2015 Book it Danno

This was a really good year for me.  I ran more miles than I have in eons (2,760) and I ran in quite a few events.

January 3rd - Fat Ass 50K  (Lagrange, WI)
February 7th - John Dick 50K  (North Prairie, WI)
March 20th - Syllamo 50K  (Mountain View, AR)
March 21st - Syllamo 50 Mile  (Mountain View, AR)
March 22nd - Syllamo 20K  (Mountain View, AR)
May 9th - Ice Age 50 Mile  (Lagrange, WI)
July 4th - Ellwood City Ledger 10K  (Ellwood City, PA)
September 19th - Al's Run 8K  (Milwaukee, WI)
October 4th - Lakefront Marathon  (Milwaukee, WI)
October 11th - Glacial Trail 50K  (Greenbush, WI)
December 26th - Fat Ass 50K  (Lagrange, WI)

I think seven ultras in one year is a record for me.

I also keep track of who I run with on training runs.  Thirty-three different folks made the list.  Here are the top ten:

1.  Dewey Staehler - 33
2 . Tim Cummens - 20
3.  Andy Klapperich - 14
4.  Clement Grum - 12
     Andrea Poulton - 12
     Dean Klinger - 12
7.  Ron Bero - 7
8.  Joel Lammers - 4
9.  Kevin Grabowski - 3
     Fran Fraundorf - 3

Looking forward to 2016.  Hope your are as well.
Happy New Year!
The Paint King

Shotgun!

I have wrestled with the idea of going to Boston to race, or go and Will Farrell it.  Every day for the past month I have thought about it.  On one hand I always run the Ice Age 50m and it is a short 26 days after Boston.  I can't train specifically for both, especially when the goal at Boston would be to break 3 hours on the chip time.  Now having trained and ran Lakefront on October 4th; then coming back on October 11th and running the Glacial 50k...well...I am tired.

10/4 = Lakefront Marathon
10/5 = OFF
10/6 = 5.0 (9:07)
10/7 = 5.0 (8:51)
10/8 = OFF
10/9 = 3.0 (8:48)
10/10 = 2.0 (9:24)
10/11 = Glacial 50k 4:46 (2:14/2:32)

10/12 - 10/18 = 21.7
10/19 - 10/25 = 41.6
10/26 - 11/1   = 53.8
11/2 - 11/8     = About 63.0 after Sunday run

I determined Friday I am going to Boston and trying to go sub 3.  I'm going to have to start preparing soon in my eyes because I have to improve 16 seconds a mile pace wise.  That's 4 seconds every quarter mile which seems substantial.  I pondered getting a coach.  I looked at several web pages of coaches ranging from people I know to people everyone knows.  For fun (at least in my head) the thought of turning over the car keys to another runner who would like the project of training me seemed reasonable...and well just something to do.  But who would want to bother giving me training advice?  People have enough stuff to do already.  I really enjoy the challenge of training me, but someone else might weave the magic a bit better.  I'm going to leave this option open a couple more weeks.  There is really nothing in it for the prospective coach other than the satisfaction of going Chief Jay Strongbow on me.  Any prospects willing to call shotgun?

BTW...50th place in the Men's 50-54 Age Group at Boston last year ran a 2:58:05.

3:06:15

9/21 = OFF
9/22 = 6.0 (10:16)
9/23 = 4.0 (9:55)
9/24 = 7.5 w/ 6 x 880y
9/25 = 5.5 (8:57)
9/26 = 4.0 (9:21)
9/27 = 11.0 (9:04)
9/28 = 3.0 (9:34)
9/29 = 3.0 (8:57)
9/30 = 5.5 w/ 2.0 in 13:37 (6:42, 6:55)
10/1 = 3.5 (9:28)
10/2 = OFF
10/3 = 2.0 (9:51)

10/4 = Lakefront Marathon 3:06:15 Splits 1:33:59/1:32:16

We stamp that stuff in patties

Two weeks out from Lakefront.  Things are better since my last post.  A bit of rest and an easier week has helped the cause.  I was able to complete my 30K marathon pace effort on the track last week.  I enlisted Pski to call out splits, hand me stuff, and keep track of the laps.  We did this workout together 15 years ago so he knows how important it is and how difficult at the end of a training cycle.  I was pleased with how it went and I split the 10K segments 44:45, 44:38, 43:54 which works out to 7:09 pace.  It was a cool 46 degrees at the start and it made this effort easier than the 20K and 25K in that regard. 

This weekend was Al's Run 8k which I was on team Hillrunner.  Always a good time seeing the crew and thanks to Ryan for organizing the event and hosting a big feed up at his place after.  Most of us put on a clinic when it came to chowing.  Before the race I punched a 3:07 marathon into the race conversion calculator and it said I should be able to run an 8K in 32:05 so going sub 32:00 was my goal.  The first mile is the fastest and has a nice net downhill.  I made my mind up I was going to go out conservative and get the pummies flowing.  The second mile has the most net uphill and is typically 20 seconds slower than the first mile.  I went out in 6:37 and was totally aerobic.  I just stayed after it the second mile and ran a 6:38 (13:15).  It flattens out the third mile and I wanted to find my flojo which eventually I did as I saw 2 people I know coming back to me.  You drop down a short hill at the end of three miles and I was able to enjoy a 6:30 (19:45) without feeling gassed.  Now your down by the lakeshore and it is a long flat grind to the finish.  The cooler temps kept me from feeling fried and I made it a point to catch people through a sustained effort.  I did see one of my teammates ahead and it inspired me to dial it up a bit and a 6:17 (26:02) narrowed the gap.  I'm still feeling decent so I just went to race mode and ran a 5:53 for the last 0.97 miles and finished in 31:55.  I am happy with this result.

9/6 - 10.0 (7:56) moderate
9/7 - 12.0 (8:57) moderate/humid
9/8 -  9.0 w/ 8 x 880y w/ 440y jog
9/9 -  6.0 (9:24) easy
9/10 - 10.0 (8:05) moderate
9/11 -  6.0 (7:43) moderate (54th B-day)
9/12 -  6.0 (9:15) easy
9/13 - 21.1 w/ 30K MP 2:13:17 (7:09)
9/14 - OFF
9/15 -  5.0 (9:46) easy
9/16 -  7.0 w/ 9 x 20/40s (2 sets)
9/17 -  6.0 (9:02) easy
9/18 -  4.0 (9:39) easy
9/19 -  7.1 w/ Al's Run 8k in 31:55 (6:25)
9/20 - 17.0 (8:04) moderate

Two balloons

Let me start by giving a shout out to Marion College Legend Jerry Cameron for having 1,921 miles in by the end of August.  Of course the first thing I did was add up my totals and I am at 1,907 through then.  Pack a lunch Jerry!  It will be fun being your teammate again this September 19th.

Things have been rounding off well and then after a phlebotomy on Tuesday I have been in the tank.  Nothing there through today as I struggled through 5 miles.  It's like I am in the apocalypse.  I have a sense of what's going on, but I'm looking through the bottom of a coke bottle.  Like stepping into a Pink Floyd song.  For those of us who have run for decades the aging part can be challenging.  I accept whatever I have is what I have.  However you get these teaser days or weeks when you feel like you have somehow beat the system.  Natural born world shaker.  Top of the world Ma!  It ain't happening...you have to roll with it and hope you catch a tasty one on the way in on race day.

And that is basically the best I can explain it.  Not trying to be the dream crusher, in fact the opposite.  The flashes of still be able to drive to the hole can be uplifting.  I am happy I still have the desire to get out there and see if I can get a little fire going. 

8/30 - 11.0 (10:42) Minooka w/ Clem, Andy, Dean & Andrea
8/31 - 12.5 w/ 9.0 (7:09)
9/1   -   4.1 (10:27) Menomonee Park w/ Dewey
9/2   - 10.1 (8:27) Died last half
9/3   - 22.0 (8:55) Started before 4am...not fun
9/4   -   6.3 (9:48) Easy
9/5   -   5.0 (10:09) Beat

One last big training week left.  My weight has been up, so I am going to have to keep and eye on that.  I have been sleeping, but not as soundly.  I guess just a crap week.  There's no stars on a potato farm.

...ain't got a bone in his jelly back

I'm meeting more runners on the Bugline lately.  I've chatted with a few and they are running Lakefront.  It was rainy today and I got a late start at 9am.  It wasn't going to clear up so I got going.  I must have saw a good 20+ runners today and zero bikes.  I am usually out at 6-7am so it appears most people get a later start.  Plus we were out for a retirement dinner last night and I slept in a bit.  You like Junior Mints?  Man I went comanche on 2-4 ounce boxes before bed.  Nothing like a good sugar coma to put you out.

I have 15 more training days and then the 3 week taper.  I'm really considering running Al's Run 8k.  It would come 6 days after my 30k MP run.  I always liked a good barn burner to get the racing vibes going.  Not sure I could break 32:00, but that would be my goal.  I'm not feeling particularly fast, but fairly fit.  I have not been watching the weight, but I did check in yesterday at 170 even which is good.  If I could get around 168 that would work.  Then with the taper I would probably get up around 172.  That was good enough at Lakefront 15 years ago, so it should be now.

8/24 - OFF
8/25 - 6.0 (9:21) easy
8/26 - 8.0 (9:02) easy
8/27 - 10.0 (7:50) moderate
8/28 - 10.5 w/ 5 x 1 mile (6:42, 6:28, 6:30, 6:32, 6:31)
8/29 - 10.5 (7:37) moderate

Lakefront has expanded to a field of 3,500 for the 35th anniversary.  I looked at the top 5 for the 50-54 age group last year and the times were 2:58:38, 2:58:50, 3:03:37, 3:07:19, 3:13:17.   On a very good day I might be that 3:07:19 guy.  The time for the 100th finisher was 3:12:20.  Okay...so I'm in here looking at results the stats for 2013 top 5 were 2:54:10, 2:59:08, 3:04:11, 3:14:47, 3:19:03 and the 100th finisher was 3:12:08.  My friend Rick (2-time overall champ) was 3rd both years in the age group.  Looks like some pretty solid runners show up.  As I will be 55 next year I'm sure the same routine might be tried again.  I'm on my way to get a Cousin's Roast Beef & Cheddar Sub.  Big guys in two's little guys in bunches!

"C'est La Vie"

Lakefront is 6 weeks from today.  As planned I ran a 25K on the track at marathon pace.  For a change I felt fairly fresh.  Part of the reason is I did take a complete rest day on Friday.  I had tweaked my right hamstring (this is my achilles heel) the day before on Thursday.  I ran a moderate effort (though it was tough) w/ 10.5 miles a 7:57 pace and on the very last step when I stopped I felt that all to familiar pull.  I thought it best to get in there and break up the adhesions and give it an extra day to heal.  Turned out to be a good decision.  Also the rain did not happen as forecasted and I was able to run at 6am with overcast skies and temps in the mid 60s.  There was a bit of wind, but it actually felt refreshing.  The plan was simple; start out slower than the 20k three weeks ago and try and get in a groove.  I thought I did a fairly good job and never struggled.  My slowest miles are typically when I am trying to take in calories or fluids.  My lower legs began to stress rapidly after 20k.  I believe part of that is running in the flats which I am trying to bone up on.  Aerobically it was an effort for sure, but the main item again is getting my legs used to running in less shoe.  Here are the 5k splits: (7:10 pace)

22:15
22:26
22:19
22:14
22:09

I have one 3 week cycle left and finish off with a 30k on the track in 3 more Sundays.  Then it is the 3 week taper.  I'm going to have to keep an eye on not pushing my legs beyond what they are capable of which basically means don't decide to go Chaka Khan with the Flintstones auto all of the sudden.

8/9 - 11.0 (7:52) moderate w/ 0.5 c/d (train)
8/10 - 11.0 (7:57) moderate
8/11 - 6.1 (9:57) easy, Dewey/Tim at Menomonee Park
8/12 - 11.0 (7:58) moderate
8/13 - 23.0 (8:26) moderate
8/14 - OFF
8/15 - 8.0 (9:54) easy
8/16 - 10.0 (10:57) easy, Dean/Andrea at Minooka
8/17 - 10.0 (8:21) moderate
8/18 - 9.0 w/ 8 x 880y w/ 440y jog
8/19 - 6.5 (9:15) easy, Krista at Lapham
8/20 - 10.5 (7:57) moderate, Tweaked Right Hammy
8/21 - OFF
8/22 - 6.0 (9:54) easy
8/23 - 18.0 w/ 25k in 1:51:23 (7:10)

Steeler Nation

In my opinion, the marathon is the truest test of an endurance athlete.  More closely related to a 10k than any 50k I have ever run.  Perhaps because I treat the marathon as a race and not another 50k just to get a good "training" run in.  Anyone who has laced them up and trained to race a marathon can attest to the fact that the path to accomplishing this can be elusive.  It can also be difficult, so this is why I seldom commit to an all out focus on one race.  Most of us who have been doing this awhile have a good sense of what it takes.  Plus we have friends and the internet to run our "sweet science" ideas past the shade tree mechanics just in case.  It's nice to have someone in the boat with you along the way to offer encouragement or sarcasm even.  The one thing I lack this time is someone to bang the hard workouts with.  There has always been something to meeting someone at 5:45am and knowing they would be there.  Maybe it is a good thing as most of us have a tendency to get a bit competitive on training runs.

I have been generally surprised this time around that my willingness to put the training in has been positive.  Now I have a ways to go, but my attitude has been good.  Being a bit older and wiser I can appreciate that my biorhythms, the weather, or other life stresses can and will impact some training days.  I rely more on the effort at times than that cold hearted retch called "the watch." 

8/2 - HR 60, 16.0 w/ 20k on the track in 1:29:55 (7:14).
8/3 - HR 53, OFF
8/4 - HR 52, 5.0 (10:05) easy
8/5 - HR 58, 5.0 (10:00) easy
8/6 - HR 56, 11.0 (7:55) moderate
8/7 - HR 54, 11.0 w/ 6 x 1mile (6:46,40,45,39,39,25)
8/8 - HR 55, 11.0 (7:42) moderate

Now the one thing I like about training cycles is I can see how they overlay to the previous one.  It helps me coach myself better.  Improvement is obviously good to see, but I'm talking about the tweaks you make to bring about better results.  You know...stuff like a better warm-up, starting out slower, backing off, etc.  The meat of these cycles is really the moderate runs at 10-12 miles.  These runs keep the general fatigue at a level so when you do the "mandatory marathon training crap" you are learning to endure/adapt.  Honestly I was disappointed in the mile repeat times, but I just told myself it is the process.  It doesn't matter how fast I ran these 15 years ago.  The first response to this as I have mentioned before is I need to incorporate more speed/turnover.  I need to establish a cruising speed.  You have to let this go.  On race day the idea is to uncover the exact pace I can carry for 26.22 miles.  For me to run 11.0 miles today at 28 seconds over my 7:14 pace target the day after mile repeats shows me something is starting to work.  Like Terry Bradshaw once said, "When you go to the biggest dance of the year, you dance with the one who brung ya."

We can rebuild him

7:02
7:08
7:07
7:06
7:15
7:21
7:14
7:13
7:16
7:17
7:16
7:15
3:25
1:29:55 for 20k splits 44:48/45:07 (7:14 mile pace)

I started warming up at 5:45am and it was already mid 70s.  I was a bit agressive (anxious) and wheeled through the first lap in 1:40.  I backed her down and went through the quickest of the 1600m in 7:02.  Did well and then just past 4 miles I grabbed two S-caps and a chunk of Power Bar and the act of forcing them down without a drink knackered me.  Past 5 miles I grabbed some gatorade and again this waxed me further as you can see with the 7:21 split.  I had to really concentrate after this and now that I look at it did a pretty fair job in the heat/humidity.  Again, it seems odd not being able to get to top gear.  I feel like I have the aerobic power, but I can't get the legs to the terminate with extreme prejudice level.

My experience is the heat cost me 10 seconds per mile.  Again, I had no business charging out like Dick's hat band, but when the dinner bell rings it is game on!  On the heart rate front it was the highest it has been in the AM at 60.  I took it for grins 9 hours after the run and it was 60.  This is a good sign.  I believe that because I have a governor on now it may be preventing me from over training as much as I like to.  Trust me, I'd go ham all the time if I thought I could get away with it.

I'm going to rest up with some easy running the next few days.  Todays pace of 7:14 is exactly what is needed to break 3:10.  I feel I have a shot at getting under 3:05, but let's be honest here...who doesn't want to go for sub 3?  I've told myself and others that the main objective is to uncover exactly what pace I can run October 4th at Lakefront and execute that.  I'm going to stick with this as it only makes sense.  It just seems like everyday I train I'm trying to will myself into a better version of me. 

Harlansburg

Living in Sussex means lots of training on the Bugline.  I like the paved trail because I live right about in the middle of its 14 mile length.  It's basically flat which is nice when training for a flat marathon like Lakefront.  Surprising how few people are out early in the morning.  I'd give the nod to bikers for getting out earlier than runners.  I guess the serious ones have discovered the less pedestrians the better.  Sound wisdom.

This week I thought about injecting more speed work into my training.  I ran halves this week and I don't have access to the big gear.  One reaches a certain speed and that is it.  After all isn't marathon racing all about finding the cruising speed?  I decided after stepping outside of myself that two things were of issue.  First I would risk tweaking/pulling/injuring a leg muscle.  Second the marathon requires establishing a forbearance against the rigors which set in past 20 miles.  Dancing around the track doing 200/400s didn't seem to fit the logic as well as doing long tempo runs near or at race pace.  Having followed the principles of Kevin Beck before and succeeding there is no reason to adjust plans now 15 years later.  For more on this great read you can search Kevin Beck an all your eggs in one basket marathon approach.  A very good read.

7/26 - HR 53, 10.0 (10:15) Minooka (Dean/Andrea) easy
7/27 - HR 53, 10.0 (7:45) moderate
7/28 - HR 58, 10.0 w/ 8 x 880y w/ 440y rest
7/29 - HR 52, 8.0 (8:54) easy
7/30 - HR 56, 10.0 (7:38) moderate
7/31 - HR 52, 6.0 (7:21) moderate
8/1 - HR 54, 6.0 (10:41) easy

Tomorrow is my first long time trial on the track.  I will do a 20k.  To run a 3:10 you need 7:14s and for 3:05 you need 7:03s.  I suspect I will be in this range.  Half of the miles I ran on Friday were around 7:14.  I'm going to try and work on the pacing and lean towards a slower first couple miles.  I hope to be running no later than 5:30am so I better set the coffee pot up tonight.

You tickle me

Is an expression Dad used when you did something contrary/different than he would.  If my brother and I had to weed the garden and Dad saw us doing it in the middle of the day, he would walk over and say, "You guys tickle me."  If he saw me skinning out an animal with gloves on he would say, "You tickle me."  I sort of forgot about this until this week I saw a guy coming in the do not enter direction at a McDonald's and I said out loud, "You tickle me."  Good stuff.

I chipped away at another week of marathon training.  I tend to zone in and stay focused so apologies to those I typically make time to run with.  If possible I'll bang out almost all of my runs in the early morning since I am up anyway.  I hate to admit it, but I have fell asleep before 8pm the last two evenings.  Weight is down to 170.5 and it really hasn't been much of a hassle.  I keep track through My Fitness Pal.  I'm fairly dedicated to using it as calorie/cardio tracking tool.  I basically live on cereal, sandwiches, soup, yogurt, banana's, and chips.  I'll eat some pasta and salads as well. 

I've been watching the heart rate.  Pretty steady.  Better than I thought.  When I was a teen I could get it down into the 30s, but after the Graves disease in '89 it rarely goes below 50.  What really stresses the body for me is the humidity.  That stuff just drains me.  Probably the same with others.  At least the early hours are much cooler.  The HR is taken when I first awake, so the number you see below is what it was before I ran that day.

7/19 - 10.5 (8:20) moderate HR59
7/20 - 11.0 w/ 7.0 tempo (7:06) HR 58
7/21 - 6.0 (10:02) easy HR 53
7/22 - 10.0 (7:52) moderate felt good HR 50
7/23 - 22.0 (8:00) moderate HR 50
7/24 - 6.0 (9:36) easy HR 55
7/25 - 8.0 (9:44) easy HR 51

Halfway to Memphis

The marathon training has started.  I will dial it up with what seems to have worked in the past and do the best I can.  It has been over 10 years since I specifically trained for a marathon.  There is no doubt the speed has diminished.  I should not be shocked by this, but my brain acts dumb at times.  I tend to not focus on a lot of long runs.  I am happy to get several in otherwise I am just spent.  I am going back to the old standard of checking the resting heart rate first thing in the morning.  I hope I have the courage to understand what it means.  In a nutshell I try and do the easier runs about 40-80 seconds slower than marathon pace, do a fair amount of running at marathon pace, run 5-10% below marathon pace, and rest.  It can be a balancing act because you have to mimic marathon racing, but not get to carried away at times.  Was a time I could go bonkers-Zulu, but not too much these days.

Part of me thinks I let myself get slow, but this isn't true.  I am always in pretty good shape and I'll admit I have leaned towards more pedestrian efforts in training.  I believe that will bring longevity.  I am slowly focusing on my weight.  I ran Madison in 3:15:58 this past November at 179 pounds.  I vowed I would not run my next marathon that big and I am glad to report this morning I am 172 pounds.  That has always been a good weight for me, but my PR at Boston in 2002 had me at 162 pounds.  I would like to get and hold at around 165.

7/11 - 10.3 (7:52)
7/11 - 4.8 (9:25)
7/12 - 4.7 (9:37)
7/13 - 4.0 (9:59) HR 58
7/14 - 6.0 (9:23) HR 56
7/15 - 8.0 (9:16) HR 55
7/16 - 10.0 (8:11) HR 57
7/17 - 8.0 w/ 4 x 1 mile w/ 1 lap jog in 6:34, 6:33, 6:29, 6:35 HR 58
7/18 - 11.5 (8:27) HR 57, I died at 7 miles, extremely humid

I will need to average 7:14 per mile to slip under 3:10.  Lakefront is October 4th.  I found out you can submit another time to Boston after you are registered.  Not sure it will be beneficial, but if I run a faster time perhaps I will try and move up.  I have not decided at this point if I will race Boston, or "take it all in."  For now I want to stay fit and get to the starting line.

No matter...twern't no grizz anyway

3:17:18

That's my predicted marathon time after a sub stellar 7/4 10k I ran in 42:54.  I honestly thought I would run around 40 minutes.  Well it looks like I have a bit of running to do.  I ran 10.3 today at 7:52 pace at the build-up run.  First time there.  Think I will become a regular.  I also learned a group does track work at 6:30am on Tuesday.  Always better to share the misery.  It sounds like a couple others are shooting for 3:10.  I think I will fall in.  Twelve weeks to go.  The Cudahy 10 mile is in 2 weeks.  I going to go spin that bad boy.

Open the bay doors

To the six people who read my blog regularly (as if there is much to read), I feel it is necessary to offer up an apology.  Yes...I plan to race Lakefront.  What methology and time goal I will have is not relevant.  I've come to the realization I can only bring to the day whatever the juice levels are reading.  I read a stat that 2% of current marathoners break 3 hours.  It dawned on me that an over the hill man born in Butler, PA will probably will not be one of them.  I'm going to work the balls in the machine as hard as Nick Perry did, but may not be as successful. 

This has been a somewhat difficult week because since Wednesday I have had a sore throat with a strengthening cold right behind it.  I also had 500ml of blood taken off on Thursday for my Polycythemia Vera.  When I was younger it did not seem like a big deal, but lately I need a bit more rest to feel my jovial self.

Getting out the door is not a big issue for me.  Stepping outside of myself and training me is challenging because the brain has this human highlight reel of me starring in it and doing things of great wunderment.  Butterflies are not free to fly.  Well at least not the Monarchs because it takes like three generations for them to get back down to Mexico.  Well I have managed to not be taken out by a Mack truck like some of them...so I am into this 3rd generation.  Sometimes I feel like the late model my buddies use to work on every week just so they could roll it back to the track for another battle.

But this is all still good.  I have no running complaints.  I have an idea what fuzzy math is, but I appear to suffer from fuzzy running.  Is it me or is this lack of crystal clear clarity in running always felt as if it generated between the space between my two ears.  Is my brain getting tired?  As the brain goes so does the body.  Maybe I am depending too much on coffee.  Yes...this is the best way to explain.  In the days of past my brain basically felt like a coffee buzz and I could go rip a few nice runs.  Now those seem so far in between.

Mon = 6.5 easy (10:04)
Tue = 9.0 w/ 8 x 880y w/ .25 jog
Wed = 10.0 moderate (7:55)
Thu = 6.5 easy (9:59)
Fri = Off
Sat = 13.0 easy (9:28)
Sun = 5.0 easy (10:14)

Commando 100

After thinking about it, I have outlined a marathon plan.  I want a system that includes hard work, but isn't over the top.  I want to get some miles in, but I need to have decent rest.  I want to race a bit and have fun, but not taper for those.  I want to get some long running in, but not enough to always wear me out.  I want to have some flexibility, so I can run with friends occasionally.  I want to incorporate speed, but not over the top.  Here is the draft:

Monday:  4-6 easy
Tuesday:  800m repeats
Wednesday:  9-11 moderate
Thursday:  4-6 easy
Friday:  9-11 moderate
Saturday:  Long run, race, or MP run
Sunday:  Off or 4-6 easy

I may switch Thursday/Friday around at times and probably other days as well.  This will probably net out to a range of 50-70 a week.  I kicked off today with 14.0 at moderate pace averaging 7:53.  I'll probably be shot tomorrow, but sometimes it shakes things loose.

All the Young Dudes

Today I signed up for the Lakefront Marathon.  It is 20 weeks away and I am excited by the challenge of running a good time.  Fresh off my 8:20 at Ice Age last Saturday, it is time to spend 8 weeks working off the rough edges, 9 weeks cracking it down, and a three week taper.  Training ideas can be found everywhere, but rest be assured to run fast in the marathon you have to give up the ultra mind set...at least this is my experience.

Today was a 7 mile run on the flat paved Bugline trail by the residence.  I averaged 9:36 and it felt so much faster.  I saw the HS team go by and they looked so comfortable.  Six to seven guys in the front pack and about 20 way back in the second pack.  It made me think back to a different time when I ran in HS.  There were few distance runners on the team and our workouts basically resembled the guys who ran the quarter/half except we ran an extra 2-3 miles.  By my Junior year I discovered if I was to get any better one needed to train year around.  That's when I became fond of the simple act of movement called running.  I'm not a philosophical guy, but life seemed better served when I was doing it as opposed to not doing it.

I am Woman

I thought of this Helen Reddy classic on a run this week.  Brutal cold, wind, snow, and not much great footing is hard to come by.  I look for the areas where the sidewalks might be plowed and head there.  Another form of life does venture out and I give them credit.  People still take the dog out for a little adventure.  I am that adventure about 20% of the time.  Look...I see you and you see me from a couple hundred yards away.  The sidewalk is narrow and though you don't know it yet I am going to leap into the snow and run around you just to make it easier.  Why do some people think just that act is enough and pay zero attention to their dog leaping/lurching at the last second up into the snow to get a piece of me?

I am strong
(Strong)
I am invisible
(Invisible)
I am runner

I already accept I am invisible to all vehicles.  If you have run any length of time you already know this.

12/29  AM = 6.0 (8:38)
12/29  PM = 6.0  (8:07)
12/30  AM = 6.0 (9:20)
12/30  PM =  6.1 (9:07) Trails, Menomonee Park w/ Dewey/Tim
12/31  AM = 13.3 (9:04)
1/1      AM = 12.6 (10:20) Trails, Funk Road
1/2      OFF
1/3      AM = 31.5 (11:41) Trails, Ice Age Trail, snow covered
1/4      OFF

1/5      AM = 5.3 (10:20)
1/6      AM = 5.3 (10:51)
1/6      PM =  6.6 (10:40) Trails, Men. Park w/ Dewey/Tim
1/7      AM = 6.1 (10:30)
1/7      PM = 6.5  (10:17)
1/8      AM = 6.1 (10:33)
1/8      PM = 6.2  (11:03) Snow Storm
1/9      OFF
1/10    AM = 20.0 (12:19) Trails, Lapham w/Dewey/Steve H-K...brutal
1/11    OFF