Active this week

Wednesday: Weight 217. 7miles (36:20 out, 36:11 back, 1:12:31 total, 10:23 pace per mile).  Objective of the run was to keep a consistent pace throughout non stop.  I did not hydrate during this run.  Felt a little sore afterwards in the left hip/groin area…not sure why.  Rested on Thursday and took an Advil…feel much better today.  Anyway, that is 12 miles so far this week. Will do 3 more today, and hopefully find 3 hours of time to fit 13 – 16 miles in…will be hard to find time since I will be traveling to ATL at 5am Sunday morning…I also have to see what happens with the hip (need new shoes?)…we will see.

Great 5 mile Run in 43:59

Weight 217: Set a new PR in 5 mile timed trial…43:59 (8:48 pace, 22:47 out, 21:12 back). Cool day (hi 60s, little windy). Here is the mile by mile breakdown…9:32, 9:05, 9:03, 9:00, 8:19. the objective of the run was to run an even 45:00 (9:00 pace). After the 9:32 mile to get started, I got a little worried, so I picked up the pace a little, and maintained that pace until the last mile where I picked it up some more. I feel best when I run like this…start slowly, and then pickup speed gradually until I am near sprinting at the end (last half mile was in 3:20 !!). Okay, so what does this prove? Well, according to the formula at http://runningforfitness.org/calc/rp.php?metres=8045&hr=0&min=43&sec=59&age=35&gender=M&Submit=Calculate I have the ability to do a 4:15:00 marathon, which is right about where I would like to be. So, I have the speed. Now I need the strength and endurance. So that means hill workouts for strength, and increasing long runs for endurance. Will throw more timed trials in on alternating weeks with long runs to make sure I maintain speed ability.

Okay, so i didn't do the running afterall...i did mow though (doesn't that count for something)? anyway, I will run either tomorrow or Monday for 5 to 7 miles. Want to end the week next week with a 16 mile run to Birdneck

51 days to Marine Corp Marathon.
Weight 218. I have not run at all since half marathon. Feel a little...off. Anyway, I will mow today (4 miles power walking) and then run 4 or so tomorrow. Sunday will be a run of 7 miles or so. object of that run will be to maintain a sub- 10 min pace (34 min out, 34 min back). Now, strategy for marathon...if you take my current time for a 1 mile run (7:15) and plug it into http://www.runningforfitness.org/calc/rp.php?metres=1609&hr=&min=7&sec=15&age=35&gender=M&Submit=Calculate I am theorhetically capable of a 3:51:00 marathon. However, plug my half marathon time rounded up to 2:17:00, http://www.runningforfitness.org/calc/rp.php?metres=21100&hr=2&min=17&sec=0&age=35&gender=M&Submit=Calculate and I am capable of a 4:46... Well, it is time for me to set a time and train accordingly...so I am going to split the difference between the two extremes and aim for 4:20. So my speedwork and hill work will be done with that pace (9:55 per mile). Wow.

Did half Marathon in 2:16:49...okay, so it isn't 2:00, and it isn't my PR for a half marathon (2:11:34 Norfolk half, February 2005)...but it is the best I have ever done in this event, or at this distance during any summer. My previous best performance in this event was 2:29 in 2003.

Hotel running again...ran 6 miles on the treadmill. Felt okay, but i now realize that I definitly prefer running on the road. Anyway, half marathon is in 9 days...I was hoping to break 2:00, however, I do not think that i am conditioned to do that...realistically, I can probably do 2:24 (11 minute pace)

In a hotel again

It seems I have been traveling quite a bit recently.   Anyway, did a little over 5 miles today on a treadmill set at 1% incline;  2 miles steady pace of 9:30 per mile, then quarter mile intervals ranging from 9:00 down to 8:00 pace (alternating with 2 minute recovery walks).  Finished up with a sprint of .10 miles at 5:00 minute pace (12 mph!).  So what was the purpose of all this?  Well interval training on a treadmill helps me with my pace awareness.  It also raises my lactate threshold.   The sprint at the end was liberating because I proved to myself that I still have a little speed left in my legs…

Good activity this week so far

Wednesday: 5 miles, 46:45; 23:30 out and 23:15 back; first mile in 9:38, last mile in 9:22. Nice balanced run. Objective was to do an even paced run with no sprint at the end. Weight before 218.5 weight after 216.5. I lost 2 pounds of water.

Later Wednesday: 1hr 15min power walking, I guess about 4 miles…lost another 2 pounds of water…need to re-hydrate. Hope to do 6 or 7 miles running on Friday.

Monday: 3 miles 28:23; 13:10 out and 15:13 back. Went out too fast, and bonked on the way back…ended up walking for some of it….not a balanced run at all.

did some activity this week

Okay…ran 3 miles on Monday night…felt good right after that, but Tuesday morning felt very sore…was sore for 2 days…I think running 13 on Sunday AND doing 3 on Monday (16 miles in 2 days) was a bit much…but I did say I wanted to shock my system back into activity.  Anyway, I finally felt ok to do 3 today (on treadmill in ATL).  Maybe 3 tomorrow morning?  We'll see

I'm Hurting

Weight 219. Ran 13 miles today...out and back (1:12, 1:16, total 2:28). Of course I havent run in about 3 weeks so it was ill advised for me to just get up and run 13...but I had to do it...I figure i can "shock" my system into preparation...sounds stupid right? It probably is stupid. Anyway, I will try to do some light jogging tomorrow for 2 miles, not for time, but just to loosen up my legs.

14 training weeks until MCM

Weight 220: Ran 3 miles 15:10 out, 14:00 back, 29:10 total.  Just an easy run.  I notice that my weight loss has reached a plateau.  It is time for some variation.  Starting this week, and continue for 4 weeks, I will be doing more hills.  Will do hills tomorrow, assuming no rain (with lightning).  If there is rain, then I will work the quads using squats, and stair steps.  Also will do calf raises.  Objective is to strengthen legs, in preparation for hilly terrain on MCM route.

Ugly run yesterday

Ran 3 miles…14:44 out and 14:30 back for a total of 29:14.  The purpose was to run a nice even easy pace, just to help recondition my legs for running.  Well, The first mile and a half was okay, but I found myself laboring for the last mile and a half…all this was at a pace which should be moderately slow for me at this distance.  In fact my legs are still sore today…am I that out of shape? The temperature was probably in the mid 70s and it was humid…

Back from Vacation

Have been away since Wednesday last week.  I ran about 2 miles and did circuit weight training on Saturday at the hotel...not the training required by my schedule, but definitely better than doing nothing.  Need to ramp up this week again (hopefully remain injury free)...16 weeks to marathon...15 training weeks...

Feel A little sore today

Weight 219:  Ran the Independencw Day 8K in 47:54...it was hot, and I stopped 3 times for water breaks...then I went home and mowed for 2 hours. Anyway, I intend to run tomorrow...I am supposed to start hill training this week.