Snow run

First and last snow run of 2012. Met the fella's at the Kroger's parking lot in the 'boro and caravaned to Percy Warner Park. Light dusting of snow on the ground in the Park. Cold 24 degrees, but no wind. We stayed together until the bottom of 3 mile hill. Fast guys motored on, I waited on the other guys. That was the last I saw of the fast guys. I went solo at mile 4.7 or so heading over to Edwin Warner Park. Still going without water or gels on these long runs.

I'll have to get a map of Edwin Warner, I turned around early because I was afraid of getting lost. I'd been on two different trails and maybe two different roads. The trails weren't as worn as those in Percy Warner. Thought I'd see the fast guys coming back, but never did see them. Lot's of deer, so many that I stopped counting and twice as many squirrels.

Because I'd turned around a mile early, I thought the fast guys were behind me. So, I stopped at the turn for Luke Leah overlook and made a sign out of branches. Primitive stuff, sticks to make a arrow pointing left and four sticks to make LL. Surprised when I finished at the Stone Gates and the first group of guys had already left and the fast guys where in the van warming up. Geez, they got 16 miles and I only got 14.5.

Stopped at the Donut Den on the way back to the 'boro. Phil brought in his new recovery roller. Pretty smart design. That thing is great for hitting all of the tight spots in your legs and even the glutes. I'll have to put that on my list for my birthday. Can't find the website, only the picture above. He read about it in Running Times.

End is near

Time to reflect on the year about to end, 2012 anyway. I stopped the new years resolution thing many years ago, back in the days when I would go to the gym/workout facility. (Really handy/convenient located right on the work campus.) The week around the new year would be the most crowded of the year. All of the those with good intentions of working out, would be hard at it. At least for a day or two.

I'll more than likely pad my running log with a long run on the first day of the new year. Should end up with around 1,860 or so miles for the year just ending. No PR's this year, only mediocre races. Did get a century bike ride done, during my down time from running.

Time to concentrate on the sub 3:00 marathon. Minor set back the last week with the sprained ankle. Seemed almost healed this morning. Real test will be this sunday, when we head back out to Percy Warner Park. Think the plan is the 11.2 with a add on in Edwin Warner Park, plus Luke Lea. (just 'cause the guys need to do it at least once) I've never run anything in Edwin Warner Park. It'll be good to do something a little different, though the 11.2 never gets old.

Still a runner

Seems I'm always late to the game, playing catchup. Lot's in the news lately. Shocking stuff. Evil people, girl next door gone bad. (oddly enough I'd have never thought of myself as religious) We'll leave those discussions to a long run, which should help to make for a more civilized discussion.

Finally got around to reading Born to Run. Really enjoyed this book, couldn't put it down for the first half. Really slowed down for me regarding the hunter/gather section, but picked up at the end. Didn't care for the sprinkling of Spanish throughout the book. Once or twice for effect would have been cool, but got old really quick. And wow, what a name dropper. Guess, that really makes it more believable? Don't think I'll be going for any barefoot runs. It has changed the shoe industry, again.

Some great cycling photos.

Don't know if it really helps

Finished the second week of the new training cycle. I'm still nursing a sprained ankle from last Saturday's drills. I'm probably the only one clumsy enough to roll their ankle on the soft infield grass of the local high school. The speed workouts and hills seem to aggravate it the most. The swelling is almost completely gone. Icing it again this morning after our morning long run. 

Still unable to really lock into a good pace for the workout portion of these long runs. A portion of that is probably due to no water or gels, ala McMillan. Also seems like my form and/or foot strike is compensating for my bum ankle. I'd hope the ankle is about healed so that won't be an issue next sunday when our long run is back out in the hills of Percy Warner Park. 

2,000 miles

Isn't going to happen this year. 2008 was the first year my annual mileage was greater than 2,000. Kept it above 2,000 for the next 3 years. For 2012, I'll still get close, right around 1,800. All of the numbers are here. I've switched running logs. I have been using Running2Win for the last 5-6 years. I've switched to RunningAhead.

Started a new cycle this week, in the build up to make another run at a sub 3:00 marathon in the spring. This time I'll be following FM and the other fast guys. They're training for a half marathon in February and then a marathon cycle for Boston. All of these guys are capable of sub 3:00, though only one has done so, so far. Think we're following the same plan FM coached them to some half marathon PR's this fall. They haven't lost much fitness. I've got a ways to go to catch back up.

State of the fat ass

I had every intention of letting the annual Fat Ass 50k retire this year. Couple of different reasons. For one I didn't know if I would be off on New Years day. More importantly were other little things. Like the liability issue, but is is unofficial so no worries, right? Really hadn't been a concern until I found out that a couple of runners climbed over the train that had stopped on the tracks over by East Main. Thought I'd been clear in years past that a cut through was under the tracks. Also we had the one year with the rain that caused the river to rise so quickly that the path along the greenway wasn't even passable. (or so everyone thought, except for a couple of brave foolish souls).

Ideally I'd like to stage this event on a trail.Ultra's are meant to be run on soft surfaces. Nothing close in Murfreesboro, so that pretty well is out the window. Also, would be nice to have a location that was more beer friendly. Not that location has every stopped me from enjoying a beer. I can always be counted on to have a beer on hand for the end of most of my athletic endeavors. It would be nice to sit around a fire and enjoy a beer, post run.

What kind of event is it if the race director doesn't finish the distance? I've only finished 3 of the 6 years. Guess that's another fact of this kind of event. Do one loop, two loops or run 33 miles because it's your birthday. The things that appealed to me from the first fat ass, still hold true. No times, no aid, no shirts, no whining. Probably could get more participation if we had a t-shirt or timed the event. I don't plan on either.

I'll be back out Tuesday morning 8 am to run. I don't plan on messing with a generator this year. Even though the pavillion has an outlet, no coffee or chicken dumplings. I'm only bringing a case of water and a case of gatorade.

Carrots in the wind

I've been accused of being an ass.

Saturday is the one day in the week, where I sleep in. (5:30 am for anyone who pays attention to that sort of stuff) I usually drive the two miles to the closest greenway trailhead to get in my run. Hate to drive the car such a short distance, occasionally I've ridden my bike or run from the house if its a long run day. It's the one run during the week when I can run with my MP3 player and not have to worry about cars. Bright blue sky and temps in the low 40's, nice to be able to wear shorts in December.

Sunday was a repeat of Saturday with starting temps in the low 50's at 6 am when I started out with the fast guys for an easy long run of 14 miles. We ran the St. John's loop, flat for 2 miles, rolling hills for the next 10 miles and then another flat 2 miles home. Started out with a long sleeve tech shirt with a singlet underneath because I thought the wind would make the low 50's seem chilly. Wrongo. I pulled off the long sleeve after 2 miles and wore the singlet. Funny how a steady wind in the 50's is just annoying. Another couple of months and that kind of wind with temps in the 20's or 30's is going to be uncomfortable.

Finally making a little bit of head way in training. Almost able to keep up with the fast guys for half of our easy long run. Good to have them pulling me along for the early miles and me trying to hang with them on the ups. Based on my most recent race, the Murfreesboro Half marathon, my VDOT is 46. (won't count the monkey as a race) I'd say its probably gone up at least one level in the last week or two. Still nowhere near the 51 I've had in the past. Average pace for the run, 7:57. Not quite the 7:30 or so from days gone by, but getting there.