24 Hours
My largely sedentary lifestyle is beginning to show as I get older. I'm soft(er) around the middle and fuller in the face than even just a few years ago. My family, on both sides, has a history of heart disease and cholesterol problems. (Who's family doesn't these days?)
In late August I took a look in the mirror and decided I didn't like what I saw, nor where I was certainly headed if I didn't get off my duff and do something about it. So I headed to the store and picked up a pair of running shoes, the Nike+ iPod attachement for my Nano and was off to the races - both figuratively and literally.
My first run set a benchmark (and a low one at that). I couldn't make it a mile and my pace was laughable - over 14 minutes a mile. That's not too much faster than walking. Clearly I had room to improve!
After a month of training we ran the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure in Newport Beach. I couldn't run the entire 5K (approximately 3 miles) but I'd significantly improved my pace and didn't feel like a bus had driven over my knees after the race. Progress!
In January I ran another 5K at the OC Marathon (with Spiff) and turned in a much better performance: 28' 05" with an average pace of 9' 02" per mile.
Despite my life-long distaste for running I've stuck with it and am happy to report that I'm actually enjoying myself. Every other day I wake up at 5:30 AM, stretch for a bit and then head out for a 2 or 3 mile run, depending on my mood. On the weekends I typically head out later in the afternoon and run 4 miles.
Some fun stats about my runs, courtesy of Nike and Apple:
- Number of workouts: 54
- Distance run: 137.8 miles
- Time spent: 24.46 hours
- Calories burned: 17,092
- Farthest run: 4.04 miles
- Best mile: 8' 11"
- Best kilometer: 5' 07"
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We love you, Daddy. You are doing an excellent job and we sooo proud of you. Keep up the good work, handsome (remember what Emma said the other night;) )!
Nicely done, sir. :-)
I should get my lazy butt off the couch and get back to running myself.
Interesting to see this post. The other day I decided that I wanted to get more serious about working out, and that a good, long-term goal was to run a marathon. Then I, uh, actually found out that a marathon is over 26 miles. Which is insane and not a realistic goal anytime soon. So I'm aiming for a 5K run in late April. A challenging but probably realistic goal, especially if I let myself walk part of it if needed. If that goes well and I keep at it, I may try the annual St. Louis half marathon in mid-2008.
I had been jogging on a tradmill for a while and tried my first run on a track today to set a baseline. I did about what you described on your first day --little over a mile, about 14 minutes. Room for improvement indeed.
Sounds like it is time to get a dog - the kids will love it and they make great running companions! ;-) Keep up the good work!