Weekly Running Update 4-2-07

Clever title, huh? Yeah, I thought so too. It's amazing what you can do when you put your mind to it.

I've decided that I'll do weekly marathon training updates every Monday. Monday is good because I'm usually in the office and not in field which means: a) I may actually have time to write, b) I won't be so tired by the time I get home that writing seems one step below death on the preferability scale, c) typically Monday and Friday are my days off from running so it seemed a good day to reflect on accomplishments and setbacks and finally d) it's the day after my big Sunday run each week, which may provide some added inspiration. So here we go.

One week down, the rest of my life to go. This first week wasn't wholly unbearable. In fact, I think I survived quite well. I will say that my legs were in a perpetual state of ache for most of the time. I would wake up, feeling refreshed and ready to face the day, only to crumple into a heap on the bedroom floor as my legs gave out under me. That's a little too dramatic, but it's what I felt like.

The scale sent me a box of roses and a love letter. The gist of the letter was that it had been waiting for this day for a long time and it was glad that we were finally seeing eye to eye. It expressed a desire to continue lightening the relationship and I have to whole heartedly agree. Though I'm sure it was only water weight, it's a start. I don't feel the need to loss a ton of weight, I just really want to tone up. And to do that, I figure I'll have to break myself down to nothing and build everything back up from scratch. Ten years of fast food takes a long time demolish. Thus begins the transformation of Calitri.

I continued messing around with that website, walkjogrun.net, to map all my different routes and have subsequently accomplished the task to a point I'm comfortable with. My legs preferred the flawed estimation techniques, imagine that, but I think the new system will pay dividends in the end. It's not good to knowingly lie to yourself.

With the day off today, I've decided to play indoor soccer in our last game of the year. Sounds like an amazing break don't you think? Looks like another week of six out of seven days running. I'm looking forward to it, especially once I can concentrate on enjoying the run instead of surviving it. I hope I catch a glimpse of that this week.

Last weeks total distance: 11.64 miles
Total distance: 18.55 miles

Sunday's Running Thought

Distance: 5.76 miles
As a weekly feature in the update, I thought I'd give you some insight into the mind of the insane by writing about what I was thinking about during my long run each Sunday. Long runs are some of the best times to think about the most random shit and I always gravitate towards that kind of thing.

This week I didn't have any deep profound thoughts, didn't see anything that got my funny bone swinging and honestly nothing of any consequence popped into my head. Great way to start things off, I know. I believe the explanation for this phenomenon lies in the fact that by mile four I was ready to lie down and die as the rain fell gentle on my lifeless body. My only concern was making sure that I positioned myself close enough to the road so someone would see me and return my body to my family for cremation but not so close as to get hit by oncoming traffic. As it says in the bible, not a bone shall be broken. Actually, I've broken 13 bones so I guess I don't qualify to be Christ. Damn. Anyway, enough stalling, I'll get to the point.

Thought 1:
I couldn't help but think that when running, I resemble Forrest Gump. And not the clean cut, I just started running, Jenny just left me high and dry Forrest, but the been running for two years, my only shower is the rain Forrest. You know, when he's got the big following and the strange semi-limp. Now, I'm not saying I looked like him physically. I just felt like I was running with his strange style. Duplicating his gimpy gate. Matching his posture with arms motionless in front of him like an old time downhill skier. I couldn't shake it and if nothing else, it kept me laughing.

Thought 2:
I like running over bridges. Don't know why. I just find it fun. If I could find a running route that involved nothing but bridges, I'm sure I'd be the happiest run of my life. If I did a race on a bridge I bet I'd beat life to the finish line I'd be going so fast. I may do the bay bridge run for this one simple reason. I like bridges.

I'll talk more about Sunday's run in next weeks post. I promise to think of something cooler on my next Sunday run too. I'm first thought is something having to do with midgets and saving the world from a nuclear bomb. It should be good.