Saturday morning my alarm will go off way too early for a day that I do not have to go to work, and I will force myself to get out of bed… and I will eat breakfast… drink water… and then go for a short four mile run.

Yes, I said it. A short four mile run. I am at the point in my training that anything four miles or shorter feels short! I am surprised to feel that way… but it is also encouraging.

On Wednesday I ran eight miles… and I think I could have done ten, but I only allowed enough time for the eight miles. My speed was okay for the eight miles. I am still not very fast, but when I run shorter distances I can do those faster now.Today at the gym I ran only one mile, but I ran it in under 8 minutes. I do not have a watch yet so I had to use the wall clock. In my heart I think I ran the mile in under seven minutes, but I don’t know the exact time. Getting a watch is on the agenda for the next week!

I have been surprised by a few other things:

• The weight gain really surprised me. I started running at 162 pounds. At the start of January I weighed 180 pounds. Currently I weigh around 173 pounds, but I think I am still losing weight. My legs are still larger though… and yes, that was a problem!
• I am stronger. Much stronger. When I started, the most I could bench press was 140 pounds… and I worked out by benching 110 pounds. Now the most I can bench is 210 pounds, and I work out by benching 140 pounds.
• I started in September with four pack abs. Now I have five pack abs. My wife will be happy if I get six pack abs!! But she loved me with four pack abs and I don’t want to get her hopes up for six pack abs.

I am looking forward to the Eugene half marathon I am running in April, and I feel good about progress toward the Seattle Marathon on December 1st.