"Every runner's greatest opponent is the wall--the wall of fatigue, that is. The goal of training is to push the wall of fatigue by increasing the maximum pace one can sustain from the start line to the finish line of a race. The goal of race execution is to actually run as fast as possible without hitting the wall before reaching the finish line. It's that simple." -------> Matt Fitzgerald <-------
Saturday, May 31, 2008
10-miler
10 miles : no pace
ACHIEVED
9.85 mi. @ 8:21/mi.
6:14 AM 75° 85% 2 mph
Ran with Stephanie's group this morning. Stephanie was gone for her honeymoon but today's group included: Stacey, Randy, Jonathan, Miranda, Laurie, William, and me.
The group was scheduled for 13.5 but Jonathan and I cut it short. He's probably running with the Tornados tomorrow and I had to hustle back to the house to help Cameron get ready for his first day on the job. He's umpiring 9-year old baseball games this morning. Both he and Paige were nervous (he did just fine).
My legs felt okay today but my overall fitness didn't. Jonathan and Stacey picked up the pace to around 8 minute miles over the middle part of the run and I felt pressed. My cardio didn't seem to be there nor my legs. This run was tougher than it should have been.
PRE RUN
Kashi Go Lean cereal w/skim milk and multivitamin
POST RUN
Clif bar and water
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Quick 3
run
ACHIEVED
3.02 mi.@8:15/mi.
5:01 AM 70° 83% 0 mph
Nothing special about today's run. I played basketball for an hour and a half last night. I haven't played in a long time. It was good to get out again. Sometime ago I read that distance running reduces jumping ability. I don't recall the source or biomechanical details. I did notice that I seemed to have difficulty getting two feet off the ground at the same time last night. Being honest with myself, it might not be the running .... It may be that 41-year old guys just aren't supposed to jump! Not that I ever had an amazing vertical but there was a time when I could get off the floor a bit.
I wasn't sure when I would wake up this morning and didn't set an alarm. I figured if I woke up early enough, I'd run. If not, I'd go out tonight or tomorrow. I woke up around 4:50, tossed a bit then figured I had time for 3 miles.
I haven't checked the weather this morning but I'm guessing I'll find the temperature was slightly cooler and the humidity was noticeably lower. It was pleasant. Weather supposed to stay the same for a while ... lows in the 70's, highs in the 90's.
The only thing I noticed was my legs felt a little tweaked from the lateral movement playing basketball last night. I tried to keep the pace comfortable and just enjoy being out. It was a good start to the day.
I'm not sure what's going to happen for this weekend's running. Steph's wedding was last weekend. I don't know about the honeymoon plans but I'm guessing she's out of town. If that's the case, the question becomes will anyone pick up the slack and plan a run in her absence. I'm also not sure what the renegade Spring runners are doing. Bob Bond is running the San Diego marathon Sunday so he'll be out of town. I think a couple of the other guys are nursing injuries. Jonathan has picked up with the Tornados running club so I doubt he's going to want to do anything. I may be left on my own ....
PRE RUN
nothing
POST RUN
SlimFast & multivitamin
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Stretching the Legs over a Morning Run
stretch legs over a few miles
ACHIEVED
4.08 mi. @ 8:32/mi.
4:52 AM 70° 88% 0 mph
Left knee was achy today but loosened slightly over the run. (Maybe it was Monday's hills or residual marathon damage ...?) Other than that my legs seemed to have a little spring during the second half. I suppose I'm still recovering from the marathon.
I set an appoint with Dr. John Cianca. I'll meet with him on Friday, June 6 (the earliest I could get in). He's the former medical director of the Houston Marathon and a runner himself. I know at least three people who have used him and they have had good success with his diagnostic techniques and therapies. Ironically, my formal training for the St. George marathon begins in earnest June 9.
PRE RUN
nothing
POST RUN
SlimFast & multivitamin
Later, GrapeNuts w/skim milk
Monday, May 26, 2008
Will's Hills w/Cam & Rory
run a bit
ACHIEVED
WU
2 x 1100-660-430 + 1100
CD
5:34 AM 79° 84% 5 mph
Rory and Cameron went with me to run Will's Hills this morning. It's Memorial Day so they are out of school and I'm off work. As usual we didn't know what the workout was until we got there. An 1100 meter loop with a couple relatively small hills was laid out. The workout was to run the full loop then take a 3 minute break. Run approximately 660 meters then take a 2 minute break. Run the remaining 430 meters then take a 1 minute break. After completing this circuit, we repeated it then followed it with a final 1100 meter loop.
It was a good workout. My knee felt "stressed" but not over-strained. Rory and Cam each ran well. Here are my approximate splits with breaks in parenthesis:
4:43 (2:59) 2:03 (2:01) 1:38 (0:54)
4:34 (2:30) 2:39 (2:00) 1:45 (1:17)
4:39
PRE RUN
Kashi GoLean cereal w/skim milk
POST RUN
SlimFast & Clif bar