Bret

PM - at lunchtime - very pleasant day in the low 70's with humidity in the 60's - Did 4.5 miles keeping my HR below 75%.  Felt fine.

PM - lunchtime workout.  1.5 mile warm up and cool down with 4 x 400 at 85 secs and same recovery; and 2 x 200 at 37 with 30 sec recovery.  Mainly did this for some leg turnover.  These were not all out or hard and went fine - but I am still yearning for a run or workout in the last week or so, in which I feel so solid and fit that it confirms I am ready to roll.  May that will happen on raceday.

PM - lunchtime - easy 5 miles on a spectacular fall day. 

Easy 2.5 miles - shake out run the day before NYC marathon.  Felt very good.  Weather is great.

So - this was a race about what almost happened... I had decided to approach this race a little differently than my last few marathons, where I have basically tried to run an even pace from start to finish - to hopefully go under 3 hours.  This time I decided to use a strategy where I would put some time in the bank in order to have some cushion in the event of a late fade, which has happened in the last few races. 

In the first mile, it took a minute to get past the start line, and then because of the crowds (47,000 runners this year) another good 600 meters to begin running at a normal pace, which of course is uphill on the Verrazono bridge.  So the first mile was slow at 7:52.  Having met the acquaintance of a woman trying to go sub 3 just before the race, and having never run NY before, she asked if she could try to pace off of me.  Ingrid, from South Africa, was a bit panicked at that first mile, but I told her we'd make it up on the downside of the bridge and the next couple of miles.  Indeed we ran 6:16 the next mile and gradually with some really nice miles in the low 6:30's, found ourselves at around 1:29 at the half or just slightly faster.  Although at times, I felt like the pace was really pushing the envelope for me, I had determined that this would be worth the effort if I could hold out for the full 26.

The 16th mile is a climb over the 59th street bridge and I lost some time there, and Ingrid bade me farewell.  Although my split was slow, I knew I still was ok, and that the ensuing miles would get me back to where I needed to be.  Indeed miles 17 and 18 were 6:44 and 6:48 and at the time, I thought to myself, "I feel good, I should be able to do 6:45's from here on in..no problem."  

Of course I spoke to soon, because the next mile was 7:05 and mile 20 was 7:10 and although mile 21 was 6:58, as I would later find out when I downloaded my Garmin data, my average HR was above my aerobic threshold beginning at mile 18 and I had a couple of miles where my max heart rate was exceeded.  It is probably the reason things got away from me.  I think I actually got dehydrated (I did not use the bathroom for 5 hours after the race is how I have come to that conclusion) which probably pushed up my HR.   Mile 22 was 7:20 and although I tried to get it back together by running smoothly and in control, my split at mile 23 of 7:17 pretty much sealed the deal that I was not going sub 3 on this day.  So, I decided to just try to ease my way back in, hoping to see my wife Tracy, slightly past mile 25 - which happened, and since this was only the second marathon of my 21 races that she's seen, it was really great.   

So, I ended up with a high 3:05 - and though one would think I'd be disappointed, I really was pleased with my effort of trying to execute on that strategy.  In the last 12 months I have run between 3:01 and 3:06 in 4 different races.  For that I am pleased as well. 

PS - Ingrid waited for me at the finish and ran 2:59.45. 

Day of rest/travel

PM - lunchtime - planned to walk and maybe jog a bit, but was bored within about 200 yards, and began to jog and soon found myself at a comfortable 7:40 pace for a few miles.  Stretched and used the foam roller on my legs in the gym for about 20 minutes thereafter to push out stiffness and soreness in the quads and calves.  On a scale of post marathon soreness, I would rank this as fairly light to moderate. 

PM - lunchtime - nice easy 4 mile run on a pleasant fall day.

Too busy at work to get a run in.

PM - 4 easy miles with Richie at lunchtime around the Feathersound loop on an absolutely glorious weather day - 59 degrees and 33% humidity and not a cloud in the sky.  Was temped to run quite a bit further on such a nice day - but decided to keep things in check and give my body some needed rest for a week or two.

AM - 2 miles of running around the high school regional cross country meet for my daughter Delaney's team.  They were ranked 6th in the region going into the meet and the top six advance to the state meet.  Unfortunately the number 3 runner was unable to run due to a fever a strep throat - and 3 of the other girls including my daughter had untimely poor races - (perhaps the pressure of the event) - and they ended up 8th.  Only their #1 runner will advance because she finished in the top 15 indivduals, as will the one boy from her school who individually advanced to regions.  Both of individuals finished 10th and will represent at the state meet next week.  Delaney was circumspect, though somewhat dissappointed, as last year they did not advance past districts and their goal was go get to regions.  She says they met their goal this year, and will be ready next year for the goal of getting to states, which for a group of 5 sophomores and 1 freshman, seems reasonable.

We headed up to Gainesville immediately after the meet for parents' weekend at UF for my first daughter.

AM - early morning run in Gainesville around the UF campus.  Quite quiet and peaceful as there were not any students stirring about on an early Sunday morning.  Ran the last mile an a half at MP - just to blow off some rust.  Felt good.

No run today - extremely busy work schedule

PM - 7.25 miles at lunchtime around Carillon and Feathersound.  Felt really lousy today - the temps were warm and humidity was above 80% so that may have contributed to it - or maybe I am just not recovered enough - who knows.  Yuck.

PM - I did a repetitions workout today.  Felt like doing it and wanted to change things up - so I hit the treadmill and did 8 x 400 at 5:20 pace (80 secs more or less) at 1% grade with a full recovery walk/jog between each after a 2 mile warm up and then afterwards did a 1.5 mile cool down.  I must have been well-rested because those reps felt relatively easy and I was never in distress.  The point of the workout of course is turn-over and economy - but based on memory, that workout has been much harder for me if I did not have as solid of a base or was a bit fatigued going into it, so this was a nice change and I felt invigorated afterwards.  (Probably be sore and tired tomorrow or the next day.)

PM - a little over 5 miles easy recovery run after yesterday's workout.  Little tender starting out, but felt fine within a mile or so.  Pleasant run.

PM - lunchtime - was thinking about not running today, or if I did, I was thinking about easy and short - but as it turned out, the weather was nice and breezy and I felt really good, so I ended up running 8 miles at a comfortable pace (62:30) around the dump.  Days like this remind of why I really like to run.   

Got up early and went to the Florida State Cross Country meet with my daughter Delaney - whose team did not advance, but since one of the girls from her team individually advanced and one of the boys too - I thought it would be good for her to go to support her teammates and get an idea of what the meet will be like for her to have incentive to go next year ---- Plus I was able to see Doug's son Travis compete too.  Great setting at the Little Everglades steeplechase course in Dade City - which had the runners use at least a portion of the horse steeplechase course - which has a vantage point and standing area "stands" which is really nice for view most of the race.  The runners go up a steady incline for the first half mile and loop around the same climb twice again in front of the stands.  Warmish and humid weather made for some difficult racing especially as the morning got closer to noon.  I was amazed at the number of collapsed runners as they crossed the finish line -- several dropped on the final climb - at least one of which made a dramatic crawl - much like he'd just covered 12 hours of an Ironman competition. 

Any way - it was quite a nice spectacle - and Delaney's teammate - one of the four Sarah's on her squad - ran exceptionally well - 19:34 and finished 27th for a PR by over 35 seconds.  Her other teammate on the boys squad - Luke, did not have his best day - finishing 68th and running 17:03 - well-off of his best time by about 20 seconds.  He just looked cooked at the end, which was very uncharacteristic for him.

Doug's son Travis looked solid through the opening half but seemed to have suffered the same malaise as Luke and looked a bit depleted at the end.  Was happy to get to see them briefly after the race, but felt bad for each of them as they appeared quite disappointed on the day where he was a good bit slower than he'd expected to go - and really was without explanation as to what had happened.  The good news is that he has another race at Foot Locker next week and another year to get the state meet right, as he's only a junior.

Oh yeah - I did not run at all - chosing instead to do so vicariously.

Unplanned day off.  I had actually gotten up early to run before church, but layed back down for what I thought was a few minutes - but which turned out to be about an hour.  Then, with family in town all week,  the events of the day began to multiply and despite my best plans to get a run in, simply prevented that from ever happening.  BTW, my daughter made perhaps the best cheesecake with chocolate fudge and pistachios I have ever consumed. 

AM - early start - 5.5 miles before 6 am.  Needed to run off my daughter's delicious cheesecake.  Planning to get my runs in early this week to avoid the potential scheduling conflicts created with family in town this week for the holiday. 

AM - early start again - 6 miles easy.  Had some kind of a random coughing - gagging fit around the second mile in which I was fairly certain I was going to throw up -- bleh.  But regained composure and finished up a not so pleasant run in very high humidity and temps for this time of year.  Hoping for some cooler air on Thursday morning for our annual Turkey Trot - 5k/10k event. 

Day off - planning to race tomorrow.

Traditional Thanksgiving Day event whenever I am in town.  This race has been around since the late 70's - I did this race in the inaugural year when I was 12 with my family.  Now, my three teenaged daughters and nephew do the event with me before we head back to the house for breakfast on the grill (pancakes and sausage) and preparation of the turkey dinner. 

Last year I did the 5k with Delaney and paced her along to a sub 22 min race, and then did the 10k where I faded late.  This year Delaney planned to run with her cross country teammate - so I had to decide whether to do the 5k or the 10k or both.  So I signed up for each and thought to make a gameday decision.

As it turns out I ran really quite fast in the first mile (5:39 on my Garmin) and as a result I quickly tried to smooth things out in the second mile - which was 6:06 - and then dealt with a short hill at the beginning of mile 3 - which pushed my pace down to about 6:21 - and I was just kinda hanging on through the finish for an 18:55 though I ran the last .1 at under 6 min pace.  Weather was cooler but still quite humid (around 75%) - so after waiting for my daughters and nephew to finish - I did a cool down and decided to quit while I was ahead - and bagged the 10k. 

Not too bad for relatively little training since the NYC marathon a few weeks ago.   

Happy Thanksgiving!

PM - Did an easy 8.25 miles this afternoon through Spanish Trails.  Had plenty of carbs in me from yesterday's meals.  Nice run.

AM - just enough time in a busy day to get in a quick 4 miles before heading up to Gainesville for the UF/FSU game this evening.

AM - early 8 mile run in Gainesville before church.  It is quite a mess that crews need to clean up around the stadium and campus following a late night game.  Busy day today with a drive back home and then a high school year-end swim banquet for Riley - then pack and head to the airport tomorrow morning for the last long trip of the year - heading to HK, China, Korea and Japan for 12 days on business.

Travel day from Tampa to Hong Kong

PM - Tuesday night in Hong Kong - after checking into our hotel, we went out for a run to shake out the long trip.  It was around 11 pm when we headed into the city and around Victoria Park - we ran through a major commercial area which was still hopping like Times Square at 11:30 at night.  Found our way back to the hotel for a nice 6 miles and sufficiently tired to get a solid nights' sleep.

AM - easy 4.25 miles in HK before morning meetings.  Rather warm and humid and since I had no dinner last night, I was not feeling too great for the run this morning.  Planning a late afternoon run with Richie at the end of the day.