SPACE WALK SAT., RUN ON SUN.

On Saturday there wasn't any time for a run since we were at the United States Air Force Museum. There was plenty of walking, miles of it in fact, as the place is huge. What an enjoyable day. As you can see I did manage to get in a space walk.

That meant that my four mile run needed to be today so mid morning I headed out. Temperature was low seventies and it was overcast and breezy. Very comfortable. So was my running. Two short walking breathers was all I needed. Again my heart rate was on target and again the last half mile or so it did reach the 140-145 area. Guess that is just the way it is going to be. It will be interesting to see how it goes when I go to five miles some day soon.

Tomorrow I'll be going to run in New Haven on the River Greenway Trail. That will be a first and something I've wanted to do since spring. We have no scheduled group session tomorrow since so many can't be there. I will join Kylee and possible some others for a run. More fun and motivating to work out together.

KEEPING UP WITH THE SCHEDULE

It seems that it is getting more difficult to keep on track with the daily training schedule. Conflicting activities and weather seem to be the biggest roadblocks. I finally got in two miles on Thursday and then today I rested. Tomorrow I should be running four miles but that won't happen as we are going on a bus excursion to the Air Force Museum in Dayton, OH. So my plan is to run on Sunday sometime. With the daily thunderstorms we have it is hard to plan a time and the oppressive heat and humidity in the afternoons when it isn't raining is hard to take.
We won't have a group get together on this coming Monday. I'll alter my schedule and still get in the needed miles. There is more travel coming up but I will be able to keep training while traveling so it will be o.k..
I monitored my heart rate yesterday and it was interesting that as I ran the two miles it was at 120 to 130 for a while and then stayed in the high 130's. Then on the last half mile or so it went on above 140 and stayed between 140 and 145 until I finished. That is in my do not exceed area so hopefully it isn't harmful. I went back to normal pretty fast after I finished and that is good. I don't run fast but am able to stay at about the same pace the whole distance and I am glad for that. Always seem to average about 4 miles per hour.

MONDAY GROUP RUN

Our group session on Monday went well for me. It was scheduled to be three miles on the paths at the Aboite New Trails where we meet. After some discussion and questions with Jamey we headed out for our run. Jane and Cindy were both recovered enough from their ankle and leg injuries to walk the course. I ran the three miles with the exception of the 100 yards or so of the path along the little league fields. It was jammed with kids and parents so I walked there. My pace is slower than most of the others so they gradually outpaced me. According to the time it took me I ran at 4 miles per hour. My heart rate was 120 shortly after I stopped when Kevin and Roger reminded me to check. (I didn't have my monitor on) Within a minute I was down to the 70's so that was good.

I have been checking each morning when I get up and am consistantly in the 50's, only once being up into the 60s, so my recovery from the previous days workouts is doing well.

Yesterday (Tuesday) was a 0-2 optional day so I chose to just walk some. It helped get the kinks out--I was a little sore from running nearly three miles straight for the first time. Today is to be a two mile run day but it has been raining all day so I haven't ventured out yet.

IT'S GO FOR 4 DAY

Today the schedule is at the end of week three of the "Go For Distance" plan. It is the go from three mile runs to four miles. It was a busy day with a lot of activities packed in. We finally got home at 8 P.M. and I procrastinated and made up excuses to just wait until tomorrow. Forced myself to get to it and we loaded the bicycle for Cyndy to ride and went over to river road. I began running right from the start, and I knew I should run a mile or more as I have been doing that. I didn't stop running until I got to the two mile point. Stopped briefly for a quick photo and started back. A short walk and then more running. I wasn't feeling any muscle fatigue and kept running with a couple short walks. Finished out running to the end. I ran more than three miles of the four miles. The only bad part of today's run was that the soles of my feet hurt and burned toward the end. Maybe my shoes are wearing down. I received a pair of Baluga running socks for Fathers Day so I will try them out and see if they help.

WEDNESDAY RUN--THURSDAY MEETING

I was able to do my required three mile workout on Wednesday morning. We had traveled to Rochester IN. for a family visit and they have a good trail there. Grandson Ethan went with me. (He is the 8 year old who lost one shoe when he started running the mile at school and kept on going to the finish). Needless to say he didn't have too much trouble on our three mile jaunt. I ran in the morning, after having a half cup of coffee and a handful of cheerios. I didn't know what to expect energy wise but I knew I didn't want to run right after a big breakfast. It worked out fine. I ran most of the time with only two short walks. The last portion I ran over a mile and a quarter, from just after the half way point until the finish of the three miles. More gain for me--yahoo!
I didn't work out yesterday (Thur.) at all and today is to be a day of rest too since tomorrow the schedule shows a four mile run.

Last evening our group met for an informational meeting with a nutritionist who is a runner and had a lot of specific information for us since we are training at the levels we are at and will have to build to in the next three months. She was from Parkview Hospital and provided much beneficial information. Everyone had lots of questions. I found that I am probably not getting enough carbohydrates each day. That is counter to what I have been doing to lose weight. So I will make some adjustments and increase my intake of complex carbs. I need to come down some on my protein and fat but only a small adjustment to get into the recommended levels. Daily ratios I want to target are: Carbs 60-70 % of intake. Protein 10-15%. Fat 20-30%. I have a page of notes that I need to review. Lot's of information.

FELT GOOD--KEPT GOING

Even though Monday was group workout day I couldn't resist. It was such a nice, comfortable morning so Cyndy and I walked two miles. When we gathered at the pavilion by the Jorgenson Y at 5 PM it was still a nice, comfortable afternoon but WINDY. It was to be a two mile run and after a few brief questions and answers on some things most everyone headed off on the path. I walked briefly and then began to run. It was a breeze, so to speak, with the wind at my back but the section into the wind got to me and I walked for a bit. Then when I turned I started running again and surprised myself by sustaining a long running segment. All the way until my two miles was finished. Happy happy day! It was just over a mile and that's a new level. .8 was my old longest running segment.
Tomorrow is to be a 3 mile workout day. Today is an optional so I'm resting. Have some traveling to do the next couple days too so will have to see how it all fits together. Thursday evening is a group meeting where we will have a nutritionist speak and answer questions. We have all been anxious for this.

RUNNING ON FAMILIAR TRAILS

Today was a another busy day. First here at home and then over to Ft. Wayne for a softball tournament that our grandaughter was playing in. It was at Homestead High School's sports complex which is adjacent to the trails we train on each Monday evening. Since today was to be my scheduled three mile run it worked out perfectly to get my session in. Daughter Leslye and I headed out on the trail in the late morning. I only made it a quarter mile running at the start and had to walk. After a short bit I was able to go again but only another quarter mile. My legs would just feel like they were starved for energy. I kept alternating short runs after a tenth or so mile walk and was finally able to get some momentum. I did a little better toward the end and did get in the three miles. It took about 50 minutes so I was disappointed--that was more my time a few weeks ago when I tried 3.1 miles the first time. That was before I ran the 5K in New Haven last weekend.
So today was the start of week three on the new schedule. This week I will run a two, a three, and on next Saturday a four mile run. (These are not solid running the whole distance. I wish it were but not yet for me.) Not sure how I will work it all out yet because we will be traveling on Tuesday and Wednesday.