A1A Half Marathon Wrap-up!

This was one of the best races and times we have had in a long time!

I will start with a trip down memory lane. But first……….

I decided to start Saturday morning with a soak in the hot tub!

The hot tub

 

Now, on to memory lane…..

This is the 11th Avenue Bridge. It is one of the few bridges here in South Florida, that turns instead of going up like a draw bridge. To the immediate left of this bridge, was a home owned by one of my fathers friends. He used to let me come over and crab off of his dock. Good times for sure!

The 11th Avenue bridge.

 

This is the Evergreen cemetery. It is the one of the oldest cemeteries in Broward County. Back when I was in high school, we used to jump the fence, which was lower than it is now, and have parties til all hours of the morning. The phrase was, we are having a party Saturday night…and everyone was dying to get in!

Evergreen Historic Cemetery

 

After driving around Broward County for a while, it was time to visit the Expo. As always, this Expo has just about everything you could want for running and fitness. We got our race packet, shirt, poster, sport beans, all in 40 minutes!

Expo

 

Expo

 

Expo

 

Lexus isle at the Expo.

 

Next, we took Marshall to his Aunt Rose Maries where he got to spend the weekend! After that, time to check into the hotel. When I went to get a hotel for this race, everything was booked, at least what was in our price range. So, we had to “settle” for the Ritz Carlton! The standard rate for this room was $599.00 per night……………unless……you have Marriott Rewards points! Since we use our Marriot credit card for everything, we have an abundance of points, so, 50,000 points deducted, and the room was free!! And what a room!

This has to be the best hotel room we have ever stayed at. Click on the link Ritz Carlton, just to look at the place. Below are a few pictures of our room and the view. As an aside, the service is unbelievable! Everything you want is a fingertip away!

The Bed

Bathroom vanity

The bathtub

The toilet room..with a phone………… and a TV in the bathroom!

The view from our balcony.

The view from the 7th floor pool deck.

After we settled in, we decided to have a few drinks on the patio overlooking the Intracoastal waterway. The Miami boat show was going on the same weekend, but we had our own private boat show!

Bridge opening…..

Sailboat.

A nice boat….

A real nice boat……

A really, really, really nice boat!!

After viewing our own private boat show, it was time for dinner. We decided to walk around to burn off a few drinks and ended up at the Quarterdeck Lounge. This is a place that as youngsters, we used to frequent. Maybe when you get older, you notice more, but this place was a dump. After waiting 20 minutes for service, and none ever came, and being subjected to a smoker who appeared to be in the final stages of some sort of death disease, we decided to eat elsewhere!

We walked around some more and ended up back at the hotel to see about getting dinner reservations. All booked up. We walked back down “the strip”, and ended up at the Bubba Gump Shrimp Company. Looking at the menu, there wasn’t much that appealed to me, so we moved on. Eventually, we arrived at the H20 Cafe.

The wife used her phone to look up the reviews and most were positive, so, we decided to eat here for our Valentines dinner.

We were seated immediately and our waiter asked for our drink order. My current training drink is Jose Cuervo tequila and diet Sierra Mist. It is a zero carbohydrate drink and not as fattening as my normal Tequila Sunrise. Since they had no Diet drinks of any kind, we had to improvise. Tequila, Seltzer water, lemon, lime, and Splenda!

With the drinks out of the way, time to order food.

First was the appetizer, Cozze Posilipo….which is “Mussels in a light tomato wine sauce with red onions and a touch of fresh tomato and basil.”

Cozze Posilipo
Mussels in a light tomato wine sauce with red onions and a touch of fresh tomato and basil.

This was absolutely fantastic! I was tempted to get another order, but seeing the portion size, figured the dinner would be plenty!

Speaking of which, I had the NY Strip Steak and the wife had the Risotto Champagne. Both were outstanding! I highly recommend this restaurant if you are ever in the area.

New York Strip Steak

Risotto Champagne
Risotto with baby shrimp and asparagus in a champagne cream sauce.

The view of Fort Lauderdale Beach from our dinner table!

Time to head back to the room to watch the sunset and go to bed around 8:30 pm.

Sunset…

Sunset….

Nite nite……..

What is that sound? Ah, the alarm…..it is 3:00 am!!!

Remember that hotel service I mentioned earlier?

Can you send us up a pot of hot coffee?

Although it was 20 dollars, it was worth it!!!!! And, it arrived 10 minutes after the call and was fresh and hot!!

Now it was time to bathe, get dressed, and do everything else that you have to do before you head out to a race. We made a phone call to the valet, yes, it is mandatory valet parking, and when we got downstairs, our car was waiting for us! We even picked up a girl runner who was waiting for a cab, and we offered her a ride to the race.

Five minutes later, with a little “creative” driving, all routes to and from the hotel were blocked off and I had to navigate several cones, we were at the VIP parking lot, which is at the finish line. So far, so good.

Next we got on the bus and headed to the starting line, which is normally a 15 minute ride. Unfortunately, due to construction, several of the “usual” roads were blocked off and our driver seemed to have a hard time understanding what some of us locals were trying to tell her! Eventually, we ended up near the starting line, the driver pulled off to the side of the road, and we all got off and made our way to the start.

The Starting Line!

We only had to wait 20 minutes until the Star Spangled Banner was played on a saxophone. Then the wheeled racers were off. At 6:00 am, the race started. This race, unlike the Disney races or any other race we have run, is a mass start race. Everyone gets into position by markers for their projected pace. The only issue with this is that some of the slower runners, jump to the front of the line, which, later in the race, causes some runners, to have to weave around these other runners after you catch up to them.

In any event, I preferred this start as I only had to wait 6 minutes to get to the Starting line as opposed to the half hour or more at Disney.

As I started to run, I realized that I felt really good. I had no pain and also, no tightening up of my calves. I was running effortlessly, but still trying to keep a 13:30 pace.  For the first nine miles, I never was slower than a 13:29 pace. The first 4 miles were run in an average pace of 12:55!

5K time:38:48, which is  a personal best! The view of the 5K marker, which is now a castle instead of the previous sailboat.

5K castle.

Running along, at miles four and five, the sunrise….

Sunrise…..

Now it was time to focus on running. I was running at a consistent pace, 13:04 or so for a majority of the race. At mile 10, I finally had to urinate as I had been holding it for six miles! Miles 10,11,and 12, were my slowest miles. I was fighting a toe cramp in my left foot, as well as pain in my left hip. Luckily, those pains went away and to my surprise, and I didn’t know this until I looked at the tracker later, my fastest mile was my last! Mile 13 was at a 12:51 pace!

Here are the official and unofficial results:

Endomondo:

Distance: 13.27 miles

Duration: 2:57:09

Average Pace: 13:20

 

Official time:

First Name	Last Name	Age	10k	Gun Time	Net-Time	Pace
Eric	Van De Ven	54	1:18:46	3:03:50	02:56:38	13:29

Not a personal best, but considering I was 15 pounds heavier than last year, I was only 2 minutes slower. And, no pain except for a little soreness.

Also, using the run/walk interval method and the low carbohydrate diet, I felt fresh after the race.

While waiting for the wife to finish, I took a few pictures of the beach and surrounding areas.

Fort Lauderdale beach!

More beach….

In the instruction manual of our new Canon camera, it says not to look at the lens if you are taking a picture of a bright object…like the sun!

The Bahia Mar hotel..

A cargo ship…that was probably at least a half a mile away. That zoom really does work!

Wishful thinking!

Almost there!

The finish line! I took this picture while running with the wife to the finish!

The best thing at the finish…ice cold low fat chocolate milk!!!!!!

Victory!!!

Now that the race was over, what to do? We got an extended checkout, so, went up to the room, rehydrated, and packed. We called the bellman and they took our luggage downstairs and held it for us. Meanwhile, we went to the pool patio deck and had lunch. But first, drinks!! Now that the race was over, carbohydrate fever! A Mojito for me and a Bahama Mamma for the wife!

Mojito and a Bahama Mamma!

A quick burger and Mahi Mahi sandwich..time to enjoy the view!

Bacon cheeseburger.

Mahi Mahi sandwich!

Bye bye Lauderdale…… 😦

This was a fantastic trip. No injuries and no drama..except for nearly missing the race! 😉

We are already planning for the race next year and it may be a 2-night stay this time!

Next race up….Disney Wine and Dine 2015!

 

 

 

Two weeks later……………………

This time two weeks ago, I was gearing up for what would be the worst race, performance wise, I have ever run. The good news is that I had low expectations entering the race to the extent that I didn’t know if I would finish. The fact that I finished is an accomplishment in itself!

The last two weeks I have been slowly adding distance to my training runs. I am, for all intents and purposes, starting over as far as training for the A1A Half Marathon in February goes.

The first run after the Wine and Dine was the following Sunday.

• DISTANCE:   1.46 mi
• DURATION: 18m:43s
• AVG. PACE: 12:49 min/mi

I have changed the run/walk settings on Run/Walk Interval to 45 seconds run/50 seconds walk. As I get faster, I will change the settings, but for now, I want to get to at least 10 miles with these settings and stay in the 12 minute mile pace range.

The next run was this Thursday.

• DISTANCE:   3.29 mi
• DURATION: 43m:15s
• AVG. PACE: 13:10 min/mi

This run was at a slower pace, but getting used to the new settings is always a bit of an issue.

Todays run, Saturday, was the best so far since completing the Wine and Dine race.

• DISTANCE:   4.25 mi
• DURATION: 52m:54s
• AVG. PACE: 12:27 min/mi

I could have gone to five miles, but I had to return to the home as the wife had to leave. The good news about this run, is that since I started taking Potassium, my cramping issues seem to have been resolved. Also, I am only running with four bottles of water/Gatorade. That removes a little weight as normally I run with 8 bottles. Speaking of weight, I ran the Wine and Dine race at a staggering 251 pounds! Since we have returned, my weight has gone down to 239 pounds as of today. I am going to continue to run, cross train, and stay on the Atkins diet. The goal is to lose another 39 pounds by February.

The biggest issue for me, is that when I can’t train, I resort to poor eating habits, which adds weight very quickly. Dealing with the pain of injuries also is an issue as alcohol seems to quell the pain the best! Unfortunately, it is also responsible for a lot of weight gain!

I plan on two runs next week as it is Thanksgiving, then back to two or three runs a week. Short runs during the week and a long run on Sunday mornings. This is in preparation for the A1A race which unlike the Disney races, is in the morning…Sunday, February 15, 2015 morning to be exact! 🙂

The next update should be in two weeks barring something spectacular!

Wine and Dine 1/2 Marathon 2014 (race day)

It would appear, that Thursday night dinner would be the high-point for this weekend!

Marshall was a bit Grumpy when he woke up this morning and wanted to “postpone the run until he was better rested”!

We loaded up and drove to Wide World of Sports for the Kids races.

The required picture under the ball at Wide World of Sports!

Marshall ready to run…..He is getting some last minute advise from his coach!

A few trips through the obstacle course, and Marshall was warmed up!

Marshall finishing. If he didn’t trip at the start, he might have finished first in his wave!

Marshall and EJ at the finish.

Now it was time to take Marshall to his grandparents. We got back to the room and ate and tried to rest.

As I was on a gluten-free and mostly low carbohydrate diet, I made six cheeseburgers before we left. They came in handy for race fuel!

We got ready and headed to the bus in front of the hotel at 7:00. We arrived at around 7:45.

We mingled with some friends and got a picture taken:

The air was crisp, temperature around 65 degrees, and a slight wind…..when we arrived at Wide World of Sports!

That changed.

Right around 9:45, it started to rain. Just a slight drizzle. It never stopped!!!!

On to the race……

I was using the backup phone wrapped in a sandwich bag. The apps running were: Endomondo, Run/Walk interval, and Winamp for music.

The Motorola wireless headphones were also used.

Mommy ready to race!

Yours Truly

And we are off………………………………

The Start

Right off the bat, I knew this would be a slow race. Between the large amount of participants, especially in the corral I was in, I knew I would be lucky to finish this race.

Mile                            Pace

Mile 1:                     14:55

Mile 2:                     13:33

Mile 3:                     13:26      Fastest lap! But, problems developed!!! 😦

Mile 4:                     13:56

Mile 5:                     14:02

Mile 6:                     14:13

Mile 7:                     15:01

Mile 8:                     14:41

Mile 9:                     15:05

Mile 10:                  15:31  More problems!!!!!!

Mile 11:                   15:55

Mile 12:                   16:11

Mile 13:                    16:51

Endomondo:      3:13;20     Pace: 15:04

Chip time:            3:21:37     Pace: 15:23

Considering the conditions, and the fact that I weighed 245 pounds at race start, I guess I can live with the results.

Problem one developed right after mile three. The insert inside my shoes, started to move and eventually, was crinkled up under my foot. I tightened up the laces on my right shoe, and that seemed to solve the problem, for that foot! The left shoe, however, was still having problems all the way to the end of the race. I tightened the laces three more times and it got better, but about every mile and a half, I had to stop, take off my shoe, straighten out the insert and re-install it. This cut into my time.

Problem two developed around mile 11. I get a warning that my battery is low in my headphones. Shortly thereafter, no headphones!! I managed to finish by counting on my fingers to forty for the run intervals and 50 for the walk intervals. At some point, it was quiet enough where I could hear the commands from the phone speaker. So could everyone else!

Problem three: While tying my shoes around mile eleven, I got a cramp in my left calf! Great!! The previous races “up north” I have cramped badly. This race I took special care to prevent that from happening. I was taking potassium, drinking a bunch of water and Gatorade, and doing everything to prevent cramping. The good news, was that when I got up to run, the cramps went away. The bad news, I had to adjust the insert three more times! Each time, I feared the cramps would return, but they didn’t. 🙂

After I crossed the finish line, I grabbed my bag and headed to the after-party. I met my wife and we decided that since I was shaking uncontrollably, we should go back to the warmth of our room! Once back to the room, I took a hot shower and then crawled under the covers!!

The aftermath………………………

As with all of these races, it is a battle between your mind and body. Your body keeps trying to find ways for you to go and lay down. Your mind says no. This year, the mind won as going into this race, I didn’t know if I would finish. After the race, I am pain-free. Nothing hurts and I could go out for a run today. I have never felt this good after a race. No pain in the shins, no pain in the knee or feet. I am actually quite surprised as after the race, due to the awkward running style caused by the failed insert, my left knee hurt. Sunday it felt fine and today, you couldn’t even tell I just ran one of the toughest half marathons in my life!

What’s ahead?

Depending on what happens regarding the wife, she fell at mile three, hurt her knee, and continued to mile 7, before finally surrendering to the pain, the next run will either be a local 5K and/or the A1A half marathon in February.

I wish to thank all of those who cheered us on at the event, and those that have wished us well on the blog, and Facebook pages.

Stay tuned……training resumes Tuesday! 🙂

 

 

 

The pain at wounded knee returns…………………………….

For those that follow this blog as well as my friends, you are all aware of my damaged left knee. For those that aren’t, the gory details can be found here: The Pain at Wounded Knee.

The long and short of it is, due to a botched surgery in 1998, I ended up tearing my ACL, MCL, PCL, meniscus and cartilage. In other words, just about as bad a knee injury that there is.

A timeline for surgery has been established at roughly every five years. The last surgery in 2010 was extensive and, there was a piece of something, lodged in the back of my knee. On occasion, this piece would wander around and every once in a while, lock up my knee. A little massage and the knee was back to normal. This never occurred when running so, I kept running. Unfortunately, other issues have shown up like the massive stress fractures in both legs, the broken bone spur in my left foot, and recently, the partial tear of my Achilles tendon in my right leg.

Monday night while sleeping if you can call it that, as there are a whole host if things that go “bump” in the night around here, starting with the blood curdling scream from our son at 2 am, followed by Samantha massaging my bladder and then ending with Sophia with her big head and loud purr in my face at 4 am, the wife was somewhat surprised to hear loud screaming coming from our bedroom, from me!!

Whatever the wandering piece of debris was, it has now broken free from its mooring and wandered its way into the middle of my knee. I couldn’t move my left leg below my knee in either direction. The pain was intense and for those that know me, that is a lot of pain! After 20 minutes of massage, I was able to move my knee a little bit. Yesterday, it was swollen and very stiff. Today, it locked up on me at the gym….which I would expect if I was working out legs, not chest and arms!

In two weeks, I am attending my annual golf tournament in Sebring, Fl. This will be the 20th year for this event. The question is, “How am I going to play 100 holes of golf…when I can barely walk”? I could pay Dr. Baylis a visit, but he will say two things. 1) You need another surgery to clean this knee out. 2) Stop running. I can deal with the first statement, but not the second. He may also say something else which I do not want to hear, and that is, that the time has come, to stop prolonging the inevitable.

When I first saw Dr. Baylis in 1998, he told me then that if we were extremely lucky, we would be able to prolong the eventual knee replacement for possibly 20 years. If my math is correct, we are at year 16. Can another surgery be done to get to 20 years? When will it have to be done? That is the big question!

If I get the surgery done after Spring Lake, the 3rd week in August, it will take approximately six weeks to recover, depending on how bad things are. That will put me into October which would allow me 5 weeks of training for the Disney Wine and Dine Half Marathon. Although I ran the A1A Half Marathon with virtually no training, at least the Wine and Dine was only two months prior to that race. It will be at minimum, 8 months since the last run if I start training in October. I could always defer the race until next year, but by then, who knows what will happen. I still have torn meniscus in my right knee to correct at some point in time. I could also just run with my wife at the Wine and Dine, and end the running career after that…………….

The next month will be very interesting so stay tuned!!

It’s that time………………………….

I am sorry it has been a while since I last posted!

We are almost done getting settled into the new home. We get our sectional next Monday! 🙂

Our home in the (954) is rented, so that will help with the added income. The boat is resting comfortably in the storage facility until a spot opens up at the community boat storage in our development. A few odds and ends, some touch up paint, and I will be done with both houses! A few hundred dollars in parts, and the boat will be tip-top. That means, that finally, I will be able to concentrate on work and running! 🙂

Speaking of running, it has been verified via an MRI, that I have some torn meniscus in my right knee as well as some type of cyst. This injury took place prior to last years Wine and Dine race. The good news, is that my doctor said as long as you can tolerate the pain, go ahead and run and bike! I am sure there will be a surgery somewhere down the road, but, at least now, I can train for the Disney Wine and Dine 1/2 marathon in November. I am thinking of waiting for surgery until after February of 2015, as that, if I don’t sustain any more injuries, will be the A1A Marathon!

Our Disney Guru, Jennifer Upton has already secured our rooms for the W&D, so all that remains is training. 🙂

I think I have found a suitable gym nearby, but if not, a Golds Gym is opening up in May right over the bridge. Time to build a little muscle, then start the running portion of my training program. I will also be continuing the Atkins diet all the way through the A1A Marathon.

 

Stay tuned……………………………………………..

RACE WEEK!!!!!!

At long last, race week is here!

I am hoping tapering off will help me to a faster time for this race.

The goal is 2:30.  We will see how close I get to that.

After the race, I’ll post an update and a review.

So far, we have spent a lot of time at the Wine and Dine festival…….mostly the Wine portion! Tonight at dinner will be the last of that, probably a glass or two, then tomorrow will be in race mode.

Stay tuned!

The monthly update!

It is really hard to believe how fast the days go by! Almost a month since the last post!

To start with, I am adjusting to playing Mr. Mom. Things are not quite as hectic as I have figured out the key words to get young Marshall out of the house on time. The wife is beginning to get a little bored with the hour drive each way to work, but, she loves her new job.

Speaking of work, that four-letter word has been haunting me! I have already started to break into the Stuart/Palm City market and am averaging one inspection a week there. By the time we move, I should be doing three inspections a week and fishing two days a week!  Still on the house hunt and waiting for one of two options to open up. We are thinking of buying a home that is a little larger than this one, moving in, then selling this home and buying a rental property….or three! I figure with three rentals, that should pay the mortgage on whatever home we decide on and put a few bucks in the bank! The other option is to buy our “dream house” on the water..which we haven’t found yet!  Next year will be a big year!

Meanwhile, on the body front, I am finally pain-free, well as pain-free as a soon to be 53 year-old can be! I managed to play my first round of golf in almost a year, and aside from a twinge or two of pain in my right shoulder, everything feels pretty good. Only got in 9 holes, but, hey, you have to start somewhere! In three weeks I have four days of golf so we will see how much pain I am in then. 🙂

September brings the long-awaited return to running!!!! I am really excited as I have a bunch of new nutritional information as well as running information to test out. I am planning on a gluten-free, low-carbohydrate, no fructose/lactose diet as the wife has informed my the these items may be contributing to some other “issues” I seem to be having. Getting old sucks!!!

Until next month………………………………… 🙂

 

Update and Friend Making Monday!

The update is, that we will be moving next month!!

It looks like our move next year has been hastened by the four hours of driving time between my wife and myself and the $1,200.00 fuel bill last month!

We will be moving to either Stuart of Palm City where we will rent for a year to get the “lay of the land” then, sell our home here and buy up there. In the meantime, we will be renting our home here in Coconut Creek.

As the boat will be moved soon, it was time for some repairs. First, the complete flush of the tilt/trim motor fluid and now the motor goes up and down, like it should. Next, a set of tires for the trailer and then a little engine and canopy work, and the Mako will be back in action!

I have cancelled my membership at the gym and July will be my last month there. In Palm city, they have a 24 hour fitness!!

On the running front, the left leg is completely healed and there is no pain in my right leg. It is probably 80% healed so, it looks like training will resume in September. There is a running store in Stuart and also I have access to physical therapy, to prevent any further injury. It appears as though the stock $29.95 shoes from Target are the best shoes to walk around in. Those inserts I got from Sports Authority never made it back to the store, fortunately for me as they are now in these shoes. That appears to be helping in the recovery!

It looks like the size 12 shoes in the neutral pronation will be my new shoes. We will see what the running store gurus have to say.

August is a big month. My annual golf tournament, Marshall gets his tubes out and his annual brain scan, then….off to school for him!

I can’t wait until September!!!!

And now, courtesy of my friend Kenlie, Friend Making Mondays!

Ten Simple Questions

1. When you looked at yourself in the mirror today, what was the first thing you thought?  Why am I here?

2. Do you prefer to pay for things with cash or plastic? I use the credit card for everything..we get rewards points for our Marriott and Disney cards! 🙂

3. What is one word that you use too often? It is a phrase, “In the end”..

4. Who is the last person outside of your family who said “I love you” to you?  My friend Paul…a “survivor”!

5. When was the last time you wrote a letter to someone and mailed it?About 25 years ago.

6. Have you ever been called upon for jury duty?  Yes.

7.  How many keys are on your key ring?  None! The Durango has a start button and a key fob. I do have 150 of those plastic things for every store imaginable!

8.  List two characteristics that you want to change about yourself. I wish I could relax a little more…..

9.  Do you bring your own shampoo and conditioner when you travel, or do you use what the hotel provides? Yes, but they are in Disney bottles!!

10. What is your birthstone?  Do you like it?  Peridot, some sort of green stone. It is what it is. I’d prefer either Ruby or Amethyst.

Now it’s your turn to answer this week’s questions.  Don’t forget to come back and link up in the comments!  Happy Monday, friends……

It’s Hump Day!!

Today is Wednesday…the supposed middle of the week! This feels like the longest week of the year. Possibly, because I am waiting to hear what hopefully will be good news from my doctor tomorrow. It certainly doesn’t feel like good news is coming my way, but I can still hope for the best.

The pain in my leg seems to be located in my ankle, knee, and the center of my leg bones. I don’t think I broke everything, but then again………………………

Yesterdays food diary:

April 23, 2013

FOODS	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Cholest	Sodium	Sugars	Fiber
Breakfast
Jones All Natural Golden Brown – Breakfast Sausage Link-Fully Cooked, 4 Links	333	1g	32g	9g	60mg	507mg	0g	0g
Lunch
Boar’s Head – Black Forest Ham, 2 oz – 28.3 g	60	2g	1g	10g	30mg	440mg	2g	0g
Kraft – Sharp Cheddar Cheese Block, 1 oz	120	0g	10g	6g	30mg	180mg	0g	0g
Dinner
Cabbage – Raw, 0.25 cup, chopped	5	1g	0g	0g	0mg	4mg	1g	1g
Chicken Breast – Barbecue Chicken Breast (No Skin), 100 g	150	0g	4g	22g	0mg	0mg	0g	0g
Snacks
Kraft – Pepper Jack Natural Cheese Kraft 3 oz Pkg, 1 oz (1/3 pkg)	110	1g	9g	7g	30mg	190mg	0g	0g
Claussen Pickles – Kosher Dill Halves, 1/2 pickle half	5	1g	0g	0g	0mg	270mg	0g	0g
Liquids
Lipton – Decaffeinated Tea Bags, 3 Tea Bag	0	0g	0g	0g	0mg	0mg	0g	0g
TOTAL:	783	6g	56g	54g	150mg	1,591mg	3g	1g

Yesterday was a light day, and it was by accident. I’ll have to eat more today!!

Off to work…everyone have a great day!!

Tuesday run….

After what happened Monday at the Boston Marathon, it is truly a very sad day for runners and the human race. The cowardly act to injure innocent bystanders, most, waiting for their spouses or friends to finish the most prestigious race in the word, is to me, beyond belief. And that’s all I have to say about that.

Here is a site: Runners United, where you can sign up to run 26.2 miles virtually. Last night, after working all day and prior to dinner, I got my first 3.1 miles in. Here are the results:

Mile 1: 10:48 <——————–WOW!

Mile 2: 12:33

Mile 3: 13:00

Total: 3.14 miles                                 Time:   38: 15                                       Average pace: 12:11

As you can see, mile one I was a little amped up! That could be my fastest pace to date. I decided as I have a race Saturday, I slowed down the pace for the last two miles. I also had to mess around with the phone as several apps stopped working! It looks like this may be the last race for the Atrix2! Speaking of electronics, my replacement headphones arrived today. These are much different from the other ones as these are just ear buds and then the wireless part is just a cable instead of a solid band. They sound better…let’s see how long they last. 🙂

Today is work and cleaning up some chores around the house. Tomorrow will be some maintenance work on the Durango and then a 3 or 5 mile run Thursday. Friday is an off day and then, off to the “lake” to get our race package and then dinner. Speaking of food, since switching to the Atkins diet Sunday, I have lost 7 1/2 pounds! Hopefully, I can lose 4 or 5 more and get to 225 pounds for this race. For whatever reason, I feel better on a low carbohydrate diet. I don’t know how that is going to work out in a 13.1 mile race, but I was reading that there are several taking this approach as some of us have plenty of fat stores!! 🙂

Thursdays run will be posted and then updates from the race.

Everyone, enjoy the rest of the week!