Scheduled Time: 30:00
Actual Time: 37:58
RPE: 5

Unfettered by time constraints, I ran a little longer than necessary today, since Saturdays will soon become my long run days.  I'm happy that I successfully fit 4 runs in this week, because it was a busy week, and it's a good sign that I'll be able to keep it up for the next 17 weeks.  A very small blister is forming on my left big toe.  I'm really looking forward to getting some new running shoes and socks next weekend.

Scheduled Time: 30:00
Actual Time: 30:00
RPE: 3

A bunch of stuff came up yesterday, so I didn't get a chance to run.  I managed to squeeze it in this morning, and it went fairly smoothly.  After the long run on Monday, that dull ache stayed with me all through Tuesday, and I was worried that it was the beginnings of some sort of injury.  But after running for just 30 minutes on Wednesday, it didn't bother me at all yesterday, so I'll attribute that to soreness.  Tomorrow will be my first back-to-back pre-training days.

Jeff, now you can breathe again.

Scheduled Time: 30:00
Actual Time: 30:00
RPE: 4

Today was a little bit rougher, because Of time constraints.  I had to be in the office at MRM around 9-ish this morning, so I had to get up early, immediately eat a Balance bar and hydrate, let it settle while I stretched and read email, and then hit the trail.  The route and pace worked out perfectly, so that I finished up at my starting point at almost exactly 30 minutes.  Tomorrow is my first day to do back-to-back running, so I'm a little nervous.  At least tomorrow, I don't have to force it all in to a schedule.

Scheduled Time: 30:00
Actual Time: 45:54
RPE: 3

I'm feeling pretty good right now, because my run today was the longest I've ever run in my life (time-wise).  I could have kept going, but decided not to get too over-excited.  It's a relief, because my last run on Saturday, I pooped out before the 30 minutes was up.  I noticed that I had run a much faster pace than normal, and I just couldn't last.  Today, I concentrated on maintaining a slower pace, so that I could go the full 30 minutes.  Also, I read about running form in my book, and I had to pay attention to running more forward and less up-and-down.  Something else that may have contributed to the extended time was that I had a Balance bar about an hour before the run.  Normally, I eat one after the run, but I think I'm going to try this hour before thing for a while.  The RPE mentioned above is the rate of perceived exertion, where 0 is no exertion and 10 is maximal exertion.  My lungs had no problems with the run today; I only noticed my breathing once or twice.  My only physical complaint is my left leg.  There's kind of a dull ache somewhere in the lower portion; it's hard to pinpoint.  I'm hoping that this will be solved when I get new running shoes in two weeks when I visit Jeff and Road Runner Sports in San Diego.

Today I am officially starting my pre-training for a half-marathon.  Actually, I'm following the training for a full marathon (from this book), but my plan is to run the half-marathon in Carlsbad on January 15th with recently engaged Jeff Webdell.  Depending on how the whole process works out, I may then search out a marathon in which to attempt to murder myself.  I say pre-training, because the prerequisite for the book training program is that I be comfortable running for 2 weeks, 4 times a week for 30 minutes.  Now, I have been in pre-pre-training, during which time I have been running 3 times a week for 30 minutes or more.  I'm posting my training schedule here, and then I hope to report back on my progress as things move along.

Pre-training
9/12 - Run 30 minutes
9/14 - Run 30 minutes
9/15 - Run 30 minutes
9/17 - Run 30 minutes
9/19 - Run 30 minutes
9/21 - Run 30 minutes
9/22 - Run 30 minutes
9/24 - Run 30 minutes

Training
9/26 - 3 miles
9/28 - 4 miles
9/29 - 3 miles
10/1 - 5 miles
10/3 - 3 miles
10/5 - 4 miles
10/6 - 3 miles
10/8 - 6 miles
10/10 - 3 miles
10/12 - 4 miles
10/13 - 3 miles
10/15 - 7 miles
10/17 - 3 miles
10/19 - 5 miles
10/20 - 3 miles
10/22 - 8 miles
10/24 - 3 miles
10/26 - 5 miles
10/27 - 3 miles
10/29 - 10 miles
10/31 - 4 miles
11/2 - 5 miles
11/3 - 4 miles
11/5 - 11 miles
11/7 - 4 miles
11/9 - 6 miles
11/10 - 4 miles
11/12 - 12 miles
11/14 - 4 miles
11/16 - 6 miles
11/17 - 4 miles
11/19 - 14 miles
11/21 - 4 miles
11/23 - 7 miles (in Vegas)
11/24 - 4 miles
11/26 - 16 miles
11/28 - 5 miles
11/30 - 8 miles
12/1 - 5 miles
12/3 - 16 miles
12/5 - 5 miles
12/7 - 8 miles
12/8 - 5 miles
12/10 - 16 miles
12/12 - 5 miles
12/14 - 8 miles
12/15 - 5 miles
12/17 - 18 miles
12/19 - 5 miles
12/21 - 8 miles
12/22 - 5 miles
12/24 - 18 miles (Merry Christmas?)
12/26 - 5 miles
12/28 - 8 miles
12/29 - 5 miles
12/31 - 9 miles
1/2 - 3 miles
1/4 - 5 miles
1/5 - 3 miles
1/7 - 8 miles
1/9 - 3 miles
1/11 - 3 miles
1/13 - Walk 3 miles
1/15 - Run 13.1 miles at the San Diego Half Marathon

Jamie made it into IMDB!  http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2003565/.

Jeff Webdell recently proposed to Lindsay Moore at a gazebo in Pismo Beach.  Jamie and I were there to spread rose petals, take photos, and guard the gazebo.  The rose petals look great and nobody went near the gazebo, but the dusk, the reverent distance, and my shaky hands conspired to make some of the pictures blurry.  Fortunately, not all the pictures were blurry, so Lindsay said yes!  Here's the photo set: http://www.flickr.com/photos/pcoulter/sets/843092/.  Note: You have to join Flickr (for free) in order to actually save the photos or comment on them, but you can view them without joining.

...Medicated Powder.  That's what I think you should get.  That's what I wanted to say to Clinton tonight when we were getting stuff for Taco Tuesday at the neighborhood Ralph's...while we were standing next to James Bond.  Granted, not everyone's favorite James Bond, but nonetheless, James Bond.  That's right, Timothy Dalton was doing some grocery shopping, and our old neighbor Russ snapped his photo, but not before getting a shot of Clinton and me.  Are Clinton and I as famous as Timothy Dalton?  If Russ mails us copies of the pics, I'll post them.

Speaking of celebrity sightings, I can't believe I forgot to mention this.  Several weeks ago, when Jason was in town, we were eating at the Farm, and I noticed at the table next to us was none other than Jack Bristow, aka Victor Garber, aka Jamie's co-star in Titanic.

Big news today!  I got the HD-DVR and component video switcher installed today.  I ended up having to do a fair amount of prep work.  I went ahead and drilled several more holes in the back of the entertainment center.  It made it easier as far as wires coming out the back, but I did it mostly to provide more opportunity for airflow.  Then, when I went to plug in my second power strip, I couldn't get the third prong into the outlet.  Something about it is jacked, so I had to switch it out with another one in the same room, just so I wouldn't have to wait to do all the setup.  Everything is hooked up and works except for the PS2.  I need to get the component cords for that, but that will just take a sec to add to the switcher.  The switcher is nice, too.  I was a little worried about how smoothly the auto-sensing would work, but it works exactly as I would want it to.

I got an unexpected bonus, as well.  As I mentioned before, I had put myself on a waiting list for the dual tuner HD-DVR.  When I picked up the HD-DVR today, I asked the lady behind the counter if she knew when they might be available.  She told me not to hold my breath.  Then she muttered something about Motorola and how she thought they were discontinued because demand was too high.  I pointed out that it would be really odd to discontinue something when more and more people were wanting it, but I let it go.  When I got home and started prepping, I was waiting for the drill to charge, so I read through the guide for the HD-DVR.  It said that the DVR had dual tuners!  And sure enough, when I got everything hooked up, both tuners work!  For once, I'm glad the people at the cable company don't know anything!