Monday, February 22, 2010

Making progress

Boy getting old sucks, I am sore today and as much as I would like to think this it was the 17 mile run yesterday I think age had a lot more to do with it then the distance. The running has been going well, I got my Suunto Heart Rate Monitor fixed so I am now able to use the footpod on the treadmill for more accurate distance and more importantly EFFORT levels. My runs have been getting faster and last week I averaged sub 10's for the majority of the runs. I was forced to run the dreadmill more then I wanted but with the little guy home for school vacation, gettting a run in on the dreadmill versus no run was all I could do.

The week before I did 14.4 in 2 1/2 hours and struggled with boredom on the run, this weekend I teamed up with my friend Matt Cloyd for my Sunday run on the race route. We met at 7AM in Hopkinton at the starting line and ran 16.2 to the Starbucks at Newton Lower Falls. I was able to sweet talk my wife into picking us up (I think she only came to get me because Matt needed a ride to, or I would still be there). Now Matt is 26 and ran Boston (his first marathon also) last year at a 3:40 so I knew running a 10 minute pace was out of the question. It was a great test form me since I needed to see what I had in me for my Hyannis run, so we ran 9:20-9:30 and finished in 2 hours and 25 minutes for an average 9:19 pace which is 41 seconds per mile under my Marathon time. My only complaints about the run was the recurring need to find a restroom at miles 4-6 that plague me on my training runs regardless of how hard I monitor my fueling the day before a run. I think it is nerves because on my races I haven't had the issue.

The time flew since Matt and I talked and got caught up on what has happened since last April. So with that run under my belt and close to 40 miles for the week I am going to try to set a PR for the 1/2 marathon this weekend in Hyannis (2:04:18 is my best). I am going to push it and if I can do the first 10 in under 90 minutes I will push 100% for the last 5k, if I am off the 10 mile time I will relax and run it in to prevent injury.

So 8 more weeks and counting and look for my race report next Monday after Hyannis.

Tim

Monday, February 8, 2010

da funk.....

After the last two weeks of running were my LSR were “crap” pun intended I was hoping this past week would be a redeeming week. I normally take Monday’s off for rest but since I barely ran on Sunday I jumped in on Monday for a 4 mile run, I did 6 on Tuesday, took Wednesday off then did 5 on Thursday in my new shoes and then 10 on Friday followed by 6 on Saturday and 7 on Sunday.

I have been running in New Balance 769 for the last 2 years and decided I wanted to try something lighter and more Neutral so I found a pair of Zoot Ultra TT 2.0 shoes (http://www.amazon.com/Mens-Zoot-Ultra-Running-Shoe/dp/B001Q5RNX0) from online for $56 and decided to try them. I wore them on Thursday for a 5 mile run on the treadmill and they felt nice, so on my 10 miler on Friday I wore them and they have been on my feet ever since. I like the feel of them and at $56 I might get a second pair.

I was in Maine over the weekend and had to fit my running in with family obligations so my run on Saturday was on the treadmills at Planet Fitness in Portland where I am positive 80% of those there were there to show off there body in an attempt to hook up and or find a mate. I had made plans to run 7-9 with Kevin (http://kmark9.blogspot.com/) on Sunday but those plans got scratched, I am sure he and I will hook up once before the Pineland Farm Challenge to run someday? So me and the family departed from Maine on Sunday morning with Starbucks in hand and returned to MA. I was able to get 7 miles in that afternoon so not a bad day and I am happy with 38 miles for the week.
This week I am going to rest today and tomorrow I am going to do my speed workout and on Thursday I am going to run the parking garage at my office for hill repeats. Now my runs have been in a funk and I think the reason is 99% mental, I am a social creature and my runs lately have been on my own so my mind has been able to trick me to stop every mile or so for a few seconds to re-group my thoughts then start back up which isn’t a big deal but it is throwing my concentration off. I am also fighting a dull pain in my lower left that I need to just deal with and I am letting that win. So to fight back this Sunday I am going to find someone to run my 17 miler with since I run best when I forget about running and run my “trap” for the whole time. So that is the plan, now can I stick to it is the question?

Cheers,
Tim

Thursday, February 4, 2010

Running Update

Hello, I know it has been a while so here is an update on my running as get ready to end my 6th week of training for Boston:

My runs during the week have been going well in regards to miles but quality in regards to getting in Tempo Runs and Speed/Hills workouts has lacked. These runs have turned into 10 min pace treadmill runs for no other reason then me being lazy.

I have done way more treadmill runs then I wanted to do but with work and life it has been hard to get outside when a lot of my runs have been late at night.

My last two long runs have been disasters; two weeks ago I made the “rookie” mistake of not watching what I ate the Saturday before my long run and ate Hot Wings, Chili and then McDonald’s for dinner the night before. So on my 15 mile run the next morning my stomach revolted and after two bathroom stops I called it quits at mile 8.

Last week I was all ready to redeem myself with a good run (due to the weather it was going to be on the treadmill) that Sunday. Well, thanks to a stomach bug that hit me on Saturday night, I only got 4 miles in on Sunday.

So with that said, I am back running this week, on the treadmill and I trying to get myself out of this funk. I am traveling to Freeport, ME this weekend so I am thinking I will do my 15-17 long run tomorrow so I only have to do 7-9 over the weekend while up in ME.

Cheers,
Tim