I've been able to put my calf issues behind me and have logged some solid weeks of training-- 23 two weeks ago, 25 last week and 14 so far this week, on my way to 26. That would mean that next week would be a lighter mileage week, ramping down to about 20.
In place of Wednesday tempo or speedwork, I've started adding sprint intervals to my midweek runs. Base pace seems to be about 9:30 for me these days, and at 8, 17, 26, 35 and 44 minutes, I upped the pace to about 7:30 per mile, for nine-minute cycles. I'm not aiming for a particular speed, just to up the effort for a minute. Last week I started with every nine minutes for a 9:1 ratio, this week 8:1. It's not tremendously difficult at this point, but I'm certain it will be as the ratios drop.
I'm also rotating between three pairs of shoes these days. My Adrenalines, Saucony Guide 4 and the new Pearl Izumi Shift. The Pearls are the new dogs on my block, and they're what I did 6.5 in last Saturday and 6 today. I notice they're a little shallower in the tow box. It means my big toes feel something on them. I'm used to a little more space in that area, and it's taking some getting used to. No pain to report, just something different.
I also do not have any races on my horizon. I'm considering a marathon next February, the Mercedes-Benz Marathon in Birmingham, AL. We're not at a point right now where we can spend a wad of cash for a far away race, so this is an advantage in that I can sleep in my bed, less than an hour away.
It also means it's time to draw up a plan, stick to it, and make some sacrifices to get it done.
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Personal Record!
Another early start to my Saturday, this time for the Arcadia Elementary 5K road race. This was the reschedule date, as it was originally set for May 14, or 2 1/2 weeks after the infamous tornado.
As is my tradition, I was late to bed Friday night-- unwinding after going to see Prairie Home Companion. And as usual, I arrived at the race site about ten minutes before the start. A few cars parked behind me, so at least I wasn't last. And I got a few sprints in beforehand.
The course was very challenging-- a lot of uphill and downhill. Moreso than the Holt race last month, which was half downhill, half uphill. I started out very fast, wanting to get a good start. I looked at my watch and my initial pace was about 7:30, first half mile was 7:49. I felt like I redlined it more than at the Mayor's Cup race, as well. My best half mile was 7:24, worst was 8:05. I was also happy that I was able to keep m legs pumping on the uphills. I did steal a glance behind to see who might be back there, but there was nobody.
I managed to come through the chute at 23:08, which is a new 5K personal best, shattering the old PR of 23:52, set at the Crimson to Couch 5K last fall at UA. The card I filled out upon completion (as though I could write my name after a hard run) said I was #7 finisher, so I knew something was coming. Turned out this is what was on the way:
So I was very, very happy with the run and with the effort. I was going to bang out a few more miles (the race put me at 23 for the week), but the First Lady made a better offer-- suggesting we going out to breakfast.
Definitely a great start the day.
As is my tradition, I was late to bed Friday night-- unwinding after going to see Prairie Home Companion. And as usual, I arrived at the race site about ten minutes before the start. A few cars parked behind me, so at least I wasn't last. And I got a few sprints in beforehand.
The course was very challenging-- a lot of uphill and downhill. Moreso than the Holt race last month, which was half downhill, half uphill. I started out very fast, wanting to get a good start. I looked at my watch and my initial pace was about 7:30, first half mile was 7:49. I felt like I redlined it more than at the Mayor's Cup race, as well. My best half mile was 7:24, worst was 8:05. I was also happy that I was able to keep m legs pumping on the uphills. I did steal a glance behind to see who might be back there, but there was nobody.
I managed to come through the chute at 23:08, which is a new 5K personal best, shattering the old PR of 23:52, set at the Crimson to Couch 5K last fall at UA. The card I filled out upon completion (as though I could write my name after a hard run) said I was #7 finisher, so I knew something was coming. Turned out this is what was on the way:
So I was very, very happy with the run and with the effort. I was going to bang out a few more miles (the race put me at 23 for the week), but the First Lady made a better offer-- suggesting we going out to breakfast.
Definitely a great start the day.
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Shoe Colors
At the running store, it's not unusual for someone to dislike a pair of shoes solely because of their color. This typically happens when the shoe's color scheme is that of a rival SEC school. I've made that observation before, when I had a chance to buy a pair of Saucony Guides that prominently featured a burnt orange color. I still got the shoes, so it wasn't a deal breaker.
With that, I introduce the newest addition to my running stuff:
These are my new Pearl Izumi IsoShift 4 stability shoes, in a very snazzy orange and black. I earned them through a contest at work. They do seem follow the same color scheme as the University of Tennessee (a rival of the Alabama Crimson Tide). However, I like to think of myself as a substance over style guy, so it's a non-issue for me.
I took these new dogs out for a spin Monday afternoon at the rec center treadmill (it rained seven-plus inches Sunday and Monday). I can report no pain and no issues after a five-miler. I wondered about a little something I felt in my right arch, and they do feel just a tad boxy, but they are comfortable and feel like good shoes.
Now I have three pairs to rotate-- Adrenalines, Guides and these.
The training has picked up in the last few weeks-- and my calf pain appears to be a thing of the past. Five on Monday, four yesterday and a seven this morning (in the Sauconys), with some :45 pickups every eight minutes. I scratched the last one since I could tell I was low on fuel. It was a gorgeous morning, and the temperature was right around 70, even at 10 am. My legs are sore from the run, and my body is sore as well, since I have reintroduced a little weight training.
With that, I introduce the newest addition to my running stuff:
These are my new Pearl Izumi IsoShift 4 stability shoes, in a very snazzy orange and black. I earned them through a contest at work. They do seem follow the same color scheme as the University of Tennessee (a rival of the Alabama Crimson Tide). However, I like to think of myself as a substance over style guy, so it's a non-issue for me.
I took these new dogs out for a spin Monday afternoon at the rec center treadmill (it rained seven-plus inches Sunday and Monday). I can report no pain and no issues after a five-miler. I wondered about a little something I felt in my right arch, and they do feel just a tad boxy, but they are comfortable and feel like good shoes.
Now I have three pairs to rotate-- Adrenalines, Guides and these.
The training has picked up in the last few weeks-- and my calf pain appears to be a thing of the past. Five on Monday, four yesterday and a seven this morning (in the Sauconys), with some :45 pickups every eight minutes. I scratched the last one since I could tell I was low on fuel. It was a gorgeous morning, and the temperature was right around 70, even at 10 am. My legs are sore from the run, and my body is sore as well, since I have reintroduced a little weight training.
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Mayor's Cup
The Mayor’s Cup 5K took off as scheduled this past Saturday. In keeping with tradition, I got a bit of a late start, arriving at the race site about 30 minutes before the start. It helped that I live about a five-minute drive from the race site. My pregame food consisted of a cup of coffee, half a bottle of Gatorade and a slice and a half of peanut butter toast.
It was a great day for a run—temperatures were right around 70 degrees at the 8 a.m. start. I’m learning to work a few sprints into my pre-race warmup, and I felt pretty good after a few of them, and my calf felt fine, as well.
The course was very flat—completely different from the race last year, at which I set a then-PR of 24:56. No hills in either case, but a whole new route that included the new Tuscaloosa Amphitheater.
The first mile seemed to take a long time, but it’s to be expected, since there were 800+ runners and therefore a lot of traffic. I settled down and ran an 8:30 first mile, which was the time shouted to me. I spent some time the night before hunting my Garmin 405, with no success, and didn’t have the sense to wear my stopwatch, so that’s what I went by.
I started to up the tempo a little, with a second mile of 7:45, or 16:15 as announced. This satisfied my need for numbers. I need numbers to crunch while I run—how fast I’m going, half-mile splits, etc. I’m the same way on long car trips—I need mileage signs to know how far until we stop for gas or whatever. I continued picking off runners, including the Tuscaloosa Chief of Police, much as I did at the previous race. I still remembered the feeling of losing a SMO to that guy the week before, so I was determined to not let that happen again. And it didn’t—I beat him by :40. Told you I was in better shape than he was.
So the route continued behind the amphitheater and back onto the complex. Men through the finish corral on the left, women on the left. I didn’t realize (until afterward) that the clock was on the right as I veered and focused to the left. I knew I’d just about red lined it and ran well, but didn’t know my time. Naturally, coworker Mike (who could outstare a can of Red Bull) immediately came up and asked me about my time. So then I turned around and saw the ticking red LED clock. Damn. A few days later, I learned my time was 24:53. Not as good as my 5K PR of 23:52, but I knew I’d run hard and run well, finishing 94th out of 800+. That averages out to about 8:18 per mile. And it also means I hammered out that last 1.1 mile in 7:37. That may well put me near a 7:00 mile, which I dare to say would be the fastest mile I’ve ever run.
I only got to hang around for a few minutes, since I had to open the running store at 9:30. So I headed home for a quick trip to the rain locker, the drive-thru and to work. And the nice thing about it all—no calf pain.
It was a great day for a run—temperatures were right around 70 degrees at the 8 a.m. start. I’m learning to work a few sprints into my pre-race warmup, and I felt pretty good after a few of them, and my calf felt fine, as well.
The course was very flat—completely different from the race last year, at which I set a then-PR of 24:56. No hills in either case, but a whole new route that included the new Tuscaloosa Amphitheater.
The first mile seemed to take a long time, but it’s to be expected, since there were 800+ runners and therefore a lot of traffic. I settled down and ran an 8:30 first mile, which was the time shouted to me. I spent some time the night before hunting my Garmin 405, with no success, and didn’t have the sense to wear my stopwatch, so that’s what I went by.
I started to up the tempo a little, with a second mile of 7:45, or 16:15 as announced. This satisfied my need for numbers. I need numbers to crunch while I run—how fast I’m going, half-mile splits, etc. I’m the same way on long car trips—I need mileage signs to know how far until we stop for gas or whatever. I continued picking off runners, including the Tuscaloosa Chief of Police, much as I did at the previous race. I still remembered the feeling of losing a SMO to that guy the week before, so I was determined to not let that happen again. And it didn’t—I beat him by :40. Told you I was in better shape than he was.
So the route continued behind the amphitheater and back onto the complex. Men through the finish corral on the left, women on the left. I didn’t realize (until afterward) that the clock was on the right as I veered and focused to the left. I knew I’d just about red lined it and ran well, but didn’t know my time. Naturally, coworker Mike (who could outstare a can of Red Bull) immediately came up and asked me about my time. So then I turned around and saw the ticking red LED clock. Damn. A few days later, I learned my time was 24:53. Not as good as my 5K PR of 23:52, but I knew I’d run hard and run well, finishing 94th out of 800+. That averages out to about 8:18 per mile. And it also means I hammered out that last 1.1 mile in 7:37. That may well put me near a 7:00 mile, which I dare to say would be the fastest mile I’ve ever run.
I only got to hang around for a few minutes, since I had to open the running store at 9:30. So I headed home for a quick trip to the rain locker, the drive-thru and to work. And the nice thing about it all—no calf pain.
Sunday, August 21, 2011
More Hills
Saturday I ran the Nucor/Holt 5K road race. It's a benefit to help the Holt High athletic department, since there is a shortage of funds. Temperatures were in the mid-70s for a 7:00 am start. A decent crowd-- 75 or so runners. This area was touched by Mother Nature on April 27, so it's definitely a community in need. Snazzy purple race shirts, as well.
The first half was a downhill and I went out at about an 8:30-8:45 pace, since I'd heard about the famous hill on the back end. It was actually a series of three inclines with a slight leveling off in between, and my pace slowed to about 9:30 or so. My time was 27:45, or about 9:00 per mile, putting me #29 overall. I was pleased, since it was the most challenging 5K I've ever run.
Two highlights here-- one, I tweaked my right calf muscle again. And again, I've no idea how this happened. I ran nearly 20 miles on four earlier runs during the week, including Wednesday's tempo run, and this happened at about the halfway mark, at the end of the downhill section. So I don't know what's causing the issue. I did scratch the other four miles I'd planned for after the race. The calf felt bad for much of the day, but then pain started to diminish as the evening wore on. So we'll idle back the training this week and reevaluate in a few days.
Secondly, I got passed in the last 0.1 of the race by a guy who got my Shiny Metal Object. I'd finished the hills and actually passed the guy as he walked, but he must not have appreciated my passing him, so he started his engine as I kept my pace. Then I saw him go up to get the SMO for 3rd in our age group, so I was pissed. I know he wasn't in as good condition as me, since he was walking, and I didn't even go after him.
I guess I was concerned my calf would pop, but I had enough juice left to where I could have competed, but I didn't. I just watched him go by.
Oh well-- lesson learned. I'm still an amateur racer, so I'll pick these things up on the way. It was a good run and a good vibe at this race.
Next up: Mayor's Cup 5K this coming Saturday. This was pushed back from the Spring because of the tornado. I plan to at least run the race-- my calf will determine how fast.
The first half was a downhill and I went out at about an 8:30-8:45 pace, since I'd heard about the famous hill on the back end. It was actually a series of three inclines with a slight leveling off in between, and my pace slowed to about 9:30 or so. My time was 27:45, or about 9:00 per mile, putting me #29 overall. I was pleased, since it was the most challenging 5K I've ever run.
Two highlights here-- one, I tweaked my right calf muscle again. And again, I've no idea how this happened. I ran nearly 20 miles on four earlier runs during the week, including Wednesday's tempo run, and this happened at about the halfway mark, at the end of the downhill section. So I don't know what's causing the issue. I did scratch the other four miles I'd planned for after the race. The calf felt bad for much of the day, but then pain started to diminish as the evening wore on. So we'll idle back the training this week and reevaluate in a few days.
Secondly, I got passed in the last 0.1 of the race by a guy who got my Shiny Metal Object. I'd finished the hills and actually passed the guy as he walked, but he must not have appreciated my passing him, so he started his engine as I kept my pace. Then I saw him go up to get the SMO for 3rd in our age group, so I was pissed. I know he wasn't in as good condition as me, since he was walking, and I didn't even go after him.
I guess I was concerned my calf would pop, but I had enough juice left to where I could have competed, but I didn't. I just watched him go by.
Oh well-- lesson learned. I'm still an amateur racer, so I'll pick these things up on the way. It was a good run and a good vibe at this race.
Next up: Mayor's Cup 5K this coming Saturday. This was pushed back from the Spring because of the tornado. I plan to at least run the race-- my calf will determine how fast.
Friday, August 19, 2011
No Worries
It's been another solid week of running, mainly on the treadmill. My calf issues appear to be behind me, following a full week of rest.
This week, a Monday five, Tuesday four and a six-miler at midweek. One mile warmup/cooldown on either side, with four miles at 8:34 pace in the middle. Solid work. There's something about upping the pace that helps make the time go by and make me feel like I'm getting somewhere.
Since Wednesday's run was nearly an hour, I listened to a Pheidippidations podcast that talked about what makes people happy. I sometimes think about this question, and I may get into it at some point.
So I have seven scheduled for Saturday, which includes a 5K (3.1 mi) road race that helps a local high school. I've been told this course has a devil of a hill. Guess I'll find out.
I'll bang out the rest of the miles afterward. 25 miles projected for the week, likely 27 the next.
This week, a Monday five, Tuesday four and a six-miler at midweek. One mile warmup/cooldown on either side, with four miles at 8:34 pace in the middle. Solid work. There's something about upping the pace that helps make the time go by and make me feel like I'm getting somewhere.
Since Wednesday's run was nearly an hour, I listened to a Pheidippidations podcast that talked about what makes people happy. I sometimes think about this question, and I may get into it at some point.
So I have seven scheduled for Saturday, which includes a 5K (3.1 mi) road race that helps a local high school. I've been told this course has a devil of a hill. Guess I'll find out.
I'll bang out the rest of the miles afterward. 25 miles projected for the week, likely 27 the next.
Friday, August 12, 2011
Resting
About three years ago, I pulled my right calf muscle about 15 minutes into a scheduled ten-mile long run. The mistake I made was trying to 'catch up' to my training schedule as I prepped for a half marathon.
Last week, my training was continuing as planned, with my weekly total sitting at 17 at midweek. I tried doing 800 repeats at 7 am in August heat in Alabama. I got through the first three and part of a fourth, but had to cut the intervals off and concentrate on finishing the run, which I did.
Friday I had a three-miler scheduled, and the calf pain came back, unannounced and in the same location. This was completely unexpected. I felt as though I was ramping up my mileage safely, and at less that 10% per week.
As a result, my Saturday long run got shoved back a day, to Sunday before church. The calf pain was not completely gone, but if I'm getting up at an unholy hour, having coffee, fueling up, getting dressed and what not, I'm going for a run.
Unfortunately, the calf pain didn't go away, and I had to cut it short after 14 minutes. So I went home and watched the rest of White Men Can't Jump.
I've not run since that Sunday, and the pain is virtually gone. I'm glad for this, as my thought is that the pain is not too severe. But to be on the safe side, I'm giving it the rest of the week off, and will get back after it Monday. It's helpful to know I'm not training for anything specific, although there are a few races in the near future, on August 20 and 27.
Last week, my training was continuing as planned, with my weekly total sitting at 17 at midweek. I tried doing 800 repeats at 7 am in August heat in Alabama. I got through the first three and part of a fourth, but had to cut the intervals off and concentrate on finishing the run, which I did.
Friday I had a three-miler scheduled, and the calf pain came back, unannounced and in the same location. This was completely unexpected. I felt as though I was ramping up my mileage safely, and at less that 10% per week.
As a result, my Saturday long run got shoved back a day, to Sunday before church. The calf pain was not completely gone, but if I'm getting up at an unholy hour, having coffee, fueling up, getting dressed and what not, I'm going for a run.
Unfortunately, the calf pain didn't go away, and I had to cut it short after 14 minutes. So I went home and watched the rest of White Men Can't Jump.
I've not run since that Sunday, and the pain is virtually gone. I'm glad for this, as my thought is that the pain is not too severe. But to be on the safe side, I'm giving it the rest of the week off, and will get back after it Monday. It's helpful to know I'm not training for anything specific, although there are a few races in the near future, on August 20 and 27.
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