The Long Run

I still felt a bit sluggish this morning when I woke up, but I got moving, warmed up and started my run.  Once I got going it was not too bad and I even picked up a little bit for the last two miles but nothing too fast.  The weather was warm (but not hot) and humid this morning.  Actually not bad weather to run through when one is not feeling so well.

Average pace: 8:17/mile 

Fortunately I don't have a demanding running schedule this week so I can get fully recovered rested and feeling on top of my game for the marathon. 

Today was a rest day.   I did not go to the Y to cross train.  I did take Sammy (my dog) on a walk around the 1.7 mile neighborhood loop.  It was a great morning for a dog walk.

For breakfast I made a bowl of cream of buckwheat cereal.  It was pretty good.  I had been looking for buckwheat in the stores but could not find much.    My wife had grown tired of me talking about buckwheat all of the time - about how Sasha eats buckwheat and is very fast.  So, when she was near a health food store she bought cream of buckwheat cereal, buckwheat maple cereal, and some buckwheat groats.  We haven't tried the groats yet but hope to soon. 

I didn't sleep great last night.  My lower back was hurting.  For some unknown reason on Monday I had spent too much time slouching in my chair at work, I think I was concentrating on something too intently, until finally I had realized I was slouching and straightened up.  I should be able to get rid of it soon. 

Ran around my neighborhood for the first time in a while.  I did this for several reasons.  One of the reasons was for some drinking practice.  I set out some cups of endurance formula gatorade on the tail gate of my truck.  

I grabbed a cup after the first loop (1.7 miles), then another cup on the next loop.  It went pretty well, I was able to drink it all without spilling any or breaking my pace.   After the second loop I added on some side streets and a smaller loop off to the side so I wouldn't have to do 4 of the same loop.  For the sixth mile my slowness had worn off and the pace picked up almost by itself.  I backed it down a little bit for the last mile, although it was faster than the first 5 miles.

Average pace: 8:11 

I didn't try to get up extra early in hopes of meeting up with some of the 5:30 guys, instead I slept in to 5:55.  Headed over to the Y and did some warm up on the arc trainer of about 12 minutes.  Always make starting out on the run so much easier and I wanted this to be an enjoyable run today.

Started my run with a usual starting up, not in a hurry to get anyplace pace.  Second mile was faster but still easy.  So, it didn't take too long this morning before the slow feeling wore off. 4th mile was just under 8:00 pace, then 5th, 6th, and 7th felt like what I want to run for the marathon, a bit slower than the comfortably hard pace of a tempo run but faster than "easy" training race pace.

Added a little bit at the end for a cool down, then went back inside for some more cool down.

Average pace: 7:53 

I think my back problems are mostly cleared up now.   Still a few remnants left from my bout of run down-ed-ness which started last Thursday night.  

Walked Sammy around the neighborhood loop.

Then did an easy 2.5 run around neighborhood, running the 1.7 mile loop plus an extension out to Trinity blvd. and back.

Left the Garmin at home, just took a watch and had mapped out the route before hand.

Average pace: 8:16

Felt better at the end than at the beginning.

Biked with the kids to school so that Jenny could get her run in.

Unfortunately her run did not go so well - hit by a bad side stitch.  Anyone have ideas on how to prevent side stitches?  She's tried pretty much all of the "published" remedies.

Easy pace, not very far run today.  Met up with Joe in John Chestnut park at 7:00.  Ran at an easy pace for pretty much the entire run.  It was a nice morning for running.  Spent some time socializing and talking about Chicago marathon with some of the other runners that are going to be doing it.

Average pace: 8:40