weeks of 20 and 27 December

20 7.87 mi - 1:16:04

21 7.84 mi - 1:10:05

22 13.78 mi - 2:03:13

23 7.85 mi - 1:11:56

24 7.85 mi - 1:11:44

25 6.62 mi - 0:56:55

26 7.02 mi - 1:06:00

58.84mi - 8.9hrs

27 13.78 mi - 1:53:41

28 7.93 mi - 1:10:53

29 0 mi - 0:00:00

30 3.24 mi - 0:30:18

31 6.3 mi - 0:41:06 0.91 mi - 0:08:31

1 0.01 mi - 0:00:08

2 0.14 mi - 0:01:38

0.15mi - 0.0hrs 32.16mi - 4.4hrs

Highlight was New Year's Eve 10k. 41:08. 25th male. 11th in my age group 35-39 (would have been 4th in 30-34 or 40-44!). Hamstring got very tight and sore at 2 miles. Gutted it out trying to stay on pace -- 20:08 at the 5k turnaround -- lost 8 seconds in the next (uphill) mile and pretty much gave up, saving my hammy for another day. Split, HR data

Time Split time Distance Split pace Avg. HR
06:15 6:15 1.00 6:16 189 (95%) -- bad HR data, downhill mile. Marker was at 6:22
12:39 6:23 2.00 6:24 188 (94%)
19:07 6:27 3.00 6:28 188 (94%)
25:31 6:23 3.99 6:25 189 (94%)
32:11 6:40 4.99 6:40 185 (92%)
39:04 6:52 5.99 6:53 184 (92%) -- uphill (back up first mile)
41:07 2:03 6.30 6:35 187 (94%)

2010 stats

2644 miles total, 7.24/day or 50.7 mpw on average.

By month:
254 - Jan
237 - Feb
283 - Mar
260 - Apr
239 - May
232 - Jun
241 - Jul
237 - Aug
40 - Sept - injured
175 - Oct
210 - Nov
235 - Dec

Hard to believe I ran 3180 in 2008.

Races:

• 3/14 - St. Patrick's Day 8k - 32:07
• 4/11 - Cherry Blossom 10 Mile Run - 65:55
• 4/25 - Pike's Peek 10k - 40:04a
• 5/16 - Carytown 10k - 40:21
• 7/17 - Rockville 8k - 33:21
  
• 11/20 - Cranberry Crawl 10k - 40:43
• 12/31 - Ring in Hope 10k - 41:08

Correlating the race results with the mileage makes it pretty clear what's important. I thought I could make up for it with weight loss, but by the time my miles got back up, my weight had come up some as well.

(scale was broken mid-July to end of Aug)

I was injured in late 2009 and my weight came down as I was ramping up the mileage early in the year. In mid-April, I quit sugar after watching this video, and despite running less mileage with a new job, you can clearly see my weight nose dive. I had never been able to get under 160 before and now found myself around 155. I injured my foot/ankle at the end of Aug, but I was able to keep my weight under control with poolrunning or elliptical every day. Interestingly, it looks like my weight has been steadily climbing back up *after* I started running again. I haven't been quite as religious with the no sugar around the holidays, but the creep up started before then. Maybe I was already giving myself a sub-conscious break on the diet since I was running again. Whatever the reason, the trend is clearly in the wrong direction and I need to turn it back around somehow.

I can't get over the fact that I hurt myself right at the bottom of the curve, but before the weather turned and I had something to show for it. I ran a 65:55 10-miler in early April (6:35 pace). No doubt I would have smashed 40 in the 10k if I could have run a cool weather race at the end of August.

Now all I can do is try and string together a bunch of 250+ mile months and get the weight back down. I'm off to an inauspicious start with two no run days after I strained my right hamstring in a 41:08 10k effort on New Year's eve.

weeks of 6 and 13 December

http://www.runningfreeonline.com/Profile/Months/UserName/greg has the details of my training.

Last couple of weeks were affected by a nasty cold and my son's Bar Mitvah. The week of 6 December was 47 miles in 6 runs with a 10.4-mile long run. The week of 13 December was 53 miles in 7 runs with a 13.6-mile long run on the treadmill.

week of 8, 15, 22, and 29 November

I think I've set a PR for weeks behind on updating this blog. I know the world has been clamoring for an update!

week of 8 November

Mon - 7.81 1:06:52 8:34
Tue- 7.85 1:11:04 9:03
Wed - 8.66 1:09:44 8:03
- 6 x 1000m in 3:53, 3:54, 3:57, 3:56, 3:57, and 3:58 with 400m rests in ~2:20
Thu - 3.07 0:37:37 12:16 over Joshua Tree trail the added 24' on hotel treadmill (2.5)
Fri - 5.77 0:50:39 8:47
Sat - 8.07 1:09:34 8:37
Sun 4.41 0:40:53 9:17 - tweaked hamstring
Total: 48.14 7h10'

I traveled to California on Thursday and then back on Sunday, getting in what I could. I'm always sore and stiff when I run on travel and kinda strained my hamstring.

Ran on a nice trail (49 palms oasis trail when I was there). I believe the map said the hill it went over (twice) was ~400' (in 3/4-mile). At one point my HR was >150 and doing 15 min/mile.

week of 15 November

Monday 3.21/9:19 - Got home after midnight on Sunday from travel and slept in
Tuesday 3.10/9:45 - can't remember why so few mile -- hamstring still tweaked?
Wed - 7.86/8:38
Th - 6.91 -Magill's drilss
Fri - 3.21/8:40 - easy day before race
Sat - 1.37 @10:28 wup, 10k race 40:43
Sun - 4.09 @ 9:40
Total: 36.01 5:16:18

week of 22 November

Mon - 7.8 @ 9:57
Tue - 3.97 AM, 2.09 PM -- split up b/c up late Monday I think
Wed - 7.81 @ 9:27
Thu - 8.60 @ 9:32
Fri - 8.97 @ 9:43
Sat - MAF test 8.57 @ 8:42/136 - RHR 43
Sun - 9.05 @ 8:34/139 - RHR 44
Total: 56.91 8:52:49 9:22

Took it super easy working to get volume up and recover from 10k. Back to my low HR roots. If I get an injury, I'd like it to be an overuse injury. Buh-bump HR electrode cream arrived on Fr afternoon, so my HR reading should be reliable now in first mile. Also started taking RHR. Did MAF test on Saturday.

MAF test was 2-mile wup jog to track -- 10:00/126, 8:58/127 -- and

Split	AHR
7:53	141
8:06	141
8:22	141
8:18	142
8:25	141

week of 30 November

Mon - 7.8 @ 9:29/126 - RHR 44
Tue - 7.8 @ 9:48/125 - RHR 44
Wed - 6.4 @ 9:23/149 - treadmill 4 x 5' @ 6 deg/9:05 w/ 2' rest (0 deg/10:00), HR up to 172 (marathon effort) at end of last 5'
Thu - 7.8 @ 9:53/129 - RHR 50, from harder effort yesterday
Fri - 7.8 @ 9:34/134 - RHR 47, little sleep -- high RHR from lack of sleep or Wed effort?
Sat - 13.50 @ 8:47 144 -- 3 lake laps in 1:58:38 -- RHR 49, little sleep again
Sun - 8.96 @ 8:55/141 - 2 lake laps -- Garmin cheats me at lake. Calibrate bike measured at 4.58/lap. Decent sleep, RHR 45 (actually taken after driving kids around, but before run, so not really resting)
Toal: 60.19 9:21:49 9:20 136 (68%)

Got above 60 finally! Also longest run since 20 July.

40:43

Time Split time Distance Split pace Avg. HR
06:24 6:24 1.00 6:25 183 (91%)
12:52 6:27 2.00 6:26 186 (93%)
19:21 6:29 3.00 6:30 186 (93%)
25:50 6:29 4.00 6:31 186 (93%)
32:22 6:31 5.00 6:31 186 (93%)
39:06 6:44 6.00 6:45 184 (92%)
40:43 1:36 6.24 6:36 185 (93%)

Perfect conditions, weather, and pancake flat course (there are tracks with more elevation change).

I couldn't generated any power. My HR was a couple of beats lower than in May, but I don't think I dogged it. I tried everything I could in the last mile. I felt like I was sprinting, but I was going slower.

Not sure how to fix that. I know I need to run more miles. I was consistently doing >60 in the spring. I've only cracked 50 once this fall. Injuries suck. Especially ones from meaningless races in August. Time is short on my 2010 goal. I still have 6 months to get the sub-40 by 40.

weeks of 25 October and 1 November - accidental new workout

Week of 25 October

Mon - Magill's Drills 7.19 1:07:30 9:24
Pace includes walking in drills.

Tue - 4.20 0:38:15 9:07 138

Wed - 7.86 1:11:35 9:06

Thu- 8.37 1:09:25 8:17 157 (79%)
Did 10 x 400m at 10k pace (40:00=96 secs). I concentrated on counting my steps for the first five and about 40 for each 200m (=200 step/min at 96/lap). Times were 97, 97, 96, 93, and 95 for the first 5. It felt harder than 400m should though and, somewhat dejected, I thought I'd just run a relaxed 2x1mile at probably 7:00 pace or whatever felt right. Well, I looked at my watch at 100m, expecting to see 26, and saw 24, which was the 96/lap pace I had just been doing. I think the forced fast turnover made my relaxed turnover faster, so I kept with the 400s alternating relaxed and fast turnover, doing the the next 4 in 96, 94, 96, and 96. (lost count and only did 9 total).

Friday 5.99 0:57:01 9:31
At Disneyworld. It was totally flat but felt like 80 degrees and 100% humidity. I felt like crap.

Saturday
The park trumped running and took a zero.

Sunday Running: Easy 7.41 1:07:16 9:05
Two laps+ around Universal.

Week - 41.02 6:11:02 9:03
Another lousy low 40s week

week of 7 November

Mon PM - Treadmill 4.05 0:29:00 7:10 Got home at 1am from trip to Disney. Didn't get up monday AM, but ran in the afternoon.

Tue - AM 7.85 1:08:59 8:47
Tue PM - 2.20 0:20:56 9:31
Family still at Disney; first double in forever

Wed AM - 7.84 1:07:35 8:37
Wed PM - 2.08 0:20:00 9:37
Another double

Thu - 7.87 1:09:30 8:50
Fri - Magill's drills 7.64 1:12:08 9:27
Magill's drills on the turf field; Did 1 100m in 18 sec following just for fun;

Sat PM - 3.20 0:27:23 8:33
Took son to pool for swim meet. Got there at 6:50 am. Got home after 2pm. Had a blinding headache and laid down instead of running. Got out around 5pm and felt better after I ran three at a decent clip. Form felt like it clicked.

Sun - 10.15 1:20:36 7:56 164 Felt good last night and wanted to run around 8/mile today. Felt great and form felt right. At faster pace, cadence was ~185 without thinking about it. Did 2 laps in 69:47. Garmin says 9.00 miles for two laps (7:45), but the Garmin has a bit of a problem on the trail and I believe it is 9.14 (measured with a calibrated bike), which is 7:38 pace. Jogged another mile+ at ~10 min/mile.

Week - 52.9
First time above 50 since the week of 23 August before my injury.

uh oh -- weight creeping up

I'm about 1.5 up and only 4 pounds less than when I ran 40:22 in warm conditions. The whole "I'll run less but weigh less" strategy is slowly going out the window. Must. Stop. Eating. Man I wish I'd run 5 seconds faster in April.

week of 17 October

18 7.86 mi - 1:07:31 19 0 mi - 0:00:00 20 7.85 mi - 1:09:00 21 7.84 mi - 1:09:44 22 3.19 mi - 0:28:49 23 10.03 mi - 1:25:34 24 6.9 mi - 1:02:49 43.68mi - 6.3hrs

Not enough sleep on the 18th and slept in on the 19th. My foot is behind me I think because I had some groin pain that was worse :-) I think it's the after effect of a small pull/strain I got picking some of the kids stuff off the floor. Man, I feel old. Anyway, my hip flexors (psoas I think) were kind of sore after Thursday, so I took it really easy Friday morning. I think I was sore because I've changed my form with the quicker turnover. Sat was a really nice 10 miler around the lake and I explored a new trail a bit. That's the longest I've run since the injury. It was 8:32/mile and it felt good. Avg HR 147. I really felt like I had the correct, very slight forward lean. If had video tape of it, of course, I probably looked like hell. Sunday morning was a run around the lake with the weekend coffee crew.

I have thoughts of going to the track to see where I am, so expect an injury report soon. I might hold off a while though. I'm thinking of doing a 10k on 20 Nov, but if I can't run even 800s at 4'/k pace, then there's no point in signing up (might do the 5k instead).

week of 10 October

Here's the week of 10 October cut and pasted from runsaturday.

11 6.16 mi - 0:57:17

12 7.86 mi - 1:13:15

14 7.87 mi - 1:15:32

15 7.86 mi - 1:12:46

16 4.55 mi - 0:43:15

17 7.86 mi - 1:11:13

42.16mi - 6.5hrs

Monday was a run in the neighborhood and Saturday was with friends around the lake and the rest were my standard 7.9 mile out and back that I've done about a million times. I did it as a run/walk just to be safe. I did about 3 1-minute walk breaks on Tues and then 7 breaks (one minute at the beginning of each mile) the rest of the week. My paces weren't too bad: 9:00 - 9:30. I've kept up the 180 steps/minute and have learned to run an easy pace with that stride. Feels right. I've also done lots of foam rollering, stretching, and icing. These seem to be coming along nicely.

I did a continuous run yesterday and actually ran 8:35 pace with an easy effort. I've done this route so many times I looked up my runs this year at roughly that pace.

• 23 Feb 2010, 1:06:38 (8:30), 37 deg, HRs: 166, 136, 142, 136, 148, 139, 146, 149, AHR: 142 (excluding 1st mile)
• 5 May 2010, 1:08:07 (8:39), 50 deg, HRs: 99, 135, 142, 137, 144, 137, 145, 142, AHR: 140
• 17 June 2010, 1:08:10 (8:39), 65 deg/65 dp, HRs: 154, 134, 142, 141, 148, 144, 146, 149, AHR: 143
• 18 Oct 2010, 1:07:30 (8:35), 46 deg, 147, 140, 142, 143, 145, 143, 144, 142, AHR: 143

I'm closer to the neighborhood than I'd expect. I ran what's probably my best race (40:21 in 65-69 degrees and fairly hilly) on 17 May. My AHRs were very even and this is a *very* hilly route. I wonder if my higher stride rate is letting me do better on the hills.

I need to get some miles in. I slept in today because I spent three hours doing homework with my son and then futzed on the computer, ending up going to bed at midnight. An off day a week isn't bad, but without being able to do doubles with my new work situation, getting to 60 mpw is going to require running every single day.

I've got my eye on a 10k on 20 Nov and 18 December. Course is super flat. It's not technically certified as a 10k, but it's two laps of a certified 5k course, so I guess I can count that. 20 Nov seems a little early for trying a 10k, but the December race was snowed out last year.

week of 3 October - 180 steps per minute

• Mo - Treadmill Run/Walk 6.50 @ 10:26
• Tu - Easy/Moderate 6.10 @ 8:44 - first continuous run outside. A little enthusiastic. HRs were XX (bad data), 141, 141, 145, 149, 153, 150. Getting outside seems to be really important to getting running coordination back.
  
• We - Easy 6.11 @ 9:34
• Th Run/Walk 1.66 @ 15:06 -- ran less than a mile. Foot hurt and I walked home.
  
• Fr Run/Walk 6.10 @ 9:25 -- Felt like my foot hurt less when I concentrated on increase my stride frequency
  
• Sa - Moderate 6.17 @ 8:21 - Same route as Tue, Fri. Concentrated on turnover and ran faster than I probably should have. Felt good though. HRs were XX, 148, 138, 155, 155, 155. First mile pace was 9:05. Then 8:14, :17, :14, :06, :06, and :09.
  
• Su - Run/Walk 6.21 @ 8:25 - same route. Not sure why 6.2 Fr/Sa and 6.1 on Tu/We. Did the 180 steps per minute thing again. Started off miles 2, 4, and 5 with a 1-minute walk. Still ran 8:25 pace. Splits were XXX/8:51, XXX/8:32 (walk 60'), 153/7:54(!), 151/8:36 (walked 60'), 8:32/152 (walked 60'), 154/8:13.
  
• This Week - 38.84 @ 9:25

I experimented with running with a higher turnover, trying to get in 15-16 right footfalls every 10 seconds. It seemed to work well. My foot felt better, but it was hard to run slow enough for it to really be an easy run.

week of 27 September -- slow but still skinny

I finally got out the door. Poolrunning lead to treadmill run/walking, which lead to 3 miles outside with 1 min walk between each mile.

My foot/ankle is doing OK. I feel it some, but not too much. I'm trying to be patient, just looking to improve each day and not send myself in the other direction. After my run today, I'm thinking getting under 40 this year probably isn't going to happen. I wasn't in nearly this bad a shape after the hip thing and it took me a good 3 months to get back in PR shape.

The one thing I have going for me is that I haven't put any of the weight back on. (If anything I've lost a pound.) As a result, it shouldn't take as much training to get sub-40 when I'm a good 8 pounds lighter.

Week of 27 Sept 10
Mo - poolrun 70'
Tu - TM run/walk 3 miles in 39'
We - TM run/walk 6 miles in 64' (10:36)
Th - TM run/walk 6 mile in 63' (10:33)
Fr - poolrun 70'
Sa - TM run/Walk 6.50 1:07:31 10:23
Su - Nbhrd run/walk 3.04 @ 9:32
This Week - 24.54 6:42:45 10:43 124

weeks of 13 and 20 September

Took a lot of time to make sure I'm fully healed. I'm not fully healed. I had this 6 years ago and it didn't take nearly this long. Could it be that I'm closing in on 40?

Anyway, the last two weeks were.

week of 13 Sept

Mon - Rest. Took a few steps and realized weekend running was a mistake.
Tu - Elliptical 60'
We - Elliptical 60'
Th - Poolrunning 60'
Fr - Poolrunning 60'. 1/2/3/4/5/4/3/2/1 harder with equal rest
Sa - Elliptical 68'
Su - Elliptical 70'. 1/2/3/4/5/5/4/3/2/1 with equal rest

Week -- 6h25'

Mo - Poolrunning 75'. 1/2/3/4/5/5/4/3/2/1
Tu - Poolrunning 70'. ditto
We - same as Tues
Th - rest (work got in way)
Fr - Poolrunning 62'
Sa AM - treadmill run/walk 1.50 in 0:20:00 (13:20!). 5 walk/5 jog at 6.3/2.5' walk/5 jog/2.5 walk
Sa PM - treadmill run/walk 2.6 in 32' (12:18) with 19' run total
Su - treadmill run/walk 5.0 in 54:20 (10:52). Worked from 2' jog (6.0 mph)/1' brisk walk (3.6 mph) to 5' jog/1' walk.

Week -- 6h23' including 9.1 miles(!)

I poolran today (monday) and it felt fine the rest of the day, so it seems like alternating run/walk with poolrunning is sustainable. Hopefully I can increase the running while recovering.

I'm about ready to write off the rest of the year. I'm sure I'd have broken 40 this fall, which I waited through the stinking hot summer to do, so I'm kinda bummed. I've kept the weight off though. I saw 154 tonight, which is a full 10 pounds lighter than when I ran cherry blossom in 65:55, so IF I get my miles back up for a while, I shouldn't have a problem with sub-40. My goal was sub-40 by 40, so I have 8 or 9 months left. All the good 10ks are in the fall unfortunately. I also have schedule conflicts with the two best (vet day 10k and jingle all the way 10k) which are on the ultra fast (flat as a track) course on Hains Point.

Back to square one?

I ran on Sunday and couldn't walk without a limp Monday. Ugh. The current plan is to pool run or elliptical until the end of Sept (or until I get impatient again). If I do an hour of exercise a day and keep my weight down for the next two weeks, and I'm all better on 1 October, I think two months of running will be enough to take a crack at the Jingle All the Way 10k in early/mid-Dec.

Man do you lose it quickly

I did 4.7 on the treadmill today, mostly at 6 mph (10:00/mile) and 0 degrees with some at 9:40 at the end. I couldn't believe my HR was at 150 bpm at the end. Just a few weeks ago, I was doing ~8:50 at 135 in 75-degree weather. I haven't just been sitting on my duff either. Since the injury, my training has been.

We - off
Th -off
Fr - off
Sa - 50 min swimming
Su - 40 min treadmill (ill-advised)
Mo - 60 min swimming
Tu - 60 min elliptical
We - 60 min elliptical
Th - 60 min elliptical
Fr - 60 min elliptical

Apparently swimming and elliptical do about nothing for your running fitness. I'm not even sure I'm going to be able to run tomorrow. It's not better, but I think I'm at the point of just running through it. We'll see tomorrow. Any more time off and I won't be able to even take a reasonable crack at a 10k this fall. The good news is that my weight is still down. I ran 40:04 while at 161 doing ~65 mpw leading up. I think a month or two of 60mpw should get me there if I can ever get my mileage back up there.

Week of 30 Aug - injured

Pretty, huh? In retrospect I shoulda just jogged the 10 miler on Sunday. I thought the only way I could end up not running my sub-40 this fall would be an injury. I don't need speed training, plyometrics, tempos, ... Just less weight and decent mileage. Well, I was absolutely total fine on Monday and did my regular 8. On Tuesday, I had a tightness behind my ankle, which I, from previous experience, knew was the location of my peroneal tendon. I thought it would loosen up. It stayed tight and got tighter, but I ran my 8 anyway (cue the "stupid, stupid, stupid" sound effect). I felt OK afterwards, but after getting to work, it tightened up and I limped my way in from the car.

I thought I'd be an adult and took 3 solid days off. Didn't even cross train. Lots of ice and ibuprofen and I had no problem walking on Thursday. I took Friday off because I thought I'd be extra cautious. I tried to run Saturday, but I could feel my tendon. It didn't hurt, but was a little uncomfortable and just the fact I could feel where my tendon was wasn't a good sign, so I stopped at 5 minutes and walked home. Later in the day I swam 1700m at the pool (~50 minutes).

This morning, I went back and looked at my log. Actually I googled "peroneal tendonitis elliptical" and the first hit was a coolrunning thread where I was the second responder. I wrote I had peroneal tendonitis (diagnosed by an orthopedist). I felt it more on the edge of my foot, but also behind my ankle. I got it after my first race (a 10 miler). I just looked back at my logs. I ran in pain for 4 days, then over the next 10 days I used the elliptical trainer on 7 of them and took 3 off days. Then I ran 10 of the next 12 days, noting foot pain. After that I stopped putting foot pain it in my log.

Geez, I ran on it for 10 days with some pain after two weeks of elliptical? I figured if I waited for no discomfort, I'd wait forever, so I gave it a gentle go today. I did 40 minutes on the treadmill. I could feel it, but it wasn't terrible. It grew some over time, but not horrific. After the run I immediately iced. I'm walking around fine tonight, so I think I'll try again tomorrow. Maybe I can get to 50 minutes without hurting the next day's run. There's always a balance with these things. If you want to be in shape X days from now, the best approach probably isn't to wait until you're fully recovered, but to come back running a little less and then work to full volume as you get better. That's how I'm rationalizing it anyway. Look forward to another "stupid, stupid, stupid" post soon.

week of 23 August -- Annapolis 10 miler training run

Only one week since my last post. Here was this week. No travel, so no missed days. I still need to figure out a way to get more miles in during the week though.

Mon-Fri was 8.6/9:17/132, 7.9/8:51/136, 7.9/8:57/136, 7.9/8:55/138, 8.6/8:48/136

The weather was awesome during the week and I got to run with temps in the low 60's. I got out late and ran in the blazing sun on saturday in about 80 degrees

Sa - 7.9/8:50/151. Harder than I wanted to run.

Sunday was the annapolis 10 miler. Ran a 1.7 mile/10:00/138 wup. I came up with my "plan" right before the gun went off. I'd start at whatever pace the people around me were running and then work my way to roughly marathon HR (usually at 172 mid-way in a marathon), maybe running the last mile fast if I felt like it. I was at 1:07:58 at the 9 mile mark and thought I could easily get under 1:15 if I picked it up, so I ran the last about as fast as I could and was surprised to see 1:15:03. Mile marker was off. Oh, well. (The mile markers were screwy the whole race. 1.1/8:44/162 cdn.

Here are the splits (garmin pace) and a comparison to 2008 (very similar weather) when I did the same sort of MP approach to the race.

-2008------- -2010--
7:46/156----7:48/155
7:29/165----7:24/165
7:40/169----7:19/168
7:59/169----7:22/170
8:00/170----7:45/171
8:07/170----7:46/172
8:08/171----7:31/172
7:56/170----7:35/173
7:41/169----7:26/174
7:52/173----6:42/187

Total for the week 61.1/8:44/143.

last 3 weeks - run on soft surfaces

Vacation, travel, and sore legs have put a damper on the mileage.

Week 2 Aug, 44.9 miles -- 7.9, 7.9, 7.9, 3.1 (overslept), 7.9, 0 (travel for vacation), 10.2
Week 9 Aug, 52.5 miles -- 8, 7.4, 8, 8.3, 8, 0 (travel back from vacation), 12.7
Week 16 Aug, 49.1 miles -- 7.5, 5.5 (tired - on work travel), 0 (tired, sore), 7.9, 8.6 (lake route), 8.6 (lake route), 11 (treadmill)

Mileage isn't near what I'd like. I'm afraid that I've lost the advantage I've gained with the weight loss with the reduced mileage, but I think the scale still tips in my favor. My legs really got beat up the week of 9 August. We were on an island which was totally flat, but the bike paths and sidewalks I ran on were all concrete. It really does seem to make a difference. I ran in Burlington Mass on sidewalks on the 16th and still felt it. I thought it might be the surfaces and ran my old lake trail route on Friday and Saturday (about half street/sidewalk and half trail). My legs seemed to really respond. I'm going to try and get out a little earlier so I can manage the extra 7 minutes and run around the lake.

The 2 hour run took its toll as well. I don't think I can support long runs until I start finding the time for the medium long runs during the week or at least some double. With only 50 mpw, anything over about 12 is going to be tough to recover from.

July 2010

I haven't posted since 7 July. Now that Mindi's posted, I have to or I'll feel like a *total* slacker.

I have a new job and not much time, so I'm keeping it simple. Alarm goes off at 5:15am and I run the same 7.9-mile route over hills. That includes Saturday since my kids have swim meets that require us to leave the house at 7:30 (last one this morning!). Sometimes I'll run on the treadmill if I dawdle on the weekend and it's too hot outside. On Sunday's I'll run farther, 10 to 14, but not too far as don't think the rest of the weekly mileage is enough to support more than that. Pretty simple.

I don't have the time to run the 2 miles I was running after work and I've been trying to figure out a way to sneak in 12 in a mid-week run. I have a good route to run to work, but no real option for getting home. I used to have a good bus option, but the only one I can find now would take 2 hours. (I'm only 12 miles away, but I have to take a bus in the wrong direction, get a train to head back the other way, and then take a bus for the last leg. Ah, mass transit.)

So here are the numbers:

• Week of 5 July: 7.9, 7.9, 7.9, 4.0, 7.5 (treadmill), 7.5 (tm), 11.4 = 54 miles @ 9:11/140
• Week of 12 July: 7.9, 7.9, 7.9, 8.2 (diff route), 7.9, 7.9, 2 wup/8k in 33:32/1 cdn, 6.5 (tm) = 54 @ 9:06/139
• Week of 19 July: 7.9, 3.2 (overslept), 0 (worked to 11:30pm and had to be at work at 8am), 8.2, 8.2, 7.9, 12.0 (tm) = 47 @ 9:12/139
• Week of 26 July: 7.9, 7.9, 7.9, 7.9, 7.9, 7.9, 13.3 = 60.5 @ 8:48/142

[Note: HRs a pretty screwy b/c it read more the 20bpm high for the first 15 minutes or so.]

I was really pleased with the 8k. It's run at 9pm in July, so it's generally hot and humid (and hilly to boot) and I am terrible in the heat. Last year was unusually cool with a starting temp of 69 and finishing temp of 64 and I ran 33:47. This year I ran 33:32 when the temp was a steady 84 degrees. 15 seconds and 15 degrees faster. Not bad. (For some reason, I thought it was 1:15 faster until I double-checked my results. Another reason not to blog.) I was going to be pleased with under 35 given the weather.

traveling = eating

Wow, I've been neglecting this.

Week of 21 June

Sick and ran an ill-advised 2 miles on Monday am. Had 100.5 fever on Monday night and took Tues and Wed off. Ended up with 36 for the week.

Week of 28 June

Was in livermore, ca for work. I thought my running would suffer, but managed to get it all in by getting up at 04:20. Ran in some pretty vineyard country and got chased by a Rottweiler. 62 miles for the week.

When I got back, I found I gained a pound or two. Not bad for 6 days. I guess eating the complimentary eggs and bacon every morning along with restaurant food for lunch and dinner (like Mexican and BBQ) can help pack on the pounds.

I've only been doing easy running. It's all the complication I can handle at the moment and the heat isn't helping either. It's been over 100 the last couple of days and the overnight low tonight is 79 degrees. Yikes.

Time to sleep...

job, sugar, and blog-loafing

I'm horribly behind on this blog. My last post was 23 May, which not coincidentally, is the day before I started a new job. What's happened running-wise since then? Not as much as I'd like, but I've managed to lose some weight.

I watched Sugar: The bitter truth sometime in mid-April and I've gone from 164->157 after cutting out sugar. I wasn't drinking sodas or anything but what I've cut out seems to have made a huge difference. I've lost seven pounds despite reduced new-job running mileage.

On that, I'm having trouble keeping up here, but I just synced with my log at runsaturday.com. The weeks of 17 May, 24 May, 31 May, and 6 May totaled 51, 44, 59, and 62 miles. Way down from the mid- to upper-60s I was getting in March and April. The big difference is the lack or time for doubles. I was stealing 6-8 miles a week that way. If I can figure a way to get my mileage back up and keep my weight down, I should be flying.

5k with the kids

GotR race is tomorrow, but baby girl can't go, so we did a different 5k today.

Very easy logistics. Next to a commuter lot, so lots of parking close to the start. 9am start (I'd hate the extra temp if it were my race though!). 12 and under were free and they still got ridiculous schwag? The only downside was a long line to get t-shirts/chips. They inexplicably separated handing out bibs from chips and then had you single file in line to get you chip and t-shirt, so someone had to file through and find your chip. I've never seen that before. If they fix that, you could cruise up the this race at the last moment assured of plentiful, close parking. I'd do this again.

OK, now for the race!

Baby girl asked her (daddy) rabbit for 9:30s. We were moving along pretty good and I could hear her breathing. I kept asking if she wanted to slow down but she kept passing people. We finally started to slow down after the first mile. A bit later, we saw big brother who was on his way back telling us we had a long way to go. Thanks!

The early pace was a bit ambitious for her, but she held it together and didn't walk a step! She had plenty in the tank as she took off when she saw the finish about 1/4-mile a way. I started to follow and she said, "Dad, I have to beat you!" She finished a bit under 31:30, which is 3 minutes faster than in the fall. Big brother got in around mid 26:XX (forgot to stop his watch until 26:50), which is 6 minutes faster than the fall I think. He's getting to that age where he can push himself. When I saw him, he looked every bit like he'd run a hard 5k.

catching up - weeks of 3 and 10 May

Week of 3 May

Mo - easy 7.9
Tu - easy 7.9; 2.6 jog pm treadmill
We - easy 7.9; 2.1 jog pm
Th - easy 7.9
Fr - drills 7.2; 2.1 jog pm
Sa - moderate 7.6
Su - easy 12.5
Total: 65.6

Week of 10 May (taper/10k race)
Mo - easy 7.9; 2.1 jog pm
Tu - easy 7.9
We - easy 7.9
Th - easy 7.9
Fr - easy 4.7
Sa - jog 2.1
Su - 10k in 40:22
Total: 46.6

Carytown 10k results

Congratulations on finishing the Carytown 10K on May 16, 2010.
For your records, the weather at start time was mostly cloudy, 65 degrees F, 70% humidity, NE wind 3.5 mph.

There were 110 finishers in the Male 35 to 39 age group and 1528 finishers in the 10K Run Division.

Your overall finish place was 35, your age group finish place was 5 and your gender finish place was 32.
Your time was 40:21.68 giving you an overall pace of 6:30 per mile.

Your 4M split time was 25:55.09, Giving you a pace of 6:29 per mile, Overall place 38, Gender place 35
Your last 2.2 mile split time was 14:26.59, Giving you a pace of 6:32 per mile, Overall place 35, Gender place 32

The results email pretty much sums it up. It was 5+ degrees warmer than forecast and the expected dew point of 49 turned into 55, so it was more humid too. Checking weather underground, the 65 degrees turned into 69 by the end and although it might have been mostly cloudy at the start, the sun was definitely in the holes! So there's my excuse...

Although I ran 18 seconds slower that 3 weeks ago, I really thought this was a better race and I was in better shape. The weather made it much tougher and the course was also more difficult. I was really overheated when I finished and dumped a couple of cups of water on my head to cool down and get the sweat out of my eyes. I'm frankly surprised I ran as well as I did considering what heat normally does to me.

Splits were: 6:25, 6:28, 6:29 (5k at 20:06), 6:31, 6:28, 7:58 (6:34). I ran the first half just about perfect as the race was net uphill for the first half. I wanted to run a negative split, but it didn't quite happen. I feel like I gave it an honest effort.

I got to talk to Bill Rodgers before the race. He was walking around in seeming complete anonymity. I talked to him for probably 3 minutes and I don't think anybody around us knew who he was. He's just as nice as everyone says and seems genuinely interested in you when he talks to you. After he started the race everyone knew who he was and he had more folks around him after the race. I shook his hand again and exchanged a few words (he asked me my time, whether it was a PR, etc.). All in all a good day.

Carytown 10k here I come

I'm driving to Richmond (~90 miles) for a faster course on Sunday rather than run the local Capital Hill classic (note the "Hill" in "Capital Hill"). I think I need help.

At 60 degrees, it's going to be marginal for my Scandinavian blood, but it's supposed to be very dry (dew pt 43). I'm down 2-3 pounds since my sub-40 attempt also, so that can't hurt. I figure this will be my last semi-legitimate chance this year unless we get some really freakishly good weather.

Week of 26 April

• Mo - 7.7/134/1:08:41
• Tu - 7.9/129/1:09:22
• We - 7.9/146/1:04:09 moderate AM; 2.1/18:39 PM
• Th - 7.9/139/1:10:05 AM; 2.1/19:36 PM
• Fr - 7.25/130/1:08:42 drills AM; 2.1/20:22 PM
• Sa - 7.9/130/1:10:47 -- 75 deg humid
• Su - 13.4/161/1:52:21 workout -- 75-80 deg & 70+ dew point!

Quality

• Wed. Usual moderate run. Eased into it. This was easy end of moderate. Recovery from 10k
• Sun. 2 mile wup. 3 x 1 mile @160 bpm (80%) w/5' jog rest, 5' jog rest, 1/2/3/5/4/4/3/2/1 @ 10k effort with half rest, 5' jog rest, 6 x 30'' fast relaxed/30'' jog rest. Crazy hot and humid. Started at 76 and rose over 80. Dew point was over 70. I didn't drink at all (haven't put fountains back yet) and was totally wiped. Way overdid it.

week of 19 April

Mo - 7.9 in 73'

Tu - 7.9 in 71' -- wore Ronins, PF bothered me

We - 7.9 in 65' (moderate) AM; 2.1 in 20' PM

Th - 7.9 in 71'

Fr - 7.2 in 68' -- drills

Sa - 4.8 in 42'

Su - 1.1 in 11.5' wup; 10k race - 40:04

Total: 52.9 in 7.6 hrs

40:04 Pike's Peek

Light rain off and on, temp 55 degrees, a very slight headwind (5 mph).

Everything was uneventful. I was lined up about 5 feet in front of the 7:00 pace sign next to a 52 year old woman (not name Joan Benoit) and another one in front. They kept begging a guy with two girls about 8 and 10 to move further back. He moved about 5 feet back. What's the matter with people?

Anyway, the "go" word comes and I scream out, probably too fast, as I see 5:59 on the garmin after it settle. Still there are a gazillion people passing me and even more as I back off. I can see a stream of probably 500 people in front of me. (I ended up 137 OA.) So I spend the race passing people until the 5th mile marker.

HR monitor is wild (showing 233) in the first mile and I'm ignoring it. This is a really downhill portion and I hit the first mile at 6:22. I hit the second mile at 6:20/185 bpm. That's like 10 mile heart rate. Maybe I'm taking it too easy? Is all the downhill in the beginning? I haven't run the course before. Next mile is 6:22/187. Ok, more like it. I hit 5k at 19:49, tying my (very soft) PR and have 11 seconds in the bank by my reckoning.

Things level off this mile and the split is 6:28/187. Uh oh, I gave back 2 seconds in mile 4. Now the work begins. Mile 5 is a long, long climb that you can from forever. I tell myself I have to get up this on pace. Mile 5 is 6:30/188. Good effort but gave back 4 seconds.

After hitting lap at the mile 5 marker, the garmin says 6:35 and I just can't seem to generate the power to make it go lower. This is also uphill. I quickly figure there's no way I'm going to make it and here's where I screw myself up. I start thinking about how much it hurts and start to back off, seeing 6:42 pace and figuring it's over. We crest the hill at ~5.8 and I can see the finish. Suddenly I can see the finish and start to wonder if I can make up 10+ seconds and I start flying. According the garmin I ran the last 0.2 at 5:44 pace. (Mile 6 is 6:40/186 with the 186 revealing how I totally wimped out.)

I could make out the clock when it said 39:51 and I kept sprinting in. Watch said 40:05. Chip time posted now says 40:04. Ugh, ugh, ugh. If I had hung tough and given myself a chance, I definitely could have made it. I don't think I can find another fast 10k before the weather turns, so I get to stew over this for 6 months. Great.

If there's a training lesson here, I do think my lack of fast running, hill sprints, etc. hurt me when trying to run fast and maybe those fast twitch fibers were there for me at the end when the others were worn out. I just never run that fast and maybe I don't have quite the power to get my 10k time in line with my 10 mile time. Really I think I just don't like pain!

rooting for accuweather

Weather.com has little lighning bolts for my 10k tomorrow morning and accuweather has a magical break around race time where it's just cloudy. Come on accuweather! Temp 55 degs, which is nice. 95% humidity isn't so great. I'm terrible in any kind of "heat" or humidity whatsoever. This is right on the edge for me. It should be a "headwind," but it's supposed to be only 3 mph, so essentially calm.

I've tapered for this so I'm hoping not to waste it on a thunderstorm. I felt like I really hit everything almost perfect in the two weeks between races, recovering without losing too much. We'll see tomorrow.

week of 12 April

• Mo AM - 5.65 @ 9:23
  
• Mo PM - 2.08 in 20:32
  
• Tu - 7.86 @ 9:01
  
• We AM - 7.85 @ 8:49
  
• We PM - 2.00 @ 10:00 -- treadmill, alternate 4' @ 2.5 deg/1' @ 0 deg
  
• Th AM - 7.87 @ 8:50
  
• Th PM - 2.06 @ 9:40
• Fr AM - 7.21 @ 9:20 -- drills
  
• Fr PM - 1.96 @ 9:12
  
• Sa - 8.04 1@ 8:56
• Su - 12.21 @ 8:02 -- 12.2 w/ 8.2 moderate

This Week - 64.80 9:38:25 8:56

Kinda sore all week. I thought my energy was back on Wednesday but my legs had sore spots. Then I relapsed on Thursday and was fatigued until Sunday. I was still a bit heavy-legged on Sunday and took a couple of miles to warm up, but felt good. I'm quite sore on Monday night as I write this and skipped my PM run to use the foam roller, so I think I probably should have waited another day.

I'm not sure what to expect Sunday at the 10k. I'll probably lose some fitness with the easy runs and reduced miles, but I definitely won't break 40 if I don't recover. It's a point-to-point downhill course (-190 feet) with one left turn, so that should help as long as the wind isn't blowing the wrong way. I should also have lots of company at my pace. I'm also considering another 10k on 5/16 to have another chance to break 40 (if I don't) or to get a legit (unaided) 10k PR. 3 week in between should give me a chance to recover and get a little volume in.

(Couldn't resist checking the weather and it calls for a completely direct headwind of 7 mph.)

I love these shoes: Nike Free 3.0v2

Now that I've expressed my undying love, I'm sure they'll be discontinued.

I run differently in these shoes. I thought I was running differently in them, but wasn't sure until I ran on the treadmill this week. It's a totally different stride than even in my racing flats. I feel like I plantar flex, searching for the ground like you do barefoot, and I can feel the cushioning under the middle of my foot as I land. Not even my feelmax uber-light shoes create this sensation. Unlike the feelmax shoes, I don't feel like I'm running in quicksand. I feel like I get more energy return and it's easier to run faster. (Or maybe this is just weak feet and sub-conscious cautiousness in the feelmax shoes.)

They also are apparently my PF cure. I stopped wearing them last week when I needed more toe box room (because of the bloody toe) and my PF was the worst it's been in this current round on Monday (after the Sunday race). I've been wearing these all week*. My PF was completely absent on Thursday's run and I only felt it very slightly today.

The big difference with these shoes and the 5.0s is the heel. My heel is barely higher than my mid-foot. I can feel the mid-foot cushioning compress when I land, which is totally different than what I'm used to. I'll be interested to see if the wear pattern reflects this. They also, of course, have the flexible Free sole. I believe being able to bend your toes when picking up your heel reduces the tension on you fascia. (By the way, you can actually feel your toes on the ground. The toe spring in most shoes prevents this.)

OK, that was a very poor bit of writing, but it will have to do as my love poem to the Nike Free 3.0. I just ordered another pair. Nike, please don't discontinue these shoes!

(* My toe is better and I (duh) figured out that if I completely loosen the laces at the bottom that the toe run isn't that bad and I don't have a problem.)

week of 4 April

Mo AM - 8.37 1:13:52 8:49
Mo PM - 2.06 0:20:58 10:11
Tu - 7.85 1:02:18 7:56
We - 7.84 1:10:54 9:03
Th AM - 7.84 1:08:54 8:47
Th PM - 2.03 0:19:42 9:41
Fr - 7.34 1:08:57 9:24
Sa - 4.71 0:41:48 8:53
Su - Cherry Blossom 10 miler in 1:05:55; 0.19 @ 9:59 cdn (it all counts!)

Week - 58.43 8:15:11 8:29

Bloody toe on Monday was feeling better after wearing widest shoes (precisions) and completely loosening the laces. I also wore very casual shoes to work.

CB was great. My first race was GW parkway 10 miler in April 2005 and I've run CB every April since. My times have been 1:24:49, 1:19:49, 1:09:49, 1:08:49, 1:06:43, and 1:05:55.

I'm hoping to break 40 for 10k on April 25th. It won't be easy though. Runningforfitness.org's calculator gives me 39:57 based on a number of calculators. Given it's a downhill course (that I'll have to asterisk) and that I went out too fast at CB (my 5k split was 20:12.), I think I have a good shot.

	Predictions based on:						Average prediction (excluding Purdy)
Distance	Age grading	VO2 max	Riegel formula	Cameron formula	Purdy formula		Time	Min /mile

10 km

40:18

39:47

39:49

39:55

39:42

39:57

06:26

Cherry Blossom 10 miler: Damn you, Fenty!

I ran good ol' CB this morning. My friend and I tried to get there a little later (so we don't stand around forever) and I *barely* made it. I got in the first corral just as they were marching forward with the plastic mesh separating the corrals. I was literally the last guy in. We stood there about 5 minutes and I thought this would be fun to try and get out at 6:40 (my goal pace) with not a step of warming up.

Turns out it was fine. I had to weave a bit, but nailed the first mile at 6:40 and it went by fast. Then I felt a little too good :-) Next was 6:28 and then 6:21. Yikes! HR was at 185 which is about what I expected. I could feel my threshold but felt like I was at it or just under, so I went with it, but backed off a hair. Next two were 6:34, and 6:32. I started to feel it at 5 and felt like things were going about right as I was really wanting to reach the 6 mile marker (my usual MO in a 10 miler). 6 mile split was 6:37.

Now on the old course you turned around for a gentle downhill on Rock Creek Parkway. On this one you had out to the no man's land where many a Marine Corps Marathon has gone to die. Mile 7 is 6:36 and I feel like a PR is assured. My legs are getting a bit rubbery, but after I round the end of Hains Point, what do I see?


ADRIAN FENTY! He ran 62:xx last year and I thought I had no shot, but he's right there in the next group ahead! He's not far off now! Can I PR and beat the Mayor in the same race? Well, I wussed out I'm afraid. I tried to reel him in slowly but it was going the other way and I never got closer. Still, I thought I might beat him on the chip if I could stay reasonably close since "his honor" starts right up front.

Mile 8 was 6:24, but it was short and I wasn't surprised to see 7:00 for mile 9 (6:42 pace for both). I never saw the Mayor again after he turned off Hains Point, but the time at mile 9 gave me some motivation. I realized I had a good shot at 1:05 if I just could run another at ~6:40 (which wouldn't be easy). The last mile is also the toughest with the only real uphill of the course (not much, but enough to notice on this pancake course). I saw the 800m to go mark on the ground and had already used 3:29 (7:00 pace). I can't be slowing this much? I wasn't. Last mile was 6:39 and I just made it -- 1:05:55.

Here's the killer. They just posted the results and Mr. Mayor's chip time was 1:05:53 and he finished one place ahead of me. Just two seconds!!!! Argghhhh!

Nevertheless, I'm super happy. I set a 48 second PR on essentially base training. I haven't done any intervals. I did a short tempo months ago and some really mild repeats. Other than that, the 8k is the only fast running I've done. My "workouts" are just some moderate (155-160) running every 3 or 4 days. I've done good volume and lots of runs, which has gotten my weight back down, but I've checked my records and my weight is the same as last year (164).

Full splitsahol below:

Time Split time Distance Split pace Avg. HR
0:06:40 6:40 1.01 6:37 186 (93%) -- HRM not working
0:13:09 6:28 2.03 6:19 185 (93%) -- HRM not working
0:19:30 6:21 3.06 6:13 184 (92%)
0:26:05 6:34 4.14 6:03 184 (92%)
0:32:38 6:32 5.16 6:26 185 (92%)
0:39:15 6:37 6.17 6:33 185 (92%)
0:45:51 6:36 7.17 6:37 184 (92%)
0:52:15 6:24 8.13 6:38 185 (92%)
0:59:15 7:00 9.18 6:44 184 (92%)
1:05:55 6:39 10.20 6:29 186 (93%)

Magill Drills

http://runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=17578

When you see me say "drills" in my log, this is what I'm doing. Usually ~4.5 miles jog warmup, 4 strides, the drills in the video (with jog/stride/walk between like in the video) followed by 2-4 strides depending on how I feel and a jog of about 1.5 miles home.

I'm absolutely amazed at how much I speed up from the warmup strides after doing the first drill (usually "schoolyard skipping). Before the race Sunday I plan to warmup with 10-15 minutes jogging and a few strides and skipping.

PF or bloody toe

Well, I ran today. I wore the widest shoes I own (Mizuno wave precisions) and loosened the laces as much as possible. On my toe I had a band-aid slathered in as much body glide as the law will allow. It actually went OK. I could obviously feel it with each step, but it wasn't too bad. The bad part is that I could feel the stiff shoes affecting my PF. It's not bad, but it's slowing my healing. Oh, well. I can't run in the other shoes right now (well, without some serious pain).

Bloody toe

Toe hurt throughout the run as it has for over a week. This time I took off my shoe to find a bloody sock. Taking the bandaid off I saw that a pretty thick layer of skin about the size of a dime was flapping in the breeze with raw skin underneath. Ouch. I've had this before (although not this bad). It eventually goes away, but I'm not sure how exactly. I think my shoes are too narrow. Even the Mizunos with the wide toe box are a problem. Maybe I need a wide?

Stumbling upon Hadd?

While running the other day, I remember the massive Hadd thread on letsrun.com and for some reason it struck me that my newfound moderate-every-third-day strategy might be similar to what Hadd described. Well it sure seems to be. Here's the schedule Hadd gave "Joe" for building his mileage

Joe was given schedules to show him how to best get from 50 mpw to 80 mpw.

Mon 60 mins easy 145 HR
Tue 75 mins easy 160HR
Wed Easy 45 mins 145 HR
Thu Easy 60 mins 150 HR
Fri 75 mins easy 160 HR
Sat Easy 45 mins 150 HR
Sun 90 mins easy 155 HR
Approx 60mpw

Mon 75 mins easy 145 HR
Tue 60 mins easy 155-160 HR
Wed 60 mins easy up to 150 HR
Thu 75 mins easy 145-150 HR
Fri 75 mins easy 160 HR
Sat 60 mins easy 145-150 HR
Sun 90 mins easy up to 150 HR
Approx 69mpw

Mon 60 mins jog easy 140-150 HR (or lower)
Tue 90 mins including 70 mins @ 160 HR
Wed 75 mins easy 140-150 HR (or lower)
Thu 75 mins 150-155 HR
Fri 90 mins including 70 mins @ 160 HR
Sat 75 mins easy 140-150 HR (or lower)
Sun 2 hrs easy 145-155 HR (but to include 60 mins @ 160)
Approx 80+mpw

That's pretty close to what I'm doing: jog, easy, moderate. I've even started doing (see last Saturday) warmup and cooldown on the longest run like his 2 hr easy day. Also the 80+ mpw adds up to 9.75 hours and mine has been right at 10 the last two weeks (guess Joe's faster than me!). One big difference is that I'm doing doubles and I'm a weany compared to Hadd's HRs. Here's last week in terms of time/avg heart rate

Mo - 74'/135; 20'/???

Tu - 70'/137; 19'/???

We - 64'/151; 20'/???

Th - 69'/143; 20'/???

Fr - 70'/136

Sa - 98'/153; 19'/???

Su - 63'/143

The AHR are probably often off though because the first 20' is gooned up before I break a sweat. Usually it's 10-20 bpm high, but sometimes it's way low. Still it's pretty indicative and good for relative comparisons. By the way, runsaturday has a nice calendar view that lets you toggle between time/distance, time/heart rate, etc.

week of 29 March

Mon - AM: 7.87 @ 9:25; PM: 2.11 @ 9:21
Tue - AM: 7.84 @ 8:59; PM: 2.09 @ 9:17
Wed - AM: 7.84 @ 8:12; PM: 2.06 @ 9:38
Thu - AM: 7.86 @ 8:45; PM: 2.06 @ 9:53
Fri - AM: 7.36 @ 9:33 -- drills
Sat - AM: 12.25 @ 8:01; PM 2.06 @ 9:15;
Sun - 7.27 @ 8:45

Total: 68.7 @ 8:51; 10:08:18

According to Garmin that's 8,070 calories. I think I ate that in chocolate bunnies and peeps.

Nike Free 3.0v2's arrived on Friday and I couldn't resist a second test run on Sat to try them out. They feel good. Nike runs narrow, but I wear a half size bigger and it seems OK. They don't have quite as wide a "wheel base" in the heal as the 5.0s and feel a little unstable although they are much lighter and don't have that giant heel. I also did my 7+ on Sunday in them but imagined myself hurting myself a week before Cherry Blossom.

Everything things sorta holding together and I expect to get to the starting line OK. I'll probably double less this week or shorten my morning runs. I do plan to do drills on Saturday because it really seems to prime me for the next days run, but I might not do the full repertoire. Or maybe I should do them Friday? Eh, doesn't really matter. I'm kind of hedging on mileage this week. I probably won't take it super easy as Pike's Peak 10k on the 25th might be a good chance to break 40 if CB goes well. It's a cheater course though. You take one left and run downhill for a few metro stops and then take the train back. I've heard there are some ups and downs, but it drops 190 feet. Weather looking good for CB. High is only 63. Low is 49 and race is at 7:40am.

I've started using runsaturday.com for my runs. I really use SportTracks and then it has a plugin for (very) easily uploading your runs. The site is kind of hard to navigate, but the guy seems to be a hardcore geek and there are lots of features. He publishes all the data in a million ways and you can mashup data in a million ways apparently, but it's all kind of a hodgepodge. I'm "greg" at runsaturday.

Hobby jogger training

I'm a hobby jogger. Nothing wrong with that except that I own lots of books and have spent way too much time thinking about how to run faster when the answer is simple to comprehend, but difficult to achieve: lose weight.

At 5'9.5'' and 163 lbs, I'm not that heavy by 2010 standards, but I could be much lighter and still healthy. As a freshman in college, I weighed 138 lbs at this height and when I took a fitness class that included a skinfold test, my body fat was 11%. I met Alan Webb once and we're just about the same height (I'm maybe 0.5'' taller) and I have a smaller frame, but he weighs 20 lbs less than me and could bench my weight 40 times while I can't do more than one pullup.

Pace is roughly linear with weight for small weight changes, so if you drop 1 or 2%, you can expect to run 1 or 2% faster. If you drop 10%, it might only be 7%, but you get the idea: there is very little you can do to improve your race times that's more effective than losing unneeded weight. Notice I said "unneeded weight." I'm talking about the ridiculousness of a middle-aged guy with a gut wondering why his lung-searing 10x800m interval sessions aren't propelling him to distance running greatness.

Of course you have to run also. When I weighed 138, I think I ran 1.5 miles during our Cooper test (12 minutes) at the beginning of that fitness class. Now, I would probably cover 2 miles in that test (according to McMillan my 32:07 8k is conveniently worth 12:00.2 for 2 miles). Of course, I ran that 1.5 miles while being utterly sedentary. When I started running at 33 years old and 187 pounds, I might have covered 1.2 miles in 12 minutes on a good day.

OK, so unless your already close to your ideal weight, the answer is to run as much as your schedule and body can tolerate and to lose weight. The first helps with the second, by the way. I had a coach last year and I really started to slow down after April when my mileage came down as we shifted focus to higher-quality, lower-quantity 10k training. Not coincidentally, my weight went up as well. I don't think it's easy for good runners to comprehend the tubby tendencies of the hobby jogger. We like to eat! I have a friend who's a very good runner who at over 6' weighs 150 lbs when at peak training and "ballooned" to 155 when a knee injury sidelined him completely for months. I think a lot of "talent" has to do with being skinny. Sure, the "talented" probably eat better on average, but they don't necessarily struggle with it. (I also know a former D1 runner who no longer runs and eats like you wouldn't believe, but is as thin as a rail.)

So, how to train? I could of course save a hell of a lot of time by just shoving less food in my mouth, but as millions of people already know, that's damn hard! Running 10 times a week seems easy by comparison. ( I'm hoping one day I can get both to happen at the same time.)

I think burning as many calories as you can is a good place to start. This means running lots of miles and not getting injured. How?

• Doubling when you can is a good way to burn extra calories without much injury risk. (Cross-training would probably work, but I can't seem to fit that in my schedule while lacing up shoes and going out the door is pretty easy. ) As an added bonus, I don't snack between arriving at home and eating dinner if I'm running and showering.
  
• Limiting off days. The effect of your heroic workout or long run will be negated if you add ounces the next day by eating and not running. Don't waste a perfectly good day.
  
• Up the average intensity if you've hit the limit of your time budget, but try to do it in a way that doesn't reduce the calories you're burning by "wasting" days recovering. Right now, for me, this means moderate running (HR in the 150s) every third day or so.

week of 22 March

• Mon AM - Moderate 7.86 1:04:05 8:09
• Mon PM - Recovery 2.06 0:19:48 9:36
• Tu - Easy 7.87 1:10:18 8:56
• We AM - Easy 7.85 1:09:21 8:50
• We PM - Recovery 2.09 0:20:11 9:41
• Th AM - Recovery 7.83 1:10:55 9:03
• Th PM - Recovery 2.05 0:20:01 9:46
• Fr AM - Drills 7.18 1:09:49 9:44
• Fr PM - Recovery 2.08 0:19:03 9:10
• Sa - Moderate 14.01 1:47:11 7:39
• Su - Recovery 7.86 1:11:42 9:07

This Week - 68.74 10:02:24 8:46

Continued the PF battles this week. It doesn't hurt when I walk barefoot and it only bothers me for a few miles, so I think it's partly paranoia.

I played shoe roulette this week and remembered why I gave up on the Frees. I think they're great for PF as I can easily bend my toes, but the arch is very high and rigid and uncomfortably bashes against my arch. The Precisions feel like Army boots even though they're a lightweight trainer/marathon racer. Loosening the laces let me flex my foot more (picking up my heel) and seemed OK. Still I longed for my ronins and actually wore them on Sunday (even though I estimated they had >1100 miles on them). Anyway, I ordered a new pair of Ronins and found some Free 3.0's that I'd like to pull the trigger on, but couldn't quite spend the extra $$ after buying the Ronins.

The week went pretty well running-wise, getting in 4 doubles and almost 69 miles. I think I might have run Saturday a little too hard. It felt great and I ran ~160 bpm after the first couple of miles, which is well below my MP average (172), while running 7:3x over my usual hilly course. I was wiped out afterwards though like I used to be on a weekly basis when doing long runs. Sunday was a very long 8 miles. I jogged the whole way, but 138 bpm felt tough and I was very glad to be done.

week of 15 March

• Mo - 7.9 @ 9:09
• Tu - 7.9 @ 9:15
• We AM - 7.9 @ 9:15
• We PM - 2.1 @ 9:33 (wore ronins)
• Th AM - 8.2 @ 8:06 -- double out and back when I forgot my keys
• Th PM - 2.1 @ 9:24 -- wore Frees
• Fr AM - 7.2 @ 9:45 -- drills on high school turf (pace includes drills and walking in between)
• Fr PM - 2.1 @ 9:17
• Sa - 13.3 @ 9:04 -- ran w/ friend; slower than I'd have done alone, but maybe good for the weekend after a race
• Su PM - 4.9 @ 9:00 -- about 70 degrees! All I could get with daughter's all-day soccer tournament

Total: 63.4

PF felt better and worse over the course of the week. I ditched my Ronin's which I'd say have about 1000 miles on them. The Frees seemed to help as they did before because my toes can bend easily, creating less tension on the bottom of my foot when I toe off. It's still up and down though.

By Thursday I was recovered enough from the 8k for a moderate run.

On Friday, I did all the Pete Magill drills (except the skip kicks) and was surprised I could to the the carioca drill. I tried the drills barefoot which felt great except a 35 degree sopping wet field is quite cold! I put my shoes back on halfway through.

8k pictures

http://www.brightroom.com/view_user_event.asp?EVENTID=61503&BIB=3682&S=230&PWD=

Includes some action shots of me avoiding get "chicked" at the end. I gave up on catching a pack of guys on the final straightaway (green tights in the pictures), but when a "girl" came up next to me, that was too much! :-)

My form is so awful and this is probably the best form I've ever run with. I'm sitting in a bucket less than normal and it almost looks like running, but what's the deal with my splayed right hand swinging across my chest?

PF is doing much better. I was pain free in my feelmax shoes last night. A very slight bit of tugging today, but I think I'll be OK.

Plantar fasciitis Day 3

I felt the ugly PF sensation on my Sunday PM run after the race, but stupidly did my 2 miles instead of turning around after the first step and bagging Monday.

I went out on Monday and felt it, but not as intensely -- I think because of heavier shoes -- and it didn't bother me after a mile, so I did my 8.

Today I felt it again and regretted running the last two times, but now what to do? I've only got about 6 weeks left to set some spring PRs and taking a week off will kill that and probably won't help much anyway, so I guess I'll just muddle through. I rolled my calf and stretched after the run and it felt much better. It's also can't be too bad as I don't get that first-step pain in the morning. Here's hoping it will just go away.

hip bursitis? plantar fasciitis?

I (perhaps unwisely) did a shakeout 2 miles yesterday afternoon. I felt like I was banging on my right heel from the get go in my feelmax shoes, but I persisted. This morning I did 8 very easy and I don't think I really noticed it, but walking around today I can feel the tugging under my right foot. Uh oh. I'm not sure what I'll do tomorrow. I had a couple of PF scares that turned out to be nothing, so here's hoping this is more of the same.

My hip has continued to bother me. The pain is pretty local and right on the point of my hip. I've felt all along like it was "in there" and now I'm started to think it's just bursitis. Looking at drawings, it's in exactly the right place. It sounds like a cortisone shot is the real cure if that's the case. Not sure I want to go to the doc though. Maybe ice and vitamin I will get the inflammation down?

week of 8 March - Recovery / 8k race

Mo - Easy 7.84 1:09:06 8:49
Tu AM - Moderate 8.02 1:03:21 7:54
Tu PM Recovery 2.70 0:25:00 9:16 -- hotel treadmill alternate 4' flat/2' @ 2.5 deg
We - Recovery 6.50 1:00:04 9:14 -- hotel treadmill alternate 4' flat/2' @ 2.5 deg
Th - Easy/Moderate 8.00 1:09:59 8:45 -- hotel treadmill alternate 4' flat/2' @ 2.5 deg
Fr - Easy 6.38 0:58:24 9:09
Sa - Drills 4.56 0:43:05 9:27
Su AM - 16:56 warmup, 8k race in 32:07, 7:37 cooldown
Su PM - Recovery 2.08 0:19:38 9:26

Week - 53.70 7:45:14 8:40

Had to travel for work which disrupted things and then I tapered Friday and Saturday for the race on Sunday.

32:07 8k

Ran way better than I thought I would. I went out like a bat out of hell and it felt easy (Garmin said 6:04 pace) and I backed off when I saw >190 on the HRM which didn't match how I felt. Then I saw 238 bpm and knew it was screwed up. I hit the first mile marker at 6:29/189 (HR not right), I passed very fast female runner (low 18s for 5k) in the second mile -- 6:30/187, I concentrated on not gooning up the middle miles and ran 6:25 for the third mile. I hit the 5k split at 19:59 on my watch and thought I'd only have to drop 4 seconds in the last 2 miles. I thought I picked it up, but the next split was 6:30, so I needed to make up 9 seconds to get a PR. I gave it what I have, but realized I was probably come up short. A woman came up and passed on the last straightaway, but I came back even and sprinted in ahead of her. Last split was 6:12 (6:23 pace). Watch said 32:04 -- 9 seconds short of a PR. The results said 20:03/32:07 compared to 19:59/20:04 on my watch, so I think it didn't register me crossing the second mat at the start.

• 06:29 1.01 6:29 6:25 189 (94%) -- HRM messed up
• 12:59 2.03 6:30 6:22 187 (93%)
• 19:24 3.05 6:25 6:17 189 (95%)
• 25:53 4.06 6:30 6:26 189 (94%)
• 32:04 5.06 6:12 6:15 188 (94%) -- 6:23 pace

I felt like I had a spring in my step and my legs felt great even afterwards. I think the drills have helped with my form. My legs didn't give out, but I was sucking wind. My form got kind of off in miles 3 and 4 and I think I corrected it some in the last mile. I was starting to lean back and get my legs in front of me, I think.

Racing again

I'm signed up for my usual St Patrick's Day 8k this Sunday and the Cherry Blossom ten miler on 11 April. Fenty has had some political troubles lately and I'm hoping it has affected his training. Given his 30:10 and 62:59 last year, that's the only way I have a chance.

week of 1 March

Mo - 7.81 @ 8:53 easy
Tu AM 8.00 @ 8:11 - moderate, work route
Tu PM 2.08 @ 9:17 in feelmax
We AM 9.38 @ 9:02 easy
We PM 2.08 @ 9:06 in feelmax
Th AM 8.00 @ 9:08 - MAF test on treadmill (see below)
Th PM 2.31 @ 9:32
Fr - 7.16 @ 9:20 - included Pete Magill drills
Sa - 13.30 @ 8:15 - moderate, home hilly
Su - 7.33 @ 9:04 - jog; 153 (wrong), 130, 129, 134, 134, 140 (uphill), 137, 137

This Week: 67.46 9:55:55 8:50

Nice. 10 hours is what I'd like to shoot for.

Soleus on both legs was sore on Wed, Th, and Fr. Wasn't sure about the Pete Magill drills but I did them and was fine. I did just as in the video. I did about 4 miles jogging, 4 x 40y strides, then 40y skipping, 40y high skipping, 40y high knees, 40y butt kicks, 20y marches, 10y foot shuffles. I took off my shoes and did 4 x 40y strides on the astroturf after and that felt great. Jogged about 2 miles back for 7.16 total.

Did a MAF test on the 'mill on Thursday.

Time          Distance   Split pace   Avg. HR
0:04:49      0.48        10:02            125
0:09:45      1.00        9:29              132
0:14:19      1.50        9:08              135
0:18:43      2.00        8:49              137
0:27:42      3.05        8:33              142
0:35:59      4.00        8:44              143
0:44:49      5.00        8:50              142
0:53:43      6.00        8:54              142
1:02:51      7.00        9:07              142
1:07:50      7.50        9:58              137
1:13:04      8.00      10:30               133

It seems like the heat built on my me as I had a lot more drift than on my run in FL last week that was essentially the same heart rate. Still it's not a terrible place to start from.

week of 22 February

Getting behind...

• Mo - 7.85 @ 9:15
• Tu - 7.83 @ 8:30
• We - 7.85 @ 8:50 -- tortuous day travelling to FL (wx in ATL)
• Th - 8.00 @ 8:19 -- flat course in Florida (28 degrees in FL?!)
• Fr - 7.90 @ 8:56 -- tortuous day traveling back (25 mph winds, gusting to 50 @ DCA)
• Sa AM - 5.11 @ 9:39 -- felt like crap, ran easy
• Sa PM - 2.09 @ 9:32 -- feelmax shoes
• Su - 12.19 @ 8:21 -- moderate, HRs in mid-150s

This Week: 58.83 @ 8:47

The word for the week is "hills." The snow drove me and every runner to the same road. All the 7.85-7.90 run are on the same route. The 12.19 route is the same with some (very hilly) additions. The weird thing is my knee started bothering me after running at 0 degrees on the treadmill for a couple of weeks. The steeper the hills, the better my knee feels. I didn't charge the hills, but I didn't shy away either, so I pushed my HR up a little on the uphills, and rested a bit on the downs.

This was the "no plan" plan and I liked it. If I felt good, I'd run faster (Tu/Th) and then run slowly until I felt better. The moderate run on Sunday just felt right. I'm not doing any "quality" and some might consider the moderate runs "junk" (not slow enough and not fast enough), but I can feel myself getting stronger. Running on the flat ground in Florida was fun. Splits were

Time Distance Split pace Avg. HR
0:09:01 1.00 9:01 160 (80%)
0:17:30 2.00 8:29 131 (65%)
0:25:48 3.00 8:19 135 (67%)
0:34:02 4.00 8:14 140 (70%)
0:42:13 5.00 8:11 141 (71%)
0:50:25 6.00 8:13 143 (71%)
0:58:32 6.99 8:09 142 (71%)
1:06:29 7.99 7:56 145 (72%)
1:06:32 8.00 9:16 126 (63%)

First is obviously a bogus HR. It was nice to see that 7:56 @ 145.

week of 15 February

• Mo AM - 7.94 @9:05
• Tu AM - 8.00 @8:28 treadmill; progression: miles 5-7 @ 8:11/147, 7:53/153, 7:36/159
• Tu PM - 1.78 @9:43 treadmill
• We AM - 5.06 @10:22/127; very tired, jogged and cut short; snow in nbhr was tedious; affected by the tiny big of fast stuff on Tuesday?
• Th AM - 8.00 @9:07
• Th PM - 2.01 @11:06 in feelmax, tedious snow-dodging
• Fr AM - 7.00 @9:20 treadmill
• Sa AM - 7.93 @8:43/154 outside hilly, felt good, ran harder than planned
• Sa PM - 2.04 @9:51 in feelmax; able to run in street more
• Su AM - 10.42 @9:04; ran with friends

Total: 60.18 in 9:14:30, 9:13 pace, 10 runs

Felt bad last week and recovered this week. I might have had a cold or maybe overdid it even with just the 2hr long run & 20' tempo. This week just easy running (and slower paced) with 3 faster miles (still below marathon effort). Might have been a coincidence but I felt bad the day after my tiny bit of faster running.

Feelmax shoes

Took these for a 2-mile spin last night. I've been doing some barefoot running -- 20' in socks on the treadmill -- but wanted to take it outside. These are kind of the less dorky looking version of the vibram five fingers. It's definitely totally different than running in my 7 oz Wave Ronins. The run sucked because I was going on and off the road trying not to get killed and trying to tip toe around cars and trash cans that blocked the sidewalk. I had a couple of unintentional strides when a car was coming and I need to get to a driveway to get off the road. My brain took over and the acceleration started with your hips and upper thighs rather than reaching out to lenghthen my stride. It's really quite different.

The bad news is that I got the wrong size. I measured my foot (damn European sizes) and got a 42 but needed a 43. It's OK for a few miles though. If I ever work up to anything long, I'll need a bigger pair to save my toenails.

When do you cut a run short?

In the olden days, my answer would have involved arterial bleeding. This morning it was just because I felt "off" and the snowy obstacles made the run damn tedious. I cut my long run short on Sunday, too. What's the matter with me? I haven't slept well since last Wednesday, but that probably isn't it. Am I sick? Maybe. Or maybe I'm just not motivated. Blech.

week of 8 February

Mon -easy 8.60 @ 8:43
Tues AM - easy 8.01 @ 8:45 including 10 x 60'' R w/3' rest-- 7.0 mph & 7deg
Tues PM - 2.14 @ 9:21 easy in feelmax shoes
Wed - easy 4.95 @ 9:05 easy including 6 strides
Th - easy 8.32 @ 8:25 including 6 strides
Fr - 7.00 @ 8:04, 20' E, 6 strides over 9', 20' T (up to 6:44/182, avg 6:50/176), 7.5' cdn
Sat - easy 6.84 @ 8:47. Cut back on pace at end to keep < 145
Sun - easy 8.00 @ 8:38. Tired again. Cut back and then quit. Plan was 2 hours.

Total: 53.9 miles in 7h45'

I had a little foray into Danielsim. I'm not sure if it was the training load (didn't seem like much) or my utter lack of sleep on Thursday night that screwed things up. Perhaps 20' T pace screwed me up? Tuesday seemed way too easy to follow with two easy day.

I did like the We/Sun big run schedule I had before, so I might go back to that with circuit training or hill drills on Friday.

My hip had a bit of a setback with this also. Nothing bad. I think cabin fever has made me impatient. Doing 60 miles a week with nothing over 10 miles and nothing hard was a neat trick which maybe I should continue. I'm undecided though. I'd like to do a long run of some kind (<= 2hrs) and something semi-fast.

week of 1 February

Totals: 63.8 Mi, 9:39:29, 9:06/Mi in 9 runs
YTD runs: 52 runs in 38 days
(destroying 365 runs in 2010 pace -- might not be worth tracking)

Sa & Sun on the treadmill because of the snow. Had a bit of a cold since Thursday maybe.

I've been picking up the pace a little. I've been rereading Daniels Running Formula (DRF) and also some advice Nobby gave me on coolrunning. Maybe I run too slow most of the time. (Daniels's "E" pace for 49 VDOT (19:57 5k) is 8:32/miles). My overall pace this week was 9:06 but that was distorted by a 10:19 pace 7 miler in the snow on Monday and other snowy days. I had 4 runs (37 miles) under 9:00 pace. Keeping them at 8 miles (except the long run) doesn't present a problem recovering.

I did my first "long run" in a long time today. It was 2 hours and 13.65 miles. I wouldn't have called that a long run in the past, but it took 2 hours, so definitely long according to Dr. Daniels. Somebody running 6 minute miles would cover 20 miles. My pace was 8:48, but I spent 80% at 7.0 mph (8:34/mile). The overall lower pace was from a gradual buildup from 10:00/mile over the first 20 minutes or so. My HR at 8:34 was 138 at the beginning, mostly at about 143-145 bpm and rose to 150 in the last 10 minutes or so. Not bad. I thought it was interesting that I went from 138 to 145 when playing with the treadmill between 7.0 and 7.1 mph. It's like my economy went to hell when I crossed 8:30 per mile.

I'm getting anxious to do some "quality" and have the reading bug again which is good. My plan is to run a 5k this Sunday, an 8k four weeks later, and a 10-miler 4 weeks after that. I've toyed with the idea of a marathon in May, but I'll see how my hip and the early races go. There are two local marathons on May 2 and both offer a half. The half for one (the preferred one) fills up quickly, so I might need to decide fairly soon. It's a really nice course for the half. The second half of that marathon is an absolute b*tch though.

DRF has a "gold elite" plan among its "fitness plans" (not race specific) that looks kind of interesting. I don't pretend to be elite, but the time (8-10 hours/wk) is about what I'm doing now. It has a 120 minute run on Sundays and a couple of quality sessions a week (nothing crazy though). I could even use the gold "mileage" (time) and the intermediate or introductory workouts. I also have another book I ordered back in November that's finally shipped. It's the Lydiard book Nobby's been pimping on the message boards: "Healthy Intelligent Training: The Proven Principles of Arthur Lydiard" by Keith Livingston.

week of 25 January

53.8 miles in 9 runs
YTD runs: 43 in 31 days

M - Fr - The usual with Mr. Tweaky (my knee) getting tweakier by the day.

Sa - Poor planning led to me missing my morning run and I took it as a sign just to give the knee a day off.

Su - 10 miles on the treadmill after an hour and a half of debating whether to run in the 6 inches of fresh snow. No knee tweaks at all until walking in the snow later. Doh!

magneto loop PR

"A magneto loop is what Dave Gordon called any loop that you could do in your sleep. Everyone has them, everyone has a different name for them."

My 8.0 work route is my magneto loop and I just cruised today. I think I was motivated by being late, but I ran it at 8:12 pace. My avg HR wasn't crazy though -- 143 bpm . I even had a nice downhill mile in 7:37. Fun.

It feels like it's improved form that's helping me. I'm running taller, which tilts my pelvis back and gets it out of the way of my legs. I believe (hope, really) that I'm strengthening the right muscles just by consciously running this way. The barefoot thing might be contributing as well. I also have more snap in my legs, which I attribute to not doing any long runs. I'm inclined to just go on this way for a while and see where it goes.

week of 18 January

Total: 61.9 in 11 runs
Year run total: 34 in 24 days

Over 60 miles and my longest run was 9.0. With 11 runs it feels like cheating.

On the barefoot experiment, it's not going well but not perfect. Mr. Tweaky (my knee) still likes to tweak, especially in the first few minutes. I have to work up very, very slowly to keep him at bay and slow down gradually as well. This isn't any different than outside in shoes.

I've really been concentrating on my form and it's forced me to pick up the pace (and effort) a little. It doesn't seem like I can't run as slowly when trying to run tall, make circles, etc.

I ran in Dayton on Thursday morning on a path cover in lots of black ice and a good bit of win. Very tedious.