Getting closer…

Previous Posts

I ran the Bears of Blue River 10k for 3 years and actually won money all but one, it helped that there was a 5k going on at the same time! Last year I set a new half-marathon PR at the Rochester Half-Marathon.  The on-going genocide in the Darfur region of Sudan was the focus of my World Vision post. Foto Friday was from the Rochester race with a funny guy standing in front of Team MDRA.

Last Year’s Mileage

Run: 49.5 Miles
Bike: 32.5 Miles
Swim: 300 Yards

This Week’s Training

I’m just going to say from the outset that I was a little lazy this week on my non-running days. In part because work is starting back up and I’m not quite used to the routine of working out before work and getting up in time. I work at a school so I need to get back into that routine and figure out how much time it actually takes to go to the gym. The students come back on Sept 1, so that is exciting. My laptop’s power cord is broken too so I haven’t synced my Garmin for over a week either, so that’s why Running Ahead is showing a bunch of 0’s. Monday was our first staff meeting. Tuesday we did a progression run starting from the University of St Thomas. Basically we did 4 miles out at Marathon Pace and then 2 miles at half marathon pace followed by 2 miles at 10k pace (up some tough hills). My paces weren’t exactly where they should have been but it was a great workout. It was 80 and sunny. The first 4 miles were something like 7:45 pace then I dropped to 7:27 and 7:26 respectively. I’m not sure what my pace was before I hit the hills, but given where I’m at in training I think that was an excellent workout. Wednesday was a district wide staff meeting (aka snooze fest). Thursday morning I felt pretty lethargic still and ran 4.5 miles on my downtown loop. It was 60, humid, and sunny but a pretty nice day. In the evening was our annual open house at school. Friday I just lounged around the house, I told you I was feeling lazy!

Saturday made up for that. I ran 15.6 miles with the group on the marathon course. We started at the finish line and ran out 10 miles and then back (they did 20-22). I planned ahead and left a bike on the St Thomas campus (but didn’t actually check the mileage – I should have been closer to 14 than 16). Also, if I had really planned ahead I would have realized that it would have been just as easy to run home as it was to run to my bike and still got the distance. I hung with the group for at least 12 miles. We saw Meb Keflezighi running down West River Road – he was looking really smooth and said “hi” to me first. I actually didn’t recognize him. It was a perfect morning for a long run – 52 at the start and alternating between sunny and cloudy with a slight breeze. I ran it in 2:04:08 which is 7:55 pace.

Sunday was the Minnesota State Fair and lots of random items either deep fried or on a stick. With another couple we split 64oz of fresh cut French Fries and a large cone of delicious Sweet Martha’s Cookies. Also ate half a corn on the cob. Yummy!

This Week’s Mileage

Run: 28 miles

A beautiful week for running and a step-back week.

Previous Posts

While I was living in Indiana I ran the Pop Weaver 5k every year.  The best part was the free popcorn – which lasts forever! Did you know that Caffeine is illegal for Olympic competition? Well, at least large quantities.  During last year’s training I completed and reflected upon my farthest distance (at the time) ever – a 20 miler.  While in Ghana in 2004 I was only able to squeeze in a few runs, you’ll have to read the post to see why. Twitter is hugely popular, last year I tried to get the running community to coalesce around a single hashtag “runlog” to tweet about their daily run – some have adopted it. Foto Friday is from one of our trips to Gooseberry Falls.

Last Year’s Mileage

Run: 32.1 Miles
Bike: 53.4 Miles

This Week’s Training

On Monday I had scheduled a massage as part of my plan to get rid of plantar fasciitis.  So I went to the YWCA before hand and swam 500 meters, without too much of a break.  The Uptown YWCA pool is in meters and is shallower overall, but it seems easier to swim there than at the Midtown which is in yards and is much deeper. Anyone know how pool depth impacts swimming?  After the swim  I got one of the most painful massages ever.  She was pretty much using only her forearm to break up the knots in my legs.  Afterwards everything felt much looser and better.  She commented that she wasn’t able to break up all the knots in my quads and that my IT bands were still really tight.

Tuesday night’s group run was around Lake Calhoun and Lake Harriet.  We were scheduled to do a marathon pace workout, but I was just planning to get the 8-10 miles in.  Our little tail-fin group formed again and we did the warm-up and then slowly picked up the pace during the first 2 mile segment.  The first 2.03 miles was in 15:07 – 7:27 pace.  After a short break we did the second 1.98 mile segment in 15:00 – 7:35 pace.  Another short break (I was starting to get tired) and we finished the last 1.94 mile segment in 14:23 – 7:26 pace.  We were pushing the pace at the end of the last one and then I struggled through the cooldown for a total workout of 8.5 miles in 1:05.  I was surprised at how good I felt for most of the run.

On Wednesday I went back to the pool – this time Midtown – and swam 300 yards at an easier pace. I had to share my lane and ended up having to deal with the waves the dude was shoving at me while we swam.

Thursday morning I went to the Sibley trail. I decided to check out the trails off to the north.  They were narrower and disappeared about 0.8 of a mile in.  On the way back I took a different trail which ended in the middle of the woods so I cut straight through towards the river.  With a nice warm-up I went out for another mile and a half or so doing a true fartlek along the way.  I picked points ahead of me and picked up the pace to them.  I probably did 7 or 8 pickups.  Again I felt pretty good out there.  It was 63 and humid and I did a total of 5 miles in 42:55 (including some of the bush whacking).

Friday I was a lazy bum.

Saturday‘s group run was to be an easy out and back along the marathon course from the Nokomis Community Center.  It was a nice run, using the torn up River Road trails but when we turned around at the Franklin bridge the pace started picking up.  Before the final water stop we were hitting 7 minute pace and my legs are quite used to that kind of pace for any distance and I just couldn’t hang on anymore.  I ran the last 3 miles by myself.  I worked on keeping my form as good as possible.  The total work out was 10 miles in 1:21 on a gorgeous – 53 degree morning.

On Sunday we helped a friend move out of her house, so that was a good weight lifting workout!

This Week’s Mileage

Run: 23.7 Miles
Swim: 846 Yards

Steady as she goes – making progress.

Previous Posts

Due to travelling and my current running I didn’t run the MDRA 15k this year, but here are my thoughts on last year’s race. As part of my World Vision series I wrote about their financial capabilities. We all yearn for the Olypmics and the hype and greatness that they often bring.  Last year was the summer Olympics.  I reflected on the opening ceremony. Foto Friday was of Kirk running the MDRA 15k.

Last Year’s Mileage

Run: 40.0 Miles
Bike: 52.2 Miles
Swim: 400 Yards

This Week’s Training

We finished traveling on Monday arriving home in time for a meeting and tutoring English.  Pez, one of my good friends from college was in town this week for a work-related training and then a few days vacation. On Tuesday he joined me for the Tuesday night workout with the MDRA training group.  The run was a 10 mile marathon pace workout.  Two mile warm-up, then a mile at faster than marathon pace, followed by a mile at marathon pace, and repeat.  My friend did an excellent job.  I was stupid!  I decided to go for the full 10 miles (my longest being 8 this cycle) and started off with the group on the first hard mile. Let’s just say it didn’t go very well from then on.  I quickly got dropped and was really struggling.  I stopped trying to pick up the pace.  With 3 miles to go I waited at the water stop for the next pace group to finish their drinks and tried running with them – didn’t work so well.  It was a brutal run and I was wiped out.  It was 84 and pretty humid.  As my form deteoriated in the last few miles my foot started hurting worse and worse, but felt ok the next day. Wednesday I opted for a swim doing 300 yards.  It was my first time in awhile.  On Thursday Pez and I ran at Pike Island, where we saw 4 deer and only 2 other people and their dog on the actual island.  By the time we got out in the afternoon it was 84 and humid.  At the end of the run it started sprinkling.  It was a good run, but I felt like our pace was faster than what the watch showed – 4 miles in 31:47.  Pez also managed to lock us out of the house.  No running on Friday.  Saturday morning was to be the first 20 miler of the training cycle.  Pez opted to do the whole thing and did great.  We thought ahead and given my current mileage we dropped a car off near the turn around spot of the out and back run.  I ended up running 11 miles at an easy pace with the “tailfin” group of 4. It was 72 and humid for the run that took 1:34 to complete.  I enjoyed a nice dip in Lake Calhoun afterwards.  With my mileage bump as planned I didn’t run on Sunday.

This Week’s Mileage

Run: 24.9 Miles
Bike: 5.0 Miles
Swim: 300 Yards

Slow, but I got some good miles in.

Previous Posts

Most of us don’t plan to ruin our next race, but we often do.  I shared some of my mistakes along with a list of ways to ruin your next race.   It has been a cool summer here in Minnesota, but when it does get hot again here are some ways to stay safe in the heat.  Learn why I care about World Vision and dedicated my marathon to supporting their good work.  By now you’ve surely heard about Twitter, but when I wrote this post it was still a small, yet growing community.  Foto Friday was me, grinding out the finish at last year’s Hennepin Lakes Classic 10k (review). I’m not racing hardly at all right now, so I’ll miss it.

Last Year’s Mileage

Run: 27.8 Miles

Bike: 23.5 Miles

This Year’s Running

Monday was an easy 3 miles from my Dad’s house, down a mostly gravel road in a camping area and then back down a service road next to some train tracks. It was 58, sunny and humid – especially in between two corn fields (with the corn way taller than me). After running 2 days in a row I took Tuesday off. We enjoyed quality time with the family. On Wednesday I took the service road I discovered and ran a loop around a lake before following the train tracks out about 3 miles and then running back through Snyder Park. It was 6 miles in 49 minutes. It was 67, sunny and humid again. At least 1/3 of this run was on the rocky flat area next to the tracks. Another rest day on Thursday, now with the in-laws in Indianapolis. On Friday I ran 8 miles at Fort Harrison State Park. It was 61 when I started and 71 when I finished the trails. It is $7 for non-resident vehicles. I usually run from the house and jump the fence, but I wanted to make the run shorter and on trails so I parked near the “gate” and jumped the fence. The hills aggravated my foot a little bit, but I enjoyed being on the trails. I thought I got caught jumping the fence, but it turned out to be an outside vendor. The horse trails were closed so I had to do the shorter hiking loop. Saturday I ran an easy 3.38 miles from the in-law’s house.  I basically ran around their housing development.  It was pretty much all on roads/sidewalks but I thought that’d be better than lots of hills at the state park again.  I had to run a few hills but nothing major.  It was 68, sunny and humid (notice a theme here?).   Mostly a pretty boring run.  Sunday was a travel day, plus I already got my mileage where I wanted it.

This Year’s Mileage

Running – 20.4 miles

Sometimes stronger, sometimes utter destruction.

Previous Posts

I reviewed Blaine Moore’s Comprehensive Guide to Marathon Preparation and Recovery.  I should probably look for it and give it a second read.  Africa has many things going for it, including its natural beauty.  I started (twice) the 100 Pushup Challenge but never made it.  Foto Friday was of a Superior Hiking Trail sign from vacation.  Last year I did a monthly highlight post.  Which do you like better monthly or weekly?

Last Year’s Mileage

Run: 26.0 Miles
Bike: 37.0 Miles

This Year’s Training

Monday was a scheduled rest day.  Due to some meetings I even drove to work!  Tuesday was a group training workout on a 0.75 mile loop in the Tangletown neighborhood of Minneapolis. We ran 3 hills in this loop.  I did 3 loops while most everyone else did 4 or 5.  They wore me out and I didn’t want to push too hard on my first hill workout back.  With the foot taped it felt pretty good.  Below is the elevation chart.   And if you insist here are my 3 times 5:48, 6:10, 6:03 for a total of 6.5 miles in 52:39.

On Wednesday I had a 7:30 meeting and then an evaluation appointment with a physical therapist at the Institute of Athletic Medicine.  The appointment proved that I do indeed have Plantar Faciitis and also some muscle imbalance, especially in my pelvis.  So I learned some exercises to work on strengthening the weak muscles, which should help my foot as well as using an ultrasound on my foot.  When I woke up on Thursday I actually felt very tired still, yet I couldn’t (physically) fall back asleep.  So I got up and did some yoga and my physical therapy exercises.  They are surprisingly tough.  The plan is to strengthen the muscles supporting my pelvis, which will “fix” my left leg and make it work properly.  With the amount of tiredness I felt, I opted to not run.  Ugh another 0 in the book.

I had a finite window of time, on Friday, between waking up (finally feeling refreshed) and a breakfast meeting.  It was plenty of time to get an easy 6 miles or so in, so I started off planning to do the Minneapolis Riverfront loop on a pretty nice morning (55, sunny, and humid).  I hadn’t done it in awhile, so I thought what the heck.  I felt terrible right off the bat. My foot hurt really bad and I felt sluggish (as often occurs after a few days of not running).  My foot pain slowly diminished and I felt a little better as I started running along the river road.  There are several options to shorten the run – which I should have taken.  Each time I thought, I can make it, just a little further.   I walked for the first time at 3.5 miles.  I had no energy, my legs were tired, and I felt pretty blah.  I walked for a little bit, got some water, and started running again.  I felt worse instead of better and decided to take a more direct way home.  Then I walked.  I reset my watch because I didn’t want the Garmin to get all screwy.  I was a good 2.5 miles from home, no phone and no bus money.  I walked for quite awhile but soon realized I wouldn’t make it back in time so I ended up running 1.5 miles (cutting through parking lots and trying to make it as short as possible).  I arrived home safely, but at the time I should have been leaving for breakfast.  I quickly showered and made it on time – foot hurting and very, very discouraged.

Saturday we were driving to see our families and after the run on Friday I was glad to take the time off.  We arrived safely at my Dad’s and after sleeping in on Sunday I went for an easy 4 mile run at Snyder Park in Springfield, OH.  The plan was to run a flat course on grass and see how that went.  I’m content with how the run went I finished right under 32 minutes so 8 minute pace is a lot better than Friday.  Just me and the fishermen.

This Year’s Mileage

Run: 16.2 Miles