sub-3 or blow-up trying

Headed out after supper down to the track and progressively worked my way from 10min pace down to 7:30 pace.  At the beginning it was still hot and I was terribly sluggish and by the end it was dark, cooling down, and I felt fairly good.  On the final mile I startled a racoon who then lunged at me and I sprinted about 30 yards and looked backed to see him half-heartedly galloping towards me a bit.  Man- 2 wild animal incidents in the past 3 weeks!  Did 10 miles total. 

4 miles on the TM at the gym and then 5 miles after dinner with my wife- 9 total. 

Ran 2 miles with my oldest daughter and then ran another slow 11.5 on my own.

Ran 5 today with my wife.  We both have a race on Monday, so I decided to "frontload" my week and still get 70 miles in.  After Monday, I'll begin my push for 80-mile weeks and may attempt my first 20-miler since March. 

Warmed up at home on the TM for 3 miles and then headed over to New Haven for a 20K.  Had difficulty finding parking and by the time we got all 6 kids with the dog situated, we were 9 minutes to start.  I was running a 20k and my wife a 5k.  Couldn't get my legs loose, so hope they'd warm up within the first few times.  Introductions, National Anthem, and we were off right on time.  Here are my splits...

Mile 1:  6:22 (legs stiff, but breathing was fine)

Mile 2:  6:32 (slight uphill, can't get legs loose, yet time was surprisingly good)

Mile 3:  6:36 (slight up/down, legs stiff, yet felt as though I was getting into a groove)

Mile 4:  6:35 (slight downhill, continue to be happy with the time)

Mile 5:  6:45 (slight up/down- right at my goal pace)

Mile 6:  6:50 (legs haven't gotten loose, decide to pick it up a tad)

Mile 7:  6:40 (no hills, getting warmer outside, concentrating on form)

Mile 8:  6:50 (slight uphill, still happy with time)

Mile 9:  7:03 (Mostly slight uphill, held position, happy with time)

Mile 10:  7:06 (Signficant uphill portion, passed a few runners, thrilled w/time)

Mile 11:  6:56 (100% downhill, lossed concentration, just cruised and shocked at how slow my pace was...legs were tight, but no excuse for slowing down so much on such a giving stretch)

Mile 12:  6:48 (Had to pick up my concentration level/form, legs were stiff, yet breathing very easy)

Last .40:  6:30 (Not a ton in the tank, yet finished solid)

Overall, I happy with my race.  This was a pr for this particular course by just over a minute.  I was especially pleased to do well on a day in which my legs just wouldn't seem to loosen up.  Pace was still comfortable and I was never at all challenged with my breathing.  I feel in position to really push the next couple months towards a strong marathon.  Came in 214 out of 2200 runners (23rd for age).  My wife ran the 5k in 25:26, pr'ing by about a minute as well and also placing 23rd in her age group.  I guess neither one of us has bragging rights today.

Ran 4.5, including 2 w/my 12-year-old daughter who's run 3 times in the past week.  She's improved from a 21-minute run to an 18:41 today.  She'll be starting cross-country this Fall. 

What the heck?  85 degrees out today.  Got a 9.75 mile run in @ 9min pace.  A bit tired from yesterday, yet felt good to get the run in. 

Ran 10 miles at a 9:22 pace.  Had a bit of a "hot spot" on my left forefoot.  Perhaps a result of Monday's pounding. 

6.5 easy on the TM.

I ran 5 miles on the TM, including one progressively down to a 6min pace + threw in six 20-30 second strides at a 5 min pace.  May run a 1/2 marathon tomorrow as a training run.  I'm feeling the need to stretch out my marathon pace miles between now and late November.  Would love to hit 20-miles at a sub-7min pace before the race and then hopefully allow the taper to do it's magic. 

Having run a 20k on Monday, I approached this race as a training run.  However, from the start I found myself unable to hold back, so just gave it my best.  I warmed up for 2 miles and then made it to the starting line w/about 250 other runners.  The gun went off and here are my splits...

Mile 1:  6:13 (Mostly downhill, so minimal effort...decided to just get into the race)

Mile 2:  6:37 (3/4 uphill, 2 runners way up and I kept my eye of the fuller pack of about 10)

Mile 3:  6:49 (this entire mile was a gradual uphill, tried to keep the pack in sight so I wouldn't get lost)

Mile 4:  6:39 (this is the mile I was probably most pleased with, 2/3 uphill and I was able to keep a steady pace)

Mile 5- 6:59 (a short, sharp downhill followed by 3/4 mile of gradual up)

Mile 6- 6:19 (all downhill)

Mile 7- 6:50 (rolling hills)

Mile 8- 6:28 (rolling- more down than up)

Mile 9- 6:59 (slight gradual incline)

Mile 10- 7:23 (all uphill- Tried to keep focussed)

Mile 11- 7:20 (rolling...close to a mental collapse- too much up for this stage of the race! Stopped at the water station and drank 2 waters)

Mile 12- 7:31 (almost all uphill...it's killing me)

Mile 13- 6:30 (aahh...all downhill, regained composure and confidence...I'm not in good hill shape!)

Last .10- 5:46 pace (actually on my Garmin it was the last .14- not too off from 13.1!)

Finished in 12th place (3rd in age group) w/a time of 1:29:30 (6:48pace on my garmin, 6:50 pace for the official time).  It's my new pr for a 1/2 marathon.  This run was far more challenging than Monday's run and I was able to finish strong, so overall I feel pretty good about the race.  I'm still probably in better racing shape for 9-10 miles and have a lot of room for improvement on the hills.  With a marathon in late November, I think I'm in a good place w/my training.  Would like to take a moment to remember my late friend and roommate Todd Beamer who died in the struggle with Flight 93 on 9/11- God bless you Todd, you are missed!

Did a good firm run near marathon pace, the hilly route towards Morris and back...

1-mile warm-up:  9min pace

5-miles towards Morris:  35:13 (7:03 pace)

- 2 minute walk-

5-miles back towards the gym:  34:26 (6:53 pace)

Felt pretty good, having done 2 races last week.  My body's beginning to recover quickly.  Also, might light trainers are feeling quite comfortable in longer distances. 

Went to the gym and did a TM workout- 1 mile warm-up, 1-mile progressively getting faster, and than 6 miles at a 6:20 pace.  Finished up w/1 mile "cooldown".  Got some leg work in as well. 

Did a nice hilly section towards Goshen, 12 miles @ 7:29 pace...here's the splits:

7:42,7:40,7:09,8:11,8:08,7:45,7:16,7:09,6:50,8:23,7:22,6:50

I'm trying to take my current weakness head on- charging big hills.  Although today's run wasn't a "hard" effort, I definitely pushed a very firm pace. 

Did a TM workout in the evening...2 mile warm-up, 2 miles alternating 5:15 pace with 9min pace every other minute, and then 3 miles @ 9min pace- 7 total.

Did a progressive run through the hills:8:53,8:19,8:10,8:04,7:54,7:55,7:47,7:51,7:29,6:52, and finished with 1.25 miles of "cooldown"- 11.25 total. 

Ran a 20-miler with Ed today through the hills.  We ran the first 12 and stopped 2-minutes back at my house for gatorade and then finished off the last 8 for a total of 20 miles in 2:42:02 (8:06 pace).  This was my first 20-miler since last March, so I was very happy to get this one in.  Very uncomfortable after 15 miles, yet we got it done!

Ran 9 miles with my wife @ a 9:30ish pace (she's gearing up for 1/2 marathon).  My Mizuno's have been giving me "hotfoot", so I ripped out the inserts and found them to be far more comfortable (took away the blistering burn sensation).  Anything wrong with ditching inserts in running shoes?  Can I just leave it be or should I purchase new inserts??

9 miles on the TM:  2-mile warm-up, 3 x 2 miles (6:27 pace) w/.25 jog in between and held the last set for 2.2 miles to complete the run.  I'm counting these as marathon pace because it was on a TM (vs. threshhold pace).  I think I'm done with "speedwork" and want to concentrate the next 6 weeks stretching out 6:20-7min pace closer to 20 miles distance, picking my goal pace 2 weeks out from the marathon. 

Ran 10.5 miles @ slow pace.  Very sluggish today...very.

Another sluggish 10.5 miles, half through trails in White's Woods.

TM workout:  2 miles warm-up, 3 miles @ 6:22 pace, .25 jog, 3 more miles at 6:22 pace, and finished with .25 cooldown- 8.5 miles total.

Got 10 miles in before heading up with family to Maine for a wedding.

Ran 6 with my wife this morning and then continued on w/out her for an extra 4- throwing in two mp (6:36,7:02).  Hot, humid and glad to get it done with. 

Raining out so I hit the TM: Did 2-mile warm-up and the a 3-mile tempo (6:22,6:18,6:15), quickly ran to locker room and wrung out shirt, did a 2nd 3-mile tempo (6:22,6:18,6:15), back to locker room and switched shirts/wrung out shorts, and closed w/a 2-mile tempo (6:18, 6:15). 

7 miles at 7:48 pace on the TM.

13.5 miles outside w/11 of them at a 7:37 pace. 

9 easy miles on the TM- raining out with strong winds.  Could have braved the rain, but didn't want to deal with falling branches.