7/31/04 - Saturday

Saturday - 70 cloudy. Humid. 5 miles. Drank OJ had a yogurt and one GU pack. Longest of the runs so far, really no big deal have done 5 miles b4. Carlos came down to the pond with me convinced him to run slower. After a 1/4 mile slow warm up off we went... I took the longer route he took the shorter. I started out way to quickly and it did not feel good. Slowing up made me feel much better (duh). As I came back onto the main trail I met up with Carlito again, happy to see him keeping a decent pace and not sucking wind. I settled into a decent pace of 9:30-10:30, I have resigned myself to running a little faster on these shorter runs.. I still feel good cardio wise, and will definitely slow down on the longer runs. Did a brief .3 mile sprint at the end felt good. Very sweaty today but I think I stayed pretty hydrated. Well another week down 14 to go! 16 miles this week.

7/29/04 - Thursday

Thursday – 4:00pm. Mid 80’s sunny 4 miles. Physically felling well, the back has not been adversly affected by the running so far. Kept close by again today, same route as the last time out. Legs felt as if I had 2 twenty pound turkeys strapped to my legs. After about a mile everything loosened up and I felt very machine like.. running smooth and free. That kept up for the rest of the run. I opened it up for as sprint towards the end, that felt real good since I haven’t done that since the 10K in June. My pace still a little quick but comfortable (9:45). One GU pack water a n GU2O in my fuelbelt… being diligent with consumeing liquid every 15 minutes. Completed in just under 40:00.

7/27/04 - Tuesday

Tuesday – 8:30am. 60’s and overcast. 4 miles. Woke up @ 8:00 and really debated with myself about running b4 I go to work. This was a real test of fortitude, I could easily just relax b4 getting ready for work, eat breakfast have coffee watch sportscenter, Charmed and Ellen (Guilty pleasure. She is funny!). Knowing it was only a 40 minute run I got up took care of Opie and drank some OJ and sucked down a GU packet. This was my first back to back run, and would test me a bit. Nothing more than  alittle stiff loosened up quickly. Ran a slow warm up around Windridge and head back onto Lakes.. was like déjà vu all over gain. It was cool and clammy out but all felt pretty good. After all was done I felt good and was real happy I did it.. I passed my first test! I indeed do have some discipline, now I have to keep that up for 15 more weeks. Oh yeah still had time for Ellen! Also Witches of Eastwick was on, really wanted to keep watching but work was calling.

7/26/04 - Monday

Monday- 4:00pm mid to high 70’s overcast. 3 miles. Took a short nap after work and prepared to head out for a short 3 miler.. it’s nice to call 3 miles short, I feel as though I can do it with my eyes closed, something I couldn’t say at the beginning of the year. Today I headed out the door and turned right onto Lakes, first time I have taken this route. Ran 1.5 miles toward Greenwood Lake and back. This was good test for the GPS watch to see if it measured both way the same. I got a signal of low sattelite signal a few time but happily it measured both way almost identical with in a 100 feet. Again I had trouble keeping my pace down… decided not to fight it for now. Trying to get used to drinking every 15 minutes or so whether I feel I need to or not. Still am disturbed by road kill, why can’t these Racoons stay out of the road? Lord knows there is plenty of woods. Runing on Lakes didn’t seem dangerous to my body but the smell of exhaust can’t be good for the lungs.. and they say running is good for you. Overall all is well.

7/24/04 - Saturday

Saturday, 11:30am. Low 70's partly cloudy, dry. 4 Miles. Pretty nice day to run, went down to the pond, ran the longest way around then the second longest then around the large pond once. Busy day at the pond, none of the regular spots left.. ended up parking at the bagel place which was stupid cause there were plenty of spots on the road around the pond. Didn't need to drink as much but has my fuelbelt with me anyway. Pretty uneventul run, felt pretty good. Ran too fast though pacing was around 9:40 and finsihed the 4 miles under 40 minutes. I tried slowing down but seemed my body wanted to go faster. I have to get used to the feel of 10-10:30/mile. I don't belive I can keep up that pace for 26.2 miles. I don't mind the quicker pace with these shorter runs, but the during the long runs I'll burn out. Was starving after, TG for the bagel place's close proximity.

7/22/04 – Thursday

4 miles, 5:00pm. Sunny Hot 86 humid. It was either a good experiment, or a little stupid, but it was HOT out today and maybe I should have waited to run. I have to open at work tomorrow and I tend to not want to run late then straight home shower and hit the sack. So with that in mind I set out to do these 4 miles in the general area. I did a loop going around Windridge, out onto lakes and into Lake Hill Farms. This route is certainly hillier than the pond which is pretty flat. In the long run (no pun intended) getting some hills in is a good idea. Left the heart monitor at home, now I only looked a little like a dork! Body felt a little stiff at the get go, the heat of the day warmed me up real quick and in turn loosened me up. It was tough 4 miles today, possibly from the heat but also from unknowing of the route and having underestimated the mileage and ended up back at home about .3 miles short, had to loop around the block once. I didn’t stop sweating for about an hour after I stopped. One packet of GU and 18 oz of GU2O during the run. 4miles 40 minutes. Tougher than the last 4 miles but not bad. 10:03 avg. pace pushed a little more spending time in the 9:00’s. Side note road kill is really disgusting to run past.

7/20/04 - Tuesday

7/20/04 – Tuesday. 4 miles. 6:00pm. Sunny warm, 82 some humidity. Back down to the pond for this 4 miler. I taught class this afternoon so this run should really test my back. Running with my Iriver, fuelbelt, HR monitor and GPS, I think I must look like a dork but I am prepared. The fuelbelt was loaded up with Gatorade, and I had one GU packet b4 I left the house. Had a huge lunch hour’s b4 of risotto so I have plenty of fuel in me. Legs felt a little heavy at the start, they eased out, no back pain. Kept up a 10-10:30 pace thru out, was in the 8:00’s briefly. 4 miles a little over 40:00 minutes. Overall a good run.

7/18/04 - Sunday

7/18/04 – Sunday. 3 miles. 10:00am. Cloudy 70’s and a little drizzle. Ran down at Goose Pond with Carlos and Pammy, this was my first run of my marathon training. I am still convincing myself running a marathon is a good idea. Wondering how my back will hold up. Feeling good this morning didn’t eat much, some yogurt and some GU, drank gu2o also on the way to the park. My run felt good beginning to end, no pain anywhere in the body that’s both good an unusual. It was nice to have some one to run with especially for the cool down. Pace was between 10:00-10:30. So 3 miles down, 340 something to go... hopefully I will stop counting.