11/29- 10K near tempo effort which was about half marathon race pace followed by a hard 400 sprint without any rest. Fast start but the pace evened out after the first lap. Here are the splits: 7:04-7:12-7:18-7:16-7:19-7:16 (7:14 average), 1:51-76. Garmin says that I hit sub-4 pace at the end and I think I was close in the last 100. Overall time was 46:33 for 6.5 so figure just under 47 for a quarter marathon and projects to just about 1:34 flat for a half mary, which is my goal coming in. I'm pleased with this workout. Yes, I ran this workout the week before Mercedes and this projection turned out to be very accurate.
Grade:A-/2 credits/distance=7.5
11/30-Elective rest day as part of the taper. It's a dreary day outside so a run would not be much fun. I feel fine and will likely run tomorrow, rest Wednesday and go very easy Thursday. Update: As I said, I was fine in the morning but I was not feeling well at all in the afternoon and evening. I was wired/tired and had more than usual soreness in the groin area. I took half a taurine pill and some Omega 3 which seemed to help. Even 1 month ago, I could not tolerate any taurine. Anyone who reads this blog knows that this is nothing new. It's been a good month but it would suck to "do everything right and not perform well on Saturday." Tomorrow will be my last hard workout and it needs to be good to keep the confidence up. The weather looks to be sunny and chilly for race day (near 40 at start time)
12/1-Felt fine most of the day. Johnny told me not to push too hard today so I held back a bit. 4x400 and 1 800. I won't even list my times but I could run in the upper 70s without pushing too hard. Susie showed up at the track after I was done so I went ahead and ran my cool down with her. Mild pain in the shins and calves. Again, I had a low in the evening so I took some taurine and should feel better soon. How much do I need to be in top form on Saturday? There is a fine line. This is getting nerve wracking. On race week? What else is new?
Grade:B/1 credit/distance=4.0
(grade is based on the workout alone, not the evening low)
12/2- Discouraging day overall. Woke up feeling flat out awful (wired/tired) with sore muscles. I took 2 grams of taurine, which helped with the wired/tired but the soreness in the groin area worsened. It was so bad that I got a sharp pain whenever I cough or sneeze. That is unacceptable. I will try to get by on 1 gram of taurine and load on Boswellian extract in an attempt to combat the inflammation. Why does this always have to happen on race week? As good as my November was, it pains me to say that I am not on solid ground yet. I will delay the medical report until I take the taurine for a while. Oh yeah, I did run today and my performance was average. Trak Shak 5 @ 7:31. Slow start and a final mile at tempo effort and turned in a respectable 6:44. If the race were today, I would have struggled to break 1:40.
Grade:B-/1 credit/distance=5.0
12/3- Easy 2.5 on the 'mill with a mild pick up at the end. A high 7 pace felt effortless as it should but my groin is still a bit sore. This was the final test before the race and I think I can say that all systems are a go.
Grade:B/1 credit/distance=2.5
12/4- Just a few untimed strides in the hotel. My legs feel pretty good.
Grade: Pass/0 credit/ distance= 0.5
12/5- Baton Rouge Beach Half Marathon in 1:32:57 PR
Grade: A+/4 credits/distance=13.5
Weekly summary:
Tremendous performance in the half marathon. I am just 13.5 seconds per mile short of a sub-1:30. I have dropped close to 10 minutes in the last 12 months at that distance and more than 26.2 minutes since my debut in March 2007. As for Boston, I'm more than "halfway there and living on a prayer."
Distance= 33.0/ GPA= 33.3/9= 3.70
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Sunday, November 22, 2009
training 11/22-28 (Thanksgiving)
11/22- Good start to the week. Went out for breakfast then drove back to the 'Ham, watched a little bit of football then headed out to Vestavia for my workout. 12 @7:45 followed by a water stop then a Mile in 6:17, which felt fast and controlled but not exhausting then went to church and have little down time the rest of the day. I was on pace for a 1:41:xx half marathon through 12, which would have been a PR last year and I had plenty left. I had just a bit of the wired/tired feeling so I will take small amounts of taurine. Again, a good workout.
Grade:A-/2 credits/distance=13.0
11/23- Lakeshore 10 in 78:45 (7:53 pace). A little faster than planned but I felt fine. My pace did slow a tad in the 2nd half but the effort was even (7:48 vs 7:57). I hope I can handle whatever Johnny throws at me tomorrow. 31 in 3 days but Wednesday will be a rest and Thursday-Saturday are all question marks. I hope I can hit at least 40 this week but I'll be lucky to hit 45.
Grade:A-/1 credit/distance=10.0
11/24- Johnny's speed session. A majority of the group was racing on Thursday so the group workout was light. Mine was not. 4x400 in 75, 800 in 2:43, 4x400 in 76 (last one was 69). I felt smooth and relaxed for the entire workout. Nobody was pushing me and I really could not see how fast I was going in the dark. Long cool down. Pleased with the workout.
Grade:A-/2 credits/distance=5.0
11/25- 3 mile recovery jog on the 'mill. AM was the only opportunity I had to run. Pace was about 8:35 but that's not important at all. If anything, it was a hair too fast. What is important is that I got a few miles in and should be ready to go tomorrow morning.
Grade:B-/1 credit/distance=3.0
11/26- Ran with an old HS teammate. Very slow pace but I had to slow down for him. Felt fine except for some normal soreness.
Grade:B/1 credit/distance=5.5
11/27- I am not feeling the best today but since I am out of my routine, I don't suppose that it is anything to be concerned about. The workout was 3.5 at tempo effort on a challenging course which included a 1/4 mile steep uphill near the start. There was another steep climb later but most of the first half was gradual uphill. It did make for a nice second half. Overall time was 27:37 (7:54 pace) with splits of 8:21-8:16-7:24-3:35. I've hit 40 even if I can't go tomorrow.
Grade:C+/1 credit/distance=3.5
11/28- AM-Jefferson/Peters trail. This time, the first half was mostly downhill which did not make for a nice 2nd half. I also had to fight a tough headwind going up the incline. Not pleasant. Still, I managed to keep every mile below 8:00. I ended up cutting the run a little short and finished with a 6:54 last mile. Finished with 7 @ 7:33. Average performance. I am pleased with the pace but not the distance. I'll need to jump on the 'mill this evening to hit 50.
PM- comfortable 3 on the 'mill @7:58 pace. The only real purpose of this run was to hit the mileage goal. This run was pretty much junk and probably made little difference.
Grade:B-/2 credits/distance=10.0
Weekly summary:
Pretty much a tale of 2 weeks. After a great start, I struggled a bit in the later stages as predicted because of the change in routine. I am now back in the 'Ham and with this mileage in spite of my busy schedule, I deserve this taper coming up.
Distance= 50.0/ GPA= 31.9/10= 3.19
Grade:A-/2 credits/distance=13.0
11/23- Lakeshore 10 in 78:45 (7:53 pace). A little faster than planned but I felt fine. My pace did slow a tad in the 2nd half but the effort was even (7:48 vs 7:57). I hope I can handle whatever Johnny throws at me tomorrow. 31 in 3 days but Wednesday will be a rest and Thursday-Saturday are all question marks. I hope I can hit at least 40 this week but I'll be lucky to hit 45.
Grade:A-/1 credit/distance=10.0
11/24- Johnny's speed session. A majority of the group was racing on Thursday so the group workout was light. Mine was not. 4x400 in 75, 800 in 2:43, 4x400 in 76 (last one was 69). I felt smooth and relaxed for the entire workout. Nobody was pushing me and I really could not see how fast I was going in the dark. Long cool down. Pleased with the workout.
Grade:A-/2 credits/distance=5.0
11/25- 3 mile recovery jog on the 'mill. AM was the only opportunity I had to run. Pace was about 8:35 but that's not important at all. If anything, it was a hair too fast. What is important is that I got a few miles in and should be ready to go tomorrow morning.
Grade:B-/1 credit/distance=3.0
11/26- Ran with an old HS teammate. Very slow pace but I had to slow down for him. Felt fine except for some normal soreness.
Grade:B/1 credit/distance=5.5
11/27- I am not feeling the best today but since I am out of my routine, I don't suppose that it is anything to be concerned about. The workout was 3.5 at tempo effort on a challenging course which included a 1/4 mile steep uphill near the start. There was another steep climb later but most of the first half was gradual uphill. It did make for a nice second half. Overall time was 27:37 (7:54 pace) with splits of 8:21-8:16-7:24-3:35. I've hit 40 even if I can't go tomorrow.
Grade:C+/1 credit/distance=3.5
11/28- AM-Jefferson/Peters trail. This time, the first half was mostly downhill which did not make for a nice 2nd half. I also had to fight a tough headwind going up the incline. Not pleasant. Still, I managed to keep every mile below 8:00. I ended up cutting the run a little short and finished with a 6:54 last mile. Finished with 7 @ 7:33. Average performance. I am pleased with the pace but not the distance. I'll need to jump on the 'mill this evening to hit 50.
PM- comfortable 3 on the 'mill @7:58 pace. The only real purpose of this run was to hit the mileage goal. This run was pretty much junk and probably made little difference.
Grade:B-/2 credits/distance=10.0
Weekly summary:
Pretty much a tale of 2 weeks. After a great start, I struggled a bit in the later stages as predicted because of the change in routine. I am now back in the 'Ham and with this mileage in spite of my busy schedule, I deserve this taper coming up.
Distance= 50.0/ GPA= 31.9/10= 3.19
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Rant: childhood obesity and weight issues
My mother is a teacher and has reported that she has seen a marked increase in childhood obesity in recent years. Sometimes, she might ask her students something to this effect: "We sure had some nice weather last weekend, did you do anything fun? The answer is typically: "Nah, I just stayed in, played video games, watched TV and surfed the net." I was born in '80 and we did not get the internet until I was in high school. Nintendo came out in '85 and I got one when I was 8 years old. Yes, I played it quite a bit, but it was certainly not all that I did. Even before I got into track, I was no couch potato. I played soccer, baseball and basketball in elementary school. Most afternoons, I would go outside and either ride my bike around the neighborhood, shoot basketballs, throw the football around or find other ways to spend my energy. If you are my age or a little older, that probably describes your early childhood as well. Nowadays, participation in sports seems to have declined, children are spending less time outdoors thanks to internet access and video games and their food choices are likely to be poor as well so it should not be a surprise that childhood obesity is on the rise. If nothing is done about this, their condition is likely to worsen in adulthood when metabolism slows, leading to heart disease, diabetes and overall very poor health and quality of life.
I may take some heat for this but I feel that much of the problem can be solved if parents would provide a better example for their children. Parents may encourage their children to be physically active but if they are overweight themselves, do not exercise and simply pick up fast food loaded with saturated and trans fats, the good advice may not carry too much weight (no pun intended). I was hanging out by the pool one summer day and had to listen to a 6 year old kid repeatedly express his desire to become a cigarette smoker. I must have heard it at least 10 times: "I wanna smoke!" His mother said, "I don't want to hear that from you again." Meanwhile, she was lighting up her third cancer stick in the past half hour. No comments are necessary.
The poor food that parents serve their children may be as much of a problem as the child's lack of exercise. In this case, I can see how this can be a problem. If you work a long and stressful day at work and arrive home at 7:30 PM, working out and cooking are not things that you feel like doing. I work 8-5 and have run 10-12 miles on a weekday many times. When I do, I won't be home until 8 PM and I usually just pick up whatever on my way home. Most adults have a slow oxidation rate and thus have little energy to spend and do not "feel like" exercising. Fortunately, this all important oxidation rate can be improved by proper dietary supplements and appropriate exercise. I am such a believer in my treatment program that I recommend it even to those with no significant health complaints. If you weren't sure why I am such a strong advocate when I was struggling earlier this Fall, look no further than my recent workouts. Three years ago, I was relegated to walk/jogging and the my first timed 3 mile was 26:xx. If you had told me back then that I could run a 10K in 41:xx, there is no way that I would have believed it.
My weight has been pretty steady around 148 for most of the year. I'm 5'11" without shoes, 6'1" with them plus orthotics. According to most tables, the target range is between about 142-168 so I am within the target range albeit at the low end. Ideally, I should be 153-155 but if it's a difference of just 5-7 lbs, I'm not going to worry about it and I doubt that lower than ideal weight by itself will significantly impact my performance. Also, I feel pretty good at this weight. I have dropped below 145 a few times and did not feel as well but I've also been over 150 and did not feel very well. My BP is usually just under 120/80 and my choleterol is 133, very good numbers. When I did gain or lose weight , it was a body chemistry imbalance that was the cause, hence the symptoms. I do expect that when in balance, I will be in the low-mid 150s and feel good at that weight.
I am striving to become what is known as a "healthy fast" oxidizer. I realize that most of you have no idea what that means so let me explain briefly. In short, the thyroid and adrenal gland activity is mildly elevated with no trend toward adrenal burnout and the person is rife with energy, vitality and is very unlikely to have any type of weight problem or high cholesterol. On my last medical report, I was classified as a "moderate fast" oxidizer with no adrenal burnout but it was bordering on "extreme fast." On the positive side, in this state, I probably will never be overweight even if I did not run and I am unlikely to have a cholesterol problem either despite the fact that my diet is not the best. On the negative side, it is hard to gain weight and it doesn't seem to matter whether I run or not. Like I said, I'm not going to worry about being 5 lbs. too light but if became "extreme fast," I would feel very weak and drop to 140 and look anorexic. Also, even with "moderate fast" oxidation, I will experience some degree of energy loss and poor connective tissue healing leaving me undertrained with poorer performances especially at the longer distances. I can do better and if my recent training and race results are any indication, I am on the right track. At one point, I was taking upwards of 10 different pills to manage my chemical imbalances. I am now down to 4. I attribute much of my improvement to solving the chromium issue by reducing zinc consumption but I also completely cut out soda starting because it irritated my digestive system. That may be helping as well. If I can stay healthy enough to train at my current volume and intensity, next year you will see the following times: sub-19 5K, sub-40 10K, sub-1:30 half marathon, sub-3:20 marathon. Mark it down.
I may take some heat for this but I feel that much of the problem can be solved if parents would provide a better example for their children. Parents may encourage their children to be physically active but if they are overweight themselves, do not exercise and simply pick up fast food loaded with saturated and trans fats, the good advice may not carry too much weight (no pun intended). I was hanging out by the pool one summer day and had to listen to a 6 year old kid repeatedly express his desire to become a cigarette smoker. I must have heard it at least 10 times: "I wanna smoke!" His mother said, "I don't want to hear that from you again." Meanwhile, she was lighting up her third cancer stick in the past half hour. No comments are necessary.
The poor food that parents serve their children may be as much of a problem as the child's lack of exercise. In this case, I can see how this can be a problem. If you work a long and stressful day at work and arrive home at 7:30 PM, working out and cooking are not things that you feel like doing. I work 8-5 and have run 10-12 miles on a weekday many times. When I do, I won't be home until 8 PM and I usually just pick up whatever on my way home. Most adults have a slow oxidation rate and thus have little energy to spend and do not "feel like" exercising. Fortunately, this all important oxidation rate can be improved by proper dietary supplements and appropriate exercise. I am such a believer in my treatment program that I recommend it even to those with no significant health complaints. If you weren't sure why I am such a strong advocate when I was struggling earlier this Fall, look no further than my recent workouts. Three years ago, I was relegated to walk/jogging and the my first timed 3 mile was 26:xx. If you had told me back then that I could run a 10K in 41:xx, there is no way that I would have believed it.
My weight has been pretty steady around 148 for most of the year. I'm 5'11" without shoes, 6'1" with them plus orthotics. According to most tables, the target range is between about 142-168 so I am within the target range albeit at the low end. Ideally, I should be 153-155 but if it's a difference of just 5-7 lbs, I'm not going to worry about it and I doubt that lower than ideal weight by itself will significantly impact my performance. Also, I feel pretty good at this weight. I have dropped below 145 a few times and did not feel as well but I've also been over 150 and did not feel very well. My BP is usually just under 120/80 and my choleterol is 133, very good numbers. When I did gain or lose weight , it was a body chemistry imbalance that was the cause, hence the symptoms. I do expect that when in balance, I will be in the low-mid 150s and feel good at that weight.
I am striving to become what is known as a "healthy fast" oxidizer. I realize that most of you have no idea what that means so let me explain briefly. In short, the thyroid and adrenal gland activity is mildly elevated with no trend toward adrenal burnout and the person is rife with energy, vitality and is very unlikely to have any type of weight problem or high cholesterol. On my last medical report, I was classified as a "moderate fast" oxidizer with no adrenal burnout but it was bordering on "extreme fast." On the positive side, in this state, I probably will never be overweight even if I did not run and I am unlikely to have a cholesterol problem either despite the fact that my diet is not the best. On the negative side, it is hard to gain weight and it doesn't seem to matter whether I run or not. Like I said, I'm not going to worry about being 5 lbs. too light but if became "extreme fast," I would feel very weak and drop to 140 and look anorexic. Also, even with "moderate fast" oxidation, I will experience some degree of energy loss and poor connective tissue healing leaving me undertrained with poorer performances especially at the longer distances. I can do better and if my recent training and race results are any indication, I am on the right track. At one point, I was taking upwards of 10 different pills to manage my chemical imbalances. I am now down to 4. I attribute much of my improvement to solving the chromium issue by reducing zinc consumption but I also completely cut out soda starting because it irritated my digestive system. That may be helping as well. If I can stay healthy enough to train at my current volume and intensity, next year you will see the following times: sub-19 5K, sub-40 10K, sub-1:30 half marathon, sub-3:20 marathon. Mark it down.
Monday, November 16, 2009
training 11/15-21
11/15- Lakeshore 6 in 47:57 (7:59.5 pace). This was too fast after yesterday. I was struggling early but warmed up nicely after the first mile. I actually picked up the pace at the end to make sure I would come in under 8:00 pace. Bad call. I hope this effort doesn't hurt me down the road. The good thing is that this was an AM run so I have a half day off to recover until a PM run tomorrow. Again, I must slow down.
Grade:B/1 credit/distance=6.0
11/16- No ill-effects at all from going too fast yesterday. I felt surprisingly well from the get go. Lakeshore 10 in 81:36 (8:10 pace). Yes, I could have done sub-8 again but chose not to do so. This was a much more enjoyable run. 1st half was 40:46, 2nd half was 40:50 so I'd say that's pretty even. I got the mileage in and should be good to go for tomorrow with Johnny. This brings me up to 36 in the last 3 days and 62 in the last 7. I need 6 tomorrow to tie my 7 day mileage PR.
Grade:A-/1 credit/distance=10.0
11/17- 1.5 warm up, Johnny's ladder workout plus a 2 mile cool down. Workout stats: 400-78, 800-2:46, 1200-4:16, 1600-5:53, 800-2:42. Overall pace was an even 5:40 or 85 per lap so I get an 85 on the day. Not bad considering that I ran the entire workout alone. I miss Dave in these workouts. Today's workout brought me up to a new 7 day mileage PR (64 from Wednesday-Tuesday) (14+7+0+20+6+10+7). Yes, I'm running tomorrow too. I feel good.
Grade: B/2 credits/distance=7.0
11/18- Tempo day. Trak Shak 5 in 35:13 (7:03 pace). I got a head lamp and a red flashing light on my pants but I am still extra careful in the dark. This means more stops than usual but that's okay. My last 4 miles averaged a sub-7. I am feeling some signs of fatigue but considering the mileage that I have done recently, I can still feel good about my workout. 1.5 cool down at a glacial pace. Easy tomorrow.
Grade: B+/2 credits/distance=6.5
11/19- Easy 5.5 at Vestavia. That was pretty much my only option with the darkness and time crunch. Time was 44:19 (8:04 pace). This time, I did not try for sub-8. I just ran whatever pace felt comfortable. Yes, I was tired and sore but it did not feel abnormal.
Grade:B-/1 credit/distance=5.5
11/20- Busy day today. I had to go to Bessemer this morning to get my car tag renewed ($134), worked a 6 hour day then headed to Atlanta after work. My only real running option was to get up an hour early and jump on the 'mill for a few easy miles and I did just that. I was hoping to get 6 in and settled for 4 at a 8:27 pace. I was simply too tired to run well but I'm not too worried about it. I never run well in the morning during the week but I can run fine on Saturday mornings. Go figure.
Grade:C/1 credit/distance=4.0
11/21- Pretty good day all around. I got up early and hit the Silver Comet trail with Nick. The trail was not as flat as advertised. In fact, almost all of the first half was a gradual incline. That made for a nice second half. My Garmin died on me but I estimate that my pace was in between easy and tempo, which was the plan on a run of this distance. The trail was 7.6 miles plus a short cool down. Felt good. Headed to Clemson to see a win vs. Virginia. My emotions about going back there were mixed. I did have some good times there but the unyielding stress of the MBA program was a major contributing factor in my development of full blown adrenal exhaustion.
Grade:B+/1 credit/distance=8.0
Weekly summary:
Pleased with the week overall. Anything above a 3.0 is a good week. I could have run 50+ but given my schedule, I think I got about as much mileage in as I could. Next week will be even busier with Thanksgiving so it's unlikely that it will be very high mileage but I'm close to my taper any way.
Distance=46.0/ GPA= 27.3/9= 3.033
Grade:B/1 credit/distance=6.0
11/16- No ill-effects at all from going too fast yesterday. I felt surprisingly well from the get go. Lakeshore 10 in 81:36 (8:10 pace). Yes, I could have done sub-8 again but chose not to do so. This was a much more enjoyable run. 1st half was 40:46, 2nd half was 40:50 so I'd say that's pretty even. I got the mileage in and should be good to go for tomorrow with Johnny. This brings me up to 36 in the last 3 days and 62 in the last 7. I need 6 tomorrow to tie my 7 day mileage PR.
Grade:A-/1 credit/distance=10.0
11/17- 1.5 warm up, Johnny's ladder workout plus a 2 mile cool down. Workout stats: 400-78, 800-2:46, 1200-4:16, 1600-5:53, 800-2:42. Overall pace was an even 5:40 or 85 per lap so I get an 85 on the day. Not bad considering that I ran the entire workout alone. I miss Dave in these workouts. Today's workout brought me up to a new 7 day mileage PR (64 from Wednesday-Tuesday) (14+7+0+20+6+10+7). Yes, I'm running tomorrow too. I feel good.
Grade: B/2 credits/distance=7.0
11/18- Tempo day. Trak Shak 5 in 35:13 (7:03 pace). I got a head lamp and a red flashing light on my pants but I am still extra careful in the dark. This means more stops than usual but that's okay. My last 4 miles averaged a sub-7. I am feeling some signs of fatigue but considering the mileage that I have done recently, I can still feel good about my workout. 1.5 cool down at a glacial pace. Easy tomorrow.
Grade: B+/2 credits/distance=6.5
11/19- Easy 5.5 at Vestavia. That was pretty much my only option with the darkness and time crunch. Time was 44:19 (8:04 pace). This time, I did not try for sub-8. I just ran whatever pace felt comfortable. Yes, I was tired and sore but it did not feel abnormal.
Grade:B-/1 credit/distance=5.5
11/20- Busy day today. I had to go to Bessemer this morning to get my car tag renewed ($134), worked a 6 hour day then headed to Atlanta after work. My only real running option was to get up an hour early and jump on the 'mill for a few easy miles and I did just that. I was hoping to get 6 in and settled for 4 at a 8:27 pace. I was simply too tired to run well but I'm not too worried about it. I never run well in the morning during the week but I can run fine on Saturday mornings. Go figure.
Grade:C/1 credit/distance=4.0
11/21- Pretty good day all around. I got up early and hit the Silver Comet trail with Nick. The trail was not as flat as advertised. In fact, almost all of the first half was a gradual incline. That made for a nice second half. My Garmin died on me but I estimate that my pace was in between easy and tempo, which was the plan on a run of this distance. The trail was 7.6 miles plus a short cool down. Felt good. Headed to Clemson to see a win vs. Virginia. My emotions about going back there were mixed. I did have some good times there but the unyielding stress of the MBA program was a major contributing factor in my development of full blown adrenal exhaustion.
Grade:B+/1 credit/distance=8.0
Weekly summary:
Pleased with the week overall. Anything above a 3.0 is a good week. I could have run 50+ but given my schedule, I think I got about as much mileage in as I could. Next week will be even busier with Thanksgiving so it's unlikely that it will be very high mileage but I'm close to my taper any way.
Distance=46.0/ GPA= 27.3/9= 3.033
Sunday, November 8, 2009
training 11/8-14
11/8-slow 8 through Homewood and Mountain Brook. Pretty hilly route. Average pace was 8:14, which is acceptable on an easy day especially after a race. However, the soreness felt "abnormal" in a way that only I understand. I drank a recovery drink containing taurine and today felt like I had too much of it. From now on, I will avoid that stuff altogether. Not a debacle but a bit of a downer after yesterday. I'll be fine tomorrow.
Grade:C/1 credit/distance=8.0
11/9- Veteran's Park 6 in the dark. Not a very enjoyable run but I did beat the rain just barely. I was off form today again but I'm not worried yet. If I suck tomorrow, then I'll be worried. I forgot to take the GABA last night so I doubled it in the morning (bad call, I should know better). Overall pace was around 8:15 so that's barely acceptable. The energy was there but I was sore in the groin area and legs would not produce. There was enough light to see when the trail was near the road but about a quarter of the trail was pitch black. In the 2nd lap, I had a head on collision with a bike but fortunately, neither of us were going fast and nobody got hurt. I will avoid Veteran's Park in the dark from now on.
Grade:C/1 credit/distance=6.0
11/10- I am officially concerned. This feels like a GABA issue. I started taking glutamine for my digestion, which raises GABA. Taurine and SBF both cause groin soreness so both will be eliminated. I may replace TravaCor (contains a small amount of taurine) with glutamine after the medical report but until then I will stick with what worked before Vulcan. Workout was 3x800, 3x600, 3x400 indoors. I won't list the times because it was overdistance @ the Hoover Rec Center. I got through the workout but just didn't feel like myself.
Grade:C+/2 credits/distance=5.0
11/11- AM: Trak Shak 9 @ 7:52. It was the 8 mile route in reverse plus a 1 mile cool down. Very uneven pace but I just ran whatever speed with Adam and Jason. Fastest mile was 7:12, slowest was 8:21. Jason was struggling with stomach cramps. "I feel your pain" (said in Clinton's voice). No SBF+ no taurine+no GABA= quick improvement.
Grade:B/1 credit/distance=9.0
PM (still daylight)- Trak Shak 5 with brand new shoes in 37:57 (7:36 pace). Last 3 miles were 7:40-7:42-7:40. Can't get much more even than that. A bit on the fast side but I felt fine at all times. When I am in balance, even if I'm sore from hard workouts, I usually still feel good in workouts and have plenty of energy during the day. I've done 19 miles in less than 24 hours. Am I running tomorrow? Hell yeah! I won't get another chance to go high mileage before Baton Rouge because of a busy upcoming schedule (football game then Thansgiving w/family).
Grade:B+/1 credit/distance=5.0
11/12- Lakeshore 7 in 54:53 (7:51 pace). Lakeshore is safer than Veteran's Park because it's paved rather than gravel and there's no traffic except for a couple of intersections. Solid performance and a pretty even pace. Not an "A" only because of minor groin soreness. I had another bizzare dream last night. I was in CVS and had to hide and cover myself with a small towel because I was naked. I'm not worried about this and for the most part, I'm laughing about it. The increased training could be a cause but I'd rather have goofy dreams than extreme soreness any day.
Grade:B+/1 credit/distance=7.0
11/13- If I ran 4 today and completed my long run tomorrow of 20 as planned, I would set a new mileage PR. Instead, I am taking a well deserved day of rest and will be going for 21 tomorrow. I need 23 to tie and 24 to break it but probably will not go for that yet. I hope that it will be my best long run ever. Last night, I dreamed that I was out on a date and the girl decided to smoke one cigarette for every mile that I ran, which was 7. I've been laughing about this one all morning.
11/14- I was shooting for 20 @ 8:00 and ended up with 18 in 2:43:44 (7:59 pace) so that's a 91 on the day. I slept in (no weird dreams) and didn't get started until 9 AM so by the time I finished, it was 70 and sunny. That's not the best conditions. Miles 3-12 were all between 7:56-8:03. I passed 13.1 in 1:44:33 but after that point, I faded. I was able to hold on to 8:06 for the next 2 then an 8:03 but slipped to 8:15 in the 17th mile. By that point, I knew that I wasn't going to make sub-8 and the first half of Mile 18 was worse so I decided to run the next half mile hard that call it quits. I rallied for a 3:40 in the last .50 so I was not completely spent. This was my 2nd best long run ever (best was 18 @7:50 just before the sinus infection.
1st half: 71:33, 2nd half: 72:11. That's not too bad. Final thoughts: If I had kept going and maintained a 9:00 pace for the last 8.2, I would have run a 3:37:xx. Mercedes is not for another 3 months but I don't think that I am in sub-3:30 shape yet. I do think I could run sub-3:40. I thought about a 3:23 goal but don't think it's realistic yet. Just give me a 3:29:59.
PM- 2 mile recovery jog on the 'mill.
Grade: A-/2 credits/distance=20.0
Weekly summary:
I'm pleased overall. GPA was 3.4 from Weds-SatThat LR would have been better if I had been a bit fresher. Still, I know that I need more work on the long runs. Yes, I like that distance on the week. I won't be able to run high mileage the next 2 weeks and it's almost time to taper for Red Stick. I'll take a sub-1:35 but my stretch goal is a 1:33:xx.
Distance=60.0 (2nd highest)/ GPA= 25.6/9= 2.84
Grade:C/1 credit/distance=8.0
11/9- Veteran's Park 6 in the dark. Not a very enjoyable run but I did beat the rain just barely. I was off form today again but I'm not worried yet. If I suck tomorrow, then I'll be worried. I forgot to take the GABA last night so I doubled it in the morning (bad call, I should know better). Overall pace was around 8:15 so that's barely acceptable. The energy was there but I was sore in the groin area and legs would not produce. There was enough light to see when the trail was near the road but about a quarter of the trail was pitch black. In the 2nd lap, I had a head on collision with a bike but fortunately, neither of us were going fast and nobody got hurt. I will avoid Veteran's Park in the dark from now on.
Grade:C/1 credit/distance=6.0
11/10- I am officially concerned. This feels like a GABA issue. I started taking glutamine for my digestion, which raises GABA. Taurine and SBF both cause groin soreness so both will be eliminated. I may replace TravaCor (contains a small amount of taurine) with glutamine after the medical report but until then I will stick with what worked before Vulcan. Workout was 3x800, 3x600, 3x400 indoors. I won't list the times because it was overdistance @ the Hoover Rec Center. I got through the workout but just didn't feel like myself.
Grade:C+/2 credits/distance=5.0
11/11- AM: Trak Shak 9 @ 7:52. It was the 8 mile route in reverse plus a 1 mile cool down. Very uneven pace but I just ran whatever speed with Adam and Jason. Fastest mile was 7:12, slowest was 8:21. Jason was struggling with stomach cramps. "I feel your pain" (said in Clinton's voice). No SBF+ no taurine+no GABA= quick improvement.
Grade:B/1 credit/distance=9.0
PM (still daylight)- Trak Shak 5 with brand new shoes in 37:57 (7:36 pace). Last 3 miles were 7:40-7:42-7:40. Can't get much more even than that. A bit on the fast side but I felt fine at all times. When I am in balance, even if I'm sore from hard workouts, I usually still feel good in workouts and have plenty of energy during the day. I've done 19 miles in less than 24 hours. Am I running tomorrow? Hell yeah! I won't get another chance to go high mileage before Baton Rouge because of a busy upcoming schedule (football game then Thansgiving w/family).
Grade:B+/1 credit/distance=5.0
11/12- Lakeshore 7 in 54:53 (7:51 pace). Lakeshore is safer than Veteran's Park because it's paved rather than gravel and there's no traffic except for a couple of intersections. Solid performance and a pretty even pace. Not an "A" only because of minor groin soreness. I had another bizzare dream last night. I was in CVS and had to hide and cover myself with a small towel because I was naked. I'm not worried about this and for the most part, I'm laughing about it. The increased training could be a cause but I'd rather have goofy dreams than extreme soreness any day.
Grade:B+/1 credit/distance=7.0
11/13- If I ran 4 today and completed my long run tomorrow of 20 as planned, I would set a new mileage PR. Instead, I am taking a well deserved day of rest and will be going for 21 tomorrow. I need 23 to tie and 24 to break it but probably will not go for that yet. I hope that it will be my best long run ever. Last night, I dreamed that I was out on a date and the girl decided to smoke one cigarette for every mile that I ran, which was 7. I've been laughing about this one all morning.
11/14- I was shooting for 20 @ 8:00 and ended up with 18 in 2:43:44 (7:59 pace) so that's a 91 on the day. I slept in (no weird dreams) and didn't get started until 9 AM so by the time I finished, it was 70 and sunny. That's not the best conditions. Miles 3-12 were all between 7:56-8:03. I passed 13.1 in 1:44:33 but after that point, I faded. I was able to hold on to 8:06 for the next 2 then an 8:03 but slipped to 8:15 in the 17th mile. By that point, I knew that I wasn't going to make sub-8 and the first half of Mile 18 was worse so I decided to run the next half mile hard that call it quits. I rallied for a 3:40 in the last .50 so I was not completely spent. This was my 2nd best long run ever (best was 18 @7:50 just before the sinus infection.
1st half: 71:33, 2nd half: 72:11. That's not too bad. Final thoughts: If I had kept going and maintained a 9:00 pace for the last 8.2, I would have run a 3:37:xx. Mercedes is not for another 3 months but I don't think that I am in sub-3:30 shape yet. I do think I could run sub-3:40. I thought about a 3:23 goal but don't think it's realistic yet. Just give me a 3:29:59.
PM- 2 mile recovery jog on the 'mill.
Grade: A-/2 credits/distance=20.0
Weekly summary:
I'm pleased overall. GPA was 3.4 from Weds-SatThat LR would have been better if I had been a bit fresher. Still, I know that I need more work on the long runs. Yes, I like that distance on the week. I won't be able to run high mileage the next 2 weeks and it's almost time to taper for Red Stick. I'll take a sub-1:35 but my stretch goal is a 1:33:xx.
Distance=60.0 (2nd highest)/ GPA= 25.6/9= 2.84
Saturday, November 7, 2009
09 Vulcan 10K RR
Training:
Not a good training cycle overall. I faced a series of annoying medical issues, none of which left me out of commission for more than 4 days but left me undertrained and frustrated at times. Two weeks ago, I really felt like a turned the corner and put in an intense 10 days before a 2 day rest before race day.
Race morning:
Woke up with just a trace of soreness in my legs but felt good and calm overall. Weather was perfect (low 50s, clear skies, light winds). I felt good warming up and was ready to roll. I came in expecting a PR (42:30) but the real goal was a sub-42.
Course:
5 out of 10 in difficulty. Miles 1-2 were relatively flat then we hit almost a mile of steady uphill. Mile 4 was rolling then we went back downhill in Mile 5 with a relatively flat finish. There was an easier 10K today in Mobile but I had already been there this year and didn't want to miss my home race.
Race:
I was shooting for around 6:40 for the first mile, which would have been right on target to finish just under 42. As usual, I went out a bit too fast but was aided by a downhill stretch early. I was at 3:05 at the half mile but ran a smart race after that. I lost a few positions in the 2nd mile but ran the uphill portion very well and passed several. By the halfway point, I was well ahead of PR pace but felt a bit more tired than last year. Mile 4 was a bit of struggle but when we hit the downhill, I let it loose and passed at least 3. By the end of Mile 5, I was pretty much spent but I knew that a PR was as good as mine and if I could simply maintain my average pace over the last mile, I would come in under 42. By the end of the 6th mile, I knew that I had it and would not need a kick. I only passed 1 in the last .25 and it wasn't one of my faster kicks but nobody was within my reach during the final sprint. Finished with a chip time of 41:43, a PR by 47 seconds and exactly 60 seconds faster than last year. This was an "A" performance.
-2 mile cool down with Jason, who was finishing his long run.
Splits:
6:25 (6:25)- too fast but on target for last 3/4
13:08 (6:43)- on target
20:10 (7:02)- very good on the uphill.
27:02 (6:52)- rolling, not as fast as I wanted.
33:28 (6:26)- downhill, pleased with that.
40:07 (6:39)- hung on quite well
41:43 (1:36)- 6:10 pace for .26
This projects to a 1:32 half and a 3:15 full. If I had run a pancake flat course, I think I would have been around 41:15. Lifetime goal is 40:00 and I think that I can do it if I can stay healthy enough to train consistently. 40:42 projects a BQ but I'll need to be faster than that since I am naturally suited for shorter distances.
Not a good training cycle overall. I faced a series of annoying medical issues, none of which left me out of commission for more than 4 days but left me undertrained and frustrated at times. Two weeks ago, I really felt like a turned the corner and put in an intense 10 days before a 2 day rest before race day.
Race morning:
Woke up with just a trace of soreness in my legs but felt good and calm overall. Weather was perfect (low 50s, clear skies, light winds). I felt good warming up and was ready to roll. I came in expecting a PR (42:30) but the real goal was a sub-42.
Course:
5 out of 10 in difficulty. Miles 1-2 were relatively flat then we hit almost a mile of steady uphill. Mile 4 was rolling then we went back downhill in Mile 5 with a relatively flat finish. There was an easier 10K today in Mobile but I had already been there this year and didn't want to miss my home race.
Race:
I was shooting for around 6:40 for the first mile, which would have been right on target to finish just under 42. As usual, I went out a bit too fast but was aided by a downhill stretch early. I was at 3:05 at the half mile but ran a smart race after that. I lost a few positions in the 2nd mile but ran the uphill portion very well and passed several. By the halfway point, I was well ahead of PR pace but felt a bit more tired than last year. Mile 4 was a bit of struggle but when we hit the downhill, I let it loose and passed at least 3. By the end of Mile 5, I was pretty much spent but I knew that a PR was as good as mine and if I could simply maintain my average pace over the last mile, I would come in under 42. By the end of the 6th mile, I knew that I had it and would not need a kick. I only passed 1 in the last .25 and it wasn't one of my faster kicks but nobody was within my reach during the final sprint. Finished with a chip time of 41:43, a PR by 47 seconds and exactly 60 seconds faster than last year. This was an "A" performance.
-2 mile cool down with Jason, who was finishing his long run.
Splits:
6:25 (6:25)- too fast but on target for last 3/4
13:08 (6:43)- on target
20:10 (7:02)- very good on the uphill.
27:02 (6:52)- rolling, not as fast as I wanted.
33:28 (6:26)- downhill, pleased with that.
40:07 (6:39)- hung on quite well
41:43 (1:36)- 6:10 pace for .26
This projects to a 1:32 half and a 3:15 full. If I had run a pancake flat course, I think I would have been around 41:15. Lifetime goal is 40:00 and I think that I can do it if I can stay healthy enough to train consistently. 40:42 projects a BQ but I'll need to be faster than that since I am naturally suited for shorter distances.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Training 11/1-7 (planned race week)
11/1- After a 15 miler @ sub-8 the day before, my legs actually felt fresher today than yesterday. I did make a minor tweak with my formula. Today was supposed to be an easy 10 but I felt so good that I took it out at 7:37 (3:20 marathon pace). The last half was a bit of a struggle but I held my own. 9 of 10 miles were 8:00 or less (mile 9 was net uphill). 1st half- 38:26, 2nd half- 39:47 (more hills). Overall time was 78:13 (7:49 pace). Am I surprised by this performance today? Yes, I am. This is the 10th straight day of running and all have been sub-8 pace. That streak will end tomorrow as I plan to go very slow regardless of how I feel. The Fall back was nice this morning but it will suck in evening when it's already dark when I get off work. I may do some morning runs more often.
Grade:A-/2 credits/distance=10.0
11/2- AM daylight run at Veteran's Park. 4 mile recovery jog almost ASAP (as slowly as possible) Should have gone Garmin free but I ran it just under 35 minutes (8:45 pace). For a recovery jog, that's acceptable. Pace was even but I was VERY tired. I don't think it is anything more serious than natural fatigue. I hope that my body will respond almost as if this was a rest day so I'll be ready to roll tomorrow evening.
Grade:C+/1 credit/distance=4.0
11/3-Interesting day. Bizzare dreams probably due to overtraining. I dreamed that my teeth were rotting and falling out and for some reason I was stranded in south Louisiana and ran into some "interesting characters." Woke up still fatigued but by the afternoon, I was ready to run. Speed day today and Johnny wanted me to keep my speed sharp for race day on Saturday. Workout was 8x400 averaging 73-74 (4:55 pace). Range was 71-76. I'm pleased with this workout. The only downer was that my final 400 was only 72 (it's often 67 or below) but that probably indicates a better workout. I feel pleasantly tired, not exhausted. Long cool down.
Grade:A-/2 credits/distance=5.0
11/4- Tempo. Trak Shak 5 @ 7:11. Fortunately, I ran with 2 others so I wasn't alone in the dark. Legs were sore but the rest of my body doesn't feel too beat up. Very easy 3 on the 'mill when I got home. Solid.
Grade:B+/2 credits/distance=8.0
11/5- After 13 straight days of running, back to back quality days and a race in 2 days, it would be dumb to run today. Well deserved day of rest.
11/6- Dreamed about computers and being a victim of identity theft. Why the weird dreams after a rest or recovery day? Elective rest day. Traffic jam on the interstate after packet pick up. It won't make a difference either way.
11/7- Vulcan 10K in 41:43 (6:42 pace). PR. Long cool down.
Grade:A/4 credits/distance=9.5
Weekly summary:
I did not hit my mileage target but that's okay. The missing 3.5 would have been junk anyway. Very pleased with my workouts this week. High mileage until Thanksgiving then my final race of '09 will be a half marathon in December and I have 2 options. Barring bad weather, I will run Baton Rouge (I know it's not a good marathon but since it caters to halfers, I should be okay). If the weather is bad that weekend, I'll run Pt. Clear in South Alabama the following week. If that falls through, my last option chance is Jacksonville. I had my wallet and clothes stolen at a beach there 3 years ago so hopefully, it won't come to that.
Distance=36.5/ GPA= 39.7/11= 3.61
Grade:A-/2 credits/distance=10.0
11/2- AM daylight run at Veteran's Park. 4 mile recovery jog almost ASAP (as slowly as possible) Should have gone Garmin free but I ran it just under 35 minutes (8:45 pace). For a recovery jog, that's acceptable. Pace was even but I was VERY tired. I don't think it is anything more serious than natural fatigue. I hope that my body will respond almost as if this was a rest day so I'll be ready to roll tomorrow evening.
Grade:C+/1 credit/distance=4.0
11/3-Interesting day. Bizzare dreams probably due to overtraining. I dreamed that my teeth were rotting and falling out and for some reason I was stranded in south Louisiana and ran into some "interesting characters." Woke up still fatigued but by the afternoon, I was ready to run. Speed day today and Johnny wanted me to keep my speed sharp for race day on Saturday. Workout was 8x400 averaging 73-74 (4:55 pace). Range was 71-76. I'm pleased with this workout. The only downer was that my final 400 was only 72 (it's often 67 or below) but that probably indicates a better workout. I feel pleasantly tired, not exhausted. Long cool down.
Grade:A-/2 credits/distance=5.0
11/4- Tempo. Trak Shak 5 @ 7:11. Fortunately, I ran with 2 others so I wasn't alone in the dark. Legs were sore but the rest of my body doesn't feel too beat up. Very easy 3 on the 'mill when I got home. Solid.
Grade:B+/2 credits/distance=8.0
11/5- After 13 straight days of running, back to back quality days and a race in 2 days, it would be dumb to run today. Well deserved day of rest.
11/6- Dreamed about computers and being a victim of identity theft. Why the weird dreams after a rest or recovery day? Elective rest day. Traffic jam on the interstate after packet pick up. It won't make a difference either way.
11/7- Vulcan 10K in 41:43 (6:42 pace). PR. Long cool down.
Grade:A/4 credits/distance=9.5
Weekly summary:
I did not hit my mileage target but that's okay. The missing 3.5 would have been junk anyway. Very pleased with my workouts this week. High mileage until Thanksgiving then my final race of '09 will be a half marathon in December and I have 2 options. Barring bad weather, I will run Baton Rouge (I know it's not a good marathon but since it caters to halfers, I should be okay). If the weather is bad that weekend, I'll run Pt. Clear in South Alabama the following week. If that falls through, my last option chance is Jacksonville. I had my wallet and clothes stolen at a beach there 3 years ago so hopefully, it won't come to that.
Distance=36.5/ GPA= 39.7/11= 3.61
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