Running

How did your run go today?  I had the most wonderful 15.85 mile jog this morning.  The legs didn't hurt and just as I was finishing I entered the "improvement zone" where I feel like the aerobic system is working.  It has to be true that these 5 milers, while easy on the bones, do absolutely nothing for me aerobic wise.  I am too far past that now.  I'd rather stay home...

 

If my legs hold up, I'm going to just get back into some long easy runs so that my heart rate stays elevated for the proper amount of time to receive a benefit from the exercise.  Is this the curse of the marathon runner?  Being unable to improve without running for over 2 hours?  It's probably why Lydiard made sure to have his runners run very close to the aerobic threshold so they wouldn't have to run for 4 hours at a time.

 

Nevertheless, I enjoyed being out there.  I ran easily @ 8:30 per mile.  I ran out of time at 2:14:xx.  Goes to show you what mood I was in.

An Unauthorized Tenth

Don't tell anyone, but Mike & I ran 13.2 miles this morning.  That last tenth of a mile was not sanctioned.  I can hear the scolding from here...

The Boston Marathon has had the beneficial result of putting Mike back to my level.  Today we ran a nice 13 miler in a cool 40 degree morning.  Overcast skies with no rain was our canopy.  It was good to see Mike again and get the full scoop on Boston.  His coach let him out of the house to run with me but with the strictest instructions for good behavior.  But this is America, Mike -  Rock 'n Roll.  But no, there was not an instant when she wasn't on his mind.  Our eyes were glued to the Garmin as we watched each 1/10th tick by as we prepared to turn around. 

Alas, our math was off slightly as we found ourselves a tenth of a mile from the car when the Garmin declared we had reached the allowed distance.  We just stood there peering at the car.  Were we allowed to walk?  Should one us go and bring the car back?  What to do?

My work was plowing me under last week and running just couldn't rise to the surface.  Today was refreshing and has me excited to continue.  Marc is getting back on track too.  Not to mention he has signed up for the American Lung Association's Trek Across Maine bicycle trip (180 mile - 3 day ride).  Does that sound like someone with a calf injury?  I think not.

I asked him how he got himself involved in such a hare-brained scheme.  "Some friends at work," he says.

Marc, those aren't friends.

Nevertheless, please help him with his pledge drive here.

13.1 miles (with one completely accidental-it will never happen again-tenth only because we really had to-no avoiding it you know) 1:44:43 7:55 pace.

8:21

8:05

8:13

7:59

7:54

7:52

8:00

7:55

7:51

7:54

7:37

7:47

7:32

Finally Five Miles

I am so underwhelmed at work this week attending the most mind numbing "training" session that when I awoke at 3am this morning I either needed a drink or a run.  I think it the better policy to run at times like these, so I did.

 

Five miles was enough for the leg.  It didn't hurt but it felt tighter than the other.  Nice and slow, the starry sky kept watch as I scared myself around each corner as cats, skunks, fox, and one lone person waiting for her ride to work startled me over and over.

 

5.04 miles 43:58 (8:43 pace). 137 HR.  I just realized it's been a whole week since last I ran.  Wow, I must have been down and out.

Shouldn't Be Long Now

I have a morning test called "walking downstairs".  I'm hoping that there will soon be a day when there is no soreness or pain in the left quad as I walk down the stairs.  This morning, I had to really think if I was feeling any discomfort.  I was, but very little.

 

It's now at the point where I could go out and run, I think, but history has shown me that I tend to delay the real cure when I do.  And since I'm still many months from my next marathon, I have the luxury of not worrying about it.

 

The major downside just now is the weather has turned gorgeous and Eastport is turning back into its island paradise of bright mornings, cool breezes and beautiful scenery.  And I've been wishing to be out in it.

Fw: No run Sunday

----- Original Message -----

From: Andrew Seeley

To: Mike Power

Sent: Saturday, April 21, 2007 9:18 PM

Subject: No run Sunday

Hi Mike,

 

I didn't know if you were planning a run for tomorrow but I can't do it.  I am taking an aggressive "rest" trying to get this leg to behave.  The continued day to day soreness told me that it wasn't healing while running on it so I have changed tactics.  I am finding it to be healing but not as quickly as I would have wished.

 

 

 

Left Quad Querulous

Almost a carbon copy from '06 in terms of complaint, timing, location, and reason.

 

So how I see it, as long as I don't attempt a 3:00 marathon on frugal training (due to the injury) and then train myself into the ground to quell the disappointment (from the poor marathon performance), I should be able to avoid an 8 week outage due to an ITB strain.

 

"Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it."    George Santayana

 

Sick & Tired

Well, more like tired and sick. Extremely slow recovery run this morning produced a feeling of nausea at mile 2. Went home.

2.8 miles. Felt better after laying on the couch for awhile.

Windy

Sunk into a comfortable two hours this morning. I always feel the best on these easy runs that don't end too soon. Gives me plenty of time to let my imagination roam free.

High winds last night and of course this morning with the occassional shower of rain or sleet depending on the mood of the sky.

13.85 miles @ 8:40 pace. 141 HR

10:03
8:56
9:07
8:29
8:33
9:08
8:12
8:20
8:37
8:28
8:46
8:43
7:56
7:54 (pace .85 mile)

Rest and Recovery

Sunday - Rest

Monday - Recovery

Wind and sleet (surprise!) 5.03 miles 8:57 pace. HR 134.

9:26
8:41
8:43
9:09
8:43

Left leg hurting a little after Saturday's 3 hours.  The run took a lot out of me as I was dragging most of the day. I slept through (meaning: did not hear) my alarm this morning so I must have been very tired.

Still, I got out for my 45 minutes of recovery which was appropriate. I'm in a build here and it's taking some time. But I suspect within 6 weeks or so I should be back atop the mileage mountain. Maybe 8 weeks.

Wind & Sleet... again.

I must have liked yesterday's weather so much I didn't hesitate to go out in it again this morning. Except this time I was out for 3 hours.

Decided to do the long run today.  I didn't expect any weather this morning so I was surprised when I got up and found it squalling outside. Again, the roads were slippery and the wind pretty stiff out of the north.

My route mirrored yesterday's run as well - out and back on Route 190. The plan was to run 2 x 90 minutes. So I ran out for 45 minutes, came back, and did it again. Going out was into the wind and coming back with it. Makes a big difference. The reason for this route is that it is fairly flat. A couple of hills (all hills in Eastport are small) but they are not so steep and abrupt as the ones in town. This matters more, I think, when I'm going down them. A lot of braking can be avoided on the highway route and it's better on the muscle fibers.

I got up at 3:15 and was out the door by 4. The plan was to run 3 hours and take the result. I ran slowly out and gradually picked up the pace coming back. The 2nd half was noticeably faster as I had to run a few tenths further at the turnaround to get my 45 minutes.

3:00:00. 22.36 miles. 8:03 pace. 146 avg HR.

9:19
8:43
9:06
8:49
9:00
8:40
8:28
8:20
8:20
8:13
8:39
7:53
7:22
7:47
7:45
7:58
7:19
6:55
7:10
7:01
7:23
6:59
2:50 (7:47 pace .36 mile)

Running Through Slush

One of the benefits of living in Eastport is the slight temperature difference at either end of the winding 7 mile road into town. This morning it was raining - at my house. Seven miles northwest, it was snowing. On the road in between, it was a nasty, sleet filled, slush covered mess.

Naturally, this is where I ran.

7:36
6:53
6:55
6:46
6:43
6:53
7:01
6:43
4:36 (6:19 pace .73 mile)

1 hour high aerobic. 8.73 miles 6:53 avg pace. Wx: nasty. HR - none. Monitor slipped off me within 1/2 mile.

Recovery Run

30 minute recovery run this morning. Beautiful sunshine, 20F. 3.36 miles (8:56 pace).

Legs sore and stiff, knee slightly sore. Was feeling better when the 30 minute mark arrived.

9:04
8:56
8:49
3:11 (8:56 pace .36 mile)

Running With Freighters

Went out to run easily this morning but it morphed into a 'hard' run according to the heart rate. The good news: the knee was fine this morning with no pain. I did pop 2 ibuprofen prior to the run just in case.

Yesterday was a day off since I had to pull the plug on Monday's run at 40 minutes. The rest did me good as I felt refreshed and relaxed. The weather was clear and cool at 30 degrees and a slight northerly wind. As I ran along the east side of the island I looked out onto the Passamaquoddy Bay as the sky started to glow above Campobello Island. The lights on the Canadian islands in the bay all twinkled their good morning.

Looming in the foreground was a freighter leaving Eastport heading for the St. Croix River for a stop at Bayside (Canada) before it sailed off to some far away destination. The ship's significance contrasted its silent passage. The ship was underway but it gave an illusion of sitting still. But as I ran past each house a new view showed the ship keeping pace with me. By the end of the street I'm pretty sure it was passing me. A quick wave at whoever might be watching from the bridge and I turned away, up a hill, and was gone.

I am happy with how the run progressed - 1 hour 'high aerobic' effort. 8.63 miles, 1:00:00. HR 159. Avg pace 6:58.

7:53
7:03
7:08
7:06
7:09
7:02
6:45
6:04
3:50 (6:08 pace - .63 mile)

25 weeks to taper

A couple of weeks ago, I retyped my marathon training plan adjusting training paces and dates. So far week 1 ended with 12.85 miles (see Saturday's post) with the rest being 'rest'.

Week 2 is upon us and we started with 4.5 miles of recovery running. I went out this morning open to what may come knowing Saturday's effort on such poor training was going take longer to recover from than I would like. I was hoping for an hour but only got 40 minutes before my left knee started to hurt and I pulled the plug on the run.

Still feel refreshed but I'll have to ice that knee. I iced it Saturday and by Sunday it was feeling much better. I'll be doing this routine for awhile I imagine as these knee issues always take time to heal up.

I poke along so slowly when I'm by myself. 8:52 pace today with an HR of 135.

9:38
8:33
8:42
8:40
4:27 (8:46 pace)

Eric caught me walking home. He was just beginning his 10 miler. Wx cool @ 32F and a slight NW wind. Not that bad really.

Getting Mike Into Trouble

What fun.

Mike accidentally emailed me information about the NOT-A-RACE half marathon in St. Stephen, NB. It was today at 11am Canadian time. In hindsight, I believe Mike actually intended for me to miss the non-race because he tried to convince me that 11am Canadian time was noon U.S. time. We all know that 11am across the St. Croix is 10am on the American side - and I arrived on time.

This ghost of a race was a small gathering of local runners out to enjoy thirteen miles of Canadian countryside. There was no fee but we still got numbers and even laminated course directions to carry with us. There were two water stops at mile 2 & mile 11. What a wonderful time. The weather was a little chilly and I dressed a little too warmly. The sun came out and we all started off at a pleasant jog at the whistle.

Mike's mistress had lectured him earlier on the need to go easy and he positively declared his intention of not racing at the not-a-race-just-a-few-runners-running event. She had misgivings about his fidelity to LSD and quite rightly so.

I trailed him for a mile at an 8:00 pace (his promised speed) when he good naturedly looked back, and stopped a moment to let me catch up. Off we went chatting incessantly like it was a Sunday long run. The course was marked perfectly with bright orange cones at the intersections requiring a turn. And the organizers followed in cars to assist at crucial turnings.

As we ran along, I found this little jaunt was just what I needed. I hadn't run since I ran with Marc in Lewiston last Sunday. A down week for me and I needed a little lift of the spirits. This was fun and I was enjoying myself immensely. And to add to this enjoyment, it's always fun listening to Mike say:

"Let's dial it back, Andrew."

"She'll never know" I countered.

"She reads my blog..." Mike answered.

I knew he was thinking of the trouble he'd be in if he showed up too soon at the finish but I also knew that while he was trying to keep those horses in rein, each time we hit 7:30 he'd be right there stride for stride.

A little after mile 7 we caught the leader (Chris). To this point we were averaging a conversational pace of 7:46 per mile with most of the miles right at this pace with a couple faster (7:30's) and the first one slow (8:++). We ran with the leader and finally put down our first sub 7:30 and Mike was game. A 7:17 & 7:27 followed as the three of us put miles 9 & 10 to bed.

Into mile 11 we started up a little rise and I tried to tempt Mike with a little increase in tempo. He didn't bite and I gained a slight lead as mile 11 went by in 6:43. I wasn't sure where Chris was, and with 2 miles to go I decided to break for the finish. Mile 12 in 6:06 and a final .85 in 5:00 (5:54 pace). [Garmin says the course was short at 12.85 miles]

Average pace 7:21 and an average HR of 160.

While I felt great throughout the run, my HR was too high and is indicative of my time off this winter/spring.

Mike finished 2nd and luckily his wife was still out shopping. I said to him:

"Mike, you're in trouble. You ran too fast."

"No, no" he replied. "I finished early."

8:18
7:33
7:43
7:42
7:41
7:55
7:32
7:25
7:17
7:27
6:43
6:06
5:54 pace (.85 mile)