1 month

Day 22 - 6.85
23 - 2.14
24 - 5.02
25 - 5
26 - 1.08
27 - 3.12
28 - 7.84
29 - 3.17
30 - 5.5
31 - 5
1 month down, 123.34 miles. Feeling stronger than ever. Generally have been going out for 1 in mind and doing 3 to 5. Knee pains gone. Disney next week could be my downfall.

Day 21 update

Day 16 - 1.02 miles
Day 17 - 3 miles
Day 18 - 5.37 miles
Day 19 - 2.31 miles
Day 20 - 8 miles
Day 21 - 3 miles

Weekly totals
Week 1 - 29.02
Week 2 - 21.88
Week 3 - 27.72

21 straight days of running and feeling good. There was one run last week when it was 40 degrees and raining that I didn't feel up to it, but I got out there for a mile. Kym goes away this weekend, so I'm going to have to find a way to get a run in with the kids. I'm thinking I'll either put them in child watch and run at the gym or have them ride bikes around the neighborhood with me running next to them.

Weight loss update - no change. 21 days of running and I haven't lost a pound since day 3. Is this proof that working out isn't good for you? I think I'm on to something.

RunStreak Day 15

5 miles in 35:54 on the schukyll

A revolutionary War era trading house on the river. Or maybe not. This is in Valley Forge, but there's no sign saying what it is.

This could be the last of my picture posts. I'm running out of anything interesting to post. It will degenerate to me posting pictures of the horseshit I have to avoid on the trails and I'd rather not go there.

RunStreak Day 14

2.95 miles in 27:54

4 days of nice weather down the drain after one night of rain.

21.88 miles in my 2nd week. I wish I reversed them and did 21 in the 1st and 29 in the second. My knee is still sore, but it hasn't gotten any worse. I blame it on the combo of running on streets last Saturday, then bowling Saturday night, then doing 10 the next morning. Hopefully it gets better soon.

RunStreak Day 13

1.16 miles in 10:54 after a 1.5 mile family hike

RunStreak Day 12

7.20 miles at Evansburg in 1:08:21


This portion of the trail has been washed away. Just out of view is a giant sticker bush to prevent you from going left at all.

RunStreak Day 11

1.15 miles in 10:01 around the neighborhood before the sunrise

RunStreak day 10

5.42 miles at Evnasburg in 52:26

Found a lucky horseshoe on the trail on St. Patty's day. I just looked it up and saw they're good luck unless you hold them upside down and the luck runs out. Oh well.

RunStreak day 9

3.00 miles in 24:45 on the schukyll path

RunStreak Day 8

1 mile in 9 minutes on the perkiomen trail

week 1 thoughts

-Going for a run was a lot easier than expected. I never dreading going out to run, even when it was raining.
-I ran 29 miles, the most in one week since I ran a marathon 4 years ago.
-I didn't plan any runs out, and ran more than expected every time.
-My legs have been tired walking up stairs, but weren't when running.
-I weighed myself after my long run on Sunday and had lost 2 pounds since I started. (184.5-182.5)
-My left knee was hurting after my run yesterday, felt fine this morning, and is now killing me. Could derail this whole thing early.

RunStreak day 7

2.04 miles along the schukyll in 17:20

The Schukyll Trail is a paved path that runs from center city philly to about 30 miles outside the city along the Schukyll River. I've run the "trail" 100 times. During my run the other day I noticed this dirt path next to it, and tried it out at lunch today.

RunStreak Day 6

10.10 Evansburg trail miles in 1:36:42.


Ran through this calf deep/knee creek twice

RunStreak Day 5

1.4 miles in 12:07 around the neighborhood



My day: running and brewing



And a bonus lap around the block with my favorite 2 year old

RunStreak day 4

4.00 miles at Evansburg in heavy mud in 38:35

I took a landscape pic, but then though I'd be doing an injustice to trail running to not show how muddy you get after it rains

RunStreak day 3

2.05 miles in the pouring rain on the schuylkill in 16:01

RunStreak Day 2

4.98 trail miles, 46:56.
Day 1 was was 4.35 miles, 41:56

I made the mental commitment to do this yesterday, so I'm counting that too.

I've decided to try a few things, not sure how well it will work out.

- I'll try to take a picture of every run
- I'll try to run 46 unique experiences. Never running the same route more than once.
- Unless it's a treadmill
- Unless I'm running with someone. A few friends are doing Tough Mudder, so I may train with them a little and won't make them bend to my rules.

Today's pic:

This bridge has been out for months. They were tring to fix it, then ended up tearing it down. It cuts the park in half, so I can't get to half of the trails in the park unless I run through the water. Which I'll be sure to do at some point in the next month.

RunStreak

As a not-so-devote Catholic I've skipped the "giving things up" Lent tradition for the past 20 years or so. Inspired by some crazy people, I've decided to give up NOT running for Lent this year. I will try to run at least 1 mile everyday for the next 45 days. (Is Lent 45 days? So, Jesus went to the desert for 40 days, but we're supposed to do something for 45? Doesn't seem fair to me.) I already know I've got a tough task ahead of me. I'd love to not use a treadmill since they're the devil, but with 4 inches of rain expected starting tomorrow, I might be getting off to a tough start. Also, Kym going away for a weekend in April means I'll have to run with Kenslee riding a bike and with Colin in a stroller at least twice. Then, my toughest task will be the 6 days we're spending in Disney the 2nd week of April. Why am I doing this again?

Trail Running

On Halloween of last year I ran a 10 mile trail race and pretty much was instantly addicted. Running through the mud, over rocks and down trees, through rivers and choosing my way through different paths as I go is so much more fun than running on streets. I find myself going out for a 3-4 mile run, then choosing to take paths that I know make my runs closer to 6 miles. I've woken up and happily gone for a run before work in 20 degree weather. I've run in the rain, in the snow, and while snowing. I've run two days after 8 inches of snow fell. I'm finding myself having no desire to do the normal road races I've been doing for the past few years. Just not much interest in that. While running after a snow fall a few weeks ago I snapped some pics in Evansburg Park.


I wear an orange hat when I run so hunters don't shot my ass.









Today I ran the Chilly Cheeks Trail run in Reading, PA. Billed as the hardest (per-mile) race you'll ever do. Climbing hills you have to use your hands to get up, and going down hills you simply can't stop on. Good times






A quick 80 foot hill to finish it out.




Here's my GPS if any future trail runners are looking for info on the race.


600 feet of climbing over 3 miles in the middle then you fly right back down the last mile.

After 17 days out of work

I'm like Jack in LOST. I need to go back. I don't like this world.