Monotony and the Wall

My half-marathon training had been going very well up until this weekend. I've been steadily increasing my weekly mileage and was up to 10 miles on my long run last weekend. I was beginning to think that my first marathon might even happen in the next year. Then the running gods put me back in my place.

Friday I set a new personal record for monotonous workouts when I ran 8 miles on the track inside the Student Rec Center on campus. 8 miles is somewhere around 35 laps on this less-than-a-quarter-mile track. My iPod did a wonderful job of keeping my from going insane as I went around and around again. I was still feeling good, if just a tad bored from staring at cinder blocks for almost an hour and a half.

This morning I went out for my long run. 12 miles was the goal. I knew last night when it was still warm and muggy at 10pm that it wasn't going to be fun, but I was not prepared for the miserable consitions this morning. I made it to campus and was running by 5:45am. Even with the early start the heat had wiped me out by mile 6. I made a second loop around campus, but called it quits at 10.5 miles. I had run out of water and didn't think Lidia would appreciate me running myself into the ground since we had a photo sitting at 10am at Sears. Other runners were dropping out and ducking into buildings looking for water fountains as I was packing up as well. It seems that few of us were ready for a September weather workout.

So I've been beaten down and humbled. I'll do my 13.1 in January and not even think about 26.2 again until after I've crossed the finish line.

Hit and Run Update

Three weeks ago I completed my first 10-k Race. That was the immediate reason for the past run related posts. My training went well, and race day was a big success. I was fourth overall, second male finished, and first in my age group. That netted me my first award for an athletic accomplishment since a 6th place sack race finish at an elementary school track meet.

The next big race is the Houston Half Marathon, and my training officially kicks off tomorrow with a rest day -- the perfect way to start a program. Since I've run twice in the past three weeks (race recovery and a long cold have been my excuses) this first week of training is going to hurt. Anyone looking for a good laugh in College Station next Saturday can come out and watch me try to run the eight mile long run.

Was I on a Track?

I woke up too late to go outside for my long run this morning (more later on why I am possessed to run this far anyway). So I grab my bag and head to the nice track at the Rec Center for my workout, and this is what I manage to do.



Usually my track workouts are boring flat lines.



I'll blame the "wildly varying" -- the difference between the peak and the lowest point is 36 seconds/mile -- on the seriously cute girl at the track today. My sweetie tagged along to work out and between stopping to chat with her on water breaks and running fast to impress her I lost any chance at a steady pace.

Running an Errand

It looked like the perfect morning for a solo run. I was slipping on my shoes and chatting with mama and Bubba Gene when we head Princess Ana start beating on her door. I wasn't about to run off and leave mama alone and outnumbered by the riff raff, so we unfolded the jogging stroller and the princess and I took off.

There's no way I could push the stroller for the originally planned four miles, so I decided to take a suggestion from a recent issue from Runner's World (a good magazine even for a casual jogger like myself). We ran down the back streets to the Albertson's and picked up the almond extract I need for some baking today. We took a short break in the air conditioning while Princess Ana had a donut and I got my espresso fix. We loaded up and ran back home.

It was a productive idea. Mama got a break and princess got some early morning sun. I got my caffeine fix, a needed ingredient, and an easy workout. We'll definately do that again when Ana wakes up before I get out the door.

Wanted: Mile-Eating Songs

My run this morning was great. Over 4 miles in record time, including a new personal best for the mile. It was a run where everything just came together. Great weather, scenery, music, and energy.

Instead of running my usual loop around my neighborhood I went up to campus. Running past the George Bush Presidential Library, Kyle Field, and Sully (basically past all the nice campus spots they show on tv when the Ags play football) was beautiful. Watching the students walk to class and realizing I didn't have to be in the office at 8 made the run even better.

I think the biggest factor this morning though was the music. I finally took the three minutes necessary to make a custom play list for my iPod. I've been running by just listening to an entire album at a time, or to a running podcast. While I like AC/DC probably more than I should, they don't maintain the right energy level across an album. My running podcasts are great, but they use free music and therefore don't have any of the great songs I've gotten pumped up to throughout high school and college. I threw together a play list on Monday night and realized that, 1) I don't have a lot of good workout music, and 2) the stuff I do have is from a small handful of groups. I'll be tired of this play list by next week. Also, the list is dominated by "power songs" that get me pumped up and running faster. I need a kick in the butt several times during a run, but I also need a couple of steady upbeat songs that will let me cover some ground before the next kick comes along.

This is where I need your help. What are some of the great songs I'm missing? The complete set of what I'm missing is enormous, so just your top five would be great. My list from the run this morning is below. Songs with an asterisk are my butt kicking songs.

Any suggestions are appreciated. Comments on my lame musical tastes will be less well received.

AC/DC - Hells Bells*
Guns 'n' Roses - Welcome to the Jungle*
Zombie Nation - KernKraft 400
AC/DC - You Shook Me All Night Long
Guns 'n' Roses - Sweet Child o' Mine
John Cougar Mellancamp - Hurt So Good
AC/DC - Back in Black*
John Cougar Mellancamp - Authority Song
Ozzy Osbourne - Crazy Train*
Rush - Tom Sawyer
Beastie Boys - Sabotage