Thursday, March 08, 2012

The Return to the Road Bike

Greetings Readers

Today I am back on the bike after two days of running - granted I was suppose to run today also, but due to what needed to be done at work early this morning I had to bike in.

I have to admit I was looking forward to this morning. I got the bike ready last night.

The run home last night was 30 degrees colder from the previous night. I will admit it was nice. I was not working up a sweat, in a manner of speaking, and I actually felt comfortable running last night. I did have to change Oakley sunglass lens due to the filtration of light into my eyes. I had to use a less dark of a lens. I wanted my eyes to be hidden so that no one can see my eyes. I do have a clear and orange heighten lens, but I did not want to use those two lens.

I was a bit cold when I started running last night, but after the warm up I was okay. Oh, the smell of food last night was... in the words of my ex-co-worker "awesome" I smelled some good Chinese food (as opposed to awful, cheap or just bad Chinese food smell) aroma from a restaurant I passed on the way home. Then, I smelled good hamburgers and I think that was about it. There are only a few restaurants on the way home after that it is trails and the communities that I run (bike) through to and from work.

Back to this morning - the bike into work was not as easy as I thought it was going to be. The Achilles tendon was a hurtin when pedalling. And of course, I am sure that is due to the 24 miles that I have ran in the past two days.

Well.... Since I road in this morning I had to get the mileage of my run in on the running route I have carved out to and from work. I estimated 6 miles, but actually thought it was a bit longer. However, after I got to work I looked at the mileage and the mileage was 5.94 miles. Un-fucking-believable. I know where I can get the .06 mileage, but that means I will have to add a bit more to my run, which mind you is not in a straight line nor the shortest route home. I actually have to run around a dam as opposed to just climbing (running) up and down. I also have to stick to the path as opposed to crossing a park, a baseball diamond, a swatch of grass, etc. I mean I could, but then that would mean I would not know what the mileage adjustment would be and also would be shorter than the 5.94 miles I know for a fact.

For the record

Day 1

Home to work - 1:20.10
Work to home - 1:11.34

Day 2

Home to Work - 1:21.10
Work to Home - 1:12.57

In actuality, I only ran 23.76 miles in the past two days. I lost 3 pounds, could even be more, but I have been eating rice (Uncle Ben's) to replenish my Carbs I have been burning, in the past two days. I did switch to Chicken so that helped out on less fat in consumption.

Tomorrow, Friday, I had already designated my bike day so I will be riding to work tomorrow. I also have to run some errands after work (perhaps at lunch) so I need to be mobile. As much as I planned not to run this weekend I may have to run since I could not run today.

Which brings me to the Runnin' of the Green. Yes, it is that time of the year - and again I will not be running once more. I just started running again, my thighs are tender (sore) and I would feel that paying 40.00 dollars plus is not worth it for me. I know my legs would be still recovering and getting a good time is out of the question and furthermore I do not want to have an awful time officially recorded for a first running event of 2012 for this coming Sunday.

Also, the weekend is Daylight Saving Time. Which by the way Readers - I got to know a Colombian last year and apparently she does not have Daylight Savings Time in Columbia so she hates this. I just found out since I asked her how does it feel to lose an hour this weekend and she replied "What?" And that was when she said she did not know... well forgot since she is not used to DST change.

Anyway, we Colorado residents are going to have good weather for a bit - I saw the weather this morning and by Monday we may hit 68 degrees - not bad for the month known as the snowest for Colorado in history.

Until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete

Tuesday, March 06, 2012

First Run to Work for 2012

Greetings Readers

Today was the first day this year that I made myself run to work. I have been planning this for a few weeks now, but I got sick about two weeks with a cold. Well, I got sick, but not fully sick so I postponed til I got better.

It was amazing that I had to shut down my body, to rest and drink and eat properly. Meaning, taking in healthy food, but also having won ton soup from two different Chinese restaurants. That was not a problem for me. I know that won ton soups is tremendous on helping me fight a cold.

What I liked but did not like was spending money on Orange Juice and Grapefruit juice - That shit is expensive. Needless to say I did and thank goodness they were on sale otherwise I would be paying about one dollar more.

So, with the start of this week I feel about 90 to 95 percent well. That said I made it point to start my first run to work. Perhaps I was looking for an excuse, but I really could not come up with one.

Lo and behold the morning came around and there I was lying on the floor. It was going to be a nice day and the air was just right for drinking... oops just kidding. The air was just right for running.

The alarm clock came on as she does every morning. Yet, this time I knew what was planned and I was already starting to plan. Planning on finding some excuse not to run. It was not a cold morning really. It was sunny and there was no excuse not to run this morning to work.

Well, the number one excuse would be is that my run to work is going to be about 6 miles and when I get off work tonight I am going to have to run another six miles to get home. And with me not running for a bit now I never know how my legs will react to running this many miles after so long for not running at all. Sometimes, everything goes great; other times I over do my body limit's and walking and standing hurts due to over working my muscles in my thighs and calves.

Anyway, I got the kitchen timer also this morning and started the countdown for 15 minutes. Soon, an hour past by and I was no closer from getting out the door. But, I was no closer to getting on the bike either. That was a good thing. I did not even think about getting on public transportation either.

Soon, zero hour came and I knew there was point I had to get moving or else I would be getting to work late.

I got up and soon I was packing a small backpack with only my work clothes, getting my winter running gear on and getting ready to leave the humble abode.

The first mile was tough in a manner of speaking due to not running for a long time. Yet, I found my pace and mantra with the tunes from my Ipod. I found my running mode.

It was hidden, but not too deep for me to find. I just had to re-discover where it was. Soon, the miles clicked off and then I got near work.

And that was when I found... er smelled... what I love to smell in the morning even though I do not drink. Starbucks Coffee. The wind was blowing the aroma of Starbucks coffee where I was running and that was the most wonderful smell at that moment. Lucky me. I think I smelled the aroma from about 1/2 mile away. Wow. What did that was also the cause why my running slowed down. I was running into the wind as well as running uphill. My speed dropped drastically, but I was not worried about it. I knew I was running at the pace I was at for the reasons of the environment conditions.

Anyway, five hours later - I feel good and the legs are doing okay. I felt a tinge of my calves tightening a bit; perhaps wanting to cramp.

You may wondering, perhaps not, but I did this run since I am planning to start the P90X once more. I want to work off some stomach fat which I do have. But I want to start again. Nothing more or nothing less. Well, I want to start again since apparently there is now a P90X 2. And before I attempt to try that program I want to re-introduce myself to P90X since I know that program can, and will, kick my ass overall. Not funny, but funny since it does work.

Alright Readers, just thought to let you know, read, about my first run of the year as well as my first run to work. The time kinda sucks - 1:20:15.65 - for me from what I can remember, but can not remember. So, I am going to have to look for old calendars and see what times I did log for a run to work. I want to say I was, at my best, averaging 50 minutes - running to work. Remember, a run to work best - not an overall best time by no means.

I say I feel good, but the worst is yet to come when I wake up tomorrow morning. I will have delayed body shock to 12 miles of running in one day after months of not running a mile at all. I bet that I am going to be in some difficultly tomorrow.

Yet, what they say is true - No Pain, No Gain.

Until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete