Really enjoying the mild summer temperatures, the rain not so much. Usually by this time of the year my yard would be scorched and only need mowing every other weekend. This summer it's out of control after a week. Does make for some great wildflowers on the long run. Everything is super green.
Sunday's long run was the second day with temps in the low 60's. Incredible for summer time in Middle Tennessee. Even the humidity was down, or maybe it was the slight breeze. Either way, great morning for a 12 mile run. BQ1 picked the route to avoid hills, no real climbs just a few rolls. Really hard to hold back the pace on the run. Did run a mile at around old marathon pace, just to catch the fast guys in the last mile home. 7:04 pace and it felt really comfortable. Think that's the pace I'll target going forward for T pace.
Runs like sunday, really make me think a sub 3:00 is still possible. Long shot, definitely but still a realistic goal. Short term goal is to attempt the Harpeth Hills Flying Monkey lottery. Still would like to run a 3:30 on that course. If that doesn't pan out, maybe another sub 3:00 attempt at Rocket City.
No track work in the week ahead. Just 2 workouts at T pace. Tuesday will be 4 x 1 mile at T pace with 3 minute recovery. Friday will be 40 minutes of adjusted T pace, the same workout I did last Friday. The pace continues to come down. Two weeks ago it was at 7:11 pace, this past week 7:06 pace. The big difference in this Jack Daniels stuff versus McMillan is the length of the workout. Jack never really seems to go past about 40 minutes of work, McMillan went up to about 1 hour and 15 minutes worth, in 10 minute increments. I"m still stuck in the past, everyone else is doing Pfitz or Hanson or the other latest marathon plan of the week. Old dog, new tricks and all.
Also need to start increasing the distance of the long runs. The past couple of weeks have been 12 milers. No need for water at that distance or gels or even a Succeed cap with the low temps. Did a couple of 14 milers in June. I needed the water and succeed in the heat. I'd like to get up to about 15 miles without the need for water or succeed, if the temperatures cooperate.
Monday, July 29, 2013
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
Time trial
Did a time trial this morning. Don't think I've ever done one in the past. Didn't really care to do one this time, but what the hell. Figured it would be a good check of the work in the last 6 weeks. Big plus would be someone to chase after. I had two rabbits in front to chase. The first youngster, no way in hell I could keep up with him. But, BQ2 damn sure thought I'd be able to hang with him, maybe even beat him.
It wasn't even close. I'd driven in on the road we would be doing the mile and a half time trail. Thought I'd be smart and pick out some land marks to break the distance up in to equal segments. My plan was to try and stay on his shoulder. That didn't last 20 yards. Next plan was to keep a manageable gap to try and close on the back stretch. That was an even bigger pipe dream. Ended up with a 9:57 for the distance and about 50 seconds behind BQ2. It wasn't even a race. Shit, I've run faster tempo runs than that. It equates out to a 47 VDOT. The same *&^%$ number I started with 6 weeks ago.
Thought I'd pretty much laid everything out there. Even wore the heart rate monitor to see what would happen. Strangely the numbers are almost exactly the same as the 5 mile worth of T pace work from last week. That was at an average pace of 7:12. Old age is taking its toll. Oh, I did decide short distances suck. I'm a marathon guy.
It wasn't even close. I'd driven in on the road we would be doing the mile and a half time trail. Thought I'd be smart and pick out some land marks to break the distance up in to equal segments. My plan was to try and stay on his shoulder. That didn't last 20 yards. Next plan was to keep a manageable gap to try and close on the back stretch. That was an even bigger pipe dream. Ended up with a 9:57 for the distance and about 50 seconds behind BQ2. It wasn't even a race. Shit, I've run faster tempo runs than that. It equates out to a 47 VDOT. The same *&^%$ number I started with 6 weeks ago.
Thought I'd pretty much laid everything out there. Even wore the heart rate monitor to see what would happen. Strangely the numbers are almost exactly the same as the 5 mile worth of T pace work from last week. That was at an average pace of 7:12. Old age is taking its toll. Oh, I did decide short distances suck. I'm a marathon guy.
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
Diggin' Jack
Jack workouts are coming around. Think this is week number 5 for the track workouts from the Jack plan. This mornings workout was 200 meters with a 200 meter recovery another 200 meters with 400 meter recovery and then 800 meters with a 400 meter recovery. Repeat 4 times.
Thought my fitness had improved enough to adjust my paces, but this workout confirmed I'm still not quite ready. The steady state runs are getting easier. The factor that really still impacts the workout is the temperature and humidity. No break from it this morning. 74 degrees and very humid. Paces came in where they should. Well except for the last 800 meters, my big toe was sore in the first 100 meters. Slowed the pace and completed the repeat. Hindsight probably dumb, but no harm.
Mileage has been in the mid 50's for the last eight weeks, with only a one week dip into the 40's when I took a couple of days off. Started another streak after that break. Still not committed to any attempt for a long term streak. Because, after all running streaks are stupid and selfish.
Really need to convince someone else to do these workouts so they can decipher some of the workouts. I've changed some of the steady state/T pace/whatever workouts to simplify the day. Last week it was 3 miles worth of work right around old marathon pace, just because I'd need to have the workout written out on paper to know what to do next. Plus it was hot. Kinda hard to pull off at 0' dark thirty in the morning before the sun is up.
I have started to take a Succeed cap before the track workout if the temps are above 70 degrees. This morning I also ate a banana. That's a first, usually it's only one cup of black coffee before every run. Only exception is on long runs. Anything over 12 miles and I'll eat a pop tart before the run. Stopped taking water on the long runs. Don't plan on doing any runs over 12 miles for a month or more any way. Seems to work well to teach the body it can do without water for the shorter distances. Not quite up to the daily 10 miles, but getting close.
Can't believe its July and I haven't even been on the bike yet. Gotta give that bike rider who shall remain unnamed credit for my distaste with cycling. Love to watch the Tour de France every year. Started looking for the channel on my tv almost 2 weeks ago. I'll guess it's only on one channel on a weekend wrap up show at some odd hour when no other "real" sporting events are being televised. Sad that one loser can leave such a disgust with the sport. Guess us Americans got spoiled with the daily live coverage and the nightly recaps in high definition. Can't blame the tv exec's, cycling was never enjoyed by the masses in America. Only got to a marketable level when the media made a promising rider into the all American dream. Really that's probably what lead to his downfall. Someone whispering in his ear for one more comeback. He should have just retired.
Thought my fitness had improved enough to adjust my paces, but this workout confirmed I'm still not quite ready. The steady state runs are getting easier. The factor that really still impacts the workout is the temperature and humidity. No break from it this morning. 74 degrees and very humid. Paces came in where they should. Well except for the last 800 meters, my big toe was sore in the first 100 meters. Slowed the pace and completed the repeat. Hindsight probably dumb, but no harm.
Mileage has been in the mid 50's for the last eight weeks, with only a one week dip into the 40's when I took a couple of days off. Started another streak after that break. Still not committed to any attempt for a long term streak. Because, after all running streaks are stupid and selfish.
Really need to convince someone else to do these workouts so they can decipher some of the workouts. I've changed some of the steady state/T pace/whatever workouts to simplify the day. Last week it was 3 miles worth of work right around old marathon pace, just because I'd need to have the workout written out on paper to know what to do next. Plus it was hot. Kinda hard to pull off at 0' dark thirty in the morning before the sun is up.
I have started to take a Succeed cap before the track workout if the temps are above 70 degrees. This morning I also ate a banana. That's a first, usually it's only one cup of black coffee before every run. Only exception is on long runs. Anything over 12 miles and I'll eat a pop tart before the run. Stopped taking water on the long runs. Don't plan on doing any runs over 12 miles for a month or more any way. Seems to work well to teach the body it can do without water for the shorter distances. Not quite up to the daily 10 miles, but getting close.
Can't believe its July and I haven't even been on the bike yet. Gotta give that bike rider who shall remain unnamed credit for my distaste with cycling. Love to watch the Tour de France every year. Started looking for the channel on my tv almost 2 weeks ago. I'll guess it's only on one channel on a weekend wrap up show at some odd hour when no other "real" sporting events are being televised. Sad that one loser can leave such a disgust with the sport. Guess us Americans got spoiled with the daily live coverage and the nightly recaps in high definition. Can't blame the tv exec's, cycling was never enjoyed by the masses in America. Only got to a marketable level when the media made a promising rider into the all American dream. Really that's probably what lead to his downfall. Someone whispering in his ear for one more comeback. He should have just retired.
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