Bryan's Running Blog

1:11:45. Comes out to about 8:15 per mile. I ran through Crocket Park down to almost Ravenwood High School and then back up Green Hills Blvd. Felt good -- I wanted to go around 8 minute pace, but I have a hard time telling how fast I am going if I haven't already run the course.

43:29. 7:11 pace per mile. Last mile in 6:31. I ran around my neighborhood (out to the neighborhood around the Goulde's home and back). It was cold and I woke up a little later than usual, so I ran a little faster.

49:50. I took it easy, running up near the new Parade of Homes Development about 1.5 miles north of my house. I felt a little twinge in my left achilles tendon halfway through the run, while going up hills, so I decided to take it even a little slower. I might just have been psyching myself out, as a couple of days ago I ate dinner with a guy who was wearing a cast because he had hurt his achilles heel by running too much.

Ultimate frisbee. I bought new running shoes today also. My achilles heel didn't hurt today.

49:45 ==> 7:42 per mile. I was trying to go 8:00 pace, but I have a hard time finding that pace. Felt fine. I ran down Knox Valley Road, connected with the River Park and then Crockett Park, and then back up Arrowhead Drive. My new shoes seemed OK. I only felt my left achilles twice - and both times just barely. I took it very easy going up hills, and I might have made my right leg do a little more work than my left.

48:21 ==> 7:48 mile. Ran around in the rain. Again, I was aiming for 8 minute miles. Achilles heel feels good.

46:30 ==> 7:45 miles. Nice and relaxed run. I felt my left achilles heel again, but not too bad.

Yippee for the Democrats' victories yesterday! Let's hope they take control of the Senate as well -- hopefully it will reduce President Bush's power and lead to some more moderate policies.

41:42 ==> 6:50 per mile. I was bored of running slow and decided a couple of minutes into my run to go fast (for me) for a change. It felt good. My last mile, up a hill and then down the other side, took 6:12. I ran my Crockett Park - Green Hills Blvd loop, which has several rolling hills, so I feel pretty good about my time. I would have had a hard time going a few more miles at that pace, however. It's amazing to think I once ran a marathon at a slightly faster pace. I've got a ways to go to get to that level again -- but I can do it.

49:20 ==> 7:54 per mile. Ran from my office, through Belmont, down Granny White Pike, a block past the 440, and then back.

Ultimate frisbee. Our last games of the season. I spent most of the games babysitting two kids on the sideline. We won the Nashville Fall League Championship -- although my wife Kristen played much more of a role in us winning than me. I'll miss ultimate, but it'll be nice to start doing long runs on Saturday again.

47:24. Slow run -- I felt a little lethargic this morning.

49:12 ==> 7:49 per mile. I ran down Old Smyrna Road and through a neighborhood near the end of the road.

1:05:40 ==> 7:33 per mile. Crockett Park, to almost Ravenwood, up Green Hills Blvd, and then home. It was sprinkling most of the run but then started pouring about 45 minutes into it. So I carried a couple of pounds of extra weight in water. The last mile up and over the hill was a comfortable 6:57. I felt good.

Treadmill, for the first time ever. I actually kind of enjoyed it. Total time 45:40. First mile getting used to the machine in 8:40, 2-3 in 8:00, fourth in 7:00, fifth in 6:00, and last in 8:00. The 6:00 mile seemed much easier on the treadmill than my 6 minute miles out on the road -- maybe I was just having a good day today or maybe the machine is slightly off.

50:46 ==> 8:19 per mile. Nice and slow. Last mile in 7:56. I did my Crockett Park, Green Hills run in reverse.

I played tennis today. Kristen is out of town for the weekend with Colby, so I'm looking out for Sienna by myself. I would probably have gone running today, but I don't have a running stroller to take Sienna along with me. (And I felt bad asking my tennis friend's wife to babysit a little longer while I went running.) So how's that for a good excuse. Next Saturday....

53:27 ==> 7:32 per mile. I ran from Vandy to White Bridge Pike and back, via McCabe golf course and Woodlawn Drive. Felt good.

43:16 ==> 8:10 per mile. I just ran south of Vandy. I was going to play basketball tonight, so I ran slow and a little short. But, I ended up not playing basketball. I will have to make it up in my run tomorrow.

1:16:15 ==> 7:54 per mile. I'm actually pleasantly surprised that I was going that speed. I ran after breakfast, and didn't feel like I had much energy this morning. I explored some areas around West End Boulevard.

56:30. I'm in Arkansas at Kristen's sister's house. I'm not exactly sure how far I ran, but I know the time. Happy Thanksgiving.

54:30. Following Sasha's advice, I ran miles 3.5-5.5 in 12:10 (6:20 for the first mile and 5:50 for the second). The second was pretty tuff. My calfs are quite stiff. I'm running here in Rogers, Arkansas.

52:36 ==> 7:28 per mile. Felt good this morning. Did the Crockett Park, Green Hills Blvd run, with a few add-ons to get 7 miles.

54:50. Miles 2.5-4.5 were run along Hampton Avenue in 11:54. The first of these two miles, slightly uphill, was 6:06. Then I turned and ran back the other way in 5:48. I was pleasantly surprised with how easy these two miles felt. I guess easy is the wrong word, but I felt good, and I bet I could have run a third mile at the same pace. I averaged 8:07 per mile for the rest of the run.

56:30 ==> 8:08 per mile. I ran Brent and Preston's run today (meandering out to Ashford Place and back), and took it easy for the most part. I might have been a little low on energy from yesterday's run. I was a little too warm this morning -- I wore a long sleeve shirt but 5 minutes into my run wished I was wearing a short sleeve shirt.

1:05:33 ==> 6:57 per mile.

My goal was to run 7 miles in sub-7 pace. I started kind of fast -- maybe a little too fast. About 20 minutes into the run I was farther away from Vanderbilt than usual and I decided to explore a little by circling a golf course. About 35 minutes into the run I realized I was lost. I stopped for 2-3 minutes to talk with a lady who was out walking. She said I could turn around and run the way I'd come, or I could run along a major street without a sidewalk for a little while. I took the major street route (which ended up not being all that bad), and worked my way back to Vandy. I definitely slowed down from minutes 35 to 55 -- I was worn out from my fast start. But I tried not to slow down too much, and I pushed myself at the end, running the last slightly downhill mile in sub-7:00. So I ended up breaking my 7:00 mile pace for 9.4 miles, as opposed to just 7! I'll be sore tomorrow.