It's getting hot in here

A few years ago an old runner I know told me that training in the heat and humidity of the Northeastern United States was just as difficult as altitude training.

I don’t know about that. I understand the point he was trying to make, but it seemed to me that there is a little more involved, like, for instance, breathing. Trying to do speed workouts at 8,500-feet for a flatlander like myself is a lot like trying to teach a dog the multiplication tables… or maybe simply teaching them to a public school kid ensnared in the inanity of The No Child Left Behind Act.

But that’s a different argument.

Anyway, during my forays to higher altitude to run my biggest challenge (aside from breathing and making it up those “hills” with some type of movement that could be categorized as running) was getting out and back before the temperatures soared to 80 or 85 degrees. Humidity was never a problem because it rarely topped 30 percent, which made for pleasant summer days.

You see, at altitude a runner can crank out the miles like crazy – they will just be much slower than normal. However, after a week of running up high the first run at sea level makes me feel like I’m one giant lung. The feeling doesn’t last long, but it is fun for a day or two.

That is if the summer heat and humidity doesn’t take you out.

And that’s the trouble. Some summer days here in the east make it difficult to leave the air conditioning, let alone go out to run. Last summer I thought about those differences between Colorado and Pennsylvania after returning home to a heat/humidity wave. One my first day back at sea level after putting in 85 miles at 8,500 to 9,000 feet, it was so forebodingly hot and humid that I was only able to eke out 8 miles. As the week continued and the heat and humidity became more oppressive, I waited until 7 p.m. to start my runs, which was OK for a little while, but it definitely threw me off my schedule.

Anyway, as the summer season officially kicks off this week and the humidity begins to creep in for the next few weeks here in the east, I’ll be thinking about Colorado and those lucky folks running around up in the clouds…

I’ll trade humidity for altitude any day of the week.

Monday – 15 miles in 1:39:43
I want to go for at least two hours or 20 miles, but I was delayed because I was reading about The Sopranos on the Internet. I'm such a dumbass. Nonetheless, it would have been a good day to crank out some miles because I felt steady and strong the entire run. Hopefully I feel just as good tomorrow when I try to make up for not running long today.

Tuesday – 15 miles in 1:39:49
Felt tight (but not tired) at the start and it seemed like I was going kind of slow, but I was locked into a pretty solid pace and was able to keep it there until the last 3 miles or so. That's when I dipped to 6:45 pace and started to feel tired. Regardless, the run was pretty solid and I had enough left at the end for another five miles at the same pace.

Wednesday – 18 miles in 2:01:14
Went for ART in the morning and then went out and had my ass kicked. Actually, it wasn't all that bad. I ran steady 6:30ish pace for the first hour or so and then the heat, sun and lack of water took me out. After 14 miles or so it was a bit of a struggle, but I kept at it and focused on my form and elemental running. When I got home I was dehydrated and whipped, so I scarfed down two Clif Bars, lots of water and a big glass of Gatorade. That seemed to do the trick.

Thursday – 13 miles in 1:26:19
After five or six miles I felt great. My splits went 33:34 for the first five miles followed by 32:32 for the second five miles. Not only did I feel strong, but also my stride was good and my feet felt very comfortable hitting the ground. At one point I thought about taking it down to 6-minute pace, but figured I had to save a little for this weekend. But as I always say, “What the hell am I saving this for?”

Friday – 9 miles in 62:25
Ran with the stroller for the first time. It wasn't easy, nor ideal, but I suppose it's something I'll have to get used for certain occasions in the future. Nevertheless, pushing the stroller with a 35-pound, three-year old in the seat wasn't the hardest part -- dealing with the heat and humidity was. Fortunately, today was a scheduled "easy" day so I felt no need to push the pace or mileage.

Either way, the boy seemed to enjoy his nine-mile ride around the neighborhood. Maybe sometime in the future he and I can trade places?

Saturday – 13 miles in 1:26:30
If it hadn't been for the breeze and the hazy cloud cover, I definitely would have melted to nothing but a pile of salt today. The heat index was near 90 degrees and the humidity didn't do anyone any favors either. Nevertheless, I ran fairly solid by going through the first five miles in 33:11 and the second five in 33:10. My last mile home was pretty decent, too.

On another note, the Vermont City Marathon was one year ago today. That one was hot, too, and definitely not as fun as today’s outing.

Sunday – 6 miles in 38:24
Ran easy and steady though I did the last two miles at 5:40 pace. That felt really controlled and strong without exerting much effort. Still, I definitely need to do more speed, that's for sure.

I wore my Nike Air Mariahs today. There was also a pretty intense hail storm in the evening. I've only seen anything like that in Colorado.

That’s 89 miles for the week… maybe I should run around the block for an extra miles to give me 90?

Time for racin'

As the weather gets warmer and spring slowly morphs into summer – or something like that – the running and racing season gets into full swing. These days, certainly, there is no dearth of racing opportunities for anyone looking for a 5k anywhere on any weekend, but the well known, long-standing road races are looming.

Around here there is something called the Red Rose Run that is quintessentially a local five-mile run as opposed to a five-mile race that attracted world-record holders and Olympians that it did during its heyday. That’s fine, I guess, because I doubt most people really care if it’s Kenyans or local racers at the top of the leaderboard. Most people who run (based on my uneducated experience) don’t particularly care if they get faster from race to race or what place they finish. Everyone has a reason for running, and sometimes one doesn’t have to be fast to enjoy it – that’s the beauty of it.

Nevertheless, there are a few of us who don’t do this for our health. Deep down we’re aggressive, hostile and competitive. Running is the perfect place to channel those feelings.

Anyway, speaking of racing and really good runners, Khalid Khannouchi was back racing in a 10k through Central Park last weekend after dropping out of the London Marathon in April. Actually, the fact that Khannouchi was racing in New York was such a big deal that The New York Times offered a pre-race feature on the runner as he prepared to race against American Dathan Ritzenhein and Australian Buster Mottram. After the race Ritzenhein told reporters that he was “intimidated” at the starting line to see Khannouchi, the American record holder in the marathon, standing there.

As followers of the sport know, Ritzenhein finished the race in a Central Park-record 28:08, 17 seconds ahead of Mottram. Khannouchi, meanwhile, was 14^th in 30:06.

Perhaps the injuries that plagued Khannouchi in London resurfaced in Central Park? I couldn’t find any post-race comments from Khannouchi online aside from a rhetorical question posted on his web site:

Is Khalid back?
Obviously, not yet!!

According to the story in The Times, Khannouchi wants to race in Beijing for the 2008 Olympic Games and then call it a career. First, however, he has to make the U.S. marathon team, which doesn’t sound too difficult noting that he has the fastest qualifying time for the trials and that he is the only man in history to run under 2:06 three times. Khannouchi’s five best marathon times make him the fastest ever.

Yet for some reason his name doesn’t enter the conversation when talking about who will finish on the podium and make the Olympic team at the marathon trials in November. Never mind that there is no other American within three minutes of his best times. For some reason Ritzenhein, Ryan Hall, Alan Culpepper, Brian Sell, Meb Keflezighi and Abdi Abdirahman are the runners to beat, while Khannouchi seems to be forgotten in the, “oh yeah… him,” sense.

Is that because he missed the trials in 2000 and 2004 with injuries that some whispered weren’t serious enough to really keep him out of a race like the Olympic Trials? Is it because of his age (he’s 35)? Could it be that he has completed just two marathons since running Chicago in 2:05:56 in 2002? Forget that only one American was even in the neighborhood of the times he did register (2:07:04 in London in 2006 and 2:08:44 in Chicago in 2004); he has run 2:05… three times!

Either way, the trials in Manhattan in November should be quite interesting. Take Khannouchi out of it and it’s the deepest American field in a long, long time. Add him into the mix it’s possible that the American marathoner could be one of the strongest teams in Beijing in 2008.

Anyway, I think I’m getting closer to deciding whether I will run a local road race or two in the upcoming weeks. Aside from that, I’m also continuing to build up for a marathon in October and/or November. So far my strength and recovery is pretty good but my speed… well, let’s just say I’m strong.

Here’s how the week of May 14 to 20 broke down:

Monday - 18 miles in 1:59:38
I was consistent and strong for the entire run. It helped that the weather was perfect, of course, but this was a good one. I only started to feel slightly tired toward the end and I'm quite sure that I could have busted out another hour with no trouble.

First 5: 33:21
2nd 5: 33:05
3rd 5: 32:56

Aside from a slow first loop, I was pretty rock steady consistent.

Tuesday - 13 miles in 1:26:48
Felt pretty good in the beginning. My legs had a little snap and I was raring to get out the door and get busy. But it was hot and sunny, which slowed me down as the run wore on. It wasn't anything major, but it was quite obvious that the sun and heat were a drag.

Splits:
1st 5: 33:05
2nd 5: 33:24

Elsewhere, I read that Deena Kastor has skin cancer and has been battling the issue for a little while. Not so seriously (except for where it pertains to my finances), my car came dangerously close to overheating and I had to take it to the garage. Hopefully it's not too major.

Tomorrow: ART.

Wednesday - 13 miles in 1:26:16
I actually veered into the Brick Yards today for some reason. I also had a fairly quick pace thanks in part to hard winds blowing a nice tailwind. Better yet, the wind and approaching rain storm brought the temperatures down to something more conducive to distance running. If only the weather would be 55 and overcast for two hours every day...

Thursday - 10 miles in 64:00
I didn't sleep well, so I decided to get up and run early. Surprisingly, it went fairly well. I kept the pace steady and ran a few surges, though nothing that would constitute speed work or to get too excited about.

Friday - 15 miles in 1:36:49
This was really good one. The weather was perfect -- 55, cloudy with drizzle -- and despite feeling a little tight when I woke up, I was solid and smooth the entire time. Who knows... maybe I'm starting to get into shape.

Saturday - 12 miles in 1:18:24
I ran well and felt strong. I'm sure I could have put in many more miles, but I don't want to overdo it quite yet. I guess I stopped because I want to pace myself. On another note, I added a few faux strides when I was finished. I definitely feel as though I have to do a better job with my speed work.

Sunday - 6 miles in 36:32
This one proved that I'm not in great shape and/or that I need to start getting busy with the speed workouts. I tried to run up tempo with the possibility of running a 5k time trial, and it didn't really go as planned. I ended up just doing a tempo run, which wasn't spectacular. I didn't push it because I didn't feel too good, but the times when I did push it ever so slightly, it didn't feel good either. I ended up doing five miles in 29:24, which was disappointing, but at the same time, I really didn't push it. Nevertheless, the point is that I have to get to work.

That’s 87 miles for the week.

A different element

Adaptability is pretty important in running. Because runners and running, by nature, is a selfish act, occasionally one has to alter his plans, regime or surroundings if they are going to a session in. For me that usually means getting up out of bed and out the door hours before normal so that I’m all finished before I typically even wake up. I keep late-night hours so this is difficult, though necessary.

But if that’s what it takes from time to time, so be it. As long as I get the work in, I feel good.

I suppose all runners are like this, too. In fact, I remember reading an interview with Bill Rodgers where he talked about squeezing in runs while waiting for a flight at the airport. Of course doing something like that these days would be nearly impossible with the raised levels of security, but it seems to me that real runners have put in some work on the access roads around the airport. That’s a definite hardcore running act that makes my list next to having just two remaining original toenails, urinating blood, or not quite making it to the bathroom in time and dropping the deuce in those microfiber shorts.

It really is quite a durable fabric.

Anyway, I did three runs where I was finished for the day and showered before 9 a.m. Two of those three were in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware where my wife, son and me spent the weekend. Frankly, though, the toughest part wasn’t waking up early because after chasing around a 3-year old boy every waking hour, I was too trashed to keep my normal schedule. I had no other choice but to be in bed not too long after the sun had set.

Here’s the week of May 7-13:

Monday 15.3 miles in 1:42:20
Still nursing the remnants of my cold, but, surprisingly, I ran very well. Despite the day off I was very strong and kept a solid pace. A few more runs like this and I'll be feeling much better.

Tuesday 15 miles in 1:39:46
I did the entire run on the field and was very solid with my pace for the first 11 miles. After that it faltered slightly, but not too much. Anyway, I kept a steady 6:37 pace for 11 miles with very little effort. What made it telling (or something) was that I was (and am) phlegmy and stuffed up from my cold/allergies. The damn late spring is wreaking havoc with my head.

Wednesday 13.2 miles in 1:27:53
This was a weird one. I woke up in the morning feeling like I had to throw up. I don't know if that's because of allergies or a cold or what, but my stomach felt quite quesy and it really affected me. Running-wise I felt great, albeit a bit tired, but the entire time I felt like I needed to throw up.

Thursday 13 miles in 1:27:37
This was definitely a beater. The humidity mixed with tired and stiff legs didn't make this run fun. Plus, I still have remnants of my cold/allergies wreaking havoc with my head. I even took a sudafed-type pill, which contains a substance that is banned (if used in large quantities) by the IOC or WADA or whomever. Then again, if it were up to Dick Pound and WADA, shoes would be banned. Digressing, I toughed it out for 13.

Friday 10 miles in 66:03
Got up early to run before driving to Rehoboth and surprisingly did well. Maybe there's something about running at 7 a.m.?

Saturday 10 miles in 67:16
Did another early morning run and felt nearly as good as yesterday. It was kind of fun to run in a different place (I went from weaved my way around Rehoboth and Dewey Beach), but truth be told, I like my regular routes the best. I'm not saying I didn't have fun, but it's very evident that some serious work has to start soon.

Sunday 5.5 miles in 36:47
Retraced some of the same tracks I ran yesterday, only not as long. For the third day in a row I was finished running before 9 a.m. and I even did this one in a misting rain with ocean winds (trade winds?) blowing fairly hard. Midway through this one I felt really strong and ready to crank out some miles... not today.

That’s 82 miles for the week. There are 21 weeks to the Steamtown Marathon on Oct.7. I wonder if I can get close to 2:30 again? Either way, I have to make a decision about which race I’m going to do and when I’m going to do it.

Still going...

I never really got too many colds or had allergies until two things happened. The first was when I bought my first house in Delaware in 2002. As any first-time home owner I was very diligent about cutting the grass, trimming the edges, planting the flowers and trees and making sure to maintain all of the little maintenance issues to keep them from turning into something bigger. After selling that house and buying another, I don’t go as crazy with all of the yard work and everything. A lot of that has to do with the fact that I’m tired of it and simply choose to, as they say, pick my spots.

It’s similar to my approach during college when I studied like crazy during my first two semesters before coming to a realization that it wasn't so hard after all. From there, I coasted, which isn’t what I’d recommend, but what are you going to do now?

Anyway, from the time I started cutting the grass regularly the allergies and head stuffiness came along, too. Sometimes it knocks me right on my ass for a couple of days, other times it’s just uncomfortable. Always, it alters my workouts.

The second element is my three-year-old boy. The kid is a veritable frappe of bacteria and germs, which is especially fun when he decides he wants to pretend to be a dog and lick me or give me the raspberries an inch-and-a-half away from my face. I guess I can’t be too upset about it since I do it to him, too… except for the dog part. My biggest worry with him is how he mimics my voice. That’s just not fair and I don’t recall reading about how to handle that in any of those parenting guides. Worse, the kid has the nuances of me down cold which will only improve and get sharper when he gets older.

Yeah, I’m in trouble here.

So a combination of mowing the lawn and hanging out with my boy could have led to the late week cold that had me fighting to get out and coughing up some fascinating fluids to hack out during my runs. It’s a veritable science experiment, in fact.

Anyway, here’s the week of April 30 to May 6 where I continue to train for something:

Monday: 15 miles in 1:40:29
This was a weird one. Before I started my stomach was a little upset from eating a bunch of sweets the day before -- normally moderation is my tact when it comes to junky food, but for some reason I went a little crazy. Either way, I started out running pretty well at 6:20ish pace. In fact, I had to slow myself down because the sun was out and it was a little warm. Thankfully, there was a stiff breeze going which kept the temperatures from making me wilt.

Anyway, I tore through the run at a fair clip and my legs felt great, but my stomach bothered me the entire time. I thought I was going to have to veer off into the woods or something, but luckily I finished without incident...

Until I got home. For about three hours I was in agony with nasty stomach cramps. I assume some of it was from dehydration and the heat and the rest from my crappy diet. Nonetheless, I guess it's time to make sure I'm loaded with electrolytes before I run.

Tuesday: 13 miles in 1:26:51
It felt like I was going to continue to have trouble with my stomach when I started out. But once I got going and settled in I felt great. I definitely could have cranked out the miles and even the 6:20s I was running for the first 5 or 6 miles felt very easy. Better yet, the weather was as perfect as it could be -- the temps were around 60-65 with a nice breeze. Perfect.

Wednesday: 1st run: 13 miles in 1:25:17
2nd run: 4 miles in 28:05
Doubled for the first time in a long time. I guess I feel the need to work on my base. Plus, with the weather as perfect as it's been for the past two days how could I not do two runs?

Thursday: 10 miles in 68:19
Got a late start because I had the boy all day. That wasn't the bad part... what was bad was that I stayed up until 3 a.m. writing, watching baseball and old Sopranos episodes. I was cranky and tired all day. But once I settled into the run I felt really good.

Friday: 15 miles in 1:40:57
I'm very strong. In fact, it's safe to say that my strength is my strength. Now if only I had some speed to go with it, then, perhaps, I'd be an ass kicker. Instead I'm just a strong dude who can hold a steady pace for a long time.

Saturday: 7 miles in 49:17
Ran OK considering I got up after five hours of sleep, drove for three hours (to Jennerstown, Pa. for a wedding) and ate lunch. I never do any of those things -- mix that with being at 2,000-feet of altitude and a throat/head cold and I think I did OK. I could have gone longer, but whatever...

Sunday: goose egg
Just beat. I felt like crap because of my cold and then I drove three hours to get home from Jennerstown, Pa. After some Mexican food, The Sopranos and Entourage, I went to bed.

That’s 77 miles for the week. Not bad, but I was on to something better.

Building toward... something?

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: the hardest part about running is simply getting out the door. But once that commitment has been made and those first, stiff-legged moments have passed, then it’s fun. Too much fun, in fact – sometimes it’s hard to stop.

Imagine that.

That’s the way it went all week. I really had to force myself out the door to start my pre-race routines and calisthenics in my front yard so that the neighbors can watch and wonder if I finally had lost my mind… well yeah, but not because of the running.

Anyway, I put together another consistent week just as I had said I would. I’m definitely getting stronger and should be ready to get into some serious training very soon. The issue with that is what to train for. I have two or three options in mind, but I want to see what happens over the next few weeks before I make a decision.

Like a lot of runners I’m prone to jump into a race or a training program without proper planning and I’m tired of that. The best way to do thing, I’ve learned, is to stick with a plan and follow it through. No secrets or surprises. Yes, it’s that easy.

Here’s how a pretty decent week played out:

Monday - 15.1 miles in 1:42:08
This was another grinder, but not because I was tired and my legs were heavy. It was a grinder because it was more than 80 damn degrees out there. The heat really made it tough, though I started out running at 6:30 pace. I'm definitely in no shape to race, but maybe that will change in a few weeks.

Tuesday - 13.3 miles in 1:28:41
I did the entire run on the grass and had planned on going fairly easy, but for some reason I ran a surge here or there. I started out in 6:57 pace and then took it down to 6:30 and kept it there for a little while. I ran the first 5 in 33:20 and the second 5 in 33:04 before cruising home. It's still hot out though there was a pretty nice breeze blowing that kept me from wilting.

Wednesday - 13.1 miles in 1:27:40
Surprisingly, I felt very strong and alert even though I didn't sleep particularly well. A 6:40 pace felt easy and effortless, which is good. This was definitely one of my better runs and I'm sure I could have done 30 miles at the same pace. Plus, the weather was really great.

Thursday - 10 miles in 66:04
Effortless. Actually, I was surprised that I went through the splits so quickly. The idea was to go easy and it felt that way. If I hadn't gotten out so late I would have run all day.

Friday - 13 miles in 1:26:41
Ran a few extra hills today just because. Other than that, I still feel strong and the weather was still perfect -- it was mid-50s, overcast with a nice breeze. Who knows, maybe I'm getting good at this?

Saturday - 13.2 miles in 1:29:04
The hardest part about running is simply getting out the door. Once you do that and then actually start running, it's a breeze. That's the way today's run felt. I was slow and sluggish in the very beginning, but once I got going, I kind of hammered. From about 30-minutes on I moved well.

Sunday - 8.3 miles in 56:20
The plan was to do a 5k tempo run or time trial today, but I got a late start getting out and the course I was going to run on was littered with people. The target time was 17:00 for 5k, but that will have to wait for another day. Either way, an easy day was the way to go today so that's what I did. Once I got loosened up I felt OK.

That’s 86 miles for the week, which is my most since doing 103 from Dec. 11-to-17.

Hall of fame

Today’s London Marathon featured another stellar field that was arguably the deepest race outside of the Olympics. According to press notes, the London Marathon was televised in 160 countries to well over a million viewers, none of which were in the United States.

To watch the race live in the U.S. fans had to get up at 4 a.m. and get on the Internets to check it out. Or, watch the tape delay here where *SPOILER ALERT* Kenyan Martin Lel outlasted American Khalid Khannouchi, world-record holder Paul Tergat, all-time great Haile Gebrselassie, Olympic gold medalist Stefano Baldini, two-time world champion Jaouad Gharib, and NYC champs Hendrick Ramaala and Marilson Gomes dos Santos. Lel won in 2:07:41 over Abderrahim Goumri of Morocco in his marathon debut in 2:07:44, and last year's champion, Felix Limo of Kenya, was third in 2:07:47. Lel lost to Limo in a sprint finish last year.

Afterwards, Lel said the marathon was one of the most tactical he had ever raced.

But for fans of American marathoning, the 2007 London Marathon could be a watershed moment. Why? Two words:

Ryan Hall.

Hall, just 24, ran the fastest debut marathon for an American ever by clocking a 2:08:24 for seventh place. He was 18 seconds behind Tergat and 30 seconds behind two-time world champion Jaouad Gharib.

It was the fastest marathon ever run by a someone born in the United States.

Most impressively, Hall (a 2006 Stanford grad who trains in Big Bear, Calif. with Deena Kastor and Meb Keflezighi as well as former local elite runner Terrance Mahon) not only ran in the lead pack until the final mile and a half of the race, but he also actually took the lead at the 35-kilometer mark. To do that against those runners takes more than guts – that takes brass ones. Big and brassy.

“I dreamed about being with those guys for 23 miles and I did that today and I took my swing,” Hall said after the race. “Hopefully I’ll be a bit stronger next time and run a bit smarter.”

In the end, though, the more experienced runners surged away from Hall though he said he thought he had a chance to catch up until he started tightening up. Nevertheless, for Hall, who smashed the American half-marathon record (59:43) in Houston last January, the next big race is on Nov. 3 at the Olympic Marathon Trials in New York City. If he finishes in the top three in that race, it’s off to the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.

For Hall, who threw down with the all-time greats in the sport, that seems like a foregone conclusion.

“With the Olympics coming up so quick, I really want to take a swing at a medal,” Hall said today. “If I’m going to do that, my best shot is going to be in the marathon.”

***
Hardly a big-time, Ryan Hall-type effort, but I’m getting there. I’m starting to feel more comfortable with the daily distance and I’m bouncing back from day-to-day fairly well. The one thing, though, is that I’ve needed a lot of sleep – eight hours at the minimum. I’m also going to have to get back in to some ART treatments, but that’s a different story. The bottom line was that I was after some consistency and I think I’m getting there. Now all I need are some weekly long runs and some quality workouts.

It’s that simple.

Anyway:

Monday - 13 miles in 1:29:06
More crazy, wacky weather. The Nor'easter is still tearing through and making a mess, but I was able to get out even though the wind was howling around 30 mph. It didn't really bother me until I got into some exposed areas and I was surprised that I didn't see more downed tree limbs, etc. Anyway, the conditions were not ideal, but I enjoyed the easy run. In fact, when I finished and went into the house I thought, “Was that it? That was easy.”

Tuesday - 13 miles in 1:27:55
A lot like yesterday except that I felt much stronger early. I kept good form, which helped my speed though I didn't really try to do anything other than run strong. The weather is still goofy, though I enjoyed today's temps. I'll take high 40s-low 50s any time.

Wednesday - 13 miles in 1:28:55
Pretty much the same thing as every other day... I'm running and running strong. I actually feel like I've been pulling back as far as the distance goes, which very well may be the case.

Thursday - no run
I got home at 3 a.m. after going to Washington for a baseball game. I also got up early with very little sleep because I had Michael all day. By the time I was able to get away for a run, I was too tired. I ended up going to bed at 8:15 p.m.

Friday - 14.5 miles in 1:38:25
The weather finally broke. It was 70 degrees and maybe that is what made me tire around 8 or 9 miles. Either way, I felt decent running but a little slow at the end.

Saturday - 15 miles in 1:41:43
When I started I felt a little heavy and tight. Fortunately, I stuck it out. I guess this was a grinder.

Sunday - 7.5 miles in 51:04
That's why I'm easy... I'm easy like Sunday morning. This was the perfect, easy Sunday run. I ran until it seemed like a good time to stop and that was it. I didn't exert myself, but I didn't walk either.

Second straight week of 76 miles. I’m going to do 83 to 85 next week.

Staying solid

From the outset, all of my workouts this week look pretty boring. For six straight days I ran essentially the same mileage over the same course. Even better, I was able to stay off the roads and on some forgiving surfaces with lots of hills. Better than all of that, I remained strong, healthy and excited to keep on keeping on.

If I continue on this path there is a chance I could jump in a race in early June. Maybe even a five-mile race in Lancaster on a course where I have never broken 28-minutes...

Anyway:

Monday - 13 miles in 1:27:41
Went back in the Brick Yards again and had lots of fun. Actually, I ran one of my loops from back in '98 when I was training for Boston. It worked then, maybe it will work now.

Tuesday - 13 miles in 1:26:31
Went back in the Brick Yards again and ran faster and stronger than yesterday. My calves bother me a little bit, but it didn't hinder my running. Interestingly, there was a guy running along a similar loop as me and wouldn't acknowledge me even after I waved. What is that? It wasn't like the guy was running particularly fast either. I wanted to run him down and smoke his ass, but he changed direction... good move on his part.

Wednesday - 13.2 in 1:28:01
Ran better and faster than yesterday, including "race pace" for the last mile on the field. I definitely have to add a little more speed to my workouts though I definitely felt it in my hamstrings today. On another note, I nearly was run over by a deer while running on a trail through the Brick Yards. I think there were three of them and they bolted in front of me about 20 yards away and off into the brush. Man, do those things move fast -- they're really big, too. Needless to say it scared the shit out of me.

Thursday - 13.3 miles in 1:30:25
Didn't go back in the Brick Yards today because it was wet and muddy after last night's rain, and I didn't want to get run over by another deer. Other than that, I didn't feel great running -- my legs were tight and felt heavy. Basically, I forced myself to run the 13.3 miles because I had it in my head that it was how much I should run. Needless to say tomorrow will be a little easier.

Friday - 10.5 miles in 1:12:49
I knew I was supposed to go easy today, but I really didn't feel like it... I wanted to run. Nevertheless, I went close to 11 (slightly more than what I posted) and felt really strong. Who knows, maybe I'll be ready to race at the end of May or beginning of June. As soon as I drop some weight I'll be ready to go.

Saturday - 13 miles in 1:28:36
Another good, solid run. At the end I felt like I could have kept going. It looks as if some more bad weather is coming through. Hopefully I'll be able to squeeze in some runs over the next two days.

Sunday nothing
I wanted to run and easy, easy 5 today, but the wind and the rain from the Nor'easter were just too much to bear. Besides, we had big birthday party No. 3 for Michael. Talk about a wild time... I think I was as excited about the party than him.

Total mileage: 76 miles... starting to get there.

Look who's back...

I haven't written much here (or anything) because I haven't felt great about how the running has been going. Between a pair of sinus infections, some cold and snowy weather and regular malaise, I've been struggling with consistency.

So what's the plan?

Get consistent. Period.

That's pretty much been the plan for the past two weeks and although my mileage hasn't been anything to go crazy over, it's getting consistent. In the past three weeks I got out for 19 runs. The best part about this is that they are all right around 10-plus miles at 6:45 to 7:00 pace. Again, that's not great, but it's putting me on schedule to get started on some serious work this summer.

Meanwhile, part of my struggle with consistency -- I think -- is attributed to my diet. In taking some self-inventory in this regard I decided to go as organic as possible, and no eating after 8 p.m. Because of this, I've sworn off practically all the food served at the ballpark, which isn't too difficult since it's not very good and the vegetarian options leave a little to be desired.

It's funny because it's true:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ua129pv-eKE]

Anyway, here's what was missed over the past four weeks (in descending order)...

April 2 - 8
Monday -- 9 miles in 60:37
Ran in FDR Park and around the ballpark after writing about Brett Myers. It wasn't ideal (the running not writing about Brett Myers -- though that wasn't ideal either), but I'm pleased that I got something in. I think I had a pretty good pace going through the park.

Tuesday -- 11.5 miles in 1:21:12
I got my ass kicked. My legs were tight and tired the entire time, though there was a little stretch where I ran a good pace.

Wednesday -- 10 miles in 68:22
Started out very slow, but picked it up. My legs still feel tight and I have a weird pain on my right ankle, but I've been running OK. Once I get going I feel good.

Thursday -- 9 miles in 63:47
I actually stopped twice before I started. Finally I pushed myself out the door and felt pretty good once I got going. Of course I didn't run very hard and didn't feel too loose, but I got one in. That makes me feel good.

Friday -- 10.5 miles in 1:13:25
I've been really sluggish at the start of the run but I feel good when I get going. The thing is I still feel kind of tight. I think I need more sleep -- I was up all night with Michael.

Saturday -- 11 miles in 1:16:11
It was another blustery, cold day so I stayed off the roads and the field and ran back in the Brick Yards. The loop gets a bit repetitive, but the surface is soft and the climbs are fairly challenging.

Sunday -- 6 miles in 42:00
Didn't have much time to run because of our Easter festivities all over town. Plus, it's still really cold. It's actually oddly cold. Despite that -- and my tight, slow legs -- I'm enjoying the low-key approach. My mileage isn't anything to go crazy about, but I'm building some consistency, which will help when I decide to crank it up again.

Weekly total: 67 miles

Week of March 26 to April 1
Monday -- 15 miles in 1:41:17
Felt really, really strong. Actually, I felt better and faster as the run progressed -- I haven't had one of those in a long time. Later, we went to Taj Mahal with the Wanns, which is always fun. Mike and Michelle Wann (and Christopher) are as great as they come. A good time was had by all.

Tuesday -- 9 miles in 62:10
It was kind of hot today. It might have made it to 80 degrees. Needless to say, I sweated a lot and my legs were a little dull. My calves are still spasming like crazy -- I should call my ART guys.

Wednesday -- 10.2 miles in 69:33
Ran pretty hard in some spots, especially the hills. I definitely could have kept on going, but right now the aim is to stay consistent and not kill myself. We'll do that later.

Thursday -- off

Friday -- 13.3 miles in 1:29:07
Got back on Baker Field and it was a lot of fun. My stride got shorter around 9 to 10 miles, but it was still a good run. It would be great if they were all like this.

Saturday -- 11.7 miles in 1:19:21
Felt pretty good again. It was a lot like yesterday.

Sunday -- 10 miles in 69:09
My legs were tight and it was a little cool because of the rain, but I enjoyed it. Running is fun. I could have gone much longer.

Weekly total: 69.2 miles

Week of March 19-25
Monday -- 7.2 miles in 51:42
First day back after three days off and I really felt it. I'm such a slacker and now I'm paying for it.

Tuesday -- 8.8 miles in 62:00
The plan is to build up slowly. I'm definitely out of shape and if I jump into it too quickly I'm going to get hurt and have a few setbacks, so the plan is to take my time, stay consistent and get ready for some hard training in the summer and early autumn. Consistency.

Wednesday -- 10.1 miles in 1:11:53
Ran a little longer and a few more hills and felt a little tight in my calves. Other than that, my lungs felt good and the distance was easy, but I feel as though I have no speed and that I'm a little heavy.

Thursday -- 10.1 miles in 69:41
Decent run. I picked up the pace in a few spots, like when going up the hills, but otherwise it was effortless. My legs are still tight and tired, but the rest of me is OK. My diet has been cleaned up and I can really tell.

Friday -- 10.1 miles in 68:18
Felt pretty good and could have run much longer. I went out in the rain and later in the afternoon when Ellen came home from work.

Saturday -- 9.3 miles in 1:13:56
Ran the first 5k with John May and the final 10k by myself. Both parts of the run were fun and it feels like I'm starting to get some strength back even though my calves are very, very tight.

Sunday -- scheduled day off

Weekly total: 55.6 miles

Week of March 12-18
Monday -- 12.6 miles in 1:26:06
Just ran around and did a bunch of hills. Went to a bunch of different neighborhoods just to mix it up a little bit.

Tuesday -- 10 miles in 68:34
Felt pretty crappy midway through the run. My legs were tight and I was bit overdressed -- it got pretty warm out.

Wednesday -- 9.3 miles in 63:34
My legs felt like garbage during the entire run. They just wouldn't loosen up. After the run, my quad spasmed for hours. It was pretty weird.

Thursday -- 11.4 miles in 1:17:12
Felt good and reasonably strong throughout, but tired around the 60-minute mark. Either way, it was a decent run and it was good to get back on the field for change. With teh snow coming it might be a while before I can run there again.

Friday -- snow

Saturday -- cold and snow

Sunday -- lazy

Weekly total: 43.3 miles

Week of March 5-11
Monday -- 13 miles in 1:25:38
Started out feeling slow and heavy -- and the wind didn't help much either. But near F&M I started running hard and didn't stop. I suppose I used the tailwind (when I had it) and kept my head squared and ran. Honestly, I'm pretty surprised that I went as fast as I did.

Tuesday -- sick/sinuses

Wednesday -- More sinus trouble

Thursday -- more of the same

Friday -- 10 miles in 67:07
First time out after taking days off because of the sinus infection/cold. I felt good and bad during the run. Good for getting out there and hitting the rounds, and bad because I'm having trouble breathing with the congestion and everything else. When I woke up in the morning it hurt to swallow, but I wasn't going to take another day off. After the run was over I was glad that I got out.

Saturday -- 17.5 miles in 2:35:50
Ran the first 5+ by myself and felt pretty good, and then ran the last 2 hours with John May through the city. It was my longest run since a 20-miler in December. The pace was slow, but it was fun being out there running. My head is still stuffed up, though.

Sunday -- 9 miles in 61:27
Went out and ran and had fun. Could have run longer, but I want to put together a solid week. Plus, I don't want to push it after being sick most of the week or with my calves aching the way they have been.

Consistently inconsistent

After a strong start, I faltered a bit at the end of the week. Actually, “faltered” insinuates that there was something wrong with me or the conditions or both, and that’s not the case. Instead, I spent all of Friday with my 2-year-old boy and had a chance to run for just 30 minutes. On Sunday, instead of ripping off another 13 miler, which was the staple of the week, I took the boy and my wife to Baltimore where we looked at fish, walked along the water, browsed through bookstores and ate pizza.

Needless to say, Sunday’s outing was much more tiring than any run ever was.

Anyway, here’s what 63.8-mile “rebound” week looks like:

Monday -- 10.5 miles in 1:11:45
I definitely struggled with the mental part today. I forced myself out and it took a while to get loose because my legs were tight. There was a stretch where I felt pretty good, but for the most part I was tight and a little tired the entire run.

Tuesday -- 13 miles in 1:27:42
Felt really good through the first part and the hills, but was definitely tired during the last three miles. I'm not sure why that was, however, my legs -- especially hamstrings -- have been noticeably tight and tired. Regardless, I came to the conclusion during my run that it would be a really good idea to run every day for the rest of my life until I fall over. That's the plan.

Wednesday -- 10 miles in 67:58
Cut it short because I got a late start, but I felt really good and strong. There was one little lull, but other than that I was solid. Perhaps easy days like this one will help me in the long run.

Thursday -- 13 miles in 1:26:22
I felt really good. Actually, I felt really, really good. There isn't not much more to say than that.

Friday -- 4.3 miles in 29:19
Ran as much as I could with what little time I had.

Saturday -- 13 miles in 1:27:30
Another solid effort. I ran hard up the hills and pushed it a bit at the end. The only bad part was thinking about not being able to run more yesterday. Live in the now! Live in the now!

Sunday nothing
Went to Baltimore and was worn out by chasing around a little boy.

In terms of mileage it wasn’t a great week, but I definitely feel a 2-hour/20-mile outing lurking for next week.

Baby steps

In all it was a pretty good week. Sure, I took a day weather/cold/tired-from-the-kid day off, as well as two easy days with no real long runs, but it was consistent. That’s a start.

Anyway, here’s how it broke down.

Monday
Off. Tired.

Tuesday 13 miles in 1:28:29
Good day. I wore shorts, the ice wasn't so bad on a portion of the loop, and I didn't have to hustle to get out and back. This was a good run and I hope it leads to some good things.

Wednesday 13 miles in 1:26:26
Did the same run as yesterday and was strong enough to keep a good pace the entire time. Ran reasonably hard in a few spots.

Thursday 13 miles in 1:29:47
Started running in the rain and then the sun came out. I even wore my French cycling rain jacket. As far as the running part goes, I was really, really slow and felt a bit tight in my hips and calves. Perhaps it's the volume from the past two days?

Friday 9 miles in 62:12
Really windy -- so much for the "warmer" tempertaures. Felt a little tight going through the hills and the wind, but was pretty smooth and strong as the run went on. This was a scheduled easy day. I could have gone longer, but I want to recover a little better before trying tomorrow's run.

Saturday 13 miles in 1:26:58
I wanted to go a little longer but I got sidetracked and all of that kind of stuff. Regardless, I ran pretty well once I was warmed up. I especially ran well the last 5k or so. Feel like I'm getting some strength back.

Sunday 7 miles in 49:07
Very easy, easy day. My legs were pretty tight and the snow made for some pretty wet conditions. Nonetheless, I got the work in.

Total: 68 miles in six runs

Ice, ice baby

I’d been planning to write about how the local government folks in Lancaster City really blew it with the snow and ice storm that turned the roads and sidewalks into glaciers. How come they could clean up the streets in Harrisburg and other nearby cities, but not Lancaster? Was it because our city was laid out in the 18th Century? Maybe they’re just smarter than we are?

Whatever the reason, we’re really bad at moving snow off the streets here in Lancaster. But then again, no one had an easy time this past week. And the funny (ironical not ha-ha) part is that it’s just as bad now is it was the day after it happened. For instance, it’s been seven days and I still can’t get my car out of my driveway because the front tires are resting on top of a sheet of ice. Oh I shoveled quite a bit last Wednesday. In fact, I was out there for about four hours – more if Tuesday night’s preliminary shoveling is thrown in. But this stuff just ain’t going anywhere.

Needless to say, running was pretty difficult last week as evidenced by the picture of one of my routes (upper right). Though the roads in my neighborhood were passable, there still was some ice here and there, plus most people who drive cars aren’t too keen on sharing them with anyone.

But the worst part about last week’s runs came when I crossed into the Lancaster city limits. Oddly, the worst spots were on sidewalks on city property. They appeared to be untouched, while it seemed as if the residents at least gave an effort to get some of the sheets of ice off the sidewalks. Not the city though.

That’s the weird part, too. Politicians don’t seem to understand that quality of life issues are what people (voters) remember. If the mayor, the city council or the county commissioners (whoever the hell decides to do something) can get the snow of the sidewalks and the trash off the streets, people will remember. Better yet, businesses will be attracted to the town because everything is clean and safe.

Taking care of the quality of life stuff means the politicians and special-interest business folks can build their convention centers and hotels without much resistance. After all, wo wants to hold a convention in a town where the streets are covered with snow and trash and the only downtown business open after 5 p.m. on a Friday is the pawn shop?

Not anyone who has any self respect – and not anyone who might want to go out for a run.

Anyway, I put in 49 miles for the week in six runs. That’s definitely not where I want to be this late in the year. However, the upcoming week looks good. Temperatures should climb into the 40s and my normal routines should come off without a hitch. Maybe a 60-mile week is in the offing?

Then 70?

Then 80?

And so on and so on …

Monday -- 11.6 miles in 1:19:11
Felt pretty good, but I'm still not there. I'm not as strong as I was a couple of weeks ago and I can really tell. My legs -- especially my calves -- were tired about an hour into the run.

Tuesday -- 6.8 miles in 47:11
Ran in the snow. The conditions were a little slippery, but not bad. Y legs felt kind of tight, though.

Wednesday -- nothing
Spent the day shoveling. After that I ate pizza. I guess that makes me a lacto vegetarian for those into labels.

Thursday -- 6.8 miles in 48:02
The roads were pretty icy and really tough to run on. I really, really, really hate this weather.

Friday -- 6.8 miles in 47:22
Not as icy as yesterday, but I cut out the bad parts. Wasn't as cold either. Still, I'm going crazy -- I'm out of my routine and it sucks.

Saturday -- 8.5 in 60:55
My mistake was running into the city... the sidewalks were so icy that it ruined the run. Otherwise, I felt pretty good and showed a little bit of strength.

Sunday -- 8.5 miles
The roads are still really bad and the wind made the conditions tough, but I got it in. I ran the last 63 minutes with John May, which was fun. I like to run.

Making lemonade

Just when it looked as if I turned some sort of corner to get back into a full-fledged training regime, last week happened.

Yeah, it’s always something.

With day time temperatures struggling to get into the single digits and the wind chill making it seem much colder, I knew it was going to be a difficult week. Usually, I’m able to warm up 20 to 30 minutes into any run and the coldness rarely is a factor, but that’s only with positive-numbered temperatures. When we get below zero it’s hard to go outside to run – and it’s dangerous, too. I’m not expert, but I’m guessing frost bite is not much fun.

Yet since I don’t have access to an indoor track or a treadmill because I’m so intent on going outside to run, it was time to dig out the sub-zero hood, the fleece-lined base layer tights to go under the SportHill pants, and the two cotton-twill shirts for underneath the so-called wind resistant jacket.

It makes me sweat just thinking about wearing all of that stuff.

Early in the week, when it was minus-five degrees at noon, it felt as if I were running on the moon. The ground was hard and cracked with some granules of dry snow blowing along the deserted landscape while the only life passing my way was the occasional carbon monoxide-spewing car puttering through the neighborhood. Once, though, a guy getting in a workout on his bike pedaled by and I tried to get close enough to him to see if I could determine so semblance of sanity in his face for being out on such a cold day. From what I could tell, his face seemed to be frozen in a lizard-like grimace and his was dressed a lot like me.

But the coldness wasn’t the bad part. Though I had a scheduled day off on Sunday and Monday’s temperatures were too dangerous to risk the run, I was only able to put in 7 miles or so on Tuesday and Wednesday. At first I thought it was the extreme cold that made my legs feel heavy and my breathing labored to the point that I stitched up about 40 minutes into the run. After all, I really struggle when it’s very, very hot – temperatures in the opposite direction ought to have the same affect, right?

After Tuesday’s struggles, Wednesday’s shortened run really had me worried. Usually after a couple of days off and an easy run I end up running so hard and fast that I’m like a racehorse. But this time something was wrong… what the hell was it?

According to the all of the web sites I checked, I had the symptoms of leukemia, thyroid disease, anemia, dehydration and anything else that requires tons of tests, exams and hospitalization. But after deciphering everything and eliminating diseases, I determined that I had a good, old fashioned sinus infection.

After a few more easy days, I was able to put in close to 20 miles on Saturday and Sunday and I’m getting close to being fully recovered by Monday. I still have a long way to go and it doesn’t appear as if I’ll be ready for any type of serious race or marathon until May or June at the earliest, but it gives me a good excuse to do some extended base work to prepare for a hard training effort and run in the Fall.

Here’s the rough week:

Monday – off
Dangerously cold.

Tuesday – 7.2 miles in 50:42
Really rough… and I’m not talking about the sub-zero wind chills.

Wednesday – 7 miles in 50:36
Worse than yesterday in every regard.

Thursday – nothing
Went to the store and bought some Sudafed for the sinusitis. I feel wiped out, heavy and drained – kind of like a pumpkin that’s been beaten with a baseball bat.

Friday – 6.3 miles in 45:46
Better than the other two days, but I'm definitely falling out of shape because of this cold. I guess it's time to slowly build back up.

Saturday – 9.5 miles in 66:21
Getting better but my legs are still weak. My breathing was still a little labored, too.

Sunday – 11.3 miles in 1:15:55
Best run all week. I'm definitely not 100 percent, and I felt a bit tired on the hills, but it's starting to come back a tiny bit.

So what’s with always going outside to run? Why don’t I just join a gym or buy a treadmill for the really hot and cold days?

Good questions.

I suppose I’ve always been something of a “purist” and felt as if running were something to do outside, in nature with all that it throws at you. Races, as I learned last year, sometimes occur in less-than-ideal circumstances. Plus, nature, in its own weird way, is perfect. It makes more sense to deal with it rather than trying to change it and messing it all up.

As I result, I don’t have a GPS watch, fancy attachments for my iPod and know the Google route charters are very flawed. They are nice things, but they don’t make any one a better runner. As far as the treadmill goes, I never thought it would be worth it since I usually had time to get out and extreme weather never lasted long enough to make a gym membership or major treadmill purchase cost effective.

But things are different now. With a soon-to-be three-year old boy and another kid on the way, my ability to escape the house and disappear for an hour or two might be drastically changed. Maybe a treadmill for the garage or basement might be the way for me to keep running when I’m at home with the kids?

Luckily, it never rains in the basement.

On the road back

I haven’t updated the weekly recaps in a while because I don’t think the running has been that interesting to read about. I don’t think this week is particularly interesting, either, but maybe it will become a source of motivation.

Still, I don’t have any quality sessions in the tank since late December, and I don’t foresee any this week with the wind-chills expected to hover around zero degrees all week. I can handle single-digits, but anything around or below zero hurts too much.

Jan. 29 – 15.4 miles in 1:45:25
Very chilly and windy out there, but I felt pretty good. I still feel strong as far as covering the distance, but I don't have any turnover or snap.

Jan. 30 -- 14.1 miles in 1:41:06
Ran slow, but the distance felt pretty good. In fact, the run was very enjoyable and I hope I can keep doing workouts like this one -- only faster.

Jan. 31 -- 15.4 miles in 1:43:33
Did the same run as Monday, only a little bit faster. However, I felt myself get a little tired during the second half and contemplated a short-cut home. That never happens, though.

Feb. 1 -- 14.6 miles
First run: 7.8 in 52:09.
Second run: 6.8 in 46:19.
Doubled up for the first time in a while and felt pretty good with it. Actually, it was kind of fun.

Feb. 2 -- 10.3 miles in 69:13
Ran in the snow, and although the temperature was fairly warm, the wetness was uncomfortable. Otherwise, it was an OK run. Nothing too exciting.

Feb. 3 -- 15 miles in 1:41:31
Felt tight, tired and slow. Plus, it was very, very cold with wind chills in single digits. Still, I ran and stayed strong.

Feb. 4 -- nada
A scheduled easy day morphed into an off day because of the sub-zero wind chills.

National Marathon: 15 weeks

There are so many different and intriguing things I wanted to write about and post here. It was all really intriguing and perplexing stuff, too, like the weather, wind, sun and those new-fangled fabrics that the athletic companies make to keep us warm, dry, cool and looking-sharp.

I don’t know if anyone has noticed, but Dri-Fit, or whatever it’s called, has come a long way in five short years. And I never thought I’d admit it, but those skin-tight compression shirts are definitely the way to go.

Anyway, it was kind of an odd weak in running for this smart-alecky and complain-y narrator. Firstly, I ran well and most of my workouts were solid and strong. I can’t complain about how I felt or the result of most of my workouts.

That’s not to say they all went well.

On Sunday (my birthday), I decided to run in a local 5k here in Lancaster. Based on how I had been running and my past two 5k runs, I figured it was reasonable to think that 15:56 to 16:00 was a time I could run with a little bit of effort. Afterall, the workouts were going well, the mileage was good, I had an ART treatment and I didn’t feel too tired. Sure, my hamstrings, hips and calves are chronically achy, but that’s what happens in running…

Right?

What’s more, the race was scheduled for 1 p.m., which means I could get plenty of sleep, prepare the way I needed to and then drive to the race and run my 5-minute miles.

Who would have guessed that I would have been lucky to break 18 minutes?

Let’s get this straight: last month I ran a 5k in 16:23 without changing pace, kicking or feeling any type of strain. Then I get lucky to run 17:42?

What gives?

I’ll tell you – I didn’t come prepared to race. Mentally, I was took the race for granted and I didn’t engage. That’s just a stupid thing to do, so from now on when I get in a race, I’m going to race. Forget this workout crap – that’s insulting to everyone.

In addition to not being ready to race, the mileage certainly slowed me down. As the logs indicate, I’m building back up for another marathon. At the same time, my diet sucks and I’m not in good shape.

In other words, it’s time to get down to business.

On another note, what’s with all sorts of people getting in the front row of races and then sprinting like idiots as soon as the gun sounds? Is it OK if I start knocking those people over?

Monday
20 miles in 2:13:38
It was cold and really windy, which made it difficult for me to get loose. I planned on stopping at 9 to 10 miles. Then 11 to 12 miles. Then 13. Then 15. All of a sudden I was running through the neighborhood on the way to 20. How I got that far I'll never know.

Tuesday
15.4 miles in 1:42:07
It's still cold and windy outside, but I did OK once I got back into the Brick Yards. Better yet, I felt pretty good running at the beginning and kept it together at the end even though I was a little tired. In fact, I ran the last five miles in 32:20 even though I had to run the last part at 6:10 pace.

Wednesday
15 miles in 1:40:41
Felt really tired before the run and took a while to get loose. It was better than Monday in that regard, but I could tell that I was a bit tired.

Thursday
15.1 miles in 1:43:11
Perhaps I should leave my watch at home when I do the hilly runs. That's because I felt strong and ran really well today and it doesn't show in the time... then again, big deal. The effort was there and I felt strong and solid.

Friday
10.4 miles in 1:10:11
I only had time for just 10 miles because of other stuff going on... of course, I could have gotten up earlier, but that's easier said tahn done. Nonetheless, the run felt good and I cruised through the first 7 miles very easily. My hamstrings felt tight and it was the coldest and windiest day of the year, but once I got moving I warmed up and sweated.

Today was the first day I did not wear shorts... that's how cold it was.

Saturday
14.1 miles in 1:31:51
Good run. I'm not sure if I wanted to go so far, especially since I want to race tomorrow, but I was out there and figured, "what the hell." The pace was a little high, but consistent and not difficult to maintain. It wasn't hard, but it wasn't easy either. Either way, it was fun.

Splits:
to field - 2:41
first 5 - 32:41
second 5 - 32:04
last 3.3 - 21:17
home - 3:05

Sunday
11 total miles – 8+ warmup and cool down and 5k in 17:42
Wanted to race a 5k and did miserably. Ran 17:42 and had nothing. Just an awful, awful race. Otherwise, the running stuff went well.

101 miles for the week. Who runs 101 miles and gains weight?

National Marathon: 16 weeks

I had planned on writing about how it was 70 degrees at 1 a.m. on Dec. 1 and 30 degrees with wind chills in the teens just three days later. But since I don’t understand science or meteorology, I’ll just skip it. Today I did my first 20 miler since the before the Harrisburg Marathon even though I had planned on quitting at 9 miles. Then 10 miles. Then 11… 12 and 13.

When I got to the 13-mile mark, I figured I would run a quick two-mile loop around Franklin & Marshall before calling it an afternoon. But suddenly I started to feel OK. It wasn’t necessarily a second wind, but my hamstrings felt better, each step was no longer a chore and the wind that sent the temperatures spiraling near single digits was either at my back or absorbed into the building or the trees.

That’s when I figured I might as well get 20 miles under my belt and grinded it out in 2:13:38.

Considering I was ready to pack it in 11 miles earlier, I did pretty well.

Besides, after eating and drinking like a pig the day before I figured I owed it to myself to run long. My wife and I had a few friends and their kids come over for her “soup night” so I figured I had to indulge.

And imbibe.

I did all the above.

Since I’m gearing up for the National Marathon on March 24 it was time to get serious – diet excluded, of course. Add in the fact that I plan on racing a 5k next Sunday, it’s time to run off the pounds of bread, cookies, wine, beer and soup(s) I stuffed into my stomach.

It couldn’t have been that bad, though. Despite running just 11 miles on Sunday as part of a 10-mile tempo run (in 59:23), I put in 94.5 miles last week. It didn’t plan on doing so much, but I just couldn’t help myself.

Here’s what happened:

Monday
14 miles in 1:33:05
The first 5 miles went in 32:37 just like the second 5. The last 3.3 miles on the field were slower, but I was oddly consistent.

Tuesday
14 miles in 1:32:31
Same run as yesterday, except that I ran 3 x 1,000 meters during my final five miles. I ran the surges very controlled at around 5-5:30 pace.

Splits:
first 5 - 33:15
first 10 - 65:57
last 3.3 - 20:48

Wednesday
15.5 miles in 1:49:14
Felt solid and relaxed, which is the way I needed to be after the past two runs. I ran a bunch of hills, which seems to affected the time, because I was running easy 6:45 miles.

Thursday
13 miles in 1:28:29
Ran very consistently and slow. I felt a little tight and maybe even tired after three decent workouts this week. It was also 70 degrees today, which is odd.

Friday
16 miles in 1:45:07
I liked this one. I rushed to get out the door before the windy storm and even though I started a little tight and couldn't do another set of intervals, I worked on running each loop faster than the previous one.

Splits:
First 5 miles - 33:50
Next 5 miles - 32:37
Last 5 miles - 31:43

Saturday
11 miles in 1:12:28
I actually stopped myself from running 13 or 14 today. I figured 11 was enough, especially since I had only planned on running between 70 to 75 miles this week. Nevertheless, it seems as if I'll be at 100 miles before the new year. I guess that's good.

Today I felt a little tight and tired because of yesterday's run and not enough sleep last night. Plus, it was very windy and colder than it has been. Nonetheless, I battled through and did my first five miles on the field in 33:00. I kept that pace for the following two circuits before doing the last one a little quicker to finish in 32:37. I definitely didn't feel that fast, but I'll take it.

Sunday
11 miles in 66:00
Ran strong but surprisingly didn't feel like a labored. In fact, it feels as if I really didn't push it at all. I ran the first 5 miles in 31:16 and the second 5 in 28:07 for 59:23 over 10 miles. I thought I could go a little faster, but to go 59:23 and not feel tired is pretty good.

That’s 94.5 miles with a little more than three months to go and a 20 miler in the bank.

National Marathon: 16 weeks

I had planned on writing about how it was 70 degrees at 1 a.m. on Dec. 1 and 30 degrees with wind chills in the teens just three days later. But since I don’t understand science or meteorology, I’ll just skip it. Today I did my first 20 miler since the before the Harrisburg Marathon even though I had planned on quitting at 9 miles. Then 10 miles. Then 11… 12 and 13.

When I got to the 13-mile mark, I figured I would run a quick two-mile loop around Franklin & Marshall before calling it an afternoon. But suddenly I started to feel OK. It wasn’t necessarily a second wind, but my hamstrings felt better, each step was no longer a chore and the wind that sent the temperatures spiraling near single digits was either at my back or absorbed into the building or the trees.

That’s when I figured I might as well get 20 miles under my belt and grinded it out in 2:13:38.

Considering I was ready to pack it in 11 miles earlier, I did pretty well.

Besides, after eating and drinking like a pig the day before I figured I owed it to myself to run long. My wife and I had a few friends and their kids come over for her “soup night” so I figured I had to indulge.

And imbibe.

I did all the above.

Since I’m gearing up for the National Marathon on March 24 it was time to get serious – diet excluded, of course. Add in the fact that I plan on racing a 5k next Sunday, it’s time to run off the pounds of bread, cookies, wine, beer and soup(s) I stuffed into my stomach.

It couldn’t have been that bad, though. Despite running just 11 miles on Sunday as part of a 10-mile tempo run (in 59:23), I put in 94.5 miles last week. It didn’t plan on doing so much, but I just couldn’t help myself.

Here’s what happened:

Monday
14 miles in 1:33:05
The first 5 miles went in 32:37 just like the second 5. The last 3.3 miles on the field were slower, but I was oddly consistent.

Tuesday
14 miles in 1:32:31
Same run as yesterday, except that I ran 3 x 1,000 meters during my final five miles. I ran the surges very controlled at around 5-5:30 pace.

Splits:
first 5 - 33:15
first 10 - 65:57
last 3.3 - 20:48

Wednesday
15.5 miles in 1:49:14
Felt solid and relaxed, which is the way I needed to be after the past two runs. I ran a bunch of hills, which seems to affected the time, because I was running easy 6:45 miles.

Thursday
13 miles in 1:28:29
Ran very consistently and slow. I felt a little tight and maybe even tired after three decent workouts this week. It was also 70 degrees today, which is odd.

Friday
16 miles in 1:45:07
I liked this one. I rushed to get out the door before the windy storm and even though I started a little tight and couldn't do another set of intervals, I worked on running each loop faster than the previous one.

Splits:
First 5 miles - 33:50
Next 5 miles - 32:37
Last 5 miles - 31:43

Saturday
11 miles in 1:12:28
I actually stopped myself from running 13 or 14 today. I figured 11 was enough, especially since I had only planned on running between 70 to 75 miles this week. Nevertheless, it seems as if I'll be at 100 miles before the new year. I guess that's good.

Today I felt a little tight and tired because of yesterday's run and not enough sleep last night. Plus, it was very windy and colder than it has been. Nonetheless, I battled through and did my first five miles on the field in 33:00. I kept that pace for the following two circuits before doing the last one a little quicker to finish in 32:37. I definitely didn't feel that fast, but I'll take it.

Sunday
11 miles in 66:00
Ran strong but surprisingly didn't feel like a labored. In fact, it feels as if I really didn't push it at all. I ran the first 5 miles in 31:16 and the second 5 in 28:07 for 59:23 over 10 miles. I thought I could go a little faster, but to go 59:23 and not feel tired is pretty good.

That’s 94.5 miles with a little more than three months to go and a 20 miler in the bank.

Let's get to work

I’m in. Actually, I should say I’m all in.

I have fully committed to the National Marathon in Washington, D.C. on March 24. Well, “fully committed” is a relative term. I haven’t actually signed up for the race yet, not have I booked a room at a hotel or hooked up with one of my friends in the D.C. area for a place to stay before the race… or even told anyone other than my wife at this point.

When I presented my schedule for 2007 and my desire to run the National Marathon, as well as the Steamtown Marathon on Oct. 7, my wife just kind of shrugged and said, “OK… ”

That’s the way it is around here sometimes.

Regardless, in my head, I’m in. That’s half the battle right there – thinking about it. Committing my mind and energy is enough to actually shelling out the dough and everything else.

Nonetheless, I have started my buildup for the race, which, believe it or not, is quickly approaching. March 24 leaves 11 weeks of training starting on Jan. 1. That means in order to be at 100-mile weeks by the New Year, training has to start now. I want to be able to put in at least 10 straight weeks of 100-plus miles in order to be able to run between 2:32 and 2:37 on March 24. If I can do that, I should be in good shape to take a run at 2:30 with an outside shot at 2:25 by October.

Yeah, let’s push the envelope a bit.

Anyway, originally the plan was to run between 70 and 75 miles this week, which seems more than doable after the first three days. On Monday and Tuesday I did a pair of 14-milers, including a 3x 1,000 meters at 5k pace on Tuesday. Monday’s run was a solid, unwavering 6:35 to 6:40-pace run, while Tuesday’s started slower but resulted in a 6:30ish total pace thanks to the three intervals.

Today I ran a hilly 16-miler at an easy and strong 6:45 pace on the flat sections, but ended up at 7:02 pace because of the hills. I didn’t plan on going so long, but I figured I was out there moving around… what the heck?

The fear, of course, is too much too soon. The Harrisburg Marathon was just a few weeks ago and though the windy day held me up and the slow time didn’t really beat me up, the long training period left me a little fatigued. My hamstrings and glutes are still tight and sore, though they don’t affect my running, and my mental game was (is?) ready for a nap.

With that in mind, the plan is to push up the mileage through the December without doing any 21-to-24 milers until Jan. 1.

Then we’ll get after it.

Running nugget
In a story by Mike Sandrock in the Boulder Daily Camera, coaching sage Mark Wetmore offers a few helpful guidelines for runners preparing for the U.S. cross-country championships in Boulder on Feb. 10.

Holding the cross-country championships in Boulder is kind of like having the Super Bowl in Las Vegas.

A monkey wrench

With a wife who is a teacher and a 2½-year-old son who spends his mornings in day care, I’m surrounded by people who spend their days in frappes of germs and other teeny-tiny microbe nastiness. As a result, I get colds from time to time though for the most part they are manageable.

But a little cold a few days before a marathon that I have trained months for isn’t ideal. Actually, it’s worrisome and adds more stress to an already stressful time.

Do I check into a hotel? Sleep at my mom’s house? Drink more than I already am? Orange juice?

What?

I hate sounding selfish, but I have worked pretty hard since the beginning of June to prepare for the run on Sunday. I changed my diet and habits and sacrificed things I would have enjoyed participating in. To blow the whole thing because my head and throat feels congested, well… sucks.

The plan is to keep running as I have planned, but to get even more sleep than planned. A nap to too along with extra fluids and vitamins might be in order too.

Nonetheless, I did today’s 5-mile tempo run in 27:41 though I felt as if I could have run faster. The workout wasn't hard, but it wasn't easy either. I definitely wanted to run around 27:15, but I held myself back during the middle miles.

Hopefully, this is just a passing thing.

I think I should get something to drink and wash my hands now.

Running nugget
Just who is this Marilson Gomes dos Santos character? Well, it seems as if he's a marathon runner who can command six-figure appearance fees starting now.

Interestingly, Runner's World web site was the only media in the U.S. (that I saw) that had any information on the Brazilian champion before his great run at the NYC Marathon. Needless to say, RW.com had something on dos Santos after the race, too.

Taper like the good Doctor

For as ambiguous as my training program seems, it does have it’s basics besides the consistent 100-mile weeks. For one thing, there is the Monday 20-plus miler. Then there is the mid-to-late week two-hour effort. And what about the regular hill work and fartlek?

After that, it’s whatever fits the mood.

Mixed amid this gumbo of inexplicableness is a rather ritualistic taper week. It’s ritualistic because I did it once and had success with it so I stuck with it. The day before the race I like to run 5k to 4 miles and then have a big breakfast/lunch. All of the other runs ranges from five to seven miles including the five-mile tempo run on the Tuesday before the race – Wednesday if I’m running in Boston – as well as a 10-miler on Monday.

I also try to get my race packet as soon as I can because I like to hole up in my house/hotel like Howard Hughes.

The plan always seemed to be rather haphazardly slapped together until I read the taper plan from Dr. Jack Daniels’ running formula. Even though I don’t like hard-and-fast rules, his taper week suggestions make so much sense that I’m going to follow his plan as closely as possible…

Except for that five-mile tempo run. I’m doing that on Tuesday.

Anyway, starting with Sunday’s 14-mile run I have been copying Daniels’ moves. Here’s his plan:

7 days to race: 90-minutes easy pace
6 days: 60-minutes easy pace, plus 4-6 strides
5 days: 2 miles easy pace, plus 4x1200 with 2-minutes easy, plus 2 miles easy
4 days: 30 to 50 minutes easy, plus 4-6 strides
3 days: 20 to 30 minutes easy, plus 4 strides
2 days: 0 to 20 minutes easy
1 day: 20 to 30 minutes easy

See, it looks like the stuff I had been doing all along. But since I dislike the track and intervals, I’m going to try to do 5 miles in 27 minutes instead. I’m also going to try to not get too far ahead of myself like I do in golf in the rare instance when I hit a nice, long drive down the center of the fairway. Inevitably I start thinking about my birdie putt instead of knocking my second shot onto the green and end up pulling my head and flubbing the approach.

In other words, stay focused and don’t count the chickens until they get their flu shots.

And, of course, that’s the hard part. The taper messes with my mind. It’s always so much easier to go out and run and train hard and build confidence than it is to cut back and retain that feeling of strength. Perhaps that is part of the allure of the marathon? It’s like chess, not checkers.

Anyway, today’s workout according to Dr. Daniels called for 60 minutes, so I ran 10 miles in 59:24. Add in the 79 seconds it took me to run from my house to F&M’s Baker Field and I got my hour.

Nevertheless, the 59:24 sounds pretty quick. In fact, it’s the fastest I have ever run over 10 miles on the Baker Field loop. But for some reason it felt incredibly easy – it was so easy that I tried to slow myself down after going through the first five miles in 29:16.

I’m starting to get the feeling that I’m in decent shape. Then again, running a good marathon takes a lot more than simply being in shape.

Running nugget
Here's a pretty good story about a couple of pacesetters (a.k.a. rabbits) in yesterday's New York City Marathon from Liz Robbins in The New York Times. Apparently the NYRRC is not going to hire pacesetters for the 2007 race... that's fine. The field won't be so deep in 2007 since the U.S. Olympic Trials will be held the day before the main marathon.

1 week to go

For a more in-depth examination of the training week, go to the other site. Here’s a brief outline of the running week that was:

Monday
21 miles in 2:17:08
Ran the last four miles in 23:01.

Tuesday
14.3 miles in 1:37:28
Time to dial it back.

Wednesday
10 miles in 64:30
Didn't think I was going as fast as I was, but you know...

Thursday
10 miles in 64:43
Ho-hum.

Friday
10 miles in 68:28
Stomach was a little upset and my right hip and left hamstring were achy, but the run was pretty easy.

Saturday
6 miles warmup and cool down – 5k race in 16:23.
Sixth place. The pace felt easy.

Sunday
14 miles in 1:35:26
A nice easy run despite some discomfort with my stomach.

Total mileage: 88.4. First week under 100 miles in a while.