July 30: Run 5 miles

Week 5 (second run): 5 miles

Thursday (5:57am)
Distance: 5.15 miles
Duration: 1:08:56
Pace: 13:22/mile
Shoes: Asics GT2130 Trail
Weather: Partly cloudy, 21C, 95% humidity



I'm the parking lot runner!

When this satellite picture was taken, so happened there was an event at the arena, so the parking lot was rather full. When I started my run this morning there wasn't a single car in the lot. At the end of my run, there were 2 cars in the lot.

I like running around the parking lot. It's quite flat when compared to the roads around here and I can duck underneath the shadow of the trees for some reprieve from the sun. Since all I need is more miles, the parking lot is one way to get that in. And when I run early in the morning, there are hardly any cars there.

As for the run, I kept it slow and steady today. I basically did the run 1 mile: walk 1 minute thing. Ended my run with no extraordinary aches or pain. It was very humid though but the light breeze helped some. I saw the sun rise over the horizon.

July 28: Run 3 miles

Week 5 (first run): 3 miles

Tuesday (7:07am)
Distance: 3.06 miles
Duration: 43:34
Pace: xx:xx/mile
Shoes: Nike Structure Triax+ 12
Weather: Partly cloudy, 19C, 85% humidity

Last night I decided I should add some "speed"work to my running routine. The plan was to run one lap around the track at a faster than usual pace and then walk half a lap and repeat that 4-5 times.

I did a slow jog to the running track and went round the track once to hit 1 mile. The Eagles training camp staff were already there sitting underneath a tent. The blow-up giant stuff for kids were already up. It felt really awkward running there but I was going to stick to my plan. Just as I was starting my first fast lap, a staff came over and told me that the track was closed and kicked me out of the track. I'm beginning to not like the Eagles!

In order to stick to the plan, I used the Garmin to set up intervals of 0.25 mile fast run: 0.13 mile walk and did the running on the cross country trail.

Today's run was a mess.

July 26: Run 9 miles

Week 4 (long run): 9 miles

Friday (7:05am)
Distance: 9.00 miles
Duration: 2:14:05
Pace: 14:53/mile
Shoes: Saucony Omni Ultimate 7
Weather: Cloudy/Light Rain, 22C, 77% humidity



Eeny, Meeny, Miny, Moe....which of these gels should I take during my long run today?

I chose the Powerbar Vanilla. My very first carbohydrate energy gel. After about an hour of running, I had that with some water. It was salty, sweet, with a slight tinge of medicinal taste. The salty part surprised me most. Not too bad. Now I'll have to wait till next Sunday to choose my next flavor to try.

I kept to the run 9 minutes: walk 1 minute plan. I didn't want to end up with last Sunday's pain on the right foot again so I was doing to my slow shuffle and did not speed up at all. My knees felt sore the first mile and then my shins felt sore the second mile. At the end of the run, my knees were sore again. And 5 hours after the run ended, my calves felt crampy. However I did notice that I wasn't huffing and puffing during this slow shuffle run. And I did manage to keep the metatarsal (ball of foot) pain away or at least I didn't aggravate it.



Lastly, the Philadelphia Eagles have landed on my marathon training ground. For the next 3 weeks, I'll have to end my runs before the Eagles fans start arriving (probably around 8:15am), which is fine during my short runs but I'll have to be out of the house really early for the long runs.

Today, I underestimated my slowness. Went out a little late, took so long to complete 9 miles (elite marathoners would have completed 26.2 miles in that time), and ended up being very late for church.

July 24: Run 5 miles

Week 4 (second run): 5 miles

Friday (6:03am)
Distance: 5.00 miles
Duration: 1:07:08
Pace: 13:25/mile
Shoes: Asics GT2130 Trail
Weather: Cloudy, 17C, 80% humidity

This morning was cloudy, gloomy, misty and humid.

It was a tight squeeze to run 5 miles in the morning before heading off to research work. I'll have to leave even earlier for the run if I am to have enough time to get ready for work.

July 23: Run 3 miles

Week 4 (first run): 3 miles

Thursday (6:12am)
Distance: 3.00 miles
Duration: 38:00
Pace: 12:38/mile
Shoes: Saucony Omni Ultimate 7
Weather: Cloudy, 19C, 77% humidity

After 3 days of rest, my right foot is returning to normal. It's not like it was hurting really bad the past few days, it was just that I didn't want a small ache to develop into something serious.

Today, I ran mostly on the rubberized running track.

These two fawns were right outside my apartment when I came back from the run.

July 21: No run

My right foot was still sore so I decided to skip today's run.

The pain in the ball of foot below the 2 and 3 toes that I was experiencing at the end of Sunday's long run is either Morton's neuroma or Metatarsalgia. I've learned my lesson. I'll take it slow from now on and not set any time goal.

July 19: Run 8 miles (Running Schedule)

Week 3 (long run): 8 miles



Sunday (6:49am)
Distance: 8.01 miles
Duration: 1:44:49
Pace: 13:05/mile
Shoes: Nike Structure Triax+ 12
Weather: Sunny, 17C, 75% humidity

Week 3 completed!

I decided to go back to the Non-Runner's Marathon Trainer program instead of the Higdon. The longest long run in the Non-Runner's program is 18 miles and that should take me about 4 hours and I think that is long enough for me.



But since this program is 16 weeks but I started at 18 weeks before the marathon, I'll have to insert 2 additional weeks of training in there somewhere.

Today's run was ok. For hydration and fuel, I brought along 20oz (600ml) of Gatorade (US version of 100plus) and 3 Clif-shot blocks (energy sugar gummies). I started off really really slow. Ate the 3 Clif-shot blocks around mile 5 and didn't like it much. The gummies were sticking to my teeth.



By the time I passed mile 6, I realized I had to speed it up in order to finish in 1 hour 45 minutes. I don't know where that time limit came out from, I thought I was going to take it easy for long runs. Anyway, my run 5 minute:walk 1 minute strategy went out the window and I just tried to go as fast as I could sustain.

I think I sprained the middle toe on my right foot. The area below the right middle toe still feels sore.