The Alaskan weather has been just amazing. I can’t help but take full advantage of it by running every chance I get. A few things to note about running in an urban setting, the road hazards can be extremely dangerous.

While the bike trails are still snow covered I have had to take my running to the main trails that run alongside some of Anchorage’s most trafficked streets.

Now it’s not these main roads that pose the threat, it’s the side streets that are dangerous. Each little residential road that pours out onto our highways creates a hazard, mostly drivers pulling out and not looking both ways before proceeding to merge.

As a pedestrian I take my role to run safe very seriously. My life is potentially on the line and in some cases I am pushing my two-year-old along in our jogger too.

I wear bright colored clothes and run against traffic always on the trail and never in the street. I try to make eye contact with the drivers as they pull out and look for the head nod or a wave letting me know that they see me. However it’s quite frustrating when a driver has pulled out so far that you can’t get around them and they refused to look both ways causing me to either have to stop and wait or literally jump up and down waving my arms in hopes that they see me as I cross in front of them.

This of course has caused me to evaluate my own driving habits. I now am more aware of how important being pedestrian friendly driver is. I ease into spots that might create a dangerous situation for me or any pedestrian running, walking or biking by. I look both ways and always give the head nod whether they are looking or not.

It’s important that we all do our part to be safe out there. Pedestrian and drivers alike all have to own their role in keeping the roads and trails safe for everyone.

closet eater

About once a month I get a little down on myself about my weight. I work very hard to maintain my current weight and push myself to overcome a very serious plateau.

It has been a year now and I haven’t been able to hold onto anything below 190 pounds. Overall I think I can be very proud of myself as I have lost 35 pounds total. However I still need to lose about 15 more to be at an ideal weight. I would be happy if I could get down to 180.

So the biggest problem that I have when I get into these funks is, I tend to show it through a binder of bad food consumption. Sweets are the enemy and I can indulge in them like a pro. I eat three cupcakes today, three amazing cupcakes. For lunch I ate a fried egg roll that latterly oozed grease down my chin as I sucked the thing down like a starving Ethiopian child.

The really sad part is that when I do this I often hide it. I will shame eat in the car or behind a closed door. It’s kind of funny but horribly sad at the same time.

I am sure that this will be most notable in my run tonight or even tomorrow when it feels just a little harder than normal to keep pace.

I am such a weirdo.

That's the plan...

The weather is getting warmer and the snow is melting at an accelerated rate. This makes me very happy. As you may recall I got to do some outdoor running while I was in San Diego on business. I tackled this crazy hill and it about wiped me out. After four miles I was just beat. I am determined to finish my 12k this June in 45min or less. It is going to be tuff to do, but I know once I make up my mind that that’s the plan, then that’s the plan.

Just A Quick Blurb

Running in San Diego was great. I had so much fun running outside. I can’t wait to be able to do that here at home in the midnight sun of summer.

Sunday March 11, 2012
A dear friend of mine completed a half marathon in Honolulu, Hawaii. This wasn’t his first one; in fact he has been running now for several years. Prior to the race he posted his completion goal to Facebook. He informed us that he was hoping to finish in 1:40 or less. He actual finished in 1:41 and some change. His average pace was 7:34, that’s how long it took him to run a mile. I am so impressed with his running and his competiveness. This friend of mine has been my mentor in business, as he was once my boss. Now he is one of my inspirations in running. I have watched him over the years get better and better, faster and faster. Every time I get tired or think that it’s getting too hard, he’ll post something about one of his running achievements and BOOM I am inspired again.

Last night, while running on the treadmill, I thought about his race day pace and wanted to see just how fast that was and how long I could hold it. Right now I have been running most nights at a pace of 10-12 minute miles and a tempo pace of 9-9.30 minute miles. So at the end of my run with only a quarter mile left I decided to go for it. I pumped up the pace to 7.13 and booked it. OMG, that was intense. With less than a 10th of a mile left, I grabbed for the handles to check my heart rate only to see a flashing warning go across the screen telling me that it is not recommend continuing at this pace and then a HR of 160bpm. I didn’t think that was that bad considering I have pushed my hr upwards of 180bpm. Regardless that was one hell of a run. I have a lot of work to do if I am going to be able to keep a pace like that.

And now the motivational chant that I will repeat to myself over and over again… Just Keep Training. Just Keep Training. Just keep Training.

Training in Alaska

I have been training off and on now for more than a year, taking some time for recovery or illnesses. People ask me what I do in the winter, meaning are you running outside. The answer is no. I run indoors on the treadmill or dreadmill as I sometimes call it.

I think about running outside sometimes and then I remember that it’s cold, icy, snowy and cold. I think about my feet getting wet as snow inevitably creeps in to my shoes and I think about sweat freezing to my face or anywhere else I might get damp. Suddenly running outside in below freezing temperatures on trails baring record amounts of snow just doesn’t seem appealing. Not to mention the year round moose dilemma.

Of course there are all kinds of gear designed to keep you going in these types of conditions but right now I just am not willing to make that kind of investment. There are special snow griping shoes with goretex protection and ultra dry wicking fabrics to keep your body dry and warm, head lamps and reflective tape. It all seems a little overwhelming to me.

Right now I am sticking to the treadmill where I can be warm and control my pace just a little better. It may not be until June that the trails completely dry out, but I’ll be ready when they are. I can’t wait to hit the hills and see all the happy people out and about. I also can’t to take my kids with me in the jogger.

Maybe that’s what I’ll write about next.

The Tempo

I have been running for the last year and would still consider myself a beginner. I have two half marathons and on full under my belt as well as a whole slew of 5k’s, 10k’s and 12k’s. There is a lot to learn about running if you really want to maximize your potential and I am still on the path of learning something new all the time.

For the last year I have read Runner’s World magazine like it was the Bible. I mean I read it all the time. I read about gear and races, I read about workouts and stretches, I even read about celebrity runners. I also read about tempo runs and splits and for the last year I have been afraid to say I didn’t know what the heck they were talking about.

So a tempo run from what I can tell is running a considerable amount of time or distance and a slightly uncomfortable or challenging pace. This is also relates to your lactate-threshold or LT (something else I am learning about). I also learned that there is a correct way to do this and perhaps I have not been doing it right.

From what I have read many runners in the beginner’s category often short change their tempo runs. This is not on purpose, but rather it’s because they don’t understand the concept behind a tempo run. You have to put some effort into it and maintain the effort for at least 20 minutes for general fitness and 6-8 miles for half marathoners. You may not even what to know what kind of distance you need to hold a tempo for full marathons.

Once you figure out where your fitness level is, it gets a little complicated. Thayer lots of sites to help you out, but it might be wise to find someone in your network of friends that is an experienced runner to help you out.