Week 8: Three miles

49:48 minutes, 28.1 laps, appx 30:60 sec run/walk ratio

I was still pretty worn out from hauling brush and tree limbs for three hours yesterday, so it was a slow-ish three miles around the house, but I got it done.

Week 7: Eight miles

2:12 hours, 30:60 sec run/walk ratio

I got up a little before 7 am today, and was at the park for my run by 8:30 am. Weather was sunny with a bit of a breeze, hot but not too hot. I was feeling listless and slow, and was in fact a bit off my usual pace, but not too bad.

I brought along the Clif Shot Bloks I had left over and ate two or three of them while I ran. I like them, I think I'll try to get more. They'd gotten a bit dried out after being opened, but I splashed a couple of drops of water into the bag before I left, and they softened up a bit by the time I ate them.

I'm pleased at the way I've been keeping up with my runs, even though sometimes I feel blah and unmotivated. I haven't seriously been tempted to blow any of them off, I just trudge out there and do them anyway. Still, I hope I have a little more enthusiasm when it comes time for the longer runs. And especially for the half marathon itself. I still haven't registered. I think I'll enjoy it once I'm there, but I've got too many other things going on right now to think much about going to Las Vegas in December.

Week 6: Three miles

47:37 minutes, 28.1 laps, 30:60 sec run/walk ratio (approximate)

I slept in until 8 am today, because I've been so tired this week, the weather has been cooling down, and it was only a 3-mile run. So I didn't get out there until 9:30-ish, and just did my run around the house. I felt pretty good, and my time showed it—I averaged just under 16-minute miles, and cut about 3.5 minutes off my Week 1 3-mile time. Go me!

I didn't use the watch to time intervals, so they're approximate. It's too easy to get messed up trying to run exact intervals on such short laps. I generally run somewhere between 30–40 seconds and then walk the rest of the way, usually about a minute. So it's close enough. Maybe it helps to run a little more than 30 seconds on the short runs, makes it easier to keep going for 30 seconds on the long runs.

Anyway, I'm pleased to have done such a good run after feeling so icky this week (mostly stressed out and not getting enough sleep, but I think I'm past it now). I hope I can stay strong for next week's eight-mile run.

I still haven't registered for the race. Registration is $145 and I had truck repair expenses this month, so maybe I'll wait until next month. There's still time. I should get my hotel reservations done, though.

Week 5: Six and a half miles

1:46 hours, 30:60 second run/walk ratio

I actually did about six and three quarter miles, because I ended up doing the short lower loop at Meadowbrook Park for my "half mile," which I'd figured out from previous runs in the park was about three quarters of a mile. But I stopped my watch after eight and a half minutes or so, about where I thought a half mile was, and walked the rest of the way back. So my time and distance are approximate, but close enough.

I had a good run, despite being kind of tired. It was hard getting up at 6 am. I'd gone to bed at 10 pm, but wasn't really sleepy and didn't get to sleep until after 11. So I was a bit short on sleep. But I felt pretty good and finished without getting too tired, averaging just over 16 minute miles. (My time at 6 miles was 1:37.)

My shoulders and neck were a bit sore while I was running, which means I was leaning forward while I ran, trying to push myself ahead. I need to pay more attention to my posture and stay upright while I run.

I ate a Cliff Blok at 4 miles. Pretty good, kind of a gummy cube. It was probably a bit dried out from sitting in my cupboard for over a year—it was from a sample packet I picked up at my last half marathon. I will try them again on my next long run.

There was a light breeze, which kept the heat from being too overpowering. I finished by 9:30 am, so it wasn't too hot. But I hope the weather starts to cool down before my runs get much longer. I'm not going to be able to get up any earlier.

Five weeks into my training, and still going strong! Guess I could go ahead and register for the Las Vegas Half Marathon now.