Friday, September 28, 2012

Festival of Races

Fri, 9/28--took the day off.  Tomorrow I will make my way to Colgate University with my son, who will be applying there.  After our visit we will head to Syracuse and meet up with my teammates.  Sunday is the 5K...Festival of Races.

Thurs, 9/27--Rain!  Lightning!  Thunder!  I made my way to the country club and met up with 20 other running enthusiasts.  Seeing the lightning in the distance and in the direction of our run, we decided to do the 7.9M in the opposite direction.  Despite having 2 minutes to stretch beforehand, I felt sluggish from the outset.  Making things worse was the lightning, which could be seen in front of us and off to either side.  Needless to say, I was off kilter.  By the time I got to the 3M mark, I had decided that I would peel off once we approached Henderson High School.  And I did...at the 3.8-3.85 mark (27:20); I had been averaging 7:06 pace.  The other guys were about 4-5 seconds ahead of me, so they scarcely noticed my re-route.  I made my way back to the country club, somewhat fearing for my life as the lightning spidered across the dark, loud sky. I was thankful to make it to my car and to be out of that mess.

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

incorporating Goose Creek

Wed, 9/26--Ran an easy 5.7M in 43:43, or 7:41 pace, at 6AM.  Did first leg of the 11.4/11.5M run incorporating Goose Creek.

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

all by my lonesome

Tuesday, 9/25--went to the track to meet the crazies.  Two choices: 3x2000 or 3x1600.  You know which I chose!  The former was for people planning to do 10K and up, I suppose.  I felt awfully tight and terribly sluggish.  I didn't feel that great making it through my 6:05, 6:00 and 5:55 all by my lonesome.

Monday, 9/24--easy 4.4M in 33:45.

Sunday, 9/23--Running short on time.  Took the day off.  Went to the Union game!  Hey--we won!

Saturday, September 22, 2012

I am indeed humbled

Saturday, 9/22--After I finished my work at the College, I returned home and decided to do a workout at Westtown.  It was a humid 84 degrees with a headwind.  I was noticeable sluggish but decided to work out anyway.  On tap was 10x400, with 70 seconds as the goal pace and 400 meter jog (around 3:00) as the recovery.  As soon as I began, I knew it would be a tough workout for me today.  I bent the rules, adjusted my expectations, and tried not to get down on myself. 

Run #1--72
Run #2--73
Run #3--73
Run #4--71
Run #5--70
I decided to venture into 200s at this point to get some confidence.
Run #6--32
Run #7--30
Run #8--32
Run #9--31
I transitioned back to the 400s.
Run #10--69
Run #11--70
Run #12--64

As it turned out, the 4 200s were substitutes for 2 400s. 

Friday, 9/21--Running a bit late, I ventured to the Y at 6AM for a running/lifting workout, alternating between the two using both the 16-lap-to-the-mile track and treadmill.  I decided not to do full miles.  Instead, I did 13 laps on the track (3) and .82 (2) on the treadmill.  The times ranged between 5:35 (first) and 5:20 (fif.th).  I ended with a half mile on the treadmill in 3:15.  And then I was off to my first board meeting weekend as a Swarthmore College trustee.  Who would have thought that I'd be so honored by my alma mater?  I am indeed humbled to have been appointed to serve and to be in the company of so many distinguished alums.

Thursday, September 20, 2012

Hope this is not a sign of what's to come.

9/20--Thurs.  Met up with 18 other crazies at 5:40 to do our same 'ole route.  7.9M regular.
28:40 at 4M mark (7:10)
56:20 (27:40) at 7.9M finish (7:06)

7:08 pace overall.

Tight hamstrings!  Hope this is not a sign of what's to come.

9/19--Wed.  6AM--Did 3 Rustin-plus loops for 6.6M.  48:45.
17:10
33:20 (16:10)
48:45 (15:25)

7:23 pace

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

hot mess of a workout

Tuesday, 9/17--the workout was 6x800 with a 200 jog in-between. It was a humid 75 degrees with 25+mph wind swirling on the backstretch. This made for a mess of a workout. I ran with Rachel.  I felt like I was working a little too hard for the measly 2:58, 2:56, 2:56, 2:56, 2:56, and 2:50. Terrible workout, just terrible. Found myself just jogging! Legs were sore and heavy. 

Monday, September 17, 2012

XC homework

Sunday, 9/16--DJ and I I did a repeat of last Sunday's workout, per his scheduled XC homework.  A fartlek was in store for us.  We began with a 6:00 min/.65 mi warm up, heading towards the NEW start of the Rustin XC course.  We did the standard 15sec-30sec-45sec-60sec with an equal amount of jog time in-between. We sustained this over 4.8 miles (NEW course), covering the distance in 32:42, 48 seconds faster than last week's effort. I figure our runs were at about 5:48 min pace and our jogs were at 7:50 min pace, for an overal pace of 6:49. We cooled down .6, for a total of 6.05 miles.  Both of us felt pretty good once again.

Saturday, September 15, 2012

a little different

Saturday, 9/15-

After going back and forth about my workout today, I decided to do something a little different: repeats around one of the practice fields (rugby) on the school grounds across from my house.  I'd warm up 1.25M, do 10x1 lap (320m on grass) in 60 sec, with a 1 lap/2 min jog between repeats.  My jogs wound up averaging between 2:05 and 2:10.  My runs were consistent: 59,60,60,60,59,60,60,60,60,52.  I cooled down 1.25M.  6.2M today.

Friday, September 14, 2012

I alternated

Friday, 9/14--Went to the Y. Like on Wednesday, I alternated between miles and lifting: 16 laps on the little track, lift, treadmill, lift, 16 laps, lift, treadmill, lift, 16 laps...HOME. The mile runs were: 6:55, 6:52, 6:36, 6:31,5:55. Each session of lifting was 2 minutes, giving me a 3-min break between each mile. Another easy, recovery day.


Thursday, September 13, 2012

I have to imagine

Thursday, 9/13--Borough run.  Arrived late today.  Here we go again.  I could see the crew at the top of the first hill as I turned into the parking lot to park.  Even though they were close to 25-thick, they were well out of sight as I got out of my car to begin the run.  I spent the first two miles catching up with them.  As I passed Betsy, she told me that the plan for the crew, which was still well ahead, was to do 45 second pick-ups--on 45 seconds, off 45 seconds.  I reached the group just in time for the pick-ups.  I wondered whether my legs would be okay for the pick-ups, given the pace I had to run to catch up with the group.  I was fine as it turned out.  The pick-ups were sooo doable.  I was shoulder to shoulder with Kevin.  Also in the group were the three Johns, Scott Burns, Steve, and someone else.  The pick-ups stopped two blocks shy of the turn towards Henderson HS.  Our jog didn't feel all that fast.  I reached the 4M mark (the "new" one, which is a bit after what I thought was the 4M mark) in 27:35; their watches likely read close to 29:00, given their head start. This means my overall pace for the 4 miles was in the neighborhood of 6:54.  We ran a comfortable pace for the remainder of the loop, and I ended in 57:15.  Sooo.
0-2.1M: regular running (I reached the tennis courts in 14:35)--6:57 pace
2.1M-3.85M: pick-ups (6x45sec) 14:35-26:20--6:47 pace
3.85M-7.9M: regular running 26:20-57:15--7:37 pace

Wednesday, 9/12--Went to the Y.  Alternated between miles and lifting: 16 laps on the little track, lift, treadmill, lift, 16 laps, lift, treadmill, lift, 16 laps...HOME. The mile runs were: 6:59, 6:56, 6:53, 6:53,6:35.  Each session of lifting was 3 minutes.  This easy, recovery day was good.

Tuesday, 9/11--Today at Henderson we did 5x1000 with a 200 meter jog-rest after each. I was pleased to run with the second groups today...perhaps to give myself a little confidence.  I ran with the 17:30-18:00 5K group.  This includes Joe Breslin, Rachel, and another woman whose name escapes me.  I felt refreshed throughout the workout; I was not dead afterwards. That's a good sign. Our runs were a little slower, but that's ok: 3:44, 3:42, 3:40, 3:38, 3:28.  I held back on all these runs.  It was funny that Rachel asked during one of the repeats whether I was breathing!  That's another good sign.  I have been working on my breathing and not laboring.  I have to imagine that I am on my way to keeping up with group 1 again.  

Monday, September 10, 2012

That's all folks.

9/10--3 easy miles.  That's all folks.

Sunday, September 9, 2012

a nice birthday gift

9/9--

DJ and I I decided to do a fartlek, much like the ones I've done in the past.  We began with a 6:30 min/.65 mi warm up, heading towards the NEW start of the Rustin XC course.  We did the standard 15sec-30sec-45sec-60sec with an equal amount of jog time in-between. I kept this pattern for 4.8 miles (NEW course), covering the distance in 33:30. I figure our runs were at 6:00 min pace and our jogs were at 8:00 min pace, for an overall pace of 6:58. We cooled down .6, for a total of 6.05 miles.  Both of us felt pretty good, a nice birthday gift.

Commit to the race

Saturday, 9/8--went to the Y.  Alternated between running on the "donut" (16 laps/mile) and lifting.  6:35, lifted, 6:28, lifted, 6:23.  Felt pretty good after Friday's 5K.
Friday, 9/7--Teri's Run. Scheduled for 7 PM on a Friday night, this is always a fun run with a family atmosphere...in the Downingtown, PA spirit. DJ and I got there at a bit after 6:00.  My buddy Justin must've decided to bag it; he was a no-show.  We warmed up a loop around the course and began stretching. For whatever reason, I felt a bit more limber than I have felt recently.  At any rate, we made our way to the starting line when it was time. Before I knew it, the gun was off. I felt balanced and steady over the first mile.  Rachel caught up and passed me at a 1000 meters or so.  I figured I'd stay within a few meters of her.  She hit the mile at 5:39/40; I crossed it at 5:41/42.  Last year I hit 5:39, and I was not pleased.  This year, however, I was okay with that time, given my lesser fitness level.  I felt comfortable.  I found myself easing into the pace but not being overly aggressive or aggressive at all actually. The ugly thoughts that normally shade my thinking weren't present.  Like last year, I got to the turnaround point--halfway--at 8:50.  Eventually, I saw 14:00 on my watch, and then I decided to start pushing a bit more.  I was afraid that I wouldn't crack 18:00.  A young woman tried to hang onto me.  I was not going to let her get me.  I went to my arms and pulled ahead.  I wish I had pushed earlier.  I had more in me than the 17:59 I ran.  What was initially a run I did not feel like doing became perhaps one of the easier 5Ks I had ever run.  Once the top 10 had been accounted for, I wound up getting second among the master's runners.  (Technically, one of the master's runners was among the top 10.  The other two of us got age-group awards.)  $50 bucks is $50 bucks.  In the absence of the humidity I think I could have run in the low 17:00-range.  I got 17th last year with a faster time and 18th this year. My lesson: commit to the race!

Friday, September 7, 2012

No way

9/7--took off
9/6--took off
9/5--very easy 4.4M. Bland.
9/4--Workout at Henderson.  4x1 mile with 100 meter jog.  No way I was doing this workout.  Instead I did a sluggish 4x1200 with 200m jog.  4:29, 4:32, 4:19, 4:23.

Monday, September 3, 2012

to which I replied, "I'm trying."

Sunday, 9/2--

Ran 3 Rustin-plus loops--6.6M.

Technically, the run was (supposed to be) an easy run.

As has been my custom, I ran each loop faster than the one before.

Loop 1 (2.2M in 16:25)--3:47 (.5), 7:37 (1M), 14:57 (2M), 16:25 (2.2M)--7:28 pace
Loop 2 (2.2M-4.4M in 15:35)--20:55 (2.7M), 23:35 (3.2M), 30:35 (4.2M), 32:00 (4.4M)--7:05 pace
Loop 3 (4.4M-6.6M in 14:38)--35:20 (4.9M), 38:45 (5.4M), 45:12 (6.4M), 46:38 (6.6M)--6:39 pace

It's funny.  There were times during this run when I said I didn't feel like running but something inside me, despite the 80 degrees with thick humdity, that compelled me to continue.  I guess that's called drive.  Coincidentally, someone walking the trail said to me as I passed him: "Now, that's dedication," to which I replied, "I'm trying."

Saturday, September 1, 2012

Not a refreshing workout

9/1/12--Hot, sunny, 85 degrees with an occasional wind.


Decided to do a ladder at 9ish for a ladder.
We jogged to Westtown School (2.25), stretched, and then began my workout:
The goal (the same as on 9/4/10) was:

400--37s/200 for 74s
800--41s/200 for 2:44
1000--43s/200 for 3:35
1600--45s/200 for 6:00
600--39s/200 for 1:57
400--37s/200 for 74s
200--35s

...with a 400 jog (avg 3:00) between each run

Unlike on 9/4/10, I missed some of the times dead, starting with the first run.

400--77s

800--2:45
1000--3:35
1600--5:59
600--2:00
400--75s
200--31s

I also found that I had to take extra rest after the mile.  My rest went from 3:00 to 3:30 to 4:00.
Not a refreshing workout like on 9/14/10 when it was cooler, 70ish, a little windy at 8 am.  Of yeah, I also ran with Justin that day.  Surely that helped.
Cooled down with jog back to my house: 2.25.
2.25M (19:30) warm up +3.1 in interval + 1.5 in-between repeats + 2.25M (20:20) cool down = 9.1 miles