Running out of turbo

*phone rings*

Uugh...*mumbles*...he...hello?

Uughh...I hate you...no, I'm not *hangs up*

*phone rings again*

*groans* Awww cripes...go die in an electrical fire already...*hangs up*

*phone rings a third time*

C'mon man, I can see my freaking breath! No! *hangs up*

*phone does not relent*

Ok! Ok! I'm up, goddammit!! I'm up! And just because I'm standing on two feet doesn't make me hate you any less for this..."


And so the wake-up calls went. I've had two running partners before, but only in the aforementioned case did we employ verbal abuse to actively harass each other into keeping our committment each morning. Motivation tactics to keep us running that worked fairly well for several weeks. Until the wakeup temperatures started falling below 30. Then below 20. We didn't last much longer.

Flash forward to now. Getting cussed out on the phone is no longer a motivation package option I have access to. I'll have to resort to different measures. Like moving to a new location--something that has always helped inspire me to bust out the running shoes and pound some new milage for about a month or two, until I've exhausted every possible route within 7 miles of my home base. I've been in Japan for almost four months now, and I reached that point about two weeks ago. After running up the river, down the river, across town, past the station, over the mountain, around the mountain, and every combination between involving the local park, I logged my 100th Okayama mile and decided to give myself a well-deserved two weeks off (while still cycling and playing ball in between). So, I've had my sabbatical fun, and now it's time to get back at it. Seeing as I needed new inspiration--a new motivational variety, I thought I'd try running in the morning, as I already get up too damn early anyway. So I set my alarm for 6:30 this morning (45 minutes earlier than usual)...and then proceeded to hit the 'snooze' button until my alarm clock gave up trying. I didn't even know the snooze feature ever gave up. Suffice to say, I overslept and was late for work. 100% counterproductive.

My running schedules have always been motivated by variety in outside forces (new equipment, new girlfriend, new location, new running partner, etc.). But I've run out of outside forces and need a new experimental strategy. So I've decided to bring my schedule, and my accountability to these posts, where I'll unobtrusively keep you updated as I go, regardless of whether or not you give a shit. And if you do happen to give a shit, and wouldn't mind getting your own wobbly form back into shape, I can't think of a better way, or time than now.

So, before I took my vacation--during which I consumed nothing but onigiri, fried chicken kebabs, melon breads, and an assload of beer avoided healthier alternatives like the plague, my fastest mile clocked in at 5:55--a modest time, with my average (for 5-7 mile runs) hovering around 6:15. Again, not olympic caliber speeds, but not "fat man on a treadmill" caliber numbers either. Unfortunately though, I'm sure they've since slipped back to the seven minute neighborhood by now. I'd love to post a 5:30 someday--a time that I know I've got it in me, but I just don't know what kind or how much urging it'll take to unleash.

Anyway, as far as methods go, since around November of last year, I've sworn by the highly motivating Nike+ system to keep my workouts and progress in line. So, here's the first month: a lazy 11 times in four weeks, half of which, will be heavy.

I got the ball rolling with a slow 5K yesterday. Only 4:18 min/km; but just enough for that delicious endorphine kick. Back to work.