Back, Tree, Midnight Mile, Guy at Work

Medium 4 miles today. First 2 were at a quicker-than-usual pace. Had to jump over snow piles and trudge through ice and snow at 2.5...had to fling the arms around to keep my balance. The back started hurting all of a sudden and almost forced me to start walking. But no! There were cars driving by, so I kept on going. During the next half mile my back started to feel better.

Back was doing good and feeling better every day...then yesterday my dad and brother and I were cutting down a tree, so I was pulling a rope. Yep. I pretty much pulled the tree down. That is what probably made the back sore again. Anton kicked a tree down. It is a true story.

It is nice to get 2 days of running in a row. Need to get on a regular schedule again. I am planning to run every day this week, with a total of 35-40. That will be a good way to get back into running higher mileage again.

Ben suggested that we start running right before the new year comes, and bring in the new year while we run! What a great idea! Just like old times, when Anton and I would do a Midnight Mile...

•••••

I believe they have an actual Midnight Mile in Central Park. That would be fun to do!

•••••

Yesterday at work this guy comes up to me and asks if I am a "fitness fanatic" or something like that. I said, "I guess so."

Basically, he wanted some help with fitness and health, and I offered him a lot of advice and said that I would be his personal trainer. He doesn't do any physical activity at all, really, and his diet is not that great. So, I suggested small changes in his diet and am going to help him increase his max pushups from 1 to 40 or so in 4 months. I think that is a good goal for anyone.

Hopefully, it isn't just one of those new year resolutions that dies in about three weeks. Regardless, I am glad that I can help someone out!

A Run with Anton

I ran an easy 2 miles with Anton today...the first time running with someone since August! It was a grand run. The weather was nice, 43, sunny, and a slight wind coming from the north. What a good day to run!

Wore his Garmin. It was awesome. Having your pace, heart rate, etc. right there in front of you is a real help! Grand!

Christmas!

This Christmas was sort of strange. I had to work at 7:00 am until 3:30 pm...dang work! Dang!

Did not run or do PT. The back is feeling a lot better, though. At work, when I was sitting there, something sort of popped, like it popped back into place, and since then it has been feeling better.

Yesterday my sister looked at my back, and then my mom gave me a massage, which made the it feel better too. Thanks to them!

•••••

Jason Statham once said "if you're going to eat s***, eat s***," and that's exactly what I did today. I did not, however, overeat. Hooray! I am getting good at not overeating...it used to be that I overate whenever there was turkey, and mashed potatoes, and pie, and et cetera, et cetera...

•••••

Hope that you all had a very merry Christmas! Hooray!

Pain Migrates from Knee to Back

The pain in the knee is gone...but yesterday when I was trying to move a suitcase, I didn't really use my legs at all (I was wary about my knee), so I think I lifted wrong and now my mid-back is sort of sore.

Well...I might have to take another day off. My knee feels good to go, but now I have to wait for my back to feel better.

:(

A sad face. Boo-hoo!

Knee, Pullups, Hot Tub

So after having an excellent run yesterday, I awoke today to find that the back of my knee was sort of sore. It might be the place where the calf or the hamstring attaches to the joint. I do not know.

I do know, at least I am pretty sure, that I did not hurt it running yesterday. Sure, there was snow and a couple times were I almost fell, but there was no pain at all yesterday. I went running at 11 am, and there was no pain all day. When I was at work, there was no pain either.

Maybe during the night I somehow hyperextended the knee. Maybe I had some kind of crazy dream and was kicking my legs around. Who even knows? No log is kept of what happens when I sleep. Once I tried to get my cat Nacho to take notes of what happens at night, but she ended up falling alseep herself.

Anyway, I have been icing it, put some heat on it, have it compressed with a bandage, and am going to do nothing today. That should help it recover fast. Actually, right now, I am about ready to go get in the hot tub here at the hotel...that will DEFINATELY make a difference. It will improve my mood too.

So, there it is. The negativity has been released. Now recuperation can begin.

•••••

PT

Pullup pyramid, 30 seconds rest between sets. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, failed on 10th with 7 pullups. Waited one minute before doing another max set of 10. Total: 62. Not a bad workout. Only took about 7 minutes.

Planning on doing pushups and situps later...but for now...

HOT TUB!

Run! Finally!

Finally, I got outside for a run! It was awesome! Ran 6 miles...bundled up to survive the -16 degree windchill (the temp was 3). Had to run through some snow...worked the legs. A good time. Didn't get cold at all!

•••••

PT

5 sets max pullup, roughly 90 seconds between sets: 23, 15, 10, 8, 9 = 65 total
87, 70, pushups and situps w/ 15 minutes between sets = 157 each

•••••

I plan to get back on my schedule of getting up at 7 am. It is a good schedule.

•••••

Happy running for all! Are you excited? I am excited! I want to run all the time now! Whoo!

No Run, Again!

There was no run today (Sunday)! I was going to get up at 7:00 and run at 7:30...but then I only woke up at 9:00. Then I fell asleep until 10:15! Oh no! No time to run!

•••••

Planning to go 7 miles tomorrow morning. It is supposed to be 0 degrees at 8:00 am with a windchill of -17. That's what I'm talking about. Real winter. Bring it!

•••••

I am hungry right now. I wish I had a nice meal, but there is no nice meal.

Nicknames, No Run, No Pain!

My freshman year of college I told people I was from Mexico when they asked about my hat, which said "El Rancho Grande." Some people (about 2) started calling me "Taquito." It was a good nickname.

Early this year, I got the name "Blue." That is a good one.

"The Duke" has been placed upon me now. What does it mean? Why me? Why have I been chosen to have duke-dom?

(I like all these names. Call me whatever you want).

•••••

I did not run today (Saturday). I plan to get up and run 8-10 miles tomorrow morning. Hoorary!

•••••

I meant to say "hooray!" but it came out differently. "Hoorary!" is the new "hooray!"

•••••

No, Ben, there hasn't been any "flare ups" with the pain in the hip. It has left me. The pain is gone.

Don't dig it up from where I buried it, though. Don't let the pain prey upon you!

•••••

:)

A happy face. My mood right now.

Glorious Run

What a glorious run today! It was 18 degrees, a warm day, considering that the windchill has been pretty vicious the past two weeks. There was hardly any wind at all. I wore something over my face, though...I don't like to breathe in the cold air.

Took it out in the country, past the tracks, past 34, then right to 14, then home. Had to run through 6-10 inches of snow piled on the side of the road for a little of the time. Running in snow is tiring! I had to rip the thing from my face so I could get enough air, but then my lungs got cold so I put it back on.

Ran past the Clark's house. Emily and Patrick are living there now, and Carolyn, Chuck, Molly, and Andy are living in Lincoln in a house. Hmm. Interesting.

Formed a plan during the run. I think I will run a 50 miler in June, after I get back from Hawaii. That gives me 5 months to train. I think it is a good plan. What are your guys' plans for this next year? Spill your ideas here.

Day Off, Time to Vote

Today was a day off. Nothing physical was done. I slept in to 10:15. I sort of felt groggy and sick-like, but not too much. Drank some tea made from ginger and cinnamon. Ate a bunch of nuts. Watched The Office. Took a nap.

Vote, now! For this next year, should I:

1) Focus on completing a 50 miler. Training includes running long, having tons of fun, and really listening to my body. If I want to take a day off, I will. Mileage will be 70+ a week.

or

2) Focus on running a marathon PR. Training includes a very structured plan that may cause me to find running less fun.

•••••

Abby said that she hasn't run a race in a couple of years, but it seems like she is enjoying it immensely. That is why I am leaning more toward option 1. I want running to stay fun.

•••••

Comments? Those of you who know me, what would you suggest?

Nice Day, Good Run

Today was a nice day. I wasn't feeling too great in the morning, this time feeling sort of like I had some kind of sickness. I decided to take the day off work. Yes, I wanted to spend some time just taking it easy and resting up, but also I think the reason I got a bit of the sickness because that damn guy always comes to work when he is sick. Why won't sick people stay home? I don't have insurance right now, so it's not like I can go get medicine from the doctor. I just have to do my best to stay healthy. There is no reason for me to get sick. I get plenty of sleep, eat a great diet, bundle up when it is cold, and take it easy when I am not feeling the best.

Took the legs out for a run about 5 pm. The sun was making the sky a nice color. In the first mile, my toes got really cold (wasn't wearing 2 pairs today), and thought about only going 2, but then they warmed up. I ended up doing 4 at a pretty easy pace, with the last 400m or so at a faster pace, probably around 6:40 or so. Felt good to get the legs moving again!

Glad that I did not wipe out on the ice. I want to avoid getting injured by losing my footing. That is the worst way to go.

Hope your day was good too!

Fact: only 14 days of the year left. Then begins 2009, the year of awesome running!

Getting Back on Track, Complaining, Anton's Birthday!

I went for my first run since Thursday...I don't know why I didn't run this weekend...probably because I was so busy. On Friday I went to Kearney and had a dress rehearsal/lesson deal...Saturday morning I rehearsed again, then went to Arnold, NE. Played with the dogs and sat in the hot tub. Watched some movies. On Sunday I got up, bummed around, then had to go back to Kearney to record at 4. Then at 6:30 it was back to Arnold. On Monday, had to get up and drive to Callaway because Lisa had a dr's appointment. Then back to Kearney. Then back to Aurora. Then I had to go to work until 11 pm.

So this brings it up to Tuesday. I was going to get up at 7 am, but slept in until about 8:40. Felt bad about it. Felt behind already.

Made sure to get in a 5 mile run. I got out the winter gear to survive the -4 windchill. I ran out in the country, so there was no windblocks at all, just dead corn fields. When I got back I did 10 sets of 11 pullups. Had to break the set in two half the time, but oh well. At least I got in 110 pullups.

As I am writing this post, I am throwing in some more PT. I am doing 10 sets of 22 pushups followed by 33 abs. Don't feel like doing arm haulers, but will do 2 x 50 anyway. Then I will do 5 x 20 dips or so. And 30 neck each.

•••••

So I did some dips and some neck. I only did 2 x 20 dips and 30 neck each. I was going to push through my sour mood, but then I said "feck this. I'm eating cereal." I am going to eat cereal now, bitches.

•••••

Right now I am feeling sort of bummed out. The reason? More frequently it seems that I spend months working up to something, only to perform below my ability and expectations. For instance, the recording I just made, it was okay, but my intonation was pretty crappy in a lot of places. Usually it isn't, but for some reason, it just sucked on Sunday. Then I was messing up in places that I had worked on and mastered. Feck.

Also, I am having similar feelings for running. I was doing awesome in fall of 2006. I had run my first marathon in 2:57 of that year, and trained hard in the summer. I ran a half-marathon in September in 1:18:29, and was feeling pretty good about running right around 2:50-2:54. In that October's marathon, I came through the half in just over 1:21, and only needed to run 1:30 for the next half, but then I cramped up and slowed down, busting out 8:30-9:30 miles for the last 3 or so.

Maybe I am just being a little bitch, but it sucks when you work so hard at something only to not do as well as planned.

Right after the marathon in October 2006 I decided that ultras were the place to be. I ran the Psycho Wyco in February of 2007 and loved it. Ultras are fun because, for me, I don't worry about time, really. I just worry about finishing and having a good time. If a long run goes bad, then I don't feel too crappy because at least I got in some good miles and saw a lot of cool stuff.

To complain more (I'm sorry!) there is always a set back, like when I tried to get some speed back in September or so. I started doing fast runs. And then my hamstring started hurting. Then it got better, and I started training again, only to have my hip start hurting. Then I went back to the long, slow runs, only to find out that a low-mileage plan wasn't that great, and that it is not good to run 28 miles on a Saturday when the previous mileage for the week was only 15. That's bullshet. That's why I'm going back to 70 a week, or more.

•••••

So that is all the complaining for right now. If you have read this far, thank you for getting through all of it. Please feel free to say "quit being a little bitch," or even say "hey, it's okay, at least you can make good stir fry."

•••••

Also, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ANTON! 25! Can you believe that? I hope you have a good day at the beach, and that your quarter century has been SWEET!

•••••

Totals
396 abs
220 push
110 pull
40 dips
100 arm hauler
30 neck

A Few Days Ago...

A few days ago I ran and did a workout. I think it was Thursday. Actually, it was Thursday.

I ran 5 miles. It felt good.

I did a workout. I did 15 sets of 7 pullup, 20 pushup, 25 crunch. Inside I did 2x50 arm hauler, 5 x 20 dips, 40 neck each.

Totals:

375 crunch
300 pushup
105 pullup
100 dips
100 arm hauler
40 neck.

The Earth is Round

Was running short on time, so did a 2 mile run instead of 4. Felt incredible! It was warm out today, like around 27. The air was not cold enough to hurt my lungs.

While I was running I started to think about the curvature of the Earth. Then I started to think how long I would have to run in order for me to know that the world was round, to actually be able to tell that I was running on a big ball.

And then, for the briefest of moments, I thought I could feel the curve beneath my feet...

First COLD of the YEAR!

It was COLD today! 21 degrees with a windchill of 4. I was scared my penis was going to freeze off. But it didn't. Even worse was breathing in the cold air. My lungs are not used to anything this cold yet. I forgot to bring the red thing I wear around my mouth and nose, so I had to pull up the turtle of my turtle neck and clench it between my teeth. That was the only thing I could do to not breathe the cold air. When I took the neck of the turtle away from my mouth and let it go back down to where it was supposed to be, it became stiff as the moisture began to freeze within a minute. Dang cold. Dang!

Had planned on 3 miles, but ended up doing 4! This is partly because at the 3 turn-around, a car was coming up behind me, and I didn't want them to think I was going to jack them or something. Actually, I am happy the car came; otherwise I would not have gone 4.

•••••

Did some PT. Was going to do 2x as much, but decided not to:

10 x 15 abs = 150
10 x 10 push = 100
5 x 10 pull = 50
2 x 25 dips = 50
50 fire haulers = 50
30 neck each = 30

•••••

I went to bed at 1:30 last night, but naturally woke up at 6:49 and felt so refreshed that I thought it was at least 8:30. It was a good, productive day. I took a small nap at around 1:30 in the afternoon, in which I had a dream where Caleb Stephens was doing something funny with his mouth, like making it form into a real bird beak, and Anton and I were laughing at it. I woke up because I started laughing (in real life) and smiled really big, which hurt my lips, which are chapped. Fun times.

•••••

I hear that Anton is going to Seattle after Christmas...tell me more. Tell me more.

2 days in a Row, Some Quality PT

This weekend was pretty good...but really busy. Rushed home from Kearney on Saturday morning to run 2 miles, practice, and eat before having to go to work at 3:30. Had to work until 12:00...it was completely boring, plus I was tired for having slept an average of only 5.5 to 6 hours of sleep each night for the past week. Or maybe it was just work that made me tired, because when I got off, I felt very energetic and excited to do something fantastic.

I went home and went to bed.

Saturday's run was good...wore shorts, and felt awesome. Tried to make friends with the dog who always runs at me and barks, but it didn't want to be congenial. Bee-atch. The hip didn't hurt at all. The pain is gone.

•••••

Sunday was good. Very productive. Meant to get up at 8, but fell asleep again until 8:39. Got up and did some stuff. Then practiced from 10-12, ran at 12, 25 supersets at 12:30, eat at 1:45, tried to help fix the car, 5 x 10 pullups at 2:30, 4 x 25 dips while doing dishes, another round of 5 x 10 pullups, eat, pack lunch, go to work.

For the superset, I did the most I have ever done...25 this time! Abs didn't hurt until around after 18...did situp/half/crunch. For pushups, everything felt good the whole time, except maybe for a little burn in the muscle that sort of connects the shoulder to the torso, sort of low socket, sort of right above the armpit. Alternated reg, tricep, wide. Managed to pump out a lot of abs and pushups in only 50 minutes. Had to keep my mind off the workout by cleaning the room looking through a scrapbook Lisa made for me. Bless her heart!

I think I need to get in more pullups and dips. The abs, pushups, and fire haulers are increasing, but the pullups and dips are staying about the same. I wanted to get in 200, but didn't have time. The pullups are difficult to do, too...every minute I did a set of 10, and by the 4th set it was a struggle. Oh well. That is how it is supposed to be. Planning on bumping up those two later this week.

Overall, PT is going good. It is quality PT. Over the past few months my endurance has improved considerably. Hooray for hard work!

2 miles
750 abs
750 push
100 pull
100 dips
200 fire haulers
70 neck

Quick PT, Brisk Night Run

4 x 100 abs = 400
80, 70, 50 push = 200
5 x 10 pull = 50
5 x 10 dips = 50
2 x 100 fire hauler = 200
2 x 30 neck = 60

Pushups felt hard. Side crunches were good...felt it working the whole side...maybe the fire haulers contributed to it. Good stuff.

•••••

Took on the shoes upon my feet and ran outside, an easy 2 miles. I thought I felt the hip during the first 3 minutes, but it was just my imagination. Felt good the whole time. Very relaxed.

Oh, how I have missed running!

12 degrees, 9:15 pm. What a good way to end the day.

•••••

Jose Cuervo.

•••••

Just thought it sounded fun to say the last one. It is a fun combination of names.

First Run, Definition

I went out running, 2 miles, the first time in almost two weeks. I had a most excellent time, and my hip didn't hurt at all! That's what I was most scared of: the hip pain. I am glad that it was nowhere to be seen. I have passed it on to someone, passed it to a mammoth who can take the pain. The mammoth will carry it around for years and years and remain unaffected.

The plan is to ease back into running. Maybe 2 tomorrow, then 5 Thursday, 2 Friday, 3 Saturday, and 5 Sunday. Then rest Monday. Something like that.

By the end of December I want to be at around 50-60 a week...then 2009 can begin! I feel that next year is going to be GREAT!

•••••

On the PT menu, there was another Mammoth workout. It is called The Full Mammoth, which means that you get in all the main exercises: pullup, situp, pushup, fire hauler, dips. It is different from The Mammoth, which only has the pullup, pushup, situp.

This was what was on my plate:

15 sets of The Full Mammoth:

8 pull = 120
20 sit = 300
20 push = 300
20 fire = 300
8 dips = 120

At first I thought I would do 20 sets of The Full Mammoth, but then decided that I wanted to do PT again this week without being sore and tired. A good choice, I think. On Thursday I am planning a small pyramid workout, and then supersets on Saturday.

Finished off the workout with 2 x 30 neck and 200 crunches.

Totals:
120 pull
500 ab
300 push
300 fire
120 dips
60 neck

Can't wait to get back into doing atomic situps, leg levers, and flutter kicks...but this time I will ease into it...they might have been what initially caused pain in the hip flexor, pain which migrated throughout the hip joint.

•••••

Mammoth = pullup, situp, pushup

•••••

Full Mammoth = pullup, situp, pushup, fire, dip

•••••

SUPER MAMMOTH = 200 meter sprint, pullup, situp, pushup, fire, dip

That is what I want to do. The SUPER MAMMOTH. It has to be capitalized, the word does, to make it look awesome.

•••••

WOOLY MAMMOTH = 200 meter sprint, pushup, situp, pushup, fire, dip, 25 meter swim sprint

•••••

Who wants to do the WOOLY MAMMOTH sometime?

Raise your hands, bitches.

Pam Reed, PT

Anton's gonna pull a Pam Reed. I can tell.

But it is good! He's gonna feckin do 240 fire haulers next week. Do it. Do it!

Sunday came and went. I did a PT workout. Supersets. 24 of them. The most I had ever done. Felt the burn mostly on the wide pushups. Strange, because usually the close ones burn the most. Abs: no atomic situps, or leg levers, or flutter kicks. Those, I think, would aggravate the hip, so I did the regular situp, the half situp, and then rotated between the three crunch. Finished off with 10 x 8 pullups in the evening.

Totals:
720 abs
720 pushup
80 pullup