Steve, Cathy, and Nicholas -- Steve's running log for 2011 (created 2011-09-24)

This is a log of my runs for 2013. I have a GPS app for my iPhone that tells me how fast and how far I have run. It also produces a map of the route, which I have embellished with a bit of R code.

I also have a log for 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016. You can find general information about my running activities on my main log page.

Total monthly run amounts (partial data for August and no data from earlier months)
--> December 2011, 38.9K in 12 runs
--> November 2011, 47.4K in 14 runs
--> October 2011, 36.6K in 11 runs
--> September 2011, 29.7K in 8 runs
--> August 2011, 10.7K in 3 runs

Totals for 2011: 163.K in 48 runs. Average run length: 3.4 kilometers (2.1 miles).

Friday, December 30, 1.3K in 15 minutes, http://gps.motionx.com/maps/5ffdf0abaa61a0322f4cbf456c71e0e7

I took Nicholas and Cinnamon to a dog run at Heritage Park. I turned on the GPS to map our walk, and a couple of minutes into the walk, Nicholas suggested that we run. I decided that sounded good. With me battling a cold and no warm-up time, I only did my slow warm-up trot. Nicholas and Cinnamon ran in all directions, but I just trotted along on the trail. At the end, I had put in 1.3 kilometers (0.8 miles). It was a very slow pace, 15 minutes, which translates to a 58 minute 5K. That's okay. If I get our regularly and stretch my legs a bit, that still a success in my book.

I generally avoid running two days in a row, and that is especially true with the cold I am battling. So that ends a very successful year of running. I started with the Couch to 5K podcasts in January. It was a struggle at first, even with the very short 60 second runs interspersed with 90 second walks. But I gradually built up to a successful 5K run in May. My record speed for a full 5K was 38 minutes on a Thanksgiving Day race, though I did better unofficially on November 19 (37 minutes for a 5K).

My record distance was 8.5 kilometers (5.3 miles) in 73 minutes on December 3. Nicholas does not like to come along on my practice runs, so I have no idea what his best distance would be. In the formal races, his best time for the 5K was 29 minutes.

In 2012, I want to work on my diet. All this running I've put in, and no weight loss at all. Good grief! I need to modify my input. My goal is to sharply cut back on sugar. I'm going to limit donuts, cakes, cookies, ice cream, etc. to no more than once a week. I'm also going to try to have at least one serving of fruit and at least one salad every day. I normally consume a diet filled with meat and potatoes, so I need to work in a more healthy variety of foods.

Wednesday, December 28, 2.3K in 16 minutes

I talked Nicholas into running with me, and he wanted to use his electric scooter. I thought it would be nice to have a change of scenery, so we loaded the scooter, the dog, and the two of us in the car and drove to iLan Park. That's in the lower left corner of this map. The plan was to run to Tomahawk Park (in the upper right corner of the map) and turn around. It's similar to my run on August 25. Naturally, the battery on Nicholas's scooter poops out halfway, and we have to go back.

I started out at a very fast pace. Although I finished the first half kilometer in 3 minutes, I knew I couldn't keep up that pace for the second half kilometer. But I didn't slow down that much, and was able to finish the first full kilometer in 7 minutes. I also finished the second full kilometer in 7 minutes. The final total was 2.3 kilometers (1.5 miles) in 16 minutes, which translates to a 35 minute 5K.

It was unseasonably warm in December (52 F, 11 C), but I had long pants and hoodie on. It was a good thing, because Nicholas spent a couple of hours in iLan Park after the run. I walked that small loop in iLan Park about eight more times to keep me muscles loose. The small loop is about 0.4 kilometers (about a quarter of a mile). When you add that to my warm up, I ran/walked about 6 kilometers (3.7 miles).

I had a lot of sore muscles, but no serious joint pains.

Monday, December 26, 1.3K in 9 minutes

I had decided to run into Ironwoods Park and take a short loop, but it began sleeting right at the start of my run. I can tolerate a bit of inclement weather, but I wasn't quite prepared for it today, so I kept my run very short. I still tried to run a 6 minute kilometer and fell short yet again. After six minutes, I slowed down, but not to my very slow pace. I finished 1.3 kilometers (0.8 miles) in 9 minutes. This translates to a 35 minute 5K. It's not really appropriate to extrapolate from these short distances, of course, but I find it motivational to calculate these values. It's a straight linear interpolation. If I run x kilometers in t minutes, then I extrapolate my 5K time as 5t / x.

The weather was right at freezing (32K, 0 C). My hands were cold, but I didn't want to put on my gloves, as that would overcompensate. I also wore long pants and a hoodie. It's good that I cut my run short, because the sleet caused the sidewalks to be a bit more slick than I liked.

This fast pace is still an effort for me, even when I fall short of a 6 minute kilometer, but at least there were no joint pains.

Saturday, December 24, 2.7K in 20 minutes, http://gps.motionx.com/maps/776fdcfbcb013908a84896f3e50838c2

I'm still working on speed. My goal was to get a couple of six minute kilometers with a slow stretch in between them. I fell a bit short on my first kilometer, but did finish it in seven minutes, which is still a very good pace for me. Then I slowed down a lot and trotted past Prairie Star Middle School. At 13 minutes, I turned around and tried to get another kilometer under my belt in six minutes. Alas, it was not to be, but I did get that kilometer done in seven minutes as well. I stopped about halfway up "no brake" hill, and ran a total of 2.7 kilometers (1.7 miles) in 20 minutes. That translates into a 37 minute 5K.

I'm not quite doing 6 minute kilometers in my last couple of times out, but if I'm close, that's fine. If I can keep up this pace during the cold weather, then I'll be in really great shape when Spring arrives. It's still a big effort to run at this pace, mostly because my lungs are working so hard. I had no sore muscles and only a couple minor joint pain issues (a really minor twinge in my left knee during the cool down, and a slightly sore right achilles tendon after the run). I forgot to do my cool down stretches (a bad habit to fall into), but missing it just this once doesn't seem to have caused any problems.

It was below freezing (29 F, -2 C), so I wore long pants and a hoodie. It's amazing that I can work up a sweat in this temperature, but I do.

Thursday, December 22, 1.8K in 15 minutes

It was a cold morning (32 F, 0 C) and I was underdressed and I felt a few aches during the warmup, so I decided to keep the run short and on the relatively flat stretch of Mission Road. I still wanted to do the first kilometer in 6 minutes. Today wasn't a good day, though, and I only got up to 0.9 kilometers at 6 minutes. Then Cinnamon decided to take a poop break and with all the fumbling with the poop bag, I lost a full minute of time. So I finished the first kilometer in 8 minutes. There was no reason to rush things, so I kept up the same pace for the remainder of the run and finished 1.8 kilometers (1.1 miles) in 15 minutes. That works out to be a 42 minute 5K race.

Even without quite making a 6 minute kilometer, I was in agony, but it was a bit less agony than my previous 6 minute kilometers. About six months ago, my fastest pace was an 8 minute kilometer and my fall back pace was a 10 minute kilometer. My goal during the winter is to make my fast pace a 6 minute kilometer and my fall back pace an 8 minute kilometer. And sooner or later, I'll have to work back up to running the longer distances again, but I'm in no rush.

I was underdressed with shorts and no gloves (but a hoodie), and felt chilled during the warmup and the first half of the run. I think the gloves would have helped the most.

There were no serious joint pains during the run, just during the warmup. An hour afterwards, there are no joint pains. My calf muscles are still a bit tired, and this probably reflects the fact that I'm no longer running the 5 to 8 kilometers any more on Saturdays.

Tuesday, December 20, 2.5K in 17 minutes

I decided to work on speed again, and minimize the distance. My goal was to try to run a 6 minute kilometer, slow way down for a half kilometer and then speed back up for another 6 minute kilometer. I did the first kilometer just fine, in spite of an uphill segment near the end. I decided to stretch out my run a bit past 143rd Street out to Prairie Star Middle School so that when I turned around and sped back up again, I wouldn't end my kilometer on the steep uphill at "no brake" hill. I miscalculated, though, and had to climb halfway back up. I almost made a second 6 minute kilometer, but not quite. Still, it would have been a 7 minute kilometer had I persisted. The final results were very good for me, 2.5 kilometers (1.5 miles) in 17 minutes. That would project out to a 34 minute 5K. There's no way I could do such a fast 5K right now, as the last leg of today's run took everything I had and then some. But as I run more and more 6 minute kilometers, I will get more and more comfortable and eventually I can extend my fast pace out to the full 5K.

It's agony to run a 6 minute kilometer, but there is also a bit of exhilaration in flying down the sidewalk at such a pace. Cinnamon really loves the fast segments. She runs ahead at an even faster pace and tries to pull me along to go even faster. But when she gets distracted by another dog, or a squirrel, I end up calling at her to keep up (C'mon Cinnamon, c'mon) and repeatedly tugging at her leash to keep her from darting off in the wrong direction. So I'm not sure whether overall she is a help or a hindrace. But she needs the exercise, so I try to take her on all my runs.

It was 34 degrees Fahrenheit during the run, and there was a light drizzle. I wore shorts and a hoodie. During the warm up I was freezing and wished I had long pants and gloves. During the run, though, and for the cool down afterwards, I was plenty warm.

Everything ached during the run, but I had no joint pains. Afterwards, I had a bit of pain in my rigth heel, but nothing like last week. So I think I'll keep these runs short for the time being, and not worry about distance for a while.

Saturday, December 17, 2.3K in 18 minutes, http://gps.motionx.com/maps/4f3100597b873e1341f9b2488d97af19

I had some pain in my right heel near the achilles tendon after both of the December 11 and 13 runs so I gave myself a bit of extra rest until Saturday morning. I also invited Nicholas to run with me. At first he said yes, but we got to 148th Street and he changed his mind and decided to ride on his electric scooter while Cinnamon and I ran. I'm fine with that because he gets more than enough exercise at school. We went back to the house to pick up the scooter and a helmet and we were off again. We got back to 148th Street and he decided that he needed a hat. Back to the house again for the hat. We got back to 148th Street and he said he needed to use the bathroom. Back to the house one more time. Finally we headed out.

I usually set the GPS at the start so I can make sure that I warm up for at least five minutes with light jogging before the serious run. With all the back and forths, I had to put in 30 minutes before starting the real run. But I was certainly warmed up. My goal was to run into Ironwoods Park, take a medium loop, and return. I also wanted to put a couple of my three minute half kilometers together for a 6 minute full kilometer, then a half or full kilometer at a slow pace, and another 6 minute full kilometer, if I had it in me.

I did finish the first full kilometer in exactly 6 minutes, which put us just inside Ironwoods Park. My lungs were aching badly, so I slowed way down. When we got to the bottom of the hill (near the playground area) Nick's battery ran out on the electric scooter. You can push it along like a manual scooter, but it is quite heavy, so we turned around for home. I finished the second kilometer (almost all uphill) in 9 minutes. When we got back to the starting point, I had put in 2.3 kilometers (1.4 miles) in 18 minutes. This translates into a 39 minute 5K.

The weather was warm for December: 45 degrees Fahrenheit (7 degrees Celsius). I ran in shorts and a long sleeved t-shirt. I was a bit chilly at times, but I didn't overheat.

As I mentioned, my lungs were hurting during the run and I also had a slight ache in the right calf. It's unusual for me to have muscle aches during such a short run, but this was very minor. A couple hours after the run, and I am not experiencing any heel pain, but those aches snuck up on me the last two times as well. It was probably good that the scooter battery ran out, because it is the longer distances (6.2 and 5.1 kilometers on the 11th and 13th, for example) that seem to cause the most joint pains.

Tuesday, December 13, 5.1K in 40 minutes

It was a rainy, but relatively warm morning, 39 degrees Fahrenheit (4 degrees celsius). I decided to work on speed, alternating half kilometers at a fast (3 minute) and then a slow (5 minute) pace. I ran along Mission Road and turned east on 143rd. At Windsor Street, I turned back into the Steeplechase subdivision, and then into Ironwoods Park for a very short loop. I wore shorts, which were a bit chilly until I started running, and a hoodie, which kept my head and upper body dry.

I was hoping to get two or three half kilometers in at the fast pace, but I actually got four in. There was even enough energy for me to try to do a fifth half kilometer at the fast pace. Alas, there wasn't quite enough in me, especially since this stretch was returning uphill on "no brake" hill. But I still ended up finishing 5.1 kilometers (3.2 miles) in 40 minutes, which translates into a 39 minute 5K.

I was huffing and puffing during all of the fast stretches, and it was agonizing at times. But I had no serious joint pains during the run and only a few problems afterwards. I'm hoping to get to the point where a 3 minute half kilometer seems relatively normal to me and then I'll work on combining them together to get some full kilometers in 6 minutes. That would be quite an accomplishment.

Saturday, December 10, 6.2K in 48 minutes

I ran down Mission to 143rd Street, cut over to Roe and then down to the southern edge of the Church of the Resurrection. I then worked my way over to Nall and back Nall past St. Michael the Archangel to 148th Street.

I was working on distance again, like most Saturdays, but I wanted to keep up a good pace as well, running each kilometer at 8 minutes or less. I actually ran the first and fifth kilometers in 7 minutes, and all the others in 8 minutes, which was a very good pace for me. I finished 6.2 kilometers (3.8 miles) in 48 minutes. This translates back to a 39 minute 5K, but I actually finished the first 5K in 38 minutes. I could have continued on, but didn't want to push things too much. In the cold weather, I'm trying just to consolidate my gains and keep from backsliding. When the weather turns warmer again, I'll work more on achieving new personal bests in distance and/or speed.

It was 25 degrees Fahrenheit (-4 Celsius), and I again went with long pants, a t-shirt and a hoodie. I was a bit cold most of the time, but there were also stretches where I was sweating. I wore gloves at the start, but took them off halfway through the run.

The first big hill left me a bit winded, but thankfully, this route does not have a lot of big hills. I doubt I could keep up my pace on a run with more hills (such as the one that takes me through Ironwoods Park). About 30 minutes into the run, my upper legs and hips started aching a bit. It felt like they were filled with cement, making it harder for me to move them. I also had a small twinge in my knees near the end. I do want to watch the knee pains carefully because the knees are a common problem for runners. Afterwards, I also have a bit of an ache in my right achilles tendon. But all in all, the run wasn't that difficult or painful.

Tuesday, December 6, 2.8K in 26 minutes

There was a light snow on the ground, no more than half an inch, and it was only 18 degrees Fahrenheit (-8 Celsius). But I had a quiet morning, so I thought, what the heck. The first thing I found out is that a t-shirt and hoodie isn't warm enough, even when I'm running. Most of the time I overdress--you'd be surprised how warm you get while running. I did wear long pants, which was probably a smart move.

On a cold day and with slippery running conditions, today wasn't a day to work on speed or distance. It's just a day to get out and work on maintaining all of my previous gains. I ran down Mission Road to 143rd Street and back. I stayed on the grass as much as I could and I slowed down to a gingerly walk in any icy spots. In spite of this, I did finish the first kilometer in 8 minutes. After that, though, I was trotting along at close to my warm-up pace. I finished the second kilometer in 10 minutes. I barely made it back up "no brake" hill. At the end, I ran 2.8 kilometers (1.7 miles) in 26 minutes, which translates to a 46 minute 5K. In spite of the slow pace, I got quite a workout.

I ran this same route on October 27, 2011 in 23 minutes.

Cinnamon has four paw drive, but even she slipped around a little bit. She loved being out in the snow and would regulary reach down and take a bite of snow as she was running.

Saturday, December 3, 8.5K in 73 minutes

I ran on a threatening day, but it only rained lightly for a short time in the middle of my run and again near the end. I started with a couple of loops through Ironwoods Park, then on Mission down past 143rd Street to Prairie Star Middle School and then back again, with a short extension down Mission to 151st Street for good measure.

Saturdays are my days for distance, so my goal was to run 8 minute kilometers for about an hour or so. I did pretty well at first, running the first three kilometers in 8, 16, and 24 minutes. Then I slowed up a bit and started running 9 minute kilometers with kilometers 4, 5, 6, and 7 coming in at 33, 42, 51, and 60 minutes. Somehow, I managed to get the eighth kilometer in at 8 minutes. I then ran an extra half kilometer for good measure, though that last half kilometer took five minutes. My final results were 8.5 kilometers (5.3 miles) in 73 minutes.

This is a new distance record for me. I had run 8.2 kilometers on November 12, 7.8 kilometers on November 5, and 6.4 kilometers on October 9. If I extrapolate out this trend, I will get to 10K by March 2012, a half marathon by December 2012, and a full marathon by June 2014. Of course, we all know about the dangers of extrapolation.

Actually, I don't want to run longer distances unless I can run them at a competitive time. I don't see any value in finishing a marathon in 6 hours (which is an optimistic assessment of what I could do based on my current condition). I don't want to run a 10k unless I know I could finish in less than an hour. I don't want to run a half marathon unless I know I could finish in less than two hours. I don't want to run a marathon unless I know I could finish in less than four hours. Based on all the improvements I've seen so far, that probably pushes the marathon date back into the last half of this century.

The good news is that I kept a very steady pace even with four major hills in the path. I've decided that the only way to tackle these hills is to accelerate on the way up. I get winded by the time I get to the top, but then the coasting along the flat stretch or the subsequent downhill allows me to recover. If I slow down going up hill, I never seem to get back up to my original speed afterwards.

The total time projects back to a 43 minute 5K, and that includes two poop breaks for Cinnamon. These take about a half minute because I do use the poop bags. There is nothing fun about running with a half full poop bag swinging around in your leash hand, so I try to get Cinnamon to do her business before and/or after the run.

I had an ache in my right hip that eventually spread to my left hip, some pain on the top of my right foot, and a bit of pain in my right achilles tendon. I'm not sure why the right side of my body tends to have more problems than my left side. All the aches were minor and short-lived. Usually my legs feel rubbery for the rest of the day after these longer runs, but today I didn't have that problem.

Thursday, December 1, 2.0K in 16 minutes, http://gps.motionx.com/maps/04e7ca22187c3a0d32f3023c2fd18f3d

I had to squeeze the run in on a very busy day, so I just ran along a very small flat section of Mission Road twice. I repeated the same plan of alternating half kilometers at a fast pace (3 minutes) and then a slow pace (5 minutes). The fast pace was still a struggle and I only got to a half kilometer because of rounding (0.46 kilometers both times). But the good news is that it was a little less agony than the previous run. I completed exactly 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) in 16 minutes, which translates to a 40 minute 5K.

Also, maybe because of the shorter distance, I had no joint pains or sore muscles at all.

Tuesday, November 29, 2.7K in 21 minutes, http://gps.motionx.com/maps/ecd30f8c98956c7b5f0be2b1d2d264e9

I decided to work on speed again, because I just can't keep up with Nicholas on the playground. A couple of sprints and I am totally winded. I have a new plan. Run a half kilometer at very fast (for me) pace--three minutes. Then slow way down and run the next half kilometer in five minutes. Then repeat a second time and if you have it in you, a third time. The three minute half kilometer translates into a 30 minute 5K. The five minute half kilometer translates into a 50 minute 5K. The combination works out to be a 40 minute 5K. So the total effort, on average, is no different than what I am currently capable of. But the repeated three minute half kilometers get my lungs used to running at a much faster pace. Eventually, I will work on combining some of these half kilometers together to get some 6 minute kilometers under my belt. Then I'll start combining those together. There's no rush. I just want my body to get used to running fast for long stretches of time.

I ran back and forth twice on the flat stretch of Mission Road. I was gasping and panting during the first three minutes. But I made a half kilometer, (just barely) and then slowed back down. After five minutes I picked up the pace again. I was able to squeak in another 3 minute half kilometer. There was even enough in my to run a third half kilometer in 3 minutes after another slowdown. I finished up with 2.7 kilometers (1.7 miles) in 21 minutes, which translates into a 39 minute 5K.

I didn't have any joint pains, but I did feel an odd pain in my back, closer to my right side than the middle of my back. I'm actually glad when the pain decides to move to a different part of my body. My legs were not sore during the run, but afterwards, I was a bit stiff.

Saturday, November 26

It was raining this morning. We need the rain. A sign of how dry it's been this year is that I can only recall a couple of other times when I went running in the rain in the past six months. I put on a hat because if my head is dry, I don't mind the rain so much. I put my iPhone in a baggy as a precaution. I also changed my starting and ending location slightly to an overhang near the pool so that I could work my GPS apps in a dry spot. I had a slow start because I had to put the iPhone back in the baggy, but I was still horrified when the GPS app announced "One minute, you've gone 0.06 miles". Usually, I go at least 0.15 kilometers in the first minute. I though I'd make up the lost time, but got dispirited at the next announcement: "Two minutes, you've gone 0.17 miles." That's still way to slow. I expect to get to at least 0.25 kilometers in by the second minute in order to stay on pace for a 40 minute 5K. It went on an on like that. I was relly bummed out at 8 minutes (0.59 miles) and I thought, if I can't get anywhere close to a kilometer in 8 minutes, I'm really doing badly. It wasn't until I was most of the way through my run that I realized that I had switched the GPS app into reporting miles, and I was still thinking in kilometers.

My final result: 1.1 miles in 16 minutes translates to a 44 minute 5K, which isn't too terrible. As the weather turns bad in wintertime, I think my goal should be mostly to maintain most of the gains that I have made over the past few months.

My calves ached a bit, but my joints actually felt better after the run than before. I think that too much inactivity is worse for my joints than the running is.

Thursday, November 24

Nicholas and I ran in the 2011 Ward Parkway Thanksgiving Day 5k Run/Walk along with my Sister-in-law, Elizabeth, and my niece, Gabriella. Nicholas finished in 32 minutes and won third place in his age group. Elizabeth and Gabriella were doing a mixture of walking and running and finished in about 45 and 55 minutes, respectively.

I finished in 38 minutes. Thanks to the miracle of rounding, that sounds like a whole minute better than my previous best race, but the difference is actually a bit more modest (38 minutes 20 seconds versus 38 minutes 36 seconds). I was 27th in my age group. Ironic that a nearly identical time earns me first place in my age group in one run and puts me at the back of the pack in another race. It depends a lot on how many others are running. This race had well over 1200 runners and walkers.

The race banned headphones, so I couldn't listen to my GPS app for pacing. The first mile was about 11 minutes, and the second about 24, I think. I was huffing and puffing, but I wasn't the only one. I've also got a sore achilles tendon on my right leg, but otherwise, I'm in pretty good shape.

The timing results are now available. I finished 883rd overall out of 1249 runners and 27th out of 37 in my age group. Nicholas finished 539th overall and 3rd in his age group.

Saturday, November 19, 5.1K in 37 minutes, http://gps.motionx.com/maps/d0a3ad38e602df6345b11801aa3e2617, http://gps.motionx.com/maps/d0a3ad38e602df6345b11801aae7436b

I was originally planning to run 8 kilometers and try to keep each kilometer at 8 minutes (for a total run time of 64 minutes). The first kilometer was a bit fast at 7 minutes, but the next two took 8 minutes each. Somehow, I found myself running the fourth kilometer at 7 minutes (30 minutes total so far) and was making good progress at the 34 minute mark. So I plunged ahead and completed ANOTHER kilometer in 7 minutes. The end result was 5.1 kilometers in 37 minutes, which is an unofficial record for me. The course only had one big hill and no poop breaks during the run (thanks Cinnamon!). It also has one more downhill than uphill.

The pain was all in my muscles: no joint aches and no big problems with breathing. At the very end, I felt like I strained a muscle in the back of my left thigh, but it resolved pretty quickly.

Nick wanted to take a bike ride in the afternoon. We had originally planned to ride to Houlihan's, have lunch there and then return. But halfway through the trip, Nick asked if we could go instead to a different restaurant, Nick and Jake's. I was fine with that because it would save at least a couple of miles in either direction. The wind was blowing into our faces on the way out, and we had to wait forever at several traffic lights. Our trip out was 33 minutes and was 3.2 miles. My iPhone battery wore out on the way back, but it was pretty much the same route. The stretch from 135th and Nall to 143rd and Nall was almost all uphill, but it wasn't too steep. Biking uses different muscles than running, so I'm still in pretty good shape.

Thursday, November 17, 3.7K in 27 minutes

I was working on speed again today, and ran a short loop through Ironwoods Park. I ran the first kilometer in 6 minutes, slowed down a bit and ran the next half kilometer in four minutes, then sped up again. Cinnamon decided to take a poop break in the middle of this second speed stretch, but I was still able to finish another kilometer in 7 minutes. Then I slowed down a bit for the two big uphills. I got to the top of "no brake" hill and started feeling a bit dizzy, so I called it quits a bit early. I was still able to complete 3.7 kilometers (2.3 miles) in 27 minutes. This translates into a 36 minute 5K. I ws huffing and puffing the whole time. My body is still not ready for doing a full 5K at this pace, but I'm working on it. The nice thing is that when I run 6 minute and 7 minute kilometers, then an 8 minute kilometer (40 minute 5K) seems like a leisurely pace to me. It wasn't too long ago that I was struggling to keep up an 8 minute kilometer pace.

Just so you know, I take our dog Cinnamon out on these runs and she never seems to tire out. Today she was turning around while I was running full bore and then jumping up in the air while running backwards. It's a miracle that I didn't trip over her.

The weather has been nice recently for most of my runs and I usually wear too much. Today I was running in the afternoon sun and 50 degrees (Fahrenheit). I decided not to overdress and was wearing just a t-shirt and shorts. Not only did I not get cold, I was actually sweating a bit.

I forgot to do stretching after my run, but I still feel pretty good. I've got a slight pain in the right achilles tendon, but nothing else.

Tuesday, November 15, http://gps.motionx.com/maps/ad30ca062760611fdf82bd3b1a20178d

I'm still working on running 7 minute kilometers and today was a breakthrough. I ran my first kilometer in 7 minutes, slowed down a bit and ran a half kilometer in 4 minutes and then sped back up again to run another full kilometer in 7 minutes. I've usually been too tired after the first 7 minute kilometer to repeat the feat a second time. I've still got a long way to go, of course. The fast pace was all that I had in me, so I need to work on getting comfortable at this pace and then extending it.

The total run was 2.5 kilometers (1.5 miles) in 18 minutes. This obviously extrapolates to a 36 minute 5K.

I was huffing and puffing during the run and my thighs were also complaining. Twelve hours afterwards, I feel fine except for my right achilles tendon. That's always been one of my weak spots (my achilles heel, if you will). The stretches I do afterwards have helped a bit

I've also decided that I don't want to rush too much on these new best times. It would be nice if every year for the next decade, I could claim some new personal best. So I want my races at 65 years of age to be slightly better than my races at 64 years of age, which would be slightly better than my races at 63 years of age, etc. If I peak too soon, then it's downhill from that point onward. So I should only shave a minute or two off my best pace each year. So my goal is to run a 37 minute 5K when I'm 56, a 36 minute 5K when I'm 57, etc. That means at 65, I'll be running a 28 minute 5K. Sooner or later, I'll reach a plateau, but the longer I delay that, the more chances I have to brag.

There's no predicting the future, of course. I could get a serious injury that could stop my running program or I could get bored, or I could get too busy. But it's fun to plan out what I'll be doing at age 65, even if it is a bit unrealistic to forecast that far into the future.

Saturday, November 12

I wanted to do a longer run, so I did two loops in Ironwoods Park and then ran up to 141st Drive and back. The trail at the southeast corner of the park (the one that winds back and forth up a steep hill) is open again. My calves and lungs started complaining right from the start and the calves joined in the chorus after I passed the 5K mark. I noticed a twinge again on the top of my right foot.

I finished 5K in 43 minutes and then, amazingly, kept up that same pace, more or less, for the remainder of the run. It took me 71 minutes, but I ran for 8.2 kilometers (5.1 miles), which exceeds my previous distance record last Saturday (though I did the 7.8 kilometers last Saturday at a pace equivalent to a 40 minute 5K). Today's run had an extra hill in it, and I lost a minute for a poop break with Cinammon. So I can't complain. Running at a pace equivalent to a 38 to 43 minute 5K is becoming routine for me. The other good news is that my body seems to be recovering faster and I have no complaints as I am writing this, ten hours after the run.

Thursday, November 10, 3.9K in 32 minutes

I ran a medium loop through Ironwoods Park. I was working on speed and did the first kilometer in 7 minutes. Then I trotted for a half kilometer in four minutes and tried to run a second kilometer in 7 minutes, but I didn't quite have enough energy. After another slow trot for a half kilometer, I tried to pick it back up, but my body wasn't into it at all by this point. I finished 3.9 kilometers (2.4 miles) in 32 minutes, which translates into a 41 minute 5K. I'm still a long way from running a 35 minute 5K. I need to string a series of 7 minute kilometers together and I seem to have only one in me so far. Still, I'm happy with my progress. More good news is that I had no unusual aches or pains.

Tuesday, November 8

No double backing, I ran down Mission to 143rd and then east on 143rd to Nall and then back noorth to 148th. I thought this might be a fun route, but there is a long stretch on 143rd with no sidewalk. I dislike the uneven running surface on grass, even though it is probably better for my knees. I was working on speed and ran 1.1 kilometers in the first 7 minutes. This was a killer pace, but if I could maintain it, it would translate into a 32 minute 5K. I then slowed down for a leasurely trot for three minutes and then sped up the pace again. I could only do 0.9 kilometers in the next 7 minutes, but that's still a 39 minute 5K. I then slowed down for another three minutes. When I tried to run another kilometer at a face pace, my body wasn't up for it, so I just trotted the rest of the way. The mix of fast and slow running resulted in 4.2 kilometers (2.5 miles) in 33 minutes. That would translate to a 39 minute 5K.

My lungs hurt the most when I do short stretches at a fast (well fast for me anyway) speed, and today was no exception. About halfway through my calves started complaining. Usually when my leg muscles complain, it is mostly the thigh muscles, so this was a new one on me. New pains are good. Repeated pains in the same area are bad.

There was a great article in the New York Times about a woman runner who specialized in the 5K race but couldn't quite get up to world class speeds. She decided that running a marathon would help her run the 5K better. It's worth reading, but I would suggest that she is like some runners I know--a bit on the masochistic side. If I experienced even one tenth of the agony that she did, I'd quit running. I like being outdoors and pushing yourself a bit is fun. But losing a toenail or a knife sharp pain in your knee? That's not what I run for. Read the article, if you dare, at
--> http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/07/sports/lauren-fleshman-ran-marathon-to-prepare-for-olympic-5000-meters.html

Saturday, November 5

I've decided that Saturdays are my days for longer runs. My goal is to attack things from both ends. I want to run as fast as possible for shorter distances on the weekdays and try to build that up eventually to a 5K. On the weekends, I want to exceed the 5K so that during a 5K race, I'll still have something in reserve near the end of the race. So I set out with a goal of running 7.5 kilometers (4.5 miles) in one hour. That is a direct extrapolation of a 40 minute 5K, which is pretty ambitious. I got up early for a Saturday and headed out. My original plan was to make two loops in Ironwoods Park but a path near a corner of the outside loop was closed for construction, so I had to improvise with a different loop near the cabins and an extra leg along Mission Road between 143rd and 151st Street.

I always agonize over the first 30 seconds of the run, but once my body realizes that I'm not going to quit, it settles down and stops complaining. I ran the first kilometer in 7 minutes, the second in another 8 minutes. At 30 minutes I have reached four kilometers, and five kilometers at 38 minutes. This is a very good pace for me. My legs hurt, but when I passed the five kilometer mark, my lungs started complaining too. I reached the 7 kilometer mark at 56 minutes and had to pick the pace back up a bit for the final stretch. I reached 7.5 kilometers at exactly one hour and finished off the last stretch on 148th Street so I could stop where I started. The total distance was 7.8 kilometers (4.7 miles) in 63 minutes. That included three very steep hills. This bested my old record of 4 miles on October 9 as the longest distance I had ever run without stopping. Well, actually I had to stop at the 41 minute mark for a 30 second poop break with Cinnamon, but that doesn't count. Overall, the 7.8 kilometers in 63 minutes translates back to a 40 minute 5K, but note that I actually did the first 5K in 38 minutes, and the last 2.8K was at a much slower pace.

There aren't that many pains. My legs are still rubbery three hours later, and I experienced a small twinge of pain near the top of my right foot, which was a new spot to experience pain. My lungs did pretty well for the first 5K and I really didn't start to feel it there until after I passed the 5K mark. If the pains don't concentrate in the same place everytime, I figure I'm doing pretty well.

Thursday, November 3

I tried to run for speed and finished one kilometer in 7 minutes. I was breathing so hard that my side hurt. That translates to a 35 minute 5K, but there was no way that I could run that pace yet for a full 5K. I walked for a bit and then thought that I should do more than a single kilometer. So after a long break (about 10 minutes), I started up again. I couldn't quite finish the kilometer in 7 minutes, so I persisted for a bit longer. I finished 1.1 kilometers in 8 minutes. Again I was breathing hard, but also felt it in my leg muscles. There was also some residual pain in my right achilles tendon. My goal is to wear out all of my body equally, so this was encouraging. My cumulative total of 2.1 kilometers (1.3 miles) in 15 minutes corresponds to a 36 minute 5K. I'm still a long way from a 35 or 36 minute 5K, but I'm starting to get my body used to the pace that I'll have to run at.

Tuesday, November 1, http://gps.motionx.com/maps/acc9b7f98b3d868fffdf09681dbc3e99, http://gps.motionx.com/maps/acc9b7f98b3d868fffdf09681dbf55a6, and http://gps.motionx.com/maps/acc9b7f98b3d868fffdf09681dc5bd7c.

I ran around in the neighborhood while Nicholas visited with some friends. I ran 1.2 kilometers in 10 minutes. After a break, I ran another kilometer in 8 minutes. After another break, I ran 0.5 kilometers in 4 minutes. The breaks happened because I was checking in on Nicholas and because I had to find some pooper scooper bags for Cinnamon. The cumulative total of 2.7 kilometers (1.6 miles) in 22 minutes translates to a 41 minute 5K.

Monday, October 31, http://gps.motionx.com/maps/58f4d2a6f805b505eb81c76590d0a7ea

This is a walk and not a run, but I thought it was worth documenting. Nicholas met up with some of his friends to go trick-or-treating. I thought I'd turn on my GPS and track the route that we took while trick or treating. Usually a spike on the GPS map means an error in positioning, but here all the spikes correspond to walking up to the front doors of each house. I let the kids cut across a lawn if it saved some time, but I always walked back down to the sidewalk. I walked 5.2 kilometers (3.1 miles) in one hour and 42 minutes. The other kids were dog tired on the last leg of the walk, but Nick was still running up to every lit doorway. His sack of candy must have weighed ten pounds (though Cathy and I have found ways to lighten the load in the past couple of days).

Saturday, October 29, 2.7K in 28 minutes

I was in Branson on a family vacation and got up early on Saturday morning for a run. We were staying at the Chateau on the Lake, which is beyond the right edge of the map. I did my warm-up jog from the hotel down the steep winding driveway and started my run at the bottom of the hill. My heart was not in the run, so I just jogged at the same pace as my warm-up run and enjoyed the scenery. I ran down to a dock on Table Rock Lake, along a narrow peninsula jutting out onto the lake, and then along a sandy beach. On the way back, I thought I found a short cut to my hotel, but it was a dead end. My pace was very slow, 2.7 kilometers (1.6 miles) in 28 minutes, which translates to a 52 minute 5K.

Thursday, October 27. http://gps.motionx.com/maps/e120aef3994c868cf1e8eeb99178322f

I wasn't going to run, but Cathy suggested that the dog needed some exercise. We were going to board her later that day and she'd be stuck mostly in a cage for four days. So, for Cinnamon's sake, I headed out a bit before 7am. It was a bit too early and too dark to run through Ironwoods Park, so the route was just a straight shot down Mission Road to 143rd Street and back. I was half tempted to turn on 143rd towards Nall and then make a long loop, that would have been much too long a run on a day that I planned to travel. I ran 2.8 kilometers (1.7 miles) in 23 minutes, which translates to a 41 minute 5K. That's not quite as fast as my 5K race on October 22, but it's close enough to make me happy.

Saturday, October 22. http://gps.motionx.com/maps/4a743b3d65a1056cbed90321840b292c

This was a sponsored 5K race that I talk about in detail elsewhere. I started the GPS late, so it recorded 4.9 kilometers in 38 minutes, but the official distance was 5K and I finished in 39 minutes. This is the fastest that I have run a 5K and meets my goal of running a 5K in under 40 minutes. My new goal now if 35 minutes, but I'm not in a rush. If I can do it by the middle of 2012, I'll be happy.

I was huffing and puffing the whole way, and my legs feel like rubber as I am writing this (3 hours after the race), but no serious joint pain. I think the post-run stretches are helping.

Thursday, October 20. http://gps.motionx.com/maps/53614d97015bc1f4dbe2671c9eaeee73

I set the GPS program to metric, and it makes the math pretty much easier. I did a long loop within Ironwoods Park, and completed 4.8 kilometers in 42 minutes. That's almost exactly 3 miles. It translates into a 44 minute 5K.

I had a hard time getting started, maybe because I did not get a run in on Tuesday. Even so, I did the first kilometer in about 8 minutes, which would have extrapolated out to a 40 minute 5K. See how much nicer the math is (8*5/1=40 minutes). I always have a hard time keeping up such a fast pace and slowed down a bit for the rest of the run. There were also three big hills and the problem isn't just that I slow down going up a big hill, but that I can't seem to get back to my normal pace once I've reached the top. Still, I have to be pretty happy with my time. I was running with the dog, and she is often trying to go off somewhere outside the path.

My lungs were hurting within the first kilometer, but it was my upper leg muscles that really felt it when I was running back up "no brake" hill. I also felt a twinge in my right achilles tendon (a fairly common issue) and I've started doing some post-run stretching to reduce this problem.

Sunday, October 16, 4.2K in 38 minutes

I was at a scout campout with Nicholas this weekend, and got up before dawn to get a run in. There was some light from the moon, but I wanted to stay on a small gravel road for safety and I wanted to be near our tent when breakfast arrived. So I ran back and forth about five or six times on this short L-shaped route. Our tent was right at the green dot. The last segment of my run was right before dawn and the sky was turning a beautiful pink and purple.

My pace was a bit slow. I was standing a lot the previous day, and that may have tired me out a bit. Still, I was able to keep up a 14 minute per mile pace for the first two miles before slowing down. I did end up running 2.6 miles in 38 minutes. That extrapolates out to a 45 minute 5K.

Thursday, October 13, http://gps.motionx.com/maps/9af9c5c3b9267cc94b892841ebe57844

I was too busy to run on Tuesday. On Wednesday morning, I got ready before I noticed a bad thunderstorm. I've run in the rain before, but I didn't see a good reason to do it that day. So I had to wait until Thursday for the first run of the week. I was tight on time, so I only ran a single mile, but I did work on speed. My goal was to finish a mile in 12 minutes, but when the GPS announced the 12 minute mark, it also told me that I had only run 0.98 miles. Sigh. I stopped running, but kept the GPS going for a bit and finished slightly over one mile in slightly under 13 minutes. That translates to a 40 minute 5K. I was very short of breath, but had no aches anywhere in my legs or feet.

My goal during the week will be to run a fast pace during the weekdays (when time is limited) but try to extend the mile to 1.5 and then 2 miles. On the weekends, I will try to run a longer distance (at least 2.5 miles) and at a reasonable pace. My short term goal is running a 5K at 40 minutes or less and that looks eminently achievable. Long term, I'd like to look at reducing the time further, to 35 minutes and maybe even 30 minutes.

Sunday, October 9, 6.5K in 58 minutes

I was with Nicholas and Cathy on a Cub Scout campout and I woke up early on Sunday morning to take a run. The sun was just rising over the lake, and it looked just gorgeous. I ran towards the dam, turned around and made a small loop inside the park and the headed up on Metcalf. to 335th Street. I turned back, made a second visit to the dam and back. I ran a total of 4 miles in 58 minutes, which was well beyond a 5K. If you extrapolate, you'd get a 45 minute 5K. I had a bit of pain in my right achilles tendon, and my legs felt like rubber for the rest of the day.

I had never run 4 miles before. The pace was slow (especially the last 1.5 miles) but I think that running the extra distance will make me stronger at running a fast 5K.

Thursday, October 6, 1.8K in 18 minutes

I normally do not run two days in a row. I want my muscles to rest and I don't want to turn running into an obsession. But on this day, I wanted to get out for an easy run because I found myself in a different city (Augusta, Georgia) and I wanted to overcome the effects of prolonged sitting on the plane flights. I also wanted to see a map of something very different.

So I took a very leisurely run before dawn. It was probably a bad idea to run so early in the morning because I didn't know what parts of the city were safe, but I had a commitment at 8am and could not wait for the sun. I survived unmugged.

Augusta has a nice path along the Savannah River and I ran down about a half mile and then back. I went at a leisurely pace and finished 1.1 miles in 18 minutes. That translates to a 51 minute 5K.

Note that the GPS in my iPhone was not too accurate today. I was in a valley with tall buildings on one side, so the segments that make it look like I'm running on water are not really true.

Wednesday, October 5, http://gps.motionx.com/maps/631f44faed627a8ab65916a5f5f40ce5

I was running for speed again today and took a short course that avoided any big hills. I finised 1.2 miles in 14 minutes, which translates into a blisteringly fast 37 minute 5K. I doubt that I have the endurance yet to keep up this pace for a full 5K, but I'm working on it.

Monday, October 3, http://gps.motionx.com/maps/fa6d8dbb8dd5cd32c6a80b161ea2085d

I convinced Nicholas to get dropped off at Ycare very early today so I could get a quick run in. He likes being the first kid at Ycare, so it didn't take too much convincing. I kept the run short so I could still get to a 9:30am meeting. I also wanted to avoid "No Brake Hill" so I stayed out of Ironwood Park. I ran 1.1 miles in 14 minutes, which translates into a 39 minute 5K. It's dangerous to project from such a short distance, of course. I was winded, but no serious muscle or joint pain. If I can stretch this pace out to longer distances, then a 40 minute 5K is easily in reach.

Saturday, October 1 http://gps.motionx.com/maps/16174db397811497b422dc562834bbe6

I skipped a week because my cold was still bothering me. But Saturday morning, I did want to stretch my legs a bit. I ran into Ironwoods Park and my pace was very good on the way out (though I think I was helped by a generous GPS error at the start). I only did a very short loop in Ironwoods Park. I slowed down considerably on the way back, but still was able to run 2.1 miles in 32 minutes. That translates into a 47 minute 5K.

Saturday, September 24 http://gps.motionx.com/maps/baaafadd856e545ae6fb3747b03e095d

I had not run since the previous Sunday. I had a cold and decided to rest for most of the week. I'm still not 100%, but Saturday mornings are good for running and the weather is good. During the warmup walk and the first few minutes of running, I did not feel that great.

But when I found myself about to descend "no brake" hill, I thought it was either turn around and avoid the long uphill on the way back, or go for it. I went for it! I ran into Ironwoods Park--another big commitment because it's a fairly steep downhill that I'd suffer for on the way back. I did cut things a bit short while inside Ironwoods Park. I almost ended up at a walking pace on the two uphills on the return. But the total run still ended up being 2.2 miles. At the start I was thinking I'd be lucky if I lasted a full mile.

The pace was slow: 36 minutes, which translates to a 51 minute 5K. I'm working on doing a 40 minute 5K, but today was not a good day to run full out. Given the cold and the six days off, I thought this was a major triumph. My calves hurt more than anything else afterwards, which is good. It's a different part of my body that hurts every time and that's a sign that I'm building up endurance in all areas. Or maybe it's evidence that my whole body is falling apart at the exact same time. I do worry a bit when I feel pain in the heel, achilles tendon, or knee. These are usually minor, and I actually seem to have more problems on days that I don't run. I think it is inactivity plus the excess weight that I carry that is causing more problems than the running.

Cinnamon runs with me on the practice runs and she almost tripped me twice. She also had a poop break that caused me to lose a minute off my pace. But Cathy noticed that she was tired for the rest of the morning. A tired dog is a good dog.

Sunday, September 18, 2011 , 3.8K in 41 minutes

I ran on Sunday, and I could not convince Nicholas to come along with me. So we compromised. We ran to a house with some of his friends and then he played outside with them while I ran back and forth about four times from the friend's house to the pool and back. I set a very slow pace because I was tired and just wanted to stretch my legs a bit. It was 2.3 miles in 41 minutes, which translates into a 55 minute 5K.

Maps of runs before I started writing log entries

Thursday, September 15, 2011 , 4.6K in 37 minutes

Tuesday, September 13, 2011 , 5K in 46 minutes

Saturday, September 10, 2011 , 4.1K in 35 minutes

Thursday, September 8, 2011 , 1.6K in 15 minutes

Monday, September 5, 2011 , 5.1K in 41.5 minutes

Saturday, September 3, 2011 , 1.8K in 15.5 minutes

Wednesday, August 31, 2011 , 5.1K in 50 minutes

Monday, August 29, 2011 , 2.8K in 28 minutes

Saturday, August 27, 2011 , 2.8K in 25 minutes

What now?

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 United States License. This page was written by Steve Simon and was last modified on 2017-06-15.