Day 241, 124 To Go

August 29, 2013

I have logged off my work computer for the last time!  Well, the last time for the next three weeks.  I should be so lucky.  If I happen to win the lottery over my vacation, then it will definitely be the last time.  Or, if my plane goes down in a fiery explosion over the Amazon Rainforest, I can safely say it will be my last time as well.  Assuming those two things don't happen, I'll be back in a few weeks.  But it is nice to think that I won't be (fiery explosion, notwithstanding).

I am sad that I will not have room for all of my workout stuff when I am gone.  Sure, I am taking my running shoes, my GPS watch, my clothes and a water bottle.  I can't fit my foam roller, however.  This brings me to lesson #3 in the 22 Essential Pieces of Marathon Training Advice from Active.com.

Foam Roll

If all runners would spend just 10 minutes with a foam roller or lacrosse ball performing self-myofascial release a few times a week, they would restore the structural integrity necessary for optimal performance. Massaging overactive soft tissue will reduce any inflammation in your muscles and fascial system. If you consistently make self-myofascial release a priority, your body will recover faster, and chance of injury will decrease. -Erik Taylor


I would be screwed without my foam roller.  My calves would be shredded pieces of wasted meat hanging on my legs without it.  Since I run practically barefoot, my calves and achilles tend to get very tight.  The foam roller is the only thing that can work out that tightness.  It also does wonders for my hips and lower back.  It is the next best thing to a professional massage.  If you can afford weekly massages, I recommended getting them.  If you can't, get a foam roller.  Check out the link to see some great exercises you can do with one.

Here are my numbers for today:

Time: 25:00

Distance: 2.84 miles

Pace: 8:49/m

Max Pace: 7:58/m

Calories: 294
Avg HR: 130

Max HR: 138

Will you look at that.  I was surprised by my pace today.  I was taking it easy, but I couldn't help but go faster.  My leg is still tight, but it doesn't seem to be getting worse and I am feeling much better overall.  I am not going to push it yet, but I felt good today.  I am pleased with my healing thus far.  I am very surprised at my bodies ability to heal this year.  I have always had issues healing fast, but I think running every day has strengthened me a lot and enabled me to heal.  Sure, I probably would be fast if I took some days off, but I am enjoying this journey so far.

Run for Life!!

Day 240, 125 To Go

August 28, 2013

Hello again folks!  It is Wednesday and I am only two days away from a long deserved vacation!  I can't wait!  I have started to consider thinking about packing.  Yes...I am on my way to taking care of that at some undetermined point in the near future.  Just not today.

Today, I am working my little tush off trying to get as much done as I can before I leave work for three weeks.  If it wasn't bad enough that I have a lot to do already, I have to keep on putting out fires!  Hey people!  Don't you know I don't want to work at all this week, let alone fix all your problems!  No?  You don't know?  Well shit.  You should.

Anyway, I am tired and worn out to my core.  Speaking of core, that brings me to lesson #2 in the 22 Essential Pieces of Marathon Training Advice from Active.com.  You can click on the header of each lesson to go to a good article from Active.com.  This is a great website for training advice and for also signing up for races.  You should go there!!

Build Core and Overall Body Strength

Strength and core exercises are the perfect complement to running. Core strength plays a vital role in stabilizing your entire body during running by maintaining a neutral pelvis, and delaying the breakdown in your form when you're fatigued. Not only does core work strengthen your body and prevent injuries, but it also helps improve your running economy. -Jason Fitzgerald

Ah, the core.  What is the core?  Everyone has different definitions of what it is, but basically, it is what holds everything, athletically speaking, together.  It is your abs, your lower back muscles, your quads, your hamstrings, your glutes.  These are the muscles where your power comes from.  These are the muscles that keep you going when you are tired.  Working on these muscles, from doing abs to squats to planks or whatever, will give you an advantage over everyone who is not doing them.

Like me, for instance!  I have alarms that go off three times a week telling me to work on my core.  Sometimes I do it, but often I do not.  That has to stop and it has to stop now!  There are a slew of exercises you can do to strengthen your core, so you won't get bored.  Check out the article linked above for some examples.

Here are my numbers for today:

Time: 25:00

Distance: 2.73 miles

Pace: 9:09/m

Max Pace: 7:55/m

Calories: 281
Avg HR: 126

Max HR: 137

Well, today I looked down and I was running at about an 8:30 clip, so I slowed down.  I didn't feel pain behind my knee, but there was some tightness a little higher up on my hamstring.  It seems like the sore spot has gotten better, but my hamstring is still a little tight.  Now that I am done icing, I can start to slowly stretch the muscle to relieve this tightness.  I think I am on my way to recovery.  Let's see what tomorrow brings.  Later folks!

Run for Life!!

Day 239, 126 To Go

August 27, 2013

As I count down the days until my vacation, I find that my motivation to work lessens, but at the same time, my workload increases.  That's not good.  Of course, I have to get my work done, and I do, but it just makes me dislike it more.  By the time Thursday arrives, I will be pretty much in vacation mode while at the same time, have enough work to fill a full week...all on Thursday.  I feel bad for whomever has to pick up the slack while I am out.

No I don't.  All of them have gone on vacation at one point or another and I have had to pick up the slack for them, so payback is a bitch!!  Get to work!  WHAP!  WHAP!  That is my whip sound, in case you were curious.

Yes, I am still nursing my hamstring.  I have continued to ice, compress, elevate (that one is hard while I am working) and take ibuprofen.  I think it is feeling better, but I am still not willing to push it yet.

Speaking of pushing it, let's take a look at the first piece of advice in the 22 Essential Pieces of Marathon Training Advice from Active.com.

Build Your Base

Work your total weekly mileage up to 20 to 25 miles for at least a month prior to the start of your official training. If you start too soon with high intensity (pace and/or distance) before your training even begins, you're just asking for trouble. You'll either overtrain and risk injury and burnout, or you'll peak too soon. -Thad McLaurin

This is the first step you need to achieve before you even think about starting to train for a marathon.  You need a month of running at least 20 miles a week.  This will build up some endurance, strengthen your joints, muscles and ligaments, and prepare your body for the high volume of training to come.  These should be easy miles, not high intensity.  You just want to get your body accustomed to running.  Then, once you start your training, you will be ready to ramp up the intensity and volume...slowly!

I am pretty much at the point were my base is all set.  Well, I will have to check my numbers, but I'm pretty sure I have run at least 20 miles a week for this month.  Should I start training for a marathon?  Hmmm...

Here are my numbers:

Time: 25:00

Distance: 2.58 miles

Pace: 9:41/m

Max Pace: 9:02/m

Calories: 282
Avg HR: 127

Max HR: 133

I again took it pretty easy today.  I didn't even try to push the pace above 9 min miles.  As you can see, my max was above 9!  I take my recovery seriously!  Yeah...

Run for Life!!

Day 238, 127 To Go

August 26, 2013

Its Monday and this week, I really don't care.  This is a four day week for me because my vacation starts Friday!  Well, it really starts on Saturday because I am traveling on Friday, so that isn't really the vacation part.  That is the part where I travel with four children, three of which are 1 1/2 years old.

I've been instructed by multiple people that I should give the kids cold medicine while on the flight to keep them quiet.  I'm pretty sure this is both bad and good advice.  First, taking medicine is not something to play around with, especially if it is not needed (in other words, you are not sick).  Second, how often do you hear about people getting sick with OTC medicine?  All the time.  On the other hand, having an entire airplane daydreaming about slaughtering me and my screaming children is not too safe either.  Decisions, decisions!

Today, I continued my aggressive treatment of my leg with ibuprofen, ice, compression and rest (up until I ran, that is).  It felt a little better in the morning, but it is still not better.  I again noticed while I was running that if I pushed the pace above 9 min miles, it started to hurt.  So, I didn't.

Here are my numbers:

Time: 25:00

Distance: 2.59 miles

Pace: 9:40/m

Max Pace: 8:45/m

Calories: 280
Avg HR: 126

Max HR: 132

I ran nice and easy and for the most part, I didn't feel too much discomfort, but it was still there.  After the run, though, it is def sore.  I am going to continue to ice it tonight and keep it all wrapped up over night.  I hope that will help.

I think I am going to pick up on another list to talk about over the next few weeks.  I found this one on Active.com and it is about training for a marathon.  Does that mean I am training for a marathon...not quite...but I am thinking about it.  Why do all this running if I am not going to use my fitness for something.  At the very least, I am going to run a 1/2, assuming I can stay healthy.

If you want to get a preview, check it out here: 22 Essential Pieces of Marathon Training

Run for Life!

Day 237, 128 To Go

August 25, 2013

Last night, Honey and I went out to eat with a couple of friends, Tony and Andressa.  We had a couple of drinks and ate some food and got home late (late for parents, not late for cool people).  I had no intention of getting up in the morning.  Besides, my training partner didn't text me and invite me out for a morning swim and bike ride.  Oh well!

I did, however, get up early to take care of the kiddies.  Why me?  Because Honey was doing some work today.  What kind of work, you ask?  Check out this website and you can see for yourself: www.cupncakesgourmet.com

It was a long day with the kids and between the icing, the ibuprofen and the compression on my leg, I was not really up for a long run tonight.  But guess what folks?  Yeah, I did it anyway.  That is dedication!  That, my friends, is actually stupidity, because I should be resting!  Ah, fuck it.  If I can't do this my way, what's the point!  It is my goal, I am going to reach it my way.  So here I go! 


Here are my numbers:

Time: 1:08:00

Distance: 7.06 miles

Pace: 9:38/m

Max Pace: 7:10/m

Calories: 660
Avg HR: 128

Max HR: 145

How did I feel?  Well, for most of the run, I didn't feel the pain in my leg.  As long as I kept my pace slower than about 9 min per mile, my leg didn't hurt.  I believe when I extend my leg that is when my hamstring hurts.  Yeah, it is my hamstring.  I read up on the injury a bit, and as of now, it is a minor strain.  I can run through it, although it is not recommended unless you are a masochist.  I guess I am.  But, I know I can make it worse too.  In fact, towards the end of the run, I started to feel it tighten up on me.  I didn't pick up my speed like last week.  If anything, I slowed down.

I will have to continue to treat the leg aggressively and hope that it starts to improve.  This is one of those injuries that can stay with you for a long time.  Hamstrings can take up to 3 months to heal, and if I am not resting, it could be longer.  I may not be able to race any more this year if this is the case.  If so, so be it.  I can race next year!

Send healing thoughts folks!

Run for Life!!

Day 236, 129 To Go

August 24, 2013

 Something ain't right with my left leg.  It hurts quite a bit more today.  I know I felt a little something last night, but I kind of forgot about it today and I ran without any issue.  I ran without any hitch in my step or any kind of limp.  I ran pretty well today too. 

What the hell!  After my run, I started to feel a slight throbbing, then it progressed into something more.  It was sort of like, well, pain!  What did I do wrong?  Let's see if I can figure it out...

Last Sunday, I ran 9 miles.  I ran easy for the first 7 and then killed myself for the last 2.  Was that it?  Did I push too hard?  I know I did, but the next day and the day after that..in fact, most of the week, I felt fine with no ill affects from the run.  I think I am fit enough that even though I pushed a little, I was ok.

Was it the increase in volume?  I don't think so.  I ran easy almost every day this week and I didn't do more miles than I have done in previous weeks.  At most, if you add in my long run, it was only about 2 miles more than usual.  That is nothing.

Was it the change in terrain?  I ran on the golf course a lot this week and last.  It is a changing terrain with some road, grass and sand surfaces.  The terrain goes up and down and there are a lot of turns and the surface is quite uneven.  This could have caused me to use muscles that I haven't really developed and I may have stepped wrong here or there.

Was it all three?  I don't know, but I am going to treat it aggressively with R.I.C.E.  Well, perhaps I'll have to leave out the R which stands for Rest.  Obviously, I can't do that.  But I can do the other three (Ice, Compression, Elevation).  Add to that some high doses of ibuprofen, and hopefully that will work things out. 

Here are my numbers for today:

Time: 25:00

Distance: 2.94 miles

Pace: 8:30/m

Max Pace: 7:39/m

Calories: 301
Avg HR: 133

Max HR: 145

See, I ran well today.  Maybe it is one of those injuries that will just go away.  I will make sure I run easy tomorrow.  I should probably run much less than 68 minutes too...will have to see how I feel.

Run for Life!

Day 235, 130 To Go

August 23, 2013

Happy Friday everyone! For all those of you who have to work on the weekends, I am sorry.  I am still going to wish you a Happy Friday.  You can apply it to whatever day would be the equivalent of my Friday.

I don't know what I have planned for the weekend yet other than a 68 minute run on Sunday.  I may bike, I may swim, I may play with the kiddies and maybe I'll spend some time with the Honey.  All I know is that I am going to enjoy my runs this weekend.  I am still in my easy week, so I mind as well coast along and enjoy it.

Honey is going out with me today too.  I don't think she is into the run too much today.  I'm not sure what gave it away.  Perhaps it was the when we started running, and I looked beside me and she wasn't there...she was still back at the starting line.  Or, maybe it was the telltale sound of her struggling with her breathing (she does her best impression of a horse...you have to hear it to understand).  Another clue would have been the fact that she said she didn't want to run.  That would be the obvious clue, I guess.

To be honest, I wanted to get it over with today too so I could relax for the rest of the night.  So, that's what I did.  Here are our numbers:

Time: 25:00

Distance: 2.07 miles

Pace: 12:08/m

Max Pace: 9:37/m

Calories: 164
Avg HR: 100

Max HR: 110

It was a nice and easy run today.  However, I am feeling a little something at the back of my left knee.  It is a bit worrisome since it reminds me of the pain I had when I pulled my hamstring when I was training for my first marathon many years ago.  I mean, it is only a twinge, but...well, we will see...we will see...

Run for Life!!

Day 234, 131 To Go

August 22, 2013

Good day my friends. I am happy to announce that it is now Thursday and the week is almost over!  I am not happy to say that it is also the last day I will be talking about The 25 Golden Rules of Running from Runner's World magazine.  Yes, I'm afraid it is true.  We are at rule #25.


25. The Finishing-Time Rule
The longer the race, the slower your pace.

How much slower? Jack Daniels and J.R. Gilbert spent years compiling a table (see "Predict Your Performance") that shows how much you should expect to slow down from one race distance to the next. "We did some curve-fitting to come up with a formula that generates a pseudo-VO2-max for each race time," says Daniels. They sweated the math; now you just need to sweat the race.

The Exception: Terrain, weather, or how you feel on race day could all throw off the table's accuracy.

Predict Your Performance
Want to know how fast you should be able to run a marathon without actually running one? Look for your most recent race time in one of the columns on the left, then follow it across to your predicted marathon finish time. The chart is based on the best times from runners of various ability levels.
1-MILE	5-K	10-K	HALF-MARATHON	MARATHON
4:20	15:00	31:08	1:08:40	2:23:47
4:38	16:00	33:12	1:13:19	2:33:25
4:56	17:00	35:17	1:17:58	2:43:01
5:14	18:00	37:21	1:22:38	2:52:34
5:33	19:00	39:26	1:27:19	3:02:06
5:51	20:00	41:31	1:31:59	3:11:35
6:09	21:00	43:36	1:36:36	3:21:00
6:28	22:00	45:41	1:41:18	3:30:23
6:46	23:00	47:46	1:45:57	3:39:42
7:05	24:00	49:51	1:50:34	3:48:57
7:24	25:00	51:56	1:55:11	3:58:08
7:42	26:00	54:00	1:59:46	4:07:16
8:01	27:00	56:04	2:04:20	4:16:19
8:19	28:00	58:08	2:08:53	4:25:19
8:37	29:00	1:00:12	2:13:24	4:34:14
8:56	30:00	1:02:15	2:17:53	4:43:06

We are back to pace, but this one kind of ties it all together.  The pinnacle of all running races is, of course, a marathon.  Yes, there are ultra marathons and all that, but a marathon is the race distance that most normal people can eventually aspire to.  Most people don't even consider running an ultra.  That includes me!

So, now you have all the tools to get faster, fitter, stronger and longer.  You can extrapolate your potential pace for any distance.  You can come up with creative training regiments.  You now have the knowledge.  What's left?

Doing it, of course!  Get out an run!!

Here are my numbers for today:

Time: 25:00

Distance: 2.88 miles

Pace: 8:40/m

Max Pace: 7:38/m

Calories: 302
Avg HR: 135

Max HR: 149

Just another day out on the links.  Yup, it was a run on the golf course.  I am really enjoying my runs on the golf course.  Yes, it is a bit harder, but the view is nicer and the varied terrain is much more entertaining.  I ran into a couple of actual golfers this time.  I am going to end up with a golf ball between my eyes one of these days if I am not careful.

Run for Life!!

Day 233, 132 To Go

August 21, 2013

Wednesday...halfway through the week.  As far from Monday as it is close to Friday.  I neither hate nor love the day since the day did nothing to me.  Unlike Monday.  That day is a rat bastard.  I know, on Monday I attempted to be all chipper and happy about the day, but I was lying.  I am much better spirits now that I am closer to the weekend and it is the last weekend here in the states.  Yes, I will be flying far, far away next weekend!  I am getting more excited by the day!

I have been a bit worried about my long runs when I am on vacation.  On the one hand, I am on vacation and I would like to just forget about doing my long runs.  On the other hand, I want to keep on stretching myself out.  What to do?  Honey's house in Brazil is inside a gated community and there should be plenty of safe roads to run on.  The bad part is that it is SUPER hilly.  When we are at the beach, there is not as much real estate to run on.  I will have to run on pretty crappy roads full of holes and rocks and there is almost no pavement.  Then there is the beach.  Running for an hour on the beach will be pretty tough since I am not used to it.  I may have to alter my pace a bit to deal with the hills and the sand, etc.

That brings me to rule #24 from The 25 Golden Rules of Running from Runner's World magazine.

24. The Long-Run-Pace Rule 
Do your longest training runs at least three minutes per mile slower than your
5-K race pace.

"You really can't go too slow on long runs," says RW "Starting Line" columnist Jeff Galloway, "because there are no drawbacks to running them slowly. Running them too fast, however, can compromise your recovery time and raise your injury risk."

The Exception: Galloway says you should run even slower on hot days.

This is the third rule in a row where we are talking about pace.  First we talked about Vo2 Max pace which went off your 5k pace.  Then we talked about tempo pace which worked off your 10k pace.  Now we are talking about your long run pace.  This rule states that your pace should be about 3 minutes slower than your 5k pace.

So, we are back to the damn 5k pace.  You need to know what your is.  You know what?  So do I.  I guess I need to sign up a for a 5k.  I mean, I could use my pace from my last few triathlons which was about 7:30, but I know my pace should be faster than that.  I expect, based on my training, that I can do about a 7 min pace for a 5k.  That means my long run pace should be 10 min per mile.

I have to be honest, that seems a bit slow for me.  I can usually do 9:30 without a lot of effort.  Then again, I haven't run really long yet.  When I was training for a marathon, my long runs of 14 miles and up tended to be about 10 min per mile.  So, I know that is where I will probably end up.  What I have to get through my head, and all of you do too, is that the long run is not about how fast you can go.  It is about training your body for the stress of going a long distance.  As a runner who likes numbers, it is hard to accept that.  But I am getting there!

Here are our numbers:

Time: 25:00

Distance: 2.10 miles

Pace: 11:54/m

Max Pace: 9:41/m

Calories: 187
Avg HR: 105

Max HR: 113

Just another day out on the road for Honey and I.  We keep tearing up the pavement with out consistency!  Good times!

Run for Life!

Day 232, 133 To Go

August 20, 2013

In 10 days I will be on vacation.  The question I am asking myself is it really a vacation if you are accompanied by children, especially four children?  I think the answer is no, but I will endeavor to find out.  At least I am looking forward to running somewhere else than where I have been running for the past 232 days.  A change will be nice.

I will also be able to do some hill training and I'll be able to run on the beach.  Both of these are things I have not been able to do most of this year.  They both work you out differently than running on flat ground.  Hills especially.

This week is an easy week, so there will be no hills or beach or tempo or any other kind of hard runs.  This brings me to rule #23 on The 25 Golden Rules of Running from Runner's World magazine.

23. The Tempo-Pace Rule
Lactate-threshold or tempo-run pace is about the pace you can maintain when running all-out for one hour.

This pace is about 20 seconds slower per mile than your 10-K race pace, or 30 seconds slower per mile than 5-K race pace. "The key benefit of this pace is that it's fast enough to improve your threshold for hard endurance running, yet slow enough that you don't overload your muscles," says Daniels. The ideal duration of a tempo run is 20 to 25 minutes.

The Exception: The exact pace is less than 20 seconds slower per mile than 10-K race pace for faster runners and slightly more than 30 seconds slower per mile than 10-K race pace for slower runners.

This rule is similar to rule 23, except tempo runs are not run at as fast a pace as V02 max runs.  These are easier, although the effort is a more sustained effort.  For instance, VO2 max intervals are usually 400, 800, 1200 or 1600 meters in length.  Tempo runs are not about distance...more about time.  So a tempo run would be a good 20 minutes or longer.

The same rules apply.  If you have not run a 10k in a while, how do you know your 10k pace?  Well, get out there and sign up for one or test yourself.  There are also formulas you can use to figure out your 10k pace based on your 5k pace.  Just do a search on the web and you will find a ton.  Here is one that calcs your pace based on your mile pace: Mile Pace Calc

Now, you just need to go out and test your mile pace (which is pretty hard, by the way, but it is only a mile so you'll be done quick).

Here are my numbers:

Time: 25:00

Distance: 2.70 miles

Pace: 9:15/m

Max Pace: 7:58/m

Calories: 268
Avg HR: 126

Max HR: 137

I took it easy today, as you can tell.  Rest week, remember.  Tomorrow will be a Honey run, so I figure it will be another easy day.  I need the rest, so no complaints!  See ya!!

Run for Life!!

Day 231, 134 To Go

August 19, 2013

Happy Monday everyone!  Yes, I am trying to be positive this Monday.  Part of the reason is I only have one more Monday left before I go on vacation and part of the reason is I just think I should stop bitching.  I have a job.  I should be happy.

I can tell you, though, I am super tired.  Not only did I do a hard day of working out yesterday, I had to get up extra early today because today is Derek's first day of school.  It is only Pre-K, but for him (and Honey) it is a monumental day!  He is so excited to be going to school today.  Little does he know he has decades of school ahead of him before he is done (assuming he goes to college and then gets his Masters and PhD...and he better!)  For now, at least, he is excited.  The little monster wakes up immediately, unlike me who takes multiple snoozes and a bucket of water on my head to get me going.

See how happy he is!  See how much I need a haircut too?  What do I think I am, a hippy?  Mind as well quit work, get a van, buy a guitar and smoke weed all day with hair like that.  I hate pictures of myself.  Anyway, Derek looks cute at least.

First day of school or not, I still had to run.  Honey came with me too.  Between the two of us, we could barely break a sweat we were going so slow.  Here are our numbers:

Time: 25:00

Distance: 2.01 miles

Pace: 12:26/m

Max Pace: 10:45/m

Calories: 169
Avg HR: 101

Max HR: 115

As long as we go at least 2 miles on a 25 minute run, I'm happy.  Tomorrow will be better as I will be rested a bit and hopefully my legs will comply with my wishes.  Maybe.

Run for Life!!

Day 230, 135 To Go

August 18, 2013

Its Sunday bitches!  While some of you are getting all dressed up in your Sunday best to go to church, I am dressing in my tri shorts and going to the church of swim/bike/run.  I prefer this church...less judgmental and it is ok to have sex in my church (not while you are actually exercising, of course...but after).'

Anyway, my training partner and I stayed close to home and we swam at the community pool.  It isn't very large, but we made the best of it.  The water was soooo warm, so after about 15 minutes, it was time to stop.  I could literally feel myself sweating in the water.  That is weird.  After that, we went for a bike ride.  We didn't go all out, but it was a nice ride.

Here are my numbers:

Time: 1:29:48

Distance: 26.14 miles

Pace: 17.46mph

Max Pace: 37.67mph

Calories: 1,587

Avg HR:118

Max HR:162

I don't know how I got up to 37mph.  I don't think I did, but that is what my GPS said, so I'll just go with it.

I rested for most of the day and went out with Honey for my long run.  Today, the plan was to run 85 minutes.  This would be my longest run of the year.  It would also be the longest roll for Honey.  She was dying by the time we got back, but nowhere as bad as me!

I followed my own advice and ran very easy for most of the run, but one of my goals was to run 9 miles today.  I figured it wouldn't be a problem, but I was kind of wrong.  I had also planned on running a little hard for the last 15 to 20 minutes of the run.  This would allow me to stay true to my easy pace while getting in a little hard work at the same time.  What I didn't plan on doing was running as hard as I did for the last two miles.

Anyway, here are my overall numbers:

Time: 1:25:09

Distance: 9.00 miles

Pace: 9:27/m

Max Pace: 6:27/m

Calories: 845
Avg HR: 130

Max HR: 172

So the pace seems ok, but take a look at my mile by mile numbers:

Mile 1 : 9:26
Mile 2 : 9:54
Mile 3 :10:08
Mile 4 : 9:58
Mile 5 : 10:13
Mile 6 : 10:17
Mile 7 : 9:29
Mile 8 :  8:03
Mile 9 :7:38

I hovered around 9:30 to 10 for most of the run, but in the last two miles, I realized that I would have to run hard to make 9 miles.  Actually, it was when I was halfway into mile 8 that I realized I would need to pick it up and average about 8 min miles for the rest of the way.  I kind of overshot that mark in mile 9.  I must have miscalculated (doing math while you are ready to pass out from exhaustion is not my forte) because I had to push a 7:30 pace to make 9 miles, and as you can see, I missed it by 9 seconds.

But I did it!

Now, I get a rest week.  I will take it easy all week and do less miles next Sunday.  Looking forward to the rest.

Run for Life!!

Day 229, 136 To Go

August 17, 2013

I got my run out of the way early today.  I figure I will be sweating it out hard tomorrow so it is a good idea to work out early.  This is always a good idea, but sometimes, I just can't get out there until after 7pm.  That means I have only about 12 hours between workouts and I prefer not to do that.

I did my hard workout on Thursday, so today, I feel pretty good.  As you may recall, I recorded my 5k time, even if it wasn't completely accurate since I didn't warm up.  However, I can probably use that to figure out my pace for a VO2 max workout.  This brings me to rule #22 from The 25 Golden Rules of Running from Runner's World magazine.

22. The Speedwork-Pace Rule 
The most effective pace for VO2-max interval training is about 20 seconds faster per mile than your 5-K race pace.

The best way to increase your aerobic capacity and long-distance speed is through VO2-max interval training. A pioneer of VO2-max training is Jack Daniels, Ph.D., coach at the Center for High Altitude Training in Flagstaff, Arizona. "By stressing your aerobic system," he says, "this pace optimizes the volume of blood that's pumped and the amount of oxygen that your muscle fibers can use."

The Exception: The exact pace is closer to 10 seconds faster per mile than 5-K race pace for fast runners, and 30 seconds faster per mile for slower runners.

So, how do you figure out your 5k pace if you have never run a 5k?  Should you use your last 5k even if it were a year or two ago?  Should you use your desired 5k pace instead of your actual pace?  These are all questions you may have.

The answers are easy:

1) If you have never run a 5k, what the hell are you waiting for?  Sing up already!  If you don't want to, just do a nice warm up and run a 5k.  Make sure you are nice and rested and your legs are fresh so you can get a good time.

2) No, you should not use your 5k time if it was a long time ago.  For one, you may be faster now.  Or, you may be slower.  Either way, you want to get the time that best represents your current fitness

3) No, do not use your desired 5k pace.  That would cause you to go too fast in your intervals and you would over train yourself

I am pretty sure I have run too fast in some of my intervals and I have felt the negative effects of that.  So, I am going to use my recent 5k time, minus maybe a minute (since I didn't warm up) and try to use that pace for my V02-max training.

Here are my numbers:

Time: 25:00

Distance: 2.94 miles

Pace: 8:30/m

Max Pace: 7:49/m

Calories: 344
Avg HR: 144

Max HR: 161

Was a fun run today.  I felt good and ran nice and easy.  Looking forward to a hard workout tomorrow!  Later folks!

Run for Life!!

Day 228, 137 To Go

August 16, 2013

And here it is!  Friday!  I have a busy weekend planned.

That's a lie.  I have nothing planned, really.  Honey's brother, Fluffy, is here along with his girlfriend, Renata.  No, his name isn't Fluffy, but if you want to know why I call him Fluffy (and he calls me Fluffy) you'll have to read one of my earlier blogs (I don't know which one...there are over 200...I ain't lookin!!)

I do know it is going to be hot this weekend (it is always hot) so it is important to dress right, especially on my run.  This brings me to rule #20 from The 25 Golden Rules of Running from Runner's World magazine.

21. The 10-Degree Rule 
Dress for runs as if it's 10 degrees warmer than the thermometer actually reads.

To put it another way, dress for how warm you'll feel at mid-run--not the first mile, when your body is still heating up. This means choosing the right apparel. (See the "Dress for Success" table) "On cold days, the new soft-shell tops and tights are light, warm, and breathable," says Emily Walzer, fabrics editor for Sporting Goods Business Magazine. "On warm days, wear a lightweight performance fabric next to your skin, which will disperse sweat through evaporation."

The Exception: There's a limit to how many clothes you can take off without getting arrested, so if it's in the 70s or warmer, wear minimal lightweight, light-colored apparel.

Dress for Success
Here’s a cheat sheet to help you dress appropriately for your runs, no matter what the thermometer says. This chart factors in the 10-Degree Rule but doesn’t account for a significant windchill. On very windy days, you may need to dress warmer.
TEMP (in degrees)	BASIC APPAREL
above 70	Lightweight/light-colored singlet and shorts
60 to 69	Tank top or singlet and shorts
50 to 59	T-shirt and shorts
40 to 49	Long-sleeve shirt and tights or shorts
30 to 39	Long-sleeve shirt and tights
20 to 29	Two upper-body layers and one lower-body layer
10 to 19	Two upper-body layers and one lower-body layer
0 to 9	Two/three upper-body layers, one/two lower-body layers
below 0	Three upper-body layers, two lower-body layers

So, I ran naked today while juggling ice cubes since it was like 90 degrees.  Honey ran with me and she was naked too.  Really.

So, this rule doesn't apply for about 10 months out of the year for me.  When I lived in CT, this applied and for those of you who don't live in the hotter parts of the country, you will find this helpful.  I have never run in below 0 degree weather...or under 20 for that matter, but I have run in the upper 20s and lower 30s.  I don't recommend it though because it sucks!  I can't remember what I wore exactly, but I wore a lot of clothes.  If you are like me and you get the shivers just thinking about snow, you may want to wear even more clothes.

Really, when you run in cold weather, you may not think it, but it will get warm.  When I ran the NYC marathon, it was close to 32 when it started.  After about 15 minutes, I was getting warm, and after 30 minutes, I had stripped down to shorts and a shirt.  It meant I had to carry my arm warmers for most of the race though (I wasn't throwing them away!!)

Here are our numbers for today:

Time: 25:00

Distance: 2.20 miles

Pace: 11:21/m

Max Pace: 9:00/m

Calories: 182
Avg HR: 104

Max HR: 116

Honey and I had a nice, relaxing run today.  Well, I found it nice and relaxing.  I don't know about Honey.  I think she would have rather been home sleeping, but too bad.  It was running time!  As always, I appreciate her company and I hope she keeps on coming.  Until next time peoples...

Run for Life!!

Day 227, 138 To Go

August 15, 2013

Hello Thursday.  Your close proximity to Friday makes me feel deep affection to you.  I am so excited by your arrival that I have decided to kill myself out there and run hard.  It is hot.  It is humid.  And for fun, why not run on the gold course today.  Yeah.  That's the plan!

As you may have guessed, today is a non Honey day and she isn't rolling with me, so I am going to make this my one hard day for the week.  Well, I suppose my long run is hard too, so maybe I should have said fast run.  Tomorrow, Honey will be running with me so I can take it easy.  That brings me to rule #20 from The 25 Golden Rules of Running from Runner's World magazine.

20. The Hard/Easy Rule
Take at least one easy day after every hard day of training.

"Easy" means a short, slow run, a cross-training day, or no exercise at all. "Hard" means a long run, tempo run, or speed workout. "Give your body the rest it needs to be effective for the next hard run," says Todd Williams, a two-time U.S. Olympian and online coach at pushthepace.com. Apply the hard/easy rule to your monthly and yearly training cycles by treating yourself to one easy week each month, and one easy month each year.

The Exception: After the most exhausting long runs and speed workouts, especially if you're 40 or older, wait for two or even three days before your next tough one.

Yeah, this is a rule I follow now...not because I want to, but because I have to.  I really don't have a choice.  I'm sure I could go out there and run two hard days in a row, but that would be the end of this blog for sure.  I fall into the exception category too, so I need two or three days before my next hard run.  I found out a few weeks ago that if I did two hard runs in a row, everything hurt and I came close to ruining my year.

This is just plain good, practical advice.  You need to let your body recover.  Many runners, and even more triathletes, have a hard time running.  They feel like if they take it easy, they will not improve when the opposite is true.  Without rest, you may improve, but you will not maximize your gains and you may even go backwards.  I am living proof of that.  I know I could be getting much faster, but running every day is holding me back a bit.  Sure, by running easy most of the time, I am limiting my gains, but it is what it is.  So, I am taking this rule to heart and you should too!!

Here are my numbers for today:

Time: 25:00

Distance: 3.29 miles

Pace: 7:36/m

Max Pace: 6:43/m

Calories: 361
Avg HR: 152

Max HR: 166

My time at the 5k mark was 23:37.  Not too shabby, especially considering I didn't warm up and I ran the first 5 minutes fairly easy.  Also, I was on a harder course than normal.  I was pleased.  I was also sweating so much, I looked like I took a shower.  I'm beat.  Friday, here I come...

Run for Life!!

Day 226, 139 To Go

August 14, 2013

If you read yesterday's blog, you may remember that I didn't remember yesterday.  Today, which is really tomorrow, I remember, uh yesterday, which is supposed to be today.

Got it?

Anyway, Honey ran with me today. Her knee was barking at her again today.  You see, she has been using the same pair of sneakers for like, I don't know, 5,000 years.  Seriously.  Well, we have been married for almost 6 years and this is the only pair of sneakers I have ever seen her wear.  She has about 50 pairs of high heels...and I mean HIGH heels, but sneakers?  Just the one pair.

This brings me to rule #19 from The 25 Golden Rules of Running from Runner's World magazine.

19. The New-Shoes Rule
Replace running shoes once they've covered 400 to 500 miles.

"But even before they have that much wear," says Warren Greene, Runner's World gear editor, "buy a new pair and rotate them for a while. Don't wait until your only pair is trashed." Consider shoes trashed when the spring is gone.

The Exception: A shoe's wear rate can vary, depending on the type of shoe, your weight, your footstrike pattern, and the surfaces you run on.

I have to admit, I am a bit of a cynic when it comes to this rule. Sure, there is some truth to this, but you have to be a little suspicious when it is running magazines, whose biggest advertisers are shoe companies, are the ones telling you this.  Now, shoes do wear out.  If you are a 225 pound male, you shoes may wear out after 200 miles.  If you are a 125 pound woman, you can probably go well past 500 miles.

You will also see this rule stated that you should change your shoes after 500 miles or 6 months.  The 6 month rule is even more ridiculous.  What if you only run 20 miles a week or only 15?  That would only be 360 or 270 miles.  So which is it?  500 miles or 6 months?

You need to examine your shoes.  If your tread is wearing out or the cushioning is getting hard or the sole is starting to crack, you should change your shoes.  If your feet are starting to hurt, you should change your shoes.  If you see a new stylish sneaker that you just HAVE to have, you should change your shoes.  If your knees or ankles or any other part of your body starts to hurt, you should consider changing your shoes once you have examined your running load and all the other variables.  It could be your shoes.  It could be that you are wearing the wrong shoes.

If you wear minimalist shoes like mine, you can kind of tell this rule to go screw itself.  You don't have to worry about mileage or time.  When they wear out, you change them.  Period.

Anyway, here are our numbers for today:

Time: 25:00

Distance: 2.09 miles

Pace: 11:58/m

Max Pace: 10:42/m

Calories: 223
Avg HR: 111

Max HR: 122

Now Honey does need a new pair of sneakers.  They are wearing out, her knees hurt and they are older than dirt.  Three good reason to buy new shoes.  So hop on that Honey!!

Run for Life!!

Day 225, 140 To Go

August 13, 2013

I'll be straight with you guys today...it is actually Thursday...and for some reason, I have no recollection of what I did on Tuesday...which is the day I am writing about.  You may be thinking, "Why can't you remember just two days ago?"  All I can tell you is, "I have no idea."

You see, my brain has enough room these days for only a few things: babies, Honey and Running.  Everything else is just a blur.  I am focused on only these few things right now.  I tend to get this laser focus when I race as well.  Whether it is a triathlon or a road race, I focus on what I am doing, and that is it.  I have often heard people say "what a beautiful course this race is on" and I just shake my head up and down and agree, but really, I have no idea.  I have no recollection of the course of almost any race I have done.  The only races I have some recollection are the really long ones because I can only hold that concentration for so long before I start to wander.

What am I focusing on so intently?  Well, it could be my form, or my breathing or my pacing.  Pacing is the big one.  This brings me to rule #18 from The 25 Golden Rules of Running from Runner's World magazine.

18. The Even-Pace Rule 
The best way to race to a personal best is to maintain an even pace from start to finish.

Most of the 10,000-meter and marathon world records set in the last decade have featured almost metronome-like pacing. "If you run too fast early in the race, you almost always pay for it later," warns Jon Sinclair, the U.S. 12-K record holder and now an online coach (anaerobic.net).

The Exception: This doesn't apply on hilly courses or on windy days, when the objective is to run an even effort.

Yes, keeping an even pace is ideal, but not the easiest thing to do!  In the beginning of a race you probably feel pretty good and you go a little too hard only to screw yourself at the end.  Or, you go out too slow, and then you find that you have too much energy at the end.

I find that the best way to pace yourself well is to know the course.  Study the course before you start so you know where the uphills and downhills are.  This will allow you to compensate for these variations in the course with your pacing.  If you are running a flat course, you can keep a nice even pace throughout.

This rule kind of flies in the face of another rule you probably heard about: negative splits.  This means that you run the 2nd half of a race a little faster than the first half.  This is something you want to do in most long races.  For a 5k or maybe even a 10k, depending on your experience, you should keep an even pace.  The rule above states that the 10k and marathon records were all done with even paces.  However, they were also run by professionals who knew what they were doing and who had a lot of experience.  For us armatures, the benefit of a negative split is that you focus on not going to fast at the beginning and you can make sure you finish strong.

Whatever method you choose, the key is to have a plan and to def not go out too fast!

Here are my numbers for today:

Time: 25:00

Distance: 2.85 miles

Pace: 8:47/m

Max Pace: 7:35/m

Calories: 301
Avg HR: 134

Max HR: 147

My runs rarely have an even pace because I don't do a warm up first, so I tend to accelerate as I go.  Once I get going, I do tend to have a steady pace until I tire.  Using a GPS is very helpful in training yourself to pace right.  I highly recommend them! 

Run for Life!!

Day 224, 141 To Go

August 12, 2013

Here we go again folks.  Its Monday and time to go through the motions again.  I'm just talking about the work part, not the rest.  I enjoy the rest of my life...my kids, my Honey, my running, my blog...its just the j-o-b that leaves me unfulfilled.  I think I should quit, join the peace corp, and dig ditches for starving children.  Seriously.  I need a variety.

Speaking of variety, lets talk about rule #17 from The 25 Golden Rules of Running from Runner's World magazine.

17. The Don't-Just-Run Rule 
Runners who only run are prone to injury.

"Cross-training and weight training will make you a stronger and healthier runner," says TriEndurance.com multisport coach Kris Swarthout. "Low- and nonimpact sports like biking and swimming will help build supporting muscles used in running, while also giving your primary running muscles a rest."

The Exception: The surest way to run better is to run. So if your time is limited, devote most of it to running.

Cross training not only adds variety to your routine, it varies the impact and stress your body goes through during exercise.  If you stress yourself in one way too often, you leave yourself open to injury.  By going  for a bike ride, or swimming, or playing tennis or softball or whatever, you strengthen other parts of your body and give your running muscles a bit of a rest.  Variety is the spice of life...and it is the spice in your workout routine too.

Here are our numbers:

Time: 25:00

Distance: 2.00 miles

Pace: 12:29/m

Max Pace: 11:03/m

Calories: 175
Avg HR: 102

Max HR: 111

This was a nice, slow run with Honey today.  I was sore and I had no interest in moving any faster than Honey wanted to run.  I shouldn't blame it on Honey because if she wasn't running with me, I probably would have run a 14 minute mile.  I'm beat and pretty much everything hurts.

I guess I get variety in my exercise, but really, not enough.  I bike and swim on the weekend but I should be doing that more during the week.  Motivation.  It is a great trait that I lack during the week.  I'll look for it next week.  Maybe I'll find it, along with another job.  Peace.

Run for Life!

Day 223, 142 To Go

August 11, 2013

I got up at 6am today and I probably went to bet at 12:30 last night.  That equates to 5:30 hours of sleep.  If you remember the discussion yesterday...well, today was even worse.  Oh well...guess I'll work out really hard today so I am super tired tonight!

I was ready to go at about 7:15 and we went of a nice swim.  I swam with Mike, Daryl and his wife Karen and another dude named...Brad.  Yay, I remembered.  I am bad with names.  Karen is a very fast swimmer and Brad swims pretty well too.  I am getting better (I was much better a couple of years ago, but I have slacking majorly with the swim) and I felt fairly good today.

We moved onto the bike and we probably went out a bit too fast.  We hit the first bridge and we were cruising and I was feeling pretty good (not as good as last week...probably the lack of sleep). Then Daryl stopped for some reason...looked like he may have dropped something, so I stopped and waited.  This kind of cooled me off and I was not able to pick it up again.  We decided when we started up again that we would not do the full course (26 miles) and we would only do the sprint course (16 miles) and that is what we did.

Here are our numbers:

Time: 46:32

Distance: 15.27 miles

Pace: 19.68mph

Max Pace: 31.41mph

Calories: 1,010

Avg HR:135

Max HR:175

I had forgotten to turn on my GPS for a short time which is why my mileage is below 16 miles.  Oh well.  Overall, it was a decent ride.  Mike and I ended up chatting and he skipped his run.  My plan was to run later...which I did.

Here are my running numbers:

Time: 1:17:00

Distance: 8.16 miles

Pace: 9:26/m

Max Pace: 6:29/m

Calories: 793
Avg HR: 131

Max HR: 147

This was my longest run of the year.  I took it really easy since I was a bit tired and I wanted to be strong throughout the run.  Honey was with me on her wheels for the entire run and she was getting tired!  I was taking the advice from Runner's World where they recommend that you do a majority of your runs (80%) at a pace where you can talk easily.  This includes your long runs.  So, I tried it.  I felt pretty good for the entire run.  I even did a 15 minute stretch where I upped my pace to 8:30.  This was a bit hard since I was fatigued, but this is actually a good thing.  It mimics what would happen in a race.  You pick up your pace toward the end of a race and you are fatigued, so this is great practice.

I treated myself to a Subway sandwich, something I haven't eaten in a while because I try to avoid eating MSG (mono sodium glutamate) if at all possible, and there is hidden MSG in their bread.  It was good though and I deserved it!  Now, it is time for bed...I am exhausted!  Good night folks!

Run for Life!

Day 222, 143 To Go

August 10, 2013

It is Saturday and I have again waited until the end of the day to run.  Its not like I was that busy, unless you consider a trip to BJs, Wal Mart, and Target being busy.  I call it a waste of a Saturday.  Sure, we need to eat and we have to buy our food somewhere, but why can't someone else do it?  I need a personal shopper (and someone to pay for said shopper) to make my life easier.  When I lived in CT, the main grocery chain was Stop n' Shop and they had a service where you could order online and have it delivered.  I never used it, but it seemed really cool for us lazy folk.  I suppose us lazy folk don't usually have the money to pay for these services.  Life is cruel sometimes!

Since we are talking about food, why not discuss rule #16 from The 25 Golden Rules of Running from Runner's World magazine.  Here it is...

16. The Refueling Rule
Consume a combination carbohydrate-protein food or beverage within 30 to 60 minutes after any race, speed workout, or long run.

"You need an infusion of carbs to replace depleted muscle glycogen, plus some protein to repair and build muscle," says Nancy Clark, R.D., author of Food Guide for Marathoners. "Ideally, the carb-protein ratio should be 4-to-1. Some examples would be 150 to 300 calories of low-fat chocolate milk, a recovery-sports drink, flavored yogurt, or a bagel and peanut butter."

The Exception: Immediate refueling is less important if you aren't running hard again within 24 hours.

This one is important, but not always the easiest rule to follow.  Sure, you would think that you are hungry after a run, and that is usually the case.  The problem is that the 30 - 60 min rule doesn't take into account your travel from your workout, your shower, your kids, making the food and a bevy of other life interruptions of this damn rule!

I have heard this rule in many forms.  Some say you should eat NO later than 45 min after your workout to others who say as long as you eat within 2 hours you are fine.  This rule seems to split the difference and go for 30 - 60 minutes. 

All in all, this is an important rule especially if you want to have a good workout in the upcoming days.  If you don't refuel properly you end up not having the energy you need or your muscles will not properly repair themselves and you may end up being sore or just weak.  Another key to this rule is the calories.  You don't want to workout hard and them throw it all away by eating a Big Mac!  One of the best after workout meals is a cup of chocolate milk.  If you use skim milk, you can make it a 16 ounce cup and you will just about hit your 300 calorie quota.  And nothing hits the spot like a tall glass of chocolate milk!

If you know you will not be able to get to a meal at home within this time, plan ahead and bring a sandwich or a granola bar or protein bar.  Keep in mind the ratio of carbs to protein (4 to 1).

Here are my numbers for this evening:

Time: 25:00

Distance: 2.66 miles

Pace: 9:24/m

Max Pace: 5:30/m

Calories: 279
Avg HR: 125

Max HR: 160

I took it easy today except for a 200 meter stretch where I opened up.  Honey was rolling with me and I wanted to stress her out a bit and see if she could keep up.  She could, of course.  She is on wheels!  I also felt tight and slow and I wanted to prove to myself that I could loosen up.  And I did.  It felt very liberating!  The sad part is that I felt like I was flying and I was still a minute slower than the average pro marathoner's pace for an entire marathon.  Crazy.

Run for Life!!

Day 221, 144 To Go

August 9, 2013

Its Friday!  Time to Paaaartayyyyy!  No, not really.  Maybe if I was still in my 20s...heck, maybe if I was still in my early 30s.  Now?  Partying gets me too tired and it makes me unable to function.  Seriously.  I know some of you older folks can still party, but I bet you can't get up and run 8 miles on Sunday either.  So, it is a trade off.  I am probably getting the short end of that stick, although my stick will probably last longer too.  So there is that.

Nothing special on the agenda for tonight.  Just a quite night home with Honey...after our run, of course.  Then I have a full night's rest to look forward to.  I have always loved to sleep.  At the same time, I actually hate going to sleep.  I know that is a contradiction, but on the one hand, I hate all that wasted time.  On the other hand...ahhhh...sleep can be wonderful.  Speaking of sleep, that brings me to rule #15 from The 25 Golden Rules of Running from Runner's World magazine...

15. The Sleep Rule 
Sleep one extra minute per night for each mile per week that you train.

So if you run 30 miles a week, sleep an extra half hour each night. "Sleep deprivation has a negative impact on training," says David Claman, M.D., director of the University of California-San Francisco Sleep Disorders Center. "The average person needs seven and a half to eight hours of sleep, so increase that amount when you're training."

The Exception: The extra sleep may not be necessary for some high-energy folks.

This rule sounds like an EXCELLENT rule to follow.  So excellent that I fail to follow it almost every night.  I really could benefit from this rule because I am chronically sleep deprived.  Well, it isn't that bad, but I probably get about 7 hours of sleep a night.  They (what the hell do "they" know anyway) say that you should get about 8 hours of sleep a night.  According to this rule, that would add about 20 mins of sleep a night to my expected 8 hours.  So instead of only being deprived of 1 hour of sleep a night, I am being deprived of 1:20 every night.  Thanks rule # 15!

I often feel like I was run over by a bus in the morning, and I know it is because I don't sleep enough.  I have a TV in my room and they (there "they" are again with their science and shit) say that having a TV in your room makes you sleep less.  This is 100% true.  If I didn't have a TV in my room, I would probably be in bed and asleep by 11 or 11:30 every night.  Instead, I am up until 12:30 - 1:00am every night.  That is about 1 - 2 hours of sleep less per night.

Sure, I could exercise will power and not watch, but I really love my TV.  What to do?  I sense a New Year's resolution in the works.  Actually, I have a few in mind already:

1. Continue running every day (just less)
2. Stop drinking soda (or limit myself to 1 or 2 a week max)
3. Eat organic (not easy where I live...lots of unhealthy choices and NO organic stores)
4. Go to sleep earlier and get at least 8 hours of sleep a night (this would entail cutting down on my TV)

That's all I have so far.  It is a daunting list...but I have, so far, met my challenging resolution for this year (221 days and counting!) 

Here are our numbers for today:

Time: 25:00

Distance: 2.12 miles

Pace: 11:46/m

Max Pace: 10:10/m

Calories: 185
Avg HR: 105

Max HR: 119

 It was an easy run for both of us today.  I'm not sure Honey would agree with that, but as far as pace is concerned, it was easy.  Gotta take it easy to prepare for the long run this weekend.  Later folks!

Run for Life!!

Day 220, 145 To Go

August 8, 2013

Honey was back out there with me today, but I had to drag her out with me.  She wasn't feeling well, but I told her to stop being a vagina and get your shoes on and run already.

After I applied the ice to eye, we went out for our run.  It was very hot and humid and Honey was running too fast again.  That Honey!  Not that I couldn't keep up, but she would run herself out of breath and have to stop.  She likes running faster, but she doesn't have the endurance to do it for long.  I think she is ready to do a longer run once a week, but with her knees not feeling good, we have to wait. 

It's not like I haven't given her advice on how to treat her knees since I have had the same problem, its just that she is my wife and she ignores me and my advice.  Enjoy your knee pain, Honey.

Speaking of pain, my toe has not been hurting me much this week, but I did over ice it at some point over the weekend.  I burned my skin and it is all read and swollen and starting to kind of scab over.  I basically came close to giving myself frostbite.  I ended up with just a mild case of freezer burn.  It just happens to be on the side of my foot near my big toe.  Feels great when I slip my shoes on and off and even better when I run.  Yay!

Let this be a lesson to you to be cautious with your icing.  I even used an ice pack with a protective cover, but it must have been extra cold and because it was wrapped around my toes which don't present that much of a surface area, it got too cold and caused the damage.  On the bright side, I don't feel the pain in my toe.  I do expect that it will return, so I am going to try to keep my speed work to a minimum if possible.

Let's move on to #14 from The 25 Golden Rules of Running from Runner's World magazine.

14. The Up-Beats-Down Rule 
Running uphill slows you down more than running downhill speeds you up.

So, you can expect hilly runs to be slower than flat runs. "You don't get all of the energy that you expend going uphill back when you run downhill," explains Nimbus Couzin, Ph.D., a marathon-running physics instructor at Indiana University Southeast. "That's because when your feet strike the ground on a descent, a lot of energy is lost."

The Exception: When you run point-to-point with a net elevation drop, your average pace should be faster than on a flat course.

Thank you Captain Obvious.  Running uphill is harder than running downhill.  Who would have thunk it!  Ok, that isn't exactly what it says.  This is similar to rule #8 about running in windy conditions.  Basically, as a strategy, you need to conserve some energy going up the hills because pushing too hard won't gain you that much.  You can pick up some time on the way down the hill, but you will never gain what you lost.  It is just part of running on a hilly course.  Also, running downhill is hard on your body, and you want to make sure you run with proper form going down.  Don't land too hard on your feet.  Try to run smoothly and easily with a slight forward lean as you go down.  Keep your turnover high and try to recover from the uphill.

The only real strategy to beating hills is running hills in training.  You have to love them even if you hate them.  If you are racing a hilly course, you will be screwing yourself if you do not train on some hills.  Hills are your friend...remember that!

Here are our numbers today:

Time: 25:00

Distance: 2.30 miles

Pace: 10:53/m

Max Pace: 9:03/m

Calories: 215
Avg HR: 112

Max HR: 125

Another sub 11 min run for Honey!  Way to go!  She was dying by the time we got back which is understandable.  It wasn't too long ago she had her other fast run.  I tried to slow her down to no avail.  I started to tell her about the 80/20 rule (not in the 25 rules) but she was panting too hard to hear me.  I'll talk about it soon.  I am still wrapping my head around it myself, so I need some time to explore how I can integrate it into my running.  Until then my friends...

Run for Life!!

Day 219, 146 To Go

August 7, 2013

We are halfway through the week and I am finally feeling recovered from the weekend.  By the time I am 50, I will have recovered from the weekend by the following weekend.  I will be in a constant state of pain and stiffness (not the stiffness I would want either) and worst of all, slowness.  Aging is not pretty, my friends.

As I have mentioned before, I run so I can live longer and be healthier and stronger as I age.  I want to be around to hold my grandchildren in my arms so I can laugh as I give the little crying bastard back and leave before it is time to change another diaper.  I'm not babysitting anyone.  I have already decided.  Honey has other ideas, so she can babysit while I go hang out and do all the things I couldn't do now. 

So, maybe I won't be so harsh...but that all depends on how the next 25 years go.  I may be even worse by then!  So for now, I want to be prepared one way or the other.  Either I will be watching little grandmonsters running around or I'll be barring my doors and windows with planks of wood to keep them out.  In either case, I need to be in shape.

Now, let's turn to one of my favorite numbers, 13.  Yes, today it is time to discuss #13 from The 25 Golden Rules of Running from Runner's World magazine.

13. The Left-Side-Of-The-Road Rule 
To keep safe, run facing traffic.

"While running, it's better to watch the traffic than to have it come up from behind you," says Adam Cuevas, a marathoner and chief of the Enforcement Services Division of the California Highway Patrol. It's the law in California and many other states to run on the left side unless you're on the sidewalk.

The Exception: The right side of the road is safer when running into leftward blind curves where there's a narrow shoulder. The right side can also be safer if there's construction on the left side.

I know runners.  Many of you will ignore most of the rules from this list.  That's fine.  But don't be a douche and ignore this one.  It takes no extra effort and it may just save your life.  I have had a few close calls in my day.  I have run on some unsafe streets and risked getting run over.  I have been on safe streets and stupid drivers have almost run me over because they weren't paying attention (maybe the bastards were texting).  I have even misread the stoplights and almost gotten run over.  Yes, you read that correctly.  I misread the stoplight.  I am a moron and I deserved to get hit that day.  Luckily, the driver was paying better attention to the road than I was.  Hey, shit happens.

And if you want less shit to happen, then run on the opposite side of the road so you can see what is coming.  You can look into the eyes of the distracted driver and take the precaution you need like diving out of the way, screaming and waving your hands, or falling to the ground into the fetal position and crying for mommy (not a recommended reaction).  So just follow this rule, ok!

Here are my numbers for today:

Time: 25:00

Distance: 3.06 miles

Pace: 8:09/m

Max Pace: 6:52/m

Calories: 311
Avg HR: 139

Max HR: 153

As I said, I felt good today and I was able to run well for most of the 25 minutes.  I ran without water today, so I started to get a little dry by the end.  I also stopped to chat with my neighbor, Bill, at the end of my run.  I don't think it affected my time much since I only had about 3 minutes left by then.  If anything, I may have run slower after since I had already cooled down. 

Overall, I am pleased with my run today.  It was hot as hell, but I seem to be acclimating to the heat better and better.  I'll be all acclimated by the time it starts to cool off.  Later folks.

Run for Life!

Day 218, 147 To Go

August 6, 2013

We are in the dog days of August and it is hot, humid and kind of boring.  I mean, in the land of perpetual summer, August doesn't feel much difference than, let's say, March.  The difference is that I actually have something to look forward to at the end of August this year.  Honey, my little monsters, my mom and I are all going to Brazil at the end of the month!  This should be fun except for the actual travel part.

Can you imagine traveling with three 16 month old babies?  I should post what flight I am on in case the one or two of you who read this blog is on the flight.  Believe me, I want to change my flight, but I can't.  You need an adult per child.  We are screwed. 

Let's move on, shall we..today I will talk about rule #12 from The Golden Rules of Running from Runner's World magazine.

12. The Seven-Year Rule
Runners improve for about seven years.

Mike Tymn noticed this in the early 1980s and wrote about it in his National Masters News column. "My seven-year adaptation theory was based on the fact that so many runners I talked to ran their best times an average of seven years after they started," he recalls.

The Exception: Low-mileage runners can stretch the seven years to well over a decade before plateauing.

This is a hard one for me to comment on.  I haven't paid enough attention to my progress to see if this is really true.  Let me think.  I probably started running when I was 28 or 29.  That would mean I peaked at about 35.  Hmmm...that was when I met Honey...and that prior year, I had my fastest 5k time.  The year I met Honey (in fact, a week before) I had done my first 1/2 Ironman, and I was in the best shape of my life.

So, it seems that this rule does fit my trajectory, but there could also be other mitigating factors.  First, Honey.  I used to train at least 5 days a week.  I would swim twice a week, run about 4 times a week and bike 2 - 3 times a week.  My weekends were long Saturday bike rides (60+ miles) and long runs on Sunday.  After I started dating and later married Honey, that dropped precipitously.  She didn't like me out every night (women).  On top of that, I was 35 going on 36, and so on and so on.  I was getting older.

So, was it me hitting my peak, or did life changes and aging have as much to do with it?  I don't know, but I do know that in my peak, I definitely felt fast and strong and like I had finally gotten it together.  So there is probably something to this rule. 

What about you?  I'd love to hear if this rule rings true for you.

Here are my numbers today:

Time: 25:00

Distance: 2.73 miles

Pace: 9:10/m

Max Pace: 8:07/m

Calories: 290
Avg HR: 132

Max HR: 143

I gotta be honest, I felt like crap today.  My legs were sore and I felt like I couldn't catch my breath.  I'm not sure what was going on, but maybe it had something to do with my hard weekend workouts.  I also ran the entire run on the golf course.  I started at the 6th hole (that is where my house is) and ran up to the 9th and I could not find the 10th.  I still have no idea where it is, but I did find the 1st hole, so I went that way and I ended back at the 6th at the end of my run.  I had to circle back a bit, but it worked out nice.  The big problem was the smell.

I guess they are trying to fertilize the grass on the course.  So, it looked like they spread manure all over the course.  When I say all over, I mean ALLLLLL OVER!  Holy crap!  It was everywhere.  At first, I thought I stepped on something, but it was everywhere.  It looked like dry dirt, but it wasn't.  It was shit.  I tried to not let it ruin my peaceful golf course run, but I can't say I succeeded!  Hopefully, it will be gone soon!

Run for Life!

Day 217, 148 To Go

August 5, 2013

To brighten my Monday, I will report my July monthly numbers today.  Numbers make me happy and Monday's make me sad, so this is a little bit of an offset to my Monday!

There was some milestones on my part this month as far as distance and time running are concerned, but not a lot of progress as far as speed is concerned.  Honey, however, had new highs in mileage, time and pace!  She had a great month.  The only issue is that she increased her mileage a little too much and I think that may be part of the reason she is experiencing some knee problems.  The speed work also contributed to this.  On my end, the speed work I did, which isn't necessarily reflected in faster daily times, contributed to some foot pain for me.

This was also the first full month of running 25 minutes every day, so this increase in volume along with some increases in intensity were a double whammy for us.  I am hoping that going into my second month with 25 minutes a day will be handled a little bit better by our bodies.

So, here are my monthly numbers:
              Total Miles | Total Time
January          52.24    |    9:25:00
February         52.01    |    8:40:07
March            74.57    |   11:30:00
April            75.59    |   12:00:16 
May              79.51    |   12:31:00
June             82.35    |   12:40:19
July             92.09    |   15:01:00

Here is a week by week breakdown:

Steve's Total Miles Logged: 92.09
Partial Week 1: 3.02
Week 2: 19.87
Week 3: 22.29
Week 4: 22.33
Week 5: 19.61
Partial Week 6: 4.54

Total Running Time: 15:01:00

Honey's Total Miles Logged: 32.28
Partial Week 1: 0.00
Week 2: 8.18
Week 3: 6.23
Week 4: 8.92
Week 5: 6.65
Partial Week 6: 4.54

Total Running Time: 6:40:00

So my overall mileage and weekly mileage were highs for this experiment.  I should have been able to push week 2 and 5 over 20 miles, but I missed them by just a little.  Two thing contributed to that.  One was that Honey ran much more this month than usual, and that decreases my mileage and the second was in week 5 I did a short long run.  Now the lower mileage because of Honey is not a knock on Honey.  This is actually a good thing in that it keeps me in check and doesn't allow me to go overboard.

I had a fewer amount of days running sub 9 min miles and only 1 day of running a sub 8 min mile.  I did do speed work almost every week, but because of the rest periods, the overall pace does not break the 8 min mark even though the faster paces broke the 7 min mark.

Honey had a great month all around.  She had a PR for her pace with a 10:47, she ran 15 days out of the month, she had the most miles of any month with 32.88 and her running time was her highest with over 6 hours.  Her biggest improvement was her daily pacing in which she had 10 days with a sub 12 min pace.  This is 2 1/2 more than in any other month! 

Now for today.  It was a slow day, and that was mainly because of me.  Honey's knees were barking, and when they hurt, she actually feels better if she runs faster.  I believe this is because her running form improves at a faster pace so the stress on her knee is less.  I was holding her back because I was sore and nursing a toe injury.  I'm fine with that though.

Here are our numbers:

Time: 25:00

Distance: 2.06 miles

Pace: 12:06/m

Max Pace: 9:21/m

Calories: 202
Avg HR: 109

Max HR: 128

Slow as molasses, but necessary.  Tomorrow will be a little better...but probably not much!  We'll see.  Until then...

Run for Life!!

Day 216, 149 To Go

August 4, 2013

Hello Sunday...nice to see you so bright and early. 

I'm lying, but I am trying to fool myself into enjoying getting up early.  For a few years, I was ok with getting up early.  I did it every day and I was away and rested.  I also went to bed at 10pm every day instead of 12 or 1am like I do now...something I can't make myself do right now.  Work in progress...

I was out there bright and early and I had a good swim with my training partners Mike and Daryll.  I like swimming, but I am always nervous swimming in the ocean (it is shark week, you know!)  I realize the chances of getting bitten, or worse, eaten by a shark are so small, I am more likely to win the lottery.  I know this.  But it is hard to rationalize fear, so, I tend to swim nervously.  I am sure this does not help my breathing.  I was able to stay relaxed most of the swim and work on my technique.  I felt free and loose in the water, so progress was made.

After the swim we went for our ride.  I felt really strong today, and that is not something I often say when I am riding.  Basically, I suck on the bike.  Today, I didn't suck.  I am usually sucking wind and trailing behind my two partners, but today I kept up and even surpassed them at times.  I don't know why, but I hope it sticks!

Here are my bike numbers with the caveat that I left my bike computer off for about 3 or 4 miles, so the total mileage is really 27 or 28.  I hate when that happens:

Time: 1:14:47

Distance: 23.98 miles

Pace: 19.23mph

Max Pace: 39.32mph

Calories: 1,480

Avg HR:135

Max HR:174

How about that top speed!  Not easy to get up that fast in Florida, but with the bridges, you do get some fun downhills.  That 174 HR was on the way up the last hill.  It was a fight to the finish with Mike to see who would get up to the top first!  He is a stronger rider than me by quite a bit, but when he passed me, I stayed on his wheel and drafted which allowed me to rest and pass him near the top of the hill.  Strategy can help you out sometimes when you fitness fails you!

After I got home, I rested most of the day and finally went out for the run with Honey on her Rollerblades at about 7:30pm.  I was tired and lazy and I knew I had a long run ahead of me, so I procrastinated a bit.  I went on this run with no pace expectations.  My goal was to take it easy so I could get through the entire 70 minutes.  Considering my physical and mental state, I think it was a good idea.

Here are my numbers:

Time: 1:10:00

Distance: 7.25 miles

Pace: 9:39/m

Max Pace: 6:52/m

Calories:683
Avg HR: 128

Max HR: 144

The pace is nothing to write home about, but I did have a 15 minute section in the middle where I stayed at an 8:30 pace.  I knew I couldn't hold this for the entire run, so I waited until I was on the way back before I pushed it a bit.  This is my target race pace for a long race, so it is important that I practice this pace, especially when I am already fatigued.

I was very fatigued after and I spent the rest of the evening resting with Honey in bed.  We were very disappointed that our cable provider, Brighthouse Networks, dropped Showtime due to negotiations breaking down over who should pay what and how much, etc.  Greedy motherfuckers cost me my Sunday night Dexter viewing!  Not happy.  They had better fix it soon!!

Until next week then...

Run for Life!!

Day 215, 150 To Go

August 3, 2013

It's been a lazy, just like I wanted.  I spent a lot of time with the babies on the floor.  I was basically lying down on the floor most of the day with babies jumping all over me.  I only got up when I had to like when Joshua or Ayla got into the oven.  They like to open it up (the bottom part) and take all the stuff out.  We try to baby proof it, but I guess because of the heat, the glue from the locks just wears off.  It is very annoying because when I am lying on the floor, I like to stay there!  Babies!!

I was really lazy all day and I didn't go for my run until about 7:30pm.  I had all day to go, but I waited until the evening.  I am a bit of a procrastinator (as you can probably tell by how late my blog usually is!)  The bottom line is, I got it done.

Now, let's continue with The 25 Golden Rules of Running from Runner's World magazine.  Today is rule #11.

11. The Carbs Rule 
For a few days before a long race, emphasize carbohydrates in your diet.

"Carbo-loading" became the marathoner's mantra after Scandinavian studies in 1967 suggested cramming down carbs following a period of carb depletion produced super-charged athletes. Experts now say simply emphasizing carbs a few days before a race over two hours works just as well.

The Exception: There's a word for carbo-loading during regular training or before a short race: gluttony.

I have, on many occasion, over carbo loaded.  I have eaten more pasta than a fat Italian man at a Sunday dinner with his lonely mama (if you are Italian, you know that is a LOT of pasta).  This has caused some GI distress the next day, but since I always carbo load 2 days before a race, I never had too many issues on race day.

This rule states that you can emphasize carbs for a few days, rather than being a gluttonous pig the day before a race and this is a good idea.  In fact, eating a lot of carbs the day before a race is never a good idea.  You don't want to eat a lot the day before the race.  You just want to eat enough to stay satisfied and you want it to be light food.  Nothing heavy or fatty or too sugary.  You should be eating more carbs three to four days before the race with an emphasis two days before.  Don't overdue it, but eat maybe a little more than you normally would.

For training, if you are doing more than a 2 hour workout, you can practice this.  Don't do this too much because you don't want to gain a lot of weight which will just slow you down.  Like one of the previous rules stated (#6) you don't want to try anything new on race day and for that matter, even a couple of days prior.  So, just as you would try out your nutrition while you train, you should try out your carbo loading technique as well.

Here are my numbers:

Time: 25:00

Distance: 2.86 miles

Pace: 8:45/m

Max Pace: 7:51/m

Calories: 296
Avg HR: 136

Max HR: 143

I didn't push today, but I felt pretty good and loose and I am ready for a hard day of training tomorrow.  I hope I have a good ride.  Wish me luck!

Run for Life!

Day 214, 151 To Go

August 2, 2013

I'm glad its Friday.  It has been a good week of running and today I feel pretty good.  I'm looking forward to some good runs on the weekend and also some time with the family to relax.  Last weekend was super busy and I am hoping this weekend will be super not busy!

Honey was back out there with me today and we ran on the golf course for the entire run.  It is so peaceful out there.  The temperature is a little bit cooler and the variety in the terrain and the up and down of the golf course makes the run go so much faster and easier.  Yes, it is technically a harder run, but you don't feel like it is.  Honey would disagree as she is not used to any hills while running at all.  I mean, it's not like there are HILLS, but there are gentle up and down slopes as you would expect on a golf course (a golf course in Florida, that is).

We'll take a look at the numbers in a little bit.  For now, let's get back to The 25 Golden Rules of Running from Runner's World magazine.  Today is rule #10.

10. The 20-Mile Rule
Build up to and run at least one 20-miler before a marathon.

"Long runs simulate the marathon, which requires lots of time on your feet," says Gina Simmering-Lanterman, director and marathon coach of the Denver Fit training program. "And knowing that you can run 20 miles helps you wrap your head around running 26.2."

The Exception: Some coaches believe experienced marathoners can get by with a longest run of 16 to 18 miles, while other coaches suggest runs up to 24 miles.

This is of course a specific rule for those training to run a marathon.  That is not everyone, but even if you think you will NEVER run a marathon, it is good to know the rule, because things change and you may change your mind.

When I trained for the ING NYC Marathon, my training plan called for 2 runs of 20 miles; both of which I did.  The first went well while the second, not so well.  I did them though.  It was important, mentally more so that physically, that I did it.  When I finished the first one I thought, "I can do it...I can run another 6 miles."  After the 2nd run, though, I didn't feel as good, but I chalked it up to the fact that it was raining the whole time and maybe I just didn't feel that good that day.

Physically, a run of this length will give you the endurance you need and the experience of running for a really long time and distance.  This is important, as you can imagine.  Mentally, as I said above, it proves to you that you can actually do it.  Some coaches will say that you shouldn't run more than a 3 hour run, even when training for a marathon, but unless you are experienced, I don't think this will work.  It all depends on how fast you run.  If you run a 10 - 12 min mile, you will only be running 15 - 18 miles.  That might not be enough, unless, as the rule says, you are experienced.

As a first time marathoner, I think the 20 mile run is an important milestone. So, if your goal is to run a marathon

Here are our numbers:

Time: 25:00

Distance: 2.22 miles

Pace: 11:17/m

Max Pace: 9:54/m

Calories: 211
Avg HR: 113

Max HR: 121

The time was a little slower than our previous run, but considering the more difficult terrain, it wasn't too bad.  Honey is rockin' it!  Until next run...

Run for Life!