Ni!

Thursday, March 13, 2008

1:07:00 :: 10 miles

Easy run. Everything feeling good, ready for tomorrow's MP run.

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

2:00:00 :: 18 miles

Easy run. Almost cracked the freezing point this morning (30F)!

Monday, February 25, 2008

1:00:00 :: 9.1 miles

Easy run with speed. WooT! First week of workouts. Today was just a mile or so of speed reps with long recoveries.

(15 minute warmup)
.40mi - 2:00
(15 minute run recovery)
.25mi - 1:08
.20mi - :55
(15 minute run recovery)
.13mi - :35
.12mi - :33

Everything was between 4:30-5:00 pace, and it all felt surprisingly smooth. Nothing like last year when I tried this same workout for the first time.

More of the same tomorrow, then my first MP workout of the build on Friday!

I cannot stress enough how good that 10 day cutback in mileage was for me. I felt bad about it at the time, feeling like I was caving in and whining about the weather, but it turned out to be a perfect time to back off and consolidate gains.

Sunday, February 24, 2008

1:12:00 :: 10.1 miles

Easy run. Very nice day. If you can believe it, +22F with a light breeze. It was still cold and windy enough to require pants and a jacket, but still, what a difference. Legs felt great.

Saturday, February 23, 2008

2:10:00 :: 20.4 miles

Long run with 5k 'race'. Finally, a nice day! Very little wind, sunny, and +8F. That doesn't sound like much, but when you're used to -10F or colder every f***ing day for two months, it makes a big difference. Did 14 miles around 6:25-6:30 pace, then jumped into a 5k, and finally, finished with another few miles. I figured I had preliminary speed coming up on Monday, so I could sneak in a couple of MP miles and a quick finish without getting too far off the plan. After deciding three-quarters of a mile into the race to close the five-second gap and commit, I hit the first mile with the lead pack in 5:41. Mile two slowed a bit to a 5:52, which set me up perfectly for the last mile. I opened up and cruised in for the win, finishing with a surprisingly comfortable 5:07. Having not run a mile faster than 5:56 since November, I was shocked. Pretty cool.

Anyway, I got a few more miles in before getting that feeling that the long run was long enough, so I went back to race HQ to chat, eat, and drink a bit. All in all, a very nice way to break out of the Winter from Hell. Legs felt great the rest of the day, never feeling tired or sore. Even did an hour of sledding with the kids after. Good day.

Friday, February 22, 2008

1:09:00 :: 11 miles

Moderate 10 miler in 1:01:35. Reaped some solid gains from the cutback week (10 days). Felt really smooth and easy compared to last week. Mystery Coach wanted me to keep the HR at a max of 150, and I was able to do that without a problem and still keep the pace similar to the past few weeks. Recovery improved as well. I don't have my watch with me now, but I'll get paces, HRs and recovery posted.

Thursday, February 21, 2008

1:14:00 :: 10 miles

Easy run on the treadmill. Minus 17F, 13mph wind. It just keeps going.

I got this in the e-mail yesterday, which was kind of awesome. Something to think about.

A few months ago, I applied for PowerBar Team Elite or Super Team or Team MegaZord or some such. As expected, I got turned down. But, I did score a six pack of PowerBar gels for the application. Very kind of them--and tasty.

This time around I may experiment with gels. Last year, I used a custom powder mix, by InfinIT. I used it for the Fargo Marathon and the Beardsley Half Marathon, and it worked really well both times. I especially like that it's not full of food coloring and wacky flavors (Mango Passionfruit? Really?). What's cool about this stuff, is you can mix it with very little water, and the powder is super fine, so it will actually dissolve and turn into a gel. Then you just take water like you would with any other gel, and off you go.

I could also go with the prepackaged gels. Not sure yet. I like the flexibility of the powder, and being able to tweak my own recipe, but the convenience of packaging and no mixing or mess is attractive, too. There's still plenty of time to experiment.

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

1:42:00 :: 14 miles

Easy run on the treadmill. I guess it was a record-breaker today--minus 33F, about 4 degrees colder than the old record for today. Since January 1, there are four mornings that I know of that have been above 0F (that's 32 degrees colder than freezing). Even worse than that, there have been *zero* days since late December 2007 that have been above the freezing point (again, that is 32F)!

This is the worst winter I have experienced in my life.

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

50:00 :: 7.2 miles

Easy run on the treadmill. Minus 21F this morning with 20mph winds, so running outside is not in the cards. Would like to have gone 10, but got started late.

Monday, February 18, 2008

1:25:00 :: 12 miles

Moderate run on the treadmill. Twenty-plus mile an hour wind and -5F outside, and it's still slick from snow and freezing rain a couple of days ago. Ugh. Anyway, I did 12 miles with 6x.25mi hills at 4% incline, one per mile during the middle miles. Hamstrings are no longer sore, and energy levels are much better after a weekend of better eating, vitamins, and hydration.

Sunday, February 17, 2008

1:12:00 :: 10 miles

Easy run on treadmill. Felt slightly better today. Not so tired.

Scope Creep


Saturday, February 16, 2008

1:45:00 :: 16 miles

Busted long run. Pretty tired from the start--just a weird day. Started feeling really weak and tired around 8 miles, and it just got worse from there. Starting to wonder if I have something going on.

Friday, February 15, 2008

1:01:14 :: 10 miles

Slippery and windy. Frustrating.

6:16(141) | 6:08(151) | 6:07(150)
6:07(152) | 6:04(154) | 6:05(153)
6:07(153) | 6:10(152) | 6:04(153)
6:05(154) | :33(130)-:44(120)-:58(110)

Thursday, February 14, 2008

No Run

Day off. Went outside and shoveled for about 45 minutes before (not) running. Fucking cold, windy, and six inches of new snow on the ground. Just didn't feel like it. It's been a down week.

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

1:05:37 :: 10 miles

About what I expected, slightly slower pace, weaker recovery. Okay traction. Had to use the spikes. With colder, windier weather, and less traction, I would call this 'holding steady'

 12/181/11/151/282/12
Weather5F/3mph-2F/16mph-3F/19mph20F/9mph4F/15mph
WU Time22:0020:0913:4320:3520:13
WU Dist3 mi3 mi2 mi3 mi3 mi
Mile 15:59(152)6:07(152)6:01(152)5:55(151)6:04(152)
Mile 26:08(152)6:11(152)6:11(152)6:02(152)6:08(152)
Mile 36:11(152)6:14(152)6:12(153)6:06(152)6:07(152)
Mile 46:14(152)6:11(152)6:10(153)6:07(152)6:08(152)
Rec 130:32:23:28:29:32
Rec 120:44:34:34:37:46

Monday, February 11, 2008

2/6 - 2/11 Summary

2/6 Wed 1:47 16 miles
2/7 Thu 50 min 7 miles - treadmill
2/8 Fri 1:09 11 miles - 1:01:02 10 miler
2/9 Sat 1:10 10 miles - treadmill, blizzard outside, busted long run
2/10 Sun 2:30 20 miles - treadmill, made the best of things
2/11 Mon 45 min 6 miles - treadmill

Good 10 miler, otherwise a bad week.

Tuesday, February 05, 2008

1/30 - 2/5 Summary

1/30 Wed 1:30 13 miles easy - intended to go for 16-17, but very cold and windy, and too much will was required between 10-13, so I cut out.
1/31 Thu 53:00 8 miles easy (ran out of time due to slowpoking in the AM)
2/1 Fri 1:01:15 10 miles - very strong winds (25-30mph), pace was all over the place (also 6mi easy on the mill in the evening)
2/2 Sat 2:35 24 miles 6:27 pace, felt good, finished feeling like going for a couple more miles
2/3 Sun 1:31 12.1 miles recovery pace - 2 runs (one in, one out) - Tired, esp. compared to last week
2/4 Mon 1:24 12 miles easy - feeling 90%
2/5 Tue 1:14 10 miles treadmill - 4in of new snow outside

Monday, January 28, 2008

1:06:00 :: 10 miles

Evaluation run. A day earlier than planned due to some bad weather on the way. I figured I'd give up a day of recovery, but wouldn't need a facemask or a second layer of clothing, which I haven't had the luxury of skipping so far this year. Light winds and +20F this morning, versus a forecast of -2F and 25mph winds tomorrow. A no brainer.

 12/181/11/151/28
Weather5F/3mph-2F/16mph-3F/19mph20F/9mph
WU Time22:0020:0913:4320:35
WU Dist3 mi3 mi2 mi3 mi
Mile 15:59(152)6:07(152)6:01(152)5:55(151)
Mile 26:08(152)6:11(152)6:11(152)6:02(152)
Mile 36:11(152)6:14(152)6:12(153)6:06(152)
Mile 46:14(152)6:11(152)6:10(153)6:07(152)
Rec 130:32:23:28:29
Rec 120:44:34:34:37

Sunday, January 27, 2008

1:32:00 :: 12 miles (2 runs)

Two easy recovery runs. Six miles and 46:00 each, one outside and one on the treadmill. Ran a bit outside with neighbor Rick, which kept the HR well under 130, and kept the pace on the mill slow enough to average 128HR. Legs felt great for both runs, no soreness or tiredness to speak of. Very excited about putting together two solid weeks of hitting the workout targets really well, getting in good mileage, and good recovery. We'll see if it's reflected in Tuesday's evaluation...

Saturday, January 26, 2008

2:31:00 :: 23.1 miles

Long run. Best long run in memory! Felt really good out of the gate, and seemed to get stronger through the end. Took a 1/2 bottle of accelerade at 13 miles. Shooting for 6:40 pace, and had to pull back to get there during the first part of the run.

6:36(139) | 6:31(143) | 6:24(143)
6:27(142) | 6:34(144) | 6:42(141)
6:33(141) | 6:24(141) | 6:36(142)
6:44(143) | 6:42(141) | 6:36(143)
6:38(140) | 6:40(142) | 6:39(142)
6:41(146) | 6:35(147) | 6:36(146)
6:30(146) | 6:24(148) | 6:24(151)
6:23(153) | 6:20(155)

Recovery
:37(130) - :53(120) - 1:36(110)

Got to 18 miles feeling great, so I upped the pace a bit, planning on stopping at 2:20-2:25. Still feeling really good at 21 miles, so I kept going for the full 2:30, plus another minute to get the 23. At the end, still felt fantastic. Really felt like going for another 5K! Recovery drink, no ice bath. No soreness or tightness hours later. Everything seemed to click today.

Friday, January 25, 2008

1:03:26 :: 10 miles

Moderate run. Shooting for 1:03, but missed by a bit. Didn't feel the greatest and the pace was all over the place. Just a bit off, sleepy tired, and a little flat. Didn't try to push to get back the three seconds per mile, just let it go, and focused on having a solid long run tomorrow.

6:31(140) | 6:21(143) | 6:06(149)
6:16(147) | 6:22(148) | 6:21(149)
6:17(151) | 6:28(149) | 6:22(149)
6:21(151)

Recovery
:33(130) - :44(120) - :66(110)

Thursday, January 24, 2008

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

1:40:00 :: 14.4 miles

Easy medium-long run. Back to the cold again--minus 15 this morning, but almost no wind, which made it strangely tolerable. I almost didn't believe the Weather Channel.

Average HR of 138, which is getting better, especially with all the layers. Everything feels good, so an easy day tomorrow should leave me set up well for the weekend, where the goal is a solid 63 minute 10 miler on Friday and a followup 2:20-2:25 6:40 pace, long run on Saturday.

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

1:07:00 :: 10 miles

Easy run. I was looking for a Pina Colada halfway through the run--it was +8F! More than a 25 degree difference from Saturday. The cold is coming back, though, with more of that godforsaken Canadian air already on the way.

Home with sick kids today, so I considered a second run, but with 90+ miles in the last seven days and a medium-long run tomorrow, I don't want to push, even if it was just an easy 30-45 minutes. With all the coughing, puking, and everything going on in the house the last week, it's better to stay well within my limits and keep healthy.

Monday, January 21, 2008

1:40:00 :: 14.2 miles

Easy run with tread-hills. Added a mile long hill on every fourth mile for a total of 3x1 mile hills. Progressed from 1.0 to 4.0 grade for the first .5 mile, then steady at 4.0 through the end of each mile. HR on flats was 130-140, higher toward the end, and 143-151 on the hills, again higher toward the end. Very good run, legs feeling good, calves just a bit 'full' after the hills. Recovered to 120 in :33 and 110 in :45. Recovery from Saturday seems complete.

Sunday, January 20, 2008

1:30:00 :: 12.1 miles (2 runs)

Recovery runs. Two very easy runs on the treadmill today, 45 minutes each. Legs feel good, very little residual fatigue from the previous couple of days, so I should be set up for a solid week and building some of that elusive consistency I keep talking about.

Saturday, January 19, 2008

2:15:00 :: 20.4 miles

Long run. Nailed it. Did the first 12 miles outside, but the weather was overwhelming, so I had to bring it in to finish. Held 142-144 HR for the first 18 miles, then 148-150 HR through the finish. Very good run, legs felt strong, pace felt easy, and motivation was excellent.

Felt really strong at the 2:15 mark, but I've been lacking consistency, so I cut the run ten minutes earlier than last week. This should result in a shorter recovery from the Friday/Saturday double, and allow me to build up over consecutive weeks, instead of the good week/bad week rollercoaster I've been on since mid-December.

Since I described the weather as 'overwhelming', I suppose I'd better explain. Air temp was -20F with a 7mph wind, which calculates to a -36F windchill. Whoop-dee-doo. Running into that slight 7mph wind for three minutes froze my right eye shut. I've never had that happen in 21 years of running in North Dakota. I turned back out of the wind and headed for the home loop, for a measure of safety as well as a means of avoiding the breeze. By ten miles, my facemask was solid, I couldn't see through the breath-formed frost and snow that covered my eyes, and my arms and legs were getting cold despite the fact that I was generating a lot of heat. When I finally called it and went inside, I took off my gear and had another first--frost on the inside of my clothes. I've occasionally had snow form between layers and collect inside sleeves and pant legs before. That's fairly common in January. However, I've never seen a uniform layer of frost covering the inside of my jacket and pants after a run.

Someone asked me last year at this time, "how cold does it have to be for you to not run outside?". At the time, I guessed -20F, not having run outside in those temps.

I guessed right.

Friday, January 18, 2008

1:02:32 :: 10 miles

Moderate run. Very cold again, -10F and 17mph wind. Workout was 10 miles in 1:03, so pretty much nailed it. Felt great today, but made sure to hold back enough so that I wasn't taking away from tomorrow's long run. Recovered to 120 in :44, and to 110 in 1:01.

6:23(141) | 6:14(146) | 6:12(148)
6:14(149) | 6:15(147) | 6:16(151)
6:14(150) | 6:16(150) | 6:15(150)
6:13(152)

Thursday, January 17, 2008

1:16:00 :: 11 miles

Easy run. Extremely cold (-17F) with some wind. Layered up and had a fairly comfortable run anyway. Felt really good, with good motivation to get out and get running this morning. A shot of Wild Turkey to each of the three(!) other runners I saw out this morning.

"Fucking cold, eh?!"

Cheers to that.

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

1:30:00 :: 13 miles

Here I go changing the format again...

Easy run, felt very good except for a couple of bathroom breaks. Very windy (25mph steady), but decent temps at 15F. Bearable.

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

40:06 :: 6.1 miles

Evaluation run, 6+ miles total, short on time this morning.

 12/181/11/15
Weather5F/3mph-2F/16mph-3F/19mph
WU Time22:0020:0913:43
WU Dist3 mi3 mi2 mi
Mile 15:59(152)6:07(152)6:01(152)
Mile 26:08(152)6:11(152)6:11(152)
Mile 36:11(152)6:14(152)6:12(153)
Mile 46:14(152)6:11(152)6:10(153)
Rec 130:32:23:28
Rec 120:44:34:34

Monday, January 14, 2008

1/6 - 1/14

The week (or so) that was:

1/6 1:05 - 9 mi - Tired
1/7 1:23 - 12.1 mi - Less tired
1/8 1:10 - 10 mi - Much less tired
1/9 No Run - Vomiting, etc.
1/10 :30 - 4 mi - Sick, sore
1/11 :15 - 2 mi - Sick, tired
1/12 :59 - 9 mi - Felt a bit rough
1/13 1:17 - 12 mi - Better, good run
1/14 1:00 - 8 mi - Leg tweaked from ice

Pretty weak all around. My motivation has been poor lately, so I'm feeling bad about that, but at least only one missed run, and three *really* weak days. I could do worse than to call a 50 mile week 'really poor'. Onwards and upwards...

Saturday, January 05, 2008

2:25:00 6:35 22/85

Long run. Went very well--felt strong through 21, then the HR kicked up to 155 and I could feel the transition. Finished just starting to feel tired over the last half-mile. Went a bit too fast over the last five miles or so, with most of the last thirty minutes under 6:30 pace. First fifteen was very consistent at 6:38-6:43.

No fluids or nutrition during the run, ice bath and recovery drink after. Legs feel really good this afternoon.

Friday, January 04, 2008

1:10:00 6:22 11/76

One mile warmup, 10 miles in 63:00. Feeling good, finally. Forgot HRM strap, so no numbers today.

Tuesday, January 01, 2008

1:46:00 7:04 15/80

Two runs: evaluation run in the morning, 10 miles total, and another easy five on the treadmill in the afternoon.

 12/181/1
Weather5F/3mph-2F/16mph
WU Time22:0020:09
WU Dist3 mi3 mi
Mile 15:59(152)6:07(152)
Mile 26:08(152)6:11(152)
Mile 36:11(152)6:14(152)
Mile 46:14(152)6:11(152)
Rec 130:32:23
Rec 120:44:34

Wednesday, December 26, 2007

1:50:00 6:44 16/86

Easy run. Just over 16 miles. A bit slippery, nice weather, can't complain.

Thursday, November 29, 2007

1:00:00 :: 8.5 miles

Easy run. Would have gone longer, but I needed to be back in the house by 6:00, and I squandered the hours from 3:00 to 5:00 on tea and reading. Definitely a lack of mental energy today in contrast with the excess physical energy and good feeling legs. Cold temps again today (-5F) and willing myself through 2+ hours of slow, poor-traction running yesterday found me needing a mental recovery day. Disappointed in myself to have blown the opportunity to get another 30 minutes in this morning, though I have to remind myself it is a long road to travel yet...
Run Two | Weather | Supplemental | Nutrition | Sleep | Injury

Wednesday, November 28, 2007

2:20:00 :: 20.2 miles

Long run. Pucker up, Mother Nature...it's that time of year again. Warmer today--no wind and +11F, which made for a decent run. One big negative, and something I have to adjust my mindset to, is the change in pace. Due to the massive loss of traction,I'm dropping 10-15 seconds per mile at the same effort/HR. Nothing really to be done about it, as I am already wearing some traction aids. All those are able to do is prevent the really nasty 'leg flying out behind' slippage and provide some security on hidden icy patches. A 1/8 inch spike just can't compete with dry asphalt.

Legs felt really good after the run and throughout the day. No recovery routine today, either.

Ohana 1
231 miles

Run Two | Weather | Supplemental | Nutrition | Sleep | Injury

Tuesday, November 27, 2007

1:25:00 :: 12 miles

Easy run. Absolutely brutal. Conditions were very poor ater six inches of snow last night and a huge cold front that dropped temps from the low 30s to -10F overnight. The running was fantastic--legs felt great, HR was low--but I was so cold. My hands and forearms were nearly numb. This, even with an extra jacket on top. I must just need to build up the tolerance again.

Good run, looking forward to a long run tomorrow.

Run Two | Weather | Supplemental | Nutrition | Sleep | Injury

Monday, November 26, 2007

1:15:00 :: 12.2 miles

Moderate pace run. Felt good after cutting back a bit yesterday. First mile was 6:40, so I decided to go for a strong 10 miler and see how it went. This is day ten of mileage with almost nothing faster than 6:45 pace, so it was about time for a change of pace. Just under 60 minutes for 10 miles, then an easy ten minutes to finish the run. Good run. Took an ice bath and recovery drink after. Good run--fun, too. =)

Run Two | Weather | Supplemental | Nutrition | Sleep | Injury

Sunday, November 25, 2007

1:10:00 :: 10.1 miles

Easy run. Cut the planned morning one hour run, and just ran in the afternoon. Felt pretty terrible--tired, a bit sore, irritated with the wind. I think not running in the morning worked out poorly.

Ohana 2
20 miles


Run Two | Weather | Supplemental | Nutrition | Sleep | Injury

Saturday, November 24, 2007

2:10:00 :: 18.8 miles (10.2 / 8.6)

Two easy runs. Afternoon run felt better again. Both were good.

Ohana 2
10 miles


Run Two | Weather | Supplemental | Nutrition | Sleep | Injury

Friday, November 23, 2007

2:17:00 :: 20.1 miles (9.1 / 11)

Two easy runs. One hour with four miles at 6:15 pace, and a longer run in the afternoon. Both felt really good. A bit tired from lack of sleep last night.

Ohana 1
190 miles


Run Two | Weather | Supplemental | Nutrition | Sleep | Injury

Thursday, November 22, 2007

1:30:00 :: 13.3 miles

Easy run. Felt pretty energetic this morning, which is weird. I seem to be alternating feeling tired and snappy every other day. Still need to get some more sleep...maybe over the holiday. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Ohana 1
181 miles


Run Two | Weather | Supplemental | Nutrition | Sleep | Injury

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

2:00:00 :: 17.3 miles

Easy run. This one was pretty tough after 1:35. No problem with the legs, just overwhelmingly tired. Didn't sleep enough again last night. Need to get to bed before 8:30 if I'm going to be getting up at 3:30. Did recovery routine the last two days, and it seems to be working out well--no soreness, legs feel good the next day.

Run Two | Weather | Supplemental | Nutrition | Sleep | Injury

Tuesday, November 20, 2007

1:45:00 :: 15.5 miles

Easy run. Felt a little bit of that familiar base training fatigue today. The kind of tired that makes you feel like laying down in the road and going to sleep, but that you can easily run forever through with a bit of concentration. Legs felt great again, so it was probably from a lack of sleep over the past couple of days. Either way, it was good to feel again. Cheers!

Ohana 1
168 miles


Run Two | Weather | Supplemental | Nutrition | Sleep | Injury

Monday, November 19, 2007

1:33:00 :: 13.5 miles

Easy run. Misjudged the out and back and went a few minutes longer than planned. Felt great though. Followed the recovery routine (cold bath, 4:1 drink) the last two days, and it seems to be paying off.

Ohana 1
152 miles


Run Two | Weather | Supplemental | Nutrition | Sleep | Injury

Sunday, November 18, 2007

1:30: 00 :: 13.1 miles

Easy run. Felt good today. No issues from yesterday's longer run--legs felt great.
Run Two | Weather | Supplemental | Nutrition | Sleep | Injury

Saturday, November 17, 2007

2:00:00 :: 17.1 miles

Easy run. Felt really good to get out for two hours and just roll. It's been a long time, sweetie...

Ohana 1
139 miles


Run Two | Weather | Supplemental | Nutrition | Sleep | Injury

Friday, November 16, 2007

39:50 :: 6.2 miles

Easy progression run. First mile in 7:00, so I must have been feeling fresh from the time off. Came through the next few in the 6:20s, then 6:15 and 6:05 to finish. No stress at all, just felt strong and easy. Good run.

Ohana 1
122 miles

Run Two | Weather | Supplemental | Nutrition | Sleep | Injury

Thursday, November 15, 2007

40:12 :: 5.7 miles

Easy run. Took the past three days off of running (biking or nothing), but I started feeling like I needed to run to keep the habit tuned. Waking up and drinking tea for two hours before going to work is only a nice break for a day or two tops.

Ohana 1
116 miles

Run Two | Weather | Supplemental | Nutrition | Sleep | Injury

Sunday, November 11, 2007

28:31 :: Veteran's Day 8K XC

NEW! Pictures from the race

8k XC race. First place, course record (or, a new World Record for this race! as the director put it). Good race, happy to be done racing this season and looking forward to training for a spring marathon. Race report and pics in the next day or two...

Run Two | Weather | Supplemental | Nutrition | Sleep | Injury

Saturday, November 10, 2007

Charts, Etc. *STICKY*

Running Log


Google Docs has come a long way. Now the time functions on the spreadsheet appear to be accurate, so I'm going to try to keep the log updated in a spreadsheet (for charts, analysis, etc.) as well as in words on the blog.

For now, I'm going to leave this sticky (the chart will update regularly) at the top of the page--just a warning for those of you who don't use bloglines or RSS feeds.

42:02 :: 6 miles

Easy run. Just chillin' for Sunday. Average HR 132.

Run Two | Weather | Supplemental | Nutrition | Sleep | Injury

Friday, November 09, 2007

52:45 :: 8 miles

Easy run. Pace was a bit quicker today, but still felt very easy. Good run.

Ohana 1
110 miles



Run Two | Weather | Supplemental | Nutrition | Sleep | Injury

Thursday, November 08, 2007

30:00 :: 4.2 miles

Easy run. Short on time this morning (my fault), so I went short. Run didn't go that well, so probably a good day to go short anyway.

Run Two | Weather | Supplemental | Nutrition | Sleep | Injury

Wednesday, November 07, 2007

1:15:32 :: 12.1 miles

Taper workout. Really windy today, which affected the whole workout. For some stupid reason I decided to skip the loop today, except for a couple of the 1000s. It made the 30 min run look better than it was, and the recovery and the first 1000 look terrible. On balance the whole workout went just fine, but if I had stayed on the loop, I would at least have something to compare it to.

The warmup was done into the wind, then turned neutral or with the wind for the first four of the 5.27 miles--the change in HR is obvious for the last mile heading into the wind. The entire 15 min steady recovery and the first 1000 were done 100% into the wind, which is obvious. And then the last two 1000s were done with ~700m with the wind and ~300m against. Running the loop evened the 1000s out to the 'normal' time/effort/HR ratio, so I was kicking myself for avoiding the loop for the first part of the workout. That, and I wasn't dressed for the wind/cold combo today, and I was fscking freezing.

15 min Warmup
7:02(129) | 6:39(137) (2.2 miles)

30 min@MP
5:45(148) | 5:43(151) | 5:41(151)
5:39(152) | 5:40(157) (5.27 miles)

15 min Steady Recovery
6:18(152) | 6:18(150) (2.38 miles)

3x1000m on 5:00
3:18.5(164-1:03) | 3:07.2(161-1:06) | 3:04.5(160-1:05)

Tough day, good workout. Can't wait to get to the start line.

Ohana 1
102 miles


Run Two | Weather | Supplemental | Nutrition | Sleep | Injury

Tuesday, November 06, 2007

1:15:10 :: 11.2 miles

Easy run. Felt really good, so I had to hold back a bit knowing tomorrow's taper workout will be my last stronger effort before the race on Sunday. HR is still a bit high, but I'm feeling fine, so I guess it is just what it is. ??

Ohana 1
90 miles



Run Two | Weather | Supplemental | Nutrition | Sleep | Injury

Monday, November 05, 2007

1:00:05 :: 8.3 miles

Recovery run. Ran slow enough to keep the HR under 130 (128 average), with a max of 134 for the run. Mystery Coach noted the HR on yesterday's run seemed to be high, so just in case another cold or something similar is on the way, I thought I'd pull back a bit today.

Good run, although there were some icy spots after the rain last night. The aggravation starts now! I don't mind winter, but I HATE the lack of traction. I will be brainstorming on that problem like crazy this winter.

Run Two | Weather | Supplemental | Nutrition | Sleep | Injury

Sunday, November 04, 2007

1:30:02 :: 14.2 miles

Moderate run. Ran a bit longer today at a faster pace. The effort felt right, and I felt good, so I went with it. I think my taper workout falls on Wednesday this week (Sunday race), so I will have a few easy days before that comes up. Average pace 6:20, average HR 149.

Ohana 1
79 miles


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Saturday, November 03, 2007

1:01:36 :: 9 miles

Easy run. Just putting in the miles. Nice morning. Average HR 135, 6:46 average pace.

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Friday, November 02, 2007

39:55 :: 6 miles (2mi TT)

Time trial. Very tired and kind of lazy this morning, as I knew I didn't have to go to work today (staying home with the kids). I didn't get out the door until nearly 5:30, even though I was up before 4:00. With the lazy attitude and a 15mph wind seemingly coming from all directions, I didn't have high hopes for the TT, which is just as well so that it didn't turn into a race. The plan was to duplicate this workout, and with the exception of a couple of seconds, I think it went exactly to plan.

5:01.9(166) | 4:59.7(174)

The first mile felt about right, very similar to the rhythm of the 800s from a few days back. It was a second or two fast, so I tried to dial back a bit without losing the rhythm, but was not successful. I went through the third .5 mile at 2:28, again too fast, and dialed back the effort at that point. Just like the last workout, the last quarter mile or so was challenging, and, if I'm being honest, continuing for another half-mile at pace would have been in the cards, but no fun. Heart rates varied by a couple of bpm, which is accounted for in the increased speed.

It looks like I've held even since the end of August, which is another indicator, along with my mental state, that I am ready to hang up the racing flats for a few months and rebuild. I'm not looking past next week's race, but I am ready to be finished with it.

Ohana 1
65 miles



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Thursday, November 01, 2007

1:10:00 :: 10.3 miles

Easy run. Feeling pretty good today. Weather is turning cold now--29 this morning--so it's getting to be time to put on the jacket, gloves, etc. Hopefully this year we will have a nice transition, rather than waking up one morning to 12F or something silly like that after 60F the day before. Mmmm...smell that? That's good winter.

Ohana 1
59 miles



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Wednesday, October 31, 2007

I Knew It !

A little trick for trick-or-treat day...

Happy Halloween!

1:07:06 :: 10 miles

Easy run. Felt good following yesterday's workout. I know that I could have duplicated that workout today if I had to (one of Mystery Coach's rules of thumb), so I think the effort was right. Averaged 6:43 pace, 137HR on a windy and cold day.

I checked out the NOVA marathon program last night on PBS, and it was pretty interesting. I enjoyed the science, and seeing everyone (except one) get through the training and finish one of the more difficult Boston Marathons. Leaving aside whether or not a 6+ hour marathon is 'running', 'racing' or something else, I have a lot of respect for anyone who can put in that kind of effort for that length of time. Not for me!

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Tuesday, October 30, 2007

1:00:00 :: 8 miles (6x800)

Workout. Went incredibly well. Felt very easy, relaxed, and strong. A couple were slightly faster than I wanted, but nothing to cause problems. Mystery Coach was looking for 2:27-2:30--a good rhythm, but not too fast. If I screwed it up, he assured me that I'd have to do it over tomorrow...

Just kidding.

Fifteen minute warmup and fifteen minute cooldown for 4.2 miles.

2:29.4(162-:44) | 2:26.5(159-:46)
2:27.7(161-:??) | 2:29.7(160-:48)
2:27.0(160-:51) | 2:35.0(160-:46)

A couple of notes--the third rep I forgot to check my 120 recovery, so I finally hit the button at 106, at :59 seconds. Based on the other reps, it's safe to say it was in the same :46-:50 range. On the last rep, the watch didn't record .50 miles until about 30m past the finish line for all the others. Based on the way it felt, the HR, and the recovery time, I would say this was in the same time range as the others, and that something happened with the GPS. All that matters is that the reps were consistent in effort, if not in time. I didn't look at my watch until the last few meters before the finish, so I was really trying to gauge the effort off the body rather than split times. I guess my internal clock was off. Maybe I need the Daylight Savings Time patch.

Ohana 1
49 miles



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Monday, October 29, 2007

1:01:45 :: 9 miles

Easy run. Nothing to say about this run really. Pretty uneventful. Workout tomorrow, so I wanted to take it easy. Average HR 131, 6:52 pace.

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Sunday, October 28, 2007

40:00 :: 5.5+ miles

Easy run. Ran the Veteran's Day course in my new spikes--to break them in as well as get in some time on the course. It's quite the ankle breaker again, and it's helpful to practice some of the more technical sections before coming across the ravines, hidden logs, and micro-moguls at race pace.

I should have a couple of workouts over the next week, so today was a nice way to get recovered and ready for them.

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Saturday, October 27, 2007

1:42:32 :: 15 miles

Easy run. Longer run today, but not as long or fast as the long run a week after Beardsley. Probably why I felt so good during the run and feel so good today. A good lesson for the future following a long race.

Average HR of 136, average pace of 6:50. Solid run, very nice day, and feeling ready for the last two weeks of training leading up to the Veteran's Day race.

We're going to the pumpkin patch! Have a good weekend, everyone.

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Friday, October 26, 2007

Marathon Challenge Starting Oct. 30!

A few weeks back, I was asked to mention this NOVA program on my blog. So, here it is, in the nick of time! I'll keep this sticky for a few days so you all remember to tune in!

Just a reminder that NOVA's "Marathon Challenge" will be premiering this Tuesday, October 30, at 8PM ET/PT on PBS. You can check your local listings to confirm when it will be broadcast near you.

Here's the scoop on the show: Six months ago, a team of rookies stepped to the starting line of the Boston Marathon. As members of Team NOVA, they were part of an experiment: a test to see what it takes to mold a batch of non-runners into a team of marathoners. Tune in Tuesdsay to find out how this diverse group of hopeful novices transformed physically and mentally to meet the challenge.

While you're waiting, why not click over to the Marathon Challenge Web site, where you can meet Team NOVA and its coaching group, get training tips, and explore the physiology of fitness.

1:00:30 :: 10 miles

Moderate progression run. Really good run. Definitely worked into the mid-range, but remained very comfortable--no difficulty working down to half marathon pace by the end of the run.

6:49(128) | 6:18(141) | 6:10(146)
6:14(145) | 6:05(148) | 6:05(151)
5:54(153) | 5:53(155) | 5:40(161)
5:21(167) MaxHR: 171 AvgHR: 147

Recovered to 120HR in 1:11, to 110HR in 1:34. This run felt awesome! One of those where I was more energized *after* the run than before. Very similar in feeling to the 7 mile MP runs that preceded the long MP back-to-backs during marathon training. Good stuff.

Ohana 1
41 miles



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Thursday, October 25, 2007

54:34 :: 8 miles

Easy run, mixed pace. Very windy, so speed was all over the place. Finally determined that the high HR problem must be a low battery in the strap, because it happens on every run now, and has gone as high as 232. Hmm. But it goes away after about .5 to 1 mile, with the rest of the results being consistent and accurate. Weird.

Anyway, here's the breakdown:

7:26(128) | 7:09(130) | 7:11(131)
6:57(135) | 6:20(138) | 6:33(136)
6:33(137) | 6:25(140)

FYI, I'm not going to start recording this in depth on every run. I am doing this for this week to get a read on some different HR ranges and paces. I also want to compare this week to a few weeks back--the one where I went overboard on moderate runs following the Beardsley 1/2 marathon (specifically, the moderate ten miler, followed by the evaluation run, followed by a 2-hour run at 6:41 pace...oops). I am doing some moderate range work this week following the 15k, but dialing back to what I hope is a more 'recoverable' level. We'll see.

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Wednesday, October 24, 2007

1:09:35 :: 11 miles

We'll call this 'high-easy' pace. I don't think it's quite 'moderate' because it is so comfortable and relaxed--it feels so easy, but is probably not a pace I could do (or would want to do unless I was training for 100k or something) for more than an hour for days on end. Anyway, I wanted to do some work at this pace during the week because I have been feeling like this range has been neglected, and now is as good as any time to do it, as I am winding down from racing and looking ahead to aerobic volume work and marathon training.

Long-winded explanations done. Here is the breakdown:

6:48(130) | 6:19(140) | 6:18(139)
6:16(141) | 6:16(143) | 6:15(144)
6:18(146) | 6:17(147) | 6:15(148)
6:15(149) | 6:17(148)

Recovered to 120HR in :35, to 110 in :55. Overall, a very comfortable and satisfying run. Still feeling the HR is a few bpm high, but no problems due to the lingering cold.

Ohana 1
31 miles


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Tuesday, October 23, 2007

1:20:48 :: 12 miles

Easy run. Felt really good from the first mile, but kept the pace under control for the run. Generally, the first mile is around 7:10-7:20, then drops to whatever the pace for the day will be. Today I got through in 6:55, which is a good indicator of both physical and mental recovery. It's actually been a few weeks since I had a sub 7:00 warm up mile on one of these non-workout runs, so I'll take that as a positive.

HR was a bit higher today, averaging 137 at 6:44 pace. The cold is on the way out, but is still sitting in my chest, causing some coughing every so often.

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Monday, October 22, 2007

1:12:11 :: 10 miles

Recovery run. Took another very easy day, but increased the time. Downloaded some Keane tunes and plugged in the iPod. Turned out to be a very nice, relaxing run. Average HR 130, which is still a bit higher than normal for 7:15 pace. Cold is fading away, but still there.

Ohana 1
20 miles


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Sunday, October 21, 2007

54:00 :: 7.5+ miles

Recovery run. Ran 23 minutes pushing kids in the stroller and keeping up with Cindy, then 31 minutes on my own for about 7.5-7.75 miles. Averaged around 7:30 pace between the two segments with a HR average of 127. Nice family run--it's been a while!

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Saturday, October 20, 2007

~50:45 :: Red River Run 15k + (1st)

Well, a good day weather-wise, an okay day physically, and a bad day for logistics. The weather was great, about 45F, overcast, with a light breeze, 6-8mph according to reports. Couldn't ask for anything better in October--just a great day to run. The course was hillier than advertised, being held in the same park as the Prairie Rose 5k I ran earlier this summer, rather than the original (traditional?) country highway. Not a fast, flat course, but more of an easy roller.

Physically, I just didn't have it today. I could muster about half-marathon pace before my breathing would go crazy on me, which stopped me pushing my intended 5:15 goal pace. I made it two miles on pace, and with my breathing more like the last stages of a 10k, I knew I wouldn't last long without pulling back and reassessing the goal. My legs felt great. Plenty of gas and feeling strong the whole way, which was too bad. So, overall, the cold is still affecting my lungs, but my legs were feeling good. Here's the breakdown:

Max HR: 173

5:14.8(165) | 5:16.2(170) | 5:27.0(170) 5K-16:33
5:20.0(169) | 5:27.8(167) | 5:24.4(167) 10K-33:14
5:30.2(168) | 5:29.2(167) | 5:29.0(168)

I didn't get the split for the last stretch or an actual final time because my watch didn't get stopped properly (or a button got hit and it started up again). Also, the finish timer apparently didn't work, because they had my time at the awards as 57:05, which, as it happens, was ten seconds *slower* than second place. Hmmmm...

You might have noticed the + after the 15k up top. Unfortunately, the lead cyclist took me off course with just over a mile to go (up a steep hill, no less). After about 100m I realized that we were coming in on the finish of the first loop, which would put me over 3/4 mile short of the 15k. I told the biker we must have gone off course, and fortunately we were able to drop down a steep embankment back onto the correct finish loop, adding just about 80 meters to the course, maybe 15 seconds. I had already been frustrated with watching my lofty (sub-49) and reasonable (49:30) goals slip away, so rather than get pissed off about missing my cold-comfort goal (sub-50), I just had to laugh it off. No use getting worked up about it, as a number of other factors combined to make it 'not my day' well before the logistical snafu.

The end result is a new, easy to crack 15k PR, and a good overall experience at a really great race with a lot of history. Next year, I'll shoot for sub-48! haha

Have a great weekend, and stay healthy everyone!

Ohana 1
10 miles


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Tuesday, October 16, 2007

1:10:09 :: 11+ miles

Taper workout. Easy 10 minutes, then 30 minutes at 5:45, 15 minutes at 6:25, and 3x1000m ~3:10. Still have a cold and didn't sleep well last night.

5:47.8(148) | 5:45.7(153) | 5:44.1(155)
5:44.0(157) | 5:51.3(157) | 1:06.1(161)

3:10.5(163-:59) | 3:09.7(159-:59) | 3:09.8(162-:56)

Last 2+ miles was into a solid breeze, so HR stacked up a bit due to that (and the cold). Slowed to keep the HR reasonable during the last mile. Decided on 3 reps rather than 4 for the 1000s, but I felt fine to go for another. Better to leave it out there with a race coming up and being a bit under the weather.

15K race on Saturday. Ready for a 49:30 or thereabouts, so I'm shooting for a sub-49. We'll see what we get.

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Monday, October 15, 2007

40:01 :: ~5 miles

Ran very easy on the treadmill rather than take a zero. Average HR 124. Wore my new XC spikes to start the breaking in process.

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Sunday, October 14, 2007

53:18 :: 7+ miles

Ran with Cindy. Nice easy run (7:27 pace, 127HR) over hills around St Joseph, MN. Felt okay, but again, energy level was low.

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Saturday, October 13, 2007

54:15 :: 8 miles

Easy run. Visiting relatives in St Cloud area. Would have run the Lost Valley hills if I didn't have a race coming up, and if my energy level was better. Cold is getting worse, but still okay.

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Friday, October 12, 2007

50:51 :: 8 miles

Moderate run with a few MP miles. Average HR 147. Weird HR thing happened again, so I stoppped several times to check my wrist pulse, and it was between 120-130 (six second count x 10) every time. Hmmm... I'm also getting another cold. Somebody at the office, who knows who he is, comes in to work sick, hangs around for half an hour, says he doesn't feel good and then goes home. F***ing irritating.

Decent run today, anyway.
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Thursday, October 11, 2007

1:11:22 :: 10 miles

Easy recovery run. Average HR 129.

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Wednesday, October 10, 2007

1:01:17 :: 9 miles (9x1000m)

Workout. 8-10x1000 in 3:08-3:10 on 5:00. Ended up doing nine, as Mystery Coach cautioned me to 'leave a couple in the bag'. Ten minute warmup, then...

3:08.3(158-:40) | 3:09.2(159-:42) | 3:10.4(159-:46)
3:10.5(162-:53) | 3:09.1(163-:62) | 3:09.2(162-:63)
3:07.3(162-:70) | 3:07.2(163-:68) | 3:06.7(164-:56)

First four felt really good--like 10k pace. Then 5 and 6 felt progressively more challenging. The last three were strangely more *comfortable* than the slower ones before. Breathing was slightly heavier but easier, and the legs seemed to turn over better. Recovery inexplicably improved on the last one. I was nearly curious enough about the recovery to do a tenth rep. Nearly. =)

Really good workout. Looking forward to the 15k Red River Run in ten days (October 20). I've never run a 15k before, so it should be fun, and I'll get a PR no matter what. Cheers!
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Tuesday, October 09, 2007

59:11 :: 8 miles

Easy run on the treadmill. Of course, it didn't feel that easy. Heart rate was up in the mid 130s by the last few miles, which is somewhere in the 6:35-6:40 range on the roads. Threw in a mile at 3 percent incline. Felt decent. Workout tomorrow, as there was a 30mph wind today. 20mph I can deal with, but I have to draw the line somewhere.

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Monday, October 08, 2007

41:15 :: 6 miles

Easy run. Once again, the weird HR thing happened. Normal until about the first quarter mile, then up to 170 until about 1400m, then back down to normal. Weird. I noticed this happened last year, too, but I always attributed it to a flaky HR monitor. Flaky heart?

Average HR 131 for the run. Feeling a bit of a cold still. No worse, no better. Workout tomorrow or Wednesday.

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Sunday, October 07, 2007

1:38:04 :: 15 miles

Easy run with quicker five miles at the end. First 10 in about 1:08, then

6:20(141) | 6:09(143) | 6:14(147) | 6:05(149) | 5:35(159)

Last mile felt pretty difficult. I got the impression I have lost some aerobic 'depth'. Probably just an off day though, as it wasn't that long ago I was averaging faster than that for a half marathon.

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Saturday, October 06, 2007

1:08:52 :: 10 miles

Easy run. Heart rate back to 'normal'. No spike in the first mile. HR Avg 130 for the run.

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Friday, October 05, 2007

28:32 :: 4 miles

Easy run. Weird heart rate thing happening again today and yesterday. Feeling a bit like a cold coming on (again).

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Thursday, October 04, 2007

56:44 :: 8 miles

Easy recovery run. Avg HR 130.

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Wednesday, October 03, 2007

1:04:41 :: 11 miles (4x1.5mi)

Volume speed workout. Nice weather--41F, clear starry skies, and light winds. Did just a one mile warmup (6:48-127) and got right into the speed. The goal was to duplicate a similar workout from 8.21, like this:

8.21.2007
[7:56-161] - 6:32(146)
[8:01-163] - 6:36(150)
[7:57-166] - 6:32(154)
[8:00-167] - 6:36(151)
*I don't have the breakdown for the 1.5mi segments like below. That workout got erased from my Garmin.

10.3.2007
[7:55-159]-5:18(156)/2:37(164) - 6:38(140)
[7:58-160]-5:22(158)/2:36(165) - 6:33(146)
[7:56-163]-5:19(161)/2:37(166) - 6:30(148)
[7:53-164]-5:18(161)/2:35(168) - 6:29(146)

I ran a bit faster for the last .5 mile of each rep, with the idea being to practice slightly increasing the pace when tired. Seemed to work out well.

Today's result was a significant improvement. Heart rates were improved, even as speeds increased, but more importantly the workout just felt better overall. This is likely the result of taking a pretty easy week prior to today, creating a bit of a 'taper' effect for the workout. Legs felt really strong throughout, and breathing was of the steady tempo run variety. Good workout.

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