finished

that's it. I am done. My project is finished.
Day 30 is in the books with a 10km run. Tzvi is a prophet and I now need to get the lottery numbers from him... I will not be running tomorrow night.

I went out undecided how far to run. On the one hand I had plenty of time for a nice long run of 14 or 16km. On the other hand, I consciously intended to run less this week. I was torn the entire way. I did a quick calculation estimate in my head while out there running and estimated that if I would run just 12km I would hit 60km for the week. Simple enough. But did I want to? I kept wavering between 7 and 12. On the one hand, why wake up so early to run just 7km. On the other hand, I wanted to run less and not push for more..

The entire time I wavered and in the end settled on a 10km run, giving me about 58.6km for the week.

I have no idea what my running schedule will be like next week.

good run

day 29, 7km

I didnt think I'd make it through this week running daily, but it is within reach.

At some point I decided to try to hit 30 days consecutive just to make Tzvi seem prophetic.. :-)

moist 10km

day 28, 10km

I went out just hoping to get 7km in before the rain. It was not raining at the time, but had rained through the night and the rain was set to restart soon. Wet, slick, ground. puddles. mud... I figured I'd be happy with 7km.

I started my run and everything was great. Good temperature, good air, fresh. But wet.

As I am approaching 4.5km and was set to turn so I'd finish at 7, I decided I was so enjoying the run that I'd just continue out and try for 10.

At times there was a light rain and some mistiness, but overall it was just great.

the storm is coming but I got day 27 in before it arrived...

After 3 days of 7s, I decided to go for a more significant run today. I ran 10+km.

I could see lightning flashes in the distance, but the storm wasn't here yet, so I felt comfortable taking advantage. The weather was actually very pleasant and it was a nice run.

day 26. 7km.

nothing exciting to talk about.

I think I would have done 10km today had I not been pressed for time. oh well.

exploring 7

Day 25, 7km

I was determined to keep today's run shorter... and I did by a bit.

After last night's expedition into a construction road, I decided today I would run the road from the other side and see why the two paths don't meet up, or how far and difficult it is from one to the other. I figured morning daylight would be better for that than the dark of night.

After running across Kishon, I ran down Tzeelim. The entrance to the construction road is at a turn off from the large traffic circle at the junction with Nahal Chever. I ran up the path - from there it is an uphill run - to the top. The paved road comes to an end just under Nahal Kishon just past the caravan that functions as a sales office for a housing project. From this path one can see the intricate web of paths to the various construction projects happening down there. At the point where the path ends, one can see the end of the other path from last night very close by. But it is much lower down and they do not connect. I could have gone down a steep mount of dirt and rubble and continued on the other path, but I chose to run back down the way I came instead. There was no way to see this path in the dark last night from down below. I am not sure if it is visible even in the light, because of the angles, but definitely not in the dark...

exploring too much mileage

7.6km on day 25.

I planned, and still plan, on running less mileage this week, even if I find a way to continue running daily. 7.6km for tonight was a mistake.

After running acorss Kishon, I was going to run up Hayarqon and then run back home, to get about 6.5km. At the new traffic circle I needed a pit stop so I turned off on the road down to the valley. I thought the road goes all the way through to tzeelim, as there is also a road on the other side. It turned int a bit of an exploration, as the road does not go through, at least I couldn't find it in the dark on the dirt paths the road turned into. So at some point I decided to retrace my steps and go back. Running up and back then gave me far more than I had originally planned.

too much mileage

day 24. 16km.

no runner ever really knows how any given run is going to turn out. All you can really do is give yourself the best chances to do well. Train, keep to a regimen, eat healthy, sleep well, and whatever else it takes, so when you go out you have the best chance to run as well as you might expect. When you run every single day, you really have no idea. Every single day is different. One day you have more strength and one day less. One day you feel fatigued and the next day you feel great.

Today I expected to feel great but my legs really felt tired for a large part of the run.

I ran basically a combination of a few of my regular routes. I ran across Kishon, up and around to Hayarden-Dolev, a circle around Dolev, then down and out on Road 10 (3855), then up 375 for a bit of an extension and then out a short way in the direction of Tzomtet Etziyona for another extension, then back home.

This makes 72.6km for the week. Insane. I am pretty sure next week will be lower mileage.

in the books

8.1km on day 23..

Today was not a great run. Not physically - that was fine. I think it was mental. I just wasn't into the run. wasn't feeling it. I didnt have to force myself outside, but I just wasn't enjoying it while doing it, and wanted to get back home.

I had planned on running 7km, but as I was nearing my turnaround point I decided to keep going a bit to extend it, to sort of give myself the illusion of self-control - even though mentally I wanted it to be over I wanted to show myself that I am in control and would not give in to that. It isn't like the extra 6 or 7 minutes I had to run because of it was so significant, but it is the illusion of control.

Anyways, it is in the books, and that is better than there not being a run in the books..

11.5 on 22

today, for day 22, I ran 11.5km.

Planned for about 10 but felt great and decided to extend it a bit.

Tomorrow will be a shorter run, I presume, to save energy for a potential Friday long run.

draining the swamp

day 21 and running..

This was never the plan. I wanted, at first, to run for the entire week. Then I wanted to extend it to a 2nd week, as I have done before. I was not going to go further than that. Somehow I just felt great and the schedule worked out and I have really been enjoying this, so I am keeping going until I can't do it any longer...

Today was a 10km day. I chose a difficult route and really felt it . After running across Kishon I ran down Tzeelim to the 38 and back up. With some extensions here and there I concluded at 10km. the 3km climb back up Tzeelim was very difficult and slow today.

I think my 7 year old Garmin Forerunner 205 GPS watch is on its last leg. Recently it has been warning me of a low battery very quickly after using it... I did not really pay attention and suspected it wasnt fully charged. I paid attention this time and 7km into the run it is already warning me of a low battery. Now, I know I am slow, but no way does it take me so long to run 7km that the battery on my GPS watch should drain like that!

I also stepped in some mud when making a brief pit stop. So, between the watch and the mud I can call this run the draining of the swamps!

highs and lows

8km. day 20.

I did some stretching last night. My legs felt really sore. After the stretching they felt much better, and this morning's run was decent, in that regard.

It did have its ups and downs. While the run was decent, there were some points early in the run where I just felt like bailing, saying enough is enough, I just wan to go get some more sleep. But then as I approached the 5km mark I flirted with altering my route to one that would give me about 10km or even 11km if I would want it. I decided not to and when I pulled in at just above 8 I was satisfied that I had not, but it was strange to both want out early and to want to go further in the same run...

oops

I mistakenly ran 11km on my 19th consecutive day of running..

How do you mistakenly run 11km?

Well, I went out planning to run between 9-10km, assuming I would be feeling good and strong, and hoping for at least 7-8km considering I had run 8km last night. I planned my route for a 9-10km run, open to changing it as necessary.

The run was actually great. The temperature was good, and I felt strong. No pains, no hesitation, no disturbances.

At about 7km, at the end of Road 10 (3855) I considered running out part of the way towards Tzomet Etziyona to extend my run to 11-12km, because I was havign such a good run, but then decided not to - I needed to get back, and decided to be happy with what would probably turn out to be just a whisker over 10km.

With some minor adjustments that I was not even paying attention to or intending, I ended up finishing at 11km.

Saturday Night Special

consecutive day running #18...

Not a bad run for a Saturday night, but not great. Pace was slow, ala recovery runs, distance was good - 8km.

The run started off poorly. It started with a kink in my right ankle.. as that finally started to disappear, suddenly my left knee started hurting. I even had to stop to shake it out a bit, while considering to bail on the run and give it up. I decided to keep going and see if it would go away, and it did pretty quickly.

I ran across Kishon tonight, and then did a full loop around RBS, totaling 8km.

By the end of the run it was already pretty good. I was feeling good. As I was nearing the finish line I was considering doing another loop, but decided not to. I probably would not be able to run tomorrow morning if I had.

a running window appeared

consecutive day 17 is in the books with a very pleasant 11.5km. This weeks total mileage totals 64.5km - that is marathon training range (the low end), but I am not even close to that..

As you know, I went out early this morning and got rained out. I did not know if I was going to be able to make it up later or not. After running some errands, the weather seemed pretty decent at around 9:45 and I decided to go for it.

I was planning to make it a short run of about 7km, but once I was outside running it just seemed to pleasant I wanted to keep going. I considered replanning it for 14-15, but then decided that was too ambitious, and retooled my route for about 11-12km.

The weather was chilly but dry. The challenges were different running during the day - puddles, mud, more sidewalk because more cars on the roads, the cars on the roads, more people to avoid...

For about the last kilometer I had to run through a light rain, but that was ok. I bumped into another runner and we ran together for part of that last kilometer and a half or so...

And, while out running, I saw a situation of a large tree branch that had fallen on an eruv wire. I called one of the eruv people and described the location and situation. They went out very quickly to fix it. So, I was able to do a good deed in the process! It must have been min hashamayim for me to be able to go out and run just to discover that eruv problem!

rain delay

chances are high that my running streak is going to come to an end today. I woke up to a dry street. Moments after going outside to run a very cold and unpleasant rain begain to come down, so I went back inside.

I'll give it a bit of time and then try again..

still no rain, so still running

I really expected that today would put an end to my streak of  consecutive running days. The forecast was calling for heavy rains on Thursday and Friday, and I expected to wake up to too much rain to run in.

I woke up to clear starry skies and put my running shoes back on and headed out..

7.5km at a slow pace. I am hoping that tomorrow will also be runnable weather and I can get a "long" run in, so I kept it short today, though I had initially planned on 6-6.5km.

This makes it 16 consecutive days running!

avoided the rain with 10km

15th consecutive day running, in the books.

today was a bit of a challenge. the weather forecast has been saying that today would be 3 consecutive days of heavy rains and a significant drop in temperatures. I don't really mind getting caught in the rain, but I don't lik e going out when it is raining, especially raining heavily. Especially if I am not training for a marathon and therefore don't have to be out there risking getting sick.

So, when I woke up to see that it was raining, I was not sure what to do. While getting ready to runand trying to decide, it suddenly seemed to stop. I jumped at my rainless window and went out. once I was outside I could tell the rain had been really light and just sounded more serious because I had been hearing it through the leaves and trees outside my window.

Another challenge was that my watch did not turn on. I dont really need the watch to run but I like to keep track of my distance. Also, not having the watch means I have to run only on routes that I know the relevant distances. Then I remembered I could use Endomondo on my phone to track it, so all was good.

It turned out to be a great run. I ran 10km through the neighborhood at a decent pace. I started with my stretch across Kishon, and then decided to run a loop back around RBS. WHen I got to the corner of Hayarden-Dolev I went up to Dolev for a loop around Dolev, and then instead of finishing the loop around RBS, when I got back to Dolev-Hayarden I went back to do the first half of the circle and went back the same way I had come, giving me a small amount of extra distance to complete 10km.

Beautiful weather makes for a great run

When I went to bed last night my plans for this morning were to run 6-7km, considering that I had run 10km yesterday.

I woke up this morning feeling great and when I went outside the temperature and weather were just so perfect that I decided to see if I could run for longer - I just wanted to stay outside and enjoy.

I ended up running 10.5km - across Kishon and then up Hayarqon and out on Road 10 (3855) until the 375 then back.

A little bit slower than I expected, but, as said, longer than planned. And with such beautiful weather, how could it be anything but great?

if not now, when?

I planned to run 10km, and I did run 10km. But it wasn't easy.

One mistake was wearing a long sleeved shirt. I was too warm. I had expected another cold morning and figured it prudent to wear a long sleeved shirt considering the cold I seem to have contracted in the past couple of days. But it wasn't cold and I felt too warm.

Besides for that I ran down Tzeelim and back up. Up was difficult and slow. I then ran across Kishon, and at the end had to push myself to add on enough to achieve the 10km rather than take the easy route of stopping at 9km which was right near my house..

So, 10km was an achievement, but it was not a great run.

13 consecutive days running. I also almost decided to skip today and take  arest day/.. I have some raw spots on my feet and figured my legs can use a rest as can these raw spots on my feet. I don't think they are from running, but I figured resting my feet could only help. The problem is that the forecast calls for rain the second half of the week, so i feel like I need to get my runs in now, in case I can't get them in later...

Sunday morning recovery

on the 12th day of running.... have to come up with some lyrics..

7km this morning. I tried running in a long sleeved shirt and was warm, maybe too warm, but it also chafed me in a few strange places.

Ran across Kishon and then up Hayarqon, and up Hayarden until Refaim and then back. Today's run felt more, in my legs, like a recovery run then last night's run - maybe because of the small amount of time between the Saturday night run and the Sunday morning run.

Recovery Run

still going strong.. tonight was a nice 8km run. it was actually a pretty good run for a Saturday night. Decent distance, decent pace. Ran across Kishon and then a circuit around RBS, totaling 8km.

No pit stops, legs felt like Saturday night, but not as worn out as usual.

tonight made it 11 consecutive days running

closing a long distance week

Today was going to be a tough run, because  I had to go to sleep last night. I had to go to the airport, then a memorial service in memory of one of the victims of a terrorist attack 2 years ago, then an engagement part for the daughte rof a neighbor, and then I had to also work. So I figured I would not get up as early as I would hope to to get a long run in.

And that's what happened. I woke up early enough but was too tired. I reset my alarm twice, and eventually forced myself out.

I ended up running 12km at a decent pace. The wind was bad but not as bad as it was the past couple of days. it was much colder though.

I was worried about air quality because of the fires raging throughout the country, but there are none in the immediate area of Bet Shemesh. Funnily enough, while normally Bet Shemesh has one of the worst levels of air quality in the country, right now we very well might have one of the best levels.

10 consecutive days running. This weeks 7 runs from Saturday night until today give me a total of 58km for the week!

a very moving 7km

this whole week has been one big windstorm and each day had stronger winds than the day before.

I went out today for a short run and the wind was horrible. I even actually felt it physically move me a number of times.

Somehow I still had a strong run, significanltly faster than any of my other runs this week. Mayvbe because the portions where the wind was to my back it pushed me forward stronger than during any of my previous runs this week. Maybe that more than made up for the hindrance it performed when the wind was to my face.

Anyways, I ran 7km and felt great... Hopefully I'll finish the week strong tomorrow...

run with the wind to your back!

Great run, and still going strong. My legs feel surprisingly good, though they do not feel completely fresh at all.

I wondered at the start of all this if I might at some point get to a point where the leg muscles get used to this and then it becomes easy and no strain and at that point I would be able to run either longer distances easier or faster with less effort. If that might happen, I do not know, but it has not happened yet.

This morning I ran 10.5km. Once again, the winds were very strong. The one part that was good was on the hill on my way back into RBS the wind was finally to my back and I felt it made the climb up the hill slightly easier. Most of the rest of the way it seemed like a strain with the wind to my face. This week has been crazy windy.

Forrest Gump

6.5km early on another very windy morning. I picked a standard local route, running around the perimeter of the neighborhood plus a 1.5km circle on Dolev.

Strong winds, but they were only headwinds for small portions of the run. At times they were even to my back and that felt great!

7 consecutive days running now. 8 of the last 9 days. 9 of the last 11 days.

hilly 10km 6 days in

I ran 10km this morning, on another blustery day.. I felt stronger than I had expected, and the run started off well, despite the strong winds... The whole run actually went well, despite the winds, but the winds did hamper my speed significantly. Also, on the fly, I chose a relatively hilly route. After running across Kishon I chose to go down to Highway 38 and back. Down to the 38 was nice, but back up is a long 3km hill, with very steep inclines at major parts of it.

Anyways, good run. 6th consecutive day running. Now I might not even take off tomorrow as originally planned, as I seemed to feel pretty good on the run..

5 which is 7

Fifth consecutive day running. Running at 5am after running the night before, less than 12 hours prior. I had no idea how I would feel and how the run would go, so I had no idea if I would run a strong 9km or if my legs would be weak and only allow me to squeak out a weak 4km.

It turns out I felt fine, but I still did not have a strong run. I had a good run and was happy with it. I ran 7km. It was really a very strong headwind much of the way that did me in. I probably could have run more, but  a bit of weakness in my legs and fighting the headwind made me decide not to overdo it. I also want to run tomorrow morning, so I figured 7 should be enough for today.

I am not sure what day i will skip to rest my legs yet. My working theory right now is just to run as much as possible and at some point my leg muscles will get used to this abuse and it will become second nature to them. I am inclined not to take any day off, if possible, but I know that is not likely to happen. Soon the rainy weather will come and scheduling issues come up, and I know I just won't be able to get a run in every single day. So, I have to be happy with running as often as possible, without trying to ensure a daily run.

low distance Saturday nights

I have said it before, and I'll say it again. Saturday night runs are the worst.

At least now I know it and plan for that reality in advance.

Knowing that Saturday night runs are the worst, I planned to go out tonight for a 4km recovery run - just to get the muscles pumping a bit and the legs moving, and to burn a few calories from Shabbos.

On a  very slow run, I ended up running 5km, with 2 pit stops, feeling heavy, on a very windy night with a strong headwind much of the way. But I did it. and because I kept it to low distance, I might be able to go out tomorrow morning for another run that will hopefully be better...

long week

This morning was an absolutely fabulous run. The weather was perfect. I went out planning to run 12-13km. I was not quite sure how I would feel, as this would be my fifth run for the week, and third consecutive day running.

The truth is I almost bailed on the run right away. I started to run and felt little aches and pains in my knees and ankles. Also, I felt "heavy" and off balance from a late celebratory dinner last night. I decided to just move and see what happens. Within minutes everything went away and the run was just nice.

I ran and felt great and just kept running. I decided to shoot for 14km and ran out far enough that I could hit it. On my way back in I realized I would pass 14, so I planned to try to run a little extra to get to 15. With a little too much detouring, I ended up at 15.5km. I probably could have kept going, but that was enough for the day!

So, I ran 5 times this week, with good distances, and a week total of 52km.

Monday, Wednesday and Thursday good running

It is a good running week so far. On Saturday night I ran 6.5km. On Monday I ran 10.5km. On Wednesday I ran 10km. Today, Thursday, I ran 9.5km. So far so good.

Yesterday was a good run. I felt great and the run was strong. I planned for 10km but was feeling great so considered going 12km instead. In the end I decided to stick to the plan, so that it would not hurt my coming runs on Thursday and Friday.

Today was like a recovery run, though I had planned on a maximum distance of 7km, and was leaning to 5-6km. In the end I ran 9.5km. I started my regular route, unsure of which direction I would run after my initial 3km across Kishon. When I hit the end of Kishon (1.5km), I decided to change my route. I ran up Hayarden instead and then out on the 3855 (a.k.a. Road 10), back and then back down to my home, totaling 9.5km.

Tomorrow is going to be a "long" run, though I have not yet decided how long it will be. As of now I am thinking of 12-13km.

Sat night

last nigh, Saturday night, I got a 6.5km run in. It was tough, and slow,. but I got it in. I had expected to run about 4km, and then decided to keep going and made it to 6.5.

Saturday night runs are usually the worst, after overeating on Shabbos and whatnot, but I still like to do them

4th run

Great run. I ran 12km, a bit slower than expected, but understandable I guess. first "long" run in a while, and third consecutive day of running, with each day increasing distance. Still feel great and the last few km were significantly slower (I think - I did not actually check the stats on my watch) but I wasn't worn out.

Funny story - I started with my regular 3km cross of Nahal Kishon street. There were no cars on the road so I mostly ran in the street, and it was a straighter run then normal, as I normally run on the sidewalks. When I arrived back at my starting point I glanced at my watch and saw that my distance was about 500m less than normal at that point. I did not understand why but attributed it to my having run straighter than normal, even though it did not make sense that I would lose so much distance relative to such a short overall distance. Sure enough, a few hundred meters later I looked at my watch again, and the numbers had not moved out all - meaning, I had accidentally paused my watch at some point and did not lose an actual 500 meters. I must have lost a small amount of diatnce but not nearly that much..

third run of the week

I went out yesterday for a run and got in 7+km at a decent pace. Stilll feeling great.

I went out this morning and ran 8.3km. Today's run was a bit slower - I felt a biut worn out, but I still felt strong - I didnt havwe to force myself to keep going. Let's see if I can make this a four run week tomorrow, even though it is low mileage.

One of my recent inspirations is a couple of recent interviews I heard with runners, in particular one with Ed Whitaker, the 80+ runner who recently set a record for his age group in a marathon - and it was faster than my personal best. Whitaker spoke about how he runs every day. Forget about distance and speed and timing and nutrition and all that jazz. He runs every day. I heard it from another runner as well in another interview I recently heard. Every day.

I don't know if I will get to running every day, but I do feel that i can run more than I usually do...

getting back to running

It has been about 3 weeks since my last run. Even that run was during a tailspin of lack of running, so I probably hadn't run much in the days before that run either..

the reason for this drought was the Chicago Cubs playing in the playoffs and World Series. I was waking up at 2 or 3am for each game. On the days with no game, I was making up a tiny bit of the sleep I was lacking from the other days. And I did not have enough energy to run at night.

So, now that the World Series is behind us, and I've made up some of my missing sleep over the past few days since the last game, I can get back to running now.

This morning I woke up early to go out for my run. I almost went back to bed claiming to be too tired, but forced myself out. I'm happy I did.

I decided to start slow and go for a short run. I am not worried about fitness or having lost my ability - the amount of time I was not running is minimal, and fitness loss is negligible. However, to avoid injuries, I did not want to start with a 10km at full speed. You have to move back into it slowly.

So, I went out and ran 4km at decent speed. Tomorrow or Wednesday I'll go out for another run, and by next week I'll be back to my full distance and get back to building up again, both distance and speed.

Running for myself

woke up nice and early and got a 13km run in this morning.

13km was longer than I had considered, and a few times I considered ending it but chose to keep going, so that was good. It was a little bit slower than expected, at 6:37mpk, but considering this was a "long" run after yesterday's "speedwork", it is not surprising.

Good running. I like this low-key running just for fitness and enjoyment and personal settling of my mind and body. I am happy to not be training for anything (I only mention it because over the past few days a few people have asked me if I am planning any races or big runs this year).. While I have said I am not training for anything but am open-minded about it if my running goes well enough, I am actually leaning towards ruling out any races (except maybe Jerusalem for charity) and just continuing running the way I am now.

running great

running this morning was awesome. I have not run since that lousy run right after Rosh Hashana, so getting out this morning felt really good.

Unfortunately, for my running, the next couple of weeks is going to be really tough. Between holiday schedules and the Cubs post-season schedule, it is going to be difficult to find time and ability to run.

Went out this morning unsure of how the run would go. Being right after the fast of Yom Kippur and a week and  a half of no running made me suspicious of having to slog through the run, just to get my legs going.

Surprise surprise, I felt strong right from the first step. I ran across Kishon and back, and then out to the end of Road 10 and back. I ran much of it hard, and finished 10km at 1 hour and a few seconds. My average pace on my watch shows as 6:03.

lousy run

post-holiday run was lousy. I felt like I couldn't move. Cramps and random pains and just a very heavy feeling. It probably comes from overeating, and especially from overeating at a very late lunch today just a few hours before..

At least I went out, even struggling through it, and tried.

start to short running week

got a good start to the week. went out and ran 9.5km at a recovery pace, meaning very slow.

nothing exciting or unusual about this run. this week is Rosh Hashana which means little running will happen. I wont run tomorrow morning because I ran tonight. Monday and tuesday will be off for Rosh Hashana. Wednesday is a fast day so I probably wont run. Maybe I'll get a run in on Tuesday night instead.

record week

I made it out nice and early. My long runs still are not all that long, but they are long enough for me right now. Today's long run was 16km. It was very slow, and it had a lot of uphill running in it. I ran up Kishon and down Tzeelim and up to "Gimmel" and around Gimmel for a while, then down and back to RBS A, then up to Hayarden-Hayarqon, then up to Dolev-Dolev (almost) and then back home with some extensions to ensure I would hit 16km.

Today's run gives me five runs for the week totaling 53km!

The coming weeks filled with holidays will surely mean less running.

short over long

I was debating whether to go out this morning for a long run or for a short run.

In favor of a long run would be because:
1. I did not run yesterday and was well rested.
2. who knows what tomorrow might bring
3. running short today might harm my chances for a good long run tomorrow

In favor of a short run would be because:
1. Friday is always more convenient from a scheduling perspective for a long run
2. tradition

In the end I decided that Friday is the long run day, and today would be a short run. I ended up running 10.5km and felt great.

Hopefully tomorrow I'll get a good long run in of maybe 16km or so

So far this week I have run 8, 10, 9, and 10.5. This could still turn into, if plans work out, a 5 run week. Have not had one of those in a long time. I could also set a new high (since my return) for my weekly distance. Anything above 9km tomorrow and I have reached a new high.

base run moves up

Great run this morning. I ran a decent 9km and felt great. I ran a bit slower, after yesterday's quasi-interval workout, but I got past the distance I was looking for, feeling great the whole time.

It seems my base-run has moved up from 5 or 6 km to 8 or 9 km, so I'll consider that an accomplishment.

running hard

Today was an awesome run. I wanted to run in the range of about 10km, so I went out on a standard 10km course - out 5km on the 375 to Tzomet Etziyona and back.

This course has uphill and downward trends in both directions, so it is pretty even.

I wanted to push myself more on this run and I ran with a lot of energy. I ran several intervals through the course where I ran at what I think is my maximum speed.

I finished the course strong and concluded 10km at 1 hour of running time. My watch said the pace was an average of 6:05 per kilometer. I am not sure how that works exactly, as 10km in 60 minutes should be an average pace of 6. so either the watch is doing its calculations wrong or a few seconds off (it was 60 minutes and a few seconds) makes that much of a difference.

if I can do this a few more times, I should start seeing some significant improvement in my average speed.

Saturday night recovery

I did not get to write here much last week, so I apologize for that. I ran a lot, sort of, but it was poorly scheduled.

I ran Saturday night, and then not again until Wednesday. Then I ran Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. So I got 4 runs in, which is a lot for me right now, but they were poorly scheduled. 3 consecutive runs means my legs were tired and none of them were too great.

On Wednesday I ran 12+km while feeling great with an awesome run, on Thursday I ran 8km recovery - very slow, then on Friday I ran 12km again - having hoped for anywhere between 12 and 16km.

I really have to work on better scheduling, so each run can be a better run on stronger legs.

Tonight, Saturday night, I ran 8km recovery. I am actually happy with the distance. I was going to run 7km, then while on the run I was going to bail after 3km as I was struggling and having a hard time breathing. I stopped for a pit stop and then felt better. I figured I would do a full circuit of RBS and then stop, but by then I was feeling good, so I finished my circuit and then did another 3 with some additional extension to complete the 8km.

good start to a new week

I took 3 days off of running after having some pains. I figured I have been running a lot recently, both in frequency relative to what I have been running and in distance, and figured it was time to rest my body. Nobody wants to push through pain and end up injured, especially when I am just running for fitness and not training for a marathon or anything in particular.

So 3 days off it was.

Tonight, after Shabbos, I went out for a slow run. I was looking to run 9km. While out on the run I decided I would run some uphill terrain, and ended up running up to RBS Gimmel, and around some random road sin Gimmel - whichevr road I came across that took me uphill. By the end of the run, by the time I made it back home, I had run a slow 10km, and felt great. No aches or pains, an dI probably could have kept going for a much longer run. I'll save that for later in the week, but am happy to have gotten it off to a good start!

running and bailing

yesterday I ran 10km.

I ran out on Kvish 10, at 4:30am. It was nice and quiet. I felt good.

I was looking forward to running today another 14-16km on the same road, but I just went out and changed my mind immediately. As soon as I started running I felt some pain in my ankle and decided it was prudent to not run today. I don't want to aggravate anything. Hopefully I'll get this one in tomorrow instead.

recovery

recovery run tonight. I ran about 5.5km, very slow, very tough.

Recovery runs are important as they help the muscles recover from the long runs. Hopefully it actually works and my netxt run will be string again

epic run with some great results

Today was an epic one for my return to running...

I went out planning a long run. I decided to do a route that is a circle - the Lamed Hei road - being from RBS out to the 10 - 375 to Tzomet HaElah - 38 to Tzeelim and back up Tzeelim to RBS. This is a route of about 18km. The distance is one aspect of it being epic for me right now, but the commitment is another aspect.

When you run an out and back, even if you add little side detour runs to add distance, you are not really committing, mentally - you figure you can always turn back - if you aren't feeling well, if the run isn't going well, whatever. When you run a circuitous route, at a certain point there is no turning back. Sure, until you get to the point of no return you can change your mind and turn around early, but mentally by choosing to run a circuitous route you have committed and you just go do it.

Just a couple of km into the run I came across the BS running club members out for their 22km run - they were taking a water break. That was nice - I have not seen them in a while nor run with them, and now I did, even if just for a few moments. Then I cut up to another couple of friends who were out for a 12km run, and I ran with them for about 1.5km. Then I was back to running on my own, with the running club out in the distance.

I hit the 10km mark just under the hour mark, which is another point that was epic for me, though the first 10km of this route is mostly a slight downhill. I knew the last 8km would be much more difficult, with both the Zechariya hill and the Tzeelim hill - both 2 and 3km hill climbs that are pretty steep.

At about 10km I finished the water I had been carrying, and then just chugged on. It was a great run. I felt strong until nearly the end. At the end I added a small amount and finished at 18.5km. My average speed was only slightly slower than Tuesday's 15km run, but this was a much hillier route.

So, overall a great run on a beautiful morning.

Back on the horse with a new record distance

Taking two days off after a lousy run really turned out to be a great idea, even though it was not really planned. Sunday I could not run because of scheduling issues, and Monday I woke up a bit later than usual and woke up tired after going to sleep very late on Sunday night, so a run was out of the question.

Last night I was exhausted and went to sleep earlier than usual, and woke up earlier than usual as a result. I was feeling great and when I went out for a run I was undecided as to whether to go for a run of about 9km or to try for a long run.

I started off with 3km out to the end of Kishon and back, as that is flat and it is a good stretch to start with, both as an addition to another distance without having to run out too far and possibly get stuck somewhere, and just for a nice flat start.

I was feeling strong and great so i decided to go for a long run. I ran out to the 375, and with a couple of additional detours to add a bit of mileage, such as turning left on the 375 towards Gush Etzion for about 500 meters, and then turning towards Neve Michael for another 500 meters out and back (each way), I only had to run a short distance past the satellites, and by the time I got home I was at 15.5km. Another record distance for me since returning to running.

And, not only did I hit a new record distance, but when I looked at my watch I discovered I had shaved a fulled 11 seconds per kilometer off my speed from my recent previous runs, both long and short. I felt great the entire time, but I was surprised to see such a significant boost in speed.

One thing I did differently is that I took water with me and drank a bit on the road but planted it for my return run when I might be feeling a bit weaker. So, I drank a bit along the way, and maybe that helped, but in general I was feeling strong.

Don't give up after a bad run. or a bad day at anything else in life. Get back on the horse and try again another day.

First lousy run

on Friday I had a great run, after Thursday's 14km long run. I did not know how long of a run I would be able to sustain on Friday, so I went out with an open mind, and was hoping for anywhere between 6km and 9km.

I ended up running about 7.5km and felt very good the entire way, so I considered that a good run.

Tonight however was one of those runs that was just lousy. I went out thinking it would be a good run, after a day and a half of rest from Thursday and Friday's runs. I went out and my legs felt like they were filled with lead. I just could not move.

I had been planning on running the entire Kishon and back, which starts with a flat 3km, and then a circuit around RBS, totaling about 7.5km.

Seeing how it was going, I decided to bail much sooner. I was going to run just the first 3km and call it a night, but in the end decided to do a circuit of RBS instead, making my run a total of about 4.5km. I figured even a lousy run is better than nothing, and at least I was sweating out a few calories. We can even call this a recovery run, if necessary.

I must say though that this was really my first lousy run since my return to running. Sometimes it happens. You just have to push through and put it behind you.

back in Israel with a new record..

Having arrived back in Israel from the USA yesterday, I was conflicted as to whether I should run a long or a short run this morning. I suspected I would not wake up early enough anyway, but if I would, should I keep it short as my body might be tired form the travel, or should I go for long as I have not yet run long this week due to the travel schedule?

I woke up early enough, so that was not a problem.

After a momentary glitch with some pain in a foot that almost made me bail on the run at the very beginning, I persevered and continued running. The pain went away a just several moments later. I felt really strong and decided I would try to go for a long run.

Everything felt great until the last 2 or so kilometers when I felt worn out. I finished with 14+km, a new high since my return to running, and according to my GPS watch my speed was also just slightly faster than it has been until now.

It felt great to be able to come back and run like that right away, especially with the addition of hills here that don't exist in Chicago. Maybe the "high" of being back home gave me that extra boost...

winding down in Chicago

Today's run might have been my last in Chicago. I am not sure I'll get one in tomorrow. Today I ran 6.5km through the neighborhood. I didn't have a route in mind, just went exploring. I wanted to run through one of the old parks we used to play in. It used to have a little zoo and a duck pond, though I had heard a few years ago that they got rid of the little zoo.

Indian Boundary Park seemed much smaller than I remembered it, but they say the size is the same. Anyways, had a nice run. Good weather, though a bit humid.

I would have thought running flat would have improved my speed, but, alas, it did not. This might just be my new speed.

It has been fun, and I am happy I was able to run a bit and temper the amount of food I have been eating with burning some calories by running. Maybe I'll get one last run in tomorrow, maybe not. There is a forest preserve trail I would like to run on if I get the chance.

running in Chicago

I am in Chicago now and for the first time am running abroad. I started my running "career" in Israel and this is the first time I've been abroad since then.

Yesterday I ran a short 6km run through the residential neighborhood in which I am staying. It was interesting to see my old neighborhood this way.

Today I ran 13km through a beautiful bike trail that is adjacent to the North Channel of the Chicago River. It goes through a large business district but the trail is through a beautiful park-type area. I ran through the neighborhood from Howard down to Devon. At Devon I ran across to McCormick and took the trail up north all the way to Dempster. At Dempster I turned into Evanston crossing the river and down through Harbert Park to Main, crossed back to McCormick and ran the trail back down south to Touhy and then through the neighborhood up to the house.

Beautiful run through the grassy areas. There were geese and squirrels, lots of bikers, some walkers and a few other runners.

Breaking through

Since I started running regularly again, I have limited my topside in distance to about 10 kilometers. I have run as far as 10.5, but I have refrained from letting myself hit the 11km mark. I felt I could probably do it, but I really was not yet ready for it. I needed to build up strength before going to the next level, breaking through the 10km mark.

Last night I decided that today would be the day. I have been running well and feeling strong, and while I am still slower than molasses I am at least noticing a slight increase in speed even when going the longer distances.

And I just ran 12 kilometers, without walking, without taking breaks, without struggling, and at the same consistent speed I  have been running at in my most recent runs.

Feels great!

back to running

After a long break from running due to a combination of laziness, fairly consistent sedentary behavior, and a bout of tendinitis in my ankle, I have motivated myself to start running again. I had a few false starts where I would go for a run a couple times a week and then it would fizzle out and I would go a month without running until I tried again. But now I have been running 3-5 times a week for the past 3 weeks, and I love it. I like how I feel, I like the weight-loss, I like the energy it gives me. I think it is real this time. I don't know yet if it is going to lead to another marathon in the near-future, but at least I am out there running, burning calories, and getting fit.

I started off with very short distances, and now I am easily running distances of 10-11km. The biggest "problem" is that I am slower than molasses - yes, even slower than before. I am not looking for any specific target speed, but I would feel good if I were able to at least get close to the speed I used to run at. Slowly but surely I see my speed getting a tiny bit faster each time...

It is a bit easier when thinking of every run as a recovery run!

And when you wake up at 4am to get a run in before having to start an early day, you know your commitment is strong!