Running is hard

I had hoped that I would fall in love with running.

I still hate it.

I am in much better shape now. My legs have greater definition and my upper body isn't any fatter. But, I haven't really lost any weight.

Maybe it is because I have ran twice since my 5K. Oh, and I eat a ton of whatever I want. Rootbeer float before bed, I'd hit that.

I am going to try and get back on the wagon. Time has become a huge issue, but I need to get rid of my excuses.

We will see

5K time

So, last week was my 5k. It was the Susan G. Kohman for the cure race in Salt Lake city, so it was seas and seas of people. My wife and I made it to the almost front of the crowd. we were still surrounded.
I had two goals: under 25 minutes and to run the whole time. Goal; fail.
I am pretty proud of the 28:37 it took me to run the race. I put all I had into that run.
But... I still couldn't run the whole way. With less than a mile left, I felt like my lunds had become stone. So, I walked a bit. Walking felt unnatural after running so long and then another fat guy ran past me.
That is when I started running again and beat that guy to the finish. Basically I sprinted the end.

Put up or shut up on Saturday

Saturday is the breast cancer 5K. This is the one that I am supposed to get under 25.

I ran two miles today. I didn't walk at all and felt pretty good. Hopefully, I can run a fast pace the whole time and get under 25 minutes. I really think if I don't walk that I will get it.

I have had trouble getting all my runs in, but I feel OK. Not where i hoped to be, but not where I was.

I wish I hadn't rolled my ankle stepping on someone playing basketball last week. It is kind of funny, now my good ankle hurts too. Oh well, just keep running.

Getting back on track

So, I run a 29 minute 5k and immediately stop running. I haven't had a solid run for a while.
I ran a 33 minute 5k today. The difference was the sunshine and 75 degree weather. I am not built for heat. I wear my winter coat on the inside and don't care much for hot weather.
The cold on the morning of my first 5k didn't bug me, but the sun on my back just killed me this afternoon.
I ran the first mile easily and felt that I had a good pace. But, the heat got to me on the second and third mile. My insides baked and chose to rebel against their master, me.
I tried to run as much as I could, but obviously it was not enough.
I need to get a running partner that forces me to keep pace. Me being a foot taller than my wife eliminates her as a candidate.
I need a slightly fat, tall runner to push me. Oh well.

29:07

Well.... I got my first official 5K out of the way. I ran a lot of it, but faultered a bit at the end.
I finished with a time of 29:07. My goal was under 30 minutes for this one.
I think even at the pace I ran today, if I just run the whole time, I can get under 25 minutes.
The course had a huge downhill and then up. I thought that would hurt me, but I think it helped. I am still pretty big, so gravity gave me a speed advantage on the downhill. I have huge quads from hockey, so the uphill was a not too taxing.
My plan was to run to the 2-mile sign, but I missed it and kept running until I was tired. The end was were I struggled. I wanted to walk, not run. but, I am really competitive and couldn't stand letting people pass me. So, I tried to slug it out.
My first mile was super fast. I was right up with the leaders. If I can keep my pace up, I will be set.

Re-tracking

I am working at getting on track.
I have been pretty bad since I moved back to Utah. Cold weather and a heavy work schedule make it tough to run.
But, we have gone a few times to the BYU indoor track.
I ran a full 5K, 16 laps in the indoor track, in 35 minutes. that was with a lot of walking and half of it pushing a stroller with my 6 month old. Part of that I had my two year old riding on the turning wheel. I ran a mile straight at the beginning. That was a shade under ten minutes.
I think my laps were faster when I walked a third and ran two thirds fast.
I need to run my sprints at the end to get my speed up. I think I will be easily under 30 minutes when I can run the whole way. I think I am really close to running the whole thing.
I have 5K fun-run for charity on the 27th of March. My big goal 5K is on May 1st, I think. I have to beat my sister-in-law at that one. I think with my long stride, I have a shot.
I took a drive the other day and mapped out a 5K route near my house. I am going to run that and start making every run a 5K. I know that I am supposed to focus on time and not distance, but it is easier for me to focus on time over distance.
i have my benchmark, lets see it start going down.

Chris Chelios is the man

This guy is the perfect example of what I want running to do for me.

Chris Chelios was born Christos Kostas Tselios on January 25, 1962 in Chicago Illinois (thanks wikipedia). He turned 48 years old this year. He skates in the NHL.

This man is a freak of nature. Just as it defies logic that Shaq can be that tall and that thick, Chelios physique is mind boggling. The guy can bench press the team bus and then keep pace with it on his ten-speed bike.

I am 27-years-old and washed up physically. My knees hurt, my ankles hurt and some days, my teeth hurt. How is this guy playing at age 48?

Yes, he kind of washed out with the Red Wings. But, he was then fielding offers from other teams and is now patrolling the blueline for the Atlanta Thrashers. The Thrashers have no ties to Chelios. There is no reason to give the old dog his due, unless he can skate. Obviously, Grandpa can skate.

This guy has spanned generations. He was rocking it with the Canadiens when goalies stood up and wore beadspreads for leg pads. Now, players are rocking carbon fiber twigs that can launch the puck with much less effort and wear pads that way less than a coffe cup (Easton helmet). Heck, not a lot of guys wore helmets when Chelios broke into the league in 1983, the year I was born.

As if this blog wasn't a big enough love letter, let's talk about Chelios with his shirt off. We have all seen it in ESPN the magazine. Bro-nami is ripped. He has huge pecks, giant guns and an eight pack. He is a couple years younger than my dad, but my dad has been rocking the keg since '83. Chelios is on that paddle board in the waves looking like a casting call for a Baywatch remake.

Chelios back in the NHL is redonkulous, period.