Picking Up at the End of a Long One

OBJECTIVE
20 mi. easy w/last 5 mi.@ marathon pace (7:38/mi.)

ACHIEVED
20.87 mi.@ 8:12/mi.
last 5 mile splits 8:23/7:44/7:18/7:26/7:37/7:33 (.87 mile)

6:09 AM 68° 93% 10 mph mist

This was a really good run. The main reason wasn't necessarily how I felt physically ... although I felt pretty good. Or how I went 20 miles for the first time in several weeks. Or how I actually hammered a solid, 5-mile pickup at the end ... which I did. No, this was a good run because the group was all pretty much back intact and running together again. With the fall racing season, it seems our schedules haven't synced up for a group run where everyone was there ... until today. Roll call for this morning included: Stephanie, Laurie, Miranda (back with us while visiting from her new home in Florida), Stuart, Jonathan, Josh, William, Randy, Aaron, and me.

There was a slight taint of melancholy because I'm not really sure how much longer our group stays together. I'm sure we'll keep getting long runs when we can get together but individual goals and objectives seem to be changing a bit. I'm hoping it's just the end of the racing season and the approach of the Houston marathon which many in our group are running.

We rolled over 15 miles averaging something around 8:25 per mile. The weather and conversation was good. I was feeling strong through about 9 miles but after a water break, fatigue and sluggishness started to set in a bit. I fought through it determined to go the distance. The group was slated for 18 but I knew I needed 20 both physically and mentally if there's any hope for a strong marathon in January (still to be determined). The route took us out-and-back through the Heights which I'm not a big fan of but succeeded in pressing on. Being with the group always helps me at this point.

I knew my training schedule had a 5-mile pickup. I was waffling on the idea through the entire run. At some point, I downgraded the pickup to 3 or 4 miles ... that should be good enough, right? Around 14 miles, Stuart decided to pickup and broke from the pack. I inadvertently went with him but caught myself and held back as I knew I couldn't hold his pace and that my distance hopefully going to be a bit longer than his. However, the accelerated pace for the short time I went with him felt good and convinced me that I should go ahead and see what I could do. At that point, I decided a 4-mile pickup would be good.

Laurie won't know how much I appreciated her calling for a pickup with just under 5 miles to go. I went with her and found the accelerated pace and rhythm difficult to establish for a bit but we settled in. No more talking ... focus and breathing would be more important now. We ran together and once we settled in around a 7:30 pace, it felt really good. It wasn't easy because I was working but there's something about being able to really being able to get moving after you've already put 16 miles on your legs. Just before getting back to the park, Laurie broke off back to the cars; the route everyone would be taking. I turned left to add mileage with a turn around the backside of the park. I didn't know if I'd be able to hold the pace after separating from Laurie but I was sure going to try. As always, the park held that magical energy of everyone exercising; running, walking, moving, etc. The energy always helps me and it didn't fail me this time either. I held the pace. I was hurting a bit with less than a mile to go but was so close I wasn't going to let a strong run slip away to mental weakness and fatigue. I pressed on. At the tennis courts, I saw an old friend, Robert Curran, who I hadn't seen in over 18 months. I stopped to talk with him and catch up. Our sons played baseball together on a travel team for about 3 years so there was a time when we spent most of our summers together. After our chat, I had stiffened a bit but pushed it over the final 1/2 mile back to the swimming pool parking lot. Aaron had finished some time before and was waiting. I missed the rest of the group as they had finished earlier, stretched and went there ways.

It sounds like most of us our out of town for the holidays next Saturday so I'm not expecting a group run. That will leave me to my own design to figure out a way to get miles. Running with a group is a huge help for me. Running with this group has been the best fortune of my running life.



PRE RUN
weight = 163#
FRS liquid concentrate, oatmeal w/1% milk & water

POST RUN
2 SlimFast
Later, water, multivitamin, & oatmeal w/almonds, flax, brown sugar & 1% milk

Can it Really Be this Warm in December?

OBJECTIVE
6 mi. Easy (8:08-38/mi.)

ACHIEVED
6.17 mi.@ 8:36/mi.

5:49 AM 68° 94% 2 mph

Ran alone this morning. Aaron took the day off. I kind of slogged along. I felt okay from a cardio standpoint most of the way but the old ab/groin issue flared mildly and my legs felt tired. I pressed on.

It was unseasonably warm!

PRE RUN
weight = 162#
Corn Flakes w/1% milk

POST RUN
SlimFast, water, multivitamin, Kashi GoLean cereal w/1% milk

Misty Moonlight

OBJECTIVE
4 mi. Slow (>8:38/mi)

ACHIEVED
4.06 mi.@ 8:37/mi.

5:32 AM 60F 100% 3 mph fog

It was really foggy this morning. The weather has been strange over the past few days. It looks like a cold and gray, wintery day as I remember them in Utah but there's no snow and the temperatures are too warm.

Aaron joined me again this morning. I was feeling pretty good, given yesterday's intervals. My legs were a little sore but it was ever-so-slight. Our pace was perfect for a recovery run. We'll go for 6 miles tomorrow and then a long 18-20 on Saturday. That will give us 46-48 miles for the week.

PRE RUN
weight = 162#
GrapeNuts w/1% milk

POST RUN
water, multivitamin, lowfat granola w/1% milk

Accompanied on Big Workout

OBJECTIVE
8 mi. w/8x2 min.@ 6:26/mi. & 2 min. recovery

ACHIEVED
8.39 mi.@ 8:39/mi. including:
2.39 mi.@ 8:28/mi.
6:17/6:27/6:17/6:35/6:23/6:29/6:27/6:36 (mile pace for 2 minutes)
2.00 mi.@ 9:04/mi.

5:19 AM 44F 100% 1 mph mist

As usual, this workout became more ominous as it approached. Aaron joined me. This was the first time I've had a partner for the Big Workout. I picked him up at 5 then drove to the Y for my traditional start.

The humidity was so heavy it was like a very light rain. I started out hammering the intervals pretty hard. I'm sure Aaron's presence spurred me a bit. I was surprised as we progressed through the intervals that I was stretching my lead on him even though it seemed the pace of each interval was slowing. In the end, all turned out fine as I was close to the targeted pace. I was disappointed with our pace back after finishing the last interval. It needed to be about 30 seconds faster.

PRE RUN
weight = 161.5
FRS liquid concentrate

POST RUN
SlimFast
Later, water, multivitamin & 5-grain hot cereal w/1% milk

Unique Way to Cross the Line

I posted links of some ridiculous race photos of myself recently. However, as evidenced by this photo, I'm not the only runner who has done something "crazy" in the heat of competition. This photo is from last weekend's Foot Locker Cross Country Championship in California. The top 15 runners in the event are declared All-Americans. The two runners in the photo are the 15th and 16th to cross the line. Obviously, the "diver" knew that it was between himself and the other runner for All-American status. One would get it while; the other would not. He thought diving would get him across the line faster. Who does it look like got the coveted 15th spot to you? A day after the race, the final results were posted after several reviews of photos and video, a tie for 15th place was declared and both named as All-American's.

I can't see myself ever going "Superman" at the end of a race. But I'll never say never, strange things happen in the oxygen-depleted state near the end of a race!

Crisp, Cool Morning Run

OBJECTIVE
6 mi. Easy (8:08-38/mi.)

ACHIEVED
6.17 mi.@ 8:24/mi.

5:32 AM 36F 96% 6 mph mist

Ran Wimbledon Forest Loop with Aaron. It was cool. Felt okay.

PRE RUN
water, corn flakes w/1% milk

POST RUN
SlimFast, multivitamin, & Kashi GoLean w/1% milk

Wow! It's Warm

OBJECTIVE
4 mi. Slow (>8:38/mi.)

ACHIEVED
4.03 mi.@ 8:32/mi.

5:25 AM 61F 100% 4 mph mist

It was really warm and humid this morning. I ran sleeveless. After a week, I finally ran with Aaron again.

PRE RUN
weight = 162
water

POST RUN
water, multivitamin, & GrapeNuts w/1% milk