It was lightly raining, cold, and silent. No one else was at the high school – none of my classmates. I arrived a bit late about 6:30 PM. Beforehand I had plotted out a 2 mile warmup loop and headed out on it. I ran slowly to get my ankle loosened up. It was moderately tight as I finished the loop, in other words, I knew it was there when arrived back at the school’s track. On the track I was to do 3 x 2000m or three times 5 loops of the track at 15K pace which for me is 8:30/mile or 2:07/loop. After each I was to run a 1 loop recovery making it a total of 6 loops of the track. I ran with a small flashlight so I could see my watch, and listened to podcasts on my iPod to make the time pass more quickly. The first set: 2:07, 2:08, 2:07, 2:08, 2:08 for 10:38 which is right on the mark. The second set: 2:09, 2:02, 2:01, 2:04, 2:04 for 10:20 which is a bit fast, but when I saw the initial 2:09 I sped up worried that I was slowing down. Then I had trouble reading the watch with rain on the bezel. The third set: 2:06, 2:03, 2:04, 2:03, 2:03 for 10:19 which was again a bit faster, because my ankle felt normal and I was wanted to get the class work done and over with. After the track I again ran the same 2 mile cool down. Overall I was happy to have gotten the work done on a wet, cold, dark and ugly night.
Monthly Archives: December 2009
Running log week of 2009-12-27
- 12/27 – Sunday – Neighborhood – 8 miles – 80 minutes
- Morning: Core & Roller lower legs
- Run: right ankle slightly tight
- Breakfast: 1c Raisin Bran, 1c Fat Free Milk
- Lunch: Whole Food Chicken Teriyaki bowl (3/4c Chicken, 1c Rice), 2c Fresh Fruit
- Snack: 1 box Jr Mints, 2 Ales
- Dinner: 6oz Pork, 1c Mashed Potatoes, 3oz Cake w/ Frosting
- 12/28 – Monday – Neighborhood – 4 miles – 40 minutes
- Morning: Core & Roller lower legs
- Run: right ankle tight, grrrr
- Breakfast: 1c Post Great Grains, 1c Fat Free Milk, 6 pecans
- Lunch: 1 Orange, 3 Clementines, 1 Pear, 1 Apple, 1/2 oz Cheddar Cheese
- Dinner: 6oz Homemade Lasagna, 1/2 glass wine, 2 slices Bread, 3oz Cake w/ Frosting
- 12/29 – Tuesday – Class – 8.5 miles – 85 minutes
- Breakfast: 1c Raisin Bran, 1c Whole Milk, 6 pecans
- Lunch: Turkey Sandwich, 3oz Chips, Hot Chocolate w/ Cream, 8 small Christmas Cookies
- Afternoon: Core & Roller lower legs
- Run: right ankle slightly tight, completed all required class work 3x2000m
- Dinner: 4oz Homemade Lasagna, 2c Homemade Lemonade, 1 clove of Califlower, Handful of Sugar Snap Peas, 12 small Christmas Cookies
- 12/30 – Wednesday – 6 miles – 60 minutes
- Morning: Core & Roller lower legs
- Run: right ankle ok, not tight
- Breakfast: 1c Raisin Bran, 1c Whole Milk, 6 pecans
- Lunch: 2 Clementines, 2 Oranges
- Dinner: 2 Shiner Bock beers, 1/2 rack baby back ribs – yummy, 1c beans, 1c potato salad, 1/2 piece of pecan pie
- 12/31 – Thursday – 11 miles – 110 minutes
- Morning: Core & Roller lower legs
- Run: right ankle ok, not tight, 1 Clif Shot Mocha w/ Caffeine
- Breakfast: 1c Raisin Bran, 1 1/2c Whole Milk, 12 pecans
- Lunch: Steak Fajita Burrito, Corn Chips
- Dinner: Steak and Cheese Fondue w/ Bread and Vegtables
- 01/01 – Friday – off
- Breakfast: 12 Christmas Cookies, 1 Pancake w/ Syrup
- Lunch at Bastrop Roadhouse: 1 Grilled Chicken Salad, 1 Snickers Milkshake, 2 Cokes
- Dinner: 2 pieces of Cheesecake, 1c Milk
- 01/02 – Saturday – Last 19ish Miles of Marathon – 19.7 miles – 3:10
- Breakfast: 1c Raisin Bran, 1c FF Milk, 6 pecans
- Run: right ankle tight, 1 Clif Shot Chocolate, 1 Clif Shot Mocha w/ Caffeine
- Lunch: 1qt Choco Milk for Recovery, 2c Orange Juice, 2 12oz Cokes
- Dinner: 1/2 Steak Burrito, 2 Port BBQ Ribs, 2c Port Fried Rice, 6oz Cake w/ Frosting, 2c FF Milk
Weekly mileage: 57.2 miles
Shoe mileage: 353.0 miles
First 20 Miles of Marathon
I ran the first 20 of the marathon course. A few weeks back I accidentally ran the last 20 miles instead of the first, so this time I decided to do what I was supposed to do. Overall it wasn’t fun. I ran, I slogged, I walked, I fussed, but I got it done. Right away my ankle got tight up the South Congress hill. So that wasn’t the best way for me to start. I carried water and my hands ached from the cold. I did make it to Ben White and headed back down South First. I took the Carbo-pro along the way, but I didn’t feel it. Then along the trail and down Lake Austin went by pretty quickly listening to my iPod, but I was just running slowly. I did the Entfield and Exposition hills with a few walk breaks. Although I had debated earlier that I might cut the route short, I decided to head up Bull Creek to Hancock and do the full 20 mile route. On Bull Creek I had a Choco Clif Shot. I switched the route when I came down Shoal Creek to head over 38th to Duval to follow the official finish route. Then it was back to Rogue. It took me 3:37 which is over 10 minutes a mile – not very satisfying. When I got done my lower stomach was aching. And I stretched it out leaning backwards on my car. On the way home my legs were throbbing, so I stopped for a chocolate milk which helped. After I got home I reviewed by route and found I actually did 21.3 miles at 10:18/mile. So although afterwards I’m walking around, that is, I’m not crippled, I’m deeply worried in my ability to complete the marathon in 4 hours. I think my body, my mind, the weather, the sun, the moon, the stars will all have to align perfectly for me to do it. Here’s hoping!
Running log week of 2009-12-20
- 12/20 – Sunday – Neighborhood – 8 miles – 80 minutes
- 12/21 – Monday – Neighborhood – 4 miles – 40 minutes
- 12/22 – Tuesday – Tempo Run – 7 miles – 70 minutes
- Morning: Core & Roller lower legs
- Run at class: right ankle tight, left ankle less tight
- Breakfast: 1c Special K Cinn Pecan, 1c Fat Free Milk, 2c Orange Juice
- Snack: 2 20oz water
- Lunch: 4oz Steak, 1oz Veggie Chips, 1 Apple, 1 Banana, 1 Orange, 1c Grapes, 1 clove Califlower, 1 handful Sugar Snap Peas, 2 4″ stick Celery, 4 Grape Tomatoes, 1/2oz Cheddar Cheese
- Dinner: 6 oz Chicken Teriyaki, 2c Rice, 2oz Cake w/ Frosting
- 12/23 – Wednesday – Neighborhood – 6 miles – 60 minutes
- Morning: Core & Roller lower legs
- Run: Felt good, no tightness!
- Breakfast: 1c Special K Cinn Pecan, 1c Fat Free Milk, 3c Orange Juice
- Snack: 2 20oz Coke Zero
- Lunch: 3oz Steak, 1oz Veggie Chips, 1 Apple, 1 Banana, 1 Orange, 1c Grapes, 1 clove Califlower, 1 handful Sugar Snap Peas, 2 4″ stick Celery, 2 Grape Tomatoes, 1/2oz Cheddar Cheese
- Dinner: 3 oz Chicken Teriyaki, 1c Rice, 4oz Cake w/ Frosting
- 12/24 – Thursday – Neightborhood – 11 miles – 110 minutes
- Morning: Core & Roller lower legs
- Run: Felt good, sailing along, no tightness! midway: 2 scoops Carbo-Pro w/ water
- Breakfast: 1c Raisin Barn w/ 6 Pecan halves, 1c Fat Free Milk, 2c Orange Juice
- Snack: 2 20oz Coke Zero
- Lunch: 1oz Steak, 1 Apple, 4 Clementines, 1/2c Grapes, 1 clove Califlower, 1 handful Sugar Snap Peas, 1/2oz Cheddar Cheese
- Dinner: 6oz Chicken, 2c Stuffing, 1/2 Twice Baked Potato, 4oz Cake w/ Frosting, 2 Shiner Beers, 6 Christmas Cookies, 6 Pecan halves
- 12/25 – Friday – off
- Morning: No Core or Roller
- Run: off
- Breakfast: 1c Special K Cinn Pecan, 1c Fat Free Milk, 4 oz Sausage-egg casserole
- Lunch: Too much munching to even record
- Dinner: 3 Homemade Crap cakes, 2c Cold Slaw, 1 Shiner Beer, 2 2oz Scottish Shortbread, 1 Pecan Crescent
- 12/26 – Saturday – First 20 Miles of Marathon – 21.3 miles – 3:37
- Morning: Core & Roller lower legs
- Breakfast: 1c Special K Cinn Pecan, 1c Fat Free Milk
- Run: Tight, slow, sluggish, walked as needed. 2 scoops Carbo-Pro, 1 Clif Shot Choco, Choco Milk on way home
- Lunch: 3 Clementines, Mighty Fine Chopped Chili Dog, French Fries, and 16 oz Lemonade
- Dinner: 4oz Chicken, 40 Saltine Crackers, 2c FF Milk, 3oz Cake w/ Frosting
Weekly mileage: 57.3 miles
Shoe mileage: 295.8 miles
Working on Tightness
Talked with Coach tonight about the recent bout of ankle muscle tightness focused primarily on my right ankle. This started on November 14, 2009 in the post “Hurtin’ and Mt Bonnell long run” and continue on and off up to now. That’s too long. He has three suggestions: Nutrition, Stretching, Warm-up. For nutrition he wants me to keep records of what I eat and make an appointment with Meredith Terranova. For Stretching I’m to continue to use my TriggerPoint Therapy roller. For Warm-up I need to figure out how to warm-up without exhausting myself especially before the marathon.
Big Fire 16 miles w/ 8 at MPG
Argh! Ugh! $#*@^&%$! That’s how I felt about today’s run. I’m depressed. Here’s how it started. I got up at 5 AM without a problem. I even used my rollers on my lower legs. At Rogue I met a few groupmates before the run. We chatted about our individual MPG (marathon goal pace) and they were about the same as mine. I felt good that I would have a few people to run with. That’s good. We were in the back of the room, and by the time we exited and started up the hill we were at the back of the pack. Soon my groupmates were sailing along. And me. What about me? Well my right ankle was getting tighter and tighter. I was falling back. Then I had to walk. I lost sight of them. I tried to run again, but again had to walk. Both ankles were cramping. Everybody passed me. This crappy warm-up was the most depressing run I’ve had in ages. Why is this happening to me? Why can’t I be like the others who just bound along happy in their ability to move. Four miles of warm-up hell took 50 minutes, which should have been easy. I arrived exhausted at the water-stop and MPG start-point. Geezer and Ed B were there and I told them I was cramping. I need help understanding what’s causing this condition. HELP! HELP! HELP! I rested a minute. Nevertheless I headed out on my MPG run. Since I really wasn’t warmed-up I had to push myself to get started. It wasn’t an easy pace which it should have been. Luckily the miles went by, and my ankle had finally loosened up. Four miles up, and four miles back: 9:00, 9:10, 8:49, 8:48, 8:49, 9:03, 9:03, and 8:44. Unfortunately I was faster than my 9:10 MGP, and I while I was doing it I was worried that I couldn’t keep up this pace for 26.2. The way back took me 42 minutes which was better. So although I did what was requested I was shaken by the awful warm-up. Is this what’s going to happen to me on Marathon day going up South Congress. I’m terribly worried.
Running log week of 2009-12-13
12/13 – Sunday – Neighborhood – 8 miles – 80 minutes
12/14 – Monday – Neighborhood – 4 miles – 40 minutes
12/15 – Tuesday – Tempo Run – 10 miles – 100 minutes
12/16 – Wednesday – Neighborhood – 6 miles – 60 minutes
12/17 – Thursday – Neighborhood – 11 miles – 110 minutes
12/18 – Friday – off
12/19 – Saturday – Big Fire (8@MGP) – 16.6 miles – 163 minutes
Weekly mileage: 55.6 miles
Shoe mileage: 238.5 miles
Hills 2 Heaven
The long run yesterday was tough. I woke up 30 minutes late having thought I set my alarm clock, but hadn’t. I rushed and I got there on time though because it was nearby at NorthCross Mall – whew. I did remember to bring my iPod, but forgot to synch before I left so I didn’t have much to listen to – ugh. My right ankle was OK throughout which was good. I’ve run this route in the past with Celeste D, and I remember that Glenn K charged up the first few hills only to get burned out later. So I took it slow and easy. Although I forgot to start my watch I felt later this was a good thing. I really didn’t want to run against the clock or know how slow I was. Also I was to do 22 miles, the longest distance, where most were doing 18 or 20. It included the monster hill Ladera Norte. I met Diego just before it and we ran down Far West together chatting, but soon I was walking and he and Philip were way ahead of me. I never saw them again. As I slogged through it I tried to keep my spirits up. Last week’s Decker race was tough, but it was an overall positive experience knowing how comfortably I ran the first 10 miles. Yeah, I know, the last few miles were awful, but I put those behind me blaming them on the weather and the lack of water and fuel. However, this week all the miles were awful, and I just kept pushing to get them done. I’d get lost at various points, but just took each as a short break to orient myself. I feel I took a lot of breaks. My highpoint was coming down Greystone after most of the big hills and as my iPod played a buoyant up-tempo song which sent chills down my spine I passed some of my running groupmates happy to know that I get to do this – I get to run. Soon however I was back in the death-march. At the end a group of three women were running near me and one broke off from the rest and moved ahead. I tried to keep up, but she had more legs than I did. Yet as soon as she got 50 feet ahead she would pull over and stop and wait for her friends. I would pass her, but soon she would blow by me again. Somewhat frustrating, but I keep running, and I got back to the mall before her last burst. Afterwards I was so very glad it was over. Now when I think back on this run I wonder why it was helpful to me and my preparation for the marathon. It sure burned me up, stressed every muscle in me, and made me feel really down.
Running log week of 2009-12-06
12/06 – Sunday – Decker – 13.1 + 4 mile warmup – 1:50:59
12/07 – Monday – Neighborhood – 4 miles – 40 minutes
12/08 – Tuesday – Hill Repeats – 10.5 miles – 90 minutes
12/09 – Wednesday – Neighborhood – 6 miles – 60 minutes
12/10 – Thursday – Neighborhood – 11 miles – 110 minutes
12/11 – Friday – off
12/12 – Saturday – Hills 2 Heaven – 22 miles – 240 minutes
Weekly mileage: 70.6 miles
Shoe mileage: 182.9 miles
Decker Half Marathon
Woke at 5 AM. Cold and misting. Did my 40 minute warm-up by myself at 7 AM. Race started at 8 AM. Planned to run 8:42/mile. This is what McMillan said I needed to do to complete a marathon in 4 hours. I felt comfortable, that is, I ran easy. Ankle muscle didn’t tighten up. Whew! What a relief. Early on accidentally lost my Carbo-pro. It fell out. Mile after mile at about 8:30/mile pace. Breathing well, not gasping. Only had Mocha Cliff Shot at mile 6. Up and down the hills. Started breathing hard up the last hills. However the last two miles became a death march. Did not feel good. Shaded the overall experience. Ended in 1:50:59 with a 8:28/mile pace, which beat my plan of 1:53:58. Neat. Confidence building with regards to my marathon goal, but nagging worry why I had such a hard time during the last two miles especially the crappy run inside the expo grounds. Why do I alway hate that expo grounds section. Afterwards I stripped off my wet clothes and changed into dry ones. The wet ones must have weighed pounds. Maybe that helped make it so tough. Or did I go out too fast? Or was it the lack of fuel? Or maybe I just don’t have it in me? Argh!
Update: After the race I looked for my Carbo-pro bottle. I walked the entire outer boundary of the expo center looking. It was still cold and miserable. I was shivering. All I had on was shorts, a shirt, and a fleece. The two mile loop took me a hour to gimp along looking it. I got back to my car and left the center driving slowly while looking at the side of the road. About a mile up the road I found the bottom and top about a foot apart.
01 8:01.17
02 8:36.44
03 8:24.87
04 8:27.88
05 9:31.63 (why is this so long?!)
06 8:22.37
07 8:35.00
08 8:08.00
09 8:17.21
10 8:39.18
11 8:51.61
12 8:28.00
13 7:57.12 (this seems too short)
13.1 1:44.60
