Of Mice and Marathons

AM: 6.5 miles. HR 140. Feeling a bit better. Legs still feel a bit weak.

Walked with Remy for a little over 40 minutes.

PM: 7.25 miles. Felt really good. Warm but dry.

Finished my revisions for chapter 3, after which I instantly felt better. A little pep in my step (compared to my easy pace as of late).

Late:

+ Stretching and core

AM: 8.25 miles. HR 148. Did some strides then 8 x 13-16 second hill sprints.

Found a longer hill for sprints. Works perfectly. After I did 40 minutes of walking on the Wissahickon trails with Remy. I finally saw what his owners warned me about. He really goes after other dogs. Good thing I'm 5 lbs over racing weight. No trouble holding him back. He's very sweet but he's got some deep-seated issues.

PM: 4 miles. HR 144.

+ Stretching and core (late)

AM: 11 miles total. Farlek of 8 x 2 minutes hard/2 minutes easy + 4 x 30 second harder/1 minute easy

Once again I did the workout under the shade and on the rolling dirt of Forbidden Drive. Upper 70s, nice and dry with a low dew point (<60). Planned to get through 10 intervals but I was pretty gasssed. It's a deceptively hard workout if you go out aggressively (the purpose). I did this back this winter and was seeing stars at the end.

I should have just gutted out the last two because I could have and it would have built confidence but I got in a decent workout. I tacked on the strides to work on my kick. They were slightly harder than my usual strides.

23 minute warm up/28 minute cool down. Averaged about 5:23 for the 2 minute portions.

Walked Remy for 50+ minutes shortly after.

PM: 5 miles easy. HR 133.

Lunch: 5.25 miles easy. HR 137.

Not the 17.76 mile long run last year, but I'll definitely take my speed from this year.

Short 25 minute walk with Remy in the Wissahickon. I think I have officially taught him how to chill out around dogs he doesn't know. I should ask for a raise.

PM: Off. Low mileage this week but I am worlds better than where I started the week and I'm happy about that. Get back to business next week, hopefully run the mile on the track on Tuesday, maybe a workout later in the week or a long run. Get my mileage back up, get my doubles in, get in my stretching and core.

Happy 4th of July!

PM: 14 miles moderate pace. HR 159.

Progression through 10 miles, then 4 miles easy. Starting at mile 4 until mile 10 I cut the pace down from 7:23-6:27. Weather was in the mid to lower 80s but it was dry and I ran mostly under tree cover (so I ran by heart rate), which helped. I think I will continue to do that until the weather gets cooler.

Good run. I sweat out many of my Fourth of July Weekend sins.

Walked with Remy for 40 minutes or so after lunch before going out for my run.

+ Stretching and core (late)

AM: Trail - 6 miles very slow. HR 131.

Walked with Remy in the Wissahickon for 30 minutes. Still working on his dog encounters but he's doing well.

Hit the 2000-mile mark for the year. In 2012 it took me until Oct 18. In 2013 I hit the mark on July 20, and last year I hit it on July 25. I don't know me exact totals for the half year in 2010 when I started running and I don't have exact totals for 2011, but I know I was well under 2000 for both years. It helps this year that I didn't have a marathon and my mandatory one week rest period that accompanies them.

PM (late): Treadmill - 7 miles. HR 133.

AM: Pre-meet shakeout - 2 miles easy w/ 2 strides.

Walked for 80 minutes, 40 of which were with Remy. Probably going to regret being on my feet later but it was unavoidable. I did manage to steal 4 more Titleist PROV1 golf balls, which are $5 a piece. The course maintenance guys had thrown them into the chip path to mow, so I figured, why not? I left several balls but took the good ones :-) #hardtimes

PM: Germantown Academy Track Meet Mile - 2 miles (my first meet ever and I didn't really know the logistics so I flubbed up on the WU)

I don't actually have my time but I need to put something in. The meet was swamped with people and they were slow with results. Megan thought 5:01, in which case this will anger me beyond belief because I ran like a weak saucing fool as far as effort goes. She didn't know the line was behind the clock and I tend to remember the time just before I cross the line, which I thought was 4:55/4:56. They were still posting earlier results and I didn't want Megan to wait so I didn't cool down. I only got 1 mile of warmup but I did a bunch of strides and stretching and some light jogging to keep sharp.

REPORT: Update: 4:56.12. The winner ran 4:48. The old man lost to some young lads of 16-19. I'm not upset about that.

I was in the fast heat, which wasn't very fast this week. Mid-80s or so but with some cloud cover here and there, dry but with a solid dew point. I was suprised when the gun went off that no one really hit the inside other than 3-4 up front. I got elbowed a bit and thinking back I could have got whatever position I wanted because I outweighed everyone on the track. I fell way back almost last because I was being too nice. At the half I got up into 4th or 5th and the pace felt pretty pedestrian. I was going to jump out in the lead but didn't want to look foolish when I got crushed (stupid me). My legs were a little junky but my breathing was pretty mellow.

I stayed there until 3/4 and then I got gapped with 300 to go. Mistake #1245 of the meet. I should have stayed with them. I got passed but started kicking around 150 and I am not sure what happened, whether I got passed or if I passed anyone in the final stretch. My legs started to go mushy about 30 meters out and I thought I say 4:55-4:56 but I am not sure where I was with respect to the line. I finished breathing heavy but not super hard and many people were doubled over. I hadn't run hard enough. I've definitely finished longer races feeling more winded.

As I think the splits played out: 75ish? for the 1/4, 2:30 at 1/2, 3:45 for 3/4, and I know the last lap was faster than at least the third and the second if not the first. If I have the numbers right this means I would have run the last quarter in about 70-72, which seems possible.

I am an anxious mess because I want to know my time but don't know when they will post. Whatever the time, it's not a great mile time, but I've never broken 5 minutes in the mile, only having run it twice and although it's a pedestrian time it's important to me because I know I can run faster. I'll probably never run anything decently fast ever but a lot faster than whatever I ran today.

I'll run for an hour on the treadmill once this meatloaf digests.

Night: Treadmill - 7 miles. HR 143.
 

Lunch: Trails - 7.25 miles. HR 136 (but I think my monitor is already messed up).

PM: 4.25 miles. Didn't have time for much more and I didn't feel like running on the treadmill after dinner again.

+ stretching and core (late)

AM: No run. I stayed up late and got up late. Our meeting with the apartment complex didn't start for 45 minutes and I had to get back to walk Remy (just under 40 minutes). Plan was only 4-5 miles, as I will be doing the Thursday group trail run with beer after assuming we don't get blasted with thunderstorms. Should be able to get in a medium long run today with a short single tomorrow and the race on Saturday, which is early and the coolest day of the week. I'll take it even if it is a 7:30AM.

PM: Trails - 10.6 miles.

3+ miles to Valley Green, waiting around a bit for people to start (I hate lag time even during workouts and races). I was hoping Jonathan would be there so I would know someone. I did meet some nice folks. We went on some sections of the trails I've never been on and some I never knew were there. Some of it was a bit too much like rock climbing. We did about 5 miles and the storms hit. We went back to Valley Green and took cover under the warming stables. I ate some beef jerky I packed in my shorts.

We were supposed to do the beer tasting but then everyone want to go to the brewery. We didn't even check to see if the tasting was going on and even if it wasn't the Inn has beer. It kind of ticked me off because I have been waiting for a time when I could do the Thursday runs without feeling too indulgent given that it takes a lot of time in the evening and I am the one responsible for dinner. I had packed a snack and my debit card and was really looking forward to the run. It was fun, but too much walking and waiting for people. I like to do 98% of my training alone. Harder workouts are great with people and I could use someone for easy long runs, other than that I think most of the time I am good. Unless it is with my wife. She can run with me whenever she wants.

2.25 miles after some standing around. It was pouring and the road was flooding. The lightening was hitting and the thunder was in the vicinity when I got back to the complex. It was getting a bit scary.

+ Stretching and core (very late)

Lunch - 5.6 miles. HR 145. Did a few pickups around race pace, then did a good set of strides.

Felt like crap as I usually do the day before a race. Some soreness in my hamstrings from the mile on Tuesday and legs a little dead from running a bit harder yesterday on the trails than I usually do.

I think I managed to get a break in the weather as it should be in the upper 60s at 7:30 tomorrow with okay humidity. I just hope I have something in my legs. They have a 10k mat, so I can get that split and not really care about the extra stupid distance for the quarter marathon. Probably a conservative start and start knocking off goal pace splits for B2B after 3 miles.

PM: 30 minute walk with Remy.

AM: Phil's Tavern Quarter Marathon - 12 miles total w/ 6.5 in 39:05 or just under 6:00 pace

The race was $15, they had cash, pies to age group winners, and breakfast so I signed up back in April. We got a decent break in the weather after the crazy storms on Thursday that I got caught in. A tick under 70 degrees to start with lowish dew point.

Warmed up 3.2 w/ a half mile steady. Changed into my flats and did some strides. Felt flat but my strides felt okay. We started 10 minutes late but it was announced and I was okay with that. They had drones to take video, which was so freaky because they were hovering at head level and looking at us.

Goal was to run just under 6:00 pace for a few miles, then start ripping off goal pace splits for Beach to Beacon (5:40-5:45) but I never really got there. Sections of the race were on very soft woodchips and very windy trail, some sections of wet grass, but mostly roads. I kind of enjoyed the cross country sections even though they slowed me down a good deal. Not really to much to report for the race.

I passed a few people and couldn't quite gut it out to pass the two guys ahead of me. I think I counted about 7-8 seconds on them at one point. I felt pretty stale the whole race and it was mentally tough. My breathing was pretty good, but legs just didn't want to turn over. I think part of my problem is I rarely run before 10:30 and this race was at 7:30, meaning I had to get up at 5:45, which never happens. Might need to think about some early runs for a number of reasons.

The mile markers seemed to be missing in at least one place, another time my watch split early, so I resplit about 9 seconds later to make sure it was on. However, below are the "smoothed" Strava splits (basically even if you don't split your watch Strava takes splits for you).

5:48, 6:21 (windy, wood chip trail), 6:00, 5:49, 5:57, 6:09 (hill, then grass and some soft, but dry mud for a good bit of this), 5:44 (for last half mile or so)

I split at 10k to get that running time, and ran the last .35 at 5:15 pace, which had a slight downhill at the end. 37:15 for 10k.

Not a great race but not terrible. I'm not going to dwell on it. I don't have too much LT stuff and nothing of any duration, which will probably bite me in three weeks but I also have a 5 mile race I will use as a final workout. Just going to keep rolling and beating my head against the wall and see if I can turn myself into a decent runner.

My former training partner ran a 5k PR today in 15:55 and he has gone sub-16 in a 4-miler. He runs a third of my mileage (or less) and he has been running about the same amout of time. I'm doing something wrong.

Run this afternoon with Megan. Hopefull she takes it easy on me. 10 minute guy might be in 1st place for the PM run.

PM: Forbidden Drive w/ Megan - 5 miles. HR 116?

My blood sugar dropped pretty seriously around mile 2 and I was very light headed and dizzy. Snapped out of it. Not sure if my monitor is working correctly. One mile I was running 100 BPM but it also corresponded almost exactly to when I was trying to keep from falling over. I enjoyed the run other than bonking at 10+ minute pace. HR got to 89-90 at one point.

Lunch: 8 miles slow. HR 140.

Walked Remy for 30 minutes.

PM: 5 miles slow. HR 139.

Lunch: 5 miles. HR 147. Did some strides w/ one sprint around 4-minute pace to a little bit under. My top end speed has definitely improved. I lost 2.8 lbs of water weight on this 5 mile run, and it wasn't even humid!

Walked Remy for 35 minutes. His owners come home today. I'm going to miss my rent-a-dog.

PM: 7.25 miles. HR 145. Nice and dry.

+ Stretching and core (very late)

Lunch - 4 miles easy.

Storms are supposed to roll through for the meet tonight, but I guess they are holding it with the caveat that if the lightning warning goes off, things are delayed/canceled. The 5000 likely won't start until 8:30 and I guess they are short on volunteers. If the same amount of people show up as last week, I doubt they will even have enough daylight to do it. It's also going to mean getting there before 6 and staying until at least 9:00 or so with the chance that I won't get to race and I won't get my miles in. Megan is leaving in the morning for a conference and I will likely go to the meet alone if I go. #firstworldrunnerproblems

I may have to take today easy and tomorrow easy and hit the pocket of low-60 degree air on Thirsday morning and 1) time trial the SOB (which won't be fun and likely disastrous) or 2) try to run the 4 x 1 mile @ 5:28-5:22 pace with 90 second recoveries. Assuming I get through it, that workout could have its benefits. It's always been a confidence booster (it's the hardest workout I do) and it will give me good volume faster than 10k pace. It's a lot of pressure to hit those times though given current workout history.

PM: Germantown Academy All Comers 5000 - 8 miles total

30 minute warmup of really easy jogging, stretching, strides. It was 8:45 before we took off so we didn't have the direct sun, but it was still in the lower 80s with the dew point around 72 or 73 and the humidity around 70% I think.

Like the mile I went into last place after the first lap then moved upa little bit once things settled out. The first 3 laps or so where 82-83 I think and I believe my first 1600 was about 5:31 and I apparently died from there. I didn't take splits because I wanted it to feel like a real track race (and I had a race clock anyway).

I didn't really think I was slowing down that bad but I guess I was. My form stopped feeling smooth and a few guys ahead of me increased their lead. Breathing and legs felt okay, but I think I was just ready to not be running at that time of the day.

I ran 17:45, which sucks. I know the weather was a huge factor I'm just tired of running 17:30-17:45. I guess I need more track workouts but I thought I was doing much better this summer, though admittedly I haven't had one in a few weeks, exchanging them for some racing and farlek workouts.

Give me fall air and marathon training. I'm ready for what I am okay at.

20 minutes easy cool down.

The opening heats were very warm:

Lunch - 8.25 miles. HR 133. Averaged 9:52. Just call me Jason 'Master of Recovery Pace' Dodge

-4.7 lbs water weight on this run

PM: 5 miles. HR 134.

Noon: 8.5 miles. HR 146. Did a set of strides. Dry, low dew point and a nice breeze.

Another low in the low 60s tomorrow, so I will get in a workout. I am thinking 2k repeats starting at 5:48-5:50 and cutting down if possible. That may be too fast to begin things, but we shall see. I was also thinking an 8-mile aerobic tempo, but I think I need something with 10k specific pace since I haven't done too many workouts in that zone (mostly 5k and faster).

PM: 5 miles. HR 139.

+ rolling, stretching, and core (very late)

Lunch: 11 miles w/ 3 x 8 minute Farlek/3 min easy

Warmed up 28 minutes with a few pick ups and one stride. Managed to run 5:53/5:46/5:57 over rolling dirt with a good deal of tree cover (Strava adjusted paces were 5:47/5:43/5:44, which I don't put a ton of stock in by they look much better!). Felt like I maybe could have pushed just a touch more but I was pretty much in the right zone I think. I did not want to blow the workout. It's not hard but you get some solid minutes around to below LT.

Cooled down 30 minutes.

The low changed very quickly from 61 to about 67 last night and I didn't get up early so I thought a good farlek session under tree cover would be good. They pulled me out of my slump the week before last and I had a pretty good session today. Temps were upper 70s, with dropping humidty and charitable dew point of low 60. It's going to start getting hot and nasty so I will just do what I can with easy running, a two more workouts, and one race in the next two weeks.

PM: 4.25 miles. HR 129.

PM: 7 miles.

87/60%/71 dew point. Nice actually aside from the audibly squishy shoes. 96 tomorrow and humid. Overall, it's been fairly mild this summer. Not too many days above 90 and some decent dry days in the afternoon.

Late: rolling, stretching, and core

Lunch: Trails - 8 miles. Hot!

PM: 5.25 miles. Did some strides.

Hot. Dryer. Heat today kind of felt good but humidity was under 65% (somehow, thankfully). Dew point still 71 or so. Had I been tough and done a long run it would have hurt. A workout would have been disastrous. 

I feel good running-wise. It's National Ice Cream Day, so I'm off to Bredenbecks for a cone. Megan gets back in the morning. 

Lunch: Trails - 8 miles

PM: 5 miles. Did some strides. Hot, but felt really good.

+ Stretching and core (late)

AM: Off. Wanted to hydrate and rest a little and get some work done. Track tonight.

PM: Track Tuesday - 10 miles.

3.6 warmup/2.8 down. I was thinking shorter intervals but the guys were thinking 800s. Fine with me. Workout went okay. Slowed a good bit but that seems to be typical of my summer workouts. Pulled it back around for the last rep. Jogs were pretty slow. Weather was 85 degrees, 65% humidity, dew point around 70.

6 x 800 w/ 200 jogs: 2:45.5, 2:48.3, 2:47.6, 2:49.9, 2:51.3, 2:46.1 (2:48 average)

I think in my early fall prep for my half I will do a few more 800 workouts but extend the number of reps to 8-10.

Lunch/Early Afternoon: 10.25 miles. HR 141. Very comfortable conditions.

Lunch: 5.25 miles. Did some strides.

PM: 11 miles total, about 6 on the trails.

2 miles or so to Valley Green around 7:15 pace because I thought I was going to be late, but we waited a few minutes for the group trail run and ran just under 9 total with my warm up. The regular guys were there and kept the pace pretty honest, which felt good. I've been running 10:00-8:30 for my easy stuff and 5:00-5:30 for my fast stuff with nothing in between.

They had a beer tasting at Valley Green Inn, so we did that and had a few beers and some really good (if very small) smoked pork sliders. Hung out a while and then ran 2.25 home in the dark. Rather than feeling like crap (as I should have), I felt great even though my legs were stiff from sitting. Had a fun time, and the weather is perfect. Felt like I could have run for hours on the way home. Legs will likely be stiff in the morning from bombing some of the hills. It's a fun group and I feel like I am becoming more a part of Philadelphia (I don't really have any friends here, other than a few social events with colleages).

+ stretching and core (very late)

Lunch: 6 miles. HR 139. Did 6 x 200 on the track.

AM: 10 miles total w/ 5-mile tuneup race in 29:32

Ran Run for the Hill of It this morning to give me one final LT push before Beach to Beacon. I ran this race last year with a disappointing 30:06. Went on to run over 10 seconds faster per mile the following weekend at Beach to Beacon.

We were blessed with some cool, dry air and dew points below 60 for the last 3-4 days before things get nastier again. Megan and I drove even though it is in the park where I do most of my running but my right hip flex. has been a little tight (not noticable running) and I wanted to warm up on somewhat flat dirt and avoid the big downhill coming down Germantown Ave.

Got in 2.5 miles of warmup but kept it somewhat fast (for my typical warmup anyway (7:30-7:45 for 2 miles, then light jogging). Some quick stretches and strides and we were off. We got out and settled into our pace and I found myself near the front. Knowing how fast this race can be I worried a bit, but saw my pace (decided to wear my watch) and we were running just under 6:00 and it felt very doable and too slow. I started to move toward the front because the pace was too slow but figured the guys behind me were sandbagging the first mile. It is not atypical for the 1st and 2nd to run 5:00-5:10 average pace.

I moved into the lead, then around 3/4 a guy moved up and put a gap on me that I didn't think I could cover but I kept him about 15-20 second ahead (he ran about 28 flat I think). I no longer heard footsteps after the first mile to mile and a half so I kept my pace and tried to push, figuring 2nd was in the bag. Going into Valley Green I think I was moving along okay and hit the turnaround, knowing the way back is a good bit slower. I was trying to get into the 5:40s but when I would starting holding 5:35-5:40 pace I would panic a bit and slow down without really thinking. I saw that the guy ahead of me was perhaps 20-25 second ahead of me. I hit halfway in just over 14:30, so I knew I had my work cut out for me to run 29 minutes, which would have made me quite happy.

Around mile 4 things started to get hard and my form started to suffer. I may have feel asleep knowing that there's a slight uphill grade just before the slight downhill at the finish and figured I had 2nd place wrapped up. I don't think I really gave up but didn't go completely to the well, which was not really the point today. I wanted an honest hard effort on loaded legs.

Came in at 29:32, so about 30+ seconds faster than last year. I also felt good during the race and felt pretty good about the race, which has been very rare in 2015.

Cooled down 2.5 and got some recovery snacks.

The rich, chocolatey goodness: 5:49, 5:52, 6:02, 5:55, 5:52 (5:54 average). Strava claims its worth about 5:49 pace adjusted but I think with some slight elevation change I run faster anyway. I don't adjust paces but I always like to see what the consolation pace is.

I don't think I am in 35-flat shape as I wanted to be, but I know I can run a PR (<35:42) next weekend and at least get a certified 10k time on my board. I'll try my best to do a lot better than that though. I'm planning a pretty serious cutback starting Wednesday, with a day off on Thursda. My plan is to run low-5:40s and try to pick it up (or just hang on). The first mile is quite fast on that course and there are some nice light downhills. Just need to try not to give too much back to the hills in mile 6 and give it hell on the partial like I did last year.

PM: 4 miles with Megan at 10-minute pace on a hot, dry afternoon. HR 119.

PM: Trails - 9 miles. HR 135. 1000 feet of gain.

I'm going to soak in the pool for a while.

+ rolling, stretching, and core (late)

Noon: 8.25 miles. HR 147. RHR 41.

PM: 4.25 miles. HR 138.

+ stretching and core (late)

Rolled out my right IT band with The Stick. My hip flexor has loosened up but now my IT band has been tight. Not painful, just knotted. I think it is probably from running on the trails last Thursday and finishing on a slight downhill for the race on Saturday and breaking quickly and overstriding on some of the downhills during the race because some portions of Forbidden Drive have some rocks and threw my form off.

AM/Lunch: 7 miles w/ sharpening workout of 3 x 1600 w/ 400 jogs + 2 x 200 w/ 200 jogs

86 degrees, dew point 70, humidity in the 60% range but dropping. Warmed up about 20 minutes feeling fairly decent but warm. Wanted to just get something faster in, around the same pace as I ran on Saturday but faster would be better.

Ended up running:

5:46.5, 5:44.4, 5:38.4 (5:45 average for the full mile) took 2 minutes rest, got some water, and splashed my head, then did 2 x 200, 34.1, 34.1. I had planned to do 4 x 200 but felt I had done enough to accomplish my goal of sharpeing. I felt very comfortable for the first one, almost easy (almost). This was a lot faster than I ran last year, I felt better, and the conditions were worse (6:01, 5:59, 5:58 I think).

Maybe a light 2-3 mile jog in the PM just to keep stretched out.

PM: 3 miles. HR 132.

+ stretching (before bed)

AM: 5 miles slow. RHR 44.

Quite hot and nasty. Taper time. I never really know how to taper for a short race, so I'm going with what I did last year, which is tomorrow off and ~4 miles easy with strides on Friday. I'm 30 days on today, so a day off is necessary, travel day tomorrow, etc.

Day off. 30 days on. Travel day to Maine.

(Weight 173.5, not typical racing weight, but close, not ideal, never is) (RHR 40, normal)

AM: 4 miles nice and easy with Megan. HR 134. RHR 40. Did 3-4 race pace pickups. Feeling good.

Did some light stretching. Lower 80s in Maine at 10AM. Warm for this part of the country. Looks like Ben True dropped (smartly) but it's always nice to see him mixing it up.