Today's Run - 12/31

Ella and I headed to ACAC on New Years Eve Day. I did a 4mile Run on the treadmill while Ella hung out at the Kid Zone. The 4miles on the treadmill was quick as I worked to maintain a constant speed.

Dec 31, 2009

New Year, New Challenge and Opportunity!

I have officially started training for my 1st Marathon. I have the opportunity to train the EMC team to support The Michael Carter Lisnow Respite Center and run the Boston Marathon. In conjunction with opportunity of racing and training, the EMC team is fund raising for the Michael Carter Lisnow Respite Center.

I will continue to post my training and fund raising efforts and results and look forward to sharing my experience and information of the good works of the Respite Center.

Today's Run - 12/26

After a number of cold days the weather finally broke and we had a clear day with temps in the mid-high 40s! I headed out for a run in shorts, and short sleeve shirt, gloves and a head/ear cover. It was perfect!

I decided to stretch my run a bit doing almost 7miles. I worked through the neighborhood looking for hilly sections. I enjoyed the long run as I have been really doing only 3-5miles regularly since Nov. I need to get my mileage up for the marathons in 2010.

Today's Run - 12/25

I have started to enjoy running on holidays and this morning had a itch to get out. I was happy to see that the forecasted icy rain held off until after we finished our Christmas package opening. I got few new pieces of cold weather running gear for gifts, so I excited to try them out. As I started my run it started to rain a bit, but overall it was just cold, windy and crisp. I am surprised how much the scenery changes with all the snow on the ground. I took a picture on my route to capture the conditions and views.

Today's Run - 12/24

Winter is officially upon us as we returned from our cruise to find 2Ft of snow on the ground. The cold weather has kept the snow on the ground longer than usual and I thought it would be fun to run outside in the cold crisp air and snow filled backdrops.

Running in the cold was not to bad. I bundled up in a hat, gloves, long sleeve shirt, running pants and wind jacket to beat the 20 degree chill. After getting warmed up I really did not mind running in the cold. I ran a pretty usual route but had to stick to the roads as the sidewalks have not been cleared yet. I was careful to avoid the black ice spots on the road. Considering the conditions I am pretty happy with my splits and pace.

Today's Run - 12/12 through 12/21

We went on our yearly family cruise this past week. I was excited to run in the port cities of Charleston, SC and Key West FL.

I while at sea I ran on the treadmills in the gym. I did attempt to run the outer deck the first day, but found the wind was too variable to make it possible. I did a mile on the deck track and then decided to go inside and run on the treadmill.

The Charleston run was excellent! The weather was perfect for running, clam and cool. I ran through the historic battery, Broad Street and the old Market. The historic houses were fun to see, and the it was a great time. Unfortunately the Runkeeper GPS application seemed to have some issues and did not capture my route completely.




I was not able to run in Key West because I caught a stomach bug and was isolated in my cabin for 24hrs. After being freed from isolation, it took me another day to feel like I recovered enough to run. I ran on 12/18 and again on 12/20 in the ship Gym.

I finished up my last run on the cruise with a leg and back massage. I really need to stretch my calves more and the masseuse had to work them out pretty good.

Today's Run - 12/9 & 12/10

I was traveling for business this week to Connecticut. The weather was cold, windy, rainy and snowy so I ran on the treadmill in hotel gym. I really worked on keeping a faster pace than my normal runs and was able to finish 3miles in ~26:15 both days.

12/9 Run
12/10 Run

C'Ville Men's 4 Miler Results

Here are the official results from the race yesterday.

PLACE NAME                  
===== ===================== 
124 Douglas Morrison      

AG DIV   DIV/TOT  TIME    PACE  C
== ===== ======== ======= ===== =
34 M3034  12/33     32:19  8:05 N

There were a total of 257 runners and 33 in my age group. I am happy that I placed in the top 50% of both.

Today's Run - 12/5 - C'Ville Men's 4 Miler

I braved the weather and ran the C'Ville Men's 4 Miler this morning! The weather all week has been warm and nice, but not for the run this morning. I woke up to 40 degrees with a constant rain. By race time is was in the low 30's and rain, mid race it was mix of rain and snow and right after finishing it was snowing with accumulation on the ground.

The 4 Miler Course is a nice rolling track that starts out pretty much all down hill for the first 2 miles. You then turn around and run up the hill you just came down. I started the race a very good clip and ran the first 2miles in ~15mins. I was not able to keep that pace for the last 2 miles unfortunately, but did finish in ~32mins. I am pretty happy with my race, but would have liked to be more consistent in my pacing.

I over dressed despite the cold wet weather. I think that the last mile was hard because I was getting over heated in my rain jacket. I wore my new shoes for the race and was very happy with the familiar feel of the ASICS.

Today's Run - 12/2

The cold weather is here and I ran indoors on the dreadmill for the first time in a long while. In preparing for the C-Ville 4miler I kept my run short but tried to run hard. I ran a pretty fast 5K with multiple burst of speed to complete in just over 26mins. It was a good run, but I was very bored as I felt as though I was on forced march.

The weather is looking pretty bad for Saturday's Race. I hope that snow and race hold off until later in the day otherwise I will really have to think about running.


Runkeeper Stats

New Shoes.... so soon?

With all my training I have been pretty hard on the running shoes I got in mid-sept. I estimate that I have approximately 150Miles my latest pair of Saucony ProGrid Guide 2. I was expecting to get 300Miles out of these shoes but these seemed to wear much faster than the ASICS I typically wear.

Overall I have been happy with the Saucony shoes. They provided a good cushioned sole and the fit was snug but not to tight. My only complaint is that sole material did not last. During my last few runs I have felt more pressure on my big toe than usual. This is typical for over-prontators like me, and I figure that my shoes must be close to shot. I decided to head to Ragged Mountain to see what they had to say.

I tried on a few different shoes and decided to get back to the ASICS. It will be interesting to see how ASICS GT-2140 hold up.

Today's Run - 11/28

A quick run this morning before spending the day with family. It was ~35F when I headed out my run. I wore running pants, a short sleeved dry fit shirt and a skull cap to stay warm. The crisp air was refreshing to run in and I did not feel cold once I was warmed up.

My goal for today was to just have a fun run and stay lose for the CVille 4Miler next Saturday. I ran a little over 3.75Miles with a 9:30 pace. I was a bit slower today, most likely due to my legs being sore from the run on Thursday and the gym workout yesterday.

2009 Boars Head Turkey Trot Results

The official results were posted for the 2009 Boar's Head Turkey Trot. I was happy to see that I placed 10th out 36 in my age division and 174 out 1192. I am still surprised with my 8:13 pace on the hilly course.

PLACE NAME                      
===== ========================= 
174   Douglas Morrison          

S AG DIV   DIV/TOT  TIME    PACE  CTC NO.
= == ===== ======== ======= ===== === =====
M 34 M3034  10/36     25:27  8:13       481

Race Day - 2009 Boars Head Turkey Trot - 11/25

A cold crisp foggy Thanksgiving morning for the Boars Head Turkey Trot this year. Emily, Ella and I piled into the car early this morning and headed out for the race. We arrived ~30mins before race time allowing us to get little bit to eat and for me to do a quick warm up run. Emily and Ella met up with another family to walk the race as I set out to see if I could break 30mins in a 5K Race.

The starting line was pretty much a free for all with people crowding to try to get a good start. This was a different feeling from the controlled start in Richmond. I held back a bit to think about my race strategy and waited for the starters gun. Once the crowd started moving, I began to work my way through the mass of people trying to get some open running room. I started the race very fast, doing the first 1/2 mile in under 5mins and first mile in 7:47. At that point I started to worry that I could not keep this pace, as the last 2.1miles have significant change in elevations. I continued to push hard up the hills and trying to take advantage of the downhills. The 2nd mile showed up quickly and I my time was just over 15mins. This pace was far ahead of my expected 18min target. Knowing that I only had 1mile left I work to keep the pace and luckily the the last mile is all down hill. As soon as I could see the finish line I reached for my last kick to see if I could pick up some more time and pass a few people. I pulled a few runners with me as charged to the finish. I completed the Race in ~25min and very surprised on how fast I actually ran.

I told Emily before the race that I thought I had a 60% chance of finishing under 30mins. I can't believe that I actually crushed my stretch goal of 27mins. I think I need to reevaluate my goals and confidence in my running. As others have said I am just a "Sand Bagger." I guess I need to target a low 20min for my next 5K time.

After finishing the race I grabbed some water, bagel and banana. I then started to walk the course backwards to find Emily and Ella. I found them at mile 1.5 and we then walked the remaining 1.7miles together. It was a great way to start Thanksgiving day!

Turkey Trot Prep

I have not run since Sunday and I am starting to anxious to run on Thursday. I have tried to rest my legs for the race which I find hard to do after doing some type of exercise every day for so long. I did work out yesterday in the Gym and plan to swim tomorrow morning.

I picked up our race packets this afternoon, I am bib #481 and Em is #482. As I drove into the Boar's Head grounds I was able to see where the start/finish line will be and drove on 1st 1/2 or so of the course. I am excited to run this race again to see is if I can beat my best posted time of 32:19mins. If all goes well I will have a sub 30mins race time.

Today's Run - 11/22

I quick run this morning to prepare for the turkey trot. I really wanted to see if I could break 30Mins for the 5K distance. I was pleasantly surprised to see that I did the 3.36M in 30:11. The turkey trot course is a bit more hilly than the track I ran in Glenmore this morning, but this does give me confidence that I will meet my goal on Thursday.

Today's Run - 11/19

Today was the first run since the race on Saturday. I was feeling a bit anxious to get back out there. My legs were a little tired, and my right knee has been tight / sore since Saturday.

I woke up each morning this week and decided not to run because of a chest cold that I have been fighting. This morning I was feeling rested enough to put the running shoes back on. I opened the door to find a dark, cool and wet morning that was probably not ideal for a run. I had my rain gear on and headed out see how it would go.

I planned to do a ~3Miles to prep for the turkey trot and work pacing by having intermittent bursts. Overall it was a good run. I hope to break 30Mins for the turkey trot 5K, and I think that will be a challenge.

Richmond 1/2 Marathon Results

My official results are listed below.

Bib: 11740
First Name: Douglas
Last Name: Morrison
Overall Place: 1503
Gender Place: 937
Age Group: G
Age Group Place: 172
10k: 55:41
Finish: 1:57:56
Gun Time: 2:02:00
City: Keswick
State: VA
County
Age: 34
Gender: M

Official Race Results are posted here.

The Sun Trust Richmond Marathon Website states, "An all-time record of 15,723 runners participated in this weekend’s events. The 26.2-mile SunTrust Richmond Marathon and the 13.1-mile McDonald’s Half Marathon both drew a record-breaking number of entries – 5,188 and 5,572 respectively. The HCA Virginia 8k had a total of 4,564 runners, and the Richmond Times-Dispatch Kid’s Run on Friday evening drew in 399 participants." A full recap can be found here

Race Day - Richmond 1/2 Marathon - 11/14

Emily set the alarm clock for 5am and I set my iPhone for 5:30. Emily wanted to get up earlier so that she would be ready for a 6am departure from the hotel. Surprisingly, Emily's alarm clock did not go off as planned. I could not help but think back to the Seinfeld episode again. Emily was bit by the AM/PM! Luckily my iPhone alarm was the backup and worked as planned and we got up at 5:30 and made our 6am target for leaving the hotel. We stopped at McDonald's for a egg biscuit breakfast and then headed downtown.

We found parking close to the race start line and were in place by 6:45. We were able to watch the 8K Race start at 7am. We had a couple of friends running in the race and I was shocked to see one of them trot by in the flood of people as he started out on his run. When the 8k runners were gone, I finished up my stretching and headed out for a short little jog to loosen up. My warm up run was probably to short, but I was anxious to get into my runner corral. In the runner corral, I continue to stretch, tried to relax and did a lot of people watching passed the time before the start.

The weather at the start of the race was ok. Most of the rain from the last 3 days had moved out of Richmond over night, but the 10mins before the race there was steady mist falling. The temp was in the mid to high 50's, and I decided to wear running shorts, bright yellow long sleeve running shirt and my new gloves. It was perfect for the conditions.

The race started right at 7:30, but it took a while for my runners corral to migrate to the start line. I was in a group of runners who's target to complete was ~2hr:15mins so we were in the back of the line. The group moved to the start line in a slow jog, but speed up quickly after hitting the starting gate. I was able to see Emily cheer me on as I started out and had Eye Of the Tiger playing on the iphone. I crossed the start line and pressed the RunKeeper start button on my iPhone so that I could track my progress.

The first few miles went through like a flash. I was trying not to start to fast but was mixed in with a group of runners that were keeping a comfortable pace. I was surprised to hear my splits being called out with average pace of low 9min miles. I stayed with a pack of runners keeping this pace and locked in on a women wearing a bright green shirt with the message "Go Amber!" on the back. I continue to pace her through the first 4 miles until she decided to take a pit stop at the course side port-o-johns. When I got along side Amber I was shocked to see that she was 6months pregnant! After leaving Amber behind, I worked to keep on my ~9min/mile pace alone.

The crowds on the course grew the deeper we got into the race. As I entered Bryan Park I was excited to hear my name getting cheered. I looked up and saw my buddy Walt cheering me on which was a great pickup for mile 6. I continue to push on and saw Walt and his daughter Alex as I exited Bryan Park at ~7.5miles. I am not sure why but mile 8 was the toughest mile of the race. I was a bit shocked to see Amber pass me, which made me push through and get my pace back on track in mile 9. After I got through mile 10 I started feeling good about my finish.

The closer I got to the finish line the crowds really picked up. Even the homeless were out cheering us on. I got a fist bump from one around mile 11. I continued to push hard to get to the finish the excitement of the finish brought another push of adrenaline to let me forget how tired my legs were. I can't really remember mile 12, but once I saw Mile 13 I started to run with everything I had. The last part of the race is all downhill and I was in an all out sprint as I closed in on the finish line. I was passing people and heard the crowd cheering with comments like "Nice Kick!", "Go Runner!" and "It is all downhill to the finish!" I was surprised on how much the crowd help push you to the finish. I crossed the finish line in a full sprint and looked up at the time clock to see my finish time. I was amazed to see 1:57:55 as my finish time. My finish time was 17mins faster than I hoped to finish my 1st 1/2 Marathon.

Once I finished the race I grabbed some food and started looking for Emily. She txt'd me and we met up a couple blocks from the finish line. I was excited to see Emily, Ella and Emily's parents after the race.

After finishing this race I was surprised how good I felt. My training program prepared me physically and mentally very well for this race. The support of my friends and family is what really helped me train and run this race. I am not sure what to say to you all, so I will end with Thank You!

Today's Run - 11/13

Emily and I headed to Richmond after I finished working. We picked up my Race Packet at the Race Expo. Getting my race bib and goodie bag was easy and the organizers had everything ready. I strolled around the the expo to see the different vendor swag and picked up some throw away cotton running gloves encase it was cold on race day.

After getting my race packet, Emily and I had checked in the Marriott Richmond West and then headed out do some shopping at Short Pump Mall. We had a late dinner at Maggiano's so that I could carbo load on pasta and italian bread. From there we headed back to the hotel for a good night sleep.

Today's Run - 11/12

No workout today or tomorrow as I rest for the race on Saturday. I am feeling pretty good, but I am still recovering from a slight head cold. I can tell that I am already getting anxious to run because I jogged to mailbox this evening to get the mail.

Tomorrow will be an exciting day packed with work, travel to Richmond and pre-race day activities. I will work from home in the morning, pack at lunch time and head to Richmond in the late afternoon. Emily and I will head downtown to the Expo and pickup my race packet. We will then go to Maggiano's at Short Pump for dinner, followed by some shopping and then checking into the hotel.

I am sure that I will learn many things this weekend about running this type of race. I expect to fumble through my race warm ups and feel uncomfortable in runners corral waiting for the race to start. With all my training behind me there is nothing left but to run the race. I will be excited to finish this race and take what I learn to my next race.

Today's Run - 11/11

Last workout day before the big race. I woke up this morning to a raining day and was still feeling a bit drained. I decided to not run in the morning and rather swim in the evening after work. I hit the ACAC pool and for a 25min swim that was the perfect workout after a long day.

I am starting to mentally prepare for the race. I continue to feel confident in my ability to run this race and am excited to get out there an run. It looks like the weather will be cool / warm for the race which is ideal.

We are still working on the travel plans for Friday, but hope to be in Richmond in the early evening to pickup my race packet and go to dinner before getting a good night sleep.

Today's Run - 11/10

Still recovering from the activities from the last couple of days. I think I picked up a small head cold while at the hospitals and lack of sleep the last couple of days. I did not run this morning and hope to do my final run tomorrow morning.

I have been a little distracted the last few days, but feel that I am physically ready for the race. I need to start mentally preparing and hope that a quick run tomorrow will help focus me.

Today's Run - 11/9

A little blip in the training plan this week. Emily and I were out late on Sunday night due to a small emergency requiring a trip to the emergency room for Em. If all goes well this should not impact my race day.

Today's Run - 11/8

We had great weather today for a run. The temps where unseasonably warm in 70's and the sky was absolutely clear. I set out thinking this run would be a continuation of the runs I had this week, but I was wrong. The first 9miles were fine and I felt like I was running a good pace. Once I hit 9.5 miles and I realized I had 2.5miles to go without water it was mentally hard to continue. I was able to muster out the last 2.5miles, but barely on my tired legs and frazzled mental state. Looking back on this run I think what made it so difficult was that I modified my course to add miles to where I typically had stopped running and these had a 90ft change in elevation. While I was running the last part of this run was the first times I had any doubts about the race next weekend, but after completing the run I feel better and remain excited about the race next weekend.

Today's Run - 11/7

Awesome spinning class this morning. We did lots of hills and long sprints. I wanted to jump in the pool after the class and see what it would be like to swim after a ride. The pool was packed so I decided to try it some other time.

My last long run before the race is coming tomorrow. It is hard to believe the race is exactly a week away.

Today's Run - 11/6

I decided not to run this morning and workout in the Hotel Gym on the elliptical. I am feeling pretty good going into my last week of training before the race. My legs are in good shape with only a little soreness in my right leg / knee.

I am looking forward to the my spinning class tomorrow and the 12mile run on Sunday.

Today's Run - 11/4

I did a quick 3mile run this morning working again on pace and endurance. I wanted to see if I could stay below a 9min mile pace on all splits. I was pretty close to doing this, but the last mile or so is all up hill so I had one split above my goal. I was using this run to start setting a goal for the Turkey Trot 5K, which I hope to do in less than 29mins.

Today's Run - 11/3

Great run today! I am traveling on business to Connecticut again and did a route that I did last time I was here. It was more chilly and brighter due to the time change and fall weather than the last time ran this route.

I really wanted to see if I could run a faster more consistent pace this morning and I was surprised to see my all my splits were well under 10mins! This course is pretty straight and relatively flat with ~200ft of elevation change.

More importantly, my GPS application worked flawlessly on this run. I was notified this morning a new version was released with the features I have been waiting for. Looks like it is time to upgrade to Runkeeper Pro.

Today's Run - 11/2

A nice cardio workout on the elliptical followed by some stretching at ACAC this morning. I felt good and rested after my run yesterday but did not really feel like lifting upper body.

I am within 2 weeks of race day. It is hard to believe that I decided to do this almost 2 months ago. The time flys when you are training hard. I am excited for the race and continue to be worried that I am going to get hurt doing something stupid.

Today's Run - 11/1

The weather today was terrible, rainy and cold, when I got up this morning. I decided it would a good training opportunity to run outside. I figured you never know what the weather is going on race day so I better get out there and see what it is like to run a long way in the rain. I needed to run 11miles today, so I put on my weather gear and headed out to run the C-Ville 10Miler course and then extend it by a mile. I did not find running in the rain to be that bad. I had on a hat and rain proof jacket which kept me warm and dry. Under the conditions I was very happy with my pace. Unfortunately I had an equipment malfunction at mile 6 which rendered my GPS tracking software useless. I did not check my progress during my run until I was what I figured was mile 10. I was surprised to see that it thought that I had only run 6miles. I continued with my run and just guestimated what another mile would be to get me to ~11miles.

Once I got home I sent an email to the guys at Runkeeper and received a response in less than 30mins! The initial diagnosis of the problem is that the GPS function on my iPhone failed either due coverage, bug in the app or bug in the phone. Not much I can do about it now expect use the website to edit my path manually. No time do that right now, so I will have to get to it later. Even with this issue I am still happy with the runkeeper app and my experience with the support team.

Today's Run - 10/31

I jumped in the pool for my cross training workout this morning. I am always surprised by the difficulty of swimming. I can tell that running has helped my cardio endurance but swimming still kills me. I may need to get some swimming lessons because I feel so inefficient in the water.

Today's Run - 10/30

Worked out in the gym this morning. Cross training on the elliptical and then doing ab workout and push ups. Decided not to do upper body weights because I was under a time crunch.

Today's Run - 10/29

An 5Mile run this morning in the dark. Having limited visibility definitely impacted my pace on mile 3 as I circled the lake. The time change this weekend will hopefully help my visibility on these early runs. Aside from the visibility issues, this run was fun a great way to start the morning.

I am about 2 weeks out from the race and I am feeling confident and excited.

Today's Run - 10/28

Headed to the Gym this morning to run on the Dreadmill because of poor running conditions outside. I needed to do 3miles and was able to tolerate being on a treadmill for a ~30mins. I worked on my pace to ensure that I was running a constant speed not dipping below 6.5mph and at times going up speeds above 7.5mph. I finished my 3mins in ~27mins and walked for another 1/4mile to finish out my 3mins.

Today's Run - 10/27

Moved my workout schedule around to accommodate for an early work meeting. I rested today and will run on Weds, Thursday and lift on Friday.

Today's Run - 10/26

Good workout at ACAC this morning. 15mins on the elliptical and then upper body workout. I finished the session with stretching.

More Running

We decided to continue our Thanksgiving Day tradition of running in the Boars Head Inn Turkey Trot. This is a nice 5k run with good number of people running / walking. I will run the course and then double back to find Emily with Ella in stroller.

Today's Run - 10/25

Today's run was awesome! The weather cleared from the rain yesterday which left a crisp cool morning for my run. I did another modified Cville 10miler course, primarily because I got forgot the route. I really enjoyed running on campus and seeing all the people on the downtown mall. The fall leaves are turning colors making wonderful scenery and atmosphere.

I was happy with my pace of an average just over 10min/mile. I also learned that is best to make sure you use the restroom prior to heading out for a long run! Luckily I found a porta-john left over from the UVA Football game yesterday early on in my run.

I started to set some goals for race day. My training has given me the confidence that I can do more than just finish. I hope to keep my pace at 10min/mile and finish under 2Hr:15Min.

Today's Run - 10/24

Spinning class at ACAC this morning was great. Definitely need to get a road bike soon to start riding outside.

I am looking forward to running tomorrow. I plan to run the full C-ville ten miler course. The weather should clear up tonight and be warm tomorrow for my run.

Today's Run - 10/23

A quick 3.5Mile run this morning felt great after a couple days off.

Today's Run - 10/21 & 10/22

Work travel sidelined my running for the past 2 days. I am very anxious to get back to running on Friday.

+100 Miles

I crossed the 100mile mark in total running for my training this week. It is amazing how quickly this adds up. Having the tools to track and analyze my runs is one of my favorite parts of training for the race.

Today's Run - 10/20

The cold morning air caused my eyes started to tear up as soon as I started to run which made it even harder to see in the pitch dark. I ran in pants and a wind cover this morning to stay warm in low 30's temps. My exposed hands were the most uncomfortable part of the weather this morning.

I am finding that the weekday runs are getting easier and are building my confidence for the longer runs. My training is preparing me for race day and expect that I will really enjoy the run.

Today's Run - 10/19

Back to the gym at ACAC this morning after a week of travel, hotel gym workouts and running outside. I was a little crunched for time this morning so I only did 15mins on the elliptical and then my standard upper body work out.

My legs are a bit stiff from the run yesterday. The concrete sidewalks were harsher on my knees than I am used to.

Today's Run - 10/18

Today I ran a modified course of the C-ville 10miler. I needed to run 9 miles, so I made a few changes in the track. I heard this course was hilly, but after running in San Francisco these hills did not seem to compare. I liked running on campus, through the town and the downtown mall. There were a number of runners out and lots of people walking around. I ran the course on the concrete sidewalks. I could feel the difference from running on asphalt in my legs after run.

My legs were rested from my spin class yesterday and I was pretty loose even with the chilly and windy weather. I was happy to have running pants and a long sleeve training shirt to keep me warm. My entire body was warm except for my right hand. I am sure there is a medical reason for this like your right hand is farthest from your heart and my blood circulation is bad. Sounds kinda like Raynaud's Phenomenon. I will look to pickup some winter running gloves to help keep my hands warmer. I used my water belt for the first time today. It was great to have water with me and I used most of the 21oz during the run.

Today's Run - 10/17

I returned a spinning class this morning after not attending the past few weeks. I was surprised to see how well the running has helped my endurance on the bike. I was able to keep a higher cadence for a longer period of time. My hamstrings are a bit tight after being on the bike for an hour. I will need to do some good stretching before my long run tomorrow.

Today's Run - 10/16

No workout today, but I will be traveling all day. I am not sure what I will do tomorrow for my cross training day. Swimming and Spinning both sound like fun workouts that I have not done in a while. I hope that I am not jet lagged and on West Coast Time.

Today's Run - 10/15

Good Run through the streets of San Francisco this morning. The weather was a bit misty and I enjoyed the cool temperature. I ran a little farther than I expected, but that was primarily because I got lost. It was a good thing I had my iPhone w/ GPS to get me back to my hotel.

Today's Run - 10/14

I tackled the Treadmill this morning as the weather was still a bit daunting, it should clear up today. I ran 3miles this morning at a good pace and finishing in under 30mins. I was able to keep a constant pace, but I could not be distracted from watching the display of time / distance even with the TV integrated into treadmill. I plan run outside again tomorrow as the treadmill runs are just not fun.

Being on business travel makes it hard to eat right. I have been able manage by starting with a good breakfast from a local diner. Lunches at the conference are the typical sandwich or wrap. Dinners are the hardest, because it typically involves others. I have been able to go to some really good restaurants this week including Gary Danko and The Water Bar.

Today's Run - 10/13

It is a good thing I ran outside yesterday as it was pouring down rain this morning. I used the hotel fitness center to do some elliptical training and ab workouts. I will be nice to get back to ACAC for my strength training as you don't realize how nice it is until you are away from it.

I will most likely workout in the hotel gym tomorrow and then attempt to run outside again on Thursday and Friday.

Today's Run - 10/12

I decided to run this morning because the weather forecast is calling for rain tonight and tomorrow. I wanted to do the run from Union Square down to the Piers and then up to Colt Tower and then over to Nobb Hill and then back to Union Square. This was a tough run. The first part was very nice and flat, but the last half was all hills all the time. I must admit I had to walk in the North Beach / Russian Hill Area. The City lights kept my path well lit and views from the hills were awesome with the city in the background.

Today's Run - 10/11

No Run today as it was a long travel day to a conference in San Francisco. The weather forecast looks to be perfect for running, but the hill forecast looks huge and intimidating! I am going to check with the concierge to get some good running routes or I may just do this one I found on MapMyRun.com.

I hope that I can stick to my diet, there are so many good places to eat.

Water please

Today I picked up a Nathan Speed 3 Waist Pack after some strong recommendations to carry water on my runs. I looked at few different options but decided I wanted a waist belt rather than the hand held or camel back options. I have not run with this yet, so I will post again after I try it out.

Today's Run - 10/10

I moved my long run this week up a day because I am traveling out west tomorrow. I hoped to run outside on the UVA campus, but had to run on a DreadMill at ACAC. I was very happy with the run because I was able to keep a very consistent pace and not completely hate being on a treadmill for that long. My pace was faster than 10min/mile and I did 8miles in just over 75mins.

The miles seemed to get easier as I went along even though I could not stop looking at the distance / time displays. I tried to watch the TVs on the wall but you can only watch the same sportcenter a couple times and remain interested. I also had to worry about the 30min time limit on the equipment considering I needed to 3 30min sessions. Luckily the gym was not too crowed this morning. Each time I hit my 30min limit there were open treadmills so I did not have to stop.

My legs feel good today after run and I feel rested from last weeks workouts after taking Friday off. I will take tomorrow off and hit the gym again on Monday. I am looking forward to running San Francisco this week.

Today's Run - 10/9

I originally moved my workout schedule around to do Cross Training today and Rest on Sunday. I was worried that I had not rested enough for my long run tomorrow so I decided to not work out this morning. This more in line with my normal routine but I still feel like I am cheating on my workouts. I think it is fair to say that training is embedded into my normal daily routine. :) I am traveling to San Francisco next week. I am looking forward to some really nice runs and adding another state to places that I have trained.

Today's Run - 10/8

Started my run early this morning and it was Cold! The temperature was in the low 40's and the sky was cloudy. The encounter with the deer yesterday made me a little skiddish as I ran with little visibility. I am not sure I have the skills this guys has.



I was happy with the pace for this short run.

Today's Run - 10/7

A pretty simple run this morning for 3miles. I did my typical route backwards today to provide a change in scenery. I had a close encounter with a deer this morning. I am not sure if it was because I was so fast that the deer did not see me coming up, but I looked over and saw a large deer about 8Feet from me. I think he startled me more than I startled him.

Today's Run - 10/6

I ran 4miles this morning under the Hunter's Moon. The Sky was absolutely clear and the moon was very bright providing more visibility than usual.

This weekend I picked up some new reflective running gear to make sure I am seen during the early morning runs. I picked up a Nathan Twilight Reflective Vest and Clip-On Deluxe L.E.D. Safety Strobe. I was able to get both in Blue to make sure I was fashionable.

The first run with the vest and LED was good. The vest is light and does not restrict movement, I can't say that I even noticed that I had the vest on. The LED was a bit distracting; I would catch the flashing in my peripheral vision.

Today's Run - 10/5

A simple workout this morning at ACAC with 30mins of Cardio on the elliptical followed by upper body workout.

My legs are feeling good today after my long run on Sunday. I usually to feel a lot of tension in my Hamstrings, but after these longer runs it seems to be in calfs and ankles. (Is that my CANKLES that are hurting?) I did a bit of stretching after my work out this to loosen up my legs.

It will be an early run tomorrow to get 4miles before work. I am expecting it to be dark and cold when I head out.

Today's Run - 10/4

Great fall day for a mid-morning run! I headed out this morning a with temps in the 60's.

I am starting to get to distances that I have not run before, today I ran 7.5Miles. The run was good, I did not really start thinking far I had gone until more than 4miles in. I used a sport gel in the middle of my run just to see if that would help me through with a kick of sugar. I was already thirsty when I took the sport gel, sucking down a sugary gel with the consistency of peanut putter made me more thirsty. I need to look for another type of gel that will not make me thirsty.

With 40 days to the race I am feeling pretty good. I hope that I don't get an injury that pulls me away from my training.

Today's Run - 10/3

I jumped in the pool at ACAC this morning thinking it would be an easy workout since I am in better shape from the last time I swam. I was wrong! After 30 Mins in the pool I was beat. If I am going to consider a bi or triathlon I am will need to spend some serious time in the pool.

Today's Run - 10/2

Did Monday's workout on Friday this week at ACAC. The elliptical training is no where near the same intensity as my run sessions. I guess that shows that my overall endurance and physical fitness is improving. After the elliptical I did a upper body workout. The weight lifting was a welcome change to my routine. I need to expand my lifting exercises to bring a bit more variety to the workout. No Ab work today because I needed to get on the road to the office. I am planning on swimming tomorrow for my cross training workout.

Race Day Prep

I am starting to think about race day and what the course is going to look like. The race website posted a map of the course with elevation change. Overall the elevation changes don't look to bad.



I still need to determine what my race weekend agenda will be. Need to work on hotel room and race day activities.

Today's Run - 10/1

A short 2.25Mile run this morning allowed me to work on my pace. My route this morning was a bit more hilly than yesterdays run downtown.

Today's Run - 9/30

I headed to ACAC this morning for my run and strength training. There were lots of runners out this morning, looks everyone must be training for something. I decided to head toward the UVA campus and corner. Once I got to the top of the corner I decided to run to the Rotunda and climb the steps to the Thomas Jefferson Statue. It took everything I had not to do a Rocky style pose and yell.



After leaving the rotunda, I ran back towards the downtown mall and circled the amphitheater before heading back to ACAC to for my strength training workout.

My pace was pretty good on the flat surfaces on the downtown route. The sidewalks and downtown mall were great for staying out of traffic.

Running in the Dark

My early morning runs provide a quiet, cool and relaxing time to bang out a few miles. The mornings are getting darker as we move farther into the fall seasons. The dark morning makes it difficult to see and to be seen. I am running in a residential area that has a limited early morning traffic at the times I am on the road. I try to stay on the neighborhood trails to make sure I am not in the road but I would like to find reflective items to wear to ensure others can see me.

I am thinking that the
Jogalite Cross Training Reflective Leg bands might do the trick. A friend reminded me that the goal is to not get hit, so she suggested the fashionable Nathan Streak Reflective Vest.

I am going to keep looking around for the right mix of function and fashion to make sure that I can be seen while running in the dark.

Today's Run - 9/29

Considering that I overslept yesterday it would only be appropriate that I did not get enough sleep before today's run. Watching Football and a late-night work issue kept me up much later than usual. After triple checking the alarm before finally getting to bed, I was up and out of the house this morning to find a very dark and cool fall morning for my run.

I planned on running 3.5Miles, but the route ended up be a bit more. I was happy with my pace, but find that I really need to concentrate on running to keep my pace below a 10min mile. Hard to believe that running is so mentally and physically challenging.

Today's Run - 9/28

A small training disaster this morning that was oddly similar to an episode of Seinfeld.



Apparently when I set the alarm for this morning I did not check the volume! I woke up 30mins late and could not get to the gym this morning. I contemplated just moving my runs up by a day, but decided that I would take today as a rest day and do today's workout on Friday. I hope this does not happen on race day!

Runkeeper

The Runkeeper iPhone app is one of my favorite apps on my phone. Runkeeper is a GPS application that tracks running routes and provides a website for displaying activities. I started using the Runkeeper just before I began training for the Richmond 1/2 Marathon. The interface is iPhone app is simple to use when running, the website dashboard provides a good summary of training progress and the ability to embed runs in blogs or Tweets is fantastic.

I think it is time to upgrade to RunKeeper Pro to get the added features of integrated playlists and voice prompts.

Today's Run - 9/27

I did this weeks long run in the neighborhood by combining a number of previous short run routes. I planned to run 6miles but it worked out to be ~6.5miles. My legs felt pretty rested as I started my run and only my hamstrings were tight when I finished. The weather was cool and humid due to heavy rain on Saturday.

Today's Run - 9/26

I enjoyed working out at ACAC this morning after traveling for the week. Emily and I hoped to do the morning spin class but we were a few minutes late in getting to the gym. I decided to do some of cardio machines and do an ab workout.

ACAC has some new exercise bike machines made by Expresso Fitness. These bikes have an integrated game console which lets you race others on a number of different simulated courses. It is not exactly like spinning or road biking but it was a good distraction and challenge for a 15min ride.

My head cold seems is almost gone. I look forward to my run tomorrow.

Today's Run - 9/25

No run or workout today which will allow my legs to rest for a spinning class tomorrow and a 6Mile Run on Sunday. I am recovering from a slight head cold and traveling back from CT tonight.

Today's Run - 9/24

A light 30min cross training workout this morning on the elliptical. I woke up with a slight head cold, so my workout was not the best. I will take tomorrow off and rest for my long run this weekend. I hope to do a spinning class on Saturday Morning and do my long run on Sunday.

Today's Run - 9/23

I started my run a little later than normal this morning. Starting later in the morning provided more light and visibility for my morning run. I followed a similar track from yesterday and the weather this morning was great as well. With the later start I was not able to do any strength training, but plan to do that tomorrow.

Today's Run - 9/22

I headed out on my run this morning not really knowing where I was headed. I started in the hotel parking lot and headed onto a busy street looking for a neighborhood cross street. I eventually found a cross street that had a sidewalks and side streets which worked out pretty well. I find if I don't concentrate on my pace I slip fairly quickly into the 10.5min mile speed. I ran ~3.5Miles which was pretty easy on my rested legs. The weather in CT was great this morning, with temp in the low 60's.

Today's Run - 9/21

Headed to the gym early this morning for a quick workout. Did ~15mins on the elliptical followed by my standard upper body weight lifting routine. I finished with a short 5min stretching session. My legs feel pretty good and I am looking forward to a run tomorrow. I will be traveling to CT tonight and hope to run somewhere outside in the morning.

Today's Run - 9/20

No run today, I am recovering from the race yesterday. My legs are in pretty good shape, but I does not keep me from putting my feet up and watching football on my day off.

I am traveling to Connecticut this week for work. I am not sure where I will run Tuesday through Thursday. The hotel has treadmills and some other equipment, but I would much rather run outside. I will ask around and see if i can find any good running locations.

Today's Run - 9/19

I ran the Pepsi 10K this morning. For my first 10K, I am very happy with the results. My pace was greatly improved from recent runs, as I averaged 9.06/mile. I attribute my increased pace to getting locked in with other runners at good pace. This was definitely faster pace than I expected to run but overall it was comfortable. The course was a good mix of flat and hills, which compared well to the training runs.

My offical time was 56:00, I was not able to stop my Runkeeper timer until after I was in the finish corral which accounts for the difference in time.

Today's Run - 9/18

No training today. I have a rest day to prepare for the Pepsi 10K tomorrow morning. The weather looks perfect for running. This will be the longest organized run that I have done. My goal is to run a consistent pace the entire race and finish strong. My target pace will be ~10min/mile.

The race does not allow runners to listen iPods, but I plan on having my iPhone in my pocket to let the RunKeeper track my race.

Today's Run - 9/17

I opened the front door this morning and found that very dark and rainy run was in store for me. I put my iPhone into a ziplock bag and headed out for my 2mile training run. The rain kept me cool and over all it was not to bad. It was good training for the race this weekend because there is rain in the forecast.

The iPhone Genius Mix feature provided better running songs than my previous play lists.

New Shoes...

This past weekend, Ella and I went to the Ragged Mountain Running Shop to get me new running shoes. Ella had a great time in the store playing with the buckets of socks and placing her princess crocs on the display shelves. The staff was very patient with us.

I have worn ASICS for the past few years, but I was not really happy with the last pair primarily due to the fit on my foot width and my high arch. The fit was never right. I wanted to try something new, so I picked up a pair of Nike Shocks about a month back. I like the fit and feel of the Shocks, but they don't seem to provide enough support for my right foot. I wanted to see what Ragged Mountain had to say.

Working with the running shop, I tried on a few different pairs of shoes and settled on a pair Saucony. The jury is still out on these, but so far the support and feel is pretty good.

Today's Run - 9/16

I decided to run downtown this morning to get a change of scenery. The fall morning air is really nice to run in and the downtown area was pretty quiet when I started my run. The stretch on the downtown mall was nice and smooth and drastic contrast to the traffic filled roads on the last half of the run. I decided not to do strength training this morning and did some good stretching as my legs are definitely getting tight.

I need to figure out how to improve my pace, I think my music play list is to mellow.

Today's Run - 9/15

An early morning Birthday Run today. Ran ~3.5miles in 36min at an easy pace and effort. My legs are still a little tired from the increased number of runs, which is definitely impacting my pace. My endurance is greatly improving and I am looking forward to the Pepsi 10K this weekend.

Today's Run - 9/14

Strengthen and Stretch workout this morning at ACAC. I did more strengthen than stretch, with 30mins on the elliptical machine and lifting upper body.

Today's Run - 9/13

This morning was a great day for an early run. Emily and I walked with Ella in the stroller a little before I started my run to stretch and warm up. We were visiting my parents in Springfield, and I was able to explore my old neighborhood on my ~5mile run. It was fun to run down memory lane, seeing the houses of childhood friends and wonderinger what they were doing now.

The terrain was much different from my normal tracks, with steeper and longer elevation changes and parts with short trail runs. The elevation changes definitely impacted my overall speed, but I was happy to finish 5miles in less than 1hr. Overall it was a good way to start the morning, and this distance makes me confident that I will not have any issues with the 10K next week.

Today's Run - 9/12

I did the spinning class at ACAC for cross-training today. A good 60min class that burns lots of calories. I hope that it does not make my legs too tired for my 5mile run tomorrow.

Today's Run - 9/11

Today is supposed to be a rest day. I did not run, but decided to continue with my normal work out routine at ACAC. I opted for a lighter than normal workout at the gym to allow my body to recover. I did a little bit of cardio on the elliptical (12min - ~1.25M), followed up by upper body weight-lifting and finished off with a small ab workout.

Today's Run - 9/10

Quick run today and the first of back to back run days. It was very dark at 6am as I ran through the neighborhood, but the weather was nice and cool. I extended my run to 2.38M, a little more than my training program required.

Today's Run - 9/9

Day 1 on the training program.

3 miles on the treadmill at ACAC in 27.15 and lifted arms and ab work after run. Overall it was a good run, but the constant pace on the treadmill is harder for me than running outside. I don't think I will be able to do longer runs on the treadmill due to the pure boredom.

Richmond 1/2 Marathon Registration

Today I signed up for the SunTrust Richmond 1/2 Marathon on Nov 14, 2009. Time to start training, I will be following the Hal Higdon training program.