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!

Failed No.5 again :-(

I had to give it a try. (>_<)

I could not let go of this week's runs without attempting for Nike Fuel Mission no. 5 (my 11th attempt, btw) cause its the only Mission I have not gone over the 1,000 NikeFuel point mark (it stands, or rather, "stuck" at 883/825 @Medium level). The thing about this particular Mission#5 is that while one "only" needs 1250 NikeFuel points (something which I can do running at my "comfortable" pace --around 9:30mins/mile non-stop for 3-4miles), it requires that you finish the Mission, in "only" 30minutes (or less). Mathematically (and I'm no math wizard), I simply have not figured out the right pace yet (or im just not able to execute it) to run the Mission in which I can finish 3.3-3.5 miles in 30 minutes or less (preferably, less) coz if I end it at exactly or a little more than 30minutes, the scoring would be off (at least in my previous attempts)....And, did I mention that all NikeMissions are pass or fail missions? That means you either reach the minimum required NikeFuel points or it won't credit the points at all even if you miss it by a small margin (which drives me a bit crazy but makes sense to me). The closest I got was "42" more as blogged here...which was surprisingly not that heart-breaking. I suspect there is a "minus" for going over the 30minute mark though (at least in my previous attempts). In any case, here's my result for this week, using a Nike+ Sportband:

Ugh! (>_<) Close..."79" more and I would have gotten it (that'd be like .10miles more or about 30 seconds more of running. In my defense, I did "run" a "half-marathon" yesterday ;-) Oh well, chalk it up to another learning experience

From NikeFuel "Missions" to "Mall-rathons"

When I first started this blog, it was all about "chroNikeling" (chronicling) my use (or misuse) of Nike+ devices to monitor my "runs", I currently have 3: the iPod Nano, Sportband w/Sensor and Nike+ Running Android App (installed on a Samsung Galaxy phone and on a Cyberpad tablet). In any case I haven't been that active in using them as much as I have until just after October (when I got a Nike+ Jack O Lantern badge which I blog/brag about here) and when I started doing the Nike+ Fuel Missions just before the holidays last year and I got a bit more "hooked" into it when I got my very 1st Android phone for Christmas (I know, I'm pretty far behind in mostly everything) and started using the Nike+ Running App. Anyways, to make a long story...uhmm...longer...I've gotten a bit "serious" with this running around business...especially with my "stats" and the "achievements/gamification" side of things (so you can just imagine my frustration with Nike's Missing Badges spiel here). Well, anyways, I've resolved to improve my average "statistics" this year in terms of distance and pace, especially the latter one because I was pretty much really just "walking about" using the Sportband and iPod Nano as a pedometer/calorie counter (not that I need to count them) & music player respectively (i've long since retired it in favor of the Nike+ App) Hence, which explains my general "slowness" pace-wise on NikePlus.com. Although, I do make up for it in frequency of runs (ok, brisk walks now & then) and in distance (pretty much catching up to averages of the Nike+ Community). So to remedy this "pace-setting" uhmm..problem, I've stepped up to replay most of my Nike+Fuel Missions @Medium to Hard Levels (which can be a bit daunting for a "slowpoke" like me) especially this merry month of March. I've been failing Mission no.5 since January though...so I thought of skipping ahead to certain missions that I can do....

Well, I did need a win at some point especially after "failing" No.5 several times already. I also got over Mission nos.4 & 7 btw with scores of 2038 and 1098 respectively. All at just "Medium" Levels of course, I'm gearing up for the Hard ones later this month. In the meantime....

The last Nike+Fuel Mission above, brought my attention to my "pathetic" Nike+ numbers which although, "improving a bit" (at least from what I've seen) in terms of pace, was still below my target general (displayed) average of 3miles and I was also already nearing my "landmark" 300th run...So, this week, as a "drastic measure" I've resolved to switch from improving pace by doing NikeFuel Missions to 3 "Mall-rathons" (hoping from mall to mall) to concentrating on getting >60miles in in just 3 runs (before this week ends--hopefully). The first of these, just finished today,  is shown below:

Well, it aint pretty and I was really hoping for a 20/20 (20miles in under 20minutes/mile) but I got distracted along the way and my phone's battery "died" out in the last half-mile <sigh> bummer :( In any case, I got a "new" Longest Workout record from it! ;-) Wuhoo!