Buttsweat Towel© season has begun

A2A Half

Previous MonthRecent EntriesHomeJoin Fast Running Blog Community!PredictorHealthy RecipesSlowJoe's RacesFind BlogsMileage BoardTop Ten Excuses for Missing a RunTop Ten Training MistakesDiscussion ForumRace Reports Send A Private MessageWeek ViewYear View
Graph View
Next Month
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
20092010201120122013201420152016
15% off for Fast Running Blog members at St. George Running Center!

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).

  

 

Favorite Blogs:

Click to donate
to Ukraine's Armed Forces
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
308.1857.62365.80
1150s Red #2 Miles: 69.001150s Red #1 Miles: 23.40Saucony A5 - Blue Miles: 15.14Kinvara 1 - Blk/orange Miles: 20.00Kinvara 2 - Gray/red Miles: 47.00Fastwich Miles: 10.00Saucony A5 Miles: 48.261160s Miles: 71.00Kinvaras - Blk/gray Miles: 19.00Saucony A4 Miles: 30.00Kinvara 3 - Gray/red Miles: 13.00
Weight: 0.00
Slow milesFast milesTotal Distance
6.000.006.00

26F, 8:41 AP.

1150s Red #2 Miles: 6.00
Weight: 0.00
Comments(5)
Slow milesFast milesTotal Distance
5.000.005.00

40F, 8:35 AP. Managed to hit 1000 miles on these old trainers.

Here are Bam's predictions for Saturday's races:

allie - 2:54:45

Jake - 2:23:07

Riley - 2:25:18

1150s Red #1 Miles: 5.00
Weight: 0.00
Comments(7)
Race: A2A Half (13.109 Miles) 01:28:00, Place overall: 4, Place in age division: 2
Slow milesFast milesTotal Distance
2.0013.1415.14

45F, S 16-22 mph.  6:42 AP.

So I've never run a point-to-point course before.  This one looked good.  The first 2 miles drop about 300 feet!  From there it's basically a fair course -- goes down another 200', then up about 200' over the last 4 miles, with rolling hills sprinkled in.

Here's the issue - The first 12.3 miles go due south (into a strong wind).

I did a couple miles warmup, then saw April and we ran a little more and then it was time to start.  She thought the race went the other way and was excited about the tailwind.  I tried to break the news gently...

Anyway, off we went.  Obviously an effort-based race.  The first 2 superdownhill miles were 6:07, 6:02.  I was seemingly locked in 5th place.

Miles 3-9 were 6:34, 6:39, 6:31, 6:32, 6:22, 6:43, 6:51.  The 7th mile was where I caught up to Lime Green guy and I sped up to dissuade him.  Everyone I talked to after the race agreed that the wind started to really kick hard around mile 8.  I agree.  It went from just a really bothersome headwind to a comical headwind right around there.

The rest: 7:15, 7:22, 7:24, 6:47, 0:50 for 0.14 (5:52).  Now it was time for uphill AND upwind.  Lime Green had been hanging close, maybe 100m back.  But I must have completely devastated him with my 7:20s because I put several minutes on him here, apparently.

So anyway, the time tells me nothing, but it was still a great workout.  Got to hang out with April for a bit afterward (surprise surprise, she won!), then headed home.

Saucony A5 - Blue Miles: 15.14
Weight: 0.00
Comments(18)
Slow milesFast milesTotal Distance
10.000.0010.00

AM:  51F, SW 11 mph.  6 @ 8:44 AP. Plan for this week is lots of easy doubles, get the volume back up while recovering from the race (should be easy this time), and do a marathon simulation run on Sunday (~15 miles @ MP).  The funny thing is that yesterday I just about averaged marathon pace but, eh, not quite the same.

PM:  53F, NNE 20-25 mph.  4 more @ 8:42 AP.

1150s Red #1 Miles: 4.001150s Red #2 Miles: 6.00
Weight: 0.00
Comments(3)
Slow milesFast milesTotal Distance
14.000.0014.00

AM:  37F, N 27-32 mph.  10 @ 8:02 AP.  Unpleasant.....stupid Oklahoma.   The wind got up to 50 mph last night though, so I guess it could've been worse.  On the plus side, the recovery from this half has been quicker than usual.  Maybe because the time was slower.

PM:  43F, N 10 mph.  4 @ 8:36 AP.  Felt better than the usual evening post-meal slog.

1150s Red #2 Miles: 4.00Kinvara 1 - Blk/orange Miles: 10.00
Weight: 0.00
Comments(4)
Slow milesFast milesTotal Distance
18.001.0019.00

AM:  25F.  15 @ 7:29 AP.  Included a more intense stride routine in the last couple miles.  I was feeling a little guilty about not having a mid-week workout this week.  But I figure that racing a HM last weekend, and then doing a 25k MP sim run this weekend makes for 2 pretty intense runs pretty close to each other, so I want to keep the middle of the week pretty mild.

PM:  45F.  4 @ 8:49 AP.

1150s Red #1 Miles: 4.00Kinvara 2 - Gray/red Miles: 15.00
Weight: 0.00
Comments(4)
Slow milesFast milesTotal Distance
10.000.0010.00

AM:  38F, S 11 mph.  6 @ 8:44 AP.

PM:  61F, SSE 15 mph.  4 @ 8:56 AP.

1150s Red #1 Miles: 4.001150s Red #2 Miles: 6.00
Weight: 0.00
Add Comment
Slow milesFast milesTotal Distance
10.000.0010.00

51F, SSE 15 mph. 7:54 AP.  Pretty sluggish.  Knee kinda hurts too.

Fastwich Miles: 10.00
Weight: 0.00
Comments(1)
Slow milesFast milesTotal Distance
6.400.006.40

59F, SSE 22-31 mph.  8:40 AP.  Ran into my neighbor and did the last few miles of his long run with him.

Tomorrow is supposed to be my big MP sim run.  There is a wind advisory for tomorrow saying "NORTH TO NORTHWEST 25 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 50 MPH."  It's in caps too!  Anyway, I've decided to stick with the schedule and tough it out.  So the pace might not be there but I will try to get in the effort (again).

1150s Red #1 Miles: 6.40
Weight: 0.00
Comments(2)
Slow milesFast milesTotal Distance
3.2614.0017.26

40F, NW 21-31 mph.  Today was supposed to be 15 @ MP but didn't go quite as planned.  Kind of a miserable run all around.  The wind seemed to be equally bad going north or west, so I picked a 2-mile stretch and did out and backs, so I'd only have to deal with the headwind 2 miles at a time.  I've been feeling "off" the last few days and unfortunately that continued into today.  After the second mile, I knew I didn't have my A-game and started to think of modifications.  I came up with a 2 x 7 mile @ MP effort, with an easy mile inbetween.  That let me jog the toughest mile on one of the out-and-backs.

The 4-mile pattern was Downhill+tailwind, uphill+tailwind, downhill+headwind, uphill+headwind.

First set - 6:40 AP (6:29, 6:38, 6:40, 6:54, 6:31, 6:35, 6:55)

(8:09)

Second set - 6:51 AP (6:36, 6:46, 7:12, 7:13, 6:28, 6:47, 6:53)

Obviously not good, although the wind was truly brutal, especially in the second set.  I could tell I was still not running well though.  Even the tailwind miles felt forced.  The last few MP workouts, 6:40 has been feeling easy/smooth (like MP should feel), and today it was a little frantic.  Hopefully it's a fleeting thing and I won't have to dial anything back.  Kind of in a training rut right now...

Saucony A5 Miles: 17.26
Weight: 0.00
Comments(9)
Slow milesFast milesTotal Distance
10.000.0010.00

AM:  27F, NW 11 mph.  6 @ 8:42 AP.  Maybe the last sub-freezing day of the season....we'll see.  Still say I'm not ready for it to warm up yet.  I'll take an Oklahoma winter year-round.

PM:  58F.  8:33 AP.  New shoes - finally time to lay "1150s red #1" to rest at 1,020 miles.  These 1160s were 40 bucks including shipping so I couldn't pass em up.  It felt like I was running on stilts.

1150s Red #2 Miles: 6.001160s Miles: 4.00
Weight: 0.00
Comments(5)
Slow milesFast milesTotal Distance
14.000.0014.00

AM:  38F, NE 11 mph.  10 @ 8:00 AP.  just chuggin along, seething about daylight savings time.  Just when I was starting to get a couple miles with some daylight...

PM:  56F.  4 @ 8:45 AP.

1150s Red #2 Miles: 4.00Kinvara 2 - Gray/red Miles: 10.00
Weight: 0.00
Comments(3)
Slow milesFast milesTotal Distance
14.000.0014.00

AM:  33F.  10 @ 8:02 AP.  Same route as yesterday.  Tomorrow is LT day, but not feeling too spry at the moment.

PM:  61F.  4 @ 8:24 AP.

Kinvaras - Blk/gray Miles: 10.001160s Miles: 4.00
Weight: 0.00
Comments(3)
Slow milesFast milesTotal Distance
9.006.0015.00

41F.  7:10 AP.  Today I tried out a tempo loop in a small neigborhood that I've scouted out recently. It runs mostly east/west, and other than a couple annoying dips, is pretty flat.

The workout was 4 x 1.5 mile @ LT with a 2-minute jog between reps.  Legs were still feeling heavy, but they surprised me today and responded when I asked them to.  I was able to start out at the slow end of LT and finish near the fast end without straining at all.  The 4 reps were:

9:32  (6:21 pace)

9:24  (6:16 pace)

9:22  (6:15 pace)

9:14  (6:10 pace)

The recoveries averaged just under 8:00 pace, so about a quarter mile apiece.

With the way I've been struggling the past week or so, it was a relief to get in a quality workout at the correct paces.  It means the ol' legs are just tired from the mileage, not tired from overreaching.  I'm guessing the taper in a few weeks will really work some magic this time.

Saucony A4 Miles: 15.00
Weight: 0.00
Comments(7)
Slow milesFast milesTotal Distance
11.000.0011.00

AM:  48F, S 12 mph.  6 @ 8:37 AP.  Some pain/weird tightness behind my left knee, near the top of the calf.  I stepped in a pretty bad pothole yesterday in the dark that knocked the wind out of me so I think that might be the culprit.  I remember being surprised that no damage was done...  Ibuprofen, then re-assess this evening.

PM:  82F, SSW 17 mph.  5 @ 8:30 AP.  Gott off work early, so I went for a run in the afternoon heat - definitely not ready for summer yet!  Anyway, the upper calf/behind knee pain was muted, at least, with ibuprofen.  Can still feel it twinging dow there though.  Seems like it might be ok, and hopefully heals while I train.

1150s Red #2 Miles: 5.001160s Miles: 6.00
Weight: 0.00
Comments(4)
Slow milesFast milesTotal Distance
6.000.006.00

66F, S 18-23 mph.  8:20 AP.  Upper calf/behind knee thing still there, but not getting any worse.

Married 11 years today!  We're getting a babysitter, going hiking, then out to dinner.

1160s Miles: 6.00
Weight: 0.00
Comments(6)
Slow milesFast milesTotal Distance
7.0010.0017.00

44F, N 14 mph.  6:58 AP.  Today was a 10-mile wave MP run.  The goal was to alternate 6:25/6:55 for 10 miles.  I picked a hilly course that was still a net downhill (~150 ft loss over 10 miles), with a heartbreak hill climb at the end.  Basically the best I could do to imitate Boston.

10 mile wave MP - 6:35 AP.  (6:24, 6:47, 6:20, 6:53, 6:24, 6:47, 6:18, 6:46, 6:25, 6:49)

The last fast mile (the 6:25) had the biggest climb in it.  I crested the hill with 6:40 on the watch and essentially sprinted down it to beat the 6:25 guy by a quarter second!  Anyway, pretty good run altogether.  Very comforting to be recovering at 6:50 pace.  I found myself running too fast on those slow miles a lot.  I swear, if I don't at least break 3 hours this time....

Saucony A5 Miles: 17.00
Weight: 0.00
Comments(5)
Slow milesFast milesTotal Distance
10.000.0010.00

AM:  40F, NNE 18-24 mph.  6 @ 9:02 AP.  9-minute guy jumped out to a huge lead and I couldn't reel him in.

PM:  50F, 4 @ 8:53 AP.  Barely had time, but managed to squeeze in 4 at night before bed.

1150s Red #2 Miles: 4.001160s Miles: 6.00
Weight: 0.00
Comments(1)
Slow milesFast milesTotal Distance
15.000.0015.00

AM:  35F.  10 @ 8:05 AP.

PM:  53F.  5 @ 8:48 AP.

Kinvara 1 - Blk/orange Miles: 10.001160s Miles: 5.00
Weight: 0.00
Comments(2)
Slow milesFast milesTotal Distance
15.023.9819.00

AM:  34F, N 11 mph.  15 @ 7:27 AP.  Needed an interval workout on some weary, tired legs.  I was pretty sure 5k pace was out of the question.  So, I settled on a Tinman/CV workout that I knew I could take on (and recover from) pretty easily on Peak Week.  The gist of a CV workout is 3 minutes on (10k-ish pace), 1 minute off (recovery jog).  This conveniently works out to 800m on, 200m off on the track for me.  So 8 x 800m, with 200m active recoveries.  This was my 3rd workout in 7 days and in the middle of what should be a weekly mileage PR, so my legs had no zip whatsoever, but I managed to chug through all the repeats.

Avg 800 was 3:00.6 - (3:02, 2:59, 2:59, 3:02, 2:58, 3:01, 3:02, 3:00)

The wind was not terrible, but made itself known on the northbound straightaway.  Overall, a nice conservative workout but still a great stamina builder on tired legs; that's all I could really ask for right now.

 

PM:  55F.  4 @ 8:46 AP.

Saucony A4 Miles: 15.001150s Red #2 Miles: 4.00
Weight: 0.00
Comments(15)
Slow milesFast milesTotal Distance
11.000.0011.00

AM:  45F, SSE 14 mph.  7 @ 8:53 AP.  Did some good plodding.

PM:  66F, SSE 23-25 mph.  4-ish miles, forgot the Garmin as I did a rare afternoon run after leaving work early.  I ran for 35 minutes at a gentle plod and figured that would be close enough to 4.

Today Danielle left for the Maroon 5 concert in Dallas, whatever that is, so I will probaby have to treadmill it tomorrow morning and do my longer run in the afternoon when she gets back tomorrow.

1150s Red #2 Miles: 4.001160s Miles: 7.00
Weight: 0.00
Comments(4)
Slow milesFast milesTotal Distance
16.500.5017.00

AM:  4 @ 8:34 pace on the treadmill (while shaving my legs and dissecting women's poetry).  I'll hit the roads this afternoon when Danielle gets back home.

PM:  44F, NNE 14-22 mph.  13 @ 7:26 AP.  Mostly easy, but with some vicious strides/sprints on the way home.  I actually felt pretty strong today.

Kinvara 3 - Gray/red Miles: 13.001160s Miles: 4.00
Weight: 0.00
Comments(11)
Slow milesFast milesTotal Distance
6.000.006.00

43F, fog/mist.  8:29 AP.  Long run tomorrow with the goal of running it sloooow.

1150s Red #2 Miles: 6.00
Weight: 0.00
Comments(3)
Slow milesFast milesTotal Distance
22.000.0022.00

40F, NNW 24-31 mph.  7:36 AP.  Typical March day out on the Oklahoma plains...  Anyway, the goal today was to run easy, and spend some good time on feet.  Went a little faster than planned but still racked up 2:47 or so.  Pace was 8:40s going north, and 7:10s going south, given an even effort, so a good 90-second wind differential (we hicks in farmville don't have them fancy wind-blocking trees).

Anyway the most important thing was getting my first 100-mile week.  It won't be recorded for posterity since the blog counts Sunday-Saturday and I count Monday-Sunday, but it happened, ok?  I will probably never become a 100-mile-a-week guy though.  I think my body could probably handle it for awhile (if I got more sleep) but the doubles (running in the evening) feels a little selfish with the family at home, and I already have really limited spare time as it is.  So after Boston, the doubles will go away and we'll see what I can do on singles.  It's still been a lot of fun proving to myself that I could do it!

3 weeks to Boston....

Kinvara 2 - Gray/red Miles: 22.00
Weight: 0.00
Comments(14)
Slow milesFast milesTotal Distance
10.000.0010.00

AM:  28F, NW 10 mph.  6 @ 8:30 AP.  Unseasonably cool, but it won't last.  A little spot has popped up that I need to keep an eye on.  Seems to be around where the achilles inserts into the heel, maybe even lower.  It doesn't act like an achilles issue, doesn't feel like PF; seems to be worst after periods of sitting down though.  This morning it warmed up after a mile and didn't seem to be an issue but there were a few (random) awkward "ouch" steps sprinkled in that first half mile.  Almost turned around, but like I said, it warmed up and seemed ok.  Gotta get to that starting line in one piece...

PM:  44F, N 18 mph.  4 @ 8:35 AP.  ok, the foot thingy seemed fine.  Excuse my panicking over every little niggle.

1150s Red #2 Miles: 4.001160s Miles: 6.00
Weight: 0.00
Comments(10)
Slow milesFast milesTotal Distance
13.000.0013.00

AM:  20F.  9 @ 8:09 AP.  One last winter hurrah, I guess.  Had to dig the mittens back out.  Legs were a bit cranky from the LR on Sunday, should be interesting to see if they will respond for some MP tomorrow.

PM:  46F.  4 @ 8:27 AP.  Managed to get in 4 just after dark last night.

Kinvaras - Blk/gray Miles: 9.001160s Miles: 4.00
Weight: 0.00
Comments(4)
Slow milesFast milesTotal Distance
5.009.0014.00

40F, S 17-23 mph.  7:07 AP.  Workout fail today.  Ended up with 9 MP @ 6:44 AP.  I was pretty sure this one would be a struggle, but it was more painful than I thought.  Felt terrible from mile 1 and when mile 9 rang in at 7:01, I deceided to bag mile 10 and jog it home (even though mile 10 was a nice downhill).  Kept remembering the adage about not coming in 1% overtrained...

My 7-day running mileage total is 93, and this was somewhat close to my 22-miler (3 days separation), so I know why it sucked, but I still think I should have felt a little better.  At the beginning of the cycle I was doing this same route close to 6:30 pace with less effort.  Anyway, I have 3 easy days in a row planned, so I think I can fix myself between now and my next workout on Sunday.  I will also have a chance to redeem myself on my 10-days-to-go MP workout next week, with much fresher legs.  Come back to me, legs!

Saucony A5 Miles: 14.00
Weight: 0.00
Comments(9)
Slow milesFast milesTotal Distance
10.000.0010.00

AM:  47F, S 11 mph.  6 @ 8:50 AP.  And the running penance begins...

PM:  64F, SSE 15 mph. 4 @ 8:32 AP.

1150s Red #2 Miles: 4.001160s Miles: 6.00
Weight: 0.00
Comments(3)
Slow milesFast milesTotal Distance
7.000.007.00

52F, SSE 10 mph.  8:30's, I think.  I forgot.  And that is all for today.  Will probably do something similar tomorrow and then we'll see if the legs are ready to crank out some LT on Sunday, or if they need to go back to running purgatory.

1160s Miles: 7.00
Weight: 0.00
Comments(6)
Slow milesFast milesTotal Distance
6.000.006.00

55F, 8:17 AP.  Great day to run, very little wind for once.  Off to the town Easter egg hunt!

1150s Red #2 Miles: 6.00
Weight: 0.00
Comments(2)
Slow milesFast milesTotal Distance
6.000.006.00

54F, NNE 22-34 mph.  8:28 AP.  Just 6 easy today, no workout.  We had some squalls come through and I would've failed miserably trying to run fast through the wind.  Tomorrow will be perfect running weather and Boston is on a Monday anyway, right?

But yeah, I wimped out.

1160s Miles: 6.00
Weight: 0.00
Comments(6)
Slow milesFast milesTotal Distance
308.1857.62365.80
1150s Red #2 Miles: 69.001150s Red #1 Miles: 23.40Saucony A5 - Blue Miles: 15.14Kinvara 1 - Blk/orange Miles: 20.00Kinvara 2 - Gray/red Miles: 47.00Fastwich Miles: 10.00Saucony A5 Miles: 48.261160s Miles: 71.00Kinvaras - Blk/gray Miles: 19.00Saucony A4 Miles: 30.00Kinvara 3 - Gray/red Miles: 13.00
Weight: 0.00
Debt Reduction Calculator
Featured Announcements
Lone Faithfuls
(need a comment):
Recent Comments: