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!