Wesley Hunt

20 Week Boston Qualifyer Training begins . . . countdown to Little Rock Marathon on March 6, 2011. 

Beautiful, cool morning in Little Rock for a speed workout. 

10X400m repeats at 5K pace (6:00min/mile or 90sec/repeat). 

Felt good to jump back into training!

Wesley

I have made a committment to prioritize my personal health and fitness, not only for myself, but also for my family.  During the work week, my training will necessarily, though not ideally, include training runs on the treadmill at JP Fitness, which is located in my building.  Most long-runs will be pushed to Sunday to facilitate outdoor training. 

Today's workout included 2 Miles at 7:03/mile (1.0 incline), which was comfortably below my target Marathon Pace of 7.15/mile, followed by 2 Miles at Tempo Pace (6:41/mile), followed by 2 Miles at Marathon Pace.  For the most part, I felt strong throughout, and I attempted to count my strides at least every mile.  I am still working to consistently stride 180 times/minute; approximately 174 on average, but it's early yet! 

Way too pretty outside in Little Rock to be running inside, but staying busy with my day job.  Hitting the streets tomorrow morning and through the weekend to take advantage of the great autumn weather. 

Though I occasionally gripe about having to run on a treadmill, I feel fortunate to work for a company that values health and fitness programs for its employees.  There has never been any issues with my running during lunch, and I appreciate that kind of support and freedom.  Do the job right and earn respect, eh?  I guess this applies to running as well.  Today's workout included 8 Miles at 7:12/mile, right at target Marathon Pace, followed by 1 easy mile.  I felt pretty good, and the easy mile at the end of the workout helped me recover quickly and effectively. 

Perfect clear, morning in Little Rock; mid 50s.  Felt great for a smooth 8 Miles at 7:00/mile, 15 seconds below Marathon Pace.  I had almost forgotten why I loved early morning runs so much...it's great to see other runners out there, working to achieve their own personal goals, or perhaps, just getting the day started off on the right foot.  

Wesley 

9 Miles at Marathon Pace (7:12/mile); Felt strong, but forced Gel after mile 6, which raises the following question:

Should I force gels on shorter runs even when I feel comfortable with my pace and energy level?  Generally, I have only used them during longer runs/races.

It was another beautiful, cool morning in Little Rock; temp in the upper 50s.  

Fact (or at least personal observation passed off as fact):  With the exception of astronomers, runners see more shooting stars than anyone on the planet.   

 Wesley 

1 Mile Easy followed by 5X1 Mile repeats (100m walk between repeats) at: 

Mile 1 - 5:59

Mile 2 - 6:04

Mile 3 - 6:14

Mile 4 - 6:14

Mile 5 - 6:14

I intended to work from my 5K Pace (6:00/mile) today, but ended up having to push pretty hard to come in under 6:15 on each of the last three repeats; humid and breezy afternoon in Little Rock with thunderstorms in the area, but no excuses...this has to improve.  It's less than two full weeks into training, and I'm already dealing with blisters on each of my heals.  One thing is clear:  "2nd Skin" is going to continue to be a necessary training tool until I toughen up these feet and get used to the additional mileage and longer runs. 

Wesley

2 Miles at 7:03/mile, 2 Miles at 6:41/mile, 2 Miles at 7:03/mile (Treadmill with 1.0 incline); relatively low energy level and labored breathing on final two miles; felt moderately dehydrated, but pushed through. 

Note:  Invest in bulk sports drinks to stay hydrated; replace second cup of coffee with 20 oz. of electrolyte-packed G2 or Powerade every morning; lifestyle/habits have to be adjusted to achieve ultimate goal.  

Wesley  

8.5 Miles at 6:53/mile, well below Marathon Pace.  

Beautiful, clear morning in Little Rock, with a temperature of 47 degrees.  My pace was a little fast for an 8 miler on a random Tuesday morning this early in my training, but the cool weather gave me a little boost (it's hard to resist!).  No gel necessary; felt hydrated and strong throughout the run.  

10 Miles at 7:12/mile on the treadmill with a 1.0 incline; felt good throughout, taking one gel after mile 6.  A couple hours after my workout, I ended up jogging another 2.5 miles to pick up Isabel's car at Austin Brother's Garage (who installed a new battery).  I couldn't find a ride, and there's a nice bike trail between my office and the shopping center, so I thought, what the hell?  

Recently, I decided to mix in 16 ounces of Gatorade with my normal morning beverages (OJ and coffee), and I think it's going to pay dividends over the long-run.  At Sam's Club, or another big box retailer, you can get a huge can of Gatorade powder mix for around $10, and it really goes a long way.  

Going to try to head back outside tomorrow morning.  The cool, autumn weather is wonderful.   

 Wesley 

8.5 Miles at 7:06/mile, a little below Marathon Pace, but comfortable given the 39 degree temperature; legs a little heavy for last couple of miles due, generally, to overall increased mileage for the week (I hit 40!); no gel.  

Wesley 

1 Mile warmup followed by10X400 Repeats at 90 secs/repeat (6:00/mile) with 100m jog between repeats; cool morning in Little Rock with a temperature of 43 degrees; very efficient speed workout with no issues.   

And now for the understatement of the day:  Mile repeats at or slightly below 5K Pace are more difficult than 400m repeats, but I know they're both good workouts to incorporate into my speed work.  

Everyone out there have a safe and fun Halloween.  

Wesley