Sic Transit Gloria

Final Weigh-In

2011-05-24T06:34:00.001-07:00

I'm down to 171.4.

I'm like an honorary Kenyan.

Pat Report - Buffalo 2011 (5/16/2011)

2011-05-16T06:52:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Taper Town. Population: Me.

I got my 20 mile run in yesterday. This is the last long run on my training plan.

Legs

I'm sore today, but not completely wrecked. The second 10 miles yesterday were actually easier than the first 10.

The idea of 6 more miles on top of yesterday's run sounds hard, but not impossible.

Considering how many miles they have on them already this year, the knees are holding up pretty well.

Allergies

The allergies have taken a sudden turn for the worse. I couldn't run on Saturday because I was too busy barfing up the previous night's post-nasal drip (I'm very attractive to live with...).

The new allergist took a few things out of my shots over the Winter. Whatever is in bloom right now isn't in my shots anymore. It's killing me.

In the meantime, I've doubled my Flonase and neti pot efforts.

Weather

I hit the bike path around 9:30. The forecast was for showers, so I started out in full rain gear. And what happened? It got sunny and hot.

I went back to the car after 10 miles and changed into shorts and a short sleeve shirt. And what happened then? It started pouring two miles later. Oh well. At least the rain was enough to get the amateurs off the bikepath.

Weight

I've been a steady 173.2 the last few weeks. I was hoping to get under 170 by race time, but I'll take it. I'll still be a full 3 to 4 pounds lighter than I was for the half marathon last year. And I've definitely added muscle (I can tell I'm stronger than this time last year because I'm not hunched over by the end of double digit runs).

13 days until race day.

One more long run left.

ring ring

2011-05-09T12:31:00.001-07:00

*ring ring*

Me: Hello?

Caller: Hello, this is the Rhode Island Blood Center. Is Patrick there?

Me: Yes. Speaking.

Caller: We know you've given in the past and we'll be hosting a blood drive in your area this week. Can we count on your support?

Me: Well, I'm running a marathon in 3 weeks. So I kinda need to keep all my blood for myself right now.

Caller: Oh! OK. I understand completely.

(and... scene.)

I did a little experimenting with the routine for my 14 miler on Saturday. I figured this was the week to do it.

I ate a little extra. I wore different socks. I pushed my tempo in the middle. I wore long sleeves when it was over 65.

None of these things were good. The conclusion that I came to was that I had pretty much been doing things the right way (for me) all along. I ended up 1 second per mile slower than I was for my 18 mile run the week before.

So I'm back to my normal routine for next week

18

2011-05-02T06:29:00.003-07:00

The 18 mile run went really, really well.

I felt strong, smooth and fast. And I couldn't have asked for better conditions. Low 60s. Dry. Partly cloudy. I hope I get that on race day.

I also didn't feel like I was dying the day after like I was after 16 (although that may have been a combination of running in the rain and being 5 days removed from the stomach flu).

My only minor complaint was the pollen. The allergies were getting a little crank by the end.

I think I'm going to make it.

Bad Knee

2011-03-28T08:05:00.000-07:00

I got 5 miles into a planned 16 mile run on Saturday when my left knee just started killing me.

I gimped along for 3 more miles, then I called my wife to come get me (first time I had ever done that).

I was wincing from the pain every time I landed on my left foot.

I'm going to take a few days off and see if that helps, but I'm pretty bummed right now.

I was this close to my first 100 mile month...

Feel My Pain

2011-03-21T06:29:00.000-07:00

Pat Report - 3/15/2011

2011-03-15T08:30:00.000-07:00

I ran 14 miles on Saturday. It was glorious.

It was one of those almost Spring days that feels much warmer than it actually is because it hasn't been 50 degrees in a long long time.

It was also my first time on the bikepath in 2011. After a winter full of treadmill runs and icy hills, it was great to be back on my home turf again.

It's also a lot easier to get myself out there on a really nice day. The "Why the hell am I doing this again?" questions are a lot easier to put of your mind when it's not 20 degrees.

The next day I felt surprisingly strong. Better than I did the day after either of my half-marathons. I think that means I'm doing my build the right way.

I even took Daisy Dog out for 3 the next day.

And now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go eat 3 more bananas and 2 more scrambled eggs...

Pat Report - 3/1/2011

2011-03-01T07:18:00.000-08:00

Despite the continued presence of The Winter That Would Not End, I had a solid two weeks of training.

I had my annual check-up last week. The doctor gave me his blessing. "You're perfectly normal" (his words, not mine).

I'm doing my best to keep the running from interfering with parenting time, but it's tough. Little Man now refers to Powerade as "Daddy juice".

My Long Run Sunday times haven't been good. I'm assuring myself that it's OK since I'm still adding weekly mileage and I've been mostly running on hills in the snow when I'm outdoors. But I'll be disappointed if there isn't a noticeable improvement once I'm back on a flat, ice-free bikepath.

On a more positive note, I'm already at the century mark for year-to-date miles. So I'll give myself a pat on the back for that.

Thank you for your support.

89 days until Buffalo.

Long Run Sunday

2011-02-27T18:15:00.000-08:00

Pat get his miles in in the snow.

Pat ain't care

That's Science...

2011-02-25T12:46:00.001-08:00

I did 20 miles last week.

And I gained a pound.

Therefore, running causes weight gain.

Pat Report - 2/15/2011

2011-02-15T11:37:00.000-08:00

I haven't signed up yet, but I'm hoping to do a full marathon this year.

I'm a little bit behind where I want to be at this point. This winter has been brutal. BUT... I'm waaaaay ahead of where I was this time last year. I'm 13 pounds lighter (today's weigh-in was 172.2 pounds). And, most importantly, I'm not coming off pneumonia.

I've also gotten a lot more core and leg strength training in this year. I noticed I started slouching after 10 miles or so last year. I'm trying to correct that. And hills. I've been killing it on the hills lately.

Back on the treadmill this week after a week off. I had minor cold / sinus issues last week (stupid daycare germs). The good news is the germs never made it down into my lungs.

Doctor's appointment next Friday - I'll check with him about doing a full marathon, but I see no reason why he wouldn't clear me.

Thank you for your support.

103 days until race day.

Aren't You People Pooping Normally?

2011-01-13T12:09:00.000-08:00

I was looking up an article I had read on running making weight loss harder.

Here's what shows up in Google:

First OUTDOOR Miles of 2011

2011-01-11T08:48:00.000-08:00

It's tough to get the outdoor runs on the schedule in January around here. There's snow everywhere.

Luckily, there's a state park nearby where they plow the road around the pond. It's a nice, even 2.5 mile loop (which keeps the math nice and easy).

I had the ASICS Trabucos out in the snow for the first time Saturday.

They were tremendous.

I was so much more confident of my footing than I would have been in normal running shoes. I was really able to pound it on the hills.

The downside of Winter Running - It took me a little while to warm up again. Turkey bacon and egg on wheat. Second cup of coffee. Juice.

I felt human again.

First Miles of 2011

2011-01-06T10:46:00.001-08:00

Three miles on the treadmill. 415 calories. Boo-yah.

Then ten minutes on the elliptical.

Legs feel GREAT.

Breathing is just "pretty good"... A little "post-nasal" action going on.

Year End Numbers

2011-01-04T10:16:00.000-08:00

Haven't run a few weeks. Battling a sinus infection.

BUT... On a positive note, I finished 2010 with 508 miles.

A 23% improvement over 2009.

Year over year numbers:

2009		2010
January	24	January	12.5
February	36	February	34.5
March	67	March	56
April	67	April	62
May	59.8	May	82.2
June	23	June	26.5
July	37.5	July	44
August	40	August	37.6
September	45.5	September	22
October	1.5	October	44.5
November	7	November	51.5
December	3	December	34.5
	411.3		507.8

We Could Be in for a Long Winter

2010-12-02T10:56:00.001-08:00

Overheard at the gym today:

An in depth discussion of how both the theater majors and the dance majors make fun of the musical theater majors.

This is why I like to run outside.

New Workout

2010-11-18T10:07:00.001-08:00

12 hard laps around the track.

5 push-ups after each lap.

I'm either going to call it "Toughguy McBadass" or "Sore and Barfy".

Mixed Bag

2010-11-15T10:11:00.000-08:00

It's been a while since I've put two good runs in a row together. The legs are fine but the asthma is AWFUL this time of year.

I'm going to see a new asthma guy in a few weeks. Hopefully this guy actually, you know, listens to my symptoms and answers my questions.

At any rate, I'm already over the number of miles I put in last year, so I can feel good about that.

Long Run Sunday

2010-11-08T06:59:00.000-08:00

For an easy long run on a 38 degree day, I cranked.

Mile 3 is where I took a walk break for a drink and a gel pack.

Asthma was just OK. It got cold relatively fast here and I'm still adjusting to the cooler weather.

Weekend Update

2010-10-25T07:06:00.000-07:00

I moved my long run from Sunday to Saturday this week.

It was both a good thing and a bad thing.

I was glad I got my work in. I did 7 miles. That was the most I had done in a single run since May.

But... it also opened up a whole new world of possibilities for overeating on Sunday morning.

Pancakes, sausage AND hash browns? HELL YES.

Thumbs Down

2010-10-19T12:11:00.001-07:00

Why does the first run after a race always suck?

Guh.

Shawn M. Nassaney 5K - 10/10/2010

2010-10-15T12:55:00.000-07:00

28:28 on an absolutely brutal course.

It's one of those "Hey, I finished, and I didn't get hurt!" kinda victories.

Tops 5K - 8/28/2010

2010-09-13T08:15:00.000-07:00

I'm still on the shelf right now. Let's go back and relive the glory of the Tops 5K.

Not only did I make my fund raising goal, I also set a new personal best for a 5K.

Good times!

Sinus Report

2010-09-07T11:38:00.000-07:00

I'm doing everything you're supposed to do, and I'm still not able to stay healthy.

I was feeling pretty good about myself after my 5K. And I started thinking "If can stay healthy over the winter, this is the year to try a full marathon."

And then...

SMACK.

Full blown sinus infection.

This sinus infection is pretty bad. If the antibiotics don't start working soon, I'm going to end up with bronchitis again.

0.0

2010-08-03T07:34:00.000-07:00

Zero miles this weekend.

I hurt my back working in the garden on Saturday.

I am old.

I'm Batman

2010-07-19T13:24:00.000-07:00

I finally broke down and picked up the Batman Belt last week.

I've got a 20 ounce Nalgene bottle that I usually carry with me.

But it's been so hot and humid here lately, I could barely hold onto it.

It's weird having that extra weight on my lower back, but I like have my hands free.

Pat Report

2010-07-06T07:12:00.001-07:00

I'm still getting over my sinus infection.

I had no sense of smell by the weekend. That kinda takes the fun out of cooking.

I'm on Avelox. Strong stuff.

I like that it's working on my sinuses.

I don't like the side effects. The first thing listed is possible "tendon damage". Yikes.

I'm also supposed to avoid sunlight.

The universe doesn't want me to run this week.

'Cause you know I'd walk a thousand miles...

2010-06-24T10:30:00.000-07:00

I have now passed the 1000 mile mark on my shoes.

This feel like an accomplishment.

Asthma Update

2010-06-17T12:41:00.000-07:00

I ran again without using the inhaler today.

So either the lungs are stronger.

Or the pollen is gone.

Or both.

Half Marathon #2 - 5/30/2010

2010-06-15T10:21:00.000-07:00

Pretty good. I ended up doing a 2:17:21. I didn't quite make my goal of 2:10 - 2:12.

BUT...

I still knocked 5 minutes off of last year's time.

Plus I had a 3 minute train delay.

Almost There

2010-05-21T11:14:00.001-07:00

10 day forecast for Buffalo:

Sunny

High 72°F

Precip 0 %

** Fist pump **

You ever have a class where you didn't really apply yourself as much as you could and then suddenly found yourself panicking right before the final?

I feel like the exact opposite of that right now.

I'm so ready.

Tapering

2010-05-19T07:07:00.001-07:00

I'm supposed to be tapering off right now.

But I ended up doing 5 miles yesterday (1 with Daisy first thing in the morning, 4 at lunch).

I felt so good, I just kept on going.

Sunday 5K

2010-05-17T06:43:00.000-07:00

26:54.

New personal best.

62   5/10     30 Canole Patrick      35 M

26:54  8:40

Speed Work Tuesday

2010-05-11T10:50:00.001-07:00

Fast half miles:

3:46

3:48

3:49

3:49

I'll take it.

Pat Report 05/10/2010

2010-05-10T07:11:00.000-07:00

Had a great run yesterday. One of the best long runs I've ever had (even with the 20 - 30 mile per hour wind gusts).

13 beautiful bike path miles. I felt light, smooth and fast.

I only missed one workout for all of April. I think I'm on the right combination of asthma meds now. It's all coming together.

Ups:

Usually Mother's Day is the busiest day of the year on the bike path, but the winds must have kept people home. I had the place to myself.

I'm only slightly sore today.

I felt like I could have done 18 yesterday.

Downs:

Without the winds, I probably could have been 2 - 3 minutes faster.

My toes are looking pretty beat up at this point.

Pat Report 04/26/2010

2010-04-26T06:44:00.000-07:00

Got 12 miles in on Saturday. Felt reasonably good. Weather was great.

The second mile seems to be the hardest with the asthma. If I get through that without coughing up a lung, I can tell it's going to be a good run.

Ups:

This was the furthest I had ever gone on the bikepath on foot. It was pretty cool.

New running shoes: Fuck yeah!

Downs:

Still somewhat phlegmy.

Can't run while chewing gum anymore. I know this sounds crazy, but it seems to aggravate the asthma.

Took a post run Advil for the first time all year (maybe that should be a positive thing).

Speed Work Tuesday

2010-04-22T08:03:00.001-07:00

Here are my "fast" half mile times from Speed Work Tuesday:

3:45

3:46

3:47.

Consistent!

Follow Up

2010-04-13T06:25:00.001-07:00

It's funny how big a psychological hurdle the double digit mileage barrier is.

When I was at 9 miles for my long run, I wasn't sure I could do it.

But now... Hey! 10 miles! I'm almost there! I can TOTALLY do 13.

Pat Report - 4/12/2010

2010-04-12T08:05:00.000-07:00

I've had a rough two weeks. And then out of the blue, I had a great 10 mile run yesterday. I finally found my "second gear". If my math is right, the second 5 miles was 7 minutes faster than the first 5 miles.

I'm off the Singulair. I tried that for about 10 days. It was working great for the asthma. But it was also causing mood swings, insomnia and loss of appetite. I didn't feel like myself at all.

I'm now trying Advair. Side effects include headaches, sore throat and (gulp) "menstrual problems". We'll see how that goes.

My thinking about the 1/2 marathon is now trending back towards "do it for the experience, even if you're not going to beat last year's time".

Ups:

- Weather was great for running. Low 60s and partly cloudy.

- My legs felt great yesterday.

- It was "Single Ladies" day at the bike path yesterday.

Downs:

- I forgot to wear sunscreen. I now have a slight sunburn on one side of my face.

- Lungs are still way behind the legs.

- The Single Ladies were mostly in their 60s.

Weekend Update

2010-03-29T07:31:00.000-07:00

Stats:

Long Run Sunday - 9 miles
Total for the week - 19 miles

Ups:

Legs feel good
Back not sore after the long run (spending an hour a day sitting on the exercise ball seems to be helping)
Sleep - I've been getting at least 8 hours a night for the last week

Downs:

Limited lungs
No speed
Asthma seems much worse below 50 degrees

At this point, I'm 70 / 30 on doing the half marathon.

Weekend Update

2010-03-22T06:33:00.001-07:00

Got three miles in on Saturday.

Got six miles in on Sunday (I was supposed to do 8, but I was pretty sore from a full day of gardening and parenting).

The lungs are feeling OK, but not great. I'm desperate enough at this point that I'm trying the olde tyme folk remedy for asthma: a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in a glass of water.

It tastes terrible, but it seems to be helping.

I'm going to see an asthma specialist later today. We'll see how that goes.

Weekend Report

2010-03-08T06:56:00.001-08:00

Got two miles in on Saturday. Got seven miles in on Sunday.

Legs felt great. Lungs felt lousy. I had to pause and take a hit from the inhaler twice on Sunday. First time I've had to do that while running.

Hopefully this will improve as the weather gets better.

Pat Report

2010-03-01T07:02:00.000-08:00

I did 5 good hard miles of hills yesterday.

I'm a little sore today, but I feel like I'm getting back on track.

I can tell I'm physically stronger than this point last year because I'm not popping an Advil as soon as I get home after a long run.

Plus I made Daisy Dog do 2 miles with me on Saturday, so we're getting her built back up, too.

Pat Report

2010-02-19T10:42:00.000-08:00

Just got back from the doctor.

Things look pretty good.

Nothing is definite. I might have asthma. Or, it might have been a really long lingering pneumonia.

I'm supposed to start coming off the albuterol and see how I do.

Running - I've been absolutely crushing it the last two weeks. I'm over 25 miles for the month of February already (which is more than November, December and January combined).

But I'm officially cleared for my 1/2 marathon in May. I'm free to run like the wind.

Injury Report

2010-02-08T12:37:00.001-08:00

Had my doctor's appointment last week. Still waiting on some tests.

But the doctor thinks I might have asthma.

What? I'm 34. Doesn't that sort of thing usually show up before now?

Apparently, adult-onset asthma is a real thing.

At first I was all pissy and depressed and worried that my running career was all done.

Now I'm a little more optimistic. If we know what it is, we can treat it properly.

And hey... It's not cancer!

Progress

2010-01-24T17:20:00.000-08:00

I got 3 miles in today.

As of right now, my lungs do not feel like they've been dipped in lobster butter.

This is the longest run since September.

I have to be able to do 5 comfortably by March 1st if I'm going to do the Buffalo Half Marathon this year.

Grrrr...

2010-01-13T10:01:00.001-08:00

I'm still sick.

I can only run about a mile before I feel like I'm going to barf. Today, I actually coughed up a big phlegm ball after.

It's all in my lungs. No sinuses or anything.

I've been doing acupuncture for 6 weeks now. It's helping some, but not quite enough.

Needless to say, I'm frustrated.

Baby Steps

2009-12-07T10:37:00.001-08:00

I'm still a week away from my acupuncture appointment. But one of the things Kevork mentioned on the phone last week was that bronchitis is usually aggravated by dry conditions.

I ran the humidifier all weekend and feel slightly better.

I did a "hard" mile on the treadmill today at lunch and didn't feel like I was going to die.

So that's good.

Bronchitis Update

2009-12-04T08:11:00.001-08:00

The bronchitis is still lingering. It's killing me that I can only do a mile or two at a time.

I'm going to take a different approach with treating it. Rather than do another round of antibiotics (I've already done 3) , I'm going to try acupuncture.

Wish me luck.

Me bitching - feel free to skip.

2009-11-30T10:57:00.001-08:00

I'm still only about 75 - 80%. I can do anything for 10 minutes, then I feel like I'm going to hork. My lungs feel like they're getting crushed.

I'm lifting weights. I'm running a mile or two at a time. But I'm still not all the way back yet.

Bluh.

Mission Statement

2009-11-18T09:04:00.000-08:00

Training for the Buffalo 2010 Half Marathon starts this week.

My goal is 1:50.

Yes, that would be 30 minutes faster than my time last year. It's a stretch, but it's not impossible. Even with the bad bout of bronchitis, I'm a much better runner than I was at this point last year.

And considering how little attention I paid to nutrition and strength training last time, there's definitely some room for improvement there. Speed work will also be playing a larger role in my training this time around.

Right now, I'm in the "rebuild" stage. I'm guessing it's going to take six weeks or so to get back to where I was before the bronchitis began. After the rebuild comes the distance and the speed work.

I've answered the "Can I do this?" question. Now I want to do it well.

Mileage Report

2009-10-13T09:30:00.000-07:00

I'm at 399.8 for the year.

If I'm completely over this bronchitis by the end of the month, I should have no problem reaching my goal of 500 miles for the year.

Should I go for 750 for next year maybe?

Bronchitis Report

2009-10-07T12:31:00.000-07:00

Two weeks without a run.

I'm on an inhaler, an antibiotic and cough syrup with codeine.

I'm really missing running, and I'm probably 10 days away from being able to pick it up again.

Damn.

Good Week

2009-09-08T13:07:00.000-07:00

Had another great week. 18 quality miles.

The adjusted speed workout seems to be paying off.

Why are good running shoes so expensive? Because they're worth it.

Gimme Some Carbs

2009-09-03T08:03:00.001-07:00

After taking a week off in August, I've had two solid weeks of training. No missed workouts. No low effort days. I'm even getting the dog out for morning runs twice a week.

And man am I hungry.

Around 8:15 PM each night, I've been having unbelievable cravings for carbs. Usually something of the cereal or cracker variety.

I'm doing my best to eat as healthy as possible, but sometimes I just need mass quantities.

Don't get in my way.

Long Run Sunday 8/30/2009

2009-08-31T07:28:00.001-07:00

Had a great 7 mile run on Sunday.

Felt faster than last Sunday. The increased speed work is finally helping.

It's funny how adding miles seems to be easier than making those miles faster.

Progress

2009-08-25T09:31:00.000-07:00

For the first time on Speed Work Tuesday, I was able to do 3 x 1/2 miles under 4 minutes (3:58, 3:56, 3:49).

So I feel pretty good about that.

No Run Sunday 7/12/2009

2009-07-14T06:52:00.000-07:00

Skipped the solo run on Sunday and did a bike ride with the whole family instead.

It was awesome.

Long Run Sunday 7/05/2009

2009-07-09T13:11:00.000-07:00

Had a lovely 8 mile run.

Still no upcoming races to work toward. At this point, it's really just for my mental health.

I felt much better after.

Long Run Sunday 6/26/2009

2009-06-29T07:53:00.000-07:00

The running has been spotty since my race. I got out there and forced myself to do 6 miles yesterday.

And I feel OK today.

I was afraid I'd feel a lot worse.

But man... It's much tougher to make yourself get out there when you don't have a goal to be working towards.

Half Marathon 5/24/2009

2009-06-29T07:52:00.000-07:00

I had a good race. Full story here.

Long Run Sunday 05/17/2009

2009-05-18T07:38:00.000-07:00

Just 4 miles Sunday. I'm enjoying the tapering phase.

I made it a "family run" kinda day. I did 1 mile with Daisy Dog then 3 miles with Liam.

My legs feel great. My sinuses feel terrible. My allergies chose this week to reappear. The post-nasal drip is just awful. Ugh.

The Sunday forecast for Buffalo is 76 and partly cloudy. That'll work just fine. Assuming my head is clear by then.

My running gear is already packed. "Nervous excitement" is probably the best way to describe what I feel right now.

39 miles for the month. 233 for the year.

6 days until race day.

Long Run Sunday 5/10/2009

2009-05-12T11:15:00.000-07:00

I left the house planning on doing 14. I ended up doing 13.5 (bad mental math on the fly by me).

But I did great.

I was actually faster doing 13.5 than I was doing 12 in the heat 2 weeks ago.

The weather was GREAT. 61 degrees is infinitely better for running than 83 degrees.

It's also a good thing I've got 6 years of allergy shots in me, too. The pollen count was off the charts. I would have been dying. I was covered in a yellow crust by the end of my run. Not good.

29.7 miles for the month. 203 for the year.

12 (!) days until race day.

Long Run Sunday 5/3/2009

2009-05-04T11:24:00.000-07:00

Had a pretty good run yesterday. OK, but not great. Lightened the load a little bit (8 miles) and tried to go a little faster.

Weather was great. 62 degrees and cloudy. My legs felt fine. I was just tired.

And it has finally occurred to me that maybe I'm just not that fast.

As a side note, Daisy Dog has been given clearance by her vet to start running again. I shut her down back in October after she was getting gimpy. But an X-ray showed no signs of hip problems. I'm building her back up slowly. It's fun to have my running buddy back again.

9 miles for the month. 203 for the year.

20 days until race day.

Long Run Sunday 4/26/2009

2009-04-27T06:52:00.000-07:00

I did 12 miles Sunday. Longest run yet.

It was hot. 30 degrees hotter than my long run last Sunday. After running in the mid-50s, 83 feels super hot.

Needless to say, my times were not good.

I made two "rookie mistakes" yesterday. I didn't sunscreen under my shirt (the lightweight running shirts don't offer much sun protection). And I left the house with room temperature water. It was practically boiling by the end of the run. Next time I'll do a partial freeze.

I'm going to start adding a little more protein in my diet. I'm still somewhat surprised by how "squishy" I am while running more than 20 miles a week.

I'm a little sore today, but it's certainly manageable. I think I've done a good job of building up to this point.

60 miles for the month. 187 for the year.

27 days until race day.

Long Run Sunday 4/19/2009

2009-04-20T06:53:00.000-07:00

Ten miles on the bikepath. Fifty two degrees and sunny. Light wind.

Legs are a little sore today but OK. My knees feel great.

I had the miles in me yesterday. I just didn't have any "fast" in me. I had a terrible week for sleep and diet. I'm guessing that didn't help. I'll try to improve that for next week.

Twenty mile week (yay!). 38.7 for the month. 166 for the year.

Speed Work Tuesday - 4/14/2009

2009-04-14T10:55:00.000-07:00

Just did 4 miles of speed work. Beautiful day out. I feel pretty good.

The weekend was a complete wash-out. Zero miles. I had the bad barfies Saturday. I spent Sunday relearning how to eat solid food.

I'm down to 40 days until race day. I'm feeling confident about finishing. At this point, I just want to get faster.

10

2009-04-06T06:53:00.000-07:00

I got my first 10 mile run in yesterday (two weeks ahead of schedule). It felt great.

Sunny. 52 degrees. 20 MPH wind gusts. 3 minutes faster on the second half.

It's funny... I'm relatively new to running longer distances. But lately I don't even feel loose until mile 5.

Gel shot packs at 3.5 miles and 7.5 miles (I'm stretching those out as my runs get longer).

My legs feel good today. My knees feel much better since giving up the treadmill two weeks ago.

14.7 miles for the month. 141.7 for the year.

48 days until race day.

Speed Work Tuesday - 3/31/2009

2009-03-31T10:44:00.001-07:00

I just did a 7:25 mile on the track.

Not as good as I hoped, but 14 seconds faster than my last personal best.

Long Run Sunday 3/29/2009

2009-03-30T06:53:00.000-07:00

Straight up 9 miles on the bikepath. It was 42 degrees with a light rain. And I felt great.

I was almost a full 2 minutes 30 seconds faster on the second half, so I'm either doing a good job of pacing myself or not pushing myself hard enough on the first half (depending on where you stand in the "glass half full v. glass half empty" debate).

I did a gel shot pack at 3.0 miles and another at 6.5 miles. The gel shots seem to help with energy and focus. I no longer forget where I am and just start thinking about pancakes.

I ended up taking Saturday off. My knees were so bad after Thursday that I thought I was going to be making a call to the doctor. Two days off seemed to help. But I'm staying away from the treadmill for a while.

63.5 miles for the month. 123.5 for the year.

55 days until race day.

Long Run Sunday 3/22/2009

2009-03-23T07:18:00.000-07:00

I got 9 miles in, but not the way I wanted to. I had to split it up and do 7 and 2.

The seven miler in the morning was awful. It was cold. My tummy was rumbly. I had no music. I was slow. It took me as long to do 7 yesterday as 8 took me the week before.

The 2 in the evening seemed great by comparison. And it gave the opportunity to break in a new pair of shoes.

As discouraging as the morning run was, checking my notes from a year ago, 9 miles would have been a whole week's worth of running at that point. So that's encouraging.

Today - I'm hungry and tired. But surprisingly not too sore.

I'm at 46.5 miles for the month. 106.5 for the year.

62 days until race day.

Long Run Sunday - 3/15/09

2009-03-16T07:31:00.001-07:00

I did 8 miles yesterday. Eight beautiful, flat bike path miles.

I wasn't supposed to do 8 until next week. But it was nice out and I felt good, so I went for it.

I let myself do a 30 second walk every 1/2 mile. And a 90 second walk to suck down a gel pack at miles 3 and 6.

I was 11 seconds faster on the second half than the first, so I think I paced my self pretty well.

I'm a little sore today, but I think I'll be OK.

I'm at 31.5 miles for the month. 91.5 for the year.

69 days until race day.

Running Report 3/9/09

2009-03-09T06:49:00.000-07:00

Good week. Didn't miss a workout. Got 17 miles in (new weekly record).

The Sunday plan was for 7 miles. I ended up having to do 5 in the morning and then another 2 in the afternoon ~~because Jen would have killed me if I didn't get her out of the house at some point~~ for, uh, political reasons.

I feel good. A little sore and tired, but nothing overwhelming.

But I'm really appreciating the coffee this morning.

Running Report - 3/3/09

2009-03-03T10:36:00.001-08:00

Missed Long Run Sunday again. I was coughing my brains out. And it was snowing.

I know I can't miss too many more long runs. But I felt like I would have been doing more harm than good.

Just did a solid 4 miles at lunch. Feeling pretty good today.

Hill Work Thursday

2009-02-26T11:13:00.001-08:00

Getting back into the groove after missing last week due to illness.

It was warm enough here to do Hill Work Thursday outdoors... on actual hills!

The treadmill for hills just doesn't cut it.

Speed Work Tuesday

2009-02-24T13:22:00.000-08:00

Back to running today. First time since the 15th. That "fatigue" I felt coming on last week was either a cold or another bout with bronchitis.

Still not feeling 100%, but the antibiotics are helping.

I sound horrible.

Running Report - 2/16/09

2009-02-16T07:37:00.000-08:00

Had a great Long Run Sunday yesterday. Six miles. Switched back to the bike path after 3 weeks at Lincoln Woods. There's still some icy spots, but it's nice to be running on flat ground again.

Joel had me do a gel pack at the 3 mile mark. The gel pack shot was fantastic. I felt it almost immediately. It's just a little bit of caffeine and sugar, but it worked wonders. Perked me right up.

I'm a little sniffly today. I don't know if I'm coming down with the cold that Jen and Liam had, or if it's just from spending an hour outside yesterday in 35 degree weather.

I've also been tired lately. REALLY tired. I fell asleep on the couch Saturday night at 8. I'm hoping it's not some kind of fatigue or anything setting in. But my legs feel fine. So there's that.

I'm at 27 miles for the month. 51 for the year.

97 days until race day.