Off the Trails!

Unusually wet weather has forced me off the trails and onto the roads the last two runs. Tuesday I ran 5.7 miles on the roads, and averaged 8:05 per mile. Yesterday I ran 4.4 miles, including a 1.6 mile tempo run in the middle. 1st mile was 8:19, then next 1.6 miles were at "tempo" pace, 6:47/mile average, and the final 1.6 miles was 8:10/mile. Overall, not a bad workout. 16 miles for the week so far, and hoping to get into the upper 20s by week's end. I am also hoping to do a bonafide speed workout on the track this weekend, if the weather cooperates.

Mark

Trail running in full swing

This was a good weekend of running for me, although I finished the week with just 20.5 miles and one stationary bike ride.

Friday: 5 miles on trails/grass
Saturday: purchased trail running shoes (Brooks Adrenaline trail)
Saturday: 5. 5 miles on soggy trails/wet grass/rolling hills with new trail running shoes. Averaged around 8:45 per mile. The shoes helped keep my feet drier than normal under these conditions.
Sunday: 6 miles (longest run of 2011) on flat, grassy trails, a bit soggy in spots. Felt very good, especially the second half, and continued to increase the pace throughout the run, averaging 8:19/mile by the end.

Taking tonight off, heavy rain expected.

Mark

Spring is time for the Mile Run!

I couldn't resist, folks. I was planning on my first mile time trial on Friday, but I aborted after assessing the conditions....cold, in the 40s, and winds gusting over 30 miles per hour. Even Roger Bannister voted "No" for his sub-4 mile attempt due to the wind, but Brasher and Chataway voted him down, best of 3, and well, you know how that story turned out.

Anyway, the weekend forecast looked grim, but on Saturday afternoon I notices a lull in the winds, and temperature had climbed to nearly 50 degrees, so I grabbed my racing flats, and headed to the track. After a 1.5 mile warmup, I was thinking of starting, then it started raining rather hard. I hid under the bleachers for a few minutes, then thought, that's enough, I'm doing it, so I went back onto the track for a final warmup, and it stopped raining! I quickly switched into racing flats, lined up a few meters behind the mile start line, told myself (out loud) Set! then I scuttled up to the actual start line, then said "Go!" and took off. My informal target for this first mile of the year was 5:40. Since I had run 5:17 last December, I thought that was a reasonable goal.

First 1/4: 83 seconds. Half mile split: 2:50 (87 seconds). 3/4: 4:17 (another 87, so now 2 seconds behind pace). Final time: 5:40.17, just a tad over my goal, with an 83-second last lap.

As I gasped for breath at the finish line, not able to look at my watch for a while, I said out loud "I hate running!" But within a couple minutes, I was planning goals for my next time trial. So I'm not retiring yet!

Not Again!!!!! Spring Training? You've got to be kidding!

It has happened again! On April 17, 2011, I went for a 5 mile run. It was windy and a bit brisk at the start. At one mile, the skies let loose with snow, initially in the pellet form, pounding my face, then it turned to well, just good old snow.



Although I don't necessarily mind running in snow, I don't particularly like it after I've already done a few runs with shorts. Will this ever end? Should I move to Charlottesville?

Sincerely,
Mark in Buffalo

When Does This Start Feeling Good?

I'm now back on a real bike whenever possible (as compared to being on a stationary one) and did some 17 mile rides last week. While these rides are flat the fact that they are always out and back and one way almost always has a strong headwind, makes them a bit challenging.

Typically I'm running each day, around 2 or 3 miles.

The biking is pleasant, except when the wind is so strong it feels like I'm not making any forward progress. The running is mostly unpleasant. My quads are almost always sore when I'm running and most of the time even when I'm not running (except when I'm biking).

I think until I get in better overall shape the biking and the running are fighting with each other.

I hope to get be doing some 30 miles rides within the next couple of weeks. I'll be happy if I can run 3 miles and not have pain.

Maybe Spring is Here?

Today I ran without gloves and winter hat, just a long-sleeve t-shirt and light sweat pants, regular visor type hat. It was sunny and upper 40s!!

I did 5.1 miles at about 8:27/mile, mostly trails/soft grass. Felt pretty good, but only my 3rd run this week, so I'm just at 15 miles, with 2 running days left in the week.

Mark

3-Mile Time Trial/Conviction and Weather Report

The weather was much more interesting than the running. It was a true odyssey.

From mid morning to early afternoon I had been working outside, cleaning up from wood-heating season. The sun kept coming and going. When the sun was out, it was very nice. When the sun wasn't out, it was a bit cool, but not unpleasant.

Having finished with the clean-up, I came in, got dressed for running and drove to the track.

Walk from car to track: Overcast, somewhat breezy, cool.
Lap 1: Breezier and cooler.
Lap 2: Breezy, light rain.
Lap 3: Windy, heavier rain.
Lap 4: Light hail, moderate hail, heavy hail. Very windy. So much hail that the entire track was covered in it. Cold.
Lap 5: Thunder, all hail melted.
Lap 6: Overcast, breezy.
Lap 7: Less overcast, less breezy.
Lap 8: Partially cloudy, light breeze.
Lap 9: Similar to lap 8, but improving.
Lap 10: Partial sunshine, light breeze, nice temperature.
Lap 11: Conditions continued to improve.
Lap 12: Mostly sunny, very light breeze, very nice running weather.
Walk from track to car: Sunny, warm, almost no breeze--beautiful spring weather.

Time for 3 miles: 27:38. Not a memorable time, but one of my most memorable runs since I started running in 1972.