BBQ wisdow

 Today was one of those days one enjoys.  Sunday was a brisk 2.5 walk to finish with 45.5 miles on the week.  Today was 6.5 miles with a .36/.14 run/walk ratio.  It went well and 11:48 mile pace was achieved.   The left leg is still weaker, but good progress has been made.

 An effort has to be made to monitor the distance and pace.  Was a time to just go after every run a bit, day after day.  Just go until it seemed like enough and stay there.  There is not a motivation issue, there is a capacity problem.  The rest of the week needs to be consistent mileage while and slower.  Save something for the 14 planned Saturday.   That will be a big jaunt.  The plan is to do it in the State Forest and practice at a run of the mill pace around .35/.15.

 My 60 year old XC teammate (college) returns to coaching this year for boys HS basketball.   It is a new school.  He has retired from teaching.  He had accumulated 289 lifetime wins.  I am pumped to follow along.  The papers say he is "old school."  What else would he be?  

Yessssss coffee

 Last week at the grocery store checkout, I attempted to load a heavier item and the lady told me she's got it.  Easily 65, she then announces she can bench press 375.  Those moments are treasured.

 On the same day I dropped an item off at a guy in the neighborhoods place.  He graduated high school with Alan Scharsu.  Alan ran 8:44 in the 2 mile, which was 3rd all-time then.  Funny what people tell you when you are a jogger.  We ran at the Austintown Fitch Relays so I did see Alan run.  He was a '78 grad.

 My friend ran against Glenn Herold in HS.  He tells the story of them being neck and neck and then the gun went off.

 I aggravated the nerve again and had to pull back.  This week has been good and I managed 11 miles yesterday out at the Withalacoochee State Forest.  They have some races out there on 1/7.  Thinking of seeing if I can cover a 50k.  The goal would be finish.  The wife suggested the 25k which is the smarter call, but I can do that on my own.  

 My friends are aging.  We are trying to cram in events before the door shuts.  I took a 2 hour nap yesterday.   Like in the middle of the day nap.  I have mixed feelings about naps.  Mainly because I then slept less than 5 hours last night which then increases the nap reflex today.  Complete nonsense. 

 I made note of 10 things I need to consider during the day/week.  It is my list.  Not a lot of deep thought.  No direction other then what should take preference on pushing the ball forward daily.  It has items most people would have.  Looking at it now I wrote down the word Mindful.  It is my attempt to consider someone else.  Not always a trait easily maintained. 

 Expanding on Mindful, I have older relatives that would love a note or card.  Mail is still big medicine.  Not doing this is not being Mindful.  That's the best way to explain this for me.

 Next week in training I want to get somewhere around 3 hours on Saturday.   I also want to pick out a day in which I extend the period of running without walking a bit further.  Also, if a good day is being had then when doing the .35 jog and .15 walk, I'd like to run a little faster on the .35 part.

Quest for Easterly

 Got back out on Old Floral City road today for 5 miles.  It was a go as you pleaser and the watch claims 5 miles in total was reached at 12:45 pace.   All in all it went fine.  I achieved the 33 miles penned down this week.  Next week I have 36 miles to play with.  Thinking of investing 9 in the long run.

 Progress is slow.  It should be as only covering the miles and a small bit of stretching going into the hopper.   We have had visitors since Tuesday and this runs through Wednesday.  Good to see folks, though wings will be achieved 3 times.  The last round is the wing king's famous recipe, which was copied from Mr. Legend himself.  Squiggs...RIP buddy.

 It would be helpful if I could find an exercise or two which would aid in strengthening my leg.  It just does not seem to fire properly.   It is really noticeable when walking faster.  I should work on finding an idea this week.

Let me go

 Went out for my scheduled 7.5 today.  Early on the decision was made to go with the .35 jog and .15 walk sequence.   It was a wise decision as the left leg grew tired around 5 miles.  The pace never slowed the last 2.5 miles.  Probably because decades of running has secretly implanted a chip somewhere in the cortex which prevents this.  All the other parts participating pick up the slack.  It's automatic,  no sequence initializing needed.

 Of course all this stumbling around is done in relation to Ice Age comparison.   Today's course was dead flat and paved and 12:50 miles achieved.   Maybe, if required another 3-4 miles could have been achieved.  The way it stands now I am good to get to Duffin Road (13.1) in the back reaches of the field.  Places were dreams go to die.

  And I really mean that.  In the back you have folks towing around a bunch of mass, others completely under trained, and hanger ons such as me.  In some ways I tick off all those boxes.  My advantage is my body has leather feet, tendons and muscles trained for distance, and the ability to manage what has to happen.  When you know it's going to get into the 80's, this just adds to the fun.  Yet, some just go crash and burn before 20 and rack it up to just having a bad day. 

 So in this light, the idea is to do what is needed to create a mind set, carried out in training, that insures a high percentage of finishing.   I am not anywhere near this.

7 years ago

Got the 30 miles for the week in.

Sunday weigh in 185.  Bad.

Saturday long run 6.0.  Okay.

Stretching.  Borderline. 

Squat work.  Bad.

Going to have to start ridin' the clutch if this is going to work.  Can't depend on ram induction any longer.  Running alone and throwing more miles on the pile is done.  Just live life and throw miles into the void.  I just wanted to drive the school bus.  

Now I am engaged in a great civil war.  Testing what used to be, against what ought to be.  Not only is direction difficult for me, it appears following me may be more difficult.  I can't overtake someone's body and just run the crap out of it.  I'm stuck with this.  

I've had to set my sights on a potential 50k in January.  It should help me focus.  My immediate goal would be to break 7 hours on this trail event.  

I have 33 miles scheduled for next week.  I look forward to portioning this out.  The weight has to come off, or it compromises everything.

I wanna see some history

 Went out to Flying Eagle Preserve and put in 6.  Did the .35/.15 run/walk and it went fine.  

 I did see a bald eagle when leaving, perched in a tree top.  Pretty striking. 

 Cookie the cattle dog turned 16 today.  She's has grown old.  I see me in her a lot.  We all eventually get old enough that people take you were you don't want to go.  

 I am a sales representative.   Have been for decades.  What has changed over the years?  Nothing.  People still think we hardly do anything, but drive around and have lunch.  

 Fat, old, and tired.  That's me.  For those who haven't heard I am staying on with the same company of 38 years and working Florida.  It is good for me.  More folks who think, "What does that guy do."  You have no idea.

Ice Ice Shuffle

 Monday was walk only and did 3 miles at 15:56 pace which was good for me.  Left leg started tiring at about 2 miles.  Tuesday was a much anticipated 4 mile effort to mostly run and stretch it out a bit.  The run starts in pitch dark, but using Master Chief senses was able to navigate the course well.  Surprising the pace average was 10:59, about a minute faster than expected.   The leg held up well.  Weakening noticeable about 2.5 in.

 Found my pacing splits from Ice Age.  There is a lot of gold to mine in those numbers.  The pace for the first 9 mile loop was 12:35.  I thought it was quicker that this.  Not sure why as I was way back there.  I mean way back.  I had penciled a goal of doing 12:18 for the first 10 next year.  That might hold up.  We shall see. 

 Here are the pacing numbers from 2022:

0 - 9.0  (12:35)

9.0 - 21.7  (13:41)

21.7 - 40.3  (14:39)

40.3 - 50.0  (16:19)

Overall pace was 14:22.  Lots of room for improvement.  Of course if we have a cooler day than reaching the '80s, this would be helpful.   Maybe training in Florida will aid this.