ORN: Sunday: 5.8 miles, with 5 at 9:28
Tuesday: 5 miles, easy
Wednesday: 6.4 miles, with last 2 hard
Saw a local running pal on the trail this morning. She asked how close I was to the marathon. When I told her I was just starting my taper, she bubbled in her New Zealand accent "Oh, the taper! My very favorite part of running!"
Yep, that's where I find myself now, amazingly. After the 21 miler on Saturday, the schedule called for 5 at mp on Sunday. I never was comfortable with my earlier-proposed 9:20 mp, so dropped that to 9:30 and that feels better. I did the 5 at 9:28 and, coupled with the fun 21 miles the day before, I'm feeling a lot better about the marathon preparation.
Now we taper. Hard to believe I'm closing in on the second marathon but I am. The weather is improving (read "cooler") and, other than the Cubs having the worst record in the NL right now, life is good.
Persevere. Even when life isn't so good.
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
Saturday, September 09, 2006
Now THAT'S a little better
ORN: 21.2 miles, 3:32:20, 10:01/mile
My second and last 20 miler before Portland was on the books today. After the difficult 20 miler I had two weeks ago, I wondered how this one would go.
No comparison. And, boy, am I glad.
On reflection, I realized I had dehydrated in both the earlier 20 miler, plus the half marathon I ran in Parkersburg. So, I resolved to drink more than I was used to today. I stashed three, rather than two, bottles of Gatorade along the route. I also went out conservatively, trying to keep to a 9:40ish pace, but knowing I would walk through a lot more water stops.
It seemed to work. Though the morning was milder, moving from the mid 60s to the mid 70s during the run, I drank regularly. Forced myself to take in more fluids than I felt I needed. Around the 10 mile mark, I realized it was working, as the legs still felt fresh, the mind sharp and I was loving the run. My splits looked like this:
10 22, 9 39, 9 42, 10 02, 9 31;
10 09, 9 51, 10 06, 9 48, 9 46;
9 52, 10 23, 10 20, 10 12, 10 06;
10 26, 10 45*, 9 49, 9 50, 9 53;
9 56, 1 43 (@9 32 pace).
The splits are not that great, but they are even. My 20 mile time was a full 16 minutes quicker than the 20 miler two weeks ago. I only walked to retrieve Gatorade. I got a little distracted on the pace after mile 11, getting lost in thoughts about family, then woke up a bit. The 10 45 mile contained a short break to talk (again) with long-time friends Dick and Marilyn, whom I have mentioned before, as we grieved together the untimely death yesterday of an MS sufferer in our church.
More significant was just how fun the run was. As I neared the turnoff to head home, I purposely extended my turnaround point to add another mile to the run. I simply did not want it to end. I used the last five miles as a chance to simulate late miles in the marathon, forcing the pace a bit and paying close attention to form.
I am more confident now than I have been in a month about the prospects for a good run in Portland. I could have easily done another five miles this morning and, even at this paltry pace, would have PRed. I think the forced hydration was a key part of it all.
Another encouraging fact came in a surprising way. Middle son Nathan flew in from Portland late last night to visit big brother David before he deploys. Mid-day today, Nathan said to me "Dad, I can't believe this heat and humidity." Whoa. You are spoiled, my son, if today feels like heat and humidity. I thought it was a dry, beautiful day. If Portland weather is this good, it will only help.
One other fun part of this run; to get in 20 miles, I have to make a large loop through the Purdue campus. Today, Purdue had a home football game against Miami (Ohio), so campus was hopping, even at 8:30am. I looped past my old apartment, which was a rattle-trap in 1973-1975 when I lived there. How does it still stand? Saw a guy with a silly grin on his face as four pretty Zeta Tau Alpha girls squeezed into his Mustang GT convertible with the top down on such a nice day. I'm sure his parents figured he was in the library. It then hit me that one year from now, my youngest son will be on some college campus...oh my...I'll be the one thinking he's in the library. Oh my.
It also struck me how irrelevant football seems to be to the total "football experience." The number of huge RVs and other people tailgating hours before an inconsequential game was astounding to me. Regular readers of this blog know I like baseball and football only serves to remind me baseball will soon end. So the effort that goes into the spreads for tailgating kind of amazes me. But, hey, it is a big part of our local economy. I eventually finished the 3 mile loop on campus and moved back to the quieter portion of the running trail. For the record, Purdue barely knocked off Miami, needing OT to get the job done. Could be a long year, again, for the Boilers. But, hey, as Chicago Cub fan, I'm used to long years.
Persevere.
My second and last 20 miler before Portland was on the books today. After the difficult 20 miler I had two weeks ago, I wondered how this one would go.
No comparison. And, boy, am I glad.
On reflection, I realized I had dehydrated in both the earlier 20 miler, plus the half marathon I ran in Parkersburg. So, I resolved to drink more than I was used to today. I stashed three, rather than two, bottles of Gatorade along the route. I also went out conservatively, trying to keep to a 9:40ish pace, but knowing I would walk through a lot more water stops.
It seemed to work. Though the morning was milder, moving from the mid 60s to the mid 70s during the run, I drank regularly. Forced myself to take in more fluids than I felt I needed. Around the 10 mile mark, I realized it was working, as the legs still felt fresh, the mind sharp and I was loving the run. My splits looked like this:
10 22, 9 39, 9 42, 10 02, 9 31;
10 09, 9 51, 10 06, 9 48, 9 46;
9 52, 10 23, 10 20, 10 12, 10 06;
10 26, 10 45*, 9 49, 9 50, 9 53;
9 56, 1 43 (@9 32 pace).
The splits are not that great, but they are even. My 20 mile time was a full 16 minutes quicker than the 20 miler two weeks ago. I only walked to retrieve Gatorade. I got a little distracted on the pace after mile 11, getting lost in thoughts about family, then woke up a bit. The 10 45 mile contained a short break to talk (again) with long-time friends Dick and Marilyn, whom I have mentioned before, as we grieved together the untimely death yesterday of an MS sufferer in our church.
More significant was just how fun the run was. As I neared the turnoff to head home, I purposely extended my turnaround point to add another mile to the run. I simply did not want it to end. I used the last five miles as a chance to simulate late miles in the marathon, forcing the pace a bit and paying close attention to form.
I am more confident now than I have been in a month about the prospects for a good run in Portland. I could have easily done another five miles this morning and, even at this paltry pace, would have PRed. I think the forced hydration was a key part of it all.
Another encouraging fact came in a surprising way. Middle son Nathan flew in from Portland late last night to visit big brother David before he deploys. Mid-day today, Nathan said to me "Dad, I can't believe this heat and humidity." Whoa. You are spoiled, my son, if today feels like heat and humidity. I thought it was a dry, beautiful day. If Portland weather is this good, it will only help.
One other fun part of this run; to get in 20 miles, I have to make a large loop through the Purdue campus. Today, Purdue had a home football game against Miami (Ohio), so campus was hopping, even at 8:30am. I looped past my old apartment, which was a rattle-trap in 1973-1975 when I lived there. How does it still stand? Saw a guy with a silly grin on his face as four pretty Zeta Tau Alpha girls squeezed into his Mustang GT convertible with the top down on such a nice day. I'm sure his parents figured he was in the library. It then hit me that one year from now, my youngest son will be on some college campus...oh my...I'll be the one thinking he's in the library. Oh my.
It also struck me how irrelevant football seems to be to the total "football experience." The number of huge RVs and other people tailgating hours before an inconsequential game was astounding to me. Regular readers of this blog know I like baseball and football only serves to remind me baseball will soon end. So the effort that goes into the spreads for tailgating kind of amazes me. But, hey, it is a big part of our local economy. I eventually finished the 3 mile loop on campus and moved back to the quieter portion of the running trail. For the record, Purdue barely knocked off Miami, needing OT to get the job done. Could be a long year, again, for the Boilers. But, hey, as Chicago Cub fan, I'm used to long years.
Persevere.
Wednesday, September 06, 2006
Microclimates
ORN: 8.3 miles, no watch
One of the side benefits to running mid 9 minute miles is the ability to take in the surroundings...I'm sure not blowing past them. This morning was particularly wonderful.
It was in the mid 50s at 5am when I went out for the mid-week long run. Very still and quiet. My 8 mile route takes me past two wetland/bog areas and both were full of life this early. Geese were just waking up. A heron skimmed the shallow water, just inches off the surface, it's seemingly ungainly body while standing transformed into a graceful, effortless flying machine. A box turtle sat on a rock then seemed to jump into the water as I approached.
More amazing today was the temperature changes with very minor elevations changes. Very surprising here in the flatlands of northern Indiana but it was striking today. As I went down just a few feet and ran next to the water, the temperature dropped perceptibly. "Climbing" back out of the shoreline run, the temps rose. Near the other bog, with less water, the collected fog from the cool night clearly lowered the temperature again.
The absence of wind allowed for these variations and it was fascinating to run in and out of, to experience and sense in the flesh.
A nice run during the last big week of marathon prep. One to remember in the cold harsh days of February.
Persevere.
One of the side benefits to running mid 9 minute miles is the ability to take in the surroundings...I'm sure not blowing past them. This morning was particularly wonderful.
It was in the mid 50s at 5am when I went out for the mid-week long run. Very still and quiet. My 8 mile route takes me past two wetland/bog areas and both were full of life this early. Geese were just waking up. A heron skimmed the shallow water, just inches off the surface, it's seemingly ungainly body while standing transformed into a graceful, effortless flying machine. A box turtle sat on a rock then seemed to jump into the water as I approached.
More amazing today was the temperature changes with very minor elevations changes. Very surprising here in the flatlands of northern Indiana but it was striking today. As I went down just a few feet and ran next to the water, the temperature dropped perceptibly. "Climbing" back out of the shoreline run, the temps rose. Near the other bog, with less water, the collected fog from the cool night clearly lowered the temperature again.
The absence of wind allowed for these variations and it was fascinating to run in and out of, to experience and sense in the flesh.
A nice run during the last big week of marathon prep. One to remember in the cold harsh days of February.
Persevere.
Monday, September 04, 2006
Where's the Shin Splints come from??
ORN: 12.3 miles, 2:00:16, 9:47/mile
What a whirlwind this Labor Day weekend has been! Flew to Colorado Springs early on Friday morning, helped David and Susan pack the last few items on a U-Haul truck and I was on the road, headed east, by 2:30pm, as were they. The two of them, along with twins Andrew and Nathan, plus 2 month-old Berneice and dog Callie drove straight through and got to Lafayette 10 minutes shy of 24 hours later. I drove to near Hays, Kansas on Friday, spent the night and got home around 11:30pm on Saturday night. 1,100 miles of driving and a great chance to see America’s heartland. Plus, I even got a lunch at Waffle House in Kansas City. We had a group of about 17 from our church show up at David and Susan’s new house on Sunday afternoon and in 53 minutes, we had the truck unloaded, everything in the house (including washer, drier, couches, beds set up) and cleaned up. Awesome.
I really enjoy driving (I always wanted to be a trucker…so this is as close as I get) and it hit me somewhere in western Kansas that I like driving for many of the same reasons I like running. I don’t mind being by myself. Both involve distance and time and planning and dealing with breakdowns, while still making the goal. So, I could bop along with my thoughts, a new-to-me Michael W. Smith CD and then scanned the AM radio dial at night for baseball games from across the country (who needs XM when you have ionospheric bounce??).
It was nice, then, to get back and get my weekend long run in on Labor Day. The schedule had a step-back week, calling for just 12 miles. Out I went on a beautiful morning, with little humidity and temps in the mid-50s. And, bang, I had shin splints! Wow, where did that come from? Haven’t had those for a year or more. Was it linked to all the driving and traveling?? For whatever reason, the first five miles just plain hurt. I decided to simply use it to simulate what I’d do in Portland if it happened. I slowed a bit, focused on form and just kept moving. Slow indeed…the first five miles were right at 10:00/mile. Ugh.
Amazingly, around mile 6, the pain subsided and I began to enjoy the run on the beautiful morning. I dropped the pace to my planned 9:40/mile pace and it really felt good. I pushed the last two miles, doing them in 9:11 and 8:58. It was nice to feel good at the end of a long run.
This week is the last big week of mileage. I’ll go 5-8-5 the next three days, then 20 again on Saturday and 5 at marathon pace on Sunday. I still dither about what my marathon pace is, but, for the moment, I’m sticking with the plan to go off at 9:20/mile on my Garmin.
Persevere. Shin splints or not.
What a whirlwind this Labor Day weekend has been! Flew to Colorado Springs early on Friday morning, helped David and Susan pack the last few items on a U-Haul truck and I was on the road, headed east, by 2:30pm, as were they. The two of them, along with twins Andrew and Nathan, plus 2 month-old Berneice and dog Callie drove straight through and got to Lafayette 10 minutes shy of 24 hours later. I drove to near Hays, Kansas on Friday, spent the night and got home around 11:30pm on Saturday night. 1,100 miles of driving and a great chance to see America’s heartland. Plus, I even got a lunch at Waffle House in Kansas City. We had a group of about 17 from our church show up at David and Susan’s new house on Sunday afternoon and in 53 minutes, we had the truck unloaded, everything in the house (including washer, drier, couches, beds set up) and cleaned up. Awesome.
I really enjoy driving (I always wanted to be a trucker…so this is as close as I get) and it hit me somewhere in western Kansas that I like driving for many of the same reasons I like running. I don’t mind being by myself. Both involve distance and time and planning and dealing with breakdowns, while still making the goal. So, I could bop along with my thoughts, a new-to-me Michael W. Smith CD and then scanned the AM radio dial at night for baseball games from across the country (who needs XM when you have ionospheric bounce??).
It was nice, then, to get back and get my weekend long run in on Labor Day. The schedule had a step-back week, calling for just 12 miles. Out I went on a beautiful morning, with little humidity and temps in the mid-50s. And, bang, I had shin splints! Wow, where did that come from? Haven’t had those for a year or more. Was it linked to all the driving and traveling?? For whatever reason, the first five miles just plain hurt. I decided to simply use it to simulate what I’d do in Portland if it happened. I slowed a bit, focused on form and just kept moving. Slow indeed…the first five miles were right at 10:00/mile. Ugh.
Amazingly, around mile 6, the pain subsided and I began to enjoy the run on the beautiful morning. I dropped the pace to my planned 9:40/mile pace and it really felt good. I pushed the last two miles, doing them in 9:11 and 8:58. It was nice to feel good at the end of a long run.
This week is the last big week of mileage. I’ll go 5-8-5 the next three days, then 20 again on Saturday and 5 at marathon pace on Sunday. I still dither about what my marathon pace is, but, for the moment, I’m sticking with the plan to go off at 9:20/mile on my Garmin.
Persevere. Shin splints or not.
Wednesday, August 30, 2006
It's All Downhill from Colorado, Right??
ORN: 5 miles, light drizzle, cool, good pace.
After a day off, I was pleased to have a nice 5 miler this morning. Took a mile or so to figure out how I was feeling. I then just opened it up for the rest of the run. It felt really good and I was encouraged that I could do that after the tough 20 miler on Monday. I'll do 8 on Thursday morning.
Then, life gets a bit interesting.
My oldest son, David, the Army medic, is deploying to Iraq in early October. He, his wife and three kids are currently stationed in Colorado Springs. Susan and the kids want to live here in Lafayette, Indiana during the deployment where she has the support of family, friends and church. Soooooooo.
On Friday morning, I fly at 6am from Indy, getting to Colorado Springs around noon. David and Susan and Army pals will have a big U-Haul truck packed by then. They will put the three kids and a dog and themselves into their minivan and head east. I'll give them all a hug and hop in the truck and do likewise. They will drive straight through. I'll stop once or twice and get here by Sunday afternoon.
At which point we then unload the truck and set them up in a house.
Whew.
I'll post on Labor Day and let you know how it goes.
Persevere.
PS. I messed something up on Blogger and the side bars are waaaaaay down on the page. Sorry, I have no clue what happened.
After a day off, I was pleased to have a nice 5 miler this morning. Took a mile or so to figure out how I was feeling. I then just opened it up for the rest of the run. It felt really good and I was encouraged that I could do that after the tough 20 miler on Monday. I'll do 8 on Thursday morning.
Then, life gets a bit interesting.
My oldest son, David, the Army medic, is deploying to Iraq in early October. He, his wife and three kids are currently stationed in Colorado Springs. Susan and the kids want to live here in Lafayette, Indiana during the deployment where she has the support of family, friends and church. Soooooooo.
On Friday morning, I fly at 6am from Indy, getting to Colorado Springs around noon. David and Susan and Army pals will have a big U-Haul truck packed by then. They will put the three kids and a dog and themselves into their minivan and head east. I'll give them all a hug and hop in the truck and do likewise. They will drive straight through. I'll stop once or twice and get here by Sunday afternoon.
At which point we then unload the truck and set them up in a house.
Whew.
I'll post on Labor Day and let you know how it goes.
Persevere.
PS. I messed something up on Blogger and the side bars are waaaaaay down on the page. Sorry, I have no clue what happened.
Monday, August 28, 2006
20 Miler #1 done, no matter how unelegant
ORN: 20.0 miles, 3:36:47, 10:50/mile
Humidity. Again. Oppressively so today. And your intrepid running blogger forged forth to do the first of two scheduled 20 milers.
Actually, I had to run today or not do it at all, due to a full weekend of business meetings in Chicago. We had rain overnight, forecast for rain today, and the air was just heavy. I decided to try to do the run at a 9:40 pace and set out to do just that.
The first 10 went well, with spilts:
9 45, 9 36, 9 18, 9 47, 9 44
9 59, 9 36, 9 53, 9 25, 9 31.
This got me down to the heart of the Purdue campus, pretty much as morning classes were changing. Boy did I feel old.
And the heat really set in at this point. The sun came out and the stifling nature of the morning set in further. I really felt lousy, but had to keep going. I shifted to a run 4 minutes/walk 1 minute pattern and that helped. I just plodded out the rest of the run and the splits for the last 10 miles showed it:
10 40, 10 51, 11 24, 11 19, 12 03.
11 49, 12 29, 12 23, 13 30, 13 25.
It got tougher and tougher.
I got it done. I drank fluids all afternoon and let's just say it was all input and no output. So, there was probably a good bit of dehydration going on. I did have Gatorade set up every 2.5 miles or so...perhaps not enough.
So, there, one 20 miler done. Need to do it again in 2 weeks. 5 weeks to go to Portland, where I'm really banking on it being not humid!!!
Persevere. Even in the humidity.
Humidity. Again. Oppressively so today. And your intrepid running blogger forged forth to do the first of two scheduled 20 milers.
Actually, I had to run today or not do it at all, due to a full weekend of business meetings in Chicago. We had rain overnight, forecast for rain today, and the air was just heavy. I decided to try to do the run at a 9:40 pace and set out to do just that.
The first 10 went well, with spilts:
9 45, 9 36, 9 18, 9 47, 9 44
9 59, 9 36, 9 53, 9 25, 9 31.
This got me down to the heart of the Purdue campus, pretty much as morning classes were changing. Boy did I feel old.
And the heat really set in at this point. The sun came out and the stifling nature of the morning set in further. I really felt lousy, but had to keep going. I shifted to a run 4 minutes/walk 1 minute pattern and that helped. I just plodded out the rest of the run and the splits for the last 10 miles showed it:
10 40, 10 51, 11 24, 11 19, 12 03.
11 49, 12 29, 12 23, 13 30, 13 25.
It got tougher and tougher.
I got it done. I drank fluids all afternoon and let's just say it was all input and no output. So, there was probably a good bit of dehydration going on. I did have Gatorade set up every 2.5 miles or so...perhaps not enough.
So, there, one 20 miler done. Need to do it again in 2 weeks. 5 weeks to go to Portland, where I'm really banking on it being not humid!!!
Persevere. Even in the humidity.
Saturday, August 26, 2006
Bits and Pieces from Parkersburg Half Marathon Road Trip
ORN: 4.78 miles, 46:37, 9:45/mile
Several further comments from the road trip last weekend.
Oxymoron? Somewhere in east Indiana along I-70, I came to a bridge across a small stream. The sign said "Nameless Creek."
Continuing Fine Cuisine Another odd food habit of mine when I head south or east is eating at Waffle House. If you've traveled in the southeastern US at all, you recognize the ubiquitous, tiny, roadside cafes at (seemingly) every interstate junction. My family is not so impressed with WH, but since I'm by myself, I ate there twice. Can't beat those waffles....
Best Country Music Title Youngest son Matt has a real love for country music and has triggered some interest on my part. Scanning the dial in SE Ohio, I came to a country station playing a song "Bubba Shot the Jukebox." A sad tale, indeed. Bubba's woman left him and as he drowned his sorrows at the bar, someone played "their" song. He couldn't take it.
Now, to today's run.
I'm in Chicago on business. Had some time off on Saturday afternoon, so got out in the 80+ temps and 90+% humidity and wanted to do 5. My, some nice places here in suburban Bloomingdale.
The right foot sent some pain signals just before I finished, and so I cut it off, knowing I still need to do 20 miles this weekend. That will probably happen early Monday morning and will be a good test.
And I sure am glad I don't have to persevere through Chicago traffic every day.
Several further comments from the road trip last weekend.
Oxymoron? Somewhere in east Indiana along I-70, I came to a bridge across a small stream. The sign said "Nameless Creek."
Continuing Fine Cuisine Another odd food habit of mine when I head south or east is eating at Waffle House. If you've traveled in the southeastern US at all, you recognize the ubiquitous, tiny, roadside cafes at (seemingly) every interstate junction. My family is not so impressed with WH, but since I'm by myself, I ate there twice. Can't beat those waffles....
Best Country Music Title Youngest son Matt has a real love for country music and has triggered some interest on my part. Scanning the dial in SE Ohio, I came to a country station playing a song "Bubba Shot the Jukebox." A sad tale, indeed. Bubba's woman left him and as he drowned his sorrows at the bar, someone played "their" song. He couldn't take it.
Bubba went to his truck and grabbed his .45
The sheriff ruled it justifiable homicide.Great stuff, ya'll.
Now, to today's run.
I'm in Chicago on business. Had some time off on Saturday afternoon, so got out in the 80+ temps and 90+% humidity and wanted to do 5. My, some nice places here in suburban Bloomingdale.
The right foot sent some pain signals just before I finished, and so I cut it off, knowing I still need to do 20 miles this weekend. That will probably happen early Monday morning and will be a good test.
And I sure am glad I don't have to persevere through Chicago traffic every day.
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