4 milers galore!

Woohoo!
I've run 2 four milers in the past week and I've had no pain what so ever!  Yesterdays was in some pretty hot weather (80-something when I got back from the run at 9:30 P.M.) and I kept a 10:20 pace or so.  The one about 5 days ago?  I kept it at 9:13 and I was really psyched about that one!

The plan for milage?  When I get back from vacation (4 days in Sea Isle City and 7 Days in Disney followed by 2 days of random direction driving home) I plan on upping my runs to 4 days a week consistently (I do 3 or 4 for now) and my milage to into the teens consistently and in a 4-6 weeks the twenties and 5 days a week!  From there I plan on keeping it in the 20-35 mile range for the fall before starting any sort of official training plan to pick up the endurance and speed :)

I've really taken it easy since I left the PT.  I haven't done more than 10 in a week since the week ending Feb 29th, when I reinjured myself.  I built up to that after only a few weeks out of PT.  See?  You can teach a dog new tricks (yes, I left out the old).  It's been about 5 weeks since I left PT and I haven't done a double digit run!

Have a good run!!

Wahoo! And Rats, Part 2

First the first Wahoo! of the weekend:

The second Wahoo! of the weekend:

My son's 8u baseball team went 2-0-1 in the first round and advanced to the final 4 (of 12)!!!

The Rats of the weekend:

They went 0-2 on Sunday.  However, the kids were happy to each get a medal and a team trophy for winning 4th!  Some pitchers on the other teams threw faster than anything I've seen in the league we play in  (our team came from 3 other teams in our town's little league).  Our coaches said the same so it wasn't just my view.  A few of us went on to have ice cream for dinner (except me and another dad).  There's a possibility of another tournament with this same team.  That's a Wahoo!  If we can salvage some money, we may even leave our trip to Disney early to come back for it.

Some more Rats:

My son got taken out of the first game in the second inning.  Why?  After a play at the plate (he's a catcher) in which a bad hop nailed him in the chin, the next batter was taking practice swing, but not paying attention...one of his swings NAILED my son on the elbow.  He was already teary eyed after the shot to the chin, he was fully crying now, but still got back down in the crouch behind the plate.  The other team's coaches were pointing to his elbow and the ump stopped to talk with Connor.  Our coach came out and decided to pull him.  His elbow swelled up real fast.  

Wahoo!:

After ice and rest, he was back in the last game of the weekend, but in the outfield.  He couldn't throw or swing without pain, but he HTFU'd and played!!

Running?  Still haven't gone since Thursday.  Couldn't today.  Recovering from a very active and stressful weekend.

Rats! and Woohoo!!

The Rats!
I had entered a contest before reaggravating my adductor for an entry into the TransRockies.  I got an e-mail yesterday saying that I was a finalist for the prize and to confirm that I would be able to accept it.  Which, unfortunately, I am not...It would have been epic...3 days of running 59 miles with 8,400 feet of climbing (and an $800 or so registration fee).  Only 100 runners allowed in the solo division (they do have a 6 day relay).  Oh well!  I think this run will end up on my bucket list.  I sent in that I am now an injured runner and would not be able to accept it.  There's no way I could do 59 miles in 3 days with out tearing something...again...and it's just not worth it :(

The Woohoo!!
Today is tattoo day!  This is what I'm going to get.  I'm not sure about the font (the font is what my wife is getting and it's her font for her web site).  I want something more script like...

Pictures to follow!!

Running may not happen this weekend either (possibly).  My son is in an 8u baseball tournament and has a game tonight, two tomorrow (we won't be leaving the area where it's located) and, if all goes well, two on Sunday.  His team looks really, really good.  His regular little league team has yes to win a game (they are VERY young compared to the rest in the league) and only had a lead in one game and that game got rained out (they were up 9-1).  They will continue that game, but we'll be in Disney.  So, we're hoping this tournament team will give him (and three of his teammates) their first taste of winning!

Have a great run!!

I have a new plan...

...to kick my ass!

Oh, and to get this tattooed on Friday along with the words Love, Laugh, Run (with a Mickey head for the 'o' in Love).  

Back to the kicking of my own ass.  That really is my new plan.  Each summer I spend too much time sitting on my ass surrounding the time between playing base/whiffle/soft/kick-ball.  Especially with watching 3-6 hours of live coverage of the Tour de France.  This summer?  Nope, not going to happen.  I do plan on watching coverage, but waiting until the one hour recap at night.  More time will be spent doing strength training: push-ups, planks, running form drills, running muscle strengthening exercises, PT exercises, more walks, more pitching at the cages (my kids love to HIT so we got some softballs and baseballs to practice with along with a couple cages near by-though one doesn't have a blocker for me...need to find my cup...), and more taking care of the landscaping around our house.  Yeah, that's my plan.

When I'm ready to race again next year (I am not planning on doing any racing this year to help fully recover), I plan on being fully ready and to, hopefully, return to the form I had last year.

So, my plan?  Like I said, to kick my own ass.

And The Virtual 5k WINNERS ARE:

Well, first of all, I'd like to thank you all for signing up and donating.  We ended up with 25 runners and walkers and almost $400 raised for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation!!  Awesome job!!

So, without further ado, here are your winners!

1st place overall male: David Murphy of the Idiots Running Club with a time of 19:53!!

1st place overall female: Wildflower with a time of 23:04!!

Congrats David and WF!!

Life as a Running Mom was kind enough to spread the word (often!!) and also wrote a great race report here!

My parents took a couple pics as well!!

Now for the Random Prizes:  I do need to apologize if sizing is not quite right.  We did get some great donations, though!!  1st place M and F did get first priority for sizes of tech shirts.

Prizes/ Name of winner

$20 off GC from Endorphin Warrior:  Joanne C X

$20 off GC from Endorphin Warrior:  Chad A X

RW sweathshirt small: Melissa X

RW sweatshirt small: My Mom :) 

Tech shirt mens m Stuart R. (who had his new couch to 5k run it as their first 5k!!) X

Tech shirt mens L David M (for the win)  X

Tech shirt womens sm: WF (for the win)  X

Tech shirt womens  m: Michelle P  X

$15 Road ID GC: Sandi W  X

Clif socks from Sock Guy: Brian H  X

Clif socks from Sock Guy: Pete G  X

6 mini Clif bars: Caron of @runreadrant  

6 mini Clif bars: Lisa of Run Like A Coyote + 2 gels for her high donation

6 mini Clif bars: Mary Ellen R

6 mini Clif bars: Christa P  X

6 mini Clif bars: Adam L of True Confessions of a Medical Scholar

5 gels: Suz and Allen of Cows and Lasers and Everything In Between + 2 more for their high donation

5 gels: Raj A  X

If you have an 'X' next to your name, I know where to ship your prize to.  Anyone else?  Contact me and let me know your address!  Pete, I don't know your address, but we just need to meet up (and good luck at Eagleman!)!

And one last drawing for those in the race:

Tech shirt mens s UP FOR GRABS!!  Let me know if it will fit you and I will do another random number drawing for it (this is for those who entered the race!!).

I love to run!!

Running deinstitutionalizes me.  It cures me of the sickness of boredom in everyday life.  I can run on the road.  I can run on the trail.  I can run outside the lines.

Run too much?  There’s no such thing as run too much (well, minus overtraining injuries…).  You can go run 2 or 20 miles for fun, race 3.1 or 31 miles because you want to or feel like you need to, not because you have to, not because someone told you to.

Running makes me want to run further.  I want to run 50 miles, 100k, 100 miles.  Running makes me feel so free that it makes me want to run long-forever if I could.

I am a runner.

I love to run.

I love to run fast or slow, I love to run short or long, I love to just get out the door and I feel free every single time I do.  No matter how far or short, fast or slow, good or shitty I feel, I feel free.

Rush to work, rush at work, rush to get home.  Running?  You just go.  Fast, slow, doesn’t freaking matter.  Just go.  Do what your body lets you do, do what your body tells you to do.  Just go and get lost in the moment.  Get the shit out of your head, daydream about what you want or enjoy the environment you’re in.  Night, day, street, track, trail, sidewalk, no matter where, no matter how, you love it.

It makes you feel free.  Free from your job, your responsibilities at home, free from stress, free from whatever constrains you.

Running makes me feel free and that is why I run.

Results coming soon!

How often does it take this long to find out who won a race???  Well, you'll have to wait until tonight!  Results and winners coming this evening-my only free one this week!!

Tomorrow night?  I go to watch my first 1st grade class graduate!!

2 days left!

There are only two days left to donate to CFF and run for the Virtual 5k!  There are some awesome prizes!!


The bottles are filled with Mini Clif and Clif Builder Bars!  They are for 1st place Male and Female!!  There are also Clif socks from Sock Guy and Clif Shot Gels!!

These are tech shirts and 2 sweatshirts from Running Warehouse.  Not pictured are 2 $20 GC's from Endorphin Warrior!!

So, come sign-up!  It's a minimum $5 donation!  Just let me know you signed up and your time!!