Longest Training Run

There was cause for celebration yesterday. I completed a 26.7 mile training run in four hours. I have never run this far nor have I ever run for 4 hours. Unofficially I completed an ultramarathon. I say unofficial because it was not officially measured. Any run over 26.2, a marathon, is ultra. This was also my first long run in the Kinvaras.

I was up before the alarm at 3:40 am. Because I have a projection clock, I rolled over in bed like usual, looking at the ceiling with one eye closed to see...
what the temperature was, hoping for it to be at least in the 60s. Oh yuck! 79 degrees and of course the humidity is higher in the morning. That was not what was forecasted. Oh well, stop moaning. Get a cup of joe and begin eating and stretching. The pre-run food included two slices of toast, two Fiber One toaster pastries, and a Clif Bar. Clif Bars have 44 grams of carbohydrates per bar. I consumed 160 grams of carbs before running.

Runner's High and Bird Food

Even though there may be many explanations as to what defines a runner’s high and how does one know when it is experienced, I don’t believe there is any one definition. Some runners claim they feel euphoric while others claim it’s a feeling of relaxation or being energized. And, they go as far as saying it leads to an addiction. Oh my…! That seems extreme. I know for certainty it was the complete opposite of what I felt running 12 miles last Sunday in the heat.

Last Sunday was one of those days when I was begging for a cloud to pass by to block the suns relentless rays. I realized how bad it was when a bird...

I'll Discard the Shoes and Keep the Feet

The other day I realized how many months I have been running in my Mizuno Wave Rider 14s. I asked Jenn, my lovely wife, if I purchased them right after Christmas. She said, “yes.” Yikes! I have never worn a pair of running shoes so long. Because I log my miles, I immediately went back and calculated how many miles I put on these bad boys. As it turned out, they experienced more than...

Week 15 Training

This week is a recovery week after a 24 mile run. The long run on Sunday was very good. It was at the right pace (3:32 or 8:51/mile). The weather for training has been kind so far. Although it has been on the warm side with higher humidity, it has not rained much during my runs. The heat and humidity is to be expected; it’s summer after all. The early morning runs are the most enjoyable. It’s so peaceful during the early hours, plus I get to see...

50 Steps to a Healthier Future Update

Alex at the Children’s Home made significant progress this week, trying to nail down the date and location for the 50 Steps to a Healthier Future event. Her persistence paid off.

The date will be October 22, 2011, beginning at 7:00 until I’m done. The start and finish will be at the Edna Stevens Elementary School in Cromwell, CT. At this time I’m projecting it will take 9 hours to complete. Here is a map of the 1.6 mile loop:

1.6 mile loop of the 50 mile run

I’ll need to circle this more than...

Hiking and Bloodthirsty Critters

We never got to go kayaking today. We’ll save that for another day. Instead, we went for a day hike through River Highlands State Park in our town. The weather was sunny and warm. After plenty of rain recently, the bugs were enjoying our presence. I swear, mosquitoes and other DEET-resistant, blood-sucking critters wait in the woods for the next victim to enter their trap.

The picture painted was probably worse than...

Family Time

I’m tired. My day began with cereal, a cup of joe, and then out the door for 7.2 miles. My tiredness could be a result of being in the hot sun canoeing with Evan, followed by a walk at Dinosaur State Park. The sun even got to Evan. He claims that he saw a...