Week 7 & 8: Slight Volume Bump/ Sore Butt Muscles

I didn't make it to the computer last week to type of the weeks summary. I did a decent bump in mileage and managed a few doubles in the process. The amount of time it takes to hit 90-100 miles per week boggles my mind. The days I did hit some doubles I felt like the day was over and all I said to my son and wife were "good morning and good night". It wasn't a pleasant week. I figure with the added hours of light to each day those will become easier. I'm hoping. 

I managed a couple decent tempo style workouts and even fit in a 10K ski race. The race was more like a "tour" for me but at any rate I burned some calories and made a few muscles really sore that had not had a workout in some time. 

This past week I found myself really tired on Monday so I rested an extra 90 minutes and it payed off huge! The rest of the week I had no troubles getting my runs in and had good energy most days. My runs on Friday through Sunday were plagued with a really tight right upper hamstring/glute. I also have quite a bit of tightness in my right psoas muscle. There is definitely something brewing there and I need to attend to it ASAP. I used some massage balls and roller last night and it did respond but there is still a lot of junk to work out to get things running smoothly again. That is goal number one for this upcoming week. If that issue gets ironed out quickly, my second goal is to maintain mileage and hit 85-90 for the week. I need a few more bigger weeks before settling and really honing in on some specific pace workouts. 

The weather here in Duluth remains to play a big part in my running quality. I am getting in some volume runs but really there is little to no quality in any part of them. The only quality I have hit has been on the treadmill and those are once a week. I have a 10 mile race coming up to test the waters on pace and that will really set me up for the final push in my last phase of training heading to Boston. I'm hoping for the best!

Feb. 10-16

M: am: 1:03:00, 8.2 miles treadmill easy

     pm: 37:40,  4.4 miles easy trails

T: 1:07:00,  8.2 miles  woodland area

W: am: 1:14:20  10.8 miles, treadmill *6.5 miles at 5:56-6:00 pace

     pm: 50:00, 6 miles,   park point

Th: 1:23:0, 8.1 miles, slow snowy run

Fr: 1:11:19,  9 miles *Fartlek runs

S: am: 1:23:22,  10.1 miles, West Duluth miles

   pm: 55:00 , 6.2 mi ski, Book Across The Bay

Su: 2:06:00,  16.2 miles  W. Duluth, Skyline, Canal Park.

Week Total: 87 miles *10 runs

Feb. 17-23

M: off, tired and poor sleep all weekend.

T: am: 1:16:39,  10.1 miles, treadmill steady run

    pm: 35:00 spin at home on bike

W: 1:18:54, 11.1 miles, Vermilion to Tish, Billy's,Riley, Eagle, Vermilion, Home

                                     4,5,4,5 min at 5:35 pace tempo intervals.

Th: 1:34:21, 12.5 miles, West Skyline, Dunedin loop

F: 1:00:34,  8 miles, treadmill Snap, R ham tight

Sa: 2:29:30,  19 miles, Pike Lake  *bad glute/ham pain

Su: 1:30:00,  11 miles, old E superior street and back

Week Total: 72 miles *6 runs

Years Total: 509 miles

Week 6: Forced Rest/ Crabby Long Run

This past week was not in the plans but sickness never is. I woke up and ran on Tuesday and had an "off" stomach and it then turned into a full on head cold over the rest of the week. I really burned through the virus, as I was ready for long runs by Sunday. In all I only took one day completely off and the rest of the days I altered my mileage and cut back to make sure I didn't over do it.

The weekends long run was just about as miserable as any long run has ever gone but we managed to get through it and once the run was over I felt quite a bit better as the mile splits were quicker than I thought. We mostly ran sub 7:30's in -10F weather with windchill's much lower than that. It was kind of funny as both Dave and I had an off day and spent the entire 2+ hours looking for better miles to come and they just never did. I guess a person needs to have some bad runs to appreciate the good ones.

Here is my week:

Feb 3-9th
Mon: 1:10:49  8.7 miles, Vermilion recovery miles
Tue: 1:09:13  8 miles, sick, stomach troubles, Hartley
Wed: 0 miles/ rest day off/ head cold brewing hard
Thr: 45:31  6 miles trails, feels ok
Fri: 1:09:52  7 miles trails faster downhills, feels ok
Sat: 1:20:34 10 miles, trails, feels good. legs a bit tired
Sun: 2:21:05  18.2 miles country roads/ Lester downhills

Total: 58 miles (6 days, sickness)

Years Total: 350 miles

Week 5: Vortex Remains

The month of January has been a weather challenge to say the least. There has not been a single week where running temperatures have been comfortable. A day here and there spattered in the middle of many sub-zero weeks. I find the silver lining in that kind of weather in that the running surfaces are amazing. The cold temperatures make it so you can just cruise on many roads and trails like no other temperature. That is the thought I grasped on to when the Polar Vortex looms. For reals though, Hartley trail system has been the best condition for running in many years and I am thankful I live just a quick 4 minute jog to the trailhead.

This week found my legs in the mood to push the volume a bit and I recovered well from most of my runs. My wife and I also purchased a spin bike and I have been using that for recovery in the evenings. The next big jump in mileage will only occur if I can start hitting some double days. My goal for Feb. was to have a few 100 mile weeks but I am not sure that is going to work out with the family schedule and all. Time will tell.

*First 5 weeks of build-up: 48, 60, 60, 69, 75 miles

Here is my last week of training:

Jan. 27th - Feb. 2nd
M: 1:00:53, 7.5 slow miles, very tired treadmill
T: 1:18:06, 11 miles treadmill 5 X 4 min @ 5:42 pace
        30:00 spin on bike
W: 1:25:21, 9.1 miles trails
T: 1:18:54, 10.3 miles roads, snowy
F: 1:18:56, 9 miles trails, felt awesome
S: 2:30:00 19 miles country roads
Su: 1:21:32  9.3 miles trails, recovery
         30:00 spin recovery on bike

Total for week:  75 miles

Years Total: 292 miles

Week 4: Long Run Challenges

This week was another gain in fitness. I feel like things are really coming along nicely and soon will be adding some quality to the weekly grind. My plan is to tack on another 20 or so miles to the weekly volume, which will require a few doubles during the week. My main hurdle with that type of program, which is why I haven't done it in the past, is my family life. I can't really load up and run a second run in the evening with the family in limbo. I plan to stay home and jump on the treadmill a few times during the week and hopefully this will allow me to be home as much as possible after work. It's an issue I'm willing to work with but not force. If it doesn't happen, oh well...

The long runs continue to go well despite the horrible weather we have had with all the snow and cold, blowing winds. I can't wait until I can hammer out a 20 miler and have no road issues to contend with. If you are living where there is no snow, you better thank yourself right now because it's not all that fun.

Here is the week:
Jan 20-26th

Mon: 1:18:30, 8.3 miles  Hartley trails, glen/david
Tue:  1:09:00  10 miles treadmill, 4 mi @ 6:00's
Wed: 1:14:00  9 miles Hartley, roads
Thur: 1:01:35  8 miles treadmill
Fri: 56:50  7 mi.  snowy roads
Sat: 2:13:00 16.6 miles, skyline to Magney
Sun: 1:38:00  9.7 miles easy peasy  Hartley

Weeks Total: 69 miles

Years Total: 217 miles

Week 3: Even Keel

My best intentions were to ramp this week up and possibly over 70 miles but the legs were not having it. I ran tough through Thursday and by Friday my 'mental edge' wore on me and I took a much needed day off. I wanted the weekly mileage but really, I have learned to listen to my body and rest when my body is telling me to do so. As a reward for that decision Saturday's long effort went without a hitch. Legs were great and I had minimal tightness in my hamstrings. (last week the hamstrings were the first to go the last 20 minutes of the run...)

The next week should go well and I plan to hit the mid to upper 70's for mileage.

Jan 13-19th 

Mon: 1:21:00,  8.4 miles in Hartley
Tues: 1:10:00,  9.5 miles treadmill
Wed: 1:19:00  8.2 miles Hartley
Thurs: 1:14:00  9 miles, Lakeside roads
Fri: 0, rest morning, felt great to take a break
Sat: 2:05:30, 16 miles, Lakewood roads
Sun: 1:19:15, 8.3 miles in Hartley

Weeks Total: 59 miles

Years Total: 148 miles

Week 2: Groovin'

The title says it all. I've been at this running thing for quite some time and I continue to be amazing how quickly the body can bounce back from some time off. Last week I was singing the blues about my aches and pains and this week couldn't have been any better for what it's purpose was. I feel like I'm in a groove! To gain steady momentum and grow each week over the first month of the year is the immediate goal. I have two more weeks to peak up in mileage and then see where I can settle for the next 6-8 weeks after that in preparation for Boston.
Despite the early week freeze, I only had to hit the treadmill twice this week and boy did I feel good being outside. It just makes running more enjoyable. This weekend I managed to get in a decent long effort despite not getting much for distance it was still very beneficial in the week's growth. The next week will look very similar with just a bit more volume spread throughout the week. Cheers to week number 2!

Week Jan 6-12th:

Monday: 7.8 miles treadmill
Tuesday: 6 miles treadmill
Wednesday: 7.1 miles Hartley single track
Thursday: 10 miles roads, Enger
Friday: 7.8 miles Hartley + campus
Saturday: 14 miles Lester, Lakewood roads
Sunday: 7 miles Hartley

Week: 60 miles

Years Total: 89 miles

Week 1: Making Slow Progress

I mentioned in my last post how banged up I was feeling after starting my training up again. By the end of the week I was already starting to feel a bit back to some form of normalcy. My main area of focus is the right hip flexor. It gets really tight if I spend a lot of time slipping and spinning on the ice and snow. When I feel that coming on, I hit the gym and run on the treadmill for a day or so to allow some much needed rest from the elements. That seemed to work and got me up to speed for the current week.

I ended last week (30th-Jan 5th) with a total of 47.2 miles, not too bad for week one. There is a long road ahead to get up to the volume I desire and I hope that road is smooth. I think we are finally over the Polar Vortex and on to more feasible weather conditions so the outside miles can begin to add up. I'm looking for a good 10+ mile jump in volume this week and I take it day by day to evaluate where my body is. On to bigger weeks!

Years Total: 29 miles

2013 In Review

After the Club XC meet I took a nice 14 day break from any activity. Zero, zilch. I did nothing. At the time it felt good, but by the end of the two week break I was just itching to get back into the normal routine. I have to believe the break will benefit me, but as I begin to reintroduce running to the mornings I have found myself a bit sore and tight in many spots. The terrible weather conditions play a bit part in that and once I can get out and enjoy some trails I think life will be better from a soreness aspect.

I finished off the year by running three of the last four days of the year.
12/28: 6.7 miles
12/30: 6.5 miles
12/31: 6.4 miles

YEARS TOTAL: 2557 miles


As for 2013 I can say I was pretty pleased with how the year went. I had a really decent build up for the Boston Marathon and then had a terrible race. I was shocked with the degree of downhill running. My quads were beat to a pulp by half way and I did a lot of slow jogging the last 10 miles. It was not the result I wanted but really, for the event it was awesome and having our day effected by a couple of selfish assholes was just enough for me to sign up again. I am going to toe the line in Hopkington again come April 21st. I want more out of Boston than just a result. I want to run well, but I really want to soak in the experience even more than I did this year. The people of Boston are like no other and I just want to go back and personally thank them for all the support and strength they offer. I want to see how a true Bostonian parties after a good Boston Marathon. It will be, for the lack of better terms, EPIC!

After the big let down of Boston, I was committed to running the USATF Half-Marathon Champs held in conjunction with Grandma's marathon weekend. It was not the official Masters Half Champs but they let a bunch of us old local guys in the race to chase the youngsters. Chase I did, and I got an experience of a lifetime. It was by far the most competitive race I have ever participated in and having it unfold in my hometown was just a blessing. I didn't have the running gods on my side and I had an "off" day by about 90 seconds. By doing this I finished dead last. I'm 43 years old, I ran 1:14:08 and I was dead last out of about 120 runners. I couldn't believe it, but the placing really didn't bother me as I was just very honored I had the opportunity to be in the same race as our country's best young runners. I had a blast and I would do it again if I ever had the chance.

The second half of the year I focused on a trail marathon in October. It was the inaugural race and the trails were going to be tough. A fair amount of vertical gain/loss as the race was at a local ski resort in the beautiful Porcupine Mountains in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. I had a decent block of training heading into that race and was very happy by placing third overall and first Master runner. In preparation for this marathon I managed to race a 5K and have a time I haven't hit in quite some time so that was a nice added bonus. I followed that up and raced our local Thanksgiving 5K in my course PR. The conditions were very cold but doable. My late fall focus was on USATF Club Cross Country Championships in Bend, OR. It was listed as the most competitive Masters field ever assembled. I have to say they were right on. I raced decent but had a side stitch to deal with and I placed about the same position as previous year but I feel I ran much better in the process. Overall, another great opportunity I feel very honored to be able to have participated in.

That is a quick summary of 2013. Like I stated, I feel like it was a good year and I hope to build on this year and keep motivated for 2014. Yes, I am getting older, but I am not ready to slow down. Not just yet. That day is coming much sooner than I desire,  and I plan to put up the best fight I can to keep this slowdown at bay.

Here's to a super 2014!

End Of Season

The racing season/year is officially over. Last weekend I participated in the USATF Club XC Championships in Bend, OR. As expected, it was a very challenging course made of hills, turns, technical sections and one large climb that we encountered on each of the 5 laps we ran. I have to say it was one of the toughest courses I have run and the competition was fierce. I ran in the Masters division and placed 44th overall and our team placed 4th. A great time was had and we had wonderful weather!

I'm not too sure what the main culprit was, but I developed a side stitch mid-race and I never got rid of it. That has happened to me before in cross country races and I'm not sure why. It really seemed to come on with the pounding downhill sections. Had that not happened I'm thinking I could have placed about 15 or more places higher. Oh well, life goes on.

Besides the last race of the year, I will focus on getting my legs back and settling into a long base-phase of training starting next week. The plan is to slowly build up the miles and get 2 medium long efforts during the week and a longer effort on the weekends. I had a lower leg/ankle injury that was still nagging me so I have to make sure that get attended to and keep the legs, specifically hamstrings and low back in check.

Here is the last two weeks prior to Club XC.

NOV 25-DEC 1st
Gobble Gallop 5K = 16:22
Weeks Total: 69 miles

DEC 2-8th
first week of serious snow
had to hit the treadmill
did one workout of 10 X 1 min on/off @ 5:20 pace
90 minute run on weekend
Total: 51 miles

DEC 9-15th
Race Week!
easy running, striders on treadmill once
Race in Bend, slowwww 44th overall
Total: 29 miles

YEARS TOTAL: 2537 miles

Two Week Wrap Up *2 Races

The last two weeks reminds me of college days and racing weekly. I had a nice build up to the race last weekend and then recovered well and raced this morning in Duluth.

I have been feeling a nice groove and really managing my miles and recovery the way I like. It's that type of feeling you as a runner never want to go away. Each day passes and I have no troubles getting out of bed and pounding out the miles. I credit some of that to my training partner David Hypo as he and I manage to get together a few times a week to keep each other sane. It really helps. The last two weeks really have no major workouts as I managed to squeeze one in before my first race last weekend and then the current week I have saved it for this mornings 5K. Tomorrow will be a nice trail recovery run in the fresh snow of Hartley Park. Here is my mini race report of the last two races.

Last weekend a group of 10, including my 8 year old boy, loaded up and drove to Des Moines IA. We were to take part in the 35th Living History Farms cross country race. If you haven't made the trip, it's a must do. 7500 runners with a mass-start headed for one continuous 7 mile loop through fields, gravel wagon roads, single-track, river crossings and a finish that looks like a movie set from the old west 1940's.  The folks down in Urbandale really know how to put on a race. I've participated twice now and I have to believe I ran in the warmest and coldest years. Back in 2001 it was near 70 F and we sat around in shorts after the races eating the many donuts they have to offer. This year it was 7F (with a -4F windchill) and the coldest they have on record. Maybe?  As the gun sounded I was just focusing on staying upright and not get trampled. After a couple hundred meters it was all clear and I settled into my pace and enjoyed the energy of the mass. We rolled out into the corn fields rather quickly and had plenty of time to spread out before any single track. The first couple river crossings were not a big deal but the third was thigh deep and COLD! I found myself with plenty of energy and I kept passing people the entire race. I figure I was in the top 50-60 at the mile marker and then managed to finish 26th overall and 1st Master runner by a click of the watch. Yep, I passed a master runner with 400 meters to go and held him off. I actually felt like I was racing out there. What a year to remember for those race organizers! Let's hope for a bit more heat next year.

My second race of the week came this morning as I participated in the 8th Gobble Gallop 5K down superior street in Duluth, MN. I was on the fence all day yesterday as I was fighting a head cold and really didn't want to push a hard effort and make the cold worse. The day consisted of pushing fluids, airborne, OJ, and plenty of vitamins. I hit the sack early last night and hoped for the best. When I woke up this morning I felt very good and was immediately ready to race. I took a hot shower, took in some tea, airborne and made my way down to the race start. The racing conditions had the potential to be terrible but having the road crew scrape the road and having the sun come out the footing was actually pretty decent. (just before the race I changed in my truck and the outside temp was 20F)
This race tends to go out very quickly, much like Fitgers 5K, as the street is a nice gradual downhill and people really tend to get excited and crank for the first 1.5 miles. I had every intention to hold myself back and try to run even splits. That's very hard to do when the pack is leaving you in the dust but if you are true to yourself and keep in touch with your limitations it is a must if you want to have a decent end result. At the turn I made a conscience effort to pass a group of runners and keep rolling until I couldn't hear footsteps any longer. For the most part it worked and I managed to clip two more runners in the last half mile to close out the race for 7th place overall and 1st Master.
Each race I take something away, good or bad, and learn from it. Today, I was happy I ran a nice even pace and pushed when I wanted to push and the end time was pretty decent as well. For the shape I'm in I really can't be disappointed. Last week I told my training partner, "If the conditions are good I will run 16:25." I ran 16:22 and the conditions were not the best. I'm in tune with my body and I have two more weeks before loading up a plane and heading for USATF Club Cross Country Championships in Bend, OR. I have high expectations and I am willing to take on the personal challenge of those expectations. After all, that is what allows me to get up each morning as the alarm sounds. Good night and see you on the early morning trails...

Here are the last two weeks miles:

November 11-17
last good week before race week
did two workouts plus long run
one day of LONG hills one of cross country style repeats in Rock Hill
Long country, hilly run

Total: 71 miles


November 18-24
*race week
Easy running with one day on the track doing my leg pick-ups at 12 X 100 meters at the end of a 6 miler. This workout is purely for leg turn over and speed.
Race on Saturday. Living History Farms
Sunday off/ day of rest.

Total: 44 miles

November 25-December 1
*thus far 34 miles
5K race 16:22


Years Total: 2388 miles

Porkies Marathon and the Rest of October

The last blog entry I had written was just about a week from my Porcupine Mountain Marathon. My little injury I had in September had settled enough and I managed to race without too many problems. The rest of October was getting my legs back, even though it was a trail marathon it took a week or two to get back into the swing of things.

As for the race, it was about as tough as I imagined and the weather was worse than I was hoping for. In my build up to the race I had plenty of longer trail runs to make me confident in racing the marathon distance. What I didn't have confidence in was my fueling and pacing as I have not done one of these races before (since 2004, and that was a bomb of a race) and I just didn't feel like the pace was going to carry so fast. I had done a couple training runs on the trails during the summer months and I felt like breaking 4 hours was going to be a challenge.

The night before the race (and most of the preceding week) it rained hard. It was raining at 0300 the morning of the race and it stopped an hour or so before the gun went off. With all the moisture on the trails, out of "safety" concerns the race course for the marathon was altered to having us loop the half-marathon course twice. I wasn't too upset with the decision but we did unfortunately miss some of the most beautiful trails of the park with this adjustment. Once the race got underway I made my way towards the front runners and let a few take us up the first climb. The pace was a bit more brisk than I would have gone out and I was thinking that the front runners were "rookies" to the area and the hills would come back to haunt them later so I let two go in hopes to catch them on the second lap. (that never happened as they were legit trail runners) The one thing I was most happy with my race was how I managed to keep hydrated and fueled. I felt awesome the entire race and actually pushed the downhill miles at the end much faster than the first lap and made up some ground on second place. I ended up 3rd place and 1st Master runner in 3:28:20. Much faster than I would have thought I could run on those trails and a true testament how much faster the course could be if dry. I really enjoyed myself but in the same time I will probably not do this race again, especially if it remains to be on the same weekend as Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon. I love the trails, but love to race the roads and I missed not being at TCM.

The rest of October was getting my quads back as they took a hit on those downhills, then focusing on Club Cross Country Championships in Bend, OR December 14th.

Here is how the month of October went:

Sept.30-Oct 6th
*race week 46 miles
ran 20 + miles then the marathon on Saturday
3:28:20, 3rd overall, 1st Master

October 7-13
recovery week
did 5K with Lucas and Kari *he had huge PR
18+ miles

October 14-20
working on foot *old Sept injury still
28 miles

October 21-27
starting to get the groove back
ran all 7 days
60 miles

October28-Nov3rd
legs are better but left lateral ankle is still bothersome
ran CC race in cities. MN Masters CC Champs
2nd place, just under 22 min. for 6K
56 miles

November 4-10th
Feeling ok to push a bit
doing hills and LT work each week
Woodland Hill X 4 at LT with fast downhills
4 miles LT at 5:40 pace Sat
68 miles

*I am feeling better and picking up momentum. I feel like I can push some workouts a bit but still feel like I need to be careful not to over do it. I want to be healthy and strong at the starting line in Bend on December 14th. There are 4 weeks left to train and I hope to make the best of them.

YEARS TOTAL: 2273 miles

Be Thankful and NEVER Give Up the Fight

The last few weeks of running have been moving along nicely. I've been on a constant climb in mileage since my little set-back in early September. I had good fitness at the time of the injury and I knew if was patient, listened to my body, I would come out of it in decent position for my race in early October.

 Going through an injury is never fun. It's really easy to get in a grind of negative thoughts and feelings. The thought of all the hard work one puts into these events and all the thoughts of "getting out of shape" are a constant battle mentally. The one thing I try to surround myself with is positive energy. I read tons of running news and articles. Sounds like it would bum a person out being injured but I find it to work in the opposite way. I see how others are doing and I make a deal with myself to get back at it as soon as I can. I also have a loving wife and child, as well as excellent running partners that keep me going in positive ways. I have sucked up all that energy and I now find myself sitting pretty decent heading into next weekend. Such a lovely place to be...

I was running some single-track this morning, getting some fresh, sunny air, as my head needed a good ol fashion fog-clearing diet, as I may have made just one too many "trips to the canoe" last night at a friends wedding reception. (those of you that were there know exactly what I am referring to) At any rate, it was amazing as to how great I actually felt. I mean, yesterday I had my last longerish type run of 2 hours and I felt like complete shit after 70 minutes. I had all I could do to get back home to the barn. This morning was just the opposite. I had fresh legs and the desire to crank out some serious miles. I held myself back and enjoyed the feeling of bottled-up energy. That is also a good feeling.

This got me thinking how beginners or even general population people that are trying to get back into shape, or trying to loose some extra weight, often get lost in the battle of will. There are many people that can keep at it and make the progress they desire. There are many that start and soon fall victim to the demands of daily "life" and quit. If you go to any local gym or YMCA I am betting that the drop-off rates are very high after a month or two from initial sign-up. But, if there is any hope of making your goal it is necessary to push through some rough days as well as heading out to do what activity you do on days where you want to rest. Rest is good, but being lazy is another thing. Don't be afraid to try. I have reflected on this topic in the past and I am going to bring it up again. One never knows what kind of performance their body is going to have unless you get going and try. Give your body a chance and tell your mind, the one that's telling you to take a day off, to go bother someone else. You need to try. Some days I head out and think that I will only go a mile or two. That's ok. I try and soon I am returning home with 7-8 miles in the books.  Now I'm not saying all this just to brag or say, "hey, look at me I never take a day off." It's not that at all. I am writing all this to give you an idea that you just have to go out and try and somedays you are going to feel on top of the world. YOU DONT WANT TO MISS THAS FEELING. It's a feeling that keeps me going every day and I want you to experience this as well. Get out there and bust a good one!

Here are my last two weeks. I will post a race summary and maybe some pics of the race when I return. My banner photo on my blog is an excellent picture of where I am running. It's going to be amazing...

September 16-22nd
*great week. 6 runs with long 3:50:00 run(24 miles) on Sunday
Total: 62 miles

September 23-29th
super week. legs are good. 7 runs
Sa/Su 2hr/1:20 weekend
Total: 64 miles

Years Total: 1998 miles

Minor Setback- Still Have Time

I managed to have a great month of August for training and in the end it got me. Snuck up on me and bit me before I knew what was happening. I thought I had such a good handle on my body and the feedback it was giving me. Then, without notice, I was on a long run and within 4 steps I went from head up and smiles to a limping, gimpy achilles scorching halt. I had a feeling of fire along my lateral ankle bone and a very spasmed lateral calf muscle. What the hell just happened? I sat and stretched and it helped minimally. I spent the rest of the next week with minimal to no running trying to ice the ball of muscle in my calf. This last week was only slightly better and I managed to jog every day but nothing special. Oh, and I had to stop every run to stretch out my hamstring in order to finish the runs. Finally on Thursday I made it into the Chiro and had some work done that made my stride and back feel much better. I'm still not 100% but I think I have a good lead on a hibernating hamstring issue. Lots of stretches and my run this morning was the best I've had in two weeks. I'm keeping my fingers crossed and I really need this to go away so I can focus on my trail run coming up in three weeks. Please...

August 19-25
Week: 63 miles

August 26-Sept 1
Week: 75 miles

Sept 2-8
Week: 9 miles

Sept 9-15
Week: 46 miles *trying to get back at it

YEARS MILEAGE
1872 miles

Trails Are Perfect- A Three Week Summary

I've managed to let three weeks pass again without any updates but here it goes.

I started to climb up in milage three weeks ago and managed to squeak into the 70's with a very decent long run on the trails of East Duluth. Lester is amazing and COGGS fail to disappoint. I finished the week tired and my hip flexors calling for help. I hit the big Gitch for an icing and that seemed to help some. Since I had been on a slow climb up in mileage, along with a little fatigue I decided to follow up the next week with a rest week.
I usually do three up weeks and follow with one down but my legs were calling for a little help so I gave it to them. I've learned at an older age to listen to my body a bit closer and usually i work out the kinks quickly.

After last weeks easy running and beer slug fest on Sunday, I managed to buckle down and work on gaining some volume once again. Rising out of bed at 0430 is tough and now I have to limit my snooze alarms because I have to get out the door to allow myself the time to get in the volume I desire. That's been the only bummer in this quest. I knew it was coming, but boy did it approach quickly. I am referring to the morning darkness. It is now officially headlamp season and I will wear a headlamp until next spring on most of my weekly morning runs. The summer daylight left me too soon. This weeks running went about as well as I could have asked and I will attempt to have another similar week. The highlights of the week were a hill climbing session at Chester Bowl. Loops up and down the creek trails will be one of my staple workouts for the next three or four weeks. The other two highlights were a 6 X 1000 meter LT repeats on the track and this mornings 3 hour run. It's my first three hour run in quite some time and I had a very nice mix of roads and trails. My legs responded nicely and my stomach accepted the nutrients I gave it so I am pleased with that. Getting in the proper energy and actually having your stomach accept it is half the battle.

I hope you all are having excellent health and training. Shoot for the stars!

Here are my last 6 weeks milage per week:
61, 53, 64, 73, 55, 79

Week July 29th-Aug 4
Total= 73 miles

Week Aug 5-11 *rest week
Total= 55 miles

Week Aug 12-18
Total= 79 miles

YEARS TOTAL: 1679 miles

Catch Up and New Goals

I was going to try to review what I have been doing for the past 5 weeks but I rather attempt to start fresh and with hopes of blogging more often. After the poor running at the USATF Half champs it took me a few days to wrap my head around the idea of new goals and getting back to the grind with my training. I like the long runs and I really enjoy the LT workouts, so I found a goal race in October to go chase and hopefully this summer will unfold as planned.

In a quick summary I have been building up my mileage slowly and have now been clicking along pretty decent the last three weeks. I am getting in a weekend long effort and one to two workouts mid week. My goal race is 10 weeks from yesterday and I feel like I am getting right at the point of really doing some decent workouts in the weeks to come. The plan from here on out is to run right around 70 miles per week and get in some solid long, hilly efforts along the way.

Here is just a weekly summary of my last five weeks:

June 24-30th
~20 miles *slow stuff post race

July 1-7
46 miles

July 8-14
61 miles

July 15-21
53 miles

July 22-28
64 miles

YEARS TOTAL: 1472

Summary Leading To Half-Marathon Champs

I've neglected blogging my miles since I got the new Nike+ running watch that has this nifty website for tracking all your data. It seems like double work by blogging miles when all my data is on another website. The one thing that a blog allows is a bit more detail of events and more space to describe how I am feeling and what's going on. (For those very few that give a rip!)

Since my last posting, I managed to run some minuscule miles and not really get in the work I had anticipated getting in prior to the Half-Marathon Championships I ran  yesterday. For some reason just as the pollen was gaining force I developed what I term a chest "virus" that also settled in my sinuses a bit. It was very unfortunate in timing and I definitely felt a lack of overall motivation and ability to train during those two weeks. I had extreme fatigue and had difficulty breathing for a lot of my runs. I managed to get in small amounts of faster work, but nothing like I would like to do prior to a peak race. I hate to be making excuses for what I call an under performance yesterday but I do feel like I could have made two minutes faster had I had better training leading up to the race. In the end would it have made a difference in my overall placing? Not much. But, it would have made a difference in how I felt which is my number one concern. As I stated in the past, as I age I don't mind slowing down. It's inevitable. But, as I slow down, I still want to feel like I am "racing" and not just plodding down the road. Yesterday I felt somewhere in between. At times it felt really good to be racing down the course and there were times where I wished I had just a few more miles under my legs. In any event, I finished happy and still hungry to train. I now have some decisions to make for the rest of the summer and fall. I committed to a race in early October and as long as I can put in some decent miles things should go well.

Here is the quick summary of my weeks leading up to race day.

May 6-12 *last good week of training before getting sick
Total: 65 miles w/ 2 workouts, long run of 19

May13-18
Total: 48 miles

May 20-26
Total: 40 + miles, *missed a day without Nike watch somewhere

May27-June2 *sickness begins
Total: 5K race 16:23
          40 +  miles

June 3-9 *still sick/ ? allergies
Total: 50 miles + workouts

June 10-16th
Total: 47 miles *minor workouts

June 17-23rd
Total: 37 miles
          *1:14:09 1/2 marathon

Years Total: 1228 miles

***ON TO NEXT PHASE OF TRAINING AFTER A WEEK EASY/OFF***

Post Race Recovery

Two weeks have passed and I am starting to finally get my legs back. The first week was one of rest and no-care nutrition. Good timing as I had another birthday mixed in there and birthday treats are the best! My quads were pure hell for 4-5 days where walking down stairs was quite the act to witness. I wasn't brave enough to have a massage and my lovely finally worked out some kinks on Thursday, Friday and Sunday the week following. Since then I haven't received massage and my running has resumed quite well. I do have a massage appointment for next week and that will be the true test to see how things have progressed.

This past week I ran 20-25 miles, mostly at the end of the week, and those miles felt better with each passing day. I look forward to the next week and hopefully get the green light to resume regular training after another warm up week.

Here are my two week following Boston:

April 15-21st
M: 26.2 miles race
T:0
W:0
H:0 *very light massage
F:0 *a bit more massage
Sa: 2 miles 17:45! ouch!
Su: 0 massage
Total: 28 miles with race Monday

April 22-28th
M: 27:00 5K Boston Run down lake walk
T: 0 *massage
W: 23:00 3 miles
H: 28:00 3.5 miles
F: 48:00 6.2 miles
Sa: 2 miles with Lucas 21:05
Su: 49:30 5.7 miles with Jignesh
Total: 23 miles

Years Total: 901 miles

Boston Marathon 2013

2013 Boston Marathon
2:49:59
*it beat up my quads, but it didn't get my heart


I've been delaying this entry for many reasons. Mainly the time allowed me to process the experience and really, to allow for some serious reflection of the entire weekend that found a tragic and powerful ending on Monday, April 15 2013 @ 2:09 pm.

I've wanted to take part in America's finest, most history-filled marathon event for many years. I finally made the commitment in 2012 and followed through with it. I can honestly say it was by far my most memorable marathon to date. I didn't run a personal best as I desired but, there is so much more to Boston than a PB. The B.A.A. is a first class organization and, with the assistance of the fine volunteers and the people of the greater Boston area, they gave me an experience of a lifetime. From the expo, packet pick-up to the shuttle buses and staging/starting areas, nothing was left undone. They have thought of it all and do it right. Once the race got underway the citizens that lined the course to cheer were simply amazing. Near constant fan support from Hopkinton to Boylston Street kept me running, as walking just wasn't an option. Again, simply amazing.

As I crossed the finish line I felt deflated more than any other marathon I had previously ran. It wasn't a feeling of overall exhaustion rather, my legs (quads) were left somewhere back on the course near the base of the Newton Hills. The amount and degree of downhill running was beyond any thoughts I had going into this event. I had read numerous articles on how to race the predominantly downhill course. I scoured the internet for tips on how to train so those hills wouldn't get the best of me. I talked to others that had ran the race in years past. Nothing prepared me for what I experienced that day. People told me, "there are a lot of downhills" quickly followed by "don't worry about Heartbreak Hill, it's not that bad." They were right about that, the uphills were a blessing after all the pounding that left my quads rubberized and soon had my IT Bands locked tight so running down the backside of Heartbreak was near impossible. Once I got to mile 23, I stopped and used someones cell phone to call my wife to explain to her I was not going to be on Boylston as we discussed. I wanted her to wait for me and not head to the family waiting area until I had passed. (she never got the message, but did wait to see me turn down the famous Boylston off of Hereford Street) After I had called her I had a moment where all I wanted to do was slow to a walk. That happens in a marathon and it's easy to do. It's immediate relief from the agony you are feeling at that point. Human nature says, stop. But, I knew that it would be extremely difficult to get moving again and even if I kept jogging at the slow, painful pace I was doing, it was still TWICE as fast as a walk. So I kept running. The fans would call out my number and scream, "come on 813, you are going to make it. You look great, keep it up." Liars. But I knew what they were trying to do, and it worked. The finish line came a bit later than I wanted but I can say, the final 385 yards were as amazing as I thought they would be. Looking back at my Garmin results I can see the last bit and how much I picked up the pace just on adrenaline.

Boston took a bite out of my quads. I will get revenge as I am planning on returning to Hopkinton in 2014 and racing that same historical course in hopes to conquer those hills. And when I do, and when I turn off of Hereford Street and on to Boylston Street, I'm sure there is going to be a different feel. The energy I can image is going to be nothing short of ecstatic and the victims of this years disaster will be honored as I go bye the two sites. I'm hooked, and now Boston has me the third Monday in April for awhile.

*I am not going to address the horrific, selfish act of two individuals that took so much energy, exhilaration, honor, strength, courage, and good ol fashion fun from some 27,000 runners and their families and friends that day by ending the race in the 4:09 hour. There is plenty of media to read, and at this point most of us has had their fill. I still lay awake at night thinking of that day and I am so ever grateful. But I am also still angered. I will go back and celebrate with my peers the way we were supposed to. I hope to see you there!


Here is the GARMIN data for the race: CLICK HERE


April 8-14th
M: 0 rest/ ice foot
T: 7 miles, ice foot
W: 0 treat/ice foot
TH: 0 ice foot
F: 33:00 4.5 miles, 4 X 30 sec at 5:30 pace
S: travel
Su: 3 miles on treadmill plus strides

Not The Taper I Wanted

The one thing I can say is the last 15 weeks have gone quite well and relatively uninterrupted, until this past week. I was to have one final week of mileage and one last MP workout to finish out the "plan", then taper slowly for one week and race on Monday. With the continual right arch discomfort I've been having, and not really mentioned it too much in the past because it hasn't kept me from training, I decided to take a stand and really attempt to get that arch feeling better and try to increase my odds of a good race come April 15th.  What that meant though was a forced taper earlier than I would have liked but getting my foot feeling as good as possible was/is number one priority. I have had a decent training plan and now realize I am not going to get any fitter, and quite honestly I could risk further injury, so I made the decision to take every other day off this past week and aggressively treat my arch. It's working. I have run the last two days and felt pretty good. As long as things don't get too ugly on the course in Boston, I still feel like a new PR is possible.

I'm sure I will have a moment to write a few words this next week but just in case I don't I plan to run easy every day this next week except Saturday, which is a travel day. The legs felt good today and so it continues for a week. That feeling of bottled energy, anxiety, excitement, and often feelings of self-doubt. It is all too common to sit around and feel like you could have done so much more and that one workout should have been this pace, not that pace, but really, if you get to the starting line healthy you just increased your odds of having a good race. The last marathon I ran, including my Boston qualifier, I ran so much less than what I have done this winter and I ran very respectable. I hope to repeat that.

My number for the race is  #813. I'm in wave 1, corral 1. The elite women have a 25 minute head start and I will be lining up right behind the elite men for a starting time of 10:00 am EST. (that's 9:00 am in Duluth Hypo)

Here is the rest of the past week:

M: 0, therapy
T: 53:00 7 miles
W: 0 poor sleep, head cold persists, therapy/sleep
Th: 1:15:00  11 miles with 8 at 5:56 pace
F: 0 miles therapy
Sa: 36:00  5 miles easy *foot better
Su: 1:10:00  10 miles w/ 3 X 3 minutes at 5:52 as test

Total: 33 miles  *let the taper begin

Years Total: 836.4 miles

End of Week and 2 Weeks to Go

The rest of last week looked like this:

Th: 1:10:00 10 miles, loop out to Enger and back
F: 1:25:00 13 miles w/ 10 @5:56 mi. *legs tired but good
Sa: 1:00:00 8 miles easy, park point
Su: 1:58:00 16 miles, country roads, hills, neg split run 6:20's w/ Hypo

Total: 65 miles (6 runs)

Years Total: 803.4 miles

This week I have been really trying to behave and get my right leg and arch under control. I have been ignoring a bit of a nag in there somewhere and I figured I need to get things under control very quickly.
I took Monday off of running and tended to a sore arch and it was worth it. I ran this morning and felt good and had just a bit of residual soreness. I also ran in new shoes and that had to help a bit as well.
The rest of my training is going to look pretty boring so I may not post until after the weekend and then just because I am going to be all jazzed up next week with the taper I figure I will be blogging a bit more.

Week April 1-7
M: off  am/pm work on arch/legs
T: 52:00  7 miles *feeling pretty good