Getting back to Boston

Dark and early at the WAR room with George, Rose, Jamie, Jessica, Jesse P. and Nathan. I hadn't planned to run anything faster than 9:30. Hah! I found myself having to run 9:20 just to stay within visual range. Then in the second loop, I ran even faster, and hammered the last two miles in well under 9:00. If I maintained today's average pace for 26.2, I'd run a 4:01 in Baton Rouge. Felt good to ask my body to do something difficult and it responded, like hammering those last two miles. Even George felt those last two miles. Kinda nice to see him grabbing his shorts after we finished...

Today took me over 1300 for the year. If I continue to follow Pfitz reasonably closely, 1500 for the year shouldn't be a problem. I have 30 days to get 190 miles.I really hope this month goes well enough that I abandon the 4:00 goal for BR and start thinking like 3:45, but we'll just have to see. I have to stay injury-free and not get sick, for one thing.

Going back and looking at the splits yesterday, 12 of the 15 miles were within 10 seconds of 4:00 pace (or a lot lower). So, really, that was an MP run. I will try to do another one next Monday, just a little bit harder, and see if I can realistically aim for maybe a 3:45. A BQ ain't happening, not until I get this weight off. I have to find another race, maybe late spring. Hopefully by then Jen can come with me, but I'm not gonna hold my breath on that one.

Easy run this morning with Kathy L. and Staci at the WAR room. Too warm, too windy, but not horrible. Wouldn't have wanted to do 15 in these conditions, but I could have done a couple more. That's OK. This will be the recovery week I didn't take last week.

Took two days off because Pfitz said so, then back at it this morning. I'd planned 5 x 1000 at SHS, but legs were very heavy. So I just kept it long and slow. Dredged out an old 10-mile route I hadn't done in a while. Note to self: Don't do that route at 7:30 on a Wednesday. Traffic was brutal and no sidewalks for the first four miles. Nobody hit me though, and I got through it, with one minor GI issue resolved with the help of a vacant, overgrown lot... Maybe I'll do that speedwork Friday. Maybe not.

10K after work at SHS. Kinda cruised for 24 laps, then semi-busted the last one. Felt OK. We'll see how it feels when I try to do 1000-meter reps tomorrow night. IF I try to to 1000s.

Tyler drove himself to the airport today while I was at work to fly to SC to visit his mom. I drove home, changed clothes, ran to the airport (the long way), picked up his car and drive it home. Wound up being a 6 mile run. Didn't feel like running at all, as two quick trips into the bushes re-emphasized. Legs were OK, GI wasn't. But I got there without undue mess. No way I could have done the speedwork I had been scheduled to do.

Hilly.Humid. 9.3 on the bike trails along Massard on both sides. Finished just before the rain started. Would have rather finished after the rain started, but whatever. Got it done. Now for work.

Took me a long time to get motivated and get out the door this morning, almost until noon. And I neglected little details like eating adequately before the run, or drinking adequately during the run. But I got 18 done anyway, with 7+at what passes for marathon pace these days. Wasn't pretty; I bonked badly on Old Greenwood and hurt badly from then on. But it's in the books, and I'm a lot closer to 1500, not to mention getting ready for the Corndogs.

Six miles on Phoenix with strides thrown in the last 3/4 mile, just because I felt like it. Beautiful weather for a run, before I went to work (thought I was off today; wrong).

Easy 4-mile fun run at Riley Farm to benefit the Martinez Scholarship fund. Took it relatively slow for three miles, until Rose caught up to me. Then we both kinda put the hammer down. After that little race (I won), I looped back to find Sheri and Heidi and put in another mile and a half. That part was a lot slower.

Interesting run. Set out from the house toward SHS and my back locked up, so badly that I couldn't even run. The first thing I tried was to walk for a while and see if that would help. It did, some. I could jog from the Rogers crossing to SHS. Got there, stretched for a bit, then tried to start my 5-mile tempo run. A mile at just over 8:00 was the best I could do. Walked a lap, then tried again. Now the body kicked in. Two miles at 7:59. Recovered for another lap, then the last two miles. This time I managed 7:48 pace, in spite of my shoe coming untied with two laps to go (or maybe because of that brief recovery time). Then jogged three miles home. Total of about 11.3, good quality tempo work, which didn't seem possible when I left the house.

Joined Sherrie, Jill, and the crew at Wells Lake this morning, and Sherrie led us down the bike trail by the amphitheater. Yes, that bike trail. My quads are still complaining. Stayed with the group for four miles, then headed back to the car while they went into Ben Geren. All in all, a good recovery 6.5, about what I wanted, minus the hills on that trail.

On track for 200+ this month and 1500+ for the year. I may not be ready to run a PR at Baton Rouge, but I should be prepared for a good run.

Just back from an excellent 20 at Ben Geren with Lia and Jessi. We all ran together for two loops, in 9:25 and 9:15 average. Lia bailed then and Jessi and I ran another three miles together before she bailed. Then the last four+ miles, I pretty much put the hammer down. No bonking, no cramps, no huge fatigue issues, just asking my body to give me something and it responded. A nice feeling. Jessi was still in the parking lot when I got back. She had done 17, a new mileage PR for her, and cramped afterward. Boy, do I know that feeling. But I did that last loop in under an hour, which was gratifying. I'm not in shape to go for a PR in Baton Rouge, but I think 3:45 might be doable. Then go for it in Michigan in May.

Intervals at the track. Left home at dawn, ran up there, stretched, and set out. Reps were 5 X 600, trying to keep it under 1:45/lap. Times were 2:39, 2:40, 2:37, 2:37 and 2:34. So the slowest two were over 7:00 pace, the fastest was under, and the other two were right at 7:00. Mission sort of accomplished. Temp was right around freezing, which worked. I wore tights, which probably slowed me down a tad, but not uncomfortable at all. Now to get ready for work...

Didn't realize a thunderstorm was approaching until two thirds of the way into my MLR tonight. By the three-fourths mark it was raining. By 85% it was raining REAL hard. And I was running real fast. Didn't get struck, so I guess it worked. The last 3.05 miles in less than 26 minutes, and it felt faster than that.

Decided to go to SHS and work out some kinks after watching the basketball game. Jogged a very easy 4, then did strides on the turf with very easy recovery jogs. Went OK. Strides were comfortable but not very fast. But kinks are now out. I guess. Might do another easy 5 in the morning; we'll see how I feel. Some significant wind chill out there, easily subfreezing after the front came through last night. At least I'm not in Nebraska, which got blizzards today.

Easy 5 to SHS and back after work, since the bed magnet got me this morning.

Supposed to be up at 6 to go run at 7. Well, the alarm went off -- and I slept through it for 55 minutes. Woke up, threw on running clothes and headed to Wells Lake; I only got there 15 minutes late. We set off on two five-mile loops. I put the hammer down on the second loop, hoping to finish before I got called to work (I did).

17.1 on a new course. Even with net uphills on the last half, I negative split that puppy, with last 5.1 under 9:10. Right now, that qualifies as MP. Let's see if it will actually be MP in 27 days in Corndog City.

Met Sheri Nicholls at the Two Rivers Bridge in Little Rock for an easy Christmas morning run. We crossed the bridge, which I'd never run before, into the park, and then out toward Pinnacle on roads I had run before with the Crackheads. Kept the pace slow, around 10:00, which was fine after yesterday's 17 and Sheri's recovery from surgery. It was about 33 degrees and raining. I'm gonna have to leave shortly after Christmas dinner and hope the snow doesn't come in earlier than expected.

At the WAR room this morning with George and Coffelt. As usual, had trouble keeping up early, then George put the hammer down for the last mile. Still wound up with about a 9:19 average, taking out a shoetying/potty stop and a brief stop to decide which way to run. So it went OK. We'll see if I have anything left for speedwork tomorrow.

Intervals at the track, in the snow (too warm to stick, but snowing nonetheless). Warmed up for 3 miles. Plan was 4X1200 at 5K pace. That pace used to be 7:00; right now, it's not. As usual, had a tough time getting up to speed. First rep at 7:30 pace. Jogged 700m. Next rep, 7:25. Another 700 recovery. Third rep, 7:20. Getting closer, not quite there. REcovered for 600 this time. Last rep, 7:11. That would actually qualify as decent 5K pace. Jogged for 3 miles to complete the workout.

My back was really stiff this morning when I left the house to meet Kathy L. for a shortie. She's just getting over a fractured ankle, so I knew she would be going slow. Just what I needed. Took my back a couple of miles to loosen, and we never did speed up much. We did 3 together, then I ran back home to finish my 4.5.

Running with Rose, Jessie and Jill tomorrow. All three of them may run off and leave me, but that's OK. Just get the 20 or so done, which will put me at 70ish for the week.Very good way to finish off 2012 from a running standpoint. So much so that I'll take NYE off (which is what's on the schedule anyway). 

If I define MP as anything under 4:00 pace, then I did three-fourths of today's run at sub MP. We got out there and hammered it. Lia was Lia, cruising along at 9:00 pace, Jessi and Rose right there with her. On all three loops, I got behind them and then made up the time and then some. Jessi beat me on the last loop, otherwise I beat everybody else. I guess I'm in better shape than I thought. Now to taper and sharpen for Corndog City. I feel like sub 4 should be a given with a good taper and good strategy.