Good Excuse

Hey! Where've you been?? I've been busy...

Running AND biking AND brisk walking (the 15 mile type!) and meeting with clients as I start up my little business solutions consulting firm.

See: all good excuse(s). And you thought I had given up on my Detroit Marathon goal. Nothing of the sort. Nope. I'm completely committed to it. Grrrrrr!

Today's post is going to be a summary of the workouts I've logged over the last 2 and 1/2 weeks. Wow! I can't believe it's been that long. I'm sorry loyal reader (who's probably just a figment of my imagination).

1 hour run on 7/10: I was worried about the chafing. Well I wore my awful, tight and binding shorts and used buttbutter and didn't have an issue. I was motivated to go out and get new fitness clothes, spending more money than I could really afford. I knew realistically I could not train in one pair of shorts for the next 14 weeks. I'm fully committed to this marathon, I tell ya.

4 miles on 7/12 got pushed to 7/13 because of a hellacious bike ride in Detroit. I had planned to run after the bike ride, but I was so soaked from the rain storm, and working at my buddy's after the bike ride that I gave myself a pass as long as I made up the run the next day. The bike ride was 27 miles starting from Fort Wayne to Belle Isle and back. It was a comfortable pace. Some of us sprinted around Belle Isle -- I had a death grip on the leader's single speed mountain bike (Gus you are a complete ANIMAL! Who maintains a 160 rpm for that distance??) and had a great time. On the second leg of the sprint the guy ahead of me starting falling off of Gus's wheel, but I managed to jump him, bridge the gap, and push Gus all the way to the Belle Isle Bridge. Make no mistake about it, I could not have beat Gus, but it was fun as hell riding like that. It really pumped me up!!!! By the time we got back to the RenCen we could see a huge rainstorm coming up the Detroit river. After the downpour passed, Jeff and I tried to get back to Ft. Wayne but got caught in the second storm. The rest of the group was determined to have lunch in Mexican Village before going home. I was on my whippy Litespeed and had to be really careful avoiding huge potholes that were hidden in the flooded streets, try not to get run over by distracted drivers, and hope my wet brakes would stop me when necessary. None of the rain could wash away the elation I felt from the Belle Isle sprint : ) I'm still stoked today when I think of it.

4 mile run on 7/13: I wore new shorts and had a good run. 7 miles on 7/14, 4 miles with 5 minutes of hills on 7/15, and 6 miles on 7/17 were all uneventful. I even managed to add a 4 mile brisk walk with Marie and Jan in Grosse Pointe after my 6 mile run! The next day Marie and I had an awesome 29 mile bike ride from Grosse Pointe to Belle Isle and back.

My 8 miler on 7/20 just about killed me. First, I didn't manage my route well and ended up running a third of a mile longer than necessary. It was ungodly humid, sometimes actually misting and fogging my glasses. I got a late start and so had a deadline pressing on me as I was running. It made me angry and distracted. On a positive note: I completed my goal.

My 4 mile run on 7/21 was fine, but I was a bit disheartened by my 8 mile run.

I substituted a 15 mile walk with Marie and Janet for my 6 mile run on 7/24. Those women kicked my butt, but I hung in there (hopefully hiding how beat I was). Lesson learned on this walk: eating / refueling really helps.

Today's run was a 9 miler. I gotta tell you I was dreading it. I thought, man, I can't take another run like last Sunday! Thank goodness it was cool and not humid. I kept telling myself I just walked 15 miles without dying -- I could do this. I also brought Zone Bars and promised that I would refuel. I still procrastinated and ended up starting late (almost 10 am) which cost me the awesomely cool weather.

I had a great run. The pace was fine. Nothing hurt. Each time I ate I felt an real increase in energy. (Maybe those Hammer Jells are important) I actually ran beyond my 4.5 mile turn around, so I would have a walking cool down. At the 9 mile point I wasn't actually ready to stop running (but I did -- needed to cool down, you know : ).

Here's the route I ran today.


My faith has been restored!

Thanks for reading. Have a great day!