I Run Slow and Steady, But...

The Stats 4/21/13 - 4/27/13
4/22: 1.52 mi; 11'00"; 7'13" avg. pace
4/23: 2.92 mi; 28'06"; 9'37" avg. pace
4/26: 3.13 mi; 24'26"; 7'48" avg. pace

Two weeks 'till Komen and I'm cruising into race day. No big goals this time around. I've been telling people any time under 24 minutes will leave me pleased on what is hopefully a beautiful May morning near the capitol. I started off this week with a mile and a half jog. I was attending a speaker series later that evening and cut the run short. Also, my right leg felt a bit tender and I was reticent to push it when it is so close to healing properly. Tuesday, I met up with a friend and did the Kanawha City loop. We pulled back on the pace a little as we're both recovering from aches and pains. My last chance for a workout came on Friday. I patrolled KC again and even met some out-of-towners from Columbus. They must have been in town for the UC half marathon last Sunday. We parted after I gave them (accurate?) directions to the South Side Bridge so they could get downtown. That run came in a little higher than I wanted, but I still feel in line for a sub 24 minute 5k in the Komen race. Breast cancer be damned! Next week we race.

The Swing of Things

The Stats 4/14/13 - 4/20/13
4/14: 3.11 mi; 24'27"; 7'51" avg. pace
4/15: 3.11 mi; 23'54"; 7'40" avg. pace
4/17: 3.11 mi; 24'05"; 7'43" avg. pace

It finally happened. I got back to the benchmark for my normal running activity - three runs of three miles or more in a week. Granted, I didn't soar beyond those requirements for normalcy, I was happy to reach that mark again. There are still sensitive areas on my legs that are forcing me to switch up my gait. I consciously have to land more flush on my right foot, whereas I would prefer turning the foot inwards and running on the outside of it. That combined with winter inactivity has pushed down my times and mile splits. But running sub-eight minute miles is nothing to sniff at. In my early days of running, 2006-ish, I couldn't break 8 minute splits, trotting the Pi Mile trail at Georgia Tech. That may have been due in part to the searing heat and suffocating humidity, but I'd also like to think that years of activity have left me in better baseline shape.
For now the 2013 running season is looking promising. Spring races typically include: The Susan G. Komen 5k, The Poca River Race (15k), and the Run for Your Life 5 Miler. So I'm going to fist bump a friend and get to running.

The March of the Laggards

The Stats: March, 2013

3/4/13: 3.00 mi; 27'29"; 8'58" avg. pace

3/14/13: 2.83 mi; 21'32"; 7'36" avg. pace

3/27/13: 2.35 mi; 18'37"; 7'54" avg. pace

3/29/13: 1.36 mi; 10'05"; 7'24" avg. pace

I'm setting record lows for every month this year. I have some reasonable excuses for March. For one, the weather was bleak and awful. For another, I continue to think it prudent to rest my leg. If I can ensure a healthy body come 10k running season, it will be well worth it. I wasn't able to string together a good running week in March. My last attempt to in the final week of the month totaled a mere 3.7 miles. In that last run on the 29th I fully intended to run five kilometers. I was jogging along merrily on Kanawha Blvd. when two terrorist dogs off their leashes started chasing me. I tried to outpace them and sprinted fast enough to stay out of biting contention for a good 100 yards. Then, I realized they were gaining and I abruptly stopped and threw up my hands in self defense. Luckily, they lost interest and returned to their stupid owner (put a freaking leash on your dogs, people!). That's my rant.

Right now, my attitude toward running can best be summarized by the words of the poet: "I don't wanna talk about it, I wanna be about it." And so I'm off to make April a more respectable running month. Maybe the Boston Marathon will provide some much needed inspiration.