Quicker than the human eye

 5.0 @ 12:39 pace on bike path.  

Well, I have been jogging a month and feel pretty good.  I’m not any faster, but I am 8-9 pounds lighter and have started to even out the rough patches.  I will not be doing much in a couple days as the BWCA annual excursion begins.  Every year I go buy more fishing tackle and realize I already have this stuff.  I guess it is the FOMO reaction. 

My current trajectory has me gaining a mile a day of running in a months time.  So around the end of October I will be near 7 miles in the morning hobby jog.  I’ll probably change things up at that time…however I will be retired and my disposition might change from lovable, humble shoe shine boy to hong kong fuey cubed.

Not hardly

 5.0 @ 12:25 pace on roads.  Felt heavy legs at first, but  the run started smoothing out.  A benefit of running every day.  You pick up on the subtle messages of when to hang in there.  I enjoy managing the effort.  Years ago when I was able to get higher mileage in without taking so long, you knew if you stayed out there that eventually you could find a hotspot.  That’s why I was partly not interested in back to back long runs.  I’m already in that mode and I could just bury myself for a week doing that.  This is how I account for that.  I was always a believer in the collapse point theory.  If you average 10 a day for an extended period of time then the number would be 30 miles.  If you add the occasional long runs, and either go slow or add walking you extend the number.  In marathoning I could only train to 23 miles no matter what I did when racing.  The last 3 miles are on you.  Same with a 50-mile.  If you’re going for time then you have to figure out the last 10 miles yourself.  It can get pretty grim out there.

Stand aside!  Can’t you see what got the damn ballgame on here?

Frito bandito

 4.9 @ 12:48 on roads.  Again took it as it came…slow and easy.  I seemed to have smoothed out in terms of energy output.  Go out slow and taper.  I think at some point I will have a day where I do a run/walk.  I can then mimic a cadence that is appropriate for a longer event (if that ever happens) and it could serve as an easier day if my mileage increases.  Honestly, if I did a run/walk now the paces overall would be about the same.

Getting out consistently has been good.  I know there is a limit somewhere, but now that I have no ambition of achieving a set pace maybe I could reach a 2 hour hobby jog in the morning.  It’s all about mastering the time continuum if you want to do ultras.  Don’t be afraid to lean into it and good a good whiff of the jalapeños.

Pick up the pieces

 4.9 @ 13:25 on roads mainly.  Took it easy purposely.

As I look to the future activities I can see lots of options.  Thing is there is only so much good energy a day and I believe jogging helps.  However, if you’re a long distance runner there is a tendency to invest too much into it and become someone who has to fake your way through the rest of the day.  What’s the boundary?

Maybe I take up napping soon?  I’m already at a world beater coffee level.  And…loving it.

Coaltown

 8/13 - 4.8 @ 12:39 on bike path.  Felt good last mile.

 8/14 - 4.9 @ 12:14 on bike path.  Felt good last mile.

The reason the blog is called how far to the barn is because it is the verbiage we used in college when out on training runs.  The barn was the field house.  A big building where there was the basketball court, pool, and indoor track amongst other things.  Slippery Rock, PA is rural so there were numerous back road runs.  Some came within 4 miles from where I lived back home so I knew the area.  How far to the barn?  Five miles back to the barn…pack a lunch.  Which meant someone was about to put the hammer down.  Good times.

I think we’re done here

 4.8 @ 13:18 pace on roads.  Just a steady slog.  That’s the pace I had to execute to get it in the bank and leave a little on the bone for tomorrow.

26 actual work days left.  Medicare seems all in place.  We will do COBRA through work for the wifer when I’m done.  Need to finish the paperwork on my pension benefits.  I’ll have to move my company 401K to a new place.  There are a few other things, but mostly on top of it.  Have to clear out my computer files, phone, etc.  I’ve deleted like 150 phone numbers.

I’m staying for September to work with the new hire.  I’ll take him around and introduce him to the customers, lay out what is in progress and hopefully go make some cold calls to show the process.  This will go fast.  Then I am done cold turkey after 42 years brohan.

Low neck sweaters

 4.8 @ 12:54 pace on bike trail.

Was a time I had a checkpoint about .3 miles from wherever I lived at the time.  I’d glance at the watch and I a good idea how the run might go for the day.  Not always, but after hundreds of times it tells you something.

Habitually, I’d slowly go faster per mile and after 2 miles was pretty loosened up.  For the most part it’s definitely a negative split.  Now I am learning to be cautious.  I’m not in good enough shape to pull from the well.  It is good to be out there and after 3+ weeks I’m starting to feel like a runner.

It’s just so bloody slow.

I didn’t know you was in here

 4.7 @ 13:14 on bike trail and again I gassed out the last third of the slow step.  Big week last week with 32.2 jogged and 23.8 walked for 56.0 total.  Still counting calories.  Try and eat 500 a day less than I burn.

I’ve turned back into a sort of runner.  Shoes wet all the time that reek.  Outside and the garage always have shirts, towels and socks hanging everywhere.  Shorts rinsed out in the shower and hanging in the bedroom.  Stand aside.

That’s not Winston

 4.7 @ 13:08 pace on roads mainly.  Tired out the last third of the distance as the sun was impressive.

Mentally, the idea of going out daily has been established.  As I shed pounds and figure out the other parts it should come together.  The heat is a killer if you don’t get out at the crack of nuts.  It’s pretty simple, get up and relax/coffee for a long bit and go move around until it is done.  I’ve been walking 20 minutes after.  I’m sure that will probably shrink once I need more time running.  Of course I won’t be working soon so what’s the difference.

Halo 2

 4.7 @ 12:37 pace on bike trail.  Felt okay, petered out the last mile.  When I fade, I think about places on the Ice Age trail that are difficult.

The turn at 21.7 is a challenge.  It seems like all you do is fight a slope.  Most years when I came back through Highway 12 and across the prairie you came to that long hill entering the woods.  I always ran that because it takes forever to walk up.  I think if I ever ran out there again I would run half the hill(s) and walk the last half.

Earth cabin

 4.6 @12:17 pace on bike trail.  Felt as solid as Sears. Maybe because yesterday I ate a 1000 calories more than I have been.  Plus it was a bit cooler.

I’m just working on gradually increasing the base.  When I leave for the Boundary Waters on 8/20 and get back on 8/30 that will be a break from running.  

If I was asked what could I accomplish on the Ice Age course today, I believe I could get about 2 miles past Duffin (13 miles), which is the beginning of the open prairie on the way to 12.  So about 15 miles, but it would be at least 14:00 pace and I’d be waxed.

Stack it high

 Covered 4.6 each of the past two days…slowly.  Down to 180 pounds.  Honestly, I’m a bit worn down.

Coaching yourself is very difficult.  Simplistically, you don’t respect the experienced version of yourself.  That guy just wants to apply the governor all the time.  Total douchebag.  That’s how it goes.  I like to believe there’s some genius in it all.

It just seems easier to beat yourself into shape and let all the other stuff follow.  I’d rather run compromised most of the time and try and figure out solutions along the way, rather than be rested up and raring to go.  It’s deceiving.  It’s not supposed to be pretty.  How can we crush a few skulls when the going gets tough?

We can rebuild him

 4.5 @ 12:37 pace on bike trail.  It was as it should be.  Each proceeding mile was faster.  It’s still going to take a while for that to become consistent.

Last week I hit 52 miles.  30.6 of jogging and 21.4 of walking.  Again…I walk around a mile after the run and take numerous small walks throughout the day to stay limber.  Otherwise (I drive a lot) I am stiff.

It’s so hard to run conservative for a long period of time at Ice Age.  I remember coming through the first loop with Max Harn (1:48 800m Whitewater?) one year.  It was his first one.  After that he disappeared into the ether.  I remember him crashing hard later on.  I’ve done the same thing numerous times.

In fact everyone should storm the gates now and then.  How else do you learn and adjust?

Spoonbill Roseate

 4.5 @ 12:31 pace on paved bike trail.  Considerably easier than yesterday as much of the effort was in the rain.

If one can run a volume of miles at 11:00 pace for typical runs then Ice Age pace would be 12:00 starting out.  Now if the volume is under 50 miles a week, say 40-50 the pace is more like 12:30 and be prepared to suffer the last 10 miles.  That’s how it works for me.  If one can run 70 a week then you won’t struggle as much the last 10.

Three strategies and all work as long as you fill in gaps.

Weekly long run with 3 bigger efforts prior.

Back-to-back.

Volume alone.  Maybe 1-2 test tuns of 4-5 hours to test the stuff you need out.

If it is a go for me I’m leaning towards volume.  Weekly volume.  Maybe 55-65.  Then work pace down to increase cruising speed.  So if I average 10:30 on typical days then 11:30 pace to the turn at Dew Dip (21.7) 12:15 to Duffin (30.5) 12:45 to Emma (40.3) and 14:00 to finish.  That’s a 10:18:06 on a perfect day.

Red River

 7/21 4.1 @ 12:52 weight 188

7/22 4.1 @ 11:31

7/23 4.1 @ 11:38

Training for something.  Not sure what, but it’s good to be back in the ring.

Every time you turn around expect to see me.  Because one time you’ll turn around and I’ll be there.

Do other fighters pound raw meat

 4.5 @ 14:20 pace on roads.  Hard to believe that pace was without any walking.  Like last Sunday, I was wiped out from the beginning.  This time I just wound it out in low the whole way.

But…for some reason I continue to look forward to the next day.  Eventually everything will come together.  Weight was 182 today so that’s a step in the right direction.

Originally the plan is to run about every morning and very slowly increase mileage by a tenth of a mile every three days.  My watch say I’m averaging 19,000 steps a day so I expect to be tired.

Ice Age would be awesome and if I could right the ship there is a chance I would sign up in December.  There is another guy reading this that should consider the same.  I say this because it’s not about time or place anymore.  It’s about getting in good enough shape to enjoy the event, embrace the struggle, and train with a clear goal.  My goal would be to break 11:00, but anyone who knows me figures I’m training for a 9:59. That would be true.

Initially the plan would be to run at the lowest weight I’ve ever ran the event in…minus 5 pounds below that.  That’s the real motivator as I am tired of being rotund. I can lose weight running as you get the biggest bang for the calorie burn this way.  Plus on the mental side it’s not an issue for me to pile up miles.  I can moan about the aches and pains all I want, but lose 25 pounds and maybe stretch a little and see what happens.  On the journey as I approach 50-60 a week of jogging miles alone then let’s see what pace I can get to.

The morning comes and after coffee and a stretch it’s achieve the mileage.  Every day.  Take in the feedback and adjust.  If the runs not good than it’s something else.

Frank Rizzo

 4.4 @ 12:32 pace on bike trail.

That converts to making it to Duffin on the way out within 14:24 pace.  That’s 13 miles.  That’s my current state of affairs.

I see Ice Age in 5 pieces.  Start to Confusion.  Confusion to turn.  Turn to Confusion.  Confusion to Emma.  Emma to finish.  I’m working on the Confusion to turn currently…in my mind.

Good rabbit

 4.4 @ 13:05 pace.

Just slogged along to get the run in.  That’s what I had so I didn’t pay much attention to how much I was liking or disliking it.  It is a good feeling to get it in the bank.  Most days I cool down with a mile walk.

Be heading into the Boundary Waters in 3 weeks.  After I return at the end of the month, I will work through September and be done officially October 1st.  No matter, t’wernt no grizz left anyway.  Saw it right off.

20 seconds

 Yesterday was 4.3 @ 12:31 pace.

Today was 4.4 @ 13:25 pace on trails for half and the other road.  Ran early and it was already over 80.

Hips very sore.  As I get around during the day doing various walks it helps.  I stretch about 10 minutes before.  I might stretch in the evening as well.  It’s what Robert would do I figure.

I think I invented it

 4.3 @ 12:25 pace.  Overcast and cooler in the mid 70s.  If I’m going to continue with this power jogging then a new pair of shoes is in order.

Got to start working on strengthening the lower back.  It’s not going to just vanish.  Make a mental note today to look into it.

Now I drive the bus

 4.3 @ 13:11 pace.  Straight ballin’ speed.

The last couple days were very helpful for gathering info.  I took a beating though.  Keeping it simple by very, very slowly increasing mileage is easy to manage because the next day is simple.  My goal is to make things better along the way.  The biggest item is lose weight, closely followed by hammy stretches.  What is always there is pain in my pelvic structure and lower back.  Beside running I walk 2-3 miles a day to keep things loose.  I need to find a good stretch/strength for my lower back.

I look forward to every morning.  I started to eat some easily digestible carbs about 45 minutes before I run.  That and 3 cups of 50/50 black coffee.  I went and got white bread, applesauce, graham crackers and bananas.  Put down 150-200 calories.

Reality

 4.2 @ 13:08 pace and it was brutal.  I was on the verge of heat exhaustion.  I should have stopped about half way but I forced it.  I’ve felt better finishing most of my ultras than today.  Two bad days in a row.  I start out fine, but quickly deteriorate.  Probably the high protein volume and calorie cutting.  I’m going to try something new tomorrow and eat some simple carbs about 45 minutes prior to running.

Sweet Melissa

 4.2 @ 11:56 pace.  Struggled the last half.  I know why.  Gonna have to make an adjustment.  My back is still an issue, but two separate stretches are keeping me in the game for now.

The wife has Cat Stevens playing.  Pleasant bonus.

To motivate myself I think I need to start pondering race goals either real or imagined.  One adjustment I made is abandoning walking for brief stretches inside my running.  Takes forever to cover any sort of distance.  I still walk some every day to burn calories and keep limber.

So the two faux events would obviously be the Ice Age 50 mile and a road marathon.  It motivates me to train and then analyze what I am doing and how this would map over these distances.  I’m just starting back running so for now the goal times would be 11:00 and 4:00. That’s 13:12 pace on trails and about 9:09 pace on road respectively.

My last Ice Age was in 2023 with an 11:02.  My last marathon was Lakefront in 2015 in 3:06.  Pipe dreams. 

For Ice Age I’d look at a 48/52 split which is a 5:16/5:44 split.  12:38/13:45 pacing.  That’s an aggressive split, one that would take a lot of work.

So for me that’s getting my everyday training pace to about 10:15 minimum on pavement. I don’t generally take days off unless I have to.  The volume would need to approach 65 miles a week and I would run the same volume every day.  I would probably only do 3 long runs of like 22 - 26 - 30.  Those would be trail.  Mostly everything else on pavement because that works for me.

For grins I searched for aggressive 50 mile trail race training for a 65 year old.  Puff the Magic Dragon advice.  Like Frank Shorter said years ago, “It’s not all good looks and a secret recipe.”  People are soft.  And I am as well!

Time to change that.

Out and back

 4.2 @ 11:09 pace. 

Chumming

 In 2008, Tom Bunk at 66.5+ years old ran the Ice Age 50 mile in 8:35 and change.  That’s a 10:20 pace and the age group record.  Now that I’m 64, it really is an exemplary time that’s hard to get your head around.  My last 6 trail 50 milers on 3 different WI courses were between 11:02 and 11:57.  And that’s been a few years ago.

Most locals knew Tom.  I certainly learned a lot from him.  What secret sauce did he have?  Tom’s training seemed simple.  Almost everything was run on the trails and he ran long every Saturday.  Not to mis lead anyone, Tom routinely put the coals to it the last half.

Just thinking about it, I think Tom and a few others (Clem certainly is at the top of this list) seemed to have shortened the conversion pace per mile from roads to trails.  I’m thinking as much as 50% better than good runners, not the Girl Scouts.  

My only clue to this is Tom’s theory was your Ice Age time should be 2 x your current marathon time plus one hour.  This was never close for me, but it worked for him.  I was more of an add 1:35.

Look at Clem. 2:32 times 2 is 5:04 plus 1:00 is 6:04.  He ran just under 6:00.  That’s insane.

4.0 today @ 11:44 pace.

Sports fans

 4.0 @ 12:31 pace.  4 cups of coffee just to loosen up.

Richard joined the Church today.  96.5 years old.

I can still eat a whole medium pizza.

Donna’s watermelon she grew is fantastic.

Pirates win.  Need bullpen help to make playoffs.  Half game back in wildcard.

Two hour nap.  I must of been tired.  Dreamt I had a full length, asphalt basketball court in the backyard.  I have dreamt in the past I could gorilla dunk.  

John’s Roast Pork.  Sandwich shop in Philly.  Might go up next year for a bite.  Catch the Pirate game as well.

Boundary Waters looking grim with the fires.

Gonna try 4.0 again tomorrow before I ramp up to 4.1.

I know that dude

 4.0 this morning @ 12:44 pace.  Looking to find a way to increase mileage so I can become trimmer.  Not liking the fat body look.  The challenge is my structure.  I’m crooked as hell.

I typed in beast mode training for a trail 50 mile.  Pretty comical.  Is 45-55 miles a week beast mode?  Of course the plan would be more than adequate, but again the main thing is not the main thing.  It seems you spend as much time doing other stuff besides running.

They described the run as a big buffet style eating fest.  That’s not my experience at all.  Calories are important, but it is very personal.  They stress back to backs versus the one long run.  You could sell me either way because I have experience.  I think someone newer benefits more from the long run.

At the end of the day it is volume of miles a week to me.  I believe one could basically go run 2 hours daily and do super well.  You want to know what rubs.  Run 6-7 hours.  You want to know what to carry, what to eat, what electrolytes work.  Run 6-7 hours.  Want to know how to handle cold, hot or rain.  Go run 6-7 hours.

I see electric bike people with water packs.  What you want to bet they have cappuccino machine at home.

Where the grapes of wrath are stored

 The opening to the song Shaft is dynamite.  I’m just saying.

24 official days of work before retirement.  I still have the gas down.  Running through the tape every day.

Boundary Waters trip in jeopardy with the fires.  Might have to do flowage or UP.

I was at the dermatologist and they called for Mrs. Jones.  Of course I said out loud - we have a thing going on!  Pretty well received.  It’s an older crowd.

Working on my gravitas on the electric bikes phenomenon.  I may have used that word wrong, but it is a running blog.

As I contemplate some big adventure, it takes a whole lot of getting in shape and denying oneself.  Which takes me back to my former philosophy of keeping the main thing the main thing. In the day I just pounded miles, worked, and raised a family.  I never stretched, cross trained, lifted, watched what I ate or worried about dipping snuff.  Listen to me, it was damn near Bastille Day everyday.  Come and get some.

Then you age out to a degree and every other week you are going to get after it…I farging swear.  Such BS.  You are never your own Grandpa brother.  Sure…some amazing tune comes on and you drift back into adrenaline phase thinking it is time to release the hounds.  Then you have to mow the damn yard, or put a fuel line on the beater and reality sets in.

Let me tell you something.  I didn’t have this name for it, but in the day it was the general philosophy.  In the 2024 election cycle they called it too big to rig.  You’re damn right.  Can you dig it?  Adopt a workout, double workout, yard work, middle of the 95F weather and just freaking 396 Chevelle SS it. 

P-funk brother.

Anyway…my buddy from HS is calling.  Keep the faith.

3 bricks shy

 4.1 @ 12:12 pace.  Not bad.  If I dropped 15 and maybe figured out a way to become more flexible there might be hope for me.

Going to try and get some canoeing in later.  Maybe I’ll find one stretch to start and go from there.

Number 48

 Leave for Boundary Waters on August 20th from Florida.

3.2 canoe

3.2 jog

8 hours of world class paint sales.

I like running out and backs because when you turn for home the run is essentially over.

Braves at Pirates @ 6:40 tonight for those keeping track.  Remember Ralph Garr?  The Road Runner.

Breaking away

 12.1 casual bike out to Flying Eagle Preserve.

Mario Mendoza

 A jog/walk special in the neighborhood that covered 5.3 miles.  Walked a bit with John my neighbor.  All in all it was 14:02 pace.  Still near the Mendoza line for Ice Age.

Well digger

 5.9 @ 12:24 pace at bike path.  Good day for e-bikes and cigs.

Final Final

 4 @ 11:30

Getting about 3 jogs weekly.

Pressure plates burnin’

 4.4 miles @ 11:31 pace.

Weight 185.

You’ve had your six

 Blasted through a muggy 5.1 @ 12:56 pace.

Busta Move

 Power jogged 4.1 miles at 12:24 pace.

Walleye hijinx

 I didn't forget you.  I'm jog/walking about twice a week.  Today was 7.2 averaging 12:56.  It's getting a hair better.  I will be in Red Lake, MN with the boys this week so not much jogging around while ice fishing.  Plus it's colder than a well diggers ass.

 Still plan on showing up at the 12 hour on 2/14. Maybe 20?  It'd be a good goal.  It's going down to 28 - 30 here tonight.  Keep the faith!

Yevgeni Arzhanov

 I've been on the road for work chasing power, oil & gas, steel fabricators, and industrial contractors for business.  It was a good trip.  Lots to follow up on.  When I get in the cover Florida mode, real life can disappear.  It's what we do.  Big guys in twos, little guys in bunches.  I pick chunks out of my stool bigger than some of these guys.

 So...with my meds I have a high risk of skin cancer and you get this stuff cut out.  Like anything else after a while you start asking questions.  They wanted to do this special procedure and in short I asked what the success rate is with what I normally get and it was 99.6%.  That's a 60-70% price difference Bruh than the new procedure.  Talk about up sale!  Plus it's 20 minutes versus 2 hours.  This is my second dermatology outfit here in FL.  I will leave it at that.

 So I signed up for a 12 hour event here on the trails in town for 2/14.  It is a free event.  My goal was 25 miles in 6 hours, but I may have to change the goal if the Achilles is barking.  I'll know tomorrow because I'm gonna hammer it.  I'll be leaning in hard...like taking a big whiff of jalapeños.  Freaking Dave Wottle territory.  Hold my beer.

Playing through

 Don't feel too bad today.   The Achilles is barking a bit so I had to walk easy and cutback the distance.  That's what happens when you drop the big engine into a Pinto body.  No matter.  Twern't no Grizz left anyway.  Put in 3.5 on the canoe. 

 Today was a scale day.  That sucker read 185 and the guy in the mirror looked a bit like an old Dudley Doorite fellar with a stomach pack on.  It was grim. 

 Back to stamping out widgets tomorrow.  Probably head up to the Jacksonville area mid week for a day or two.   Make a couple cold calls and see my future be my future.  

Don't want to be a fat man

 Today I put in 9.3 and averaged 13:38 per mile.  My longest single effort by far in over a year.  It's like a toy was pulled out of a box of cereal and I've been put in charge of it.  I don't think I jogged a total of 25 miles last year.  Not that it was missed, but 17 pounds were added to the frame.  Even a walk-run format helps burn higher calories.  I jogged 36% of the effort.  I almost had to learn how to jog again.

 Again, my tendency is to overdo things and today was probably a hair more than I should of done.  This whole experiment is to find a way not to trash my back, hip, and pelvis on the left side.  I was pleased with today and it's a first step towards 2/14.  For now I am trying to stick to 2 days a week of adding jogging.  Probably stick with Wednesday and Saturday.   The other days I'll canoe, bike, and walk.  These aren't anything more than comfortable efforts, but I get in around 2 hours a day of activity. Physically I'm in decent shape, but fat and stupid mostly.  Any improvement will primarily be from losing weight.

 Like most lifetime endurance enthusiasts, it just makes sense to have something on the docket to work towards.  I have some large canoe goals.  I'm looking at a big loop of 2-3 days travel and roughing it.  Not always easy when you're part of a two person tag team.  I feel ready to jump in and go, but not an easy sale.  I'm making two weekly trips to MN this year.  Ice fishing in a couple weeks at Red Lake and the Boundary Waters in August.  Good or bad I'd leave on an adventure every month before the sands of time expire, but you gotta dance with the one who brung ya. 

TV Party Tonight

 Kind of tired today.  Achieved 20,000 and 21,000 steps the past couple days which is a lot for me.  Did 4.5 on the canoe at O dark 30.  I was even sub par for that.   That's okay as trying to learn rest is still an enigma.  

 Tomorrow is going to be a mostly walk and some trotting around at the park trails.  I'd like to achieve 8-10 and see what pace that works out to.  If I can stay out of the pelvic pain zone there is a good chance I'll keep working towards my goal adventure on 2/14.

 Tonight is Black Flag night.  It's a modification that mainly involves me, a fire, wings, green onions, and possibly a refreshment.  This takes place about 2 out of 3 weeks.  I burn all the tree fodder, landscape refuge and petroleum based packing material that shows up in these packages to the house everyday.  

 If someone were to ask me what I thought the best path was between weekly miles or the long run once a week phenomena I'd pick weekly miles.  I'm not discounting the weekly long run ideology for ultras...heck I used it myself...successfully.  With the need to be acquainted with electronic devices as it is today, it seems the time required for weekly miles is probably unprobable.

Someone just advised me there is a burn ban.  "A possible $1,000 dollar fine or even jail time." Look out momma there's a white boat coming up the river.

The Citgo sign

 While out on a 5.5 mile walk this morning I was breaking down what was needed to achieve a goal I'm looking at on 2/14.  More later, but having something on the radar helps stay in the zone of analysis, learning, and edge rushing of sorts.  It brought back memories of training for a marathon time.

 One could go on for hours, but for me it all came down to what exact pace per mile could I potentially carry to the finish.  All workouts and trials were geared towards knowing this exact pace within about 5 seconds.  It is possible to train this way and remove any doubt on race day.  It is probably one of the most effective ways to distribute your resources and if done correctly may even result in a negative split.

 Here's an example.  Four other friends and myself decided to run Boston 2016 together as just a fun run.  First we had to get a bit under our qualifier time.  I needed a 3:20 and went out and ran a 3:15:58 off general conditioning and man I paid the price.  I decided I would train specifically for a marathon in the fall at Lakefront to improve my chances of getting in.

 I set a goal of sub 3:10.  That's 7:14 pace.  I went out to the South track and did a long effort and was right near this pace, but it was freaking work with perfect conditions.  From there everything was tailored to achieve this pace and project it over the whole distance.  As I continued to train and improve it seemed possible to run a 3:07.  At Al's Run 8k that year I punched in what a 3:07 time converts to an 8k time and it was just over 32 minutes.  I used the hillrunner.com calculator.  I ran the 8k in 31:55 which was a good marker.

 I ran Lakefront a few weeks later in 3:06:15 with a negative split effort at 54 years old.  This demonstrates to me that this type of training works at any age and if calculators are used properly can be a useful resource.