A bit of background, perhaps, in order here. I was always more of a nerd than an athlete, but did manage to play soccer and thus run a lot when I was younger, which I continued (running, that is) off an on for many years. This despite the fact that I have been as much as a 3-pack a day but more generally about a pack-a-day unfiltered Camel smoker since college (with a couple of breaks, but probably no more than 5 of those 30 years off in total). I never really thought anything of finishing a run or even a race -- i did a number of 10k's over the years -- with a cigarette.
But then i developed a thyroid issue that caused my doc's to tell me to stop running, and it took a real long time to resolve, so i haven't really run at all in something like 7 years.
Well last year they got that thyroid thing under control, and I've had this nagging sense that i need to get off the couch and start running again. of course, from there to actually doing it is something else altogether. Late last year I had this inspiration that I would sign up for a marathon (which I've never even attempted but always wanted to) which would serve the multiple purpose of giving me a reason to train consistently and even to quit smoking (though I told myself first I'd start running, and when/if it felt like the smoking was interfering, then I'd tackle the smoking thing).
A huge blessing in this process has, by the way, been the mapmyrun app for the iphone. I love the way it logs my runs -- keeping me honest -- and even keeps me on pace while i'm running. just a plug here; it's probably no better than any of the suunto or garmin running watches with gps capability, but free or close to it.
anyway, i dipped my toe, so to speak, late last year when i went out to the local running store and bought myself a good pair of shoes (one thing i learned the hard way years ago was that cheap shoes are a surefire ticket to injury). then i was on vacation and had access to a gum with treadmills for a week and got myself in (almost) every day. i wanted to -- needed to -- start slow, so it was just for around 20 minutes a day, alternating between walking and jogging pace (with a whole lot of walking, to be perfectly honest) but felt good. by the end of the week i was at least able to handle a 5 or 6 minute stretch of running at around 8 minute mile pace.
then i got home from that vacation, and it was cold out, and i couldn't figure out a schedule when to run, and frankly i discovered the hills in my neighborhood were a lot harder to handle than a treadmill, so i was pretty erratic in my efforts. i'd go out for a couple of days, then nothing for a week or more. never covering more than 2 miles, and even then doing a lot of walking, even a quarter mile at a decent pace was a struggle.
so, i thought, maybe these old lungs aren't handling the smoking/running thing as well as they did when i was younger. so on the day that i registered for the marine corps marathon, i also bought a box of patches instead of a pack of camels. that was around six weeks ago.
since then, i've discovered that i can run consistently when i don't try to force myself to wake up at 5 to squeeze in a run before work, but instead run around 10 or later at night. that breakthrough has done wonders for my sticking to a regular routine and not skipping days. i've been following a hybrid of training plans (in the 'couch potato to marathon in 6 months or less' genre) trying to get out several days a week at least, alternating with weight training to strengthen my quads so i don't develop knee troubles again, slowly adding miles, walking instead of riding the bus to work (around 1.75 mi each way) when the weather's nice. these past few weeks i think i've run 4 days a week, and the progess is both noticeable and frankly, making me more willing to keep it up.
last weekend i pushed too hard and tried a long run of nearly 5 1/2 miles; it started with a very long (2mi?) seemingly gentle downhill that killed my shins that hurt on the way home (i can do a gentle uphill no problem, it seems, but down is much harder) and i still can't do the big hills on my loop without walking at least partway, though i'm getting much closer to the top these days. a mile, mile and a half before pausing for a walking bit to catch my breath is pretty common too, which is a far sight better than when i started. last night i went out for what i told myself would be just a quick one, it started to pour just a few minutes in but instead of heading home i pressed on, did a really good 3 miles with just a couple of walking pauses, feeling great at the end. at this point that 3 mile length is a good barometer of how i'm feeling, it seems. i'm amazed at how easy that is compared to just a month or two ago. i've forced myself to slow down which is helping my endurance (if not my ego) substantially...i'd been running around 7 1/2 - 8 mph pace which forced me to walk a lot, now i'm running at more like a 9-10 minute pace and so walk far less. the plan is to continue building both how long i can run without walking, how long i can stay out, and my pace, but leaving the pace for last.
anyway, i thought i'd start putting occasional notes to myself here to supplement the data logs that the phone is collecting, we'll see how long that lasts....
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