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.