Project 365 – Day 130

Wednesday May 11, 2011.

Run 127.

I fell asleep early last night well before 10:00 PM and woke before the alarm, just like yesterday. Must have been influenced by the excitement and fresh air of our first outdoor BBQ and eating dinner on the patio.  This the latest that I can remember.

Anyway I grabbed all my running gear being careful not to wake anyone and headed to the bathroom to get dressed.  It was all fine except I grabbed my treadmill shoes instead of my outdoor shoes. Back to get the shoes, then I could not locate the camera. It was looking like this run was jinxed.

Got geared up and headed out the door. The plan, (the one I came up with when I was heading for the door ) was for an easy four miles to recover a bit from the fast treadmill run yesterday. The route that I chose was a partial trail run which crosses the off leash park (read as watch you footing) before heading home.  From the start of the park there is a great view looking down the river valley towards downtown.

And as a special bonus today the prairie crocuses were in bloom.  This happens early in the spring and only lasts for a couple of days.

When I was a kid the fields would be full of these beautiful flowers for a week. I think that every Mom got a bouquet of them for her dining table.  Now as with everything else they are less prolific and need to be appreciated alive in their environment.

The trail is one of my favs and follows a coulee that cuts up from the river valley and is a spectacular run.

And it was very beautiful in the early morning sunshine.

It was a very cool run, first day I felt the warmth from the sun on my face that early in the morning.  And a decent effort considering all the stops for pictures.  4.5 miles in 39 minutes.

Plod On

Project 365 – Day 129

Tuesday May 10, 2011

Run 126.

Nice night, crashed early and almost slept thru to the alarm.  There was about an hour of pre alarm delirium where I faded in and out of sleep.  This is a nice way to wake up relaxed.

Once up I headed down to the treadmill for a tempo run. I set the pace at 8 mi/hr (7:30 min mile) and started to stride. It was tough, I have run this pace before for parts of my treadmill runs but this is the first time I started at that pace and held it thru the run. For the last 2 minutes of the run I bumped the pace by small amounts every 30 seconds and did my last 30 at 6:45 pace. 

I sat outside on the front porch to cool off and play with twitter. The morning was cool enough that you could see the steam rising from my sweating body, very cool. I finished 2.7 miles in the 20 minutes.

All in all it was a very good run and it felt great and I could have gone faster.  That is what feels great, I’m coming back baby.

Plod On.

Project 365 – Day 128

Monday May 9, 2011.

Run 124.

I was awake earlier than I would have liked this morning and not able to get back to sleep. I waited until I could see the first hints of the sunrise and then headed on a 4 mile run OUTSIDE.  Followed this route for the most part with a little add on at the west end.

Which let me capture this view of the sunrise over Calgary.

It is always amazing how dark the picture is when it is so light to the eye.  Amazing red sunrise.

Finished the four miles in 33:14 including the picture stop and a stop to tie my shoe.  Great run.

Plod On

Project 365 – Day 127

Sunday May 8, 2011.

Run 124.

Mothers Day.  Last night my wife arrived back from her trip 3 hours late. The kids and I bundled up and climbed in the car (kids in jammies, me not) 3 hours past their bed time to pick her up at the air port. Needless to say we were very late getting home and getting to bed.

I was up tired and early to cook the traditional breakfast (late) so I missed the group run (It was still raining so no biggie). Then we had regular chores + had to go see grandma. I finally found a minute and found the treadmill and turned on a movie and went for a very long slow boring run.

1:07 – 8 miles and I could not get off soon enough.

Plod On

Project 365 – Day 126

Saturday May 7, 2011.

Run 123.

The day started off nice enough and I actually considered sneaking away and leaving the boy in charge while I snuck in an hour run. Then the rain started, it drizzled, then it poured, then it poured some more, then the wind came up, and there was thunder, and there was lightening.  Bottom line I waited for a while and then trudged down to the treadmill and did an evening run, while watching the Canucks get Thrashed on TV.

Not a bad run though 35 minutes, 4.1 miles.

Plod On

Project 365 – Day 125

Friday May 6, 2011.

Run 122.

Another early night, I barely made 9:30 before I crashed. I woke at 5:00 AM, way before the alarm and lazed around until the alarm went off. Then sent the dog outside and hit the treadmill.  The plan was to do a 25 minute run today, a little longer and a little slower than the last few days. Well it did not work out that way! I ran over 3 miles in the 25 minutes and ended up doing close to 8 minute miles.  A little faster than I thought.

When I look back over the workouts for the last few weeks all my runs have been in the 8 – 9 minute mile range. Maybe this injury is starting to heal.

Nice run today.

Plod On.

Project 365 – Day 124

Thursday May 5, 2011.

Run 121

Not that I am counting.  Another easy day, barely made 10:00 last night before I crashed and then was awake at 5:00 AM.  Lazed around and hit the treadmill for a 20 minute run. I started off relatively fast (for me), got faster then finished real fast.  An easy plan anyway, a not so easy run.

Good run, still feeling it in my hamstrings, 20 minutes, 2.5 miles.

Plod On.