objective
4 mi.@ 8:21-9:31 w/4x30 sec. hill sprints @ relaxed sprint speed w/2 min. active recoveries

achieved
5.33 mi.@ 8:19 w/4x30 sec. hill repeats w/2 min. active recoveries

6:59 AM 30° 63% 0 mph

This was a makeup of the workout I missed last Tuesday. Felt okay. Since I went out after sun rise, I could see the surroundings much better. While running the overpass on Wilson Road as my pseudo hill, I spied a huge, steep grassy hill about 3/4 mile away. I didn't go investigate because it looked like there was still snow and ice on the hill from yesterday's mini-storm. I'm thinking this is going to be the place for me to run hills. However, I'm guessing during winter this spot turns into a sledding run so I will most likely need to be selective as to when I run there and once the snow is here to stay, I doubt I'll be able to get onto that hill.

post run
chocolate almond milk, multivitamin, chicken sausage, 2 eggs, smoothie (strawberry, banana, raspberry, blackberry, honey almond milk, spirulina)

objective
6 mi.@ 731-820

achieved
6.27 mi.@ 8:03

7:52 AM 32° 50% 0 mph snowing

I went out after sunrise this Saturday morning. It had snowed during the night and continued snowing throughout my run. There were a lot of people on the trail this morning. I was surprised given the conditions. Included in among the runners were a couple different groups of CARA - Chicago Area Runners Association runners.

Felt okay this morning.

post run
chocolate almond milk, multivitamin, 2 poached eggs, large chicken sausage link

objective
4.5 mi.@ 7:31-8:20 w/4x30 sec. intervals @ 5:38 mixed in

achieved
4.73 mi.@ 8:03 w/4x30 sec. intervals 5:15/5:32/5:26/5:33

6:19 AM 29° 28% 1 mph
resting heart rate = 50 bpm
blood oxygenation = 97%

Even before leaving our place I was cold. Going outside amplified the sensation and running even more so ... at least for the first mile. Eased my way down to the butterfly sanctuary - which of course isn't active this time of year. On the way back threw in 4 30-second bursts. It actually felt pretty good to "open it up". There was a little ice along the trail this morning so I tried to pick my spots for speeding up carefully to avoid slipping. Even having to think about this cause a bit a tentativeness in my stride. I've essentially resigned myself to the presumption that I'll be falling down sometime this winter. I'm just hoping for a soft landing and that I don't get hurt too badly. I did "give myself" one of these:



for Christmas. If anyone finds my carcass along the path ... at least they'll know who to call!

Upon waking up this morning, I checked my heart rate and blood oxygenation. I had a couple readings of 48 bpm and 98%. I'm always happy when my heart rate starts with a "4". The most common reading was 50 and 97.

pre run
water & pumpkin muffin

post run
chocolate almond milk, multivitamin, pumpkin muffin, 2 eggs & 4 sausage links

objective
4.5 mi.@ 7:31-8:20

achieved
4.70 mi.@ 8:06

5:35 AM 44° 54% 0 mph rain

It was raining throughout this morning's run. On runs like this I wish I had my old clear lens sunglasses. Hmmmm ... maybe an idea for a Christmas gift to self ...? I'll have to look for some Banshee's by Optic Nerve. They're cheap sunglasses with interchangeable lenses. I had a pair a few years ago and liked them. One by one the lenses broke at the connection point with the frame. They were good for running and offered UV protection.

This morning I'm heading off to Denver for a day trip. I've got a meeting for work then back later tonight. I was quite pleased with myself for getting this run in ... with the rain and work situation today.

objective
4.5 mi.@ 7:31-8:20
2x20 sec. high knees
2x20 sec. bounding

achieved
4.60 mi.@ 8:11
2x20 sec. high knees
2x20 sec. bounding

5:02 AM 46° 58% 2 mph

Another classic run today. I "vacate" the Houston house in advance of the sale. I find myself surprisingly nostalgic and sentimental. I haven't slept that well the past couple nights as the house is empty and the reality of the situation seems to be hitting me for the first time. This is very strange since it's been known for several months. I think I may feel this way because I don't feel that I'm leaving on my own terms ... more of a "forced move".

I went out over the Stuebner-Airline Loop course then added a loop around the block when I got back to the house. These routes that I developed from home became old standbys over time. I knew the landmarks for each invisible mile mark over course ranging from 3 to 12 miles in 1/2 mile increments. There are loops, keyholes and out-and-back routes. There are variations in routing depending on time of day, season of the year and traffic flows. My body and mind seem to have become so familiar that I could switch on the auto-pilot and generally hit the desired pacing with a little extra kick at the end.

Good-bye Klein, Texas. I've enjoyed running your neighborhoods the past 5 years and 10 months.

objective
5 mi.@ 7:31-8:20

achieved
5.15 mi.@ 8:05

5:57 AM ~47F

Had a really good run this morning over the old, classic York Minster Loop route. The temperature was right in the "perfect zone". My right ankle that I tweaked in the snow yesterday wasn't a problem for the run but if I step "wrong" while walking, it lights me up pretty good. I probably strained ligaments on top of my foot lightly.

Rest day tomorrow. Work day today! A lot to do in getting 16803 wrapped up and the last remnants put into storage.

pre run
nothing

post run
chocolate almond milk

objective
4 mi.@ 7:30-8:21

achieved
4.18 mi.@8:14

5:37 AM 27° 39% 0 mph

Snow! New concept in running since I've spent the past 16 years in the sunbelt. Hoping a don't hurt myself too badly when I fall!

Lesson learned as I tweaked my right early very early in this one .... When everything on the ground is white, there is much below the powdery surface that is masked!

pre run
dark chocolate & water

post run
going to find something right now!

objective
4 mi. fartlek overall pace = 7:31 - 8:20 w/2x30 sec. intervals @ 5:48 mixed in

achieved
4.21 mi.@ 7:50 w/2x30 sec. intervals @ 6:04 & 5:48

6:45 AM 29° 44% 1 mph

nordictrak ls tech, saucony base, mizuno wind jacket, nike beanie, new balance tights, new balance wind pants & nike gloves

Had the clothing just about right this morning .... Which means the first mile was cold! May consider doubling up on the gloves around these temperatures.

Felt fine on this first fartlek in a long time. It was a bit difficult getting going for the first 30 second burst. All the clothing did not contribute to faster moving either.

It's only going to get colder .... But the good news is the shortest day of the year is coming next week.

pre run
nothing

post run
chocolate almond milk & multivitamin

objective
4 mi.@731-821

achieved
4.17 mi.@ 8:15

6:09 AM 31° 43% 0 mph
nike cap, nordictrack long-sleeve tech, saucony base layer, wind jacket, nike gloves, new balance tights & new balance wind pants

overdressed again ... except for hands

Legs felt a bit tired this morning. ... not used to regular running or ... yesterday's mild hill repeats ... I don't know ....

pre run
weight=163
O2=97%
resting pulse=57 bpm
nothing

post run
chocolate almond milk, multivitamin, 2 eggs & 4 strips bacon

objective
2 mi. warmup @ recovery pace 821-931
2x30 sec. hill repeats @ relaxed sprint speed w/2 min. active recoveries
2 mi. warmup @ recovery pace 821-931

achieved
2.29 mi. WU @ 830
3x20 sec. hill repeats w/2 min. active recoveries
1.91 mi. CD @ 817

5:44 AM 36° ??% 3 mph
New Balance tights, Mizuno tech short sleeve, Nike ; Mizuno wind jacket, C9 gloves, Nike beanie

I was too hot. For the past couple weeks this is how it usually goes. I walk out and feel the temperature and wind then turn around and go back inside for more clothes. While putting me shoes on outside, I'm thinking how cold it is. Then, wouldn't you know it, about a half mile in to my run - I'm too hot. I just need to get a better handle on the correct gear for the temperature. I'm thinking I'll always wear the wind jacket and dress one layer lighter than I think is the right clothing combination!

Ran down to Wilson Road and used the onramp to Lake Shore Drive northbound as my hill for the morning. It wasn't long enough for the 30 second sprints I was supposed to be doing. I need to scout out better hills and perhaps try to locate a parking garage to run in on the wintry mornings ahead.

pre run
nothing

post run
chocolate almond milk, multivitamin, ham steak, strawberry, blackberry & coconut milk smoothie

Lake Shore Drive, Chicago Winter 2011

This is Lake Shore Drive earlier this year. I run along the Lakefront Trail which is adjacent to this road. Strap on the snow shoes!

OBJECTIVE
4 mi.@ 7:30-8:20
running no arms 20 sec.
one-leg hop 20 sec.

ACHIEVED
4.18 mi.@ 8:15
running no arms 120 strides
one-leg hop 60x per leg

5:12 AM 38° 52% 0 mph
Nike cap, C9 gloves, Saucony long-sleeve over tech short-sleeve, New Balance wind jacket & tights. Probably only very slightly overdressed.

Kicked off Day 1 of training for the Ogden marathon. Feels good to be gunning for something. Tried to scout the Lakefront Trail for something resembling hills for tomorrow's repeats. Saw only 3 runners, 3 bikers and 1 raccoon this morning.

PRE RUN
nothing

POST RUN
8 fl. oz. chocolate almond milk, 4 oz. ham steak & 2 extra large eggs

objective
3 mi. easy

achieved
4.40 mi.@ 8:06

6:26 AM 44° 98% 0 mph

Yesterday's run was rained out. Added a little extra this morning to make up. First run in my new Saucony Drylete Sporttop. I foresee it getting heavy rotation during the coming months.

I signed up for the Ogden Marathon yesterday. So on May 19 I will have a chance to avenge my frustrating day on that course in 2008.

I'm roughing out my running schedule and, although it's nowhere near finalized, here's what I'm currently thinking:

02/xx/12 5k (TBD)
03/xx/12 10k (TBD)
04/xx/12 half marathon (SLC ?)
05/19/12 Ogden Marathon
10/06/12 St. George Marathon
04/15/13 Boston Marathon

We'll have to see how this all comes together. Stay tuned ....

objective
3 mi. easy

achieved
3.39 mi.@ 7:42

5:21 AM 51° 87% 3 mph

I bit earlier this morning. Wind was blowing and chopping up Lake Michigan pretty good. I was surprised to be passed by a runner going quite fast on a dark stretch of the trail. He disappeared into the darkness but got me again on the return trip. I need to watch for this guy. Maybe someone to go long with in the future ...?

objective
3 mi. easy

achieved
3.29 mi.@ 8:07

6:23 AM 55° 34% 4 mph

Felt pretty good this morning. Calves were a bit tight but that was from yesterday's calf raises so it was a "good tightness" rather than an injury precursor.

Forgot to mention that temporary fencing has gone up along the Lakefront Trail. I suppose this is a sign of things to come as I only recognize these as snow fences.

objective
3 mi. easy

achieved
3.30 mi.@ 8:17

6:12 AM 49° 98%

It rained overnight. It's been a while since I've smelled that decomposing-leaves-in-the-cool-autumn-air smell.

Left ankle felt a bit tweaked after yesterday's run. Was a little stiff at the beginning today but seemed to loosen up about a mile into the run.

objective
3 mi. easy

achieved
3.17 mi.@ 8:21

Started my birthday off with an easy out-and-back along the Lakefront Trail.

I approached marathon recovery differently this time. In the past, I've jumped back into it with renewed dedication either because I'm trying to make up for a bad marathon or am still riding the euphoria of a good one. Looking back at my history, the few weeks after a marathon as usually when I've developed a physical problem - either an injury or something that has led to an injury. So this time, I just didn't run for three weeks. Hopefully, I'm closer to fully recovered and have eliminated the possibility of an injury going forward. I'm going to take it easy as I work to very slowly rebuild a good base. I figure that process will take me to the new year then I'll have a good foundation for another training cycle. It should be interesting doing this in the elements that will be coming at me over the next several months.

2011 St. George Marathon Photos

Here is a link to pictures taken by professional photographers on the course (Courtesy of Marathonfoto.com)
Pictures from 2011 St. George marathon


The following five pictures were taken by my support team at the finish line:

2011 St. George Marathon

Official time = 3:23:26

A 2013 Boston qualifier as a 45-year old. Not my best time. But given my inconsistent training which included no hills and no long run over 17 miles, I'm happy. I dealt with adversity during this one better than I ever have.

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NEW THIS YEAR: The St. George Marathon will be streaming LIVE! Spread the word to friends and family that they will be able to watch you cross the finish line. Go directly there following this link, http://www.voddov.com/marathon/

There's also a link to the live stream on at www.stgeorgemarathon.com

Well, tomorrow is the St. George marathon - my fifth time on the course. As with the six marathons I've run before, each is different and I've arrived at this point under unique circumstances. And like the past, I'm not sure what to expect. I tried to follow Hansons Brooks' training plan. It is a different approach. The summer has been challenging as I've been commuting back and forth between Chicago and Houston. The training has been choppy but I've had several good runs along the way. I haven't raced for a year. That's the longest stretch in my five years running.

I'm eager to get back on the St. George course. It's been good to me in the past. And I have unfinished business from last year. My level of fitness isn't such that I can expect a PR. In fact, it's unclear to me where my fitness is. That's the biggest uncertainty going into this one. Of course that makes the calculus of goal setting and pacing plans impossible. That's why this one will be different. There won't be any secret goals or backup plans. I've decided a perfect day will simply be 3:20. I can't realistically expect more than that. And there's always the prospect that the day isn't a perfect one. If that situation materializes, my objective becomes to keep pushing and see what happens. The last +5 miles of the course can be fast, if I'm up to the task. I just want to get to that point and have a chance.

I'm not going to try to "bank" time early. I'm not going to storm up Veyo Hill. I plan to be patient; let things unfold. I expect the crossroads challenge to be issued by the course somewhere between 13 and 20. It will be interesting to see how I respond.

The fueling plan is for CarbBoom (which I will carry) at Miles 5, 11, 17 and 23. Go easy on the water during the bus ride and pre-event waiting around the fires. The forecast temperatures are for unseasonably warm temperatures - 51F at the start and 75F at the finish. Unlike my normal tendency, I'm not really paying that much attention to the weather.

I plan to wear a GPS device. I haven't worn it before (bad idea, I know). It's supposed to be waiting at my hotel for me. As long as there is cell phone coverage along the course, it will transmit my location real-time. The website to see this is:

http://track.myathletelive.com/VEmap.aspx?name=259650

It will probably be slightly less exciting than watching paint dry but if you're inclined, you can check on me tomorrow morning between 6:45 and 10:15 Mountain Daylight Time tomorrow morning.

I'm happy to have my wife, son, and parents in St. George as my support team.

Chicago-20110929-00050.jpg

5 miles this morning. Threw in 2 fast miles in the middle. Wanted to hit 7:15 but each was dead on 7:00. Felt okay. Mental tricks still causing me troubles .... Questoions about overall fitness and what my capacity is on Saturday.
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Chicago-20110928-00049.jpg

Rainy run along the Lakefront.

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Must be race time. I'm having all my classic pre-race doubts.

Wow! This pace is really fast and I'm only running 5 miles. How can I run 30 seconds per mile faster over 26.2?

What is that tighness in my knee? I've never felt that before. Why are calves so tight? There's no reason they should be.

It goes on from there ....
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IMG-20110925-00046.jpg

Could feel yesterday's hard tempo and/or massage. Felt tired even though I have been managing consecutive nights of good sleep here in Houston.
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Ran 9.79 miles @ 7:18 this morning. Probably a little too fast. Olya is fast though and pulled me.

Got a massage at Kinetic Body from Adrian Chavez. It feels like he went too light.

Attempted to start carb depletion today. It's going to be a challenge with travel, business meetings and meals.

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IMG-20110924-00045.jpg

10 pair of running shoes. Basically represents 5 years of running. I've got 3 other pairs of Mizuno Wave Riders and 3 flats. Most of these are worn out and going to charity. A couple pair have 500 miles on them. Seems they generally last about 360 miles before becoming an injury risk.
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Northwest Harris-20110923-00043.jpg

Easy six-miler on Wimbledon Forest Loop. Nice morning 70F.

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Northwest Harris-20110922-00042.jpg

Is there such a thing as a progressive recovery run? First couple miles in the 9's; last couple in the 7's.

Good to be back home in Houston.

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Chicago-20110920-00040.jpg

After last night's repeats, simply looking for an hour on my feet this morning. Mission accomplished.

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Run 6x1 mile intervals on Lakefront Trail from the new place tonight. All faster than 7:17 target. Felt okay.
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Chicago-20110916-00039.jpg

Felt REALLY tired right from the start this morning.

Overdressed as the black ninja too. It was supposed to be 44F overnight.

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Chicago-20110915-00038.jpg

First run from our place. The weather was surprisingly cool this morning. I felt a little under-dressed.

I added an extra mile on this scheduled 5-mile recovery run.

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objective
warm up
10 mi. tempo @ 7:27
cool down

achieved
WU 1.03 mi.
dynamic stretch
10.06 mi.@ 7:22
726 725 725 722 725 719 717 724 726 717
CD .83 mi

Optimal running conditions this morning ~60F. Yes, I realize that is worth a reduction of about 20 seconds per mile over the weather conditions I usually train under in Houston.

objective
warm up
6x1 mi.@ 7:17 w/.5 mi. active recoveries
cool down

achieved
WU
dynamic stretch
717 717 714 710 713 714
CD

total time = 1:26:54
total distance = 10.66

Good run this morning. Temperature was in the mid-70's with some humidity along the Lakefront. Tried to focus on keeping the target pace with the smallest deviation possible. Felt strong over the first 3 reps. Working harder coming back. This one was something of a confidence booster.

I took yesterday off from running and skipped the scheduled 5-mile recovery run. My current plan is to get the mileage tomorrow on my scheduled off day.

Chicago-20110910-00037.jpg

This is pretty much right where I wanted it to be. Felt good on the cardio side. Muscles were a little fatigued but not a problem. Took the Lakefront Trail further north than ever; clear to the northern end. From there went over a couple blocks to our new place. Can envision a "running commute" home from work once we're settled in. Which should I choose - 35 minute door-to-door commute by train or bus and accomplish ... nothing OR 75 minute running commute and get my workout in while turning myself into a running machine? It's good to have goals, right?

Had a headache pretty much the whole run back today. My sinus cold is still lingering so I think it was that and/or dehydration as yesterday wasn't a good day with food and drink intake and timing.

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Chicago-20110909-00036.jpg

Can a seagull carry a frisbee? If so, why would it?

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Chicago-20110908-00035.jpg

Flags were straight out this morning. Late night at work leads to late start. Slow go. Right calf hinted of repetitive muscle strain with a quarter of a mile to go. Will need to keep close tabs. Probably need ice.

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Chicago-20110907-00034.jpg

This was one of those runs I never really think much about in the context of an entire marathon training cycle. "The run you just don't feel like doing." Yet you go out and get it done. I think it probably strengthens one's mental toughness. It's easy to focus on the significant runs that make up a cycle: long runs, hill workouts, intervals, and tempos. But the cycle is made up of at least as many nondescript runs. The runs where you aren't building speed or stretching endurance. They're the runs where you get time on your feet.

I've been under the weather for the past ~60 hours. It started in Houston and I figured it my be fall allergies. But it has persisted since I've been in Chicago. Maybe it was allergies which turned into a sinus infection. I don't know but I feel pretty lousy. I suppose the latest stretch at work may be catching up to me. I've been in the office every day for the past 5 1/2 weeks except one. That's a pretty good feat considering me office is in Houston and Chicago and the time has been tilted about 40:60. The moving truck just unloaded into our new Chicago place yesterday. Fortunately Paige has handled most of the move out/move in details.

Anyway, 10-miler in the books. Oh and for anyone wondering, wasn't today supposed to be a tempo run? Yes, but last Saturday wasn't but turned into one. So I just swapped the workouts. I made that decision somewhere over the last two miles on Saturday.

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Objective
Warm up
6x1 mi.@ 7:17 w/.5 mi. active recoveries
Cool down

Achieved
WU
Dynamic stretch
658 (ran 1/2 mi. Thinking I needed 617 before realizing it's 717. Dumb!)
714
707
712
710
700

Total time = 1:46:14
Total distance = 12.12
CD

Back to the track at KHS. There's no way they wouldn't have the district stadium back in shape for football season. This is Texas after all. Forget that most classes are being held in temporary buildings ....

I was tired by the end of this one but did a nice job staying focused on the task at hand. I did have difficulty finding my pace over the first 3 reps but settled for the last 3.

Interesting observation: ever-so-slowly my speed is coming back. It's virtually imperceptible but I did notice it over the last 2 miles of Saturday's run and during the last rep today. Probably a little too little, a little too late for St. George but at least my body is adapting to the training load.
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Northwest Harris-20110904-00033.jpg

Recovery run. Felt fine. A hint of cool in the air with a breeze at times.

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Houston-20110903-00032.jpg

Hammerin' with the Big Boys. Surprised myself. Felt good.

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Northwest Harris-20110902-00031.jpg

Plodding recovery run. Just let it be "what it was going to be." No push.

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Chicago-20110901-00030.jpg

Objective
9 mi. Tempo @ 7:27

Achieved
0.9 mi. WU
9.22 mi.@ 7:26
728 727 725 728 726 726 729 726 718

Haven't been able to figure out the source of my tiredness lately. Is it muscle fatigue or cardio fitness? I don't know. When I focus on isolating the source it seems like neither individually is the cause.

... needless to say, I felt tired today ....

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Chicago-20110831-00029.jpg

Didn't have time for today's tempo (work beckons) so I rolled into tomorrow's recovery run. I know ... Path of least resistance ....

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objective
warm-up
6 x 1 mi.@ 7:17 w/0.50 mi. active recoveries
cool-down

achieved
warm-up
711 704 714 707 714 714
cool-down


Wasn't easy but got it done. Looking forward to tomorrow's rest day.

objective
5 mi.

achieved
7.26 mi.@ 8:52

Added on 2 miles for what I missed yesterday. Yes, I know it doesn't work like that ....

Wondering about yesterday's failed 16-miler and how I generally felt today. Sure, like anyone else who falls short I've got excuses: not sleeping enough, not eating right, high stress at work, find myself oddly homeless yet paying to live in 3 places at the same time (what is up with that?!?!???), too much commuting between Houston and Chicago, etc. But it occurred to me during this morning's run. My collapse came at the end of a 53-mile week. I think that's it. The variables have some influence, of course. And taken alone, I think none would be a problem. But it's simply the accumulated volume of running I did last week. And in the marathon training cycle, that's the way it should be. The training benefit of serious training runs supposedly manifests itself about 3 weeks after the run was completed. Today I'm 34 days from the marathon. I've got about another 10 days of meaningful training for the marathon.

... trying not to lose hope for marathon goals .... This is the way I'm supposed to be feeling right now.

IMG-20110827-00027.jpg

Failed 16-miler. Fortunately with Josh who helped me make it in.

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Felt fine but really thought I was running faster ... ???

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Northwest Harris-20110825-00025.jpg

Do-no-harm recovery run. Calves were tight to start. Took 4 miles to loosen up. Got into Hpuston late last night. After months of no rain, a light drizzle had begun by the time I got back home.

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Chicago-20110824-00020.jpg

Objective
WU
9 mi. Tempo @ 7:27

This one turned out pretty good. I need to break down the splits but I think they were tightly bunched. Satellite reception may have given me a little extra mileage over the final .8 mi.

A 3:15 marathon breaks down to a 7:27/mile pace. A subjective test is to run that pace and see how it feels. I felt fine over the first half and struggled a little over the back half.

This test is far less scientific than Monday's Yasso 800's but at the very least it sets a benchmark for the next few weeks.

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9 mi. On Lakefront

WU
10x.5 mi.@ 6:30/ w/3:15 active recoveries
CD

Today's run revealed either 1) it was an "off" day or 2) I'm not in 3:15 marathon shape. Unfortunately I think it's the latter.

631
634
640
705
634
643
628
648
634
643

Garmin was set up wrong for this workout so the 4th rep is screwed up because that's where I stopped fix things.

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Recovery run on tired legs. Hammy and calves were tight.
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Today is my younger brother's birthday. Happy birthday, Larry!

I'm absolutely certain nothing like this ever happened in our younger days ....

Northwest Harris-20110820-00018.jpg

Solo from the Y. Happy with pace given 84F start temp and running alone. Hammy was "there" again but not bad. It did get really hot again about 1.5 miles in but eased up a little less than a mile later.

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Garmin gave me too much credit this morning - by about .59 mile. Which means I only ran 8 miles at 8:23. But doesn't that 7:48 look good?

Hammy was oddly numb much of the way. At a couple stages it got extremely hot. All of this a rather strange.

I'm sore from cannonball routine after yesterday's run and the day before and the ITB and core work on Wednesday. Just a sign that I should have been doing them all along ....

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Hamstring is still not good. Did full ITB stretches, back exercises and cannonball series yesterday morning. Hammy started out very tight this morning. Didn't know if I'd be able to go. Just took it really easy. Finally loosened up a little over 2 miles in.

I'm sure my overall pace was not this fast. Buildings in Chicago rarely cooperate with GPS sattelite reception.
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Left hamstring is screwed up again. Didn't bother me during Saturday's long run at all. Was noticeable during Sunday's recovery run. Ever since it's been really tight - all day, every day. It almost seems it's somehow volume related. Once I hit a certain number of miles, it's done and needs several days recovery to get back to anything close to normal.

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Very challenging recovery run this morning. Legs, body, mind, etc. felt very tired.

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Houston-20110813-00012.jpg

Tough!

10 miles with the big boys (and several girls today too) at 7:50 overall with some middle miles at 7:30. Today's temperature was around 85-86F with high humidity. Set out on my own from the park to add on 6 miles. Firgured I'd intersect with the crew if I went toward the polo grounds as their route was coming back in that direction. I was right but crossed the freeway for a restroom break at the Shell station. When I came out, I saw them crossing the intersection on the other side of the freeway. Couldn't catch them. Continued my slog toward polo grounds. Their drinking fountain has the coldest water in Houston. Perfect for a long run break. Drug myself back to the park on a point-to-point stop-and-go. Was REALLY tired. Glad to with completed this one.

Even better was that the crew was still at the pool stretching and cooling down. We went for breakfast together.

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Steamy morning in H-town. 81F & 79%
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New Message

Objective = strength
WU
2x2.5 mi.@ 7:17 w/1 mi. active recovery
CD

Achieved
WU - 0.54 mi.
2x2.5 mi. [7:11, 7:17] w/1 mi. active recovery
CD - 0.23

5:25 AM 80° 86% 0 mph (heat index=84°)


Tough one out there today! Wasn't sure I could do it but hung in there and gutted it out.

Northwest Harris-20110807-00010.jpg

Objective
5 mi.

Could feel yesterday's run on hammy at the outset. However it seemed to more soreness than injury. Took it as an easy recovery run.

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Houston-20110806-00008.jpg

With the big boys on a steamy morning. No complaints from hamstring.
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Northwest Harris-20110805-00006.jpg

Objective
8 mi.

No such thing as "junk miles" at this stage of the game.

81F w/extreme humidity

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Chicago-20110804-00005.jpg

Roughed out plan was to run for an hour like yesterday. Knew that wasn't going to work my first step off the sidewalk. Hamstring was quite tight. Felt it the whole way. It seems to be improving only at a glacier's pace. Need to be careful to balance recovery with my extreme need to get mileage. Patience, Young Grasshopper, patience.
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Chicago-20110803-00003.jpg

Just wanted to run for an hour to test left hamstring. First 4 miles, no problem. Then I started feeling it slightly. Just felt "over-stretched". By the time I hit last 2 miles, not feeling all that good.

Did cannonball routine yesterday. Plan to do it again today. Also, try icing morning and night.

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Tried a run this AM. Stopped after .25 mile. Left hamstring is not good.
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164
22.2%
57
98

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Objective
5 mi.

Achieved
5.16 mi.@ 8:17

6:19 AM 78.3F 81.4 % 1 mph (heat index=81F)

Recovery run from yesterday's pounding. Not as hot or humid this morning; still a challenging run. My left hamstring was balky. Hoping it's not anything serious. I stopped at the high school track to assess the progress (actually hoped to find it open). It's still not finished but workers were getting ready to start their day. The track was unmarked and looked like black asphalt from the distance so I guess they still need to surface it with rubberized asphalt (I doubt what I was seeing was really black asphalt - just couldn't tell much looking through the fence).

Pre run
Weight=166.5
Body fat=22.7%

Post run
Weight=163.5
Kashi GoLean cereal w/1% milk

OBJECTIVE
10 mi.@ 7:53

ACHIEVED
10.05 mi.@ 8:10

5:36 AM 81° 84% 2 mph

Really tough run with the big boys this morning. We run from Memorial Park to the Hilton Americas downtown then back. I managed to stay with the lead group on the trip downtown. The average pace was around 7:51 and the others were just getting warmed up. There was Barry, Collin, Wayne, Steve, Doug, and Aaron. Back a little was Jonas. Followed by Dirk and John.

Given the conditions (the CenterPoint thermometer just before the Hilton registered 86° as we passed), I knew I couldn't maintain over the return trip. I laid back and the lead group stretched the gap on me. Fortunately, Barry (~12 miles) and Jonas (20 miles) were going longer than I was today and their pace was slower than the leaders. I stayed with them for almost 3 miles of the return trip then started slipping back. Once I had faded out of earshot of their conversation, my pace really collapsed. It reminded me of my first several runs with Steph's group 4 years ago. Getting dropped along Allen Parkway or Memorial Drive and having to drag myself in alone. I consoled myself that in that earlier case, there came a point where I was finally able to run with and stay with the group. Hopefully my time spent with Wayne's group leads to the same result.

PRE RUN
oatmeal w/1% milk & brown sugar

POST RUN
watermelon
Later, strawberry-banana smoothie & egg mcmuffin

objective
speed

achieved
5 mi. tempo?

1 mi. WU
dynamic stretch
2.5 mi.@ 6:49
1.0 mi.@ 6:49
0.85 mi.@ 6:49
1.0 mi.@ 6:49
2 min. CD

~6 AM

Supposed to do speedwork today but I still need to find a track near my Chicago location. I'm more mentally engaged and execute the speedwork much better on the track than I do on the roads.

So I dropped into the club in my building. I was surprised that there were several people already there when I showed up before 6 AM - mostly weight lifters but some cardio workers.

I've decided if the treadmill is good for anything maybe it's tempo runs since it holds a constant pace (even if it's calibrated incorrectly which I believe most treadmills are). So this morning was to be a 5-mile tempo run at marathon pace of 6:49.

I did an easy mile warm-up then my old dynamic stretches from the brain training book. Then it was "game on". Instead of going 5 miles, the "game" lasted 2.5 miles which is when I took a break. I had my heart rate monitor which the treadmill was reading and reporting. My heart was bouncing off of 170-171 bpm and I was sucking wind. I justified taking a break and figured I'd simply split the tempo in half. I took the break, got water, toweled off then set up to it. This time I lasted 1 mile rather than the remaining 2.5. And so it went. The next segment was 0.85 mi. and finally 1.0 mi. to finish it out.

I'm certainly not in solid tempo run shape nor am I in shape to be running the paces which I've targeted. But I'll keep at it. Today will serve as a tempo run benchmark and those treadmills will still be downstairs waiting for me to drop in and check my fitness.

Tomorrow is a rest day which I will take. It should be interesting to see how my body responds to today's bout.

pre run
resting heart rate=54 bpm
O2 saturation=97%
water

post run
water, multivitamin & Kashi GoLean cereal w/skim milk

objective
6 mi.

achieved
6.20 mi.@ 8:09

6:08 AM 77° 78% 0 mph heat (index 79°)

Ran from the house today. A little bit sore from yesterday. I suppose I didn't stretch very well or eat properly over the few hours following the run. Therefore, I didn't set myself up for a good recovery.

pre run
weight=163.5
body fat=22.0%
resting pulse=54 bpm
O2 saturation=96%

post run
diet V8 splash & Kashi GoLean cereal w/1% milk

objective
10 mi.

achieved
10.85 mi.@ 8:23

6:09 AM 81° 81% 3 mph (heat index=87°)

Ran with my old training group. It's been several weeks since I've seen any of them. Stacey was back visiting from Alaska so it was very nice to see her. She seems to be doing well and is training for the Twin Cities marathon. This morning's heat and humidity didn't settle too well with her since she's been training in the comfortable summer temperatures of Alaska.

I wasn't sure what to expect this morning after essentially being off the past two weeks.

It went okay running-wise and was great to catch up with my running friends: Augie, Shellie, Stacey, Adam (Stacey's friend), Josh, Randy, William.

pre run
Weight=164.5
Resting pulse=54 bpm
O2 saturation=97%
water & oatmeal w/1% milk

post run
strawberry-banana smoothies & egg mcmuffin

objective
6 mi.

achieved
3 mi.

6:30 AM 82° 78% 3 mph

Garmin battery failed a little over a mile into this one. Apparently the Garmin was switched to the "on" position while flying back to Houston last night.

Didn't have time for 6-miler due to early conference call this morning. So good 3 and called it good for the day.

pre run
Resting pulse=49 bpm
O2 saturation=97%
Weight = 163.5
Body fat=22.5%

~ 3 miles near Oakland Airport.


Got away from the hotel this morning for a run. Having a tough time getting runs due to our schedule during the vacation. Our hotel (Red Lion) is close to the Oakland Airport but isn't in a good area. I found a waterway nearby and followed it around a loop. My Garmin battery failed about a mile and half into it. The waterway ended up being a big loop which I estimated to be 3 miles. One loop today.

objective
off

achieved
6.18 mi.@ 8:09

6:55 AM 78° 84% 0 mph

Wasn't scheduled to run today but since I'm back in Houston and there's uncertainty with this week's schedule, I decided I better "get it while I can." Legs felt a little sore ... from yesterday's treadmill intervals, I suppose.

pre run
weight=165.0
body fat=22.6%
water

post run
water, multivitamin & honeynut cheerios w/skim milk

objective
10x400m @ 90 sec. w/400m active recoveries

achieved
warm up .75 mi & jump rope
12x400m @ ? w/400m active recoveries
cool down 1 min. jog then 1 min. walk

~6:30 AM

There's an outdoor track and swimming pool on the ninth floor roof of my building (my place is on the 23rd floor). For speedwork today, I figured I'd try the track as it would be better than pounding on the concrete and asphault of the roads and Lakefront Trail. I went down to the track a little after 5 AM to find it doesn't open until 6 AM. This seems odd to me. The only reason I can figure is that if there was a group doing an early morning workout they may disturb the residents??? I don't know.

I went back down after 6 AM. After a couple loops on the track it was quickly apparent this wasn't going to work. According to my Garmin, the track was roughly 1/16 of mile with the turns being way too tight for any speedwork. I suppose it's essentially a walking track. (It sure has a nice surface.)

After about a half mile on the track, I pulled out my jump rope for a few turns while I tried to decide where to get my speedwork. I decided to hit a treadmill in the onsite gym.

There was a variety of machines and only one other person in the gym. I ended up on a Cybex treadmill, a type I've never tried before today. I messed around with the programming hope to find a modifiable interval routine. If it's there, I didn't find it. I ended up just manually adjusting the intervals as I went. I set the incline for 1% and set off. Starting with a quarter mile recovery at 5.0 mph. When the quarter was up, I cranked up the speed. I needed 10.0 mph but about flew off the back of the mill by the time I hit 8.0 mph! I left it at 8.0. It felt fast. After the quarter was up, I manually pulled it back down to 5.0 mph. And so it went. After a couple intervals, I ticked up a couple tenths from 8.0. I kept doing this until I was at 9.5 mph for the last couple intervals. It really makes quite a commotion when the belt is turning that fast. I felt slightly out of control too. Ahhh, livin' on the edge.

I decided to go 12 reps instead of 10 since I was going slower than I was supposed to. As you know, I'm always suspect of any treadmill's calibration as I have a theory that more than 80% of them are incorrectly calibrated.

I used the heart rate monitor a few times throughout. It looked like at the end of the rest intervals I was usually around 160 beats per minute and at the end of the work intervals, I was around 170 bpm.

This workout wasn't perfect but it was a reasonable facsimile of what was on my schedule. I feel like it was a decent quality workout.

pre run
-

post run
chocolate milk, multivitamin & homemade granola w/skim milk

objective
4 mi.@ 7:53

achieved
4.68 mi.@ 8:01

5:54 AM

Headed down to the Lakefront Trail from the new place. Paige started with me as she wanted to know the way to the lake. Felt okay this morning.

I'm still surprised at how early it gets light here in Chicago. Of course, I realize this will cut the other direction in January.

pre run
chocolate milk

post run
-

Objective
6 mi.@ 7:53

Achieved
6.60 mi.@ 7:48

5:52 AM

Moved into temporary corporate housing last night. Lakefront Trail north this morning. My route only varies slightly from when I was running from the hotels. Humid (for Chicago) this morning. Fleet Feet had a hydration station at Castaways' boat along the trail.

Good to have wife and son in town with me. Son got word last night that he'll be spending a couple years in Honduras beginning this November. Exciting times.

Pre run
-

Post run
Chocolate milk & homemade granola
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Objective
1 hour run

Achieved
6.98 mi.@ 8:37

6:08 AM

"Just miles" as I attempt to break the cycle of this week's epic failure at training.

Big business dinner late last night still sitting on my stomach.
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objective
5 mi.

achieved
5.05 mi.@ 8:07

11:44 AM 91°F 55% 4 mph [heat index=99.61°F)

Got a late start and it was HOT! Recovery run felt fine except for the sweat in my eyes.

pre run
weight=162
body fat=21.9
skim milk & waffles w/butter & brown sugar.

post run
water, multivitamin & frosted mini wheats w/skim milk

Objective
10 mi.@ 7:53

Achieved
10.68 mi.@ 7:39

5:37 AM 79° 83% 3 mph (heat index = 82°F)

Tried running with the big boys again this morning. The heat and humidity was challenging like last Saturday but I maintained contact almost the entire run this time around. They make it look easy. For me, it's certainly better to have the group pulling me than going it solo.

Pre run
weight=164.5
body fat=22.1%
oatmeal w/brown sugar & skim milk

Post run
SlimFast & watermelon

Objective
8 mi.

Achieved
8 mi.@ 8:17

5:30 AM

Happy to be home and even happier to find my Garmin waiting for me in my car at airport parking. Happy day!

Pre run
weight=164
brownie!

Post run
water, multivitamin & Kashi GoLean cereal w/skim milk

Objective
5 mi.

Achieved
~5 mi.

~6:30 AM

No Garmin = no time & no distance. Club Quarters down Wabash to Ohio to Lakefront up to split in trail before the boat ... and back.

Felt pretty good.

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Objective
5-mile tempo

Achieved
~7 mi. no time

~5:30 AM

My Garmin is somewhere between Houston and Chicago (hopefully not left at airport security but left in my car at airport parking ... fingers crossed). No Garmin or even a watch made for no tempo run today. (Did I subconsciously leave it behind?)

Didn't sleep much at Club Quarters (not a fan of that hotel). Went down Wabash to Ohio to the Lakefront then north. I turned back just before Fullerton Parkway where the path splits. When I measured the route on www.gmap-pedometer.com , it indicated the route was 7 miles. This distance is generally consistent with my Garmin-calibrated prior runs.

I have no idea how long I was gone. I didn't really push the pace. I may try to find a cheap Ironman watch later today. I also hope my Garmin is still in my car! I'll find out tomorrow night.

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objective
warm-up
1 x 1 mi.@ 6:40*/
660 yard active recovery
1 x 1/2 mi.@ 6:40*/
660 yard active recovery
1 x 1 mi.@ 6:40*/
cool-down

* 6:40 = 6:15 per mile adjusted for heat index of 85°F

achieved
WU = 1.02 mi.
1.0 mi.@ 6:24/
0.5 mi.@ 6:24/
1.0 mi.@ 6:36/
CD = 1.95 mi.

total time = 51:51
total distance = 6.22

6:33 AM 80° 81% 2.5 mph (heat index=85°F)

Tough run this morning. I ran the Cochet Spring Loop since I was unsure of the status of the high school track (While cooling down on my way back home I swung by the track. It doesn't look like that project is moving very fast.)

I adjusted my times to account for what I estimated the heat index to be. My estimate turned out to be right on. It's a good thing I adjusted as the workout in these conditions was really taking the starch out of me by the time a started the last leg. Of course, I ran the early intervals too fast and also ran the recoveries too fast. This is typical for me and usually sets up for a bad ending.

I was glad to get this one in and look forward to tomorrow's rest day.

pre run
weight=164.5
body fat=22.8%
water & fun-size butterfinger

post run
slimfast & vitamin

7.27 mi.@ 8:10

6:02 AM 81° 83% 3 mph (Heat Index = 86°F)

Solo from the course. Started with a loop around the block then Wimbledon Forest loop back to home and a finishing loop around the block. Legs had some residual soreness from yesterday. Whatever sickness I was dealing with seems to be getting better.

weight=164.0
body fat=22.6%

post run
water, multivitamin, glutamine & Kashi GoLean cereal w/skim milk

objective
15 mi.

achieved
11.61 mi.@ 8:06

5:38 AM 81° 82% 4 mph (heat index=86.14)

Ran with Wayne Cohen's group, the Wankers, for the first time this morning. This run has been a long time coming. I had first planned to run with them about 18 months ago but injuries, schedule, etc. had prevented it from happening.

I was still feeling sick and probably shouldn't have run with them under the circumstances. The pace started comfortably then got faster. I fell of the back about 8 miles in. Fortunately, Raul hung back with me and we finished together.

I think running with this group should help me. They're all generally sub-3 marathoners which makes me the slow guy but it should serve as a push. The only problem of course is that at some point soon, I won't be spending that much time in Houston anymore.


weight=164.0
body fat=22.5%
water & oatmeal w/skim milk

post run
slimfast & watermelon

objective
6 mi.

achieved
6.71 mi.@ 8:29/

5:18 AM 69° 71% 0 mph

I've been sick since coming to Chicago this week. I've missed two runs and am feeling guilty for it. Work has required some socializing (Cubs games) the past two days. Between that and what-I'm-assuming is a cold, running just hasn't happened. My schedule was also upset due to a convention taking all Chicago hotel rooms. I spent Monday and Tuesday in Houston and Wednesday through Friday in Chicago.

OBJECTIVE
warm up
5 x .5 mi.@ 3:08 w/.25 mi. active recoveries
cool down

ACHIEVED
WU 1.21 mi.
dynamic stretch
5 x .5 mi. (3:01 3:07 3:07 3:07 3:08)
CD 1.47 mi.

total time = 51:55
total distance = 6.19 mi.

6:01 AM 76° 82% 0 mph

I didn't even bother going by the high school track this morning. I'm sure the track resurfacing project is ongoing. Boy would I prefer to do speedwork on the track rather than the roads. At least I was wearing trainers today rather than flats like I was last week.

It looks like I really psyched myself up for the first interval. Even though the finishing time was 3:01, I was significantly ahead of that pace through the first two-thirds of the half. Suppose I need to settle down a bit! The intervals got progressively more challenging. On the last one, I caught my mind wandering off on the topic of work. Had to snap myself back to the task at hand and barely made the 3:08 goal time.

Thankfully tomorrow is a rest day. I feel like I need it.

PRE RUN
weight=165.5
body fat=22.6%
-

POST RUN
SlimFast & glutamine

OBJECTIVE
5 mi.

ACHIEVED
5 mi.@ 7:57

6:24 AM 73° 78% 0 mph

Good run. Beautiful morning. Felt fine.

Probably need to swing by the high school track this evening to see if it's open for tomorrow's speedwork.

PRE RUN
weight=163.0
body fat=22.5%
water

POST RUN
water, multivitamin & Kashi GoLean cereal w/skim milk

OBJECTIVE
10 mi.@ 7:53

ACHIEVED
10.03 mi.@ 7:56

6:00 AM 76° 81% 0 mph

Pretty happy with this morning's run. Wasn't feeling great physically or mentally before the run or during the first mile but was able to shake it off and turn it into a good run. Using the "Ryan Hall training method" (a/k/a letting God tell me what my workout should be), I somehow decided I'd break today's run into 5 2-mile blocks. Block 1 would be real easy as I would just be waking up and loosening up. Block 2 would be the average of whatever the Block 1 overall pace was and the goal pace of 7:53. Block 3 would be at 7:53 goal pace. At that point, I'd see how I was feeling. I'd either try to hold 7:53 the remaining 4 miles or, if I was feeling good, I'd try knocking off some time by going faster over Block 4 and even faster over Block 5 while targeting the overall 7:53 pace as the ultimate outcome for the total 10 miles.

Block 1 - 8:45/mi.
This was the start where I was feeling rather demotivated. I was just easing into it. I also realized during this stretch that if I held to the plan, I might end up having to run 7 minute miles over the last 2 miles. That didn't seem likely at this point.

Block 2 - 8:13/mi.
The math was pretty easy ((8:45 - 7:53) ÷ 2) + 7:53 = 8:19. So my target pace over this 2-mile stretch was 8:19. I started feeling pretty good and the pace was coming easier as I picked up so I ended up a bit faster than plan. I started feeling a little like I did on last Saturday's run - everything ahead of me was "close" and easily attainable.

Block 3 - 7:53/mi.
The plan was 7:53 and I hit 7:53. Of course, I hit the 5-mile midpoint during this block and took a 3-minute stop for fuel - orange-flavored FRS chews.

Block 4 - 7:20/mi.
I wasn't exactly sure what I was going to do at this point. I was feeling pretty good and 7:53 was coming easy. The ChampionsFit runners were running shorter today and had all made the turn and were headed back. This put a bunch of runners ahead of me to pick off. Spontaneously, I decided I'd throw in a surge and see how I felt. I realized that if I took it in at 7:15 the rest of the way that I'd average something close to my 7:53 goal. The surge felt good but was having an impact. Around midway through this block, I stopped at the neighborhood clubhouse for water. The break obviously helped me sustain the pace when I started again.

Block 5 - 7:31/mi.
This last leg was work. The surge had tapped out my reserves so I was holding on. Told myself that any pace faster than the overall goal of 7:53 was fine. Still had runners ahead of me serving as targets to be picked off. This helped a lot.

Glad to be finished. The idea that my long runs will be completed on tired legs seemed to be the case today. (I'm sure I've seen nothing yet.)

At some point, I really need to race. I need a gauge of where I'm at in this process.

PRE RUN
weight=163.0
body fat=22.2%
water & oatmeal w/brown sugar & skim milk

POST RUN
SlimFast

OBJECTIVE
6 mi.

ACHIEVED
6 mi.@ 8:06

5:27 AM 75° 81% 1 mph

Easy run from the house. Got lucky with yesterday's flight. All ORD-IAH flights were delayed 3-4 hours throughout the day. I was scheduled on the 5:10 PM. Hustled to the airport, jumped through a few loops and got myself on the 3:15 PM which ended up departing a little after 6 PM. Although this wasn't ideal, it could have been much, much worse.

Legs felt a bit weary today. Long run tomorrow.

PRE RUN
weight=163.5
body fat=22.1%

POST RUN
water, multivitamin & oatmeal w/brown sugar & skim milk

45 minutes on Hyatt treadmill this morning. 1% incline. Recovery run. It was raining this morning so I elected to stay indoors. Do I need to mention I don't trust treadmills' mileage/pace calibration? It was probably good for me to stay in. I was feeling a bit beat up and worn down after yesterday's run. Treadmill is just easier physically (but harder mentally ... for me).
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Objective
5 mi. Tempo @ 6:50/

Achieved
WU 7:21 min.
5 mi.@ 6:51/
CD 7:05 min.

Total time = 48:46
Total distance = ~6.56 mi.

5:03 AM

Was it the heat? Have my life's stressors just caught up with me? Was it simply an off day? What about the ramp up in training volume and intensity? Or could the reality be that my lactate threshold pace has slipped from a peak of faster than 6:39 to something north of 6:50?

Just a few of the questions chasing themselves around in my head today as I made a mockery of this scheduled 5-mile tempo run by essentially turning it into mile repeats with significant breaks in between each.

It was very warm this morning. My Blackberry app said it was 81F in Chicago as I left the hotel.

I am pretty stressed primarily with work but not insignificantly with trying to get our house ready to sell, and trying to buy or lease in Chicago.

Pre run
-

Post run
Chocolate milk
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OBJECTIVE
warm up
2 x .75 mi. & 2 x .50 mi. @ 6:15/mi. w/active recoveries
cool down

ACHIEVED
WU
2 x .75 mi. (6:15, 6:17)
2 x .50 mi. (6:17, 6:26)
CD

total time = 51:53
total distance = 6.12 mi.

4:46 AM 75° 82% 0 mph

Surprise! I got over to the Klein High track this morning and found the gates locked and the track torn up. Apparently it's being resurfaced. This was certainly a wrench in the works for which I wasn't planning. Decided to run the intervals on the road along the Cochet Spring Loop figuring it would give me approximately the distance I needed. I left my fuel belt and shirt behind a sign announcing entrance into a neighborhood and ventured off. I wasn't thrilled about being on the roads for speed work especially in my Saucony Fastwitch flats.

I was playing catch up throughout the workout - surging at the end to almost hit my goal times. I was usually close except for the final half mile. I think the surge required the previous half took a little too much out of me to recover from. I still need to get a handle on my recoveries. I think I'm jogging them a little too fast. Slowing down a little more would give me more recovery time while keeping my heart rate going. I don't think this would jeopardize the quality of the workout at all.

I hope the track renovation wraps up soon!

PRE RUN
weight=165.5
body fat=22.7%
Amino Vital lemon powder w/water

POST RUN
SlimFast & fig newton

OBJECTIVE
6 mi. easy

ACHIEVED
6.20 mi.@ 8:21

5:13 AM 74° 78% 1 mph

Pretty sluggish today - not surprising given the week's build up. Finally loosened up over the last couple miles.

PRE RUN
weight=164.5
body fat=22.8%
Kashi GoLean cereal w/skim milk

POST RUN
water, multivitamin & oatmeal w/almonds, brown sugar & skim milk

OBJECTIVE
10 mi.@ 7:53

ACHIEVED
10.03 mi.@ 7:53

6:03 AM 73° 82% 0 mph

I felt really good out there today. No idea what to attribute it to but I'll take it!

I followed the approach that I took with last week's 9-miler: easy, body-dictated pace over the first third of the run; hit the overall goal pace over the middle third then go as fast as necessary over the final third to hit the overall goal pace. The pace over the 3.33 mile splits broke down like this:

3.33 mi. - 8:32
6.67 mi. - 7:44
10.0 mi. - 7:25



I was in a great place mentally where every intermediate landmark seemed "close". At the same time, I was in a good place physically where my body felt good and was cooperating with everything I was trying to do. These are the rare days when it all comes together and it becomes incredibly euphoric to run.

It's exciting to feel like I'm getting stronger physically and mentally. ... just need to keep that ball rolling ....

PRE RUN
weight=163.0
body fat=22.0%
apple juice & fig newton

POST RUN
SlimFast

Objective
4 mi.

Achieved
4.20 mi.@ 8:32

5:03 AM

Nice run this morning. Ran from the Hyatt along the Riverwalk to the Lakefront Trail to the Aquarium and back. This was a recovery run from yesterday's tempo. As expected my legs were feeling a bit chewed up but it wasn't anything out of the ordinary. I believe yesterday's ice bath post-run and wearing compression socks throughout the day helped. I'll wear them again today.

I saw a pair of cotton tail rabbits along the Riverwalk. I'm certain they were the same ones I saw yesterday for the first time. Also saw some huge fish while running along the pier. I have no idea what type they were but they were very big and surprisingly active.

As I'm cooling down, I'm noticing that my sweat has a hint of ammonia - a sign of fat burning (or not enough carbohydrates in my system).

Back to H-town tonight.

Pre run
-

Post run
Chocolate milk
Sent from my BlackBerry Wireless

Objective
5 mi. Tempo @ 6:50

Achieved
WU 7:04 min.
5.02 mi.@ 6:51
CD 7:33 min.

5:04 AM

Wasn't sure what to expect from this run. It's been several months since I've ran a tempo or raced. I really don't have any indication of my current fitness. Today would tell. I wasn't sure about my routing either. The Lakefront is really uneven for long stretches and there can be a lot of bike and foot traffic. On the other hand, I'm not familiar with the Riverwalk for the distance that I'd need. It also crosses several intersections. I opted for the Lakefront only because of familiarity. From the Hyatt, I eased my way down to the Lakefront. My Garmin didn't pick up any satellites for that stretch so it recorded 0.0 miles for 7:04. While it was rebooting, I did dynamic stretches. The sun was already above the Lake Michigan horizon which surprised me for this early. After the Garmin found itself, I was off. I bounced around a little bit at the outset trying to find the pace. Once I found it, I thought there would be no way I would be able to hold it. I was happy to note a resurfacing project had improved much of the worst section of the trail. To get the proper mileage, I kept going north farther than I have before. It was new territory but the trail was busy today so it was easy to see the way far ahead. At 2.25 miles was no turn around. Of course, I wasn't supposed to stop here but I did. I caught my breath, chastised myself for stopping then started back. I just tried to find a rhythm and keep it steady. The pace slipped a bit but once I noticed, I was always able to bring it back in line ... with effort. Once back at Ohio Street Beach, I still had about .5 mile to finish and knew I didn't want to be on the streets heading back to the hotel. Instead I turned and went out the Navy Pier. Fortunately I hit 5 miles before I ran out of pier. It was a good run. Although I'm not exactly where I'd like to be, I'm not that far off.

I cooled down back to the hotel, grabbed a chocolate milk and hopped into an ice bath while eating some warm oatmeal. I'm writing this from the tub right now.

Tomorrow will be an important day to gauge how I feel. After Tuesday on the track and today's tempo, I want to be attentive to how my body is dealing with the increased load - volume and intensity. In addition to the ice bath, I'll wear compression socks all day. Tomorrow's run is an easy recovery run.

Oh, forgot to mention that I missed last night's group run for national running day. I hustled out of the office early to check in at the hotel and change clothes. Unfortunately I had left my running shoes at the office and didn't have enough time to go back and get them. That's okay. Even though I probably missed out on a good run that would have been informative, I most likely wouldn't have been able to pull off this morning's run had I run last night.

Pre run
-

Post run
Chocolate milk & instant oatmeal w/skim milk
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OBJECTIVE
warm up
5 x 1/2 mi.@ 3:07 w/.25 mi. active recoveries
cool down

ACHIEVED
1.92 mi. WU
3:07 / 3:05 / 3:06 / 3:07 / 3:04
1.98 mi. CD

total time = 1:02:53
total distance = 7.40 mi.

5:55 AM 78° 79% 2 mph

First time back on the track in several months. Although my splits were consistent and appear controlled, the workout felt anything but! It was up and down. At times, it felt really good to be turning my legs loose and running fast. At other times, I really felt like I was struggling to "keep up" and that my form was all over the place. I think this is just a reflection that I haven't been on the track in some time. One of the things I messed up early on was running the first couple of recoveries too fast. This put me in a deficit before even starting the next interval. I slowed the recoveries down in the later sets but by that point the damage may have already been done ....

PRE RUN
weight=165.0
body fat=22.7%
water

POST RUN
water, multivitamin & GrapeNuts w/cinnamon sugar & skim milk

500 cal.

Uncertain calories!

Paige and I combined for a healthy dinner tonight. Had a chopped salad with low fat balsamic vinaigrette, black bean & cilantro soup and pumpkin bread.

After moving a few boxes and some furniture to storage, we stopped to try a new yogurt shop, Orange Leaf, close to the house. I had a potpourri of self-serve: snickerdoodle, brownie batter and coconut yogurts with blueberries and shaved coconut toppings. I know that's an odd combination but I wanted to try it all.

I have not idea what the dinner calories or yogurt calories totalled.

500 cal.

Sent from my BlackBerry Wireless

300 calories
Sent from my BlackBerry Wireless

350 cal.

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OBJECTIVE
4 mi.

ACHIEVED
4.06 mi.@ 8:44

5:06 AM 79° 78% 4 mph

Recovery run on tired legs. Yesterday's ice bath seemed to help so I will most likely be in the tub again today.

Wednesday, June 1 is National Running Day. Long-time followers of my blog will recall my surprise when I first discovered there was such a thing. Well the occasion did not sneak up on me this year. First, I should make you aware that there is a site to help coordinate your activities for the day. Using the site, I found that there will be a few different group runs in Chicago on Wednesday. I was particularly interested in the run being put on by City Running Tours. I signed up for their event. Normally their running tours of major US cities cost $60. In honor of National Running Day, Wednesday's run is free. Of course, I realize they will probably use an abbreviated route and there will probably be an overabundance of other runners. But it's free so it can't help but be worth it, right? I chose the Navy Pier route over the Grant Park route. I figured I'd be hustling from the office to make the 6:30 PM start and the Navy Pier is a short mile from my hotel. Should be interesting. Hopefully I am introduced to some new city routes and also see some sights that I'd otherwise overlook. Who knows, I may even meet some new running friends.

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PRE RUN
weight=165.0
body fat=23.0%

POST RUN
water, multivitamin & Kashi GoLean cereal w/skim milk

300 calories

600 calories

@ 1 pm

Sent from my BlackBerry Wireless

600 calories

Sent from my BlackBerry Wireless

230 calories

OBJECTIVE
8 mi.

ACHIEVED
9.54 mi.@ 8:00

6:28 AM 77° 81% 3 mph

Happy with this run. It was really good to back yesterday's 9-miler with this solid effort. I was a little slower-paced this morning than yesterday but that was somewhat by design. Similar to yesterday's run, I decided to block this run into 3 3-mile segments. Like yesterday, I let how I was feeling dictate the pace over the first 3 miles. Unlike yesterday, I did not want any mile to be faster than 7:53. I did a pretty good job keeping it in check.



0-3 mile pace = 8:20
3-6 mile pace = 7:54
6-9 mile pace = 7:52

I was feeling tired over the final third of the run but it was a "good" tired; not the dreaded "dead dog" tired. As long as I kept the pace in check, I was able to push along just fine.

I only had 2 water stops today. One at around 4.5 miles (ate a fun size Butterfinger) and another just before 8 miles. Each time I stopped at Meyer Park. It looked like there was a big soccer tourney about to start the day as I was passing by.

Without much thought yesterday, I decided to try a tracking my daily caloric intake via blog. Over the years I've tried a few different tracking variations. Up to this point, they've all been focused on nutritional components: carbohydrate, protein and fat. The tracking has never lasted long because it's too time intensive. This time I just decided to track total calories and just send it to the blog when I eat. I'll try it for a while (which I know makes for bad blog reading!). The last time I calculated my daily caloric requirement, I believe it came out around 2,600 per day.

PRE RUN
weight=165.5
body fat=22.9%
diet V8 splash

POST RUN
SlimFast & multivitamin