Making Good Use Of My Time - Running

Over the past week I have been making it a point to run during my lunch.  The reason for this is because after sitting back and analyzing my entire day I came to the conclusion that at least 8 hours a day five days a week are completely wasted when it comes to getting anything done that is not work related.  There is only so much time during the day and only so many days a week.  I have been struggling trying to put together a solid routine that I can stick to and still maintain enough free time to have a social life or to just simply relax.  So the conclusion… get my cardio done during my lunch.

At first when I started this project I wanted to use alternative exercises like surfing, swimming, or skateboarding to keep me in shape.  The small problem I am running into is my lack of patients and how long it is taking me to GET into shape and slim down.  I have not been able to spend enough time each week doing these activities to completely rely on them for my daily exercising needs.  So, this is where lunch time cardio comes in.  I spent some time figuring out what items I will need in order to be able to run during my lunch for a half an hour and then return back to work without being all nasty and sweaty.  This is the list I put together:

Running Shoes

Shorts

T-Shirt

Extra Socks

Towel

Shampoo

Soap

Luckily, I have a shower located next to the bathroom in my office building so I am able to take a shower right after I run.  I also have an awesome little trail behind my building that I can get a good 2 mile run out of if I make a few laps around it.  So I started bringing these items to work and leaving them there so they will be available and so I will not have any excuses to not get a good run in 5 days a week.  Also, because I am getting this done during my lunch I do not have to add an additional 30 minutes on to the beginning or end of my work day, which frees up time for a simple weight lifting session at the gym and then… the rest of my day is free to take on any alternative exercises I want!

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The Weather In SoCal Continues To Disappoint - Running

I really wanted to log some time on my surfboard yesterday but when my friend and I got to our surf spot we discovered the waves were small and completely blown out by an on-shore wind.  The surf break that I surf right after work is right next to my job and about 25 miles north of my house.  Plan A is always to surf and Plan B is whatever other activity I can pull from my list that best compliments the weather outside and my current mood.  That is one of the main driving points of this blog btw, options.  So, based off the conditions we decided to skip surfing and I made the long drive home and decided to go for a run on the beach by my house.

Although I am not a fan of running AT ALL, I seem to keep defaulting to that on days the weather is not ideal.  I have not had much motivation to jump on the road bike, the kayak is more of a weekend thing, and the stand up paddle board just hasn’t been calling my name recently, and I have not yet been able to afford a mountain bike.  With all of these other options sounding like to much prep work for today, I went for a run on the beach with my roommate.  We ran exactly two miles with about a quarter mile cool off.  I was able to track everything with a new app I got on my Android phone called RunKeeper.

Here is a screen shot of the app

This app is very useful, it allows you to track the route you ran and even tells you your average miles per minute.  I ran a very slow 12:42 mile and completed two miles in 25:28.  It also told me my calories burned but I am not sure how accurate this can be without it knowing my weight/height.  I would definitely recommend this app to anyone wanting to get a benchmark and to set a goal for their running.  At the moment my goal is to be able to run 2 miles in 16 minutes, I am sure this goal will shift around a bit but it is something to shoot for.

Running on the beach is absolutely amazing and I highly recommend it if you live close to the ocean.  If you don’t live close to the ocean then I would look for any kind of environment that would help get you out of the house.  I ran a few times around my block and found that to be completely mindless and boring.  It made the run feel like work or some sort of scheduled movement time.  The scenery will add a great deal to the experience.

Here is a photo of the beach I ran yesterday.  I took this photo with my phone right after I finished.

Wouldn't you be thinking about this later and want to return as soon as possible?

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A Modest 2 Miles - Running

I went for a run on the beach today. I figured if I live this close to the beach I might as well take advantage of it. It did the trick too; the running went by much faster because the environment was so beautiful and relaxing. My journey to becoming a runner again is going to be a long painful one. I have had two knee surgeries in the past, one on each knee and it’s been hard to get motivated to run.

I found out about these cool new running shoes called Vibram – Five Finger Shoes. They basically try to simulate the act of barefoot running. There is a movement on the web, with supporters on both sides, regarding barefoot running. I plan on writing an article about this subject once I have some more experience on it so I am not going to go into too much detail about it yet. I just wanted to share a couple of photos I took of these funny looking shoes when I was down at the beach today running.

Vibram Five Finger Shoes

Vibram Five Fingers On The Sand

This is only my second time running for what I consider a long distance. I ran… well jogged for about 2 miles on the beach today. I definitely wasn’t breaking any land speed records today but it was good to get out and add another running session to my list. It served another purpose as well; while I was down at the beach running I saw a bunch of beginner surfers catching some white foamy waves. This got me even more motivated to get down to this beach break more often. All in all, it was a good run. I can’t wait to do it again, believe it or not.

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The Weather Outside Sucks Today - Running

Since the weather outside is not ideal for surfing today I decided to go for a run instead.  Running has got to be my least favorite activity.  I have had two knee surgeries in the past which can make running a bit painful so I absolutely despise it.  When I first started this blog I was determined to leave running out of it.  I declaring the activity something I call "scheduled movement" until I gave it a little thought and determined that it is still a useful activity to invest some time into.

I haven’t gone running consistently in over 5 years and man does it show.   I just ran about a 12 minute mile.  I guess that’s not too bad for a beginner but considering what I used to run about 5 years ago it’s kind of sad.  My goal is to eventually be able to run 2 miles in about 16 minutes.  That to me seems like an attainable goal for someone my age.  I feel strongly that you should set a goal for any activity you begin for motivational purposes.

Starting out on this run today was a very painful and slow process.  My knees were yelling at me for about the first mile until they finally fell in line and started to stop bothering me.  For me, the problem is not with the pain while running it’s with the swelling I normally get the next day.  Oh well, I figure if I take it slow and continue to lose weight then running will become a lot easier, at least that what I keep telling myself.

I included a couple of images of the running shoes I bought last week.  They are Saucony ProGuide 4 running shoes that have a lot of stability in the sole.  I also added some aftermarket inserts called SuperFeet for even more stability and a longer life for the shoe.  These shoes feel great and so far have helped out quite a bit with reducing the knee pain I normally incur while running.  Here is some additional info for these shoes from the manufacture’s website:

RUN - Light Stability

The perfect everyday training shoe, the ProGrid Guide 4 is the next rendition of the award winning ProGrid Guide 3. Ideal for light stability runners, the Guide 4 offers a dual density midsole for motion control and support throughout the entire gait cycle - ensuring a great run every time!

• The perfect light stability, everyday training shoe
• Dual density midsole slows down any mild overpronation
• Smooth transition and ride allows for a great run
• Weight: 11.6 oz

The images I took of my shoes are below:

Thanks for reading!

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Strapped On The Running Shoes - Running

Today my surfing buddy said the waves were too small so we did not go out surfing like I was hoping so I was left to pick another exercise to try.  After debating it for a bit I decided to do something I have not done since my two knee surgeries, run!  I have not been able to run for a long distance in a while without my knees filling up with fluid so I was a bit nervous to see how this would go.

I decided to just go for so I went down to my local running shoe store and they directed me to a Saucony running shoe that was in their “Stability” category.  The shoes were not that expensive considering the quality.  I got them for about $80 before taxes after I joined their “VIP” club.  They also talked me into buying some new inserts with extra arch support and man I am glad they did.

After I got home I immediately put the running shoes on and went for a light jog around my neighborhood.  I ran for about 1.25 miles and decided that was enough for my first day back.  My ankle, knees, and back started to hurt a little towards the end so that was my indicator that I did enough for that day.  It’s all about baby steps.

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