Wurs(t) Moving Day, a Good Run

Lots of stuff to post, but I'll try to condense it and actually read ya'lls blogs too (if you have one).

First Topic: Moving
We were only moving about a mile away. The issue yesterday was due to building management. I had lived in a condo building, so I had to schedule my move out time with them. Another lady had the morning blocked off from 8-12:30.  This means the freight elevator and the alley was at her domination for the entire time.  I asked the movers (I think Windy City Movers?) throughout the morning if they would be done in time. Of course they said yes. NOPE! They weren't done and out of the alley until almost 2:00pm. I had a quick trip to our new place with a light amount of stuff, including our TV for Comcast installation.

This late start sucked because - I only had help for a finite amount of time and had a limited time with my U-Haul. So once 4pm hit, I had to call U-Haul to get my time extended. Unfortunately my muscle help had to go, so I was going to have to pick up the slack. My wife had her mom and aunt in to help out, and they really did a lot too, but I can only ask them to push so much.

At least my kid enjoyed the move (see - didn't listen to anything we told her to do)

Fast Forward: We didn't finish moving out. I had to take a break to get the kid's crib back together by memory and had to undo it once as I mixed up half my screws. I also missed lunch and got at least a sandwich and yogurt near 9pm. My legs were toast by 10pm, I had trouble just shuffling. At least I got our bed together too. We did forget to buy the rings for the shower curtain (we had a glass shower door previously), so this morning I had to try to not get the entire bathroom wet.

Hopefully we can finish up the move on Saturday.. Why Saturday? Next Topic.

Government Shutdown:

Some of you know, I am a federal government employee. I do at least get to go into work and get IOUs. Bad part is, you can't take any sick leave or vacation time, it all is changed to leave without pay right now. So moving on Tuesday..no pay. Thankfully, I was told if I made up the 8 hours by end of week, I can get my full IOU. So that means a few 12 hours days to wrap up the week... Gross. I especially feel bad for my wife stuck with a new home full of boxes and bags, and one restless child with no help. blah! It is also why I have to wait until Saturday to finish moving.

Running:
Tuesday was a scheduled 6 one mile intervals at 10 seconds below marathon pace, 400m jogs in between, and I did a 2 mile warm up and 1.5 mile cool down. Last run from my old building.

I had the plan saved in my Endomondo interval trainer, and I decided to boot it up, but not have on the notification of how fast I am going. I was just going to do effort or the miles, I didn't want as much speed pressure. During my warm up, I didn't feel anything "bad", just fatigue and some soreness in my calves. I stopped to stretch to be safe, and then gave the run a go. It turned out rather well, but I will admit I cheated and looked at rough start and end times of my miles on my stopwatch. Here were my splits:
6:56,43,50,53,47,50 . I was able to keep then from going wildly too fast, which was nice for a chance.

Wednesday: Recovery speed 7 miles. After yesterday's intense run, and being on my feet almost all day moving, and the lack of food intake, I was WIPED out for this run. So I just did it really easy. First time running from my new place felt odd as now I have to learn all my new distance markers. I also need to find my phone armband and my red LED light for my last hard run Friday (well, do the miles or do the plan), then taper starts officially this weekend for the Chicago Marathon!

Still a lengthy post, but as short as I could make it. I'll get on my blog reading in my breaks today! Take care all and thanks for commenting as always!

And if you need a funny video, 8 stages of Marathon Running:

Quick Recap of 3 Runs

Okay... so to continue from my last post (Doom and Gloom)..

I'll say upfront, I don't use my blog to write coherent thoughts and sensibility after I think through my feelings.  I want to log my raw reactions to not forget it was all candy and sausage when the training season is over.

Okay, now lets get the run recaps over.

Saturday: Easy paced 10 miles on plan. I got out around 5:15am.  My calves just felt like trash. Every step sucked. Sadly, this was an upgrade from yesterday.  I stopped to stretch at mile 1.2 and it seemed to help a tiny bit. I couldn't get my pace under 9 minutes for the first 3 miles. I was begging my legs just to give me the tip and let me move a little smoother. I just couldn't do it, I wanted to just say F it and toss this garbage of a run away.

Not even the garbage man wanted to deal with my trash

But I kept telling myself, just try to easy into this, at least heal up..there is no pace goal for these runs..

Fine, one mile at a time. I eventually warmed up a little by mile 5 and was at least going a decent easy pace rather than a much slower pace. Run done.

Home note: Most of the weekend has been spent preparing to move, so no fun stories to share.. We did make it to Target and got our daughter the normal Halloween candy bucket, this is her CHEESE face:

She also still has a cold, which makes her sound like a raspy old smoker and had been waking up multiple times over the nights, making all of us a bit tired. She is improving though!

Much to the suggestions of Xaarlin, I've been using the tennis ball a lot to help with some trouble spots that stretching and the stick don't seem to help. I think it is helping or just a very big coincidence. 

Sunday: Another easy paced 10 mile run. This run with a bit smoother, I also had a lot more time to warm up at home before my run which may have something to do with it.  I focused a lot on this run with trying to not lean into my right hip, kick back enough and try to keep my strides straight rather than crossing over each

other.

Monday: Recovery pace 8 mile run. I overslept a bit this morning, almost to my second alarm. Doing this basically killed 15 minutes and removed time I like to have for a better warm up, cool down, and any bio emergency. I made sure my stomach would be okay and shuffled out the door. I started my first few miles pretty slow, and kept reminding myself to take it really easy today.  My calves were somewhere between sore and tired, and took a good 4 miles to warm up. No biggie.

I took a couple photos as there was a tiny bit of light as I finished my run:

Now comes the big question for me. 

I still have two more hard runs left this week on my training plan. Tomorrow is a strength run and Friday is the last pace run. I know logically I should say, the benefits from those last two runs might be what, a few more seconds? But to me, it isn't as much about the finish time, as the journey to get there, to prove to myself that I can do the training.

I"m probably still going to attempt to do the runs, even if needs to be at a realistic pace, rather than the extra fast goal pace I did all season, but I certainly won't push it until it hurts..much. If nothing more, I'll at least do the miles.

I'm also waaaaaaaay behind on reading everyone's blogs (and even responding to comments on mine) so hold tight! (Actually don't, I'll probably fall behind more as I move tomorrow hopefully)

Also - Are there talks of a blogger dinner meet up for the Chicago Marathon over the next 10 days?

Monday Musings

Hectic few days here at the Stop Running Dad household, aside from being in running jail and begging the injury warden for a fast release, there have been a few items of note to share.

Today (12 August) marks the 5th year anniversary of my father's passing.
     (Last name removed), ALBERT J 
    SGT   US ARMY
    WORLD WAR II
    DATE OF BIRTH: 03/26/1928
    DATE OF DEATH: 08/12/2008
    BURIED AT: SECTION 21B  SITE 110
    MASSACHUSETTS NATIONAL CEMETERY
    OFF CONNERY AVENUE BOURNE, MA 02532
    (508) 563-7113

Without going into details about feelings and such, and I know he reads my blog from the afterlife, I just want to say - I miss you dad. You still had so much to share with me and I wish you got to know my daughter.

Also, on the brighter side of things, over the last few weeks, the household has been in a bit of apprehension over my daughter's health, and having to see some doctors no parent wants to their kid to have to see.  Thankfully, it was a scare that was based on a precaution and nothing was actually wrong.  So today was the closing of that chapter.

I will knock you out!

Yay I hit him!

We're also in the fun process of looking to move in the next 30-45 days. We plan on staying pretty close to where we are, just want to move out of the mid/high rise type building for a few reasons.

Trying to stay positive while injured, I thought of two things that are good about it: My Clif Shots will last longer now as I have no reason to use them, as will my running sneakers.

Injury Status: No change, maybe a little flakier today.  I really haven't been off my feet for most of the last few days, so I'm sure that isn't helping.  I'm hoping I woke up one of these mornings and I can at least get a 30 minute jog again.  I'm pretty sure I will get this fat by week's end:

I'm backed up on my blog reading, but I will get to them! Or at least your most recent post, promise!

Have a good one!