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.

One cortisone shot later…

Well, that was a little more involved than I was thinking, but ultimately not a really big deal. I get to the Dr's office, and get shown into the "sterile" room - big fancy chair to lay in, et cetera. I had been thinking that this was just ...

Made the decision

Well, my knee isn't doing what I hoped it would - it still bugs me intermittently on these runs. I called the doctor this morning, and I'm coming in on Wednesday at 9:20 to have a cortisone shot. Hopefully, this will reduce the swelling to the point that ...

Followup visit

So I went to go and see Dr. McCarty again. My blood pressure is doing just fine (last time it was 126/90, now its back to 120/58). And my ITB is on the mend. I'm planning on doing a short 4 mile run today around the trail, ...

First Massage

Well, I took some time today to get a massage from Kimberly Corrie, as recommended by my friend Emma. It was ... interesting. Since it was my first massage, I'm not entirely sure how to judge it. Unfortunately, I've had to spend the remainder of the day ...

Again with the recovery…

Well, my IT band is doing pretty well. My left calf remains a little sore, but its my right calf that's giving me the most grief. Still, I think that its doing better. We were scheduled for 20 minutes today, but I took it off because I ...

Cleared by the doc

Well, I just got back from seeing Dr. McCarty, and she gave me a (mostly) clean bill of health. Both of my IT bands are stiff, my right one being very stiff, but if I stretch it well, I should be able to run again just fine. No ...

Not running yet

Well, my IT band is still aching. So far, I've been icing it for 15 minutes twice a day, and doing stretches when I think about them. It seems to have improved a fair amount between Saturday and, oh, Sunday evening. Since then - not much. ...

So that’s where my IT band is.

Damn. Well, that sucks. There I was, running along, happy to be hydrated (at least more so than last week, where I got a calf cramp). This was a nine-mile optional run. No big deal. Or so I thought. Headed up Riverside to 35, over the bridge, and ...


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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November 9th 2008
Tags: Running

One Comment

2008 Marine Corps Marathon (long)

I'll say its long - 26.2 miles when you haven't run more than about 16 all year is way too long! Let me recap my training schedule for the last two months, just in case you haven't been paying attention (or I haven't been posting it): September 6: 60 mile ...
November 9th 2008
Tags: Running, Races

No Comments

2008 Gazelle 10 Miler

It was great getting to see everyone today. I wasn't sure that I would race - hell, I knew I wouldn't race, I wasn't sure I'd even bother to show up. Packet pickup had come and gone without me, and I was out 'til late last night getting ...
October 26th 2008
Tags: Running

3 Comments

2008 Marine Corps Marathon (quick)

Turns out that yes, I was ready. Kinda. This was my first marathon since I started triathlon and the cardio benefits really showed - my breathing was always under control and my HR stayed low. My legs were really feeling the fact that I only ran ~25 miles in the ...
October 25th 2008
Tags: Musings, Running

One Comment

Am I Ready?

Tomorrow morning, at 5AM (EST of all things), my alarm will go off. It will go off again at 5:15, 5:30, and 5:45, just to make sure. And its not just one alarm, its a combination of the hotel clock radio, the wake-up service, and my iPhone. I think that, as ...
October 22nd 2008
Tags: Workouts, Swimming

2 Comments

Swim Clinic

My swim times have been, well, let's be nice and just say "abysmal." That's fine for now - at the beginning of the year I could barely make it to the other end of the pool, and just a couple of weeks ago I did a half Ironman. ...
October 5th 2008
Tags: Races

4 Comments

2008 Longhorn Ironman 70.3

Wow.  That was the hardest thing I think I've done - certainly including my first marathon.  The big difference was that I went into this knowing that - if I made the cutoffs - I was going to finish.  No question. And I did - some 45 minutes slower than I'd ...

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Famous Marathon Times

RunnerTimePace
Al Gore4:58:2511:23
Oprah4:29:3010:17
P. Diddy4:14:549:43
Sarah Palin3:59:369:09
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
Haile Gebrselassie2:03:594:44

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