How Much Discomfort Can I Tolerate?!

Weather - challenging! - 30 degrees (dropped to 27 by the time I was walking home), a bit windy, cloudy, and raining ice. Yes, I went out to run in an ice storm. Was hoping to do some 200m repeats at the track, but the ice on the ground would not allow it, so running on grass was the only option today. I decided to do fartlek at the country club. Ran an easy 3 miles to get there, then ran the 6 fairway perimeter. After the 6th hole I still felt strong, so I did 2 more fairways, which brought me back to where I started. Last week when I did the fartlek my breathing became shallow and after getting into oxygen debt I couldn't recover. Today I was able to keep my breathing deep and in control, and so was able to run faster and longer. Afterwards 4 sets of strength exercises, and stretching. During the 40 minute walk home my hands went numb because my gloves were soaked, my jacket had a plate of ice stuck to it, and I slipped at least 10 times, but somehow managed not to fall.

I am getting stronger week by week. I feel I have accumulated enough fitness and strength to at least give a hard effort at the X-country race next Saturday. I am looking forward to it. 

Weather - 55 degrees, cloudy, windy, rain. Felt good on my long rain today, and I got lucky with a sudden change of temperature - yesterday was running in ice, today I was soaked in warm rain. Ran first 7 miles at a steady, energetic pace, and then picked it up for the last 3 miles, running at threshold pace. Legs and lungs felt strong, and it feels good to actually break into double digits for a run. Afterwards 4 sets of strength exercises, stretching, and 10 minute walk home. 

Weather - 25 degrees, sunny, somewhat windy. An easy 4 miles today. With the race this Saturday I am trying to plan out a way to train this week which will optimize my performance. This past year I always took two consecutive zero days before a race, which allowed me to feel fresh and energetic on race day. However, since starting my running journal I find myself interested in trying to run consecutive days without break. I need to discover what mileage I should run on the Thursday and Friday before a race. I plan on running hard on Wednesday, so definitely easy on the next two, but how much mileage? I am thinking 4 on Thursday and 2 on Friday. 

Weather - 28 degrees, cloudy, not much wind. Ran to Busey Woods and did my favorite workout - running the loop trail with hard 800 followed by easy 400, repeated until exhaustion. I struggled with my breathing again, it seems to happen more often when it is below 30 degrees. When I ran 10 miles on Sunday in 55 degree sunlight I felt relaxed with deep, easy breathing. Today I was able to keep my breathing deep, but I sounded like a freight train, I needed every particle of inhaled air to keep up the hard pace. I guess I am one of those runners who can't excel in the cold. If I struggle in Saturday's 5 mile race with my breath, I probably won't meet my target time of 37 minutes, but that is fine, the whole point of running for me is the effort expended - if I can follow Steve Jone's words, then I know I am doing the best I can - “If I am still standing at the end of the race, hit me with a board and knock me down, because that means I didn't run hard enough”

After todays run I did 4 sets of strength exercises, followed by a 40 minute walk home. 

Weather - all over the place! When I left my house a sweeping mass of snow was falling, a strong wind creating a horizontal wall of white to poke through as I ran along the icy streets.  When I reached the arboretum I glanced up at the hill and felt it beckoning - "you want to learn about life, about yourself ? - challenge me if you dare" it seemed to be thinking. It was a pyramid of white with a heavy, glowing gray sky above it, a pale sulpher sun hidden by clouds that wrapped around it as if it were a swollen tooth. I began doing 150m hill repeats, hard sprints up followed by a walk down for a full recovery. The 15-20mph wind was directly in my face as I sprinted up the hill. I powered my legs, lifted my knees, swung my arms - and was beaten down like a rag doll each time I attempted to ascend this white chunk of power. At about the 5th repeat the clouds unfurled, the sun shown, and blue skies blitzed the snow and I watched it melt along the pathways around the hill. I somehow managed 10 repeats, then ran 3 easy miles around the arboretum and to Carle Park, where I did 3 sets of strength exercises, stretched, and 20 minute walk home. 

Weather - 29 degrees, not much wind, gray sky. 3 easy miles, felt ok, although I had a bit of asthma towards the end of the run. This past week my right achilles tendon has been a bit stiff upon waking in the morning. It feels better after a few minutes of walking around. I will plan to do some easy running next week, and will try not to increase my mileage, I am probably doing too much too soon.    

Weather - 31 degrees, cloudy, no wind. It felt good to run 3 easy miles without wind. Tomorrow is Da Deer Run 5 mile X-country race. It snowed about 3 inches last night, so it looks like the race will be run on snow. I have never run a race on snow, or for that matter, in the winter. Those two reasons joined together with my state of in-between fitness means I have no idea how I will fare. Last summer in the days leading up to a race I would imagine myself running a fast training run, and I would transfer that pace to an imaginary race - seeing myself running the course, plotting my pacing strategy, and kicking it hard the last mile. I was surprisingly accurate in my guesses of actual race times. For the 7.5 mile Lake Run in May, 2007, I thought it would be possible to average 7:00 minute miles for the race, and that is what I hit. But I don't have any real feel for tomorrow, so I won't even bother thinking about the 37 minute target time I would like to achieve. When I imagine running the race I see myself struggling with my lungs, and having to slow down, slow down. Not a good race image, but a lot of my training has been going that way, so there is no reason to think it will change for the race. Regardless, I am looking forward to having a fun time knocking myself out running through the winter woods!

Weather - 19 degrees, cloudy, windy. I woke this morning feeling well rested and excited about the race. When I began my drive to Bloomington it was 29 degrees, which seemed pleasant enough. I noticed that every 5 miles traveled on the highway the temperature dropped 1 degree, so that when I arrived at the race site it was 19 degrees. After registering I ran 2 easy miles on the plowed asphalt roads that circled the park. My legs felt refreshed and strong, and my lungs were close to full breathing capacity. As I stretched I gazed out at the course, it was covered in 1-2 inches of snow/ice, and I did not want to think about what that would mean. Standing at the start line with 115 runners I placed myself at the middle of the group. When the starter blew his whistle I tried to get into a comfortable pace, and tucked in behind a group of runners after passing 9-10 people in the first 400 meters. The first mile was uneventful, although some of it was into the wind, and since I was not thoroughly warm yet my face stung from the cold. We had to cross 4 knee high hurdles during the first mile. I noticed some of the runners were able to cross these without breaking stride, one foot landing atop the bar and then pushing forward. I did not trust my balance, and so I slowed down for each and used two hands to push myself over. I did not make any moves or surges during this part of the race and I think I was passed by 1 runner. The course consisted of a number of small ascents and descents, and many sharp turns, which required the use of caution to avoid slipping. When I crossed the 1 mile marker an 8:30 split was called out. I realized my pace was too comfortable, and I started to push harder. I passed 5 or 6 people within the next 400 meters, but I soon realized the difficulty of moving at a quicker pace. It seemed impossible to get firm footing, with each step I did not know if either of my feet were going to curl inwards, splay outwards, or land flat. After securing itself on the ground, the foot would then push off on a base layer of ice. This caused me to expend more energy than normal, and I could feel myself begin to tire. When I reached the 2 mile marker a 15:02 split was called, and I knew something was wrong, as I could not have run a 6:30 mile, so I guessed that the first mile was marked long. At about 2 3/4 mile I felt a burst of energy and made a fast surge, passing 3-4 people in quick succession. I then could see nobody ahead of me, and I realized I was going to have to lead a pack of runners for the final two miles, which did not seem appealing. I usually surge strong until reaching the next group, but because I could not find one I had to decide when to slow down. That decision was made easy for me when I passed the 3 mile marker. I was cutting a sharp left turn on a descent and when my left foot pushed off the ice it lost its balance and I fell on my left knee, both hands on the ground, my right leg flat on the snow. I was momentarily stunned, because I had never before fallen while running. After being down for 2-3 seconds, I got up as quickly as I could, and tried to regain the previous pace, which I could not do. An image of Lasse Viren falling in the 10000 meter '72 Olympics flashed into my brain landscape. I slowed down a bit, and I waited for the runners behind me to catch up. I thought this might be a good thing, because running alone on the windswept course was probably not the best strategy. One runner was gaining on me, and I could feel myself getting tense, wondering how I was going to fare during the final mile and a half. The best thought of the race occurred at this point. I told myself to relax, to feel this as it was - a run through the winter woods. I became more aware of the outer surroundings, leaving my inner anguish to itself. My stride grew longer, easier, and my breath grew deeper. I may have even smiled a bit. When I reached the 4 mile mark no runners had yet caught me, I was still alone, and I was gaining on someone up ahead. About 1000 meters to go I was passed by a runner who was hitting it hard, and I wished I could have challenged him, but I knew I did not have a 1000meter surge left in the tank. I put my head down and tried to gut it out. With 400 meters to go I caught the runner I was chasing and he moved aside to let me pass. However, just at this moment I died, and could not pass. He turned and looked at me, saw that I was struggling, and he picked up his pace. We ran stride for stride, crossing 3 more hurdles together. I noticed someone was gaining on the two of us, and if I did not do something soon, I knew I would be passed yet again. With 100 meters to go I saw the finish chute and I instinctively kicked hard. I felt elated to have found an extra gear or two, and I left the runner beside me and crossed in 39 minutes even, 4 seconds ahead of him. I realize that a 7:52 pace is quite slow, but I need to remember that I am currently not in race shape, and with the course conditions being what they were, I am pleased with my effort. After the race I ran a 1 mile cool down, ate a banana and a Cliff bar, and drank some water. When I returned the rental car in Urbana it was 31 degrees and raining. Being 3 miles from home, I decided to run 2 miles to Carle Park instead of walking in the rain, so I was able to accumulate some additional mileage. When I reached the park I did 3 sets of strength exercises, stretched again, and walked 20 minutes home. I wish all days could be like this one.

Weather - 31 degrees, cloudy, raining ice, not much wind. Ran in another ice storm today, waited until the rain was just mist, then plodded along carefully on the slippery roads. Ran an easy 4 miles, then did 3 sets of strength exercises, and 40 minute walk home. After 4 consecutive weeks of increased mileage (29, 36, 40, 44) and intensity, this week is a planned easy week - no speed, nothing long, just short and easy, allowing my body to recover from the previous months tension. I am holding up to the strain of running daily, I am currently at 23 straight days. I have never done consecutive running before, usually it was 5 days on, 2 off. The next planned race is the Siberian Express 7.5 mile trail race at Kickapoo State Park in early January. That race will hopefully keep me motivated to continue training hard during this dark, dreary, cold and wet month.

Weather - 32 degrees, cloudy, no wind. An easy 4 miles today at the arboretum. Most of the run was slogged in snow/ice, and I realized it is similar to running in sand. When I got onto the street for the final 600 meters it seemed a relief to be on a surface which allows one to push off with secure footing. I think running in snow will make my legs stronger, if I can avoid injury. Afterwards 3 sets of strength exercises and 20 minute walk home. 

Weather - 35 degrees, cloudy, rain, no wind. Found a time to slip out for a run while the rain had stopped, and ran an easy 4 miles to Crystal Lake Park and back. The ice was dripping from the tree limbs, and the roads had finally cleared of slick spots. It was a quick session, as I did not bother with the strength exercises today -  since this is an easy week I might as well make it as easy as possible. I can feel my body recovering from the past months work, legs are feeling stronger and my achillies is not too sore when I wake up. A few more days of 4 mile runs should get me ready for another bout of fitness improvement.

Weather - 33 degrees, sunny. Ran 1 mile to Brookens Gym and did 6 sets of strength exercises and stretching. Then ran 3 more miles around the basketball court. I was tired of running in the cold, so it was a nice change to sweat indoors. 

Weather - 32 degrees, cloudy, a bit of wind. I had no motivation to run today, but I am learning that the good thing about keeping a running calendar is the momentum one can build as each day is marked off with a run. After 25 consecutive days of mileage I did not want to see a zero, so I ended up getting my 4 miles in today.

Weather - 32 degrees, cloudy. Was feeling energetic and considered doing a hard session, probably fartlek around the golf course, but I thought it would be better if I finished out the week with easy runs, so I sat in the house until late afternoon, waiting for my energy to wane. When I finally went outdoors for the run I was feeling a bit more tired than in the morning, and this helped me to run an easy 4 miles. Tomorrow will be the final day of the week for easy runs. 

Weather - 30 degrees, cloudy, snowing. A bit of snow on the ground, so I ran 1 mile to Brookens Gym at 6:30am. After doing 6 sets of strength exercises and stretching I ran 3 easy miles around the basketball court. Usually running in short circles is a tiresome way to run, but today I was in a sort of Zen mode, I didn't even realize I was running, it seemed as natural as a leisurely walk. The 3 miles were over quickly, thus ending my week of daily 4 mile easy runs. My body feels good, and I feel as if I have gained in fitness. Since there are still 3 months of cold weather left in the season, I am going to try to have a higher percentage of easier runs than has been my practice in the past. It seems to be a better and safer way to train for the winter season. 

Weather - 19 degrees, sunny, very windy. Snowstorm yesterday evening, when I got up this morning 4-5 inches were on the ground. The temperature with the wind was intimidating, so I wore 4 shirts, 2 jackets, 2 pairs of socks, heavy gloves, hat and face mask. I ran 1.5 miles to Crystal Lake Park on semi-plowed streets, which were thick with ice. When I got to the park and Busey Woods I began to trudge through the fresh snow, which made me feel as if each step taken was a sort of weight lifting exercise for the legs. I was hoping to run 7 miles but after 57 minutes I stopped, knowing I had worked hard enough (I am guessing I went about 6 "easy" miles). I did a few sets of strength exercises and then walked home, which took a little over an hour (compared to the normal 40 minutes). When I got home I felt more exhausted than usual, and I attributed this to the severity of the snow run. But now I am feeling feverish, and with a bit of an upset stomach, which could mean a bout of food poisoning. Since becoming a vegetarian 10 years ago I have had only 1 fever, and that was due to eating leftover chili-mac which had sat in the fridge one day too long. When I was a meat eater I would get severe cases of vomiting and fever 2-3 times a year. So, I am trying to figure out what I ate which could be the culprit. I had homemade pumpkin curry soup yesterday and this afternoon, maybe the pumpkin was bad? Or is it a case of the so-called "flu"?

Either way, I am hoping to run tomorrow, even if it is only a mile. I am embarrassed to say that I may be becoming one of those runners who refuses to take a zero on the calander. When I read of those people in the past (e.g., Mark Wetmore of University of Colorado, who refused to have foot surgery because it would force him to miss 1 day of running), I thought of them as having fallen into the trap of being enslaved to the running calender. Maybe that is still true, and I am slowly allowing the noose of numbers to dominate my running philosophy. But, having now accumulated 30 consecutive days, the momentum is building, and I would hate to see it reversed.

Weather - 21 degrees, sunny, not much wind. Still a lot of snow on the ground, which I was hoping for, as I believe running in snow is one way to improve strength and speed. I woke up this morning with the fever gone, and I was surprised that I felt back to normal so quickly. Whatever I had decided it wanted no part of me. Feeling invigorated I was looking forward to my run this morning. I began by running 3 easy miles to the country club. I was having a better go of plodding through the snow compared to yesterday, and when I got to the 7th fairway I took off on a fartlek workout. It felt good to run hard again, it has been 8 or 9 days since I pushed the needle to the red line. The snow on the golf course was untrod, so I was working hard to push through it. During the hard parts of the run I felt I was moving too slow, but the energy output was high, so I knew I was putting in the necessary effort. I was able to finish 9 fairways, which is my record thus far. Total time for the run was 71 minutes, so I am guessing I did at least 7.5 miles (My iPod does not calibrate accurately when I run in snow). Afterwards 3 sets of strength exercises, stretching, and 50 minute walk home.

My endurance is starting to get where it needs to be. I wore a lot of clothing today, not because of the cold so much, but rather adding 2 or 3 pounds to my body will force me to work harder, and maybe this will result in a fitness gain. I can't wait until spring when I can run in shorts and a singlet again.

Weather - 33 degrees, sunny, some wind. My calves have been sore from the past 2 days of snow running, but with another day of thick snow on the ground I did not want to miss an opportunity to train in it. I decided to repeat yesterdays training, so I ran to the country club and did fartlek. I imagined that I was running a 5k race, so I was trying to hit race pace on the fairways, and recovered with a slow jog between each. I was able to complete 10 fairways, which is the farthest I have gone thus far. Afterwards 3 sets of strength exercises, stretching, and 45 minute walk home. 

Weather - 30 degrees, sunny. Felt lousy today - upset stomach, fever, wobbly and dizzy. In the past I would not have run, but I thought it would be good to run an easy 4 miles if possible, so that I can continue to train my body for daily running, no matter the internal or external conditions. So I slogged around the neighborhood for 4 miles, and was happy to keep the daily running streak going. I am feeling a little better right now, am eating lots of kiwis and oranges. 

Weather - 36 degrees, cloudy, light rain/mist. Had to put in 8 hours at the park district today, so did my first run in the dark. Some of the snow had melted, but there was still 1-2 inches on the golf course, so visibility was excellent. I was feeling sick yesterday with a fever and upset stomach, but I had a quick recovery as my energy was good and the fever was gone, although my stomach was still giving me problems. When I started the run my legs felt as if they had recovered from the hard snow runs done earlier in the week, and they felt supercharged, and my lungs were loose and at full capacity, probably because of the warmer temperature. After running to Crystal Lake park I decided on another round of fartlek at the golf course, so I crossed into Busey Woods and then to the fairways. I wanted to practice my "surge" pace, so I imagined I was running a 7 mile race and when I reached a fairway I would make a surge and try to hold it until reaching the green. I would then slow to a little below race pace, then surge again upon reaching the next fairway. There was 1-2 inches of snow still on the ground, which was good for leg resistance, although not as tough as a few days ago when 4-5 inches was still present. I managed to complete 12 fairways, which surpassed my previous high amount by 2, so I am getting stronger. I felt I could have run more fairways, but I thought I would be overdoing it. I am finally beginning to feel fit, now I can really begin to work hard.

Weather - 38 degrees, cloudy. Nice day, warming up, snow melting, misty rain. Last year I inherited a coin collection from my aunt. I am just now getting around to looking at what I have. I was/am in a state of shock, because 2 days ago I found an 1894 P Morgan silver dollar in excellent condition. According to the little book that came with the collection, this is worth some serious Christmas cash. I had to work another longish day at the park district because everyone is taking days off.  When I got home at 4:00pm I decided to run over to the local coin dealer to see if the coin is a fake. The shop closes at 5:00pm, so I had to transform a planned easy run into a tempo/threshold session. I ran the 3 miles to the shop at about 7:30 pace for most of the way, took a breather here and there due to car traffic. I felt good, not sore from yesterdays fartlek, and my lungs were right there, holding onto the pace like a little girl refusing to let go of her toy wagon. The shop owner gave me awesome news - the coin is authentic, in A.U. condition. He offered me $1800 on the spot. I told him I would think about it, slipped the coin into my coat pocket, and ran an easy, joyous 2 miles back into Urbana.

Weather - 44 degrees, cloudy, with some misting. The warm air melted all the snow, which disappoints me, but I was happy to run in shorts again. This has been a great week of running for me, the past few days I have felt strong and fresh, which surprises me because I have not missed a day of running in over a month, I thought by now I would be yearning for a break, but I have reached the point where the daily run has become as necessary as eating and sleeping. Did my long run today, 12 miles, which is where I need to be for those types of runs. My plan when I started this journal was to work my way to 12 miles, and then to keep it there. I still want to remain with that idea, so I am not planning on running anything longer than 12 for a while. 

I think the 3 consecutive days of snow running brought a lot of strength to my legs and endurance. My body appears to respond favorably to a resistance-type workout. Now that the snow is gone, I need to find something else which creates resistance. Hills maybe, but I like the idea of the legs having to push through something. I have often wondered about ankle-weights, but I am not sure if that kind of training is safe.

Weather - 24 degrees, a stiff wind. Decided to run in the evening again, just to change things from the usual routine. Ran 5 easy miles, with the final mile being run at threshold pace. I tried to remain loose and give my mind the impression that I was running easy, even though my leg turnover was faster than easy pace. It seemed to work, I felt in control, and realized that marathoners who run consistent 5 minute miles must feel as if the pace is easy, not hard, otherwise I don't think they could handle that kind of stress for 2 hours. I had no ill effects following yesterdays 12 miler, no leg soreness or foot problems. Things are starting to shape up. 

Weather - indoors today. Ran 4 miles around the basketball court at Brookens Gym. Ran the final mile at a higher speed, yet tried to convince my mind that I was at easy pace. I am running at a more consistently fast pace than 4 weeks ago, so my fitness is becoming more robust. Afterwards 4 sets of strength exercises and stretching. 

Tomorrow I will run at Brookens Gym again, running in warmth is a nice change of pace.  

Weather - 42 degrees, sunny. Drove to Homer Lake and ran with my dog, an easy 5.5 miles around the muddy trails. The final mile I practiced running quicker, yet still tried to maintain a sense of ease. Not much hard running this week thus far, I think I will continue with the easy runs since last week was quite intense. 

The 7.5 mile trail race is less than 2 weeks away, it should be a fun one. 

Weather - 42 degrees, sunny. Decided to do a speed session today, so ran a 1.5 mile warm-up to the Urbana HS track and then did 12 x 200m repeats. I concentrated on running at 100% power/speed and at the same time tried to remain controlled and relaxed as if it was an easy pace. My legs felt strong and did not become wobbly, and my breathing remained surprisingly calm. I think I ran all 12 at the same pace, so my endurance held out. When I compare the 200m repeats I did in November I can see I have made some progress. After the repeats I ran an easy 2.75 miles and then did 4 sets of strength exercises and stretching at Carle Park. 20 minute walk home.

Weather - 34 degrees, cloudy. Just an easy 4.5 miles today. My legs felt tight and a bit sore from yesterdays 200m repeat session. Not too sore, though, just enough to let me know that I pushed hard and made some progress. Will do another easy run tomorrow to allow recovery. Saturday I will do some fartlek at the golf course, and Sunday Melinda and I are planning to run the 11 mile loop at Clinton Lake.

Weather - 33 degrees, cloudy. Ran 4.5 easy miles around the university campus.

Weather - 29 degrees, cloudy. Was planning to do a fartlek run today at the golf course, but I did not get much sleep yesterday, and I consequently felt like crap today. So I decided on an easy 4 miles. Tomorrow an 11 mile trail run at Clinton Lake with Melinda. 

Weather - 33 degrees, cloudy. Rode to Clinton Lake with Melinda this morning. We ran the 11 mile trail loop which circles the lake. It was my first time running there - lots of short steep hills to traverse, and sharp curves along single track trail - very beautiful and enjoyable run. There was a bit of mud, but it was not a hindrance. We ran the first 8 miles at a conversational pace, then I decided to speed up to threshold pace for the final 3 miles, which I was able to maintain without my legs getting too tired. 

Weather - 29 degrees, cloudy. Was planning to run 4-5 easy miles, but ended up with 7. I was moving along comfortably and by the time I reached Brookens gym I had covered 7 miles. Once at the gym I did 6 sets of strength exercises and stretching, then walked 15 minutes home.