Doesn't Get Easier

Entire week entry.  Pace 7:50.

Entire week entry.  Average pace 7:48.

Entire week entry.  Average pace 7:47.

Entire week entry.  Average pace 7:55.

Week entry

Entire week entry.

Still dizzy due to medication withdrawal.

Entire week.

Entire week.

Entire week.

Catch up entry for entire week.

Catch up entry for entire week.

No run. Workout 4x superset of rope skip, boxing (bag work), heavy squats, pull-ups, standing calf raise, and core work.

Morning run outside before work of 9 miles in 1:18. Starting to report my running again after another long absence from the blog. I miss keeping in touch with fellow runners and the inspiration that the blog provides. I pray for those involved in the Boston tragedy today. I simply don't understand other than the world is broken and in decline.

9 mile run outside before taking the girls to school and heading off to work. A little slower than yesterday finishing in 1:20. Hams and backside are sore. Hope it's dry long enough for a run tomorrow morning. Lots of rain lately.

First run of 9 miles before work done in about 1:20. Not wearing a watch.

Second run of 3 miles did slowly on the mill before heavy deadlifts, push-ups, seated calf raise, and core work with weight.

On the treadmill during lunch hour. Still raining and cold outside. Man, bring on the heat!

Easy 12.55 mi outside in 1:48. First 30 minutes was a drag. Cold, but at least there was a big bright orb in the sky.

Extended lunch hour run. Beautiful conditions outside. All easy done in 1:24.

Ran on the mill for 50 minutes. Raining outside again! Didn't sleep well last night so missed run before work as I was quick with the snooze button. Need to stop making excuses and get up for at least 30 minutes of running before work.

One run of 7 mi before work and one of 5 mi during lunch hour with a fast finish. Both done at easy pace. These days it seems to take about 30 minutes before body is in running mode. Felt really sluggish in the beginning of second run.  

No run today. Race coming this Saturday, but didn't feel like running anyway. Having one of those days. I've struggled on and off with depression for a long time. I'm not in the deep right now, but still get the blues about once week. Life is good though and running more definitely helps. I quit taking anti-d meds about 2 months ago so body still going through adjustment. The stuff really changes you, so I have to get reacquainted with life's ups and downs now I'm off for good I hope.

Short run over lunch hour with some pickups.

This was the third year I participated in the 5th annual installment of this race. I'm impressed by how much the race has improved each and every year. It's become extremely popular in the area for good reason. Near perfect weather conditions today with temps in the upper 40s, mostly cloudy, and a light breeze. I got up at 3:30am and drove about 1:30 from home to make it to the starting line with plenty of time to spare. Not sure where my fitness level was so I simply took off at the start at the same pace as last year, around 6:30-6:45. I was in for a huge shock as my pace slipped every mile after the first 3 miles. I hate to admit it, but entire race ended up being a nearly perfect regression run :) Bright spot was I wore my 2009 Boston shirt and got plenty of shout outs from fellow runners that passed by me!! Not the way I envisioned the race, but I toed the line and got it done even though I ended 10 minutes slower compared to last year. Now back to the roads to recapture what I've lost in distance running. Nothing fancy, simply need to rebuild endurance, lower time spent weight training, and most importantly lose the 35 lbs that I've put on since 2009. Can only improve from here right? :) Next race is a 10K in June. 

Rest day

8.6 mi morning + 6.5 mi lunch, all easy pace. Just staying comfortable as possible over the next several weeks as I increase volume. Weighing myself same time everyday.

This running thing would be much easier if I didn't have a full time job, but then there is this money thing.

7.1 mi morning + 5.6 mi lunch, all easy paced with walking breaks during second run.

7.1 mi during lunch, temp was 80! No morning run as legs needed a break. Man, I've got a long way to go.

Increasing my salt and water intake in hopes to lessen my vasovagal symptoms while running. My bradycardia doesn't help matters either. Seems to take forever before my heart and pressure are good to go while running. No fun feeling flush, weak, tired, and overall out of sorts for 30 to 40 minutes at the beginning of each run. I've read that more salt and water can provide promising results.

9 mi morning before work + 6.1 mi during lunch hour, all easy pace. Felt better with salt boost. I hope it continues.

6 mi on the dreadmill before work.

5 mi on the dreadmill, please stop raining or I'm going to have to start running in it.

4 x superset: skip rope barefoot + heavy or speed bag + deadlifts + core work + push-ups

7.1 mi morning before work + 6.1 mi during lunch, all done easy. Feeling just a bit stronger today. Energy drain and fatigue feeling greatest between minutes 10 to 25. After that I'm good to go. Spoke with the doc about this today. Sounds like these feelings are common as body adjusts its oxygen levels. He emphasized electrolyte levels being maintained, which agrees with my conclusion. Heading back for full physical and blood tests (including thyroid and T levels).

Same as yesterday. Great weather finally.

10 mi before work + 3.9 mi during lunch + core work

Suppose to be rain tomorrow, hope to avoid the mill. Sure will be nice when I lose the extra weight.

Couple of runs on the t-mill for 12 mi total. All done real easy. I see some resemblance of my former lighter self, but still have a long ways to go weight wise.

8 mi easy before work.

15 mi easy before lunch, didn't feel great, the last 30 minutes was uncomfortable. Depletion run with no food. Feet were complaining the most as I stood around way too much last night. Got home and proceeded to mow the lawn, so had a good walk afterward.

2 mi jog and walk with kids then several supersets of typical circuit skipping rope, boxing, squats, chin-ups, and core work.

11 mi at midday all easy, took about 45 minutes until I felt my systems were in balance since hamstrings and glutes were tired from squats yesterday.

7 mi before work, very slow because the hammies were still "singing". No run during lunch to give them a brief rest.

7 mi early before work + 6 mi during lunch hour

My running has been a slow jog for the most part this week. Legs are taking a long time to recover from squats I did over the weekend. I'm smarter these days as I don't push hard when my legs are still healing, but need to back down the intensity in weightlifting as I build on running. Also have to be careful over the next couple of weeks as this is when injury is more likely to pop up (weeks 3 to 5 of a build up).

7 mi easy + 4 mi a bit faster with some walking breaks. Quick couple of core exercises and calf exercise following last run.

7 + 7 morning and lunch, all easy pace

Legs had just a bit more pep. Much better than early in the week. Just need to stay consistent and temper the weight training.

Slug fest, struggle, OFS, you name it.  Feet, the old dogs are barking!!

Easy jog barefoot wiith oldest daughter and then weights circuit, but with one less set and lighter weight for squats.

Easy jog before work.

7 + 8 miles

Thought a lot about the tornadoes and tragedy in OK. "Only by the grace of God go I". Running doesn't seem all that important considering.

Run over lunch. Not feeling well since getting a tetanus shot on Monday. Fatigue and flu like symptoms. Lower back is sore as well. Hope I shake this quickly!

9 mi before work, finally felt good during this trip. No word on blood test results from physical done on Monday. Hope no news is good news.

9 + 6 mi, all outside and easy

Good weather, cooler and dry. Body did a complete 180 compared to early in the week. Making progress and feeling good. Now wish the bodyweight would come down more quickly! So easy to pack it on.....

14.5 mi, outside, raining last 30 minutes

Slow weather front moving through so it will be raining all day probably. Try to hop on the dreadmill later this afternoon.  I've found the more I run, the more I complain about cold or rainy weather. Interesting correlation.

Barefoot miles followed by jump rope and weights.

Nice run this morning, now a boat load of chores to do before it starts to rain again. Isn't this suppose to be a day off from work?

Morning run before work.

11.9 mi morning

Spent the past week having fun with the family waiting in long lines and fighting through a sea of people at Disney World. Amazing how many people were there day in and day out. So dog tired everyday I didn't have any pep left for a run. The trip was fun, but definitely not refreshing. Glad to be back home so I can return to a normal schedule.

Run & walk combo then 20-30 minutes of weights afterward.

7 + 6.9 mi

Getting back to basics again, base miles and lower bodyweight.

7 + 7 miles

Some morning miles done with oldest daughter. Slow and easy pace for remainder of year.

One run today during lunch for a little break. Holy cow was it hot out, heat index at 101. Need to book more miles in the morning.

9 + 6 mi

Second run was a bit faster. Getting tired on the back half, but nothing is sore. Being careful and keeping pace real easy.

7 mi + 4 mi + weights

Lunch run felt much better than this morning. Felt good to hit the weights afterward as well, included legs.

Long run this morning before lunch. Caught out in a rainstorm for most of the trip. The rain felt good the first 15 minutes, but gets old after a while and when the feet are soaked. Really happy with today's effort considering the big jump in miles this week and hitting the squat rack just yesterday.  Shocked by how responsive my body was today. 

Passed the time away in the rain thinking of childhood memories and my father. There is some parallel to what I was doing out on the trail and what my father use to do and that is spending time away from family on Saturday morning. However, dad use leave us nearly every Saturday morning to go to a local tavern and then come home around dinner time completely wasted. I use to worry about him all day long and didn't like leaving the house because I was afraid of the what he'd do when he got home. I should have started my run much earlier this morning when everyone is still asleep because I don't want my kids to worry about me like I use to worry about my father. The thunder and rain didn't help. An earlier run would have meant a dry run and no worries.

Rest day and grilled sirloin steak for dinner in honor of Father's Day.

9 + 6 mi

Humid and foggy this morning. As usual, the morning run feels a worse than the lunch run. Upper hams were sore, but didn't notice on second run. Keeping pace super easy and going the pure endurance route.

8.5 + 6 mi

Slowly making progress endurance wise. Body wanted to go fast during second run, but held back. Keeping it comfy and enjoying the ride.

9 + 4 mi + weights

More of the same including bodyweight :(

7.1 + 6.8 mi

Really wanted to blow off the run this morning. Pushed myself out the door and everything was fine after the first mile. Reminded me of what Ron Hill said when he got the urge to blow off a run, "just jog one mile and then decide". Body wanted to go on the second run so dropped the pace a little, but stayed in control.

8.1 + 6.8 mi

Second run was tougher due to the humidity. Just chipping away.

19 mi

Out and back on a bike path I haven't explored before. I was inadequately prepared since the trail didn't have water and all I carried was one hand bottle. Performance suffered greatly due to severe dehydration during the back half. Will need to prepare better when I run that trail.

Besides being all easy miles, it has been a good mileage week for a working family man.

Rest

9 + 6 mi + Strength (skip rope, boxing/bag work, squats, and abs)

Humid in these parts. My sweat rate has to be off the charts.

9 + 4 mi

Still very humid conditions outside. Lost a lot of fluids this morning and reason for drop in body weight. Suppose to be hot and humid again tomorrow. Second run was a bit faster as I had career and pay furstrations on my mind. 

8 + 6 mi

More of the same and still humid, but temps were lower today. Felt like I was putting along during the second run, but it was actually faster than what I perceived. Maybe that's a good sign?

8 + 6 mi + light weights

Chugging along, body was a bit more tired. All done outside in the heat and humidity. I'm getting a little use to it, but still a mental weight. Suppose to cool off some this weekend.

8 + 6 mi

Feeling a bit stronger, but the first couple of miles is still slow going. Making progress on weight.

The typical longer Saturday run. Weather was ideal so didn't have to worry about hydration so much. Wanted to go 20 miles, but based on how I felt it made sense to cut it short. I was feeling depleted at the end since I didn't eat before the run. Tough business carrying this extra weight for these longer treks. The plan is to alternate 15 and 20 mile Saturdays. I hope to have it in me for 20 next weekend.

Rest

9 + 6 mi + extra stuff

Wow, weather was simply awesome for running today. A bit breezy, but out of the north so I'll take it! Extra stuff was skipping rope, boxing/bag work, and weights.

Missed both the morning and lunch run so did one longer run after work. Don't care much for running later in the day, but you do see more people on the trail.

9 + 6 mi

Both were done slow because lower legs were complaining. As an experiment cutting out artificial sweeteners and see if that helps. I recently started consuming more in drinks. Need to avoid them. So much garbage in food these days. Second run was done in flats and there was no complaint, go figure!

8 + 6 mi

Morning run was one of those where nothing felt right. Tired from the start and a real slog. Second run was better and had company as one of the kids rode a bike.

Another struggle and could not hold pace. Temp was 78-83 and humidity was 60-70. I was sweating heavily and could not keep fluid intake high enough. Came home frustrated, drank as much as I could and then went back out to mow the lawn for an hour. Super tired now. Beginning to wonder if I should just take up golf again. That can be just as frustrating though. 

Jaunt around the neighborhood. Tired, but not sore. Good week for me with only 6 days running.

Hour run before church. Thinking back to how I use to run in constant pain, it's a real blessing to be able to go running without any issues.

8 + 6 mi + extra stuff

Feeling a bit stronger this morning, but backed off on pace during lunch run.

Very humid still. Was planning for more miles this week, but feels like I need a little break.

Run after work on the trail.

8.1 + 6 mi

Ugh, still takes about 30 min to about 4 miles until all systems are a go running wise. Not sure what is going on, but I feel breathless and tired during that first 30. Like my heart isn't beating fast enough and pressure isn't up. Then as if a switch is clicked everything feels good. More sodium in my diet helps shorten the prep time some, but wish I didn't feel like that at all. Maybe I should try going out at a faster pace?

Early morning run out on a bike trail. Temps in the low 60s, which was really nice. Decided to conduct an experiment and track my heart rate during the run. I have several HR monitor straps laying around the house, but they probably no longer work since I haven't used them in years. Besides I forgot about them, so I did it the old fashion way instead and counted it for 6 seconds. I started out the run a bit faster than normal at around 8 min. and started taking my HR at 20 minutes. At that point it was around 100 bpm. I was sluggish, tired, and a bit breathless as usual. I measured my heart rate every 5 minutes and it stubbornly stayed in the 100-110 range. At 35 minutes I experienced a little energy boost, which is typical for me around 25-35 minutes, making my running and breathing easier. I always thought at that point my HR must have finally climbed higher or got caught up so to speak.  Took my HR at 40 minutes and I was surprised that it was still the same, even though I was running a little faster at that point. So I just ran normal the rest of the time and measured my HR every so often and all of them ended up being the same at around 90-110 bpm. I already know I have Bradycardia, but didn't think that interfered with my running. Guess I was wrong. Not sure what I can do about this other than getting a pace maker, which I'm never going to do. Perhaps some dedicated speed training might improve the link. Doubtful. Just keep experimenting I guess. 

Jog and plyometrics while coaching my daughter's basketball team.

8 + 5 mi

Didn't feel like running today. Spent most of the time zoned out thinking about a good friend who is in the final hours of his life. I just found out a couple weeks ago that he's fighting cancer and feel terrible for not reaching out to him sooner. Now the end of the battle is near and I missed the opportunity to say how much I loved him as a friend. God is calling home a wonderful saint.

Barely got up this morning just for 7 miles. Had one of those morning neck kinks and feeling unmotivated since losing a dear friend last night. Wishing I could have been there for one more goodbye.

8 + 6 + 4 mi + weights

Good day considering the funk I've been in. Feels better to run more in down times, but the hard part is motivation to start. Super hot and humid outside with no break in sight for several days. I think I'm finally getting acclimated because I don't sweat as long after running as I did weeks ago. Just have to roll with it, I'm blessed to be alive and running regardless of the weather.

Four miserable miles in da heat! Legs were sluggish from weights yesterday as well.

8 + 6.4 mi

Too hot out so did the second run on the dreadmill. Used the incline to make it more challenging.

Planned for more, but volunteered most of the day to helping with a fund raiser for church and didn't get up early enough. Measured HR with a monitor this time and averaged 95 for the entire run with most miles ran in the 8s.

8 + 6 mi

Second run included 2 sets of fartleks for I'm guessing about 0.75 mi total. Feels like I'm making progress. Still warm and muggy out, but suppose to get a cool down soon.

Some speed play during second run.

Second run contained 5 speed surges of various distances.

One run done at easy slower miles in the 8s. Average heart rate was 93 with a max of 113.

A very good week considering all the work and meetings.

4.55 + weights

In a funk today and nothing felt good so cut the run short and hit the weights.

10 + 4 mi

Hams were sore and legs were heavy, but willed my way through these trips. Threw in some speed surges. Squats are terrific, but can be overdone very easily.

6 + 6 mi

Legs were still sore, can't believe how much I hit these on Monday. All is good once I start running though, but not so good when I have to pick up something off the ground. Some faster pace during second run.

8 + 6 mi

Yup, legs are still sore and recovering way too slowly. Taking tommorow off!

Rest day and ate like a champ all day long.

5 mi + weights

Took it easier with the weights this time after the thrashing last week. Really needed a couple days off. Here's to a better week of running this week, I hope anyway.

Easy progression run. Feeling old and stiff a couple hours later. Allergies were bad today as well, so overall tired.

In other news, a bad day for baseball. Does everyone cheat these days?! Pathetic.

7.7 + 6 mi

This run started out really well, but I ran out of gas on the back half and was sweating profusely. Humidity just kills my running. Did try something I haven't done in a while and that's listening to tunes while running outside. Felt strange at first, but I was soon air drumming like a champ once I was on the trail.

10.3 + 6 mi

Legs were stiff at the end of the first run and beginning of second run. Other than that had a really good day energy wise and didn't have that "out of breath" or need to walk feeling during the run. Hope I've shaken that issue. I've been struggling the past several weeks.

8.6 + 7.4 mi

Energy level and breathing are still better vs. past couple of weeks. I normally get out of breath and a strong tired feeling at mile 3. It happened on the second run, but went away after I stopped for traffic and didn't linger like it did before. Really feels like I could run farther now, but taking it day by day. Another positive is I was told I looked like a "runner" at the gym today. Hey I'll take it!

Sneaked out for a longer lunch run. Felt a little tired again during mile 3, but not overwhelming. Strange how this happens at the same time during every run. Threw in some speed surges here and there, but no idea what pace or length. Pace was 8:27 for entire run. Not a good run mentally as I was in a depressive funk today so all I thought about was how bad a runner, father, and person I am even though it's not reality, at least I hope it's not. Hate it when all I can think about are negatives. I believe Winston Churchill called it his "black dog". Mine came around today.

8.5 + 6.4 mi

A good day! It was a struggle getting out of bed this morning, but got it done. No complaints and the weather was very good as well. Had my blood taken before work to recheck my WBC count, which was low a couple months ago. Wanted them the tack on an iron level test as well, but was told I need to talk to the doc first. However, they will be able to tell if I'm anemic with the first test, but still think it's kind of silly to have to talk to the doc for the complete iron level evaluation. I thought it would be a simple request.

Shorter run this morning before work. The cool mornings have been great.

Received news from the doctor's office that my WBC count is still low or below normal. It actually fell a little further since May. Since I also complained of fatigue he is referring me to a hematologist for further study. Thought I'd look up some of the causes of low WBC numbers and that was a mistake. A laundry list of bad things are related to a low count. My hope is I have a case of hemodilution due to my running, which from what I gather is common among endurance athletes. Has to be it, right? I would think 1-2 hrs of running each day would force the symptoms of the bad things to manifest themselves quickly.    

This was one of the best long runs I've had in years. Ran steady throughout and only dealt with some leg discomfort in the end. Energy level hasn't been this good in a long while. Average pace was 8:21.

Ran after work and had a lot of pep. Good thing because I had limited time as there was a parent meeting at school. Average pace 7:52.

8.55 + 5.45 mi

Typical morning and lunch hour combo. All done easy. Struggled with second run and had to walk for a bit.

Went to hematologist today as a follow-up to my low WBC count. He spent 20 minutes telling me about all the bad things that can cause the low count. Then did a quick exam and suspects I will be one of the 5% that has a low WBC as "normal". I told him about my exercise regimen and diet, but all he was looking for is pathology and illness as the cause. Frustrating in that regard. Asked him to tack on a ferritin test along with all the other tests. Simple request right? He told me my bouts of fatigue are due to my Bradycardia and told me I'm not anemic based on my blood counts. I disagree until a complete iron test is done so at that point my ears go off and I just want to leave. Before leaving they took some more blood to test for all the bad things. I decided to wait for the new count as it only takes a couple minutes and get this, my WBC count was normal! They were a bit dumbfounded. I go back in 2 months for another count and review of results from this visit. If all is normal and my count is fine again then I've made the decision to be done with further testing. Oh yeah, forgot to mention he also said running is good exercise but is bad for the knees and then told me about someone who had a double knee replacement because of running. Love it, thanks doc.

8 + 4 mi + weights

Second run completed on dreadmill due to heat. Hit the squat rack and did some core exercises at night.

Very tiring run due to the heat and humidity. I've been running better lately and feeling more energetic overall, more than I have in years. Prior to feeling better recently, I was struggling with energy, fatigue, and falling performance. All of which became more prevalent this year. I was hoping a couple trips to the doctor would reveal the source, but other than a low WBC count there has been no performance connection. So I've self diagnosed myself and feel that my issue is a combination of low heart rate with mineral and salt losses through excessive sweating/dehydration. So working on a solution.

Morning and lunch run combo. Hot in these parts again.

Our oldest daughter is not active in school sports, but we thought she would like to try swimming via the local SUSA club. Only the first week, but she loves it so far and is making new friends outside of her school friends. The coaches are really good. I'm just glad she is keeping active in some capacity.

Struggled to get out the door this morning. I wanted to just stay home and cook up breakfast for the family. Should have got up earlier, ran, and then cooked breakfast for the family ;). Well, it didn't go as planned but I did get my butt out the door and did something that resembles a long run. Average pace 8:30. Suppose to be in the nineties this coming week. 

8 + 6 mi + weights

Hot and steamy day in central Illinois today. One of those days I should have ran once all in the morning. Felt good overall and not getting the energy drain feeling during mile 3 anymore.

No run today due to a broken heart. Susan Baird, a ten year old from our church died this morning after a short battle with a rare cancer.

Blazing hot run during lunch today. Thought a lot about life and death. Susan's funeral is this weekend.

7 + 6 mi

Still very warm and humid. I'm sweating heavily and beginning to feel energy weakness at mile 3 again. Had to walk some during second run. I feel like no progress is being made and I'm just spinning my wheels this week. My weekly average pace has been improving though.

Miles done on treadmill after work. Terribly hot outside.

Not the run I was planning. Got up late and it was already in the 80s and hazy humid. Started run, didn't feel right so bagged the whole deal. The weather is getting a bit old, but better than 10 below. Still wish I had some 50s and 60s.

One longer run because I had the time without having to get up stupidly early.

Crawled out of bed with a full blown cold or other sinus issue. Hope I can shake it quick because I want to up my miles.

No second run because I feel like garbage. See what tomorrow brings.

Fever and chills = no run

Easy miles during lunch. Feeling about 80% today, still congested. Getting hotter out as well.

8 + 6 mi

After last week's mess of illness I hope to get in a better week mileage wise. Very hot and humid again so the lunch run was a struggle. Have a constant headache focused in the front behind the eyes. More than likely the beginning of a sinus infection. Starting nasal rinses.

Run before work was a slug fest again due to the weather. Planned to go at lunch but still not feeling right with sinuses and congestion so blew it off. Plus it was a scorcher outside. We are in need of rain and cooler weather in these parts. Another tough summer for running.

Ran on the mill during lunch as I didn't want to battle the heat. Ran the last mile at 2% incline and 9.0 mph. Heart rate climbed from 100 to 120 during the mile.

Competed in the North Face Endurance Challenge 50K in Wisconsin. I covered the same course last year, albeit part of it, but ended up with a DNF for the 50 mile race last year. Weather conditions were excellent this year. Temps started in the low 40s and climbed to about 60. Mostly sunny with a slight breeze. Total elevation change over the course is only about 3600 feet. I wouldn’t consider the course highly technical by any means, but there are a lot of small steep rocky hills with some flat sections scattered throughout.  The prairie sections had long gradual inclines.

First 10 miles: 1:21:20 split

Dean Karnazes started us off at 7am. Gave him a high five while leaving. This section is mostly wooded trail. Sun was just coming out so there was plenty of light in the woods. I had some depth perception issues when the shadows are just right. Stung by a hornet on the back of my calf. This has happened to me several times during trail races for some reason. Ran the flatter sections faster.

Second 10 miles: 1:29:10 split

Fueled with gels every so often and drank water only by thirst. Wasn’t sweating nearly at all until the prairie sections in the open sun. Then things felt much warmer. Legs were getting more wobbly and had an ankle roll at mile 18, but was able to shake it off. I was trying to enjoy the prairie scenery a bit too much. Always have to be on your guard on trails.

Last 11 miles: 2:12:00 split

Back into the woods again meant short rocky hills one after another. Legs were stiffening up around mile 23 and so I started to march up the hills. I think this made matters worse. Anyway, did a run & walk mix for about 4 miles. This section of the race was also where the horse trail turns into soft sand. It’s basically like running on the beach. Some parts can be covered more easily on the trail edge, but many sections you just have to trudge through it. I was losing a lot of time at this point and people started to pass me. Mental games started as I contemplated another DNF. Lots of self doubt and wondering what in God’s green earth am I doing out here trampling around the woods. Last stop at mile 28 I did the unthinkable and sat in a chair with a cup of chicken broth in my hand. All of the food looked like one bite from a hurl, even the M&Ms! So all I stuck to was liquids. I only sat down for a minute to finish the broth. I then stood up and was surprised that my legs weren’t as stiff and sore as I thought they’d be after a sit. Started moving again at a slow jog and after another mile I was moving pretty good and not feeling as bad. This was kind of shocking. It was like a switch was clicked so I forged ahead. The real bonus was no more sand either!

I was a bit of a wreck at the end with a ton of emotion. I was just happy to finish the darn thing, but also disappointed by how much time I lost at the end. A couple of 25 milers in training would have gone a long way in minimizing the meltdown. Obviously need to work on hills more, but the IL landscape makes this hard to do. Still not sure what to do about fuel either. Gels and sports drinks make me sick to my stomach after mile 25 and I was too afraid to try something new. I think fuel would have helped the last 5 miles. Not sure what to do here, but won’t worry about it until I try something longer race wise. The family and I hung out for a little while after the race, but I needed a shower and food badly so we hit the road. My final place and time are estimated based on a quick review of my results before leaving. 

Back at it. Ran over lunch, feeling pretty good, done in 1:09.

Felt like a treadmill run. Worked the incline and the last 15 minutes did 3 x 2 min hill + 3 min flat.

Really nice morning for a run outside. Taking it easy as usual, but did feel faster today. Total time 1:41:23 (8:05 pace), avg HR 99, and max HR 117. I checked out my running log and it shows for a similar run back in March 2008 my avg HR was 121 bpm. I can tell that I feel like I'm about 20 bpm low. My heart will just not go like it use to while running and it's causing me to fatigue earlier. Only solution appears to be shorter races and a pacemaker if the rate keeps dropping. Normal living has not been impacted at this point.

Ran 8.6 mi in the morning and 4.7 mi during lunch hour. Getting a bit tired of the 2-a-day routines so going to cut back to more once a day and make Tues and Thursday the 2x days. Ah, what does it matter. Probably change it again next week.

Hilly route on the TM over the lunch hour. Randomly set the incline at 4-8% for 1-2 minutes during each 5 min segment of the hour. Fast finish on the last 0.5 mi.

General aerobic run outside during lunch. Getting the tired out of energy feeling again during the first 30 minutes. Other than that I was good to go.

A slow 10 miles before work.

Ran 10.7 miles in 1:22, could tell my fitness is not the best. I mean the legs are not there and were stiff at the end.

Slow and easy run. Legs were stiff after mile 9.

Another 10 mi before work.

10.2 mi before work, in the dark the whole way

7.4 mi during lunch hour, legs were stiffer, but managed a faster pace

Hills program on the TM during lunch hour. Slowly built up pace first 30 minutes and then 5 x 1-2 minute climbs at 6-10dg during each 5 minute segment. Progressively faster pace down to 10K last 5 minutes.

Morning 9.25 mi - Easy general aerobic jog in the dark

Afternoon 6.85 mi - Easy jog, rich food last night not agreeing with me today, tummy pains.

Afternoon run a bit faster than normal so not "easy" perse.

Ran while Emma had basketball practice. Done in 1:16.

Lunch hour run just after the rain. 

Catch up entry for month.

Total for month.

Total for month.