1000 miles is very far...

Yeah, I know the song is 2000 miles but tonight in a Colorado winter night I hit 1000 miles since I started training for the Myrtle Beach Marathon and began my life change in March. It was on a part snow packed, part slush, part ice, chilling night with a light sprinkle of snow brushing across my face. It was awesome. You know once I get out there it makes me realize how much I enjoy running (well at least the first 19 miles). It helps burn calories I don't by having a sit on your ass state at the computer job. It makes me feel better once I do it and mainly it has changes my LIFE. I am happier, healthier, other h words that may be good and non blog appropriate. I have 4 more long runs before I start my taper and only 50 days until the marathon.

50 miles and Speed (Training) Kills a Long Run...

Yes, I hit 50.  The first 40 miles of them were enjoyable.  The last half of my long run of 21 Miles sucked.  My legs had nothing left in them.  I was hungry, thirsty, cold and just tired.  I went to 49 miles and had it.  I walked the last mile and had my wife pick me up the extra half mile I had for the week.  I will never run around the Rocky Mountain Arsenal again.  It is an ugly run as soon as you start heading east on 56th Avenue.  There is also very little to stop the wind from hitting you and the last 4.5 miles, yep, headwind the whole freaking way. 

Week 9, 60 days left until the Marathon.  I won't lie.  I bit off a lot more than most first timers would chew and I know it will help me, but damn it's a lot of work.  Anyone can do a half marathon, the question is can you do a full?  We will see in less than 9 weeks.  I already know my anwer is yes.  The question is, how successful can I be?!  The work these next 5 weeks before taper will be the deciding factor.

And I could run 900 miles (in 40 weeks)...

And I could run 900 more!!!  Ba-dum-dum!!!  I have ran over 900 miles in 40 weeks and have 10 weeks left until the Myrtle Beach Marathon.  My training took a crap missing my long run this past weekend but I am ahead of probably 95% of most first timers marathon training so I won't continue the weird depression I had going on Monday from missing it.  But I have a goal of 3:45 and the more mileage, the better, so no more of this missing stuff.

But back to the topic on hand, on Christmas Day I should be celebrating the birth of little tiny Jesus, in your golden fleece diapers with your tiny little fat balled up fists... dear 8 pound, 6 oz, newborn infant Jesus, don't even know a word yet, just a little infant so cuddly, but still omnipitent...; enjoying the day with family and being blessed I will be crossing 1000 miles in my life transformation.  Now that's just another reason to celebrate.

A weekend without running...

This weekend did not go as planned.  I did not get to 21 miles, I did not pass GO, I did not collect $200 but instead paid much more than that.  I spent this weekend running around holiday shopping, having family time, buying a treadmill and then buying repair stuff around the house for the damage caused on trying to carry in pieces of the treadmill and it dinging walls and scratching laminate flooring.  I am not a happy camper about this.  I am happy that my wife has a tool and no excuse maker staring at her in the corner of the room saying "Run on me Maurice".  I am an outdoor runner, but am sure I'll get some 4 mile runs on it when the day just hasn't gone as I had hoped and I need it. 

Missing my first long run will be short lived but it still weighed on my head as the hours went by yesterday and I knew I was not going to get it done.  I am doing 15-20 miles today after an early exit work day.  I need it.  I am a little disappointed my 21 will have to wait but this week will be a big make-up week.  I will probably stick to 15 today, do a 4 recovery tomorrow, a 5 mile MTY, then my 9 miler Yassos and then a 4 miler before doing 21 before the weekend.  So do I count it as a 50 mile week or just say you don't get that pleasure missing your long run of last week and this goes towards last week?!

You got the Bird, goodbye 2nd summer, hello late fall&Hydrapak Giveaway...

I had some HS kid make some zombie like noises at me as he drove past me the other night while running.  My response was two fingers waving at him (well two per hand since I am a thumb added middle finger giver).  It also brought me back to my younger days (which was like two years ago for some of these things) when I yelled at bicyclists, bums and other people.  Colfax is the most relevant place to be heard when you have cash and tinted windows... oh what happened there?  I digress.  Anyhow, it made me realize, dude you were that ass hole, ignore it next time.

I like to run at night.  It means I get to burn off some calories of what I put in my body (see Christmas chocolate of late) and I don't have to wake up super early.  The wife has to be out of the house all but Thursday's by 6:30.  I already get up early at least 2-3 days a week to get in by 6, why do it every day if I don't have to.  I honestly think if I run before 10:30 at night, people are more aware than at 6 when they haven't fully woke up and are super pissed they are going into work. Tonight I go 9 mi for the midweek run before a 4 mi warm-up to the daunting 21 miles this weekend.  Yippee.

Yesterday was in the 70s in Denver.   Today is 40s and it's supposed to stay cool for the next week, why?!  When I first started running and it was 30s to 40s, I could get away with a long sleeve.  Even then I'd be sweating.  Now I need a jacket or cold gear and definitely a beanie.  My sausage fingers have also turned into normal fingers so they get cold and I am hoping for gloves under the Christmas tree.  I like the cooler weather, but I liked it a lot more with 40 lbs of insulation.

Last but not least, the barefoot inclined man is blogging away and talking about a cool water bottle that also has a gel dispenser in it.  They hydrapak gelbot.  He also is talking about my favorite fuel, the honey stinger waffle!!!

http://barefootinclined.blogspot.com/2012/12/hydrapak-gelbot-and-honeystinger-review.html

And then there were 11...

11 weeks/75 days until Myrtle Beach!!!  It's crazy to think.  I also look at my crazy ramped up schedule and go, what the hell was I thinking?  My next 7 weeks before tapering have long runs of 21, 16, 22, 17, 23, 18, 24.  One of the weeks is a 49 mile week.  You better bet your bottom dollar I'll be going 50 miles that week.  Of course, I am still not at a 40 week (though that changes this week). 

I ran a fast 15.5 this weekend.  Ran under 2 hours for my half!  It's just fast.  Best part of the run was the end though.  No, not because I was done, I felt great and had a ton in the tank.  At the end, Sophie and Andi were outside and Sophie is jumping up and down like crazy excited to see me home.  That is a memory I'll keep when I am running my full marathon. She may not be there in person, but she'll be there in my heart.