Freethinker ~ Freerunner

Ran a great easy 11 miles today.  The temperature was in the 50's and the wind was blowing about 12 to 15 mph.  A day like this in December is to be cherished.  I felt strong the entire time, no muscle fatigue, and no knee pain.  

It is cold out there today!  My weather app says it is 26 and feels like 19 right now.  I just got back from my 11 mile jaunt that began at sunset and ended in the dark.  I should have left a little sooner than I did, but I was trying to update a running playlist on my iPhone.  We bought a new iMac recently and this was the first time I had plugged my phone in to update it.  I had to wait forever for it to download new software, backup the phone, and then sync to my new iTunes library.  

Once I got past all that and hit the road I had a great run.  My throat has been really soar since last night, but it's funny how a little thing like that ceases to be of any noticeable significance while running in 29 degree windy conditions.

I am pleased at how strong and fully recovered my legs felt throughout the entire rune even though it had only been about 48 hours since my long run on sunday.  I managed an 8:30 mile pace and I feel really good.  I think that since I have been staying on a disciplined 3,500 daily calorie regimen, including GNC Whey protein powder, that I have been experiencing much faster muscle recovery times.       

I woke up this morning at 6:00 AM and got a light muscle work out in before heading out of the house into the cold 28 degree morning temperature for an easy 3 mile jog.  I need to figure out how to get motivated to do my cross training on days that I don't plan on running.  I know it would be easier on my body and I would be able to put more into my workouts that way.  But this morning I was torn between hitting the leg exercises and upper body exercises hard or going a little light on my legs so I could still run 3 miles and not burnout.  I like to combine the two workouts in order to give myself more rest days during the week.   

Today was so nice.  The temperature was about 50 degrees and the there was a slight breeze.  I ran my normal Sunday long run with a friend today, which is unusual for me as I usually run solo as I'm sure many of you do to.  

We talked mostly about running issues like muscle and joint pains and how best to deal with them, but we also talked about toll roads of which Oklahoma seems to have a plethora.  It seems wrong that the state would use tax payer funds to build and maintain roads while simultaneously charging user fees (tolls) for said roads.  We conceded that neither of us had researched it very fully, but that it would not be surprising given our state's history if this is exactly the case as to how these roads are funded. As a libertarian I have no problem with toll roads as long as they remain privately funded by the users, that is the ones who pay the tolls.  It seems reasonable in free society that those who use a resource ought to be responsible for funding it.  But we citizens are taxed to the hilt already.  Why take a perfectly good example of a free market mechanism for allocating resources such as roads via tolls and tax us on top of the user fee system in place?  Again this is just a little bit of me airing my thoughts without having fully researched the topic.  Perhaps I will look in to the issue further, but I'll save that for another day.  Getting back to the run now...

The pace was nice and easy, but my right knee is slightly achy and my lower right abdomen is a little sore to the touch.  I may have strained a muscle somehow, although I'm not sure how as I have not done abdominal exercises in a few days and I can't remember having ever strained it simply from a long run.

The weather forecast on Tuesday looks to be just about as nice as today was, so I'll be looking forward to my next long run.   

Today the weather tricked me a little.  I was freezing cold in my house drinking my frozen protein drink.  So when I suited up to head outside I put my cold weather pants and warm material long sleeve half turtle neck running shirt on.  I guess I should have trusted my instincts that when the temperature is above 50 degrees I am going to be fine in shorts and short sleeves, even if there is a cool breeze.  I think what got me thrown off were all the clouds outside.  There was no sun and no blue sky all day today, and as I said before I was really on the verge of shivering in the house.  I decided to change into shorts before leaving, but I should have also changed shirts.   That warm material as a bit much by mile 2.  I had beads of sweat forming on my forehead and I was only running warmup pace.

It probably did not help me any that I had that protein drink less than an hour before I started my run.  My stomach was cramping the whole time like I was full.  I thought it would go away after a few miles, but it persisted pretty much for the whole ten. 

My right knee didn't bother me too much on the run, but I can feel it a little right now.  I need to look into the best recovery methods for knee pain. 

Well I have not had much of a chance to run lately due to a freak blizzard on December 24th that has left my town buried in snow and ice.  I say freak because it is literally the first blizzard on record for Tulsa. 

I made use of a local high school track today that was still mostly covered in ice and snow for an easy 3 mile run.  I would have rather done some speed work, but that was a little difficult given the conditions.  Since I am participating in the 'Race in to the New Year' 5 k on New Years Eve, I had hoped to get several more good tempo runs in over the past couple of days.  I guess I need to buy myself a treadmill.  The only problem with that is where to put it.  

We have more snow coming in this evening, but as of Now New Years Eve should be nice clear just a little cold.  I'm really looking forward to this race as a healthy and fun way to welcome the new year.  

I woke up this morning and the streets were not terrible considering we got another 3 inches of snow last night.  I haven't been able to go to my usual trail for over two weeks now and it is killing me. 

I will just have to keep close to my neighborhood until it all melts off.  This morning I ran an easy 4 miles in a 9.23 pace.  I pretty sure I ran the last two miles in something closer to 8:30 and the first two in 9:40.  My feet are a little soggy now because I sloshed through the puddles in the snow tracks every now and again.  The temperature was 32 degrees.   

I'm looking forward to tomorrow nights race.  

This was a race I had not participated in before so I did not know quite what to expect.  It was originally supposed to be a 5K, but due to a big round of snow and ice that fell  a few days before it had to be shortened. 

The race organizers were not able to remove all the snow and ice from the course, which made for interesting conditions.  There was a narrow bridge that had to be crossed at one point in the race.  The bridge was packed with snow which caused a severe bottle neck.  The pace for everyone was slowed to a walk for the length of the bridge.  The other interesting aspect of this race was that it began at 11:50 PM so that runners would finish in 2010.  There was a really cool fire works display at midnight and a champagne toast on the course.  

Although conditions made it all but impossible to run my best 5k time, it will go down as a really fun memory.  I will definitely participate again as long as the course is clear of snow and ice next year.