minimalist running

So its a new year and I need to lay down some goals.

Stay injury free
After using barefoot running to help me get back on track, I’ve been without pains for about a year. I’ve been careful at listening to what my body is telling me in regards to effort and pain. The nagging chronic pains have been replaced with “growing pains.” My ankles have strengthened, and my calf muscles are always a little sore, but its the good kind of sore.

Increase mileage per week
The goal is up to 50 by the end of the year. This will be a slow gradual increase of an average 0.5 mile per week. Currently I am at 20 miles per week, mainly increasing my long runs. I’ve been a little conservative in the increase the last year, more aggressiveness is called for. This increase is dependent on potential injuries.

Increase training knowledge
Continue pursuing the track of reading about sports physiology and training trends. I’m not even close to being an elite runner, but I find this area interesting and fun to explore. A smarter runner is a better runner. Part of this is getting a better Garmin Watch. Being the geek I am, I enjoy crunching the numbers and graphs after workouts to track progress. I will also continue to “experiment” on myself by trying different techniques, seeing what works and what doesn’t.

Core workouts
I can put in the time for interval, tempo and long runs, but when it comes to working out the rest of the body that’s a whole other story. Being a cardio junkie I just can’t stand static exercises. But in order to improve my running I need to just suck it up. I enjoy Yoga a little so will start doing that again.

Racing
I’ll be “competing” in some local races this year, perhaps a half dozen. 5k, half marathon and marathon are on the agenda. Also the 50k stump jump in Chattanooga is high on my list of ultra’s in the fall. Its been years since I’ve raced, so this should be fun.

Race times
I’m not even sure I can get close to these race times, but I have to set the bar high. 2009 was a year of transition and caution. 2010 I start really pushing to see what the limits are.

sub 1:40 half marathon in March (Knoxville race)
sub 20 minute 5k by June
sub 1:30 half by Aug
sub 3:00 marathon by Nov

The sub 3 hour marathon by the end of the year is the toughest one. 3:15 is slightly more realistic, 3:30 is the lowest hanging fruit. I’ll see how this plan goes over the year. Hopefully it won’t go bust.

It’s been refreshing to switch to non-digital tools as of late. There’s something about the feeling of using ink on paper that just cannot be recreated digitally. Also, using traditional tools should help later when trying to transfer that knowledge into digital tools. Its hard to digitally create a certain kind of brush stroke or nib work without actually trying it out on paper beforehand.

So I’ve been doodling on the iPhone with the Brushes App. The thickness of my fingers sort of make for some chubby drawings, but all in all its a nice experience to draw with my fingers again like in grade school.

I enjoy stumbling on alternative means of creative interfaces, and it’s hard to beat this from Ze Frank.

New computer means organizing files, or at least trying to. With over a decade of crap its probably going to take a day or two. This image popped out after dusting off some old folders from 2005. I think it was a concept for a game that never got off the ground.

late sunday night doodle.