Woo Hoo! A 50 mile week

Sunday 8.5 miles (Jordan Lake)
Monday 3.65 miles (treadmill @ Planet Fitness).
Wednesday 3.75 miles (treadmill @ Planet Fitness).
Wednesday Evening 6.25 miles (Jordan Lake)
Thursday 3.3 miles (treadmill @ Planet Fitness - all 'uphill')
Thursday Evening 5.45 miles (at the aiport)
Friday 5.12 miles (treadmill @ planet fitness - hill intervals)
Saturday 15.0 miles (Jordan Lake in the rain)

Total for week so far: 51.02 miles

So, there you have it. I managed 50 miles in a week. I am sure I have not run further in a 7 day period, and you know what? I feel fine. Even during today's 15 miler, in the cold rain, I felt as though I could have run further.

I also won the "Idiot of the week award". I left my lights on. Apparently the park rangers were worried, and asked some hikers to keep their eye out for me. I bumped into the hikers who game me a number to call - turns out it was the Chatham County 911 service. Anyway, they were great, and they sent the park rangers back with some jump leads.

So tomorrow, is my introduction to group running. I will be meeting up with a group of runners from RTR at Jordan lake. Looking at the count, there are 22 people coming. Wow - I don't think in the 4 years I have been running there, that I have seen 22 people in total out on the trails. It is going to be cold and wet, so perhaps the numbers will go down slightly. I'm looking forward to it.

50 mile update

Sunday 8.5 miles (Jordan Lake)
Monday 3.65 miles (treadmill @ Planet Fitness).
Wednesday 3.75 miles (treadmill @ Planet Fitness).
Wednesday Evening 6.25 miles (Jordan Lake)
Thursday 3.3 miles (treadmill @ Planet Fitness - all 'uphill')
Thursday Evening 5.45 miles (at the aiport)
Friday 5.12 miles (treadmill @ planet fitness - hill intervals)

Total for week so far: 36.02 miles

50 mile update

Sunday 8.5 miles (Jordan Lake)
Monday 3.65 miles (treadmill @ Planet Fitness).
Wednesday 3.75 miles (treadmill @ Planet Fitness).
Wednesday Evening 6.25 miles (Jordan Lake)
Thursday 3.3 miles (treadmill @ Planet Fitness - all 'uphill')
Thursday Evening 5.45 miles (at the aiport)

Total for week so far: 30.9 miles.

50 mile update

Sunday 8.5 miles (Jordan Lake)
Monday 3.65 miles (treadmill @ Planet Fitness).
Wednesday 3.75 miles (treadmill @ Planet Fitness).
Wednesday Evening 6.25 miles (Jordan Lake)
Thursday 3.3 miles (treadmill @ Planet Fitness - all 'uphill')


Total for week so far: 25.45 miles.

Crossed the halfway mark today. Although the ankle is a little bit sore if I twist it at an odd angle, running doesn't seem to bother it, so I did some hill work on the gym treadmill. New shoes seem to be breaking in nicely.

50 mile update

Sunday 8.5 miles (Jordan Lake)
Monday 3.65 miles (treadmill @ Planet Fitness).
Wednesday 3.75 miles (treadmill @ Planet Fitness).
Wednesday Evening 6.25 miles (Jordan Lake)

Total for week so far: 22.15 miles.

Interesting run tonight - I got my new trail shoes. Very comfortable on the trail, I'll need another run or two on asphalt to get used to the feel. I got Merrell Overdrive II shoes. More about them in a few days.

I also managed to put my left foot into a pothole in the dark, and twisted my ankle. Hopefully ice and ibuprofen is all that is needed. I hit the pothole 2 miles into the run, and managed to run the remaining 4.25, so I'm sure I have done nothing serious.

50 mile update

Sunday 8.5 miles (Jordan Lake)
Monday 3.65 miles (treadmill @ Planet Fitness).
Wednesday 3.75 miles (treadmill @ Planet Fitness).

Total for week so far: 15.9miles.

Shooting for 50/Long run home

I am going to aim for 50 miles this week. So far, I have:

Sunday 8.5 miles (Jordan Lake)
Monday 3.65 miles (treadmill @ Planet Fitness).

Total for week so far: 12.15 miles.

I decided to go public with my goal and progress, so I can't shy away from it.

Now then, there has been some interest from colleagues in my "Long Run Home" idea. I have had offers to provide food and drink, take my work clothes home etc. So, I am going to go for it. Friday, March 13th - I'll leave work at about noon to 1pm. There are convenience stores/gas stations no more than 5 miles apart, so I should be good for water and food - plus the help of work colleagues, I reckon I have a plan.

In the meantime, I took Sarah and Wilbur to work a couple of Sundays ago while I did some copying and scanning. They had a blast - look at Sarah's big smile :)

A long long run

So last Sunday, I did my longest ever training run, 23.35 miles. The run went well, with no pains, and I didn't hit a 'wall'. I did the run at Umstead, and basically did the first two laps of the run I will be doing in April. First lap was at 11 min/mile, second lap at 12 min/mile. Although the run went well, I didn't have that much energy left at the end of it, so I may adjust the pace a little on my next long long run.

The following day, no aches or pains at all to speak of.

I spent the rest of the week on the road in Southern California, and as usual when I am travelling, I didn't do nearly enough running.

Today, I went on a 5 mile run around Jordan lake, I forgot my Garmin! It is amazing how much I have got used to running, and knowing exactly what distance I have been, and the pace I am running at, so I kinda felt naked. I'll remember it tomorrow. Probably.

Running home. Crazy idea?

There is a bit of a whacky idea forming in my head.

I'm thinking of running home from work sometime next month. Doesn't sound too crazy so far - except according to google maps, is a distance of 29.2 miles.

I am thinking of doing this for two reasons - 1) it would be a good training run, and 2) It is an interesting way to celebrate the arrival of Daylight Savings Time (March 8th). Initial thoughts as to when I would do this are March 13th.

I'll think about the logistics a bit and decide over the next couple of weeks or so.

Another perfect day by Jordan Lake

So, my phone does not have the best camera in the world, but I kinda like this shot I took about 9 miles into my run today. This is the view about 1.5 miles down the Road to Nowhere. Pretty spectacular isn't it?

So, today 12 miles at a steady 11 min/mile. Boat ramp -> A-Camp -> Loop Trail -> B-Camp -> Road to Nowhere -> Back to boat ramp. Nothing really dramatic to report, except that it was yet another fantastic day for running. Probably 70F or a shade higher. It did bring a lot of people out, I saw at least 8 people, no dogs (suprising) and one horse.

So that makes 26.5 miles for the weekend - a record I think. Previous best being 26.2, except that was done on a single day.

Perfect day for running

The weather was perfect - mid 60's, sunny, a light breeze. There were no niggly little injuries. So the pups and I headed to the lake - it was a great day for running.

We started off in the parking lot by the boat ramp, up toward the campsites, left towards 'B' campsite, left down the 'road to nowhere' all the way to Pea Ridge - U-turn back up the road to nowhere. Once we got to the flood plain, we headed towards Jordan Dam, over the dam, and around the loop that goes by the park HQ.

One thing I did notice, there appears to be a new trail area by the park HQ - at least I haven't seen this particular trailhead before. The sign said "Poe Ridge Trail" I think, and the map on the sign said it is a 4.25 mi loop trail. Definitely needs further 'exploration'.

Anyway, then headed back over the dam, once across, we turned left down toward the lake, and then carried on around the flood plain back to the road to nowhere. That little detour probably added about 3 miles. Plenty of opportunity to test out the Drymax socks, as the flood plain was littered with ankle deep ruts filled with water. The socks worked - my feet felt dry within a few minutes.

Once we were done with the road to nowhere, we went up the hill to Camp B and back. The Garmin said 10 miles exactly when we headed into the loop trail. Round the loop, then down to Camp A. When we finished in Camp A, it was back to the parking lot. With a couple of zig-zags in the lot, total mileage for the day was 14.5. The beauty of it was that I paced myself slow enough that I could have done more if it hadn't been close to park closing time. I felt incredibly good, and the pups have a nice healthy tired look.

I have to add that the pizza washed down with a Carolina Pale Ale later was just as satifying as the 14.5 miles.

Raleigh Trail Runners

While out on a six miler last weekend around Lake Jordan, another runner and her two dogs (a goldie and a lab - they were off leash and much better behaved than Wilbur and Sarah) ran past.

We had a couple of minute coversation and I was invited to join the Raleigh Trail Runners. They do group runs in and around the Triangle, including a monthly run on the trails around Lake Jordan. I'm not used to running with others, it will be interesting to see how I get on - a) with the actual running, and b) actually out on a training run with real human beings! I am so used to being absorbed in the scenery, the pups, and the punk rock blasting into my head phones, that actually engaging in a conversation may feel a little weird at first. I'm looking forward to it.

Here's me on RTR