We Could Be in for a Long Winter

Overheard at the gym today:

An in depth discussion of how both the theater majors and the dance majors make fun of the musical theater majors.

This is why I like to run outside.

New Workout

12 hard laps around the track.

5 push-ups after each lap.

I'm either going to call it "Toughguy McBadass" or "Sore and Barfy".

Mixed Bag

It's been a while since I've put two good runs in a row together.  The legs are fine but the asthma is AWFUL this time of year. 

I'm going to see a new asthma guy in a few weeks.  Hopefully this guy actually, you know, listens to my symptoms and answers my questions.

At any rate, I'm already over the number of miles I put in last year, so I can feel good about that.

Long Run Sunday

For an easy long run on a 38 degree day, I cranked.

Mile 3 is where I took a walk break for a drink and a gel pack.

 

Asthma was just OK.  It got cold relatively fast here and I'm still adjusting to the cooler weather.

Weekend Update

I moved my long run from Sunday to Saturday this week.

It was both a good thing and a bad thing.

I was glad I got my work in. I did 7 miles. That was the most I had done in a single run since May.

But... it also opened up a whole new world of possibilities for overeating on Sunday morning.

Pancakes, sausage AND hash browns? HELL YES.

Thumbs Down

Why does the first run after a race always suck?

Guh.

Shawn M. Nassaney 5K - 10/10/2010

28:28 on an absolutely brutal course.

It's one of those "Hey, I finished, and I didn't get hurt!" kinda victories.

Tops 5K - 8/28/2010

I'm still on the shelf right now. Let's go back and relive the glory of the Tops 5K.

Not only did I make my fund raising goal, I also set a new personal best for a 5K.

Good times!

Sinus Report

I'm doing everything you're supposed to do, and I'm still not able to stay healthy.

I was feeling pretty good about myself after my 5K. And I started thinking "If can stay healthy over the winter, this is the year to try a full marathon."

And then...

SMACK.

Full blown sinus infection.

This sinus infection is pretty bad. If the antibiotics don't start working soon, I'm going to end up with bronchitis again.

0.0

Zero miles this weekend.

I hurt my back working in the garden on Saturday.

I am old.

I'm Batman

I finally broke down and picked up the Batman Belt last week.

I've got a 20 ounce Nalgene bottle that I usually carry with me.

But it's been so hot and humid here lately, I could barely hold onto it.

It's weird having that extra weight on my lower back, but I like have my hands free.

Pat Report

I'm still getting over my sinus infection.

I had no sense of smell by the weekend.  That kinda takes the fun out of cooking.

I'm on Avelox.  Strong stuff.

I like that it's working on my sinuses.

I don't like the side effects.  The first thing listed is possible "tendon damage".  Yikes.

I'm also supposed to avoid sunlight.

The universe doesn't want me to run this week.

'Cause you know I'd walk a thousand miles...

I have now passed the 1000 mile mark on my shoes.

This feel like an accomplishment.

Asthma Update

I ran again without using the inhaler today.

So either the lungs are stronger.

Or the pollen is gone.

Or both.

Half Marathon #2 - 5/30/2010

Pretty good.  I ended up doing a 2:17:21.  I didn't quite make my goal of 2:10 - 2:12.

BUT...

I still knocked 5 minutes off of last year's time. 

Plus I had a 3 minute train delay.

Almost There

10 day forecast for Buffalo:

Sunny

High 72°F

Precip 0 %


** Fist pump **

You ever have a class where you didn't really apply yourself as much as you could and then suddenly found yourself panicking right before the final?

I feel like the exact opposite of that right now.

I'm so ready.

Tapering

I'm supposed to be tapering off right now.

But I ended up doing 5 miles yesterday (1 with Daisy first thing in the morning, 4 at lunch).

I felt so good, I just kept on going.

Sunday 5K

26:54.

New personal best.

62   5/10     30 Canole Patrick      35 M 

26:54  8:40

Speed Work Tuesday

Fast half miles:

3:46

3:48

3:49

3:49


I'll take it.

Pat Report 05/10/2010

Had a great run yesterday.  One of the best long runs I've ever had (even with the 20 - 30 mile per hour wind gusts).

13 beautiful bike path miles.  I felt light, smooth and fast.

I only missed one workout for all of April.  I think I'm on the right combination of asthma meds now.  It's all coming together.

Ups:

Usually Mother's Day is the busiest day of the year on the bike path, but the winds must have kept people home.  I had the place to myself.

I'm only slightly sore today.

I felt like I could have done 18 yesterday.



Downs:


Without the winds, I probably could have been 2 - 3 minutes faster.

My toes are looking pretty beat up at this point.

Pat Report 04/26/2010

Got 12 miles in on Saturday.  Felt reasonably good.  Weather was great.

The second mile seems to be the hardest with the asthma.  If I get through that without coughing up a lung, I can tell it's going to be a good run.


Ups:

This was the furthest I had ever gone on the bikepath on foot.  It was pretty cool.

New running shoes:  Fuck yeah!



Downs:

Still somewhat phlegmy.

Can't run while chewing gum anymore.  I know this sounds crazy, but it seems to aggravate the asthma.

Took a post run Advil for the first time all year (maybe that should be a positive thing).

Speed Work Tuesday

Here are my "fast" half mile times from Speed Work Tuesday:

  3:45

  3:46

  3:47.

Consistent!

Follow Up

It's funny how big a psychological hurdle the double digit mileage barrier is.

When I was at 9 miles for my long run, I wasn't sure I could do it.

But now... Hey!  10 miles!  I'm almost there!  I can TOTALLY do 13.

Pat Report - 4/12/2010

I've had a rough two weeks.  And then out of the blue, I had a great 10 mile run yesterday.  I finally found my "second gear".  If my math is right, the second 5 miles was 7 minutes faster than the first 5 miles.

I'm off the Singulair.  I tried that for about 10 days.  It was working great for the asthma.  But it was also causing mood swings, insomnia and loss of appetite.  I didn't feel like myself at all.

I'm now trying Advair.  Side effects include headaches, sore throat and (gulp) "menstrual problems".  We'll see how that goes.

My thinking about the 1/2 marathon is now trending back towards "do it for the experience, even if you're not going to beat last year's time". 


Ups:

- Weather was great for running.  Low 60s and partly cloudy.

- My legs felt great yesterday.

- It was "Single Ladies" day at the bike path yesterday.


Downs:

- I forgot to wear sunscreen.  I now have a slight sunburn on one side of my face.

- Lungs are still way behind the legs.

- The Single Ladies were mostly in their 60s.

Weekend Update

Stats:

Long Run Sunday - 9 miles
Total for the week  - 19 miles

Ups:

Legs feel good
Back not sore after the long run  (spending an hour a day sitting on the exercise ball seems to be helping)
Sleep - I've been getting at least 8 hours a night for the last week


Downs:

Limited lungs
No speed
Asthma seems much worse below 50 degrees



At this point, I'm 70 / 30 on doing the half marathon.

Weekend Update

Got three miles in on Saturday.

Got six miles in on Sunday (I was supposed to do 8, but I was pretty sore from a full day of gardening and parenting).

The lungs are feeling OK, but not great.  I'm desperate enough at this point that I'm trying the olde tyme folk remedy for asthma: a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in a glass of water.

It tastes terrible, but it seems to be helping.

I'm going to see an asthma specialist later today.  We'll see how that goes.

Weekend Report

Got two miles in on Saturday.  Got seven miles in on Sunday.

Legs felt great.  Lungs felt lousy.  I had to pause and take a hit from the inhaler twice on Sunday.  First time I've had to do that while running.

Hopefully this will improve as the weather gets better.

Pat Report

I did 5 good hard miles of hills yesterday.

I'm a little sore today, but I feel like I'm getting back on track.

I can tell I'm physically stronger than this point last year because I'm not popping an Advil as soon as I get home after a long run.

Plus I made Daisy Dog do 2 miles with me on Saturday, so we're getting her built back up, too.

Pat Report

Just got back from the doctor.

Things look pretty good.

Nothing is definite.  I might have asthma. Or, it might have been a really long lingering pneumonia.

I'm supposed to start coming off the albuterol and see how I do.

Running - I've been absolutely crushing it the last two weeks.  I'm over 25 miles for the month of February already (which is more than November, December and January combined).

But I'm officially cleared for my 1/2 marathon in May.  I'm free to run like the wind.

Injury Report

Had my doctor's appointment last week.  Still waiting on some tests.

But the doctor thinks I might have asthma.

What?  I'm 34.  Doesn't that sort of thing usually show up before now?

Apparently, adult-onset asthma is a real thing.

At first I was all pissy and depressed and worried that my running career was all done.

Now I'm a little more optimistic.  If we know what it is, we can treat it properly.

And hey... It's not cancer!

Progress

I got 3 miles in today.

As of right now, my lungs do not feel like they've been dipped in lobster butter.

This is the longest run since September.

I have to be able to do 5 comfortably by March 1st if I'm going to do the Buffalo Half Marathon this year.

Grrrr...

I'm still sick.

I can only run about a mile before I feel like I'm going to barf.  Today, I actually coughed up a big phlegm ball after.

It's all in my lungs.  No sinuses or anything.

I've been doing acupuncture for 6 weeks now.  It's helping some, but not quite enough. 

Needless to say, I'm frustrated.