Running 101

Rainy Thursday I headed out with Bill, Mike and Jeff for my final four miles of the month.

At 2.5 miles into our quick stroll I reach my first 100 mile month of 2007!

Zipped along at a nice 8:08/mi pace to complete the 4 miles in 32:57.

I ran 17 times this month avg 6 miles a run. Not bad!

2 1/2 to Go

Mid-80's and humid, Bill and I went for an "easy" 6 mile run. With this being my 4th running day in a row I knew my legs were not too springy.

Mile 1 = 8:32/mi (not bad)
Mile 2 = 8:46/mi (not bad again)
Mile 3 = 9:12/ mi (getting hot)
Mile 4 = 9:44/mi (water break)
Mile 5 = 9:55/mi (traffic & hot)
Mile 6 = 8:16/mi (Woo hoo!)

9:04/mi pace overall in the heat. Perfect!

Two and a half miles left to hit a 100 miles for the month. See you tomorrow!

Five at Five

82 F and I was out for 5 miles as I push to hit 100 miles for the month.

I looked at my Garmin at mile one. Doh, I didn't start. So I started it up within feet of the mile 1 mark. For the next mile I kept thinking about how I won't get credit for that mile when I look back months from now. I was getting hot as I completed miles 2 so I stopped thinking about.

I was heating up by mile 3 1/2. Sweating like a ____ in ____. <-- I know there's some saying that can fit there. You choose!

I finished the 5 miles in an estimated 45:40. Plus or minus 10 seconds.

I was sweaty for the next 40 minutes.

Parched Memorial Day 2007

After a nice 7 mile run yesterday, I had a beautiful 70 F holiday to get out for a long run.

I haven't done this many miles within 24 hours since the marathon in January. I decided that with the reasonably nice quantity of runs I've been getting in the past 4-weeks that my body could withstand getting out on a good 14 mile run today.

I hit the first mile at 8:08/mi pace. Boston is within reach!

I slowed the next 3 miles to an 8:45/ mi pace. Ok, Boston is going to be harder.

I came past the 10 km mark at 55 mins. I was slowin' down a bit, but still a fine pace. I finished my first 7 miles right around 62 mins.

I had my water pickup at the turn around. I was parched since I ran the first hour without water. On I went.

By 8 miles I could tell the endurance training isn't there. My legs were getting heavy. I wasn't able to keep the pace. My breathing was easier 'cause I wasn't goin' as fast. It seemed to be getting hotter out.

Water is gone by 10 miles.

Mile 11 I'm parched again.

Mile 12 I started having thoughts about a Red Bull. Where did that come from? Did I mention that I'm parched?

Mile 13 my shirt is off. No water. It feels about 90F...but it's only 73F. I get to the 1/2 marathon mark around 2:07. It's about survival now. I start making deals with myself about stopping my consumption of bread, cheese and ice cream so I'm not so overweight.

I make the turn for home. The final 1/2 mile. I realize I can finish under 2:15:00. That's not bad for a weekend stroll. Ummm, I can finish under 2:14:00. I'm going faster.

The FINISH -- exactly 2:13:00!

2006 Marathon Training

As May 2007 is wrapping up this week, I'm reviewing how my marathon training unfolded last year. What the heck did I do to take 1 min per mile off my marathon pace?

Here's a summary:

I'm April, May, June I ran without ad hoc. Since I wear a Garmin Forerunner 201, I have a history of my runs. The pre-marathon training "ad hoc runs" were this:

April 2006 - 5 runs for 41 miles
May 2006 - 10 runs for 58 miles
June 2006 - 8 runs for 49 miles

About a 150 miles total over three months avg of 6 1/2 miles a run. From a runner's perspective that's a bit light on the dedication. To my credit, those miles were spread across the US, Japan, China, Singapore and India...and TURKEY! Ok, I did pretty good to have a base of fitness to build from.

In July, Aug and Sept I was focused. I ran about 400 miles during those three months. I avg 10 miles a run. In review I can see that I did NOT run "fast", but I ran long to build endurance. I didn't want to crash and burn in the last many miles of the marathon. The plan worked for my October marathon 9:00/mi pace.

Here are those details:

July -- Date, Miles & Time
7/1/2006, 7.25, 64
7/2/2006, 6.9, 61.5
7/4/2006, 6, 50
7/8/2006, 14, 2:29:55
7/9/2006, 7, 69:14
7/12/2006, 3.1, 25:30
7/15/2006, 14, 2:20
7/16/2006, 8.25, 86
7/19/2006, 4, 34:00
7/22/2006, 15, 2:46
7/23/2006, 9.6, 93:00
7/26/2006, 6, 56:00
7/29/2006, 14, 2:35
7/30/2006, 10, 1:38
-------------------------
Total 125.10 miles

Aug -- Date, Miles & Time
8/3/2006, 6, 55
8/5/2006, 14, 2:33
8/5/2006, 4, 32:30
8/6/2006, 10, 88:38
8/9/2006, 3.5, 30
8/11/2006, 10, 7:30
8/13/2006, 12, 1:59
8/16/2006, 8, 76:00
8/20/2006, 14.4, 2:16
8/23/2006, 9, 78:44
8/26/2006, 14.2, 2:17:14
8/27/2006, 14.2, 2:15:47
8/30/2006, 10, 1:32:35
-------------------------
Total 129.3 miles

Sept -- Date, Miles & Time
9/2/2006, 12.4, 1:46:16
9/2/2006, 1.6, 15:01
9/3/2006, 15.2, 2:23:01
9/6/2006, 12.2, 1:51:55
9/9/2006, 14.2, 2:14:47
9/10/2006, 21.9, 3:27:11
9/14/2006, 12, 1:52:27
9/16/2006, 20, 3:05:00
9/17/2006, 6.9, 59:27
9/23/2006, 6.9, 61:44
9/24/2006, 12, 1:43:00
9/27/2006, 3, 23:57
9/30/2006, 2.2, 19:54
-------------------------
Total 140.5 miles


October 1, 2006 was the 26.2 miles of marathoning in 3:55:37. The remainder of October was a handful of ad hoc runs.

Oct-- Date, Miles & Time
10/1/2006, 26.2, 3:55:37 <<--- marathon
10/4/2006, 3.0, 27:00
10/7/2006, 3.1, 23:54
10/10/2006, 3.1, 23:58
10/28/2006, 9.4, 1:19:38
10/29/2006, 13.8, 2:17:17
-------------------------
Total 58.6 miles

I started a short focused training push in November. As I trained for Disney's Goofy Challenge. I did 5 sessions of back-to-back days of long runs. For example, 14 miles one day followed the next day with 18 miles. I think the concept has some merit, but I should have run more.

Nov-- Date, Miles & Time
11/3/2006, 7.5, 72:00
11/4/2006, 14, 2:20:00
11/7/2006, 4.6, 43:33
11/8/2006, 4.3, 40:16
11/9/2006, 3.8, 37:18
11/10/2006, 3, 26:08
11/11/2006, 4.3, 39:36
11/12/2006, 3.2, 28:40
11/15/2006, 3.5, 32:17
11/18/2006, 14, 2:08:28
11/19/2006, 18, 2:53:43
11/24/2006, 14, 2:07:06
11/25/2006, 20, 3:17:29
-------------------------
Total 114.2 miles

Dec 2006 -- Date, Miles & Time
12/1/2006, 14, 2:08:00
12/2/2006, 14, 2:11:00
12/9/2006, 24, 3:45:37
12/16/2006, 14, 2:10:00
12/17/2006, 20.6, 3:20:00
12/23/2006, 13, 2:01:00
12/30/2006, 8, 1:10:30
-------------------------
Total 107.6 miles


My 2006 training resulted in my Goofy results:

1/6/2006	13.1	2:00:24
1/7/2006	26.2	4:35:36

Sunny Sunday

I went for my 14th run of the month today. It was my reliable 7 mile loop route. Great sunny day with temps in the upper 60s. A nice wind blowing too.

I ran my first mile 8:01/mi with my second at 8:30/mi as I was finding a groove, but still trying to keep the pace moving. Passed the 5k point at just under 26 minutes. The 10k came about 27 minutes after that for 53 mins. Finished off the run sub-60 mins at 58:43.

It felt great to get in under an hour. A confidence booster! I was only 3 mins off my fastest lap ever.

I have a sub-50 min 10k on my goals for this year. It within reach!

Monday 5

Did 5 miles in 43:33 with 77 F temps.

5k

Ran my first 5k in many months. It was a hilly course, but not huge hills. Finished in 24:52. 8:00/mi pace. Considering I did a whole marathon at a 9:00/mi pace last fall, I guess today's run shows I've got some work to do!

Next 5k is July 4th. Need to improve by 1 minute.

Artsy

Ran Wed for 3 miles at 8:45/ mi and Thurs for 5 miles at 8:30/mi. Feel like I'm getting more and more into a groove. Should be back in shape in a couple of months. I'll then start my marathon training.

Going to do a local 5k fun run tomorrow morning. I really don't have an idea about what kind of time I can pull off in a 5k. Have run one since last fall. I guess there's only one way to find out. Run!

Hot

Last week I got in about 30 miles of running. I'm starting to get back in the groove. I was a bit sore after my 14 mile run on Saturday so I took Sunday off.

I ran 5 miles this evening in the hot 88F weather. It was toasty out there. 9:14/mi pace

I may run a 5k fun run race on Saturday to see how I'm doin'.

Saturday 14 Miles - Two 7 Mile Loops

Hollywood

Another morning running in Hollywood!

April Road

Not all that fast, but I got through my 7 miles loop this afternoon safetly. Great weather. A minute faster than the same loop a few weeks ago.

9 1/2

I've arrived in the UK, yesterday but forgot to post my weekend run of 9.5 miles at home. Snapped a pic in my Jeep as I drove home from the run. The run seemed to hard. I feel a bit out of shape.

It was raining this morning here in Manchester so I wimped out of a run.

Back in the Saddle

After running 39.3 miles this past weekend, I got in a nice 6.5 mile run in the topical weather. Nice slow pace 10/mi on a hilly trail with 95% humidity and 85F.

Thanks to the golf course for the free cold water along the way!

Goofy Start to 2007

What a way to start 2007!

I successfully completed a 1/2 marathon race on Saturday and a full marathon the VERY next day!

The humid weather made my 2 hour half- marathon more difficult than I expected, but I still made it. It was hot for a guy that had trained the past 3 months in cold weather.

On Sunday we had the humid weather plus the sun to deal with. Marathon took me just over 4 1/2 hours to complete. 40 minutes slower than my Oct marathon. Wow, I was hot out there, but I ran a smart healthy marathon.

I was slower than I had planned, but had a great time accomplishing this. I'll be back to run a faster marathon somewhere this year!

HAPPY 2007!

2006!

Met Bill at 7 AM for an indoor run around the outside of the speed skating track.

We ran 8 miles a bit faster than our target marathon pace of 9:00/mi. I finished in 1:10:30. My legs felt great. I ran the last 1/2 lap fast.

A week from now, we'll have completed the 1/2 marathon and be resting up for the next morning's full marathon. Amazing.

Stay tuned!

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14 or Maybe 13

It's Saturday so it's a 14 miles day...well maybe 13 miles!

Met Bill and Paul for a few hours of running indoors around the outside of speed skating track. I was concerned it might be icy outdoors.

Started at 7 AM. Saw some Olympic skaters. Ran for 2 hours. Finished strong!