So, here we are—Week 1 of my new training log! Why now? Well, with a few longer races creeping up on my calendar over the next six months, it felt like the right time to kick things up a notch. Think of this as my accountability buddy… but public! I don’t have a fancy training plan yet. For now, this is about getting time on my feet, putting miles in the legs, and seeing where it takes me. Whether you’re a fellow runner looking for new ideas, or just here for a bit of inspiration to dust off your shoes or improve your training, welcome! It’s just me, my shoes, and a high-level, flexible plan. Honestly, my main goal right now is consistency—getting out there every day and clocking some miles. I have no doubt this will evolve, but for now, it’s all about putting one foot in front of the other.
Let’s dive into how this week’s runs shaped up!
Sunday 9/29/2024 – A Quick Mile with Kelly
Today was a bit of an adventure, but not the running kind! Kelly and I managed to squeeze in a quick mile during a trip to a small town. We didn’t have much time to explore, so we stuck to the main road, which turned out to be mostly chain stores and big box retailers. Not exactly scenic, but hey, a run is a run, right? We did stumble upon a little waterfall in the river, which was the highlight of the route. It was nice to have a mini nature moment in between strip malls. One mile in the bank, and sometimes, that’s all you need.
Monday 9/30/2024 – Easy 2 Miles and GPS Discipline
Today’s run was a solid 2 miles, and even though doubling my mileage felt like a mini milestone, it was still an easy effort. I kept a comfortable 9:30/mile pace and decided to bring the GPS into play—but with a catch. I’m trying to strike a balance between being tech-savvy and not obsessively staring at my screen the whole time. So, I limited myself to checking my watch no more than once about every half-mile (If I don’t look then how will I know). It felt good to get a little more data without letting it control the run. Overall, it was uneventful, but sometimes you need those simple runs to build momentum.
Tuesday 10/1/2024 – Another 2 Miles and Realizations
I logged another 2 miles today—nothing monumental, but it did teach me something important. Even running just 1 mile a day over the past few weeks kept my legs a little more prepared than I realized. Is 2 miles considered “real” running? Maybe not in the grand scheme of things. But being able to start my training with two miles at a faster pace than I expected, and feeling great while doing it, definitely surprised me. I thought I’d be around a 10:00-10:30 pace, but the past two days have consistently clocked in at 9:30 pace, without any real effort.
I’ve also noticed that coming off my no-tech challenge has sharpened my pacing skills. Over the past four miles (across two runs), my times have been incredibly consistent, despite rarely checking my watch. Today, I only glanced down twice, and my splits were still within seconds of each other. It feels like I’ve regained my pacing instinct that most of us lost now that we rely on our phones and watches for second by second reporting. I know it’s just a fun little trick, especially when everyone can be glued to their watches, but it feels good to know my body still has that internal clock working.
That said, I did wake up with some tightness this morning. My right leg felt a little stiff down in my lower calf, and my neck and shoulders were tight too, probably from years of desk work. I think it’s time to add a morning stretching routine back into my life. I used to do a quick 10-minute stretch session years ago in high school and college (although I was always still tight), so maybe it’s time to dust that off and see if it helps loosen things up before the day gets rolling.
But overall, an easy 2 miles today at 9:27 pace, feeling good and looking ahead.
Wednesday 10/2/2024 – A Quick Mile and a Lesson in Flexibility
Today I planned for 2 miles or even a 5K, but life had other plans. I had a rough night of sleep and woke up later than I expected. Plus, my eldest son had a period 0 Chorus rehearsal, meaning he had to be at school 40 minutes early. Both of these things threw my morning routine out the window. As a result, I had to cut my run down to a quick mile.
But honestly, this was a good reminder about flexibility. No, not the muscle kind, but the kind that keeps you sane as a parent and runner. Sometimes, plans shift, and you have to reprioritize. Today, I had to adjust my training to make sure the more important parts of my day got handled, and that’s totally fine. The 1 mile streak is still alive, and I’m happy I at least got out there. Tomorrow is a new opportunity.
I ended up running my mile faster than expected, clocking in at 9:03. I think it was a combination of lack of sleep (I was barely awake) and the need to hustle back home in time to get the kids off to school. I definitely picked up speed throughout the run, especially toward the end as the clock ticked closer to drop-off time!
Thursday 10/3/2024 – 5K and Some Thoughts on Road vs. Trail Running
Today, I ran a 5K! It’s been a little while since I last ran one, but it felt like riding a bike—familiar and comfortable. During the run, I listened to a podcast where two people were debating whether road runners or trail runners are better athletes. My two cents? It’s like comparing cross-country skiing to the biathlon. Both involve very similar skills, but each requires its own set of strengths. I don’t think one is inherently better than the other, it just depends on the goal of the sport and athlete. Maybe there’s a bigger conversation to be had about this later on!
As for the run itself, I kept my heart rate relatively low, which was a win. Ideally, I want to get it even lower, but that will come with time and more frequent runs at this distance. I did have to remind myself not to look at my watch too often. I could feel my old habits creeping back in, but I did well to limit myself to checking it (about) every half mile, which kept me focused on the run rather than the data.
Now, about pacing—it was awesome! Even with minimal tech, I managed to stay pretty consistent: 9:35, 9:39, 9:33, and I finished the last tenth at 9:23. That’s a pretty tight range! I know I can dial it in even more, but I’m really happy with how steady it was for this run.
For the next few days, I plan to stick with the 2-mile to 5K range to let my body get used to the increased distance. I’m thinking about a 4-5 mile “long run” over the weekend, but I’ll see how my legs feel. Given that I’ve only been running 1 mile a day for weeks, I’m surprised by how much fitness I’ve maintained. Sure, it’s not where it was in the spring, but it’s far from starting from scratch.
Today’s 5K came in at 29:49 with an average pace of 9:35/mile. Feeling good!
Friday 10/4/2024 – Motivation Wasn’t There, But I Showed Up
Today, my head just wasn’t in it. I didn’t want to get out of bed, let alone run. If I had my way, I would’ve stayed in, turned on the TV, and maybe dozed back off… if I was lucky. But, of course, that didn’t happen. So, I dragged myself out of bed, put on my shoes, grabbed my headphones, and headed out the door.
I figured once I got started, my usual groove would kick in. But honestly? I made it to the 1-mile mark, and all I could think about was turning back and being done. That first half-mile was at a 9:30 pace, which I caught when I glanced at my watch. After that, I didn’t check it again until it buzzed at the 1-mile point, and I noticed I’d sped up. I think my body and brain were both in “get this over with” mode—run faster, get home faster.
One thing that did break up the monotony was the Halloween decorations popping up everywhere. It’s that time of year again, and I like running through different blocks to check them out. Today, I passed by a house that went all out with some intense decorations—a brief but welcome distraction during a run I still didn’t feel like doing.
In the end, I managed 2 miles: 9:20 and 9:09 pace. It’s a little faster than I planned, but considering I didn’t even want to run, I’ll take it as a win. I got out there, I did more than my 1-mile minimum, and that’s good enough for today.
Saturday 10/5/2024 – Looping Back for a “Long” Run
Today, I decided to tackle a “long” run of 4.25 miles, basically the distance of one loop in a backyard ultra marathon. For anyone unfamiliar, a backyard ultra is a race format where you have one hour to complete a 4.167-mile loop. You can run it as fast or slow as you like, but you have to be back within 59:59. Then, on the top of the next hour, you do it all over again. The faster you run, the more rest you get, but it’s also more tiring. The slower you go, the more relaxed the pace, but you have less time to rest.
I ran a backyard ultra last year, and I’m planning to beat my lap record this year. It’s a big challenge, and I’m not in full training speed just yet, but I’m confident that I’ll get there with some steady training. Today’s run was basically a single loop, at a relaxed 10:03 pace. In race conditions, that pace would give me about 17 minutes of rest, which is actually faster than I’d need on race day!
This run even found myself running a mile on the local track. A place I haven’t spent much time as I’ve been on roads and trails. Plus, I got to watch a bit of 8 year old football practice while I did it. It felt great to stretch the mileage a bit and start building back up. I’ve essentially doubled my weekly mileage this week, which is usually something you want to avoid. But by running at an easy pace and staying mindful of my body’s limits, I’m able to handle the increase without pushing too hard. Knowing when to ease up is just as important as knowing when to push yourself.
End of Week Wrap-Up
That wraps up the week! Special thanks to Mom Jogger who helps motivate me and provide coverage with the kids so I can be successful. Feeling good about getting back into consistent training and ready to keep building.
