Day 19 of Training for Mini

It's HoTT-hot in Indiana.  Started my walk/run today @ 8:30, temp. was 82, ended @ 85.  Supposed to be close to 90 for next 7 days.

Take water and drink it, that is the tip of the day.  Even if you don't feel thirsty, drink it anyways.  The key is not to wait till your thirsty, then it's too late.  Sweating is your body's way of dealing with and shedding the heat from within, if you avoid drinking you are setting yourself up for dehydration.
When and if you ever jog, run a race of any length they will provide water along the route.  Depending on the temperature, weather; you should have water every mile or every 2 miles.  Obviously if it is 10 degrees and the water is freezing, you may not have water, and you probably won't be sweating.

Over the weekend on my 2 days off, I forgot I was going to have to walk home from the Race track, about 1.5 miles.My sister drove us to within 2 blocks of our seats, but the traffic is way too bad for her to pick us up.  Thanks, sis.  So I did get some walking in, but I'm not counting it towards any kind of workout.

Today, I jogged about 1.5 miles, and walked .25.  Did just fine, but now I need to work on my breathing.  All this time I've been concentrating on the legs, joints, etc.  But I now need to get the breathing together.  How you say? And shouldn't it be automatic.  Yes, it is automatic, but you can get your breathing in a rhythm that will put you in a zone that makes the running 100 % better and automatically faster.  Once again trust me on this.

More later for now I will say, exhale deeply all at once, then slowly take a breath allowing your lungs to fill, then exhale again.  It may seem very odd at first, but with practice it will become second nature. This breathing is for when you are jogging/running, not when you are sitting in the recliner. You don't want to be panting the whole way.  More later, sheesh, somehow I have to keep you coming back.

Talk about the mystery women, today there was a whole pack of them.  Not sure what I got into, but it was perhaps a beginning running club or group of some sort.  As I approached the park I saw this group walking and then together as a group they started a jog about 1/2 way around the park.  I passed them as they stopped to stretch and don't know what happened after that.  As it was about 1 hour earlier than I normally run, I may not see them for a week.

So the plot thickens.  God Bless, see you tomorrow, Captain

Day 18 of Training

I walked 1.7 today.  It was one of those beautiful mornings, sun was out, temp. was around 58 degrees.  As I walked through the park, families were starting to get the picnics set up with the games for later, people were walking their dogs, each one carrying plastics bags to pick up, well, you know what.

I walked just to rest everything, am noticing no strains, no hurts, just resting.  I did jog around 4-5 miles total this week.  Up from nothing 18 days ago, so rest is good.

As I said I'm going to the Indy Race tomorrow and Monday is an off day so I will get 2 more days of rest.  Which might be good as the next 2 days are supposed to be around 90 degrees.

So have a great Memorial day week end, and let's remember our Vets, both those protecting us now, and those who gave their lives for our freedom.

God Bless, Captain

Day 17 of Training

Cool 53 degrees and cloudy, great jog.  I didn't take any water, ran in a t-shirt, felt the goose bumps but it was very nice.  Jogged a complete 1.3 miles, got into my breathing ( that keeps me from  panting like a dog ), felt like a good even pace, but not pushing it too much.  May just walk tomorrow, then I'm taking 2 days off.  Sunday and Monday.

Why?  You Ask.  My son and I got tickets to the Indy 500, The Centennial race.  I know it is the only one I will see ( Centennial ) and he has never been that I know of.  We go to the Brickyard every year, but that has become tradition with the men of the family, about 9 of us now.

So next week, thinking I will move my jogging distance up to the whole 1.7 on a couple of days, with lower miles in between, maybe no walking except for cool down.

Maybe I should mention, stretching and cool down.  What I do.  For these training jogs and runs, I do not stretch ahead of the run.  I believe I start out slow enough to feel my body's strengths and weakness that I'm ok.  Most people stretch after their runs when the muscles are warmed up and more pliable.  After the run, I always walk at least 4 blocks, down and back, to stretch my legs, ankles, etc.  using exaggerated strides to really pull and push the ligaments around the joints.

Now, if it is a race, I will defiantly stretch before hand, and I will jog slowly 1/4 mile or whatever before the race.  Because now you're in a race and your going to be starting out much quicker.  We'll talk about this more, but do not be a rabbit and start the race with sprinting to get to that first mile marker.  You will be sorry big time. As you will be out of wind, out of energy and in general feel like crap and even wonder if you can finish.  I've been there and done that, Trust me.  And you will after you forget my words and find out yourself.

See you tomorrow, God Bless, Captain

Day 16 of Training

We survived the storms last night, now it is just raining and cooler, like 68 degrees.  This morning I jogged and walked the 1.7 course thru our local park.  I saw 2 trees blown over, but that was all.  I guess downtown an old building lost it's roof.  Oh well, minor compared to other parts of the nation.

My jog was uneventful, I was able to pick a spot between rain showers and didn't get wet. And yes I've had my shower so aren't you all happy.

Short and sweet today, stay with it, slow and steady.

God Bless, Captain

Day 15 Weather Getting Hotter

When I left the house it was 77, humidity @ 75 and windy.  I can't stress enough to take along water.  Today I jogged 1 mile, started out feeling rough, after about 1/3 of the way things started to ease out.  Remember the run most likely will not feel the same at the start, during, and the end, stay with it.  Lots of times at the beginning I will feel like I'm plodding along, my feet are not striking the ground smoothly, just feels rough, but after maybe 1/4 mile it just automatically starts coming together.  Stay with it.

Yes, I'm sweating, I'll be showering in a minute, just hold your horses.  The heat takes it out of you much quicker so learn that and don't assume you can't do this running thing.  It will come naturally.  You will notice that I'm not talking anything about speed, or trying to speed up my runs any.  TOO EARLY

We're " base building",  I know it is boring as all get out, but believe me the speed will start to come naturally.  You will be jogging and all of a sudden will realize that you are going faster.  Trust me on that.

I can't tell you but so many times, slow and steady.

You will notice if you are reading closely, that my method of base building is a longer workout ( slow ), then back off for a couple of days, then increase again.  When we start getting to 3 and 4 miles.  I just don't run 3 miles everyday.  I will run 4 miles, then next day back to 1 mile, next up to 1.7, then up to 3.5, then down to 2, then 4.  See what I mean.  Longer then let your body rest for couple of days, then long.  Back and forth to build that base.  Even now speed is not important.

It's a long journey, and the goal is no injury.  You'll see it happen here, and if you're running with me from the start you will feel it happen in your runs.

See you tomorrow, God Bless, Captain

Day 14 of Training

Today was about 71 degrees and sunny.  I walked and ran the 1.7 route, with 1.25 jogged in the middle of 2 walks.  Felt very comfortable, took water.  Had to stop, sit down on the curb and pick a small pebble or something out of the side of my shoe ( during the start up walk ) that would have been uncomfortable and maybe a blister if I had ignored it the rest of the way.  If that happens again, I may have to go to socks.  Just some debris that get stuck to the bottom of my shoe for a second, then it flys loose and somehow right into your shoe.....bummer.

I saw another mystery woman ahead of me when I got to the city park ( I will say mystery, because I don't know who she is ).  The pony tail from her hair was just swishing back and forth.  Now before you start calling me a dirty old man.  Remember, there's no way I can run faster and catch her even if she was 80 years old, and I'm sure she would run right by me, if I was somehow in front of her. So not to worry.  We, men, can dream can't we??????  Also 3 walkers passed me going in the opposite direction, now you have the whole story.

The jog was good, I did not at any time want to quit today, in fact, I was only going to jog 1 mile, but it felt fine, so I went the extra 1/4 mile. 

Now I talked about building a base slowly, to give you an idea.  Using www.activetrainer.com and recording my walks and distances everyday for the last 2 weeks.  It shows that from that 1st Tuesday starting from nothing, the first week I walked a total of 6.3  miles, and last week was @ 9.4 miles.  Remember I also talked of not increasing your distance but around 10% per week.  So you can see I am a rebel,  also I still have some base left from last year.  So if you are a total beginner, be careful, do not try to match me step for step.  Learn to listen to your body, and understand what it is saying about when to slow down, and when to continue.

See you tomorrow, I've quit sweating, so time to shower, I know you're saying, Thank goodness!!!!!!!

God Bless, Captain

Day 13 of Training

I left the house jogging in a light rain but above me were blue skies, so I continued. After all I had checked the weather radar before I left. I carried water, jogged in the new shoes, etc. The distance was 1 mile partly because I had built up to that and tomorrow was a day of rest. I made it just fine, but I have to tell you.

Remember for the last 2 weeks that mentally my mind wanted to jog any number of times. Well today, my mind wanted me to stop any number of times. Funny how your mind wants to run and change your life on a moment to moment basis. But I didn't stop and walk because I had a goal and that was more important. And the goal will be most important on a daily basis for the next year.

Now I should say that with the long term goal in mind, you can and should allow changes and adjustments to your schedule. There will be times that you take 2-4 days off in a row. Listen to your body, but also remember your goal. Your body will not say " stop right now, don't go any farther". It will say give me a little rest. And that is perfectly ok.

So, I will see you on Day 14 which will be Tuesday.

God Bless, Captain