Yesterday was the 11th annual running of the infamous event called the "Riddle Run." Officially, this is a 28-mile fun run--but people are "allowed" to do as much or as little as they want. No entry fee and no finisher awards. It's a great winter fat ass run. I kept my "I'm King of the Riddle Run World" streak alive by finishing my 11th one. I now have a total of 249 "Riddle Run miles." I finished in 5:49--not my fastest time, but it went well and it certainly wasn't my worst finish. For a quick comparison, last year I finished 28 miles in 8:56 (that's a whole 'nother story). The trails were snow covered and a bit icy in a couple spots, but overall, we had reasonable footing. The weather started off in single digits (around 9 degrees), and then slowly warmed up to about 20 degrees by the time I finished. Lots of sun and only a little wind made the day pretty nice for running. There were 89 starters and 14 finished the full 28 miles. As usual, many stopped at 12 miles (3 loops).
Overall Champions:
1st male - Matt Small, 3:58:30
1st female - Kristy Powell, 4:18 (tied course record)
As the tradition goes, Matt and Kristy will receive an invitation from me to run the Clinton Lake 30-Mile Trail Run (the race is closed, but the Riddle Run champions are allowed to register). Poor Scott Dewitt tried to win this race so he could get into Clinton Lake. He had a great run, but ended up in 3rd place. Considering his name is "Dewitt" and Clinton Lake is run in Dewitt, maybe I should let him into the race anyway?
This was the first Riddle Run with visitors from out of state (Indiana doesn't count!). The current Clinton Lake record-holder (Logan) came from Colorado to get in a nice long run and two "50 & DC Club" folks came up from Georgia (Walt & Kendel) to get in a marathon distance run. This little Midwest event is going national!
I hadn't gotten in a run over 10 miles in over 3 months. Winter has taken its toll on me. I'm happy I finished the full 28 miles and still feel good today. I suppose this has kick-started my training for the Canadian Death Race. Time to get serious and start doing a lot more long runs.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Friday, January 29, 2010
Harvard Barefoot Running Site
"Running Barefoot or in Minimal Footwear"
NOTE: If you were looking for my weekly Friday morning test run update---it isn't here. I skipped my test run today. I didn't feel well so figured why do a run? I'll get back on schedule next week. Tomorrow is my first ultra run of the year: Riddle Run 28-Miler.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Clinton Lake Course Rating
For those that don't know, Ultra Running magazine now has expanded its race entry information to include course ratings. This is true for both the actual magazine race listings and the online calendar equivalent (online has even more data based on what an RD submitted). There are two course difficulty ratings--one for terrain (elevation gain from flat to mountainous) and one for surface (paved to rough/rocky trail). They are both based on a 1-5 rating scale: 1=easy, 5=very hard.
So, where does Clinton Lake 30-Mile Trail Run fit in on this scale? If you look at the online calendar, Ultra Running has two listings for the race (one was done automatically by the editors, one was submitted by me). Depending on which listing you look at, Clinton Lake is either a 2/2 or a 3/3 rating for terrain/surface.
2/2 = rolling, total climb up to 50' per mile, mostly groomed trail or dirt roads
3/3 = hilly, total climb between 50'-150' per mile, trail or dirt road with some rocks, roots, or ruts
I submitted the second (harder) rating. The trail does have an elevation gain of over 1500' per 10-mile loop (that's about 150' per mile) and qualifies for a rating of 3 for terrain. The surface is probably between a 2 and a 3. It's mostly single-track trail with a few rocks, roots, and ruts. Sometimes there is an open grassy meadow, other times there are muddy and slippery hills, but most often it is just a basic single-track trail with a bit of uneven footing. I think that's a "3" rating...and if we have rain and mud, it's definitely a 3...leaning toward a 4! Runners should hope for dry conditions on race day.
So, where does Clinton Lake 30-Mile Trail Run fit in on this scale? If you look at the online calendar, Ultra Running has two listings for the race (one was done automatically by the editors, one was submitted by me). Depending on which listing you look at, Clinton Lake is either a 2/2 or a 3/3 rating for terrain/surface.
2/2 = rolling, total climb up to 50' per mile, mostly groomed trail or dirt roads
3/3 = hilly, total climb between 50'-150' per mile, trail or dirt road with some rocks, roots, or ruts
I submitted the second (harder) rating. The trail does have an elevation gain of over 1500' per 10-mile loop (that's about 150' per mile) and qualifies for a rating of 3 for terrain. The surface is probably between a 2 and a 3. It's mostly single-track trail with a few rocks, roots, and ruts. Sometimes there is an open grassy meadow, other times there are muddy and slippery hills, but most often it is just a basic single-track trail with a bit of uneven footing. I think that's a "3" rating...and if we have rain and mud, it's definitely a 3...leaning toward a 4! Runners should hope for dry conditions on race day.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Favorite Speed Session
Now that I'm dedicated to running two speed sessions per week, I have been experimenting with different formats. My Wednesday session is usually a tempo run (3-4 miles) at my steady state tempo pace (7:20-7:30 minute/mile pace). Lately, my favorite other workout has been a ladder of different distance repeats: 1600m, 1200m, 800m, and 400m. If I feel good, I'll throw in a 200m fast dash at the end. My rest interval is a .25 mile (400m) jog at 9:30 pace. I warm-up with a mile of easy jogging and conclude with a half mile of slow jogging and fast walking. The total workout is 4.75 miles and 2.50 is fast repetitions:1 mile slow jog (~9:30 pace)
>1600m fast (7:05 pace)
.25 slow jog
>1200m fast (6:55 pace)
.25 slow jog
>800m fast (6:45 pace)
.25 slow jog
>400m fast (6:35 pace)
.5 slow jog/walk
As I mentioned, if I'm up to it, I'll throw in a 200m repeat (~6:15 pace) after the 400m rest interval. The whole workout is finished in less than an hour (with the warm-up and cool down). The paces are based on McMillan Running web site suggested paces for someone trying for a 3:30 marathon. I've listed the distances & paces on the bottom footer of this blog (mostly for my benefit).
I'll probably throw in some Yasso 800m repeats in the near future (run the rep in the time you are shooting for in the marathon--Min:Sec for the corresponding Hr:Min marathon time--for me that would be 3:30). Let me know if you have other speed workouts I should consider.
Friday, January 22, 2010
Test Run #7
My overall statistics for today's crappy test run:
Friday, January 22, 2010
3 miles @ 8:00 pace
Avg HR = 152 (+1 beats)
Peak HR = 163 (+3 beats)
Resting HR = 53 (+2 beats)
Weight = 168 (no change)
No improvements, one unchanged, and three declines! Damn. What's up with my training? I incorporated 2 speed sessions this past week instead of one. Oh well. I'm blaming it on Jeff for skipping out on our Thursday super-easy jog. He didn't want to run on the slippery roads or trails because of his bad foot, hip, and back. So we did a treadmill run "together." That means I ran faster than normal--still easy, but not super slow. Probably didn't impact my training...but I need an excuse! Or I could blame it on my wife for keeping me up all week with her hacking cough. Not her fault, but it's another good excuse...how can I run well if I'm not rested? No more excuses. We'll see how next Friday works out for me. You gotta keep the faith.
NOTE: At least I'm still posting my progress each week. Haven't seen Jeff's updates in a couple of weeks. Where's the accountability?
Friday, January 22, 2010
3 miles @ 8:00 pace
Avg HR = 152 (+1 beats)
Peak HR = 163 (+3 beats)
Resting HR = 53 (+2 beats)
Weight = 168 (no change)
No improvements, one unchanged, and three declines! Damn. What's up with my training? I incorporated 2 speed sessions this past week instead of one. Oh well. I'm blaming it on Jeff for skipping out on our Thursday super-easy jog. He didn't want to run on the slippery roads or trails because of his bad foot, hip, and back. So we did a treadmill run "together." That means I ran faster than normal--still easy, but not super slow. Probably didn't impact my training...but I need an excuse! Or I could blame it on my wife for keeping me up all week with her hacking cough. Not her fault, but it's another good excuse...how can I run well if I'm not rested? No more excuses. We'll see how next Friday works out for me. You gotta keep the faith.
NOTE: At least I'm still posting my progress each week. Haven't seen Jeff's updates in a couple of weeks. Where's the accountability?
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Riddle Run 2010 is a Go
Jeff finally posted the announcement for the 11th annual Riddle Run 28-mile event. There is a shorter, 12 mile run too. In fact, people are welcome to run as much or as little as they want...but anything less than the full 28 miles (7 loops of the 4-mile trail) is reported as DNFs. The run will be on Saturday, January 30 at 8am at the Lake of the Woods trail (start/end at west parking lot off Crowley Rd north of the high school). Homemade cream-filled cupcake for all participants that complete at least one 4-mile loop.
This will be my 11th time at this fine event. I may have the most "Riddle Run miles" of anyone on Earth. Very few people have run all previous events, and of those, most complete much less than 28 miles. I haven't done 28 miles every time, but more often than not...and I did extra loops one year! Good times.
Don't forget that the male & female Riddle Run champions are eligible to register for the closed Clinton Lake 30-Mile Trail Run. You don't get in free, but you do get in if you want to register. Considering the race has been closed since October, and I have over 20 on a wait list, this is a sweet deal.
Here is part of Jeff's announcement (his e-mail is at the end):
RiddleRun 11
11th Annual Mahomet Trail 12+ Mile Run and 28+ Mile UltraMarathon Fun-Run
Race motto: "A man must love a thing very much if he not only practices it without any hope of fame and money, but even practices it without any hope of doing it well."
- G. K. Chesterton
When: around 8AM sharp!! (according to my watch) on Saturday, Jan. 30 , 2010
Where: Mahomet Trails, aka, Buffalo Trace Trails, Mahomet, IL. (start/finish at parking lot at far west end of bike path at LOW park - go thru Mahomet on State St. past high school, turn right (north), go ½ mile over I-74 to bike path sign). Mahomet is located at the intersection of I-74 and Highway 47 , exit 172. If you can't finish the start line, you'll never finish the course.
Entry Fee: $0.00
Qualifications: PLEASE READ THE FAQ. Absolutely you must be low key and fun. You must not be a wimp, a whiner, or a complainer. You must not give excuses, die, get hurt or sue. If you are, or do, any of these things you will be disqualified and not eligible for any awards.
Awards: $1Million dollars (hey, if the government can create money out of thin year, why can't we!!) ......all you have to do is finish the race under the current world record for the marathon held by Haile Grebralaise in 2hours 3 mins 57 seconds (that's 4:21 mile pace)......in addition, we do have a traveling trophy that the male and female winner get to keep, but not use, for a year.
Appearance Fees: None this year, unless you can convince me you deserve one.
Course: Very Easy - "Moses Tanui" loop course of 4.0544 miles on rolling grass and dirt cross country paths thru 260 acres of a conservation area, consisting of praireland, drainage ditches, bushes, trees, holes, no concrete, ruts, etc...this year more rocks and roots!!! If temp is above 32 there will be mud. You might fall; get dirty, bloody and wet. The course is easy to follow and will be marked, if I'm in the mood, (NOTE: I'VE NEVER BEEN IN THE MOOD) but you better be able to read a map, or you can run with someone for the first loop. You have the option to run the loop backwards after the first loop if you want. You can run the inner loop any direction you want. I found out the first year that white paint and white snow go together too well. **(for all you out there familiar w/ the "Ngugi" 5 mile loop, "Tanui" loop is same except turn right over the gravel culvert after about 2.3 miles instead of left up the hill)
12 +MILE RUN - 3 loops - (actual 12.1632) Again, please remember, this run is for "beginning" runners.
28+ MILE FUN-RUN - 7 loops - (actual 28.3808) This run is for advanced
runners and continues on for 4 more loops after the "beginner" 12 mile 3 loop run is completed.
Cutoff Time: Any time Saturday. But, it gets dark about 4:52 PM so you have 8h52min. to finish the Advanced Run before dark. That's about 18:43 pace per mile for the advanced runners. Note: I used to say no cutoff time but Bruce Winter took advantage of that one year...see the FAQ.
Aid: None - BYOA - (bring your own aid) each loop will go by your car in the parking lot. Be aware that water freezes when temps are below 32 (very likely). Bring your own water bottle. We will not have cups or volunteers -nobody's that crazy.
Timing: There will be a clipboard (in my car) for you to write down your name and time after each completed loop. As usual, try to write neat. I know your fingers may be frostbitten but it helps to be able to read your times. I would hate to disqualify you for unreadable times. Wear a watch to keep your own time....and keep the watch running, no stopping it at each aid stop. No one will be counting your loops for you.
Remember, cheaters never prosper!!
Facilities: None. (The park has a rest room and water fountain located 1/10 mile off the course on the east side of the loop, but it may be locked and water is usually turned off in the cold winter months).
Just email Jeff (riddle_AT_illinois.edu) to enter so his wife has a list for the cupcakes.
This will be my 11th time at this fine event. I may have the most "Riddle Run miles" of anyone on Earth. Very few people have run all previous events, and of those, most complete much less than 28 miles. I haven't done 28 miles every time, but more often than not...and I did extra loops one year! Good times.
Don't forget that the male & female Riddle Run champions are eligible to register for the closed Clinton Lake 30-Mile Trail Run. You don't get in free, but you do get in if you want to register. Considering the race has been closed since October, and I have over 20 on a wait list, this is a sweet deal.
Here is part of Jeff's announcement (his e-mail is at the end):
RiddleRun 11
11th Annual Mahomet Trail 12+ Mile Run and 28+ Mile UltraMarathon Fun-Run
Race motto: "A man must love a thing very much if he not only practices it without any hope of fame and money, but even practices it without any hope of doing it well."
- G. K. Chesterton
When: around 8AM sharp!! (according to my watch) on Saturday, Jan. 30 , 2010
Where: Mahomet Trails, aka, Buffalo Trace Trails, Mahomet, IL. (start/finish at parking lot at far west end of bike path at LOW park - go thru Mahomet on State St. past high school, turn right (north), go ½ mile over I-74 to bike path sign). Mahomet is located at the intersection of I-74 and Highway 47 , exit 172. If you can't finish the start line, you'll never finish the course.
Entry Fee: $0.00
Qualifications: PLEASE READ THE FAQ. Absolutely you must be low key and fun. You must not be a wimp, a whiner, or a complainer. You must not give excuses, die, get hurt or sue. If you are, or do, any of these things you will be disqualified and not eligible for any awards.
Awards: $1Million dollars (hey, if the government can create money out of thin year, why can't we!!) ......all you have to do is finish the race under the current world record for the marathon held by Haile Grebralaise in 2hours 3 mins 57 seconds (that's 4:21 mile pace)......in addition, we do have a traveling trophy that the male and female winner get to keep, but not use, for a year.
Appearance Fees: None this year, unless you can convince me you deserve one.
Course: Very Easy - "Moses Tanui" loop course of 4.0544 miles on rolling grass and dirt cross country paths thru 260 acres of a conservation area, consisting of praireland, drainage ditches, bushes, trees, holes, no concrete, ruts, etc...this year more rocks and roots!!! If temp is above 32 there will be mud. You might fall; get dirty, bloody and wet. The course is easy to follow and will be marked, if I'm in the mood, (NOTE: I'VE NEVER BEEN IN THE MOOD) but you better be able to read a map, or you can run with someone for the first loop. You have the option to run the loop backwards after the first loop if you want. You can run the inner loop any direction you want. I found out the first year that white paint and white snow go together too well. **(for all you out there familiar w/ the "Ngugi" 5 mile loop, "Tanui" loop is same except turn right over the gravel culvert after about 2.3 miles instead of left up the hill)
12 +MILE RUN - 3 loops - (actual 12.1632) Again, please remember, this run is for "beginning" runners.
28+ MILE FUN-RUN - 7 loops - (actual 28.3808) This run is for advanced
runners and continues on for 4 more loops after the "beginner" 12 mile 3 loop run is completed.
Cutoff Time: Any time Saturday. But, it gets dark about 4:52 PM so you have 8h52min. to finish the Advanced Run before dark. That's about 18:43 pace per mile for the advanced runners. Note: I used to say no cutoff time but Bruce Winter took advantage of that one year...see the FAQ.
Aid: None - BYOA - (bring your own aid) each loop will go by your car in the parking lot. Be aware that water freezes when temps are below 32 (very likely). Bring your own water bottle. We will not have cups or volunteers -nobody's that crazy.
Timing: There will be a clipboard (in my car) for you to write down your name and time after each completed loop. As usual, try to write neat. I know your fingers may be frostbitten but it helps to be able to read your times. I would hate to disqualify you for unreadable times. Wear a watch to keep your own time....and keep the watch running, no stopping it at each aid stop. No one will be counting your loops for you.
Remember, cheaters never prosper!!
Facilities: None. (The park has a rest room and water fountain located 1/10 mile off the course on the east side of the loop, but it may be locked and water is usually turned off in the cold winter months).
Just email Jeff (riddle_AT_illinois.edu) to enter so his wife has a list for the cupcakes.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Practice is the Best of All Instructors
If you are shooting for a fast 5K, you need to do quite a bit of fast pace running. Some at 5K pace, some at faster than 5K pace (but shorter distance), and some runs at longer than 5K (but slower than 5K pace). If it is a road 5K, then get a majority of your training on the roads. Toss in a bit of trail and treadmill work to spice things up, but you need to abide by the rule of specificity--road race = road training. If it is a summer race, then train in warmer conditions (or wear more clothing to simulate warmer running). If it's a hilly race course, incorporate hills into your training--either naturally occurring ones or create them via the treadmill, stairmaster, stadium steps, etc.
This rule of specificity applies to all race distances--if I'm targeting a 100-mile trail race, I need to prioritize long, slow trail runs. Speed sessions and road runs are not vital--although they can assist in keeping things fresh and making the long run pace feel even easier. While I have several goals this year, my min one is qualifying for the Boston Marathon...the other goals will have to "come along for the ride." Boston pace will be 8:00 minutes per mile for 26.2 miles. I need endurance, stamina, and a bit of speed. I need long runs at slower than 8:00 pace (probably around 8:30-9:30 pace) to build endurance, tempo runs at around 7:20-7:30 pace to build stamina, and some repetitions/intervals varying from 400m to 1600m to develop some leg speed. And...I need a lot of basic runs at marathon pace (8:00) to get myself adapted to feeling that pace and conditioning my mind & body to feel it as a comfortable pace. As the fortune cookie said, "Practice is the best of all instructors." I need to practice marathon pace runs at a variety of distances.
While I have my weekly "test run" at 8:00 pace, I really haven't incorporated other weekly runs at marathon pace. Now I will. Monday, while officially a "free for all" day, is going to be used on a fairly regular basis to get in 5-8 mile runs at marathon pace. The weekend will still be prioritized for a slow, long run...but I'll try to use the other weekend day to fit in another marathon pace run. Hopefully I'll have 2 or 3 marathon pace runs per week. Add in one speed session (alternating between intervals and tempo runs) and two easy recovery jogs and I have a full week of training specifically targeting my Boston marathon qualifier! Sweet.
Don't forget that Thai food (lots of noodle and rice dishes) can be an excellent carb-loading meal. Throw in some healthy tofu and you have a great combination of carbs & protein. A little sticky rice & mango for dessert and you have a complete and tasty meal! The fortune cookie may guide you to a new running plan too.
Friday, January 15, 2010
Test Run #6
I was pleased this morning when I took my resting heart rate, but when I started my test run, it felt harder than normal. My overall statistics confirm my intuition:
Friday, January 15, 2010
3 miles @ 8:00 pace
Avg HR = 151 (+5 beats)
Peak HR = 160 (+5 beats)
Resting HR = 51 (-2 beats)
Weight = 168 (-2 pounds)
Two improvements and two declines. So, what's up? Having the lower resting heart rate seems to indicate I am well-rested. Weight being down is OK, but I'm sure that will be back to what seems to be my "new normal" weight of 170 soon. That's fine. I don't like the peak and average HR being 5 beats higher. It might be connected to me taking 2 days off this week (Monday & Wednesday). Monday is my wild card day where I can do anything--cross training, nothing, speed, easy, whatever. Wednesday is supposed to be some form of speed work. I took them both completely off. If you combine that with my two very easy jogs with Jeff on Tuesday/Thursday, then I really didn't run this week! I think my body was too rested and not used to running. I'm confident I'll bounce right back and bring my stats down next week.
If you want to track my test run postings, you can simply click on the "test run" label tag at the bottom of this post. It'll bring up all my test run blog posts.
NOTE: I don't have an update from Jeff this week. He's supposed to report weight, waist size, and general comments each Tuesday. I told him to post the updates to his new blog instead of sending them to me.
Friday, January 15, 2010
3 miles @ 8:00 pace
Avg HR = 151 (+5 beats)
Peak HR = 160 (+5 beats)
Resting HR = 51 (-2 beats)
Weight = 168 (-2 pounds)
Two improvements and two declines. So, what's up? Having the lower resting heart rate seems to indicate I am well-rested. Weight being down is OK, but I'm sure that will be back to what seems to be my "new normal" weight of 170 soon. That's fine. I don't like the peak and average HR being 5 beats higher. It might be connected to me taking 2 days off this week (Monday & Wednesday). Monday is my wild card day where I can do anything--cross training, nothing, speed, easy, whatever. Wednesday is supposed to be some form of speed work. I took them both completely off. If you combine that with my two very easy jogs with Jeff on Tuesday/Thursday, then I really didn't run this week! I think my body was too rested and not used to running. I'm confident I'll bounce right back and bring my stats down next week.
If you want to track my test run postings, you can simply click on the "test run" label tag at the bottom of this post. It'll bring up all my test run blog posts.
NOTE: I don't have an update from Jeff this week. He's supposed to report weight, waist size, and general comments each Tuesday. I told him to post the updates to his new blog instead of sending them to me.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
2010 Illinois Grand Slam
The 2010 version of the Illinois Trail Ultra Grand Slam (iTUGS) is set with the same four races as in the past...but with new race directors. This slam coordination is very tenuous. Races come and go, directors change, clubs have different priorities...you never know if the "coalition of the willing" will stay together for another year. Well, the Grand Slam is on for one more year. Here are the races and dates for 2010:
Clinton Lake 30-Mile Trail Run, March 27
McNaughton Park 50/100 Mile Trail Runs, April 10-11
Rock Cut Hobo 50K, September 19
Farmdale 32 Mile Trail Run, October 9
McNaughton has a new race director, Rich, who is taking the place of Andy (who moved to Vermont). Farmdale also has new directorship--Adam & Mike will be taking over for Dave. I hope all of the Clinton Lake finishers try to complete the whole darn Grand Slam. Don't tell me you didn't know the race dates of the other three events...they are listed right here (and on the iTUGS web site). I encourage you to complete the Grand Slam this year...who knows if it'll be around in 2011. Jump on board while you can!
Clinton Lake 30-Mile Trail Run, March 27
McNaughton Park 50/100 Mile Trail Runs, April 10-11
Rock Cut Hobo 50K, September 19
Farmdale 32 Mile Trail Run, October 9
McNaughton has a new race director, Rich, who is taking the place of Andy (who moved to Vermont). Farmdale also has new directorship--Adam & Mike will be taking over for Dave. I hope all of the Clinton Lake finishers try to complete the whole darn Grand Slam. Don't tell me you didn't know the race dates of the other three events...they are listed right here (and on the iTUGS web site). I encourage you to complete the Grand Slam this year...who knows if it'll be around in 2011. Jump on board while you can!
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Boston Marathon or Bust
In case you didn't realize, my Friday morning test runs are at 8:00 pace...the same pace I'll need to qualify for Boston. Three miles is not 26.2, but I'm mostly concerned with what heart rate I'm at for that pace. I want it to feel fairly easy and not stress my cardiovascular system. Other training runs during the week will get me to the full marathon distance at the correct pace: long runs at easy paces, speed sessions at substantially faster than marathon pace, and some super easy runs for recovery. According to the McMillan Running web site, if I want to target a 3:30 marathon, the following paces are appropriate:
Long Runs = 8:32-9:32
Recovery Jogs = 9:32-10:02
Easy Runs = 8:32-9:02
Tempo Run = 7:18-7:37
400m repetitions = 1:35-1:40 (~6:34 minute/mile pace)
800m reps = 3:18-3:27 (~6:48 pace)
1200m reps = 5:04-5:19 (~6:58 pace)
1600m reps = 6:54-7:09 (~7:05 pace)
Also, I should be able to run the following races in the given times:
5K = 21:36
10K = 44:51
Half-Marathon = 1:39:49
I have run faster than all of those race times in the past. I'm pretty sure I could run them at those predicted paces right now. I think. We'll see how my training goes. I plan on running a few shorter races on my way to the Boston Marathon qualifier. If I can easily beat the predicted times above, then I'll have confidence that I'm on track for a fast marathon. Now, which marathon do I run? I would LOVE to qualify for Boston at a trail marathon. My first choice would be the Towpath Marathon on October 10. It's a certified course and is run on a crushed limestone path. Not exactly a torturous trail...but good enough for me! I don't have a back-up plan yet...probably a fairly flat, fast, road marathon in November or December.
Friday, January 8, 2010
Test Run #5
Friday, January 8, 2010
3 miles @ 8:00 pace
Avg HR = 146 (-2 beats)
Peak HR = 155 (-4 beats)
Resting HR = 53 (zero change)
Weight = 170 (zero change)
Not too shabby! No back-sliding and a couple of improvements. I'm happy. Still haven't gotten in any long weekend training runs. I've been consistently hitting the roads, trails, and treadmill...just nothing long. The speed sessions are settling in nicely and I'm enjoying the overall progress I've seen in the last month.
To see when and why this started, and what my overall goals are for these test runs, check out my "The Running Pact" blog post from December 11.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Wednesdays = Speed Sessions
Yesterday I had a good speed workout on the treadmill. Wednesdays are my weekly speed session. It's hard to run fast when there is ice and snow on the trails and road, but the treadmill provides a respite from the cold and damp conditions. It's boring, but safe. I ran 400m fast (7:15-7:30 pace), followed by 400m medium pace recovery (8:00 pace) intervals. Do 6 of each (12 total) and I have a 3-mile run with 1.5 miles of fast 1/4 mile surges. With the 1/2 mile warm-up and 1/2 mile cool-down, it's a nice quick 4-mile workout. I will change the Wednesday session to suit my tastes and keep things interesting. Last week was 800m fast, 400m "rest" jogging. I'll likely have 1200m and full mile (~1600m) repetitions in the future. I realize my rest intervals should be slower paced (maybe 9:00 jog instead of 8:00 run), but I am trying to condition my body & mind to "feel" that 8:00 pace as easy and regular running. That's my Friday test run pace and my Boston Marathon qualifying pace (need 3:30 for the marathon).
My speed sessions are based on the McMillan Running web site schedules. THIS SITE IS AN AWESOME RUNNING RESOURCE! Go there, bookmark the site, and return when you have running related questions. Greg McMillan uses research and practical knowledge from his own running and coaching to provide guidance. If I enter 3:30 for a marathon finish time, it'll show me all the workouts (and other race times) I should expect to run. Right now I'm running the speed sessions slightly slower than he suggests, but I'll be at his recommended paces within a couple of weeks.
The nice thing about doing speed sessions on Wednesday is that they are preceded and followed by very easy running on Tuesday and Thursday with Jeff. It may be cold, dark, and dreary at 5:30am...but the pace is extremely easy and the company keeps me thinking about my running. That Jeff dude loves to run...or walk...or hike. In fact, Jeff has a new blog entitled "Jeff Loves to Run." It ain't no "Clinton Lake Ultra" super blog...but it has potential. Hopefully Jeff will post his weekly "losing weight/getting in shape" updates there. And various training plans and philosophies.
Jeff's most recent update to me (yesterday) was... "Weight at 233 lbs and starting twice a day work outs."
My speed sessions are based on the McMillan Running web site schedules. THIS SITE IS AN AWESOME RUNNING RESOURCE! Go there, bookmark the site, and return when you have running related questions. Greg McMillan uses research and practical knowledge from his own running and coaching to provide guidance. If I enter 3:30 for a marathon finish time, it'll show me all the workouts (and other race times) I should expect to run. Right now I'm running the speed sessions slightly slower than he suggests, but I'll be at his recommended paces within a couple of weeks.
The nice thing about doing speed sessions on Wednesday is that they are preceded and followed by very easy running on Tuesday and Thursday with Jeff. It may be cold, dark, and dreary at 5:30am...but the pace is extremely easy and the company keeps me thinking about my running. That Jeff dude loves to run...or walk...or hike. In fact, Jeff has a new blog entitled "Jeff Loves to Run." It ain't no "Clinton Lake Ultra" super blog...but it has potential. Hopefully Jeff will post his weekly "losing weight/getting in shape" updates there. And various training plans and philosophies.
Jeff's most recent update to me (yesterday) was... "Weight at 233 lbs and starting twice a day work outs."
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Test Run #4
Another test run moved from Friday morning to Saturday due to the holiday season. Next week I'll be back on track with regular Friday morning test runs. To see the blog post that started all this "test run" nonsense, click here. For the first test run of 2010, I am very pleased. Here are the results:
3 miles @ 8:00 pace
Average HR = 148 (-1 beat)
Peak HR = 159 (zero change)
Resting HR = 53 (-2 beats)
Weight = 170 (zero change)
No negative (red text) results! Resting heart rate and average running HR improved slightly, while weight and peak running HR stayed the same. I have tried to watch what I'm eating...and how much I'm eating... so the weight remaining the same during the holidays has been a good sign. I've run everyday, but nothing long. Once I start ramping up the long runs (and total weekly mileage), I hope to see these statistics all improving at a steady clip.
Friday, January 1, 2010
First Stupid Decision of 2010
Well, my first stupid decision of the year came quickly...I registered for the Canadian Death Race today. I was hoping the race would close before I logged on and made my way to their web site. I wasn't so lucky. My running buddy Gregg e-mailed me around 10am saying he was in...I was registered an hour later. Damn! I'll be heading to Grande Cache, Alberta in late July to run this crazy 125km race up and down the Canadian Rockies and across rivers. Where's Grande Cache you ask? Way the hell up north in the remote wilderness of Canada. About a 5-hour drive from Edmonton. And I thought Edmonton was in the middle of nowhere! Yikes. At least the small town embraces the whole race atmosphere. They even have a full-fledged Death Fest on race weekend. I have 210 days to train. Where are the mountains in central Illinois?I hope to make more sane decisions the rest of 2010. Care to join Gregg and me at the Canadian Death Race?
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