8x600

 

Summary

Name	8x600
Location	Chicago, IL
Start Time	7/15/2012 6:32 AM (UTC-05:00)		Category	My Activities:Running
Distance	6.87 mi		Time	00:56:42.0
Time Moving	00:56:42.0		Stopped	00:00:24.0
Average pace	08:15 min/mi		Max. pace	03:35 min/mi
Weather	Clear; 74.9 °F
Calories	835 kCal
Notes	OBJECTIVE WU Dynamic stretch 8x600@6:38 w/400m recoveries CD Felt like I was living on the edge with this one. Not sure if it's just the accumulated mileage or if the workout was calibrated precisely to my fitness. I would like to think it's the latter. The average pace during last week's 12x400s was 6:38. I figured if I could maintain that pace over this week's 600s that I'd be making some progress. I can say I have relearned that there's no benefit to running the early repeats faster than goal pace. It only comes back to bite me in the later repeats!

Splits

No	Start Time	Start Distance	Duration	Distance	Average Pace
1	6:32:36 AM	0.00 mi	00:10:52.0	1.23 mi	08:50 min/mi
2	6:51:21 AM	1.23 mi	00:02:27.3	0.37 mi	06:35 min/mi
3	6:53:49 AM	1.60 mi	00:02:28.4	0.25 mi	09:57 min/mi
4	6:56:18 AM	1.85 mi	00:02:27.4	0.37 mi	06:35 min/mi
5	6:58:45 AM	2.22 mi	00:02:26.6	0.25 mi	09:50 min/mi
6	7:01:12 AM	2.47 mi	00:02:26.0	0.37 mi	06:31 min/mi
7	7:03:38 AM	2.85 mi	00:02:33.6	0.25 mi	10:18 min/mi
8	7:06:12 AM	3.09 mi	00:02:26.5	0.37 mi	06:33 min/mi
9	7:08:38 AM	3.47 mi	00:02:29.2	0.25 mi	10:00 min/mi
10	7:11:53 AM	3.71 mi	00:02:26.1	0.37 mi	06:32 min/mi
11	7:14:19 AM	4.09 mi	00:02:38.2	0.25 mi	10:36 min/mi
12	7:16:57 AM	4.34 mi	00:02:28.0	0.37 mi	06:37 min/mi
13	7:19:25 AM	4.71 mi	00:02:37.2	0.25 mi	10:32 min/mi
14	7:25:16 AM	4.96 mi	00:02:27.3	0.37 mi	06:35 min/mi
15	7:27:44 AM	5.33 mi	00:02:32.9	0.25 mi	10:15 min/mi
16	7:30:17 AM	5.58 mi	00:02:28.8	0.37 mi	06:39 min/mi
17	7:32:45 AM	5.95 mi	00:02:34.4	0.25 mi	10:21 min/mi
18	7:36:17 AM	6.20 mi	00:06:15.8	0.67 mi	09:22 min/mi
Totals:			00:56:42.0	6.87 mi	08:15 min/mi

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Lakefront 8

 

Summary

Name	Lakefront 8
Location	Chicago, IL
Start Time	7/13/2012 5:23 AM (UTC-05:00)		Category	My Activities:Running
Distance	8.04 mi		Time	01:09:14.0
Time Moving	01:09:14.0		Stopped	00:00:01.0
Average pace	08:36 min/mi		Max. pace	07:10 min/mi
Weather	PartClouds; 74.9 °F
Calories	1012 kCal
Notes	Dear Driver of the White SUV at Belmont Harbor this Morning, I am so glad I met you today. I was running on very tired legs this morning and was somewhat struggling through what was shaping up as a tougher than expected run. Fortunately for me you came along. You were able to demonstrate that rare combination of speed and power as zipped about the quiet lanes of the harbor. I really appreciate your training techniques. They are unlike anything I've ever encountered. As you came upon me with that speed then slammed on your brakes, you sparked in me a surge of adrenaline different than any I've ever experienced. This forced me to forget my tired legs and simply "get moving". Looking over your steering wheel, you may have thought you were looking into "the faces of death". Please don't misunderstand that's simply how I get when I'm focused and striving for my best running efforts. I also don't want you to misunderstand my raised finger. It may have looked like I was pointing at the stop sign you blew through or the crosswalk I was standing in. That wasn't it at all. My lifted index finger simply meant "you're number one" (and, if you get down to it, maybe I was practicing my "I'm #1!" for the next race I win due to your skillful training). It was great meeting you and I hope we can get together again for another inspiring round of training. After our brief encounter, I hope my effort didn't let you down. A biker passed me shortly thereafter and said, "That was close!" Since hearing his comment, I've wondered if it seemed I wasn't really giving it my all. Hopefully you're patient enough to continue to work with me in the future. I value your unconventional training methods especially the way you incorporate the use of your 5,000 pound into the program. Thanks again and hope you have a good day. Cory Dear Wife, Sorry about your near miss at becoming an instant millionaire this morning. It's quite rare that someone actually comes so close without actually getting the money. Hope your day gets better. Love, Cory P.S. Since the move to Chicago, I don't think I've told you where the important papers are filed. They're in the black filing cabinet in my office. Of particular note, is the file labeled "Insurance, Life".

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Lakefront 9

Summary

Name	Lakefront 9
Location	Chicago, IL
Start Time	7/12/2012 5:21 AM (UTC-05:00)		Category	My Activities:Running
Distance	8.70 mi		Time	01:11:12.0
Time Moving	01:11:12.0		Stopped	00:00:47.0
Average pace	08:10 min/mi		Max. pace	02:42 min/mi
Weather	Clear; 72.2 °F
Calories	1070 kCal
Notes	Ran to work this morning. Great sunrise. There was even a guy who stopped his car on Lakeshore Drive to get out for a picture.

Map: Street - openstreetmap.org (Mapnik)

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Lakefront 4

Summary

Name	Lakefront 4
Location	Chicago, IL
Start Time	7/11/2012 6:02 AM (UTC-05:00)		Category	My Activities:Running
Distance	4.23 mi		Time	00:38:31.0
Time Moving	00:38:31.0		Stopped	00:00:11.0
Average pace	09:06 min/mi		Max. pace	06:54 min/mi
Weather	Clear; 70.1 °F
Calories	527 kCal
Notes	Recovery run. Pulled my heart rate monitor out of the archives and dusted it off. Figured I'd check my heart rate over this easy run. But I was foiled. The batteries are dead. The research I've done suggests the top end of my aerobic zone is 135 bpm. I'm really curious now to see what my heart rate is at a 9 minute per mile pace.

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5M Tempo

 

Summary

Name	5M Tempo
Location	Chicago, IL
Start Time	7/10/2012 5:41 AM (UTC-05:00)		Category	My Activities:Running
Distance	5.01 mi		Time	00:36:05.0
Time Moving	00:36:05.0		Stopped	00:00:02.0
Average pace	07:12 min/mi		Max. pace	06:25 min/mi
Weather	Clear; 74.3 °F
Calories	629 kCal
Notes	Nothing like a tempo run to erase any delusions about my fitness!

Splits

No	Start Time	Start Distance	Duration	Distance	Average Pace
1	5:41:10 AM	0.00 mi	00:07:10.5	1.00 mi	07:10 min/mi
2	5:48:21 AM	1.00 mi	00:07:10.0	1.00 mi	07:10 min/mi
3	5:55:31 AM	2.00 mi	00:07:12.1	1.00 mi	07:12 min/mi
4	6:07:19 AM	3.00 mi	00:07:17.4	1.00 mi	07:17 min/mi
5	6:14:36 AM	4.00 mi	00:07:14.7	1.00 mi	07:14 min/mi
6	6:25:17 AM	5.00 mi	00:00:02.9	0.01 mi	07:12 min/mi
Totals:			00:36:05.0	5.01 mi	07:12 min/mi

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Lakefront 4

Summary

Name	Lakefront 4
Location	Chicago, IL
Start Time	7/9/2012 5:27 AM (UTC-05:00)		Category	My Activities:Running
Distance	4.23 mi		Time	00:38:19.0
Time Moving	00:38:19.0		Stopped	00:00:01.0
Average pace	09:03 min/mi		Max. pace	07:39 min/mi
Weather	Clear; 69.9 °F
Calories	529 kCal
Notes	Easy, easy recovery run. Legs were a little sore from yesterday. Oddly, I think the soreness is associated more with the stretching than the speedwork. Resting heart rate this morning was 46 bpm (same as it was when my seventeen-year old self was being wheeled into the operating room to have my tonsils removed). I had a really good conversation about heart rate training with my good friend Alex last Friday. This led my to a lot of thought and some weekend research. Some of you already know my thinking on the subject as I've fairly vocal about it. It's safe to say I'm rethining my position. ... each is an experiment of one ....

Athlete

Height: 6.00 ft Weight: 173.00 lb BMI: 23.5 Resting heart rate: 46 bpm Max. heart rate:   Diary: O2=97%

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12 x 400

Summary

Name	12 x 400m
Location	Chicago, IL
Start Time	7/8/2012 5:47 AM (UTC-05:00)		Category	My Activities:Running
Distance	8.31 mi		Time	01:12:09.0
Time Moving	01:12:09.0		Stopped	00:00:05.0
Average pace	08:41 min/mi		Max. pace	05:53 min/mi
Weather	Clear; 73.6 °F
Calories	1043 kCal
Notes	Yesterday was brutally hot so I deferred until this morning. Thankfully the forecasters were right and this morning's temperature was ~20°F cooler. Truth be known, it was easy for me to put this one off since it was my first speed workout in many months. After much noodling, I configured this workout: WU dynamic stretch 12 x 400m @ 6:55 w/400m easy recoveries CD It's obvious from my splits that I have lost any sense of pace I had. My splits were all over the board. Since I haven't raced and am coming back from a lack of any degree of fitness, I wasn't sure where to set my pace. Before setting out, I started with the range anywhere between 6:16 and 7:13 (obviously a huge difference!) then narrowed it to between 6:30 and 6:57. Finally I settled on 6:55. As I started, it seemed 6:55 was going to be easy so I modified my pace goal to 6:45. By the time I was into the last three reps, I was really running on fumes. Determining the workout pace won't be such a big deal now I've got this one under my belt.

 

Splits

No	Type	Start Time	Start Distance	Duration	Distance	Average Pace	Notes
1	Active	5:47:08 AM	0.00 mi	00:10:49.8	1.18 mi	09:10 min/mi
2	Active	6:04:02 AM	1.18 mi	00:01:41.5	0.25 mi	06:46 min/mi
3	Rest	6:05:43 AM	1.43 mi	00:02:29.5	0.25 mi	09:58 min/mi
4	Active	6:08:13 AM	1.68 mi	00:01:37.0	0.25 mi	06:28 min/mi
5	Rest	6:09:50 AM	1.93 mi	00:02:24.1	0.25 mi	09:37 min/mi
6	Active	6:12:14 AM	2.18 mi	00:01:42.6	0.25 mi	06:51 min/mi
7	Rest	6:13:57 AM	2.43 mi	00:02:27.3	0.25 mi	09:50 min/mi
8	Active	6:16:24 AM	2.68 mi	00:01:41.1	0.25 mi	06:44 min/mi
9	Rest	6:18:06 AM	2.93 mi	00:02:24.8	0.25 mi	09:39 min/mi
10	Active	6:20:30 AM	3.18 mi	00:01:40.7	0.25 mi	06:43 min/mi
11	Rest	6:22:11 AM	3.43 mi	00:02:33.2	0.25 mi	10:13 min/mi
12	Active	6:24:44 AM	3.68 mi	00:01:31.7	0.25 mi	06:07 min/mi
13	Rest	6:26:16 AM	3.93 mi	00:02:25.6	0.25 mi	09:42 min/mi
14	Active	6:31:14 AM	4.18 mi	00:01:40.6	0.25 mi	06:42 min/mi
15	Rest	6:32:54 AM	4.43 mi	00:02:37.3	0.25 mi	10:29 min/mi
16	Active	6:35:31 AM	4.68 mi	00:01:41.7	0.25 mi	06:47 min/mi
17	Rest	6:37:13 AM	4.93 mi	00:02:33.4	0.25 mi	10:14 min/mi
18	Active	6:40:36 AM	5.18 mi	00:01:39.3	0.25 mi	06:37 min/mi
19	Rest	6:42:15 AM	5.43 mi	00:02:36.4	0.25 mi	10:26 min/mi
20	Active	6:44:52 AM	5.68 mi	00:01:40.7	0.25 mi	06:43 min/mi
21	Rest	6:46:33 AM	5.93 mi	00:02:43.8	0.25 mi	10:56 min/mi
22	Active	6:49:17 AM	6.18 mi	00:01:37.5	0.25 mi	06:30 min/mi
23	Rest	6:50:54 AM	6.43 mi	00:02:46.7	0.25 mi	11:07 min/mi
24	Active	6:53:41 AM	6.68 mi	00:01:40.3	0.25 mi	06:41 min/mi
25	Rest	6:55:21 AM	6.93 mi	00:02:40.2	0.25 mi	10:41 min/mi
26	Active	6:58:01 AM	7.18 mi	00:10:49.7	1.12 mi	09:41 min/mi
Totals:				01:12:09.0	8.31 mi	08:41 min/mi

Map: Street - openstreetmap.org (Mapnik)

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Lakefront 4

Summary

Name	Lakefront 4
Location	Chicago, IL
Start Time	7/6/2012 6:29 AM (UTC-05:00)		Category	My Activities:Running
Distance	4.28 mi		Time	00:37:31.0
Time Moving	00:37:31.0		Stopped	00:00:08.0
Average pace	08:46 min/mi		Max. pace	04:44 min/mi
Weather	Clear; 86.2 °F
Calories	534 kCal
Notes	Premeditated as a super easy run; executed as a super easy run. Sometimes easier said than done.

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Lakefront 6

 

Summary

Name	Lakefront 6
Location	Chicago, IL
Start Time	7/5/2012 6:02 AM (UTC-05:00)		Category	My Activities:Running
Distance	6.30 mi		Time	00:53:29.0
Time Moving	00:53:29.0		Stopped	00:00:04.0
Average pace	08:29 min/mi		Max. pace	06:14 min/mi
Weather	Clear; 82.5 °F
Calories	769 kCal
Notes	Warm, slow morning.

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Lakefront 4

Summary

Name	Lakefront 4
Location	Chicago, IL
Start Time	7/4/2012 6:42 AM (UTC-05:00)		Category	My Activities:Running
Distance	4.24 mi		Time	00:35:29.0
Time Moving	00:35:29.0		Stopped	00:00:05.0
Average pace	08:22 min/mi		Max. pace	05:18 min/mi
Weather	Clear; 89.7 °F
Calories	531 kCal
Notes	Oddly legs had a little residual soreness this morning. I don't think it was yesterday's extra push. Rather it must have been the pre-run stretching I did yesterday while waiting for the Garmin to find satellites. I did all of the standing leg stretches from the Cannonball Cooldown series and all of the active leg stretches from Brain Training for Runners. Apparently that was a bit of overkill based on how I felt for today's run.

Heat Index

Min.	Max.	Avg.
94.7 °F	99.6 °F	97.2 °F

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Lakefront 5

Summary

Name	Lakefront 5
Location	Chicago, IL
Start Time	7/3/2012 6:11 AM (UTC-05:00)		Category	My Activities:Running
Distance	5.62 mi		Time	00:45:19.0
Time Moving	00:45:19.0		Stopped	00:00:19.0
Average pace	08:03 min/mi		Max. pace	03:44 min/mi
Weather	PartClouds; 80.8 °F
Calories	666 kCal
Notes	I thought my Garmin went haywire for the first half mile. So throughout the run I was subtracting anywhere from 0.15 to 0.25 mile from my total distance. Well interestingly now that I'm syncing up, I see that the total distance for the run is exactly what this route is expected to be. So instead of Garmin going haywire, it was really my head going haywire! The result is that I was pushing this run faster than I needed it to be ... and feeling tired as a result. Odd thing is that I'm feeling pretty good about it now. ha! Trail had heavy traffic this morning. It seems many have extended tomorrow's holiday to include today. Two women passed me at the midpoint and effortlessly eased away from me. I estimate they were running ~7:40 pace. I admire good runners.

Heat Index

Min.	Max.	Avg.
82.6 °F	83.0 °F	82.7 °F

Splits: Recorded laps

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Lakefront 4

Summary

Name	Lakefront 4
Location	Chicago, IL
Start Time	7/2/2012 5:18 AM (UTC-05:00)		Category	My Activities:Running
Distance	4.18 mi		Time	00:34:17.0
Time Moving	00:34:17.0		Stopped	00:00:08.0
Average pace	08:11 min/mi		Max. pace	05:45 min/mi
Weather	Clear; 76.9 °F
Calories	525 kCal
Notes	Vibram Five Finger runner stealthily track me down from behind about 1 mile in. Having warmed up, I went ninja and tracked him for a mile before turning back for home.

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Lakefront 6

Summary

Name	Lakefront 6
Location	Chicago, IL
Start Time	6/30/2012 5:05 AM (UTC-05:00)		Category	My Activities:Running
Distance	6.27 mi		Time	00:50:55.0
Time Moving	00:50:55.0		Stopped	00:00:13.0
Average pace	08:07 min/mi		Max. pace	05:49 min/mi
Weather	PartClouds; 70.3 °F
Calories	794 kCal
Notes	I felt good out there today. Scheduled for 5 but added on a little extra. Really bridled myself over the middle miles but let it go over the last couple. I'm feeling stronger. I haven't missed a run since the beginning of my comeback four weeks ago. It feels like my cardio fitness is returning faster than the muscle-bone-joint-fascia fitness.

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Lakefront 3

Summary

Name	Lakefront 3
Location	Chicago, IL
Start Time	6/29/2012 5:25 AM (UTC-05:00)		Category	My Activities:Running
Distance	3.33 mi		Time	00:27:39.0
Time Moving	00:27:39.0		Stopped	00:00:06.0
Average pace	08:18 min/mi		Max. pace	06:28 min/mi
Weather	PartClouds; 77.2 °F
Calories	417 kCal
Notes	Easy recovery before today's high temperatures arrive.

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Lakefront 5

Summary

Name	Lakefront 5
Location	Chicago, IL
Start Time	6/28/2012 5:19 AM (UTC-05:00)		Category	My Activities:Running
Distance	5.61 mi		Time	00:46:55.0
Time Moving	00:46:55.0		Stopped	00:00:03.0
Average pace	08:22 min/mi		Max. pace	06:45 min/mi
Weather	PartClouds; 79.5 °F
Calories	704 kCal
Notes	Was NOT feeling it today. I realized what this run could devolve to very early on so I decided to turn it into a 10 second per mile cut down run. I suppose this at least forced some mental engagement on my part!

Splits

No	Type	Start Time	Start Distance	Duration	Distance	Average Pace	Notes
1	Active	5:19:53 AM	0.00 mi	00:08:52.2	1.00 mi	08:52 min/mi
2	Active	5:28:45 AM	1.00 mi	00:08:49.3	1.00 mi	08:49 min/mi
3	Active	5:37:34 AM	2.00 mi	00:08:27.7	1.00 mi	08:27 min/mi
4	Active	5:47:46 AM	3.00 mi	00:08:16.0	1.00 mi	08:16 min/mi
5	Active	5:56:02 AM	4.00 mi	00:07:56.2	1.00 mi	07:56 min/mi
6	Active	6:07:13 AM	5.00 mi	00:04:33.4	0.61 mi	07:30 min/mi
Totals:				00:46:55.0	5.61 mi	08:22 min/mi

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Lakefront 5

Summary

Name	Lakefront 5
Location	Chicago, IL
Start Time	6/27/2012 5:34 AM (UTC-05:00)		Category	My Activities:Running
Distance	5.63 mi		Time	00:46:12.0
Time Moving	00:46:12.0		Stopped	00:00:05.0
Average pace	08:12 min/mi		Max. pace	05:56 min/mi
Weather	Clear; 66.1 °F
Calories	699 kCal
Notes	Beautiful morning. The time passed quickly as I intermixed thoughts of a complex problem from work and church hymns. (Don't ask ... I have no idea ....)

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Are you ready for this 400m Race?

Lakefront 3

Summary

Name	Lakefront 3
Location	Chicago, IL
Start Time	6/25/2012 5:40 AM (UTC-05:00)		Category	My Activities:Running
Distance	3.33 mi		Time	00:26:41.0
Time Moving	00:26:41.0		Stopped	00:00:04.0
Average pace	08:00 min/mi		Max. pace	06:18 min/mi
Weather	Clear; 64.3 °F
Calories	411 kCal
Notes	Strong wind coming off the lake this morning. Beautiful start to the day.

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Training Schedule: June 25 - June 31

Here's the proposed training plan for this week: Mon - 3 mi. Tue - 3 mi. Wed - 5 mi. Thu - 5 mi. Fri - off Sat - 5 mi. Sun - off After a couple more weeks of base building, the plan is to add speedwork to the mix.

Lakefront 4

Summary

Name	Lakefront 4
Location	Chicago, IL
Start Time	6/24/2012 7:10 AM (UTC-05:00)		Category	My Activities:Running
Distance	4.23 mi		Time	00:34:52.0
Time Moving	00:34:52.0		Stopped	00:00:06.0
Average pace	08:15 min/mi		Max. pace	05:43 min/mi
Weather	PartClouds; 77.8 °F
Calories	525 kCal
Notes	Scheduled as an off day but I used it to make up for the run I missed on Tuesday. I'm happy to say that is the only deviation from my training plan over the past 3 weeks.

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Lakefront 6

 

Summary

Name	Lakefront 6
Location	Chicago, IL
Start Time	6/23/2012 9:32 AM (UTC-05:00)		Category	My Activities:Running
Distance	6.29 mi		Time	00:51:39.0
Time Moving	00:51:39.0		Stopped	00:00:01.0
Average pace	08:12 min/mi		Max. pace	06:57 min/mi
Weather	Clear; 76.4 °F
Calories	800 kCal
Notes	A lot of energy along the Lakefront this morning. Spurred me on to a little extra beyond my planned 5 miles. Shortly after turning around, passed by a running woman who was being paced by a guy on rollerblades. Impressive!
GPS Track Points	600, average recording interval: 5.0s / 55.39 ft

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Lakefront 5 (2 of 2)

 

Summary

Name	Lakefront 5
Location	Chicago, IL
Start Time	6/21/2012 6:49 AM (UTC-05:00)		Category	My Activities:Running
Distance	5.12 mi		Time	00:42:20.0
Time Moving	00:42:20.0		Stopped	00:00:08.0
Average pace	08:16 min/mi		Max. pace	06:56 min/mi
Weather	Clear; 79.1 °F
Calories	638 kCal
Notes	Garmin wasn't working over the first half mile of this morning's run. Couldn't pick up more than 2 satellites for some reason. It was warm and I felt tired today.

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Lakefront 5 (1 of 2)

 

Summary

Name	Lakefront 5
Location	Chicago, IL
Start Time	6/21/2012 6:49 AM (UTC-05:00)		Category	My Activities:Running
Distance	0.48 mi		Time	00:04:12.0
Time Moving	00:04:12.0		Stopped	00:00:00.0
Weather	Clear; 80.0 °F
Notes	Garmin wasn't working for the first half mile of today's run. This entry reflects that lost time and distance.

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Lakefront 4

 

Summary

Name	Lakefront 4
Location	Chicago, IL
Start Time	6/20/2012 5:24 AM (UTC-05:00)		Category	My Activities:Running
Distance	4.21 mi		Time	00:34:06.0
Time Moving	00:34:06.0		Stopped	00:00:02.0
Average pace	08:06 min/mi		Max. pace	07:17 min/mi
Weather	Clear; 76.5 °F
Calories	533 kCal
Notes	It feels like I'm getting physically stronger. (Perhaps it was the unscheduled off-day that I took yesterday. ha!) Saw and heard red-winged black birds this morning. Reminder me of my childhood home ....

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Lakefront 4

 

Summary

Name	Lakefront 4
Location	Chicago, IL
Start Time	6/18/2012 6:19 AM (UTC-05:00)		Category	My Activities:Running
Distance	4.26 mi		Time	00:34:10.0
Time Moving	00:34:10.0		Stopped	00:00:07.0
Average pace	08:00 min/mi		Max. pace	04:38 min/mi
Weather	Clouds; 75.1 °F
Calories	512 kCal
Notes	Had a little spring in my step this morning. Could it be the extra hour of sleep I was able to get last night ...? ... the off-day yesterday ...? Ahhh, the variables of running ....

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Lakefront 4

 

Summary

Name	Lakefront 4
Location	Chicago, IL
Start Time	6/16/2012 10:56 AM (UTC-05:00)		Category	My Activities:Running
Distance	4.23 mi		Time	00:35:25.0
Time Moving	00:35:25.0		Stopped	00:00:04.0
Average pace	08:22 min/mi		Max. pace	05:39 min/mi
Weather	PartClouds; 87.8 °F
Calories	515 kCal
Notes	For my fellow Chicagoans, I hear you complaining about the hot temperatures and humidity. I felt it too. Hmmm, I wonder what it's like in my old hometown of Houston today ...? Relaced my shoes the "REI way" for high arches. They felt like slippers that would fall off but once I started running, I didn't notice a bit. I'll leave them this way for awhile. It often feels like my shoes are putting too much pressure on the tops of my feet. Maybe this is a remedy.

Heat Index

Min.	Max.	Avg.
89.9 °F	91.2 °F	90.6 °F

Splits: Recorded laps

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Lakefront 4

Summary

Name	Lakefront 4
Location	Chicago, IL
Start Time	6/14/2012 5:49 AM (UTC-05:00)		Category	My Activities:Running
Distance	4.17 mi		Time	00:34:55.0
Time Moving	00:34:55.0		Stopped	00:00:00.0
Average pace	08:22 min/mi		Max. pace	07:35 min/mi
Weather	Clear; 64.9 °F
Calories	523 kCal
Notes	Felt pretty good this morning. Beautiful sunrise on the lake and an ever-so-slight hint of coolness in the air. Focused on running "smooth" over the last half. Pace didn't matter; just glide and run efficiently and easy. Yesterday's resurfacing effort yielded fresh blacktop over the top .4 mile of the trail. Since I saw no equipment this morning, I'm assuming that wraps up their work.

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Lakefront 3

Summary

Name	Lakefront 3
Location	Chicago, IL
Start Time	6/13/2012 5:38 AM (UTC-05:00)		Category	My Activities:Running
Distance	3.33 mi		Time	00:28:14.0
Time Moving	00:28:14.0		Stopped	00:00:01.0
Average pace	08:28 min/mi		Max. pace	07:26 min/mi
Weather	Clear; 59.5 °F
Calories	419 kCal
Notes	Plodding .... Body and legs felt heavy but loosened up a little over the last mile. Forced to take a slight detour at the end of the trail this morning. It looks like a resurfacing project is getting started. I'll be curious to gauge their progress over tomorrow's four-miler.

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Lakefront 3

Summary

Name	Lakefront 3
Location	Chicago, IL
Start Time	6/12/2012 5:45 AM (UTC-05:00)		Category	My Activities:Running
Distance	3.30 mi		Time	00:27:59.0
Time Moving	00:27:59.0		Stopped	00:00:01.0
Average pace	08:28 min/mi		Max. pace	07:42 min/mi
Weather	Clear; 69.1 °F
Calories	414 kCal
Notes	Nice morning in Chicagoland. Even nicer is that I'm convincing myself that I can "feel" incremental improvement as a stick with my plan. Placebo effect ...? Maybe but I'll take it at this point.

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Lakefront 3

Summary

Name	Lakefront 3
Location	Chicago, IL
Start Time	6/11/2012 5:28 AM (UTC-05:00)		Category	My Activities:Running
Distance	3.30 mi		Time	00:27:47.0
Time Moving	00:27:47.0		Stopped	00:00:01.0
Average pace	08:24 min/mi		Max. pace	07:42 min/mi
Weather	Clear; 72.1 °F
Calories	413 kCal
Notes	Felt decent this morning. I was surprised by the warmer sunrise temperature along the lake. Another 3-miler tomorrow.

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Lakefront 2

Summary

Name	Lakefront 2
Location	Chicago, IL
Start Time	6/9/2012 8:34 AM (UTC-05:00)		Category	My Activities:Running
Distance	2.24 mi		Time	00:18:20.0
Time Moving	00:18:20.0		Stopped	00:00:03.0
Average pace	08:11 min/mi		Max. pace	06:31 min/mi
Weather	Clear; 79.7 °F
Calories	270 kCal
Notes	Yes, today's objective was simply 2 miles. Just checking out how I feel at the end of my first week back as a runner. Off again tomorrow then a series of 3-milers next week. I need to be patient given where I'm coming from.

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So today is a scheduled off day. My legs are feeling okay but the lowest of my abdominals have felt extremely weak and a little sore over the past few days. I am hopeful this will abate with time as my body re-acclimates to a running life style. I've been thinking about comments I made on a beginning runner's dailymile page a few years ago. I went back to dailymile.com to try to find my comments but, as far as I can tell, dailymile doesn't have a viable "search old posts and comments feature". At times like this I wish that I was a clever enough to write a script to scrape the site for what I was looking for. Alas, I'm not that clever so I had to find it the old-fashioned way. So after over 300 mouse clicks, I found it. I'm pasting into this blog entry so I can find it myself later and refer to it now. I suppose I can think of it as advice from my past avid-runner-self to my current novice-runner-self. ... yes, that's weird .... Cory B. Two thoughts: First, if you're both running, you each need a Garmin. Sharing is nice but for reasons already mentioned not a great idea. Second, the heart rate monitor is over-rated. What are you going to use it for ... data curiosity ...? Yes, my heart was beating while running .... Get 2 Garmin 205's - everything you need w/o the heart rate monitor. 2 years ago edit Ange Cory... so you don't hold to the 'exercise in the optimum HR zone' theory? Pretty much you should just run how it feels good and push yourself if you can, you'll know if your heart is beating too fast? 2 years ago • Like Cory B. Several studies suggest that training by heart rate is not beneficial to optimal performance. One thing heart rate tracking can do is show session-by-session effort on a relative basis. This can be helpful if a runner is trying to compare a summer run (90° & 90% humidity) with a winter run (35° 55% [this morning in Houston]). Obviously, pace isn't a good comparison because blood viscosity changes with weather climate differences. Relative comparisons can also be made for flat versus hilly runs. 2 years ago edit Cory B. Heart rate training is essentially an old aerobics concept. (Very useful in its proper context.) However if you go for a +20 minute run, you're assuredly "in the zone". 2 years ago edit Ange Good point Cory - I always appreciate your perspective 2 years ago • Like Cory B. Almost forgot, the best use of heart rate monitors for runners is to prevent over-training. Most recreational runners don't need to worry about that! 2 years ago edit P Peter L. I have to agree with Cory - I know a lot of people use HRM's all the time, but I'm not one of them. I bought one last year, and it rarely leaves my gym bag. With the Garmin, you become very attuned to pacing, and I generally know how hard I'm working by how fast I'm running. 2 years ago • Like

Here's the dailymile entry I really wanted to find. It was actually on my dailymile profile not comments I had made on someone elses .... York Minster Out-&-Back + 5.72 mi 00:45 07:46 pace mixed in 6x75 second bursts @ 5:45 5:57 6:06 6:07 5:55 6:02 Kicked it up a notch today. No, I didn't break any land speed records I just got into the workout mentally rather than just rolling up ... read more 3 years ago Comment Edit Ange Do you ever take a day off? Sounds like you know what you're doing but doesn't your body ever need a rest? over 2 years ago • Like delete Cynthia P. Nice running today!! over 2 years ago • Like delete Cory B. I do take at least 1 day off each week. I've found there are many training reasons to run 6 days a week. There are also infinite excuses not to run on any particular day. But there aren't may good reasons not to run. over 2 years ago edit delete Cory B. A day without running results in: -Loss of blood volume -Loss of V02Max -Loss of efficiency -Diminished motor-neural and sensory awareness. You don’t realize you are pushing too hard when you return (all stocked full of glycogen). -You think you can push harder when you come back from resting, but this is not a good idea. -All this can make people more prone to injury over 2 years ago edit delete Cory B. From a wise runner and coach: “Frequency of running is directly linked to efficiency. If you run more often, you improve your efficiency. You run along using less energy. You extend your stamina. You simply don’t get tired like you used to!” As interpreted by a US Olympic marathon trials runner: "To put it another way, in order to race faster, you must run more. If you take days off, you will not reach your true potential. It’s a personal choice, but when it comes down to it, it’s that simple!" over 2 years ago edit delete Cory B. Thanks for the nod, Cynthia. over 2 years ago edit delete Ange That's very interesting Cory -- it almost seems to go against conventional wisdom. So if you were running a race Saturday (say a1/2 marathon) how much would you run the week before? And would you run the day before? If so how much? over 2 years ago • Like delete Ariana H. +1 Cory!!! over 2 years ago • Like delete Cory B. Tapering, of course, is different than training. The only way to realize the benefits of tapering is to train properly for weeks in advance. Were it not so, we would all just spend our time tapering. :-) Most of the concepts mentioned earlier, I have validated by my own experience. For example, I, like many runners, spent years over-tapering for races. Then I would wonder why I was sluggish on race day. over 2 years ago edit delete Cory B. I believe many training programs (conventional wisdom?) prescribe running too easy and resting too much during the taper. I knew this school of thought existed which suggested a more aggressive approach but didn't subscribe to it until I just trained right through - no taper - a few races. The result, I run better and felt better. I'm still fine tuning my approach but hope to have it dialed in at some point in the future. over 2 years ago edit delete Cory B. Sample last week taper for half marathon (your mileage may vary!) Day 6 - Rest Day 5 - 5 mi. moderate pace & form drills Day 4 - mixed intervals (1 mi. WU; 2k@HMP; 1mi.@10kP; 1k@5kP each w/2 min.active recovery;1 mi. CD) Day 3 - 2 mi. easy pace Day 2 - 1 mi. WU; 2 mi.@HMP; 1 mi. CD Day 1 - Rest Day 0 - 1 mi. WU; HALF MARATHON!; 1 mi. CD over 2 years ago edit delete Ange Thanks for taking the time to write all that Cory - it's very interesting. I'm a total beginner and am not anywhere near ready for a 1/2 marathon. I'm doing a little 5K Saturday and haven't been feeling great when I'm running all week and haven't been pushing it. I know I'll finish the run but am not optimistic to beat my time last week on the Turkey Trot. Now that I've read what you have to say I think I should have tackled this week differently. No matter, there will be other times. over 2 years ago • Like delete Ange Do you have articles or websites that you read that are in line with what you've come to understand how your body responds or is all of your thinking experiential? Maybe you should write something on it and submit it somewhere? over 2 years ago • Like delete Cory B. My approach generally isn't my own. I'm a fan of Jack Daniels, Pete Pfitzinger, Greg McMillan, Ed Eyestone, and Tom Schwartz among others. I try to read and understand their concepts then apply them to my running. It's quite interesting and enjoyable when a concept clicks - an "ah ha" moment. I've considered coaching and have been asked to work with beginner and intermediate groups. Other time demands (why I ran at 5 AM) have precluded this so far. over 2 years ago edit delete Cory B. Ange - Good luck at Saturday's 5K. If you like a challenge, try to Go Zone pacing strategy I describe at http://todayirun.blogspot.com/2009/03/inadvertent-taper-results-in-big-5k-pr.html (disregard all the other nonsense on that entry). over 2 years ago edit delete Cory B. One of the benefits of a 5K is that the recovery time is short so we can run them often. This allows us to experiment with different approaches. Another thought: As a beginner, I wish someone would have suggested to me that two 2-mile runs on consecutive days are better than a 4-mile run followed by a 1-day rest. As runners, we know the incredible adaptive qualities of the human body. Train it and it will adapt ... usually much faster than we might imagine. It just takes persistence. over 2 years ago edit delete Cory B. I enjoy Runners' World. It seems to be a good magazine especially for beginners and recreational runners. over 2 years ago edit delete Ange I'll check that out Cory -- I'm trying to get to 5 miles right now... done 4 miles once last week and it went well. The rest of this week I've been doing shorter runs mainly because I just haven't been feeling it - like I said. Suggestions on my goal to get to a 10K this time next year? (keep in mind I'm no spring chicken anymore!). I appreciate your words of advice! Looks like the snow is gone!

Lakefront 4

Summary

Name	Lakefront 4
Location	Chicago, IL
Start Time	6/7/2012 5:30 AM (UTC-05:00)		Category	My Activities:Running
Distance	4.17 mi		Time	00:36:07.0
Time Moving	00:36:07.0		Stopped	00:00:01.0
Average pace	08:39 min/mi		Max. pace	07:44 min/mi
Weather	Clear; 57.5 °F
Calories	524 kCal
Notes	Ran .... Mental and physcial progress. Off day tomorrow.

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Lakefront 3

 

Summary

Name	Lakefront 3
Location	Chicago, IL
Start Time	6/6/2012 5:03 AM (UTC-05:00)		Category	My Activities:Running
Distance	3.32 mi		Time	00:28:50.0
Time Moving	00:28:50.0		Stopped	00:00:08.0
Average pace	08:41 min/mi		Max. pace	06:11 min/mi
Weather	Clear; 55.8 °F
Calories	416 kCal
Notes	Pace happens ... or in today's case ... not so much. No worries. I saw a beautiful sunrise on Lake Michigan ... and ... I ran ....

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Lakefront 3

Summary

Name	Lakefront 3
Location	Chicago, IL
Start Time	6/4/2012 5:51 AM (UTC-05:00)		Category	My Activities:Running
Distance	3.30 mi		Time	00:28:09.0
Time Moving	00:28:09.0		Stopped	00:00:01.0
Average pace	08:31 min/mi		Max. pace	07:59 min/mi
Weather	PartClouds; 62.3 °F
Calories	417 kCal
Notes	So the results of my own psychoanalysis: 1. The move to Chicago has not been good to my running life. 2. I now define myself as a "recovering non-runner". (This means I have to take one day at a time and it's not easy!) 3. Part of the complexity with my current status is that I continue to compare my current self with my former faster self. This is completely unproductive in every sense. I'll have more to say as I undertake the journey to find my back ....

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Lakefront 3

Summary

Name	Lakefront 3
Location	Chicago, IL
Start Time	5/29/2012 5:22 AM (UTC-05:00)		Category	My Activities:Running
Distance	3.35 mi		Time	00:28:06.0
Time Moving	00:28:06.0		Stopped	00:00:01.0
Average pace	08:23 min/mi		Max. pace	05:06 min/mi
Weather	PartClouds; 69.7 °F
Calories	416 kCal
Notes	Although there was a lot of trash piled at the garbage bins along the lakefront trail, it was surprisingly well-kept given the Memorial Day weekend festivities.

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Bottoming Out

 

Summary

Name	Lakefront 3
Location	Chicago, IL
Start Time	5/15/2012 5:40 AM (UTC-05:00)		Category	My Activities:Running
Distance	3.33 mi		Time	00:28:52.0
Time Moving	00:28:52.0		Stopped	00:00:02.0
Average pace	08:40 min/mi		Max. pace	05:53 min/mi
Weather	Clear; 61.4 °F
Notes	I'm still sick and it doesn't feel like this is going to resolve anytime soon. The Ogden Marathon is this Saturday and due to my overall fitness and continuing illness, I highly doubt I'll make the starting line. I was informed by email yesterday that my 5-year string of St. George marathons has ended as I was not selected in the lottery. Although my overall fitness is not dissimilar to where I was 5 years ago, my brain is unwilling to accept the magnitude of the regression. It makes training a bigger challenge than it should be. Where to go from here ...?

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Lakefront 4

 

Summary

Name	Lakefront 4
Location	Chicago, IL
Start Time	5/14/2012 5:38 AM (UTC-05:00)		Category	My Activities:Running
Distance	4.18 mi		Time	00:36:03.0
Time Moving	00:36:03.0		Stopped	00:00:03.0
Average pace	08:37 min/mi		Max. pace	07:25 min/mi
Weather	ChanceThunder; 50.9 °F
Notes	Sick since Friday. Spent the weekend in bed. (If I had been paying attention, I probably would have realized I was getting sick Wednesday night. Restless that night yet tired the next day.

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Lakefront 3

 

Summary

Name	Lakefront 3
Location	Chicago, IL
Start Time	5/8/2012 6:31 AM (UTC-05:00)		Category	My Activities:Running
Distance	3.31 mi		Time	00:27:44.0
Time Moving	00:27:44.0		Stopped	00:00:01.0
Average pace	08:22 min/mi		Max. pace	06:58 min/mi
Weather	ChanceThunder; 55.4 °F
GPS Track Points	317, average recording interval: 5.0s / 55.23 ft

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Lakefront 4

 

Summary

Name	Lakefront 4
Location	Chicago, IL
Start Time	5/6/2012 5:50 AM (UTC-05:00)		Category	My Activities:Running
Distance	4.20 mi		Time	00:35:43.0
Time Moving	00:35:43.0		Stopped	00:00:11.0
Average pace	08:30 min/mi		Max. pace	05:23 min/mi
Weather	PartClouds; 53.6 °F
GPS Track Points	426, average recording interval: 5.0s / 52.19 ft

 

Adjusted Temperature

Min.	Max.	Avg.
53.4 °F	53.8 °F	53.6 °F

Map: Street - openstreetmap.org (Mapnik)

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