HOT DAAAAAAWG! Hot run on 5/25/12

Like the title says, it was hot:

A nice, flat route right along the creek, but absolutely no wind to speak of.  To go along with all the rain we've had in the past 48 hours (and the high temps), it was SUPER humid!    

My stated goals were to hit the trails, finish 6 miles and (most importantly) don't die.  Well, mission accomplished!  Temps were in the upper 80's (one degree off the all-time high) and it was crazy stupid humid.  I was down on the creek - in a sheltered valley.  I did have a lot of shade, but there was no breeze or anything to help me out.  I survived though.

I have to think back to how my body would have handled this type of weather last summer, or how it would have been 6 months ago (given me being a little used to the heat in January).  It was hard, and my heart rate was high, but I just got the sense from my body that it was "a-okay" to keep on trucking.  I don't think I'm making it 26 miles in these temperatures, but if I can keep my body cool in these conditions, then 50's-60's will work out great.

Even if I blow it on 26 miles, I'm happy that I'm able to complete a run like this - injury free, in these temperatures.  This is the "shape" that I was shooting for.  Well, I'd still like to lose some more weight.  I'm down about 9 lbs for the year - a little shot of my goal of closer to 15-20.  It's okay though, I want to keep going on this push regardless.  Triathlon season is right around the corner.  That means shorter/intense workouts and hopefully some strength training.

With that, have a nice weekend everyone!

D

Running Total:
May:  71.62
2012:  241.14

Hydration + Nutrition = Great Success!!!

A few days later than I wanted, but it still counts:

It really happened!  The longest run of my life - to date - was a success.  With the proper eating/drinking strategy and a healthy pace, I was able to get it done!

Okay, so I learned a few things from my last 18+ mile attempt, and I applied them to this run.  If we recall from that time, I was dehydrated and hungry - completely zonked.  I attempted a few remedies, not knowing if they were going to backfire.  Since they didn't, I will now share them:

1. I drank no soda today - had a decent lunch (with tea).
2. Carbo/protein loaded 3 hours before my run.  (bag of beef jerky, granola bars and Gatorade).
3. (2) Energy Gels pre run - spread out by 15 minutes
4. Consumed (5) more on the run.  That really kept me going. 
5. Carried and consumed water - lots of it.  I refilled at least 3 times. 
6. I kept my heart rate in check - starting slow and working my way through.

It all made a big difference.  I started to get a little hungry around mile 18, but with the help of a gel, I bounced back.  My knee was also giving me some grief throughout the run.  This is nothing new, but it still makes me a little concerned.  I took one Naproxen before the run, and I popped another at mile 6.  I'm not sure if that made any difference, but after a short episode of pain at mile 15, it sort of got better.  That said, I could hardly get out of the car when I got home!  Running with a water bottle is tough, and I have to wonder if that affects my form to the point where it makes my knee twist.  Not sure, but I'm looking forward to aid stations.

On water bottles - I have to carry it in my left hand.  This is my "Ellie" side - she's always in my left arm.  Not sure what it is about that.  I'm right handed, but I have a hard time holding her, or my water bottle in the right hand.  I'm guessing there's a connection there... oh well.

This was a MUCH needed boost to the esteem level.  After the disappointing 18.5 from last week, I really needed this to get my confidence back.  The weather was again a factor - starting in the low 80's and ending in the low 70's.  As soon as the sun dipped, however (about mile 10), things started to get much nicer out.  I also took off my shirt around that time and really started to cool down.  I cooled down so much so, that I was basically able to hold the same pacing throughout the entire run - NO slow down!  

Matt ran with me for the first 11.5 miles.  His friend Jim ran the first 9 or so with us as well.  We did the first 6 miles at a fairly tame pace, which was much nicer than last week and probably went a long way towards helping me get warmed up and established.  Our next 2 miles was pretty fast - faster than I wanted.  However, we then moved towards a relaxed and recoverable pace for the next 3.5.  I ran alone from there - keeping a clip that was average to the whole run to that point.  Overall, I averaged about a 9:46 mile pace.  I felt like I had a lot more to give after the first half-marathon, and I have to believe that if the temps were in the 50's and 60's, I could do a lot more.  9:46 gives you a 4:15 marathon.  Surely, if the weather cooperates I can beat that - only time will tell.

Okay - it's late, and that's about it.  It was a confidence builder, and I'm starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel!

D

Running Total:
May:  65.61
2012:  235.13

Birthday run, 5/17/12!

They say it's your birthday... Go run real quick-like:

I tried to keep a good pace on this nice little run.  It was warm, but I felt the need to kick it up a notch to celebrate big ol' 29.  Taking my 20's victory lap - need to make it count!

I decided that I enjoyed the up-tempo pace from my run yesterday, and I wanted to see what it would be like to hold that pace, only without the massive hill I did yesterday.  There were still some hills, but nothing like that. 8:14 pace was pretty good for me today - though sometimes I forget what it's like to really race - running a 5k at 7:00 pace.  I need to enter a 5k and see where I'm at!  Otherwise, I generally felt pretty good - given that it was in the low 80's and not very breezy.  I've forgotten what it was like to run in the 40's and 50's - having to worry about having enough clothes on.  Those were the days...

Confidence is brimming.  My HR was a little high on this run, but I was kicking it up a notch for sure.  I've noticed that I'll hit flat stretches, and while I'm still giving it a good pace, I have to make a conscious effort to keep my HR in the mid-upper 150s.  I think that when we do our long run on Sunday (and find some nice flat stretches to do so), I'll be in much better control.  That will hopefully allow for me to fell much better and last much longer with fewer issues.

Well, it feels good to be running.  I feel like Sunday, for all the crap I went through to complete it, is really starting to feel like it was worth it.  For once, I don't have pain when I'm running.  Asthma is under control, and I haven't had any feet issues in weeks!  I know I need new shoes/inserts, and I'm sure the pounding I'm taking because my equipment is worn out is going to catch up to me.  The question will be if the new shoes take too much time adjusting to, and if I'll get any flack from it.  For the short runs at least, why fix something that isn't broken?  Will it help on the long runs?  I think I'm pulling the trigger tonight.

We're at T-29 days now!  Can't believe it's right around the corner...

D

Running Total:
May:  45.61
2012:  215.13

Great Feeling, tough run 5/16/12

Back at it - one day later than I wanted, but whatevah - "Reverse Irish Run" from the Haubers:

A little different this time - I included the grading map of the course I took.  You can see that the hill on "Woodend Avenue" was brutal.  If you map the running course for just that stretch, it will display a grade of 20% (which I could believe).  The graph here is stretched to average out the whole route.  I've run into this issue before - just know it's steep!

I started this route off on a blistering pace.  It starts with a fair amount of downhill, so that helps.  I calculated that I was in the neighborhood of a 7:45 mile - no problem at all.  By the 2nd mile, my pace had slowed to an 8:30 mile, roughly.  Again, even though it was largely flat with a decent climb around the 2nd and 4th quarters of it, I was feeling great.  The 3rd mile was no small potato!

Sort of what I was talking about in the picture caption - it's steep.  My 3rd mile took me almost 12 minutes. The entire stretch on Woodend Avenue is a brutal uphill.  You gain over 200 feet in elevation!  I did great on it (my HR got pretty high, but I mean, come on!).  I powered through it - not sure I could have done it a whole lot faster through.  That would explain the bulk of my HR and Calories.  Had I run a flat stretch instead of that monster, I'm sure I could have knocked 4 minutes off of my time (giving me a comfy 8:09 pace). From there, I finished the last 1.66 miles in roughly 13:45, only stopping at the park on 51st to meet up with the Erin and play with the very happy Ellie!  I wanted to finish out to the Haubers as I was still loaded up on energy, but I couldn't pass this up.

I was not tired/sore/in any way slowed by Sunday's run.  That gave me some confidence, for sure!  Even Tuesday I was still a little sluggish, so maybe it's good I gave it more time.  I'm still going to try to run tomorrow, but we'll see what happens.  I expect it will be a pretty busy night (with the birthday and all).

Anyway, just wanted to log the miles and get the run on the books.  If you're looking for the soul crusher of all hills in the KC area to train on, this one on Woodend would be it!

D

Running Total:
May:  47.60
2012:  210.12

Our @#&$%)$ Run - 5/13/12

So I've had some lousy runs in my day, but this one was especially taxing:

Out and back - little loop out to the east on the way home.  I thought switching things up would
provide a bit of a mental break - not sure it really worked out that well.  Many lessons learned.

I hit the wall on mile 16.  It was tough to finish.  I had to stop a few times to allow the pain in my legs to sort of subside.  It was physically hard to stop even.  I did have to stop and walk for like, 30 seconds before I could get going again - did that 2 or 3 times in the closing miles.  I never felt like I was out of breath or anything, just trying to focus and breath through the pain in my legs.  It wasn't a muscular pain, it was just a "pounding the concrete pain" that ached through my hips and lower back after a while.  It was discouraging, but it made me think and appreciate a few lessons that could be taken from this effort.



I learned several things on this run:

1. Don't forget your g.d. heart rate monitor - SERIOUSLY, don't forget it. 
2. Make sure you eat well before your long runs - carry enough gels to stay fueled.
3. Unnecessary heat sucks - try to run when it's cooler out.

That's sort of the overview - lets review:


For #1, I had no idea how hard I was running, and it's pretty important to know how you're doing when you're on such a long freakin' run.  About a mile or so in (if that), Erin alerted me that she needed to use the facilities... the non-existant facilities that simply don't exist out on the trail.  We knew we'd be approaching restrooms by the soccer fields close to 4 miles out.  What did we do, we ran at sub-8 minute pace until we got there.  We did so in mid-80's temperatures and in direct sunlight.  Seemed alright though - we felt fine and all (it was actually very encouraging), but I knew I'd probably end up paying for it later.  I did...

I need my HR monitor to keep my pacing consistent.  Sometimes I just lose track of how hard I'm running (especially in inclines and the like), and it's what I've grown accustomed to.  Had I used that information to my advantage, I may have done a better job at controlling my pacing over the first 10 miles, which would theoretically allow me to feel a whole lot better over the last.  As it turned out, I likely blew out all of my sugar stores, crashed, and tried to fight through the remainder of the run with my HR too high to be burning fat stores.  I basically hit a wall that most likely could have been prevented (in this amount of mileage anyway).

#2 - I didn't eat a big breakfast or lunch.  I had 3 Gu packs, a few energy chews and some popcorn to get me through the run.  That's really not good enough.  I would have killed for a better base and some Gatorade or something.  It was frustrating to say the least.  I was pretty sleepy before we started the run, too (probably had something to do with what we ate for lunch).  What can I learn for next time?  I'll probably get a bunch of pasta and fruit before I start the run (with a few hours to start digestion and such) - probably some other high protein items too.  I was "reasonably' hydrated, but I would try to focus on that too.

#3 - It was warmer than what we were used to.  It wasn't terribly warm - mid 80's to start, and mid to low 70's at the end.  It drained me - being in the warm sunlight.  We had a nice breeze for the run North (breeze in our face to keep us cool), but it was dead and hot on the way back.  That, as much as anything just psychologically took it out of me.  Starting at 7am would have been MUCH smarter.  Noted for next weekend (when conditions will be similar).  I anticipate the marathon starting in the upper 40's and closing somewhere in the 60's depending on how cloudy/windy/rainy it is that day.  Gotta love Duluth!

Well, discouraging - yes.  It will all come down to how I respond to this little adventure.  If my analysis of the run is correct and I can do a better job at planning and maintaining a good pace, I should have fewer problems on the next run.  I'm shooting for 20 miles, so I should know pretty quick if I made the right calls.  I will run Tuesday and Thursday (late) this week, and hopefully make our long run on Sunday morning.  We shall see.

Okay - this post is long enough.  Thanks for reading!

D

P.S.  200 mile barrier broken!!!

Running Total:
May:  42.94
2012:  205.46

Caught up - 5/9/12 Run

Another "very similar" run - Ellie in tow and Pooh for a show:

Basically, the only difference is that we didn't tack on the extra 0.4 mile out and back.  This "exhaustion" kick that were on is a little bit of a booger. 

This is a pretty nice little run, and when the Parental Units are willing to provide dinner and a ride home (thanks again!), it's hard to lose!  There are close to 400,389,232 variations on how to get over there, but given that we're pushing Ellie in the stroller, sometimes you don't want to push your luck - the most direct route will do.  The DVD player can die, snacks/milk can run out, or maybe Ellie sees a dog that she'd like to pet/socialize with - all valid concerns.

We kicked a soccer ball around on Sunday - no big deal.  Well, the grass we were playing in was long and wet.  As we were sans soccer shoes, we were sliding around a really having to modify our technique to get a good hit on the ball.  Why is this important, you ask?  Because my right ankle hurts!  I'm waking up in a decent amount of pain.  IBProfin just isn't making the cut either.  Dang.  What would it be like to be healthy - just for a few days!  I'm happy to report on the related "health" front that my asthma has been in great control for some time now - so I guess I have that going for me.

As I don't plan on running tonight, I have some time to plan, reflect and look ahead.  I'm about 5 and a half weeks out from the big day.  I need to get in a long run on each of the next 3 weeks.  I'm thinking 18, 20, and 22 respectively (on the 12th, 19th, and 26th of May).  June 2nd should be around 14 miles, and June 9th (vacation running) should only be around 8 miles.  So, I have to stay dedicated on my mileage from here on out.  I had a margin of error / flexibility in my training as of a few weeks ago, but it's all gone now.  The challenge will be to stay healthy in the coming weeks and have a great race!

Okay - that's it for now.  Not sure if Friday holds a run or not - depends on if/when Erin and I will do our long run this weekend (Sat or Sun).  Either way, stay tuned and TRY to contain your excitement.

D  

Running Total:
May:  24.44
2012:  186.96

A little 5/7/12 run w/ Pooh and Friends

It's amazing what a portable DVD player will do for your workout plan (I think I should post a picture):

Courtesy of Winnie the Pooh and the Grandparents driving us back home, we were able to get a pretty nice little run in.  The nice weather helped, too.

We picked up the pace a little bit on this run - maybe not as fast as I would have liked, but neither of us were feeling particularly energized.  That said, I actually had a difficult time keeping my heart rate up into the upper 150's.  Not quite sure why that is, but I think it's the ebb and flow that you experience with the stroller... maybe, I'm actually not sure.  Maybe I'm actually getting into good shape, but I just don't feel like running.

We struggled to add mileage onto the end of our run.  It wasn't tough mentally, it was just tough because we both felt tired.  I sort of think this is a fluky deal - just need more consistent sleep and to start earlier.  Running after 7:30 on a "school night" seems to wear on both of us.  Oh well, it was a decent run and a chance to go a little faster.  I predict that we'll have a "fast" run to report sometime soon.

D

Running Total:
May:  19.67
2012:  182.19

Post-Bike Yogging - 5/5/12

Just a quick little jog:

For our post 28+ mile bike ride (at a decent clip, I might add), we worked on a little transition to  running.  I'm told this practice is important if you're interested in doing triathlons. 

Post-biking always feels a little funny on the legs.  We went at a pretty decent clip on a bike ride, and combine that with my run (at 10pm) the night before and I was a little fatigued.  That said, I felt great as the run went on.  It was getting a little warm by that time in the day, but I felt very comfortable.  The HR always stays pretty high after a bike ride like that, so it's a little deceiving.

Always nice getting the bike ride in.  I burned 1451 on the ride before the 311 from the run.  That's a Chipotle Burrito (maybe?  Those things are pretty bad.).  If I could do this combo every morning, I'd be a happy guy.

D

Running Total:
May:  14.50
2012:  177.02

Another catch-up post - 5/4/12

Nothing like late night running to beat the heat!

Trying out a different route - we ended up down in some industrial districts in the very late evening/night.  Maybe not the best place to be, but we made it through the dark/no sidewalk areas (along the interstate) with little incident. 

From Shawnee Mission Northwest High School, we ran some of Erin's old HS running routes though neighborhoods that I was relatively unfamiliar with.  We originally mapped out a 14 mile run that would do this part - arriving back at the HS, and then go the other direction for a 7 mile loop.  As it was approaching 10 PM when we finished this part, we decided we needed to get home to Ellie and bailed on the run.  Without the Grandparents living so close, these "longer" runs would be next to impossible to pull off.  If you're reading this "Pa-Pa and Ga-Ma", thanks!

This ended up being a pretty chill run.  I was still feeling the affects of my cold, but I got "warmed up" and moving after a while.  We decided on the run that it might be worth our time to balance out our long and slow runs with some shorter, faster ones.  Typically, I've tried to keep the HR consistent - going whatever speed that took to do it, regardless of mileage.  I'm thinking that I'm probably holding myself back a little (or a lot) by doing it.  This is usually not a problem, and I do see the benefit of doing so.  However, I'll be the first to say that, usually our "during the week" short runs are with Ellie.  All bets are off when she's with us.  It's too unpredictable and inconsistent of a run with her to try for any tempo runs, unfortunately.  We usually end up running faster just to minimize time in the stroller with her.  That, and running fast is always a little funky with that thing.

That is our plan going forward though.  Look for some faster runs coming soon.  While we didn't get a super long one in tonight, it was still definitely a nice, cooler (humid) run.

D

Running Total:
May:  12.45
2012:  174.97

Getting bad at keeping up - 5/1/12 run

I decided to take a little break - okay, not intentionally, but.... yeah, okay intentionally.  I took a week or so off of running to work on the 2nd floor remodel project I have going on at the house.  My friend took an entire week away from his life to come over, hang out, and help me do some construction work.  What was I going to say?  No, sorry, I need to make sure I have time to run.  No - I did what was required and I worked on the house.  By the weekend, when I had time to run, I developed a nice little summer cold.  Can't win.

This run was a combo of said cold and trying to run.  It didn't go over too well.

The run was the standard 6-mile loop that I was hoping to extend out to 12 or more, but I just wasn't feeling it.  Between the calf and the cold, I had nothing and aborted.

I really wasn't feeling this run.  At around mile 4, with my heart rate solidly in the 170's and calf muscle screaming at me, I knew I wasn't in for a long run.  Erin continued on to log a 19-miler, but Ellie and I packed up and went home.  You know that feeling you get when you just can't keep a decent pace going - like going up that flight of stairs maybe took a little bit more out of you than it should?  That was my 6-mile jog.

I was slightly discouraged after this run.  It's getting warmer these days, and harder to find the time to get long runs in when it's not 80+ degrees.  When you have the opportunity, you have to make the best of it.  In the end, I felt like I did - given the circumstances.  I still managed to tough out almost 6 miles, and by going home with the Ellie-Meister I gave Erin a great chance to log some mileage (and ultimately feel better about the whole experience).

April went great until the whole house project kicked in.  The mileage was solid, but I need to finish strong in May to give myself the greatest chance of success in June.

D

Running Total:
May:  5.85
2012:  168.37