Hey Stephen! You are an Ironman!!! Part 2

So, baseball season wraps up on June 4th and as soon as I get home I jump on the bike to get in an hour of work.  It's time to really get after it because my first real triathlon race is just over 6 weeks away and I have no idea what I'm doing. 

Every year, Tricia and I try to plan a trip to North Dakota to see her family in early summer.  This trip would be different.  We'd meet them in South Dakota instead and spend time in the Mt. Rushmore area. 

Just so happens there's a swim only event there that weekend that my sister-in-law has found.  Of course, my first thought is that this is a great idea.  Sure, I'm in.  "A Dam Good Swim" is the name of the race.  It's in the lake behind Pactola Dam.  Calm water, very controlled setting, right up my alley.  So I thought.....

In the days leading up to the race, we're informed that things are changing due to flooding.  WHAT?  I don't need all this.  Make this simple on me.  There would be no parking near the start line because the parking lot is completely flooded.  Race check-in would happen near the dam and we'd be shuttled down to the start line.  Tricia and I arrive early at the direction of the race director.  Lot's of standing around.......walked across the dam to get to a restroom.  Not at all an ideal setting.  Finally, I get a shuttle down to the start line. 

We stand around for an hour because the race team is delayed in getting buoys out.  Finally some race instructions.  I get my wet suit on and slowly wade into the water.  It's cold.....like really cold, or at least to me.  I finally get my face in the water and it takes my breath away.  HOLY CRAP!  The race organizer advertises this race at 68-72 degrees.  No FREAKING WAY!!!!  It's much colder, or so it feels.  I swim 2 strokes and freak out a bit.  I can't see my hand in front of my face.  The race organizer advertised the water as clear to about 20-30 feet.  DAMN, THAT'S COLD!!!  Race time and I'm slowly getting comfortable in the water.  Ok, I can do this.  The first group goes off.  They're going 2.4 miles.  My race is the 1.2 mile.  15 minutes until I go.  I'm wading around in this cold water.  I swim 4 -5 strokes and the cold water gets me.  I swim 5-6 strokes, no better.  Everyone in my race starts to gather near the start line and I find my way to the back of the group.  My only hope at this point is to complete this race.  No need to 'race', just going through the motions. 

The gun goes off and I let everyone take out ahead of me.  I get my face in the water and freak out.  I swim 2-3 strokes and lose my breath.  I raise my head up out of the water and start flailing.  I'm panicking and don't know how to do this.  Another 5-6- strokes in this cold water and another freak out.  Breath taken, Heart racing. Doggy paddle, cold, heavy breathing, heart racing, 3 more strokes of real swimming, head up, breath taken, heart racing, more doggy paddle.  I'm 75 yards off the start line and I stop.  I try to regain my breath and slow my heart rate.  I take 15-20 seconds as I see everyone in my race pulling away farther toward the first buoy.  5-6 more strokes and attempting to breath every stroke.  My breath is taken again.  I freak out and decide today's not my day.  I pull up, float for a second, and backstroke my way back to the start line.  Done.  Finished.  What the hell was I thinking when I signed up to do this???  I'm NOT a SWIMMER. 

The Eddie Ferrell, Music City Triathlon is a staple in the city and brings out all of the local triathletes.  I decide it's important to eliminate as much of the race morning anxiety as I can by picking up my packet and dropping off my bike the day before.  I get there and realize I'm completely out of place here.  I know some of these people through running, but I'm lost.  It's a lot like the first time I ran a big race.  Not knowing where to go or what order things get done and so on.  Fortunately, Tricia is with me and I gotta at least act like I know what I'm doing!  haha! 

I see some familiar faces and chat for a minute or two, then I see Season!  What a welcome sight!  Runner, Triathlete, Race Organizer, good friend.  I haven't seen her in probably a year at this point, maybe more.  I introduce her to Tricia and we catch up for a minute.  She knows that I've taken on this challenge of doing an Ironman and is extremely supportive and curious.  As a friend, she wants to make sure I'm doing everything I can to get ready for the big day and knows that this is a 'training race' for me.  Me, I kept saying that, but my anxiety was growing with every minute.  Tricia and I walk down to the river......yeah, the Cumberland River, where I'll be jumping off a perfectly good dock the next morning to swim 300 yards or so.  This is stupid!!!  Will this turn into another 'Dam Good Swim' spectacle?  Or can I really do this?

Race day arrives and I'm nervous.  I'm up extremely early to make sure that I have everything packed that I need.  Wetsuit - CHECK, Cycling Shoes - CHECK, Helmet - CHECK, Running Shoes - CHECK, WETSUIT- CHECK!!  I arrive at the race plenty early.  I get everything laid out around my bike.  The 'jerk' next to me not-so-politely tells me to move my things as I'm in 'his space'.  Clearly he doesn't know this is my first race and that I have no clue what I'm doing, or that I've only made it this far from youtube videos.  I see Brad and Emily and they want to get in a little run to warm-up.  Wait, I thought the swim was the warm-up!  haha!  I agree to go and grab my running shoes.  We run a couple of miles and given it's July......I work up a nice sweat.  Just in time to put on a wetsuit.  Not the easiest thing I've ever tried.  Everyone begins to head toward the river and line up for jumping in.  The people doing the Olympic distance race board the General Jackson and they head up stream.  Everyone standing on shore applaud and cheer them on, all while my anxiety grows. 

It's a slow go as people one by one jump in to start the race.  Standing on the dock, I get to see lots of athletes swim by.  Some swimming as if they've done this their entire life, as if they have gills.  Others, not so much.  I have hope that I can do this.  I also have serious anxiety as I see those people who are struggling.  I'm standing behind a lady that I've talked to on a couple of occasions at the pool where I train.  She's doing this race without a wetsuit, her first without one.  The Olympic distance swimmers start to come into view and I slowly get to the start line.  5, 4, 3, 2, 1.......Here we go! JUMP!!!  DAMN That's cold!!!!  Face down, cold water, panic!  I tell myself to slow down.  I can manage this.  Face back in the water.  Panic.  Doggy Paddle.  I get my head turned and paddle as best I can.  I rollover to backstroke and slow my heart rate.  I try to roll back over to swim and freak out.  I hear one of the kayakers ask if I'm OK.  I nod that I'm fine.  Really Stephen, are you fine?!?!?  Doggy paddle, doggy paddle......I'm killing this doggy paddle!  Oh, there's Tricia, she's taking a picture of me doggy paddling.  That won't be my favorite triathlon photo of all time.  Let's try to swim.  Ok, there's 5 strokes.  Doggy paddle.  5-7 more strokes.  Hey, there's the finish line.  I got this..........

I come out of the water feeling exhausted, but I made it.  I completed the swim portion of this race!  That's worth celebrating.  I take my time getting up the hill from the river and try to slow my heart rate.  Once I reach my bike, I'm ready to roll.  I had come out of the water 25th of 26 in my Age Group.  Now, let's get after it!  I get out of transition on the bike and know that I have to pace myself.  While this is only a 14'ish mile bike ride, I've got to run following this.  Not something I've really practiced doing a lot.  I'm patient to start and take my time settling in.  By the time I get to Ellington Parkway, I'm ready to do some racing.  I'm consistently passing people, lot's of people.  As I make the turn to come back, I know that the worst of the climbing on the course is behind me.  Let's get after it.  I push hard all the way back into downtown.  As I get close to the stadium, I ease up a bit knowing I need to shake out my legs so that I can run.  I've just put down the 7th best bike time in my age group and while I didn't know this at the time, I'm moving up quickly.  I get my bike racked and running shoes on.
 

Tricia has my hat and now we're gonna have a little fun.  I ease into this run, but I'm passing people right and left.  I know a lot of people got into the water before me, but this many???    The first mile I click off at 7:43.  I blow by a kid that everyone who passes cheers on and tells him how great he's doing.  I ask if he's ok.  He says yes, then I tell him to push harder!  haha!  Never let up, young man!  2nd mile at 7:29 and we're heading back toward the finish.  3rd mile at 7:10 and I feel really good all the way to the finish.  I've just put down the 4th fastest run in my age group.  Add all that together with my very slow transition times and I finish 7th in my age group.  While that swim was frustrating and I know I have lot's of work to do, I know now that if I make it out of the water that I can be competitive at this.

To be continued............

Hey Stephen! You are an Ironman!!! Part 1

What on earth was I thinking?  Seriously, at what point did I lose my mind here???  

The last time I wrote in my blog was November of 2016.  I had just quit at the 7 mile mark of the Indianapolis Marathon.  After that, I went to Huntsville in December of the same year to run the Rocket City Marathon, while I finished the race, it was mentally grueling.  In April of '17, I went to Boston for the third time, expecting to have an amazing race and feeling as fit, or more so, than I ever had.  Turns out Boston doesn't exactly care how fit you are and threw me a slider in the dirt that I didn't know how to handle.  It was a hot day by marathon standards and I wasn't prepared for that at all.  I ran the worst marathon time I'd posted since 2011.  With that performance, I was done with racing!!!  Finished!  Never lacing them up again.......or so I thought!

Oh wait (squirrel), I've got a guaranteed entry to the Chicago Marathon for 2018 (something shiny).  Let's get that on the books and see if I can slay this dragon in my head.  Chicago was very good to me the first time I ran it, maybe I can duplicate it again!  That would turn out to be an impossible task.  Training officially started the day that baseball season ended and I made it all of  7 weeks into the training before getting crushed by the dragon!  I tried to run a 10k on the 4th of July only to bail out half way through.  Then, after a family vacation to Florida, in which I didn't run at all (thinking the break would help), I came back to run 5 more days before totally bailing out on the plan!  Cancelled flights and hotel reservations without even so much as a whimper or a second thought.  Now, I'm really done!

So, what am I gonna do with all this extra time in my life.  Burger week only lasts 1 week.  I can't seriously eat like that any other week or I'd weigh 350.  For 3 weeks I sat around mostly did nothing.  Ran maybe 2 days per week.  Rode my bike a couple of times.  Ran once or twice more, then rode my bike 2 or 3 more times.  Hmmmm......that's actually enjoyable.  Maybe I'll buy a road bike and do a bit more riding.  At this point, I'm guessing that my wife already knows where this is headed.....she's way smarter than I am!!!  I still had no clue.  

I buy a road bike in September and start to ride a bit.  20 miles here and there just before the weather turns cold and then I get on the trainer at home for an hour at a time or until my butt can no longer handle the seat on this bike.  

Holy crap, these seats SUCK!!!  Still running a couple of days per week, 4-5 miles at a time, and now mixing in a couple of days on the bike.  By November I'm back to working out at least 5 days per week.  I'm feeling a bit better about myself and the fact that I don't have a race to look forward to, and can actually enjoy the run or ride.  By Thanksgiving I'm starting to think maybe a triathlon is in the future and I start digging around a bit for more info. By the first week of December, I start swimming 3 to 4 days per week, not having a clue what I'm doing and struggling to swim the length of the pool without drowning!  By the middle of the month, I'm thinking very seriously about an Ironman and by Christmas, I'm actually telling people about this crazy idea!!!  Before Tricia and I leave for Cancun for our New Year's trip, I register for a race.......Ironman Louisville.......October 13, 2019.  Damn!  What have I done???

I know going in that this is going to be the most challenging thing I've ever done.  Why?  Because I don't swim!  Like, I can swim the length of the pool, but that's mostly without breathing and I'm positive I can't swim 2.4 miles without breathing.... The first thing I do is reach out to Ironman friends Brad and Emily Rollins.  Brad has been coaching for several years and Emily is his prized client, in more ways that one!  They are both dedicated triathletes and working folk.  They get that there are other things going on in life that sometimes take priority.  They both also know how to get to the finish line..........fast.  I can manage the life part, I just need to know how to get to the finish line.  We talked about getting started the day that I get home from my last baseball game, whether that's the last weekend of the regular-season in May or after the Regional round of the NCAA Tournament at the end of the first week in June.  Between January and that time, I'd work to build fundamentals in the pool and some conditioning on the bike.  As Brad would say, "we gotta condition that taint!"  Oh geez, what am I doing?  

During baseball season, it's really tough for me to get into a rhythm with any sort of regular exercise.  Yes, from 2015 to 2017, I managed to train for Boston during the bulk of baseball season, but that's not the norm, nor have I ever wanted it to be.  Going out for a 22 mile run on Saturday morning before working a 3 hour baseball game is not my idea of a good time.  As baseball season starts, I find my way to the pool 4-5 days per week.  I add 3-4 days per week on the bike, all of it on the trainer.  I back off a great deal on the run as I know that's going to be my strength as we get to the summer training.  I decide that I'm not going to be beat by a lesser athlete just because he/she has a better bike setup, so I buy a Tri bike in mid spring and spend all my trainer rides on it getting comfortable being in the aero position.  

Emily passes along some of her swim workouts and I try, as best I can, to execute them.  I feel like rock in the water and probably look like a flailing cat fighting the water with every stroke.  This may be even harder than I thought!  

Baseball season wraps up for me the first week in June.  The NCAA selected me to work the Regional round of the baseball championship.  This year, they sent me to Stanford University in Palo Alto, CA.  Yeah, that's me with a front row seat for a laser to left center.  

As Brad and I had discussed, we'd start my training on June 4th, as soon as I got off the plane.  I felt as though I had done a good job getting my taint conditioned on the trainer in the spring, but had no clue what I was getting myself into when I got outside to ride.  35 miles, 50 miles, 57 miles, 70 miles.....and the numbers will keep growing. We decide it's important for me to do a couple of shorter distance races.  My first triathlon would be the Music City Triathlon Sprint race and oh, what a learning experience this turns out to be.........

...........to be continued.

Baseball, Boston and Plantar Fasciitis

Do you smell it?  Seriously?  Take a whiff.  That's the smell of college baseball's opening day being only 30 days away.  It's this time of year, every year, that I start to really miss the game of baseball.  There is nothing better than a freshly cut baseball field on a sunny spring day.  The smells and sounds of the game remind me so much of why I love being a part of it and work so hard to hold up my end of the bargain.  This year, baseball season is going to be a bit different because I'm training for a marathon.  I've never actually undertaken a spring marathon because of baseball.  That's always been my sort of built in recovery period from a summer and fall full of training.  To say that this is going to be a challenge is a gross understatement.  My anxiety level goes up every time I look at my calendar for the month of March.



So, there's a little race that starts in Hopkinton, MA on Patriot's Day that I was lucky enough to qualify for and be accepted into.  It ends 26.2 miles later in Boston at Copley Square.  This will be known as the 119th running of The Boston Marathon.  When I first started thinking about running a marathon almost 6 years ago, I never thought this was even a possibility.  Now, it's about to go down!!!


I'm stoked about the opportunity to run this race.  Coming off a disappointing day in the New York Marathon, I'm even more motivated and dedicated to my training.  In two weeks, I'll actually start a 12-week training cycle.  This is going to be a bit different for me because I've always done 16-18 weeks with a base building phase.  Not so much this time.  Fortunately, since New York, I've continued to run and have stayed in at least half-marathon shape and have a solid base under me.  Another change in my training is that I've assigned specific paces to each of my workouts.  In the past, I just ran how I felt except on Monday's when I would do speed work.  My thought behind this is to give each run a 'purpose' if you will.  Speed, Tempo, Long Run, Recovery....whatever it is that is going to make me fast enough to chase down another PR and do it in Boston.

Speaking of half-marathons and PRs, one of my goals for the year is to run a PR at every distance.  This coming Sunday, I take my first shot at a PR in the half-marathon.  I'll be running the Naples Daily News Half in Naples, FL.  Those of us that live and run in middle Tennessee know nothing about how flat this course is.  We think that the Tom King and Middle Half are flat courses.  Dude........this course is as flat as an airport runway.  Flatter than a 4th-grade girls chest! HA!  I think there might be 5 feet of elevation change.  That said, it's up to me to go out and race smart and put in a good effort.

One thing that could stand in the way of a solid effort is a case of Plantar Fasciitis that I've been dealing with for a couple of months now.  While this hasn't exactly slowed me down, or stopped me from running, it is something that I know is always there and it takes me a bit longer to loosen up.  I really feel this each morning when I get out of bed and shortly after a run when everything starts to tighten back up.  Last week I saw a doctor in Nashville that performed some Dry Needling, ART and I'm using some Kenesio Tape.


I got almost immediate relief.  This week has been much easier than past weeks and I've even knocked out a couple of really 'comfortable' runs.  I'm finding that it's all upstream from my foot.  Tightness in my calves, hamstrings and back seem to be the source for all my pain.  I'm really trying to be diligent about stretching and the use of my Stick and massage balls.  We'll see how things shake out on Sunday.

Here's a bit of a recap of last week's running.......
Monday - 9.4 Miles - Track Work - 1.25 mile WU, 400, 800, 1200, 1600, 1600, 1200, 800, 400 with 400 recovery jogs between each segment, 1.25 mile CD.  I didn't execute this perfectly, but wow, I felt great about just finishing this workout.  I know that I got better while doing this one.
Tuesday - 7 miles
Wednesday - 7 miles
Thursday - OFF - Travel Day
Friday - (Dry Needling and ART) - 7 miles
Saturday - 7.85 miles - Felt very fatigued in my calves from the previous day's treatment.  Cut this one short.
Sunday - 8.1 miles

2 weeks until Boston training officially starts.  I'm feeling pretty good about where I am physically and the progress that I've made with the Plantar Fasciitis.  Hopefully there's more relief on the way.

2015 Goals

As Christmas and the beginning of a new year approach, it's time to put into writing some goals to be accomplished during the 365 days of 2015.  2014 unfortunately, turned out to be one big learning experience for me, and one that I won't soon forget.  Let's hope that I've learned enough from the current year that allows me to succeed in the next one.  So, here we go........

Goal #1 - 2,500 Miles - This year is going to be different for me in that I've never ran a spring marathon.  This year, I am lucky enough to be going to Boston in April for that little race they hold there.  That said, I've never run a large number of miles during the spring (160 total for March 2014), and specifically during baseball season.  This year that changes and hopefully I can keep up with the demands of both marathon training and baseball season.  I'm going into the new year assuming that I'm also doing a Fall marathon.  With that commitment,  I think this goal is within reach considering I'm closing in on 1,900 miles this year and haven't exactly gotten after it the last month of so.

Goal #2 - A New PR in EVERY Distance - This was a goal that I laid out for 2013 as well and the reason for putting it out there again is so that I race and plan to race.  I ran a grand total of 4 races during 2014.  3 Half Marathons and 1 Marathon.  I don't believe that I toed the line often enough to be able to best embrace my competitiveness.  I love all of my running friends, and foes for that matter, but for the time that we are racing, my only mission in life is to beat you to the finish line.  In order to be better at racing, you gotta race.  I know already that I have a shot at two new PRs with a half in Naples, FL (1/18/15) and a marathon in Boston.  I'll start looking at the race calendar over the next few days to figure out where and when to attack the 5 and 10k distances.

Goal #3 - Help someone else achieve a new PR - I've been absolutely blessed to be surrounded by so many who are willing to help.  So many people willing to share little bits of information that they've acquired through study and experience to help me become better.  I think that now it is my turn to do this for someone else.  I don't know how this happens or what shape/form this comes in, but part of my becoming a better runner, athlete and person is to help others achieve their goals as well.

Goal #4 - Re-Qualify for Boston - Complacency has a way of letting the obvious hide in plain sight.  This goal seems to piggy-back on goal #2, but I feel that it needs to be put into writing.  If I PR at the marathon distance, I will re-qualify for Boston.  That isn't enough though.  This goal needs to be front, center and in my face as much as possible.  I've told people for the past year or so that an ongoing goal of mine is to be able to run Boston any year that I choose to do it.  Therefore, this goal needs to appear on my yearly list of goals.

Goal #5 - Cross-training - Reflecting back on the things that went right in 2013, and what went wrong in 2014, cross-training is one of the things that I must get back to doing.  Swimming, cycling, core strength training, increased flexibility.  I need to be much more consistent about all of these things.  The goal is to add two of these items each week to my schedule.  Even if it's only 30 minutes at a time.  I'll track this along with my running to ensure that I stay on track.  The challenge will be keeping up with this routine when the training mileage gets high and baseball season is in full swing.  

So, with 1 day left until 2015, it's time to get moving on some of these goals.  Over the next few days, as I learn where I'll be traveling for baseball, I'll start researching race calendars to see when I can fit in shorter distance races during the spring.  I'll also be researching yoga classes, boot camps, etc. in Nashville, Naples and whatever other cities I'm going to be in for the next 5 months so that I can work toward all of these goals.  

A big hope of mine for 2015 is that I've learned from the past couple of years.  I've experience enormous highs and some interesting lows.  Let's hope hope that I've aligned these goals with all of those experiences.  That said, what are some of your goals for the coming year?  Anyone setting a mileage goal or a PR goal?  Respond to this and let me know.  I'm very interested in what others set as goals.

Wow, it's already Christmas???

Are you kidding me?  It seems like yesterday that I was writing a recap of 2013 and basking in the pleasure of my successes throughout that year.  It seems like yesterday that I was giddy with excitement for my acceptance into the 2014 New York City Marathon and the upcoming college baseball season.  Now, it's late December and I'm wondering how exactly this year disappeared.  This has definitely been a roller-coaster of a year with all sorts of new experiences.

Before looking forward to 2015, I think it is important to look back at the current year.  What did I do right and wrong, and what can I do better in the coming year.  First failures and then successes.  Failures are always tougher to admit than the successes, so let's get those out of the way.

My first failure was putting all of my eggs in one basket.  During 2013, I set multiple goals and chasing each of those contributed to the success of all of them.  In 2014, I had a single goal, breaking the 3:00.00 marathon barrier and that was my sole focus.  My 'one basket' was the New York City Marathon in November and while I feel I was prepared to chase that 3:00.00 barrier, the conditions that day didn't allow for it.  The learning point here is that chasing multiple running related goals will make me better, or better prepared for all distances.

My second failure was that I stopped chasing knowledge.  There was a bit of complacency that set in after I qualified for Boston in 2013 and I stopped reading about how I could get better and stopped learning.  When I started running, I chased every bit of information that I could get my hands on.  Whether it be reading books, websites and magazines, or talking with fellow runners and co-workers.  I think I've already rectified this problem.  I have 3 books lined up and ready to read that I hope will give me the knowledge necessary to continue to grow as a runner, athlete and person.  While I no longer have a 12-time (or is it 13?) Ironman sitting beside me at work, I know that he's an email or phone call away and that I need to be a bit more resourceful for those personal interactions with more experienced athletes.

My third failure was that I just simply ran during 2014.  During 2013, I was committed to 'doing more' than just running.  I swam 3 or 4 days a week for 30-40 minutes at a time.  I rode my bike, even though in the trainer in my living room, more miles that I ever had.  I did yoga from time to time and I was committed to my Trademarked (not so much) 'Commercial Break Workout'.  I must get back to more 'cross-training'.  Having better full body strength and fitness is extremely important for me to push myself as far and as hard as my mind believes that I can go.

Now, let's talk about successes.  This is the short section of the post.  One real success times 3.  During 2013 I didn't even attempt a half marathon.  During 2014, I ran 3 of them.  Each one producing a new personal best.  I've always said I wanted to get myself into good enough shape that I could go out and race a half-marathon on a moment's notice.  Well, in April I put that to the test in Columbus, MS.  Fortunately I knew a couple of weeks prior that I was going to race, but I wasn't exactly in 'racing shape'.  I posted a new PR that day by 2 minutes to get my half PR to 1:34.44.  I went out way too fast and had to listen to Emily Rollins give me grief afterward.  I deserved every bit of it.

The 2nd PR was at the Middle Half in Murfreesboro.  This race came during the last high-mileage week of marathon training for New York.  I had already run 55 miles for the week going into the race and still came out with an almost 3 minute PR, 1:31.54.  Really made me wonder just how fast I could go if focused on training for a half.  

The last PR came earlier this month at the inaugural Mt. Juliet Half.  Well rested, but not well trained, I went 1:31.19, shaving off more than 30 seconds.  My goal for that day was to simply have a consistent race.  After two miles of ridiculous hills at miles 3 and 4, I settled in and had my most consistent race performance yet.  A very nice way to close the year.

So, what's in store for 2015?  Over the next few days, I'll be writing down my goals for the coming year.  Having that commitment in writing is very powerful for me.  Knowing that someone else has read (or thinking someone else has read) what I plan to do really commits me to doing it.  Once I put the goals to paper, or the internets, I'll come up with a racing plan that best prepares me for another year of successes.

In the meantime, I've got some shopping to do!  Geez, how did this come up on me so quickly???  Merry Christmas peoples!  I hope that you only get coal if you asked for it!

Week 3 - NYC

July is supposed to be filled with 100 degree runs, exhausted bodies, and dehydration.  The past couple of weeks, I was running in Naples and that's exactly what I was given.  Now a week at home and I'm met with the Polar Vortex.  What?  It's July....what on earth does that mean?  Well, to me, it means amazing conditions for running and a good opportunity to find out where exactly the bar is set, and hopefully raise it!

Monday - 5 x Hills

The vortex hasn't yet arrived and mid-day temps were in the low 90s.  At lunch I decided to get in a swim at the Y and try to work out some of the soreness in my lats and shoulders from the prior couple of days.  Just what the doctor orders and the abs are starting to feel more normal now.  Back home and working, I kept an eye on the radar and could see that the rain would be arriving around 4:30-5:00 p.m.  By 6:00 I was jonesing to get out of the house and started checking my lightning detector to see how just how close some of these strikes were.  After a few minutes and lightning more than 6 miles away, I decided to start a run.  With a light rain and a temp that had dropped into the 70's, these conditions were perfect for a great workout.  Hill repeats at paces of 6:31, :29, :28, :25, and :28.  Exactly where I wanted to be.  Warm up miles at 7:41 and 7:24.  Cool Down miles at 7:39 and 7:26.  Workouts like these make me feel like a 'real' runner.

Tuesday - 8 Miles

I had planned to take this one slow after another great swim workout at lunch.  I managed to stick to that plan for about a mile.  The temp was 80 degrees and humidity was extremely low.  This was a great afternoon for a run.  Just over 3 miles in I ran up on Mark Buckreis and we ran together for a mile or so.  Like me, he was out for a longer mid-week run simply because the weather was so good.  Finished with 8.6 miles at 7:36 pace.  This run felt very, very good.  

Wednesday - 7 Miles

East Nasty!  I haven't been able to run with this group for a couple of months and was very excited to do so.  It's always great to see so many like-minded, positive people.  To see all those familiar faces and even the new ones.  It is especially motivating to see those people involved in the 'Potato to Tomato' 5K training program.  I believe it takes a ton of courage to take that first step toward some level of fitness.  Christopher and I ran 3.5 miles prior to the East Nasty route for a good warm-up.  The plan was to go around 7:30-7:45 for the 4.22 miles with East Nasty.  With a temp of 77 degrees, this very quickly turned into a pseudo race.  Erin and I quickly pulled away from the 8:00 group and were joined just after the first mile by Beth Meadows.  Anyone that knows Beth knows that she's the one guilty of pushing the pace!  ;)  4.22 miles at 7:07 pace.  Stoopid!  Overall  7.76 miles for the day. 

Thursday - OFF DAY

This was a stressful day for me.  Working remotely during the week meant working from the house.  Having an off day meant no run, no swim, and really not much of anything in terms of physical activity.  Add to that another perfect day for running and I felt like a drug addict in search of his next fix.  

Friday - 7 Miles

Friday is my 'marathon pace' run day.  I'm getting closer and closer with each week that goes by.  Thankfully the polar vortex is sticking around to help me out.  I know that these temps won't last much longer, so I'm pushing it a bit on these runs.  7.2 miles at 7:16 pace.  The last 3.2 miles were sub 7:00 pace.  Runs like this give me confidence to believe that maybe I can break that 3 hour mark.....maybe.  Still a lot of hard work to be done.  

Saturday - 14 Miles

My alarm goes off at 4:30 a.m. on Saturday mornings.  Usually this gives me time to eat, drink, use the facilities, brush my teeth and drive to wherever I'm meeting people to run.  Not on this morning.  As I got out of bed I could hear it raining and decided to check things out before starting my routine.  I opened the door to look outside and saw a 'frog strangler' going on.  I then went to my computer to look at the radar.  Green and yellow everywhere!!  3 minutes after getting up and I'm back in bed!  YES, I get to sleep in!!!  I woke up about 6 hours later (yes, 6) and knew that I needed to get my run in.  The rain had cleared and the temp was starting to climb.  I decided to do the route that was planned by PR Bandits for earlier in the a.m., just because I knew of a couple of water stops along the way.  Bongo to Bongo it was.  I took my time and enjoyed a trip through the heart of Nashville.  14.07 miles complete at just over 8:00 pace.  

Sunday - 7 Miles

An early flight to Naples to start the work week.  The plan was to spend the afternoon on the beach and I knew that I needed to run as soon as I got checked into the hotel.  I clicked my heels together to find out that I was not in Tennessee anymore and that the polar vortex had not reached south Florida.  90+ degrees and 70% humidity.  It only took me a few hundred yards to realize how fortunate I was for the past week to have such amazing running conditions.  I would not need to remind myself that this is a Sunday 'recovery' run and to take it easy.  7.34 miles at 7:56 pace.  Random Thought: One of the coolest things about running in Naples is that there are sidewalks and bike lanes everywhere.  I was able to change up my route and run as far as I wanted without being concerned with being forced into traffic because the sidewalk/bike lane ended abruptly.  

This was an overall great week of training.  I'm feeling good about where I am physically.  Mentally, I have a bit of work to do and still need to find more motivation on some of these more 'challenging' runs.  3 weeks complete, 15 weeks to go.  

Week 2 - NYC

Summertime is very much here and training is underway.  Physically, I feel good, not great.  I'm struggling a bit with motivation right now to keep pushing through the miles.  I almost feel like my mileage hasn't yet reached that threshold of 'serious' training.  I know that I have to work on this and get to a complete focus if I want to achieve my BHAG (Big, Hairy, Audacious Goal). 

Monday - 30 Minute Tempo
I haven't done a real tempo run since last November and really didn't know what to expect as I started out.  I had planned to see if I could drop the pace down to about 7:20 and hold that for 30 minutes.  I had also planned to get this run done before heading to work on this morning.  It was pouring rain when the alarm started blaring at me and I got in an extra hour or so of sleep.  Luckily, the sun didn't come out until late in the day and I was able to do this run at lunch in somewhat comfortable conditions.  After a warm-up mile (7:54), I started dropping the pace to see what I could do.  7:29, :30, :22, :18, :12 and a 'cool-down' half mile at 7:23.  The 7:12 seemed to be the mile of least effort.  Maybe I need to re-evaluate my paces for these runs?  6.47 miles.

Tuesday - 6 Miles
The training calendar calls for 6 miles.  The weather calls for something more.  Again, great conditions for a run.  It was very hot when I started but a big storm cloud rolled in bringing a cool breeze that begged for me to run.  Doing 'out & back' routes for me is a good thing.  I'm always aggressive and confident in the first few miles (and not very good at math), but know that have to get back and running is the only option.  After coming off a faster run, I didn't expect to run this fast.  7.45 @ 7:30 pace.  Now I know that I need to re-evaluate my speed paces.

Wednesday - 6 Miles
The heat returns.  Heat Index of 107 as I leave the office to do this run.  I knew after two faster days of running that I must take this one slower and the heat reinforced this.  6.57 @ 7:54.  This one hurt.  Probably more than it should.  Not sure if it was the speed of the prior couple of days or if the heat really hurt me that much.  Either way, I was glad when this one was done.  

Thursday - OFF DAY
Very quickly, this is becoming my favorite day of the week!  ;)

Friday - 7 Miles
Back home and glad to be able to unpack the suitcase for a week.  Word is that the 'Polar Vortex' is returning.  Good timing to be home for a week.  Luckily, the humidity is low, whereas the temperature is not.  90'ish degrees for a late afternoon run on the greenway after my first swim of the training season.  My body is beginning to question what the heck we are doing!  I once was very bored with this route because I ran it way too often.  Now with the incredibly flat ground of South Florida as my weekday training ground, I'm excited to run this.  Friday's are marathon pace runs and this one got a bit closer.  7.18 miles @ 7:31 pace.  Felt a bit 'weak' in the core, but I attribute that to the swim.  

Saturday - 13 Miles
Decided to run with Christopher, Lindsey, Emily and others.  The route would be opposite of the PR Bandits, PWP to Radnor route.  We altered the route a couple of times, even from the start.  The first 5 miles were pretty good and then we stopped for what seemed like an eternity for a water break.  I feel as though I drank too much water while we were stopped and never really recovered from this.  I was also feeling this run in my core from the prior day's swim.  Very quickly this became miserable and I just wanted it over.  12 miles @ 7:52 pace.  I think I needed one of these difficult mental runs to bring me to a more complete focus.  Walking away from a run where I come up short on the mileage haunts me until the next day's run when I can get it out of my system.  This one would be no different.  It was there, at the forefront of my mind, the remainder of the day.

Sunday - 6 Miles
The intent for Sunday is simply time on the feet and to get the legs moving again.  I feel like I type that sentence every time I write one of these things, but it's very important for me to remember and focus on during these runs.  6.59 miles @ 8:00 pace.  This felt surprisingly good considering the temp, the swim two hours earlier, and the prior day's mental struggle.  

Overall a very good week.  I know that I need to re-evaluate my training paces for my faster runs.  I also know that I need to start focusing on some core strength.  Being home for a week gives me an opportunity to do both.  With a polar vortex moving in, I should be able to determine what a true pace feels like and adjust from there.  Just over 46 total miles for the week with a couple of good swims.   

2 weeks down, 16 to go.  

NYC - Week 1

Wow, it really is here.  The TCS New York City Marathon is 17 weeks away.  That seems like forever as I sit here writing, but I know that it's coming quick and it's time to get ultra-focused and start paying attention to the details of my running, diet, and rest schedules.  I've said for the past couple of years that I don't want to start out my training plan struggling to complete the workouts.  For me, I want the first 3-4 weeks of the training plan to be about the daily run and dialing in my paces for specific workouts.  That said, the week prior to the first week of training resulted in a 48 mile week with a 14 mile 'long' run right at 8 minute pace.  This was the highest mileage in a week for me since mid-November and thankfully my body felt really good after this.  I needed this week for the confidence that it gives going into the first couple of weeks of dedicated training.  

Monday - 4x1 Mile Repeats @ 6:30'ish
Really, is this how we're going to start this out??  Actually, the training plan called for hill repeats, but working in Naples doesn't exactly create easy opportunities for hill repeats, so, to the track I go.  I've also been trying to run in the heat of the day down here to acclimate my body to those conditions.  It's getting a bit easier, but I know that it'll never be truly easy.  It was 92 degrees with a heat index of 106 when I left the office.  I knew this was going to be tough but, after a 1.25 mile warm-up run from the hotel to the track, I nailed the first two miles and was just a bit off on the 3rd and 4th.  I'll take it for the first hard workout of the plan.  Then I had to drag my butt back to the hotel 1.25 miles away.  That might have been the hardest part of the workout.  Total elevation gain during the run..........5 feet! 

Tuesday - 6 Miles
Another lunch time run.  90 degrees with a heat index above 100.  I took this one nice and easy as the legs were feeling the prior day's workout.  Just under 6.5 miles at 8:00 pace.   Total elevation gain......10 feet!  WooHoo!!! 

Wednesday - 6 Miles
This was supposed to be a bit of a faster workout, almost like a tempo run.  The heat however had other ideas for my body and the run. Another 90 degree day with a heat index above 100.  After a mile to warm-up and ease into it, I tried to pick up the pace and there was absolutely nothing in the tank.  Two miles in I was soaked in sweat again and frustrated.  I decided to pull the plug on this workout and run again later in the evening when the temp wasn't so intense.  4.3 miles.  Total elevation gain......10 feet! Seriously....can a brotha get a hill to run???

After work I got back to the hotel and took my time getting back out on the street.  I could very much tell a difference in the conditions when I finally got back out.  The plan was to only do the two miles necessary to get my 6 for the day, but what's the point of getting all sweaty for just 2 miles, right?  3.6 miles and just under 8 total for the day.  Total elevation gain.....9 feet.  I am not amused!  

Thursday - OFF DAY - TRAVEL DAY

Friday - 6 Miles (Half the distance of the long run)
Welcome home.  I tried to gather a couple of people to run on this morning because I knew the temp would be nice, but most everyone was either racing or complained about my planned pace.  I wanted to do 6 to 8 miles at 7:30 pace.  I like to try to get my Friday runs down close to marathon pace.  While this isn't quite marathon pace yet, it would give me a good idea of how out of shape, or not, I am.  So, when no one wanted to join me, I decided to sleep until I woke up.  Hello 11:00 a.m.!  Guess I was wiped out.  I took my time, grabbed a coffee, had some breakfast, started some laundry and then decided it was time to knock out my run.  I ran from my house and through the neighborhood for 6.5 miles at 7:25 pace.  That felt incredibly good and was a huge boost of confidence.  I really didn't think I could pull off that pace.  Total elevation gain.....280 feet.  I really love running some Tennessee hills and think my body does too.  

Saturday - 12 Miles
During my first 3 years or so of marathoning, I always did my long runs alone.  Now, I don't know why I chose to do that.  A couple of summers ago a 'Facebook group' was started called PR Bandits.  A group of people that simply wanted to continue to run long following the Country Music Marathon and through the summer.  It's turned into a great group of people that are there for all sorts of reasons; training for the next marathon, triathlon, or just trying to stay in some sort of shape.  There are all different paces and everyone fits in somewhere.  This weekend's run was in my backyard and I had to make this one.  Friday night ended up being a bit later than planned because of firework related traffic, but I was up at 4:30 a.m. to be there and running by 6:00.  The group was small on this morning as most people raced or were out too late the day/night prior, but it was 57 degrees at start time and I wasn't about to miss this.  Christopher Murrey has become my Saturday morning pace partner.  Today, he's in much better shape than I and could probably drop me very easily if he wanted.  We ran together the previous Saturday and did so again on this day.  We decided we wanted to be at about 7:45 average pace for the day and proceeded to get after it.  12.34 miles at 7:44 pace.  I'd say we nailed it!  Great run.  Total elevation gain..........542 feet.  That's better!!! 

Sunday - 6 Miles (Half the distance of the long run)
The Sunday run is supposed to be a nice, easy recovery effort.  I'm not very good at this as I tend to get loose and just run with what's comfortable.  That tends to become a much faster run that a 'recovery effort' is intended.  One thing I want to focus on during this 18 weeks is the execution of each workout.  I was very intent today on keeping this slow and easy while mixing in a few more hills.  6.6 miles with 281 feet of elevation gain.  

Overall this was a very good start to the training.  I'm very much satisfied with my efforts and my willingness to adjust on the fly.  I like being very regimented and try to stick to the plan come hell or high water, but I've got to learn how to relax with that a bit and do exactly what I did in the middle of this week.  46.5 miles for the week.  One down, 17 to go!  

....and so it begins

The one thing that is constant is change.  It seems that since my last writing here, I've been reminded of this almost daily.  Sometimes change is bad and it forces each of us to take a focused look at what we're doing and figure out how to do it better.  Sometimes change is good and it gives us an opportunity to be thankful for the blessings that we've been given.  In some ways, over the last six months, I've experienced both of these.  Now, running season is upon me and it's time to see if I can chase down another PR.  

Just a short recap of the past six months or so.  Baseball season started (good change), layoff from my job (bad change), started new contract position (good change), running miles very low (bad change), incredible new job opportunity (good change), baseball season ends (good change), travel every week for work (big challenge).  As stated earlier, the one constant over the past six months has been change.  Slowly I'm figuring it all out.  There was panic at first, then rejoicing, and now just settling into what is becoming the routine.  

As I'm writing this, the Boston Athletic Association (BAA), administrators of the Boston Marathon announce the registration procedure for the 2015 race.  As I scan through the website I get cold chills when I see that Monday, September 15th at 10:00 a.m. ET is the date that I can officially commit to running the Boston Marathon.  That doesn't mean that I'm in just yet, but it does mean that I have a chance.  It seems so surreal to think that I ran my first marathon in October of 2009 as an overweight, out of shape guy that just wanted to check something off the bucket list and to try to get into shape.  I had a shape alright.....round.  Wow, what a significant turn around.  

So, speaking of marathons, two weeks from now I will officially begin my training plan for the New York City Marathon on November 2nd.  For me, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity to participate in one of the world's greatest races.  Millions of people (yes, plural) line the streets of NYC to cheer on the 50,000 runners that take on the challenge that is the marathon.  Can you even imagine a million people?  I can't!  And then two or three times that???  WOW!  Just wow!  New York......I'm coming for you and I'm bringing my best to tame your streets in less than 3 hours.  

Last summer during my training for Chicago, I took on the challenge of raising my mileage to a maximum of 80-85 miles per week.  Fortunately, that worked out extremely well and produced a 19 minute PR in Chicago and qualified me for Boston.  This summer is going to present another challenge.  My work schedule now has me in Florida Monday through Thursday.  Fortunately, I travel on Sunday evening, which shouldn't interfere with my training assuming I get my butt out of bed, and on Thursday evening.  In my training plans, Thursday is typically that built-in off-day.  It will become a challenge however when my weekly mileage gets close to that 80-85 mile mark when I need to run on Thursday just to get the miles.  There is also a missing element here in Naples.....HILLS.  One of the workouts that I most enjoy during marathon training is a good hill workout.  It's sadistic to say that, but when finished with a hill workout, I know I'm a better runner because of it.  I've spent the last month scoping out bridges and parking garages for something that resembles a hill.  Seriously, a parking garage??? haha!

And so it begins.  Running season is upon us (me).  People are starting to train for fall/winter races and the temperatures are rising.  To all my runner friends, I wish you the best of luck in whichever race you decide to take on this fall/winter.  

While running a couple of days ago in Naples, I passed an elderly lady on the sidewalk who said "It's too hot for you..." in a very thick New Jersey accent.  I responded by saying, "Oh honey, we're just getting started!!", and with a smile I was gone!  As Lou Holtz once said, "No one ever drowned in sweat."  Let's get this party started!!!  

Till next time, to steal a line from my favorite sock-maker, Swiftwick, "Do What Moves You!"

Walking away from 2013......

It is here!!!  The end of another amazing year.  Full of new experiences and life changing decisions, 2013 has been all I expected and in some cases even more.  At the end of 2012, while on a flight to the Dominican Republic and reading the latest issue of Runner's World, I started writing down some of my 2012 accomplishments and once I finished, I wrote down some high-level 2013 goals.  I held onto that Runner's World and a few weeks back found it while looking for something else and took a few minutes to assess how I had done with those goals.  

The 5K
Shortly after deciding to run my first marathon in 2009, I ran a 5K as a fun run just to experience that 'race' feeling again.  That day I ran a 25:26.  A month later, I ran another at 25:15.  As a new 'runner' (if that's what you would call it), I was tickled to death with these results.  In both 2011 and 2012, I focused on running the marathon and ran a total of three 5K's.  In two of those three races I was beaten by 15 seconds by Jim Schwan.  Jim is a good friend but that doesn't mean I'm gonna let him continue to beat me.  I decided I needed to commit to running the 5K more often so that on Thanksgiving Day of 2013 I didn't finish 15 seconds behind Jim again.  So, goal #1 was to run a 5K per month for the year.  This got a little tough during the summer of crazy mileage marathon training, but I pulled it off!!!  And, I didn't finish behind Jim on Thanksgiving Day because he never made it to the start line. (He completed the Flying Monkey Marathon 4 days earlier).  GOAL #1 - CHECK

Goal #2a was also a 5K related goal.  Since that initial 25+ minute time, I had reached a point where I was consistently just above 21:00.  In my mind, this is pretty good for a 5K, but I really wanted to break that 21:00 barrier and with 12 chances to do it this year, it had to be possible, right?  In March I ran the Mt. Juliet Middle School 5K on a snowy Saturday morning.  I was very surprised by the number of people that showed up for this race considering the snow that was coming down.  The cold air must be the trick.  20:59.  Good for 3rd place overall that day.  GOAL #2a - CHECK.   So, considering this was the 2nd day of March, I felt the need to add another goal.  Let's break 20:30.  Why not right?  I really didn't think this was possible, but the week prior to the Chicago Marathon, I ran the Shelby Bottoms Boogie and crushed a 19:40.  WHAT???  Yeah, I looked at it twice too!  GOAL #2b - CHECK  (I've raised the bar awfully high here, so there will not be a 5K goal for 2014.)

The Half-Marathon
Toward the end of 2012 I ran the Music City Marathon and posted a very respectable 1:36 time.  In my 'overly aggressive' goal writing, I decided that I wanted to break 1:30 for the half-marathon.  This one gets carried over to 2014 simply because there wasn't enough time for me to schedule a half-marathon. I feel really confident that I can do this considering I ran a 1:32 front half during the Chicago Marathon.  This one should be easy pickens' for 2014.

The Marathon
When writing down my goals, I was three weeks removed from a 3 minute PR (3:29), which was preceded a 14 minute PR (3:32) from September.  I seriously wondered if there was any improvement left in my body.  I mean, I'm not 22 anymore, right?  (I'm really only 27, but don't tell anyone!  Shhhh!!!)  I guess though, without a goal, or something to shoot for, one will never know.  On the cover of that Runner's World, I wrote down "Sub-3:20 Marathon".  That would amount to another 9 minute plus PR.  In previous marathon attempts, I've seen big number improvements like that (13:00, 16:00, 9:00, 14:00), but as you get a bit faster, the amount of time that comes off becomes more difficult.  In my mind 9 minutes at sub-3:30 is twice as hard as 16 minutes at 4:30.  I may be wrong, but that's just the way I see it.  In February I got into the Bank of American Chicago Marathon and it was ON LIKE DONKEY KONG!!  Hahaha!  Or whatever the cool kids say these days!  I'll spare you the race recap as you can read it here in an earlier post, but with a 3:10 on Marathon Sunday, I not only crushed the sub-3:20 goal, I destroyed it and qualified for Boston in the process.  GOAL #4 - CHECK (DESTROYED!!!) 

Goal #5
During 2012, I ran 1623 miles.  A number that I looked at almost in disbelief.  At the same time, I wondered if I could possible get to 2,000 miles.  I was planning some significant changes to my training that I knew would add mileage and if I stayed healthy, I could surely get close, right?  On Saturday, December 7th, I surpassed the 2,000 mile mark.  With more than 20 days left in the year I would say that I crushed this goal as well.  GOAL #5 - CHECK

Walking Away.......
As I started planning how to get to the marathon goal of sub-3:20, I wanted to make sure that I had more than one chance at this during the year.  Getting in two marathons during a fall racing season is a challenge, both physically and mentally.  After having such an incredible race in Chicago, mentally I don't think I ever 'checked back in' to my training.  I completed the each of the runs and went through the motions, but never got to that determined point of focus needed for me during marathon training.  Physically, I was a little nicked up as well.  All of the miles and the hard workouts for the past 6 months were starting to hurt.  Pain that was tolerable, but ever-present.  I knew that I needed time off and that certainly didn't help my mental state.  On 12/14 I was to run the Rocket City Marathon in Huntsville, AL.  I had run this race last December and knew the course was one that I could post a good time.

Saturday morning the rain started pouring about 3 a.m.  At 6:00 when I got up for coffee and breakfast, still pouring.  At this point physically I'm still in for the start.  Mentally I checked out months ago! At 7:00 still pouring as I start putting on my running gear.  7:15 while looking out the window of my hotel room, I see that the empty lot across the street looks more like a lake than it does anything else.  I decided at that point that mentally I was not prepared for 26.2 miles on that day.  I sent a simple text message to Nate that read "I'm out! Heading back to bed."  30 minutes later we were both walking away from the start line looking toward the next year of running, the next race and the next goal to fall on the list.  I found myself 'justifying' my decision throughout the day before finally coming to peace with it.  Knowing deep down that the marathon is something that I expect to be able to give my best effort and anything less can be a greater disappointment.  

So, as I walk away from 2013, and prepare to run into 2014, I am incredibly thankful for the health that I have and the ability to even try these things.  I'm also very thankful for the incredible experience of 2013.  I'm extremely thankful for the friends and peers that I've met through running.  Most of them inspire me in one way or another to be better at what I'm doing.   Others of them teach me how to be better.  And all of them, and I mean all of them, will gladly talk your ear off about running!   

Merry Christmas (Yes, Christmas! You know, immaculate conception, the manger, wise men, 'franken-scent' and baby Jesus) and Happy New Year to you all.    

Reflecting on Goals

While cleaning up around the house tonight I found the Runner's World magazine that I read while on a plane to the Dominican Republic for my New Years vacation last year.  On the cover of that, I wrote down some 2012 accomplishments and 2013 goals.  It's very interesting to look back and see that 2012 was full of personal records just as 2013 has been.  I see a trend here.........and I like it!  In 2012, I set new PRs in the 5K, Half-Marathon, and Marathon. Two of which I updated this year (didn't attempt a half-marathon).  I look back on those times and recall how happy I was with that success and how eager I was to continue to work hard and find out how much improvement is left in this body. It is almost time to start thinking about goals for 2014, but, there's still a month left in 2013 for some hard work and hopefully improvement.   

I skipped writing about my training last week because things got a bit crazy with another high mileage week and work related deadlines.  The end of the year is coming and you'd think that the sky is falling.  Just so you know, it ain't fallin'!  That said, let's start with last Saturday's 'long run'.  

Saturday

This is the run that I like to treat as a race.  The training plan calls for 15 miles and my goal is to get to marathon pace, or better.  So, why not race?  The Viva La Diva 10 miler was this day and I recall Jackson Miller, Kevin Christian and Courtney Terrell running this race last year as a training run.  By golly, if you can run this course at or better than your goal marathon pace, you can run a marathon even faster. Lower your goal pace buddy!  Holy crap!  10 miles up, down, up, down and up more.  2.5 mile warm-up followed by 10 miles of hills into the wind.  3rd place overall, 2nd overall male, 1:10:31 for a 7:03 pace.  I'll take it.  Notice, no 2.5 mile cool down to get to 15 for the day.  It was cold enough and that race freaking hurt!

Sunday

The weather on this day just plain stunk.  I was a bit banged up from racing the day before and only really needed 8 miles of running.  I decided that I'd stay indoors and mix up my training with an hour on the bike.  Good call.  The knees and hips needed this one.

Monday

Start of the last high mileage training week of the year.  2 Mi. WU, 7 x 1 Mi., 1 Mi. CD.  Wasn't able to get this in at lunch when I wanted because of a dentist appointment.  Got to the track after 4:00 p.m. and knew I was going to finish in the dark.  Had my headlamp ready.  Temps started dropping as dark came and this workout got tougher with each progressive mile.  I did learn that I'm capable of pacing myself pretty well without being able to see my watch.  

Tuesday

Another day of running in the dark.  I really hate training this time of year!  10 miles in and around, and around, and around my neighborhood.  Ugh.  Took it pretty easy, but really just wanted this one over with as quick as I could.  

Wednesday

I had a little time in the schedule and the temps cooperated.  I had to escape the office. Ahhhh!  What is that in the sky?  Oh, it IS the sun!!!  55 Degrees and 10 miles later I'm eating lunch at my desk.  Hate doing that, but it was so worth it on this day!!!

Thursday

Another good weather day.  64 degrees for a nice and easy 6 miles.  Typically, Thursday is an 'off day', but in my highest mileage weeks, these miles are for volume only.  I try to work on different things as I work through these miles.  Stride length, foot fall, lowering my hands and running relaxed.  

Friday

Cold air is starting to move in again and by Sunday it will barely reach the freezing mark for the high.  11 miles today at 7:30 pace.  Friday runs are supposed to be faster and hopefully as fast as marathon pace, but in a high mileage week, this is very good for me.  Nice confidence builder.

Saturday

The last really long training run of the year.  22'ish miles and the goal is to be done in less than 3 hours.  That brings me in at about 8:00 per mile.  Not trying to set land speed records, but not trying to slack off either.  This is a comfortable pace that I know I can hold for a good while.  Temp was 35 at 6 a.m. when we started and the first day I've broken out the running tights.  Have I mentioned that I hate training this time of year???  Daniel, Katie, Chris and I went out together and at about mile 5 ran into Jackson, Ashley Evans and Emily Mack.  Of course, they were getting after it a bit faster than we were and rather than slowing down for us, we sped up for them.  Even at this :30 per mile faster pace, I felt very comfortable and that I could hold it all day.  It was good to catch up with each of them even if for just a couple of miles.  This turned out to be a really, really good run.  Chris decided in the last 3 or 4 miles to push the pace.  While Katie and I didn't exactly keep up, we stayed on the gas pedal and brought this thing home.  21.6 miles at 2:53.  I'll take it!

Sunday

After laying on the couch most all day Saturday and sleeping late on Sunday, I needed to get moving. It wasn't going to warm up at all today so let's go. Sort of like taking a band-aid off, the quicker you do it, the less it hurts.  33 degrees when I started and 11 miles at 8:15 pace.  The first 10 of these miles sucked, each one progressively worse.  As I passed the 10 mile mark, I remembered that I was closing in on 80 for the week.  This last one might have been the easiest, most enjoyable mile of the week. 

Grand total of 80.04 miles for the week and a boost of confidence after finishing the week in some tough weather conditions.  I told a friend that's a new runner that the distance makes you physically stronger, but the elements make you mentally stronger.  I may have gotten a bit stronger mentally this week.  Maybe the time off my feet the previous Sunday helped, but I didn't feel like I'd been run over by a Mack Truck yesterday when I wrapped things up.  My favorite time of the training cycle is here....Taper Time <insert sarcasm here>.  Less than 3 weeks till we blast off in Rocket City.