Five-Minute Mile Update

Well, I am about a month in to my training for the sub 5-minute mile. I wish I could say there has been enormous progress and that I am very confident that I can do this on January 12th, but that would be a lie. Don't get me wrong, there has been progress and I have been working hard and I am still going to go for it, but this 53-year old body doesn't respond or recover all that quickly. 

I have been going to the gym religiously 3-times per week, adding weight and reps each week. The core is stronger, as are my hips, glutes and legs. Even arms and upper body feel stronger. I can now do 6 pull-ups and could only do 1 a month ago. I've noticed the change in my running; a month ago when I tried to hit 12 mph, I felt out of control. I'd compare it to a car being out of alignment; everything is fine until you hit 65 or 70, then everything starts to shake uncontrollably! Anyway, back to the work-outs. The 20 minutes consist of leg lifts, hip crossovers, crunches, planks, spider planks, push-ups, lunges, bicep curls, Roman chair, suspended leg lifts and leg holds, squats, leg press and pull-ups. I am trying to get to a mental state where I enjoy this routine. I think I may be getting there. 

The running is another story. I am used to the higher-mileage, lower intensity stuff. Now its 40 plus miles per week with loads of intensity. As I mentioned, the biggest improvement is in my control. I can now run over 800 meters at 4:59 pace and it doesn't feel like an all out, herky-jerkey, out of control sprint. Don't get me wrong, it ain't easy and the idea of running two of them consecutively seems absurd at this point, but it's better. My first week, I ran 8x250m, all of them at or just slower than 5-minute pace. About a 3-weeks later, I managed to get all of them done at a 4:59 pace. The trick now is to do more than 8 and shorten the rest between intervals; currently it's about a 2-minute jog between each hard run. The 4x400m work-out is another story, where I am stuck at a 5:08 pace. This is pretty much a mental barrier that I need to get around. I just recently started with the 800 meters and this past week was encouraging, even though I bailed on the scripted work-out. The plan called for 2x800 meters at/or around 5 minute pace. The first 800m was a success, coming in at about 2:31. After about a 2 minute plus recovery jog, I started the second. Sub five through the first 250 meters but at 400m, I had slowed to a 5:15 pace and had to bail to recovery mode. After recovery I did 400 meters at 1:30, recovery, then 200m at 37 seconds and threw in some 100m strides. I was gassed. I have 7 weeks to go and this is the longest I have been able to maintain this routine without losing interest. We shall see if I can keep it up. Happy Running! Rick

Chasing Five Minutes

Every year I say it and 2014 is no exception. Post Twin Cities Marathon, after a little break, I get the urge to train for the mile. I mean really train, weight training, hours at the track and lots of painful speed. I have an A, B and C goal. Goal A is a biggie; run a sub five minute mile! Sounds like it will hurt; alot! Goal B is sub 5:10, which sounds only slightly less painful. Goal C is a PR of 5:16, which I managed last summer on the track with no specific mile training.

So, when is the race and how do I get there?  My goal race would be Meet of the Miles at the U of M Fieldhouse in January.  I run it every year and my fastest time was 5:23, so obviously I have my work cut out for me.  The worst part of racing at the Fieldhouse is all the dry, dusty air.  By the end of the race, your lungs are raw, followed by a 30 minute coughing jag.  They supply a load of cough drops, but the dusty air is too much.  I digress.  I have 10 or 11 weeks to prepare.  I have been reviewing some on-line plans and most of them seem way too light in the miles.  I realize this is a only a mile, but maintaining my well earned endurance is important to me.  The rough outline for the plan will be something like this; 40 to 60 miles per week, strength training 3 times per week, running drills twice per week, 200 to 800 meter intervals at 1 mile/5k pace twice per week and lots and lots of hills.  Honestly, I really think this will be more difficult than an 18-week marathon plan.

I've penciled it all out and here is what a typical week will look like:

• Monday - 4 to 6 easy with 30 minutes strength training
• Tuesday - 6 to 8 miles with 8 x 200 meters in 38 seconds
• Wednesday - 6 to 8 miles with 30 minutes strength training
• Thursday - 4 to 6 miles including running drills
• Friday - 6 to 8 miles with hills and hill sprints
• Saturday - 4 to 6 miles with 4 x 800 meters in 2:50
• Sunday - long run of 8 to 12 miles with hills

I have already started.  Yesterday, after a brief warm-up, I did 20 minutes of strength training.  Push ups, pull ups, Roman Chair, leg press, upper body free weight, planks and leg lifts. Than I finished up on the treadmill, running at a 9% grade for 4 minutes twice. Today I hit the track and after a couple miles warm up, I ran 4 x 400 meters, all in 1:24 or below.  I ran about 2 minutes easy between sets.  My running was controlled and breathing easy.  The goal is to get these 400 meters down to a 1:15 pace in 30 days, all at a controlled, manageable pace.  

Let the pain begin! Happy Running! Rick

2014 Twin Cities Marathon Race Report

What a perfect day for a marathon!  Almost too perfect, as I was kind of guilty of a rookie mistake today, going out too fast.  I had a good, restful taper and that coupled with the 37 degree temps meant a fast start.  Mile 1 was 6:22!  Oops!  Luckily there is a hill at mile 2, so I dropped back down to a more sensible pace.  I kept holding back, every mile, but most of my splits were 6:32, 6:33, 6:28, 6:30 for mile after mile.  It all felt so effortless and I have to admit, I got a little cocky.  Instead of taking my foot off the gas, I went for it.  I hit the half at 1:25:40, which was a full minute faster than what I had planned.  I slowed a bit on West River Road, I had developed a huge blister on the top of my left big toe and it finally popped at mile 16.  With that out of the way, I was back on 6:30 pace for mile 17.  I thought my goal was in the bag and was thinking I could get this sucker down to 2:50, then it hit me.  By mile 19, I had slowed to 6:45 and I hadn't even hit the hills yet.  I refocused at mile 20 and ran another 6:35, which was encouraging.  Mile 21 was the first hill and I maintained a 6:46 pace.  The goal of 2:52:59 was still alive.  Mile 22 was bad, not even breaking 7 minute pace.  I thought I would bounce back at mile 23, but there was not much left.  I finished the last 3 miles in 6:58, 6:42 and 6:58.  Final time was 2:53:59, 1 minute short of my goal, but 1 minute faster than last year and a new PR!

After crossing the finish line, I looked down at my left foot and my pretty lime green Brooks shoes had a big blood stain across the toe box.  After further examination, the blister popped and all the skin from the top of my toe peeled back.  It was not a pretty sight.  Of course, I proceeded to show the entire family!  

I ran a pretty good race, but the highlight of the day was watching my daughter complete her first marathon.  For better or worse, I coached her through her first training cycle.  Not only did she finish with relative ease on low mileage training, but she negative split her first marathon.  Twin Cities is not an easy course to do that and on her first time nonetheless.  Congrats to a very special young gal!

Now for some well-deserved time off!

Happy Running!

Rick

2014 Twin Cities Marathon Traing Cycle Recap

I am in full blown taper mode and of course, I can feel every ache and conjure up every racing demon imaginable.  I'm too tired, too old, too slow, over-trained, under-trained, dehydrated, knees suddenly start hurting, back is sore; wait, is that a cold coming on?  Surely must be bronchitis. So,  I always find it comforting to look back at my training log to stifle some of the paranoia.  Wow, did I really run 100 miles back in August in the heat in humidity?  Did I really spend an entire week-end trail running? Wait, I set a massive PR in the half!  So, after reviewing, here is what this training cycle looks like:

• 131 day running streak averaging 12.5 miles per day or 87.5 per week.  This was almost exactly what I ran last cycle
• 51 days with doubles
• 12 runs of 20 miles or more (non-doubles)
• 17:35 PR in the 5k
• Sub 37 minute 10k
• 1:21:48 PR in the half marathon
• 5:17 PR in the mile

I have run virtually injury and pain free.  I was beset with the usual amount of fatigue, which seems to get worse with each passing year.  If I cheated even a bit this year, it would be in my usual mid-week long run.  Last year I was able to log 2 or 3 solid 15 milers on Wednesday, and this year I was more likely to do 18 to 20 as part of a double.  Also, in general, a lot more doubles this year than last.  I raced more this year than last, using races as a substitute for quality training runs.  To be honest, I didn't do one MP training run during one of my weekly long runs.  

I feel ready to go and I only have to let the taper work its magic.  The A goal this year is a Moose Mug, which is under 2 hours plus my age, 2:52:59.  The B goal is a PR, so 2:54:57 and there is no C goal.

Time to Start the Weather Stalking!

Never am I so acutely tuned in to the weather forecast then the two weeks before Twin Cities Marathon.  We have been blessed to with amazing weather the last two years, and this summer in general has been very kind to us runners.  You then start to think, that's somethings got to give.  The extended forecast says 38 for a low and 53 for a high and sunny, which if calm would be an almost perfect day.  Well, I will be wearing out the refresh button over the next two weeks, agonizing over every weather detail.

The taper began for me about 30 minutes ago.  I just finished up an easy 17 miler today which capped off a cut back week of about 76 miles.  A little less than planned, but I had to scrub a recovery run early in the week.  I had a craptastic track workout on Tuesday.  The plan was to run 6x800 meters at 5k pace, but was unable to break 3 minutes on any of them.  It's almost impossible to get this old body moving at 5am.  I did redeem myself however on Saturday, running a 17:59 5k at Eden Prairie HS.  Good enough for 2nd place overall, 1st place AG and $50.00 to boot!  

Well, the mileage is in, the tune-up races are complete, it's now time for the taper do work it's magical powers!  

Happy Running!

Rick

Last Big Week is Done!

This was my last big week of the cycle and I wanted to make it count.  I was coming off a week of two races, so I thought it would be best to just concentrate on mileage for the first part of the week and avoid any chance for injury.  My half marathon effort on Sunday took a lot out of me, so I needed all of Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday to recover.  Even though I logged over 42 miles, they were all slow and easy.  Thursday I felt it was safe to throw in some work outs, so I did what I call my garbage run, which is a little bit of everything.  After a warm up, I run down Vinehill and attack every hill.  This leads me to the high school where I do 8x100 sprints, just to air things out a bit.  This is followed up by a steady tempo run on Excelsior Blvd where there is a steady uphill for about a mile.  I finish up by running up a Wild Wings, which is a very short road with about a 6 or 7% grade, which I sprint up 3 or 4 times.  It's then about 3 or 4 miles home, which I run easy.  Not the most scientific or structured work out, but I get bored with the same old routines and this helps to break things up.  I was tired on Friday and was on the fence in regards to racing Saturday.  I went to bed Friday night and did not turn on my alarm.  I told myself if I woke up with no alarm before 6 I would race, if after 6, no racing.  Well, I was up and feeling rested at 5:30, so it was off to Waconia to run the Nickel Dickle 10k.  I warmed up and lined up to race with just a few minutes to spare.  We went out fast, 3 young guys out ahead, me running with a friend and some young local cross country kid.  We hit the the split at 18:20, pretty fast, then the hills started.  The kid stuck with me and the 3 front runners began to fade.  I told the kid to get get em, and he finally heeded my advice at mile 4.  I had a good race finishing the very short course in 36:12 for a 3rd place finish overall

I will cut back this week and race one more 5k, just as a tune up.  Taper has finally arrived and I am really looking forward to resting and then getting after it on October 5th"

Happy Running!

Rick

PR Alert!

What an amazing week!  It started off with Monday's Victory 10k.  My A goal was sub 37 and I came up just a bit short with a 37:02.  Felt pretty good, probably went out a tad too fast (5:49) then lost concentration on mile 2 (6:05). I was pretty much locked in to 5:58 after the small hill on mile 3.  The remainder of the week was uneventful, in a good way.  I logged in all the miles that was on the plan, hitting over 90 miles once again for the week. I was well rested for today's City of Lakes Half Marathon and since the weather was good, I felt like I had a shot at a PR.  I normally don't race these too well.  I tend to go out too easy and treat the race as a progression run, not the best strategy, leaving a lot of time on the course.  Today was different.  I wanted to average around 6:17 pace and didn't waste any time.  I went out fast (6:17) and held that pace for the entire race.  My fastest mile was 6:07 and my slowest mile was 6:18, for me a perfectly run race.  Final time was 1:21:38, which is a 6:14 pace and a nice shiny PR!  Last mile was a second faster that the first mile.  It took me awhile, but I think I finally figured out this distance.  Haven't seen the official results yet, but I think I placed 4th in the old guy category.

Okay, only 4 weeks until Twin Cities Marathon.  I will be doing one more week of big mileage in week 15, back off slightly in week 16 with some more tune up racing, then the well-deserved taper begins in week 17.  Today's race was a nice confidence booster, showing me that I have a good shot at my goal pace of 2:52:53 on October 5th.

Happy Running!

Rick