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February 2012

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Location:

San Antonio,TX,

Member Since:

Dec 13, 2009

Gender:

Male

Goal Type:

Other

Running Accomplishments:

5K PR - 18:01 - Nov '14

10K PR - 38:37 (workout) - Oct '14

Half-marathon - 1:22:43 - Jan '14

Marathon - 2:58:43 in Boston! - Apr '13

50 mile - 7:49:30 (2nd) - Nov '15

Short-Term Running Goals:

- Balance

- Run more trails, volunteer, more social running, run with a team

- Race a lot more.  learn.

Race results / possible schedule:

Apr 2 - Hells Hills 25k trail - 4th

Apr 9 - Toughest 'n Texas 20-mile Trail - 2nd

May 7 - Paleface - Trail Marathon - 3rd

May 29 - American Hero road 25k - 2nd

Jun 25 - Pedernales Falls 30k nighttime Trail - 5th (sick)

Jul 16 - Muleshoe Bend 30k nighttime Trail - 3rd

Jul 23-24 - Fossil Valley 9-hour nighttime Trail - 2nd

Aug 6 - Colorado Bend 30k nighttime Trail - 4th

Aug 27 - Reveille Peak 30k nighttime Trail (entered)

Sep 10 - Franklin Mountains 50k (entered - not all-out effort...I hope)

Sep 17 - Lighthouse Hill 20-mile trail (entered)

Sep 24 - J&J 50 mile trail

Long-Term Running Goals:

Compete in a few more ultras without going off course (again)

Sub-18 in a 5k

One.  Good.  Marathon.

Personal:

I started running at age 30, in late 2009.  I have 2 daughters (10 and 8 yrs old).

  

 

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Miles:This week: 0.00 Month: 0.00 Year: 0.00
Saucony A5 Lifetime Miles: 1054.70
Kinvara 2 - Gray/red Lifetime Miles: 1551.08
Kinvara 3 - Gray/red Lifetime Miles: 1244.23
1160s Lifetime Miles: 888.70
Saucony A5 Red Lifetime Miles: 565.10
Saucony A6 - Yellow Lifetime Miles: 214.00
Saucony A6 - Red/blue Lifetime Miles: 61.50
NB MT101 Trail Lifetime Miles: 302.00
Fastwitch 6 Red #1 Lifetime Miles: 286.50
Fastwitch 6 Red #2 Lifetime Miles: 267.00
Slow milesFast milesTotal Distance
270.8229.76300.58
Fastwich Miles: 63.001150s Red #2 Miles: 62.20Saucony A4 Miles: 18.09Kinvaras Miles: 34.611150s Red #1 Miles: 54.58Kinvaras - Blk/gray Miles: 36.10Saucony A5 Miles: 32.00
Weight: 0.00
Slow milesFast milesTotal Distance
13.000.0013.00

52F.  Bad run, I could never catch my breath...just felt wiped out for some reason.  Probably a lack of sleep last night, maybe some stress.  Ended up with a few miles in the 8:20s to finish, overall avg was in the 8:00s.

On the backroads, I ran by a skunk that must have just been hit by a car that passed me earlier; it was dark, but I could see he was still twitching.  It was the foulest smell I've ever experienced.  When I was far away it just smelled like a skunk.  Then when I got closer (before I could see him there in the middle of the road) the smell was more like burning plastic or burning hair or something...just really acrid and strong.  Like a turd covered in burnt hair.  He must have expelled any and all bodily fluids after getting hit.  I thought for sure it was something other than a skunk, until I saw him.  I've never been so close to puking during a run, I had to really concentrate to keep it in.  Then I had to pass him going back the other way.  I concentrated on not breathing through my nose but the smell worked its way in anyway.  The wind was blowing it right down the road too, for me to enjoy for a good half mile.

Fastwich Miles: 13.00
Weight: 0.00
Comments(8)
Slow milesFast milesTotal Distance
6.000.006.00

easy 6 before driving to Kansas.  8:14/mile

1150s Red #2 Miles: 6.00
Weight: 0.00
Add Comment
Slow milesFast milesTotal Distance
17.091.0018.09

48F, rain.  2 loops around the town of Derby, Kansas with April.  I had a job interview at the Air Force base up there.  She and her family were gracious enough to have me over for dinner the night before, which was awesome, and then we ran in the pouring rain for 18 miles on Friday.  Amazing how fast the miles seemed to click by, even though it rained the whole time.  We did the first loop pretty easy, then picked it up a little for the second loop, finishing nice and strong.  We thought about doing a tempo run to finish it off, but I was secretly happy when she suggested to just gradually pick up the pace.  Hopefully we'll be able to get together for more runs in the future.

This was my last job interview (God, I hope so anyway).  Should find out soon whether I'm moving to KS or OK.

Saucony A4 Miles: 18.09
Weight: 0.00
Comments(8)
Slow milesFast milesTotal Distance
6.204.0010.20

34F, N 11 mph.  Since I knocked out this week's long run on Friday in Kansas with April, I just did 10 and change today.  It's been 3 weeks since my marathon, and 3 weeks since I've even run a single mile at marathon pace, so I gave it a shot today.  Started out with 6 quick warmup miles around 7:30-ish pace, then a 4-mile progressive tempo, starting at MP and finishing with a true threshold mile (6:55, 6:46, 6:34, 6:27).  It all felt very difficult, which means there's still a ways to go before I'm back in pre-Houston shape.  An hour later and I still feel out of breath.  Not sure whether the right thing to do is rest myself back into shape, or work myself back into shape.  I've tried the rest thing already though.. for 3 weeks.  So I'll go with the latter.

7:10 AP overall.

Kinvaras Miles: 10.20
Weight: 0.00
Comments(6)
Slow milesFast milesTotal Distance
6.000.006.00

38F, 8:45 AP. early, dark, tired.

1150s Red #1 Miles: 6.00
Weight: 0.00
Comments(1)
Slow milesFast milesTotal Distance
10.000.0010.00

36F.  8:02/mile.  Felt crappy at first, then good.  I prefer this to crappy the whole time.

1150s Red #2 Miles: 10.00
Weight: 0.00
Comments(6)
Slow milesFast milesTotal Distance
14.001.0015.00

34F, N 13 mph.  7:23 AP.  After an 8-minute mile to start things off I quickly picked up the pace and did a pretty solid aerobic effort this morning.  The paces for the last half of the run were all 7:00-7:20 with the last mile finally sub-7.  So, not a very purposeful run since it was too slow to be MP, but things were feeling pretty good today so I tried to make it count for something.

Kinvaras - Blk/gray Miles: 15.00
Weight: 0.00
Comments(9)
Slow milesFast milesTotal Distance
6.000.006.00

37F.  8:42 pace.

1150s Red #1 Miles: 6.00
Weight: 0.00
Comments(5)
Slow milesFast milesTotal Distance
7.005.0012.00

38F, NNW 12 mph.  7:02 AP.  It was just a little too breezy for the track according to the rule I made up this morning which sets max wind at 11.99 mph for a track workout.  So close.

So I did a 12-mile out-and-back with no workout in mind, just knew I wanted to pick up the pace.  Ended up attempting a 5-mile tempo at the end.  Splits for all 12:

7:46, 7:21, 7:20, 7:14, 7:18, 7:16, 7:08, 6:35, 6:39, 6:38, 6:39, 6:34.

McMillan says my tempo range should be 6:17-6:34, but I just could not get down there.  Seemed impossible.  Maybe I still have marathon stink on my legs, or maybe it was the fast warmup.  I was pretty drained after the run.

I ran in the new Type A5's and loved them as I knew I would.  I am normally not the type to rush out and buy a new upgrade to a shoe when it first comes out, but I love the A4s and had some cash in the paypal account from winning my fantasy football league this year so I splurged a hundred bucks on 'em.  They are 5.6 oz, which is awesome, but still have the same sole as the A4's.  That's probably why I started so fast, got a little too excited.

Saucony A5 Miles: 12.00
Weight: 0.00
Comments(7)
Slow milesFast milesTotal Distance
6.000.006.00

27F, NNE 15-23 mph.  8:29 AP.  I waited until 10am and the windchill was still hovering around 15F, but I had to get it done as we have other stuff to do.  To make things worse I caught some kind of chest cold from the kids.  Kind of a miserable run, glad I just needed a few recovery miles.

1150s Red #2 Miles: 6.00
Weight: 0.00
Comments(2)
Slow milesFast milesTotal Distance
17.003.0020.00

29F, SE 14 mph.  Still sick, but felt decent enough to run this morning.  I ended up doing a harder effort, 7:19/mile average, and right when I stopped it hit me like a ton of bricks.  Feel like crap.  Now I feel a little dumb for running nearly 2-and-a-half hours in sub-20 windchill with a chest cold.  Not dumb enough to regret it though.  Or maybe too dumb.

7:31, 7:38, 7:35, 7:36, 7:34, 7:40, 7:27, 7:30, 7:30, 7:29, 7:32, 7:04, 7:12, 6:59, 7:06, 7:04, 7:00, 6:58, 7:07, 6:39.

You can probably tell where I turned around and started running with the wind.  Anyway, I tickled marathon pace most of the way home but never really quite got there.  Gonna rest, get healthy, and keep it easy this next week while still increasing mileage.

Fastwich Miles: 20.00
Weight: 0.00
Comments(7)
Slow milesFast milesTotal Distance
10.030.0010.03

42F.  Muddled through 10 easy-ish miles.  8:00 avg.  felt ok.

1150s Red #1 Miles: 10.03
Weight: 0.00
Comments(2)
Slow milesFast milesTotal Distance
15.120.0015.12

AM - 56F, SSW 13 mph.  11 @ 7:49 AP.  I guess I'm splitting this run up.  I was going to do 15 this morning but felt crappy; can't quite kick this cold.  Part of the problem was I needed a pit stop pretty bad this morning.  Finally bit the bullet and hit up a 7/11 -- at least I ran in town this morning, so I got to use a toilet like a real human being.  Afterward I actually felt pretty decent and picked up the pace but in my mind had already decided to just do 11.  Not sure why I felt like that was an irrevocable decision, it just was.

PM - 67F, W 16 mph.  4.12 @ 8:08 pace.  Reluctantly finished up today's mileage in the late afternoon/early evening.

1150s Red #2 Miles: 4.12Kinvaras Miles: 11.00
Weight: 0.00
Comments(6)
Slow milesFast milesTotal Distance
10.100.0010.10

AM - 36F.  6 @ 8:35 AP.  Actually a planned double today.  Trying to get my miles safely up for my next marathon, probably OKC.

PM - 48F.  4.1 @ 7:35 AP.  Really felt good this afternoon but tried to keep a lid on it.  Normally this would signal me to plow through a killer workout tomorrow to see where I'm at, but I am running with derhammer and his group on Saturday.  So I'll run easy tomorrow and try to mitigate how bad I'm gonna get my ass kicked.

1150s Red #1 Miles: 6.00Kinvaras - Blk/gray Miles: 4.10
Weight: 0.00
Comments(7)
Slow milesFast milesTotal Distance
5.080.005.08

44F, 8:22 pace.

1150s Red #2 Miles: 5.08
Weight: 0.00
Add Comment
Slow milesFast milesTotal Distance
10.0010.0020.00

54F, raining.  Austin, TX - we were in the area visiting family, so I went to downtown to meet David "derhammer" and his group of Gazelles on Saturday morning.  I had read about some of their speedy past few weekend runs so I took it easy the last couple days in the hopes I'd be able to keep up.

I saw David in the parking lot and we did a warmup mile, then 19 @ 7:20 AP with Mike and Russ.  It was a killer run, hillier than anything I've attempted to this point in my running life.  The hills started about 5 miles in.  I knew I was in for it, because the other 3 guys seemed to actually increase their pace going up hills, and I tend to let gravity win when I run on my own.  Finally came to Mt. Bonnnell, which was pretty brutal - might as well have been climbing stairs, it was that steep.  Then we literally did climb stairs at the top, to reach the peak which had a pretty great view of Austin.  Then down the mountain.  Then turned around to go back up the mountain.  It was a Texas "mountain," so maybe only a few hundred feet tall, but the elevation gain seemed to all come in about a half-mile.  This last climb we got strung out a bit with SlowJoe bringing up the rear -- David zipped passed me like I was standing still.  Finally back down to the flatter area to finish up, still around a MP effort.

Quite a run, but I had an awesome time.  I was pleased just to be able to hang on for dear life.  Good scenery and good company, for sure.  Then after the run, I met Dasha from the blog to top off a great morning.

Here's what my watch had for splits - 8:33, 7:57, 7:47, 7:31, 7:41, 7:35, 6:58, 6:59, 7:33, 7:22, 7:18, 7:32, 6:52, 6:52, 6:58, 6:50, 6:43, 7:26, 7:01.  Miles 9-12 included the crazy hills - I'll credit myself with 10 good MP-effort miles.

Saucony A5 Miles: 20.00
Weight: 0.00
Comments(1)
Slow milesFast milesTotal Distance
4.170.004.17

45F, SE 12 mph.  Back in Abilene.  Short run around the neighborhood after the kids went to bed, 8:13/mile.  I am definitely sore from yesterday.  But, it actually felt great to run a little - the soreness must be all from just using muscles that haven't been used in awhile.  The ones that are needed to run on flat roads are fine!  Still better take it easy for a few days.

1150s Red #1 Miles: 4.17
Weight: 0.00
Comments(3)
Slow milesFast milesTotal Distance
9.000.009.00

50F, SSW 25-35 mph.  I just ran loops around ACU to minimize the length of the headwind legs, plus the buildings there block some of the wind.  7:58 AP.  Still sore, but I can only tell when I stop running; it still feels good to run at an easy pace so I will keep that up.

1150s Red #2 Miles: 9.00
Weight: 0.00
Comments(6)
Slow milesFast milesTotal Distance
10.050.0010.05

39F, 7:54 AP.  My last day of work in the Air Force today.  Not missing it.

1150s Red #1 Miles: 10.05
Weight: 0.00
Comments(6)
Slow milesFast milesTotal Distance
15.000.0015.00

65F, W 18-30 mph.  No job to go to today so I slept in, took the kids to school, then ran.  Of course it was a little warm and windy because I waited, but it was a good trade for the extra sleep.  7:31 AP for the run, pretty steady the whole time although it was getting more difficult toward the end as the temps neared 70.  Guess I need to get ready for the spring winds and heat.

Fastwich Miles: 15.00
Weight: 0.00
Comments(7)
Slow milesFast milesTotal Distance
10.110.0010.11

AM - 74F, W 22-33 mph.  Late morning again -- love the sleep, hate the wind.  6 @ 8:24 AP.  Tomorrow, maybe I'll wake up early.

PM - 60F, N 18-25 mph.  4.11 @ 8:35 AP.

1150s Red #1 Miles: 4.111150s Red #2 Miles: 6.00
Weight: 0.00
Comments(1)
Slow milesFast milesTotal Distance
9.414.0013.41

38F.  7:18 AP.  I did my "starter workout" to get in the mode of running faster again, a 4-mile tempo.  9 miles easy, then 4 tempo, then I got a short bonus cooldown since I forgot to turn around right at 6.5.

9 easy, averaged about 7:40.  I stopped my watch for a "pit stop" about 5 miles in.  I was out in the country this time (no 7/11s), so into the ditch I went.  I knew once I did it that first time I would get all too comfortable with it and it would happen more and more.

4 tempo, 6:25 AP (6:36, 6:28, 6:22, 6:16).  The 6:25 average is exactly what I wanted (should be my 1-hour pace) so it felt nice to finally hit the right pace in a workout for the first time since Houston.

Kinvaras Miles: 13.41
Weight: 0.00
Comments(4)
Slow milesFast milesTotal Distance
6.000.006.00

48F, S 14 mph, 8:28 AP.

1150s Red #2 Miles: 6.00
Weight: 0.00
Comments(1)
Slow milesFast milesTotal Distance
15.241.7617.00

46F, SSW 20-35 mph.  The wind actually felt worse than that though, since I went down to Kirby Lake to start.  I tried to stay mostly on E/W roads but even the crosswind felt really rough both ways.  Anyway, I ran easy/moderate for awhile, then did a small workout once I hit the 90-minute mark: 5 x 2-minutes hard, with 60 sec easy inbetween.  Then about a 3-mile cooldown.

Averaged 5:45 pace for the 5 x 2 min, and 7:38 pace on the easy minute inbetween.

I think it was a good way to introduce working on my VO2 max speed which is pretty terrible right now since I never work that system.

Averaged 7:23/mile for the run as a whole.

Kinvaras - Blk/gray Miles: 17.00
Weight: 0.00
Comments(4)
Slow milesFast milesTotal Distance
4.100.004.10

62F, SE 15 mph.  8:32 AP.  Felt rough, glad this was all I had planned for today.  Easy miles this week, then probably race a half marathon on Saturday.  Loks like awesome temps and moderate wind.  I think breaking 1:25 may still be a bit of a stretch, based on recent runs, but that's why they call it a stretch goal I guess.  Should at least be under 1:27 I think; just need to keep it in the 6:30s...we'll see.

1150s Red #1 Miles: 4.10
Weight: 0.00
Comments(6)
Slow milesFast milesTotal Distance
14.120.0014.12

AM - 61F, SSE 24-32 mph.  10 @ 7:57 AP.  I'm going to front-load miles this week so as to get a couple easy days before the half.  More this evening...

PM - 70F, S 15-25 mph.  4.12 @ 8:32 AP.

1150s Red #1 Miles: 4.121150s Red #2 Miles: 10.00
Weight: 0.00
Comments(4)
Slow milesFast milesTotal Distance
15.000.0015.00

55F (mid-morning run).  7:29 AP.

I start my new job in a week and a half, so I have until then to just be a running bum.

My first 300-mile month ever!  Good thing it was a leap year.

Fastwich Miles: 15.00
Weight: 0.00
Comments(1)
Slow milesFast milesTotal Distance
270.8229.76300.58
Fastwich Miles: 63.001150s Red #2 Miles: 62.20Saucony A4 Miles: 18.09Kinvaras Miles: 34.611150s Red #1 Miles: 54.58Kinvaras - Blk/gray Miles: 36.10Saucony A5 Miles: 32.00
Weight: 0.00
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