Running Journal

September 13, 2005

Did the LVRR run on the 3rd. It was one of those staggered starts where you leave at your estimated time. I went out at 25 minutes and ended, I think, a little over (or possibly a little under) that time. Either way, a full minute faster than a year ago. 

Today, I did an 8k at the Ironton trail, which was my first race there and my first over 5k race in forever. I want to try doing longer distances. I came in at 42:04, which is about 8:30 a mile. My summer 5ks were at around 8 minute miles, so I'm consistent. 

July 2, 2005

25:57 on a super hot and humid day--not too bad. I'd really love to get in awesome shape in the next month as I'm looking at some 10Ks in August. It's just so hot everyday that I usually don't feel like running. Same as last summer, but I'm getting somewhat better times. 

May 7, 2025 

Ran the LVRR summer race for May. This was my first race in a long time, and I did better than expected: 25:03 and 50th of 204 people. I've only been running two or three times a week and never much over three miles. Still, I ran a much better time than I did in either of the two races I did last summer. The weather was about perfect and the course was slightly altered; though I wouldn't say easier. Maybe those were factors, but it felt like a strong run. 

September 17, 2024 

Went to Hamburg for a car inspection but took the wrong car somehow. So instead I did a 7 mile run on the trails there. That's the longest run I've done in quite a while and it felt good. Going back in two days with the right car, so I'll get another nice run on the trails up there. 

September 4, 2024

Did the last LVRR Summer race at about 26:30. A lot better than in May, but still lost a couple minutes even from last summer. To be fair, I had just gotten over a bout with Covid so maybe that factors in. 

May 8, 2024

Hadn't run a race in ages, so I figured I'd be out of shape. 27:11 was my time at the LVRR Summer Series courses, so I've gain a few minutes even since last summer. I'm far from where I was last April before surgery. Honestly, though, I felt like I was running even slower than what my time was. Need to start by dropping about ten pounds. It's a re-starting point and I'm glad I got back out there. 

July 5, 2023

25:15 at LVRR Summer series today. It was super hot out and I got through it. 

June 14, 2023

Getting back into it two months after surgery. Did the LVRR June summer series run. I was not sure where I would be, but I was hoping for under 24. I ended up at 24:18 officially, but I think it was a little faster. Got a ways to go to get back, but at least I got one in the bag. This was an evening race also, so I tend to be a little more sluggish by late in the day. Still, I need to start getting more miles and more speed work in to get back under 22. On the plus side, I actually ran this same course faster than I did last September. 

April 1, 2023 

Ran the Kutztown Fool's Run in 21:53. Have not trained as hard the past couple of months. I got sick for a couple of weeks in March and that threw me off. I ended up skipping the March races I was looking at. Still, I did not really lose much, if anything, off of my time. I ended up getting first in my age group of  45-49 and 14th overall out of 194 people. All of the summer races I'm planning on are in the evening and on the same course on the LV parkway, so it will be interesting to see how that goes. May 3 is next. 

February 12, 2023

Ran the Shiver by the River in Reading. Boring race--instead of running in a park by a river we ran out of a park into a housing development, which is where the bulk of the race took place. I wasn't feeling great and probably went out too fast. Yet, I finished in 21:46--once again cutting a bunch of time off my old guy PR. Even though I didn't like the course, it was a competitive race and that probably helped push me. I don't see why I couldn't go significantly faster next time. I do need to work on my hills and probably my general stamina. I really felt like I hit the wall pretty early in this one and never recovered. 

February 5, 2023

Did the last LVRR Icebreaker 5K race this morning. I wasn't feeling great, but I managed to get in at 22:17, so I still beat my last run. I tried not to go out so fast today, which I think helped. We have also been eating better and not drinking since New Years, so that might be helping also. I've been weighing about 150, when I had been down to 148, but I wonder if some of it is gained muscle. I've been cross training with swimming and even a little basketball; some weights, biking, and elliptical. I feel like I can probably get under 22 minutes on a good day, at this point. It will be interesting to see how I do during summer series. I might try doing some 10Ks, as well. 

January 8, 2023

Had to miss the December race with a combination of me having a cold and freezing rain outside. I didn't want to risk getting sicker. Made it to the one today. I was hoping to run under 23 and I thought I'd be able to with the kind of training I've been doing working on speed and form. I ended up getting 22:23--once again crushing my goal. I'm now running four minutes faster than I was in June (though the course was different). I went out pretty fast, but I maintained a good pace and had plenty of energy at the end. I don't see why I couldn't break 22 one day. Just need to cut about ten seconds each mile. 

I did decide against doing the half-marathon. I'm going to keep doing a 5k every month. May do a 10k next month, too, but I don't think I want to do any longer. I may just measure out a half and do it one day on my own so I can say I did it. 

Dec. 1, 2022

Planned to run today, but never got motivated with the wind and the cold. Hopefully I can fit a run in tomorrow morning or afternoon. Just got some compression socks that I'm hoping with make my calves feel better. Also, just finished Murakami's book on running this evening--good to have some inspiration even if I'm not necessarily interested in doing marathons or triathlons. I'm still considering if I want to do a half-marathon this April--it's tempting to have that as a goal. I need to decide soon before the price goes up. 

Nov. 29, 2022

Ran a hard 1,600M on the track today at 6:40. I was barely under 7 when I did that a month or so ago, so I'm improving. I did the first lap at 1:30, which would have been 6 minute pace, so I went out a bit too fast. Still, I don't feel like under 6 would be outside the realm of possibility even if I'm a ways from that. I ran about 6 miles total today including the hard mile and felt pretty good. 

Nov. 7, 2022

23:47 and 1st Male Masters (over 40) at the Oley Valley Country Classic 5K, which is a tough course. Right before the race started the announcer said to expect to run a slow time. I'm curious to see if I can go under 23 on the LV parkway race in December. This was my first race with the expensive new sneakers, with the compression pants, and with Kinesiology tape on my knees. Seems to be working for me.   

Oct. 29, 2022

After turning 47 yesterday, I ran 11.2 miles this morning. Felt pretty good except for all of the scotch and Pepsis I drank last night and all the wings I ate started to catch up to me on the last few miles. Probably should cut all the alcohol out while I'm training, but it was my birthday. I got some Saucony Endorphin Speed 3 sneakers for myself that absorb a ton of shock and weigh nothing. Also, got some compression pants that seem to help. Started foam rolling, too. Got to take this stuff more seriously as I get older, but feeling pretty good. Last weekend I ran the Maple Mistress 5k in 23:13, which is faster than I was expecting. I had gotten into pretty good shape pre-pandemic, but this was even faster than what I was running then. I ran the same course in 24:59 in 2019. I had maxed out at 23:58 in December of 2019 at the LV Ice Breaker. Earlier this year when I was getting back into it I did 26:34 back in June in the LV Summer Series race with a belly full of pizza and then got down to 24:36 in the September one.