6/27- A.M.- Slept in a bit and I was not about to fight that heat. Easy 3 on the 'mill with a time of 23:24 (7:48 pace). That's about all that I can stand to do on a machine.
P.M- Red flag on the beach and that meant rough surf and tons of fun with the boogie board. Man, I almost forgot how much fun that thing is. Amazingly, after fighting the rough surf all day in the sun and eating dinner, which included a mixed drink, I was able to run fairly well. At 7:30 in the evening, I ran 3 miles in what was still quite uncomfortable conditions with a time of 21:18 (7:06 pace) on the U.S. 98 sidewalk. It was almost tempo effort but not tempo pace. All thinks considered however, I'll cut myself some slack.
Grade:B/1 credit/distance=6.0
6/28- Stole an extra hour in the surf before check out then took a side trip to the Flora-Bama lounge for lunch. Flora-Bama is your typical beach lunch fare with a wide variety of drinks. The food is nothing special but what makes it cool is that the establishment is not only on the beach but literally on the Florida/Alabama line. It is also a popular place for live bands in the evening. Drove back to the 'Ham and got in by evening and without even stopping back home, I got out of the car for an easy 7 in 53:28 (7:38 pace). Low 7:30s felt nearly effortless but I still backed off a tad. This run was great but once again, I might pay for it down the road.
Grade:A/1 credit/distance=7.0
6/29- Trak Shak 8 at a moderate pace. It was actually 8.04 with a time of 58:46 (7:19 pace) in 90 degree weather. That's the equivalent of a sub-7 in optimal conditions. This was just shy of tempo effort. I did get to run with a buddy today and that was cool. Solid but not stellar performance. I'm racking up the mileage this week. I must back off if I am to be fresh for Peavine. Even pace except for the tough 7th mile and I had something left at the end.
Grade:B+/2 credits/distance=8.0
6/30- Easy 7 indoors and the cruise control was working well. Time was 53:56 (7:42 pace). Slightly fatigued but I was not struggling in the least. Took about a 15 minute rest then ran some hard 200s at Vestavia. Times were 34-34-32-30 (32 avg-roughly 4;20 pace). I was hoping for a little faster but realistically I was too tired and did not warm up for the sprints. I have run 1,049 miles in the first half of the year and my GPA stands at 2.97 but that's rising fast.
Grade:A-/2 credits/distance=8.0
7/1- Planned rest day. My body is reeling from the effort this week but it's not exhausted. I want to do more short intervals this coming month. Long and EASY tomorrow and yes, I plan to run with the back of the pack in the group run. I'm in for Peavine on the 4th.
7/2- BAD morning. I slept in and missed the group run but I would not have been able to do it anyway. Planned on 10 miles at 8:15-8:30 and had to settle for Lakeshore 5 in a turtle time of 43:21 (8:42 pace). I'm pretty sure that the problem was the calcium supplement that contains glutamic acid. I tried to pick up the pace several times and each time I was able to do so for a couple of minutes then got stuck back in the rut. This should clear my system by the evening.
Grade:F/1 credit/distance=5.0
PM- Indoor 6 in 47:16 (7:53 pace). Much better but still quite sore.
Grade:B/1 credit/distance=6.0
7/3- Planned rest day. Should be okay for Peavine.
Weekly summary:
Saturday's debacle really put a damper on what would have been a very good week overall. The medical report should arrive by the end of next week and I am afraid that I am not out of the woods yet.
Distance=40.0/ GPA= 3.00
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Summer/Fall racing schedule
Now that summer is officially here, it's time to finalize my Fall racing plans:
6/25- Race to the Courthouse 5K (local)- Doubtful
7/4- Peavine Falls Run (8.2) (local)- Probable
7/23- Twilight Retro 5K-(local) Questionable
8/20- Are U Able 5K (local)-Questionable
9/4- Gatorade Steelers 5K (PA)- In
10/1- Montgomery half (AL)- In
10/16- Louisville half(KY)- In
11/5- Vulcan/Senior Bowl 10K(AL)- Questionable
11/19- White River Marathon(AR)- Probable
12/20- Jacksonville Bank half(FL)- Doubtful
That's a heavy schedule but there's no way that I'll end up doing all of these. One of my goals is to run over 2,000 miles in a calendar year and the more I race, the fewer miles I will train. 2009 was my best running year of my comeback and I only raced twice in the final 3 months of the year. Of course, I want 2011 to be better on all accounts.
5Ks- PRs can bet set alone on a track but I'd like to make it official. Perfect conditions such as favorable weather, close competition, flat course, A+ stuff are hard to come by.
Courthouse- may not be hot but certainly humid. Flat enough course but not usually competitive. Will probably skip it but could change my mind if I feel exceptionally strong when I wake up.
Twilight Retro- Evening race. Got lucky with the weather 2 years ago (below 80 and dry). I set a big PR. Most years however, it's either 95 and dry or 80 and steamy. Pick your poison. That said, it's always competitive and flat enough to be a PR course.
Are U Able- Also flat enough to be a PR course but weather and lack of competition could be issues. More inclined to do it if I skip Retro or perform poorly there.
Gatorade- flat, competitive, probably not hot, finish in Heinz Field.
Monty half- more for fun to see old friends. Fairly hilly and could be a bit warm.
Louisville- PR or sub-1:30 attempt. Flat and cool. First Kentucky race.
Vulcan/Senior Bowl- I'm willing to travel to Mobile if I feel I have a legitimate chance at a sub-40. If not, I can race locally or do a 20 mile training run.
White River- First Arkansas race. Good opportunity to improve soft marathon PR. I've raced the distance 3 times and have never been healthy at the start line. Calculators say I can run 3:15-3:20 but I'll take anything under 3:30.
Jacksonville- strictly a back up in case of a missed race due to injury/illness.
If all goes as planned, I will run 5 halves and 1 full in 2011. I've never done more than 3 halves or 1 full. The focus on distance will continue in early 2012. Austin, TX will be perhaps my best hope at sub-1:30 because it's mostly downhill. Then, after Mercedes in February, I will shift to heavy speed. With every passing year after 30, my sprinting will decline slowly and 59.9 will be extremely difficult. As for marathons, I may not do any in 2012-13 because I'll need a 3:05 to BQ and realistically, I don't see that happening no matter how well I train. When I'm in my late 30s, I will shift back to long distance.
6/25- Race to the Courthouse 5K (local)- Doubtful
7/4- Peavine Falls Run (8.2) (local)- Probable
7/23- Twilight Retro 5K-(local) Questionable
8/20- Are U Able 5K (local)-Questionable
9/4- Gatorade Steelers 5K (PA)- In
10/1- Montgomery half (AL)- In
10/16- Louisville half(KY)- In
11/5- Vulcan/Senior Bowl 10K(AL)- Questionable
11/19- White River Marathon(AR)- Probable
12/20- Jacksonville Bank half(FL)- Doubtful
That's a heavy schedule but there's no way that I'll end up doing all of these. One of my goals is to run over 2,000 miles in a calendar year and the more I race, the fewer miles I will train. 2009 was my best running year of my comeback and I only raced twice in the final 3 months of the year. Of course, I want 2011 to be better on all accounts.
5Ks- PRs can bet set alone on a track but I'd like to make it official. Perfect conditions such as favorable weather, close competition, flat course, A+ stuff are hard to come by.
Courthouse- may not be hot but certainly humid. Flat enough course but not usually competitive. Will probably skip it but could change my mind if I feel exceptionally strong when I wake up.
Twilight Retro- Evening race. Got lucky with the weather 2 years ago (below 80 and dry). I set a big PR. Most years however, it's either 95 and dry or 80 and steamy. Pick your poison. That said, it's always competitive and flat enough to be a PR course.
Are U Able- Also flat enough to be a PR course but weather and lack of competition could be issues. More inclined to do it if I skip Retro or perform poorly there.
Gatorade- flat, competitive, probably not hot, finish in Heinz Field.
Monty half- more for fun to see old friends. Fairly hilly and could be a bit warm.
Louisville- PR or sub-1:30 attempt. Flat and cool. First Kentucky race.
Vulcan/Senior Bowl- I'm willing to travel to Mobile if I feel I have a legitimate chance at a sub-40. If not, I can race locally or do a 20 mile training run.
White River- First Arkansas race. Good opportunity to improve soft marathon PR. I've raced the distance 3 times and have never been healthy at the start line. Calculators say I can run 3:15-3:20 but I'll take anything under 3:30.
Jacksonville- strictly a back up in case of a missed race due to injury/illness.
If all goes as planned, I will run 5 halves and 1 full in 2011. I've never done more than 3 halves or 1 full. The focus on distance will continue in early 2012. Austin, TX will be perhaps my best hope at sub-1:30 because it's mostly downhill. Then, after Mercedes in February, I will shift to heavy speed. With every passing year after 30, my sprinting will decline slowly and 59.9 will be extremely difficult. As for marathons, I may not do any in 2012-13 because I'll need a 3:05 to BQ and realistically, I don't see that happening no matter how well I train. When I'm in my late 30s, I will shift back to long distance.
Monday, June 20, 2011
Training 6/20-6/26
6/20- Still a bit of residual soreness in my legs. No real concern. I don't think it's anything more serious than natural fatigue. I was like a pitcher with a sore arm that battled through 6 innings and kept the game competitive despite not having his best stuff. Workout was 7x600 with a goal of 2:00 followed by 3x200 with a goal of 35. That's a average pace of 5:15/mile for 3 miles worth of intervals. I was struggling from the get go and it was on the verge of getting ugly towards the end. I managed to fight through the tiredness and hope that it was pay dividends in the strength area (short distance endurance) that is crucial for the Mile and 5K. The 200s had the objective of keeping my speed sharp for a possible 59.9 attempt in late summer. 600s came in at:
2:01-2:01-2:00-2:02-2:04-2:06-2:07. Then, I showed some life in the 200s (33-34-30). It was good to see that 30 but back in '99, it could have been a 28. Finished with an average pace of 5:19/mile but there's no way I could have done that in a time trial today. R was about 2:15-2:30, which is what I planned.
Grade:B-/2 credits/distance=5.0
6/21- Elective rest day. There will be no penalty for this one because this is a scheduled cut back week. If I complete tomorrow's run as planned, I will pass 1,000 miles on the year. My previous high was 1,993 in 2009. I've got to top 2,000 this year and hope to have time for a week off.
6/22-I slept 10 hours last night and could have stayed in bed even longer. Usual Trak Shak run was rained out so I went indoors for an easy 7.5. Despite the off day yesterday, I still felt a bit stiff today. After a bit of a rough start, I found the zone and set the cruise control between 7:40 and 7:45. For the next 7 miles, I just relaxed and let my engine take over. Finished with a time of 57:52 (7:43 pace) and added a half mile cool down. I have no doubt that I could hold that pace through 20 miles. From that point, even a 9:00 pace for the last 10K brings me home in 3:29.
Grade:A-/1 credit/distance=8.0
6/23- Cruised another easy 6 in 46:14 (7:42 pace). Found it difficult to slow down but this wasn't the smartest workout. My status for Courthouse has been upgraded from doubtful to questionable. The temp should be 75-78 at the start with a humidity between 85-90%. If it's overcast, I'll consider it if I feel strong when I wake up. If it's sunny, I'm skipping it no matter how well I feel. Felt the same as yesterday, which is good. Passed 1,000 miles on the year a full week ahead of schedule.
Grade:A-/1 credit/distance=6.0
6/24- Planned rest day. I am hoping to be fresh enough tomorrow to at least attempt a 5K PR. The decision will be made after checking the weather when I wake up. Update: Latest forecast is 76 at the start, near 80 at the finish with sunny skies and high humidity. This course has zero shade so I will most likely skip it and do a quality long run.
6/25- Probably a good call on skipping the race. It's not terribly hot but it's sunny and humid and the course has zero shade. Enjoyed my group run today. Covered just over 11.5 (watch started late) with an average pace of 7:22 and a lot left at the end. I may have raced well but I'm not sure that I was sharp enough to PR at 5K. I'll save it for Peavine on the 4th. Here's the summary:
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/94678216
Short cool down at the end to make it an even 12 and I'm heading to FLA in a few minutes.
Grade:A/2 credits/distance=12.0
6/26- I expected it to be brutally humid down on the Gulf coast but it was worse than expected. I started my run at 6:50 AM and it proved to be too late. Come to think of it, I don't think any time of day is good to run here. The low temp is usually 80 degrees with 100 percent humidity. At 7 AM, it was already pushing 85 with close to 90% humidity. I felt pretty well overall but the humidity eventually did me in after starting too fast. My moving time was a solid 37:52 (7:35 pace) for 5 miles but the final .75 was walk/run intervals. To my credit, I did manage to stay under 8 pace in Miles 3-4 after starting below 7:30.
Grade:B-/1 credit/distance=5.0
Weekly summary:
Did about what I planned in a cut back week. My body needed it. Next week could be low as well but I want a strong performance at Peavine on the 4th. Nothing less than a B-. I like that.
Distance=36.0/GPA= 23.5/7=3.36
2:01-2:01-2:00-2:02-2:04-2:06-2:07. Then, I showed some life in the 200s (33-34-30). It was good to see that 30 but back in '99, it could have been a 28. Finished with an average pace of 5:19/mile but there's no way I could have done that in a time trial today. R was about 2:15-2:30, which is what I planned.
Grade:B-/2 credits/distance=5.0
6/21- Elective rest day. There will be no penalty for this one because this is a scheduled cut back week. If I complete tomorrow's run as planned, I will pass 1,000 miles on the year. My previous high was 1,993 in 2009. I've got to top 2,000 this year and hope to have time for a week off.
6/22-I slept 10 hours last night and could have stayed in bed even longer. Usual Trak Shak run was rained out so I went indoors for an easy 7.5. Despite the off day yesterday, I still felt a bit stiff today. After a bit of a rough start, I found the zone and set the cruise control between 7:40 and 7:45. For the next 7 miles, I just relaxed and let my engine take over. Finished with a time of 57:52 (7:43 pace) and added a half mile cool down. I have no doubt that I could hold that pace through 20 miles. From that point, even a 9:00 pace for the last 10K brings me home in 3:29.
Grade:A-/1 credit/distance=8.0
6/23- Cruised another easy 6 in 46:14 (7:42 pace). Found it difficult to slow down but this wasn't the smartest workout. My status for Courthouse has been upgraded from doubtful to questionable. The temp should be 75-78 at the start with a humidity between 85-90%. If it's overcast, I'll consider it if I feel strong when I wake up. If it's sunny, I'm skipping it no matter how well I feel. Felt the same as yesterday, which is good. Passed 1,000 miles on the year a full week ahead of schedule.
Grade:A-/1 credit/distance=6.0
6/24- Planned rest day. I am hoping to be fresh enough tomorrow to at least attempt a 5K PR. The decision will be made after checking the weather when I wake up. Update: Latest forecast is 76 at the start, near 80 at the finish with sunny skies and high humidity. This course has zero shade so I will most likely skip it and do a quality long run.
6/25- Probably a good call on skipping the race. It's not terribly hot but it's sunny and humid and the course has zero shade. Enjoyed my group run today. Covered just over 11.5 (watch started late) with an average pace of 7:22 and a lot left at the end. I may have raced well but I'm not sure that I was sharp enough to PR at 5K. I'll save it for Peavine on the 4th. Here's the summary:
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/94678216
Short cool down at the end to make it an even 12 and I'm heading to FLA in a few minutes.
Grade:A/2 credits/distance=12.0
6/26- I expected it to be brutally humid down on the Gulf coast but it was worse than expected. I started my run at 6:50 AM and it proved to be too late. Come to think of it, I don't think any time of day is good to run here. The low temp is usually 80 degrees with 100 percent humidity. At 7 AM, it was already pushing 85 with close to 90% humidity. I felt pretty well overall but the humidity eventually did me in after starting too fast. My moving time was a solid 37:52 (7:35 pace) for 5 miles but the final .75 was walk/run intervals. To my credit, I did manage to stay under 8 pace in Miles 3-4 after starting below 7:30.
Grade:B-/1 credit/distance=5.0
Weekly summary:
Did about what I planned in a cut back week. My body needed it. Next week could be low as well but I want a strong performance at Peavine on the 4th. Nothing less than a B-. I like that.
Distance=36.0/GPA= 23.5/7=3.36
Monday, June 13, 2011
Training 6/13-6/19
6/13- Easy 8 in 60:54 (7:37 pace). 1st mile was 7:22 but after that I was pretty even. 1st half: 30:15, 2nd half 30:39. Very strong performance. I could have gone 13 at this pace and it still would have felt comfy. This is 3:20 full mary pace. Cool down was a tribute to Ochocinco again. This does exceed the speed limit for an easy day and I hope it doesn't bite me later in the week.
Grade:A/1 credit/distance=8.5
6/14- Johnny's workout as planned. I expected it to be short and fast but it was surprisingly long. At least I knew what was coming all along. (800-400) x 4. Very consistent splits and never felt terribly uncomfortable. 800s were all 2:43-2:44. 400s were 74-74-74-70. The goal was a 2:45 average in the 800s and a 75 in the 400s and I beat that comfortably. Total time was 15:47 for 3 miles worth of intervals (5:16 pace). Recoveries were generous however so it wasn't as good as it looks on paper. Temp was in the low-mid 90s.
Grade:A-/2 credits/distance=5.0
6/15- Tempo. Trak Shak 5 in 94 degree weather. Time of 34:03 (6:49 pace) does not include extended drink stops. I'm crazy to push in this weather but I am not stupid. Quite pleased with this workout and I've earned a day off tomorrow. 1 mile cool. Still on track for over 40.
Grade:A-/2 credits/distance=6.0
6/16- Planned rest day. If I had gone continuous yesterday, my time projects to a PR in optimal temps. I was pushing hard but it was not a "race level" effort but then again, I had 3 fairly lengthy drink stops. I don't feel half bad today but it's a good call to rest. It may very well catch up with me tomorrow. Hoping to restrain myself during the easy miles then run a few sprints at the end.
6/17- Not a surprise. The delayed onset muscle soreness hit me hard today. Struggled through an easy 5 at Vestavia. This was probably my most unpleasant run in the last 2 weeks. Weather conditions were cool but humid. Time was 39:37 (7:55 pace) and my splits were fairly even. I was hoping to get some 200s in after this but with no power in my legs, I had to bag it. Last night, I dreamed that I was hanging out at an arcade with teenagers and I supplied them with alcohol right out in the open. I would not be surprised to have another dream tonight.
Grade:C/1 credit/distance=5.5
6/18- Group run in near 100% humidity. Survived a 13.5 mile trek through the hilly streets of Mountain Brook but my body feels like it took a caning. Uneven pace mostly because I followed whoever was leading the group at the time. Some 18:30 5K guys picked up the pace at the end but I got dropped. I don't feel bad about that because I dropped everyone slower than I. Average pace was 7:54. Fastest mile was 7:09, slowest was 8:31. Earlier this summer, I vowed not to go over 10 on a hot or humid day. I broke it today and paid the price. Those last 3 mile were tough. The good news is that my weekly mileage will be high again.
Grade:B/2 credit/distance=13.5
6/19- Slept in a bit and opted for an easy 6 indoors plus a cool down. It was fairly comfortable but not effortless. Time was 46:42 (7:47 avg). Even pace with a mild fade in Mile 5 (23:18/23:24). No complaints about this one but I'm clearly beat up and need a cut back. I dreamed that I was back in high school and had 2 long term papers due the same day, could not get either one done and flipped out on a teacher for piling on the work.
Grade:B/1 credit/distance=6.5
Weekly summary:
I reached 45 miles again with very little cut back on quality. Great start to the week but tailed off later and am showing signs of breaking down. I will cut back next week and may enter a local 5K before heading down to the coast if it's not brutally hot and humid. Speaking of which, the first half of June was abnormally hot but at least it was dry. Now, the humidity has kicked in and it's going to be rough. It will only get worse for the next 6 weeks and it may not even begin to subside until mid August. Even after a cooling rain, the decrease in air temperature is nearly offset by high humidity. Still, no need for chromium for an entire month. I DECLARE MYSELF CHEMICALLY STABLE!
Distance=45.0/GPA= 29.8/9= 3.31
Grade:A/1 credit/distance=8.5
6/14- Johnny's workout as planned. I expected it to be short and fast but it was surprisingly long. At least I knew what was coming all along. (800-400) x 4. Very consistent splits and never felt terribly uncomfortable. 800s were all 2:43-2:44. 400s were 74-74-74-70. The goal was a 2:45 average in the 800s and a 75 in the 400s and I beat that comfortably. Total time was 15:47 for 3 miles worth of intervals (5:16 pace). Recoveries were generous however so it wasn't as good as it looks on paper. Temp was in the low-mid 90s.
Grade:A-/2 credits/distance=5.0
6/15- Tempo. Trak Shak 5 in 94 degree weather. Time of 34:03 (6:49 pace) does not include extended drink stops. I'm crazy to push in this weather but I am not stupid. Quite pleased with this workout and I've earned a day off tomorrow. 1 mile cool. Still on track for over 40.
Grade:A-/2 credits/distance=6.0
6/16- Planned rest day. If I had gone continuous yesterday, my time projects to a PR in optimal temps. I was pushing hard but it was not a "race level" effort but then again, I had 3 fairly lengthy drink stops. I don't feel half bad today but it's a good call to rest. It may very well catch up with me tomorrow. Hoping to restrain myself during the easy miles then run a few sprints at the end.
6/17- Not a surprise. The delayed onset muscle soreness hit me hard today. Struggled through an easy 5 at Vestavia. This was probably my most unpleasant run in the last 2 weeks. Weather conditions were cool but humid. Time was 39:37 (7:55 pace) and my splits were fairly even. I was hoping to get some 200s in after this but with no power in my legs, I had to bag it. Last night, I dreamed that I was hanging out at an arcade with teenagers and I supplied them with alcohol right out in the open. I would not be surprised to have another dream tonight.
Grade:C/1 credit/distance=5.5
6/18- Group run in near 100% humidity. Survived a 13.5 mile trek through the hilly streets of Mountain Brook but my body feels like it took a caning. Uneven pace mostly because I followed whoever was leading the group at the time. Some 18:30 5K guys picked up the pace at the end but I got dropped. I don't feel bad about that because I dropped everyone slower than I. Average pace was 7:54. Fastest mile was 7:09, slowest was 8:31. Earlier this summer, I vowed not to go over 10 on a hot or humid day. I broke it today and paid the price. Those last 3 mile were tough. The good news is that my weekly mileage will be high again.
Grade:B/2 credit/distance=13.5
6/19- Slept in a bit and opted for an easy 6 indoors plus a cool down. It was fairly comfortable but not effortless. Time was 46:42 (7:47 avg). Even pace with a mild fade in Mile 5 (23:18/23:24). No complaints about this one but I'm clearly beat up and need a cut back. I dreamed that I was back in high school and had 2 long term papers due the same day, could not get either one done and flipped out on a teacher for piling on the work.
Grade:B/1 credit/distance=6.5
Weekly summary:
I reached 45 miles again with very little cut back on quality. Great start to the week but tailed off later and am showing signs of breaking down. I will cut back next week and may enter a local 5K before heading down to the coast if it's not brutally hot and humid. Speaking of which, the first half of June was abnormally hot but at least it was dry. Now, the humidity has kicked in and it's going to be rough. It will only get worse for the next 6 weeks and it may not even begin to subside until mid August. Even after a cooling rain, the decrease in air temperature is nearly offset by high humidity. Still, no need for chromium for an entire month. I DECLARE MYSELF CHEMICALLY STABLE!
Distance=45.0/GPA= 29.8/9= 3.31
Monday, June 6, 2011
Training 6/6-6/12
6/6- AM- Basic easy 5 indoors in 38:57 (7:47 pace). Struggled a bit early but got the kinks worked out by Mile 2 then had to force myself to slow down. Miles 3-5 were all 7:45-7:50. Not too glamorous but I did what I planned and hope to be fresh enough for a hard evening workout.
Grade:B+/1 credit/distance=5.5
PM- 10x400 at Vestavia with a 2 minute passive R. Even after 6:00, it was still over 90 degrees but at least it wasn't humid. It felt more like Arizona today than Alabama but I'd rather run when it's 95 and dry than 85 and steamy. Very good performance. Times were (80-77-75-77-76) followed by 76-77-77-78-72. Average was 76.5. I'll strive for in the 75s next time and if I can do that, I'll bet I can run a 5:15 mile even if it's solo.
Grade:A-/2 credit/distance=4.5
6/7- Easy 7.5 indoors in 58:12 (7:46 pace). Even pace, felt stronger as the workout progressed. Hoping to feel a payoff by going consistently longer than 6 in my easy runs. Strong performance. Weight is pretty steady at 155 but I need to increase my calories.
Grade:A-/1 credit/distance=8.0
6/8- Tempo at the Trak Shak. 90 degree weather and I did 6.5 miles in 45:20 (6:58 pace) on a hilly route. According to runworks, that's as good as a 6:40 pace in optimal temps. Very strong workout. A few college runners (D1 level) passed me in Mile 2 and I pretty much kept with them until the water break after which we went in different directions. This was faster than planned so if I'm not recovered by Friday and my Mile is sub-par, I won't be upset.
Grade:A/2 credits/distance=7.0
6/9- Planned rest day. Not too sore but very tired and worn out. I had a nightmare last night and won't even reveal it. Maybe tonight will be a funny dream. Gearing up for a Mile PR attempt tomorrow.
6/10- Another mildly disappointing time trial. Vestavia Mile in 5:28.4 (best time of the year). It was done after a cooling rain with overcast conditions and temps below 80 so I'm unlikely to get better weather for this anytime soon. 6 seconds better than my previous best of '11 but 8 down on last year's best and a daunting 13 from the goal. I'm afraid that Wednesday's tempo just took too much out of me but even if I'm fresh, I need more work. Next time I do a time trial, I need an easy day and an off day before any PR attempt. Then again, if I do that too often, my mileage will be too low. I just want to hit the goal and be done with it. Splits were 78-84-83-83. (2:42/2:46). What stands out about that is that I had ZERO finishing kick, which is very unusual for me. Even on tired legs, I should have coaxed at least an 80 last lap. It seems like once I knew I wasn't gonna make it, I lost all heart. Though a mild disappointment, this was really not too bad if you put it in perspective. My average before the crash was 5:30 and to break that barrier provides some solace. This is my first sub-5:30 after turning 30 years old.
Grade:B/3 credits/distance=3.0
6/11- Dreamed that I had to travel up a dangerous mountain road that was snow covered to get to a downhill race at high elevation and the weather forecast called for a 100% chance of "golden rain." Don't even ask where that one came from. Workout was a group run starting at 5:30 AM. I went with Brad (sub-3 marathoner) on a 9 mile loop and finished with a time of 67:41 (7:32 pace) then stopped to refuel and ran the Trak Shak 3 loop in 23:43 (7:54 pace) for an overall time of 91:24 for 12 miles, which is a still quick 7:37 average pace. Good job.
Grade:A-/2 credits/distance=12.0
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/91671058
6/12- Easy 6 in 46:21 (7:44 pace). Even pace, felt strong. No complaints. I could have gone farther and/or faster but considering the quality of my workouts this week, it was a smart call to hold back a bit. I'd like to do some 200s tonight. We'll see how I feel but again, it's probably smart to hold back.
Grade:A-/1 credit/distance=6.0
Weekly summary:
Very strong week overall. Good mileage and I did not sacrifice quality. Too bad that my weakest performance came in the time trial. If I can make it 4 more days without chromium, it will be a full month and I will declare myself chemically stable though still unbalanced.
Distance=46.0/ GPA= 42.5/12= 3.54
Grade:B+/1 credit/distance=5.5
PM- 10x400 at Vestavia with a 2 minute passive R. Even after 6:00, it was still over 90 degrees but at least it wasn't humid. It felt more like Arizona today than Alabama but I'd rather run when it's 95 and dry than 85 and steamy. Very good performance. Times were (80-77-75-77-76) followed by 76-77-77-78-72. Average was 76.5. I'll strive for in the 75s next time and if I can do that, I'll bet I can run a 5:15 mile even if it's solo.
Grade:A-/2 credit/distance=4.5
6/7- Easy 7.5 indoors in 58:12 (7:46 pace). Even pace, felt stronger as the workout progressed. Hoping to feel a payoff by going consistently longer than 6 in my easy runs. Strong performance. Weight is pretty steady at 155 but I need to increase my calories.
Grade:A-/1 credit/distance=8.0
6/8- Tempo at the Trak Shak. 90 degree weather and I did 6.5 miles in 45:20 (6:58 pace) on a hilly route. According to runworks, that's as good as a 6:40 pace in optimal temps. Very strong workout. A few college runners (D1 level) passed me in Mile 2 and I pretty much kept with them until the water break after which we went in different directions. This was faster than planned so if I'm not recovered by Friday and my Mile is sub-par, I won't be upset.
Grade:A/2 credits/distance=7.0
6/9- Planned rest day. Not too sore but very tired and worn out. I had a nightmare last night and won't even reveal it. Maybe tonight will be a funny dream. Gearing up for a Mile PR attempt tomorrow.
6/10- Another mildly disappointing time trial. Vestavia Mile in 5:28.4 (best time of the year). It was done after a cooling rain with overcast conditions and temps below 80 so I'm unlikely to get better weather for this anytime soon. 6 seconds better than my previous best of '11 but 8 down on last year's best and a daunting 13 from the goal. I'm afraid that Wednesday's tempo just took too much out of me but even if I'm fresh, I need more work. Next time I do a time trial, I need an easy day and an off day before any PR attempt. Then again, if I do that too often, my mileage will be too low. I just want to hit the goal and be done with it. Splits were 78-84-83-83. (2:42/2:46). What stands out about that is that I had ZERO finishing kick, which is very unusual for me. Even on tired legs, I should have coaxed at least an 80 last lap. It seems like once I knew I wasn't gonna make it, I lost all heart. Though a mild disappointment, this was really not too bad if you put it in perspective. My average before the crash was 5:30 and to break that barrier provides some solace. This is my first sub-5:30 after turning 30 years old.
Grade:B/3 credits/distance=3.0
6/11- Dreamed that I had to travel up a dangerous mountain road that was snow covered to get to a downhill race at high elevation and the weather forecast called for a 100% chance of "golden rain." Don't even ask where that one came from. Workout was a group run starting at 5:30 AM. I went with Brad (sub-3 marathoner) on a 9 mile loop and finished with a time of 67:41 (7:32 pace) then stopped to refuel and ran the Trak Shak 3 loop in 23:43 (7:54 pace) for an overall time of 91:24 for 12 miles, which is a still quick 7:37 average pace. Good job.
Grade:A-/2 credits/distance=12.0
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/91671058
6/12- Easy 6 in 46:21 (7:44 pace). Even pace, felt strong. No complaints. I could have gone farther and/or faster but considering the quality of my workouts this week, it was a smart call to hold back a bit. I'd like to do some 200s tonight. We'll see how I feel but again, it's probably smart to hold back.
Grade:A-/1 credit/distance=6.0
Weekly summary:
Very strong week overall. Good mileage and I did not sacrifice quality. Too bad that my weakest performance came in the time trial. If I can make it 4 more days without chromium, it will be a full month and I will declare myself chemically stable though still unbalanced.
Distance=46.0/ GPA= 42.5/12= 3.54
Monday, May 30, 2011
Training 5/30-6/4
5/30- Basic run of the mill easy 6 indoors. I didn't care at all about the pace but it ended up at 47:36 (7:56 average) with very even splits. That was a bit much for the day after a race and it should have been just a junk run. No harm done.
Grade:B/1 credit/distance=6.0
5/31- Johnny's workout. It was short today because of the heat (92 with a 95 heat index). That was fine. I wasn't up for a real hard workout 2 days after a half. 4x400 in 74, 800 in 2:39. 2 more slow 800s in 3:30 and a 2 mile cool. No complaints about this one. It will be hotter over the next 2 days. The RD has confirmed that the CDA course was long. It goes in the books as a PR with an asterisk.
Grade:B+/2 credits/distance=5.0
6/1- National Running Day. Easy 5 at the Shak in 95 degree temps with a 100 heat index. Time was 38:23 (7:41 pace) with relatively even splits. Hurting but did what I planned. After my next half mary, I'm taking one day off regardless of how well I feel. Edit: According to run works, this is equivalent to a sub-37 or 7:20 pace in 70 degree weather. No wonder it felt hard. Indoors tomorrow. No relief from the heat for at least another week.
Grade:B/1 credit/distance=5.5
6/2- Much more comfortable indoor 6.5 miler in a time of 49:41 (7:39 pace). Started too fast then backed off to a more sensible pace towards the end. Felt good but not effortless. Went to a baseball game after the run with a couple of guys from the track club and got eaten by bugs. Not a very pleasant experience.
Grade:B+/1 credit/distance=6.5
6/3- 7 miles indoors in 55:36 (7:57 pace). Struggled. Not enough food in my system but got through the workout. Drove to Nashville in the afternoon.
Grade:C+/1 credit/distance=7.0
6/4- Planned rest day to recover from what I sure hope is my last prolotherapy session. Dr. Johnson targeted the sensitive abductor area. The best news is that I have not needed any chromium in nearly a month. It is possible that it was the infected root canal, not the ADHS, that caused the dependency by robbing my body of key nutrients. I need 10 miles tomorrow. It will be either easy long or a double with evening speed work depending on how I feel. Next week will be just as hot. There must be some relief ahead. It can't be like this all summer.
6/5- Lakeshore 10 just as planned at 6:30 AM. By the time I finished, it was already 80 degrees with 80% humidity. I wisely took 3 extended drink stops but finished with a pretty solid moving time of 77:50 (7:47 avg). Even pace. 1st 9 miles were all 7:42-7:54 with a mild pick up at the end. Final quarter mile was sub-7 pace. Solid effort.
Grade:B+/2 credits/distance=10.0
Weekly summary:
Hit the mileage target as planned. I'm averaging just over 40 per week on the year, which would put me over 2,000 for the first time in a calendar year. Doing 40 this week was a challenge due to heat, prolotherapy, travel and recovery from a hard race effort. Only downer was that I only had one high quality session and even that was abbreviated. Must do more speed now.
Distance=40.0/GPA= 24.8/8=3.10
Grade:B/1 credit/distance=6.0
5/31- Johnny's workout. It was short today because of the heat (92 with a 95 heat index). That was fine. I wasn't up for a real hard workout 2 days after a half. 4x400 in 74, 800 in 2:39. 2 more slow 800s in 3:30 and a 2 mile cool. No complaints about this one. It will be hotter over the next 2 days. The RD has confirmed that the CDA course was long. It goes in the books as a PR with an asterisk.
Grade:B+/2 credits/distance=5.0
6/1- National Running Day. Easy 5 at the Shak in 95 degree temps with a 100 heat index. Time was 38:23 (7:41 pace) with relatively even splits. Hurting but did what I planned. After my next half mary, I'm taking one day off regardless of how well I feel. Edit: According to run works, this is equivalent to a sub-37 or 7:20 pace in 70 degree weather. No wonder it felt hard. Indoors tomorrow. No relief from the heat for at least another week.
Grade:B/1 credit/distance=5.5
6/2- Much more comfortable indoor 6.5 miler in a time of 49:41 (7:39 pace). Started too fast then backed off to a more sensible pace towards the end. Felt good but not effortless. Went to a baseball game after the run with a couple of guys from the track club and got eaten by bugs. Not a very pleasant experience.
Grade:B+/1 credit/distance=6.5
6/3- 7 miles indoors in 55:36 (7:57 pace). Struggled. Not enough food in my system but got through the workout. Drove to Nashville in the afternoon.
Grade:C+/1 credit/distance=7.0
6/4- Planned rest day to recover from what I sure hope is my last prolotherapy session. Dr. Johnson targeted the sensitive abductor area. The best news is that I have not needed any chromium in nearly a month. It is possible that it was the infected root canal, not the ADHS, that caused the dependency by robbing my body of key nutrients. I need 10 miles tomorrow. It will be either easy long or a double with evening speed work depending on how I feel. Next week will be just as hot. There must be some relief ahead. It can't be like this all summer.
6/5- Lakeshore 10 just as planned at 6:30 AM. By the time I finished, it was already 80 degrees with 80% humidity. I wisely took 3 extended drink stops but finished with a pretty solid moving time of 77:50 (7:47 avg). Even pace. 1st 9 miles were all 7:42-7:54 with a mild pick up at the end. Final quarter mile was sub-7 pace. Solid effort.
Grade:B+/2 credits/distance=10.0
Weekly summary:
Hit the mileage target as planned. I'm averaging just over 40 per week on the year, which would put me over 2,000 for the first time in a calendar year. Doing 40 this week was a challenge due to heat, prolotherapy, travel and recovery from a hard race effort. Only downer was that I only had one high quality session and even that was abbreviated. Must do more speed now.
Distance=40.0/GPA= 24.8/8=3.10
Sunday, May 29, 2011
CDA half RR
Training:
Decent cycle overall. My mileage was pretty consistent around 40, which was a little less than I hoped for but enough to get the job done in a half marathon. As usual, the quality was high but I was very much short on long runs. That could come back to bite me in the last 5K. I had not gone over 10 miles in more than a month and had not exceeded the race distance in more than 2 months. I did not plan on that happening but every time I had planned to go 15-16, an annoying medical issue flared up on the weekend. It's probable that a chronically infected root canal was hurting my training. The problem tooth was extracted 2 weeks ago and I was hopeful for improvement or at least more stability in my body chemistry. This was my first real shot at 1:30 and though I did not expect to break it, I believed that I could put a significant dent in my current PR (1:32:49) 3 months earlier in Chattanooga. The elevation was 2,200 feet, which should have a minimal negative effect on performance. I did not feel a difference but it was probably worth maybe 2-3 secs per mile or roughly :30 total.
Trip:
I flew Delta, which has not been so good to me in the past but this time, my trip went without a hitch. After a layover in Minneapolis, I landed on time just after noon in Spokane, Washington. I drove around town for a bit and found that the Centennial trail runs through downtown and would be a great place for an easy run the next day. Feeling tired, I checked into my hotel then walked to a Chili's just across the road where I polished off a full rack of ribs. The next morning, I got in an easy 5 in on the Centennial trail then hit the road heading east on I-90. It was a beautiful 3 hour drive to Missoula, Montana with mountains in the distance with peaks still snow covered. I have now been to every state in the continental U.S. with Alaska and Hawaii still to go. I chose this race because it presented the best opportunity to see both Idaho and Montana for the first time and the weather conditions were likely to be favorable even in late May. Coeur d'Alene is located in the northern panhandle of Idaho, just 100 miles south of the Canadian border. I drove around town for a bit, stopped at a mall and had dinner at a decent independent restaurant. The next morning, I got an early start and headed back to Idaho. I took in the beautiful lakeside scenery and walked around town for a bit. Dinner would really be a treat. I polished off a 24 oz. porterhouse and it was one of the best I have ever had. As planned, I was in bed early and would be ready to roll the next morning.
Race day:
I felt very strong warming up and was starting to feel confident that this could be my day. The weather was sunny with temps in the 40s-50s and the course map indicated that it was a mostly flat course. That was true. Another claim is suspect. The gun went off and my early pace was around 6:20. That's way too fast but it felt so effortless. Still, I tried my best to slow down but came through the Mile marker in 6:38, 15 seconds fast. The plan was to run in the upper 6:50s for the first half or just a tad slower than 1:30 pace. That way, if it's in me, I can go for it in the 2nd half but if not, I won't be out so fast that I'll be doomed in the later stages. By Mile 2, I was getting into a groove and would rip off 6 consecutive miles in the 6:50s. Mile 2-3 were mostly downhill but 4-5 would require more effort. I maintained the pace well and still felt quite comfortable through the first half. Despite, the faster pace, I felt better than I did in Chattanooga.
1st half spilts:
6:38-(6:38) slow down fool
6:56-(13:34) better
6:56-(20:30) very good
6:56-(27:26) new definition of an even pace
6:54-(34:20) feel great, that was a hilly mile.
6:59-(41:19) stay under 7 for as long as you can.
The mile markers were a bit short. Each mile seemed to be measured .98 or .99 and at the 6th Mile mark, my Garmin read 5.91. Normally, the reverse happens and the Garmin measures the course a bit long. Only once has the Garmin been off at the short end, which was at Mercedes this year. The splits listed are watch splits so a thought entered my mind. I may be going even faster than my splits indicate, possibly up to 30 seconds faster.
I hit 6.55 (Garmin) just a hair slower than 1:30 pace. I believe that my time was 45:06. A PR should be in the bag and if the Garmin measures the course at around 13.0, I may still have a shot at 1:29:59. By the 8th Mile, I was working quite hard and my pace was slowing. We hit a decent downhill in the next mile and it did not significantly increase my pace. I began losing contact with my pack and several runners would pass me before it was over. With 4 miles to go, a PR was still as good as mine unless the pace slipped to near 7:30. Sub-1:30 had slipped away and so had 1:30:xx but I still appeared to be in good shape to break 1:32, which was the more realistic goal coming in. It was here that my lack of long runs really came back to haunt me. Mile 10 was into a headwind and would be the slowest mile of the race. I was still under 70 for 10 Miles, which is an unofficial PR. 5K to go now and I'm in full blown survival mode. Time to grit my teeth and show some heart here. Mile 11 would be a bit faster but the remaining 2 miles would be mostly up a gentle incline. Running all out, I struggled to keep the pace under 7:20. As for the mile markers, they were now consistently measured at 1.00 if not 1.01, putting the official measurement closer to the Garmin time. Still, I hit Mile 12 with an 11.96 reading and expected the course to be no more than 13.10.
More splits:
6:51-(48:10) shaping up to be the race of my life
7:07-(55:17) slipping a little, slight incline
7:02-(62:19) downhill, hoped for a faster split. Survival
7:23-(69:42) uh oh. show some heart now.
7:09 (76:51) Barring disaster, you've got a PR.
7:17 (84:08) Hang on, uphill.
Now, this is where the nightmare begins. After some quick math, I figured that I needed right around 7:00 to break 1:32 and my pace could slip to 7:48 for the last mile and I'd still PR. I was running on fumes now and the incline was a bit less gentle on the 13th Mile. With the finish line so close, or so I thought, an act of will kept my pace steady but I could not increase it until I came off the trail just before the Garmin turned 13 (I did not see the 13th Mile marker). Okay, I figured, only 40 seconds to go. Sub-1:32 may have slipped away but you'll certainly PR. I thought I had a short straightaway and maybe 1 turn to go but the finish line just wasn't there. We got a short downhill and my watch read 13.15 and it had already turned 1:32. Uh oh! I've really got to hustle just to get a baby PR. I turned on the speed as fast as I could and my pace hit 5:00 at my fastest but the finish line still wasn't there. I rounded another corner and finally saw a clock 50 yards away. With a PR gone and feeling some mild GI discomfort, I packed it in and finally finished demoralized at 1:33:21 (#3 all time). Garmin pace was 7:00 or 7:01 which is good enough for a PR but the distance registered at 13.31.
Last 2 splits were:
7:17 (1:31:25)
1:55 (1:33:21) 6:11 pace for .31.
Final thoughts:
I have mixed feelings right now because I'm not entirely sure of the exact value of my time. Even if the course was measured accurately, I came within 32 seconds of my PR or roughly 2.5 ticks/mile, which is nothing to be ashamed. What is certain though is that for my next attempt in the Fall, I need more long runs and need to be steady in the 50-55 MPW range. I tried running over 60 last Fall and ended up hurt and badly unbalanced so I will not do that again. 50-55 should be safe especially if I'm sensible with the paces.
Course length:
Was this a PR performance? The course had relatively few turns and was not in an urban area. Also the fact that the entire discrepancy occurred in the final Mile leads me to believe that the course was indeed long. I'd be more inclined to trust the course measurement if the Garmin consistently measured the Miles to be 1.01 or 1.02 and I'd head into the last mile knowing that the Garmin read it long all the way. That's what usually occurs. The official distance is 13.11 and my watch usually reads between 13.15-13.20. I've never had anything over 13.26 before.
13.11 projects to a 1:31:57. 13.21 projects to a 1:32:39. Even 13.23 projects to a PR.
I heard that in Little Rock, a similar situation occurred and one of the participants e-mailed the RD, who admitted that the marathon course was accurate but the half was long. I sent a polite e-mail to the RD and hope to get a similar response. Even if I have to include an asterisk, if I did cover the 13.11 distance faster than I previously had, this performance should be recognized as such. In the Fall, I want a new PR that puts this question to rest.
Aftermath:
I could not stay long because I had a plane to catch. I wanted a full day off back in Birmingham to recover from jet lag and decompress. My return trip also went without a hitch. This was a very good trip overall and was worth doing regardless of how the race turned out.
Decent cycle overall. My mileage was pretty consistent around 40, which was a little less than I hoped for but enough to get the job done in a half marathon. As usual, the quality was high but I was very much short on long runs. That could come back to bite me in the last 5K. I had not gone over 10 miles in more than a month and had not exceeded the race distance in more than 2 months. I did not plan on that happening but every time I had planned to go 15-16, an annoying medical issue flared up on the weekend. It's probable that a chronically infected root canal was hurting my training. The problem tooth was extracted 2 weeks ago and I was hopeful for improvement or at least more stability in my body chemistry. This was my first real shot at 1:30 and though I did not expect to break it, I believed that I could put a significant dent in my current PR (1:32:49) 3 months earlier in Chattanooga. The elevation was 2,200 feet, which should have a minimal negative effect on performance. I did not feel a difference but it was probably worth maybe 2-3 secs per mile or roughly :30 total.
Trip:
I flew Delta, which has not been so good to me in the past but this time, my trip went without a hitch. After a layover in Minneapolis, I landed on time just after noon in Spokane, Washington. I drove around town for a bit and found that the Centennial trail runs through downtown and would be a great place for an easy run the next day. Feeling tired, I checked into my hotel then walked to a Chili's just across the road where I polished off a full rack of ribs. The next morning, I got in an easy 5 in on the Centennial trail then hit the road heading east on I-90. It was a beautiful 3 hour drive to Missoula, Montana with mountains in the distance with peaks still snow covered. I have now been to every state in the continental U.S. with Alaska and Hawaii still to go. I chose this race because it presented the best opportunity to see both Idaho and Montana for the first time and the weather conditions were likely to be favorable even in late May. Coeur d'Alene is located in the northern panhandle of Idaho, just 100 miles south of the Canadian border. I drove around town for a bit, stopped at a mall and had dinner at a decent independent restaurant. The next morning, I got an early start and headed back to Idaho. I took in the beautiful lakeside scenery and walked around town for a bit. Dinner would really be a treat. I polished off a 24 oz. porterhouse and it was one of the best I have ever had. As planned, I was in bed early and would be ready to roll the next morning.
Race day:
I felt very strong warming up and was starting to feel confident that this could be my day. The weather was sunny with temps in the 40s-50s and the course map indicated that it was a mostly flat course. That was true. Another claim is suspect. The gun went off and my early pace was around 6:20. That's way too fast but it felt so effortless. Still, I tried my best to slow down but came through the Mile marker in 6:38, 15 seconds fast. The plan was to run in the upper 6:50s for the first half or just a tad slower than 1:30 pace. That way, if it's in me, I can go for it in the 2nd half but if not, I won't be out so fast that I'll be doomed in the later stages. By Mile 2, I was getting into a groove and would rip off 6 consecutive miles in the 6:50s. Mile 2-3 were mostly downhill but 4-5 would require more effort. I maintained the pace well and still felt quite comfortable through the first half. Despite, the faster pace, I felt better than I did in Chattanooga.
1st half spilts:
6:38-(6:38) slow down fool
6:56-(13:34) better
6:56-(20:30) very good
6:56-(27:26) new definition of an even pace
6:54-(34:20) feel great, that was a hilly mile.
6:59-(41:19) stay under 7 for as long as you can.
The mile markers were a bit short. Each mile seemed to be measured .98 or .99 and at the 6th Mile mark, my Garmin read 5.91. Normally, the reverse happens and the Garmin measures the course a bit long. Only once has the Garmin been off at the short end, which was at Mercedes this year. The splits listed are watch splits so a thought entered my mind. I may be going even faster than my splits indicate, possibly up to 30 seconds faster.
I hit 6.55 (Garmin) just a hair slower than 1:30 pace. I believe that my time was 45:06. A PR should be in the bag and if the Garmin measures the course at around 13.0, I may still have a shot at 1:29:59. By the 8th Mile, I was working quite hard and my pace was slowing. We hit a decent downhill in the next mile and it did not significantly increase my pace. I began losing contact with my pack and several runners would pass me before it was over. With 4 miles to go, a PR was still as good as mine unless the pace slipped to near 7:30. Sub-1:30 had slipped away and so had 1:30:xx but I still appeared to be in good shape to break 1:32, which was the more realistic goal coming in. It was here that my lack of long runs really came back to haunt me. Mile 10 was into a headwind and would be the slowest mile of the race. I was still under 70 for 10 Miles, which is an unofficial PR. 5K to go now and I'm in full blown survival mode. Time to grit my teeth and show some heart here. Mile 11 would be a bit faster but the remaining 2 miles would be mostly up a gentle incline. Running all out, I struggled to keep the pace under 7:20. As for the mile markers, they were now consistently measured at 1.00 if not 1.01, putting the official measurement closer to the Garmin time. Still, I hit Mile 12 with an 11.96 reading and expected the course to be no more than 13.10.
More splits:
6:51-(48:10) shaping up to be the race of my life
7:07-(55:17) slipping a little, slight incline
7:02-(62:19) downhill, hoped for a faster split. Survival
7:23-(69:42) uh oh. show some heart now.
7:09 (76:51) Barring disaster, you've got a PR.
7:17 (84:08) Hang on, uphill.
Now, this is where the nightmare begins. After some quick math, I figured that I needed right around 7:00 to break 1:32 and my pace could slip to 7:48 for the last mile and I'd still PR. I was running on fumes now and the incline was a bit less gentle on the 13th Mile. With the finish line so close, or so I thought, an act of will kept my pace steady but I could not increase it until I came off the trail just before the Garmin turned 13 (I did not see the 13th Mile marker). Okay, I figured, only 40 seconds to go. Sub-1:32 may have slipped away but you'll certainly PR. I thought I had a short straightaway and maybe 1 turn to go but the finish line just wasn't there. We got a short downhill and my watch read 13.15 and it had already turned 1:32. Uh oh! I've really got to hustle just to get a baby PR. I turned on the speed as fast as I could and my pace hit 5:00 at my fastest but the finish line still wasn't there. I rounded another corner and finally saw a clock 50 yards away. With a PR gone and feeling some mild GI discomfort, I packed it in and finally finished demoralized at 1:33:21 (#3 all time). Garmin pace was 7:00 or 7:01 which is good enough for a PR but the distance registered at 13.31.
Last 2 splits were:
7:17 (1:31:25)
1:55 (1:33:21) 6:11 pace for .31.
Final thoughts:
I have mixed feelings right now because I'm not entirely sure of the exact value of my time. Even if the course was measured accurately, I came within 32 seconds of my PR or roughly 2.5 ticks/mile, which is nothing to be ashamed. What is certain though is that for my next attempt in the Fall, I need more long runs and need to be steady in the 50-55 MPW range. I tried running over 60 last Fall and ended up hurt and badly unbalanced so I will not do that again. 50-55 should be safe especially if I'm sensible with the paces.
Course length:
Was this a PR performance? The course had relatively few turns and was not in an urban area. Also the fact that the entire discrepancy occurred in the final Mile leads me to believe that the course was indeed long. I'd be more inclined to trust the course measurement if the Garmin consistently measured the Miles to be 1.01 or 1.02 and I'd head into the last mile knowing that the Garmin read it long all the way. That's what usually occurs. The official distance is 13.11 and my watch usually reads between 13.15-13.20. I've never had anything over 13.26 before.
13.11 projects to a 1:31:57. 13.21 projects to a 1:32:39. Even 13.23 projects to a PR.
I heard that in Little Rock, a similar situation occurred and one of the participants e-mailed the RD, who admitted that the marathon course was accurate but the half was long. I sent a polite e-mail to the RD and hope to get a similar response. Even if I have to include an asterisk, if I did cover the 13.11 distance faster than I previously had, this performance should be recognized as such. In the Fall, I want a new PR that puts this question to rest.
Aftermath:
I could not stay long because I had a plane to catch. I wanted a full day off back in Birmingham to recover from jet lag and decompress. My return trip also went without a hitch. This was a very good trip overall and was worth doing regardless of how the race turned out.
Monday, May 23, 2011
Training 5/23-5/29 (race week taper)
5/23- A little bit of everything in today's workout. Another half-assed attempt at the 5K. This time, I hit the 2K mark in 7:45, realized that I wasn't going to make it and quit. Instead of wallowing in self-pity, I walked a lap and ran 3x400 intervals in respectable fashion (75-74-68). I completed the workout with a 2.5 mile cool down in 19:48 (7:55 pace). A disappointment overall as the 5K drought continues. In fairness, I wasn't totally fresh and it was 85 degrees but the heat will only get worse for the next 2 months. I've got to look back and see my workouts leading up to the 19:27. Something felt a little off today and I'll try to bump up my ADHS. I'd rather do that than have to take the chromium. Tomorrow, I plan to return to Johnny's workout even though nobody there can hang with me. The lack of a training partner in interval sessions is clearly hurting my short distance efforts.
Grade:C+/1 credit/distance=5.0
5/24- I took a look at my training from the summer of '09 and it showed that my paces for long tempos were quite slow compared to what I am doing now. However, I ran some phenomenal short intervals with Dave (who no longer trains w/Johnny) that I'm not sure that I could duplicate today. I returned to the track today for Johnny's workout, which was interesting. It started out with 200-300-400-600-800. My times were right on target at 35-54-74-1:56-2:38. I thought the 800 was the top of the pyramid and I ran it hard but got surprised with another one. I showed no heart in struggling through a 2:50 but bounced back with 3 solid 400s in 76-75-69. Overall pace was just under 5:10/mile. As for the Mile and 5K, the raw speed is there and the endurance is there but one critical component needs improvement. Strength or sustained speed must improve if I am to PR at those distances. This workout was geared toward that objective.
Grade:B/2 credits/distance=5.5
* On the medical front, I took half a chromium last night and got the expected negative reaction, which is actually a good thing. As expected, there was no dramatic effect after taking care of the oral infection but it's still possible that the infection was a factor in the chromium dependency. If I can stick with the ADHS and avoid having to take chromium or anything else that is a stimulant, it just might be the path to balanced body chemistry.
5/25- I did some research and found no evidence that an infected root canal has anything to do with any issues with chromium. I did find a case in which a young woman developed symptoms of schizophrenia (yes that's right) after getting a bad root canal but after getting the tooth out, she was fine within a short time. I do think that it's plausible that my infected root canal had something to do with the extreme sensitivity to chromium.
Workout was the Trak Shak 5 at moderate effort with a time of 36:42 (7:21 pace). Slowed a bit in the second half but that's okay. All 5 were 7:30 or under. I was faster than I planned anyway. Temp was close to 90 but not too humid with a bit of a breeze so I didn't find it too unpleasant. I leave for Spokane tomorrow and it will be like another world. Temps will only be in the 50s with cloudy skies and a chance of rain each day. If it's gonna be that chilly, PLEASE no rain during the race. Temps in the 30s-40s with rain is the most uncomfortable weather for running.
Grade:A-/1 credit/distance=5.5
5/26- Travel day. Planned rest. Arrived in a different world in Spokane, Washington with temps in the low 50s. Drive through town for a bit then had ribs at Chili's and went to bed early.
5/27- Easy run on Centennial Trail in Spokane. Pleased with how I felt. The trail had lots of offshoots and was difficult to follow but I did see some impressive whitewater scenery by the river. First 2 miles in 14:12 which sounds way too fast but I did stop numerous times to make sure that I did not get lost. Walked for a few minutes then ran 2.5 miles @ 7:30 pace with a pickup at the end. The opposite direction was much easier to follow. It's only 9 AM and I'm headed to Montana.
Grade:B+/1 credit/distance=5.0
5/28- Lakeside junk run in CDA. 1.25 miles @ 6:58 pace with a pickup at the end. Cloudy, chilly and windy out there. Tomorrow looks pretty good however. Upper 40s at the start with a low chance of rain but wind could be a nuisance. Short pants for sure. May go with a long top. All systems are go for tomorrow.
Grade:Pass/0 credit/distance=1.5
5/29- Coeur d'Alene half marathon in 1:33:21 but the course was measured at 13.31 and I'm 90% sure that it was indeed long. Self-adjusted time is 1:31:57, which is a PR with an asterisk.
Grade:A-/4 credits/distance=14.5
Weekly summary:
Pretty good race even if the course wasn't long though it seems highly doubtful that it was accurate. Time to re-focus on speed and hope the heat and humidity are less intense this summer. Not much of a taper but I really didn't need or deserve one considering the low mileage leading up to the race. I may not hit 40 next week but intend to for most of the summer.
Distance=37.0/ GPA=30.1/9=3.34
Grade:C+/1 credit/distance=5.0
5/24- I took a look at my training from the summer of '09 and it showed that my paces for long tempos were quite slow compared to what I am doing now. However, I ran some phenomenal short intervals with Dave (who no longer trains w/Johnny) that I'm not sure that I could duplicate today. I returned to the track today for Johnny's workout, which was interesting. It started out with 200-300-400-600-800. My times were right on target at 35-54-74-1:56-2:38. I thought the 800 was the top of the pyramid and I ran it hard but got surprised with another one. I showed no heart in struggling through a 2:50 but bounced back with 3 solid 400s in 76-75-69. Overall pace was just under 5:10/mile. As for the Mile and 5K, the raw speed is there and the endurance is there but one critical component needs improvement. Strength or sustained speed must improve if I am to PR at those distances. This workout was geared toward that objective.
Grade:B/2 credits/distance=5.5
* On the medical front, I took half a chromium last night and got the expected negative reaction, which is actually a good thing. As expected, there was no dramatic effect after taking care of the oral infection but it's still possible that the infection was a factor in the chromium dependency. If I can stick with the ADHS and avoid having to take chromium or anything else that is a stimulant, it just might be the path to balanced body chemistry.
5/25- I did some research and found no evidence that an infected root canal has anything to do with any issues with chromium. I did find a case in which a young woman developed symptoms of schizophrenia (yes that's right) after getting a bad root canal but after getting the tooth out, she was fine within a short time. I do think that it's plausible that my infected root canal had something to do with the extreme sensitivity to chromium.
Workout was the Trak Shak 5 at moderate effort with a time of 36:42 (7:21 pace). Slowed a bit in the second half but that's okay. All 5 were 7:30 or under. I was faster than I planned anyway. Temp was close to 90 but not too humid with a bit of a breeze so I didn't find it too unpleasant. I leave for Spokane tomorrow and it will be like another world. Temps will only be in the 50s with cloudy skies and a chance of rain each day. If it's gonna be that chilly, PLEASE no rain during the race. Temps in the 30s-40s with rain is the most uncomfortable weather for running.
Grade:A-/1 credit/distance=5.5
5/26- Travel day. Planned rest. Arrived in a different world in Spokane, Washington with temps in the low 50s. Drive through town for a bit then had ribs at Chili's and went to bed early.
5/27- Easy run on Centennial Trail in Spokane. Pleased with how I felt. The trail had lots of offshoots and was difficult to follow but I did see some impressive whitewater scenery by the river. First 2 miles in 14:12 which sounds way too fast but I did stop numerous times to make sure that I did not get lost. Walked for a few minutes then ran 2.5 miles @ 7:30 pace with a pickup at the end. The opposite direction was much easier to follow. It's only 9 AM and I'm headed to Montana.
Grade:B+/1 credit/distance=5.0
5/28- Lakeside junk run in CDA. 1.25 miles @ 6:58 pace with a pickup at the end. Cloudy, chilly and windy out there. Tomorrow looks pretty good however. Upper 40s at the start with a low chance of rain but wind could be a nuisance. Short pants for sure. May go with a long top. All systems are go for tomorrow.
Grade:Pass/0 credit/distance=1.5
5/29- Coeur d'Alene half marathon in 1:33:21 but the course was measured at 13.31 and I'm 90% sure that it was indeed long. Self-adjusted time is 1:31:57, which is a PR with an asterisk.
Grade:A-/4 credits/distance=14.5
Weekly summary:
Pretty good race even if the course wasn't long though it seems highly doubtful that it was accurate. Time to re-focus on speed and hope the heat and humidity are less intense this summer. Not much of a taper but I really didn't need or deserve one considering the low mileage leading up to the race. I may not hit 40 next week but intend to for most of the summer.
Distance=37.0/ GPA=30.1/9=3.34
Monday, May 16, 2011
Training 5/16-5/22
5/16- The tooth came out and the recovery process has begun. In addition to those 3 questions posed earlier, there is one positive thought. This low grade infection may have been present for months or even longer. When it's cleaned out, will it accelerate the healing from adrenal dysfunction? Planned rest day. Hoping to get an easy one in tomorrow.
5/17- Planned workout was an easy 5. I felt different immediately after I woke up. I got off to a good start (1:35 first quarter feeling good) so I decided to go for it. I finished with a remarkable time of 32:21 (unofficial PR, 6:28 pace) despite feeling a bit weakened by antibiotics. I'm at a loss for words right now. Splits were 6:26-6:27-6:34-6:34-6:20. I think I would have had a shot at the 10K PR if I would have kept going. This projects to a 40:33 10K and a 1:30:14 half.
Grade:A/2 credits/distance=6.0
5/18- Trak Shak 8 in 55:43 (6:58 pace). Strong performance overall. I did fade a bit toward the end. This will probably be the last Wednesday below 80 degrees until September. 1st half was 27:09. 2nd half was 28:34. Not so pleased with that. Lungs were hurting worse than my legs. Perhaps the antibiotics have left me weak. Only 2 days to go on that stuff. This was my 3rd best time on this course.
Grade:A-/2 credits/distance=8.5
5/19- Naked run at Vestavia. I estimate that my pace was a little over 8 for 6 miles. Struggled. Felt worse after taking another antibiotic pill. Only one more day on that stuff. On an easy day, I did pretty much what I planned but I rate my performance as only fair.
Grade:C+/1 credit/distance=6.0
5/20- Indoor 5 miler fully clothed in 38:55 (7:47 pace). Finished up the last of the antibiotics this morning and hit the nadir shortly thereafter. Since noon, I have been feeling improvement. Still quite weak and would have had nothing in a hard workout but I did what I planned today and it felt slightly better than yesterday.
Grade:B-/1 credit/distance=5.0
5/21- Group run which dropped all but one. Moderate effort. Finished at 8.7 miles @ 7:34 pace. This was the best that I have felt since Wednesday. I hope to be in the clear by tomorrow evening. It looks like I won't need any more SBF now that the antibiotics have cleared my system. Long cool down to reach a round number on the day. New Garmin 110 and I'm pleased with it. The old one was falling apart.
Grade:B/2 credits/distance=10.0
5/22- The taper has begun. Moderate Lakeshore 5 in 36:21 (7:17 pace). Temp was 75 which is not so bad but that sun was BRIGHT. Early forecast for race day is a chance of rain and 46 degrees. Garmin 110 won't let me view laps after the run. WTH? I can view them using Garmin Connect Online. When this one wears out, I'll look to another GPS. Maintained sub-7:30 pace in relative comfort then turned it on for a 6:52 5th mile. Feel strong.
Grade:B+/1 credit/distance=5.0
I would normally run in the afternoon and feel good enough to do so but since I'm tapering, I'm taking the rest of the day off.
Weekly summary:
I may really be in the clear. The tooth is out and the antibiotics have cleared my system. The adrenals are still overactive but at least for now, that's treatable with the ADHS. Finished over 40 miles and got back over 3.0
Distance=40.5/ GPA= 29.7/9= 3.30
5/17- Planned workout was an easy 5. I felt different immediately after I woke up. I got off to a good start (1:35 first quarter feeling good) so I decided to go for it. I finished with a remarkable time of 32:21 (unofficial PR, 6:28 pace) despite feeling a bit weakened by antibiotics. I'm at a loss for words right now. Splits were 6:26-6:27-6:34-6:34-6:20. I think I would have had a shot at the 10K PR if I would have kept going. This projects to a 40:33 10K and a 1:30:14 half.
Grade:A/2 credits/distance=6.0
5/18- Trak Shak 8 in 55:43 (6:58 pace). Strong performance overall. I did fade a bit toward the end. This will probably be the last Wednesday below 80 degrees until September. 1st half was 27:09. 2nd half was 28:34. Not so pleased with that. Lungs were hurting worse than my legs. Perhaps the antibiotics have left me weak. Only 2 days to go on that stuff. This was my 3rd best time on this course.
Grade:A-/2 credits/distance=8.5
5/19- Naked run at Vestavia. I estimate that my pace was a little over 8 for 6 miles. Struggled. Felt worse after taking another antibiotic pill. Only one more day on that stuff. On an easy day, I did pretty much what I planned but I rate my performance as only fair.
Grade:C+/1 credit/distance=6.0
5/20- Indoor 5 miler fully clothed in 38:55 (7:47 pace). Finished up the last of the antibiotics this morning and hit the nadir shortly thereafter. Since noon, I have been feeling improvement. Still quite weak and would have had nothing in a hard workout but I did what I planned today and it felt slightly better than yesterday.
Grade:B-/1 credit/distance=5.0
5/21- Group run which dropped all but one. Moderate effort. Finished at 8.7 miles @ 7:34 pace. This was the best that I have felt since Wednesday. I hope to be in the clear by tomorrow evening. It looks like I won't need any more SBF now that the antibiotics have cleared my system. Long cool down to reach a round number on the day. New Garmin 110 and I'm pleased with it. The old one was falling apart.
Grade:B/2 credits/distance=10.0
5/22- The taper has begun. Moderate Lakeshore 5 in 36:21 (7:17 pace). Temp was 75 which is not so bad but that sun was BRIGHT. Early forecast for race day is a chance of rain and 46 degrees. Garmin 110 won't let me view laps after the run. WTH? I can view them using Garmin Connect Online. When this one wears out, I'll look to another GPS. Maintained sub-7:30 pace in relative comfort then turned it on for a 6:52 5th mile. Feel strong.
Grade:B+/1 credit/distance=5.0
I would normally run in the afternoon and feel good enough to do so but since I'm tapering, I'm taking the rest of the day off.
Weekly summary:
I may really be in the clear. The tooth is out and the antibiotics have cleared my system. The adrenals are still overactive but at least for now, that's treatable with the ADHS. Finished over 40 miles and got back over 3.0
Distance=40.5/ GPA= 29.7/9= 3.30
Monday, May 9, 2011
Training 5/9-5/15
5/9- Summer like weather conditions. Tomorrow will be the first of many 90 degree days. Last week was a golden opportunity to nail that 5K PR but it slipped away. Good news and bad news about today's workout. The bad is that I am still not quite in the clear. The good is that my progress has been sure and steady since Friday's debacle. That makes me more comfortable that a roller coaster ride. Today's workout was a downward ladder.
2K- 7:43, 1600- 6:19, 1200- 4:39, 800- 3:00, 400- 89, 400- 72. Overall pace was 6:05/mi.
If I had run the time trial today, I think I would have fallen just a hair short of the sub-20. In the past, I was pleased with anything under 20. Considering how well I was doing 2 weeks ago, I want that barrier to be 19:30 instead and even if I can't break 19, I just want to make a dent in that nearly 2 year old PR.
Grade:B-/2 credits/distance=5.5
5/10- Easy 7 indoors in 53:46 (7:41 pace). Even pace. Nothing over 7:45, nothing under 7:36. I felt tired at times during the work day but I was pleased with the workout. On an easy day, the pace is not as important. The workout must feel almost effortless to get an A. This did not feel hard but I was working a bit.
Grade:B+/1 credit/distance=7.0
5/11- Trak Shak 8 in 58:37 (7:20 pace). Moderate effort and with the temp at 87 degrees that's a very respectable performance. According to runworks, that's equivalent to a 56:26 in 65 degree weather. Alone for 7 out of 8 miles then a Trak Shak guy caught up to me and pushed me to a 6:56 in Mile 8. Solid performance.
Grade:B+/1 credit/distance=8.0
5/12- Planned rest day.
5/13- 5K time trial in 19:46 (best time of the year). 7 ticks better than last time. Still not especially pleased with that time and did not have my best stuff as evidenced by the abnormal calf stiffness after the run. The 5K PR is my oldest and the drought has been most frustrating. This time I was out a little slower in the first half mile (3:04) but held the pace for longer than last time. Faded considerably after the 2K mark and had very little finishing kick.
Mile splits: 6:09-6:22-6:32-43. 5 out of the 7 seconds of improvement came in the 2nd half.
Kilometer splits: 3:50-3:51-4:00-4:06-4:01. 1st half 9:40, 2nd half 10:06.
Grade:B/3 credits/distance=4.5
5/14- Run #1- Trak Shak 3 in a pathetic 26:24 (8:48 pace). Splits were 8:13-8:34-9:37. I think the oral infection has messed up my body chemistry. I did nothing different with the pills.
Run #2- Vestavia 3 in 23:23 (7:48 pace). Much better but still slowed considerably and was dead after the 3rd Mile. I could not have gone any further. I popped some old antibiotics and that's probably what made the difference. Splits were 7:36-7:50-7:57.
Run #3- Vestavia 4 after another antibiotic. Time is down to 29:59 (7:30 pace). Still out of breath but definitely improving. Last mile was 7:17.
Grade:D/1 credit/distance=10.0
5/15- AM. Horrible performance. Lakeshore 5 in 41:50 (8:22 pace). 1st half 19:56, 2nd half 21:54. It has been confirmed that a chronically infected root canal can cause adrenal fatigue. The tooth comes out tomorrow.
PM- Not much better. Indoor run. Good start but hit the wall early in Mile 2. Stopped for water after hitting the marker in 14:55 then made a half assed effort to run again but there was nothing there. Quit after another half mile at glacial pace. It's 3 PM and I'm checking out for the day. Never thought I'd be looking forward to a tooth extraction.
Grade:F/1 credit/distance=7.5
Weekly summary:
Only real good news is that I got back over 40 miles on the week. Third straight week below 3.0 and there are a lot of unanswered questions. One thing that's certain is that I can't get better until the tooth comes out. How long has it been messing with my body chemistry? How long until I recover? Will there be any long-term impact on my treatment plan? I'm going to Idaho no matter what but whether or not I'll be able to run is another question.
Distance=42.5/ GPA= 22/9=2.44
2K- 7:43, 1600- 6:19, 1200- 4:39, 800- 3:00, 400- 89, 400- 72. Overall pace was 6:05/mi.
If I had run the time trial today, I think I would have fallen just a hair short of the sub-20. In the past, I was pleased with anything under 20. Considering how well I was doing 2 weeks ago, I want that barrier to be 19:30 instead and even if I can't break 19, I just want to make a dent in that nearly 2 year old PR.
Grade:B-/2 credits/distance=5.5
5/10- Easy 7 indoors in 53:46 (7:41 pace). Even pace. Nothing over 7:45, nothing under 7:36. I felt tired at times during the work day but I was pleased with the workout. On an easy day, the pace is not as important. The workout must feel almost effortless to get an A. This did not feel hard but I was working a bit.
Grade:B+/1 credit/distance=7.0
5/11- Trak Shak 8 in 58:37 (7:20 pace). Moderate effort and with the temp at 87 degrees that's a very respectable performance. According to runworks, that's equivalent to a 56:26 in 65 degree weather. Alone for 7 out of 8 miles then a Trak Shak guy caught up to me and pushed me to a 6:56 in Mile 8. Solid performance.
Grade:B+/1 credit/distance=8.0
5/12- Planned rest day.
5/13- 5K time trial in 19:46 (best time of the year). 7 ticks better than last time. Still not especially pleased with that time and did not have my best stuff as evidenced by the abnormal calf stiffness after the run. The 5K PR is my oldest and the drought has been most frustrating. This time I was out a little slower in the first half mile (3:04) but held the pace for longer than last time. Faded considerably after the 2K mark and had very little finishing kick.
Mile splits: 6:09-6:22-6:32-43. 5 out of the 7 seconds of improvement came in the 2nd half.
Kilometer splits: 3:50-3:51-4:00-4:06-4:01. 1st half 9:40, 2nd half 10:06.
Grade:B/3 credits/distance=4.5
5/14- Run #1- Trak Shak 3 in a pathetic 26:24 (8:48 pace). Splits were 8:13-8:34-9:37. I think the oral infection has messed up my body chemistry. I did nothing different with the pills.
Run #2- Vestavia 3 in 23:23 (7:48 pace). Much better but still slowed considerably and was dead after the 3rd Mile. I could not have gone any further. I popped some old antibiotics and that's probably what made the difference. Splits were 7:36-7:50-7:57.
Run #3- Vestavia 4 after another antibiotic. Time is down to 29:59 (7:30 pace). Still out of breath but definitely improving. Last mile was 7:17.
Grade:D/1 credit/distance=10.0
5/15- AM. Horrible performance. Lakeshore 5 in 41:50 (8:22 pace). 1st half 19:56, 2nd half 21:54. It has been confirmed that a chronically infected root canal can cause adrenal fatigue. The tooth comes out tomorrow.
PM- Not much better. Indoor run. Good start but hit the wall early in Mile 2. Stopped for water after hitting the marker in 14:55 then made a half assed effort to run again but there was nothing there. Quit after another half mile at glacial pace. It's 3 PM and I'm checking out for the day. Never thought I'd be looking forward to a tooth extraction.
Grade:F/1 credit/distance=7.5
Weekly summary:
Only real good news is that I got back over 40 miles on the week. Third straight week below 3.0 and there are a lot of unanswered questions. One thing that's certain is that I can't get better until the tooth comes out. How long has it been messing with my body chemistry? How long until I recover? Will there be any long-term impact on my treatment plan? I'm going to Idaho no matter what but whether or not I'll be able to run is another question.
Distance=42.5/ GPA= 22/9=2.44
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