Of Mice and Marathons

Loop around the south side - 13.6 miles, averaged 7:43

North side - 6.6 miles, averaged 8:44

South side, back home, north side - 10.25 miles, averaged 8:24

Not the run I was looking for. Oh well.

AM: North side - 4.5 miles, averaged 8:25

PM: 231 out and back - 14 miles, averaged 7:27 w/ 5 mile AT tempo: 6:58, 7:05, 6:50, 6:54, 7:05

Had to slow down a good bit because my stomach was kicking the tar out of me. Too bad too because I was started to feel really relaxed. Wanted another mile or 2, but at mile 5 Coach Stomach said to call it a day and hit the cool down.

9th street out and back - 6.5 miles, averaged 8:15

Have what I think is a stone bruise on the bottom of my left foot. Thought for a moment it was Morton's neuroma and dismissed it, but now that I read the symptoms again it may be that. The other day I did have a pebble in my shoe, but I can't remember which foot.  No discomfort running or walking down stairs. Two years ago I had to hug the handrail to get down the steps.

AM: North side - 4.5 miles, averaged 8:34

PM: Jefferson High School - 7 miles, averaged 7:49 w/ 4 unstructured intervals @ 5:49 (faster end of what 5k pace probably is) to get an idea of effort and turnover: .28 @ 5:54; .29 @ 5:58; .37 @ 5:49; .18 @ 5:36

South side - 7.5 miles steady, averaged 7:26 w/ brief pickup @ 5:28

North side - 5.5 miles, averaged 7:48 w/ 1 mile @ MP toward the end because of some strides (6:56) around 5:20, dropping to 5:00

Legs felt good once I got moving and 5:48-5:55 pace felt doable. Not easy, but legs had that day-before-race-day feel where the same pace should about right once the gun goes off.

I kept moving my goal down as I approached this race. Sub-19 seemed silly given recent fitness gains and workouts. 18:30 seemed reasonable, but after I looked at my speed work I decided it would be tough, but that I would take a crack at the 17-minute mark even though I have never run a sub 6-minute mile and nothing under 19 minutes.

I was darn close today. Warmed up 3 miles, dynamic stretches, then some more running with several strides for 3.6 total. Gun went off. The first mile is flat with a slight downhill and a 180 degree turn around at about .9. By the clock I hit mile 1 in 5:48 (5:51 on my Garmin). Then slight uphill, enough to cost me some seconds from the pace I was on. The clock at mile 2 was either 11:43 or 11:45. I remember the last two digits being close but less than the last two digits of the first mile split. So mile 2 5:58ish by the clock (6:01 on my watch). I could tell I was at the right effort, but having to work a bit. Across the bridge and down the river trail. Passed by the track (anyone for some 400s after the race?). Kept pushing. Didn't see a clock for mile 3, but Garmin said 5:52. I tried to go by the person who won the woman's division, but I was promptly crushed. No one passed me though (well, not anyone already behind me). I could see 17:53 on the clock and I tried to kick harder, but I didn't have much else. It was going by 18:0X when I was just nearing the timing mats. Managed to hit 5:19 average for the partial. 

Caught my breath and snagged a cookie and a water.

Thawed my hands and got my results (18:06) inside. I found my throwaway and cooled down on the canal trail and around Military Park for 3.6 miles. I fell in front of some folks on the canal trail. I suppose these things do happen. 

PM: 4 miles, no watch

AM: North side - 6.3 miles, averaged 8:43

May get out again later to play in the rain. 

PM: Zoo loop - 5 miles, averaged 8:21. No rain. Plenty of wind.

AM: Old Standby - 6.5 miles, averaged 8:22

PM: Zoo loop - 5.25 miles, averaged 7:43

Long run loop with a few new variations - 18 miles, averaged 7:19 w/ 11 mile AT tempo: 7:14, 7:14, 7:06, 7:10, 7:06, 7:09, 7:00, 6:49, 6:58, 6:41, 6:46 (7:01+ average)

AM: North side - 4.5 miles, averaged 8:51

PM: 9th street out and back - 6.75 miles, averaged 8:08

Vinton Woods -  10 miles, averaged 7:56. Did a few strides on the way back (unfortunately) into a 30 mph wind.

Early morning workout (early for a weekday for Jason the Graduate Student). 3.75 warm up (misjudged my distance to my starting point). Few strides and brief stretching. Workout was 6 x 1 mile @ LT w/ 2 minute recoveries. Splits:

6:20, 6:18, 6:16, 6:17, 6:16, 6:10. 3.11 mile cool down.

Achilles was a little bit tight yesterday and today. No pain, no tenderness. I'm guess it is nothing to fret about. It happens maybe twice a year. Easy run tomorrow. Likely short. Headed to Philly to see Megan.

Short run with Megan. Nothing in this part of Philadelphia is flat. About 4 miles or so, no watch.

Had a travel glitch, so I took the train back to Megan's. Fine with me. Decided to hop on the treadmill. Good run. Fell into a rhythm. Did some pickups toward the end. 6.7 miles, averaged 7:37

North side - 7.3 miles, averaged 7:54

Loop around the south side - 13.25 miles, averaged 7:40. A few a slowish marathon pace miles, but I am calling them easy since the effort felt fine. Mile 13 was 7:13. A few more races and I will adjust my MP range I guess.

AM: North side - 6.5 miles, averaged 8:23. Chilly 9 degrees. Warmer weather isn't far away, and 9 degree isn't as bad as it could be.

PM: 9th street to Heritage Trail out and back - 6.5 miles, averaged 8:08

AM: North side - 5.5 miles, averaged 8:41

PM: Off. Tried to knock out this cold with a long nap. Foot/ankle issue not bad this morning. I think it is my peroneal tendon (left foot this time).

Cold is better, but my foot was playing up pretty good this morning on the way to campus. Likely won't be racing in the morning if it continues. I'll see how the run this afternoon goes.

North side - 7.3 miles, averaged 7:49. Slushy. Deep puddles. Foot was fine. I think the magic running ooze is testing me and keeping me humble. A few picks up race pace. .25 @ 6:02 and .29 at 6:01. A few shorter, unmeasured pickups earlier in the run.

Plan is to get it heck in the morning (and likely complain about my foot in my race report).

Goal today was to break 30:30= A, 30:15=A+, 30:00=A++. I have had an annoying cold all week, so I wasn't sure how my body would respond. Resting heart rate has been up a bit (in training it is normally 38-42, but it's been 45-47). 3.6 mile warm up with 1 mile moderate and some strides. Watched the lead guy come in for the 3 mile race (16 something). He also ran the 5. A bit of traffic at the start since there really wasn't any sort of corral.

Mile 1: 6:02. Effort felt good. Easier than 5k effort (should be right?). I ran with a few guys for a while, and went under an major overpass that spiked my Garmin nicely. Not sure if this was the mile with the hill or not, but the old watch read 6:24 for Mile 2, which I think was off on my watch (mile 1 was perfectly in time). I wasn't happy about that one because I didn't think I slowed down that much. Effort can be deceiving, but 20 seconds when you aren't half crazy at mile 24 of a marathon? Mile 3 had a nice downhill for the last .10-.20 so I hit that one in 5:59. I have 18:25-18:30 for my 3-mile split, but I got a time from someone with a stopwatch of 18:17 or :18 I think.

Miles 2-3 my left glute wasn't firing. Kind of like picking your fallen-asleep arm up in the middle of the night because it doesn't work on it's own.

Dropped a few guys after mile 3 or so. Mile 4: 6:05. Mile 5: 6:08. Passed someone here, but I couldn't catch the 2nd place woman as I thought I might. I chastised a cop for letting a second car go just as I was entering the intersection. I pretended to slap the car's bumper just to show how close I was. Of course, it wasn't their fault I almost t-boned them.

30:27 on my watch and 30:27 for the final time. 3.78 mile cool down.

Granola and almond pancakes again. I was pretty hungry after not eating anything this morning.

Today's recurring lesson. I love my Garmin, but I hate my Garmin. When I live in a respectable community with marked trails/pathways I will practice my interval efforts with a basic Timex.

Try to get out this afternoon to see how the old foot is faring.

PM: 5 miles, averaged 8:01. Bless you, my little peroneal tendon.

I was going to take a day off. Not sore or tight, which is a good sign. Thought it was probably time for a day off after 27 on (longest consecutive stretch by 5 days), but the sun was coming through the window, calling me. Too many clouds lately.

Golf course to Heritage trail out and back - 6.8 miles, averaged 7:55

Should have stayed in. Had some clowns harassing me, but I kept going, biting my tongue. As much as a stewed about it I had a pleasant run somehow. Wore a pair of A5s I picked up pretty cheap. What a sweetie pie of shoe! I think if I can drop some weight I may run my marathon in them. Lighter than my Newton flats (by a mere .2), but a bit more cushion and protection in the heel for when form starts to sag.

AM: North side - 7.75 miles, averaged 8:16

PM: 18th street to 9th back to 18th back and home via Jefferson High - 10  miles, averaged 6:58

I was trying to do a steady state run of 6-8 miles, maybe 10, but I got a bit fast because I have been running at marathon pace and LT or faster and don't have a good sense of the 6:45-6:30 range currently. Ended up being within McMillan range still I guess.  First mile 7:27, then 5.25 tempo in 34:38: 6:42, 6:29, 6:31, 6:33, 6:44, 1:38 (6:28 pace), averaged 6:35.75. Then ran home at a decent pace (7:15-7:30ish) with .12 toward the end at 5:30. 

Vinton Woods - 10 miles, averaged 7:55

Skipped the morning run for some sleep and a chance to miss the freezing rain/rain/wind. What a mess. I still got to run in the rain, wind, and just above freezing temps though this afternoon. Kind of just slogged through. 

PM: 9th street and Heritage Trail - 6.5 miles, average 8:31 + 6 x 100m strides 

Legs were definitely not loose during those strides. Guess that's why we do them. Early in the run a car swerved across 2 lanes and made a right-hand turn (one-way road, I'm going to same direction), almost hitting me. I can only guess they were trying to come close to me to be a jerk because I could see them move with my peripheral vision. I swiped at the car, but thought better of it (memories of redneck cab drivers).

PM: Jefferson High - 7 miles, averaged 8:06

North side - 7 miles, averaged 8:31

Good month. Pretty tired. Not sure what tomorrow's workout will bring.