Bayshore Marathon Day 36 – 143 To Go

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

“We all have dreams. In order to make dreams come into reality, it takes an awful lot of determination, dedication, self-discipline and effort.” —Jesse Owens

The first run of the new year. Felt pretty good too. Also, the first run in my new FILA jump suit. It’s not the paint-on-the-skin kind of running gear though. I just haven’t been able to make that leap yet. I still need a couple other items to complete my winter running ensemble:

• Running Gloves
• Head Gear
• Thermal Long Underwear (I’ve heard that frostbite is a real threat)
• A new pair of shoes are in my future as well

The seriousness of my training is beginning to set in, but I’m really looking forward to the ride. It’s hard to believe that in only five months I’ll be done and taking it easy.

Lyrics of the Night:

And I just can’t keep living this way

So starting today, I’m breaking out of this cage

I’m standing up, Imma face my demons

I’m manning up, Imma hold my ground

I’ve had enough, now I’m so fed up

Time to put my life back together right now



It was my decision to get clean, I did it for me

Admittedly I probably did it subliminally for you

So I could come back a brand new me,
you helped see me through

And don’t even realize what you did, believe me you

I been through the ringer,
but they can do little to the middle finger

I think I got a tear in my eye, I feel like the king of

My world, haters can make like bees with no stingers,
and drop dead

No more beef flingers, no more drama from now on, I promise

To focus solely on handling my responsibility’s as a father

So I solemnly swear to always treat this roof like my daughters, and raise it

You couldn’t lift a single shingle on it

Cause the way I feel, I’m strong enough to go to the club

Or the corner pub and lift the whole liquor counter up

Cause I’m raising the bar, I shoot for the moon

But I’m too busy gazing at stars, I feel amazing and



I’m not afraid to take a stand

Everybody come take my hand

We’ll walk this road together, through the storm

Whatever weather, cold or warm

Just let you know that, you’re not alone

Holla if you feel that you’ve been down the same road

—Not Afraid by EMINEM

Day 36 Workout – 3.2 miles (27:16)

Filed under: 26.2, Running

Bayshore Marathon Day 21 – 158 To Go

“Running has taken me in, and continues to comfort, heal and challenge me in all kinds of magical ways. I am not a ‘good runner’ because I am me. I am a good ‘me’ because I am a runner.” —Kristin Armstrong

It’s been a few days since my last run. Honestly, I haven’t felt like running out in the Michigan blizzards. But I know I need to get myself into maintenance shape before the official training kicks off next month. I’m finding that having an accountability running buddy (or posse) was more important to me last winter than I realized. I don’t remember needing much more motivation than knowing someone was waiting there to run with me when I got home.

As for the run, this was the first this season in the snow, and as I found out, ice. I never fell down, but there were a few times that I lost my footing out there. Not too fun, but it was late and I needed to get the run in. Hopefully now that the days start becoming longer I won’t have to run in the dark too much more.

Lyrics of the night:

The conversation lingered on and on,
Before I knew it night had turned to dawn.
We’ll be searching for the truth in all of this
Ha, or are we debating just to win the argument.
Cause none of us wanna hear about where we go wrong.
This song could easily be from me to you or me to John.
Cause I have the potential to be the guiltiest.
My greatest strength is also my strongest weakness.
Nuisance by John Reuben

Day 21 Workout – 3.2 miles (29:26)

Filed under: 26.2, Running

Bayshore Marathon Day 9 – 170 To Go

“The real purpose of running isn’t to win a race; it’s to test the limits of the human heart.” —Bill Bowerman

Just another easy three tonight, although it was a notch warmer (27°). I thought I was running more relaxed but it turns out it was essentially the same pace, just a little more consistent. And I ended up taking 23 seconds off my time from Tuesday.

One of the best things about running is that I get to listen to a lot of great music. Not only that, but the lyrics seem to jump out of the songs when you’re running, and you hear things in songs that you’d missed in your previous 58 listens. For example, that song Billionaire by Travie Mccoy is less offensive than you might think had you only paid attention to the chorus. He actually sings most of the time about how much he wants to bless others with that money.

I’ve been contemplating my Marathon playlist this week, and I’m tossing around the idea of not shuffling the playlist this time. I’m also thinking about putting a couple entire albums in order in the playlist. Maybe a podcast or two. I definitely have a lot of thinking to do on this one.

Speaking of music, tonight I ran across a cool website to download some free training podcasts — PodRunner.com. Can’t wait to try them out.

Lyrics of the night:

God bless us everyone
We’re a broken people living under loaded gun
And it can’t be outfoght
Can’t be outdone
It can’t out matched
It can’t be outrun
The Catalyst by Linkin Park

Day 9 Workout – 3.2 miles (28:22)

Filed under: 26.2, Running

Bayshore Marathon Day 7 – 172 To Go

Thank God for running. It is the ultimate detox for me, whether my poison is bubbles, a foul mood, or a bad attitude. If I combat inertia, get out, and get moving, eventually every kind of toxin works its way out. —Kristin Armstron

Last night I ran three miles for the first time since the Half Marathon in October. It was pretty cold outside (25°), so as I ran I was reminded how inadequate my running gear is. I need to get some proper cold weather and nighttime running gear if I’m going to be training outdoors, in Michigan, for the next few months.

The run was decent. I ran a little faster than I had anticipated, or wanted to. It was a little hard to gage having not been out there in awhile. I actually talked myself into doing the full three miles while I was out there, which is a good sign considering I usually try to talk myself out of miles. I didn’t have enough in the tank to sprint at the end, although had Randy been there and tried to take off on me I probably would have found a little something extra.

All in all it was a good start to getting up to maintenance mode before the official training regiment begins. After some research I’ve decided to follow Hal Higdon’s Novice 1 Training Schedule which kicks in sometime mid-January.

Day 7 Workout – 3.2 miles (28:45)

Filed under: 26.2, Running

Bayshore Marathon Day 2 – 177 To Go

The obsession with running is really an obsession with the potential for more and more life. —George Sheehan

I originally planned on running yesterday on Day One, but life got in the way a little bit and I had to push it back to Day Two. It could have gone a little better, but it really felt good to get back out there running again.

Since the lights go out around 5:00pm these days, I was running around the cemetery in the pitch dark. Also, my ipod had apparently leaked power since October so I had to do a rushed charge and only had enough battery power to have music playing but not enough to initiate my Nike+ system. Not a huge deal though. I only ran a mile, and it took somewhere around nine and a half minutes.

The first quarter mile I felt like a champ and was happy to think I hadn’t missed a step. Around the half mile mark I started to feel my breathing strain a bit. I didn’t have to grab my knees when I wrapped up the mile, and I could have easily done a couple more if I had slowed the pace a bit, but there was some definite regression in the last month and a half. However, a journey of 26.2 miles begins with a single step, and that my friends has now been accomplished!

Day 2 Workout – 1.1 miles (9:45)

Filed under: 26.2, Running