Thursday, December 31, 2009

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Dec 31st Run (Week 15, Run 51)

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Dec 31st Run (Week 15, Run 51)

Click the link above for my run from this evening.

Well, I woke up to rain to have to run in today. I drug myself out of the bed & ran anyway. It was shaping up to be an okay run until a hill right around the 6 mile point. I felt a little twinge in my right knee on the upper outside area. From then on, it was kind of painful to run uphill. I decided I'd best not push my luck and walked up the hills. By the end of the run, the pain was constant, so I may have hurt myself today. I stretched good & wasn't pushing the pace too hard. I'm about to start chewing on some Ibuprofen and see if that will help. May have to break the ice pack back out in the morning. I hadn't frozen it back since the last time I used it or I'd take it with me to work tonight.

Oh well... we'll just have to see how it goes!

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Dec 29th Run (Week 15, Run 50)

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Dec 29th Run (Week 15, Run 50)

Click the link above for my run from this morning.

I'm calling it a GPS error, but it was really my fault. I actually only ran 5.27 miles today at around 55 minutes, but during my cool down walk & stretches, I guess I hit the start button on the Garmin again & it counted another .10 mile & 5 minutes worth of time. Wrecked my goal pace count for today, which I can go in and get from the link above, but for my overall tally, it messes up that, as well as the Weekly Data Points. Oh well.

Decent run today, even though it was drizzling the entire time. I guess I stepped in a pile of doggy poo somewhere on the trail too, as I was smelling it the entire run, so on the way back, I decided my shoes could use a washing, so I detoured through a few HUGE puddles. One was like the size of a lake! I decided that on the next semi-decent weather German day, I am going to take the camera out & follow my run route taking pictures. All the way out to the 9 miler turnaround at least. I'll try to do this for my 20 miler too. I know ya'll can see my route on the satellite image at the link above, but seeing from my perspective I think would be kind of cool. Showing off some of the more interesting checkpoints I use I think could pull ya'll into my run experience.

Off to the showers! Later!

Saturday, December 26, 2009

Weekly Data Points

Here they are, as miniscule as they are, for the last 2 weeks.

Count: 2 Activities

Distance: 12.84 mi
Avg Distance: 6.42 mi
Time: 02:14:45 h:m:s
Avg Time: 01:07:22 h:m:s
Elevation Gain: 1,503 ft
Avg Speed: 5.7 mph
Avg HR: 163 bpm
Calories: 2,550 C
Median Distance: 6.42 mi
Max Distance: 7.58 mi
Median Time: 01:07:22 h:m:s
Max Time: 01:19:25 h:m:s
Avg Elevation Gain: 751 ft
Median Elevation Gain: 751 ft
Max Elevation Gain: 1,206 ft
Elevation Loss: 1,501 ft
Avg Elevation Loss: 751 ft
Median Elevation Loss: 751 ft
Max Elevation Loss: 1,172 ft
Max Avg Speed: 5.7 mph
Max Speed: 12.3 mph
Max Avg HR: 167 bpm
Max HR: 179 bpm

Enjoy!

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Dec 26th Run (Week 16, Run 49)

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Dec 26th Run (Week 16, Run 49)

Click the link above for my run from this morning.

Yeah, yeah, yeah... I know. Shame on me for not having run more over the past 2 weeks. Yes, I know I still have a marathon to run, and yes, I know that if I don't get my runs in, I won't be able to finish the race. Working mids, the first since I left Korea, really zapped me. I have them again next week, but I think I am getting used to them again. I have to learn to get my runs in, as after the New Year, I will be working a rotating shift schedule... 2 days at 0600-1400, 2 swings at 1400-2200, 2 mids at 2200-0600, then 1 1/2 days off. So, it will be a challenge. Maria asked me the other day, and forgive me but I can't remember the words she used, but the way I took it was her asking me if I had lost focus or motivation toward my goal. I want to assure everyone, NO! In fact, after today, I am MORE focused & motivated! I looked at my wall chart I made and this week was my halfway point!

This 30 week program by Hal Higdon seems like the first half is a gradual build up to a normal 16 week marathon prep program. The next 15 weeks, instead of gradual build up, seems like it makes leaps & bounds to get you up to 20 miles for the longest run of the program. It's a little nerve racking looking at the mileages per week, but I know I have put down 25ish miles in a week, so I should be able to keep up. One of my favorite movie quotes is from Major Payne with one of the 400 Wayans brothers,
"Alright my little patch of brussel sprouts, uproot yourselves and get some
rest... tomorrow, we gonna start the hard stuff!"




Merry Christmas to ya'll!

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Dec 16th Run (Week 17, Run 48)

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Dec 16th Run (Week 17, Run 48)

Click the link above for my run from yesterday.

Okay... yes, running on ice is one of the hardest things you can do! The trail I run still has ice on a large portion of it. In fact, from Quiedersbach to Linden is still pretty much covered, with only small breaks here & there. I honestly felt like a Looney Toons character during my run as I turned to go up one of the hills on my route. My feet were moving, but my body was pretty much stationary. I was explaining to my wife last night, that it was like a mix of a Reebok Slide & being pulled around a tile floor in socks. Very weird feeling, plus my legs are sore. I guess it used different sections of my muscles to manage the ice running?

That wasn't the strangest part of the run though. Here comes some science content that I can't explain, so if anyone has any explanations, fire them my way. So the trail was pretty much covered in ice. Why is it that in the broad open sections that had no tree cover, the ice was thick & solid, yet the parts that had tree cover, even trees that had already lost all of their leaves for the winter, weren't covered with ice. In fact, there were several parts that didn't have ice, where only 1 or 2 branches of trees overhung the trail and the ice was thawed. It was just very weird to me, and I just can't explain it. I figured the open areas, that got sunlight yesterday, would have been more thawed than the areas that weren't exposed to the sunlight due to the tree cover.

It was a nice run though, a little slower because of the ice, but I managed. My shin didn't hurt at all yesterday, until I ran! 3 days off had me not feeling any pain until I started running again. Not too excited about that. Sounding more & more like it might be shin splints or a micro fracture to my shin bone as opposed to a muscle injury. Guess I'll just keep plugging away.

This will probably be the last run of the week, unless I get one in on Friday, as we are help some friends make Christmas cookies today & going to Nurnburg & Rothenburg to the Christmas Markets on Saturday... all day trip from 0530 til 2300. Woohoo!

Sunday, December 13, 2009

Weekly Data Points

For the data-heads like me out there!

Count: 3 Activities
Distance: 20.76 mi
Avg Distance: 6.92 mi
Time: 03:34:48 h:m:s
Avg Time: 01:11:36 h:m:s
Elevation Gain: 3,848 ft
Avg Speed: 5.8 mph
Avg HR: 159 bpm
Calories: 4,095 C
Median Distance: 6.40 mi
Max Distance: 9.11 mi
Median Time: 01:05:38 h:m:s
Max Time: 01:37:01 h:m:s
Avg Elevation Gain: 1,283 ft
Median Elevation Gain: 940 ft
Max Elevation Gain: 1,996 ft
Elevation Loss: 3,930 ft
Avg Elevation Loss: 1,310 ft
Median Elevation Loss: 990 ft
Max Elevation Loss: 2,052 ft
Max Avg Speed: 6.0 mph
Max Speed: 13.7 mph
Max Avg HR: 162 bpm
Max HR: 182 bpm

Enjoy!

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Dec 12th Run (Week 18, Run 47)

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Dec 12th Run (Week 18, Run 47)

Click the link above for my run from yesterday.

Well, I had snow flurries pretty much my whole run. Nothing stuck, but it was like little ice chunks hitting my face. Everything else was covered, but my face & ears were exposed. It took the better part of the day for me to fully warm back up. Looks like next week is going to be rough as I woke up today to a good bit of snow everywhere!

Shin felt pretty good today. Wish I had the test full 2 days off, but I have my fitness test for the military on Monday afternoon.

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Dec 10th Run (Week 18, Day 46)

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Dec 10th Run (Week 18, Day 46)

Click the link above for my run from this morning.

Man, rough run today. It was nasty rainy out! Made for a long run when after the first 3 minutes you are soaked like an abandoned puppy. I made it through though and faster than last weeks mid distance run.

I have decided, to try to help my leg/shin/calf/whatever heal, since I still can't tell if it's the muscle or the bone, I am switching to Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday runs. I will do a short run on Tuesday, a mid distance run on Thrusday and still keep my long run on Saturday. Hopefully, this will help the healing process. It seems to feel pretty good after a day of rest, so maybe with enough days of rest, it will fully heal. I am still doing some home therapy that I will blog about a little later, so I'm praying that these things will help me out!

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Dec 8th Run (Week 18, Day 45)

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Dec 8th Run (Week 18, Day 45)

Click the link above for my run from this morning.

NICE!!! I came in under my goal pace today. 9:55/mile is pretty good. Maybe this is a sign that my shin is getting better. I did kick it up a notch on the last leg when I glanced and saw my time. The last 1/4 mile was ran way fast for what I usually run it in. Admittedly, I do usually save a little in the tank for the last little bit of my runs and push the pace up some, but today, I was pretty much sprinting! LOL!

It was a good run, but rainy. It was a driving mist, that turned in to a slight rain for about a mile, then back to a driving mist. If it was colder by about 10 degrees, I probably would have been running in the snow... I am sooooo ready for that! Okay, maybe not, but it'll be cool for the first few minutes! :)

Sunday, December 6, 2009

Weekly Data Points

For the dorks like me out there who dig the statistics of things!

Count: 3 Activities
Distance: 20.61 mi
Avg Distance: 6.87 mi
Time: 03:38:03 h:m:s
Avg Time: 01:12:41 h:m:s
Elevation Gain: 4,501 ft
Avg Speed: 5.7 mph
Avg HR: 159 bpm
Calories: 4,087 C
Median Distance: 6.33 mi
Max Distance: 9.02 mi
Median Time: 01:07:19 h:m:s
Max Time: 01:37:17 h:m:s
Avg Elevation Gain: 1,500 ft
Median Elevation Gain: 1,176 ft
Max Elevation Gain: 2,577 ft
Elevation Loss: 4,691 ft
Avg Elevation Loss: 1,564 ft
Median Elevation Loss: 1,197 ft
Max Elevation Loss: 2,615 ft
Max Avg Speed: 5.9 mph
Max Speed: 12.6 mph
Max Avg HR: 167 bpm
Max HR: 182 bpm

Enjoy!

Saturday, December 5, 2009

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Dec 5th Run (Week 19, Day 44)

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Dec 5th Run (Week 19, Day 44)

Click the link above to see my run from this morning!

Man, long run today! A hair over 9 miles! It was cold & dreary today.

I ran through Horbach to this resturant that Maria & I had found before. It's a biker... as in pedal bike, not motorcycle... resturant in the bottom of this valley just on the other side of Horbach, before the turn to the village of Schopp. I run the sidewalks through Horbach, but I found where the bike trail picks back up, right at the Festplatz (Festival Place) at the foot of the church. It was a good run, but let me tell you, 9 miles will wear you out!

The resturant is in an old farm house, and is also a hotel, or Guesthaus.  Is sits at the bottom of a valley, with a creek and spilt rail fencing that keeps horses in a pasture.  The valley wall on the south side have HUGE rocks justting out of it, of which most are covered with an extremely bright green moss or alge.  It really is something out of a fairy tale!  Will see if I can grab a picture this week!  Ready for my next long run now so I can go see it & bask in it's beauty.

Shin didn't hurt so bad after an extra day of rest that was actually for my hamstring!  LOL!

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Dec 2nd Run (Week 19, Day 43)

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Dec 2nd Run (Week 19, Day 43)

Click the link above to see my run from this morning.

It was just a run today. Yeah, nothing real amazing about it other than it was my medium run for the week. Got started a little later than normal... guess I need to start waking up earlier! :)

Right hamstring is a little tight today... guess I will be icing that tonight!

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Dec 1st Run (Week 19, Day 42)

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Dec 1st Run (Week 19, Day 42)

Click the link above to view my run from this evening.

Decent run today... a little slower than I wanted due to the still nagging pain in my left shin. I guess I may have to get it looked at before I get in to my longer runs in case I have to rest it for a week. Nonetheless, I am still pusshing through. I had to run after work today... no way am I getting up at 0200 to go run... I'm crazy, not stupid! :) Afterward, I had Greek food with my favorite girls at Vogleweh... another Air Force Base over here, not too far from Queidersbach.

That's about the gist of it today!