I’ve neglected my updates over that last month or since my Chicago debacle. Over the past few weeks I’ve focused more on my speed then trying to run as many miles as possible. I wanted to get in more long runs but have only managed 2 since Chicago. I did top 15 miles on Sunday though and felt pretty good after the run.
Overall my body has held up pretty good. Outside of a few aches and pains (left heel and right knee) my legs feel fresh and ready to run.
I have topped 50 miles over each of the last 3 weeks. I may hit 50 again this week but my target is closer to the low 40’s. I would like to get in 2 medium runs, 1 long run and short and easy the rest of the week.
As of right now I feel like I’m ready for a good race in Philly if the weather holds out that is. The lows have been in the 30’s so hopefully it stays that way. Either way I’m looking forward to my last marathon of the year.
2 weeks until Philadelphia
Monday, November 8, 2010
Monday, September 27, 2010
Weekly Summary 9/26/2010
I had a pretty good taper week last week. I got in some solid medium runs and ran a good 15k on Saturday (considering the very humid conditions).
My goal this week is to keep the mileage in the 40-50 range with maybe a couple of mediums and nothing over 8. I just need to keep the fitness up without wearing myself out too much. Getting very excited about Chicago now. Its way to early to predict the weather but the temps are starting to get cooler.
2 weeks until Chicago
My goal this week is to keep the mileage in the 40-50 range with maybe a couple of mediums and nothing over 8. I just need to keep the fitness up without wearing myself out too much. Getting very excited about Chicago now. Its way to early to predict the weather but the temps are starting to get cooler.
2 weeks until Chicago
Monday, September 20, 2010
Weekly Summary 9/19/2010
Overall it was a pretty good training week in that I kept the mileage down (54 miles) and managed to get in a couple of medium runs. The body feels good outside of some soreness in the left heel and right upper leg but nothing that is affecting my running.
This week’s plan is to run Mon-Wed with 2-3 medium runs as I get ready for Saturdays 15k. I’ll take Thus-Fri off to give myself a little recovery time. Sundays run will be based on how I feel.
It’s been too long since my last race. I can’t wait until Saturday and I’m starting to get really excited about Chicago.
3 weeks until Chicago
This week’s plan is to run Mon-Wed with 2-3 medium runs as I get ready for Saturdays 15k. I’ll take Thus-Fri off to give myself a little recovery time. Sundays run will be based on how I feel.
It’s been too long since my last race. I can’t wait until Saturday and I’m starting to get really excited about Chicago.
3 weeks until Chicago
Monday, September 13, 2010
Weekly Summary 9/12/2010
In my last big week before Chicago, I managed to top 70 miles. That 3 out of 4 weeks now. I think the fatigue is starting to get the best of me now. I have been experiencing a strange occurrence with my right leg during some runs over the last 2 weeks. I get these brief moments where everything mid calf and below seems to lose all strength. I almost expect the leg to give out as it strikes the ground but that hasn’t happened. With four weeks to go I am ready to start tapering.
Other than the fatigue, everything else seems to be fine. My left heel is a little tender which is similar to what I experienced last year but my knees and hamstrings seem to be holding up pretty well.
I registered for the 15k in Orlando on 9/25. I don’t expect to run for a PR but it should be a good training run if nothing else and I’m really antsy to race again.
My plan this week is to keep the mileage under 60 (low 50s would be ideal) a couple of easy days (3-4) with a 1-2 long runs and 1 medium.
4 weeks until Chicago
Other than the fatigue, everything else seems to be fine. My left heel is a little tender which is similar to what I experienced last year but my knees and hamstrings seem to be holding up pretty well.
I registered for the 15k in Orlando on 9/25. I don’t expect to run for a PR but it should be a good training run if nothing else and I’m really antsy to race again.
My plan this week is to keep the mileage under 60 (low 50s would be ideal) a couple of easy days (3-4) with a 1-2 long runs and 1 medium.
4 weeks until Chicago
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Weekly Summary 8/29/2010
3 straight 70+ weeks and I’m on pace for my first 300+ month.
Overall I’m holding up ok but definitely feel like I’m starting to breakdown. No major aches or pains but more of a nagging fatigue. After I put in the miles to pass 300 I’ll probably back off a little this week and give my body a chance to rest (although I’m really not sure what backing off is at this point).
I’m still fighting the battle of the runs. Some days are ok but others I have trouble making it 3-4 miles without stopping. Imodium helps for a day or two but after that I back to having trouble again. I’m just hoping it’s my body trying to deal with the higher mileage and eventually it will go away. If not then it will be an interesting marathon next month.
This week’s plan is to get in the miles on mon-tues to top 300 and then keep the rest of my runs at 1 hour.
At this point I’m still planning on running the Orlando 15k on 9/25.
6 weeks until Chicago
Overall I’m holding up ok but definitely feel like I’m starting to breakdown. No major aches or pains but more of a nagging fatigue. After I put in the miles to pass 300 I’ll probably back off a little this week and give my body a chance to rest (although I’m really not sure what backing off is at this point).
I’m still fighting the battle of the runs. Some days are ok but others I have trouble making it 3-4 miles without stopping. Imodium helps for a day or two but after that I back to having trouble again. I’m just hoping it’s my body trying to deal with the higher mileage and eventually it will go away. If not then it will be an interesting marathon next month.
This week’s plan is to get in the miles on mon-tues to top 300 and then keep the rest of my runs at 1 hour.
At this point I’m still planning on running the Orlando 15k on 9/25.
6 weeks until Chicago
Monday, August 23, 2010
Weekly summary 8/22/2010
That’s 2 straight 70+ mile weeks. So much for an easier week.
I still tend to feel a little sluggish for the first 2 miles of a run but after that I only seem to get stronger. I’ve hit a crossroads on how I want to approach the rest of my training. I can try to get in as many 10-12 mile runs a week or run 7-8 everyday with a 15-20 once a week. Yesterday (Sunday) I felt that I could have passed 15 pretty easy but wasn’t sure if it would be worth it if I had to go light for 2-3 days just to recover. I don’t think I have to make that decision now or even or even have to pick one way over the other.
Overall my body feels great. I’m still battling the “runs” but it’s not as bad as it was a few weeks ago. My right ankle also gets weak (unstable) later in the long runs. I may need to work making it stronger but I haven’t found a whole lot on line.
For this week my plan is to get in at least 4 long runs and see if I can top 11 for 3 of them. If I do that I should be around 70 for the week again. That will put me around 290 for the month which would easily top my current month high of 272.
7 weeks until Chicago
I still tend to feel a little sluggish for the first 2 miles of a run but after that I only seem to get stronger. I’ve hit a crossroads on how I want to approach the rest of my training. I can try to get in as many 10-12 mile runs a week or run 7-8 everyday with a 15-20 once a week. Yesterday (Sunday) I felt that I could have passed 15 pretty easy but wasn’t sure if it would be worth it if I had to go light for 2-3 days just to recover. I don’t think I have to make that decision now or even or even have to pick one way over the other.
Overall my body feels great. I’m still battling the “runs” but it’s not as bad as it was a few weeks ago. My right ankle also gets weak (unstable) later in the long runs. I may need to work making it stronger but I haven’t found a whole lot on line.
For this week my plan is to get in at least 4 long runs and see if I can top 11 for 3 of them. If I do that I should be around 70 for the week again. That will put me around 290 for the month which would easily top my current month high of 272.
7 weeks until Chicago
Monday, August 16, 2010
Weekly summary 8/15/2010
It's so nice to be running injury free. With all of the problems I had in the first 6 months it makes me really appreciate where I am now.
I accomplished all of my goals last week. My miles ended up in the mid 70s for my 3rd highest weekly total and I had 3 long runs including a 13+ on Saturday.
I’m due for an easy day so Monday is as good as any. As for the rest of the week, I would like to get in another 3 long runs and get the mileage in the mid 60s.
8 weeks until Chicago
I accomplished all of my goals last week. My miles ended up in the mid 70s for my 3rd highest weekly total and I had 3 long runs including a 13+ on Saturday.
I’m due for an easy day so Monday is as good as any. As for the rest of the week, I would like to get in another 3 long runs and get the mileage in the mid 60s.
8 weeks until Chicago
Monday, August 9, 2010
Weekly Summary 8/8/2010
The vacation shortened weeks are over and now it’s time to get back to some serious training. Although I did manage to get my miles into the mid 50s this week, I need to get back into the 60-70 range for the next 6 weeks.
I’ve done a good job at avoiding the aches and pains but overcoming the overall fatigue has been a real struggle this week. Right now, I’m going with the assumption that I need more sleep. I have been getting around 7 hours but it should probably be closer to 8.5. I have cut back on eating and in the process lost 5lbs so I the extra sleep doesn’t give me more energy I may need to start eating a little more. Currently my morning weight is at 161. I would still like to lose a few more pounds but that’s only if it doesn’t come with negative consequences.
For this week I really need to get some long runs in (none last week). If I can get the week miles to 65 with at least 3 long runs, I’ll call it a success.
9 weeks until Chicago
I’ve done a good job at avoiding the aches and pains but overcoming the overall fatigue has been a real struggle this week. Right now, I’m going with the assumption that I need more sleep. I have been getting around 7 hours but it should probably be closer to 8.5. I have cut back on eating and in the process lost 5lbs so I the extra sleep doesn’t give me more energy I may need to start eating a little more. Currently my morning weight is at 161. I would still like to lose a few more pounds but that’s only if it doesn’t come with negative consequences.
For this week I really need to get some long runs in (none last week). If I can get the week miles to 65 with at least 3 long runs, I’ll call it a success.
9 weeks until Chicago
Monday, July 26, 2010
Weekly Summary 7/25/2010
Another productive training week of 60+ miles. Once again I managed to run every day and also topped 10 miles on 3 of the runs. Outside of being a little run down my legs feel great. I even managed to lose a few pounds by increasing the mileage and cutting back on the unnecessary calories. I’m consistently staying under 164 now (dipping under 160 after long runs). Ideally I would like to get down to 160 but I’m not going to do anything drastic to get there.
I’m heading out of town for a long weekend this week so my streaks of 50+ days of running and six 50+ mpw will come to an end. This is probably a good time for a little rest anyways. When I get back I need to get in a couple of solid training months before Chicago.
I’m heading out of town for a long weekend this week so my streaks of 50+ days of running and six 50+ mpw will come to an end. This is probably a good time for a little rest anyways. When I get back I need to get in a couple of solid training months before Chicago.
Monday, July 19, 2010
Weekly Summary 7/18/2010
My last 2 weeks have been very production training weeks. I topped 65 miles each week and managed at leaset 2 long runs. Saturday I ran 13 miles and was still in good enough shape to get in 2 runs on Sunday. I’m a little tired for overall my body is handling the extra miles just fine. Hitting the weights seemed to fix that IT Band injury. I just have to make sure that I don’t slack on the lifting as I start increasing the mileage.
I want to keep up the daily runs (streak now stands at 43 straight days) until my NYC trip at the end of the month. My schedule is pretty clear so I shouldn’t have to resort to doubles to get the miles in. I would like to get in 3-4 long runs this week with another 2 next week (on 4 training days). This would give my around 260 miles this month making it my 2nd highest monthly total.
As August starts I will have 10 weeks of marathon training until Chicago. During those first 7-8 weeks I would like to get in at least 60 mpw and get into the 75-80 range every other week. I would also like to get in a 15+ mile run every week.
I want to keep up the daily runs (streak now stands at 43 straight days) until my NYC trip at the end of the month. My schedule is pretty clear so I shouldn’t have to resort to doubles to get the miles in. I would like to get in 3-4 long runs this week with another 2 next week (on 4 training days). This would give my around 260 miles this month making it my 2nd highest monthly total.
As August starts I will have 10 weeks of marathon training until Chicago. During those first 7-8 weeks I would like to get in at least 60 mpw and get into the 75-80 range every other week. I would also like to get in a 15+ mile run every week.
Monday, July 5, 2010
Weekly Summary 7/4/2010
Weekly total: 55
After battling a string of injuries and one disaster of a marathon, I have finally put together 3 solid weeks of training. Not to jinx myself but I think that I’m ready to start pushing a little harder as I move into my marathon training.
My focus for the next 3 months is on increasing the mileage. I would like my weekly average to be in the mid 60s and peak around 80. I need to slow the pace down though. 1 or 2 sub 7:30 runs is ok but most of the rest need to be in the 8-8:30 range.
My last 3 weeks have been in the mid 50s. This week I would like to at least top 60.
After battling a string of injuries and one disaster of a marathon, I have finally put together 3 solid weeks of training. Not to jinx myself but I think that I’m ready to start pushing a little harder as I move into my marathon training.
My focus for the next 3 months is on increasing the mileage. I would like my weekly average to be in the mid 60s and peak around 80. I need to slow the pace down though. 1 or 2 sub 7:30 runs is ok but most of the rest need to be in the 8-8:30 range.
My last 3 weeks have been in the mid 50s. This week I would like to at least top 60.
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Boston Marathon
Time: 4:21:43
Overall: 18685 out of 23126 starters (22629 finishers)
I’ve put this off long enough. Here is my miserable recap of the Boston Marathon.
If I was really honest with myself, I knew this wasn’t going to be a good race for me. Since Disney my training has been spotty at best and the IT band issues in my right leg have only gotten worse. Still I thought (or hoped) that my endurance wouldn’t have dropped too much and I would be able to run through any discomfort from the leg. Well, so much for hoping.
Everything went pretty smoothly prior to the race. It was a little chilly but I brought enough clothes this time. I also did a pretty good job of avoiding long toilet lines. I felt pretty good in the start corrals. My legs were loose and my knee and hip felt fine. This year it took a little over 10 minutes to reach the start line. After that it was pretty slow moving. I did the same as last year and tried to move around the slow runners so I could try to work into a steady pace. I knew that I was going out a little too fast but I did that last year too and everything worked out.
The pack started thinning out a little by the 3 mile marker. When we hit the 5k marker my time was 23. I had to check my watch again because I couldn’t believe that I went out that fast. I tried to back off to a 8-8:10 pace but every time I looked at my watch I was still around 7:40. I hit the 10k mark in 47 minutes, still way too fast. At this point I knew that I was in for a long day. My leg was fine but I was already getting tired. I tried to back off some more but still hit the 15k marker in 1:12:21. By the half way point I was still near 3:30 pace but was nearly out of gas. I knew at this point I would be walking the hills.
Somewhere around 15 my hip starting acting up. I did a little walking prior to the fire station but there was no way I was going to run up the hills. After the first (of 3 Newton Hills) I started running again but the hip was really starting to hurt. Whenever I pushed off I felt a sharp pain. It wasn’t a problem going downhill so I was able to run those parts ok. I ended up running downhills, walk/run flats and walking hills until mile 21 (top of heartbreak). At the point I was totally exhausted and the pain was really getting bad. From there on out I walked everything that wasn’t downhill. I did manage to run the last stretch on Boylston St to the finish line.
This was really a worst case scenario. It was a painful experience to walk through the crowds and be passed by people that started a half hour after I did. I am glad that I stuck it out and finished though. I’ll be back to Boston next year in what will most certainly be a better experience.
Overall: 18685 out of 23126 starters (22629 finishers)
I’ve put this off long enough. Here is my miserable recap of the Boston Marathon.
If I was really honest with myself, I knew this wasn’t going to be a good race for me. Since Disney my training has been spotty at best and the IT band issues in my right leg have only gotten worse. Still I thought (or hoped) that my endurance wouldn’t have dropped too much and I would be able to run through any discomfort from the leg. Well, so much for hoping.
Everything went pretty smoothly prior to the race. It was a little chilly but I brought enough clothes this time. I also did a pretty good job of avoiding long toilet lines. I felt pretty good in the start corrals. My legs were loose and my knee and hip felt fine. This year it took a little over 10 minutes to reach the start line. After that it was pretty slow moving. I did the same as last year and tried to move around the slow runners so I could try to work into a steady pace. I knew that I was going out a little too fast but I did that last year too and everything worked out.
The pack started thinning out a little by the 3 mile marker. When we hit the 5k marker my time was 23. I had to check my watch again because I couldn’t believe that I went out that fast. I tried to back off to a 8-8:10 pace but every time I looked at my watch I was still around 7:40. I hit the 10k mark in 47 minutes, still way too fast. At this point I knew that I was in for a long day. My leg was fine but I was already getting tired. I tried to back off some more but still hit the 15k marker in 1:12:21. By the half way point I was still near 3:30 pace but was nearly out of gas. I knew at this point I would be walking the hills.
Somewhere around 15 my hip starting acting up. I did a little walking prior to the fire station but there was no way I was going to run up the hills. After the first (of 3 Newton Hills) I started running again but the hip was really starting to hurt. Whenever I pushed off I felt a sharp pain. It wasn’t a problem going downhill so I was able to run those parts ok. I ended up running downhills, walk/run flats and walking hills until mile 21 (top of heartbreak). At the point I was totally exhausted and the pain was really getting bad. From there on out I walked everything that wasn’t downhill. I did manage to run the last stretch on Boylston St to the finish line.
This was really a worst case scenario. It was a painful experience to walk through the crowds and be passed by people that started a half hour after I did. I am glad that I stuck it out and finished though. I’ll be back to Boston next year in what will most certainly be a better experience.
Friday, April 16, 2010
Boston Weather
I had an hour long leg message yesterday. Hopefully that is all I needed to relieve that pull I was feeling on my knee. My leg feels much better this morning. I just need to keep stretching every day. A little cardio today and lots of walking when I get to Boston should be enough to keeps my legs loose.On the weather front, the forecast for race day keeps getting cooler. But now the chance of rain has jumped to 30%. There is probably always a chance of rain so I’m not going to worry about 30% too much. But the latest forecast is starting to look a lot like it was last year which was as close to ideal as you can get.
1 more day until I head to Boston and 3 more days before the race. I really getting excited now too bad I still need to get through a day of work.
Monday, April 12, 2010
Weekly Summary 4/11/2010
Weekly total: 21.3
Tuesday: 5.2
Wednesday: 4.37
Thursday: 5.28
Saturday: 6.41
Average pace: 8:06
Limping into another marathon. I finally hit a point this week where I felt that any more running before the race would be counterproductive. My knee feels ok while running but it’s so sore afterwards that I find myself limping for hours after the run. I just need to stop running and let whatever is wrong a chance to heal. This knee pain seems to be different than my past runners knee pains though. I’ve looked at a few articles that might suggest this is the result of a tight IT band and I’m just feeling it just below my knee.
My plan this week is to stretch every day and either walk or ride the stationary bike to keep things loose and at least maintain a little fitness.
1 week until Boston
Tuesday: 5.2
Wednesday: 4.37
Thursday: 5.28
Saturday: 6.41
Average pace: 8:06
Limping into another marathon. I finally hit a point this week where I felt that any more running before the race would be counterproductive. My knee feels ok while running but it’s so sore afterwards that I find myself limping for hours after the run. I just need to stop running and let whatever is wrong a chance to heal. This knee pain seems to be different than my past runners knee pains though. I’ve looked at a few articles that might suggest this is the result of a tight IT band and I’m just feeling it just below my knee.
My plan this week is to stretch every day and either walk or ride the stationary bike to keep things loose and at least maintain a little fitness.
1 week until Boston
Weekly Summary 4/4/2010
Weekly total: 50.3
Monday: 5.31
Tuesday: 7.86
Wednesday: 8.02
Thursday: 7.28
Friday: 6.05
Saturday: 7.62
Sunday: 8.19
Average pace: 8:10
2 weeks until Boston
Monday: 5.31
Tuesday: 7.86
Wednesday: 8.02
Thursday: 7.28
Friday: 6.05
Saturday: 7.62
Sunday: 8.19
Average pace: 8:10
2 weeks until Boston
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Weekly summary 3/28/2010
Weekly total: 60.8
Monday: 4.5
Tuesday: 8.12
Wednesday: 9.21
Thursday: 7.39
Friday: 8.03
Saturday: 8.34
Sunday: 15.25
Average pace: 8:09
Overall a pretty good week not only topping 60 but has a solid 15+ mile run on Sunday. My little injuries are healing but I need to be careful to not push it too much.
My plan this week is to keep running every day and try to get a couple of 10 mile runs in. Another 55-60 mile week would be ideal because next week I need to start tapering.
3 weeks until Boston
Monday: 4.5
Tuesday: 8.12
Wednesday: 9.21
Thursday: 7.39
Friday: 8.03
Saturday: 8.34
Sunday: 15.25
Average pace: 8:09
Overall a pretty good week not only topping 60 but has a solid 15+ mile run on Sunday. My little injuries are healing but I need to be careful to not push it too much.
My plan this week is to keep running every day and try to get a couple of 10 mile runs in. Another 55-60 mile week would be ideal because next week I need to start tapering.
3 weeks until Boston
Monday, March 22, 2010
Weekly summary 3/21/2010
Weekly total: 55.3
Monday: 5.49
Tuesday: 7.67
Wednesday: 8.5
Thursday: 7.27
Friday: 7.73
Saturday: 8.35
Sunday: 10.3
Average pace: 8:15
My first 50+ mile week in a while. It seems like my little nagging injuries are starting to heal. I have a feeling that my worn out running shoes might have had a little to do with it. That and not running with inserts.
My goals this week is to run every day, keep the pace around 8 and top 50 miles. I have 3 more training weeks until Boston. If I can put in 2 strong weeks before tapering I should be in position for a PR if the weather cooperates.
4 weeks until Boston
Monday: 5.49
Tuesday: 7.67
Wednesday: 8.5
Thursday: 7.27
Friday: 7.73
Saturday: 8.35
Sunday: 10.3
Average pace: 8:15
My first 50+ mile week in a while. It seems like my little nagging injuries are starting to heal. I have a feeling that my worn out running shoes might have had a little to do with it. That and not running with inserts.
My goals this week is to run every day, keep the pace around 8 and top 50 miles. I have 3 more training weeks until Boston. If I can put in 2 strong weeks before tapering I should be in position for a PR if the weather cooperates.
4 weeks until Boston
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Boston Marathon #12291
Boston Marathon numbers were just posted. This year I’m #12291, a little better than last year’s 12354 but still in the same corral. 4 weeks from Monday, I can’t wait to get back to Boston.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Weekly Summary 3/14/2010
Weekly total: 24.0
Tuesday: 7.53
Thursday: 6.23
Sunday: 10.2
Average pace: 7:52
Those nagging injuries finally built up to a point where I needed to take some time off. I had a pretty good run on Tuesday but my next run on Thursday was a real struggle and my legs were to tight a sore after that I decided that taking a couple of days off was better than trying to run through it. By Friday I also accepted the fact that racing on Sunday was not a good idea.
My plan on Sundays run was to just go slow and see how long I could keep it going. I was actually shocked that I made it 10 miles. I was pushing it a little at the end but I felt fine after the run (after icing down the knee) and on Monday morning my legs feel pretty good. I may have been running a little too hard so my plan for the next few weeks is to just work on slow long runs. I have 4 training weeks until Boston if I can keep myself from pushing the pace too hard I should be able to manage 50-60 mile weeks.
5 weeks until Boston
Tuesday: 7.53
Thursday: 6.23
Sunday: 10.2
Average pace: 7:52
Those nagging injuries finally built up to a point where I needed to take some time off. I had a pretty good run on Tuesday but my next run on Thursday was a real struggle and my legs were to tight a sore after that I decided that taking a couple of days off was better than trying to run through it. By Friday I also accepted the fact that racing on Sunday was not a good idea.
My plan on Sundays run was to just go slow and see how long I could keep it going. I was actually shocked that I made it 10 miles. I was pushing it a little at the end but I felt fine after the run (after icing down the knee) and on Monday morning my legs feel pretty good. I may have been running a little too hard so my plan for the next few weeks is to just work on slow long runs. I have 4 training weeks until Boston if I can keep myself from pushing the pace too hard I should be able to manage 50-60 mile weeks.
5 weeks until Boston
Monday, March 8, 2010
Weekly summary 3/7/2010
Weekly total: 31.9
Thursday: 8.57
Friday: 8.24
Saturday: 8.54
Sunday: 6.56
Average pace: 7:47
My schedule kept me from running Mon-Wed but that was probably a good thing since my knee was pretty sore after Sunday’s race. My knee wasn’t too bad once I started running but my right hamstring is really tight. It’s been like this before so I think that it’s something that I can run through. My plan this week is to run every day. There is a 5k that I want to run on Sunday but I’ll wait and see how I feel on Friday before I decide to do it or not.
Thursday: 8.57
Friday: 8.24
Saturday: 8.54
Sunday: 6.56
Average pace: 7:47
My schedule kept me from running Mon-Wed but that was probably a good thing since my knee was pretty sore after Sunday’s race. My knee wasn’t too bad once I started running but my right hamstring is really tight. It’s been like this before so I think that it’s something that I can run through. My plan this week is to run every day. There is a 5k that I want to run on Sunday but I’ll wait and see how I feel on Friday before I decide to do it or not.
Gasparilla Half Marathon
Time: 1:35:36
Overall: 165 out of 3901
Age Group: 16 out of 219
After Disney my training never really got back on track so although I’m disappointed in the results they aren’t surprising.
It was really nice to walk to a race start. Unlike last year, I left myself with plenty of time to hit the toilets before getting to the start. It was a chilly morning but with a long sleeve tech shirt and a sweatshirt I wasn’t too cold. I was able to get close to the start line which meant less bobbing and weaving at the start. The roads were a little congested but I still kept a steady pace over the Davis Island Bridge which was a first. Even with all of that I still started with a quite slow 7:19.
My goal going in was to run 7 minute miles. If I had a slower mile I wouldn’t try to make that up on the next. With that in mind I ran my next 2 miles a 7:00 pace. Although I felt good I had the feeling that I was pressing it too much. Listening to this ‘Marathon Voice’ resulted in my pace slowing which I never recovered from but more on that later.
An interesting thing happened just before mile 4. A police car was driving down a side street, drove onto the course and blocked a street that everyone was turning on. A lady quickly got out of the car and told the runners that they were turning on the wrong street. I was 7th in the group that was directed toward the correct route. We joked that we were now the race leaders. It was shorted lived though because after our turn we saw the front running were back on course by the time we reached them we fell in right behind so nothing gained or lost.
There were nice crowds through miles 6 and 7 but the bridges and tight turns forced my pace to slow even more I was able to pick the pace up a little for mile 8 but I struggled with miles 9-12 with each over 7:20. Mile 13 I gave a conservative “all I had left” and managed to get it under 7:10. There was a really nice crowd at the finish and I ran hard but nothing close to an all out.
Overall I was a little disappointed with my performance. It wasn’t unexpected but I know that I could have and should have done better.
Overall: 165 out of 3901
Age Group: 16 out of 219
After Disney my training never really got back on track so although I’m disappointed in the results they aren’t surprising.
It was really nice to walk to a race start. Unlike last year, I left myself with plenty of time to hit the toilets before getting to the start. It was a chilly morning but with a long sleeve tech shirt and a sweatshirt I wasn’t too cold. I was able to get close to the start line which meant less bobbing and weaving at the start. The roads were a little congested but I still kept a steady pace over the Davis Island Bridge which was a first. Even with all of that I still started with a quite slow 7:19.
My goal going in was to run 7 minute miles. If I had a slower mile I wouldn’t try to make that up on the next. With that in mind I ran my next 2 miles a 7:00 pace. Although I felt good I had the feeling that I was pressing it too much. Listening to this ‘Marathon Voice’ resulted in my pace slowing which I never recovered from but more on that later.
An interesting thing happened just before mile 4. A police car was driving down a side street, drove onto the course and blocked a street that everyone was turning on. A lady quickly got out of the car and told the runners that they were turning on the wrong street. I was 7th in the group that was directed toward the correct route. We joked that we were now the race leaders. It was shorted lived though because after our turn we saw the front running were back on course by the time we reached them we fell in right behind so nothing gained or lost.
There were nice crowds through miles 6 and 7 but the bridges and tight turns forced my pace to slow even more I was able to pick the pace up a little for mile 8 but I struggled with miles 9-12 with each over 7:20. Mile 13 I gave a conservative “all I had left” and managed to get it under 7:10. There was a really nice crowd at the finish and I ran hard but nothing close to an all out.
Overall I was a little disappointed with my performance. It wasn’t unexpected but I know that I could have and should have done better.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Weekly Summary 2/28/2010
Weekly total: 45.7
Tuesday: 8.63
Wednesday: 8.35
Thursday: 8.58
Saturday: 3.5
Sunday: 13.1, 3.5
Average pace: 7:57
A pretty good training week for being a race week. I finally started to get into a rhythm with my Tues-Thurs runs. If only this could have happened a couple weeks ago my race on Sunday might have been better. I have a few races on my calendar between now and Boston but my focus now needs to be getting ready for Boston. If these races are going to have a negative impact on my training then I need to skip them. There is a 5k race on Saturday which I don’t expect to be ready for so I’ll probably pass on that.
I don’t have any training plan this week. Mon-Wed are going to tough to get in a run so that leaves Thurs-Sun which is probably a good thing since my knee is bothering me a little. My focus for the next 6 weeks is trying to run every day with the exception of a day off before a race.
Tuesday: 8.63
Wednesday: 8.35
Thursday: 8.58
Saturday: 3.5
Sunday: 13.1, 3.5
Average pace: 7:57
A pretty good training week for being a race week. I finally started to get into a rhythm with my Tues-Thurs runs. If only this could have happened a couple weeks ago my race on Sunday might have been better. I have a few races on my calendar between now and Boston but my focus now needs to be getting ready for Boston. If these races are going to have a negative impact on my training then I need to skip them. There is a 5k race on Saturday which I don’t expect to be ready for so I’ll probably pass on that.
I don’t have any training plan this week. Mon-Wed are going to tough to get in a run so that leaves Thurs-Sun which is probably a good thing since my knee is bothering me a little. My focus for the next 6 weeks is trying to run every day with the exception of a day off before a race.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Weekly Summary 2/21/2010
Weekly total: 43.0
Wednesday: 8.17
Thursday: 8.6
Friday: 6.31
Saturday: 8.14, 3.68
Sunday: 8.1
Average pace: 7:59
This was really a difficult training week. My hamstrings were tight my knee was sore and I had no energy. Ron got out of the hospital on Tuesday so I wasn’t able to run until Wednesday. Everyday seemed to be a struggle. It would take me a mile to loosen up my hamstrings and another 2 miles before I could comfortably run a decent pace. I’m not sure what’s going on with me but getting more sleep would be a good start in trying to fix it.
Needless to say, I don’t feel ready for Sunday’s half marathon. I was hoping to beat my PR by 2+ minutes but now I’m thinking that anything under 1:40 might be an accomplishment. My plan this week is to try and get in three 8 mile runs on Tues-Thurs and take Fri-Sat off.
Wednesday: 8.17
Thursday: 8.6
Friday: 6.31
Saturday: 8.14, 3.68
Sunday: 8.1
Average pace: 7:59
This was really a difficult training week. My hamstrings were tight my knee was sore and I had no energy. Ron got out of the hospital on Tuesday so I wasn’t able to run until Wednesday. Everyday seemed to be a struggle. It would take me a mile to loosen up my hamstrings and another 2 miles before I could comfortably run a decent pace. I’m not sure what’s going on with me but getting more sleep would be a good start in trying to fix it.
Needless to say, I don’t feel ready for Sunday’s half marathon. I was hoping to beat my PR by 2+ minutes but now I’m thinking that anything under 1:40 might be an accomplishment. My plan this week is to try and get in three 8 mile runs on Tues-Thurs and take Fri-Sat off.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Weekly Summary 2/14/2010
Weekly total: 43.8
Tuesday: 8.05
Wednesday: 8.29
Thursday: 10.21
Saturday: 10.06
Sunday: 7.16
Average pace: 7:48
Ron being in the hospital cut into my training a little but overall it was a productive training week. I would like to have run a few more miles but I kept a good pace on each run and even managed 2 long runs.
My plan this week is more of the same except I would like to top 50 miles.
Tuesday: 8.05
Wednesday: 8.29
Thursday: 10.21
Saturday: 10.06
Sunday: 7.16
Average pace: 7:48
Ron being in the hospital cut into my training a little but overall it was a productive training week. I would like to have run a few more miles but I kept a good pace on each run and even managed 2 long runs.
My plan this week is more of the same except I would like to top 50 miles.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Weekly Summary 2/7/2010
Weekly total: 21.5
Tuesday: 6.43
Thursday: 8.06
Sunday: 7.06
Average pace: 7:43
Another pathetic training week. It’s a little difficult to run when something is going on almost every day. On a positive note, my knee feels much better now. This week is pretty open so maybe I can get into a regular training routine.
Tuesday: 6.43
Thursday: 8.06
Sunday: 7.06
Average pace: 7:43
Another pathetic training week. It’s a little difficult to run when something is going on almost every day. On a positive note, my knee feels much better now. This week is pretty open so maybe I can get into a regular training routine.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Chicago Marathon registration opens
The Chicago Marathon registration opened today. I decided to register right away since marathons have been filling up in record time lately. So with my registration and B corral placement secure, I just need to wait another 8.5 months for the race.
Weekly Summary 1/31/2010
Weekly total: 25.5
Monday: 5.47
Tuesday: 6.43
Thursday: 7.1
Friday: 6.21
Average pace: 7:47
Seasonal allergies suck. That along with my knee still being a little sore led to only 4 days of running and a measly 25.5 miles.
Monday: 5.47
Tuesday: 6.43
Thursday: 7.1
Friday: 6.21
Average pace: 7:47
Seasonal allergies suck. That along with my knee still being a little sore led to only 4 days of running and a measly 25.5 miles.
Friday, January 29, 2010
Weekly Summary 1/24/2010
Weekly total: 33.2
Tuesday: 6.16
Wednesday: 7.61
Thursday: 5.66
Saturday: 8.29
Sunday: 5.52
Average pace: 7:57
Tuesday: 6.16
Wednesday: 7.61
Thursday: 5.66
Saturday: 8.29
Sunday: 5.52
Average pace: 7:57
Monday, January 18, 2010
Weekly Summary 1/17/2010
Weekly total: 28.0
Tuesday: 4.04
Wednesday: 4.64
Thursday: 6.53
Saturday: 5.5
Sunday: 7.31
Average pace: 9:04
I never pushed the pace too hard at WPB which allowed me to follow that up with a pretty normal training week. It takes a little longer to recover after running a hard marathon. My knee was too sore to walk let alone run on Monday. Tuesday it improved enough for me to bike and walk a little. By Wednesday I was ready to start some easy runs. By Sunday I felt pretty good (still nowhere near normal) but 1 hour was long enough.
I decided not to run the Miami Half marathon at the end of the month so I have plenty of time to slowly get back into my routine without pushing it too much. My next race now isn’t until the end of February.
My only goal this week is to run every day. I would like to get in 1 hour runs but I’ll cut the run short if I feel that I’m pushing it too much. Hopefully by next week I’ll be able to get back into a normal training routine.
Tuesday: 4.04
Wednesday: 4.64
Thursday: 6.53
Saturday: 5.5
Sunday: 7.31
Average pace: 9:04
I never pushed the pace too hard at WPB which allowed me to follow that up with a pretty normal training week. It takes a little longer to recover after running a hard marathon. My knee was too sore to walk let alone run on Monday. Tuesday it improved enough for me to bike and walk a little. By Wednesday I was ready to start some easy runs. By Sunday I felt pretty good (still nowhere near normal) but 1 hour was long enough.
I decided not to run the Miami Half marathon at the end of the month so I have plenty of time to slowly get back into my routine without pushing it too much. My next race now isn’t until the end of February.
My only goal this week is to run every day. I would like to get in 1 hour runs but I’ll cut the run short if I feel that I’m pushing it too much. Hopefully by next week I’ll be able to get back into a normal training routine.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Disney World Marathon
Time: 3:29:55
Overall: 547 out of 16883
Age group: 59 out of 1183
On a day that few things seemed to go right I managed a PR and got my 2011 BQ.
More than a week out I knew that race day was going to be cold. It hit the lowest forecast numbers with a race start temp of 28. Throw in the wind and the temps felt like the high teens. Ideal race temps for me would be around 40. 28 was a little cold but I’ll take that over the 60+ that I have been racing in.
I didn’t get a good night sleep. I dozed off in the late afternoon and woke up around 8pm (which was when I wanted to go to sleep). I laid in bed until 10:30 when I fell asleep again. I woke up again a few times before I decided to get up at 3am. Breakfast, shower, stretching, bathroom and I was out the door a little after 4. I had over 1.5 hours until my 5:40 race start which from past experience was more than enough time to get to Epcot, park, hit the toilets and get to the start. This year was different. Less than 1 mile from the hotel I ran into heavy traffic and we were barely moving (of course my lane was the slowest). That 3 mile drive seemed to take forever and I was coming to the realization that I may not make it to the start on time. I ended up parking around 5:20 (20 minutes before start). I got to the start corrals as the national anthem was playing. There was a row of port-a-johns by the corrals that were empty (because everyone was ready to start). I jumped in for a quickie and got in to the corral about 1 minute before the start. The actual start ended up being 3-4 minutes late (so maybe not all was bad).
It took me a little over 1 minute to reach the start line after the clock started. I ended up being at the back of the A corral but I could still see the 3:30 pace group up ahead of me. I caught up with the group by the first mile but the number of runners still made it difficult to stay with the group. I decided to just keep in the general area until things thinned out a little. I warmed up pretty quick after I started running and tossed the sweatshirt around mile 3. By mile 5 things started to thin out and I was keeping a good steady pace. I felt like I was pressing a little but it wasn’t a struggle to stay with the 3:30 group. It definitely helped having them there though.
Around mile 8 the pace group was a nice cluster of maybe 25 runners and not too many runners in front or behind. Disney had a nice setup for the pacers. We had the main pace leader (Bill Sanders) plus roving pacers that would join the group for a while and then pull out (I assume to join other groups behind us). They did a lot of talking about their race experience or asking about ours or just stories to lighten things up a little.
The approach to and running through the magic kingdom was as good as always (by far my favorite part of the race). The sun was just breaking through as we ran down main street so it was a really nice experience.
As we approached the water stop around mile 15 the pace leader suggested that if you needed to use the toilets this was a good time since we were a little ahead of pace and he was going to slow a little. I didn’t have to go bad but I wasn’t sure if I would make it until the end so I ran up ahead and found an open port-a-john. My only comment here is that it’s tough taking a shit when your hands are frozen. Overall I lost 1:30 on the pit stop. I didn’t want to push too hard to get back to the pace group but I did want to catch up by mile 19 when the tough stretch started. I figured that if it could run 7:40-45 miles I would get to them by mile 19. I proceeded to pick up the pace a little and was surprised at the lack of extra effort that it required. I was 16+ plus miles in and running harder than my goal pace and I felt great. That feeling would not last long.
I finally caught up with the pace group around mile 19 as we were getting into a 3+ mile stretch of running up and down overpasses and a boring out and back stretch between the animal park and Hollywood studios. Somewhere around mile 20 my right knee starting bothering me. It wasn’t anything that I couldn’t deal with but I still had 6 miles to go. 21-23 is usually the toughest stretch for me. This is the point where running with a pace group has the biggest impact and the pace group leaders were the best. Whenever some of us were lagging behind the lead pacer, the other pacer would pull back a little and push the runners to catch up. At mile 22 I felt the group slipping away and if it wasn’t for that extra push I would have never stayed with them. As we were closing in on the mile 24 marker I got my second wind (or third..) and picked up the pace a little and tried to pull away. That lasted until around 24.5 when the pace leader and another runner seemed to pick up the pace and break away from the group. They weren’t really running faster but everyone else (including me) was slowing down and it was too close to the end for the pace leader to pull back and push us on. I did a pretty good job of keeping them within eyeshot. As we ran through the boardwalk there wasn’t a lot of room. The boards were a little slick (still icy) the path was narrow and trees were scattered along the path. I was struggling but was still keeping a steady pace.
As I turned into Epcot just before mile 25 I rounded a corner and caught my left toe on something. I fell forward and almost caught my balance (almost) but ended up plunging into the concrete. It was a good thing that I had gloves on because my hands would have been pretty messed up. I got to my feet in disbelief that I wiped out so late in the race. My first thought was that I blew my PR and BQ but I still started to run. At first it was a really slow jog but then I realized the fall really wasn’t that bad (more like I was too numb to feel it). Well I managed to put in a decent final mile and ended up breaking 3:30.
When I crossed the finish line all of the fatigue and cold hit me. My right knee was so sore I could hardly walk and my hands were so numb I couldn’t feel anything. On top of that I was in such a rush when I parked in the morning that I forgot where my car was. I had a pretty good idea of the section but I had to walk (of hobble) up and down a couple of rows before I found my car. Getting the key out of my pocket and starting the car was an adventure in itself but I managed and then sat in the car for a good 15 minutes before I thawed enough to drive.
Overall though it was a great race, I usually just miss the great running weather by a day or two and end up running in temps that are too warm. This race was the opposite but I’ll take that any day. I love running at Disney and I’m so happy that I was able to run so well here. This was my 7th marathon here (9th race overall) and I plan to be back many more times.
Overall: 547 out of 16883
Age group: 59 out of 1183
On a day that few things seemed to go right I managed a PR and got my 2011 BQ.
More than a week out I knew that race day was going to be cold. It hit the lowest forecast numbers with a race start temp of 28. Throw in the wind and the temps felt like the high teens. Ideal race temps for me would be around 40. 28 was a little cold but I’ll take that over the 60+ that I have been racing in.
I didn’t get a good night sleep. I dozed off in the late afternoon and woke up around 8pm (which was when I wanted to go to sleep). I laid in bed until 10:30 when I fell asleep again. I woke up again a few times before I decided to get up at 3am. Breakfast, shower, stretching, bathroom and I was out the door a little after 4. I had over 1.5 hours until my 5:40 race start which from past experience was more than enough time to get to Epcot, park, hit the toilets and get to the start. This year was different. Less than 1 mile from the hotel I ran into heavy traffic and we were barely moving (of course my lane was the slowest). That 3 mile drive seemed to take forever and I was coming to the realization that I may not make it to the start on time. I ended up parking around 5:20 (20 minutes before start). I got to the start corrals as the national anthem was playing. There was a row of port-a-johns by the corrals that were empty (because everyone was ready to start). I jumped in for a quickie and got in to the corral about 1 minute before the start. The actual start ended up being 3-4 minutes late (so maybe not all was bad).
It took me a little over 1 minute to reach the start line after the clock started. I ended up being at the back of the A corral but I could still see the 3:30 pace group up ahead of me. I caught up with the group by the first mile but the number of runners still made it difficult to stay with the group. I decided to just keep in the general area until things thinned out a little. I warmed up pretty quick after I started running and tossed the sweatshirt around mile 3. By mile 5 things started to thin out and I was keeping a good steady pace. I felt like I was pressing a little but it wasn’t a struggle to stay with the 3:30 group. It definitely helped having them there though.
Around mile 8 the pace group was a nice cluster of maybe 25 runners and not too many runners in front or behind. Disney had a nice setup for the pacers. We had the main pace leader (Bill Sanders) plus roving pacers that would join the group for a while and then pull out (I assume to join other groups behind us). They did a lot of talking about their race experience or asking about ours or just stories to lighten things up a little.
The approach to and running through the magic kingdom was as good as always (by far my favorite part of the race). The sun was just breaking through as we ran down main street so it was a really nice experience.
As we approached the water stop around mile 15 the pace leader suggested that if you needed to use the toilets this was a good time since we were a little ahead of pace and he was going to slow a little. I didn’t have to go bad but I wasn’t sure if I would make it until the end so I ran up ahead and found an open port-a-john. My only comment here is that it’s tough taking a shit when your hands are frozen. Overall I lost 1:30 on the pit stop. I didn’t want to push too hard to get back to the pace group but I did want to catch up by mile 19 when the tough stretch started. I figured that if it could run 7:40-45 miles I would get to them by mile 19. I proceeded to pick up the pace a little and was surprised at the lack of extra effort that it required. I was 16+ plus miles in and running harder than my goal pace and I felt great. That feeling would not last long.
I finally caught up with the pace group around mile 19 as we were getting into a 3+ mile stretch of running up and down overpasses and a boring out and back stretch between the animal park and Hollywood studios. Somewhere around mile 20 my right knee starting bothering me. It wasn’t anything that I couldn’t deal with but I still had 6 miles to go. 21-23 is usually the toughest stretch for me. This is the point where running with a pace group has the biggest impact and the pace group leaders were the best. Whenever some of us were lagging behind the lead pacer, the other pacer would pull back a little and push the runners to catch up. At mile 22 I felt the group slipping away and if it wasn’t for that extra push I would have never stayed with them. As we were closing in on the mile 24 marker I got my second wind (or third..) and picked up the pace a little and tried to pull away. That lasted until around 24.5 when the pace leader and another runner seemed to pick up the pace and break away from the group. They weren’t really running faster but everyone else (including me) was slowing down and it was too close to the end for the pace leader to pull back and push us on. I did a pretty good job of keeping them within eyeshot. As we ran through the boardwalk there wasn’t a lot of room. The boards were a little slick (still icy) the path was narrow and trees were scattered along the path. I was struggling but was still keeping a steady pace.
As I turned into Epcot just before mile 25 I rounded a corner and caught my left toe on something. I fell forward and almost caught my balance (almost) but ended up plunging into the concrete. It was a good thing that I had gloves on because my hands would have been pretty messed up. I got to my feet in disbelief that I wiped out so late in the race. My first thought was that I blew my PR and BQ but I still started to run. At first it was a really slow jog but then I realized the fall really wasn’t that bad (more like I was too numb to feel it). Well I managed to put in a decent final mile and ended up breaking 3:30.
When I crossed the finish line all of the fatigue and cold hit me. My right knee was so sore I could hardly walk and my hands were so numb I couldn’t feel anything. On top of that I was in such a rush when I parked in the morning that I forgot where my car was. I had a pretty good idea of the section but I had to walk (of hobble) up and down a couple of rows before I found my car. Getting the key out of my pocket and starting the car was an adventure in itself but I managed and then sat in the car for a good 15 minutes before I thawed enough to drive.
Overall though it was a great race, I usually just miss the great running weather by a day or two and end up running in temps that are too warm. This race was the opposite but I’ll take that any day. I love running at Disney and I’m so happy that I was able to run so well here. This was my 7th marathon here (9th race overall) and I plan to be back many more times.
Monday, January 4, 2010
Weekly Summary 1/3/2010
Weekly total: 44.9
Monday: 7.08
Tuesday: 8.32
Wednesday: 8.2
Thursday: 7.04
Saturday: 9.12
Sunday: 5.17
Average pace: 7:49
Last week of training before the Disney Marathon. My right knee was starting to bother me a little more so I decided to take Friday off. After staying up after 2am I didn’t feel much like running anyway. Saturday’s early morning run in the cold felt great but it left my right hamstring really tight. It never loosened up on Sunday so I decided to cut that run short.
It does seem like my list of minor injuries seems to be building but nothing is really that bad and I should be fine with a couple of days rest.
My plan this week is to get in easy 1 hour runs on Monday & Tuesday and a short run on Thursday. Resting on Wed, Fri-Sat should give me enough time to recover and be rested for Sunday.
The forecast for Sunday’s lows range from 33-41 so I don’t think I’ll have to worry about it being too warm.
1 week until Disney
Monday: 7.08
Tuesday: 8.32
Wednesday: 8.2
Thursday: 7.04
Saturday: 9.12
Sunday: 5.17
Average pace: 7:49
Last week of training before the Disney Marathon. My right knee was starting to bother me a little more so I decided to take Friday off. After staying up after 2am I didn’t feel much like running anyway. Saturday’s early morning run in the cold felt great but it left my right hamstring really tight. It never loosened up on Sunday so I decided to cut that run short.
It does seem like my list of minor injuries seems to be building but nothing is really that bad and I should be fine with a couple of days rest.
My plan this week is to get in easy 1 hour runs on Monday & Tuesday and a short run on Thursday. Resting on Wed, Fri-Sat should give me enough time to recover and be rested for Sunday.
The forecast for Sunday’s lows range from 33-41 so I don’t think I’ll have to worry about it being too warm.
1 week until Disney
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