ORN: 8.3 miles, 1:21:55, 9:54/mile. Cold, windy
As I hit the 7 mile mark on my way back home this morning, I thought a bit about this weeks long, midweek run. "Only 8" I said to myself. "This is week one of the three week taper. Only 8." Ho hum.
Then it hit me. "Only" 8? I recalled that it was just a year ago when I ran 8 miles for the first time. I got home, told my wife, worried about my legs, feet. I ramped "all the way up" to 8 in preparation for doing one lap of the HUFF that I'm doing two laps of on Dec 17.
I went back in my running log. Indeed, on Dec 8, 2004, was the first time I ran 8 miles. I marked it with a star...a new record at the time. It was a big, long, weekend-type run.
Now it is part of a taper, done mid week.
Amazing what can happen in a year's time.
Only.
Persevere.
Wednesday, November 30, 2005
Tuesday, November 29, 2005
What a Difference a Stretch Makes
ORN: 5 miles, no watch, windy, cold, pretty miserable
My usual routine is to run about a third of a mile to a spot where a guy has an old box van parked on the street. Makes a nice vertical surface to stretch against.
This morning, I could feel the effects of the 16 miler on Saturday. The achillies, calves and hammies were tight. Slow, gentle stretch, in the dark. Nothing popped. And what a relief when I started running again! Did another stretch at the end. Nothing popped. Good.
Legs still felt heavy, though. The ugly weather probably didn't help. But, I was out there! And this is the start of the taper into the 20 mile trail run.
Persevere.
My usual routine is to run about a third of a mile to a spot where a guy has an old box van parked on the street. Makes a nice vertical surface to stretch against.
This morning, I could feel the effects of the 16 miler on Saturday. The achillies, calves and hammies were tight. Slow, gentle stretch, in the dark. Nothing popped. And what a relief when I started running again! Did another stretch at the end. Nothing popped. Good.
Legs still felt heavy, though. The ugly weather probably didn't help. But, I was out there! And this is the start of the taper into the 20 mile trail run.
Persevere.
Monday, November 28, 2005
Learning from a Long Run
ORN: Zero. Rest day today, Monday
It amazes me what running teaches me sometime.
Had a very hectic day at work, got in before 7 and will be going till 6, almost non stop. I've set up a number of "pacing" times for myself and it hit me just how much those are like a pacing band for a race...knowing you hit (or miss) the splits at the mile markers, knowing if you are on track, going to have to push it or adjust your brain to having blown it, early.
And some runs require you just to keep plugging. As do some days.
And plugging along is usually rewarded. Even when you are shot.
You learn a lot.
Persevere.
It amazes me what running teaches me sometime.
Had a very hectic day at work, got in before 7 and will be going till 6, almost non stop. I've set up a number of "pacing" times for myself and it hit me just how much those are like a pacing band for a race...knowing you hit (or miss) the splits at the mile markers, knowing if you are on track, going to have to push it or adjust your brain to having blown it, early.
And some runs require you just to keep plugging. As do some days.
And plugging along is usually rewarded. Even when you are shot.
You learn a lot.
Persevere.
Saturday, November 26, 2005
The Longest Run in 25 years
ORN: 16.2 miles, 2:42:07, 10:00/mile
Running Stuff:
This was the long week, now to taper into the HUFF on Dec 17. I wasn’t sure, for several miles, just how today’s long run would go. I tweaked my R calf in Wednesday’s 10 miler, it still felt tender after the race on Thursday. This morning, I just couldn’t tell what it was going to do. Plus, the weather was unpredictable, so I couldn’t decide just what to even wear. Yeah, what a way to go out and run…
I decided to do a couple of 8 mile loops, giving myself a stopping point midway if I needed to. Actually, I couldn’t even make up my mind to continue until I was about 3 miles in. I didn’t want to strain something…yet I needed to get this long run in. Not as schizophrenic as Gollum and Smeagol, mind you, but still.
As I closed out the first 8 miles, I decided to take a brief hydrate/de-hydrate break at home (thanks Dianna for that example!) and I also added a sleeveless windbreaker and a baklava. Feeling better, I went out for another 8 miles and the calf actually loosened up as I went and was OK by the 10th mile.
Last week, in my 14 miler, I felt I still had some miles left at the end. Not so today. This was pretty much it. But even as I write this at 10pm, the leg feels pretty good. Two days of rest may well take care of it. Only 12 miles next Saturday!
I realized later that this is the longest I have run in one session for over 25 years. I couldn’t recall doing 16 since my last marathon in January, 1981. Cool.
Learning Stuff.
Long runs, especially, teach you things. Today’s lessons:
Push yourself a bit. I was tentative on the condition of my leg. I listened, took it easy and still got it done.
Don’t bore everyone else. Running is an introspective time for me. I’ll put those lessons here on this blog, but others, including my family, can choose to read this or not! I don’t have to subject them to this.
Persevere.
Running Stuff:
This was the long week, now to taper into the HUFF on Dec 17. I wasn’t sure, for several miles, just how today’s long run would go. I tweaked my R calf in Wednesday’s 10 miler, it still felt tender after the race on Thursday. This morning, I just couldn’t tell what it was going to do. Plus, the weather was unpredictable, so I couldn’t decide just what to even wear. Yeah, what a way to go out and run…
I decided to do a couple of 8 mile loops, giving myself a stopping point midway if I needed to. Actually, I couldn’t even make up my mind to continue until I was about 3 miles in. I didn’t want to strain something…yet I needed to get this long run in. Not as schizophrenic as Gollum and Smeagol, mind you, but still.
As I closed out the first 8 miles, I decided to take a brief hydrate/de-hydrate break at home (thanks Dianna for that example!) and I also added a sleeveless windbreaker and a baklava. Feeling better, I went out for another 8 miles and the calf actually loosened up as I went and was OK by the 10th mile.
Last week, in my 14 miler, I felt I still had some miles left at the end. Not so today. This was pretty much it. But even as I write this at 10pm, the leg feels pretty good. Two days of rest may well take care of it. Only 12 miles next Saturday!
I realized later that this is the longest I have run in one session for over 25 years. I couldn’t recall doing 16 since my last marathon in January, 1981. Cool.
Learning Stuff.
Long runs, especially, teach you things. Today’s lessons:
Push yourself a bit. I was tentative on the condition of my leg. I listened, took it easy and still got it done.
Don’t bore everyone else. Running is an introspective time for me. I’ll put those lessons here on this blog, but others, including my family, can choose to read this or not! I don’t have to subject them to this.
Persevere.
Thursday, November 24, 2005
Race Report--Drumstick Dash, Nov 25 2005
ORN: 4.5 miles, 42:51, 9:27/mile
What a fun little race! Entirely unlike what I expected…which made it fun.
I normally wouldn’t drive to Indianapolis (75 minutes, one way) for a 4.5 mile race, but I had to be in Indy early today, as I took my youngest son Matt to the airport to let him fly to Colorado Springs to spend Thanksgiving with our two other sons. So, hey, I’m in Indy anyway, I found this Drumstick Dash race a few weeks back, so entered.
I expected a small gathering of running enthusiasts on a Thanksgiving morning. HA! 1267 finishers in the 4.5 mile race…which surprised me tremendously but added to the fun.
I got Matt to the Security gate for United and then left the Indy airport at 8:07am, drove halfway across Indy for a 9am race. So, finding parking in a fairly dense neighborhood was no small task. Parked, ran to get the packet and, to their credit, I got in and out of the gym for registration in less than 90 seconds…seriously. Tuxedo Brothers does a nice job organizing these events. So got the packet, ran back to my car, got the right shirts on for the heavy wind, ran back to the start, found the restroom, stretched and was in the pack a good five minutes before the 9am start. WHEW!
I was concerned about my right calf, after tweaking it a bit during yesterday’s 10 miler, so decided to take it easy and set the Garmin to pace me at a 9:45 pace. I’ve never entered a race with such a relaxed attitude…an odd view for the competitive me. But my current objective is doing 21 miles at The HUFF 50K Trail Run (2 laps of the 3 offered). So, I don’t need to damage anything in this race…just a training run.
And it went well. My splits were 9:28, 9:21, 9:28, 9:40 and 4:50 (at a 9:24 pace) for a total time of 42:51 on my watch, 42:39 chip time. Quicker than I wanted…but I explain.
This was a truly fun, social event. I just had fun talking to folks. Met a guy in the start pack who was a fellow Purdue engineer learnig Lean Manufacturing!! How many people know what Lean is? And that’s the subject of my professional blog. His girlfriend couldn’t quite believe that. Then, in the first mile, I got a great rundown of the Marine Corps Marathon from a recent participant. That race is on my wish list…we’ll see.
The best, and most extended conversation, came with Chris, who I met around mile 1.5 and we did the rest of the race together. She’s a talented school administrator and we had a lot in common. Much conversation and insight and the miles really clicked by. So much so, I really have little recollection of the course itself or much more that was going on. Just a comfortable pace with fascinating conversation. She and I both chuckled at that, as we both spend most of our training time all alone…thus the social element was part of the enjoyment and contrast.
All in all, a surprisingly pleasant little race.
Happy Thanksgiving to all…we have much to be thankful for.
Persevere.
What a fun little race! Entirely unlike what I expected…which made it fun.
I normally wouldn’t drive to Indianapolis (75 minutes, one way) for a 4.5 mile race, but I had to be in Indy early today, as I took my youngest son Matt to the airport to let him fly to Colorado Springs to spend Thanksgiving with our two other sons. So, hey, I’m in Indy anyway, I found this Drumstick Dash race a few weeks back, so entered.
I expected a small gathering of running enthusiasts on a Thanksgiving morning. HA! 1267 finishers in the 4.5 mile race…which surprised me tremendously but added to the fun.
I got Matt to the Security gate for United and then left the Indy airport at 8:07am, drove halfway across Indy for a 9am race. So, finding parking in a fairly dense neighborhood was no small task. Parked, ran to get the packet and, to their credit, I got in and out of the gym for registration in less than 90 seconds…seriously. Tuxedo Brothers does a nice job organizing these events. So got the packet, ran back to my car, got the right shirts on for the heavy wind, ran back to the start, found the restroom, stretched and was in the pack a good five minutes before the 9am start. WHEW!
I was concerned about my right calf, after tweaking it a bit during yesterday’s 10 miler, so decided to take it easy and set the Garmin to pace me at a 9:45 pace. I’ve never entered a race with such a relaxed attitude…an odd view for the competitive me. But my current objective is doing 21 miles at The HUFF 50K Trail Run (2 laps of the 3 offered). So, I don’t need to damage anything in this race…just a training run.
And it went well. My splits were 9:28, 9:21, 9:28, 9:40 and 4:50 (at a 9:24 pace) for a total time of 42:51 on my watch, 42:39 chip time. Quicker than I wanted…but I explain.
This was a truly fun, social event. I just had fun talking to folks. Met a guy in the start pack who was a fellow Purdue engineer learnig Lean Manufacturing!! How many people know what Lean is? And that’s the subject of my professional blog. His girlfriend couldn’t quite believe that. Then, in the first mile, I got a great rundown of the Marine Corps Marathon from a recent participant. That race is on my wish list…we’ll see.
The best, and most extended conversation, came with Chris, who I met around mile 1.5 and we did the rest of the race together. She’s a talented school administrator and we had a lot in common. Much conversation and insight and the miles really clicked by. So much so, I really have little recollection of the course itself or much more that was going on. Just a comfortable pace with fascinating conversation. She and I both chuckled at that, as we both spend most of our training time all alone…thus the social element was part of the enjoyment and contrast.
All in all, a surprisingly pleasant little race.
Happy Thanksgiving to all…we have much to be thankful for.
Persevere.
Wednesday, November 23, 2005
In the snow, in the dark, in shorts
ORN: 10.2 miles, 1:42:36, 10:03 pace
Wow, the midweek long run. This is actually the longest of all the midweek runs, so it is now behind me.
I got fooled by an inaccurate thermometer when I took off this morning...thought it was 40, when it was 31. Did not wear tights. A bad move. I didn't feel so bad while I was running, but as the day has gone one, my right calf has been tighter and tighter. May have strained something slightly and had I kept more warmth in the muscle, perhaps it would not have happened.
That said, it was a great run. No snow when I started, then gradually increasing snow as I went along. A fair amount was stuck to the running path as I got back home. Kind of cool to be out that early, doing something viewed as crazy...I'm sure I got a lot of second looks from cars who drove by. "Is that guy running? Does he REALLY have shorts on? Am I seeing things? Is he nuts or what?" Yeah, whatever.
A week ago today, I learned a lot about doing the hard thing. I thought of that again today. The run wasn't as hard, much more joy in it. And the perspective was better.
And I'm closer to getting set for the 20 miler on Dec 17.
Tomorrow, a small Thanksgiving day race in Indy. We'll see how the calf feels to decide at that time if I run it or not, and if so, how hard.
Persevere.
Wow, the midweek long run. This is actually the longest of all the midweek runs, so it is now behind me.
I got fooled by an inaccurate thermometer when I took off this morning...thought it was 40, when it was 31. Did not wear tights. A bad move. I didn't feel so bad while I was running, but as the day has gone one, my right calf has been tighter and tighter. May have strained something slightly and had I kept more warmth in the muscle, perhaps it would not have happened.
That said, it was a great run. No snow when I started, then gradually increasing snow as I went along. A fair amount was stuck to the running path as I got back home. Kind of cool to be out that early, doing something viewed as crazy...I'm sure I got a lot of second looks from cars who drove by. "Is that guy running? Does he REALLY have shorts on? Am I seeing things? Is he nuts or what?" Yeah, whatever.
A week ago today, I learned a lot about doing the hard thing. I thought of that again today. The run wasn't as hard, much more joy in it. And the perspective was better.
And I'm closer to getting set for the 20 miler on Dec 17.
Tomorrow, a small Thanksgiving day race in Indy. We'll see how the calf feels to decide at that time if I run it or not, and if so, how hard.
Persevere.
Tuesday, November 22, 2005
Quick in the Dark
ORN: 5 miles, solid pace
As the temperature drops (31 this morning) it is interesting to me that my pace quickened. It could be I'm just trying to stay warm, though I was dressed properly. But I kept pulling myself back, not needing to set any major pace records today. I have a mid-week 10 miler set for tomorrow and I need to handle that well.
Cloudy, no moon, not a hint of sunrise, even at the end of the run. Winter is here. Snow tomorrow?? Oh my.
Peresevere.
As the temperature drops (31 this morning) it is interesting to me that my pace quickened. It could be I'm just trying to stay warm, though I was dressed properly. But I kept pulling myself back, not needing to set any major pace records today. I have a mid-week 10 miler set for tomorrow and I need to handle that well.
Cloudy, no moon, not a hint of sunrise, even at the end of the run. Winter is here. Snow tomorrow?? Oh my.
Peresevere.
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