Sunday, September 20, 2015

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

Saturday, September 5, 2015

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.