You shouldn't think on long runs...

Ok, so I should be on week 3 of the FIRST training plan for the half and I haven’t done one prescribed “Key Workout”, why is that?

The reason for my inability to step into these workouts has been the topic of many of my conversations I have had with myself while I am on my long runs. Here is what I have determined:

1.) It isn’t that I am not motivated to run, I am. I have been running 20-25 miles per week with mostly 5-6 mile runs, I am just not motivated to run PACE X, I want to run at what ever pace my body says it likes that day.

2.) I want to stay healthy and that is my number one goal because if I pull my calf muscle again then all that work to run 30 seconds faster was wasted with me being in physical therapy to repair the damage. So with that as my number one goal I have been very conservative in my pacing.

3.) I have been running trails for 80% of my runs and I find it harder to maintain faster paces while watching my footing and avoiding rocks. I know I could solve this by hitting the open roads but after all those miles training for Boston on the roads dodging cars I like the peacefulness of the trails.

4.) My friend Jill, who has been joining me on my runs, is a slower runner then I and I have enjoyed a running partner so I have slowed my pace to accommodate her needs. I am a social person, I like to run but I like to run with someone else the most. My friends say, “can you imagine how fast you would be if you shut up and ran”, and thus for me being able to solve all of the worlds problems while on a run with a running partner is more important to me then hitting the desired pace for the run.

So where does this leave me and my goal to run sub two hours in my October half marathon? I think I have decided to do the following:

* Enjoy running no matter what the pace.
* Stay healthy because if I get hurt, I can’t run thus pace doesn’t matter.
* Focus on the time on the road/trail and not the miles. I need to build my long runs up to 2.5 hours to prepare myself.
* Focus on my heart rates for these time runs to determine my improvement. I will still wear my Suunto T3C with foot pod but I will keep the readout to the HR piece and not pace and distance. Thus I will focus my easy/speed/tempo and long runs on the desired HR Zone % and not the pace number. After the run I can look at the pace and distance but I need to remove the focus while running.

I am on vacation next week, I will have 10 days in Maine to relax and run whenever I want. This is the same area and time of year that I got injured last year due to overuse and abuse, so this is a good time to reflect on running to stay healthy and focus on the enjoyment of the sport. I will let you guys know how my vacation goes and how this change in focus is working.

Race report

Ok, HUMIDITY SUCKS and I don't like it. I ran the trail race on the trails I love and it almost ruined the experience. I ran it with my friend Jill and we went out to fast for Jill and it took the second mile to try and bring her HR down. I then got some cramps and I kicked myself for not preparing for the heat with some Endorolyte tablets. Well we sloshed through the next two miles and move from the back up a little with a few passes and finished ok but way off my PR of a 45:08 on that course with a 49:45. 

So, not my greatest run but I did walk away with the thought I am going to enjoy that route and not race it. 

Tim

Where have I been

So with the craziness of ending t-ball, school and the start of summer camp things have been crazy. My running is going well, I am averaging 20-25 miles a week and have really enjoyed my runs. Last week was my first week of the FIRST half marathon plan and I didn't hit one key workout. Why, because it just hasn't been my style of running right now. I have had a hard time with the rain getting to a track and when I get out to run the preferred run has been 5-7 miles at a 9:45-10 minute pace in the woods. This week due to rain and work I didn't get a run in on Monday or Tuesday but got a great 6 mile trail run in yesterday and I am running a 5 mile trail run tonight and then if work allows another 5-8 tomorrow. This weekend is going to be weird, my son is riding in a Pan-MA Challenge for kids to raise money for cancer and it suppose to be 15 miles. Now he is 6 with training wheels and last year I ran along side him for (5) 1 mile loops so this Saturday could be a 15 mile run for me with a lot of starts and stops. The goal for Sunday is an early morning run with my running partner Jill with 5 miles in the woods then 4 miles on the road, this will push Jill to her longest distance yet.

So my question is as I started my planning and I still have the focus on a sub two hour half marathon, I am getting the miles in just not the speed. So I have some races comming up and I am going to push the speed to see what I have in me. I am going to try making Friday's 5-8 a temp run at the HMP and see how that feels. Overall the relaxed run in the woods is what my body wants over the need for speed.

Cheers,
Tim

Weekend in the woods

Weekends are meant to relax and sometimes that happens and sometimes I go back to work on Monday looking forward to the rest of attending boring meetings all day to recharge the battery. Last week was hectic with my son’s Kindergarten celebration and my parents in town for the event so I didn’t get any runs in on Wednesday and Thursday which drove me nuts. See I have a schedule and I tend to get all out of sorts if I deviate from that schedule (hey, look at the butterfly syndrome coming into play). So after my parents left Friday morning, my son was on the bus and rain stopped I took off for a much needed run. It was a run of undecided length or time and nothing but latest Phidip Podcast to keep me entertained. The air was cool and crisp thanks to the rain of the morning and this was one of my favorite conditions to run in. The run was great and I did 6 miles and I felt like 12 would have been easy but regretfully due to the need to stay employed I ended my run and headed back home.

Saturday was another beautiful day and my wife and son went to an event for 4 hours leaving me with some down time. So, off I went to run the trails of West Hill Dam near my house. I did 6 miles and it was just so relaxing in the woods.

On Sunday morning I had planned to head out with my friend Jill at 7:30 for a run but it was pouring so we canceled the run. I stayed home, had breakfast with the family and watched a movie. Later in the afternoon the family took our Wii Bowling skills to the actual bowling alley for a fun family time. Later in the day I got a text from Jill and she came over to Northbridge to run the West Hill Dam trails and it was another amazing run in the woods since again we got the cool air from the post rain. We did 6.52 miles at a relaxed pace and it was a lot of fun.
So as much as I like the roads they just never offer me the enjoyment of how beautiful and tranquil Mother Nature is. I am not a religious person nor am I a touchy feely kind of guy but I do feel at peace running in the woods without the sounds or cars to bother me.

Please see the images below of where I ran this weekend and of course a great image of "Gracie" relaxing on our deck near the pool...
Cheers…

This is why I love to run

Today I had some time alone to run in the woods at a local park. As much as the roads are fun the quiet peace of the trails are just so relaxing. Went out for a relaxing 5 mile run.

Double A, Double D.... 40 year old diagnosis

Ok, it isn't the title to an adult movie....

Recently I started to get frustrated with my in ability to stay focus at work so I went online and for kicks and giggles I searched Adult Attention Deficit Disorder (AADD) and took an online quiz and guess what I passed with flying colors.

So, I have just started meeting with a specialist and we are going to map out a plan to help me. It isn't like my life is miserable I just hate the working on a task and then "hey look at that butterfly" feeling. It also helps me explain my need for a structured plan (got to love a Marathon Training plan) and my need for order. It also helps me understand why when things get out of sync why I "loose it". So as much as I set out for this Blog to be running focus the blog will probably now have my ADD factored into the blog and how I use my marathon training to keep my focus in line..

So more to come, and yes I will make fun of this issue as it relates to me and I hope to not offend anyone but that is who I am.

Tim

Starting to get back into the grove...

So after a few days of consectitive mediocre runs the last couple weeks have been really nice. I am starting my half marathon training for my two fall half marathons (Portland Maine and the Baystate) on the last week of June. The goals for these two races are sub 2 hours for the half, this should be within my reach since I have run a 2:04:18 and that was with me "bonking" do to fuel and my training run at a relaxed pace in Hyannis was a 2:05.

The last week or so has me back out running 4-5 days a week and up to 8 miles on Sunday with about 18 to 25 miles per week. I am going to start adding in the speed workouts, tempo and hills over the next few weeks to add to my base and I would like to do a strong 10 mile run at 9:15 or less to test my fitness level.

I am going to follow a modified FIRST approach where I focus on hitting 3 KEY runs each week with specific distance and pace runs for each run. I want to then use 3-4 days during that week to cross train. If I follow the FIRST method to letter I will use those days for swimming, biking or rowing but I also like to run on Tuesday and Thursday with my friend Jill at work. Jill runs at a slightly slower pace then me (9:30 for 4-5 is about 85% of her max) so my 4 runs with her on those days is relaxing for me but most importantly I enjoy those runs and they keep me motivated to do my KEY runs. I will try to still do the cross training on those days while running.

I am wishing I was starting a marathon plan but my work schedule is looking BRUTAL so that isn't an option.

Ok, more to come.

Tim