A Year of Running (Away)....

I think I just walked the dog to get this one.

...well, actually its been more than a year...at least taking up Running using Nike+ devices (& apps) and shoes (pictured below). Yeah, yeah...I know I could have used different brands and other gear but I wanted to be consistent with my "style" and somehow belong to a very particular global community (they have minions all over the world...haha)

Nike+Sportband & Sensor

Nike Sporty Sunglasses (with Transition Lens)

My Sportband & HRM (Heart-Rate Monitor) watch

They do have minions! And of course below is my very "first" Nike+ shoe:

Nike Air Max Edge (got a sensor hole inside)

And "the many"....(others that followed):

L-R: Airmax Elite (basketball), Pegasus+28 (running), ACG Rongbuk (for trail hiking),Dual Fusion TRII (cross-training) & the Revolution I (for sprints) Not in picture: Takos Mid (hiking boots) & Lunarglide 3 (running)

 

"Running" has given me some sort of...(i know this is gonna sound cliché) "escape", but it did somehow put me back on the right track (again, another cliché ;) to focus my energies (the little that I have) and at the very least got me fit (a little bit ---my gout hasn't acted as frequently since I got into the groove of things). I admit though, im starting to slow down a now (not that I was that fast in the first place) but Im gonna plough through a little bit more at least till I get all the Nike+ badges (I'm still waiting for my Stormproof badge :(

June Runs

Basically, here's how it turned out:

All in all, I feel I turned in a pretty good month. I dunno why it's labeled as  "Fast & Furious" (which just reminds me to watch the 6th & final(?) installment of the movie) since I could really improve on my average 12min/mi per pace. And, more importantly, maintain my overall 5.1 mile average.

I also didn't really hit my "goals" of earning Stormproof and Comfort Zone Badges (one did not exactly compliment the other, now that I think of it), but I did get an unexpected but sought after "new Achievement" for the month though so them were still good runs. \(^_^)/

Raindrops are falling....

This will probably my last run for this month in this area...in the rain. As you can see the bridge is still out so I can't cross, which really puts a damper in running my regular route (to get my Comfort Badge). I do like running in the rain, although I can't really do speed runs because the pavement can be quite slippery and besides, I already got squishy shoes (i'm wearing my Nike Dual Fusion TRII for this run). I used my Nike+ Sportband to keep track of my pace and risked getting my Samsung Android phone getting wet for music on the go (I didn't use my Nike+ Running App this time around because I wanted to "preserve" my previous run--- long story will explain in my other blog)

My River Trails

This has been a long time coming...I thought I'd finally post my trail "routes" the past couple of months (well, even more than that...since March I think). Anyways, here are some of the sights I see when I do my late afternoon runs. These "trail runs" finally paid off last month when I got my Off-the-Beaten Track Badge. I took the pictures quite recently so the roads have been "paved" a lot better now than it was a few months back (it was a lot more muddy then)

May Days

As you can see (for those who care to)...I haven't been running that much in May:

Way below my "usual" 40+ runs a month average

This was "kinda intentional" however as I tried to "pace" myself for my real goal(s) which was to get a non-Platinum trophy (preferably a Silver or Bronze one, as I haven't gotten one of those yet)...for some reason (NikePlus "achievements" is still kinda screwy as I write this). Yeah, Im kinda "screwy" myself ;-). Anyways...here are the rest of my May run "days":

Yeah, an 11hr workout!?! Told ya I was "screwy" ;-) Which accounts for the big gap in my May Run

I did get one of my goals done this May with those stats...surprisingly, as I ran more road than trails (couldn't really help it) compared to last month...but what the hey...I got my Off-the-Beaten-Path badge this May! And with a bonus badge at that, the Cinco de Mayo badge too! Ay Caramba so Sweet! (I've written about it in my other blog by the way). Ok, that's it...I'll just "trail off" with this:

Running at 2 different places!?!? I'm everywhere!

I know, I know...this is hardly something to "crow" about (this crow pun will make sense, when I post pics on my next blog)...but this NikePlus "detail" is something I have just newly discovered and a nice one to add to my blog to boot...plus it sets me up for a "new" NikePlus badge goal to go after this June (especially since now I know, Nike does track my GPS-enabled runs). See my nikeplusbadger blog for details!

April Runs

Just in case anyone is interested, here's my April run:

Not entirely sure why there's a gap right in the middle...hmmm..cant remember
probably gout I guess

 Yeah, nothing really stands out...I did my 40+ or so runs for the month, tried to keep my average distance of 3+.miles or about 5.0+ kms and well....And also, I did try to keep my average pace below the 13min/km mark.....the only, perhaps, note-worthy "change/difference" is my run location:

Did a lot more "trail" running/hiking than usual as I was aiming for a Nike+: The-Off-the-Beaten badge (I was hoping it'd appear this month)

Speaking of Nike+ badges and trophies, I did manage to get my Platinum Trophies to appear this April! Finally, after months of "badgering" Nike+ Running about missing trophies I finally got the fix! See below:

It does seem an awful lot of Platinum Trophies...which is given btw, for running 160kms or 100miles or more each...uhmmm....I think weekly? I think monthly...hmmmm....that can't be right....

Anyways, at least I got that "sorted out"...sort of....can't really complain (anymore) if they gave me more than enough trophy credits....To my fellow "Nike+ badgers" out there...you can follow my Nike+ Badge quest here: nikeplusbadgers.blogspot.com

slides of March ;-)

I just wanted to post for...uhmmm...posterity what I did this March (i had to wait till the month was over so I can post this in full --- so i may have back-dated this post):

Happy Easter Egg-hunting!