yes!

brian, welcome to the blog and way to kick some ass.

your ankle problem could be your shoes... see earlier entries about shoe selection. seriously, if you're going to run regularly, get shoes designed for serious runners. odds are, if you bought them from anywhere other than a running shop, they're not going to be the best thing for your feet.

ankle pain might be caused by improper arch support in your shoes, which causes your foot to rotate inward or outward with every step. we call this pronation. i overpronate gratuitously because i have no arch at all, so i have to buy 'motion control' shoes. they help. bad shoes will fuck up the alignment of your entire body, causing ankle, knee, hip, and back pain over time.

stretching:
1) think muscle groups: hamstrings, calves, quads, groin, ass. also twist your torso around to get your back loosened up, and maybe even do some forward arm circles. google to find good stretching techniques, or i'll show you this weekend in the hotel room, naked.

2) NEVER stretch cold muscles. jog for a few minutes to get the blood flowing... otherwise it's like pulling a cold rubber band.

3) a good length of time is something like 30-40 seconds per stretch. i read that stretching more than a minute or something can cause injury, though.

this is a good start:
http://www.pccoach.com/newsletters/May05/stretching.htm

Sandy Hollow Drive. A full lap=1 mile. Coincidence? I think not!

I am not now, nor have I ever been, or claimed to have been an athlete. Somehow, over the last few years I've managed to run a few times a month. I usually run out of frustration or just to make myself feel less lazy. Thanks to this compulsion, I'm able to at least manage a reasonable mile-time.

The timing of this 5k business couldn't be better. In a time of major, earth-shaking change, I need every ounce of motivation I can get to help push myself toward a state of contentment/fulfillment. It's an everyday struggle. Pumas to pavement. Pumas to pavement.

I began the "training" on 2/24. 1.8mi. (untimed- one of my random monthly runs).
I've run 5 days since then doing at least 2 mi. each time. I've been timing the two miles and walking/jogging the last mi. My best time so far is about 16min. for 2mi.
My goal is to keep running a bit longer each time until I can do 4 laps/4mi. comfortably, then try to increase speed.
I've been having trouble with my left ankle getting really sore really quickly. Any suggestions?
Also, I'm pretty sure I don't know my ass from my elbow when it comes to stretching.
I'm thinking I'm going to have to upgrade my recently purchased puma running shoes to some asics I've found that seem to feel a lot better.

Remember fellas, I need all the guidance I can get.
We press on!

-rotating Dave Douglas Quintet: Live at the Jazz Standard & Radiohead-OK Computer

Intentional 10k

inspired by eric's olympiad of athletic events and brian's ceremonious inspirational speech, i decided to run a more intentional 10K, or rather, two 5Ks. same route as last time, out to Glencoe and back. the main difference was in pacing and not taking walk breaks during the main stretches. this in exchange for a few minutes in between 5k segments.

run: glencoe loop

out (5k): 26:22

back (5k): 25:55

total time (10k): 52:17

+/-: about three minutes faster, but not really accurate because of rest between halves.

notes: new shoes feel good, but definitely need some breaking in. drank water all afternoon, knowing that i wanted to run tonight, that helped.  

Falling Star Run

run: Indian Creek Cove
http://www.mapmyrun.com/run/united-states/al/huntsville/766840263
time: 25 min
goal: get in a run on a rather busy day
+/-: n/a
music: american analog set - fun of watching fireworks

I was able to make this run through suburbia while out in Monrovia visiting my parents. It's a fairly simple route of mostly sidewalks and gradual inclines. This workout included 5 min of stretching, 5 min of warm-up (jump rope), and a brief cool-down period followed by a light weight lifting routine (light weights, more reps).

I've been better about nutrition recently, if a Saturday afternoon meal in the CPK can be overlooked. I've been focused on whole grains, vegetables, and low-fat dairy and I've noticed a positive change in energy level and overall mood. A new realization: A high-carb breakfast tends to make me feel sluggish and irritable, while one that is high in protein and moderate in complex carbs makes me feel able to conquer the universe. There may be a humorous element to that statement, but truly listening to my body is making nutrition a lot easier.

I am going to buy specialty running shoes later this week. Much of the pain I felt initially was alleviated when I focused more on running properly, but additional measures are required to be entirely comfortable. My excessive overpronation requires a well-cushioned motion controller like the Asics Gel-Evolution 3. It's pricey, but worth the investment.

Tomorrow's workout is an adventure in cross-training. Swimming, running, weightlifting, and even a yoga class. I'm looking forward to it.