Positive Running

Ran 2.5 miles on the TM in 19:30 (7:48/mile).  The ran with Wesley from downtown Little Rock to the Big Dam Bridge on the south side of the Aransas River, then back downtown on the north side of the Arkansas River with a little additional half-mile through Burns Park.  Distance running around Little Rock on a beautiful day (sunny day with temps in the low 70s) was 14.5 miles.  Total miles of running on the TM and outdoors were 16.75 (7:47/mile pace) but we walk about 0.25 miles because I ran out of energy.  I needed an extra gel that I thought I had packed but didn't.  Fortunately Wesley was a great sport and very patient about the walking.  I think I ran out of gas because I ran 18+ miles on Wed and have logged a substantial number of miles in the past two months.

Wesley is recovering very well from the Arkansas Traveller 100.

Ran 18 miles with Steve, 14 miles with Wesley and Steve from Two Rivers Parking lot to the cliffs north of the Arkansas River and back to the parking lot.  It was a cool sunny morning starting at 39 degrees and finishing at 58 degrees with very little wind.  A perfect morning for running.  The pace was easy running the first 7 miles in 55 minutes.  Steve ran the Soaring Wings half-marathon last Saturday in 1:31 and strained his groin muscles in the process.  So we slowed down on the way back to the parking lot and then over into the Two Rivers Park.  Wesley finished at 14 miles, and Steve and I finished the 18 miles at an average pace of 8:17/mile.

On a nice 75 degree evening, joined a co-worker in The Woodlands with a large running group to do speed work around a nice Jr. High School track. Ran 2.75 miles for the combined warm-up and cool-down at around 8:30/mile.  Ran 6X800, 5 at 3:17 to 3:24 and the 2nd 800 at 3:30 because I was testing to check that my hamstring was OK after running the 1st 800 in 3:17.  I was wearing high milage NB 890v3 shoes, which didn't help my times.  Between each 800, ran for 2 mins. at a 9:30/mile jog.  Then ran 6X200 at 36 to 42 secs, with 6X200 cool down jogs at 9:30/mile.  My right leg hamstring is a little tight from running the 1st 800 too fast before my body had fully warmed up.  Unlike the others who do speed work each week, I've been focused on endurance and should have realized that I needed an extra mile to warm up.

At 4:45 a.m. on a 42 degree morning in The Woodlands, ran 8.2 miles in 1:06:23 (8:05/mile) along  Flint Hill which the Locals consider to be a hill, but it probably has no more than a 1 - 1.5% incline.  Ran with a co-worker and another runner, both of whom run at about my pace.  This was planned as a moderate to slow run and we held to that.  Fun run and a great way to start the morning.

On a beautiful sunny day with a moderate wind from the east, ran 14.25 miles with Wesley at a pace of 7:42/mile.  Ran from downtown to the Big Dam Bridge(BDB) on the south side the the Arkansas River.  Crossed the BDB, and ran back to downtown on the north side of the river.  My right hamstring is still very tight from the speed work I did on Tuesday night in The Woodlands.  I need to go easy on it for a couple of weeks before the White River Marathon.  I would have run faster, but I didn't want to strain that hamstring.  I ran with some new NB 890v3, which worked great.

Wesley is running very strong and is nearly fully recovered from his 100-mile run in early October.

Ran part of the 3B26 Marathon pre-run on a nice overcast morning with temps in the low-50s.  Ran 13.01 miles in 1:47:25 (8:16 pace).  Mile 3 and 13 were at 7:53 and 7:46 respectively, otherwise stayed consistent with the pace between 8:15 and 8:30.  My right hamstring is very sore from speed training last Tuesday night.  I have the White River Marathon scheduled on Nov 23rd, in less than two weeks.  I think I'll take off the remainder of this week from running and just work out on the stationary bike and elliptical machine.  I'll probably limit my running to about 20 miles between now and the marathon.

12 miles with Wesley on the Arkansas River Trail on a cloudy day in the low-50's with about an 8 mph wind from the east. Pace ranged from 7:37 (mile 1) to 7:57, with an average pace of 7:50.  Just wanted to run an easy marathon pace, which we did.  I'm doing a lot of cross-training as I reduce my running miles to taper for the White River Marathon on Nov. 23.

Ran 6.2 miles on the TM in 47:45 (7:52/mile).  Ran the first 2-miles in 17 minutes, then ran the next 4.2 miles in 30:45 (7:32/mile).  Just wanted a short easy run to stay loose while i continue to taper for the White Rock Marathon on Saturday.

Ran 6.5 miles.  Warmed up with an 8:28 first mile, then ran at a 7:35 pace for 5 miles. Then cooled down for 0.5 mile at an 8:34 pace.  Just an easy pre-marathon run.

On a cold and windy morning, ran the White River Marathon.  The good news is that I qualified for Boston and have several ideas to improve my performance.  Ran the first half marathon in 1:42, but did not drink enough fluids in the the first 13 miles.  By mile 16, I started to have calf cramps.  Through drinking Gatorade and taking Endurolytes, I managed to maintain a slower pace through the end of the race while managing the calf cramps.  But, otherwise I felt great and had plenty of energy.

I'll try changing my marathon process as follows:  (a) stop taking antithisamines for the 3 days before a marathon since they cause dehydration, (b) drink Gatorade that is at room temperature because the cold fluid takes longer to absorb into the blood stream, and  (c) average approximately 1.5 ounces of fluids for every mile running, ensuring that I meet that average with every 4-miles .

This was the first of 3-marathons in 4-months.  It was a good training run, and I think I learned a few things.

Ran 10.1 miles in 81:58 on the TM for a recovery run.  Ran the first mile in 8:52 and the next 9.1 in 73:06 (8:03/mile).  It is a cold and rainy day in Little Rock, so having only two working treadmills in our gym is not enough.  An that's a bad thing and a good thing.  Good because the TMs are getting used.  Bad when someone has to wait to get their turn on a TM.  A third TM can be made to work with some tinkering.  So I think I'll send an email to gym management.

Ran 10.4 miles on the TM. First mile in 8:28. Next 9.4 miles at a 7:53/mile pace. Recovering well and feel strong.

Ran 6 miles up and down the steep hills around Black Swan Lake in 30 degree weather this morning.  The sun was out, so it was cold but still nice for running.  People here in Kansas City are very nice, waving as I run past them and probably thinking I'm a bit extreme to be running in this weather.

Ran 10.4 miles with Mike on a beautiful trail in Shawnee Mission Park.  Averaged an 8:34/mile pace up and down a couple of steep hills and several rolling hills.  Mike ran the White River Marathon last week in 3:30:24, so this was a recovery run for each of us.  Mike has some tightness in his left leg and I have some tightness in my left tibia.  The easy miles helped to loosen up our legs, and we each finished strong.

Overall, I feel very good and Mike is recovering well.  I think the 55 - 65 mile weeks of running really helped me to recover.

Ran 7.1 miles with Mike along the Turkey Creek Trail in 59:22 (8:21/mile).  A good recovery run pace along a pretty trail.  I need to rotate to a different pair of running shoe; ran in Saucony Cortana 2's yesterday and today. My left leg continues to be tight around the tibia.  Mike is recovering well and has a half-marathon next Saturday.  There are some nice trails around Johnson County, and I want to check them out as I return to Shawnee, KS.