Ok, so I know its not a marathon or anything, but its a start. This weekend my wife and some friends of ours (one whom will be beginning his own blog soon…more on that later) will be running the 10K Cooper River Bridge Run.
Sadly, I haven’t really trained a lot for this event (which is this weekend, by the way), but I have trained some. About 2 weeks ago I got back into my 3 mile run (about 30 mins) for about 2-3 days a week. I tried to bump it up last week to 4.5 last week (45 mins) but only ran it once.
And then there’s this week…my goal is to run 6 miles (about 10K) 3 days and rest on Friday, then run that bad boy on Saturday (hopefully in under an hour…we’ll see). I was successful yesterday, but we will have to see how today and Thursday go! 
Running is very odd for me, being a shorter man and not exactly having the ‘runner shape’ to me at all. However, we used to do a lot of running in wrestling for condition. It’s all mind over matter…I don’t mind and the body don’t matter (well, it does, but you know what I mean). It’s training the mind to tell the body…”you’re running, I don’t care if you are tired or not.” And most the time, it works…I think.
The thing that keeps me going while I’m running is my iPod. Without it, I would be lost and probably quit. I don’t like to hear myself breathing heavy or the ‘pitter-patter’ of my feet on the road. However, the part that stinks is that when you run for an hour with the same songs over and over again each run…you get tired of them.
Hey maybe you guys could help me out…? If you were going to suggest some great running songs or anything upbeat what would it be? What should I load our (mine & my wife’s) iPods with so we are running to some new tunes all the way up and around the bridge?
April 2nd, 2008 at 10:09 am
I’ve been in Marathon training, and the two things that have helped me the most are the Apple Nike+ Sport Kit & the Lance Armstrong Playlists (availalbe under the Nike Label in iTunes). The Lance Armstrong playlist is about 50 minutes, so it’s not too long; but it’s some great timely music for a good run!
Good Luck Saturday.
April 2nd, 2008 at 10:09 am
Pudge… great blog! Hey man, my wife Erin attended your breakouts at the Unleash conference, and really likes what is happening in your church’s children’s ministry - particularly your decision to only do the weekend experience, and drop things like VBS when it begins to detract from what is happening each weekend. So that is how I came across your blog… …about the race.
My wife and I will be runnning in it as well, so in the midst of like 50 million runners we should get together and hang out
Anyway, I was also on the wresting team, and now do a ton of biking, but this running thing is a killer. Personally, I think the most important thing when running with an ipod is to run with all songs with a similar beat or cadence. Once you decide where your pace is, pick all songs that are at the same pace. If not, every time “Eye of the Tiger” comes around on your playlist you will accelerate like a fat kid meandering up on a free pizza giveaway. Then when Boyz II Men kick into “50 Candles” your pace will drop like wounded bird. Its all about consistency man!
Here is my dilemma… when you run with your wife, do you intend to (1)stay with her through the entire race (2) run with her for the “quality time” and then leave her with a mile to go (3)hope her great training, and your lack of training all-together doesn’t mean she will leave you with 2 miles to go
I need a plan going into this thing… …what is your strategy?
April 2nd, 2008 at 11:43 am
Well I agree with Jonathan that an essential for any runner is the Lance Armstrong playlist. Also I would recommend Pillar especially Frontline great song and Eminem’s Lose Yourself. Don’t know your take on music though.
Anyway man another soundtrack that I would recommend is the 300 soundtrack that will get you pumped.
so there’s a couple of songs good luck with the running.
April 2nd, 2008 at 4:40 pm
I have the same problem when I run. I’ve found that if I listen to songs that I know real well that I tend to “tune them out”. My latest trick is to listen to songs I’ve never heard or aren’t very familiar with. I tend to focus more on the song and less on the pain that is coming from every other part of my body.
I don’t know what you are in to but I listened to the new Dave Barnes album for the first time running today and the time flew by. Good listen. I did the same thing the first time I listened to Lee McDezz new spin. Some others: Zac Brown, all the Daughtry stuff, Greenday, even Pink Floyd live is good.
April 3rd, 2008 at 12:07 am
Check out the Podrunner Podcast keeps some good beats and it updates about every week, so you always have some fresh tracks.
April 3rd, 2008 at 8:34 pm
i love to run to some falling up, dizmas, u2, a switchfoot now and again, garbage, downhere, evenessence, luna halo, mute math, even some hillary duff if you like dance music. looks kinda wierd when i type it all out …
April 3rd, 2008 at 9:37 pm
stravinsky’s rite of spring, orf’s carmina burana, relient k, U2, kutless
i can so lose myself in the first two. good music takes my mind off of my body - distraction is good when you are trying to push.
April 4th, 2008 at 8:17 pm
Thanks for all the great suggestions guys! Tomorrow is the big day!
As far as strategy…pace myself, keep track of time, don’t fall off the bridge, finish at or under an hour!
Thanks!
pudge