RUUUUUUUN!
So, I've "started running." That is, running as a daily or mostly-daily system to get more exercise. I've quit WoW and I find myself with nothing to do during the midnight hours.
That said, I have no idea what I'm doing (aside from "put one foot in front of the other, turn left occasionally, stop when you arrive back at the house") so I'm putting up this post to invite responses, critiques, advice, jokes, mockery, and other forms of sympathy.
Started on Monday, the 15th. I'm running at 2-5AM because fuck Arizona.
Route #1, 8/15 and 8/16.
http://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=1750+s+alma+school+rd&daddr=alma+school+%26+baseline+to%3Abaseline+%26+longmore+to%3Alongmore+%26+isabella+to%3A1750+s+alma+school+rd&hl=en&sll=33.381662%2C-111.863394&sspn=0.006029%2C0.011362&geocode=FaNj_QEdzy5V-Sl5zIAR9gcrhzGoqM3ChpVsBQ%3BFVpR_QEdJihV-Snp25Ad9QcrhzEVbfRmzlwzTQ%3BFZRR_QEdagRV-SkPky-I7QcrhzETSJnJ2psOrA%3BFeVo_QEdYhdV-Skrz6Pc8AcrhzGfObTxfyxSAQ%3BFaNj_QEdzy5V-Sl5zIAR9gcrhzGoqM3ChpVsBQ&mra=ls&t=h&z=17
On Monday (15th) that route took me 27 minutes and was hard as hell. Roughly 2 miles, counting the extra it takes to actually get to the starting point. 27 minutes is 13.5 minutes per mile, or more like about 10 minutes for the first mile and 17 for the second. I did not/could not run the entire time, but would run until I felt I couldn't anymore, then fast-walk until my breath caught up and I felt I could run again. I was chugging at my asthma inhaler about every 8-10 minutes.
On Tuesday I went the same route in reverse, just so I wouldn't get bored as quickly. This time my timer said 22 minutes, but I think it was more like 24. Call it 23, and I'm still shaving off 15% of my travel time for the same distance. Bonus! I don't think I did anything differently. Maybe my muscles were just warmed to the idea. The real difference is that I didn't need my inhaler at all.
Route #2, 8/17.
http://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=1750+S+Alma+School+Rd,+Mesa,+AZ+85210&daddr=S+Alma+School+Rd+to:W+Southern+Ave+to:W+Isabella+Ave+to:W+Isabella+Ave+to:W+Juanita+Ave+to:S+Longmore+to:1750+s+alma+school+rd+mesa+az+85210&hl=en&sll=33.382325,-111.865046&sspn=0.012076,0.022724&geocode=FaNj_QEdzy5V-Sl5zIAR9gcrhzGoqM3ChpVsBQ%3BFZCJ_QEdYjFV-Q%3BFfSJ_QEdxO1U-Q%3BFa5h_QEdbOtU-Q%3BFZ5d_QEdTPdU-Q%3BFUpc_QEd6gNV-Q%3BFdFo_QEdVBdV-Q%3BFaNj_QEdzy5V-Sl5zIAR9gcrhzGoqM3ChpVsBQ&mra=ls&vpsrc=0&t=h&z=15
This one... was...bigger. I initially was going to try and get roughly the same distance going north on Alma School, but about five minutes into the run I decided I was gonna see how far I could push. I didn't have a solid estimate for actual distance on this route in my head at the time, but I did know the way. Total run-time, 45 minutes for 4.1 miles. Roughly 11minutes to the mile, and that's assuming each mile was equal, whiiiiiich it wasn't.
On the last leg of the trip (where Dobson turns to Isabella) I ran out of steam. At no point during the entire walk did I stop - I wasn't gonna do that, because I wasn't sure if I could start again. But I definitely blinked at one point and suddenly lost all perception of color.
Let me repeat that: My vision went monochrome. Black and white. From point D to point E on that map I was in a weird nighttime TV-Land. When my breath came back, so did the color (gradually) along with the beginnings of a headache. I don't know if it was the onset of heatstroke, or dehydration, or what. (Now that I'm back home, everything is fine. Don't worry.)
All in all, I'm pretty proud of myself so far. The real question is whether I can/will keep it up.
Comments appreciated!
That said, I have no idea what I'm doing (aside from "put one foot in front of the other, turn left occasionally, stop when you arrive back at the house") so I'm putting up this post to invite responses, critiques, advice, jokes, mockery, and other forms of sympathy.
Started on Monday, the 15th. I'm running at 2-5AM because fuck Arizona.
Route #1, 8/15 and 8/16.
http://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=1750+s+alma+school+rd&daddr=alma+school+%26+baseline+to%3Abaseline+%26+longmore+to%3Alongmore+%26+isabella+to%3A1750+s+alma+school+rd&hl=en&sll=33.381662%2C-111.863394&sspn=0.006029%2C0.011362&geocode=FaNj_QEdzy5V-Sl5zIAR9gcrhzGoqM3ChpVsBQ%3BFVpR_QEdJihV-Snp25Ad9QcrhzEVbfRmzlwzTQ%3BFZRR_QEdagRV-SkPky-I7QcrhzETSJnJ2psOrA%3BFeVo_QEdYhdV-Skrz6Pc8AcrhzGfObTxfyxSAQ%3BFaNj_QEdzy5V-Sl5zIAR9gcrhzGoqM3ChpVsBQ&mra=ls&t=h&z=17
On Monday (15th) that route took me 27 minutes and was hard as hell. Roughly 2 miles, counting the extra it takes to actually get to the starting point. 27 minutes is 13.5 minutes per mile, or more like about 10 minutes for the first mile and 17 for the second. I did not/could not run the entire time, but would run until I felt I couldn't anymore, then fast-walk until my breath caught up and I felt I could run again. I was chugging at my asthma inhaler about every 8-10 minutes.
On Tuesday I went the same route in reverse, just so I wouldn't get bored as quickly. This time my timer said 22 minutes, but I think it was more like 24. Call it 23, and I'm still shaving off 15% of my travel time for the same distance. Bonus! I don't think I did anything differently. Maybe my muscles were just warmed to the idea. The real difference is that I didn't need my inhaler at all.
Route #2, 8/17.
http://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=1750+S+Alma+School+Rd,+Mesa,+AZ+85210&daddr=S+Alma+School+Rd+to:W+Southern+Ave+to:W+Isabella+Ave+to:W+Isabella+Ave+to:W+Juanita+Ave+to:S+Longmore+to:1750+s+alma+school+rd+mesa+az+85210&hl=en&sll=33.382325,-111.865046&sspn=0.012076,0.022724&geocode=FaNj_QEdzy5V-Sl5zIAR9gcrhzGoqM3ChpVsBQ%3BFZCJ_QEdYjFV-Q%3BFfSJ_QEdxO1U-Q%3BFa5h_QEdbOtU-Q%3BFZ5d_QEdTPdU-Q%3BFUpc_QEd6gNV-Q%3BFdFo_QEdVBdV-Q%3BFaNj_QEdzy5V-Sl5zIAR9gcrhzGoqM3ChpVsBQ&mra=ls&vpsrc=0&t=h&z=15
This one... was...bigger. I initially was going to try and get roughly the same distance going north on Alma School, but about five minutes into the run I decided I was gonna see how far I could push. I didn't have a solid estimate for actual distance on this route in my head at the time, but I did know the way. Total run-time, 45 minutes for 4.1 miles. Roughly 11minutes to the mile, and that's assuming each mile was equal, whiiiiiich it wasn't.
On the last leg of the trip (where Dobson turns to Isabella) I ran out of steam. At no point during the entire walk did I stop - I wasn't gonna do that, because I wasn't sure if I could start again. But I definitely blinked at one point and suddenly lost all perception of color.
Let me repeat that: My vision went monochrome. Black and white. From point D to point E on that map I was in a weird nighttime TV-Land. When my breath came back, so did the color (gradually) along with the beginnings of a headache. I don't know if it was the onset of heatstroke, or dehydration, or what. (Now that I'm back home, everything is fine. Don't worry.)
All in all, I'm pretty proud of myself so far. The real question is whether I can/will keep it up.
Comments appreciated!