I ordered a new car today.  It's a Mini Cooper, and I bought it in Dallas.  Yes, that means that I'll have to fly out there and drive it back, but the California dealerships add thousands of dollars in dealer markup to their cars.  I'm attaching the PDF file of the configuration.  I won't get the car until December, but we've made it for more than 2 years without a second car, so what's a couple more months?

Scheduled Time: 30:00
Actual Time: 30:34
RPE: 4

Still feeling pretty good.  It's funny how the first couple of minutes of running my body and mind want to revolt.  I keep trying to procrastinate until I've been at it for about 5 minutes.  Then, I finally get in a rhythm and it's not such a big deal.

Scheduled Time: 30:00
Actual Time: 30:38
RPE: 4

No time to explain, just report.

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