“Focus on the journey, not the destination. Joy is found not in finishing an activity but in doing it.” -Greg Anderson

This is during my 4th training run, the last run of the first week!

(never mind that this is a terrible picture!)

Four runs in, one week down, 24 weeks from TODAY I’ll be running the Saturday Rock N’ Roll Marathon in Washington, DC.

Today’s Run

Week 1 Statistics (if you’re into that sort of thing, and I am)

Average Run

• 20 minutes

Average Pace

• 10:36.41/mile

I used the Runtastic app that I mentioned I would be trying out, and already it’s much better and more functioned than the Nike+ app.  It has a ton of information you can very easily check out while you’re running, where as the Nike+ app was pretty limited to just your total time and your map.  It isn’t a deal breaker, because I wasn’t looking at my app all that much while running, but it was nice to look down and see my pace really quickly, or very easily change or pause songs.

This is a great beginning to my running challenge, and I look forward to many more.

“There are two mistakes one can make along the road to truth…not going all the way, and not starting.” -Buddha

Run tracking software

Ugh

I like the idea of a running app for my phone. It functions as a run diary, keeping track of your runs, the route, your run pace, your overall pace, etc.

Nike
I’ve been using the Nike + running app, mostly because I had Nike+ shoes with the sensor (before I had GPS on a phone), and I liked the way that it worked.

Yesterday, at the end of a timed run, I must have mistakenly turned the app back on after stopping it, because it recorded at extra 2.5 minutes of walking and talking.

This extra time got factored into my pace for the run, and subsequent to that got factored into the overall pace for my entire run history. For some one who loves to track data, this is terrible. It poisons not only that runs data, but the entire well of data.

No problem, right? Just truncate the 2.5 minutes, right! Except the app has no such feature. Neither does the website.

After talking with them, found out I could delete the run and they could manually add one in to fix my pace, but I lose the map and elevation stuff. Half fix, and lose 30 minutes of life on the phone with them.

SO, trying out a new running app. It’s called:
Runtastic

Seems to have everything that the Nike+ app had, plus the ability to take photos from the app on your run (pretty cool), and LIVE updates, so supporters know where you are on your run…pretty awesome for a first marathon I think.

I will give a review after checking it out for a while.

3rd Run, with some Clarity

Yesterday morning I went for my third run. Temperature was perfect, and I went back to some music (I find it helps when I run). 20 minute run took me 1.9 miles. Still a pokey pace, but I’m trying to build up some leg stamina.

Today, my upper thighs are sore, and it hurts to stand still. I’m going to investigate some solid thigh stretches for when the runs are over.

Inspiration
Running is easier with the beat of music, but sometimes it’s the lyrics that get you moving. I’m a big Metallica fan, especially for running. The hard rocking bass and guitar tend to pace my stride, but I really got into the lyrics this time. Take a read, they really speak to the journey I’m on.

Metallica
Almost like your life

Like a siren in my head that always threatens to repeat,
Like a blind man that is strapped into the speeding driver’s seat,
Like a face that learned to speak, when all it knew was how to fight,
Like a misery that keeps me though I’ve gone astray
Like an endless nightmare I must awaken from each day

Contradiction,
A premonition,
Not worthy of, so I deny
I deny.

I blind my eyes and try to force it all into place,
I stitch them up, see not my fall from grace.
I blind my eyes, I hide and feel it passing me by
I open just in time to say goodbye.

Almost like your life,
Almost like your endless fight,
Cursed, the day is long,
Realize you don’t belong,
Disconnect somehow,
Never stop the bleeding now
Almost like your fight,
And there it went,
Almost like your life.

Like a wound that keeps on bleeding to remind me not to think,
Like a raging river, drowning when i only need a drink,
Like a poison that i swallow, but i want the world to die.

Like a release from a prison that i didn’t know i was in,
Like a fight to live the past I prayed to leave from way back when
Like a general without a mission until the wars start again,
Start again.

I blind my eyes and try and force it all into place,
I stitch them up, see not my fall from grace.
I blind my eyes, I hide and feel it passing me by
I open just in time to say goodbye.

Almost like your life,
Almost like your endless fight,
Cursed, the day is long,
Realize you don’t belong,
Disconnect somehow,
Never stop the bleeding now
Almost like your fight,
And there it went,
Almost like your life.

Like a touch from hell,
I feel how hot that it can get if you get caught,
Like a strike from heaven that turns that key,
That brings you straight down to your knees,
Like a touch from hell,
I feel how hot that it can get if i get caught,
Like a strike from heaven to reprieve,
That brings you straight down to your knees.

Almost like your life,
Almost like your endless fight,
Cursed, the day is long,
Realize you don’t belong,
Disconnect somehow,
Never stop the bleeding now
Almost like your fight,
And there it went,
Almost like your life.
That was just your life.

(Emphasis added by me)

“Like a blind man that is strapped into the speeding driver’s seat”

This was me. Not in control, not even paying attention to the life that was speeding by, when I should have been driving.

And there it went, almost like your life.

We should all take the wheel and drive.
I feel like Ebenezer Scrooge, given reprieve from his earlier transgressions – a second chance. These runs are changing me.

Ebenezer: [to the Spirit of Christmas Yet To Come] Before I draw nearer to that stone, tell me! Are these the shadows of things that must be, or are they the shadows of things that MIGHT be?

The End of an Era

*sigh

All my life, I’ve been a gamer. Atari. Commodore. Gemini. Colleco. Amiga. IBM. Nintendo (8bit, super, 64, GameCube). Playstation (1,2,3). Xbox, (original, 360).

Today, I sold the last of my stuff. It’s over. I remember saying “I’ll be 80 and playing video games.” It was part of my DNA.

Bollocks to that. It’s time for a new Greg. It’s time to find simple joys in hanging with my kids. It’s time to have some extra time with my wife, because she deserves it.

In short, it’s time to grow up.

I got RAPED at GameStop, but this isn’t about the money. Besides, I bought a ton of stuff for Lola’s party with it.

Mea Culpa.

2nd Run

2nd training run, in the books. I was joined today by Chris Watanabe, a neighbor who, like me, has decided to accept this challenge and train for this marathon with me. Awesome.

We ran for 20 minutes, per our schedule. At the end of 20, we had run 1.81 miles. It was much warmer this morning, and the run felt fantastic.

Here is a link to the run map.
September 25

The Journey Begins

Hey everybody.

Sometimes it takes a great event in life, sometimes it’s turmoil.  Sometimes it’s the love of a woman, sometimes, you’ve lost your job or your health.  Where ever your crossroads come from, which way will you go when you get to them?

Coming to a crossroads myself recently, it was time to take stock of who I am, what I am, where I came from, and more importantly where do I want to go?  It’s time for a reboot.

It’s time for Greg 2.0.  The phoenix has burned down, arisen again.

Too Much Time Wasted.

I wasted a lot of time.  Not in the sense that I didn’t have enjoyment (I did), but in the sense that nothing outwardly productive came from my efforts.  I don’t think that’s always a bad thing, sometimes entertainment is it’s own reward, but other things can be so much more so.  To this end, I’ve come to the first life changing task:

No More Games

(apart from family time games).

I packed up all of my Xbox 360 games and sent them to Amazon to their trade-in program.   I ended up getting almost $400 for them, so I’m happy.  Next to go is the Xbox itself.  I’ve got it, a controller, a hard drive, and a wireless adapter on craigslist right now, but after the listing if I still have it, it’s to Gamestop I go to get gouged.

Next, I’ll be going through my games closet and getting rid of all of my board games too.  Time to get focused – and time I’m not playing games is times I can spend doing all of the things I really want to do.

I have always been a gamer, so this one hurts.  At the same time, I’ve always been a gamer.  I was a pretty damn good one too.  Perfecting that, what else can I be?  What else do I want to be?  If I’m not gaming, what will I be doing with my time?

Next, I have committed to

No More TV or Internet

(except for work and this blog)

Too much time wasted.  See above.  Small Facebook games (while fun, and thank you everyone, it’s not getting the house cleaned, or helping my children with their lives).

I’ve committed to:

No Coffee, Tea, Drugs, Alcohol.

(White Tea and the odd wine/beer with my wife allowed)

This is a tough one.  I’m on day 12 of no coffee, and have only had  a few cups of caffeine starved white tea else wise.  I posted about the coffee struggle earlier.  Ouch.

Too many drugs in the system..am I me, or am I the drugs?  I’d like a baseline to spring from, and to do that I need to understand how much sleep and nutrition I really need to function, so this is a no brainer.  Posts on this path will appear under Health and Wellness, because well, they affect my health and wellness.  🙂

Next, I’m

Running A Marathon!

I’ve always wanted to do this, but never got off my LAZY ass to do so.  This time, it’s time.  I actually booked and PAID FOR my marathon, the March 2013 Rock N’ Roll Marathon in Washington, D.C.  My progress is under Running a Marathon!  in the links.  Since I’m a rookie at this, I’m going to be detailing my progress in slow, steady steps.  I hope that all of my research into running a marathon from scratch will inspire some of you to get up and do it yourself.  Only 1% of the population will run a marathon in their lives, and it’s a BFD to me.

Something else that I’ve always wanted to do, but never got up and did it (apart from the dreaming and thinking) is…

Write A Children’s Book!

Yep.  I’m just gonna do it.  I’m writing and illustrating an children’s book.  By the end of September 2013 I will have a published children’s book on the shelves somewhere.  It factors to be a labor of love, and I’ve already got some great feedback to my story ideas, so hopefully it and I will be hugely successful in this endeavor.

Next, I’m going to

Commit To A Religion

Not a theistic one, just can’t wrap my head around that.  I am very interested in the concept of spirituality however, and there are some fantastic non-theistic religions that I would like to delve into.  First up to see if I’m a fit, Buddhism.

I’m also come to the realization and acceptance that I’m not good at home.  I need to be in an out of the home job, so,

I’m Getting A ‘Real’ Job.

Not sure exactly where I’ll end up, but I have some very promising irons in some fires.  I want to join the adult world, have adult interactions, and regain some lost ego.  It’s just time.

Something I’ve been wanting to really get a hold of forever, is

Brush and Floss twice a day.

It’s all about habit making and sticking.  I just need to do it.  People who brush and floss live longer, and I want to be here for my family.  It’s as simple as that.  This, of all the things I’m looking to do may end up being the hardest to actually stick to doing.  I’m so God damn lazy.  Must. Stop. The Madness.

Go To Therapy

Ok, so I have some issues to work out.  Some serious ones.  As I get through some of them, I’ll share more.  Bottom line is, that a therapist can help you sort out who you are and where you’re coming from, so you can get to where you want to be.  This is exactly what I hope to do, so I think seeing a therapist can help me jumpstart this journey on the right foot.

Lastly,

Write A Blog!

In this age of over-sharing, I plan on over-sharing a bunch.  Tear down the wall, exposed in front of my peers.  Read if you like , don’t if you don’t, but don’t do nothing.

Be the change you want to see.

You are as happy as you want to be.

Anything is possible, with hard work and dedication.

If you’ve got dreams, why haven’t you started them?

If you don’t have dreams, maybe it’s time to set goals, instead of just exist.

This is the year of Greg.

Greg Hatchette, the HatchDad, ready to emerge from my shell as a new me.

Someone who I built, something I made.

Thanks for reading guys.

A peek at Fred the Bunny

This is Fred the Bunny from one of my early story boards.  His form may develop further yet, and I’m still having internal strife over how his movements will work out, but I thought I’d share.

 

Gearing up for the training

much to consider…

Testing my Stride

Today I went down to Potomac River Running, to learn more about the training process, and to analyze my gait when I run.  This was accomplished by walking and then running on a treadmill while they observed the motion of my stride, and the strike points where my feet hit the ground.  They were able to determine that I have a normal gait.  This means that I can use a neutral shoe (not adjusted for side to side movement when running).

Dress for success

Shoes

The size shoe I was given for running was a 9, which is a 1/2 to a full size more than I normally wear for shoes.  The reason for this is that your feet swell when running extra long distances, and you want the room to expand into.  Without this extra room, many marathon runners get blackened, and lose their toenails afterwards.

After trying three pairs on, I went with a pair of Saucony’s; the Saucony Mens Ride 5’s.  This pair has an 8mm heel/toe offset (think high heels vs. flats).  The typical shoe has a 12mm offset.  Many runners are now going ‘natural’ fit, as our feet are designed to work without shoes.  It’s a big jump to go from your standard shoe to a 0 mm offset however, so I’m going to ramp down slowly.

Socks

Something else to consider when thinking of running a marathon is your sock choice.  Socks are a critical part of the process if you think about it.  A sock should be dri-fit or moisture-wicking, to keep moisture off of your feet.  It is moisture on the feet that primarily causes blistering.

Choosing a sock is crazy, there are so many different kinds, but the three main points that I came across to consider were material, cushion, and compression.  There are many kinds of moisture-wick materials, so I was going on recommendation and feel.  Similarly, the cushion level of the sock is a preference.  I prefer a cushioned heel to a non-cushioned heel.  Lastly, compression.  Compression is a factor where it compresses the skin (and veins/arteries), and keeps everything under a better pressure.  It can promote circulation, which is important when you’re looking to run 26.2 miles.

I chose the Vibe Swiftwick, and once used, I’ll review them.

Running in the cold

I am starting this journey near the first day of fall.  As such, I’ll be training outside when it’s cold.  That started me thinking about my comfort level while gearing up for training, and how warm/cold I’d like to be vs. what my current equipement was set up to provide for.  I bought a moisture-wicking stocking hat, figuring that would likely last me through the winter.  My next thought was to my legs..

I am looking at various compression tights for running, but haven’t yet purchased them (it’s still warm enough), and wanted to do some more research on the brands/types – because they’re not cheap.

More to come as I learn more and get into training.  My first training run is tomorrow morning at 6am with Chris Watanabe, my neighbor (who is as anxious as I am to get this going I think).

 

 

 

It’s Official!

I have signed up for a marathon!  I’m running the March 16th, 2013, Rock N’ Roll Marathon in Washington, DC.  This is just about exactly 26 weeks away from today’s date, and puts me right in line with the 26 week training schedule shown on MarathonRookie.com.  My neighbor, Chris, committed yesterday to joining me on this journey, and I hope he does.

Next steps for me:

Head to Potomac River Running store, and have them analyze my gait, and really get into my stride and foot strike positions to find the perfect shoe for me.  I also want to pick their brains on some of the things I’ll need to be thinking of as I train for this marathon.

So Excited!  The race is ON!