Taste of spring

Today turned out to be a great day to run. The high for the day was 45 and it was nice to put on the shorts and get a break, if only for one day, from winter. I had planned to do a track workout today but because of the nice weather I modified the workout for the roads. The workout was 3x(4x60sec) between 5k-3k pace with 60sec recovery and 2mins recovery between sets. I ran quarry loop for first 9 miles in 54mins then ran an extra 14mins to get in 11 for the day. I finaly hit my first 100 mile week and the goal is to get one or two more in before going down a little in milage for one week.

Total: 11miles (3x(4x60sec))

Weekly Total: 100 miles

A lot of great meets happened across the country this weekend. http://gohuskies.cstv.com/sports/c-track/spec-rel/013009aaa.html. Two performaces stand out to me Dorian Ulrey from Arkansas anchored a school recorded in the dmr friday night and today ran a 7:50 3k, and the other is Jenny Barringer from CU and her 8:53 3k (it was her first race since the olympic steeple chase finals).

Happy Valley

Didn't get out the door untill 11 this morning and decided to do happy valley for the 3rd week in a row. I want to make this run a staple in my training because of the 10min up hill half way through the run. I hit the first 6 miles in 37:15 then ran longer way home to get in 12.5 in 77mins. I spent the evening watching denise throw at St. Olaf. She did great in weight and I expect a massive pr soon. Shot did not go as well but I know it will happen soon. Ran an easy 4 when I got home from the meet.

AM:12.5
PM: 4

Total:16.5 miles

Pizza before run = bad idea

Yesterday could be sumed up as just getting in the miles. Ran easy 4 and felt like I had a little swore throat. Ended up getting called in to work at the shoe store till 5. Ran an easy 13 in the snow and dark with Justin to finish up my day. Just felt tired but I knew the feeling was coming when I uped my mileage.

AM:4
PM:13

Total:17 miles

Today I ran an easy 4 before work. I got off work early so i did my hill workout in the light for once. The only hill I could find that wasn't slippery was one near campus that is a gradual steep 200m climb. Felt like crap during the warm up and the hills. Ended up doing 10 hills for a total of 9 miles for the run.

AM: 4
PM: 9 with 10x200m hills

Total: 13 miles

Treadmill Fun

On paper on workout for the day sounded hard but not crazy. It turned out to be a little tougher than expected. After a 3 mile warm up i hit the treadmill for a 4 tempo around 540 pace. The workout felt tougher than it should have. I finished up with 4x200m at 5k-3k pace with 200m jog recovery and a 10min cool down. I stopped for 30sec at 2 miles to grab a fresh towel to wipe my face.

Ran an easy 4 after work tonight and the run was super easy. The idea was to get the junk out of my legs but I was still feeling the workout and was a little dehydrated even though it was -10 out.

AM: 3 Wup 4 mile tempo( 5:40 pace with last 4 mins progressively faster in katana racers) 4x200m with 200m jog 10min CD
PM: 4 in nike vomero

Total: 14 miles

I think I am going to make tempo/threshold runs a stable of my training. Most likly I will start doing them every over week and the other weeks do a structured fartlek type workout.

Ice & Cold

Today was another cold day (last one hopefully). The temp. never got above 5 degrees today. Morning run went ok except the legs took a little longer to warm up than usual. This evening I ran 13 with Justin and two firsts happen on the run. The first was my hands got cold enough we ran past the house half way through the run so i could switch gloves and the other was I had my first fall of the season. I slipped on some black ice but came away with minimal damage. I will see how the knee feels in the morning.

AM: 4 miles
PM: 13 miles/91 mins

Total: 17 miles

This past weekend German Fernandez ran a world junior record in the indoor mile (3:56). What is more amazing is he did this in his first indoor race ever and only 8 weeks after straining his achelies at cross country nationals. Willy Kaul of UW-Oshkosh also ran an impressive time of 8:16 in the 3k. He did this by himself.

So Close

Running wise yesterday was kinda a bust. Ran 4 miles in morning before heading over to UW-Stout to watch Denise throw. By the time I got home I wasn't realy motivated to venture out in the sub-zero temperatures for 10 more miles to reach 100. She did an amazing job and I know at the next meet she will pop a good one.

AM: 4 miles

Total for the week: 90 (2 workouts)

Today I waited to run until after work. Debated about running on the treadmill but decided to man up and run outside. Iwas a good decission.

Total: 11 milles/70mins

Back to the Cold

Yesterday I did my main run in the morning since I had to work 12-830. I did happy valley and felt pretty good once I got going. Only did one run because when I got home I wasn't that motivated.

AM/Total: 12 miles/78mins

Today I did 4 miles this morning in 20 degree weather and by the time i left the house in the afternoon it was 13 with a windchill of -5. I did a 24 min warm up then 20 x campus hill adn then a 22 min cool down to get 12. The workout felt a lot better than last week and did all 20 with recovery in 32 mins. It helped it was a little warmer no snow or head wind to run into.

AM: 4
PM: 12 miles/78mins (20xcampus hill 32mins)
Total: 16

Putting in the Miles

Yesterday was what I hope will be a typical wednesday of running. I did an easy 4 in the morning and rthen 13 miles in 90mins with Justin in the evening. Added 4x10sec hill sprints this week and in the future i hope to do short hill sprints a few times a week. The rest of the day was spent running errands with Denise and going to Folskes to get my foot looked at and adjust my back/hips

AM: 4 miles
PM: 13 miles/90mins

Total: 17 miles

Future National Campion

While I was on the treadmil this morning I got to watch my girlfriend Denise to her Javelin. She is still competing for UWRF and her main focous is the discus and javelin. She is looking better and better every time and I know I will be watching her at outdoor nationals in javelin and maybe also the discus.

New Addication

This morning I decided to do my tempo workout on the treadmill at the indoor track. I use to swear off ever running on a treadmill but I have realized it does have value. I did a 3 mile warm u to the indoor track and then hoped on the treadmil for a 3mile tempo at 5:40 pace. The goal was to get in the first good tempo since the summer and I accomplished that mission. The pace felt comfortable. I had planned on doing ome 300's at 3k-5k pace afterwards but decided to skip them since my foot wasn't realy hurting. Ran a 3.5 mile cool down.

I ran an easy 4 this afternoon and my arch really didn't hurt which suprised me since it bugged me all day between runs. I tried a new shoe this afternoon the Nike Air Max Moto. It worked pretty well, very cushioned and may be used for long runs in the future. I am headed over to Floskes tomorrow to get my arch looked at again.

AM: 3 Wup 3 tempo (5:40 pace) 3.5 CD TOTAL: 9.5
PM: 4 mile

Total for the day: 13.5

On a side note wisconsin hosted its first indoor marathon this past weekend. Congrats to all who finished and the fast time by the male winner. http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/37777894.html

Putting in miles

Today was a typical monday running wise. An easy 4 miles in the AM and tonight I ran 12.5 miles with my roommate Justin. Today was the best weather we have had running wise in a few weeks. The tendons in my right foot have been bothering me for the first time since the middle of Dec. It didn't hurt tonight and my doctor told me to play it by ear the next few days.

AM: 4 miles in trail shoes
PM: 12.5 miles in nike elites
TOTAL: 16.5

Forgot to mention but Josh Cox broke the US 50k record this past weekend in Arizona and Meb (marathon silver medal winner in 2004 olympics) made a strong comback winning the USA Track & Field half-marathon campionships. He beat on of my favorite runners Dathan Ritzenhien.

New Week

Ran easy 10.5 miles this morning in 66mins. Ran Quarry Rd. Loop and then added on around town. The quarry road loop is famous for a long steep hill 2/3 of the way into the run and finishes with long down hill back into town. Light snow fell for the whole run.

Total: 10.5/66mins

11 miler that felt like 14

Today was UWRF's annual alumni/intersquad meet. I went to watch Denise throw wieght and shot put. She did good for the first meet of the year and PRed in wieght. I did not compete because of my workout schedule this week and wanted to get in a few more weeks of training before a fitness test. I skipped my morning run because I started feeling yesterdays run and by the time I started my run after meet my motivation was lacking. I ran with Justin and Brandon (former teammate). I had every intention of doing 14-2 hrs but after running a windy/cold 11 loop on snowy county roads I decided to call it a day. The loop is called the dip because of a long hill that dips straight down and then back up.

Total today 11

Total for the week: 82

Long Cold Night

When I finished yesterdays morning run the temperature was -35 with the wind chill. By the time I did my evening run it was up to 6 with a wind chill of -10, it felt like a heat wave. The workout for the day was a 40 min warm up 20 x campus hill and 12 min cool down. The hill is located on a bike path that conects the two parts of campus. It is a nice gradual hill that can have various lenghts. The lenght of the hill I did was 300m. The workout ended up being tougher than expected because each uphill was into a head wind.

Total for the day 17 miles

Treadmill Running

Today was my first experience running on a treadmill and it went pretty well. I ended up running 12 miles in just under 84 mins with the last 20mins slowly picking up the pace.
Total: 12

Yesterday I did an easy 4 miles in the am and track workout with my friends Jason Finch and Tony Meyers in the evening. After a 30min warm up my workout was 2x1000m and 6x600m with 90sec recovery. The 1k's were 3:14 and 3:13. The 600s started at 1:57 and worked down with the last one in 1:51. I did a 10min cool down for a total of 10 miles. I felt ok for not being on the indoor track in 6 weeks.

Total for the day : 14

First entry

So I set this blog up to have another way to keep track of weekly mileage as well as the types of workouts I do leading up to my first marathon (Twin Cities Fall 2009). I recently graduated from the University of Wisconsin River Falls with a degree in Environmental Science and I am in the process starting graduate work at the University of Minnesota. I ran track and cross country in college but never produce good race results. I believe having complete control of my training and surrounding myself with a great support group will lead to great training and successful race results. Will also be posting links to good running articles I and other running blogs I found interesting and helpful. No one might read this but oh well.