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Thoughts by Astro. Powered by Blogger.

My head hurts already....

In two weeks I am supposed to be in my "STAMINA" phase of training. I have been doing the "Endurance" phase all this time. I didn't realize that speedwork fell into an endurance area. But 16 400 meter repeats isn't easy. In my stamina phase I will be doing tempo runs from 4 - 10 miles in length. These are runs that I try to maintain the same pace for the entire run.


I guess STAMINA and ENDURANCE mean pretty much the same to me. Note to self - consult Websters. 

Anyway, the 400m repeats have helped drastically. Hell they helped last summer as well. More and more of them can be done in a row before I start to feel the burn. And I recover between them quicker as well. 

The tempo runs are what scare the hell out of me. I have never been able to run continously for any length of time. Even a 5k, I have to walk. In two weeks how am I going to be able to go 4 miles non-stop? My training calls for an 8:50 pace.

a 4:25 half mile
a 2:12 quarter mile
and if I run indoors at the Armory a 66 second lap for 32 laps.

"WTF!!?? How am I going to do that?", says the body. 
"Well, maybe first body, think that you can do it" says the brain. 
"Oh!"

So even though this is a Steelers weekend, I have some mental workouts to start doing in preparation for the "STAMINA" phase of my workouts in two weeks. 

I hate brain work. Gives me a headache.

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Track Practice

Back to the Armory for 400 meter repeats. Tried some new PowerBar gel drops. They are gummi bear texture with a small liquid center. These were a cola flavored liquid. They aren't bad. They were tough but I think that is due to them being frozen last week. They were left in the car. Not good with the near zero temperatures.

Schedule said (16) 400 meter repeats in 2:00 - 2:10 pace. I have been aiming for 1:45 pace.
Last week I was awesome and ran around 1:36 average for 11 repeats. I was supposed to do 14 but was gassed out.
I managed all 16 repeats tonite. And I average 1:36, with a fast repeat of 1:29 on #5 and a slow 1:45 on #15. Locked #16 in at 1:36.

Actual sets can be seen here.

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Illinois Marathon

yes, Virginia there is a marathon in Illinois and it does not revolve around Chicago. 


Here in Urbana-Champaign (twin cities) we will host our first marathon. 
Home to - 
the Fighting Illini
the Univeristy of Illinois
National Center for Super Computing Application
Bonnie Blair (olympic speed skater)
John Bardeen (co-inventor of the transistor)
Ang Lee (UI film school graduate - director)
Ludacris (rapper)
REO Speedwagon (rock band for old people like me)
Jerry Sanders (founder of AMD - computer chips)
LaToya Bond (WNBA player)
Deron Williams, Dee Brown, Luther Head (active NBA players from the U of I)
Jennie Garth (Beverly Hills 90210 actress)
Roger Ebert Film Festival
HAL9000 (misguided computer from 2001: A Space Odyssey)
Mark  Roberts (writer/producer of one of my favorite shows - Two and a Half Men)
Erika Harold (Miss America 2003)
Red Grange (the Galopping Ghost)
Headlights (rock band)

and that is just a few of the interesting people from the two cities. 

The marathon will wind its way through the two cities and across parts of the campus. You will get to see various outdoor art sculptures (not that I call all of it art), through several parks, through quaint tree lined neighborhoods. It should be at least 50% shady along the course.

There will be several bands along the way (48 according to the map - which might rival Chicago). It will be a small race. Last I heard 3000 signed up for all events with about 1000 for the full marathon.

Dick Beardsley and Bart Yasso are the guest speakers. Team in Training has made it a spring event (not too late to join, ask me how).


Per the website it is now a Boston qualifier for 2010 - 
The road to Boston starts in Champaign/Urbana!  

Yes….with a course this flat and fast, you know it is going to be a Boston Qualifier!!  Our certification process is now completed. The 2009 marathon will be a qualifier for the 2010 Boston Marathon.

(USATF Certification: Marathon IL-08111-JW; 1/2 Marathon IL-08112-JW)

There is also a marathon relay and a 5k fun run. Pace groups for the marathon as well to help you qualify. (Wish I could hang with a 3:30 pace group)

Why am I running it?
I live here and it is the first. Come join me.

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Weekend Teaching

Man was it cold on Saturday. Hats off to my runners, members and alumni alike. -14 degrees with the wind chill. But carry on they did. And run they did. man it was cold. A special kudo to all winter time coaches in wintry locales, it is especially good of you to brave the weather when you are not building up your body temperature.


But I am still looking forward to starting my coaching career next month sometime. The summer session of TNT starts in February. 

Thanks to all the alumni that came out to run as well. It was chillly for you as well. 

So, I got no running in this weekend at all and am going tohave to make it up this week. Starting Monday, I am going to have to get my weekly groove on. Start grooving 5 days a week. Moving and shaking. 

Eleven weeks until the Illinois marathon. Eleven weeks to be in shape for a 4:30 marathon. Eleven weeks to run a 2:10 or better half (I don't realy think negative splits are in my future). Eleven weeks until (4)  65 minute 10k. 

I am ready to do this anddo this I must.  Woo hoo.

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Substitute Coach

Tomorrow I am filling in to coach the local TNT (Team in Training) chapter. They have a 6/12 mile  run depending on whether they are training for the half or full marathons. Of course for my first time it should be about 10 degrees at 8am with a minus wind chill. 


Maybe that is a good thig I am coaching and not running. I can sit in the truck. Woohooo!!!!
It shoul d be a blast though. Soon I will be a full time coach for the upcoming summer session. We will be training for RNR - Seattle, RNR - San Diego and America'smost Beautiful Bike Ride - Tahoe. For more info go here - http://www.teamintraining.org/il/

It should be a blast. i hope to get there early and get 5 miles on the trail first.

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Wednesday Practice at the Armory

Thank you to all who have wrote to help me get back on track and bring my mojo back to central Illinois. It worked. I was supposed to do 14 x 400 meters in 2:00 - 2:10. I have been doing my 400s in 1:45 or better. I hope to continue that as well.


Last few weeks all 400s have been 1:45 or better. So was tonite any different. Yes, it was. But all for the BETTER!!!!

On average 1:36 for my sets. Sweet!!!

Set 1 - 1:37
Set 2 - 1:37
Set 3 - 1:36
Set 4 - 1:37
Set 5 - 1:37
Set 6 - 1:35
Set 7 - 1:36
Set 8 - 1:32
Set 9 - 1:44
Set 10 - 1:33
Set 11 - 1:31

and for good measure a workout ending 200 in 36.37

All in all a very good, terrific workout for me. Freakin awesomeness. As I read on another blogger site DDYA - Don't Deny Your Awesomeness. Thank you Frayed Laces for allowing us to steal your new motto. And today I do not think I denied my awesomeness.

Maybe, just maybe, I have a 4:30 or better marathon in me. I would love to destroy my PR from Alaska. Something to shoot for. Saturday is a long run 12 - 15 miles. I hopeto do at least 13 to give me a good indication of where I am at. 

But of course I have seen weather forecast from 16 - 40 degrees. Why can we get this weather figured out.

Damn I ramble.

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Monday Cold

It was a work holiday for me though I still spent half the day at the office. oh well.


I was supposed to have a nice and easy 30 - 45 minute jog. Instead I spent 4 hours in my very cold workshop cutting oak boards for a new bookcase. It was cold. I am just now getting feeling back in the toes of my right foot. Most of the cutting is done. Still have some bevels, dadoes and chamfer on a few pices, but some of the assembly and staining can begin.

Tomorrow I have to get motivated again. I have so slacked off lately. I need to run, run, and run some more. Tomorrow is the first day of my training. I haveto look at it as a new beginning.

Woohoo tomorrow.

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STEELERS WIN!!!!


OK, nothing about my running, bu I am siting here in my Steelers socks and it was enough for them to beat Baltimore for the third time this football season. We (yes, the imperial we) are headed to Tampa Bay to attempt to beat an all-of-a-sudden very good Arizona Cardinal team. Look out Warner here we come.

So, in two weeks I will be grilling and drinking in the man-cave with my un-Steeler fan friends (my apologies to Bears and Cowboys fans). You are all welcome if you are in central Illinois on Sunday. 


Hit me up and I'll get you directions. GO STEELERS!!!!!!!


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Intervals at the Armory

Almost sounds like a horror story. But this was a step back week so I only had 6 to run. Again in 1:45 or less (my goal) training say 2:00 - 2:05.

Set 1 - 1:42
Set 2 - 1:36
Set 3 - 1:40
Set 4 - 1:40
Set 5 - 1:45
Set 6 - 1:38

plus a mile warm up and a 400 meter cool down.

Good effort. Legs are hurting. It is a new thing for me. This aching. Wondering if it might be related to no stretching. Something to think about.

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Promised pictures

Here is the newest member of my extended family. Early consensus has her named Lightning - for how fast she was born. Mama has been good to her. She is about 4 hours old in pictures. We put a little doggie sweater on her. I figure she is about 2 pounds in picture.







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Saturday long run on Sunday

With the rain on Friday nite causing ice on Saturday morning I opted to run on Sunday. So around 11:30 I made it to Lake of the Woods for a run. An out and back one mile run in 20 minutes to make it back to the parking lot by noon. I was supposed to meet up with some of the TNT members but none showed. Alums, Randy and Jaymie did.

So the three of us were off running the 5 mile trail out there. It is a nice and somewhat hilly course (about 950 feet of ascent). We ran slowly and I found out what my conversational pace is - about 12min/mile. We walked a little as well.

7 miles in 1:22:35. Not bad, but not good. But it was supposed to be an easy run and for the most part I think it was.

The really nice thing in looking at the calendar is that I have mileage for the last 4 weeks. Something I couldn't say before. I am starting to run more often. Something I have wanted to do but always found a way not to do. It make me happy. It make me tired but as I get in shape I believe the tiredness will lessen.

On a separate note, one of my goats gave to birth to a healthy female kid late Friday afternoon. See is really cute. I'll post a picture or two tomorrow. Mom and baby (Lightning seems to be the unofficial name) are doing fine.

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Saturday Long Run

Yea, right. A little rain last night combined with just below freezing temperatures turned my long run into an ice skating rink. So since this is part of a Team in Training run (I mentor this group), the coach and I called off the run. Everyone is going to train on treads, run in town or come out with me tomorrow at noon.

I was hoping too sneak in 13 miles this morning, but now it will be tomorrow. After that, a nice hot shower and then some nachos and beer while I (hopefully) watch the Steelers put the Chargers in their place again.

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Track Practice

Have I ever said 9I suppose wrote) how much I love to hate track practice. Speed work sucks.

Its hard. But damn I know it works. Last summer I dropped my mile time from around 9:30 to an all-time best of 6:59. So I do it. After all it is in the training manual.

No one from TNT showed up, but then I didn't really expect anyone. Probably next week. Holidays are starting to settle down and students will be back on the 20th.

Tonite - (12) 400s - run inside at the Armory on the 200 meter track.

1 - 1:42
2 - 1:41
3 - 1:36
4 - 1:40
5 - 1:38
6 - 1:39
7 - 1:41
8 - 1:45
9 - 1:45
10 - 1:41
11 - 1:43
12 - 1:39

Average 1:41

Good job, actually great job.

Tired, legs aching and lungs burning. But I did it.

Alone. No one there.

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Stolen Words

Read this and though of my dearest friend...

Have you ever noticed that when the friends and neighbors of someone accused of committing a horrible crime are interviewed, they always say the same thing: "I can't believe he did it. He seemed so normal."

I'm quite sure that if anyone had interviewed my friends and neighbors when I first started running, they would have offered much the same response. I'm sure that they couldn't understand why this middle-aged, overweight man was out there running and walking nearly every day. It just wouldn't have seemed normal.

The truth is, it didn't seem normal to me either. Normal was coming home from work, drinking a beer or 12, having a bag of chips and a half pack of cigarettes, and then eating dinner. Normal was being as stationary as possible for as long as possible.

I'm often asked what happened. People want to know how and why a seemingly normal man starts running at middle age. They want there to be some grand design, some elegantly articulated plan to change my life. They want there to be a reason. There wasn't. There isn't. Like an out-of-left-field felon, I think I just came face-to-face with the stranger deep in my psyche. The difference was that my stranger didn't want me to do something bad; it wanted me to do something good. - John Bingham

I want you to do something good.

I also ran 1 mile on Monday.

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Siberian Express

Well, it is over. 7.1 miles of 35 degree, overcast, humid, hard to sometimes slippery and shoe sucking mud. We trail runners got it all. Wasn't sure how I would do, but hoping for 90 - 105 minute struggle. So I finished in 82.5 minutes. I ran hard and it was hard.

Happy with my time for the amount of uphill and downhill running on this trail. According to Garmin 180 feet of ascent and 1835 feet of descent. That is a lot of climbing and sliding down.

On a side note, my running partner locked the door key in his car. After unsuccessfully trying to open it, we hitched a ride with the Reid brothers of Carlinville. Three guys that really know how to have a good time and really give each other some shit. But the shit they gave my nameless running partner was tremendous. So much shit, but shit he deserved.

Well back to the weekly grind of training.

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First Run of 2009

Of course I couldn't make it an easy run but had to make it a race. Not really a race, but a trail run. It starts at 11 and runs a hilly, single lane course around Lake Mingo. Mingo is a small lake and the course is only 7.1 miles with about 9 water crossings. Two of them have logs to step on to cross the water.

Right now (8:30am) it is 31 degrees and a 15mph easterly breeze. Should make it a little chilly with the wind off the water. And since we haven't had a hard freeze after the days of spring summer last week (67 degrees) it should be a muddy mess after the first 250 speed demons go by.

I'll let you know how it went later tonite. Hopefully, I stay mostly dry.

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