85 days to the race

2.95 k in 24 minutes [5/1 x 4] - 40:40 pace. Boy it takes a long time to be good! More respect to those before me. Rest tomorrow ... that's a good thing since my wife comes home tonight! Feeling frisky.

I'll take a few minutes to map out some screens for the proposed iPod application today. Also have a lot of data on 1k pace and guessed at 5k so I should start a little graph on the side-bar. And a side-bar item for links that my friends and mentors have given me that I have used.

I read some guy did sprint bursts during his 5k, but lost the link to the story. I think changing up the running pace would be good for me - tried to change it a little on the last piece of the run and "felt" more refreshed.

Keep your chin up folks - if an old man like me can think he can be a runner then you can think you can be anything. The rest is just execution!

My Theme Song

Bourbon Feet - Testing the Mind, Body and Liver

Just read this blog post. Quite an interesting discussion of a 5k race around the Rose Bowl in San Diego by the guy who came in first.

I also like the ending piece:

"If you have been reading this blog for the past month or two you're probaly thinking Pat neesds to do some more drinking and less running, after all the blog is named Bourbon feet. If this It what you are thinking I agree. This July forth I will be competing in the Hermosa Beach Iron Man. which involves running 1 mile, paddling 1 mile and drinking a six pack of beer."

... I'm searching for these kinds of Iron Man races in Ontario ... believe me ... I have another browser open right now!

Reading this guy, I've stumbled upon the idea that it's actually possible to pick a race and train for a win. That's incredible. I would never be this good, but that is something to be admired! I guess you would know your time, and pick a race where that time would be good.

Watch vs. iPod

I've been looking at loads and loads of watches for runners. A lot of the watches are multi-function for running and for casual wear. Way too many functions for my fat fingers! I just want a stop watch - a simple stop watch - with split times, a GPS, pedometer, stride calculator, calorie counter, hydration monitor, heart monitor, calendar, training recorder, computer linkage for programming from the computer, wi-fi for sending to the online website, discounts at the local sports store, looks good when I wear it to a classy dinner, and says "Patek Phillipe" on it. Oh and it should cost $29.99!

I'm going out to a couple of sports stores this week and I'll check out the ones they have. I've looked at a few that people have suggested. Of all of them I like the interface on the Garmin Forerunner watches - big buttons on the face, the bend and the wrist placement on the face of the Nike's and the big display on some of the Timex watches. I like the features offered on the Polar watches. Am I screwed or what?

So what's my solution when I have too many choices? I make my own. I found this:

Sport Armband Plus with FastFit for iPod touch (2nd Gen). What I can do is build the app that I want right on the iPod and just bolt it to my forearm.

I think it could work.

Anyway this is the backup plan for being disappointed at the store. [And I was just in China and could have bought the best knock off watch for peanuts. Of course it would have told the wrong time and had only 55 seconds in a minute - but it would have been cheap!]

Day 16 - doubt

So day 16 of the 21-day running program has come. 24 minutes of running (2/1 x 8) and I covered 2.8 k. So that gives me an incorrect pace of 42:51 for 5k. I think they will steadily increase as I approach actually running the 5k and then after training through the distance the times should decrease.

The remaining days in the plan look like this (source about.com):

Day 17: 5/1 x4
Day 18: Rest
Day 19: 4/1 x6
Day 20: 2/1 x5
Day 21: 5/1 x5

I'm going to try to work on my stride on the rest day - most of the sites say running up hills can improve your stride length and speed over time. [They don't say what to do once you're at the top. My guess is coming down makes you shorten your stride and make you run slower! So no net gain. :) ] No mountains nearby so I'll do some step/stair exercises in the basement.

I checked out my race and there is a pledge form associated with registration. It's for support of the local hospital in Guelph. I think once I get closer to the goal I'll hit my friends and colleagues up for some money. Apparently if I collect $100 dollars worth of pledges the $30 entry fee is waived for me.

I snooped around some more and see that my mentors also have pledges associated with their races. I think I need to look at how often they run and how much I would like to pledge for them, and then give them an honest figure. I suspect my friends will do the same for me.

[P.S. am I actually going to run this race? I mean, there are so many things that can happen between now and then ... on top of that it's my birthday - I'll need to prepare my home for my birthday guests - plus I'm not even a newbie, I'm just a wannabe.

The only thing to do is collect all the obstacles and remove them one by one.]

Soggy Shoes

Ran tired today - less than 10 hours since I ran yesterday. Ran 4/1 x 4 [20 mins.] over 2.4 k so I'm actually slower than I was yesterday even with one less minute of walking [pace is 40:40 for a 5k].

Interesting that it was actually mentally easier to run today than when I am rested. I notice that I think a lot when I run. Today "not so much" as Eric would say. Looks like I can experiment with the "mental" piece as well. Who knew there was so much to learn and experience in running!

Still have the mild headache ... and John's video below is from the Richmond Hill Curling Club. Hope you watch it carefully and enjoy his comments about the patrons.

Rainy day people always seem to know when it's time to call

Gordon Lightfoot says that rainy day people are kinda cool. Maybe I'm one. Ran my plan today between the thunder and lighting front and the heavy downpour tail. Just made it back totally drenched before the sky opened up and an ark floated by. I felt more refreshed than when it's warming up in the morning.

Ran 2.79 k in 20 mins. [Today's routine was 3/1 x 5.] So my pace has improved to 35:50 for 5k. [I know you can't really double the distance and keep the same pace, but if I do this math consistently I can monitor progress.]

I ran with a slight head ache that didn't go away or get worse. That's puzzling because I always thought that headaches had something to do with blood pressure - anyway when I was in the cool down the head ache went away only to return when I was taking the garbage out about 5 minutes later.

I was inspired by the cannon's the Argentine and the Polish squad showed off today at the world cup. Sorry ... meant the German squad. Jab Emil ... jab!

[Here's Rainy Day People sung by my buddy John Stinson at the Legion Hall in Aurora ... I think there.]

Rest Day

Today is a rest day where I'm supposed to do something light so I walked the 5k in an hour. Quite pleasant after a light drizzle. Saw a lot of my neighbors. Little do they know that I am in training - on a mission. On a desperate mission to save the world! BUWAHAHAHA!

ahem ... I checked out the results of the race in Guelph last year for my age group M40-49. The 32 runners had times well spaced from 16:58 to 31:15 with one gentleman walking it in 1:01:16. I think I will target 30 minutes as the time I want to train to for this race. That means that in the next 90 days I have to drop from 40 minutes to 30 minutes for the 5k - which is 1 minute for every nine days (or about 10 seconds for every running day). Who knows if that is doable? We will see.

[Another thing for the record - don't eat widow-maker wings at the Harp the night before running- even if they give you a T-shirt for it. My nephew made me do it - ya, the one with the Johnny Cash ring of fire T-Shirt on! And he goes BUWAHAHAHA!]

Also had one of my running mentors send me a list of things about running watches, places to find training programs, calculators, and to STRETCH!!! But the Captain didn't say what to stretch. [insert bawdy humor here - would that be considered "tooting your own horn"? dunno?]

My Perspiration Inspiration

I'm running to find something engrossing to do that will devour my time and let me feel stress again - just like at school. I met several people in class that displayed calmness and confidence (and they were incredibly fit too). I quickly learned that they were runners.

I actually found their names a couple of days ago with some of their recorded exploits:

Heather (Part II) - 11 recorded finishes

Brian - 6 recorded finishes

Brenda - 5 recorded finishes

Simon - 1 recorded finish

(I'm wondering if I missed someone?)

Sadly enough I didn't use the opportunity I had to speak with them about running. All I got was an ominous warning from Brian on the last day we met as a class that he will hold me to the fact that I said I will run a 5k race this year. Did I mention Brian is a lawyer.

Keeping a promise to those you respect is a great motivator!

(BTW I have about 90 days until the race!)

Easier Run - booger technique request

Today was an easier run 2/1 x 8 (24 mins). Traveled a total of 2.9 km in that 24 mins. So my pace is 41.4 mins. for the 5k using this method.

Must trust in the system. The world record is under 13 minutes!

Also had a terrible booger develop half way through the jog. Got to learn to collect that mucous nicely and launch it crisply from my nose or mouth ... instead I hacked at it until I could spit out a linguini that snapped back and smacked me in the chin. Good thing my wife is away this week, so I have been jogging alone. Terribly embarrassing for her to see that! Terribly.

Maybe I didn't drink enough water before I ran. hmmm ...

10th Annual Meridian Guelph Downtown 5k Run & 'Fun' Walk

I picked this race for a number of reasons.

(1) Timing: I'll be back with my EMBA colleagues during the third week of October to convocate at the graduation ceremony for my degree. So I can let them know that I have indeed finished a race as planned.

(2) Race Profile: Reviewing the race in Guelph in 2009 it shows that there were 258 finishers ... that seems like a small crowd when you consider the 4500 for the Scotiabank 5k. Don't feel like I need to battle lots of people to stay out front, but starting with a small and pleasant group is good.

(3) Distance From Home: It's about an hour and 5 mins from home by car, but I might consider staying overnight in a motel since the race runs early in the morning.

About the race?

Still don't have too much information, but someone punched in a 5k Guelph race on this link. It looks like it could be the race route - but I have to make sure by contacting the organizers.

You always remember the first post

Well, it's starting to get official. I'm improving my running pace and my effective distance. Today was a 3/1 x 5 (20 mins.) run. I covered 2.52 k in those 20.

I'm looking at racing at Guelph on Sept 25/2010 on my 45th birthday in the 5k. From what I ran today, it looks like I could do it in about 40 mins.

I can work on a lot of things: taking faster choppier steps, or longer strides, or improving my endurance. Although I think right now I want to compete the about.com running program I am on and then do the 8 weeks to a 5k course they have.