Today's Inspiration

"There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as if everything is."
--Albert Einstein

5.7 Miles: Williams Gap Loop (Reverse)

With tropical storm Katrina working her way toward Virginia, the sky was cloudy and the air was very humid. I meant to get up early for today's run but waited until later in the day instead. I can't say I enjoyed the run today. I left my iPod at home in case the skies opened up and I was doused with rain. My legs just didn't have much kick, but as runs go, before you know it you're on the home stretch and surging up the final hill on High Street moments before my house. Today's time was a slow 54:22.

9 Miles: Applachian Trail Run/Walk

Ever since I bought the Appalachian Trail maps that cover the area around my house, I’ve been losing sleep thinking about finally hitting the stretch to Harper’s Ferry and back. Harper’s Ferry is not that far from the Key’s Gap parking, a 13 mile out-and-back, I just need to find the time. That’s when I thought that a good way to save time was, well, to run parts of it. Today, I did a trial run, roughly a nine-mile out-and-back. The trail is very rocky in parts, not like the soft pine needle trails I see in picture from out West, so I tried running and hiking with and without the trekking poles. Hiking with trekking poles has huge advantages. Running with them carries the advantages, but also the risk of falling with them latched to my hands. All in all, I found them helpful, especially since I frequently had to downshift to a fast hike as I stepped gingerly over rocky stretches obscured by brush. The poles were also critical to pushing back the rampant poison ivy that crowded the trail in numerous spots. I’ll find out in a couple days if it worked.

I realized that what I did was a modified version of the run-walk method, only my walking was a little more rigorous. The result was a sustained aerobic state that lasted a little over two hours. My legs definitely felt it, but in a good, completely exhausted way—not just the hamstrings and quads.

Today also marked the maiden voyage of my new hydration pack, the Kelty Neptune, which can be used for running, hiking, and biking. So far so good. After a few more field tests, I’ll post a review.

Today's Inspiration

I had to take a picture of my shoes on the cliff at Bear's Den, just off the Appalachain Trail and a short walk from the reknown Bear's Den Hostel.

30 Minutes: Yatton

The good weather is still holding on and I managed to take advantage of it again. A half-hour run plus a 15-minute walk. My left hamstring was a little sore when I started , but felt relaxed and loose when I finished.

Day Trip: Harper's Ferry

I spent the day walking around Harper's Ferry, including a brisk hike up to the Appalachian Trail Conservancy headquarters. I definitely got some exercise today. I also picked up some trail maps that will give me some great running routes.

30 Minutes: Around Town

I wasn't really in the mood to run when I got home from work tonight, but I had to listen to the latest playlist I created on my iPod. A half-hour later, I was feeling better and ready to take on the world.

5.7 Miles: Williams Gap Loop (Reverse)

When I started tonight's run, I planned on just another half-hour out-and-back. With the weather so cool and the skies so blue, I had to stay out a little longer and went for the whole Williams Gap loop. It felt great. My legs felt a little heavy in the middle section, but everything loosened up and I felt like I was flying on the final mile stretch home. Today's time was 52:03.

Cross Training (Loosely Defined)

I didn't get home from work until 5:30am this morning--an all-night bender reconciling a process we performed for the client. I had enough time for a few hours of sleep before waking up to help a friend move. I got a little bit of exercise out of it, which went a long way considering how heavy my body felt to begin with. It's going to take me another day to get my body and sleep back in synch.

30 Minutes: Scotland Heights Rd.

Absolutely beautiful weather. After I returned home and showered off, I called into a work meeting from my front porch staring at the blue skies and enjoying the cool air. I'm looking forward to more days like this.

Today's Inspiration

Another photo from a stretch of road I will one day reach--when I take the 30-minute gloves off.

30 Minutes: Around Town

I still had time for a run this morning after dropping off the lawn mower for fixing (I put entirely too much oil in it). It was cooler and damp this morning, which will be the trend for the couple days.

30 Minutes: Scotland Heights Rd.

I did not want to get up this morning. When the alarm sounded, my body was so heavily asleep that keeping my eyes open even for a few seconds was a struggle. I think I was finally catching up on the energy expended during the weekend's yard sale, which was outside in incredibly hot and humid air. I basically spent the entire day outside, starting at 6:30am.

Today's run was slow but steady. The audiobook kept me distracted. I felt a lot better afterwards and energized enough to get ready for the work week

Today's Inspiration

This is a stretch of Scotland Heights I haven't reached yet because it's still too far for my 30 minute out-and-backs. It's not too long before I get back to the Williams Gap loop, which put's me on this stretch where I can see the countryside all the way up to the Blue Ridge Mountains.

30 Minutes: Yatton

I did not feel like running this morning, but I didn't let that get the better of me. It was warm and very humid, which was part of the reason I thought about hanging my shoes up. What got me out of the door was trying out an audio book, inspired by April Anne's "Reading" on the Run post. So I checked out John Grisham's Bleachers from the library. I must say, that the 15-minute turnaround point came in a seeming blink of the eye. Before I knew it, I was home and in the shower. I definitely understand what April Anne's saying. I'm looking forward to the next run so I can hear what happens next.

30 Minutes: Around Town

I decided to call into a 9:00 meeting from home this morning, which gave me plenty of time to go for a run. On my way downstairs, my dog Maggie gave me a sad, sad look and wagged her tail at the same time. This unusual combination prompted me to grab her leash. I tried to explain to her on the way out the door that I was still getting back into shape and that she needed to run slower that she wanted. She didn't listen, so for the first few minutes, I constantly reeled her back in until she got the point. After that we both settled into a nice, slow pace that left us both feeling energized.

Apparently, the run also relaxed me ... maybe a little too much. I cut myself shaving, a centimeter away from my bottom lip. It's been a few hours and it's still not healed.

30 Minutes: Scotland Heights Rd.

The air was cooler, but the humidity hung heavy on my clothes and in my lungs. The forecast called for storms later in the night. I pushed my way out to Scotland Heights much faster than a week ago, the first signs my legs are coming back. The gravel road was still dry from the recent lack of rain, which allowed for huge dust clouds when the occasional truck sped by. The dust and humidity gathered together, making each breath a little heavier. Without even feeling overheated, I was surprised to see my shirt was beginning to soak through. The return trip home was faster paced, but still felt controlled and relatively easygoing. I still had enough fuel left to take the dog for a nice, long walk (a win-win for everyone).

All in all, I'm happy with my progress so far. I think if I keep up 15-25 miles per week for a 6-8 weeks, I'll have enough of a base to tackle the longer-term training plan, which I'm still working on. I'm still waiting on the announcement for the next big thing, pending a couple final decisions. I just can't wait to hit the 90-120 minute runs.

Today's Inspiration

Cross Training

My wife and I rested at a fantastic B&B this weekend. The Inn at Vaucluse Spring, just south of Stephen's City, offers everything a country getaway should have, even a pool with a fantastic view of a cow pasture. For the first time in over a year, my wife and I spent part of the afternoons on Friday and Saturday splashing around. It was some of the best full body exercising I've had in a long, long time. I can still feel the effects of my playtime in my abs, legs, arms, and chest. Now all I need to do is figure out how I can make to a pool more often. My body is tired, but not too sore. The biggest benefit, though, comes from getting great exercise while I'm having a great time. I felt like a kid again. If only I could summon that feeling every day.

30 Minutes: Yatton

I took the day off from work to head out of town early today to celebrate my second wedding anniversary. With the extra time, I started the day with a half-hour run--an out-and-back on Yatton Rd. Afterwards, I showered off and convinced my wife to go out with me to snap some pictures of my favorite running routes. We managed to get through two of the routes before we had to return home and prepare to leave town. I posted some of the pictures here. I'll be sure to slow-release them on the blog over the next couple months.

Today's Inspiration

30 Minutes: Around Town

Another half-hour run, this time around town and into the newer development. I'm not much for running in the newer development, as it lacks some of the soul and history of the other roads around me. Alas, I'm not in good enough shape to hit those better routes, so I resigned myself to the walking path that weaved its way along a big road that separated two larger neighborhoods. At least the weather was inspiring.

Motivational Idea

After yesterday's daydreaming, I realized that having pictures of the hills and roads yet to be run could be a great motivational source. Sometime this week or next week, I'm going to jump in the car with my camera and snap some photos of the routes I hope to work toward as I get in better shape.

30 Minutes: Simpson's Creek Rd.

I finally have the itch again. For the last hour or so at work today, I kept thinking running. I thought about all the places I could go. When I'm running, the world is full of places to discover. When I'm really into running, I catch myself daydreaming about where I haven't been--about nearby fields, country roads, trails, or insurmountable hills. The tough part about starting over is that I'm not in good enough shape to tackle most of my daydreams. The silver lining is that these daydreams become something to work toward. So for today, I settled for a half-hour run that started and finished at my doorstep, keeping me confined to my beginner status, which is just fine with me ... for now.