Author: devonpass

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It’s supposed to hurt like hell

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I realized about halfway through today that not a single part of my body hurts from last night’s workout. In fact, I feel pretty darn good. My left knee is surprisingly pain-free. My obliques seem to have outsmarted the rusty switchblade jabs.

I’m reading Dean Karnazes’ book, Ultramarathon Man, on the bus right now, and he writes, “If it comes easy, if it doesn’t require extraordinary effort, you’re not pushing hard enough. It’s supposed to hurt like hell.”

Well, OK, Dean. Time to look for a new way to get my ass kicked.

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Mugged by Jillian

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Tonight I did an easy-ish 10:30 mile on the treadmill as a warmup, then did Jillian Michaels’ No More Trouble Zones DVD.

Seven circuits. Five moves per circuit. Each circuit done twice. About 40 minutes. I usually reserve this one for the weekends and do the shorter 30 Day Shred on weeknights, but I actually got home on time tonight and decided to go long.

This DVD isn’t that hard anymore — I used to have to do some moves without weights, or skip certain moves altogether (surrenders… ugh) — but it still makes me feel like I’ve been stabbed in the stomach with a rusty switchblade the next day.

If you happen to like that feeling, and I do, this is a good DVD to check out.

I think a good workout should feel similar to a moderate mugging.

Tomorrow is a rest day. Hitting the track Saturday morning. Possibly running Green Lake on Sunday. So glad it’s almost the weekend!

P.S. My knee pain has switched from my right knee to my left knee. My right knee — which was giving me trouble back when I wasn’t tying my running shoes — is now completely fine, but the left one is stiff/painful the day after running. What gives? Have they joined forces and conspired against me so that one will always be a huge pain in the butt at all times?

If so, I applaud the teamwork. (Trying to be positive here.) Let me know when you’re ready to play nice, ya little jerks.

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Oops

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I just remembered that I ran the Pumpkin Push at a 9:24 pace, so maybe I lied about the whole 1.5 miles at 9:31 being some sort of record for me.

But the Pumpkin Push was full of bursts of walking, so I don’t really count that. Continuous running was what I meant. E-hem.

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A hasty run

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I’ve heard when you really, really don’t want to run, that’s when you know you really should run.

Got home pretty late from work, but I got on the treadmill anyway (at 8:15) and was glad I did.

2.9 miles in 30 minutes (all I was willing to put on the timer):

– 1 mile – 11:40 pace
– 1.5 miles – 9:31 pace
– .4 miles – 10:00 pace 

That probably doesn’t add up correctly, but I wasn’t a math major, and those were the approximate numbers I gathered from the digital screen while (a) mopping my sweaty forehead with a sheet of Bounty, and (b) studiously ignoring Paramore on the radio because I hate Paramore, yet was concentrating on the run too much to change the station.

I really hate Paramore.

The 9:31 pace felt good. I don’t think I’ve even run that far at that pace.

Celebrated with a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup left over from Halloween. So good!

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Thanksgiving 5K on the calendar!

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Watched an awesome documentary this weekend about ultramarathoner Dean Karnazes, who ran 50 marathons in 50 states in 50 days back in 2006. Incredible and inspiring, to say the least! I definitely want to work up to a marathon… perhaps in 2012?

In 2011, I’d like to do several more 5Ks, a few 10Ks and a half-marathon. 2012 seems reasonable to go marathon at it.

Check out UltraMarathon Man: 50 Marathons — 50 States — 50 Days to witness the craziness.

Meanwhile, I’ve already decided on my next race: the Green Lake Gobble 5K in Seattle on Nov. 21. It’ll be a completely flat course, so I should be able to significantly improve my time. However…

…it is the morning after my return home from a seven-day Caribbean vacation, during which I plan to have a margarita in my hand at all times. Perhaps I can get some running in, too. We shall see.

Therefore, my conservative goal for the Gobble (ha) is sub-28:30.

Since I did 29:13 in the last race with a huge hill, I should be able to hit 28:29 or under on a flat course with a slight hangover. Right?

Right.

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29:13

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Got it. 29:13. I can’t believe it!

There were so many times that I stopped to walk for 20-30 seconds and thought, “There’s no way I’m breaking 30.” I wasn’t feeling this run until just after the two-mile mark, when I realized that I could power through the rest and be OK.

It rained. There was one huge hill. I had a bad start because I waited for the masses to clear out of the corral — I had gotten stuck in a huge, slow-moving crowd for the first few minutes of the Dawg Dash — but I waited a little too long and ended up having to dodge all the walkers, strollers and dogs near the end of the pack.

Somehow I did it, though! The music was key, since it helped me figure out where I was time-wise. And can I just say that Uprising (Muse) was perfect as the second-to-last song… “We will be victorious…”

Mom and Don also ran, each setting personal records (35:22 and 27:46, respectively). My friend Aaron KILLED IT for his first race ever… 23:32. So jealous! His mom ran and knocked out a 34:39.

Pictures to come when I can figure out how to get them under 5MB for Tumblr. Geez, Tumblr. So picky.

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Pumpkin Push playlist!

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The Pumpkin Push 5K is tomorrow morning!

I made this playlist exactly 30 minutes long. Big time.

1. Welcome to the World — Kevin Rudolph
2. Club Can’t Handle Me — Flo Rida feat. David Guetta
3. E-Pro — Beck
4. Starlight — Muse
5. Like a G6 — Far East Movement
6. 1901 — Phoenix
7. Uprising — Muse
8. Waiting for the End — Linkin Park

The first two are the same as my Dawg Dash playlist simply because they’re so freakin’ good for getting me pumped up and feeling great.

Like a G6 helps me feel like I’m the shit when I hit that part of the 3.1 when I just feel like shit.

Note the subtle difference between shit and the shit.

Muse makes a double appearance. Go Muse.

And Linkin Park returns to cap off the race. It should do for me what the ringing bell did for Pavlov’s dogs, except instead of salivating, I’ll start running really, really fast.

29:59. Let’s go.