Continuous Improvement (Implementing Lean)

My running is going well. I'm not as blazingly fast as my friend Joe yet. Last week I did three 3 milers during the week and a 10 miler on Saturday. This week I've been in Dallas to help at one of our sites there. I've done two 3 mile runs on the hotel treadmill. I'm the scoutmaster and we're going on our winter campout tonight and tomorrow. It is a step-back week for me so my long run is only 7 miles. I may have to shorten that since I won't be getting home until about 4pm tomorrow, and I'll be very tired after sleeping in the snow.

Over the last 4 weeks my minutes/mile on my 3 mile runs has been getting progressively better. My long runs are just done at a comfortable pace so I don't kill myself or get injured but they are improving as well. It is very surprising to me how this is going.

Last 5 weeks of "Long Runs"

6 Miler: 64 min (10:40/mi)
7 Miler: 75 min (10:43/mi)
5 Miler: Can't remember
9 Miler: 87 min (9:40/mi)
10 Miler: 94 min (9:24/mi) (1st 5 miles were at a 9 minute pace, then I had to slow a bit.)
I've ordered some GU and I think that may help with the 2nd half of my long runs.

My last 4 week averages for my 3 mile runs:

9:26/mi
9:04/mi
8:42/mi
8:20/mi

It still hurts to push myself, but it's now my legs that protest rather than my lungs. My weight is much more under control at this point. In beginning this process I changed my diet. I eat a smoothie every morning made of 4 frozen strawberries, 1/2 of a frozen banana, a whole orange, 4 ice cubes and some water. It's a tasty treat. I'm also doing the Subway:Jared thing as well, except I go to Port-O-Subs which is a Nevada chain. I get a small ham, no cheese, no mayo, olive, lettuce, tomato, pickle, peppers, and avocado. I think my stomach has shrunk, because this small sandwich fills me up now.

I started at about 183 lbs. and I'm currently at about 168-9. After my 10 miler last weekend I was at 166.6 but most of that was water loss. Now that I'm 14 lbs. down from my starting weight, I'll be focusing less on the weight loss and more on my running speed.

Goal number one...check.

In running a marathon I knew that things would go much easier for me physically if I would loose a couple of pounds. When I started this process I was 182.5. I have since dropped my first 10 pounds. I weighed in at 172.5 this morning which should make the strain on my knees a bit easier to handle. Pick up a 10 pound bag of sugar next time you're in the grocery store and see if you'd like to carry it for 26 miles. My drivers license lists me at 180, but in January of '07 I weighed 190. I didn't feel great and I didn't look great either.

As a testament to what improved fitness can do for you I offer the following: Near the end of my first run of 1.5 miles the outside of my right knee began to hurt. After the run the pain got progressively worse and wasn't completely gone for 2 days and after a lot of ice. After my first 3 mile run a week later, I had the same strong pain but not until about 2 miles into the run. When I ran six miles last weekend I felt the pain during the last half mile and it was gone by morning. This week I've done two 3 mile runs so far and didn't feel any pain during or after either run. In running 7 miles tomorrow, I feel that there is the possibility of minor pain after the run, but with my fitness level increasing, and my weight decreasing, it wouldn't surprise me to have no pain when I'm done.

Secondly, just prior to starting my exercising a month ago, my pulse was around 65 bpm. I just took my pulse and it was 52. That will keep the ticker working much longer.

I'm in the 2nd week of my 18 week training program (although I had to do some pre-training just to get ready for the actual training). Last Saturday I did my first long run of 6 miles. It took me 1:04:12. Not lightning, but I ran for over an hour without stopping and although I felt tired, it was very satisfying. I'm hoping to do my 7 miler in about 1:10, but won't be on as good of a road as I ran on last week so we'll see.