Run #73 - The Curse of the Heart Rate Monitor?

Another slower Hoh run. I have no idea what is slowing me down although I guess I'm not feeling the greatest. August 2nd, Run # 75 will be at least 5 miles so I guess running slower isn't a bad thing at this point.

Run # 72 - Heart Rate Monitor Slowing Me Down?

Something is slowing me down the past couple of days. Maybe its the humidity or I'm subconsciously trying to keep my heart rate down. Either way I'm bothered.

Run # 73 tomorrow and I'm going to return to under 9 minute miles, even if it means a heart rate of 800 bpm.

Run # 71 - My average heart rate

I bought a heart rate watch with a monitor today so I can start tracking how hard my heart has to work on these runs.

This run was 22 minutes and 32 seconds long and apparently my heart rate reached 199 at one point.

I find that somewhat hard to believe but the watch was $40 Timex I bought at Target (yes, Chuck, I decided to go on the cheap) and I mean a $40 Timex Target purchased watch should be about as accurate as they come.

The overall heart rate average was 164. I did check when I went up a hill and it did spike a bit to 191, but I have no idea where or when it hit 199.

It will be interesting to see where it's at tomorrow.

Run # 70 - Back to One

Run # 70 was the "classic" run, the one that I first did when I started this streak. I set a goal of 23 minutes and was able to make it with 4 seconds to spare. Run # 71 tomorrow. Marathon training starts this week. That will be Run # 75 and I'm thinking of running 5.38 miles. That's 20% of a marathon and run #75 will mark the 20% point of my goal for one full year of running each day.

Run # 69 - A quick 1.32

I didn't have much time or energy for this one but # 69 is in the books.

To my valued readers: I apologize for posting this entry a day late.

Run # 68 - Slow Hoh

A slow hoh run on I guess what you would call a cold morning for July in AZ. I guess it was pretty humid though, considering im drenched in sweat right now. Tomorrow will be run # 69 and I will most likely be doing the Hoh run again for obvious reasons.

Run # 67 - The Lifetime North Run

A last minute, all night from - and then back to - Lifetime Fitness in Scottsdale. After a rainy day and a rainy round of golf, I barely had a enough energy to do this one but here it is.

Run # 66 - The Nintendo Wii Run

My friend Matt and I got my friend Nick a Nintendo Wii and some games tonight. We then played the games (Tiger Woods 2007 is addicting) and I noticed it was getting late. Once again I cut it close with a late night run. This one was just outside of Nick's place in PV. Run # 67 tomorrow.

Run # 65 - Home Sweet Home

A 21 minute run in much different conditions than what I just faced in Minnesota.

The streak is alive and well but my knees are starting to give me some problems when I try 3-4 mile runs vs. 1-2-3 miles.

I'll update all the maps and quick recaps this week.

The highlights are the bloody toe, running on the shoulder of a highway in what was the fastest stretch I've ever run as I was completely scared shitless..which is even funnier because an internal injury was in play before, during and after it, and thinking I was running much faster than I was.

That humidity up there just gets to me I guess but I didn't impress myself with my time here tonight.

My 66th consecutive day of running at least one mile will take place in a run to Lifetime tomorrow night.

I'm getting close to 91 Shivani and you will be hearing about it from me when it happens.

Run # 64 - Eden Prairie Evening Run

A humid night run in a city where I grew up.

Map and post to come...

Run # 63 - A Saturday Morning Run before Fishing/Intense Drunkeness

This should be interesting. Wake up time is 6:15.....

I'll post the map and story later.

Sorry I am behind. Anybody who wants to donate a high speed wireless card to me is more than welcome...

Run # 62 - A Run Through Heaven

A Minneapolis morning after a long night of drinking and a lot...and I mean A LOT of blood on my left foot. I cut my pinky toe somehow and it was just gushing blood. But my friend Pete did a nice job taking care of it. Several people were in attendance at an after party at his house and witness me bleeding profusely and him yelling at me not to aggravate the injury.

I worried the next day that I'd have to limp through a mile but I surprisingly felt fine. That, coupled with the unbelievably cool morning weather and new atmosphere and I felt like I was running in heaven.

I'll have to update several maps soon. I have yet to find a broadband connection in MN. Pete has no Internet, my Dad and Mom both have dial up (remember that?) and I have yet to make it to a Starbucks.

Run # 63 tomorrow around on some trails I hope near my Dad's house. Wake up call is in about 5 and a half hours so I'm off for now...

Run # 61 - The Roger Maris Run

Map and post to come..

16 minutes and 31 seconds today in a morning run

Run # 60 - Bee Sting

A short 14 minute run this morning that featured me being stung by a bee...or at least what appeared to be a bee.

Map to come...

Run # 59 - A Packed Lifetime

I ran to and from an absolutely mobbed Lifetime tonight, runs that are becoming typical. I'm still a little sore from Sunday night but I'm not too concerned I guess. The heat was atrocious tonight and in two separate incidents I was almost hit by a car. The first time it was a cop car and I was pondering whether or not I would be chased down and fined for jayrunning a freeway exit ramp. That didn't happen but it was a close call.

Run # 58 - A Mile Trot

I was actually sore today from running over 5 miles last night so I made myself trot 1.6 miles tonight.

Run # 57 - The Real Tempe Town Lake Run

No internal injury this time and I made sure I counted every step of this tough run tonight. It was 104 with muggy air throughout as it was obviously more humid than most nights. I was sweating like a fat girl throughout and started off probably faster than the 8.5 mph average. I slowed considerably toward the end but picked it up a little. This was due to the fact I ran with the superstar Ironman Chuck Settles, whose resting heart rate has to be about 45 these days with all of the exercise he does.

Tonight was a great run and as I get closer to the marathon training I am starting to realize more and more that I have to take it easy some days and just not run very fast at all. Endurance seems to be an issue for me. If I could hold 8.5 minute miles for a full marathon I would be elated, but tonight it took what felt like all I had in the tank. That included a lot of Accelerade and, in a stupid move, 24 ounces of a Monster energy drink consumed within an hour of the start of this one.

Run #58 tomorrow will be a short trot. I'm looking forward to it. How slow can I go? That's what I'm about to find out.

Run # 56 - Hills

2 miles on hills tonight..

Run # 55 - A Morning Mile

Heading to a concert tonight so I had to get my ass out of bed and do this at 7:30 this morning. It wasn't fun but I got it over with. Then I ran on a treadmill for 10 minutes after work, but I refuse to count it.

Run # 54 - Only 311 to go

I finally realized why my runs to Lifetime are always faster than the runs home: Something called a hill. Apparently I live up on one compared to Lifetime. And yes, I didn't really realize this until tonight.

Run # 55 and I believe I'll need to run in about 6 hours from now - before work. Not looking forward to that.

Run # 53 - Circles

Typically I don't enjoy running in circles. Tonight I felt like doing just that, and so I did. Ran in three full loops around the block right outside of my house, and by the end of the third loop I was plenty tired and ready to pass out. And now thats what I'm about to do.

Run # 52 - "Cool" Lifetime Runs

Two (to and from) Lifetime runs tonight on a beautiful night of sub-100 degree heat. And when I say sub-100 degrees I literally mean 99 degrees.

Run # 51 - RunEveryDay.com

I'm upset tonight for two main reasons: 1. runeveryday.com has yet to post my membership and 2. I fell apart during the last leg of this run and wasn't able to run as fast as I wanted to.

Oh well perhaps I should take it really easy one of these runs.

But as Kevin Dawson once said "It's hard to run 10 minute miles."

Run # 50 - The Run that Started It All

In celebration of # 50, tonight I decided to run the route I ran for # 1. I did well as I noticed I've taken about 1 minute and 56 seconds off my time on the route.

A highlight of this otherwise non-eventful run was when I ran by two cops on motorcycles who were radar gunning drivers along Warner Rd. I told them I wish they had to stop me for speeding but they were unamused as they angrily stared at me and shook their heads.

Run # 49 - The 7-7-7 run

Apparently today is the day of 7's, especially for me. The map above shows I ran about 7.6 miles, at a 7.7 mile per hour pace.I decided getting up after 4 hours of sleep wasn't the best strategy for an early morning run so I opted to sleep in. This was good because I had more energy but the sun is a killer, even at 9 AM. I made running into South Mountain Park and back to my house my goal, even though I had no idea what the mileage would be. I suspect the map is a little off - I'm not sure I ran that far into South Mountain, but if Google says thats the length of the road leading up to it, then that is what I did - and the about .1 miles into the park before I realized the heat and my lack of water could result in my imminent death.

The camelpack I had planned to take with me I discovered was full of bacteria this morning, so I had to throw it out and carry about 24 ounces of water or so in a bottle. Even still, I could only run the first 27:31 of this one, before I turned around to walk for about 10-15 minutes. I did run the last 1.5 miles or so though so I finished strong. I'm not sure how accurate the times are, but I felt pretty good out there, all things considered. It is only 100 right now I guess as I just finished it, so I'm sure that helped somewhat.

Run # 48 - The Streak Nearly Ends

Today was a day in which I was really lazy. I put off running until 11:30 and it nearly cost me the streak. I felt a lot of pain during the first few minutes of this run from head to toe and I seriously wondered if I could even hobble through one mile. It was 11:35 when I started and I didn't think I'd even make it one mile. I came alive midway through and managed 1.65 miles but it took almost everything I had.

I'm definitely feeling some aches and pains right now. I have a 9 miler planned for tomorrow and my ability to do that is in serious doubt.

For whatever reason, that goal within the goal of mine has been unreachable so far. For whatever reason, this 9 mile run has alluded me. Tomorrow I may run from my house to South Mountain Park just to see what the landscape is, but running throughout it for 9 miles doesn't seem too likely. We'll see how I feel in just a few hours.

Run # 47 - The Sundown Effect

Two runs tonight. One to Lifetime, the other back from it. The first run had me seeing stars after mile 1. I tried to run fast from the start, but I was dehydrated from a long day of work and little water and I hadn't eaten much.

Run 2 seemed easier but for whatever reason took me longer. It was definitely cooler after the sun had fully set.

Run #48 tomorrow.

Run # 46 - Happy 4th of July Hoh Run

There is no question now that my run to Hoh and back is far and away my favorite and most frequent run. So tonight I decided to try to do it in 17 minutes and 76 seconds as I wanted to make it somewhat relevant to the 4th of July. These entries and days of running have become quite boring, but it is what it is. I have to somehow mix it up - so lately I've been trying to run faster and faster and shorter and shorter - we'll see how long that lasts.. 17:76 (18 minutes and 16 seconds) would be a record Hoh run for me and I was going for it....

I came out of the gates swinging and was feeling kind of tired by minute # 3. I had been out in the sun for a good portion of the day - most likely when it hit 116 (an AZ record for the year) sometime in the afternoon. I laid in a pool for the majority of it though so I didn't really feel it. I also drank a lot of my new favorite drink - Accelerade. I pressed on, and hit the turn in under 8 minutes. I felt really tired on the way back though, but gave it all I had, and ultimately finished it in 16:56. Run # 47 will be tomorrow.

Run # 45 - An angry mile and a half

I got angry tonight and skipped out on working out. However, I didn't skip running and the above shows I've improved my record mile time slightly. I never realized I could run that fast but I guess I can..for one mile that is. I'd like to go to a track for one of these runs and see how fast I could do one mile even. If I break six minutes, you're getting me a sheet cake, John.

Run # 44 - Yet Another Hoh Run

The Hoh run is becoming a personal favorite. That is odd for me because it involves running a loop essentially in which I run to Hoh St., Dr., whatever it is and then turnaround. Tonight I guess I did ok. I wanted to break 8 minute miles but failed.

Oh well, it was still 107 at 8 PM and I felt pain during this run. I don't think my right foot is injured but I'm definitely feeling it. Tomorrow should be interesting. A 9 miler will occur during this week of the streak. My first two days have only resulted in about 5 miles so I'm off to a slow start.

Chuck, I'm holding you to forcing me to do the 9 miles. I'm interested to see what pace I can hold.

Run # 43 - Failure Again

I played golf today, lifted weights, planned to do pilates, and then run 9 miles.

Once again, I failed. I decided to run earlier and there was no way I was getting to 9 miles in 107 degree hit.

I didn't do that bad, however, and I felt ok afterwards.

The 9 miler will happen at some point this week...just don't know for sure when. Maybe on the 4 th of July when the temp is expected to be 117.