Cold Speed

Today was the final day for speedwork before the race, so naturally it had to be cold and windy. The temperature was in the low 40's and the wind was out of the northeast. What fun. I ran a total of 5 miles, with the middle three at tempo pace (7:30/mile). Again I was struck by how slowing down at the end wasn't as big a slowdown as in previous outings. My last 3/4 of a mile involved going up and down and up and back down the same hill at my turnaround point. I was busting it pretty hard at that point but I managed to keep up my pace. When I finally put on the brakes at mile four it felt like I had lurched to a crawl. When I looked at the Garmin, looked at it again, and then looked one more time to make sure, my pace was 9:00/mile. More proof that fast and slow is all relative.

I felt pretty good about not walking after the tempo. How things go on Saturday is going to depend a lot on the weather. I still have that lethargic feeling from allergies, which still haven't been that bad. Yet. Tomorrow will be one more easy run and then a couple of days of taking it easy before the race. Guess I'll use that down time to figure out where the heck I'm supposed to go for the event.

Winter Goes On

Final week before the race, and today called for an easy 6-mile run. It was cold and windy and when I stepped out the back door onto the deck and a bitterly nasty gust hit right at that moment. I briefly pondered hitting the treadmill again, but since I was already dressed I decided I needed an outdoor run more than I needed to stay inside. I added an extra layer on top as well as ear-warmers and a stocking cap and that kept me warm enough on the run.

Today I was less worried about speed and focused on getting in the miles. At this point in the training cycle you're either ready or you're not. I'm ready to run 13.1, but at what speed remains to be determined. I'm still thinking that this run is the start of the season, more of a stepping stone than the race I really need to conquer. As always, that could go out the window if Saturday dawns with nice conditions and I'm feeling especially ready to roll. Just a couple more runs and then it'll be showtime.

Foul Weather

Driven inside again by high winds and cold weather, I knew I needed to get in a good, long run, which is not easy when running on a treadmill. I resolved to stick it out for 12 miles, yes, almost two hours. I loaded up some BSG in the DVD player and watched three full episodes. The drier air prompted me to keep a sports drink handy, and I took a swig about every 10 minutes. With the help of the good ship Galactica I made it and now feel better about getting through the race in a week. Usually for a half-marathon I'll try to run at least a 14-miler somewhere during training, but I missed that opportunity last week when we were traveling. I guess 12 will have to do.

Allergies Can't Keep a Good Man Down

I've felt like allergies have had the upper hand the past week. Even though the usual effects (sneezing, itching, etc.) have been mild I've still felt puffy and lethargic. So today went way better than expected. Plus it was one of my favorite runs. This is my 2x800 at sprint pace with some down time before, between, and after. The temp was also in the 40's, making it easier to go faster. My best time was around 6 minutes/mile during the sprints. I probably could have given just a little bit more, but I wasn't interested in throwing up.

Since I didn't run last weekend, this weekend I'll have to run a little farther than originally planned. I don't think 14 miles is a good idea, but at least 12 seems ideal. It also depends on the weather.

One thing that I was thinking about on the run after the first sprint was how quickly my body adapts to the speedwork. Before the first interval I was running at a 9-minute/mile clip. After running under a 7-minute pace for just over three minutes I was a little surprised to find myself running the recovery at 8:30--minute. Same after the second interval, although a walked a couple of minutes before picking up the run again. I was thinking of a long training run where I could run a half mile at a "slower" pace and then pick it up for a half mile, and keep doing that for anywhere from 10-20 miles. Then over time I could extend the faster segment and decrease the slower, so that at some point I'm doing more faster than slower. I know someone else has probably thought of this before and it probably even has a name. But I think my next round of training might incorporate something along these lines. My new mantra is that if you want to race fast, you have to train fast!

Tough Wind

Today the wind was not my friend. After a really stupid day at work, I was hoping to get in a good marathon-pace run. Alas, I only partially accomplished my goal. I ran 6 miles total, with about 3 1/2 of that at about a half-minute slower than marathon pace. It was just too tough running uphill against 30 mph winds. As I've mentioned recently, I need to find a place with fewer hills to run, but that's tough to do without driving someplace. And when I'm feeling good the hills are no problem. I felt doped up again today from allergies. That and the heat tends to slow me down.

I'm thinking about my goal for the race coming up in 11 days. I really want to break 1:49, which if I remember correctly is my PR. I just don't know that I'm in shape for that yet. I think I can get fairly close, but it's going to depend on the weather and the allergies. Maybe it's better to use this as an endurance-building exercise. Then I could continue to work on speed for my next race. Eight-minute miles will get me to about 1:45 if I'm doing the math correctly. I know I can do it, but I'm not sure at this point if this is the race to do so. I'm going to have to feel a lot better about my training if I'm going to give it a shot.

Coneys

I didn't get in my long run this weekend, which will make the race that much more of a challenge. We went to Tulsa on Saturday and returned yesterday evening. I could have squeezed in a run somewhere, either here or there, but opted to not shoehorn it in just for the sake of running. When we got back last night I even considered doing it then, but my allergies were calm and I decided keeping it that way was a little more important than running.

So today I ran 6 miles, trying to keep up the 9-minute pace I've adopted as my "easy" run pace. It worked pretty well for the first five miles and then it stopped working. Maybe it was the heat, in the upper 70's today, or maybe it was the ten coneys I ate in Tulsa. I don't suppose I can count that as training food. If I was smart I would have eaten a few less. But I'm not smart. And gluttony never tasted so good.

Withering in the Heat

It wasn't really that hot out yesterday, but it sure seemed like it had warmed up a lot with a temperature topping out in the low 70's. I planned to do a good tempo run, but the heat and humidity nixed that after two miles of running under 8 minutes/mile. As usual it started out well, especially after a mile warmup, but no go. I ran 5 miles total and considered going for a sixth, but I determined that marginally speaking it wouldn't get me much, so I made the turn to finish earlier rather than dragging it out.

Allergies are in the air again, oh joy. I also haven't slept well this week, maybe because of said allergies, but I would say that definitely played a role in yesterday's aborted run. That running magazine we all read has said countless times that you should track your diet, your sleep, and other activities and see what are common factors in good and bad runs. I can say without a doubt that a night or several nights of bad sleep really affects my running. And that's not something I have to track on a chart to know for sure.

No Snow

That didn't last long, and we're back in the 50's again temperature-wise. The chill is still there in the breeze, but hopefully this means it's on it's way out for good. But I'll believe it when I see it.

Today was a good speed workout, with 4x1 mile intervals at marathon-pace and one minute recovery periods between each. Overall I went 6.25 miles. The pace was pretty easy to keep, even against the wind. A few times I had to slow down as I found myself running a little fast, but then again there were periods where I had to speed up because I had slowed going up a rise or just lost focus. Overall I'm happy with the workout, and keeping it a reasonable pace certainly helped, as opposed to some of the speed sessions like 800m intervals are faster. I also kept the warmup mile and the cooldown mile afterward at about 9 minutes/mile, part of my plan to up the speed overall.

One thing I've thought about is how to warm up for the half-marathon next month, since I think I will do better if I've run a mile or so. I've always been irritated by those people who are out running before the start of a race, considering them showoffs or overachievers, particularly when they're doing so right before they're about to cover 26.2 miles. But now I'm starting to wonder if that's something I should do, too? For instance, on today's run it took a good half mile before the stiffness in my legs and hips started to fade. So maybe that's what I need to do before the half. I haven't done a warmup like that before, but maybe this is the time to give it a shot and see how it goes. It certainly will help me start off closer to the pace I want, and I don't think warming up will affect my ability to go the distance. Let's plan on this little experiment now and we'll see how it goes in less than 20 days.

Snow Again?

Yes, this morning it snowed. T-shirt and shorts on Saturday, back on the treadmill today. Actually the snow was pretty much gone by the time I arrived home, but I did my workout with weights and then didn't feel like heading out in the cold.

It seems like I'm trending toward the school of thought that says if you want to race fast then you need to train fast. For the time being, at least, I feel like my non-speed runs need to be speedier. I have to be careful to avoid burning out, though. Today on the treadmill I set it for 9-minute miles and ran 6 miles total. I know it was on the treadmill and all, but it felt pretty easy, relatively speaking. In other words I wasn't sucking air and I could have held a conversation. That's the way I'm going to play it, since my marathon pace to BQ will have to be a lot closer to my current 5k pace if I'm ever going to make it.

Long Running Again

Today's run was 11 miles, another outing at Smithville Lake with Mike the guy from church. This was his new record for a long run, a record he will break again three weeks from today. The chill is not quite gone from the air. Even though it was over 50 degrees outside, there was the slightest trace of coldness still. That didn't stop me from wearing shorts and a technical t-shirt, though. I brought long pants and a long-sleeved shirt with me just in case but didn't have to wear them.

We stayed at just under 10 minutes/mile, a pace where we were both comfortable. I wanted to push it a little bit at the end, so I sped up for the last mile and did that one at a 7:30 pace. I was certainly winded when I finished, but I felt good about kicking some butt the last mile.

When I got home I took a look at the Boston Marathon web site and found that my qualifying time was changed by five minutes - in the wrong direction! For my age bracket I have to run a 3:25 time or better. If I'm calculating correctly that's under 8 minutes/mile. After running one mile at a fast pace today that sure seems like a tough goal, one that just got tougher. I have to remind myself I'm in a training plan that will likely last a couple of years and I'm just getting started. I think I can, I think I can....

Better Weather

Today was quite a difference from my previous outdoors run this week, with a temperature in the 50's. I even donned shorts but stayed with a long-sleeve technical shirt with a race t-shirt over it. That worked out pretty well. The hills killed me again, though.

The speedwork today was Yasso 800's on the same route I ran Monday. The intervals were going really well as I kept them close to 7 minutes/mile. On the last one I found myself running up a long hill, and as has happened before, I just died on it before finishing that interval. Dang it. Next time I run these I will plan a better route so I'm not running uphill on the later intervals. This area is all hills, so I might have to take my game someplace a little flatter. If there is such a flat place in this area.

As the Treadmill Turns

After yesterday's chilling run, I took today's rain as a sign that I should stay in for my run. I put BSG:Razor in the DVD player, hooked up the earbuds to the TV, and ran. I changed my schedule around so that today was a marathon-pace run rather than intervals. I went one mile as a warm-up, five miles at marathon pace (8-minute miles) and then a mile cooldown. It actually went better than I expected, especially since I felt beforehand that I might be fighting off something. I'll chalk up this one as a good run.

This is my 500th entry on this running b/log. That's a lot of runs over the past several years. I'm sure I could make my entries more useful, and I try to do so occasionally, but mainly this page exists as a way for me to keep an ongoing record of my runs. It works for me, even if it doesn't work for anyone else. At the least an imaginary person can see the ups and downs and progression of all this running. I've been blessed to be pretty much injury-free. I've learned about gear and shoes and some of that stuff, but I feel like there's so much more for me to learn. I have a long way to go in race management, not to mention training management. The book I'm reading now talks about being your own coach, and that's a work in progress for me. I have a pretty lofty goal and need to speed up a lot over the next couple of years in order to BQ. That training might be another 500 entries all by itself!

Stupid Cold Wind

Took a new route today since a street recently opened near our neighborhood to a new elementary school. I was less than thrilled with the cold, steady wind that was blowing out of the ESE. At times it seemed like it was blowing 40 mph, and other times...well, unless I was running with the wind, which wasn't much, it still felt like it was bitterly cold. I made this an easy run of 6 miles and tried to concentrate on stretching out my calves and hips. The wind made it a little tough to focus at times, but I guess that's the purpose of these runs. I felt like trying to run faster but kept it contained since I don't want to ruin tomorrow's speed work. I regretted - just a little bit - not doing today's session on the treadmill, but I'm trying to go with the idea of being outside any chance I can when it's not freezing rain or snow or anything else that makes the surfaces treacherous. Today wasn't too bad, but there were times I felt every bit of my 40+ years. But then, don't we all have days like that?

Lake Run

Today was miserably cold due to wind. This isn't the coldest it's been, but after a few days of warmth it felt colder due to the contrast. Some folks from my Sunday School class were heading to Smithville Lake, so I decided to join them for an 8-miler. Mike and I ran together while his wife ran with another lady whose husband had run earlier. This was Mike's longest run to date and we finished strong with an 8:30 pace for the last mile. This was my first time running on the trail at the lake and it was a nice run, wind and all, especially with the company along the way.

My plan to use the half marathon as part of my ongoing training seems to be crystallizing. At this point I need to find another race, probably in the April or May timeframe. I'm also thinking I need to settle on a training philosophy. This morning I was reading reviews on a book that talked about running three days a week and cross-training two other days. The book purports - wow, don't think I've used that word before, certainly not on this blog - a plan that allows runners to run not as much but still improve times and even qualify for Boston. I suppose I should read it to weigh it against the higher-mileage training I'm reading about now. I see it as taking in all the arguments before making a decision. I guess one of my fears is the risk of injury with more weekly miles, but if that's what it takes to qualify I guess I have to take that risk. But then again, if I can qualify with less work and less risk, isn't that worth a try, too? My brain is telling me the jury is still out.

Third Day

Today was the third day in a row for a run. I felt okay, not great, but I was determined to get in the 4-mile tempo run (6 miles total). And I almost made it. I think I need to modify my route, or maybe I just need to see it as a challenge and meet it head-on. I ran 3.8 miles at an 8-minute or better pace, but ascending that last hill on the way back was too much. I don't know how I can modify my route and not have hills around here, though. As I was running up that long hill I marked a spot up ahead where I would start walking, hoping it was around the cutoff point for my tempo. I ended up walking before that point, and soon discovered it still would have been over a tenth of a mile short. So much for judging the distance by sight.

I'm loving this warmer weather. Of course, it's supposed to be cold again on Saturday. I still count winter as not being over yet, and the way things go around here I won't be disappointed. Just looked at the schedule and it's just over four weeks to the race I want to run in April. Wow. That's quick. I definitely need to get in more speed work if I'm going to have any success at this race. I also think I'm going to modify my plan and treat it more as part of my overall training rather than running a race and taking off a week or two. There'll be less of a taper and more continuity beyond the race. At least that's what I'm thinking today. Guess I should pick another race to shoot for after this one.

Adding More Mileage

Yes, that's what I needed. The wind could have been a little less brisk and not blowing against me no matter which direction I faced, but the run itself was great. This was an easy run, seemingly the first I've had in ages that wasn't also a "long" run. I went 6 miles and kept it slow and steady the whole way at 10 minutes/mile or just under. A few times I found myself speeding up to the low nines and quickly ratcheted it down again. I wasn't thrilled about running slower with the cold breeze, but in the end it was worth it and I survived.

Normally today would have been a cross-training weight day. With the sun shining and the temperature bearable I felt it was better to get out for an easy run. The book I'm reading talks about adaptability and that was the case with my workout today. Let's see if it pays off in tomorrow's speed work.

More Mileage

Today the plan was to run 8 miles total with a 6-mile marathon pace run included in that. My total miles ended up being 6 with a 4-mile marathon-pace run. In the past it's been tough for me to run over 6 miles on a week night, mainly due to time and sometimes to fatigue. This time the spirit was willing and to be honest I probably could have made it, but it would have drained me for the next several days. I think this is a case where not getting in that fourth run every week is detrimental. The extra run usually comes on Mondays for me, and even though those runs are listed in my plan I haven't had a chance to incorporate them into practice yet. More mileage will probably get me to the point where the run I had planned tonight would become a reality. We'll see how tomorrow goes. I might add in an easy run on Wednesday this week if I can get out of work at the time I'm supposed to, something which has been keeping me from doing that Monday run.