Skiing and running is not easy

Today I was supposed to a 2 mile warm-up / 3 x 1 mile at 7:15ish pace (1 min rest) / 2 mile cooldown. After the first mile which I set at 7:08 pace I wasn't feeling great and clearly was running above tempo pace(80% of max heart rate). After the second mile I began to feel dizzy and was just plain exhausted. I cut the run short after a cooldown - why was I so exhausted? There are a number of possible reasons: 1)running and skiing in the same day 2) 9000+ feet elevation 3)just had a bad day.
After I finished skiing I went back to the treadmill and ran the tempo mile that I missed. I know that the workout is not the same if you split it up but I figured that running the mile would be better than not running it. I hope I feel better tomorrow.

You guessed it.....another treadmill run

I decided to run this one after skiing. Since it was only 4 miles, it wasn't too hard and for the most part was over pretty quickly. I have a workout tomorrow and we are not sure what we are doing as far as skiing, so the time is TBD? On another note, skiing is going really well. I love being 100 yards from the lift and Liz is starting to really get the hang of it. Hopefully tomorrow, I can have a good day of skinng and a good workout.

Another 6 on the treadmill at Breckenridge

Woke up at 6:30 am to get a run in before we skiied becaused I did not think I would want to run 6 miles after skiing. The run went as well as a treadmill could go.

In Breckenrigde....6 on the treadmill

After a scheduled off day, which was spent driving to Breckenridge, I ran 6 miles on the treadmill at our condo's health club. Since we are in the snow covered mountains, all of my runs this week will have to take place indoors. I am not terribly excited about that, but at least they have a treadmill so I can get my workouts in.
In other news, our "ski in, ski out" condo is awesome - we are 100 yards from the ski lift. I can't wait to go skiing in the morning!

Weekly total - 40 miles - 100% of the scheduled amount!

Christmas Morning 12 miler

Since we are leaving for a ski trip late on Christmas day, I decided it would be best to do my long run before the busy weekend began. I woke up at 7:00 am and ran the 12 miler before Christmas breakfast at my parents' place. It was a bit tough to get out of bed, but as soon as I finished, I knew it was a good decision. Now I don't have to worry about getting a long run in on the same weekend as a 16 hour car ride to the mountains. Thanks to Liz, for getting up with me and running the first two mile loop. I ran a 2 mile loop near my condo 6 times. It was a windy, snowing morning so by doing loops, I never had to run too far in the same direction. The next week or so may be tough since I will be skiing but I plan to do my best to keep up with the running. Merry Christmas !!

Christman Eve 5 miler in the rain

This one wasn't a whole lot of fun. It rained the entire day so I had no choice but to run in the rain and wind. Nonetheless I ran 5 miles and did 4 x 100m strides with a 100m recovery jog.

First Workout....Finally

Today was the first "tempo workout" on the plan after 4 weeks of base mileage. Tempo workouts can best be described as moderately diffucult or about 80% of maximum heart rate. I ran about a 2 mile warm-up, then 12 laps (3 miles) on the track followed by a 2 mile cooldown. The total distance was seven miles and I ran the three tempo miles in 7:13/7:14/7:05 on Vianney's track. The goal pace was 7:15 so I was right on target. I felt pretty stong today, much better than yesterday. It really helped to have Rob pacing me during the tempo miles. I am starting to feel more fit and look forward to future workouts.

An easy 4 and strides

Not much to report today, just jogged an easy four miles and did 4 x 100 meters of strides. My legs are feeling very tired so hopefully by tomorrow they will improve.

The Christmas Light 5 Mile Run

Liz, Kati, Kevin and I decided to participate in the Big River Running Store Christmas Light Run and it actually turned out to be a pretty cool event. The run began at the South City Store and followed along the streets of South City through Francis Park and back to store. I would say there were about 300 people which I thought was a pretty strong turnout. I think the weather definitely encouraged more to attend. About a mile into the run I happened to run into Rob, it was good to see him again, that makes two days in a row. All and all, it was a unique event and something we plan to make a yearly tradition. The milk and cookies afterward were a nice bonus as well.

Longest Run in over a year

Early this morning I ran 14 miles along the Katy Trail. I met up with Rob for the last 10 miles of the run which gave me a much needed boost. We averaged just under 9:00 min pace per mile despite the cold weather and head wind on the first half. I felt okay today but my quads were sore during the second half of the run.

Weekly total - 50 miles. In terms of volume, this is one of the biggest weeks I have ever had. Luckily I am feeling healthy and ready to continue training.

5 again

This afternoon I ran 5 miles from my condo to Manchester and back at about 9:00 pace. With 14 miles on the plan for tomorrow, today was a nice easy jog. I must admit my legs are very sore from an hour of demolition ball yesterday.

Early morning 5.5

No school today, so I ran 5 miles in morning in Kirkwood. Today was also the first day that I did "strides." I did 4 x 100 meter strides at a fast pace with a 100 meter recovery jog in between each stride at Vianney's track, bringing the total mileage to 5.5.
I plan to do strides 2-3 times per week after easy runs.

Grant's 7

I ran 7 miles again today with Kati, Kevin and Liz. The legs felt great today and weather was good. Toward the end Kevin and I were rolling along at sub 7:30 pace for the last 2 miles,

Another 7

Today was pretty uneventful. After final exams and an afternoon nap, I ran 7 miles at about an 8:45 pace. The legs felt great today as I ran through Kirkwood from our condo to Manchester and back. I ran just before sunset and it was actually an enjoyable and relaxing run.

A Shaky 5 on the treadmill

I woke up at 6:15 with the intention of running 5 miles outside before school. However as I walked from my car to school the sub 10 degree wind chill convinced me otherwise. I decided to make this a treadmill morning. One problem - after about 5 minutes on the treadmill, the machine started to skip. About one time per minute the track would skip causing me to take a misstep. It wasn't terrible but something I had to pay attention to. After about the first 30 minutes the treadmill stopped stalling and I was able to run more comfortably. The rest of the week's forecast is a bit warmer so I do not plan to use the treadmill for a while. The repair man is coming today and that is a good thing because I know I will need that machine to get me through the training in the winter months.

A Slow 7

The legs definitely felt sluggish today. I jogged a 7 mile loop near De Smet at a slow 9:15 pace. I hope I feel better tomorrow. I am guessing that I am feeling the effects from a 16 mile weekend and a race. The good news is I got the 7 miles in and the legs and lungs are getting stronger in the process.

12 miler

Sunday afternoon I ran 12 miles with Kati and Kevin at Grant's Trail. Liz met up with us for miles 6-10 as we ran back and forth up and down the trail. The weather was actually not too bad, about 45 degrees. My legs felt pretty good even after yesterday's race. I ran never felt too tired but kept the pace relaxed and averaged 8:40 per mile.
Weekly total - 45 miles. Overall it was a great week as I feel motivated and ready to bump up to 50 next week.

FROSTBITE 3k

Today was the first day of the Frostbite Series and I planned on running the 3k (just under 2 miles) at Forest Park. The weather this morning actually wasn't too bad compared to what we have had this week. The plan was to go out in 6:10 but I came through at about 6:16. I finised with a time of 11:50. The last mile was tough and I definelty started to feel the effects of the lactic acid. It was a little slower than I had hoped but considering I have not done anything other than base mileage (slow paced miles), it's not too bad. Also, it was great to see Michael, Patrick, Glen, Collin and Micheal A. representing the team. I placed 63 of 269 males and 3rd of 15 males from 30-34. Up next...12 miles tomorrow afternoon.

EARLY morning treadmill run

Today was a bit of a challenge just to find the time to run. I had to leave for a coaching clinic in Columbia, MO at 6:30 am. The clinic lasted from 9 - 5, then I had a trivia night for the YMCA scheduled to begin at 7 pm. That left me with one choice if I wanted to get the run in - run in the morning. So I woke up at 5:15 drove to De Smet and ran on the treadmill from 5:45 - 6:25 am. I was able to get 4.5 of the scheduled 5 miles in (ran a little short on time) before I had to meet the other coaches at 6:30. After the run, I took a quick shower and was ready to go by 6:35. The run actually went fairly quick as I listened to Journey's Greatest Hits CD to wake me up. Tomorrow morning I race a 3k (just under 2 miles) at Forest Park. The plan is to come through the mile at about 6:10 and run hard to the finish. Stay tuned for race details...

Grant's Trail....again

Liz, Kati, Kevin and I ran at Grant's Trail today beginning at Tesson Ferry. Even tough it was cold, about 25 degrees, there was no wind and it felt great to be back outside. Kevin and I cruised along at about 8:40 pace for the first half of the run and picked it up during the second half averaging under 8:10 per mile (7:59 for the last one). I felt great today as the run actually went by pretty quickly. Up next - 5 miles in the morning.

Treadmill Run

The 50 mph wind gusts and 2 degree wind chill just didn't sound appealing today. I ran 6 miles on the treadmill. I do not enjoy running on the treadmill but sometimes it is the best option - the 6 miles are done. I plan to run outside tomorrow.

16 laps of rain and wind

Not much to report today. The weather wasn't great and some of the team planned to run a 1600m timed run so I figured I would have something to watch. So while the boys ran, I jogged 16 laps (4 miles) in the opposite direction and rooted them on. I hope the weather improves tomorrow

7 miler Monday

The legs actually felt pretty good today considering yesterday was a 10 miler. I started the run with Jacob and later met up with Matt and Ed. It is always nice to have a little company. I ran the Graser + Stoplight loop and averaged in the 8:30s per mile. My legs are actually starting to feel stronger so I think the training is working. Tomorrow I get a bit of a break with only a 4 mile run scheduled.

First Double Digit Run

Sunday morning Liz and I met with Kati and Kevin to run at Fenton Park. I had never been to the park but thought that the 1.4 loop would be good practice for my 26 one mile loops during the marathon. The weather was cool this morning, about 30 degrees. We ran 7+ loops around Fenton Park for a total of 10 miles. We were pretty consistent each loop and averaged exactly 8:30 per mile. I must admit my quads were a little sore during the second half of the run. The loop was mostly flat and worked well with the four of us running as we each could run at our own pace and distance and still be in the same place. I look forward to returning there for future runs.
Weekly total - 40 miles, which is the most I have done in the last year. I am looking forward to the next couple of weeks as I begin to incorporate "tempo" or medium pace running.

4 miles with the new GPS

I took it easy today running a 2 mile loop near my condo 2 times at 8:45 pace. I figured with 10 miles tomorrow, it would be wise to go easy today. The Garmin 405 makes running the exact mileage and pace a lot easier.

A mid-day 6 miler

Mass in the morning combined with working the basketball tournament after school meant that this run need to take place during a free period combined with the lunch break. I ran the Mosley + Couer de Ville loop for about a 6 mile run at 8:30 pace. It was a nice break in the day.

Another easy 6 at Grant's Trail

A little bit of wind today, but for the most, a fairly nice day to run. Liz, Kati, Kevin and I cruised along Grant's Trail for a little over 50 minutes.

5 miles of rain and wind

It wasn't the nicest day today, but I have run in worse. I ran at about 8:45 pace for 5 miles (one more mile than the assigned 4) completing the Greaser + loop. I ran into Glen near the end of the run so we ran the last 2 miles together. Hopefully the weather will improve over the next few days.

More on the LCFB Marathon

The "Last Chance for Boston Marathon" takes place in Dublin, Ohio on February 28th, 2010. The name comes from the days when the Boston Marathon had a due date for its qualification time. The due date is no longer in place, but the event kept its name.
Anyway, the marathon consists of 26 one mile loops. I know that sounds crazy, but the loops are marked every quarter mile and the course is designed to run fast as it is a flat loop. I think it is my best chance to run a fast time atlougth it may not be the most entertaining. The good news is I will get to see Liz 26 times during the race and anyone who has ever run a long distance knows that seeing someone you know during the race really helps.

A quick 20 minute run

Tuesday was the day of the cross country banquet which meant I was really stressed for time. I had to fit in a quick run during my free period. I plan to run a little extra on Wednesday to make up for the 1.5 miles I missed.

An easy 6

Today's weather was once again ideal for running. After school, I ran the "Chasselle" 6 mile loop. The pace today was a litter slower, about 8:50 per mile as I was a little sore from yesterday's strength training. Up next, an easy 4 tomorrow morning.

First "Long Run"

The first "long run" on the plan called for 8 miles. Long is a relative term as 8 miles is not really that long of a run, however is it the longest run I have done in months. I ran with Kevin, Kati and Liz and cruised along Grant's Trail at about 8:30pace. The weather was ideal for running except for the wind as it was about 50 degrees. It felt great to get out there and run for more than hour.

So, the first of 14 weeks is completed with a total of 32 miles. I am starting to feel a bit stronger but I know that the plan's real challenges lie ahead...

An easy run in perfect condition

Yesterday was one of only four schduled off-days in the next three months so I was looking forward to getting back out there.
The conditions were perfect today. It was about 68 degrees with no wind. I ran about 8:30 pace around Kirkwood and felt pretty good. Up next...8 miles tomorrow with Liz, Kati and Kevin at Grant's Trail.

CHESTERFIELD TURKEY TROT 5k

Today was the first day in a number of weeeks that it has been cold and windy. I raced in a hat, gloves and running tights. I probably was a bit overdressed but actually raced fairly well. I came through the first mile in about 6:20, then hit the two mile in 12:45, which is sub 20:00 pace. I felt like I was maintaining that pace but a large hill in the last mile got the best of me. I ended up running 20:22 which is only about 20 seconds from my PR (post high school PR, that is). I placed 9th of 110 in my my age group of 30-34 year old men and 72 of 2357 overall (this includes walkers etc.)

What a great way to start Thanksgiving. We ran with many friends and went to Joe and Waff's house after the race for bagels and juice. It was great to see everyone. Liz also ran a PR of 26:41 and Kati and Kevin raced faster than last week as well. Congrats to Klug for winning the De Smet division with a time of about 19:35. Way to go!

Looking forward to the rest of the day, Happy Thanksgiving!

Wednesday - Gearing up for tomorrow's Turkey Trot

Numerous errands and a little bit of school work combined with the packet pick up, meant that this four miler took place in the dark around 5:00. Once again, the weather was great for running as I ran a two mile loop, near my condo, 2 times. I ran at a 9:00 pace in an effort to save my legs for the morning. Looking forward to running tomorrow morning with Liz and many friends - Josh, Liz, Joe, Waff, Rob, Josh, Jenny, Kati, Kevin and hopefully a few others. No real goals for tomorrow, I just plan to get out and an aggressive pace and see how fit I am.

Tuesday, November 24 - Off to Grant's Trail

Liz and I met up with Kati and Kevin for a 6 mile run on Grant's Trail, beginning at Big Bend. We ran in the dark, but the weather was actually pretty nice, a little cool, but a good temperature to run in. Kevin and I cruised along at about 8:20 pace. Felt great, certainly much better than yesterday. The post-race soreness is gone!

Monday, November 23 - Let the training begin!

I started following my 14 week plan developed by Tim Bradley, SLU assistant cross country and track coach and Big River Running personal coach. The plan is designed to prepare me to run a sub 3:30 marathon (8:00 min per mile) at the end of February. My current PR is 3:39 (8:22 per mile)from Memphis in 2006. The plan starts off with mostly easy runs. As a matter of fact, most of the runs, I will do during this training segment will be between 8:00 - 9:30 per mile. However, I will be running 7 days a week (for the most part) and several times per week, I will have to run between 6:30 and 8:00 per mile.

The first run on the plan was an easy 4 mile run. I certainly ran at an easy pace as I was still pretty sore from yesterday's St. Louis Track Club Marathon Relay. Liz and I raced the marathon with our friends and new training partners, Kevin and Kati. We each had to run 2 legs of 3.26 miles. I ran 6:43/6:50/6:50 per mile then 75 minutes later, I ran 6:59/6:59/7:07 per mile. Not too bad, considering I had not raced since late August due to a busy XC season at De Smet. All four of us had a blast and plan to make it a yearly tradition.

Anyway, I ran the 4 miles at a unusually slow place, but I am feeling motivated to get this thing started!