The Borgess 5k

I have not died. I was finally given the "all clear" about a month ago from my sports med doc to resume running. Like a maniac, I went out and ran a 5k yesterday with Jeff, the 'other' of the two fools. We finished dead last - virtually simultaneous finish. I'm a little sore, but not too bad at all. I've been in my Galloway book all day today reading about 'running for fat burning', actually 'training for the 5k', shoe selection, and so on. I set up a race calendar from mid-summer to mid-autumn of races that we might be interested it depending how are training is going.

So, although slow and definitely out of shape, I'm out of the gates, off and running. By the way, Jeff has lost 49 lbs. in the last 6 months or so - seriously heroic.

Mom, I do not have "the hot foot"

Mom, I do not have "the hot foot", originally uploaded by Ed Roth.

For 2 years I've been hobbling around in the morning to one degree or another and my feet have hurt off/on kind of bad. I finally broke down and went to the Sports Med. clinic and the doc said, (runners hold your breath), plantar fasciitis :(... So until I get the orthotics made, I've been walking around with my feet taped for the last week. Lovely, very very attractive. Wait 'til I get the night splints, that should make me smokin' hot! So ... no running for me for a while they said, but hopefully after all this I'll be back on the road full tilt. Oh yeah, but before then, this is how I get to shower now - daily. Please ... PLEASE resist the urge to call me 'stink foot'!

Getting Better

Getting Better, originally uploaded by Ed Roth.

Well, my last posted run had a 15:08 pace and this one was at 13:42. You can still spell s....l.......o.......w........ but that's definitely improvement.

Hmmmmm

Hmmmmm, originally uploaded by Ed Roth.

Well, I guess at the moment, 15 minutes per mile is considered SUCCESS!! by my Garmin buddy. I'm not sure how it comes up with that figure anyway - I ran exactly 2 miles in exactly 30 minutes.

I felt something the last two days......... and no it wasn't gas! I'm going to register for my first 5k of the season: the Kalamazoo Klassic!

Random Out of Nowhere Post

Went out to run today for the first time in MONTHS.

Have to be at a noon meeting and it is 11:20.

Ran for 30 mins. Run 2; Walk 1

Run time temp. of 83 degrees plus heat index = 89, mmmm toasty!

Typical 'first run'; 'getting back into the swing of things' knocks and pings - ouch there, feels good there, what the hell was that feeling there?!!

Somewhere in the 2 mile range.

Gotta go!

Ice Art

Ice Art, originally uploaded by Ed Roth.

WEll, there are some benefits to sub-zero temperatures and windchills between -10 and -25! Click on this photo and then open the large view to see the details of this pretty little picture of natural art.

Flickr

This is a test post from , a fancy photo sharing thing.

Flickr

This is a test post from , a fancy photo sharing thing.

Walking Down Stairs Sideways

No - that is not a euphamism, code, or metaphor for anything. I've been literally walking down stairs sideways for the last two days. Why? Because I went to Day 1 of half-marathon training on Saturday, thinking it would be what MOST first training sessions are like, run 15-20minutes, slow pace, etc. Nope - right out of the gate, boom - a 4 mile run. I signed up with a group that was supposedly the 12 minute/mile or slower group. Nope - they took off and as best I can tell were probably running 10.5 min/mile based on when the finished in front of me. Seems like it could be a really fun bunch of people but that we might not actually train together because their pace is already far faster than mine. We'll see - it was only week one, but let me tell you - going from basically sedentary (or at least no strenuous exercise) to running 4 miles, yeah - that = pain. I'm into it though - what in the hell does that say about me??!! I am off (which you already knew) and running (which now you know!)

Arisen - Half Marathon Training

Wow, I haven't even looked at our blog since the last post in friggin' OCTOBER! You would think that it's taken me two and a half months to recover from the Tigers' World Series debacle. Not the case, but I won't rehash every little moment since then that's kept me away from writing. I was sick, we traveled a lot over the holidays, my grandfather passed away, I started a new grant project and am teaching a new course, bla bla bla... Mostly, I just haven't been into it. After I get back from work where I read/write all day, one of the last things I want to do is come home and write some more.

I saw a picture on Lara's blog today from a run we did last summer. It nudged me a bit to send up a post and I actually have something running related to report! Last year's Detroit half-marathon was a bust - my running partners bailed, the Tigers lost the World Series, and I got really sick. This year, I decided to start earlier and to train with a group. The race is at the end of April - not October so the winter will not be wasted time. I registered yesterday for the training program for the Borgess Half Marathon. It's right here in my own city so there will be no hotels, drive times, and I can train with a community of runners which will hopefully be a positive experience. I've never done it before but many friends who have, have always enjoyed it.

OK - off to work - I'm back on the boards!

Dream Over

Dream Over
Originally uploaded by Ed Roth.

What's left to say.

Michigan Sucks Sometimes

White Out Conditions
Originally uploaded by Ed Roth.

Even though this picture was taken a week ago or something like that, this is what it looked like this morning also. C'mon man, seriously? It's freakin' October!! We're running a half-marathon in 5 days!