Hello. Accountability is coming. Are you ready?

Let's resurect this blog guys....

Anyone up for it?

Fastest tempo yet in 2009

I saw the storms on the radar and decided to head out this afternoon to get a tempo run before the rain. Besides, it was nearly ideal conditions with a slight wind and mid-60s temps.

I slipped on my Lunaracers, slapped on my Garmin and headed out.

The drops started somewhere on the North side of Cricket Hill and the wind picked up a little, so I turned around and made it home just as the thunder and big rain came down.

Here are the results. Pretty satisfied:

0.0067% under the belt

That's roughly how much of my anticipated fall marathon training is complete with the official start to the training yesterday: 10 miles including 800m in sprints. Did everything in about a 7:10-7:15 average feeling like I could have stepped on the accelerator at any point.

I have put on a few of those post-marathon pounds and they need to come off in the next two weeks.

2 Miles Today...

Which way to the starting line?

Back in the saddle

Enough of this triathlon stuff!!!

Well, at least until the 19th of January. I have left the "dark side" for the next 9 weeks to making another sub-3 run @ Phoenix in the RnR Marathon. Sad thing is that my fellow compatriots have been conspicuously missing at nearly EVERY run that I have done in the last three weeks. A second straight week of Weds AM LT and just me by my lonesome (and some dude that looked like Hi Guy's long lost son with tattoos) at the Leach-mobile.

I will begin stalking other blog members here shortly as I need some speed and motivation on Sundays and Wednesdays at a minimum.

Today was a 6.65 mi LT with HR @ 165 avg. Only around 645 avg/mi. Need to get that down below 630 in the next two weeks. Woods.... where are you???

nothing to see here

just another painfree 35 minute run. Dare I move up to 40 or 45???

No pain here either

So on the topic of pain free..... I have actually rebounded this week in running. My idiotic attempt to run a respectable CDC (erroneously dubbed a half marathon) caused me nearly two weeks of calf spasms. I now have completed 5 runs in the last week of over 6 miles with minimal to no calf pain.
I am now absolutely officially out for the Chicago Marathon. As a result of my bike crash, I will be doing the Half Max Long Course National Championship the week following in Las Vegas. Would be ill-advised to try to even run any of Chicago (because I'd end up running the whole thing once I got started).
Course-side nutrition and hydration will be my duty for the day. Pearman, pick it up some otherwise I'll have to leave the post(s) before you get there.....

yet another successful pain free run

Thats 2 (two) runs this week, of 30 minutes, with no pain.... I am elated.

time to try again

well after 2 weeks of NO running I think tomorrow ill go for a little trot, to test the legs. Nothing too radical, 4 or 5 miles, hopefully the pain symptoms will be gone....

more later.

Chicago Marathon... to run or not to run???

So that may soon be "the question" for me as my running takes third seat to the other two sports of triathlon (although this week, not the case). I have begun to do an analysis of this year so far and the first reaction is that I have PILED intensity upon intensity with little time for recovery. Surprise! So, the next two weeks is about moderation for a brief time in preparation for Steelhead Half Ironman. Not looking to set the world on fire, but a sub 5 and a slot into the Halfmax Nationals in October is the ultimate goal. If successful, this will be the week following the Chicago Marathon.

Given Ed's current "condition," it is likely that if I go to Halfmax, we'll be taking a very leisurely approach to the Chicago Marathon. Don't look for us in the cheerleading section on the southbound section of Broadway, but don't look for anything approaching a fast time, that's for sure.

Slowly improving

Managed to run for 1.5 hours today, although fairly slow (around 8:30 pace). I am pretty sore now but I think there are definite signs of improvement...

We'll just see if I am in any kind of racing condition by WFG time!

Volkslaufe Stein Streak

What a great day to run in Frankenmuth on July 4. The temperature was probably on the high 50s at gun time, low humidity, no wind and partly cloudy. Perfect conditions for fast times and PRs.

A 19-year course record was broken by a Hanson Brooks athlete (something in the 1:01-1:02 range, but official results are not posted yet). The masters record was nearly broken by a 1:09 performance.

Neither Cheryl nor I had PR or even great performances, but we managed to get third in our age groups and add to our Stein collection started two years ago.

Cheryl did well to overcome her stomach flu she acquired on her last night with the Western States 100 crew in Sacremento. She looked good at the finish, but felt horrible--her normally cheerful race smile replaced by a menacing scowl.

I am OK with my time, but disappointed with my race execution. I planned to begin with a 6:05 and gradually bring that down to a 5:45 by the end of the race. Well, I got caught up with a good pack early in the race and did just the exact opposite. The Garmin has me at 1:14:46, a 6:01 pace. My first mile with that pack was 5:48. Not leaving enough in the tank for the end of the race is just silly because while the first half of the course is long, flat and straight, the second is gravel roads, rolling hills and lots of twists and turns. Although, I did manage to put together a 5:44 final mile. Hopefully, I learned my lesson--a prize that should be worth more than the stein.

We also got to use the disposable race chips. Not a bad experience other than not being a dead simple process to attach it to the shoe. It's probably easier to administer on the front end for bibs, etc. and easier on the runners and race directors to not have to collect them after the race.

Hope everyone had an enjoyable Independence Day.

BROKEN ASS

It is now official... according to the MRI I got last friday my mystery injury is a frectured pubis.... common crack whatever jokes you want. Apparently it dates back toi before the marathon (and explains why the raqce hurt so f-ing much) , early april, so it is already on the mend. I can now sustain 30-40 minutes of very easy running every other day. The comeback has begun!!!!!!


O wpnder if the high mileage was to blame? who knows...

Big Bummer

Western States in cancelled. Sorry, Danni.

Follow Danni This Weekend

The Western States web site has a feature that allows you to get real time updates of runner progress. Here's Danni's page:

http://www.ws100.com/cgi-bin/runnerquery.pl?number=136

Good luck, Danni!

Welcome Back Ed...

Love, 

Mike

Elite athletes

This is the cover I was referring to, Danni.

Danni's All Grows Up

And a race director too! Check out her new race:

Waterfall Glen Xtreme 10 Registration Open

https://www.signmeup.com/site/reg/register.aspx?fid=K72VCK7

Make sure you are prepared to answer the following questions before signing up:

• DO YOU LOVE LACTIC ACID?


• CAN YOU TAKE THE HEAT?


• HAVE YOU PARTICIPATED IN PAST XTREME 10 RACES?


• IS JOHN THE BEST RACE DIRECTOR?