All's Well That Ends Well. (Week 4)
Vol 4. No.6
No, this week was not as sorted and twisted as the famed Shakespeare play, but it started off pretty damn rough but ended great! My first run of the week was miserable and I was ill prepared. At the other end of the week, my last run felt great and was my first double digit run in 2025. It’s been almost 60 days since I’ve ran that far.
Running this week was mostly in sub-freezing temperatures minus the time on the treadmill. I got in a snow run, the first one since our last big snow storm five years ago. It was cold and windy, but a fun two miles. There’s a video of it below.
I’ve kept my nutrition on point and have yet to indulge in any sugar of any kind. I’ve also avoided all of the sugar free cookies. It was rather easy as I didn’t buy any this week. I use the Dexcom Stelo Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM) to monitor my daily glucose levels. Since my diagnosis of Type 2 Diabetes, I’ve been very good and maintaining a daily “Time in Range” of 95% or greater. This is superb as the goal is above 70% TIR. In response to eating real food and removing sugars and most carbs from my diet, I’ve been dropping weight. I’ve dropped another -2.6lbs this week and leveled off at 211lbs. The goal remains to be 170-175lbs at the start of my Marathon build on October 1st with an average of 50-60 miles per week.
Thank you for following The Long Run and my journey to Boston.
Monday: 1.20.2025 (Day 20 of 90): Monday’s gonna Monday.
It’s always the right time do to what is right. - Martin Luther King jr.
It’s a philosophy that I live by and did my best to incorporate into the culture of my teams while serving in Army. Although my iteration of the famous MLK quote was slightly different, I drew inspiration from this great American leader and Civil Rights hero. Your soul and conscience knows when you’ve done what is right vs what is wrong.
When you’re right, you’re right and everyone else can piss off. - J.T. (Me)
Monday was an absolutely historic day with the inauguration of the 47th President of the United States of America and the Federal Holiday celebrating the life and accomplishments of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. I’m proud to witness America’s continued eternal march towards a more perfect union. Are we perfect, absolutely not, but we are the absolute best country in the world and will continue to be the bright beacon on the hill for individual liberty and freedom.
With Monday being a Federal Holiday I was expecting the YMCA to be full of people, but it wasn’t. I don’t know what’s going on in 2025, I guess there weren’t a lot of people who made fitness related goals and resolutions. I’m recognizing the same faces in the gym today as I have been for the past couple of years. Those who are consistent are easy to see.
I got back in the squat rack and knocked out more Barbell Back Squats before moving on to Leg Extensions, Lunges and Calf’s. I further added pullups, slam ball and sandbag work before making my way to the stair mill. No running this morning as I had planned to run in the afternoon when temperatures were above freezing.
Temperatures got above freezing with a clear sky and enough sunshine to warm up the Atlantic Ocean. Unfortunately looks are deceiving and I failed to properly plan for this run!
Piss Poor Planning leads to Piss Poor Performance. - SGT Wing
That’s exactly what happened. I made a series of missteps so when I got to the trail I quickly realized within a half mile that I needed an undershirt, hat and gloves. I was ill prepared and after one mile I was done! I went straight home and straight into the shower to warm up. I’d get redemption tomorrow.
**Lesson Learned: The pursuit of excellence is a noble and arduous endeavor.
1.01 miles | Avg Pace: 8’56” | Avg HR: 126 | Best Mile: 8’56” | Feeling: COLD
Motivation: 8.5
Tuesday: 1.21.2025 (Day 21 of 90): Two-A-Day Redemption
After a piss poor performance yesterday I felt the need for redemption today, so I decided to make it a two-a-day. The day started at the YMCA with a lot of leg work, abs, pullups and more. The 20lb slam ball is always fun to throw around and work on moving through the Sagittal plane. While running is mostly a movement through the Frontal and Transverse planes, getting stronger at one makes you better at the others.
I took a shower, just to put running clothes back on and go for a run! This running life is weird and crazy.
Let me know if you’ve ever found yourself in a similar circumstance.
My workout at the YMCA was pretty good and I got it done just in time to get to work by 8am. Good thing I did, because as soon as I logged onto my workstation I was bombarded with emails, phone calls, meetings and mandates. Work got busy quick. Unexpectedly quick!
So I sat down and started handling my business. Next thing I know, it’s 12:00p and I’m supposed to be out for my lunch run! It’s then I realized, I hadn’t even gotten out of my gym clothes, I feel kind of gross and don’t want to go start running already funky.
In the shower I go, getting cleaned up, just to put on my running gear and go run. I really started to question my life and what I was doing. Somewhere along the lines this morning I failed at time management or prioritizing requirements. Regardless, I get the gear on and head to the trail.
The run itself was uneventful and monotonous. I ran along a route that I know by memory and ran hundreds of times before. The temperature hovered just below freezing and this time I was well prepared for the cold.
My only intent on this run was to knock out 4.0 miles with no goals for pace or any other metric. So I suited up, buckled down and started putting one foot in front of the other until I hit the 2-mile turn around. There was no landmark or other marking on the trail, it was the same looking trail as the quarter mile before and the quarter mile after. My only indication it was time to turn around was my watch.
Nothing was interesting about this run. I hit the turn around and went back, maintaining a constant pace with little variation.
When it was all done and said, I was just happy to get in more miles and redemption from yesterday.
Then I went back home, to take another shower.
4.02 miles | Avg Pace: 9’27” | Avg HR: 133 | Best Mile: 9’04” | Feeling: Ready
Motivation: 5.0
Wednesday: 1.22.2025 (Day 22 of 90): Snow Run!
It’s been five years since we got any measurable snow, so when the forecast called for snow I had to go get in a run! Finally the weatherman got it right and we received about an inch of snow, so I made my way downtown.
The run was slow, cold and only lasted for two miles. I was grateful I decided to keep it at two miles as the sunrise wind was absolutely brutal. At 18F, even the slightest of winds can drop the real feel down to unbearable and that’s how it felt getting back to the Jeep.
Beings as it was a Wednesday, I did what I I always do, go get in a 5K run. The roads were much better in the evening and the sunlight had it’s way with the majority of the snow and ice, but the temperatures were still brutally cold.
The group bundled up and we stepped off for our 5K run into the cold dark winter night. I got in my run with Jan, whom I’ve been running with for a few years and we caught up on the latest races and running goals going into 2025.
Running with friends is better, tonight proved that again.
3.14 miles | Avg Pace: 11’01” | Avg HR: 123 | Best Mile: 10’44” | Feeling: Adventurous
Motivation: 7.5
Thursday: 1.23.2025 (Day 23 of 90): Another 5-miler!
Today marks 14 straight days of running. It doesn’t necessarily feel overbearing or that I’m over worked. As my friend Anthony says, “If you feel good, go!” So as the days and weeks go on, I continue to feel good so I keep on running.
The cold weather continued to persist, so the group is bundled up, made our way outside for a club photo and off we went. Runners mileages ranged from two miles to five miles and all had a good run.
My friend Matt made a surprise appearance. I hadn’t run with him in a few years, so it was good to catch up for five miles. I also got in a few miles with Ken, who is preparing for the Myrtle Beach Marathon and aiming for a Boston Qualifying time! He’s been putting in a ton of work!
Overall this was an easy run with my average heart rate staying in Zone 2.
5.03 miles | Avg Pace: 10’26” | Avg HR: 129 | Best Mile: 10’13” | Feeling: Hungry (food)
Motivation: 4.5
Friday: 1.24.2025 (Day 24 of 90): YMCA was Empty.
We have two indoor cats in our family. Jinx and Wren. They are siblings, but very much different. Jinx is usually quiet and regal, but his weird little sister, is well just weird. This damn cat, Wren, has the ability to squeeze her little mouth under my door while using both paws to cup her meows and then start screaming into my room at 4am. It’s actually kind of impressive she figured this out, but maddeningly so.
I hate that damn cat.
With a constant rhythm of scream with increasing decibels, she had me awake and stumbling downstairs. It was early at 4:30am but the next thing I know it’s 6:00am and that’s when I decided to make my way to the YMCA.
Two miles on the treadmill is all that I had on the plan. Two miles of increased pace and it all went as planned. I started the run at an 8’50” pace and finished the last 0.5 mile at a 7’30” pace. It all felt easy and my heart rate didn’t get crazy.
2.00 miles | Avg Pace: 8’26” | Avg HR: 135 | Best Mile: 7’51” | Feeling: Determined
Motivation: 6.5
Saturday: 1.25.2025 (Day 25 of 90): Free Association Running (FAR)
I really only needed seven miles this morning to hit the 100-mile mark this month or I could have gone less and knocked out four miles to hit the 25-mile weekly goal I have. However, once I was on the trail, I just couldn’t stop.
“If you feel good. GO!” - Anthony
It’s a saying many of us have heard from Anthony over the years. He’s a dedicated runner, coach, mentor and friend to many. When he starts talking about running, most of us listen to pro-tips, knowledge and understanding. This little quip is an understandably easy one to apply to training.
My only real goal this morning was to finish up four miles to hit my weekly goal. With six more days left of the month, I’m not worried about my monthly goal of 100 miles.
So I met up early to get in 40 minutes of running with Jenna. An incredibly strong runner who is traveling the United States in her quest for completing a Marathon in all 50 states. It was a great warmup with an average pace around 11’40”, it got the joints ready and the blood flowing on this 20f morning. After we completed a 20-minute out and back, we linked up with the rest of the club to get in some more.
My friends, the other runners you see in this picture are incredible. Renae, Sarah, Sarah and Anthony stepped off for a nine mile run and ended up with a Half Marathon (13.1 miles). Jenna had 20KM on her training plan and executed perfectly. Ken was out for 10 miles at his BQ Race Pace, a feat he’s aiming for at the Myrtle Beach Marathon. With friends like these, becoming a better runner isn’t overtly expected, it just happens.
I logged my first 3.58 miles with Jenna before linking up with the club. I then knocked out another 3.0 miles with them with an average pace of 9’30” before turning around and heading back solo. Once on my own, I picked up the pace a little to an 8’50” and around the eight mile mark, I decided to go for 10. I kept the increased pace through mile nine before dialing it back to a 9’24” for mile 10. I felt great. No pain and nothing felt labored. It was a great morning to run.
It was an incredible morning to run. While it was still well below freezing, the air had a stillness and calmness to it that made it just right. We also crossed paths with two more of our friends who were completing their 20-mile long run and from the looks of it were kicking ass.
Overall it was a great morning.
10.01 miles | Avg Pace: 10’21” | Avg HR: 124 | Best Mile: 8’38” | Feeling: Refreshed
Motivation: 8.8
Sunday: 1.26.2025 (Day 26 of 90): Rest Day / Travel Day.
As you’re reading this I am most likely somewhere over Utah enroute to Seattle. I am planning a rest and recovery day today but that may change if the weather allows for a hike down to Puget Sound. I’ll update this post at the end of the day.
**UPDATE**
Sunday was a travel day, certainly not a “rest” day. I find that the more fit I am and the more I run, the more I walk through the airports and take the stairs. As long as I have time for the walk, I’ll simply walk between terminals and take all the steps if possible.
I’ll be back at it tomorrow for Week 5 with a mix of outdoor running and indoors at the local YMCA here in Washington.
