Day 113

It's the last day of 2008 and I finished the year with 113 days of running. Today I decided to go outside and run with the weather being beautiful.

2.95mi
27:00min (+ warmup/cooldown, which I didn't time.)

I don't like the cold and I hate the wind, but it was calm, or nearly so, and warm, so I got outside with shorts and a t-shirt to run. I was slightly chilly getting started with about a 4-5mph wind in my face, and when I passed snow on the side of the road I was thinking perhaps a jacket or long sleeves would have been better, but when I turned back I was nice and warm. The sun shining. This was a nice winter run.

Day 112

1.3mi
14:00min
255cal
2.0 incline

I definitely didn't want to run, but I wasn't worn out. However we skiied today and got back around 7:15pm, so it was a long day.

Day 111

The knee feels better, but I’d still like to hit skiing tomorrow if possible, so I decided to take it easy.

1.52mi

16:00min

296cal

2.0 incline

RICE and ICE

Running definitely takes a toll on your body, as I guess, does every physical activity. The key, to me, as you get older is to moderate it and adjust the levels to match your current fitness and state.

Still, injuries will occur, and while I don’t think I’ve gotten any while running the last 100+ days, I have had to run with injuries from other parts of my life, notably ankle, hamstring, and knee issues. They haven’t been bad and I try to assess as I warm up and start running if I’m OK or doing more damage. So far none of the latter.

So what do you do?

I always learned in sports medicine, mostly when being treated for something, that RICE was the best idea.

• Rest
• Ice
• Compression
• Elevation

It’s a formula I’ve tried to follow, and as things have hurt, I’ve put an ice pack in a wrap I have, put it tight on the ankle/knee/leg, and then lain in bed. It’s not really elevated, but I haven’t had serious injuries.

When I was rehabbing my shoulder in college, I also learned WHEN to do this. Obviously right after injury, but not just then. You want to continue it later in the day, 15 minutes on, 15 off.

But not in the morning. I learned that as well. As you get going for your day, and you need to use the body part, warmth and heat are better. I haven’t done that part, but again, no serious injury. Instead, I move on with my day, and after I’ve exercised, I’ll add ice again the next night.

Seems to be working so far.

Day 110

The knee was a little sore while kneeling and stretching before I ran, so I decided to take it easy.

1.4mi
15:00min
274cal
2.0 incline

Started season 1 of Star Trek, The Next Generation, which Santa brought me. Wasn't quite done with GI Jane, but I've waited 3 days and wanted to get started.

Day 109

I have a sick girl, and after two longer runs, I went a little shorter today, a nice steady run.

1.43mi
15:00min
227 cal
2.0 incline

Day 108

Another nice run, taking advantage of the light work day (and light personal day).

1.9mi

20 min

370cal

2.0 incline

A good steady run, no fast sections.

Day 107

Christmas day, a great day to run. Nothing else much to do, so I decided to go a bit further before relaxing and icing down the knee. It feels better, but I want it fully healed by Jan 5 when karate starts.

1.92mi

20 min

374cal

2.0 incline

Day 106

A nice run on Christmas Eve, before heading out to run some errands.

1.43mi

15:00mi

280cal

2.0 incline

I ran a little faster, moving at 6.5 for most of the run, and felt pretty good. Tia came down and we had a conversation, me breathing easy at the slightly higher pace.

Day 105

Trying to recover a bit after a rough night at karate and a slightly sore neck. Went a bit slower for some of the run at 5.0mph

1.6mi

17:00min

313 cal

2.0 incline

Day 104

I have a karate test tonight, so I decided to take it a little easy.

1.3mi
13:30min
226cal
2.0 incline

Getting Conservative

A friend asked me when I was going to run more than a mile or a mile and a half. I said I wasn't sure, and I'm really not.

I have an active lifestyle, karate 2-3 times a week, snowboarding once a week if I can, I'd like to get back to lifting regularly, and so my body doesn't get a day off outside of the running. Plus I'm a little worried about baseball in the summer.

Plus since I have to think about running tomorrow, I tend to be a little conservative today, not pushing things too hard.

This isn't a sprint. I'm not training for a 5k, 10k or marathon, I'm trying to run everyday, build a habit that keeps me healthy, strong, and motivated. Getting up and moving for 15-20 minutes every single day feels good right now, even when I'm sore.

So I don't want to jeopardize that by pushing too hard on any particular day. Getting through 100 days was a big accomplishment. I think I might push up to 2 miles on some days, but I'm not sure I want to go much further.

Still, when it warms up, I wouldn't mind a 5k now and again.

Day 103

I felt OK when I started, but the neck is a bit sore, which makes it hard to run. I ended earlier than I might have because of that, but still a good run.

1.45 mi
15:00min
282cal
2.0 incline

Day 102

Still going. Felt much better today after a bunch of ice on the knee yesterday.

1.61mi
17:00min
302cal
2.0 incline

Am I Swollen?

The left knee has been a bit sore for a couple weeks. I thought I stained it snowboarding and then with karate as when I bend it, it feels a little sore. And when I wake up in the morning, it's definitely stiff and doesn't want to move.

So am I swollen? Can you tell which one it is?



It's the left one, which is on the right in this picture. It hasn't bothered me when running, as long as I stick to a straight line, so it hasn't slowed me there. We'll see if I make karate next week and snowboarding after that.

The good news is karate closes for two weeks after Monday, so I'll get a break to rest.

Day 101

Trying a slightly different pace out. I'll blog more on that later.

Struggled through this one. I've had a headache all day, got work dumped on my at 3:00 today that I didn't expect, and was struggling to get down there. Plus with relatives in town, I was very tempted to blow this off.

1.63mi
17:00min
306cal
2.0 incline

It's now an obsession. 101 days

Day 100

Quite a milestone in my mind. Sore knee all day, so not a long one.

1.4mi
15:00min
264 cal
2.0 incline

I think I'm definitely on a streak now.

Day 99

After a short skiing day, a sore knee which Delaney kicked with his snowboard, I got it done so I could relax.

1.3mi
14:00min
226cal
2.0 incline

Breaking the Body Down

At our annual Christmas party for ex-JD Edwards folks, a few friends asked me about my running. They were wondering about my motivation and how I was doing. Was I worried about my body.

Absolutely I am.

I'm a big guy. I have a large upper body, thick legs, not exactly built like a runner. More like a linebacker. I've had issues with ankles and knees most of my life, though I think a lot of that is that I've pushed too hard in my training, harder than my body can take. Typically I've broken down after a few months of running.

My ankles hurt as often as they don't when I first get out of bed and limp around. My right knee is sore as we speak, stiff after some nights of karate. I've pulled lots of hamstrings over the years.

But I felt that way before I started this running streak and I don't really feel worse. And as I've run through some nagging injuries or pains, I've started to feel better. They've healed themselves even as I'm using them.

One of the reasons that I typically go 1.25-1.75 miles is that I don't think that's a lot more than I might walk, and I walk every day of my life. I figure an extra mile isn't really breaking things down too much and I do slow down on those days when I feel worse. I do try to listen to my body.

If I tried to build up to running 5 miles a day I don't think my body could take it. Even if I took 2 years to get there. Instead I'd like to build up to an average of 2 miles, perhaps doing 1 mile on days I have other stuff planned, save 2 for the off days, and still give myself a nice easy 1 mile day with nothing else going on.

I'm amazed that I have gotten as far as I have, and I'm looking forward to going further.

Day 98

Fourteen weeks of running. I still amaze myself that I've gotten this far. And it feels pretty good. I cruised through the run today, though I didn't push it with karate coming up later.

1.5mi

16:00min

282 cal

2.0 incline.

Day 97

Still a little under the weather, but this run helped before lunch.

1.46mi
15:00min
276cal
2.0 incline

Day 96

Feeling run down today, a little sick, but the world marches on. Ran a bit slower today, more at 5.2 rather than 6.2 for most of the run.

1.47mi
16:00min
277cal
2.0 incline.

Day 95

A short one with scouts and various errands.

1.31mi
14:00min
247 cal
2.0 incline

Day 94

My knee is sore and skiing didn't help. So I have a new routine for the next few days: stretch, run, stretch, ice. I used ice last night at bedtime and it helped, and again after running today.

1.6mi
17min
316 cal
2.0 incline.

Day 93

Post skiing this was a struggle.

1.32mi
14:00min
257 cal
2.0 incline

Day 92

A short one, trying to get it in before Girl Scouts and editing podcasts.

1.33mi
14:00min
226 cal
2.0 incline.

Day 91

Thirteen weeks in and only the second time that Tia and I exercised together. We both went downstairs this afternoon, me before shuttling kids, her before leaving for Atlanta. She got on the elliptical and I ran.

1.71 mi
18 minutes
334 cal
2.0 incline

We started "Weekend at Bernies", which was a trip to see the 80s styles.

Day 90

I can't believe I made it through 90 days of running.

I felt tired today, so I took it easy, no pyramids in there and I actually extended time by 2 minutes longer than I normally would have with tired legs, but I dropped to 5.2 for that time before the cool down.

1.6mi

17 min

312 cal

2.0 incline

My legs were cold today as well. It wasn't freezing in the basement, but I put on shorts and was working and podcasting in the basement for about 45 minutes before I ran and I could feel it. Cold legs were hard to get going and they didn't really warm up and feel loose for 10-12 minutes.

Day 89

1.74mi

18 min

343 cal

2.0 incline

I really didn't feel like running today after a late lunch, quiet afternoon, I was ready to lay around and watch football. Instead I powered through it.

Day 88

This was a quick one, in between the stress of moving kids around and trying to get some work in.

1.44mi
15:00min
280cal
2.0 incline

Day 87

I didn’t feel like doing it, especially after a long lunch and working, but I decided to not wait until later when I really might miss out. A long, steady run at 6.2 for the most part. I did go to 7.2 for a minute.

1.64mi

17min

320cal

2.0 incline

Not Just Me

A friend that's been following my chronicle sent me this link from Fox Sports on another guy that's been running for a long time. His daughter works for Fox now and she's remembering how he's run for 20 years, and yet still runs 10 miles a day.

That's far beyond me. I know my body won't take that and my guess is Dr. Simon is a bit of an athletic freak, like Dennis Rodman. His body can probably take the pounding and effort, and he might be able to hold things in more moderation. I have a hard time running below 6mph, doesn't feel like work to me, and this is partially a work/effort thing and partially a streak I've got going.

I don't know how long I can go. I have struggled a bit in the last week on a few days, but others have been easy. Getting in a run while skiing was tough, and I'll have to see how that goes. I had a fairly injury free baseball season this past year, but I'm not sure what the future will bring. And there's always karate. The further I go, it's always possible I'll end up with a injury there.

Still it's good to see that someone's family doesn't necessarily see them as a complete freak, and finds some inspiration in there. Perhaps one of my kids will feel that way about me.

Day 86

A leisurely run before lunch. Not sure if I’ll make karate tonight because of the snow, so I went a little longer.

1.57mi
16:30min

307 cal

2.0 incline

Felt good.

Day 85

A quick one in between shuttling kids and a Cub Scout meeting.

1.32mi

13:30min

256cal

2.0 incline.

Day 84

Overdid it at karate last night, almost ready to throw up, but I recovered nicely this morning. With nothing else tonight, I went a touch longer today.

1.7mi

17:30min

330 cal

2.0 incline.

I did 3 minutes (non contiguous) at 7.2mph, running the rest at 6.2. I feel pretty good.

Day 83

Back in my routine and since the run was my first exercise of the day it felt good. I managed to coast through it pretty well, but didn't push too hard with karate coming tonight.

1.43mi

15:00min

277cal

2.0 incline

Side Note: I need some new movies. The Bourne Supremecy, while a good flick, has lots of talking with relatively little action. Since I can't hear that well with the treadmill at 6+mph, I depend on things happening. Might need to rent a few movies soon.