Of Mice and Marathons

Lunch: 8 miles, averaged 8:10. HR 153.

Steady aerobic. Had to watch out for some slippery spots.

PM: 60' on the trainer. 190W. HR 129.

I was going to run again, but it was cold and the trainer seemed more inviting.

PM: 8 miles, averaged 8:09. HR 152.

Didn't run at lunch as I napped, but probably good to cut back before the mountain bike race this weekend.

AM: 83' on the fat bike. 165W. HR 139.

Did a faster perimeter lap at Orion Oaks after warming up. Realized I needed to bed in my brakes so I worked on that in the afternoon. 

Picked the boys up at school and finished packing for Traverse City for Iceman. Stressful day. The boys didn't fall alsleep until midnight as they had a late name in the car. I was not thrilled.

AM: ~2 hours 35' total. 

Iceman in 2:13:51. HR 165.

6 out of 27 for Fat Bike 39 and Under. 1121 out of 4137 overall.

I skipped out on this race last year as my elbow wasn't 100% and the year before that it was COVID, but it was one of my earliest bike race and my only mountain bike race. I was pretty anxious about the race because it is a bit of a drive and I have an overwhelming amout of work to do, but I decided to just go through with it. The boys were pretty challenging in the hotel with a late nap in the car and they didn't get to bed until midnight. I was losing my mind.

Got to the race, pretty chilly but the temp came up a bit as my wave was taking off and it was perfect. I was shooting for 2:00-2:10, but there was more single track than previous years as they wanted to make it more of a "true" mountain bike race. I think I did well packing my stuff and bringing a number of clothing options and felt I dressed almost perfectly. My feet and legs were sweaty but they weren't uncomfortable. Managed to get down a fair amount of my two bottles of Maurten 320. I'd love to be able to use that in a marathon.

Got out fairly well at the aiport and we were holding 17+, but it is flat and a few tar portions. Slowed down on the single track, pressed hard on the two track and passed people on the climbs. I don't think I got passed on any of the significant climbs, which was nice. There are some very short, but very steep climbs. I know people were getting cheesed off with me and another guy on a fat bike, but sucks being you. Get out of the gate faster and put down faster times so you are in a faster wave. Averaged a bit over 13 MPH on my Garmin. Really tried to press to 14 because I knew the Garmin tax in the woods might be significant (a least a mile if the course was measured with an accurate device).

My bars tagged a tree and threw me but I think I leap frogged the bars or something because I was off the bike and running/stumbling/catching myself, to the applause of the guy behind me for me not eating it. I was riding a bit scared after that but still pressed. It's just hard when you have strong legs and lungs and no skill or confidence, but that is something to work on. I bruised my arm on either my bars or a very small tree. Cannot recall as there was a clear cut area we were going through so there weren't a ton of trees. 

Short cool down to the shool where Megan and the boys playing, the same place they were in 2021. 

I had an okay bike racing season: one deplorable disasterous race, a really solid race, a okay race, and a race I was decently please with. I am looking forward to changing gears and running a half marathon next weekend, my first running race since Detroit International Half in October 2018. Where does the time go?

PM: 7 miles, averaged 10:04. HR 130.

Legs felt okay. Not quite like 2019!

AM: 7.6 miles, averaged 8:32. HR 141.

PM: 4.6 miles, averaged 9:58. HR 135.

Got in a run before class for the first time in a few weeks. Need to get these in earlier on Mondays and Wednesdays than at lunch time in order to double with the time change and picking the boys up. Decently warm this afternoon and very windy on both runs. 

Evening: 90' on the trainer. 201W. HR 133.

Planned to ride at lunch while the boys napped, but decided I needed one myself (always hard to resist at home). Planned to run after Megan got home but my headlamp was dead, so I jumped on the trainer for a while. Finished my rewatch of the Walking Dead. Now I need to find something new to watch I guess.

AM: 7.8 miles, averaged 8:21. HR 150.

Did a one-mile pickup in 7:07, which is about goal pace for Saturday I think, hopefully at least to start. 

PM: 5.3 miles, averaged 8:34. HR 140. 

Decent run this morning, felt decent on the pickup. Not too hard. Taught in Southfield and came home and blew leaves for just a bit before helping get the boys down for their nap and taking a long one myself. On the PM run I broke in a pair of Saucony Endorphin Pros. I think regular racing flats will trash my feet at current mileage, fitness, and weight, and I cannot just run a race in regular trainers. 

Lunch: 7.8 miles, averaged 8:18. HR 149.

PM: 4 miles, averaged 10:28. HR 128.

AM: 7.3 miles, averaged 8:52. HR 143.

Did some strides. Felt a little sluggish but the strides felt good. Low 6' pace or a touch under. wanted them a bit faster than goal pace, but not to be my typical harder strides. Looking forward to racing tomorrow.

Drove to Ohio for the race. Ended up getting a hotel rather than staying at our uncle's. For $55 on Priceline I figured why not. 

AM: 17 miles. 2 up, half marathon, 2 down.

Well, I got that knocked off my to-do list. I haven't done a running race since October 2018. I had some phenomenal training in 2019 and got sick a few weeks before Glass City and didn't make it to the line and then sick after Iceman leading into a 50k trail race (an awful respiratory illness that took months to get over). COVID hit not long after that and I was still recovering into 2020. Mental health was pretty brutal for a while, we bought a house, had the boys and I took a lot of time off. Spent a good deal of time riding bikes, especially in 2022 when I devoted almost all of my time to cycling with 1-2 runs a week. Broke my elbow in August 2022 and moved back to a running focus in October. It's been a good bit of ups and down since then, but here I am. 

Signed up for these low key race around August I think. I knew it wouldn't be fast, but I was getting excited about it, especially after getting through my bike race last week. I had none of the nerves and irritability I did and usually do. SO I was thankful for that.

Race was uneventful and I generally felt pretty decent. I expect to run around 1:30-1:33, but figured I could get back under 90' and use that as momentum to rebuild. I haven't run a lot of miles under 7' in the last three years since we have been in the house. In fact, I am pretty sure I can count them on one hand. Workouts have been okay, but I haven't done a workout or long run in 5 weeks. Based on my last workout, I figured 7:00-7:05 would be a good starting pace, hoping to cut down throughout the race. 

Warmed up 2 miles and did some very light strides. Went out in the 6:40 range (the 90' pacer was way out ahead and I know better than to rely on them as they are often terrible). Slowed just a little as things settled in. I was a little nervous, but the first few miles also felt quite easy, more like marathon effort. When I checked after my HR was in the mid to upper 160s, so not too difficult at all, so I stuck with it and tried to run with the some small groups of young people. Clipped along and felt generally pretty good. Mostly flat course with some gentle ups and downs, until the last mile or so, which is a bit windy and grindy. Tried to pick it up but I don't have a lot of leg speed right now. Managed a half-hearted kick at just under 6' pace, coming in under 1:28.

2 mile cool down. 

Pretty satisfied with the effort. Need to relearn how to race. Not sure where I am going from here. More consistent mileage in the 50-70 mile range and get back into midweek workouts and long run workouts. Maybe a spring half and try to bring my half marathon time back down into the low-1:20 range and move into some shorter stuff to work on my 5k-10k speed before taking a crack at running something under 1:20 next fall and keep going before I get old. I am convinced I can still run PRs (I'll be 39 in January), but man, it is hard getting out of shape. I am back rolling now though. Feels really good.

Splits: 6:53, 6:46, 6:40, 6:38, 6:38, 6:39, 6:42, 6:37, 6:36, 6:46, 6:44, 6:33, 6:40, 5:57 for the partial

PM: 2 hours 12'. 151W. HR 116.

Easy roll out the Polly Ann to Downtown Leonard and a few dirt roads before picking the trail back up at the bottom of the high school hill. Still feels very unsettling going by. I haven't been by that much since the shooting two years ago.

Chilly ride, but felt great to get out and pedal. Legs are predictably smash up pretty good. I expected that. Lighter week this week and some short runs at mostly recovery effort until the legs come around. Going to figure out the next goal this week. 

PM: 3.4 miles, averaged 10:26. HR 120. 

Warmer weather but pretty chilly when the sun goes down. That time of year. Legs are sore but they move okay. 

PM: 4.4 miles, averaged 10:25. HR 124.

Megan caught the boys' stomach bug, but I managed to side step it I think. Kept things recovery.

PM: 7.3 miles, averaged 9:13. HR 138.

Cancelled LTU class to make sure Megan could sleep and I would get up with the boys. Wamrish day for November 16 and it was in the lower 60s.

Got some races on the spring/summer calandar. I signed up for Barry Roubaix to get a bike race ont he calandar since it was at the end of April. Signed up for a 10k in early March and a half marathon June 2. Shopping around for another 10k a few weeks after that, but not finding much. I will focus on speed and 5ks this summer, looking to run a fast half marathon in one year, with perhaps a marathon in the spring, one year from this spring or perhaps two years from now in the fall, but that is the distant future. For now, I have two races on the calandar, which feels good.

Lunch: 7 miles, averaged 9:14. HR 142.

Pretty warm out again, though at times it didn't feel very warm. Still nice with the sun. Air quality a bit elevated so I hacked here and there. Unsure if it is a cold that the boys have (or have had). The overlapping illnesses have me confused.

Hoping to get back into my double starting tomorrow and try to really get those in three days a week. 4 days a week is doable, but challenging. 

Starting to set some big, long-term goals. I imagine it will take another full 12-18 months of consistent running and workouts to get me back to where I was, but this has been a pretty good rebuilding year even with its ups and down. I have some races on the calandar for spring/summer and my training will start to move back up next week. I think the reverse taper this week was sensible even though I wanted to just get back into it.

AM: 8 miles, averaged 9:08. HR 140.

PM: 60' on the trainer. 200W. HR 130.

Good dose of rain and wind. Glad I grabbed a rain jacket even though it was in the 50s.

AM: 12 miles, averaged 8:22. HR 149.

Building the LR back up. Schedule for 90' but did 100' because I got a bit long. I spent part of the running trying to figure out how much faster I could have run for the half if I hadn't gone five weeks without a workout or long run. Some of those runs in the 2 hour to 2:15 range might have made a lot of difference if I had got in 4 more. Oh well. Nothing to be done about that now. 

PM/Evening: 4 hours 10' on the gravel bike. 182W. HR 139.

Weather was pretty ideal for November, upper 40s and sunny and not too much wind. Did a roll to downtown Fenton and back. Lots of deer out trying to avoid their deaths. Planned on 3 hours, but went a bit farther. I am glad I brought my extra light as the one I had charged around lunch and nap time went dead immediately. I held off as long as I could and switched them. Made it home just fine thankfully. It was very dark, about an hour after sunset. 

Pace wasn't fast but I didn't plan it it being fast. Wanted it quite easy. My endurance really hasn't gone anywhere, which is good. Need to keep up 3-4 hour rides throughout the year on the weekends, or at least most weekends with hopefully one four-hour ride per month as I wont be riding as frequently.

Lunch: 7.1 miles, averaged 9:12. HR 145.

PM: 60' on the trainer. 196W. HR 127.

I was going to run again, but the cold and dark wasn't sounding too inviting. I figure as long as my overall combined volume is solid and I get my midweek workout and long run in and a longer ride of 3-4 hours at least most weeks I'll start really building some fitness. 

Looking forward to getting back into running workouts this week and testing to see where my fitness is at after absorbign the half marathon.

Evening: 120' on trainer. 216W. HR 134. 

Ended up napping when the boys did, so I skipped anything at lunch. Got this in pretty late, but it was good to get it in.

Lunch: 9.6 miles, averaged 8:18. HR 156.

20' @ Half Marathon Pace Minus 10" + 6 x 1' On/Off

6:32 pace @ 178 BPM. I did not have a ton of turnover, but this was about what the workout was supposed to be. I think I was running 10 x 2' at about this in September with almost not workouts since then, so this was pretty good. A touch under 6' pace for the 1' intervals. 

PM: 60' on the trainer. 191W. HR 131. 

Boys went to their friend's in the afternoon as she didn't have school. 

Lunch: 6 miles, averaged 10:49. HR 132.

Good recovery run before Thanksgiving. We drove down to Toledo after the boys nap and had a good dinner and evening with Chas. 

Off.

We visited Megan's parents and one of her friends and then had a party later in the evening. I put myself to bed pretty early. Didn't eat enough.

Off. 

Needed to do my long run/workout but just couldn't be bothered. Ended up drinking. 

PM: 180' on the trainer. 196W. HR 146.

Pretty anxious as always happens when I overindulge and the end of semester looms. Ended up getting in three hours on the trainer, which I was pretty pleased with and felt a good deal better after. 

PM: 120' on the trainer. 211W. HR 138.

Quite anxious after waking. I haven't been sleeping well in the the last few hours of sleep. Felt a bit better after teaching and getting in a nap. Hit the trainer. It had snowed yesterday and I am just a weinie about running on slick surfaces these days and I didn't feel like going to the gym, which I am going to need to do this winter. Felt quite good. Mostly straighten out, especially after getting some focus on getting some work done. Just take me some mild days of panic to remember that the end of the semester is stressful and just work along and it gets done. I always do this, but it has been an unprecedentedly difficult semester on several levels, but that's life. 

PM: 120' on the trainer. 204W. HR 129.

Didn't feel like running in the dark and slippery conditions. Just not into it.

AM: 60' on the trainer. 190W. HR 122.

Got on the trainer before class. That seems to work better before class rather than running in the dark and slick roads. 

PM: 7.4 miles, averaged 8:54. HR 146.

Safety paths were is runnable shape. Just had to be careful in a few places. Trying to decide if I want to do my midweek workout tomorrow between classes. Friday looks like 40 and rain, but it wont be ideal after only running today and the day before Thanksgiving in the last 7 days. 

AM: 60' on the trainer. 187W. HR 124.

Got up a bit earlier today before my Oakland classes. 

PM: 9.9 miles, averaged 8:35. HR 157.

Blown workout. Probably a little close to my ride, which was less than four hours previous. I think I also need more than a 20' warm up. It just isn't enough. My tempo loop had a serious ice covering so I rerouted and did it on my regular easy run route. Tried to push too hard too early as the pace just wasn't getting down. Ended up going uphill and knew it just wasn't going to workout out. Went through a few ups and downs mentally and just gave up. 

I should have waited an done this on the treadmill, but I haven't been on the treadmill since July and figured it would hard to calibrate the pace and effort. The workout was an extension of last week. 20' @ half marathon pace minus 10" + 10 x 1' On/Off. Got through 2 miles in 13:14 @ 178 BPM and then backed off. Decided I was far enough out to just continue running my regular route backwards. Portions that were clear last night were not clear today, so I just ran comfortable easy pace. Did 6 x 20" strides at the end. 

1. bad focus in general and having to improvise 2. not settling down and relaxing and letting it come to me 3. not ideal footing 4. dressed a bit too warmly as it got warmer than I expected and more quickly 5. running too close to riding even if the riding was easyish

I was hoping for a bit more consistency this week from last week getting back into workouts after the race, but no dice. I will try to get my scheduled long run/weekender in, which is 40' @ half marathon pace + 10", so about 6:50-6:55, which on an ideal day is about the faster end of marathon effort.