Just run

2.5 miles sprinkled in with a few short sprints.  Last man up run.

Never did make it back out the door in the evening.  I did get to spend some wonderful time watching my oldest play in the park.  She enjoyed running around with a playmate until it was dinner time for him.  Afterwards, she sparked a tantrum in another playmate who is still learning to share.  Tip my hat to his father for not giving in to his demands, but we took off a little early so he could enjoy his playtime as well.

Woke up early enough to get two laps in and pay off some bills.  Got dropped off at work because everyone, except the little one, was wide awake.  Just not feeling it this morning, but just keep getting out the door until I feel like it will eventually work.

34:47

Beautiful morning for a run.  Had a nice breeze to aid me in my efforts.  Still felt last night's dinner in my gut (Taco Bell).  I think once I get serious about my diet, I'll see the result I'm looking for.  In fact, I'm sure of it.

One day I will figure out the mystery behind the gate schedule, but today is not that day.  Gates were closed once again.  I guess that's why I run because I can bypass the closed gates faster running than I can walking.  Or I could just jump the fence.

For the next three weeks, looking to run 3 miles a day six times a week.  Anything over that is just a bonus.

Turkey Trot 36:47.51

1.75 in the morning consisting of a 1/4 mile warm up and six reps of 60/120s.  Jogged two laps around the park after dinner.  Nothing earth shattering.  However, this is the week that I finally am gonna nail a 3 mile average for six days.  I can feel it!

2 laps around the park at 35:11.26.  Some might consider it a fast walk, but I'll call it a run for now.

Ran a mile around the track in the morning at 8:42 which is flying for me.  Debated getting out again this evening and finally did it after doing some core work.  Pulled out the old book and started back at the beginning level 1.  Ready to move up to level 2 next week but need to get a few things.  Jogged a lap around the park.  Legs feel a little heavy, but everything else feels just fine.  One lap around the park at 21:53.86.

We ran out to the aquarium.  Took it easy on the way out and pushed hard on the way back.  Coming back up the little hill was tough but it always feels good to know that once you reach the top of the hill, you are done.  Running in a group makes it easier to run because I have faster guys to chase and slower people who make me feel faster.  The group also makes me run where I might not have if I were left to do it on my own.

Didn't feel like running.  As I sat in my chair, I thought of how I would never hit my running goal if I never ever ran.  Out the door I went.  I love the early mornings and being able to jog across the streets without worrying about traffic.  There is no hurry at all.  Everything is at my pace.  I always feel like I can go further as I head back home, but I think that is just because I am headed home.

Embassy Suites (54:13.91)

Trail - 8:56.04                  8:04.37

Mile - 9:59.62                  9:47.83

1/4 Mile - 2:37.28            2:33.68

Turn Around - 6:06.42     6:08.67

Procrastinated my lap away this morning, but got to play ultimate football.  Got home after work and everyone was taking a nap.  What perfect timing!  Was thinking about taking a nap too, but the siren call of finally hitting 18 miles in a week was too much.  Did core workout level 1 again.  Did a lap around the park and just ran really slow because that's what my legs felt like.  Got back home and everyone was wide awake and ready to play all night long.

I got it!  Finally managed to hit 18 miles.  Ran or jogged a little every day.  Now, I have to maintain consistency and ramp up a little.  I'd like to set my next goal at 24 miles a week.  I ran the modified Turkey Trot loop and to my surprise I discovered the boardwalk gates were open.  I don't think I'll ever figure out who controls these silly gates, but I don't really care.  If they're open then good, but if they're closed then I just go around.

36:13.71

(Kind of funny that I used to be able to do 4 miles under 36 minutes, but that was a younger, hungrier me.)

Rough start to the week, but at least I got something on the board.  A one mile jog with some short sprints interspersed throughout, followed by a 300 yd shuttle run and two 50 yd sprints.  It looks like that would be a really short workout, but because I rested so much it took about 40 minutes.

One lap around the track carrying a 15 lb weight.  It seemed easy at first, but after the first 100 meters, the weight started to get annoying.  It was just one lap.  Followed by a total of 75 pushups, 100 situps, 100 squats and 50 assisted pullups.

Got sidetracked by a dinner appointment which I thought was next week, but they called me last night to confirm for today.  Something I thought would take an hour ended up taking 3 but it was enjoyable.  Needless to say, all I have to show for today is a quarter mile.  Just have to work harder the rest of the week to stay on track.

First jog of the day is two laps around the park.  Nobody out there but me, the geese and a whole lot of bugs. (Lap 1: 17:55.60  Lap 2: 17:50.47 = 35:46.07)

Finish the day with another two laps around the park.  Amazing how much faster you can run when you're trying to catch someone.  I saw a runner that I thought I could catch, but I didn't.  Needless to say it made my second lap go by so much quicker.

(Lap 1: 17:34.16  Lap 2: 16:38.05 = 34:12.21)

I was chomping at the bit until I actually hit the road.  Putting one foot in front of the other seemed like a good idea.  I thought I was running a little smoother on the way back once I finally got warmed up.  I like the idea of jogging.  Jogging is good for my soul.  I could hear my right knee creaking the whole way back.  It was kind of odd but it didn't hurt so I ignored it.

To 1.25 Trail Marker (3.5 Miles)

Trail         8:28.88      6:35.00

Mile         9:53.92     10:24.24

1/4 Mile   3:09.22      3:08.01 (41:39.27) 

Just looking at the splits I'm pretty sure I got my landmarks mixed up.  Oh well.

For the evening, confirmed that I need to move on to the next level of the core workout by doing an extra set within the prescribed time.  Level 2 here I come!  Jogged 2 laps around the park.  Legs were tired but undaunted.  Love just jogging at my own pace and not caring who passes me up because everyone passes me up all the time.

Still on track to hit 18 miles for two consecutive weeks.  That's a milestone right there.  Next week it will be 20 miles or maybe 21.  We'll see.  Vacation ends and its back to the real world but 20 is still doable.

Turkey Trot - 33:05.72

Wonder if I could get that time under 30 mins if I was chasing somebody.  Guess I'll have to enter a race to find out.  Was feeling really good at the end like I could continue for another 5K, but I always wake up sore the next morning so I exercised a little restraint.  Maybe a little too cautious.

My honey-do list was not very long, but it was very time consuming.  In fact, even now I'm only about half done.  I probably shouldn't have taken that short nap, but I woke up refreshed and ready to go.  Then the origins of the Orlando Magic with Shaq and Penny sidetracked me for a little while too.  Needless to say, I was gonna skip my run today, but that just did not sit well.

Out the door I went.  I decided to just take it easy.  I started off at a real slow jog.  I saw some ducks and decided to walk by them because the biggest one was hissing at me.  Not sure why it saw me as a threat.  They just need to share the road.  It's big enough for all of us.  Then someone decided to tag along behind me.  He looked fast so I kept waiting for him to pass, but he didn't so I decided to see if I could put some distance between us.  And just like that, my slow, easy, let's enjoy the scenery today jog turned into a I'm gonna see if I can run away from you and forget about how beautiful today is because I don't care any more.  It worked.  He must have just been enjoying the scenery.  Oh well.

Turkey Trot: 33:07.37  

Got it!  Two weeks in a row with 19 miles!  Might just be starting to show some consistency.

Judgement day.  Round 2 of testing.  Slept in knowing that I didn't have to set my alarm.  Well rested for the exam.  Now we wait for the results.

Nothing like a good brisk jog to get the blood flowing.  Contemplated skipping it again today because of testing, but decided not to.  I want to hit 20 miles this week without having to jam all the mileage into a couple of days.  It was cool enough to where wearing a sweatshirt was ok.

1.25 Mile Trail Marker

21:21.93 (Out) 20:01.84 (Back) = 41:23.77

Made it up to core level 2 work out for the evening.  Think I can master the moves in a week to move up to the next level.  Finished with a slow lap around the park.  It felt good to be out and about but that twinge in my knee reminds me that I am but a mere mortal.

I was trying to catch someone.  It's kind of funny that we stayed at the same pace until the turn around point.  Then he turned on the afterburners.  I couldn't catch him, but I did pass a couple of faster runners who were just jogging along.

I was just cruising along enjoying the cool morning weather until I hit the turn around.  Once I started up the little incline, the enjoyable morning got rough.  I guess my body decided to vote against going up the incline.  Regardless, we kept going but I struggled all the way back.  It always feels good to turn the last corner and see home.

25:35.31 (Out)  26:57.96 (Back) = 52:33.27

Today was kind of a curve ball.  Let's just say nothing that I expected to happen, happened.  One of those days when life just wants to see how you respond and prioritize.  Didn't get my run in this morning, but I just happened to have a window of opportunity in the evening.  What a beautiful evening it was too!  I got to see the sunset while just enjoying the rest of the surroundings at my pace.  I got passed up by a few runners I thought I might be able to keep up with, but I resisted the urge.  Everything felt good.  Life is beautiful.

University - 26:29.65 (Out)  26:27.87 (Back) = 52:57.52

Missed my window of opportunity and I didn't even know it.  Just goes to show if you aren't ready for the opportunity when it arrives, it could very well just disappear without you.  Was looking to get out when the kids went down for their afternoon nap, but that never happened.  Oh well.  So close to hitting that 20 mile mark.  Try again next week. 

No good excuse that I can think of except that I had to grade this morning which meant I couldn't join the group for a run.  It was just a few sprints anyway.  Yes, my sour grapes attitude for the day.  On the plus side, I discovered that someone measured the track and discovered it to be a little long which means that when we run our two mile, we can cut off about 100 yards.  Seemed a little fishy to me, but I'll take it.

Ran three laps in the morning along with some pushups and core exercises.  Discovered that I had a weigh in tomorrow instead of Thursday which motivated me to get out and go for a slow jog and ignore the medic's advice to avoid exertion after donating blood.  Hence the slow jog.  Nothing like a weigh in to add some motivation to a run.  I did finally manage to circle the pond and so I can check that off my bucket list.

Embassy Suites and little pond (5.25 miles)

Embassy Suites        29:21.34       29:35.89

Pond                           4:54.90         4:55.37 (1 hr 8:47)

Woke up at 2:30 to go jog a little to drop a couple pounds before my weigh in.  Jogged the aquarium loop really slow.  Combined with last night's running, dropped 9 lbs and weighed in at 260.  I'm pretty sure that 8.9 lbs was just water.  The trick for next month is to not procrastinate.  If I hover around 263 for the month, I'll be ok.  I think this is payback for not having to drop weight while wrestling in high school since I was always a few pounds underweight.  I ate whatever I wanted while some of my teammates had to be careful with what they ate throughout the season to keep at their weight.

Aquarium Loop

28:00.41 (Out)  27:29.94 (Back) = 55:30.35

A slow jog out to the trail to warm up.  It seems kind of funny that I never seem to be able to speed up unless I have a timer.  Set the timer to 2 minutes.  Completed 8 sets of moderate running for 2 minutes with 2 minutes of jogging.  It felt really good and with nobody else on the trail it seemed like I was flying.  Love the feeling of the wind in your face and your arms and legs just pumping in perfect rhythm.

To 1.25 Mile Marker

22:26.37 (Out)  20:30.16 (Back) = 42:56.53