Running again!

Hey! I've been running again, back in Newberg. I am running at least 4 days a week, working to get up to 5 miles before October. I have a couple friends who meet me at the track early in the morning, and we all do our own thing. It's great to have people to go with, and I am feeling so great! :D I have not been running as far or as fast as I had hoped, but I'm intentional about what I am doing, and adding core strength as well, to try to work on preventing injury overall. I have run inconsistently the last couple of months, but the last ten days, I've run 5 times already. Half-marathon, I'm still coming for you!

Finally Thinking of Something Else

I don't know about you, but when I'm out of shape and I go running all I can think is about how bad I feel and how far I have to go. That has been me for awhile, but today was different. For the first time in a while I was able to turn my mind to other things. I actually was able to pray as I ran, which was nice. I knew I was going long today, but I didn't have things exactly planned out. I think I ran about 7 which is awesome. Now I just have to double it to get to my half marathon distance. Recently, dad and I have been running together in the mornings off and on. I enjoy the companionship and the competition. Yesterday we ran pretty fast on the way home. He always says I am like a horse and I run faster when I'm pointed towards the barn. Well we got about 100 meters or so from the house and he says, "Giddy up little brother" (reference to Hildalgo). So we start running faster, well then he blasts off with about 15 meters to go to the mailbox and I chase him down. In all of our racing we failed to notice the neighbor was about to pull out and we almost got hit! Ooops!! Life is good here in Athena on the gravel roads running with Dad and Duke.

Add 32.1 miles running

Dad, Daughter, & Duke

Been treated to some very rewarding runs since Sissy is home.  We have talked and ran, prayed and ran, and ran together in silence.  One notable run on the breaks of the Umatilla found us with elk on both sides of us - tiny calves with spots calling for their mothers and bulls in the velvet all around us!  We went 5 miles that day but it did not seem that far at all.  I guess we have been running together since Sis was in sixth grade and she picked Duke as a running partner so as the three of use enjoyed the view, elk, and one another's company everything was as it should be.  Thanks for a great time guys.

34.4 miles running
44 miles biking
2 walking
----------------------
80.4 total

My Gravel Roads

I'm thankful. Thankful to be home, thankful to be running on my gravel roads again. There is a sense of peace that I receive being here in Eastern Oregon. Maybe its the wheat fields or the open sky. Perhaps its the family that I am surrounded with, all I know is its peace. Since I got out of school in mid June I've been running. I'm not sure if I have recorded it all. The last two weeks since the wedding I have been hitting it pretty hard. I mean, I have to start training for the half marathon now, if I don't, well I'll be miserable. So a total of: 61 miles since May, but...17.4 of those are for this week :) It's only gonna get better, half-marathon, here I come!!!

Add 61 miles running

By the way....we broke the HALF WAY mark!!!!  Downhill side to Portland, Maine.

Now its June?

Running was sporadic during softball and now with a Wedding approaching well....

Ran 125 miles and biked 72 miles for a total of 295 since sometime in February I think.  That would get me from Pendleton to Portland I guess.  Promise to do better  ;0)

Summer . . . It's Coming!!!

I have been recording mileage since spring break, but am just now getting around to blogging them. Here it is:
  March 25-31: 15 miles
  April 2-8: 16.5 miles
  April 9-15: 9 miles
  April 16-22: 16 miles
  April 23-29: 12.5 miles
  April 30-May 6: 3 miles (I got sick)
  May 7-14: No Running (still sick)

This week I have ran three times about three miles. It's been hard coming off of two weeks with no running. I guess I'm starting my training over, ugh. The good news is the weather has been fantastic and summer is coming! I can't wait for an early morning summer run. Maybe catch a sunrise or two, nothing like starting off a day with a run. I . . . can't . . . wait!!!!!

Total Mileage: 72 running

April 14, 2012

Had a beautiful sunny run with Sis today :) Love Saturdays!!!

Last week: 5.3 miles running & 3 miles biking
This week: 14.4 miles running & 6 miles biking

April 3, 2012

I am back...I have been running my miles, but not blogging them. Sorry for the lack of miles we could have. Here are my miles though for the last two weeks and I will add this weeks later. I love to run, I love the challenge of pushing my body, without sports, running is the only way to challenge the physical endurance I can have. Of course it isn't much haha but I love to feel the challenge.

17.3 miles running 3 miles biking
9.3 miles running 3 miles biking

Nebraska!!

We are now in Nebraska, except farther, because I know that Heather has mileage to add!

Old Self

I feel it, the rhythm, as one foot strikes and the other strides forward. It's new, but faintly familiar, this rising and falling of my chest. It seems slow, slightly awkward cause its been so long. Yet every step revives my memory, my old self. It's freeing this thing called running, this thing called life. My body bares scars from the path behind me, but I run.

Running: 30 miles    Biking: 4.25     Walking: 2.75 (Mom: 2)

On the Calander

I began to track mileage on the calander the middle of January and it has really helped to keep me forcused and not forget my workouts. The last week of January I ran only 6.3 miles but was able to do better in February motivated in part by finding out where we were at on our trek across the USA and in part by the knowledge that my girls were coming home and we would be running together I hoped. The first week I put in 11 miles, then with them here I did 7 (3 biking), and this last week 14.4 not to mention the weather has been questionable.

Several of these runs were in the darkness of early morning and I loved it BUT I ran with Karissa when she was here and it was especially rewarding. I ran as she talked and jogged along side me and I was suddenly a young parent again with my 6th grade school daughter in her first year of cross-county training. We share many things with our children over the course of our lives but these times together will always be uniquely significant to me and hold sentimental sway over my heart. Glad you did your tempo training with out me...I love you!

Running: 35.7
Biking: 3

Habit

I have been trying to get back into this running thing. Especially, since Heather and I have signed up to do the Portland Half Marathon in October. I am so proud of Heather as she has been really following her running plan. My goal has been to get back into running 5-6 days a week averaging about 15-20 miles so that I have a good base. I made my "running week" Saturday through Wednesday so I can run outside Saturdays and Sundays. This last week I knew I would be staying late at work so I woke up at 4 am to go running Monday - Wednesday. It was not easy, but it was totally worth it. I am proud to say I met my goal of 15 miles this last week. I also found myself to have more energy through out the day on the mornings I got up to run before work. 

This morning I got up and went running at Bush Park. I have so many lovely memories there and I couldn't help but recall them . . . freshman year speed/tempo workouts, my lifetime best cross country race, warming up for track meets, off season workouts with my roommate, and just hanging out at the park with hall mates in college. The sky was blue, the sun was out, my body felt good, it was a good run. I love running with other people and wish I could have had another soul to run with, but even alone it was good. I am looking forward to some long miles and many more saturday runs. This half marathon is going down!

Running: 25.5

Thats Where We Are!

Wonderful to know we are running towards Laramie Wyoming at this point in our trek across the US. I even put on my cowboy hat for part of this weeks mileage! I would have gone more than this 11.1 miles this week "but I got bushwacked at the pass lil' feller"! Having a good time with our run girls. Keep up the good work we are almost 1/2 way. Praying and Running. Dad

Where we are . . . Wyoming!

We are I80 near Laramie, Wyoming

Carried

It seemed like forever I'd been there, crumpled in the path immobilized by pain. The longer I was there the  more accustomed I grew to that place. I almost forgot what it was like to run, to feel the wind on my face, to see the ground moving beneath my feet. I began to accept where I was, to accept my immobilization. Nothing I did, nothing I tried, took away the pain or healed my injury. I was stuck, I was completely and utterly helpless. I was hopeless.

I had thought myself to be alone, but I wasn't. Somewhere in one of those long days I noticed He was there with me. He'd been there in the questioning, in the anger, in the pain, in the long nights. He'd been there in that path next to my crumpled form, arms open wide. It was on one of those long days I finally reached up.

I have yet to crawl, or walk, or run, but I move . . . as He carries me. Like a child, I wrap my arms tightly around His neck clinging to Him. I was injured, helpless, immobilized, but He picked me up. My God is strong, never does He grow weary or stop. I can't run just yet, but someday I will with His help, for I know that is His desire. For now, He will carry me . . . as long as I need.

Running: 46 miles
Walking: 1 mile

The ups and downs of running.

Headed to Portland for a softball clinic I found myself working out on a high tech treadmill that would tell me how far I ran with a picture of a cross country course being plotted as I went. I could select a target heart rate, duration, and type of workout as well. I choose heart rate 163 , 5K, & 30 mins. Well the machine began to go up and down attempting to elevate my HR to the right number of beats per minute. I could see it over compensating as it shot up in incline. 6% it read and rising - thats like Cabbage Hill...whew! Soon I was punching buttons like crazy trying to override the 10%+ grade. Inside I was promising my heart would speed up soon if just given a chance. Well I finished the run and was glad to be home on my own tread where I have put in my last 11 miles of running, most while looking outside at the snow and ice covered features of Athena. No school since Tuesday has been truely amazing as is the fact that I can figure out the controls on my ol' treadmill. Best of all is that my lovely wife has been her the last two days too.

Miles Ran - 14 miles

Where are we?

Where did you come from where did you go, get out of the way for cotton-eyed Joe. Add two more miles and where does that put us. Can't see on the tiny map - weak eyes and all. Bet we are somewhere in the edge of the midwest. Love to know.

Miles Running 2

Journey

I understand that there is a male wolf that has wandered from the Imnaha pack to northern California and they have given him the name JOURNEY. He is willing to leave the known for the unknown and travel to distance woods in his quest for a new life. Wildlife officials wonder if he will stay or return. They wonder if others will follow him.
As I run in the backness of the early morning praying about my life journey I am captivated by its temperal nature. Here then gone. Will I venture ahead into the unknown or stay where it is "safe" and familar. What will others have to say about me when my journey is done. Did I run the race well as Paul says. Did I fix my eyes upon the author and finisher of my faith?
I started the new year with a 2 mile run, then put another 2 on the treadmill, and another 5.25 in on Saturday but it was the 3 mile early run in the dark that got me to thinking about my journey here on earth. May those who come behind me find me faithful.

Miles run 12