This Running Life

So sorry I have been late in posting. My sons have started playing soccer and they play two games a week. My bloggin’ time is usually in the evenings after they’ve gone to bed, but with all these games, I find myself pushing it back one day, then two…..

Had a GREAT 4 mile run this morning. I took an extra day off and lowered my mileage this last week so my legs feel strong. I didn’t intend to run at tempo pace but I did 4.14 miles in 47:30. This for me is a solid pace with all miles, including the first, under 12. Splits were 11:41, 11:46, 11:14, and 10:58. I was only supposed to run three, but the weather was cool and I felt strong. Why not run an extra mile?

So to appease the loyal readers (all 5 of you) I’ll post a few pics of my recent wonderful trip to the Great Smoky Mountains in East Tennessee. More pics later but these should hold you. By the way, the fly fishing bug has bitten me something bad. My wife is grimacing at my desire to buy fly fishing gear!

This is authentic Bear poop from the Smoky Mtns. Fresh and right near the picnic areas in the park. Bears DO go in the woods. Who woulda thunk it?

I love the beach, but the mountains really get to me. I didn’t want to leave.

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Me and the boys. I adore everything about them. I couldn’t live without them in my life.

The miles are adding up. This chart shows my runs from August 15 through Sunday September 14.

Here are my Monthly Distances
Sept: 41.1 Mi
August: 68.3 Mi
July: 60.5 Mi
June: 59.7 Mi
May: 45.4 Mi
April: 26.0 Mi

I am well into marathon training and after a step-down this week of only about 18 miles, I’ll start working up to long runs in the teens. I feel really good about where I am now. My recovery time after yesterday’s 10 was short compared to past long runs (except that the heat and humidity was bad, and stupid Gordon overslept and started the run late! Ran out of water at 8 miles and was semi-dehydrated for the rest of the day. Dumb, dumb Gordon!)

But in terms of knee pain, or muscle soreness, there is less of that than I am accustomed to from the spring.

Neat link on Hill running:
http://www.coolrunning.com/cgi-bin/moxiebin/bm_tools.cgi?print=104;s=2_1;site=1

This is a solid piece on Cool Running that discusses the affect Hill running has on your speed. Most of my hills are in my regular runs, what some call “passive hill running.” What most of the research I have read concludes is that long hill repeats (400-800 meters) and short hill bursts (15-45 seconds) can do the most for one’s speed.

BUT, running hills in general as part of regular run courses can help, because it makes you stronger and builds the same muscles you use to accelerate. I agree. Today I didn’t have a particularly good run, but even in my not feeling great, my legs felt like they had more power than a few months ago. Something is changing in my body and my running, and hills have been PART of that positive change.

My plan calls for me to start some long hill repeats and I have just the hill for it. I’ll post a picture soon, so you can see.

I had a great run on Sunday. 9.3 miles. On Tuesday I was scheduled to do 4 miles of fartleks. I started off nice and seemed to get faster with each mile. So my fartlek run became a tempo run. I felt strong over the 4 miles. Each mile had a negative split and I average 11:28 over the 4. I have dropped a minute off my pace in about 4 months. The hills here have to be part of the reason. They are giving me strength and endurance so that when I get on a flat stretch I can boogie. The extreme flatness of Louisiana was doing me no favors. That is why my pace held steady for a year until the move to the hills.

I was also recording some audio to submit to the extra mile podcast, so I was talking the whole time. Being able to hold that ace while also talking in conversational tones is a great sign! I’ll let you know if they accept it and if it airs.

I was also able to tune in on talkshoe.com to the Runner’s Roundtable this afternoon. The live show and chat was a blast. Check the website: http://www.talkshoe.com and runnersroundtable.com

What a corny title. I should have called it “I really feel good about my long runs.”

For the past three weeks, I have moved from 7 to 8 to 9 miles. I have started about 45 seconds to 1:10 slower than what I guess is my goal marathon pace. As the run progresses, I speed up slightly. With one mile to go, I really turn it on and try to run a fast, comfortable, but not sprinting, pace. This has been the case over the past 2 weeks. I am really pleased with my progress, the way I feel, the lack of soreness and lack of exhaustion after the run. This has me energized for the future of my training. I can see and feel tangible results and want to pour it on. But here is the risk. I have to keep myself restrained. Don’t overdo it, stick with the plan. But I feel great.

I have joined two groups: “endurance sports bar” and “what’s a few miles among friends” (links on this page) and am posting miles and any info that is helpful. So, I hope you’ll visit those sites. Good people, all of them.

Since I recently moved and have been tracking places to run in my new town, and since we know few people here, I thought it might be handy to have a Road ID with my contact info, medical info, and such. After I placed my order, I was sent a friends discount code for Road Id, so if anyone is interested in one, email me and I’ll give you the code. The email said the code can be used 20 times in thirty days. So more than one person can use it.

if you are interested, go to roadid.com. I bought the ankle strap version. I already have too much stuff around my wrists, from watches to silicone bracelets.

Let’s hear it for Susan and Chasen. They are expecting a baby!

I’m sure she’ll keep us updated: http://www.irunformylife.blogspot.com

Sorry to keep giving you countdown status. But we’ve been making our reservations and dining arrangements for Disney Marathon weekend. I have felt re-energized. Don’t know if it is the weather, finally getting over the move, or what, but this has been my strongest week of running since the early summer. Friday was a great tempo run. Today we got hit by the remnants of Fay in the morning. Lots of heavy rain, so I slept in. Over the last few weeks, I’d have blown off the run altogether, but Disney is getting closer. I went out this afternoon and did a solid 7 miles. Had to slow the pace a couple of times, to keep my HR under 80% which is essential to building an endurance base. In mile 7, I really booked it and ran close to 10:15 pace. I felt great to have that kick so late in a long run.

Here is a link to the course map. Looking at it has me excited about the run, which, in turn, motivates me to make my workouts. I don’t want to let my family down.

http://adisneyworldsports.disney.go.com/media/dwws_v0220/en_US/pdf/08MarathonCourseMap.pdf

The Disney Marathon is a mere 148 days away. I feel better about running. We’ve had an atypical low-humidity-low-temp spell in northeastern Alabama. So, I’ve a pretty good string of runs. Today I ran a 6-miler on the Chief Ladiga Trail (pictured above) (follow this link to read about rails-to-trails: http://epic.jsu.edu/clt/). This is a flat running and biking trail built on unused railroad beds. Nice and flat. This particular trail extends some 33 miles into Georgia. This will be great for really long marathon training runs, which are getting closer and closer. There is half marathon on this trail in October. I plan on running it.

I am afraid I have been a little too consumed with speed recently at the expense of good quality slow miles. So, I am stepping back and working on those all-important base miles for the marathon. I am a firt-time marathoner, so the point is to finish and get the medal.

Anyone here on facebook. Send me an email and maybe we be “friends.”