After a morning run Monday, a visit to the Sand Run Parcours Trail cemented my revelation that, yeah, I'm out of shape. Compared to last time running the exercise course, my final numbers weren't too, too bad.
Considering how far I've fallen off the workout wagon, I was surprised that I could still do six pull-ups. However, I cut back on most of the exercises on the course to ensure I didn't feel utterly broken afterward. And success! There is some soreness in my shoulders and back, but all in all not too bad.
Yesterday was Mrs. Viper's birthday, so we both took off work and hung out. We had planned to do some yard work, but the 16th straight day of rain put the kibosh on that idea. We came home from our day out to water in the basement. I was impressed it hadn't flooded already.
Last night and this morning were spent sucking up the water with our wet/dry vacuum unit and mopping the floor. There are still some puddles that I'm hoping will dry while I'm at work today so I can go for another run today instead of slopping around in the basement. I guess we'll see what happens when I get home.
Showing posts with label actually trying not to hurt myself for once. Show all posts
Showing posts with label actually trying not to hurt myself for once. Show all posts
Thursday, July 11, 2013
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
A Glorious Afternoon
The trail dropped off at the creek. Newly painted blue blazes indicated a new water crossing farther down, but this looked like more fun. It would require a leap of faith.
Sunday felt like spring. Everyone was outside, it seemed. The neighborhood was abuzz with people walking their dogs, strolling by shop windows, and basking in the warm sunlight. It was the perfect day to return to my favorite running grounds: the Buckeye Trail.
Considering my last run was a month ago, the plan was to run a short but difficult loop starting at the Pine Lane trailhead, going out on the Valley Bridle Trail to old Akron-Peninsula Road and returning on the Buckeye Trail.
My strategy thus far in 2013 has been to run 30 minutes at a time, and this route complied with this plan. However, where such timed efforts usually have netted me about three miles, this run proved to be much shorter, considering the steep elevation changes.
The ground was a little moist, which required some careful navigation of mudslick hills. The Valley Bridle Trail was fairly quiet, despite seeing a horse trailer in the parking lot when I arrived and fresh fecal evidence on the trail.
My feet plodded down and up the switchbacks to and from the shallow stream.
The less aggressive terrain of the bridle trail eased me back into trail running. There would be no such easing on the return trip.
This section of the Buckeye Trail has perhaps the toughest hill in the area. Thankfully, I would be running down it. The long, steep descent has only one switchback before arriving back at the water crossing, probably close to a half-mile downstream of where the bridle trail crosses.
The stream looked much shallower here, and I decided to test an older section of trail that crossed earlier than where the trail markers now indicate. Once I got to the banks of the stream, I realized my folly. The edge dropped off a good four feet into the water, but there was a sandbar that looked to be within my meager leaping limits.
I took a few steps back and started for the edge, but bailed out to reconsider my life. No, you can do this, I thought. Just need to make sure you land square and don't twist an ankle. I took a half dozen steps back, took a deep breath, blinked slowly as if this were my closeup, a glimpse of our hero deep in thought before the big moment, and then the impulse exploded into action.
Once in the air, I got my feet together like a long-jumper. My heels dug into the sand as my knees absorbed the shock and bounced myself forward and kept running. But there are reasons why they remark trails.
Not more than 100 yards upstream, the trail was washed out. My options were either climb down into the gnarled clutches of tree branches in the water and pull myself up along the steep slope of the hill. Down probably would have been a better choice.
Without much to hold onto, I grabbed at the ground to steady myself as I circumnavigated the trail. Next time perhaps I'll follow the blue blazes like I'm supposed to, but first there was one final ascent before this run was over.
The adrenaline from my leap of faith soon dissipated, as the hill took the piss and vinegar right out of me. There were many witnesses to my walk breaks, as the hikers were in full force. The shame helped motivate me to run onward.
OK, so this post is probably a bit overblown for a two-mile run, but damn if it didn't feel more epic. It felt like the start of something glorious.
Sunday felt like spring. Everyone was outside, it seemed. The neighborhood was abuzz with people walking their dogs, strolling by shop windows, and basking in the warm sunlight. It was the perfect day to return to my favorite running grounds: the Buckeye Trail.
Considering my last run was a month ago, the plan was to run a short but difficult loop starting at the Pine Lane trailhead, going out on the Valley Bridle Trail to old Akron-Peninsula Road and returning on the Buckeye Trail.
My strategy thus far in 2013 has been to run 30 minutes at a time, and this route complied with this plan. However, where such timed efforts usually have netted me about three miles, this run proved to be much shorter, considering the steep elevation changes.
The ground was a little moist, which required some careful navigation of mudslick hills. The Valley Bridle Trail was fairly quiet, despite seeing a horse trailer in the parking lot when I arrived and fresh fecal evidence on the trail.
My feet plodded down and up the switchbacks to and from the shallow stream.
The less aggressive terrain of the bridle trail eased me back into trail running. There would be no such easing on the return trip.
This section of the Buckeye Trail has perhaps the toughest hill in the area. Thankfully, I would be running down it. The long, steep descent has only one switchback before arriving back at the water crossing, probably close to a half-mile downstream of where the bridle trail crosses.
The stream looked much shallower here, and I decided to test an older section of trail that crossed earlier than where the trail markers now indicate. Once I got to the banks of the stream, I realized my folly. The edge dropped off a good four feet into the water, but there was a sandbar that looked to be within my meager leaping limits.
I took a few steps back and started for the edge, but bailed out to reconsider my life. No, you can do this, I thought. Just need to make sure you land square and don't twist an ankle. I took a half dozen steps back, took a deep breath, blinked slowly as if this were my closeup, a glimpse of our hero deep in thought before the big moment, and then the impulse exploded into action.
Once in the air, I got my feet together like a long-jumper. My heels dug into the sand as my knees absorbed the shock and bounced myself forward and kept running. But there are reasons why they remark trails.
Not more than 100 yards upstream, the trail was washed out. My options were either climb down into the gnarled clutches of tree branches in the water and pull myself up along the steep slope of the hill. Down probably would have been a better choice.
Without much to hold onto, I grabbed at the ground to steady myself as I circumnavigated the trail. Next time perhaps I'll follow the blue blazes like I'm supposed to, but first there was one final ascent before this run was over.
The adrenaline from my leap of faith soon dissipated, as the hill took the piss and vinegar right out of me. There were many witnesses to my walk breaks, as the hikers were in full force. The shame helped motivate me to run onward.
OK, so this post is probably a bit overblown for a two-mile run, but damn if it didn't feel more epic. It felt like the start of something glorious.
Thursday, January 10, 2013
Oh Man, Am I Slow
It seems that long layoffs from running will negatively impact your speed. The less you run, the slower you are.
Take it from me. Just a few years ago, my half marathon pace was under eight minutes per mile. That same year, 2010, my marathon pace was just over nine minutes per mile. Yesterday, during an easy three-mile run, my average pace was 11 and a half minutes per mile, and I took two walk breaks.
Not that I'm too worried about this decline. My race paces in 2010 were a high-water mark in my running life. As my time in the 30-34 age group winds to a close in the next year and a half, perhaps it's time to accept reality. The march of time speeds on, as my speed evaporates into the annals of history.
Oh, come on, now. Let's stop being dramatic. There's plenty of time to get fast (relatively) again.
But here's a real reality: I need to get fast slowly. My back-to-back runs last week put a serious hurtin' on me. I'm slow, out of shape and a heavier than I'd like. I can't change these things overnight. (No duh, said the Internet.)
Instead of making long-term goals for the year, my plan is to stick to more immediate aspirations. Like this: three runs per week, 30 minutes each. My goal is see if I can increase speed and distance within these short bursts and get my endurance back without injuring myself.
Who wants to take bets on how long it will take me to get below a 10-minute mile pace?
Take it from me. Just a few years ago, my half marathon pace was under eight minutes per mile. That same year, 2010, my marathon pace was just over nine minutes per mile. Yesterday, during an easy three-mile run, my average pace was 11 and a half minutes per mile, and I took two walk breaks.
Not that I'm too worried about this decline. My race paces in 2010 were a high-water mark in my running life. As my time in the 30-34 age group winds to a close in the next year and a half, perhaps it's time to accept reality. The march of time speeds on, as my speed evaporates into the annals of history.
Oh, come on, now. Let's stop being dramatic. There's plenty of time to get fast (relatively) again.
But here's a real reality: I need to get fast slowly. My back-to-back runs last week put a serious hurtin' on me. I'm slow, out of shape and a heavier than I'd like. I can't change these things overnight. (No duh, said the Internet.)
Instead of making long-term goals for the year, my plan is to stick to more immediate aspirations. Like this: three runs per week, 30 minutes each. My goal is see if I can increase speed and distance within these short bursts and get my endurance back without injuring myself.
Who wants to take bets on how long it will take me to get below a 10-minute mile pace?
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Recovering to Train
Mrs. Viper wants to run this weekend. We're locked into the Akron Marathon five-person relay team on Sept. 29. She just had minor surgery yesterday.
The procedure was a follow-up to the one she had about a month ago to remove a skin lesion. She's not supposed to lift anything more than 15 pounds for the next week, but otherwise activity may increase as she feels able.
Last time, my tough wife went back to work too soon and likely prolonged the recovery time she needed. This time, however, she's taken time off to ensure faster healing.
Neither of us has run anytime in recent memory, and we have to get in shape to take one of the five legs of the marathon, which means getting in shape to at least run five miles. More would be better, but less than six weeks to get ready doesn't allow optimal time for such training.
I'm waiting to run until she's ready. We need to help each other through this endeavor. I'll need to keep myself from thinking I can just get back out there and run for an hour with no trouble. Mrs. Viper will also need to make sure she doesn't try to do too much too soon.
We don't want to wind up as a limping, bloody mess on our maiden voyage.
The procedure was a follow-up to the one she had about a month ago to remove a skin lesion. She's not supposed to lift anything more than 15 pounds for the next week, but otherwise activity may increase as she feels able.
Last time, my tough wife went back to work too soon and likely prolonged the recovery time she needed. This time, however, she's taken time off to ensure faster healing.
Neither of us has run anytime in recent memory, and we have to get in shape to take one of the five legs of the marathon, which means getting in shape to at least run five miles. More would be better, but less than six weeks to get ready doesn't allow optimal time for such training.
I'm waiting to run until she's ready. We need to help each other through this endeavor. I'll need to keep myself from thinking I can just get back out there and run for an hour with no trouble. Mrs. Viper will also need to make sure she doesn't try to do too much too soon.
We don't want to wind up as a limping, bloody mess on our maiden voyage.
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
And I Ran
Should this post be about reversing a route for variety? Ankle breakers? Post-run etiquette? Post-run burpees? Or the fact that I'm probably going to have to scale back this week's goals because of all my slacking the last two weeks?
Feeling no love for road running lately, I decided to hit the hiking trail at Hampton Hills park for a three-miler in the attempt to regain some running juju. Usually, I complete Adams Run (3.2 miles) clockwise, but decided to reverse that trend -- as if to reverse my trend of not running? -- and start with the hills.
The whole way I was thinking "easy, easy, easy." I walked where I needed to and focused on short, quick steps on the way to a 11:10 average mile pace.
The short steps were necessary in avoiding a sprained ankle on the part of the trail that goes past Top O' the World. Here, you emerge from the woods to a grassy field of rolling hills. As a result of the wet and unusually warm winter, the path had become pocked with sunken footprints that were now hardened from our recent dry spell. If you're not careful, you could snap your ankle right off.
Now, a few words of advice. After the run, it was my duty to secure dinner for Mrs. Viper and me. I called for a carryout order from our favorite sushi restaurant. By the way, sushi is a perfect post-run food with its carbohydrate-laden rice and protein-rich fish. The waitress told me my order would be ready in 15 to 20 minutes, just about as long as it would take for me to drive from Hampton Hills to the restaurant -- and enough time to air dry so I wasn't a gross, sweaty mess when I got there.
And so it came to pass that I walked into restaurant, wearing my dark gray running shorts, bright orange New Balance Minimus trail shoes and a light yellow cotton, race T-shirt. The waitress stepped over to help me. I handed her the money for the order.
A couple at the bar looked my way and laughed, but perhaps they were laughing at something else that wasn't the site of a wild-haired, bearded man picking up his sushi dressed like Richard Simmons.
The waitress returned with my food and handed me my change on one of those trays they use to deliver the bill when you're sitting at a table, and I couldn't help but think she did this to avoid touching my possibly gross, sweaty hand during the transaction.
Now, I realize I wasn't dressed appropriately to eat at the restaurant, which is why I was picking it up. But perhaps I should have pulled on my jeans and zip-up sweatshirt that I had changed out of at work. At least then I wouldn't have looked so bizarre. Or maybe I should continue not caring.
When I got home, I still had about an hour to kill before Mrs. Viper would join me. A shower was a must, but first I decided to do a couple of those burpees. Still just five were enough. Maybe one of these days I'll get up to 10. Whatever happened to my strength routine?
According to my pre-training plan, this was the week I was supposed to get up to 10 miles for my long run. However, having not run more than three miles each of the last two weeks, maybe I should delay that jump in mileage and pick up where I left off with four runs for 18 miles and a long run of nine miles. What say you, teammates?
Feeling no love for road running lately, I decided to hit the hiking trail at Hampton Hills park for a three-miler in the attempt to regain some running juju. Usually, I complete Adams Run (3.2 miles) clockwise, but decided to reverse that trend -- as if to reverse my trend of not running? -- and start with the hills.
The whole way I was thinking "easy, easy, easy." I walked where I needed to and focused on short, quick steps on the way to a 11:10 average mile pace.
The short steps were necessary in avoiding a sprained ankle on the part of the trail that goes past Top O' the World. Here, you emerge from the woods to a grassy field of rolling hills. As a result of the wet and unusually warm winter, the path had become pocked with sunken footprints that were now hardened from our recent dry spell. If you're not careful, you could snap your ankle right off.
Now, a few words of advice. After the run, it was my duty to secure dinner for Mrs. Viper and me. I called for a carryout order from our favorite sushi restaurant. By the way, sushi is a perfect post-run food with its carbohydrate-laden rice and protein-rich fish. The waitress told me my order would be ready in 15 to 20 minutes, just about as long as it would take for me to drive from Hampton Hills to the restaurant -- and enough time to air dry so I wasn't a gross, sweaty mess when I got there.
And so it came to pass that I walked into restaurant, wearing my dark gray running shorts, bright orange New Balance Minimus trail shoes and a light yellow cotton, race T-shirt. The waitress stepped over to help me. I handed her the money for the order.
A couple at the bar looked my way and laughed, but perhaps they were laughing at something else that wasn't the site of a wild-haired, bearded man picking up his sushi dressed like Richard Simmons.
The waitress returned with my food and handed me my change on one of those trays they use to deliver the bill when you're sitting at a table, and I couldn't help but think she did this to avoid touching my possibly gross, sweaty hand during the transaction.
Now, I realize I wasn't dressed appropriately to eat at the restaurant, which is why I was picking it up. But perhaps I should have pulled on my jeans and zip-up sweatshirt that I had changed out of at work. At least then I wouldn't have looked so bizarre. Or maybe I should continue not caring.
When I got home, I still had about an hour to kill before Mrs. Viper would join me. A shower was a must, but first I decided to do a couple of those burpees. Still just five were enough. Maybe one of these days I'll get up to 10. Whatever happened to my strength routine?
According to my pre-training plan, this was the week I was supposed to get up to 10 miles for my long run. However, having not run more than three miles each of the last two weeks, maybe I should delay that jump in mileage and pick up where I left off with four runs for 18 miles and a long run of nine miles. What say you, teammates?
Friday, November 4, 2011
Flashback Friday: 500, Finally
It may be the last milestone I reach this year: 500 miles.
With an easy, socked-feet run of three miles last night, I crossed the threshold of half my yearly goal. A bit late, I admit, and no time to make up the difference. Alas, this year's final mileage will likely be my least in five years of running.
I continue to turn my noodle arms into slightly stiffer noodles with my "cross training" plan. If anything, I'm preparing my body for the big move next month. Carrying boxes can do a number on you if you aren't careful.
The weather has been extremely cooperative this week, with brisk but sunny days that beg me to go running. Thank goodness the weekend is here.
Back Talk
Wherein we discuss footwear and things that are missing
B. Jorosz wants me to try a different kind of socks: "Have you tried running in aqua socks? (Or whatever they're called - those neoprene things for kayaking...) My Hubby bought a pair for running on rainy/wet days. He swears by them."
Answer: Yes, I have. But I found the brand I got to be too heavy and haven't been inspired to try a different pair.
Jamoosh notices something besides a month being gone: "1 percent is missing. Oh boy, a mystery!"
Answer: It's like when you pour some out for your homeys.
Happy Hour is nearly upon us, teammates! Have a finely brewed weekend. Run well and drink well. Cheers!
With an easy, socked-feet run of three miles last night, I crossed the threshold of half my yearly goal. A bit late, I admit, and no time to make up the difference. Alas, this year's final mileage will likely be my least in five years of running.
I continue to turn my noodle arms into slightly stiffer noodles with my "cross training" plan. If anything, I'm preparing my body for the big move next month. Carrying boxes can do a number on you if you aren't careful.
The weather has been extremely cooperative this week, with brisk but sunny days that beg me to go running. Thank goodness the weekend is here.
Back Talk
Wherein we discuss footwear and things that are missing
B. Jorosz wants me to try a different kind of socks: "Have you tried running in aqua socks? (Or whatever they're called - those neoprene things for kayaking...) My Hubby bought a pair for running on rainy/wet days. He swears by them."
Answer: Yes, I have. But I found the brand I got to be too heavy and haven't been inspired to try a different pair.
Jamoosh notices something besides a month being gone: "1 percent is missing. Oh boy, a mystery!"
Answer: It's like when you pour some out for your homeys.
Happy Hour is nearly upon us, teammates! Have a finely brewed weekend. Run well and drink well. Cheers!
Monday, November 8, 2010
Early Darkness, Early Opportunities
My mindset headed into the weekend was to keep running even though my return to running and conversion to the silly toe shoes had my lower extremities a bit sore. However, sloth got the better of me and for the better I think.
Today arrived with a feeling of bodily refreshment. This week's weather forecast appears ripe for good running. However, Daylight Savings Time is over and darkness arrives an hour earlier. Before that reality set in, I had high hopes of running some local trails after work. That's not going to happen now, not without a flashlight or headlamp to illuminate the way.
Instead I'll settle for a trip around the neighborhoods as I get back to this whole running thing. I might just have to give morning runs a try since there some daylight to be had at those early hours.
This will be a good week for logging miles.
Today arrived with a feeling of bodily refreshment. This week's weather forecast appears ripe for good running. However, Daylight Savings Time is over and darkness arrives an hour earlier. Before that reality set in, I had high hopes of running some local trails after work. That's not going to happen now, not without a flashlight or headlamp to illuminate the way.
Instead I'll settle for a trip around the neighborhoods as I get back to this whole running thing. I might just have to give morning runs a try since there some daylight to be had at those early hours.
This will be a good week for logging miles.
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