Awful

Today was the return of the hottest day in recorded history.

I got home from North Carolina at 2 p.m., and I still had my 15-mile run to complete. Unfortunately, it was about 100 degrees outside. I didn't want to wait till later to run because it might make me not be able to fall asleep at night. You know, all the adrenaline and whatever.

Anyway, the fact of the matter is that I was running outside at 3 p.m., ready to take on 15 miles. The first few miles were great (I ran in the shadows down Wisconsin Ave), but once I got to the lake things got bad. There were a few times when I felt nauseous, and then my head got tingly a few other times (though not in the same way that it did on my last long run... which was a good kind of tingly). I was pretty sure that I would die if I didn't take a break, so I started walking more.

Eventually it became really tough to run. I didn't have enough water, it was ridiculously hot, and my legs were stiffening up much earlier than they should have. And then there was the part of my mind that was convinced that if I started running I'd keel over...

Almost halfway through the run, I came up with the great plan to run in the shadows and walk in the sunshine. That worked out really well, until I got to a point in my route where there weren't really any shadows at all. So I ended up walking a lot.

And then, to make everything so much worse, I started getting a rash under my arms, from them rubbing against the seam of my shirt. Arg. So that made it terribly painful to run at all (unless I kept my arms out at my sides, but that was just too much to ask of myself at that point in my run).

By the end of the "run," my body was completely dry (inside and out), and I was covered in salt crystals. And somehow it took 3:05. The heat is really killer... there's no reason adding a single mile should have also added an extra hour. Blah.

Pace: 12:20

first run in the rain...

ahoy!

I'm going to North Carolina for BLTW this weekend... So I'm flying out tonight.  Because of this, I decided I had to do my 7-mile run early this morning before work.... So I dragged my body, still stiff and sore from Tough Mudder, out of bed at 6:40 this morning to gobble up a banana and get ready for a run.

Right when I stepped out the door, it started raining. Oh well, I had heard it was fun to run in the summer rain. Wen I started, I noticed my knee was a little goofy... Arg. But I couldn't cut it short or that'd throw off my schedule. I just had to stick it out.

The run was pretty tough. I was running behind some dude for a little while, which kept up my motivation, but once I was along the lake I was all on my own, and it was pouring. My shoes got soppy... I tried to distract myself by focusing on my form, counting my turnover or letting my mind wander, but those were only temporary things.

I made it 6 miles before my leg acted up... During the last mile it was finally too annoying to run. Maybe a combination of being soaked, having a messed up knee and me still being tired. Anyway, the last mile I had to walk most of the time, which threw off my avg pace. Oh well...

Pace: 9:16

New PR for 8k (I think)

Perfect day for running! It's bright and sunny but there's a cool breeze.

Just had a short 5-mile run today. It felt really short, anyway (especially after this weekend)... I guess I would have disagreed a few months ago.

I clocked in at 39:06, but I know I was waiting for at least 2 minutes at stoplights. So I'm calling it 37 minutes. (Even at 39, I'm happy with it.)

Pace: 7:25

Tough Mudder

I was so tired Sunday and so sore yesterday that I forgot to post.

Tough Mudder was incredibly fun. Back in March when I signed up, I didn't think I'd be able to do it, but it turned out to be more fun than challenging. The course was 10 miles (it took us almost three-and-a-half hours to finish) and there were 24 obstacles scattered throughout. Lots of steep, muddy inclines, opportunities to get soaked, and horseflies. I got used to running with heavy, squishy shoes. It was a blast.

See pictures from the event on Tough Mudder's Facebook album.

Today I'm still sore, still a little bruised and still very scraped (although the scrapes don't hurt anymore). Phew.

Phew 14 Miles

Today's long run was another opportunity for me to run farther than I'd ever run before. The last one was a 12-miler the night before I went to New York, which I did in old shoes, resulting in a sufficiently effed-up ankle. But now it's practically better. (We'll see if that's still true after the endorphins wear off.)

it went pretty well overall... My legs started feeling stiff around mile 9 or 10 but I wasn't having that. I got a little boost of energy a bit after mile 10 when I sucked down an energy gel that made my brain tingle. Oooooh. And then I was pretty gassed when I got to mile 12.

Just kidding.

I convinced myself, and I carried on. By the last mile my brain was tingling again. Oh and then I got mad at a car for running a red light downtown like an idiot, and then I forgot about it 20 seconds later until just now.

I finished in 2:08:30. Pretty much that was my goal. I thought I'd come in a little faster but that didn't happen.

Then I took an ice-cold shower, and now I'm at Broken Yolk. Need to rebuild all my muscle fibers before Tough Mudder tomorrow.

Pace: 9:10

4 Miles Again

I got sick of running so fricken slow so I just decided to stop running so fricken slow. I strapped on my Five Fingers and went on my way. But I quickly discovered my will could only carry me so far... It was still pretty hot today.

Anyway, I finished in 32:30. Quite a bit slower than I anticipated, but way better than before. Take that, Tuesday, and take that, heat wave.

Also, I got the "first in a series" of emails from Chicago Marathon for participants today. I guess this is for real. I very excite.

Pace: 8:08

Hottest Day in Recorded History

I think today in Milwaukee could give Death Valley a run for its money. I guess having no A/C at the house doesn't help matters.

Anyway, I wasn't about to let a little sunshine spoil my running schedule, so I decided to run my seven miles today. Don't worry, though; I took a lot of precautions. Perhaps too many. (Maybe that's not possible.) Anyway, I started out with two bottles of ice (one of iced Gatorade). I drank the Gatorade and used the other bottle to dump freezing water on my head as I ran. Also, instead of walking for one minute every 10, I walked one every 7.  And a little bit more as my body refused to run.

It went fine. My pace was nothing to be proud of, but that happens when my body has to dedicate most of its resources to not overheating... After all, it's still 100 degrees out, and it's theoretically a few degrees cooler now than it was when I started my run. Anyway, I did 7 miles in 1:13. I think I'm starting to forget what it's like to run at a normal pace...

I should also mention the redundancy of this post's title. All history is, by definition, recorded. Okay, now on to installing OS X Lion...

Pace: 10:25

4 miles

It wasn't nearly as hot today as yesterday, but it's still stupid hot. A little over 4 miles in 38 minutes... Had to take it easy :).

Pace: 9:30

Weekend

Holy hot.

Sorry for the no posting yesterday. I ran 9 miles uber-slow... Pace 9:20. I'm having trouble pacing those long runs... I know (or at least think) I can go faster, but I start out really slow in fear that I won't finish, and then by the time I realize I'm going super slow I only have a mile or two left and I can't seem to go fast enough to make up for how slow I was going before. But I won't stress out about it... It's about finishing for me, not finishing fast.

Today I went for a nice, long bike ride. It was super hot out so it was a good day for biking (doesn't seem to hot when you're going really fast).

Storm the Bastille 5K

Stormed the Bastille tonight to kick off Bastille Days in downtown Milwaukee.

I ran for the first time without any music, and I really didn't miss it. There were people shouting "You're so beautiful!" and "Look at Timmy! Oh, look at Timmy!" (I suspect they weren't talking to me in either case...)

The only thing is I don't know how long it took me to run... I hit Start on my stopwatch as the race began, but then after what felt like a few minutes of running I looked down at my watch and saw it stalled at 1.14 seconds. Although I suppose it's possible that I ran several blocks in less than two seconds, it's not likely. I started the clock for real then, and I finished the race in a little over "19 minutes."

Anyway, the race was a lot of run. Lots of neat costumes, and it was awesome running around downtown and the Third Ward at night, and on the streets no less. Also I loved the feeling of telling all the stoplights to bite me as I ran through reds and oranges.

After the race we walked around for a while looking for macarons but apparently they didn't have any, QQ. So we got beignets instead (are they even French?) and lemonade.

Now I am hungry.

Pace: Around 7

6 miles

Baby stuff.

Pace: 8:30

Free art! Free mule! Oh, and help promote literacy and running.

You probably know that, as part of this whole marathon business, I've committed to raising $1,000 for Rock for Reading, an organization that uses rock n' roll to promote literacy in Chicagoland. You like reading, don't you? Especially things like emails, right? Then donate at my fundraising page: http://www.active.com/donate/rockandread/2011TGorich.

Why donate? Not only will you feel better about yourself, but everyone who donates at least $25 will receive a signed 4x6" print of one of my paintings. Holy wow! Also, on August 1 one lucky winner will receive an original painting by yours truly. Who knows, someday it might actually be worth its weight in materials. Oh, and another lucky winner will win a small, plastic mule. 

Share this with your family and all your friends! Anyone can win!

Thanks!

Back in Milwaukee

New York was great. Walking around kind of sucked... I should have realized it was a bad idea to run 12 miles (my longest ever) in some 9-month-old Free Runs. So you can imagine how painful walking around all day Saturday and Sunday was. But I'm alive, and my ankle is back to normal.

Oh, what'd I do in New York... Won/didn't win tickets to The Book of Mormon. Ate an awesome bagel. Ate some awesome pizza. Ate some mediocre pierogi (further evidence that I could be extremely successful opening my own pierogarnia). Went to MoMA (awesome). Met up with Jac. Went to the Nike Sportswear store at 21 Mercer. Oh, and spent some quality time with Abby, who I hadn't seen in like two years.

So all that walking (who knows how many miles) counted as my cross-training. It was serious business.

Today was a simple three-miler. No problem. It's funny looking back to the days when I couldn't make it past a single mile. And then when three miles was the farthest I could hope to run. And now... !

Pace: 7:06

One of the most annoying days in recent history

Today was supposed to be great. I left early from work to catch a 2 p.m. flight to New York City to visit Abby. We were going to walk around for a bit, win tickets to the Book of Mormon and eat some yummy pizza. Tomorrow I was going to wake up early and go for a romantic 12-mile run around Central Park.

Everything took a turn for the worst when my flight was initially delayed until 2:34. I should have known such a felicitous number couldn't have been up to any good. One delay led to another, and we eventually boarded around 3 p.m. We sat on the plane for an hour or so—I'd fallen asleep—before they kicked us all off. Then we waited around some more without any news... They told us they'd make an announcement at 5 p.m. Well, 5 rolled around and their announcement was that they had no update for us. Thanks, Frontier.

Anyway, around 6-something they told us (after attempting to board the plane once more and then aborting that process halfway through) that the flight was cancelled, sayonara. The weather at LaGuardia was apparently just too bad.

Fast forward... Some calls and 20 minutes on hold later I had tickets for an 8 a.m. flight. Never mind that I'd just wasted 6 hours at the airport... My brother was able to pick me up and we headed over to our mom's house for another one of my brother's birthdays. We had dinner at McD's of all places and then went back home for some cake.

With all my plans shaken up, I decided to do my 12-mile run tonight, since I wouldn't be able to do it in the morning, and I didn't feel like waiting till Sunday. Also it'd free up some room in my backpack since I wouldn't have to bring my running stuff, meaning I could buy some sweet stuff in New York. Like maybe some stuff from 21 Mercer. Like maybe some LunarGlide 3 iD shoes.

So I got back to my house around 9:30, dead-tired but for some stupid reason determined to go on a 12-mile run. I got dressed, packed a gel in my pocket (it'd be the first time I tried one... figured might as well do it now on a moderately short run before I actually need the gel...) and brooded on the couch for 20 minutes about how awful the day was.

The only saving grace of today was that I bought a Naked juice at the airport which was supposed to cost $4.02.... I gave the girl $20.25 and she gave me $18.28 in change.

Anyway, I went on my run and the first few miles were pretty brutal. I definitely tripped and ate it around Michigan & Broadway in the second mile. But then it eased up. Eventually I couldn't feel anything anymore and it was increbidible.

I made 12 miles in less time than I ran 11 miles last week... Well, I wasn't running in sweltering heat today. But I was dead tired and I didn't have a chance to refill my water bottle at all.... So imo I did pretty well. Tomorrow and Sunday will be rest/cross-training days, although I'll be on my feet all day both days I think exploring New York.

Pace: 9:15

Three-Mile Thursday

Nice solid run today. Thumb's doing a lot better. Signed an apartment lease today... Move-in is August 1. Nothing else to report.

Pace: 7:20

The Run Home

Today I was scheduled for a 6-mile run, but I had to go to my mom's house to pick up some packages, so I figured I might as well just run there. It was a 7.2-mile trek up State that I'd done several times on bike but never on foot, so that was exciting. The only trouble was it was evening, and I was heading west without any sunglasses.

I ran into my little sister around 92nd & North... She was supposedly going for a run herself, but she was just walking. She turned around and ran the rest of the way home with me.

I finished in 1:03. I was hoping I'd make it in a little less time, but I'm finding that I'm always faster in my head than in real life.

Pace: 8:45

Nice day for a run

It wasn't too hot out this evening... I was able to run a pretty good 5K time on a route around campus I haven't done in a while, so that was nice. Took me around 21:30.

In other news, my thumb is nice and bruisy and keeping me disgruntled. Wish this would get better already...

Pace: 6:56

Cross training, kinda

So today was a cross-training day, and usually I take the opportunity to go for a nice long bike ride. But I messed up my hand coming home from Summerfest the other day and my thumb can't move without hurting a lot... so biking for long distances is pretty impossible and, more importantly, it's no fun at all. Guillermo looked at it and it should be fine in a few days, but for now I have to ice it and keep it as immobile as possible... so no biking.

I didn't feel like just going for a walk, though, so I decided to do some light jogging for my cross-training. I went to the lake to visit my family (camping out before the fireworks) for a little while, went to the beach with my little brother and sister and then jogged back to campus before we went to Summerfest. I probably got a total of 3 or 4 hours of cardio today... nice.

Hot 11-mile run

It was forecast to be a bazillion degrees today so I decided to run early before it heated up. Well, it was still hot. I was paranoid about overheating so I walked two minutes every 10 instead of one and I made sure I drank plenty of water.... also I ran very slowly.

The run was fine, but it got tough toward the end. The last mile, running back toward Marquette, was pretty much all uphill, and my legs were stiff. I had to alternate running and walking every minute because I couldn't get myself to keep running that long.

When I got back home, I was literally soaked. I could wring my shorts out because there was so much sweat in them.

Drank a ton of water and fueled up with comida and then went to the beach 8).

So there we go... 11 miles, the farthest I've ever run (again).

Pace: 10:05