Empty Nest Runner

Super EZ day.

After 2 arduous days abck to back, opted to do some ultra training.  Geared up with a hydration pack and some goodies and headed to the park where the "Yeti Chase" was going to be held.  Plan was to meet BQ'er AShley to help her with her 14'er today and watch/cheer for some of the local talent as well.

Arrived in plenty of time to see folks warming up and spoke to several of our Sunday group (as they opted to race today), but no sign of Ashley.  Hung out with parents of one of my HS runners (who took 2nd in the 5k!!  AND could have taken first, but still lacks the confidence to get out and lead...)

Stayed to watch the 10k develop and, since no Ashley, took advantage of an offered ride home.  Ate some pancakes and french toast and took a LONG nap.

Feeling relatively good, but very glad in retrospect that I didn;t have to tag on 14 additional miles today...

Finalizing spring racing plans....looks like it is the Illinois Marathon in late March (as marathoner Matt graduated from there) and possibly Canyonlands Half as a tune up.  Have not run Canyonlands yet, so anyone else going or run it before??  Looks like I'll be tripping over the state line into bountiful Utah after all!

Distance-y kinda day

1 mile warm up/stretching/drills

2.5 miles easy

4.5 miles @ 7:07

2.4 miles super EZ

Ave. 7:44

OK, time to start dropping the hammer a little and take this old engine out for a run (hoping I don't get a flat along the way...).  I've spent quite some time kicking the tires and revving the motor, so now it's time to see what I gots.  The next 10 days are going to be a bit brutul, as I am not naturally fast--just usually can run longer than the average bear.

SO, in an effort spruce up my long run, I opted to drop the pace for a bit in the middle.  Felt GREAT!  Would have gone longer, but I had to make a pretty major pitstop and really could not find my zone again after (plus it felt great to also go nice and easy on the way back...).  Ran the 2.5 EZ with the newer boys and then had the benefit of the next 1.5 chasing down the boys that were falling off the fast pack.  After that, i was on my own to see how long I could hold 7's for.  Goal was 4 miles and accomplished 4.5 before the GI decided it would have no more...

Working on pushing the PH balance up in the ol' sanguine a bit over the next 10 days in an effort to have a mini peak for Cross nats.  this could either go wonderfully delicious or insanely bad.  Basically it means that we are doign...GULP...speedwork...agian, not my favorite.  Still planning to hld at 50 miles this week and drop to 35 to feel fresh next week, where 90% of the mileage is NOT aerobic.

Wish me luck as we begin the final 2 weeks before the Colorado Indoor State Championships (the boys) and Cross Nats (One boy, my son and myself!)  AND time to test out whether notion that chocolate is the BEST recovery food EVER!!!

(Oh, and if anyone actually reads this...anyone doing Canyonlands this year??)

Mile Repeats

WU/Stretching & Drills

2 Strides

4 x (200m @6-6:30s, jog 100m)

2 minute jog

5 x 1 mile with 2 minute active rest (jogging) between

Ran these at the track with the boys and basically acted as the caboose (though the last one was fun when they were really tired and i caught a few!!)  Choose to run these slower than our 8k paces with the focus being on the "3rd lap" snce I have so many milers in our group.  Weather started at upper 40's with full sun...

SO, my splits were as follows (with the goal being 6:45's so just under AT pace)  6:46, 6:48, 6:43, 6:42, and 6:20.  Had too much fun on the last one, so I know there really was room to go faster on these.  Generally I start the boys here just to bust  the rust a bit.  Compared to the summer, the boys had a hard time just doing 3 of these at this point to compare.  With me being the caboose this time, it is definitely time to step up their pre-season paces!!!  YAY!

Cool Down.

Also very excited to see them talking through most of this workout (until the 3rd laps where I asked them to be "present").  Good stuff!

Trail running day

Nice recovery day.  Took the boys out to the woods near the school where they proceeded to play "follow the leader" through the mostly singletrack trails.  Hopped over logs, crossed creeks and got really, really muddy!  The boys were flying at 7:00 to 7:30's which was impressive given the terrain...

Jogged an additional half mile with Angela at the track and then did some form drills and strides.  ALWAYS cracks me up to see the varying levels of coordination present on our team.  Also love the enthusiasm with wich they tackle my goofy drills!  Makes my heart happy...

Partial Athena Medicine ball routine.

Low mileage today.  Hope everyopne is feeling fresh for tomorrow's track workout!!

58 degrees, no wind and SUNNY!  Perfect track workout weather

w/u, stretches and drills

4 x 100 strides

Continuing to get ready for XC nationals in just over one week.  New guys joined the team today and acted as Pace B's for the rest of us.  As we d our speedwork, they run continuous and do pickups for about 100-150m whenever we come up behind us.  Gives us some extr help through our harder stuff...

5 minutes @ about half m pace (my goal was 6:45 did 6:47)

2 minute jog

4 x 2:30 at about 10k pace or faster with 90 seconds jog recovery (goal pace:  6:23--did 6:07, 6:17, 6:16, 6:11

2 minute jog

Back to 5 minute @ about half m pace with the verbal prompt to control the pace and not let the pace coontrol you! (6:40)

Cool down and sand box drills.  Luckily it was warm out, as the boys had decided it was a good idea to paint their abdomen regions with our school colors (which would have ran onto their shirts when sweaty!)   Made for a very colorful workout.

Felt great during the "on" times" but probably took my rest times a bit too slow, as I was often belting out instructions or interacting with the various moms/staff/kids that like to talk to me while I can barely breath...Good times!

65 degrees & sunny = CRAZY good hill workout

Ran 2.1 to my favorite hill along the golfcourse at a respectable clip 7:20-7:30.  (Yes, here in Colorado, even our golf courses are hilly!)  This particular hill is along a bike path that goes from the golf course to the top of a dam.

SO, we decided to do 7 hills.  1st minute at a very controlled but challenging pace with a POP for 30 more seconds (kinda' as all out as one can get after running up a major hill for one minute), focusing on big arms and quick feet.  A random fella joined us--said it looked like we were having fun! He described himself as an 'age grouper" 1:20'ish half mara dude.  So, of course i FB stalked him!  BUT, it is good to know that even when writhing in pain, we "look" like we're having fun.

Hills totaled 5k for me, so must have been slighlty longer for the boys (and our new found friend...)  Ran back to the school for another crisp 2 miles, laced up the "Spikes" and did 7 minutes of diagonals on the soccer turf and then 8 minutes sock foot to stretch my feet out a bit.

Planning on wearing spikes for XC Nats, but have not worn a pair in over 20 years!!!  YIKES--my calves are going to hate me...

EZ run today just to shake out the tightness from yesterday's hill workout.  1.25 warm-up/stretch/drills

Ran around Herriman Lake with "purpose" and farltek'ed every time I say a dog.  There were LOTS of dogs today...so felt like I was practically sprinting around the lake!  BUT it felt really awesome with only a minute amount of soreness.  Will probably pay for it tomorrow.

NEXT WEEK:  TAPER  YAY!