If only....I'd listen

  I talk a big talk...."listen to your body" I say. I really need to practice what I preach! I was tired yesterday...should've rested ran instead....it was butt ugly. Today I felt pretty good and went out earlier...ran like the wind! Did 10K in 56 minutes! Really pleased with this run today. I wonder how much better today would've been if I had just rested yesterday? Oh well I try!:)
  Hope all is well with you!!! Peace!

Zapped part Two

  So today it wasn't the heat that zapped me...no...I did fine putting in a nice little 4 miler today...nope , I had a battle with a couple of red wasps and I killed one and one nailed me right in the collar bone....wow it stung! I have a nice welp and some stinging pain but I'm alive! Wasp one...me one...we're even! Hope you are doing well! Peace!

Dangerous Roads

I have to run on a highway...Highway W. It is a highway that technically dead ends, it is very curvy, banked, and the speed limit is 55. It is not a highly traveled road but I'm sure many cars traverse it daily.
  I have learned to "try" to get off when a car comes because people drive so stupid and are so often distracted by their electronic devises. It can be very risky running these roads. Today I am saddened because a young lady, 18yrs old or so, who lived on my road was killed on highway W last night. Her car went off the road and she was thrown from the vehicle. A terrible tragedy. As I ran today I had to pass by the location and many people were there paying their respects. Life is so fragile! We must value each moment!! 3.2 miles in the raging heat on the dangerous roads...peace!

Zapped!!

 Wow...I was planning on an 8 miler today but by 5 miles I was in terrible shape! I was sucking air bad! I guess the heat-86 degrees and humidity-high- really got me today. Normally I can handle this but I am not acclimated to Summer time yet...I barely made it home and it is taking forever to cool down...I was zapped by the heat! Still got 5.8 miles in and lived to tell about it!:) Peace! (It's a good day to be at the pool....too bad I don't have access to one!)

Some easy miles

   Easy miles today...just felt like enjoying the day so I took an easy jog instead of the day off. 3 miles today, hope to get more in tomorrow. Peace!

Charge the hills

   I continue to enjoy running and the joy of being back on the roads. Yes, the treadmill is a great tool but the road is much more appealing and demanding.
  I decided to warm up very slowly...not get in any hurry....by miles 2 I was loose and the body felt pretty good...I decided to have some fun and charge each hill...take it!
  I'm reading a biography about J.E.B. Stuart so I'm being influenced! :)!
 Anyway....a couple of really good miles! 5.15 total today. I have decided to run a couple of weeks in the 20's and then begin to build for a race....whatever! Peace!

Adding Hills

  I continue to rebuild...I am adding 2K hill into the mix...a very steep hill that runs 2K...I went 7/10th a mile down today and worked it back up...I kept the effort the same when I arrived to the top and my last mile was an 8:37! Kinda tweaked the lower left calf? Odd...probably heal up as fast as I tweaked it....4 miles today! Peace!

The heat is on!

   Okay, no global warming jokes! Wow...early Spring and now early Summer. The grass is browning and the heat is rising! It is like mid-july here! We need rain! I am having to water the saplings or I'm sure they would be perishing.
  So my mid day run was wonderful!!!! I love this weather although it does tend to slow you down a bit. I took my 22oz handheld and did a little out and back run totalling 6 miles. I busted 20 miles this week as I continue to rebuild. I may even run tomorrow, too! I am really excited to see my son Evan today and tomorrow. He gets to come home for a couple of days. A friend of his is getting married...I am actually performing the ceremony. Well, hope you all are getting rain! Peace!

Feelin' fine!

  Well, I think I have recovered fully from the marathon. I have a good mental attitude and my body feels pretty good. I know the rule of thumb is one day recovery for every mile raced but we have to go by how our bodies are speaking. Mine says it's in pretty good shape and is ready for some semblance of a training program.
  I am leaning towards some 5K tune-up races and maybe a half marathon in June. We will see if I can work out a plan. Today I decided to do a tempo run. 1.7 miles warm up, 1.5 miles at HM pace, 1.7 cool-totaled 4.94 miles..... I am now an expert on the difference between treadmill and outdoor running. I will tell you that the treadmill is an excellent tool and is very forgiving allowing us to train and minimize risk of injury. Yet it cannot compare to road running....the lower calf and push off is minimized in treadmill running in comparison with road running. I will consider using the treadmill for speed work and in inclement weather, and in times of injury.....I am still worried about the Achilles....any way I'm feelin' fine! Peace!

Summer Time

  Wow! What a year so far. Spring came early and it seems Summer will, too. It is hot and sunny, and the ground is already drying out. I sure hope we don't keep suffering this lack of rain. I have been having to water my new trees and I would much rather they get a little rain. So today I ran nice and easy on rolling hills/2k hill rout. I only went .5 miles down 2K hill and finished with 3.8 miles. I continue to gradually increase and I still have no race goal. I would like some of your thoughts regarding this question.
  If I wanted to run a 10K race with some race specific training how long would you make the training segment? Preace!

Enduring the negative.....

  Seems like sometimes everybody is a critic or just negative. I wonder why negativity seems to be a predominate aspect of many peoples approach.
  I endure it in my running and you've probably heard it too. The sideways comment cutting your endeavor....I've been hearing for 30 years now!
  Even with my trees there is the cutting remark from neighbors or family...I just take it and go on...yet sometimes I'd like to stop biting my tongue if you know what I mean!
 I guess negative thinking is just the way for some and we have to accept their approach, yet we do not let it affect our approach!
  I will strive to keep running and I will keep planting my trees!! Today I knocked off a nice 5.6 miler outside and three of the miles were in the low 9's! peace!

Strange

  So I'm recovering? I put in a nice 4 miler today with 3 miles all low nines and one under 9...just cruising along? So I am feeling better and hope to get some sort of plan or goal pretty soon....otherwise I may start floundering....hope you are well...Peace!

Another fine day!

  I continue recovery runs....short duration yet still moderate intensity. Today I felt the best yet! Good wind, calf some better...the desire to run longer is leaking in my psyche...
   So I keep running! I really need a plan? I am planning on a late fall marathon but between now and then I want to run some shorter races. Hope all is well with you...3.2 in 32 min of rolling hills...peace!

A few pick-ups

  I continue to recover....although I feel normal I want to be sure I don't burn out so I am going to keep the miles down for a while. Today I decided to start slow and get good and warmed up then do some speed work....just to blow out the cob webs. I did a 1/4, 1/2, 1/4, 1/2-@ 10K pace with a 90 second recovery walk in between each. Put in 3.6 miles and feel good! I still have a bit of soreness and discomfort in that calf that cramped on me....peace!

Rolling Hills

   So I continue to gradually recover. I plan on all outdoor runs until I begin speed work. I have been really tired of late...some what concerning? I did manage to pry myself out the door today in the perfect running weather! 70ish with some clouds and a nice breeze. I ran only 5K and managed the last mile in a 9:34. I just took it easy. I am sticking with my plan to recover until May 24th, then I will ramp up for a while. Hope you are well! Peace!

A little bit more...

Yessirre! I am recovering and feeling pretty good! I would really like to start biting off some longer miles but I will stick with my 26 day recovery plan.
   I am focusing on my stride, turnover and push off. I find when I concentrate on push off I run faster! Today I ran a 9:23 first mile, so I am seeing this focusing causing me to run faster. I hope the achilles holds up......peace!

Rebuild

       I have found in the past that I can easily fall into a sedentary pattern after a marathon. I really do not want to lose the fitness level I've attained nor the weight level. So I began recovery runs yesterday. I am going to try all outdoor running....(come on Achilles don't fail me now!).
  My plan is to follow a 26 day recovery plan....one day for each mile raced, although I feel so good today I think I could run another marathon soon, I will increase little by little and I will think about "what next". For now I will enjoy the miles and begin dreaming again. Thanks for your encouraging words it helps get over the disappointment. Peace!