Monthly Archives: November 2008

Happy to Finish

0, 03mi, 05k, race

Start time: 11/27/08, 8:00am
Location: Clarendon neighborhood
Distance: 5K (3.1 miles)
Finishing time: 26:45
Average pace: 8:38min/mile
Total Miles For November: 13.5 miles

After everything that’s gone on this month—getting bronchitis, scratching my marathon, ending up in the ER with cholecystitis—I wasn’t sure I was even going to be able to run this race! With a supreme lack of running this month, coupled with uneasy lungs and abs, I knew I wouldn’t beat my PR from last year of 25:40. It’s frustrating because in August and September I was in shape to have beaten it with little problem today. But that just wasn’t an option, and going into it knowing that wasn’t so bad.

That said, it would’ve been a little hard as it was thanks to a really slow start. Waaaay too many walkers and strollers that were really far up towards the front of the corral at the beginning, meaning they were blocking people who were trying to run. I have no problem with them being there—I used to be ultra slow after all—but it’s important to also pick a starting place that is appropriate. I think I walked the first 30-40 seconds before I could even start running, yeesh. But still, not too bad. I definitely am not up to a full amount of energy just yet, and annoyingly I had to walk a tiny bit of that hill in the last mile again this year. Yeesh.

At the end of the day, my watch says I was 1:06 off of last year’s finish time. Since I’d told myself it might be as much as 1:30 slower, I’m a-ok with that. It is a little sad to look on the big list of races and note that right above it is a 10K race where my pace was 10 seconds per mile faster. I think that really says it all in terms of where I physically am right now. As I told Alma (who flew by me and looked like a badass), at this point I’m just concentrating on making it to the end of the year and starting over in many ways. It’s a shame because I’d have liked to get stuff rolling now and in December, but that’s just not looking possible at the moment. Still, we’ll see.

(8:40, 8:21, 8:55, 0:49)

A little more November

0, 03mi, gym, indoor track

Start Time: 11/24/08, 6:30pm
Location: Thomas Jefferson Community Center
Distance: 3 miles
Average Pace: 8:30min/mile
Total Miles For November: 10.5 miles

Ok, I just had to hit double-digits this month or I’d have been too mortified.

More importantly, I’ve been feeling good today, and the doctor said exercise was ok so long as I didn’t feel anything hurting. So after half an hour rowing, I went and knocked out three miles on the indoor track. Nothing huge, but after this weekend it felt good to actually… well… run. Even if just for a tiny bit. (8:52, 8:27, 8:11)

A short November

0, 04mi

Start Time: 11/22/08, 1:00pm
Location: Arlington
Distance: 4.5 miles
Average Pace: 9:27min/mile
Total Miles For November: 7.5 miles

Well, this month might be one of my shortest mileage months in… a long time.

Charlie and I went for a run aoround the neighborhood on Saturday, trying to get back into the swing of things. My stomach had been bothering me for most of this past week so there wasn’t any sort of running really going on (despite several plans to do so). It was a nice little jaunt, although my stomach was feeling less than pleased while we were waiting to cross Route 50 about 3 miles into the run. But still, we finished it, and it was a nice easy-going back to basics run. My hope was to get some more running in on Sunday and get ready for the idea of a 5K.

Of course, tomorrow I go to my doctor to talk about gall bladder removal, so… yeah, see ya, November.

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=2409745

Fifteen Days Later

0, 03mi, gym, indoor track

Start Time: 11/14/08, 6:20pm
Location: Thomas Jefferson Community Center
Distance: 3 miles
Average Pace: 8:42min/mile
Total Miles For November: 3 miles

Well, since my last run (October 30th)… when I turned my ankle on that run, it was indeed sore for Friday and Saturday, sore enough that I regretfully postponed my last long run scheduled for that day. It was feeling ok on Sunday, so I thought on Tuesday I’d get up early and hit the long run then. Except starting on Monday, I was flat on my back with what turned out to be a nasty cold and bacterial infection in my chest. Can you see where this is going? I’ve only just recently had a clean set of lungs again (although I am still on the antibiotics for another half a week or so), and the Philadelphia Marathon was looking… problematic at best.

I hit the gym today, using the rowing machine for 25 minutes and then knocking out three miles on the indoor track (just in case there were problems). I felt ok while running, but as soon as I stopped my lungs felt like they had liquid in them. So, that’s that. No marathon for Greg. *sigh* I pretty much knew that was going to happen, but I had to prove it to myself. So that’s that. In eight years I suppose I really should be thankful this has only happened once! (8:56, 8:34, 8:36)