Inspirational Words

I was fortunate enough to read a blog post from David Goggins. David Goggins is a Navy SEAL who has taken to running ultra-marathon events in support of charities. He was one of the "Heroes of Running" for Runner's World last year. In his post he discusses an experience in which he sees the look of defeat in the eyes of another man. Goggins says, "everybody comes to a point in there [sic] life when they want to quit. But it's about what you do at that moment that determines who you are."

This quote rings true with so much of what I believe about life. Last year, when I registered for the Denver Marathon, the application form asked "Why do you run?" My response was that "I run because it is not easy." People will always try to sell you the old lie, that by doing something you will make your life easy. In fact this lie will rob you of life itself, for in moments of pain and in trials exists the true joy of life. Work is not easy. Friendships are not easy. Parenting is not easy. Love is not easy. Walking with Christ is not easy! Rejoice in trial, and who you really are will be brought to light!

I will not die but live, and will proclaim what the LORD has done. The LORD has chastened me severely, but he has not given me over to death -- Ps. 118:17,18

Cooperative Weather

Well so far this year the weather has been extremely cooperative. We have had fronts move through every once in a while, but they have mostly been confined to the early parts of the week, allowing the snow to mostly melt by the weekend. As a result, marathon training is in full "gear-up" mode with a 14 miler last weekend and 16 miles this weekend. Since last year I have dropped my long run pace significantly, and my intervals/tempo paces have dropped too. I hope to keep these paces around where they are now as I ramp back up the mileage, but so far things are feeling pretty good with two 50 mile weeks down already. The big task now is to not gear up too quickly and peak too early, I'm trying to keep the mileage out of the 60s until I hit March. I am also considering a tune up race in April. I was looking for a half marathon 4 to 6 weeks out from the marathon that I could use as a hard race test. I found one today that looks interesting, so I have updated my links on the left.

I think I'm far enough down the road now that I will be able to finish the training necessary for a spring marathon. If the weather is crappy for the early long runs it starts to get to the point where you don't want to bother with it. But once you make the investment in a few 2+ hour runs, it's harder for the weather to throw you off your game. I have also come to embrace the treadmill this year, with my speedwork and tempo runs being done on it exclusively. Unlike the track, where my body can slow down as it gets tired, the treadmill does not care about my weakness. If I set it to a 6:05 pace, it will continue in that fashion until I finish my interval or I fall off. That can be a good motivational technique.

Dizzy World!

Yes, the rumors are true. I am registered for what will likely be the most expensive marathon that I ever plan to not run competitively. Seriously, the price of the Disney World Marathon is up there with Boston and New York! This year "Goofy's Challenge" (run both the half and the full marathon for an extra medal), is priced at $40 more than the price of the individual events combined. It used to be that it was called Goofy's Challenge because you had to be a little goofy to attempt it. Now you'd have to be goofy to pay for it!

Regardless of the price, however, this will be a fun marathon. I don't plan to run this too hard as I want to soak in the sights and sounds of the Disney experience. My goal for this race is 3:30, but depending on the fall training that may change slightly. If the goal of this race can keep me from putting on the pounds during the holidays then that would be mission accomplished as well. The other reason that this will be a fun time is that I will be able to watch Melissa run the day before in the half-marathon. This will be quite the family affair!

Marathon Training?

On the heels of my last post, expressing my interest in more racing this year, I can report that I have begun marathon training again...sortof. I'm eyeing the Ft. Collins Marathon, which runs down the Poudre Canyon into Ft. Collins. I wasn't really thinking about a spring marathon, but a friend brought it to my attention and it looks like a scenic course, that's still fairly close to home. I have not yet registered though, so plans may change if the weather takes a turn for the worse, or if the marathon fills up.

My training kicked off this week with a couple of speedwork sessions on the treadmill. While treadmill running for long distances can get dull, for speedwork it's actually quite useful. I can set the pace I want to train at, and the treadmill will not let me slow down unless I give in and hit the "slow button". That doesn't make it any easier to run, however, and I found myself struggling with the workouts without any recent speedwork to build off. Consistency will help with that of course, along with the new core strength workouts I have been incorporating. My hope is that coming into a 16 week program fresh off a nice break will help prevent the burnout that I experienced last year.

In closing I'd like to include this quote, which I think sums up a lot. It is from Haile Gebrselassie, the current marathon world record holder (2:03:59), and is his response to an inquiry about how a global financial crisis might affect future corporate sponsorship of marathons.

"People always ask why I’m smiling. Well I’m in business, I’m also suffering, but I’m happy, because I run." - Haile Gebrselassie

What's to say?

I had all the good intentions of posting a wrap-up of 2008, but it just sounded cheesy to me. A little too much like patting myself on the back. Besides, 2008 is all in the past now, and what is yet to come is 2009. So perhaps a look ahead to 2009 is a better way to go.

Along that line, I think it is time for a re-arrangement of the blog. It needs a fresh new look, just as I need a fresh new approach to my running. Along the sidebar you will now note that I have removed the milage tracking from two years ago. I keep track of all of my milage now through an online training log, so that's really not necessary. I toyed with the idea of putting my race PRs in the sidebar, but I think that's too much looking back at the past, so instead I have put my goal PRs, which may or may not be achieved this year. Since the blog has become more about running than it's scotch tasting beginnings I thought about changing the name, but I realized that uisge beatha (water of life) has much more significance in my life now than it ever did before. So the name stays. So now that the blog represents more of where I am going, I should summarize some of that in this post.

It's time to get serious! I know many of you (two) may be thinking "Where was I for not serious?" But in reality my training these past years has not benefitted from significant direction. It has been fun, but not necessarily beneficial. Running long miles at a slow pace has built the base that I need to improve, but now it's time to get more consistent with my speedwork. Having an idea of what each workout is supposed to accomplish before I head out is key, as well as thinking about what I can best accomplish in the time that I have to train. I want to get faster, and that will not come through anything but hard work.

In that same vein, I think that cross-training is going to be the most significant thing to add to my training this year. Incorporating core strength exercises at least a couple of times a week will be important for my improvement. I am also hoping to increase my flexibility, which I hope will help keep me running injury free. In short, I actually hope to run fewer miles this year, but expand the number of workouts. After all, I'm not getting any younger, despite how I feel.

The final element to my running I believe comes through fellowship. Some of my running buddies are moving into new stages in their lives, which will mean fewer opportunities to run together. But those relationships will be strengthened through the time that we are able to spend together. Also, the door is opened for new running partners, and I hope to be able to continue to inspire and encourage others through those avenues. Finally, I hope to run more this year with my family. The taste I had last year of training with my wife (As Fast As My Feet Will Carry Me) with the kids in the joggy stroller was enough to leave me wanting more.

I cannot help but notice the parallels that my running life has with my walk with God. In both cases I find myself having to ask the same question, "What are you really doing?" Are you coasting through this life, or are you seizing it? Are you adequately preparing yourself for the challenges ahead? How can you help others to fulfill their potential? These are questions I need to consistently ask myself both as a runner and as a follower of Christ.

To summarize my goals for the future I'll use one word: quality. More quality time in training, more quality time in relationships, and most importantly more quality time with God. To do otherwise would be selling this life short.

The Big Day

Well a lot has happened since my last post. The hard month of training I had planned for September did not really materialize, I injured my ankle and missed out on a couple of weeks of speedwork and tempo runs. But I was able to keep at it and finished up the training program strong. I'm still feeling a little sick of running, but not as bad as it was at the beginning of September. A week or two off now and I'll probably be itching to get back at it.


Today was the day of the big race, my "A" race for the year. The weather for the Denver marathon this year was the polar opposite of last year, with temperatures at the race start in the 50s and mid 60s for the finish. It was maybe a little too hot for a fast run, but I did not really feel the temperature as a problem. My race started off strong, with mile splits in the 7:20 range. This put me right where I wanted to be for my finishing time, which I hoped would be in the 3:15-3:20 range. At 10 miles I was still feeling pretty good, so I reevaluated my pace and decided I could push a little harder to get closer to 3:10 (the coveted Boston qualification time). I was able to drop my splits into the low 7's for a few miles, but by mile 17 it was apparent that I just didn't have it in me today. I kept pushing hard, but my miles slowed to 7:30s and then to 8 minutes by mile 20. I crossed the 20 mile mark in 2:27, so I knew that if I could keep it together and run around 45 minutes for the last 10k I'd be flying. The thought that I had less than an hour to go kept me going but by mile 22 it was apparent that I was bonking hard (running out of energy during a marathon, usually the wall comes around 22 when all of the glycogen stores have been used up). My legs felt like cement, and I just concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other for the next 4 miles. I ended up crossing the finish in 3:20, a personal best by 12 minutes! So despite the struggle at the finish I am happy, I went out to leave it all out there on the course and I did. I think with better pacing I could have hit the 3:15, but I am happier with the experience I gained out of this race. I think the Boston qualifying time is possible in the next few years, with hard training and a flatter, faster course, but at this point I am somewhat relieved as I wasn't even sure I could afford to run Boston this year.


With that race, my hard training is over for the year I think. I may try a 5k again this winter, but the main goal is just to hit 2008 miles this year (I'm at 1857 now). Next year perhaps a half-marathon is in the cards. I realize this year just how long the marathon really is, it is an unforgiving race that can humble even the best trained athletes. Usually when I start the race I question briefly why I have signed up for such suffering, a thought that is easily dismissed in the early miles. But by the time 20 miles rolls around, you are really questioning the sanity of such a decision. Unfortunately, by then it is too late to turn back.


The highlight of the experience this year was having my parents here to cheer me on. This is the first time they have seen me race and I am happy that they got to experience the true test of my abilities: the marathon. I was not looking very pretty as I struggled to the finish line, and so they got to see the sacrifice of the sport for what it is. Seeing them cheering me on as I raced for the finish line was truly a blessing, and I hope that they will be able to join me for more races in the future.


I will close this lengthy post with the reason that I run, which was part of the race application form: I run because it's not easy. A simple statement of a simple truth. When I am out there giving it my all I am not coasting through life, I am living it. The pain I feel is a confirmation that I am alive, and that my body can accomplish great things with hard work and perseverance. Running is hard because it is supposed to be hard.

2008 in '08

Well this week I crossed the 1500 mile mark for the year, so barring injury (which is always a possibility) I should be able to begin the countdown to the goal of running 2008 miles in the year 2008. 494 miles to go, and with me likely covering 250 miles in September I should be able to bring in the rest in the final three months of the year


I should give an update on marathon training as well I suppose. After tomorrow's 18 miles I will have only 4 more weeks of serious training before the taper begins. That should be perfect because as of now my running is improving significantly. I have been consistent in my speedwork, with intervals every Tuesday and tempo every Thursday, and my Saturday long runs have been good as well, with the first 20 passing last week fairly smoothly. My interval pace is down in the low 6 min/mile range now, tempos are around 7 min/mile for 9+ miles, and my easy pace has dropped to the low 8s. I really think that a 3:10 is possible now, but you never know what race day will bring.


Lest anyone reading this thinks I am bragging, all this boasting is mostly for my benefit. I have been training hard (60 plus miles per week) for 7 weeks now, with a whole summer of significant base building (over 50 miles a week). My speed workouts on Tuesday and Thursday mean that my legs ache every single day of the week, and frankly I'm a little sick of running. That, coupled with the fact that my running buddies are already tapering for their "A" races, means that motivating myself to get out the door can be challenging at times. But the thought of possibly qualifying for Boston, and the fact that this will be the first race my parents get to see me run, drives me on.


So really what's 4 more weeks of 250 miles when I've come so far already?

Officially Out of Control

Well, it's official, my running is out of control. Wednesday was bike to work day here, and in honor of the day, I decided to commute to work in a more "earth friendly" manner. Unfortunately, I do not own a bike, so the only remaining option was to run the 15 miles to work. I left the house at 7 am and arrived at work at 9, not bad considering I got sidetracked a few times along the way. I got a free bagel and coffee out of it, so I didn't come away empty handed. Needless to say you would think that that would be it for the day, but when a friend suggested an easy 6 miles I couldn't turn him down. Like I said, out of control.


The end result of this is that I am piling the miles on, so I broke 1000 miles for the year during my run to work. It's also put a lot of miles on my shoes, so when I found out last week that I had been selected as a shoe wear tester I was really excited. That gives me a "free" pair of shoes to wear for the next month and a half, taking some of the pressure off of my Brooks shoes. Note that "free" above is in quotation marks as the fee for the wear test is my sole...of my foot. For the past week I have been battling a very nasty blister as a result of the shoe change. I don't want any loafer feet anyway!

My 15 minutes...

CBS 4 Bolder Boulder Slideshow

Light it up!

In perfect, 52 degree, partly cloudy conditions, I crushed the Bolder Boulder.

• Mile 1 - 6:36.93


• Mile 2 - 6:51.55


• Mile 3 - 6:57.32


• Mile 4 - 6:49.75


• Mile 5 - 6:42.58


• Mile 6 - 6:55.69


• Final - 42:19.21

I came in 25th in my age group out of 442 runners!

For those of you who may or may not have been keeping track, this represents a 4 minute improvement over last year's results!

Weird, and a little creepy

www.athlinks.com



John 4:29

Overstepped my limits

It has been a while since I had a run where at the end of it I was ready to cry "uncle". Today was one of those.

Melissa had to run 9 miles today, which happens to be the distance around the Cherry Creek reservoir if you drive into the park and run from one of the parking lots. So I suggested that she run that run rather than the usual "Wash Park" run. It must have appealed to her more than 4 loops around the park so she took me up on it, really I had only half-heartedly suggested it. I remember not-so-fondly the days of my first marathon training when I had decided to run a long loop and ended up 5 miles from nowhere with nothing left in the tank. On some level I want to "rescue" Melissa from those kind of runs. But I realize that most times those are the runs that make you a better runner. They give you something to fall back on when you are hating life, and you think "well, it can't be worse than such-and-such a day".

Ironically enough, Melissa made out great on her run, while I ended up being the one craving rescue. For most of Melissa's runs I have pushed the double jogging stroller around Wash park, acting as child wagon/support vehicle. I can usually cover 11-12 miles on these runs and I can lay down a wicked pace while doing so. So today I was buoyed up by this confidence and I decided to run out to my 20 mile turnaround point. Without the trip to the parking lot outside of the state park this is a 15 mile circuit and I decided that it was doable in the time Melissa had alloted for her run. I also figured by doing this, that I would end up coming up behind Melissa in the end of her run and be able to offer some encouragement.

So I set about to running, taking a nice easy pace and keeping a relaxed posture on the stroller. I knew there were some hills to contend with and I wanted to make sure I had enough energy to finish. I kept a positive attitude and made it all the way out to my turnaround point (mostly downhill) with no problems. Unfortunately it was then that I realized how tired I was already and how many hills I had left to face me on the return trip. From there it became an attempt to keep putting one foot in front of the other, and tackle each hill one at a time. Finally I reached the top of what I knew was the last hill and I knew that I was going to be able to finish, even if it was slow. Finally I reached the car and was relieved to find Melissa there already and in good spirits. Within a few minutes of realizing that I was done pushing (for it could barely be called running at that point) I was able to regain most of my posture and finish up my day.

Lessons learned: I now have a much greater appreciation for Team Hoyt, pushing a vehicle is not a huge deal on level ground, but is vastly more difficult on hilly terrain. Also, legs can be well trained for endurance, but any chinks in the armor (core, arms, shoulders) can bring you down over the long haul. Finally, kids, while heavy, are great companions and can talk you through some hard times.

I know it has been a while since I blogged, but I have not really had any particularly memorable runs. My mileage has been pretty good, pushing 40+ miles per week for a while now, and building a good strong base to build off for the year. I just broke through 500 miles for the year (which last year did not happen until May), and I'm ready to be building in speedwork to prepare for the races to come.

Go Gadget Go!

I have a new toy to play with on my runs now. A friend of mine bought a new heart rate monitor on Cragslist so he gave me his slightly used one. Now I can monitor my heart rate as I exercise and try to hit the target zones optimal for training. Yesterday it was very icy out so I opted to hit the gym and give the new gadget a try. I did impromptu speedwork, with a mile of warmup, followed by 3 miles of 2 laps hard, 1 lap recovery, and then another mile cooldown. During the speedwork session I was well into the 80-100% max heart rate that is optimal for speed training. My average for the session was 155 bpm, and max was 188. The max is actually only 2 bpm less than my maximum heart rate which is determined solely by my age. While I was working hard, it was certainly not an all out effort, so I suspect that my max heart rate is actually a little higher than 190.


It was nice getting out of the cold as all of my runs this week have been in the snow, which is really pretty, but adds another element to the workout. My quads have been sore since Wednesday!

Pictures are up

You can see me struggling through the last 100 yards of the Colder Bolder on Sunday.



eventpictures.com



Boy do I look warm!

It's Colder in Boulder

Today I ran the Colder Bolder invitational race in Boulder. It's a 5K race, but it is different in that you qualify for your wave based on your finishing time for the Bolder Boulder. That means that you are racing against people who are roughly the same speed as you, and if you have made significant fitness gains over the past year you have a chance to "win" your wave. My wave was the 46 minute invitational, and it had maybe 20 people racing in it. We all toed the line and with a blast from an air horn we were all off. Based off of the success of my speedwork this year my plan was to stick with the front of the pack for the race and either place in the top three, or get pulled along to a fast time. By the first half mile I was in the first 5 or 6 people, and the leader was setting a pretty fast pace. At the first (and only) mile marker we had set a 6:20 pace, but the leader could not hold on and fell back to be replaced by someone else. It was at this point that I moved into third place, hoping to hold on as well as I could. We hit a decent hill though, with a stiff headwind and it took a lot out of me, so I knew that it was only a matter of time before I was reeled in by someone who had paced themselves a bit better. Eventually I was passed by a guy who I swear must have been twice my height and was taking one stride to my two, and then finally by another guy who I had been neck-in-neck with for most of the race. I finished 5th in my wave in 21:02 (according to my watch). I felt a little bad having missed the "podium" by just 30 seconds or so, and the prize was a stuffed macaroni penguin (which Elijah has come to recognize from Diego). It would have been nice to bring back such a prize to Elijah, but I just have to be satisfied with a ripping fast PR (personal record) in the 5K.

Technical Difficulties

Well after almost a month here I am again. I have been consistent in updating my milage on the right, but posting has been difficult due to my computer being in for repairs. I've been running fairly consistently during the week lately, but the weekends have been difficult to get my runs in. Especially with preparing for Thanksgiving and the holidays. I went out today with a friend of mine for 8 miles through the trails of Cherry Creek. It was fun to run through the trees and enjoy what little snow was remaining from this weeks storms. You gotta love Colorado!

I'm still running!

I haven't had enough time to blog so I need to do a little bit of catching up. My trip to California was good, with a great wedding and a bunch of great running. The best part was a 12 mile trail run in Laguna beach, which I was happy to be able to complete just 2 weeks after the marathon. Mostly I have been easing back into regular running, trying to have a little fun in the process. Yesterday I hit the Mesa trail hard and was cranking up and down the hills, a great aerobic workout. Coupled with today's tempo run, that makes for a tired boy. But it hardly felt like work with the sun just disappearing behind the flatirons and the Boulder valley laid out before me.

The morning after

Well this week has been pretty laid back as I recover from the marathon. Monday I was pretty sore and I got hit with a cold pretty bad. Miles had been fighting one for a while so I'm happy it held off until after the big day. By Wednesday the soreness had subsided so I ventured out to the gym for some "no-impact" stationary bike riding. Friday I got a chance to hit the pool, and then today was my first run. I only went 5 miles, which didn't feel too bad, but my calves were kind of tight, I think partly due to the swim yesterday. Next week I'll be back into a semi-normal schedule, with daily runs and swimming where I can fit it in. I'm off to California on Thursday though, so I'll have to find time for some running "on-the-road."



By the way, my pictures are online at Brightroom, but there are only two and neither is what I was hoping for. I was wearing bib number 1457.

Twenty-Six Point Two!

I crushed the marathon today, crossing the line with 3:32:45 on the clock. We'll see what the chip time gives me.



The Denver Marathon was a class act all the way, everything ran like clockwork and the gatorade stations were plentiful. It would be great to see this race at the top of the list along with Boston, New York and Chicago. Even with the rain there were lots of spectators lining the course from start to finish. They are the real heroes of the day, the runners are running and generating heat, the spectators just get cold and wet.



Melissa, Elijah and Miles were all at the finish to welcome me back and it was wonderful to see the support that my family offers me. As I ran through the rain I thought many times how others must think I am crazy to want to do this. But the love and support of my wonderful wife and children are there regardless.



Update: My chip time is up and my time for the race was 3:32:09!! I came in 188 out of a field of 1563.

Tomorrow's the day

I picked up my race packet yesterday and so far I am impressed with the quality of the race. Of particular note are the Saturn cowbells for spectators, and the race bib, which has my name written on it! Being downtown yesterday with all the runners around brought me right back to the energy of the race last year. This year I am much better prepared and have a lot more confidence in the distance. In addition, having the race in my own backyard helps me to keep my routine pretty stable in these final days. The only monkey wrench in the works this year is the 70% chance of rain for tomorrow morning. I don't think it will be a factor once I get running and warmed up, but standing at the start line will not be pleasant with rain coming down. But with 4 plus months of training and $100 race fee on the line I will just have to make the best of it. Anything is better than what happened with the Chicago marathon last week!



Also of note, I'm not sure if anyone has been paying attention to the milage total on the sidebar here, but I will break 1500 miles for the year in the first few miles of the marathon.

The last week

Only one more week until the marathon! The taper is going well, I am down to 38.5 miles this week from 57 during training. Today's 11 mile run seemed like I was just getting warmed up. With a laid back week coming up I just have to rest up for next Sunday. Carbo loading is in order this week as well, gotta love carbs!

September flies

Well September has gone by so quickly I barely knew it was there. With 232 miles for the month it has been a lot of hard training. But with winding down now all that is left is to await the marathon and let the training pay off. I realized today that I am really excited about seeing what I can do come race day.


My 14 miles today was nice, I ran it hard enough for it to be challenging, but being done in just 2 hours is a treat. The flies today were particularly bad though and I had several fly into my eyes, nose or mouth. It was the last thing I was expecting as all night the wind was really bad. So I was going into the run expecting a stiff headwind, and all I got was a light breeze, not enough to knock down the flies. I did have a pretty close encounter with some mule deer. Some young ones were out with their mothers and they let me get pretty close before bounding off into the brush. They and I were the only ones out at 6:30 before the sunrise.

Flying!

I was rockin' today for my 18 mile run. I finished it in 2:32:53 which is an 8:30 min/mile pace overall. It was not too hard of an effort so I think I am going to shoot for a 3:40 marathon time. This was my last "long" run of the marathon training, so now begins my three week taper. I am going to keep my mileage for the week about the same, just backing off on intensity and long run distance. Speedwork is still essential, however.

Five by Four

Did my third 20 mile run today for this training schedule and as a confidence booster this one was tops. I finished strong, right at marathon race pace, and I felt like I could go for more. I am feeling great and ready for the challenge ahead. I am four weeks out from the race and I have not yet decided if I will do one more 20 next week or not. At the moment I'm leaning toward 18 next week before heading into my taper.


This week was good but I am feeling pretty sore after all the workouts I did. I don't think I did any workouts at more than 8:30 pace, so my easy pace has certainly picked up. The worst workout I had was Wednesday, coming off a tough workout late the night before. My schedule this week made it difficult to fit in my runs, but I managed to do it. Next week should be a little more laid back.

16's feeling good

I capped off this week of 54 miles with a nice 16 this morning. I have to say it felt like almost nothing to crank through the miles, which is another indication that my training is going well. My speedwork this week was awesome as well as I pushed through 10x800m repeats at 7:00 pace. Next week is going to be a big one as I am going to have to fit my running into a pretty hectic work schedule. That and 20 miles again next Saturday.


I am pretty happy today as I managed to find my shoes at a great price this morning at Southlands. I had been looking into a new pair online for a while now and had been coming up empty handed at the usual places. I had almost resigned myself to the fact that I might have to pay "full price" for a new pair. But with today's purchase I am happy that I will be able to run the marathon on fairly fresh shoes. I will likely swap them into the rotation for the long runs so that they do not have too many miles on them for the big day. I must admit I am lucky to have a wife that understands my shoe collection, with this pair I will have three pairs of identical shoes in the running rotation.

Let me explain...

No there is too much, let me sum up. This was a great week of running for me, 4x1600m at the track on Monday I was hitting at sub-7:00 pace, then running in Boulder on Tuesday I ended up meeting someone new who was using my pace for a tempo run. We had a nice chat before heading out separate ways, and I thought it was funny someone running with me the way I run with Todd. Wednesday I took an extra "rest" day and just did a short run in the evening. This proved to be a great decision as I was fired up for my runs for the rest of the week. Today I finished up another 20, this time with Jake and over the "hilly" reservoir circuit. It was a little slower than my last one, but we still finished strong, at marathon race pace, and I made it through the whole distance without having to use an energy gel. This was a mental victory for me, as I now have more confidence in the way my muscles run into glycogen deficiency. With my extra rest day it was only 51 miles this week, but I really feel like I needed the break and I wasn't dropping a "quality" workout. I have been careful to be flexible in my training, while listening to what my body is telling me and I think this is why I have been so successful this year. I am in the best shape of my life right now and I am feeling strong and ready for the marathon. Just 6 weeks left!

Well that could have been worse.

Today was the first day in a long time that I woke up and did not really want to do my long run. Last night I was up until 2 with noisy neighbors and an overactive brain, so when I saw the clock read 4:56, I was not happy to be rolling out of bed. But I knew I had to get to it and I knew that Jake would be waiting for me at 6:15. So I went through the motions and got out the door on time.


When Jake arrived we greeted each other with lackluster enthusiasm as it turns out Jake's night had not been much better. Once we started running and chatting we got into it pretty quickly. By the time we got to 14 miles or so we were both feeling it, but agreed that things could have been much worse given our preparation. We hammered out the last of our 18 and were happy to be done.


I'm ready for my rest day tomorrow, this marks the 4th week in a row of 55+ miles.

Great Workout

I've had some great workouts this week, but today's was awesome. 16 miles and we really pushed the pace at the end. Our last 2.5 miles we did in 19 minutes! With the good banter with Jake and the "shorter" distance the miles really flew by. I must admit having the company for long runs makes it much easier to pass the time. My speedwork this week was really good as well and I am really happy with where my training is. I have a little bit of pain in my lower leg near my ankle, but it doesn't hurt when I run, and I'm chalking it up to the higher mileage. That and the fact that one of my pairs of shoes is almost ready to be retired. I am swapping in the new pair for the majority of my miles now.

Another good week

I put in 56 or so miles this week, with 18 today. It's good, I feel pretty good and I'm building up confidence for the big day. I had company for a change on my long run today. Jake, who will be running the Denver marathon with me, got up early and made it out to join me for the run. It sure was nice having someone to talk to for the 3 hours that it takes to get through the distance.


This week was really busy for me at work so I feel a little drained. But the weekend will do me good and I will be back at it next week with renewed vigor. I'll be going to Boulder next week so it will be nice to get a little run in there to mix it up a bit.

New Year's Resolutions

Well my new year's resolution this year was to run 1000 miles and with my speedwork today I achieved that goal. I guess now I will try to get to 1500 miles by the new year, but I am happy to have had the success I have had this year. Incidentally, I have officially registered for the Denver Marathon, so now I have a reason to train again.

Run to the Mall

This week marked a return to full-time training with 61 miles for the week. Of course part of that was the 20 miles I did today. I decided to mix it up a bit and instead of running around the reservoir I suggested to Melissa that she meet me at the Cherry Creek Peet's for coffee. From our house to the mall along the Cherry Creek trail is 20 miles, so I left home at 6 am and met up with Melissa at 9:30. We timed it perfectly, both arriving at essentially the same time. For me it was a great run, I finished the whole distance without having to take walk breaks and I averaged 9:18 minutes per mile. A few more weeks like that and I will be ready for the marathon.

I've been more careful about what I've been eating this week too. Of course it helps that there is so much fresh fruit on sale at the supermarket. I think I've actually been getting close to getting my daily recommended servings of fruit, which previously I thought was a theoretical impossibility. But what with fruit and yoghurt for breakfast, fruit for lunch and smoothies in the evening I think I'm there. It's tough to make smart snacking choices when you have the "marathon training appetite" but I know that empty calories will not help me to run better the next day.

Another Hurdle

Boy it seems like every week is a new barrier to my training. This week I got sick on Tuesday and was laid up for a couple of days with not much to eat. My run on Thursday was disastrous as a result of my lack of fueling the previous two days, and Friday I felt like I was just getting back into it. So I approached today's long run as flexibly as I could. Originally I planned on taking it a little easier with just a 14 mile loop, but by about 6 miles I was feeling pretty good and I decided to take advantage of the cool overcast weather and go 16. It ended up being a pretty slow run, but I finished the 16 with some gas left at the end. I'll have time to build my speed back up as the training continues as long as there aren't too many more monkey wrenches in the plans.

Getting Serious Again

I have learned that flexibility in a training program is a key to success. That has really been apparent over the past couple of weeks. Trying to fit in long runs and speedwork into a vacation is challenging at best, throw kids into the equation and you might as well kiss your runs good-bye. Then trying to resume a normal schedule and diet once you return takes time, and it takes its toll on running as well. But I managed to roll with it all and by today I feel pretty much back on track. My 18 miles was tough today, but I finished it, and my tempo run on Thursday was right where it should be thanks to Todd's pace-setting. Interestingly enough, the 18 I did today brought my total for the year up to 900 miles, so I should be on track to meet my goal in early August. From there the sky's the limit!

Vacation

Boy I've been out of the loop with this vacation. Although it's nice to have a break from the internet and phone for a few days. I did get in a few runs in California, a bunch of hilly runs and a long run up the PCH. The best run was up Park Ave to Alta Laguna park, a 1000 foot climb in less than 2 miles (the view at the top was breathtaking). It did make me appreciate running in Colorado though, so many roads there have no sidewalks. All in all it was a great trip and a fun time with the kids. Now that I've had a nice break I can concentrate on my training again with renewed vigor.

Happy 4th of July!

Did a run with the kids today in the joggy stroller. It was nice to have the time to go with them. Lately it's been too hot, or I've been going too long for them. Yesterday I did 10 miles in Boulder, with a fair stretch up the canyon. It's relaxing running with the rushing water going by. I'm really looking forward to the running in California!

Whole lotta miles!

Well with today's long run I broke 200 miles for the month of June. I'll break 800 miles for the year early next week! Today's run was really good. I did my 14 mile loop and bested my last time by 2 minutes (2:05:49). I really enjoy that route, but I'm looking forward to running in California in a week. Variety is the spice of life after all and when you are logging 50 miles a week a few new routes wouldn't hurt.

But it's a school night!

We watched "The Prestige" last night even though we aren't usually up for much at night any more. When you are tired at 9:30 and the kids don't go to bed until 8 it's hard to fit movies in on any night, much less weeknights. Still it was an engaging movie and it kept our interest throughout. I found that at times it was hard to follow with all the jumping around, but maybe that's because I was tired. Needless to say I feel like it was missing something, so I should probably try reading the book. I realize now though that movies on work nights are not a good idea, as I did not sleep very well. Elijah slept without the gate last night so I was up half the night thinking that I was hearing him up wandering around. It was worth it in the end though to see the look on his face when he came downstairs on his own in the morning.

Round and Round

I hit the track this morning for a 5x1000m workout. I was shooting for 5K race pace, which should have been about 4:43 for each 1000m, but I ended up hitting much lower than that. My first 1000m was 3:56 and let me say I am far from a sub 20 min 5K. Needless to say the rest of the repeats were much slower in 4:15, 4:16, 4:26 and 4:30. It was pretty hard, but you don't get faster by running slow.

Down and Up

Yesterday I did run, but it was just 6 easy miles so I didn't really have anything to say about it. I'm probably going to start writing only occasionally about my runs as I have started using an online training log that works better than this blog. Unfortunately, it doesn't have all of my previous miles for the year logged, so I'll keep updating the running total (all puns intended) on the right.


Today is my long run day and I must admit I was not convinced I was going to complete the 16 miles I had set out to do. As half the game is always mental this meant I was behind from the start. I feel like this has been a hard week for me as I haven't really caught up after the hard workout on the Mesa Trail on Tuesday. But I figured I would go through the motions and see where I got to. Preparation begins the night before, and I made sure to carb up and keep hydrated before bed. I also laid out all of my running stuff so that it would be ready to go in the morning. This makes it easier to get up at 5, knowing that I just have to roll out of bed and I am practically out the door.


Five o'clock came and I was pretty much awake already. I got up and had a bowl of granola before sunscreening up and getting dressed. I was at the trail head by 6:20. I started the run feeling pretty good and got my first 4 miles done on pace (about 9:15). I kept at it but at around 5.5 miles my legs were starting to feel pretty tired. As I headed down the backside of the dam I calculated my pace again and somehow managed to figure out that I was 5 minutes behind! I was unhappy that I had slowed so much but still I kept going knowing that I would take an energy gel at 8.5 miles that would help out a bit. When I stopped to take the gel I discovered that my key had put a hole in the package and it was leaking all over the pocket in my shorts. I was just about ready to call it the worst run ever. As I headed up the big climb to the top of the dam I started feeling much better. The shot of energy and caffeine was really boosting my spirits and by the time I crested the dam I was ready to bring it on home. My legs still felt tired, but I was there mentally and I knew my training would get me through the rest of the run. By the time I hit 3 miles to go I was ready to kick it up, and I finished the last 2 miles in 8:00, and 7:39. A strong finish to a tough run. Overall it took 2 hours 24 minutes to do the 16 miles, averaging a pace of 9:00, and I can't figure out where that extra 5 minutes came from.

Another Early Morning

I was up at 5 again this morning to do a tempo run from home before work. I knew it would be too hot to get a good workout later in the day. I warmed up for a mile, then did a 5.5 mile loop at tempo pace (ended up being 7:48) and finished up with a mile cool down. With all the hills in our neighborhood though I feel like it was a double workout. Tomorrow will be an easy day, as I prepare for the long run on Saturday. I am hoping to do 16 on Saturday, but we'll see how I feel when the time comes.

Tired Legs

It's been getting really hot lately so I've been trying to get out earlier for my runs. Today I went out at 9 and it was still pretty warm. I was feeling the temperature for sure, although I could have still been seeing the effects of yesterday's trail run. I did not really feel like I was breathing harder but my legs just felt heavy. No aches and pains though, which I think is pretty impressive considering the beating I gave them yesterday. I'm thinking about going out before I leave for work tomorrow as then I am guaranteed cooler temperatures. We'll see how I feel tonight I guess.

I love trail running?

Was that a question? I hit the Mesa trail hard today and succeeded in kicking my own ass all up and down the Flatirons. I felt like I didn't really work hard enough for my track workout yesterday I guess. It was fun though and the time really flies when you are out there. I went approximately 6 miles and it took me 1 hour 14 minutes. That shows you how much the hills affect pace. Todd can do that sort of thing and still push 8 minute miles, I don't even know how he maintains control. I guess practice makes perfect.

Sunrise

I was up at 5 for my run this morning due to my schedule during the day. I hit the track at the local high school for some 800m repeats. Totaled 7.5 miles, but not all of that was speedwork. I got to see the sunrise, which was beautiful, and was back with enough time to get out the door on time for work. Not something I'd like to do everyday but you do what you have to sometimes.


The weekend was great and I spent Father's day hanging out with the kids. Miles seemed to be into golf this weekend so we watched part of the U.S. Open together. Not my idea of riveting action, but hanging out with your son makes it easier.

Out with the boys

That phrase means something completely different than it used to. Miles and Elijah and I all went out for a run this morning. We hit the Cherry Creek reservoir for 12 miles. Miles slept the whole time I think, and Elijah had fun saying "Hi" to all the other runners and cyclists on the trail. We got out early and were done before it got too hot. It's definitely harder with the joggy stroller.

Nice and easy

Did an easy 6 miles today around Bluff Lake. The weather was great, not too hot with lots of sun. I'll be doing my long run early tomorrow to beat the heat though. It's supposed to be in the 90s all weekend! With Father's day on Sunday, I'm guessing I'll be hauling out the charcoal grill for a cookout, and making pancakes. Yum!

Perfect Temp!

Today was awesome weather and we had decided to go for a longer run. We ended up going a little over 10 miles in 90 minutes and had a blast. Tomorrow is supposed to be even nicer, although the temps are coming up steadily. I will have to do my long run early on Saturday for sure.

The Itch

I've got the marathon itch bad! I'm seriously considering running in the Denver Marathon this year in October. I feel like my training is at a level where I'll be able to improve on my previous result, and I think it will be fun to support my "hometown." We'll see how the training goes this summer I suppose, although I'll have to commit at some point. Today I did 7.5 and enjoyed a nice pace for it. Tomorrow the idea is to go a little longer.

It's not so much the heat, it's the humidity

Today a cold front blew in with scattered showers. Even though there was no rain for my run the humidity was way up there and despite temps in the 60s it felt much warmer. I did 7.5 miles around Bluff Lake, doing 8 minute mile tempo for the first 30 minutes and a slower pace for the rest. This afternoon the real rain hit so it's going to be a pretty wet evening, but clearing for tomorrow.

Hot Hot Hot

Today was a hot one, with temps getting up into the 90s. I did my run earlier to beat the heat a little, but it was still in the 80s. It was good though, just had to take it a little slow toward the end. We did 7.5, with a brief jaunt through the trails. We couldn't take the full trail as the stream was pretty high and we could not jump over. Well, that happens I guess.

I was in a triathalon!

Well not really. I did my long run this morning in Cherry Creek State Park and part of my run happened to be a section of the run leg of a triathalon. Fortunately, I was a little ahead of the lead pack so it didn't get too busy on my side of the trail. I ended up doing 14 miles at a perfect long run pace. The whole thing took me 2 hours and 8 minutes, so averaging 9.14 minutes per mile. I had plenty of gas left at the end though and my last 2.5 miles were 8 minute miles. I love that loop, it is perfect length and has some amazing views along the way.

Visitors!

We have visitors from California this weekend so things are pretty exciting around the house. Elijah is happy to have the attention for sure. I had to work and go to the dentist, but I still managed to get in a nice 7.5 miles around Bluff Lake. The lake is really full, which shows how much rain we've had this year. I plan to get in a nice long run tomorrow morning before things get busy, should be fun.

What a difference 20 degrees makes

Yesterday was windy and hot, today was windy and cool. I ran the same 8 mile route as yesterday and it took 2 minutes less than yesterday with less effort. I'm feeling great this week and am happy to be getting my milage back to my training level. I don't know what I'm training for yet, but I'll be ready when I do.

Claritin's my friend

I took a Claritin last night after dinner and today I was reaping the benefits. Despite being incredibly windy and dusty for my run today I had no problem with allergies and for the first day in a month my throat was not itchy. I'm a believer! Despite the wind, today was a really fun run. We were pushing each other on the hills and sprinting to the finish! 8 miles today through the sandy trails.

Stupid Seeds

We did 9 miles today, and with the heat I have to admit it was pretty rough. Plus, to make matters worse all the trees and grass in the area seem to be on some sort of mating spree, and we were dodging fluffies and pollen clouds the whole time. After we were done I had a major allergic reaction, which I am still recovering from. Still it was the longest I've run in a few weeks and it felt good to get out for that long again.

Back at it

After a weekend off (I was digging a trench all day yesterday) I got back into it today with a nice 7.5 miles. It only took me an hour, even though it was late afternoon and it was pretty hot. Tomorrow I hope to get to it earlier in the day when it's cooler.

Boulder Run

I hit the Boulder Creek path yesterday morning for an easy 6 miles before I did the work thing. It was nice, but I ended up making a wrong turn at some point and got a little frustrated trying to find my way. Today was a rest day, and I really enjoyed putting my feet up for a little while. I'll see how I feel tomorrow, but I might try to do a longer run to kick off the week.

Hills

I love running with the boys, but running around the neighborhood is always tough due to the hills. Today I elected to try a different route that would put the big hills at the beginning of the run rather than at the end. It ended up being shorter than I wanted (5 miles) but the hills were pretty tough. I still haven't fully recovered from the race on Monday, so my quads were "moody" all day. Tomorrow I'll be running in Boulder, and I think I'll take the flat route over the really hilly trail run. Then Saturday will be a rest day.

And the time is...

It's official, the times are in from the Bolder Boulder: 46:11! That puts me at an average pace of 7:24 min/mile. I knew that I had padded my watch time on either end a little but twenty seconds was a surprise. I'm really pleased with my time and I know I'll be back next year to try to improve on it.


I did 7.5 miles today at a pretty laid back pace as my legs were still a little achy. By the end of it though I was feeling pretty good. Tomorrow I will venture out with the boys for a nice run while mommy is off at the dentist. Should be a fun time!

Bolder Boulder

Well it's a bit anticlimactic as I was hoping to have a finishing time to post here, but technical difficulties have delayed those results. But, despite the lack of an official result I'm going to have to post something about the race.


For the initial waves of the race, everything went off like clockwork. The starting gun goes off for a wave, everyone moves forward, waits and the gun goes off for the next wave. My wave left at 7:07 and I was across the starting line in less than 30 seconds. Because a qualification is required, everyone in the wave seems to start off at about the same pace. I kept pace with the group to make sure I did not go out too quickly. I passed the first mile in 7:30 according to my watch, which was perfect. I wanted to make sure that I did not hit the hills too hard and run out of gas in the end, so I raced smart, slowing down a bit on the hills and booking it down the other side. In the end I didn't have to worry as the hills were not nearly as bad as people had lead me to believe. In the end I had plenty of gas left to book it through the end of the course and finish with 46:30 on my watch.


In the end it was a smart race, but conservative. I'm really happy with the result and I feel like I can improve upon it in the future. Now that it's over I'm going to continue my training and see if I can find some interesting races to tackle this summer. I kicked it off today with a 5 mile run.

Ready to go!

I did an easy 3 miles today and was definitely holding myself back. I'm pretty fired up for tomorrow. Apparently I will get my results and split times when I turn my chip in at the expo, but they may be online if anyone is interested. Go to http://www.bolderboulder.com and go to the results section to look me up. My bib number is CA416.

Resting up

I did run Thursday and Friday this week, but I managed to keep it to a pretty decent pace and lower milage. I did 7.5 miles yesterday and 6.2 today. I feel quite a spring in my step, which is a good sign that I am recovered for the race on Monday. I will take tomorrow off (maybe take a walk) and then do 3 or 4 easy miles on Sunday. Then I'll be good to go!

In the nick of time

It was so nice this morning that I convinced Todd and Jake to go running earlier than usual. It was a good thing too as the rain rolled in pretty quickly and we just barely got back before it hit. We cut it short to 5 miles, and it was a nice pace. We'll see about tomorrow, there's a talk I want to go to so I may just give it a miss for a total rest day.

This is taking it easy?

I'm supposed to be running pretty easy this week, but today I went pretty hard for 8 miles. It's supposed to rain tomorrow though so I'll either take a rest day or go for a really short one. As long as I get a few recovery days before next Monday I'll be good I think. I'm pretty nervous about this race, so I need to start forgetting about it and just letting it happen. If I overthink it it will end up being worse in the end I think. I certainly feel like I'm prepared, the hills yesterday were pretty gnarly with the joggy stroller and I had no problems at all. I just have to let go and rely on my preparation to get me through.

Well we had lots of fun this weekend even though we didn't end up going to the railway museum after all. We went for a nice 5 mile walk yesterday as a family, heading up to Caribou for a smoothie, and then off to the firehouse for their open house. We got to see the flight for life helicopter come in for a landing and then had to head home due to a hungry baby.


Today I got out for a 10 mile run around the neighborhood with the kids in the stroller and hit the hills pretty hard. I feel like I could keep running forever on days like today. Elijah and Miles are awesome to let me take them out for so long.

Another big week

With the 6.2 miles I did today that's another 45+ mile week for me. I feel pretty good though, knock on wood. Tomorrow we are off to the railroad museum for a free day, assuming that Elijah is well behaved. It's supposed to be in the 80's this weekend so the weather will be perfect for being outside. Some family walks will be in order I think.

Achy Legs

I had a weird running dream last night and I woke up with achy legs. But since I knew it was going to be a fairly laid back pace today I still went out for 7.5 miles. Afterwards I actually felt much better. This week's mileage has been pretty high for me, but I'll be scaling back next week in preparation for the race. I can definitely feel that I've been pushing myself, so I hope I have some results to reap in the race.

Here comes the sun

The sun returned today and warmer temperatures came with it. Beautiful weather in the upper 60's. I did 7.5 around Bluff Lake with Todd and Jake. It turned out to be a pretty busy day, but fulfilling. My legs were still kind of sore from yesterday, but they warmed up okay.

Halfway there

Today I broke 500 miles and am halfway to my goal of 1000 miles in the year! It couldn't have been a nicer run either, I went to the Chautauqua Park in Boulder and ran the trails for an hour or so. The weather was perfect, overcast and cool, and the views were breathtaking.

Quick Six

I managed to squeeze a fast 6.25 miles into my crazy schedule today. I was hoping to do the Bluff Lake loop twice, but I decided I had better get back a little earlier. Tomorrow should be better as I am planning on getting out while I'm in Boulder again. That is if the weather will cooperate. My legs are doing really well with the miles I've been putting on them, but I can certainly tell that my mileage is up. I am really tired in the evenings and I am constantly hungry. Speaking of which, I need a snack.

Long Run for Momma

I took the boys out in the joggy stroller today for 11.5 miles so that Momma could have some time to herself. We had fun and my pacing was good because I was able to push 8.5 minute miles for the last 2.5 miles. Always nice to have gas left at the end. We saw a big snake on the path right at the end of the run and had to stop quickly to avoid running over it. Elijah thought it was pretty cool, but the snake didn't seem to want to hang around. We waited until he was safely off the path and then we finished our cool-down.

It just keeps getting better

This week has just been getting better and better weather wise. Today was in the 80's and gorgeous. All of us were kind of tuckered out after a big week of running so we took a laid back pace for 8 miles. We went through some of the trails and although I managed to stay dry, I got a thorn stuck in my toe and tons of sand in my shoes. Still it was a nice run, good for helping me get used to the heat. Tomorrow is a rest day and then I'll try to get out on Sunday with the boys. I'm glad the weekend is finally here.

Same old, same old...

Ran the same circuit as yesterday for 7.5 miles. Tomorrow I'll have to mix it up, but today I went with the majority. We did a pretty slow pace so it was a nice break. The weather has been wonderful so getting out for a run is great way to enjoy the outdoors rather than being cooped up all day. I'm looking forward to this weekend though, with a road trip up to Boulder in the works.

Heating Up

Temps were in the mid 70's today but I didn't find the heat to be that bad. I did my 7.5 mile loop pushing 8 minute miles. This gives me confidence that my sub 50 minute 10k is an attainable goal. Once again I was on my own, but mostly because I had to be back in time to get my helium delivery. It was good that I got the run in when I did though as I was slammed the rest of the day. When I have problems to deal with at work I know that my run gives me the energy and clarity I need to push through.

Am I Fast Yet?

Couldn't find a running buddy today so I went out for some speedwork. Once again my butt was kicked. I know that it is supposed to help, but man it sure is hard to push that hard for 2 minutes. That 2 minutes is like an eternity and then the 1 minute recovery goes by in an instant. But the idea is to not fully recover before the next speed interval, so I guess I'm doing them right. The rest of the run was nice though, sunny and in the mid 60s. This week is going to just get warmer so it was a good opportunity to get the hard stuff out of the way while it's relatively cool.

3 weeks to go

That's right it's three weeks today to the Bolder Boulder and my training is in good shape I think. I did 8 miles today with Todd at a pretty fast pace. It took us just over an hour to finish! I should be able to run in the realm of 7:00-7:30 for the 10k as long as I can get moving that fast with the crowds. A few more speed workouts and a long run or two and I'll be set.

Would have been a good day for a Garmin

Today's run was 7ish miles. I think. I ran to meet Shaun at his place, and then we ran a couple of miles from there. After I left there I ran up a new road and up a bunch of hills before heading home. Unfortunately because the road is new it is not in Google maps so I have no idea how long it is. Plus I didn't bring my watch. In the end I was gone for about an hour and a half. It was a nice slow pace, so a great way to kick off the week.


EDIT: I went back and mapped the run as best I could and came out with closer to 8.5 miles. Sweet!

A hard rain's a gonna fall

The weather took a turn toward the cool and rainy today, but it still made it into the 50's by noon so I was able to get out while it wasn't too bad. I did 9 miles with Todd and we did some trails on the way too. It was great and I feel really good considering I've run every day this week for 37 miles. It's been a good week at work, but I'm glad it's Friday. This weekend may not be so nice weather wise so I'll be able to catch up on some household chores. Perhaps a trip to Peet's will be in order.

Big Group

We had five people for our run today, and had a great time. The weather was gorgeous, mid 70s and sunny, and the pace was good. I ended up going 7.5 miles and felt great at the end. It looks like the weather might suck this weekend, so I'll get them in while I can.

Fast Sucks

I did speedwork today at Bluff Lake. I ran there at a slow pace and then did 2 minutes fast, 1 minute recovery for 2 loops. With the added hills and headwind it really kicked my butt. While I was doing it I seriously questioned why I was subjecting myself to the torture, but after it was over it felt great. Hopefully doing workouts like that will get my legs used to running fast for the Bolder Boulder.

New Trail

I ran in Boulder today up the Boulder Creek Trail into the canyon. I went with a guy who has a Garmin so I know that we went 7.7 miles. It was a nice run through beautiful surroundings, and a great change from routine. I also broke 400 miles today, so that's an impressive goal already. 600 more to go towards my 1000 miles in '07 goal.

Better get used to it

It was hot today! I couldn't get out until almost 2 so it was 82 degrees out. It was good though as I have to get used to running in the heat again so that I can run in the summer. I took water with me and had a pretty good time, despite the heat. It was harder than if it had been cool so I didn't push it too hard, I just went 6 miles. Tomorrow should be cooler and I'm hoping to go in Boulder. Should be fun.

Saturday in the Park

I hit the reservoir trails with Chad this morning for 10 miles or so. It was actually closer to 11, but we walked the last little bit so I'm not going to count that in my total. It was farther than I had thought we were going to go, but it was so nice and we talked ourselves into it. Both of the boys came along in the joggy stroller and were well behaved. Miles slept most of the way and Elijah just watched the sights go by. We also helped out a cyclist who had a flat tire and no repair kit. I usually carry a patch kit and pump so he was able to get fixed up and on the road again. I was happy to help out.

Much Better

I had a much better run today through Bluff Lake. It was shorter and at a slower pace. Ended up being 7 miles or so and took about an hour. I went to give blood today so I'll be a little sluggish over the next couple of days, but that's okay as it's going to be much warmer this weekend. A couple of nice runs at a slow pace will be just the ticket.

They can't all be good

I had a not so nice run today, but that happens sometimes. I went out with Todd and James (Ironman triathlete) and James set a really mean pace right out of the box. We ended up doing the first 4.5 miles in 35 minutes which is about a 7:45 min/mile pace. By the turnaround point though I knew I was done, so I told the others to go on and I would take an easier pace back. It was not an enjoyable return trip, but I managed it, taking 45 minutes to do so. On the plus side the weather was great, sunny and warm the whole time.

Springtime in the Rockies

Yesterday I did 7.5 through trails and I had my shirt off for half of it. Today it's snowing like crazy and we have had several inches accumulate. I heard the radio DJ say today that he hates hearing people say "Well, it is springtime in the rockies!" because it doesn't make it any easier to deal with the fact that he can't ride (i.e. motorcycles). It's like that for me too, except for running. Well at least this won't last as temps on the weekend are supposed to be in the 70's. I guess this should be expected for the winter we've had.

Visitors!

Nana and Grampy arrived today to see Elijah and Miles. Elijah seems to be very happy to have someone else to read to him. I managed to get out for a run this afternoon for 6.5 miles from home and I ran it pretty hard. My first mile was around 7 minutes, which is pretty fast for me. But on the way home the hills and really strong headwind slowed me down a bit. In the end it took me just over 50 minutes to do the distance. Despite the wind it was a great day for running.

If you don't like the weather...

...wait 5 minutes.

It was cloudy and rainy this morning when I got to work, but it was supposed to clear up in the afternoon, so I put off my run until the afternoon. By that time the sun was mostly out and it was 50 degrees, perfect running weather! I did 7 miles which took an hour. Good stuff!

I. C. Weiner

Today was a first for a couple of things. First of all it was a new route for me, a 14 miler around Cherry Creek Reservoir. I've run parts of this route before but never all the way around. It was a great run, I forced myself to go slow in the beginning and I had plenty of gas left in the end to battle the headwind that had developed. Took me about 2 hours to do, but I don't know exactly as I forgot my watch. Oops.


The second first was my ice bath that I had when I got home. Soaking your legs in ice water after a long run is supposed to help keep inflammation down and speed up recovery. I have to say that after the initial shock wore off it was quite nice, a bit like a cold pool on a hot day. And my legs did feel much better afterwards. I guess this is just another rung in the ladder of "crazy runner." Thankfully my understanding wife just rolls her eyes.


For those of you who are marginally interested in running events, tomorrow is the 111th Boston Marathon. Boston is the top of the heap marathon wise and most marathoners set their sights on Boston at some point in their running career. In order to run, runners must qualify at another sanctioned marathon earlier in the year and the qualifications are rigorous. In order for me to qualify for the Boston marathon I would have to run a marathon in 3 hours, 10 minutes. My best hope is to keep running until I am 70 when the qualifying time is 4:30.

Weather Changes

I got to work this morning and it was sunny and cool, but by the time I went for my run at 11:30 it had clouded over and was pretty windy. Over the course of our 9 mile run the clouds got lower and lower and the wind stronger. Finally, a mile and a half from the end the flakes started flying. Over the course of the next day we are due to get a foot of heavy wet snow! So likely no running outside tomorrow. It's probably for the best as my knee has been acting up lately. So yet another blizzard of '07, but at least this one the snow won't last long. We are due to be in the 50's on Saturday.

Birthday Miles

It's been windy the past couple of days and work has been busy so it's been tough to get my miles in. Yesterday I squeezed in 3 miles before dinner, and today I hit the trails with Todd and Jake for 7. That on top of going to the pool this morning. So when Melissa came to take me out for ice cream I figured I had earned it. It was a great birthday, thanks to all those who sent along well wishes!


While I was in Boulder yesterday I popped in to the Bolder Boulder store at the 29th street mall to register. It was really easy and they were able to give me my bib and everything right up front. I will be running in the "CA" wave, with a projected finish time of less than 49 minutes. Now I just have to live up to my wave placement. This year they are offering the choice of a Technical t-shirt as part of the registration for $10 more than the regular t-shirt. It's a really nice blue Pearl Izumi shirt that I can actually wear for running. I figure if I were to buy the shirt alone it would cost $30, so really my registration is only $15 for the race. It will be nice to have one I can use as I have too many long sleeve race shirts that I will never wear.

Rest Day

Yesterday I did a fairly long run (8.5 miles), so I ended up taking a rest day today instead of running. It's good to mix it up every once in a while. It's too bad though as the weather today was awesome, while yesterday it was snowy and cold. I guess you win some you lose some. I might try to hit a trail in Boulder tomorrow, we'll see I guess.

Chilly!

It turned out to be flippin' cold today (in the 20s) and foolishly I did not bring my running pants or gloves with me. So my legs and hands were a little cold for the start, but once I warmed up it was not too bad. I did 7.5 miles and considered it a victory just to have got out at all. Tomorrow is due to be cold and snowy so most likely I will not run, but Sunday is supposed to be better. It's April weather, so it's to be expected.

Offroading

Today I got out for a nice 7.5 mile run with Todd (ultra-man). He set out at a mean pace which, amazingly, I was able to keep up for quite a while. Right around the halfway point we decided to hit some of the off-trail trails for about a mile. This mostly involved running through deep sand, bounding over creeks and dodging branches. It was kind of fun in a masochistic kind of way, and it really got me breathing hard. We took it a little easier for the return trip, which I was thankful for. I really like running with Todd as I find that keeping up with him shows me how much I can actually do that I think I can't. Sometimes you just need someone to push you out of your comfort zone.

Company Again

I had company again for my run today after a few days on my own. Ultra-man was recovering from an illness so the pace wasn't as fast as it could have been. That was good as I was still a little stiff from my hard run yesterday. Tomorrow I will likely not get to run as there is a seminar at noon, but I will go for a swim in the morning I think.

Why I like running

Today was crazy busy! I had five million errands to run on top of fixing a major computer problem and filling my cryogens. It was insane! But I was determined to squeeze in a run so I managed to put in 6 miles. Unlike the rest of my day my run was relaxing and therapeutic. It was just me and my thoughts and I didn't spend any time thinking about all of the things that I had to do. Escape. In another escape, I took both of the boys in the joggy stroller yesterday for 6.5 miles so that Melissa could escape. An hour away from the kids is like gold these days. It was Miles' first time in the stroller and he did great, sleeping pretty much the whole way. Watching the world pass you by is pretty boring I suppose.

Extended Run

I was meaning to go out for an easy run today, but the weather was the nicest it's been all week so I went for a full 9 miles. It was still cool, but the sun was out and I had enough clothes to be warm. This weekend is supposed to be nicer still, so hopefully I'll get out again on Sunday, but I think I'll take a rest day tomorrow. Maybe even a trip to the pool.

There's always one

Last night I went to bed with clear skies and a warm wind. Today I woke up to 3 inches of snow on the ground. It was not so surprising, there is always at least one spring snowstorm here. It didn't stop me from from running though, I donned my gear and had a nice 6 miles with some speedwork in the snow. The wind was bad at times, but it wasn't cold enough to make it really biting. It mostly was just getting pelted with snowflakes that was annoying. I was not about to lose another running day to snow though.

Blown Away

I remember training for the marathon last year and being frustrated with the wind, which seemed to be in my face every long run. This year I haven't really experienced much of that until today. It was 20 mph headwinds today and it felt like I got sandblasted running by the construction zones. But I had company so it wasn't as miserable as it could have been. I did 6 miles around Bluff Lake, and was also able to hit the pool for a half hour this morning. So all in all a pretty good day.

A Quick Five

Got out today for a quick 5 miles, even though it was pretty windy out. Turned out to be a pretty good workout, but it left me wanting more. Oh well, there's always tomorrow. Hopefully the rest of this week will pan out. We are supposed to get rain off and on for the next few days so that may interfere with my plans. I can't complain with the March we've had though.

Long Slow Day

I took Elijah out for a nice long run in the joggy stroller today, 11 miles! I took a pretty easy pace and enjoyed every minute of it. The weather was beautiful and not too hot. Elijah didn't last though and eventually fell asleep on the return trip. It was quite the change from yesterday, when it rained off and on all day. I did go to the pool yesterday for an hour though, so it wasn't a total wash.