Tempo on the Treadmill

My wife asked me tonight why I wasn't running outside today when the sun was shining and the temperature was just under freezing. I told her that I was tired of running in the cold wind, and that I just decided to run inside and be happy about it. That'll probably swing back the other way after a few treadmill sessions, but for today I was glad to run in a comfortable setting while watching the Caribbean World Series on TV.

I ran for 50 minutes, including 20 minutes at a pace of about 6:40/mile on the treadmill's display. I have no illusions I was running at that pace if translated to outside, but it was pretty fast. I also set the incline to 3.5%, and keep trying to up that in order to make the runs tougher. I went 6 miles on the machine, but as we've established before that probably equates to about 4 miles outside.

The Spirit Was Willing

The spirit was more than willing to go for a long run after being sick this week. And at least the temperature today was good. Actually, it was excellent. As usual, though, the good weather around here comes mixed with the bad, and we had a wind advisory. The wind was in the 25-30 mph range, with gusts going higher. The boy had his pinewood derby this morning, so I couldn't get out for my run until the wind had picked up nicely.

I was planning on going 12, but the sickness from a few days ago had a lingering effect. I managed to get 11 miles in, but that was with a few walks during portions of the run that were uphill and against the wind. I feel really drained right now, which I again attribute to the illness. I'm hoping for better results during the coming week.

Sick

Yesterday I was in Columbus, GA, on a business trip. I was so excited to run someplace warm that I got up at 5:30 ET (which was actually 4:30 KC time) and hit the streets 15 minutes later. The run was difficult, which seemed odd because the weather was nice, but I just didn't feel good. I went 4 miles, and going that far was a struggle.

When I got back to the hotel room, I ate some yogurt and took a bite of bagel, but it didn't taste too good. Twenty minutes later I was yakking in the bathroom. I thought it was due to something I'd eaten the day before, but nooooo. I ended up coming home early from the trip. Last night I went to bed at the hotel at 7 p.m. and got up this morning at 7 a.m. That right there should tell you I wasn't feeling good. I can't remember the last time I was sick. And feeling like that when you're far from home makes it even worse. I'm starting to feel human again, which gives me hope that I can do my long run this weekend.

The Wife Says I'm Insane

I was planning on running inside today, but when I got home and the dried-out leaves on the trees were barely stirring, I decided it was a good day to get out and run. Better than Friday, anyway. The temperature is 19 degrees, with a wind chill of 13. Guess I can't complain too much about that. I'm learning that what's cold is relative.

I ran 5.5 miles with an 18-minute tempo run. Running faster keeps me warmer, and that was definitely the case here. No music today, just a quick run in the fading winter light of the evening.

5 Inside

Twenty degrees outside, so I ran 5 miles on the treadmill today. I'm modifying my regular schedule since I'll be traveling this week. The Cardinals-Tigers 2006 World Series games are on MLB Network this weekend, so this was easily one of the best indoor running experiences I've ever had. Aah, what memories.

And I hate weather men. And women. The forecast for Saturday was for it to be worse than Friday, and we know how bad Friday was. Instead, yesterday would have been the best sub-freezing running day of the winter. The sun was out, the wind was calm, and even though the temperature was in the low 20's it was otherwise perfect. And of course I had gone out the day before. I was mad and thought about going out for a run anyway, but decided I'd spent too much energy on Friday. Stupid weathermen.

Global Warming has not yet made it to Missouri

Today was supposed to be a 14-miler. Actually, tomorrow was. But tomorrow's weather is predicted to be worse than today's, and since I didn't run yesterday on the wife's b-day, I decided to go for it. Yeah, that worked out for me.

The cold wind from the north was blowing a constant 20-mph, with gusts up to 30. The air temperature was about 30, but the wind chill dropped the actual temp into the teens. I ran two circuits of the neighborhood and realized that wasn't going to keep happening. So I stopped off at the house to change shoes (still breaking in the new pair) and went out for a route that was more lateral to the wind. Even so, I only lasted 3.5 more miles for a total of 8.5. I decided I'd had enough and that being out in the wind for almost two and a half hours was not a good plan. MY TEETH WERE COLD!!!

Since I'm on a business trip next week I'll probably run Sunday and Monday so that during my trip I only have to use the hotel treadmill once. And then we'll see what happens next Saturday.

Cold Nose

One aspect of running in the cold that I haven't addressed before is the cold nose effect. Makes me feel like a puppy, it does. Of course, the rest of me is cold, too, but the nose is what gets me. I am so ready for it to be warm!

Anyway, I ran 5.5 miles today in a relative tropical heat wave. The temperature was just about freezing when I set out, and the winds were very light for a change. I was supposed to include a 16-minute tempo run but I think it was 17 minutes due to a watch that is sometimes hard to read. Yesterday was my first Monday run during this go-round of the plan, so today marks the first time I've run two days in a row. I'm supposed to run my first intervals on Thursday, but that might not happen since it's the wife's birthday. And you know that takes precedence.

The Wind Blows Across the Plains

Today was the first Monday I've run during this training cycle, believe it or not. The previous five weeks I've run only three days a week, so this week I guess I'm airing it out. This was an easy five mile run to Target and back. The temperature was in the low 20's, with the now-standard 15 mph wind blowing against me on the return.

Thankfully the wife fitted me out with warm clothes for Christmas, which are paying off big time. Also, I mentioned to her yesterday on the way to church that I kept thinking about moving someplace that was much warmer during the winter. She didn't seem too interested, mainly because a location warm in winter is also likely to be really hot in summer. Bummer.

Treadmill and Wind

On different days of course. Thursday was a 5.5 mile run on the treadmill with 2-3-4-3-2 fartleks. Nothing exciting to report there.

Today was the wind, and at least the base temperature was above freezing. This week the temp was below zero, with wind chill close to -20 on a few mornings. Today was sunny, but the wind was particularly brutal. Coming out of the west at a steady15 mph with some gusts quite a bit more than that, let's just say the weather was not conducive to running and say no more. But I'm not going to do 10 miles on the treadmill when there's no precipitation.

So out I went, and somehow endured the whole ten. I thought about throwing in the towel at mile eight, but thought to myself that I was feeling okay, the weather might not be this good next weekend, and that really the only reason I was considering wussing out was because - well, because I was thinking like a wuss. So I finished my last circuit around the neighborhood and now I'm done and out of the wind. Thank God.

Treadmill Run

Gee, can't believe I forgot to post this yesterday when the run was so memorable. 5.5 miles on the treadmill with 14 minutes at a 7:30 pace. On the TV was M*A*S*H and then friends, with a predictable Bones thrown in during commercials. Really, it doesn't get much more thrilling than that.

Feels Like 11

The temperature when I headed out was about 26 but the wind chill was 11 degrees. This was courtesy of a lovely 20-25 mph north wind. I ran 12 miles, but the effort I put into it was way more than that. By the time I'd spent almost two hours exposed to the cold wind my body was spent. I did the circuity thing around the neighborhood again, but boy, right before the last lap I seriously considered packing it in.

Next year when I think about running an early spring race I'd sure like someone to remind me about days like this and how absolutely insane it is to train during the winter in Missouri.

Clear Winter Day

It was a little colder than I thought once I started my run. I guess you know you're in the midst of winter when a 39-degree starting temperature seems warm. But then the sun started going down and the breeze cooled it off really quick. I ran 5.5 miles with 2-3-3-3-2 fartleks. My iPod sensor tells me I was doing an 8-minute pace during some of those, but I don't believe it. I think it needs just a wee bit more calibration.

Tonight is the national championship game. It'd be nice for OU to win a bowl game for a change, and particularly this one. Go Sooners!!!

The Cold's Not That Bad

When the wind isn't blowing the cold really isn't that bad. The air was dry, but without that stiff breeze it's actually kind of pleasant outside for running. I ran 6.5 miles, including a 12-minute tempo run. Even with the relatively nice weather I'm so ready for spring and longer days.

At Least the Sun Was Out

Twenty degree wind chill this afternoon due to a stiff north wind. Rather than going for an out-and-back run I circled the neighborhood three times and change so that my periods of running into the Arctic blast were not all at once. I was scheduled to run 9 miles, and that is exactly what I accomplished. My average mile was 9 minutes, which seems to me to be a nice coincidence. That's faster than I usually pace my long runs, but really, I just wanted to get out of the wind.

This evening I took the wife to dinner, and all is well with my world tonight.

New Year, Another Run

What was I thinking when I decided to train for a marathon during the winter months? The cold wasn't too bad today, but it's the wind that gets me. And being out in it for over an hour just isn't much fun. The temperature was in the low forties, but the wind chill was right about freezing. I ran 6 miles. And wouldn't you know, most of my 2-3-3-3-2 fartleks came on what I think of as the Target Hills (the lovely slopes along Flintlock on the way to Target). Ugh.

At any rate, it's good to be running outside. And it's good to be running in 2009.

What a Windy Day

At least the sun was shining, but the wind was something else. I ran 6.5 miles, and when I returned home and checked the temperature on the Internet it said 49 degrees, feels like 45. No way. The wind was over 20 mph and has stayed that way into the evening. The light gloves I bought before the Tulsa Route 66 Marathon have turned out to be three of the best dollars I've ever spent.

Glad I Waited a Day

Yesterday was so cold and rainy that I looked outside and decided inside was the place to be. Since the treadmill didn't appear to be a good option for an 8-miler, I waited until today. Snow last evening made the bet seem kind of dicey, but I'd already made my decision.

And a good thing I did, too. The snow melted by noon, the sun was out, and the temperature climbed into the upper half of the 40's. I bought a new Nike iPod sensor this morning and calibrated it with a 1-mile run, then finished with a 6.5 mile jog. Although my jog was a little fast, if the sensor is to be believed. Maybe it was just because I was excited to see the sun for a change.

Snowy Christmas Run

For the second year in a row I went over to the high school and ran on the track. This time I took the kids so they could run around, and as an added bonus I was decked out in all the new running duds my wife gave me for Christmas! New shirt, new hooded overshirt, new pants, and new exercise pants. Snow covered the track but I still did 5 miles, including 1-2-3-2-1 fartleks. MK ran four laps with me, and even Abigail ran a couple. The girls were cheering me on, which was very sweet of them. Not bad for a holiday!

More Cold

Cold as anything with snow in the forecast for tonight. And 5 miles on the treadmill. Really, beyond that there's nothing else to say.

A Week of Running

It's been a busy week, with a trip to DC the first part and lots of work the rest of it, including today (Saturday) and tomorrow. I was able to run three times, though, so that's a good start. It's been bitterly cold, which means a couple of those runs were on the treadmill.

Tuesday was the best run, with 4 miles through Crystal City, past Reagan National Airport, and beside the Potomac River. The temp was in the mid-40's, it was dark, I could see the lights across the river, and jets were taking off over my head. Lots of bikes with headlights coming from DC to points south. All in all a memorable run.

Thursday there was snow on the ground, leftovers from Tuesday's storm, so I ran 3.5 miles on the treadmill. Nothing exceptional to report on that one.

Or today's, either. 6 miles on the treadmill between taking honorable daughter #1 to breakfast and honorable son to baseball practice. Then off to work for a few hours. And speaking of bitter cold, it's supposed to get down to 0 degrees tonight. I believe I'll stay inside.

Destination: Dallas

Even though I "ran" a 5k Turkey Trot with my girls on Thanksgiving, today is what I would consider my first real run since the Route 66 Marathon. With almost four weeks elapsed since then my body seems to have had enough time to heal. Even after the Turkey Trot my hip was hurting, so it's nice to be pain-free today.

I went out for a 3-miler that included calibrating my Nike iPod sensor. The temperature was reasonable and the sky was clear. All in all a nice December day.

Sunday is the 16-week mark from my next goal, which is to run the Big D Texas Marathon. Last year I was there for the half, so this time around will the whole nine yards. And after a somewhat disappointing outcome in Tulsa, I'm ready to set a PR this time around. The fun is just beginning!

Ouch

This hurts much worse than last year's marathon. I don't know if it was because my training in the last couple of weeks was curtailed due to my knee injury, or something else, but this one was a lot more painful. The day was beautiful, although it started off a little cold, but it was manageable. I found a trailer where a generator was running before the race and stood beside it for about 15 minutes before the race began, talking with a guy who's trying to do a marathon in every state. This was his eleventh.

The early part of the run was okay. But about mile three I could feel a few things weren't completely right and knew it was going to be a long day. And it was. Fortunately, the course here in Tulsa was nice and flat, and even the hills toward the end were pretty easy. Since this was Alan's first race I stayed with him. Until he left me.

About mile 19 he was starting to walk every so often, which was killing me because any time we walked I started to tighten up. When we'd get to the water stops I'd drink and keep walking and then wait for him to catch up at which point I'd start running again. It seemed to work pretty well. After mile 22 we did our routine and I walked, and walked, and walked. I turned around and he wasn't anywhere in sight. I waited a minute, still didn't see him, and then walked back toward the water stop. I didn't see him anywhere and figured maybe he got ahead of me somehow. I ran through Woodward Park, where there were some hills, which I figured would slow him up, but still didn't see him. In one of the nice neighborhoods past mile 23 I thought maybe I had left him behind and missed him, so I stood by the side of the road and waited for 15 minutes. No sign of him, so I guessed maybe he'd caught the trolley to the finishing area.

As I finished Michael was standing by the chute and told me his dad had already finished! His story, if you can believe it, was that when he was at the water station a pace group passed us and he didn't think that was very cool, so he took off. I never saw him, and he thought I must be ahead of him. The bad news is that he now gets to hold it over my head that in his first marathon he beat me. Game on, Poole.

Again, not my best running day, but I finished and got a big ol' medal. So did Alan, and even though we now hurt like a couple of old men, it was successful.

No More Runs

This was it, the last tuneup before race day on Sunday. I did an out and back 4-miler at a very slow pace. I don't think the iPod is calibrated, though, since it said I was doing a sub-9 minute pace. Unless I'm way off, and I was running against a very stiff wind the first half, that pace hardly seems likely.

The next two days will be rest days and travel to Tulsa, and then Sunday morning is the big day. The knee isn't 100%, but considering how it felt a week ago it's much further along then I would have guessed. A couple days' more rest certainly won't hurt.

One More Run

This week has been a little frustrating. My knee has been sore since Saturday's run, but nowhere near as bad as before I switched shoes. The girls have been sick again, and yesterday I could tell I was fighting off whatever they were trying to give me. The family was gone yesterday afternoon to co-op and I was home for the holiday. It was a cold, gray, drizzly day but I knew I needed to get out and run. So I got all gussied up in my gear and opened the front door and...decided that I didn't really want to run. That's never happened before. I turned around, put on some warm clothes, and ended up going to bed early.

Today I woke up and thought about calling in sick, but knew if I did my chances for this weekend's race might be in jeopardy. I went to work and ended up getting better as the day went on. I was ready to roll when I got home and the sky had even cleared out. It was still bitterly cold, but I went 6.5 miles anyway. And now I feel much better.

Skipping Autumn

Went right to winter, it seems. I was going to run this morning but decided to wait until later in the day when it warmed up to 39 degrees. AccuWeather says the wind is blowing 9 mph, but I can tell you it's more than that. Bundled up in layers and with gloves and ear protection and headed out for my 10 miles. I can tell the right knee isn't 100% yet, but at least it doesn't hurt as bad as it did when wearing the new shoes. How it feels tomorrow will determine how much I run this last week before heading to Tulsa for the race.

Out of Retirement

I brought the old shoes out of their short retirement since I finally figured out what was causing the knee problems. In Chicago I started using my new pair of shoes, which of course have a nice tread, as opposed to the worn sole of my old pair. This has happened before, although not to this extent. I realized that the new shoes were causing a change in my gait, which transfers up the leg to my knee, causing the irritation. So today I went for a 3-mile run just to get my legs back in their previous frame of mind, as it were. From here until the marathon I'll be using the old shoes. After that I will break in the new ones appropriately.

In Knee-d

So yesterday I went to the doctor about my right knee. I wasn't in their office computer system any more because it's been over two years since I last saw my doctor. That should tell you how serious this must have been for me to schedule an appointment and actually go. When I woke up Sunday morning I couldn't put any weight at all on my right knee. It got better during the day with several applications of ice and ibuprofen, but by yesterday it was still hurting. I've had knee pain before, but not any that lingered that long.

After the doctor said it looked like my kneecap was tracking wrong and advised me to run on the other side of the street, eat more protein in the form of string cheese and fig newtons, and continue the ice and ibuprofen treatment, I walked out with my knee feeling better already. Today I felt better but could tell it wasn't 100%, but after four straight days of no running I knew it was time to get out and test it.

The run went well, although there is a steady 20-mph wind dropping the temperature a good ten degrees into the 40's. I went 6.5 miles and the knee feels good for now. The real test will be tomorrow morning when I wake up and try to walk. I'm hoping things are on the upswing so that I can run 10 miles on Saturday.

Foggy Run

Lots of fog this morning, which was kind of cool. It was so quiet out, and sounds like a police siren were amplified that much more by the fog. Never did need the sunglasses.

I went 15 miles, and my right knee has that swollen feeling I had last year when I ran my second 20-miler. I took an ice bath when I got home. Let me just say for the record that I most definitely do NOT like ice baths. It was ten minutes of pure torture, but I hope with that and the ibuprofen that my knee will feel better. And the nap I'm planning should help, too.

From Chicago to Kansas City

Two runs this week so far, with the first in Chicago on Tuesday morning. There's a park about a block off of Lake Shore Drive, and strangely enough I believe it's called Lake Shore Park. This park has a track, so I decided to run there instead of in the cold wind off the lake. It's funny, because the last few times I've been there the track was really crowded. This time I was the only one on the track, other than the bum on one of the benches, that is. I ran 5 miles, including a 24=minute tempo run. I wore my ear-warmer and gloves, but took off the gloves after a bit. It didn't seem too terribly cold, but when I returned to the hotel and turned on the news it was a balmy 30 degrees outside.

Today the weather was nice but I left work late and didn't start running until almost 6 p.m. I did 6x800 intervals for a total of 7.5 miles. I was going to run on the new street to the west of our neighborhood but the city workers laid down a thick bed of hay along the dirt and sidewalk. To prevent erosion, I suppose. One time running through there and I determined it wouldn't be a good idea to continue and give the hay a chance to kick start my allergies. I headed east and ended up running my old intervals route. Not a bad week so far, and I wore my new shoes on both of these runs. I plan on using them from here on out.

Running Up That Hill

Left the house at about 6:10 this morning for the final long run of the training program. Three weeks until the Route 66 Marathon! Ran 20 miles and I would say even though it wasn't the best run I've ever had it also wasn't the worst. Started out very cool, and I began with double layers. When I stopped by the house at about mile 13 to pick up my drink belt I stripped down to one layer since the sun was up by then. The last few miles I felt like I was going agonizingly slow but when I checked my pace it was in the 9:40 range. Guess after last week's half at a good speed anything less would seem slow, wouldn't it?

I think these shoes are also about done. I've used them pretty much all year, and trained for the half in April with them as well as all the way through this training until now. Don't know if I'll run Monday since that's a travel day to Chicago, but I plan on using my new pair of shoes for the duration as well as for the race.

P.S. About Thursday - I didn't run because I was feeling a little under the weather. Received a flu shot on Tuesday, and that contributed to the malaise, I think. I considered going out for a run, but it was damp and cool and I figured if I did run I might make it so I couldn't run two days later. In hindsight I think it was a good decision. If I'd run and pushed it too far on Thursday I don't think I would have made it through today's.

Missed the Rain

Storms were popping up around the area, but for the most part they tracked north of our area during today's run. The sky spit at me a few times and I saw some lightning to the north. I ran 6.5 miles, including a 20-minute tempo run. I thought of doing just a regular run today and decided I'd rather stretch it out and push it a little before the taper begins next week. Maybe I'm stupid. If my body tells me I need to take off Thursday to get the legs fresh again I will.

A Touch of Autumn

A definite touch of fall was in the cool evening air before dinner tonight. I thought about taking the day off - not because of the coolness but because I just ran a fast (for me) race on Saturday - but given that the other two workouts this week are both of the faster variety I wanted a nice, easy run to break it up and ease back into the week. So I ran 6 miles at a leisurely pace.

Rain in the forecast for tomorrow, so we'll see what happens. Still trying the marathon playlist out and it's coming together, but boy, putting together four hours of outstanding music is harder than you'd think. Plus I picked up my new glasses this afternoon and not sure if that's going to work out or not. It's going to be a busy week.

Smokin!

I totally smoked the half-marathon this morning! The weather was very cool, probably in the low 40's, and I was feeling good, so I went for it. When I crossed the finish line the clock read 1:49:30ish, so given the couple of minutes it took to cross the start line I figure my chip time was about 1:48. Yes, I felt extra awesome after that. That calculates to about 8:20 or so per mile. I know I didn't win anything or beat a hated rival or anything else that sports movies are made of, but I guess this means I'm no longer the slowest person in the world.

I carried my iPod with me to at least keep track of time without the headphones, but it slipped out of its case in my pocket and did the "I need to be rebooted thing." I didn't mess with it during the race and the run wasn't recorded, which is a bummer because I'd like to see my split times.

I've said it before and I'll say it again: hill training pays off. Early in the race a couple of big hills slow the crowd, and I was passing them like crazy. I kept checking myself to make sure I was running within my limits, and never reached a point where I felt like I was running too fast. Could I keep up that pace for twice the distance? It seems more a possibility after this than ever before. Maybe someday I can actually qualify to run Boston. It was a great running day, but after this it's back to the training for November's marathon.

More Intervals

Ran 7x800 intervals - and didn't hate it! Gee, do you think running at a slower (approx. 8:30) pace actually helps me make it through? I ran 7 miles total and never strayed more than a half mile from the entrance to our development. I've found a relatively flat stretch of sidewalk that works for this kind of running. We'll see how I feel Saturday morning for the KC Half, but at this point I'm inclined toward running a little faster pace and seeing how I hold up.

Also started setting up a playlist for the Route 66 Marathon. They advertise that iPods are allowed since the course is closed to traffic. Not sure I like what I have so far since some of the transitions seem kind of sudden. Once I get it all in order I'll list the songs. Right now it includes Springsteen, Zep, Del Shannon, Petty, Smithereens, Stevie Ray, Lyle, Buffett, Sammy, Bear McCreary, and of course the Old 97's. It's coming in at less than two hours so far, so I have a long way to go.

Cool Evening

It was very cool this evening, overcast and 60 degrees with a hint of possible mist or sprinkling. Not that I minded too much since I ran a 24-minute tempo run during the 6-mile outing. I'm enjoying the new route down Shoal Creek since it's not as busy with traffic as Flintlock, and the hills aren't as bad either. There was a slight breeze, but again, no complaints here. Looks like the half-marathon on Saturday morning should be nice and cool as well.

My tempo was about 8:30 per mile at spots, and for most of the time I was running faster it seemed possible to run that way for quite a while. But by the time I finished I could tell that if I want to run that fast in a half-marathon my body still needs some conditioning. And hey, isn't that what I'm doing?

Twenty Miles, Man!

Alan ran 16 this morning and I ran 20, both of us following our respective training plans. I started out a little earlier and ran 4 miles before swinging by the house and joining up with him. We did three circuits around the neighborhood and then headed out of the neighborhood for about 8 miles.

Once again the weather was great, and I love getting out while it's dark and viewing what are normally the winter constellations. I feel pretty good so far, but I'm leery of the day after. Since the OU-Texas clash is on in less than an hour, it seems like a good time to veg in front of the TV and maybe fall asleep during halftime. Alan and family leave tomorrow and Monday is a holiday. Plenty of time to recuperate!

Felt Good, Ran Fast

Another absolutely gorgeous day, so whether I felt bad or not it was bound to be a running day. Went 5.5 miles and included a 20-minute tempo run in there. I was going to head west through the new construction, but a cop was out pulling over people who disregarded the "Road Closed" signs. So even though he probably wouldn't have hassled me, I figured I would refrain from giving him the chance.

My time in the tempo run was about 2.25 miles in 20 minutes, which I think figures out to a tad over 8:30 minute miles. Not bad, but I certainly don't feel I could keep it up for 26.2 miles.

I also keep forgetting that a little over a week from now is the KC Half Marathon. I'm trying to decide how to run it. Should I treat it as a regular training run and go about 10 minutes/mile, or should I try and up the pace? Did I post about this before? I might have. And if I did, I'm still undecided.

On today's run I listened to Living Colour, one of my faves. With the election less than a month away and people treating Obama like some untouchable deity, Living Colour's song "Cult of Personality" seems more relevant now than when it was written almost twenty years ago. Simply amazing. I keep praying that God will give us the president we need, not the one we deserve. Is this the election where we get "The One" we deserve?

Easy Run After Some Time Off

It's always the day after that gets you. What felt okay and pretty decent after Sunday's run quickly deteriorated on Monday. My right hip was hurting so bad that I had a noticeable limp that lasted into Tuesday. I took some ibuprofen and determined that my Monday and Tuesday runs could wait a few days. Especially with a 20-miler coming up this weekend.

Today's run went fine. The remnants of hip pain were still there, but we'll see how it feels tomorrow. I ran 5.5 miles in absolutely gorgeous fall sunshine. The past few days were a bit rainy and dark, but today was one of those autumn days we all live for. If everything is okay tomorrow I'll be doing some speed work. If not, see you on Saturday.

Brilliant Sunday Morning

What nice weather! Even though we went camping this weekend and returned yesterday evening, I still managed to roll out of bed at 5:30 and hit the road by 6. The days are getting shorter, and I enjoyed the darkness and quiet of a Sunday morning. A light breeze was blowing from somewhere south of here to keep it nice and cool. Went 18 miles in all, including almost four times around the neighborhood before heading south of Highway 152 for the final 8 miles.

When I ran through a new housing and retail area a helicopter was lifting workers by cable up to the top of some power poles, where they were apparently getting a nice head start on the week before the sun warmed things up too much. I thought about asking for a ride but decided their insurance probably wouldn't cover somebody like me.

Felt pretty good after the run and looking forward to a 20-miler next weekend.

Intervals? No Problem!

My dislike of intervals is no secret, but today was actually a very successful run including intervals. I ran 6 miles, including 6x800 intervals. I believe this is the first time in a loooong while that I've made it through the recommended intervals on my plan. Just for that, I think I'll sleep late tomorrow!

I think it helped that I kept the pace down on the first few. Usually I run them too fast and become burnt out and want to stop after the first two or three. This time I really tried to keep the runs at the 70-80% level of effort, and it seems clear that it worked.

Now if I can just remember that for the next time.

At Last a Good Tempo Run

It helped that the temperature was cooler, I'd hydrated well all day, and that my allergy attacks seem to be in the rear view mirror. Went 5 miles total which included a 20-minute tempo run. Felt good, and went down the still closed new street. They're now saying it will be completed by Oct. 15th but looking at the state of the sidewalks they're slowly putting down, I'd say it would be a miracle. Liars.

A Tale of Three Cities

Wow, seems like forever since I updated this thing, but guess it's only been a week. During that time I've run in KC, Austin, and St. Louis. So let's review the runs in order.

Monday was a day for running here at home, a nice easy 5-miler. Nothing remarkable about it, other than it was nice to run in familiar surroundings.

Tuesday was another run along the Colorado River in Austin. I was going to do a 24-minute tempo run but ended up doing about 15 minutes in 90 degree heat. I think that surprised me a little because even though I went 6 miles the tempo run pretty much kicked my rear. One problem was lack of hydration. Since I had flow in that day I didn't drink as much as I usually do so I wouldn't have to spend the flights wearing out the carpet to the spacious restroom at the rear of the planes. I like Austin's running paths, though, and in some areas there was a nice amount of shade.

I skipped Thursday due to traveling home, and it was fortunate since I caught an earlier flight and made it home by 8:30 as opposed to my originally scheduled arrival at midnight.

Saturday's 14-mile run with Alan was in St. Louis along the Mighty Mississippi, a path I ran during last year's training. We started in the late morning hours and even though it didn't get horribly hot it was certainly warm enough to slow us down. Alan's heel was bothering him, so we shut it down and walked the last mile in order to live to run another day. Some shade along that route definitely would have been nice, but alas it seems to be more of a bicycle path than anything else. Not that they don't need shade, but I think there's a difference.

Today it was back home with a nice easy 5-mile run to Target. The air is cooler and fall is definitely on the way. I enjoyed the nice breeze. The next few weekends are some mighty big runs (18 and 20 miles), so I need to gear up mentally for those. Sleeping in my own bed after so many days on the road will be a good start.

A Run Between Austin Trips

Ran 16 miles this morning, starting out at 6:30. It was a great day for running, nice and cool early on with a taste of sunshine later in the run. I ran four times around the neighborhood, stopping after the third to down a gel pack and strap on the belt holding my bottles of sports drink. Not a bad experience, although I still felt a little slow in the latter part of the run. I know that will improve if I actually do my speedwork (intervals!) and as I finish a couple of 20-milers later on in my training schedule.

Austin - The Week in Review

Returned today from a business trip to Austin, where I undertook three runs of varying success. Let's review, shall we?

Monday I ran at the airport, since that's where my hotel was located. Threading through various dead ends and traffic, I managed 5 miles. The weather was beautiful the whole week, and Monday was a great start.

Tuesday was a day I almost didn't run. My allergies had kicked up a Texas-sized reaction, and I was miserable. But I decided long ago that allergies weren't going to impede the things I want to do, so I drove over to the Town Lake Trails near downtown. I ran 6 miles, including a 20-minute tempo run. What a great place to run! The trail was nice and wide in most places, although a bit hard to follow at times, and the shade was most welcome. I started near some softball fields and ran all the way to what looked like the heart of downtown Austin. If I lived in that area I would run there regularly.

Yesterday, Thursday, was another story. I think the allergies caught up with me since my body just seemed beat up. Or maybe it was the whole thing I have about intervals, because I was supposed to do five. Instead I ran 4 miles at the airport and only managed 2x800 intervals. I think I probably could have kept going. If you've ever suffered through two full days of an allergy attack with very little sleep at night due to said allergies, you know how achy and tired your body gets. That was how I felt Thursday, and even though I was hoping for a better run, I decided not to push it. I'll save that for tomorrow, when I'm due for a 16-miler.

I return to Austin next week where I should get in at least one run, and then it's off to St. Louis for the last weekend of the season. And a 14-mile run along the Mississippi. Hopefully the allergies will take a long hike while I do some more traveling.

Stormy

Since it's supposed to rain all weekend I figured I might as well get out and run this morning. It sprinkled and drizzled for about the first 6 miles, and was then mostly just misty the rest of the way. I went 12 miles total, stopping in at the house after the first 7 to change into dry socks and shoes.

I have to say that around mile 8 I hit a wall. I thought about it some and realized that in my long runs this go-around I've run at least 4-5 miles of them with the wife. This was the first long run I've taken at my pace, so I think that's what caused the bonk.

I explained that theory to the wife, and she didn't buy it. Oh well.

Running Underwater

At least it felt like running through water with how wet the atmosphere is today. We've had rain and it was lightly misting at times while I ran, which made me sweat like it was a hundred degrees outside even though the actual air temperature was closer to seventy. I went 6 miles total, with a bout of 5-4-3-2-1 fartleks. It was tough, but it was a good tough.

And new shoes in the mail today. I love new shoes! Once I break them in a little I can get them out on the road. Woo hoo!

What a Day to Run

Even if I wasn't a runner, I would have gone out and hit the streets today. The afternoons are starting to get that lower-in-the-sky sun look common to autumn, and today the temperature was right about 70 degrees. I went 5.5 miles and included 17 minutes' worth of a tempo run. It went pretty well considering that we had auditors in the center this morning and I was on my feet for three hours straight showing them around.

When I started the run my right knee was making me think I should turn around and go home, but I stopped, walked ten yards, and then started up again. After that it was fine. And the Old 97's "Blame It On Gravity" playing on my Nano probably didn't hurt, either.

Is It Fall Already?

Wow, 58 degrees, a chill breeze from the north, and rain spitting from the sky would make a person think autumn is already here. I was going to run further than 3 miles, but I didn't want to get all wet and court any sickness. Especially after enduring a bad allergy attack yesterday. Haven't had one like that in a long time.

Coming back up the hill by the pond my right knee "twinged," so I stopped running and walked for about fifteen seconds. When I picked back up again it was fine. Must be something about running uphill in the cold against the wind that does it for me. Let's hope that's not a trend.

Perfect Early Morning

Headed out at 6:30 this morning, and the fog was light but stuck around long enough to keep the sun from shining through. I ran 9 miles and then stopped at the house to pick up the wife, and ran another 4 with her. The temperature was probably in the mid to upper-50's, and it was absolutely perfect for a nice long run. Went without headphones and just enjoyed the early morning quiet.

The right knee, which had been hurting the other day, feels fine. I started off this morning on a level stretch of road and eased into the run, and I think that made all the difference. There was some slight tenderness right there at the beginning, but after the first quarter mile it wasn't a problem and I didn't really think about it again. Guess my caution with not pushing it on Thursday paid off today.

A Tale of Two Days

One day good, one day not so good. Let's start with the good one first. Because that's the way I roll.

Tuesday (and I can't believe it took me this long to post about that run, but I kept turning off the computer in the evening before posting) I ran 5 miles, which included a 15-minute tempo run. It was a run in the humidity, wind, rain, and uphill. Can't believe I had to do half of the tempo run uphill, but that's the way it worked out. Not a bad run, but I was surprised how incredibly humid it was. Plus the rain and wind kind of wore me out.

Today's was a little different. My right knee felt tender so I was looking for some level ground for the outing. I drove over to the local high school to run at the track, but there was a football game in progress. I drove back across the interstate and found some semi-level ground, but as I started running it was on a downhill slope and my knee just didn't feel too good. So rather than keep it going and risk injury, I stopped and called it a day. I want to complete my long run on Saturday, so today was a day for discretion. And level ground, which is in pretty short order in this part of the country.

Labor Day Outing

Went for a run this morning with the wife, who struggled a bit, so we ended up walking a little less than half of it. I went ahead to finish my run and then turned back to walk the rest of the way with her. I ended up going about 3.5 miles running and probably another mile of walking. She said she only drank coffee, root beer, and one glass of water yesterday, so she probably wasn't hydrated enough. And it was getting warm rather quickly while we were out. Kids, let that be a lesson to you!

Saturday Morning Run

Lovely run today with the lovely wife. I went 10, she went 5, and we listened to Dave Ramsey on our respective iPods. She was a couple seconds ahead of me on the audio and when she'd laugh I knew a good one was coming up soon on my own iPod.

Today was the first time I wore the belt she got me for my birthday (way back in February!) that has holsters for four water bottles. I really didn't like it at first and considered running back to the house and ditching it, but became more accustomed to it as we went along. And by the time I finished I was very glad I had it. I don't think those four bottles will do it for an entire 20-mile run, but for today and maybe runs a little bit longer it was fine.

Catching Up

Time to catch up on the runs from the last week. Spent the first half of the week in Chicago, so that's why I'm a little behind in posting.

First of all, last weekend was a bust. I was supposed to run 12 miles on Saturday but didn't due to rain in the morning and then spending the rest of the day at an air show (which was a daylong dose of flying goodness). I was going to run the next morning, but at about 5 a.m. I woke up and thought my legs were hurting from so much standing and walking around the day before. This proves the dictum that you should never make decisions about whether to get up or sleep late while your head is lying on a pillow and you're nice and comfortable under the comforter. What can I say about the weekend? I was lame.

After going to Chicago, though, things improved. Flew in on Monday, and the day was so nice I went out for a 5-mile run on Lake Shore Drive. Went south from Chicago Avenue all the way to the aquarium and natural history museum. It was a perfect day for a run.

Stayed out way too late on Tuesday night and thought about sleeping in again, but when I woke up about 5:30 I took the weekend's lesson to heart and got my lazy butt out of bed. This time I went north along the lake and actually enjoyed this route a little better. Hundreds of people were out in the early morning and the perfect weather running, biking, walking, and roller blading. I was getting passed by quite a few people until I got into a 12-minute tempo run, at which point I started smoking all the women who'd been passing me. Yeah, that's right, women. I'm not proud.

Tonight I got back on schedule and completed a 5-mile run with 2-3-4-3-2 fartleks. The temperature was 93 this afternoon, so I'm REALLY glad I waited until the evening. I wouldn't normally do speedwork on back-to-back days, but by doing it tonight I can run with my lovely wife on Saturday, which is the point of doing the same race together in October. Now that I'm back on track I'm feeling better. And the nice runs in Chicago didn't hurt, either. As much as I enjoyed the Windy City, I still hate the Cubs. Good pizza, non-lovable baseball team.

Hotter than Expected

The weather page on the web said 80 degrees, but by the time I was going and doing some speed work it seemed warmer than that. I went 5 miles and did 2-3-3-3-2 fartleks, and it was okay but just a little warm. I'm not going to complain, though, since by the time I run the full marathon in November I'll probably be yearning for warmer days like today.

An Easy Run That Was...Easy

The breeze was nice without being too strong on today's 4-miler, and I took it nice and easy up to Pleasant Valley Baptist Church and back. Starting yesterday afternoon I had a horrible pain in the back of my neck that went right up to the base of my skull. It bothered me all day today, but it seems as though the run helped me loosen up somewhat. Normally on Mondays I do some light barbell work that keeps the muscles in my back from barking at me, but today I skipped that part of the workout in favor of just running. Is this what getting old feels like?

Different Running Styles

Ran 9 miles today, the first couple being with the wife. A week on from her triathlon she's getting ready to start training for our October half-marathon. Have I mentioned that she totally rocks?

I've read before about how people treat their runs, with some going for rock 'em-sock 'em music to motivate, others for total silence, some for the company of running with another person, and then those who do it just because. Well, I discovered that today my awesome wife is one of the camaraderie type runners who likes to keep up a dialogue the whole way. Me, I can go 26.2 miles without music or talking to anyone. Just another way we're different, I suppose. And if we're going to go 13.1 together I guess we'll both have to adapt.

The Sun Came Out

Well, thank God the sun came out! Those temperatures in the mid-70's were just a little too cold. About halfway through tonight's 5-mile run and right when I began the first part of my 2-3-3-3-2 fartleks, the clouds skidded past and opened up the way for the sunlight to shine forth. Somehow I heroically persevered - okay, I struggled through the last half like a gold prospector in Death Valley with the vultures circling overhead - and arrived home to a rejuvenating sports drink and lovely dinner served by my even lovelier and rejuvenating wife. All the sarcasm might be a little much, though. After all, it is still August.

Running with Don

Today was much better since I ran in the evening after the heat of the day. Plus there was a little shade from the setting sun, which definitely helps! I went 5.5 plus 8x100, and felt very well at the end. This was definitely a good running day.

I'd heard a single on the radio a couple of days ago from Don Henley's classic The End of the Innocence, so that's what I queued up on the iPod for today's run. I realized as I was going along that this album came out almost 20 years ago. At that point I was 22 years old, a year away from college graduation, dealing with a girlfriend who drove me crazy, and living a life without much plan beyond getting a degree. Some of the lines from this album are more true than ever, such as the phrase "we're a nation of noses pressed up against the glass," and our celebrity-saturated culture makes 1989 seem quaint. Almost twenty years on I have a wife who totally rawks, four awesome kids, and a job I like. Times have changed, and I don't know if Don's life is any better, but as far as I'm concerned mine sure is

More Heat

It wasn't so much the heat as it was the sun beating down relentlessly. I'd planned to go 8 and ended up going 7.5 miles, but that included a couple of 4-5 minute walks up the big hills. I thought since the temp was only in the 80's and there was a slight breeze that it wouldn't be so bad, but I was wrong. I was worn out at the end of this one. I could have pushed it, but this early in the training plan it's not worth it. Plus I'd like to have an easy run tomorrow, and using all my energy today would have left me in bad shape for more than a day. We need some shade around here. God, could you please make these trees grow a little faster? Please?

Run in the Dark

The wife wanted to run about a mile last night in her last training session before Saturday's triathlon, so I started out with her and then continued on my own for a total of 5.5 miles. It was after 9 o'clock by the time I finished, but at least the temperature wasn't bad. I ran across some road construction and through a new neighborhood where the road has been finished but there's not much else to speak of yet. Once again the musical selection for the evening was Old 97's, which continues to be just darn good running music. At some point you'd think I'd get tired of them but so far that hasn't happened.

With the triathlon tomorrow I'm planning on doing my long run on Sunday morning before church. I'm proud of the little woman and all the hard work she's put in during the past several months. We have to get up at 5 a.m. to head to the lake, but since I've made the family get up early for my races I don't think I have a whole lot of room to complain. She's awesome!

Don't Start Training in August

Even though today was about six or seven degrees cooler than yesterday it was still hot. As I was running I was thinking that starting a marathon training program in August probably wasn't the smartest idea. I ran five miles, which included 4x100 strides.

An annoying thing happened halfway through the run. My Nano stopped playing music at that point and when I pressed buttons I couldn't see anything. I continued the run without music, and a half mile later the nice iPod lady came on and said I had two miles to go. I was surprised to hear from her since I'd tried rebooting the thing, but apparently that was unsuccessful. After that she was silent, and when I returned home I threw it on the bed. A couple of minutes later I picked it up so I could plug it in to the computer and see what the problem was, and found that it was still recording my distance and time! I ended the workout at that point and it was only about a tenth of a mile off, which was the distance of my cooldown walk. Weird. I don't know what happened, but the best word I can use to describe it is...weird.

Easy, Late Run

Spent the latter part of the evening on an easy run (for me) with my lovely bride. She's gearing up for her triathlon this Saturday. We churned out 3.5 miles in temperatures that were much cooler than those over the weekend. The weather report on the Internet says the temp right now is 90 and feels like 94, but I don't think it's anywhere near that warm. Or maybe it's just that the slightest of breezes makes it feel like less. Or maybe it's all relative. Yeah, that must be it.

I'm due for some new shoes soon since these lasted me through April's half-marathon and beyond. By the time I get a new pair as budgeted in September they'll have over 400 miles on them. The new ones should carry me through October's half and November's full, at which point I'll be ready for another new pair sometime during winter. Ever since switching to the Asics Gel Cumulus 9 I know that I've found what works for me, so why try something else?

A Whole Lot of Sweat

Whew, what a day yesterday was. The wife practiced for her triathlon in the morning, and by the time we returned home it was warming up quite nicely. I determined that it wasn't going to get any cooler, so I headed out for a 7-mile run. By the time I got home the temperature was 91 with a heat index of 102. Ouch! And it kicked my tail, too. I finished a very tough 5.5 mile run with a lot of walking and stops in what little shade I could find. Later in the afternoon the heat index rose to 113.

Our neighborhood and surrounding areas are so new that trees are scarce. And what trees you can find are new and don't provide much shade. My iced-down Gatorade bottle ran out before I was finished. Next time I need to load up the bottles on the belt the wife gave me for my birthday so that I have enough.

At least I was entertained by Dave Ramsey on the run. Not as motivating as a power trio, but definitely a different kind of motivation. Tomorrow is supposed to be even hotter than yesterday, so Monday's easy run will no doubt take place much later in the day.

First Fartleks of the Season

Ran again with the wife tonight with humidity at 71%. My awesome bride completed 4 miles while I did 5 with fartleks in the middle. We waited until about eight in the evening to get started so at least the temperature cooled off a little as the sun went down. To put it succinctly, it was a good time.

Another Great Running Day

It's getting to where you just can't trust weathermen any more. Today was another mild day ("mild" being a term relative to late July weather) with the temperature not even reaching 80. Again it was overcast and a perfect afternoon for running 4 more easy miles.

I'm not so sure about increasing the turnover rate since it's such a different stride for me. I need to get back to doing my knee and hip exercises, so maybe that will help. For an easy run my pace seemed a little too fast even though I consciously slowed it down a number of times. I don't think I'll ever be fast, but I would like to be fast enough to qualify for Boston someday.

Act Two - Same Goal, Different Race

First day of the new training session! Four easy miles, although halfway through I increased my turnover rate. Which then confused my Nike iPod sensor since it's used to my plodding longer strides. The Nike+iPod was a birthday gift from Alan, which totally rocks since it lets me know how I'm doing pace-wise.

The first mile of the run was with my lovely wife, who is taking part in her first triathlon in less than two weeks. She is quite the woman! We will run the Kansas City Half-Marathon together on October 18th, and then Alan and I will run the Route 66 Marathon in Tulsa on November 16th. Those are my goals this year, and after running a half in Dallas in April I think that's a pretty good year.

The temperature today was supposed to be in the upper 90's with a heat index of 105. Fortunately we had cloud cover all day, a little rain this morning, and a nice evening for a run. Let's hope I'm this lucky for the next sixteen weeks.

The Time is Coming

It's almost time to start training for autumn races again. I'm planning on the Kansas City Half Marathon with my wife in October and the Route 66 Marathon in Tulsa with Alan in November. Training begins the week of July 27th and I'm looking forward to it. Meanwhile, Happy Birthday America!

The Big Day

I did it! 26.2 miles, with no walking other than at the water stations, because really, you can't run and drink from those little cups without losing most of the liquid.

I did better and feel better than I thought. When I reached mile 20 I started thinking wow, this is now the longest distance I've run. But the training schedule paid off, and I finished feeling good.

Thanks to my awesome wife and lovely family for their support! Not just today but all year long. My running every day was a change to our schedule, but she handled it with grace and at some point must have decided that if she couldn't beat me, she should join me. And she looks great doing it!

I really enjoyed the race. Getting up early wasn't so much different from when I get up for work or for when I've been getting up for my long runs. The parking was a "bear," not that I want to overuse that term. Several people had mentioned to me that the course itself was very hilly and tough, but this year they changed the route and from what I understand it wasn't as bad as last year's. Training on the hills in our neighborhood and areas close by was definitely a help, and I didn't have any problems on the hills during the race.

I also don't feel like I ever hit a wall. I will say that the last mile was the longest of the race, because you feel like you're almost there when you get to mile 25 and you're thinking that what's left isn't so long compared to what you've just run, but sure enough, it's a real mile, plus a couple hundred yards thrown in for good measure. The weather was fantastic. There was one point at about mile 16 where we headed east about two miles, then turned and went back the same way. The way out on that also seemed like it went on forever, but once we made the turn it was nice to run past all the people who were behind me and hadn't made the turn yet.

I tried to keep a good, slow pace, and I was kind of worried about 4 miles in when I passed a couple of guys and they remarked they were doing about 9 minute miles, and I thought whoa, that's way too fast. I was shooting for somewhere in the 10-minute range, hoping to finish somewhere between 4:20 and 4:40. I thought that was a reasonable goal for my first marathon. At about mile 9 or 10 I picked up a pace group for a time of 4:10. I didn't join them but thought hey, I feel pretty good so maybe that's a reasonable time for me. I passed them at most water stops, but they usually passed me up again within a few minutes. At mile 20 I finally left them in the dust and didn't hear them again the rest of the way. There was a 2.5-mile uphill stretch at that point, and I passed a lot of people. I was kind of surprised at how many people stopped and walked (hill training pays off!). The official results aren't in yet, but I figure I came in somewhere between 4 hours and 4:10 (obviously).

Overall I had a lot of fun. Fun? Yeah, it was cool to be in a race with 6,000+ other people, about 1,000 who did the full marathon. When the half-marathon course split from ours at about mile 6 it suddenly seemed like nobody was running the full course. There's a lot of energy in such a big group of people, and hearing my family scream for me a couple of times was a big lift, too. People lined almost the whole length of the course, most all of them shouting encouragement, and I even got a few high-fives from kids watching from the sidewalks. I was crossing a bridge at about 24.5 miles and a guy was standing at the near end and clapped as I went by and said, "Looking good! Nice, tight stride this far in the race - you're looking great!" And of course I'm nodding and thinking to myself, you betcha!

I'm pretty sore from the waist down, mostly in the hips and calves, but not as bad as I'd expected. I'm taking a couple of weeks off from running to rest my poor aching body, so I'll probably hit the bicycle a few times before lacing up the shoes again.

That Turkey Trot in November will seem like a walk in the park after this!

Marathon Training is Over

After 554.25 miles in the past 18 weeks, including 5 today, all that's left is the 26.2 for the marathon on Saturday. I'll reflect on my training after the race, but right now all I can say is that I feel like I'm ready. The only kink in these last four months was a couple of weeks ago when I ran 9 instead of 15, but other than that I've adhered to the training plan. How Saturday goes will be the final word, I suppose. At least at this point the forecast for race day is showing a beautiful day with a lot of sunshine, lows in the lower 60's and a high of 78.

Tonight I waited until a front passed through so I wasn't running in the rain and any lightning that might be around, which worked to a degree. After 3.5 miles the rain came down again, and after another half mile there was a lightning stroke to the north. Far enough away to keep me from danger, but close enough to coax into getting home a little quicker.

And now for a couple of days of rest, and then the big day!

The Last Fartleks

What a beautiful day! Sunny, not too warm, just enough breeze to stay cool...wow, nothing to complain about!

Ran 5 miles around the neighborhood, doing 1-2-3-2-1 fartleks and enjoying the chance to stretch it and run fast. It made it easier knowing that it was the last time I'd be doing this before Saturday's race. Tomorrow will be the last run before the marathon, since I think having two days off before the long run will be beneficial.

The Last Week

This is it: the final few runs before the big one. Tonight it was very cool, in the low 60s, and a nice cool breeze that seemed to be in my face no matter which direction I turned. I ran 7 miles and it went down pretty smooth. This was my first chance to try out my new iPod Nano since I didn't take it out on Saturday when it was raining. It worked great, of course. God bless the iPod!

I forgot to mention that as of Saturday my training is complete. I ran down a new road still under construction. There was a Johnny-on-the-Spot by the side of the road (which was closed to traffic), so I jumped in, did my business, and hopped out again. I figured that was the last little detail I needed to practice before the actual race. Bring on the race!

Big Day for the Girls

It was rainy and dark this morning, but we all got up early and headed to a 5K race. Teri and the two older girls ran, in the rain, and finished the whole race without walking! I am so proud of my little wife! This is a huge deal for her, and I'm especially impressed that she did it in such rotten weather and never thought of backing out. And now she's talking about doing a Turkey Trot next month. Have we created a monster???

Once we arrived back home I dressed up and went for a nice, refreshing run in the rain myself. Funny how now I can run 11 miles and it feels like I'm just getting started. I really don't mind jogging in the rain since you're guaranteed to stay cool. Only three, maybe four, runs to go before the big one. This taper here at the end of my training is definitely helping. My body feels much better than it did a week ago. I'm not sure if I will take off the two days before the race or just one. I'm leaning toward two just to make sure my legs are as fresh as possible.

Prime Number Fartleks

7-5-3-2-1. Those are all prime numbers, right? That's what I did on my 6.5 mile run tonight. For some reason the thought that those are all primes came to me during the run. I can't explain why.

10 Days to Go

Tonight's easy 5.5 mile run was in lower 60's temperature-wise with a cool breeze coming out of the north. What a change from recent weeks. This past weekend it was even pushing 90, but it's starting to feel like fall. Let's begin the fun of looking at the weather for next Saturday. It's one day beyond the current 10-day forecast, but it looks like low-70's for the high and mid-50's for the low. Given my sometimes cynical nature, based on that forecast I'd say we should expect snow.

Recovery Tempo Run

First run back since Saturday's debacle, and all things considered it went pretty well. I ran to the auto shop to pick up my truck, and since it had been 80 hours (or so) since my last run, I compromised and did part recovery run and added in 15 minutes of a tempo run. The temperature was up today, so I was pretty much sucking wind by the end of that 15 minutes. It felt good to get out again, though, and I'm looking forward to tomorrow's run on the anniversary of 15 years with my wonderful lady. Wow, fifteen years. Who would have thought she could put up with me that long?

Biking Day

In the interest of giving my knees one more day off, I rode the bike today. I had to get my work ID from the truck, which is currently in the shop, so I jumped on the bicycle and had a nice 9-mile ride. I don't know what that translates to in running miles, but the equivalent is probably 3 to 4 miles. It was a beautiful day and I'm glad I was able to get out for a little bit.

I was thinking about Saturday's bad run, and I should probably be discouraged at having to cut the run short so close to race day, but I'm actually feeling pretty good. I had three 20-mile runs during my training, and four more that were 15.5 or longer. My eating has been good, so although I'm not super-confident, I feel like I can finish a 26.2 mile course. I sat in the bookstore last night and scanned a couple of books regardint the taper at the end of training, and so far, so good. Twelve days to go!

Absolutely Horrible Run

This was one of the worst runs I've ever had, and it started out with me wanting to turn around by the time I'd done a half mile. My knees, especially the left one, were both sore, and my left leg had that tired, dead feel all the way up to the hip. Really, I should have gone right back home, but instead I slogged through 9 miles, way short of the 15 I was supposed to do.

I'm not sure if it's because I ran yesterday whereas I usually take the day off before a long run. I'm trying not to be too discouraged, but it does make me think that the marathon, which is two weeks from today, is going to be tougher than I planned due to not getting all my miles in. If you go by weekly totals, this week wasn't too bad, but one more moderately long run would have been nice.

I did take my first ice bath when I got home, and my legs actually feel better after the run than before. That little trick may have just saved me from having to take extra days off. We'll see how I feel on Monday after resting a little.

A Friday Easy Run?

Yes, an actual sighting of a run on a Friday! I'm glad I took it easy last night since today I did 7 miles. Teri and I took the truck to get it serviced (100,000 miles!) and then ran back. It just wasn't her day so we did a little walking, and then I took the girls out for a 3.5 mile run. They did great and did it without stopping! I was proud of all of them. Next Saturday the girls run a 5K, and after today I'm confident they can all do it.

More Interval Avoidance

Seems like I'll do anything to cut intervals short. And this time bad math was involved. I'm planning on running tomorrow morning with the wife and kids, so I decided on my fourth interval that I didn't want to be worn out for that session, so instead of six intervals I did four. And somehow in my mind the warm-up and cooldown plus the intervals added up to 5 miles. Only when I was about done did I realize it all added up to 4.5, which is the first time in exactly six weeks that I've done less than 5. Today's lesson: don't try to do math when running, because apparently my brain can't handle both tasks at the same time.

Easy Seven Miles

I put the Old 97's on Teri's iPod and then went for a run - good running music. This was a good test for my knees since today my left knee - yes, it was my right one that was bugging me earlier this week - was tender. I ran the hills to Target and back along with a couple miles of another nice hill, and it seems everything turned out okay. The weather was perfect today, and after taking Jonathan to a Royals Open House and playing catch in the outfield with my son, the day itself couldn't have been much more perfect.

The Countdown Continues

I definitely like tempo runs more than I like intervals. Today I ran 6.5 miles, doing 24 minutes of it as a tempo run. I ran just slightly more than 3 miles in that time, meaning I was doing a sub-8 minute/mile pace. Amazing, especially since the second mile was against the wind. Ugh. That was tough, but I was thinking that race day could be windy just like that.

Yesterday was an unscheduled day off since my right knee was still tender from Saturday's run. The "experts" say to rest for a while after a race, and I figured since my long run was only 6 miles less than a race that I should probably take an extra day off. Then today for my tempo run I avoided hills and stayed on as much level ground as I could since I think it was the hills that caused my knee to feel that way in the first place. Tonight it feels okay, and I think I made the right choice in staying level. I almost stayed in and ran on the treadmill, but it doesn't give as good a workout as being outside does. And there's no wind to run against, either.

20 Miles (Hills Included)

I ended up running 20 miles and change today, although my goal was 22. But the route I ran was very hilly, moreso than I think the actual marathon course will be. I had just passed mile 18 when my right knee started giving me feedback like it was going to quit on me, so rather than keep pressing for the extra couple of miles I turned around and made it back home. It was much better on the uphill climbs, so I'm attributing the pain to all the hillwork today.

And now starts the taper to the race. Even though I didn't make my goal today, I'm hopeful that with "fresh legs" in three weeks I'll be able to complete the entire 26.2. I've put in a lot of miles, but I can tell it's still going to be a challenge, and when it's over my whole body will hurt. But in a good way, of course.

Another Beautiful Day

And a nice run, too, going 5 miles with some 1-2-3-2-1 fartleks. Sunny and almost the perfect temperature for an outing. This is one of those days that I get the feeling we deserve after all the heat we put up with this summer. I did have to stop at one point to fish a bandaid out of my sock that had come loose, but other than that the run was uneventful and pain-free. In other words, all-around great!

Definite Recovery Run

Yesterday was the first Tuesday in fifteen weeks that I did not run. Boy, I felt horrible, like my whole body was falling apart, and my right hip was sore to even walk on. I deemed it prudent to take the day off from exercise, and today I felt much better. I hated to miss yesterday's run since it was supposed to be a 20-minute tempo run and I enjoy those. It's amazing what prudence will do for you when you listen. I can see why the experts say you should take some time off after a marathon, since it's not just race day that your body needs to recover from. It's all that training that you do to get there that wears out everything from the feet to the knees to the upper body.

With an unexpected day off it made today's run feel like I hadn't run in a week. The rest and relaxation was good, though, as I didn't feel any strain in running 5 miles. It was a beautiful sunny day with temperatures in the mid-70's. I'm starting to wonder what the weather will be like on marathon day.

Limping Through Recovery

I can still feel the aches from Saturday's long run, but I went out for a recovery run anyway. Less than four weeks to go, right? The little toe on my left foot had a blister the size of...well, the size of the bottom of the toe, and that was somewhat of an inconvenience. I think it altered my gait because about three miles in I had a sharp pain in my left knee that caused me to stop and walk for about thirty seconds. I could tell my mechanics, such as they are, were way off. Once I got going again everything was fine, thank you for asking, and I finished my 5 miles in good form. It definitely took over three miles to get warmed up, but I felt much better by the end. Thank God for easy recovery runs.

Four Weeks

First of all, let me say that Google Earth is remarkably accurate in calculating distances. I mapped out a new path last night that had a little less redundancy, and it came in at 20 miles. This morning when I ran I cut off a little part of the new route that did not have sidewalks, thinking that going through the curvy streets of a neighborhood would make up for it, and that maybe Google Earth was off a little bit. Nope. I was curious so I went out and drove the route just for comparison's sake, and sure enough, their little program was right on. And I ended up a half mile short of my intended 20 miles.

Four weeks from today is the KC Marathon. Yesterday I officially registered and paid my money, so gee - guess I'm actually committed to it now. Like I wasn't before! Next week I plan on adding a few more miles to the long run before beginning my taper, so I'll be mapping a route of 22-23 miles. And this time I'll believe what Google Earth tells me.

Tired Legs and All

Still a struggle today, but I think I managed about 5.5 miles. It was hard to tell since I was doing intervals. Someday I'll do what is recommended on the chart, but today was not that day. I did 5x800 intervals, and probably could have completed one more. I guess I was just looking forward to tomorrow's off day just a little too early, but my legs need the rest.

Tired Legs

Today's 6-mile run was a strain, and I think it was because I spent about three hours today on my feet recruiting at a career fair. I didn't realize it would be so tough, but the whole run was pretty much a chore. Plus it was still ultra-humid, but I wanted to complete my goal for today, so I worked extra hard.

It also helped to know that my wife had cooked a great dinner and that was waiting for me when I arrived home. Sometimes the simplest motivation is the best.

Waiting Out the Storm

A storm system moved through about five o'clock, and I had to wait until after 6:45 before heading out. At one point I thought the storm had cleared and started walking along the sidewalk, but a clap of thunder to the south sent me back inside. Another false start had me walking out the front door, spying dark clouds to the south, and going back in. My prudence was rewarded since about three minutes later two heavy thunderclaps shook the house. I don't think I would have wanted to be outside during those lightning strikes. I almost hit the treadmill instead but persevered for the outside run since I wanted to do my speedwork on the hills. I like the challenge of that much better than a treadmill at this point in my training.

Anyway, on to the run. I ran 5.5 miles, with 24 minutes of that being a tempo run. I almost didn't have enough room in my route since I sped up after two miles and ran about an eight-minute pace for the next three miles. I didn't have much of a cooldown, just a quarter mile and then a walk back up the hill. And it was very, very humid. But all in all I felt good about it at the end.

A Tale of Two Runs

Saturday morning I ran 15 miles along the banks of the Mississippi River in St Louis. They have a real nice trail that follows the river, and it was a great day for running. I'm a bit jealous, as I was wishing they had something like that trail in Kansas City. My friend Alan ran with me for a couple of miles and then turned around - he ran a total of five, which was a new high for him. Very cool. If only the Cardinals had played well, but I guess we can't have everything.

Today I flew back and took the big girls running again. It was tough, but they went 2.5 miles, and then I continued on alone to get my total of 5 miles in. The girls did a good job, especially on those tough hills. Things are looking good for them to run a 5K in just less than four weeks.

Run With the Girls

Okay, maybe that title is a little misleading, but I did run with my two older girls today. They needed to run 20 minutes and with their mommy under the weather, I happily volunteered. We ran almost 2 miles in that time, and then I continued on for 4 more miles, which included a bout of 1-2-3-2-1 fartleks. Today was one of those runs that seems more of a struggle than it should be, but I struggled through and felt satisfied with my accomplishments at the end of it all.

Now I'm to St. Louis to watch the Cardinals, who lost their seventh in a row today. It could be a long weekend.

Hurried Run

Today was yet another 5-miler. It was rushed since the wife wasn't feeling good and I had to get home to take the kids to church. I don't like running when I'm hurried like that, but I tried to scale it back and take it like a normal run. I looked at my chart and the last time I ran less than 5 miles was three weeks ago. I thought about running less than that today in the interest of time, but figured I need the miles since this week's long run will be relatively short. Just trying to plan ahead is all.

Another Beautiful Day

Two great days for running in a row! Today's 5 miles was brought to you by the letter G - as in gorgeous. It really does feel like fall around here, although no telling how long that will last. I did 20 minutes of a tempo run, and fell about 150 yards short of 2.5 miles in that time. So I guess that's about 8:10-8:20 per mile, and that feels pretty good.

A New Season

Did we skip September and half of October? The temperature was 59 degrees when I started running, with a cool breeze and a little bit of a sprinkle. 59! As opposed to the 95 (yeah, reverse the digits - neat trick, huh?) that I've been used to up until the past few days. I'll take, though. And it sure made those 5 miles seem ultra-easy. That's probably also an effect of just doing a long run of 20 miles. I'm excited, since everything seems to be coming together pretty well. Less than six weeks to go!

20 Miles?

Yes, 20 miles! Surprisingly it went very well. My lovely and talented wife met me at about the 13-mile mark and restocked my water bottle with a well-known sports drink. That was very nice of her, as was the waffles and sausage that were awaiting me when I returned home.

If this was my longest run before the marathon I'm not sure I would be comfortable trying to extend it to 26.2. I'm planning at least two more 20-milers, and I'm thinking I'll extend one of those to the 22-23 mile range. Six weeks to go!

Those Darn Intervals

Maybe it's just the rotten sleep of the past two nights, or not enough sleep period over the last week. But during today's intervals, which was supposed to be a 6-7X800 session but ended up as 5x800, there were a couple of times between the speed runs that I could have just curled up into a ball and gone to sleep. But that would have been weird on the sidewalk where I was running and somebody would have called the police.

Altogether I ran 6 miles, but it was kind of blase overall. Hopefully Saturday's looooong run will be better.

Almost Fall

If the temperature hadn't been in the mid-80's today I would have thought it was autumn already. It'll get here soon enough. Today's run was a 5 mile easy run, and with the temp that low, it was definitely easy.

The Summer Passed

The pool is closed, and Labor Day is already yesterday's news. The summer passed by so quickly, and with a lot of miles under the Asics. I started this running program on June 18th, and since then I've had a lot of good running days with just enough bad ones mixed in to keep me humble.

Today was one of those good days. A front came through and almost blew me off the sidewalk on the trip out, but it was nice to have the wind behind me on the way back in. I did 5 miles total with 2.75 miles and 24 minutes of it a tempo run. Now, just to be fair, a tailwind did help. But let's also qualify that. The first half mile was uphill against the wind, and the way back was up the big hills. The average pace was below 9 minutes, and I was somewhat amazed when I looked at my watch and realized I'd done the second mile in about 8 minutes (that's where the tailwind comes in). But it felt good, and running that fast up those hills definitely pays off during the long runs on Saturday.

This Use to Be a Long Run

I remember when 5 miles was a long run. Really, it wasn't that long ago. Five miles used to be the upper limit of how far I could run, with the norm being more like 3 miles. Today was an easy run, and now 5 miles is just a warmup. I could have gone much further today, but as a recovery from a long run it was just about right. I went out this morning (Labor Day) instead of waiting until this afternoon when the temperature gets back to the upper 90s. So 5 miles now is a big difference from 5 miles four months ago. I hate to quote cigarette ads, but I can definitely say that I've come a long way, baby!

A New Month

It's September, and there was a nice chill in the air this morning at 6 when I headed out the door. Today's run was 16 miles, and this was one of those days where it was just tough to get moving. It took about 5 miles to feel like I was warmed up and ready to go, but once I got going I was okay.

I added up all the miles I've run in the past 11 weeks, and the grand total so far is 320.75 miles. Let's see, what is 320 miles from Kansas City? As the crow flies, I could have run to Oklahoma City, Little Rock, or past St. Louis and two-thirds of the way across Illinois. With approximately another 220 miles to go before race day, I could get to Denver or past Dallas. The possibilities are endless!