Chilly Cheeks 2013

Last Sunday I decided to do the Chilly Cheeks 7.2 trail run in Reading, PA. I did some research and looked at a couple blogs about it and at first thought, "Hell no"! There were a couple YouTube clips. It started with a couple hundred folks running on a nice trail then coming to a dead stop to climb up a pretty steep and long hill. I mean grabbing on to roots and trees to help you get up. After looking at a couple more clips and I changed my mind. It looked challenging and fun. If it wasn't pouring down rain, I was going to run it. And I did.

The race started at 11am so Zim and our friend Novia headed up to Reading around 9:30. We were only about 45 minutes away, and arrived a little after 10am. We met up with our friend Jon who ran this same trail about a month ago for a race. He warned us that it was pretty challenging and was super, super hilly. He wasn't kidding.

At 11am around 500 people lined up and the race started. I didn't race out of the gate. I honestly wanted to conserve as much energy as possible. I even carried a water bottle with me for this race too. The first hill was the hill I watched runners climb on YouTube. It was steep, at least a tenth of a mile long (I really couldn't judge distance), and slippery as hell from the muddy and wet leaves. You had to grab rocks and branches to help you not slip and get you up the hill. Once up, the trail turned to steep rocky inclines and slippery wet and rocky declines. I felt more confident and stronger on going up the hills, but when going downhill I slowed down in fear of losing traction. My shoe were caked with mud. I'd pass people walking up the hills, then I'd get passed going down the hills every time. Kinda funny. The views were spectacular too. At one point on the trail you can see the whole town of Reading. Real pretty.

Altogether there were three incredibly really steep parts of the race where you had to grab on to trees or climb with your hands to keep moving. Granted, these parts took at least 10 minutes to get up for me. It was super TOUGH and very challenging, but I knew I could finish it. My goals were: 1)Finish 2)Not get hurt 3)Finish under 2 hours. I accomplished all three, finishing the race in 1 hour and 47 minutes. Zim and Jon came in at 1 hour 27, and Novia was around 1 hour 50 some minutes. I had a lot of fun running it and was happy that I ran it. And thank god I didn't get hurt. I came across a woman that sprained her ankle, she still powered through and finished. Zim saw a few people slip and hit their heads on rocks. Ouch! It was pretty treacherous, slippery, and super muddy. Man it was tough, but I felt like a million bucks when I finished!

The next morning I thought I'd be hurting pretty good. I actually felt decent. My quads and calfs were sore, but that was it. I gave myself the day off though. The past couple of days I haven't run, but I've been riding the elliptical and doing upper body strength. Tomorrow I might go for a short run. Yup yup.

Here's some pics:

A Better Week

So far so good this week, health wise for me. The virus or flu is over! Yay! I got back to a regular workout on Sunday. And...even better, my rib/shoulder injury feels back to normal. I even started strength training again. Nothing hardcore, just nicely easing myself back in. Here's how it went:

Sunday: 35 minutes on the elliptical, followed by upper body strength training. Got back on the assisted pull-up/dips machine. My numbers weren't too far off from before I got hurt. I was quite happy about that. Also did the pull down lat and sit down rowing machines. Lastly used 15lb dumb bells for alternating shoulder press and curls/hammers. Felt good! I ended with a few ab moves, then rushed to get home to make my movie plans. Side Effects was pretty good. A little long, but kept me entertained and interested.

Monday: 35 minutes on the elliptical again, followed by the usual leg machines. I ended with about 10 minutes of ab work.

Tuesday: I decided to try a longer run than usual. I might sign up for a 7 mile trail run this Sunday, but wanted to see where exact my cardio was at. I ran 5.85 miles in about 50 minutes. I felt good. Tired but not exhausted. And luckily JUST beat the rain. I felt a little drizzle with maybe a 10th of a mile to go to get to my car. It was a bit windy and chilly, but I've ran in much worse.

Today: I tried out the Back and Base P90X2 DVD with Zim after work today. It's more or less a bunch of different pull-ups with plyo moves in between. It was tough, but we plowed through it. Learned a few new moves. We finished with the Ab Ripper 2 routine. Love some of those ab moves. Pretty tough, but it hurts so good!

Feeling Better

As my title says, I'm feeling much better. My stomach's been off, I'm still stuffed up, and I'm still coughing. But no fever, exhaustion, or major congestion. I'll take it! I worked a full shift yesterday, and felt pretty damn good. Even caught the local cult movie last night, True Romance. Love that movie, yet I haven't since it in over a decade. Still real good.

Today I worked for a few hours and decided to go for a run. It's about 40 degrees out this way too. I ran for about a half hour for about 3.75 miles. My runkeeper ap crapped out on me around 17 minutes and after 2 miles. Oh well. So far still feel good and don't think I over did it. Fingers crossed for a better health week next week.

Playlist: Off With Their Heads: From the Bottom

Tis the Season

Happy Valentine's Day!

Tis the season...the flu season. I've been quite sick since Monday. I woke up just feeling headachey, scratchy throat, just plain off. I thought it was the weather change, and who knows it could be partially that. I went to the gym and did a 1/2 hour on the elliptical and some ab work. I felt a little better. After the day wore on, I started feeling more sick. After work I took an Advil and crawled into bed, for almost 14 hours. I've had a slight fever throughout the week, no more than 100 degrees, cough, runny nose, a lil congestion. Today, I've felt pretty good. I hope I'm on the tail end of this virus/flu.

Dodged the Bullet

The snow-pocalypse storm named Nemo gently brushed the Phildelphia area with snowfall amounts only reaching an inch or two. New York and Boston got throttled with a couple feet of snow. I'm more than fine with that! My race on Saturday was still on! It was quite cold and the wind wasn't so friendly either. Temperatures hovered a little above freezing. It was an interesting race though. Your partner ran one way, while you ran another. You would pass them a few times during the course. Zim finished at 22:51, 110th overall and I came in 24:43, 147th overall. There were about 350 plus people there too. VERY happy with my time. I blew my first 2 miles averaging under 8 minutes. The 3rd mile got to me a bit. The cold, wind in my face, but I powered through, virtually pain free to finish. Yay!

Afterwards, I felt quite good. My ribcage and shoulder blade ached a little, but I wasn't in any pain. Zim and I celebrated with our friends that raced as well at Craft Alehouse. Good times!

Today, I decided on another run and put in a little over 4 miles today. It was a very snowy run. Half the trail was covered in snow, so my pace was around a 9:15 mile. It was a great run though. There's just something about running in snow. And the scenery. Soo pretty!

Playlist: Go! For the Throat
Off With There Heads

Bracing for the Storm

At the beginning of this week, Saturday was a nice sunny day with temperatures in the mid 40s. Then the Nor'easter started forming. The Philadelphia region is calling for 1 to 6 inches of snow depending on where you live. I'm right on the line between the 1-3 and 3-6 inches. This is supposed to start happening around 6am tomorrow and start out as rain. It's supposed to end late Friday night into early Saturday morning. I'm hoping 1-3 inches. My race doesn't start until 3:30 in the afternoon, so hopefully it will still be on. But now temperatures are going to be in the low 30s but feel like in the teens because of the wind gusts. Great. What can ya do?? Dress in layers and protect your face. I guess the Philadelphia area is better off than New York and New England. They're going to get hammered with a couple feet of snow.

Other than that wonderful news, I went to my gym today. I rode the elliptical for 35 minutes on a setting I've never done. Just to keep it fresh. Actually was pretty tough. Next leg machines and abs. Done. I was there a little over an hour. I got gas before I went home and before all the tri-state area went into a full mode snow panic. Tomorrow is a rest day for me, so hopefully my next workout will be a 5K.

Playlist: Go! For the Throat: Here and Now
The Curse: Demo
Paint It Black: New Lexicon

Good old fashioned Philly hardcore punk.

Word Up Wednesday!

The weekend is almost here! And also my 1st 5K of the year! I've been active this week so far, but still not at 100%. I feel pretty good though. Here's been my workout week thus far:

Monday: Gym day. 35 minutes on the elliptical and about 5 minutes of abs. Nothing all too challenging. I have rose my resistance level though.

Tuesday: Work out with my dad. I wrote up:

10 swimmer's press
10 body squats
10 weighted punches
10 power knee
10 curl/hammers
10 kicks
10 tricep kickbacks
15 calf raises
10 push-ups

Repeat 2 more times.
5 minute abs
20 minutes treadmill/elliptical.

It resembled a lot like our last workout. My dad's harboring a bad right knee and is getting surgery on his hand today, so I wanted to concentrate on his strengths. This is going to be his 2nd carpal tunnel surgery on his left hand. Hope it works better for him this time around. He did great during the workout though.

Today I ran 3.75 miles in a little over 30 minutes. Pretty happy about my pace. I was at a 8:07 mile. My first mile I was at 7:57 to my surprise. The trail was pretty muddy in spots and I slipped a few times, but luckily no falls. The wind wasn't that kind either. Despite that, I'm happy with myself.

I'm behaving myself this week too. No going out to eat and no booze until after the race on Saturday. I felt I put on a couple pounds from not being on my normal routine, but still kinda eating like I am. Oh well. Least I've been cooking a lot more and saving a few bucks too!

Cheers!

Pre Superbowl

My feet have been hitting the pavement the last couple day. And I've felt quite good!! I ran a little over 2 and a 1/2 miles on Friday before work and I ran 3 and a 1/4 today in the balmy 25 degree weather today. I know I can definitely be okay for the Feel the Love 5K next Saturday at the Philly Naval Yard. I was paced around an 8:30 mile, so I didn't lose too much off my time. I'll be happy to finish under 25 minutes. I figure I'll be around 26 minutes or so.

So Superbowl...I really don't care about either. I kinda wouldn't mind the 49ers. That Kaepernick kid has me quite intrigued. Very athletic guy. Flacco is also somewhat of a local guy around here being a QB at the University of Delaware. Hopefully a fun, exciting game.

On another note, Chelsea FC has been absolutely frustrating lately. They've been playing like garbage, their coach is crap, and there's no leadership. Losing the Newcastle didn't help either. How this team is in 3rd place is baffling.

Happy Sunday!

Playlist: Fidlar: s/t