WINDY LUBBOCK

Lots of hot air here. This morning I presented at the conference - expectations were high, and i delivered... low.

Later, I headed to the Texas Tech outdoor track for my 90 minute LT.... (at least that was my original intention). I noticed there was a solid 20 MPH wind on one of the straight aways and suspected keeping pace was going to suck rocks. I decided for a slower pace to make my already depressed state have to endure less suffering. i could not even keep a 6 min pace though... and I did not get to 15 miles. The splits for 13. I followed up with some slow miles. Total was 20.:


6:05 6:02 6:04 6:00 5:59 6:03 6:04 6:06 6:12 6:05 6:10 6:12 6:12

Now 4 cities, 4 days.... UGH

So now I update my travels with an additional day on the road, which screams "how can you possibly get in 90 miles with all this going on?" Answer, no sleep and running in the dark (Ed, I know you run in the dark even when it's light out). So I had the luxury this morning of running St Louis' Forest Park, where I used to run in a bi-annual Turkey Trot race as a youngster. I probably was much better and faster back then, but that's another entry altogether. I was short on time, so I didn't get in my 75 minute LT, but rather a 45 minute one instead. I had a set of splits in the mid 6's, which is consistent with prior workouts. Was windy and hilly, but much fun (if an LT can be called such). I have arrived in Minneapolis, so I will test the GI fortitude I exhibit by going up to the concierge floor and shoveling in some appetizers and then put in another 7 or so this evening.

Off to Cincinnati tomorrow evening and then Philly the following. Can't wait to get back to the lakeshore for some uninterrupted running.

blah

Lackluster 8 mile LT with little motivation this morning. That was about 45 minutes, so I still have the 90 min LT and the R-E work out to do when I get to Lubbock (Tuesday - Sun).

AM 14 miles, 8 at tempo - 6:28 6:05 6:06 5:26 (probably GPS glitch) 5:49 5:55 5:59
5:55

PM 7 easy

nothing to see here...

The week has ended...... snow again

WTF???
50 degrees midweek.... then snow on the weekend. Blew a good oppty to get out to Barrington for some HILLS. Did 20ish with JP on the lakefront this AM. Footing south of Navy Pier was awful, but I was surprised by the quality of the plowing everywhere else. Tax dollars are actually being spent on plowing.
Finished the week just under 90 miles. I'm looking to at least equal that next week, but travels (3 cities, 3 days) will dictate whether I get some of the doubles I need to get there.
Time is ticking on Boston. I'm there for endurance, but worry about whether the speed/endurance combo will come together. Nasty set of LTs will prove that out, I believe.

29 miles to go

Thats what i need to meet the mileage goal for the week -my week ends tomorrow-. Its doable. i actually thought there was no way in hell i could make it, considering he amount of school work i had this week...

But sleep deprivation saved the day!


now im off the bed...

yay!

JP the taskmaster

45 minutes of relatively decent LT today. Was actually passed by JP on the downwind section (girth assists when running with the wind) of the Humboldt Park loop... I will come up with my special name for this course. In the mid 6s for much of the run.

10 miles yesterday at a low 8 pace, preceded by 13 miles on Monday at a recovery pace (yes, I really did a recovery run).

Massage this afternoon and back at it tomorrow. Time's running out.... hoping to get a high 80 mile week out of this.

Small Victories @ Cary

I heard rumor of me "laying down a mattress" because of the long mileage weekend from Boston, but I was unwilling to listen to that talk. Instead, my goal was to run the hills differently, somewhat similar to the way I rode IM Wisconsin on my bike last year.... easy uphill, power and fast downhill. So with that in mind, I took the second mile of Cary at a significantly elevated pace. Each downhill was met with more speed, each uphill with a metered level of effort. You'll see in the jpg below that my HR didn't elevate up the hills significantly, so that's a win for me.



The other component of today's run was my sole victory against Tom Estka. He has edged me in everything from the Pleasant Prairie Duathlon, Galena Duathlon, to many many races here in Chicago. He pulls out just enough to get it done and it drives me NUTS. He's now got a loss in his W/L column. Kevin McCarthy took a front row seat to the battle and informed me that Estka had been "marking" me since the start (I saw him at 1/2 mile). Estka finally took a brief lead at the top of the 9.5 mile hill. However, he relaxed at the top (which was followed by a decent downhill grade into the neighborhood) which was his mistake. I retook my lead on him and then hammered as much as I had left until the finish. He didn't get too much closer from the finish.



I actually PR'd at this event for my half (something on which I hope to improve even more this year) by about 7 seconds over Cal City. I'm fairly certain, however that this distance is legitimately correct vs Cal City. God knows the hills are worth something.



Chris, you're too hard on yourself on this one. Save that pain and suffering for Boston where it REALLY matters.

New Bedford half marathon

Battling some head winds and hills I pulled off something like 1:16:30 (unofficial) for a 5:50 pace. Felt good the entire way, finished comfortably. All in all a good day and a PR by more than 1 minute...

No good explanation

I have been training harder than ever. I am lighter than ever. My tempo workouts and intervals seem to suggest I am in better shape. Yet today, just 1:20:19.

My only answer is I didn't push myself. I just didn't have the guts for the pain today. I was pretty comfortable the entire race. I couldn't keep the legs turning over quickly enough. Maybe part of it is just lack of experience on the hills. Late in the race, I turned in 5:48 mile on the flat straight away. Ugh.

Or, I'm just not in the shape that I dreamed.

On the bright side, icing the calves seems to be relieving most of the achilles symptoms.

Here are my splits for the record.

Ed, I hope you did better.

I'm Back

Seven miles today in the 50F sunshine. It goes without saying, but I did it in shorts and no shirt. Felt awesome.

Items from the run:

• Cricket Hill is in pretty decent shape.


• There's a light pole with a pretty good lean to it just south of the CARA board that's gotta fall--and I will probably be under it when it does.


• Today was the first time I have passed by the trough in months.


• Some people still wear pants, gloves, hats, coats in weather like today--and they stare at me, but shouldn't I be the one staring?