10/25-10/31 Workouts

These are the other runs from this week, my highest mileage week to date.

10/27 (Wed)
Mileage: 24.00
Time/Pace: 3:50:16/9:35
Avg HR/Max HR: 143/165
Elevation: 1914ft

10/29 (Fri) On Track
Mileage: 5.00
Time/Pace: 40:03/8:00
Avg HR/Max HR: 136/155

10/31 (Sun) Treadmill
Mileage: 6.00
Time/Pace: 49:09/8:11
Avg HR/Max HR: 137/172

With 3 weeks to go until the Philadelphia Marathon, I will begin my taper. Next week will be 40 miles as well as my last set of speed runs. 29 miles the week before and then 2 short runs (5 miles each) the week of and I should be ready to go.

Chestnut Ridge Challenge 10K

Race Day! The Chestnut Ridge Challenge is just as advertised, no frills! Just a bunch of runners, willing to bear the elements, the hills, and each other's grunting and groaning to the end. Last year's race was in quite the downpour, so I considered today's "balmy" weather (low's 40's and wind) a nice day.

Race Strategy: I usually try for negative splits, but with such a hilly terrain my goal was to attack the downhills and try to outlast the uphills, including "Mother". This led to a slower second half (mostly uphill).

I still performed well and PR'd for this distance.

Mileage: 6.16
Time/Pace: 43:23/6:59
Avg HR/Max HR: 168/200
Elevation Gain: 484ft

I finished 3rd in my age group, 10th overall. Better yet, my prize was a loaf of homemade banana bread, yum!

A Much Better Tempo

Last week's tempo run was disappointing to say the least. I set my goal time to low and wasn't able to meet it. This week I lowered my expectations, to a much more reasonable 7:20/mile.

Mileage: 7.00 (w/wu&cd)
Time/Pace: 54:46/7:49
Tempo Splits (5 @ 7:20): 7:20, 7:17, 7:17, 7:18, 7:09
Avg HR/Max HR: 152/167
T/W: 60's, wind

A Busy Week, But Still Time For Training

Even though I've been crazy busy with work, I still got in all of my runs this week. Making a commitment to myself and to training, inspires me to wake early, sometimes as early as 4am, to get my runs in. I won't lie, sometimes this is a huge struggle, but I never regret it after I've finished. Here's a summary of this week's runs.

Wednesday
Mileage: 4.00
Time/Pace: 32:41/8:09
Avg HR/Max HR: 145/161
Elevation: 322ft

Thursday (8x800 speed work)
Mileage:8.67
Time/Pace: 1:12:05/8:19
800 Splits: 3:32, 3:32, 3:29, 3:31, 3:31, 3:29, 3:31, 3:30
Avg HR: Max HR: 146/183
Elevation: 266ft

Saturday
Mileage: 22.00
Time/Pace: 3:32:41/9:40
Avg HR/Max HR: 138/151
Elevation: 138ft

Sunday
Mileage: 4.00
Time/Pace: 32:34/8:08
Avg HR/Max HR: 141/154
Elevation: 0 ft

A Not So Inspired Tempo Run

Today's Scheduled Run: 5 mile Tempo @ 6:40. As soon as I started, I realized this wasn't practical, so I switched to 7:00 pace. I drove down from my hilltop perch into the village of New Milford, looking for (and finding) flatter terrain. The first 2.5 miles of my run went off without too much of an issue, but the second 2.5 was an exercise in just trying to maintain forward progress. My pace fell off considerably and I was remarkably short of even my altered goal. I need to re-evaluate my pace goal at this distance, perhaps shoot for 7:15-7:20.

Mileage (w/wu&cd): 7.00
Time/Pace: 54:49/7:50
Tempo Splits: 6:56,6:58, 7:06, 7:26, 7:39
Avg HR/Max HR: 146/172
Elevation: 148 ft
T/W: 38, cold

An Extra Run and Some New Gear

I wasn't planning on running today, but my wife wanted to, so I figured what the heck. I wanted to try out some new gear I got anyway, so this was a perfect time to do it.

First off, yesterday I purchased a pair of Zoot Active Compression Socks. At a price tag of $59.99, I was a bit apprehensive of getting these, but I have to say I liked using them. My legs felt quite envigorated the entire run (3 miles). They squeeze the lower leg very well and I felt my calves tingling (in a good way). They are foot specific, labeled L and R. The true test will be to see how they benefit me during longer runs.

I also purchased a new pair of shoes for my fall/early winter running, anticipating dirt roads, uneven surfaces and maybe some mud, and snow. I stepped a bit outside of the box with the Puma Night Fox. They are pretty plush as far as cushioning and I found the toe box a bit snug. It certainly wasn't annoying for the run, but a bit tighter than my last pair. Again, the true test will be in longer runs and terrain. On a positive note, they were only about $75, the cheapest pair of running shoes I've purchased in a while. I also have a pair of Saucony's for the winter, but I'll address those when I start using them.

My run today was just an easy 3 miles.

Mileage: 3.00

Time/Pace: 24:42/8:14

Avg HR/Max HR: 139/155

T/W: 55/sunny, wind

Richard Sarkin Memorial 5K

It was a decent day for a run, a bit chilly, but sunny and not a huge amount of wind. This course is pretty similar to the Komen race I ran in June. My goal for this race was to start with a 6:35 mile, see how I felt and then go for a sub-20min time. There was pretty decent organization for this race, except that traffic control was a bit lacking. There were plenty of volunteers on the course, but it was unclear to them on how and when to control traffic. On Elmwood, the runners were actually running in the right lane with cars driving in the left lane. When I was finished with my run, I started walking back to see how my wife was doing and I actually had to direct some traffic on my own, to help the runners. Oh well, I shouldn't complain too much, after all I was running and my wife was too.

Speaking of my wife, she now has been very committed to running for over two months. She bought a great pair of shoes (Newton's) and is following a training plan I designed for her, which includes a long run and speed work. Today she blew away her best time by almost 3 minutes! I love seeing the sense of pride and achievement in her and seeing the same discovery of this wonderful sport that I went through almost 2 years ago. Check out her new running/life blog at D. Rock Runs.

Back to my race...mile 1 included that pesky little mini hill, bump, whatever you want to call it, that I always find annoying, 6:34. Ok, feeling good so push a bit faster and mile 2 comes in at 6:23. Got a bit winded in my last mile, but held pace for 6:24. As I came around the final roundabout, I could see the clock and finish line, 19:48...19:49...19:50....full throttle...19:54, 19:55,19:56...uuuggggghhhhhh...19:58, 19:59....line....????? 20:00, exactly!

Mileage: 3:12
Time/Pace: 20:00/6:25
Avg HR/Max HR: 164/179
Elevation: 54 ft
T/W: 48, sunny, cool

9th out of 163 overall, 2nd out of 11 in my age group.

On to the 19's!!
On to 19's!!!!

This Little Light of Mine...

After last week's journey through darkness, I purchased my first headlamp. It's a Petzel Tikkina 2. I really had no idea what to get, so I went cheap ($19.95 at EMS.) It is perfect for what I need. It lights up the road well enough that I am not striding tentatively. It also illuminated several staring eyes (deer, cows, and the occasional cat), very creepy!!

Mileage: 6.00
Time/Pace: 49:00/8:10

Avg HR/Max HR: 143/168

Elevation: 433 ft

T/W: 48, cool, clear

I had a tough time keeping my pace slow, even through the hills. Maybe it was the Honey Stingers I ate right before I set out?

Weekend Workouts

I bailed on my run Friday, my legs were unusually sore. Back on flat land for the weekend runs.



Saturday
Mileage: 7.00
Time/Pace: 57:56/8:16
Avg HR/Max HR: 141/155
Elevation: 32 ft
T/W: 58/sunny, wind


Sunday
6x800
Total Mileage: 6.99
Time/Pace:56:10/8:01
800 splits: 3:32, 3:28, 3:29, 3:29, 3:27, 3:24
Avg HR/Max HR: 150/191
T/W 65/sunny, wind

Real Darkness

I dragged myself out of bed at 4am, in anticipation of a 20-mile long run. As soon as I woke I began to bargain with myself; go to bed for another hour and split the run in to two 10-mile runs. Forget running at all, etc, etc. I fought through it and was out by 4:15am.

It wasn't a terribly cold morning, about 50 or so, gusty wind at times, but overall tolerable. It was DARK! I don't just mean nighttime darkness that I would experience any typical morning or night, I mean pitch black, no light from anywhere. Now that I am spending my weeks in the countryside, I will be experiencing this much more, which means another new gadget for me to purchase, a headlamp.

So the run itself was tough. I'm not used to such rolling hills, but I kept telling myself it was going for me. The first half was fine, but the second half, especially 18-20, were just plain ugly. I missed my pace by a few seconds per mile, but again this is due to the hills. I can only get stronger from this right?

Mileage: 20.00
Time/Pace: 3:17:50/9:53
Avg HR/MaxHR: 140/157
Elevation Gain: 1520 ft
T/W: 50/overcast, breezy, light drizzle at times

A Change of Scenery

I've slightly relocated for work. I'm still working in the same area, I've just found another location that's a bit more rural, and HILLY!

I set out for 6 miles this morning and I really didn't realize how much terrain there was until I got on the roads. I'm looking forward to this as it can only help me develop as a runner. The roads are mostly dirt, easier on the legs too!

My pace was much slower for a distance like this, but I just enjoyed my new surroundings.

Mileage: 6.00
Time/Pace: 55:08/9:11
Avg HR/Max HR: 147/163
Elevation: 608ft
T/W: 40's/drizzle

A Whirlwind Week

I've had an incredibly intense week of balancing work, life and exercise, more so than usual. Yes, I know, I have no kids, travel away from home and have nothing else to do with my spare time other than run and bike, but this week was still hard to get everything in that I wanted to. That and a race too! I didn't blog all week! Here's a quick breakdown of what was up...



Monday: Brick Workout 2r/10b/2r/10b/2r, pretty cold and windy
Tuesday: 6 Miles @ 8:13
Wednesday: 18 Miles @ 9:47
Thurs-Sat: Nothing!!
Sun: Duathlon


On Sunday, I did the Autumn Classic F1 Duathlon at Mendon Pond Park. Decently challenging course with lots of rolling hills. Very humbling experience. I finished in 17th out of 108, and 1st in my age group (out of 5). Got a little plaque too!



Back at it tomorrow after a rest day today!