Woman Gives Husband a Kenyan for His Birthday!

Given our Kenyan training method, I thought you would alway want to read this article. :-)

Woman Gives Kenyan as Birthday Present

Thanks for the Advice

Thank you all for your running advice. I've weighed your suggestions with those I received from the other blog. Given the continuing pain in my knee even on non-running days, I've decided to cancel today's run.

I'll continue to re-evaluate, ice, and take ibuprofen, so as to recover as quickly as possible. I'll try to run on Saturday, if I feel good, otherwise the next run will be in the snowy tundra of Wisconsin. I present a relatively recent picture as proof that I'm not just exaggerating.

Advice. Given and Wanted

First, I would like to share some advice. It is in the form of the Peanut Butter and Banana Sandwich. It's amazing. I've been eating them for a few weeks now, and they are the answer to all my prayers, of which there are admittedly few. However, if you look at the Peanut Butter and Banana Sandwich it's pretty damn good runner's food. 1) Whole grain bread- carbs, whole grains, all good. 2) Peanut Butter - good source of protein and some unsaturated fats-- I buy an organic one here consisting of only Peanuts and salt. 3) Bananas-- Excellent source of potassium. It's got everything a runner needs.
On running days it tides me over for quite some time, and on non-running days it takes me well into the afternoon. Great food.

Second. I need some advice. I've been suffering from a little bit of runner's knee. My right knee has been a little problematic for about two weeks now. It's getting a little worse. I've iced it tonight (which isn't easy given the German aversion to refrigeration) and will take Ibuprofen for the next few days. However, I'm hoping I can get some advice from the other runners.
I have a run scheduled on thursday. It's a 6 mile tempo run. Should I do it? Or should I get some rest and a little more ice?

P.S. in true DrunkRunner form. I've had a couple glasses of wine and just managed to post this message to the wrong blog. Oops.

Week 6 of 40 and kickin' A**

Just got in from the final run of the week. Yes, folks, that's 6 straight weeks without a missed run. Hot Damn!

Thursday was the first speedwork workout, and it was a tough one. Total distance was 5 miles. But I had 2 miles to do at 8:40 with 800m cool downs. Sounds easy enough, except that I've barely broken the 9:00 mark. Let alone do it twice. Luckily I found a loop near my house that is almost a mile long, so I could at least try to pace myself (maybe it's the clouds in Berin, but I've not been too thrilled so far with the way the Garmin keeps my pace.). The first fast mile was smashing! 8:14. The second mile is harder to judge because I forgot to hit the lap button. However the 3rd and 4th miles were both at about 9:40 so I think I managed to hit the mark on the second mark.

The only complaint this week? Runner's knee. Yes, folks, I'm getting a little bit of runner's knee in the left knee. It's not too bad, and as I recall it does eventually go away as you build up miles. Still I'll be using some ice packs and trying to take it easy.

Nothing remarkable about today's 6-miler. The big deal for the week is the consistency I've been able to maintain. This is the first time I've been so vigilant about a training schedule, and it's really paying off. I'm feeling stronger and more comfortable. And there is something to be said for just putting in the miles. It's very important.

The next two weeks are going to be very interesting. Next week I need to bump up my running schedule so I can get my long run in Saturday instead of Sunday, because I'll be flying home on Sunday. I'll spend Sunday and Monday getting home and then will have to run again on Tuesday. Which means 6 miles on Christmas Day. Not a bad way to celebrate the holiday.

This week's Stats:
Distance: 13 miles
Overall time: 123:54
Average Pace: 9:32/mile
Overall Impression: I'm Slowly Getting Used To The Clouds. I Might Go Snow Blind Running In Wisconsin. (ISGUTTC. IMGSBRIW)

Daddy Runner

Thanks for making the baby announcement on our behalf, Sixpack! I wasn’t able to get anywhere near the blog for a few days, for obvious reasons.

It is true that my wife and I welcomed our first baby into the world this past weekend, and for that reason I haven’t posted in a little while. Basically, the baby didn’t leave much time for running in the first couple of days, and I happily sacrificed my Sunday “long run” in order to stay home and change diapers while Tessa recuperated. Actually, now that I think about it, we actually both drove to her parent’s house so they could pamper us while we both laid immobile on their many couches.

I have been able to run two runs so far this week, though. On Monday I ran six miles and on Wednesday I managed just over five. Tomorrow I will try and get out of the house for another hour-long run if at all possible. If not, that’s okay. Changing diapers is much more fun than I ever thought it would be!!!

Week 5 of 40 and Rollin' On!

YYYEEEEESSSSS!!!!!! Five weeks in a row! I really can't remember the last time I made all of my training runs for five straight weeks. I'm actually more proud of this than I am of my distances and times at the moment. It's been so motivating having each week behind me. I was lying in my nice warm bed this morning thinking, "I could wait until after lunch and then run." Then I thought to myself, "No! I'll probably have wine with lunch (Jenn and Steve are coming over.) and that will be the end of it." So I got out of bed and ran six miles. Clyde has always fought Sybill and usually won. I must say, I have rarely won that fight when I was lying in bed. I guess she likes to kick a man when he's down. :-)

So, on to the runs. Two miles Wednesday were more or less unremarkable. Except of course that it was snowing. And I mean snowing! It was cool. I'm making sure to do these runs, because I'll need the conditioning before I get to Wisconsin where it will be much much colder.

Five miles on Friday were difficult, but rewarding. I've begun training a little bit according to the Under 4 Hour Marathon book. A main principle is the negative split. I'm to run the first third slower than planned, the second third at the planned tempo, then the final third at faster than planned. IT WORKED!!!! I ended with a pace of about 9:16 which was my goal. I was worn out, and my legs still felt it this morning.

Today six miles. Nothing remarkable. Slow, just under 10:00 miles, which is right on track. The long runs aren't to be run trying to beat anything. I'm slowly learning this. The goal is to run the distance. So, when I find my self running too fast, I slow it down. It worked. I ran so far today that I could see the Reichstag (German Houses of Parliament). I had no idea it was so close to my house. Three miles, yes, but this is a massive city. It was a great run. I was a little tired on the way back, but maintained my pace with little difficulty. Great day!!!!

Week's Stats:

Miles: 13
Overall Time: 2:04:20
Average Pace: 9:34 -- That's only 34 seconds off my goal pace! Not bad. Not bad.
Overall Impression: I Like Running Almost As Much As I Like Beer (ILRAAMAILB)

P.S. For those not in the know, Baby Deetschei (it's a girl!) was born Dec. 5 at 11:45 a.m. in London. Congratulations Dr. Papa Deetschei!!!

To chase a Turkey

Dear beloved Drunk Runners and Stumblers, I have missed you. But fear not, while I may be a complete slacker in the realm of blogging, I have not slacked on my running. Since last you heard from me, I have successfully completed weekly runs totaling 11 miles per week. While this is nothing to brag about, particularly since the memory of putting in 11 miles in one run are not so distant, I am happy to be consistent at this point. My times, I am even happier to say, are better than I had anticipated after 3 months off. I have been averaging 8:55-9:00 paces despite (or perhaps because of) the hills I have been running. After purchasing cold weather running gear (you know I LOVE to blog about running apparel - sometimes I wonder if I don't run just because of all the neat clothing and accessories. I am soooo girly), and reflective accessories for safety since it gets dark around 4:30 here, I decided I might as well sign up for a 10K Thanksgiving Turkey Chase to give myself a little challenge. Stupid me, I 1) naively assumed that anything called a Turkey Chase wouldn't involve hills and 2) had totally convinced myself that I would keep a steady pace and not go out too fast. Wrong on both accounts. Mile 1 was FABULOUS at a 8:20 pace. Mile 2 still fabulous at an 8:29 pace. Miles 3-6.23 less fabulous as miles 3-5 were steadily uphill with the occasional flat surface for intersections. Okay, okay. I am sure I am exaggerating a little. If you Google Earthed Wisconsin Ave heading from Bethesda toward Chevy Chase, I am sure it is not that extreme, but after you foolishly push too fast your first two miles the last 4.23 seem like they are never going to end - especially when you haven't "trained" for it. I really honestly thought I had told myself that this would just be one of my three weekly runs. And in the end, it wasn't horrible. My goal was to finish just under a 9:00 pace, but I was content to finish under 9:30. In the end, I split the difference with 9:16. Went home and took a nap while hubby prepared duck (apparently the other Thanksgiving meat).

So, that is what I have been up to and I wish I had been in London, 'cause the last time the Drunk Runners were all in town together and suppose to run, the drink got the better of us all and I now regret it. I fondly think back to that painful but rewarding first 12 miler I did with Deetschei and Sixpack in Napa. Those were the days!

That is just a quick update from me and I hope to be better about actually blogging about the running I have been doing once classes are over next week. WOOOHOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Post-Marathon Week Four. Possibly Week Five.

Last week was my first week in which I broke fifteen miles since the marathon. Because of rain on the previous Sunday, I had to move my five miler to Monday. I followed that with three miles on Tuesday, and then another three and five miles with Sixpack when he was in town.

The first two runs weren’t really notable, but the last two were fantastic. Sixpack pretty much summed it up: it rained on us both times, and there were a few hills involved. On the first run, we went out towards the track where I did all of my speedwork for the marathon, which involved going through the Brockley conservation area and a lovely park in Ladywell. The second run was less “lovely”, in that we ran through Deptford towards Greenwich, but I tried to distract Sixpack from all of the crime and seediness by reminding him that we were actually running on the actual route of the London marathon, a “World Major Marathon,” and that his feet were treading the same asphalt as many a Kenyan.

Speaking of Kenyans, we should have been hungover the entire time because of the amount of beers we drank. However, remarkably neither of us felt too bad on the days after the nights of drinking. In fact, I should be hungover right now as I type this, two days after he left. It’s a miracle and a reason to give thanks. I haven’t run with a drunk runner since my wedding day, a year and a half ago. And that was the first run I had completed with a drunk runner since about a year before that.

In a way, the fact that Don and I could get out and run together and not feel like we have missed a beat is due to this blog, which has really served its purpose of keeping a few close friends together in spite of the fact that they now live thousands of miles apart, in different countries. So, one more time, “YAY to the blog!”

Week in Review:

Total Miles: 16
Total Time: No idea
Avg. Pace: No clue
Overall Impression: Happy Thanksgiving, Fellow Runners! (HTFR!)

London: Week 4 of 40

Yep folks. Last week was mostly run in London with Deetschei. First and foremost I would like to say that it rains a lot in London. And when I say a lot I really mean all the time.
Friday morning after a hedonistic Thanksgiving we were actually able to get up and run 3 miles. Right now the focus is not at all on speed, but on distance, so we took it very easy. It was nice. Lots of puddles to dodge, and don't even get me started on whether I should look left or right. Let alone what I should do at a dual roundabout. Thank God I didn't have to drive there, just run.

We went through a fantastic neighborhood of old houses and nice tree-lined streets and finally made our way to a park. It was a great run. Although, I have to say, I could have done without the hills. They weren't very big, but I'm way out of practice. It was a little rough.

Sunday was 5 miles. Again, we had been out the night before, yet somehow British beer seems to not cause hangovers. Especially when combined with Indian food and multiple viewings of "Kung Fu Panda." (We watched it twice because Deetschei passed out the first time. I passed out too, but I had seen it before, so I was excused.)

It seemed a bit of a struggle to run 5 miles through Deetschei's hood. Mostly because there aren't those long boulevards I'm used to in SF, to say nothing of the highways of southern Wisconsin. We did a lot of weaving here and there, a lot of puddle dodging and a lot of puddle missing. It was, however, a fantastic run. We kept it at a relaxed pace. I aimed for somewhere between 9:30 and 10:00 on the Garmin, and we kept pretty well to that pace. The final paces were a little over 10:00 because I never stopped the watch for the many crosswalks.

It was fantastic to run again with Deetschei. It had been way too long. Just like running with any of the DrunkRunners. There is something VERY inspiring for me in running with my fellow bloggers. We've put a lot of time together on the road and this only makes me want to continue.

Tomorrow is 2 miles, then 5 miles, then 6 miles. Holy Heck! It's going to be a rough week, but I'm ready.

Stats:

Miles: 10
Time: 99:01
Average: 9:54
Beers Consumed: ~ 22 + 1.5 bottles of wine

Overall Impression: With Weekends Like That London Could Become My Favorite City! (WWLTLCBMFC!)