What type of condition is required for a BQ? I'll base that off my 10K/5K ratio and extrapolate it to Full/Half. According to McMillan, a 40:00 10K calculates to a 19:15 5K for a ratio of (40/19.25)= 2.077. Again, IMO, that's too aggressive. Self-coached runner's ratio is (40/19.0)= 2.105. My current ratio is approx. (41.5/19.5)= 2.128 (I'll round it to 2.13). Of course, that could change come November when I race a flat 10K in Mobile. Also, if I can manage to run 60 MPW on a consistent basis, that ratio will come down a bit. Maybe, it could go as low as 2.10.
Now, let's try to extrapolate it to FM/HM.
Given my current ratio, my half marathon must be at least (191/2.13)= 1:29:40
Using Self-Coached runner: (191/2.105)= 1:30:45
To make it realistic and taking into account the wall, let's add another 10 seconds/mile to the marathon pace. That puts me at about 1:27:30 based on my current ratio and about 1:28:30 based on Self-Coached runner.
Here's my probability breakdown:
Sub-1:25- Slam dunk. Barring disaster, it's mine
1:25-1:27:30- Good shot, no guarantee but I like my chances
1:27:30-1:28:30- slightly better than 50/50, It could come down to the last .2
1:28:30-1:29:40- Would need an unusually good performance on race day.
1:29:40-1:30:40- Need a minor miracle on race day or sudden improvement in fitness.
over 1:30:40- no hope, just shoot for 3:20.
Figure that I need to be somewhere between Level 5 and Level 6 fitness for a 3:10 (refer to my last post). For a 3:15, all I need is to be slightly above Level 4 and I am nearly there now.
The key will be consistent mileage. I tried to run 60 MPW over the winter and got hurt but at that time, I wasn't healthy and had been wearing improper orthotics. I don't deny that the odds are long but my chances were zero in my last 2 marathons. This will be the first time I enter a training cycle with any chance at all and I am getting excited.
Monday, August 16, 2010
training 8/16-8/22 (race week)
8/16- A bit sluggish this weekend. Took Lithium last night and it made it worse. Does that mean that I can quit taking that stuff too? That would be a MIRACLE! I took NOTHING today and felt better and better as the day progressed. 7 miles in 50:43 (7:15 pace). That's a 3:10 BQ marathon pace and it felt EASY! My chances may be slim at Huntsville but it's still 4 months away and I'm beginning to think that I really do have a shot.
Grade:A/1 credit/distance=7.5
8/17- Interesting day. Again, I took nothing last night and nothing all day. I felt great in the morning but around lunch time, the energy was beginning to fade. By the end of the work day, I was in "C" shape at best. I went straight home and popped 2 Lithium pills then headed to the gym for a tempo or 10K time trial depending on how I felt. I still don't think I was at my absolute best but still nailed my 3rd PR in as many weeks. 10K in 41:14 (unofficial PR by :14). How about these splits? 6:36-6:40-6:37-6:40-6:40-6:31-90. 1st half: 20:42, 2nd half: 20:32.
Grade:A/3 credit/distance=6.5
8/18- Trak Shak 6.5 @ 7:35 pace. Faded a bit in the last mile but still pretty solid. A bit fast for an easy day but since I'm running little-nothing over the next 2 days, it's okay.
Grade:B/1 credit/distance=7.0
8/19- Body demanded a rest day and I dared not disobey. Extreme soreness in my calves in the morning but it got better after I took some Lithium. I REALLY don't want to become sensitive to that stuff now. Got some new long training shoes (Nike Lunar Elite) from the Trak Shak. Should be somewhat fresh by tomorrow.
8/20- 2 miles on the 'mill and did not feel well at all. Too much Lithium. PLEASE PLEASE NO EXTREME SENSITIVITY TO THAT! (unless of course I can wean off). I was fine in the afternoon but in the evening, an 8:00 pace actually required effort and I've got a race to run and a PR attempt in 12 short hours! If I don't feel well when I wake up, the race is off and it will be the 4th DNS of the year. I was so excited earlier this week too. Disgusting!
Grade:D+/1 credit/distance=2.0
8/21- Are UABle 5K in 19:38-19:40 (best time of the year), 1 Mile warm and cool.
Grade:B+/4 credits/distance=5.0
8/22- Easy 7 indoors @ 7:51 pace. Pace was well within the prescribed range but muscles were abnormally stiff and sore and it was not because of yesterday's race. I cut the Lithium dosage and it was still too much. I may try to quit again next week.
Grade:C+/1 credit/distance=7.0
Weekly summary:
Pretty solid week overall and that distance is acceptable for a race week but when training for longer distances, it just won't do. I've beaten last year's time in 3 out of the 6 distances with near misses at 400 and 5K. Let's go get 'em this fall. I could be free from the Lithium by my 30th birthday and that would be all that I want.
Distance=35.0/ GPA= 35.8/11= 3.25
Grade:A/1 credit/distance=7.5
8/17- Interesting day. Again, I took nothing last night and nothing all day. I felt great in the morning but around lunch time, the energy was beginning to fade. By the end of the work day, I was in "C" shape at best. I went straight home and popped 2 Lithium pills then headed to the gym for a tempo or 10K time trial depending on how I felt. I still don't think I was at my absolute best but still nailed my 3rd PR in as many weeks. 10K in 41:14 (unofficial PR by :14). How about these splits? 6:36-6:40-6:37-6:40-6:40-6:31-90. 1st half: 20:42, 2nd half: 20:32.
Grade:A/3 credit/distance=6.5
8/18- Trak Shak 6.5 @ 7:35 pace. Faded a bit in the last mile but still pretty solid. A bit fast for an easy day but since I'm running little-nothing over the next 2 days, it's okay.
Grade:B/1 credit/distance=7.0
8/19- Body demanded a rest day and I dared not disobey. Extreme soreness in my calves in the morning but it got better after I took some Lithium. I REALLY don't want to become sensitive to that stuff now. Got some new long training shoes (Nike Lunar Elite) from the Trak Shak. Should be somewhat fresh by tomorrow.
8/20- 2 miles on the 'mill and did not feel well at all. Too much Lithium. PLEASE PLEASE NO EXTREME SENSITIVITY TO THAT! (unless of course I can wean off). I was fine in the afternoon but in the evening, an 8:00 pace actually required effort and I've got a race to run and a PR attempt in 12 short hours! If I don't feel well when I wake up, the race is off and it will be the 4th DNS of the year. I was so excited earlier this week too. Disgusting!
Grade:D+/1 credit/distance=2.0
8/21- Are UABle 5K in 19:38-19:40 (best time of the year), 1 Mile warm and cool.
Grade:B+/4 credits/distance=5.0
8/22- Easy 7 indoors @ 7:51 pace. Pace was well within the prescribed range but muscles were abnormally stiff and sore and it was not because of yesterday's race. I cut the Lithium dosage and it was still too much. I may try to quit again next week.
Grade:C+/1 credit/distance=7.0
Weekly summary:
Pretty solid week overall and that distance is acceptable for a race week but when training for longer distances, it just won't do. I've beaten last year's time in 3 out of the 6 distances with near misses at 400 and 5K. Let's go get 'em this fall. I could be free from the Lithium by my 30th birthday and that would be all that I want.
Distance=35.0/ GPA= 35.8/11= 3.25
Saturday, August 14, 2010
My best distance
According to most race calculators such as McMillan, Daniels, etc., my best distance is the 400 m and there is a sharp drop off as the distances increase especially from the 400-Mile and Mile-5K. According to that, I should be able to run a Mile in 4:57, a 5K in 17:09, 10K in 35:38, HM in 1:19 and a full in 2:47 based on a 61 second 400. I don't think so. Even based on my Mile, I should be about 18:30 for 5K, and under 39 for 10K. There's not too much of a drop off between my 10K and HM however but my full PR is still quite soft. These calculators are geared toward runners who train at 70-80 MPW, which represent a very small percentage race starters. If I trained at 80 MPW, could I run a sub-2:50 marathon? I highly doubt it.
I recently found another table from a book called "Self Coached Runner" with equivalent tables for everything between 100 m and 20K that seem much more reasonable. I have converted the 20K to the half marathon based on McMillan (HM is only 0.7 longer). Times are listed as follows with the following order: 400/Mile/5K/10K/HM. I'll leave out the full for now.
Level 1: 64.8/5:52/20:43/43:44/1:37:21
Level 2: 63.6/5:45/20:17/42:46/1:35:11
Level 3: 62.5/5:38/19:50/41:48/1:33:02
Level 4: 61.4/5:31/19:23/40:51/1:30:51/ FWIW, my 400= 26.7 at 200, I'm not that fast.
Level 5: 60.3/5:24/18:59/39:58/1:28:51
Level 6: 59.2/5:17/18:32/39:01/1:26:43
Level 7: 58.1/5:10/18:07/38:06/1:24:39
Based on this, the Mile is clearly my best distance. I suppose that makes sense. In high school, I was best at the 800 and I expect that in my late 30s-40s, I'll be best at the 5K-10K. It is interesting that in '09, my 10K and HM times were both just a tad better than Level 3. That said, I've since beaten that 10K time. Also, in my Baton Rouge half, I was in better condition and raced a course that was a bit easier than the Vulcan 10K.
Here's where they rank as of now:
Mile: 5:20= Level 5.43
400: 61.2= Level 4.22
5K: 19:27= Level 3.85
10K:41:28=Level 3.32
Half:1:32:57=Level 3.04
Of course, one race can change all of this. I'll be looking to improve my 5K next Saturday. I'm conceding nothing for my Fall racing season especially with the recent medical breakthrough but I will say that my odds of a BQ in Huntsville are long. That said, I fully expect to beat my current PR of 3:35. I will indeed shift to marathon mode when the weather cools but after this year, I have some choices to make as far as my training. I am just 5 seconds away from my goal in the Mile and 1.23 away in the 400. I figure that if I can break 60 in the 400, I can run a sub-5:15 Mile and vice versa. I AM SO CLOSE and the window of opportunity is closing. I'm probably at my peak in terms of 400-Mile ability if not slightly past it. If I can't run a 59.9 within the next 2 years, I don't see myself doing it after age 32. Marathoners often do not peak until age 35, at which time, I get an extra 5 minutes to BQ (assuming that the BAA does not adjust the standards). A 7:28 pace seems a bit more manageable than 7:17 for 26.2.
In 2011, I'm hitting the speed work hard and I won't quit on it until I run 59.9/5:14.9. If I can't do it by the end of 2012, it's not to be and I'll refocus on the BQ. The 5 extra minutes will kick in for the Fall 2014 racing season.
I recently found another table from a book called "Self Coached Runner" with equivalent tables for everything between 100 m and 20K that seem much more reasonable. I have converted the 20K to the half marathon based on McMillan (HM is only 0.7 longer). Times are listed as follows with the following order: 400/Mile/5K/10K/HM. I'll leave out the full for now.
Level 1: 64.8/5:52/20:43/43:44/1:37:21
Level 2: 63.6/5:45/20:17/42:46/1:35:11
Level 3: 62.5/5:38/19:50/41:48/1:33:02
Level 4: 61.4/5:31/19:23/40:51/1:30:51/ FWIW, my 400= 26.7 at 200, I'm not that fast.
Level 5: 60.3/5:24/18:59/39:58/1:28:51
Level 6: 59.2/5:17/18:32/39:01/1:26:43
Level 7: 58.1/5:10/18:07/38:06/1:24:39
Based on this, the Mile is clearly my best distance. I suppose that makes sense. In high school, I was best at the 800 and I expect that in my late 30s-40s, I'll be best at the 5K-10K. It is interesting that in '09, my 10K and HM times were both just a tad better than Level 3. That said, I've since beaten that 10K time. Also, in my Baton Rouge half, I was in better condition and raced a course that was a bit easier than the Vulcan 10K.
Here's where they rank as of now:
Mile: 5:20= Level 5.43
400: 61.2= Level 4.22
5K: 19:27= Level 3.85
10K:41:28=Level 3.32
Half:1:32:57=Level 3.04
Of course, one race can change all of this. I'll be looking to improve my 5K next Saturday. I'm conceding nothing for my Fall racing season especially with the recent medical breakthrough but I will say that my odds of a BQ in Huntsville are long. That said, I fully expect to beat my current PR of 3:35. I will indeed shift to marathon mode when the weather cools but after this year, I have some choices to make as far as my training. I am just 5 seconds away from my goal in the Mile and 1.23 away in the 400. I figure that if I can break 60 in the 400, I can run a sub-5:15 Mile and vice versa. I AM SO CLOSE and the window of opportunity is closing. I'm probably at my peak in terms of 400-Mile ability if not slightly past it. If I can't run a 59.9 within the next 2 years, I don't see myself doing it after age 32. Marathoners often do not peak until age 35, at which time, I get an extra 5 minutes to BQ (assuming that the BAA does not adjust the standards). A 7:28 pace seems a bit more manageable than 7:17 for 26.2.
In 2011, I'm hitting the speed work hard and I won't quit on it until I run 59.9/5:14.9. If I can't do it by the end of 2012, it's not to be and I'll refocus on the BQ. The 5 extra minutes will kick in for the Fall 2014 racing season.
Monday, August 9, 2010
training 8/9-8/15
8/9- Took a small amount of glutamine yesterday afternoon just to see what would happen and I got an immediate negative reaction. Yes! Now I know without a doubt that I am free from my dependence on that stuff. Took nothing last night then took my normal amount of thyroid and blood sugar supplements. As expected, the glutamine cleared by afternoon and I was ready to run. I breezed through 7 miles in 53:24 (7:38 pace, a 3:20 marathon). Good run. On Wednesday, I will try some glycine and hope for another negative reaction. If that happens, all my neurotransmitters are balanced, which would be a MAJOR MAJOR victory!
Grade:A-/1 credit/distance=7.5
8/10- Johnny's speed workout was tough for me. 4x200 in 34, 4x400 in 73-70-72-70 (4:45).
An 800 for dessert, which I struggled to a 2:40. Overall pace was 4:51. Just a tad slower than last time. Then, Johnny made me run another 400 only 15 seconds after the all out 800. I managed only an 86. This is not the first time, he's pulled this on me. A bit of a let down but still not too bad overall. His quote was "Hate me Tuesday, love me next Saturday."
Grade:B/2 credits/distance=4.5
8/11- Trak Shak 5 @ 7:41. Temp was close to 95 but it wasn't too humid so it didn't feel too bad to me. That's a tad fast for an easy day but it was only 5 miles. An 8 miler would have been slower. Again, I took nothing at night and my normal thyroid supplements during the day. I was pleased with how I felt especially considering that I was exhausted last night. Mile cool down.
Grade:B+/1 credit/distance=6.0
8/12- Took glycine last night and began feeling some abnormal stiffness in my legs shortly thereafter. Indeed, I AM FREE!! Praise the Lord. Planned rest day and it would not have gone well if I had run but it should clear well before tomorrow's possible time trial.
8/13- High temp of 100 but it had cooled to the low 90s by 5PM so the time trial was on.
1 Mile in 5:20.2 (fastest time since '99) 77-83-82-78. Just 5 seconds shy of my lifetime goal on a solo run and if it had been 20 degrees cooler, I think I could have done it. Social run at 7 with Ryan and Chilton and had to cut it short because of threatening skies.
Grade:A/3 credits/distance=4.5
8/14- Had to cut LR short again this time due to bad weather approaching. That's okay. I didn't have much in the tank anyway. 7.5 miles with a moving pace @ an even 8:00 and needed a last mile in 7:12 to do it. I don't think it's anymore more serious than natural fatigue. I got home about 15 minutes before a nasty storm hit.
Grade:C/1 credit/distance=7.5
Oppressive humidity came soon after the rain stopped so I hit the 'mill for an easy 5 also at 8:00 pace. Mildly better than this morning but still only about average.
Grade:B-/1 credit/distance5.0
8/15- BAFA day run (15th anniversary of my first XC practice). Easy 7 in 55:08 (7:53 pace). A bit of a struggle but did run a fairly even pace. I was tired but not exhausted. I hope that I'll be somewhat fresh by tomorrow.
Grade:B-/1 credit/distance=7.0
Weekly summary:
Pretty solid week overall. I do feel a bit run down but that's due to high intensity and not enough rest. Next week will be lower mileage because of a 5K race and my first full week of freedom from the taurine and related supplements. We'll see how it goes.
Distance=42.0/ GPA= 32.4/10=3.24
Grade:A-/1 credit/distance=7.5
8/10- Johnny's speed workout was tough for me. 4x200 in 34, 4x400 in 73-70-72-70 (4:45).
An 800 for dessert, which I struggled to a 2:40. Overall pace was 4:51. Just a tad slower than last time. Then, Johnny made me run another 400 only 15 seconds after the all out 800. I managed only an 86. This is not the first time, he's pulled this on me. A bit of a let down but still not too bad overall. His quote was "Hate me Tuesday, love me next Saturday."
Grade:B/2 credits/distance=4.5
8/11- Trak Shak 5 @ 7:41. Temp was close to 95 but it wasn't too humid so it didn't feel too bad to me. That's a tad fast for an easy day but it was only 5 miles. An 8 miler would have been slower. Again, I took nothing at night and my normal thyroid supplements during the day. I was pleased with how I felt especially considering that I was exhausted last night. Mile cool down.
Grade:B+/1 credit/distance=6.0
8/12- Took glycine last night and began feeling some abnormal stiffness in my legs shortly thereafter. Indeed, I AM FREE!! Praise the Lord. Planned rest day and it would not have gone well if I had run but it should clear well before tomorrow's possible time trial.
8/13- High temp of 100 but it had cooled to the low 90s by 5PM so the time trial was on.
1 Mile in 5:20.2 (fastest time since '99) 77-83-82-78. Just 5 seconds shy of my lifetime goal on a solo run and if it had been 20 degrees cooler, I think I could have done it. Social run at 7 with Ryan and Chilton and had to cut it short because of threatening skies.
Grade:A/3 credits/distance=4.5
8/14- Had to cut LR short again this time due to bad weather approaching. That's okay. I didn't have much in the tank anyway. 7.5 miles with a moving pace @ an even 8:00 and needed a last mile in 7:12 to do it. I don't think it's anymore more serious than natural fatigue. I got home about 15 minutes before a nasty storm hit.
Grade:C/1 credit/distance=7.5
Oppressive humidity came soon after the rain stopped so I hit the 'mill for an easy 5 also at 8:00 pace. Mildly better than this morning but still only about average.
Grade:B-/1 credit/distance5.0
8/15- BAFA day run (15th anniversary of my first XC practice). Easy 7 in 55:08 (7:53 pace). A bit of a struggle but did run a fairly even pace. I was tired but not exhausted. I hope that I'll be somewhat fresh by tomorrow.
Grade:B-/1 credit/distance=7.0
Weekly summary:
Pretty solid week overall. I do feel a bit run down but that's due to high intensity and not enough rest. Next week will be lower mileage because of a 5K race and my first full week of freedom from the taurine and related supplements. We'll see how it goes.
Distance=42.0/ GPA= 32.4/10=3.24
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Road trips Part 4- West
Washington- spent a night in Vancouver, just across the river from Portland and stopped at a Taco Bell. Pretty awesome views of the Cascades. Returned in 2011 to Spokane and ran on the Centennial Trail. Returned in 2016 for an overnight layover in Seattle on my way back from Alaska. No time to tour but did get to have breakfast with a college friend.
Idaho- Coeur D'Alene half marathon in 2011, solid performance there. Panhandle was very scenic with mountain and lake views.
Montana-2011, Detour from CDA. Stopped in Missoula for dinner and a drive around town. Snow capped mountains in the distance.
Wyoming- Cheyenne detour on my Colorado trip in 2010. Decent downtown but it was jammed because of a parade and I didn't stay long.
Colorado- Vacationed here when I was 15. I remember canoeing, hiking and saw Pike’s Peak, where my mother got sick from the altitude. Returned in 2010 and revisited Pike’s Peak and Garden of the Gods as well as Rocky Mountain National Park, all of which were awesome. Also visited Denver for the first time and was impressed overall. Lots of parks and good running/bike trails. Ran the RNR Denver half in 2012.
Oregon- Debut marathon at Eugene in 2008. Flew into Portland then headed up Mt. Hood. Also walked on the beach for a few minutes and saw Prefontaine’s home town of Coos Bay. I saw some very nice scenery.
Nevada- I’ve only been to Las Vegas when I was 14 so there wasn’t much that I could do there. I did see some nice shows and that’s about it. Came back to Reno and Lake Tahoe in 2016 and ran the half marathon. Also saw Carson City and Virginia City.
Utah- stayed in St. George, site of the marathon with the most net downhill in the country. I may return to race it in the future. Hiked in Bryce Canyon and Zion National Park and even did a workout at over 8,000 ft. altitude. I lasted about 25 minutes. The scenery was awesome.
California- vacation here when I was 14. We saw Universal Studios in LA and took the coastal highway through Big Sur all the way up to San Francisco before heading to Vegas. I would like to return to see San Diego and maybe run CIM in Sacramento. Ran the 13.1 Los Angeles race and performed well despite stomach cramps. Saw Santa Monica and Sunset Blvd as well as the Reagan library. Returned here in 2016 and saw the Sierra Nevada Mountains, Lake Tahoe and Sacramento.
Arizona- I first arrived here in 2008 for a 15 minute ride on the interstate. It was still memorable though. The scenery was spectacular and exotic. The Phoenix half marathon was completed in 2015 and the trip included a visit to Sedona and the Grand Canyon.
New Mexico- flew into Albuquerque and stopped in Santa Fe. Also took in some scenic routes on my way to Colorado. Southern part has a lot of red rock scenery while the northern section is greener and looks more like Colorado. Strong Spanish and Native American flavor.
Alaska- Anchorage Mayor's half marathon in 2016. Experienced the midnight sun and saw views of the highest peak in North America at Denali National Park.
Monday, August 2, 2010
training 8/2-8/8
8/2- Chose an indoor run over stifling humidity. Easy 6 in 46:20. 1st half 23:10, 2nd half 23:10 but needed a fast finish to do it. Took taurine last night and it made me feel very sluggish. Once again, one pill took me from one extreme to the other. Some of it had cleared by the afternoon but I could not have run much faster even if I wanted to. Pace was 7:44 and still quite sore.
Grade:C+/1 credit/distance=6.0
8/3-Indoor 10K time trial. Took about 350 mg of taurine and still woke up feeling a bit sluggish. By the afternoon however, I was ready to go. Time of 41:28. Unofficial PR! 1st half: 20:50, 2nd half: 20:38. Outstanding! Believe it or not, I still don't think I had my absolute best stuff either.
Grade:A/3 credits/distance=6.5
8/4- Took 500 mg taurine and it left me feeling extremely sore esp. in the hip/groin area. Is it the taurine or the indoor running or both? I like the cool conditions and don't mind the laps but I really don't want to end up back in prolotherapy. Felt a bit better as the day progressed. Trak Shak 5 @ 7:50 pace plus a 1 Mile warm up. Weather: 92 and humid. I will try again to stop the taurine but may still have to wean.
Grade:C+/1 credit/distance=6.0
8/5- Indoor 8 in 61:10. 7:39 pace. I got another lecture from RWOL to slow down and yes I will when my mileage comes up. I did want a bit of a test today since I made it through the day without taurine and I was pleased with the result. Last quarter mile in a comfortable 90 seconds. First half: 30:43, 2nd half 30:27
Grade:A-/1 credit/distance=8.5
8/6- Recovery double. 3 on the 'mill at 8:10 pace. Felt good
Easy 3 with Ryan at an even slower pace. Felt average. Very humid.
I can't use the indoor track more than 1-2 times per week or I could very well end up back in prolotherapy for hip pain. That, I do not want.
Grade:B/1 credit/distance=6.0
8/7-Long with Scott. Decent start then hit the wall after Mile 6 and walk-jogged to the end. The last 3 miles were around 10 minute pace. Even on a warm and humid day, I should not have been THIS BAD! Something is clearly off. I'm hoping that it's the glycine. I don't think it's the taurine or I'd feel wired/tired.
Grade:D/2 credits/distance=9.5
PM- 3.5 on the 'mill. Man, that's about all I can stand to do on that thing. Felt much better. Set it to 8:00 pace until the final .50, which I ran at 6:40 (10K pace). I think that it is indeed the glycine so that would mean another pill that I no longer need but may have to wean.
Grade:B+/1 credit/distance=3.5
8/8- Tempo. 5 miles in 34:51 with a fast finish. Good comeback from yesterday. No glycine last night. Do I quit that stuff altogether now or wean down to 1 per day? Started in the 6:50s then gradually slowed while keeping the effort even. Final 1/4 mile was a fast but controlled 90 seconds so I'm sure that I could have done better.
Grade:B/2 credits/distance=5.0
Weekly summary:
Very pleased with the mileage this week. I had not topped 50 since January. Ran all 7 days. No intervals but a time trial (PR) and a tempo. If not for Saturday morning's debacle, I would have had a nice GPA as well.
Distance= 51.0/ GPA= 34.6/12= 2.88
Grade:C+/1 credit/distance=6.0
8/3-Indoor 10K time trial. Took about 350 mg of taurine and still woke up feeling a bit sluggish. By the afternoon however, I was ready to go. Time of 41:28. Unofficial PR! 1st half: 20:50, 2nd half: 20:38. Outstanding! Believe it or not, I still don't think I had my absolute best stuff either.
Grade:A/3 credits/distance=6.5
8/4- Took 500 mg taurine and it left me feeling extremely sore esp. in the hip/groin area. Is it the taurine or the indoor running or both? I like the cool conditions and don't mind the laps but I really don't want to end up back in prolotherapy. Felt a bit better as the day progressed. Trak Shak 5 @ 7:50 pace plus a 1 Mile warm up. Weather: 92 and humid. I will try again to stop the taurine but may still have to wean.
Grade:C+/1 credit/distance=6.0
8/5- Indoor 8 in 61:10. 7:39 pace. I got another lecture from RWOL to slow down and yes I will when my mileage comes up. I did want a bit of a test today since I made it through the day without taurine and I was pleased with the result. Last quarter mile in a comfortable 90 seconds. First half: 30:43, 2nd half 30:27
Grade:A-/1 credit/distance=8.5
8/6- Recovery double. 3 on the 'mill at 8:10 pace. Felt good
Easy 3 with Ryan at an even slower pace. Felt average. Very humid.
I can't use the indoor track more than 1-2 times per week or I could very well end up back in prolotherapy for hip pain. That, I do not want.
Grade:B/1 credit/distance=6.0
8/7-Long with Scott. Decent start then hit the wall after Mile 6 and walk-jogged to the end. The last 3 miles were around 10 minute pace. Even on a warm and humid day, I should not have been THIS BAD! Something is clearly off. I'm hoping that it's the glycine. I don't think it's the taurine or I'd feel wired/tired.
Grade:D/2 credits/distance=9.5
PM- 3.5 on the 'mill. Man, that's about all I can stand to do on that thing. Felt much better. Set it to 8:00 pace until the final .50, which I ran at 6:40 (10K pace). I think that it is indeed the glycine so that would mean another pill that I no longer need but may have to wean.
Grade:B+/1 credit/distance=3.5
8/8- Tempo. 5 miles in 34:51 with a fast finish. Good comeback from yesterday. No glycine last night. Do I quit that stuff altogether now or wean down to 1 per day? Started in the 6:50s then gradually slowed while keeping the effort even. Final 1/4 mile was a fast but controlled 90 seconds so I'm sure that I could have done better.
Grade:B/2 credits/distance=5.0
Weekly summary:
Very pleased with the mileage this week. I had not topped 50 since January. Ran all 7 days. No intervals but a time trial (PR) and a tempo. If not for Saturday morning's debacle, I would have had a nice GPA as well.
Distance= 51.0/ GPA= 34.6/12= 2.88
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Colorado road trip report
My regular readers are aware of my goal to visit all 50 states and I am now only 4 away (missing Idaho, Montana, Alaska and Hawaii). I did take a few pics but none of them turned out very well so I may or may not post them here.
7/27- woke up around 5:30 and hit the door by 6:00 for an 8 AM flight out of Birmingham. I'm really doing it and am excited. We landed in Denver around 10:00 Mountain time and I picked up some Pizza Hut to eat then went on a long walk to my gate for my connection to Albuquerque, New Mexico (state #44). I picked up my rental car and hit I-25 north and did not stop until I reached the capital city of Santa Fe. I spent a fair amount of time driving through the city. It's got a strong Spanish and Native American flavor with interesting red rock scenery but a bit too barren for my taste. From there, I took the scenic route through some mountainous terrain before getting back on the interstate just before the Colorado border. Northern NM is a bit greener and looks more like Colorado. I was only a little more than an hour from the Texas border and although I had been to east TX before, I would have liked to have gotten a small taste of west TX but I just didn't have enough time. It was almost twilight by the time I hit the Colorado border (revisited state) and drove for another hour and spent the night in a small town just south of Pueblo.
7/28-I was tired last night and there would be no rest for the weary today. I was up by 7 AM and hit the road for an hour to Colorado Springs. My first stop was the Garden of the Gods where I was blown away by the mountain views and red rock scenery. I took advantage of a bike trail in the park for a training run. How does it feel to run at over 6,000 feet elevation? Yes, it will leave you short of breath but if you keep the early pace easy enough, you can manage. Of course it did slow me down but in each workout, I maintained a decent pace and had something left at the end. This one was also an extremely hilly route so I felt good about an average pace below 8:00 for 5 miles. Next was Pike's Peak, where I drove all the way to the summit, about a 2 hour round trip up to 14,115 ft. elevation. I ran a half mile loop around the parking lot because I could. I ate my lunch at the visitor's center where I was joined by an older couple from Houston and it was good to hear a southern accent. I got a little bit of a headache but nothing too severe in terms of altitude sickness. It was now back to the interstate heading north for about an hour toward Denver. I made it to Golden by late afternoon and met my old buddy Tony, my Bible study leader at Clemson, whom I had not seen in 5 years. We went out for dinner at Woody's pizza and then he took me up to Lookout Mountain, about 7,500 ft elevation overlooking Golden with a view of downtown Denver in the distance.
7/29- I had planned to tour Coors brewing facility in the morning but it was not open. Too bad. Instead, I spent more time driving through the Rockies. I didn't turn around on I-70 until I got to Vail then stopped in Silverthorne for lunch (about 8,500 ft) then finally picked up US-40 toward Rocky Mountain National Park and Trail Ridge Road. I don't think words can say just how stunning it was. The road took me up over 12,000 ft. I could see clouds floating just below with mountain peaks all around and views of lakes further down. Someone once said that I should bring an atheist here and it will convince then that there is a Creator. Back down and back to the interstate near Ft. Collins. I saw corn fields to the east and mountains to the west. From here, it was only about 50 miles to the Wyoming border with the capital city of Cheyenne just a few miles further. I stayed there for the night (state #45) and would check it out in the morning.
7/30- Unfortunately, there was some type of festival in Cheyenne called Frontier Days so downtown was jammed and there wasn't much I could do. That's okay, I don't think I missed a whole lot anyway. I hit the road again, this time east on I-80 to Nebraska (state #46). I exited in the town of Kimball and stopped at a grocery store where I found the people to be quite friendly. Of course the scenery was not very exciting but a few gentle rolling hills broke things up for a bit. I headed south on US-71 and picked up I-76 west to Denver. From here, my plans were flexible until I was to leave the next evening. Denver is at 5,280 ft. elevation and just outside the Rocky Mountains but the city itself is surprisingly flat. If I could find some good running trails, this could be fun. I found the city to be very well laid out with a road called Colfax Avenue running due east-west right through the heart of town. I decided to go back to Golden and found that this time, the Coors brewery tour was open. I waited in line for the bus where I laughed to myself at northern tourists complaining about the heat (85 w/ no humidity). I learned everything I would want to know about beer and yes, I had a free sample after the tour was over. I then headed back east on Colfax where I found a nice city park called Escalande near the edge of town with views of the Rockies, where I did a 5 mile tempo run at Mile high elevation and performed surprisingly well. After a bit more driving through town, I called it a day and spent the night in Aurora, just east of town.
7/31- I woke up at 8 AM and went back downtown, where I ran 8 miles on the Cherry Creek bike trail with views of the skyline. After I recovered, I parked in a garage and did a walking tour of the shops on 16th St. Mall. That was pretty cool too. Overall, this was a great trip but I was ready to go back home. I took an evening flight and did not land until after 11 PM and arrived safely at home just before midnight. Fortunately, I would have a "slack day" on Sunday to decompress and feel rested before the work week.
Next year, I will run the Couer de Alene half marathon in Idaho and cross the border into Montana. My backup plan is the Missoula race in Montana, where I can cross into Idaho. Either way, that will take care of the entire lower 48.
Monday, July 26, 2010
training 7/26-8/1
7/26- Indoor 10K time trial. Time was 42:18 (#2 all time, :35 off). I should be pleased with this one but the PR drought continues. In fairness, I wasn't completely fresh and probably still had a little excess glutamine in my system. I'll try to quit that stuff again soon. I'm sick of excuses and explanations. I want a PR now. 1st half: 20:47, 2nd half: 21:31. Miles 4 and 5 were both near 7 but a hard fought last mile allowed me to beat my Peachtree time by 9 ticks.
Grade:B+/3 credits/distance=6.5
7/27- flew to Albuquerque, stopped in Santa Fe and ended up just south of Pueblo, CO. No running.
7/28- Garden of the Gods 5 mile run in 39:15 at 6500 ft. elevation. Difficult to assess my performance. Not only was I more than a mile high, it was also an extremely hilly route. I went out conservative but turned in a strong 6:40 5th mile mostly downhill. Incredible scenery. The altitude was not the only thing that took my breath away. .5 cool down.
Pikes Peak summit loop at 14,115 ft. Covered a half mile in 3:55 with a decent pick up at the very end.
Grade:B+/2 credit/distance=6.0
7/29-Treadmill broken at hotel so I had to resort to laps around the parking lot. Ended up covering 2 miles in 13:15 at nearly 5,000 ft. elevation. Decent performance. I am free from the glutamine but still need taurine.
Grade:B-/1 credit/distance=2.0
7/30- Escalande Park hard tempo run. Battled mile high elevation and a strong wind and turned in a strong time of 34:40. Flat route, mountain views. Awesome all the way around. 1st half: 17:16, 2nd half: 17:24. Overall pace of 6:56
Grade:A-/2 credits/distance=5.0
7/31-Cherry Creek bike trail run with views of the downtown skyline. 8 miles in 61:40 (7:43 pace). Not as strong as previous day but still a solid performance. 1st half: 30:55, 2nd half: 30:45. Needed more water than expected probably due to altitude. Groin area was a bit sore possibly due to excess taurine. If I can get off that stuff too, it would really be awesome.
Grade:B/1 credit/distance=8.5
8/1- Jet lag in the morning forced me to postpone my run until mid afternoon, which meant it had to be indoors. It would be so awesome to be free of the taurine but that's not happening now. I crashed out just after noon and woke up feeling awful so I took 500 mg. of taurine and it helped but wasn't enough. Hoped to run 7 miles to bring my weekly total up to 35 but hit the wall after 3 miles in 23:47 with a rapidly slowing pace near the end. This was my worst day in more than a month.
Grade:F/1 credit/distance=3.0
Weekly summary:
Not too bad in terms of distance for a vacation week but I have to train harder than this or the PR drought will continue. My fitness is no worse than it was a week ago but how I wish I could be free from this taurine. I was in a foul mood much of the day on Sunday.
Distance=31.0/ GPA= 29.6/10= 2.96
Grade:B+/3 credits/distance=6.5
7/27- flew to Albuquerque, stopped in Santa Fe and ended up just south of Pueblo, CO. No running.
7/28- Garden of the Gods 5 mile run in 39:15 at 6500 ft. elevation. Difficult to assess my performance. Not only was I more than a mile high, it was also an extremely hilly route. I went out conservative but turned in a strong 6:40 5th mile mostly downhill. Incredible scenery. The altitude was not the only thing that took my breath away. .5 cool down.
Pikes Peak summit loop at 14,115 ft. Covered a half mile in 3:55 with a decent pick up at the very end.
Grade:B+/2 credit/distance=6.0
7/29-Treadmill broken at hotel so I had to resort to laps around the parking lot. Ended up covering 2 miles in 13:15 at nearly 5,000 ft. elevation. Decent performance. I am free from the glutamine but still need taurine.
Grade:B-/1 credit/distance=2.0
7/30- Escalande Park hard tempo run. Battled mile high elevation and a strong wind and turned in a strong time of 34:40. Flat route, mountain views. Awesome all the way around. 1st half: 17:16, 2nd half: 17:24. Overall pace of 6:56
Grade:A-/2 credits/distance=5.0
7/31-Cherry Creek bike trail run with views of the downtown skyline. 8 miles in 61:40 (7:43 pace). Not as strong as previous day but still a solid performance. 1st half: 30:55, 2nd half: 30:45. Needed more water than expected probably due to altitude. Groin area was a bit sore possibly due to excess taurine. If I can get off that stuff too, it would really be awesome.
Grade:B/1 credit/distance=8.5
8/1- Jet lag in the morning forced me to postpone my run until mid afternoon, which meant it had to be indoors. It would be so awesome to be free of the taurine but that's not happening now. I crashed out just after noon and woke up feeling awful so I took 500 mg. of taurine and it helped but wasn't enough. Hoped to run 7 miles to bring my weekly total up to 35 but hit the wall after 3 miles in 23:47 with a rapidly slowing pace near the end. This was my worst day in more than a month.
Grade:F/1 credit/distance=3.0
Weekly summary:
Not too bad in terms of distance for a vacation week but I have to train harder than this or the PR drought will continue. My fitness is no worse than it was a week ago but how I wish I could be free from this taurine. I was in a foul mood much of the day on Sunday.
Distance=31.0/ GPA= 29.6/10= 2.96
Saturday, July 24, 2010
2010 Twilight Retro 5K RR
Training:
fairly smooth cycle overall. Not many great workouts but very few bad ones. Because of the intense heat, my mileage has been down around 35-40. The best news is that I am much less dependent on the taurine and glutamine. I actually tried to quit that stuff altogether but that ended up in disappointment on Friday.
Race day:
It was a game time decision based solely on the weather. The forecast called for a high of 98 with only a 20% chance of rain. Based on that, I expected to bail in favor of an indoor 10K time trial. I would not make the decision until 5 PM, one hour before race time. After going out to lunch at a Golden Corral, the skies looked somewhat threatening and I heard a couple of rumbles of thunder. Wait a minute, this could work out well. We'll get a cooling rain and hopefully it will remain overcast at race time. It turned out to be a pretty decent thunderstorm that lasted from about an hour. By the time the rain stopped, it was 5 PM and a comfortable 75 degrees. The race was a "go" and I felt good.
Race time:
As luck would have it, the sun came out shortly before the start. The temp was only in the low 80s but I'd estimate the humidity to be about 90%. Not the best conditions for a PR but I resolved to give it my best shot. I got in a quick warm up and felt good but my hair was already soaked with sweat.
Course:
I've run this one 3 times before so I knew what I was getting in to. It's a nice downhill start and relatively flat for the first 2.4 miles. Then, we make up the lost elevation over the next .6 miles with a gentle but relentless uphill grade before going back down to the finish. I wanted to get out around 6 flat, which would be fairly comfortable then really push the 2nd mile, hopefully reaching the next marker in 12:05 or so then hope to hang on for a 6:30 then kick it in.
Race:
We took off down the hill and a quick look at my Garmin showed that I was doing about 5:15 pace. I find that in a 5K, it is especially difficult to rein in your energy and avoid starting too fast. The first quarter mile passed by in about 1:20. That's about 5 seconds too fast and it would come back to hurt me later. Johnny was out cheering me on and warned me to take it easy. Still, I saw 2 slower running buddies ahead of me so I decided not to worry about it and settled into the planned effort. 2:50 at .5 and looking good. Just maintain this pace. Late in the first mile, we hit a slight uphill, which would slow the pace and I hit the mile marker just under 6:00 as planned. From here, I made an effort to pick up the pace but sadly, there just wasn't much there. I saw a 6:05 pace early in the 2nd mile but it had soon slowed to the 6:20 range. I was still around 9:30 at the halfway point. No PR today but a sub-20 looks like it's in the bag but I am struggling. My legs never felt too bad but my wind was awful. Could that possibly be from sucking air nearly saturated with moisture? Finally, I reached the 2 mile mark just under 12:20 and I hit 2.1 right around 13 flat. That last mile would be tough but it would take a ghastly fade for me to finish over 20. Just under 3/4 of a mile to go and it's time to make the U-turn to face the uphill. Again, the grade was gentle but it's length and location on the course was what made it so tough. There was only one small break in the next .6. Last year, I saw runners who were ahead of me that could not take the hill and actually walked for a few seconds. It happened again this year. I managed to pass 2 fading runners but my pace had slowed to the upper 6s and hit Mile 3 in 19:03. My Garmin measured the course at 3.16 so the finish line was further away than I expected. At least, I was through the hills and I had to hustle to the line but just like Peachtree, I wanted it just enough in the end. No official results yet but I estimate my time to be either 19:57 or 19:58. It was good enough for 19th overall and 2nd place in my age group and I chose a new Asics tech running shirt as my award.
Final thought:
When it comes to 5Ks, if I break 20:00, I'm happy with my performance. If I don't, I'm not. It's as simple as that. This is the 4th time in my last 6 5Ks that I have broken that barrier. Still, on one level, I am a bit frustrated as a result of my current PR drought. My last one was an unofficial time trial on New Year's day. Today, perhaps it was unrealistic to expect to finish close to 19. It was so humid that the windows on most buildings were still foggy an hour after the finish. I did enjoy myself tonight and saw a lot of my buddies.
Grade: solid B
fairly smooth cycle overall. Not many great workouts but very few bad ones. Because of the intense heat, my mileage has been down around 35-40. The best news is that I am much less dependent on the taurine and glutamine. I actually tried to quit that stuff altogether but that ended up in disappointment on Friday.
Race day:
It was a game time decision based solely on the weather. The forecast called for a high of 98 with only a 20% chance of rain. Based on that, I expected to bail in favor of an indoor 10K time trial. I would not make the decision until 5 PM, one hour before race time. After going out to lunch at a Golden Corral, the skies looked somewhat threatening and I heard a couple of rumbles of thunder. Wait a minute, this could work out well. We'll get a cooling rain and hopefully it will remain overcast at race time. It turned out to be a pretty decent thunderstorm that lasted from about an hour. By the time the rain stopped, it was 5 PM and a comfortable 75 degrees. The race was a "go" and I felt good.
Race time:
As luck would have it, the sun came out shortly before the start. The temp was only in the low 80s but I'd estimate the humidity to be about 90%. Not the best conditions for a PR but I resolved to give it my best shot. I got in a quick warm up and felt good but my hair was already soaked with sweat.
Course:
I've run this one 3 times before so I knew what I was getting in to. It's a nice downhill start and relatively flat for the first 2.4 miles. Then, we make up the lost elevation over the next .6 miles with a gentle but relentless uphill grade before going back down to the finish. I wanted to get out around 6 flat, which would be fairly comfortable then really push the 2nd mile, hopefully reaching the next marker in 12:05 or so then hope to hang on for a 6:30 then kick it in.
Race:
We took off down the hill and a quick look at my Garmin showed that I was doing about 5:15 pace. I find that in a 5K, it is especially difficult to rein in your energy and avoid starting too fast. The first quarter mile passed by in about 1:20. That's about 5 seconds too fast and it would come back to hurt me later. Johnny was out cheering me on and warned me to take it easy. Still, I saw 2 slower running buddies ahead of me so I decided not to worry about it and settled into the planned effort. 2:50 at .5 and looking good. Just maintain this pace. Late in the first mile, we hit a slight uphill, which would slow the pace and I hit the mile marker just under 6:00 as planned. From here, I made an effort to pick up the pace but sadly, there just wasn't much there. I saw a 6:05 pace early in the 2nd mile but it had soon slowed to the 6:20 range. I was still around 9:30 at the halfway point. No PR today but a sub-20 looks like it's in the bag but I am struggling. My legs never felt too bad but my wind was awful. Could that possibly be from sucking air nearly saturated with moisture? Finally, I reached the 2 mile mark just under 12:20 and I hit 2.1 right around 13 flat. That last mile would be tough but it would take a ghastly fade for me to finish over 20. Just under 3/4 of a mile to go and it's time to make the U-turn to face the uphill. Again, the grade was gentle but it's length and location on the course was what made it so tough. There was only one small break in the next .6. Last year, I saw runners who were ahead of me that could not take the hill and actually walked for a few seconds. It happened again this year. I managed to pass 2 fading runners but my pace had slowed to the upper 6s and hit Mile 3 in 19:03. My Garmin measured the course at 3.16 so the finish line was further away than I expected. At least, I was through the hills and I had to hustle to the line but just like Peachtree, I wanted it just enough in the end. No official results yet but I estimate my time to be either 19:57 or 19:58. It was good enough for 19th overall and 2nd place in my age group and I chose a new Asics tech running shirt as my award.
Final thought:
When it comes to 5Ks, if I break 20:00, I'm happy with my performance. If I don't, I'm not. It's as simple as that. This is the 4th time in my last 6 5Ks that I have broken that barrier. Still, on one level, I am a bit frustrated as a result of my current PR drought. My last one was an unofficial time trial on New Year's day. Today, perhaps it was unrealistic to expect to finish close to 19. It was so humid that the windows on most buildings were still foggy an hour after the finish. I did enjoy myself tonight and saw a lot of my buddies.
Grade: solid B
Monday, July 19, 2010
training 7/19-7/25
7/19- Indoor 7.5 at easy effort. Never struggled and turned in a 7:35 pace. Very even splits. Felt like I could have gone all day. This is a 3:18 marathon pace.
Grade:A/1 credit/distance=7.5
7/20- Johnny's workout with a 100 heat index. It was a short interval ladder. (200-400) x4 with an 800 for dessert. 200s were 34-35 fast and controlled. 400s were at hard effort: 72-73-72-71. Final 800 was a hard fought 2:33 for an overall pace of 4:50/mile for the intervals. Wanted to break 2:30 in the half but still strong and satisfying. Took half a glutamine and it felt like it was just a hair too much but it cleared nicely by late afternoon.
Grade:A-/2 credits/distance=3.5
7/21- Another solid performance in 90+ heat. Trak Shak 5 untimed (forgot Garmin) but estimate about 7:15 with a strong finish. Felt like I could have gone longer and faster but still pleased. I only took 1/4 of a glutamine and may be able to quit that stuff very soon. That would be a MAJOR victory. It would mean that all of my neurotransmitters are balanced and the only thing stopping me from reaching my potential is a manageable hyperthyroid condition.
Grade:B+/1 credit/distance=5.0
7/22- Took about half a glutamine and woke up a bit sluggish but improved as the day progressed. I'm going to try to quit this stuff starting tonight! I am still planning to race on Saturday but the forecast high is 97 and the race is at 6 PM. My only chance of a good time is a brief cooling shower before the race. Today's workout was an easy 6 indoors in 45:47 (7:38 pace). Even pace, just a tad sluggish.
Grade:B/1 credit/distance=6.0
7/23- No glutamine. I had a good morning but by the time lunch time rolled around, the good feeling was slipping away. Until further notice, I need just a small amount of that stuff. At this point, 1/2 pill is too much. 1/4 seems to be about right but since it comes in a capsule, it's hard to regulate it just right. I am quite disappointed. I really thought that I was healed. Planned rest day anyway. Race is still a game time decision but unless we get a cooling shower nearby, I'm bailing in favor of an indoor 10 K time trial. I'll save $30 by doing that.
7/24- Twilight Retro 5K was a go and it was a steam bath. Unofficial time of 19:57, 19th overall and 2nd place in my age group. 1.5 cool down.
Grade:B/4 credits/distance=5.0
7/25- only 12 hours later. Easy 8 indoors in 63:44 (7:58 pace). Struggled but hit the sub-8 target.
Grade:B-/1 credit/distance=8.0
Weekly summary:
Decent week overall. That distance is pretty solid for a 5K race week. I want some PRs now.
Distance=35.0/GPA= 32.4/10=3.24
Grade:A/1 credit/distance=7.5
7/20- Johnny's workout with a 100 heat index. It was a short interval ladder. (200-400) x4 with an 800 for dessert. 200s were 34-35 fast and controlled. 400s were at hard effort: 72-73-72-71. Final 800 was a hard fought 2:33 for an overall pace of 4:50/mile for the intervals. Wanted to break 2:30 in the half but still strong and satisfying. Took half a glutamine and it felt like it was just a hair too much but it cleared nicely by late afternoon.
Grade:A-/2 credits/distance=3.5
7/21- Another solid performance in 90+ heat. Trak Shak 5 untimed (forgot Garmin) but estimate about 7:15 with a strong finish. Felt like I could have gone longer and faster but still pleased. I only took 1/4 of a glutamine and may be able to quit that stuff very soon. That would be a MAJOR victory. It would mean that all of my neurotransmitters are balanced and the only thing stopping me from reaching my potential is a manageable hyperthyroid condition.
Grade:B+/1 credit/distance=5.0
7/22- Took about half a glutamine and woke up a bit sluggish but improved as the day progressed. I'm going to try to quit this stuff starting tonight! I am still planning to race on Saturday but the forecast high is 97 and the race is at 6 PM. My only chance of a good time is a brief cooling shower before the race. Today's workout was an easy 6 indoors in 45:47 (7:38 pace). Even pace, just a tad sluggish.
Grade:B/1 credit/distance=6.0
7/23- No glutamine. I had a good morning but by the time lunch time rolled around, the good feeling was slipping away. Until further notice, I need just a small amount of that stuff. At this point, 1/2 pill is too much. 1/4 seems to be about right but since it comes in a capsule, it's hard to regulate it just right. I am quite disappointed. I really thought that I was healed. Planned rest day anyway. Race is still a game time decision but unless we get a cooling shower nearby, I'm bailing in favor of an indoor 10 K time trial. I'll save $30 by doing that.
7/24- Twilight Retro 5K was a go and it was a steam bath. Unofficial time of 19:57, 19th overall and 2nd place in my age group. 1.5 cool down.
Grade:B/4 credits/distance=5.0
7/25- only 12 hours later. Easy 8 indoors in 63:44 (7:58 pace). Struggled but hit the sub-8 target.
Grade:B-/1 credit/distance=8.0
Weekly summary:
Decent week overall. That distance is pretty solid for a 5K race week. I want some PRs now.
Distance=35.0/GPA= 32.4/10=3.24
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