OH! Ohio!

I have to admit there are few things I enjoy more than running. Most of them are people. While I've been trying to get out there more and enjoy myself, it was still pretty difficult to get myself to a point that I was satisfied with my run.  Be it the time, or the distance, or even the energy I put in to it, just couldn't get there. Though, I think I'm starting to find it.

I was in Ohio the other day and right behind the hotel was a paved path. I knew it was there and I wanted to get out and run it, but I found myself laying in a giant king size hotel bed with about 7 pillows around me. The desire to get out and run in 27° was far less than the desire to stay in that bed. After about 15 minutes of scrolling mindlessly through facebook, I saw a post from someone about them getting a time they were proud of. I sat and thought about my lack of that feeling. The feeling of excitement while I looked at my watch. The feeling of having nothing left at the end of a run. The feeling of your legs burning but you get past it and keep running. No matter what your time or pace, those things are ( to me) what defines a "hard run."

I got up.

His time wasn't far out of reach of what I knew I could do. I've been feeling pretty good lately and I've been on a a lot of hills, so Ohio is flat. I went out to match that time.

I had only planned on 8, but somewhere around 6 I realized that I could do an extra 2 pretty easy. So i did. At the end of the run I looked down at my pace and was happy that I had roughly 7:15/ mile. The exact same pace that I could barely hold up for 4 miles a few weeks ago when I had that group run. I have to say, I was happy. It's not the time I want to stay at, nor is the times I'm used to, but it made me feel good that I could do it.

The next morning I went out to do it again, and nailed it. This time a few seconds faster. Felt good to find out it wasn't a fluke.

I found my form ( I can't hold it for long anymore) I found my breathing ( I lose it easily) I (re) found that part of running that makes me happy.

It's been a little over 30 days since I started this, and the no booze thing is really doing well. Still not drinking coffee. Not sure if that one is important or not, but it's here for the duration.

I've lost a little over 10lbs and I can see a noticable difference in my body again. Leg muscles, stomach, arms. They're all coming back.


I think that's something that I lose sight of sometimes. It's hard to be dedicated, when there are so many things coming at you from different parts of your life. Work, Family, bills, cars, etc. Though, at the end of the day. If I can't get out and run. All of those things will take over and I won't have a way to figure them out.

I always liked this video ( probably because of the music ) figured I'd share - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsSC2vx7zFQ

The air up there.... .is cold.

When I was in junior high  ( yeah I'm that age, where we had junior high and not "middle school") I was sitting on a couch one day and I couldn't catch my breath. I wasn't doing anything, but that just happened. My mother looked at my nails and noticed they were blue, so we went to the hospital. I was diagnosed with bronchial asthma. Now honestly, it wasn't that big of a deal. I would be fine for about 80% of the year. Though, when the seasons changed and at least once during winter, I would have to stop anything I was doing and just hang on the couch for a week, using a nebulizer and taking medicine. Walking up the stairs would be rough, if I had to even walk swiftly, I'd need a break after going from one side of the house to the other. After about a week, it was gone. This happened well into my 20s. In highschool years, I'd miss weeks at a time. After high school, I'd miss practices with my band, and sometimes even gigs.

So what does this have to do with the price of tea in china? Well... Winter is here. Having recently moved to upstate ( central really) NY, it's here and it's cold. This morning I woke up and looked outside and had zero desire to go for a run. It wasn't easy getting out the door, but thankfully Nichole knows how much I want to keep on a good pace so she's been awesome at kicking me out the door when I have to. Looking outside and seeing snow whipping across the street, and seeing 12 degrees with a "REAL FEEL" of zero.. well... that just brings back memories of my asthma. I never enjoyed the winter because of that. I always felt like it was a battle, it was something that I had to suffer through. Never because of the cold, but because of the fact that at some point, my chest would tighten and I wouldn't be able to walk without gasping.

Some point in the past 10 years, my asthma decided it didn't want to hang around anymore. I'm not sure if it's because of me running, not smoking, not living in an old house, or a combination of it all, but it's gone.

So on to my running this past week,  only got in about 30m, I'm ok with it right now. Need a light week.

Sunday - 10m - Went a new route and found a really nice hill again. Harder than the others in the area. Going to try to get all 3 of the high hills in my area on one run. Mapped out a cool 16m run with all 3 hills, could be fun.
Monday -3m  I went out on this 3 mile loop and tried to beat my time but I couldn't get it. Not sure what happened, but I just wasn't pushing enough.
Tuesday  - I took the day off, I took Monday's run as my body saying, " Hey buddy, lets dial it back a little for a week"
Wednesday -  10m -Went out exploring, didn't look for time, just went and found some more hills around the area.
Thursday -  5.3m - Found out that Strava has a few segments around me, and well.... I wanted to see where I compared. I took off around a new hill I found and tried to move up a few notches.
Friday - Took the day off
Saturday -5.9 Planned on going out for a flat 16 in a park about 15mins from the house. Made it 8. I realized that no where on that path is a bathroom and well, I needed one STAT. Thankfully made it back to the car and home.
Sunday  -