Time: 26:40
Distance: 3 miles

Details: treadmill - followed by a delicious dinner w/ a friend. Trout with some kind of pesto butter, incredible mashed potatoes, green beans and a Sonoma Cutrer Chardonnay. Ahhhh. yum. so tasty.

Looking forward to getting off the treadmill and onto the trails this weekend.

Stay strong.

"Restore the Roar"

"No timeouts, no halftimes, no rest: running is the only true sport."

Time: 32:00
Distance: 3.54 miles

Details: treadmill; weights

Reflections: I was so happy to work out! I felt like it had been days.....and it had only been 2. I guess these last 2 days have just been very LOOOONG. It's been raining a bit, so the temps are a bit cooler, but of course, the humidity is high.
I got a yummy blueberry/banana smoothie as i departed from the gym. I was as content as can be sipping that thing and driving home in the light southern rain. It gave back to me. i needed it.

Time: 1:05:04
Distance: 6.7 miles

Details: peanut butter PowerBar prior, strawberry-banana GU during. Temp/Humidity Unknown

Reflections: ran from my house and around various neighborhoods. felt better than expected after yesterdays outing. not very hot out this morning, but again, very humid. I iced my quads afterwards, while sitting on my patio drinking EAS. I have found these 2 be very helpful in recovery. They are full of lots of protein and vitamins to replenish the body.

I'm satisfied with the weekend runs and weekly mileage, but i gotta really boost it up. Trying to be careful about boosting it up is the key.

Train Hard, Train Smart

Saturday

Time: 1:26:39
Distance: 7 miles

Details: 74 degrees, 90% humidity. Chocolate Powerbar prior, Strawberry GU during.

Reflections: really wanted to get out onto the trails this weekend so this morning i went to Sweetwater Creek Park. Only about 25 drive from my house. Let me preface this by saying I would like to go the trails more, but I have been a little freaked out to go by myself. Last year or so, there was news of a few women being attacked at different locations, so that really spooked me. This is the first time i have been to a trail alone in over a year. On the ride there, i could feel my anxiety rising; it’s very interesting...i feel much safer in “the worst part of town” type neighborhoods than i do out in the middle of the woods. Maybe it’s because at least i can see on the streets and i can also yell or scream for help and most likely someone will be nearby. But, out in the woods, what are the chances someone will hear you if you are in danger or something of that nature? Anyways. If any guys are reading this, my question to you is this: “do you ever feel afraid while running?”

If your answer is no, i say i’m jealous of you. I don’t spook easy of things, but yeah, running in the woods alone is something that does get to me from time to time.

OK. now on to the run!! My plan was to run for an hour and a half. Yeah, that WAS the plan. I have only been on these trails 2x before and i chose to go into an area I had not been before. It was the YELLOW loop. I was feeling pretty yellow by the time i finished that trail; BRUTAL. After the first 8 minutes, there was a long and steady uphill. Forget about it. In this weather, I walked up fast. As steep and brutal the ascent was, the descent was quad punishing! I was huffing, puffing, dripping and not having much fun.
Soon, i was onto the RED trail; it became BLUE and then WHITE by the time I was done. I was more familiar with this part of the trail since I had hiked it last fall; it has a mixture of parts that are heavily rooted, rocky, narrow and curvy. The last 5.5-7 miles has a HUGE hill and then more open space. Sheesh...I thought the hill would never end..AND I WALKED IT. Sorry, but i just could not muster much in 90% humid conditions. I constantly had to get over being bummed out that I was not able to go faster, but it was what it was. I did the best I could under the conditions.

Time:18:00
Distance: 2 miles

Details: 85 degrees, 62% humidity; ran at 11:30am. i intentionallyy went short as i run long both days over weekend. just wanted to get more movement in. run followed by 23 minute walk, 1.33 miles.

Reflections: I was so happy to go run today at whatever time i wanted to. I took the day off from work, woke up late and milled about until 11:30am. I ate Cream of Wheat for breakfast. When is the last time anyone at that? I know i hadn't had any since like, um..forever ago. Was a nice yummy change and great IRON content.

Before I went out the door, i was going through some running/triathlete magazines looking for stuff to cut out for a collage i am making. I love making small collages to inspire me. I came across part of an article i would like to quote here and now:

"WHAT PERCENT POSSIBILITIES ARE YOU AND WHAT PERCENT EXCUSES ARE YOU?"


Go. Live. Be Big!!!

Thursday

"Anything is possible, but you have to believe and you have to fight."
-Lance Armstrong

Time: 38:00
Distance: 4 miles

Details: treadmill run (post work). it was surprisingly easy to go 4 miles on TM, compared to the usual 3 i have been doing. felt strong and solid. weights afterwards.

Time: 34:22
Distance: 7.83 miles - BIKE RIDE

Details: approx. 98 degrees. Moderate to Significant hills;

I wanted to exercise today but did not want to go back to run on treadmill. Also, my right hip is bothering me some and i thought the bike would help. I think it did.

Train Smart, Train Strong

Tuesday

Time: 26:00
Distance: 3 miles

Details: treadmill; felt pretty good. Followed by 20 minutes of messing around with raquetball...mostly to just re-aquaint myself with hitting, etc.. i love raquetball and cannot wait to find a partner!

“You have to wonder at times what you’re doing out there. Over the years, I’ve given myself a thousand reasons to keep running, but it always comes back to where it started. It comes down to self-satisfaction and a sense of achievement.”

- Steve Prefontaine

I DIG this quote! Doesn't it just about sum it up? It sure does for me.

Time: 1:01:36
Distance: 6.06 miles

Details: chocolate chip clif bar prior, stawberrt Clif Shot during, 8:30am start (so much for the early bird); 76 degrees, 87% humidity

Reflections: it would have been easy to stay in bed this morning. i made coffee and then sat in bed while drinking it, water and chowing down clif bar. i thought, "man, it would be easy to just slide down underneath my covers". But, i didn't. i got into gear and headed out. Overall, i felt stronger than yesterday. Maybe i got a boost from the Trout i had last night for dinner; it's protein and vitamin b12 helping to pull me along the streets of atlanta. I felt fairly strong all the way through, as oppossed to yesterday when i felt very sluggish. iPod stayed at home today so i could intentionally be alone with my thoughts and hear my own breathing. i do so quite a few people out with NO WATER and i just don't understand it! are they camels? how can they run without water? can anyone shed any light??

Hope everyone had good, strong runs this weekend that boosted your spirits and made you proud. Now, can we get a damn beer??

"it all comes down to having a dream. you have to know why you head out the door every day to run. your purpose will motivate you in every mile you train."
-Brian Diemer

Time: 50:57
Distance: 5.01 miles

Details: chocolate Power Bar prior, Vanilla Powergel during; 9am start, 75 degrees, 88% humidity

Reflections: a later start than i wanted, but that is just the way it worked out. too late. too humid. too warm. looking at the forecast for the next week, it does not seem it will let up. man, where is the relief???

I actually felt pretty good for the first 2.5 miles. then the hills. the the weather effect. then the struggle to even finish 5. damn.

Walked 1.46 miles home (21:57) then went to gym.

Ran 1 more mile on TM (9:00 pace), weights, sauna

Got an awesome banana/strawberry/protein smoothie at the gym on my way out. yum.

Tomorrow I will be more of an early bird and hope it aids with the distance.

Today has been one of those days where I have felt just completely drained. I have had very little energy all day. And i don't just mean energy for training, but just basic energy for walking, talking, working, being..

I felt like someone just stuck a needle in my arm and drained me of every ounce of energy.

Ever had a time like this?

Wednesday

Time: 30 minutes
Distance: 3.25 miles

Details: Treadmill run since we are still in the 100 degrees weather. ouch.
Weights and sauna afterwards.

Monday

Time: 26:09
Distance: 3 miles

Details; treadmill at new gym. YEAH.

Reflections:I signed up at new gym last night. A big place with lots of stuff and i am happy to have a gym again. 3 miles on TM felt good. Soaked for a bit in the hot tub afterwards. AHHH...nice relief for some tired quads. Tuesday will be off day as i am going to baseball game. Will be SOAKING in the sun, hopefully catching a GIANTS win over BRAVES.


Train Hard, Train Smart

Cheers

sunday

Sunday

Time: 46:30
Distance: 4.6 miles

Details: banana & yogurt peanut balance bar, prior; powergel vanilla during
9AM start; 75 degrees, 88% humidity

Reflections: wanted to run another 6-7, but just didn't happen. was drenched with sweat within 15 minutes. i probably physically felt better than yesterday and i would just attribute that to a later start, i.e. more time to wake up, etc..

...gettting in the miles, getting in the miles...

Distance: 7.09 miles
Time: 1:14

Details: 6AM start; 79 degrees, 66% humidity; chocolate chip clif bar before, powergel vanilla, during

Reflections:
Well, getting up at 5am for a 6am start was what i did, although i am not sure how much of a difference it made weather-wise. A little, but not much. The ranges of temps lately have been 70-103. Tomorrow, I might just push it up to 7am. Today was the earliest I have begun a run since the 5AM start to the SF Marathon in July 2006! I was a little nervous at the start, but considering how warm it was, i figured there were probably not many weirdos or murderers out on the street. I do worry about this, at times.
I do love running when it is quiet and the streets are empty. Usually that is only early on sunday morning. This morning i was able to run in the middle of many streets as there were no cars around as far as the eye could see. COOL. I need and want to get back to the trails, but I cannot go this early by myself. Hopefully by next weekend this outrageous heatwave will diminish some.

I felt pretty good out there this morning except for the fact that my upper quads are sore as hell. Two days ago, i did some exercises in my house and just overdid it, i guess. I really need a massage and i think i need to start doing some ice baths.

Last night for dinner, I had a burger with blue cheese. and a Stella. yum.

Hope all are staying cool and still training hard, smart. Cheers

"Running allows us to define our weaknesses and make them strengths. It
supplies those missing attributes that diminish us and keep us from
functioning fully. It makes us whole."

George Sheehan

Wednesday:
Distance: 3
Time: 26:30

On treadmill at new gym - i am looking into this new gym and trying to decide if i will join. a good amount of money, but i think it will be a good investment. stay tuned.

Followed by weight workout

p.s. they have racquetball courts! i love to play!!

"You learn you can do your best even when it's hard, even when you are tired and maybe hurting a little bit. it feels good to show some courage."
-Joe Namath


Distance: 6 miles
Time: 59:26

Details: food > clif bar chocolate chip, before, PowerGel Vanilla during

Reflections: Another good wake up period of about 1 1/2 hr before run. I am finding I need at least this amount of time to really wake up and eat, etc... An hour or less and I am not worth very much after 2 miles.

Began the run with buddy, S.L., at 8AM. Unbelievable, but it was much more humid at 8am today than it was on Saturday at 930 start. UUGGHH. Man, the air was THICK and HEAVY. Hard to breath. We ran through Decatur > downtown and around an past Agnes Scott College. Through some other nieghborhoods called Kirkwood, East Lake, & Oakhurst. All in all a solid run and i was happy with it.

I'm seriously thinking of beginning my weekend runs at about 5am next weekend. I need to put more miles in.

2 good 6 milers back to back was good though for the weekend


-Train hard, Train smart

Saturday:
Distance: 6 miles
Time: 1:01:30

Details: Food > clif bar mint chocolate, before, PoweGel Vanilla, during

Reflections: had a good 1 1/2-2 hours wake up time prior to 9:30 am start. Much too late as the heat was already past 80 degrees. For the 1st time in awhile, I ran with iPod; a nice change. Beautiful, clear day...but WARM. At the start, i felt like I had quite a bit of energy, but about half way, my legs felt pretty heavy and my perceived level exertion was high, i'd say. Maybe not eating enough carbs lately or maybe some effects from 1.5 margaritas last night. :)
Still. I felt good being out there. As mentioned before, i have not had much time to run during the week, but that should change at least for the immediate near term. I was only able to get in 2 very short runs in this week after long work days.

Came across 2 short hills which i walked and 2 steep hills which i ran-walked.

At the top of 1st steep hill, an elderly woman walking her dog said in a sweet southern accent, "you should've started earlier. it's already hot." "Yeah", I replied, "but i wanted to sleep in"

It sure felt good to sleep in when i was still in bed, but at 10:00, it sure didn't!

Close to the end and going up the last hill, i saw a guy with a OHIO STATE t-shirt on watering his grass. He saw me coming and said, "need some help?" "Yeah, Buckeye", I said, and he filled my water bottle. Thanks!

Ate some pasta tonight. Hope to get some good sleep and get out a bit earlier. Looking forward to tomorrow's adventure

"The greater the obstacle, the more glory in overcoming it."

-Moliere

YEAH! C'MON