Training Analysis

I'm a numbers guy and I think that one reason I love training is that it gives me something to keep track of, analyze and strategize about. Sarah teases me that I make spreadsheets for everything (the exact number of times I've been to the temple, had personal scripture study this year, as well as the time, distance and weather conditions of each run in the last 12 months, including my weight each week). So now that I have been running regularly for 12 months, it's time to analyze the data!

In the last 12 months I've had 3 major training periods for each of the 3 races I've run. From Feb-May 2007 I trained for the Ottawa Half Marathon, from June-Aug for the Fayetteville 10k and from Oct 07-Feb08 for the Myrtle Beach Half Marathon. Unfortunately I haven't found my June-Aug training log since we moved, but I've beaten all those record anyway. This analysis will mostly be a comparison between the two half marathon training periods.

Total duration of training: Ottawa - 16 weeks (Feb 7-May 27), Myrtle Beach (MB) - 20 weeks (Oct 1 - Feb 16)
Total number of miles ran: Ottawa - 197.6, MB - 329
Average # miles per week: Ottawa - 12.35, MB - 16.5
Total times ran: Ottawa - 71, MB - 70 -
Average # times running per week: Ottawa - 4.44, MB - 3.5
Peak weekly mileage: Ottawa - 27.3 (44km, twice), MB - 27.4
Peak distance (other than race day): Ottawa - 12.4 (May 12th), MB - 13.1 (12/14, 1/11 & 2/1)
Coldest training run: Ottawa neg 24C (-11F), MB 26F (-3C)
Hottest training run: Ottawa 25C (78F), MB 93F (34C) (doesn't factor in humidity)
Change in weight: Ottawa - from 197 - 185, MB - from 187 - 180.

Records
5k (3.1 miles): Ottawa - 29:00, MB - 25:27
10k (6.2 miles): Ottawa - 64:00, MB - 54:04

It's hard to compare times between the two training periods because I ran distances in Ottawa based on KM while I now run based on miles. I've thought it will be interesting to compare times for each distance during the last four months, from the fastest time I ran a particular distance compared to the first time I ran it.

5k (3.1 miles): 30:33 on Oct 1st --> 25:27 on Dec 18th.
5 miles: 53:02 on Oct 6th --> 43:53 on Dec 17th
10k (6.2 miles): 1:09 on Oct 20th --> 54:04 on Jan 28th
8 miles: 1:30:18 on Nov 3 --> 1:17:12 on Jan 17
9 miles 1:30:54 on Nov 17 --> 1:24:36 on Feb 11

For the "record" (bad pun), since I've been busy with school I've only run twice since Myrtle Beach, but beat personal records both times. On Monday I ran a 25:19 5k, at an 8:08 pace. On Wednesday I ran a 53:49 10k, an 8:40 pace. It's a good start to my 2 month training for Raleigh and 9 months until Richmond.

The Campaign

As you know, Obama and Clinton are virtually tied in the delegate count for the Democratic nomination with roughly 3/5 the country having voted. Who knew that the NC primary in May might be one of the more important ones? Like I have said already, I am supporting Obama, but with tremendous respect for both Sen. Clinton and McCain, and yes for Mike Huckabee as well. There are things about each of them I have liked for a number of years. That being said, Obama is the one that I think can actually get substantive legislation through congress in 2009. It's hard to imagine Hillary getting major health reform through, or McCain trying to get the type of reform I think we need. While Obama's plan isn't quite as ambitious as Hillary's, it seems much more politically realistic to me. Not only that, but with him at the top of the ticket, and with the unusually high number of Republicans retiring in Congress, I think the Democrats would be in a strong position to pick up seats in both the Senate and the House. Probably not enough to get the "super majority" 60% needed in the Senate, but enough to be able to move things along. Hillary might be the main reason many conservative voters (who don't love McCain) make it to the polls in November, meaning that she, democrat majorities, health reform and other initiatives would be so much more unlikely. Even still, like I've said before, if she does win the nomination, I will be behind her.

What's on my mind

Here's a video collection of some things that are on my mind lately:



Obama's won me over. I've liked him for a long time (relatively speaking), but haven't been sure until recently that he's who I would support for the Democratic nomination. When I first got an ipod in 1995 I subscribed to the podcasts of every Senator on itunes, which was basically just Obama and maybe one other. Each week I felt like I got to hear him as he told me his thoughts on the big issue of the week, from immigration, to health care and foreign affairs. What I respected most was his sincerity, the feeling that I was hearing what he really believes. He didn't stick to the party's talking points and wasn't afraid to compliment the Republican ideas he agreed with. More than anything I think our country needs a President who can heal the partisan divide and anger over the war that afflicts our country. As much as I love Hillary, it's obvious he'd be better at that. While her health care plan would be more effective than his (though I like his a lot), I think he's much more likely to get something passed. That being said, if she is the nominee, I will be behind her 100%. Even still, if McCain ends up being the President, I imagine I will be very supportive of him, as he won my respect years ago. My only concern is that he'll be trying too hard to prove he's "conservative" and won't be sticking to what he truly believes. Knowing him, I'm not too worried about that.



In case you haven't seen these Super Bowl highlights yet (or haven't seen them 100 times yet), enjoy! A smile still comes across my face as I watch Manning avoid all those tackles and Tyree make that catch on his helmet and then break his back as he holds on to the ball. What a game! The Patriots were 2 minutes 44 seconds from finishing a perfect 19-0 season for the first time in NFL history, but it wasn't meant to be as the Giants won their first Super Bowl since 1991, when I was 10. Speaking of that game, I can still remember so clearly watching Scott Norwood miss that field goal. Let me set the scene for you: if he kicks the ball between the goal posts, Buffalo is the champion; if he misses, then the Giants are.


(I don't endorse the fake newspaper headline or the ending, but the clip is fun to watch).



I cried 10 year old tears that night watching this interview feeling so bad for him, but so happy he missed it. You know it's a tough moment when the reporters are trying to console the players on the air!



I can't quite describe what it is about the Shout Out Louds that make them one of my favorite bands these days, but I can't get enough of their album "Our Ill Wills." Maybe it's the Swedish accent? I'm not sure about the video for "Tonight I have to leave it," but it's a fantastic song. Here's the video for "Impossible":



Other than my sweetheart, the baby and school, this is what's on my mind lately.

Funny Commercial

This was a good commercial from the super bowl

Congrads

Congratulations are in order to our friends Chris and Melissa who just found out they're having a boy. It's so wonderful to have such good friends to go through this experience with, and am glad our kids will get to play together. I know you two are faithful blog readers, so congrads to Melissa and Chris +1.

Myrtle Beach Half Marathon

In 3 weeks I'll be part of this mob of people starting the Myrtle Beach half marathon. I've been traning hard since the start of October and feel ready. The race starts early, which is tough for me since my favorite time to run is the afternoon. The best part, however, is that I should be making the turn on mile 4 just in time so that I'll be running along the ocean during sunrise for over four miles. I expect it to be an unbelievable experience.

President Hinckley 1910-2008

Perhaps you've heard the news that President Gordon B. Hinckley, the man that members of my church revered as the Prophet of God on the earth, passed away this evening. He died around 7pm at his home in Salt Lake City with members of his family present. I feel deep emotions of gratitude and appreciation for the life he lived and the influence he had on me. If I had to pick one defining moment in my life when things clicked into place and I caught a vision of my potential, and felt inspired to live the kind of life that would merit eventually meeting someone like Sarah Sacuto, it would be at the dedication of the Boston Temple in October 2000. I was just a few rows away from him, with my freshley shaved head and goatee, as he taught about my eternal potential. The feeling I had was unbelievable and undeniable. In a sense, every good thing that has happened in my life is a result of the feelings and resolutions I had that day.

That was not actually the first time I heard him in person. I saw him in St. Louis in 95 or 96, shortly after he became the prophet. I saw him in 1997 with 21,000 at Madison Square Garden. I actually saw a free Sonic Youth/Busta Ryhmes concert later that day on the main steps of Columbia University's campus. I was 16, so which event of the day do you think I enjoyed most? Even still, I was deeply touched by hearing the prophet.

The next time I saw him in person was the summer of 2004 when he was in NYC to dedicate the Manhattan Temple. He spoke at a fireside the night before at Radio City Music Hall, and then on Sunday morning I serendipitously was the at the "cornerstone" ceremony, and with a group of 40 or so people, got to be with him in that solemn experience. During the Saturday night fireside at Radio City, he challenged us to be better people, to resolve "to make a difference because of the Gospel of Jesus Christ." He asked us to memorize this phrase and write it in our journals. I'm doing my best.

The final time I saw him was in March 2006. I was moving from Boise, Idaho (where I had worked in the legislature for 3 months), and was on my way home to NYC after having attended my Aunt Brenda's funeral. I happened to know where and when Pres. Hinckley's ward met, so my cousin Michelle and I showed up early and got a seat in the center of the third row. Sure enough, five minutes before the meeting started, he and Pres. Faust walked in and sat on the far right side of the front row, just a few feet from us. It was a beautiful experience to take the sacrament with these great men and consider the impressive lives they have lived. Now that they have both passed away, I hope to live up to their example so that my daughter(s and son(s)?) will someday consider me a similar example for them.

Green card!

We did it! Sarah is now a permanent resident of the United States! They don't call it a green card anymore, but she now has a resident alien #, and will soon have a social security number, meaning she can work, study, pay taxes and come and go as she pleases! This is an absolute miracle which I honestly sometimes wondered if I would ever see. I'll write more about it later because I have to get ready for class, but this is incredible news and we couldn't be more excited.

Mr. Sub Commercial

A good friend of mine sent me this commercial for Mr. Sub, a sandwich shop in Canada. He said it's a good reminder to feed our missionaries. Pretty amazing that our church and missionaries are so well entrenched in mainstream culture now that it's the commercial for a major food company! Hilarious.

La Marseillaise

To pass the time during our long drives in Utah/Idaho, I asked Sarah to teach me "La Marseillaise," the French national anthem. We sang it over and over in the car, getting animated and pumped up each time we got to the chorus, "Aux armes citoyens! Formez vos battaillons!" Enjoy the video clip of the french national team before one of the world cup games. Speaking of soccer, France was able to secure themselves a spot in the huge Euro 2008 tournment to be played this June in Austria and Switzerland though they'll have to make it out of the round robin phase from a group that includes Italy, the Netherlands and Romania (the top two teams advance to the 8 team knockout tourney). Can't wait!

Great UNC ending

It's 4:44am and I'm waiting for Sarah to be ready so I can take her to the airport to catch her flight to Montreal. In case you haven't heard, she has an interview for her permanent resident visa (greencard) on Friday, with a medical exam tomorrow up north. She'll be gone for about two weeks and everything is expected to go smoothly. While I wait, check out the highlight from this great win for UNC against Clemson last night! This was the first test of the season and they ended up surviving and staying at #1 in the country. Honestly, I hope they don't end up going undefeated into the tournment in March, that's too much pressure! At the same time, I can't think of which game I would want them to lose. Go tar heels!