Time: 23:50
Distance: 2.49 miles
Location: Apple Valley to Sitting Bull Academy
Ah, the sweet air of a late summer night! The temperature graciously dipped down to the 70s this evening, which is quite cool for a late August night up here. The clouds played dramatically with the light and the moon was bright and full. It was one of those peaceful, perfect nights. My training schedule had me getting in 25 minutes tonight, so with my MiCoach intact, I set out on a lovely run. Tonight's run felt great! I went down Apple Valley to Sitting Bull, then turned left and headed another quarter mile to Sitting Bull Academy, then retraced my steps back home. I felt like my pace stayed steady throughout, and I was able to muster a small kick at the end. My last run, on Sunday, I averaged a 10:01/mile pace, but tonight my pace was a 9:34/mile -- a nice improvement! My new shoes are feeling better each time I use them. I've officially logged 6 miles on them and I am definitely happy with them -- very comfortable and light.
Things are going great so far since getting the MiCoach! Again, more than likely I would not be running right now without that cool device. I'm stressed out at work, which normally squashes all my motivation, but I've found a new drive and I plan on going strong for as along as I can, even through the freezing high desert winter! Tomorrow I am supposed to run, but it's going to be difficult to do that. I'm supposed to stay for the high school football game in Barstow, which means I may not be home till late. Plus it's my birthday, and I may give myself a birthday break. Hehe.
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Sunday, August 26, 2012
Running Through the Late Summer Breeze
Time: 24:25
Distance: 2.44 miles
Location: Top of Yucca Loma Rd.
Day 2 of MiCoach training! I can already tell this MiCoach device is working. I know that I would not have run yesterday nor today had it not been for my new contraption that measures my distance, pace, speed, etc. Yesterday was a small warm-up run, but today I needed to push it a bit more. I'm following a pre-made 5K training plan I found on the MiCoach webpage. I needed 25 minutes of running tonight, so that's just what I did.
It was a pleasant evening after a warm day in the 90s. There was a gentle breeze (the increase in windiness lately an indication that summer is winding down), and the daylight was slowly fading. I set out on the Yucca Loma run, which takes me up a slow and gradual hill heading east of Apple Valley Rd. At the top of the hill I turned and headed back down. The view, like usual on this run, was beautiful: the San Gabriels' silhouette starkly prominent on the horizon, the lights of the desert valleys glistening as the light receded. Running uphill was a struggle, but the run down was a pure breeze, a genuine delight. When I got back home I synced my Speed Cell (the actual device that is in my shoe) to the MiCoach website and viewed my stats. I burned over 300 calories, but my pace was rather slow -- a 10:01/mile. This was probably due to the slow pace going uphill. I'm excited to be running at this time of year, a rare thing. The weather should be cooling in a matter of weeks, and I can't wait!
Distance: 2.44 miles
Location: Top of Yucca Loma Rd.
Day 2 of MiCoach training! I can already tell this MiCoach device is working. I know that I would not have run yesterday nor today had it not been for my new contraption that measures my distance, pace, speed, etc. Yesterday was a small warm-up run, but today I needed to push it a bit more. I'm following a pre-made 5K training plan I found on the MiCoach webpage. I needed 25 minutes of running tonight, so that's just what I did.
It was a pleasant evening after a warm day in the 90s. There was a gentle breeze (the increase in windiness lately an indication that summer is winding down), and the daylight was slowly fading. I set out on the Yucca Loma run, which takes me up a slow and gradual hill heading east of Apple Valley Rd. At the top of the hill I turned and headed back down. The view, like usual on this run, was beautiful: the San Gabriels' silhouette starkly prominent on the horizon, the lights of the desert valleys glistening as the light receded. Running uphill was a struggle, but the run down was a pure breeze, a genuine delight. When I got back home I synced my Speed Cell (the actual device that is in my shoe) to the MiCoach website and viewed my stats. I burned over 300 calories, but my pace was rather slow -- a 10:01/mile. This was probably due to the slow pace going uphill. I'm excited to be running at this time of year, a rare thing. The weather should be cooling in a matter of weeks, and I can't wait!
Saturday, August 25, 2012
Back on Track with "MiCoach"!
Time: 13:20
Distance: 1.34 miles
Location: Apple Valley Road
Well, I've started something new. July 3 was my last run, and at that time I thought I'd be training for another 5K up in the mountains throughout July. Instead, my wife and I embarked on what became a 3-week road trip up to Canada (which was awesome), got back and stopped training altogether. I had to cancel plans for the 5K. I then started back up at work, which, historically speaking, is an automatic training killer. Normally, I don't run during this time of year. Two years ago I was able to get a couple of runs in during September, but that was it. Last year I went from July to the following May without running. This year I knew I needed to try something new, so that's where the MiCoach comes in!
I read an article about this device made by Adidas called a MiCoach, a little gadget you insert into your shoe that tracks your runs and displays graphs and data about your runs on your computer. I knew this was something that would motivate me, so I mentioned it to Deborah and she was nice enough to order it for me for my birthday (along with some new Adidas running shoes). I received the shoes and the MiCoach yesterday and decided to take them on their maiden voyage tonight. I still don't have a complete grasp of how it all works. I inserted the MiCoach into the shoe and departed for an "assessment" run that was supposed to analyze my stats so my training regimen could be better personalized for me. It was to be a 12:00 run. So I ran out towards Apple Valley Rd. for about 7:00 then turned back and stopped running when the watch read 12:00. Then I went inside my house and synced the MiCoach to my computer (via a USB component) and viewed my stats. I wasn't able to assign my workout to my training program, so I've still got some things to figure out, but it was nonetheless super cool to see things like pace, speed, number of steps, calories burned, etc. My average pace was 9:59/mile and I burned 182 calories. It was a slow run, but it was cool to try this new toy out! Hopefully soon I'll be able to figure out how it all works and soon I'll be tracking data like a maniac! This was perfect timing, too, because, again, traditionally this is the time of year that is the toughest for me to keep running. If the MiCoach can keep me running through the fall and winter, it will have been worth every penny.
Distance: 1.34 miles
Location: Apple Valley Road
Well, I've started something new. July 3 was my last run, and at that time I thought I'd be training for another 5K up in the mountains throughout July. Instead, my wife and I embarked on what became a 3-week road trip up to Canada (which was awesome), got back and stopped training altogether. I had to cancel plans for the 5K. I then started back up at work, which, historically speaking, is an automatic training killer. Normally, I don't run during this time of year. Two years ago I was able to get a couple of runs in during September, but that was it. Last year I went from July to the following May without running. This year I knew I needed to try something new, so that's where the MiCoach comes in!
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