Out early

Got out early again this morning for my run. Work is keeping me at the office late each night, so morning is the only time I know I can run. It's dark, but the weather has been superb, and once I get out there it feels good.
This morning it was 6.2 miles. I opened with a 10:10 mile, then improved my pace each mile so that by the end I averaged 9:11 overall. The thing I've noticed this week is that I seem to have crossed some kind of leg strength threshhold. The climbs up the hills out of the neighborhood are much easier now than they were just two weeks ago. Not sure what happened, but it's definitely a positive sign.
The next thing I need to shoot for is a good, strong long run - an 18 to 20 mile run where I still feel pretty strong at the end. Once I can do that I'll feel like I'm ready to run a marathon. -- Rob

Maybe Good News!

Well, I returned from the orthopaedic surgeon this morning with what I hope is good news. I was sure that I had a new meniscus tear or some cartilage damage. However, he said what I wanted to hear and hope he's correct! He twisted my knee every direction and pressed it here and there. I didn't feel any pain during this procedure.

The doc said I just over did it (38 running miles and 24 miles on the bike in a 6 day period) and there was a lot of inflamation in there. He gave me a Cortizone injection and said I could resume my training in two days. I just hope he's right with the diagnosis! If so, my goal will now be to just finish Dallas and not worry about the time. I'll just go out and have a great time talking with other runners and look for first timers to congratulate them. Should be fun!......Mike

Refreshed

For the first time in what seems like forever I felt completely rested and fresh for my run this morning. Friday's long run had been a chore, especially the second half, and Sunday's short recovery run seemed like a bit of an effort. Most of my runs in the past several weeks have not been on what I would call fresh legs.
After a day off, I was out early Tuesday morning for 7 miles, and I felt good right from the start. I'm sure a day's rest had something to do with it, but I've had plenty of days off since training began. Maybe it was that beer I had with Mike Monday evening.
In any event, I did 7.1 miles in 1:02:58, an 8:53 average, and it felt very good all the way. Maybe I finally am getting into shape, although I feel like I have a long way to go. I really need to feel good about a long run before I'll feel like I have a decent marathon in me. There's still plenty of time for that. -- Rob

Out Too Fast

For the first time I can remember in a very long time, I actually did not fully complete my long run.  Went out for a planned 18-miler and stopped after 16 miles.  Sure had fun up till the end, though!  Joined the Runner's Edge 11:00 pace group on their 14-mile road course Saturday on very pretty, rolling hill course.  After 12:00 and 11:30 opening miles, we settled into a very steady 10:30 miles.  I was having a ball -- felt strong and steady, and the hills were work but very doable.  Normally, I would put the extra 4 miles needed to get to 18 out at the turnaround, but against my better self knowledge (I am crap at pushing myself at the end of a long run), I changed plans to add them at the end in order to hang with two other runners going long.  Their logic was that the only flat part of the course was the first 2 miles.  So I changed plans to hang with them.  On the return leg, we missed a turn with the result that we logged 16 miles back to the start.  However, I bonked down to 13:33 pace for the last 1.5 miles, was totally out of gas, and called it quits when I hit my car at 16 miles.  Lessons learned:  (a) don't hang with the popular crowd if it means going back out for extra miles at the end of the run, and (b) need to "run with my brain" (this assumes I have one...) as Rob suggested a few weeks back.  Oh well -- up to the end, I really did enjoy the run!  -- Bill

10 mile run

I ran with the Sunday Runday group. I found someone to run with, but he pushed me. That was very good. My average pace was 9:24 min/mile, much faster than usual. Here's the route:

My fastest mile was 8:45. I like the 10 mile distance. It is just right for staying in shape and be able to run a half anytime.

Set Back, but for How Long?

I finished my 12 miler with some knee pain yesterday, but as usual, I iced it and took some Ibuprofen. Lately, I've been following that procedure even though my knee hasn't been a problem. Let's see now, in the last 5 weekends I've ran a 9, a 12, a 15, an 18, and yesterday's 12. The only run that gave me an issue was yesterday's 12 miler and it doesn't look good.

I'm still limping around this morning and every step results in a very sharp pain the same place where the meniscus tear was before the surgery. Feeling pretty down this morning, but will wait it out for a few days following the RICE method, and when I don't feel the pain, I'll restart a slow walk and run to see where I'm at. I'm hoping it's just a temporary problem.

At this point, the trip to Dallas is in, but the race it self may be out. The Hilly Hundred shouldn't be a problem, but we'll see. Right now, I can't get the idea of a knee replacement out of my mind..........Mike

29 mile bike ride

I joined the Clocktower group for a bike ride this morning. It was pretty easy for me. We did pick up some speed, e.g., 1 miles splits in mph: a few 10s, 12-13s and 3 16s. I was smiling for much of the ride. It felt good to be cruising along in beautiful weather. After we stopped for breakfast at about mile 10 I took off a layer and enjoyed the being just a bit cool. My hand is doing a little better. A few more rides and I'll be ready for the Hilly 100.

Slugged it Out!

Ran my 12 miler today with the usual first half mile at a brisk walking pace. Jogged the second half mile and began slowly, and I mean slowly, picking up the pace each mile. Nothing special, the miles splits are about what I've been doing with an average of 10:52 over all with the fastest mile of only 9:46. I did max out somewhere at 7:16.

The part I'm concerned with is my knee started giving me problems here and there and was fairly painful after the run. I iced the knee after the run, but when I got up to take the dogs for their walk, I was limping. Maybe need to back off a bit for a few days and hit the bike. Looking back over this week I logged a total of 38 miles with the 18 miler and the 12 miler in a six day period.

Rest tomorrow and maybe a bike ride on Monday......Mike

A tough 18

I did 18 yesterday, but got dehydrated doing it. The temp was mid 50s, but the entire run was in the direct sunlight. I thought I was drinking enough, but by the time I got home I was having trouble standing up I was so weak. Rebounded quickly though and feel fine today. -- Rob

A Short Speed Workout!

My schedule called for a 1-4-1 today, but I wasn't sure I wanted to test myself this early with the knee, so I did a mile and a half warm up, the two mile goal pace, and a mile and half cool down.
Really wasn't sure what my goal pace shoud be, but since my goal is to run a 4:30 in Dallas I suppose that would make my goal pace mile around a 9:30 pace. That just sounded slow to me for only a two mile effort so I just ran to a point where I was making a hard effort without breathing super hard. The splits turned out to be 8:37 and 7:59 for an 8:18 pace for the two miles. Not sure I could hold that for two more miles right now, but another month may make a difference. All I know for sure is that I've come a lot further than I thought I could after the knee surgery.

Dallas isn't going to be a cake walk, but I don't believe finishing will be a problem..........Mike

Different type of workout

My friend Bill B. and I spent 6 hours hiking and climbing up a mountain Tuesday, about two-thirds of the time spent on the climb. let me tell you, this was work.We  started at about  10,000 feet and climbed to 12,000.  The last hour of the climb was about as verticle as you would want to attempt without real climbing gear.  i had my Garmin and was keeping track of our elevation. Once we got over 11,000 feet, we found we had to rest after about every 50 feet of climb. I worked so hard climbing that  a time or two I found myself standing on the side of the mountain with my legs shaking from exertion. It would have been a long way down  if I would have gotten any shakier and fallen.    On the way up we got a close up look at a cool waterfall, and at the top there was a lake with mountains rising on three sides.  Cold and windy up there.  The descent was far easier but we were pretty beat when it was over.  In terms of effort, the climb felt like a 14 mile run to me. I counted it as a marathon training workout. -- Rob

Back on the Bike!

Took a nice ride in almost perfect weather this afternoon on the Interurban Road. Just rode 24 miles, but really cranked the uphills on the return trip. When my thighs are burning and screaming, I know I'm getting a workout. Got to be ready for the Hilly Hundred you know!

Only three weeks to go before our trip to Indiana. Should be a real fun experience for the four of us. Next year we need to recruit more of the MRC group!.........Mike

A Successful Interval Workout

Today, I returned to running after 3 off days. So my legs were completely fresh for the first interval workout in my training schedule. Opened with 2 miles easy at 9:44's pace -- this was on an indoor, air conditioned track which is always a bit faster for me than real street miles. Then did 6 x 800's in sets of 2 at 8:57's, 8:27's, and 8:00's pacing. Tenth mile walk inbetween each 800. These were treadmill halfs with 0 incline setting, so they are faster than real life with the treadmill's mechanical advantage. However, at this point, I just want to have some early on successes with faster pacing, so I was very pleased with the overall workout. The 8:57 halves were very doable for me, with the 8:27's and 8:00's requiring focus and harder breathing. So far, so good! Onto a semi-long run after work tomorrow and 18 on Saturday! -- Bill

In the mountains

Finally got out for a run in the mountains this morning. temp was 37, but it was clear and calm. We've done a lot of hiking up here, but I wasn't prepared fully for the effects of altitude.  I had to keep my pace well under control to keep my legs moving. I was breathing heavy, especially on the uphills.  I did 4.13 miles in just over 40 min., and walked briefly every half mile in the laast two miles to get my breathing under control. Great fun and beautiful vistas. I have a picture, but I can't seem to attach it with my phone. -- Rob

Just a Recover Run.

Although it was just a four mile recovery run, it was still mileage in the books!

Funny thing happened just as I was finishing my half mile walk at the beginning of the run. This white looking bus like vehicle stopped and the driver opened the door and said, "You look like you need a ride!" I thanked him and told him I was okay and was just a runner. He must have been transporting horse feed or some kind of cereal because there was a sign on the side of the vehicle that said, "OATS."

Isn't that strange?.........Mike

Over Another Hurdle!

Since Sean and I passed on riding the Katy today due to the weather, I decided that it was a good day to get in my 18 miler. Was somewhat intimidated since that would be the furthest I would have run since October 2007 (Mount Dessert Island Marathon). Besides, the only alternative was watch the Chiefs game. Nah, better make this a productive day.

The first half mile was on the clock and I began the J word for the last half of mile one as evidenced by the 15:02 split. The remaining splits as follows, if you care to be bored: 11:41, 11:26, 11:29, 11:15, 10:49, 10:24, 10:49, 10:40, 10:40, 11:19, 9:57, 10:59, 11:19, 12:17, 13:00, 11:41, and mile 18 in 9:33. As Rob will attest, this course is endless rolling hills on Prairie View Rd. Clear past 112th street!

I started running into some knee issues around mile 3 and the discomfort was to the degree that it played with my mind (a small toy). It didn't subside and I knew I wouldn't be able to get in the planned 18 miler. At mile 4.5 it was bad enough that I was pretty sure I was going to have to walk back home. However, I was by a tennis court with a porta-pottie. I made a deposit and made a decision to try to at least get to my five mile mark. I began to run slowly and didn't feel any discomfort at all! It was gone! Amazing to say the least! I guess eliminating the extra weight in the porta-pottie made all the difference.

I continued my run with a goal to average somewhere in the 11:00 per mile range for the 18. My total was 3:24:17 with an average of 11:21. It would have been a little better if miles 15 & 16 were not such a struggle due to some challenging hills plus my hips started to bother me to the degree that I just had to stop in the middle of the hill and stretch the hips a little.

After pretty much suffering through miles 15 & 16 I had to decide if I was going to just jog/walk two more miles to get in the 18 mile goal or see what I had left. I decided to test myself in the last mile with 1/3rd of it being uphill. After topping the upgrade, I just pushed it. I looked at my watch and I was staying in the 8:10 to 8:30 range for the last 2/3rds of mile 18.

Can't tell you how good I felt about today's run! I now have two and a half months to get in a few more runs of 18-22 miles and some speedwork. I'll be ready for Dallas!!!..........Mike

Following Mike's Lead

I feel like I should have dedicated this week to Mike on account of the fact that I'm rebuilding mileage one day at a time, working through the groin pull from last weekend's 16 mile run. For the first half of the week, I cross trained: a 20.3 mile bike ride with Mitchell last Sunday that had more hills than I thought when we headed out, a 40 minute elliptical workout on Monday (groin too tender to run), a short but intense 12.8 mile bike loop Tuesday (average speed 15.9 mph), and a travel day (read rest day) on Wednesday. Finally 2 days of 3 mile runs on Thursday and Friday -- 10:14's on Thursday and 10:31's on Friday just aiming for easy miles. Today, I had a 14 mile run with 5 goal pace miles. Overall, I averaged 10:38's and got the 5 pace miles in from mile 6-11 at 10:19's. I was aiming for 10:00's but took the pace that didn't stress the groin muscles. Overall, I'm happy with the result and looking forward to my first 18 mile run next Saturday. I've been impressed with how Mike is mixing in bike rides to let his running legs recover and hopefully my execution of that same strategy keeps me moving forward in the training regime! -- Bill

Gloves AND a Jacket?

Well, obviously the weather has turned chili for the last few days. This morning, I actually had to wear a jacket (until I warmed up) and a pair of gloves for the same reason. Since I'm planning on a 60-70 mile ride tomorrow I just went 8 miles which included a half mile warm up on the clock and a half mile warm up after mile 7, off the clock. Splits as follows:
15:39, 11:12, 10:28, 10:22, 10:19, 10:17 and 9:25. Very hilly course with challenging uphills!

Sunday will be a day of rest after the bike ride with plans for an 18 miler on Monday. I may switch that 18 miler to Tuesday due to cramming three days of running and biking into four days. I feed, due to my circumstances, it's the wisest thing to due.......Mike

bike rides to and from work 21 miles total

My schedule worked out so I rode my bike today, the coldest day of the summer! I dressed for it and enjoyed my two rides. The trail was closed and I got mixed up so I rode a little extra both times. My hand is still numb, but it does not seem to get too much worse.

I did achieve something today. I was honked at! I delayed a car from getting on the entrance ramp. Oh well. I was doing the right thing -- switching lanes to get out of the exit only lane. Let them wait.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/114665486
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/114665480

Easy Day!

After Monday's 15 miler, I was sure I needed to rest yesterday, but wasn't sure what to do today. I'm still a little uncertain as to how to approach my training for Dallas. I'm trying to adhere to my 1998 Marine Corps Marathon schedule, which would have been my first marathon with Runners Edge, but don't want to up the mileage to soon and crash. On the other hand, I need to be sure to get in enough, and the right kind of mileage, in order to complete the race. So, I just did and easy four and will jump up to 8 or 9 tomorrow.

I'm pretty sure, at this point that I can finish Dallas, but I sure don't want to run it in over 5 hours! I'll know more in a month as to what I'm capable of depending on how my training is going. I also need to keep in mind that the Hilly Hundred is coming up in four weeks, so I need to get the biking mileage up as well. Not sure I want to train for two events at the same time anymore, but I also don't think there's a down side to it. Any thoughts on that?...........Mike

Tempo run

This is a low mileage week, and today was my first run of the week after 18 miles on Saturday. I thought my legs would be fresher, but they felt tired until the last mile and a half or so. I probably just went out a little too fast. My first mile was 9:25, and then everything else was between 8:50 and 9:08.

The 5.5 miles took 50:05, for an overall average of 9:07, which is coincidentally the pace for a 3:59 marathon, so I guess I can count this as the perfect tempo run. -- Rob

5 mile run - morning sunrise

I started while it was dark. But the sun came up and I saw a few patches of small sunflowers along the trail. It was my longest run in my VFFs. It felt good until the last mile. The sunrise lit up the sky in a beautiful orange glow. My average pace was 10:41 which I am happy with. My best mile was 9:56. The run was a mix of streets and paved trail. All said, a good run and start to my day.
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/114208289

Better and Better!

I wanted to run 14 miles this morning and began with a quarter mile walk then turned on the Garmin. First mile was 13:50, mile two was 12:06, mile three was 10:51 and I couldn't tell you what mile four was because my Garmin battery went kaput somewhere between mile three and four! I was sure it was charged up and this is the second time that has happened. Might be time for a new battery or some kind of repair.

Fortunately, I remember all my BG (Before Garmin) mile markers from years past so I knew exactly where mile four through six was. I never had marked a mile seven so I had no reference. However, I ran, what I thought was a little more than another mile and retraced my route back to the house. It turned out to be a 7.5 mile one way trip, according to my odometer, so I got in a 15 miler.

If I were to just guess what my splits were I would say I averaged in the tens overall with 3 or four miles in the mid nines with a solid finish in the last two miles

To commemorate Bill's coming out of the closet (kind of) with his description of the sunsets and partaking of Cornish Hen and white wine, I enjoyed the Cornish Hen in a souffle and followed that up with watching Mamma Mia and Steel Magnolias! Now top that for a gay evening of entertainment, not that there's anything wrong with that!........Mike

Bike Ride with Bill

I had a great bike ride with McClave. We went, 20 miles, my first ride since the summer breeze 2 weeks ago. I did OK, a little slow on the up hill. We did a steep hill at mile 16.6. It was tough, but neither of us walked. It was good to get back on the bike. My hand bothered me a little, but now a few hours later it's about the same as before the ride. The Trek store did a mini adjustment for me and lowered the seat. So I hope that will help improve my hand numbness problem.

Thanks Bill for a beautiful ride.

Dan and Amy!!

I have this text message from Dan Lara:

"Spread the word. Amy bested her PR by 23 minutes to run 4:12. I bested my PR by 4 minutes and change to run 3:52."

Great job by both! -- Rob

Group Run - actually only 2

I joined the MARA group run. It's a good thing I tried it. I was the 2nd runner. Not much of a group. I was glad to have company and provide a companion to the other runner, LeRoy. It was along the paved trails in Shawnee Mission Lake Park. It was a good, sort of slow 7 mile run. We started early which was good because I had a busy day. I would have liked to run 8 or more, but at 7 I had circled back to my car and called it quits. This was a good start to one of my few Saturdays in Kansas.

Running Through Injury

Looks like we all got out and enjoyed the fabulous fall weather for our runs and rides today! Like Rob, I was totally focused on just running steady miles with the 11:00 pace group of Runner's Edge for my 16 miler. After 2 warmup miles at 11:41 and 11:32, we settled in for 7 miles of very steady 10:33 average miles. I felt great and was confident I would finish steady and strong when suddenly at mile 9 a seemingly normal right foot strike produced a sharp pain in my right groin (same one I injured 2 months ago). The next 5 miles were a touch slug as I really couldn't run for very long at all. So I did a lot of walking, averaging 13:12's for miles 10-14. Finally, with 2 miles to go, my groin numbed up enough I could hold a longer run. The last 2 miles, which included just one bit of walking, averaged 11:20's each, which I'll take as a small victory. It was frustrating having an injury mess up what was a great outing, but I'm pleased with the speeding back up for the final 2 miles. I'll rest tomorrow and see how the groin progresses this week. I may have to cross train and stay off running for awhile. --Bill

Brain running

For a change I used my brain (you may be skeptical here, but read on) for my long run, and the result was pretty good.

Last week I ran 14 miles, but went out too fast and faded badly at the end. I was gassed. This week, with an 18-miler on the schedule, I knew I needed to be smarter. It was a cool morning and perfect for any kind of run, but particularly a long one. I had a flat course laid out, which oftentimes means I start out too fast. This time, though, I opened with a 10:45 mile, and followed that up with 9:58 and 9:44, so my first three miles set me up very nicely for a well-paced 18.


Most of my miles were between 9:30 and 9:45, but I occasionally threw in a faster mile. I had two miles a few seconds over 9, and two others a few seconds under 9. I was beginning to tire toward the end, but my last two miles were still close to the overall average of 9:32 (9:40 and 9:30). I did 18.1 miles in 2:52:29.



When it was over I felt better physically after this run than I did after the shorter run last weekend, so that's a big plus. -- Rob

Short run in my VFFs

I ran 2.5 miles this morning 9/9. A short one, but I had an early training meeting at work. It turned out to be a waste of time, especially compared to running a few more miles. Ah the sacrifices we make for a living. I ran in my neighborhood and enjoyed the cool weather. The Vibram five fingers are getting comfortable, especially for short runs.

Trail run 9/7

I made it back to my weekly trail run after an absence of about 2 months. I did OK on the trail. The weather was great and I ran without my usual hydration pack. I did take an easy fall, but on dirt no rocks. That must be because I stopped paying attention to what looked like an easy part of the trail. It was good to get back to something that is somewhat of a routine.

Nice Ride!

Drove out the the Little Blue Trace for a 60 mile ride but got started too late and ended up doing 30 miles. What a nice day to ride!

Came up behind a, let's say, stocky lady riding a three wheeler pulling one of those child carriers. Her husband, wearing cargo pants and a tee shirt, was riding beside her. He was obviously a plumber! How did I know that? Use your imagination.

Going to volunteer for two KCTC races this Saturday and Sunday and look forward to a possible 14 miler on Monday morning.............Mike

Amen on the Beauty of Last Night's Run

I have to weigh in and agree with Rob on what a beautiful evening it was for a run yesterday. After Tuesday's most successful run -- although our splits were pretty even, the run back uphill was a very solid effort for me that I enjoyed -- I plodded through a minimum 3-mile run in the late evening Wed. Yesterday was a planned 6-7 hill run and when I realized Lucy had a special cornish hen dinner going after work, I had enough time for 6 miles on the farm roads by our house. This course always kicks my butt -- the start is slightly uphill and leaves me breathless and there are several long hills I just crawl up. My outbound was slow starting and averaged 11:27, but I sped up significantly for the last mile for a 11:12's average return. Overall average was 11:20's but I felt good about pushing the last mile hard. The run was gorgeous in the low sun washed rich colors (Mike, I am NOT gay -- that's just the best way to describe the early evening colors). Afterwards, the cornish hen and white wine topped it all off (OK, that IS kind of gay...). --Bill

They should all be this way

Today I went from not running to maybe running to eliptical machine to cautionary run. And it all turned out beautifully.
After Tuesday's easy 4 miler the bone on the outside of my right foot was very sore, as if it had been bruised or even hairline fractured (I always think the worst). I planned to run 7 miles on Wednesday, but cross trained with weights instead to gain an extra day of rest. The foot felt a little better this morning, and seemed to improve as the day wore on. There was still some soreness at the end of the day, though, and that's why I debated whether to run.
Once I put on my running shoes, though, the foot felt much better and I decided to test it with some walking and easy running. It was a beautiful evening, with no wind, temperature below 70 and low humidity. I kept the pace nice and easy, especially early, and just cruised through the miles, hoping at first for 3, then 5 and finally getting all 7 in. I felt so good at the end that I could have easily gone 10, but I didn't need those miles.
The result was 7.2 miles in 1:08:00 for an overall pace of 9:35. Very enjoyable way to end what had been a fatiguing and stressful day at work. Best of all it doesn't seem like the run aggravated my foot any. I'll rest again Friday and then shoot for a successful 18-miler on Saturday. -- Rob

What to do, what to do?

Since I'm not on a particular schedule and I'm going through this one day good, one day bad, and one day of WTF, I've finally settled on the fact that I just can't adhere to a schedule more than a day ahead. I felt so good after Monday's 12 miler, albeit slow, that I was sure I was back on track to up the mileage and intensity. Wrong! Tuesday's MRC run was interrupted by a slight food poisoning experience left over from Monday evening. I still got in right at 3 miles so I'll call that good under the circumstances!

Didn't do anything yesterday except prepare the house for more painting, besides my knee was flaring up again, but nothing serious. Wasn't sure what to do today, but I got in a slow four miler. My plan is to ride the bike tomorrow morning for around 36 miles, rest on Saturday and try to run a 14 miler early Sunday morning. We'll see. If those two outings go well, and I don't have any trouble with the knee, then I'll feel a lot more confident regarding Dallas.....Mike

P.S. I'm beginning to think getting up and down that ladder doesn't my knee any good!

P.P.S. You guys are the very best!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here's to ...

Tuesday night was a night of mixed emotions for the MRC.  We celebrated the joy of birth of Dan Gabbert's new granddaughter with a beer toast, and then hoisted a shared pie as a tribute to the life of Nathan Krasnopoler, the son of Mitchell, who would have been 21 this same day.

A toast to Dan Gabbert's new granddaughter

A pie for Nathan!

Summer Breeze Bike Ride

I had a great ride. It was hillier than I thought, but good training for me. I was overall pleased with my ride. I needed to slow down for the last 5 miles or so. But I was happy with my performance.
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/112355113

I did get a troublesome injury -- cyclist palsy or handlebar palsy in my right hand. My pinky and ring finger have been numb since the ride. It's related to the ulnar nerve. I'm seeing someone in a few days, Inside Sports Clinic. I hope I can get back to riding soon. I'll also be going to a bike shop to see if my bike needs to be adjusted so I'm in a better riding position.

Nathan's Birthday - catching up on ~1 week

I ran 3.1 miles today, Nathan's 21st birthday. I was not compelled to run fast, or even to run sometimes -- lots of walking. I was with my dogs and they needed pauses, too. It was chilly, in the 60's and some drizzle, fitting weather for a sad day. Here's the link: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/112355085http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

3.6 mile run in my neighborhood on 9/5:
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/112355094


Sun. 9/4/11: I ran 3.4 miles at the Homestead (thehomestead.com), a resort in the mountains of Virginia. We went there as a family to be together, do some fun things, and remember Nathan. We did a great hike, on a part of a beautiful stream privatelyhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif owned by the Homestead. We climbed about 600 ft passing a dozen or two small waterfalls. This was a classy place - we needed ties and jackets for dinner. My run was on our last morning. It was hilly and I took it slow.http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/112355099


Sept. 1: Very short 2 mile run: I've been going to morning minyan to say Kaddish for Nathan during Shloshim, the 30 days after the funeral. So I did not have much time. I'm glad I got out for a few minutes. And I did it in my VFFs. http://connect.garmin.com/activity/112355101

Aug. 27 I ran 3.2 miles: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/112355122

Another Surprise!

Well, after the fall out of my desk chair and twisting my knee underneath me, I wasn't sure how this run was going to go. I wanted to get in a 12 miler to put myself on some kind of increasing long distance run once a week. I ran nine last week and wanted to get in a 12 miler even though it would be slow.

Although it was slow going, I got in my 12 miler. The knee was never an issue, but the hips flared up a couple of times. I stretched them out around the 5 mile mark and was able to continue.

It was just a great morning for a run and the only thing that kept it from being a 100% positive experience was a dumb ass cyclist who passed me on a narrow sidewalk and didn't yell, "On your left!" Scared the crap out of me and I yelled at him asking him why he didn't yell the ethical rule of the road. Yep, I was exhibiting the old running rage! The butthead just turned his head and looked at me. It was just too close!!

Splits for today are: 12:45, 12:08, 11:41, 11:39, 11:28, 11:19, 10:01, 10:24, 10:45, 10:08, 9:59 and 9:40. Total time was 2:11:50 averaging 10:59 with a max of 7:51.

It's starting to shape up nicely for Dallas!................Mike

Excellent new route

I was in Iowa for the weekend and planned to get my 14-mile long run done on Saturday, which the forecast suggested would be a nice, cool day. Problem was that it was also rainy, with thunder and lightning, almost all day long.

So, the run was postponed until Sunday morning, and this was a perfect running day. The temperature was 52, and at 7 a.m. the sky was crystal clear and there was a very light breeze out of the north. I headed for the Sauk Trail, a paved trail winding 26 miles through the countryside from Carroll to Lake View.

It was a two-mile downhill-to-flat run from the house to the trailhead, and then a mostly flat five miles from there to the turn-around. Along the way I ran through residential areas, corn fields, forested areas and even a light industrial district. Most of the way was without shade, but there were a few protected areas. At 52 degrees, it really didn't make much difference.

The running conditions were so good that I had difficulty keeping the pace down. Ultimately, I paid for going too fast for the first 12 miles. I started out with a 9:27 and a 9:21, then spent quite a bit of time at or below 9. Mile 9, for instance, was 8:37. I wasn't watching my pace, but of course I knew I was going too fast. I just thought it was no problem because I'd be able to keep it up the whole distance.

Well, that wasn't true. After mile 11, which I ran in 9:06, I suddenly became acutely aware that I was wearing out. I had very little life left in the legs. At about 11.5 miles I ran up to the base of the only significant hill on the whole run and decided to walk it, which probably took 90 seconds or so. That mile was done in 10 min., as were miles 13 and 14.

So, unfortunately, I was unable to finish strong, which is always the goal. Still, It was an enjoyable run on a perfect day and I have nothing to complain about. Overall, I ran the 14 miles in 2:08:55, which is a 9:08 average. Since the last mile was 9:49, I probably ran the first 13.1 miles in right at 2 hours, or possibly just under. Obviously too fast for a "long, slow run."

I need to get my pacing right by next weekend, when I have an 18-mile long run. -- Rob

What I Learned About Long Bike Rides and Long Runs This Weekend

Namely: life goes better if you do the long run first. But sometimes you just have to do these puppies in the order they come up.

Saturday: Big Success -- 63 miles bicycling at 16.6 average mph. Got up at 5:00 am to drive the 100 miles to Pittsburg, KS for the Gorilla Century bike ride. This ride was the polar opposite of last weekend's Summer Breeze -- very flat with almost no hills, but with good opportunities for getting in pace lines. Those hills that appeared tended to be half mile affairs you could downshift and spin up. The day was forecast warm with 80 temps at the 8 am start. Rode the first 28 miles to rest stops #1 and #2 mostly by myself except for 10 miles in which I traded turns riding in front of a small group of 3 of us. Average 15.6 mph. Wind was building, but the good news is that by the time it built, we had most of riding into headwinds behind us. Third leg of 10 miles averaged 17.8 mph with a decent tailwind mostly by myself except for the last 4 miles where I drafted with 2 guys whom I recognized from Summer Breeze. After rest stop #3, the fourth leg was one for the memory books -- 12 miles at 21.8 mph most of it in a pace line I jumped in when they passed me. We were cranking along with a great tailwind and these 2 gals breaking wind who were very strong. Really, really fun! Last leg was 16.8 mph which impressed me since I was tired and we had one, last 4 mile leg into the wind just to remind us who was boss. Overall, great ride that I pushed and enjoyed a lot. No meal at the end, but they did have the HS locker room open where we met so I got showered and clean clothes on for the ride home.

Sunday: Biking Legs are Hard to Run On. Ran an easy 11 today (scheduled 10-12). First 6 were fairly strong, steady 10:15's, but my thighs are really tired and I'm out of gas after yesterday. So the back 5 were strictly finish the run miles. I'm looking forward to a day off tomorrow! -- Bill

Fall Weather Has Arrived - Thank Goodness

What a great day for a run! I ran 6.3 miles in 64 minutes this morning. It was clear and cool - just the way I like it. Ran along the Missouri River through Berkley Riverfront Park. How wonderful.

I only hope the mild temperatures are here to stay for a while. Looking forward to Tuesday evening's MRC run and dinner together. - Ken

That Was 13.8 Moving Average, Darn It!

Time for me to log in with comments from the past fabulous week of biking and running by everyone:

• First, I'd like to point out that the 13.4 mph average Rob reported for the Summer Breeze was the overall average. Our "moving average" -- and I pick that statistic in honor of our advanced ages -- is impressively higher at 13.8 mph. Frankly, I'm surprised any of us would have highlighted the lowest number possible....


• I don't know what we were doing in mile 33, but I suspect the beer tasted good. Wish I could remember it.


• Updating my runs: did 14 last Saturday before Summer Breeze. I'm feeling good about my longer runs and I am sticking to the training schedule so far!


• This Monday -- day after Summer Breeze -- I crossed trained with a racketball game in Dallas with my business partner Lissy Bethmann and Laura Sims, our accountant. On my first serve, Laura's return shot nailed me in the head so hard I thought I might pass out. I could swear I heard her mutter "I've been waiting 11 years for that shot" but she denies it. Lissy was no help either -- she refused to hit Laura for me with any of her shots despite my repeated requests (my thought was that it would be too obvious if I hit her).


• This is a recovery week, so I ran easy 3 on Wed. and 5 yesterday. Middle miles in each were 10:30's. I have a planned 4 today and 12 over the weekend.


• Given the fun of Summer Breeze, I'm moving my long run to Sunday and taking in the 60 mile loop of the Gorilla Century ride on Saturday. Should be fun!

Lastly -- kudos to Mike for his return to running through bicycling. Another week of impressive runs by Rob! Mithcell -- we miss you; see you when you get back! -- Bill

What's Going On?

After Wednesday's encouraging run I thought I was past the knee issue. However, after falling out of my desk chair yesterday, and twisting the same knee, today's run was a test in pain tolerance. It felt okay yesterday evening and during the warm up walk before my easy four planned miles, but when I began to slowly ease into the running, the knee ache started and I ended up fighting it for the entire slow four miles. It never was a severe pain, but just enough of a discomfort for me to be concerned. I'll probably be okay in a few days, but it sure plays with my mind. Wednesday I was higher than the proverbial kite and today I'm down again.

Oh well, tomorrow is another day!...........Mike

Out ahead of the heat

With the temperature expected to get to 100 today, I got up early for my run. I had no idea what the temperature was at 5:30, and I really didn't even want to check. When I got outside I was greeted by warm, humid air. There were two pluses, though: the sun wasn't up and there was a pretty good breeze.

I didn't need anything other than an easy run, though, I just decided to work my way through the mileage at a comfortable pace and not worry about time at all. I started at 10:29 and worked my way gradually down to 8:45 for the last full mile. The overall pace was 9:25 for 5.4 miles.

When I got home I checked the temperature and it was 81 (at 6:30 a.m.), and headed down. I was glad I hadn't waited until evening for the workout. -- Rob