Another virtual Nielson Challenge. Paying lip service to this media-driven hysteria circus is annoying, to paraphrase last month’s result
I’d forgotten about today’s run when I went out yesterday, and I was a little sore today.
Today’s Stats:
2.02 miles
24:12 (mm:ss)
Well, I didn’t do Tues/Thurs runs this week — but only because I didn’t have to work today and I figured I wouldn’t be as pressed for time — not that I am, really; but on work days, I feel I need to get online by a certain time. It was poor planning, overall: I forgot I’m supposed to do a Nielson run tomorrow… We’ll see if that happens — I haven’t been thrilled with the Pikes Peak Road Runners lately.
So I cracked on this morning, with the same route I did on Tuesday, sticking to the North side of the park, mostly in the shady bits. I’m not overly concerned with pace, but I wasn’t unhappy to see I sliced 14 seconds per mile off Tuesday’s run pace. I mean, you gotta start somewhere, right?
Today’s Stats:
2.01 miles
24:38 (mm:ss)
12:14 pace
I got up and headed down to the park for a run today. I am really having a hard time establishing a habit of doing that, so I’m going to try for Tuesdays and Thursdays for a while to see if I can get on an established track.
In addition to my skill at procrastinating, I haven’t been sleeping all that well lately. I think the two things we do to sabotage ourselves the most is improper sleeping and not drinking enough water. I’m pretty good about drinking water… not so much on getting enough sleep.
Anyway, I stuck to the north side of Monument Valley Park today. This meant a lot of my run was in cool shady areas. Weirdly, even though it was around six in the morning, radiant heat was baking me once I got along side the river. I’ve felt that farther south by the freeway retaining wall; but I can’t remember that happening so far north in the park.
Today’s Stats:
2.01 miles
25:05 (mm:ss)
12:28 pace
I have found I’m even better at making up reasons to not run than I am at running. But I forced myself to get up and go this morning — it was nice and cool, with a bit of a breeze at my back.
I only focused on getting the minimum distance in; and when I’d finished that, I found I still had some in the tank… so pushed up the hill to where I started.
Today’s Stats:
2.18 miles
27:11 (mm:ss)
12:28 pace
I ducked out this afternoon right after to get a couple of miles in. I was reminded why I don’t run in the afternoon, to be sure; but I just felt the need to get out and go.
Monument Valley Park is full of cottonwood trees and those seeds do a number on me. My eyes are itchy now. I haven’t taken anything for the allergies in a couple of years because the Benadryl makes me too sleepy. So while it was hot and windy with seeds all over the place, I did 2 miles. If nothing else, a good counterargument to being lazy in the morning.
But I think the best thing is that I really felt like going for a run — I really haven’t felt much like running the last few months, so getting the itch seems like a good thing to me.
Today’s Stats:
2.0 miles
24:42 (mm:ss)
12:21 pace
I had to talk myself into going for a run today — homeostasis is a tough thing to beat and I find myself caving in to it far more than I’d like to admit. Though, since I write everything up here, you guys all know when I’m losing the fight, I just realized. That’s embarrassing!
I only did a couple of miles this morning. It was a nice day for it, cool and breezy. The breeze did turn into a headwind on the last leg, but it’s not like I was going that fast anyway! I just ended the run when I got back to the start point.
Today’s Stats:
2.18 miles
26:46 (mm:ss)
12:14 pace
Another virtual Nielson Challenge. Paying lip service to this media-driven hysteria circus is really starting to irk me a bit.
It was again overcast and perfect for running this morning… with rain starting soon, I think. There were a couple of other people doing their Nielson Challenges too.
I wasn’t too successful with running last month, and I’m feeling a little bad about that. I started off so well, aside from the rolled ankle. I need to get back in the habit.
Today’s Stats:
2.02 miles
24:14 (mm:ss)
I had planned to run yesterday, but didn’t for one excuse or another. I rolled out of bed this morning less than motivated to make up for yesterday’s laziness, too. It’s a bit insidious how easily that mindset can creep into my day. My wife went with me this morning, not to run; but she walked while I ran.
I opted to run the big loop around the north side of the park. The park is split by a river, I think Fountain Creek, and there aren’t a lot of crossovers. There’s a bridge at the extreme north end, one at Uintah, one at Cache La Poudre, and there’s a pedestrian bridge at the south end of the park. So unless you’re not opposed to backtracking — or getting your shoes wet — you’re sort of committed to a particular path. And I wound up doing a bit of backtracking anyway to make up the distance.
Reconditioning… this is what I’m calling this phase of my running life. It’s almost rehabilitation since I almost quit recently. I let my mind wander on this topic while I ran this morning: why is reconditioning so freaking hard? I think the answer is: because I know I used to be better at this than I am now.
And weirdly, I got a bit of motivation from another runner. LongRunTom is doing a #runthedate challenge. And though I have no desire to be in the same league as he is, I didn’t figure it was right to complain too much about my circumstances…
No stopping to walk today, so that’s an improvement over Monday’s 5K.
Today’s Stats:
3.1 miles
38:08 (mm:ss)
12:18 pace
Well, last week shot by and before I knew it I’d been lazy all week. I mean… I was resting my ankle, yeah… that!
I opted to go down to the park to run this morning: I figured the surface there was better than the makeshift track behind the house where I have to run laps… and the park means I don’t have to run laps, which is only slightly less boring than running on the trudgemill.
I am focusing more on getting back into running shape, so I wasn’t worried about pace. I did well for the first 2 miles, did a bit of irregular run/walk/run for half a mile, and decided to finish the last half mile running. Or making running motions, anyway.
Today’s Stats:
3.1 miles
39:25 (mm:ss)
12:42 pace
The real other reason I opted to run at the park? Route pic!
I rolled my ankle this morning — predictably about as far away from the house as I could get on my little track — and had to gingerly walk back. It’s fine, but a little sore right now…
Though I didn’t get the 10 miles in on the weekdays this week, I hope to be back at it tomorrow. Maybe I can make up the 2 miles on Saturday.
