Runnin' in Mud...

1st race since injuring my abdominal wall during PT. I knew that my fitness was way down, but I set my 5k PR in this race last year. Having done no speedwork in my 6 weeks back, I had no idea what to expect. I secretly told myself that anything around 19:30 would be okay. I ended up running 19:14 and beating my local age group rival. Sure, I was off my PR by :29, but I am shooting for sub 19:00 in one month.

6 easy miles - nothing special.  I wanted to see how the legs felt after the 5k race last night.  No soreness or anything and I am surprised by that.  I feel energized by racing again and want to set my sights on a fast time (for me) a month from now.

Legs a bit flat today, as I have a little fatigue in them.  Again, just trudging along in this Memphis heat.  It was 88F when I ran.

This started off as a tempo run of only 3 miles.  The first mile was a warm up and then I was supposed to hit 7:05-7:10 for 3 miles.  I got to 3 miles and decided to do another because I felt good.  When I reached 4 miles at tempo pace, I slowed a bit to recover for the remaining mile.  After 100m, I picked it back up for a total of 5 miles @ tempo pace.  This was a confidence booster for me.  I never struggled and felt great.  I wore some new racing flats (Nike Vaporfly) and I really like them.  They are quite light (~5.5 oz), but don't have the typical feel of a flat (i.e. low heel).  They feel like you are running on sponges.

I almost bagged this run, but since my revitalization following my June 1st 5k, I decided not to.  A thunderstorm rolled in quickly, which cooled the temps from 89F to 78F.  The humidity/steam was a killer.  This was just "puttin' in the miles" kinda run.  I daydreamed for 4 miles or so and it was over before I knew it.  The new baby will arrive on Aug. 8th, which is right about the time that I will start my official St. Jude marathon training.  Of course, I will be building up prior to that, but that's when the official 16 week countdown begins.  Sleepless nights and marathon training may not go hand in hand.  We will wait and see.  

For some reason, I am wiped out and thus  - no run.  During my time off from running, I managed to pick up a few pounds.  I am ~6 pounds heavier than normal and would like to slowly get that off before my 5k race in July.  I am not purposely dieting, but rather trying to make wiser food choices and not eat out of boredom.  Perhaps, the lack the calories has led to me feeling "wiped out."  I also think that my 6 mile run on Mon. @ 7:10 avg pace got to me.  Tomorrow is a new day!

I had worked diligently at work to come home early and get at least in 7-8 miles before heading out for a child's birthday party.  Here comes life...  I had forgotten about the cable guy coming.  He came and went, but my time had dwindled to barely 40 min. of running before heading off to Chuck E. Cheese Pizza for the birthday party.  What to do?  5 miles in the steamy afternoon heat (93F) - nice!  I am still regaining fitness from my time off, but this heat is making it tough.  Generally, I am a morning person, but sleeping in until 6:30 a.m. is becoming a habit for me.  Summer is here!  5 miles in 38:21/7:40 pace.

Just learned that the in-laws are coming in on June 23rd, which coincides with a 10k race that I was going to do as a workout.  Hmmm...What a dilemma!  Heck, they can come watch - they'll need the fresh hot/humid air after being on that stuffy airplane.  Will keep you posted.      

I am not really running by a "plan" yet. I'm trying to regain lost fitness with a possible 5k in early July. I usually try to do some type of tempo run around 5k pace + :50 or so. The long runs are coming along, but are still only 8-10 miles in length. This run was actually my "long run" for the week. Nothing special - I run along rural roads in Arlington, TN. and it is not unusual to see skunks, squirrels, deer, snakes, turtles, and coyote. It scares my wife when I tell her that I watch a 6ft snake cross the road. There are too many off road rails around here, so that requires me to travel a bit if I want the soft terrain.

Pheww...8 miles yesterday and now 7 today.  My legs feel pretty good.  I just wanted to get out in the morning before the heat arrived.  As a previous entry noted that 8 miles is now my long run, I wasn't too sure what to expect from the legs today.  They, apparently, are adapting to the slow increase in mileage.  I would like to very soon be avg. 50 mpw like I used to.  I have a track workout planned for tomorrow.  I will have to do it after Church and lunch, so it will be H O T! 

Yeah, it was hot...92F, but not much humidity.  Here in the south, it can be 95F or so in the summer, but with only 30-40%, it feels quite comfortable.  July and August usually bring about humidity ranges in the 90%, especially in the morning hours.  Those are survivial runs.

The workout started off with 4x1000m and then some faster/shorter stuff.  I felt VERY strong, I decided to to 6x1000m w/1:00 rec. and then ran 4x400m @ ~mile race pace.  I know that I should not always kill myself in workouts, but I could have done much more.  This boosted my confidence, as I know my fitness is coming along.  By the way, I hit 40mpw for the first time in about 6 months. 

This was one of those days that I had to make myself get out of the door.  I made a deal with myself that if after 1 mile, I didn't feel great, that I could come back home.  Needless to say, after .25 warmup out of our neighborhood, things were "normal."  I have a goal to try to run everyday.  I am building up to some, hopefully, of the highest mileage I have ever run this Summer, so I need to keep the easy days - easy!  I have a tendency to rush some of my easy days because I have something else to do or somewhere else to be.  Mile 1 was a bit quick, so I intentionally backed way off and tried to stay as close to 8:00 pace throughout.  What pacing  - 5 miles in 39:59.77. 

Yardwork does not count toward mileage, does it?   

Just trudging along in the heat.  Lots to do after this run and not much to say.  Everything is feeling good.  Tempo run in the a.m. tomorrow.  We'll see what the world looks like again at 5:00 a.m.

As I stated in a previous post, I am basically just basebuilding/regaining fitness after an injury (I hate that word)!  I am not following any specific plan, but running by feel.  Mentally, I have a schedule in my head that I would like to follow, but have freedom to strike the schedule if I feel the need.  I did awake in the morning rather early to run (5:00 a.m.).  My body was stiffer than normal, so I decided to arrange my work schedule to run in the afternoon.  Bad decision, as the a.m. produced a temperature of ~66F, while 3:00 p.m. brought about 91F.  Needless to say, the tempo run got nixed, but I ran a really hilly course and pushed the uphill portions, sometimes even repeating the hills that I encountered.  I feel the workout in my legs today.  I estimate that I was pushing the uphill portion at ~6:40 pace or so.

In the past, if I had a tough workout scheduled, I would make SURE that I did it that day, even if I didn't feel so good.  A good friend and 2:30 marathoner advised me to run more by feel and take the easy days - easy!  The approach seems to be working, as my running seems fun again!

On another note, our previous Church in Tennessee (Germantown Baptist Church) sponsored two of our friends to be missionaries in Eldoret, Kenya.  They came over for dinner last night and brought me a book, Run to Win - The training secrets of the Kenyan Runner.  It was written by Jurg Wirz.  Also, they had previously asked for clothing donations, etc.  They know that I run and have somewhat of a shoe fetish.  In the past year, I have sent them ~15 pair of Nike running shoes.  Sure, they have a few miles on them, but appear to be brand new and the children who have nothing think they are the greatest gifts ever.  Imagine, I am providing (possible) Olympians/Nat. Champs with running shoes at an early age.  Wow!  Our friends operate an orphanage and are opening two schools in the near future.  Observing photographs and hearing stories about life in Kenya really makes me appreciate just how good the majority of us here in the U.S. have it.  Be thankful!

P.S. I hope that the reading of the book will produce some new PR's.  If so, I will happily share said secrets!  Run Well!   

Big fat zero today.  I was fine, but my wife, who is pregnant, was not.  Over the past few years, she has had a few kidney stones.  Thursday morning was pretty painful for her and later, she found herself in the ER with such terrible pain.  I left work early to help with our child while my wife was bedridden.  I could not work up the courage to say, "Honey, you mind if I go out for a quick run?"  I didn't want to take risk, especially with Father's Day right around the corner.  I do have a cheap treadmill upstairs, but dreaded the thought of pounding out a few miles on it.   

Just some easy miles here on my hilly course.  I pushed a few of the hills, but remembered that this was an easy day and backed off.  I have a track workout planned tomorrow.

Due to our schedule, I snuck this one in the afternoon at 2:30 p.m.  Yes, it was 94F out and felt even hotter on the track.  I am VERY diligent about my hydration and making sure that I don't over exert myself.  I had planned to do 6x1000m @ CV pace w/1:00 rec.  Every other repeat left me 200m from my previous starting point (drinks/towel).  Sure, I could have cut my repeats to 800m and finished where I had started, but I decided to lengthen each repeat to 1200m - hmmm!  Everything was clicking and I felt strong, despite the heat.  I finished the workout off with 6x200m at mile race pace.  I have also, tentatively, planned to run a 5k on 6/23.  It is on a hilly course and it will be hot and humid.  I am using as a training run for my goal 5k race on 07/03.   

9.25 miles in early morning hours before Church.  A friend of mine that I introduced to running moved 1.25 miles away from me.  I hope to utilize him for easier runs, etc.  It was nice having some company, as I do 99% of my runs solo.  I ran 4.5 prior to meeting up with him and then added some afterwards.  The heat really drained me and there wasn't a dry spot on me.  I know this really isn't high mileage, but I have put together back-to-back weeks of almost 39mpw.  This past week, I even had a day off.  Things seem to be coming together and I feel myself getting stronger and faster.   

We were having computer issues at home and my wife sells real estate.  Bottom line: She needed computer/internet access more than I needed to run.  Once, I got finished with Comcast at 8:00 p.m., I was mentally drained and could not force myself to run on the dreadmill. 

Got off of work later than normal and then to Dad's birthday party.  We ate lasgna, cake, etc. and once home, I did not feel like running.  My legs have felt pretty "beat up" as of late.  I took yesterday off and took another zero today.  I had scheduled a recovery week, but did not anticipate two days off in a row.  No stress here - I'm not training for anything as of now.  5k this weekend in the heat!  The in-laws are coming in on Thursday!  Does life get any better?

As the last two days have result in "things" getting in the way of my running, I decided to run at 5:00 a.m.  It is amazing how tight I am in the morning.  I felt like I was flying, but later realized that I was flying at an 8:15 pace!  I ran to my friend's house who just moved on my way.  It is really nice to run with someone on the easy days.  He is a bit slower than me, so it keeps me from running too fast.  The time flew by and I sped up a bit when I finished the last 1.25 by myself.  I contemplated a 2nd PM run, but I am truly feeling a bit "beat up" in the leg department.  It may be from my increase in mileage the last few weeks or from me running on hard surfaces too much while increasing my mileage.  I gotta find some trails to run on.

There is a 10k/5k this weekend, but I have decided against the 10k as a training run and will race the 5k.  I don't expect too much, as the course is rolling and the heat (probably already 80F at 8:00 a.m. with high humidity) will both be factors.  In my last 5k, I felt that I coasted too much the final two miles.  I was never passed in the race and continued to work my way up, but I did not run "tough."  It was my first 5k in many months and, I guess, I didn't want to feel that much pain my first 5k back after the injury.  I really am hard on myself when I don't leave it all out on the course.