Running Towards Fitness

Personal Awareness
The ancient Greeks used to believe that a healthy mind and a healthy body not only went together, but were both critical for happiness and a successful life. They were also intertwined, meaning that a weakness in either area would affect the other. When I started this transformation I was overweight and full of excuses. And by overweight I don't mean just a few pounds - I weighed over 70 pounds more than I do now. I finally took my life into my own hands and started exercising. At the time, I had no idea where it would lead - to a stronger body, a happier, more nimble mind, and a chest full of race medals. Healthy mind, healthy body, indeed! It hasn't been easy, or without issues, but I wouldn't trade the experience for the world.

Or not

After not running yesterday, I went out for an easy seven this morning and ended up with five instead. I ran the first couple of miles with David, chatting about this and that at around a 9:15 pace on the way for him to run circuit at AHS. Then I slowed it down and ran the rest of the way around the loop back to RunTex.

My shoulders are sore - actually, I’m sore all over but mostly in my upper back - but I can feel the difference my too-deep massage has made in my posture and my running form. It hurts, but it gets results like nothing else. After around four miles though I started getting an odd twinge in my left calf. I stopped and walked a minute, then ran and it returned; repeated the walk break and it stayed away for the rest of the run. I did some good stretching after I was finished, which seemed to help. Maybe I should stretch after a hard massage?

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About

I'm Richard Stanford, a fit, happy runner. Of course, that wasn't always the case. Dip into the archives to follow my progress from couch potato to sub-four hour marathoner.

I also like to cook, write, code, and play with power tools...

Personal Records

DistanceRaceTimePace
Marathon2006 Freescale3:54:078:56
20 Miles2006 RunTex3:00:089:00
30K2005 RunTex2:42:448:45
Half M2006 3M1:42:577:51
20K2005 Decker1:40:428:06
10 Miles2005 Pervasive1:20:138:01
10K2005 Dublin Dr Pepper48:437:51
5 Miles2005 Turkey Trot37:017:24
5K2005 Margarita Run22:327:15
4K2006 Fila Relays17:247:15
1 Mile2006 Congress Ave6:236:23

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Activity

2 total comments, leave your comment.
  1. I haven’t been told to stretch by my masseuse, before. I have been told that after a hard, deep tissue massage, you need to drink LOTS of water, though.

  2. The whole soreness/stretching thing puzzles me. In general, I’d say that if you aren’t tight, stretching does no good. So, the massage pain (bruising, I’d think) isn’t going to respond to stretching, but activity that gets blood there, that should help.


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Famous Marathon Times

RunnerTimePace
Al Gore4:58:2511:23
Oprah4:29:3010:17
P. Diddy4:14:549:43
Will Ferrell3:56:129:01
George W. Bush3:44:528:35
John Edwards3:30:188:01
Carrie Sapp3:29:067:59
Boston Qualifier3:10:597:17
Lance Armstrong2:59:366:51
Gilbert Tuhabonye2:23:075:28
Paula Radcliffe2:15:255:10
Paul Tegat2:04:554:46

People I Train With

Alex - Addicted to Exercise
Carrie - Tri to be Funny
Erine - Thousand Miles
Frank - Running Blog
Gilbert - Gilbert's Gazelles
Jay - Leotian Blog
Mike - BROTH