1/2 Marathon Training Set back

balbert excercise Today half way into my 3 mile run, things were not going well with my right leg. I was getting pain in my calf more then usual and the back of the ankle was really hurting. I actually had to stop and walk the next half back to the house. I iced it when I got home and will do more but it is still uncomfortable to walk some. I”ll have to see how things are tomorrow but I might need to take a short break to hopefully mend. Yesterday’s 4.5 mile run was fine and I had the usual tightness in the calves, but it actually felt much better then it has over the past couple of weeks. I just hope I’m not going to be laid up for many days and get off the schedule.

1/2 Marathon Training – Week 7 End

balbert General Week 7 of the training ends with the longest run that I think I’ve ever done. I think I might have done a 6 mile run back in high school the summer I trained with the cross country coach, but defiantly not after until now. But today was I guess my personal best, doing 7 miles in about 66 minutes. Instead of Greenlake loops, I decided to do another new course along the Burke Gilman trail. Ususally I do better if it’s new as I’m not familiar and before I know it I’m done. If i do this run again, it probably will be a little harder. I enjoyed the course very much and would love to take the dog down for part of it for a nice walk, especially along the canal in Fremont area. Also found some good spots to watch the Gasworks 4th fireworks. So might be heading down that way this year. I started on the trail at the Fred Meyers in Ballard and ran through Fremont along the water front park, by Gasworks park and around the top of Lake Union to the edge of the UW and then back. You’d think going from Ballad to the UW would be more then 3.5 miles, but according to Favorite Run Google mapping it’s not. The course was pretty flat and easy and definitely had nice views of the canal and lake. I think I’ll try to plan more long runs along here. Next week, week 8, is basically a repeat of week 7, 4.5 Tues/Thurs., 3 on Wed. but then a step up on the Sunday long run to 8 miles. That should be interesting. I think I’ll do the same run as today and add the extra 1/2 mile into the UW.

What you can get me for my B-day

balbert General My birthday is less then a month away and so you probably better start thinking about that great gift you are going to get me. Every year about a week away I get the question “what do you want for you birthday” and I always don’t know what to say. Partially because I immediately think of the big things I want or need and have trouble of thinking about smaller items. Well this year I’ve found a few items that seem reasonable, so I thought i’d get the list out there for everyone. Here we go… The list will probably change so come back often and it still includes some big things. In no particular order:

• One of these cool shirts: http://www.thinkgeek.com/tshirts-apparel/interactive/ I particularly like the “Wi-Fi detector shirt” and the “T-Qualizer Shirt“
• An ATHF Mooninites patch. Either both Ignignokt and Err or either one of them alone. I desperately want to cover up my Real logo on my computer bag. I think I have one of these patches but can’t find it.
• A nice but not expensive digital camera that uses SD so I can use it with the item farther down the list ;-). The camera on my phone is okay, but I want to start taking nicer images. I’m talking a little basic one, not one of those full cameras where you can changed the lenses etc.
• Beer Cozy for my Pabst cans!
• David Vantage Pro2 Weather station.  check out Ambient Weather and Provantage. You must request a price quote via email – an automatic response is returned with a new link promptly. They are not allowed to post to the public their discounted prices.
• Been reading more so good books. Nothing too heavy now. I like fast, easy, with short chapters
• Washington State Liquor Gift Card – more info
• Home Depot gift cards are nice and help offset house projects
• I could use some more running shorts. I like the longer style, not the true runner’s shorts. Robin got me some Nikes called NikeFit and they are kind of longish like basketball shorts, but not too long, something above the knee but below the mid thigh. (can you say high maintenance?!) Oh and I like the polyester wicking fabric of course… no cotton. I’m a Medium or 33/34 waist.
• Along with shorts, I could use some new running socks. I like the short ones that just cover the ankle, not the really short ones ala “bobby socks”. Again, the sweet wicking fabric. I like the ones from The Walking Company. Shoe size 9.5.
• Running shirts, white or light color, like gray or light blue. I’m a large and again the sweet wicking fabric.
• the winning lottery ticket
• The new MacBook Pro 15 inch
• If you are already doing the MacBook, why not go a little further and also get me a Cinema Display
• The new iphone 3GS, but if you get me this, you also have to pay for at least 6 months service cuz I can’t afford it right now.
• New Gas stove and range. One were the vent is attached and popus up from back. We don’t want to have to put a traditional hood in.
• someone to fix my leak in my CRX before the rains start.
• New driver’s seat for my CRX
• Maybe a new “CRX” like a diesel Jetta or Golf/Rabbit
• Or Maybe just a scooter
• #1 I guess would be a job, but not starting until like September ;-). Something fun, cool, cutting edge that pays well with good benefits, flexible work schedule, open environment, lets my dog come to work, has perks like free parking and paid cell phones, game room, Macs, little or no commute and something I can retire from after 5 years. Woodworking, Renewable Energy or Computers… something creative where I can build and create be it a software app or fence or electricity.

Been a while…

balbert excercise It has been quite a while since my last post, so I thought I’d get back into it. What has happened since my last post… well I guess a lot. On the 1/2 marathon front, I continue to run but it turns out I was too late to register for the Rock’n Roll 1/2 in seattle the end of the month. I had a couple of weeks were I got off schedule but have been back to in now. Last week ended week 6 of the training program but I think i’m actually 1 or two behind. Not a big deal, as I continue to keep the running going. So last week ended with a 5k race. I was going to do the Seattle Fury 5k, but didn’t register soon enough and got up too late the day of the race to make it for registration. So I did my own dog race. Robin, Shiloh and I all went to Greenlake and while they did the inside loop, I did the outside loop. The goal or race was to make it around the outside before the dog made it around the inside. I guess I won cuz I ran about 3/4 of a mile on the inside before running into them. The week before I did both the outside and inside loops for my big run… 6 miles. It was not too bad as Greenlake course is pretty flat. So today was day two of I guess week 7. This week is a step up in distance 4.5 miles Tues/Thurs, 3 miles on Wed and the big run is 7 miles on Sunday. The easy Wed. run moves to 3 miles from 2 for the rest of the schedule and I must say it felt a lot like the 2 miles of days gone by. Hard to believe 3 miles was the long run. Overall the health has been good. The old issues with the sore knees are gone, but now I have this issue with my calfs. After my 6 mile run around Greenlake, they’ve been very sore, almost feeling like in a permanent cramp. It comes and goes and of course is usually most after my runs. I’ve been stretching them and rubbing Arnica gel on them, but it comes and goes. I guess they are just growing and maybe I worked them too hard on that run. Hopefully this issue will go the way of my sore knees a while back. that’s it for now…