Ever have those days when you just feel like a zombie. You're awake, but you feel like everything is just boring lasers into your eye sockets and all you want to do is just shut down for a while... say forever?
Anyways. Building back up the mileage this week. A three hour run at Carolina North. I planned to and drove up to the Eno River State Park. I wanted to try running on the Mountain-to-Sea Trail starting up there. Unfortunately, I majorly chickened out. When I got there, I parked outside the closed gate (this is at 5:45 am) and see a sign prohibiting parking after hours. Of course if this was Umstead, I wouldn't have any problem. Generally they just don't want people sticking around after closing; they don't mind getting there before opening. However, without being familiar with Durham/Eno River, I was apprehensive about staying around; so I made the round trip back to Chapel Hill and back to Carolina North.
After some rain throughout the week and heavy downpour last night; the trails were mush. They also don't drain very well, so it was a lot of sloshing through endless puddles. I mean, I had mud caked all over my feet... THROUGH my shoes and THROUGH my socks. It felt good to shower off the mud; but a shower doesn't make soggy, wrinkly feet feel all that good. Ah,well....
It should be a peaceful week at work. And then Friday - Sunday, Leigh Anne and I are heading to Asheville for some camping, running, and hiking. We're hoping for good weather. I want good weather to make the camping fun. She'd like good weather to camp at all.
Still zombie-d out. Tomorrow will feel like a long day. I've got to cover some swim lessons, then it's off to a early summer/4th of July cookout at my aunt's house and lots of family. And it's my dad's birthday. Hah, I got him a present yesterday.... I registered him for the Old Reliable 10k in November! His first greater-than-5k run! Now he has to step up his training!
Soundtrack:
I've been listening to NPR....
Saturday, June 29, 2013
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
Nothing but Noise
Kinda crazy/shitty/off right now. Just a soundtrack.
"Skyfall" by Adele
"Madness" by Muse
"Skyfall" by Adele
"Madness" by Muse
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
Recovery Week
WOW! Work has kicked in a vengeance. Many long hours by the pool. It's not exactly mind-melding stuff, but more that I worry about stuff going on that needs my attention.
I'm SO glad to have a recovery week. My first week of "quality" was tough. I kept my weekly mileage up at 10, and it generally consisted of lots of hills. I ran a reverse route up a LONG HILL of Franklin Street, and then I started a new route that takes me up the wicked Weaver Dairy Hill.
When it came time for the true quality aspect, the weekend long run, I was done from the get-go. I was in Wilmington, planning on about 15, faster than a normal long run. Of course, I don't use a GPS watch, or anything that gives me pace. So how much faster? Who knew. Many things were off. I'm pretty sure I was dehydrated (I drank about 20 oz more than normal, and I pissed a trinkle of dark brown after), the sun was up and blazing 70 degrees, and I was mainly on un-shaded pavement. Like I said, my legs were fatigued from the start, so even though it was hard, I felt slow. I made it about half way, and walked almost .4 miles. And the whole rest of the run, I don't think I ran more than a mile before needing to walk. It was pretty bad. I haven't felt that bad, or run that poorly since my first marathon back in 2009.
I feel a little better about it now, by the fact that I just started out way too fast. Turns out it was just over 16 miles, and at the halfway of about 8 miles, I had averaged 7:30-ish pace. Which is fast for a long run; I normally do that for my weekday runs. Sure it's not that fast for 8 miles, but given my environment and how far I had to go, it was tough.
This week is a true recovery week, with lower weekly mileage, and truly slow 2 hours on the weekend.
Otherwise I have my eye out for the weekend after the fourth of July, which is my birthday. Leigh Anne and I are planning to take a 3 day trip up to Asheville. We'll do some camping, and of course some trail running and hiking. I'm looking forward to getting up in the mountains, with some long, high, technical trails.
Soundtrack:
"The End is the Beginning is the End" - Smashing Pumpkins (they also produced "The Beginning is the End is the Beginning")
"You Know My Name" - Chris Cornell
I'm SO glad to have a recovery week. My first week of "quality" was tough. I kept my weekly mileage up at 10, and it generally consisted of lots of hills. I ran a reverse route up a LONG HILL of Franklin Street, and then I started a new route that takes me up the wicked Weaver Dairy Hill.
When it came time for the true quality aspect, the weekend long run, I was done from the get-go. I was in Wilmington, planning on about 15, faster than a normal long run. Of course, I don't use a GPS watch, or anything that gives me pace. So how much faster? Who knew. Many things were off. I'm pretty sure I was dehydrated (I drank about 20 oz more than normal, and I pissed a trinkle of dark brown after), the sun was up and blazing 70 degrees, and I was mainly on un-shaded pavement. Like I said, my legs were fatigued from the start, so even though it was hard, I felt slow. I made it about half way, and walked almost .4 miles. And the whole rest of the run, I don't think I ran more than a mile before needing to walk. It was pretty bad. I haven't felt that bad, or run that poorly since my first marathon back in 2009.
I feel a little better about it now, by the fact that I just started out way too fast. Turns out it was just over 16 miles, and at the halfway of about 8 miles, I had averaged 7:30-ish pace. Which is fast for a long run; I normally do that for my weekday runs. Sure it's not that fast for 8 miles, but given my environment and how far I had to go, it was tough.
This week is a true recovery week, with lower weekly mileage, and truly slow 2 hours on the weekend.
Otherwise I have my eye out for the weekend after the fourth of July, which is my birthday. Leigh Anne and I are planning to take a 3 day trip up to Asheville. We'll do some camping, and of course some trail running and hiking. I'm looking forward to getting up in the mountains, with some long, high, technical trails.
Soundtrack:
"The End is the Beginning is the End" - Smashing Pumpkins (they also produced "The Beginning is the End is the Beginning")
"You Know My Name" - Chris Cornell
Friday, June 14, 2013
Run and not Grow Weak, Walk and Will Not Faint
It's been an interesting week. Running wise I've probably seriously beat myself up. I had lots of long, LONG hills to challenge me this week. I've been left with that fatigue where you stand up and don't know who you were able to do it. It's almost over: tomorrow I is a QUALITY long run, which means I'd hope for 15-20 miles at a decent clip. I'll be down in Wilmington, so it might feel like I'm cheating on the flat terrain, but I guess it depends on how fast I actual maintain.
On top of all that, work hasn't been bad, but it's been mainly 9-10 hour days, some of that standing out the blazing sun. I just go home feeling robbed of my energy. After some storms last night, today was refreshingly cool. We have make up swim lessons tonight that I hope will be pretty tolerable.
Not much else has been going on. I've been struggling to discipline myself to read my PT books. I don't want to drag this out. Just when I come home from work, I just want to decompress with some Netflix. In my opinion, the current section is on anatomy, and thus far the textbook has done a terrible job to introducing the subject. I guess they are catering to PTs who have already taken some college anatomy?
Soundtrack, probably replays:
"The Precipice" by The Classic Crime
"Dive" by Disciple
On top of all that, work hasn't been bad, but it's been mainly 9-10 hour days, some of that standing out the blazing sun. I just go home feeling robbed of my energy. After some storms last night, today was refreshingly cool. We have make up swim lessons tonight that I hope will be pretty tolerable.
Not much else has been going on. I've been struggling to discipline myself to read my PT books. I don't want to drag this out. Just when I come home from work, I just want to decompress with some Netflix. In my opinion, the current section is on anatomy, and thus far the textbook has done a terrible job to introducing the subject. I guess they are catering to PTs who have already taken some college anatomy?
Soundtrack, probably replays:
"The Precipice" by The Classic Crime
"Dive" by Disciple
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
Abbreviated
This post will be short and sweet for a while. Work has really kicked off. And while I like writing things down, and I think it enriches me mentally, I want to make sure I maximize my productivity.
Good solid runs the past week. My weekend longs are going by the hour rather than mile. I may re-write my training plan to specifically put in the times, rather than miles. Right now I'm taking the miles I planned, using past experience to determine the time, and going with that. But what if I run slower, or faster? I briefly thought about shaving some time off my 3 hours on Saturday because "I had probably done 20 miles." But I stuck to the full three anyways.
This morning was lots of exploring along the Bolin Creek greenway and lots of new trail discover. Though, I still haven't found the one trail-to-park connection I've been searching for. Of course, they may not even be connected, and I'm just blowing in the wind.
Lentils in curry sauce from Trader Joe's in fantastic.
Trying to plan a trip to Asheville after July 4th with Leigh Anne. Mountain running, maybe camping, maybe cabins. Who knows?
Soundtrack; just loud music:
"Dear Death Part 2" by Emery
"Suffocate" by Finger Eleven
Good solid runs the past week. My weekend longs are going by the hour rather than mile. I may re-write my training plan to specifically put in the times, rather than miles. Right now I'm taking the miles I planned, using past experience to determine the time, and going with that. But what if I run slower, or faster? I briefly thought about shaving some time off my 3 hours on Saturday because "I had probably done 20 miles." But I stuck to the full three anyways.
This morning was lots of exploring along the Bolin Creek greenway and lots of new trail discover. Though, I still haven't found the one trail-to-park connection I've been searching for. Of course, they may not even be connected, and I'm just blowing in the wind.
Lentils in curry sauce from Trader Joe's in fantastic.
Trying to plan a trip to Asheville after July 4th with Leigh Anne. Mountain running, maybe camping, maybe cabins. Who knows?
Soundtrack; just loud music:
"Dear Death Part 2" by Emery
"Suffocate" by Finger Eleven
Thursday, June 6, 2013
Engage!
Work is getting busier and busier. Which is stressful. But also good in that it makes the days fly by.
This is the first week I haven't gone to a yoga class since I started back in... April? I'm not sure exactly. While I really enjoy the hot yoga classes, I just don't think I can afford the $20/class to do it. If I went back to my 4 days a week of swimming, even at that community pool, I'd only be forking over $16. I think I will just need to work on some flexibility on my own. Maybe I can download some home-video guided stuff.
So Thursday is my day off ... from running. I guess I'm not one to take full days off. The past month it has been yoga. Today, I whipped out a uni[suit], went to the local Y, and used the erg aka the indoor rower. It's an odd looking contraption that uses a flywheel to create resistance. It's analogous to a treadmill for runners, or a stationary bike for cyclists in two regards: 1) it imitates the motion and effort of the outside activity but in a stationary, indoor environment, and 2) it's a boring, dreary comparison to the real thing. Nonetheless, I powered through 45 minutes without much ado. I'm good now, but I'm sure I'll get some wicked shoulder and lat soreness for a few days. And even after just 45 minutes, I feel sore spots across the base of all five fingers with at least 2-3 blisters possible.
My running itself is doing well. I'm beginning to adapt to the many long hills that bless/curse Chapel Hill. They are nothing compared to what I'll face at Mountain Masochist or any of the other trails races I enjoy, but I've learned to accept them. It's just not possible to avoid them without limiting my radius of exploration or driving to a benign starting point. I know they slow down my average pace but 1) I shouldn't really get worried about pace and 2) if I don't want to slow down, take the pain and run harder! And a few evenings I've been doing extra workouts. Not trying to put in heavy miles - which I will struggle to avoid - but for example, Monday 3-4 mile run with steep up hills, and Wednesday 30 minutes treadmill walk at 4 mph at 15% grade. Last week I swam; this week I didn't.
All in all, while maintaining a good routine to my mornings, I'm trying to be flexible, maybe even whimsical, with my evenings.
I've been watching a lot of Star Trek: The Next Generation
Soundtrack:
"The Night Pat Murphy Died" by Mudmen
"The Day the World Went Away" - Nine Inch Nails
This is the first week I haven't gone to a yoga class since I started back in... April? I'm not sure exactly. While I really enjoy the hot yoga classes, I just don't think I can afford the $20/class to do it. If I went back to my 4 days a week of swimming, even at that community pool, I'd only be forking over $16. I think I will just need to work on some flexibility on my own. Maybe I can download some home-video guided stuff.
So Thursday is my day off ... from running. I guess I'm not one to take full days off. The past month it has been yoga. Today, I whipped out a uni[suit], went to the local Y, and used the erg aka the indoor rower. It's an odd looking contraption that uses a flywheel to create resistance. It's analogous to a treadmill for runners, or a stationary bike for cyclists in two regards: 1) it imitates the motion and effort of the outside activity but in a stationary, indoor environment, and 2) it's a boring, dreary comparison to the real thing. Nonetheless, I powered through 45 minutes without much ado. I'm good now, but I'm sure I'll get some wicked shoulder and lat soreness for a few days. And even after just 45 minutes, I feel sore spots across the base of all five fingers with at least 2-3 blisters possible.
My running itself is doing well. I'm beginning to adapt to the many long hills that bless/curse Chapel Hill. They are nothing compared to what I'll face at Mountain Masochist or any of the other trails races I enjoy, but I've learned to accept them. It's just not possible to avoid them without limiting my radius of exploration or driving to a benign starting point. I know they slow down my average pace but 1) I shouldn't really get worried about pace and 2) if I don't want to slow down, take the pain and run harder! And a few evenings I've been doing extra workouts. Not trying to put in heavy miles - which I will struggle to avoid - but for example, Monday 3-4 mile run with steep up hills, and Wednesday 30 minutes treadmill walk at 4 mph at 15% grade. Last week I swam; this week I didn't.
All in all, while maintaining a good routine to my mornings, I'm trying to be flexible, maybe even whimsical, with my evenings.
I've been watching a lot of Star Trek: The Next Generation
Soundtrack:
"The Night Pat Murphy Died" by Mudmen
"The Day the World Went Away" - Nine Inch Nails
Saturday, June 1, 2013
Raw. Unfiltered. Brunt. Crude. Primal. Wild.
Scattered. Misdirected. Chaotic.
I dilly-dally in between these two perspectives. I'm sure everyone has those days where they feel cooped up in their lives because of their job, their home, their aspirations. But it's so hard to know what's missing, or how to fix it. In the end, you just want to burst, to explode.
Sometimes it feels like the first list. This usually feels good. Like there's something basal to your existent that you feel needs to escape and be heard and proclaimed. This is a great feeling leading into a race. I think I desire the right to test my raw instincts and see how far my inner strength can take me.
The second list is similar to the first, but it really describes when you have no clue what's bugging you. Or like me, you know you have actual work that could benefit from some of the drive, but you just can't bring yourself to channel it. And thus the energy feels like it's being directed nowhere, and nothing gets accomplished.
A similar idea makes me think about these blog entries; the idea of artistic. Sometimes, I want these to be very polished. I go back and moderate my entry, so if you see something written here, it isn't done so completely uninhibited or un-moderated. Should I moderate it? I mean, there's personal stuff but that can be public. But so am I just looking for an outlet for my thoughts and experiences? And therefore should this be more raw? Am I looking to produce quality pieces; something artsy? But is true art the unadulterated, primal expressions or is it carefully cultivated and refined beauty?
I'm probably just thinking too much.
It's been a good week of more mileage. 2ish hours at Carolina North this morning. I'm either going to have to get a GPS watch or adjust my trail runs to strictly by time.
I'm getting used to eating a lot of legumes and tofu. When I've experimented before, I decided the diet wasn't for me because you ended up eating the same thing all the time. This time I'm realizing I ate the same thing (PB, cottage cheese, chicken) all the time anyways, now it's just a different thing (beans, tofu, nuts, hummus). There are a couple of flavor additives that have helped and I like a lot: 1) cocoa powder is great with smoothies and oatmeal, especially with bananas it taste like ice cream and 2) salsa - this boost pretty much any salad or dinner item.
However: 1) Dried plums (prunes) are thumbs down. 2) Frozen strawberries aren't that sweet so no-go. 3) I used my avocado in my salads, but it's just hard to use it enough to not end up wasting 1/3-1/2 of it.
I'm terribly excited for next weekend.
Soundtrack:
"Let it Out" by Pillar
"High of 75" by Relient K
Scattered. Misdirected. Chaotic.
I dilly-dally in between these two perspectives. I'm sure everyone has those days where they feel cooped up in their lives because of their job, their home, their aspirations. But it's so hard to know what's missing, or how to fix it. In the end, you just want to burst, to explode.
Sometimes it feels like the first list. This usually feels good. Like there's something basal to your existent that you feel needs to escape and be heard and proclaimed. This is a great feeling leading into a race. I think I desire the right to test my raw instincts and see how far my inner strength can take me.
The second list is similar to the first, but it really describes when you have no clue what's bugging you. Or like me, you know you have actual work that could benefit from some of the drive, but you just can't bring yourself to channel it. And thus the energy feels like it's being directed nowhere, and nothing gets accomplished.
A similar idea makes me think about these blog entries; the idea of artistic. Sometimes, I want these to be very polished. I go back and moderate my entry, so if you see something written here, it isn't done so completely uninhibited or un-moderated. Should I moderate it? I mean, there's personal stuff but that can be public. But so am I just looking for an outlet for my thoughts and experiences? And therefore should this be more raw? Am I looking to produce quality pieces; something artsy? But is true art the unadulterated, primal expressions or is it carefully cultivated and refined beauty?
I'm probably just thinking too much.
It's been a good week of more mileage. 2ish hours at Carolina North this morning. I'm either going to have to get a GPS watch or adjust my trail runs to strictly by time.
I'm getting used to eating a lot of legumes and tofu. When I've experimented before, I decided the diet wasn't for me because you ended up eating the same thing all the time. This time I'm realizing I ate the same thing (PB, cottage cheese, chicken) all the time anyways, now it's just a different thing (beans, tofu, nuts, hummus). There are a couple of flavor additives that have helped and I like a lot: 1) cocoa powder is great with smoothies and oatmeal, especially with bananas it taste like ice cream and 2) salsa - this boost pretty much any salad or dinner item.
However: 1) Dried plums (prunes) are thumbs down. 2) Frozen strawberries aren't that sweet so no-go. 3) I used my avocado in my salads, but it's just hard to use it enough to not end up wasting 1/3-1/2 of it.
I'm terribly excited for next weekend.
Soundtrack:
"Let it Out" by Pillar
"High of 75" by Relient K
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