Rhett

6 on the trails

7 recovery

It was way too cold to go outside this morning so I did a 7 mile TM fartlek run, just because I wanted to say fartlek. :)  It was fun mixing up the speeds as well.  I haven't run 11 mph on the TM in a long time, but I liked it... for a quarter mile.

1 mile warm up

6 mile progression run: 1st mile at 8:30, last mile at 6:20. 

1 mile cool down 

1 mile warm up 

5 miles at 7:30

1 mile in 6:00

1 mile cool down 

Total 8 miles 

It’s been a crazy week with my wife out of town since Saturday but she returned home last night so I was able to get back to running in the morning instead of the evening. I did 5 miles up 1000 feet at an easy effort then ran back down at a little faster than mp effort. It felt good starting the day with a hard run. 

6 miles this morning nice and easy averaging right at 8:00.  The hot air balloon festival is this weekend here in Lake Havasu City and all the balloons are up in the air.  It's fun to see them all up in the air at the same time.

Since I hadn’t been to Blake’s new home yet, we thought it would be fun for me to come spend the weekend at his house and run the San Diego Trail Marathon together. It has been a great weekend, so fun to see him, his family, and his new stomping grounds. 

It rained all night Friday night and was still raining hard when we got up Saturday morning and drove to the race, but by the time the race started, it had stopped raining. It was very muddy though. We had determined to not race this race but instead to just run together and enjoy running together and we stayed with that the whole race. At one point Blake’s leg was tight so we walked together. Likewise when I felt a little nauseous he walked with me. It was just about doing this together. We weren’t fast, but we had fun. It was a great weekend.

Now it is time for me to get serious about running a fast marathon in April.

I took the last do days as rest days to recover from the marathon then did some recovery miles today. Since we ran the marathon so slow I have had no soreness post race so back to running tomorrow. 

5 miles up at an easy effort then 5 miles down at mp effort. It felt good to run fast. 

I'm trying to be smart with my recovery from the marathon, even though we ran slowly and I therefore have had no soreness at all, so I took another rest day yesterday and then did another nice easy 7 mile recovery this morning.  I'm itching to get in some good running though, so I'm thinking about something faster tomorrow.

I wasn’t exactly sure what I was going to do this morning other than I knew I wanted to do some faster miles. While I was warming up I decided some mile repeats sounded fun, so after 2 miles easy I did 4 x 1 mile at 6:07 with half mile recovery jogs totaling about miles. It was fun running faster than I have in a few months. 

7 easy miles

10 miles this morning. It was beautiful out today.

I'm feeeling like I've been lazy the last few weeks, but at the same time I think my body needed some down time after my crazy mileage month in December. Monday I start my Mt. Charleston Marathon training, so hopefully I'll be menatally and physically ready to get after it.

Today I did some faster running which felt nice.  After a 2 mile warmup, I did 2x2 mile repeats at 6:40 pace with 1/2 mile recovery jog for a total run of 7 miles.

I’m up in Utah for the weekend, so I texted my bro in law to see if he was running today. He was so I joined joined him for a nice 8 miler and we caught up on life. It went really fast. 

TODAY IS THE FIRST DAY OF MY 13 WEEK MARATHON TRAINING!

I actually felt a about as good as I ever feel on my ru this morning, probably from the mental boost of starting my marathon training for Mt. Charleston today. 

I did 8 easy but hilly miles followed by strides and cool down for a total of 9 miles. 

I'm thinking Tuesday and Thurday are going to be my recovery/core days for this training cycle.

7 miles recovery, then core.

When I was up in Utah over the weekend, I went to Runner's Corner and wore out the sales guy trying on all kinds of shoes in search of the perfect running shoe for me.  I really thought I would walk away with another pair of Kinivaras for the road and Altras for the trails.  I ended up going with New Balance 1400v6 for the roads and I wore them this morning and really liked them.  They have a 10 mm drop instead of the 4 mm the Kinivara has, yet I feel like they are more responsive with just a little less cushion and a nice wide toe box.  Hopefully the higher drop will help me with all the calf issues I've had lately. For my trail shoes I went with the Hoka Torrent. I've never liked any Hoka I've tried on before, too narrow in the toe box and way too squishy feeling.  These are totally differnt with a more responsive feel and a lager toe box.  I look forward to taking them out on the trails for a spin once all the scorpion weed dies out there.

Today I did a 14 mile run.  I ran the first 5 1/2 miles uphill at a comfortable pace.  I then ran 6 1/2 miles downhill, the first 5 at mp then I pushed the last 1 1/2 miles running them around 6:10 pace. I then finished with a 2 mile cool down back uphill. I was happy with how well the run went. I need to work on my feel for mp. I was about 10 seconds per mile too fast, but for my first fast finish long run of the training cycle, I'll take it.

7 recovery then core. 

8 miles nice and easy, AP 9:15, so I’ll be ready for some speed work tomorrow. 

2 mile warm up  

6x1 mile at 6:07 with 1/2 mile recovery jog after each mile. 

I felt like I was running at a nice controlled effort all the way through. 

It's week 2 of my 1st 3 week block of training.

After 8 hilly, easy miles I did strides and a cool down for a total of 9 miles.

7 recovery then core 

Long slow run, 20 miles AP 8:33, Elevation gain 1380 ft.

7 recovery then core

8 easy miles on I nice cold (36 degrees, that's about as cold as it gets here) but calm morning.

AP 8:57

2 mile warm up

4 x 2 miles at 6:35 pace with 1/2 mile jog recoveries 

Total 12 miles 

Felt pretty easy and until the last 1/2 mile of the fourth repeat then I had to push a bit. 

Week 3 of 1st 3 week block

10 easy miles AP 8:54 followed by strides and cool down for a total of 11 miles.

7 recovery then core

Fast finish long run #2

I ran up for 5 miles at a comfortable pace.

Then down 5 miles at mp. About 10 seconds per mile too fast.  Still working feeling mp.

Then back up 3 miles at a comfortable pace.

Then down 4 miles at a fast effort, AP 6:18 with the last mile at 6:05.

Then a 2 mile cool down back up.

Total 19 miles.  1670 feet elevation gain.

7 recovery then core.

Normally I would do my speed work tomorrow, but I'm taking Cade to go skiing with Blake and his son at Big Bear tomorrow, so I did it today.  I was a bit worried having one less day to recover from my fast finish long run on Wednesday, but I seem to have survived unscathed.

2 mile warm up

6 x 1 mile at 6:03 with 1/2 mile jog recovery after each one.

Total 11 miles

Recovery week #1

I started my first recovery week off this morning with a nice soak in the hot tub instead of any exercise.  I skied hard on Satruday so it felt really good. I'm looking forward to a nice easy week of running this week.

7 recovery then core

10 easy miles

AP 8:30

7 recovery then core.

I thought about doing an easy run this morning, but I decided if I really wanted to nail this recovery week I should just sleep in and take a rest day instead.

I finished off my recovery week with some mp intervals. 

1 1/2 mile warm up

3 x 3 miles at mp with 1/2 mile recovery jogs for a total of 12 miles. 

That workout felt super easy. It was a great way to end my recovery week. 

Week 1 of 2nd 3 week training block

Even though I did not sleep well at all last night, it was nice to be focused on training again this morning.  

10 easy miles, AP 8:38 followed by strides and cool town for a total of 11 miles.

7 recovery miles then core

Fast finish long run #3

5 miles uphill at comfortable effort

5 miles downhill at mp. I almost nailed mp pace today, just 3 seconds per mile too fast

3 miles back up at comfortable effort

4 miles down at hard effort, AP 6:21 with the last mile at 6:11

2 miles back up at cool down effort

Total run 19 miles with apporoximately 1700 feet elevatin gain.

7 recovery then core.

10 miles nice and easy, AP 8:56, followed by strides and cool down for a total of 11 miles.

2 mile warm up

6 x 1 mile repeats  at 6:00 with 1/2 mile recovery jogs

Total run 11 miles

Today was probably the easiest this workout has ever felt.  I was tempted to run the last mile faster but I had to remind myself to stick with the plan.  

11 easy miles, AP 8:47, followed by strides and cool down for a total of 12 miles. 

7 miles recovery then core.  

Long Slow Run #2

22 miles just cruising. I don’t look at my watch while running, and I could tell I had been gradually picking up the pace over the last 5 or 6 miles, but looking back at my splits, I unintentionally ran my last mile at mp. It did not think I was close to running that fast. 

Total ru AP was significantly slower than that, AP exactly 8:30 with 1640 feet elevation gain. 

7 recovery then core. 

Saturday is supposed to be my speed work day, but I have to leave for Phoenix early tomorrow and will be there all day for my son's soccer games, so I moved it up a day.

4 x 2 mile repeats at 6:31 pace with 1/2 mile recovery jogs for a total of 12 miles.

I couldn't believe how comfortable this pace felt all the way through the final 2 mile repeat.

We arrived at Cade’s game early so I found some trails and got in a 7 mile run before they started. It was a fun trail that climbed up a little mountain. There were a lot of hikers to get around and it was a bit technical with lots of rocks, but I enjoyed it. 

Week 3 of 2nd 3 week training block. 

I enjoyed a nice very easy effort this morning. 11 miles AP 8:59 then did some strides for a total of 12 miles. 

7 recovery then core. 

Fast finish long run #4

As usual on these runs I am trying to simulate the race course on the faster parts of the run.  I ran up 5.5 miles at a comfortable effort, then ran back down at a comfortably fast pace trying to simulate mp.  I ended up being about 15 seconds per mile too fast, but it felt very comfortable.  Then I ran back up for 3 miles nice and easy and then turned around and ran back down at a fast hard effort for 4 miles.  AP for those 4 miles was 6:10 with the last mile in 6:00 flat.  I then ran back up really slow for 2 miles to cool down.  Total run 20 miles.  Elevation gain about 1800ft.

This is by far the best I have performed and felt on my fast finish long runs.  I feel like all the recovery I've built into this marathon plan is really helping.  Speaking of that.  I am going to start my recovery week early, because I will be skiing the next 3 days.  I'll probably sneak my speed work in on Monday that should be this Saturday even though that is offically the start of my 2nd recovery week. 

Recovery week #2

I didn’t do my speed work last week because I was skiing Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, so I started this week off with a short version of speed work even though this is  my recovery week. 

2 mile mile warm up

3 x 1 mile at 5:56 pace with 1/2 mile recovery 

Total 7 miles 

This seemed more difficult than it should have but I guess that is what happens when you ski hard, eat horribly and sleep poorly for a few days. Now I can spend the rest of the week really recovering and getting my body and mind ready for my final 3 week training block before taper begins. 

Core work then sat in the hot tub for a while.  It felt goooooood.

11 very slow but not so easy miles...AP 9:25

My legs are still crazy tired from my ski trip.  Good thing I'm on a recovery week. I really need it.

4 recovery miles then core. 

I decided to maximize my recovery week and just hot tub this morning instead of any exercise. It felt nice. 

Like my last recovery week I finished this one up with some mp repeats. 

1 mile warm up

4 x 3 miles at mp with 1/2 mile recovery jogs

Total 15 miles 

Legs felt great. I’m ready to take on my final 3 week training block. 

Week 1 of 3rd and final 3 week training block

11 easy miles, AP 8:57, then strides and cool down for a total of 12 miles. 

I just didn't feel like running today so I did core work and sat in the hot tub.

It's probably not a good sign that I didn't feel like running and I'm on the most important block of my marathon training, but I did listen to my body and didn't force it.  Hopefully I'll be back looking forward to my run tomorrow.

Fast finish long run #5

5 1/2 miles up hill at easy effort

6 1/2 miles mostly downhill except the last 3/4 mile at mp... ended up being 7 seconds per mile faster than mp

3 miles up hill easy effort

4 miles downhill at hard effort... AP 6:18.  I didn't have it in my legs to push for a really fast last mile like I usually do.

2 mile cool down back up hill.

Total 21 miles

I'll do one more fast finish long run in 2 weeks.

7 miles recovery then core.

I ran to work this morning the long way...5 miles,  then ran home after work the short way...3 miles. 

Mile repeats. This is my last time for this marathon. 

2 mile warm up

6 x 1 mile at 6:00 pace with 1/2 mile recovery jogs 

1 mile cool down 

Total 12 miles  

Week 2 of 3rd 3 week training block.

12 miles at easy pace, AP 8:35 followed by strides and cool down for another mile.

13 miles total.

This week my focus is long, slow running.  I can't believe it is April.  It's race month!

10 recovery miles then core

Long Slow Run # 3...last one!

23 miles nice and easy...AP 8:46

10 recovery miles then core

11 miles nice and easly...AP 9:05 then strides and cool down.

Total 12 miles

1 mile warm up 

4 x 2 mile repeats at 6:27 with 1/2 mile recovery 

1 mile cool down 

Total 12 mile,  80 miles this week  

I felt very comfortable all the way through this run. 

Week 3 of the 3rd and final 3 week block!

12 easy miles...AP 8:49, followed by strides and cool down for a total of 13 miles.

7 recovery miles then core

Fast finish long run #6/ Race dress rehersal

5.5 mile at a comfortable effort uphill

6.5 miles at mp downhill.  Felt super easy and did a pretty good job of pacing.

4 miles back up at easy effort.

5 miles down at a hard effort...AP 6:10.  Dry heaved at the end.

2 mile nice a slow back up to cool down.  Stomach felt better afte that.

Total run 23 miles.

I was hoping to get in one final good run this Saturday before starting my taper, but I have to catch an early morning flight out of Vegas Friday morning to Augusta, GA and I won't be home until early Monday morning, so unless I get in a little run Satruday morning before heading to the Masters, my taper starts now.

7 recovery miles then core.

I'm heading to the Masters tomorrow morning!

Week 1 of 2 week taper

I haven't run since Thursday, but I bet I walked 15 miles between Saturday and Sunday at The Masters.  It was amazing to be there and witness history in person, but I didn't get home until 4:30 this morning and I have a full day a patients scheduled.  I definitely won't get my next run in until tomorrow.  It's a good thing I'm tapering right now.

Good luck to the Boston Marathoners today!!!

7 recovery miles then core.

I needed the recovery run to get my body back on track after the crazy weekend at the Masters. Hopefully I will feel more like myself tomorrow.

5.5 miles uphill at a comfortable pace

6.6 miles downhill at mp

2 mile uphill cool down

All felt nice and comfortable.  10 days till the Mt. Charelston Marathon.

7 recovery miles then core. 

6 easy miles...AP 8:52, followed by strides and cool down for another mile.

Total 7

8 days and counting!

1 mile warm up

4 x 1 mile at mp with 1 mile easy pace in between  

Total 9 miles. 

Race Week!!!!!

4 easy miles...AP 8:12 then some strides and cool down for another mile.

5 total

3 recovery miles followed by light core work.

4 total miles all pretty easy except the third mile at mp downhill.

It was almost long enough to get warmed up.

It was 75 degrees when Blake and I boarded the bus at 3:45 in the morning. At that point I had to make the decision to go for the sub 3 or to back off and still run a decent time.  Some times you just have to throw caution to the wind and go for it.  After all that is what I had been training for and I really didn't care if I blew up.  It was cooler at the top of the mountain, but probaly in the low 50s.  In past years, it's been in the 30s which is what I was expecting.  

I felt pretty good at the start of the race and thought, maybe I could still pull off a sub 3.  Through 6.55 miles I averaged 6:40/ mile.  At the half it was 1:27:20 which is still exactly 6:40 per mile and I was feeling good.  Maybe I can do this, I thought.  Then the temps started climbing as the sun rose and I descended the mountain.  After 19.65 miles, my averae pace was 6:46 which still had me going sub 3.  Then on the 22 mile it all came crumbling down and I hit the wall, I could tell I was not going to make it and I threw in the towel and walked much of the last 5 miles.  Finishing in 3:26:34.

If it had been a cooler day I think I could have come pretty close to finishing out at sub 3 pace, but it wasn't to be. I am glad I went for it though so I wouldn't question if I could have made it or not.  Maybe next time.

It's been 10 days since my marathon so I got back out for a little run this morniong.  It was a beautiful day, nice and cool.  We won't have too many more of those before summer hits.  I did 4 easy miles.  My legs felt really good. After the run I did core work.

The last 10 days I've done some upper body weight lifting and core work.  I haven't done upper body weights in years.  Maybe I'll keep doing that for a few months.

Ran 2 miles to the gym, then did upper body weights, then ran back home 2 miles.

Ben, someone I ran with years ago when he was a new runner thinking about trying to BQ, was in town yesterday afternoon and we went for a run together on the trails. He has become an incredible runner. A few months ago he ran a 2:47 marathon and he has finished a bunch of ultras including hundred Ks and hundred milers. Just 2 weeks ago he did a 100k. He says I’m to blame for getting him started on his running, but he has taken running to a whole different level of crazy and amazing than I have reached. Anyways, we did about 8 miles in the heat of the day and he about ran me into the ground. It was fun to see him and how effortlessly he moves up and down the hills even in the technical parts of the trails. 

I actually got up and ran after getting home from vacation last night. I only did 4 miles but it was my first run in almost 2 miles nths. I’ve put on about 10 pounds of mostly muscle by lifting weights the last couple months. I feel strong but heavy. Now I need to lean back down while keeping the newfound strength. 

Lower body weights class 

Sick 

Sick

I was sick most of the week last week so didn't exercise much.  I went back to the gym this morning and lifted weights and did some cardio.  I got a little light headed so had to back off on the workout. Maybe I'm not all the way over the sickness.

4 miles...didn’t feel great. 

4 miles...felt better. 

Weights- upper body and core.

6 mile progression run finishing at 6:40 pace

4 mile progression run finishing at 6:20 pace. 

Upper body weights and core work.

5 easy miles

6 easy.  

I'm finally starting to feel like I can run again.

Lower body weights with some plyometrics and some cardio.

7 easy 

8 easy. I’m starting to feel like a runner again. Good thing since I’m 15 weeks out from the Big Bear Marathon.

Lower body weights, plyometrics, and some full body cardio for an hour. Kicked my butt!

7 easy miles 

Lower body weights with some explosive jumping. 

I didn’t want to get out of bed this morning but I did coach soccer tonight and ran a lot so I’m giving myself 2 miles. 

10 miles. This was my first double digit miles run in a few months. I’ve got some work to do. 

Blake was in town so we did a nice 5 miler together. It was good to catch up with him. Until you’ve run with someone you don’t really know them. 

Warm up.

6 x 1 mile at mp with 1/4 mile recovery

Cool down

Total 9 miles

Lower body weights. Lots of differnt kinds of squats mostly.

Soccer practice tonight I was playing with the kids and reached for a ball that was out of my reach and strained my left groin.  Ouch!

I was going to run this morning but every time I moved in my sleep last night my groin screamed at me so I decided it would be best to take the day off.  Hopefully tomorrow I'll be able to get back to running.

Soccer. Still in serious pain.

Elliptical and stationary bike. Improving slightly.

Elliptical and staionary bike.  Getting closer to better.

One last day of rest. It felt about 80 percent this morning and I was tempted to run but I figured it was better to take an extra day than to get back at it one day too early.

4 miles at a comfortable pace. Groin felt pretty good during the run, a bit sore later in the day but not bad. 

4 miles. No discomfort with the groin. I think I'm back as long as I don't reinjure it playing soccer tonight.

 6 miles slow. 

7 Fartlek

Re-tweeked my groin coaching soccer tonight.  

4 nice and easy slowly picking up the pace as to not agrevate the groin.

4 more before work.

7 easy. 

Farlek Saturday. 7 miles 

6 miles, middle 4 at 7:00 pace.

6

7

7 speed work

6

7 fartlek 

7 miles with 3 1 mile repeats at 6:40

core

2 easy

7 miles with speed work

7 easy 

7 fartlek with some very fast running mixed in. 

7 with 2 x 1 mile at 6:40 pace mixed in.

Core day

7 speed work

Core

7 easy 

7 on the trails for the first time in a long time. 

7 miles with 5 of them at 6:40 pace

core

7 total with 8x1/2 mile at 6:00 pace. 

Core 

7 on trails 

After a couple mile warm up the 5k began. It is a fund raiser for the high school cross country team. It’s on a golf course which slows you down with the different terrain and hills and turns but is super fun to run. Numbers were fewer than normal today. It was Dan and the rest of us slower people. Of course Dan won by a lot. I was second of the the slow people. They guy who beat me was about 200 meters ahead of me right from the start and all the way to the end. I was a good minute slower this year than I have been in the past running a 20:55. I really need to get back in shape. 

8 total miles, 6 at 6:40 pace. 

Core

7 total with 8 x 3 minutes at 6:00 pace

core

7 easy 

7 trails 

8 total with the middle 6 at 6:40 pace. 

core

7 total miles with 8 x 2 minutes at 5:30 pace. 

Core