Progressing
Mood:  a-ok

Sorry, I haven't updated in awhile. Not that anyone is reading.  The April 10 mile race went very well. I've also done a few more 10 mile training runs.  I'm back from vacation where I still ran aboard Royal Caribbean's Allure of the Seas, but I didn't run as much that month and gained 5 pounds while on vacation. 

This weekend I will do another 10 miler training run and then hopefully in the coming weekends, I'll begin to up that to 13 and 15 miles. That is my next goal. 

Weekend is coming
Mood:  a-ok
I'm looking forward to the weekend and my first big race of the year.  Sunday is the CBUS 10 miler in Gahanna.  I've done a couple of good 10 mile runs in recent weeks, but I am setting my goals low. I'm just hoping I break 1:30 which shouldn't be hard.  9 minute miles are my normal cruising speed. This course starts with a long downhill so I'll have to hold back somewhat in anticipation of the up hills.  I think there is close to 1000 people running, so its not likely for me to finish in the top 3 in my age group. 

Things are still going well, I've gotten in a couple of weekend 10 milers. I have another one planned for this Saturday, but it has turned cold again.  I sponsored a mile marker for the Columbus Marathon. Mile 17 will have my name on it. That should be encouagement to make it that far!

I'm signed up.
Mood:  not sure

Well, I did it, I've actually signed up for the Columbus Marathon. I've bene feeling good and the running is going well, even though it is still winter. I'm far ahead of where I was last year.  My big fear is that when I last signed up for a race months ahead, I got hurt and couldn't run it. 

I currently have the 10 miler on the schedule for April and I will plan on 2-3 half marathons before the big day in Columbus when I run the full.  

March
Mood:  cool
It is finally March!  This is the transition month from indoor running at our winter gym to outdoor running.  I took an afternoon off yesterday and ran 8 miles around Sharon Woods, which means 2 laps with the big hills there.  I felt really good and am looking forward to some longer runs very soon.  I said in my last post I would sign up for the Columbus Marathon right after the April race. I'm avoiding the tempation to go ahead and sign up, but I will wait till April 10th. 

Mood:  bright

I did complete a 10 mile run Saturday, the first outdoor run of the year with no ice or snow covering the paths/roads.  I did manage to run the entire 10 miles at my normal 9 minute per mile pace, with it taking just a little effort the last mile or so. I did have a friend close to my age and ability run along so that made it easier.  I hope to repeat that run this coming Saturday.  Not sure when the longer runs will start, perhaps on a warmer March Saturday. We will see.

 

I decided that after the 10 mile run in Gahanna this April, I will officially sign up for the Columbus Marathon that occurs in mid October.  

The weekend
Mood:  bright

Ran 8 miles on sometimes slippery paths Saturday. Felt good, no pain. Got 19 miles in last week, 11 of those indoors on a tiny track. That's not a bad milage for a winter week.  Ran with my new Reebok shoes. They aren't bad, but I'll look forward to getting back into my New Balance shoes in April. 

  The weather is looking better this week, wish I could have ran Sunday, but it was a rest day and I was disciplined enought to take it. I might try 10 miles next Saturday weather permitting. 

Doing better than 2010
Mood:  a-ok

Things are going well, Last year at this time I was dead in the water and didn't run at all for 3 months. This year I was having a little discomfort on the left side from a tweaked tendon, but that is going away. I rejoined the nearby gym that has an indoor track. I've been going there twice a week and then joining the group run on Saturday morning in Westerville. That long run has only been 6 miles each week because of snow and ice, but hopefully that will be over soon.

 

I'm only getting around 15 miles a week in, but as I said I'm way ahead of last year.  I'm hoping to go 8 miles this weekend if the paths/roads are snow and ice free.  Still working towards that 10 miler in April, but will probably do a St Patrick's day 5k or 4 miler.  

 

Welcome to 2011
Mood:  energetic

I think not running the full marathon last October was a good decision.  I think I could have done it, and probably finished somewhere around 5 hours.  I really want my first marathon to be strong and I want to be fully prepared.   I'm hopingo to make a realistsic shot at 4 hours. In my mind that is the milestone for running a marathon and just finishing one.

Two things really set me back, pun intended.  My doctor took me off the drug Meloxicam, which really helped the arthritis in my back and helped me get the feeling back in my left foot.  At around the same time my nuerologist decided to take me off of the seizure medicine Dilantin, which I had taken for 10 years in favor of Lyrica.  Lyrica is a drug to help nerve pain, but its a new drug for treating seizures.  While that was successful, my nuerologist increased the dosage to help with my sciatic pain.

One of the side effects of Lyrica can be weight gain, and after losing 78 pounds in 2009, I put 20 back on in 2010.  Now, after getting back on the Meloxicam,  I think I can cut back on they Lyrica and hopefully get back to my ideal running weight again by say May 1st.

 I hope to run (3) 1/2 Marathons this year before the full in Columbus this October.  The first was going to be Cap City, but that is the week of our 30th anniversary, so we will be on a cruise.   I'm in winter maintenance mode, not running as much as I did in the fall, but trying to stay in some kind of shape.  Technically, I'm a sponsored athlete now as an official pace leader for the running group CBUS Pacers.  I'm the official 9 min/mile pacer for the group. While I can run faster, a 9 minute mile is my natural pace for long runs.

My next goal race is the CBUS 10 miler in Gahanna next April.  I may do a couple of 5k's befor then, but this is my next big race.   As long  as I'm able to finish it in less than 90 minutes I'll be happy.

Mood:  happy

It's been awhile since I updated.  Things have gone pretty well, I completed the USAF 1/2 marathon and decided while things are going well, I am not going to do the full marathon in Columbus next week, I'm going to stick with the 1/2.  

 The back injury took too much time out of my running this year to prepare properly.   We will see in 2011.