Man vs. Machine

Today I have decided to do a little cross-training. I have been pushing myself pretty hard since I found my motivation this past week. On Thursday, I ran 5.08 miles in 40 minutes and 56 seconds; Saturday, I ran 3.31 miles in 27 minutes and 21 seconds; and on Sunday, I hit my stride with 8.81 miles in 1 hour, 10 minutes and 34 seconds. During each run I have pushed my pace to right around an eight minute mile. My pace at my last half marathon was just under ten minutes a mile, so taking it down to eight minutes is really pushing myself to new limits.  I’m loving it!  Today, I tried an alternative training method. I completed a 45 minute aerobic workout on my girlfriend’s NordicTrack elliptical trainer.

The machine has all the toots and whistles you could want including 12 levels of resistance, a power ramp to simulate hills, levels of endurance (warm up, aerobic, endurance, performance, etc.), a heart rate monitor, and various pre-designated programs.  My girlfriend prefers the 45-minute, level 5, weight loss program, and she deserves major props for being able to keep the pace she does. This was only my second attempt ever at using an elliptical machine, the first time was last summer while visiting my sister’s house on vacation. As this is my first time using THIS machine, I settled on the 45 minute, level 4, aerobic training setting.  I thought it would be a good start and that I would do at least 5.5 or 6 miles in the 45 minutes. As I mentioned, I did 5.08 miles in just over 40 minutes on Thursday. Little did I know that the elliptical was going to put me to shame.  I felt as if I were pushing myself to the pace I had been running for the past few days, and felt myself struggling a little to keep the elliptical at the “performance” level.

I believe after this experience, I am going to start incorporating this into my training routine at least once or twice a week as a low impact aerobic conditioning tool. Thank you for your recommendation baby, I guess you CAN teach old dog new tricks. LOL!

Caption Provided by: Pompano CardioCore elliptical machine and trainer

                                                         

Winning the War

I am so excited! I have finally found what I have been searching for.  After a couple of weeks without much motivation or desire to run due to a painful neck, today it finally hit me. I cannot continue to allow the negative voices in my head, or a little bit of pain, to hold me back.

“Running is tough. It’s tough mentally.  But once you’re broken through the “perceived pain” barrier, you’ll find yourself in a new state of mind, body and soul.  Your overall well-being will improve tremendously.  You just have to experience it.”     – Kevin Combs

After reading a few of the more recent blogs that I have posted, I realized that I had fallen into the little voice syndrome.  I was talking to my girlfriend last night about the need to get out and run, and she was threatening to kick my butt (a nicer version of the word she used) out the door if I didn’t get out of the house and just get it done. I guess after a couple of weeks listening to me whine and cry like a baby it was finally starting to get to her as well. I love the way she supports my desire to run.  So, today when I woke up, I looked out the window and told those little voices that today was going to be my day and not theirs. I started my day with my normal routine and jumped into the shower.  I went downstairs for a cup of coffee and a few minutes to myself before leaving for school. Once I got out of class for the day, I rushed home and quickly changed into my favorite running shorts and tee shirt, and out the door I went.

I started out a little quicker than usual and was amazed at how comfortable I was feeling with the pace I was keeping. I have been keeping an average pace of about nine and a half to ten minute mile, and feel very relaxed and comfortable at that pace. Today I ran just over 5 miles, and maintained an 8 minute per mile pace. I don’t think I want to try and keep that pace for 13.1 miles, but I was still very happy that I was able to maintain it for 5 miles.

I am now looking forward to tomorrow, and doing a short run before work. I think I have finally beaten the little voice inside my head, and if not I am afraid that my girlfriend may just follow through with her promise to kick my butt out the door.

Caption Provided by: I <3 To Run

  

The Battle Continues

With just over two months remaining until my next race, I have got to find the motivation to get out and train. I mentioned in my last blog that I hurt my neck, and that I have been struggling to find the motivation to put in the time needed to train for a long distance run. I am trying to get ready to set a personal record in my next event, but without proper training and time to get ready it will never happen.

Treatment options for the different types of back pain and neck pain range from doing nothing to taking medication and undergoing procedures, like surgery. Throw in alternative treatment for back pain, and you can see there is a dizzying array of treatment options from which you and your doctor may choose. But which back pain treatment is right for you? This section will help you decide.

Some of the things I have to contend with on a regular basis, other than the injury to my neck, include: being a father to three beautiful children; being a supportive boyfriend to a mother of two beautiful girls; carrying a full time course load at NOVA; and maintaining a full time job in the restaurant business which includes a two-hour round trip commute. I absolutely love where my life is going, considering where I have recently come from, so I will not complain. However, all of these responsibilities give me any number of convenient excuses not to run.

Caption provided by:  I <3 to Run

I have to admit the more I put these words onto this page, the more I am feeling motivated to get out and go for that run I have been putting off for over a week now. All I need to do is put on my running shoes and head out the door.  But, I am still feeling pain in my neck, it is getting late, I feel like I should be helping my girlfriend clean up the kitchen after dinner, I need to read two more chapters for  my biology class tomorrow, and I have to write one more paragraph for a paper due next week. Perhaps my girlfriend will take pity on me and kick me out of the house early tomorrow morning so that I can run.

Work Cited: By Anne Asher, About.com Guide

Fighting the Mental Battle

This past week I have found myself fighting a battle with myself to get motivated and make time to get out of the house and put in some miles. Last week, I was doing a cardio workout and did a massive face plant right into the trampoline. When this happened, my neck snapped back with tremendous force and I knew immediately not only that I was hurt, but that I’m not nearly as young as I used to be.  Since doing so, I have struggled to make myself get back in the mood to do any real work outs.

I have used a significant amount of Icy Hot and done a few stretching activities to try and get the juices flowing. Stretching is always something I do before I get out and do my runs, and I usually find that while stretching I get motivated to get up and go. However, it doesn’t seem to be working this week. My neck is still bothering me, and I find myself making up all kinds of excuses each day as to why I shouldn’t go running.  When I come up with a reason to run, I come up with two reasons why I shouldn’t.

I love to run, but just can’t seem to find what I need to get out of the house.  MOTIVATION! 

After doing a little research, I have come across a few recommendations on how to find the motivation needed to get back on the path to success. I found it very ironic that the #1 recommendation, was starting a daily blog, it made me think to myself, what would Mrs. Quinn say about that. LMAO!


Work Cited: Runner's World Article By Calvin Hennick
Published 03/22/2007

The proverbial runners high

As I mentioned in a previous post, I started running as a means of changing my life. I had made some bad choices in the past, doing things that were not necessarily acceptable in most cases. I was searching for a "New Drug," as Huey Lewis once sang. It just so happens that my "new drug" turned out to be a healthy alternative to the choices of the past. Who would have ever thought that running would give me the incredible feelings I was searching for all of those years?

I set out today on a short 3.5 mile run and got caught up in the moment. Those 3.5 went by way too fast and way too easy. I continued to run until it started getting dark and I knew that I had been gone much longer than I had anticipated; running much farther than I had planned for the day.

I had gotten into "the zone" and was hooked by the wind in my hair and the feel of spring in the air. I actually had to stop and take a picture of some daffodils. It gave me such an amazing feeling inside. They call it a "runner's high" and I love it. It is far better than any illegal substance I had tried in the past, it not only makes you feel amazing but so much more.  It makes you feel a proud sense of accomplishment and positive self-worth. It's healthy, it makes me happy, and it is free.

photo courtesy of I <3 to Run.

Running, keeping up with the speed of technology

I have been researching all of the new technologies that are available to runners and it is unbelievable how technical this sport has become. There is everything available from undergarments that wick sweat away from the body, socks that have cushions to absorb the shock as you run or separate your toes to reduce blistering, and compression pants to help control circulation, and that is just the beginning. To ensure I had the appropriate shoes, I had to get on a treadmill and run while someone recorded me to determine exactly what kind of shoes would be best for my feet and running style. There are actually GPS devices that you wear like a watch that really does tell time, but also tells you where you are and the distance that you have run.  It even has a stop watch built in. I have an iPod that has an app that can not only tell me how far and how long I have run, while listening to my favorite tunes, but it also tells me how many steps it took me to run that 7.61 miles, and how many calories I burned while doing it.

All of this is just the tip of the iceberg. I don't fully understand the need for all of the technology currently available, I just like to put on my sweat-wicking underwear, my toe socks, my compression pants, and my iPod to listen to my favorite music while I go out and run my distance, burning those 862 calories.