4.6.10

86º 14mph wind but you couldn't have kept me from getting out there today. Track work is just downright fun. Nothing like hitting the oval and seeing what kind of speed you can muster up. I was pleasantly surprised to find that I did indeed have some turnover when I asked my legs for it, so today was a success in that respect.

Didn't even really notice it was hot once I got going, and drinking and resting after each repeat helped a lot. The plan in my head was a few 800's, maybe three if I could handle it, which I really didn't see happening. Started off into the wind so I wouldn't have to finish running into it. First few were like a tempo pace, fast but controlled. Third one I pushed a little and the legs got a bit tired. Last one I was the same, but I really accelerated the last 200 meters. For the first track workout of the year I'm super-psyched.


I met one of my old co-workers who coaches and teaches at the middle school. We talked forever, then after my workout I met another guy who officials meets at UT and helps take care of the middle school track. So I spent more time chatting than running, but I didn't care it was good to meet people and see and old friend. Very happy with today's workout and with a baby on the way tomorrow I'm elated.

.5 mile warmup + drills
4x800's w/400m recoveries
1:26/2:55
1:26/2:54
1:25/2:49
1:25/2:44
1.25 mile active recovery
400m @ 1:11
mile cooldown

fasttwitch 187

9.22.09

Nice run tonight. I waited until the sun was nearly set to run and that helped a lot because it got just a little bit cooler and of course no sun to make matters worse. I had originally wanted to a little bit of speedwork near the end of the run but as I made it to 1:10 I realized that although I was feeling good I just didn't feel like I could do any sprints. I did however pick up the pace gradually and was moving along at a pretty good clip for the next 10 minutes, and since I had went that far I just decided to run until I hit 12 miles, now getting well below 5k race pace. So I really did well tonight and stayed out there longer than I have been, which is a great sign. Hopefully that means I'll actually be able to have a chance at my half marathon coming up, and if things go really well a 5k a few weeks before.

So I'll label tonight as a hard effort, since the last 20 or so minutes was pretty close to 5k pace. That's really good because I don't feel like I'm very conditioned right now for speed...at all. At this point I just want to stay consistent. Everyday seems to be a struggle to get out the door, mostly due to the humidity. I may be able to curve this with doing two shorter runs, but I can never get myself out the door in the morning. I've never been much of a morning runner, but daylight takings is coming up, and that means no more "late" runs so i guess now is a good time to try to transition. We'll see how that goes, I've failed miserably at it in the past. Looking forward to this next month of training, October should feel great compared to September, fitness and weather wise. Alright, happy running.

7:25pm. 76º 80%H
1:22:54 12.11m bf 1876

9.1.09

This past weekend I visited my family in Ohio, that's why I didn't get a chance to log anything, but running has been sparse lately. I did make it to the track for about four miles or so, I'm not real sure because I forgot my ipod and just ran, I will miss that nice cool air. The shin is still hurting but it's it's just in one small area, the same spot that was hurting a while back and that scared me a bit when I started thinking about it. At first I thought I would just ignore it, but then I kind of flip-flopped on that idea and went for rest instead because I was afraid it might be something more serious than I first thought. I think it helped, but I had to take like a week off and it's still painful if I push on it just right. I'm sure it's not fully healed yet but at least it feels better, kind of sucks I had to lose fitness but I guess it's better than a full on injury.

So last night was just supposed to be an easy 6 or 7 miles, testing out the shin and not really doing anything too stressful. That planned worked for a few minutes, but after I got going i felt really good. The air cooled down a lot once the sun set and I was doing pickups without really thinking about it. I probably did at least 6, maybe more and still felt pretty good after each one. On my final loop I even did a pretty fast acceleration, probably the fastest I've ran in a long time. It felt good though and the shin didn't seem to be bothering me or hurting really, although I was still kind of wary. I really pushed this run, but it felt good to go faster and I want to run like that more often.

7:59pm

Cloudy 75°F

71%H calm

1:08:10 10.25m bf 1729

8.23.09

Had a rough past few days. Most of it was work related. I also have been having that shin pain reoccur, now even when walking so that was kind of bumming me out too. I got started back a little too fast I think. So lets see, on Friday it rained most of the day and lightninged, but I still managed to get on the treadmill for a few miles. The shin pain was noticeable, but once I started going fast I just kept going and eventually turned it into a tempo run. Unfortunately when i run on the treadmill I don't use headphones because they get caught up in my armswing, so I had no idea the run wasn't being recorded. It may have been the fastest run yet, but who knows now.

Saturday I spent calling about jobs and it was a very lackluster day. I was excited about the jobs, but it literally took ALL day and I didn't get out the door because of a badly timed nap later on. By the time I got up and had some food and still felt pain in my shin I lost my motivation.

Today was a good day, spent most of it shopping for caricature this and that's. I have three or four jobs coming up and need to have signs, lighting, seating, banners, da da-da da-da created so that took up most of the day. We left this morning and were having dinner with our friends later. April is now in the Bride's lounge and we have to move her gigantic large format printer over there, and our friends who own the lounge offered us help with thier truck after dinner. So by the time that was said and done and we made it home it was dark and 9:30. Still I wasn't going to let another day slip by. I got out the door and just ran my butt off. It was soooo cool today I just couldn't let this day go without hitting the pavement and feeling the nice cool breeze. The minor shin pain is still there but I just want to run through it and see what happens, I really have nothing to lose at this point and I've had the pain before, so either that's a good thing or bad. We'll see.

Friday - 1 mile recorded (~4 actual miles total) tempo (hard effort) 1695
Saturday - rested (shin pain/unmotivated)
Sunday

9:30pm68° F Mostly Clear 70° F 70% From NNE 5 mph
1:16:17 11.24m bf 1706

8.16.09

Tables are turning. Runs are becoming easier, however I am losing the battle agains the bugs. One to the left eye, then another to the right eye - the same old tear duct attack move. I tried and tried to get the first bug out, and I thought I had it, but I guess not. When I got home and asked april to look into my eyelids, whatya know BOTH the little buggers were still in there. I'm convinced the stinging sensation that results is them either biting or scratching for their lives, either way that crap hurts. I was doing really well on this run, had made it about 40+ minutes without a water break and I was feeling absolutely great, even with taking a hillier route than I usually do! Then BAM, bug into the tearduct. I doubled over for literally 5 minutes, sweat dripping from my fingers and elbows, and putting my funnily large scraping utensil fingers repeatedly onto my eye trying to flush the frigging bugs out.

The first bug was the worst, the second was a nuisance and I actually thought I had got it out right away, but I must have just drown him in tear juice because there wasn't really stinging with that one. Still the run kept going, it kept getting darker, and before I knew it I had made back from middlebrook to the ragged paved path at the park and had already made two loops, heck I had even surpassed last weeks long run and gone over 1:16 (at which point I dunked some water on my head) AND done a 5 minute acceleration in there. I was feeling great. So what did I do differently today? Well I had nachos for lunch with a giant sweet tea.. could have been the sugar? Then I had a little bit of marathon bar before the run, but I do that all the time without much results. Must have been the sweet tea. Oh yeah, and it rained just before I ran, actually it did that the other day and I had a great run that day too, so actually I think it was that instead. Also I just had that attitude today, that no matter what, heat humidity or whatever, I was going to run, that helps.

Very happy with today's long run, and it was actually long and all at once, no real breaks! The bad parts were the bugs obviously, and I was completely drenched in sweat. My shorts were so soaked, they stuck to my legs, gross, but at the same time kinda cool in some weird way. The worst part about it was that the rain filled the pool, so it was like 90 degrees in their. It felt like I jumped into warm bath water and that just isn't the same the nice cool dip I look forward to. So a great run in the books, I'm putting it under hard effort, although the majority of it was moderate because of the hills (the hard part was the 5 minute accel, but even that was more just fun)

7:30 pm85° F Partly Cloudy 75% From S 3 mph

1:27:03 12.75m bf 1665

8.12.09

Not exactly an easy run this morning. The first loop was pretty bad and I barely made it around, humidity was really high and I think that hurt a little. Second was better, after a good rest to get my HR back down and keep my pulse from thumping my neck around. I think I was ready to get that one over with so I could jump in the pool. Did a few laps, but was pretty worn out so nothing really special.
9:30am75° F Mostly Cloudy 75° F 84%H From ENE 3 mph
44:08 6.43m bf 1611

Awesome run tonight. It rained really hard with some lightning, then cleared up just before sunset. By the time I hit the road it was already dark. The humidity was high but the air was as cool as it's been in weeks. A light fog was rising up from the pavement and was pretty neat to run through. After the first 20 minutes I felt great and didn't take a water break. The second loop was much the same, still no need for water. Then I started increasing pace and doing some accels and turned the run into a fartlek. This felt even better and for once I could go fast without worrying about my heart blowing up. I never did need that water break. So this run was definitely a good sign that fitness is lying there beneath all the hot and humid conditions. Great run, wish I could do 10 more just like it right now.

8:40 pm74° F Night 85%H From NNW 2 mph
1:09:20 10.34m bf 1621

8.9.09

I really wish I could have gotten out the door earlier this morning. This run may have turned out a lot better. It was just too hot to run for very long. I did 40 minutes (barely) and made it to walmart for a quick water stop, but I was thirsty well before I got there and the legs were pretty sluggish. I did an out and back to walmart, so on the back I knew I would have to stop and take some walk breaks.

I might have been able to keep running if I had some water, but I didn't so I just did what I had to do. I took about three walk breaks, probably a total of maybe 8-10 minutes altogether and at different points on the way back, mostly after large hills. It took 40 minutes out, and 36 back, so really I only lost 4 minutes of running and considering how I felt it was worth it. I had a hard time getting started up after each break though and my legs were really spent. My third stop was the best because I got to into a air conditioned store and get some nice cold water. That was awesome. Although I didn't quite go as far as I wanted to, it was still a good high effort run and if running in the heat with sun bearing down doesn't make you more fit, I'm not sure what will.
11am86° F Sunny 90°59%H From SSW 4 mph. bf 1586
1:16:07 11.01 miles