Just a Few Random Thoughts

The Streak Ends Again

I am so mad at myself. I started again on December 2 and was doing great until I forgot to get the mile in yesterday. I even found a way to get those miles in last weekend while I was in Indy for a dog show. I did laps in the parking lot Saturday afternoon! And then, yesterday, when I easily could have found time to hop on the treadmill for a mile (it was an off-day from my training schedule and I had two agility classes with the dogs), I simply forgot.

I was debating whether to start once again or just bow to the inevitability of never being able to continue a long-term running streak, but I think I've decided that the discipline of trying is good for me.

Oscar Pistorius

I could really see how it might have been an accident, this shooting and killing the girlfriend thing. South Africa sounds like a scary place, and this guy was known to be a little reactive and loose with his shooting. So I could see how if he were surprised he would shoot first and ask questions later. Plus, they'd only been together as a couple since November. I don't get how anybody who is still in the honeymoon phase of the relationship could possibly get so angry that they would want to shoot the other person. Unless you were crazy. Which, apparently, he is.

Training and How It's Going Generally

Not so bad. I like the Hanson's program I am following. I've missed a couple of workouts due to the dog shows but otherwise I am logging a lot more miles than usual. I really like not having the burden of facing those 18-22 mile long runs. This Monday I will do 16, which is as long as you go in this program. I don't have any problem getting my head around 16.

I'm done with the speed segment of the program and now we're into the strength segment. That means longer intervals at slightly faster than marathon goal pace. Now, the only hitch I have is that the tempo runs are also supposed to be at marathon goal pace, and since I always incorporate walk breaks in my training and in my racing, that means that the tempo runs end up being kind of like the strength interval runs also. Or maybe even faster running than during the strength intervals because I am trying to compensate for the walk breaks.

For example, on Wednesday I did the first strength workout. Supposed to be 6 x 1 mile at 9:20 pace, with 400 meter recoveries. On the TM, I end up doing the repeats at 9:22 pace because that is 6.4 mph. 6.5 is too fast. I do quarter mile recoveries, with a 30 second walk at 3.5 mph, then jogging at 5.0 pace until I hit a quarter mile.

And today, I went out for what was supposed to be the tempo run. Schedule is 8 miles, with 5 miles at marathon pace. So, I did a mile and a half warmup, then I started running fast but took at 30 second walk break every mile (1 minute break in the middle to have a GU). When I hit 6.5 miles, I walked for a minute and then did the cooldown jog for a total of 8.23 miles. I did average goal pace for the tempo segment, finishing 4.99 miles in 47:24 (goal would be 5 miles in 47:30). But I didn't get it by running 9:30 pace continuously for 5 miles. A good part of it was much faster in order to average out to the 9:30-ish pace. That makes it more like an interval workout, I guess.

So, does that mean I am not getting the benefit of a true marathon pace/tempo workout? OTOH, I am not going to run at a continuous pace for 26.2 miles, either. That's not how I do it. So what is the point of practicing that way? I think what I am doing makes more sense, since it is practicing what I am actually going to do in the race.

I am pretty exhausted lately, but that is supposed to be normal. I have upped my mileage from 25 to closer to 40 miles a week, which is significant, so I guess I should be tired.

I do wonder when I am going to start losing weight from all this extra running! I didn't think I was eating that much more.

Just gonna run

I've officially given up on the schedule. Not that there is much more of it to follow. Yesterday was the last change to get a decent long workout in and I blew it again. Was supposed to do 10-12 with the last 4-6 at marathon pace. Should have gone back to Lunken. Instead, struggled through six in the neighborhood and quit. It was a hot afternoon and I was tired from lack of sleep and dog training class.

Today I just went for a run around the Park-Kilgour route, 4.23 miles in about 45 minutes. It was later in the afternoon and a little cooler and I actually enjoyed myself.

I had been thinking the last few days a bit that it might be a waste of time to go to Indy. And then yesterday I started thinking that what the heck, I might as well go and just run and forget about trying to BQ. Just at least  run the race I have been training for, enjoy the expo and the pasta dinner and the speakers and the day.

And then, this evening, I realized something else. I only have to run 9:30s to qualify for Boston. I can do that, can't I? I ran sub 9s for a half on a hillier course a month ago. I just have to start out slow. I have to run that first mile in 10 minute pace, then do the gradual cutdown to a 9:30 by mile 4. Keep 'em all under 9:30 and throw a couple faster ones in where I can. And I'll have it.

Another Failed Long Run

Today I was supposed to do the last really long run, 18-22 miles. I had a hard time decided where or how to do it. The weather was overcast and about 52 degrees. Weather.com said it wasn't going to start raining until 4 pm or so. 52 and overcast ought to be great weather for a long run. But I prefer a little sunshine. Still, it didn't seem bad enough to do it on the treadmill.

In addition to the treadmill, I considered Lunken, my "3 loops" course x 2 (gives me over 20), 3 Loops plus Mariemont (around 18.5) and an oldie I haven't attempted in years and years, "2 Parks" plus Delta.

After a dog walk---the Observatory route in reverse to avoid cats---I suited up for Lunken. I wore my CW-X capris and a longsleeved top from the Reindeer Romp. At the last minute I threw on my thin red jacket. I was thinking it might be cozy to put on after I was finished for the drive home. Hahahahaha. I wore my fanny pack and carried Chomps.

Got down to Lunken around noon. It was considerably more desolate down there than usual. I guess the weather was keeping people home? Or maybe it is always like that on Friday? I wouldn't know because I've been going there on Mondays and Wednesdays lately.

I had forgotten how much colder and windier it gets down there. I needed that jacket after all. I wore it most of the way. I took it off and tied it around my waist for awhile during the first lap but I ended up putting it back on again for the second, remembering how much the cold contributed to my last failed long run a couple of weeks ago.

Oh, yeah, and I've gone back to the Pegagsis 28s for the long run, because I think the 29s are too snug or something.

Started out okay, except I really wasn't liking the wind. No knee pain this time and hips did not feel as tight as they have lately. I did my first lap around the airport in the counterclockwise direction, as usual. I ran back to the car in the first quarter mile because I was worried I had forgotten to lock the door, and then at the end I did the out-and-back around the playfield to push it over 6 miles. Here are the splits for the first lap:
1) 10:11
2) 10:21
3) 10:01
4) 10:01
5) 10:07
6) 10:09

Not bad, right? So after stopping to refill my water bottle at the car, I headed back out to do the 9 mile lap that includes the Armleder trail. The wind was kicking up and it was drizzling off and on. There were some big dark clouds overhead. I wondered if I would get this thing done before the rain started.

At least the Armleder trail is prettier, so there's that. And there were a few more people out on it, so it was a little less depressing. But, as I finished up the 2-mile loop around the park and prepared to head back on the connector, the wind really started whipping up and it was raining a little more. Still, as I ran up the hill to Lunken, I was thinking that maybe I would at least get around and finish the 9 mile loop, which would give me 15 or so.

But when I got up to the top of the hill, I just really couldn't face the idea of the back half of Lunken if it kept raining. So I just ran the mile back to the car. I just really wanted to get home and get out of the wind and into dry clothes. It didn't seem worth risking getting a chill just so I could get the miles done. Maybe I am just a wimp. But I swear if the weather is like this two weeks from now I am cancelling the trip to Indianapolis. No point in going if I'm not going to BQ.

Here are the splits from the last six miles:
7) 10:47
8) 10:23
9) 10:20
10) 10:55
11) 11:12
12) 11:04

In the end, it was 12.25 miles in 2:08:31 or 10:29 pace.

It sucks that I couldn't get this done. So I have one skipped long run, two failed/shortened long runs, and one sub-par race. Doesn't bode well for the marathon. I need a good couple of workouts to restore my self-belief. There's not much left, though. There's an interval workout scheduled for Monday, and a fast-finish 10 miler on Wednesday. And that's it.

I think I am going to try to do 8-10 tomorrow, on the treadmill if I have to. Then I can at least say I did 20 over 2 days.

The Struggle Continues

Week 13, Day 4

Schedule said off or 30-45 easy. I did the Mooney run in the lae afternoon. It was cool and sunny but windy. I felt pretty good. Time was 41:40 for 4.1 miles or 10:09 pace.

Week 13, Day 7

I skipped the Friday and Saturday runs because I was at an agility trial. Sunday was the Dayton River Corridor Classic Half-Marathon. I will write a race report about it soon, but it was not a good day for me. They cut a half mile off early in the race. So the race was shortened, but we also missed the first water stop and didn't get water until three miles in. It was very windy. I went out way too fast---8:05 for the first mile---and I paid for it later. It was overall very discouraging.

Week 14, Day 2

I took off the day after the Dayton race as the schedule prescribed. Tuesday it said off or 30-45 minutes easy, so I did a little run around Hyde Park for 36:36, or 10:54 pace for 3.35 miles. I started out wanting to do the park but they were doing construction, so I ran down Observatory to Delta and then down Erie to Marburg, crossed over and did the Victoria Loop, then finished up around HP east. .

Week 14, Day 3

Schedule said 45-60 easy, so I did Erie-Broadview Settle for 4.85 miles in 53:18 or 10:59 pace.

Week 14, Day 4

Schedule said 30-45 easy. I did the park for 3.08 miles in 34:42 or 11:15 pace.

The Struggle to Fit Running in Around the Wedding

It has been a challenge to fit the running in the past week. I'll just go through it day by day and compare what I was supposed to do with what I actually did.

Week 12, Day 1
This was a scheduled off day after the half-marathon. I didn't run, but I did do 15 minutes of core work and 15 minutes of upper body work with the Nike Training Club on my iPhone. Plus I cleaned the bathrooms!

Week 12, Day 2
I managed to complete the scheduled 30-45 minute "easy run," completing 3.15 miles around the park in 36:43 or 11:30 pace. Okay, it was very slow but the park is hard. The weather was drizzly and the roads were slippery. I felt a little knee twinge, which might have been from the conditions, or maybe a result of the cross-training yesterday. Cross-training = bad for you.

Week 12, Day 3
The schedule said 45-60 easy. I did the EBSE route for 4.85 miles in 51:54 or 10:41 pace. Better than the day before but did get the knee twinge at the start of mile 4. I backed off and it went away, but iced it when I got home. I think it really was from the damn cross training.

Week 12, Day 4
I was supposed to do a 16-20 mile long run. Instead, I drove around completing various wedding-related errands with Susan. Also, I had to take the dogs to the kennel and that was a two hours of driving. This is the first major workout that I have missed and I hope it won't turn out to be a key one.

Week 12, Day 5
The schedule calls for a 40-50 minute recovery run. I do the Madison route for 4.9 miles in 52:56 or 10:47 pace. I had to hustle to get a run in before we had to head out for the mani-pedi party.

Week 12, Day 6
The schedule said off or 30-45 easy. But this was the day of the wedding. So hahaha, it wasn't happening.

Week 12, Day 7
Again, the schedule said off or 30-45 easy. I did 3.15 miles on the treadmill in 45 minutes, using Program 2 mostly on Level 5 which has a top speed of 5.2 mph. Felt really tired but like I needed to do something.

Week 13, Day 1
Was supposed to do a 18-22 mile long run. I went to Lunken in the middle of the day, after the dog walk, with every intention of getting at least 18 in. The first five went well, but when I went back to the car to refill my water bottle, I made the mistake of switching to a shortsleeve shirt. It was pretty windy and not that warm, and I think this apparel switch played some role in my srtuggles the rest of the way. For the second loop, I went down the Otto Armleder trail and connector, then continued the rest of the Lunken loop. This gives you a nice 9 miler. I was hoping then that I could go back to the car and just head out for another 5 and I'd have over 19. But my hips were really sore and my pace was slowing and I felt like crap. So I just went a little way down and back towards the playfield and ended up with just 16.38 for the day. I guess we could consider this a makeup for the 16-20 I missed last Thursday, but maybe the point was to do 16 last Thursday and another 18 on Monday. If so, I have failed.

Week 13, Day 2
Schedule said off or 30-45 recovery. I am bored with my regular 3 mile routes. It was late in the afternoon and I had already walked the dogs around the park. Had agility class in the morning, then some driving around with post-wedding errands. So, went down Erie, then across and jogged a little around the dogwalking area, then did the Victoria-Portsmouth loop and came home, for a total of 3 miles in 31:35 or 10:31 pace.

Week 13, Day 3
Today the schedule called for 45-60 easy. I didn't make it out until late afternoon again, following a morning rally class with Zen, returning vases to the florist, and a dog walk around the Observatory route (scary when the out of control dogs lunged for a pile of dog poop on Erie and Zen pulled her leash out of my hand and I got a knee twinge as i tried to brace myself, hold on to the dogs, and not fall down). I did the Park + Kilgour route, for a total of 4.23 miles in 45:35.

I am bothered that I missed the long run last week and had to shorten the one this week. Otherwise, I guess I am not in such bad shape. But I know the long runs are really key and the area I've been lacking before. And here I am again. Well, if I can run a decent half-marathon this weekend, I'll feel a little better about things. I have one more really long run next Friday, then a fast finish long run the following Wednesday, and that's it.

Week 11, Days 3 & 4

Been busy so skipped posting the last few days. So this is for the runs I did on Wednesday and Thursday. After the Yassos on Monday, I did not feel bad about taking Tuesday off.

Wednesday I just did an easy three around the park. Time was 33:38 or 11:08 pace, once again a pretty good pace for that difficult route. Can't remember now what time of day I did this. Oh, that's right. It was in mid-morning after walking the dogs and before I went out to get my hair and nails done.

Thursday I did an easy five miler on my "Madison" route. This one was in the early evening, after 5 pm, after I got back from setting my crates up for the agility trial on Friday. The roads felt kind of slippery after the rain. My knee didn't feel great, and I don't know if that was because of the rain/humidity, or because I had run the dogs in agility class in the middle of the day (and maybe the knee brace I wear for agility was bothering me?), or because I had been schlepping the wire crates around and setting them up. And of course, I think I probably alter my stride when I am worried about slipping.

Come to think of it, the left foot is feeling a little weird also. That might be because now that it is fall, I've been changing my regular dog-walking shoes. Had been walking in the Keens all summer with no problem, but the last few days I've worn my old Merrills a bunch and maybe they are causing a problem. Note to self, get some Keens for the fall/winter.

Anyway, felt a little knee twinge early in the second mile, and maybe I should have cut the run short. But I kept going. the knee became bothersome again near the end of the run, when I had just about a half-mile to go. I even stopped and walked a little bit at that point, then jogged slowly the rest of the way. Time was 54:07 for 4.9 miles or 11:02 pace, which is not bad considering the walking.

Anyway, I took yesterday off because of the agility trial, and then I'm also taking today off because of the race tomorrow, and also because, damn it, I feel like I am getting a cold. Just in time for State-to-State tomorrow morning.

Now the dilemma. Do I skip the race and then it turns out it's not really a cold anyway? And then I have broken my streak of doing this race every time since the first year. Or do I run anyway, and turn the cold into pneumonia/bronchitis, just in time for the wedding next weekend and when I am really not going to have time to get to the doctor this week and have a gazillion things to do?

In the meantime, I am sucking down the vitamin C. I really have to get back on the vitamin kick. I actually did take them this morning before I went off to stand around in the cold outside at the agility trial. Was colder than I expected when I got there and I was wearing shorts. Stupid.

It looks like it is going to be in the upper 40s in Oxford tomorrow morning for the start of the race, and only climb to about 55 degrees by the time I finish. Gonna be one of those years where I have to layer and debate ditching my old garments, I guess.

Last year the weather was pretty perfect, and I made my goal of breaking 2:00 and even placed second in the age group. This year I wanted to go even a little faster, and the workouts of the last few weeks were telling me that I was in shape to do that, but now I don't know. If I really feel sick even taking it easy is going to be stupid. Well, at least it won't be raining tomorrow. Last year I think I also felt like I was getting a cold before the race but it was a false alarm. I was a little thinner this time last year. Let's not dwell on that.

Week 11, Day 1

I could have run yesterday when I came home from the agility trial but instead I just ate Chinese food.

Today I did another Yasso workout at Lunken. I thought about doing 7 or 8, but it was hard enough to get myself in the mood for 6. The schedule says 6-8. I counted back from the race date to see what it would be if I was just doing Yassos every week, and it would be just 6 this week so that settled it for me.

I'm feeling better than two weeks ago when I did the last set of Yassos---no hangover or headache---but I am just a little tired. Did not get out for the dog walk until 10 am. So it was almost noon before I started on the Yassos.

The weather is great for a mid-day run, fortunately, and once I got going I felt pretty good. Like last time, I wore my fanny pack with the water bottle and brought along some GU.

I started around the loop in the same clockwise direction as last time, but I didn't do as long of a warmup as last time. I jogged from the parking lot out to the first mile marker that you hit after the top of the hill. Well, actually, I jogged for a mile, then stopped to stretch a little bit at the benches at the top of the hill, then walked for a minute, then jogged up to the mile marker. So, the warmup was just 1.1 miles in 11:59.

Here are the splits for the intervals:

1) .49/4:02 recovery of.31/3:19
2) .49/4:09, recovery of .34/3:31
3) .49/3:58, recovery of .34/3:41
4) .49/3:54, recovery of .30/3:41 (had the GU pack during the recovery)
5) .48/3:57, recovery of .31/3:23
6) .51/4:03, recovery of .96/10:01

For the recoveries, I did the same thing as last time. I walked for 30 seconds, then jogged for a minute, then turned around and jogged back to the marker, then jogged about 15 seconds or so past it and then back to start the interval again at the mile marker that was my previous end point.

The only difference was after the fourth interval, I walked more. I had the GU at that point, and I walked for over a minute, then jogged for a minute, then jogged back.

To keep myself occupied during the intervals, I counted to 60 three times, checking my watch each time I hit 60. For the first two intervals, I had to run a little more before I hit the marker, but on the later ones, I was getting to the marker just about the time I hit 60 for the third time.

I had the watch set to show lap time in the main display, and distance in the smaller display. That seemed to work out okay.

I passed one woman who was doing possibly multiple laps at a slower pace even then I was going on  my recoveries. She asked me how long I was running and I told her that I didn't know for sure because I was doing intervals and going back and forth. I wondered if she was looking for someone to run with. That would be nice, but not today.

There was also some guy who was apparently walking around in the same direction, who started around the same time I did, and somehow even though he was walking and I was running (and I kept passing him during my intervals), we finished our loop around at about the same time. He never did say hello to me. I couldn't figure out how he got ahead of me, but maybe he had ducked into the bushes for a pee during one of the early intervals, then came back out? Anyway, that was a little weird.

Overall, I have to be satisfied with this workout. I think it felt a little easier than last time. Probably good that I didn't start as crazy fast.

Week 10, Days 5 and 6

Didn't run on Thursday because just too busy. Got in a short one yesterday after I came home from the agility trial, and then did the stride interval workout that was scheduled for yesterday, today.

Okay, first up, let's talk about yesterday. Not too much to say about it. I wore my new Nike Pegasus 29s. Felt just like the 27s and the 28s, except maybe a little smaller and snugger and that is probably good. Did the EBE route, finishing up by going around the neighborhood, which put it at 3.1 miles on the GPS in 34:02 or 10:40 pace. Felt a little tired from the agility trial but not bad.

Today I needed to do the stride workout. This is described as 55-70 minutes of easy running with 10-15 strides of 25 seconds or so and recoveries of 1 minute, with the strides done either at the end of the workout or somewhere in the middle.

Hmmm. Oh, and the strides are supposed to start out around 5k race pace and build up to like mile race pace by the end of each interval, if I understand this correctly.

For a run that long outside I was going to need water, and if past experience is any guide, probably a bit of fuel half way through. The intervals were best done somewhere that I wouldn't have to cross streets or encounter a lot of traffic, either pedestrian or motorized.

So after thinking about it a bit, I decided to start out with my regular Park loop, then return home for water and a GU, then go back up into the park and do the strides around the pavillion. And when I finished that up, I could just jog back home the shortest way.

This worked out pretty well. I ran the park loop, including jogging down the trail right to the front door, in 35:02, which the GPS said was 11:04 pace for 3.1 miles. That's actually not a bad time for that route. I made it to Custer, my traditional checkpoint, in 26:49, which is a good pace for that run.

Then I had a glass of water and a GU pack, as planned, and headed back out. Instead of running up the street as I normally would at the start of a run, I went up the trail to Observatory Ave. I felt good. Better than I do at the start of a run. I guess that is the effect of the warmup!

I jogged up the hill for 9 minutes, which put me up near the left side of the pavillion. Then I walked for a minute and started the intervals, running clockwise around the pavillion and gardens. I forget what I had the GPS set to display but it worked out well for keeping track. I know I had one of the displays set up for manual laps, and I knew that I was going to need 21 manual laps to finish the workout (1 lap to jog up the hill, then 10 laps of fast running and 10 laps of recovery). Maybe the other display was total distance or something like that. Yeah, I think that was it. The main display was the manual lap time.

For the recoveries, I walked for 30 seconds and jogged for 30 seconds.

The time of each lap varied a little bit depending on how accurate I was at looking down at the watch and hitting it to stop the lap, but the important data point is probably average speed for each of the intervals:

1) 8:09 (just figuring it out)
2) 7:48 (slight downhill)
3) 6:41 (more downhill)
4) 8:34 (slight uphill)
5) 7:00 (more flat?)

I was feeling better than I remembered feeling the last time I ran short, fast intervals. I think when I tried a similar workout during my last training cycle, I was running the intervals too fast. I think I had been doing them just about all out for 30 seconds, instead of starting at 5k pace and gradually accelerating. I tried to concentrate more on my form---because that is part of the point of the exercise---and then really speeding up the last ten seconds.

After the fifth interval, which put me on the right side of the pavillion (if you are coming uphill from Observatory), I switched direction and did the other five going counterclockwise.

6) 7:17
7) 6:28 (downhill)
8) 7:44 (uphill?)
9) 7:11 (flat?)
10) 7:35 (not sure why it was slow because I think it was downhill)

Anyway, I probably could have done 5 more but this was enough.

Then I just jogged back home on Observatory and stopped my watch just before I hit the trail. This second half of the workout was another 3.1 miles, in 32:15 or an average pace of 10:37.

I'm pleased with how this workout went. Overall, I should take confidence from having done all of the important workouts so far. I don't think I've missed a single speed session or long run. Have I? And when has that ever happened before.

No matter how the race turns out, I will have done the work.

Now the only two things I'm worried about are getting sick, and the struggle to get these last few key weeks of training in. The wedding really figures into these concerns, because it is a big stressor, and also I will be exposed to a lot of germs!

I've started trying to remember to take my vitamins again, and I'm going to have to work on getting plenty of sleep.

Week 10 , Day 3

I can't believe I actually got the 18-miler done, mostly because I was so not mentally into it.

Physically, I had no real excuse, since I don't have anything major going on right now, and we had great weather for a long run today. The high is probably in the mid-60s. It's sunny but not too hot. It was in the mid-50s when I started my run.

After a 45-minute dog walk around the neighborhood---trying to avoid loose dogs, which is becoming more and more of a problem lately, I decided to pack up and head out to Lunken. (OMG, I just watched that video and I swear I saw my van in the parking lot. I should watch it again and see if I can find myself on the trail.)

I wore capri tights since it was a little cooler today than I've gotten used to. Set the GPS watch to display lap times, I didn't really believe I was going to do 18. The schedule said 16-18. Especially after I got started, I was thinking I would be lucky to get 16 done.

I wore my fanny pack with a bottle of ice water and carried some Chomps and a GU packet.

The trail is 5 miles around, but it's a little more if you add in the distance to and from the car (where I would go at the end of each loop), and then I was going to do a little bit more to make sure I got at least 16.

I like to park in the lot on Wilmer Ave. and run the first loop counterclockwise. I switch direction for each loop.

With this new watch, I have mile/lap times:
1) 10:04 ---takes me up to the Sky Galley/terminal area, where we verify that there is indeed no mile marker visible (an issue during the Yassos last week)

2) 10:25---getting on the back side of the trail

3) 10:04 --- had some Chomps

4) 10:18 --- took the walking break down the steep hill

5) 10:16 ---took the walking break as I was approaching the van, refilled water bottle at van, wiped my face, put on fresh chapstick

6) 10:15---running the trail clockwise, walk break up the steep hill, had some Chomps

7) 10:30---bummed that I am slowing down

8) 10:17---started feeling depressed and suicidal, wondering how I am going to make myself get out there for a third lap

9) 10:29---back near the terminal again, had some Chomps

10) 10:43---back to the van, refilled the water bottle, wiped my face, reapplied sunscreen

11) 10:41---this third loop is going to be a lot slower, but now I am committed, heading back up Wilmer Ave. and passing the terminal. I'm seriously considering taking walking breaks every half-mile the way I do when I run on the treadmill, but then I will be out here even longer. I'm also thinking that maybe I do need to get a carrier for my iPhone and decent earbuds, because this is so damn boring, and it would be nice to listen to a podcast or some music. However, there is a lot of bicycle traffic and I would be a little nervous about not hearing them coming up behind me, since there were a few times even on this run where I almost got run over.

12) 10:58---creeping along, no longer suicidal but wondering how I am ever gonna qualify for Boston in Indy. Thinking that maybe I really need to start getting more sleep. Go to bed at night by 10. Maybe the reason this is hard is because I am so tired. Have the last of the Chomps.

13) 11:08---maybe I will do 17. Four more miles to go!

14) 11:04---decide to extend the run by doing a mile or so out and back along the Otto Armleder trail, a new loop that connects to Lunken. Never been on this trail before. Actually, I guess it is a one mile trail connector that goes to a two-mile loop. So I guess my out and back was on the connector piece. This could make a nice four mile extension to a Lunken loop, to push it up to nine mile around, but I like the five mile distance for carrying water. Anyway, I hit the connector around 14.4 miles, and I ran on it until the GPS said 15.5 miles, then turned around and headed back. It's very pretty. Lots of yellow wildflowers. A nice change of scenery from Lunken, which is kind of monotonous and ugly in places.

15) 11:15 --- on the connector, have the GU packet. Chocolate Mint, yum.

16) 11:32 ---still on the connector

17) 11:35---walked down the steep hill at 16.5. Think about skipping this walk break and just running to the car which would be around 17.5 miles. Then think, heck, why not go for the 18 so I can at least know that I did it. So I do take that last walk break. Pass the car at 17.5, so then just keep going a quarter mile towards the golf course entrance, then turn around and head back towards the van.

18) 11:13 Done!

Final time was 3:12:59, which amazingly is an average pace of 10:43, which even more amazingly is within the target range for long run pace. Really. The slow end of the range is 10:50. Now, we can see that only my first 11 miles were within the pace range. The last 7 miles were outside the range. Not sure if that matters. Well, maybe it does. But, things could be worse. This is the same pace that I averaged for 12.55 miles back on Aug.1.

Back home, I had my chocolate milk and a huge bowl of leftover spaghetti and meatballs. Am feeling pretty tired, stiff and sore right now. But do have a little of that good post-long run feeling. Knee felt okay and I didn't even ice it. I had a little funny feeling in my right foot in the second half of the run but I think it is okay. I am happy to be able to cross this one off my list!

Do I have to do one of these again next week? I hope not. I really do not enjoy the long runs.

Week 10 (Already?) Days 1 & 2

Just a couple of easy runs on the schedule at the start of this week. Yesterday I went for the 45-60 minute easy run. After the dog walk, I headed out around 11 am around the park/Kilgour route plus a little bit up Observatory and back on Pape. The GPS watch said it was 4.83 miles in 54 minutes, 11:09 pace but it is hard to run around the park.

Today I didn't go out until later in the afternoon because it was raining this morning. Decided to do my trail loop because it was a bit windy and cooler than I'm used to, and I was looking forward to the shelter from the wind that you get in the woods. Also, I wanted the freedom to just go nice and slow in a pretty place without having to worry about crossing any streets.

Trail route was 2.97 miles in 45:45, which is the ridiculously slow pace of 15:23, but it's on the trails. That is actually not any slower than usual for the trail route.

Tomorrow I am supposed to do the long run of 16-18 miles. Not sure if I will do it outside or on the treadmill.

Week 9, Day 5

Yesterday the schedule called for another easy run, this time just 30-40 minutes. After walking around the neighborhood with Tommy & the dogs, I headed out for my regular old loop of the park.

Did not get out until 11 am but no worries, because it was another pleasant day. Hit my "checkpoint" at Custer in 27:03---historically, anything under 27 is pretty fast on this course, so to be right at 27 on an "easy" day is pretty cool.

Finished the run of 3.01 miles in 33:16 or an 11:02 pace. While that sounds slow, for this course that is relatively fast. So, I am getting faster. It is happening!

Tonight is the Glenwood Gardens night trail run. Last year I finished in just a smidge over 30 minutes, so this year I hope to at least break 30.

Week 9, Day 4

Today the schedule called for a Recovery Run of 30-45 minutes, or a rest day. I am not sure what I am supposed to be recovering from since yesterday was an easy day, but maybe it is because this is supposed to be an overall recovery week with reduced mileage.

The dogs woke me up around 6:45 and I was out the door by 7:15 am, so a little later than usual. It was a warmer morning than we've had the past few days. It was nice to run in daylight but I didn't like all the traffic.

Just did the Shady Lane route as usual. Still a bit frantic about not falling down. Wonder how long it is going to take me to get over that? I am so obsessed now with looking at the sidewalk when I'm on Erie that I almost ran into a guy coming the other way.

Finished in 35:04 for 3.21---hey, the GPS matches what it said on Tuesday for a change!---which is a 10:56 pace, right in line with what it is supposed to be for a "recovery run." I think I am getting a teensy bit faster after all.

I've been thinking about the GPS discrepancies, and I wonder if it has to do with starting the run before the GPS signal is ready. The shoe pod is supposed to take over whenever the GPS is not working, but maybe that doesn't quite apply or work properly if you use the Quick Start command before you have a GPS signal. That is supposed to be the point of the Quick Start but maybe it doesn't really work.

Tomorrow I think it's another short and easy one. I'm thinking about getting out the spreadsheet I used last time and plugging in this training block and see how it compares to last time, and the BQ time. I've definitely never followed a schedule so consistently before. I've done all the long runs so far and all the speed sessions, except for the one where I substituted a race. Actually, no, I did do that that speed session too, just pushed it out a couple of days to allow for the race recovery. It might be more, it might be less, than I've ever done before but at least I am sticking to the program.

Week 9, Day 3

Today the schedule calls for an easy run of 50-60 minutes. Slept in this morning, then walked to dogs around the park, the long way because the weather is so nice for a change. Got out for the run around 11 am. Felt a little tired and it was getting warmer by then and quite sunny. But still not bad.

Did the Madison route. Tried to keep the pace easy and mostly, felt pretty good. Was thinking about the upcoming trail race this weekend during the first mile. Thinking about my goals---breaking 30 minutes (was just a few seconds over last year), trying to get into the top 10 women and possibly the top ten age-graded runners, beat Cyndi K. by more than three placements (this is what I need to do in order to place ahead of her in the Dirty Dozen standings). I can't control some of these things so I am trying to focus on the breaking 30 minutes. Last year I think I was recovering from a cold so I really should be able to run a bunch faster this year. And then, when it comes down to the end of the race, I just have to try to pass all the women that I can.

Anyway, I was thinking about all this when all of a sudden I think I actually see Cyndi K. running towards me. I am pretty sure it was her. She was running with some guy, and they were coming down Erie as I was going up it. She was wearing the pink technical top from the Lady Distance Classic and she has the longish, wavy blond hair like Cyndi K., and she gave me a big hello. Had to be her. So that was kind of random. Huh.

Rest of the run went along pretty well but another odd thing was that I noticed the GPS seemed to be saying that I was running farther for this route than it did when I last ran it a couple of weeks ago. That's weird. I would have thought that the GPS would be at least as consistent as the shoe pod was.

Had a bit of knee twingey stuff going on in the last mile and a half or so, coming up Observatory. Also had noticed that my left and right feet are landing differently, and I'm not sure what to think about that. And my right shoulder/neck area is a little sore, like I pinched or pulled something or slept on it funny, and that was bothering me yesterday also.

When crossing Observatory at Delta, had a near miss with an inattentive car driver. I hate crossing that intersection. The woman driver (I am sad to say that it is always a woman who almost hits me) was coming down Observatory and turning right on to Delta. She looked to her left but not straight ahead where I was. I had the signal, the all-too-brief signal that you get at that intersection. I could tell she didn't see me so I hung back a bit and she cut me off. As she cut me off, she finally noticed me and gave me a little friendly wave.

Right. So I gave her the finger in response. Idiot. If I were a guy I probably would have pounded on the hood of her car as well. So she is lucky she just got the finger. Probably didn't understand what I was upset about. The fact that you could have run me over, moron, that is why I gave you the finger. Pay attention, and when you screw up, please recognize it and appear sorry for your mistake.

I noticed that she had a bike rack on back of her car, and I thought that she was probably one of those idiots who drives their car to the trails in the park and then rides their mountain bikes in there on the narrow little trails that are supposed to be pedestrian only. I hate those people.

Speaking of bikes, I forgot to mention on Monday that when I was out at Lunken I ran by the "ghost bike" that somebody put up in memory of Andrew Gast. I hadn't been sure before exactly where the accident occured. I thought it was closer to the intersection and that was why the driver didn't see the bike. But it was pretty much in the middle of Wilmer Ave., so based on that I assume the driver just wasn't paying attention when he hit Andrew Gast from behind.



If I'd had my phone with me I would have taken a picture of it myself.

Anyway, back to today's run. I was going to extend it a bit by doing a loop around the block to get it up over five miles, but the knee twinge scared me and I was going to be over 50 minutes anyway so I decided to play it safe and just stop when I normally would for this route.

Final time was 51:08 for what the GPS says was 4.92 miles. And here's the weird thing. When I ran this same route on Aug. 27, the GPS said it was just 4.74 miles. On that day, I actually ran a little bit faster that I did today, but the pace is getting recorded differently because of this mileage discrepancy. Whatever. Maybe I should just go back to the shoe pod, because at least it was consistent for the same course from one day to the next.

Anyway, according to the GPS, today my pace was 10:23. The good news is that this is right in the target range for an easy run. And whatever we want to say the distance was, 51:08 is a decent time for this route, assuming I was taking it easy. Which I mostly was. So this means I really am getting a little faster after all.

Week 9, Day 2

Today is a recovery run day. I got plenty of sleep last night. In bed around 10, set the alarm for 6. But the alarm went off in the middle of a dream and I felt like crap when I opened my eyes. So I hit the snooze button, thinking that I would probably run later this afternoon, but after a few minutes I felt okay and wanted to run.

Gave Zen her pill and had the dogs out for a pee then hit the road for an easy jog on the Shady Lane route. Felt a little better than I have other mornings, although I was a little nervous about falling down. Felt better once I got past the spot where I fell!

First mile was very slow but gradually picked it up and finished the 3.2 miles in 35 something. I know that's slower than the schedule dictates, but it is still faster than usual over that route, so we just have to keep that in perspective.

Week 9, Day 1

Today's workout was supposed to be 6-8 Yasso 800s. Yasso 800s are a marathon-predictor workout popularized by Bart Yasso of Runners' World. The theory is that the amount of time in minutes and seconds that it takes you to run each of a set of ten 800 meter repeats translates into the time in hours and minutes that it will take you to run your marathon. So if you can run ten 800 meter repeats in 4:00 each, then you can run a 4:00 marathon.

I've done these before. If you are using them as a weekly speed workout, you start out about ten weeks before your race, and you just do four repeats the first week. Then you add a repeat on each week until you get up to ten, and you do that last workout 10-14 days before your race.

I've had some success with these. I haven't always made it all the way through the 7 weeks of doing them. When I qualified for Boston, I did my Yassos on the indoor track the Cincinnati Sports  Club.

I've always done them as half-mile repeats instead of 800s. A half-mile is a little further than an 800, so I figure, all the better. If I can run that time but go a little farther, maybe it's even more likely that I'll achieve my goal.

Greg McMillan says that in his experience, the Yassos tend to predict an actual time that is about five minutes slower than the repeat suggests. So, that's another reason that my little farther, little faster half-mile isn't such a bad thing, I assume.

Most recently, I've done my Yassos on the treadmill. But it's always better if you can let your body dictate the pace instead of relying on a machine. And it is a gorgeous day today. So after the dog walk around the park, I packed up my gear and headed to the Lunken bike trail.

I decided to wear my fanny pack with a bottle of ice water, and at the last minute I threw in a GU pack. It was about 11 am when I started running. The bike trail is just about 5 miles around, mostly flat, with markers every half-mile.

I really wasn't feeling all that great today and had a hard time making myself get out there for this one. I am tired from the weekend of dog showing, and also probably the gin & tonic followed by the beer last night and not getting as much sleep as I need didn't  help. But I have to make myself do the key workouts if I want to qualify for Boston or at least run better than I have the last few years.

Here's what I did:

Started with a slow warmup until I hit the 1.5 mile marker. This got me up the big hill---there is just  one short, steep hill heading up to the back side of the loop, and another less steep one coming back down to Wilmer Ave.---so I would be able to do the repeats mostly on the flat. That was about 1.6 miles of running, which I did in 16:54 or 10:31 pace, a good warmup.
.
First repeat, .49 mi. in 3:49 (too fast!)
Recovery of .35 mi. in 3:51
I was looking at my watch a lot during that first repeat, thinking I was not going fast enough! But actually, it was much too fast.

For the recoveries, I walked for about 30 seconds past the marker, then jogged for a minute, then turned around and jogged back to the preceding mile marker, then jogged maybe 15-30 seconds past it, then turned around and jogged to the mile marker, where I started the next repeat. So after each half-mile fast repeat, I was doing a recovery a little bit out and a little bit back, and starting up again where the last repeat ended. This enabled me to get all 6 repeats plus the warmup in over the five mile loop.

Second repeat, .48 mi. in 3:56
Recovery of .36 in 3:54
I was stressing out because it seemed like every time I looked at my watch I was going slower than the 8:20 pace that would be optimal, but in the end I was still faster than I was supposed to be.

Third repeat, .49 mi. in 3:57
Recovery of .31 in 3:20
I finally stopped looking at my watch and tried to just gauge my effort as what I should feel like in a 5k, since my experience is that Yasso 800s roughly translate to 5k race pace. I think this is the one where I caught up and passed a woman who had gone by me at what I thought was a pretty brisk pace on my way back for the recovery.

Fourth repeat, .47 mi. in 4:03
Recovery of .39 in 4:12
Funny about the slight variations in distance according to the GPS. I wonder which is more accurate, the road markers or the GPS?

I really wanted to stop at this point. Besides the not having felt so great at the start, there was the effect of having run the first three repeats at a pace that was probably too fast.

Fifth repeat, .52 mi. in 4:22
Recovery of .34 in 4:01
This one was slow but I missed the half-mile marker (or there wasn't one) so I ended up running a little further than I was supposed to. This one ended near the airport terminal where you run down the hill and cross the street. Maybe there isn't a marker there? I can't remember. So I just stopped when I realized I'd gone farther than a half-mile per the GPS.

At this point I decided that it was time to have that GU after all. Better late than never! On the recovery, since I did not know where the half-mile marker was supposed to be, I just kept going forward until I hit four minutes, and then decided I would do the last repeat...wait, I don't even really remember what I decided now. Did I do it based on distance? Or time? Or did I keep going until I hit the next marker and then start? Probably not since the recovery was only .34.

Sixth repeat, .47 in 4:06
This one was a little short but I thought that made up for the last one being a little long. I think I did it based on counting, since I had noticed during the previous repeats that if I slowly counted to 180, it roughly came out to a half-mile of running. I'd see the marker when I got to 180. So for this one I just counted to 180 and stopped running when I hit it, since I was now so out of sync with the mile markers. So it came up a little short but close. Actually, it was the same distance as the fourth repeat, so maybe it was about right anyway.

This put me pretty much back to the start of the loop, so I just kept going until I hit the first half-mile marker, then turned around and jogged back to the car. I took a couple of walking breaks in there, too. When I got to the car, I was close to 7.5 miles so I kept going a few feet so I would get that. No real reason to do that but I did. So the cool down was 1.17 miles in 13:33, or 11:33 pace.

Total workout was 7.51 miles in 1:13:57. One thing I should have done was packed a little cooler with another water bottle or Gatorade or a Picky Bar or something to have right when I finished. Yes, it is only a three mile drive back home, but it would have been nice to have a little something before I had to get in the car.

Back home, I had my chocolate milk and then I had a frozen meal for lunch. Didn't ice my knee. It's not bothering me, but really, I just forgot about it. I'm feeling pretty wiped out. It was a hard workout. But, it's not supposed to be easy. The main thing is, I did it.

I'm not sure if there are any more Yasso workouts included in this training schedule, but if there are, next time I will remember to have a GU a lot sooner, I will spend less time looking at my watch, and I will remember to bring a little something to drink before I drive home.

Week 8, Day 7

I got a short one in today after I got home from the dog show. According to the schedule, I was supposed to do a couple of easy runs Friday and Saturday, then very easy today or take an off day. Well, I didn't run Friday (mostly out shopping and driving around) or Saturday (at the dog show), but at least I got one in today.

Wanted to do 5 miles but ended up with just 4.2. Did a combo of the park & Kilgour race routes. Was slower than the supposed "easy" run pace, but this was around the park and it is hard. Actually, my pace was probably a little faster than I would usually cover this route in, I'm just recording it slower because of the stupid GPS.

Ran 4.2 miles in 46 something, or a 10:55 pace. The second and fourth miles (downhill from the pavillion & Principio, and some downhill on Ault View and Observatory Place) were the fastest.

Week 8, Day 4

Time for the long run! I wasn't sure I could get it done. Debated waiting until tomorrow, maybe stop somewhere like Lunken or Loveland Bike Trail after setting up for the show this weekend.

Wanted to run outside, but it was another humid day. Just wasn't going to happen unless I could've gone out before the dog walk. Still harbored the hope that I might be able to get out there. It was overcast and not too hot, but still quite humid. And then it appeared that the sun was going to come out. And I remembered that I was going to be out there for like three hours. And it was already after 11 am.

Had walked the dogs around the Observatory route just before. Was able to take all three at once because of it not being sunny yet. Did not see any lizards, but had to cross the street a few times to avoid other dogs. Seemed like there were more dogs out being walked than usual. One woman asked me if they were all my dogs, and if they were "long-haired" ---- that is right up there with the oddest questions ever. Can't you see with your own eyes the length of the hair. I don't consider it long so I said "medium long." She also complimented how well-behaved they were. Hah!

(Did not get this finished yesterday so continuing today.)

So yeah, it was late when I got going. Eddy, Zen & Maggie joined me in the basement and Eddy gave me a little trouble about it but not too bad:


I did a slow warmup to 3.5  mph, then up to 5.8 mph (10:20 pace), continuing at that pace for the rest of the run, with my 1 minute water/walking breaks at 3.5 every half-mile. I got off the mill at 3, 6, 9 and 12 miles to have some Chomps and grab a fresh bottle of water.

I got pretty sweaty and debated changing shoes and clothes part way but I toughed it out.

Once I hit 16 I did the treadmill cool down for 5 minutes. Final time was 3:08 for 16.3 miles. Slow but at least I got the miles done. Biomechanically, felt fine, and that is also a good thing. Iced the knee after, just as a precaution.

How did I occupy myself during this three hour ordeal? Well, I listened to two installments of The Marathon Show, the entertaining (if you are a Marathon Maniac or similarly inclined) podcast by Joe Taricani. That took about two hours. And after that, I watched MSNBC. I know, not my usual Bravo  gay realtors or house flippers.

I feel good enough that I could have run today but I drove over to the Clermont Cty. fairgrounds to try to rope off our set up area (only to discover that it had already been taken care of, don't get me started...) and that's 40 minutes each way, and then since I was out anyway I went shopping for some new dog show clothes on sale, and also found some possible shoes for the wedding.

Week 8, Day 3

Today it was a recovery day after the hard intervals of yesterday. It was again extremely humid out, so I hit the treadmill after dog walks.

I just set it on the # 2 interval program at level 5 for 45 minutes. I covered 3.05 miles. Had a little scary knee twinge in the first ten minutes but it went away.

Tomorrow I am supposed to do the long run. No idea how that is going to happen, but I should do 16.

End of week 7, start of week 8

Been busy. So, got the slightly long run in over the weekend while visiting Susan in Boston. Run was supposed to be 90 to 105 minutes and it was scheduled for Saturday but I did it on Sunday. I was also supposed to get an easy run in on Friday but I skipped that one.

Anyway, had a nice ten miler in Boston. Susan took me on a route from Somerville through Cambridge, along the Charles and back up Mass Ave through Harvard Square to Somerville. She did almost to the seven mile point with me, until she thought I could find my way home on my own. I was proud of myself for not getting lost, although honestly it was pretty easy since I just had to stay on Mass Ave and remember where to turn right in Somerville. It was a little confusing coming through Harvard Square, and I had to ask a couple of people before I found someone who could point me in the right direction! (It was move-in weekend and there were a lot of confused freshman and families wandering around.)

We started out in the 11s and gradually crept up into the 13s as Susan's lack of fitness (and inability to drink or eat while running) took its toll. She took the T back to her apartment as planned after leaving me, and she felt better as soon as she stopped and had some Gatorade.

After Susan left me, I dropped down into the tens, but felt like I would have gone faster if the sidewalk had not been so crowded. This route would work better earlier in the morning when there are not so many people out wandering around!

It was not bad running weather even though we got a late morning start. I felt great the entire way and honestly like I could have even gone another 10 if I had the water and GU and time. I know we were going slow but still, it was great to feel good after a ten miler. 10.08 miles in 1:57 or so.

Okay, so today I decided to do the tempo interval workout that I was scheduled for yesterday, which I took off because I was traveling home and also would have needed an easy day anyway. Workout was supposed to be 20 minute warmup, then 4-5 x 1000 meters (or 8 minutes) at 8:24 - 8:43 pace, with three minute recoveries, followed by 3 x 200 meters (or 40 seconds) with one minute recoveries, and then the 10-20 minute cooldowns.

It wasn't that hot today but it was very humid, so I once again hit the treadmill. I did the 20 minute slow warmup, but I went straight from 3.5 pace to 5.0 pace so it was just a tiny bit faster overall. Then I tried to do the intervals at 6.9 mph, which is 8:41 pace, right on the slow end of the range. I was surprised that these long intervals were not done much slower than the shorter intervals I had to do last week. On the recoveries, I walked for 30 seconds, then jogged for 2 1/2 minutes.

I found eight minutes at 8:41 pace to be rough. Near the end of the second interval, I got a twinge in my left knee. So I had to slow it down a little for the second two intervals. I went down to 6.8 mph or 8:49 pace, which is outside the slow end of the range. Bummer.

Anyway, I had a rough go of it. Most trouble I've had completing one of these workouts.

I am not quite sure what you are really supposed to do with the shorter interval section of this workout. Same problem I had last week. I suspect maybe you are supposed to do them faster but how fast? And the knee twinge scared me. I ended up doing them at 7.0 mph or 8:34 pace, but I ran for a minute instead of 40 seconds because after an hour, the treadmill doesn't display time in seconds. On the recoveries, I walked 30 seconds, jogged 30 seconds.

Then to finish up I went pretty soon to the standard treadmill five minute cooldown program, instead of jogging for 20 minutes. I figure I don't need the cooldown so much. The intervals are the meat of the workout.

Anyway, it was a total of 6.69 miles in 1:15. Iced the knee afterwards and seems okay.

Tomorrow it's just a recovery run of 30 to 45 minutes.

Week 7, Day 4

Today I decided I'd better do the cruise interval workout I was supposed to do yesterday. I couldn't do it in the morning and then we had agility class, and then I had to eat lunch, so I didn't get to run until early evening.

I decided to do it on the treadmill because it was in the upper 80s by then. Have discovered that if all the dogs are in the basement (instead of just Ed) they actually settle down sooner and leave me pretty much alone. I did have a few interruptions during the warmup, and also had to stop in the middle of one interval to let Zen out and then let her back in again before the next interval started.

The workout was to be 6-8 x 4 minutes at a moderately hard pace, with 90 second recoveries, followed by 3 x 40 seconds with 1 minute recoveries. If you did it on the track, the intervals were supposed to be 1000 meters in the first set and 200 meters in the second set. The pace was supposed to be 8:34 - 8:20, based on my current speed.

I did the slow 20 minute warmup, and then started the intervals. I had hoped to start the first one at 8:34 pace (7 mph) and then pick it up with subsequent intervals. But 8:34 pace was hard enough, and I did them all at that pace. And of course I only did 6 of them. Those were four long minutes, each time, let me tell you.

For the recoveries, I walked for 30 seconds while I drank some water, then jogged for a minute.

I wasn't sure what speed I was supposed to do the second set at. Were they supposed to be at the same moderately hard pace or at something faster since they were so short. I compromised and did them at 8:13 pace (7.3 mph). Actually felt like I could have done them even a bit faster but just kept it there. For the recoveries, walked for 20 seconds and jogged for 40 seconds.

I was supposed to do a 10 minute cooldown, but I just jogged until the treadmill said it had been an hour, and then I did the five minute treadmill cooldown.

Tomorrow I am off to Boston to visit Susan and Ross. She has mapped out a 10 mile course for me, and I'm going to try to get it done on Sunday. The schedule has it on Saturday, but I think we'll be too busy then. Supposed to do another interval workout on Monday, but I guess that will have to shift somewhere or maybe that will be the one I have to skip. We'll see. I know I should do two hard workouts back to back because that is a real violation of the schedule.