Getting back to Boston

Man, am I out of shape. Have to face facts. Weather was wonderful this morning; about 50, hint of a breeze Great morning to run. And I still slogged out three. Could have forced the issue and done more, but I think my better course at this point is doing three every day instead of 6 one day and then take three days off. I just have to make myself do it, particularly during work weeks.

Have to go to LR tomorrow to appear before the state board, so will probably go stay with Mumb and Pupe tonight.

Went to Little Rock today to get my ASMB visit taken care of (actually went yesterday and stayed at the parentals). Then drove back, did dinner and went for a run. House to Cross Park, one loop around the lake, then back home. The return trip is a mother with those hills. Actually, the out trip isn't much easier, still plenty of uphill despite the net downhill. Ran it at 9:19 pace, though, which ain't back for my level of deconditioning/fatitude. Just gotta make myself do this kind of run to get ready for Boston training.

Wow, running three days in a row. Been a while since I've done that. Still pretty stiff from last night's hill run. Went to Cross Park for seven loops around the lake. First loop or two pretty painful, then loosened up and got a bit quicker. Managed to take a tumble as a couple of strollers didn't understand "on your left". When I got off the path to go around them, my foot hit something uneven and down I went. Not sure itf it was a hole or the edge of the path. Doesn't really matter. Landed on the grass and immediately back up.

Set up a Boston program today, which will start at the end of November. Took the work schedule into account, with harder/easier weeks corresponding to off/on work. I actually asked Brad Hudson for a suggestion on FB; he responded with a minimal one, then a pitch to pay him $150 a ,month for a schedule. No thanks, I can take your suggestion and your book and do my own schedule -- and I did. It'll need tweaking, of course, and I won't come anywhere near complete compliance. But it includes all Hudson's favorites -- reps, intervals, hill sprints, MP runs, and enough mileage to do the job if I come anywhere close to following the plan. One of the tweaks may be to insert some races. Only thing plugged in now is the FS half marathon in December. LR would be an option, but I'll have to juggle work some to do that. But then I'll have to juggle things to do FS too.

Just working out the kinks tonight at Ben Geren. Progression for two laps, then drills and strides for a cooldown. Wanted to get in a little bit of MP time, and got at least 150 yards worth. So the legs will still go that fast. Now I just need to multiply that distance by about 275... If I can get in 5-plus tomorrow, which I think I can, that will be a 5-day/20-mile week. Haven't had one of those since late July.

Posted the miles with the new Droid, but couldn't do the comments. Oh well. Skipped yesterday to spend the day with Tyler, so went out early today while T slept in. The legs are just not there. Struggled through 8.25 down around the airport, although I have learned not to try to run along Zero with no shoulders and no sidewalk. Temps were OK, maybe the low 60s by the time I finished, but just no life in the legs. I'm hoping that's due to the unaccustomed four straight days before taking Saturday off. Try to get in a short 3 or so tomorrow and then see where we go for the rest of the week.

Enjoyed the time with Tyler for sure. Reminds me I'm not completely in this alone. He's such a good kid, better than I deserve. I guess I did something right bringing him up, though.

Recovery run tonight. Tried a new course -- Duncan to Waldron to UAFS (discovered Kincaid stops at the freeway and there's no way out), then Park across the freeway to 66th to Free Ferry and back home. If I'd skipped Kincaid, it probably would have been the 3+ miles I wanted. Since I didn't, it wound up 4.08. That's OK. Managed it fine in spite of the hills and the mid-70s temps. Loosened up from yesterday in a mile or so.

Interesting. Got off work tonight early due to empty ER, felt pretty good and decided to run. I arrived home about 10:10, changed clothes, started a load of laundry and headed to the park, arriving at 10:30. I knew the park officially closes at 11 p.m., but I figured my planned 4 miles wouldn't push much past that and I'd be outta there before anybody with a siren noticed. And I didn't want to run on the streets that late.

Uh, no. On my last lap at Cross Park I see a car near mine and somebody steps out with a flashlight. I said uh oh and cut the lap as short as I could given that there's a lake in the middle of it. Sure enough, it's a policeman. He reaches in his pocket, but pulls out a notebook, not a ticket pad. He reminded me that the park closed at 11, asked me when I'd be through, to which I responded I was through. He asked my name and date of birth, wrote it down in his notebook, wished me a good night and left. Kinda the non-warning warning. I think I can safely assume next time I do that, there'll be a ticket attached.

Oh yeah, the run. Felt good enough that I decided to push it. Ran six laps plu at sub-8:40, then jogged the last lap (if I'd pushed the last lap, maybe I finish before the cop arrives). Overall average still well below 9:00. Closest thing to a tempo run I've done in a while, and legs felt pretty good. Suspect I'll be sore in the morning, though.

After getting pummeled the last four days at work, have not felt like running at any time -- morning, midnight, didn't matter. Woke up in the morning and felt just as tired as when I went to bed the night before. Maybe I can get some good runs in during my off week because...

After 30 minutes of frustration with the BAA website, and clicking "submit" infinitely, it seemed, it finally accepted my registration for the 2011 Boston Marathon this morning. And put two charges on my debit card statement; let's hope they're not gonna charge me $260 to run. Fortunately, dcv2002 on the RWOL Boston forum posted a link that got me around the "submit" endless loop, and I got in on the first try through that link. Thanks, man.

But now I'm committed. Which seems to be what it takes to get me off my, uh, couch and going. I have exactly six months to get ready. (Also have to get plane tickets and a place to stay, which I'll hold off on until I find out that my entry has been officially accepted).

Need to go to NLR/Bryant today to take care of some things, mostly financial, but hope to get a run in tonight after I return.

Update, two days later: I did get in that run after I got back from Centark, 4.5 around the Ben Geren loop at sub-9:30 pace. I was sore afterward, but that's what I'm doing for the next six weeks, getting the legs back in the swing.

Turns out that Boston filled up in EIGHT HOURS. Filled up. Last year, nine weeks. Year before, five months. Year before, it didn't fill at all. EIGHT HOURS. Many many people POd/shocked that they're shut out. If you paid any attention at all since last November, you saw this coming. People got shut out last year and freaked; they weren't gonna get caught again. I didn't get shut out, but I knew going to Memphis that I couldn't get in for 2010. Once I qualified, I was NOT going to get shut out for 2011.

Had a nice pre-birthday dinner with the folks while I was in Centark.

Tried out a new course tonight -- down Duncan, around the mall, up Waldron to Park, out Park across the freeway to 66th, down to Free Ferry, and back home. I think it's 3.90, although the Garmin did not cooperate entirely. One thing I don't need the Garmin to tell me -- that puppy is HILLY. I was pretty stiff from last night, so not very fast, but all in all, the run went well. Temps in the 60s helped.

Went looking for places to buy running shoes. You'd think there would be a running store in the commercial center of a metro area of 165,000, but there isn't (maybe this is a hint for my entrepreneurial future). Shoe Carnival and Academy carry the discount lines of Nike and Saucony and adidas and NB and so on; you can't buy a pair of Lunarglide, but you can buy a pair of Lunarrun. Foot Locker? Forget it. I'm not gonna pay mall prices to buy a pair of shoes from someone who doesn't know fartlek from Pampers. Anyway, didn't buy anything, but may go back later in the week. The current pairs of training shoes are both completely worn out.

In one week, I'll be 50. It's funny. By anyone's definition, I'm middle-aged, if not completely over the hill, but I still don't think of myself as Mr. Necessary. I hear that, I still mentally look around for my dad. Even my patients who don't understand that I'm not a physician generally call me Dr. Jeff. Yet I'm unquestionably in the second half of my life. Hey, I was only young once, but I can be immature all my life...

Intervals this evening -- 5 X 400 at Ben Geren, with 400 jog intervals, one lap warmup, about 1.2 cooldown. Total 5.00. Warmer than I would have liked, and the glare was brutal even with my sunglasses, but managed not to run over anyone, trip on the rocks in the trail, or get heat-stressed. Paces were wide ranging, from 7:24 to 7:55, but at least they were all sub-MP. Point was to get my legs to go semi-fast, and I guess I semi-succeeded.

Ten laps plus around the lake at Cross Park tonight. Once I loosened up, it wasn't too bad. Even considered going farther, but no, restraint is the key. An extra lap that keeps me from running tomorrow defeats the plan. Pretty steady around 9:50 pace. A few joggers out there, including one rather shapely brunette. Wish I were up for the chase... Continuing the plan to get to 100 miles by the end of the month. I'm pretty sure that will require me to run every day for the rest of the month, unless I can bump up the daily average a bit.

In Fayetteville with Tyler tonight. Dinner at OG, a little shopping, went to the Red-White hoops, then four miles in the vicinity of his apartment. Up to MLK on Razorback, down Razorback past 15th, double back to 15th, back past his complex, full length of the little trail behind the complex and back, then a lap around the complex itself. Total 4.11. Warmer than I'd like, but nice and breezy. It's supposed to rain tonight. Hopefully the rain will be over before the game starts at 11:21. Then maybe get in a dreadmill run in his fitness center before the drive back to FS.

Interesting day, not including any running. T and I went to the Hog game, which took nearly five hours thanks to not one, but two prolonged weather delays. We finally on, then the rain really settled in. Decided not to try to run in it; dribing back to Fort Smith in it was bad enough. I'll plan on doing a double tomorrow, maybe 4 and 6 or something.

Well, whaddya know? I got that double in after all. Strangely enough, the temps were mirror images -- it was 73 warming up to 79 this morning, 79 cooling off to 73 tonight -- but without the sun beating down on me, tonight was much more comfortable, and I ran much better. Just steady 10:00 pace, what I wanted, and not any undue strain. Even stretched the run out another two laps because I felt OK.

This morning was warm, humid, sunny (which made it feel even warmer). Just the kind of day I hate to run. Got 6 in, though. After all, it could be this warm in Boston next April, although I darn sure hope not. Bleah. Thirty-five miles this week. To get to my goal of 100 for thee month, need 34 next week. Should be doable if I can get out of bed, or get in some 10 p.m. runs. 

Got a run in before work -- because I didn't know I was supposed to be at work at 7. Turns out, however, that the work schedule shakes out better if I'm on 12-12, which is what I thought I was on anyway. So now I'm on 12-12 for the rest of the week. OK by me.

Anyway, got out while it was still cool (but humid) and ran over to Cross Park. Two laps around the lake, then back home, total of exactly 5.00. Lots of hills on that run, of course, but that's what I need getting ready for Boston. Ran negative split in spite of net uphill coming back, which is good, with overall average of about 9:30. Very good run. Need 29 miles the rest of the week to get to 100 for the month. If I don't get lazy or really sore, I should be able to handle that.

Now if the BAA will just confirm my entry, I'll be good. Hotel, check. Flights available, will arrange after entry confirmed. Just need that entry. Confirmation on my birthday would be good.

Well, I'm 50 now. I've been bombarded by birthday wishes on FB, which is kinda overwhelming. I've gotten like 50 or so, and it's not even noon. My cellphone is detonating from the notifications. Mumber called too, right after my run.

Went to Ben Geren for the morning's run. Forgot the watch, which was just as well; just tried to keep a smooth, comfortable pace, then push it just a bit on the last lap. Looped around the parking lot twice for a little extra distance, so I'm estimating total at 5.02 (0.4 around the parking lot). I'm guessing the pace was in the 9:30ish range, a little faster on the last lap. Need 24 miles now for 100 for the month. Sounds more doable, even though it's just five a day, every day.

Not ideal having to work 12 hours on my birthday, but sitting down to check my e-mail this afternoon and finding that my entry to the Boston Marathon has been accepted makes up for a whole bunch of it. I've had to fight hard not to let myself go whole-hog for this; the nagging voice keeps saying something is going to go wrong. I wasn't going to qualify, they were gonna change the qualifying standards (they still might, but not for 2011 :) ), my entry wasn't going to be accepted, I wouldn't be able to afford the trip, blah blah blah. Well, I qualified, I'm in, I have an affordable room by central Boston standards, I can do frequent flyer miles for the flight, I can get time off from work (and I have a job to get time off from). There's still the chance of getting hurt, which I'll be extremely paranoid about since they're not taking deferments any more, but everything else has fallen into place. And how sweet is it to get the notification on my 50th birthday? Aww, man.

Progression run today at Cross Park, although not intentionally. I was really stiff when I started, but it seemed to feel better as I went a little faster. Then, toward the end, I found myself dissociating -- thinking about everything but running. And, as I did that, I went faster too. Did 7+ laps, 4.70 miles, average 9:33.

Thought today would be a URD after I slept until 10. Then the ER was extremely slow and I got to leave at 9:40. Got home, changed, and went for a run. Decided to do laps around the mall, because, while boring, it's very well lit and thus pretty safe for a late-night run. So I ran down the hill on Duncan, did five laps, came back up Duncan and looped out on Burnham long enough to give me a 7-miler. Went well; maybe the extra 12 hours rest helped. Averaged 9:20 for the whole run, including sub-9 for the last mile including the uphill. Couldn't ask for much better at this stage of my training.

Busy morning. Got up and went to the bank to deposit the money from the IRA. Unable to transfer it to Pam, as bank couldn't verify with issuing bank and thus put a hold on it. In one week, transfer money. Split the IRA, then end the marriage.  It's nearing an end. And I'm just numb to it. Want to get it over with, basically, and try to move on. There are plenty of cute nurses at work; maybe one of them would be interested.

Anyway, after that did my run. High 40s, sunny, no wind, very good running weather. Still quite stiff after last night's 7, but  hoped it would loosen. It did, some. Was able to maintain a decent clip anyway, and, as usual, a bit of a progression. Miles ranged from 9:58 to 9:28, although I was in no way pushing the pace. Run interrupted quite a bit by having to wait for crosswalk lights. Wait was never very long, but I must have had to wait 6-8 times. Run totaled 4.12. I think another 8 miles over the weekend gets me to 100 for the month.

Just getting in the miles. Two laps around the mall, down to Rogers on Waldron, back up to Gordon, up the hill and around. Right at 4 miles. Legs kida rubbery, but got it done.

Spent all morning on the phone to work before actually going to work, so no morning run. Wasn't sure I'd get one in, but I got off work at 11:40, rushed home, changed and was out of the house before midnight. So that counts as Sunday, and thus October. Of importance only because I wanted to get in 100 miles in October, and tonight's 4.5 did that. Three extended laps around the mall, going down to the Burger King twice. Thought about doing hill sprints on Duncan, then reminded myself it was nearly 1 a.m. Hill sprints can wait.

Read something today that quad/flexor stretching may fix the problem at the base of my right buttock. I'll give it a try, since nothing else has worked. Theory is that quad/flexor stretches allow the pelvis to tilt normally and thus relieve the strain posteriorly. I'm no ex phys, but it makes a little sense. I didn't get this problem when I stretched more regularly, which included quads as well as hammies.

A week off now, then I go on the overnight shift for four days. That oughta be fun (not).