Making a plan

Guess I missed a weekend writing huh? (Not that many, if anyone, missed it!) Guess it hasn't been too eventful. 10 miles last weekend, 2 days running, 1 day yoga this week and 11 miles this morning. Two straight weekends of running in the sunshine, although today had a fierce wind going. Running has been kind of blah lately. Seem to have hit a plateau with it not really getting any easier. Motivation has waned some too. Think I may have to do the before-work running I used to, I just don't know how long to wait until it is lighter outside. Also - not having a big run (over the 10 miler) to train for, focus on may have something to do with it. Easier to say I'll stop after 11 today instead of the 12-15 I had originally planned to do. I found a half marathon to do 9 weeks away, but haven't thought of my training for that. I will do that this week, then have 8 weeks of a plan! I usually go to Runner's World and use one of their's with some modifications. The 3 days running a week plan. Keep thinking of making it 4 though. I did that for about 5 weeks earlier this year - maybe it is time to mix it up some! I'll work on it and see how I feel!

Long run and nowhere to go.

Sunday was my scheduled long run, which is supposed to get your body in shape for longer events, like a marathon. I've missed a few training runs over the last 6 weeks of a 16 week program, but nothing to make a marathon unrealistic. Today was 18-20 and I stopped at 18 feeling pretty good! 40° and a heavy rain the first 10-12 miles, followed by a lighter rain until mile 16 when it decided to stop. No real issues, but could feel my hips a bit at the end, and some lower back aches afterwards (my posture must get poor after so many miles, after NYC was particularly bad) . My pace was amazingly even, right at 7:30/lap give or take for 20 laps. So - basically decided my hopeful marathon out in Spokane, WA (inaugural Windermere Marathon) is not going to happen. Combination of work-travel hiatus and a 5 month old at home (in May). So after looking for other races nearby (good luck finding them around here in May/June unless you want the twisted ankle trail marathon or the Chattooga trail 50k!). I actually looked up 50k training plans as that one did appeal to me. Double up on my weekend long runs, and trade a Wed cardio for running, I think my bosy could take it, but the extra couple of hours every Saturday is more than I want to give up. Plus, the 50k is ealry June and I do not run well in the heat!
All that said - I will just keep doing long runs (maybe 15 miles max), normal weekly training and see if I can get my times to come down more. Then I'll be in better shape for Richmond in November. (My brother's 1st run went well, about 5 miles, with only a little knee pain, cardio issues. His 10k is in 2 more weeks).

books and a long run tomorrow

So in the last 3 weeks I read John L. Parker's "Once a Runner" (for the 2nd time, and yes, I will be reading it again!) and the sequel, "Again to Carthage". I highly receommend them. 1st one is so much better, but both deserve a read, especially if you run. Let me get to my training update, then maybe I'll go into these...
Hmmm, the day after Reedy I did go out and do ~13 miles as I had hoped. Can't remember the last time I did a long run the day after a race. Let's go to the log...I have done runs the day after 5k's, including a 20 miler, 6 miles after an 8k, but that's really it. Felt pretty good, even with 55° and sun. Averaged 7:25/lap and finished strong with a 6:32 lap. Monday got back to my yoga class after 3 weeks away, that hight alsoi had an Alumni soccer game. Current HS varsity (Wren) vs their alumni. I played with my trail running shoes (no cleats) and shin guards from my high school days (which were older than any player on the other team!). They let us sub on the fly (like in hockey) so we could get out 28 guys in the game. Played maybe 20 minutes, had fun and did not get hurt, so a very positive outing. Rested Tues & Wed. Ran ~4.5 Thursday. Meant to run 6, but legs were pretty heavy. Did 7.6 miles on a stationary bike Friday, rested today. Tomorrow will try and do 18-20. I'd be happy with 18. If the marathon I was looking at is possibly going to happen (9 weeks off), I need a good long run in. 3 of the next 4 weeks should be 18-20 milers. cross your fingers!
More tomorrow...more on the books another time.

RRR 2009 watches & bandits

So I've been running races since 2000. I always wear a watch and time every mile of my races and training. I know how to use it. Most of the time. The starting command was given and I hot start. Watched it count off just to make sure. As I got towards the chip mat, I was going to hit the lap button (same one as the start button) to get a starting time there. About 3 minutes later I look down at my watch and it was stopped at 11 seconds. I hit the wrong button. Doh! Thought about re-starting it, but decided to reset it and start it over at the 1st mile marker. That at least gave me someting to do each mile - calculate my "real" time - besides huff and puff. I did get thrown off once though, not believing I was at the 4 mile mark because of the time my watch said. I quickly realized the issue, did the math, and was back on.
So the race was good. Just a little too warm for me. Had to be at least 60 at the start and sunny. (I'd prefer 40). They had stopped registration for the 5k/10k yesterday at 1:30pm when they hit 5,000 entries. I saw at least 2 bandits (they told me they were) after the race as one inquired about the GTC Running Series. And she is a member. That's too bad. If they are going to bandit-run, they should at least be kind enought to Not take the refreshements for the paid runners.
So last year (and I was in decent shape) I ran 49:24, fastest since my 46:04 2001 PR at Cooper River. Now I have had all those consecutive PR's, but coming off a cold, did not expect to break that one, and I was right! I still ran just over a 47 (will have to wait for the official results, but may be about a 47:09? chip time). Only 1 minute off, but still my fastest 10k in 8 years, which was about what I was expecting/hoping for, so I am happy with it! :-)
I didn't see my rabbit (Linny) until the finish, he got me by about 30 seconds. He ran 19 yesterday, so I mistakenly thought I had a chance!
This past week - I finally got back into running/working out. Ran 2 on Tuesday. Wed was 30 minutes on the stationary bike. Thursday was an after work run - 2 laps (kind of but not really - easy, 3 laps at 6:00/lap with 1/2 lap jogs, then 1 cool down lap for 6.3 miles. Maybe not the best idea 2 days before a race, but that's ok. Was good to match my plan finally. (I was supposed to do 18 this weekend, but because of the race, I will just go and do around 12 tomorrow to get in 18 for the weekend!). Not sure if I'll do a race before the GW Parkway Classic 10 miler in late April...

healed....and pre-snow runnung!

so the 2 days of rain postponed the Alumni soccer game. Very glad, because I was still hurting...getting better, but hurting (the glute-thing, not the sick-thing!). I started feeling Much better on Saturday and planned a long run for Sunday - even with rain/snow in the forecast. Having Not done over 10 miles in 6 weeks, and having run 5.5 miles (plus a soccer practice) TOTAL the previous 2 weeks, I really had no idea how I'd do. Since I missed my 14 and was supposed to do 16 this weekend, I was hoping for more than 10, and would stop at 14 if I got there. So at 9:30am Sunday I started out...rain coming down steadily. 35°. Set out my water, energy Gu, and plodded out. Went at a slower pace than what I'd been; didn't need to push, right at a 7:30/lap pace. (8:30/mi or so). Guess the rain wasn't that heavy until I'd gone 3 or 4 laps - by then I was soaked thru. Little wind to deal with on the back side of the lake. Did my standard countdown, how much further until I hit 10 laps, 12 laps, etc...didn't feel too badly. Until I was on lap 13 - my right knee started feeling it. Decided halway around that would be it. 11.7 miles and I'd take it! Haven't yet given up on a May marathon, but getting close. I'll give it 2 more weeks. I have Reedy River Saturday (which turns the planned 18 to 12, which is fine) and the following 20 miler, which I'll plan on 17-18. I could end up being only one 20 miler short of my NYC training...not too bad considering!
Oh - the soccer game is March 9th...and all that rain turned to snow Sunday night...5" when it was done. Ran 2 on the treadmill today to avoid the ice. Supposed to be in the mid-60's for Saturday - should be perfectly in the mid/upper 40's for Reedy! Not expecting to PR - which could break my current string of...6 straight! I've only come within 3 1/2 minutes of my 2001 PR in last year's race. I was almost 1 minute slower thru 6miles than my 10k PR if that's a better indication!