Project 365 – Day 157

Tuesday June 7, 2011.

Run 156.

I did get up at 5:30 this morning and got my kit on and got out the door. I missed the sunrise as it is just too damn early right now. But it was still dawnish when I headed out. I didn’t really have a plan but ended up running a 5 mile route similar to the May 18th run.

I really love the mile or so in red on this run where you run towards the city and then up along the top of a coolie that cuts away form the river valley, before returning to city streets.  The view of downtown and the river valley through the haze was nice this morning.

And of course I did catch another new wild flower blooming.  As you may have guessed my horticultural knowledge is pretty weak. Don’t know the flowers name but this is the first time i saw it this year.

My legs were tired again, I had 10 hours rest since my last run. No major issues, I can feel the hamstring when I run hills or when I stretch out my stride.  I am beginning to wonder if this is a stretching issue. The other thing I have been noticing is when I wake in the morning my lower left back is really tight and I have to stretch it out before I start my day.

Great run, around 5 miles in just under 40 minutes.

Plod On.

Project 365 – Day 156

Monday June 6, 2011.

Run 153.

Well not sure that I can blame a late night for not running this morning as I was in bed before 11:00 PM. But, I will try to blame a series of late nights coupled with the effects of the Sunday morning hangover 8 mile run for sleeping late.

I did manage to get out at 7:30 PM and decided to drag the dog as my legs were pretty dead.  I ran a very short trail run (just over 2 miles).

It was good for the dog as she can run off leash for most of it. It was bad for me as she could investigate those interesting smells and forget she is supposed to be running with me, there was a little waiting time and a lot of yelling. 

There was a new wild flower out, I don’t know what it is but it seemed to be fairly prolific.

And the Saskatoon blooms have all but disappeared. This picture is taken from abut the same spot as last weeks picture and as you can see it is now a bunch of bushes. Good news is the berries come next.

My legs were tired and not much spunk in them. There was a sharp pain at the insertion point for the first few hundred meters then only when I was running the hills.  I could feel a little extra tension in the lower glute for a lot of the run. I think it may be picking up some of the slack from the hamstring. Otherwise a great run, just over 2 miles in just under 20 minutes.

Plod On.

Project 365 – Day 155

Sunday June 6, 2011.

Run 153.

Hey finally a group run as planned. I headed to the running room store on Sunday morning feeling a little bit worse for wear after a late night at my neighbours 40th Birthday Party.  It seems that it was decided that since we were all walking home, and there was a keg of beer, we might all drink more than usual.

So I found myself ready to run feeling a little off and very tired from the late night no sleep thing. The good news was that the group I usually run with had competed in the half marathon the week before so it should have been an easy run.

We ran the Griffith woods out and back. I started out running slow and then picked it up to a comfortable pace. Then when the group stopped for their 10 & 1 Ed and I continued on alone and did not see the group again until after the turnaround point.

Have I ever told ya this is a great run through the woods and is often inspiring.  This is what running should be like, the path is awesome (even though we stuck to the paved portion).

And some of the scenes beside the path are downright tranquil.

It was a great run and turned out to be fairly quick as well.  Just over 8 miles in 1:07, A very good day.

Plod On

Project 365 – Day 154

Saturday June 4, 2011.

Run 152.

Again I missed my  morning run, and due to busyness throughout the day I managed to squeeze in a fast short run while the kids were having dinner and before my neighbours party.

I kind of chose the 3.1 mile route that starts on trails and ends on pavement along the ridge.

This map is pretty close but I ran down one of the side streets that parallels Bow Trail.

The day was perfect, the footing was good and the views at the start of the run were great. This is looking down the path that I was running up.

As I ran the side street (Windermere Road) that parallels bow trail there was an awesome sight. For some reason when they were planting Elm trees everywhere else in the area, they planted apple trees on this street and they were blooming. It was not fragrant like lilacs would be but the trees were covered in white.

Anyway a great run Just over 3 miles in just over 24 minutes, and that included the stops to take pictures and one stop to tie my forking shoe.

Plod On.

Project 365 – Day 153

Friday June 3, 2011.

Run 151.

Actually run 150 now that I think about it. There was one day in early January, I was staying at a Holiday Inn in Spokane Washington and the treadmill did not work so I used a stationary bike.

This is the day that just about broke the streak.  I had no motivation in the morning and then as the day passed I had less motivation. I actually was getting ready to run at about 7:00 PM and the skies opened up and thunder storms hit us for the rest of the evening. I could easily have gone to bed at 11:00, but I managed to talk myself onto the treadmill.

I started out walking and then  worked my way up to a slow jog, then a little faster, then 9 minute miles, then 8:30 min miles and then I stopped.

2.1 miles 21 minutes – average 10 minute junk miles.

Plod On.

Project 365 – Day 152

Thursday June 2, 2011.

Run 150.

Woo Hoo another milestone, the 150th run of 2011. It was another one of those days where the morning looked pretty grim and I decided to leave the run to later, and later and later. Finally at 11:30 PM I headed to the treadmill for a fairly easy run.  Somehow it did not work out that way.

I started really slow and then the legs were feeling OK so I pushed it up a bit, then pushed it up a bit more. I finished off by running the last 2 min at 10 mph, 6 min mile.  It was tough but it felt great to stride it out.

All in all a good but short run followed by a glass of wine. 2.45 miles in 20:07.

Plod On

Project 365 – Day 151

Wednesday June 1, 2011

Run 149.

I was not very motivated this morning. It started with sleeping through the alarm and then lacking the energy to roll out of the comfort of the blankets.

When I sleep past 6:00 AM I have two choices for the run; 1) postpone it, 2) treadmill it.  I chose #2 and headed down to the dungeon.

Nothing went really right today with the run, the legs were not there when I tried to push the pace and the French Open was on TV and tennis is not good to run to.

So all in all in my 20 minutes on the treadmill I suffered thru almost 2.5 miles of running.  Who knows I might try a double today seeing as this mornings effort was so weak.

Plod On.