Practice To Suffer So Racing Becomes Easy

AM: Temp 90's, 95% humidity - 4 mile shake out 8:28, 8:08, 7:50, 7:40

7th year anniversary - spent the day with the family at the Dells.

AM:  Temp 87 and humid - legs didn't have much pop this morning.  No gps on this one, just tried to run easy, last few miles were a struggle in the hot sticky weather.

PM:  Temp 85 and humid - legs felt much better tonight.  5.75 w/4x100 meter striders

8:28,7:34, 7:32, 7:30, 6:47, 7:19, Avg:  7:32 pace

AM:  18 holes of golf riding in cart (playing lesson with pro) 96 degrees and 85% humidity.  First time at a tough course shot 100 - that's why I focus more on running!  Had a lot of fun despite the heat.  Would have had to run at 3:45 due to wife’s sched. (decided sleep and golf was more important). 

PM:  3.5 mile warm-up, 5K race 5:47, 6:06, 6:38 = 18:34 for 1^st place and a nice trophy.  Not much competition for a brutal hot/humid evening race.  93 degrees and 94% humidity.  The race felt like my mile repeats from last week (very hard to breathe and legs wouldn’t shift into 5K pace).  This was definitely a heat acclimatization workout more than a race.  All in all this was a great workout on a very difficult day.  Had to cut the cool-down short due to awards ceremony - 2.5 miles for a total of 9 miles.

Late PM:  4 miles no gps, very easy running – very sticky outside for 11 pm. 

I started my day today feeling a little sorry for myself because I didn’t think I’d get a chance to run today.  My wife had PT for her knee surgery and swimming this morning, so I would have had to wake up at 3:45 to run.  With the race last night and the late shake out run I thought sleep was more important.  The rest of my day from 7am-7pm was spent installing a roof on my camper.  It was a job that came about unexpectantly due to some storms that came through a few days ago.  Roofing has got to be my least favorite work, especially on a 90+ heat index day.  I was on the roof from 8:00-3pm without a break pushing hard to get the job done before dark.  I hit the wall at 3 and had to take a break because I was getting a little tipsy.  After an hour break I dragged my aching body back up the ladder and finished the job.  I cleaned up the site laced up my running shoes.  I figured I’d get 4-6 miles at best.  The first 4 miles I had to walk twice and I almost lost my cookies a couple times (drank too much water before I went out).   I made it back to the campground and decided to try for another mile, which turned into another 6 miles!  Other than the first 4 miles I felt reasonably good.  I walked one more time because I could tell my IT bands were very tight from the roofing and I was concerned about over stressing them.   My run looked like this  9:06,8:49,8:44,8:27,8:21,8:13,8:14,7:56,8:19,8:01 = 10 for avg. of 8:25 pace.  Although, I didn’t have a very relaxed day and this isn’t my typical routine I managed to turn my gloom and doom day into a very productive self-fulfilling day!

PM:  5 miles very easy - pushing the stroller.  My hamstrings and back need a recovery day from the carnage I put them through yesterday! Very sore, but at least it's only 83 and 62% humidity.  7:58 Avg.

AM:  I took my son out in the stroller for a late morning run.  We ran up to the middle school track.  When I got up there I let him out to do some running on the track.  When I was coaching track this spring he would run a 1/4 mile on the track with my athletes if I had to bring him to track.  I thought that was pretty good for a kid not even 2 yet.  Last week my wife walked while he ran about 3/4 miles he walked for about 25 meters then finished the full mile.  He's a determined kid!  Today he made it about 150 meters and had to walk - it was very hot on the black track at 10:30 am.  I walked with him about 10 meters and held his hand as he started running again.  I challenged him to sprint the last 25 meters on his own, which he did.  He said HOT, grabbed his water, climbed back in the stroller, let out a big sigh, and said "Go Dad".  I finished the run for 4.8 miles Avg: 8:18.  Jameson ran about 300 meters.  Jameson's lifetime miles are aprox. 3.5 miles. I'm so grateful he's a pack and play type of kid.  Jen and I are always on the go. 

PM:  10.26 miles on Glacial Drumlin Trail.  My body felt achy all over the 1st mile.  I could tell the IT bands were really tight!  Everything loosened up after 3 miles, but the legs felt dead.  I tried a longer more powerful stride hoping that would loosen up the hamstrings from the roof work I did on Wed.  Seems like it might have helped.  Mostly over cast - 83 degrees and 78% humidity

8:32, 8:04, 7:32, 7:23, 7:22, 7:19, 7:18, 7:33, 6:54, 7:00 (last .25 - 6:44 pace) Avg 7:29 pace

Lifts (NO LEGS)

Afternoon Run:  I tried to get some good sleep, but Jameson had me up early.  I could hear him getting into food in the kitchen.  It's amazing how in tune certain sounds can become when sleeping if you have a 2 year old in the house!  Jen works till noon on Sat., so that makes it hard for me to get out on Sat. for hard runs without the stroller.  Knowing we had a wedding to attend tonight left me with an afternoon workout.  I've been working on speed development, but thought it might not hurt to start putting in some long runs with marathon pace/1/2 marathon pace to stay in touch with the long run fitness.  I don't plan to go over 2 hours, but somewhere between 90-120 minutes should be good enough to keep me in touch with long run fitness to do a marathon in the fall.  The trail I ran last night was nice on my aching legs.  The legs have been hurting due to that roofing job on Wed. and so I thought it would be a good idea to get back out to that trail.  I got to the trail at 2:00 and it was 90 degrees out.  I had to think of a way to protect myself from the deer flies - they ate me up last night.  I also stopped at the bike store to pick up two Hammer Gels and brought along the Hammer Endurolytes.  I don't have a hydration belt yet, so I just carried a plastic store bought water and my Hammer Gel, while throwing the Endurolytes capsules in my running shorts key pouch.  My idea to protect against the flies was a running hat worn backward with an old rag from one of my cotton t-shirts safety pinned to the bill of the hat.  The rag bounces around on the shoulders and the hat protects the top of my bald head from bites.  Oh and I get sun protection.  Just as an added assurance I sprayed myself down with OFF - that stuff can't be good for the lungs!  I took my Espresso Hammer Gel and drank an 8 oz bottle of water while driving to the trail.  I decided to try the other direction on the trail today - hoping it had more shade.  The goal was to see what I could handle for an average pace and then see how fast I could run in the last 1/3rd - sort of like a thirds progression run.  The trail is completely flat, but loose gravel.  Running slow isn't so bad on loose gravel, but running fast is a hell of a workout!  The first 3 went 7:41, 7:33, 7:22 - I could tell it was hot, but a rare dry heat for WI and I wasn't feeling too bad because it’s fairly shaded.  The legs are still sore from the roofing work, but getting better.  The next 5 miles out were 7:26, 7:19, 7:10, 7:01, 7:02.  I was sipping my water trying to conserve - hoping I brought enough.  I got to a point where the tail ended and turned onto a hilly road with no tree cover - oddly enough I ran into an English guy riding his bike and asked if he knew where the trail connected up again.  I thought it was strange to run into someone from England, because it's rare to see a foreigner in Jefferson County, WI.  He didn't really know, so I went 1 more mile and turned at 8 instead of 9.  I figured I could always add on more on the trail going the other way than run on this desert like road with minimal water.  The next two were 7:07 (took the orange flavor gel here), 6:56 for miles 8 and 9.  On the way back I was out of water by mile 10.  I decided it would be smart to run 3-4 miles at MP pace now instead of at the end because I was concerned about being too dehydrated at the end to get any leg speed going.  I also noticed the slippery gravel was starting to wear down my legs.  The next 3 miles were 6:33, 6:50 (slow here because of fumbling with key pouch to take electrolytes pills - found they were crushed, so I swallowed as much of the nasty powder as I could), 6:32 for the last mile of the tempo.  I was a good 15-20 sec. off MP pace and I felt like I was pushing very hard on the terrible footing.  The next mile was 7:54 and at this point I was questioning if I'd make it back!  Somehow I ran 7:26 for mile 15 and 7:26 for mile 16 counting down the ½ miles thinking about how much I needed water 3 miles ago.  I opted out of the extra 5 minutes of running for 2 hours.  Good thing I did because I was getting very nauseous trying to get the truck door open for my Hammer Recoverite and water.  I walked over to a picnic table and sat down.  I was very close to throwing up.  I walked over to the bathroom put my head under the cold water fountain and drank some more water.  I sat down another 5 minutes, but had to get going to get ready for the wedding.  I was a little scared that I'd pass out so, I gave myself another 5 minutes of stretching and drove home.  Within an hour of finishing my Hammer Recoverite, eating a banana, and drinking some water I was recovered.  Today, I found out what I'm made of.  This was my 2nd week of 85 miles and I’ve never been at this mileage doing these kinds of workouts.  This is all uncharted territory for me, so I'm cautiously discovering my limits.  I'm recovering quicker and getting faster, but I still feel I'm a long way from where I was before my 9 year hiatus from running in terms of VO2 max, but ahead in terms of long run mental strength and probably fitness (although I never really reached my potential in distances over 1500 meter during my college years).   I'm praying my body will keep giving me more or at least allow me to maintain this mileage and quality because I feel very good mentally.  Even for my first two marathons Vegas and Grandma’s I averaged 43 miles per week to run 3:07 in Vegas and 55 miles per week for Grandma’s 2:50:49 (w/a 55 sec. bathroom stop).  I’ve got to believe if I maintain an average of 70 or more I’ll crack the 2:40 mark this fall if I find a fast course and get lucky with the weather.  I might be shooting to break 2:30 at Boston next spring if I can hold this kind of training.  My last marathon was a 17 minute PR, so why should I think I can’t take another 10 minutes off?   I hope I’m training right and I hope I’m not getting too far ahead of myself with these thoughts.   One thing is for sure, I need to get my racing sched. figured out if I’m going to try another marathon this fall.  I’m thinking about the Monumental Nov. 5^th – I like the later date and it’s within reasonable driving distance.