Random Inspirational Quote

AM - easy 4 mi. in 30:54 around the hood with my dawg. 

30 degrees, but the roads are clear.  Me and Indy decided to go run in the snow around the trail in our neighborhood's park, though.  

Happy New Year everybody.  Today is my 32nd birthday!  Its the first birthday I've had in about 15 years that I have not been hungover :) 

PM - easy 4 mi. on the treadmill - 34:20

PM Treadmill: 8 mi. buildup to MP for 6 thru 7.5. MP = 9.1 mph at 1% grade. 8 mph most of the way.

 8 mi. - 58:40.  30 minutes of strength stuff: lots of legs and core.  I usually get about 20 sets of exercises in.  

PM treadmill intervals at gym:

7 mi. in 47:40,

with 12x0.25mi. - 10x@11mph (~1:21/0.25mi.), 2x@11.5mph (~1:18/0.25mi.) with 0.15 mi. rec. jogs at 7mph-8mph.  Hopefully, these repeats' pace can be my 5k pace this spring.

It has been in the single digits temp. here.  I'm a wuss, I know. :)

Off - long run tomorrow: Grandview Course, 2 laps

AM Long Run, 15 degrees starting off this morning, up to about 25 degrees by the end, I think.

8 mi. solo at about 7:20 avg. pace - from house over to Tom's (start of our group Grandview Run), joined up with the group there for the Grandview loop.  There were 5 of us today with 3 that ran about 7:05 pace for the 15k. 

Turned out to be a fairly even effort run:

17.35 mi. total - 2:04:58 (7:14/mi.)

Good first long run of the marathon training cycle. :)

Its great that there are several group runs going on now with roughly equivalent paces to run with.

Tomorrow morning - 10 mi. with a faster group that "says" the pace will be at about 6:50-7:00 :)

We'll see if they stick to that...  These guys are very good runners

AM group run: the pace was as advertised on Facebook, even with the fast guys.  10.2 miles - 1:10:18 (according to another guys watch).  I didn't wear a watch this morning since I woke about 20 minutes before the run with 10 minutes drive to get there :) 

It was encouraging to run this pace after a long run day yesterday.  Under 7 minute pace felt easy/conversational today... :)

Plus - these guys are incredible resources: One of the guys is an IM guy (3 total) who is my age with a sub 10 hr Louisville IM under his belt, another is the winner of the CR run series from last year and an exceptional tri guy also, and the last is a 2:30 marathon / sub 15:00 5k guy.  

PM: Easy 2 - 15:47

35 degrees this evening.  PM group gun around Grandview.  4 of us today - good pace for everybody, picked up for last 2.3 miles to about MP - the effort was difficult to climb up Sawmill at this pce.  6 x strides - approx. 100 m

9.3 mi. - 1:03:22

PM - 6 miles recovery - super slow

PM treadmill intervals:

Yasso 800s: 1.5 mi. WU, 10x0.5 mi. @ 10.6 mph (5:40/mi.), with 0.25 mi. rec. @ 8mph, CD 

2:50 marathon is the goal for April 7.  10x800 in 2:50 was achieved today = happy runner :)

9 mi. total - 58:50

AM Long Run: 55 degrees today and partly cloudy

20 miles - 2:43:43 - easy pace, a little painful when I got hungry at the end of the run, but a good first 20 mile LSD for the cycle...

Helping TD a scholastic chess tournament all day today with my dad in Lexington.  Got in a moderate effort for 2 miles in the PM on UK's campus after we were done.  2nd mile was at about MP.

2 mi. - 14:02

PM easy 4 on the treadmill with 10 minutes of corework

PM 1 Treadmill Run at gym: 

1 mi. WU - 8mph,

3x1mi. buildups (0.25 mi. @ 10.0mph, 0.25 mi. @ 10.2 mph, 0.25 mi. @ 10.4 mph, 0.25 mi. @ 10.6) with 0.25 mi. rec. jog (8mph),

2x0.25 mi. @11.0 mph,

recovery and then finish with 1 mi. MP - 9.2 mph

8 mi. - 53:00

20 minutes of core work - all abs and back.  More screaming meat heads tonight :(  

PM 2 Treadmill Run - 4 mi. easy after dinner - 34:20

PM1 - TM at Seymour Fit:

8mph the whole way with increasing the incline:

1.5 WU,

3x 0.25mi@4%, 0.25mi@5%, 0.25mi.@6%, w/ 0.25mi. rec.

CD

Louisville 50k trail run is pretty hilly, I hear.  The winning time from last year was 4:46 (over 9min./mi.)   :)

PM treadmill run at Seymour Fit: 9mi. @ 7-7.5mph for 20 min., 7.5-8.5 mph for 40 min. easy CD for 8 min.

9 mi. - 67:43

PM T.M. workout:

WU,

2mi.@10k - 10mph, 0.5mi.rec.MP - 9.2mph,

1 mi.@5k - 10.3mph, 0.5mi. Rec.,

0.5mi.@2mi. - 11mph, 0.25mi.rec.,

0.25 mi.@1mi. - 12mph up to 12.5mph,

CD 

8mi. total - 54:15

Was going to do some trail running this morning and saw this low key trail race close to home.  

Pretty tame on the elevation profile, but muddy and apparently confusing to a lot of the runners.  A bunch of the front pack in front of me and behind me apparently missed a turn and ran longer.  There's was one guy about 30 seconds ahead of me at 2 miles and I never saw him again after a fork that was marked diverged.  

Oh, well - I would've been second anyway. :)  decent effort - the pace was under 7's with a fair amount of climbing and technical portion through the mud to contend with.

AM: WU - jogging/drills ,5.2 trail race - 35:15, CD - jogging

PM: 3.35 jog w/ indy - 25:53

PM2: 7 mi. easy - 54:47

PM Treadmill Recovery day: 8 mi. start at 7.5mph for a mile then up to 8mph and increase every couple miles.  End with last 2.37 at 9.3 mph (~goal MP for me this spring - 6:27/mi.)

8.37 mi. - 60:00

20 minutes of ab work after.  Really want to be strong in the core area for this trail 50k coming up.

Its in the single digits here in IN.  Brrrr

PM 10k workout - TM @ TLAC (gym):

7.35 mi. - WU, 2x2mi. @ 10mph, 0.5 mi. @ 8mph rec., CD

strength / circuit - core and legs for 30 minutes,

2.65 mi w/ 1 mi. MP to finish up

10mi. total - 68 min.

PM treadmill - recovery miles @ TLAC between 7.5mph and 8.5mph, 1% grade with some strides @ 12.4 mph (max TM speed :(  )

12 mi. - 1:29:45

PM treadmill @ TLAC:

2 mi. WU,

4 X 0.25mi. - 1:15,1:14,1:13,1:12 w/ 0.25 mi. rec.,

4 mi. MP - 9.3 mph

9mi. total - 59:40

Switching it up this weekend with a 1 mi. and 800m time trial on Saturday afternoon.

long run afterward...

PM easy 8mi. on the treadmill at TLAC, buildup to mile pace for a 0.25 mi pickup @ 12mph, and 15-20 min. core exercises after

8mi. - 58:45     --  1 mi. and 800m time trials on Saturday

PM outside 20 deg. - easy 2.55 mi. w/ 4 x pickups - 20:30,

PM treadmill after dinner - easy 1.5 mi. to get the blood flowing and get a good stretch -13min.

Great group workout this afternoon at the Northside track in Columbus:

4 runners in attendance: Nathan, Micheal, Matt, and I running, and Jeff, the local race organizer and friend, brought out his big finish line clock and set it up on a table at the lap mark and timed us - thanks, Jeff! :)

WU - jogging and some pickups

1 mi. time trial - 5:15 (70/74/82/88) -- Too fast for first half and I paid the price in the second half - 5:00 was the goal - 75 splits for the first 2 x 400m would've got me there I think.  Horrible pain in lungs after finishing - from the shock of the cold air I guess?

jogging to recover from the mile and then jogged the 800m time trial that was planned - was a little disappointed with missing that... 800m - 2:51, some jogging at recovery pace after that (it that long for my lungs to quit burning! :( ) 

400m time trial - 61.1 - slower start, but really got it going on the last 200m - hit top speed for the first time in a while

slow jogging - full recovery,

4x800m w/ 0.25 mi. rec. (2:57, 2:45, 2:45, 2:45) 

slow jogging CD   ---  9.33 mi. total - 75:30 total time

PM long run - treadmill at @ TLAC gym: 

WU,

4 mi. threshold: 9.3mph up to 11 mph (25:00), rec. jog,

2 x 5min. AT @ 10% incline ~ 6mph-7mph -- these really got the heart rate up!

Easy pace (7.5 - 8 mph) up to 16 mi.,

2 x 1mi. @ MP, CD

20 mi. total - 2:29:xx (these treadmills just show minutes after 99 :) )

It was good to get almost 2.5 hrs continuous run with some variation in speed and climbing.  I feel like it is good prep for the hilly 50k coming up.

Super easy today - 8.56mi. -- 1:16

~3.4 over to the gym, 30 minutes of core and light legs, 2 mi. on treadmill, and ~3.2back home the slightly shorter way.

8 mi. out to start of group run near Grandview Lake - 1:02:09.  Only 1 other guy showed up tonight... It was supposed to storm.  Ran our course both us a little tired from recent training.  9.25 mi. - 1:03:52.  I died going up Sawmill hill again.  Got a ride home from Tim.  (thank you!! )  

PM @ the gym - easy 8 mi. - recovery - 65:12.  Some legs and core strength stuff ~20 minutes

Watched Michigan kill Northwestern and the start of IU/Purdue game

PM Treadmill @ TLAC:

It was snowing when I came in tonight.

WU 1.5 mi.,

Yasso 800s workout - 10 x 0.5 mi. @ 10.6 mph  (2:49.8 / 0.5mi.) with no incline

                                   w/ 0.25 mi. rec. @ 8mph,

CD easy pace up to 10 mi.

During the run, Danny Fisher (trainer and local high school track and field coach, and let's not forget that he is one of the best runners around :) and I chatted a bit about this particular workout, and it correlation to marathon time.  Ultimately, our conclusion was that yasso 800s times generally indicated a marathon time plus 4 or 5 minutes.  Unless there were just perfect conditions and of course accounting somehow for the other six days of the week of your other training .  Danny mad the point hit home - He said last season he had done the workout at 2:23 / 800m avg. a couple times, while his marathon time was like a 2:30.  This made me feel better about my 2:57 :)

PS - I love it when the treadmill shuts off at the hour cutoff and I have to press the quick start and put the speed back up to where it was.

Car was covered with an inch of snow when I came out.

PM - easy/off day today - easy 2 mi. TM at the gym, really wailed on my abs / core for about 20 minutes with various different crunch-type exercises, and then jogged another mile.

Still baffled by the people I see at gyms that do nothing the whole time they are there.  This younger guy literally jogged a half a mile (maybe) and then walked around the whole time I was there between the water fountain and a bench where he was texting or playing with his phone.  Wait, check that, he did happen to cough right on the water fountain several times.

Feeling from the higher mileage this week.  AM gym treadmill workout:

1.5 WU,4 mi. MP - 26:20 9.2 mph (6:35/mi.), 0.5 rec., 1 mi. @ 10k pace - 10.2 mph (5:56/mi.)

7.5 mi. total

did some light core work, but hit it hard on about 20 minutes of drills - backwards running, high knees, butt kicks, lunges, 8x40m bursts to get the heart rate up - these were fun at the crowded gym!

PM treadmill - easy 6 mi. - 48:00, 20 minutes of leg and core - sweating out pure BWW wings and budlight from UK's road victory last night.  Oh yeah, and IU played also...

PM treadmill @ 1%:

4x1mi. @ 10k (10.2mph-5:52/mi.) w/ 0.25 rec.

8.5mi. total - 60:00

PM: Easy 7 mi on the treadmill - 60:00

15 minutes of abs.  I needed recovery run day today - soreness in the left knee and lower back

PM treadmill interval/threshold running - 10k focus:

WU w/ strides,

10x400s w/ 60 sec. active recovery (8mph-9mph)

11mph(5:27/mi.) x 8 - these equate to 81 sec. for 0.25mi.

12mph(5:00/mi.)x1 - 75 sec.,

12.4mph(4:50/mi.)x1) - 72.5 sec,

full active recovery (7.5mph-8mph),

1.5 mi. BU - 9.3 mph up to 12.4mph,

CD

Easy 4 miles around the hood with my dawg - 55 degrees out today - about 8 minute miles.  

Taking it easy for the 50k on Saturday.  

Easy 4 mi. around the nieghborhood

I signed up for this 50k in Louisville, KY about a month ago with intentions of treating it as a good long training run as part of spring marathon training.  I "relearned" the difference in road and trail running today and realized how bad of an idea this was.

About 35 degrees at the start with a very muddy and hilly course.  Well marked and organized trails, but very difficult and technical for a primarily road running training base.  I went out very conservatively, fully intending to complete the entire 31+ miles to come.  Taking the climbing very easy and staying controlled on the descents.

I felt fine for about 10 miles.  At this point, I feel great cardiovascular wise (the changes in heart rate for hill climbing, and then back to a faster pace for downhill and flat spots), but I start to get that old familiar feeling creep in to my left knee, that quickly spreads to my hamstring and calf.  I remember this from the previous 2 years - by the 3rd marathon in 3 months time (fall marathons)  I start to feel this in the legs, and have learned how long this takes to recover from.  At this point in what is supposed to be Spring marathon training, this is not a desired feeling :(

Fortunately, the race is a 3-leg, out-and-back race with the second leg turn around having a bail-out point to switch to the 15 miler, for 50k ers.  I gladly accept this invitation, and turn it into a 15 mile, 2:20 trail run.  I at least finish strong over the 2.5 miles remaining at this point and come in 15th place in the 15 miler.

I grab some of the really good food they have at the finish line (chili and soft home made choc. chip cookies), drink some of their coffee, and call it a day.  Maybe next time, LLTH Ultra - I was not "Lovin the Hills" today! :)  Score -- Ultra Marathon: 1 - Joe: 0

Slept in this morning and laid around recovering from yesterday with some really fun icing and elevating of the legs.

PM treadmill run at the gym during IU's dominance over "The" OSU: 

8 mi. w/ 4mi. @ MP (9.3 mph - 6:27/mi.) @ 1% - 57:00, bathroom break,

3 mi. w/ 1.5 @ MP - 21:30

lots of stretching and about 10 minutes of core work

13 hour work day, today for this I-65 project, but got off just in time to make it to the gym for an easy 8 on the treadmill.  It was nice and quiet at 8:30p.  8mi. at 7mph on sore legs - 68:40

Another long day at work, pretty stressful.  Good to blow off some steam and talk to Danny at the gym.  That guy knows his stuff.

PM Race Sim on the Treadmill -

WU, 2mi. 10k pace - 10.1mph, rec. 

0.5 mi. - 10.2mph, rec.,

2x0.25mi. - 12mph, CD

Total: 8 mi. treadmill - 56:30

Big project finally submitted today at work! 

A decent day out today, but for some reason, I didn't feel like running outside?  What's wrong with me?  I actually prefer the treadmill at the gym to running outside?...

PM treadmill:

WU with nice steady buildup to MP. 

Ran 5 mi @ MP (9.3mi. - 6:27/mi.). then brought the heart back down a bit and finished up 9 mi. - 63:20.

It felt like it took till about mile 3 to get in rhythm for MP.

bathroom break, again (gotta stop eating so close to when I run) and then 30 minutes of core and legs - worked pretty hard at this today. 

Back on the treadmill to shake it out - 2mi. - 16:00

recovery miles today - PM - 2 miles with the dog, a quick drink of water, 6 miles easy outside.  Large meal at Carino's with the wife for Valentine's Day, and then 2 easy on the treadmill.

Off work - AM: easy 8 mi. on the treadmill at home - super slow recovery miles while downloading the new Skyrim expansion pack - Dragonborn is awesome!

PM: Treadmill at the gym - 4.5 mi. easy w/ strides - 4x0.25 mi. @ 10k pace - 10.1 mph (5:56/mi.)

First Cross Roads Series race of the year this morning in Seymour, IN.  About 25 deg. at the start:

WU a mile with a pickup,

This race is a 5k and 10k that start at the same time, which makes things interesting.  5k/10k split off at around 2.5 miles.  The usual mad rush from the start line with a group of about 10 that goes out way too fast, and a group of 10 more that are legit.  I already know I'm running for third place with the 2 sub 35min. guys in the 10k pulling away from even the 5k runners.  I actually run smart and relaxed in the beginning of one of these races, for once.  At the split off, I discover that I am all alone in third.  I didn't see the top 2 at any point, nor did I hear or catch wind of anybody close to behind me for the rest of the race.  I'll be interested to see where 4th was.  Even splits through first 5k and actually went negative on the last 5k, today.  It looks like I would've been a contender for the soft winning time in the 5k (the same people that won today are usually a lot faster than they were today) :)

5:57, 5:59, 5:59, 5:51, 5:54, 5:57, 0:51 -- 36:31

Very pleased with this - 10k PR and 8k PR (en route)

Went and saw a good movie - Beautiful Creatures - nothing like the books according to the wife, but I thought it worked.  PM treadmill at the gym - watched Duke get beat by Maryland :)  8 mi. super easy - 7mph most of the way (~ 70 minutes of easy jogging)

Early PM treadmill run at the gym:

Started it off slow at 7mph and let the legs really loosen up at easy pace for a while (~4.5mi.), cranked it up to MP for the AT buildup run similar to the coaching that I saw old man Salazar give Rupp (the day after his 3:50 mile :))  4 mi. AeroThreshold BU start at MP: 9.3mph cut down to 10k pace @ 10.2mph.  25:35 for 4 mi. - Bad thing about treadmills is no splits or data to see afterward.  

30 min. legs&core - really working on the abs.

3 mi. easy shaking it out - 25:00 

Long slow run today - neighborhood loop, house to Grandview, Grandview Loop with the group.  Running with the group helped to distract me in to running in the lower 7:00's for the last 10 or so, at least.  5 of us today in the 55 degree weather.  Long and painful today, otherwise.

20.57mi. - 2:41:04

To make myself feel better I weighed myself afterward :)  Amazingly, I weigh much less after long runs... :)

PM treadmill run at the gym.  IU vs. Mich St. on the TV.  

recovery miles and core work today after yesterday's LSD

8 mi. in 63:05, 15 minutes of abs, 2 mi. shakeout - 17:30 

PM treadmill at the gym:

I'm really wanting to hone in on the difference between 5k pace and 10 k pace and finishing in each race with a strong last half mile.  The good news is that the 1 mile rep and 0.75mi. rep felt good after the 2 miles and short(ish) recovery.

WU,

2 mi. @ 10.5mph - 11:25, rec. 0.25@ 7.5mph (2min.),

1 mi. @ 10.7mph - 5:36 ,rec. 0.25@ 7.5mph (2min.),

0.75mi. @ 11mph - 4:05, rec. 0.25@ 7.5mph (2min.),

0.5 mi. @ 11.2mph - 2:40,

CD 

10 mi. total - 70:18

PM - easy 10 mi. on the treadmill at the gym.  Recovery pace - 7mph - the whole way.  Nice and easy with drills and a few short bursts afterward.  Wintry mix and 25 deg. tonight, 52 deg. tomorrow - welcome to Indiana... 

AM: Easy 7.33 mi. at the gym with a couple strides building up to mile pace. - 60 min.

light core and stretching afterward.

PM: treadmill at home - 2.67 mi. super easy to round out to even 10 today

AM: easy 2 mi. jog around the hood with my dawg - about 11 minute pace :)

PM: Time trial day with the group:

WU - 1.5 mi. w/ strides,

1mi. - 5:10 - Going out in 1:15 for first 400m didn't really help me much.  At around 600m, the legs felt very heavy and I began to struggle with the pace.  Full recovery - 800m jogging

800m - 2:26.  Again, 400m was 0:69, but I could not sustain.  Full recovery - 800m jogging

400m - 1:02.  Slower than last attempt - attribute this to the strenuous 1mi. and 800m.  Full rec.,

2x800m threshold - 2:46, 2:45

Cooldown a lap.  This is difficult with the group, didn't really get to do all I wanted to do, but it was good to have people there to run with.

PM2: slow 2.5mi. on the treadmill before the UK game - Go Cats

Pretty sore today.  PM treadmill at the gym - sadly enough, for about 4miles, 6mph was all the legs wanted to go without complaining.  4mi. slow, bathroom break and stretching, 6 miles at 7mph, 20 minutes of core and leg strength stuff, and 2 miles easy to finish up and shake out.

A decent progression of mileage buildup so far (for me, anyway) 75, 83 last week, and going for 90 mi. this week.

PM recovery miles outside - house to Tipton Lake and back: 10 mi. - 1:24:20 - off and on pace: 7:45 up to 8:30

Pretty sore in the usual problem areas, still, but a vast improvement over yesterday.

Some light core and leg work afterward.

PM treadmill workout:

Cutdown workout at/around MP:

WU 1.5 mi. buildup to 1% incline @ 8.9 mph (6:45/mi. - MP -10sec),

1.5 mi. @ 8.9mph, 1.5 mi. @ 9.1mph (6:35/mi.), 1.5mi. @ 9.3mph (6:27/mi.), 1.5 mi. @ 9.5 mph (6:19/mi.)

CD up to 8.5 mi. - 60:00,

While I realize that treadmill running is not the same as outdoor running, I feel I've at least been taking advantage of the gym equipment while running inside this winter.  I definitely sweat a whole lot more than I would in the 30 degree weather currently sticking around Indiana.

Today - 30 minutes of core and leg strengthening - did some sled pushes for the first time - wow, that exercise really gets your heart rate up!  burpees, several sets of abs, lunges and squats. 

Easy 1.5 mi. to shake it out and finish up the 10 mi. for the day.  

PM treadmill easy miles - 10 mi.@~7mph the whole way - 1:26:00.  20 minutes of core work - all abs and hips

PM treadmill workout @ 1% incline:

WU,

4x0.25mi.@10.2mph w/ 0.25mi. Rec. @8mph,

4x0.25mi.@10.4mph w/ 0.25mi. Rec. @8.2mph,

2x0.25mi.@10.6mph w/ 0.25mi. Rec. @8.4mph

CD

7.15 mi. total - 50:40

AM treadmill - easy 5.3 miles.  5k race and long run tomorrow.  Maybe some easy miles tonight.

CR 5k race - slower course, forgot my watch, felt like a decent effort.  

OFF - First day completely off since Jan. 18

PM progressive treadmill run (1% incline):

easy 7mph - 8mph for 7.5mi.,

Buildup to miles 8.5-14.5: 2mi.@9mph, 2mi.@9.2mph, 1mi.@9.4mph, and 1mi.@9.6mph,

1.5 CD

16 mi. total -- 1:58:40

Up at Purdue for work - 4 mi. on the fitness center treadmill at easy pace - 34:40

PM run #2 - outside in the snow - 3.34mi. a little quicker - 26:38.  Stepped in a couple puddles and soaked my feet and got cold.  Took it inside to the hotel fitness center treadmill to complete the 10 mi. for the day - 2.68mi. super slow.

Yeah, I'm definitely sick, now :(

Sick :(

coming off being sick from last couple days...

AM treadmill at home:

      6mi. super slow and easy - 54:40

      10 minutes of core work

PM treadmill at TLAC gym:

     WU, 6x1mi.repeats w/ 0.25 mi. (2:00) rec. jog. - 6:00, 6:00, 5:52, 5:52, 5:41, 6:00, CD

     10 mi. total - 69:00

     30 minutes of core and legs - mostly focusing on hip strength and legs

Recovery day:

PM1: easy 3.86 mi. with the dawg round the hood - 36:50,

PM2: easy 5.92 mi. down Terrace Lake and back - 49:35,

PM3: easy 2.22 mi. around the hood - 20:00

AM - 4.76 mi. progressive - mile 3 in 5:59 - 36:52 total

PM - long(ish) run at easy pace with Nathan in Seymour.  The goal was achieved for the day - a run with over 2 hours on the feet at once - 14.54mi. - 2:13:22

Very sore...

Perfect weather outside - a very revitalizing 60 degrees and partly sunny.  Thank god. 

New Plan for this spring - Papa Johns 10 miler in Louisville, KY on April 6 instead of the Xenia, OH Marathon.  Run spring marathon after baby is born.  Keep putting the mileage and hard work as if I'm running Boston or one of the marathons in April/early May. 

AM: 6 mi. easy - 51:33 - really slow recovery miles

PM: 8 mi. easy - 1:05:35- a little stronger, but still taking it easy.

After yesterday, I was a little worried that I had really hit a wall with training - felt like the start of that downward cycle of dead legs and nagging soreness/almost injury feeling... Don't know if it was the warm weather or just getting out there and working out the kinks, but the body felt great compared to yesterday. 

Still, no higher intensity stuff tomorrow unless the same amount of improvement occurs tomorrow as it did today.

PM - 7.3 miles super slow - 70:30, 15minutes hard effort ab strengthening

PM track workout @ Northside with a huge group - 45 deg. a little windy.  This was awesome - about 10 guys showed up to the track to do workouts together - 4 of us did mile repeats, 6 did 400 repeats.  A lot of talent out there - not me :)  Awesome and fun!  Almost kept up on the milers with a couple of much faster runners.  I can see how this could make everybody improve.  Took me back to the good ole days in high school... :)

WU,

4x1mi. w/ 1 min. standing rest - 5:50, 5:50, 5:39, 5:38,

3 min. rec., 800m - 2:30, CD

The last rep felt like it was a lot slower, but only because 2 of the guys left me in the dust :)

OFF - nursing some wounds...

Still nursing some wounds - the left leg has about 3 spots that are feeling injury prone and very stiff, I'm thinking all due to IT band tightness?  Anyway been using the foam roller and icing.  Recovery time:

PM: 3 mi. super easy jog on mostly grass - about 9 minute pace, foam rolling, core strengthening, stretching and more stretching.  6 mi. on the bicycle - 25 minutes - pushed it on the this to get the heart rate up.  Strengthening exercises - core, legs, abductors... and more foam rolling and stretching.  It seems like the left leg IT band hurts about twice as much as the right leg when I roll it out on the foam roller...  I guess that is the intent?

I have been icing sore spots since last summer, but have not seen nearly the same recovery results as with the roller. 

Off work - OBGYN with the wife - almost 35 weeks now!

Foam rolling IT band for recovery and knee/lower back pain working already!  Awesome... again, further testament to the importance of recovery as part of training... :)

AM - 40 deg. and cloudy: 6.5 mi. with a mod. 3mi. - 21:33.  50:44 total

30 minutes of foam roller and stretching, 45 min. of icing

PM - 50 deg. and cloudy: 4 mi. easy - 31:40

30 minutes of foam roller and core str.

AM: Easy pace, except on the hills.   9.8 mi. on the Big Woods course in Nashville, IN with a couple people from the team Quaff On race team.  Apparently, the beer brewing company named Quaff On, is using several runners, myself included, to promote its product.  We all have singlets/uniforms and other merchandise bearing the company name.  The group of about 10 runners will form different relay teams throughout the year and race in relay events.  Usually made up of about 5 guys per race team (depending on whoever can make it to the races), we will be competing in a couple different relay races, usually close to Indiana (mostly trail races).  

The run today was easy pace and a good end to the taper/recovery week - about 8:30 pace.  Foam rolling and recovery tricks have worked.  Thank the lord.  Long run tomorrow, me thinks.

AM long run:

Cold and windy with a winter weather advisory pending.  First 5.25 on the treadmill to warmup and see what the weather's going to do - no snow after about 45 minutes of slow jogging on the treadmill, so out the door I go with 7-8 mi. MP in mind:

Took a little while to get going on the first mile, so

8mi. MP - 52:46 (6:35 avg.) 7:05, 6:31, 6:48, 6:32, 6:28, 6:26, 6:23, 6:33

Tightness in the lower back, left side - same problem area, but no knee pain, so an improvement.  The effort was a bit more than marathon effort on the hills, but recovery was quick, so that's encouraging.

Easy 3 back to the house and easy 3 mi. more on the treadmill after peeling off the clothes.

19.15 mi. total - 2:33:40 total, time for some more rolling and icing

PM1 Easy run:  Outside - 48deg. overcast.  Recovery day - 5.38mi. - 43:38. 

PM2 Easy run - 2.14 mi. with the dog - 18:39.  A little soreness in the knee :(, left lower back very stiff.

Followed up with 30 minutes of stretching, mostly for the back tightness, and then icing.  Core and leg work for about 10 minutes also.

PM track workout with the Quaff On team.  Northside track, 7p, 45 degrees, a little breezy.

1mi. WU,

5x1mi. AT, with standing rest - 6:00, 6:00, 5:58, 5:56, 5:41

1 mi. CD

These were hard today, tightness and fatigue from long run on Sunday.

PM - easy 4.7mi. with the dog - recovery day needed.  I'm beat up...

40 minutes of the pilates video we have - 20 min. abs, 10 min. legs, 10 min. stretch - hopefully this will loosen me up and speed the recovery to the legs during some much needed easy days prior to the half marathon this saturday.

PM - easy 5 miles - A little looser today after a couple of miles - about 8:30 pace.  

PM, 45 degrees and sunny, Easy 4-5 today with picking it up a little at the end.

4.83 mi. - 37:23

Should be a nice day tomorrow for the Sam Costa Half.  Low back still a little tight even after 3 easy days...

9am race time in Carmel, IN.  About 30 degrees, no wind, and sunny. 

1 mi. warmup with some strides.  

13.22 mi. - 6:07, 6:14, 6:17, 6:11, 6:13, 6:09, 6:10, 6:22, 6:05, 6:14, 6:12, 6:25, 6:29, 1:28

Really started struggling on the last 2 miles - its a climb, and the race merged back with the quarter marathon.  I'm thinking a flat course today would've been a sub 1:22.  This time is a PR, but somehow I feel somewhat disappointed with the last couple of miles.  Had my sights set on sub 1:22...

OFF

PM easy 6.5 recovery miles outside in the snow - 49:00.  Roads are clear

but its still coming down a little bit.  Feeling good.  Min. soreness

considering the half on Saturday.  Took yesterday off, though. 

PM LT workout at the track - 35 degrees and windy with some light snow fall

WU a couple miles,

800 x 6 - LT Cutdown: 2:57,2:56,2:43,2:40,2:36,2:34 - active 0.25mi. rec. ( ~8mi./mi.)

CD - easy couple miles

8.25 total - 58:21

20 minutes of core and legs with some stretching. 

PM - easy 8 mi. outside - 40 degrees - about 9 min./mile.  20 minutes of stretch / foam roller, and light core work.  Aiming for 1000-1200 core-type reps each week.

PM - slow 6 mi. - 45 degrees and sunny - 51:33

AM progressive long run - 30 degrees at start, ~45 degrees at end

1-15: 8:23, 8:13, 8:16, 8:44, 8:33, 8:16, 8:13, 7:50, 7:21, 7:31, 7:11, 7:00, 6:43, 6:17, 6:24

15-21: 7:38, 7:35, 7:56, 7:59, 7:16, 7:37

21.33mi. - 2:43:18

PM easy 8 mi. Mill Race Park People Trail - 60 degrees today.  Finally, a little spring in Indiana.  Don't worry - snow forecasted for Monday :)

It was tough today after sitting on my butt all day for our birthing class... :)  My lower back is super tight.

8 mi. easy - 68:53

AM - easy run with the dog - 2 mi. -16:45

AM2 - 6 mi. hill workout with MP rec. - 40:22

my usually 6 mi. course has 10 hills of approx. same length/grade:

10 reps of going hard up hills ~ 40sec. each rep, each hill ~6% over 200m, with cruising down the flats and downhills at ~MP.  The last hill is 0.3, but about 3-4%.

PM easy 7 mi. w/ 800m hard - 58:26.  45 degrees and sunny - almost spring!  Somebody has marked off a straight/flat stretch of road close to the house at 100m increments up to 1000m.  I couldn't resist the urge to test it out.  A couple miles jog, a couple strides, and 800m in 2:26 - Boo.  After spring marathon this summer, I'm going to really focus on the shorter stuff and get this 800m / 1mi. time respectable... :)

PM1: easy run around the hood with my dawg: 2.12 mi.-17:22

PM2: track workout with a couple guys at Northside:

1 mi. WU, 

5 x 800m / 80s standing rest / 400m with 60 sec. standing rest between:

2:39/1:19,  2:40/1:20, 2:42/1:18, 2:35/1:16, 2:38/1:15 

1 mi. CD

Tapering as if I'm going to Boston - the wife said she had a couple brief contractions today

PM - 50 degrees and sunny.  2.35 mi. nice and easy over at trails of the nature preserve by the Harrison Lake C.C..  1 mi. with the hound around the house.  That poor dog loves to run with me even though he is pulling and choking himself the whole way.

PM - easy 10 k w/ 6x100m-200m strides.  55 degrees and sunny.  Spring is here - 60s this weekend.  Feeling good - getting the turn over up and the heart rate really going was good for the ole ticker.  I've been neglecting these short bursts - "striding out"- just something I've forgotten about, I guess... PJ 10 miler on Saturday and then baby time!  And then worry about which marathon I get to run :)  I'm still praying for the healthy baby and Boston option, but I am not holding my breath on that one. 

10k w/ strides today - 44:15 

AM: Easy 4.85 mi.,

PM: easy 2 mi. with the dog

57 degrees and sunny today.  10 mile race tomorrow in Louisville - should be great weather again.  Feeling good.

Papa Johns 10 Miler - Louisville, KY, 8am - 45 degrees and sunny.  This course is fun - hilly Iroquois Park portion from mile 2.5 up to about mile 5 and a nasty climb at mile 9, but very fun.  The kind of course that you have to measure your PR for the course, not the distance. 

6:12, 6:08, 6:25, 6:36, 6:19, 6:24, 6:01, 6:21, 6:11, 6:26

10 mi. - 1:03:25

AM: easy 4.14mi. - 33:05 around the hood with the dawg - 60 degrees and sunny!  Spring is here to stay.  :)

PM: easy 4 mi. Terrace Lake course - 35:00 - its now 75 degrees and sunny :)  Rain coming in, though.

PM - 75 degrees and rain clouds coming in: 

Easy 3mi. with the dog - 26:15, drop the dog off and

3mi., w/ 1.25 mi. uphill (mostly) MP coming back from Terrace Lake - 22:53 

PM track workout - 80 degrees! and sunny - strong head wind reserved for the home stretch on the track with Danny and Josh.

1 mi. WU w/ strides and drills, 6 x [2x200m.,1x400m] w/ full recoveries (jog/walk):

35, 36, 70 / 35, 33, 67 / 33, 35, 65 / 35, 33, 65 / 33, 32, 64 / 33, 33, 63

1 mi. CD

PM - 6 mi. easy around the fairgrounds - 47:32.  75 degrees and overcast. Another beautiful spring day.  20 minutes of legs and abs - a lot of stretching and foam rolling afterward - a little tight from yesterdays speed workout. 

Good luck Boston runners - I am very jealous.  Looks like our baby has dropped - only a couple days to go until I will be a father, if I had to guess.  He might be a Patriot's Day baby :)  I might be enviously watching the coverage from the hospital on Monday.

PM: easy 6 mi. in the rain - 70 degrees and a light rain coming down the whole run - made it fun, but a little slick in the muddy spots. - 45:xx.  Looks like the local 5k/10k race will be the extent of my weekend if I am not rushing the wife to the hospital.  MAybe Carmel Marahton is in the cards for next weekend.

PM: Run around the neighborhood to get the heart rate up, briefly - built up to do a couple of strides.  3.2 - 21:21.  New shoes! -- Ravenna 4, Black and Red.  Brooks Ravenna series has been good to me - lighter weight well cushioned and neutral (I think)

AM race 1 mile from my house.  CR series - 10k and 5k races run simultaneously.  The usual suspects - went a little quick on the first mile - got sucked in by the 5k runners (only 2 ahead of us leading 10k guys)  Hung around the top 2 guys for a couple miles and really started struggling.  Not feeling the greatest today - GI problems due to poor diet choices the last couple days (the beer and fried foods from late last night in particular), and some tightness in the back made for some slow and sloppy last couple miles.  Also, the course ran pretty long - last minute changes had to be made to the course due to construction, so no big deal.

2 mi. WU

6.42 mi. - 38:52:  5:42, 5:58, 6:03, 6:05, 6:10, 6:21, 0.42mi. - 2:32

1.6 mi. CD

The new Ravenna 4's are wonderful!

PM easy run - 8.11 mi. - 66:21 - 70 degrees and sunny here.  The Ravennas are awesome!! Carmel Full this Saturday might be in the cards... No baby yet - due date moved to Apr. 22.  Good luck in Boston, everybody! 

PM2 - easy 2 mi. with the dog

Off run today - PM 1 hr. easy on the bike - 13.5mi - 1:01:20 :) - told you it was easy.  

Dear people(s) responsible for Boston,

You suck!

Sincerely,

Everybody

PM run around the hood - I discovered an almost  perfect 1 mile loop in my neighborhood starting and stopping in front of my house.  

5 mi. buildup to MP - 1.5mi. MP - payed for Carmel Marathon on Saturday - taking a chance that I won't be in the hospital with the wife... again - its only an hour away, though.

  Lots of stretching and rolling tonight.

PM - 75 degrees and sunny - 4 mi. around the hood- 2 w/ the dog and 2 at MP - 28:55.

2mi. easy after dinner - 16:15

PM - Easy 2.5 miles around the neighborhood.

 

Comments

From SlowJoe on Sun, Apr 21, 2013 at 13:04:44 from 96.61.24.215

Good grief, a half-mile long! That is almost sadistic to extend a marathon like that. Anyway, it's kinda hard to run fast when you feel like puking. Don't feel too bad about this one. You are probably in shape for sub-2:53 or at least very close.. just a bad day and weird set of circumstances. Still a good race.

From Andrea on Sun, Apr 21, 2013 at 18:25:56 from 98.202.239.247

Nice race Joe, glad you were able to get it in before the little one came :) I know you're a little disappointed, but still a very solid race time. The course was very long...I can imagine how frustrating that was! Fueling is tough to figure out for the marathon...a peanut butter Gu sounds disgusting even not racing! Anyway, nice work.

From joebell1981 on Mon, Apr 22, 2013 at 18:50:53 from 99.39.133.24

Thanks for the kind words of encouragement, Joe and Andrea!

I made to sure to eat plenty of foods/drink high in saturated fat, alcohol, and other wonderful things for the body to make sure that my body might completely forget the disgrace that was yesterday's race... and I think it work!!  No, not really - my stomach hates me today :)  

All-in-all, not as much soreness as previous fulls, but a lot more regret.  Gave it a day off with a little XT on the ole bike - 12 miles ~ 48 minutes.  Still not gonna count out that 2 days after soreness to come tomorrow most likely.  Prolly run again on Tuesday - something easy, and see if my body thinks that that marathon was a training run or an actually race.  

Baby coming very soon, by the way!  Within a week now... :) 

PM runs - 70 degrees and sunny:

Today, it feels like I may have just run a long run on Saturday...

Easy pace - recovery runs.  Split 7 mi. into 3 jogs around the neighborhood - 57:57 total

PM intervals on the neighborhood loop:

8x0.5mi. w/ 0.25mi. rec. jog (2:56,2:56,2:57,2:45,2:48,2:49,2:46,2:47), also,

2x some half-hearted sprints that did actually hurt a bit.

9mi. total - 60:36

150xabs, squats/lunges (wt.)

Yes, apparently my legs and body are telling me about the marathon on Saturday - "Hey slacker, you could've gone a lot harder"...

I've decided to treat Saturday like what it was - a good, long training run.  (Only 17 of the mile splits were within 10 seconds of my goal marathon pace.)  Time to get the wife to pop this baby out, get everybody healthy and on schedule, and be looking for the next full to register for. :)

Anybody know a good form of bribery to give a mother nursing a 2 month old child?

PM - easy 4 x 2 - its about 45 degrees and rainy here today :(.  4 mi. easy with the dog - 30:30,

grabbed a bite to eat and hopped on TM for 2 mi. to warm back up (I'm really cold today for some reason) and then changed shoes and back outside for another quick 2mi. - the Kinvara's have been feeling good here lately.  Ravenna Ghost just isn't for me, I've decided.   4mi. 31:30

200xabs, back reps, some PU

PM - 55 degrees and sunny today

2.5 easy with the dog around the hood, 7.5 easy out and back Terrace Lake course, sticking mostly to grass and soft surfaces.  I'm feeling Tuesday, now. 

10mi. - 80:05  

150xabs, back and some PUs

Turns out the wife has been planning on a bachelorette party on June 1 weekend for her friend, so unless I'm a bad dad and get a babysitter for my 1 month old child, that marathon plan is out. Duluth is a 10 hour drive... :)

Last doc appt. tomorrow morning for the wife.  We will have a child next week, at the latest - induction on Monday if needs be.

AM - easy run with strides with the dog before our OB appt.

4.14mi. easy w/ 4x short/quick bursts to get the heart rate/turn over up - 34:14

150xabs, lunge and squats wt.'ed, arms/shoulders - light wt. training

something similar this evening depending on the baby situation

PM - easy run around - Deaver/CR400/CR200 - 65 degrees and sunny

8.58 mi. - 1:09:21

Saucony Mirage's still feeling like there's some miles left them (well after 500 miles)

AM 5k Race - 50 degrees and overcast

We all know each other pretty well in these races and it makes it easy to pace and determine where you should be.  The first place guy today won in 16:10, and that is pretty average for him, so me and another guy were alone in the second/third place battle today.

Mile 1 everybody goes out too fast every time - no different today.  There are also a lot of turns and momentum killers on this particular course.  Feeling good today and had a strong finish - I really though that maybe a PR was possible today.

~1.5mi. WU with strides, 

5k Race - 17:53.9 (5:41, 5:45, 5:49, 0.14mi. - 0:38)

~1.5mi. CD

PM: easy 8 mi. - 61 min.

AM: easy 6 miles around the neighborhood - 50:00

100xabs before, 100xabs after

Pretty sore today - mornings are a lot worse on the soreness here lately.  Another easy 6 tonight, depending on the baby situation.

PM: 60 degrees and looks like a storm is brewing

moderate 6 miles with 6x 30-45 sec. strides in the last couple miles - 43:51

the soreness went away for PM run. 100xabs, some light legs, stretching and foam rolling

We go in tomorrow at 7am to be induced.  Looks like an early morning hill workout is the only hope for run tomorrow :)

We are going to the hospital today to be induced to have our first child!! Early morning workout on the treadmill. 

WU 2.8 miles,

4x0.25mi @ 6%, 8mph -these were difficult -

last 2 x @ 4%, 8mph.

Then a good 2 mi. moderate to hard effort - 13:20

6.3 total

My beautiful baby boy was born last night at 11:02 pm!  It was a wonderful run on a scenic course this morning with the thoughts of the wonderful experience going through my mind throughout the run :)  Tears of Joy!!  6mi. - 47:26

AM semi long run from hospital. 

16 mi. w/ wave run - 1:56:43.  6 mi. easy to track, 4 x [0.5mi.MP/0.5mi. HMP] - 6:30/6:10, 6 mi. easy back to hospital.  These were pretty close to goal pace for each rep.  Its getting hot! 

We're in the hospital with our wonderful new beautiful baby boy.  Tiff is recovering nicely and Jude is beautiful. Little sleep for both of us - especially Tiff :) 

Late AM easy run with strides - 5 mi. w/ 5x30-40sec. up to top speed - 37:17.  Its 75 degrees and sunny here, which is good because:

Today was the first day home with Jude Tucker Bell!  He was born Monday night at 11:02pm. We have been in the hospital since adhering to the 48 hour rule.  Tiffany was amazing and the my son is beautiful and already full of beans! :)  Hospital staff was awesome.  

PM: Terrace Lake Hill Workout - 10 x hills - most are about 0.15mi., the last being about 0.3mi.

AM easy run:  4mi. - 33:45.  I'm pretty stiff this morning. Its wonderful sleeping in my own bed.  That hospital fold out was pretty terrible.

Jude did really well last night.  I think I may have slept for a solid 4 hours str8 in one stretch.  Our first night at home was alot easier than the first few nights in the hospital.  No nurses coming in in the middle of the night :) 

PM easy run with 7 x 15-30 sec. strides:  4mi. - 31:27.  Really starting to feel some ofthat old sprint speed come back with these strides at the end of easy runs. 

AM - Seymour Half Marathon, Seymour, IN:

WU - 1.3mi. W/ strides,

8am start, 60 degrees and overcast with a 8-10mph wind.  Me and another guy were running for 2nd place from the start.  A much faster guy won in with 1:12:xx - Danny Fisher.  Tom and I were running alone the whole way, which wound being a bad thing:

Around 3-4 miles we missed a turn off and added almost a mile to the race.  The course is through downtown Seymour, IN streets and neighborhoods, so there are a lot of twists and turns.  After a cop car directed us back on course, we had added 0.9 miles. 

The effort and rhythm for Tom and I was good until we realized the mistake.  We had to stop, turn around and suck it up and try to play catchup.  

 The effort level was there, but disappointing result:

6:23, 6:12, 6:07, 6:21, 6:10, 6:08, 6:17, 6:19, 6:12, 6:23, 6:19, 6:28, 6:31, and then I hit my lap button at 13.1 -- 0:39 for 0.1 -

1:22:34 for the 13.1

The last 0.9mi. was 6:00 after hitting that mental let down

14 mi. - 1:28:34

CD with the winner and awesome and nice guy - 1mi. easy and stiff at this point.

AM: easy 6mi. around the neighborhood with the dog - 46:23

PM: easy 4.5 mi. on the dreadmill - 38:30, 1 mile outside, no watch - pace felt like about HMP

PM - longish run at whatever pace felt comfortable.  Beautiful 60 degrees and threatening to storm the whole time, though it never did.  The goal today was to be running for 2 hours continuously.  15.02 mi. - 2:00:01

Jude and Tiffany are doing wonderful.  My wife is freaking superwoman!  Thanks for stopping by earlier today to Nathan and kids :)

Back to work tomorrow for me :(

Off - pain in the left knee.  Mowed the yard and played with the crying/pooping/peeing baby boy who has recently taken over our house :)

PM - 12.5 mi. w/ strides -1:41:09.  Strides were 5x 45-60sec. of surges (maybe hit top speed on one of them)  I'm still feeling a little tight and fatigued even after taking a day off yesterday.  The knee pain that was developing was not there any more fortunately.  I think I've gottn better at reading the signs of when I have to take it easy with the recurring left knee pain.  Every now and then it creeps back in to some later mileage workouts...

PM at Brown County State PArk - running one of my legs of the relay that Quaff ON will be racing as a team on Saturday.  Very muddy and slow going on the trail.  6.2mi. ~ 1 hour

PM - easy 4 mi. with 5x20-30 sec strides.  Bought some older series New balance trail shoes today for $50 and breaking them in - the additional tread on them will help tomorrow in the mud, hopefully...

2 mi. moderate in later PM - 15:30

Dances with Dirt in Gnaw Bone, IN - extreme relay - team Quaff ON! Hare Trigger.  I ran 3 legs of this 55 mile trail race relay.  7:30am start time for leg 1.  My first leg was a loop around Ogle Lake.  Though I didn't know it, this leg would be my easiest of the day.  Every leg of this race is extremely technical, ranging from steep climbs and descent, bushwhacking, mud, creek running up to the waist in spots, and more mud.  Very fun, but very hard.  Check out the hilarious looking mile splits :)

Leg 4 - Ogle Lake Loop:

2.72 miles - 20:54

splits - 7:08, 8:36, 5:10 for 0.72mi.

Leg 8 - Burnt Opry Loop:

3.52 miles - 38:36

Splits - 9:18, 9:56, 13:50!, 5:31 for 0.52 mi.

Anchor Leg:

2.92 mi. - 28:20

Splits - 9:54, 11:16!, 7:09 for 0.92 mi.

I had about an hour between the first 2 legs and then a couple hours before the anchor leg.

WU each time was strides and a little jogging.

Our team was a lonely second pretty much the whole race - 10-20 min. behind 1st, 10-20min. ahead of 3rd.

total time was 7:28

PM easy 1mi. jog and some strides and PUs just playin around with my buddy from Lexington who had come to see the new baby. :)

Wow - my quads are horribly sore today - I could barely manage a 9:00 jog for a couple miles.  The bushwhacking involved with yesterday's race has left me with some shredded legs - there are literally about 20 or 30 slices in my legs below the knees from the thorns/underbrush!  Its difficult to walk down the stairs - that's how tight the quads are! :)

Grandview 15k group run.  It was a beautiful 60 degrees and sunny today.  My legs are hurting from Saturday still - moderate pace for last 10k - 1:06:33

AM: 3 mi. moderate w/ 4xstrides - 22:07

PM: 85 degrees and sunny - Hot!  

WU, 6x0,25mi., @ mile pace to get the turn over up, but not over do it: 73, 71, 70, 73, 69, 72, then a cool down back home from the track - finished with decent pace. -- 7 mi. total - 52:43

Long day at work today and its hot!! Not complaining... but its 85 degrees :)

PM:2 mi. super slow WU with the dog, stopped at the house and did some core and leg stuff to try get the heart rate up and get some decent work in today.

back out in to the heat wave and about 0.5mi. to get up to about MP,

so ~3.5mi. MP in about ~24:00

7:12, 6:43, 6:46, 6:36

finished with some more abs and light leg stuff

PM run around the hood

70 degrees and sunny

easy 6mi. + strides (6x15-20 sec. sprints) - 46:40

PM: mod. 4.25 miles with strides - these weren't sprints today - 30:30

AM 5k race - 75 degrees and very humid.  Had the usual guys for the CR series races show up plus a high school kid.  Danny Fisher was all alone in first, while Tom and I, and the high school kid were battling it out for second.  The high school kid went in about 5:30 for mile and faded throughout.  Tom and I passed at about 1.5.  Tom and I ran together and I kicked it on in to the finish to beat him out by about 3 or 4 seconds.  The heat played havoc with everybody apparently.  The effort felt like an even effort throughout, but the splits did not reflect as such:

5k race - 5:43, 5:57, 5:57, :47 for the 0.15mi.- 18:24

AM: additional speed work - geared toward 5k/10k goals ( I think)

1.21 WU with the dog,

1mi.-5:36 w/ 0.25 mi. rec. // 2x0.5mi. w/ 0.25 mi. rec. - 2:44, 2:42 // 0.25mi. - 70

CD a couple minutes

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/315051730

AM Long Run:  75 degrees and Sunny

In hopes of being able to run Sunburst Marathon on June 1, as well as feeling like I had been taking it too easy lately, I got the itch to attempt a long run today and the 8 mi. +15k group run tomorrow.  A last ditch effort to get some good volume work for June 1 marathon, since I found out recently that it might still be a possibility. 

20 mi. course - from the house, out to Harrison Lakes, several loops around the lakes up to 14 mi. and then back home for the 20 - around 7:45's the whole way - pretty even pace on a fairly hilly course.  -- 2:34:53

AM: easy 2.7 mi. around the hood with the dawg- 22:45

PM: easy 8 mi. out to group run course around Grandview + 15k group run -- 17.3mi.- 2:14:20, w/ group run in 68min. - solid 2hour run

Its hot!  Struggled on Sawmill hill ~ 16mi. into run... but mission accomplished -2 consecutive 20 mile days.

PM: 75 degrees and overcast - easy to moderate pace throughout - again, really going for volume this week.  Ran from house over to soccer fields and back.  Thought I'd really be feeling the mileage at this point... not yet :)

The run going out to the soccer fields was neg. splits, but didn't quit make it down to MP: 8:23, 7:35, 7:26, 7:26, 7:19, 7:06, 7:00, 6:57

 Trip back was solid mod. pace, fairly consistent, and big confidence builder with the quantity of volume recently: 7:27, 7:23, 7:10, 7:03, 7:12, 7:04, 7:10, 7:10

15.41mi. - 1:52:39

PM: Easy day/XT: 1 mi. jog, about 20 minutes on the bike, and some core/leg work.  Pretty sore left hammie - I think the volume work caught up with me.

PM - 65 degrees and overcast - bike ride/XT 

17 mi. on the bicycle - 1:05 - I put a decent effort forth to go this slow.  Light core and light leg work.  The left hammie is hurting to run on, still.  Hopefully not an issue today with almost 2 full days off running.

PM: Easy run around the neighborhood - hamstring still acting up - 17:00 for 2 miles and this pace hurt...

12 mi. on the bicycle - 42:05 - garmin says that about 640 calories

AM: It is beautiful outside - 70 degrees and sunny.  Easy 6 mile jog in the grass with the dog - 52:06.  The hamstring is almost ready for action again. 

early PM: 18.57 mile bike ride for some good XT - 1:07:14 

30 minutes of foam rolling, stretching, and core and leg strength training. 

AM: 60 degrees - Playing it safe with the hamstring, still, but seems to be better:

2mi. WU with a slow build up to ~5k pace for mile repeats with 0.25 jog recovery

3x1mi. and 4xstrides- 5:44, 5:41, 5:46.  Hesitant to do the strides - so kept them less intense and short: ~15-20sec. at just below mile pace.

7mi. total - 47:49

PM: 6.5miles/25 minutes on the bike with 10 minutes hard pedaling.

AM: easy 4mi. around the hood with the dawg, w/ 6x15-20sec. strides -- 29:30

Hamstring is doing well

PM: 80 degrees and sunny, with allergies in full sing - easy hour mostly on the grassy surfaces around the local courses - 7.5 miles - 60:00

PM track workout - 80 degrees, sunny, and windy:

2mi. WU jog over to track,

4x0.5mi. w/ 0.25mi. rec. jog - 2:47, 2:46, 2:43, 2:40,

4x0.25mi. w/ 0.125mi. rec. jog - 75, 75, 76, 75,

4x0.125mi. w/ 0.125 rec. jog - 35, 35, 36, 35,

CD - jog back home

9.2mi. total - 1:11:11

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/319633063

PM bike-run-bike - 85 degrees and sunny today.

Bike 6 mi. easy effort out to Grandview Lake - 25:15,

1.09mi. WU/loosen up the legs from the bike over, 6 mi. @ AT/MP effort on the hills around Grandview Lake loop. 49:14 for the 7.09mi.

Bike 6 mi. easy effort back to house - 22:29

New shoes - Saucony Kinvara 4 - I've been a big fan of every shoe in this series (hint, hint Saucony product test people) and these are no exception.  

PM easy 5mi. around the neighborhood with 6x15-20 sec. strides - these started off at just below mile pace and then worked their way down to some decent paces.  36:30 run - total - this needed to be an easy day.

Did some core and stretching stuff before and after.  A little bit of time on the foam roller, too.

Random thought - I only need to improve my marathon time 6 minutes per year to make the Olympic qualifying standard B in time for the 2020 Olympic Trial Marathon... :)  I'll be 39 years old

PM - raining and about 75 degrees.  Bike over to bike shop to work out a deal to purchase a new road bike - 4.56mi.-24:53.  Ran home in the rain with e camel pack on - easy 7 mi. - 55:47.

PM2 - easy 2mi. jog with the dog - 16:48

This morning's CR 5k got postponed to another day due to weather and flooding.  All I really saw this morning was some light rain...

AM: Random track workout that really just turned in to a buildup into a quarter mile time trail:

3mi.WU w/ strides, Randomness: 0.5mi.-2:18, 0.25mi.-1:06, 0.25mi.-0:57.  The 57 was all out - did a good deal of jogging to recover.  Probably the fastest quarter I have run since high school. Then 1mi. @ 5k effort ~ 6:00 to finish up.

7.15mi. total - 50:25

AM Longish Run: 70 degrees and partly cloudy. Its not good when you already feel sluggish before you start.  I blame the half papa john's pizza, cheesesticks, chicken strips with chocolate chip cookies for dessert feast that I had last night :)

2 hr run w/ 8 mi. progressive: 7:00,7:00,6:57,6:47,6:35,6:37,6:33,6:23

3 mi. WU and 5 mi. easy after the progressive - back to the house with a sour stomach griping the whole way.  I feel sorry for anybody following me... :) 

16mi. total - 2:00

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/321766006

Getting a new road bike soon! 

Day off work today.  AM easy jog over to bike station to pick up old bike that I was going to trade in: 4.35 mi. - 37:03.  Bike back home the long way: 7.55 mi. - 27:56.

PM track workout - 70 degrees and sunny.  A couple kids decided to play basketball on the basketball goals the stupid school put around the home stretch of the track.  They only got in the way about 4 times.

Start at 5k pace and cut down to 90-95%: 

2x1mi. - 5:41, 5:35 // 2x0.75mi. - 4:11, 4:09 //

2x0.5mi. - 2:41, 2:39 // 2x0.25mi. - 70,72 // 2x0.125mi. - 30,29 

Feeling good today, even with the basketball game obstacle in lanes 1-4.