Notes and Taper oddities

Yesterday I just took a walk? Last night I felt like a race horse in the starting gate! So much energy! This morning the same thing...gads and gobs of energy. So off I went for a run. "Now it's important to not kill yourself, Mark" I thought. Just cruise. So a little four miler in 9:25's with one mile at 8:57. This was on W south so hilly it was.
Taper oddities? Why would my left quad be tight and sore? Crazy? The mind games! One minute I doubt myself the next I believe in myself.
I've pretty much worked out my talk for the Sunday morning runners worship service. I'll post the idea of it tomorrow for those interested. Today I'm loaded with errands, meetings, and going over the course to plan on where to have my Sweetie meet me for refueling.
Today's little four miler was a confidence builder. Seeing that I know breaking four hours will require guts, confidence is good! Peace!

Nice and Easy

Had a nasty headache yesterday. No way was I going to run! What with Swine flu and colds swirling about like the leaves in fall I opted to hunker down and rest. I slept well last night and woke up feeling a little washed out but better. Ran bunches of errands in town and came home with a strong desire to run.
I have been a bad boy today! When I was buying some items at the Dollar General I added some Rolos and a Coke to the list!!!! Oh, man! Did the Rolos taste good! Now I feel fat!
I decided to keep the taper a taper and only ran 3.31 miles today! I dressed in my "Marathon Outfit". Does that sound funny? Marathon outfit? Fav shorts, new singlet, Kayano 15's perfectly broken in, marathon finishers hat, dry max socks.
I'm basically ready. I just want to run the distance. I've been working on my talk that I'm going to give the runners that morning. I'll share some of it later but basically (obviously) I'll analogize running with the Christian life.
So nice and easy today-3.31/ 32:59/ 9:57's. Now...the Coke!! Peace! (I'm feeling fat)

Street Modified Halfs

Hey, today makes one year I've been a blogger! I am so thankful I started this blog. I feel like I've made a bunch of friends, I know I've learned more about my sport, I enjoy seeing others succeed, and it is a great way to keep records of training. It can become somewhat addictive!
Today the rains came! The leaves are falling in a hurry! That does make for tricky running with the leaves all over the road, slickery and covering rocks, etc.
I was really wanting to do yassos but couldn't make the track so I did a one mile warm up and did 7x 1/2 mile with a 1/2 mile rest in between each half. I had to take the hills and dales so it was a pretty good work-out. Drizzled the whole way, strong south wind, about 60 degrees. Wonderful!! Rest day tomorrow!
8.0 miles/1:17:56/ 9:44's. I'm enjoying the taper!!!! Peace!

Yikes!!! Everybody's sick!!

I'm not kiddin'! One of my facebook friends says half the kids in her school are home sick! All the hacking and coughing; my Sweetheart is even feeling under the weather but she's still working. Needless to say I'm concerned about catching IT!
So taper week two is here. I took Monday off! I rested! Not the least bit guilty! Even the fantastic weather couldn't get me to run! Today is a different story. I ran! The weather is even better! Sunny, 70ish, breezy. Funny how the taper works? I felt so strong today?! I decided to run 8 miles of W south which is very hilly. I also decided to go with how I felt and I felt like running! I actually set a PR for this route today. 8.05 miles/1:17:30/ 9:37's. It is very hilly, with some steep inclines. I was actually running some low 9's up hill! I'm feelin' good today!
Here are my thoughts regarding the rest of the week. Thursday will be around 8-9 miles with some pick ups unless I go to the track then I'll do Yassos. Then on Saturday go to the track to enjoy some flatland and knock off 8-10 miles. That'll give me a total of about 25-26 miles.
So here's to hoping I stay healthy and to the taper!! Peace!

Couldn't be Better

Nine days until marathon #4. I'm feeling pretty good physically. Some minor aches and pains but that's just to be expected. Still icing lower quad, but swelling is going down.
Stormy skies today. The rains are coming and we do need them. I got in an easy 4.3 miles with thirty minutes at MP. I've decided to try to get this pace ingrained in my muscle memory.
Instead of striders tomorrow I will do an easy three miles with a couple of sections at MP or HMP, but not too fast.
The move is a go and we are full speed ahead. I've a wedding rehearsal tonight so I will be down near the new place and I can begin to move some stuff.
Tomorrow we get tables in order to set up the moving sale in garage, then we go to the new house; talk to guy about putting up the shades. Do the moving sale Saturday, then Sunday, O Yeah!! OHC will be packed out probably for both services!
These are exciting times!!
I am feeling a bit encouraged about my chances in this marathon. It will present some challenges, the water stations are every three miles. But with encouragement from blogger friends, and how I'm feeling right now I have the mentality that I am going to go for it!
Only three miles left to run this week? Wow, how'd that happen?
Have a great day!

Kindness

Today the weather is superb!! Sunshine galore, breezy from the North and 57 degrees!
Lots of people out! One other runner, we exchanged howdy's, I said, "How do you like this weather," he said "Lovin' it!" Good answer I thought!
A young Mother pushing her two little ones in a jogger carriage. People mowing and weed-eating. As I was running by the guy weed-eating he stopped his machine until I passed, the lady pushing a lawn mower a little later, stopped until I was passed. That is kindness in my book.
Many times I've been disregarded as a runner, but today folks were kind. They regarded me. Felt good!
As to the running; I did 10.3 miles at MP. First two miles are warm-up (marathon simulation) 19:38-this might be a tad too slow, next three in 8:47's. Came in house to eat a power bar, take fluids, back out, next 5.15 in 46:04.79-or 8:57's. I actually had to hold back the pace! I was wanting to cut loose! 10.3 miles in 1:33.23-9:03's. I'm pleased with the effort.

Current reality and observations:
Five runs left until Race-this is exciting
There is doubt in my mind regarding goal-this is nagging
I am much stronger than before my last marathon-this is encouraging
My aches and pains aren't as bad today-this is amazing
The Taper can mess with your mind-this is interesting
Mental Effort must be practiced-this is challenging-(more on this later)

Hope the weather has turned for the better in your neck of the woods! Peace!

Jinxed-Taper Phase week two

I must've jinxed Spring! I declared it to be Spring last week and look at it now!! "Mercy sakes" as my Granny used to say, it's cold and nasty out there! There is a freeze warning out tonight. All the plants, left uncovered will be burned severely. What a shame!
Well week two of the taper is here. I will decrease to just 24 miles this week. I put in a good effort today-6.4 miles in 64 minutes. Easy warm-up and cool down. Did 30 minutes at 9mpm pace.
I noticed my right lower quad was very stiff and swollen? I am icing as I type. It didn't hurt during the run, nor did the hip, so I'm thinking with some smarts I will be able to make the starting line ready and well.
Rest of the week looks like this:
Tues- off
Wed-10miles at MP
Thurs-3 miles ez
Friday-5 miles 6x100 striders
Saturday- moving sale (cross training!)
Sunday off- total for week-24+ miles

Taper Phase-Week one

Official time for Frisco HM was 1:55:53- One additional note to the race. The person that finished in front of me was "OMRR Hall of Famer" Gerald Glass. He is a premier runner and has several state records. He was the only finisher Saturday that was 70 or older! He truly is an amazing runner and person. he fought a courageous battle with prostate cancer and apparently won! I trailed him from mile eight to the finish by about 20-30 feet. He is a machine! His running economy is perfect.
Well, I have mapped out my three week taper. Today was an easy recovery run of 4.1 miles. Just loosening the body and letting it recover a little from the race. All in all I feel pretty good. Just spent. Sundays have a lot to do with that, though.
Have you ever heard of the theory of the "Collapse point"? Take your average daily mileage and multiply it by three and this will be how far you can race hard before you hit the wall. Mine is 16.47 miles. If this holds true I'm in deep dodo.
I plan on giving this marathon everything I got! I still need to decide on how I will eat during the race. The water stations are every three miles! This can't be good? I hope that's some bad info, misprint, or else I will need a plan for refueling. When I ran Grandmas in 2005 they had no gu or food, and I was not carrying anything. At mile twenty my quads were shot and I missed breaking four hours by 6 min. So I need a plan.

Week One of Taper looks like this:
Monday- 4.1 easy
Tuesday-6.0 6X100m striders
Wednesday-off
Thursday-6.2-LT HM pace
Friday-4.1-easy
Saturday-12 miles MP pace Total-32.4 miles

Hope all is well in your neck of the woods! Peace!

Picture Perfect

Today was a picture perfect day for running! 53 degrees, sweet sunshine and a light breeze, it couldn't be better! The body responded to this weather, too. It took two miles to warm-up, as usual for me, and then I was able to run a 9:22 third mile and the next 5.3 miles in 46:18 which is 8:44's. So 8.3 miles in 1:16:24. My legs, although perennially tired, felt strong, is that a confusing thought? I'm encouraged by the effort.
Saturday is looking to be nasty weather-wise. They are calling for a low of 38 degrees and a high of 44 with wet snow and heavy rains. Will I still race? You betcha! I've been aiming for this race for months and it is an important tune up race for the marathon. Regardless of conditions I still need the long run.
Some notes:
Only four long runs in this training cycle. two twenty's, one 18 miler, and the 17 miles this Saturday. Will that be enough?
I have decided on how I will start the marathon. The first two miles will be my warm-up miles-I will try to average at least 10:00's for them, then I will start racing. Does this work?
I am aiming to run a 1:52 in the half this Saturday. That is what the predictor charts show I can do based on recent 5 and 10K efforts.
On the taper (YES) I will decrease mileage but not intensity. I will still go to the track, too.
I will follow the taper strategy in the book "Advanced Marathoning." Three week taper-reduce mileage 20% first week, 40% second, 60% third (first six days).
Hope all is well in your neck of the woods! Peace!