Very unmotivated this week. Didn't run yesterday, and somehow convinced myself to shorten my run from 8 miles to 4 miles this morning.
Ran 4.36 miles at 8:49 pace. Not bad, all in all (as opposed to not even running, I guess). Just a couple days until the race. I guess I'm tapering :-)
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Last Long Training Run
Well, I did my last long training run this morning. I ran 16.15 miles at an 8:59 pace. Pretty good overall. My left heel hurt throughout the run, so that's not that good though.
It's now spring time. It was in the 60's this morning at 6:15 when I started. The sun was out when I finished, so it got pretty warm. Overall I felt okay though (even though my heel hurt).
It's my last long run before the marathon (uh oh). We'll see how I do. My training wasn't great, but it wasn't too bad either. I'm averaging 35 miles a week since January 1 with some 45-ish mile weeks in there. I never hit 50 miles a week for my training, but with all that's going on, I don't feel too bad about it. Running 50 miles a week is quite a commitment.
Anyway, thus begins my taper....
It's now spring time. It was in the 60's this morning at 6:15 when I started. The sun was out when I finished, so it got pretty warm. Overall I felt okay though (even though my heel hurt).
It's my last long run before the marathon (uh oh). We'll see how I do. My training wasn't great, but it wasn't too bad either. I'm averaging 35 miles a week since January 1 with some 45-ish mile weeks in there. I never hit 50 miles a week for my training, but with all that's going on, I don't feel too bad about it. Running 50 miles a week is quite a commitment.
Anyway, thus begins my taper....
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Whew, I ran!
Well, I woke up an hour late this morning (an hour late for running, not an hour late for work). I contemplated saying a WTF and going back to bed until 6 to wake up for work. Then I remembered, "gosh, I really need to run in order to be properly prepared for the forthcoming marathon!" -- or something like that.
Anyway, I did get up and managed to get 7 miles in at a half-way decent pace (8:50) before going to work. That's three days in a row where I ran -- which isn't saying much, but is quite good considering my past week of not running consistently. A week and 2 days before Frederick, but who's counting.
Anyway, I did get up and managed to get 7 miles in at a half-way decent pace (8:50) before going to work. That's three days in a row where I ran -- which isn't saying much, but is quite good considering my past week of not running consistently. A week and 2 days before Frederick, but who's counting.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Sabatoge!
For several of my big runs, something inexplicit-able happens... somewhere near the end of my training, when there is no real chance of recovery, my training takes a nose-dive. It happened during the training for the MCM -- I caught a nasty flu which put me out for nearly 2 full weeks at the peak of my training. It happened last year when I was training for the National Marathon -- something happened (I don't remember what) which caused me to ultimately change the marathon distance to a 1/2 marathon distance for the race. I caught myself though and recovered for the Frederick Marathon though.
This season, for some reason, in the final two weeks of training, my motivation just stopped. I managed to run 3 days last week (whoop-de-doo) while in O'Fallon IL, but didn't do a long run (the last long run) over the weekend. I also didn't run on Monday. My Lovely Wife convinced me to run last night, and that prompted me to get up this morning to run. I don't know why this is happening. Ugh.
Anyway, I ran well last night (with a 3.5 day recovery, I should have), 6.09 miles at an 8:35 pace. Less than 10 hours later (this morning at 5am), I ran 6.04 miles at a 9:44 (yes, that's a NINE FORTY-FOUR). I expected to run slower this morning, but not that slow. On the other hand, I didn't push it too much in fear of injury. I had originally planned to run 8 this morning, but after feeling my left heel, my right hip flexor, and then my back (!), I decided that risking injury 1.5 weeks before a marathon was probably not worth it.
A couple days ago I changed my goal pace for the marathon. I think I need to change it again. Technically, if I run a 9:09 pace, I can do a 4:00 marathon. However, I wonder if I should hedge it a bit and shoot for a 4:10, which would be a 9:32. I think I should split the difference -- a 4:05 marathon, which would be a 9:20 pace. Hmm..
This season, for some reason, in the final two weeks of training, my motivation just stopped. I managed to run 3 days last week (whoop-de-doo) while in O'Fallon IL, but didn't do a long run (the last long run) over the weekend. I also didn't run on Monday. My Lovely Wife convinced me to run last night, and that prompted me to get up this morning to run. I don't know why this is happening. Ugh.
Anyway, I ran well last night (with a 3.5 day recovery, I should have), 6.09 miles at an 8:35 pace. Less than 10 hours later (this morning at 5am), I ran 6.04 miles at a 9:44 (yes, that's a NINE FORTY-FOUR). I expected to run slower this morning, but not that slow. On the other hand, I didn't push it too much in fear of injury. I had originally planned to run 8 this morning, but after feeling my left heel, my right hip flexor, and then my back (!), I decided that risking injury 1.5 weeks before a marathon was probably not worth it.
A couple days ago I changed my goal pace for the marathon. I think I need to change it again. Technically, if I run a 9:09 pace, I can do a 4:00 marathon. However, I wonder if I should hedge it a bit and shoot for a 4:10, which would be a 9:32. I think I should split the difference -- a 4:05 marathon, which would be a 9:20 pace. Hmm..
Friday, April 18, 2008
Earthquake!
Well, I got up this morning to a 5.4 earthquake about 128 miles east of here. According to the news, it was a moderate earthquake. Good morning!
I put in 6 miles (I had planned to do more, but it was all I could do to get out the door) in the 8:30's. I tried to go pretty fast, and I think I found the true center of town. I ran past the new and old city hall as well as the pretty neat small town-ish area (small local shops, houses, etc.).
I'm glad I was able to run in O'Fallon, IL. It's a nice town.
I put in 6 miles (I had planned to do more, but it was all I could do to get out the door) in the 8:30's. I tried to go pretty fast, and I think I found the true center of town. I ran past the new and old city hall as well as the pretty neat small town-ish area (small local shops, houses, etc.).
I'm glad I was able to run in O'Fallon, IL. It's a nice town.
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Got a Run In!
I couldn't run yesterday, well, I *could*, but since I had gone to bed at midnight the day before, and I would have had to get up at 4:15 am yesterday to get the run in, I opted to sleep in the late hour of 6:00 am...
Today, I *did* get up at 4:15 am (well, 4:25...) and got 8.33 miles in (at 8:55). I went north today from the hotel and worked my way up to O'Fallon central. Very pretty city/town (not sure which). I didn't see of a downtown (probably on the wrong road), but went down several neighborhood streets. Very nice run.
Today, I *did* get up at 4:15 am (well, 4:25...) and got 8.33 miles in (at 8:55). I went north today from the hotel and worked my way up to O'Fallon central. Very pretty city/town (not sure which). I didn't see of a downtown (probably on the wrong road), but went down several neighborhood streets. Very nice run.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
O'Fallon, IL
I'm in O'Fallon, IL this week. I'm officially in the CST timezone (1 hour behind EST). That'll work in my favor until I get home. Then I'll be running behind!
I ran from the Drury Hotel this morning, headed north and then went into the neighborhoods. I used the USATF Route Map to figure out where I should run today. I like that tool, especially when I'm not at home.
Very short post today. Ran 6.24 at 8:54.
I ran from the Drury Hotel this morning, headed north and then went into the neighborhoods. I used the USATF Route Map to figure out where I should run today. I like that tool, especially when I'm not at home.
Very short post today. Ran 6.24 at 8:54.
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