So I started off this morning at 6:00 a.m. and decided to try running without stretching. I just started off nice and slow, or what I thought was nice and slow... and the first mile was 9:56! And I felt great! I knew it wouldn't last long, so I decided to ease up a bit. And the second mile ended at 20:01, for a 10:05 split. I thought I was running slow! I know some of you reading can run a lot faster, but this is good for me. So let me celebrate!
I went 4.6 miles down the bike path South into Kenosha. I took a little break and ate a couple of bites out of an Oreo cookie. I normally would not eat an Oreo while running, because of the insulin response it creates, but I had no energy drinks, bars or gels I could take with, so I thought I would give it a try. It went OK, but I would prefer one of the "engineered" foods. I'm also in the habit of taking a two minute break at the turn-around point, and I'm not sure if this is a good idea or not. I suppose if the runs are getting longer, this means that the breaks are also getting further apart. And it's nice to stop and listen to the birds chirp and watch the animals run around.
I turned around and went back North towards Racine. I was really in my groove for most of the last half. I thought about slowing down and taking it easy for the last mile, but this is a long training run, and I was planning on two days off anyway, so on I went - all the way to my back door. My overall time/distance was 9.12 miles in 98 minutes, for a 10:45 mile pace!
Confidence: Up
Run rating: 3 out of 3
5k
My First 5k!
Monday, May 2, 2011
Saturday, April 30, 2011
April 29, 2011 run
Today I ran another 4.25 miles, this time in 44:15, which is a quick 10:25 pace! (At least, quick for me). I'm glad I got a chance to get out in the morning, because it gave me a chance to clear my mind and ponder my situation at work. Some bad stuff happened the night before while at a customer's site, and, well, let's just say that I am going to have a chat with my boss when I get back to the office on Monday.
Run rating: 3 out of 3
Confidence: Up
Run rating: 3 out of 3
Confidence: Up
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Business Trips and Fitting in the Miles - 4-28-2011
This week I am out of town in Marietta, Ohio, right on the Ohio river. And this is supposed to be a higher mileage week for me (22 to 24 miles, with a 9 mile long run). I was concerned about how I am going to fit it all in, but so far I managed to fit two runs in. There is a nice path along the Muskingum river, which is a tributary to the Ohio. Very peaceful - since I am accustomed to getting up early anyway, I've been hitting the trail at about 5:00 am and still making it back before dawn.
On Tuesday, I ran 3.3 miles in 34 minutes, a quick 10:20 pace. (Or at least, quick for me). On Wednesday, I got up on time, then realized that I did not get the keys to the rental car from my co-worker who is traveling with me. I did not think it prudent to wake him up at 4:15 just to ask for keys, so back to bed I went.
On Thursday, I woke up and it was REALLY windy out. The temp was 61 degrees, but the wind kinda threw me off. I hit the trail wearing short sleeves and a running jacket, and running gloves. After about 0.2 miles, the jacket came off and got tied around the waist. The gloves stayed on, though - I did try taking them off and stuffing them in my pockets, but whenever the wind kicked up, my hands got cold. So back on they went. I made it 4 miles in 45:30, a VERY slow 11:22 pace. What I don't get is that I felt like I was running a 10:30 pace, and I should have been able to run a 10:30 pace. I can come up with three reasons: first, I was not hydrated correctly - I was reaching for my water bottle several times during a run where I really should not have had to get any water at all. Second, being that I am on a business trip and sleeping in a hotel, I'm probably a bit fatigued but not noticing it. Third, since I am eating in restaurants, I am not getting as much carbs as I need, and probably too much protein and fat.
But the runs have been very peaceful and energizing, and it's nice to be able to run in shorts and short sleeves.
Run rating: 3 out of 3
Confidence: Up (cautiously - my week is not yet done!)
On Tuesday, I ran 3.3 miles in 34 minutes, a quick 10:20 pace. (Or at least, quick for me). On Wednesday, I got up on time, then realized that I did not get the keys to the rental car from my co-worker who is traveling with me. I did not think it prudent to wake him up at 4:15 just to ask for keys, so back to bed I went.
On Thursday, I woke up and it was REALLY windy out. The temp was 61 degrees, but the wind kinda threw me off. I hit the trail wearing short sleeves and a running jacket, and running gloves. After about 0.2 miles, the jacket came off and got tied around the waist. The gloves stayed on, though - I did try taking them off and stuffing them in my pockets, but whenever the wind kicked up, my hands got cold. So back on they went. I made it 4 miles in 45:30, a VERY slow 11:22 pace. What I don't get is that I felt like I was running a 10:30 pace, and I should have been able to run a 10:30 pace. I can come up with three reasons: first, I was not hydrated correctly - I was reaching for my water bottle several times during a run where I really should not have had to get any water at all. Second, being that I am on a business trip and sleeping in a hotel, I'm probably a bit fatigued but not noticing it. Third, since I am eating in restaurants, I am not getting as much carbs as I need, and probably too much protein and fat.
But the runs have been very peaceful and energizing, and it's nice to be able to run in shorts and short sleeves.
Run rating: 3 out of 3
Confidence: Up (cautiously - my week is not yet done!)
Sunday, April 3, 2011
April 2, 2011 Run
Got up at 6:00 am and headed down the bike path into Kenosha. Made it seven miles! I tried something new today as well: An abbreviated stretching routine, and ran the first mile at a slow 12 minute pace. Then picked it up a bit. So the first mile was 12 minutes, then the next 2.5 miles took 26 minutes - a 10:24 pace. I deliberately kept my heartrate at about 165. When I got to the 3.5 mile mark, I took a quick break to rinse out my mouth, then turned around. I ran the 3.5 miles back in 41 minutes, an 11:42 pace. I deliberately kept my heart rate at 158.
Overall it was a very pleasant run. I began my run at just about dawn, and for the first time this year the birds were chirping. There wasn't much wind, so for most of the run all I heard was my breathing and the tapping of my running shoes on the pavement. I greeted a few people walking their dogs and riding their bikes. I have found that dawn is my favorite time of day to run.
7 miles in 79 minutes - 11:17 pace. Slower than I want to run, so perhaps I need to adjust my expectations. However, I had very little soreness after the run. As of this writing (Sunday April 3, 4:30 pm) my plantar fasciitis is acting up again, but it's not too debilitating. We'll see if I can run on Monday.
Confidence: Up, due to the increased distance and almost zero soreness.
Run rating: 2 out of 3 - even though the distance was longer, my time is not improving, and I did not get a runner's high.
Overall it was a very pleasant run. I began my run at just about dawn, and for the first time this year the birds were chirping. There wasn't much wind, so for most of the run all I heard was my breathing and the tapping of my running shoes on the pavement. I greeted a few people walking their dogs and riding their bikes. I have found that dawn is my favorite time of day to run.
7 miles in 79 minutes - 11:17 pace. Slower than I want to run, so perhaps I need to adjust my expectations. However, I had very little soreness after the run. As of this writing (Sunday April 3, 4:30 pm) my plantar fasciitis is acting up again, but it's not too debilitating. We'll see if I can run on Monday.
Confidence: Up, due to the increased distance and almost zero soreness.
Run rating: 2 out of 3 - even though the distance was longer, my time is not improving, and I did not get a runner's high.
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Week of March 28
March 28 found me in St. Louis (again) on a business trip. Actually, not quite St. Louis, but Montgomery City, Missouri, about 75 miles west of St. Louis. I asked at the front desk where I could run; she pointed me to a local park that had some trails. So I went there. NOT quite what I had in mind. Trails, yes - but VERY hilly! Oh well, I went with it. What was supposed to be 3 miles easy turned into 30 minutes of hill work.
I made darn sure to get my protein powder after the run. And I had a lot less muscle soreness than I thought I would have! That was a confidence booster. And the fact that I did the hill work.
I'm guessing I did 2.5 miles in 33 minutes.
Confidence: Up (for little soreness, and that I actually completed hill work)
Rating: 3 out of 3
On March 30, I still did not find a suitable place to run, so I did hamster miles on the treadmill. I set the treadmill to 5.5 mph at 1% incline, but my heartrate monitor told me I was running faster than that. I'm pretty sure I was running at least 6 mph (10 minute miles). This time I did no stretches for warmup. I simply walked for 8 minutes, then ran for 30. It worked out well.
I will not rate treadmill work. It is BORING! But I do need to write about it, at the very least to keep my shoe miles logged.
I made darn sure to get my protein powder after the run. And I had a lot less muscle soreness than I thought I would have! That was a confidence booster. And the fact that I did the hill work.
I'm guessing I did 2.5 miles in 33 minutes.
Confidence: Up (for little soreness, and that I actually completed hill work)
Rating: 3 out of 3
On March 30, I still did not find a suitable place to run, so I did hamster miles on the treadmill. I set the treadmill to 5.5 mph at 1% incline, but my heartrate monitor told me I was running faster than that. I'm pretty sure I was running at least 6 mph (10 minute miles). This time I did no stretches for warmup. I simply walked for 8 minutes, then ran for 30. It worked out well.
I will not rate treadmill work. It is BORING! But I do need to write about it, at the very least to keep my shoe miles logged.
March 26, 2011
We spent the weekend visiting my wife's parents in Grand Rapids, Michigan. They have a bike trail nearby, which I had to drive to, because the road between their house and the trailhead is very narrow with a 55 mph speed limit. I went out earlier in the day and bought new jeans because the ones I had were literally falling off of me - I could actually take them off without unbuttoning or unzippering them! I also bought a new pair of sunglasses, suitable for running. My old Oakly's were scratched up, and the Maui Jim's I bought two months ago were just too heavy. So I bought another pair of Maui Jim's that are a lot lighter. And good thing I did, because it was a bright sunny day and I wore them for the first time on my run!
It was very peaceful on the trail. For 6 miles, the only five sounds I heard were cars in the distance, the wind rustling through the trees, animals scurrying on the ground, my own breathing, and the tapping of my running shoes on the ground. Gave me a chance to clear my head and relieve some of the stress from my life.
The trail was paved, except for a small section at about mile 2. That section was a dirt/gravel path, with some standing water, and part of it washed out into a ditch. There was an option to go around it, but I decided to take it on! It made the run more interesting. I ran from 76th street down to the high school, about three miles away, and turned around. Six miles, 67 minutes.
Confidence: Up
Rating: 3 out of 3 for increased distance
It was very peaceful on the trail. For 6 miles, the only five sounds I heard were cars in the distance, the wind rustling through the trees, animals scurrying on the ground, my own breathing, and the tapping of my running shoes on the ground. Gave me a chance to clear my head and relieve some of the stress from my life.
The trail was paved, except for a small section at about mile 2. That section was a dirt/gravel path, with some standing water, and part of it washed out into a ditch. There was an option to go around it, but I decided to take it on! It made the run more interesting. I ran from 76th street down to the high school, about three miles away, and turned around. Six miles, 67 minutes.
Confidence: Up
Rating: 3 out of 3 for increased distance
Friday, March 25, 2011
Week of March 20
I managed to get out twice this week so far - Tuesday the 22nd and Wednesday the 23rd. I've been noticing lately that my heart rate has been dropping. When running an 11 minute mile, It used to be in the high 170's, now it is in the high 150's. So on Tuesday I decided to push myself and keep my heart rate in the mid 160's. I made 3.8 miles in 38:24 - a 10:06 pace! My plan was to go at this pace for the first 2.3 miles, then run the last 1.5 miles easy. And I did honestly feel like I slowed down during that last 1.5 miles, but checking my watch revealed that I had not slowed down. I think this phenomenon is related to my stride - when I thought I had slowed down, I did it by reducing my stride length. I concentrated on baby steps. But then I remembered my friend Mark telling me something: reducing stride length can cause the brain to subconsciously increase cadence. Come to think of it, I did feel like my feet were tapping the ground a bit faster during that last 1.5 miles.
The only bad thing about today was that I did not get that runner's high feeling - I'm not sure I will with shorter runs. I might have to adjust my expectations on this and begin taking notes.
Time: 3.8 miles, 38:24, 10:06 pace
Confidence: Up
Rating: 3 (out of 3)
I did it again on Wednesday, although just a bit slower because my legs felt a little sore from Tuesday's faster pace. (Right leg only, again... quads especially... I really need to get into the gym to do some strengthening there). Even though I felt like I was doing an 11 minute mile, my final time was 2.8 miles in 28:35 - a 10:12 pace! There were BIG snowflakes falling, and it was quite windy, which made for an interesting run. I felt like I was dodging snowflakes, and those things kinda hurt when they get in your eyes!
Time: 2.8 miles, 28:35, 10:12 pace
Confidence: Up
Rating: 3 out of 3
The faster running this week is increasing my confidence. I wish I could get out for one more run before Saturday, but life gets in the way. I am looking forward to getting out for six miles on Saturday to see how it goes.
The only bad thing about today was that I did not get that runner's high feeling - I'm not sure I will with shorter runs. I might have to adjust my expectations on this and begin taking notes.
Time: 3.8 miles, 38:24, 10:06 pace
Confidence: Up
Rating: 3 (out of 3)
I did it again on Wednesday, although just a bit slower because my legs felt a little sore from Tuesday's faster pace. (Right leg only, again... quads especially... I really need to get into the gym to do some strengthening there). Even though I felt like I was doing an 11 minute mile, my final time was 2.8 miles in 28:35 - a 10:12 pace! There were BIG snowflakes falling, and it was quite windy, which made for an interesting run. I felt like I was dodging snowflakes, and those things kinda hurt when they get in your eyes!
Time: 2.8 miles, 28:35, 10:12 pace
Confidence: Up
Rating: 3 out of 3
The faster running this week is increasing my confidence. I wish I could get out for one more run before Saturday, but life gets in the way. I am looking forward to getting out for six miles on Saturday to see how it goes.
Saturday, March 19, 2011
3-19-2011 Run
This week I was supposed to run 15 miles total, with the longest run of five miles. But I was out of town in St. Louis on business for the whole week and it was difficult to find time to run. I managed to get two runs in during the week, of 3.2 miles and 3.5 miles. To make up for the lower mileage (basically being short one run for the week), these two runs were quite hilly. And it showed in my time, barely making miles at 11:30.
Today, I did cheat a little bit on the long run - I went six miles instead of the five. Don't tell my trainer!
The weather was really nice in St. Louis; the temp was 57 on Tuesday, and 71 on Thursday, so it was shorts and short sleeves for both days! I felt so much lighter! I even had to remove my hat on the 71 degree day. I might have to start wearing a visor for the warmer days - I need to have something to help block the sun from my eyes, but I need to vent the heat as well.
Lately, when I start running, I've been feeling really crappy during the first 15 minutes or so, to a point where I have to walk for a little while and I consider turning back. But then something happens. My muscles get into a rhythm, I start to feel really good - and VERY content. Then I don't want to stop. Runner's High, perhaps? I put on my FaceBook post one time "Why does the first mile always suck?" One of my runner friends replied "It makes all the rest of the miles worth it". Another friend wrote "It's the first mile that keeps everyone else on the couch. Keep it up". I think I might make that my motto.
The most frustrating part is my speed - or lack thereof. Like today, I ran 6 miles in 66 minutes. For those of you are mathematically declined, that averages 11 minute miles. Now I did have to wait for a little while on three separate occasions to cross busy roads, so maybe my average was 10:45 or something like that. But what I noticed this whole week was that I did NOT get that runner's high feeling. What I also noticed is that my heart rate is dropping considerably. I used to be up in the mid 170s, then it dropped to the mid 160s - today, it stayed right around 158 or so. I feel like I really had to push myself to get it to 165. So perhaps I'm able to run harder than I think... now that I write this, I might just use one of my shorter runs this coming week to push myself a bit. Or, next week Saturday is listed as a five mile run, so perhaps I can do it then. I'll have to give this some thought.
I'm also combating the "crappy first mile" feeling by taking it slowly to start with. This goes along with not pushing myself hard enough.
I also tried out some polyester socks that I received for Christmas. I haven't been using them during the cold weather because polyester just isn't very warm. I've been sticking with cotton. But now that the weather is warmer, I'm trying them out. So far, I like them.
For the six mile run on March 19:
Temperature: 38 degrees. Clothing: Polyester cap; polyester ear warmer; long sleeve shirt; running jacket; running gloves; shorts; track pants; polyester socks. Pre run: ate a banana. Post run: My special recipe protein shake. I felt very comfortable during my run. My hands were a bit warm - I might have to find some thinner gloves.
Run rating: 2 (out of 3) for not getting runner's high
Confidence: Up (because of the increased distance, the hill runs, and not having to walk during any of my runs this week)
Today, I did cheat a little bit on the long run - I went six miles instead of the five. Don't tell my trainer!
The weather was really nice in St. Louis; the temp was 57 on Tuesday, and 71 on Thursday, so it was shorts and short sleeves for both days! I felt so much lighter! I even had to remove my hat on the 71 degree day. I might have to start wearing a visor for the warmer days - I need to have something to help block the sun from my eyes, but I need to vent the heat as well.
Lately, when I start running, I've been feeling really crappy during the first 15 minutes or so, to a point where I have to walk for a little while and I consider turning back. But then something happens. My muscles get into a rhythm, I start to feel really good - and VERY content. Then I don't want to stop. Runner's High, perhaps? I put on my FaceBook post one time "Why does the first mile always suck?" One of my runner friends replied "It makes all the rest of the miles worth it". Another friend wrote "It's the first mile that keeps everyone else on the couch. Keep it up". I think I might make that my motto.
The most frustrating part is my speed - or lack thereof. Like today, I ran 6 miles in 66 minutes. For those of you are mathematically declined, that averages 11 minute miles. Now I did have to wait for a little while on three separate occasions to cross busy roads, so maybe my average was 10:45 or something like that. But what I noticed this whole week was that I did NOT get that runner's high feeling. What I also noticed is that my heart rate is dropping considerably. I used to be up in the mid 170s, then it dropped to the mid 160s - today, it stayed right around 158 or so. I feel like I really had to push myself to get it to 165. So perhaps I'm able to run harder than I think... now that I write this, I might just use one of my shorter runs this coming week to push myself a bit. Or, next week Saturday is listed as a five mile run, so perhaps I can do it then. I'll have to give this some thought.
I'm also combating the "crappy first mile" feeling by taking it slowly to start with. This goes along with not pushing myself hard enough.
I also tried out some polyester socks that I received for Christmas. I haven't been using them during the cold weather because polyester just isn't very warm. I've been sticking with cotton. But now that the weather is warmer, I'm trying them out. So far, I like them.
For the six mile run on March 19:
Temperature: 38 degrees. Clothing: Polyester cap; polyester ear warmer; long sleeve shirt; running jacket; running gloves; shorts; track pants; polyester socks. Pre run: ate a banana. Post run: My special recipe protein shake. I felt very comfortable during my run. My hands were a bit warm - I might have to find some thinner gloves.
Run rating: 2 (out of 3) for not getting runner's high
Confidence: Up (because of the increased distance, the hill runs, and not having to walk during any of my runs this week)
Marathon Training Officially Begins
So I haven't been very good at blogging lately. It has been six weeks since my last post. Been busy with life - mostly trying to get my schedule set around my new job. I'm working an hour or two longer every day than I used to, and instead of a 20 minute drive, I now have a 45 minute drive. It's all I can do to get my runs in as it is! But I'm getting into a new groove.
I had a meeting with my personal trainer two weeks ago, and he helped me lay out the first stage of my training program. The longest I've run so far is six miles, and he wants me to continue increasing my mileage over the next three months. At first I wanted to mix in some interval training to help my lactic threshold, but he explained to me that interval training is quite hard on the body, and that really should not be the goal of my first marathon. To survive a marathon, I need to condition my body to tolerate distance.
I am not the type of person to take someone at their word; I am an engineer - if I can do my own research, I will. So I did. And found out that he was right. Interval training is hard on the body, and the risk of injury is too high. One injury could set me WAY back, to a point where I probably won't be able to run come October 2. So no interval training for me.
He laid out a plan to get me from a six mile run to a ten mile run in 12 weeks. That will take me to May 30th. His goal from there would be to get me from 10 miles to 20 miles in another three months - taking me to the end of August. That will be about five weeks prior to the Marathon. This makes sense to me, so I have total buy-in and started this week.
I am also reading a book called "Run: The Mind-Body Method of Running by Feel". The basic premise is that confidence and psychological momentum play just as big a roll in performance as physical fitness and strength. He talks a lot about how some elite runners who run ultra-high mileages burn out quite early in their careers, whereas others who don't run as much are setting records in their late thirties. Like Constantina Dita-Tomescu, the Romanian distance runner, who won the gold in Beijing 2008 Olympic Women's Marathon with a time of 2:26:44 - at the age of 38. Haile Gebrselassie, the Ethiopian distance runner, currently holds the men's world record marathon at 2:03:59 - set at the age of 35. The author makes the case that you must find out what works for you, and stick with it - defend any intrusion at all costs. Experience plays a big roll, which someone in their early 20's does not have.
The author of the book describes a method of rating your runs on a scale of 1 to 3. 1 is a bad run, 2 is average, 3 is good. Also note whether your confidence went up or down. I am considering using this method and will see how it goes.
I am learning a lot. The weather is getting nicer. I am finding that when I run, sometimes I do not want to stop. I'm still not sure if I can run a marathon... that is something I still have to prove to myself.
I had a meeting with my personal trainer two weeks ago, and he helped me lay out the first stage of my training program. The longest I've run so far is six miles, and he wants me to continue increasing my mileage over the next three months. At first I wanted to mix in some interval training to help my lactic threshold, but he explained to me that interval training is quite hard on the body, and that really should not be the goal of my first marathon. To survive a marathon, I need to condition my body to tolerate distance.
I am not the type of person to take someone at their word; I am an engineer - if I can do my own research, I will. So I did. And found out that he was right. Interval training is hard on the body, and the risk of injury is too high. One injury could set me WAY back, to a point where I probably won't be able to run come October 2. So no interval training for me.
He laid out a plan to get me from a six mile run to a ten mile run in 12 weeks. That will take me to May 30th. His goal from there would be to get me from 10 miles to 20 miles in another three months - taking me to the end of August. That will be about five weeks prior to the Marathon. This makes sense to me, so I have total buy-in and started this week.
I am also reading a book called "Run: The Mind-Body Method of Running by Feel". The basic premise is that confidence and psychological momentum play just as big a roll in performance as physical fitness and strength. He talks a lot about how some elite runners who run ultra-high mileages burn out quite early in their careers, whereas others who don't run as much are setting records in their late thirties. Like Constantina Dita-Tomescu, the Romanian distance runner, who won the gold in Beijing 2008 Olympic Women's Marathon with a time of 2:26:44 - at the age of 38. Haile Gebrselassie, the Ethiopian distance runner, currently holds the men's world record marathon at 2:03:59 - set at the age of 35. The author makes the case that you must find out what works for you, and stick with it - defend any intrusion at all costs. Experience plays a big roll, which someone in their early 20's does not have.
The author of the book describes a method of rating your runs on a scale of 1 to 3. 1 is a bad run, 2 is average, 3 is good. Also note whether your confidence went up or down. I am considering using this method and will see how it goes.
I am learning a lot. The weather is getting nicer. I am finding that when I run, sometimes I do not want to stop. I'm still not sure if I can run a marathon... that is something I still have to prove to myself.
Saturday, February 5, 2011
2-5-2011 Run
Interesting run today. My normal route was closed off because the city did not plow the sidewalk around the park; so I just haphazardly ran through a couple of neighborhoods near my house. Did three laps around Mitchel Middle School, where I attended 6th through 8th grade, and past the church where I was baptized at. Overall, very quiet and pleasant, and challenging, given that I had to jump over small piles of snow and run out into the street and back around sections of sidewalks that have not been shoveled. I'm not sure how far I ran, but I did run for 45 minutes. I only stopped a couple of times to wait for traffic (apparently those pesky stop signs are just too much for some drivers), once to hock a lugie, and once to turn on my blinking light because it got dark. For the purposes of my shoe log, I am going to enter four miles.
My right quads have been tight for the last couple of days, causing me some knee pain, so I made extra sure they were loosened up before the run. They have been tight ever since spending six hours shoveling the 22 inch snowfall on Wednesday. When I was finished running, I did some more stretching on the quads. As of one hour after the run, the quads are still tight - so I might schedule an appointment with the massage therapist at the gym this week.
It felt good to get back to running - I've been getting kind of cranky over the last few days, since not being able to run since Monday (five days ago). Although I will say that all that shoveling was a good upper body workout, and a low intensity, fat burning exercise. I am glad that I have been exercising lately; I would have given up half way through if I was in the shape I was in last year!
The temp was 28 degrees, wind chill 22, so I wore my polyester ear warmer and running cap, long sleeve shirt, running jacket, shorts, exercise pants, cotton socks. I had my standard protein shake after the run.
The next paragraph may fall into the TMI category: Again, this is a blog primarily to keep notes about my training - so don't say you weren't warned! And yes, figuring out what clothing to wear is part of training, including your underwear!
I tried the Jockey sport brief in XL size today for the second time. It seems to fit well. It's a little loose around the waist, but the large size is too tight around my legs and my... well... you know.... Unfortunately for me, the only company that makes polyester briefs is Jockey, so the XL size seems to be what I will settle on. I will go back to the large size for one more run, just to be sure.
My right quads have been tight for the last couple of days, causing me some knee pain, so I made extra sure they were loosened up before the run. They have been tight ever since spending six hours shoveling the 22 inch snowfall on Wednesday. When I was finished running, I did some more stretching on the quads. As of one hour after the run, the quads are still tight - so I might schedule an appointment with the massage therapist at the gym this week.
It felt good to get back to running - I've been getting kind of cranky over the last few days, since not being able to run since Monday (five days ago). Although I will say that all that shoveling was a good upper body workout, and a low intensity, fat burning exercise. I am glad that I have been exercising lately; I would have given up half way through if I was in the shape I was in last year!
The temp was 28 degrees, wind chill 22, so I wore my polyester ear warmer and running cap, long sleeve shirt, running jacket, shorts, exercise pants, cotton socks. I had my standard protein shake after the run.
The next paragraph may fall into the TMI category: Again, this is a blog primarily to keep notes about my training - so don't say you weren't warned! And yes, figuring out what clothing to wear is part of training, including your underwear!
I tried the Jockey sport brief in XL size today for the second time. It seems to fit well. It's a little loose around the waist, but the large size is too tight around my legs and my... well... you know.... Unfortunately for me, the only company that makes polyester briefs is Jockey, so the XL size seems to be what I will settle on. I will go back to the large size for one more run, just to be sure.
Monday, January 31, 2011
The Life of a Runner
Alarm rings at 4:00 am. Get up, drink a large glass of water, eat a banana. Use the bathroom. Brush teeth, mouthwash.
Turn on computer, check weather. 22 degrees, wind chill 9. Cell phone has blinking light: Facebook post from Charlene telling me I'm crazy for getting up at 4:00 am to run. Maybe she's right.
Shorts, exercise pants, cotton socks, long sleeve shirt, heart rate monitor.
Static stretch: Calves, quads, and hurdler's stretch.
Dynamic stretch: walking lunges, toy soldiers, butt kicks, leg swings, hackey sack. Can I touch my toes? Yes.
Lace up shoes. Ear warmer, runner's cap. Opt for the hooded sweatshirt due to the wind. Reflective bands on the ankles, reflective sash from shoulders to waist. Blinking lights: one on the brim of the cap, one on the back of the cap. Running gloves.
Out the door.
3.7 miles, 39 minutes 8 seconds later, back in.
Remove all but my shorts, toss down the basement steps. Drink a small glass of water. Off to the shower: Ouch, the water is hot! No, it's not - my skin is just that cold.
Protein powder, powdered milk, L-Glutamine, 16 oz cold water. Two generic Oreo cookies to kick up the insulin spike. Breakfast of champions, I guess.
Get dressed, take out the dog, pack lunch. Where are my keys? Hanging on the key rack, right where they belong. Remote start the Charger. Kiss Julie, bring in the dog, off to work at 5:55 am.
Turn on computer, check weather. 22 degrees, wind chill 9. Cell phone has blinking light: Facebook post from Charlene telling me I'm crazy for getting up at 4:00 am to run. Maybe she's right.
Shorts, exercise pants, cotton socks, long sleeve shirt, heart rate monitor.
Static stretch: Calves, quads, and hurdler's stretch.
Dynamic stretch: walking lunges, toy soldiers, butt kicks, leg swings, hackey sack. Can I touch my toes? Yes.
Lace up shoes. Ear warmer, runner's cap. Opt for the hooded sweatshirt due to the wind. Reflective bands on the ankles, reflective sash from shoulders to waist. Blinking lights: one on the brim of the cap, one on the back of the cap. Running gloves.
Out the door.
3.7 miles, 39 minutes 8 seconds later, back in.
Remove all but my shorts, toss down the basement steps. Drink a small glass of water. Off to the shower: Ouch, the water is hot! No, it's not - my skin is just that cold.
Protein powder, powdered milk, L-Glutamine, 16 oz cold water. Two generic Oreo cookies to kick up the insulin spike. Breakfast of champions, I guess.
Get dressed, take out the dog, pack lunch. Where are my keys? Hanging on the key rack, right where they belong. Remote start the Charger. Kiss Julie, bring in the dog, off to work at 5:55 am.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
1-21-2010 - Committed!
My alarm was set to 4:30 am - normal time for me. I awoke early; this is not uncommon. I looked at the clock - it said 4:20. Normally I am pretty good about rolling over and going back to sleep for those extra few minutes. But this time it was different. My heart was beating a couple beats per minute faster than normal. Was I sick? I did a self check - I didn't feel feverish, I wasn't coughing, I didn't have a tickle in my throat or nose, my stomach wasn't queasy... so I wasn't sick. What is it?
Then I realized, there is a feeling of adrenaline coursing through my body. The inky blackness of the still morning air, normally hiding from my vision any item beyond a foot or two away from my groggy eyes, revealed something... anticipation. I suddenly remembered.... No use trying to get back to sleep. That just simply isn't gonna happen today.
I got out of bed, shut off the alarm, went to the kitchen and got a glass of water. I asked myself, can I do this? I knew what the answer was. But what if I got injured? What if I found out sometime prior that I could not, for whatever reason? Perhaps I have a flaw in my body that would prevent me? Perhaps personal things would come up that would stop me? Death in the family? Sudden job transfer? Earthquake in Bangladesh? What if sunspot activity unexpectedly increased and I discovered that my body was sensitive to that? Maybe the sunspots would make me stronger? Why am I up at 4:28 am, two minutes before my alarm is supposed to ring?
My legs moved me into the office and I switched on the computer. Oh crap... I don't know what the web site is. Guess I can't do it. That's bogus, Paul, you have Google. So I typed in the words. Up came the web site in the hit list - it was the first one. With ever increasing trembling of the hands, I found the appropriate links, began typing my information. Name. Birthdate. Address. Birthdate again. Credit card info. Turn down the free memberships in this or that club. Name again. Birthdate again. Gee, they REALLY want to make sure that you are over 16... Or perhaps they want YOU to be REALLY sure that you REALLY want to do this by giving you plenty of opportunity to back out?
Then it stared at me. Expectantly waiting for me. Almost daring me. Like in "A Christmas Story", where Flick was triple-dog-dared into sticking his tongue to the post. I looked closer at it... are those - lips? Are they snarling at me? "Come on Paul, do it... he he he..." With quivering hands, I guided the mouse over to it and clicked the left mouse button. The "Submit" button. OH NO! STOP! WHERE IS THE CANCEL BUTTON? Then up came the message...
"Congratulations, you are registered for the Lakefront Marathon!"
Then I realized, there is a feeling of adrenaline coursing through my body. The inky blackness of the still morning air, normally hiding from my vision any item beyond a foot or two away from my groggy eyes, revealed something... anticipation. I suddenly remembered.... No use trying to get back to sleep. That just simply isn't gonna happen today.
I got out of bed, shut off the alarm, went to the kitchen and got a glass of water. I asked myself, can I do this? I knew what the answer was. But what if I got injured? What if I found out sometime prior that I could not, for whatever reason? Perhaps I have a flaw in my body that would prevent me? Perhaps personal things would come up that would stop me? Death in the family? Sudden job transfer? Earthquake in Bangladesh? What if sunspot activity unexpectedly increased and I discovered that my body was sensitive to that? Maybe the sunspots would make me stronger? Why am I up at 4:28 am, two minutes before my alarm is supposed to ring?
My legs moved me into the office and I switched on the computer. Oh crap... I don't know what the web site is. Guess I can't do it. That's bogus, Paul, you have Google. So I typed in the words. Up came the web site in the hit list - it was the first one. With ever increasing trembling of the hands, I found the appropriate links, began typing my information. Name. Birthdate. Address. Birthdate again. Credit card info. Turn down the free memberships in this or that club. Name again. Birthdate again. Gee, they REALLY want to make sure that you are over 16... Or perhaps they want YOU to be REALLY sure that you REALLY want to do this by giving you plenty of opportunity to back out?
Then it stared at me. Expectantly waiting for me. Almost daring me. Like in "A Christmas Story", where Flick was triple-dog-dared into sticking his tongue to the post. I looked closer at it... are those - lips? Are they snarling at me? "Come on Paul, do it... he he he..." With quivering hands, I guided the mouse over to it and clicked the left mouse button. The "Submit" button. OH NO! STOP! WHERE IS THE CANCEL BUTTON? Then up came the message...
"Congratulations, you are registered for the Lakefront Marathon!"
Monday, January 17, 2011
1-10-2011 - Interval training
I had a need to go to the gym and do some heavy cardio work simply to burn some calories. I'm still using the elliptical because my mileage really isn't long enough yet to burn off the calories that I need to burn off. I can pop off 800 plus calories on an elliptical, whereas my 3 mile runs are only burning about 400 calories. So I spent 20 minutes on the elliptical (400 calories), and decided to do some intervals on the treadmill.
I started out on the treadmill at 6 mph for a minute (I was already plenty warm from the elliptical workout), then brought it up to 7.5 mph for one minute. Then back down to 6 for 3 minutes, then continued to alternate - 7.5 mph for one minute, 6 mph for 3 minutes. I did this for 30 minutes. This seemed to work out quite well - my heart rate would run up to 190 right at the end of the 1 minute sprint portion, then come back down to 165 or so during the slower run portion. I will say that during the last couple of intervals, I brought the speed down to 3.5 mph (walking pace) because the intensity was just too high for me.
I think interval training is working somewhat, because my subsequent runs are getting a little easier and quite a bit smoother. I'm able to get into my rhythm sooner. My trainer, however, does not believe that the interval training will be beneficial at this time; I should continue running and building endurance. I'll do some more research and see what I come up with.
I started out on the treadmill at 6 mph for a minute (I was already plenty warm from the elliptical workout), then brought it up to 7.5 mph for one minute. Then back down to 6 for 3 minutes, then continued to alternate - 7.5 mph for one minute, 6 mph for 3 minutes. I did this for 30 minutes. This seemed to work out quite well - my heart rate would run up to 190 right at the end of the 1 minute sprint portion, then come back down to 165 or so during the slower run portion. I will say that during the last couple of intervals, I brought the speed down to 3.5 mph (walking pace) because the intensity was just too high for me.
I think interval training is working somewhat, because my subsequent runs are getting a little easier and quite a bit smoother. I'm able to get into my rhythm sooner. My trainer, however, does not believe that the interval training will be beneficial at this time; I should continue running and building endurance. I'll do some more research and see what I come up with.
Saturday, January 8, 2011
1-8-2011 - Another mileage increase
There is no such thing as too cold.
There is no such thing as too early.
There is no such thing as too far.
I am a runner.
My lunch times are not for eating.
My Saturday's are not for sleeping.
My holiday's are not for taking it easy.
I am a runner.
It's 5:30 am. Do you know where your running shoes are?
If I have to prove to anyone that I am RUNNER and not a JOGGER, I think I did it today. I woke up at 5:30 am and was out the door at 6:00 with my running shoes strapped to my feet. The temperature was 11 degrees, wind chill 4 below. And today is Saturday.
Not only was this my coldest run yet, but also my longest. I've been increasing my mileage slightly over the last few weeks, and I'm feeling good about it. Today was 3.7 miles. I will have to wait and see what my body feels like tomorrow, but it is my plan to stay in the 3 to 3.5 mile range for regular runs, and add in a 4 mile once per week.
I found myself dressed appropriately, for the most part. I wore my polyester running cap and ear warmer, with a long sleeve shirt and short sleeve shirt, a hooded sweatshirt, running gloves, shorts, and two pair of polyester workout pants. I also opted for a heavy pair of cotton work socks rather than the normal no-show socks. I probably looked a bit geeky, but I was warm.
Except for my hands. They were fine for the first 2.5 miles or so, but then my fingers got cold. Really cold. I mean REALLY cold. I kept making sure that I could at least feel things with them, because the term "frostbite" kept running through my mind. But then a strange thing happened at about mile 3.4: my hands warmed up and became comfortable again. I'm not sure what was up with that.
The hooded sweatshirt was mostly ideal, because I could drop the hood and raise it back up again as I needed to. However, I would like a quick way to tie it because when running into the wind, I would like to block the wind from coming in.
I also noticed that my heart rate was quite high most of the way, above 175. I think this is because I am fighting a cold. This cold is the reason that I opted not to run on Thursday or Friday. But today, I was experiencing "running withdrawal", so I decided to go anyway. I did have to walk twice when my heart rate topped 180. But even in the mid 170's, I still felt relatively comfortable as far as my breathing goes. After the run, while I was taking a shower, I began to have doubts as to whether it was a good idea to go out today; I started to feel light headed and nauseous. So I spent an extra few minutes in the shower and turned up the water temp a little bit. As of this writing I feel OK, although not the best. Time will tell.
The only other thing to note is that my right quadricep was feeling a bit tight towards the end of the run and for an hour or so afterwords. This is probably lactic acid that needs to clear. I did pick up the pace a bit towards the end of my run. As usual, I took a protein shake right away after the run. We also had scrambled eggs with ricotta cheese and ham for breakfast.
3.7 miles in 40:18. Average 10:53 per mile. Clothing: see above.
The next paragraph might fall into the TMI category for some, so you have been warned. Stop reading now if you do not want to read about my underwear. My Jockey sport briefs came today; 100% polyester. They worked quite well. All of my clothes were wet and stinky when I was done, but I felt dry all over, even in the areas of a man's body that don't vent well. This is the job of polyester. I think I might have found a winner.
There is no such thing as too early.
There is no such thing as too far.
I am a runner.
My lunch times are not for eating.
My Saturday's are not for sleeping.
My holiday's are not for taking it easy.
I am a runner.
It's 5:30 am. Do you know where your running shoes are?
If I have to prove to anyone that I am RUNNER and not a JOGGER, I think I did it today. I woke up at 5:30 am and was out the door at 6:00 with my running shoes strapped to my feet. The temperature was 11 degrees, wind chill 4 below. And today is Saturday.
Not only was this my coldest run yet, but also my longest. I've been increasing my mileage slightly over the last few weeks, and I'm feeling good about it. Today was 3.7 miles. I will have to wait and see what my body feels like tomorrow, but it is my plan to stay in the 3 to 3.5 mile range for regular runs, and add in a 4 mile once per week.
I found myself dressed appropriately, for the most part. I wore my polyester running cap and ear warmer, with a long sleeve shirt and short sleeve shirt, a hooded sweatshirt, running gloves, shorts, and two pair of polyester workout pants. I also opted for a heavy pair of cotton work socks rather than the normal no-show socks. I probably looked a bit geeky, but I was warm.
Except for my hands. They were fine for the first 2.5 miles or so, but then my fingers got cold. Really cold. I mean REALLY cold. I kept making sure that I could at least feel things with them, because the term "frostbite" kept running through my mind. But then a strange thing happened at about mile 3.4: my hands warmed up and became comfortable again. I'm not sure what was up with that.
The hooded sweatshirt was mostly ideal, because I could drop the hood and raise it back up again as I needed to. However, I would like a quick way to tie it because when running into the wind, I would like to block the wind from coming in.
I also noticed that my heart rate was quite high most of the way, above 175. I think this is because I am fighting a cold. This cold is the reason that I opted not to run on Thursday or Friday. But today, I was experiencing "running withdrawal", so I decided to go anyway. I did have to walk twice when my heart rate topped 180. But even in the mid 170's, I still felt relatively comfortable as far as my breathing goes. After the run, while I was taking a shower, I began to have doubts as to whether it was a good idea to go out today; I started to feel light headed and nauseous. So I spent an extra few minutes in the shower and turned up the water temp a little bit. As of this writing I feel OK, although not the best. Time will tell.
The only other thing to note is that my right quadricep was feeling a bit tight towards the end of the run and for an hour or so afterwords. This is probably lactic acid that needs to clear. I did pick up the pace a bit towards the end of my run. As usual, I took a protein shake right away after the run. We also had scrambled eggs with ricotta cheese and ham for breakfast.
3.7 miles in 40:18. Average 10:53 per mile. Clothing: see above.
The next paragraph might fall into the TMI category for some, so you have been warned. Stop reading now if you do not want to read about my underwear. My Jockey sport briefs came today; 100% polyester. They worked quite well. All of my clothes were wet and stinky when I was done, but I felt dry all over, even in the areas of a man's body that don't vent well. This is the job of polyester. I think I might have found a winner.
Friday, January 7, 2011
1-4-2011 Run
Today I got up early again and went for a run before work. I donned all the reflective gear and lights that I did the day before. There was a bit more snow on the ground, and my right leg was still a bit stiff from yesterday, so I took it easy. No sense in taking risks - I am better off going easy now than risking forced down time that could last for several days or weeks.
Not much to write here except that the temp was 26 degrees with a 17 wind chill. I dressed a bit too warm, but not quite as bad as yesterday. Today I had on my polyester cap, polyester ear warmer, long sleeve shirt, running jacket, running gloves, and two pair of pants. My legs felt a bit too warm, so I should have ditched one pair of pants and worn the shorts instead. My upper body tends to get a little warm after a mile and a half, but I can alleviate that by lowering the zipper on my jacket and lifting my cap off my head for a few seconds.
2.36 miles in 26:30, average 11:13 per mile. Quite a bit slower than I want, but my runs are proving more enjoyable with heart rates staying below 172.
The following paragraph might be considered TMI for some people, but this is a blog for me to keep notes for myself, so if you want to read it, fine; I really don't care if you know what kind of underwear I wear or not. But don't say you were weren't warned.
I have been experimenting with socks, and also with underwear. I tried some polyester boxer-briefs from Jockey, but I tend to sweat in certain places that don't get vented properly, causing chafing in areas that men should not chafe in. So I am going to abandon them, and I ordered some polyester briefs from Amazon that I am going to try next time.
Not much to write here except that the temp was 26 degrees with a 17 wind chill. I dressed a bit too warm, but not quite as bad as yesterday. Today I had on my polyester cap, polyester ear warmer, long sleeve shirt, running jacket, running gloves, and two pair of pants. My legs felt a bit too warm, so I should have ditched one pair of pants and worn the shorts instead. My upper body tends to get a little warm after a mile and a half, but I can alleviate that by lowering the zipper on my jacket and lifting my cap off my head for a few seconds.
2.36 miles in 26:30, average 11:13 per mile. Quite a bit slower than I want, but my runs are proving more enjoyable with heart rates staying below 172.
The following paragraph might be considered TMI for some people, but this is a blog for me to keep notes for myself, so if you want to read it, fine; I really don't care if you know what kind of underwear I wear or not. But don't say you were weren't warned.
I have been experimenting with socks, and also with underwear. I tried some polyester boxer-briefs from Jockey, but I tend to sweat in certain places that don't get vented properly, causing chafing in areas that men should not chafe in. So I am going to abandon them, and I ordered some polyester briefs from Amazon that I am going to try next time.
1-3-2011 - Longest Run to Date!
January 3 was my first day at my new job! They didn't want me to show up until 9:00 am, because that's when their HR people would be ready for me to fill out their paperwork. So I took the opportunity to go running in the morning. I woke up early and put on all the reflective running gear and blinking lights that my beautiful wife got me for Christmas. I had the Xinglet running sash from Amphipod, the Firefly Supernova blinking light from RoadID, the polyester cap with the blinking light on the back, and the reflective straps around my ankles. I did my standard warm up routine and off I went, ready to blind the first driver who was unfortunate enough to shine their headlights on me.
I started with the Supernova light clipped onto the Xinglet, but it was bouncing around too much in the vicinity of my heart rate monitor, and causing false readings (besides being annoying); so I had to move it. I tried moving it higher up on the sash but that didn't work very well; and there wasn't a very good spot to put it on the waist line. So I ended up clipping it to the visor of the cap. I also had the small flashlight that Ben gave to me, which proved helpful in choosing my exact path down the sidewalk and over the curbs.
There was snow on the ground, so I took it a bit easy, especially going around turns. I did a total of 3.36 miles in 37 minutes flat, and my legs felt really good for the rest of the day. My right ankle was a bit sore, but I pinned that down to the tendon for the Anterior Tibialis (the pain was the worst when I walked around on my heels). I also noted that my heart rate stayed below 172, and the run proved rather enjoyable. Even though my average time was 11 minutes per mile, I think running at that rate will increase my longevity in this sport. I am still hoping, though, that my times improve over the next few months.
Another thing I tried was a new pair of socks that my lovely bride gave me. I have been trying different socks over the past few months and decided that I would prefer cotton over polyester. But I keep hearing that cotton is bad because it absorbs sweat and causes blisters. The polyester, however, feels squishy on my feet. So I've been searching. I found the Adidas Sport Performance socks on Amazon and decided to give them a try. I liked them a lot! No squishy feeling - my feet felt warm and dry. They are a mix of Acrylic, Polyester, Natural Latex, Nylon, and Spandex.
3.36 miles in 37:00. Average 11:01 per mile. Weather: 23 degrees with 14 degree wind chill. Clothing: polyester running cap; polyester ear warmer; long sleeve shirt; short sleeve shirt; running jacket; running gloves; shorts; two pair of exercise pants; Adidas Sport Performance socks. Comments: Dressed too warmly. Should have dropped the short sleeve shirt and the shorts. I thought the wind chill would have gotten to me, but it did not.
I started with the Supernova light clipped onto the Xinglet, but it was bouncing around too much in the vicinity of my heart rate monitor, and causing false readings (besides being annoying); so I had to move it. I tried moving it higher up on the sash but that didn't work very well; and there wasn't a very good spot to put it on the waist line. So I ended up clipping it to the visor of the cap. I also had the small flashlight that Ben gave to me, which proved helpful in choosing my exact path down the sidewalk and over the curbs.
There was snow on the ground, so I took it a bit easy, especially going around turns. I did a total of 3.36 miles in 37 minutes flat, and my legs felt really good for the rest of the day. My right ankle was a bit sore, but I pinned that down to the tendon for the Anterior Tibialis (the pain was the worst when I walked around on my heels). I also noted that my heart rate stayed below 172, and the run proved rather enjoyable. Even though my average time was 11 minutes per mile, I think running at that rate will increase my longevity in this sport. I am still hoping, though, that my times improve over the next few months.
Another thing I tried was a new pair of socks that my lovely bride gave me. I have been trying different socks over the past few months and decided that I would prefer cotton over polyester. But I keep hearing that cotton is bad because it absorbs sweat and causes blisters. The polyester, however, feels squishy on my feet. So I've been searching. I found the Adidas Sport Performance socks on Amazon and decided to give them a try. I liked them a lot! No squishy feeling - my feet felt warm and dry. They are a mix of Acrylic, Polyester, Natural Latex, Nylon, and Spandex.
3.36 miles in 37:00. Average 11:01 per mile. Weather: 23 degrees with 14 degree wind chill. Clothing: polyester running cap; polyester ear warmer; long sleeve shirt; short sleeve shirt; running jacket; running gloves; shorts; two pair of exercise pants; Adidas Sport Performance socks. Comments: Dressed too warmly. Should have dropped the short sleeve shirt and the shorts. I thought the wind chill would have gotten to me, but it did not.
Monday, January 3, 2011
1-1-2011 - Treadmill Work
January 1 - Happy New Year Everyone! After the December 28 Interval work, I decided to take two days of rest, because it was the first time I ran intervals and my legs were feeling it. I wanted to run again on 12-31, but we had a thaw (temps were up into the 50's), and around here, whenever we get a thaw after a freeze, it stinks. Bad. There was a stench in the air that was hard to get past - rotten leaves, and probably thawing animal carcasses and so forth. So even though the weather was nice, I opted not to run.
Then January 1 ushered in a VERY windy re-freeze. It was so windy I couldn't even catch my breath when standing outside. So, off to the gym for treadmill work.
I had a hard time because I again ate too much protein for breakfast. So I ended up run-walking for 45 minutes and managed to squeeze out 3.0 miles.
Then January 1 ushered in a VERY windy re-freeze. It was so windy I couldn't even catch my breath when standing outside. So, off to the gym for treadmill work.
I had a hard time because I again ate too much protein for breakfast. So I ended up run-walking for 45 minutes and managed to squeeze out 3.0 miles.
12-28-2010 - Interval training
Today I did some interval training at the gym on the treadmill. The gym I worked out at was in Grand Rapids, so not my home gym. They had some nice treadmills there where you could set up a programmed routine. I setup a routine where I ran at 5 mph for 4.5 minutes, followed by 7 mph for 1.5 minutes. I did this for 45 minutes. I felt pretty good after doing this. A bit sore in a few spots - the right quad just above the connection point to the knee cap, and the left hamstring. I thought it was good that the left side is finally feeling a bit sore as well; that means that the right leg isn't taking all the beating any more.
Total mileage was about 3.5 miles.
Total mileage was about 3.5 miles.
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