track fan

AM: (8 miles, 1:10:07).  Beautiful New Years Day!  38 and sunny ... shorts and gloves, what could be more perfect than that?  I went by my friends Big Boy and CoCo (horses), fed them some carrots and talked to their owner a little -- caught a big break on the way home, 20 mins of a tailwind ... lovely!  

PM: easy 4.  

I am going to splurge and run on the flats tomorrow ...

Back to the salt mine, I am freaked out about my deadlines.

Have a wonderful day bloggers! 

1:58:37 (1:01:36/57:00) (8:48/8:08).  Ran on the Rillito trail ... a nice flat, marked trail.  Ended up with an unintentional progression run on the way back - I actually was already speeding up some before the turnaround, 8:22 (average 3 miles, only have 2 mile markers in this section), 8:18, 8:10, 7:48, 7:23.  Sweet ... since it was totally by effort (I did not hit my lap times, I just remembered the split times and calculated it later).

I guess I have been underestimating my mileage on my long runs for a while now, since I pretty much ran how I usually do, although this is the flattest run in the whole city (except for Reid Park which is only 3 miles around).  Pretty satisfied.  Although I hated every moment, I am glad I cross-trained during my injury.  I am actually also a little happy about having to take some down time, it got me energized, and seeing how I did not really lose much fitness, it was probably a good thing to do.  I think I am going to try to force myself to take 1-2 weeks off every year (though cross-train through it) ... as a matter of fact I think I am going to try to talk Dean into a 7+ long backpacking trip this summer, it has been almost 2 years since we have gone on a long trip and it is so awesome.  

I hope you are all having a great day!

AM: (10 miles, 1:26:17). 27:33wu/30:12cd, 20 x :30 w/1` recovery.   Beautiful day today, 33F and sunny.  I slept well last night (for the first time in two weeks, I think because I finally made some progress on the myriad of things I have due in the next week or so) and it showed!  I enjoyed my run, my legs enjoyed my run, and all is right with the world -- well, until I get into my office ;-).

PM: 4 miles easy.  I have to get back on the horse -- I am going to go back to the ill-fated Reid Park tonight.  I have not decided whether I am going to try a new parking spot, but I surely won't have anything of value in the car (and my wallet and phone will be well hidden).

I hope you all have inspired moments and a joyfilled day! 

1:04:42.  It was colder this morning, the same temperature (33F) but cloudy so it felt cooler than yesterday - luckily, I was running uphill for the first half of the run so I warmed up pretty quickly.  Felt really good again today ... but I tried to run really easy anyway because I have a hard workout tomorrow that (I hate to second judge my coach) I am not sure I am ready for ... but, you have to start somewhere so I will just do the best I can do.

I hope you are all having a wonderful week so far, the week is going by way too quickly for me ... there just are not enough hours in the day. 

AM: (14 miles, 1:53:50). 28:05wu/25:28cd, 8 mile Steady State run (target 7:16-7:30).  I really did not expect to hit the target for this run, it is the first stamina workout I have done in nearly 5 months.  And, I knew I was not in as good of shape as I was last March when I did this workout (after coming off an awesome 10K training cycle).  I will admit I was also a little intimidated with the sheer length of the run ... so, I decided to take it really easy and just run close to 7:35 pace with the primary goal being to finish the workout ... 

actual paces: 7:32, 7:19, 7:30, 7:32, 7:30, 7:32, 7:26, 7:21  

The first 4 miles I was getting harassed by about 20 high-school kids who were walking around the track.  They would wait until I came up on them and run and stand right next to each other and force me out into lane 5.  Finally, a few of them quit doing it and tried to give me some space, but at least 6 of them continued to torment me until they left ... it was nice to be able to run in lane one for the final 4 miles.  After this I had to run the brutal uphill home ... I was tired ... I am tired ... now I have to go to work and finish a paper that is 4 days late!  

Just as a comparison, last March I ran this same workout in: 7:32, 7:25, 7:16, 7:18, 7:25, 7:20, 7:19, 7:14 .... given that I am still 2 months out from my next race, I am still a little hopeful that even if I don't PR I won't be too far out from my fitness from last year (hope hope).

PM: 4 miles super easy.

Have a good day bloggers!! 

1:07:18.  Easy recovery run up the Yeatman trail (3 mins slower than usual, works out to :30/mile which is perfect for a recovery pace, yippee).

Nice day today, warmer than it has been (about 37F) and the sun came in at the end of the run.  No complaints today!!  Well, except for the fast that I have back-to-back meetings from 10-4 today ... I will have to eat my sandwich walking from one meeting to the next (or during one of the meetings I won't have to talk much at ;-) ).

I hope you are all getting ready for a fabulous weekend! 

AM:(8 miles,1:11:39)

PM: easy 4.

I am sorry, I can not write right now.  I am horribly depressed and sad today.

Congresswoman Giffords was shot in the head during an event here in Tucson today.  Two of her aides were killed and 9 others were shot as well.  It is a sad day.   

2:14:18.  Ran on the trails down in the valley ... legs were pretty tired today, so I took it pretty slow.   Was an awesome day for a run.  

Have to get to work, not only do classes start next week, but I have to get ready for a talk on Tuesday and I have a manuscript due next weekend (it was an invited article for a special issue of a journal that is coming out in March).  

Still sad.  Hate to say it, but I still hate guns, despite the fact that it is a right, I don't like them at all. 

AM: (9.5 miles, 1:24:24).  I really have no idea how far this was, I did my usual "8 mile" route and added in 10 x :30 pick-ups w/1` recovery. 

PM: (4 miles easy).

Early morning meeting, I had give a short talk this morning ... we are going to be submitting a very big grant in May and I am the director of one of the core's in the project.  Very boring - except when I got into a minor "altercation" with one of the other project leaders ... that was exciting.

There is a huge memorial (and vigil) going on in the front of the hospital (all of the victims from Saturday are here) -- it is two buildings over from my office and next door to the Cancer Center (where I have a lot of meetings).  It is quite sad ... and I couldn't believe how many people were there (not including reports, of which there are thousands).  We are in "lock-down" here, many areas are closed off to the public and everywhere you go you have to show your id.  There is a big Memorial tomorrow (President and first lady Obama will be here) - so they cancelled the first day of classes tomorrow.  This is actually pretty good for me, as Monday is a holiday so I have a whole week before my first lecture now, and I can concentrate on my paper that is due next Tuesday ... the University will be shutting down tomorrow at 2:30 though, I have not decided whether I will be going to the Memorial or watch it from home.  

I hope you are all having a wonderful week, running strong and staying warm. 

1:04:38.  Ran on the Yeatman trail.  Nice day -- not a lot (none actually) of other folks on the trail ... loved the red mountains from the sunrise.

I hope you are all having a wonderful day ... very busy so I have to go! 

AM: (10 miles, 1:26:36).  My usual 8 plus adding on 10 x :30 pickups on a dirt road with 1` recovery.

PM: (easy 4).

Still swamped at work, I promise I will have more interesting things to say as soon as this deadline is over (well, depending on how class goes, the class is booked and there 5 more on the waitlist for the class).   The one thing that I can share is the lastest from the Kiwi Kim Smith - she absolutely rocks.  She was 3rd overall in a super fast 5K (she ran 14:59,  this weekend.  The winning man ran a 14:54 and is a 2:16 marathoner.  Great read about the race can be found here.  I can't wait until she and Shalane Flannagan meet again - their duals in college were amazing.

Happy trails bloggers! 

1:04:49.  Up the mountain ... it was beautiful (as always this time of year).  I did not see any wildlife, but, I saw a hunter.  He was carefully crouching and walking up the side of the mountain (off trail, they can't hunt from the trail).  I felt sorry for him, if *I* could see/hear him as I was running by he doesn't have much chance of sneaking up on a deer or javelina.

Happy Friday everyone, may your day be extra productive so you can enjoy your weekends!!  

Good luck to all the RocknRoll Arizona runners:  Marathon Dreamer, Jeff!

good luck to Nan (as she prepares for the USATF 1/2 marathon championship in a couple weeks!!!  GO NAN!!!).

AM: (8 miles, 1:07:09).  I started out today and felt SO good, I had to slow myself down a lot (I was more thant 15secs/mile faster than usual and I was breathing out of my nose running really easy) -- I love days like this.  Then, when I had about 25mins to go (through the hardest part of the run -- a 1.5 mile uphill -- this guy passes me. I had seen him when I came off of my dirt road part (after I saw Big Boy and CoCo).  I let him go, because I heard him huffing and puffing behind me, and even uphill I was running super easy.  As soon as we crested the steepest section I knew he was toast.  So, I bumped it up a notch and flew by him ...  pretty stupid,  but I did it anyway.  There was this HUGE fire near my house, and I stopped and talked to some cyclists for a minute, and then took off ... by now I was running super easy again, and he caught up to me.  He said something to me as he went off to another road, I don't know what he said, but I think he was being friendly.  

Regardless, I felt better than I have in months ... it was a good day (and it was 50F!!  I was wearing shorts and a racer top ... lovely!

PM: easy 4.

I have to work my little brain off today.  I have to finish part of my paper to send to my collaborators -- and then I can work on the more methodologic portions on my own ... it is due on Tuesday, yikes yikes yikes.

There is an awesome track meet today at UW.  Shalane Flannagan and Lisa Koll will be running the 3000m and Bumbi (Georgetown standout from Nashville - in his first "pro" race)  and Aaron Braun (from McMillan Elite - winner of the USATF Club XC championships) will by running in the men's 3000m mile ... many track fans are crying foul about this race because it is an oversized indoor track (so kind of like running on an aided/downhill course) - but I don't care if it can't be used for records, it is a great way to start the indoor track season with some awesome head-to-head racing!!  Entries are here, schedule is here, and results will be here.   

UPDATE: men's race finished, what a close race!

  1 Bumbalough, Andrew           Nike                   4:00.14
  2 Braun, Aaron                 McMillan Eli           4:00.38
  3 smith, scott                 Unattached             4:04.07
  4 Horn, Jordan                 Adidas/McMil           4:06.61
 

2:04:29.  Ran on the trails down below the pass. I have no idea how far this was, it could have been anywhere between 14-15 miles.  I am underestimating because it is my preference.

I kind of wanted to run on the Rillito trail, but I really had to get to work as early as possible (the drive would add an hour to my day) and I wanted to run as easy as possible -- Dean cautioned me not to overdo it when feeling "great" (he is a smart guy, and reminded me that it is how I have tended to overdo it in the past).  Anyway, there is no way I can overdo it on these trails, although it is not nearly as tough as my everyday hills, the footing is not great and they chew up your legs.  I was pretty tired by mile 10, but pulled it together and ran strong (not super fast but strong) on the way back.  I ran a different trail than last weekend, this was is as difficult (uphill the last 3 miles) - but the footing is much better, unfortunately, it is also a little shorter -- I am pretty sure I was not running a min/mile slower than last week.  Anyway ... nice 2 hour run done ... back to work I go, hi ho hi ho.

Great racing today by Jeff and Marathon Dreamer!! MD pr'd by 13 mins!! yippee!

Great cross-country race today too - the first Bay Area Cross-Country race... super studs Molly Huddle and Ben Bruce (boyfriend of Stephanie Rothstein of McMillan Elite) won ... the men's race was super close ... would have loved to be there for it!  Awesome pics here -- note that Nan's teammate Renee Baille (nee Metevier -- a CU standout) was second (yea Renee)!

Happy Sunday Bloggers, next weekend, indoor track on TV!!!! 

AM: (8 miles, 1:08:37).   DUSA (discovery USA) progression run.  Ran pretty easy for the first 5 miles (hit my just over 2 mile landmark in 18:13 -- I generally hit this in 18:30-18:50), ran my loop and then ran the last 20` moderately hard (it is uphill so not hard to run it moderately hard even when running easy ;-) ).  I ran the last 'just over 2 miles' in 16:08 ... felt pretty good, especially considering my lack of sleep and eating over the past few days.  Things are just really over the top busy right now.  I have not been home from work before about 9PM all week (last night I got home at 10).  I am actually too busy to eat (and can't eat dinner that late anyway) -- so I am stocking up on the vitamin c to try to keep my immune system strong.  I really am going to try harder to make time to eat this week -- if I don't forget like I usually do ;-).  Thing is, it is not going to get much easier anytime soon, I am teaching, I have to get at least 2 papers published by March, I have an NIH grant review in two weeks (a trip to DC - and I will miss a whole week of "office work"), plus another trip to DC for a board meeting two weeks after that!  oh man.  I am tired just thinking about it.  Oh well, this is why I spent 12 years in college, because I thought this all sounded so exciting ;-)  - enough bitching, time to get back to work.

PM: 4 miles easy. 

I hope you are all having a wonderful week so far!! 

? how long ... 1:03-1:04.  Ran up the trail, nice morning 48F (not sunny because it was too early - but I am sure it was on its way to sunny).  Wednesdays are tough because my class is in the morning ... and I usually have last minute things to do before class.

So, I know I talk about coyotes a lot - but it is because there are so many of them in the mountains by our house -- I see at least one just about every day.  Anyway, this morning I am coming down the mountain, the closest house is about 2 miles away.  I am in my own thoughts, thinking about my lecture for today ... AND ... all of a sudden I hear a dog "bark" about 10ft away -well, it wasn't actually like a dog bark, it was different, more like a coyote bark.  It startled me (both because I was lost in thought and it was so close) ... and I stopped and looked through the brush. He was sitting right there, and he "barked" again.  Then, from about 3 miles away to the west there was a howl as in answer ... he did not move, and neither did I.  Then he barked a third time (this is really loud, in part because there are nothing but mountains around us and part because it echoes in the valley) ... and then, from about 1/4 mile or less away comes a chorus of howls in return (from about 5-10 coyotes in the same place) ... "my" coyote then barks one more time and heads off in their direction -- which happens to be the same direction as I am running, by the way.  So, about 1/4 mile (or a little more because the trail has some switchbacks and meanders a bit) down the way *right beside me* (again - about 10 ft or so away) I hear the whole pack making their "yip yip yip" noise (it sounds like a bunch of kids screaming/playing) ... my first thought was, "wow, is that cool or what" -- and then ... I thought, "oh crud (or something close), what if they think I am prey?" (I have heard that the yip usually signals hunting, but I don't know this for sure).  So, I yelled out, "I know I look like a plump meal, but really I am old and stringy, take my word for it" ;-)

It was SO cool though ... I still can't get over how cool it was ... just me and "the pack"

Have a good day bloggers! 

AM: (12.5, 1:42:53).  ~ 3.5 mile wu/3.5 mile cd. Even Steven Fartlek workout 10`, 8`, 6`, 4`, 2` @ MP, 1/2MP, 10K, 5K, mile w/ 2`,4`,6,`8`  recovery.   Very fun workout - it is harder than it may look, by the time the mile came around my legs were shot!  It was effort based, but at least through the 5K I was pretty sure I was on pace.  I ran to the flattest place I knew of, I ran a 1.3 or so mile loop (it was hilly, just not as steep as most of the places nearer to my house).  Nice morning for a hard workout, the last 3.5 miles were super tough, very steep  hills and very tired legs, good times.  I got passed by the 3rd fastest guy in town (besides Lagat and Abdi) - Craig Curley (he qualified for the trials recently with a 1:03 1/2 marathon).   He is a nice guy, he has run with me a couple times on the track - very hard for him to do since for him it is like walking to run that slow ;-).

PM: 4 miles easy.

I hope you are all having great week!!  And I hope you are warm and dry! 

Very s-l-o-w recovery run up Yeatman trail.  Did not see any wildlife, except for a few Pategonia Erectus ... (I heard this on the backpacking bus that takes you out into Denali -- the ride takes quite a while and the whole way we are seeing wildlife, from bears to carbou to "little white dots" (dal sheep) -- so we are driving along and someone says, "hey is that a grizzly?" and another person looks through their camera lens and says, "no, just a Pategonia Erectus" -- I thought it was so funny).

Have a wonderful Friday bloggers!! 

AM: (8 miles, 1:04:xx).  My watch did not start and I did not notice until my ~ 2mile landmark.  So, I just added on how long it took me to run from the landmark home on the way back and added the time.  I got a new set of exercises from the Egoscue clinic last night, it is helping a lot with my hamstring stress.  Even so, it took me 3 miles to feel warmed up today ... I am just super tired.  I wish I could take a day off from work and take a nap -- I haven't had a day off since Thanksgiving, and it is really starting to wear me down.  Maybe in February I will be able to take a day off from work and recharge a little ... but I don't see that happening for a few more weeks.

PM:  4 miles.

Have a great Saturday bloggers!  Tomorrow is the New Balance Armory meet in New York!  GO Lagat!! 

2:09:07.  Could have been 15, but I am calling it 14 -- it was a very very hilly run.  I did not run fast, but I ran steady and picked it up a little the last 2 miles (not the steepest section but a long 2 mile uphill).   Felt really good today.  I took some very intensive vitamins yesterday (they are Deans) that included about 3,000 IUs of vit. C.  Yowser.

Have to get to work, have a wonderful Sunday bloggers! 

AM: (9 miles, 1:10:43).  23:13wu/20:30cd.  Briefer warm-up and cool-down than usual because I had an early morning meeting and work is absolutely insane right now.  15 x 1` w/1` recovery.  I did not have time to run to my favorite (read: flatter) place to do these so they were on hilly, mostly dirt/gravel roads, with some asphalt thrown in for the last three (they were much easier!).

PM: (4 miles, easy).  

Felt pretty good while running ...feel really run down at my desk.

Have a great week bloggers.

a very slow 1:06 something run up the mountain. It was a nice, brisk, morning (~35F) ... I felt pretty good, I am not sure why it was so slow, but hey, I guess it is what I needed.  My workout yesterday was not that hard on my legs, but for some reason I just was in recovery mode anyway.

Beautiful day ... 

Have a good hump day bloggers!

AM: (9.5 miles, 1:17:45).  29:34wu (+strides)/26:34 cd.  3 mile tempo run (7:18, 7:13, 7:05).  I was not sure how this was going to go ... I had many forces conspiring against me, it was very windy, I got about 3 hours of sleep last night, and I this was the first faster tempo run I had done in a very long time.  My target range, based on my 1/2 marathon last year, was 6:58-7:16 pace.  I planned on starting out at 7:20 pace and maybe staying there.  After the first 800 I thought, "this doesn't feel bad, lets pick it up a little".  It actually felt better a little faster so I just held it.  The last 4 laps I did look at my splits, I just ran hard, I was tired and wouldn't have been too surprised if it had been a little slower, but it wasn't ... cool.

PM: 4 miles easy.

I am tired, I am not sure how much more I can take.  I have to leave work early today so I can get my run in before I take a faculty candidate to dinner tonight (it is not as much as it may sound).

I hope you are having a wonderful downhill slide to the weekend! 

1:04:14.  Hmmmm, a little fast for a recovery run,  I felt pretty good today!  The reason?  well, I got 7 hours sleep for the first time in a few weeks, and, I think my recovery tights are working.  I splurged on some recovery tights a couple weeks ago.  And it might be the placebo effect, but I actually think they work.  I usually wear them after my long run and sometimes after hard workouts, when I do use them after workouts, my legs are not nearly as "dead" the next day.  Yesterday I wore them as tights under a dress and then wore high boots over the top.  Very stylish and they looked just like regular tights.  And my legs felt pretty darn good today.

I was walking down the driveway and caught in traffic -- "our" 20+ javelina were crossing the driveway and I had to wait until they all got across before I could get out to the street (when they are in such a large group - and with their babies - they actually could "charge" a person and they are big enough that it would definitely hurt).  It was pretty funny.

I hope you all have a great Friday.  I finally got my manuscript finished and submitted to the journal, now I just have to get my lecture notes finished for Monday and get all my grants reviewed by Sunday, and all will be ready for my trip to DC next week. 

AM: (8 miles, 1:10:07).  That is the fastest I have ever run this particular course without a workout.  Interesting.  I did not mean to do that, I did not even look at my watch.  I guess I am feeling good today. 

PM: easy 4.

 What a great weekend for Track and Field and Road Racing.  Last night we watched the Millrose Games, first big indoor meet of the year.  Highlights included watching Sara Hall kick it for the win in the 1500 and an amazing Girls HS mile race -- the leader opened up with a 66 sec first 400!  We thought for sure she was going to die at the end, but even though she ended up not winning (as the saying goes, for every second you go out to fast in the first part of the race it costs you 5 secs at the end of the race) she gutted it out and held on to 2nd place.  Ashton Eaton, NCAA champion and indoor WR holder in the decathalon beat veteran Bryan Clay and World Champ Trey Hardee at a 3-event.  Lowlight ... Bernard Lagat lost to Deresse Mekonnen -- which broke his 6 time streak to win the Wannmaker Mile (he has won 8 times, 6 times in a row).

Finally, turning to the roads, OUR NAN took third in the USATF 1/2 marathon championships!  What a champion!

Happy trails bloggers! 

2:11:54.  Ran out on the trails near Gilbert Ray campground ... felt super good today.  I pushed the pace the last 20 mins, probably near 7:50-8:00 - uphill and on very rocky/sandy footing.

Great day, again, for road racing.  Huge day for McMillan Elite/Team USA Arizona.  With Nick Arciniaga coming in 2nd in the Houston marathon, he was supposed to be a pacer for Brett Gotcher (who did not have a good day) but he felt good so he kept going and took second (2:11:30).  On the women's side Stephanie Rothstein had a stupendous day and took 3rd in the women's race with a HUGE 2:29:35 (1:15:31/1:14:04)!!  And Natasha LeBeaud (2:45:20) and Emily Harrison (2:42:2) qualified for the OT in their debut marathons!

Last, but most certainly not least, our very own seeaprilrun ran an almost 3 min PR and SlowJoe ran almost 5 mins faster than he was hoping!!  Great Job FastRunningBloggers!