Use your head!

    We runners often run only by heart and not head! We become so addicted to running we often run ourselves right out of the sport! Injuries that linger and eventually become inflamed leave us going down in a ball of flames.
  Even yesterday I had to reign myself in and not overdo. Today I feel good and am taking the rest day!! It rained all day yesterday here and we sure needed the moisture. I decided to open the garage door and have a treadmill run...it is much easier than running the hills and I found myself pushing the pace....heart! But quitting at 65 minutes...head! So let the body be ready for tomorrows track day...60 minutes of a possible tempo run. Hope all is well with you!

Reality sets in!

  Today when I got up my bones were stiff and I was sore! The reality of being old set in....quick! Finally I loosened up and was able to get out the door this afternoon and get 70 minutes of slogging in. All in all, even though I was stiff and tired, it was a productive and good run. I expect to see extra energy kick in by Friday. I'm cutting down to only 295 minutes total TOF (time on feet) this week so I should see a boost!?
  Well 170 minutes are in the books. Tomorrow will be another easy 65-70 minutes, rest on Thursday, track on Friday. Hope all is well with you!

A Strange Summer

    It's so cool for Summer, and the trees and plants are responding as if it's mid to late September. Of course we won't complain! It is so nice to run in these cool (80 degree) temps.
   This week is a cut-down week. Meaning I am cutting 25% off last weeks time and allowing my body to rest. Therefore I ran 101 minutes today. The run itself seemed very relaxed and I was able to hold a nice conversation pace the whole way, inclusive of hills and strong winds.
   I actually felt like I was a young man for a few brief moments! Yes! I felt strong and confident. The old bones were feeling no pain today and right now I am encouraged. So I only need 190 minutes the rest of the week. Hope all is well with you!!

Track day...

   I really needed some relief from the hills so I went to the local track. Nice morning with overcast skies, cool south breeze and around 78 degrees....couldn't be better! I started with no expectations except to complete 90 minutes and finish the week strong.
  I noticed my pace settled in at right around 9's and I felt great. finally around mile 7 I began to fatigue....my quads began to get tired and my respiration rate increased. I hung in there and got the 90 minutes.
   I finished this week with 391 minutes on the road. Next week is a cut-down week. Time for the old body to rest then I increase some more! Race is still a long way off...November 2nd, which is 14 weeks away. I hope to shed this remaining fat! It is so hard to get off! Tenacious fat! Old fat! Fat that hasn't been bothered for years! Look out...here comes the burn! Hope all is well with you!

Built Tough!

   Hills, hills, and more hills.....I am so used to running up and down that when I hit a flat stretch it's like Heaven!  I suppose all the hills have paid off....they instill strength and toughness. I notice that when I hit flats I run very strong and with ease. I sure hope the body holds up! Ran 82 minutes in the sweltering heat...it really got me today! Sweating profusely! Tomorrow....rest day!! Friday I hope to hit the track early. Time for some pace work. Hope you are well!

The bad apple

  As I run on the roads I encounter a vast majority of kind and attentive drivers. I have no sidewalks here and only 2 roads...the one I live on and the state highway. So I run on these roads and do my best to stay out of peoples way.
  Most people will see me and slow down or give me a wide berth, yet there are the few that do neither. As a matter of fact there are some people who see you and don't give an inch...plus they will glare at you. This happened today. I feel sorry for people who live in a state of hate, or bitterness. Kindness breeds kindness, try it!
  I ran early today because it is Summer! Hot and humid. This run was a 7.5 on the difficulty meter....84 minutes, hills, heat....some good runs so far this week...doing good regarding the increase. Hope all is well with you!
  

TOF

    Time on feet is what I'm after on my long runs. If I were to rate the degree of difficulty of my runs from 1 as the easiest to 10 as the hardest, todays run would be an 8.0. I ran in the mid-noon heat, with hills, with a total of 134 minutes. The only way to make it more difficult would be to push the pace. Yet all I want right now is time on feet. I ate way too much over the weekend. The band traveled to Kansas to pay at the annual "Amelia Earhart festival" and we ate gas station food....pizza buffet...oh I was bad!! Then a small town café. The beef stew went down good but it sure kept reminding me of it's residence in my stomach...yuck!
  Anyway, I'm on a build week now then cut down next week. Hope it's going well for you!

Sweet temps...

  So far we have the Summer that wasn't! It's acting like early fall here and the body is loving it! I ran for 80 minutes and had one of the best runs (time wise) I've had in a long time! I even did half of 2K hill and 5 lengthy pick-ups to add to the above average pace. I think it's important for Summer to come back. We need some hot weather training.
   You know your thinning when someone says..."you feeling all right? You look thin! You need to put on some pounds!"  Yes! Apparently I'm getting there! I want to be as light as possible! I did exactly what I wanted to do this week in regards to increase. I put in 357 minutes on the road. Next week I will increase some more, then I'll enjoy a cut down week. Hope it's wonderful where you are, and that you are getting the rain you need.

Lowest highs on record!

   It is truly fall like here in the Ozarks! Perfect running weather! I managed 81 minutes on the roads with some good mile splits towards the end. I tried to minimize the hills as best as I could and kept the stride nice and short with some pick-ups along the way....it was great! I'm starting to feel like I could actually run another marathon! At this rate I should be able to run one again! So I've totaled 275 minutes on the road this week! I will rest tomorrow and hope to run 82 minutes Friday. Hope all is well with you!

Fall is in the air...in July!!

    Yes it is very cool here as it is in many places in the U.S., I enjoyed the time on the roads today. 74 minutes! I'm on course to the marathon! I hope to keep building the time on road and losing the weight. I'm only 3lbs from my last marathon weight so I'm doing good in that area. My pace is suspect....I need to do some work in that area. I hope to get a few races in before the marathon. That will contribute to developing some speed.
  I've been doing yoga as cross training and I believe it has helped immensely with my Achilles problem! I've noticed something interesting, at about 3.5 miles my pace is automatically picking up and my body wants to speed up....interesting? Hope all is well with you!

Still well...

   So today I ran for 2 hours!!! This is the longest run I've had for several months. It was all outdoors, done on hilly terrain and my Achilles seems to be okay...I am dealing with minor planter fasciitis, but it's not debilitating....seems like it's always something! Oh well it's better than being a non-runner! I'm pretty excited about how I performed today in the heat and hills I finished fairly strong...I wasn't in the death shuffle if you know what I mean!
   So tomorrow I will see how I feel and run no more than 72 minutes or no less than 52 minutes. A training we will go! Hope all is well with you!

How do you increase speed?

    In the natural progression of things joggers often turn into racers. Racers want to get faster! How do we get faster? People will say speed work, and that is right, yet this also leads people into injury and failure.
   I remember in 1993, when I was 38, I decided I was going to break 20 minutes in the 5K. So I did tons of speed work! It paid off because I did a 19:57! I reached my potential!
How will you develop your maximum potential?
   1) Get to your racing weight first before you do speed work. In other words you will have plenty of base miles and will be running regularly.
   2) Do not over stride but practice increasing stride rate. Count how many steps you take per minute as you run average pace, then increase this by 5 paces for a minute....gradually increase time and rate....it is stride rate not length that increases speed...
  3) run downhill! Find a gradual decline and again, do not increase stride length but rate! Turn em over fast!
  4) Be mentally prepared! Have your mind-set, and be able to adjust during the workout....less or more...
  5) Celebrate and envision! When your done see the time you are aiming for in your minds eye...celebrate the fact you worked hard and completed a hard workout.


    I still remember that race very well, even these 21 years later! I broke 20!!! I'm still proud of that! Even at an older age we are still capable of gaining speed and reaching our potential.....now it's trying to break 25! Oh the challenges of running!

Momentary breakthrough

   Today the goal was 72 minutes of easy pace. I'm still in the base building and body thinning stage of my training for the fall marathon. I have been somewhat sluggish of late attributing it to the heat and humidity. Today it's only around 80 with a good breeze...at about 34 minutes something happened! I didn't even realize it but my body had kicked in and I was getting near marathon pace! I just let it go and finished the 72 minutes very strong! This is encouraging. I guess I still have some speed and strength left....the constant hill climbing I know takes it's toll but that's what I have out here. I really can't minimize the hills because they are everywhere!!! Well I guess what doesn't kill you, or destroy your Achilles, makes you stronger!
  Next week I begin to tweak my schedule. I will continue to extend the time of the long run. I will also begin to add some pace runs, tempo, fartlek, repeats, etc. I will add 10% of time to that week and see how I feel. Hope all is well in your world!

Count slogula

  Man have I been draggy lately!! It's been all I can do to even break into what might pass as a slog! I have been tired? Don't get it....yes it's incredibly warm and humid...yes I'm old...yes it's hilly out here....yes I'm always self-deprecating!
  At least I've run the 109 minutes, then the 74 minutes completed today. Not pretty but in the books. I am slowly thinning down....my goal is to feel skinny enough to run w/o a shirt on during the super hot days coming up. I have about 10 pounds to go before I've no real fat reserves. If I could just not eat so much! Especially the sonic blast triple chocolate! Oh I'm a bad boy!
  Hope it's going well in your neck of the woods!

Drive + Discipline= success

   Drive-the high motivation that propels runners out the door. Often this drive runs us right into injury or burn-out. I've experienced and seen this on many occasions. To run consistently drive is essential but it must be regulated by discipline. Do you feel tired? Rest! Do you have pain? Rest! Often a rest day is the best workout! Many a time I've been dressed and ready for a run only to find myself asleep on the couch...it was a nap I needed. Over 30+ years of running I have learned to regulate my drive with discipline. The discipline to rest, or run slower, or cross train. Today I did this. I regulated my drive by running slower in the heat. And simply relaxing and enjoying the moment. 109 minutes of pure bliss! It is good to still be able to run!

Oddly faster?

   So my cut down week has finished. I may do a walk or yoga today, otherwise I rest. I put in 80 minutes of running yesterday. I was wanting to go to the track and enjoy some flats but time wouldn't permit so off to hill land!
  Usually as I go in 2K hill direction my pace coming back up slows and my overall pace time is toasted. However, yesterday, oddly enough I ran that hill strong! My turnover was fast and my legs were somewhat fresh. It was an encouraging result.
  Now off to next week and continued marathon build. I'll resume my 72 minutes 3X and 110 minutes 1X-with the option of Saturday as a cross train day. My goal in this next marathon is to be as skinny as possible and complete it with my head up! 
   I'm on a 4 day schedule but I suspect it will go to 5 as I build to max miles. Hope you are well!

Cut down week...

   Yesterday the heat index was around 100F. It felt wonderful! I actually had a good mind-set in regards to the cut down distance and therefore my pace was faster. I held on and did 55 minutes. Today I'll run 55 minutes of hills, the heat has let up so it'll be great! I have a super busy day tomorrow so I'm not sure if I'll get a run in! Have to go Thursday instead I guess....we'll see. Onward!