Off work early!

Lauren and I both got off work at 8pm, so I was able to start my run at 9:45pm or so. I felt good and set out to do 8km. I ended up running 8.19km in 44:56. I realize earlier that I said I wanted to keep doing morning runs, but I couldn't this morning. Unfortunately, the bike I wanted is a little pricey for me, so I'm going to have to wait for a different bike. Unless someone feels like giving me a couple hundred dollars!

My first 10k is almost 3 weeks away! Zero to 10k in 1.5 months.

The beginning of my morning runs

Since my 10k is at 6am on September 18th, I figured I'd better begin training in the morning. I am definitely not used to it. I ran 5.22km in 29:08. It was hot and I had too many Oreos last night.

I am buying a bike! It's a used Selene. Check it out!

http://blog.velocite-bikes.com/2010/06/velocite-selene-competitor-bike-review/

Back from vacation run

Our 4 days in Kenting was AMAZING! We laid on the beach, went swimming, surfed, and did a little sight seeing. We traveled home most of the day Sunday and got back around 6pm or so. I was super tired and didn't want to go run, but got in gear, put on the shoes and went out. I ran 5.28 km in 27:16. I felt really good and could have ran longer, but I'm still trying to let my body adjust to the new exercise.

Here are some photos of our vacation.

 This was at Baisha Beach. 白沙灣

 A fun little diving rock.

 We watched the sunset from Guanshan 關山

 墾丁夜市 Kenting night market

 Surfing at Jialeshui 在佳樂水衝浪

Long Run Day

I got off work a little early and was able to run 7.44km in 42:34. I decided I needed to go on a longer run because I am now officially on vacation. I should run this weekend but who knows. My run felt great tonight and could have ran further.

4 weeks left!

I have 4 weeks and three days until my 10k, and I am not ready. I'm going to push through, keep up with the training, and log in a good time.
Today I ran 5.01km in 26:13. I am feeling more comfortable finishing 5km and am going to step it up this week to hit 7km on Saturday. Eating crap all weekend does indeed make a difference with my performance the day after. I felt like crap, but wasn't super tired or winded.

For my birthday dinner we went to Chilli's with a few friends.

The waitresses made me stand on my chair while everyone sang to me. 

Here's some good news, Lauren and I are going to Kenting for three nights. I will do my best to keep running there, but with surfing, traveling, and unlimited mango smoothies available, it's going to be hard to put my shoes on. T-minus 4 weeks until the 10k!

Post Birthday Run

Yesterday was my birthday. I decided not to run for a few reasons.
1. I was a little under the weather.
2. The tip of the typhoon was over Taichung, which meant tons of rain.
3. I ate way too much crap.

See some pictures from last night!

Malls in Taiwan are filled with the most random crap.

My favorite meal. 蛋包飯！Rice wrapped in egg and pork!

It was ladies night at the batting cages, so Lauren hit some balls. 

Today, however, I felt pretty good. I don't want push myself too hard yet in order to give my legs some time to adjust to the new exercise. I ran 4.86km in 22:33. I should have just pushed to the 5k but it was dark and I couldn't see my Nike+ sportband. Perhaps tomorrow. My goal for Monday is to run 40 minutes. Let's see how far I can go!

My run home

My wife got off work an hour later than me, so I had time to run home and change before I picked her up. I put on my running gear, hopped on the scooter (go ahead and make fun of me for driving a scooter) and headed to the Taichung train station. The scooter said it was 4.6km from my apartment to the station, so I decided to give her the scooter and run home. I took a long detour and ended up finding a good pace up some side streets. I ran 5.36km in 29:05 and my 5k point was 27:17. I had a stitch for the last half but still didn't feel too out of breath and managed to sprint the last 200m or so.
My plan is to only have one day of rest per week from running. I chose Sunday because I have church, ZERO classes to teach, and time to spend with Lauren going on walks, watching movies, and cooking dinner. Unfortunately, I didn't run on Sunday or Monday due to a modeling gig we both had up in Taipei.

Bike

I really need a better bike. I ride a fixed gear bike 30-40 minutes each day but I need a nicer bike. There are some potential used one's here in Taiwan that I'm looking at but I'm not sure which one would best fit my needs. I did take my wife's mountain bike out today and rode for 1.5 hours. I have no idea how far I went.

Run #6 Evening Run and first 5k!

It's my birthday soon, so my wife thought she'd surprise me with an actual pair of running shoes. She bought me Nike Free Run 2's along with the Nike+ watch. I had a late dinner after 5 hours of teaching (yes even on Saturdays) and only had two slices of Costco pizza and a cup of coke. Healthy!

I set up my new watch and began my run. I ran 5.04km in 27:52. I guess I'm not in such bad shape after all. I ran under the train tracks and around the park. I passed a Buddhist temple with a lot of commotion going on for it being 10:30pm or so. There was also a lot of paper burning today, which doesn't provide optimal air conditions. This time may not impress people, but considering I'm someone who hates running and hasn't put in the time to train, I'd say I'm surprised. Couch to 5k in a 6 days....

Run #5 Should have gone earlier...

I began my run at 8:45am, which for Taiwan in the summer is too late! It was so hot. I feel like my shirt gained about 2 lbs of sweat weight. It's hanging up to dry right now.
I ran for 28 minutes straight. I'd estimate it was about 4km. Not quite the 5km it wanted today, but I'm still making progress.

Run #4 An almost 5k!

I stopped running for 5 years, ran again 3-4 times a week for two years, and haven't run at all since late 2008. I am now on day #4 of my goal to do an Ironman.
Yesterday, I had some tightness in my calves and a tinge of soreness in my quads. I had a good stretch last night and this morning I was feeling great. From my apartment to the train station, it's 1.9 km and I had a goal to run there and back. I ran 4.5 km, which is about 2.8 miles, all within 24 minutes. The hottest part of the run is the elevator!
Oh, and today, I'm mailing in my form for a 10k on September 18! Couch to 10k!

Sore Calves

My calves hurt. I took it easy today. I only ran for about 10 minutes or so. I did some sprints and it was super hot, so I called it a morning.
I have noticed that I'm not as tired at work like I usually am. I don't know if it's mental or in relation to the running. Either way, I'm signing up for the Taiwan Seiko 130th Anniversary Run. From couch to 10k in 7 weeks!

Run #3

I recently signed-up for a Runner's World so I could browse the forums and seek advice. Apparently, some of the members saw my blog, took offense, and began to troll. Honestly, don't people have better things to do? I do find it a little humorous. Be a big boy and help a fellow runner out.

Run #3 went well. My calves feel a bit tight but my other muscles are only a little sore. I ran 0.2 km further than yesterday and found a course I like. I run through a little 巷（neighborhood street), through a gas station, and do a loop around a park where hundreds of Taiwanese seniors walk daily. The far side of the park has a morning market with fruits, vegetables, fresh fish, and raw meat. Besides the daily traffic here in 台中 (Taichung) and the heat/humidity factor, I don't see why I can't become a great runner and become IRON MAN one day!