Is it okay to just "maintain"?

That's what I'm asking myself this month where my running is concerned. It could just be a knee jerk reaction to not being able to run all that much with the foot issue or the insanity brought on by the winter (and cold lung syndrome...), but I've been pondering this. Should I just do this year what I did last year in order to maintain my running pace or try and commit more time to it in an effort to reduce my pace. I feel it's a legitimate question as I'm actually happy at the moment with a high 8 minute pace and running sub 2hr 13.1 mile runs. Right?

The real question here is the time to commit to training. In order to reduce that overall time I need to spend more time out running as well as adding in serious cross-training. Between the work and home schedule last year I eek'd all I could out of it to just get in 3-5 runs a week. When the heck am I going to do the other stuff! And that's the problem I'm having as I don't like the word "maintain" or "sustain"....it feels alot like "settling" or "giving up"....

Perhaps I'm just thinking about this too much due to the reasons above and need to get back on my running schedule before figuring out when I'm going to squeak in the other stuff. I'm sticking to my goal of running the Hartford marathon in under 4hrs as I think I can do that without too much more speed tranining. As for other speed goals, I'm going leave them alone for now and wait till my head is a little bit clearer before setting them. Focus right now needs to be on my job, family, and school as there are major transistions happening in all three at the moment.

What do you guys think? Being hard on myself? Not hard enough?

Musings and Tidbits

Check this out.... one of the possible exam questions in my Management Process MBA class is the following:
Disney’s theme parks outside America have incorporated unique features that meet the special needs and interests of local customers. Disney is responding with what strategy?

What would your answer be? Granted, it's kind of a dated question, but thought this crowd would enjoy the topic. :)

So Rae, I finally registered for the 2010 half, you happy now? ;-) ..... Did they charge us a $10 processing fee last year? I don't recall paying it, but could be losing my mind... Also, these pins better be something special for nearly $12!!! Last years were 8.95 I believe. Man, I'm getting crabby and cheap in my old age, LOL.

Was going to try and brave another outdoor run today as I'm working from home, but chickened out due to the weather station reading 28 degree's....and with the wipping wind, I decided to keep it on the treadmill. Another 3.2 miles for the month of February brings me to 25.81 running miles, 850 push-ups and a mere 430 sit-ups. Really slacking on the sit-ups this month... I'm okay with the mileage being so low as this foot thing is still present. It feels just fine when I run, but I can feel it walking barefoot in the bathroom when I get into the shower and such. Also, it appears that my left sesamoids have joined the inflamation party. Again, nothing that is really killing me at this point just wish it would go away already.

That's all for today! I noticed that Jonathan didn't pass the torch for the weekend challenge....probably need the rest anyhow!

Building Steam

Another "quality" run today on the treadmill (4.1 miles). I've learned that my lungs just are not well at adapting to weather under 40 degrees, so I'm not going to press it too much at this point. However, I'll be keeping an eye on the weather and seeing where I can sneak an outdoor run in prior to spring moving in. Bummed, yes, but health is my primary concern. Perhaps I'll check with my doctor or a specialist to do some further testing. Right now, I'm chalking it up to the asthema.

Still holding out in registering for the half, although I'm ready to pull the trigger. Just figure that the money is better sitting in the bank till the registration starts to fill up more. Every dollar counts in this economy... Airfare is booked and I'm starting to think about lodging, but figure I have some time for that as well. I'll most likely renew the annual pass for next year so I might just call and see what I can get from an AP discount perspective as we get closer. Would love to stay at the Beach Club (or anywhere on the Boardwalk) again, but we'll see.

How's everyone elses trip plans? Is the economy impacting your trip planning at all?

Another quality run...

Albeit on the treadmill last night, but for a run that was planned for 1.5 miles it went 3 miles...

and Deb, to answer your question about how I run outside during February in CT.....very carefully! Between the piles of left over ice/snow/muck and the inch of sand on the street where I'd normally run, it's dicey to say the least.

Going to get another run outdoors this weekend somehow. Probably just a 3 miler, but it needs to be outdoors. I'm losing my mind and will to run on the treadmill without that outdoor air every now and then.

Great news, we're in for next Jan! I'm going to register the wife and I and get the airfare thing going in the next week or so. How cool is that? A little boost for me as it's been tough with the foot and all as of late.

On the Road Once Again...

First run outdoors since the Half Marathon down in Disney and it was a good one. My goal was simply to get some miles in outside and live to tell about it. Speed was not on my mind and it showed in the outcome. I'm happy about the distance and the fact that my feet don't feel any worse for the wear.

Mile 1: 9:34
Mile 2: 9:40
Mile 3: 9:44
Mile 4: 9:53
Mile .81: 8:06

4.81 total and a couple of big hills in there as a reroute due to a road closure. The speed will come as the workload increases I'm pretty sure, just happy to get out for once!

Looking at airfare and thinking about hotel or renting DVC points for next January....could that mean that we'll be there for the half in 2010?????? These questions and more on the next episode of Stoller Boy - Wheels of Action!

3 Miles and running

3.2 on the treadmill last night and I felt just a little bit better than I had a couple of days ago. Which is the idea of rehab, right? Speed was about the same as last, somewhere in the 9:30ish range per mile, just enough to work up a little sweat. Progress.... Foot feels good although I'm feeling it in both "sesamoids" now. Nothing horrible, but can't walk barefoot on the hardwood floors anymore. Probably shouldn't be doing that anyhow.

How's everyone else doing? All you DVC owners....and the one wannabe...me! ;-) Seems like TeamVoice communications have slowed down a bit after the initial January surge.

Foot and such..

Hey all - Was able to try out the foot again last night on the treadmill. Ran 2.5 miles at around a 9:30/min pace. I had installed the footpads the doctor game me into my running shoes and they apparently did the trick as I didn't feel any pain in the sesamoid area. Not out of the woods yet as I still have to wear shoes around the house, but it felt good to get a run in. The downside is that I'm clearly out of running shape after taking a month off. Felt good at the 2 mile mark, but started to tire out quickly after that. Will start to get some more short runs in to build up the stamina again and then see where I'm at. So far, so good.

Anyone see the article in the WSJ about Dreamworks looking for a deal with Disney? Sounded more like a monetary deal than a creative partnership, but that might prove interesting, yes/no?

All About The Wife...

Today is to give a shout out to my wife Lorraine who has battled injury after injury to a point of total frustration and discouragment.... A month ago she was pondering whether she'd ever run again after months of barely being able to walk up and down the stairs. The other day she said to me "I'm going to try and run a half this year...." Totally threw me off! She's been rehabbing tendonitis in her knee for the past couple of months and has made great progress there and is very close to testing it back out on the road. This all after spending a couple of months on and off with plater fasciitis, or however that's spelled.

Just really proud of the work she is doing as we both set out last February with the 2010 Disney Half Marathon in mind (I just couldn't wait that long...apparently I'm an impatient person..who knew) and it is looking more and more like a reality from the running standpoint. Now, all we need to do is to stay injury free, find someone who will take the kids for a couple of days, save the money....hmmm, I suppose there is still some work to do, but I'm feeling pretty positive about it now.

I'd love her to join us on Team Voice pretty soon (more formally anyhow) as she's been joining into the challenges and I know this group would really help her toward her goal. :-) Perhaps she'll read this and join... I'm pretty sure she doesn't read the blog anymore as she gets the blow by blow Team Voice and AATM stuff from me directly, lol.

Okay..I cheated...

Yeah, went for a 2 mile light treadmill to test out the foot as it has been feeling a little better as of late. Great for 1.5 miles (10min/miles..nice and easy) but could feel it the last .5. Nothing lingering afterward though, so I think I'm clear there. Will keep up with the doc's recommendations and try to throw in a short mile or so here and there for the next couple of weeks. Just felt like I HAD to at least jog a little, you guys know how it is... The one thing I didn't do is put one of the pads my doc recommended into my running shoe yet, so I might try that and see if it helps as well. Either way, I'm not going to push it any more than the 2 miles more than once or twice a week for at least another week or two.

J. Wasowski - I said I was going to do 8 by the end of Feb for the virtual run...well...I'm not sure that's realistic at this point, but I'll let ya know if we need to modify it. :-)

On the school front, I finished a hellish Probability and Statistics class for the MBA program, woohoo! The final and final project/presentation were brutal, but it's over now and I'm on to Business Management (more my current work speed).