New Year new everything - Progress report January 2014

So 2013 is now the past, with a lot of ups and personal downs. But like I said in my last post, it's what you do afterwards, that brings the person to measure. So as 2013 came to an end, I started a strength training regimen which I will outline in another post and I started running. Running more consistently, and running with more of a focus.

I wanted to run more with a purpose in mind, going into the CPR Marathon training with an athlete's mindset, making all of my runs quality and not quantity. After the Twin Cities Marathon, I took a bit of a break from running and when I picked it up again, I only ran with the express purpose of building my base. I wanted to put a lot of quality into my runs and I learned a couple of things along the way, especially for body strength and injury prevention. I'm still in the discovery and training phases of what I've learned and putting into practice and I'll write more as I gain insight into what I'm doing and it's progress. As I can tell you, that I've been running injury free for the last 3 months since I've started this calisthenics program and I've changed up my running mechanics where I'm not using my legs so much as I find I'm running with my whole body.

But for the month of January, I only ran 8 times and covered just over 75kms. I know it's not much, but its a good start and I felt those were quality miles.

Count:	8 Activities
Distance:	75.07 km
Time:	8:06:56 h:m:s
Elevation Gain:	43 m
Avg Speed:	9.3 km/h
Max Avg Speed:	10.4 km/h
Avg HR:	--
Max Speed:	23.2 km/h
Max HR:	--
Max Avg HR:	--
Avg Run Cadence:	86 spm
Calories:	5,208 C
Avg Distance:	9.38 km
Median Distance:	8.79 km
Max Distance:	12.56 km
Avg Time:	1:00:52 h:m:s
Median Time:	54:49 h:m:s
Max Time:	1:25:47 h:m:s
Avg Elevation Gain:	5 m
Median Elevation Gain:	3 m
Max Elevation Gain:	23 m
Elevation Loss:	51 m
Avg Elevation Loss:	6 m
Median Elevation Loss:	5 m
Max Elevation Loss:	23 m
Max Avg Run Cadence:	90 spm
Max Run Cadence:	104 spm

Looking at the report, a couple of things I want to improve upon. I want to get my Avg Run Cadence higher into the 88-90's. Granted, this is winter and footing is very different, I bought a pair of Asics Goretex trail running shoes that Erick suggested and they have been great. There isn't much cushioning as compared to the Brooks Pureflows, but after running the first 20km in them, I was getting used to that minimalist feel and my feet have been nice and toasty warm as I find the bane of winter running to be frozen hands first, then frozen feet. If my hands go, then my feet go and then everything starts to become a struggle. I'm trying to find good combinations for cold weather running.

It's getting close to the clinic and I'm really excited to get things going. February 4th, 2014 is the start and I'll write about the training and my progress leading up the Fargo Full Marathon on May 10, 2014.

There are times when you stop and fall...

It's what you do immediately after, is what can set you apart from the people in your sphere who perceives you and most importantly, how you perceive yourself.

Last year was my second year of training. It really was just a hodge podge of mileage and a paper napkin training plan. I would run hurt, thinking foolishy that I could just run through the pain and a lot would argue over 'junk miles' and how they could be beneficial, but I found that even though I was running for the sake of running, I don't really think I was improving. 

I put in a lot of mileage in preparation for a big fall marathon in Minneapolis, MN called the Twin Cities Marathon  in 2013 . I trained with my training partner Osty, running many miles in the summer months leading up to the marathon, but I wasn't focused and feeling it. And it showed in the race. 

I was disappointed in my time and more importantly in myself because I really lost a lot of focus on the days leading up to the race and during the race, having to deal with a lot of personal issues. After the race I took a couple of days to feel sorry for myself privately, then dealt with my personal issues and then just stopped running.

I let myself just rest physically and mentally. All the aches and pains of running healed and before I tackled any running, I decided to start a calisthenics program so I can strengthen my body. I would put in a couple of short 5k's here and there, but I never ran to the point where it started to hurt. And I used those miles during recovery and healing to heal my mental state, as I found running to be a great panacea to a lot of the mental noise that was running through my mind.

In November, I started picking up the pace and mileage and went back to the run club at City Park Runners doing their Thursday evening tempo runs and Saturday LSD's. Getting back into a social group with like minded people helped with keeping me going, but it was the get together's, the post run brunches after the LSD's which were really fun and something to look forward too. I rested up some more in December, practically taking that whole month off, but kept up with my calisthenics program to help build the much needed strength in my core, hips, and upper body. I also signed up for a marathon clinic with City Park Runners so I can tackle the new year with a new focus.

I'll update on how that all goes. I'm going to make the New Year going forward to new horizons.