PAWS Run For Their Lives

I ran the PAWS Run For Their Lives 8K again on Sunday. It was fun to do a race for the second time. Last year, this was the first organized run I had ever tried. This year, I am a couple weeks away from trying my first marathon. It was a blast getting to walk there with Estes and Tiff. I knew I should take it easy as I had aggravated my left ITB, but it felt good that morning, so decided to put a little more speed into my run. Later I figured out that was a bad idea. For the run it was fun as hell though. Estes had a ball as well. Seriously, they gave her a ball. She destroyed it. Here was my result:

PAWS 8k Run for Their Lives
Chicago, IL -
September 27, 2009


Name: TROY COLEMAN
Place: 51st
No: 141
Nettime: 36:28
Pace: 7:21


Out of the 803 that ran, I feel pretty good about this. Plus, last year I ran at 8:46/mi and finished 204th. I am excited for the big 26.2mi. I have to suffer through not running a few days though to get this ITB back under control. It was such a treat to have Tiff and our puppy there too. They are a tremendous cheering section to finish a race to!

Jack's Show

Final stretch

My marathon training program has finally reached it's "taper period." By this, it means I am no longer running longer runs each week, capping with last week's 20 miler. Running from my place to E. 47th on the South side was awesome by the way. I did it in 3:18. The true moment of glory last week was doing my next 5 miler at a pace of 8.18/mile. This week's 12 miler did not seem to be anything of great difficulty by comparison. However, it was one of those runs that just felt like work. Additionally, during the run I started to get pains on my left knee, very much like the ones on my right knee back in May. Those were IT band irritations that sidelined me for 2 weeks. This pain is not nearly as sharp, but enough for me to cancel my run today and take the next couple days as they come.

I am also still smoking. That is frustrating as it is satisfying. On one hand I want to be free of the dependency and not think about it any more. Sadly, having given this a few good efforts before, I know the mental obsession over cigarettes are not over when I finally stop thinking about quitting. Then it becomes a 24/7 process of reminding myself any given minute will not be better if I had one. I also have this perverse pride in running the way I am right now while doing something I shouldn't. I realize it's a lot like shooting oneself to show you can survive the bullet, but it's still there. My folks are coming out for the marathon in couple weeks and I think it may be foolish to even try with them coming. They are both pretty resolved smokers.

I know as long as I keep wanting to quit, it will happen. Plus, barring a catastrophe, I want to keep running marathons. I've got a list of cities I want to run and a tattoo already in mind. That also does not promote continuing to light up. For now though I am relatively content with my mid-level insanity.

Nice

IGN Video: The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day Movie Trailer - Trailer

Shared via AddThis

Role Call

Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Tennesse, Kentucky, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, Oklahoma... this is where I have been in the last 3 weeks. None of which were layovers, but highway treks across. I just finished another job with Caldera in Florida. It involved 6 days of driving a truck in a caravan (3 all together) 11 hours a day alone. Truely some introspective time. One of the things I walked away from this cross country excursion was how fortunate I am. I am fortunate to have a home and family, not only by blood but my happy band in Chicago. I am also fortunate to be employed. While so many good people around me (my family included) are struggling to find work, I have maintained a peicemeal, gainful employment. Like many others still holding jobs, my work has tripled in time and effort, but I still have a job. So many I saw across many states do not. I am also glad to have seen so much of the country. It's easy to forget how vast it is. It's also easy to forget how much we have in common. This may all sound a tad gushy, but it's where I am at. Thank you to all that take the time to keep up with my misadventures.