Learn | Make | Fix | Run

It’s been a long 12 weeks, but I’m back! Last week, I matched the mileage I ran in the first week of 2024. I feel stronger and am running with better form. After CIM in December 2023, I dabbled with running with better form, and I finally got my tight calf issue controlled with the massage ball. In January, I went full-throttle into running with better form, and my body paid the price with injury. I let off the gas a little in February to heal. I eased on the accelerator pedal again, but my injury came back. Towards the end of February, I took some time off. After seven days off, I took a test run, and like Punxsutawney Phil, I saw my shadow and said I would take one more week off from running. In hindsight, better form meant my quads were being stretched more than they were in the past, and I did not have the strength needed with my “new” muscle length to increase my mileage as quickly as I did. I introduced strength and conditioning exercises in March and slowly ramped up the mileage...

This is my 100th blog post. I have gone from a student who did not like to write in elementary school, middle school, high school, and undergraduate school, to a graduate student who tolerated writing a thesis, to a principal who needed to write at least once a week, to someone who writes when he has something to say for fun. I started this blog to share what I have learned and to demonstrate to a future employer that I know how to communicate. I guess it’s appropriate that my 100th article is job-related. I was offered a job! It was a remote job with flexible hours and a six-figure salary in instructional design. Unfortunately, it was a scam. Something felt off from the initial email, but given how AI is used these days, I chalked it up to someone using AI poorly to communicate with potential applicants. Below, I will share the red flags I saw and explain how the scam works so you can protect yourself and your friends and family. Something Was off ...

I didn’t plan well for my planned pace run. I have learned I am a better runner when training for a race or time trial because I have a plan. Since recovering from injury, I have been running every other day, so 3 to 4 times per week, which roughly constitutes a plan. Last week, I wanted to transition back to running 5 to 6 days a week. I had the following plan in mind. Sun: Recovery Mon: Base Tue: Recovery Wed: Speed Thu: Rest Fri: Pace Sat: Long However, I wasn’t able to get my run in on Wednesday. At the time, I thought it was okay and could flip-flop it with my Thursday rest day. However, on Thursday, I was extremely busy with housework and could not pull myself away for a run. When Friday came, I thought I was ready for a pace run. I figured I hadn’t run for two days; my body must be prepared. I did not account for the fact that I was under-fueled on Thursday and Friday. I failed to comprehend that the housework I did on Thursday was a full-body workout. Friday was also one of the...

Despite what feels like a couple of roadblocks the past few weeks, I think I’m back in the running game. I have noticed improvements in form with my glute activation warmups. When I complete reverse lunges and fire hydrants, I can stand on one leg with better balance and control. About ten days ago, I attempted a single-leg squat and could only move down a couple of inches. Now, I can move almost halfway down. It is paying off on my runs. I don’t have quad pain while running. I feel stronger like my quads and glutes are pushing me forward, similar to how a tailwind or running downhill pushes you faster. I felt some adductor engagement in a run last week, which leads me to believe I use more leg muscles to run. I flirted with danger on a pace run last week. I was bored of running base miles and wanted a pace run. Since I was not training for a race, I did not know what pace I should run. I started with a marathon-pace run but ran near my half-marathon pace for the first mile. I tried to...

In the past week, I completed three very light bodyweight strength and conditioning (S & C) workouts. Most of the workouts were air squats, but I included some forward and reverse lunges on some days. One day, I attempted single-leg squats, and my legs were not yet ready for that level of intensity. I took eight days off from running. I had a pain-free run on Monday. The goal was to run 5K or until I felt quad pain. I was able to run all 5K. After the run, I wore a quad/thigh compression sleeve for a few hours. The following day, I felt a minuscule stiffness in my quad. The plan is to complete a round of S & C today and run up to 3.5 miles tomorrow. It was nice to have a run that felt good. Seeing posts of runners participating in spring marathons and half marathons makes me want to get out there and start crushing some PRs. I don’t have any plans for upcoming races, but do you? Please let me know what you're running in the comments below.

Sous vide cooking can be “set and forget,” but the other day, I forgot before I was even set. I was cooking chicken thighs, and for some reason, I thought 140 degrees Fahrenheit was the correct temperature. It cooked for three hours. When I got home, I prepared to finish the chicken by broiling it in the oven, but I needed to look at the recipe for the glaze. That’s precisely when I realized I should have cooked the chicken at 165 degrees Fahrenheit. I turned the sous vide to 165 degrees Fahrenheit while preheating the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. The chicken sat in 165 degrees Fahrenheit water for 15 minutes as I waited. Then, it baked in the oven for 15 minutes. I checked it with an instant-read thermometer, and the chicken was cooked. I finished it by adding the glaze and broiling. Crisis averted! This was the second time this had happened to me. Has it occurred to you before? Let me know in the comments below.