My running game...

I've tried a few approaches to this. I've also been using different tools to help track any and all data. I've also had a running partner for the most part - my dog Karma.

So after Ashley C. died, I started with higher than normal mileage right off the bat. Totally against everything that is preached. I don't know how to grieve to tell you the truth and the pain I got during and/or after runs was just a reminder that I am alive. A little sadistic I'm sure, but true. I ran over 18 miles in the first 10 days. I took two days off, btw. I was pretty sore, but I felt really good. I was doing intervals like 3 min walk & 6 min run until I finished. Then I upped the run to 9 mins at a time. Then 12 minutes at a time. Now I run 97% of the way.

The dog was able to keep up with me on those initial weeks of running; unfortunately, now I drag her to keep her moving. I'm having to slow down for her. This makes me sad. :( She is getting close to 8 years old, so I guess she can't keep up with me forever. I tease Dave saying that we need to get a second dog so I can still have a running partner. Lol. O:)

I've been using my phone (iPhone 4) to run an app called "Runkeeper." I've been using the website www.runkeeper.com for a couple of years now. The app is rather handy since it has a GPS and you can program it to notify you of time, pace, and distance at different times. I also used Pandora to listen to music. I've experimented with different types of music and how they affect my attitude, pace, motivation, etc. For a while, the Dance Cardio station did good. Got bored. Then I used the "Breaking Benjamin" station. Got bored. So on and so forth. Kept getting bored with the stuff I was listening to! Crazy coming from a professional musician, isn't it?

Then a couple of weeks ago I did something liberating....

Ready for it?









I left the phone at home! That's right... No music. No tracking application reminding my of time, pace, distance, etc. It was just me, the dog, and the road. I went WAY faster! Not to mention I actually ENJOYED the run. Lol. I'm going to look into this a bit and see if this is a coincidence or something that happens to other people.

So getting rid of the phone made me faster and want to run further. I still track my runs and other workouts through the Runkeeper website, just not with the phone. Unfortunately now the dog has to stay at home while I run. :(