Week 3: Running Around
In the Jeep or on my feet.
This week takes you on a roller coaster of a trip from a 3am wakeup in Arkansas to running through a tunnel and a stroll through Ikea. It was a week of highs and lows, both in the physical and the emotional. Resiliency derived from running can be directly transferred and applied to the rest of your life. I’ve found that the more discipline, tenacity and effort I place into my running, the more I am able to handle the rigors and hurdles of life.
You’ll read about a close friend I haven’t seen in a long while and a Marine who inspires me to never quit. This week had more than one ZERO days, but not all zero days are the same. Sometimes a zero day can have secondary and tertiary effects that help in my pursuit of Marathon glory.
Overall it was a week of decreased miles, increased calories and allocating time towards people that are important to me.
Overall Mileage this week: 22.0 miles with a monthly accumulation of 69.16 mi.
Congratulations to my friends Carlos and Fely on the birth of their daughter, Leah!
Monday: ZERO DAY
It started with my alarm screaming at me at 3:00am. Sleepily I reach over, somehow manage to hit the appropriate button on my iPhone to turn the damn thing off. I’m actually quite surprised because there is no button, just a touch screen. The first thoughts that go through my mind are similar to all the other mornings I’ve woken up.
“Thank you Lord for blood in my heart and air in my lungs! Thank you for a fully functioning body and the freedom to do with it what I want.”
I’m out the door and making the 75 minute drive to Little Rock, AR to get back home to NC. After two flights and a short layover I was finally back in my own castle by lunch time. Beyond that my day just kept getting busier with e-mails, reports and life obligations. Running just wasn’t in the cards today. I hated it. The idea of “Never miss a Monday” was going through my head all day. The day ended as a ZERO day.
During my flights I was reflecting on my past runs and where my “comfort zone” is. After analyzing the data I determined my comfort zone is around a 9’30” mile. I decided that I needed to push myself out of that zone and do better. No better time to make that happen than on Tuesday, National Airborne Day!
Tuesday: National Airborne Day!
August 16th is National Airborne Day and every year I try to meet the Airborne Standard run of 4-miles in 36 minutes or less, maintaining an average pace of 9 min/mile or faster. It’s a personal gauge of fitness and honestly it really makes me feel better about myself knowing I can get it done. I remember we would always have a couple of Soldiers who couldn’t do it, so at 41yrs of age I feel incredible being able to accomplish this little feat.
My friend Carlo’s sent me a message last night around 8pm. “Hey, are you running on the track tomorrow morning (5:15am)?”. Of course if Carlos is asking, he plans on going and if he’s going I can’t skip out. I informed him of my goals stated above and then put out an open call on the FB Group for anyone else to join me. This morning it was just Carlos and myself. I’m so thankful he showed up because he pulled me along the entire way. It made running easier.
I was up at 4:30am and out the door by 5:00am. Honestly, my legs were still a little tired from the run/hike in Arkansas on Sunday and my mind was still groggy at 5:15am when I arrived at the track. Yeah that’s right, I said “track". I was going to complete 4-miles on the track. This is as much mental as it is physical! 16 Laps around the track can be monotonous and challenging. At least it was flat!
After a quick stretch and discussion, we started our running watches and took off! The first mile was quick at 8’20” and I felt strong and a little winded. Mentally I knew I could make it 4-miles so I made the decision to slow down for the next 3 miles. Unfortunately for my plan, I’m a naturally competitive person and since Carlos was ahead of me, I had to keep up! Mile 2 was clocked at 8’18”!!
Friendly competition results in better performance. I’m a firm believer in that. The next 2 miles had Carlos ahead of me and breaking trail. Mile 3 was clocked in at 8’41” and I was starting to feel it! Once I had 3 miles in, emotionally I was struggling. I did NOT want to fail. I felt obligated to meet this standard as I already told myself I would. The last mile took some mental fortitude as I kept telling myself “Less than a mile, keep going!” Eventually that last mile was over and the standard was met!
Results: 4.0 Miles in 34’19”, AVG Pace: 8’33” with AVG HR: 154bpm. Best Mile 8’11”
Wednesday: Time is valuable
Not only was Wednesday a ZERO day on miles, but I also ate up to 5lbs of red meat at a Brazilian Steakhouse. More importantly my time and attention was focused on friendship instead of running. I would gladly ditch my running plan to help my friend and that’s exactly what I did.
On Wednesday I made the four hour trek across the state to meet up with a long-time friend, fellow Combat Veteran and Jumpmaster. My friend Mike was in Asheville taking care of some family matters and I had just a small window of opportunity to see him again. While I had every intention of running on Wednesday, the priority wasn’t about myself. My priority of time was given to my friend.
I’ve known Mike since 2003, where we were both Paratroopers in the 82nd Airborne Division. We served in Iraq together on two rotations, we’ve taken incoming together and spent many days “outside the wire” with each other. We’ve experienced life and death situations together along with moments of great joy. I don’t know how to describe the friendships that are forged in combat. It’s a unique relationship that few will ever understand. I really do appreciate his friendship.
We’ve ran many miles together! I’ve seen this man put forth an amazing amount of effort into his running and fitness. We’ve spent many miles together in the “Area-J Run Club”, living that Paratrooper life. IYKYK.
Thursday: 4 miles and a tunnel.
I decided to get in a 4-mile run that would take me through downtown Asheville, NC in the early morning. On Wednesday evening I drove the route and failed to take notice of the hills I’d be facing. I knew better! As a runner, you notice things like hills when you are driving in an area that you know you’d be running.
The route on the morning was a straight out and back. Walking out of the hotel I hit the main road and hang a right and start the run. Immediately I realize the first mile is 100% uphill! It was miserable but I did my best not to walk, my only consolation was knowing my last mile would be all downhill! At the top of the hill was the tunnel that was interesting to run through. I do believe that’s the first time I’ve ever ran through a tunnel.
On the other side of the tunnel I hit downtown Asheville, which usually is a pretty city. Unfortunately I was running amongst the walking dead. Downtown Asheville has been inundated with homeless people and it hurts the soul to see my fellow man in such a state of despair and degradation. It sucked. I kept running.
I hit my 2-mile turn around at the local gathering spot of the homeless for their morning congregation of sunrise drinks, injections and smoke. It was a good spot to turn around. I ran back up towards the tunnel, hit the high ground and started my one mile descent back to my hotel. I felt blessed to have a fully functioning body that allows me to run and a mind in balance.
Results: 4.0 Miles in 45:14”, AVG Pace: 11’16” with AVG HR: 140bpm. Best Mile 9’18”
Friday: Back to a familiar route.
With my mileage already behind schedule this week, I decided on a four mile run on a route I haven’t ran since last year. The route is an emotional one and really gives me the desire to never quit. Today I ran around Lake Benson park in Garner. The paved loop around the trail passes by a memorial for PFC Sanchez. You can read about his Bronze Star w/V here.
PFC Sanchez wanted to join the United States Marine Corps but could not meet the weight standards. After this let down he began his fitness journey at Lake Benson Park. He would walk, ruck, run the loop around the park in all weather conditions, all year long. In total he lost almost 100lbs and was admitted into the military earning the title of United States Marine.
Whenever I run that loop, I think of Sanchez and his fellow Marines and his family. He was a warrior who ran on the same trail I was on. To me this is an emotional connection to a Marine whom I never met, but I can honor and acknowledge the dedication he put into joining the Marine Corps and his service and sacrifice. Whenever I’m on that loop, I can’t walk. I just can’t.
The run started strong on a downhill portion that helped put me on a good pace. My breathing picked up quickly but my muscles and body felt fine while letting gravity pull me downhill. A few glances at my watch and I was at a sub 9min/mi and feeling good! I decided to keep this going for as long as possible. Hell, I did it on Tuesday, I can do it again on Friday right?
I passed quite a few walkers on the trail getting in their fitness. A much different view and feel from the hordes of homeless in downtown Asheville. Here in this park, there was nobody shitting on the grass or openly using drugs in front everyone. The area felt safe.
The run went all good until mile three! It was there that I tackled a long uphill battle. My pace slowed to an avg of 9’30” and it threw off my entire run. I made a decision halfway up that hill that the next time I run this route, I will maintain a sub 9min/mi up that hill!
Results: 4.0 Miles in 36’24”, AVG Pace: 9’06” with AVG HR: 150bpm. Best Mile 8’17”
Saturday:
I woke up Saturday morning in Charlotte and did not get in a morning run. Our day was pre-planned with breakfast and a trip to Ikea. Even as I’m writing this I feel “old”, interesting to be aware of it while it’s happening. Usually I just blink and I have more grey hair in my beard or on my head. In this case I am aware of the aging process.
My running accomplishments were ZERO on Saturday. Simply put, my wife and Ikea collaborated to prevent me from running through the store! We eventually settled on a meager 2-miles of walking and meandering through the multitude of tiny worlds that Ikea sets up on their floor. A few hours later and a cart full of polish-pine furniture and we were on our way back east. Running just wasn’t in the equation.
So far, Monday, Wednesday and Saturday are Zero days. This makes me emotionally uncomfortable as being prepared for the Marathon is a constant thought in my head. It occupies my thoughts when I fall asleep, when I wake up and in between. The question is always looming in my head “Is what I’m doing going to prepare me for the Marathon?”. Today felt like a total physical let down. No running, no training.
The upside to Saturday is that I made my wife happy. The unwritten universal rule of worldwide marriage “If momma aint happy, aint nobody happy” is an ever present force, like gravity, in my house. When my wife is happy, she is more supportive of my time allocation to training and running. It looks like building adult size Lego furniture has it’s pro’s.
Sunday: Runday!
It is currently 5:45am on Sunday morning and in 45 minutes I’ll be out the door to the trail to log a 10-mile run! This is something I feel I need in order to close out this week properly. My goal pace is a 9’30 to 10’00”. The last few days my nutrition took a nose dive. It would be easy to place blame on my significant other but the reality is, I’m the one who shoveled that crap into my face.
Run Complete. Yesterday evening I put out an open invite to my Run Club that anyone is free to join me in part or all of my run. This morning my friend Jennifer joined me for the first two miles, where she turned around to make it a four miler. I’ve ran with Jennifer on other occasions on the paved trail and on our monthly trail runs. She is an incredibly strong runner and determined! This morning was the first time I’ve ever witnessed some weakness as she’s recovering from some leg issues. Still, given that the first mile we ran was the fastest!
At mile two Jennifer and I took a picture and parted ways. I continued onward for my 10 mile goal. It was around mile three that things started to take a downward slide for me. Physically my legs were heavy and it just felt like a struggle to move my body. I was uncomfortable running, but I could certainly tell that the fuel I put in my body was not designed to support the type of running I was doing this morning. Nothing in particular hurt, I was just uncomfortable running. This wasn’t a “fun run” , it was a nose down, keep grinding movement.
I’m thankful for my friend who logged the first two miles with me and I was able to complete this run on my own two feet. It was physically and mentally draining. I’m glad the run is over and I’m glad I accomplished a set goal of 10-miles with a pace between 9’30” to 10’00”.
Results: 10.0 Miles in 1:39:13, AVG Pace: 9’55” with AVG HR: 141bpm. Best Mile 9’09”
