Of Mice and Marathons

Bike Path to Kalber and back - 13.1 miles, averaged 8:16.

Ran with Brandon and Julian, but let them go at mile 7. I was struggling about as bad as I ever have. Dehydrated or something because I was feeling not just off but not right. Last two miles were over 9 minutes. Breathing was fine, but my legs felt like the end of a marathon. Easily in the top 10 worst runs ever.

Right knee is a bit achy. Started yesterday. Felt it a bit after Boston, and wacked it on the bar while I was there and it really hurt. Marking it here so when it flares up and I go to jerk sports medicine guy at Purdue I remember.

Jefferson High School (reverse direction + detour) - 10.2 miles, no watch.

Felt much better today with only a decent job hydrating yesterday. Definitely did not get enough water last week when I was out of town. 16-20 oz a day maybe. I drink about a gallon a day normally I think.

Purdue Track - Sharpening Workout 8.25 miles total

3 mile warm up, few drills, then strides

2 x 800 (2:46.6, 2:54) slow 400 jog recovery

3 minutes

4 x 400 (75.4, 77.4, 77, 77) 60-65 seconds rest

3 mile cool down

The 800s were not great. Terrible as far as pacing goes. I wanted 2:45 or faster but I just never got going and I was sucking humid air. The 400s were better, but I could have pushed a little bit to get them all at 75 or at least 76. Originally I had 200 meter jogs but I decided to walk. I also had 2 x 200 very hard but decided it was enough for today.

Not feeling great about my running. Thinking too much about where I've been and where I think I should be. Part of the problem is trying to run in warmer, humid conditions. It's not terrible right now, but much harder than running in the 30s and 40s. It's early though. Still not into the 7 week cycle for Beach to Beacon.

Managed to get two classes to teach this fall in Philadelphia. The pay ain't great, but it looks like I will continue to have mornings for running and some days off to do workouts, grade, write, and run again in the afternoon. Not bad.

PM: Purdue Cross Country Course - 4.2 miles, averaged 10:11. Ran with my friend Jim. Kept it extremely easy because he's trying to get back into running. I should have been doing afternoon runs with him more. I really enoyed our run.

Vinton Woods - 9 miles, no watch. Did some strides.

Reread Jake's State Street Mile report from some time ago to see what I should do for a warmup/race plan. I should probably see what the young bucks are doing considering my pace is closer to what they are running, but they are on the track. I recall seeing a mile road race from Jeff after Boston 2012. Need to dig that one out too. Here it is.

AM: North side - 3 miles easy, averaged 8:44. Just enough to earn a bowl of cereal and get a good stretch in.

I like the idea of this workout from Competitor, but it doesn't invlove actual sandwiches and when you begin running half marathons substantially faster than you do your everyday pace (2+ minutes, say) a 6-mile tempo is extremely hard and probably a wasted race effort. I like the idea of running short but very hard at the end of workouts though. Trying to do more of it as I head into my 10k specific B2B block.

PM: 8.25 miles w/ Monumental Mile race. Didn't run hard enough in the middle. Split the last quarter long at 4:34 pace. I haven't closed many partials for longer distances that fast, even though I can. So good start in ~73, little Sasha sat on my shoulder lecturing me in the second and third (I'm teasing but also serious). This winter I ran a 5:25 in a 4 x 1 mile w/ 90 seconds rest, so this is a good PR. I think 400 was the longest I've run 5-minute pace and that was two weeks ago. I can run faster, and I will. Might touch this report up some but that's most of it. 

My 1600 from freshmen PE was 9:15. So technically a ~4:14 PR :-)

Splits: 73.2, 77.6, 76.6, 74.4. I split the last one a bit long (but the course is certifed so it doesn't matter). When I kicked just before the final quarter I had 5:04 average and ended up at 4:58. Should have kicked ~150 meters sooner.

3.25 up w/ a bunch of strides (not long enough)

4 down (needed about 10 but the elites were starting. ~4:04 for the men and ~4:46 for the women)

PM: North side - 6.25 miles, averaged 8:00.

Might get out again before dinner, might not.

Evening: Spring Vale Cemetery - 6 miles, no watch

80 degress and 31% humidty. Darn near desert-like (during the summer here 60% is low humidity at the height of the day). Dew point 47. Trying to shift the winds in SlowJoe's favor. Gonna be a dry one this year in the Midwest me thinks. Philly will probably be 95 with 110% humidity.

Fink Cemetery out and back - 10.25 miles, no watch. Did some strides.

Felt really good. Nice early afternoon run through the Lafayette "desert" (80 degress with 36% humidity and a bit of wind to make it really comfortable). A bunch of water, a PBB&J, and I think I am ready for a nap.

AM/Lunch: Cumberland Park - 13.6 miles total w/ 3 x 2 mile @ LT w/ 3:00 recovery jogs

Tried to get up at 7:30, but I didn't feel like getting up. Too much to think about and too much to do. I paid for it a bit during the workout because it cost me several degrees and MPH on the wind end of things.

4 up/3 down

Set 1: 12:16 (6:04, 6:12)

Set 2: 12:28 (6:19, 6:09)

Set 3: 12:37 (6:21, 6:16)

I was dying the last third mile of the last mile. Splits weren't razor sharp but I did have some decent winds (17-20 mph on the first mile section), but they didn't annoy me too much. A good early season, honest workout. I haven't done a set of honest repeats since before Boston, so this gets things moving. Got to get them into the 5:50 range or faster before B2B to run what I want to run but I've got 7-8 weeks and lots of workouts (tons of time for a 10k). I am pretty sure I am going to move to 9-day cycles, especially since I only have a few more long run Sundays with the boys anyway.

Kenyan jog on the Purdue Cross Country course this afternoon.

PM: Purdue Cross Course - 4.25 miles, averaged 9:12

Spring Vale Cemetery - 8 miles, no watch

In addition to a 9-day cycle, I've decided on 8 mile recovery runs and 10 mile maintence runs to keep from trying to chase mileage too early, to keeps things simple, and to establish routine. Basically it looks like 

14-16/Workout/4 shakout, 8, 10, 14-16Workout/4 shakeout, 8, 10, 16Long, 8, 10, etc

It gives me roughly  what I like to run for mileage (75-80) with sensible days between workouts.

VInton Woods - 10 miles, no watch. Did some strides.

Getting used to the humidity in the mornings. If the Death Point is low, you barely notice.

My parents are coming to town tomorrow. First time in 5 years. I guess it is much easier when I go there. Poor Oliver, my cat, is in an Elizabethan collar after a skin biopsy and he is running around my messy apartment like a frontend loader bumping into things, while I am trying to get this place cleaned and work. Good times. Dad wants to go to the Golden Corrall, which I thought was garbage even before I started running. I could go for some ice cream though. I think it has been since April since I had a ice cream.

AM: Purdue Track Workout - 11.2 miles total

12 x 400 w/ 200 meter jogs. 3.5 up and down. Averaged 81.9, which was slightly off 80 second goal but the air was saturated and I ran in lane two to give Alden room to run his 3(800-400-200) workout, which started at 4:40 pace. Matt ran with me, which helped. I couldn't find my Timex, so I ran with my Garmin, but missed the first split, which I ran in 79. Second one was slow in 84, but most were in the 82 zone with a high 78 to close. Pretty good workout I think. I was definitely working in the second half, which is usually how these sessions go (and think they should).

Off to pick up my parents at the airport.

PM: North side - 4 miles easy. The Dodges do things early. Cocktails and dinner way before I would even think about it, but I went out around 8 with a belly full of buffet still from 5:00. Dad was driving me nuts.

I forgot to add that I had to jump the fence at Purdue to get to the track (for Rob).

Spring Vale Cemetery - 8 miles, no watch

I think I managed to resurrect my Garmin 410, which means I have way too many timepieces.

North side - 6.25 miles, averaged 7:57. Did some strides.

Cut back the run today because I have a race tomorrow. Legs were tired, but pretty normal. The quality jump this week is/will be significant (~19% quality) with a slight milege bump, so this is to be expected.

Running a 10k in town tomorrow. $25 for a certified course sounds pretty good. I think my main competition will be a 17-year-old who will probably beat me. If I can't stay with him, I think there's a gift certificate for 2nd to Tri-n-Run.

Oh, and I fell again. Ripped the outside of my Altras.

AM: Race for Hope 10k

I've wanted to do this race for the last two years but it never worked out. This year I realized it was certified, and for $25 I couldn't pass it up. I knew a young guy had won it with times that were around my half marathon PR, so I figured I see what the day brought. If his pattern of improving 8 seconds per mile per year continued he would run about 5:48, which I am not in shape to run on a hilly course. Weather was an unusual 50 degrees, so I figured I needed a hard effort because I won't get many more days like this.

Warmed up 3.5 and did some strides. I started around 4th or 5th thinking I was going to have to work, but by the bottom of the hill (~1 mile in) I passed the 4th place guy and he stopped for water (he's done). Young Skinny, the leader, was still pulling away and I had two guys to burn holes in for a while between me and him. Around mile 3 or so I passed the 3rd place guy and started to work on the 2nd place guy. He was running bad tangents so I worked them a bit to close the gap (we were told to stay on the side of the road but with no traffic and him in front of me making errors I seized the opportunity). I was a few strides behind him going back up the big hill and I had to decide when to break him (Young Skinny was cresting the hill as we were approaching it. No chance to catch him). I ran with the second place guy stride for stride on opposite sides of the hill (me being on the correct side, given the impending right-hand turn). I listened to his breathing and he was sucking air (I was decently tired). I waited until the false crest in the hill (like a stepup in BMX or MotoX) at ~4.5 miles and started to pull away. Once I got to the top I kept turning and picked it up to 5:30 for a stretch to seal my gap. A quick look at the right-hand turn and I saw I had enough room if I maintained 6:00 pace. The volunteer gave me a "about 40 yards" measurement, which was nice but I can't think in yards.

I was worried on this last section because I didn't go over it yesterday but the volunteers were awesome. I had to ask which way a few times but they were also directing 5kers coming from another direction. One young woman gave me the direction well before the intersection, which was really nice. You don't get that from disgruntled police officers. Maybe could have pushed harder in the last ~1.5 miles.

Young Skinny ran 36:19. Couldn't have caught him today, but maybe I should have tried to keep the gap closed earlier in the race to at least have run a few seconds faster. Good, early training block 10k. I want to be under 35 minutes in 7 weeks for Beach to Beacon, but my unstated goal is to beat the Maine women. I guess it's now my "stated goal."

3.5 down

The rich, chocolatey goodness: 5:53, 6:10, 6:19, 5:55, 6:27, 6:02, 1:15 (5:09 pace)

PM: Rest Haven Cemetery - 4 miles, averaged 8:32. 75 and sunny. Slight breeze and 30% humity! Rare weather in this part of the woods.

Rest Haven Cemetery - 8 miles, averaged 8:32.

Keep most of it on dirt and as easy as I could stand (9:15-8:45) until the final mile.

Happy Fathers' Day!

Fink Cemetery out and back - 10 miles, averaged 8:15.

Planned to do some strides and blasts but when I stopped for water at 8.5 I was seeing stars. Very loopy when I stopped to walk back to my apartment. Higher dew point and humidity for this week. Good practice for Florida in a week.

Vinton Woods (reverse direction) - 10 miles, no watch. Did a few strides. I changed my shoes, got some water, then did 8 hill blasts (probably ~15 seconds).

Some townie b*$*$ pulled up behind me and laid on the horn just to be a jerk (I was on the sidewalk). That was around mile 5. I almost went home. Ruins my running. Can't wait to get out of Lafayette. Not sure if Philly will be better on infinitely worse.

AM: Purdue Track Workout - 9.6 miles total w/ 5 x 1000 w/ 75-90 second recovery jogs

I wanted to do 10, but I forget how hard they are when you run them right and that's kind of a fall workout. So I figured 8 would be awesome. I got through 5 and that was about all I could handle in the humidity. I had to weave around pratice steeples (or whatever they are called) so that added some seconds. A young woman was waiting for the track and she kind of threw my concentration because I'm not really supposed to be there. That's my list of excuses.

Might have to be content with shorter workouts in the heat and humidity, or maybe I am just lazy. I think the last few weeks and the coming weeks are/will be much more consistent than in previous summers, so I'll mark that down as a plus. I was able to get up at 7:00, which for me not to ignore my alarm (or even set one) when I don't have to be up, also a plus. The little things :-)

Onward and upward.

3 up/down

intervals: 3:43, 3:47, 3:47, 3:50, 3:51

Recoveries: 76, 85, 84, 90

PM: Rest Haven Cemetery - 3.25 miles, averaged 8:14. Not enough time before the lightening started to do the usual ~35 minute shakout, but I'll likely do a medium long run tomorrow. Got to fit into that suit for Saturday!

South side out and back - 12 miles, averaged 8:12

Wabash Cannonball Trail - 10 miles, averaged 7:17

5 mile aerobic tempo @ 6:34: 6:44, 6:38, 6:32, 6:29, 6:29

Good George Bush run. Wedding party gathering the night before.

Wabash Cannonball Trail - 13 miles, averaged 7:20ish

I'm getting married today. Things are crazy. I think that's normal.

Day off. I was due for one after 25 on, and Megan and I are headed to Florida for our honeymoon. This will be a recovery week obviously.

Hickory Blvd - 8 miles, averaged 7:50. Did some strides.

In Bonita Springs. Hot, about 91 but pretty dry for Florida. Lovely sidewalks.

Hickory Blvd.  - 7 miles, averaged 8:03

bit more humid today.

Bonita Beach Road/Vanderbilt - 8 miles, averaged 8:15

Warm. 86 or so when I left, about 64% humidity and 72 dew point. Megan and I are going kayaking after lunch.

Did some research last night while Megan was grading and found the Wissahickon Wanders Runners Club. Track workouts on Tuesdays at what will likely be my new track (but I've got some options).

Life is pretty darn good.

Hickory Blvd - 4 miles, averaged 8:34

The SlowJoe figures: 82, 69%, 75 dew point (Death Point). It was extremely hard to run with the dew point that high and my current dehydration levels (I've been consuming more than a gallon a day but it's a lot of sun. Whiskey and beer or wine combos don't help).

Hickory Blvd - 5.5 miles, averaged 9:01. Did some strides. Ran a few miles with Megan. Weather was more humid today. Difficult running much faster than 8:45-9:30.

Hickory Blvd. - 6.25 miles, averaged 8:44.

Megan came with me to the 2-mile mark. I saw a dolphin on the way back. Kind of wanted to jump off the bridge and swim with it rather than run another 2 miles in the heat (better today but just lots lots of sun). Jet skiing yesterday and Everglades today. Headed to Lafayette for a few days to finishing packing (so long and thanks for all the shoes) and the Megan, Oliver, and I are headed to Philadelphia.

Looks like the mileage board exploded this week with some serious long runs.

Hickory Blvd. - 5.25 miles, averaged 8:51. Did a set of strides.

Vinton Woods - 10 miles, averaged 8:05. Did some strides. Warm.

Picked up some Kinvara 5s with a gift certificate I won from the race a few weeks ago and some reward money at Tri-N-Run. I won't be able to spend the GC because I am leaving Thursday and I didn't really want another pair of shorts and I don't wear a shirt this time of year. I have as many watches as I have appendanges.

I only have 10 miles and one run, but this is a very very good shoe. Seems firmer and wider than previous models (if Saucony asked what I wanted those were the two things). The overlays are taller coming from the midsole to help prevent side blowouts. Many other improvements but this is what I really like.