{the road less travelled}

Still not up to par...

2005-12-05T15:57:00.000-08:00

This weekend went well for me. I ate at a wonderful little Italian restaurant named Capone's, and had the best of company with me. Friday night I did happen to get in the gym for a little while, 22 minutes on the ecliptical and 20 minutes jogging. My body is still not at 100%. I figure by the middle of the week I should be able to start running again. Though I will probably begin by jogging. I am missing the Irun01 journals. I wonder what he is up to and if everything is going well with him.
I am excited Finals is coming up, I am definitely ready. I plan to use the weekend to really review and refine over the bulk of my Exams. I also plan to relieve a little stress in the gym. Although I am not working out as consistently as I should, due to the sickness, I am keeping a tight diet. All I need now is to put two, or one and one together!

Feelin' a little down...

2005-11-29T10:33:00.000-08:00

Well folks,
It has been a while. ThanksGiving week and weekend at home was enjoyable, although I did contract a small cold that turned into a full blown sickness. It is always good to return home after being away for some time. It keeps you grounded and makes you realize what you work so hard for. Well, I did make it to the gym one day, the day after ThanksGiving, but I didn't do any cardio, just weights. I tried to run outside when I got home, but only ran for a little bit, just didnt have the energy. Then, later that night my small cold set in, but being myself and not listening to my body, I proceeded to go out that night and the next night anyway, which made my small cold progressively worse.
Now, I am here Tuesday afternoon pumped up on antibiotics, which I now have to take for the next seven days, along with a prescription of plenty of rest. My body now is weak and I will probably take the rest of the week off from any type of exercise. I am upset with myself for letting my body get into such a dilapidated state that will now probably cost me. But when my body is back up to par, I will hit he running extra hard and supplement it with weights. My main attention though over the next three weeks is Finals. Once they are over, my attention and focus will shift to the Holiday break, family and friends, work, and running.

Weekend...

2005-11-14T18:01:00.000-08:00

Well, the weekend was an adventure. Although I did run Saturday, just twenty minutes, but did some cross training on the bike and elliptical as well. Today I ran for just over 35 minutes, easy pace and I am starting to not get as tired. I realize I am still not pushing myself to the limits I need to be. I am still concentrating most of my efforts to working out and towards a clean diet. I really need to start focusing on my running, with the gym coming in second. The diet I know has to be up there, but I need to do some more reading on what to eat. I do plan to start packing on the miles here within the next couple of monts.
It was interesting to read Rick's journal entry this evening. In it he talks about the inevitablity of change and that once one can accept that "life is difficult", one can move on. This acceptance, he says, doesn't make life any less difficult, but one is more able to focuse on progressive change. One can translate life's difficulties, difficult means, towards more progressive and positive ends. With these new attributes and strengths, one can conquere new difficulties and pursue a higher meaning of life. You become a stronger person, a better husband, friend, human being. The same drive and determination that we have when we run, the same voice in our heads that tell us not to stop, can be heard and used in the same way in which we approach life..

Sorry for the delay...

2005-11-09T22:10:00.000-08:00

Well, sorry I have waited so long since my previous entry, but I have been extremely busy with school this week and a little stressed out, and I don't get stressed out. Anyway, I ran Friday afternoon, 4.2 miles in 30 minutes. I ran with my girl and she pushed me. The run was a warmup for her, but it took every part of me to keep pace with her and finish the run. But the point here is I did keep pace and I did finish the run. It felt good to push myself, something I know I need to do more often.
Over the past couple of days I have just been working out and taking it easy on the jogging. I plan over the next couple of weeks to just pack on the times, duration over mileage.

Back on the T-mill

2005-11-03T20:51:00.000-08:00

Well, I decided to get back on th eT-mill today. I ran for around 33 minutes and about 3.4 miles, not great I know. But like I have been saying, my goals this winter are to pack on mileage. I will worry about speed and times this upcoming Spring. Although at the steady paces I am running, I feel like I could run for much longer. Next week I am going to up my time to 40 minutes.
What hurts me is I have a stocky athletic build, like a safety or tailbacks build, 5'11' and 185 lbs. My legs are larger than average and when I workout I tend to gain muscle and put on weight vey fast. All this, either in my mind or somewhere else, leaves me with the impression that it will be more difficult for me to run longer disstances. Most distance runners are slightly built, slenderly strong weighing barely over 145 lbs. But seeing Rick gives me inspiration. He has a journal on AoL (peculiar thoughts from a runner's mind) that gives me inspiration. Rick is an athletically build fellow as well and he puts out pretty good times in those long distance endeavors. This gives me hope. With his mental help and guidance, along with hard work, determination, persistant, perspiration, and many long hours with myself, I one day, in the near future, look to be running that 26 miles and 385 yards, I will have the "guts" to finish.

Invigorating

2005-11-02T17:23:00.000-08:00

I could have ran forever today. The weather here in Martin was absolutely perfect. This was my second day to run outside instead of on the T-mill, and I smoked my run. I plan to map out the distance here in the near future, but I felt as as though I was keeping a steady, consistent pace, never let up, and actually pushed myself today. Tomorrow will tell though. My legs have been a little sore because I have been pushing myself in the weightroom as well. Tomorrow probably will be T-mill and I plan to push myself to fatique.

Outside jog

2005-11-01T19:24:00.000-08:00

I really don't know how far I ran today, but I know I ran outside for around 30 minutes and it was invigorating. Much, much better and more enjoyable than running on the T-mill. I plan to do around the same run, if not a little longer tomorrow morning before class, then workout in the afternoon. Things right now could not be going better. I know I just have to stay focused a disciplined throughout the upcoming weeks and my goals will easily be reached.

Still relaxing

2005-10-31T18:20:00.000-08:00

Well, the weeekend went well. Drank many more beers than I should have, but had a fun time in the process. I didn't get to run today, but had a hell of workout. I did a total body workout that covered about an hour and a half.
I was a little tired from the weekend still, so I will resume running tomorrow morning and will probably run again in the evening, since I missed today. This week I am focused on just expanding my times (duration wise), not so much distance or speed just yet. I plan to do this for the next two weeks, then the final two weeks in November, I plan to really focus on my speed.
I have challenged my girl to a litle running duel. She is on the cross country team here at school and her times are massively better than mine. But in the spirit of competiveness, and just for the fun, we are going to compete in a Turkey Trot, or 5K on November 22. Wish me luck!

Continuing...

2005-10-28T16:31:00.000-07:00

Another good day and another good run.
3 miles in 27 minutes, right on the 9 minute mile pace. The run wasn't nearly as easy as yesterday nights' though. I think it had something to do with the amount of energy I had in me before I started running. I also started off fairly slow and really picked up the pace at the end, trying to make up some time, instead of just starting off at a steady pace.
Yesterday, I ate a fairly heavy lunch at 12pm and ran around 6pm. Today, I ate only an omelet and banana for breakfast around 7:30am and ran around 11:30. I don't know if that was it or not. But I actually ran for a total of 32 minutes, then proceeded to work out afterwards. I plan to take the next two days off, being Saturday and Sunday.
I also plan to get a little wild on Saturday night, relieve some of this university stress.

A Good Day.

2005-10-27T19:15:00.000-07:00

Well,
Today I went to the gym around 5:00 pm, stretched, warmed up a little, and then hopped right on the t-mill. I walked for about two minutes then slowly progressed into my run. My Goal was, I believe 3.2 in 31 minutes, well I did 3.0 in 29 minutes, so around a 10 minute mile. I really could have pushed myself a little harder, but I believe after a couple of consistent weeks, I will start doing that.
The goal tomorrow is to run after class and before lunch. I believe I am going to strive for the same pace and try to run for around 35 minutes.

Already slacking...

2005-10-26T19:54:00.000-07:00

Well,
I wasn't able to make an entry last night, got caught up. Yesterday I did jog about 2.7 miles in 25 minutes, around a 91/4 minute mile, not bad. The run was much easier, I think because I knew I was on a time limit.
I wasn't able to run today, too many other things had to be done. I know this is no excuse and I must start prioritizing my running. It has to be either the first thing I do in the morning or something I do directly after class. I must get more focused when it comes to this.
My goal tomorrow, 27th, is 3.5 miles at a 9:00 pace, so a 31:30 run. I know I can do this.

First day...

2005-10-24T16:37:00.000-07:00

Well, the first day of what is going to seem like forever.
I have just started a running program where the goal at the end is to run a 10 miler in 75 minutes or under.
At this moment, on a good day I can run a 5k [3.2 miles] in roughly 27 minutes, around I believe an 8:01 mile. It may be closer to 9:00.
At the end of this small run I am pretty winded, not exhausted, just winded.

Today, I ran on the treadmill for around 20 minutes at a realtively slow pace, just really tryng to get back in the swing of things. I don't even think I made it two miles though, pretty sad. Tomorrow I will strive for 30 minutes at around a 10 minute pace.

Also, I believe I run better outside on the track than I do indoors on the treadmill, ut with the temperature as cold as it is here, I don't know if outside running is that feasible.