Snow & Wind

Blowing Snow and Wind can pretty much sum up the last two days of running. Yesterday I got in 30mins of 60sec on/60sec off in the am before the snow hit. In the afternoon in the span of 90mins there was 6inches of snow on the ground. The wind sucked during the am workout and picked up through out the day. Ran 4.5 miles that night with Justin through snow drifts and unplowed roads. Today I did an easy 4 in the am and then went through the emotions during my afternoon 12miler. I want to keep the run easy so I didn't wear a watch but had several moments during the run where I felt like complete shit.

Thrusday: Total: 15.5
AM: 20min warm up 30min(6osec on/60sec off) about 5.2 miles 20min cool down 11miles total
PM: 4.5miles/32mins

Wednesday: Total: 16.5
AM: 4miles
PM: 12.5miles/N.T. but about 82mins acording to clock in house

Wind

Today was another great spring day. Both of my runs I was able to do in shorts. I decided to do my longer run this afternoon which was a mistake. I decided to try a new run which my friend Finch told me was 12 from his house which meant it was only 2mins less from my house. The run was on most of Quarry Rd. loop but added a long extension loop that took you further out into the country. Little did I know this meant running the last 3.5-4 miles strainght into 20mph head wind. There were a couple of hills and the footing along the side of the road was soft so every step I sunk in a little. On a positive note I got out there and got the run in at a good/easy pace.

Wednesday: AM: 4miles
PM: 12miles/81mins Quarry-Rifle Rd. loop

Spring is coming

When I left the house yesterday for my run the temp. was 3 degrees and today I just finished my workout with the temperature approaching 40 degrees. Today I had planned on ding a track workout but because the weather was so nice I pushed it back untill thrusday/Friday and did my hill workout today. I decided to do the steep/longer hill on the quarry loop. The goal was 10 hills and ended up doing 12 even though my legs felt like they were going to fall off on the last one. The warm up was a graudal up hill all the way to the hill and the cool down was all down hill. I added on an extra 4 mile loop to get 12 in for the day.

Monday: AM: 13miles/90mins with 5x20sec hill sprints
PM: 4miles

Tuesday: 12miles (20min warm up 12xquarry hill 6-7mile cool down)

The day off paid off. Headed out for 12 today with Finch and Scott Bowman. Was 5 degrees and sunny when I left the house. The run went by really quick and after rolling the first 50mins we settled in and averaged 630 miles which hit the goal for the day. Unless I race the saturday before the goal of sunday runs will be longer 12-14+ with some or all the run at moderate pace/tempo pace. The idea for this comes from Brad Hudson's book. These runs will also include as many hills as possible with an uphill finish if possible.

Sunday: 12miles/75mins

Training and Day off

I have kinda slacked the last few days so here is my running for the last few days.

Thrusday AM: 4miles
PM: 12miles/NT ran happy valley and felt sluggish untill last 6 miles

Friday AM: 4miles
PM: 20min warm up 12x400m 10k-5kpace with 200m jog (75-79) 30min cool down. Plan was to do 16 400s around 10k-HM pace but went faster. Work out felt good but had to cut it short cause softball took over the field house so only could run easy on the outside.

Saturday: OFF. First off day in about 3 months. Snowed/icey out the night before and after work decided a day off was better for the legs.

Weekly Total: 90miles in 6 days

Next couple weeks will maitina tempo whille adding some 10k-5k workouts as well as mainting hills hopefully. I don't want to lose any progress I have made. Hills will progress to longer ones.

Winter is Back

Winter was back today. After sleeting and snowing last night I woke up to wind and snow blowing. Ended up with 13 miles around town today in order to try and stay out of the wind as much as possible. The roads were a mix between snow/ice/clear pavement. Run ended up being a little tougher but ended up recovering from yesterdays workout. After work I did another easy 4 and it wasn't much better.

Wednesday AM: 13miles/88mins
PM: 4miles

Road workout & Race schedule

Today I did my first tempo workout on the road in a couple of weeks. After a 20min warm up I did 2x10min tempo with 3min easy between adn then 10mins of 60sec on/60sec off then a 20min+ cool down. I had thought about doing 3x10min but after two I decided to mix it up on the last 10mins. Part of the first one was on a gradual downhill and the second was flat with many turns. I averaged 5:30-5:33 pace for the tempos and a little faster for the 60sec pickups. Overall a good workout for how my legs were feeling.

Tuesday AM: 4miles
PM: 12miles( 2x10min tempo 5:30pace 1x10min of 60sec on/60se off)

Tentative Race Schedule:
March 22nd: Human Race 8k
April 4th: UWRF outdoor meet 10k
April 25th: Get in Gear road 10k
May7th: TCM 1 mile

I may add one or two track races in there. I would like to run a 5k and another 10k on the track.

Race and future goals

The race went pretty well but there is room for improvement. I went into the race on tired legs but needed a rust buster. The first 2k was good and I was right on pace 6:20 but after a 40sec 11th lap the group I was with made a quick move in pace and I was unable to respond. The endurence is there but the next gear is still lacking. I ended up running 16:46. Over the next month or so I will keep the mileage up while working on 5k-10k speed to get ready for some track and shorter races in April.

Saturday: 3.5 mile warm up 5k (16:46) 3.5 mile cool down

Weekly Total: 99miles

Sunday I ran in Hudson with Tony and Finch. My right arch was a little soar but it loosen up after about a mile. Once we got rolling I was amazed at how well my legs felt. I can't remember the last time they felt so fresh after a race.

Sunday: 12miles/75mins

Today right arch was still bothering me on and off during the run. Legs felt heavy and after talking to Dr. Floske decided to run once today. Tomorow I will start using some superfeet inserts for the first time in about a year. The inserts will help take soem presure off my arch while it heals.

Monday 12miles/80mins

First race in a while

I have been kinda busey the last few days. Wednesday I decided to do one workout this week since I am racing a 5k this afternoon. After a warm up I did 4miles of 60sec hard 60sec easy/medium and ended up with 20:41 for 4 miles which is a PR for me either in a workout or race. Thursday and Friday I just ran easy keeping the mileage up. The goal this week was to keep the milage up around 100 while also putting a good 5k effort. The race today is an indoor 5k located in river falls and should be a fast one.

Wednesday: AM: 4
PM: 3mile warm up 4miles in 20:41(60sec hard/60sec medium) 3mile cool down

Thrusday: AM: 4
PM: 12miles/no time happy valley loop

Friday: AM: 4
PM: 11miles/75mins

Putting in the miles

Not too much has been going on the last few days. I have just been working and getting the miles. The goal is to get in around 100-110 for the next three weeks and then go down the first week of march. Th ereason for waiting for a down week is becasue the first week of march i will be in stevens point taking forest fire fighting classes and don't know how mcuh time or motivation I will have to run. After that the rest of march will be spent getting in a couple of faster track workouts before the Human Race 8k on March 22. I may add faster stuff the last week of february too, not sure.

Sunday: 10miles/64mins with Finch and Scott

Monday: AM: 13miles( first 9 in 56:10 - Quarry Rd. loop)
PM: 4miles in shorts

Tuesday: AM: 4miles
PM: 13miles/87mins (4x10sec hospital hill with 2mins-90sec recovery jog between)

Ice Skating

Ran an easy 4 before work this morning nd it was nice to finally have a few less layers on at 7:30 in the morning. After work I hooked up with my friend scott for an easy 10-12. What I thought was going to be easy turned to just getting in the run over with. Everything and everywhere was icey. For the part of the run we might as well have been skating rather than running. The other problem was my stomach. The whole run I thought I had to throw up and I had to relieve my self more than once. Ended up feeling better after the run than before.

AM: 4
PM: 10/70mins

Total: 14

Week Total: 98miles (two good workouts: farlek/hills)

Two miles short of 100 this week is ok. I am debating about holding around 100 for another week or going down in mileage next week since I am racing a 5k next saturday. I am training through the 5k and using it as a fitness check to let me know where I am at.

Running at 9pm in shorts

Yesterday I ran about 12 miles in the morning 74mins. It was pretty quick time but the pace didn't feel hard it felt easy and comfortable. Didn't run after work decided to give the feet/legs a rest.

Total: 12miles/74mins

This morning I decided to do a fartlick. After a 20min warm up I did 20mins of 60sec on at good pace and 60sec easy then 5mins easy running followed by a 5min tempo and a 20min cool down. The workout felt realy good probably because it was nice out for once. Tonight when I got home from work it was warm enough to run in shorts. Just ran an easy 4 but it felt great to run in shorts this late.

AM: 11miles (20mins of 60sec on/ 60sec off 5min easy then 5min tempo)
PM: 4 in shorts

Total: 15 miles

Another Obstacle

Yesterday was an interesting day. I had decided to do 12x600m with 200m jog either alternating between 10k and 5k pace or first 6 at 10k pace and last 6 at 5k pace. I should up to track at 3 thinking i would get my workout in before the team started theres. Imediatly my "former coach" promptly told me I had to leave cause this time is for athletes. I was pissed he acted like an ass and implied I wasn't an athlete. I decided to screw it and after 4.5 mile warm up did 20xcampus hill in 29:07. Each hill I discovered is just over 200m and the recovery is also just over 200m. Averaged sub 6min miles including recovery which got me excited. I did a 3 mile cool down to get 12.5 in for the day. I later found out that two other former distance runners showed up to the track and one did the teams workout while the other just ran around. Neither of them were asked to leave. The former coach and I had a falling out this past cc season about training ideas and treatment.

Total:12.5 (20xcampus hill 29:07)

Today was a pure recovery day. I didn't wear a watch on either of my runs and instead decided to just run on feel and get in a good recovery from last weeks and yesterdays workout. I ran happly valley and did the 10min climb at moderate pace. I feel doing this hill or one like it after a hard day helps to work the legs/body while also recovering because the rest of run is easy.

AM: 4
PM: 12.5

Total: 16.5 miles

Back to cold

Winter was back today as the temperature never got above 10 without the windchill and with the windchill it never got above zero. After a easy 4 miles in the morning the afternoon brough my first 13/90min run by myself in a long time. I did a loop that Justin and I have done before that goes through the subdivisions located around the golf course and campus. Because of the snow melting the last few days I was able to run on some snowmoble trails which was cool. Every direction I ran it was windy and I was glad to be done.

AM: 4
PM: about 13/87mins

Total: 17 miles

You may wonder why don't time my morning runs. There are several resons. It is colder in morning and takes my legs a while to warm up, sometimes I use them to get the junk out of my legs from the previous days workout, and I am trying to run them slower like the Kenyans do so no time means I never no how slow I am going more on how I feel. Once it starts warming up I will start timing the runs randomly to see what pace feels like what.

The Plan

Yesterday's warm weather meant slipping and sliding on the run this morning. My pace was controlled and I ended up with a 11 in 75mins. I know once the weather stays warmer my really easy days will be 7-710 at the slowest. All the winter running up and down hills and throw snow and over ice is going to lead to faster workouts and races this spring and summer. I am still in my base period and will be through the end of Febuary. The workouts during these weeks will be tempos, progression runs, hill workouts, and fartleks. I may add in some speed under 5k pace like I did saturday only to maintain turn over.

Another goal is to try and get in three weeks in Feb. of 100 or more miles. Marathon training won't begin until mid-May or June depending on what races I decided to do. I know Grandma's 5k in June is a race I am looking forward to and want to win. Stay tune for more training ideas and plans.

Total: 11/75mins