It's been over two weeks since the WhistleStop 1/2 Marathon and I have recovered much better than I thought I would. I took most of the week following the race off but resumed some easy running the next week and have been running by time only. I really like this time of year and base phase for the most part by running solely by time. It's really easy to get caught up in mileage and really, after all the years I have been at this running gig, I do know how much mileage I am running by a very good educated guess. What's most important at this point in the year is to get in some consistent miles and enjoy them. I can say I have been allowing myself to perform those qualities in my training and will soon follow a more structured plan.
Not a lot has happened in the last two weeks but the highlight of the time gap had to have been my run last Sunday. I couldn't hook up with any partners so I took after that one solo. I would decide on a trail that I had dabbled on a while back and was very fortunate to nail a remarkable day! The run would start at the Parking lot west of Ely's Peak and I would work my way in a southwesterly direction back towards Jay Cooke. The trail was dry, and slightly covered with leaves. I was a bit worried in regards to the trails coverage but it really wasn't an issue as I didn't twist any ankles or take any falls for the 80 minutes of running I did.
Here is the catch up for the two weeks. I plan to run 6-7 times a week and eventually work my way up to 10-11 runs a week with one mid week longer run and one weekend long effort. If the weather cooperates this may happen by early December. If not that will definitely be the goal heading into the new year.
Week 17th-23rd:
Monday: 0 miles
Tues: 31:00 ~4 miles
Wed: 0 miles
Thurs: 0 miles
Friday: 32:00 ~4 miles
Saturday: 0 miles
Sunday: 54:00 ~6.5 miles
*~ 15 miles running (recovery post 1/2 marathon)
Week 24th-30th
Mon: 43:42 ~5.5 miles
Tues: 0 miles
Wed: 52:55 ~7 miles
Thurs: 53:10 ~7 miles
Fri: 55:00 ~7 miles
Sat: 53:35 ~6.5 miles
Sun: 1:18:52 SHT ~9 miles
*~42 miles
Weeks Total: 57 miles (2 weeks)
Years Total: 1842.6 miles
Up North Running is where I share my running experiences with those of similar interests.
Monday, October 31, 2011
Monday, October 17, 2011
WhistleStop 1/2 Marathon.
So I did some calculating and I was ready for the WS 1/2 marathon. I had been asked several times during the week "how fast you gonna run?". To them I responded, "not too sure, just want to run a solid run." I'd have to be honest and say I really wanted to run well and have a shot at the win. My buddy Dave H was the clear favorite in my eyes and I was willing to give him company right to the wire if I could. Long story short, it wasn't his day and we had a "spoiler" enter the race at the last moment.
Ben Cogger, a super athlete from Washburn had won the race last year and I couldn't scratch up any running results on him since. So, I figured he would be a no-show, thus giving Dave and I a good shot at the win! Not the case.
As the gun sounded we made our way out to the mile mark right smack into a headwind. That would be covered just under 6 minutes and I was quite happy with the slow pace as I used it as a nice warm up. It was at this point where Ben would make move number one and press miles 2 and 3. He set up a nice lead but well in sight. I fully had the confidence that I or Dave would eventually reel him in and have a race for the last 5K or so. It wasn't long after this point where Dave had some issues and I decided to make a press for a few miles to see if I could chip away at the lead. I would run about 5 consecutive negative split miles in chase but narrowed the lead by a mear 10 seconds, to be trailing by 20 or so.
I so wanted to throw in a couple of 5:10 miles and just catch up but it wasn't in my legs. It was in my head but not a reality this time...
I managed to chip some time I had lost in the 10 th mile during the last two miles but not enough to make a difference. I closed the last mile as my second fastest of the day and I was happy with that.
I ended the morning with a second place finish overall with a time of 1:14:48, thirty-two seconds behind the victory!
Here are my splits for those that like that kind of stuff:
5:53,5:49,5:42,5:43,5:37,5:36,5:34,5:38,5:37,5:42,5:48,5:43,5:35, 0:49
I am happy with how things panned out. Looking back I ran a lot of 45ish mile weeks building up to this and most of it was quality work. Just shows what you can do on very little volume with some quality and smart thinking. I really listened to my body over the last 5 or 6 weeks and let things happen the way I felt. I know I can run much faster but with what I had to work with I am content.
Now it's time to rest a bit then hit up the miles for winter base-phase.
Weeks Total: 35.5 miles
Years Total: 1785.6 miles
Ben Cogger, a super athlete from Washburn had won the race last year and I couldn't scratch up any running results on him since. So, I figured he would be a no-show, thus giving Dave and I a good shot at the win! Not the case.
As the gun sounded we made our way out to the mile mark right smack into a headwind. That would be covered just under 6 minutes and I was quite happy with the slow pace as I used it as a nice warm up. It was at this point where Ben would make move number one and press miles 2 and 3. He set up a nice lead but well in sight. I fully had the confidence that I or Dave would eventually reel him in and have a race for the last 5K or so. It wasn't long after this point where Dave had some issues and I decided to make a press for a few miles to see if I could chip away at the lead. I would run about 5 consecutive negative split miles in chase but narrowed the lead by a mear 10 seconds, to be trailing by 20 or so.
I so wanted to throw in a couple of 5:10 miles and just catch up but it wasn't in my legs. It was in my head but not a reality this time...
I managed to chip some time I had lost in the 10 th mile during the last two miles but not enough to make a difference. I closed the last mile as my second fastest of the day and I was happy with that.
I ended the morning with a second place finish overall with a time of 1:14:48, thirty-two seconds behind the victory!
Here are my splits for those that like that kind of stuff:
5:53,5:49,5:42,5:43,5:37,5:36,5:34,5:38,5:37,5:42,5:48,5:43,5:35, 0:49
I am happy with how things panned out. Looking back I ran a lot of 45ish mile weeks building up to this and most of it was quality work. Just shows what you can do on very little volume with some quality and smart thinking. I really listened to my body over the last 5 or 6 weeks and let things happen the way I felt. I know I can run much faster but with what I had to work with I am content.
Now it's time to rest a bit then hit up the miles for winter base-phase.
Weeks Total: 35.5 miles
Years Total: 1785.6 miles
Friday, October 14, 2011
Race Week
Last weeks training went quite well and I had good feelings heading into this final week of preparation. I wasn't planning any type of taper and fully planned to run right up to race day. The week started with a nice recovery style run up Woodland to Martin road and home via the Vermilion road and UMD. I remember feeling really good. Legs light and flowing.
Tuesday I hit the trails for some easy miles then hit the walkways of UMD for some "pickups" to stretch out the legs and hips. That too felt good. My achilles was now near pain-free. What the heck? How did that happen?
Wednesday I ran out Skyline and decided on some "race-pace" type running just so my legs wouldn't get stale. The morning moonlight was great and I settled in a 3 X 4min at 5:50 pace for the pick ups. Decent but not stellar. My legs and achilles remained intact and that is all I needed.
Thursday and Friday turned into 0 days as I just made the decision to give it a try.
Week thus Far:
Monday: 1:01:58 8.1 miles
Tuesday: 45:49 5.5 miles
Wednesday: 1:00:59 8.8 miles 3 X 4 minutes at 5:50 pace
Thurs/Friday: 0 miles
Tuesday I hit the trails for some easy miles then hit the walkways of UMD for some "pickups" to stretch out the legs and hips. That too felt good. My achilles was now near pain-free. What the heck? How did that happen?
Wednesday I ran out Skyline and decided on some "race-pace" type running just so my legs wouldn't get stale. The morning moonlight was great and I settled in a 3 X 4min at 5:50 pace for the pick ups. Decent but not stellar. My legs and achilles remained intact and that is all I needed.
Thursday and Friday turned into 0 days as I just made the decision to give it a try.
Week thus Far:
Monday: 1:01:58 8.1 miles
Tuesday: 45:49 5.5 miles
Wednesday: 1:00:59 8.8 miles 3 X 4 minutes at 5:50 pace
Thurs/Friday: 0 miles
Monday, October 10, 2011
Tardy Postings
First off, I need to play catch up with some running over the last week and a half.
The last I wrote I was heading into the weekend prior to race week and then I was going to see how things felt and tweak for the final days before the WhistleStop 1/2 half marathon.
I took off Thursday and chalked it up to a rest day.
On Friday the 7th I ran up Woodland and did a quick adjustment and decided to run a 4 X 4 minute at 10K pace, or just about 10k pace. It looked like this: 5:23, 5:32, 5:21, 5:18 paces respectively. I then ended with 2 X 1 min at 4:46 and 4:37 paces. I ended feeling really good and the feet/legs were really responding that morning.
Saturday the 8th I woke up early to get in my medium long run before my wife and before we hit the road for the Bayfield Applefest. I ran trails down to Lakeside and roads back home. I didn't feel spectacular but it was a decent run.
Sunday was another rest day so I took it off and walked a lot at the Apple fest.
Here is how the week ended with volume.
Thurs:
o miles
Friday:
1:03:00 9.6 miles 4 X 4 min, 2 x 1 min.
Saturday:
1:34:24 12.2 miles
Sunday:
0 miles
Weeks Total: 46.4 miles (5 days)
Years Total: 1750.1 miles
The last I wrote I was heading into the weekend prior to race week and then I was going to see how things felt and tweak for the final days before the WhistleStop 1/2 half marathon.
I took off Thursday and chalked it up to a rest day.
On Friday the 7th I ran up Woodland and did a quick adjustment and decided to run a 4 X 4 minute at 10K pace, or just about 10k pace. It looked like this: 5:23, 5:32, 5:21, 5:18 paces respectively. I then ended with 2 X 1 min at 4:46 and 4:37 paces. I ended feeling really good and the feet/legs were really responding that morning.
Saturday the 8th I woke up early to get in my medium long run before my wife and before we hit the road for the Bayfield Applefest. I ran trails down to Lakeside and roads back home. I didn't feel spectacular but it was a decent run.
Sunday was another rest day so I took it off and walked a lot at the Apple fest.
Here is how the week ended with volume.
Thurs:
o miles
Friday:
1:03:00 9.6 miles 4 X 4 min, 2 x 1 min.
Saturday:
1:34:24 12.2 miles
Sunday:
0 miles
Weeks Total: 46.4 miles (5 days)
Years Total: 1750.1 miles
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Recovery Week and Move On
The extra "faster" running from last weekend left me a bit fatigued and I used the early days this week to make sure I was recovered. Monday was just that as I did an easy road loop. Tuesday was my trail run/umd sidewalk fartlek run. Wednesday was a nice out and back on Skyline and I was going to attempt to run some faster miles but it just wasn't in the cards.
Monday:
1:01:50 8 miles
Tuesday:
45:43 5.7 miles (trails/striders on roads)
Wednesday:
1:12:09 10.4 miles (skyline)
Monday:
1:01:50 8 miles
Tuesday:
45:43 5.7 miles (trails/striders on roads)
Wednesday:
1:12:09 10.4 miles (skyline)
Monday, October 3, 2011
Adding Workouts
To end this past week I added a workout, or two, and finally began to see a dim light at the end of a very long tunnel. I am referring to finally getting to the point in training where I can feel myself making a little progress towards some fitness. For some reason this return to everyday training has taken me through some rather long "rough patches". I'm glad things are starting to improve, albeit slightly, but I will take it.
On Friday morning I woke and had it in my head I as going to do some faster intervals during my route of unknown. I quickly decided on running up Woodland for the warm up and slowly work into a series of 3 minute intervals. After the 2.5 mile warm up I ended up doing 6 X 3 minutes at ~525-5:30 pace. I actually felt really good during this farlek workout and was pleased with the effort.
Saturday came and I had made plans to run with Dave H. He and I met at the Rose Garden and ran to Park Point where we slowly decided to work into an "uptempo" of unknown effort. Neither one of us felt that zippy to start but slowly worked into the run and ended up finishing at 5:35 pace. I felt good, but remained concerned about the possibility of "racing" a half marathon in two weeks. The last thing I want to do is go do that race and have it destroy all the work I have done in the last month or so. So... it remains to be a last minute decision.
Sunday was another gorgeous day in Duluth. I hit the trails from our house and ended up running for just over an hour really easy. A super run. (wore he Universe and achilles felt great!)
Here are the details:
Friday:
Woodland Fartleks
6 X 3 min *5:33, 5:32, 5:18, 5:23, 5:36, 5:36
Total: 1:02:07 9.1 miles
Saturday:
Park Point progression run with dave
middle 6 miles: 6:15, 5:56, 5:51, 5:38, 5:42, 5:40
Total: 1:19:31 11.7 miles
Sunday:
Hartley trails in Universe.
Total: 1:01:45 7 miles
Weeks Total: 42 miles
Years Total: 1703.7 miles
On Friday morning I woke and had it in my head I as going to do some faster intervals during my route of unknown. I quickly decided on running up Woodland for the warm up and slowly work into a series of 3 minute intervals. After the 2.5 mile warm up I ended up doing 6 X 3 minutes at ~525-5:30 pace. I actually felt really good during this farlek workout and was pleased with the effort.
Saturday came and I had made plans to run with Dave H. He and I met at the Rose Garden and ran to Park Point where we slowly decided to work into an "uptempo" of unknown effort. Neither one of us felt that zippy to start but slowly worked into the run and ended up finishing at 5:35 pace. I felt good, but remained concerned about the possibility of "racing" a half marathon in two weeks. The last thing I want to do is go do that race and have it destroy all the work I have done in the last month or so. So... it remains to be a last minute decision.
Sunday was another gorgeous day in Duluth. I hit the trails from our house and ended up running for just over an hour really easy. A super run. (wore he Universe and achilles felt great!)
Here are the details:
Friday:
Woodland Fartleks
6 X 3 min *5:33, 5:32, 5:18, 5:23, 5:36, 5:36
Total: 1:02:07 9.1 miles
Saturday:
Park Point progression run with dave
middle 6 miles: 6:15, 5:56, 5:51, 5:38, 5:42, 5:40
Total: 1:19:31 11.7 miles
Sunday:
Hartley trails in Universe.
Total: 1:01:45 7 miles
Weeks Total: 42 miles
Years Total: 1703.7 miles
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