OBJECTIVE
11 mi.@ 7:46-8:36

ACHIEVED
10.52 mi.@ 8:06

7:05 AM 47° 72% 3 mph

Dropped in on the group this morning. Although the group seems to be a bit fragmented at the moment. This iteration included: Steph, Michele, Laurie, and Jonathan C. It seems Steph's injury may be behind her so she should be running with us on a regular basis. She was feeling strong this morning and I went with her so we had a good opportunity to catch up on lost time as we clipped along at ~8 minute per mile pace.

The group was running 14 and I only wanted 11 so I broke off from the group around Mile 8. Shortly after that I did a stupid thing that I don't recall ever doing before. When I stopped for a water break, I didn't stop my watch. But when I started running again, I stopped it (thinking I was starting it). Of course, this fouled up the data from my run. However once I had the opportunity to sit down and analyze it, I was able to extrapolate the proper distance and time for the run. I'm not sure what my problem there was!

PRE RUN
weight=166.5
water & oatmeal w/brown sugar & 1% milk

POST RUN
SlimFast

OBJECTIVE
6 mi.@ 7:46-8:36

ACHIEVED
6.05 mi.@ 7:44

4:27 PM 64° 55% 4 mph

Slipped away from work for an hour so I could take a couple loops at Memorial Park. The weather was near-perfect. It was nice to be outside with no rain and no cold! I felt surprisingly good for having run a hard fartlek this morning. So I'm now all caught up on weekly mileage and workouts. Looking forward to tomorrow's run.

OBJECTIVE
dynamic stretching warm up
6 mi.@7:46-8:36 w/6x2 min. intervals @ 6:11 "sprinkled in"

ACHIEVED
dynamic stretch
6.20 mi.@ 7:46 (6:05 6:10 6:10 6:13 6:07 6:07)

5:02 AM 41° 94% 1 mph

This is the run that was scheduled for yesterday. Why I missed it ... it's hard to say now. At the time, there was a cold rain falling and it didn't seem like I had time. Thought I might get a run after work. My body also felt a bit beat down. In retrospect that was all just a bunch of hollow excuses.

Felt pretty good this morning once I got moving. Was happy to hit my times and keep them in a tight range. After missing all my times on Tuesday, I've been wondering what's going on.

I've got it in the back of my mind to break a cardinal rule of running later tonight and get in a recovery run. This will effectively "make up" for yesterday's missed run and get me back on track with my weekly mileage.

PRE RUN
weight=166.5

POST RUN
water, multivitamin, chocolate milk & raisin bran w/1% milk

OBJECTIVE
6 mi.@ 7:46-8:36

ACHIEVED
6.14 mi.@ 8:31

5:20 AM 44° 81% 3 mph

No "Garmin gazing" today. Didn't look at my watch once; just let this run "be what it was going to be".

PRE RUN
weight=166.0

F-L-A-T !!!

OBJECTIVE
dynamic stretching warm up
1.5 mi. warm up @ 8:37-9:46
6x2 min. hill repetitions @ 6:11 w/2 min. active recoveries
1.5 mi. cool down @ 8:37-9:46

ACHIEVED
dynamic stretch
1.56 WU
6:20 6:15 6:24 6:30 6:26 6:42
1.77 CD

5:59 AM 58° 97% 3 mph

... oh, so that's why you shouldn't turn a recovery run into a progression run (see yesterday) ....

I was very flat today; obviously not hitting my goal pace on any of my hill repeats. I guess I can attribute it to a couple of things. 1) Lack of sleep over the past couple of nights. 2) Turning yesterday's easy base run into a progressive run by hitting negative splits over 6 miles. 3) Work stress. I actually considered scrapping the workout a couple of different times during this morning's debacle. But I told myself this is actually good training. Every day isn't going to be a good one. This is training me to deal with adversity - whether within the marathon context (Heartbreak Hill in Boston ???) or over an entire race. Just deal with it and finish off the task at hand. I'm not pleased with what the clock shows for today's effort but I'm pleased that I finished it. Looking forward to the promise of a better running day tomorrow!

If running is like a box of chocolates, I picked the best looking one in the box this morning then bit into it to find a tangerine-avocado center!!!


PRE RUN
weight=165.5
water

POST RUN
SlimFast
Later, water, multivitamin & frosted mini wheats & 1% milk

OBJECTIVE
6 mi.@ 7:46-8:36
2x20 sec. steep-hill sprints
2x20 sec. one-leg hop

ACHIEVED
6.10 mi.@ 8:07
2x20 sec. one-leg hop
1x20 sec. no-arm running
1x20 sec. stiff-legged running

5:53 AM 54° 98% 1 mph mist; very light rain

After about 1.5 miles, I caught myself sleepwalking through another base run. I felt tired and lethargic. I decided I wasn't going to let this happen today. Even though it was a base run, right then and there I turned it into a progression run. My plan was to run negative mile splits the rest of the way. However much time a cut off the mile, I would ran the next mile half-again-as-fast. I know this seems a stupid little mental game but I usually respond and today was no exception:

8:59/8:28/8:12/7:56/7:38/7:38

PRE RUN


POST RUN
weight = 164
water, multivitamin & low-fat granola w/1% milk

Training Schedule: December 13 - 19

Proprioceptive Cue: Driving the Thigh

SUNDAY - Rest

MONDAY - Base Run + Drills
6 mi.@ 7:46-8:36
2x20 sec. steep-hill sprints
2x20 sec. one-leg hop

TUESDAY - Hill Repetitions
dynamic stretching warm up
1.5 mi. warm up @ 8:37-9:46
6x2 min. hill repetitions @ 6:11 w/2 min. active recoveries
1.5 mi. cool down @ 8:37-9:46

WEDNESDAY - Base Run
6 mi.@ 7:46-8:36

THURSDAY - Fartlek Run
dynamic stretching warm up
6 mi.@7:46-8:36 w/6x2 min. intervals @ 6:11 "sprinkled in"

FRIDAY - Base Run
6 mi.@ 7:46-8:36

SATURDAY - Endurance Run
11 mi.@ 7:46-8:36

Saturday Afternoon 10-miler

OBJECTIVE
10 mi.@ 7:46-8:36

ACHIEVED
9.91 mi.@ 8:18

3:37 PM 58° 92% 3 mph

It was a strange day in many ways. First, this was a Saturday afternoon run. I don't ever recall running at this time on a Saturday before. Second, the weather was weird ... overcast, misty, humid and cool-ish. This was actually a good thing as far as running goes.

Run with Randy and Josh today. Spent the morning in the office then met at the park. Unbelievably, Josh had just gotten off a +10 hour flight from Paris and was doing a 20-miler! I thought I was feeling sluggish .... But Josh seemed at the top of this game and I was happy to see Randy too after not knowing if he would be joining us or not. Although we ran a nice comfortable pace, everything felt fast to me during this one. I just felt "okay" overall. Was glad when we met Augie back at the parking lot. She was running the second 10 miles. I was happy to be done.

A footnote to this run: When I got back in my car, I had a couple missed calls from Cameron. Long story, short - the Explorer broke down in Waco leaving him and his 3 friends stranded. I made the +6 hour round trip to bring them home. I was fortunate to have my dad in town to share the road time and driving with!

PRE RUN
water

POST RUN
SlimFast

OBJECTIVE
6 mi.@ 7:46-8:36

ACHIEVED
6.08 mi.@ 8:19

6:11 AM 43° 64% 3 mph

I was just happy to get this run in after a late night. Last night was the Houston opening of The Sound of Music.

The following thought was much more developed while I was running this morning then I have time to give it here .... "I'm not a good enough runner to let things get in the way of my training." (Things ... for example, late nights at the theater ....) This thinking is wrong though because it implies that the best [fill in the blank ... runners] are good enough to skip training. They are the best because they don't skip training (and are genetic freaks). Do you follow me on that? Oh sure, I can envision Ryan and Sara Hall enjoying an evening of entertainment together. But as world-class runners, I'm confident that didn't alter their training the next day. I'll obviously never be world-class but I can take a lesson from this. I suppose the difference is that as a professional athlete, you don't have to worry about the activity taking most of my time each day ... my job. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad I have one.

I'm venturing off to visit a chiropractor this afternoon. I haven't been in several years. This guy's a runner and I'm just viewing this as a 30,000 tune up. I hope he shares my view ....

PRE RUN
weight=166

POST RUN
water, multivitamin & low-fat granola w/1% milk

OBJECTIVE
dynamic stretching warm up
6 mi.@7:46-8:36 w/6x90 sec. intervals @ 6:11 "sprinkled in"


ACHIEVED
dynamic stretch
6 mi.@ 7:43 mixed in 6x90 sec. bursts
(6:05 6:07 5:54 6:07 6:06 5:58)

5:24 AM 34° 66% 2 mph

I would have never guessed how this run would turn out. I just wasn't feelin' it this morning when I woke up. As I drug myself around getting ready to go, excuses for not running or changing the scheduled workout kept popping into my head. I got myself together, stepped outside to stretch, and the cold morning air gave me a whole series of additional reasons to pack it in. I stretched then started. Nothing out of the ordinary. It was colder than usual. My legs felt okay. I decided my first burst of 90 seconds would come about 1.5 miles into the run. The target pace was 6:11. Off I went. I went hard but wasn't killing myself. Two thirds in, I looked at my watch and was way too fast so I eased it over the last 30 seconds. That was easy. Too easy it seemed. I figured it would catch up with me later. But it didn't I hammered all of my 90 second bursts and they all felt surprisingly comfortable. But more surprising was the continuation of something I picked up during last week's fartlek. I didn't let my in-between burst running get sloppily, slow. I held a pace and forced my body to recover while always running within the overall target pace for the run. I figured this would for sure catch up with me. It didn't either. It all went fine. Interesting .... Just goes to show you never know until you go.

A couple thoughts. I learned a couple years ago that efficient running for generally anyone can be calibrated to ~180 foot strikes per minute. Jonathan Bennett shared this insight with me from his reading. It was around the time he got his footpod. Since then, I've read about this concept. Faster runners just cover more distance with each stride. Therefore, they're ... faster. Anyway, the point is that over the past few weeks rather than watching my watch during fast running, I count my strides. For example, today I ran 90 second bursts. If I'm running efficiently, I should have about ~270 foot strikes during that time. To make it easier to count, I only count my right foot so ~135. I've found this interesting over the past month that I've been doing it. I generally have more the 180 foot strikes per minute while I'm running fast. I don't count foot strikes for easy running but I've got to believe I must be significantly fewer than 180/minute. I don't have a conclusion for any of this as it's still a work in progress. I'm sure there's something for me to glean from these facts but I'm not exactly sure what. I'll keep thinking about it while I keep counting strides.

Finally, I've modified my Saturday plans. Josh is in Paris but returns Saturday afternoon. He wants to get his scheduled 20-miler in Saturday afternoon. He put the word out to see if others in our group would join him. I like getting my run in early so I have the rest of the day for other things. But I thought about how I've done some long runs before and how it's always better to have someone with me for the long haul. If it were me needing to run in the afternoon, I'd be hugely grateful to be joined by someone. Anyway, all of this led me to jump in for Josh's Saturday afternoon run. I'll only be going 10 miles of it. I figured others would join too. But it ended up that everyone else has other scheduling issues which preclude their participation. So I'm looking forward to my Saturday afternoon run. Hopefully Josh is feeling okay after getting off the long flight from Paris!

PRE RUN
weight=166

POST RUN
water, multivitamin, hot chocolate (rarely want anything hot after running but sure hit the spot today!), frosted mini wheats w/1% milk

OBJECTIVE
6 mi.@ 7:46-8:36

ACHIEVED
6.19 mi.@ 8:18

5:15 AM 52° 97% 2 mph

Felt sluggish to start out. I think it may have been slightly overzealous stretching before yesterday's hill run. Or maybe my legs are still feeling the incline running ... ? Anyway they loosened up about half way through.

I signed up for the EP5K next month. It's held in conjunction with the Houston marathon so I can enjoy all the festivities with only a fraction of the pain! This 5K fits perfectly into my training schedule at a point where I'll be ready for a time trial.

PRE RUN
weight=165.5

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

OBJECTIVE
dynamic stretching warm up
1.5 mi. warm up @ 8:37-9:46
6x90 sec. hill repetitions @ 5:50 w/2 min. active recoveries
1.5 mi. cool down @ 8:37-9:46

ACHIEVED
dynamic stretch
1.56 mi. WU
6x90 sec. w/2 min. active recoveries (5:46/6:14/6:13/6:14/5:58/6:01)
1.52 mi. CD

5:58 AM 57° 98% 0 mph

Went over to the YMCA to run a warm up to the Chasewood garage for a "hill" workout. Felt sluggish today as I tried to hit my target pace. Hopefully that's a sign that I'm building strength as that's the purpose of the "build phase" that I'm in right now.

Dropped an email to the Salt Lake Track Club yesterday. I wanted to get their group run schedule for the holidays. Depending on what they're doing and when, I may join them while I'm traveling.

PRE RUN
weight=165.5
water

POST RUN
SlimFast
Later, hot chocolate milk & frosted miniwheats w/1% milk

OBJECTIVE
6 mi.@ 7:46-8:36
2x20 sec. stiff-legged run
2x20 sec. no arms

ACHIEVED
6.17 mi.@ 8:08
2x20 sec. stiff-legged run
2x20 sec. no arms

5:23 AM 55° 98% 1 mph

I felt a bit stiff (lower back) and creaky (knees) this morning. More of an observation than a hindrance.

PRE RUN
weight=165.5

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

Training Schedule: December 6 - 12

Proprioceptive Cue: Pounding the Ground

SUNDAY - Rest

MONDAY - Base Run + Drills
6 mi.@ 7:46-8:36
2x20 sec. stiff-legged run
2x20 sec. no arms

TUESDAY - Hill Repetitions
dynamic stretching warm up
1.5 mi. warm up @ 8:37-9:46
6x90 sec. hill repetitions @ 5:50 w/2 min. active recoveries
1.5 mi. cool down @ 8:37-9:46

WEDNESDAY - Base Run
6 mi.@ 7:46-8:36

THURSDAY - Fartlek Run
dynamic stretching warm up
6 mi.@7:46-8:36 w/6x90 sec. intervals @ 6:11 "sprinkled in"

FRIDAY - Base Run
6 mi.@ 7:46-8:36

SATURDAY - Endurance Run
10 mi.@ 7:46-8:36

I'll see your wager ... and raise you 5 Miles ...

OBJECTIVE
9 mi.@ 7:46-8:36

ACHIEVED
14.01 mi.@ 8:26

7:04 AM 32° 88% 1 mph

Interestingly run today. First, I was scheduled for 9 miles. Second, the group was fragmented with some up in Huntsville and those still in town seemed to each want a different distance and to start at a different time. Third, records were set yesterday as snow flew in Houston for the earliest day in recorded history (and there was a hard freeze overnight).

So this is how the day went down: Laurie, Jonathan, and I met at 7 for two loops at Memorial before meeting others at 8. After one loop, Michelle joined. After two loops, Jonathan left and Augie, Josh, William, and ??? joined us. At that point, I had 5.75 miles. I figured I'd go out 2 miles with the group then come back alone as they continued on for ~8 more miles. Instead, I was enjoying the conversations and was feeling good so I stayed with the group to the cleaners on San Felipe (~4 miles out). From there, I broke back to the park alone and ended with 14 miles.

It was quite cold when we started. The high humidity caused the cold to cut right through.

It was good to see Jonathan. I hadn't seen him since Mile 23 at the New York City marathon over a month ago. I enjoyed catching up a bit and hearing his NYC experience (although it wasn't pretty).

PRE RUN
oatmeal w/brown sugar & 1% milk

POST RUN
SlimFast
Later, huevos divorcaidos with chicken, chips, salsa & water

Just Like Christmas Morning ....

OBJECTIVE
5.5 mi.@ 7:46-8:36

ACHIEVED
5.65 mi.@ 8:09

5:34 AM 41° 58% 4 mph

Just like Christmas morning .... I broke out my tights and thinsulate running pullover for the first time this season. That was the fun part of my fun. The disappointing part is that I was overdressed - too hot! Outside temperate = 40°. Yes, I've been conned by the local meteorological hype! It's going to snow in Houston! The sky is falling! Aliens are invading ....

PRE RUN
weight=165.5

POST RUN
water, multivitamin & frost mini wheats w/1% milk

Dana Point Pictures

Here's a link to pictures from the Dana Point Turkey Trot 10K last week >>>Click Here<<<.

Kickin' It Up a Notch

OBJECTIVE
dynamic stretching warm up
5.5 mi.@ 7:46-8:36 w/6x75 sec intervals @ 6:11 "sprinkled in"

ACHIEVED
5.72 mi.@ 7:46 w/6x75 second mixed in (5:45 5:57 6:06 6:07 5:55 6:02)

5:14 AM 38° 89% 0 mph

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 time and distance.

Of course the speed play is intended to provide the physiological benefit of using different muscles AND enhancing the ability to recover while still running.

Typically, I let the recovery pace fall off as I get ready for the next burst. I didn't allow myself that luxury today. I pushed the recovery pace to the fast end of my typical base pace. In the process of forcing my body to recover under some stress, I inadvertently trained by brain that "faster is doable". I need more days like this.

Keep running = keep learning!

PRE RUN
weight=166

POST RUN
water, multivitamin & oatmeal w/brown sugar & 1% milk

OBJECTIVE
5.5 mi.@ 7:46-8:36

ACHIEVED
5.67 mi.@ 8:11

5:10 AM 45° 91% 3 mph

A nice cool morning. I felt pretty good making the York Minster Loop + once around my block.

PRE RUN
weight=165.5

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

Chasewood Garage

OBJECTIVE
dynamic stretching warm up
1.5 mi. warm up @ 8:37-9:46
6x75 sec. hill repetitions @ 5:50 w/2 min. active recoveries
1.5 mi. cool down @ 8:37-9:46

ACHIEVED
dynamic stretch
1.55 mi. WU
6x75 sec.@ ~5:50 w/2 min. active recoveries
1.53 mi. CD

5:40 AM 49° 77% 2 mph

Didn't feel nearly as good today as I did yesterday. Running is like a box of chocolates ....

PRE RUN
weight=165.5

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