LIVESTRONG Films: Laurel

This video helped me get out the door for today’s run.  I definitely felt a little “lazy” this evening.

Too Hot to Handle

Texas heat is no joke – especially for training.  Temperatures are upward of 100 degrees.  Two key things that I have learned are: staying properly hyrdated and getting in quality runs.  Throughout the day I’m constantly drinking water or some sort of sports drink (Gatorade or Nuun).  Speaking of Nuun, I’m almost out of stock!

Next race – Too Hot to Handle 15K.

Love/Hate

Made with Mosaic Maker

Dadfest 5K

I’m usually very good about preparing for a race.  I wake up ahead of time to eat and do all the things runners do before they actually race.  Ha-ha…  This morning I was not prepared at all.  I woke up with exactly 90-minutes to get from my bed to the start line.  After doing the usual morning routine, I find out my race shorts are stinky!  I had to rinse them quickly, spray cologne on them and head out the door.  Yes, I sprayed cologne on my shorts in attempt to hide the odor.

Surprisingly, I made it to the race just in time to register and warm up.  I must say pushing myself in 85+ degree weather kicked my butt.  Not only was it hot, but there was no wind.  Oh well, that’s why I love running.  I can push myself until I feel like there’s nothing left and then keep pushing.  In the end it’s worth it.

The results are a little weird.  I should have come in fourth place in my age group (20-24).  I guess errors happen when you register on race day.

Official race website – Dadfest 5K

Official time – 00:23:03 (overall place 75)

I will post pictures once they become available.

The Question

Lately, I have been going back and forth with myself about a particular question. Why do I like running? After a few days of thinking about this I came up with multiple answers. They ranged from being healthy, to being competitive and being a fairly cheap sport. These are all very important to me, but there has to be more. Will I ever “really” know why I enjoy running? Most likely not, but I will continue to define the unconscious feeling that takes over me while I’m running.

23rd Annual Bagel Run 10K

I took home 2nd place in my age group (20-29) at the 23rd Annual Bagel Run 10K.

Official time: 49:08

I will upload pictures once they become available.

Get Up and Get Active

I will be the first to admit; I am not a running expert.  I am a beginner – at best.

Over the past weeks I’ve had a few individuals ask me about running.  I received all sorts of questions.  What should I eat?  How do I start running?  I simply do not know.  I can point you to a few training plans and share what worked for me, but it’s up to you.  Ask yourself a few questions.  What are your goals?  Are you interested in the 5K, marathon or beyond?  What is your level of commitment?  My advice to you is do your due diligence.

What ever you do, get up and get active.

Goal Setting

The North Face Endurance Challenge

I’m currently learning the significance of setting goals as an endurance athlete (Yes, I consider myself an athlete).  What are those goals?  Train smarter and get faster.  I have no specific races in mind, but I am going to compete in more marathons and ultra-marathons, while slowly transitioning into triathlons.  I guess you can say I want to do a little bit of everything.

Seton Soles 5K

I gave it all I had at the Seton Soles 5K.  I also placed third in my age group (20-24).

Official time – 22:53

I Feel Good

Today’s training was hot, but I made it through.  Talk about sweating!  I feel like I’m in the best shape of my life.  I pushed myself for ~ 20-minutes while maintaining a moderate form (I think) and concentrating on my breathing.  I even passed a few fellow runners.  Not once, but twice!

I look forward to the next few days of recovery and easy running.  Saturday is the day it all goes down!