The Reverse taper

  How does a person develop "good judgment"? Through bad judgment!! In the past I've come right back after a race and resumed full throttle training with minimal rest.
    Stupid! Recovery is just as important as a taper....as a matter of fact look at recovery as a reverse taper. Gradually resume training. Pick a new goal. Have a plan.
  I have a goal; Run With The Wind 25K in Feb. I have a plan-11 weeks-counts my two week reverse taper.
  I'm still sore from the race...I think I ought to be able to get to a 20 mile a week base by mid-December. I'm strictly going by how I feel! My driven nature will not drive me into injury! Hope you have a happy Thanksgiving!!
  

What a day!!!

  So it was very cold, for me...probably between 20-30 degrees plus a strong north wind. A great day to run!! Really great venue and the race was run very well! I will be back! White River Marathon.
  I only set one goal-break for this HM- 2 hours. This I did with a 1:58.29 unofficial. Quite honestly I just didn't feel it today...at eight miles my quads were done...very odd? I just pushed on through and came in with a respectable goal. I really enjoy running races and meeting all the folks. Some very amazing people! One fellow looked to be 80 yrs old and he was fit and flying! We all have our little idiosyncrasies don't we? One fellow was a foot slapper-this was kind of distracting but he was makin' tracks!
  Upon several occasions I tried to grab onto a pack and get up to pace but just didn't have it...However, I guess I was pretty strong on the last 3 miles because I passed several folks, many were worse off than me:)!
  I'm going to take a fortnight for recovery then I will begin training for the 25K coming up in Feb. Hope you are well! Feels good to finally race again! Peace!

Cold Front!

  Oh man!! It's going to be a cold one this weekend!! Sub freezing temps are in the forecast. I really don't care that much...except my feet tend to get cold..:)
  Ran for about 25 minutes today with three little pick-ups to a little faster than HM pace. My head is still battling a slight sinus headache and post nasal drip but it's not a deal breaker. I still intend on running the race. Hope I can get to 100% by Saturday. Drinking plenty of fluids, etc. TTYL! Peace!

Current reality

   The first task of a leader-"To identify the current reality." I tend to be alert to this principle since I am a leader. My taper has had a strange turn!? Monday I decided to set aside as a rest day but got an invite to go golfing....I couldn't resist!! Problem was it was very cool and windy...so Tuesday was planned as an hour run with some HM pacing. I felt lousy!!! Sinus headache....runny nose...fatigue...WHAT!! 100 days of training down the drain? So I rested, began to drink lots of fluids, took some sinus meds...slept good...today I feel quite a bit better! So I ran 4 miles with 2 of them at HM pace! Tomorrow I will run 30 minutes with some HM pace pick-ups and then Friday rest before the race on Sat! Today I decided that my race strategy for Saturday is this- "My body is the horse and my brain the Jockey!" It is a race after all! :) Have a blessed day! Peace!

Taper-

  I think a taper is beneficial but can be over-hyped. What I mean is I've tapered too much in the past only to come to the start line sluggish. There seems to be a fine line that has to be learned just like the pace you start a race with...you can go out too fast and burn out, or you can go out too slow and mentally plunge into the waste land of self doubt.
  So the taper is a principle we each apply to our personal make-up. So my plan for this week; starting today, is to minimize miles and maintain tempo.
  I'll cut my time on feet by 60% until race day but I will train at HM pace. Then I will document how I felt, etc. My biggest challenge in this race is how fast I go out and what I really want to achieve. Just finishing is not a motivator because I know I can finish. I haven't set a time to reach....I'll think about it...I guess just being able to race again is the reward. Hope you are well! Peace!

Stronger and Thinner...

 I'm down to 174lbs...it's hard for me to get much thinner....I will try though!
I ran for 90 minutes today and covered 9.54 miles. That's a pretty good pace for me and I am pleased with my current reality.
  I will run an hour tomorrow-easy-then 45 minutes or so Friday-speed work-30 minutes Saturday, then the taper. I'm pretty pumped about the race on the 23rd. I feel like I'm in great shape, have a good mind-set, and just being able to run this type of mileage is a huge blessing considering the months and months of achilles trouble I've endured.
  I still do my heel raises every run, and use a foam roller every run! I've already been planning the next race!:)
   I have a recovery plan in place, then I start training for either a 25K or HM...undecided on particulars but the goal to drop more weight will begin.
Hope all is well with you!!! Peace!

Last long one...

  I have run a 16 miler for 7 out of the last 8 weeks. Today I covered 16.55 miles in 2.5 hours. Pretty strong for me! The body is adapting. My back and butt are a little sore but I'm old! What do I expect! Still, the body is an amazing thing! I will recover and be stronger.
   So I will continue this week as normal and try to post around 40 miles total. Then next week I'll cut down considerable and hope to be strong and rested for the race on the 23rd. In the past I've tapered to long and early. This time I'm going to taper for one week. I'll see what happens...any input is greatly appreciated!
  Hope all is well with you! Peace!
 

Trying...

  My old bones really feel it! When I put in a hard effort it seems to take longer to recover. Today it took me a while to warm up but completed 4.6 total recovery miles. Off day tomorrow and final long run Monday before race day. Hope all is well with you! Peace!

Amazing!!

  Non-runners are often amazed by the fact that we would run the miles we do...it seems so futile and hard to them, thus their amazement is not positive but skeptical. However, occasionally you'll find one who admires your life style.
  It is encouraging when someone compliments your efforts and results! Anyway...yesterday I was toast! I had to rest. Usually I get in a 75 minute run but I simply rested! Sandy and I cooked a wonderful dinner and I pigged out on Italian meatballs!!!
   Today I felt somewhat better. The weather is perfect! 60 degrees. south wind, clear skies. I took off into hill land and ran 80 minutes of hard rolling hills, covered 8.2 miles. I'm feeling so fit! The only physical problem is my left piriformis and that's not a deal breaker. 2 weeks from tomorrow and I race! It's been 19 months!! Excited-peace!

HM pace work

   I believe in the "SAID" principle. Specific Adaptions to Imposed Demands.
 I have learned over the years this is ever so true! You cannot train slow and expect to run fast! Today I put in some HM pace work. 8:34's to be precise. A gradual warm-up for 30 minutes, then 3X5 min @ HM with a 5 min rest between each segment (10 mpm), then 30 minutes @ HM resulting in 10 miles in 1:31:19. A very good effort! I really feel ready for this upcoming race!
  No clue as to what I am capable of...been so long since I raced! So tomorrow I will run an easy recovery run, Friday may be a 10K time trial....depends on body, and saturday abouty 30 minutes of HM pace. Have a great day!!!

Time keeps on clickin'

2.5 hours of running-I pushed it hard today and reached 16.31 miles in that time. That's my fastest time over that distance in quite a while!
 My HM is in less than 3 weeks. I'm in great condition, with just a few minor physical aches, and I expect to run fairly decent. I've been debating on what kind of taper to do...I think a very minimal taper. I will probably run another 16 miler next Monday the 11th, then the following Monday the 18th I will simply lower my milage and build up strength for the race Saturday the 23rd by simply lowering miles.
   In the past I've over tapered, so I'm not going to stress over it....I will just cut miles the last week. Hope you are well! Peace!
 

A "rest" day

   Sunday is super busy for me! I actually train for Sundays! My endurance training enables me to serve God better! Yet Sundays really wear me out!!
  Yesterday I ran a brisk 30 minutes of hills....I finished the week with 40.9 miles logged! I am on track! Less than three weeks until my HM!
  Hope you have a great Sunday! Peace!

HM pacing-

  Hey, someone said I was skinny as a rail yesterday!! Yay! Running miles and miles has burned the fat! yesterday I did 30 minutes at a little faster than HM pace. I'm going to log another 40+ miles this week....had 164 in October! Man I haven't run like this for nearly 3 years! Hope the body holds out!
  Goal race in 3 weeks! Peace!

Fragile or agile?

   Yesterday I ran easy for 75 minutes covering 7.2 miles. My body felt right at home during the run, it felt easy....like right where I belonged, running at a comfortable pace that I could carry forever. I loved it, yet the body is seeming to be ever so close to a breakdown. The twinges and twangs of a hamstring or whatever always loom in the mind that assesses the state of the body.
  The balance between the fragile and the agile is ever present. Over the years we learn our bodies abilities or limits but if you're like me you tend to push things.
  I want to expand the limits! I want to push and reach a place I've never been but dreamed about being...running is not an escape it's an adventure!
  Today, God willing, I will attempt a 10K time trial. This will be pushing the limits!
Have a great and glorious day! Peace!