How Much Discomfort Can I Tolerate?!

The sun pummeled me today. 92 degrees and humid made for a 15 round fight which left me battered and dizzy, but I finished standing, and that was the objective.

When I got out to the South Farms the wind was blowing me around, there was no shade cover, and the sun licked my salt streaked shirt. Fortunately there are water pits every few miles, so I was able to soak myself frequently, which allowed me to continue running with decent form.

At mile 13 I stopped at Strawb's and ate a banana, 7 chocolate almond energy chunks, a cliff shot gel (My first gel ever, I liked it!), 12 ounces of juice, and 2 chunks of honey candy. I then made my way to Busey Woods so I could run a few loops in shade.

I am happy with today's effort and results, it is going to help me in August when I am running the 8 hour Howl at the Moon race.

Legs felt good, but energy level was predictably low, so just an easy 3 today. Also did 6 sets of strength exercises and stretching after the run.

The weather cooled to 58 with clouds and a bit of rain, so I took off hoping to run the South Farms loop. The first 6 miles I had low energy and I kept slowing the pace to find a comfort zone. After I got out of the corn fields at mile 7 I woke up and cruised the last 5 miles at a quicker pace. This is the first time the second half of the SF loop felt easier than the first. 

Quite an adventure today. I picked up where I left off from yesterday's final 5 miles - fluid legs and high energy - so I decided to do a South Farms loop with a favorable 70 degree blue sky guiding my way. At mile 5 I found a thick manilla folder laying in the middle of Illinois Street, so I picked it up and examined the contents, finding business documents and an uncashed $2500 check which was dated today. I decided to make a detour and ran 1 mile home and phoned the business to let them know I had some of their cash.

I resumed my run and had a few low energy bouts, but they lasted only briefly. Out on the South Farms I found a nice rhythm and got into a groove. At the MBK water pit I saw a woman in hystrics and tears telling her wobegone boyfriend that he makes her miserable. I recalled the times in my life when relationships were coming to an end, and I had to shrug and keep on with my run.

At mile 12 it felt as if things were just getting started, so I decided to run home to refuel. Rachel told me that the owner of the company stopped by the house and was happy that I had called about his missing folder. I felt happy about my good deed, and after eating fruit/nuts and drinking V8/water, took off for more running fun.

I ran back to Busey Woods and started doing loops. The pathways were a bit muddy, but nothing too terrible. Just before mile 20 I swerved around some water and tripped on a  downed tree branch. I landed on my right knee and sliced the lower side section open. I quickly got up, which could have been a mistake because I fell awkwardly, but I seemed ok. My knee was bleeding and I was covered in mud. I was 500m from the Nature Center, and having once worked there, I knew I could get first aid supplies. I talked with Allison and she gave me what I needed. After cleaning and bandaging the wound I decided to finish the run  with one more loop, and then a mile back into town. I still had a lot of energy, and felt I could go 30 miles if I wanted to, but I decided this was not the time for that kind of distance. I ran comfortably hard the last mile, and when I got home I bathed and recleaned the wound.

The cut has caused the side/bottom of the knee to swell, but it is at a part of the leg where pressure from running is minimal. Hopefully the swelling will go down in a few days and will not interfere with my training.

2 miles to the arboretum, then 20 minutes barefoot in the grass loop. After the run 3 sets of strength exercises and stretches. 

My legs were not sore from yesterday's adventure, and my knee gash did not bother me. I feel my fitness improving from week to week, but I can still make a lot of improvement with my cardio and weight. Running should only get easier as the summer moves along.

Getting some decent rest in, I'm feeling good and my legs are coming along nicely. Tomorrow if my energy is good I plan to run 60-90 minutes of hills.

Planned to run up and down the arboretum hill 60-90 minutes, but I never got overly tired or too deep into the well of exhaustion. I ended up stopping after 2 hours and 20 minutes, not from exhaustion, but just as a precaution, no need to overdo it on the hills. I guess my cardio is making some progress, next step is to get my weight down - getting old sucks! 

Ran 2 miles to the arboretum, then 2 miles barefoot. Energy was low, so nothing too strenuous today.

Tonight I signed up for the Dances With Dirt 50k in Devil's Lake, WI, on July 11. It is supposed to be a challenging course, and I am looking forward to the adventure. It will be a good training run for the Howl at the Moon 8 hour race on August 8.

1 South Farms loop, met Rachel at Jimmy John's when I stopped, we got our sandwiches and walked to a row of blossoming linden trees and ate in the shade and sweetness - a great day!

I wanted to get a 12 miler in because the next two days will need to be moderate so that I will be somewhat fresh for the Lake Mingo 7 mile trail race on Saturday. It was 85 degrees and humid, and with my energy below average, it made for a challenging slog. Some days 12 miles fly by, but today felt as if each mile was #24 of a 30 mile race. The final 400m my body surprisingly switched into high gear and I was able to get a nice sprint in without feeling overly tired. 

Easy easy for the next couple of days, that's fine with me.

Since I rarely get a chance to run the Mingo trail, I am going to attempt to run the race, then keep going for another loop or two. I am not sure I can do it, it depends on how much energy I expend during the race.

Ran 1 mile to the track, I have not been there in a while! I wanted to time myself running a mile at a slow ultra-marathon pace, I crossed the line in 9:05, but it felt like 12:00 :)

Looking forward to the Mingo race this Saturday, although the part I am most excited about are the 7 mile loops after the race.

Ran to the rental car agency, my legs are a bit fatigued, but not much soreness.

I don't have any time goals for the race, and I won't be expecting much because I have done no speed running in a while. My endurance is getting better, so maybe I can pull off 8 minute miles. I won't be thinking about it, though, I just want to enjoy the day and have fun.

What a great day. When I put in sessions like this I see my running potential unfolding in ways I had not imagined. 

After checking in at race registration I passed Mike I. Last year Mike and I had some fun speed sessions at the track, and he won the 2008 master runner of the year award with our running club. He expressed surprise at seeing me, thinking I had left the running scene because it had been months since I had participated in a race. I explained my winter injury, and then he told me he heard I had signed up for the Howl race in August. I laughed, good news travels fast.

When I started my 2.5 mile warm-up I was happy to find that my legs felt on edge and ready to roll. I had forgotten how potent race day adrenaline can be. It had been a long time since I felt the running fire burning hot.

When I lined up to start the race Mike made a place for me next to him. I told him I would be happy to break an hour. "I will bet you a six pack that you break an hour", he joked. I was ready to shake his hand, but then I pulled it back, because I knew I was most likely going to break an hour. "Well, I probably will break an hour, if I do I will be happy", and soon we were off.

I started off a bit quicker than my long run pace, so I was moving slow, but I felt great, and knew that at any time I could put in a burst and pass a lot of people. But I also knew that I had not run a sustained hard pace since the Siberian race back in January, so I could not expect to hang with my regular group of runners. I was content to experience the race from the middle of the pack, and after all, if I drop comparison's with others, any place in the pack seems fun and fast if I am trying hard.

At the half mile mark I saw Audrey I., a top local master female runner, and I tucked in behind and followed her pace. She had a nice stride going, and I felt happy to be back racing the trails, smelling the warm foliage and grasses, feeling the mud and moist earth moving beneath me. It was the first time I had a chance to wear my cross country shoes in a race, they felt light and fast, gripping the dirt and mud securely, the flat heel leaving little chance of an ankle twist.

Audrey and I passed a few people and I hung with her until mile 3. We were running an 8:15-30 pace, but she started to slow on the short, steep hills, so I moved past and struck out on my own. I passed some runners, and then I heard puffing that was getting louder with each step. I turned behind and saw Margaret B, another top local master runner, gaining on me fast. I moved to the side of the narrow single track to let her pass. When she did I made the observation that I was still in long run mode, my breathing quiet and my heart rate moderate. Margaret was straining, willing herself onwards. I knew I had to quickly decide whether to follow Margaret, or let her go. Having Margaret come along was like getting dealt  AA in poker, when you are lucky enough to hold those cards, folding is the last thing to do. I decided I needed to gamble by increasing my pace, but I knew the final 3.5 miles were going to be risky and difficult. I sucked it up and tucked in behind Margaret, feeling my turnover increase, along with my heart rate. We were pacing at  7:30-45, so this was now becoming my first speed run of the season. I still felt good, my legs were fresh, and even though my breathing was no longer serene, I felt I had a chance to hang with her to the end.

We passed a lot of runners, and even talked a bit. She had never run the course, so every half mile she was asking me how far we had left. She was not slowing down, but she was not speeding up either, so I had a chance to make it to the finish without bailing.

When we reached the 400m grass straightaway leading to the finish, I found another gear and smoothly accelerated past Margaret, and I passed 3 or 4 other runners as I coasted to the finish, getting into the chute in 56:15. Two years ago I ran this course in 51:26, but I had practiced a lot of speed runs that year, so to run it 5 minutes slower is to be expected with my current state of fitness.

After the race I met Joe P., and we talked for 15 minutes. When I got back to my car I saw Ken W. and talked with him, then Margaret came along and the 3 of us talked running.

I refueled at my car and then readied myself for the second adventure of the day, 2 more loops of the Mingo course run at long run speed. It was going to be challenging because it was 80 degrees and humid, and I had just expended a large amount of energy in the race.

The 2nd loop went smoothly, and I saw a woman who had run the race doing the same thing as me, we smiled and said hi as we passed (she was going in the opposite direction). When I started the 3rd loop I was fatigued, hot, hungry, but I got into a running zone at mile 2 and cruised slowly to the finish.

I don't have any tough runs planned this week, so I'm going to run how I feel - probably all short and sweet  days :)

2 miles to the arboretum, then 2 miles barefoot on the grass loop. During loops 2-3 my legs naturally started going faster, and I found myself pacing at 7:30-7:45 per mile, similar to the pace set at Saturday's race. After 1 speed session my body is already addicted :)

Just an easy 4 miles, but my pace was faster than normal. My body is sensing the coming of summer and is ready for some fast running.

Maybe I will participate in a few upcoming Wednesday evening track sessions. It would be nice if my cruising speed went up a bit for the upcoming ultra races.

Was feeling the need for a fast run, which has not happened in 9 months :)

So I ran to the track at UHS and joined the 2nd Winders for the Wednesday evening session. The clipboard called for 8 x 400m handicapped races - fun! The first 400m I took it slow, around 93 seconds. The remaining 7 I felt more comfortable and was able to do mid-80's without losing form. 

I ran faster and stronger than expected, considering that I have not touched the track for a hard effort in almost a year. I will probably continue to run a few Wednesday sessions, hoping it will help my cruising speed for the ultra races coming up.

Taking it easy, just a few miles today.

A steamy day, 91 and humid, so to take advantage I went out at high noon and decided to run up and down the hill for a bit. After 45 minutes I ran out of water so I went across the street to the laundromat and refilled, swallowed a gel, and soaked my head. I returned to the hill for 15 more minutes of running and called it a day. I wanted to go another hour but I have not fully recovered from the track session a couple of days ago, so I played it safe.

1 mile to work, 1 mile back.

Woke at 5:15am, walked the dog for 25 minutes with Rachel, then we rode our bikes 70 minutes to Homer Lake. Hiked for 1 hour, where I may have gotten poison ivy on my legs, then we ate a few snacks next to the lake. Rode our bikes 70 minutes back to town. I refueled at home and then ran 16 miles, finishing off the run at 2:00pm at Bombay Grill, where I met Rachel for Indian lunch buffet. After eating 3 plates of food, I walked 2.5 miles home in a very light rain. The rain stopped soon after I arrived home, so I read a bit of Lore of Running in the hammock underneath the towering fir trees in the yard. I dragged my tired body off the hammock and rode my bike to Busey Woods and hiked around for an hour. I then sat on a bench in Friendship Grove and my mind started wandering as I stared at the now blue sky. I rode my bike home, then decided to get back on my bike and rode to First Wok and got some fried rice. I stopped at Walgreens and bought a grape juice, the clerk asked if I wanted to add some chocolate M & M's to my purchase. I laughed, and realized my mind was getting loopy. I walked to a nearby park and ate fried rice and drank grape juice. I rode my bike home and played the guitar on the front steps, the sun starting to set. When I finished my sunset raga Rachel and I walked the dog, and now I am indoors, ready to sleep.

Rachel told me there was a heat advisory this afternoon, so I put on my running shoes and hit the trails. I got a late start, so was unable to take full advantage of overhead sun, but the temp. at 5:00pm was 91, with high humidity.

After yesterday's exercise binge I was unsure how I would feel, but my legs felt normal, and my energy level was above average. I decided to run to the arboretum and slog up and down the hill. 

The first 30 minutes were the toughest because my body was trying to find a way to keep its temperature in an acceptable range. Eventually I got into a running groove and was able to pace myself with a somewhat normal stride. I was unsure how long I was going to last, but as the minutes slipped by I was getting stronger, so I kept it going.

After finishing a cliff bar I threw the wrapper next to my water bottle at the base of a jack pine. As I passed the tree a while later I saw a squirrel with the wrapper in its mouth - that made me laugh out loud :)

A few brave souls were doing hard sprints up the hill, but they lasted 5 or less reps before being crushed by the heat - pick your poison, hard/short, or moderate/long, both have their benefits.

I watched the sun start to set in the west, and felt the temp drop a few degrees. I checked the stopwatch and saw that I had been going for 2 hours. I decided to keep running, the elusive grail of 3 hour hill repeats within reach.

I kept on striding up and down the hill, feeling great. At the 2:45 mark I decided to put an end to the session. I was close to 3 hours, there to be taken, but it would have been forced, beyond what my body wanted to do. 2:45 seemed right for the day, so I stopped, feeling a perfect mixture of exhaustion and blissful strength pulsing through my veins. 20 years ago I did workouts like this, and the same feelings surfaced today. 43 years old, and I'm still kickin' it, it seems unbelievable that I can still put in workouts like this.

ROCK ON!

Legs feel good, but I needed an easy day because tomorrow I am planning to run with 2nd Wind at the track. 

Lots of fun today. The day was hot, 91 degrees and humid, so another opportunity for my body to adapt to hot weather training. 

I was feeling energetic, and in the mood for a challenging workout, so I decided to test my ability to run long with a bit of hard running in the middle of the session. 

I ran to the arboretum in my Nike Waffles, then ran 3 grass loops barefoot. After soaking myself at the laundromat, I did some strength exercises and stretching.

I then ran to the track and met up with the 2nd Winders and did 4 x 1200m. I went much easier than when I was training for a 5k last year. First 1200m was 60% effort, 2nd 70%, 3rd 75%, and 4th 80%. Times were 5:15, 5:02, 4:58, and 4:45. I never felt overextended or tired, so I knew I was hitting the right effort levels. All of those levels were sub 7:00 pace, so faster than what I will be running in the ultras.

One advantage of running a track session at a moderate level is I still had a lot left in the tank, so I decided to do a South Farms loop minus the Busey Woods segment. I recovered nicely after leaving the track, and found a nice rhythm as the sun was going down. The heat dropped a few degrees, but I never felt too hot during the whole session, so my body has already adapted to this type of heat/humidity. 

My cruising pace was faster than normal, so the few speed sessions I have done are already paying off. A peculiar effect I experienced today was the majority of the run had the illusion of being on a slight downhill, which must have been an effect of running almost 3 hours of hills on Monday. With the continuous ups, the flats now seem like constant downs.

Unlike last year when a track session left me feeling beat up, as I type this I feel a pleasant sense of fatigue, as if I could go back out and run another 10 miles - a good place to be!

Legs were good today, quads a little stiff when stretching, but no muscle soreness. I felt like running more than 5 miles, but decided against it.  I am planning to do a 16-20 miler on Saturday, so rest is good for the next 2 days. 

Ran 3 miles, went to Brookens for 10 sets of strength exercises, then foam rolled my legs.

Started late in the morning, temp. was a bit cooler than the past few days, about 85 with not as much humidity. Was not sure how far I was going to go, but I knew I was ready for a solid effort.

Quickly got into trance running mode and finished off 5 miles without much thought or effort. I got onto the South Farms and felt good, blue skies with big summer clouds leading me onwards. Finished the 12 mile loop with no troubles, so stopped at home and refueled.

Out on the trail again to Busey Woods, the day was getting hotter, and the humidity was rising. In the woods there was a short section that had curtains of heat I had to wade through. It was a delicious experience, the heat was tactile and heavy.

Back on the South Farms dirt road for the second time, I was baking, the heat was back in the 90's, there was no shade, and the next water pit was 3 miles away at MBK. I started thinking about the Western States 100 going on today, and was inspired knowing there were runners out west suffering and working much more than me. I desired to be one of them, slugging it out on mountain tops and in hot valleys. Instead, I took what was at hand - flat roads, dirt trails, intense heat, and lots of solitude.

When I finished the 2nd loop I decided to keep going, so back to Busey Woods for one more trail loop, and finally, finished! I started at 11:00am, and walked inside my house a little past 6:00. Along the way I had stopped to do some strength exercises, had 3 refueling stops, along with plenty of water breaks. With the heat as it was I had no choice but to take it slow and easy. It was a great run, the gentle pace should allow my legs to quickly recover from this tough session.

Ran 1 mile to Brookens, then did 12 sets of strength exercises, 30 minutes of hoops, then outside to run 2 more miles barefoot in the grass fields next to the gym. 

Weaver Park is adjacent the Brookens fields, and I noticed that they had cut a grass pathway through the wildflowers, so I ran in the rough, weed-filled stuff and admired the summer colors. 

I am finding that barefoot running is my preferred type of recovery run. Once the shoes come off my lethargic legs have more spring and life. Considering how long I was on my feet yesterday, my legs felt good today, no soreness.

Not sure what I will be doing this week for training. Devil's Lake 50k is 2 weeks away, so I will just run as I feel.

Did not have much energy when I started my run, so I decided it would be fun to jog around the paths at Busey Woods. By the time I arrived I was feeling better, so I decided to do one of my favorite speed workouts - 800-900m hard on the trails, then a 400m boardwalk jog. 

I had not done this workout since last summer, so I was happy to be trying it again. Last year I would give 75-85% effort, and it would leave me feeling spent and exhausted.  Today I decided to continue with what I had been doing at the track, which is to give 60-70% effort. My normal pace for medium/long runs is 30-50% effort.

I did 5 loops, I could have completed a couple more, but in keeping with a more moderate approach, I preferred to stop too soon, rather than too late. As I sit here writing this I have a sense of strength and well-being that I probably would not be feeling had I gone harder and expended more effort.

I have been making an effort to listen to my body, and to heed its abilities and preferences. No use forcing things, and my body is liking me for it.

My legs had some pop in them today, it is fun when training has positive effects. Tomorrow I plan on going to the track for a moderate speed session, so just 3 miles today. 

I have decided to practice short to medium runs until the 50k on July 11th. The light speed work is doing me good, so I will continue with it when it seems appropriate.

I am starting to think about race strategy and goals, so the mental game now starts.