Summer Reading Update

For the month of June:

The End of Over Eating - David Kessler, MD

In Defense of Food - Michael Pollan

A slow month, but things will pick up on Tuesday since I'll be spending some time on an airplane!

Curious...

Okay, I gotta ask - whoever it is that is frequently visiting the ol' blog from Harrison Township, MI, leave a comment so I might know who it is! Please!

The State of the Runner

Since it's the start of the second half of 2009, and I'm starting another cycle of training I thought it would be the perfect time to sit down and look at the last two years and see if it would tell me anything.

So I'm looking at July through June 2007-2008 compared with the same time frame for 2008-2009. Why? Well that time period of 2007-2008 I was on top of my running game. I ran two half marathons in 2007 (2:14:57 in Cincy at the Flying Pig and 1:57:08 in Grand Rapids - still my current PR) and cut 17:49 off my PR. Then in May of 2008 I ran a 50:35 10k and ran my first marathon (Grandma's) in 4:39:41. Not too shabby of a year.

Now, turn and look at the same period in 2008-2009 and it's a whole different story. I got sick last summer then proceeded to deal with injury after setback after injury. Attempted to run two more marathons that resulted in a horrible performance in Chicago and the DNF in Toledo and that is a pretty good statement on that year.

Now to look at some numbers comparing the training for those time periods.

First up is a graph showing my monthly totals.

Big differences there over the time frame. December and January I did okay, but everything looks like I fell off a cliff.

Big drop off there no? That's a 318 mile difference from one year to the next (1433 to 1115) and going back to the graph above where did that take place? October-December and January to now.

Now if you look at my monthly and weekly averages:

A drop off of 26.5 miles from 2007-2008 to 2008-2009 or as the next graph illustrates

just where the difference is - miles per week. That's a difference there of just about 5 miles per week. It doesn't sound like much, but it adds up.

So what's the purpose of all this? To illustrate that consistency is king. In order to get myself back to where I was in 2007-2008 with my running (and fitness wise and other physical components like weight, and mentally, and etc, etc) I need to do one thing and one thing only:

RUN.

The thing is I'm doing a better job of that recently. Out of 30 days, and 26 scheduled runs I ran 22 times in June. Two of those four extra off days were at my physician's orders so I really only skipped two runs. If I can keep that up along with just completing the mileage on my training plan each day and week I'll be back to that 2007-2008 version of me before I know it.

Yet Again

I am officially back in training. I think I've finally gotten all that ailed me under control as I've been logging miles pretty damn consistently in June (in fact this month has been my best month running in the last year - more on that in a post in a few days).

So, what is it I'm training for? The Grand Rapids Half Marathon, Oct 18. I've had great success with this race in the past, and it can't be beat sleeping in your own bed the night before a race. Word has it they are changing the course this year as well, so I'm pretty excited. Plus it fits nicely into the work schedule and the grand running plan (also more on that in a few days).

This time around I'm following this plan from Brad Hudson's book:

I've got my fingers crossed that this summer is going to be a good one as far as running and everything else goes.

The Green Monster

Doesn't that just look yummy? What is it you ask? It's a green smoothie, aka a green monster.

What's in it? Standard smoothie fare: fruit such as pineapple, banana, strawberry, and/or blueberries. Soy milk (or regular moo-milk if you like), maybe some peanut or almond butter, and some sugar.

What makes it green? Spinach. Or Kale, or chard, but spinach is the best.

I know, I know you're probably thinking: WTF? You drink that? We do, and in fact they've become a morning staple. They don't taste any different than a regular smoothie, provide just about your daily recommendation of fruits and veggies and seem to stick with ya in a good way. Just another way to eat a little cleaner and put all the yummy greens from our CSA to a good use.

New Addition

On Friday, June 5, 2009, I bid farewell to a constant in my life. I mentioned here that I gave my Saturn to my niece as a graduation gift and with that gift I gave her the only car I've ever owned - bought it right after I finished grad school and it's been with me the last 12 years. Those 12 years included a cross country move (me, Tonya, our cat, and enough stuff to make it a few months) that provided good memories and some really good stories. It had license plates from Tennessee, Oregon, and Michigan and now it's probably in the hands of it's last driver - I'm thinking she'll get at least 5-6 more good years out of it.

So that left us with the dilemma of what to replace it with....'cause as much as we'd like to, us being a one car family isn't quite as easy as it sounds on paper.

Drum roll please.....here it is:

yep, a 2009 Ford Escape, so I guess that officially makes us a Ford family considering we already have the Explorer.

Not That Long Left

21 days until the PNW...and yes, the excitement is starting to build!

Weekend Recap

1. I forgot how much it sucks to spend 5.5 hours in a car driving to Ohio by yourself.

2. I forgot just how cramped my Saturn was.

3. I got to make my niece very, very, very happy.

4. Spent some time with my parents - always a plus.

5. I got to see some people from high school that I haven't seen in a long time. Fun time.

6. T and I are a one car family for awhile.

There ya go, that was the weekend in a nutshell. Bottom line is this: we sold my Saturn to my sister and then proceeded to give it to my niece, who is starting college in the fall - man, do I feel old now. The look of surprise/joy/freedom on her face Friday when she opened the box with the keys in it was phenomenal and worth every minute of the boring, uncomfortable drive on Thursday afternoon.

Road Trip!!!!

Heading to Cincinnati in about an hour.  Get to see all the family while helping my niece celebrate her high school graduation.

Then we get to hang out with some people from high school (most of which I haven't seen in oh, 8-18 years) which could go either way.  No, it will be a fun time.

Okay...the road is calling.  Check back in on Monday or Tuesday.