week of 27 August

Mo - 10.07
3 nbrhd loops (3x2.93), plus the 1.11 loop, plus running back to my house (0.17). Had to get to the scheduled 10! I ran this
wp7-3

Tu - Rest
Flew out to California and drove into the desert as is my custom. Couldn't get myself out of bed early enough to run and make it to the airport. I'm really having a hard time getting motivated to get up lately. My flight was canceled and I got there too late to consider running without screwing up tomorrow's VO2max run. Running after flying all day is usually a no-no anyway. (I always pull something.)

We -- 9.0 w/ 6 x ~2min @ 5K w/ 90 sec jog
Jogged from my hotel 2.25 out to the "2-mile square" (a block of roads a half mile on a side). Each side of the square is within 0.01 of a half mile on gmap. Gotta love the desert. Continued another 0.5 down the first side (2.75 in 25:17, 9:12 pace), then did the 6 intervals:

1. 2:13/169 (peak 176), jog 1:33/164
2. 2:04/170 (174), jog 1:32/167
3. 2:07/174 (183), 1:38/171,
4. 2:04/181 (171 -- HRM graph looks wrong), jog 1:33/169,
5. 2:19/174 (172 -- HRM graph looks wrong), jog 1:34/170,
6. 2:09/179 (184).

The six intervals left me in the middle of my sixth "side." I felt like I was going too slow in the first couple of intervals and didn't get going until the third one, where I managed to hit 187. I was just dying in the last two. I didn't really tie up, I just was tired like running the last 500 meters of a 5K. I don't know what the matter with me. I'm also wondering whether my HRM was messed up. The graph only show normal looking peaks for intervals 1, 2, 3, and 6.

I can't quite tell how fast I did the intervals but it felt very slow. 5.5 sides is 2.75 miles. I'm not sure where I was on the side, but I'm guessing I was in the middle to within .1. The total time (including jogs) was 20:53 in 2.75 +/- 0.1 is 7:36 +/- :17. If I exclude the jogs (8m10s) and assume they were 10 min/mi that's 2.75 - 0.82 = 1.93 in 12:43 or 6:35 min/mi. That's pretty funny, because my PR 5K is 5K in 20:32 or 6:37 per mile. It looks like I ran a reasonable pace, but that was too hard for 5K pace probably. It felt pleasant, but looking at the weather it was 79 degrees, which is still pretty warm even if it's dry.

Jogged 12:10 to complete the last 2.5 sides, this jogged back to the hotel really slowly and even took some walk breaks to try and get my heart rate down (2.75 in 27:22, 9:57 pace, 154 bpm average).

I could still really feel my right hamstring from Sunday, but the knee felt fine and the achilles thing is gone.
wp 7-2

Th - 6.5
Ran out to the square, did one lap around, and ran back. Forgot the HRM belt, so I have time only. 9:58 min/mi. I'm a 10 min/mi machine :) It was crazy hot at 5:30 in the morning. The desert is usually nice at this time but not today. It was a dry 84 degrees, but it was still 84 degrees. Still felt the hamstring.
wp 7-2

Fr - 11.0
Compared to recent runs, the weather seemed fantastic and I ran a little faster. I got to lake A in under 21 for the first time in a long time. As I've said, I'm trying to make these medium long runs stronger. I got up to 145 bpm and was feeling great. My heart rate started to climb a little more than expected though, but I kept up the pace and increased it on the way back. It felt harder on the way back and I was wondering if maybe the weather wasn't so great or maybe I wasn't in great shape. The first 41:09 was 141 bpm average and the last 57:26 was 158 bpm average.. The out was about 51 minutes (9:16) and the back was about 47:30 (8:38), but I screwed up deleting the wrong splits and lost the exact numbers. Weather was 71/67 (dew point) the whole time. Overall average was 8:58 @ 151 bpm, which isn't really good at all. A couple of weeks ago I did 20 at 8:51 and 149 bpm average. Ugh. I think I need to improve.

The hamstring thing has spread more over the back of my leg, but is much less intense.
wp7-3

Sa - 8.3 w/ strides
The weather was fantastic. 63 degrees with a dew point of 51! (Warmed just a bit to 66/52 by the time I got back.) Didn't feel the hamstring except at the very beginning. I slightly tweaked the balky left knee stepping off a curb, but it seems OK. Weather is supposed to be good again tomorrow. I'm scheduled for 15, but I'm considering doing 20. Despite the absolutely perfect weather, I was still slow for my heart rate -- 9:19 min/mi, 143 bpm average. I'm really doubting I'll run 3:15 at the moment.
wp 7-3

Su - 20.3
Excited about the dry weather, I tried to repeat my 20-miler from two weeks ago. It didn't go as planned. The run was much harder (average 5 bpm higher!) than two weeks and was only 30 seconds faster. I'm not even sure of the time because I forgot to start my watch again after a bathroom break. I figure I'm +/- 30 secs though. Checking the weather, it still wasn't a spring like day. 72 degrees/ 58 dew point at the beginning and 81/59 at the end. It was dry, but still pretty warm. It's hard to compare to two weeks ago when it was 61 to 71 degrees and I had an off day the day before. I considered abandoning Pfitz and going back to Benji, but I guess I'll stick with it for now.
wp7-3

week
65 miles, 10h1m
(scheduled 59 -- I was right on distance, but decided to do 20 instead of 15 today because the relatively few number of 20-mile runs in Pfitz's schedule made me nervous)
shoes
wp7-2: 312 + 15 = 327
wp7-3: 135 + 50 = 185

week of 20 Aug

Mo - 6.0 am, 3.8 pm
AM Out to lake hodges (2.4), one lollipop (figure out how to do the loop), and back (2.4). I'm guessing 3.8 miles on the lollipop. I tried to gmap, but I get 3.35 which is clearly way off (I wasn't doing over 11 min/mi). PM. I drove to lake hodges and did one lollipop (3.8). Left knee still very balky tody.
wp7-2

Tu - 9.1 am, 4.8 pm
AM out to lake hodges. One lollipop and a 0.5 mile detour. PM. Did out and back to trail head (It was dark and I ran by moonlight. No chance to run on the trail.) Balky knee again, but strangely it seemed like it improved a little for the pm run. wp7-2

We - Rest

Th - 5.86
2 nbhrd laps. Felt the knee just a little at the beginning but then OK. wp7-3

Fr - 13.0
Overslept and ran in the afternoon on the treadmill. Got up to 6.5 mph (9:14) over maybe 30 minutes and then after 7 miles went to 6.9 mph (8:41) then the last three at 7.2 mph (8:20). Overall average was 9:00 min/mi, average 145 bpm. The knee was completely fine (but of course it was flat). I did something to my left achilles (about 5 inches from the ground) though. Started out as a little niggle and then just got worse. I hate treadmills. wp7-3

Sa - 2.93
Crazy hot and humid at 9:30am. Scheduled for 7, but it was so hot, my achilles was bothering me, and I ran last night. Cutting it short was wise. wp7-2

Su - 14.7
Scheduled for 15 w/12 at MP. Used the annapolis 10-miler as a training run. I did a very slow 4 laps on the path around the stadium (4x1.18 = 4.72 per gmap) in 48 something. I didn't drink any water this and I think I started the race a little dehydrated. Heart rates were 162, 169, 171, 172, 172, 172, 172, 173, and 181 (got impatient). Splits ranged from 7:55 to 8:50(!). Time was 1:23:46. 8:23 pace. Holy crap am I slow. Weather was 73 degrees with a dew point of 72. Holy crap was it humid. Is humidity that bad? Lots of self doubt on making my qualifier this fall.
wp7-3

week
60 miles, 9h25m (scheduled 66 -- most was shorting Sat run)
shoes
wp7-2: 285 + 27 = 312
wp7-3: 102 + 33 = 135

week of 13 Aug

Mo - 5.0

SSI. Out and back to corner of demere and frederica on demere side of airport loop. wp7-3

Tu - am 6.0, pm 4.0
AM. Out and back like yesterday but went farther to make it 6.0. 24:30/129 (demere out to frederica), 4:57/136, 5:30/136 (stopped at light), 22:32/142. total 57:28/136. PM same route cut to 4.0. 19:39/133 (demere to stewart), 19:29/145. total 39:08/140. wx was 91/76. Holy crap. I'm glad that's over. wp 7-3

We - 14.0

Ugly, hot, and slow.

Th - 5.0

Easy out and back. I didn't bring water and I think my HR rise might have actually been from dehydration. 23:28/128 out, and 22:22/145 back. total 45:51/137. It seems too fast, but I checked the distance again (roughly) with gmap-pedometer and got 4.96. wp7-3

Fr - 8.5
Counter-clockwise around airport and back. Warmup to Stewart (2.0) miles. Tempo around to beach store (2.24 miles) in 16:28/170 (7:21 pace) and back in 16:39/180 (7:26 pace). It was of course hot and humid. I felt like it was close to, if not, 10-mile race pace. Jog slowly back (2.24 miles). wp7-3

Sa - Rest
Drive back almost 12 hours from beach. Ugh. Wx fantastic in Virginia tonight though. It's supposed to hit the 50s overnight. 20 miles tomorrow.

Su - 20.3
What a day! The weather was overcast with a very light drizzle off and on. The temperature was 66/51 I started according to my local weather station although my car said 61. The wx station said 71/61 when I finished. Car said 72 degrees. 2:59:28/149 (8:51 pace). My last 20-milers before Frederick were 9:07 @ 148 bpm. I'm probably 10+ secs/mile faster accounting for the 1 bpm (yes, I'm anal). I feel I need to be 20-30 secs/mile faster at 148 on these 20-milers and I'll have a very good shot at 3:15 if the weather is as good or better. Today was upper 60s compared to those spring runs in the 30s and 40s, so I think I'm on track. My left knee was puffy again. The week on the concrete seems to have brought back the pain in the medial part of my left knee when running dowhill or taking the first running step (aka the hitch in my gitty-up). wp7-3

week
63 miles, 9h36m

shoes

wp7-1: 379

wp7-2: 285

wp7-3: 39 + 63 = 102

week of 6 Aug

Mo -Rest

Tu - 8.3
Pfitz calls for 10 miles w/5 at tempo. I'm still feeling tired even after my cut back week, so I decided just to do my 8.3 mile route. I also did my fast to slow guy conversion. 5 mile tempo = 25-30 minutes. I did 25 minutes warmup, 26:40 over 3.35 miles (7:45 pace), and 24 minutes cooldown. I was probably more at marathon intensity for the first third to half of the tempo, but I was definitely at tempo at the end despite my slow pace. I'm hoping it's heat and humidity. Dew point was 71. wp7-2.

We - 12.0
Scheduled for 14, but there was no way. I couldn't run in, so I didn't have time and it was crazy humid outside. The dew point was 73, which is the highest this year by a couple of degrees. My pace ended up as something like 10:20 per mile and I was just glad to be done. wp7-2

Th - 5.0

Ran on treadmill. Mostly ran slowly, but got up to 145 for a little at the end to see what the pace was -- ~8:30. wp7-2

Fr - 10.66
In Atlanta. From parents to 1-mile loop (2.33), 6 laps around, and back. It actually felt better than DC. Once I got out of the shade though, the direct sunlight made it pretty tough. wp7-3 (new shoes)

Sa - 7.66

Same route as yesterday, but only 3 laps. Got out earlier and beat the sun. Wx felt like the best I've had in a while. 77/68 at 6am. wp7-3

Su - 20.4
Down at St Simons Island, GA. I've been dreading this run for a week and thought I'd have to break it in two (the forecast said 80/76). It turned out to be 77/73. I did an out and back past frederica until the road ends (you loop around a neighborhood) for 16.1 and then tacked on an airport loop (4.3). I took it very slowly and slogged through 10 minute miles. My heart rate was very low for the first 8 miles (less than 133) and kept the pace there. I picked it up a little around the airport. Overall average was 140. I drank a ton: 70 oz of gatorade. Used 3-3 breathing (higher rate helps when it's hot/humid I think). I tried recoverite. We'll see if that makes any difference. Didn't have any problems.

week

64 (pfitz scheduled 69)
shoes

wp7-1: 379

wp7-2: 260 + 25 = 285

wp7-3: 0 + 39 = 39

week of 30 July

Mo - Rest

Tu - 8.3
round the lake with 9 strides sprinkled in there.

We - 12.0
I did an out an back on the CCT. This time I stayed on it and looked to turn around about 4:15 after my usual 11.1 turnaround. At 4:20, I turned around at the beginning of a bridge. Ran back a little faster than I went out. I love out and backs for some reason.

Th - 4.68
nbrhd 1.5 laps. HRM didn't work (I couldn't connect.)

Fr - 11.1
Usual CCT out and back. 9:17 pace out, 8:46 pace back. 145 bpm average.

Sa - 5.05
1 nbhrd loop, to the track, 20 laps around -- MAF test like 2 weeks ago. *Much* slower today. 8:56 1st mile, 9:08 second versus 8:37 and 8:40 two weeks ago. Weather today was 75/67 versus 68/49 then. The dew point is evil. I should do these on the treadmill from now on, but I hate the treadmill.

Su - 13.8
Scheduled for a 14-miler thankfully. Ugly humidity. I planned to start at about 9 min/mi and cut it down each lap, but ended up at about 9:10 each lap. wp7-2

week
55 miles, 8h57m
shoes
I really didn't keep track of my shoes this week, so I'll just split the difference.
wp7-1: 356 + 23 = 379
wp7-2: 238 + 22 = 260

week of 23 July

Mo - Rest

Tu - 10.45
I ran home from work tonight. 85 degrees when I left, but a little cooler when I got home. Did 9 minutes at near MP and then another 11. wp7-1

We - 13.35
Went to work the long way around the lake. Holy cow, this was not easy. The last two miles felt like miles 17&18 rather than 13&14. PM followed by AM definitely brings some residual fatigue. I'm pretty sure this is good for me. wp7-1

Th - 4.68
1.5 easy around the neighborhood. Forgot to stop the HRM, so it's got an extra minute on it. wp7-2

Fr - 12.0
Not sure this 12, but it's close. I did my usual CCT out and back but went farther. I took a wrong turn and ended up at a dead end after 4m14s. 8:30 was probably short of .9m at my anemic pace (it was pretty hot and humid) but I'll call it close enough. wp7-1

Sa - 4.68
Ugh. My legs are dead. I really want to quit this recovery run. Only 5 miles and I wanted to quit? wp7-1

Su - 18.4
I set out to do 20, but I have a load of excuses. The dog kept me up, I did a lot of miles (for me) in a short period of time this week and it was hot and humid. 79/68 at 8:30 when I started, and 84/71(!) when I finished. My shin really hurts. I could feel it during the first lap and it got progressively worse. It hurts to point my toe. Had a lukewarm bath afterwards. I used all cold tap water, but it wasn't that cold. Ice my shin with an ice pack. wp7-2

Cut back week this week. I desperately need it. Unfortunately, I only get to cut back to 55! I believe I'll bag doing the 5K Saturday unless I'm feeling unusually chipper.

week
64 miles, 10h13m
shoes
wp7-1: 315 + 41 = 356
wp7-2: 215 + 23 = 238

week of 16 July

Mo - Rest
Didn't feel like getting up and my legs were stiff anyway (especially my !@##$@!# hamstrings). Also, I believe I'm going to try and pick up the Pfitzinger 18/70 schedule at week 14, which began, easily enough, with a rest day. Now, if I can only survive the rest of the week (14 miles on a Wednesday?). After my lack of improvement yesterday, I've decided that I'll have to do more to get faster and mileage is my best weapon. This means peaking at 70 mpw instead of 60. The difference with Benji's plan is basically that I'm exchange the interval day and an easy day for an 8-10 and a 11-15 mile run. A tempo/interval day is every other week instead of every week.

Tu - 9.08
Schedule calls for 9 miles with 10x100m strides. I did the lake A loop + a Grn-???-Grl loop (.78 miles). I put in 8 strides because I couldn't remember how many I was supposed to do (already off track!) in there with lots of jogging in between to get hr down to 135-138. I also doubt I went 100m. I go until my breathing starts to catch up and the slow down, wanting to avoid generating oxygen debt. I doubt I go more than 70 meters. My hamstrings are still sore from the 5K. wp7-2

We - 13.35
corrected: this route is 13.35, not 13.8.
Schedule was 14 mile medium long run. I went to work but went the long way around the lake. I'm calling this 13.8, which should be within a tenth. I took it *very* slowly and even took 4 walk breaks. I didn't want to do any damage to my already sore legs. That part seems to have worked out. I know I was supposed to do long run effort, but better safe than sorry I think. Ended up at 9:31 pace and 139 bpm average, which actually isn't too bad. My usually long run route happens to have me at 13.8 miles through 3 laps. During my last long run on that route, I was at 2:09:11 at 13.8 versus 2:11:08 today, so pretty close when you include the stop lights. Still my heart rate averaged 143 at that point versus 139 today, so definitely not quite long run effort today. wp7-2

Th - 4.68
1 nbrhd loop plus the long half. I was pretty slow for the heart rate. 139 bpm for 9:27/mi. Makes sense after the last two days. wp7-2

Fr - 11.1
Out and back up the CCT. I got pretty tired just before the turnaround. I hadn't felt that way that early in a run in a while. It looks like the residual fatigue thing is working. 141 bpm for 9:19 per mile. I really feel like this schedule is the way to go if I survive. I feel something on top of my right knee and have lots of tweaks, but nothing terrible. wp7-2

Sa - 5.05
1 nbrhd loop (2.86), veer off to school track (.19 miles), and do 20 laps around trying to hit 145 bpm. Unfortunately, my HRM didn't record the heart rate (read 0 at the start and when I reconnected after the start, it didn't record the data). MAF mile 1 was 8:37 and mile 2 was 8:40. Weather was unbelievably good. 68 deg. 49(!) dew point. wp7-2

Su - 18.4
I set out to do a Pfitz type long run. He says 20% below MP increasing to 10% below and a heart rate range of 73-83%. I did my usual 4x4.6-mile lake loops. I checked real quick before I left and saw that 10-20% above 7:30 per mile as 41:30 to a little over 38. In retrospect, I don't know what I was thinking. I shouldn't have used any better than my 7:47 marathon pace from May. I got a little out of my comfort zone on the first lap, which means not jogging and getting in the 135+ range in the first 10 minutes. This is what I was doing in the spring. Unfortunately, it turns my leisurely Sunday jog into a bit of a workout, but I think that's what it will take. Here are the splits

• 41:25, 139 bpm, 9:00 min/mi = 7:30 + 20%, 70% MHR
• 39:53, 148 bpm, 8:40 min/mi =7:30 + 16%, 74% MHR
• 39:17, 156 bpm, 8:32 min/mi = 7:30 + 14%, 78% MHR
• 38:20, 170 bpm, 8:20 min/mi = 7:30 + 11%, 85% MHR

Well, it went great except 170 bpm is near my marathon average of 172-173, so that's not good for 8:20 pace. The weather was again incredible for August. The humidity was very low (~40%), but still it was 73 degrees when I started and 81 when I finished. This run is almost entirely in the shade and it actually felt pretty pleasant. If I keep up weeks like this and stay healthy, I should improve. wp7-2

week
62 miles, 9h30m
shoes
wp7-1: 315 + 0 = 315 (where are these?)
wp7-2: 153 + 62 = 215

week of 9 July

Mo - 4.1
nbrhd loop. wp7-1

Tu - 10.5
Ran to work. It was very hot and humid. It was 78 with a dewpoint of 70(!) at 6am. Did two tempo intervals. I did the first one two long and probably too hard and had trouble recovering my heart rate, so I ended up running my cooldown at about 160. First interval was 1.86 miles in 14:10 @166bpm (7:37 min/mi). About 9 minutes rest including a minute at a stop light and then 1.14 in 8:38@169bpm (7:35 min/mi). I was shooting for MP, but realistically, this was probably faster than that. On one of the uphills I hit 179. Still my legs didn't get that hardened feeling like they did during the tempo intervals in the spring. Average was 155 bpm, which is very high for one of these runs and the average pace was on 9:09 min/mi. wp7-1

We - 4.1
Cooler, but just as humid. 70 with a dew point of 70. You can't see out our windows because of the moisture on them. HRM was kind of haywire for the first 20 minutes. My right quad still hurts from Sunday. wp7-1

Th - 10.3
Lake A loop with 2 mile spur. Sorta tried 3x8 min faster, but legs felt heavy and only got in the upper 140s in the first and low 150's for the last (except a few hills where it went higher). wp7-2

Fr - 4.1
nbrhd loop. 38:32, 9:23 pace, 134 average. Pace/heartrate is in the ballpark of spring runs I think. wx was cool and not too humid. 64/56. wp7-2

Sa - 0
Slept in thinking I could run after the swim meet, but it was 2pm before we got back and very hot and well I'm kinda tired and...

Su - 8.9
35 minute warmup, 5K in 20:38/187, 17 minute cooldown. I'm calling the wup and cdn 9 min/mi pace so today was 8.9 total. wp7-2

Last 5K in May was 20:31/188. It's hard to compare these. This was a modified cross country course on a pretty humid July morning. I really don't know what the distance was today, but a friend ran this 12 seconds slower than the one in May and I was 7 seconds slower. I think I'm about in the same shape as I was then, which isn't good when you need to drop 9 minutes off your marathon time. I'll know more in 3 weeks when I run a certified 5K. wp7-2


week
42 miles, 6h20m
shoes
wp7-1: 296 + 19 = 315
wp7-2: 130 + 23 = 153

week of 2 July

Mo - 4.1
ndbrhd loop. wp7-1???

Tu - 11.1
CCT out and back. Missed the turn to the flagpole and turned around at the marker. Might be 11.0, but who cares. Mixed in 3x8min at slower than tempo w/ 4 mins rest. Nice run. At the end of the last tempo it felt like my form clicked, standing tall and having my femurs swinging symmetrically likely pendula below my pelvis while not really thinking about my lower legs. Wx was like a spring day. wp 7-1??? need to keep better track of shoes.

We - 4.1
nbrhd loop wp7-2

Th - 10.66
In Atlana. wx was pretty cool, but a little humid. parents to 1-mile loop (2.33 miles, 22:01). 1 mile easy around (9:29), 1 mile "tempo" (7:26, avg 165 bpm), 0.5 miles easy (4:30, 151), 1 mile tempo (7:22, 167), 0.5 easy (4:39, 152), 1 mile tempo (7:19, 172), 1 mile easy loop (9:37, 153), back home (2.33 miles, 22:18, 147). Very nice run. Tempos were probably a little faster the MP today and slower than 10-mile race pace I'd normally call tempo. wp7-1

Fr - 4.1
nbrhd loop. wp7-2

Sa = 4.1
nbrhd loop. wp7-1?

Su - 16 miles
Did a double out and back on the Bull run trail, which is "moderately strenuous" according to the sign. My watch had 3800 feet ascent + descent and it took 2:45 @ 151 bpm average, so this was about as hard as my normal 18-miler. It was also 86 degrees at 10am when I finished. Thankfully, it was shaded. I felt very good after the run. wp7-1

Good week. Really felt like my form improved over the week and my hamstrings aren't bothering me.

week
54 miles, 8h33m
wp7-1: 250 + 46 = 296
wp7-2: 122 + 8 = 130

week of 25 June

Mo - 4.1
Nbhrd loop and a half.

Tu - 10.3
lake A + spur. Missed the turnoff for the flagpole and guessed the extra. Worst wx all year. 70/69.

We - 4.5
Ridgecrest, CA. 4.5 mile out and back from the hotel. 64/27 (low dew pt. It's the desert!) and about 70/27 at the end. (High that day was 102.)

Th - 11.0 miles
Did the same 2.25 out. Then did three total loops around a block that's right at 2.00 miles around. One of the streets was a gravel road. I did half the block (out + half = 31:24@132) then did a "tempo" of sorts for a full block (16:27/153, 8:14 pace), jogged one street (4:42/144), did another full block tempo but a little faster (15:13/166, 7:37 pace, was low 170s after plateauing), jogged one street (4:28/155), and then went back to the hotel a different route (2.75 miles, 25:27/146).

Fr - Rest
travel back from CA

Sa - 3.46
running late for a swim meet so I added a little extra to one nbhrd loop

Su - 18.4
Felt good to do this. Ran it the way I did in the spring (although not quite as fast). Humidity was low, but it was fairly warm. 70/52 at the start, 76/49 at the end. Felt my hamstring on the 3rd and 4th laps, but it wasn't bad. It seems like the lower mileage, but more intense Benji plan is helping my leg. I also used the 172 bpm podcast for working on my stride during the 3rd lap. I need to do that more often. I swam in the evening with the kids and a few laps. Maybe 15 minutes of getting my heart rate up.

Feel like I'm coming around this week.

week
51 miles
shoes
wp 7-1 234 + 16 = 250
wp 7-2 85 + 35 = 122

week of 18 June

Mo - 4.7
1.5 nbhrd loops. Very warm, but decent pace at 9:37 min/mi. HR was OK too I think. I felt my hamstring/calf a little in the last 10 minutes though. I also felt it some in the last hour yesterday. I felt like I ran very upright for some reason. Could it be the crunches? Doesn't seem possible. wp7-2

Tu - 9 miles
Ran the Lake Hodges trail. From the hotel 2.4, wrong way and back on trail .5, out and back on trail 3.7, back to hotel 2.4 for 9 miles. The trail part was run pretty hard for only 10mm. I did the distance on gmap, but there were lots of twists and turns, so who knows if it's right.

We - 9.5 miles am, 3.3 miles pm
From the hotel 2.4, wrong way and back on trail 1.0, out and back on trail 3.7, back to hotel 2.4 for 9 miles. Down at shelter island in San Diego bay, I did basically a slow "lap" around the island at 10:30 min/mi. My first double. Not a bad way to do it!

Th - Rest
travelling back from west coast

Fr - 8.3
Usual Lake A loop. I was a little rambunctious with some good weather and got to the lake in 21 minutes, but my hamstring *really* tightened up after 30 minutes. Crap. I slowed down and made it home. I'm paying from my exuberance in San Diego I'm afraid.

Sa - 4.1
Slow neighborhood loop. Running while trying to keep my right foot from splaying took the pressure off my "outer" hamstring and calf.

Su - 13.8
I didn't want to push it and run 18. I did this at a a pretty high heart rate though. 44:34/137 (9:41), 43:08/148 (9:23), 41:10/165(!) (8:57). 9:21 min/mi @150 over a short distance. Obviously this is quite pitiful. Felt the hamstring the whole time, but the non-splaying of the foot seemed to help. This is basically the same injury I DNFd the 10K for back in February.

What seemed like a turnaround week ended up as a setback. I'm not sure what to do at this point. More long, slow distance or go back to Benji, but with modest/no speed (i.e. short slow distance). I think I might need those back-to-back short days on Fr/Sa to get back to form, but I'll have to suffer some low 50s weeks with no speed.

week
53 miles, 8h26m (9:36 avg)
shoes
wp7-1: 186 + 48 = 234
wp7-2: 80 + 5 = 85

week of June 11

Mon - 5.86
2x nbhrd loop *really* slow. 10:12 min/mi. 132 bpm average. wp7-1

Tu - 8.3
good old lake A lollipop. Weather was good (65/55) and I was motivated to run a wee bit faster than recently but still low heart rate (avg 140). I also felt my hamstring a "wee bit" too. Time was 1:19:24 (9:34 pace), so it's good to be below 10mm again. Good run. wp7-2.

We - 10.5
Ran to work. wx 64/61 - 65/63. More humid than yesterday, but I felt OK. Right at 10mm again, but probably 9:40-9:45 if you exclude stop lights. Set HRM alarm to 145 and average 136 bpm. Maybe I'm turning a corner? Weighed 158-3/4 on drs scale at work. Exactly the same as on 4/30. Hamstring was fine. Felt it just a tad in the last mile or so. wp7-1.

Th - 4.7
1.5 nbhrd loops. 9:45 min/mi @135 bpm.

Fr - 10.5
Ran to work. Very nice day. 57/53. I was motivated by the weather and ran a little faster, but still a pretty low heart rate. 9:17 min/mi @141 bpm. Got very lucky on the stop lights. wp7-2

Sa - 2.9
I debated running at all since my legs felt pretty heavy. I settled on just one nbhrd loop. 9:52 pace. HRM was whacky until the last 5 minutes or so.

Su - 18.4
Four lake B loops kind of in the style of the marathon build up. Very similar avg hr (148 today versus 149 then), but a lower first lap and a higher last lap. 9:33 pace. Felt very good. Impossible to compare to the spring since it was much warmer. 66/61 - 79/62. I think it was a good run considering the temps. I also didn't feel my hamstring until the last lap and then it was only a little tight. Had a cold water bath and for the first time did some core conditioning exercises. wp7-2

Week
61 miles, 9h51m
shoes
wp7-1: 165 + 21 = 186
wp7-2: 40 + 40 = 80

week of 4 June

Mo -4.1
wp 7-1

Tu - 10.7
Ran to work. Took alternate route b/c of the rain, but started on my old route and added two tenths in the confusion. hamstring started to tighten up. wp7-2 (New shoes. Same model. Why does blue feel better than lime green?)

We - 6.15
c-g loop (4.35) + 0.05 + half nbhrd loop (1.75) = 6.15. 1:01:54/135. That's 10:04 pace. There were also at least 90 secs of traffic lights (it's about 9:45 if the lights were 1:54). The nbhrd loop was unobstructed 16:52/140 (9:38 pace). The reason for the improvement over the recent dismal runs has to be the weather. Temp/dp was 62/58 rising to 65/56. Hamstring was still there, but I didn't make it worse.

Th - 10.5
Ran to work by the usual route. Utterly fantastic morning weatherwise. 57/53 at the start and 63/57 at the end. Right at 10 min/mi and averaged 138 bpm. I think I just need to get used to 10mm. Maybe next summer I can run.

Fr - 4.7
nbrhd loop and a half

Sa - 8.3
Lake A loop. 137 bpm. 10:21 min/mi. My, I'm slow.

Su - 18.4
I wanted to make 4 loops without hurting my hamstring, so I'll say mission accomplished. I didn't want to push it and let the "run" come to me. I didn't want to get out of first gear though. Laps were 49:18/128, 49:27/130, 50:05/135, and 44:32/155. I picked it up and felt like I was racing the last one. 155 bpm for 9:40 pace? What's the matter with me? At least I got in 63 miles this week. wp7-1

63 miles, 10h45m (most distance and especially time in a while)
shoes
wp6-1: 409
wp7-1: 146 + 23 = 165
wp7-2: 40
wr10-1: 335

week 28 May

Mo - 3.3
Pretty stiff and went really slowly (first lap was 29:0X -- a little over 10 min/mi). Then at about 30 minutes the back of my right knee suddenly grabbed me. I tried to walk/jog it off for a couple of minutes, but gave up and walked home. I think I should take the next couple of days completely off.

Tu - Rest

We - Rest

Th - 4.86
9:04 min/mi. Shouldn't have run this fast. Felt like I was lucky to finish without hurting it.

Fr - 8.3
old lake A route. Very, very slowly. 10:32 min/mi (135 bpm). Went gingerly to avoid any strain on the hamstring and walked 60 steps every 5 minutes or so.

Sa- 8.3
Week after the marathon I ran 8.3 miles @9:09min/mi (143 bpm). Today was 9:58/145 on the same route. Ugh. Temp today was avg 73 with a dew point of 60. Before it was 65/38. Weather explains a lot, but I feel like I'm out of shape. The hamstring was much better today. I hardly felt it. It's almost like the long slow run helped more than the days off.

Su - 12.8
Dreadful run. I planned for 3 laps around lake B (4.6 each). 1st 2 were 45 minutes (just under 10mm) and my hamstring felt fine although it was harder than it should be for 10mm. It wasn't even warm (71 degrees) but the dew point was 66(!). Is humidity really that bad or am I just out of shape? Then about 10 minutes short of finishing my hamstring really hurt and I walked it in. Steady rain to add to the fun.

week
38 miles
shoes
wp6-1: 396 + 13 = 409
wp7-1: 121 + 25 = 146
wr10-1: 335

week of 21 May

Mo - 4.11
9:31 min/mi, 137 bpm. Still high for the pace, but closer to normal. Could feel the calf, but didn't get worse. wp7-1

Tu - 10.1
Lake A loop plus 1/2 a nbhrd loop (8.3 + 1.8). I could feel the calf but I still tried a very ill-advised tempo portion. About 7 mins in, the hamstring and calf really started to hurt. After I slowed down, I could still feel it with every step. It got a little better at the end and I think I can run, but I might have to forget about a tempo on Thursday. I should have just run easy today. Heart rate pace was OK though. 9:00 min/mi, 140 bpm. The last half loop was 15:26/142 compared to 15:23/138 and the awful 15:11/157 last Saturday. wp7-1

We - 4.1
Still felt hamstring, but made it through OK.

Th - 10.3
Lake A loop plus a "spur" to the flagpole at the rec center. I was told the spur was worth 2.2, but paced on my pace for the rest of the run, dead reckoning puts it at a little over 2. At 54 minutes, the back of my leg *really* started to hurt. I did some jog/walk for a while and then was able to run again. I picked my knees up more (like I was doing before this 9 min shuffle I've fallen into)
and things were easier.

Fr - 4.1
nbhrd loop. 9:02 min/mi

Sa - 4.1
9:35 min/mi. This is what I was doing recovery runs up to the marathon at.

Su - 17.9
Got out fairly early to beat the heat. Hit start at 6:51am. out, around lake b, and back. I warmed up slowly, cautious about my hamstring -- 50:13/131 to the rec center. Pushed it up to 140 and then gradually to 150 by the time I was leaving the lake. On the path to the rec center I let it get to 160 on the big hill leaving and then ran at 160 until I hit the last *big* hill on the parkway. I let it get above 170 and held it there for the last 15 minutes or so. I tried to finish in 2:45 and did it in 2:44:47/147 (9:17 min/mi). The last two 20-milers I did were 9:07 pace and 148 average, but it was pretty warm and humid today though. It was already 69 (62 dew pt) when I started and 78/64 when I finished. I'm almost back to normal. I need to get this hamstring healed though before I start doing tempos. The hamstring didn't really bother me today although I could feel it.

55 miles, 8h24m
shoes
wp6-1: 396 + 0: 396
wp7-1: 66 + 55 = 121
wr10-1: 335 + 0 = 335

week of 14 May

Very tough week with travel and a cold. I felt like I locked in on an efficient 9 min/mi shuffle though.

Mo - 4.68
41:56. Good pace/heart rate. 8:58 min/mi and 135 bpm average.

Tu - 10.32
7 laps around "The Great Mall" in Milpitas, CA. gmap-pedometer calls it 1.474 miles around. I got out of bed at 3:40am to run with beginning of a cold. Watched the mall start to life as I ran around. At least it was flat as a pancake. I remember thinking I could run a fast 5K on it. After the first lap, the heart rates were 144-146 until the last which was 148. It got noticeably harder the last lap. Quads were also quite sore by the last lap. Splits were very even. Average pace was 8:23 min/mi. 144 bpm average. Nice MAF test I suppose.

We - 4.42
3 laps around the mall. 8:34 min/mi. 148 bpm average.

Th - 10?
Thankfully I switched hotels. My hotel was right by the Coyote creek trail which has a nice path with a surface like the Mt. Vernon bike trail. Unfortunately, I got some bad directions from the hotel and ran an hour before I found it. The trail runs for miles. I saw "mile 13" markers. It's got to be tens of miles. It has markers every half mile. The only downside is you can hear the freeway the whole time, but for travel running this was more than one could hope for.

Fr - 4.7
SFO Marriott. Ran on the path by the hotel along the bay. Guessed the distance assuming ~9 min/mi.

Sa - 4.68
Extremely high heart rate for the pace. Temps in the low 60s. 8:49 min/mi. 151 bpm. Compare to monday. 9 secs/mi isn't worth 16 bpm!

Su - 15.7
Heart rate not as ridiculous as Sat, but still high. At about mile 12 the back of my right knee started to hurt. Really it was the top of my calf and the bottom of my hamstring. I jog/walked for a while before settling into a slower run unil the end. This run really beat me up. I must be sick. 9:06 pace and average 153 bpm over 16 miles. My last two 20 milers were the same pace (9:07) and 148 bpm and through 16 miles were probably in the low 140s. Felt like I got hit by a truck. The temps probably hurt though. It felt OK, but it was 63 when I started and 75 when I finished. Those 20-milers were probably in the 40's.

54.5 miles, 8h1m
shoes
wp6-1: 346 + 50 = 396
wp7-1: 63 + 5 = 68
wr10-1: 335

week of 7 May

Mo - Rest

Tu - Rest

We - Rest
tempted to run, legs felt good, but was traveling to CA. Sprinting for the parking lot bus was easy though :-)

Th - 8.9
Ran from LAX hotel to the beach, maybe 5 or 6 minutes on the beach path?, then back to hotel. I was able to gmap it and see 8.9 miles. Took 1:27:02. Avg hr was high (142) for the pace 9:46. Legs felt pretty good (until about 60 mins in I felt my quads), but I still had the fatigued feeling in my chest. Also, it was pretty warm and I never run well in the afternoon.

Fr - Rest
Travel day back from CA

Sa -6.2 (5K race)
29:40/141 warmup. I sorta ran the course and guess 9:30 pace in the warmup, which came out to 3.12 so I'll call it 5K :-) I could tell during the warmup, I still had the a little of the fatigued feeling but my legs felt quite good (quads a little sore, but not much).

I guessed I'd run about 20:30 before the race, but I started fast in the first 30 meters or so before realizing I shouldn't be right behind guys I knew ran low 18's. I ran pretty evenly the first mile after that and saw 6:26.7 at the split (avg 177bpm). Right on 20 pace. Should I try? Next mile had some hills and I slowed down like I always seem to in the middle miles 6:35.7/191. I sustained quite a high heart rate, which I'm happy with. The places were basically sorted out by then, except 2 guys passed me in the last mile, but I repassed one. It turns out that was just enough to knock me from 10th to 11th male (12th overall). The last 1.1 were 7:28.8/190 (6:45 pace). 188 average overall from STraM. Obviously I went out too fast, but I have a good idea what 20 min pace feels like (6:26) and how much I'm short. Better rest, a flatter course, and more motivation (if I'm close to 20) is probably worth 15 seconds. I'll have to improve for the other 15.

Anyway, big news is that I got a 2nd place age group award. It was a small race and I had a lean age group I think, but I got to shake my congressman's hand, get my medal and a gift certificate to a restaurant. I ended up $5 and a t-shirt over my entry fee. Maybe I should quit my day job?

It wasn't a certified course, but the RD said it was wheel measured and double-checked with a bike. The mile markers also seemed spot on to me, so I'll count it. Official time was 20:32. 20:31 on my watch. Closest I've ever been to a starting line. I was about third row.

Su - 8.3
Usual lake A route. I thought about doing two laps around the lake (12.1 miles total), but my quads hurt (sharply at times) and I decided that discretion was the better part of valor. I haven't run this in a while and got a little caught up in being able to run it faster now. 1:16:05/143. 9:09 pace. This is a couple of seconds per mile slower than I was running my 20-milers before the marathon, but it felt harder than that! Several factors: marathon 7 days ago, 5K yesterday, I ate breakfast ~hr before, and 63-67 degrees.

week
23.5 miles (yikes that's low!)
shoes
wp6-1: 340 + 6 = 346
wp7-1: 45 + 18 = 63
wr10-1: 335 + mowed the lawn in them :-)

frederick marathon

The picture tells a lot of the the story. I was running from 7:30am to a little before 11am. Here's some additional whining:

• The wind was from the NNE and the course is basically a skinny loop oriented NNE.
• The weather history also shows gusts from 25-30mph from 8:20am on.
• The course is also probably 90% on open roads -- no shelter.
• The course is not exactly flat either, but it's fair. +810/-876ft on my watch. MCM was +579/-459 on my watch.
• It was just insane the last 4 miles having to run much of it straight into the wind (and often uphill).

With the whining out of the way, I actually had a very good result. 3:24:16, which beats my old PR by an even 19 minutes. Not bad. The wind was demoralizing at the end and I felt like I lacked both the physical and mental strength to counter it. I should have expected some fade though as I kept good on my plan to go out at boston qualifying pace (first three miles average 7:20 min/mi), but it soon became clear to me that I wasn't going to make it. I did manage to set a PR at the half though. Chip says 1:38:54.5 (7:33 min/mi). My PR was 1:39:12. At 20 miles I was at 2:32:14 (7:37 min/mi). The I "scorched" the last 10K at an average of 8:22 min/mi. Despite slow down, I actually moved up 5 positions from 17.4 miles (they had a mat there) to the finish. I was 23rd at 6.4, 20th at the half, 19th at 17.4, and 14th (out of 87) at the finish.

Overall a good race for me and I feel like I'm within striking distance of a BQ.

week of 30 April

Race week

Mo - 4.11
neighborhood loop. I haven't been using bah-bump and I think the bad HR data encourages me to run faster at the beginning. 8:53 pace overall. Didn't notice the calf/tendon thing at all. Didn't feel the knee except walking down the steep hill home. wp7-1

Tu - 4.68
My 4.11 runs have been getting down to 36 minutes and Benji calls for 45 today. I did the longer lap and a half route. 41:XX. Probably too fast for a recovery run, but still the last half lap only average 141 bpm. (First lap avg screwed up by 12 minutes of messed up HRM.) 8:51 pace. No calf/tendon problem and didn't even feel the knee. wp7-1

We - 10.45
Ran to work. Started at about the pace I've been doing the last couple of days (probably too fast) and then probably picked it up slightly. 8:52 pace overall. Out of curiosity, I hit the lap button at the lights, which accounted for about 2 minutes and brings the pace down to 8:40. Average heart rate was 144. HRM worked from the start today. It was warmer than yesterday. 60 at 6am. Hopefully it won't be that warm for the marathon. The forecast keeps improving. High of only 67 now! 50 at 8am and 68 at 2pm. I weighed myself on the dr's scale. 158-3/4. I was 160 flat two weeks ago.

Th - 4.11
nbhrd loop. 36:57/140 (8:59 min/mi). HRM seemed to work pretty well at the beginning again.

Fr - 4.11
nbhrd loop. 37:04/139 (9:01 min/mi). HRM a little goofy at the very beginning. I had some fairly sharp knee pain early in a weird location, but after some walk breaks it went away.

Sa - Rest
Benji says to run 25 minutes, but I didn't see the point, so I didn't.

Su - marathon
3:24:16/172. I've raced 6 marathons and all of them have had an average heart rate of 172 or 173.

week
54 miles
shoes
wp6-1: 314 + 26 = 340
wp7-1: 17 + 28 = 45
wr10-1: 335 + 0 = 335 (not sure I'll wear these again)

week of 23 April

Mo -4.11
neighborhood. I felt so good yesterday, I almost went for an afternoon run. This morning, the only after affect was some tightness in my right hamstring. I think this is from my right hamstring being tighter than my left. Anyway, it seems a little strange that 15 miles with 10 @7:26 pace would be so much easier to recover from than 20@9:07 pace.

Tu - 10.8
Repeat of last Tuesday. 1 loop warmup, 8 x 0.3 miles. Split/Rests were: ..... Finished with the 4.11 loop. The first interval was slow. Then I decided to start with 2-2 instead of 3-3 breathing and my breathing sort of got out of the way of my running and it was much easier. I'd run with 2-2 breathing the whole way with progressively more forceful exhales. Legs felt fine during the runs except a few twinges of the left knee doing the 10 laps/mile track. Then walking down the steep hill to my house, the left knee didn't quite "groove" right -- the usual knee thing.

We -4.11
Felt inspired to run my recovery a little faster. 8:43 pace and 144 bpm average. Knee didn't bother me at all except a little bit when I was walking afterwards and later in the morning when I dropped my car keys and stopped to pick them up.

Th - 11.5
Ran to the lake and then an out and back up CCT plus a detoure to check on the stair construction (it doesn't look like they've done anything in a month). Distance is a bit of a guess with gmap but probably within a couple of tenths. I did the warmup a little quicker than normal (a little over 20 minutes to the lake ~9mm pace). After 30 minutes did 3x10 faster with 5 minute jog between. averaged about 160 bpm I think with the last near 170. Don't know the paces. Animal count on the trail: 1 possum (I think it was a possum), 2 deer, 1 fox, and something jumping in the pond (fish?) that scared the bejeezus out of me. I was doing a tempo section when I saw the deer. I was running fast enough at him that he gave me the "deer in the headlights" look for one potato, two potato... I started to slow before he ran away. At the end on the big hill, I noticed that my calf (or something) was very tight and had a little pain. It's about 6 inches above my right outside "ankle bone."

Fr -4.4
Had to watch the kids and run on the treadmill. 40 minutes. HRM was off until I built a sweat and I was surprised to see it at ~132 when it corrected itself and I was at 9:30 pace. I upped the pace over time and was at 6.9mph (8:41) for most of it. Just got over 140 in the last 10 minutes and got in the 143-145 range at the very end. I am much faster than last time I ran on a treadmill. I felt the calf thing again today. It feels like it my be my peroneal tendon, but up where it connects to my calf (not in the foot where you usually hurt it). This is a little distressing. I need to make sure I take it really easy tomorrow.

Sa - 4.3
Treadmill again. 9:16 pace. HRM messed up for first 10 minutes (read 160+) and 140 average isn't close to right (I occasionally touched 139 at the end). Once the HRM started working, I found myself at 8:57 pace and a heart rate of 129. I've definitely improved a lot recently. New pair of shoes. wp7-1. Shoes felt perfect. I'm still having the calf/tendon problem and it's pretty distressing. It was about the same as yesterday. I think what's going on is that my turned out right foot is using some of these tendons on the outside of my leg when it sure be relying on the more capable Achilles more.

Su - 13.2
The schedule said 2 hours and I aimed to get them in although real life made it tough. I got 15 minutes in outside before my daughter got home. After a 15-20 min break of making lunch, I was forced to the treadmill for the next 1:45, which involved me watching about 4 episodes of Arthure. This was brutal. My pace/heart rate was very good, but I was absolutely drenched in sweat and the monotony cause me to reduce to 6 mph for the last 15 minutes (I had been at 7 mph and 150 bpm, which is pretty good for me). 11.6 miles on the treadmill and google says 1.6 outside. 2:00:14/140 average (messed up for first 5-10 minutes), pace 9:07 min/mi. Exactly the same as the last two 20 milers. Calf thing didn't bother me at all during the run although it felt a little tight afterwards. The left knee is still troubling though. It's only at slow speeds and downhills where it gives me problems. Used new shoes.

This week I'm hoping accuweather isn't right. High of 78 and low of 58. Ugh. accuweather's saturday high is 76 vs 68 for wunderground though, so I'm not sure who to believe. I'd have settled for today. It was 50 at 7:30am when I start and 66 at 11am when I should be finishing.

One thing I did well this week was sleep. I was asleep before 10 on Th, and Fr, and by 10:30 on Saturday.

week
52 miles, 7h 49m
shoes
wp6-1: 279 + 35 = 314
wp7-1: 17
wr10-1: 335 + 0 = 335