Oops

227.2

A little too much of a rest day!

My Best Workout of the Year....

....was this race, which I ran yesterday:

http://www.mainetrackclub.com/pinelandfarms.html

I'm not proud of my race result but it was a great event and I'm pleased with the day. I ran 2:25:58. My splits were:

27:53 Ave HR = 113

29:58 124

28:41 124

27:16 129

32:08 135

I think (and more credibly others I spoke with) that the 4th split was short and the 5th long. The race was extremely well organized, the weather perfect, the food, beer, and entertainment great! I'm sore all over today but nothing specific. I'm confident I'll be able to have a regular training week and will be fitter for having run this. I'll do this event next year. I've posted a few photos that attempt to capture the spirit of the day. The course is more woods than fields and really better suited for deer than humans. #48 is my brother-in-law, Unca Phil, who completed the 50K and earned his second cow bell.

Fat and Happy....

....before the torture test. I'll report in on the results after the event.

How fat?

226.2

RHR = 42

I'm caffeinated and hydrated and ready to go. Daughter Kim and her little man, Albert (above), are going with me and she'll drive home. I'll enjoy the free beer (microbrewed by Gritty McDuff) after the run knowing I don't have to drive. There is one flaw with this plan: she doesn't know how to drive the car we are taking (her car) because it's a standard transmission. It seems like the perfect time to learn.

VO2 Mini-Max

221.4

RHR = 38

This posting reflects my workout on Wednesday, May 23, not the 24th (I don't know how to blog back in time).

I met Jim T. at the track for a VO2 Max workout. He ran 4 X 1K plus 800m. I ran 6 X 800m. I was concerned about tired legs going in--I'd run LR2 the day before (that, couple with the fact that Jim is faster than I am, was the reason for 800s rather than 1Ks). The workout went well although I had been and still am dealing with some low, low back pain. I've decided to take 3 rest days in advance of the 25K trail torture test on Sunday. The workout:

13.5K in 1:12:39

Run to/from the track plus:

6 X 800m in 3:12 (4:00/K pace) with 2:45 recovery between intervals. A solid workout.

Foolish Consistency is the Hobgoblin....

.......of simple minds. or something like that, according to Ralph Waldo Emerson. But, it's generally a good thing in running and training. Consistency, that is. So, I ran my LR2 this morning, the exact same course that I ran one week ago. I clicked my watch when I started and again when I finished. This week I was 2 seconds faster than last week.

17.5K in 1:32:19, Ave HR = 126.

other stuff:

222.0

RHR = 38

The Long Run

223.2

RHR = 38

Tough! 25K in 2:12:22. Longer and at a faster pace than 2 weeks ago (same course with an extra Mackworth lap). I'm beat.

Cold and Raw Recovery

220.6

A gentle-paced 10K in 55:39 this morning. The weather was not Spring-like, it was a cold and occasionally hard rain in about 40 degrees F. I was happy when I finished. The legs feel good although my hammies are a bit tight. I may run short and slow tomorrow in advance of Sunday's 25K.

Quality

220.0

RHR = 40

A very nice workout today. 16K total in 1:24:49.

The workout was essentially 3 laps around the Boulevard course (3.55 miles or 5.72K per lap). I stopped at the 3 mile mark on the last lap and walked in. I had a sore and getting sorer hip I didn't want to aggravate and the hard work was done.

The middle lap we did at AT:

5.72 K in 26:34 with HR at 143-144 throughout. A good, hard threshold workout.

I'll run 10-12 recovery Ks tomorrow, take a rest day Saturday, then get in 25K on Sunday, to go north of 70 for the week.

A Solid LR2

227.6

We'll call it 17.5K in 1:32:21, with Ave HR = 120. This is the Beach to Bug Light out-and-back course. I ran the back a little faster than the out and felt pretty good throughout. The marked mile in So. Portland I ran in 8:02 on the out and 8:01 on the back, so I feel pretty good about assuming 8:30 pace throughout (I'm estimating the distance).

A Lot of Work To Do

227.6

RHR = 45

Ouch! That's a terrible weigh in. I need to re-assess my weekend alcohol consumption plan. My Sunday beer (on top of mimosas that degraded to a mere hint of OJ) lead top some wretched eating decisions.

I have a long way to go to get to my 42:00 BtB goal, and I definitely won't get there unless I lose more weight.

Race Day!

223.4

RHR = 44

I ran 21:39. I was disappointed in my time but felt that my effort was strong. The uphill second mile hurt me. I ran a 6:45 first mile (my goal pace) but slowed to 7:15 for mile two. I didn't find the 6:45 again and was also unable to pick up the pace when the finish line was in sight. The race was well organized and fun, I'll do it again.

With warm-up I ran 9K on the day, which gave me 47.7K for the week. Call the week a "B". The Wednesday track session and the race were the highlights.

Wimpy Run

222.8

RHR = 40

For an LR2 but I seem to have booted whatever was ailing me. We'll call it 12K in 1:04:30, Ave HR = 128 (hmmm, that's high, maybe I haven't booted this).

A Little Sick

220.0

RHR = 44

I'm a little under the weather--feverish, and suffering from some stomach distress. A disadvantage of my no alcohol during the week policy is that these minor bugs would've been wiped out by a dose of properly fermented hops. Oh well, I'll take a rest day today and hopefully be good to go tomorrow.

Fitzpatrick Stadium

222.4

RHR = 40

A good session, with ever so slight improvement in both distance and speed over the workout 2 weeks ago.

13K total in 1:08:58 with avergae HR at 123.

5 X 1K in 4:04; 3 random audits at the 600m mark of HR indicated that it was right where it should be: 152. Ave HR for the 5 intervals was 145.

I am feeling optimistic for a sub-21:00 race on Sunday.

Race Week

225.6

RHR = 38

A bit of a jumbled schedule this week, with a 5K race on Sunday. I need to run under 21:00, then pick up another minute during the resst of May and June (I'll race 5K again at the end of June). That'll put me in a good place in terms of achieving my BtB goal.

13.7K run in 1:15:09.

Gym day

224.4

A Solid Long Run

223.0

22.5K in 2:01:13. Double lollypop with 2 Mackworth laps. I felt good throughout and fininshed strong.

For the week:

A "C". I missed a gym workout and gained weight over the weekend. The running went well, I dropped a workout but 4 runs seems to be more realistic than 5.

63K running

1 Gym workout

218.8

Rest Day

222.2

RHR = 39

I overslept and I am overly tired. Time for a day of from running.

Need to "Tweak"?

221.6

RHR = 38

LR2. 16.5K in 1:29:14. Ave HR = 115.

I think I need to move this run to a day when my legs were fresher. I ran to Bug Light and back and ran the "back", when I should be speeding up, slower than the "out". I don't think (not sure) that I can adapt to the workload, I think I need an easy day between my track session and this workout. Nonetheless, I was pleased with the workout and am feeling good about the week.

Tempo

222.8

RHR = 36

14K in 1:11:18 with 2 X 2 miles in 14:24 and 14:26. I rested for 2 minutes between the work bits. Very good workout. HR at 136 to 138. maybe I should've run a little faster. I ran these at the same pace I ran my last tempo run but these were further (8 laps each versus 6 laps). In two weeks the tempo bit will be a full Back Cove lap (3.5 miles), if I can talk my training partners into it.

Tomorrow's a tough one: LR2 solo (just me and my iPod) on tired legs.

Gym Day

222.8

RHR = 38

Did my full gym routine. My legs will be ready for the track tomorrow. I just need to get up in time!