Of Mice and Marathons

I was planning to move this to Monday, but I couldn't resist the chance to run in the rain for almost two hours (and I have some stuff to do that day). New long run loop I'm working on - 15 miles, averaged 7:50

10 miles easy-moderate, 4 miles at MGP, 1 mile 

Puddles, pouring rain, perfecto!

Old Standby shorty variation - 4.75 miles, averaged 8:24

4th Street Hills, Labor Day Special @ 85% humidity - 8 miles, averaged 8:03

I was wondering this morning why I don't do this more often after I started running it a few times last spring. Then I hit the first hill. I think I repressed that.  Need to rotate some of my longer hill climb routes back in for variety and conditioning.

10 Mile Courtland/Vinton Woods loop - 10 miles, averaged 8:14 with two water stops. Got a good taste of the humidity that was absent most of the summer: 85 with 67% humidity. Could be worse but it was still nasty. Finished with a 1 mile pick up that ended up being slower end marathon pace

AM: 2.4 miles up to Courtland, strides, and dynamic stretching. 7 x 1 mile threshold with 90 second jog/walk recoveries: 6:37, 6:38, 6:38, 6:39, 6:40, 6:37, 6:33 (bit of downhill with some rollers on the last two). Walked to cool down.

A little bit ambitious in the saturated air (and maybe generally), but I hit my goal of 6:38 with 6:37.1. I went against coach Bam's suggestion a little bit with the workout itself, but it has the same spirit (make marathon pace feel easy) and also does some work toward getting close to 25 seconds between marathon pace and half pace (next half two 10 days out). 

PM: Old Standby shorty version - 4.25 miles, averaged 8:03

Old Standby - 6.5 miles, no watch. Nice and easy with a bit of pick up the last part of mile 6.

Skipped my morning run, but the afternoon was great. A young boy said to his mother, "Mom, look how skinny that guy is!" Guess I won't cut out my new ice cream diet after all. Almost got eaten by a dog named Lucky. Luckily the owner had a pretty strong command on the pooch and reeled him in with his voice. He was actually apologetic, which was new.

Old Standby - 6.5 miles, no watch

4 loose dogs. 5 in two days. Well, two pair of smallish dogs that Oliver (my cat) could beat up so we'll call it 2 total on the day. Good rain after the first 3.5 or 4 miles.

Perfect weather today. 55 with high humidity, but it dropped off and felt very cool, especially shirtless. Lots of runners today. Perhaps the most enjoyable run I've ever done. Put the finishing touches on my new long run route - 19 miles, averaged 7:38 w/ 8 or 11 miles at MGP depending on how you run the numbers.

Started to pick it up around miles 9-11. Those ended up being slow marathon pace miles (7:28, 7:29, 7:24). I put down a gel at mile 11 just to make sure I can still handle the nasty creatures. Then I went into a more concentrated marathon effort even though I guess @ 7:05-7:06 pace the last 11 miles where on pace. The last mile I tried to slow down, but my legs were in the groove. Miles 12-19: 7:11, 6:54, 6:56, 6:49, 6:50, 6:53 (water stop), 6:45, 7:26. The Miles 15.5-17ish where on the trail through some muddy spots. Tried not to slip, but I did get a little bit of mud on my yellow babies. Toughens 'em up I guess. A little over 2 hours and 25 minutes

Day off after 23 on. I wanted to run today, but I was worried something would let go after the big workout yesterday (injury paranoia). Legs felt fine. Did some barefoot drills in the basement and the usual core, hips and glutes, and other strength training.

AM: Old Standby - 6.5 miles, no watch. Did a few strides around mile 6.

Just below the 50 degree mark. Thought I was going to have to break out my tights. 

PM: Jefferson High School loop w/ extension - 7.5 squishy Kinvara miles, averaged 8:08

I can't tell if my foot is starting to hurt or if its the usual "everything is wrong with my body" feeling the week before a target race.

AM: Old Standby - 6.5 miles, no watch. One extended stride toward the end at probably 5:30ish pace

PM: Old Standby w/ slight variations - 6.5 miles, averaged 8:08

9th street out and back on the Wabash Trail - 6 miles, averaged 8:30

Jogged around the neighborhood 4.5 miles (8:45 pace), did 2-3 half marathon effort strides, finished with two strong strides. Wasn't sure my legs were feeling it, but I guess they are okay. Hit the last stride around 5:07, which I thought was more like 5:45 until I looked at my watch. Save those for the final kick this weekend. Foot still feels funny. Not painful and not quite tight. Just weird. Another easy 4 tomorrow and hope the foot doesn't turn into a balloon. 

 PM: Did some strides and drills in the alleyway in my flats. Foot feels okay. I'm hoping to get through the next 2-3 days a figure out what to do early next week. 

Shorter than my usual pre-race day run, but I'm just glad my foot feels 85% so I cut it short but still did my usual strides around goal pace and some harder strides - 3 miles to the railroad tracks and back, averaged 8:08

Foot feels better in 5.8 oz (size 9)/7.3 oz (size 12.5) flats. Go figure. I'm pretty sure it's the cuboid bone, but who knows?

B goal: Sub 1:29 (should be no problem since I hit 6 miles @ sub 1:30 in the middle of 19 miles)

A- goal: Sub 1:28

A+ goal Sub 1:27 (puts my numbers in a better position for Boston)

Got up about 5, hotel coffee and Cliff bloks. Relaxed for a while as I am not sure why I got up so early. I did get a good deal of TV watching done, including Mr. Fred Rogers helping his young audience deal with divorce ("Just because mommy and daddy don't love each other doesn't mean they don't love you..."). Got ready around 6:30 and got my gear, and drove to the starting line around 6:45, getting there just before 7 to run a bit (1.76 mile warm up, strides, dynamic stretching). Did the strides going down Ohio, looking in shop windows to make sure I was fast AND looking good while doing it. My foot felt great, which was a relief. They had some water at the starting line, which was great because my mouth was dry from the coffee. Temps were just around 48-50 degrees.

The announcer asked people to get ready, did some announcements, but it seemed no one wanted to toe the line . . . because we were several yards from it (diffusion of responsibility I take it). I thought people would move toward the line eventually, but we stayed where we were. Okay. I guess this little gem is going to have a running start (this race at least had timing mats and the big blowup arch things). It was like they had never raced before. We went when the starting, eh, err . . . voice . . . went off. Seriously, can I get a gun? My first race had a cannon fire, which was awesome except it was 10 or 15 seconds early. The next year some guy couldn't get his musket to fire and we had at least one false start. Anyway, off to our running start we go.

Miles 1 & 2: 6:45, 6:41 were straight down Ohio. I started out fast (about 5:30, 5:45) before settling in. The lead guys were out in front and I was in a pack of heavy breathers in gym shorts and cutoff T-shirts. First mile was good, and second was good. Right on first half pace, feeling very comfortable. I passed a guy just before mile 3. He seemed tired, but I talked to him after and he did a marathon race/training run the weekend before around 3:18 pace. He's doing Chicago, hoping for sub-3.

Miles 3-6: 6:39, 6:39, 6:44, 6:34 We started on the trail that we would be on for most of the race. I passed the Chicago guy and asked him what he had on his distance because I hit mile 3 early. Say 2.75ish early. Not good, especially since 1 and 2 were as close as the certified courses I have run (.01-.02 difference). He reported similar findings, sounding like in fact he had run a marathon the previous weekend. 4, 5, and 6 were all on the mark. I picked up two guys during these miles and ran with them. One of them I stayed with until mile 11. We saw the lead guy around mile 6 or a bit after (he had hit the turnaround). He was about a minute and a half ahead (and finished almost five and a half minutes over the second place finisher). No sense telling the chase guys. The guy went on to run a 1:10. We went over some timing mats at the turnaround, which as near as I can tell were just to keep people from running through the woods or taking a bus and popping up at mile 13 to set a world record (I don't see any half splits and I'm guessing the turn was the halfway point).

Miles 7-10: 6:33, 6:31, 6:22, 6:35 : Put down a gel around the turning point and picked up the pace a bit. One of the two guys I was running with fell behind.  We started to see the crowd of people who started behind us on the way back. Trail was a bit crowded, but not bad. I talked and joke a little with Chris, my unofficial pacer who was running with me (I wish I had got that guy a beer or six). Got s sip of water at one point to wash my mouth out. Watched some of the interesting running gaits of old folks (bless them for keeping up the running). I felt great the whole time. Chris stopped for more water around 10 or 11 and I took off.

Miles 11-13.08: 6:30, 6:20, 6:10, 25.7 seconds I saw a guy up ahead and put a target on his back around mile 11-11.15. Wasn't sure if I would catch him. I tried to tell myself, "you're running a huge PR, keep it steady until you can see the 13th mile marker." Mile 12 I was starting to feel it, but usually I feel like that around mile 10, so things were looking good. I stayed on the guy's back until I could hear the announcer and see mile 13 and I went. I hit 5:01 going into the finish, seeing the clock about 1:25:24ish. Stopped my watch a few seconds after I went over the mats, which means the partial was shorter than .08 and I was moving at 5 minute pace for longer than the average pace reflects on the partial. Still, the distance is good on my watch to make the equivalent time of 1:25:27 a 1:25:35 and that's going to be my new PR of over 5 minutes. 8 minutes off my PR in late April. 14 minutes off my PR from last October. Sub-1:20 was my "some day when I peak" goals, but even though the minutes are going to come off harder and harder, I know sub-1:20 is possible. I'd like to see what lies beyond that.

The official time had me at 1:24:57.6. Glad we had the running start or it would have been about 13.05!

2.34 mile cool down.

PM: Easy shakeout in the hotel pool :)

Foot was fine during the race, and a bit angry during the cool down. Off to the podiatrist to make sure I can get it straightened out.

This puts 30+ seconds between current half marathon pace and goal marathon pace, which seems reasonable.

Legs are strong PR sore today. Would love to run, but I'm not sure about that foot.

Day o' Rest. Pretty sore. Like 3rd or 4th day after a first marathon sore but just in my calves, which is to be expected.

AM: Old Standby - 6.5 miles, averaged 8:57. Trying to loosen these legs!

PM: Out and back on the north side - 4 miles, averaged 8:24

AM: 9th street to the Heritage Trail out and back - 8 miles, averaged 8:32

Not sure why I've never headed in that direction that far. Roots and rocks and trees. The steeper stuff is at the other end I guess. Nice and quiet along the river. Breezy, cool, fall like with few nervous squirrels.

PM: Old Standby, classic version - 5.3 miles, averaged 8:03

Jefferson High School loop + a few miles on the north side - 10 miles, averaged 7:53

The weather is perfect for running. Fall is in the air, but it is still warm enough to be comfortable.

I started running about this time 2 years ago. It's amazing to see the progress from that first week of 5 days of run/walking  about 1.5-1.75 miles (quite hilly route now that I look back on it) to my first 80+ mile week this year.

Old Standby - 6.5 miles, no watch. 3 or so strides toward the end

Went to the podiatrist. He said it seemed to be the peroneal tendon that wraps around the foot and cuboid area. Nothing to worry about since it is getting better (barely notice it now). I'm going to contact Newton running to make sure I should be in stability shoes and not neutral (my flats are neutral of course and I have no problems in them). I think those faster MP miles on the muddy trail at the end of my 19 miler the other week are probably to blame. I guess I just tweaked the tendon enough to make it angry. 

15k race this weekend that I will pass on. It would make a decent MP effort and I could probably win it, but I don't want to irritate my foot. 2+ hour long run should be plenty to end the week.  

Union/Courtland/Vinton Woods - 10 miles, averaged 7:49

Long run loop except I skipped the trail because of the rain and tweaking my foot last time I went puddle jumping through there two weeks ago - 18.25 miles, averaged 7:37

8 easy-moderate (8:15ish) followed by 9 mile tempo (7:19, 7:18, 7:11, 6:52, 6:57, 6:45, 6:48, 6:44, 6:52), averaging 6:58.4 Hit downtown so I slowed up with a 1.25 mile cool down back up the hill with a few sips at the fountain.

Foot twinged a little (Bam I need a better word here even though I like "twinged" a good deal, but it isn't quite a sharp pain. More like a "hey, hello there, I'm still here, but I'm keeping mostly to myself), but it was fine. I didn't feel it during the cool down or when I started walking, which seems to be when I usually felt it. This is officially the first issue I've been able to run through.

9th to Duncan before hitting the golf course and the Wabash trail to the junk cars and back - 7.6 miles, averaged 8:33

AM: To 18th street to the Baptist church and back - 8.1 miles w/ several strides, averaged 7:53

Strides made a few miles dip to marathon pace. 35 degree = hat, gloves, winter-weight socks, and baselayer. Got a little warm once I was coming back, but I didn't want to die on the first sub-40 run since . . . hemmm April? Maybe earlier in the year.

PM: My original loop of 1.5 miles, followed by most of Old Standby - 6.25 miles, averaged 7:50

AM: Ran to 9th street, went out and back -  6.75 miles, averaged 8:01

PM: Jefferson High School loop - 7.75 miles, averaged 7:51

Old Standby w/ extension + 3 short strides on the uphill - 7 miles, averaged 8:18

Going to see what these thunderstorms are going to do and hopefully get out for a shorty this afternoon. 

Old Standby mirror image version (somehow it's enough to keep it interesting) - 5.3 miles, averaged 8:02

Ran to 25 via 231. Good route until you hit the hill and the shoulder disappears and its eighteen wheelers brushing your elbows at 60+ mph. Won't go that far out again, but I'm glad I checked it out. - 13.1 miles, averaged 7:47. 

Pretty tired by the end. I wish I had some dragon fly killing skills like Allie. I'm generally okay with critters, but they do freak me out a bit when they hit my legs and I think they are bees.

Easy run tomorrow, while hopefully finding some energy for Saturday. Volume is great this week, but I still would like some MP miles on top of a handful of easy ones. 

Ran in one direction for about 20 minutes and came back - 4.75 miles, + few strides + 1 stray dog

Probably the only run of the day. Tomorrow is what counts.

Long run loop - 18.25 miles, averaged 7:34. 10 miles easy-moderate (about 8:02) followed by 7 mile tempo in 48:12 (average 6:53): 7:01, 6:59, 6:55, 6:43, 6:49, 6:49, 6:56 + 1.25 cool down @ moderate pace

AM: Sunday whatever recovery run. Went down some streets I haven't visited since I started running. 60, breezy, sunny. Very enjoyable - 6.3 miles, averaged 8:26

PM: Out and back on the north side, tried to make a loop at the end to form a sewing needle - 4.8 miles, just under 8:00 average