Better late than never

Another night, not much material.

Decent run.  Could've been better.

3.0 miles, 31.25

Later

Thankful

So in preparation of the over eating that was absolutely going to happen today, I decided that a good run was necessary because there is a very good chance of no run the day after (or the day after that)!

So after getting to the in-laws and while waiting on the fried turkey, I hopped in my Brooks and hit the...gravel.

Yeah so the in-laws live out in the country and therefore do not have paved roads.  Which makes for great getting away from it time.  They also live on a small lake, so even better fishing time.  It does not however, make it conducive for a road runner like yours truly. 

So to add to the already cool temps we had the added variable of an unstable running surface as well as the potential for wild animal attacks!  

...OK, so maybe just the unstable surface.
You might have noticed that I used "we" earlier.  I was also lucky enough today to have a running partner.  My sister-in-law from out of town ran with me today. 

OK, time for my obligatory Thanksgiving list of things to be thankful for...

...my dad, my sisters and their families.

...in-laws that are better than most. 

...my aunt who inspires me to run, and her family.

...being able to run.

...new friends that we have made since moving to our little town who don't call the cops as I wheeze by their house late at night!

...my offspring.

One of the things I am most thankful for is My Woman (the Enabler).  She is my biggest fan and supporter.  I would be lost without her.  I'd also probably be back on the couch instead of planning my next 5k.

3.4 miles, 43:56

Later.

I must break you...

The ultimate story of the small time underdog who gets his chance to make it big.

If you spent any time watching movies in the 70's, 80's, and even into the early 90's you most likely watched one of the 5 Rocky movies (all of them if you were lucky enough).  I was one of the lucky ones and Rocky was always one of my favorites.  Anytime it would come on cable I would stop what I was doing and tune in.  Blue collar, underdog, hometown favorite, patriot, legend, there were many reasons for a movie goer to root for the diminutive pugilist.

From tenderizing sides of beef by hand, to taking verbal abuse from his crotchety old bag of a trainer, there are so many parts that define these movies, they stick in your mind.

Rocky, Adrian, Mick, Paulie, Apollo Creed, Clubber Lang (one of my favorites), and the late Tommy "Machine" Gunn.  So many colorful characters made this series of movies one of my favorites.

Tonight's run caused me to think about the movies about the "Italian Stallion".

In Rocky IV, at the height of the cold war, Rocky's nemesis is a Russian super-boxer named Ivan Drago.  First of all, how freaking cool of a Russian name is that!?  Then you get the revenge factor against the evil Iron Curtain after one time opponent turned friend Apollo Creed is killed in the ring by the scientifically "enhanced" Russian during an exhibition match.

Of course Rocky has to avenge his friend's death by taking on the Russian...on his home turf!!  So the red-blooded American boxer travels to Mother Russia to train for the fight of his life.

This brings me to tonights run...

During the movie Rocky trains more old school than he ever has before.  He's running out in the Siberian countryside, up mountains, jumping rope in a 200 year old barn, lifting Paulie and Duke (Apollo's old trainer) in a flatbed horse trailer.  True old school training.

In stark contrast, the uber-athlete Drago trains like a lab rat.  Running on a track in dramatically low lighting.  Lifting hundreds of pounds of weights.  Punching a machine that registers the power of his strike.  And of course getting his daily injections.  All the while his 7 foot Russian model girlfriend goes over his training regimen with the corrupt Russian doctor.  I mean really, how else was Russia going to have a world champion in boxing if they didnt "create" one?

At one point in the movie, Drago is running on a treadmill.  He's hooked up to all sorts of monitors that his trainers and doctors are watching constantly.  Then they start increasing the incline of the treadmill.  Drago is pushed to his limits as they have him running at what appears to be a 45 degree angle!

Most of my nights are like the training that Rocky does prior to his showdown with Drago.  Out in the elements, braving the cold in recent weeks.  Climbing mountains and celebrating when I've reached the peak.

Although, there are times when I have to go Drago...

A few months ago, My Woman (the Enabler) asked me to move the treadmill out into the garage because someone was interested in buying it.  (You know how treadmill ownership goes, you buy it, use it for a while, then it becomes a clothes hanger.  Next thing you know, you're trying to sell it!)  Well lucky for me, this person has not shown anymore interest.  Because on those nights when I dont have Paulie or Duke yelling at me to go run in the arctic temps (like tonight) I go wheezing in the comfort of my luke warm garage.  No 'roids, no Russian doctors, just Pandora.

4.0 miles, 43.27

Later

Killing November

November 11th 2012...

That was the last day I ran during Wheezing Gorilla 2.0.

Things are different now.  Different year, different equipment, different attitude, different Gorilla.

I have the treadmill setup in the garage in case the temps get down lower than the R-value of my Nike Pro Combat compression tights.

I've completed my first 5k and am looking for my next one.

I started this blog.

I've dropped 2 pants sizes.

This winter will not get the best of me.

3.13 miles, 32:30

Later.

Mr. C would be proud

He knew Metallica and Algebra.

He could talk about current events or Quantum theory.

He was my favorite teacher in Junior High (and possibly ever...I didnt like any of my HS teachers).

He was also my wrestling coach.  And outside of my dad, was the man who challenged me to reach my potential as a student and as an athlete.

He was one of those coaches that treated you like a man and expected you to act as such.  He was the type of coach you didn't want to disappoint.  Not because you were afraid of getting yelled at (which he rarely did), but because you didn't want him to think less of you.  You wanted his approval.

Every kid needs a coach like that.  Someone who will demand the best from you and not accept anything less.  I've run into Mr. C over the years.  Other than a bit of grey hair, he still looks the same.  Same glasses, same hair, probably same pants.

What does that have to do with tonight's run?

Well, during wrestling season, there's a lot of condition...which means running...a lot of running...then a little more running.

During the holidays Mr. C wouldn't assign homework...he would assign running.

Now I don't think he would follow us on our holiday runs, but if you didn't run during Thanksgiving or Christmas break (we had Christmas breaks, not winter breaks) he definitely knew.  I don't know how, but he he did.

Many times we would run in the wrestling room.  And for those of you who aren't familiar with a wrestling room, they tend to have a certain...funk to them!

Often times though we would run outside.  Didn't matter what the temperature was, we were running.  He would make sure you had proper attire...which amounted to a stocking cap.  You know, because you lose heat through you head.  Boy if I had a nickle for every time he said that...

Well I'm sure at the time I failed to see the value in running in the great outdoors.  But now that I am running because I want to, I do.  With the help of My Woman (the Enabler), I've equipped myself with the proper cold weather running attire and can run in pretty frigid temps.

I hope that Mr. C would be proud of the running I've been doing...especially in the cold!

3.13 miles, 32.33

Later

TJ5K

Well, I did it.

Today I participated in my first 5k.

It was a trail run into a 30 mph wind, and it kicked the living crap out of me! I kept telling myself all week to pace myself in the first mile. And to not try to keep up with the quicker and faster runners. I did not realize that many of those quicker and faster runners would be 5, 6, and 7 year old children!

So I did what any self respecting the grown man would do, I tried to beat the kids.

I got through the first mile and wasn't feeling too bad. The first mile of the course had a little elevation change but not much. Then going into the second mile is where the elevation changed and started to push my endurance as a runner. Remember when I wrote about the bottlenecks that I would experience while running? Well today was a perfect example of all of them showing up at once!

I walked more times than I wanted to (my goal was none).

I took longer than I wanted to (my goal was sub 11 minutes)

And I almost missed my third goal...NOT puking.

I didn't go into the race with that particular goal, but about half a mile before the finish line it became my primary one.

As soon as I crossed the finish line I kept going so that I was outside of earshot of the people surrounding it.  They didn't need to hear me working on keeping my breakfast down. 

Luckily I was able to settle down and keep from being "the guy who threw up".  A friend brought me a bottle of water and I made my way back to the finish line.

Overall I'm proud that I finished.  It was a fun time as there were other people there that I knew.

I couldn't have done this without the support of My Woman (The Enabler), my kids, and My Aunt (My Coach).

I didn't win anything, but then again that's not why we do it is it?  (unless it's a Turkey Trot) ;-)

3.1 miles, 35-36 minutes (I think)

Later

Runner's Lament

Getting closer I can feel it.

Saturday is only 3 days away.  (Wednesday's post)

Good thing is that I'm getting closer to where I was before the backslide. 

Bad thing is I'm still not where I want to be.

Ugh.

3.55 miles 38:24

Later