Sometimes Life gets in the Way of a Good Training Plan

I try to stick to running in this blog, but sometimes there is so much non running stuff going on in one's life it is very hard to ignore. In fact there is so much going on I feel the need to put my marathon plans on hold. So, anyway, here is what is going on: Some readers of this blog know my son and the struggles he has had with drugs and alcohol over the past few years. His behavior had become such that we asked him to leave our house. He has been on his own for two,oweeks now; we don't know where he is now, but have heard that he is couch surfing. For those of you that pray, I would appreciate you including my son. Also, my wife visited with her surgeon last Friday and looks she will be having some hip surgery in the near future. With hospital stay and subsequent recovery time, it won't work to have one third of our household doing an inordinate amount of running training for a goal. "Sorry dear, I would,love to drive you to physical therapy, but I have a 12 mile tempo planned! Maybe next time?" Also, the company I started working for a little over a year ago is in major acquisition mode. I am not complaining, this is a good thing, but I can see some 60 hour weeks in my future. To add injury to insult, I was on my Sunday run and at about mile 12 I felt what I thought was a rock in key shoe. Stopped,to check it out, but no rock. Limped my way home and tonight it still feels like I have a lump on the bottom of my foot. Weird. Happy Running! (I mean that) Rick

Becuase of  the churches on Summit Avenue, the St. Paul Human Race traditionally has a late start, late as in 1:20 in the afternoon.  In a typical March this a good idea, but with temps in 80's it makes things a little tough.  We've been used to running in the cold or indoors so there was no time to get used to these summer temps.  Depsite the heat I had a pretty good race, not making my "A" goal, but easily making my "B" goal and a big, fat PR of 30:12.  Winds were gusty, but not really a factor.  I managed mile splits of 6:08, 6:02, 6:06, 6:10 and the final .96 in 5:46 (it's a easy downhill to finish!) 

Today capped off a pretty high mileage week of about 75 miles, including a 12-miler on Tuesday, a 15-miler Friday and about 17 total today.  After the race I got a chance to do some nice easy miles along West River Road.  I really enjoyed it and brought back some memories.  This used to be my usual running route when I was an urban 20-something, instead of a suburban 50-something.

This week I plan on getting back into the 80-mile weeks, along with some more tempo work-outs and some marathon pace miles on Sunday.  It's going to back to early morning runs from here on in, especially with these crazy temps.

Uh-oh, just got a text from my daughter.  "Can you run with me?"  My body really isn't up for this, but how can I say no!  Looks like I'll be close to 80 for this week afterall.

Happy Running!

Streets of San Francisco (not a Quinn Martin Production)

Had a couple of memorable runs this week.  I was in California for work and was able to run some awesome trails in Napa and did my long run in San Francisco on Saturday.  Talk about great hillwork; I managed 15 miles, running to the Golden Gate Bridge and back, ran through Chinatown and ran up and down Powell Street hill, twice.  Awesome.  Because of the travel, I missed a day, so my weekly totals were a little light, but I needed a step-back week anyway.  I had an speedy Tuesday night run at the Metrodome.  After two miles warm up I ran 2 miles at marathon pace, 2 miles at 6:40 pace, 2 miles at 6:30 pace and 3 miles at 6:12 pace.  Once again; awesome!

I return to racing this week, with the St. Patrick's Day Human Race 8K in St. Paul.  Up and down Summit Avenue and it is a really fast cours.  My PR on the is 30:24, so lets see if we can't break 30 minutes.

Crazy weather here in Minnesota.  I ran in San Francisco and Napa in shorts, but had to wear a hat and gloves.  I just got back from my recovery run and ran in shorts, t-shirt and NO HAT OR GLOVES.  Looks like more of the same for the rest of the week.  Looking forward to racing again!  Woohoo!!!

Happy Running!

Quality Workouts!

I am very happy with my work-outs this week.  After a recovery run on Monday (post 22-miler on Sunday) I was back at it at the Metrodome on Tuesday night.  After a mile of warm up I quickly settled into my marathon-pace and held it there for several miles.  It was kinda tough as they had the heat cranked up in the dome and it was very stuffy, hot and dry.  After about mile 7, I started to pick up the pace an finished the rest of the run in the 6:30 to 6:40 range.  Felt relaxed and in control the entire run, so I was very pleased, especially after only two days off from my long run.  Wednesday was 10 miles easy with run club and my daughter, Thursday was recovery and Friday night was a nice relaxed 12-mile GA run.  Did another recovery run Saturday night and went into Sunday morning's work out a little tired.  Did some hillwork with Malena (nice work by the way Malena on Christmas Lake hill) for the first 5 miles, ran mile 6 at about 8 minute pace and then ran marathon pace (6:52) for 12 miles and part mile 13.  It felt quite easy to get to 6:52 pace and had do hold back a little.  I reached downtown Hopkins with about 7 miles left and decided to open it up a bit.  I managed a couple of 6:40 miles, but was fighting a slight wind and still a few icy patches left on the roads and sidewalks.  So anyway, I managed 19 miles total with 12+ miles at Marathon-pace, just what Mr. Pfitzinger prescribed.  I'm nothing, if not obedient!

So there you have it, 75-mile week, with 3 quality work-outs and I'm feeling pretty darn good.  I have to admit that I have been totally lazy when it comes to nutrition and post run work-outs.  I'm taking a little different approach this cycle and not getting so hung up about always eating the right things or working out 4 times per week.  I want to get back to running for enjoyment and I felt like I was depriving myself of a little too much.  So, occasionally I'll eat at MacDonald's or have some cookies that someone has left in the break room.  Everything in balance?  I figure that I'll run better if I'm happy, right?

I will be in San Francisco next Saturday, so I plan on doing my long-run as a running sight-seeing tour of the city.  I really enjoy San Francisco and am looking forward to the run.  Great place for some hill work-outs.

Happy Running!

Shout outto my Running Pal

I really enjoy running with my daughter.  We are actually going on long runs now, and are able to catch up with each other and really find out what is going on in each other's lives.  I also like the fact she isn't easily grossed out that I'm consantly blowing snot rockets or similar nasty runner's habits .  After only a month or so of moderate training, she is running for an hour easily; so the base is getting built and we are ready to start adding some speed.  I'm happy, even if she doesn't want to take her running any further, just as lomg as she wants to run with her old Dad.  She's the bestest running pal I got! 

Speaking of long runs, Malena ran with me on the first leg of my longest run of the year, 21.67 miles.  It was close to 3 hours on my feet and my legs are pretty fatigued as I sit here and type.  These long, slow runs are the ones that stick with you all day.  In fact for the few hours after the run, I almost have flu-like symptoms, a little achy and nauseated.  But, I'm all better now.  The thought of doing an early am recovery run doesn't sound to appealing, but you gotta do what you gotta do.

My marathon clinic starts this week and I'm really looking forward to that.  Let's hope the weather cooperates and we are not doing our first clinic run in snow shoes!

Racing season starts up again in March with the St. Patrick's Day Human Race 8k in St. Paul.  I'm already a race down in the Grand Prix series, as I skipped the half marathon in February.

Happy Running!
Rick

Help! Pete Pfitzinger is Trying to Kill Me!!!

For those of you who don't know who Pete Pfitzinger is, he is the author of my training plan and the book, "Advanced Marathoning."  So, if I should perish in the next few weeks, please have someone issue a warrant for Mr. Pfitzinger.  I followed his plan loosely last training cycle, but really stuck with doing lots of long slow miles, even more than what he suggested, but cheated on the tempo work.  I was about 5 weeks into this cycle and felt like I was floundering a bit and needed a slight calibration.  Something to get me back in line and refocused.  I told myself that I would follow the training week to the letter this week; nothing like a little self-imposed discipline to get yourself back into the right frame of mind.  I realize that beyond some high mileage, the plan can have weeks with some fairly aggressive tempo runs, followed by medium-long runs, followed by more of the same.  The week I landed on wasn't necessarily a high-mileage week, but it was on the aggressive side.  Starts out easy enough with an easy double on Monday, then a 9 mile GA run on Tuesday.  Wednesday is a MLR (medium long run) into the double figures, Thursday a short tempo run, followed by a 12 miler on Friday.  I ran Saturday night, and my Sunday long-run was scheduled for the morning.  So, to make a long story short, I start my Sunday run on anything but fresh legs and that's the point.  I then ran 4 miles easy, 4 miles at slow GA pace and 4 more at a faster GA pace.  This is just the warm-up for the final 6 miles at 6:52 or marathon pace.  Legs were fried, but I wanted to nail this run and the final six-miles were 6:52 (YAY!!), 6:48 (WHOOPEE) 7:02 (BOO!!) I was running on snow-packed trails, 6:55 (better), 6:48 and finished with 6:51.  I really didn't think I had it in me, but am quite pleased with the result.  Now wait, thats not all.  Pfitzinger suggests a "recovery run" after a work out like this, so I just capped off my day with 4 miles easy with my lovely daughter.

I haven't commented on my musical selections for awhile and I know of at least one person who is interested.  Today's combo was Coldplay (new album with the weird name)  I wanted to see what all the fuss was about.  It was some pleasant musical candy to ease into my run with.  Next was Bowie's "Ziggy Stardust" which is always fun to run to.  Finished things up with Radiohead; couldn't decide on which album, so chose greatest hits.  It was a good day!

Happy Running!

Rick

Grammy Night

Looking forward  to the Grammy's tonight.  I'm always thrilled to see if any of my favorite running songs win any awards.  It doesn't happen very often, but I was thrilled to see Arcade Fire and Mumford and Sons perfoming in the past shows.    Unfortunaely there is no room at the Grammy's for the Dr. Dogs of the world.

I am the type of runner that really needs at least one "meaningful" run per week.  I thought this was the week where there would be a small drought of purpose or meaning.  Last week was littered with "woo-hoo" moments, but this week was, for lack of a beter term, dull.  But today was fantastic, and helped salvage a rather boring week.  I was aiming for 17 general aerobic miles, but since I missed Friday, I thought I would gradually pick up my pace, hoping to be at marathon pace by the end.  The progression was rather gradual, picking up the pace about 5 to 7 seconds every mile.  I finally dipped below 7 minute pace at mile 14 and cranked it up a bit after that, right about the time my course got hilly.  I pushed up the hills at around 7 minute pace and cruised back down at under 6:30 pace.  I don't know what the run "meant," but it was just what I needed.

The coming week will loaded with plenty of meaning.  I plan on a 10 to 12 mile tempo tun on Wednesday with a medium long run of abou 15 miles on Thursday or Friday.  If thats not enough meaning, the point should be made on Sunday with the first 20 miler of the cycle.

Happy Running!
Rick