Bren’s JogLog

I decided to run at the track this morning to see if I could do 3.25 miles with sub 8-minute miles. I had it all figured out that I needed to basically run each lap faster than 2 minutes. I didn’t account for the fact that the outside lane of the track is .025 longer than the inside lane. Doesn’t sound like much, but after four laps you’ve run 1.10 miles rather than 1 mile.

So I was running fast and hard and my first lap was 1.52 minutes. My second lap was 2.08 and I started to get discouraged (still thinking that I was running standard 1/4 mile laps). The third lap was 2.04 and the fourth lap was 2.04 also, for a total of 8.10 for four laps. I stopped after the fourth lap thinking that there was something wrong with me that I couldn’t break an 8 minute mile. As I left the track, I read about the lane lengths. I did some calculations as I ran home and figured that I actually ran faster than I thought: 7.36/mile. That’s a relief, since I was aiming at the high 7’s for the full three miles. I’ll go back on Saturday or Sunday and run the full length, which’ll be 3.3 miles if I do 12 laps on the outside lane. In order to break 8 minute miles, I’ll need to run each lap faster than 2.08 minutes. We’ll see how that goes…

• Current weight (lbs): 229.4
• Current bodyfat: 24.8%
• Current distance (miles): 2.47

Didn’t really stretch this morning, at least not in the usual way. I went down to where I run sprints and did some light stretching there. Definitely not my 10 minute routine. Worked okay, though. No torn or sprained parts.

• Current weight (lbs): 229.6
• Current bodyfat: 25.3%
• Current distance (miles): .2

Ran the 3.2 mile loop this morning at a 8.49 minute/mile pace. I’m pretty sure I can get below 8 if I do a better job of pacing myself. I push hard at the beginning and then I’m wasted at the end. I also need to train on some hills because hills destroy me. Feels like I slow to a crawl going up hills. There’s always progress to be made, I guess.

• Current weight (lbs): 230.2
• Current bodyfat: 22.5%
• Current distance (miles): 3.2

Ran sprints this morning, kinda late–6:30ish. Went fine. I did an additional stretch of my quads this time. I stretch for 10 minutes before running, but don’t usually stretch quads. I think I’ll add them in on sprint days because my quads gave me no trouble this morning.

• Current weight (lbs): 231.6
• Current bodyfat: 23.1%
• Current distance (miles): .2

Finally registered weight under 230! I’m stoked–I haven’t seen the 20’s in a long, long time.

Short on time this morning so I busted out the short loop and tried to push it a little bit.  Now I know how much it hurts to run 7.4 minute miles… What a dream to be able to sustain that pace across a 5k!

• Current weight (lbs): 229.4
• Current bodyfat: 23.8%
• Current distance (miles): 1.5

Ran sprints today. Right quad felt a little pulled after the 5th sprint. Seems okay, just tight and a little sore. Weight and bodyfat are up today. I’ve been eating more than I really need, I think, plus I missed a couple of days of workout since the last post.

• Current weight (lbs): 232.4
• Current bodyfat: 24.4%
• Current distance (miles): .2

Finally felt good enough to run this morning. I pushed a little harder, as if I were making up for lost ground. Result was 8.86 minute miles.

I attribute today’s mild weight gain to my eating habits while sick. No point in beating up what tastebuds I had left while I’m sick, eh? It’s back to bran and yogurt this morning, though.

• Current weight (lbs): 231.8
• Current bodyfat: 22.1%
• Current distance (miles): 3.2

Been taken out by some bugs lately. Ran those sprints the other day and later that day started sneezing, getting sore skin, etc. Plus, oddly, my muscles were super sore from the sprints. That hasn’t happened before,  but my quads are still sore today. Weird.

I’m feeling about 85%-90% today, but still didn’t run. Seemed wise to try to sleep in a bit. I plan on hitting sprints again tomorrow morning.

Ran sprints for the first time since getting back from Orlando. Went very well. I had been getting this weird feeling in my left quad when I ran…felt kinda like the start of a strained muscle. Never felt that today. By the sixth rep my legs were definitely starting to get tired though.

Not sure what’s up with bodyfat today. It’s way up…maybe I haven’t been drinking enough water? It’s kind of sad how little I know about how my own body works.

• Current weight (lbs): 230.8
• Current bodyfat: 24.8%
• Current distance (miles): .2

Ran the 3.2 loop this morning, without Frodo. I ran a 8.91 minute mile pace, which I’m pretty pleased with. It hurt, though. There’s a hilly section right before the second mile marker that just slows me down and sucks away all my energy.

• Current weight (lbs): 232.2
• Current bodyfat: 22.3%
• Current distance (miles): 3.2