Running the cough right out me!

I was doing well right around Christmas with my long walks and a couple of runs. But, alas, a couple days after Christmas, I got sick. I started off feeling tired and achy, and within a day I started coughing and pretty much have not stopped since, although as the days and weeks go on, I cough less and less. Mostly. Walking in the cold makes it worse.

Today, the temps reached the low 60s. It was glorious. After some pretty cold days this past week and a snowy last Saturday, I figured I should put on the running shoes and go. So I did.

Bailey and I ran about 2 miles (our long walk route). I stopped for about 15 seconds two times so Bailey could do her thing, and I needed to walk for about 5 to 10 second so I could catch my breath going up a hill. But for the most part, it was all good. I am not sure I ever felt any pain, other than my usual breathlessness when I run up the big hills.

In fact, I felt so good about the run that I decided to drop Bailey off and run our usual 1.2-mile route myself. During that run, I had to walk up the biggest hill for under 10 seconds. I was fine the rest of the way.

Since this is January, and it will inevitable get cold again, I am guessing I won't be running again anytime soon. But it was nice to get one in, after such a long break. I guess the daily walking has kept me in pretty good shape.

Some Christmas-y runs

Not surprising to me, I pretty much fell off the running wagon after Thanksgiving. My choir sang for Lessons and Carols, which called for a Sunday night practice on the 6th, and the actual Lessons and Carols the following Sunday. Then I went to a musical the Sunday after that (six days ago). Throw in the shorter days, and my usual Sunday late afternoon/early evening runs were thwarted.

Last weekend, or maybe the weekend before, however, I managed to run for a few minutes here and there during a longer weekend Bailey walk, but still not much of a run. But starting this past Wednesday, the 23rd, we got out early to begin our holiday break, and my running commenced. That mid-afternoon run came on the heels of my eating a giant plate of nachos and drinking a beer not even two hours prior, but I manged to run about 2 miles. The next day, Bailey seemed to want to run some more, so I managed to get in another run, though I did not run the entire time. On Christmas morning, I had no intention of running for a third consecutive day, but, again, Bailey was motoring, and I felt pretty good, so I ran for at least half of the trek. During those three days, the temps were in the 60s, and I was running with a Santa hat, so I was definitely not comfortable. Who would think you would be sweating in long pants and a long-sleeve t-shirt at the end of December? But I got through it.

This morning, I had planned to just walk, but once we got to the top of the long street, I decided just to run down the hill and up most of it. I took a break or two, so I probably ended up running about a mile or maybe less, but still a run. Today was the coolest day; it was probably around 50 degrees, and without the Santa hat, I was finally comfortable.

I am off for another week, so other than when I will be away overnight on Monday, I should be continuing the longer (2 mile) walks with Bailey. And I will probably manage to run a bit during a few of them. But if not, that will be just fine by me.

A Thanksgiving run

So I did not run this past Sunday, but I did get a run in on Thanksgiving morning. Bai and I did about 3 miles, probably a little less. I am certain our first mile was a 10-minute mile or less, going Bailey speed. In fact, the first few tenths of a mile were practically a sprint. The second mile was at a more reasonable pace, and the last mile was almost slow; at times I had to get Bai to pick up the pace.

I don't recall any great pains. It was tough when we went fast or up a steep hill. But all in all, it was good.

Probably won't run again tomorrow night, but that's okay. Just glad I got that run in plus daily walks.

Continuing the streak (which will probably be broken this weekend)

Bai and I ran for about 30 minutes on Sunday, once again. It might have been longer. In fact, I might have run with her for about 20 to 25 minutes and then went back out. Yeah, that seems right. This is why I need to write down what I do soon after I do it.

There was nothing remarkable about the run. But it happened, and that is what counts.

I have a super busy weekend ahead, so I am guessing my streak will be broken. What can you do.

A complete run with the dog

Yesterday I decided that since Bailey's weekday walks are getting shorter, I should really try to wear her out on Sunday (after we took a long walk Saturday). So Bail ran with me for my entire run yesterday.

As usual, she started off full force, which is too fast for me. I tried to keep up, to get the heart going, and I was kind of glad she slowed down up the hill at the end of our first part of the run. We kept the same pace as we continued up the hill and then down another hill, and we continued to keep the same pace along that long street we sometimes walk on. Bail did stop to do her business a second time on that street, which coincided with my hearing cheering from a house. So I pulled up ESPN on my phone, and determined the Steelers were driving for the go-ahead score in the last few seconds of the game. I tried to wait that out, but after about a minute or so, I decided to keep going, and just try to watch my phone as I ran (which I don't recommend). Fortunately the Steelers prevailed, and I did not hurt myself trying to determine that!

Our run continued to go pretty well until Bai decided she wanted to run up the steep hill at the end of the street, which I really can't do, so I tried to reign her in. We kept going on the main street, then up our street, and after I tossed her business into our driveway, we kept going to the end of our street and into the field. We ran a few laps there, and eventually ran a few more times up and down our street.

When I had hit 35-38 minutes (I wish I could remember), I decided that was pretty good. Even with our couple of stops, I figure we ran 3 miles. And it was nice not to worry about timing.

I felt good pretty much the entire time (except when Bailey was running really fast). I recall getting a slight hamstring or butt pain, but that was it, and it did not last long. I really could have kept running, but I know the family was waiting for me for dinner, and I still had to lift some free weights and shower.

So, a good run!

I ran last week.

I blew off the week before, but I did, in fact, run last Sunday, the day after Halloween. There was nothing remarkable about that run. I want to say that I ran for about 30 minutes, but it may have actually been longer. I took the dog with me for about 1.5 miles. She started off super-fast, and I realized within a minute it was because her arch-enemy/dog friend Courtney had just gone by, and Bai was hot on her scent. I am guessing I was running about 6 mph for the first couple minutes.

I seem to recall my time ending up in under 6 minutes for the trip up and over 6 minutes for the trip back, but during the latter, I did not bother to stop my stopwatch while Bai was doing her thing and I was subsequently picking up her thing.

One thing I do remember was I did not get my usual pain in my left calf. So there was that.

Will I run tomorrow? No idea. But I am still keeping up walking. However, now that it is nearly dark when I get home (and in a week or so, it will be dark), I have been walking Bailey for only 5-10 minutes. So that is bad for both of us. We did walk for about 30 minutes today. I will do that tomorrow too if I/we don't run.

Until next time.

Another Sunday run

Since I was not angry this Sunday and did not need to clear my head, I decided I would take the Bai-Boo for a run. It was the coldest it has been in quite some time, (temps were in the mid 40s) so I wore lined jogging pants, a long-sleeve under armour shirt, and a jacket over top. I started off cold, but felt fine after a few minutes.

For our usual first .6 miles, we did it in 5:41, because Bailey was, as usual, pretty much running. Instead of doing the return trip, we went the rest of the short distance to the top of the hill, then we made a left and start running toward the main road, before a barking German Shepherd convinced us to go down that hill instead. We ran down the hill until we got to a side street, took that, then ran up another street, until it ended in the crazy steep hill. We finally headed back to the our usual primary street and then ran up our street and home. It took us a little under 12 minutes to run that little more than a mile trek. During this time, Bailey stopped to drop some logs and relieve herself; I did not stop my timer. So that was probably a little over an 11-minute mile. Not as great as I usually do, but we are not in competition, folks!

After I dropped her off, gulped some water, and caught my breath, I went back out. This time, I ran down my street, making a right (instead of the usual left) on our primary street, and down the primary street, before running up another dead-in street. I turned around, ran back up the hill, ran back up my street, and ran to the end, through the field, and around the lot at the end of the field a few times. I finished the run with a few trips up and down my street and also did a few, short sprints.

I ran about 40 minutes again; after about 35 or 37, I walked sort of jogged for a minute before a good song  came on, then I decided to run again. So I probably came close to 4 miles, but based on how I did during that one mile, it was probably more like 3.75 miles.

I will take it. I felt pretty good, despite the cold (I used to love to run in 40-degree weather). Even my heart was not past my maximum heart rate of 180 bpm while running up the one hill (of course I am not supposed to actually hit the max), so that is pretty good. I felt that odd, sharp, almost searing pain in my calf three times, once during the first minute, once during my trip back out, and once towards the end. Each time, it did not last more than about 10 seconds, but still don't get it.

That is all.