running

Felt pretty easy running 9 min miles.

Legs still don't like the cold. But got it done.

Well that wasn't really the plan but given the freezing rain forecast for tomorrow it seemed best to get that out of the way today. Ran 6 on my own then 4 with a group of women. Under 9 min miles for miles 7-12. Couldn't hold it after that. Wierd side cramps. I think it was mainly the cold.

So windy today I wasnt sure I was gonna get this one done.  Headed down to a park surrounded by trees and it was a little better.  Doing 1 mile loops isn't so fun but got the run in.

Cold and snowy outside this morning so I was on the treadmill.  8 miles last 6 all under 8 min.  Was thinking about pace and wondering how much is in ones head.  It seems like I mostly run the pace I expect myself to be able to run.  Now maybe I am just so dead on accurate about my ability at this age that my expectations are on target, but maybe my expectations just limit my pace.  As I was running those 8 min miles it wasn't really that hard.  My hope is that I can run low 8's in an upcoming 5 miler.  Seems reasonable.  Maybe if my hope was to run closer to 7:30 then I would have turned up the pace on the treadmill and found that 7:30 wasn't as impossible as it sounds to my brain.

On the treadmill

On the treadmill. 6 miles 8 min miles

Back outside. Since I ran faster on the last few treadmill runs the pace today seemed easier. Muscles were really sore after. The cold bothers me more than most it seems.

8:15 average. Pretty easy. Just boring on treadmill.

Cold and slow.

Interesting run. It wasn't supposed to start raining until after 9. After it warned up. Around 6:30 it started misting and I figured it wouldn't do much more than that. About 6 miles in it started raining more I was thinking about taking a different loop closer to home in case I got soaked. Before I could even decide the road got icy. It was a matter of minutes. I headed back and did loops around the dirt path at the park until that also got too slippery. The last mile home was really something I couldn't even stand on the street or sidewalks. Had to stay in the grass the whole way where I could. Had to stop and shuffle across every driveway. It barely rained but just enough to ice everything in a matter of minutes. A bunch of huge accidents around here. Glad none of them involved me. My first flash freeze.

Missed the group so was on my own. A little over 8 at 8:55 pace. I feel like I need to be following a specific training plan. But winter weather is so unpredictable it's hard to adhere to specific runs and times. This is a little vague but my plan is to run long runs of 16's in January, 18's in February, and 20's in March alternating with 16's starting in February. That's as much as I have planned.

On the treadmill. Last 7 miles under 8 min pace. Feels pretty good. Running so far this winter has been ok. A little bit of juggling around snow and ice and a few skipped runs but overall consistent enough. Now we are starting to run into more weather that's not conducive to running outside at 5 am. This is what I worry about shooting for a May marathon. Still if I am honest with myself there are other things I can do to improve my chances of running a BQ. Eating less being the main one. Carrying 10 less pounds for four hours makes a big difference.

Pretty hard effort. 8:30's to 9:00's outside in the cold up and down hills. So much harder than treadmill.

Ran the first few on my own. A little slow because of scattered ice. Then I met up with the running group. I did 8 with them. Then finished up on my own. Run seemed a little easier than last 16 miler but still pretty wiped out at the end. 10 miles under 9 min pace.

Under 8 min per mile on the boring treadmill.  How many more days of winter?

Very cold for me. I wore every layer I could find. I was warm enough but don't want to do this on a regular basis. Run itself was pretty hard. It was ok when we were running 9 min miles but then the group dropped the pace to 8:30 on the hills and it started to hurt. More wiped out after the run than I want to be.

Too cold today.  Even with 2 layers on my legs they were still cold.  Was planning on going further but it didn't seem worth it.

Was really short on time today. Too bad because it was warmer than it's gonna be for a while.

Good to have this one in the books. It was physically pretty hard due to lack of sleep and temp. Picked up the running crew at 9 miles. They were not holding to the advertised 9 min pace. More like 8:30, but good to do a couple at that pace so deep into a run. Last mile was really hard. Recovered easily. So far this winter has been ok. Supposed to get a week of cold and freezing rain so will have to play it by ear next week.

On the treadmill. 7 miles under 8 min per mile. It's still iffy to run outside between the cold and ice. Just trying to keep the milage up and will increase when I can consistently run outside.

Pretty nice out today. 30 degrees! 9 min miles with the group. Could have gone faster would have been happy to go slower. Cold tomorrow not planning on running.

Despite the weather got in another decent week.  Not great and not the number of days or milage I want to be running but still solid.  Didn't have time for any more this morning needed to be at work.  Overall pace under 9 min miles for last 10 miles.  So I can easily run a half in under 2 hours, how do I push that out to a full in under 4.  I still get tired at the end of my 16 mile runs and slow down.

8:37average.

8:33 average

Slower today. Last two days caught up with me.

Feeling the May marathon slipping away. I wanted to do 2 18 milers in Feb. It's not happening. Overall distance hasn't been as high as I want it. Was hoping to be averaging about 45 miles per week by now. I don't really want to run a marathon if I can't qualify for Boston, but another side of me says I should do it for the experience. I just don't want to push that hard and need a month off to recover. Today ran 7:50 average for 7 miles on the treadmill.

8 on the treadmill. 8 min per mile average.

Outside mid day. 9 min per mile average.

Not very happy about this training. I just haven't been getting in enough long runs or enough overall miles. Feeling like I won't be ready for a BQ time in May. Have decided that I will run anyhow and see how deep in the race I can get on pace. Will use for experience and to work on nutrition.

Didn't make it into Broad St run via lottery. Will have to wrangle a bib transfer.

Still stuck on the treadmill but got it done.

Got too late of a start due to kids. It was snowing when I started and once it got slippery I stopped. Far short of the 18 miler I wanted to be doing.

Weather better but pretty wet. Happy to be able to run outside.

8 on the treadmill. 7:50 average pace.

Outside. Colder than I thought.

Very cold for me. Muscles just feel tight and running does not feel smooth.

It was pretty cold for me to run outside today, but signed up for this a while ago and most of the local runners do it, I didn't want everyone to actually know what a wimp I am so I layered up and ran. I was a complete head case the whole way. Thinking my time is going to be slow because it's so cold, cause I am wearing so many cloths, cause it's hilly, cause I am old, cause I am fat... So many excuses. I ran okay but not as well as I probably could have. I came through the first mile feeling pretty good thinking this is a fairly easy pace I can probably keep it up. Then someone shouted out the time of 8 min. Head not body convinced me that was too fast.

Overall happy with my time. Not bad for February on a hilly course. Wish I wasn't so mental, but how can I not be grateful just to have the ability to just get out there at all.

Hoping a new month brings better weather and more consistent running. I am way off track on training for a marathon in May.

Cold and slow. Getting harder and harder to get out and run. Depressed by the weather. Tired of juggling schedules to avoid too cold, too icy, too snowy. Ready for Spring. 

Treadmill 8 min average. Hopefully that's the last indoor run for a while.

This was mentally hard. I know I have lost some ground in the last month. Discouraging, but every day all one can do is start from where you are. This is where I am and will just have to build from here.

Wasn't sure what to expect given I haven't done anything fast for months. Thought my strength should be good and I should be able to hold pace at the end. Course was downhill first half and up hill second. I kept getting slower as I ran. Blaming course not going out too fast. Overall pretty happy. Ran as fast as I did last summer on a flat course with warmer weather. Would sign up off one of these every week if I could figure out how to schedule then I would get faster.

This one felt really good. Finally warmer out. Seems like I might get back on track this week.

Nice run with the group.  They are still stronger than me up the hills.  9 min average pace.

So much for getting back on track this week.  Missed yesterday due to a very long night at work on Thursday.  Today I was back on the treadmill due to some very heavy rain.  7:45 average for most of it.  Easy recovery.  I really should be able to run a faster 5k.  Maybe next weekend I will find one and give it a shot.  The problem is if I run in a race it's lower milage than I would run otherwise.

Felt pretty strong at the end. Last 6 in 9 min ave.

9 min ave. a few in 8:30 range.

New course with the group. Lost one in the dark.

Laps around resort

Laps around resort

More laps around resort

And more laps around resort

Still running resort parking lot loops.  Fortunately it's a big resort. 2 miles per loop. Starting to map out summer running plans. 

Last day of loops around resort in shorts. Back to the cold tomorrow.

Happy to be home.

8 miles 9 min per mile pace. Still wondering how to build the strength to carry that pace for 18 more miles.

Forgot to set alarm so missed my running group. Miles today were slow. 9:30's. Legs were tired. Last one 8:30.

9:20 ave. damp and rainy but not too cold.

Last 7 at 9 min pace

Treadmill. 7:45 average

9 min average on hilly course.

Tired at the end. Taking it pretty easy overall. 9:30 average for last 10 miles.

Easy but picked up the pace every mile. 8:45 at the end

Hard up and down hills with the crew. 9 min ave. but a few of the middle hilly ones were closer to 8:30.

Cold. Barely got out the door for this one.

Nice easy run

Fun race with one of my sons.  Beat him by about a min.  Pretty bad cramping in 3rd mile.

Nice and easy

Nice run with the crew. Some trails. 9:00 ave

Legs have no pop. First 6 about 10:00. Last 2 9:00

Easy miles.

Easy

This was not a perfect day and I had talked myself into a mediocre race. It was too hot, I was afraid of cramping like last weekends race. I have gained about 5 pounds since I decided not to run Cleveland marathon. My Achilles has been bothering me, my stomach hurt, and I needed to pee at the start. The thing that had me most concerned was that my more recent runs have seemed harder and have been slower.

Still I hoped I could run in the 8:20 range but honestly wasn't expecting it. In the further back corrals it was very crowded. I wish people would be realistic about what pace they can run. So many slower people to work around. I love that they are out there just not in front of me. Going around people walking 3 wide is annoying. High fived Mayor Nutter at the start and then off. Started out just trying to see what pace felt comfortable.

8:10's for the first 4 was pretty easy then it seemed like everything loosened up and it got even easier. 8-8:05 for the next 3. Then I started to calculate my finish time. Realized that I was running well under anything I have run in the last ten years. I was tired but not spent. I think I got more worried about protecting that time than just putting it all out there and seeing what I could do. I slowed down to 8:30's knowing that would get me in comfortably under my goal. Had some but not a lot left in the tank at the end. Pretty happy with this one.

Just enough to loosen up.  Nothing hurting much, just a little stiff.  Will take it easy for a week then pick it back up.

Slow and easy. Legs not sore but are tired still.

I have been sick for a few days so just went out today to try to get back in the grove. Would have been happy with anything in the 8-14 mile range. Very slow but did get the miles in. My time from Broad St says I should be able to run a 4 hour marathon. I just need to put in the miles and trust the training.

Wow. I haven't been so sick in 30 years. These last two weeks have been hard. Some kind of exhausting respiratory thing. 11 min miles were the best I could do until today. All week I got up and by the time I put on my running cloths I was so tired I had to lay back down. Hopefully back on track now.

Still coughing

Still struggling

Mud run

Still recovering from this unrelenting virus. Should have run twice as far but happy to get this in.

Slow and easy

Just getting in the miles as best as I can

Start from where you are not from where you once were or where you want to be. That is really all one can ever do. I have been so sick for the last month. Getting better but still not back to normal. Have lost a fair amount of conditioning and speed. Have gained about 5 pounds. Have lost a month of progress. Want to try for a Boston qualifier in the fall. In early may I had it. All I needed to do was just put in the distance over the summer. 14 weeks, here goes my best shot.

Starting to feel a little better. Still last 6 miles 9:25 ave.

Tired today. Lingering effects of running last two days, recovering from illness and all day party. Who in there right mind throws a 12 hour party. We do it so it's just one big event instead of multiple ones. We stagger the time of invites. 5 year olds birthday party early afternoon, bigger kids end of school party late afternoon, grow ups start of summer party in the evening. It was a blast.

Still slow. 10 min miles are an effort.

Got a late start today so thought I would try to go faster. Well... Faster is a relative thing. A month ago I ran 10 miles a min per mile faster than I could manage today. I feel 90% better but my running says I am still not. I want to try for a fall marathon but unless this turns around soon I won't have a shot.

72 and humid at 5 am. Feeling a bit better. 8 at 9:22 average. That's supposed to be my training pace. I was still working too hard at that pace. But it's still good to see it come down.

I was thinking today that I have slowed about a min every decade. Some is due to life. I don't have the time to run like I did in my teens and 20's. Work, pregnancy, kids take the blame for the slow down in the 30's and 40's. Now that the kids are getting older I have a little more flexibility and my times have mostly stabilized. It would be nice to keep racing in the 8's for the rest of this decade. Frankly it will be great just to keep running healthy.

Hot, humid and slow.  Wanted to go further but just ran out of time.  Still the milage is better for the week.  My training has always centered around this order of progression: frequency, further then faster.  Next week due to work I might only be able to run 3 days.  Will do my best to get some short ones in too.  Then the summer crazyness begins, wont have my regular run schedule back until mid-August.

Got a couple of 9 min miles in but working pretty hard to do it.

Raining outside so was on the treadmill. 5@ 7:54 average but just couldn't hold that pace. I never get sick and to be sick enough that it affected my conditioning is unheard of for me. I expect to bounce right back to where I was but haven't yet.

Feeling a little better. 9:45 average.

Wanted to go further today but legs were tired. Listened to body and bailed out. Yesterday's run was harder than it should have been. I should be able to run 10 miles at 9 min pace and not notice it the next day.

On treadmill 8:45 ave.

Not sure how to log stuff like 9 mile hike 3000ft gain Franconia ridge loop. Big kids and I are hiking in the white mountains. It is fantastic. We are following Scott Jurek on his AT record attempt. It's cool for the kids cause we have done a lot of that trail as day hikes or overnights. We are going to do the presidential traverse later this week. We will take three days to do what he will do in one day. 23 miles 9000 ft gain.

On the treadmill 9 min average

Things are still not right. Should be well rested and able to run well. Nope. Hard to hold under 10 min average. Why? Maybe lack of sleep, traveling, sore throat... Just expect to wake up one day and just feel better. It was mentally hard to get going today. Once I gave in to the route and the pace and just put it on autopilot it was easier.

This one felt a little better. 9:07 ave. will see tomorrow. I start to feel like things are better and have a good run then the next day I can barely run 11 min miles. Still lamenting where I used to be.

8:55 average. Finally feeling hopeful that I might be getting better. This is the first time I have had decent back to back runs. Didn't feel great or easy but was able to hold 9 min miles.

Still working hard to maintain 9 min miles

Finally made it back to the running crew.

Pretty slow up and down NC hills. 

Same route as yesterday. 

6 mile out and back. 

Solid run. 9:04 pace up and down the hills. 

treadmill at hotel. 

one treadmill at hotel someone else on it. Spent 1/2 hour on bike the gave up. Hagerstown Hampton inn. 

Travel really takes it out of me. This is all I felt like doing on hotel treadmill. 

9:10 miles weren't easy but doable. Happy about this one. Just need to feel better and get more consistency. 

Feeling better

2 miles at 8:15 pace

Finally feeling better. It has been so long. 3 solid months of just not being myself. Finally not waking up exhausted and wondering by 4 when I can go to bed. Now I make it until at least 8, which is my norm, before I get tired. Doesn't mean I get to stop then not with 4 kids, but at least I am not nodding off during dinner. Milage and pace picking back up. But the most notable thing is I am running more consistently. I could still do some faster runs while I was sick but then took 4-5 days to recover. Now running everyday at near training pace. 8 miles 9:18 pace.

I have been uninspired lately. But still putting in some slow miles. I am changing direction for now. I am going to train for an ironman. Not an easy undertaking for me because I am not a strong swimmer.

25 min ride. Just a guess at milage. Rode during gymnastics lesson. Good to find a time that works that doesn't take time away from my family.

One of the things I love about running is it's simplicity. Just walk out the door and go. Trying to fit in biking and swimming involves some juggling. Seems like I will be able to swim during my kids swim lesson.

Run today was okay. Feeling better. Just slow. Swimming is pathetic. I can swim but need to be very careful to build up slowly so I don't injure shoulders or aggravate nerve issues in arm.

Just a guess on milage. 1/2 hour on spin bike followed by weights.

Running felt okay but still annoyingly slow. Hopefully changing some of my activities will help me lose some weight which should help with the running.

Pretty good workout.  Trying to slowly ramp up swimming and biking while not getting hurt.  10 min of swimming does not seem like much but the shoulders need to work up to it slowly.

Felt pretty decent.

Gross and rainy for days now.  No chance to running or biking.

Up to 45 min on the bike.  Distance is just a guess.  Just trying to keep around 90rpm.  I think now I can make it through a spin class without hurting my knees.  Most of my biking between now and April will be in spin classes.  If I can build a base of biking 3 days a week maybe doing 2 classes in a row on Sat then by the time I hit warmer weather it wont be to hard to extend the distance.

Been working on weights as well, but am uninspired.  I used to spend an hour lifting 3 times a week.  Hit all the major muscle groups and did 6 week cycles on specific areas.  Loved it.  Now I would rather read a book.  Guess I need a more specific plan.  Just doing what I feel like leads to not doing as much as I should to make it worthwhile.

Got in the workouts I wanted today. Boy do I have a long way to go. Swimming is as expected just a slow build of distance before doing anything else. I should be a better biker than I am. I rode a lot when I was younger. Was even a bike messenger for a time. Never really learned how to ride a road bike though. Today my chain fell off while shifting, ended up in highest (or do I mean lowest) gear at red light, and had to jam on the breaks for too many turns. Then there is the whole issue of lack of power. The leg press is gonna be my new best friend. Run today was good. It usually is after a few days off.

Wasn't really planning on doing this one but legs felt good after yesterday and plan was to take it east. Heart rate 110-120 on the bike. Very easy. Just spending time there and getting comfortable. Run was ok too under 9 min average. Doesn't seem like much but I haven't been able to do hard back to back workouts in a while.

Wish swimming were getting more comfortable. Bike was pretty easy. Knees not tender at all. Only pushing about 100 watts. That needs to increase by at least 50%. Run was all out for 30 min. Feels like some of the running fitness is coming back.

Pretty solid effort.

On the trainer didn't really work very hard. 1/2 hour of weights. Got in a nice circuit.

Easy pace. 34 degrees. I am so uncomfortable in the water. Maybe if I could see it would help. Haircut and new googles might help.

Give or take. Spin class. Worked up from minimal riding to being able to make it through a very intense class. The instructor pushes hard the entire class no breaks for water. If you need one you take it but no breaks after every song. Each is mixed into next one so no real pauses even. A bunch of the tri guys go to this class so it seems like a good place to work on improving strength over the winter. Ave 95 watts today, pathetic.

Lifted for 1/2 hour. Finally have a good circuit set up that I like and that targets what I need most.

Ran with the girls today. Got dropped after 4 miles. No surprise, glad I could hang on that long.

Weather was perfect. 1/2 hour on the bike followed by 3 mile run.

Started with swimming. Gradual increase seems ok. No shoulder or arm pain. Hard 1/2 hour bike. Trying to ride at a higher resistance. Followed by 1/2 hour run. Also weights. Quads a little sore.

Easy run

People always warn me about hurting my knees running. They have never hurt from running but they hurt today from biking. Will keep trying to take it easy.

Nothing fancy or fast. Just grinding them out today.