Bad Socks

after work today i was getting ready for my run (putting on my running clothes) and could not find the socks i knew i had packed. i went out to my truck, with my shoes on and no socks, and knew i couldn't run that way, i looked for my socks in the truck with no luck. i decided to wear my work socks, my long, thicker, work socks.

i had a tempo run scheduled, 1 mile slow, 5 miles at 8.28 pace, then another mile slow. since i was going to be going slow on the first mile, emily decided to do the first mile with me. i think this was the first time she has ever ran with me, even though i have been asking her for a long long time. she wasn't far behind when i finished my first mile, and she had even walked some of that mile. so my first mile was really slow, but not that i wanted to go any faster. i ran last night's run 1 min/mile faster than scheduled and i could tell my legs were a little tired. after the first mile i sped up and was actually on pace for the first 1/2 mile but then slowed down for the next couple of miles, then got a little faster, then a little slower. the time for my 5 miles of tempo running was 46.57, a pace of about 9.20min/mile. that was actually slower than my "slow" run from yesterday. i have been trying to stay on those paces, they are supposed to get me to finish the marathon in 4 hours. i was thinking i may have to decrease that goal a little since i haven't been able to keep the paces as low as recommended by my schedule. but i did finish and felt pretty good, i was definitely tired at the end. i think if i slow it down a little i should have no problem finishing these longer runs.

thought of the night: busy weekend ahead, gonna have to squeeze in my runs somewhere, have a race in just over a week.

Slacked a Little

i worked saturday and did not get to run, was planning on 14 miles sunday. on sunday they were predicting thunderstorms in the afternoon with hail, etc. i decided not to run due to weather, the last few runs i've had where there was a chance of rain/lightening, i ended up running in rain/lightening. on sunday, it rained for about 5 minutes. i was a little upset with myself that i didn't try the run. so i postponed the run until monday. monday i was not feeling well, i had a headache all day until about 5pm. i could have (should have) at least gotten my 4 miler in. i decided not to. tonight i was on call but was feeling really bad about not getting my long run in for the weekend and really bad for not getting my shorter run in on monday. i decided to give it a try and carry my cell phone with me. i figured, it was only 4 miles and i would be, at the furthest, 20 minutes from my truck and 10 more minutes to the clinic, which i figured was acceptable. at mile 1 i got the first call, i stopped and called the people back. they decided to wait until tomorrow. at mile 1.5, they called back and wanted me to see the dog, but they weren't exactly sure. at mile 2 they called back and wanted me to see the dog for sure. i stopped to talk to them at all of those points. they were a good ways away, so i headed back to the truck, then to the clinic where i dried off and changed back into work clothes.

i ran the 4 miles in 36.32, a little over 9 minute miles. i am not sure how stopping all of those times affected me. the breaks probably helped, but with every stop i had to build the pace back up. tomorrow i have a 7 mile tempo run scheduled. both thursday and friday i have meetings after work and saturday and sunday. to get this weeks runs in will be a little tough, after this week everything should slow down so i can concentrate on my runs for the marathon.

once again it is late and i am tired, going to bed.

Fast 4, 4 Me

i ran 4 miles this evening, didn't get to start until about 7pm. i'm telling you, that one extra day of rest really helped. this was my fastest 4 mile run in 2 years, and maybe longer. i started out pretty good (this was supposed to be an 10min/mile pace) and figured i would slow down but i might as well push for a little while. the first 1/2 mile was 4.33, i thought to myself i was not going to be able to hold that pace for the entire run. the next 1/2 mile was 4.27, i tried to slow myself down a little. the next 1/2 mile was 4.24. the hills seemed to be getting the best of me, for the next 1/2 mile, which was 4.34 i thought, here comes the slowdown. the next three 1/2 miles: 4.20. with each 1/2 mile i kept expecting to see 5.00. i felt like i was slowing down and a few times, actually tried to. i finished the last 1/2 mile at 4.35. i actually figured i would be much slower, i was doing all i could to keep my legs moving until i heard the beeper. my total time was 35.37. my shins were hurting just a little at the very end. i figure i will pay for running this run too fast, much faster than my schedule recommended. hope it doesn't effect my long run this weekend. my heart rate did not get within 5 bpm of my highest heart rate. the way i was pushing and breathing i figured it would be way up there. luckily i have a rest day tomorrow.

saw J is still kicking out the miles. i hope he takes a day off before the race, i he is our family's only hope to beat Todd at the houston county 5k this year.

thought of the day:"What we hope ever to do with ease we may learn first to do with diligence" Samuel Johnson. i was thinking about what i posted yesterday, "train hard, race easy." this reminded me of that quote a little. i realized that even if you train hard for a race, you will still work hard during the race, but the harder you train, the easier it will be finish in the same amount of time. i hope to one day run marathons with ease, like many of the runners in the magazines, i am trying to be dilligent in my training. one day Jeff and Todd, one day.

Hilly 6

i took a break from monday's 4 miler and didn't run on tuesday to help freshen up and rest my legs a little. today the schedule said 6 mile intervals. since i don't have a good place to do intervals i have decided to do all of my interval runs as hills, the biggest hills i can find, all in a row. i figure, this will at least work much different muscles than normal, both going up and down the hills. i got off work as early as i have in a long time, so hopefully i could do most of my run while the sun was up. however, i still didn't get out the door until 6:45pm, so i took my head light. the last time i ran this particular course i was happy i did not walk for the entire 3 mile run. now i was doubling mileage and doing bigger longer hills to extend the mileage. it was 1/2 mile uphill, down a small hill, up a small hill, down a medium hill, up a medium hill, down a big hill, up a big hill, .75 miles downhill, .5 mile uphill and then back. i didn't push really hard so i might have a little left for the last big hill. during the last 1/2 of the run, it was pitch black, had to get off the road for 2 cars, but not that close. then i made a push up the last hill. i made it about 1/2 way up before having to slow a little. but i did it, no walking. my legs really felt good, i think from the rest. very nearly got bit by a medium sized snipping dog. other than that it was pretty uneventful. during the run i decided i need to run year round if i really want to run marathons and i got really pumped for my 14 miler this weekend (while J will be running 3 :)).

on that note, J is trying to run 35 miles this week. what a nut. i hope he does it and doesn't get hurt, i'm telling you, he is a machine. i am just hooping to get 24 miles in this week. but i am pumped for the 14 miler. i think the break helped physically and mentally. i need a little break every now and then to keep me fresh and motivated. J needs to run as much as possible to stay fresh and motivated. no wonder he is so much faster than i am.

i knew my time would be slow on this run since i was trying to run the downhills very controlled and the uphills controlled enough to not run out of energy at the end. my time for the run was 66.57. i will take that for this run. i am not dreading big hills as bad any more. i finished the run about 4 hours ago and i still feel very pumped. i feel like i could go run some more tonight, but i will get my rest instead.

thought of the day: it is past my bedtime. have to save this energy for the 2 runs i have left this week. train hard, race easy. bow season opens on saturday and i don't have any plans of hunting at all this weekend, probably the coolest and best opening day of bow season we have had in 7 years.

12.5?

i got out of my event really early, with plenty of time to get my run in but i didn't feel very good all. i came home and took a nap and felt a little better. i was not motivated to run all day but i knew i really needed to. i headed out the door feeling good that i was making myself run, but not really wanting to. i thought i was giving myself plenty of time, even though i did have to finish watching the first half of an nfl game. so i started running a little after 5pm thinking the run would take about 2.5 hours. it started raining just before i took off for the run, i was hoping there wouldn't be any thunder and lightening. it never did storm but it rained off and on. my left calf was really tight until mile 4 when it stopped hurting. i slowed this run down and really felt like i was at a good pace. at mile 5 i took a short walk break to get some energy chews. at mile 9 i got a few more energy chews and i was feeling really good. then it all went sour. at mile 11 it was getting dark and started raining harder and i thought about stopping. i just didn't want to run any more. i finally stopped at 12.5 miles. it took me 2:22.44 to complete it.

there are a few things that i was doing last year that i haven't been doing this year that i think are making this year a little harder. 1. i'm not going elk hunting, so that motivation is down a little, even though i still have the marathon to prepare for. 2. i do not have a good energy supplement that to use. last year, i was taking gels about every 4.5 miles and really felt like they helped me. i now get sick when i even think about taking a gel, that happened about 4 weeks before the marathon last year. i have tried blocks and sports beans but they don't go down near as easily. i think i have to figure this out before too long. 3. i have not been stretching any after my runs. last year that was the first thing i did after every run. i don't have a really good place to lay out and stretch in the new living quarters. i haven't been doing any yoga either.

i do think i am a little ahead of my training last year, in my schedule i still have a 14 mile run, two 16 mile runs, an 18 miler and two 20 mile runs. there are also 2 rest weeks and 2 tapering weeks (i think that is right). as far as mileage goes, i still have plenty of time to get my longest runs in, i will just have to do many of the runs in the dark, at least parts of them.

since i was so sore for the last 2 runs, i decided to skip today's run and start back on wednesday.

thought of the day: 2 days of rest and then the old shane is back, finishing long runs and staying motivated. look out!

OK 4

i meant to say something about the pain i had wednesday before my run, but forgot to mention it in the last blog. tuesday night, just before going to bed, a sharp pain started from my left shoulder, down my left arm and up my neck. it hurt bad all night and i didn't get much sleep. i was wondering if it would be hurting for my run. the pain had died down a little but not completely. to turn my head to the left i had to turn my entire upper body. the pain was still there today (friday) but much less, i still can't fully turn my head to the left without pain. it really doesn't bother me during my runs though.

i didn't think i would get my run in today. i tried to get up early and run, i had to be out the door around 6:30. i set the alarm for 6, hit snooze, got up at 6:20 and it still seemed pretty dark, i went back to bed. i guess i have been running in the dark at night, just didn't seem right in the morning, one should be sleeping. maybe it was because the window looks to the west and the sun comes up in the east. anyway, i didn't run. i had thought about running at lunch, since i was taking off at 12 anyway to go work a mossy oak event. i knew it would be hard to run and get a shower and then get to the event in time, had to be there at 2. ended up working until 1:30. the event was supposed to end at 8. however, the event ended around 4 and i left about 5. i got home and sat down for a few minutes then got dressed and got my 4 scheduled miles in. when i run this route, i usually run 1/2 way (mostly uphill of course) and then turn around and head back. however, tonight i was going to run 4 miles away from the house and emily was going to pick me up on the way to the far. usually the second half of the run is faster because it is more downhill, not tonight with this plan. my left calf hurt most of the run, a few times i felt like it was going to give out. my right knee hurt just a little. overall i didn't feel too bad.

when we got to the farm i was pounding a big stake into the ground with a sledge hammer. once i missed the stake and the sledge hammer slipped out of one hand and hit me in my right shin. it is pretty bruised right now. hope it doesn't bother me on my long run this weekend. i am supposed to be at the mossy oak event from 8-8 tomorrow and until 4 on sunday. that doesn't leave me much time to run 14 miles in the light. have to get it in. have to get it in.

thought of the day: the things that you allow to control your life, will control your life. no matter how bad you want to do anything else.

Thunderstorms

tonight i had a 6 mile tempo run scheduled. 1 mile warm-up, 4 miles at 8.24 pace, 1 mile cool down. the first mile was a little slow, it was only a warm up and i knew i was going to be giving it all i had to try to make the 8.24 pace, so i took it pretty easy. my first mile was actually 40 seconds slower than my first mile yesterday. then the one mile beeper went off and i was off to the races. luckily i was only racing myself. the next mile was 9.02, 1/2 mile past that it was thundering and lightening, and i was 1.5 miles from the truck so i turned around and headed back. mile 3 was 9.32, i was supposed to be getting faster, but i was huffing and puffing, even with the motivation of lightening around me i couldn't pick up the pace. at mile 4 i had to run around a parking lot hoping i wouldn't get struck by the lightening to finish the last .2 of a mile. mile 4 came in at 9.24, but the last 1/2 mile was 4.52, so i think just trying to finish the run in the parking lot slowed me down a little. my calves started hurting about 1/2 way through the run. i have a 4 and 14 miler scheduled the rest of the week. if i get time i might try to make up the mileage from this run with an easy 6 instead of the scheduled easy 4, we'll see. i know this weekend will be very busy, but i really need to get my 14 miler done.

thought of the day: the other day when J and i were running the 12 miles together, i started off running at a 9.15 pace and it felt pretty comfortable. however, since then it has been hard to even get to that pace. crazy how running so much can slow you down.

Bump and Grind

it's funny, i have completed my last 5 of my last 6 scheduled runs, not on the exact dates, but close. i have actually ran every other day for the last 10 days. been a while since i have done that much running. today, 2 days after my last long run, my legs felt very tired. i felt like i was keeping a pretty good pace and then the half mile beeper would go off and the pace would be pretty slow. not to worry, this was supposed to be an easy run, at 9:55 pace, i was a little ahead of that but not by much. here are the splits:

.5= 4.53
1.0= 4.49
1.5= 4.56
2.0= 5.10
2.5= 4.56
3.0= 4.42
3.5= 4.45
4.0= 4.56

the last 1/2 mile i really thought was much faster than that. like i said before, i am not too worried, i have a 6 mile tempo run scheduled for tomorrow. i have a feeling much of that is going to be in the dark.

thought of the day: the other day, while running, the R. Kelly song "Bump 'N Grind" came on my ipod. i thought, what in the world is that song on here for? after listening to the lyrics, i know. the lyrics start out, "my mind's telling me know, but my body, my body's telling me ye e es." that is how i start most of my long runs. my mind is saying "are you sure" and my body, thinking it is a lot younger, says "no problem, get it done." the lyrics go on to say "I don't see nothun wrong with a little bump 'n grind.' well, that is exactly my running style, i realized tonight. when i run on the road it sounds like bump bump, bump bump. and my bones grind. just sayin.

Unlucky

i am not sure what happened on this run. i was planning on 14 but at 7pm still had 4 miles to go and without my headlamp i didn't want to be running in complete dark for the last mile. it was just starting to get dark as i finished. i did start this run out slower because of last week. i wanted to be around 10:30min/mile. however, i had a hard time running much faster than an 11min/mile pace. i wasn't too worried, i figured as long as i wasn't going too fast i would be ok. but, the run seemed to take forever. i did finish stronger and feeling much better than last week, although i wouldn't call it feeling good. i was able to come home get a shower and eat without falling asleep. here are the splits (at 1 mile instead of 1/2 mile):

1= 10.34
2= 21.06
3= 31.56
4= 42.49
5= 53.28
6= 65.03
7= 76.16
8= 86.58
9= 98.38
10= 109.27
11= 120.46
12= 132.04
13= 143.55

i did take walk/drink/refueling breaks at 5 miles, 10 miles and a short one at 12 miles. so, i ran just about all the way. i think J was right, not getting all of my mileage in has hurt me a little, even though, this run was about the same pace as my 13 mile runs last year, i just don't feel as strong and don't have quite the endurance.

too tired for any thoughts tonight.

3 Runs this Week Already?!?

yes, that is right. i have ran 3 times this week already. if i can get my run in this weekend i will have completed a full week! first time that will have happened in a while. today's (or mostly tonight's) run was weird. J tried to hurt me by telling me i needed to run at a 7:57 pace (what he ran yesterday). i knew that was out of the question. for one, that was not what was on my schedule and 2, that is not in my abilities right now (if i could even get close i might have tried). so, i decided to do my scheduled run, 5 miles, at the scheduled pace, 9:55. i started out a little fast and a little tight. i gradually slowed myself down. however, after it got dark i couldn't read my watch and somehow i sped up, but it didn't really feel like i sped up, i thought i was still getting slower. so my pace was actually 9:34. my last 3 half miles were 4:34, 4:38, 4:34. i didn't mean to run that fast since i was planning on a longer run tomorrow, but it happened.

my heart rate stayed pretty low, even though this was one of my fastest paces in a while. i don't think i will be able to run tomorrow like i wanted, it is Emily's birthday and when i told her i was planning on a long run tomorrow she said it would take me too long and then i would be laid out the rest of the day. so i may postpone it until sunday, which scares me a little.

thought of the day: "In this age, which believes that there is a short cut to everything, the greatest lesson to be learned is that the most difficult way is, in the long run, the easiest," Henry Miller. i was thinking about running an alternate route this weekend for my long run, since the hills right around the half-way point seem to have really tired and slowed me down the last 2 long runs. then, during my run tonight, i was going up a hill when i thought "this hill always gives my problems. i actually told J that about this particular hill on monday. i thought to myself tonight, i should say this hill always makes me stronger, every time i run it. with that mindset, i would always want to run it and enjoy it, because i am getting a great benefit from the hill. so getting stronger on this hill now, will only help me when i have to run other hills. i wish i could go run it right now, how often do we get to do things that makes us stronger and better?

2 Days This Week Already

this is the second day this week i have ran! 2 more i will feel a little better about things. this was a scheduled easy run and was supposed to be at a 9.54 pace. i finished 6 miles in 59.54, just over my goal pace at 9.59min/mile. this run was pretty uneventful, other than the first tenth of a mile i thought my quads were going to explode going down the first hill, i thought that was a bad sign. i gradually loosened up and around 3 miles, i felt really good.

it is nearly midnight and i have to get to bed, that is all for now.

Not as Bad as I Thought

I ran 12 miles with J yesterday. There were many things not in my favor: 1. i haven't been getting many mid week runs in 2. I forgot my gatorade, not that is was hot, but i feel like the sugar gives me a boost, and without the drink i couldn't wash down my sports beans 3. it was cold (that is supposed to make it easier, maybe the cold winds hurt more than anything) 4. i started at a comfortable pace but it was way too fast. i did learn some valuable lessons today, more on that later.

so J and i met up and he let me lead for the first part. I was really comfortable with my pace at the beginning, but knew it was too fast to last, but i was hoping i would just slow down at the end, not give out. i was feeling pretty good at 6 miles, the halfway point. up until that point i was right at 50 seconds faster than last weeks 12 mile run. at 6 miles i had slowed to 30 seconds faster. at 9 miles i was 25 seconds slower than last week. at mile 10.5 i fizzled out and had to begin walking a good bit. i finished at 2:09.45. i didn't feel very good about this run because i had to walk some and actually finished 8 seconds slower than last week. i really ran out of energy. i was hoping, since this was my second run of 12 miles, i would finish stronger. other than one 1/2 mile split i would have beat last weeks time. however, i just looked over my times for last year (didn't run any 12 mile runs) and at the 10 mile mark this week i was anywhere from 2-15 minutes faster than my 10 milers last year. however, i never had a hard time finishing the longer runs last year, but hey, i still have 3 more months to go. and to cut 15 minutes off of 10 miles is pretty good. i will say having J behind me did push me a little.

i am 40 miles behind last year's mileage right now. if i could complete two good weeks i would be right at the same mileage. if i do a 6, 5 and 12 miler (what i have planned for this week) i will be 22 miles behind last year. so, i am not too worried just yet, just have to start making it a point to get the runs in, as it is getting dark much earlier and i won't have as much light to run in. so, here comes running in the dark again. i did it last year, guess i can do it again, it is just another obstacle i will have to get over. i have thought about running 3 easy miles on my off days, just to get some easy mileage in. easy to say, when i can't even get my regular mileage in :)

thoughts of the day: lessons learned (and one relearned) from a 12 mile run: 1)go back and get my drink no matter how cool it is outside and no matter how tough i think i am. 2) at least suck on some sports beans or blocks if i don't have a drink. even though i had eaten lots of good carbs the few days before the run, i still needed some in run energy. 2)start slower. i learned this last year. however, i think i took this to the extreme last year and never got much faster, i did finish all but my 20 mile run. while they weren't all easy to finish, i never had to walk much, even on the 18 miler. it is hard for me to tell where the meeting point is, but from this run i think that 1-2 mid week runs should be about gaining speed and longer runs for endurance (duh, just like my new training plans says). but i fight with the question, if i am doing speedwork during the week, how much can i speed up and still finish comfortably on the long run? i guess i have 3 months to figure that out. i think the clarksville 1/2 marathon will help me answer that a little better. J said he planned on tapering for the clarksville 1/2. i just looked at my plan and the saturday before the 1/2 is a 20 mile run that goes into a week with four 6 mile runs, a rest week. so maybe that won't be so bad. in my training plan, for the next 3 months, i have three 16 mile runs, one 18 mile run, and three 20 mile runs on the weekends, along with some shorter runs during rest weeks and tapering. i am not sure what i am doing this week, i am behind schedule, i guess we will see how the week goes.

p.s. i didn't hear either "Rocky" song during the run the other day. a little "Eye of the Tiger" might have given me the push i needed. and once again, J got so far ahead of me i quit trying. :)