No More Excuses

Yes, this week I'm getting totally serious about this race. After eating horribly the past week, it's time to buckle down. I ran 5.5 miles this afternoon with an 18-minute tempo run. I was going to run yesterday when the boy and I returned from St. Louis, but the temperature was in the mid-40's with a nice wind and some rain. I'm done running in the cold for this year. So I waited until today, and that certainly paid off. I've modified the long runs in my training plan and should be able to still be ready by race day, June 13th. No more excuses!

Excuses

Wow, I totally went the excuse route today. I was going to go 12 and stopped at 6.25 because:
--it was hot
--I've had a rough week and I was tired
--I'm going out of town tomorrow and I don't want to be tired all weekend
--I should still take it easy and make up the distance later
--it was really, really windy, just like the race a few weeks ago
--I needed a nap
--I needed a drink
--I'll get serious about the race after this weekend
etc., etc.

I don't know. I probably should have kept going. I'm sure I'll regret this later. I totally wussed out.

Is Spring Here at Last?

Today was a good spring day - sunny, breezy, warm. Could the cycle of cold and warm and colder and warm and cold again finally be over? I ran 5.5 miles with a 16-minute tempo run. This was my first fast run since the race, and it felt good to run at a faster pace again. Now if only spring will stick around this time.

Postponed Run

Yesterday I was going to do my long run for the week, but circumstances and commitments conspired against me. So this morning I got out of bed at 7:00 and hit the road for 8 miles.

I'm planning on running in Maryville in June, eight weeks from today. The course there is a 13.1 mile loop that you run twice for the marathon. Now here's something I know about myself. If I'm running a loop and I pass by my starting (and finishing) point, my mind automatically starts thinking of reasons to stop. After all, that's the finish coming up! So in order to train my mind as well as my body, all of my long runs will be a route that takes me out and back by the house or by my starting point, and then I run the same route again. And as I discovered this morning, that pretty much sucks.

I ran up to Pleasant Valley Baptist Church (who, btw, featured Jimmy Carter as a guest speaker within the past couple of weeks - if I had ever thought about any association with that church, their having that anti-Semitic worst president of my lifetime - for now - as an honored guest cured me) and back to my starting point. Sure enough, the thoughts of stopping came up, but I ran the route again. Ugh. The sky was gray and cloudy, the weather was cool, and it had rained a few hours previously. This training won't be my favorite, I can already tell.

Adding to the Tally

Added another 5 miles to the tote board yesterday afternoon. This being spring in Missouri, it was somewhat breezy. As I ran I was thinking about how few perfect days there are for running around here. This year so far has been all about cold and wind, and then the race itself was windy as anything down in Texas. But then along will come a beautiful, sunny day with just a hint of a breeze. It's kind of like playing golf. You hit about 90 bad shots during a round, but it's that one great shot that keeps you coming back for another go at it. Now I'm just waiting for that perfect day.

First Run

Ran 4 miles today in my first run since the race. I was going to run yesterday, but the temperature was in the low 40's, cloudy, and drizzly. I decided that I'm done running in the cold this year. Today was supposed to be the boy's first baseball game. It was cancelled due to a wet field from the aforementioned rains. And today the weather was perfect. I'm glad I waited.

No lingering pains from the race, although my right knee felt a little stiff. Other than that I tried to take it easy and run slow, not always successfully. The Nike+iPod said my pace was 9:23 per mile. I think it lies to me sometimes, but considering that it said the distance last Sunday was 26.30 miles, I also think that sometimes it's remarkably accurate. Until I get a GPS, I think I'll just fall somewhere in between.

Race Follow-Up

The official results are in, and my chip time was 4:04.22. I think that might be about the time of my first marathon. I guess if you look at how the wind affected everyone, I put in the effort to run a 3:49 race and ended up with a time of 4:04. But it's the weather, and there's nothing I can do but try and run a good race.

The big surprise of the results are that I had a negative split. I'm simply amazed because I was just dying the second half, yet I ran it four minutes faster than the first half, when I felt good. The first half split was 2:05, while the second half of was 2:00 (those times are by gun time, not chip time). I felt like I was trudging the last 6 miles, and yet somehow I ran the second half faster. I guess that's the one positive I can take away from the race.

Today the right knee feels swollen and sore, but the biggest leftover from the race is an allergy attack. Long runs leave the respiratory system susceptible to attacks, and of course my history of allergies doesn't help me in this case. I have a way of coping, though. Since it's Opening Day I have no plans other than sitting around and doing nothing. Yeah me!

One Windy Day in Dallas

My suspicions were correct - it was windy. Darn windy. Windy as in 25 mph sustained with gusts up to 40. Windy as in a wind advisory was in effect today. But more on that later.

My goal was to break 4 hours today. The Big D Texas Marathon official results (http://www.texasmarathon.com) haven't been posted yet, but according to my timing I missed my goal by 2-3 minutes. The announcer at the finish line kept saying that the conditions added about 15 minutes to everyone's time, or about 30 to 45 seconds per mile. I would have to agree with that. The course was relatively flat, and I think if the winds had been normal I would have totally exceeded away my goal.

The first half went great, and I left Alan behind at mile 11. He had complained a few times that I was accelerating up the hills, which I normally do, so he dropped back at that point. He ended up coming in about 15 minutes after I did, so it was a good race for him, especially under these conditions.

The first half of the race went very well, but about mile 16 or so my calves started cramping. At several points I was afraid they'd seize up on me. At mile 20 I bonked. I didn't stop running, because I knew if I did it would all be over. Plus I didn't want Alan to pass me. But there was one incline where I slowed way down, which is abnormal for me. Most people were walking that hill, but I kept going. At mile 23 I picked it back up a little, but still couldn't muster the energy to go much faster. At that point I realized I was going to be close to breaking the four-hour mark, but with the constant swirling winds I just didn't have the energy to push it any harder.

When Alan and I were talking about the course yesterday in relation to the wind we figured we would have mostly tailwind on the west side of the lake since the wind was supposed to be NNW and we would be running south and east. We figured wrong. I don't know how it happened, but I didn't get a true tailwind until mile 24. And that lasted about half a mile. The finish was near the Cotton Bowl, and as I turned a corner for the last long stretch I was blasted by a fierce headwind. At that point I exclaimed out loud, "You have to be kidding me!" as if there was some unfairness at work.

I've never had calf cramps as bad as I did after crossing the finish line. I walked around until Alan finished, stretched, and generally tried to not let them tighten up. Daughter #1 took me to where the water bottles were and on the way back my left calf and foot stopped working. I had to hold on a railing and stretch for a couple of minutes. When I finally went to sit down on some steps several minutes later both calves totally cramped, and again I spent some time stretching. I feel fine otherwise, so I attribute this to the extra effort required by running into the wind for 25.7 miles (remember that half mile of tailwind).

The race had a lot of volunteers, and police were stationed all over the course to direct traffic. They did a great job. The one minus to the race was that all the post-race food and snacks were gone by the time we finished. Seems to me that if we're going to pay that much for a race the organizers should be able to put the food out in stages. All the half-marathoners and 5k racers took it all, which I can't really blame them for if it's put out in front of them. If you're an organizer you know that most of your marathoners are going to come in after three hours, so to me it would make sense to stage your food accordingly. Or to have enough to handle everyone.

Overall, this was a tough race because of the wind. I was hoping to blow away this scenic, flat course, but (ahem) I was the one who was blown away.

A Fitting End

Why not? My last 3-mile run before the race took place under cloudy skies, temperature in the mid-40's, and breezy. Not an ideal running day. And Sunday looks like it's going to be windy, so I guess I might as well practice running in the wind. On the morrow - off to Dallas!

More Wind

Today the wind is out of the west, a good 20 mph or so, cutting the temperature dramatically. Teh Interweeb says the temperature is 49 and feels like 40. That seems accurate. I wore thin gloves and layered long sleeve tops to counter the plunge in the weather since yesterday.

This was my last speed work day. I ran 1-2-3-2-1 fartleks over a total of 5 miles. I still hope this running in the wind isn't a glimpse of race day.

Against the Wind

Yesterday morning the streets and yards were covered with snow and ice. Today the green grass lies under high spring clouds with a very strong southwest wind. I ran 6.75 miles, and boy was it nice to turn around and run the last couple of miles with the wind at my back. The length of my last couple of runs will decrease until the big mileage hits next Sunday. At this point the forecast for Dallas on Sunday is a high of 70 with a morning low of 54. And windy. Hopefully they're wrong, but today's run might have been a foreshadowing of the race. Ugh.

Final Long Run

It was a fitting end to the winter training - a long run on the treadmill with sleet falling outside. I ran 10 miles on the treadmill. It wasn't too bad since I re-watched the Battlestar Galactica series finale. The knee felt a little better today, so apparently the day of rest helped. Now it's off to the last week of tapering and a trip to Dallas for the race next Sunday.

Cut Short

I was going to run about 6 miles today, but my right knee felt really tight. I went 2.5 miles instead and it never did feel better. Sometimes after a warmup and then some faster running my legs feel better, but not this time. The plan called for fartleks. I ran faster for a couple of minutes but no dice. I'm hoping this is because I spent 30+ hours in the car in the past six days and not something else. Tomorrow is a day off so I'm hoping that helps.

Catching Up

Three days of running to post about. Let's start with the oldest.

On Sunday morning I ran 6 miles in Alamogordo. It was a nice easy run, and I took that literally. I ran by the two elementary schools I attended as well as two of the houses I used to live in. The weather was beautiful, of course, but my allergies were in fine form. I told my uncle that I had decided several years ago not to let allergies keep me from doing things I liked, and I still try to keep that mindset.

On Sunday morning I included a 24-minute tempo run in my 5-mile outing. I went south on Scenic, turned around at Ocotillo, went north to 18th Street, and then headed for home. There was a bit of a breeze but it wasn't too bad. And again, the weather was nice and sunny. If I ever decide to run an early-spring marathon again I'll have to live someplace like New Mexico.

Today I ran about 1.5 miles with the girls, and then ran another 2.5 on my own. Clearly this was an easy run day. They're running a 5k in Texas, and by this weekend or early next week they need to be running 30 minutes straight.

15 Today, 800 Tomorrow

Got the long run in today since tomorrow I'll be driving with Sister #2 to New Mexico. I just did circuits of the neighborhood today, which turned out well since the breeze picked up out of the SE. I ran 15 miles and had a lovely experience with some dogs. There's a place over in the townhouse section of the neighborhood where I've been charged before by a dog, and today he did it again. I squared off and started chasing him. His owner was out, and she had two other dogs, supposedly on a leash. By the time all was said and done, all three were off the leash after harassing me, she was chasing them down the street, and I just turned around and went back the way I'd come. And never a "sorry" from her. Makes me want to give animal control a call.

5 in 80

5 miles in 80 degree weather today, with a 24 minute tempo run. Even though it was tough, I figured this was good training in case it's warm on race day. Which it could very well be since the race is in Texas. There was a little bit of a breeze from the south, so I started out going that way and then running faster with the wind at my back. I don't think I would have made it if I'd gone my regular route to the east and north first.

Couldn't Resist If I Tried

This was one of those days that was so nice even if I wasn't a runner I would have gone out for a jog. Earlier in the day I saw a number of people running. The temperature climbed over 70 degrees, and even though there was a little bit of a breeze from the south, it doesn't seem to matter as much when it's warm outside. I ran 6 miles, and really didn't feel warmed up until mile 5. Yikes! I must be ready to run a race. But it's taper time, and today's run was nice and easy. Tomorrow is supposed to be even warmer, and I'm all for that.

Last Long Run

I'd like to think that a week has made me so much wiser, but since I was just plain stupid on last week's long run I think the average between the two puts me somewhere in the middle. I went 20 miles today, my last long run before the race. I purposely throttled back about a dozen times, especially in the early going. It paid off in the fact that yes, I was able to complete the run.

Let me also thank the wife for the water bottle belt she got me last year for my birthday. I don't know what I'd do without it. I froze a sports drink in the bottles last night. The morning started off cool, so the bottles didn't thaw as quickly as they would if this was summer. But what was nice was when they were partially thawed and the ice was just so cold and refreshing. In addition, the weather was outstanding. Not too cold and warming up nicely. If the weather would be this nice on race day...rats, I probably just jinxed it.

Cold but Runnable

I lost my voice today. Maybe running would help me find it. Since I felt fine otherwise, I went for some 1-2-3-2-1 fartleks and ran 5.5 miles. The breeze was a little stiff out of the ENE, but I needed a good run outside. For some reason I felt like I hadn't run in forever. The weather looks awesome for my Saturday 20-miler. Believe it or not, I'm actually looking forward to it.

Back to Running Inside

6 miles on the treadmill, with 20 minutes at a 9 mph pace. Nothing really exciting to report. The scenery was okay, but other than that not much else I can say.

Respect the Distance

When you're used to 20-mile runs and have run a few marathons, it's almost easy to see a 15-mile run as short. During my last go-around with this training plan, this was the weekend where I ran the KC Half Marathon in 1:48. Yesterday morning I thought I'd try what was basically a 15-mile tempo run. The temperature was great, and although rain was in the forecast the sun was out. It was a bit breezy, though.

Let's just say there's a big difference between a race and a long run on a Saturday morning. The first five miles went quickly and easily, but the last ten miles did not. I finished the first five in less than 45 minutes and then headed south into the wind. At about mile seven I started slowing down, and before it was all said and done I walked a few times and cut the run short rather than continuing to run headlong into the wind. I don't know what the problem was other than just starting out too fast. I guess when I run the race in four weeks I need to remember the first couple of miles are a warm-up. Especially since there's a good possibility of running the last half of the race into a south wind. Maybe I was due for the obligatory bad run before the race, but I was still bummed about it.

Back to Nice

The weatherman says 64 degrees, and I'd agree with that. Today was an easy run of 5 miles. The Nike iPod sensor said 4.8 miles, and I know that's not right because I've mapped the run using an odometer. Assuming that it can at least keep time correctly, my time for the run was 44:43, meaning that I ran my easy run at a pace under 9 minutes/mile. That's faster than I ran my first marathon. I really did feel like I was taking it easy, so that gives me hope that all this training will pay off in the race with a faster time.

So Much for Running Outside

Today was back to normal for winter temperatures and cold wind. Big surprise. After all, it's early March. I ran on the treadmill for 6.5 miles, including a 24-minute tempo run. One thing about the treadmill is that I can crank up the pace and keep it there the whole time. I ran the tempo at 9 mph, and that's way faster than I would have run outside. Granted, running outside is tougher, but at least this way I can see what it feels like to run that fast and maybe transfer some of it to my next run outdoors. If I'm doing my math right, 9 mph translates to less than seven minutes per mile. I can't run 26 miles at that pace, but hopefully it pays off to get me faster and gunning for a PR in the race.

Bound and Determined

After all that time on the treadmill Saturday I was bound and determined to run outside. Even if it was freezing, which it was, and even if it was breezy, which it was, I was still going to get out. So I did. I was pretty tight, but I ran 5 miles and am glad I persevered. I thought about doing half that while I was chugging up a hill, but I stuck it out. Less than five weeks to go until the race - no slacking off here!

Long Run on the Treadmill

19 miles on the treadmill. It's snowing, windy, and cold outside. I had the treadmill going at 7 mph, so with my walking warm-up and cool-down I was on the thing for about three hours. I can't do this every weekend. Next week is a 15-miler, and I sure hope the weather is better. Five weeks from tomorrow is the marathon. Suppose I should register for it. The girls are going to run the 5k portion. I just told them they need to run on the treadmill today too, and Daughter #1 said she doesn't like running on it. Ha! No pity from me on that one.

Fartleks on the Treadmill

Which isn't as smelly as it sounds. Kind of cool and drizzly this afternoon, which means a treadmill session. Ran 5.5 miles in all at 7 mph during non-fartlek times and 9 mph during my 1-2-3-2-1 fartleks. Tomorrow will be a day off before a big run on Saturday. Which might also be on the treadmill, darn it.

Just Couldn't Resist

It might not have been smart to run for a third day in a row, but I just couldn't resist. The temperature was in the mid-60's and the breeze was barely stirring. Days like this have been scarce. I threw caution to the wind and ran 5.5 miles, taking it nice and easy. No music again today. Just sunshine and beautiful weather. Just like hitting a nice drive off the 18th tee box, this is the type of thing that keeps you coming back for more.

Good Day, Good Run

The temperature was near 60 this afternoon, so of course I hurried home and ran out the door. Did the Target run (5 miles), including 20 minutes of tempo running. No music today, just the great outdoors. Which in this case was all the traffic along Flintlock. Sigh.

MIssed Another Long Run

I noticed today that I've missed two long runs this time around on the ol' training plan, including the 18-miler I was supposed to run this past weekend. After Thursday's mediocre run, working twenty hours combined on Saturday and Sunday, and the continued cold or whatever it is I have, a run of any kind just didn't seem prudent.

Today I was going to run to Target and back since the weather seemed decent enough, but the wife and daughter forgot the daughter was supposed to babysit, thus delaying the start of my run by about 25 minutes. By the time I was headed out to run, the breeze felt colder and I decided I didn't want to be cold. I've had too many runs where I felt chilled the rest of the day after a run. I ran 5 miles on the treadmill with a 5% incline. After the past week I needed an easy run that wasn't too taxing on my immune system and my ability to resist cold. Some days I do act smarter. Not many, but a few.

Ugh

Feeling kind of worn down after a busy week (yeah, these three-day weeks are killers) and I think being around sick kids and co-workers is starting to get to me. Plus I have to work Saturday and Sunday, so not much relief in sight.

Anyway, ran 5.5 miles and did 5x800 intervals. I was supposed to do six intervals, but was just getting too worn out. I could have done that last one but given how I felt I thought getting to five was a good accomplishment. It was cold and a little bit of a breeze coming out of the west, and that didn't help a whole lot.

Glad I Went

It was a little breezy today and I seriously thought about running on the treadmill, but the sunshine on the drive home convinced me to do my running out of doors. I ran 5.5 miles with 20 minutes of tempo running. I tried to time it so I was going with the wind as much as possible. Today was a Van Halen day, and that works out very well for tempo running. Nothing like a nice driving beat to get me going.

Car Shopping

The wife and I spent the day car shopping, and I was in the wind enough to know I didn't want to run outside. So we bought a replacement mini-van, and when we came home I ran 5 miles on the treadmill. I'm still enjoying the MLB Network, and today was a recap of the '93 season. Good stuff.

A Little More Than a Half

Today was the first day since I was sick a few weeks back where I felt like I had a long run that I felt good about. The weather was cold, about 39 degrees with a slight breeze, but the sun was shining and that breeze was a lot easier to deal with than a strong wind. All through the 14 miles I felt good. The last 3/4 of a mile I upped the tempo a little bit to finish really strong.

Today's run was a little more than a half-marathon, and it's also a little more than halfway through my 16 weeks of training for the race in April. If I feel this good on race day I'll be a happy runner.

Another Decent Day

A little cool at the start, but after I warmed up I was okay. I ran 6.25 miles with 6-4-3-2-1 fartleks the last 4 miles or so. On a day like today I certainly can't complain. I think we're due for rain tomorrow so we'll see what Saturday brings for my long run.

Wow

What a gorgeous day, especially for early February. Little to no breeze, temperature in the sixties, and sunshine - I'm not in Missouri any more, am I? I left work a little late because of a suspicious letter we had to investigate right as I was walking out the door, so along with starting later than intended I had to cut my run a little short in order for the wife to make her Bible study on time. In spite of that, I ran 5 miles and included a 22-minute tempo run. I could tell I ran it pretty fast because I wanted to die at the end. Probably not the best tempo I've ever done, but hopefully effective.

It struck me the other day that probably the only people who read this log are my brother and the occasional OPM background investigator. So to you, OPM guy or gal looking into my activities and habits in order to get me that secret clearance, I say: how come you never leave any comments?

Alamogordo Run

Well, I got up early on Saturday and ran before the funeral. I guess I was just too excited to run someplace warm. And the weather was absolutely perfect. I ran 14.5 miles, which I wasn't sure I could do given the altitude. But that proved to be a phantom fear. As I ran on South Scenic Drive and turned around at Ocotillo, I was above the city and all the lights. It was so peaceful and quiet. When the sun came up across the Tularosa Basin, shining orange on the Organ Mountains, I remembered why I love the desert scenery so much.

I ran past three of the houses I lived in when I was younger (Catalina, Desert Eve, and Harvard for Jeremy, who wouldn't remember the first two of those). My route took me all the way down Tenth Street, past Grace Methodist Church where we used to attend Christmas Eve candlelight services with my grandparents, and by Sierra Elementary, where the playgrounds look a lot smaller than I remember.

As I reached the top of Indian Wells I was about out of gas. What a long, steep run that is. As I came back south on Scenic I had a couple of calf cramps. I was plenty hydrated and couldn't figure out why. Later on I realized it was probably due to sitting in a car for 13 hours the day before. Huh. They still feel tight today, but that's only because I added another 15 hours of car time yesterday.

Wish the visit to NM could have been for something more fun, but at least the run down memory lane was enjoyable. Well, that and enchiladas at Margo's.

A Nice Day at Last

Finally, a nice day. Ran 5x800 intervals for a total of 5 miles. I'm off to NM for a kamikaze weekend trip. I hope to run early Saturday, but I don't know if that will work out. We'll see.

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.