August 25: A one-mile run, timed

Very, very good news...

This evening my wife and I jogged down to the track where she would time my mile run. My plan was to run a sub 5:15 mile tonight, then go for sub 5:00 on Monday, August 31.

All day I had been nervous, and before I started the run I was even more so. I jogged two laps to loosen up, then did a couple short sprints. My wife was getting bored, so I had to get over to the starting line and get going. Plus it was getting pretty dark.

I counseled her on shouting out my lap times, then lined up and and waited for her to say "go." I pushed hard my first lap, knowing a good time would save me seconds on my next two laps.

Apparently my wife didn't know she needed to actually shout my lap times, because I couldn't hear her say my time after the first lap. Heavy footsteps and breathing cancels out a lot of noise.

My pace through lap two felt great, but again, as I passed through the end of the lap I couldn't hear my wife say my time. I yelled for it, and I thought she said 2:17. If it was true, I knew I could do it.

Lap three, which I thought would be the most grueling, actually felt pretty good. My stride felt very efficient and my breathing capable.

At the end of lap three I heard 3:35 or 3:45. I couldn't tell which one my wife had said, but I knew I could meet my goal even if it was the latter. Assuming the latter, I put my all into the last lap. At the 200M mark I amped up for an all-out sprint. I was worried my legs would give out early as my muscles lost all energy, but the thought of meeting my goal kept me going full bore.

I crossed the finish line and collapsed on the track. My wife walked over to me and read my time. 4:46.8. I managed to pull myself up and we took a victory lap in the dark, in front of empty bleachers.

So... I guess that's it.

August 24: 3-mile run, after a few days off

I actually went out for an easy 3 or 4-mile run on Thursday last week, I just didn't bother to post it. After that I had a little time to relax over the weekend and put running aside.

Now it's Monday though, and I'm back to work. This evening I ran three miles in 19:11; not bad for an evening run. A month ago I couldn't run that time in a 5-K race. I'm definitely getting faster, but am I getting fast quickly enough?

I'll find out tomorrow, when I go for another 1-mile attempt. My wife has agreed to time me and shout lap times. I'm eager to know what my splits will be. I'm not expecting to break 5 tomorrow, but I think I can hit 5:15.

August 19: ASU Ciruit Workout, and a fast 400

Tonight I did the Arizona State Circuit Workout, or so it is called by my "trainer." The 1st lap is 100 jog, 100 sprint, 100 jog, 100 sprint. The 2nd lap is 200 jog, 200 sprint. The 3rd lap is the same as 2nd, and the 4th lap the same as the 1st. Then you jog two laps and repeat.

The workout wasn't as exhausting as last night's, but I did feel like it worked up my fast-twitch muscles and my ability to speed up in the middle of a run. After all that I sprinted 100 yards on the football field, four times. It felt good to run on the grass.

After the workout I got on my bike and started to ride home, then stopped, realizing I still had some juice left in me. I turned around and went back to the track where I ripped out a 1:05 400M run. My new record!

I'll be taking the next few days off, which might be good a time for my muscles to rest and repair.

August 18: 400M intervals and a 200M race

I did my trainer's favorite workout today: six 400M intervals with only a 60-second break in between. Dang him to heck for coming up with it.

I felt pretty burned out after just my first two, and you can see I kind of took a dive on just my second interval: 1:13 - 1:17 - 1:13 - 1:16 - 1:15 - 1:14.

My times weren't any faster than last week, but my sixth 400 was 3 seconds faster than it was last week. That's a good sign. I guess I'm learning to handle lactic acid; like an old cowboy learns to handle old whiskey.

After my 400s I did a couple 200M runs. Then I started chatting with some guy that was also doing 200M intervals. His name was Ariel, from Uruguay, and he's 46. He was actually a semi-professional runner back in the day, taking third place in the marathon in the Uruguay nationals.

We raced in the 200M twice, and I humbly mention that I beat him both times. Anyway, nice guy.

August 17: Sore muscles and an 800M run

I had plans to do a pretty hard workout today, but I woke up this morning with some very sore muscles. Saturday was a light running day, but I did play two games of basketball so that must have done me in.

I considered taking the day off, knowing an injury would put an end to this thing (actually, that might not be so bad). Instead, I went for an easy jog down to the track, where I ran an 800. My time was 2:29.92, good for a sub 5-minute mile pace. I really didn't run all-out, so I was happy with the time. I think I could have run another lap at that pace.

I've got two tough interval days planned for this week, and I'll recover this weekend. Then next week I'll take another swing at my mile time. Batters up!

August 15: Runnin' in the rain

Today's workout pretty much got botched. First off, it was only about 55 degrees and raining when I started out.

I had plans to do some tough intervals at the track, but after I ran down to the high school track I found they were holding a pre-season football game. The track was closed to running. So I ran over to the junior high school, but was surprised to find no track there. I then ran back to the high school track, but the football game was still going on.

I spent 2-miles of running just looking for a stupid track, so I walked up to the main road and went on a 1.5-mile run back home. I guess I'll be back at it on Monday.

(By the way, I looked at Google Maps when I got home and there IS a track at the junior high--the dang thing is just hidden behind a hill!)

August 13: 6.5-mile run

Tonight I went on the longest run of my training, since July 1. The route was just over 6 1/2 miles. It actually felt really good, it was a nice night and it smelled like rain (which had fallen earlier in the evening). Tomorrow will be a day off, then I'll punish myself at the track on Saturday morning.

August 12: Another lactic acid test, via 400s

I've complained about them once and I'll complain about them again... I hate 400M intervals. Per the suggestion of my trainer (again, he's some random dude that's been giving me tips on an internet forum) I ran six 400's today, but here's the kicker: I only took a 60-second break in between.

My trainer said a shorter break in between my intervals would better test my body's ability to handle lactic acid.

Without doing this workout, 60-seconds seems like plenty of time for a break. But let me tell you what, it goes by very fast and suddenly you're back at the starting mark, running hard through another blasted lap.

It was definitely the hardest workout I've done in my training. The first four 400's weren't too bad, but the last two were wretched. By the sixth, my muscles felt like jelly and I couldn't see straight. In other words, there was no way I could have passed a sobriety test.

Here are my times: 1:12 - 1:15 - 1:14 - 1:14 - 1:15 - 1:17. (The first four laps add up to a 4:55 mile; hot dog!)

August 11: Just a run

I'm not sure how far I ran tonight. Probably about 3 miles. I wanted to take it easy because my "trainer" has me lined up for a rigorous workout tomorrow at the track. Tune in tomorrow night for details on that.

I should run more at night. It's very refreshing, running amongst the city lamps and car lights.

August 10: 1-mile run

What I wanted: 5:20. What I got: 5:28. It's obviously my best time ever, but I still have a long way to go if I'm gonna make 4:59. My unofficial deadline is still August 31.

I'm definitely dragging the most in my second and third lap, the third especially. I'm just too hesitant to go very hard on either of those because I'm worried about not having enough for a strong finish in my final lap.

What I wish I had was a good way to figure out my times at the end of each lap. The "lap" feature on my iPod stopwatch is just too hard to use without slowing down my pace for a few strides.

Accomplishing this feat is going to be A LOT harder than I ever thought it would. It's going to be very difficult to break 5 minutes outside of a race; it's just too easy to hold back when I'm running on my own. We'll see what happens over the next three weeks...

August 8: 5K race

I tested my endurance in a 5K race this morning. I came in at 18:55. That's good progress from my 5K time of 19:33, two weeks ago. I went out plenty fast, probably too fast. I've always had a problem restraining myself immediately after the starting gun; it just seems that the right thing to do is sprint off.

I got passed by a couple runners at about 1.5 miles, but then I passed a couple runners in the final 1/4 mile. After all was said and done I finished 6th. I was happy with the kick I had at the end of the race; for that I'll thank all the blasted 400M intervals I've done.

Here's the funny thing about competitive running... I'm pretty sure it's the only sport where the competitor enjoys the end of the event more than competing in the event. No runner really enjoys running a race as much as they enjoy finishing it. The actual act of competing is grueling, but it's nice when it's over.

On the other hand, no basketball or football player is thinking "I can't wait until this is over" in the middle of the game. They enjoy the time they're competing. They enjoy shooting or passing a lot more than they enjoy walking off the court or field at the end of the game.

Now you have an idea of what was going through my mind during today's race.

August 6: 4-mile run

Despite a couple tough days of intervals this week, I still managed to hammer out a 4-mile run this evening. The only real highlight of the evening was getting flipped off by a car full of idiots. I was hoping to catch up to them so I could kick their car door in, but I couldn't run 40 mph.

My time was 27:17 (about 10 days ago it was 29:49), and I was happy to have stayed under 7-minute miles.

I have to admit I'm not real happy with my running shoes. It seems like my feet go in and out of numbness near the end of 3 or 4-mile runs. I think they lack some cushioning, possibly a trade-off for them being a lighter shoe. Expect me to be on the look out for some inserts.

August 5: A full track, and some good news

Usually the track is fairly empty, but this evening seemed like "bring your kids and heavy-set friends to the track day." I had to dodge kids on bikes and large adults throughout my intervals. I don't mean to sound like a pompous runner, but what happened to track etiquette? If you're not running, get the heck out of lane 1!

Anyway...

Good news! I ran an 800 today in 2:29.32. I usually round up, but there's no need to in this instance. It's the longest I've run at sub 5-minute mile pace--my last 800 was around 2:42.

The 800 tired me out very much--I went out for another one but got tired and decided to make it a 400 instead. I ran a total of four 400s after my 800, and the times are as follows: 1:15, 1:13, 1:14, and 1:15. Then I finished the workout with four 100s, untimed.

August 4: 3-mile run

I'm getting to be pretty happy with my 3-mile times. I went for a not-so-hard run tonight, mostly as a cool-down from yesterday's intervals, but I still came in at 20:11. Knowing that I could run under 20 minutes at will is pleasing.

I'm starting to really wish I had a 1-mile race to compete in. It would be so much easier to meet my goal in a race; it's just too dang easy to ease off on the pedal when I'm running alone.

Random mile trivia:

The current American record-holder in the 1600M run is Alan Webb with a time of 3:47. In 2001 he ran a sub 4-minute mile, being the first American high school runner to break the mark in 36 years.

August 3: More 400Ms and an acid test

My trainer, i.e., some guy I've been talking to on an internet forum, said I need to run at least six 400s to test my "ability to handle lactic acid." I've never run more than four 400s in a single workout.

I'm not 100% sure what lactic acid is, but by my sixth lap this evening it felt like satan's vomit was running through my veins. Here's how I handled it, though:

1:10 - 1:15 - 1:14 - 1:13 - 1:14 - 1:12.

I was pretty happy about getting my time down as much as I did by my sixth lap. On July 7 my fourth 400M was 1:21, so I'm excited about such progress. However, it should be noted that my trainer said to try this workout with only a 60-second break in between intervals. My breaks were more like 2 minutes... but he doesn't need to know that.

August 1: Heel striker

I did quite a bit of reading last night on running techniques. It seems the cool thing to do is run on the balls of your feet, which is the natural tendency when you're running barefoot. That's why people say it's "more natural" to also run that way with shoes on.

I'm a heck of a heel striker, I realized. What I read said you want to limit the amount of time your feet are on the ground, so if you hit heel first you've got to roll all the way to your toes before you take off again. Plus you "hit the brakes" for a split second when your heel hits in front of you.

This morning I ran down to the track and then ran four 400M's to see if I could run on the balls of my feet. My first 400 came in at 1:13--a bit slow. On my next 400 I worked on landing more on the middle of my foot, rather than the ball or the heel. 1:11. I continued that technique for the next two and came in at 1:12 and 1:13.

So I'm not sure which way is best. After my 400's I ran the stairs in the stands for a little bit, then ran home. Then I had two basketball games to play in, so today was a pretty active day. I celebrated by drinking some pop. Canada Dry ginger ale.

July 31: 3-mile run

I took yesterday off, but bounced right back into things today. I went out for a 3-mile run on the streets of my hood. Despite running in the sizzling late-afternoon sun, I still ripped a time of 19:53. It should be noted that I generally round up to the nearest second when reporting my times...

I'm real happy with that time--during the run I started thinking I'd end up at 21:something because it felt so slow, especially the second mile. To run a faster time than I'm feeling is a good thing, I believe.

July 29: 1-mile run, and more...

I just couldn't leave well enough alone.

I didn't feel ready for another 1-mile run, but I was anxious to know my time. So I rode my bike down to the track (to save energy) and took to the loop. After about one lap I felt my muscles get tired and I knew I was dragging. Things didn't get better in the remaining laps.

I ran the dang thing in 5:46, then looked around for a 2x4 to hit myself upside the head with. I was so mad. In fact, I was so mad I took off for a 400M run and came in at 1:09. Not bad. Then I took off for another 400M and came in at 1:26. Bad.

Again I was mad, so I moved over to lane 6 (I decided lane 1 was for winners, and I was not a winner--not tonight) and just ran laps.

I ran until I had a horrible side ache and my mouth was terribly dry with thrist. My bike was on the side of the track, with a full water bottle, but every time I passed my water bottle I told it to go to heck.

I ran until my side ache and thrist went away. I ran until I was dead tired. Then I ran until I wasn't tired anymore. I don't know how many laps I ran, probably 8 or 9. Then I sprinted for as long as I could.

After all that, I felt great. Right now my calves feel like their going to explode, and I probably won't be able to walk tomorrow. But I like to think I ran through my slump. I hope tonight was a turning point in my blasted quest.

July 28: 4-mile run

Tonight I went out for good ol' fashioned run through the neighborhood.

My time was 29:49 on a 4-mile run; certainly not a fast pace, but I wasn't really going for that. It's actually the longest run I've gone on since I started my training, and I think doing more 4 or 5-mile runs could help my endurance.

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't worried about meeting my goal by the end of next month... or ever. In my mind it still seems plausible, but when I run a short distance at a 5-minute mile pace it seems pretty far away. What baffles me most is the people that can run a mile under 4 minutes. After the little training I've done, that just seems impossible.

Random mile trivia:

The first high school runner to break the 4-minute mile was Jim Ryun in 1964. He did it five times. After his running career he served as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, representing Kansas.

July 27: Intervals... I hate them

Intervals are the burr under my saddle as I ride my way to this goal (how's that for phraseology?). I hate them, but I must do them. Or so say the experts.

I'd rather just go out for runs, but I've heard the best way to run a given time in the mile is to run a lot of intervals consistent with the goal speed. So I need to be able to easily run 2:29 800's and 1:14 400's.

I ran four 400M's this evening; the first three came out at 1:11, 1:10, and 1:12. Then I had this great desire to run my last 400 in 1:08 (my fastest to date is 1:09), but I got tired as heck half way through and it ended up being a lousy 1:15. I think I need to be able to run at least eight 400's under 1:15, but I'm a couple weeks away from getting there.

Next I ran four 200's, all at the 33/34 second mark. I was wasted by then, so they were dang hard. Take into account the 2 miles it took to run to the track and back, and I ran a total of 3 1/2 miles tonight.

July 25: 5K race

On Saturday I ran a little 5K race. There were only about 50 runners, male and female, young and old, but it was good to get into some form of race mode. I was hoping to come in under 20 minutes, and my hope was fulfilled. My time was 19:33, good for 3rd overall.

Being in a race really does help your pace. I found I was better able to ignore pains and tiredness when I had to keep up with someone, as apposed to when I'm alone on the track.

In high school my best 5K time was about 18:15, if I remember correctly. I'm wondering why it's so hard getting back to where I was 9 years ago. I'm also wondering why I'm trying to break a 5-minute mile if I couldn't do it back then. But whatever.

Since there really aren't many one-mile races anymore, I was thinking I could try to break the 5-minute mile by entering a 5K race and just bailing after the first mile.

For one, it would feel good to lead the pack of a race--if only for a mile. Secondly, it would kind of be funny because I'd throw off the pace of all the front runners. It would also confuse a lot of people when I quit the race after a mile and jogged off with my fists in the air, in celebration.

July 22: 800's are a killer

I thought I really hated running 400M intervals, but 800's might be worse. I took a swing at four of them tonight. While I was happy to get through that many (I've had a hard time getting through four 400's), I wasn't real ecstatic with my times.

1st: 2:42
2nd: 2:43
3rd: 2:54
4th: 2:55

Big diff between the 2nd and 3rd, you probably noticed. I was just so tired and winded. My newest strategy is to spend more time over the next couple weeks working on distance, rather than speed. Gotta get those lungs in order!

For some reason there was a random 10-year old kid at the track, riding laps on his scooter. He was kicking his way along the concrete path inside of lane one. For some reason it's really hard to take your running seriously when you're running neck and neck with a kid on a scooter.

July 21: Getting worse

I went out for a 3-mile run right after work, and I clocked it at 20:40. That sucks; my last 3-mile run was 20:11.

It was 95 degrees outside, so I'm going to blame it on that.

Random mile trivia:

The current record holder in the mile is Hicham El Guerrouj from Morocco, with a time of 3:43.13. Even if I were to run a 4:59 mile, he'd still be able to lap me.

July 20: Gaining a bit of consistency

I read this article last night: http://www.wikihow.com/Run-a-Fast-Mile, and it made me wish I would have done a little research on a good training program before I plunged into this godforsaken goal.

There is absolutely no rhyme or reason to my training; I just randomly alternate short runs and long runs. Now I'm worried that I've blown the last 20 days that I've had to work on my goal.

Oh well, by August 31 I'll find out what is what.

I ran on down to the track this evening and churned out four 400-meter intervals. My first one took 1:11 and I was a bit dissappointed, seeing how I ran one in 1:09 over a week ago. I kept plugging away though, and the next three came in at 1:11, 1:12, and 1:11.

Obviously I was happy to have some consistency. Consecutively that would be a 4:45 mile, meaning I've got 14 seconds of slack to make my goal.

I finished with a Usain Bolt-like 100M sprint, which unfortunately went untimed.

July 17: 2.5-mile run

Nothing fancy from Friday night's workout. I played basketball earlier in the evening, so a 2.5-mile run was all I could handle. It also went untimed.

Since my calf muscles have been in constant discomfort ever since I started training for this goal, I'm going to take it easy until Monday. A little R&R could do me good.

Random mile-run quote:

"I found longer races boring. I found the mile just perfect."

Roger Bannister
First person to break the 4-minute mile (pictured above)

July 16: Working on my work-out music

I didn't run a meter today. I'm not dedicated enough to get up and run before work, so I usually run at night. Tonight I had a late, large dinner, so I wasn't really up to running on a full stomach. I've had enough side aches from hell to not do that again.

I didn't neglect my goal, though. I spent a good deal of time overhauling my workout playlist for my iPod. I believe a good, upbeat song can be the x-factor in a good run.

That being said, I've been wondering, what are the best running songs? Here is a few songs I think should be in contention:

This River is Wild, The Killers
Such Great Heights, The Postal Service
In This City, Igul & Hartly

July 15: Intervals, and what I'll do when I break 5

I jogged the mile to the local track, then ran a 400. I was hoping for 1:05ish, but I came in at 1:09. Oh well, 5-minute miles don't break themselves, I've learned.

After my 400 I ran five hard 200's, with 200-meter jogs in between. I was pretty dang tired by my fifth; I think that crap I said a couple posts ago about being in shape was wrong. Speaking of getting into good shape, I'm drinking a Dr. Pepper as I write this. Dang it.

A lot of people have been asking me what I'll do once I break the 5-minute mile. (Actually, nobody has been asking me. Heck, I don't even know if more than 5 people know about my goal.)

Anyway, I was thinking I could tag my mile time to the end of my name, kind of like people do with academic degrees. So instead of "John Doe, Ph.D.," or "John Doe, M.A.," it'd be "John Doe, 4:59."

Now that I look at it, though, that may not work. People might think I'm a Bible verse, or something.

July 14: 3-mile run ...and some mile trivia

Today was more of a distance day; I went out for a moderately paced 3-mile run. I was a little sore from last night's miracle mile, so I was going for more of a recovery run.

I came in at 20:11, which ain't bad. The last mile seemed pretty sluggish, though, so I still think I have a ways to go to get into good shape.

A couple fun facts about the mile run:

- Walter George ran the mile in 4:12 in 1886, and his time wasn't beat until 1915
- The first woman to break the 5-minute mile was Diane Leather, who did it in 1954

July 13: My second mile, timed

I don't know if it was the hot sauce I used at dinner or my new shoes, but I had a little spark in my mile run tonight.

When I got to the track I had planned on running the mile. Midway through the second lap, though, I started to tell myself I was just going to run the 800. I was feeling tired and didn't want to continue.

But I'm proud to say I pushed on and kept rounding the track. As I neared the finish line I was pretty sure I was going to break 6 minutes. I looked at my iPod stopwatch and 5:37 was staring me in the face! That's 30 seconds in 12 days.

While I am optimistic, I am also being cautious. When I ran my first mile I wasn't really in shape, but now I feel I'm in pretty good shape. So every second I shave off here on out will have to come more from pure speed, rather than increased endurance.

July 13: New Kicks

I've done it! After trying on more shoes than are found in a Hollywood celebrity's closet, I finally settled on a new pair of kicks. The new ally in my venture to break the 5-minute mile: Nike's Vapor Quick running shoe.


With a name like "Vapor Quick," they sure sound fast. And that's half the battle, right? The most important factor was weight, and this shoe was lighter than most everything else I could find. May they carry me well!

July 9: 3.5-Mile Run

In an effort to increase my endurance, I went for a 3.5-mile run yesterday evening. The goal is to try to rid myself of the side ache's that have been plaguing me, and I figured some longer, sustained runs might do the trick.

I didn't time my run, but I'm sure it was recorded in heaven.

A lot of you are probably wondering why I haven't timed another mile. The truth is, last time I ran an 800 my intent was to run a mile, but after the first lap I knew I wouldn't make it. Plus I'm scared to time it again... what if I'm still at 6 minutes?

The best way to not fail at something is to not do it, and that's kind of where I'm standing in regards to the mile run right now.

July 8: 800-Meter Run

This evening I clocked my first 800. The timer on my iPod Nano stopped at a sluggish 2:39. I guess that's on pace for a 5:18 mile, but I had really hoped for something closer to 2:30.

What's more, I even had a tank-top on. So much for that giving me a little more speed! Now my only hope is a new pair of shoes, which I'm still on the hunt for.

I did have a Dr. Pepper last night, I must admit. I think I need to give the sweet stuff up if I want to make 4:59 happen.

Mile trivia: George W. Bush ran a 7-minute mile during his presidency (for or against him, that's not bad for a stubborn ol' Texan).

July 7: 400-Meter Intervals

There was a bright spot in today's workout. I went to the track and began some 400-meter intervals. My first one came in at 1:09!

Unfortunately, it was all down hill from there. My second came in at 1:13, my 3rd at 1:17, and my 4th at 1:21. But that is a 5-minute mile on the dot, if you combine them all. So I'm seeing a hint of progress.

My 4th 400 about killed me though. I was doubled over with a side ache by the time I finished.

I'm thinking about getting some tank tops for running. The sleeves on my shirt seem to catch on my huge biceps as I pump my arms, so maybe a tank top might free things up. Joking about the big biceps part...

Running shoes - any help here?

What's everyone running on these days?

Right now I've got a pair of gray Nike Air running shoes, and they're due for retirement. So what's your favorite kick? Asics or Adidas? Mizuno or Nike? Or do you go barefoot and just wear your calluses?

July 6: Intervals

Maybe this goal was a stupid idea. I ran the 400 today and came in at 1:14, AGAIN (that was my time last week). I really need to start whittling down my time. After my 400 I ran three 200s. They weren't timed, but I felt miserable through all of them so I'm sure they were sub par.

While I ran, there was some dude in the middle of the track practicing javelin throws. Not kidding. You want to talk about watching your back while you run... a javelin thrower will make you do just that.

After the javelin toss he moved on to the shot put, so I had to start worrying about getting bludgeoned instead of pierced.

What depressed me more than my unimproved 400 time was how tired I was after my intervals. I only live a mile from the track (and I jog to and from it, rather than drive) and I thought I'd pass out in the gutter before I made my way back home.

Here's to hoping for better/faster days!

July 3: Recovery run, 3.5 miles

I've been in contact with a guy that ran the 800 in college, and he's given me little bits of advice:

The key is to stay injury free (i.e. let your muscles recover from intense speed workouts) and keep allowing your body to adapt to running.

So today I went out for a 3.5 mile trot to recover from yesterday's sprints.

In other news, I HAVE GOT to stop running right after I eat! Before I went out I had a large serving of a Mexican casserole that my beautiful wife had made for me. Unfortunately, I was burping up cilantro fumes every 10 yards.

And for a good mile or two, I felt like there was a 2x4 stuffed between my ribs. Nothing ruins a run like a side ache/stitch/cramp/sticker--there's a million names for the blasted things.

Speaking of side aches, I YouTubed the phrase and found this wacko runner. He mumbles something about Area 51, as well as Mormon missionaries. It's well worth the two-minute investment to watch it:

July 2: My first 400-meter run, timed

This evening I timed my first 400. I came in at 1:14 on the quarter mile. Not too shabby, if I say so myself. Times that bad boy by four and I've got a 4:56 mile!

Unfortunately, I was wasted at the end of the 400. NO WAY could I have ran it in that time four consecutive times. I followed up my 400 meter with a couple 200's and a 100, but they weren't timed.

The crappiest part of the night was I ran all the way home from the track and realized I'd left my house keys back at the track. It was a long run back to get 'em, especially after thinking I was done for the night.

July 1: My first mile, timed

Well, my introductory mile has been clocked. I came in at 6:07. I think it's slower than I was hoping, but then again, it's not bad for my first swing at the ol' mile.

What scares me is I've got to shave off 1:08 to break five. I should be able to run a lap at the track in that time!. Can I shake off a minute in two months? Not real sure. I've talked to some experienced runners, and they're saying I'll need at least three months. Naysayers.

Possible reasons I didn't run it faster:

• I hit a swarm of gnats at about 600 meters and probably spent a few precious seconds coughing them up
  
• My running shoes are a little old; I should probably look into a new pair of kicks
• For some reason the songs on my iPod stopped after three laps, so I was on my own for motivational beats

At least that's what I'm hoping...

Can I break the 5-minute mile?

I ran some in high school--never had a ton of success, but I did place respectively at a few meets. Running wasn't my first sport of choice, however (I know it's a stretch calling running a sport, but if bass fishing is... ).

I would have liked to have played basketball, but I knew I didn't have a snowball's chance in heck of making the team. So my sophomore year I tried out for soccer, but was cut right before the first game. I figured I wasn't cut for my ability to run the field; I was cut for my ability handle a ball while running the field. And I was a freaking nerd.

Naturally, I moved onto something that didn't require shooting, passing, thinking, etc., something that only required running. I dabbled in track and cross country through my senior year.

I never really ran the mile; I went for longer distance. My one regret, though, is that I never ran a mile in under five minutes. My best time, as far as I remember, was 5:20.

Here I am now, almost 10 years later, attempting to take care of unfinished business (not of making a soccer team). People say a goal isn't a goal until it's written down. I guess now it's a super goal, because it's written down AND published on the world wide web.

Right now I've been running about two times a week, no more than three miles each run. And I'm drinking a lot of Dr. Pepper. About a month ago, I wasn't running at all. So I'm just gettin' back into the swing of things. My hope is to be at 4:59 two months from now (Aug 31, 2009).

This blog will follow my success or failure. I'll report on my training sessions. I'll summarize my Dr. Pepper withdrawal symptoms. Think of it as a reality TV show, but in the form of blog posts and without a bachelor or ditzy girl(s).

Wish me luck, internets.