Workout Thoughts

Workout Thoughts


Tuesdays in November

Track Workout: 1 mile @ 5K pace; 2 x 800m @ 5K pace – 10 sec/mile; 4 x 400m @ 3K pace (Recovery: half the distance of the preceding interval.)

Track Workout: 6 x 800m @ 3K pace w/2:00 jog recovery between intervals

Track Workout:  6 x 200m @ 3K pace w/200m jog recovery between intervals


Thursdays in November 

Hill Repeats: 3 x 2:00 @ 5K effort; 4 x 1:00 @ 5K effort; 4 x 30 seconds @ 3K effort. Recovery: jog down the hill after each repeat.

Intervals: 2 x 1.5 miles w/3:00 recovery between intervals. First 1.5-mi interval at 5K pace (no faster!), second at 5K pace – 5-10 sec/mile.

Tempo Run + Fartlek: 10:00 @ 5K pace + 30

efforts

Tues, 10/31-Made my way to Pingry's track on this early morning in 44-degree weather to do three (3) sets of four (4) 300s, with 100 meter jog recovery (1:00) between efforts and 3:00 between sets.  The pace was supposed to be 3K.  

Set 1: 66, 60, 60, 59 (5:18-:22/mile pace)
Set 2: 56, 56, 57, 56 (5:05-:15/mile pace)
Set 3: 53, 52, 51, 53 (4:35-4:45/mile pace)

Compares favorably to my last 11.4 miler.

Oct 30, 2017-took off.  Exhausted!

Oct 29, 2017

The River to Creek Relay was cancelled due to the torrential downpours, so I instead went to the Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park Trail for a run on this very rainy day.  I started in Millstone and went down 5.7M and turned around at the Bound Brook parking lot (5.7M, 7:51 pace) at 44:45.  I took the same route back, picking up the speed at a rate of almost a minute faster per mile.  The return route took me 39:40 (6:56/mile), for a total distance of 11.4M in 1:24:25 (7:24/mile).

This 84-minute-plus run was my 90-minute run.  

Compares favorably to my last 11.4 miler.

Pitch black

Thurs, 10/26-27:15 easy (3.6M. 7:34) around our new digs in Sourland Mountains.  14:00 out (1.8)/13:15 (1.8) back.  Pitch black.

Wed, 10/25-I was supposed to do a 60-min run, or about 8M, around our new digs in Sourland Mountains.  I was running short on time, so 7M would have to do.  It was perhaps one of the hardest 7M runs I have ever done.  I went down Zion Rd (very easy downhill), made a left onto Amwell (up and down, moderate), and a left onto Long Hill (hard as hell), and a left onto Zion (good).  The loop is 6M.  I tacked on an extra mile by heading back in the direction of Long Hill for a half mile, and turning back around to head home.  6M in 47:30 (including stopping for over a 90 seconds!), and 7M in 54:30. Crazy dark

Tues, 10/24-Made my way to Pingry's track in the wind and rain on this early morning to do three (3) sets of four (4) 300s, with 100 meter jog recovery (1:00) between efforts and 3:00 between sets.  The pace was supposed to be 3K.  

Set 1: 62, 60, 60, 59 (5:18-:22/mile pace)
Set 2: 57, 58, 58, 58 (5:10-:15/mile pace)
Set 3: 54, 55, 55, 51(4:35-4:50/mile pace)

Sourland Mountains. Hilly! Go figure!

Monday-26:30 easy (3.4M. 7:48) around our new digs in Sourland Mountains.  13:30 out/13:00 back

Sunday-60-min run (60:30) 8M around our new digs in Sourland Mountains.  Hilly! Go figure! (31:30 out/29:00 back)

Out pace: 7:53
Back pace: 7:15

Total: 7:34 pace

Sat-rest/moving

Fri-The planned workout was 10 min warm up, 20 min tempo at 10K pace, 10 min cool down.  Running short on time, I did 10 min warm up, 20 min tempo, and 6 min cool down.  I covered 3.33M in 30 min, about 6:00/mile pace.
total: 5.2 M

Thurs-30 min easy

Wed-easy run...3.5M

Tues-

I did "up and down the clock" pyramid: I ran 1 min fast/1 min slow, 2 min fast/2 min slow, 3 min fast/3 min slow, 4 min fast/4 min slow, 5 min fast/5 min slow,...and then back down again.  The run should have totaled 50 min, or 7 miles.  I covered 7 miles in 48:30.  I reached the apartment "early," on the fast 1 minute segment, not the slow one minute stretch.  My fast runs wound up being at 6:00 pace, while my slow runs averaged about 8:00 pace.  The total pace over the seven miles was 6:56.

I didn't show up!

Mon, 10/16-

Did a 6M recovery run.

From apartment through .8M of Colonial Park (3M...23:15)

Turned around

Headed back (3M in 21:20, last mile in 6:35)

44:35 (7:26/mile)

Sun, 10/15-

"Competed" at the Masters National XC Championships in Boston.  

The team left the hotel rather early to get a parking spot at the venue, Lincoln Park.  We hung around a bit.  A bit after 10:00, I'd jog most of the course on this cool-enough but rather humid morning.  The  running surfaces were mixed and uneven here and there--just like XC should be, I guess.  One major hill was about the middle of the course.  

I felt okay.

The seven members of our 40-49 age group lined up in our box, 20.  The 50-59 group was down some, and the 60+ group was in the race before.

Given the plan that Paul Vandergrif and Phil Reilly had, to try to maintain 5:40-5:45 pace, I figured I'd be in the mix with them.  

And the gun went off.  With 200+ runners, the first mile, especially the start, was hectic.  I looked down at the ground for much of the first mile, which I reached in 5:33.  The group was flying.  I am sure the top guys hit the first mile in 5:00 or better.  I thought I was doing well.  It seemed, though, that a lot of guys were passing me in droves.  

I took several of them on the hill, which probably took a lot of me.  I figured I was in the middle of the pack by now.  When I reach the two-mile mark in 12:00, I fell apart mentally.  I knew I had slowed, but not by that much!  I went from a 5:33 first mile to a 6:27 second mile.  I went for about another 150 meters, and then I did the unthinkable: I stopped.  I put my head in my hands and began to cheer runners passing by, including several of my teammates.  

Close to a minute into my defeat, Chuck Kruelle ran by and told me to finish it.  I didn't want to, and even hesitated, but he willed me to finish the race.  I started to run a minute or so after I stopped.  I caught up with Chuck, passed him, and began to work on the next guy, who was about 50 meters ahead.  

The last mile was like a training run pace.  I started at 13:00 with 1 mile to go.  I finished in a pedestrian 19:55, for 6:17 pace for the final 1.1M.  

While I was not despondent, I was so disappointed with myself.  My mental toughness was not there, and I felt I let the team down.  I had driven all the way to Boston for this!  I didn't show up!

The drive back home was long and slow.  5.5 hours.

Sat, 10/14-Left for Boston at 1:00.  The drive was wasn't too bad.  4 hours, 20 min.

It feels good

Fri, 10/13-Out and back towards Colonial Park for 3.8M, down in 14:30 (7:38/mile pace), back in 13:35 (7:09 pace) for 28:05 (7:23/mile).  It feels good to run at a moderate pace and not really feel it.

Thurs, 10/12-3.25M in 25:05 (7:43/mile pace).  Once I returned, I did 6x200 meters on the grass: 39, 38, 38, 38, 38, 37, 60-second rest between each

I covered

WED, 10/11

On tap today was an easy 30-minute run.  I covered the 3.81M route in 29:30, 7:45/mile pace.

I covered 20 meters more

Tues-

The workout today was to run 10 min at 10k pace on a straight, uninterrupted path, take a 10-min break, then run back.  The idea was to try to reach or surpass the starting point.

Using Elizabeth Ave at 6:00 AM, I covered 1.58M in the 10 minutes allotted.  The pace was 6:20/mile. My legs were a little dull, but I was good otherwise.  I didn't press, as I was trying to stay within the 10k pace.

The route back felt harder, especially the last 300 meters, which were uphill.  I covered about 30 meters more than I had on the first run for 1.6M, which was 6:15/mile pace.

today's dose

Mon, 10/9-

Post-11.4M run, today's dose was 3.4M easy run in 26:26 (7:46/mile pace).

90-minute run

Sun, 10/8-

I went to the Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park Trail for a run on this humid, rainy day.  I went down 5.7M, passing last week's 5.1M mark in 41:00, and turned around at the Millstone outlet (5.7M, 7:54 pace) at 45:00.  I took the same route back, picking up the speed at a rate of 30 seconds faster per mile.  The return route took me 42:00 (7:22/mile), for a total distance of 11.4M in 1:27:01. (7:38/mile).

This 87-minute run was my 90-minute run.

Too lax

Sat-Hills.  Warmed up .7M.  Completed 10x1 minute on a moderate hill on Elizabeth Ave near the apartment.  I took 2:30 (60 seconds of walking, 90 second of jogging) between efforts.  The workout called for walking, but that would be too lax...and I didn't have time.  The stretch of hill was 300 meters, although my 60-second coverage ranged from 300 (first effort) to 320 (last effort).

Fri-Did a nice and easy run of 4.25M in 34:34, about 8:08/mile pace.

Thurs-I was supposed to go for about 50 minutes today.  The first 30:00 were supposed to be easy, the next 15 minutes steady, and the last at 5K goal pace.  I ran to Colonial Park, moving at a comfortable clip.  I took the last .85M in 5:00.  Total: 7M

Wed-Did an easy 3.27M in 25:15.

I felt a little off this morning.

Oct 3, 2017

The workout was 5 x 1000 meters with a 3:00 rest between runs.  I ran the three, but faltered on the fourth, stopping at 600 meters in 2:04.  I'd make up for it with a 400 at the end of my workout.   

1000 #1: 3:34; 3:00 rest (200 m walk)
1000 #2: 3:33; 3:00 rest (200 m walk)
1000 #3: 3:33; 3:00 rest (200 m walk)
1000 # 4: 2:04--stopped at 600* ("finished" 1000 at end of workout)
1000 #5: 3:29; 90-sec rest 
*400: 79 sec

I felt a little off this morning.

Legs

Mon, Oct 2, 2017

Did an easy 3.27M in 25:15 at 6:10 AM.  Legs are a little tired

80-min run

Oct 1, 2017

V and I went to the Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park Trail for a run on this beautiful day.  I went down 5.1M in 41:00 (8:02/mile), and came back in 39:15 (7:30/mile), for a total distance of 10.2M in 1:19.15 (7:46/mile).

For perspective and future reference, the next "stop" on the canal is Millstone, 5.7M from my start.  For my 90-minute, 11.4M run, I could go to this distance (46:00) and head back (in 44:00).

I knew what was in store for me

October 1, 2017

Yesterday, on a breezy, 60-degree morning, I competed in the Trek Against Trafficking Race at Duke Island Park in Bridgewater.  Having scoped out the course last week, I knew what was in store for me.  I arrived early enough to jog just about the entire course as warmup.  I stretched fairly well and lubed up with Icy Hot, on account of a being a little sore from cross training (tennis with my new colleagues on Thursday and Friday).   The moderate race was well organized and featured a few stronger runners from Garden State Track Club, at least one I had seen at my most recent 5K race.

I noted the start and finish of the race and was disappointed that it was noticeably longer than the 5K tempo I had done at Duke Island last week.  Here I was against bitching AGAIN about a course being too long!  Shame on me!

At any rate, I settled into the proper mindset and was ready to roll.

The start: Got out well with the top few runners.

Mile 1: Found my rhythm and stayed relaxed.  I tried not to panic as two runners gapped me.    The first runner had at least 20 seconds on me, the second runner, a teenager, had me by ten.  Reached mile 1 in 5:45.  (One GPS shows the mile mark as being at 1.02M, while another shows it as being 1.03). The correct mile? 5:39? 5:42? 5:45?

Mile 2: Headed into the wooded area with several curves and switchbacks.  I could hear a set of footsteps closing in on me.  I figured they belonged to one of the guys from GSTC.  I was right, as he connected with me at the 1.25M mark.  He expressed a word of encouragement, which perhaps allowed me to hang onto him for the next 800 meters.  By the time we reached the two-mile mark, he had me by 20 meters.  I hit the most forgiving GPS-measured two-mile mark in 11:30, the second at 11:37, and the official two-mile mark in 11:47.

Mile 3: This stretch was the same route as the first mile except in reverse direction.  I looked at my watch and said I would go at the 13-minute mark, figuring I had five more minutes of running left.  I knew I needed to push to break 18 minutes, but I was somewhat reluctant about burning my gears.  I had this notion that I could surge and catch up with the guy just ahead.  I surged a little and closed the gap to about 15 meters.  He then responded and pushed the distance back to 20.  I looked at my watch again and said I'd push with 3:00 to go.  Meanwhile, during all this self-talk, though somewhat positive, the guy had doubled his lead on me.  I looked at my watch again and saw the time closing in on 17:00 as I rounded the bend around the lake.  With frustration and disappointment on my mind, I appeared on the road and could glimpse the finish line.  The watch read 17:10 or so, with .2 to go.  I passed the 3M marker on the ground. As I neared the starting line, I saw 18:00 come and go.  About 60 meters beyond the start line was the finish line, which I crossed in 18:22 (5:54/mile pace).  www.secondwindtiming.com/results

One source, http://www.mappedometer.com/, suggests the course was about 200 meters long!  (If this is accurate, I ran about 17:40!)

Another source, http://www.usatf.org/routes/map/, suggests the course was about 65 meters long!  (If this is true, I ran about 18:10.)

(If the course is off by, say, 130 meters, then about 17:55 was my time.).

Rather than live in conjecture, I just need to accept my measly 18:22!

I placed fourth overall and first in my age group.  I wound up having a great conversation with a father and his son, a novice runner who had run 17:52 to place second.  I encouraged him to talk to his high school's XC coach.  Given his time on a modest training regiment, he clearly has talent for running.