If I can keep it up...

I will be running negative time miles. Ok, that is impossible, but I am very pleased with my time this week. I ran a 5 miler in training last week, and averaged about 10 min 12 sec per mile. Today, I ran the same miler and average about a 9 min 25 sec mile. I like it!

Now, don't get me wrong, I understand that I will not be able to keep decreasing my mile time at this rate, but I will take the progress and hope to average about a 9 min mile for the entire marathon when it gets here.

Rest Days

Never underestimate the importance of a good rest day. Our bodies are amazing things, but they do require rest and repair. If you legs feel overly tired, rest them for a little. If you are having pain in your knees, take some time off to see if it heals, and if not, go to the doc.

A lot of times during training we neglect the signals and warnings are bodies are telling us, and then it is too late because we worked out on it anyway. Today was an example of cutting back for me. For anyone who knows me well, that is not an easy thing. I was going to cross-train and bike, but my legs were very tired and my hamstrings were very tight. I decided it was a great day outside, so instead of biking and putting a lot of strain on my legs, I decided to go for a walk outside and read. It was great! It loosened up my hamstrings, my legs feel more energetic now, and I did not expose myself to greater injury.

Moral of the story, no pain, no gain is not true! If it hurts and you push it, you expose yourself to greater pain, and no more gain as you are put up for a while...

First Day of the funny sounding: Fartlek training.

Well, in my training, every three weeks I rotate between Hills and Fartlek training on Wednesdays. Today was the first rotation. For those who do not know what that is. Fartlek training is, in my words, like an interval training, just with spontaneous intervals.

As you run, you pick two landmarks, such as a lamp post and a tree, during that stretch of run, run at a different pace, whether it is sprint, long stride, just a little faster, walk, etc. You continually do these landmark runs throughout the run.

As I went through the run today, I noticed that those runners that were a head of me, even though I might walk at times, never got further, but might have gotten closer. Throughout it all, my "speed" equaled theirs as over time I would sprint and catch up from my walking times.

Overall I liked the training. The point of Fartlek training is speed work. Most runners would like to pick up their pace per mile, but you have to train to do that. Hills and Fartlek are ways of doing that. So in your running routine, I highly recommend you do one of these to really boost your performance.

Motivating Factor

As I woke up to my alarm this morning for my run, I was bogged down and didn't want to go. I had gotten to bed late, and did not sleep well, so why run? Well, I got out and still ran and by the end felt great. What is the motivating factor that gets you to go out vs. climb back in bed? What drives us to do that? I am very glad I was able to go run this morning (even with all the deer in the path today) and I am glad I decided to go out vs. stay in bed.

I for one fully believe you have to paths to exercise, there really isn't black and white. Either you are going to do it or not; you are going to put forth your effort or you don't. Why do so many people hit the snooze and go back to sleep? I don't know. If I had an answer, I would help those people see that getting up pays off so many dividends in the end that you will greatly regret going back to sleep.

As the title of my blog states: just get up, get out, and run! If you don't want to run, walk, if you don't want to walk, do something...if you don't you may pay greatly for it later in life as your healthy weakens.

A good Saturday morning...

I was a little leary when I knew the storm was hiting last night, but was going to go anyway, regardless of what the roads looked like in the morning. Lucky for me, they were pretty clear, just wet. As it turns out I was able to keep up the same pace from last week, or should I say, I was able to keep my minute pace as low as it was last week essentially (I did not have my stop watch so it averaged to about 2 seconds off of last week per mile). The reason this was so important this week is I added a mile from last week. So, in summary I was able to add a full mile and keep the same pace throughout.

I enjoy the run I take. It is Davis Blvd in Bountiful. It is pretty flat, but was small hills here and there. This provides a great training, with different elevations. The other reason I like running here is the overall elevation is higher, so the air is thinner providing better cardio developing.

So next week I run the same mileage and we will see if I keep the same pace or not, hopefully improved.

Another great morning walk....

I got up for my Thursday cross-train/easy day and took my favorite walk. This hikes me up a long, long hill, with a great view, then I trek back down. It was great once again.

One thing I want to add onto here is talking about nutrition. One of the greatest tools a person has with their fitness, if not the greatest, is that of healthy eating habits. What you put into your body has a greater impact on your weight and body fat, then does working out. I have noticed greatly that if I eat healthy, plenty of grain and carbs for energy, etc. then I feel great! I have more energy, feel lighter as I run, etc. If I eat junk food and heavy food, man does that morning feel heavy and hard...I would much rather have a light run, then a larthargic, heavy footed run.

Just some thoughts...

Indoor or Outdoor? That is the question...

Ok, so maybe that really isn't the question. Personally, I dislike running in door and would much rather prefer to be outside. Today, well, was a day I chose to go indoor. I woke up at 5:00 am to hit my morning run, go outside and then the snow starting hitting. Snow does not stop me from running outside, but thinking about wanting to get in to work early to leave early, and driving in the snow did. So I went back in and hurried to work.

At work I broke for my lunch and got on the treadmill. It was a great workout, just not what I wanted. I find the treadmill to be harder on my knees, and therefore not my favorite. I also find the treadmill more boring and, well, lets face it, when you are running, it isn't like your head is still for a nice read.

I guess my overall point is, I like the outdoors more and if I must, I will run indoor. What do you think?

A good way to end the week...

First, I have someone now running the marathon with me, Alex Skelton. Now, we just need more people to sign up, so....SIGN UP!

I got up for a long run today after a good week of nutrition and training. I was a little weary this morning as last night I had the kids and grabbed a lazy, quick and unhealthy dinner. I was wondering what my night of splurging might do. Well, I ended up doing a 10 min 10 sec mile, and that is 1 min 15 seconds better than last week on the same course. I will take that. I did the "Davis 4 miler" as I like to call it. Next week will start the increase in miles.

I am also shedding some unnecessary weight right now and that I can almost guarantee is helping to quicken my pace. As I continually get in better shape and lose the weight, I am interested to see the correlation between weight and speed/efficiency.

Anyway, until next week...GO RUNNING!

Wednseday: The Deadly Hills

Wednesday is my hard day of training (that is right, I would rather do the long runs then hit my Wednesday training). Wednesday is my hill training (or fartlek, I will rotate these every few weeks). I do what I call the deadly hills. I run from the house up to and past the Bountiful Temple. These hills are killer. They start right after our street and have a steep incline for the first while. I do enjoy this training a lot though because it provides excellent conditioning and strength training. Hopefully as time goes on, these hills will become "flat" to me and I will improve my overall shape substantially.

Tuesday=Cross Training Day

So my Tuesday (and Thursday) workouts consist of cross-training. Normally I will use this time to bike at work, while reading my school work. It is great...a nice time to get a good cross workout in (I love biking) and to get my reading done. Face it, until the kids are in bed at home, I want to be with them, and they keep me so busy I don't have the time to read.

Still no takers for the marathon, anyone? Bhueler??

Another Good Monday Run

I went out this morning without my IPod, which is usually a staple on my runs, and had a fantastic run. I went to a run/walk interval run today. This truly helps in recovery and to set a good pace. A lot of beginning runners will start off too heavy and try to run too fast, create injuries and prevent a good workout. Just like the tortise and the hare, slow and steady wins the race. Now, as you continue on, you will start to notice your paces getting faster. Along with the natural building of speed, when you have a good foundation of training, you can bring in hills, interval, fartlek, etc. Just don't pace too fast.

The total was 4 miles, at about 45 minutes. So, easy pace, nothing drastic, just building my cardio ability back up.

A nice Sunday morning walk

Each Sunday morning I get up before the wife and kids and take our dog Tina for a walk. During my training Sundays constitute a rest day or a walking day. When the weather gets better I am sure we will just take the whole family, but for now I enjoy the quiet peace on my Sunday walks. It gives a person time to think and reflect, map out goals, plan ahead etc. I really enjoy this time.

With the move to Bountiful, this walking day is great. I have found a walk that takes me up to the Bountiful Brave's "B". This longer walk, above the smog, is very peaceful and gets me away from the world. You can't ask for anything more!

First Long Distance Saturday

So, with running and training, you get to learn about some funny training words like fartlek (a type of running training), but I will speak on that in a later post.

Today was my first long run Saturday. I have started this marathon training a lot earlier than is necessary. I believe most plans give you about 6 months to get ready, I am taking 8 (So anyone can join in the next two months). I want to get in top physical shape for this race. Along the way, I am adding some different types of training during the week. Here is a typical week for me:

Sunday: Walk/Off
Monday: Running am, bike or yoga lunch.
Tuesday: Abs and Bike lunch
Wednesday: Hill or Fartlek training
Thursday: Easy run or walk
Friday: Yoga or stretching
Saturday: Long Distance/Endurance run.

This training will not only really prepare me for the marathon, but get my weight and body fat % to levels I would like them.

So back to this morning. I went for an easy (easy pace) 4 miler. I say easy, because over the last year I had an injury to my knee and pneumonia that took my cardio-conditioning to a low level...needless to say I was not a happy camper with this. So this morning I took it nice and easy, wanting to gauge where my fitness level was currently and what pace to set. I was quite happy with my pace actually. I paced this morning at 11 min 25 sec per mile. Now, trust me, I want to regain the speed and shape I had (and I will), so this pace is not satisfactory, but for the first LD (long distance) run and after the hard year of health issues last year, I will most certainly take it (I thought I was going to pace at about 13 min/mile).

Well, as I have said, anyone who wants to join in please do...

Lets get this started

I wanted to track my progress of my marathon training experience. My name, as the blog shows, is Jordan. I love working out and wanted to challenge myself. The marathon I will be running is the Park City, Utah marathon on August 21, 2010. This blog will be in place for me to keep track of my progress and have a journal for what I am doing.

I have enjoyed getting into running and started a while ago. Last year I planned on running a marathon only to have knee issues. This year, nothing will hold me back. Anyone who wants to join in, let me know!

I have an article for anyone needing motivation...

http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-243-297--11733-0,00.html