track fan

1:06:42.  Easy run.  Because of my travel schedule I will be missing my second run tomorrow.  I was planning on running this afternoon instead ... but, while I was on my run today I was actually thinking of not doing this.  I am getting very little sleep (working many hours and with the time change I am getting up 2 hours earlier here), not eating well (hours of work -- lots of meetings), and basically my schedule is all messed up.  The potential for illness is just too great right now and I don't want to stress my body just for mileage ... I  think my tempo run tomorrow and my MP run on Sunday are much more important than higher mileage.  I did bring my running stuff with me today so if I feel great I reserve the right to change my mind!

Work is going well, we are getting a lot done, though I can't believe the schedule they have me on ... whew.  I ended up running in the dark last night on the grass at a park I used to run in all the time ... it was very nostalgic.

I hope all is well with you all ... I will be writing on your blogs as soon as I get some breathing room!!

1:35:07. Supposed to do a tempo run today. Yesterday I ended up getting sick, my throat hurt more and more as the day went on (wasn't fun since I was stuck in the same room in a variety of meetings with people for more than 10 hours). I wouldn't have run even if I had had the time ... to top the sad story off, even though I felt "ok" while I was running today every time I started to speed up to anything faster than a 8 min pace my IT band hurt soooo bad -- or maybe it is my quad, who knows. I have an appointment with my therapist today anyway - so hopefully he can fix it up.  

I ran on the "Richland Greenway trail" to Belle Meade -- to the home of Al and Tipper Gore and back (not really their home, just their neighborhood).  Did not see Al, although I am sure he runs this route, it is the route for Nashville runners to see and be seen ;-). 

My flight out of Nashville was canceled today -- luckily American rebooked me on a different airline through Denver so I did make it home really late last night, took 10 hours from airport to airport.  I couldn't miss work today - I just have a gazillion meetings - the stimulus package has incorporated some special NIH grants whose deadlines are coming up .... every institution I collaborate with are submitting hundreds of these grants with very short notice so the next couple of weeks are going to be quite a challenge (hence the name of the grants I suppose, "challenge grants" ).

Happy Friday bloggers.

1:04:38 (32:50/31:48).  Pretty windy today - but it is supposed to get worse throughout the day - with gusts up to 40-45mph by this evening.  I guess we have to watch for tumbleweeds tonight.

My IT band feels better today (probably because I did not do anything really fast yesterday and today I am back on my beloved dirt and not asphalt). My cold is not any worse ... I am fighting it and I hope after another day of mega-mega-doses of vitamin C and zinc and sleep (and a little antihistamine) I will be successful.

Off to the salt mines!

1:18:48 (40:12/38:36). I am pretty depressed. I am sick. I can run about 9-10 miles and not feel much worse than when I am not running ... but I can tell I sick, I feel lightheaded and without getting into too much detail lets just say there is a lot of junk in my head/chest that is not my brain or lungs. I am pretty sure I am not up to a MP run tomorrow. I am just hoping I can run and reschedule the long run for later in the week - it is probably the most important run in this training cycle.

Oh well, off to work and hopefully I can get a nap in this afternoon sometime. If I don't feel any worse I might go for another short run this afternoon, but I doubt it.

Hope you all are doing well today.

On a positive note, the desert is in bloom. It is spectacular.

AM: (12 miles, 1:46:53). Easy run. I decided to switch my 20 miler with my Tuesday run, to give myself more time to recover from this "thing" I have. I feel much better today (I have been on antibiotics since Friday night). If I still feel good tonight I will run another 4 miles. It will be interesting to switch days like this because I will have 2 MP runs within a day of eachother this way (Tuesday and Thursday). But, as long as I keep it at MP and no faster I really shouldn't have too much trouble recovering (I hope). Happy Sunday bloggers, congratulations to all the great races yesterday in what sounds like sub-optimal conditions for many.

PM: (5 miles, 47:59).  I got lost ... so I ran longer than I had meant to ... it was probably longer than 5 miles, but I am pretty sure it wasn't 5.5 so I am just going to log 5 miles.  It was pretty slow.  My throat hurts more now than it did this morning, but I almost always feel worse at night.

YIPPPEEE.  20.5 miles,  2:51:12 (1:32:58 + 2 mins to a bathroom and back/1:16:14), average pace 8:21 - 8:33 (depending on how long the course was, I am estimating 1/2 mile).

I misread the word directions of how long 10 miles was (I started on a bridge that was about 1/4 mile from the one that was 10 miles).  The slower 12.5 miles or so was  into a headwind, about 9:00 pace.  I didn't have mile markers for the whole route.

I ran 1:50:30 and then 7:50, (mile marker 8-6.5) 7:30 average, 7:43, 7:41, 7:33, 7:35, (last 1.5) 7:22 average.  The way back was with a tailwind, I would actually estimate 7:50 effort (which was my target), average for 8 miles was 7:34.

 
The hardest part was not the pace, it was the volume and the heat (it was a nice 65F when I started and it was 81F when I finished - with no shade it felt hotter than that).

Have a good day bloggers!
 

1:04:15 (32:25/31:50). Ran for my prescribed 65 mins - because I ran slowly (recovery run pace) I did not go as far as I normally do ... so I am calling this 7 miles, it was likely a little bit more.

Felt much better than I had thought I would. I am a little nervous about tomorrows workout - I have three options and I need to be careful which I pick because I am not sure I will be fully recovered.

I have to go give a talk ... this week I am giving two talks to two different groups (statisticians and biologists). I hope I can remember which hat I am wearing ;-).

Happy Wednesday bloggers!

AM: (13 miles, 1:47:46).  Supposed to do 20-30 min wu 8 miles @MP and 20-30 cd.  You know this marathon pace is just so hard to find.  I picked this workout over a more stamina type workout (3 x 2 miles @ 10-15K) because I know I need more experience running marathon pace - it is just a weird pace, not easy but not hard (compared to tempo or 1/2 marathon pace).  Anyway, I decided to to this on the River trail because it is easier to run on the track and I really want to start being able to dial in MP by feel in more race specific terrain.  The first 4 miles were on a slight incline (not a hill, but overall net uphill - about 5 secs/mile worth) and into a headwind, so I figured 7:55 would be perfect, and I wouldn't be too surprised if the last 4 miles were in the 7:45 range.

24:23 (2.5 mile wu)

15:49; 7:55 average (this was perfect, I missed the first mile marker, but I did not freak out and I was happy that I was on pace)

7:35 (whoa ... I know I was on pace the first 1/2 mile but for some reason by the end I was closer to tempo pace ... bad girl!).

7:49 (good, perfect)

7:27 (dumb - I know it is slightly downhill, but come on!)

7:33 (still dumb)

7:36 (better, maybe perfect given the little tailwind)

7:29 (?)

21:59 cd

What the heck pace was that?  Wasn't fast enough to be a tempo or even 1/2 marathon pace but it sure the heck wasn't marathon pace.  I am a little disappointed in myself, I knew going into the run that I needed to run slower than I think, because when I ran this pace on Tuesday it was after a 12 mile wu ... but come on!  oh well, felt "good" to be able to do it but it was not what I was supposed to do!

PM: (4 + miles, 39:13). I ran one of Dean's routes -- either he underestimated the distance or I was running even slower than usual (Dean almost always underestimates, but I am also sure I was slow!).  I really had a hard time getting out the door - but my legs felt better once I got warmed up.  I hope I can hold up with this, I might be on my way to my first 80 mile week.

Hope everyone is having a good day today!         

1:03:45 (32:07/31:37).  Something very weird happened in the middle of the night - my legs got switched somehow with an 80 year old woman who has have never run a step in her life, bless her heart.  I took her legs for a very slow, gingerly jog.  I hope that when I get my legs back whoever has them has been as kind to them as I have been to these little-old-lady legs that I found myself with today.

AM: (8 miles, 1:14:44 (37:59/36:44)). Much better today than yesterday. Not bad for my highest mileage week ever. I have a 22 mile run tomorrow - I am in completely unchartered territory here ...

I am pre-blogging, I have to go to work for a few hours and then clean house. My Mom is coming next week and I never have time to do anything besides make my bed and wash dishes during the week.

PM: (4.5 miles, 41:38). My favorite run -- and I haven't done it for over 2 weeks! Lot's of coyote poop tonight - but no actual coyote sightings. It rained on me both this morning and this evening - once the sun went down tonight I was happy I had my gloves. The most amazing thing was that near the end of my run the cloud cover moved from the mountains and I got to see the snow that had fallen during the night and the day today. Last snow of the year I assume. It was very pretty.

My Nike Free's that I have had for the past 6 years finally went to shoe heaven. This evening I broke in my very new Nike Free 7.0's -- they are very cool ;-)

Happy Easter everyone.

3:17:10.  Probably longer than 22 ... maybe 23.  I did the hilly loop course in the mountains ... each loop is about 400 meters - 1/4 mile short of 6 miles.  So, 3 loops + a little "mountain view" area I usually tag on is about 18 miles.  Since I needed to add miles anyway, I decided to add 5 miles at the beginning out from my parking spot toward the visitors center and beyond.  I guess it was probably longer than 5 miles since it took me 47:47 to run it (pretty much uphill out and downhill back).  Then I did my 3 loops.  51:35, 49:56, 47:51.

I was so tired today ... probably not surprising since I had just done 20 miles 4 days ago, had the highest mileage I have ever done in a week and did 16 miles at "faster than marathon pace" this week.  About 2.5 miles into the last loop I crested a 23 min hill and felt like I was going to throw up -- in hindsight it was because I was running the hill too hard (but I wanted to be finished so badly) -- then I got this horrible side-stitch.  I did not actually stop running but I was trying all these weird breathing exercises, was pushing on my side and even tried some bizarre stepping thing I had read somewhere (lead with a different foot or something) ... finally it sort of went away, but it was a painful 1/2 - 3/4 of a mile.   I couldn't believe the last one was so fast, I was really tired.

I did treat myself to a root-beer float today ... it was very good.

Interesting discussion with Greg last night that sounded a lot like my discussions with Dean.  Dean has had to listen to all my stress, worries, and "thinking way too much" about my upcoming marathon for the past month.  Poor guy, he is a sweety for being so patient. 

Anyway ... it is unanamous from everyone (but me until last night) that even though it is likely I am in 3:25-3:26 "shape" I most likely won't go out any faster than 3:30 pace for the first 16-18 miles.  Since this is my first marathon I have to keep my priorities in view: 1) finish the race, 2) run under 3:30, 3) learn a lot so I can run at least one more marathon (finish happy so I want to run another marathon). 

I hope to be able to negative split by a whole lot, but I need to make sure that I am able to hit at least two of my goals.  Greg says it is hard to learn from a marathon when you confound the experience by going out too fast and dying at the end.  You can't really tell what were your strengths and weaknesses were in the race and where you would like to modify your training ... speed?  endurance?  So, I will be trying to "smell the flowers, enjoy the experience, etc.".  He hopes I am antsy by the 1/2 -- but not to actually start to move ahead until 16 or 18.  My hope of all hopes is that I hit the finish line, pleased with my performance (under 3:30?) and wishing I had started out faster!!  Regardless, if I hit the finish line and it is slower than I would like, I need to be pleased with my performance (since I have done everything I could possibly do to have a good race) and work harder for next time!

There, it is in writing, now I just have to implement it!

We also modified my upcoming weeks of training to work less on VO2 max stuff and more getting me to find MP better.

Happy Monday bloggers. 

 I am very happy enjoying my full day of work without worrying about how I am going to fit two runs in ... though I generally don't feel "good" on these days, I find recovery days to be pretty hard.

AM: (9+ miles, 1:16:53) 23:40 (2.5 miles) wu 15 x 1` w/1` recovery and 22:49 (2.5 miles) cd.  This workout was a little different from my usual in that I did not jog the recovery but kept up a "brisk" pace.  I ended up doing more than half into a stiff (10 mph) headwind, which I liked better than the tailwind which always seemed to make me overstride a bit.  I would estimate about 6:50-7:00 min pace with 8:00-8:15 recovery.  The first 10 I felt like the recovery was still "fast" but I still was pretty much recovered before going into the fast bit -- by the last 5 I never did recover between them ... it was a fun pace really. 

PM: (4 miles easy).  Very busy day today ... most likely this run will be in the dark -- maybe even into the 8PM hour.  

Have a great day bloggers. 

1:05:41.  Beautiful day.  A little windy (15 mph) -- but it will be much worse later in the day (another "red flag" day with 40-45 mph winds expected - called red flag because if there is a fire we are in big trouble with the winds being this high).  

Still swamped at work.  My job is almost always stressful but because of the "stimulus package" things are actually really overwhelming these days.  Extra money at NIH means many more grants.  April 27th is the deadline for some special grants that are available and the U of Arizona could be submitting over 200 grants on this day; I am writing the methods and analysis sections for 8 grants right now, and every day I get  emails requesting help on more.  I have heard from my friends from all over the country that their institutions are submitting the same approximate numbers!  ... fun times.

Have a good day bloggers!

AM: (11 miles, 1:29:25).  8 miles @ MP. 14:40 wu, 8:02, 7:46, 7:45, 7:43, 7:40, 7:47, 7:48, 7:44 12:26 cd (I had a hard time getting back to easy pace!).   First of all, the last 5.5 miles were into a stiff headwind that really started pissing me off - I tried to imagine that this was a race and if it were a race I would have to rethink my race expectations for conditions (e.g., I would have to run slower than if it were ideal)  - it really helped me (after the first 7:40 mile after the turnaround) keep the pace under control.  I was much happier with today's run than last weeks MP runs.   I really tried to keep it a comfortably hard pace.  I wanted to make sure I was running at conversational pace, so I said some sort of complete sentence to everyone I passed (good morning, that is a very handsome dog you have there ;-) ).  And, when there wasn't anyone around I was alternating:

"Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers"  3 times outloud and then

"The rain in Spain falls mostly on the plains" 3 times outloud

 Pretty silly, but it really helped keep me from speeding up, especially the last 3 miles. I really wanted to get out of the wind, so if I hadn't tried to keep myself on pace I would run much harder just to finish. 

These winds have brought in some cooler temperatures, it was 38 when I started this morning and about 45 when I finished (though into the wind it felt a little chillier). 

PM: (4 miles, easy).  Will be running in Reid Park on my way to the airport to pick up my Mom.
 

1:03:32 (31:58/31:34).  Recovery run ...

Early morning meeting.

Have a great Friday bloggers! 

AM: (8.5 miles 1:14:28).  Easy run - I was only going to 8 this morning but I had to run back to the house and put a band-aid on my ankle -- it was a bloody mess, I think I have an infected blister.  Felt oh so much better today.  Last night I went to my Egoscue clinic for the first time in two months (I missed my last appointment because of travel).  I explained all the problems I have been having with my hips/piriformis/lower back ... well, it was pretty obvious (they took pictures) that the problems were stemming from my mid-thoracic region of my back.  I got a new set of exercises, practiced them in clinic last night, did them again this morning and it has made a big difference in my biomechanics.  I felt better today than I have in a couple of weeks -- even though my back is sore from the exercises.

PM: (4.5 miles) ... my favorite run.  

I have to work for another few hours today and then I am taking my Mom to the Botanic gardens and out to dinner.

I was thinking positive (and hopefully energetic) thoughts for the racing bloggers today (GO ALLIE, GO BARRY!!!).

Happy weekend. 

Somewhere between 20 and 20.5 miles.  Last 8 miles @ MP. 

2:44:10 (over all pace somewhere between 8:00-8:12)  1:26:54 (8:28), 15:34, 7:54, 11:24 (no mile markers - 7:36 pace for 1.5 miles), 7:45, 7:48, 7:37, 7:44, 11:25 (7:36 pace for last 1.5 + miles).

Happy Sunday bloggers!

Congratulations to all the bloggers on their wonderful races yesterday! 

AM: (8 miles, 1:09:54).  10 x 1` @ slightly faster than 5K pace w/1` recovery (recovery was not jogging, but a brisk pace).  Don't feel particularly good today.  Tired, mostly I think because I worked most of the weekend and spent 14 hours at work yesterday ... and, of course, did not sleep well because I ate dinner too late and was too stressed out to actually sleep.  Today should be the last day of grant crunch time, I am hoping to spend the next 1.5 weeks sleeping well and trying to stay healthy!!  My knee hurts ... I am pretty sure it is a "tracking problem" because my quads are so tight ... but it could be that since my hip has loosened up from new Egoscue exercises that my leg is not rotating as much and it is just a new set of muscles that are being worked.  Regardless, it doesn't make me happy.

PM: (4 miles easy).

A BIG HUGE HAPPY shout out to all the bloggers and their amazing performances yesterday!  Congratulations! 

40:45. OH NO ... I couldn't believe when Greg told me to run 40` today ... oh why oh why. I can't be in taper (Greg calls it "peaking"). I feel horrible, fat, my legs feel like big hams on top of my calves. I am not ready, I have not run enough, I am slow. And how does one gain 2 pounds in less than 4 days without overeating (which I haven't)?? I can't believe the poundage creep I am experiencing.  And just when I was so near my happy weight.

 
OK. Panic over. I know it is simply not logical for me to be so anxious - after all this is just for fun, it is not like it is my livelihood (of course I have risked my livelihood, or at least my ability to make tenure next year, to train for this marathon). I am still, illogically or not, nervous and anxious about this upcoming race. I came home from my jog feeling out-of-sorts, after "remembering" how great and prepared for my last race I felt -- well, I asked Dean about "how I felt" and he said, "you felt exactly like you do today". Hmmmm, selective memory?

Happy days bloggers.

AM: (10 + miles, 1:26:44). Ran a little more than 10 miles, but not by much. Tempo intervals (10K - 15K pace: 6:59 - 7:14/mile = 8:40 - 9:00/2000 meters) 3 x 2000 w/2:30 recovery + 3 x 200 w/200 recovery.

25:29 wu + strides on the track, 8:56 (~7:10), 8:54 (~7:08), 8:50 (~7:06), :49, :49, :49, 22:30 cd.

The 200s were so slow ... my goal this summer is to work on leg speed and get these down to the :44 sec pace that I am supposed to be running them!

Overall, a pretty good workout. It was 85F and very hot (I have a long way to "get used" to this heat stuff again, especially since by Arizona standards it is not really hot yet - yesterday it was 100F when I left work and about 90F when I ran my PM run on Tuesday). Funny, the "coolest" part of the run was the headwind on the backside of the track -- talk double-edged sword! We got to bed super late last night because I went to Phoenix with Dean last night to see the ART/Graston specialist there (John Ball is a mircle worker and takes insurance). Graston is similar to what Josse does (scraping). Anyway, he worked on my ankle a lot, since he thought that is what was causing my knee pain (my foot points out to the right when I run -- always has) . OUCH. But it is amazing how much less rotation I am getting on my knee now. I asked him if that what was causing my quad pain, and he said, "no, 70 mpw is causing your quad pain" - I thought it was funny.

PM: (3.5 miles, 32:45).  I was very tired and hot and unmotivated tonight.

Happy Thursday bloggers.

52:17. I am calling this 5.5 - it was a little longer than that. I feel much better than I did last night. I am very happy that Sunday is supposed be much cooler (highs in the 80s) so it will make my last "long" run before the marathon a lot more comfortable.

We moved our scale to a "flatter" part of the bathroom, I am well within my target weight today, yippee.
 

Happy Friday bloggers.

AM:(5.5+, 51:57).  Easy run ... not quite as hot as it has been (~80F and sunny), even though I did not get out as early as I wanted ... I was just too tired this morning.

PM: (4.5 miles, my favorite run).  

Have a great weekend bloggers! 

Not quite a 1/2 mile longer than 12 - it is a little ways from where I park to the first mile marker, which is 2 1/2 (1:41 out + 1:30 back).

Overall pace for 12 miles - 1:37:46 (8:08 pace), total run 1:40:57.

50:58 for the first 6 miles (average 8:29 pace) - I thought this was a little fast but I just couldn't seem to slow down much, lower mileage and as I learned after I turned around there was a bit of a tailwind!

15:31 (only a 8 1/2 and 6 1/2 marker) - 7:45 average

7:49

7:49

7:48

7:48

I was very happy with todays run, it was not "easy" - but it wasn't hard either, the last 6 miles felt very controlled and I could have gone further. My legs are little tight ... I am hoping it is phantom "tightness" :-). It was very nice today, 60F and sunny at the start 78F and sunny at the finish. It is going to be nice in Eugene next weekend (no rain in sight so far). My plan is to hang with the 3:30 pace group for at least 18 miles and if I feel good then I will start speeding up a little. I do think I might be in better than 3:30 shape (on a good day maybe even 3:25 shape), but since this is my first marathon, and it is distance I respect, I am going to err on the side of caution. If I have to slow down to slower than 3:30 then that will be ok too (truth be told I will be a little disappointed, but it will be ok, I mainly want to finish!).

Happy Sunday bloggers!

Next Sunday, I will be thinking of all jailed political prisoners all over the world, but especially of Roxana Saberi, who turned 32 years old today and is on a hunger strike in an Iranian jail.  I am very lucky in so many ways, but particularly because I am free to devote so much time to a hobby like running while others just fight to survive and still others to make the world a better place.

AM: (6+ miles, 54:32).  10 x :25 w/1` recovery.   I did this much slower than I normally would - probably more like the pace I do strides on the track before workouts.  Partly because I did not want to overdo it and partly because I was actually running much faster than usual today -- I did not feel "great", but apparently my legs notice a difference in the reduced volume, I hit my first landmark today (almost a mile) 17 secs faster than usual!  Consequently, I wanted to make sure I did not do everything too much faster, so I did  these on the dirt (slows me down) and really concentrated on feeling easy and relaxed.

PM: (3.5 very easy miles on the dirt). 

So, in order to calm myself down and keep my training in focus I summarized my 6 month build-up for this race on Sunday.  All mileage includes taper weeks for key race(s).

3 months to 1/2 way point (and 1/2 marathon race):  average mileage 65 mpw, high of 73.  Two to three workouts a week (two at 5K-15K range and alternate weeks with additional workout 1/2 marathon pace).

3 months to marathon race:  average 70 mpw, high of 81.  Two to three workouts a week (one at 5K-15K pace - occassionally a MP alternate) alternating one additional at MP.  Longest run a little over 22 miles (done 2 times; 20 miles with 8 @ MP two times; many 18 milers).  Have included testing fluid and carb intake in all long runs over 18 miles.

Training miles missed in the past 6 months: 4 miles (sickness) + 8 miles (business/travel)

So there it is.  I know what I would like to do better, but it is what it is ... we'll just have to see how it works.

Happy day bloggers, run safe, have fun.

1:20:32.  5 x 1000 @ 10-15K pace w/200 recovery + 3 x 200 w/200 recovery.

Was supposed to keep these on the slow side, and for the most part I did, but for some reason my first 400 was consistently at or faster than 5K pace!  I had to slow down every single time, it was strange, especially since I can't really say that I feel 'great' or anything.

wu + strides on the track 25:04

4:28 (7:08 - slow)

4:23 (7:00 - fast but ok)

4:21 (6:56 - still a little fast)

4:24 (finally - but first 400 was 1:39!)

4:24  

recovery 200 in 1:10 average;  200s in 51, 49, 51, recovery was 1:04-1:05

cd 16:01

 Not to look too far forward or anything ... but, after this marathon I am planning on taking some "training" down time.  My plan (as of now) is to run in the 50-60 mpw range and for a couple of months (when it is in the 115F degree and higher range) just keep 'in shape' - maybe work on some faster speedwork for a bit of the summer (I will need to reduce volume in order to do this).  I hope to be able to get up to riding the bike at least 2-3 days a week to/from work (22 miles) .  I received my new Terry catalog (cycling) last night and I have to say, there are some horribly cute little outfits in there ... and I have a cool "cushy" seat picked out too.

Have a happy day bloggers.

I thought you might enjoy the current view today ...  Funny thing is if you look under the "recent images" it has looked just like this pretty much every day for the past week. 

http://www.cs.arizona.edu/camera/

45:36. 

In my mind, I looked like a fast runner doing the "Kenyan shuffle" today.  I am pretty sure that since 1) I was wearing shorts (and not heavy warm-up pants no matter how hot it is) and 2) I never look fast no matter what my pace, I am sure that to everyone else I just looked like an old lady jogging (and carrying around a bunch of hay from what I am told ;-) ).

Happy running bloggers.  Wash your hands, don't go to work sick.

(sort of pre-blogging in case I don't have time to blog again until Sunday night: Friday 40` (~4.5 miles), Saturday 30` (~3.5 miles)).