Running Through Life

Alaska is three weeks away.
Nerves are starting to set in.
I know I'll finish, but will I be happy.
My goal - under 5 hours.
My coaches goal - 4:40 - dreamer.

I don't know.
I'll set one later.

Anyway, last Saturday I ran long (15.4 miles or so) right at an 11 minute pace. Good job to me. Exactly what I wanted. A slower pace for something left over at then end. Most of the time I felt great. It was awesome having Allyson around for handing water or gatorade or gels to me. I would not have made it without her. Too bad she isn't going to Alaska, but then she couldn't be there every two miles either. I didn't eat much the morning of the run and that proved disastrous. At 14 miles I fell apart. I need food in the morning. The gels were not enough. Got to get breakfast in me before Alaska.

Recovery was pretty quick. I napped for a few hours and then went to work on the kitchen. I worked on Sunday and Monday as well. Not at a great frantic pace, but I was up, very little stiffness.

Training has helped my recovery drastically.

And my speed.

Last night (Wednesday track practice) we ran (me and the summer group) three 1200's. I was consistent and quick. I ran 5:27, 5:21 and 5:32. About a 7:20 mile pace. Awesome for me. This time last year, those times would be around 7:30 for the 1200 and a 10 minute mile pace. No exaggeration there. I have improved.

With a lot of kudoes to Ally and others.

Saturday is 90 minutes of running that I will do up in the Uttica, Il area as I will be camping and hiking around Starved Rock Park. Not going to push anything, just an easy 8 or 9 miles.

Only three short weeks until Michael heads to Alaska for the TNT full marathon. He continues to work on being prepared, but needs a pick me up once in a while from "his people".

I know you'll do great honey!

After the Indy mini and my crestfallen heart after getting drubbed by Mr. Elliott by 11 seconds, my blogging has been nil. So now I catch up.

Wednesday following Indy (May 7), it was raining and I did not bring appropriate clothes, so I skipped. Did I make it up on the treadmill, you ask. Silly people, of course not.

Saturday, May 10, was to be an 20 mile run. I went to LOW and managed to eke out about 9.26 miles at a great 10 minute pace. And then my body fell apart. Rather than risk injury or just dropping alongside the trail, I slipped home. After a shower and food (lots of food) I felt much better.

Wednesday, May 14, was a pretty good track workout. We did a few specialized 100's, scissor kicks, strides, high stepping and butt kicks. Then Vicki made me do mile repeats for 3 miles. Tiring, but felt better. Miles were 8:16, 9:46 and 9:06 for a total of 27:08. Probably a new best for me.

Saturday, May 17, was the Buffalo 5 mile Trail run at LOW on the west side. This was run with (ok, behind my son - Jacob) and my woman Allyson (Ally did the 2 mile walk). Going down the first hill we knew it would be wet, but not how wet. At one point we slogged through 6 or 7 inches of water that took about 10 strides to get through. Nasty stuff. Good thing it was warm.

But I did great, ran a 48:33 for a 9:45 pace. All I wanted was a 10 minute pace. It was a struggle and probably walked more than I should. The last mile was against the wind and it showed. Jake ran a respectable 42 something, but he needs to start running for cross country. He was a hurting on Sunday. Myself I felt fine on Sunday. Must slowly be getting used to this.

Now I just have to pick up more days a week to run, but who has the time. With the kitchen still not even close to being done. But that's another story, for another blog.

So hopefully, tonite I will plant three fruit trees, so a little drywall and then hit the treadmill for 3 miles.

That's the goal.

Saturday was overcast with a threat of showers, but it was cool. We (Tom and I) got to the corrals a minute before they were closing. We left Allyson to find a parking spot and she was on her own.

We started in the X corral with approximately 30,000 people in front of us. As the gun we went off, we shuffled forward. I found a break in the fence and dashed out for the port-a-potties. This gave Tom the head start he "needed".

About 30 minutes after the gun I crossed the start line. Horray, the front runners were proably on the Speedway (the 6 mile mark) and starting to head back. Being this far back to start was a mistake. We need to be there an hour before next time. I did nothing but dodge walkers and slow joggers. Not that I am fast but that is a lot of people to move around.

Eventually I took to the sidewalks following some other trailblazers and made it through. It never really clears out though. You are always weaving in and out. But it only added a tenth of mile to the race - it sure seemed like more.

I kept to my pace fairly well for the first 7 miles. Slowing down and walking at the drink stations and then getting back up. With this process I was averaging just over 10 minutes a mile. Giving me pause to actually believe that I could, maybe if the stars were aligned right and the rest of the course was downhill, I might make my ultimate goal. 2 hours, 11 minutes - an exact 10 minute pace.

I had been fighting an urge to use the restroom for over a mile. This was an urge, I couldn't ignore any longer. While running around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, I had to take a dump. A crap here and now. Why now? Up ahead was a porta-a-potty and only 2 guys in line. Out popped a woman. I headed for it. Got in, dumped and then the trouble. Have you ever tried to pull up spandex over very sweaty legs? Not easy.

My watch (my new Garmin Forerunner 405 - I love it) stopped during my lack of forward progress. I figured I lost 2 minutes here. Anyway back on and moving.

Off the track and still passing people. I was amazing catching parts of conversations. we are doing good, 8 miles in 2 hours. How far up had these people started. I was passing people that I should have started in front of.

Mile 10 in 1h 46m 10s. Not bad only 6 minutes behind my ultimate goal. I wouldn't be able to make up that time in the 5k that was left, but I could hang tough and do the last 5k at pace (31m).

Finish time - 2h 16m 49 seconds. That made my last 5k in 30 minutes and 39 seconds. I hung on and beat last years time by 11 minutes.

Training does help.

And how did Tom do? Very well. He beat me by 11 seconds. He, who wanted 2 - 3 minutes per mile advantage. What a sandbagger.

Oh well.

My hats off to you Tommie. I really thought treadmill only training was going to hurt. Apparently you trained alot more than you let on.

Numbers look hard to read so here they are. Tom is listed first and myself second.
Tom - 5mile time 50.37 - 10mile time 1.44.27 - Total time 2.16.38
Mike - 5mile time 50.53 - 10mile time 1.46.10 - Total time 2.16.49

Running in circles again
But it has helped
I am faster
I can run a mile better
I recover faster

We were told to run a timed 5k. I aimed for under 30 minutes. They has been hard for me to do.
I ran 28:25. And did not feel bad.

My next 5k goal will be just under 27 minutes


Times for each lap is pretty good for me. Lap 5 is where I walked after blowing out a 8.16.56 first mile. I have been trying to keep my first mile close to 8 minutes (if I can) and then relaxing a little on the rest of the workout. Probably not too good for me, but mentally it does me wonders.

But truly the whole workout was good and I haven't done a sub 30 5k in a long time.

Saturday is the Indy half marathon and I hope to break my time from last year. Looking at 2 hours 25 minutes or less.

God it was awful. I went out with a few friends on Friday and toss a few down. Then a few more and a few more. Saturday came and I was forcibly kicked, pulled and cajoled out of bed. I went to LOW and tried to run.

I did try.
Approximately 5 miles later I was done. 13 miles short of my scheduled run. My head hurt. I was bad on Friday night and I paid for it Saturday morning.

This week I hope to do better and really excel on Saturday at the Indy half. I really believe that a 2:20 is in the cards. I am going to try.

And on another greater note a great kid went into Madison over the weekend and participated in his first tournament of his Hwang Do career (something like TaeKwan Do). He was second in waepons and sparring. I think we have a little Bruce Lee on our hands.

Congrats again big man, Zachary "Lee" Hooker.

Yep, another Wednesday, another speed type workout.
Wednesday - WED NES DAY why such a long strange word for the middle of the work week. And most people leave the D out - WENSDAY. Weird huh??!!

anyway, sorry I got distracted... Again a speed workout. 1 mile warmup, then 5 200's then a few 400's mixed in with some sprinting with Randy.

Now Randy, I got to tell you about this joker. Sandbagger is more like it. Ran with him (more like got my ass sprinted off by him) for awhile. He's like - "We should run a 50 or a 100" in the middle of our 200's. What is he crazy? Damn st. Joe guys.

But hey, it was a great workout and yes, Randy is a runnner!

But now I have to brag. My warmups the last 3 weeks have not exactly been warmups. I have been testing myself during the 1 mile warmup. seeing what I can do. Last week was a 9:03 and I was extremely happy.

This week I would have to say frackin delirous. (note the Battlestar galactica reference)
1 mile
4laps
ok - 1600 meters (another 9.344 meters to be a mile - 30 feet 7 inches)
7:59:19

uh huh, that's right, you got it - under 8 minutes for the MILE. Another PR!!!

so here goes.
warmup 7:59:19 (here's the splits 2.05.78/201.62/201.61/1.50.18
200 - 52.45
recover (200 meters) - 1.57
200 - 40.36
recover - 2.09
200 - 47.70
recover - 2.02
200 - 43.53
recover (400 jog) - 2.53
400 - 2.33
200 - 47.73
recover - 3.01
400 - 2.10
recover - 3.20
100 - 15.87
then 2 laps jogging

not bad....

but my calves will be tight tomorrow. I can already feel a little bit of stiffening now. And man, do I stink.

Saturday's run you ask? (groan) 18 miles. With the Indy half marathon being a little over 9 days away as I right this, I may not run all of it. I reallly dont want to kill myself and have nothing for Indy. My best half was Mahomet in 2005 in 2:21. I would like to be beat as the ultimate, but I will be really happy with a 2:29:59.

see ya Saturday or Sunday...

Yes, I skipped last night. It was happy, joyous, gay skipping. But uncoordinated me managed to do it without falling down.

skipping, scissors steps, high steps and butt kicks are fairly strenuous types of movements.

We walk the curves and then do the straights with one of the above.

So,
1 mile warm up. 9:22 (not much of a warm up. pretty fast pace that I can only do for a mile or so)
1 lap of each of the above (another mile)
1 lap of 2 of the above (1 straight for 1 type of humiliation) (half mile)
2 laps of cool down (ran with coach, probably 10 - 11 minute pace)

Not a bad workout. Recovery was quick though the exercises did streeeeeetch out the muscles. Today I have a little tightness in the calves and the small of my back.

This Saturday is an 80 minutes run. Maybe I can get 8 miles in. Is that pushing it? Probably! Should I try it? Not really sure here. Maybe??!! 7 miles should be easy (11:30 pace)

PS - Remeber to take watch Saturday. More accurate than phone.

Lets see what happens on Saturday. A great run may mean wonders come Indy. Afterall, I looked up some old races and the Mahomet Halk Marathon of 2005 has been my best of 2:21. I really want to beat that. Did I write that down? Don't copy thatr information.

Tonite is track practice again but we are at the Urbana High School track. A full 400 meters. We are doing some dancing, skipping and general form techniques tonite. Woo hoo. Me skipping.

Last Saturday was supposed to be a 16 miler, but with the rain and wind I skipped out. I was also in Kewanee for my uncles funeral.

I do have results from last Wednesday track run though. Something I am proud of. Only THREE miles but the first one was a 9:03. Yes, that is 9 minutes and 3 seconds for a - ok, only a 1600 meter run, but damn it good enough for me. Besides it is only 30.6 feet shy of a mile.

Then mile 2 - 10:44
Mile 3 - 10:41

Still I was happy.

Not something I have ever been good at, but I did get the hint from the last post. I have been running -some. But as my shoes pointed out there has been no mention of it here. So let us catch up.

Wednesday, March 26, 2008
At the Armory again on their little 200 meter track


We'll do 3 miles, consistently increasing our speed. 6 warm up laps at warm-up pace, then every 2 laps we'll increase by 5%. Finishing with 2 laps cool down. All spelled out: 6 warm-up: 50%; 2 laps: 55%; 2 laps: 60%; 2 laps: 65%; 2 laps: 70%; 2 laps: 75%; 2 laps: 80%; 2 laps: 85%; 2 laps: 90%; 2 cool-down: 60%.


That's alot of laps for 3 miles. Did I run those percentage levels doubtful. Probably ran a little easier than normal for the warmup, then normal for the majority, then hard for 2 laps and finally the cool down. I just can't pace myself well. So everything in between is about a 10 minute pace.


Saturday, March 29, 2008

Saturday was a step back recovery week and we were only scheduled to run 60 minutes. During these runs I pick a distance to run and see if I can do it in the alloted time. So I though a 10k (6.2 miles) would be a tough goal to make. That is faster than my normal 10 minute per mile pace.


Guess what? I CAME CLOSE!!! woot woot


Mile 1 - 11 min
Mile 2 - 10 min
Mile 3 - 11 min
Mile 4 - 9 min
Mile 5 - 10 min
Mile 6 - 9 min
Mile 6.2 - 2 min


Total - 62 minutes

Remember timing is done with my phone so not very exact. That could have been a 62 minute run or 62m and 59 seconds. But who's counting. Not me.

Wednesday, April 2, 2008
No team practice we werre supposed to run on our own. Did I? What do you think?

Saturday, April 5, 2008
Back at Lake of the Woods (LOW). 14 mile run. Long and since I am training for a marathon in Alaska I ran all 14 on the west side - the hillier side. I took mind time and shot the shit with the group a few times. Once for 13 minutes straight, just before my last 2.3 mile loop. Boy was that dumb. My legs, chest and brain were screaming, "you frackin' idiot. you know better than to rest just before the end.Frack!!!"

Start - 7:10
Mile 1 - 11 min
Mile 2 - 10 min
Mile 3 - 13 min
Mile 4 - 11 min
Mile 5 - 18 min - 7 minutes with group
Mile 6 - 10 min
Mile 7 - 9 min
Break again for 8 minutes with group
Mile 8 - 12 min
Mile 9 - 11 min
Mile 10 - 13 Min
Mile 11 - 11 min
Break again - the really dumb one - 13 minutes
Mile 12 - 15 min
Mile 13 - 13 min
Mile 13.9 - 9 min

Total time 187 minutes or 3 hours and 7 minutes. Terrible for a half.

Actually running time - 159 minutes or 2 hours and 39 minutes. Great for all the ups and downs over there.

Ok, so now I am caught up. What do you got to say now shoes? And yes, you guys do stink.

Hi, this is RTL's running shoes. Has anyone seen our friend RTL? he hasn't posted in weeks, so we thought we'd fill in for him. Last weekend, we did 14 miles. Boy were we sore! This weekend we're going 16. Is he nuts? You can't run a marathon training only once a week. Can you? I sure hope he remembers the odor eaters cuz we've got some "funk" issues growing inside us. Well, Smell ya later!

Rtl's Running shoes.

Figured the time was too quick for me. Real time...

1 hr 43m 30s

Today was the Mountain Goat runs.

5k loop of hills.
215 feet of downhills.
215 feet of UPHILLS!!!!

My calves were screaming at me. You idiot. You are you doing to us.
You haven't trained for this. You fool. and so on.

I heard them, well I felt them. Oh, how did I feel them. But I ingored it best as I could.

Pain. Phew!!

I run through pain like it was a wet tissue.
Then I go home, curl up in the fetal position, and cry like a little baby.

But I persevered and finished. Possibly in world record time. Ok, maybe a personal best. If my time was correct then 95 minutes - 10:12/mile. If a correction is necessary I will make it if it makes me look better.

Again, track at the Armory. Spring break for the university so the Armory was basically empty.

Another FARTLEK - ain't that a cool word??

Not a bad workout - 4 miles. still the back of my calves (achilles tendon?) killing me early on. This doesn't happen at LOW. I'm thinking since the track is only 200 meters maybe it is the curves. Always running on the left edge of my feet? I am not sure. But it really is kind of painful. It eventually goes to a dull ache with time and doesn't seem to bother me the next day.

Any ideas?

here's the rundown of what we did -

6 laps of warm-up.
1 lap 80% followed by 1 lap recovery and then 2 laps at normal pace.
1 lap 70% followed by 1 lap recovery and then 2 laps at normal pace.
1 lap 90% followed by 1 lap recovery and then 2 laps at normal pace.
1 lap 70% followed by 1 lap recovery and then 2 laps at normal pace.
1 lap 80% followed by 1 lap recovery and then 2 laps at normal pace.
6 laps of cool-down.

I was supposed to run 10 miles on Saturday.
I went
I ran
just not that far.


But a good run I had. I was at 5k in 30 minutes and decided to do a 10k timed run. Thinking I could maybe do one in 60 minutes. I kept pushing. It was hard but I actually did a 59 minute 10k. It was probably 59:59 but timing on my phone I have no idea of the seconds. So I am calling it a 59 minute run.

Outside
in the mist
up and over the hills

I like running at Lake of the Woods but it is a pretty hilly course.

Good runonSaturday morning.

At the armory again... that small track is killing my upper quads. I truly believe it is the fact that you are almost running in a circle. I haven't had pain (more of a severe tightness) before running on roads or trail. Therefore, it has to be the always running on the edge of your feet in the corners.

Anyway, enough griping. With the weather getting nicer we will soon be moving to the Urbana high school track (then I can bitch about the wind, heat, humidity).

Fartlek - come on, say it with me, FART LEK. What a cool word. But that is the running we did. Speedplay for 4 miles. But it made me run 4 miles in 38 minutes. Exhauusted.

gonna really have to do more running than twice a week.

It's going to be alright....

with all due respect to Pink, Janet Jackson, Yoyo, Wallflowers, Rod Stewart, Neil Young, The Shirelles and Emma Bunton (and anyone else that recorded this song). Tonight is going to be alright.

I will be starting my serious running training - no matter what the excuse or whatever else needs done. I will either run around the farm or be on the treadmill. Most likely on the treadmill - there is still a ton o water around. Or done the half mile lane and back a few times.

Bad thing about the lane is all downhill from the house - making it all uphill to finish. Crap!!!

Tom (a friend of mine) has been in some serious training the last few months and I need to catch up. We re both running the Indy half marathon in May. In a drunken, I-am-better-than-you-are, stupor last year there is a $100 bet on the finish. Both of us are too vain, egomaniacal, hard-headed, prideful, or just plain ol stubborn to relenquish the wager. War is on.

So, while he has been 75% deligently training, I have been giving it my full 20%. I need to step it up. and tonight's the night - aww yeah!!!!!

Wow, I month seen I have posted. I surprised I haven't heard about this. Well, I have run all the required Saturday runs since the last time I blogged. I have been doing ok. My knee still tends to aggravate me on a schedue of it's own choosing.

Last night was the first track practice session that I have gone too. It is at the Armory.

a nice short track.
200 meters.
makes you dizzy.

We ran 4 laps of warmups - 1/2 haf mile and then 60 seconds all out. Well, I wasn't running all out. How could I go on after that? But I did put forth great effort.

Our last lap was balls to the wall. I'd been trailing this chick all night hanging behind her (telling myself it was so I could watch the sashay of her ass when in reality it was all I could do to keep up). Forget her name but she is there every Saturday just jogging and chatting with her friend. How can you jog and chat? I can jog and gasp for air.

So last lap, the ol' brotherhood pride reared it's ugly head and totured my mind with its unrelenting hounding of my inability to defeat this better, stronger, younger athlete. We took off and by turn 2 I was matching her stride for stride in the outside lane. As we came upon the backstretch, I was passing her and I heard her sigh. I knew I had it. I started to celebrate and slowed, then I heard her footsteps. Why couldn't she admit that I wasn't going to lose?

My brotherhood pride moved my legs even faster and my belly started to retch. Coming into the homestretch my coach is shaking her head, yelling out the time and calling me a sandbagger. Me, I am looking around for oxygen.

It was a good run. Here's what we did.
4 laps warmup
1.5 laps fast
2 laps recovery
1.3? laps fast
2 laps recovery
1.25 laps fast
1 lap recovery
1.25 laps fast
1 lap recovery
1 lap all out
3 laps cooldown

Total maybe 19.3 laps or close to 2.5 miles. But rough miles.

Those of you who have been following the training may havenoticed there is non training #8. Well, I skipped it. It was a 45 minute run and I was going to run the Fat Ass at Lake Mingo. But with all the snow i decided that it wasn't worth the risk. So I did no running. Let the heckling begin.

Ok, that's enough.

This week was a 10 mile run and I did it. Lake of the Woods. I started ealier than everyone. 6:45am I was jogging on a nice sheet of thin ice. Places were real bad. But I ran.

111 minutes later I was done. That's an 11m 6 s pace. Not bad, actually great. I am impressed myself.

Here's a map to the 10 mile run.

Well, I wasn't going to run again but she made me. And she made me do it barefoot.

BAREFOOT.
NO SHOES.

She made run on the treadmill barefoot. What a slave driving, trainor. Now I have blisters and won't be able to run for a year.

So I did the hill run barefoot. Grades up to 8%. I did not do a warmup or a cool down just half the hill portion. 3%, 0%, 5%, 0%, 8%, 0%. Just over a mile in 12 flat. Not bad and ran the whole way.

But BOY does my foot hurt.