Sunday, December 26, 2010

12/19-12/25

No running. Knee injury. Starting running either today or tomorrow, at altitude.

Sunday, December 19, 2010

12/12-12/18

22 miles. Terrible. Well, maybe not. I really only did three days of running. So, I suppose 22 miles in three days is not so bad. Today (12/20) and tomorrow will be filled with running, because I will be on the road on the 22nd. I am much looking forward to running in Arizona though, and hopefully get in some good hiking. Might even get to go play some golf. I can only hope. Just read this and liked it:

Here are a few things to remember the next time you go out for a run.

  1. Work to put yourself in tough situations in training. If you always avoid what is difficult in practice then you will have little experience to draw upon in races. If you can sometimes make training more difficult than what you expect to happen in racing then you will increase your opportunity for success.
  2. Accept that negative self-talk will enter into your head in both training & racing. Once you have accepted it then throw it in the trash. It doesn’t help and only begins to send you down the path to failure. Accept that you are human and your mind is engineered to steer you away from tough situations. However, also accept that you can control which path you go down so sometimes taking the difficult road is what you need to reach new heights.
  3. Understand that you are an emotional being. Do not deny the role that emotions have in your life. The more you understand your emotions and how they can sway you without direction the more you will then learn how to control them. Remember that you are the driver. With practice you can change your perceptions of tough situations. So… get out there and start practicing.
  4. Remember that your frame of mind is everything. As my coach said to me when I was competing… “If running was that easy then everyone would do it and everyone would win. It’s not, so get out there and get tougher. It’s the best way to get you what you want out of this sport”.
  5. If you don’t see that the opportunity for the reward is not greater than the risk of failure than loss is imminent. The pursuit must be worth it. Think big, train hard and be ready to handle the situations that will occur.
  6. Nervousness, fear, anxiety are the inevitability of sport. Without these it is not exciting. Without these are adrenaline levels don’t rise and our performances will not reach their peak. Embrace these feelings as drivers towards success. Use them to give you added energy to go faster, go longer and reach new levels of performance.
  7. If you can’t see it you can’t do it. Start to see it happen in your mind while you are training and while you are relaxing. Mental confidence to hit a goal comes over time. It is as much a part of the training plan as the physical work. This confidence is what elevates training on a daily basis. It helps to make smart decisions on and off the track. If you can clearly see yourself reach the goal then it all becomes about connecting the dots on race day

Saturday, December 11, 2010

12/5-12/11

A solid week of running. Although most of my running was done by myself, because Teacher did not want to get out in the cold. (I don't blame him!!!) Monday was 5? I think. It was with Teacher, and it was cold. Tuesday was on my own at N. Farm, and more cold. Wednesday was the coldest, with Temps not breaking 30 degrees. I did not run far. Because it was cold. Very cold. Thursday I ran a few miles around the house, and Friday I put in 7 at N. Farm. I found out that I like running around the trails at N. Farm and Rambunctious Puppy likes the trails more. So we've put several miles around the trails. Saturday morning I went for three at N. Farm. It was cold at first, but after a while, I actually warmed up and forgot that I was running in the cold.

Miles for the week: 26.

Monthly miles: 53.

*Edited to Add - I also just found out that I have an awesome blister on my left foot. Excitement has ensued.

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

11/28-12/4

A week of running. I put in 27 miles this week, which is about 7 more than I have in the past. I look forward to put in more. although yesterday, I only ran 2. But it was cold yesterday. anyways... I do feel the extra 7 miles in my legs, as my right leg is significantly more sore than is has been prior. the right knee cap was a little week on Sunday, so I used Sunday to take off and let it recover. today (12/7) it is still sore, but not enough for me to care to continue rest. I am keeping it under observation for further trouble though.

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

12/1

I put in a few miles in the frigged cold. It's 39 degrees outside. Today is the second time I've used the under armor cold gear. The first was a few weeks back, while my body was still adjusting to the cold (it was 60 degrees then). I know now, that is cold gear was not necessary then. Tonight, it was beyond necessity. It was F'ing cold.

I went with Monroe, who we'll call "Roe" for ease of typing. Puppy came along as well. The first mile was spent becoming one with the frigid air, and finding reasons to believe that running further would be a good idea. For the record, running further is never a good idea. The problem with running past when you want to stop is that you never know when to quit. You have already told your body to F@#K off, so you won't listen to it again. If you've already told your body what for, your brain is next. You don't need your brain when you run anyway, if anything the brain gets in the way as much as the body, if not more. The only thing that made me quit tonight was Roe and his many bathroom breaks. At one point, Roe darted just off the road, and let loose of the most horrible smelling solid matter ever known to mankind. The smell of rotting carcass in the desert sun, topped with a dumpster from behind a Chinese restaurant who's pick up date has been skipped over the last two weeks, filled the neighborhood. There was a lot of stop and go, as Roe had his moments of panic when he would release a foul stench from his rear that would surprise even his self, and cause a shut down of movement. As I was running behind Roe, the stench would strike me in the face. I could almost see the green fog drift from ground level as it forms a fist the likes of Brock Lesnar, striking me in right square in the nose. Enough of Roe's Jedi Death Farts.

The remainder of the run was good. I kept a solid pace all the way through, and completed 5. which was 5 more than I intended to complete today. This makes 17 so far this week.