Progress?

The torture of my first six mile run must have done some good - my three miles tonight felt short. That's progress, right?

Since we're upping the mileage now, I think it's time to adjust my diet. After all, good fuel makes for good runs. So for the next four months (and beyond, if I can keep it up), I'll avoid processed and packaged foods as much as possible. I'll watch my portions. I'll balance the types of foods I consume. All good ideas in general, so I hope this whole running thing helps motivate me to stick with it.

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The ramp-up

Six miles this morning. That seemed near-impossible when I started. I'm pretty stoked right now, but my enthusiasm is tempered by the fact that I've got 20 more miles to go. Next week, we'll run seven. Then eight. Then nine. Then...you get the idea.

I've noticed a lot of iPods along the canal. I don't run with one, but maybe I should try next week.

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Back on track - again

Laughlin was fun. Lost a little money and went a little crazy with the buffets, but that's to be expected. We even drove up to Vegas for the day, a place I much prefer (though it was extra crowded thanks to the Mayweather fight).

I brought my running shoes just in case I felt ambitious. I didn't. So, after a four day layoff, I got in a three mile run earlier this evening. Not bad, if slower and tougher than I'd prefer.

We start the real marathon build-up this week. I've been able to manage a three to five mile distance rather well (if slow) - It'll be a trip to look back in a few months and see how far we've come.

Oh! Before I forget: we took a couple hours on Friday and visited Oatman, AZ. It's a funny little tourist trap along Route 66 where wild burros roam the streets. Total blast. I'm a sucker for that sort of thing. There's even a tattoo parlor - I briefly considered letting them put a donkey somewhere on my arm before my wife shot that down. She's my better half, for sure.

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Back on track

Four miles Sunday, three tonight. Both good runs. I'm especially pleased with tonight's since I almost broke the 10:00/mile mark. I'm not really all that concerned with times, but it's pretty cool to see improvements.

We're cutting back a little this week - 10 total miles instead of last week's 15. It'll be a good opportunity to rest my legs and prepare for my weekend getaway to luxurious Laughlin, Nevada. To be honest, I'm a little excited to take a mental break from running and focus solely on how I can scam as many free drinks as possible. If you've ever spent any time with me in Vegas, you know I'm a complimentary cocktail hall-of-famer. First ballot.

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In defense of food

Group run went, well, awful. I've had no issue with a three to five mile distance, but I just couldn't hack it. I ran so slow that I didn't even bother to time myself. Why the difficulty? Easy - I didn't bother to eat this morning.

I run at night. It works around my schedule and it's usually pretty quiet on the road. Most of the time, I'll have dinner and relax for a couple hours beforehand. This morning? I just got up and left. My lack of energy shouldn't be any surprise.

My new mantra? Eat, then run.

In other (better) news, I've raised $510 toward my goal - only $790 left! I'm thankful for my generous friends and family who've donated so far. If you haven't, please take a moment to do so here. Even as little as $10 will go to programs that help children in our community.

Addendeum: my post title is an intentional nod to this book, which may change the way you think about what you put in your stomach.

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Q: Who runs on their birthday?

Well, that was slow.

Not that it matters. I ran five miles and that's good enough for me. According to the training schedule, I won't run that far again for a couple weeks. By then, I expect to be a little faster. Emphasis on little.

I guess this is a good time as any to talk about my new favorites:

After our first group run a couple weeks back, we took a ride down to Runner's Den to get fitted and outfitted. I ended up with this pair of Brooks Adrendaline GTS 9 running shoes, but don't let the jargon fool you - I don't know the first thing about them.

From what I understand, my choice of shoe means that, as the miles ramp up, I shouldn't run into any of those annoying foot problems (soreness, blisters, et al.). We'll see, but I'm just happy to have new sneakers.

For now, I'm excited to have a rest day tomorrow and to tackle another three miles on Thursday. So far, I don't quite hate running. A welcome surprise?

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A short list of things I don't want chasing me

1. Pit Bulls

I've got a weird neighbor. He sits in a plastic chair on the sidewalk and smokes his pipe. All day and night.

Earlier, I came around the corner to finish my run and saw a big pit bull charging from ahead. My goofy neighbor tried in vain to call for it before he finally got out of his chair with the leash. He was very apologetic and promised to not let his dog out at night anymore. Gee - why is he running free in the first place? Some people.

Good run, though. Short, but I tried to push my pace a little bit.

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Hydration or: How I learned to stop worrying and love water

I don't drink water. That's right, I said it.

I've got a totally unhealthy addiction to diet soda. I'll drink a glass or two of water each day, but it pales in comparison to my aspartame intake. The weird thing about this is that running makes me crave water in ways that other activities never did, regardless of effort. This is something I probably shouldn't overthink.

In other news, I missed my Thursday run thanks to a little rain and a lot of lightning. Friday was also a no go - there were pitchers of beer and they weren't going to drink themselves. Combine my birthday bender with my morning hangover and I figured tonight's run would be a complete disaster.

Not so. I ran (an admittedly slow) 3.2 miles - my longest run yet. Felt good the whole way through and probably could have pushed the pace a little bit. Now I've just got to get ready for five (!) miles on Tuesday.

Lastly, I'm inching closer to my fundraising goal! I've raised $450 from generous donors and only have $850 to go. Please take a moment and visit my fundraising page here.

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On getting through the first week

Q: How long does it take for a fat, out of shape dude to tire from running?

A: About a half mile.

My first thought? What am I thinking? Still, I pushed through my first run to finish a measly 1.5 miles. Dave, our running coach, said that it might take some of us a couple weeks to work up to three miles, at which point we'll build from there. That seemed near-impossible.

Tonight (and a few runs later), I had a much better go of it. Two miles, no exhaustion, and ready for a little more. I'll try to get three miles done on Thursday and stick to the training schedule from there.

I realize I'm talking small numbers, here, but they're numbers all the same.

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