Middle-Aged-Man

As you know, this blog is about a middle-aged-man trying to get fit. Yesterday, Teri emailed me at work and asked if I would grill some steaks and could we could go running after dinner.  I said, “sure”. So, after our meal, my youngest joined us (this never happens) for a short run.

We planned to run one mile (not much, I know), but first walked a mile as a warm-up. We got to  Ave. H and 20th Street, turned around, and started running. We run on the sidewalk; the traffic is way too fast to run in the street.

Did I mention that I had my dog? He loves walking and loves running even more. However, he thinks I am too slow, so he pulls me from time to time.

When two events happen at the same time, bad things happen. Chip, my dog, jerked me a little and my left shoe found the edge of some elevated concrete. I went down without any warning. I put both of my hands out, however, my right hand found something like another sharp edge of concrete. I landed face down and rolled over to see my right-handed pinkie turned completely 90 degrees. It looked like a second thumb. I knew it was broken at the second joint and bleeding. It was weird; I put it back in place.

My family is standing over me, and I asked Hannah to take the leash, although she thought she heard me say “call the police”. I repeated it and Hannah took control of the dog. By this time,  Chip was licking my face. Teri thought I had a heart attack and collapsed.

In a few moments, they ran off while I announced that I would walk the rest of the way home. After a few steps, I decided to run because  my pinkie was going hurt either way.

Upon arriving at home, I cooled off and began icing my hand. I then left for Urgent Care. Less than two hours, I had my x-rays, finger set in a splint,  and got a tetanus shot. My finger was bleeding and I got light headed when the P.A. moved it around. I was home by 11 p.m.

Blurry and bleeding...

I have been sick for six weeks starting around December 12th. Up to a few weeks ago, I did not feel well. I started to run on the 17th and 18th of January. I ran one mile and walked 1/2 mile then followed up by running that pattern again, so I knew I could run. My goal was to see how my lungs would feel. Since then I ran 2.0 miles on the 24th, 25th and 26th. I have been trying to get my endurance back. I ran this last Wednesday the 28th, and wanted to run on the 29th and 30th, but due to work, I was unable to find the time. Today, Saturday I ran from my house to the corner of H Avenue and back to Starbucks. That is just about two miles. It is the first time I have run with my GPS. The results is below. Overall my running is 10:17 pace and my left shin is aching.

motionbase results.

I am back after my cold, it was almost two weeks. It is nice not to be a mucus farm. It was 42 degrees outside and I went for a run. I bundled up with two layers, gloves and a knit ear-muff thing. The ear-muff thing is to keep my ear buds in. It was cold running north, and a bit warm running south, due to the wind. Today’s tunes for the run was to a band called, The Chemical Brother’s. It is techno and upbeat.

My run was short, only two miles. I knew I wanted to run slow, but I did not think I was going that slow. My pace was 10:21 per mile. My left knee and chin were a big ache. My lungs did well, I was surprised.

Here is the motionbased data.

I walked at work and then went to church ( I work with the Freshmen guys) and when I got home at 9:00pm, I knew I had to run.  So I stretched and got on the treadmill and did 1/4 mile walk warmup followed by a run for 2.0 miles total. It started at 6.0 mph pace for the first mile and 6.2 for the next 7/8 of mile and finished the last 1/8 mile at 7.0 mph. I felt pretty good, I am always concern my calf will crap out on me. The key to running on the treadmill is to cover up the display. I stare at it all the time, making the run seem longer.

After returning from a business trip in Orlando, Florida this last week, without a doubt I need to recommit to some level of fitness. I talked to one really nice lady, named Carol Hess, who happens to run. She has fun running marathons and has been running for a few decades. She really inspired me to get back on “track”. What inspired me was her story about over coming cancer. She is a true over comer, and I was impressed.

I want to pattern my fitness after the saying of “12 Days of Christmas Fitness”. Starting tonight December 8th. This does not line up with the actual 12 Days of Christmas, but I feel motivated and did not want to wait.

Each day, I want to commit to doing my walking (1-1/2 hours to 2 hours), followed up by at least 1/2 hour of more strenuous exercise. For example, running a minimum of two miles, swimming, cycling on the trainer (too cold to ride outside and at night). Stair climbing, such as at work, we have 16 flights of stairs in the corner of our building. When I was in better shape that would whip me good, running up those babies.

Tonight, I ran two miles on the treadmill doing it in 19:45 minutes. Because of my bad calf (today, it did not hurt), I like the consistency of the treadmill, plus it does have less impact on this old frame.

Today, my steps are over 23,700. I place my steps on my activity calendar, if you would like to it check it out.

I have not been posting lately, mostly out of boredom. I bore myself with my own blog! I want to share my successes but not when I am not wanting to do the workouts. I been working a lot and the last thing I want do is workout. Anyways, I did train a little to run in the 2008 Turkey Trot 1K/5K/10K Walk/Run scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 8 at Desert Sands Park in Palmdale. To be honest my heart is not in it.

I did run in the 5K and I did a personal best. I wanted to beat 29 minutes, but I finished in 29:04. That is four seconds faster than the last 5K, the Jingle Bell Jog. I plan to another 5K on Nov 29th, and I want to be in the 28 minute range (I have been in that time when I ran around the house) and run in the 27 minute range on the Jingle Bell Jog on 12/21.

Here is my Motionbase data. I forgot to pause my time when I finished, (because I was hurting trying to catch my breath).

Today, I started to feel like I was getting a cold at work. Felt really funny, took three aspirins and I felt really good. I like to run on Tuesday nights, so I was not sure if I should. I felt fine and got out and ran. My lungs are really tight from riding in last Saturday’s AV Fall Century, but my legs felt really good. The run felt good, but I want to stop with every step due to my breathing. My lungs were feeling so hurt by the cold air (54 degrees). I should have worn more clothing or something. I am really coughing a lot as I type this.

I ran the 5K in 28:55! This is the first time ever that I broke into the 28 minute mark. My best 5K was last December in the Jingle Bell Jog at 29:08.

I ran my best time at 5K since returning to running. Last Christmas in the Jingle Bell Jog, I managed to run 29:09. Tonight I ran and finished my run in 29:29. Tonight is my best time running in the neighborhood. The times were 32:17 (6:12/KM), 30:20 (06:01/KM), 29:46 (05:56/KM) and 29:29 (05:53/KM). I am aiming to get my time to 05:30 per KM before the City of Palmdale 1K,5K, 10K Run/ Walk on November 8th.

I manage not to run the Magic Mountain 5K, due to a schedule conflict, but run 5K on my own around the block. I had to walk way to many times. I limit my walking to 10 seconds. When I done, I expected my time to be so bad that I would not want to post it. But to my surprise I did it in 29:45. The best yet!

I been trying to run 5K (3.1 miles) and have found the correct distance. I run from my driveway up 20th Street West, to H1, turn right. I go to 15th Street to Avenue I, weave back to the house and run past it. Ending at Starbucks.

This run took me 30:20 or 6:01 page per KM.