Pages

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

I'm a Runner Now?

Apparently so.  The last two years I participated in Pat's Run in April.  The first year was shortly after I joined Weight Watchers.  That year I walked the whole 4.2 miles.  It only took 1:41:11 because someone in our group decided to go to the rest room at one point.  Last year I decided at the last second to try and run/jog as much as I could without any prior training or preparation.  Of course I forgot my tracker that year so I have to go off my brother's time of 52:49 since we crossed at near the same time.  This year I plan on running the whole thing start to finish.  I used one of the many Couch to 5K apps out there for iPhone to get started.  I completed the 9 week training program and am now working on building up to the 4.2 miles by this year's run.  So far I can do 3.5 miles in about 32 minutes.  I average about a 9 minute mile.  I figure if I stick to my three days a week and just add a little more distance to my route each week I should be up to 4 or more miles by April 21st.

Of course I have not even mentioned how I managed to get all this running in.  I decided that the only way I was going to get it in was to go before work.  So three days a week I get up at 5:00 AM and go run through the neighborhood.  It is kind of annoying to be running before dawn but it seems to have its advantages.  For one, no one else is out.  I do get the occasional car from someone who has to go to work that early but that is pretty much it.  Also, I get it over with.  I can come home from work and not have to worry about trying to get some exercise in.  However, I cannot wait for the sun to start rising a little earlier.  Perhaps I can squeeze in a couple mountain bike rides in before work during the week.  I am still up in the air about if I want to try and do a half marathon next year.  I'm sure I could train and physically do it but running tends to get boring and 13 miles is a lot of boring.

If you would like to donate to the Pat Tillman Foundation and sponsor my run you can do so here.

https://fundraising.active.com/fundraiser/NickGailfus