TIME: 4:38
I knew today wouldn’t be a stellar day. Why? Well, because I didn’t exactly take the weekend off to rest and recover. On Sunday I went for an intense bike ride. It was only about 45 minutes, but it was a lot of hills in low gears. All because I wanted to work on my leg strength… I figure I’m going to need it over the next few weeks.
That said, I did take another 4 seconds off my time, so I can’t complain.
I think I’m going to shoot for a sub 4:30 time as a personal best. That’s going to be extremely tough as it’s a full 38+ seconds from where I am today. But it’s my goal and I’m sticking to it.
Fingers crossed.
Kevin
Monday, September 24, 2007
Friday, September 21, 2007
DAY: Three
TIME: 4:43
I got a haircut yesterday. But did it make me any more aerodynamic? Did it make me any lighter? Did it increase my speed?
Well, I was 10 seconds faster today than yesterday.
However, I think the soreness in my calves and thighs greatly outweighed any benefit a haircut may have supplied. So the 10 second savings may just be a fluke. We’ll see how I do next time.
People around here are thinking I’m crazy for doing this. I’ve had a couple suggest I fake it and simply start from a few flights below 20 and tell people I ran from the bottom. But I won’t. Honestly, why would I? If I’m going to say I’m doing it I might as well actually do it. It’s a great workout. I can feel it. And it’s going to change me into a better runner.
At least I hope so.
I hope your fingers are still crossed for me… assuming they’ve been crossed at all so far.
Until next time.
Kevin
I got a haircut yesterday. But did it make me any more aerodynamic? Did it make me any lighter? Did it increase my speed?
Well, I was 10 seconds faster today than yesterday.
However, I think the soreness in my calves and thighs greatly outweighed any benefit a haircut may have supplied. So the 10 second savings may just be a fluke. We’ll see how I do next time.
People around here are thinking I’m crazy for doing this. I’ve had a couple suggest I fake it and simply start from a few flights below 20 and tell people I ran from the bottom. But I won’t. Honestly, why would I? If I’m going to say I’m doing it I might as well actually do it. It’s a great workout. I can feel it. And it’s going to change me into a better runner.
At least I hope so.
I hope your fingers are still crossed for me… assuming they’ve been crossed at all so far.
Until next time.
Kevin
Thursday, September 20, 2007
DAY: Two
TIME: 4:54
I slowed down by a second. That’s disappointing. But the way my legs felt this morning walking up the steps from the subway, I realized beating yesterday’s time would be a challenge.
I wore a hat today so that the brim would block my view of the floor numbers. That helped. Because yesterday one of the things I really hated was seeing the floor number at every landing. It only reminded me how much farther I had to go. Funny the way that works. It never seems to make you think how many floors you’ve finished, only how many you have left. I guess when it comes to running 20 flights of stairs, the glass is always half empty.
See you tomorrow. I imagine it’ll be in tougher still.
Kevin
I slowed down by a second. That’s disappointing. But the way my legs felt this morning walking up the steps from the subway, I realized beating yesterday’s time would be a challenge.
I wore a hat today so that the brim would block my view of the floor numbers. That helped. Because yesterday one of the things I really hated was seeing the floor number at every landing. It only reminded me how much farther I had to go. Funny the way that works. It never seems to make you think how many floors you’ve finished, only how many you have left. I guess when it comes to running 20 flights of stairs, the glass is always half empty.
See you tomorrow. I imagine it’ll be in tougher still.
Kevin
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
DAY: One
TIME: 4:53
Hard? Yes. As hard as I imagined? Yes. But I made it. Admittedly, I walked some of it (I'm not ashamed, it was hard as hell). But that’s just because my thighs really started to burn and I needed to allow some of that rapidly building lactic acid a moment to subside.
Now that I have a time, 4:53, I have something to aim for. I need that. I can’t promise that I’ll be able to beat it every day, but at least I now have a bar.
Wish me luck tomorrow. I have a feeling it won’t be getting any easier.
Kevin
Hard? Yes. As hard as I imagined? Yes. But I made it. Admittedly, I walked some of it (I'm not ashamed, it was hard as hell). But that’s just because my thighs really started to burn and I needed to allow some of that rapidly building lactic acid a moment to subside.
Now that I have a time, 4:53, I have something to aim for. I need that. I can’t promise that I’ll be able to beat it every day, but at least I now have a bar.
Wish me luck tomorrow. I have a feeling it won’t be getting any easier.
Kevin
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
DAY: Minus One
Okay, okay, so I’ve committed to running up the 20 flights of stairs to our office every morning starting tomorrow until the pitch.
Why?
Hell if I know.
Sure, I’m a runner. I’ve run marathons, half marathons, and even done a few triathlons and biathlons. But this is different. For one, I injured my back about 7 weeks ago and haven’t run since. So I’m terribly out of shape. And two, running 20 flights of stairs ‘aint like running on a road.
What I love about running is getting into my zone. Finding that place in my mind and my pace that allows me to let go and glide. I love to run and realize several miles later that I've gone several miles. That's the place that running can take me.
But running up 20 flights of stairs, I dare imagine, won’t offer that kind of feeling. It’ll be more like torture. Hard work from the fifth step to the last. I don’t think there’s a zone to be found at any point in 20 flights of stairs.
But run it I will. And I’ll keep my time to guage my improvement (assuming, of course, that I will actually improve). I hope it’ll be fun for anyone who follows my adventure to see how I fare.
And I hope somebody in our office knows CPR.
Wish me luck and stay tuned every day right here for my thoughts on that day’s climb. I’ll keep it short (the write-up, not the 20 flights of stairs).
Fingers crossed.
Kevin
Why?
Hell if I know.
Sure, I’m a runner. I’ve run marathons, half marathons, and even done a few triathlons and biathlons. But this is different. For one, I injured my back about 7 weeks ago and haven’t run since. So I’m terribly out of shape. And two, running 20 flights of stairs ‘aint like running on a road.
What I love about running is getting into my zone. Finding that place in my mind and my pace that allows me to let go and glide. I love to run and realize several miles later that I've gone several miles. That's the place that running can take me.
But running up 20 flights of stairs, I dare imagine, won’t offer that kind of feeling. It’ll be more like torture. Hard work from the fifth step to the last. I don’t think there’s a zone to be found at any point in 20 flights of stairs.
But run it I will. And I’ll keep my time to guage my improvement (assuming, of course, that I will actually improve). I hope it’ll be fun for anyone who follows my adventure to see how I fare.
And I hope somebody in our office knows CPR.
Wish me luck and stay tuned every day right here for my thoughts on that day’s climb. I’ll keep it short (the write-up, not the 20 flights of stairs).
Fingers crossed.
Kevin
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
