Of Mice and Marathons

Purdue Co-Rec - 10 miles in a bit under 75 minutes w/ 3.5 @ HR-based LT ( 22+ minutes at 178 BPM). Did stides in the last two miles.

Megan wanted to see the new recreation center, so we went and played on the Woodways. I did what I could with today's workout. 6:22 pace is not great but my heart rate was up. Haven't been sleeping much or very well, eating out a lot with the moving, and trying to climb out of the dehydration hole from last week. All in time. Keep the feet moving. Onward and upward.

Probably no shakeout run today given that we took a little while on campus cleaning out my office and returning things. Going to try to get a 5k race in when we are in Toledo for the 4th. Lows in the low 50s are very hard to pass up this time of year.

Purdue Track Workout - 8.1 miles total w/ 5 x 1000 @ goal 5k pace w/ 200 walks

Alden had a crazy mile pace workout on tap: 3 (200-300-400-300-200) w/ 200 recovery (I think) and 400 between sets. Brandon is racing Friday, so he did his simulator workout and figured that would be more sensible given that I drank a fancy 40 last night and at least a half bottle of wine with Megan and struggled on the mill yesterday (I never do workouts back to back).

Warmed up 2.75 with a progression, which ended with about a half mile at 6:00ish. Alden was gone. Sets of drills and strides and Brandon and I did the workout. First 200 in 38-39 I think (we were feeling snappy I guess).

3:25, 3:24, 3:25, 3:23, 3:22.5 (~3:24)

Just under sub-17 goal 5k pace. It's probably time to get that one off my list. I've been in that shape a few times but never raced a 5k when I am.

Cool down on the grass and track barefoot for 2, then a little back to the indoor track. I felt really strong today despite not having slept much for about a week or so now.

Moving fun continues. Just trying to fit in some running when I can this week.

PM: Rest Haven Cemetery - 4 miles, averaged 7:50ish

No running today. Megan and I cleared out my apartment and loaded the moving truck. No 5k in the morning. Need to try to sleep. I will try to get some minutes on my feet during out stopover in Toledo for the 4th. Mileage nothing like I planned this week or last, but that's okay. I still have 3 weeks solidly in the 80s before Beach to Beacon. My fitness is coming along. My workout with Brandon told me I'm right around sub-17 shape but I've got some work to do these next 4 weeks  to reach my B2B goal.

Wabash Cannon Ball Trail in Toledo - 17.76 miles, averaged 7:33

Felt pretty good but faded toward the end.

Happy July 4th!

Late - 8 miles

Slept in today. Megan and I were exhausted. Drove 8 or so hours to Philadelphia from Toledo. Jumped on the treadmill. It's getting dark and I barely got out of the truck and some dude told me he lived across the road, and that he meant no disrespect. I appreciated it. Whatever "it" was. Did a honest effort hour. Just under 9.5 miles. Either the fitness fairy visited me in my sleep or the treadmill is off. Call in 8. 10.9 feels like about 9.7-10, maybe a touch slower. I need to sell my Jordan's for a gym membership or start running at La Salle when I need to. The apartment complex will work for the occasional hour run and occasional shakeout run.

Chestnut Hill - 13 miles, averaged 8:35

I hesitate to call this hilly (it is) but everything in the neighborhood is. Did some recon, found one of the tracks, got lost and very dehydrated and tired. Walked a good bit back. Pretty out of it when I got home. 

Lower 80s 39% humidity and dew point in the mid 40s very weird, but extremely pleasant.

PM: Just got my computer set up and my Garmin data in. Garmin claims 750 of gain. Garmins are the worst at elevation but I am guessing that is pretty close. I found the Cheltenham Cemetery, which is ~2.5 away and it is ~2+ miles around the outside. Tempo, tempo, baby. Also recovery runs when I need some flats. I'll check the trails to see how good the markers are for intervals, otherwise I will use the cemetery and one of the tracks.

AM: 5.5 miles of run/walk (2 running segements) commuting with Megan. We dropped off the moving truck. Lots of hills. I'll probably do an hour on the treadmill later.

PM: Treadill for an honest hour. I'm the sweaty guy at the complex. I just moved in. Nice to meet you.

AM: Road/track/treadmill special - 8.5 miles.

Ran to Springside Academy, which is convenietly located a mile away. Lots of people walking. I had planned a rather ambitious 2-1-2-1 some time ago, but that is really a fall workout or a rare cool weather summer day. So I figured mile repeats until I felt like I was done. Got through 1200 (4:37 or 6:13) and pulled it. Too warm, too dehydrated. I'm too proud to run 6:20 pace just to get the workout in. Came home and jumped on the treadmill for an honest 25 minute LT tempo and felt like dropping that too but I kept pushing and saved the morning and got a solid effort in even if the mileage wasn't there. Sunday's lost run took a lot out of me.

Since I'm not the bread winner, I'm the bread baker, so it's off to grocery shop.

PM: Treadmill for 35 minutes

AM: College Hill Loop - 6.5 miles, averaged 8:52. Around 575 feet of gain according to the Garmin.

Found the direction of the Schuykill River Trail. I'll explore that a bit maybe tomorrow. The trail system here is extensive! I can feel either the hills or the treadmill (or both) in my glutes. Must be strengthening them.

PM: Exploring a bit - 6.25, averaged about 8:35. I stopped my watch and forgot to restart so it took a wicked tangent. With Google Pedometer and the elapsed time I figured it to be a mile.

Forbidden Drive SE - 10 mile, averaged 8:18.

Climbed back up Rex Ave through some fallen trees. It's 300 feet of gain over a kilometer. My beard got longer by the time I got to the top.

Neighborhood + Springside Academy - 8.5 miles, averaged 8:56. Did 6 x 200 strides on the track, which is where most of my strides will be since there are no good stretches of road near the apartment. 

Did the first 4 nice and easy with Megan and went back toward the track. Lots of very nice athletic fields for barefoot running and strides. Pretty swanky school from the looks of things.

AM: Springside Academy Track - 10.25 miles total w/ 3 x 1 mile CVish w/ 400 recovery + 2 x 400 (hard) w/ 70 second rest

Warmed up 3.25 (including 1 fall), did 2 x 200 strides and some quick active stretches. It was already in the low 80s. Guess I didn't learn my less from early this week (some cooler nights next week are coming!). Didn't really know what I was going to do for a workout even when I started the repeat. Originally mile repeats, then 800s given the warm temps, then I decided to do a handful of repeats (to the point of falling off) then some hard intervals for leg speed. I had to deal with walker texters in lane 1 and old dude running 400s in ~4:00. Good times. An okay warm weather workout.

3 x 1600: 5:58, 6:00, 5:55

short break, then

2 x 400: 73.1, 76.9

Cooled down 2.5

Needed to concentrate on the second one but didn't. Needed to keep the head up and keep moving but I missed it. I was pretty gassed at the end of the second. Got some miles for the morning, the heart rate up, and the legs turning. Call it a moderate success.

PM: Treadmill - 5.25 miles next to Megan. I finished and watched her try to tackle the 9-minute gal. The oldest looking treadmill is the most accurate and the fastest. Did some light strides to test it. 5:30ish felt like 5:30 or close enough.

Neighborhood + Springside Track - 6.5 miles, averaged 8:40. Sluggish. Bit more humid today.

AM: Chestnut Hill College loop - 7.25 miles, averaged 8:39.

Might have to start calling this pace "Philadelphia easy." Good George Bush run. Little painful getting up this morning.

PM: Treadmill with Megan - 6 miles. Did some strides.

Probably do my workout inside tomorrow.

AM: Treadmill - 5.5 miles. Another day, another failed workout. The temps were 75, humidity 98%, and the dew point 75, so there was no way I was going outside. The treadmill didn't help. Planned 4-6 by 1 mile starting every 8 minutes (6 minute mile 2 recovery or a bit more recovery if I ran under 6). Pace just felt unsustainable so I did 6:07 for the first mile and 6:15 for the second, then just pulled it a quarter mile into the third. I think part of the problem is the mileage spike last week and the fact that I am down 4-5 pounds the last two days. I am finding it impossible to get my hydration levels up without drinking many consecutive glasses of water and I don't think that's the proper way. Hoping for a decent workout on Thursday or Friday when the weather is cooler.

PM: Treadmill - 5.25 miles

Lunch: College Hill Loop - 8.5 miles, averaged 8:10. Good weather is here. Feeling better. Stomach has settled. Weight is moving back up.

PM: Neighborhood loop + Springside Track - 6 miles, averaged 8:04 w/ 6 x 200 strides. Worked from ~5k pace down to theoretical 800m pace (5:38-4:35)

Lunch: Springside Track - 10.5 miles total w/ 8 x 600 w/ 200 meter jogs avg 2:04.6

Decent workout today. I've never done 600s but it was a recommendation from Coach Krong for 10k training. Megan is gone to a conference, and I had to take Oliver to the vet so I wasn't able to get out when I got up. Air was nice and dry but it was still around 80, but it wasn't too bad. Warmed up 3.5 with some on/off 200s at a tame pace to get the legs moving, some half-hearted drills, and a few strides. The pace (5:30-5:35) felt very hard today. Two weeks or so ago 5:25-5:28 pace for 1000m felt hard but managable. The recovery jogs were admittedly very slow and even had to walk a few paces in the last half.

My 5 mile race a week from Saturday will tell me what I can do at Beach to Beacon. Right now a PR is the goal. I'm off from my sub-35 goal unless some magic happens and I run under 28:30 for the 5-miler.

PM: Exploring - 4.5 miles, averaged 8:07. Checked out a tempo loop I marked out a few months ago. Way too hilly. I'm not that much of a beast. Guess the cemetery is my only option, which is fine.

Germantown Ave and Lincoln Drive - 8 miles, averaged 8:13

Tried to find the Wissahickon Bike Trail but didn't quite go far enough. I fell again. Got a raspberry right next to the other one on my right butt, aforearm scrape, and a good one on the outer part of my knee/extreme lower quad. I think I will call up 2XU and see if they have anything with Kevlar.

Forbidden Drive + Schuykill River Trail - 16 miles, averaged 7:37 w/ 5.5 aerobic tempo (~6:50 on the watch)

Did some exploring. I ran to the Forbidden Drive trail and took it out until I hit about 8 miles. I picked up the Wissahickon Bike Trail for just a piece (I think) then onto the Schuykill River trail toward Kelly Drive almost to Falls Bridge (other 2-3 miles out and I would have been at the Philadelphia Museum of Art but didn't have the strength to go 20+ with a tempo in the middle). I tempoed a bit on the way back. Tempo was weak but I think with the tree cover my Garmin was off a good bit. Lots of gradual ascent in there actually.

I was running 6:55-7:00 according to my Garmin but I felt like I was moving 6:30-6:45 and when I got out from under tree my watch would jump down. I tried two markers and found .95 and .94. I have no way of knowing how accurate those are (they seem to be consistent). Effort was right for now. I'll worry about pace sometime in the next 18 weeks.

I lost 13-15 seconds overall in the final 2-2.5 miles with an 11:00 minute pace half mile climb up Rex Hill.

I had two horses running at me, which was new and there was a woman in a cart being pulled by a Chetlan Pony.

AM: The Township Formerly Known As Springfield - 6.25 miles, averaged 7:52

Felt good this morning. I reconned another tempo loop. Still a touch hilly, but I think it will work for marathon tempos to work on changing gears and the occasional fartlek (when do I ever run those?). I can't see trying to do mile repeats on it, but I might throw it in for variety.

PM: Holy Sepulchre Cemetery - 6 miles, averaged 7:52.

I took a short detour through here the other day and spent two miles there today. Some of the headstones are absolutely incredible. Some even have friezes on them. It should work very well for intervals when I want to switch from the track.

AM: Pastorius Park Neighborhood + Springside Track - 7 miles, averaged 8:04 w/ 6 x 200 strides. Did 8 x 10-15 second hill blasts near the apartment complex when I got back.

PM: Treadmill - "6" miles in 40 minutes. I paid the slow treadmill tax with a 10 minute warmup on the Stairmaster waiting for a machine. First time on one of those. Going to try to use it a few days a week for 10-20 minutes or so to strengthen some muscles I don't generally hit.

AM/Lunch: 60 minutes on the treadmill (all @ 1%)

10 min @ 7.5

10 min @ 8.0

10 min @ 8.5

25 min @ 9.0

5 min @ 8.0

PM: Treadmill - a bit over 5 in 40 minutes with Megan

Lunch: 60 minutes on the treadmill at 1%

10 min @ 7.5

10 min @ 8.0

10 min @ 8.5

10 min @ 9.0

10 min @ 9.5

10 min @ 7.5

PM: Treamill - 4 miles. Did some weights. Megan assures me with my mileage I won't bulk up. Time will tell.

AM/Lunch: Germantown and Forbidden Drive - 12 miles, averaged 7:39 w/ 5 x 5 minutes with 2:30 recovery jogs

Interval 1: 6:02 pace

Interval 2: 6:06 pace

Interval 3: 6:11 pace

Interval 4: 6:05 pace

Interval 5: 6:11 pace

2.75 up/~4 down. Paces varied by terrain, tree cover, rocks, kids, and so on. A bit much for a sharpening workout but I kept the recoveries longer than normal (no more than 30% usually). Hoping to move faster than this on Saturday morning. I think my A5s are the go to shoe given that there's some mud and loose dirt. A trail race technically but with a 25:13 course record it's very fast (and not what most would call a trail race).

PM: Treadmill - 4.5 miles next to Megan

Pastorius Park + Springside Academy - 6 miles, averaged 8:29. Did some strides on the road and some on the track.

This puts me at the 2000 mile mark for the year. Last year I hit it on July 20. So not too bad considering how I started this year with a very slow start. If I don't end the year with an injured November and part of December I'll have a very solid base of miles. Hopefully 3700-3800, which would give me a decent increase over last year, but we will see.

AM: Run for the Hill of It 5 Miler. Not a good time for me, but it was a decent effort. I feel like I am going to be stuck in ~6:00 minute purgatory for the rest of my running career. My legs were fairly tired today, so maybe I accomplished my goal (get a hard effort on mileage loaded legs); I don't know.

Megan wanted to run, so we walked a bit so she wouldn't have to warm up too far and then ran (~1.3). Picked up my packet and continued to warm up for 3.25 with a half mile at marathon pace. Felt sluggish as I knew I would. Did a few strides just to loosen up. Race didn't start on time (they never do). I shut my Garmin off and didn't bring my Timex, so this was my first blind race, which is I guess how they use to do it in the days of chest hair and mustaches. I think I ran the appropriate effort.

Some faster young dudes took the pace out conservatively and strung it out after mile 1 as I knew they would. I stayed on the single file train and ran with a guy, traded places into the turn around. 13 minutes?! I'm having a great day! Nope, the clock is very off (I had to do the math after the race and that would be very very fast for me). I got by him around mile 3-3.5 and worked on the next guy and we traded places before he got back ahead of me and I wasn't able to outkick him. Just before the finish line we got a 29-and-change update and a "pick it up for sub-30." I almost died. I thought I was at least running in the 5:50s, but hopefully faster. I should have beat the guy in front of me, but was too pouty about my time.

1st half = 14:45 (5:54 pace) 2nd half = 15:21 (6:09 pace). Guess I died more than I thought. No one ahead of me ran a negative split, but one was a very close positive split.

Waited for Megan who ran 40:46 with a 47 second negative split. She asked if I was going to run it in with her which I did for a little while until I told her to beat the young woman in front of her by taking the tangent right of the edge of the fence post and straight to the finish. I let her go and she finished nice and strong.

It was pouring at the end of the race and a bit before. I pouted for a while, then we walked about 1.5 miles with Megan and then we ran a mile home (a good day for her). I got the idea to do some hard 400s as we were climing the College Hill, so I did another 1.25 to the track after dropping off my mud spattered singlet. Did the 400s then 1.25 home.

4 x 400 w/ ~85 seconds rest averaged 76.1

Those burned a bit, but I did have a decent amount of time from the race until I did the workout (legs were obviously pretty tired).

PM: Likely off. Don't need the mileage even though a typical PM, post-race shakeout would put me at 90 for the week.

Treadmill - 6 miles in ~47 minutes. Hit the reset switch, which is easy to do. Waited until before dinner to run. Grumpy today but I got some writing done.

Pretty much the same as last week for Monday and Tuesday, tuneup workout on Wednesday, then two shorter easy days.

Goals for B2B: 1: say hi to Shalane Flanagan as I'm warming up from the high school; 2) beat as many of the Maine women as possible; 3) Run a PR.

Top Maine results from last year: http://www.coolrunning.com/results/13/me/Aug3_16thTD_set3.shtml

AM: Treadmill for 60 minutes @ 1% incline

10 minutes @ 7.5

10 minutes @ 8.0

10 minutes @ 8.5

25 minutes @ 9.0

5 minutes @ 9.5

Felt pretty good today. Could have gone for a while longer but the old automatic cool down said it was time to be done (such is why I ran the top of the progression right into the 60 minute mark).

PM: Treadmill - 4 miles in 30:45ish. Then did a set of weights. Last time I was sore for 3 days. I think this time will be better.

AM/Lunch: Chestnut College Hill Loop - 8 miles, averaged 7:57. Did a couple strides but ran out of prime stride real estate.

Stole someone's Strava record on the hill by about 42 seconds over 1.2 miles. According to Strava it's 324 feet of climb (5% grade) and I managed 7:50 pace. Not fast but it's definitely the biggest hill I've been able to put in a regular loop. I told myself I wasn't going to play this silly game but admittedly it's kind of fun.

PM: Off.

AM: Tune Up Workout - 9 miles total

3 mile warm up w/ half mile at MP (~6:35 pace) plus a few strides

3 x 1600 mile with 400 recovery jog 6:01, 6:02, 5:59

2 minutes rest

4 x 200 w/ 200 recovery, averaged 35.6

1.5 cool down

Felt pretty stale.

PM: Off and tomorrow off. Need to make sure I am ready to race and I'm 26 days on. I want to run a strong race, not be disappointed because I tried to keep pushing too hard too close to a race (even if it is only a 10k).

Day off.