Just a quick note....today...July 25th, 2012, I broke 1k miles running for the year!!!! It may not be alot for some people, but it's the most I've ever done!
That is all...Keep Running!
That is all...Keep Running!
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Sunday, July 22, 2012
Week in Review 7/16 - 7/22
7/16 - Rest
7/17 - MAF Run; 6.22 miles; HR 147; time 1:17; pace 11:50 mile.
7/18 - MAF Run; 5.82 miles; HR 147; time 1:16; pace 12:10 mile.
7/19 - Battalion Hike; 7.9 miles; 25 lbs pack, 30 lbs vest; time 2:27. Physically, it was an easy day, however, I obviously wore the wrong boots/socks, because I managed to get a total of 7 blisters. one on each heel, one on each forefoot, one on my left big toe, and one at the base of each Achilles tendon. The ones at the base of the tendons have given me the most trouble, as they are about 1/2 dollar size. They are going to take awhile to heel up good, so I'll keep treating them, and wait it out.
7/20 - Rest/blister surgery.
7/21 - Rest.
7/22 - Took the dog out for a hike. 4.14 miles; time 1:10. Gear review to follow.
Total Weekly miles: 24
Miles to date 2012: 992
So I'm done for the Maximum Aerobic Function training for a bit. I have a 15k trail race coming up in 4 weeks, and it's time to get some speed work in. While I'm planning to use this as more of a training run than anything, I still want to perform well. I'll start throwing in some fartlek and hill training, just to make sure I'm not going out there just to run it at a MAF pace.
The trail race I signed up for is the Qdoba Dino Series 15k, at Southwest Way park in Indianapolis. I figure that if I'm going to be up there for some leave on my way out to California for my new duty station, I might as well get a race in. It's just a small local series, but it should be a good fitness check if nothing else.
This was a fairly easy week, mostly due to the fact that I couldn't get any long runs in this weekend. My feet are TRASHED thanks to the unit hike I had to do for work. Such is military life I suppose. It's probably going to take me a few more days to totally heel up, as my feet got pretty tore up. I wore my favorite, most broken in boots, which in turn left me with broken up feet. I'll keep treating them, and plan on still getting back on running hard starting in the coming week. Note to self: get new boots.
I got some new gear this week, and I'm pretty excited about it. I paid a visit to my favorite website (REI) and ordered a couple things I've had my eye on for some time. Both items are not necessarily geared towards running exclusively, but they will have their place. I purchased the Black Diamond Distance Trekking Poles and the Gregory Miwok 18 pack.
Here's the description of the Gregory pack from REI.com:
I tested them a little bit today on my hike with the dog, and initial impressions are very favorable. The poles are very light (12.35 oz per pair), and collapse into a very manageable little package. Matter of fact, they fit perfectly into one of the side pouches of the Gregory pack.
The pack is uber-comfortable. I put it on, and it seems to instantly form to my body. I didn't have much in it today, just some water and snacks for myself and the dog, but it just seems to fit me perfectly. It's got plenty of space, without being too bulky, has what Gregory calls the Bio Sync system to help it move with your body as you move. I have to admit, it has worked very well thus far.
Like many things, I can't give a full review on them yet, as I've only used them once for a 4 mile hike. However, I do have a good test for them planned in about 4 weeks, so I'll keep my thoughts to myself until that takes place. My plan is to use them for some fast-packing adventures, because I've become very intrigued in that whole concept as of late. Once I get out west, I'll probably substitute some weekend runs for some fast-packing adventures in some mountainous terrain.
Other than that, I'm keeping pretty busy right now just trying to get everything ready for the big move coming up. The movers will be coming to pack up the house in two weeks. Once that's done, the wife, kid, and dog will be heading back home, and I'll be left here in NC to finish everything up until I join them about two weeks later. It's going to be a hectic few weeks!
That's all I've got for this week...in the meantime...Keep Running!
7/17 - MAF Run; 6.22 miles; HR 147; time 1:17; pace 11:50 mile.
7/18 - MAF Run; 5.82 miles; HR 147; time 1:16; pace 12:10 mile.
7/19 - Battalion Hike; 7.9 miles; 25 lbs pack, 30 lbs vest; time 2:27. Physically, it was an easy day, however, I obviously wore the wrong boots/socks, because I managed to get a total of 7 blisters. one on each heel, one on each forefoot, one on my left big toe, and one at the base of each Achilles tendon. The ones at the base of the tendons have given me the most trouble, as they are about 1/2 dollar size. They are going to take awhile to heel up good, so I'll keep treating them, and wait it out.
7/20 - Rest/blister surgery.
7/21 - Rest.
7/22 - Took the dog out for a hike. 4.14 miles; time 1:10. Gear review to follow.
Total Weekly miles: 24
Miles to date 2012: 992
So I'm done for the Maximum Aerobic Function training for a bit. I have a 15k trail race coming up in 4 weeks, and it's time to get some speed work in. While I'm planning to use this as more of a training run than anything, I still want to perform well. I'll start throwing in some fartlek and hill training, just to make sure I'm not going out there just to run it at a MAF pace.
The trail race I signed up for is the Qdoba Dino Series 15k, at Southwest Way park in Indianapolis. I figure that if I'm going to be up there for some leave on my way out to California for my new duty station, I might as well get a race in. It's just a small local series, but it should be a good fitness check if nothing else.
This was a fairly easy week, mostly due to the fact that I couldn't get any long runs in this weekend. My feet are TRASHED thanks to the unit hike I had to do for work. Such is military life I suppose. It's probably going to take me a few more days to totally heel up, as my feet got pretty tore up. I wore my favorite, most broken in boots, which in turn left me with broken up feet. I'll keep treating them, and plan on still getting back on running hard starting in the coming week. Note to self: get new boots.
I got some new gear this week, and I'm pretty excited about it. I paid a visit to my favorite website (REI) and ordered a couple things I've had my eye on for some time. Both items are not necessarily geared towards running exclusively, but they will have their place. I purchased the Black Diamond Distance Trekking Poles and the Gregory Miwok 18 pack.
Here's the description of the Gregory pack from REI.com:
The light Gregory Miwok 18 pack is ideal for hikes, rides and other 1-day adventures. It handily stores and organizes gear for your on-the-trail activities.
- Inspired by the bio-dynamics of the human body, the shoulder and waist belt suspension are attached with BioSync™ technology artificial tendons
- These artificial tendons act as attachment points allowing harness to stretch into an ideal fit, moving with the body while in motion
- On-the-fly, internal compression system allows you to keep pack compressed and snug against back; quick access compression straps are easily reached while pack is on
- Back panel, shoulder straps and hip belt feature air-mesh to vent and wick away moisture
- With rear zipper access for easy refilling, a sleeve for your reservoir (sold separately) and exit port system to manage the tube, this pack is completely hydration compatible
- Front expandable, stretch-mesh pocket features 3-point compression system
- Zippered fleece-lined MP3/electronic top pocket for storage of your portable music or electronics
- Dual hip belt pockets stash snacks
- Side mesh pockets keep water bottles and snacks within easy reach
- Adjustable sternum strap and webbing loop for lashing on light gear round out pack features
- The Gregory Miwok 18 pack is constructed from 70-denier? ultra-tear-strength coated nylon for water repellency and durability
The light and versatile Black Diamond Distance Z-Pole trekking poles sport a super simple and reliable folding design that is ideal for day hikers, trail runners and backpackers.
- Innovative folding Z-Pole system offers simple, compact and reliable support with a concealed inner cord, single push-button release and speed cone deployment
- Inspired by snow probes, speed cones at the end of each pole section ensure strength, stability and super fast deployment; each speed cone guides a pole section into place
- A quick pull on the grip and the first pole section snaps and locks the 3 pole sections into place; flexible tube ends protect the Kevlar® center cord when folded
- Easily replace and solidly secure pole tips with WaveLock™ tip connections
- Right- and left-hand-specific straps are light, breathable and moisture-wicking; they feature breathable cut-out windows and easy rip-and-stick? adjustability
- Light, non-slip EVA foam grips feature foam extensions that allow poles to be held low during short side hill traverses
- Strong aluminum shafts stand up to everyday use on the trail
- Pole baskets feature shaft catchers to secure pole sections when folded; note: baskets are fixed in place and cannot be switched out for snow or powder baskets
- Black Diamond Distance Z-Pole trekking poles come with interchangeable, non marking rubber tips, carbide tips and a stow bag
I tested them a little bit today on my hike with the dog, and initial impressions are very favorable. The poles are very light (12.35 oz per pair), and collapse into a very manageable little package. Matter of fact, they fit perfectly into one of the side pouches of the Gregory pack.
The pack is uber-comfortable. I put it on, and it seems to instantly form to my body. I didn't have much in it today, just some water and snacks for myself and the dog, but it just seems to fit me perfectly. It's got plenty of space, without being too bulky, has what Gregory calls the Bio Sync system to help it move with your body as you move. I have to admit, it has worked very well thus far.
Like many things, I can't give a full review on them yet, as I've only used them once for a 4 mile hike. However, I do have a good test for them planned in about 4 weeks, so I'll keep my thoughts to myself until that takes place. My plan is to use them for some fast-packing adventures, because I've become very intrigued in that whole concept as of late. Once I get out west, I'll probably substitute some weekend runs for some fast-packing adventures in some mountainous terrain.
Other than that, I'm keeping pretty busy right now just trying to get everything ready for the big move coming up. The movers will be coming to pack up the house in two weeks. Once that's done, the wife, kid, and dog will be heading back home, and I'll be left here in NC to finish everything up until I join them about two weeks later. It's going to be a hectic few weeks!
That's all I've got for this week...in the meantime...Keep Running!
Sunday, July 15, 2012
Week in Review 7/9 - 7/15
7/9 - Rest Day
7/10 - Treadmill Hill workout 4.5 mi; 40:00; 2.5 mi hill program level 10; 2.0 mi speed/turnover work on 3 percent decline; 8:53/mi pace.
7/11 - Run 5.5 mi; 47:09; HR 173; 8:34/mi pace; crushed stone road.
7/12 - Run 4.23 mi; 41:25; HR 162; 9:47/mi pace; crushed stone road.
7/13 - Cycle 12.5 mi; 48:33; HR 150; 15.4 mph; MAF (Maximum Aerobic Function) training day 1. Tgt HR 140-150.
7/14 - Run 10.37 mi; 2:14; HR between 144-150; 12:56 pace; pace includes walking warmup/cool down of 12 minutes on either side; road.
7/15 - Early morning run 14.0 mi; 2:41; HR 144-150; 11:06/mi pace.
Total Weekly mileage: 51 miles
Total Weekly time: 7:52
Mileage to date 2012: 968
Started reading a new book this week; The Big Book of Endurance Training and Racing by Dr. Philip Maffetone. Seems like this is a book that many of the top endurance athletes go by as a sort of training bible. The big thing is MAF (Maximum Aerobic Function) training, which is basically training at your maximum aerobic heart rate. Once you determine your heart rate, that pretty much sets the "pace" for you to perform at in order to determine a strong aerobic base. I'm going to try it, sounds like a pretty sound and proven theory, so I'm hoping for good results.
I've done it for three days now, and realize that obviously it's not a significant sample to determine how it's going to work for me. But I have noticed, even based off looking at my training log, that with the cycling, maintaining at or close to 150 bpm is significantly more effort than what I usually exert on the bike. That's probably a good thing, as the benefits will carry over to biking and running (and I'm still not totally convinced that I won't do some triathlons at some point in the future, even though right now the bike is just cross training).
With the two days I've been running, I've had two drastically different paces while performing in the suggested HR zone. I'm going to call the first one a fluke, and assume that my pace at ~150 bpm is not a 12:56 mile. It's not that I think I'm that good, it's just that previous training logs with heart rate monitored tend to lean closer to ~11:00 mile at that HR. We'll see as the weeks progress, but I'm looking forward to the results that this effort will bring.
Oh, and I've signed up for another race, and may have another one in mind. I signed up for the TNF ECS trail marathon in San Francisco. I figure I'll be out in Cali, so it will be a good race to do. If all goes well (or at least well enough), then after that, I think I may go for a spring 50k and launch my start in the ultra world. I'm pretty pumped for the race, and look forward to getting into some hills.
I think I might do a 15k next month sometime (trail) since I'll be home on leave. I think I'm also going to be doing a day or so of some solo mountain hiking/running in the Great Smoky Mountains. It will be nice, and I'm looking forward to it.
In the meantime....Keep Running!
7/10 - Treadmill Hill workout 4.5 mi; 40:00; 2.5 mi hill program level 10; 2.0 mi speed/turnover work on 3 percent decline; 8:53/mi pace.
7/11 - Run 5.5 mi; 47:09; HR 173; 8:34/mi pace; crushed stone road.
7/12 - Run 4.23 mi; 41:25; HR 162; 9:47/mi pace; crushed stone road.
7/13 - Cycle 12.5 mi; 48:33; HR 150; 15.4 mph; MAF (Maximum Aerobic Function) training day 1. Tgt HR 140-150.
7/14 - Run 10.37 mi; 2:14; HR between 144-150; 12:56 pace; pace includes walking warmup/cool down of 12 minutes on either side; road.
7/15 - Early morning run 14.0 mi; 2:41; HR 144-150; 11:06/mi pace.
Total Weekly mileage: 51 miles
Total Weekly time: 7:52
Mileage to date 2012: 968
Started reading a new book this week; The Big Book of Endurance Training and Racing by Dr. Philip Maffetone. Seems like this is a book that many of the top endurance athletes go by as a sort of training bible. The big thing is MAF (Maximum Aerobic Function) training, which is basically training at your maximum aerobic heart rate. Once you determine your heart rate, that pretty much sets the "pace" for you to perform at in order to determine a strong aerobic base. I'm going to try it, sounds like a pretty sound and proven theory, so I'm hoping for good results.
I've done it for three days now, and realize that obviously it's not a significant sample to determine how it's going to work for me. But I have noticed, even based off looking at my training log, that with the cycling, maintaining at or close to 150 bpm is significantly more effort than what I usually exert on the bike. That's probably a good thing, as the benefits will carry over to biking and running (and I'm still not totally convinced that I won't do some triathlons at some point in the future, even though right now the bike is just cross training).
With the two days I've been running, I've had two drastically different paces while performing in the suggested HR zone. I'm going to call the first one a fluke, and assume that my pace at ~150 bpm is not a 12:56 mile. It's not that I think I'm that good, it's just that previous training logs with heart rate monitored tend to lean closer to ~11:00 mile at that HR. We'll see as the weeks progress, but I'm looking forward to the results that this effort will bring.
Oh, and I've signed up for another race, and may have another one in mind. I signed up for the TNF ECS trail marathon in San Francisco. I figure I'll be out in Cali, so it will be a good race to do. If all goes well (or at least well enough), then after that, I think I may go for a spring 50k and launch my start in the ultra world. I'm pretty pumped for the race, and look forward to getting into some hills.
I think I might do a 15k next month sometime (trail) since I'll be home on leave. I think I'm also going to be doing a day or so of some solo mountain hiking/running in the Great Smoky Mountains. It will be nice, and I'm looking forward to it.
In the meantime....Keep Running!
Week in Review 7/2 - 7/8
Let me preface this week's update with the fact that it was RIDICULOUSLY HOT outside, all day, everyday. Morning, afternoon, evening, doesn't matter. That sun was burning. Add that to the fact that there was about 10000% humidity, and I sweat just thinking about it...
Now, that being said, here's the week in review:
7/1 - Rest day. No workouts.
7/2 - 4.52 mi run; 39:14; Avg HR 160; 8:41 mi pace; road.
7/3 - Cycle 11.17 mi; 48:53; HR 144; 13.7 mph; road/trail. Found a new trail today along the New River by the house. Wish I would have known that was there years ago...
7/4 - Run 6.32 mi; 1:15; 11:58 mi/pace; No HRM; trail; probably the hottest day in the past two weeks. Weather definitely affected pace.
7/5 - Run/Bike 3.7 mi; 26:10; Pace n/a; No HRM; trail/road; originally planned on being a cycle, however, tire blew once on the trail, and had to run the bike back; road/trail.
7/6 - Run 7.04 mi; 1:13; 10:26 mi/pace; No HRM; ran early morning to beat the heat; trail.
7/7 - LSD 13.1 mi; 2:10; 9:54 mi/pace; 156 HR avg; road.
Total Weekly Miles: 45.84 miles
Total Weekly Time: 06:33 hrs
Mileage to date 2012: 917 miles
A couple of different things I did this week; one, I found the trial near my house, which is awesome. While it doesn't give me much of a length for a longer run, I can get around 7 miles out of it if I run to the "trail head" on the road from my house and back. I'll explore around there some more next time I go out, just to see what else I can find...who knows, maybe there's more out there.
Next thing I did that was different, was on my LSD, I ran a loop that is around 2.6 miles, and pre-stocked my car with water to be able to refill my hydration pack/bottle when needed. Made a big difference as much water as I was taking in during the heat, and that's just drinking to thirst. I also (for the first time) started mixing my Clif Shots into a handheld bottle, which made it way easier to take, and then I could also portion it out over a longer period instead of trying to down a whole gel at once. It definitely works better with the berry or citrus flavored gels. Doing it with the chocolate ones tends to give it a chalky flavor, and doesn't mix up as well. I may just start playing with liquid maltodextrin mixes again, as those seemed to work before, and it's way cheaper than gels.
I also finished Eat and Run by Scott Jurek this week. Amazing book. The story of his life and his rise to being an ultra marathon legend never ceases to amaze me. I was also really interested in his nutrition, and I think the wife and I are going to try cutting out meat and dairy for a week, and see how it goes. If everything is well, then maybe we will just keep it going. I have to admit, the idea intrigues me.
I could spend pages and pages talking about Jurek's book, but I really feel like this is one that you have to read for yourself. If you're a runner, or even if you aren't a runner, this is a must read. He truly does have an amazing story.
That's all for now...in the mean time, Keep Running!
Now, that being said, here's the week in review:
7/1 - Rest day. No workouts.
7/2 - 4.52 mi run; 39:14; Avg HR 160; 8:41 mi pace; road.
7/3 - Cycle 11.17 mi; 48:53; HR 144; 13.7 mph; road/trail. Found a new trail today along the New River by the house. Wish I would have known that was there years ago...
7/4 - Run 6.32 mi; 1:15; 11:58 mi/pace; No HRM; trail; probably the hottest day in the past two weeks. Weather definitely affected pace.
7/5 - Run/Bike 3.7 mi; 26:10; Pace n/a; No HRM; trail/road; originally planned on being a cycle, however, tire blew once on the trail, and had to run the bike back; road/trail.
7/6 - Run 7.04 mi; 1:13; 10:26 mi/pace; No HRM; ran early morning to beat the heat; trail.
7/7 - LSD 13.1 mi; 2:10; 9:54 mi/pace; 156 HR avg; road.
Total Weekly Miles: 45.84 miles
Total Weekly Time: 06:33 hrs
Mileage to date 2012: 917 miles
A couple of different things I did this week; one, I found the trial near my house, which is awesome. While it doesn't give me much of a length for a longer run, I can get around 7 miles out of it if I run to the "trail head" on the road from my house and back. I'll explore around there some more next time I go out, just to see what else I can find...who knows, maybe there's more out there.
Next thing I did that was different, was on my LSD, I ran a loop that is around 2.6 miles, and pre-stocked my car with water to be able to refill my hydration pack/bottle when needed. Made a big difference as much water as I was taking in during the heat, and that's just drinking to thirst. I also (for the first time) started mixing my Clif Shots into a handheld bottle, which made it way easier to take, and then I could also portion it out over a longer period instead of trying to down a whole gel at once. It definitely works better with the berry or citrus flavored gels. Doing it with the chocolate ones tends to give it a chalky flavor, and doesn't mix up as well. I may just start playing with liquid maltodextrin mixes again, as those seemed to work before, and it's way cheaper than gels.
I also finished Eat and Run by Scott Jurek this week. Amazing book. The story of his life and his rise to being an ultra marathon legend never ceases to amaze me. I was also really interested in his nutrition, and I think the wife and I are going to try cutting out meat and dairy for a week, and see how it goes. If everything is well, then maybe we will just keep it going. I have to admit, the idea intrigues me.
I could spend pages and pages talking about Jurek's book, but I really feel like this is one that you have to read for yourself. If you're a runner, or even if you aren't a runner, this is a must read. He truly does have an amazing story.
That's all for now...in the mean time, Keep Running!
Monday, July 2, 2012
Week(s) in Review 6/15 - 7/1
6/16 - Cycle in the AM: 4:07/14.5 mph pace. Avg HR 123. 11.09 mi, 45:44. Run PM: 4.17 mi / 39:00. HR 149, 9:21/mi. Ran in Merrell Road Gloves
6/17 - LSD. 14.33 mi, 2:26:38. HR 149, 10:14/mi. Finally an awesome LSD! Used three gels on run, and felt better w/in minutes of consumption. Different than usual, I ate a large breakfast this Sunday morning, and then took a nap, and ran later in the afternoon. Had plenty of energy. Took a post-run ice bath, and started using the BCAA recovery drink.
Total Weekly mileage (for two days): 29 mi (run and cycle)
6/18 - Rest post LSD.
6/19 - AM Run: 7.28 mi @10:19 pace (1:15); HR 155; Green Silence. PM Cycle: 18.85 mi @15.0 mph (1:15); HR 134.
6/20 - Run: 6.2 mi @ 10:00 pace (1:03); HR 150; Green Silence.
6/21 - AM Run: 7.22 mi @10:02 pace (1:12); HR 158; Green Silence. PM Cycle: 15.88 mi @ 15.2 mph (1:02); HR 135. Hot Hot weather!
6/22 - Rest.
6/23 - Run: 7.5 mi @ 10:29 pace (1:18). HR 160; Green Silence. 90+ degrees and a heat advisory. High temps and high volume week explain elevated HR.
6/24 - LSD Run: 13.66 mi @ 10:14 pace (2:19); HR 152; Green Silence. Heat advisory again. Ran early in the AM to try and beat the heat, but it didn't help much. Fueling was good, decent overall run.
Total Weekly Mileage: 77 mi (run and cycle)
6/25 - Sick. Great time to develop a Sinus cold. Rest.
6/26 - Sick. Still.
6/27 - You guessed it. Rest
6/28 - Cycle: 14.10 mi @15.1 mph (55:53); HR 141. Finally felt good enough to get out and do something. Sinus pressure still clamping my head, but got a halfway decent cycle in.
6/29 - WAY TOO HOT.
6/30 - Run: 7.06 mi @ 9:23 pace (1:06); HR 158. Ran prior to sunrise to try and beat the heat. Temperature @ 6 AM was already 82 degrees, w/75% humidity.
7/1 - Run: 10.02 mi @ 10:34 pace (1:45); 158 HR. Ran early morning again. Heat index at completion of run was 102 degrees. This weather sucks. Other than that, great run. Still a little sick, but feeling much better than earlier in the week.
Total Weekly Mileage: 32 mi
Mileage YTD: 871
So, it's been awhile since I've done a good update, but I've been pretty busy. Two weeks ago, I had an awesome training week, and then I got sick. I'm sure they are probably connected. I didn't do a gradual increase to the mileage, so that's probably the reason why I got sick. I'll remember that for the future, but I have to admit, I loved the fact that I was getting so much training in. I know a lot of that reason was because I actually had the week off work, so around doing stuff at the house, I was pretty free to train whenever I felt like. Hopefully, one day I'll be able to do that all the time.
The cycling is really catching on with me. I dig being able to cover lots of distance in less time. Triathlon in my future? Possible, but not a focus at the moment. I have realized that on the days that I do more cycling, I seem to recover faster from my running. I'm going to use that to my advantage, and do back to back "longer" runs on Sat/Sun, and sandwich the weekend with cycling only days on Fri/Mon. Instead of taking a complete day off for recovery after the long runs, I'm going to start using cycling to recover, as it seems to work well.
I've also started using a post-workout recovery drink, that's just Branch Chain Amino Acids. I can't say for sure whether or not it's making a big difference, but initial feeling is that it works. I'll follow up more later once I've used it more.
There's several things I owe you in the near future:
Recovery Drink review
Brooks Green Silence update
Nathan HPL 020 pack update
Eat and Run book review (almost done!)
I'll work on pushing out some of those this week, but, I'll be camping with the family for the 4th! Should be a good time, as long as the weather agrees with us. Might actually get to squeeze in a few trail miles as well (fingers crossed).
In the meantime, Keep Running!
6/17 - LSD. 14.33 mi, 2:26:38. HR 149, 10:14/mi. Finally an awesome LSD! Used three gels on run, and felt better w/in minutes of consumption. Different than usual, I ate a large breakfast this Sunday morning, and then took a nap, and ran later in the afternoon. Had plenty of energy. Took a post-run ice bath, and started using the BCAA recovery drink.
Total Weekly mileage (for two days): 29 mi (run and cycle)
6/18 - Rest post LSD.
6/19 - AM Run: 7.28 mi @10:19 pace (1:15); HR 155; Green Silence. PM Cycle: 18.85 mi @15.0 mph (1:15); HR 134.
6/20 - Run: 6.2 mi @ 10:00 pace (1:03); HR 150; Green Silence.
6/21 - AM Run: 7.22 mi @10:02 pace (1:12); HR 158; Green Silence. PM Cycle: 15.88 mi @ 15.2 mph (1:02); HR 135. Hot Hot weather!
6/22 - Rest.
6/23 - Run: 7.5 mi @ 10:29 pace (1:18). HR 160; Green Silence. 90+ degrees and a heat advisory. High temps and high volume week explain elevated HR.
6/24 - LSD Run: 13.66 mi @ 10:14 pace (2:19); HR 152; Green Silence. Heat advisory again. Ran early in the AM to try and beat the heat, but it didn't help much. Fueling was good, decent overall run.
Total Weekly Mileage: 77 mi (run and cycle)
6/25 - Sick. Great time to develop a Sinus cold. Rest.
6/26 - Sick. Still.
6/27 - You guessed it. Rest
6/28 - Cycle: 14.10 mi @15.1 mph (55:53); HR 141. Finally felt good enough to get out and do something. Sinus pressure still clamping my head, but got a halfway decent cycle in.
6/29 - WAY TOO HOT.
6/30 - Run: 7.06 mi @ 9:23 pace (1:06); HR 158. Ran prior to sunrise to try and beat the heat. Temperature @ 6 AM was already 82 degrees, w/75% humidity.
7/1 - Run: 10.02 mi @ 10:34 pace (1:45); 158 HR. Ran early morning again. Heat index at completion of run was 102 degrees. This weather sucks. Other than that, great run. Still a little sick, but feeling much better than earlier in the week.
Total Weekly Mileage: 32 mi
Mileage YTD: 871
So, it's been awhile since I've done a good update, but I've been pretty busy. Two weeks ago, I had an awesome training week, and then I got sick. I'm sure they are probably connected. I didn't do a gradual increase to the mileage, so that's probably the reason why I got sick. I'll remember that for the future, but I have to admit, I loved the fact that I was getting so much training in. I know a lot of that reason was because I actually had the week off work, so around doing stuff at the house, I was pretty free to train whenever I felt like. Hopefully, one day I'll be able to do that all the time.
The cycling is really catching on with me. I dig being able to cover lots of distance in less time. Triathlon in my future? Possible, but not a focus at the moment. I have realized that on the days that I do more cycling, I seem to recover faster from my running. I'm going to use that to my advantage, and do back to back "longer" runs on Sat/Sun, and sandwich the weekend with cycling only days on Fri/Mon. Instead of taking a complete day off for recovery after the long runs, I'm going to start using cycling to recover, as it seems to work well.
I've also started using a post-workout recovery drink, that's just Branch Chain Amino Acids. I can't say for sure whether or not it's making a big difference, but initial feeling is that it works. I'll follow up more later once I've used it more.
There's several things I owe you in the near future:
Recovery Drink review
Brooks Green Silence update
Nathan HPL 020 pack update
Eat and Run book review (almost done!)
I'll work on pushing out some of those this week, but, I'll be camping with the family for the 4th! Should be a good time, as long as the weather agrees with us. Might actually get to squeeze in a few trail miles as well (fingers crossed).
In the meantime, Keep Running!
Friday, June 15, 2012
Week in Review: 6/4/1012 to 6/15/2012
Week (and a half) in review!
6/4/2012 - Post-race rest day and travel back home.
6/5 - Post-race recovery run in Brooks Green Silence. 5.36 miles in 50 minutes. 9:16 pace. Average heart rate was 154. Muscles were still sore from race, but running loosened them up.
6/6 - 5.15 miles in 44:00. 8:37 pace. Avg HR 168. Still sore, but a good run in the Merrell Road Gloves. Perfect overcast and cool weather. Solo run with alot on my mind concerning future move.
6/7 - Double run day. First run was 6.01 miles in 51:30. First 3 miles @ 7:20 pace, then 3 easy miles w/ HR focus of 150 bpm. Second run was all easy miles, running 4.55 miles in 42:38. Avg HR 158. Both runs in New Balance Minimus MT10. First two miles were run w/ Rangel, last 4 solo.
6/8 - Rest day.
6/9 - 5.29 miles in 47:57. 9:04 pace w/avg 161 HR. Ran intentionally fuel depleted to encourage fat fueling.
6/10 - LSD, or was supposed to be. Trail run of 6 miles in 1:10. Frustrated with trail conditions, as well as dehydration left me feeling nausea. Ninety degree heat and extreme humidity were contributing factors. Cut run short, suspecting a hydration/electrolyte imbalance. Better safe than sorry.
Total Weekly mileage: 32 miles
Total time: 5:12
Calories Burned: 4383
6/11 - 6/13 - No running. Spent time w/wife in hospital.
6/14 - 6.45 miles in 1:05. 10:06 pace. HR 165 avg. Lack of sleep and dehydration/improper fueling for week caught up. Ran in Merrell Road Gloves.
6/15 - Double Run day. Run 1 was 4.01 miles in 35:54 @ 8:58 pace. Avg HR 158. Run 2 7.32 miles @9:46 pace w/ avg HR of 161. Both runs in the Green Silence. Unusually cool for June. Perfect weather for morning and evening run. Need to explore more into HR zones. Perceived effort is not matching HR monitor zones.
In other news...
It's been a hectic week thus far. With the wife in the hospital, I didn't get much time to run, but I have no complaints about that. Life always takes precedence over training. I'm still on pace to hit mid-high 30s in mileage for the week if I can get a good LSD on Sunday. I'm going to stay local, because with the wife still recovering, I don't want to go to far, so I'll just hit the roads.
I started reading Eat and Run by Scott Jurek this week, and I'm about half-way through. So far, it's a great read, and I have no doubt that it will be all the way to the finish. Once I finish this one, I've already got another one in the chute, but I'll talk more on that one and the rest of Jurek's book once I get it finished. I'll try to do full reviews on all the books I read as I finish them.
As I mentioned in the log for 6/15, I don't fell like the HR zones that Garmin is telling me I am in are matching up to what my perceived effort is. It's telling me that at 160 bpm I'm running in zone 4, and while that may be true, my body doesn't feel like I'm running in zone 4. I'm going to study more into running based on heart rate zones, specifically the Maffetone method. Time to add another book to the list!
I've decided that for the next several weeks, since I don't have and races on the schedule, I'm going to focus on more volume at a slower pace, to build a solid aerobic base. With plans to still try and fit in a 50k by the end of this year, beginning of next year, I want to have a solid base to work with before I start training specificity for the race, or adding in too much speed work. It's going to be tough, because I've already been trying it a little bit, and it's tough to run that slow. I know once I figure out exactly what my target zones are, that to run in zone 2, and build a solid base, it's going to slow me WAY down to probably around an 11:00 - 12:00 mile. It's tough to run that slow, but the method is proven, so I think I'm going to try it once I do a little more research.
As always, I'll keep updating as training progresses.
In the meantime, Keep Running!
6/4/2012 - Post-race rest day and travel back home.
6/5 - Post-race recovery run in Brooks Green Silence. 5.36 miles in 50 minutes. 9:16 pace. Average heart rate was 154. Muscles were still sore from race, but running loosened them up.
6/6 - 5.15 miles in 44:00. 8:37 pace. Avg HR 168. Still sore, but a good run in the Merrell Road Gloves. Perfect overcast and cool weather. Solo run with alot on my mind concerning future move.
6/7 - Double run day. First run was 6.01 miles in 51:30. First 3 miles @ 7:20 pace, then 3 easy miles w/ HR focus of 150 bpm. Second run was all easy miles, running 4.55 miles in 42:38. Avg HR 158. Both runs in New Balance Minimus MT10. First two miles were run w/ Rangel, last 4 solo.
6/8 - Rest day.
6/9 - 5.29 miles in 47:57. 9:04 pace w/avg 161 HR. Ran intentionally fuel depleted to encourage fat fueling.
6/10 - LSD, or was supposed to be. Trail run of 6 miles in 1:10. Frustrated with trail conditions, as well as dehydration left me feeling nausea. Ninety degree heat and extreme humidity were contributing factors. Cut run short, suspecting a hydration/electrolyte imbalance. Better safe than sorry.
Total Weekly mileage: 32 miles
Total time: 5:12
Calories Burned: 4383
6/11 - 6/13 - No running. Spent time w/wife in hospital.
6/14 - 6.45 miles in 1:05. 10:06 pace. HR 165 avg. Lack of sleep and dehydration/improper fueling for week caught up. Ran in Merrell Road Gloves.
6/15 - Double Run day. Run 1 was 4.01 miles in 35:54 @ 8:58 pace. Avg HR 158. Run 2 7.32 miles @9:46 pace w/ avg HR of 161. Both runs in the Green Silence. Unusually cool for June. Perfect weather for morning and evening run. Need to explore more into HR zones. Perceived effort is not matching HR monitor zones.
In other news...
It's been a hectic week thus far. With the wife in the hospital, I didn't get much time to run, but I have no complaints about that. Life always takes precedence over training. I'm still on pace to hit mid-high 30s in mileage for the week if I can get a good LSD on Sunday. I'm going to stay local, because with the wife still recovering, I don't want to go to far, so I'll just hit the roads.
I started reading Eat and Run by Scott Jurek this week, and I'm about half-way through. So far, it's a great read, and I have no doubt that it will be all the way to the finish. Once I finish this one, I've already got another one in the chute, but I'll talk more on that one and the rest of Jurek's book once I get it finished. I'll try to do full reviews on all the books I read as I finish them.
As I mentioned in the log for 6/15, I don't fell like the HR zones that Garmin is telling me I am in are matching up to what my perceived effort is. It's telling me that at 160 bpm I'm running in zone 4, and while that may be true, my body doesn't feel like I'm running in zone 4. I'm going to study more into running based on heart rate zones, specifically the Maffetone method. Time to add another book to the list!
I've decided that for the next several weeks, since I don't have and races on the schedule, I'm going to focus on more volume at a slower pace, to build a solid aerobic base. With plans to still try and fit in a 50k by the end of this year, beginning of next year, I want to have a solid base to work with before I start training specificity for the race, or adding in too much speed work. It's going to be tough, because I've already been trying it a little bit, and it's tough to run that slow. I know once I figure out exactly what my target zones are, that to run in zone 2, and build a solid base, it's going to slow me WAY down to probably around an 11:00 - 12:00 mile. It's tough to run that slow, but the method is proven, so I think I'm going to try it once I do a little more research.
As always, I'll keep updating as training progresses.
In the meantime, Keep Running!
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
TNF Endurance Challenge Mid-Atlantic Regional 10k Trail Race Report
So last weekend came and went, and Sunday was my second trail race of the year; this time in Sterling, Virginia. The race was The North Face Endurance Challenge Mid-Atlantic Regional. The whole event really takes place over three and a half days in the Washington, D.C. area.
The first day and a half was packet pickup at The North Face store in Georgetown, which was very smooth. There was plenty of staff there when I arrived Friday evening, and I had my bib number and timing chip within minutes of showing up. One thing I liked, is for those who came to the early packet pickup, you could leave your free shirt (a nice TNF tech shirt) with the staff to get screen printed with your race distance, and then just pick it up on race day. That eliminated a lot of the lines at the screen printing booth on race day.
Friday night, after closing time for the TNF store, they held a discussion with some of the TNF athletes and anyone who wanted to attend to share info, and I'm guessing, just talk racing. I don't really know for sure what they talked about, because I didn't attend the discussion. After a long day on the road, and the fact that the weather was miserable to be walking around Georgetown, there was no way I was going to get a 4 year old to sit quietly for the discussion. The last thing I wanted was to have a screaming kid in the middle of that! So, instead, we decided to get some dinner, and call it a night and head back to the hotel (BTW, we stayed at a Residence Inn in Herndon/Reston, which was a great location).
Saturday brought better weather, and the longer distance races. I never checked to verify for sure, but the word on the news was that on Friday evening, the D.C. area got anywhere from 3-5" of rain. I don't know exactly how much it was, but after driving in it, I will agree that it was a significant amount of rain. My windshield wipers were having a tough time keeping up! Needless to say, there was some flash flooding, and I'm sure the longer distance races turned into a mud run in many areas. The Saturday distances run were the GORE-TEX 50 mile race, the 50k, Marathon, and Marathon relay.
I wasn't there for those races (sightseeing with the family instead), but it was very easy to keep up-to-date on course conditions and the leaders of the 50 miler. TNF did a great job of posting updates on Facebook all day long. They didn't only post race updates, but were active in answering any questions anyone had in reference to everything from course conditions, to parking instructions for the shuttle service. I was very impressed, as it made things far less stressful leading up to the race. By the time Sunday morning arrived, I knew exactly how long it took the shuttle to get from the parking area to the start/finish line, any last minute changes to the parking area, what the course conditions were, as well as how to actively track results, and just about anything else. Being a social media world now, TNF has definitely embraced that and used it to their advantage.
Sunday morning (race day) came and we arrived at the parking lot about 1.5 hours before my race (10k) was due to start. They had plenty of shuttles running, and we easily got myself and family to the race area within about 15 minutes of parking the car. The start line, or "festival" area was well laid out, with several booths from GORE-TEX, Yurbuds, Karno Kids, Charm City Run, and a couple others. There was a good drop bag storage area for all the runners, and plenty of water jugs all over the place. There was also a recovery tent that had plenty of snacks like fruit, bagels, chips, pretzels, and electrolyte drinks, as well as coffee and other hot drinks. One thing of note in the festival area, was the abundance of restrooms. Unless you've been at an event with hundreds of people, you don't realize how important a large number of restrooms can be. There was probably 20+ portable restrooms there for use, and the lines were never too long. That is always appreciated, because when you have to go, well....you know the rest.
Now onto the race. I had originally wanted to sign up for the half-marathon, but I was lazy and waited too long. By the time I registered, the half mary was full, and only the 10k was left open. I almost decided to forego the race all together, but I'm glad I didn't.
Here's the description from TNF Endurance Challenge website:
This 10K is a great way to start the day! From the start at Algonkian Park, the trails
narrow to single track and wind through lush flood plain. The course is mostly flat, fast
and well shaded. The loop through Sugarland Run brings runners down to the shores
of the Potomac before sending them back through the fast and shaded Potomac
Heritage Trail to a well-deserved finish at Algonkian Park.
There was one aid station on the course, but it was an out-and-back, so you passed the aid station twice. The first section, which was the start to the first aid station (Sugarland) was 2.4 miles. Right from the start, the race immediately bottle-necked. Overall, there were 395 participants in the 10k, and almost immediately the course narrows into near single track conditions running along the Potomac River to go around a soccer field. It got so narrow, that while I started near the middle of the pack, my there was a 34 second difference between my official time and my chip time. It took awhile just to get out of the gate. Then, once I did get out of the gate, it was still a struggle to pass anyone. The course was muddy, so everyone was slower, and no one seemed to want to move to the right to allow faster runners to pass. It was frustrating, but, I knew that I wasn't out there to do anything but have a good time, so I just went with the flow.
Rounding the soccer field in the first 1/2 mile or so got pretty muddy, because all the rain on Friday had definitely made the ground reach it's saturation point. I tried to avoid as much of it as possible, not because I'm afraid of mud or water, more because I didn't really want to get drenched feet and mud covered before we really even hit the trail.
After the soccer field, we hit the pavement for a short jaunt across the golf course, until we turned onto the Potomac Heritage Trail that was two vehicles wide, gravel, and made for a great chance to start getting some passing in. I tucked up close behind two other people, and there were two more behind me, and we were all running about the same pace. From there, we just chose the left hand lane and started passing all the back of the packers. There were a couple spots on the gravel portion where there were stream crossings, most of which you could either jump, plow through, or tip toe across the rocks. I'd say they weren't more than 5 feet wide at most, so the option was really up to the runner. On the way out, I chose to just jump across them. The only one where that wasn't really an option was a creek that was decently deep, and probably 20 feet across, but there was a double track bridge that crossed it. After that bridge, you reach the aid station.
The aid station had a restroom, and plenty of volunteers passing out Gu's, Nuun electrolyte drink, and water. As I was running through, I took a swig of water, and grabbed a Gu that was passed to me, probably just out of habit. Someone hands something to me, without thinking, I just grabbed it, even though I didn't need it. Oh well, better safe than sorry.
From the aid station you turn onto an out and back portion called Sugarland Run. This section is another 2.4 miles, that instantly turns into single track. It starts out paved for a for a bit, but then becomes some good, solid, single track dirt trail (in this case mud) through some fairly dense woods. There were several spots where you had to navigate around some fairly large mud holes, and it was very difficult to pass. If it wasn't mud in the way, it was trees, and runners didn't seem to want to move over to the side. You could tell that there were several people running who had never spent time with others on a single track trail before, because they didn't realize that you need to move over to let people get by, which is kind of a irritant. I realize it is a race, but is keeping someone from passing you who is clearly faster really going to help your time at all? Trail etiquette folks, learn it.
Aside from that, the section was a lot of fun to run. I did start to get kind of sketchy when runners started reaching the turn around point, and you really had to squeeze through some sections to let runners get by going opposite directions. Running up through the turn around takes you right to the banks of the Potomac, and provided some great scenery, and some great shade. During this portion I must have tweaked my ankle at least 5 or 6 times on roots sticking up, or just sliding in some mud, but nothing that really caused me to stop or noticeably slow down my pace.
I hit the turn around on the banks of the river, and headed back to the Potomac Heritage Trail and the Sugarland aid station, but going back was definitely slower, as there were far more runners going the opposite way on the trail at that point. But, most moved out of the way, and everyone did a better job sharing the trail if you were running towards them than trying to pass them. I think alot of the passing problems came from the abundant use of Ipods during the race. Nobody could hear if you called "on your left" hoping they would move over.
Side rant: I love running with my Ipod. Matter of fact, I do it almost everyday. I really dig listening to some podcasts as I'm cruising along, especially if it's on the road. I also understand the psychological effect of throwing in some tunes on long runs to boost morale. However, is it really necessary during a 10k? Regardless of your speed (I'm not greased lightning or anything), you're only going to be out there for maybe an hour and a half tops. Maybe it's just me, but if I'm in a race that short, especially in a new place, I'd much rather enjoy the surroundings than blast some Kanye while running down an awesome trail. I bet most of the people who were wearing Ipods had no clue as to what was going on around them...actually, in some cases, I can guarantee it.
I got back to the aid station and realized that I still had the Gu in my hand, un-opened, from the last time I went through. Instead, when the volunteer tried to pass me another one, I handed him the unused one, and for a moment he looked slightly confused, and then I just kept on trucking. At this point, I turned back onto the gravel portion of the PHT and tried to open it up a little bit, hoping to make up some time that I know I lost on the single track. Aside from the large creek that required a bridge crossing, I blew through all the little streams soaking my feet. It didn't really matter at that point, I knew I was on my way back, and I was already covered in mud up to my knees, so that actually probably washed some of the mud off.
I hit the turn back onto the golf course trail, and everyone was pretty strung out at that point. I wanted to pick some people off in the last 3/4 mile, but there just wasn't anyone in reach, except for maybe one runner. I came up to near the soccer field, but on the way back, you skip the loop around it, and just run straight into the finish line, which was EASILY the muddiest portion of the entire course.
I chose to run this race without any electronic devices, meaning I left my Garmin with my wife. I suppose that was both good and bad. I say that, because if I had been able to actively know what my pace was during the race, I could have run a little bit harder, especially knowing the distance I had left to cover. I ran slower than I know I was capable of, but it's really hard to say if I would have been able to run faster given the terrain and the traffic. The good thing is, I was forced to rely solely on listening to my body for pace. What I really need to do is start tuning my perceived pace to my actual pace...then it won't really matter if I run with the Garmin or not.
I didn't PR this race, but I definitely felt like I ran much stronger than last time. I think the number of people, the bottle-necking, and the mud probably had much to do with my finishing time. I definitely believe that if I had started at the front of the pack, I could have probably shaved a good minute off my time just in the initial loop around the soccer field. Staying more towards the front would have been helpful going through the single track section as well, but, I don't suppose it matters much. When it all comes down to it, I had a great time during not just the race, but the whole experience.
Here's what my stats broke down to for the race:
Official time: 50:42.0
Chip time: 50:08.7
Age group placing: 24/82 (M26-35)
Gender Group: 58/185
Overall Placing: 90/395
Average time: 57:45.93
Here's what my stats broke down to for the race:
Official time: 50:42.0
Chip time: 50:08.7
Age group placing: 24/82 (M26-35)
Gender Group: 58/185
Overall Placing: 90/395
Average time: 57:45.93
I think a solid testament to the condition of the course can be told by just looking at the times (not necessarily mine). The fastest time (chip) was only a 38:55. Now, while that is nothing to sneeze at, it is significantly slower than what you would usually see at such a large event. Last year's leader was ~ 4 minutes faster than that. Even the average finishing time last year was almost two minutes faster. But, oh well, what can you do, except have a great time?
The North Face puts on a great race, and I look forward to doing another one in the future. The really do think of everything, and do great catering to all the runners, whether you are a competitive 50 miler, or a casual 5k'er. My only recommendations to people wanting to run in anything from the marathon distance or less...register early. They do fill up fairly quick.
I've already got my eye on the TNF Endurance Challenge 50k in Atlanta in October, but I'll have to see how my schedule works out over the next few months. I've definitely got the racing bug...and I can't wait to increase the distance!
In the meantime...Keep Running!
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