Feeling good

I didn't look at my schedule, and I accidentally ran 45 minutes. That's OK -- it was a nice, easy run. No pain, no problems. Two trail loops. I ate afteward and weighed myself, and it was 184.8. I plan to lower that slowly and surely.

So tomorrow, no run -- track meet at Mediapolis. Then Tuesday, the 10 1-minute 5K effort repeats, with 2-minute jog between, for a total of about 40 minutes. Then Wednesday, 15 minutes, then Thursday, no run. Then Friday, 35 minutes with form exercises.

Yesterday, I ran about 15 minutes on the trails around Jenny's place. Friday morning, at 5:15 a.m., I ran 35 minutes. It was also nice and relaxed. No pain at all.

222 miles on shoes

Coming up

Friday -- 30 minutes in the morning.

Saturday -- Walk

Sunday --
5-minute warmup

10 x 1-minute 5K effort (2 minutes easy between reps)

5-minute cooldown (40 minutes total)

Monday -- Off

Tuesday -- 35 minutes

Wednesday -- 1.5 miles

Thursday -- Run 10 minutes, then 4 strides

• Schoolyard skipping (easy exaggerate motion, loose arms), 40 yards, jog back, run stride of 40 yards, then walk back.
• High skipping (drive vertical, exaggerate arms up), 40 yards, jog back, run stride of 40 yards, then walk back.
• Walking marching (walk, high knees, land flat-footed), 20 yards? jog back, run stride of 40 yards, then walk back.
• High knees (stay on toes, vertical motion), jog back, run stride of 40 yards, then walk back.
• Bounding (hopping from one foot to the other, in style, like Superman), jog back, run stride of 40 yards, then walk back.
• Shuffling (very shhort steps, very quick, keep upper body loose), 20-30 yards, jog back, run stride of 40 yards, then walk back.
• Butt kicks (stay on toes, flick foot back)

Then easy 20 minutes

Friday -- Off

Saturday -- 45 minutes

Sunday -- Off

Hilly run in CJ

I did the Columbus City loop tonight, running solid, but feeling a bit heavy. Then I finished with a mile on the track, in lane 8, in about 10 minutes or so. 35 minutes of running, probably 4 miles. It was tough.

Monday, I ran exactly 30 minutes, probably 3.3 miles.

212 miles

good run on grass

I felt good after getting warmed up yesterday -- I started a little sore and then got going on a cool morning on the grass at Eastlake Park. 30 minutes -- probably 3.3 miles.

205 miles

Spectacular day

Today I was tired after practice and felt sort of dead-legged, but I came home and ran 3.7 miles. It was a nice, strong pace for so early in my program. I ran 32:48 (8:51 pace), including 8:34 pace the second half of the run. My course was north on Grande Ave., turn at the prison, wind around the circular drive near the MHI, then out and east on Deerpath? out to the Aldi's road (1.85 miles) and back. I like the run. Not a lot of traffic, scenic. It was a beautiful day and night -- just adding to this spectacular week of weather.

Yesterday, I ran the half-mile warmup with the team, then to Eli's and back (1 mile) for a total of 1.5 miles. Just a jog.

Tuesday, I eased up from my tough Sunday run. I did the half-mile warmup, then the 1.5 miles to Chataqua Park and back for a total of 2 miles. Again, very easy.

Sunday, it was close to 4 miles. I ran to the road that goes to the compost pile and back. Had a little problem with the outside of the right achilles area coming back, but I stopped and stretched it and it felt better.

Miles on shoes -- 202

Strong run on grass

On a beautiful night, 70-plus, a little breeze, I drove to Eastlake Park and ran some laps on the grass of the driving range and soccer fields. I did one 6:30 shorter lap, then 6:47 longer lap, followed 6:46, 6:39 and 6:39. Nice and steady, not the easiest pace for me, as I try to build up my aerobic conditioning. 33:30.

Then I ran 4 20-second strides on the grass next to the tennnis courts. I worked on form, lifiting my knees, using my arms, staying relaxed. It felt great. My knee hurt just a little afterwards, but it was a great run.

Miles on shoes -- 191

Run in the mist

It was a cool, 45-ish degree day, and the mist shrouded the air. I felt great running my 34 minutes, 13 seconds. The route was up Linden Drive (I felt great going up the hill), then out over the interstate and a loop around eastlake park, and back to the bike path and around the high school and back home down grande avenue. About 3 3/4 miles, and everything f eels fairly easy. The wind blew into my face (from the northwest) as I came back on grande -- that was the hardest part of the run. I'm very happy with where I am; in fact, I am very grateful to be able to run -- period -- and especially grateful to be able to run as easily as I have been since April 1 when I came back from my injury.

Miles on shoes -- 187.5