple of stores in the area and do a lot of races. I finished the race with an official time of 1:08:12 giving me a 13:45 min / mile pace. That pace blew away all of training paces up to that point. I guess the adrenaline and the concentration of the race helped keep my pace up nicely.

I'm eyeing up some future races as well. I want to get in some longer runs. I need to do some 10Ks to give to Disney for pacing purposes. I'm looking at some Memorial Day weekend that Derek asked if I may be interested in. There is the Cascades 10K Firechase and the Ringing in the Hope 10K. I also want to find a 5K to run with my sister up in PA, since I cannot do the Chocolate Miracle 5K with her in Hershey. Longer term, I'm looking at the Perfect 10 and, if I can get into it, the Army 10 Miler (it apparently fills up quick).

Some Monthly Stats

I'm a geek, so I like numbers and stats. So here are some stats that I've been tracking for the month of April.

Total Distance on the Pavement: 16.9 miles
Average Pavement Pace: 14:16 min / mile
Best Pavement Pace: 13:43 min / mile

Total Distance in the Gym: 16.4 miles
Average Pace in the Gym: 7:48 min / mile
Best Pace in the Gym: 7:13 min / mile

What's Next?

What will May hold? Another race? Hopefully. More distance? Check. The plan calls for a 5 mile and a 6.5 mile runs this month. New gear? Check. My running shoes are in at the store, so I'll be picking them up soon.

What will May hold? More work, more progress, more success.

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