Test Drive

Ran my first 3 miles in the new shoes. They felt good. The run felt
good, too. Helps when you run inside and there's no wind or sun. Of
course, it gets pretty boring. Added a new link: Love First.
Pretty cool site.

3 miles

Went for a run tonight at dusk. It was still a bit warm out (probably in the low 80s/upper 70's.  Ran with my old Mizunos since I need to try the new ones out indoors first, in case they don't feel right and I have to do an exchange. I've decided to begin working towards running the L.A. Marathon in March. I've got to get a good base going now so I'm ready to begin the training program. Speaking of training program, I think I'm going to try a different type of program. There was an article in Runner's World a few months ago (read it here) about only running 3 times a week with 2 days of cross training on non-running days. The runs are a bit more brisk than your normal training runs, but hey, you're only running 3 times a week. My biggest complaint in training for my last marathon (which also happened to be my first) was that it was a huge time commitment. With family, job, and church, it can get tough to devote the amount of time that a normal training program requires. We'll see how this goes.

Sunday Morning Walk

In my quest for a slow buildup, I went for a nice, brisk walk this morning with Abby, our little Shih Tzu. I went probably a little over 2 miles. Walking gives one time to actually think and pray. I'll try and take pictures once in a while if my runs or walks offer interesting views.

New Shoes

Alright, in my effort to sustain the motivation, I went to Peak Performance running store in Bellevue and bought a new pair of running shoes. I got Mizuno Wave Rider 8s. The update of the model I've been wearing, the Wave Rider 7. I've enjoyed the 7s. Very comfortable. I'll be trying them out Monday indoors at the gym. Here's a pic.

3 miles...a little better

Went 3 miles this morning around the neighborhood. Felt better this
time. Did it in 26:53. Sunny, blue skies. Not too warm this
morning. Hopefully, one of the last runs in these shoes. Going to
Peak Performance to get some new ones. Gotta keep my motivation
going.

2 1/2 Miles...A Slow Start

This morning I got up early and did a run. The first one in quite a
while. I went slow. I did about 2.5 miles before I started walking
the rest. My knee was bugging me. My goal is to build up slowly in
order to prevent any injuries. I've tried building up quickly before,
and I paid for it. It was dark and foggy during my run. Nice and
cool for a change. Wore my Mizuno Wave Rider 7s.

The Starting Line

So maybe the Speed part of SpeedReed isn't the most accurate term anymore. And we're not quite in Los Angeles yet, but otherwise that blurb at the top is pretty accurate. Right now, I'm in the Omaha area, waiting to move to LA in a couple weeks. The last several years, I've become more involved in running. I've run the Lincoln Half-Marathon twice and the Omaha Half-Marathon once. I would have to say that the Lincoln folks are a bit more organized. The Omaha race is quite a bit more hilly, with prettier scenery, running through the zoo and ConAgra campus. I was plannning on running the Omaha full marathon this fall, but I've slacked off this late summer. So now I'm trying to get motivated again.