Year 2, Week 17, Day 6

Weight (today's reading): 183.0

Weight (weighted moving average): 180.7

Today's food: 2 pop tarts, 2 oranges, 2 bites of chili, medium movie popcorn, large cherry coke, small flatiron steak, cheddar broccoli noodles

Today's exercise: 1.7 mile warmup, Care for Life 5k

Year 2, Week 17, Day 5

Weight (today's reading): 182.6

Weight (weighted moving average): 180.5

Today's food: yogurt, pluot, quizno's tuna melt, bacon wrapped meatloaf patty, mashed potatoes, tall orange juice, peanuts, birthday cake

Today's exercise: none

Year 2, Week 17, Day 4

Weight (today's reading): 181.6

Weight (weighted moving average): 180.2

Today's food: yogurt, 5 chocolate dipped strawberries, bowl of chili, fried shrimp, french fries, marshmallows, kettle korn, peanut bar

Today's exercise: none

Year 2, Week 17, Day 3

Weight (today's reading): 179.8

Weight (weighted moving average): 180.1

Today's food: yogurt, peach, quizno's small tuna melt, peach, 1 1/2 chocolate chip cookies, 4 spam and egg tacos, 13 ginger snaps, spam and egg quesadilla, cinammon crisp, marshmallows

Today's exercise: none

Year 2, Week 17, Day 2

Weight (today's reading): 180.6

Weight (weighted moving average): 180.1

Today's food: yogurt, manuel's (chips and salsa, chile relleno, taco), 2 jack in the box tacos, parmesan crusted chicken, green beans, smore, tall orange juice, peanuts, piece of chocolate bar, handful of marshmallows

Today's exercise: none

Year 2, Week 17, Day 1

Weight (today's reading): 181.4

Weight (weighted moving average): 180.0

Today's food: banana, yogurt, mixed nuts, cookie, banana, 2 pluots, 4 smores, 1 piece baked chicken, potato wedges, macaroni and cheese, peanut bar, kettle korn

Today's exercise: 1.5 mile warmup, intervals (4x400 & 4x200 @ 6:45 pace), .6 mile cooldown (total 5 miles)

Year 2, Week 16 Wrapup

I spent the second half of this week in Mexico with Becki's mom, the Clonts family, and the Gabbitas family. A Mexico trip of course means about triple what I should be eating, so I don't think it will be reversing the slowly upward weight trend of late.

I did a 16 mile long run on Saturday while I was down there. Basically, I ran 5 miles to the Pemex, bought Gatorade, ran 3 miles out towards Caborca, ran 3 miles back to Pemex, bought Gatorade again, then ran back to the house. Later that day, my right knee started hurting something fierce. It was fine during the run, but when it started hurting later, it hurt right behind the kneecap. It hurt to kneel on, and it hurt on stairs, and it hurt to flex it when getting up after sitting for a while. I'll have to see if it turns into something worse or not.

Year 2, Week 16, Day 7

Weight (today's reading): don't know

Weight (weighted moving average): don't know

Today's food: yogurt, 3 slices fruit pizza, tamale, 3 jumbo shrimp, pork burrito, chicken salad on toast, mixed nuts, apple, 1 1/2 cheeseburgers, large fries, 1/2 ice cream cone, 2 large cherry pepsis

Today's exercise: day of rest

coming back from mexico

Year 2, Week 16, Day 6

Weight (today's reading): don't know

Weight (weighted moving average): don't know

Today's food: pan dulce, 1.5 liters gatorade, pancake, scrambled eggs, sausage, hash browns, yogurt, chocolate coconut granola bar, mixed nuts, cream horn, 2 pieces chicken, 2 tortillas, steamed clams, fruit pizza, 10 grilled jumbo shrimp

Today's exercise: 16 miles @ 9:18

in mexico

Year 2, Week 16, Day 5

Weight (today's reading): don't know

Weight (weighted moving average): don't know

Today's food: banana, mixed nuts, yogurt, chips, 2 clementines, 1/2 roll, tortilla, pork and bean burrito, pork and bean taco, fritos, cream horn, 10 rice krispie treats

Today's exercise: 5 miles @ 9:20

in mexico

Year 2, Week 16, Day 4

Weight (today's reading): 180.8

Weight (weighted moving average): 179.9

Today's food: yogurt, banana, sugar cookie sandwich, 2 fish tacos, 1 can orange soda, 2 clementines

Today's exercise: none

Year 2, Week 16, Day 3

Weight (today's reading): 178.6

Weight (weighted moving average): 179.8

Today's food: yogurt, donut, cupcake, chicken cornbread bake, donut, leftover, pork roast and potatoes, donut, popcorn

Today's exercise: 1 mile warmup, 3 miles @ 7:50, 1 mile cooldown

Year 2, Week 16, Day 2

Weight (today's reading): 178.6

Weight (weighted moving average): 179.9

Today's food: 1/2 pop tart, 2 yogurts, cottage cheese with a can of peaches, 4 potato chips, 1/2 roll, donut, 3 cookies, 1 1/2 donuts, tall orange juice concoction, 4 more cookies

Today's exercise: 1.5 mile warmup, intervals (2x800, 4x400 & 4x200 @ 6:45 pace), 1 mile cooldown (total 7.5 miles)

Year 2, Week 16, Day 1

Weight (today's reading): 179.2

Weight (weighted moving average): 180.1

Today's food: tall dr. pepper, 2 yogurts, cheese and crackers, posole, 1/2 banana, tall dr. pepper, 16 ginger snaps, caramel corn

Today's exercise: none (cold and windy)

Year 2, Week 15 Wrapup

Not much to report this week. On Tuesday, I did the same speedwork that I did last week, except this time I didn't have quite as much trouble. I thought it was going to be as bad when after the 3rd 800 I felt like I was having a heart attack, and needing to puke, and needing to poop all the same time. However, this time I was able to power through it instead of having to take the 20 minute bathroom break like last week.

The other thing about Tuesday is that the same clockwise-walking jackhole that I saw a few months ago was there. He bothers me anyway, but especially so when I'm trying to run fast.

Year 2, Week 15, Day 7

Weight (today's reading): 178.2

Weight (weighted moving average): 180.2

Today's food: banana, 1 1/2 slices of pizza, tall dr. pepper, caramel corn, pork roast, green beans, smashed potatoes, caramel corn, 4 ginger snaps

Today's exercise: day of rest

Year 2, Week 15, Day 6

Weight (today's reading): 179.0*

Weight (weighted moving average): 180.4

Today's food: bowl of crispix, 40 oz gatorade, caramel corn, BJs (mozarella stick, 1/2 southwestern eggroll, bowl clam chowder, 1 piece pizza, 1/2 pizookie, 4 glasses pepsi)

Today's exercise: 14 miles @ 9:18

* 175.6 after running, cereal, 40 oz gatorade

Year 2, Week 15, Day 5

Weight (today's reading): 179.0

Weight (weighted moving average): 180.5

Today's food: yogurt, snickers, valentine lollipop, 1 biscuit with gravy, cupcake, cookie, candy hearts, coca-cola pot roast with potatoes and asparagus, huge fistfuls of caramel corn

Today's exercise:

Year 2, Week 15, Day 4

Weight (today's reading): 180.2

Weight (weighted moving average): 180.7

Today's food: yogurt, pluot, orange, tortilla chips, 2 servings of enchitaco, tall orange juice, can of cherry coke

Today's exercise: 1 mile warmup, 6 times up the hill, 1.5 mile cooldown (total 5 miles in 9:25 average)

Year 2, Week 15, Day 3

Weight (today's reading): 181.8

Weight (weighted moving average): 180.8

Today's food: yogurt, leftover beans from el pollo feliz, cincinnati chili, dum dum pop, 2 grapefruits, tall orange juice, peanuts, pluot

Today's exercise: 1 mile warmup, 3 miles @ 7:50, 1 mile cooldown

Year 2, Week 15, Day 2

Weight (today's reading): 183.2

Weight (weighted moving average): 180.7

Today's food: quizno's (roast beef and cheddar sandwich, snickerdoodle, medium mountain dew), posole, tortilla chips, pluot, tall grapefruit juice, peanuts

Today's exercise: 1.5 mile warmup, intervals (2x800 @ 7:15 pace, 1x800, 2x400, 2x200 @ 6:45 pace), 1.25 mile cooldown (total 6.5 miles)

Year 2, Week 15, Day 1

Weight (today's reading): 184.2

Weight (weighted moving average): 180.4

Today's food: 2 ginger snaps, yogurt, pluot, orange, 1 1/2 hamburgers, french fries, blueberry cobbler, tall grapefruit juice, peanuts

Today's exercise: none (cold and windy today)

Year 2, Week 14 Wrapup

We were driving back from Utah on Monday, so I did Monday's speedwork on Tuesday. I'm at a level now with the speedwork where I'm going fast enough that I really feel it in my bowels. When I first started running, I never really identified with the people who were so adamant about not running right after eating. At the speeds I was going, it didn't matter what I had in my stomach. Now, though, I'm getting fast enough with the speedwork that I really notice it if my bowels are not empty.

Ideally, I would do a speed workout like that after not eating for at least 6 hours before, and eating especially light for the 18 hours before that to let other things clear out. I'm not yet at the point where I'd be advocating enemas before a big race, but I can now understand how people at that level of competition would need to worry about things like that.

So, on Tuesday's workout, I did two 800s at a 7:15 pace, then one at a 6:45 pace. That 6:45 killed me, and right afterwards I had to either poop or puke. I opted for poop, but when I went over to the bathroom, I saw the custodian walking away after having just locked it. The track didn't close for another half hour, but I get the feeling that he wanted to get home earlier to finish his beer or something. I yelled after him, explaining my urgent need, and how it shouldn't even be closed yet. He just said "close-ed". He was clearly not a native English speaker, or was at least pretending not to be. I explained in a most fervent manner that my need was great, and if I didn't find a suitable environment in which to meet that need, I would be forced to evacuate my bowels onto the sidewalk below. I'm pretty sure he got the gist of what I was saying, but still replied, "close-ed". I kept following him pleading my case until he finally took pity on me and let me into a nearby building that he hadn't finished cleaning yet so I could use the bathroom there. I repaid this kindness by completely devastating that bathroom over the course of the next 20 minutes.

Unrelated to my running this week, I came across the following video, which provides a pretty clear visual explanation of why I'm not planning on graduating to ultra-marathons any time soon.

Year 2, Week 14, Day 7

Weight (today's reading): 183.2

Weight (weighted moving average): 180.0

Today's food: pluot, half a cookie, hot ham and cheese sandwich, biscuit and gravy, lil smokies, blueberry cobbler, crapload of cream puffs, tall lemonade, some nachos, chips and salsa

Today's exercise: day of rest

Year 2, Week 14, Day 6

Weight (today's reading): 183.6

Weight (weighted moving average): 179.6

Today's food: biscuit, 32 oz gatorade, costco (samples, polish dog, medium coke), pluot, 1 1/2 pieces german pancake, home fries, popcorn, tall lemonade, reese's whip bar

Today's exercise: 12 miles @ 9:09

Year 2, Week 14, Day 5

Weight (today's reading): 181.6

Weight (weighted moving average): 179.1

Today's food: yogurt, peanut brittle, orange, apple, meatballs and noodles, 2 biscuits, peanuts, 2 tall lemonades, kettle corn

Today's exercise: none

Year 2, Week 14, Day 4

Weight (today's reading): 179.6

Weight (weighted moving average): 178.9

Today's food: 3 pieces peach pie with whipped cream, sunflower seeds, 1 piece fried chicken, mashed potatoes with gravy, roll, tall grapefruit juice, lemonade, peanut brittle

Today's exercise: 1 mile warmup, 5 times up the hill, 1.25 mile cooldown (total 4 miles in 9:25 average); later, with Jimmy: 4 miles @ 9:06

Year 2, Week 14, Day 3

Weight (today's reading): 178.6

Weight (weighted moving average): 178.8

Today's food: yogurt, croissant, sunflower seeds, 1 1/2 tortillas, beans, 1 piece pollo asado, pear, 2 pieces peach pie with whipped cream

Today's exercise: 1 mile warmup, 3 miles @ 7:55, 1 mile cooldown

Year 2, Week 14, Day 2

Weight (today's reading): 183.4

Weight (weighted moving average): 178.8

Today's food: yogurt, casino buffet (tamale, enchilada, roast beef, mashed potatoes, ceviche, beef picadillo, 2 ice cream cones), 1 1/2 pieces garlic toast, 4 ginger snaps, 2 grapefruits, peanuts

Today's exercise: 1.5 mile warmup, intervals (2x800 @ 7:15 pace, 1x800, 2x400, 2x200 @ 6:45 pace), 1 mile cooldown (total 6 miles)

Year 2, Week 14, Day 1

Weight (today's reading): don't now

Weight (weighted moving average): don't know

Today's food: sonic (breakfast burrito, 1/2 corn dog, 1/4 banana), sunflower seeds, ikea (chicken fingers, fries, 1/2 almond cake, 32 oz sierra mist with lingonberry juice), 8 ginger snaps, swedish meatballs in cream sauce over noodles with broccoli, 8 ginger snaps

Today's exercise: none

driving back from Utah

Year 2, Week 13 Wrapup

I went up to Utah on Wednesday, so did most of my running up there this week.

On Thursday, I ran outside. My phone said it was 30 degrees out; a bank sign I passed said 35. It was the coldest weather I've ever run in, but I'm sure it was downright balmy for those of my friends used to colder weather. I had originally planned to do 5 miles at tempo pace, but after the first mile, I gave up on that idea really quick. I was running on the Provo River trail, so I was unfamiliar with the terrain, it was icy in patches, there were uneven spots in the trail from roots, the altitude is higher than I'm used to, etc. Also, I had had a huge lunch, so I had to poo, and I had to pee. All of this combined to make me think the tempo pace was a bad idea. About halfway through the run, I got to Will's Pit Stop where I decided to take a pit stop of my own. I ended up in the bathroom for twenty minutes, completely laying waste to that bathroom (which was kind of appropriate, since I had gone in to literally lay waste in that bathroom).

After Will's, I had to warm up again, which sucked, but I felt much better, so I did another mile at tempo pace. There were lots of people out running when I was, and it was really easy to tell the good ones from the neophytes. The neophytes were bundled up head to toe in their heaviest winter clothes, while the very best runners were in just shorts and a singlet. I had shorts and a short sleeve shirt, but I did have gloves and ear warmers, so I fell somewhere in between.

Here's one thing I noticed about running in Provo: When I run in Tucson and pass another runner, about 1/3 of the time, they'll actually wave or grunt or something to acknowledge me. If I wave or say something first, the other runner will return the greeting nearly 100% of the time. Of all the people that I passed in Provo, not a single one greeted me in any way. Most of the time, I would attempt to wave and say hi first, and not a single runner returned my greeting. In fact, the only person who greeted me at all was a homeless dude camping by the river who shouted "Morning!" at me as I ran past at 3:00 in the afternoon.

I thought this was really weird. Now, understand that I'm usually not a big fan of social interaction. I would prefer to walk through life under no obligation to acknowledge or communicate with anyone that might cross my path. However, I do try to acknowledge fellow runners the same way I always wave to another motorcylist when I'm on my motorcycle. It's a show of solidarity and fellowship. So, I think it's strange that Utahns, who love to make a show of their superiority in matters of morals and friendliness, would be so consistently inconsiderate.

On Friday and Saturday, I went to the Smith Fieldhouse with Tyler to run laps there. It was pretty boring, but a lot less cold than running outside. I noticed while I was there that BYU has really seemed to relax their admission standards, admitting many more students who never learned how to read. Or at least I assume that's the problem, because even though the track has about 100 giant signs posted saying "Walkers to the right, runners to the left", every lap is like an obstacle course weaving in and out of fat coeds with blaring iPods, aged faculty who are shuffling, and packs of young moms with baby strollers.

Year 2, Week 13, Day 7

Weight (today's reading): don't know

Weight (weighted moving average): don't know

Today's food: 4 donuts, super bowl party (chips and dip, 4 wings, shrimp, 2 crab puffs, 8 cookies, bread pudding, ~24 oz mountain dew, probably other things I forgot), sunflower seeds

Today's exercise: day of rest

in utah