Completed the St. Luke’s Half Marathon for the 2nd Year in a Row! To say this was a challenge is an understatement. Started the race off strong, and got hit with bad calf cramps again that saw my limping (literally) into the finish. But I’ll take it, along with the medal!
St. Luke’s 2015 Half Marathon finisher!
Cornsnake cupcakes for my 36th Birthday along with some Disney Infinity figures!
Today I’m celebrating my 36th birthday. Last year on this date, I made it a personal goal to run a marathon at some point during the next year. I’m happy to look back and say not only did I knock out that goal, but I ran a half the day prior, completing the Goofy Race and a Half Challenge during the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend. It wasn’t pretty, as I finished the full in a little over 7 hours, but I finished. It was one of those once-in-a-lifetime moments being able to literally check “run a marathon” off my bucket list. Ask me that a few years ago, or growing up, and I would have laughed.
Now onto Year 36 – and I want to do Goofy again, because I know I can do better. These last two years have focused on running, and as much as I hate it, I know I can get a lot better. So Goofy 2016 here I come! I also signed up to run the Richmond Marathon, so Year 35 had 1 marathon… Year 36 will have 2! Hopefully I stay healthy and can knock out both of those on the new bucket list!
January 2015 Bucket List
For now, I finished my birthday night with a 2.5 mile slow, easy run. That after eating too much cake from my kids, and the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse cake that my secretary and staff presented to me as well. I am stuffed! On to better and brighter adventures this year!
My daughter has been asking about going for a run with me at some point. I figured tonight would be a good night to try it out… it was a nice comfortable night. I’m still in shock that we ran 1.96 miles together, albeit at a much slower pace than I am used to. However, all things considered, it felt good to slow down but still “run”. She made it the whole with, with some side stitches towards the end. Perhaps a 5K in her future???
First run with Elaina!
Picked up a new pair of Brooks Adrenaline GTS 15 running shoes last week. Unfortunately, due to whatever I did to my legs during the Philly Love Run, I haven’t run pretty much at all for two weeks. Couple that with my son having some minor surgery, and today was the first time I got outside for a run.
It felt nice to be out in the fresh air and not stuck on a treadmill. This time of year is also when the cherry blossom trees bloom – guess what I have allergies from??? Yup, you guessed it – cherry blossoms! Felt like everything in me was just sluggish today, but hoping I can get back out a few times this week and get back on track.
St. Luke’s Half Marathon coming up in two weeks, followed by the final runDisney Expedition Everest Challenge!
You’re probably wondering why I didn’t put a picture up of bunnies, or of a cross, or colored eggs. This picture sums up my general feelings of our major holidays. As our world and nation continues to go the politically correct route, it also has another issue with driving any kind of faith or religious beliefs along with it.
“Spring Break” wouldn’t be a break if not for the celebration of Easter – a religious holiday. Even if you don’t believe in a specific religious, at least acknowledge the significance of the holiday to those that do. When you consider how insignificant we as humans on this Earth compared to the vast universe, it really puts things into perspective. Just stop and think that there might be a higher power out there, watching us, loving us, hoping to be reunited one day, but giving us a gift of free will to do with as we choose, all the while hoping that we make the best choices.
I wish you all very happy and blessed Easter!
I officially completed the Philadelphia Love Run Half Marathon this morning. Not my best performance overall, but given the fact that the starting temperature was 28 degrees and decent winds. It was COLD! I was able to get out to a nice steady start, and had my music going for the first time on an outdoor run. Somewhere around Mile 7, my right calf and left knee both started acting up. Long story short – I walked the rest of the race. Trying to run was a futile exercise as after a few steps that calf muscle seized up. One of the medical volunteers tried to get me to hop on his cart and call it a day, but I refused. After crossing the finish, I got my medal and was escorted to a wheelchair for a trip to the medical tent. As much as I didn’t want to take that ride, the cramping in my legs got too painful.
Looking back, I may need to increase my electrolytes up front, and perhaps slow down a bit at the start. I’ll get my redemption race in a little under a month at the St. Luke’s Half. For now, a slow 3 hour 7 minute finish will have to do for half #8.
2015 Philly Love Run Finisher
I finally cracked the sub-30 5K barrier… it was on a treadmill in the basement, but WHO CARES! With the Philly Love Half Marathon coming up this weekend, this was the perfect workout to get me set. Even since Disney, I’ve been cranking up the intensity and working on speed… wasn’t too happy with how slow I got late last year. My goals coming out of that event were to drop weight and gain speed. Considering the diet I’m on has already shed 5lbs, mission accomplished so far! Still more work to do, and it begins with 2015 Half #2 this Sunday!
Next Friday marks the official first day of spring, unfortunately this weekend has been a mix of rain, wind, and more cold. Even when the temps creep up into the 50’s, allowing the snow to start melting, a day or two later it’s back down to freezing. The result – my running and exercising has been indoors on the treadmill, although I continue to push my pace. Surprisingly, I’m settling in at around a 10 minute mile, which is about a minute faster than before I tackled the Goofy Challenge in January.
I also took a step to give up Wine & Dine this year. My wife and I celebrate our 10 year anniversary (WHAT?!?!?!) and so we’re going to try to get a weekend away instead of Disney. In its place, I’m joining some running friends for the Richmond Marathon, rated one of America’s friendliest and must-do marathons. My second major goal is to run Dopey in 2016 (5K, 10K, Half, Full), but we’ll see how that all shakes out.
This past week, the kids had exactly one full day of school… well, at least the district I work for did. My own kids had an early dismissal, a late start, and 3 straight days off due to a combination of ice, snow, and freezing rain. Suffice it to say – I’M DONE WITH WINTER! I can’t even go running outside, not because of the cold temps, but simply because it’s not safe to run anywhere. I’ve been doing a lot of speedwork indoors on the treadmill, which I’m sure will help when I finally do get back outside, but it’s still tough to put in all that work and not actually go anywhere… joys of the treadmill. Hopefully, this coming week should bring warmer temps, melt the snow, and allow me to get back to running outdoors. Time to prep for a half coming up real soon!
Well, here it is… another week gone by, moving into March, and temperatures are still at or below freezing with MORE SNOW coming! I’m sick of the snow! All of my running has been of the treadmill variety, and I want to get back outside, but it’s just not safe to do it. The good news in this whole weather mess is that I’m running faster than I did before the marathon. Hopefully, the ~10min/mile I’m able to to inside translates to faster times outside as well… only time will tell.
The next order of business is figuring out what I’m running this spring and fall. Upcoming are the St. Luke’s Half Marathon and runDisney’s Expedition Everest Challenge (5K+). Both should be interested – and if things work out I may toss in the Philly Love Run as well. The fall is just a big question mark right now, but hopefully I’ll figure that out soon.
