D-Man

Did not run today.  Did 30 minutes on the Octane during lunch.  Was actually pretty easy.  Then tonight, instead of heading out in the 20 mph wet snow shower in the dark, I went home after work and did 60 minutes on the Octane instead.  Probably a good thing because I was pretty spent.  And work sucked today.  The last three days running have been too hard.  I should have gone easier yesterday.

The last few days have finally caught up with me.  Don't know why, but I couldn't sleep lastnight.  Probably a combination of things including shtuff going on at work.  Today I did a pretty decent 30 minutes on the Octane during lunch.  Tonight I contemplated doing a workout.  Tonight the weather wasn't all that great, but tomorrow it's going to be terrible.  That cold 34 rain with 25 mph winds are supposed to kick up around 4 tomorrow afternoon.  So, I thought about trying to get a workout in tonight.  It was all I could do to run 3 miles in 22:53 for my warmup.  But instead of changing my shoes and heading for the track, I just got in the car and drove home.  I am totally spent.  It is only 7:30 and I'm ready to go to bed.  Don't know if it's the lack of sleep or the intensity of that 35 miles in three days that has caught up with me.  Either way, 3 miles and 30 minutes on the Octane is it for today...

Today did 30 minutes on the Octane during lunch.  Felt much better than I did yesterday.  Got in 5.1 miles.  Tonight, went to Woodrow Wilson track.  Ran a semi-quick 3.25 miles from WW through Deming Park and back.  Steady drizzle and WSW breeze 10 mph, but a "warm" 41 degrees.  Got back to the track and did 16x400m with a 90 second rest between each (87,85,84,85,84,83,83,83,82,81,81,82,82,81,80,80).  Intention was to run 5:40 pace as that's what I want to run 5K in this Sunday.  Legs are actually still a little sore from the weekend.  The wind really picked up the last two and the temp dropped.  Did a 3.25 mile cooldown after around 7:30 pace.  

Tonight ran a pretty good 8.5 miles with Jeff & Jacki and Dave from Meadows through Deming Park, Woodridge, etc. and back.  Temp really cold, 18 but no wind.  Ran about 7:10 pace the whole way.  Total time 1:00:44.  Earlier today did 30 minutes on the Octane during lunch and did 10 minutes on the Octane before I ran tonight.  Hamstrings a little sore from yesterday.

Ran a pretty easy 7.5 miles w/ Jacki from Meadows through Deming Park, Woodridge, etc.  Same as last night's run but cut short.  Very cold 17 degrees.  Left lower calf above achilles a little tight this afternooon and then again about an hour later.  Kids were handing out candy canes at one of the Deming Park Christmas displays.  Going to do a workout tomorrow.  Going to forgo the race Sunday.

This morning, ran a pretty good 8 miles w/ Jacki from Meadows through Deming Park and Woodridge, etc. and back in a steady snow.  About 1.5" on the ground when we started.  Close to 2" by the time we finished. But it was a little warmer than yesterday, 23 w/ less of a breeze.  Ran in my old ASICS racing flats since they have good traction.  We were supposed to do a fartlek workout today, but the road conditions were too bad to try to get speedwork in.  Ran about 7:05 pace the whole way despite the road conditions. 

Today ran a pretty solid 14 miles w/ Jacki in 1:41:51 despite there being snow on parts of the course.  Maintained close to 7:00 pace the whole way.  Temp chilly 23, but sunny and no wind.  Could have gone another 3 to 5 miles.  Later, ran about 1 mile running between different parts of the course to take pictures for the Christmas In The Park race at Deming Park. Kyle Mullins won the Middle School 3K in 11:42, Nikki (?) won the middle school 3K in 11:54.  Not bad since parts of the course were solid ice.  Brandon Query, local high school standout won the 5K in 17:04.  My feet are getting (arches mostly) sore from running on the snow and my achilles are a little tender from running uphill in the snow.

Today at lunch did the Octane for 30 minutes in a record 5.68 miles. Legs really felt good. Pretty effortless. Then tonight after work, ran a pretty quick 8.5 miles (8.6 according to map) in 58:10. Had 29:30 half way. Started out pretty quick with the first mile in 6:28, but quickly faded to 7:00 pace until half way, then I was able to drop down to 6:25 pace the rest of the way back except for where it was really dark and ran 7:00. A pretty decent run given that it was supposed to be a recovery run. It "warmed up" today to 41 degrees w/ SSE breeze of 15-20 mph. I need to be able to hit the track again Wednesday evening if I can.

Today did 30 minutes on the Octane.  Started out quick but slowed it down.  Did it to my White Stripes Under Blackpool Lights DVD.  Then tonight, ran with Jeff and David.  Did a semiquick 2.5 mile warmup about 7 minute pace.  Then ran in Woodridge 10x400m+ up Woodridge hill w/ recovery jog back to the start.  Ran really well on all of them and ended up doing the last 5 within 3 seconds of Jeff and Dave (except the very last one).  Very warm 41 and breezy and light rain.  Hamstrings and lower calfs were wanting to cramp up a little on the cooldown.  Really fired up with this workout.  I was tired going in since I've been up since 5 this morning with work and stayed up a little too late lastnight. This puts me at 2184 miles so far for the year, beating my previous total of 2171 in 2005.

Today did 30 minutes on the Octane during lunch.  I was so tired today from work yesterday.  Tonight, I really struggled to run 7 miles with Jacki.  Hit about 7:30 pace on it.  I ran 2 miles prior and legs were completely shot.  Cold 25 but nice out.  Just feeling really beat up from yesterday's workout and tired from lack of sleep.

Today, didn't get to do the Octane during lunch as I couldn't get away from work.  Tonight did 8 minutes on the Octane for a warm up.  Then ran 10 miles from home up through Northwood subdivision and back in 1:14:30.  Legs were completely shot.  First mile was 8:19, had 24:20 at three miles, 39:40 at 5, then I had to stop and rub out my left ankle.  Then really picked it up and ran 34:50 for the last 5 miles.  It was cold but tolerable, full moon out.  Tuesday's workout really took its toll the last couple of days.

Today did 40 minutes on the Octane easy at lunch.  Watched The Office and My Name Is Earl that I DVR'd.  The Office was hilarious.  Tonight, ran about 8.25 miles w/ Jeff & Jacki and David from Meadows, through Deming Park, Woodridge, etc. about 7:10 pace the whole way.  Temp cool 23 but tolerable.  Going to do a fartlek of some sort tomorrow.

Today ran 8.25 miles in 61:00 with Jacki and David.  Legs were a little tired. We were supposed to do a fartlek workout today, but ended up just running.  Been up since 4 this morning because I got called from work.  Temp was chilly 31 w/ 15 mph SSE breeze.  I may run a little more later if I can get a nap in.

Ran a semiquick 6.5 miles from Meadows through Deming, Woodridge, etc. at about 6:30 pace.  Legs felt really good.  Temp warm 49 and windy.  Then ran 8 miles easy about 7:20 pace w/ Jacki, same thing as before, but extended Woodridge and also where we do speedwork.  Left foot was tender on the first run.  

Tonight ran a pretty decent 9 miles around ISU campus.  Ran about 6:30 pace the first 30 minutes, then slowed it down a little the last 35 minutes.  Temp very cold 12 and a little breezy.  Really stressed out and exhausted from work today.  Really rough going over the weekend and today.  S'well...  I worked most of it out on my run.  Didn't get to do the Octane during lunch today.

Could not get a run in today as we had a really bad ice storm move in and glaze everything.  Swell...  So, went home and did 99 minutes on the Octane while watching "Hoosiers".  Did pretty well, 17.3 miles in 99 minutes.  Very hot in the house. Usually when I do the Octane during lunch, it's only about 62 in the house, but last night, with everyone home, the kids had the heat cranked up to 69.  Hopefully, I can get in a workout tonight.  Maybe fartlek of some sort on the "dry" patches...

Ran a really easy 6 miles tonight mostly around ISU campus.  Roads are still a glazing of ice.  Had to really take it easy.  Temp not too bad, 18 w/ no wind at all.  Looks like I may be switching gears and running a marathon December 28th in Missouri with a couple of my training partners Jeff and Aaron rather than the Louisville Hangover Classic 10 Miler on New Year's Day.  This will be my first marathon since my 2006 disaster at Columbus.  My goal for this one will be 3:00 while Chicago in the Fall I'd like to go sub 2:50. 

Tonight ran a really tough 4 miles from Meadows to Woodridge and back.  Had 16:04 half way, then was able to drop down below 7 min pace to cover the last two in 13:18 on the way back.  But felt totally drained from stress at work and really sore from running on the ice the other night, so when I got back to the Meadows, I just got in the car and headed home.

Ran a pretty good 8+ miles with Jacki tonight about 7:30 pace.  Ran 1 mile a few minutes before.  Temp much warmer 29.  Still feeling a little beatup, but better.  Did not do the Octane during lunch today.  Probably going to cut down the Octane until after the marathon. Need to figure out when I can squeeze in a pacing type workout in the next few days.

Today ran a 14 mile pace workout concentrating strictly on marathon pace management for next week's race.  Temp was cool 29 but manageable.  Energy level wise, felt great.  Left hip was starting to get a little tight toward the end but I attribute that more to running 9 miles lastnight and then doing this.  Splits were very consistent.  I need 6:53 to break three hours, 6:46 pace to break my PR.  

Splits:

1 7:25

2 6:50

3 6:49

4 6:45

5 6:49

6 6:47

7 6:46

8 6:44

9 6:46

10 6:45

11 6:45

12 6:48

13 6:47

14 6:48

Did not run.  Rest day.

Could not run.  Got freezing rain and ice everywhere again.  Did about 10 minutes on the Octane.

Tried to run in town around campus.  Everything has a glaze of ice on it and it was raining.  Couldn't even make it half a mile.  Went home and only did about 10 minutes on the Octane.

Ran about 5.5 miles with WVRR for the annual Christmas Eve Run and went to the Grand Traverse Pie Company after.  Only went about 8:15 pace, but didn't feel all that great.  I was actually sore from my attempted run yesterday.  Temp much warmer 41 and very windy. 

Ran a pretty decent 3.23 miles up through Howard subdivision and back in 22:40.  First mile in 7:23, next in 6:55 then the last mile in 6:45.  Temp cool 23 but sunny.  Had two instances of sharp pain shoot through my left foot.  I ran in the shoes I may run the marathon in.  Actually ran into 4 dogs in this otherwise dog-friendly neighborhood.

Ran a really crappy 3.5 miles today.  Just didn't feel good at all. Lungs are a little congested from smoke at in-laws, stomach hurts, no energy.  Then later my left foot started to hurt again...  Ran from my house down 13th to Ft. Harrison and back into the wind.  Very warm, 60+.  First mile 7:22, last mile 6:24.  I hate resting the week before a big race.  It makes me feel crappy all week.  I may be just as well off running through the week like usual..  

Jeff Andrew and I drove 400+ miles to Springfield, MO and ran the Run For The Ranch Marathon.  I did really well, much better than I could have expected.  The course was relatively flat with rolling inclines, but the big story was the 15 mph SW wind.  I used my new Garmin, which lost its signal a couple of times, it measured at 25.88.  I had 1:31:30 half way, so I negative split it.  Didn't really hit the wall until 23 miles and even so, I only slowed down to 7:33 pace the last 2+ miles.  Fastest mile was 11th mile in 6:39.  With the wind and all, the splits were all over the place.  I'm satisfied with the race.  I wouldn't have done anything different for the race.  Now all I have to do is actually do some "marathon" training for Chicago or NY this Fall.  Meanwhile, still going to focus on setting a PR at the Indy Mini.