The plan! The Plan (Boss-ton)!

Yes, I finally have a 'plan' and some of you may even remember this 70'ies show Fantasy Island which made me think of my title. Now just as long as my scheme is more than a pure fantasy I may survive.

Pretty isn't it? It's a mixture of Pfitzinger and McMillan with a dose of Lydiard and a sprinkling of hope and prayer. The basic plan is for 24 weeks with 4 major blocks (colored) for base building, stamina, speed and then the taper/race. There is gradual mileage buildup to what I'm able to handle (50-70) without getting injured and cutback weeks every 4th week.

The long run is 1st in importance and there are some twists including Fast Finishes (30-90min MP+) or extra long 3+ hour runs. The medium long runs (from Pfitz) are there as well, even though I despise them, but they help build stamina and determination to keep going on days when you don't want to. The 1-2 weekly workouts come from McMillan and I'll be using his Pace Calculator with my latest races to calculate proper paces. Whether I can manage more than one workout per week will have to be determined as this 'plan' goes along. I've also build in weekly strides and a series of test MP runs to monitor progress on a monthly basis. I might do these on the treadmill to attempt to control weather conditions.

Anyway, a lot to chew on and I'm going to think about it now by going for a long run with Andrew in the morning. Well, maybe not too long but long enough to hear his opinion I'm sure!

The pushup challenge is also going along reasonably well and have survived Week 3 which was the level I started at. You can log your workouts at the Pushup Logger site and let others follow along.
The workouts get much harder quickly and there's a 'test' at the end of next week too! I hate tests!!

The past few weeks have been very easy with alternate days of running and then not running. Mileage totals have been a measly 16 and 27 since the marathon and the legs are still tight as ever. I guess some stretching and strengthening exercises will need to be added in to 'The Plan' as well as icing and massage.

Have a nice week and don't forget to Remember the Veterans on Nov. 11th.

1-2-3-4 take 2

There's something lucky about those numbers I suppose... It all started with this silly little song that you can't get out of your head.

And there I was in the middle of my 10k, wearing number 1234, swimming in lactic acid and barely able to do much more with my brain except count my exhales and hope that the finish would come sooner than later. 1-2-3-4....

It was a good day for running. 43:39, 10th overall, 1st in my age group and a Shiny Metallic Object to go with it but it was not easy by any means.

The start, you can make me out on the right not too far from the front.
The finish and very happy to be done. Did I mention it was cold here today? 2C(35F) with 35-45k (20-30mph) northwest wind to give it some bite and thus the gloves and pants. So how did it go? Well we arrived just 1/2 hr before the race start because of the 3hr drive to the race and I just had time to pin on my bib number and do a very quick 1/2 mile jog for a warmup. Getting ready for the start we were almost impaled by a falling tent which was blown over by the gusting wind but luckily we grabbed it and helped take it down in time. I had just time to remove my jacket and hand it to Jo before the gun went off and we were blown down the road by the tailwind (for the 1st 5k only).

1st kilometer in 3:56 (holey crap Batman, slow down!)
2nd k in 4:10 was better (target of 4:15) but was passed by 2 runners including one chick and could not respond
3rd k in 4:20 and now starting to just hang on
4-5k for 4:20 avg for 21:08 at the 5k turn and now begin to count in earnest
2nd 5k in 22:31 back into the strong nw wind. At the 5k turn we joined up with returning 1/2 marathoners who had started 1 hour before us so I had plenty of targets to keep me going but I kept hearing footsteps. It turned out to be my imagination because I never was overtaken after the 3k and probably just heard the people I was passing along the way. Even on the final turn with only about 400m to the finish I was positive there was someone on my heels! It kept me honest and working right to the finish at least.

I must admit to be pleasantly surprised and happy with my result today. Not quite the 42:50 I was 'hoping' for but for somebody just off a marathon with virtually no speed training for this shorter distance, you have to be satisfied.

Meanwhile I've also been scheming so more on my training plan and almost have something ready for the light of blogland. But 1st as part of the program there is a sub-plan to work on my non-existent upper body and core strength beginning with the 100 pushup Challenge! I've already challenged my 3 children to try to keep up with their Dad and will now challenge any of my readers who cares to try as well. My test resulted in 25 pushups so I'm starting with week 3 of the Challenge with 5 sets for a total of 72 pushups in the morning. It's not about beating or winning but about doing, so please check it out and let me know how you make out!

That's about all for now. Have a great week!

Scheming & dreaming

Also known as, 'the post-marathon crazies' or 'what to do with all that spare time on your hands'. It's just because we're missing our daily shot of endorphins and need to fill in the time with running related planning. It seems to be addictive if you follow the crazy zig-zag plots by Andrew, or even more complex diagrams by Bricey, and then there's the 'sign up for the next marathon before he can even walk again'-Jamie but at least he has a plan in mind and is thinking of going with Pfitzinger's up to 70 mile per week

I can't point fingers too much, seeing as how I've also signed up for my next marathon (Boston) and also up for a 10k in Moncton this coming weekend. Checking over my race results since I turned 50 my 10k PB is 42:50 and would you believe what you get when you plug in my most recent marathon result into the McMillan running calculator? - 42:51! I have no choice but to go for it, now do I?

I also had some time today for some 'pretty' graphs...
This is my steady and consistant training since the 2 marathons in the fall of 2007. The black bars are races over the period, the green line is the maximum weekly long run and the red is overall mileage. It's fairly consistent with only one extra dip in Aug 2008 due to back to back travel weeks. Certainly a marked contrast with a certain other runner whose name we won't mention. So what's my plan? Don't know yet but have about 8 weeks to think about it and will take the time to gradually ramp up the mileage again.

Recovery week running:
Monday - Friday - all 0's but was feeling fine by Tues and wanting to lace up my shoes by Weds

Sat - 5 miles in 42:30 but feeling very achey and creaky (just like 'that other runner') and legs felt almost sore by the end. There is definitely some deeper damage and more healing is needed as per usual.

Sun - another zero. I was tempted to go early before the storm of wind and rain hit but held off and then was happy (as were the legs) to stay inside and scheme away

It's been a nice weekend and I'm off on a work road-trip for most of next week. The running gear will be packed but I'm not stressing about getting too many runs in. Hope you all have a nice week too!

Marathon pictures

Is he comparing carrot tops?
Marc loves vegetables.
And so does Mike! BTW that was the pace car for the marathon. Kinda cool we thought.

But by popular demand here are most of the pictures from the PEI marathon weekend located in 2 albums on Webshots. These were taken by myself and Jo, while these were done by Steph with her fancy camera.

Recovery goes extremely well and I was thinking about running already and this was my 1st real day off since Mondays are always days off. I've even thinking about doing a 10k in 2 weeks time in Moncton just for fun! How crazy are is that?

Hard to explain

It was a great weekend which started with 3 good buddies getting together for their annual marathon adventure. This year we settled on the PEI marathon which requires a crossing of the famous Confederation Bridge (seen here in the background).
The morning of the race dawned cool and WINDY? We had a cool northeast wind of 10-15km/hr that wasn't in the forecast but it started out at our backs and wasn't really much of a factor except that it made conditions a bit cold for spectators. Running in the 5-8C (40-45F) temps was actually just right for the runners.

Here are the 'boys' raring to go just minutes before the start.

Before the race and in practice running the course in July I'd found that this course divides nicely into 4 sections, the 1st 12k along the beach and to the edge of the provincial park, the next 9k through slightly rolling terrain to the 1/2 way and entrance to the trail, then the 13k rails to trail section, and finishing with 8.2k back on pavement and a hilly route into Charlottetown for the finish.

My plan had been to use the 1st 6 miles as a warmup with an orderly progression run and gradually increase to 7:40 pace by 6 miles but this went out the window literally the very second the gun went off as my Garmin screen went completely blank! This watch has been wonky lately and so it was a good thing that I had a plan B using my normal Timex wrist watch. However, with the course marked only in kilometers it required a few quick calculations and adjustments on the fly as I got going.
Of course, there's always time for pictures during a marathon and I liked the cool clouds in this shot in the early going before my camera got put away for good. I also got a few shots of the pace bunny and Marc but never saw a hair of Andrew until the finish. The 1st 12k went very easily as I monitored each kilometer and somewhat unsuccessfully tried to hold my pace slower than 4:45/k but the 4:30's just seemed to come out of the air. At the end of the park I passed my water belt and camera to Jo and Steph who are credited with all the remaining pics below. At this point I allowed myself to work a little harder while still trying to keep things under control and maintained a steady pace while continually passing runners. I only remember being passed once after about the 5k mark.
Here is Marc looking good around the 12k point.
And here is Andrew around the 15k mark 'Tucking in and waiting' for his new friend, 'Erik' from the Netherlands to make his move.
This is me at the same point, feeling good and having way too much fun. Just 5-8k later it was quite a different story (below). The 1/2 way point came before I knew it in 1:38:43, nicely under goal pace of 1:40 but also very close to the 1:38:04 time I had just posted in a 1/2 only 3 weeks ago. Now some might say that I was on track for disaster with such a fast start and an overly optimistic goal since this recent 1/2 only predicts about a 3:27 marathon at best. However, I felt that I had underperformed on a hilly course, with tired legs and a warm humid day. Today, with fresh legs and good conditions this 1st 1/2 left me feeling very strong and fresh but then I hit the trail....
Part 3: the trail was a struggle almost from the beginning. Immediately my splits started to slow and required substantially more effort to hold onto pace and in fact I only had one sub 4:45 split after this point in the race. At this point I was passed without resistance for the only time in the race since the early going and he went by me like I was standing still (perhaps a relay runner?). A bit later around the 30k mark more approaching footsteps but these remained on my heels for a few k before he came abreast and we started a conversation. Andre turned out to be a 1st timer and was wondering when the race was going to get hard (as in the wall). I told him he didn't have long to wait as we continued together for a few more clicks until reaching the end of the trail and a water station where he walked as I continued with cup in hand.
Andrew finishing strong and passing a bunch of 1/2 marathoners who started 1 hour after the marathoners.

Part 4- last 8k and finish. After loosing my new friend at the water station I didn't look back but rather ahead at a vast array of 'road-kill', mostly in the form of slow 1/2 marathoners who were joining our route for the last 5 miles. They gave me constant targets to knock off and I was able to slightly increase my pace despite the hilly terrain. My watch ran out of splits (max 30) and so I only have a split for my last 8.2k with an average pace of 4:47 for this section. I must have easily passed 100 1/2 marathoners but in the final hill before the 1.5 mile stretch run to the finish a marathoner finally appeared in my sights. I knew him from the start as a tall lanky grey haired possible age group competitor and could see that he was struggling. Again I did the water stop zoom-by (maybe a fast plod) but was past him and there was no sound of a struggle. The last kilometer was just a head down counting footsteps and trying to hold everything together affair as more 1/2 martathoners danced their way to the finish.
So, while Marc, Jamie and Grellan seemed to have 'off' days Andrew and I were turned 'on' for some reason. As far as marathons go, this one was reasonably 'easy' and I didn't have to really work until the last few miles where I actually picked up on my lagging pace.

21st marathon
3:21:06
6th best
1:06 off my target pace
1/2 marathon split of 1:38:43 only 39 sec slower than my 1/2 from just 3 weeks ago
3:40 positive split for the 2nd 1/2
last 8.2k in 39:17 (3 secs per kilometer slower than target pace)

1 satisfied runner, what more can I say? Well there is lots more to say but the 3 Blind Moose have already said it in hilarious detail after the race. I think my daughter now thinks we're all completely mad but it sounded funny to us. It was a great weekend!

Have a great week!

Final thoughts before PEI

The fall flowers continue to bloom but the days are getting shorter and colder. Only a very few short days to go now and the latest forecast calls for a very nice weekend with lots of sun but low temperatures with no wind mentioned.

Sunday: A mix of sun and cloud. Low plus 2C(36F). High 8C(46F).

Looks near perfect to me, so no excuses on the weather front. This week has been very easy as far as running goes but my work has jumped in quickly to take up any slack and so there has been little time to stew about not running. Today for example I was up at 630 to go out on the boat all day and by the time we got home tonite there was little chance that a 5mile recovery run was going to get done (or even needed for that matter). Rest and couch potatoe duties come first this late in the season.

But I have been doing a little running around...

Sunday - 13 miles (8:10 avg) with 8 mile progression to finish with 2xMP

Monday - rest

Tues - 5 miles easy (7:57) late in day after work and fencing to keep out the 'thieving deer'

Weds - 8 miles (7:51 avg) with 3xMP although only 2 were called for in the plan. Felt good and just kept rolling for one more (sorry, couldn't help myself)

Thurs - unscheduled day off but why not?

Friday - plan for an easy 5 with strides 'my' the golf course

Sat - plan is to drive to the Island for the marathon with the 3 Blind Moose and my poor wife

Sunday - plan is to ease into the 1st 6 miles as a progession run, run the next 6-7 under control despite the low hills that take you to the 1/2 way. The next 7-8 are on the rails to trails and I hope to be just holding back the effort and enjoying these nice middle miles as long as possible. The final 5 miles are a brute with the pavement and hills and will require courage and strength to hold pace. The final last mile is flat with a slight downhill and will be rewarding if I have anything left to finish strong. I'm really glad that I ran the course in July in 2 parts (part1 and part2) because it can be seen in my minds eye (plus geotagged route) and will help me know where I'm at and what is to come.

Goals? Hmm, 1st and foremost is to enjoy the weekend and the running with friends. As far as time goals, I already have my BQ for next year and this might just be a small improvement to give me a slightly better number and move up from maybe the 8th to the 7th corral. My latest 1/2 predicts something around a 3:25 but I think that maybe a 3:20 might be in the cards and is what I'm pacing myself for. Who knows? The training has been OK, though slack on the longer 20+ mile runs and we'll just have to give 'er and see what happens.

Wish me and my buddies luck and have a great weekend!

Red vs Blue

You may or may not have heard of the internet video comedy series Red vs. Blue. My two sons are great fans of it and we watched many of the show's hilarious antics on dvd last Christmas. But this is not about comedy; I have something more important to deal with, that is: what shoes to wear for the upcoming marathon? I happen to have 2 brand new pairs on the auction table...

a red pair, and ...

wait...

and a blue pair!

Both are yelling, Pick me! (I'm cuter) Pick me! (I'm faster)

And how did I manage to have such a luxury of choice you ask?

Well the red pair on the right are Mizuno Wave Precision 9's and purchased just a few weeks ago with the intention of being my marathon shoe after the usual break in of one or 2 longer runs and a minimum of miles. I've been running in Mizuno's for about 10 years now and being a latent manic compulsive type have numbered and kept track of the mileage on every pair. This would be pair #28 and with about 600miles/pair that works out to about 16,000 miles on the brand so far. Ouch, no wonder my leg hurts!

So why the 2nd blue pair? Well it turns out that a few weeks ago I get this email from a sales rep at New Balance, Harrisburg with the offer of my choice of shoes if I put up a link on my blog sidebar and to do a little review of them. Well who can turn down an offer for free shoes? After making sure it was a real offer (ie. don't look a gift horse in the mouth) I settled on the top of the line cushioned light weight model New Balance 1062 which have now been road tested with one easy recovery run thus far.

The results? Well they are a beautiful looking shoe with a roomy toe box and nice fit. I have high arches with stiff feet and this neutral, well cushioned shoe gave me a nice smooth ride. My easy 5 mile test run was at about 8:17/mile average pace but it also included a few fast striders with about 20-30sec of fast controlled running to loosen up the legs. This is where I got a pleasant surprise with how well cushioned these shoes really are. The faster I went the more I could feel the cushioning which felt like running on firm pillows and gave it a nice floating feeling. Cool, I like these shoes!

But final verdict, I have to go with Red for the marathon because they are my tried and true model/brand. If I had more time on my feet with the Blues they might have a good shot at bumping Red, but not this time so late in the plan to PEI. For now I'm looking forward to alternating them as one of my stock training shoes and will see how they endure the miles.

This was my view while stretching this morning after a 1 mile warmup during the final 13 mile longer run (wearing Red's). The sun was just peeking out at 730am and it was rather brisk at 4C and will likely be the same next week on the Island. The run went well but not great. I could feel some tighness in the legs (reminder to stretch at night). I ran the 1st 5 miles as an easy warm up and then did an 8 mile progression run getting down to sub-marathon pace by the end. The 'plan' had been to go at MP for the final 2 miles but my Garmin screen went blank and had to go by feel. I guess my body 'felt' like going 7:26 and 7:21 instead of the 7:40's that were intended. No harm done and it's only one more week of taper madness to go.

Have a nice week everyone!

Final efforts

I didn't have much luck this week with the x-rated herring video but managed to find some very scenic harbours while the wind blew up a storm.

This lobster trap was just sitting in a clearing on top of a cliff by the seashore looking pretty. You'd think that some tourist would have nabbed it and drove back to Ontario with it strapped to his roof but maybe this spot was just too much out of the way. BTW the design is very out of date with the new ones made of plastic coated metal and nowhere near as rustic looking.

And I did run into my fisherman friend and this was as close as I got to my herring this week. It was the end of a long day for him and he wasn't going out again for another 24 hours due to the weather and so my project was delayed.

On the running front I was able to get 8 miles in on Tuesday while in Dartmouth-Halifax before driving the roads for the rest of the day (as above). It was a cool morning and all the walkers were wearing winter coats, some with hats and mitts and while I was comfortable in shorts and a long sleeve tech shirt. My pace was brisk to counteract the cool wind but not too crazy.

Weds was just an easy 5 miles (this is supposed to be taper time) as I just meandered around my home town after work on a perfect calm mild fall day. The easy pace came back at a surprising 8:00min clip and I cooled my legs in the very cool pond at the end.

Today's run was of more substance as I attempt to stick in a few quality run and to also try to complete some aspects of the Pfitz plan that I've sort of been following for the last 16 weeks or so. He has the unusual workout of 8 miles with 3x1 mile at 5k effort with 2 min jog recoveries in all his schedules just 10 days out from the race. OK, fine I did my usual 1 mile warmup, followed by stretching and then another 1/2 mile jog to get myself out to a fairly flat section of road before starting.

The 1st mile felt good in 6:33 while running hard but not all out and just feeling out the legs. I took my time between efforts and allowed myself to climb a small hill before locating another reasonably flat section for the next mile which went by just as easily in 6:36 including a slowing turn around in the middle because this was done as an out and back run. Another slow section to climb back out of the valley and the final mile in 6:40 with a long gradual hill in the 2nd 1/2. It was very satisfying to still be able to knock out some good miles while not going all out. The effort was there and it was more a matter of working on my form and not getting distracted at the end so as to not slow down. Finished off the run with a nice easy 2 mile jog and noticed that the legs were now starting to show the effects with some soreness but otherwise was fine.

Only 9 more days until the PEI marathon now. I can't wait to get the Three Blind Moose (we even have our own wine) back together again and hope that my spouse can put up with all of our bad jokes and other silliness. It promises to be a great weekend no matter what happens weather wise or even running wise. Maybe I'll even take an extra day off tommorow to rest. What do you say?

And the prize for picking my brother in the previous post goes to DawnB! She must have seen some family resemblance as he is obviously not a runner like me. Now I just have to figure out what she gets for a prize. How about a free bottle of homemade wine but the catch is we have to do a race together to get it. That could easily happen too! Have a nice holiday weekend!

Fall colours

It was a beautiful morning for a long run with the boys of Boyden one more time. With a 630am start it was still dark when I started the drive across the border but the sun was nicely up to begin taking the chill off by the time we got under way. The temperature was only 4C (40F) and didn't really warm up that much, though it was actually near ideal for running. We had a great run doing the usual 17 mile loop with speedy Ozzie keeping the pace honest today, though for him it was likely on the slow side. My watch clocked in at 2:15 and 8:01 average pace with some 7:30's in the last few miles as we neared the fig newtons and chocolate chip cookies.

The rest of the day was spent at home doing a few chores and beginning to get the house and yard ready for winter.

Quick summary of last weeks running:
Thurs - 6 miles easy paced in and around a thunder and lightning storm
Friday - another 6 easy miles feeling generally tired and worn out. Then travel to SJ for a carpentry project.
Sat - no run as I was in SJ helping my brother Barry put down a hardwood floor for my sister Carol.

Total miles for the week was 45.0 in 6 runs. Oh, that's kind of cool... I just checked the Garmin and it logged 6hrs of running with an average pace of 7:55/mile. I guess the 1/2 marathon on Sunday helped keep my numbers up.

Here is the workcrew including my bro and two bros-in-law. Can you pick out my sibling?

This coming week I'm away on another work travel trip with some experiments planned using some underwater camera equipment. I'm hoping to catch a few herring in-the-act of spawning while we shine bright lights and drag our camera around near the ocean bottom. Wish me luck, have a great week, and taper smart out there!

Progress on progression

Recovery from the 1/2 marathon has gone well with just a bit of soreness in the quads on Monday. My hamstrings which had been bothering my all summer were fine during the race and I don't seem to have any other issues so far. There are a few pictures from the Saint John 1/2 marathon here including one good downhill shot where it looks like I'm actually moving well (looks can be deceiving).

On Monday my schedule called for a 7 mile run with 8x100m strides for good measure. The hour passed very easily with perfect sunny calm conditions in the late afternoon after work. I was feeling great despite some minor stiffness and had to watch myself from speeding up and running below 8 minute pace. The strides were a bit awkward and slow (as usual) but my form improved for the last few (again, as usual).

I almost canned today's 12 miler as I was feeling tired and lazy and was looking for excuses to get out of my mid-week medium long run. It's also was the last one for this training schedule and I'm happy to have them behind me. However, I did make the best of it and ended up getting in an excellent workout that has again left me 'pleasantly tired' and happy to just sit on the couch typing this little summary.

First a little background, back at Wineglass 2 years ago I used a gradual progression start as recommended in Guy Avery's marathon training program which calls for using the 1st 6 miles of the marathon as a warmup. I deliberately tried to go out slower by 30sec for the 1st 2 miles, 20 sec for the next 2 miles, and 10 sec slow for the next 2 before zeroing in to my then 7:30 marathon pace. The 1st 6 miles felt ridiculously slow but I managed to mostly hold back and ending up PR'ing that day and feeling great until about 24 miles. It worked for me then, so why not try it again but 1st you need to do a few practice runs and thus today's workout...

mile 1 - warmup and stretch
mile 2- another easy mile uphill mostly before starting the workout
mile 3-4: 8:10 desired pace (30 sec slower than MP) with actual paces of 8:07, 8:08 feeling very easy
mile 5-6: 8:00 desired (20 sec slow) with actual 7:59, 7:58 still feeling easy despite the rolling hills
mile 7-8: 7:50 desired (10 sec slow) with actual 7:24, 7:45 as I got too excited and misread the watch; starting to feel like I'm moving with purpose now
mile 9-12: 7:40 now at my 'new' realistic marathon pace which will give me about a 3:20. The road pitched up in the 1st mile and really made me work but I then settled in with miles at 7:44, 7:33, 7:34 and 7:32 feeling like the pace was quite manageable.

I was glad that I didn't have too much further to go today but then again my legs do have a valid reason to complain. My mind on the other hand was very happy to complete the practice exercise and look forward to a shorter versions of it over the next few weeks. The scheming and planning has begun! Have a great week.

What hurricane?

Kyle is still on his way and was not really a factor in today's race so I'm going to have to come up with some other good excuses. How about hills, humidity and tired legs (though the mind was willing)? Time of 1:38:04 (7:26/mile) 3/30 in M50-59 and 30/352 in event. The full results are here.

I can't really complain to much about this race result as I haven't raced much this summer, done very little speed work, have had sub-optimal running in recent weeks and just finished up last week with 60 miles (including a hard 14 miles on Thurs).

Man! the excuses just keep coming...

The race: and this will be short. Stayed at my sister's in Saint John overnight and was up at 630 for a light breakfast with very strong coffee that was great for getting all systems booted up. I then drove down with my brother-in-law to his office only a block from the start line with our private bathroom and place to get geared up. We did a very easy 1/2 mile warmup followed by easy stretches as we waited for the start at 8am, moving up close to the front to avoid the slower runners. Before we knew it the cannon went off and so were we, though it was a little faster than I should have with the 1st 2 miles in 7:02 and 7:00 weaving through the crowd. This would come back to haunt me big time although these miles were mostly downhill.

In most races my modus operandi (MO) has been to go out at a reasonable pace for me and then hold it and not be passed very much after the 1st mile or so. Not today! Many of those folks that I zoomed by in mile 1-2 came back to get my in miles 6-7-8 and even in 10-11 (ouch), but at least not 12-13.1 You can see this slowing in my pace ( blue line above) if you look at the 8mph line which is also 7:30/mile and my hoped for marathon pace in PEI. After about mile 6 it was a real struggle to hold this pace as one runner after another took me down with very little resistance. Oh, I'd speed up and try to hold on for a minute or so but the legs were not giving me what I was asking for today. It was very hard with all the hills (green line) to get into a nice rhythm and so I resorted to alot of counting, saying "just one more mile to go" for the 2nd half of this race. The finish was nice with a nice downhill section for a good last mile but at this point I was just glad to have it over with.

So that's it and it can't be changed or improved now. I ran as hard as I think I was capable of today and will move on to a nice 3 week taper for PEI now. There are no more races planned until then and not that much from Pfitzinger in the way of hard efforts either so all I can really do is rest and scheme about my racing plan. Have a great week!

The Perfect Excuse

You're not going to let a little HURRICANE stop you from running now are you?

Naah, it's just going to be a bit of wind and rain by the time it gets to us but it does seem to be heading dead center for Saint John where our little run is scheduled for Sunday morning. We shall see what happens...

Meanwhile, back at the ranch I've been 'pleasantly tired' for the entire day as a result of my medium long run yesterday. After a hold back the horses very easy kind of run the day before I guess that this was to be expected. I can never quite get used to running these midweek runs as just another (but longer) easy run as they always manage to do me in, one way of the other. And so, 14 miles and almost 2 hours later I was finished and standing quietly in the cold pond cooling down the legs (and the rest of me as well). That evening it was ice packs and in the horizontal position on the couch as I attempted to recover.

Today, it was that tired feeling that predominated for most of the day as the legs began to recover. The scheduled 8 mile run was cut back slightly to a bit less than 6 as this time I went real easy today at lunchtime. This evening we're busy getting things tied down or put away in our yard so they don't get washed or blown away over the weekend. Now, there's just that little problem of the 1/2 to deal with. I'll need all the luck I can get from the looks of it. See you later!

Cruising along

This picture was taken in Yarmouth last week during one of my quick and dirty runs between boat trips. It's right along the harbour and if you keep going it eventually starts into a lovely wide multi-use trail that then heads inland for several miles along an old railway line. However, I prefer the ocean views when I can get them.

The running is starting to come along a little bit and I'm feeling much better about my prospects for the coming weeks. After a nice rest day on Monday, yesterday's scheduled workout was a bit of a challenge with 11 miles including 6x1200m with 2 minute rest jogs. It was only slightly modified into 3/4 mile (or 1200m) at a hard effort followed by 400m easy to make the mile distance programmed into my Garmin. This ended up being more like 2:30 rests instead of 2:00 but that's Ok with me. The run was done along the highway on an out and back route after a 3 mile warmup and went very well. I was tired but still 'cruising along' nicely even after the hard bit and ended up with 11 miles in 88 minutes overall which is a good pace for me. That evening I was a bit wasted and needed some ice packs for my aching (still) hams.

Today's recovery run of 6.5 miles was a pleasant surprise as I'd expected to have heavy, sore, tired legs but it didn't happen. It was a pleasant, easy, post-work, floater of a run with a definite effort to try to hold back and not run under 8 minute pace. A perfect sunny, calm not quite crisp fallish day where it was just a joy to cruise around on my seashore route.

I'm now officially registered for the Saint John 1/2 marathon this Sunday and need to start figuring out what the heck my plan is for this. I'm still doing the schedule according to Pfitz but will make Friday and Sat. on the easy side so there is something in my legs for the race. It should be a good test but the weather is not looking good with 20-50mm of rain in the forecast! Maybe I won't be wearing my new racing shoes!! See you later.

On the Run/Road/Water

On the whole I have to give myself a least a 2 out of 3 for staying on task over the past few days. With all the travelling, strange hours and a messed up schedule I was still able to get a couple of runs in, between the ferry rides and trips on the water with the fishermen I work with.
Just to prove it here's a shot of the happy guys just after a near perfect set and the best catch they've seen in weeks. That's herring (and lots of them) in the background about to be pumped aboard using the pump that you can see going into the midst of them. I took a ton of pics and have a neat video of this as well which I might put up later.

But more on the running efforts though it was work just finding the time to squeeze the runs in. Take Thurs for example, early morning meeting, then travel all day to go out on a fishing boat but the trip ended early due to high winds so there was a bit of time before it got dark. Scored one quick and dirty 7 mile run at a nice brisk pace.

Friday was a little easier with most of the day to myself as I waited for evening when the boats were going out again for a survey on the fishing grounds. It was very easy to fit in an easy 6 miles around midday and I found a nice off road multi-use trail to run on. I should have done a longer harder run but my lazy bone reared it's ugly head once again. That evening and night we did the survey and you can see what a nice night it was from the 1st pictures. However, it was a long night and we didn't get back to the wharf until noon Saturday which barely gave me enough time to rush back and catch the return ferry home. Arrived home by 9pm and obviously no running today but plans had been already set for the morning.

Sunday morning I was up and at em' by 630am for another great Boyden run with Andrew, Jon and Ozzie. It was a perfect morning for a run, just a bit on the cool side at about 8C but sunny and no wind. I really love these long runs with friends. The pace is easy, the conversation good, and we just roll along and the run seems to be over in 1/2 the time. I took a few pictures of the sweaty runners but think that this one has better appeal, don't you?
And that's all I got. End of another OK but not great week with a total of about 50 miles. There are now less than 4 weeks to go and not much can be done with my fitness level right now. There's a 1/2 marathon next weekend in Saint John that will tell the tale but only if I'm brave enough to show up and give a good effort.

We'll see, have a great week! And Happy Birthday to somebody special who turns 19 today!

Not feeling it

Only a little over 4 weeks to go and I'm just not feeling into it. I've been trying and mostly succeeding to get the miles in but the harder workouts are a little tougher to come by. Take this week for example. Sunday called for 17 miles with 14(!) at marathon pace but that wasn't happening with my current track record of barely training. So at least I got the miles in but I'm feeling like it's just keeping my fitness from falling further, rather than letting improvements creep in.

Monday was a nice day of rest but a very busy one on the life front with a trip to Saint John in the morning and then a shopping trip and a 1 hour wait at the border that evening.

Tuesday's plan was for 9 miler with some 600m repeats but that didn't happen because worked dragged late for some reason and then rushed through a shorter run before supper. I'm hoping to make this up later in the week if my work trip doesn't interfere too much.

Today, Weds was a bit better with me at least getting the scheduled 13 miler in but it was not exactly an easy one. Usually I'm good after a mile or so but today's run was way more of an effort than I'd like. Still waiting for the magic pill to make the legs feel light and springy again. Hard work only makes them feel heavy and slow. Oh well, enough complaining. Tomorrow's another day and like the flower there's still hope for PEI if I keep my nose to the wheel for a few more weeks.

Sept 15 - Mon
Training: 0 miles at infinite pace, good sleep last night and log says 'Rest please!'

Sept 16 - Tues
Training: 5.25 miles (7:49 pace) a bit of a rushed run to get a few miles in but felt good. The watch was 'acting' up so I didn't get the pace till after the run. Nice dip in the pond to cool the legs as well.

Sept 17 - Weds
Training: 13,1 miles (8:21 pace) Oh, now I get why my legs were heavy today! That little sprint run on Tues which should have been an easy one took the stuffing out of me. Makes sense when you look back doesn't it?

I'm off for a few days for a work field trip, out on the fishing boats looking for herring in the waters of the Bay of Fundy. Hopefully we'll be successful and the wind doesn't blow too hard as I hate feeling sick, though I'm usually quite resistant. I'm also planning to be back in time for another attempt at a Boyden run with the guys but need somebody else (say someone with a name starting with an A) to drum up things before hand.

Hope you're having a nice week.

Alone again

Despite the best of intentions our Boyden Lake group run just never got off the ground this weekend. I put out an email feeler on Friday and immediately got a nay from Andrew who already had plans. Jon was a late responder with family issues keeping him close to home as well. Finally, late last night my last hope, Ozzie had to bow out as well with similar happenings keeping him off the roads on Sunday. Great, at least I'll get another a good nights sleep. Nine (count em 9) hours later I rolled out of bed well rested but not especially eager to get running.

But run I must and after procrastinating for over an hour with a long breakfast, decisions on what to wear, finishing up a little painting project etc I was finally able to shuffle my way down the highway. The weather was nice for running today with cool cloudy conditions and very little wind and still being relatively early on a Sunday morning the traffic was light. However, without my running buddies to keep me company it was a long slow run and more of a slog than I'd like. I guess getting back into training again and the current streak of 7 days in a row has left me a little tired. 17 miles and 2:28 later it was finally over but there was no rest for the weary as Jo and I spent the rest of the day attempting to deer-proof our yard. I think a few pictures will certainly be forthcoming of this in the near future as we put up a 9 foot barrier around the precious inner garden.

Sept 13 - Sat
Training: 7 miles (8:19 pace) very easy run with the legs stiff but better than Friday
Stretching: has been nil lately except for brief sessions after a 1 mile warmup during runs

Sept 14 - Sun
Training: 17 miles (8:38 pace) slow lonely slog of a run against a very resisting tired body.
Stretching: with icing later on the couch
Health: better with great weekend back to back sleeps of 8+ hours

While I was slogging about here in Canada, over in Ireland Grellan was busy racking up a 5+ minute 1/2 marathon PB while dusting Thomas (for the 1st time I think?). Thomas was no slouch either with a 2+ minute PB of his own! Wow, it must be the lousy weather that brings out the best in them. Nice going guys and have a great week all.

Fresh legs = sore body

...can be dangerous to your health. They can literally run you off your feet and directly to the awaiting couch of doom. Take yesterday for example. A quick glance of the unused training schedule revealed an incomplete medium long run. Yes, we can do that easily enough. Just need to slightly rearrange the work schedule and make it happen during and extended lunch break.

After an easy 1 mile warmup, stretches, quick stop at home for emergency band aids I was finally able to head down the highway. The first few miles were tentative but I soon settled into a nice pace with very little effort. Surprisingly I was able to easily hold if for most of the run and was under 7:50 pace with only a few stops for water etc. Today's run was spent working on my form, in particular my arm carriage which is often low and around my hips. It seems when I work at holding my arms a bit higher that the turnover rate increases with no noticeable increase in effort (other than holding my arms up).

It was a great run and felt great until I stopped when a large wall of hurt fell right on top of me as it seems I overextended myself a little bit. Spent the rest of the day and evening just hobbling around like an old man in need of a beer.

Today's run was not a pretty picture as I managed to slowly hobble around my usual 6 mile work day route. Extemely stiff and sore barely describes the feeling as I felt like I was crawling along but the actual pace begged to differ. I guess this is just my way beating the body back into submission for the final few weeks of training that are left.

Sept 11 - Thurs
Training: 14 miles (8:03 pace overall but not indicative of effort) Felt great during run but was absolutely spent afterward. Thank god for beer and ice cream.

Sept 12 - Fri
Training: 6 miles (8:15 pace) very easy run with the legs extremely stiff and sore.

Back on track almost and hoping to get a Boyden run in with Andrew on the weekend. Seems to me he's been very quiet lately. Hope he didn't get into another train wreck or something...

What a slacker!

Last post Aug. 26th!! Ouch, but once you fall off the wagon it's hard to get back on again. My training over the past 2 weeks has been nothing short of dismal as one missed day turned into another and work/travel/vacation and more travel just seemed to do my best efforts to get the runs in.

Aug 26 - Tues
Training: 6 miles (8:17 pace) Galway seashore boardwalk on hard concrete into a strong breeze 6/10 (tired from lack of sleep)

Aug 27 - Thurs
Training: 6 miles (8:03 pace) Galway seashore boardwalk again on hard concrete into a strong breeze and fast return with the wind 6/10

Aug 28 - Thurs
Training: 0 miles, just didn't fit it in and went to the pub instead

Aug 29 - Friday
Training: 0 miles again but this time tried the pub in Dublin! There's something special about the Guinness over here.

Aug 30 - Sat
Training:0 with the long flight and drive home and travel time of about 19 hours. Weekly total of only 32 miles.

Aug 31 - Sun
Training:0 with short sleep, quick turnaround and 12 hour drive to Ottawa to deliver my youngest son to university

Sept 1 - Mon
Training: 8 miles (8:16 pace) in Ottawa along the beautiful canal and river trail system. Easy pace but hams still stiff and tight after 4 days of rest! Rest of day was spent hard at work building a deck for the oldest son.

Sept 2 - Tues
Training: 7.5 miles (8:16 pace) in Ottawa along the beautiful canal and river trail system followed by a full day working on the deck. Starting to get stiff and sore in new places.

Sept 3 - Weds
Training: 6 miles (8:37 pace). Could hardly get out of bed this morning I was so stiff. Ran along the beautiful canal and river trail system followed by yet another full day working on the deck

Sept 4 - Thur
Training: 7 miles (8:27 pace) Barely able to walk when I first got up, definitely not built to do construction work. Ran in same beautiful area as before and eventually loosened up.

Sept 5 - Fri
Training: 5 miles (8:31 pace) Feeling slightly better but still sore. Same beautiful area as before and eventually loosened up and then worked away some more. This is a vacation? (but I'm proud of the finished product)

Sept 6 - Sat
Training: 0 miles (8:27 pace) Forgot to fit the run in today with putting the final touches on the deck before we leave in the morrow. Weekly total amounts to only 34 despite my best efforts.

Sept 7 - Sun
Training: 0 miles with the 11 hour return drive home

Sept 8 - Mon
Training: 5 miles (7:57 pace) Back to work after 2 weeks away. Managed to fit a quick little run in after work before supper and lawn mowing. It was very nice to be back on my home turf once again and the legs responded.

Sept 9 - Tues
Training: 8 miles (7:42pace) with 4 miles at MP in 728, 724, 734, 717 over the 2nd 1/2 of the run. It felt like a bit of hard work but seemed to get easier slightly as it went along.

Sept 10 - Weds
Training: 5 miles (8:06 pace) very easy run with the legs feeling a bit stiff today (for some unknown reason) A coolish fall day and may have to break out a long sleeve shirt soon. Seems to me that Andrew never put his away all summer.

So that's where I'm at. Just slowly getting back on track and now attempting to re-enter the training program that was left by the wayside. Hopefully my little 2 week break won't hurt me too much come PEI but I'm afraid it won't help much either. I've had a nice break and feel much refreshed, especially with the fall weather that is now quickly approaching. Have a great week!

International Incident

I've been a little quiet lately about my plans and the excellent adventure that has come my way but it's time to let the cat out of the bag. I'm now on the Emerald Island of Ireland for the week and this is the first picture that I took! I'm here for the week for a work conference of all things (not a vacation) but I'll be sure to find time to enjoy myself.

I'm still a bit jet lagged and pressed for time right now but we had time to tour around the country and all the many narrow backroads. I've got a ton of pictures that I'd like to share but right now there's only time for a short post.

But the biggest news of all is that I got to meet Thomas and we even went for a nice run! Thomas took time off work and drove all the way up to Galway where I'm at so we could meet in person and have a Guinness together. We instantly got along and of course he recognized me in my 'famous' shorts. Our run was about an hour long as we cruised along the waterfront dodging all the tourists and traffic. Of course we never stopped talking the whole way, it was just like running with Andrew but without the jokes! After the run we went out to a nice restaurant and found a pub that served the properly poured Guinness. I hear they used to serve it to new mothers just after they gave birth (but no more). It was a great evening and a real pleasure to finally meet the famous Thomas.

That all I have time for now. Gotta go! Have a great week!

Slacking off

Not deliberately but many things have been conspiring against me over the past week and have resulted in a less than stellar week. When I'm following a 'plan' I can be pretty anal about trying to follow it right to the letter but sometimes reason does win over plain bullheadedness. So here's how it went down...

Aug 17 - Sunday
Training: 20 miles (8:25 pace) Home alone, felt like I was holding back. Followed by a 5 hr drive up north 7/10
Health: legs were a bit sore after on long drive to Bathurst but ice packs helped 7/10
Stretching: iced only

Aug 18 - Monday
Training: 0 miles (rest day)
Health: ok, feeling good, but stressful day 7/10
Stretching: nada!

Aug 19 - Tues
Training: 6.5 miles in the drizzle and felt like crap both physically and mentally; canned the 4 mile double (8:13 pace) 5/10
Health: no particular issues but... 6/10
Stretching: iced

Aug 20 - Weds
Training: 9.5 miles instead of planned 15 but too busy at work. Run went much better today but the hams tighted up at the end (8:18 pace) 7/10
Health: good but hams sore 7/10
Stretching: iced (keep forgetting to stretch at night)

Aug 21 - Thur
Training: 6 miles easy, nothing special about run (8:17 pace) 7/10
Health: good 7/10
Stretching: dip in pond and iced & stretched later

Aug 22 - Fri
Training: 8 miles instead of planned 13 (8:15 pace) after work on a very warm 30C day 7/10
Health: good 7/10
Stretching: nice dip in pond and iced later

Aug 23 - Sat
Training: 7 miles (8:47 pace) with 8x100 strides that were barely pickups 7/10
Health: good 6/10
Stretching: dip in pond and iced & stretched later

So... I managed 57 miles for the week despite cutting a couple of the runs short but the work and other stresses lately have just made me cut back a little. I don't think the break will hurt much in the long term but it's still not a way to build for PEI. I'm hoping/planning to turn things around in the next few weeks but you never know what kind of curves that life will throw your way.

That's it for now. Have a great week, I know that I will (one way or another) !!

Not for the faint of heart

I'm 'famous' in my little town and many people that don't know me personally just call me 'The Runner'. At least they don't call it jogging! Anyway, a nice writeup in the local paper which has been doing a series lately on different athletes in various sports.
Sorry folks (Marc in particular) but I just couldn't help doing this... It's been 6 days and is still very tender to touch but at least my shoes have a good sized toe box and it hasn't slowed down my running at all.

Ouch, it's hard to focus with that awful picture staring at me. Let me know if it's too gross and needs to be removed from your view.

I had a great little 6 mile run this morning in the fog and then pouring rain between the semis and finals of the Olympic 100 meter race. Mr Lightning Bolt's 9.69 was simply mind boggling and he eased up for the last 20 meters! He's just 'sick' or from another planet!

Aug 16 - Sat
Training: 6 miles easy easy which felt terrific (8:25 pace) 7/10
Health: legs a little tight and sore but the easy run made it all better 7/10
Stretching: stretched and iced

Total of 64 miles for the week in 8hr 55min and 6 runs. Kept to the plan except for dropping one short 4 mile recovery run on Tues. It's going along nicely but definitely 'Not for the faint of heart'. Have a great week all!

Pleasantly tired?

Not exactly, how about exhausted and barely able to sit up straight? That's how I felt today after the workout of the week (11 miles with 6@1/2 marathon pace) but it's good to put it behind me.

The run started out OK with the legs feeling half way fresh for the first time all week and the weather was great with our first warm sunny day in what feels like weeks. After a 1 mile warmup and stretch, followed by another 1 mile warmup it was time to get going but first I made a stop in the shade to catch my breath and gather myself. The effect of last weekends race and long run seem to still be in my legs as I could only manage an average pace of 7:21 over the 6 miles of rolling hills. I nearly stopped the workout at mile 5 when the pace dipped below 7:30 but decided to gut out what I could with visions of the final hilly miles of PEI in my brain. Finished the run with a 3 mile death march in what felt like a baking sun (but Arizona Mike would find it cool at 24C/75F). Post run and for the rest of the afternoon was mostly a whole body tiredness but things perked up at supper with beer, wine, cheese and pasta. Feeling much better now and some cold dessert might be in order soon.

Aug 14 - Thurs
Training: 5 miles easy easy which was a relief (8:27 pace) 6/10
Health: tired and sore legs; toe sore but not affecting runs 6/10
Stretching: stretched and iced

Aug 15 - Fri
Training: 11 miles with 6 miles in 43:30 (7:21pace) 6/10
Health: ok but completely wiped after run, toe still tender 6/10
Stretching: iced & stretched later

So, still chugging away but with an excellent adventure approaching. Details to come soon...

Tennis Toe?

I won't say that Andrew didn't warn me not to do it but he did. As we cruised in the final miles of our long run on Sunday I let slip that instead of laying quietly on the couch after the run I'd be participating in a tennis tournament!! "You're doing what? " he asked. Long story short, I played in the afternoon and stubbed my big toe making a quick stop on the court. It immediately hurt and started to turn dark and now looks like it might turn black and fall off. Duh! (Sorry, no picture, it's too gross)

We had a nice long group run on Sunday with a group of 4 for the 1st 7 miles and then 3 for the next 12. Andrew and I finished off the last 2 miles together. The question was asked as to how many Boyden group runs we've done so I went back though my log. Since Nov. 2005 we've done 52 Sunday runs including 22 of over 20 miles and a total of 2570 runner miles.

Aug 10 - Sunday
Training: 21 miles (8:24 pace) Boyden run #52 with Andrew, Jon and Ozzoe 7/10
Health: legs were a bit sore at 1st; hurt big toe playing tennis later in day 6/10
Stretching: iced & stretched

Aug 11 - Monday
Training: 0 miles (rest day)
Health: ok, sore toe but ok to walk & bike 7/10
Stretching: stretched!

Aug 12 - Tues
Training: 6 miles in pouring rain(8:27 pace) 7/10
Health: toe good to run but looking ugly 6/10
Stretching: dip in pond and iced & stretched later

Aug 13 - Weds
Training: 14 miles (8:26 pace) 7/10
Health: good, toe better 7/10
Stretching: dip in pond and iced & stretched later

Just putting in the miles as best I can. See you later!

It was a good day

Oh, oh! The competition looks very fast today and flaunting country colors too!
That was pretty well the only time I saw him again until the finish. Mr Judson Cake was going for the course record of 25:13 and just missed it by a dozen seconds or so, all alone in the lead with nobody in sight. Well what would you expect from a 2:23 marathoner? Amazing!
About 9 minutes later this sorry runner strolled across the line in a respectable (for him) time of 34:14. My time for this race last year was 34:53 so I'm taking this as a victory. Going into it I had no specific time goal but was hoping to just run hard and show up somewhere below 35 minutes.The race itself went well despite being a bundle of nerves beforehand with the extreme lack of racing in my recent log. After signing in one hour before the start in Calais, Maine(due to security requirements) I then drove back across the border and parked to avoid lineup problems after the race. The 1 mile walk back served as an initial warm up but I then got into race clothes (including my brand new never worn Mizunos) and did a perfunctory jog, stretch, jog and a few lazy strides before it was time to line up.

I settled in several rows back behind my running friends Jon and Ozzie who I know to be faster than me. Sure enough after the start they slowly pulled away and were out of sight by the 1/2 mile with all the twists and turns on the route which crosses into Canada at mile 0.75, runs along the river up to the Milltown border before coming back into the US at mile 2.75. Our race numbers and pre-clearance served as our passports today and the border guards simply watched as we flew/trotted/jogged by (I think I was in the middle trotting group). So without friends to run with I tried the next best thing, the lead woman who I just happened to know. And she even said hello and wanted to talk! "Sorry", I gasped, "No talking!" The other guy trying to keep up with her laughed and that was the end of our conversation as we rolled along for the first mile in 6:20. She then slowly pulled away with the other guy in tow finishing about 1 minute ahead of me.

The next hilly mile came back in 6:57 as I was passed momentarily by leading lady #2. This was the 1st and only time since the starting rush that I had been chick'd or guy'd so I stuck with her and started my heavy breathing routine. Within a mile, she'd had enough of all my gasping and fell back out of earshot for the remainder of the race. The next mile came in at 6:57 followed by one long tough hilly mile in 7:09 where I worked hard on my breathing and effort. A few times my effort got ahead of what air I could suck in and I found myself almost hyperventilating until I got the effort and counting steps and breaths back under control. The final mile of the race is mostly downhill with a flat finishing straight of about 500m. The Garmin clocked this mile as 6:30 but there was another 20 seconds before I hit the finish line and stopped my watch. Glad that's over but it wasn't as bad as I'd feared, maybe even a little bit fun. What's next Mike?

Here is the elevation profile in green and speed in blue. Nice hill eh?

And there are a whole bunch of race pictures here which were taken by my friend and local coach Verne. Verne has helped me with my running over the years and has always been there with lots of guidance and encouragement, especially with my 1st marathon in 1998.

Aug 8 - Fri
Training: 6 miles with about 8x100m strides to wake up the legs (8:24 pace) 7/10
Health: legs ok but mentally tired lately 6/10
Stretching: icing and stretching

Aug 9 - Sat
Training: 5 mile race in 34:14; short w/up & cool down and long walk to and from; placed in 2nd age group (6:46 pace) 8/10
Health: legs good and feeling much better 7/10
Stretching: icing and stretching planned!

That made for a total of 57 miles for the week. It should'a been 60 but I cut out a few miles for the race in a mini-taper of sorts and it was worth it. I'm happy with how things are going, the hams especially are much better lately and there are very few other aches or pains. Big run planned in the morning with Andrew and the gang which should make short work of me. Have a nice week!

Just the Facts

For whatever reason it's been hard to spit out my running activities lately. Maybe it's getting back in the work groove, or maybe it's the miles talking but the spark seems to be missing to say much more than just the facts for now. The 'training' can be wearing at times.

Aug 3 - Sunday
Training: 17 miles (8:20 pace) perfect weather and company with Andrew who missed his calling as a stand-up comic 7/10
Health: legs were tired and asking to walk on all the hills 6/10
Stretching: iced & stretched later on

Aug 4 - Monday
Training: 0 miles (rest day) and a day off work too for the NB holiday
Health: ok as far as I can remember 7/10
Stretching: stretched!

Aug 5 - Tues
Training: 10 miles with 5@1/2 mar effort at 7:22 pace (7:46 overall). Felt like crap for this run and the wind, rain and hills didn't help. Better pace at the end but barely. 7/10
Health: legs hard to get going with any speed but no issues with specific areas 6/10
Stretching: dip in pond and iced & stretched later

Aug 6 - Weds
Training: 11 miles easy after work at good effort and felt good but cut run short due to lack of time and a nice salmon supper on the table (8:10 pace) 8/10
Health: legs feeling decent with nice dip in pond after run 7/10
Stretching: iced and stretched!

Aug 7 - Thur
Training: 5 miles easy so-called recovery run after work (8:07 pace) 7/10
Health: legs heavy and stiff 6/10
Stretching: icing and stretching planned!

I'm planning to run the Calais 5 mile race this weekend which will be my 1st race in quite a while, since Boston in fact. I'm a little afraid of what kind of numbers I'll be able to post but hope to at least put in a strong effort. To help with that I might just take another easy day on Friday to give myself half a chance to run decently. Wish me luck!

Week-end review

I was contemplating whether to remove articles of clothing before diving in but didn't want to scare off some of our more sensitive viewers of this blog.

This was the end of a nice so-called recovery week with a total of 61 miles in 6 runs. The reason the total is high is because my 'week' goes from Sunday to Sat and included a long run 20 miler. The real Pfitz schedule goes from Monday to Sunday and only has a 14 mile on tap for tomorrow which would add up to just 55. Despite that I'll still run 17 since Andrew and I are doing the Boyden Lake loop in the morning so the total goes back up to 58. Whatever, still a goodly amount of mileage for me...

July 31 - Thur
Training: 12 miles at easy pace after work but a struggle to get done (8:20 pace) 6/10
Health: heavy legs but no aches or pains; general tired feeling 6/10
Stretching: iced and stretched!

Aug 1 - Fri
Training: 6 miles easy after work. Lazy again delaying 10 miler to Sat (8:14 pace) 6/10
Health: legs sore and tight with nice dip in pond after run 6/10
Stretching: iced and stretched!

Aug 2 - Sat
Training: 10 miles easy in fog/mist/light rain and feeling much better (8:22 pace) 7/10
Health: legs good with nice dip in pond after run 8/10
Stretching: icing & stretching planned for evening!

So far so good. This recovery week was a little 'off' with a general tired feeling and sore legs despite 'reduced' effort and mileage but I feel like things are coming around as I'm getting used to Pfitzinger training schedule again. There are now 11 weeks to go and I think I'm ready to start some real work now that my legs/hams have improved somewhat with little soreness and pain later in the longer runs. Instead they just get tired but I'll be working on that too. Have a nice week!