26.2 Quest: 2008

A Long Way To Go

I went for a run today, only the second run since the pin was removed, and one of very few that were run on the road since the injury over 6 months ago. During the run I realized just how far I have to go to get back to where I was.

I went for just over a mile run with my daughter, Payton. We took off a bit fast for the fitness level we are both at (especially me) and so not even a half a mile in my chest was burning quite a bit.

I knew we were running a bit too fast because I was checking my new GPS watch, my MyTach GPS Sport Trainer. I have not yet installed the software for the watch, but I have taken it on a couple runs so far and am really loving it. I love to see how fast I am going, to see how far I have gone, and what my average mph are. I am really looking forward to see what other information I can get once I install the software.

Since I have such a long way to go, and the collar bone is feeling good I am looking for a little bit more accountability. I know I have a fair amount of readers, and a decent number of commenter's. I am sure that has dropped off a bit when I wasn't able to run..... but I know there are quite a few that are lurking just waiting for me to start running so they can start hammering me again. Well, here is your chance. I am looking for pressure and prodding to get me back out there and running so I can get back to the level I was before.... and beyond. The blog address is still 26.2 Quest and my journey still has a focus of running my first marathon. The secret goal was to run that marathon before my 40th birthday..... and I just had my 39th last week..... The injury slowed me down a bit, but it has not kept me from this goal, it has just given me less options.

Looking forward to the added pressure :)

Tim Wilson - blog.262quest.com

Keeping the balance

This morning's Runner's World Daily Kick In The Butt was something that I really needed, both for running and just life in general.

"If you set your aim too high and don't fulfill it, then your enthusiasm turns to bitterness. Try for a goal that's reasonable, and then gradually raise it."

EMIL ZATOPEK

It is true, that if you don't aim high you will never amount to much more than what you are today, but I have a constant battle of aiming too high and never meeting my mark, or taking so long to get to the goal that I get discouraged and give in to the myth that I am not good enough.

Keeping the balance and knowing when to aim big and when to make smaller goals is key to keeping driven and focused.

How do you balance these two?

Tim Wilson - blog.262quest.com

Two Weeks No Running - But Soon!

It has been two weeks since my surgery and I am ready to run. My shoulder is feeling better all the time and I think it is about time to hit the road.

I am off work for Christmas right now and just got a new little toy (MyTach - GPS Sport Trainer) to try out over the next few days. I will be out to get at least a one or two miler in over the next couple days to test the shoulder out.

Until next time - Merry Christmas!

Tim Wilson - blog.262quest.com

Pin has been removed

The pin has officially been removed. I no longer have the added metallic influence on my left clavicle and hope to be back running in the next week.

The surgery went good other than the delays, and they even gave me the pin as a souvenir.

Hanging out and hanging on.....

Tim Wilson - blog.262quest.com

Final run before surgery

Yesterday morning I went out for my final run before surgery. It was the best run I have had since my accident back in June and the first surgery. I went out for just 3 miles, but it was the first run since the doctors told me I could swing my arms pretty freely. It was so much more comfortable than holding my left arm in place while running.

This morning I head back to the hospital for the removal of the pin from my clavicle. I have been looking forward to this day for 6 months, however I still get really irritable when I cannot eat or drink. I don't know what it is I just like to eat and drink. :)

My surgery was originally scheduled for 10:00 with an arrival time of 8:30 but they called me yesterday and rescheduled for a 12:00 surgery and 10:30 arrival time. That is not too bad, but I am hoping it doesn't get delayed much more than that because then we will have issues with kids getting home from school since my wife will be there to drive me home.

The surgery is a fairly simple surgery and should only take 30 minutes with all the preparation, putting me out, etc. The doctor said many doctors do this procedure in the office but he prefers not to because he cannot numb the bone and it can end up being very painful when the pin is pulled out. I was more than obliged to let him send me to the hospital for outpatient surgery and let him put me under.

I asked the doctor about running following the surgery. He told me that I would need to take it easy for a little bit with the range of motion of my arm since the bone has to get used to not having the pin, but he did tell me that running a little bit would not be a problem. He just told me that I could not play tackle football...... hmmmm, at my age?

Looking forward to getting this behind me.

Tim Wilson - blog.262quest.com

Get up..... NOW!

I think if asked you would find that for every morning runner there is one (at least) that not only is not a morning runner, but just doesn't understand it. There has been many times I have talked to runners that are not morning runners. When these runners find out that I wake at somewhere between 4:00 and 5:00 to hit the roads they just don't understand it.

I understand that there are morning people, and then there are non-morning people, but are we truly morning and non-morning people internally or just based on our habits and lifestyle?

I have found over the years that I can be both, it just depends on how disciplined I am and what my life currently is comprised of.

Some of the things that I have found need to be in place to be or become an early riser (regardless of what you are doing when you get up) are:

Get to bed at a decent time - your body needs rest
Eat healthy so you can get a good nights rest
Turn off the TV

I am sure there are many more that I am not thinking of right now.... it is still early you know :)

One of the easiest ways I have found to sabatoge being an early riser is becoming slave to the snooze on your alarm clock. There are many reasons for this, but to put it simply, when you wake and go back to sleep only to wake again your body is getting confussed and you are robbing your body of the rest it needs. I have found that if I get up with the first alarm, reguardless of what time it is, I feel better than if I go back to sleep for 5 or 10 minutes.

What do you think of early risers? Are you an early riser? What are some of the key things you do to make it possible to get up early?

Tim Wilson - blog.262quest.com

Another day.... Another run

I have officially made it my first two run week for well over a month. I even pushed myself to three miles and it felt really good.

I am not at the office today so I was able to make the trip to the gym with my wife. She is always a great motivator and I love it when we are able to go to the gym together. Once we get there we both do our own thing, but I know I have to keep busy for at least 30 - 45 minutes since that is the minimum she does. Many mornings at 5:00 AM I will only be at the gym for 20 - 30 minutes because of the limited time I have.

I ran 2 miles on Wednesday, and then walked briskly for 30 minutes yesterday, so today I had my mind made up that I would do another 2 miles. The running is still difficult because I have allowed myself to get so far out of shape. This has not been completely my fault, but much of the blame does find itself resting squarely on my two shoulders..... one shoulder taking a little bit more of the weight :)

My mind saying two miles kept me going through the first 2 miles, but pure determination kept me going through the next mile. It felt so good to put 3 miles in, but was so hard at the same time.

Keep on coming back and reading, I still have some hurdles to get over in the next couple months, but I will be back running regularly before you know it.

Tim Wilson - blog.262quest.com

I needed that

Lately I have been apathetic about running, or maybe the definition for pathetic would be a better overall synopses.

The last time I ran, long long ago, my shoulder hurt for a few days following. I used that as an excuse to not get out and run for the rest of the week. The weeks following I continued to use that excuse and added to it the excuse of stress of work and lack of sleep. Truth be told, I just didn't feel like trying to fight running with one arm and causing any discomfort. I was just not feeling like running.

One of the side effects of not running is that my eating habits have been suffering. I just have a hard time keeping my diet clean, healthy, and in check when I am not exercising. I think there is something physiological about cravings and how much physical activity we participate in. There is just a very real difference in what I crave and how much I eat when I am being sedentary.

Last night I got to bed at a decent time, so this morning it was a whole lot easier to get up when the alarm went off at 4:30. I was up and at it immediately which felt good as a change. I don't think it was by chance that as I was doing my morning devotions that the scripture was James 1:22-25. It was just very encouraging to me this morning considering all I have been going through lately.

I made it off to the gym this morning for a 2 mile run on the treadmill. It was a difficult 2 miles as my lungs were not being shy about telling me that I have not been doing this to them lately.... and they were not happy. I persevered and hit the 2 mile mark. This was a great accomplishment because I wanted to give up at the half mile mark.

Keep encouraging me..... I will get back there.

Tim Wilson - blog.262quest.com

I don't want to look

Right now my running log is kinda like my 401k..... I don't want to look at it.

Lately my running log has been very similar to my 401k. I have not wanted to look at either of them. Both of them have nothing good to show. If I looked at either one of them I will just get depressed.

But, looking on the bright side, like my 401k, my running log will also get better, but the even more encouraging thing is I know when it will get better, the same cannot be said about my 401k.

I have my surgery scheduled to get the pin removed from my collar bone the second week of December. I am not sure how long after that I will be able to start running regularly, but I am hoping by the first of the year I will be back at it pretty strong.

Tim Wilson - blog.262quest.com

Running America

Some of you may already be following what ultra endurance runners Charlie Engle and Marshall Ulrich have been up to the past couple months, but for those of you that haven't on September 8, they began running from San Francisco to New York.

Well, their hard work is about to pay off.

Both runners are on pace to arrive in New York on November 3 – right on the heels of the New York marathon. Marshall, 57, is expected to break the record for the fastest run across America for his age group. Charlie unfortunately injured his foot and will be arriving with Marshall on bike.

I signed up to run with them a few months ago as a long shot. I figured that I wouldn't get chosen, but I also knew that if I did I probably wouldn't be able to make the trip to Indiana to run with them because of the 10 hour drive. I did go ahead and sign up, and was selected. They came through the area I signed up for, and I received the reminders but I wasn't able to make it. It would have been really cool.

To stay in touch with fans while keeping their eyes on the road, both have been updating their blogs using a new mobile service called SpinVox, which automatically converts voice into text.

You can track Charlie and Marshall's progress and read their blogs at www.runningamerica08.com.

Tim Wilson - blog.262quest.com

Slow Going

The going is still slow. I have had very little opportunity to run lately with the continued pain in my shoulder. Don't count me out, because the day will come when this affliction is healed and you all will be needing to watch your back once again. :)

Tim Wilson - blog.262quest.com

I have taken to reading.... for Smart People

Since I have not been able to run much lately I decided I needed something to do with my time. If you know me at all you know that is not true. Time is a more precious commodity than nearly anything I can think of.

I have, however, decided that I needed to do a lot more reading. I have quite a list of books I would like to read, many already in my possession waiting for the right time. I was recently given the opportunity to read a new book before it's official release called Personal Development for Smart People by Steve Pavlina.

In contemplating reading Personal Development for Smart People I was afraid that I was not the target audience, but I quickly re-qualified myself by fixing my mp3 player myself without having to call the manufacture this time. Maybe I am "Smart People" :)

Steve Pavlina is a very successful blogger over at www.stevepavlina.com

When I started to read the introduction I started getting concerned that this book was not for me. Steve is very open and candid about his past and at first started to turn me off. I kept plugging and decided I would not judge the book by my first impression. My opinions quickly started to change and Steve started to build confidence as he was wrapping up the introduction.

The book is broken down in two parts, one explaining the seven fundamental principles of personal development, and the second part explaining how to apply these seven principles. I have to admit, at first read I do not agree with everything that is said, however I still have been able to learn a lot and if nothing else the book has spurred me on to thinking about it more in both the areas I agree and the areas I disagree.

Personal Development for Smart People was just released this past week and I think is worthy of the time spent to read it. I would recommend reading it with an open mind, but also keeping reserved your personal belief system.

Tim Wilson - blog.262quest.com

It saw it's shadow

This past Thursday afternoon I went back to see the doctor concerning my collar bone. This appointment was a follow up to see how everything was healing and to discuss the removal of the pin. I was looking forward to this appointment because this pin can be oh so uncomfortable at times, and is truly in the way many times.

I wasn't very optimistic, and was actually kinda concerned that it wasn't time yet because the bone still seems to be clicking every so often meaning that it is still moving a bit. The last thing I want to happen is the bone re-break after the pin is removed.

Well, the day came and the xrays were taken. Things are healing but not fast enough to warrant the removal of the pin yet. So, in ground hog day's terms, the pin saw it's shadow and we will have two more months of the pin. The doctor did go ahead and have me schedule the surgery and I will be having the pin removed the second week in December. That gives my body two more months to heal, and will mean that I will have had the pin in my shoulder for 6 months by the time it is done. Quite the setback to getting 1000 miles in this year :(

I will be able to continue the little running that I am doing now, but may have to cool it a bit right after the pin comes out for a little bit, we will have to see when the time gets closer.

Tim Wilson - blog.262quest.com

Another new distance

Well, I did it this morning. I pushed past the two miler for the first time since surgery.

I got up this morning about my normal time of 4:40, but this time I didn't do the normal hitting the computer to clean up my e-mail and read some blogs. Living in the Atlanta area where we are experiencing the shortage of gas, I too am feeling the crunch. I refused to sit for 45 minutes in a line to wait for gas over the weekend. I figured, I am usually up by 5:00 AM, I will just try to find a gas station with gas first thing.

My plan paid off. I got out the door just before 5:00 am and the first place I tried, the gas station closest to home, the one that has been out more than most..... had gas! And not only did they have gas, they had it for less than $4.00. And yes, for all those of you in Atlanta, I pulled right up to one of the empty pumps and filled her up with a smile on my face.

OK, back to the run. I had a bit more time at the gym this morning so even though it was difficult, I pushed past the 2 miles and accomplished my first 3 miler since surgery.

Till next time....

Tim Wilson - blog.262quest.com

Sometimes, it hurts too much

Some mornings when I get up my shoulder just hurts too much to run. I feel like I am using it as an excuse to not get out and run, but I am just not sure.

This morning is one of those mornings. I am up, out of bed, getting dressed to run. It is 4:55 and I am walking downstairs, but my shoulder is just aching. If my shoulder is aching like this now I know the running is just going to further the pain. So, this morning I will not run.

How I long for the days when my shoulder is no longer part of the decision.

Tim Wilson - blog.262quest.com

First 2 miler since surgery

Monday morning I hit another small milestone. I hit the 2 mile distance for the first time since the surgery. You may remember a short time ago I tried to do this but ended up stopping short because of pain in my shoulder. Well, this time I hit the 2 mile mark and felt good.

Baby Steps....

Tim Wilson - blog.262quest.com

Back on the road

I took the leap and stepped back out onto the road this morning. I went for a short run to see how everything felt. The short out and back route I took wasn't even quite a mile but I wanted to see how my shoulder held up under the different type of jarring it would get from the road as opposed to the treadmill.

It went good, but I really felt today how long it has been since I have been out on the road. I am not upset but it is a little discouraging. I know that a big reason for tiring so quickly is the way I have to run with my one arm planted on my side. Running this way keeps my whole body tense the entire time so I cannot relax and get into a groove.

The time will come.....

Till next time....

Tim Wilson - blog.262quest.com

Still running.....

It has now been just over 2 weeks and the running is still going good, although slow and short. I am still only able to go about 1 mile at a time before my shoulder starts to hurt. I have dropped the time a bit, but I am not trying to hard at this time.

So far I have only done the running on the treadmill, it has been kind of a safety net about being able to stop if it starts hurting. I have found so far that I have been fine for the first mile so I will probably take my runs back out on the road in the next week.

I have once again this year missed some key races that I missed last year. Last year at this time I was injured with a pulled groin muscle and couldn't run much. I missed the US 10k Classic just this past week and will be missing the Buckhead Sizzler later this month. I am OK with this and am not trying to push myself back to a racing point yet. I will have plenty of opportunities later in the year.

Till next time....

Tim Wilson - blog.262quest.com

Going the second mile

Following a 1 mile run yesterday morning I felt really good, so this morning I decided and planned on doing a two miler. Things were going really good with a sub 10 minute mile for the first mile and I was able to maintain it through the beginning of the second mile.

Shortly into the second mile my collar bone started to pop a bit more than I wanted it to so I decided to cut it short at the 1 1/2 mile mark. I will get there, being patient is key right now.

Tim Wilson - blog.262quest.com

Run number 2 - the second mile

This morning I went for my second run. It was another 1 mile jog on the treadmill but felt really good. I ran the same way I did two days ago with my arm planted at my side, but kicked the speed up just a bit.

Following my run two days ago, my thighs were pretty sore, funny how they are sore after only 1 mile. It will get better, and I will be back to the 14+ miles soon :)

For those of you that were readers before the injury, thanks for sticking with me throughout the down time and complaining. For those of you that have recently joined, thanks for coming by and I look forward to talking a lot more running!

Tim Wilson - blog.262quest.com

I Ran -er- Jogged a mile!

Yes, that is right, you read that correctly, I was able to get out and try my injury with a mile jog. I went to the doctor yesterday for a checkup. This checkup was 2 months following the surgery. The doctor told me that I am not ready for the added stress on my collar bone that would come from therapy yet, but he told me that if I wanted to start to jog slowly that I could do so. His only caution was that he doesn't want me to swing my arms too much, because that causes the bone to twist, the one thing that is still a bit slow going on the healing.

So..... I headed to the gym this morning, for the third day this week. Monday and Tuesday I just spent some time walking briskly on the treadmill and riding the stationary bike. This morning I hit the treadmill, walked for a few minutes and then took a deep breath. I slowly, nervously, moved the speed up to a comfortable slow pace and hit the gallup. The most difficult and uncomfortable part was that I firmly planted my left arm to my side so I would not swing it as you always do when running. I allowed my other arm to move freely, and I was surprised to find that it was not as bad as I had anticipated. It is a bit uncomfortable and I will not be able to go too fast or long like that, but it is a step in the direction that I want to go.

That is it for now, I look forward to writing more about my running, and less about why I can't run.

Tim Wilson - blog.262quest.com

Will women ever outrun men?

This is something that may bring out a whirlwind of feelings and aggravation. However, what is your thoughts? Will women ever outrun men?

I know my thoughts:

I have seen many women pass me.... and never look back :)

For decades, running enthusiasts have speculated that women were better suited for distance running than men because of their higher body-fat ratios — hence a greater emergency fuel store. A look at marathon times between men and women appears to bolster the theory. As more and more women have taken up distance running, the gap between the world's best men's marathon time and the world's best women's time has steadily narrowed. Tim Noakes, professor of exercise and sports science at the University of Cape Town, explains surprising recent findings about a popular athletic debate. read more

Tim Wilson - blog.262quest.com

Upcoming Doctor Appointment

I have my next doctor appointment coming up this Tuesday. I have started to feel a little better over the course of the past week so I am hoping for some good news and a turn in the direction of running again.

I am hoping that he will see that everything is moving in the right direction and that he puts me in physical therapy and tells me to get out there and run again.

Tim Wilson - blog.262quest.com

Run Your City

I just heard a couple days ago about a new Running site with a Social twist. The site is Called Run Your City and can be found at www.runyourcity.com.

This new site is just at the ground floor and could use a lot of traffic to get their Forums going and also to help build their blog listings.

Why not stop by and take a look!

Tim Wilson - blog.262quest.com

Running slows the aging clock

A recent study by Stanford University School of Medicine has found that regular running slows the effects of aging. They tracked 500 older runners for 20 years and determined that runners experienced fewer disabilities then the non runners that were also tracked. Both groups in the study started to become more disabled after 21 years of aging.

“Runners’ initial disability was 16 years later than nonrunners,’” Fries said. “By and large, the runners have stayed healthy.”

You can read the entire article on med.stanford.edu.

Tim Wilson - blog.262quest.com

Still Holding Out

I needed to catch everyone up a little bit. It has now been almost two months since the surgery, and I am still not running. You may recall a couple weeks ago that I was going to go for a trial run with the Doctors blessing. My shoulder has not yet felt good enough to feel like I could go for a run without injuring it further. The pain from the pin that I mentioned here is starting to subside so I know things are moving in the right direction, just not as fast as I had hoped.

Since it is the middle of August now, I am starting to lose hope for some of the fall races that I was hoping to do. I may still be able to run by that time, but will not be in the shape I need to be by the time the races come around. Everyone around me continues to run and some of my friends are training for a fall half marathon which is making me intensely jealous.

I will be headed back to the doctor in just over a week so hopefully he will give me more of a green light this time.

That is it for now, just wanted to touch base and keep everyone up to date.

Tim Wilson - blog.262quest.com

Dean Karnazes: Secrets I Learned Running 50 Marathons in 50 Days

Many of you are aware of Dean Karnazes' new book, Secrets I Learned Running 50 Marathons in 50 Days is being released is the next few days.

Steve over at www.runbulldogrun.com is giving away 5 free copies of this hard copy book.

Just head over to his blog via this link and find out what it takes to be one of the lucky 5 to be the next to read this book.

Tim Wilson - blog.262quest.com

Runners to follow on Twitter

So, are you a runner? Are you on Twitter?

Do you know a runner.... on Twitter?

One of the cool things I have found on Twitter (Follow me) is the community of runners I have found so far. I have searched and found some, and then found some that they were following, etc, etc. But I would like to build that group a little more for both inspiration and motivation.

I know I have not been able to bring much to the conversations on Twitter concerning running, but I promise to be more of a community runner.... once I can start running again.

If you are a runner please respond with your twitter address so others can follow you. If you know of any runners that twitter, why not give them a boost of followers as well by listing their address.

To make it even more fun and see how much we can get this to grow, when you follow someone you have found here, let them know where you found them.

Tim Wilson - blog.262quest.com

*****
EDIT - when posting your twitter id, post it in this format:

<a href="http://twitter.com/virtual4now">virtual4now</a>

Update your id in both places and this will allow others to click on it to go straight to your Twitter page.

*****

Favorite Running Related Websites/Blogs

I mentioned the other day in my post about your running magazine of choice that I would follow up with another question. Considering the web-focus of a blog I am expecting that everyone will have at least one or two to add to the list.

What is your favorite running related website(s) or blog(s)?

Now, I am sure you will all start out with blog.262quest.com, so we will get that out of the way and just assume that is everyone's favorite. I am sure that it is the feed with the most stars in everyones Google Reader. :)

Do you have a specific running blog that is a hidden gem? Do you have an obscure, or maybe not so obscure website that you visit frequently, if not daily?

Let's see what kind of a list we can get going..... and don't forget to plug your own blog!

Tim Wilson - blog.262quest.com

Contest with Movie Download Giveaway

Just incase you are interested, I am running a contest with a giveaway of a movie download on my other blog, blog.2big.org.

Tim Wilson - blog.262quest.com

Running magazine of choice

What is your running magazine of choice?

Runners World

Running Times

Or what others do you read or what are your favorites?

I am curious, as I currently subscribe to both of the above but don't read them as much as I should considering that I pay for the subscriptions. If you could only subscribe to one running magazine which one would it be? Runners World, Running Times, or some other?

To Run or not To Run

Since seeing the Doctor last week I have not yet got up the nerve to get out for a test run. The pain I had last week when I woke up still seems to be lingering around a bit. It is not as bad as it was that first day, but I have had enough pain to not yet go out for my trial run.

The latest development in my collar bone injury has been the pain around where the pin was put in. I will avoid most of the details, but I have a pin in my collar bone and it protrudes a little on the top of my shoulder. For the most part this has not been too painful.... until this past Sunday. This past Sunday it started giving me sharp pains, some so bad that I had to actually check to make sure it had not poked through the skin. It felt like someone had stabbed my shoulder with a knife.

I am beyond getting anxious, I really want to get back out and run. Running has been on my mind, and I get frustrated when I cannot run. I have been thinking so much about running in this running hiatus that I even ordered me a new pair of running shoes. I didn't order my favorite shoes this time because the place I ordered them from didn't have my size, instead I ordered the New Balance 1123. We will see how these go. If they don't feel OK it looks like I may have to see them on eBay or maybe I should give them away here on my blog..... hmmm, we will see.

I am hopeful I will be able to start running again in the next couple weeks, wish me luck!

Tim Wilson - blog.262quest.com

Trial Run

This past Tuesday I went back to the doctor for my collar bone. I was hoping to get some good news and get the go ahead to start running.

The doctor took some x-rays and showed my the progress. He also mentioned that the popping that I feel and hear is because the bone isn't completely knitted back together yet. He gave me the go ahead to ditch the sling which I am happy for. He told me that I was not yet ready for therapy, but by next month I should be healed enough to start.

I then asked him the all inquisitive question.........

When can I start running again?

His answer was less than I hoped. He said: Give it a shot, if you have pain where the break was - stop, but if you feel no pain go ahead and run.

I woke up the next morning and my shoulder was already hurting. I figured if my shoulder was hurting before I even try to run what is the point so I delayed my trial run. I plan on getting out for a trial run sometime in the next week. I am nervous, I kinda feel like groundhog day is coming..... will he see his shadow or not? Will I feel the pain or not?

Tim Wilson - blog.262quest.com

Home From Vacation - Time For The Doctor

Vacation is over and it is time to start easing back into the daily routine. OK, who am I kidding? There is no such thing as easing back into the after vacation routine, it is better described as being thrust or thrown. Either way you want to look at it, we are home and I am back to work.

Our vacation went really good. We started it by camping for three nights on the east coast in the north east most point of Florida in Fort Clinch State Park, and ended it by spending a few days with my wife's brother and his family in Gatlinburg Tennessee.

This was the first camping trip we have taken as a family since an all around bad camping experience 18 years ago shortly after the wedding bells rang. We had great weather the entire time and had a wonderful time getting burned on the beach. While there we stayed in the Riverside Campgrounds along the Amelia River on the west side of Amelia Island.

Fort Cinch State Park in Fernandina Beach Florida met all of our expectations and I recommend it if you are the camping type. We stayed in a tent, but they had lots big enough for even the biggest RV's. During our stay we had Armadillo's hanging out in our campsite as well as the Raccoons. We were not bothered by the Raccoons as others in the campground were because we kept our food in the van the entire time. The Raccoons can open cans of soda and have no problem with coolers as we saw many times around us.

While in Gatlinburg we stayed in a cabin close to Pigeon Forge, and hung out with my wife's brother and his family. Her brother is home on leave from Iraq for about 14 days and we had the opportunity to spend 4 of those days with him. We spent a lot of our time in Gatlinburg and the kids loved the Ripley's attractions. I have to note that the Ripley's group of attractions treat our military right. The deal they give to military families was unbelievable and they should be commended.

Now that vacation is over and life is starting to get back into full swing I am starting to miss running again. I did really miss being able to run while I was at the beach, but I tried to not let it bother me. My collar bone is starting to feel pretty good although I still go through times of a lot of pain. I have a Doctor Appointment this morning and I hope that the extra precautions of not running too soon have paid off and I will be back on the road running soon.

It has been over a month since the running accident and fall. I am not looking forward to having to build back up to my pre-injury fitness level, but I am sure I will be back in no time.

Tim Wilson - blog.262quest.com

And We're Off

Sorry for the short post, but the family and stuff are all packed to the top in the van and waiting for me. Off to the beach we go, but not only to the beach, camping at the beach. Not just camping at the beach, but the first time we have gone camping in 18 years of marriage, and the first beach vacation we have ever taken.

But no beach running for me, still healing :(

Till our return!

Tim Wilson - blog.262quest.com

Shoes - Not always an easy choice

The one benefit, if you can call it that, to being injured is that your shoes last longer. As great as that sounds I would much rather be putting more miles on my running shoes.

My current pair of running shoes, the New Balance MR768ST has been getting a rest lately, however it won't be long before the mileage will start to tick again. This made me wonder the other day.... how long will it be till my next pair of shoes will need to meet the current budget cuts? I took a look at my running log and found that my current pair is nearing 300 miles. For the miles that I had been running it won't take long once I get back to running before I will be in the market again.

I have tried a couple different brands of shoes, but every time I have come back to New Balance. I have been a one trick pony when it comes to shoes that meet my needs and the others that I have tried never seem to even come close.

My current running shoes, as mentioned above are the New Balance MR768ST, and by far are my favorite. These shoes even are a step above my previous pair of New Balance, even though my previous pair, the M767SB was the predecessor to this model. This series gives me the support that I need and has been the only shoe that I have been able to run in completely pain free. The shoe is stable and yet doesn't feel too stiff. I also think it is one of the lightest pair of shoes I have ever owned.

Now I just need to get running again.... I am fully expecting the Doctor to give me the go ahead in the next couple weeks. Now..... to pick the marathon.... :)

Tim Wilson - blog.262quest.com

The Peachtree Road Walk

As stated in earlier posts I walked the Peachtree Road Race this past Friday, the fourth of July.

I actually have a lot to say, but will try to keep this short because most of this will just be complaining. To say it in one sentence: I don't think I will ever walk the Peachtree Road Race again. I highly doubt that I will Do the Peachtree again if I cannot run it.

We left a bit earlier than last year and arrived at Marta around 5:30. We were able to park up close and had no trouble getting on the train and making it comfortably over to the starting point. When we were walking towards the starting areas there was a lady looking to buy a number. She saw me, saw my number, and saw that my arm was in a sling. I could tell the hope in her voice when she said "You aren't going to run with a broken arm are you?" I quickly said no, but I am still walking. Her hope quickly fell. It was kinda funny to watch.

It was nice to walk it from where I was in timegroup 1A, the people were kind to me and didn't give me a hard time for still starting in the timegroup 1A even though I was not running. Near the beginning of the race they let the 1A and 1B groups kinda melt together. I was no longer at the back of all the runners in the timegroup I was in, I was now in the middle of the pack. I didn't keep walking back, I stayed right where I was. When the race began, I quickly worked my way all the way over to the right and believe I stayed out of everyone's way.

Here is where the negative stuff begins. Once we passed where all the fences where on both sides of the road I saw hundreds if not thousands of people lining both sides of the road with numbers on, ranging all the way up to the 9's. At first I thought these were just people that were watching the start of the race, and then were going to walk back and start with their group. I quickly found that this wasn't the case as they all started jumping in all around me. Some running, but most of them walking. This went on for the first couple miles although diminishing as it went on, with people still jumping in to run just the last mile. I should have been one of the first walkers all the way though. I am sure I would have been passed at some point by a walker, but I should have seen mostly runners the entire race. I wasn't in competition, and I wouldn't have cared if thousands of runners were starting around me if they had the right timegroup, but for these people to cheat and not do the entire 10k absolutely ruined the entire experience for me. I got more upset as it went along.

My thoughts are: If you can't run the entire race, run and walk it. If you can't run at all walk it. If you can't walk the entire distance than this event is not for you..... let someone else that wants to do the entire distance register instead of you. Train up to the distance and do the entire distance next year. End of my thoughts.

I did take the opportunity to get my free donut from Publix along the way. I also got a Vitamin Water and was able to get a T-shirt from Chick-fil-a since I was just walking and not running. All things I wouldn't have even thought about had I been running.

My time was not official even though I had a timing chip from the 1A timegroup. I crossed the starting line with it over the strip, but the finish line strip was removed before I crossed the finish so I do not exist if I try entering my number to check the stats. This is OK, I understand. You have to run less than 55 minutes to get in timegroup 1 so you should be able to do it on race day at least close to an hour. I am not sure when they pulled the strip up, but it was before I crossed the line in 1:41:40. It was funny, when I went to turn in my chip the guy said he was getting bored. If I had actually run I would have taken offense to this, but since I only walked I understood.

I finished the race/walk in 1:41:40 with an average around 16 minute miles. I was more sore at the end of the race, and still today than I have been in a long time. I guess that is because I am using different muscles than if I was to run it. I am sure looking forward to getting back to running soon.

Tim Wilson - blog.262quest.com

Edit 7-8-08: Some pics are now available of this one armed bandit: pics

Off to the races

Well..... kinda.

Tomorrow I will be up bright and early and out the door by 5:00 AM to head for the 39th running of the Peachtree Road Race in Atlanta...... but I won't be running.

As strange as it all seems right now I am excited to be getting up early in the morning - to be fighting the Marta crowds - the 55,000 race participates - and later the sweaty stinky ride home. Excited that is, to be able to attend and walk, even though I would much prefer to actually be running. It is very strange to be only walking. I am setting out all my race gear just as if I was going to run, mainly because it is habit, knowing that I will probably be the most prepared walker tomorrow.

In case you are joining my blog for the first time, the reason I am walking the Peachtree can be found in the earlier posts on my blog here, here, and here. I look forward to enjoying the Peachtree from a different angle, an angle not concerned with time, position, or any of the other normal race concerns. You won't be finding me at the starting line stretching, drinking lots of water or Gatorade, or making one last dash to the port-o-potties, but you may find me looking for a free cup of coffee. I am going to take this opportunity to take in the surroundings, and if those surroundings include free donuts, t-shirts, or anything else being handed out along the way, I will take the time to indulge in what otherwise would be passed by quickly by any half-way serious runner.

In March I ran a qualifying 10k and finished in 48:03. That time qualified me for a 1A time slot at the Peachtree, the best you can get behind the elite runners. I was really excited about being able to start so close to the front. I was looking forward to a nice clean run without having to deal with the trash and everything else of the 20 - 30 thousand runners and walkers that had gone on before. Tomorrow I will not be able to use that time slot to it's full extent, but still plan on using it. I will be lining up at the very back of time group 1A with my 10521 number and my left arm in a sling. I will proudly walk the right side of the road out of the way of all the runners. I am sure most of the time groups 1B, 2, 3, 4, 5, and maybe 6 will pass me at some point along the way, but that is OK..... I will beat most of the walkers :)

If you are running the Peachtree tomorrow, give me a shout as you pass me by. I will be the bald headed guy, wearing black shorts, a white tech shirt, and my left arm in my nice blue sling. A simple shout will be nice, please don't come by and pat me on the back, as even though it is my arm in the sling, it is my shoulder that hurts. :) Oh... and by the way, if you are running, good luck.... especially with the new uphill finish!

Tim Wilson - blog.262quest.com

Am I still a runner?

Over the last couple weeks I have run exactly zero times..... Does that mean that I am no longer a runner? I think the easy answer to that is no, but why is that?

I have gone through a few different emotions over the past couple weeks, not to mention the emotion of pain..... Well, as I know that pain is an emotion, that really hasn't been the type of pain I have been going through. If you are new to my blog, you can get the story of my injury starting here, with updates here and here. Some of the emotions I have gone though have been because of the pain medication I am sure, but some of the emotions have also been brought on by passing runners on the road as I am driving or being driven around town.

Yes, I do still consider myself a runner. Just because John Smoltz had shoulder surgery taking him out for the rest of the season doesn't mean he is no longer a pitcher, he just isn't actively pitching. And what about Tiger Woods, would anybody say he is no longer a golfer? OK, I am not trying to compare myself to John Smoltz or Tiger Woods, so don't even start :). But, if you feel the need to talk about me and compare me to one of the two I don't mind.

Why do I still consider myself a runner?

I still want to get out there and run, I really miss it.
I will still be walking the Peachtree Road Race, even though I can't run it... just for the experience. Even though the Doctor told me I could run it.
I am still reading other running blogs, even though I haven't had much to talk about lately.
I still talk to my friends and family about running every time I am around them.... sorry!
I still find other runners to talk to and enjoy sharing stories.
I wear my sling as a badge of honor that I was hurt while running a race... and enjoy telling people how I was hurt.... OK, I am getting sick of this now. I really like the idea someone gave me to write the story out on poster board and tape it to my arm.

There are many other reasons why I still consider myself a runner, but I am also concerned about not being able to run and how this will affect the progress I have made. I won't be able to run the Peachtree, and it will probably be at least a month before I will be able to start running a bit, with no telling how long it will be before I can run another race.

These setbacks also have shattered my hopes of running my first Marathon this fall. I will now start to look for and focus on a spring Marathon. I would probably still be able to if my healing took place quickly, but I am at the point now where I really should start to ramp up my mileage if I was going to do a Fall Marathon.

The healing is going well, I am still in a lot of pain, however I have just over the past few days been able to start typing with two hands again. Two weeks of one handed typing was making my job as a developer a very slow process, not to mention as you have seen has slowed down my blogging quite a bit. As I am sure you can empathize, after spending all day fighting the keyboard with one handed typing the last thing I wanted to do was come home and type a one handed blog post.

It is a real eye opener how much we use and rely on both of our hands. Life has been different to say the least, and a down right chore in some areas. I have learned to cope, but has really given me a new concern and caring for those who have not just lost use of their arm for a time, but have permanently lost use of or entirely lost a limb.

I am able to start going without the sling a little bit, but still have a few more weeks before the doctor will allow me to start moving my arm in the complete motion. I am slowly feeling like there is some progress being made, but have to continue to remind myself that I am still on the Injured list. Each time I get brave and try something new I tend to almost bring tears to my eyes as I clench my teeth and hope the pain quickly subsides.

On the bright side.... my shoes will last longer :) But with the current miles on my latest pair I do need to start thinking about what will be next.

Until next time, keep running!

Tim Wilson - blog.262quest.com

Surgery went well

Well, the surgery talked about here, has come and gone. Yesterday was a long day. As my body is used to eating every 3 hours and drinking well over a gallon of water a day, it was tough to stop eating and drinking the night before. My surgery was scheduled for 1:30 which meant it was going to be over 12 hours of no eating, drinking or pain medications by the time I had to arrive at the hospital at 12:00 noon. It was nice of the nurse checking me in to talk about what she was eating for lunch and then we went back to the waiting room to pull it out for me to see and smell as she ate it.

This week has been an interesting week of firsts, running my daughter's first race with her, getting tripped in a race, breaking my first bone, learning to dress with one arm, learning to type and program with one arm, going without eating and drinking for 19 hours, going through surgery, and being put out.

I arrived just before my scheduled time of arrival and they took me back to check me in pretty quickly. I was starting to get nervous as this was my first surgery, and first time I was going to be put out. I have had other small in office surgery's but we will leave it at that. We didn't have to wait too long to be called back to Pre-op, but once they hooked up the IV, and had me change into the stylish hospital garb, that is when the waiting began. The doctor was running behind and so instead of the surgery starting at 1:30, they didn't take me to the operating room until 3:30. I remember them hooking my right (good) arm to the table and remembering thinking it was going to hurt when they did the same to my left arm...... well, that was the last thought I had before waking up in a different room sitting in the recovery chair. It didn't take long before I was drinking a Powerade and Lisa was again by my side. I drank a couple small bottles of the Powerade, took some pain medication, and had a couple crackers with peanut butter and I was ready to go. Two stops to pick up two of the three kids later and I was home crawling in bed. Had myself an Arby's sandwich and a chocolate shake and I was ready for bed.

I slept good, better than the last couple days, and so far have not had any pain. I am sure the block has not worn off yet and I have been taking the pain medication. I am sure the pain will start before too long, but so far everything is going good.

The funny thing is when the Doctor came by to see me before the surgery, my wife asked if I could still run the Peachtree Road Race. I wouldn't have dreamed of asking that, I had already decided I would be walking it since I had gotten such a good number, but didn't dream of running it. The Doctor told me I could run it if I wanted. He said if I could deal with the pain that there would be no reason for me not to run it. He also said that I could run it with the sling which would make it less painful, or that he could write me an excuse to get out of it completely if that is what I wanted. :) Kinda funny, but I am still leaning towards walking it.

I am going to hold off with any running or other exercises other than walking until I go back to see the doctor next Thursday. At that point I am sure I will have a better idea of recovery time and when I can start adding some of the exercises. One benefit of the surgery is much faster recovery. I am off work the rest of this week so I will have some time to recuperate and get over the initial pain at home.

Tim Wilson - blog.262quest.com

Surgery it will be

If you didn't read my previous post you will want to do that catch up.

I went to the Orthopedic Doctor this afternoon and he will be doing surgery...... tomorrow! There was two options, to let it heal and be crooked and protruding out of my neck a little bit the rest of my life, or to do surgery to make sure it heals straight and right.

The surgery is tomorrow afternoon and then I will be on the road to a quicker recovery, and better healing then if I let it heal the way it currently sits.

Tim Wilson - blog.262quest.com

Down for the count

Yesterday was the S.W.A.T Trot 5k at Brookwood High School in Snellville, GA. I had been looking forward to this race for a long time for multiple reasons.

The good news first. My Daughter, Payton, and I first ran the 1k fun run together. It was her first race and we were both looking forward to it a lot. My plan was to run the 1k with her and then I would run the 5k following. We took off and some of the kids took off really fast, but I knew they would run out of steam quickly, and they did. We ran hard and she came in second overall with a time of 4:13 (on my watch - 3:59 on the official clock seen in the picture). She was only beat by a young boy who did an excellent job pacing himself and running a good race. She got a nice plaque for being the first place female, I am just bummed she was not there to receive her reward.

Now, the bad news. I lined up to run the 5k and I was excited to hopefully set a new PR. I was secretly aiming for a sub 22 5k as my last 5k was the Saratoga 5k Fun Run, a very hilly course, and I finished in 23:23. I started near the front, but not right at the front. It was neat to see that Mike Beaudreau was there to run this race as well and lined up right in front of me.

The race kicked off and I was taking off fast to try and get a good place and position to run the race in. Not even 100 yards into the race we were all going at a pretty good pace, but yet all bunched together. Someone behind me hit one of my feet and tripped me up. I thought I was going to be able to catch myself and continue but it threw my balance off too much and I went down, and went down pretty hard too.

When I hit the pavement moving along like I was there was no way to catch my fall so I hit the ground really hard with my left elbow, shoulder, and head. I heard the scream, RUNNER DOWN! and unfortunately it was me. A runner stopped to help me up, and then I waddled off to the side where I tried to catch my breath and analyze the damage to see if I could continue. The fall really knocked the wind out of me pretty good and I was having a hard time breathing so I knew I wouldn't finish the race. I started by looking at my shoulder because it was hurting pretty bad. It didn't take long to see I had broken something with the bone feeling so much different than the other side.

Luckily my wife and kids came to watch the race, and after she didn't see me come by she started walking down the road a bit. I told her I was tripped and I thought I broke my shoulder. She looked at me and told me that I had a pretty big knot on my head as well. We couldn't find any paramedics at the race, but there were lots of cops as it was a race to benefit the Gwinnett County S.W.A.T Team. We hopped in the van and headed towards the hospital. Luckily the hospital was only a few miles away.

My wife dropped me off and she ran back home to drop off the kids and get my wallet. While I was sitting in the waiting room I was hurting pretty bad and at one point I started feeling really dizzy and felt like I was going to black out. Luckily My wife got back just in time before they took me to the back. The x-rays came back and proved my theory. I had a broken collar bone. The doctor told me that it was a good break as far as collar bone fractures go and just put me in a sling. My elbow is scrapped a bit, but not bad, and my head is scrapped and has a little bump. The fun thing with my head is wondering how I will continue to shave it.

Well, that is my race report for the S.W.A.T. Trot. Not the type off race report I wanted to give, but that is the way it goes sometimes. I am just really bummed that I will not be able to run the Peachtree Road Race on July 4th now. I just got my Peachtree number this past week, and with my qualifying time of 48:03 I got a number in group 1A, 10521. Depending on how my shoulder goes I may still go down and walk it... we will see.

Wow is it ever hard to type with one hand!

Tim Wilson - blog.262quest.com

Hot and Humid

This mornings run was hot and humid. Even though the temp started out at only 76 degrees, the sun was really hot. I had plans to put in 12 miles this morning, but had some friends over last night and stayed up too late to get up when I needed to if I was going to get the 12 miles in.

I got out and hit the road at 8:30, but needed to be home by 9:30 because of the first day of All-Star T-Ball practice. I figured all I could get in was a 10k so I would run it a bit faster to work on maintaining a faster pace since I couldn't do my long easy paced run. I miss-judged how hot it was out because the temperature was under 80 degrees. As I was hitting the first mile I started to realize how hot it was and how hot the sun was.

I was doing good, but the heat was noticeably taking it's toll on my energy. After mile 5, it would have been very good to have a running partner to keep me going, but because I was running on my own, I gave in and started to walk. This was at the base of the biggest hill on my course, and that had an impact on my choice to stop and walk.

The rest of the day wasn't any better, it was just an out right scorcher.... and we spent most of the day outside. I was pleased with my run today, even though I cut it short. At just over 5 miles, with a pace of 8:12 it was one of my better training runs, especially considering the heat. Run stats.

Tim Wilson blog.262quest.com

1 Month Countdown

Just one month left to the Peachtree Road Race. I am once again looking forward to the Peachtree. This will be my second year running it, however, this year will be much more exciting due to the following reasons.

I now have experienced it so I know what to expect
I have a qualifying time so I should be near the front, with a chip
I am going to set a new PR :)
I may have a chance of getting my name in the paper!

Wish me luck. I have one more 5k race to run before that time, the S.W.A.T. Trot, but other than that the Peachtree is next on my list.

Tim Wilson - 26.2 Quest

Cars!

Enough said!

But you all know me well enough to know that I cannot leave it at just that. So what is it with drivers and their disrespect for runners? I am sure we all have stories of drivers and what they have done to use, or not done for us.... etc. (if you have a good story post a comment!)

I have had some interesting times with cars, and their drivers over my short running time. One of my most interesting was when a car swerved like they were intentionally trying to hit me during one of my early morning 8 mile runs.

This morning I was running a normal route and this part of my route was in our neighborhood. I was coming up past a side street and a car was coming up to the stop sign as I was entering the intersection (without a stop sign on my street - the main street) Now, mind you I will usually slow down, speed up, run behind the car, etc when coming up to an intersection just because I know most drivers are inconsiderate and/or not paying attention, but this morning I was clearly coming into the intersection before the car even arrived. The driver proceeded to run the stop sign and continued to roll forward coming within just a foot of me, never stopping at the stop sign or at all and apparently trying to tell me through his actions that I was in his way. Why is it that these people are allowed to drive? These are the people I think about when I hear about pedestrians getting hit by a car. I know there are some careless pedestrians and runners, but more times than not I think it is just an inpatient driver thinking that he doesn't have to slow down or stop for a pedestrian or runner -l just my 1 cent!

I think we need a national campaign (maybe there already is one) that is similar to the Share the Road campaign for motorcycles or bicycles.

Tim Wilson - 26.2 Quest

Runner is still living his dream

This is a very cool story of a 37 year old man who is still living his dream. Paul says:

"I'm still 11 years old for all intents and purposes," Stoneham said. "I'm just able to drive now. That's about the only difference."

Paul Stoneham was a running legend in Waco, TX when he was 11 years old and went on to do some pretty amazing things throughout school and into college. He is 37 years old, 135 lbs with 3% body fat, and runs 110 -120 miles a week.

Paul goes through a pair of running shoes every three weeks in his training. He is trying to qualify for the Olympics in the 10k, a childhood dream. He lives on an estimated $40/day and without the sponsorship from Kolar Advertising www.kolaradvertising.com/heroes he would not be able to chase after his dream.

A real everyday person going after his dream. The things I find so amazing is how he is 37 years old (close to my age), and still able to compete at this level. He had to take 6 years off because of injuries (I complained about 3 months). As I read his story over here: www.star-telegram.com/sports/story/667386.html it really gave me hope that I can do what I want to do if I just set my mind to it.

My dream isn't anywhere as ambitious as his, but I still need to focus on my goal. Reading his story I am inspired and know I can attain my goal to run that marathon.

Tim Wilson - blog.262quest.com - Sorry I have found my blog being syndicated across the internet via my rss feed so I want to make sure that it is clear where it was first written. I will start tagging my posts with my blog address to make sure it is always obvious.

10 Mile Humidity Test

Lawrenceville, GA - As the sun came up over the horizon, Tim Wilson was still sound asleep, resting comfortably in the air conditioning after a good nights rest. He knew the rest wouldn't last long as he started to stir around 7:20 realizing his long run was beckoning. He knew what the weatherman had said just a short 9 hours later. OK, he didn't remember everything he said, but he did remember the words humidity and high being used in the same sentence.

OK, enough of the third party writing. It sounded like a cool idea, but just isn't as easy and doesn't flow as well.

It was really humid this morning. I knew about it the night before, but knew I still needed to get my long run in. I took off this morning at about 7:45 with the humidity proudly sitting at 96%. I am just glad the temperatures were not too high at 64 degrees. I was starting to drip before I rounded the corner at the 1/4 mile mark. By the time the run was done the temp had raised to 74 degrees but the humidity had dropped to 84%.

I started the run this morning with the music off. I wanted to just enjoy the ambiance around me this morning. I turned on the radio after a couple miles when I hit the busier road to drown out the cars.

As I was running my 3rd mile I had a rare occasion to see a deer bounce across the road in front of me. Since the area I live in is so loaded with subdivisions we don't have a lot of deer. We do occasionally see deer in our back yard and in our woods behind our house but these woods too are locked in by homes. It was just a really cool addition to the morning. The funny thing is when I turned around and headed back I saw another (or maybe the same one) cross the road in the same place - going the same way... very cool.

My run went really good with a average pace of 8:50 which is just 5 seconds slower than my Half Marathon Race Pace back in February. Looking forward to start building the miles back up now that work is starting to show some relief.

Humidity test results: Pass

Running Log Link to show my splits

Where in the world am I?

I just recently came across a new mapping site for blogs. This site lets you list your blog and it shows up on a map by where you are located. This seems like a great way to find other local bloggers. I have not tried it yet, but you can even search by topic.

The site is Verve Earth - www.verveearth.com, but of course the best way to check it out is to click on this link to go directly to my listing to see just how wonderful it can be :)

I have noticed it is only accurate to the zip code, so it is about 4 miles off for me. It would be nice if you could enter your complete address IF you wanted it to specifically pinpoint you. I know this may not be desirable for everybody though, but would be a nice option. Update: you can drag your icon to your precise location.

Two Time Olympic Runner's New Marathon Training Website

A reader of my blog for some time, and fellow Complete Running Network member, Marius Bakken has started a new Marathon Training Website.

Why not take a moment to stop by Marius' personal website and learn more about him. I suggest you start out at this page and browse from there.

Once you have read a bit about him to establish his credibility head on over to his new Marathon Training Website at www.marathon-training-schedule.com

Summer is on the way!

You can tell summer is on the way when you look like this following a 5:00 AM 6 mile run.

Link to stats of this mornings good 6.4 mile run. 68 degrees, windy, and humid.

What kind of split is that?

Either I went out too slow or I finished to fast..... or I just had a great 4 mile run!

Whatever the case I loved it and I think it went really well. This comes after taking three days off because of an aching knee. Still not sure what was going on with my knee. I don't think it was running related, but I didn't want to irritate it by running my long run on Saturday.

I started this mornings run with a first mile at a 9:38 pace, and finished with a 4th mile at a 7:46 pace.... almost 2 minutes difference in between! I try to start my first mile at an easy pace as my warm-up, and try to speed it up a little at a time throughout the race to get negative splits. I guess this morning I was feeling a bit more energetic.

My race log with the other splits.

No run tomorrow

I won't be going for my anticipated long run tomorrow. My running has been good this week and today was an off day like normal. I was looking forward to my long run tomorrow, but I think I am going to have to pass.

Everything felt good today, I got to the gym this morning before work for some weights. The whole day, no pain - until I was walking to the car following work. I must have rested my leg wrong today while sitting at the desk, because my right knee is hurting. It has gotten worse as the night has gone on. I am not sure what it is, but will not be running tomorrow to make sure I don't irritate it at all.

Hopefully the nights rest and taking the day off will bring it back to normal.

So.... I didn't win

Yes, I know I was confident that I would win the bike of my dreams. I blogged about it a few days ago here, and I was absolutely sure that I would win that bike. The odds were great in this contest as they were over here as well where I also entered the same contest. They announced the winner of that one yesterday..... again not me :(

So, I have resigned to the fact that I will have to buy my own bike. As mentioned before I don't have the funds to buy that bike right now. Too many things in life are taking precedence right now. So, I had to come up with some creative ways to come up with the money I need. So.... without further delay - here it is. You can help me! :)

OK, so I am not going to come right out and ask you to donate to my bike fund, I just don't think it would be proper to ask for money like that..... especially since it is only money for my bike that only I would be riding and finding some way to pay for.

Some of you may have noticed (look over there >>) that I had added some Google Ads (look over there >>) to my blog to see if there was any truth to those that make millions with Google Adsense. I have not been able to buy that bike yet, but the new beach house is nice...... I wish :) Well, if you would like to help with my bike fund I am sure my sponsors would love to help you find what you didn't know you were looking for. To fulfill your wildest dreams all you have to do is just click now! (look over there >>)

The other way that you can help is through social bookmarking. You will see at the bottom of this post a little button that says "Bookmark" (OK - not sure why it didn't work for this post - you can use the one on the right instead) just use that button to add to Furl, Del.icio.us, Stumble, Digg, or just about any other social bookmarking tool.... and why not..... it is your favorite running blog isn't it?

Oh, and if you have a dollar or two just sitting in that paypal account and it is just absolutely driving you crazy, let me try to help. There is this new tool that will help you clean out those pesky stragglers to help keep that paypal account clean and ready for your next purchase. To run that tool just click here.

****End of shameless begging for money****

Shorter than normal

I have had a shorter mileage week than normal. The extra work hours over the last couple weeks once again caught up with me and I just couldn't drag myself out of bed in the middle of the night to go running.

I only put a couple 4 milers in during the week, but with excellent negative splits. Run 1 Run 2.

I did however put in a 10 miler today which I was really pleased with overall. My pace was 9:09 which is just a small bit slower than my half marathon pace.

I am looking forward to getting back at it this coming week.

I want to Tri......

for those of you that have followed my blog at all or know me from the forums, you know that I want to do a tri. I really wanted to do one this summer and started looking for a bike. Well, $ is not available and the check from the IRS went to pay off some debt so I had to stop looking. The kind of bike I could afford were not suitable to do what I wanted..... tri, and start commuting a couple days a week to work.

My hopes have been up and down at getting a bike, but so far have not been in the right place at the right time..... until maybe now. You see I am going to win a bike from www.johnisfit.com. He is giving away a bike from Lipton in their Are you young enough contest.... and a nice one I might add.

I would recommend that you head on over to his blog and check out the give away post, but that would be kinda mean considering I will already be winning it and you would all just be wasting your time anyway.

So, how long do you think it will take me to train for my first tri once I get this bike? :)

Officially Normal - 90 lbs later

Yes - Today I am officially normal in the eyes of the government. You can check out more about it on my weight loss blog over here: blog.2big.org

WOW - 2nd Overall..... and a New PR!

I really just don't know quite what to say.

Today was just awesome. You have to understand that 1 year ago, the Inaugural Saratoga 5k Fun Run was my very first race since I had run back in high school. To put that into perspective.... I am 38 now. Last year for this race I was 50 lbs heavier and came in dead last. You can see last years results here. You can see more about my running journey here, and my overall journey here, but for now back to the race.

Yes, you read that right.... I came in SECOND OVERALL! It was not a really big race, but it more than doubled from the first year when I think there was a total of 27 runners. Today I think the total runners was somewhere in the 50's, which is not bad considering this is a very hard and hilly course. It really and truly is the hardest course I have run. To give you an idea, here is a shot of the elevation:

I started the race near the front of the pack, and the Chik-Fil-A cow was there and was starting off the pack. I was following him and trying to go around him when he stepped over right in front of me and I ran into him.... that had to be a sight to see! I almost fell over! I ran for the first 1/2 mile with a pack of runners and then started to pull away a bit from them when we got to the first hills. When I was almost to 1 1/2 miles I started to round a corner when one of the course volunteers said "you can catch him"...... What? Him? not Them? I was pleasantly surprised, but I had thought there may only be one in front of me. I ran the rest of the race kinda watching my shoulder to make sure nobody was coming up on me..... It was so much fun! The first place finisher finished in 21:xx and my time was 23:23.

I haven't run a 5k since January because my training turned towards my First Half Marathon. I have only run one 10K during that time as well. One of the cool things is that this race set a new PR for me! 23:23! And that was on a very difficult course to boot! I can't wait to see what I can do on a normal course. I heard a couple people mention that this race was 4 minutes longer than a 5k they ran just the week before. And I think they were in the 20's so that is quite a difference. I don't think it would be that much of a difference for me, but maybe a minute or two.

Here is my splits on my running log: link Robbie said the race results will be up tomorrow, I will update the post when they are posted.

Well, the results are in and my 2nd place stood :) Here is the results from today >> link and some pics as well >> link Hey..... I even got honorable mention on the front page. Thanks Robbie!