Motivated to Succeed

10:00 AM - Happy April everyone! :) Hilight of today was 2.5 miles after warmup in 26:39 @ 10:39 Pace! Total for the day was 4.75 miles in an even hour.  Felt really good. Light stretching to follow.

Total Time: 1:00:00 Total Distance: 4.75 miles Average Pace; 12:37 / mile

8:00 PM - Felt good today. Interesting food for thought. Was still reading Joe Henderson's Running A to Z and found a passage in there that talked about when running the Pikes Peak Marathon it is important to turn around as soon as  you get to the top because if you don't it will take much longer to find your way down the switchbacks; I think this can be extrapolated to the everyday runner, and more importantly those of us that became injured in the last several months.  I think there is a commonality among distance runners to continually improve and always strive to set a PR, or win a race.  Yet I think what I've learned the hard way in the last couple of months is that we can't continually improve. You can log as many miles as you want, but miles are correlated to wear and tear, and there is only so much the human body can take before it says "Hey! Wait a minute! I need a break here!".  I think I lingered too long at the top of the mountain after my November races, and started focusing on more intense training for the 1/2 in January, then jumped right back in to start training for the next race.  What I failed to do, was listen to my body and take some time for recovery.

Did warm up walk, then 2 easy miles of jogging in 21:25 (10:42 pace), cool down.

Total Time: 40:06 Total Distance: 3.25 miles Average Pace: 12:20 / mile

PROGRESS! I have done 11 miles of jogging in the last 5 days! Between 2-2.5 each day! Things are coming along nicely.  I can't wait until I can run 3 or 4 though!

8:00 AM - Went for a nice walk today. No running though, because did 5 days in a row with a jog. Ended up doing 25:00.

Total Time: 25:00  Total Distance: 1.67 Average Pace: 14:58

Had a stressful day today. Had to study for a big EPY 502 Ed Psych test. But it paid off! I got a perfect score and an actual thumbs up from the professor on the way out of the room.

I'm not sure who here has battled or is battling or knows someone who is battling cancer, but each year I do the Relay for Life, and this year I'd like to try to get pledges.  I set a goal of $200, though I know it will be hard to meet this goal by June.  For every $10.00 I collect I plan to run a mile.  If anyone has the ability to support me, or is interested in making a donation for a luminaria in remembrance/honor of anyone, my site is:  http://main.acsevents.org/goto/benngriffin

Many thanks FRBloggers.  Keep on trucking!

- - Benn - -

No run or walk today. Emergency came up at work.  Originally I was supposed to work 8am to 4pm, but one of the guys at work had chest pains and went to the ER so they asked me to stay an extra hour to 5pm, then to come back 9pm to 11:30pm.  They had wanted me to stay if possible all the way through but I had promised one of my brotheres to go to his fundraiser called Galwayopoly where I got to see him and my dad dominate Team Orange! Ugh! So got home around midnight, then my other brother woke me up at 4:30 and told me I had to take him to school for his band trip. Then I came home to sleep and finally fell asleep around 6, alarm when off at 6:42. Now work 8am to 4pm (that I know of).  I really want to do a walk or run tonight, but I might have to wait until after I pass out for a couple hours after work. So tired my eyelids hurt! haha.  Hope everyone else has better luck! As far as I know, Steve's okay though so that's the important part.  You can always catch up on sleep, but you only get one heart!

5:00 PM - Long day, kind of feels like Friday just merged with Saturday into a super day.  But luckily I got through work and was able to muster up the strength to get out there for a nice enjoyable outing. (This on quite possibly the best day of the year so far! 54 degrees and sunny with only a slight wind.  Headed to the track and foudn that I was the only one there except for one other walker.

Mile 1: warm up walk : 14:17. Felt nice and ready to go :)

Mile 2:  eased into a jog.  9:11 [ Yes, I know. That's fast! Though it did not feel fast at all.  I monitored myself and was running at the same effort and cadence that I did on the treadmill.  Felt really good though.

Mile 3: continued to jog. 8:50! [Fastest mile since I hurt myself in January. Don't worry I know that I should not try to PR now that I'm feeling better.  I will continue to keep myself in check and run smart and conservative.  Tomorrow will be a slow easy recovery day.]

Mile 3 - 3.5: 4:23; aka 8:51 / mile pace! This means I maintained an 8:50 pace for 1.5 miles after a 9:11 easy mile before that with no pain. That also equates to progress!

Mile 3.5 - 4.57 - Cool down mile: 14:15 for the first mile, 1:10 for the last .07.

Total Time:  52:07 Total Distance: 4.57 Average Pace: 11:24

JOGGING NOTES FROM THIS WEEK: WHERE I'M AT

• With 5 days including jogging of 6 days total, I had 3 x 2.5 miles of jogging continuously, and 2 x 2 miles of jogging continuously; I feel this shows that my persistence has paid off. It is important for me to continue to gradually increase miles so that I will not risk further injury.
• Total Miles Jogged this past week: 11.5 miles in time of : 1:59:19; Equates to average pace of 10:22, though this is skewed since my "break through" Saturday run.  Overall feel really great about my current level of fitness and looking forward to another good week. To everyone else out there who also continues to wage the war of Comeback 2008 - I think it was Teddy Roosevelt who said something like, "when you get to the end of a rope, tie a knot and hang on";  Wecan and will do this!  Keep on truckin' FRBloggers and thanks for all of your support!

- Benn - Anxiously awaiting the runs still developing over the horizon.

12:00 PM - Did a nice walk today before I have to get ready for work and schoolwork stuff. Still finishing up Joe Henderson's An Encyclopedia for the Thoughtful Runner.  So much of what he writes is so true and smart.  In it he suggests that the average runner can only train for at most 6 months of true "racing" a year, and that your corresponding training should follow the seasons so that you recover in the winter, race in the spring, recover and build slow and steady in the summer, and then race in the fall.  I am bypassing spring and using it as a time to just build up and recover. Then summer will be slow and steady again, hopefully back up to 50 or 60 mile weeks in preparations for the October Marathon and my November races.

Henderson writes, "The lesson here for all runners may be that we need an occasional training holiday. We might be wise not to wait for nature to demand it with an injury or an illness, but to take it voluntarily" (pp 137) He later goes on to use a quote from Ecclesiastes, "To everything, there is a season and a time for every purpose under heaven... a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to break down and a time to build up." (pp 140)

And, from page 155, "[Y]ou don't need to try anything more spectacular than the modest running you already do.  You already have such a big lead that almost no one will ever catch you.  You don't need to envy other heroes, because you are one." (This quote comes in context from an excerpt where Henderson talks about how less than 1% of people than ran in high school are still running by the time they graduate from college.) I think it helps put into perspective that while even though we will claim it's an individual race to the finish, how it's just us and the clock, we still pride ourselves in being able to call ourselves runners and toting our wall of PRs and finishes with us.  We all carry our own invisible trophy case whose stories are shown in bib numbers, finisher medals, and diary entries. And yet at the same time we want to be recognizecd for our commitment and determination with the sport and our training, all those miles to come to some kind of noticing by outsiders.  Well, just know that fellow runners and non runners alike do notice everyone's commitment and determination out there, and it has made our sport all the bettr for it I think at least.

With that said, did an easy 1 mile warm up walk in 15:00, then 2 miles jogging in 21:28 (10:44 pace), then 1 mile cool down walk.

Total Time: 50:41 Total Distance: 4 miles Average Pace: 12:40

8:00 AM - After a long week of work, had to get up early, despite wanting to sleep in.  Feeling a little worn out after only five hours of sleep last night, but so much work to do that I couldn't afford to sleep in.  Went on the treadmill so that I could read today's case study for class and thus kill two birds with one stone.  I find it easier to focus and mull things over while I am walking - shuffling oddly enough. It gives me time to think about how I want to go about addressing the topics.

Began with usual walk for the warm up, then eased into 2 miles of jogging in 21:23 @ 10:41 pace. Then cooled down walking for a mile at about 15:00 pace. Once again, pain free :). Things are looking up! Stay positive fellow bloggers. We will get through this together! With a little faith, hard work, and determination we can overcome any obstacle.

Total Time: 51:12 Total Distance: 4 miles Average Pace: 12:48 / mile

1:00 PM - Went for another walk after a long morning of getting homework done for my night class.  Just a short 15 minute walk. Gorgeous out today in the upper 40s or low 50s!  On a side note, first 5+ day total in almost 2 months!

Total Time: 15:00 Total Distance: 1.02 miles Average Pace: 14:42/mile

Am reading Sacks Psychology of Running (1981) still.  Just finished actually.  A couple interesting quotes I woud like to share:

I. With regards to running addiction: "The bottom line in the development of addiction to running is adherence. You can't develop addiction to the activity unless you participate on a regular basis... Running has become a compulsion, a habit, an addiction. When days are missed, withdrawal symptoms become immediately apparent and generally powerful.  Running has become much more than a means to the end of getting in shape; it has become the end itself. The need to run becomes omnipresent." (120-121)  I think this was the hardest part (and arguably still is) about a forced break from running.  We truly take for granted just the ability to lace up and head out the door for a run when we are sidelined, and I give Emmy and everyone else that had to deal with me during my lay off extra points for putting up with my moodyness. It's amazing how the human body adapts after conditioning.

II. Also in regards to that as a follow up, and something I think I have suffered from comes from Ch. 21 " A High Prevalence of Affective Disorder in Runners": runners reported an improvement in mood and a reduction of tension after running; many of them had past histories of depression which had improved since they started running... As well as relieving depression, running (or the lack thereof) can itself cause depression. Some symptoms include depression, insomnia, fatiguability, irritability, and tachycardia (238-245)

It's amazing to think that books written on running, even 25 or 30 years ago are still so relevant today. I found it funny when Sacks mentioned that one sign of running addiction is the chronic reading of anything and everything about the sport. But I think as long as I keep myself in check, it is not necessarily a bad thing.

9:00 AM - Today was a really great day! I was pretty tired and kind of stressed with all of the end of the year projects and papers due. But I wanted to get my walk-shuffle in early. So after talking to my cutie and saying good morning, hopped on the treadmill. Mixed reactions today - walk and shuffle went fine, actually FANTASTIC, as I logged the longest jog yet since February 3 miles non-stop in 32:10 @ 10:43 pace! Started with 15:00 walk of one mile and finished with cooldown walk of a mile in 15:00 as well.  During the time though I was reading a really important book that I hope more Americans will read:  Affluenza, by John DeGraaf : book version of a PBS documentary that aired a while ago that talks about how Americans today are overworked, overstressed, underslept, and so tied into wasteful consumerism that we are effectively shooting the world to hell in a handbasket.  It made me sick to read some of the staggering statistics out there i.e. that 93% of teenage girls list shopping as their favorite activity, Parents today spend 7 times more time shopping then they do playing with their kids, America makes up only 4 percent of the world's population but is responsible for 25 percent of global warming.. There currently are more people filing for bankruptcy each year than graduate from college, and further more, more people are in an endless stream of debt now then during the Great Depression!  Reading the statistics I guess I count myself fortunate that 1. I'm a runner and understand and appreciate the sacredness and natural wonderment of the world around me, and 2. that I have not been drawn into the credit card fiasco that fuels consumerism today. They said the average American has over 7 credit cards and more than 8,000 dollars of debt.  It's times like these that I feel like either moving to Canada or voting the Communist ticket. I'm sick and tired of the rich getting the tax breaks, the middle class being underinsured with health care, and everyone buying into capitalist propoganda. Everyone says the hippies are radicals and that the eco-friendly people are just weirdos; Well if I have it my way, a nice house out in the country, with my own land, no smog or pollution, no hustle and bustle and stress of work and urbanity, that sounds pretty sweet to me.  What is money worth if the stress and time that it takes to get it takes you away from your family and shortens years off your life? We only live once, so we should try to make the best of it! Okay I'll hop off my soap box now :)

Total Time: 62:10 Total Distance: 5 miles Average Pace: 12:26/ mile

9:00 AM - Started with 1 mile warm up walk in 15:00, then eased into 3 miles of jogging in the same time as yesterday : 32:10 (10:43 / mile!). Half mile walking cool down and light stretching.  Felt really great. No pain!

Total Time: 54:45 Total Distance: 4.5 miles Average Pace: 12:10/ mile

Going to take it easy and take tomorrow off, as I have had some good gains the last few days and don't want to push it too much. Plus I have a late night at work and a lot of school work to catch up on! I wish everyone the best and hope that all my fellow recovering FRBloggers get to come back soon! We will make it through the injuries and come out stronger, more determined, and more the wiser for it! We can do this! Stay strong and think positive. Optimism truly is a little known virtue that has kept me going all these weeks! You're in my prayers everyone.

9:00 AM - Started with a nice mile warm up walk, then eased into my jogging. Was reading about Amby Burfoot's 1968 Boston Marathon win, and I can't imagine running 26.2 miles without any water stops! Let alone racing that far!! Absolutely amazing. Did 2.5 miles of nice jogging in 26:49 (10:43 pace) and then .5 miles cooldown walk. Felt really good today and just needed to get in a few more miles to ease into the school work today. Best of luck today FRBloggers and keep on truckin'.

Total Time: 49:19 Total Mileage: 4 miles Average Pace: 12:17/ mile

7:00 PM - Did a quick walk with .5 miles jog at the same pace as this morning. Total of 1.75 miles in a time of 24:00.

Total Time: 24:00 Total Distance: 1.75 Average Pace: 13:42

5:00 PM - After working all day, was nice to get changed and head to the track, since I knew that no one else would be there as it was about 42 degrees, overcast and raining like it had been all day.  Started with a mile walking warm up, then 2 miles jogging, 1 mile cool down with a little bit of jogging.

• Mile 1 - 13:55
• Mile 2 - 9:08 (feeling really good)
• Mile 3 - 8:53 (felt as easy pace as running on treadmill; had to hold back)
• Mile 4 - 11:25 (with about half mile of jogging in there)
• last .05 - :36

Total Time: 44:00 Total Distance: 4.05 miles Average Pace: 10:52/ mile

SUMMARY FOR THE WEEK: Ended up doing 28.32 miles total this week, nice improvement and no pain.  In total I did 14.5 miles of jogging in total of 2:37:22 (or 10:51 a mile pace)

FOR NEXT WEEK:  Would like to keep mileage at about the same but transition some more jogging % of the miles; i.e. have maybe 16 or 17 miles of jogging instead of 14.5.

Things are getting better. Think Spring everyone! We'll get through this!

11:00 AM - After going to church with Dad today, I went home, changed and headed to the track. Started with a walking warmup as usual, then ended up going 3.25 miles without stopping!! Then cool down walking and slow jog picking up all the litter and bottles around the track! Come on people! Don't litter! It's bad! Did my part though.

• Mile 1 - 13:53
• Mile 2 - 8:59 (jogging: Really good; surprised it was this fast!)
• Mile 3 - 8:45 (Did I read that right? :) )
• Mile 4 - 8:44 (Woot! Feeling awesome)
• Mile 4-4.25 - 2:15 (9:00 pace)
• Mile 5 - 12:23
• Last .1 - :53

Total Time: 55:55 Total Distance: 5.34 Average Pace: 10:28/ mile

1:00 PM - Squeezed in a quick workout between work and school. Really tired and stressed with all the stuff lately, but class tomorrow night is "optional" which frees up time to get this presentation for next week together. Crunch time this week so I can have the weekend off to watch the Trials and Boston!  Began with normal walking warmup, then eased into 3 miles in 31:17 (10:25 pace), then cooled down walking.

Total Time: 49:36 Total Distance: 4.25 miles Average Pace: 11:40/ mile

Thanks for all the great posts everyone! I am really wanting to enter the St. George Lottery now!!! It would be really exciting I think! Plus I heard it's a fast course, though since I don't train at such elevation, and gain from the negative elevation overall would probably be negated; though I would really like to be able to see Utah! That'd be fun! :)

I REGISTERED TODAY FOR ST. GEORGE MARATHON!!! CROSSING MY FINGERS! I CALLED UP AND TOLD EMMY, AND SHE'S SO EXCITED! SHE WANTS TO COME WATCH ME RUN IF I GET ACCEPTED INTO THE MARATHON. (SHE'S MY GOOD LUCK CHARM AFTER ALL AND HAS GONE TO MY LAST TWO MARATHONS!!) I CHECKED ON EXPEDIA.COM AND PLANE TICKETS WERE BETWEEN 300 AND 450 I THINK. AND IF I FIND OUT SOON ENOUGH (I.E. MAY) THEN WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO GET THE TICKETS ALL LINED UP! SO HAPPY! NOW I NEED TO GET SERIOUS ABOUT A PLAN SO I CAN SET A HUGE PR!

2:45 PM - So today started off with work from 8am to 12pm, then to the dentist @ 1:30 where I found out that one of my molars that had been filled last time, hadn't been sealed completely.. so that's why I was having pain; so he had to give me three separate shots of novacaine and then drilled out the old porcelain filling, plus the "soft" parts that had developed (this hurt so much!) then he refilled it.  I went to the track afterwards, as it was 52 and sunny. I still can't feel the left side of my face and I might be drooling on the keyboard as I write this :)

• .5 mile warm up: 7:15 (14:34 / mile)
• Running! (there I finally said it!) Did three miles ofrunning. Splits were : 8:16, 8:09, 8:12. Yes, I know way too fast, but no pain, and I promise that tomorrow will just be an easy recovery day. This is sweet sweet progress though :)
• Cooled down with a mile of walking and light jogging alternating every lap: 12:23

Total Time: 44:20 Total Distance: 4.5 miles Average Pace: 9:50/ mile!

9:45 AM - It's supposed to be a gorgeous day today with a high of near 70; Too bad I have to spend it inside doing homework and then later working until midnight! Decided to start the day off right with my normal walk-shuffle routine.  Ended up going for 1:00 even today! And better yet, no pain or soreness (besides in my mouth from the visit to the dentist yesterday!) Started with a warmup mile walk in 15:00, then eased into 3.5 miles of light jogging as I read a local running magazing The Pacesetter, total time of 37:20 (10:40/ mile), then cooled down with .5 miles of walking and stretching. Felt really great!

Total Time: 1:00:00 Total Distance: 5.00 miles Average Pace: 12:00/ mi

9:00 AM - Felt great today. Tired, but got some endorphins after hopping on the treadmill. Warmed up with 1.5 miles of walking, then eased into 3.5 miles of jogging in 37:20 (10:40 / mile pace), then cooled down with .5 miles of walking.

Total Time: 1:07:30 Total Distance: 5.5 miles Average Pace: 12:16/ mile

What I'm Reading Today: Picked up a copy of Marathoningby Bill Rodgers (c. 1980) and read the first 80 pages of it while on the treadmill today. It truly is amazing just how knowledgeable and gifted Rodges is. And to think that after his collegiate days for Wesleyan he was going ot give up the sport completely! (and arguably did for a couple years). He truly is a remarkable man, and having known and competed with the best of the generation (Shorter, Galloway, Burfoot).. he has so much insight into the sport of long distance running. I wish I had come across this book earlier, but I'm just getting to his narrative of winning Boston for the first time, and I'm absolutely hooked. Just a couple words I thought we can all take to heart:

"You often read about the Kenyan runners and the statements they make about why the American and European runners tighten up: that they worry too much about the other competitors; that they worry to much about individual times in a race, or about their splits....They refuse to let the pure naturalness of running take over." (pg. 47) How true is it that often we approach a race with a specified goal in mind, and then we set out 'on pace' to achieve that goal, only to flounder or get discouraged when we get a slower time. I have learned a lot in the last year myself, and found that the reason I improved in my races was both upping my mileage, as well as listening to the advice of a 15 year old brother who, while he doesn't truly understand the sport, perhaps understands a critical piece of racing. "Just race." he told me. Sometimes we can't always shoot for a PR. Or if we do, as Sasha has alluded to, we can't set out on pace for that PR, especially if conditions are unfavorable. We need to modify our approach. As Rodgers learned in his first experience with the marathon at Boston in 1973, it truly is a humbling experience.

"[A] runner must always retain his individuality as a runner. Never get caught up too much with the pack or with a coach. You have to think for yourself.... Let it filter through, be selective, and discard the rest. You must know yourself and what is right for you." (pg. 27)

"For most people who run marathons, it is and it should be that way.. It's not a race, except a race within yourself. Can you finish it? Sometimes that becomes a difficult question for a marathoner. An Irish marathoner I know described such situations best. He likened them to "a crucifixion." (pg. 57)Okay, so yeah Rodgers is clearly exaggerating, but at the same time he captures the essence of the marathon. The marathon is one of the most grueling races that the runner can endure. To approach it as a serious race, and truly lay everything out on the line can be the most painful experience one has to deal with. You can hit the wall and either stop, or endure the pain and push on for that self-gratification of crossing the finish line. Marathons in my opinion take on a spirituality - when you are out there, plodding along for hours, you get in a groove, and you focus on issues in your life. You take in the scenery, but at the same time you are constantly self-monitoring, and internalizing what this journey means for you.  I think that if you don't have a goal of what you want to get out of the marathon when you go in, you aren't going to come out with a sense of accomplishment. You will just come out feeling let down. I have great respect for all the marathoners out there, and the countless thousands of miles they have put into training. 

As we look forward to this weekend and the Olympic Trials and all of our fellow FRBloggers that are competing in Boston, as well as Ogden later this Spring and anyone else training for a race in the future, we should remember why we are doing it.  Whether it's for better health, for the runner's high, for a PR, for comraderie, or for the adrenaline rush and thrill of competition - remember that we are all runners together and that we all have the drive and determination to toe that starting line like a world class athlete.  We might not all have the athletic prowess as Rodgers, Shorter, Hall, or Sell but we all have a heart as big as theirs'. We have what it takes inside of us to reach the finish line. We understand that it will be a test of will, of endurance, but we have faith in our months and years of preparation, and we journey forth down that path intent on proving to ourselves we too deserve the thrill of victory. Best of luck to everyone in their training and racing.  Run strong. Run fast. Run for you. God bless.    

  - Benn -

7:00 PM - In Pittsfield, Mass. with Emma. We went to the Ashwilticook Trail that goes From Pittsfield north to Lanesboro and Cheshire. We started over by the Berkshire Mall and walked for a bit because I wasn't sure how I felt. Temps were in the mid to upper 60s and a slight breeze.  Things were really looking gorgeous tonight as it was just approaching the dusk hours and the sun was setting over the lake.

• Mile 1: 15:46
• Mile 2: 14:42
• Mile 3: 9:48
• Mile 4: 9:52
• Mile 5: 9:44

No pain, and felt calm and collected, though I got "chicked" big time by Emma! (and to think she claims she isn't a runner!) Feeling good, and anxious to come up with a plan for the 'thon in October.

Total Time: 59:52 Total Distance: 5 miles Average Pace: 11:58/ mile

WATCHED THE BOSTON MARATHON TODAY! Absolutely amazing! I don't know how Cheriyout does it, but he truly is one of the most amazing distance runners I have ever watched. He knows strategy so well, and knows how to use the course to his advantage :)

On another note, found out my neighbor PR'ed in the marathon and also beat his time by about 6 minutes from last year!!

71

53

Shaun P. Evans

30

M

Middle Grove

2:31:46

**(This is good, considering where we live, the lack of an organized running club and the fact that this guy logs all his miles by himself, all while working full time as a physical therapist) I wish I could get even a 3:31!!! Man Shaun is amazing too!

3:45 PM - Temp was in the high 70s, sunny. Was in Pittsfield still, and after class on Monday, I wanted to go for another hike-walk-jog with Emma.  We chose the Pittsfield State Forest this time, and it was amazing!.  We experienced backwoods offroading. There was an access trail that was covered with rocks and last years leaves as no one had cleared the trail for some time. We started off on a "loop" but we noticed we were just going further back into the woods with no loop in site.. It was extremely hard work climing up there and we averaged less than three mph on the way up! This is how the day's excursion ended up going splits wise (I'm surprised neither of us slipped off the edge of the trail or hurt ourselves more than our battle scarred legs and a couple rolled ankles!) To put things into perspective.. it took us about 33:00 to go up ~1.5 miles, and only 16:00 to come down! We are trail blazers to the max! Raaaaaawwwwr!

Max Elevation: 2125'

• Mile 1: 22:06 (Hi ho Hi ho it's off to work we go!)
• Mile 2: 18:23 (Hmm.. where's the loop? Time to free-run!)
• Mile 3: 10:49 (It's a bird, it's a plane, it's SUPER BENN!)
• Mile 4: 10:29 (Whoah! Pavement feels so cloudlike after that!cooldown)
• Mile 5: 20:17 (walking on another trail in the park hand in hand ;) )

Total Time: 1:22:04 Total Mileage: 5 miles Average Pace: 16:24/ mile

2:00 PM - After five days in Pittsfield, I had to give a goodbye hug and kiss to Emma and reluctantly come back to New York, as I had work from 4 to midnight tonight. Got home at 2 and I have to leave by about quarter after 3 to get to work on time, so I decided rather than unpack, I would hop on the treadmill.  Did a 5 minute warm up walk, eased into 3 miles of steady, painfree jogging, and then ended with a short cool down walk and stretching. Then headed off to work. My achilles feels fine and pain free after all the bumps and bruises from this weeks hiking! I really want to plan out a marathon training plan but I just don't know if it's simply "too early"; I know that Sasha often suggests to people to get up to 6 miles a day for 6 days a week before starting to even think about long runs.  Should I start to try to shoot for 4 miles of jogging at a time for 5 times a week at first? and then go from there? I think I had about 17 miles of jogging last week.

Total Time: 38:00 Total Mileage: 3.5 miles Average Pace: 10:51

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF OUR AWESOME FRBloggers WHO WENT OUT AND COMPETED THIS WEEK. I'M TRULY SORRY IF I HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO COMMENT ON YOUR RACE REPORT YET, BUT IT DOESN'T MEAN IT'S FALLEN ON DEAF EARS (OR EYES?). I look forward to reading more of your blogs in the coming weeks, after school crazyness dies down.  And I am also anxiously awaiting news to be able to run in St. George Marathon 2008!! Yay! Keep on truckin' friends!!

10:00 AM - Started with a 5 minute warmup walk on the treadmill, and then eased into jogging while reading June's issue of Running Times. Felt really good, a little soreness in the quads from that escapade in the woods a few days ago, but other than that felt really good. Ended up doing  the most miles I've done since being injured! 5 MILES OF JOGGINGtoday!! (53:28, good for 10:41/ mile pace) and then cooled down with .6 miles of walking. 15 minutes of stretching and 200 situps and crunches followed. Felt really good! And now I'm ready to tackle all this killer homework I have!

Total Time: 70:00 Total Mileage: 6.1 miles Average Pace: 11:28/ mile

4:30 PM - Have been really tired the last few days, and after working all day yesterday, was too tired to get out for a run or anything, so I waited until my "short" day today, as I only worked until 3:00. So I came home and went for a bike ride with one of my brothers and my mom to the high school track, 5.17 miles biking there in 19:34 (Splits were: 4:42,2:58, 2:55, 4:07, 4:03, :49), then stretched and eased into 3 miles of continuous, painfree jogging: 30:00 exact (9:05, 10:21, and 10:34). Then stretched with Mom and Harry and cooled off with a bike ride home after about .6 miles of walking on the track. Riding home, the splits were between 4:00 and 5:19 a mile. Took it easy. So happy to get the first decent bike ride in . And weather was gorgeous! About 70 with sun and slight 5-10mph wind.

Total Time: 1:17:19 Total Distance: 13.11 miles Average Pace (running): 10:00 / mile (biking) 4:00

*Note Current 2008 Max Sustained Speed for Bike: 35 MPH(has to be held for 5 seconds)

Food for thought: So last night at work I was leafing through a book I ordered from the 70s written by Ken Sparks and Gary Bjorklund. In it I happened upon a breakdown of training routines by some of the best runners of the 1960s and 70s. It was really interesting so see that of the elite American runners, most said weight training made up 0-5% of their training regime. This would make sense as we all know it pays in distance running to carry less weight. But something I really honed in on was their listing of the differences in training between LSD (long slow distance) and tempo (sustained running). I didn't buy the book yet so I only remember a couple figures off the top of my head, but the few staggering ones that jumped out at me were:

• Frank Shorter - 50 % LSD, 34% tempo
• Bill Rogers (Rodgers) - 2% LSD, 90% tempo

Maybe I only remembered these two since I'm reading Rodger's book Marathoning (c. 1980?) and I'm on a huge must read everything about distance running from the masters of the 70s and 80s kick, but I think it definintely hits on the point that some people have predominantly slow twitch muscles, and others fast-twitch, or a mixture of fast and slow. Rodgers has always claimed that he has a lot of slow-twitch, so it would make sense to do more tempo running, and Shorter as we all know was a master on the track as well, but lacked the natural gift for longer events (though he arguably trained rigorously to earn that gold medal!). I think something to take from Rodgers' wisdom inMarathoning is that we as runners know our bodies best and must adapt our training both to suit our strong points, but at the same time, to challenge our weaknesses. There is no way to improve, without testing our limits, and pushing through the fatigue, though not every workout, as that would be problematic. Reading advice from some of these great runners, most of who are still active in races today, kind of serves as a rejuicing for the ego. I know that so manhy of us are still battling our injuries, and I know I am far from 100%, but I think that reading about Rodgers winning the 3 most prestegious marathons in under 12 months and setting the AR for the marathon in 2:09:55, but yet being set back by injuries kind of supports my goals for this recovery. I'm trying to recover smartly and hopefully take a lot out of this down period so that I can develop a training plan that works fior me and can help me stay injury free in the future. For now I will bide my time, and be the running guru here, reading all the literature I can get my hands on, and of course blogging like there's no tomorrow.

Best of luck FRBloggers. Happy Monday! Run safe. And most importantly, run for you :)!

9:00 AM - Rainy day today. Went on the 'mill. Did a walking warm up, eased into a nice 2 mile jog in 21:25 good for 10:42 pace, and then cooled down with a walk. Felt pretty good, though legs are a little tight and sore from biking. I think tomorrow is a day off. Happy running bloggers!

Total Time: 40:20 Total Distance: 3.25 mi Average Pace: 12:24/ mile

Wow. It's hard to believe April has come and gone. Tomorrow is May. And I'm still nursing this injury. Blah. I got a slight twinge of pain going up stairs on Monday on the way to class, so I took yesterday off and today as well, though I'm going to be on my feet all night at work. Put the heel lift back in and I'm hoping that I can get in a short 2 mile jog on Thursday, maybe Friday. It is so frustrating, since my heart and mind are 110% committed, but my "Achilles heel" (pardon the pun ;) ) is just holding me back. Praying for a swift recovery. I really want to do well at St. George.

As I try to stay positive, a quote Marcus Aurelius made rings true:

"Reject your sense of injury, and the injury itself disappears." Now maybe I shouldn't reject it, but rather accept and embrace it. I think that I've done a lot to put myself headed in the right direction - that of recovery. I just need to accept that it is going to be a slow go for a while. Maybe by June I can be back to running 4 days a week with 5 or 6 miles? Who knows!

Happy Wednesday everyone. It's almost May, and halfway to the weekend! :) God bless all of our FRBloggers and their families. And everyone else nursing an injury, you're in my prayers. Oh, and if anyone needs protection from neighborhood dogs or hooligans, just call up the Howling Commandos 1-800-BICYCLE. Brent and I deliver. Hoo ha!