Road work...

So I took yesterday off from running. The 18 mile trail run took it outta me good on Monday. I found myself sleepy and hungry yesterday!! The weather has been so fantastic!! Although I love Summer and prefer Summer, a person can't help but love this time of season, too.
As I started out today with a recovery run in mind, my body was slow to respond. Stiff, sore, somewhat beaten up. I just put one foot in front of the other. Today there were lots of people on the roads! Highway construction, concrete workers, the traffic was higher than normal? I noticed that around five miles into the run I began to feel strong! I kicked it in the last two miles with low 9's. Amazing how the body works? I must make an amendment to my prediction for Winter. I've noticed in recent days the high number of woolly worms and their coats are thick! Looks to be a cold Winter!
On another note September is in the books as my highest mileage month ever! 196.8 miles!
Totals today-7.44 miles/ 1:20:51/ 10:52's. Peace!

The Change-up

I love the game of Baseball. In baseball it's said that the Pitcher has 75% of the game in his hands. The remaining 25% is in the hands of the fielders and umps. The pitcher has an arsenal of pitches. One ought to be the change-up. It is an effective and deceptive pitch often getting the pitcher out of a jam. Right now this runner is in a slight jam. For over two months now I've been dealing with Achilles tendinitis. It is not debilitating but it is not getting better. So....I'm throwing a change-up. High mileage days followed by rest days. This week, Monday had to rest...Tuesday 17 miles, Wednesday rest, today 13.68 miles. The heel is not painful, but it is on the edge. There is no pain while running but it stiffens afterwards. The hills are the culprit!
I felt so strong today. I decided to go one hour ten minutes out and then return as hard as I could. One thing you must know it is hilly!! Cry baby, cry! I named another hill today but I can't put it in print!
Anyway, I ran quite strong and confidently. I am encouraged and pretty sure I'll be ready for the marathon. As to the 20 miler on the track? Yeah, it's stupid but I am needing to get off the hills. I'll take your advice and stay in the outside lane, and change directions often. That's a ways down the road, though.
Totals- 13.68 miles/ 2:21:34/ 10:20's. This is the best pace I've ever had on this route at this distance! Hope the weather is great where you are! Peace!

Turnabout-

Regarding yesterdays post....it is Ozark folklore about the Woolly Worms coat. If it's real bushy prepare for a cold Winter, if it's light and thin it is supposed to be a mild Winter. I haven't really tracked it but I'm leaning on the mild Winter side. I was unable to identify the spiders...they are big and fast! I just hope they don't jump on me when I'm running, but they are thick out here!

Today's run was a 180 from how I've been feeling lately. I just started out feeling good and it carried on throughout today's run. I did cut down desired distance, trying to rest...a little.

Totals-6.45 miles/ 1:01:11/ 9:28's. This is on hills!!! I actually knocked off an 8:22 mile and it felt soooo good! I wanted more!

Had to drive up to the big city today to restock my gu supply. One of the employees is training for the same marathon I am, they are wanting to run a 3:12! Today I'm back up a little mentally and the heel is even feeling a little better. Well, got to go mow the yard!!! Hope all is well in your neck of the woods! Look out for the spiders! Peace!

I like Sultry!

Today it is 91 degrees with 66% humidity. This is my kind of weather! SULTRY!
I managed all miles in my general aerobic range which is 9:36-11:04. My best mile was 9:50 while the slowest was the last one at 11:03. On this last mile during the hills I would breath like I do in races! I knew I was really working, heart rate was 90% of max!
Yesterday I mowed the huge yard I now have and saw two snakes! One big black one and a smaller Copperhead. You've got to watch it out here!
Even with the sultry weather I ran very well today, in my estimation. I recovered very well from the 13 miler, very little residual soreness or fatigue. I seem to be gaining confidence and motivation. I really want to run a marathon before Bass Pro. November seems a long ways off and right now I'm actually in training. I think a September or early October Marathon would be the best bet. Coming off summer training in to the Fall I always feel very strong.
I ordered new shoes today!! ASICS "Trail Attack 5WR" I think these will do for a shoe that can transition from road to trail. Monday during the trail portion I stepped on a rock and it hurt! I decided then and there to get a better shoe.
Well I hope to get in an easy 3 miler tomorrow and Friday is track day!! I will try to set a new mile best. Hope it's sultry! Peace!

Mile time trial

Well the weather is great! Hot!! Breezy! Sunny!! Couldn't be better. I found the track in Ozark and had it all to myself. I did a two mile warm-up with some pickups. I was thinking of my strategy for running the mile time trial. All out! Sad fact: I'm so much slower than I used to be!
The first lap was in 1:39.06, I felt pretty good but definitely out of my element. This was all out, lap two was tragically slower, I even thought about quitting! A 1:47.24, or 3:26.30 half. I really bit the dust on this third lap. I mean to tell you I'd not run this hard for years! Pace really slowed and I really wanted to quit! A 1:53.69. I was trying to recover a little and maintain. I so wanted to break 7 minutes. A 1:52.40 fourth lap, and friends I was sucking air like I'd just come up from the bottom of the ocean; finishing with a 7:12.35 all out mile.
What's this tell me? I'm slow! Interesting, the Garmin said I did the mile in 6:59, but the stopwatch doesn't lie! I also think this is a very accurate assessment of my current ability.
This tells me, I don't quit. The mile is a tough race, too. I am now mulling over an additional element of marathon training. If you improve your mile time how will that translate into longer distances? What if I trained specific to improve the mile time during the course of marathon training? Here's an example of what I'm thinking.
Week one track workout-like today- 2 mile warm-up all out mile-2 mile cool down. each week increase the all out segment by 400 meters but make sure the first mile is 90-95%.
Think about it....what would happen?