track fan

2:37:59.  3 hilly laps the dirt road in Sauharo National Park.  laps were 51:39, 49:49, 48:02 + almost a mile added on to a picnic area and back 8:26.  I was really pleased with this run, my legs are still a little stiff from the workouts this week but I still was able to run 18 hard miles and feel pretty good.  It was hot by the end - I tried to get out early (because it is already 88F right now, and pretty hot when the sun is beating down) and I am glad I did, 1/2 hour later and most of my run would have been pretty uncomfortable, as it was it was probably 75F when I started and 85F or so when I finished.  I have noticed this week that it is my legs that are my limiting factor right now, cardiovascularly I feel great, I can take hills easily and even on the track this week my breathing was good -- my legs are just tired and can only move so fast!

So ... over the past two-three months I have seen a couple of snakes (about 3 weeks ago I almost stepped on one).  Every time I describe these snakes (two of them looked very similar) people here seem to think, "well, it could have been a rattlesnake".  Well, I am not sure now.  Today I was RATTLED (literally and figuratively) - it was bizarre.  I heared a noise I had never heard before and instictually I froze in mid-stride (I didn't stop time just sort of froze for a second) and turned my head to the left -- there he/she was - HUGE, and slithering away (thankfully).  WOW!  I have to confess bloggers I meant to say "shoot" but said the wrong word ... it was pretty amazing.  And here I thought all I was going to tell you about was, "speaking of lizards ... I almost stepped on several today because they kept running under my feet!!". 

I have a really rough couple of weeks coming up.  I will be traveling to Nashville to work with some of my collaborators there.  I have some big deadlines (papers, grants and NIH reviews due) at the same time ... and I have two really big workouts coming up.  I hope I can manage to fit it all in without getting worn out too much.  

Happy Sunday bloggers!

AM: (11.5 miles, 1:40:40 (51:31/49:08).  Man, I felt really good today.  My legs are still a little stiff, but I just ran easy and it felt good.  Barely broke a sweat and kept my heart-rate and breathing really easy.  I am a little nervous about my workout on Thursday so I am trying to make sure I give myself every opportunity to feel good going into it ;-).

PM: (4 miles, easy).

1:06:50 (34:08/32:41). Felt much better than I thought I would. Last nights run was really hard until the last mile. Dean told me to quit complaining last night, but my legs were just so dead and my adductor hurt. It did not hurt at all on my run, but I could feel when I was stretching and when I walk around (weird).

Got to go ... lots of meetings today.

AM: (13.5 miles, 1:49:20) Yasso 800 workout + 24:53 wu and 17:59 cd.  10 x 800 meters w/equivalent time recovery (I did 600 meters).  I was not looking forward to this workout, first off I don't like 800s (they are hard). Secondly, I don't really think that this is a good "marathon predictor" for someone like me without leg speed (it is more like a 10K predictor in my mind!) - sorry Bart Y.  But -- I was sort of interested to see what would happen.  I do have to say that having a long recovery makes these a lot easier than when I have done them for speed in preparation for 5-10K's.    They still were hard though - with 600 meter recovery I got to alternate when I started off with the wind (it is always windy on one side of the track it seems) -- the faster ones were generally when I was able to finish with a tailwind (even though I hit the windy side twice every 800 of course).  Average was 3:23.  According to Bart Yasso, this should predict your time for the marathon (3:23); according to Greg this is on the average 5 mins too fast for most people.  So, supposedly, I would be in the 3:28 range right now.  Based on my recent 1/2 marathon (on a hilly course) most "predictors" (Greg's, Daniels, other online tools) would put me at 3:21 - 3:25.  So ... the only thing I can say is that on a good day I might break 3:30 - but I am still nervous and would not be surprised if I don't quite get it right the first time.  Regardless, this is the fastest 800 meter workout I have ever done (albeit with the most recovery between as well). 

800s (1600 equivalent)	recovery
3:27 (6:54)	3:33
3:24 (6:48)	3:33
3:23 (6:46)	3:23
3:23 (6:46)	3:24
3:24 (6:48)	3:22
3:22 (6:44)	3:22
3:23 (6:46)	3:15
3:20 (6:40)	3:16
3:22 (6:44)	3:18
3:22 (6:44)	3:24

PM: (very very very easy 3.5 miles, 33:19).  It was VERY windy -- gusts were way above 25 mph, tumbleweeds everywhere!

I really need to take it super easy the next couple of days, I have a very tough 22.4 miler on Sunday -- in one of my most favorite -- though very hilly (http://www.harpethhillsmarathon.com/) places in Nashville.  I have some friends that are coming out to run parts of it with me -- so it should be a fun time.  But, as I recall, just one of these loops can really wear you out, I have never done two loops before.  It should be a really good workout!

Happy Thursday bloggers.

1:07:21.  Recovery run.   Felt better than I expected I would, my body is really tired though.  I tried to keep my pace below 9:15.  Most of my time I just let my body tell me how fast/slow to go - the two exceptions are "workouts" and the day after said workouts.  I will likely try to keep a really slow pace for both of my runs tomorrow too, my mileage will be higher for the next two weeks, I am traveling and have a lot of work stress and I don't want to get sick!! 

One thing that is cool about my workout yesterday is that I am pretty sure I am ready to PR in the 5K and 10K this summer.  I am sure that is why Greg has us do that type of workout - it is a little of a confidence booster.  When I showed Dean my splits he said  that type of workout is much easier when you run with a group.  He thought I might have been closer to 3:20 on them if I was running with someone else (who is not faster than me, otherwise I would have gone out too fast). 

Have to go pack and make sure I have all my work stuff with me, it is going to be a very busy week, hopefully productive though!  If all goes well I will have two or three papers submitted in the next month or two.  It will look good for my grant that is due in June.

Happy Friday bloggers!

1:29:28.

Drat. After 6 hours at the airport, 3 hours standing in lines, 3 sets of boarding passes, and two canceled flights, I am still in Tucson today. There were a bunch of storms in Dallas (and in Nashville as well) and they kept canceling flights into (and out of) Dallas yesterday - by 6PM I just gave up and rebooked (for the 3rd time) for today. The main bummer is it ruins my "running schedule" for today -- I will be 27 mins (~3 miles) off of my schedule this week. In the big scheme of things - this is so very minor. It is nothing compared to all of those poor people in Fargo (and nearby) that after 2 or more days out in the freezing cold packing sandbags (that froze as soon as they were packed and therefore not as useful) were told to give up and had 1/2 hour to pack up the things they wanted to try to save; nor is it as bad as the poor soldier I met yesterday in one of the many lines I stood in, who after 16 months in Iraq and 25 hours of flying was not going to get home to his family last night. It is probably good for me to be slightly inconvenienced and get my "schedule" off kilter, I am too wedded to "hitting" the schedule anyway (a little of a control freak with respect to running and my work).

I will however, be packing running shoes and kit with me no matter where I travel in the future -- even now I really don't know where my luggage is -- I just hope I find it late tonight when I get into Nashville. And - because I was polite to the ticket agents last night I am flying first class today -- so I can actually work on my computer with lots of table room - sweet. I will miss my 2nd run though.

Happy Weekend bloggers.