10 miles in 1:53:56

Weight 230. 10 Miles out and back (out in 57:00 back in 56:36).

My weight is moving in the wrong direction, so I need to make a change somehow. My desire is to be about 210 for the marathon so I need to lose 20 pounds over the next 12 weeks. This is certainly a reasonable and
respectable rate of loss...I just need to commit to it and do it. Besides,
aside from the marathon, I have a life to live... Anyway, m legs got cramped after the second mile...M waited for me at the turnaround point....my legs felt better on the way back

Sunday long run

Sunday @7

My place

8 – 10 miles

 

(8 miles on my plan, 10 miles on Larry’s plan)

5 miles in 51:06

5 miles out and back (out in 25:04, back in 26:02, total 51:06).
Mile splits (9:47, 10:22, 9:53, 10:55, 10:09); Pace 10:13 min/mile 5.87 mph
No stops, no hydration
Next run Friday 3 miles…goal 28:30

This was a disappointing run. This was supposed to be a timed trial with a goal of 47:30 or so, but I fell far short. The weather was perfect, and I had a decent first mile, but there was no “juice” in my legs after the second mile…I got winded pretty early and had to gut it out for the other 3 miles. Mile #4 in 10:55 was particularly slow. Oh well, at least I got the run finished.

7 miles in 1:10:58

Weight 228. 7 miles out and back (out in 35:38, back in 35:20, total 1:10:58).

Mile splits (10:00, 9:58, 10:29, 10:13, 10:00, 10:27, 9:51); Pace 10:08 min/mile 5.92 mph

No stops, no hydration (225 lbs after run – 3lb water weight loss)

Next run Wednesday 5 miles.

 

Well, I didn’t run on Sunday with the group…I couldn’t get up because I had a late night Saturday…I just can’t run on 3 hours of sleep anymore like I used to.  However, I made up for it with a nice even run this morning.  Weather was upper 30s, so I had on 2 upper layers, gloves, skully, and shorts.  Felt good, but got a little tired for the last 2 miles.   Not a bad outing today.  Weight loss was slightly disappointing, however, I did eat quite a bit this week.

3 cold miles in 30:15

Goal was just to get back into swing of things…nice easygoing pace. Next run on Sunday, 7 miles.

 

BRRRRR!  I have found that breaking down mental barriers is just as important as surpassing physical limitations if I want to improve my running.  So, when I woke up this morning, and the weather people said mid 20s and windy (with gusts to 35) and wind chill in the teens, a part (the sensible part at that) of me said “Screw this! No running today, go back to bed!”  But the animal in me said…”Oh yeah, bring it on…wind chill in the teens is nothing…wear shorts!”  So I did it.  A West Indian man ran in shorts on a cold windy (with wind chill down to 14) morning in Virginia.  Let me tell you, there is NOTHING that will wake you up more than a cold run!  (well except maybe a cold and WET run).  Let’s just say, however, that there were certain extremities that wanted to stay asleep…

 

I think I am ready to sign up for the bobsled team.

3 miles in 31:08

Nice even run; just getting back into the groove. The plan for the next few runs is just to get my legs back. So although I am keeping time, I am not really going after any specific time goals for now...2 weeks from now is a different matter. It would be good to be like LM and do a 7 miler in about an hour, but I'm a long way from that. Next run is Friday.

Starting Over: 15 weeks until Shamrock

Weight 229. Well, I ran (if you can call it that) about 5 miles on Sunday.  I was huffing and puffing the whole way…it was ugly and it felt bad…but I have the bug again, and will be increasing my running as a result…Shamrock Marathon 2007 is in 15 weeks and I am WAAAAY out of shape…but I will be ready at the starting line.  My goal this time is 4:30, which would be a 45 min improvement over Shamrock Marathon 2006…challenging but possible if I remain dedicated and injury-free.

 

I will be doing more cross training and pace development this training cycle…let me know if you want to see my training plan…

 

Have a good day, and happy running/cycling/hiking/walking.

Ugly 8.2 miles in 1:36:13

Wow…8 miles in 1:36:13.  Not good, in fact very bad run for me…I should be able to do this in about 1:20…I started out okay, but burned out after mile 3…did a lot of walking for miles 5 – 8.2. The weather wasn’t so bad, just a little humid.  I did not have the conditioning to run the thing the whole way…at this rate, my half marathon will not be as good as I would like…

Not prepared for 2:00

Weight 218. I figure 2:10 best case for Rock and Roll half marathon in 2
weeks. Why? Well, I have been travelling for the past 3 weeks, and I have
allowed this to derail my training...I only did 4 miles here and there on
treadmills in hotel gyms. I did try to do some speed intervals on these
treadmills, and my speed is intact, but my endurance is definitely not where
it should be. I did 13 miles on Sunday, and I hurt for 2 days afterwards.
I intend to do another long run (10 miles or so) between now and race day.

Haven't "blogged" in a while

It has been about 5 weeks or so since I last wrote.  In that time I have done 8.2 miles every Sunday, and a couple 3 mile runs here and there.  I played soccer a couple weeks ago and I think I hurt my right knee…it hurts when I go up and down stairs.  Anyway, I have the July 4 8k tomorrow…I was hoping to be able to do 42 or so, but my current conditioning will only allow me to do 46 at best…at least that is what I think.

The Rock and Roll Half Marathon is 9 weeks away…I have a lot of work to do if I expect to break 2 hours.  The condition of my knee(s) will determine how much I can push it though…

6 hill repeats

Ran up trashmore times with 3 minutes jog/walk in between. I felt the burn and it was a good workout...Maybe when I do these next week, I will try to increase the number of hill charges and lessen the time between reps.

8 miles in 1:31:22

Did 8.2 miles in 1:31:22. The goal was just to cover the distance without worrying too much about time. No run analysis.

5 miles in 54:12

5 in 54:12. Not a good run at all. Started okay, but fizzled in the end. 24:12 out, but 30:00 back. Weather wasn't so bad in the 70s, but it was humid and I did not take any water. Just an off day I guess.

5 miles in 44:48

5 miles in 44:48, which is my fastest 5 miles this year. My PR is 43:something done in November 2005. The weather was perfect with mid 60s and light winds.
Run Analysis: out in 22:53, back in 21:55, mile by mile (9:25, 9:18, 9:03, 9:06, 8:58); Average pace 8:58 min per mile, 6.7 mph.

3 miles in 25:28

3 miles in 25:28.  This is my fastest time in this distance so far this year.  I did 24:30 on November 11 last year. Well, at least I broke 26:00, which is something I have been trying to do all year so far, and just was not able to.  Weather was cool with some wind gusts.

Run Analysis:

3 miles in 25:28, out in 13:02 and back in 12:26; average pace 8:29 min/mile (7.07 mph) Mile by mile (8:36, 8:46, 8:07).

10K in 57:58

Weight 220: Finish the Chesapeake Bay 10K in 57:58. This isn’t too bad, since it translates to a 9:21 min/mile pace. The weather started nice and cool at am race time, but it got warm very soon after that. I ran through the rest-stops covering the first mile in 9:45, second mile in 19:05 (9:20 min pare-,and 5k in 29:33.

3 miles in 27:29

3 miles out in 13:23 and back in 14:06, last mile in 8:06.  The purpose of the run was just to do some speed intervals with slow jogging breaks in between. Weather was good in the low seventies, light breeze.  My legs felt a little sore at first, but after I got into it, my legs felt better.  Feeling good now.  10K race on Saturday in the Ocean view area…hmmm…maybe I will do a couple miles of power walking before then…just to keep the legs active…

 

7 miles in 1:06:12

Weight 220.5, 7 miles in 1:06:12. Felt good, although weather was a little chilly in the 50s with20 mph gusts. Ran with Larry and Jennifer and Robert. Larry led the pace the whole way and finished strong in 1:03:something. I tried to keep up with him but I couldn't. He ran strong today. I felt okay...very slight cramping on right leg...but her was just a much better runner.
Run Analysis:
7 Miles out in 33:13 and back in 32:59. Mile by mile (9:48, 9:23, 9:37, 9;25, 9:37, 9:13, 9:08), average pace was 9:27 per/min at 6.34 mph)
Next run will be Tuesday... 3 mile easy pace.

8.2 miles in 1:21:00

On Sunday did 8.2 miles in 1:21:00.  Had planned on stopping 3 times (miles 2, 4, and 6) but ended up stopping 3 extra times especially on the way back.  Once again my conditioning or lack thereof led to a slightly disappointing performance.  I was hoping for 1:18:00 or so…In fact according to the time predictor at http://www.runningforfitness.org/calc/rp.php?metres=13193.8&hr=1&min=21&sec=0&age=36&gender=M&Submit=Calculate this time extrapolates to a half marathon in 2:13, and 5 miles in 48:13…I am faster than that.

Run Analysis:

out in 40:13 and back in 40:47, speed (9:53 min/mile, 6:07 mph)), mile by mile (10:13, 9:25, 10:06, 9:16, 9:31, 10:29, 10:25, 9:55, and last 0.2 miles in 1:40)

3 miles in 26:26

3 miles in 26:26. Not such a great time, and I was actually trying for 26.
Weather was nice in the 60s, but I must have started too fast because I was
winded after the second mile mark. I am definitely out of shape. So what
now? Do some cross training on my non runnning days, and actually run
according to plan.
Run Analysis: out in 13:03 and back in 13:23; mile by mile (8:44, 8:42,
9:00); average pace (8:49 min/mile, 6.81 mph)

7 miles in 1:07:33

Weight 221: 7 miles in 1:07:33. I ran with Larry and Bryce.  My PR was 1:05:44 done last year.  I was aiming for a sub 1:09:00 time so I made it.  The pace and speed (9:39 per mile at 6.22 mph) are not bad, considering I felt quite comfortable running this pace…it felt good.   I not tired after this, and my legs (especially my knees) felt good.  The weather was good (60s) and there was a light wind. 

Run breakdown: out and back course, out in 33:50, back in 33:43. Mile by mile (10:26, 9:19, 9:23, 10:07, 9:30, 10:15, 8:33). Last half mile in 3:57.  

 

5 miles in 45:43

Weight 222: 5 miles in 45:43. My PR was 43:44 done last year.  I was aiming for a sub 46:00 time so I made it.  The pace and speed (9:09 per mile at 6.56 mph) are exactly what I need to maintain in order to make a 2 hour half marathon.  I must say that I was very tired after this effort.  The weather was good at 55 degrees, and I was running against wind gusts of 20 on the way back. 

Run breakdown: out and back course, out in 23:29, back in 22:14. Mile by mile (9:36, 9:34, 8:47, 8:53, 8:53). Last half mile in 3:53.  

3 miles 26:34

Weight 222.5.  3 miles, 26:34, out in 12:55 back in 13:39. Mile by mile 8:26, 9:07, 9:01.  50 degrees, slight headwind.  I was disappointed; I was aiming for a sub-25 performance, but I just didn’t have the juice.  I put my iRiver MP3 player on my fast song and ran a high cadence (first half mile in 4:03), but I started to feel it before the first mile marker and while my cadence remained high, my stride length diminished.  Next run will be 5 miles easy tomorrow…aiming for 48 mins or so…

 

Race Report

5:15 marathon!  Okay, so I did not break the 5hr barrier but I did beat my previous marathon finish by nearly 20 minutes!  Larry did 4:55, and this was his first marathon.  Everyone else in the group (Glen, Maricruz, Randy, Fred, Steph) did half marathon…Steph finished in 1:41…wow that is fast.

 

It was windy and cold.  The marathon started on 40^th and went 6 miles south to Oceana blvd, so the wind was behind for the first 10K or so.  Then we turned around and WHHOOOSSSHHHH  we ran against the wind for the next 13 miles.  My IT band in my left leg gave out at mile 16, so I did a lot of walking from that point on…however, there were periods of about 5 to 6 minutes where I could run followed by 1 minute or 2 of walking.  I finished the race with a very strong sprint for the last 400 yards or so.

 

Next event is Chesapeake Bay 10K.  My official PR is 59:51 (Elizabeth River 2003), I figure my PR is probably 57 or so as I was finished a 7 miler in 65 minutes.   My goal her is to do 9 minute miles.  So what is that 55:48?  Yeah…55:48. is the goal.

Getting Ready

I Ran 3 miles today in 31:00. Purpose was just to get legs used to marathon running pace. Hopefully I can break the 5 hr “barrier” this time around, although I have not trained enough. I am a smarter person this time around though so I won’t be pushing to hard at the start

1 week before Marathon

I’ve been running a little.  13 miles on Sun 03/05 in2:24:00;  3 miles on Fri 03/10 in 27:07; 8.2 miles on Sun 03/12 in 1:22:39.  I plan on doing 3 miles on Tue 03/14 and another 3 on Thu.  Both of these run will be at expected marathon pace…so I am aiming for 32:00, which is 10:40 mile pace.  If we (Larry and I) can maintain that pace throughout the marathon we should be able to finish marathon in 5hrs or so.  I am going into this marathon a little bit smarter than I was for my first two.  No matter what, if I am behind pace because of overcrowding, I will still maintain slow pace until crowd thins out a bit.

 

 

Ran 3 miles on Wednesday...

3 Miles on Wednesday. Was supposed to do 5 - 7 today but didn't make it. I may do it tomorrow. I will be running 13 on Sunday, I guess I am trying to cram my mileage in before the Marathon.

Here are the upcoming events that I am looking at this year.

Shamrock Full (March 19)………..…..registered (Larry, I have a feeling that it is going to be cold and windy)

Virginia Duathlon (April 2)……………..Sorry Glenn and Fred…no can do.

Chesapeake Bay 10K (May 6)……….thinking about it Lisa

Independence Day 8K (July 4)………..not registered yet but definitely doing it

TC’s Buckner Farms Half (Aug 13)…..hey, it’s my run…gotta do it!! Rum Punch this year? Maybe J stay tuned!

Rock n Roll Half (September 3)……….registered

Neptune Festival 8K (September 30)….maybe

Richmond Full (November 11)………….ahhh….ummmm….I dunno…we’ll see. Any takers?

Any other events?

Oh yeah, Jennifer…Equi Kids 5k (June 10)….ahhh…maybe

Now about that Rock n’ Roll Half Marathon.

Jennifer, you and I have talked about breaking the 2:00 hr “barrier.”

Larry is all gung ho to do it (we did 2:04 in October on a 13 mile training run, add 1 more minute and that is a 2:05 half marathon!!).

Lisa, we did great together last year when we did 2:12 for Norfolk Half, and you are a faster runner now than you were then.

Randy, we talked about it when we were driving up to Marine Corp Marathon last year

So….LET’S DO IT! Let us commit to a time goal of 2:00 or better this year…we can train for it and do it!. I know with us living in different places we can’t always run together, but I figure we can meet once in a while at the trails and hammer out a few good miles together. Maybe we can do a couple runs after work since we all work in Norfolk…well…not Larry.

So what do you say?

Glenn and Mari, are you going for a time goal this year? You want to aim for 2:00? 6 months away…it is VERY possible.

Okay everyone, keep in touch.

3 mile timed trial...26:53

Weight: 225:  Mile by mile times…8:44, 9:05, 9:04. Out and back…13:19, 13:34. Did 24:30 on Nov 11, 2005.  Started out well, got winded at the turn around point, ended up walking for about 20 seconds after mile #2. Sprinted to the finish (last half mile in 3:42).  I am definitely not in my best shape, but if I can do some good runs over the next 30 days, along with some modifications to diet, it is realistic that I could lose 7 pounds or so.  So…let me go ahead and say it…March 11 is when I expect to weigh 218.

slowly getting back to shape?

Weight 221.  I have lost 2 pounds so far this year….slow, but progress nevertheless. I ran 5 miles on Friday 01/06, 5 miles on Friday 01/13, and 7miles (1:08:47on Tuesday 01/17.  My left knee feels a little sore.  I haven’t taken anything for it yet, but if it persists, then Advil here we come.          .

I have returned

Weight 223.  Well, I gained about 8 pounds of blubber between October 30 and now.  I surely did quite a lot of eating and not a lot 9if any) exercise.  I ran 3 miles on Tuesday 12/28 (Time 29:30 -- was sore for a few days since I hadn’t run in a while), 5 miles on Sunday 01/01 (Time 48:54 – no soreness, but I did need to stop twice to rest), and 3 miles today (time 28:37.  Feeling good.)  So far this year, I have signed up for the following

 

Norfolk Half Marathon………………………..Feb 4

Shamrock Full Marathon…………………….Mar 19

Virginia Beach Rock n Roll Half Marathon…Sep 3

 

I may sign up for Independence 8K in July

 

The marathon definitely has me worried…I am CLEARLY not ready for it. And 9 weeks is not long enough to do a lot of training.  I am not so worried about the half marathon, although it may be challenging to complete.