So, this morning's task was to go out and run a mere 15 miles. I have heard people say, "if you can run 16 miles, you can run a marathon!" so I was very interested to see how I would do. Maybe I am closer than I think! Yeah.......those people lie. Just so you know, anyone on any running website, magazine, etc. that doles out running advice I have found to be, how do I put this.....full of total and complete crap. I don't think they do it on purpose, I'm not saying that. I just think they are so far removed from the days when they were just beginning they forget what it is like to be a worthless lump, dragging an extra 20 pounds around.
Anyway, I am definitely NOT ready for a marathon. I felt surprisingly good, for miles 1 - 10. Then in got western. Pretty sure the conversation with my legs went like this for the last 5 miles.
"Hey, wait a minute. Shouldn't we be done by now?"
"Yeah. I think we should. We have NEVER gone this far. What is he thinking"
"Not a clue, man. I hope he stops soon."
"No kidding."
----15 minutes later-----
"Okay now this is just getting crazy!"
"Yeah and I have bad news for you bro, we aren't anywhere CLOSE to home"
"Maybe someone is coming out to pick us up?"
"I don't think so"
-----15 minutes later----
"What if we just quit? Can we do that?"
"I think we are almost there. Wow I hurt"
I can't repeat the conversation through the last mile or I would have to mark this blog as containing adult content. All in all it wasn't a totally horrible experience. I guess that is something since that's what I expected. What it means is that my training is still on track and I am moving forward toward my goal.. Look for my next post soon, "Dave's Top Ten Tips for Fat People Who Want to Start Running."
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Friday, April 23, 2010
Doing the unimaginable
The act of going out and actually running a marathon (26.2 miles) has always seemed totally insane and ridiculous to me. Have you ever thought about how long 26 miles actually is? Go get in your car right now and drive that far.....Yep. It's a long A$$ way! I even heard horror stories about people running marathons getting bloody nipples from chafing. Seriously, why would anyone want to do this! Bloody nipples? For real!?
When my daughter's biological father Travis died in August of 2009, it made me realize a couple things. At that time I was tipping the scales at [CENSORED] pounds and was headed (briskly mind you) in the wrong direction. I had become totally sedentary and began making excuses for why I was such a lump of mush. None of my excuses seemed to make me feel better mentally or physically and I realized that I was being selfish. After Travis died my daughter Tori kept telling me, "nothing can ever happen to you" over and over. Talk about a big fat slap in the face (or muffin top in this case). It was then I realized that I had to do something about my health for the long run. It was really tough in the beginning...I failed a BUNCH of times to get started. Then on a drive home from my parents house in Colorado Trish, my lovely wife and mentor/tormentor (that last one was a joke, babe I promise!!!!) challenged me to stop being such a wussy and get to it (she said it WAAAAYYYY nicer than that but that's how my head translated it). It was a life changing conversation. As soon as I got home I started running and eating better. Being the hyper competitive person that I am, I decided that if I was going to keep running and eating right I had to work toward some sort of goal. At first it was to run a 5K, then a 10K. I reached the 10K milestone a few months ago and it was at that point I decided to work towards a marathon. I still choke a little when I say it. My goal is to run the Las Vegas Marathon on December 5. Although I will probably be the only person that reads this, this blog will outline my running experiences over the next few months. "How boring," you might be saying to yourself. While that may be true, I have realized that a whole lot of crazy happens to you when you spend 1 -2 hours on the side of the road. Like last weekend I nearly killed myself chasing down a clearly superior runner who said, "keep going buddy" as he zoomed by me. I took the comment as condescending and refused to let him beat me. I felt vindicated when he stopped and started walking because he was doing interval speed training. (I finished 10 seconds behind him when he stopped, by the way). I also want to annoy my co-worker Trevor Flint, who will make fun of me for doing this. I also hope to make "millions" on the movie rights. At least that's what my other co-worker Rob Chamberlain says I will be able to do. Anyway....Check back....I have to run 15 miles tomorrow, which is the farthest I have run yet. Something crazy is bound to happen......
When my daughter's biological father Travis died in August of 2009, it made me realize a couple things. At that time I was tipping the scales at [CENSORED] pounds and was headed (briskly mind you) in the wrong direction. I had become totally sedentary and began making excuses for why I was such a lump of mush. None of my excuses seemed to make me feel better mentally or physically and I realized that I was being selfish. After Travis died my daughter Tori kept telling me, "nothing can ever happen to you" over and over. Talk about a big fat slap in the face (or muffin top in this case). It was then I realized that I had to do something about my health for the long run. It was really tough in the beginning...I failed a BUNCH of times to get started. Then on a drive home from my parents house in Colorado Trish, my lovely wife and mentor/tormentor (that last one was a joke, babe I promise!!!!) challenged me to stop being such a wussy and get to it (she said it WAAAAYYYY nicer than that but that's how my head translated it). It was a life changing conversation. As soon as I got home I started running and eating better. Being the hyper competitive person that I am, I decided that if I was going to keep running and eating right I had to work toward some sort of goal. At first it was to run a 5K, then a 10K. I reached the 10K milestone a few months ago and it was at that point I decided to work towards a marathon. I still choke a little when I say it. My goal is to run the Las Vegas Marathon on December 5. Although I will probably be the only person that reads this, this blog will outline my running experiences over the next few months. "How boring," you might be saying to yourself. While that may be true, I have realized that a whole lot of crazy happens to you when you spend 1 -2 hours on the side of the road. Like last weekend I nearly killed myself chasing down a clearly superior runner who said, "keep going buddy" as he zoomed by me. I took the comment as condescending and refused to let him beat me. I felt vindicated when he stopped and started walking because he was doing interval speed training. (I finished 10 seconds behind him when he stopped, by the way). I also want to annoy my co-worker Trevor Flint, who will make fun of me for doing this. I also hope to make "millions" on the movie rights. At least that's what my other co-worker Rob Chamberlain says I will be able to do. Anyway....Check back....I have to run 15 miles tomorrow, which is the farthest I have run yet. Something crazy is bound to happen......
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