Semper Fi Charity Run 5K

Sorry it took me so long to get this race recap posted.  Work has been just plain nuts since the beginning of school.

Anyway, great race last Saturday.  This is always a popular race around here.  In fact, this year's race set a record for participants.  Almost 1000 runners and walkers.  You can tell fall is in the air.  The weather Saturday was pretty nice.  I mean, it wasn't perfect.  It wasn't 50° or anything, but it was in the low 60s.  Awesome considering how hot it has been this summer.  I wasn't sure how it was going to go.  If you remember, my last race was the Bushwacker and it about killed me!  I had one goal in mind.  I wanted to give it my best and push a consistent pace.  And to my credit, I did just that!  I pushed a consistent pace of around an 8 minute mile.  I finished the race in 25:02.  To my surprise, good enough for 2nd place in my AG!  It seems all the runners in my age group decided not to run this race.  In fact, my time is actually about 20 seconds slower then last year.  No complaints, I like getting a bit of bling!  I have to give props to the organizers this year.  The shirt was great as usual and this year, they gave out awesome medals.

Great shirt and awesome medal!

I have been getting a fair amount of miles in each week.  Between walking, cycling, and running, I have been averaging between 55 and 80 miles a week.  As I mentioned in an earlier post, I have been wearing a pedometer at work and like I have known for years, I put on some serious miles at work during the day.

9/11 Tribute Run

Yesterday, I dedicated my run to the victims of 9/11 and all those that have given the ultimate price to serve and protect our country.  To the thousands that have come home changed forever, either physically or mentally.  Yesterday I ran for America!

I had planned for months on running 11 miles in honor of 9/11.  I wasn't sure how it would go, but it didn't really matter.  What mattered was that I ran it.  Maybe some walking would be involved, maybe not.  Again, it didn't matter.

I carried a small American flag with me the entire run and proudly waved it at every passing vehicle.  I received many waves and honks!  It made me proud!

I can't tell you how emotional I felt while out there.  So many thoughts went through my head.  I spent 22 years of my life serving this country and I am so proud of our men and women of the armed forces.  They serve with honor and pride!  They serve because they want to!  They serve to protect our nation and our freedoms!

So the next time you pass a soldier, a sailor, a marine, or an airman, take a moment to say thanks!  Thanks for keeping me safe!

God bless the USA!

Remember 9/11

From Runner's World

http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-243-297--14036-0,00.html

Rest Days

I know we are suppose to take them, but why is it so damn hard to take a rest day?  I mean really, how much rest is there when you are constantly telling yourself you should go out for a run?  That is all I did all dang day Monday.

Monday's aren't usually my rest days, but after running 3 times in 2 days during Tropical Storm Lee and fighting the wind, the conditions on Monday told me it was a rest day.  But still!

I know I'm not alone in this.  Many of my Dailymile friends say the same thing.  This by the way, all while commenting to me that we all deserve a rest and to REST!  LMAO  I'll tell you this though, if my recumbent bike had been in the house and not out in the messy office, I'd have gotten some miles in on it for sure!  I think I need to get that thing back in the house.  Maybe that way I'll not be as stressed about taking a rest day.  Who knows!

As always, remember, "Real athletes run, all others just play games"!

Updates

Wow, what a interesting past 2 weeks!  I have been racking up the miles, that's for sure.  This past week, I set a new PR for weekly mileage with 80.  The week before that, I got in 65 and the week before that, 75.  That is total miles between running, riding, and walking.

For years I have been tempted to wear a pedometer at work.  My job requires me to do a ton of walking.  Not just taking it easy, chillin walking, but real walking.  I am a technology coordinator at a large high school. Basically, I am the IT guy for an entire school.  Over 1700 students and 150 plus faculty and staff.  Anyway, a couple of weeks ago, I decided to wear a pedometer at work to see just how many miles I get in on any given day.  Boy, was I surprised!  Seems I average about 26 miles a week walking.  Not bad, not bad at all!  I think one day next week, I'm going to wear my Garmin to see just what kind of pace I get for those miles.

Back to the last couple of weeks.  In my last post, I gave a recap of the Bushwacker race.  I have to tell you, it really did take a lot out of me.  I skipped the UWF Cross Country Argonaut trail race on Aug 13th.  I honestly just didn't have it.  I felt like I couldn't compete.  In fact, I ended up bailing on the PRA Membership trail race on Aug 27 as well!  I wasn't sure what was going on.  Hell, I'm still not sure how I'll do at my next race, which is the Semper Fi 5K on Sep 17th.  I do know I won't skip it, that's for sure.  I'll let you know in my race recap how it went.

I have to tell you though, I have never felt the way I did for those few weeks after the Bushwacker.  That race drained me.  It was like a mental breakdown.  Racing that is!  I mean I felt fine in all other aspects.  I was still running and working out at the gym and all, I just couldn't race.  I sure hope I'm over that.  Wow!  Talk about a whole new experience.  Not one I much like repeating.  I'm not sure how it will go next year, but I WILL NOT skip that race.  One way or another, I'll find a way to get it done.

Anyway, that's what has been going on with me the past couple of weeks.  Work has been pretty damn crazy too!  As the tech guy, you can imagine how nuts it is the first few weeks of school.  I promise to keep trying to keep my blog updated and to post news as I see it happening!

As always, remember, "runners are the real athletes, all the others just play games".