sub-3 or blow-up trying

Ran 6.5 miles on the TM- happy new year!

Got outside today and was hoping to push it a tad.  It was low 30's and a few snow flurries here and there.  Winds were 15-25, so it felt quite brisk.  I put on shorts, gloves, hat, and a couple layers.  Started with a .5 warm-up and knew it would be a challenge today- felt a bit sluggish (holiday eating).  Decided to do the dreaded "Pie Hill" course and break it into managable segments.  Started with a 3-mile tempo (7:21,7:02,6:47).  Jogged a mile and then moved into a second 3-mile tempo (7:13,7:06,6:39), jogged a mile and decided to go for a 3rd tempo (7:01,7:08,6:40).  Jogged the rest of the way for 13.6 miles total.  Hope to become more consistent mid-week and up the mileage a bit to gradually get back into a marathon mode. 

Leg workout + 5 miles on the TM (9min pace)...hoping to get an evening 5 and improve my daily consistency. 

5 more on the TM @ night- 8:41 pace. 

Was just able to get outside before it became dark and ran 7 miles in 20 degrees @ 8:25 pace.  Upon returning home, jumped on the TM and put in an extra 3 (8:50 pace)- 10 miles total. 

Ran late in the evening on the TM:  3-mile warm-up and 4 mp (7:03,6:58,6:53,6:48)- 7 total. 

Ran 7 miles w/my wife and oldest daughter @ about a 9:20 pace and then ran 2-miles w/my 2nd oldest (8:43,8:19) and then jogged an extra on my own for 10 miles total. 

Went to the gym and did a TM workout:  2-mile warm-up and then 6 miles at threshold pace (6:27,6:27,6:22,6:22,6:18,6:18).  The last two made me uncomfortable which is good...I've been needing to push myself just a bit more.  By the time I was done it looked as though I had jumped into a swimming pool.  The fellow next in line said, "Holy ****!"  Anyway, changed clothes and did 20-minutes of legwork and feel good about the workout. 

Ran 7.4 miles with my wife and then threw in another 5miles on the TM in the evening (7:47 pace)- 12.4 total. 

I'm reduced to 2 weeks on a hotel TM...classes during the day to work towards a doctorate...it's dark by the time class is out- 5 miles today.

9 miles on hotel TM @ 8:49 pace. 

Hotel TM- 3-mile warm-up and then 5 @mp (7:03,6:58,6:53,7:03,6:58)- 8 total.

2 TM runs today:  3.25 miles + 7.75 miles- 11 total.

8 miles on the hotel TM.

Another run on hotel TM:  3-mile warm-up and then 2 x 3 @ mp (6:58,6:53,6:48) 2 min. break (6:53,6:48,6:44)- .25 cooldown for 9.25miles total. 

8 miles on hotel TM. 

Doubled up at hotel gym.  5.25 miles early in the day.  6.75 later on, including a 5-mile mp (7:03,6:58,6:53,6:58,6:53)- 12 miles total.

6 miles on hotel TM:  3-mile warm-up and then 3 @ mp (7:03,6:58,6:53).

3 miles + 5 miles later in the day- last 2 miles @ mp (6:48,6:44)- 8 miles total.

rest.

5 easy miles at the gym + 30 minutes on weights...finally home and hope to get back into a regular routine. 

8-miles @ 7:24 pace on the TM...hope to get a later run in as well.

Outdoors for the first time in 2 weeks.  Mid-20's, so bundled up a bit and did 6 miles w/my wife and an extra 4 on my own. 

Icy rain out, so hit the TM.  3-mile warm-up followed by 5 threshold miles- 6:27 x 3miles, 2-minute rest, and then 6:27 x 2miles- 8 total. 

5 TM miles + weights.

27 degrees out- decided to bundle waist up and go w/shorts.  Kept an 8:20 pace for 9miles and then slowed down for the final one- 10 total.  I have completely lost endurance, not having run more than 13 or 14 miles in one shot since October. 

I took 8 days off to see if it would help my creaky achillles.  They feel fine up until 7-8 miles...actually for about an hour (regardless of speed) and then begin to get sore.  Took time off, ran with my wife today and after about 7.5 miles could begin to feel them.  Nothing huge, just begin to feel sore, lose spring (slow down), and within showering and dressing they feel ok again.  Went 10.35 and then called it quits.  I'll keep my running routine, but have lowered expectations for Boston this Spring.  15 and 20 milers are out of the question for training at this stage.  Will probably just plug along with 6-8 miles runs that don't seem to bother me much and wait until my body adjusts before building up mileage. 

Weights + 5 miles on the TM.

Ran a nice slow jog with my two oldest- 4.65 miles.  Had to get back for SB party. 

Another 4.4 miles on the TM @ 8min pace.

Weights + 5miles on TM @ 8:41 pace.

Evening TM: 2 x 400 @ 6min pace, 2 x 800 @ 6min pace, 1 x 1200 @ 6min pace + cooldown- 4 miles total.

Ran 5 miles w/my 2nd oldest daughter.

Later lifted weights + 4 miles on TM. 

Ran 6 miles at the gym on TM- did 4 x 800 @ 6min pace. 

Jogged 3 on TM  at home in the evening.

Ran 7.8 miles outdoors- first 3 @ 8min pace, second 3 on trails @ 9:20 pace, and the jogged the final bit home on the streets.  Achilles felt fine until about half way through mile 7.  Think I'll skip Boston this year and slowly develop a broad base of 2x a day (4-6 miles each), an occasional long run (8 or longer), and small spurts of speedwork.  Right now I can handle 50-60 mile weeks pain-free (unless I run over 7-8 miles), so I'll start there and build slowly. 

Lifted weights and then did 6-miles on TM:  4 miles @ 9min pace and then 2 x 1200 @ 6min pace (.25 between sets)- 6 miles total. 

My decrease in mileage and increase in weightlifting is causing me to "blow up" in the gym- did 3 x 5 with 225lbs yesterday on the benchpress.  Also, did 4 x 10 w/225lbs on bar with deep squats today.  This may not be a bad thing as I rebuild strength and shift focus for a few months.  Hopefully as I heal, I will be able to return with renewed energy and drive.  I'll drop the weight (and weightlifting) in the late Spring as I gradually shift back to distance running. 

Did 4-miles @ 9:20 pace on the gym TM.  Witnessed by wife and 2 daughters run a 5-mile Valentine's day run.  My oldest daughter finished 7 seconds behind her school's fastest cross-country runner.  She was consistently a minute or two behind this same girl during the Fall season (1.9 mile runs), inched to 40 seconds behind her in a 5k at Christmas, and came very close to beating her on the 5-miler (had the lead until the final 1/4 mile kick)- ended up 3rd place for her age group and very encourage.  My second oldest (7th grade) ran a decent time as well (under 45 minutes for 5 miles at age 12).  My wife dressed up as cupid and finished 3rd in our family.  As you can see, I was a proud dad today. 

5 more on the TM at home, including 3 x 1 mile @ 6min pace

Quick run before evening meeting.  TM run:  1-mile warm-up, 7 miles @ mp (6:58,6:53,6:48,6:44,6:39,6:35,6:31), and then 1-mile cooldown- 9 miles total. 

40 degrees- able to get outside and do 4 on road and 4.5 through the woods (no snow in the woods this year).  8.5 miles total. 

Weights at the gym + 4 on the TM.

Another 4 on the TM in basement, including 4 x 400 @ 6min pace.

9 miles on basement TM, including 7 x 400 @ 6min pace. 

Broke open a new pair of Brooks Adrenaline...for the past year I have kept mostly 10 ounce and lighter shoes, but am giving up on the minimalist experiment.  My achilles are always on the verge of pain, but usually not until mile 7 or 8.  We'll see if a "plush" shoe (11.4 ounces) thrown into the mix will help me return to a distance runner.  My speed, relatively speaking, has been fine.  I just can't run over 10 miles at a time anymore. 

First run- 6.2 miles outside with my wife using the new adrenalines.

Second run- 5 miles at the gym TM, including a 3-mile slow mp run (7:30,7:24,7:18).

Ran 7.25 miles with my wife- 5 of them on trails and then did 2.75 on the TM as well as 45-minutes weights.

Ran 5.5 miles with Ed.

Ran 10-miles @ 9min pace in windy, near freezing weather.  Achilles stiff part way through mile 8, so slowed it down a bit. 

Got an extra 4 in on the TM this evening- 2 warm-up, 1.5 @ 6min pace, and then .5 cooldown. 

Ran an easy 10 outside from the gym.

Ran an easy 8- 5 with my daughter.

Ran 6.2 miles with Ed and his daughter.

Later ran 3.8 on the TM- including 4 x 400 @ 6 min pace. 

3-mile warm-up on TM @ the gym and then 6miles @ 6:27 pace (3mile, 2min break, 1.5 mile, 2min break, 1.5 miles)- 9 total.

5 more miles on TM w/2 @ 7:30 pace. 

Lifted weights and then did 4.5 miles on the TM.  Could have done a second run to put me over the 70 mile mark for the first time in ions, but thought better against it.  Trying to be patient in my return to full health.  My 66 miles this week was "comfortable" rather than pushing my limits.  Perhaps next week will break the 70 barrier- I'll take what feels right. 

10 miles outside- the first 7 @ 8:25 pace and then veered into the woods.  Final mile back on the road and slow. 

5 miles on TM right before dinner, including 1.5 @ 7min pace.

5 miles mid-evening, including 4 x 400 @ 6min pace. 

Ran 10-miles outside.

7-miles on TM @ gym, including 4 miles @ 6:27 pace.

6-miles on home TM, including 2 @ 7:24 pace.

TM workout...started with my racer's and the intention to do 3 mile warm-up followed by 3 mile threshold.  Felt a little sore, so switched shoes after 3 miles and did 3.5 miles @ mp (7:18).  Solid run for indoors (snowstorm outside). 

20 min weights + 6 miles on the TM:  3-warm-up and 3 @ 6:27 pace.

PM:  Did a progressive run on the TM, working my way down to a 6-minute pace for the final mile- 4 miles total. 

10.5 miles outside @ a nice easy pace (9ish), including 5 of them with my oldest daughter. 

Ran 7-miles with my wife @ about 9:15 pace.

Ran another 5 on the TM- 8:20,7:30,7:24,7:18, and 6min flat.

TM workout:  Did 2-mile warm-up, progressively worked myself down to 6:27 pace on mile three and then held it for 3 more miles @ 6:27 pace- 6 miles total. 

Ran 10 miles outdoors in sweats- started with 2-mile tempo (6:51,6:54), jogged a mile, ran another mp mile (6:42), jogged a mile, ran another mp mile (6:46), and then finished with a slow jog. 

High 50's out and sunny- ran 2-mile tempo (6:57,6:42), jogged 1, ran 1-mile mp (6:42), jogged 1, ran a second 2-mile tempo (6:42,6:30), and then jogged the final 2- 9 miles total.

4 Miles on the TM @ 8:12 pace.

Ran 2.25 miles to the track with my 7th grade daughter...started a couple of 200's with her- she (and I) did the first in 38 seconds, but then fizzled out on our second one (maybe more like 45 seconds).  I went on to throw in 3 x 400 (79,80,78 seconds) and then we jogged home together- 6.5 miles total. 

20-minutes of weights at the gym + 7.5 miles outdoors w/my wife. 

Ran on TM in basement- 2.5 progressively working down to 7:30 pace, then 2-miles @ slow mp (7:30,7:24), and the final mile @ 6min pace- 5.5 miles total. 

TM workout @ the gym:  2.5 miles warm-up, .5 mile progressive (mostly mp), and then 4 miles @ 6:27 pace- 7 miles total.

Also spent 20-minutes on weights.

3 recovery miles on the TM @ home- 8:30 pace. 

Ran on TM in basement:  4 miles @ 7:30 pace, 2 minute break, and 4 more miles @ 7:24 pace- 8 miles total. 

Ran 3 miles with my 12-year-old @ 8:50 pace, then ran on my own for 7.75 miles- 2.5 @ 6:49 pace, jogged a few, bumped into a friend and clung to his pace (7:20) for 1.5 miles and then jogged the final mile on my own- 10.75 miles total.

Whew...stepped on a scale for the first time in a couple of months and weighed 187 (was 179 in November).  Some of it has been lifting weights 4x per/week and gaining strength, yet the other half is diet.  Plan to lighten up on meat and spread out the meals a little better. 

5 miles @ the gym on TM, including 3 x 400 @ 6min pace.  Also did weights and 1,000 jump ropes.

5 miles @ home on TM:  2.5 warm-up, 2 miles mp (7:24,7:18), and then closed with .5 @ 6min pace. 

Ran 2 miles down with 2 of my daughters down to the track.  Ran another lap and then moved into 4 x 200 w/them get help introduce them to interval training.  Ran the first 3 alongside them to make sure they wouldn't overdo it (44 sec, 48,46).  I then instructed them to do the last one all out- I did 30 sec, my 13-year-old did 41 sec, and my 12-year-old did 36 seconds- I think the younger will be the sprinter while the older one definitely can thrive in distance.  Ran back home for a total of 5.75 miles. 

Ran another 4.25 on the TM at home @ 8:27 pace.

Ran 7-miles with my 13-year-old at just over 9min pace. 

TM @ home:  2.5 warm-up and then 4.5 mp (6:58,6:53,6:48,6:44, and .5 @ 6:39)- 7 miles total.

Whew!  Put in 18.2 miles today- ran 7 w/my 13-year-old @ just about 9min pace, met my 12-year-old as we returned and put in another 5.25 miles @ just under 9min pace, and then met my wife for the final portion and kept about an 8:50 pace.  Only stopped to grab a quick snack and glass of water at each exchange. 

Ran with my oldest down to the track @ 8:50 pace and then did 2 on the track (6:49,6:20), jogged 2 laps and then 2 miles back home- 6.5 miles total.

Almost 80 degrees out, so veered off the road for 5 miles of trail running- did 7.5 miles total.  Also, did weights w/legs and 500 jump-ropes.

3.5 miles on TM @ 9min pace.

Almost 80 degrees out again.  Ran a slow progressive run (9:19,9:09,8:26,8:17) and then did a nice firm tempo (6:44,6:37,6:30)- I cheated on the last one a little because the last .2 miles were all uphill.  I stopped, stretched my legs, and finished strong.  Then calmed down w/a cooldown segment- 8 miles total. 

Did another 2.5 on the TM- really didn't feel like running, so felt good to discipline myself even for such a short run. Trying to stay consistent and may have a tiny outside chance of running in Boston if I can drop another 4-5 pounds and feel healthy.

Felt really sluggish today.  My wife's sick and hopefully I'm not coming down with something.  Forced myself to the gym and even pushed to get a couple quality miles in.  TM workout:  2-mile warm-up, 3 x 800 intervals (3:13,3:11,3:09), and then closed with 1/2 mile @ 7:24 pace- 5 miles total. 

5 more on the TM @ 8:41 pace. 

Ran 7.2 miles w/my oldest daughter in just under a 9min pace. 

Low 70's out and all of my family was away, so decided to give a shot at a long run.  Ran first miles @ 8:17 pace, second 6 miles @ 7:18 pace, miles 12-16 @ 7:06 pace (2-3 minutes between each of the first 3 segmants), and then jogged the last 4 home @ 9-10 min pace- 20 miles total and I am spent!

Temperature was much nicer out today- low to mid-50's.  Ran 9 miles, half on trails, @ about 8:40 pace. 

8 miles outdoors at a slow pace. 

Real windy out, so did a TM workout- 3 miles of warm-up and then 2 x 3 @ threshold pace (6:27,6:27,6:27...2min break 6:27,6:22,6min)- 9 miles total. 

5 miles on the TM @ 9min pace.

Ran w/my 12-year-old to the track (2miles), did 2 x 400 w/her (96,93), jogged another mile and back home- 6 miles total. 

Ran 4.5 miles on the TM @ 8:27 pace.

9 miles- 7 of them @ 8:25 pace and at least half of it on trails. 

Basement TM...felt sluggish so after doing 2.5 warm-up and 1-mile mp, decided to throw in a few sets of shorter intervals.  Did 3 x 800 @ 6min pace- 6miles total.

Ran 3 miles w/my 12-year-old (9:30,8:45,8:10), 7-miles w/my 13-year-old (7:59,8:30,8:36,8:39,8:53,8:36,9:30/big uphill), and then went straight into a 10-miler of my own w/hopefully enough energy to get a few mp in...did 3 x 2 @ mp (6:57 avg) and then jogged the final 3 slowly for 20 miles total. 

Ran 7.25 miles with my wife- 2 on road and the rest on trails. 

Ran 3.5 miles on the TM, raced over to pick up two of my children from track practice, and then ran another 7 miles, 6 @ 8:25 pace through trails and a slow jog back on the road to home- 10.5 miles total.

Went to the track, 40 degrees, sunny and 20mph winds.  Did 1-mile warm-up and then 4x3x2x1- all at mp with a couple minutes break between sets to get gu/water.  Here's the break down

4 miles (7:02,6:59,6:48,6:42)

3 miles (6:52,6:49,6:36)

2 miles (6:42,6:34)

1 mile (6:20)

Felt good about the workout, especially having to fight the wind and not caving in to cutting the workout short.  11 miles total. 

I was pretty sluggish today, so kept it slow, short and mostly on trails- 7.25 miles total.  Also weighed myself at the gym and have dropped 6 lbs in the last 2 1/2 weeks.  Still a little heavy for a marathon, but closer to my preferred range. 

Got outdoors and did first 2-miles on the road (8min pace), next 5-miles on trails (7:48 pace), and then jogged the last two slowly back on the road- 9 miles total.

Ran 7 slow miles with my wife- 5 of them on trails. 

Ran w/my 13-year-old a 10k this morning.  It was sunny, windy (18-20mph), and high 30's out.  Probably 200-300 runners, partly 5k and 10k.  Decided to run a firm race, but not sure if I'd go for my pr on this course (39:58).  Runners were off and a good pack of 10-12 were ahead of me.  Decided to keep things around the 6:20-25 range.  Gradual rolling hills throughout, so uphill I was keeping 6:35 pace or so and downhill 6:05-10 range.  We hit the 1.5 mark and the 5k'ers began a turnaround and I suddenly realized I was in 2nd place.  Held second place all the way through mile 4 and then 2 runners passed me.  They drug me along to the finish which by my watch I was right on target to break 40 by 10-12 seconds, but 6.2 came and the finish line was still a football field or two away.  Finished in 40 minutes flat.  Bummed a tiny bit because I would have loved to shave my pr a few seconds and had it in me.  At the same time, pleased to get a good, firm run in and keep steady pace 1 week before Boston (fastest mile was 6:07 and slowest was 6:36- it was the same stretch but opposite sides of the slope).  My 13-year-old daughter finished just under 53 minutes to place 2nd in her age group as well.  It was a nice day for the two of us and we celebrated by a lunch at subway. 

Broke out a new pair of shoes for next week's marathon- brooks pure cadence and they fit like a glove! Felt great straight out of the box. Ran on TM with them- 1 mile warm-up, 3 miles @ mp (7:08) and .25 cooldown- 4.25 total.

6.2 miles @ a nice easy pace with my wife.

1 week until Boston, so got my last 10-miler in with two 3-mile tempos mixed in. Jogged 1 and then did my first tempo (6:54,6:50,6:41), jogged 2 and then did a 2nd tempo (6:47,6:42,6:20). Had to take potty break behind a tree after mile 2 which gave me extra energy for the final firm mile. Jogged the rest of the way home for 11.5 miles total.

Ran on TM:  2.5 progressively down to 7:30 pace (slow mp) and then held for 3 miles before a .5 mile cooldown- 6 miles total. 

Cool and drizzling a bit- did 3 miles mp (7:13,7:02,6:54) and then jogged the last 2.5 slowly for 5.4 miles total.

Last run before Boston- 1 mile progressively picking up speed to mp half way in (8:17), three miles @ mp or a little faster (7:01,6:57,6:34) and then jogged the rest home- 5.4 miles total. 

6 weeks ago I thought Boston would be impossible for me to run this year due to injuries and inconsistent running schedule.  However, I've been able to average just over 10 miles per day since then, I've lost 9 pounds, and my legs feel as healthy as they've been for quite a long time.  I wish I had an extra month to prepare, but I still think I can salvage a decent run.  I'll state goals tomorrow on the blog. 

Good luck to others who will be in Boston this weekend!

It was a crazy hot day out there!  I started the first 3-4 miles just sticking with the flow of traffic and realized today would just be a survival run.  I've never run an ultra, but mentally I decided to treat this race like one.  I took stopped to take two cups of gatorade at every stop (46 cups total), dumped 2 cups of water at each stop, collected 2 bags of ice, three ice pops, 5-6 oranges, two full bottles of water from friendly by-standers, slapped hands with dozens of kids, riled up about 1/2 dozen different groups of fans by raising my arms, hugged my wife and 6 kids at mile 17, stopped once for a 2-minute bathroom break, and just kept a nice easy shuffle until the end.  Picked it up on the last half mile to see what I had left in the tank and could easily hit 6:48 pace.  So basically had a pretty awesome training run and enjoyed the marathon probably more than any of my other Boston experiences.  The fans were awesome and it was amazing that there were no major medical issues with any of the runners (especially having witnessed some of the "carnage" from mile 18 on).  I feel good about having run and can probably continue my training with very little break.  Pretty much felt fine afterwards except for a little bit of soreness in the calves.  I look forward to reading the other reports! 

Felt pretty decent today, so ran 7 miles slowly (6 of them on trails) and then did 20-minutes weights at the gym. This is my first Boston without a need for a month's worth of recovery.

Ran w/my wife 2 miles down to the track...did 8 x 400 w/1 lap jog in between (84,82,80,79,79,79,80,72) jogged 2 miles of trail and then another 2 back on the road to the house- 10 miles total. Feel good for having run a marathon on Monday. Never really had to push anything in Boston, so I feel like I've really developed a strong base to build on going into a marathon for next Fall. My hope to maintain a strong mileage base and work on speed for the next couple months before stretching out the tempo runs. May try the 2x per/week "big workouts" some of the folks on our blog swear by, starting with 10-12miles next week and building up to 2 20-mile days by the end of summer.

9 miles @ just over a 9min pace- 5 of them through trails. 

Ran another 6.2 miles- started out towards Goshen and right past Foreman school (8:57,8:35,8:29) and on my way back was feeling good, so picked it up for 2 miles (7:13,6:29) before slowing down for the final 1.2 miles.

Raining out- 6 miles on the TM.

Today is big workout #2 day.  I threw down a quick base right before supper of 7.5 miles before gettting a few mp miles and a track workout.  These "big workouts" will get progressively larger over the next few months.  My hope is to do 2 "b.w.'s" per week leading into my next marathon.  My goal for a Fall marathon is to break my pr by 10 minutes (3:06:59 to 2:56:59).  It's going to take discipline, consistency, good health, and a decent day of weather.  I'm definitely due for a good marathon day and I have a very strong base to be patient in my upcoming training.  Off to dinner!

Ate a quick dinner and within 20 minutes eating I was outdoor to beat darkness. 1st three miles were tempo (6:44,6:40,6:26) and then jogged a mile before making it to the track. The plan was to run 400's on the track, but a h.s. meet was still going on (almost 6:30p.m.). Kind of bummed but decided to switch to fartleks- track is way more comfortable, but this would toughen me up. Did 8 x 400 @ anywhere from 5:15-6:15 pace (depending on uphill or downhill). Finished up with slow jog back home- 9 miles total.

5 miles on the TM @ the gym + 15 minutes weights. 

4 more miles on TM @ home. 

Ran 5.75 miles @ 7:45 pace- 2/3 of it was on trails. 

8 miles with my wife @ just over 9min pace- 6 of them on trails. 

I'm recording this before doing the second half of my ran.  Ran a 7-mile course with my 12 and 13-year-old.  My 12-year-old has been beating my older daughter in track and field, yet this was a chance for my older one to show her there's a difference between speed and endurance.  Mile 5 my younger daughter began to "crash", so I handed my garmin to the older one and started running back and forth to keep them both within my sight.  Part way through mile 6 I caught up with the older one and saw that if she could maintain an 8-minute pace she would break an hour for 7-miles- she ended up running pretty fast and ran 7 in 59:41- a personal record by 1 minute and 20 second.  My 12-year-old made it to the end by 1:02:00 and I estimate I ran a total of 7.25 (+ .5 mile cooldown).  I'm recorded this quickly to get back out on the road with my wife and then attempt a little bit of track work.  Big day #3...got back out quickly, ran 1.25 with my wife and then broke into a 4-mile tempo (6:36,6:27,6:32,6:24)- I'd love to call them marathon pace miles, but at this stage they are still threshold, especially being miles 10-13.  Jogged another mile to the track and then did 4x400 on tired legs (81,80,81,76)...I was encouraged by how well I held myself together, especially on a windy track (20-30mph).  Jogged the last two home to finish off 18 miles for the day.  Felt good! 

Ran 9 miles, half through trails @ just under 8min for the first 7 and then a slow jog uphill against the wind for the last two. 

9 slow miles. 

Raining out, so went to the gym.  Limited in time, yet still got out 3-mile warm-up and 5 miles @ 6:27 pace- 8 total.  Hope to get a basement run in tonight since it's supposed to be my "big day". 

TM workout in basement:  2-mile warm-up and then 5 x 800 @ 6min pace- 6 miles total.

Weighed in @ 178.5 which is 9.5 lbs down from 8-10 weeks ago. 

9.6 miles @ a slow pace- 7.6 of them through trails in the woods. 

5 on TM @ 9min pace.

Felt very sluggish today and it was humid out, so I decided to divide my "big day" in two.  Did a 2-mile warm-up and then jumped onto our town's 7-mile road race course.  The goal was to run 5 of them at faster than race pace.  I wanted to really charge the hills as to gain strength in my legs before the race in mid-June.  Did the first two miles (6:06,6:32) which included a strong hill at the end of mile 2...jogged a minute or two and then launched into a second 2-mile tempo (6:16,6:25).  Again the second mile included a strong hill (maybe .35), so I jogged for another minute or two before pushing mile 5 which was flat (6:20).  Again, it was humid, so I lost quite a bit of fluid.  Jogged to the track to get water and then went slowly the last two miles home- 11.35 miles total.  Hope to get a second run in later with a bit of speed tossed in.  Looks like the high school will have the track, so I may use a treadmill because I want a softer surface for speed work today. 

Two mile warm-up on the TM and then 3 x 1 mile @ 6min pace- 6 miles total.  Lifted weights for 20 minutes as well. 

Ran 7.25 with my 8th grade daughter @ 8:20 pace- she was killing it today! 

Ran 9.1 miles with my wife- 7 of them through trails. 

"Big day":  Didn't have time to do it all in one run, so I'll finish up on TM tonight.  A bit humid out, so decided to break up the run into 3 tempos- 1-mile warm-up followed by first tempo (6:37,6:37), jogged quarter then 2nd tempo (6:41,6:29), jogged quarter and then 3rd tempo (6:34,6:26), jogged quarter and decided to throw in one last firm mile (6:22), jogged the rest home for 10.5 miles total.  Meetings and then I'll hit second run later tonight. 

TM in the basement:  2-mile warm-up, 4 x 800 @ 6min pace, and cooldown- 5 miles total. 

Raining out...5 miles on TM + 20 min. weights.

Overcast w/forecasts of thunderstorms.  Thought I'd get a quick 7-8 miles in before the showers hit, so headed for the trails...before I knew it I had gone almost 5-miles out on the trails, so ended up doing a total of 12.5 miles- 2 on the road and 10.5 in the woods.  Was going to do a double run today, so happy to be finished early. 

Been sick the past few days, so feeling a bit sluggish.  Did 5 miles on TM, throwing in a few strides + 20 minutes weights. 

Desire was to to a "big workout", yet still sluggish from a cold and sore throat.  First two miles were a complete drag, but I decided to go mind over matter and get a few quality miles in at a time and just see how far I could take it.  Ran a 2-mile tempo (6:32,6:30), jogged a 1/2, jumped right into a 2nd tempo (6:35,6:22), really felt spent and was wanting to call it quits, but kept a slow pace going away from home to take away any temptation of shortening my run.  After a couple miles of jogging tried a third tempo, yet sluggishness and lack of water kept me more at a mp (7:01,7:02).  Detoured into the woods to look for a water spicket and fortunately found one (drank alot!).  Back on the road up to the track.  At this point I had put 14 miles in and decided to stop, stretch, and give 4x400 a shot- did ok (84,83,83,78).  Drank more from a spicket and jogged a final 2 miles home- 18 miles total.  Glad to get this one under my belt!  It will be a building block for stronger days. 

Nice, slow recovery run.  Started out with my wife and daughter who went 5 miles with me...decided to stretch it out a bit since we were mostly on trails and did a total of 9.2 miles. 

Ran 2.3 miles with my 12-year-old to get her ready for a June Road Race.  We kept 7:45 pace except for the 9% grade hill part-way through mile 2.  Stopped at home and switched runners- went another 3 with my wife and then completed the rest on my own- 10 miles total. 

Ran 11.9 miles- 10 of them in the woods and half of it in the pouring rain.  It actually felt quite refreshing!

Had to get up early and was so sluggish by the end of the day.  Raining out when I got home, sat down for a moment and then fell asleep.  Once awake, went down to the basement and tried to get a decent run in with fairly intense humidity going on.  Did 2-miles warm-up, 1 mile marathon pace (6:50ish), and then 3 x 1.5 miles @ 6:27 pace- 7.5 miles total and completely drenched by the end.

6 easy miles on the TM @ the gym. 

4 more on the basement TM.

Rained early in the week, field trip all day tomorrow, so when a window of time popped open I decided to give a long run a try.  2-mile warm-up, 4-mile mp (7:01 avg), 1-mile jog, 2 more mp (7:01 avg. again), and then veered into the woods for another 8-9.  By mile 15 I was feeling pretty depleted (probably 75 degrees out), so just slogged my way to back home- 18 miles total. 

Ran 9.6 miles outside- mostly 7:50-8min pace and 3 @ slow mp (7:28).

Ran 3 miles with my 12-year-old to yet ready for her June road race- I was able to sneak out a marathon paced mile for the week, since mile 2 was 7min flat.

Ran 7.25 miles w/my 14-year-old to get ready for a June road race as well (7-miler)- it was mid-80's and humid, yet she still was able to hold about an 8:35-40 pace throughout- her fastest mile was 7:45 and slowest mile was 9:01.  10.25 miles for the day. 

It was raining out again w/a slight chance of thunderstorms, so back to the TM:  1-mile warm-up and then 6 mp miles (7:13,6:48,6:48,6:44,6:44,6:39), closed with a .5 mile cooldown and was forced to shutdown due to how slippery the TM had become- 7.5 miles total.  Meetings tonight, so hope to slip a few miles in afterwards if possible. 

Raining out- ran TM @ gym- 7 miles @ 8:19 pace and then closed with 3-miles @ mp (6:58,6:53,6:48)- 10 total. Also weighed in @ 176 lbs- lowest in over a year.

Hot and humid out, so decided to run the first 6-miles of the Litchfield Road Race (7-mile race) that will be in 2 1/2 weeks @ 1pm in the afternoon.  Thought I need a tough day to get acclimated- be careful what you wish for!  Ran the first 3.5 miles hard (took 2-minute breather because I was dying) and then pushed it for 59:53 (6:39 pace)- jogged the final mile and then did an extra 3 with my 14-year-old- I was seriously dead!  Good training run though!

Feeling a little bit under the weather, so thought I'd just take an easy jog on the trails.  By mile 2-3 I thought I was feeling a little bit better (8:45ish) pace, but by mile 5 I was halfway out and becoming a mess.  It ended up being a 10mile run w/the last 2-3 miles being a run/walk.  Took forever getting home and then had the shiver/shakes for another hour or so.  Went to bed early, hoping to shake this cold. 

Ran 6.2 miles w/my wife @ just over 9min pace- still fighting a cold a bit. 

Ridiculously hot today w/high humidity.  Ran 3 miles w/my 12-year-old at just under 8min pace, ran 6 w/my 14-year-old at 8:30 pace, and then a final cooldown mile- 10.1 miles total...might get a second run in the evening to bring in a 70-mile week. 

Didn't get the 70-mile week, yet still threw in another 3-miles on the TM. 

Ran 7.1 miles w/my wife. 

Headed out around 6pm and it was still mid-80's w/humidity.  Wanted to get a 3-mile tempo in, but feeling the heat, decided to run two hard (6:26,6:16), and then jog a quarter before putting another strong mile in (6:09).  Completed 5-miles and began a small track workout- 4 x 400 (81,80,81,80).  Was about to head home, but then 3 of my girls came by on their bikes (ages 7,12,14), so did a few more intervals- this time 4 x 200 (33,33,33,32).  The two older ones did them all in 39/40 seconds.  We then hit the trails for a few miles before making it home (they on their bikes)- 12 miles total.  This was my first run in about 2 weeks in which I felt healthy due to two separate nasty colds.  Hopefully I'll get back on track. 

Ran 5 miles w/my 14-year-old @ an 8:20 pace and then met up with my wife in hopes of running another 5.  About 1.5 miles in two different people stopped us on the road to tell us a huge storm was rolling in fast...the second even offered to drive us home.  We thought we'd be fine, but started to jog home just in case.  By the last 1/2 mile the sky was green, wind swirling, and branches flailing around- a little scary.  We said a couple prayers and made it home just in time.  Brief thunderstorm and tornado watch, yet I believe the worst is past.  8.2 miles total. 

10.7 miles w/about 2/3 of it on trails. 

Feeling pretty sluggish today- did 5 miles on the TM. 

Ran 8 miles with my wife.

Another 9 miles- 1 mile warm-up and then 2 x 2miles @ 6:31 pace...quick water break and then another mile @ 6:30 before jogged the last segment...still feeling sluggish today, but made the most of it. 

Pouring rain- hit TM and did 2-mile warm-up followed by 3 mp miles (7:03,6:58,6:53)- 5 total.  Hope to get an evening run it to make 70 for the week. 

4 more on TM:  4 @ 6:58 pace + 1-mile cooldown. 

Pleased with today's run.  I've been trying to get the legs moving with a 7-mile race coming up next week.  I'm probably ready for more of a 3-5 mile race, so really trying to stretch out my running a bit.  Started a little sluggish, yet pushed the first 4 miles (6:47,6:47,7:08/steep hill, 6:38)...jogged a half and then really pushed it for three more (6:39,6:27,6:29/slight uphill)- jogged the last 2.5 for 10 miles total. 

Quick work-out on the TM:  Progessively worked my way down to a 6-min pace as I warmed up in the first 3 miles and then did 3 x 800 @ 6min pace and then closed with a couple miles of cooldown- 7 miles total. 

Started with warm-up and 2.3 mile run with daughter in prep for this weekend's roadrace for kids.  Ran mile 1 in 7:05 and kept 7:15ish pace for the rest of the run (except 9% grade hill part way through)- 3 total. 

Dropped my daughter at home and then decided to run the first 6-mile of my road race for this weekend.  Ran it in 38:45 (6:28 pace) and then jogged another mile back home- 7.25 miles total.  I've been doing mostly 2-4 mile tempos, so very happy to have strung together 6-miles at this pace. 

Leaving for Chicago on Thursday for my grandmother's memorial service.  She was 98 and lived a very healthy life right up to the end- 3-4 days illness and 1 day on hospice.  I'll miss her dearly, yet know she's in a better place. 

Ran the Road Race with my 14 year old and broke 1 hour (her goal)- 7.25 miles total. 

Ran another 4.25 on the TM @ 6:58 pace. 

Ran the Litchfield Road Race in 48:06.  My daughter ran it in 1 hr and 1 sec to win her age group...I'll give full race report later.  Hot and humid, so we are both satisfied with our results. 

Warmed up for yet another hot, humid road race which has been the theme this past year.  This is a 7.1 course modelled after the famous Falmouth Road Race and draws numerous Kenyans, "local legends", Olympic hopefuls (women's runner will represent Morocco in this summer's Olympic marathon), and even a celebrity or two ("Kate + 8" this year with a trainer on each side).  This course is noteworthy for a killer hill on mile 7 with a 9 percent grade that goes about 1/3 of a mile- causes runners to go out too fast on the way out and crash on the way back in).  With a drench-soaked singlet after 1/2 mile warm-up, my goal would be my place of finish vs. pr.  In previous Litchfield runs, I believe my highest finish has been 106 and maybe 15-20 in my age group.  This year I hoped to break the top 100 (of 1700 runners).  My daughter, age-14, hoped to break an hour and finish in the top 3.

At 1pm, 82 degrees and somewhat thick humidity, we were off!  Here's my best attempt at the splits (uncertain at the end)...

Mile 1:  5:49 (good, steady pace with the downhill...help back nicely, having completed this in previous year in 5:39)

Mile 2:  6:48 (lost 10-15 seconds due to my shoe lace coming undone- dang!)

Mile 3:  6:38 (Heat is beginning to set in, yet I'm feeling comfortable with the pace)

Mile 4:  7:11 (Significant uphill for about a quarter mile, leading to a trail...very hot, so I stopped and drank 2 waters...from this point until the end, not one single runner passed me)

Mile 5: 6:49 (Held a firm pace and tossed my singlet away by the bridge)

Mile 6: 6:48 (Firm pace on the hottest part of the race, lacking shade and feeling the heat...in fact, 30 seconds behind my time in a training run earlier in the week)

Mile 7: ?? Held my place on "Gallow's Lane" and avoided 3 vomit piles left from the group in front of us

Final .1:  Pushed strong and passed a few runners to finish in 48:05 (20 seconds short of my personal pr on this course)

Finished 84 overall and 9th in my age division...most runners my pace were a minute or two slower than their normal times.  I came within 40 seconds of a fellow who usually beats me by 3-4 minutes, thus I felt good with the results.

Very proud of my 14-year-old who finished in 1:00:01 for 1st place by 3 minutes, my 12-year-old finished 2nd in the 2.3 mile run, my 9-year-old ran a 6:55 mile for 1st in her age division (her 2nd time running a mile ever), and my 11, 7, and 5 year olds made their presence known in "fun runs" of 200yards or so.  Overall, a great day!

Ran first 6 miles @ 8:40 pace and then veered to the track.  Did 4 x 400 (79,80,76,72) and then jogged back home slowly- 10.25 miles total. 

Got out for another 4 miles after dinner. 

Ran in the pouring rain...1st mile warm-up and then 6 progressively down to slow mp (9:19,8:59,8:30,7:57,7:39,7:26) and last mile cooldown- 8 total. I may try a very hilly 5k tomorrow. My hope is to sprinkle in speedwork and a few road races throughout the summer to work on leg turnover and a marathon pr in the Fall.

Ran a 5k that I did last year in 19:50 (6:17,6:43,6:16)- probably the most challenging I've ever run and probably 45-50 seconds slower than an average 5k course in our area.  Last year's winner was around 19:30, so I thought maybe this year I might have a chance.

It was warm and humid, but I'm now feeling much more acclimated to those type of conditions.  About 150 of us lined up at the start (my 12-year-old included) and we were off.

Mile 1:  6:08 (mostly uphill, I did it 9 seconds faster than last year and had the top 3 runners within my site).

Mile 2:  6:36 (steep uphill for first quarter mile and then evened out quite a bit with gentle rollers; 7 seconds faster than last year, passed two runners on the hill and found myself passing the leader at about 1.75 miles in ...never been in this position before).

Mile 3:  6:06 (downhill for about 1/3 and then gentle rollers more down than up...10 seconds faster than last year and somehow I'll held off the heavy breathing 2nd place runner behind me...frightened the entire way that he would pass me- not a great feeling, but I hung on!)

Finished in 19:24...easily would have broken 19 on a normal course and got the first running win ever in my life.  My 12-year-old who has run 5k's in low 25's high 24's finished in 25:59 to take 1st place for her age division.  Pleasantly pleased with a good day of running.

Had already done 4 miles of warm-up before starting the race- 7.1 miles for the day. 

Had a windown between afternoon meetings, so decided to push my limits with a mp run.  Did the first 7 miles of a hilly run in 48:56 (6:59 pace) and then had to jog the rest home (more 9ish pace) for 9.5 miles total. 

Ran 6.75 miles with my wife- mostly through trails.

Ran with 2 of my daughters who were on bikes.  Stopped at the track to do 4 x 400 (77,76,75,71)- ran 8 miles total.

Went kayaking for 2 1/2 hours in the morning...came home, took a quick nap, and then attempted a longer run- did first 10 miles @ just under 7:40 pace (5 of them @ slow mp), ran 1 400 on the track and then slogged through the final 5 miles progressively getting slower from 7:55 to 8:30 to over 9min pace at the end- 15 miles total. 

Headed out with 5 of my daughters- 2 running and 3 on bikes.  Jogged to the track and then into the woods before making our way home- 8.5 miles total (big day of running for 2 of the girls). 

9.5 miles slowly...little sore today, so need to be careful the next couple of days. 

Ran 4 miles with my daughter and then almost 5 miles w/my wife- 8.8 miles total.

Low to mid-90's out, so not the greatest day for running (meetings morning and evening).  So, I did a mile warm-up and then decided to push it for a bit while I was still fresh- did 2 miles quickly (6:26,6:26) and then slogged through the rest of my run and did 9.5 miles total. 

Got up early and ran 5 miles with my daughter @ just under 9min pace.   Record heat happening up here, so may do a TM run later in the day. 

5 miles on TM @ the gym:  2 warm-up and then 2 x 1.5 miles (6:07 pace, 5:56 pace)- 5 miles total. 

Very hot out, yet ventured out with my oldest.  Ran a couple miles to the track, did 4 x 400 (80,78,79,72) and then ran a couple miles back home- 6.25 miles total.

Raining out, so did another 3.75 miles- 2 of them @ 6:58 pace. 

Bit of a setback in training today.  Did 7-miles in the early afternoon and then ventured out after dinner w/5 of my girls on bikes and sprained my ankle trying to avoid one of my daughters on a downhill who lost control and swerved into me, causing me to step in a pothole and fall hard.  Ankle 2x size...tried to limp/run a mile and ended up on one of my daughter's bikes to get back home- 9.25 miles for the day and probably will take the next 2-3 days off. 

Ankle sprain forced me into a couple of off days.  Ran 3 light miles on the TM- still a little swollen, so ran them easy.

Still a little swelling on the ankle, so held it to another light run.  Ran 5 w/my wife @ 9:30 pace.

Ran 5 in the morning w/my 14-year-old @ 8:40 pace.

Ran another 8- mostly @ just about a 9min pace.  Felt sluggish and sore. 

Ran first 4 miles @ 7:19 pace, jogged a mile, and then tried a second tempo, but could only hold mp for 1 more mile (7:17)- 9.5 miles total.

Jogged 4-mile route to the track @ 8:19 pace and then did 4 x 400 (84,81,81,75).  I was being careful about the ankle and it felt o.k.  Ran back home- 10 miles total.

Ran another 3.5 w/my 12-year-old.  Leave for Guatemala for a mission trip in a few hours- 2 a.m.  May not get much running in for the next 8-10 days. 

Back from Guatemala...ran 11 miles, didn't feel that great- the achilles are sore. 

Went to the gym, 20-minutes weights, and then jogged to the track and did a touch of "speedwork"- 1 x 400 (83 sec), 1 x 800 (2:47), and 1 x 400 (71 sec).  Then jogged back to the gym for 8.5 miles total.

Ran through the pouring rain.  Actually was quite refreshing and allowed me to push things a little bit (it's been hot!)  Did a mile warm-up followed by a 3-mile tempo (6:30,6:16,6:06).  I was pleasantly surprised by mile 3!  Jogged almost another two miles to the track and did a few intervals- 1 x 400 (85 sec), 1 x 800 (2:45), and 1 x 400 (70 sec).  Jogged 2.25 miles back home in the pouring rain for 10 miles total. 

Jogged 2 miles to the track and did a few intervals- 2 x 400 (85,81), 2 x 800 (2:42,2:45) and then one last 400 (79)- ran a couple miles back home for 6.65 miles total. 

95 degrees out- jogged 4, then picked up the pace for 2 miles (6:37,6:43), and finished slowly- 8.5 miles total.

Jogged down to the track and watched a couple of my girls run the "Night of Miles".  It was still in the low 90's and my 9-year-old won her age group with a 7:35.  Jogged back home slowly- 4.25 miles total. 

Very hot and humid...ran 6.5 miles with my wife. 

Our family all went to the "White's Woods" trail race.  There were 4 different distances and 179 runners- the cost was $2 per/head with several medals and ribbons at the end.  I started on the 5k, but realized after running .9 miles in 5min flat that I had gone out too fast.  Slowed down to run alongside my 12-year-old who ran the 5k in 25:02.  My 7 and 9 year-old's came in 1st place for their age divisions and all had a good time.  Ran the course a second time while waiting for the awards ceremony and cut it short at the finish for 3 miles in 19:13.  After the ceremony I ran 3-miles home for 9miles total. 

Ran 7 miles with my wife- 5 of them on trails. 

Ran 7.75 miles with my wife. 

7.5 miles with my wife.