Update...

So the week before Easter was good in a normal, not much happening, no drama, sort of way. I got through my weekly runs on my work lunch break. So as far as I can forsee, I will not need to take any time away from the family during the week to get ready for Grandma's Marathon. That works out well, as now I will have my longest runs coming up on the weekends.

Here's last weeks activity;

Monday 4/18: light upper body weights; curls, tricepts, lats, side raises, military presses, and chin-ups.
Tuesday: 4/19:  4 mile run w/ 3x2minute hill repeats on the treadmill. 33 min.
Wednesday 4/20: 5 mile tempo run. 20 minutes @ 5K pace on the treadmill. 39:15 min.
Thursday 4/21:  4.2 mile run. 31:28 min. Actually ran outside!
Friday 4/22: 3 mile run on the treadmill, 23:20 min.
Saturday 4/23:  Off (Harper's First Birthday!)
Sunday 4/24:  10 mile run. 1:20:30. 8:03 min/mile. * last 3 miles were the fastest, sub 8 min/mile*

Here's this weeks activity to date;

Monday 4/25:  3 mile run. 23:58 min. Outside
Tuesday 4/26: 4.35 mile tempo run on the treadmill. 8x2 minute @ 5K pace.
Wednesday 4/27: 5 mile run. 40min. Treadmill
Thursday 4/28: 4 mile run. 33 min.Treadmill
Friday 4/29:  5 mile run. 37:30. Finally got to run outside!  7:29min/mile.
Saturday 4/30: Off
Sunday 4/31: 16 Miler!

I'll leave with a few pics of things that make me smile...



4/14 - Going



4/20 - Going




4/21 - Still going




4/24 - Gone!



The Easter haul! I've watch Toy Story 3 everyday since Easter





 

I'm 1! This is how I roll!

 You may (or may not) have noticed that my race schedule has changed a bit. My wife and I got roped in invited to join a Ragnar Relay team. She's excited and I'm warming up to it. It should be fun though. I think my next post will be about how much time I'm actually with my wife. I'm curious to see if anyone else has this problem  is as lucky as I am.

#1!

This weeks weather wasn't very good, but really wasn't that bad either. We even had  some snow move through, but it was melted by the time I left work so I didn't get to worked up about it. It's been a "light" week on the running and the training plan only has me scheduled for 5 miles on Saturday and a 5K or 10K on Sunday. I may just try and do one 10 miler, but I don't want to push it to much. Although the week was not very eventful,  we'll be at the in-laws this weekend for Easter and our youngest daughters first Birthday Party! I can't believe it's been one year already. Here's a couple pics of my girls in there Easter dresses.



Harper - 1 year old




Jesa - 4 1/2 years old.

Have a good weekend and I'll leave you with a couple pictures of where I'll be all weekend.



Killed It!

Total Time: 1:54:07
Distance: 14 miles
Pace: 8:09/mile
Blisters: 0
Left nipple: sore (more Bodyglide next time).

Everything else: not bad (that may change tomorrow)

Snow Snow go away... and don't ever come back, please.



4/14/2011

It never really seems like winter is over until all the snow piles have completely melted. Here's what's left of the pile in our cul-de-sac. It looks pitiful and dirty. Not unlike myself at times.

This last weeks "training" went pretty good. I give all the credit to the new Brooks Glycerine 8's. I just put them on and they do the rest. Actually, running outside has really charged by battery. Here's a breakdown of last weeks running;
Sunday 4/10 -  8 miles. 1:06. 8:15/mile

Monday 4/11 - 3 miles. 23:00. 7:40/mile
Tuesday 4/12 - 4.4 miles. 33:30. 7:36/mile (hills)
Wednesday 4/13 - 5.6 miles. 43:00. 7:44/mile
Thursday 4/14 - 3 miles. 24:00. 8:00/mile

4/12/2011 - Cutest 4 year old ever



4/6/2011



November 2010

Friday 4/15 - 4.5 miles. 35:00. 7:46/mile (tempo)

Saturday 4/16 - Off

Thursday and Friday's runs were done on the treadmill as the weather took a dump. It was cold and windy Friday night and the rain turned to snow. On a positive note, it made the dirty snow pile look like a nice and clean snow pile. :-)

I ran 11 days in a row from 4/4 to 4/15. I checked the old Trapper Keeper and that is a record for me.  I did take off yesterday to rest for todays 14 miler. I have to admit, I kind of dread this 14 miler as it was cold and windy yesterday and not a lot better today. It's supposed to warm up a little this afternoon, but the wind is still blowing out of the NNW at 16 MPH.  That sucks when it's only in the high 30's.  Anyway, it could be worse. It look like this last pic still.

One last thing, today marks the half way point of my 18 week marathon training and I'm happy to report that everything is going well. 9 weeks to go to until Grandma's marathon!

The Sound of Music

My 4 year old loves this movie, but I thought it was a good segue.

What do you listen to when you run? do you listen to anything? are you "one with nature" and in tune with your mind, body, and soul and don't need music? or do you blast the tunes so loud that you forget what planet you're on. I usually choose the later.

I like a lot of different kinds of music, but I love good old rock n' roll when I run. I'm sure I listen to it far to loud, but I rarely get the opportunity to listen to some face melting guitar solo's and chest thumping drums outside of my ipod. With 2 little girls in the car, "wheels on the bus" was usually in order, but now it's Katy Perry songs.  Although my 4 year old knows some Foo Fighters and The Who (or as she calls it "teenage wasteland"), I usually listen to talk radio in the car with the girls (dorky I know).

I found this video on youtube of a guy playing a piano version of The Who's  "Baba O' Riley". I  was going to post a video of The Who doing the song, but this dude is awesome.  Each time I hear Baba O' Riley (and you youngsters may not know this, but The Who did more than CSI theme songs),  I'm transported to an Ironman race that's never actually taken place. It's one where I'm participating and completing and always ends with Mike Reilly announcing that I am an Ironman. It's funny how a particular song can take you to a place in your mind in an instant.   

New Shoes! and a window seat?

Neat huh! I tried them on and walked around the store for a bit and then asked if I could take them outside. I told the lady if I don't come back, she could have one of my kids. She gave me a nervous smile with  a mix of horror. I don't think she got my sense of humor. Anyway, I don't recommend shoe shopping with 2 children around nap time. These were the only shoes I tried on as I really just wanted to make sure I got some shoes and got the hell outta there.

I did a quick 3 miles at lunch on Monday and 4.5 today and so far so good. This coming weekend will be the real test, I'm scheduled to do a 14 miler on Sunday. Last weeks runs were pretty solid. Tuesday through Friday I did 4 mile runs each day at lunch (weights on Monday). I varied the intensity and speed. I usually do a 10 minute warm-up and then either do hill repeats on the treadmill (6x2min w/ 1 min cooldown), or speedwork (6x 1 min @ 5k pace w/ 1 min cooldown), or a tempo run (10 min warm-up, 15-20 min tempo at 10K pace). All in all I did 29 miles this week (16 miles during the week and 5 on Saturday and 8 on Sunday), so the mileage will only go up from here until the week before the marathon. I hope these shoes work out because we are going to get well aquainted over the next 10 weeks and I'm to cheap to buy another pair if they don't work out.

In other news, the little one (She'll be 1 on 4/23!) got her cast off on Monday! She seemed a little apprehensive to use her repaired wing, but quickly got the hang of it. She was excited to take a real bath (as you can see in the pics below) as the last month has been only sponge baths.

Not long after this picture she capped off her long awaited bath with a poop...in the tub.  I had the privilege of cleaning it up and washing all the bath toys in bleach water. Man, kids are great! But who could be mad at a face like that. I can only take satisfaction in knowing that when I'm old and feeble  that I may return the favor.

And finally, here's a view from my new desk. I got a coveted window seat. I don't know what I did to deserve it (maybe napping and daydreaming), but I guess I'll take it.  Now I can watch the snow fall directly from my desk that the weather nazi's are predicting for later this week. Yeah!

Snow Update

4/6/2011. Shadows of my wife and me (holding our almost one year old).

So here's a pic of the snow pile that's quickly melting in our cul de sac. Although there is always a chance we could get more snow, I'm almost convinced that spring is here. It's been nice enough to get outside for a few 4 mile runs on my lunch break this week. Hopefully the treadmill at work will get a much needed break.

Here's a pic of the first snow pile of the year.

pic of the last significant snow of the year. 2/20/2011

I'm probably going to jinx myself, but I think the snow is done for the year. If not, it won' be long. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

The marathon training is going well and I think I'll pick up some new shoes this weekend. I'm scheduled for a 5 and 8 mile run this weekend and look forward to run on the home turf.  Only 6 weeks from Saturday until my half marathon race and I'm looking forward to it.  I've only ran one stand alone half marathon and that was in October of 2008 and I'm curious to see how much I've improved. I guess I'll find out soon enough. 

I'm Cheap

It's true. In fact, I once tried to go an entire year without making one single non-essential purchase for myself. I made it to about mid-November (I started on Jan. 1) before I broke down and bought myself something non-essential, although I could argue that running tights are essential in Minnesota. Currently, I have well over 600 miles (I quit adding the mileage in July 2010 at 584 miles) on my current running shoes and wear the same socks I was given for Fathers Day in June 2009. I think deep down I'm hoping that my shoes and socks take on a life of there own and just actually run for me.
I noted in a previous post that I have a Groupon my wife bought me for $50 off my next purchase (she paid $25) at a local running store, but have failed to actually go buy some new wheels. That may be a laziness issue and not a cheap one. I'm not sure why I thought of it now, I did however read a blog recently that stated she purchased clothing at the Salvation Army. I thought to myself, "I've done that". In fact, it's been years since I've bought a new article of clothing and the new clothes that were purchased we socks, running shoes (already noted), and under garments. Outside of that, I make nearly all my clothing purchases at thrift stores, second hand stores, even garage sales. Before you go and think this is the noble act of an environmentalist that's all about the "green movement" and living the mantra "reuse and recycle", its not. Well at least not 100%. Let's be clear, I recycle plastic containers, pop cans, tin cans, even motor oil (I change my own most of the time), but I don't have solar panels on my roof and I don't drive a Prius (or a Subaru for that matter).  I also don't discriminate in my ability to seek out a good deal. By that I mean I frequent not-for-profit (Goodwill and Salvation Army) and for-profit (Savers, Unique, Craigslist, Ebay) second hand stores and online sites. I do however only donate to the non-profit store. I don't know where that puts me in the world of thrift, but the only label I can think of is "Cheap". I guess I'm ok with that. Here's a few examples of the stuff I've bought and the brands (I only list the brand to show that there is some really nice stuff out there);

Second Hand Clothing
2 pair of Levis
2 pair of Old Navy Cargo pants
1 pair of Gap Cargo pants
1 Eddie Bauer sweater
1 Gap v-neck sweater
1 Izod crew neck sweater
1 pair of Timberland shoes
2 Polo collared long sleeve button up dress shirts
2 American Eagle shirts

* All of this stuff probably cost me less than $100
Triathlon stuff

1 Orca tri suit, $38 - Ebay
1 Ironman Wetsuit, $75  - Ebay
1 Bike Rack $40 - Craigslist

* most of the t-shirts that I wear are from different races I've done over the last few years. That includes a lot of the tech shirts that I wear for workouts.

In any case, that may or may not say a lot about me, but that's how I roll...for now.

Brighter Days ahead...I hope

It was a Wednesday morning. The sky was clear and the sun was shining. The temperature was 38 degrees and the winds were calm. The time was 10:33:27AM. As I reached across my body with my right hand and grabbed my Swingline stapler I did something I haven't done in my 7 year, 8 months, and 23 days of employment with this company...I knocked over my cup of coffee all over my desk.  It was a good run...

My wife also wanted me to inform the blogoshrere that she also has been running on the treadmills at work. She runs on the one next to me. We sometimes hold hands while running next to each other and sing Katy Perry songs...not really.

In other news, I"m currently at the in-laws in East Dakota and I managed to get in a 12 mile run. It was tough. The wind was out of the west and the temp was about 40 degrees. I've certainly rain in worse conditions, but I wasn't really feeling "it". I managed to finish in 1:42:24, 8:34 min/mile pace. I was shooting for 8:30 min/mile pace so I was happy. However, I did not negative split this time as I turned around at 50:27. Oh well. This was my highest mileage week (28) thus far and things are going well. I do however need new shoes. I'm still wearing the same shoes I ran the Chicago Marathon in...in 2009! My wife got me a Groupon for a local running store that gives me a $50 discount (she paid $25), but time hasn't really permitted me to get over there and actually buy them.

Lastly, the little one gets her cast off a week from Monday (4/11). I think she will be very happy as she's managed to learn to crawl with it on.