Worn Out

Things have been crazy lately and I think I am starting to feel the effects. Here is an example of what my days have looked like as of late:

6:30 AM: Wake up and go run.
7:45 AM: Get home, cool down and play with Ellie a little.
7:55 AM: Shower.
8:15 AM: Drive to work.
9:00 AM: Arrive at work.
9:00-5:00: Work in the lab and work on running shop things in my free time.
5:00 PM: Get off work.
5:45 PM: Arrive at home.
6:00 PM: Eat Dinner.
6:30 PM: Walk around the neighbor hood with Erin, Ellie and Gabbie(dog).
7:30 PM: Help with Ellie's bath.
8:00 PM: Put Ellie to sleep (this takes about 20-30min!)
8:30-10:30PM: Hang out with Erin/Work on running shop things.
10:45/11:00 PM: SLEEP!!

Even the sleep part has been tiring lately since Ellie refuses to sleep in her own bed or even sleep at all anymore. I usually receive a few screams in the ear or a few drop kicks to the face throughout the night.

My brain is dead from trying to figure out all of the orders for the new store. It is like trying to tell the future. You have to pick what you think other people will like or want. It just sends your head spinning.

My legs have been drained from the training plan that I am on right now. I find it hard to motivate myself to get out and run a lot of the time. I really miss having someone to train with like back in college and in high school. I have only run with someone else twice (other than Erin) since I graduated from college back in 2006. It is hard to get out by yourself and get a good workout in when you are already tired and you have to do one of the same 3 runs everyday (we live in Grafton right now and there is not much to chose from...I can't wait to move to Morgantown!)

Anyway...enough of my complaining!! Things are going well with the shop. We have placed all of the orders and are logo is in the final stages of being completed. Next on the list will be getting the shop set up once the crew is done with their work. So in the end, yes, I am very worn out right now but hopefully in the future it will all be worth it when I have a new PR and my very own running store!

Rainy Wednesday

I finally got back on track (figuratively and literally) with my training schedule this week. I was able to get speed workouts in on both Saturday and today. My 5k training plan consists of two track workouts a week, one long run and two training runs with 6-10 strides after.

On Saturday both Erin and I went to the track in the morning. While Erin was finishing her workout, I warmed up pushing Ellie in the baby jogger and then Erin cooled down pushing Ellie while I started my workout. I like having the whole family involved. You always have someone cheering you on!

Today I headed to the track at 6:30 A.M. before work. It was poring down rain outside so it took everything I had to get out the door. Besides the torrential down poor of rain, it was quiet and cool out. The fog rolling across the track and the sounds of train whistles moving down the valley made for a very ominous setting but at the same time it was a nice, relaxing start to the day. I had Erin snap this shot of me when I got home. It doesn't do any justice to how completely soaked I was.

Tomorrow is my birthday and I turn the big 25!!! I am getting so old!!!

Update: Race, Training and Store

This past weekend my wife and I were in St. Clairsville Ohio visiting with Erin's parents and decided to run the Barton VFD 16th annual 5k classic in Barton, Ohio. I had done this race in the past, when I use to live in Ohio as well, but it had been at least 7 years since then. For some reason I remembered it being a lot farther drive from St. Clairsville so unfortunately we arrived about and hour early and had nothing to do (especially since this is a very small town in the hills of Ohio).

The race started at 9:00 and the weather was good for a June morning. The fog in the valley was still blocking the sun during the race and the temperature was probably around 65. I was in 3rd place for most of the race but was past by two people at the two mile mark and finished 5th overall with a time of 17:47. I was satisfied with that time considering I haven't done any true speed work since last fall and had mostly just been training for the Pittsburgh Half Marathon which was in May. Erin finished in 2nd overall in the woman's race with a time of 20:52. She has still run a PR every race she has competed in so far. I like to think it is her great husband/coach to thank for that.

I was planning on starting my 5k training program this week but did not get around to it. Between Ellie not sleeping at night, my legs still being sore from the race and everything being crazy with the running store I just couldn't get myself out of bed on Wednesday to hit the track. I did get in 6 strides after each of my runs and will get a track workout in this Saturday.

Things are still moving right along with the store. We met with Andrew Smith (The person we are leasing from and cannot thank enough for all of his help in getting us started up. He is a CPA here in Morgantown and also owns several residental rental properties. I would highly recommend doing business with him to anyone.) on Wednesday and they are going to start fixing up the space ASAP so that we can get in and set up. Erin has meet with both the New Balance and Asics shoe representatives so far and have been in contact with all of the others. We may have to push the opening date back from August 1st to the 8th to make sure we have all of the shoes in, but we will have a better idea the closer we get.

-Kevin

Welcome

Welcome everyone. This blog will be dedicated to the trials an tribulations related to my running, Erin and I's new running store "Morgantown Running", being a Dad, family and everything else in between. I will try to post at least once a week so be sure to check back often. Please feel free to post comments and leave suggestions as I would love to hear what others have to say. Thanks for reading my blog!

-Kevin