Big Jump this Week

The change to morning running agreed with me!  I had a pretty big week and a successful effort overall.  I managed my first doubles of the season, logged over 70 miles for the first time since last fall and managed 3 quality workouts.

Lets take the doubles.  I can't believe what a difference these make.  Rather than log one easy effort on Mondays and Wednesdays, I get up early and slog through 4 miles or so, then bounce back incredibly for my second easy effort of the day.  Both are very slow and very easy, but the extra miles really aid in recovery.  So, I will continue to do these as much as my schedule will allow.

Then there is the miles.  Of course the doubles helped in adding to the total, but also managed double digit runs on Tuesday, Thursday,  and Saturday.  Apart from some downtime on Saturday, I felt great.

Now race day.  I forgo a full out effort last week at the Ron Dawes 25k for a full blown effort at the Fred Kurz 10 miler this Saturday.  It's a flat course and I thought the weather would be better.  Well, I was half right.  Weather wasn't awful, but an 18 mph wind on the way back to the finish did not make for PR conditions.  I did run well under 1:05 with a 1:04:09/6:25 pace.  I managed 6:18's for the first half,  but slowed to 6:30's on the way home.  The last mile was 6:15.

Off next week, but back into it the following week for the Get in Gear 10k and then a couple of weeks later my goal spring race, the New Prague Half Marathon.  It's been a busy spring!

Happy Running!

Rick

Spring Schedule Change

This is a quite a bit later than normal, but this will be the week where I switch over to morning running.  The 5 am runs still require a headlamp, but with the forecast showing overnight lows ABOVE freezing, conditions should be ideal.  I always like to start my day with a run and am very much looking forward to the change.

Another weekend of racing, but this week I used Saturday's Ron Dawes 25k as an aggressive training run rather than a race.  I ran the first miles at a comfortable 7:15 pace, the tried to get faster and faster on each mile.  The final mile was just under a 6:30 pace.  I finished in 1:48 and change which gave me an overall pace of 6:59.  Same course as last week, featuring lots and lots of big hills.  Next week is the Fred Kurz 10 miler which is flat and I plan on racing.  Hoping for a sub 1:05 that day.

I checked out and tried on the Puma 100 series running shoe last week and unfortunately it is not going to be a suitable replacement for my Brooks Pure Connects.  It's a relatively narrow shoe, but lacks the secure fit I get from the Brooks.  While narrow, it has a very straight last, which makes it too roomy.  Also, my Pure Connects have plenty of cushion, while the Pumas are on the firm side, especially in the mid foot.  They have a similar feel too the Mizuno Sayonara and the New Balance 1400.  I recommend them to anyone looking for a light weight racer, who doesn't mind a firmer feel.  The Faas Foam cushioning is very light and extremely flexible, but not enough cushion/support for this old guy.

http://www.shop.puma.com/Faas-100-R-Men's-Running-Shoes/pna186751,en_US,pd.html

Happy Running!

Rick

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March Totals

After a very slow and sluggish start to the new year, I finally got my March mileage totals into "respectable" territory.  After a recovery run tomorrow, I should be north of 250 miles which is the biggest month since last fall.  It's only going to get better from now until October.  I am looking at 300 in April and 350 in May, which should give me a solid mileage base heading into June marathon training.

I raced again this Saturday, the very hilly and challenging MDRA 7 miler, which I finished in 44:03.  Not a bad time considering mile 5 is almost all uphill and a big, ugly uphil at that.  My pace dropped from 6:10 to 6:43 on that mile!  Respectable finish though, logging the last mile in 5:53.  Capped off my week with a 14 miler in glorious weather.

I am need of a new shoe.  I love the original Brooks Pure Conmect and even grew to love the Pure Connect 2, but the Pure Connects 3 are just not going to cut it.  Where is that track shoe fit?  Gone is the responsiveness and the spring.  It's too roomy and the platform is too wide.  Drat!  I only have a few weeks left in my old shoes, so I need to get to work and find a replacement. I am going to check out the Puma 100 series shoe today and I will be back with a review next week.

Happy Running

Rick

Back in the Racing Saddle

It felt good to get back to racing this week.  I have to admit that going into the first race on such little mileage had me a little worried.  I had visions of me running out of gas around mile 4 and coasting in for the final mile.  So, today it was the Irish Run 8k which is the USATF 8k Championships, which means all the truly speedy old guys show up.  I had no delusions of placing, but I did want to make a good showing for my team.  It was cold today, about 20 degrees, which means a couple of layers, gloves, hat and tights.  Not ideal, but there were a few crazies out there in shorts and singlets.  Not this guy.  After a warm up, I was ready to go and pretty nervous.  This low mileage experiment was just that, an experiment.  The first mile was flat and sheltered, I went out too fast, but reined it in and hit the first marker in 6 flat.  Mile 2 had a tailwind, but has a gradual uphill, so I slowed to a 6:10 pace.  Mile 3 continued with the tailwind, but with some downhill, which felt good and I cruised at 5:57.  After mile 3 we make the turnaround and the wind really sucked.  I worked like hell to stay close to 6 pace, but it dropped to 6:13.  The hill peaks with about a half mile to go, so runners get to finish strong.  At one point I hit 5:45 and finished strong with a time of 30:15.  About 20 seconds slower than last year, but my mileage is down by almost a third compared to last year.  Plus I am a year older and it was windy.  Enough excuses???!!!

Anyway, very happy with my fitness level at this mileage.  As thing start getting more intense, I see nothing but upside.  Good to be back out there, now if we can just get to some weather when we all can be wearing shorts again.  Please?!

Happy Running!

Rick

New Motivation

I took advantage of the spring-like weather this week, running outside everyday, and logging four double digit runs.  More importantly, I found a spark of inspiration, which has been buried in the snow, ice and bitterly cold temps of this endless winter.  After my Friday run with my daughter, I took the afternoon to map out my running plans.  Racing season starts with the Irish Run 8k next Sunday and I found myself getting excited.  I live in an area with so many great races and so many running opportunities, if you don't plan properly you can miss out.  I'm a hopeless planner anyway, so I really  gain motivation by creating these road maps.  

I will be curious to see how I perform at the 8k next week, since my mileage has been substantially lower than it has over the last two years.  The quality has been there, but I have been very careful and deliberate in my mileage build-up.  I feel like I have that luxury since I decided to forgo a spring marathon.  So lots of spring and early summer racing to focus on, The Irish Run 8k, MDRA 7 miler,  Ron Dawes 25k, Fred Kurz 10 mile, and the Get in Gear10k all lead up to my goal race, the New Prague Half Marathon.  I can't wait to get started.

After the barrage of spring racing, I will have a couple of easy weeks before I officially start training June 2nd for the TC Marathon in October.  I hope to go into this training cycle with fresh legs and new perspective.  It needs to be an aggressive, all-out effort if I am going to break 2:53, but I think it's in reach.  I'll be posting weekly from here on out; I find this public journal helps me stay on track and is an invaluable tool for me in measuring and tracking progress.  Here we go!

Happy Running!

Rick

Treadmill Tales

Please make it stop.  How many days below zero?  47? 48?  Needless to say, I have become quite familiar with the treadmill this winter.  I don't own a treadmill, so I've been spending a lot of time at my local gym.  The gym is a weird place.  Here are just a few of the oddities:

• Every Tuesday morning I run next to a guy who insists on running on the treadmill backwards. Not only does he run backwards, but he sets the incline as high as it will go, then runs backwards up on his tip toes.  This workout lasts for about 3 minutes, then it's back to skipping rope and rolling around on a giant beach ball.
• On Thursday nights, I am surrounded by a group of people who hop on the treadmill and take orders from a pseudo drill sergeant, who with clipboard in hand barks out orders to his willing students to run from 0 to 9 mph for 90 seconds, then after a break, 10mph for 90 seconds and so on.  This stomping and huffing lasts for about 5 minutes before they retreat to the aerobics room for more senseless work outs.
• I am within earshot of the weight room.  This particular gym is chocked full of muscle-bound, tattooed gentlemen.  Many of who insist on letting guttural screams every few "reps."  One fellow insists in letting out a very loud "TSAaaaa" every five seconds.  The weights then hit the floor, which feels like a small earthquake.  Lift, scream, repeat.  Maybe I should let out a primitive scream every time I run a mile at HM tempo pace.  
• Had to share this second-hand story.  At a local gym, 4 people waited patiently for their run on the treadmill.  Why?  A woman was running on the treadmill, while she occupied two other treadmills with her Cockapoos!  Really?

So looking forward to spring!

Happy running,

Rick

Happy New Year!

I finished 2013 with 3,288 miles, which is a new mileage PR for me.  I don't see myself running that many miles in a year again.  It paid off and I am glad I did it, but took its toll on me, both mentally and physically.  I avoided injury, but did discover some lower back issues, was tired and sore most of the time, and I experienced some burn out at the end of 2013. So what's the plan?  I am still planning on only one marathon this year and still think it is a great idea to be skipping a spring effort.  However, I can't seem to enjoy running as much without some sort of concrete goal down the road.  So, the plan is to get signed up for a late spring half-marathon, maybe New Prague, maybe something new, but definitely get signed up this week.  Definitely need a jump start.

Looking forward to 2014 and to Twin Cties Marathon, but also looking forward to working less, having more dates with my wife, fixing up our house, brewing more beer, smoking more briskets, reading more books, spending time with friends and family, cooking more, running with my daughter, hanging out with my son, writing more and anything else I can think of.  And of course, lots of running in between.

Happy Running and Happy New Year!

Rick