Suck it up and get out there!

These 2 weeks have been rough because I've been preoccupied with my birthday(s), trip planning and getting use to a summer routine (lately I have been of the mind set that it's summer and why do I need to get up so early?).

There have been a plethora of excuses that I have used:
1) It's too early. It's always going to be too early, it's summer but you'll be happy when it's still 95 degrees at 10PM and you ran.
2) My kids aren't up yet and no one is here to watch them. Okay, this one might actually hold some water because you can't very well lock the kids in the house while you take a 40 minute run. But maybe you can run down the road a little and run back into the house to check and run back out and in and out. Treadmill at a gym or house seems to be the only remedy for this one. BUT if you have 1 kid, toss them into the stroller or jogger (Trina just got hers) and take them out while they're sleeping. Leia seems to enjoy her morning adventure and will go back to sleep within the hour giving me enough time for a quick shower and cat nap.
3) It's too hot. That's why you should have run this morning when you were complaining about it being too early.
4) My (insert body part here) hurts. If this is a serious injury see a doctor. If this is a reoccurring injury see a doctor. If it's so painful you can't run, see a doctor. If you are using the pain excuse without seeing a doctor you are in denial or trying to excuse yourself from the workout.
5) I'm too sleepy and sleep is valuable right? True, sleep is valuable for rebuilding muscles when you are in training but if you aren't running then you're body has been recovering since the last run (which may have been last Saturday). Go to bed earlier.
6) I drank too much last night. Too bad for you, you should have thought about your run this morning or tonight anyways. It's your own fault.
7) It's still too hot and I might get dehydrated. That's why you should have run this morning when it was cooler and there was a breeze but you were too busy pushing the snooze button for the 4th time thinking, "Just one more snooze and I'll get up for good."

Overall, we all make excuses for not spending time on our training but it really is doing more damage to you than good.

• You won't be prepared when it's time to run the full 13.1 or 16.2 miles.
• You will gain more weight or lose less weight.
• Everyday you use your running muscles they get stronger and bigger and better.
• You will not be successful only training on Saturdays because that means that you would have only run 4 times a month, 28 times until the marathon (that's not good).
• Chances are your running partner is running and you're not then they will be faster than you and you will be all alone while they school you.
• You'll feel guilty all day long that you didn't run.
• Tia will be extremely disappointed in her Raptors.

Let's get out there and stop making excuses and run and blog and run and blog. Elizabeth doesn't call me "the Intimidator" for nothing.

Plus, I like to have a glass of wine or two at night with dinner and I can't do that and then go run 3 miles and who wants to drink in the morning anyway? Not me, cheers to my 2 miles today with my hubby and baby in tow.

Tia's Mission

My mission has been to improve fitness and so something extraordinary. I've had 'run a marathon' on my before I die list for a while so that I don't die knowing that I haven't accomplished anything. This season I am trying to push my body a little faster and work on diet.

The Raptors have been amazing for me. They make me happy and I know that they are a team that works well together. Right now though in my training, I'm feeling burnt out. I don't think summer is helping.

Blazing

10:43 1 mile

54:57 4 mile total

13:45 pace

If you didn't know any better you would think I was from Kenya!!!!!!

Time

Distance Time Pace
4 Miles 1:00:05 15:01

Splits

Mile 1 15:03
Mile 2 14:45
Mile 3 16:00
Mile 4 13:12

I started off way too slow and couldn't make up the time.
Today is a speed day, I am going after a one mile time below 11 minutes and an aggregate time below 55 minutes. Wish me luck.

Where is he now?

13:40 On A Bum Leg

A tenth of a mile into Saturday's run and it feels as if I pulled a muscle in my lower right calf. I glance at my Garmin and see I am at a 12 minutes per mile pace. The pain is not too bad, but considering Jasper's recent injury and my history with my calf I didn't want to try and run through the pain and risk further damage. Nonetheless, I felt good and the pain wasn't too bad so I labored on. At one mile 12:32 mpm, mile two 25:33, mile three 40:00 mpm, mile four 54:43 for an average pace of 13:43 mpm. I was so fast that my speed demoralized Tia and she was forced to have someone come and pick her up. For that I apologize (Sorry, Tia). I am still learning how to handle this speed and intensity and I will try and control it in the future. With my goal being 14 mpm I am excited going into the start of official training. So if you feel a breeze on Saturday that's probably me running past you!

Phenomenal

My training over the past two weeks has been phenomenal! I've worked out 10 of the past 16 for a total of 40 miles run and over 20 hours of cross training mostly weights, swimming is still hard. My weight has settled at 269 and I am ecstatic since I haven't been in the 260's since December. My eating habits are still abysmal as a whole, but the past couple of days I have made progress so I am hopeful. I have a solid foundation upon which to build and I am excited moving forward.

Monday's time 56:27 which was my fastest non Saturday run, and the first time I have ran back to back sub l hour 4 miles. Blazing!!!! My recovery time is noticeably better and the aches and pains post run are not as severe.

6/13- Last cardio run for the Raptors

I don't think that this is as exciting as the "people" Raptor photos but as part of my revolt as as photographer, I have asked Jasper to take a picture of our food instead. Let me also say that it's impossible to make everyone look good all the time.

This week was the last week that the Raptors will be running a "cardio/fitness" run. These runs are designed to improve overall heart, lung and body fitness. They are to get our "couch" bodies ready for the training weeks that are to come.

Maria asked me if we were taking a step back by returning to a 2 miler. My answer is yes and no. Yes, the mileage drops for several reasons. 1) It gives our body a rest for about a month before continual increases in our training programs. We've taught our body to reach up to 5 miles but we haven't taught it to train. 2) When our official training starts next week, you will be running or walking at marathon pace. This means that if you want to finish before the course closes, you need to be training at that pace or else you won't make it. If you are training at a 13 minute a mile pace, you MAY finish with a 12:54 pace at best. We can't expect miracles to happen on race day. It's hard work to get your body to race pace. I have been working on dropping my pace down to 11:30 but the closest I came was 12:15 in 2 months. 3) The heat is working against us and we need to make sure that we are taking care of ourselves until the sun lets up.

The Raptor of the Week have been a hit and keep a look out on Mondays for our new Raptors. Enjoy your runs.

Tia- 50 stater

I just finished watching Dean Karnazes's Ultramarathon, his documentary about running 50 marathons in 50 states in 50 days. Yes, I cried a little to see all those people finishing. I think it's programmed into me now.

I enjoy seeing accomplishments occur.

After seeing this, I am definately on the road to become a 50 stater: http://www.50statesmarathonclub.com/50dc/index.html#

1 down, 49 to go, who's with me?

Injury Prevention

On the heels of the seasons first reported injury, and considering that I don't see a lot of stretching going on prior to our weekly runs, I thought I would support Tia's injury prevention discussion by reiterating stretching as a way to prevent injuries. Check out the link in the Coach's Corner.

Shout Out!

Wanted to send out a nice, loud "Good Job!" to those who showed up for the mid week training.

Raptor of the Week: Steve Bade

Steve Bade
37 years old
U.S Air Force, Aircraft Armament Systems Specialist
Currently training for half marathon that he will run 'satellite' while on duty in a treadmill in Afghanistan.

Favorite running song: Bottom by Tool. "Serious music makes serious running."

He runs partly, because the Air Force says I have to. But mostly because I love the feeling. I never used to consider myself an endorphin junkie, but one of the ways I motivate myself when I don't really feel like running is to tell myself that I'll fell better after a nice long run...and I always do.

Current Running Goal: To score max points on my fitness test, which means running 1.5 miles in less than 9:48.

Worse Case Marathon Scenario: That on 17 January 2010 I will be running 13.1 miles on a treadmill in Afghanistan. I really hate treadmills. Assuming that I will be home, my worst fear is injuring myself and not being able to finish.
Best Case Scenario: Finishing in under 105 minutes (sustaining an 8 min pace). With six months in Afghanistan to do nothing but train, it may be doable.

• About the family: Pretty boring family, actually. I have one brother and one sister, both younger. My sister is a pharmacist in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. She's married and has two girls, 4 and 7. They came to visit us a couple months ago and had a good time. Allison (the 4 year old) was afraid of coyotes, but she got over it. My brother is a stage manager in NYC. I don't see him very often. Pretty boring family.
• Favorite movie/TV quote: I love one liners. I've got about a thousand and they all annoy my wife, so that's good. I love funny--almost anything Peter Griffin or Homer Simpson says is worth repeating.
• About Collections: I have couple of small collections of nerd stuff, but nothing excessive -- Star Wars and Simpsons memorabilia, stuff like that. I also have about a dozen pair of Converse All Stars in a rainbow of colors, including several plaids and a custom pair I had made in the colors of the Italian flag with the dates of their World Cup wins. For those of you who don't follow international soccer, Italy won their fourth World Cup title in 2006 while we were living there.
• Current running mantra: I suppose I should come up with something snappy like 'temporary pain, lifelong gain', but I haven't thought of anything cool yet. I just wanna run.
• Last time you went out of town: On memorial day we went to Phoenix to a red carpet event showing of a movie called 'Brothers at War'. It is in limited release, so you probably won't see it until it comes out on HBO--documentaries don't tend to do well in the theater. It was a special invitation event for military and their families, veterans, and Blue and Gold Star mothers. It was hosted by Cindy McCain and emceed by Gary Sinise. The movie is about two brothers in the Army and their other brother who is a film maker who followed them to Iraq to see what they did and why they did it. It was a very cool evening. Gary Sinise is very supportive of the military, and meeting him was an awesome experience. The movie was excellent as well. It was very moving, and offered a realistic glimpse of what goes on over there that the media will never show. Check it out at brothersatwarmovie.com.
• About the Shuffle: Until recently I didn't listen to anything while running. My mother-in-law gave me an iPod shuffle for Christmas this year, so I've been using that lately. I need something kind of dark and serious, yet still up tempo to run to. If the music is too happy I lose focus and motivation. Serious music makes serious running, and nothing is darker or more serious than prog metal--bands like Tool, Dream Theater or Fates Warning. At the moment, Bottom by Tool is probably my running song of choice. It has a cool spoken word part by Henry Rollins.
• About Scotch(AKA favorite drink): Single malt Scotch. That's not what you meant? Sparkling water. Just plain carbonated water. I started drinking it when we were living in Europe. Europeans love the stuff, most Americans can't stand it, which makes it kind of hard to find here. I actually started drinking it accidentally. Being a typical American I thought it was nasty, but I had opened the bottle and didn't want to waste it. The bitterness kind of grows on you, and by the time I finished the bottle I decided I kind of liked it. In Europe they sell it in 1.5l bottles by the case, that's how I used to buy it. Fortunately, Fry's sells it in cans, I go through about a 12 pack a week.
• About work: U. S. Air Force, Aircraft Armament Systems Specialist -- at the moment I am the Weapons Section Chief in the 355th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron at DM. I supervise and lead 147 personnel formed into 36 weapons loading and maintenance crews that are responsible for testing, inspecting, servicing, loading and unloading the weapons systems of 84 A-10A and A-10C aircraft for both aircrew training and combat operations.
• About the Raptors (stories): I can't think of one... I'm sure something cool will happen at the race that I'll be able to tell my grand kids about, but so far nobody has done anything memorable.

Saturday's Run

Well, well, well! Here I am...it's been awhile and I have a few updates for you!

Saturday was my first run with my new Camelbak RaceBak hydration system and I must say that it was pretty sweet! The pack is awkward to put on due to it's liquid-goodness, but once on, it was surprisingly comfortable (aside from the fact that it isn't form-fitting on the bottom, so it tends to float around on its own)! The material of the shirt is stretchy, so it compresses on the water chamber as you drink, which helps push the water out AND prevent the chamber from flopping all over the place. It holds 72 ounces of water, which you THINK would be enough for a 5 mile run, but, I guess I'm a fish, and I totally finished all of it, PLUS took 5 cups of water from the two water stations! Overall, I give this item an A+!

Next item of interest:

So, yeah...I was running along the river, like I've done so many times before, when I started to feel a little jabbing in my 2nd toe on my left foot. It was bothersome, but not HORRIBLE, so, I ignored it. I felt it as I was running, but eventually, I got used to it and just kept pushing along. Finished the run. Felt good. Went and ate breakfast at Beyond Bread. Got in the car and decided to check it out...untied my shoe. Quickly took off my sock. Threw sock on the passanger's seat. And looked at a teeny-tiny cut on my 2nd toe. Turns out my middle toenail was just a teeny bit too long and decided to smoosh up and slowly sliver away at my 2nd toe. I think it's no big deal and must have just been a quick cut, when I go to pick up my sock and see this:
Bleh! Lots of blood for a silly little cut! Icky! Icky! Icky! So, moral of the story is....ALWAYS TRIM YOUR STUPID TOENAILS otherwise you'll have a bloody sock to contend with!

In other, unrelated, news...I also purchased a 1 liter wide-mouth SIGG water bottle in red (which is really HOT PINK) and I LOVE IT!!! Yay! Here's a picture:
You would think with all of these new gadgets (and extra time on my hands), that I would have correctly calibrated my Nike+ iPod system by now, but NO!!! I'm not that cool. So, while all of you ran 5 miles on Saturday. I ran 6.07 Nike+ Miles! Take that! ;)

That is all. No more blogging for another six months or so! ;)

6/6- Raptor 5 mile run and injury lecture

The Raptors have been getting into a nasty routine of starting 30 minutes late. That stopped today. We started on time honoring your time and dedication. We began promptly at 6:35AM. NO more waiting. It's getting hotter and we need to spend quality time on the course out of the heat.

Even with the the start time, Steve still schooled us running circles around us.

Jamie also sported her new Racebak which is a Camelbak vest wearing it under her Nike+ shirt. I noticed that it did sport a snazzy outside tube insulation which would keep the water in tube nice and cool.

It was a nice 5 mile run on the river. I am pushing for another 15 minute earlier start? What do you think?

Afterward, I took some time to do an injury lecture called "Raptor Extinction". I really missed Coach Earl on this one to speak to shoe purchasing and injury prevention but the Shelbys were sidelined with illness.

After the lecture we spent some time to socialize at Beyond Bread. Yummy!

Course finishing order: Christy, Tia, Steven (he did maybe 6-7 miles backtracking), the Vettas, Riley (soon to be Raptor), Jamie, Lisa, Steven (again) and Mary, Chris, Camille and Emma. Jasper took time off to recover his injury.

Good job Raptors. See you on Wednesday 8:30PM Reid Park.

Overdid it :(

My body was faster than my legs could carry for three miles in 29 minutes and 48 seconds. Because of my 9:56 pace, my left knee is in pain. It hurts when I walk up and down stairs and walk fast. I can feel the pain from the inside of my knee, and it especially hurts when I lock it into place. However, I feel no pain bicycling unless I slide my foot backwards on the pedal. I have been massaging the outside of my knee but I can’t find any response from muscles or tendons. After doing some online research on Runner’s World – Injury Prevention, I have concluded that it is Patellar tendintis (below). This means that I will be on the side lines recovering. In the meantime, I will be doing cross-training (i.e. bicycling) and leg extensions to strengthen my knee.

Excerpt from Runner’s World online:
Patellar tendinitis is inflammation of one of the knee-joint tendons. Tendinitis occurs when tissue breakdown outpaces regrowth, and is caused by increased mileage, hills (especially downhills), and pace. Running through tendinitis will make it worse and prolong your recovery, says Davis. But treated early, it can heal in a few weeks. Here's how: cross-train, ice, wear a patella strap, take anti-inflammatories, stretch, and do exercises to strengthen the joint and quadriceps, such as leg extensions.

Coach's Moment

Ladies and Gentlemen,

As we begin to get serious about our training relative to distance, I thought it necessary to remind people to take care of your feet. One of my biggest problems last year was the agony my feet endured throughout the training. Now of course I do carry around a significant amount of poundage, but proper running shoes, regardless of size, can enhance training and prevent injuries. Don't take my word, ask any returning raptor or better yet read my new article on the Importance of Proper Running Shoes in the Coach's Corner. I know it can be expensive, but I promise on mile 8 you will be glad you made the investment.

Mid Week Raptors

Wednesday was our first group run during the week. I ran a loop around Reid Park.
All ladies tonight.
It was an especially busy time at the park with a duathalon running the park. The Toros were also playing so parking was sticky.

Jamie was especially excited to run mid-week. Thank you ladies, Christy, Nicole, Emma, Camille, Lisa and Jamie for making it a great first mid week run.

So you want the camelbak?

There has been a lot of talk of getting the camelbak for a hydration system. I love the camelbak. I ran with one in my half marathon and did well.

Jamie found this neat one off of Amazon. It's called the Racebak. It's a vest that you can wear alone or wear under a longer shirt. It is pretty interesting looking and I am excited to see how it works out for Jamie.However... after reviewing many products I think that we should all buy from this company:
If you are a Male Raptor click here
If you are a Female Raptor click here

I mean we would be one good looking team- wearing our Raptor shirts and everything.