Empty Nest Runner

18 at Hi Line Canal + 1 (18 on 2:18:36)

Met up with Sunday group ont he canal and started out a bit early with Ashley (has Boston coming up).  We decided to take the first 2 miles easy (round 8:00) Stopped at the port-o-let and returned to the trail only to discover thta I had lost my key.  Retraced our steps and still could not find it...Apparntly it fell inot the liner of my running shorts, but becasue it was so cold, I could not tell...silly me!

Hopped back on the trail and got back into the game.  Opted to go out 5 miles and then turn around for some yum yums and water.  We were trying for 7:40's and averged 7:45 even with the silliness of getting off track initially and having 2 slower miles up front. 

Fueled and took off layers as it was deceptively warmer (mistake that I paid for later...) Plan was to ease into first mile to let our Gu's settle and then drop pace to 7:30 for the last 7 miles.  Worked together to keep on pace and at times was in the 7:teens.  AP over last 7 was 7:31 even with easy first mile.  Wind kicked up part way in and I began to get extrememly cold, so was very distracted and havinf trouble near the ned not "peg legging" as I started to "lose my feet" due to the Reynauds and thusly tightened up more than I would have liked.

Will talk to Ashley about fueling more often as well.  But overall, solid 18 .  Cooled down for a mile SUPER easy.  All on dirt, so excited to see what fresh legs ar going to be able to do!

First day of Track practice with the kiddies!  YAY!

Had a nice showing our first day--helped that it was 60 degrees out.  Did Bowl run clockwise (4 miles) and hopped on trail as often as possible.  Ran with the girls to show them some of the trails and was pleasantly surprised to see most of the guys still together at around 6 miles--and going 6:40's....Very happy coach today!!

Went to the track to greet the early returners (4 mile group) and did Lunge Matrix and Myrtle with them before heading off to do more mileage.  Stayed on the track so I could shake everyone's hands before they left.  Was going to do super easy 4 miles, but then some of the baseball team took to the track and I could not resist the opportunity...so did 2 miles at 7:00 just to see how many of the lil devils I could lap.  AHHH!  Good times!

2nd day of track prac!  Lil mileage + circuits.

Plan was for everyone to run 1.5 miles to me and then turn around, run back to the track and do some circuit work.  As always happens in the beginning of the season...a new boy will join and not understand that ol' ladies can really run too.  Energized by his foolishness, the boys took off at 6:30's with him.  SO, did 1.5 in 6:40 pace and gleefully watched most of the team pretty much fall apart (except my top guys that went ont o run an additional 4 miles at that pace...).  My rule is, you can go as fast as you want, as loong as you can sustain!  I let them catch their breath until (mostly) everyone caught up and off we went again.  I let them get a bit ahead to talk to the not so silly, taking it aerobic kids, and then proceeded to run them down.  Went just fast enough to be annoying and push the pace, but really did not want to kill myself today.  Quite fun!  We talked as a team about how the lead group had EVERYONE running out of their zone for today.  We all had good chuckles and we will modify tomorrow to be super easy. (Cuz I know I will pay for what I did tomorrow as well...but I won't let them know...)

4 sets of 4 different ancillary exercises with lap in between and 4 mile cool down with Angela.

(OH, and an old High School teammate totallyy face booked me last night!!!  YAY!)

Easy recovery run

SO, I had planned to go like 38 million miles today, but I got a bit distracted...

Was a little late to practice as I put on a memorial service for the patient that was murdered a bit ago.  Interestingly, not too many of our current clients really knew the guy, but pretty much all my fave patients came to the memorial anways...so pretty much me and my faves crying some tears.  One read, "the Lord is my Shephard" and I did several readings from my guys favorite philosopher and had time for folks to make reflections about making today count.  Neat thing is that the staff that showed up really thought that everyone was there for the client, and so it made them feel better...and the one friend that did show up for him also was overwhelmed by everybody's support. SO pretty spectacular all the way around.  AND the fact that they know he was murdered over drugs will hopefully make an impact as well.  Gorgeous day (thankfully, cuz the service was outside...)  Gotta love how street folks truly stick together when they need to...

Track prac day 3--so the AD let me know that the football coaches are a bit pissed at me, as he is taking some of their money to pay me some dollars this season (usw. I am only paid for XC season and not indoor or track...) SO, I made sure I waved at them extra heartily today...

Let the kids have an easy recovery day.  Newbies did 25 minutes and then returned to the track for some core work.

Hopped on the track to get some more miles in and wait for the higher mileage folks to return.  Went out for another 20 minutes with a late comer to practice (he is in a cooking competition this week and has to work out alone...) Headed back to the track with full intentions of running, but instead hung out and talked to Will Seidel, Cornell alum and 800m specialist that is apparently training with brad hudson's new distance coaching project.  Will might join us this season as a pacer as he gets used to the altitude over the next couple of months!

Track prac day 4

60 degrees but WINDY!  newbies had 20 minutes of fartlek sets of 1-2-3 with equal rest and then "follow the leader" on trails for cooldown.

Others and adults had:

w/u, stretching, drills

2 miles at marathon pace (7:10) + 5 minutes active jogging rest (boys + matt-6:00)

2 miles at half marathon pace (6:50) + 4 minutes active jogging rest (boys + matt-5:45)

1.25 miles at 10k pace (6:39) + 3 minutes active jogging rest (boys + matt-5:35)

5 minutes @ 5k pace (6:08) (boys + matt-5:15)

Focus was on breaking down a workout or race (or sometimes races at one meet) and only focusing on THAT portion--not what came before or what is coming after.  Great mental workout to be ablet ot be present in the moment and not get anxious about what is left and really be able to nail down that portion with control.  Dan Spale from Runners Roost and Matt Hajny (marathoner) joined in.  Boys felt like it was really hard while they were doing it and had been anticipating this workout all week.  But after, they said they could hae done more (though it was intense).  My paces were a littel slower than what I had wanted, but not by too much.  i was yelling (ahem, coaching) and giving verbal feedback to the fartlekers throughout workout, so probably could have gone a touch faster.  Amazing, though, that when coaching, you are really not inside your head at all...now if I could just find people to bark at for 26.2 miles in April, I might just accomplish something!

Did 1.25 with the boys as a group and then returned to the track to get the rest of my miles in for the day.

Football coaches left equipment out and left the shed wide open today.  they  must think that I need to earn my raise or something...

Kickball & Trail

Did trails near reverse Bowl with the kids and then let them play kickball for some team buidling, active recovery and cross trianing all in one.  I needed tofinish my mileage ADN supervise, so I mapped a quarter mile loop around the kickball field and proceeded to run around the game. 

Looks like I might race a 10 miler on Sunday in Pueblo.  Should be interesting after doing 66 miles this week!

Drew had midterms today and FINALLY was allowed to run after 2 weeks of pneumonia...can't wait to see him for Spring Break.  YAY!

Adams State Video Series

RunnerSpace is doing a series on  my son's College XC/track team (the winningest team EVER!)

 http://www.runnerspace.com/video.php?do=view&video_id=38064#ooid=RlMjBiMjpQr4WMBceoi5WwKkwZwldLzl

SO, Drew is wearing black puma tank with forest green shorts.  At 1:17, he has a green long sleeve/ half zip looking at the van; at 1:44 he has messy hair standing behind Coach Martin.  At 3:08 he is in motion; sharing the lead at 4:02--I'm such a proud mama!  (I should add that this was taped just a couple of weeks ago--BeAUTIFUL Colorado sunshine!!)

Pre-race run

If the weather holds out, I am planning to race a 10 miler in Pueblo tomorrow morning.  Jogged over to Harriman lake, ran around once and jogged back.  4 x 100m strides.