I was on a field exercise during the past couple weeks. Despite going to the field, I was able to get in a run here and there. At one point, I went 4 days without running. When you're in good shape 4 days without running should not affect the fitness. Last week Sunday I came back for a day of recovery before going back on the field. I took advantage of the day by catching up on my running. That day I put in 20 miles, 12 miles in the morning with some fast running and then an easy 8 miler in the afternoon. I felt a little rusty in the beginning of the run, but once I got going everything was fine.
This week, I sort of got back into a routine schedule. The running economy feels good and it doesn't seem like I lost any fitness. I gave it a test on Thursday by doing some 1200 repeats with some 400s in the end. After a few warm-up miles, I ran 4 x 1200 (3:58, 4:01, 3:59, 3:57) with 400 recovery, then 4 x 400 (73, 73, 72, 73) with 200m recovery.
This morning I ran with my friend Bob. I wanted to run easy for 70-75 minutes. What was suppose to be an easy run turned into sort of a slower tempo run. We started out the run chatting about whatever topic came to mind. About 3 miles into the run the chatting was replaced with some rhythmic breathing. The pace was not hard, but decent enough that we were taking in oxygen every 2-3 steps. We turned around at 5.5 miles after averaging 6:28 pace. I thought Bob was going to slow the pace a little coming back. Instead, it was me that began picking up the pace. The body got into a good rhythm and I found myself cruising along about a 6:00 pace. This was a good confidence booster because I felt very comfortable running at about marathon pace. After all, maybe I didn't lose any fitness from the days I was on the field.
Today's Run: 1:09:42
Saturday, August 19, 2006
Sunday, August 06, 2006
What will life be like if you can't run...
I apologize for not updating my blog in almost 2 weeks. I've been very busy with work since I came off of leave. In fact, I just got back from a week-long leaders' training at Fort Polk, Louisiana. It looks as though I won't be posting much over the next 4-6 weeks. I'll be going to the field for some Army training beginning on Tuesday.
What do you do when you can't get out to train? This next 4-6 weeks will be very frustrating for me, because I won't be able to run very much. There's nothing worse then losing fitness when you're in great shape. I think my fitness will still be up there if I only miss a week or two at the most. But a month, I don't think so. My near-term plan was to run a half-marathon late September and a 10-miler and marathon in October. I'll most likely change my racing schedule because of all the training I'll miss. For now, I will have to try and squeeze in a run at every opportunity I get.
A little update on my training. I was fortunate enough to get in my workouts at Ft. Polk. It was unbelievably humid in the early mornings. I was out the door each day at 5am and would be drenched in sweat about 10 minutes into the run. This morning's run put me at 65 miles for the week. Not bad considering my busy schedule. Lately, I've been getting in quality workouts rather than high mileage. Every workout counts when you don't have all the time to train.
I did a progression long run this morning and it felt very good and comfortable. I ran the first 30 minutes averaging 7:14 pace, then the next 30 minutes comfortably at 6:45 pace, and then finished off the last 30 minutes on the track at marathon pace (6:00). The legs and body felt like it could go for another 5 miles at marathon pace. This was a good sign of my fitness, which I feel will be going downhill over the next few weeks. I'll try to stay positive.
What do you do when you can't get out to train? This next 4-6 weeks will be very frustrating for me, because I won't be able to run very much. There's nothing worse then losing fitness when you're in great shape. I think my fitness will still be up there if I only miss a week or two at the most. But a month, I don't think so. My near-term plan was to run a half-marathon late September and a 10-miler and marathon in October. I'll most likely change my racing schedule because of all the training I'll miss. For now, I will have to try and squeeze in a run at every opportunity I get.
A little update on my training. I was fortunate enough to get in my workouts at Ft. Polk. It was unbelievably humid in the early mornings. I was out the door each day at 5am and would be drenched in sweat about 10 minutes into the run. This morning's run put me at 65 miles for the week. Not bad considering my busy schedule. Lately, I've been getting in quality workouts rather than high mileage. Every workout counts when you don't have all the time to train.
I did a progression long run this morning and it felt very good and comfortable. I ran the first 30 minutes averaging 7:14 pace, then the next 30 minutes comfortably at 6:45 pace, and then finished off the last 30 minutes on the track at marathon pace (6:00). The legs and body felt like it could go for another 5 miles at marathon pace. This was a good sign of my fitness, which I feel will be going downhill over the next few weeks. I'll try to stay positive.
Sunday, July 23, 2006
Nice steady long run
Training seems to be going in the right direction. Today's long run put me at 89.5 miles for the week. Don't ask why I didn't put in the extra 1/2 mile to get to 90. Maybe I'll get out and run the 1/2 mile before the day is over. I'm quite surprised that the legs felt good after putting in a total of 28 miles the past couple days. It could be that I've learned my lesson from last Sunday's run and have been taking in the necessary carbohydrates and protein.
My friend Bob and I ran around the Methodist College campus and track before getting on the Cape Fear River Trail. The CFR Trail is a paved trail with some slight rolling hills. This was our first time running this trail. The trail provided lots of shade and a nice view of nature. After running the first couple miles easy we settled into a steady pace. At 10 miles we averaged a 6:54 pace, then clipped off 6:30 pace for the next 5 miles. While Bob ended his run at 15M, I added a few more miles on the grass fields of the Jordan Soccer Complex.
I'm back to work tomorrow after a couple weeks of leave. The sad thing is that I probably won't be able to get in the miles like the last 2 weeks.
Today's Run: 1:59:11
Saturday's Run: 1:00:03
Friday, July 21, 2006
One of these days....
Couldn't ask for a better temperature during this time of the year. It was a nice 74% and breezy by the time Bob and I took off for our workout. The workout today - 30' warm-up, 3 x 10' @ half-marathon effort with 4' recovery, and 30' cool-down. We ran our warm-up on the roads before heading over to Pope Air Force Base track. Pope AFB, which is actually on Fort Bragg, has a nice rubber track. Bragg has 3 running tracks but none of them are rubber surface and as nice as Pope's track. For some reason the Air Force always seems to have better athletic facilities. Did I join the wrong service?
The intent of today's workout was to build speed - aerobic capacity. At half-marathon effort I should be running at about 5:39 - 5:44 pace. I thought it was odd running 10 minutes on the track and not a specific distance. Doing the math in my head, running 10 minutes equivalates (is that a word?) to running 1 3/4 mile repeats (7 laps). I ran the 3 repeats in 9:55 (5:40 pace), 9:56 (5:41 pace), & 9:51 (5:38 pace). The pace felt good and comfortably hard. Only if I can run the marathon at this pace. The near-term goal is to run sub-6:00 pace (5:59 pace will do) for the marathon and then hopefully get down to the 2:30 - 2:35 range over the next 3-5 yrs. One of these days I'll be a sub-2:30 marathon chaser like Mike. Like Simons Says... it takes "pure hard work".
I ended up running in the mid-afternoon heat. I did not plan to put in a 2nd run. It just so happened that I felt the need to get out and do a slow shakeout run. It was hot, but also breezy so the run wasn't too bad.
Today's Runs: am - 1:38:14 (~15 miles) / pm - 30:12
The intent of today's workout was to build speed - aerobic capacity. At half-marathon effort I should be running at about 5:39 - 5:44 pace. I thought it was odd running 10 minutes on the track and not a specific distance. Doing the math in my head, running 10 minutes equivalates (is that a word?) to running 1 3/4 mile repeats (7 laps). I ran the 3 repeats in 9:55 (5:40 pace), 9:56 (5:41 pace), & 9:51 (5:38 pace). The pace felt good and comfortably hard. Only if I can run the marathon at this pace. The near-term goal is to run sub-6:00 pace (5:59 pace will do) for the marathon and then hopefully get down to the 2:30 - 2:35 range over the next 3-5 yrs. One of these days I'll be a sub-2:30 marathon chaser like Mike. Like Simons Says... it takes "pure hard work".
I ended up running in the mid-afternoon heat. I did not plan to put in a 2nd run. It just so happened that I felt the need to get out and do a slow shakeout run. It was hot, but also breezy so the run wasn't too bad.
Today's Runs: am - 1:38:14 (~15 miles) / pm - 30:12
Thursday, July 20, 2006
A True Fighter!
I must first write about Floyd Landis' performance. Simply Amazing!!! After watching him crack, bonk, hit the wall yesterday (what ever you want to call it) I really thought the tour was over for him. He proved that he is a true fighter. He has made this year's tour worth watching. My HR was probably higher watching today's stage than it was in this morning's run. Landis was asked how he felt about winning the stage... "I don't care. I came here to win the Tour and that's what I still want to do, and I'm not done fighting yet." AWESOME! He's a much better time trial rider than the 2 guys in front of him, so stage 17 will be very interesting. Go Landis! Go USA!
Okay, about running now. I ran with my friend Bob on what was supposed to be an easy 60-65 minutes of running. Bob, who has ran sub-55 for 10 miles and low 33's for 10K, is a close friend of mine. I like to train with him because I still believe he's a faster runner than me (not that I think I'm fast) and that he can help push me along. I recently switched one of my key workout days from Thursday to Friday, which means today was an easy day to get in the miles. On easy days I normally would run alone only because I know the run won't turn into a race or fast workout.
We went out at a comfortable pace around 6:55 - 7:00 for the first few miles. As the run went on I could see that Bob was slowly increasing the pace, probably around the faster end of easy pace. It was still easy, but I knew that the pace would keep increasing as the run progressed. Thirty-five minutes into the run and we were running at about 6:10-6:15 pace. Feeling pretty good and very comfortable at this pace I decided to pick it up a little to around 6:00-6:05. It was a good feeling knowing that I was running right around marathon pace towards the end of the run and the pace still felt very comfortable. It didn't feel like the run took a lot out of me. I'll find out tomorrow when I run for 1:30 which will include 3 x 10' @ half-marathon effort.
Today's Run: 1:11:12
Wednesday's Run: 51:13
Okay, about running now. I ran with my friend Bob on what was supposed to be an easy 60-65 minutes of running. Bob, who has ran sub-55 for 10 miles and low 33's for 10K, is a close friend of mine. I like to train with him because I still believe he's a faster runner than me (not that I think I'm fast) and that he can help push me along. I recently switched one of my key workout days from Thursday to Friday, which means today was an easy day to get in the miles. On easy days I normally would run alone only because I know the run won't turn into a race or fast workout.
We went out at a comfortable pace around 6:55 - 7:00 for the first few miles. As the run went on I could see that Bob was slowly increasing the pace, probably around the faster end of easy pace. It was still easy, but I knew that the pace would keep increasing as the run progressed. Thirty-five minutes into the run and we were running at about 6:10-6:15 pace. Feeling pretty good and very comfortable at this pace I decided to pick it up a little to around 6:00-6:05. It was a good feeling knowing that I was running right around marathon pace towards the end of the run and the pace still felt very comfortable. It didn't feel like the run took a lot out of me. I'll find out tomorrow when I run for 1:30 which will include 3 x 10' @ half-marathon effort.
Today's Run: 1:11:12
Wednesday's Run: 51:13
Tuesday, July 18, 2006
That's more like it
After a horrible Sunday run, Monday and today's run went a whole lot better. I really focused on taking in the necessary carbohydrates and protein to aid in my recovery. Monday's run was just plain easy running. The usual 65 minutes keeping the pace right around 7 min./mile.
This morning I put in a progression run. I like to include this type of workout in my weekly schedule. I truly believe this teaches runners to run negative split in races (particularly the marathon). In fact, isn't this how we should race? Today's progression run was a little different than the one I was to run on Sunday. The plan was to run for a total of 80 minutes. Run 80% of the workout at a steady easy pace and then pick up the pace (close to half-marathon pace) for the last 20% of the workout. I initially wanted to run 75% easy and 25% comfortably hard, but with the temps already near 80 degrees I altered the percentage of easy/hard. I ran 9.25 miles in 64 minutes, averaged 6:55 pace, before hitting the track for the fun part of the workout. I sometimes struggle to estimate the run route, so that I end up on the track right on time to do the faster running. As my soaking body circled the track, I could feel the change of leg-turnover. It's a great feeling to change the pace, especially when it's faster, after more than an hour of steady running. I came across the following 2 miles in 5:46 & 5:44, 1:26 for the ninth lap, and then finished with a 1:19 last lap (total of 2.5 miles of faster running). The progression run was a success as I was able to get in some good stamina training.
This is an update since I put in an afternoon run. It was a scorching 97% when I went out for a run. I decided to run without a watch hoping it would force me to run very slow and not worry about the time and pace. I practically felt naked, not because I ran shirtless but because I had no watch. If you never tried running without a watch I challenge you to try it. See if you can run the entire workout without looking at your invisible watch. I'll bet you a $100 you can't. The run turned out to be a good one as I probably averaged somewhere around a 8:00 pace.
Today's Run: am - 1:24:17 / pm: ~4.5M (no timing)
Monday's Run: 1:05:02
This morning I put in a progression run. I like to include this type of workout in my weekly schedule. I truly believe this teaches runners to run negative split in races (particularly the marathon). In fact, isn't this how we should race? Today's progression run was a little different than the one I was to run on Sunday. The plan was to run for a total of 80 minutes. Run 80% of the workout at a steady easy pace and then pick up the pace (close to half-marathon pace) for the last 20% of the workout. I initially wanted to run 75% easy and 25% comfortably hard, but with the temps already near 80 degrees I altered the percentage of easy/hard. I ran 9.25 miles in 64 minutes, averaged 6:55 pace, before hitting the track for the fun part of the workout. I sometimes struggle to estimate the run route, so that I end up on the track right on time to do the faster running. As my soaking body circled the track, I could feel the change of leg-turnover. It's a great feeling to change the pace, especially when it's faster, after more than an hour of steady running. I came across the following 2 miles in 5:46 & 5:44, 1:26 for the ninth lap, and then finished with a 1:19 last lap (total of 2.5 miles of faster running). The progression run was a success as I was able to get in some good stamina training.
This is an update since I put in an afternoon run. It was a scorching 97% when I went out for a run. I decided to run without a watch hoping it would force me to run very slow and not worry about the time and pace. I practically felt naked, not because I ran shirtless but because I had no watch. If you never tried running without a watch I challenge you to try it. See if you can run the entire workout without looking at your invisible watch. I'll bet you a $100 you can't. The run turned out to be a good one as I probably averaged somewhere around a 8:00 pace.
Today's Run: am - 1:24:17 / pm: ~4.5M (no timing)
Monday's Run: 1:05:02
Sunday, July 16, 2006
Don't forget to eat
Today's run was scheduled to be a progression run. The first 30 minutes run at an easy pace (7:00-7:15), the next 30 minutes at medium effort (6:30-6:45), and finish off running the last 30 minutes at about a 6:00 pace.
I woke up with the legs feeling fresh and wanting to run. This is a good sign. Maybe I just might have a good workout. I took off on my run not pushing the pace at all. Mile 1 was 7:20. Not bad, it's just the first mile and I'll progress as I go on. The next couple miles were ran at 7:10-7:15 pace. This could not be right. I'd just put a little more effort and I'm still running the same damn pace. My legs and body begins to feel like crap. What is going on? Thirty minutes of running and I had only averaged 7:15/mile. I began thinking back to yesterday trying to figure out why I don't have much energy and fight in me. Did I run hard yesterday? "No, didn't run at all". Did I drink enough fluids? "Yes, lots of it". Did I eat? "Yes". Wait a minute! The last time I ate was 5pm yesterday. That's 14 hours ago. Sh*t! This is why I feel like it! No big deal. Maybe the gatorade I drank before the run will kick in any minute.
I started picking up the pace ignoring how the body was feeling. 6:42 pace. Much better. Not as comfortable as it normally is, but that's training. The planned run route was to be a big loop and then end up at the track for the last 30 minutes. I decided to change the route to an out & back. I stop by the gas station to pick up a gatorade and a powergel in hopes of getting some energy. F**K! (excuse my french). Gas station doesn't open till 9am. No problem - there's a couple vending machines on the side of the building. No gatorade, but anything (Coke, Sprite, Brisk Tea) will do at this point. As I try to put my soaking dollar in the slot, the machine keeps spitting it out. Sh*t! Why don't you want to take my dollar? A wet dollar is the same as a dry dollar. I then continue my run and this time I stop at the park facility to get a drink of water from the water fountain. F**ken Sh*t! Water fountain doesn't even work. Nothing is going my way today. My body has bonked. It's freakin very hot and humid. I can't get a drip of water in me. And I'm only 50 minutes into my run.
I made it back to my vehicle and grabbed my bottle of gatorade. I still had a little in me, but not enough to run the last 30 minutes at marathon pace. I made the conscious decision to carry my gatorade on the run and finish the workout with easy running.
This was a lesson learned for me. I had a great time playing tourist yesterday, but didn't think too much about taking in the necessary nutrients. Sometimes this happens to us when we are caught up with work, having fun, or just don't feel like eating. Just remember that we need to consume calories (good ones) throughout the day.
Today's Run: 1:32:12
I woke up with the legs feeling fresh and wanting to run. This is a good sign. Maybe I just might have a good workout. I took off on my run not pushing the pace at all. Mile 1 was 7:20. Not bad, it's just the first mile and I'll progress as I go on. The next couple miles were ran at 7:10-7:15 pace. This could not be right. I'd just put a little more effort and I'm still running the same damn pace. My legs and body begins to feel like crap. What is going on? Thirty minutes of running and I had only averaged 7:15/mile. I began thinking back to yesterday trying to figure out why I don't have much energy and fight in me. Did I run hard yesterday? "No, didn't run at all". Did I drink enough fluids? "Yes, lots of it". Did I eat? "Yes". Wait a minute! The last time I ate was 5pm yesterday. That's 14 hours ago. Sh*t! This is why I feel like it! No big deal. Maybe the gatorade I drank before the run will kick in any minute.
I started picking up the pace ignoring how the body was feeling. 6:42 pace. Much better. Not as comfortable as it normally is, but that's training. The planned run route was to be a big loop and then end up at the track for the last 30 minutes. I decided to change the route to an out & back. I stop by the gas station to pick up a gatorade and a powergel in hopes of getting some energy. F**K! (excuse my french). Gas station doesn't open till 9am. No problem - there's a couple vending machines on the side of the building. No gatorade, but anything (Coke, Sprite, Brisk Tea) will do at this point. As I try to put my soaking dollar in the slot, the machine keeps spitting it out. Sh*t! Why don't you want to take my dollar? A wet dollar is the same as a dry dollar. I then continue my run and this time I stop at the park facility to get a drink of water from the water fountain. F**ken Sh*t! Water fountain doesn't even work. Nothing is going my way today. My body has bonked. It's freakin very hot and humid. I can't get a drip of water in me. And I'm only 50 minutes into my run.
I made it back to my vehicle and grabbed my bottle of gatorade. I still had a little in me, but not enough to run the last 30 minutes at marathon pace. I made the conscious decision to carry my gatorade on the run and finish the workout with easy running.
This was a lesson learned for me. I had a great time playing tourist yesterday, but didn't think too much about taking in the necessary nutrients. Sometimes this happens to us when we are caught up with work, having fun, or just don't feel like eating. Just remember that we need to consume calories (good ones) throughout the day.
Today's Run: 1:32:12
Saturday, July 15, 2006
Blue Ridge Parkway
On top of NC & the East Coast!
Forgot to bring my jacket. It wasa chilly 62 deg. on Mt. Mitchell.
An awesome picture! 
Okay! I didn't bring the running shoes,
but I can still say I ran Mt. Mitchell Trail
Can you believe it's only .7 miles to the top of Craggy Dome?
I just finished hiking the mountains behind me.
Day off from running worth taking
Today was a complete day off from running. You're probably wondering why I took a day off when I just did an easy recovery run yesterday. First of all, I don't really take days off when I'm in full training. I decided to take a day off to give my right leg a little rest. My inner right leg has been in a little pain over the past week. Hoever, it has not bothered me in the last few workouts, so I figured laying off of it (from pounding the pavement) for an entire day will make it feel even better.
A day off from running doesn't mean stay in-house. I ended up spending my day touring the beautiful Blue Ridge Parkway in western NC. Wow! What a beautiful scenery it was. I had an awesome time. The day could have only gotten better if I ran on some of the trails. I was smart enough to leave the running shoes behind. Pictures following this post.
Today's Run: Did not run
A day off from running doesn't mean stay in-house. I ended up spending my day touring the beautiful Blue Ridge Parkway in western NC. Wow! What a beautiful scenery it was. I had an awesome time. The day could have only gotten better if I ran on some of the trails. I was smart enough to leave the running shoes behind. Pictures following this post.
Today's Run: Did not run
Friday, July 14, 2006
Nice, easy, and short
Today was an easy recovery day. My body was feeling a little tired from yesterday's run and gym workout (after the 2nd run). When the alarm clock went off at 6am, I turned it off and slept for another hour. The heat and humidity was already in full force when I stepped off at 8am. It was an easy recovery day, which means I usually run anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes. I decided to run 7 miles which should put me around 50-51 minutes. I ran 3.5 miles out in 25:45 and came back in 24:15. The effort still felt very easy coming back.
Today's Run: 50:01
Today's Run: 50:01
Thursday, July 13, 2006
Feeling fit
I love the feeling when my fitness level is high. Every run feels comfortable and easy. As I took off on my run this morning, I could feel my body settle into an easy pace. I hit the first mile just under 7:10 (using the POD). The body was feeling pretty good. I've been using Wednesdays and Fridays as my easy recovery days and I believe it's working very well for me. As the run went on, I was consistently staying in the 6:50 - 6:55 pace range. The plan was to run for a total of 75 minutes - the first 70 minutes at a comfortable easy pace and then the last 5 minutes very fast. I sort of miscalculated the run route, so I ended up running 75 minutes steady and then the last mile in 5:24. It felt great to get some faster leg-turnover in the end. Running a fast last mile after 11 miles of steady running is a good sign of endurance and stamina.
In the late afternoon, I put in an easy 5 miler. It was very hot and humid, which made it easier for me to run at a very easy pace. This is the 2nd time this week that I've put in a 2nd run. Right now I'm sitting at 53 miles for the week. I should easily get in over 70 miles by the end of Sunday's run. My original plan during leave (ends on 23JUL) was to get in a couple of 70+ mile weeks. These will be my highest weekly mileage since my last marathon training.
Today's Run: am: 1:21:24 / pm: 37:00
In the late afternoon, I put in an easy 5 miler. It was very hot and humid, which made it easier for me to run at a very easy pace. This is the 2nd time this week that I've put in a 2nd run. Right now I'm sitting at 53 miles for the week. I should easily get in over 70 miles by the end of Sunday's run. My original plan during leave (ends on 23JUL) was to get in a couple of 70+ mile weeks. These will be my highest weekly mileage since my last marathon training.
Today's Run: am: 1:21:24 / pm: 37:00
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
The body needs to recover too
Yesterday was a fun and tiring day. I put in a total of 19 miles and biked the rolling Umstead trails. Once I made it home I ate some lasagna, watched a little of the all-star game, and then hit the sack. Man, was I tired. The alarm clock went off at 0530. Screw that! I shut the alarm off and got in an additional 1 1/2 hours of well-needed sleep. Today was a recovery day, so I ran very easy on the Mata Mile trails. It was nice to run under shade, especially with the sun out in full force.
Before I took off for my run, I met up with my friend Dale. Dale (now working as a civilian) is a recently retired Special Forces officer and a very fast masters runner. I can only imagine the training Dale has been through the past 20 yrs he's served our nation. I bring this up, because just recently he had surgery on his left leg and can't run for now. I don't know the specifics of the surgery, but he stated that the doctors did some work on the leg. From putting a metal rod or plate to re-attaching some ligaments. All the SF training and running has taken its toll over the years. Dale hates the fact that he sees runners running each day and he can't be out there doing the same. I think once he's done with therapy he'll be back doing what we all love - running.
After talking to Dale, I've realized that as runners we can't go day in and day out training like there is no tomorrow. We take it for granted until we get injured. But even with that, we recover and get right back into training. We tend to forget that the body does not get any younger. If we want to keep running, then we need to learn to give the body some rests.
Today's Run: 55:02
Before I took off for my run, I met up with my friend Dale. Dale (now working as a civilian) is a recently retired Special Forces officer and a very fast masters runner. I can only imagine the training Dale has been through the past 20 yrs he's served our nation. I bring this up, because just recently he had surgery on his left leg and can't run for now. I don't know the specifics of the surgery, but he stated that the doctors did some work on the leg. From putting a metal rod or plate to re-attaching some ligaments. All the SF training and running has taken its toll over the years. Dale hates the fact that he sees runners running each day and he can't be out there doing the same. I think once he's done with therapy he'll be back doing what we all love - running.
After talking to Dale, I've realized that as runners we can't go day in and day out training like there is no tomorrow. We take it for granted until we get injured. But even with that, we recover and get right back into training. We tend to forget that the body does not get any younger. If we want to keep running, then we need to learn to give the body some rests.
Today's Run: 55:02
Tuesday, July 11, 2006
Umstead Park
Today was an awesome day for the outdoors. I spent most of the day at Umstead State Park (Raleigh, NC). This morning's run was supposed to be 80 minutes of easy running. I wanted to put in some faster running, so I ended up altering the workout. After 30 minutes of easy running, I put in a 20 minute tempo run on the track. I was feeling good so I increased the pace each mile - 5:48, 5:42, 5:38, 2:47 (3.5M tempo). The tempo run felt fairly comfortable. The thought of running a longer tempo cross my mind, but I decided to just finish off the run with another 30 minutes of steady running. I ended up with 12.5 miles for the training run.
Since I'm on leave till the 23rd of this month, I'm taking advantage of the time by touring the many different places I've wanted to see around North Carolina. I decided to go to Umstead Park in Raleigh. A runner I met from a race in Raleigh once told me about the Umstead trails. Not planning my leave, I just picked up and went. Small cooler filled with ice and gatorade, running shoes, change of clothes and the Trek mountain bike were all packed in a matter of minutes. I got to the park around noon and took some time to study the park map. It was quite surprising to see many different trails (bridle trails, cycling, hiking, & running trails). I could not resist running on the trails, especially after making the drive from Fort Bragg. Let me tell you... the Umstead trails are awesome. You can run the single path trails through the woods (up to 20 miles) or the bridle trails which has about a 10 ft pathway. Since I put in 12.5 miles this morning, I decided to go for a very easy run of about 40 minutes and not worry about pace. As I ran through the trails I forgot all about the time. I was trying to enjoy every bit of the run. I came back at 50 minutes covering only a small portion of the Umstead trails.
A 20 oz. gatorade was all I needed to get a boost of energy and mount my trail bike. Like the easy run I'd just finished, I took the bike ride easy and enjoyed the scenery. Of course, I had to take pictues of the awesome trails. I biked for an hour and was still not able to hit all the trails. Oh well, this gives me a reason to come back.Today's Run: am: 1:22:10 pm: 49:23
Sunday, July 09, 2006
What a difference a day-off makes
No running yesterday. Instead, I biked for about 90 minutes on the All American Trail. It was actually a good cross training. I thought it would be a nice stroll in the park. For the most part it was except for climbing the hills. I'd rather run the hills. I'd pedal at a low gear on the hills, but it seemed like I was not going anywhere.
I woke up this morning wondering how my right leg would hold up for the long run. I iced the injured area quite a bit yesterday. If the leg hurts as bad as Friday's run, then I'll end the run early. If not, then I'll run long. I started out on a 4 mile loop before going any further. This allowed me to be in walking distance if I called it quits. Early in the run I could feel a little twinge in the right leg, but it was bearable. While moving along at about a 6:50 pace I noticed that my right leg was no longer in pain. An hour into the run and I was feeling very good, so I dropped the pace to around 6:40. I initially planned to run for 1hr45m, but decided to make it 2 hours since my legs still felt fresh. The day off yesterday might have helped freshen up the legs. As usual, I ran the last 20 minutes at about marathon pace. I finished off the last 3+ miles at 5:55-6:05 pace. The pace felt comfortable and I know I could have kept going. I'm really glad my right leg held up. I ended up having a very good long run, which was about a 1/4 mile short of 18 miles.
Today's Run: 2:00:07
Weekly Summary: 67 miles - 7 workouts / 6 days;
I woke up this morning wondering how my right leg would hold up for the long run. I iced the injured area quite a bit yesterday. If the leg hurts as bad as Friday's run, then I'll end the run early. If not, then I'll run long. I started out on a 4 mile loop before going any further. This allowed me to be in walking distance if I called it quits. Early in the run I could feel a little twinge in the right leg, but it was bearable. While moving along at about a 6:50 pace I noticed that my right leg was no longer in pain. An hour into the run and I was feeling very good, so I dropped the pace to around 6:40. I initially planned to run for 1hr45m, but decided to make it 2 hours since my legs still felt fresh. The day off yesterday might have helped freshen up the legs. As usual, I ran the last 20 minutes at about marathon pace. I finished off the last 3+ miles at 5:55-6:05 pace. The pace felt comfortable and I know I could have kept going. I'm really glad my right leg held up. I ended up having a very good long run, which was about a 1/4 mile short of 18 miles.
Today's Run: 2:00:07
Weekly Summary: 67 miles - 7 workouts / 6 days;
Friday, July 07, 2006
Am I injured?
This is frustrating. I think I'm injured or getting injured. I'm feeling a sharp pain on my inner right leg between the shin and calf muscle. This is the same pain i've felt over the past week. However, it has not bothered me in my workouts. At least that's what I think. I got a massage on Thursday hoping that my massage therapist could do some magic. Before I could tell her about the pain, she said that the right leg was more beaten up than the left. She asked if I had been favoring the right leg and I told her sort of. She went to work on the leg. Let me tell you, it was probably the most painful thing I've felt in such a long, long time. I was pretty much biting down on the sheets and screaming my lungs out. I eventually told her to work on the other leg because I could not handle the pain.
In my run today, I had to stop a couple times because of the same pain. I could not believe that this was happening. What did I do wrong? I felt like taking off my shoes and calling it quits. I was about 3 miles away from my vehicle, so it was either take a long walk or a hobble your way back. I managed to run easy while favoring the right leg. About a mile after I last stopped the pain started to go away and I could feel my stride and form coming back. Since it's been a painful run I decided to only go for 40 minutes. Well, that was until I ran into my running buddy Bob. Bob was just starting his run and I was about ending mine. At this point, my leg felt better so I decided to tag along with him. I had not run with Bob lately because he has been going through some special training. I ran with him for about 10 minutes using the time to catch up with our different Army jobs.
I'll take tomorrow off from running so that I can ice and treat my right leg. I just hope it's not a serious injury.
Today's Run: 1:00:12
In my run today, I had to stop a couple times because of the same pain. I could not believe that this was happening. What did I do wrong? I felt like taking off my shoes and calling it quits. I was about 3 miles away from my vehicle, so it was either take a long walk or a hobble your way back. I managed to run easy while favoring the right leg. About a mile after I last stopped the pain started to go away and I could feel my stride and form coming back. Since it's been a painful run I decided to only go for 40 minutes. Well, that was until I ran into my running buddy Bob. Bob was just starting his run and I was about ending mine. At this point, my leg felt better so I decided to tag along with him. I had not run with Bob lately because he has been going through some special training. I ran with him for about 10 minutes using the time to catch up with our different Army jobs.
I'll take tomorrow off from running so that I can ice and treat my right leg. I just hope it's not a serious injury.
Today's Run: 1:00:12
Thursday, July 06, 2006
Very humid
Today was very humid. Man, did I feel every bit of the humidity on the run. Like a week ago, today's workout was a pace booster run. This time I increased the pace workout by 5 minutes (40 min. total). I knew the workout, 70'/40' (15' warmup, 40' at ~6:00 pace, 15' cooldown), was going to be tough because of the humidity. You can plan a workout but it doesn't mean that it will always go as planned. After the warm-up, I could tell that finishing the workout was going to be a challenge. I wasn't feeling it today and the legs felt very flat. I ran the first couple miles in 6:03's. My body felt like it had to put a little more effort to stay on pace. Because I was feeling like sh**, I decided to break the 40' pace run into 2 x 20' runs with 30 seconds of rest in between. This turned out to be a good idea as my legs regained a little strength on the 2nd run. I ended up averaging a 6:02 & 6:01 pace for the splits. Regardless of whether the pace run was one run or split in half, it was still a good workout.
Today's Run: 1:11:15
Wednesday's Run: 41:30
Today's Run: 1:11:15
Wednesday's Run: 41:30
Tuesday, July 04, 2006
Feels like a vacation
Fourth straight day off from work and it feels like a vacation. I'm not complaining. It's just that it doesn't come around too often. It was a good day to catch up with some sports (baseball, World Cup, Wimbledon), relaxation, and of course running. I ran the All American Trail for the 2nd straight day. I initially had planned to run a trail on-post, but decided not to because of possible heavy traffic and heightened post security. The President was celebrating Independence Day with fellow Troopers here at Fort Bragg, so I'm sure there were some very tight security all over post.
Unlike yesterday, I didn't take in the scenery in my workout today. I did a stride workout in the middle of my run, 10 x 30 seconds at about 3k pace with a minute recovery. The workout may seem easy, but try running it on rolling hills with 30 minutes of steady running before and after the repeats. I was fairly tired afterwards, probably because I started my run a little later (7:30am) than normal and that the heat and humidity was rising. In the late afternoon, I put in an easy 5.
Today's Run: am: 1:16:02 pm: 36:00
Unlike yesterday, I didn't take in the scenery in my workout today. I did a stride workout in the middle of my run, 10 x 30 seconds at about 3k pace with a minute recovery. The workout may seem easy, but try running it on rolling hills with 30 minutes of steady running before and after the repeats. I was fairly tired afterwards, probably because I started my run a little later (7:30am) than normal and that the heat and humidity was rising. In the late afternoon, I put in an easy 5.
Today's Run: am: 1:16:02 pm: 36:00
Monday, July 03, 2006
All American Trail
I've been wanting to run this trail since it opened up about a month or two ago. The All American (AA) Trail, currently 7 miles long, follows the perimeter boundary of Fort Bragg through North Carolina's Sandhills Region. So far, only phase 1 of this trail is completed. I believe there are four phases in constructing this trail, which is suppose to circumnavigate the entire boundary of Fort Bragg. That will be a pretty good run. As you can see above the trail has a good size pathway (about 10-15 ft wide). The trail also has markers at each half mile. Oh, I forgot to mention that the trail has some rolling hills.I couldn't asked for a better day to hit the trail. Breezy, low-80s, and not too humid on an Independence holiday. It was a perfect day to run easy and enjoy the beauty of nature. Before I stepped off I looked around trying to figure out what was wrong with the picture. The scenery was awesome, except that there was not a single runner, walker, hiker, or cyclist in sight. I made a bet with myself that there wouldn't be a single person on the trail. The great thing about this trail is the sighting of different species of plants and trees. It also crosses a couple creeks along the way. I couldn't remember the last time I enjoyed the sounds of nature. It didn't matter anymore because today's run was filled with it. The sound of running water from the creeks, Red Cockaded Woodpeckers pecking, trees blowing, birds chirping, and the smooth strides from my Saucony Grid Tangents made my run worthwhile. I initially planned to run 4.5M out and back. When I got to the 4.5M marker I decided to run another half mile to make it 10 for the day. I ended up winning my bet. There was not a single person on the trail. The only living creature I saw on the run was a little wabbit.
Today's Run: 1:09:02
Sunday, July 02, 2006
Scary moment
I was going to write this portion at the end of the previous post, but decided to create a new one since the other post was already long enough.
If you read my last post you would know that I started my Sunday run a little later than I wanted to, 7am instead of 6am. I go to church (Catholic) every Sunday after my long run. I planned to go to the 9:30 mass, so I shouldn't have a problem making it there after the run. I ran for approximately 1 hour and 50 minutes. If you do the math, that's 40 minutes till the start of mass. Forty minutes is a lot of time to stretch, take in my recovery drink (Endurox), shower and change, and then drive to church. My endurox is normally enough to satisfy my thirst and hunger until mass is done.
Well, I got to church with a few minutes to spare. I was tired from my run and I knew it was going to be a difficult task trying to stay awake throughout mass. I was doing really good until it came time to kneel. I put my head down and felt myself doze off. My entire body suddenly felt like it was blacking out. The palm of my hands, arms, legs, and face started to sweat badly. I tried to open my eyes but all I saw was darkness. I was also feeling dizzy. At this point, all I can tell myself was to pray. I don't remember how many "Our Father's" and "Hail Mary's" I said, but I somehow managed to gain conscious. I then sat down and started to feel a little better. When the instance of "show some sign of peace" came, I think I only shook the hand of the person in front of me. I did not have the strength to turn left, right, or behind me to show peace. Surprisingly, I felt a lot better and was able to take communion.
This is the 2nd time I'd experienced this. The 1st time was 6 weeks ago (I actually logged it in my running log). Same situation - after a long run, kneeling during church. Immediately following church, I ate brunch and drank lots of fluids. I don't think it's dehydration or refueling. It may be that the body is not getting enough blood circulation when I kneel down. I'm not sure, but if anyone knows feel free to share. For now, I'm thinking of going back to attending Saturday Vigil Mass.
If you read my last post you would know that I started my Sunday run a little later than I wanted to, 7am instead of 6am. I go to church (Catholic) every Sunday after my long run. I planned to go to the 9:30 mass, so I shouldn't have a problem making it there after the run. I ran for approximately 1 hour and 50 minutes. If you do the math, that's 40 minutes till the start of mass. Forty minutes is a lot of time to stretch, take in my recovery drink (Endurox), shower and change, and then drive to church. My endurox is normally enough to satisfy my thirst and hunger until mass is done.
Well, I got to church with a few minutes to spare. I was tired from my run and I knew it was going to be a difficult task trying to stay awake throughout mass. I was doing really good until it came time to kneel. I put my head down and felt myself doze off. My entire body suddenly felt like it was blacking out. The palm of my hands, arms, legs, and face started to sweat badly. I tried to open my eyes but all I saw was darkness. I was also feeling dizzy. At this point, all I can tell myself was to pray. I don't remember how many "Our Father's" and "Hail Mary's" I said, but I somehow managed to gain conscious. I then sat down and started to feel a little better. When the instance of "show some sign of peace" came, I think I only shook the hand of the person in front of me. I did not have the strength to turn left, right, or behind me to show peace. Surprisingly, I felt a lot better and was able to take communion.
This is the 2nd time I'd experienced this. The 1st time was 6 weeks ago (I actually logged it in my running log). Same situation - after a long run, kneeling during church. Immediately following church, I ate brunch and drank lots of fluids. I don't think it's dehydration or refueling. It may be that the body is not getting enough blood circulation when I kneel down. I'm not sure, but if anyone knows feel free to share. For now, I'm thinking of going back to attending Saturday Vigil Mass.
Rough week of work and running
I've been doing fairly good on keeping my blog updated, but I'm starting to realize that it's no easy task. I was able to input a daily post, but I knew that it wasn't going to last very long. I also found out that sometimes I don't have much to write, besides the workout I did and how it went. I'll try my best to post updates at least a few times a week.
Getting in the runs during the week has been a difficult task. I had to juggle my running with my busy work schedule. I put in 3 workouts in a 24 hour period on Wednesday/Thursday. The legs were pretty tired so I used Friday as a recovery run. Yesterday (Sat.), I ran easy on the Mata Mile trail. Been at Fort Bragg for a few years and I still don't know why they call it the Mata Mile trail. The trail is a 4 & 6 mile loop that has some rolling hills with loose sand/dirt.
I had planned to start my long run at 6:00am (6:30 at the latest) to avoid some of the heat. Of course that didn't happen, I woke up at 6:15 and started my Nike Triax watch at exactly 7:00. The good thing was that my legs and body felt fresh, maybe from the extra amount of sleep. I decided to use my POD (podemeter), which is secured to my left shoe. The Nike Triax CV10, which consists of the watch, the POD, and a heart rate monitor, is probably the best running investment i've purchased over the years. The POD is calibrated by running 400 or 800 meters on the track. It has an accuracy of 99.9%, regardless of the surface you run on. I used it today to track my pace and distance.
I hit the roads running pretty easy the first few miles. My watch read 21:18 at mile 3. I like to keep the first 3-4 miles of my long runs above 7:00/mile pace. This will get my legs warmed up pretty good. I checked my watch again at mile 4 and it read 6:54. I can tell that I've now settled in because my effort is still the same. Mile 3 was the last time I saw a 7:00+ mile throughout the run. I kept miles 4 - 13 between 6:40 and 6:55 pace. Still feeling good at 13, I knew the hard part of the run was coming up, running the last 20 minutes faster. I wanted to make sure my POD and watch was accurate so I finished the hard part of the run on the track. This track is right next to the gym I park at so it works out well. The POD/watch turned out to be accurate as I checked it each lap. I covered 3.4 miles in the last 20 minutes of the run, about a 5:53 pace. This is a good sign for me. I end the long run just a little over 16 miles.
Friday's Run: 43:47
Saturday's Run: 51:21
Today's Run: 1:49:31
Weekly Summary:
It's been a rough week, but I was still able to put in 63 miles. This is with 7 workouts in 6 days. Today marks the last day of base training, so I'm excited to start another phase of training.
Getting in the runs during the week has been a difficult task. I had to juggle my running with my busy work schedule. I put in 3 workouts in a 24 hour period on Wednesday/Thursday. The legs were pretty tired so I used Friday as a recovery run. Yesterday (Sat.), I ran easy on the Mata Mile trail. Been at Fort Bragg for a few years and I still don't know why they call it the Mata Mile trail. The trail is a 4 & 6 mile loop that has some rolling hills with loose sand/dirt.
I had planned to start my long run at 6:00am (6:30 at the latest) to avoid some of the heat. Of course that didn't happen, I woke up at 6:15 and started my Nike Triax watch at exactly 7:00. The good thing was that my legs and body felt fresh, maybe from the extra amount of sleep. I decided to use my POD (podemeter), which is secured to my left shoe. The Nike Triax CV10, which consists of the watch, the POD, and a heart rate monitor, is probably the best running investment i've purchased over the years. The POD is calibrated by running 400 or 800 meters on the track. It has an accuracy of 99.9%, regardless of the surface you run on. I used it today to track my pace and distance.
I hit the roads running pretty easy the first few miles. My watch read 21:18 at mile 3. I like to keep the first 3-4 miles of my long runs above 7:00/mile pace. This will get my legs warmed up pretty good. I checked my watch again at mile 4 and it read 6:54. I can tell that I've now settled in because my effort is still the same. Mile 3 was the last time I saw a 7:00+ mile throughout the run. I kept miles 4 - 13 between 6:40 and 6:55 pace. Still feeling good at 13, I knew the hard part of the run was coming up, running the last 20 minutes faster. I wanted to make sure my POD and watch was accurate so I finished the hard part of the run on the track. This track is right next to the gym I park at so it works out well. The POD/watch turned out to be accurate as I checked it each lap. I covered 3.4 miles in the last 20 minutes of the run, about a 5:53 pace. This is a good sign for me. I end the long run just a little over 16 miles.
Friday's Run: 43:47
Saturday's Run: 51:21
Today's Run: 1:49:31
Weekly Summary:
It's been a rough week, but I was still able to put in 63 miles. This is with 7 workouts in 6 days. Today marks the last day of base training, so I'm excited to start another phase of training.
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