Brad runs!

2009 Rock 'n' Roll Seattle Half Marathon

2009-07-24T05:41:00.000-07:00

I'm a little slow in my updates, as almost a month ago (June 27th, 2009 to be exact) I ran my 2nd half-marathon of the year. My wife and I made it part of our vacation to the Pacific Northwest, and took part in the inagural Seattle Rock 'n Roll Half Marathon. It was my first experience with one of the very popular "Rock 'n Roll" races, and although it was a little more expensive than I am used to with other races, it was well worth it. The expo was well put together. The shuttle buses from downtown to the starting line on race day were great, the starting area had everything I could need, the corrals were organized well, the fluid stations were numerous and very well staffed, and the finish area had more food than I could eat.

As for the race itself, I was a little overwhelmed by the masses of people (the event was sold out with 25,000 participants - most of which were doing the half, as I was). I was assigned to the 4th corral (based on my expected finish time of 1:45 when I registered), while my wife ended up way back in the mid 20s. So I managed to cross the starting line shortly after the actual race started, while my wife did not make it there until about a half hour later. Given the large number of people, the first few miles were very crowded. Despite the corrals, I managed to get stuck behind people that seemed way too slow to be starting that far up, and I had to make my way through them whenever possible, which was not easy. As a result, my time on the first few miles suffered.

Beyond that, the course was great. While there were plenty of hills as promised, it was not as bad as I had built it up to be in my mind beforehand. A lot of the run was pretty rural since we started south of Seattle in Tukwilla and made our way back to downtown and the finish line which was next to the football stadium. I managed to pick up my pace as the race went along, and after mile 10, I realized I had a chance to set a PR, which I had convinced myself before the race started was not going to be possible. So that made me run even faster, and I was feeling good. Well, as I neared the finish line, at about 12.9 miles, my calves started cramping since I was pushing to hard, and I had to slow my sprint and labor painfully to the finish. I couldn't remember my PR time, so I wasn't sure if I had beaten it or not. Later out, I found out I missed it by 3 seconds! But ultimately I was very happy because I did not expect to come even close to beating it since the hills I saw on the course elevation map had psyched me out before the race even started.

Here are my final results:

Chip time: 1:39:50
Overall place: 458 / 15,676
Gender place: 333 / 4,235
Division place: 57 / 754
Pace: 7:37/mile
5km time: 24:29
10km time: 48:18
9 mile time: 1:09:26

2009 Ohio City Run & Crawl 5K

2009-06-21T11:50:00.000-07:00

Last night I did my only annual 5K run. It was the 4th annual Ohio City Run & Crawl 5K which I have run all four instances of. It starts just across from the West Side Market, in front of the Great Lakes Brewing Company, and loops around the Cleveland neighborhood of Ohio City before finishing up right where it started.

Yesterday, it was sunny with temperatures near 80 and humid, which were not ideal running conditions. The race started at 7pm, at which point it had not cooled down much from the heat of the day. The course is not the best, with a lots of twists and turns at the start followed, fortunately, by some longer stretches along city streets though many of the streets are kind of treacherous with potholes and the such. I hit the first 2 mile markers at right around a 6:45/mi pace, which is a little slower than I had hoped for, but my body was not up for taking it faster than that. I did manage to have a surge towards the finish, but a PR was not to be had this evening. I did manage to beat my time from last year, but not the PR I had set 2 years ago.

Afterward, the main sponsor, Bier Markt, had a $1 draft special for each runner's first drink. Kristy had a Brooklyn IPA and I settled for a Hoegaarden. We then went next door to Bar Cento and enjoyed a very tasty dinner and another round of beers. After we left, walking back to the car, the weather was perfect. Too bad we couldn't have run the race then.

Chip Time: 20:53.92
Overall Place: 29 / 444
Division Place (M30-39): 9 / 71
Pace: 7:36.6

2009 Cleveland Half-Marathon

2009-06-10T07:11:00.000-07:00

Yes, I am in fact still running. After seemingly reaching a plateau over the past couple of years, I am finally starting to see a small bit of improvement. A few weeks back, on May 17th, I ran my first half-marathon in 2 years and beat my previous best time by just under a minute, finsihing in 1:39:47. Here are my full results:

Chip Time: 1:39:47
Overall Place: 286 / 4181
Gender Place: 226 / 1813
Division Place (M30-34): 38 / 307
Pace: 7:36.6
10K Split: 46:17

Not too bad. My goal was to get in under 1:40, which I did, barely. I was discouraged in the last mile when the 3:20 marathon pace group passed me, but I managed to have a good last mile and make it in just under.

As far as the course, I ran the full Cleveland Marathon back in 2008, and while I only did the half this time, I felt the course was better. The start area was much improved over last year when there were many turns through crowded areas. Also, the wind situation did seem to be better with running west away from the lake and east near the lake, though at times there was still a stiff headwind, especially near the end when approaching downtown on the Shoreway. The finish area was also improved. I think after last year's race I said I would not run it again, but now I would actually consider running the full marathon in Cleveland again.

My next plan is to likely run the Akron Marathon at the end of September. Depending on whether or not I take it easy and run with my wife (who is considering running this as her first marathon), I may then run either Detroit or Columbus three weeks after that.

Yes, I still run

2008-11-07T19:09:00.000-08:00

Yes, despite my complete and utter lack of posts for the past year, I am still running. Yesterday was the perfect day for running with very unseasonable 60ish degree weather here in Northeast Ohio. It was ideal running weather, with the sun going down and a slight nip in the air. I also set out with a brand spanking new pair of shoes, a pair of Saucony Grid Cohesion NX cushioned shoes that I picked up for cheap, $39.99 on sale at Dick's Sporting Goods. Normally I try to get my shoes at one of the local running stores to support them, but I had a gift card and was really looking to save a few bucks for once.

So of course, the beginning of my run felt like I was running on pillows. The first run in new shoes is like being introduced to running all over again, especially when combined with the awesome weather. But halfway into my run (around 3.5 miles in), I realized I had ignored common sense and gone for a longish run with new shoes, and the inevitable new shoes blister was making an appearance on my left heel. At that point, I turned around, but I still had the whole way to go back. So the perfect run turned into the run from hell as my left heel felt not-so-great as I gritted out the run back.

In the end, 7.18 miles in 58:12, for an 8:06/mi pace. That pushed my running total for the year over 700 miles, but I'm ultimately going to end up well short of my 1,000 mile goal for the 2nd year in a row. But hey, next year will be attempt number three. Maybe three will be the charm.

Here are my new shoes:

Four miles & some weights

2007-10-06T14:52:00.000-07:00

Today was what will hopefully be the first of a regular series of weight training workouts. I did a number of upper-body weight workouts today at the fitness center before hitting up the track for a 4 mile run, which left me extremely sweaty since it was in the upper 80s today, over 20 degrees above normal temperatures for this time of year. After that, I hit up the stationary bike for just over a half hour. So it was a good workout that hopefully won't leave me too sore.

Post-marathon run #1

2007-10-03T19:12:00.001-07:00

Today was my first run since Saturday's marathon, and it went fairly well. I planned for a 5K, and managed to get through it, on the treadmill at the fitness center at work this afternoon. I felt various pains in unusual places, like the inside of my lower left ankle, and some pains in the right quad (which got tight near the end of the marathon). But nothing serious enough to make me cut the run short.

It was also my first real run in my new shoes, a pair of Saucony Progrid Trigon 5 Ride. I only know that because I'm looking at the box right now. I bought them about a month ago, but stuck with my old Brooks to get me through the marathon. This is my first pair of Sauconys, and I got them because they felt really soft, cushioned and light. Hopefully they hold up pretty well. I have a new pair a Brooks waiting for me courtesy of the Akron Marathon, so I'll have those as a backup in case these don't work out. I think it was my body still recovering today that caused the discomfort, and not the shoes. Or at least that's what I hope.

5 mile easy run

2007-06-19T18:59:00.000-07:00

Today was the first run of what might end up being 16 weeks of marathon training. Well, actually, this would be the start of week 2 since the marathon, the Akron Marathon, is now 15 weeks away. I went onto Runner's World website and used their little training application to come up with a training routine, and today was my first attempt at following it. Since I'm planning to run a 10K this weekend, and thus would come up a few miles short of this week's long run, I added a couple miles to today's "easy run" to make it 5 miles instead of the 3 the schedule called for. I did manage to follow the 8:30 pace closely, as I set the treadmill to 8:27/mi and it came out very close. I didn't use my inhaler today but actually felt OK. It was my legs that were tired more than anything, even after taking yesterday off. Next run is Thursday.

Ohio City Run & Crawl 5K (new PR!)

2007-06-16T23:55:00.000-07:00

Tonight was the 2nd annual Ohio City Run & Crawl 5K. It was my second go-around at this race, and my first 5K since last year's event, though this year I was very glad to be joined by my fiancee, Kristy, who was running the event for the first time. The weather was a bit warm, but not unbearable. There was a very nice turnout this year, with about 470 runners, compared to last year's 310. The course, which mostly winds around Ohio City, was a little different this year, but was still very comparable to last years.

The starting line, on Market Avenue right in front of the West Side Market, was pretty crowded since the street is narrow, so the first quarter mile was a lot of trying to run around people. After that, it was pretty sparse. I honestly don't think anyone passed me beyond the first half mile, which just about never happens to me, and I was able to slowly pick off a number of people during the 3.1 miles.

I hit the one mile mark at 6:30, and knew I had a good chance of beating last year's time if I could keep it up. I was huffing and puffing pretty hard the whole time though, and wasn't sure if I was going to be able to maintain my pace. It was very encouraging to see my friends, Josh and Amanda, helping to man the water stop halfway through.

Luckily I still had some gas in the tank near the end and was able to kick it into high gear for the last tenth of a mile, though I was almost taken out by another runner I was passing as he was cutting a corner very tight. But I got past and was able to sprint to the finish line to clock a time of 20:35, which is 40 seconds faster than my time from last year, which was my previous best for a 5K. Kristy meanwhile knocked a number of minutes off her previous 5K best, finishing much faster than she had anticipated. So we both came away happy with the race and our results.

Afterwards, we met back up with Josh and Amanda, who were our guides on the pub crawl portion of the event. First we hit up the Garage Bar, and continued to enjoy the nice weather on their outdoor patio. We then hit up the Old Angle Tavern for some really good food, and then capped off the evening at the ABC Tavern, where much fun was had playing their "bowling" machine (as pictured above). I never knew so much fun could still be had these days with only a quarter. I had some beginner's luck at first, but Josh turned out to be a pro. All in all it was a great night and made us wonder why we don't head up to Ohio City more often.

Time: 20:35.70
Pace: 6:42/mi
Overall: 46 of 470
Division (Male 20-29): 12 of 72

Weekly Total: 11.32 miles

4.2 mile warmup

2007-06-15T19:03:00.000-07:00

A 4.19 mile warmup run on the treadmill after work on a Friday afternoon. Kept it light because I'm running a 5K tomorrow evening.

4 miler

2007-06-12T19:01:00.000-07:00

A four mile run on treadmill at work.

8 mile long run

2007-06-09T13:15:00.002-07:00

Today was a beautiful day here in Northeast Ohio, as I went out for a run around noon and the temperatures were in the low 70s and very sunny. I headed out to the towpath, for the first time in a while, and did an 8 mile run, heading north out of Brecksville.

It wasn't until I started running that I realized I forgot to use my inhaler, the results of which I noticed shortly afterwards, so I knew I was in for a hard run. Surprisingly, I finished the first mile in 7:52, but then there was a huge drop-off as the 2nd one took me 8:44, which is the pace I hovered around for most of the rest of the run.

Today was also the first time I used the new water bottle I bought. Since 8 miles isn't too crazy, I felt taking the Camelbak was a bit of an overkill, so I have a new 1 liter bottle with a zip-up cover that has a handle you wrap around your hand. I was worried it was going to be cumbersome, but it wasn't too hard to get used to running with. The only bad part about today's run (besides the lack of inhaler), was that everyone else (and their cousin) was out enjoying the nice weather, so the towpath was a little congested. I think I was passed by about 100 bikers today. But I suppose I should be happy that everyone is out enjoying nature and getting some good exercise.

Weekly Total: 17.44 miles

5 mile tempo

2007-06-08T19:43:00.000-07:00

Since my new issue of "Runner's World" arrived this week, with an article stressing the importance of tempo runs, I've decided this is something I need to focus on more. So today, I went out and did one.

Started off with the first mile at a warmup-ish pace of 8:27, then put in 3.1 miles at a 7:30 pace, and then cooled down back at 8:27, with a slight pickup to 8:00 for the last quarter mile or so, because I was bored and wanted to get it over with. All in all, my iPod says I did 5.11 miles in 39:03, for an average pace of 7:38/mile. Not too shabby. I followed that up with a solid 35 minutes on the bike (30 @ good pace, 5 @ cool down) and finally a good set of stretches. Fridays after work are the best workouts because the fitness center is the least crowded it ever gets. Just us losers who have nothing better to do on a Friday evening. :)

Four miles to 500!

2007-06-04T18:00:00.000-07:00

Today I went for a four mile run on the treadmill after work, and with that run I passed the 500 mile mark on my Nike+ iPod device, for which I got this little certificate to brag about. It only took me 82 runs since October of '06 to get this far (albeit missing a few runs, notably the Philadelphia Marathon & 2007 Hermes Cleveland 10 Miler).

As for the run itself, it went well. I started at a pace of about 7:53/mi, and kicked it up a notch each mile before constantly speeding it up over the fourth and final mile. I felt pretty good afterwards, though I was coughing a little bit later, but not as much as I have in the past. Skipped the bike today though. Figure I'll save that for another day.

A 10km run

2007-06-02T18:11:00.000-07:00

Today I went for a 10km run around the indoor track at the community fitness center. Even though it was indoors, the track area is not air conditioned, but rather huge fans pump in (or pump out, I'm not exactly clear) air from the outside. It was in the upper 80s outside and extremely muggy which made for less than ideal running conditions. But I still managed to finish in a very respectable 49:01, for an average pace of 7:52 per mile. At the end, I think you could have rung out my shirt and filled a 2-liter bottle. I know, that's pretty gross.

Weekly Total: 15.09 miles

A 5k run and new mile PR

2007-05-27T18:17:00.000-07:00

For today's treadmill run, I did a bit of a mock 5K race since I plan on running some in a few weeks. Obviously I didn't go all out, since it wasn't an actual race, but I wanted to get up near race pace. I managed to pull off a 22:07 time, which is 52 seconds off my actual 5K PR. But in the process, my Nike+ iPod informed me that I had set a new PR for the mile of 6:58. I know that's not the fastest mile I've ever run though (which probably was done in the 5K I set my PR in last year, but did not wear my iPod), but it was still nice to hear.

Since the run went by so fast, I hit up the bike and went for 30 minutes.

Half marathon training - Week 3 - Long run

2007-02-25T20:02:00.000-08:00

This week's long run went pretty well. I ran the 9 miles on the indoor track at the community fitness center, and while the course was no entirely obstacle free, there was much less dodging required today than in recent runs there. I think I only had to yell at one person to watch out.

I finished the 9 miles in 1:15:38, for an average pace of 8:23/mi, which was greatly helped by my last mile which I ran in 7:32. I was full of energy at the end, and felt like I could have gone much further, and faster. But I had been there long enough, and done my scheduled distance, so I went home, happy with the results. Looking forward to next weekend and breaking back in the double digits in mileage.

Weekly Total: 18.5 miles
2007 Yearly Total: 98.7 miles

Half marathon training - Week 3 - Tempo run

2007-02-23T16:28:00.000-08:00

Today was a little more than just a tempo run. I recently joined a Nike+ challenge with a couple of other people from Flickr. The challenge is called 'The Leprechaun Run', and the goal is to run the fastest 5 miler before St. Patrick's Day. So I decided to make my tempo run my first attempt at winning the challenge. No one had run before me, but I saw after uploading my time that I'm a little over 2 minutes slower than the leader, so I think I'm bound for (hopefully) 2nd place.

As you can see from the graph, I gradually picked up my pace over the 5 miles, with a mile 1 pace of 7:52, and mile 5 pace of 7:11. Overall, it took 38:09, for an average pace of 7:37/mi. I did this on the treadmill after work, with a 1% incline. It was a better time than I had hoped for, so I guess there is hope that I might have a decent showing when I run the St. Malachi Run, a 5 mile race, in 2 weeks. I followed up the run with 10 minutes of hard biking, followed by a 5 minute cool down.

Half marathon training - Week 3 - Speed run

2007-02-21T16:44:00.000-08:00

Today's speed run went well. I actually managed to stick to plan and was able to do the 3 repeats of 1600m (1 mile). I covered 4.5 miles in a time of 35:47, for an average pace of 7:49/mi. Each repeat was around a 7:30 pace, with a half mile in between at around an 8:30 pace. I followed up the run with about 10-15 minutes of hard work on the bike, which is my new thing. I realize I would be better off doing this on my non-running days, but I figure on the days I actually make it to the gym, it's better to mix it in than not do it at all.

Half marathon training - Week 2 - Long run

2007-02-19T20:20:00.000-08:00

I was lazy yesterday and did not get my long run for the week in, so I stretched the week out a day longer and got the run in today. Eight miles on the indoor track at the community fitness center.

Today we finally broke above freezing for the first time in almost a month. I can hardly wait to start running outside again. While at first I thought the indoor track was an improvement over a treadmill, I'm quickly learning that it's not. Tonight I had to dodge around people and/or objects close to a dozen times. At one point I had to yell at a kid to get off the track as he was playing catch with a football, in the middle of the track lanes. Also, during the last 200m of my run, a volleyball ran out onto the track right in front of me, and I had to leap to avoid it, which caused a sharp pain to go through my left calf. I was not happy.

Weekly Total: 17 miles
2007 Yearly Total: 80.2 miles

Half marathon training - Week 2 - Tempo run

2007-02-17T18:17:00.000-08:00

Today tempo run did not go so great. I started off at a decent pace, but had to slow down, and had trouble getting back up to a good pace until the end. I did manage to complete the 5 miles in 41:44, for an average pace of 8:19/mile, which is more of a good pace for a long run than a tempo run.

Half marathon training - Week 2 - Speed run

2007-02-13T18:53:00.000-08:00

So today's run was almost canceled due to the ridiculous snow going on outside which made the smart people go home early. But I stuck around and did my speed run for the week, and actually achieved what I set out to do, which doesn't usually happen on anything but my long runs these days it seems.

So the plan for today was to do 4x800m repeats. So 1/2 mile slow, 1/2 mile fast, repeat, for four miles total. So I did my "slow" increments around 8:50/mi pace, and the "fast" increments at around 7:15/mi pace, with increasing pace during the last one. Unfortunately, the graph for today's run really doesn't represent it very well, but it was a tough run that I felt like cutting short a number of times. But I made it through and felt good about it. I then capped off my workout with 20 minutes on the recline bike, which covered a little over 7 miles. Well, I felt good about my workout until my normal 35 minute drive home turned into a 2 hour and 15 minute drive of hell. I guess that just shows how dedicated I am...

Half marathon training - Week 1 - Long run

2007-02-11T18:37:00.000-08:00

Today was the first long run of my half marathon training, and the longest run I have done in quite some time. Seven miles is a whole lot of laps around the indoor track at the local community fitness center. Very not exciting, though not as bad as the treadmill. It feels nice to actually be moving, even if it is in an oval pattern.

The run went pretty well. I kept a pretty steady pace and didn't have too much problem with breathing or tiring out. My training program calls for a longest pre-race run of 12 miles, but I think I'm going to just keep adding a mile each week to my long runs and see where it takes me. 13 miles is not a big deal to me, and I'd feel better about doing a little longer a few times before the actual race.

Weekly Total: 15 miles
2007 Yearly Total: 63.2 miles

Half marathon training - Week 1 - Speed run

2007-02-09T17:05:00.000-08:00

Today I did a little over 4 mile speed run that went well, as I managed to get under an 8:00 pace, with a 7:42/mi average.

Half marathon training - Week 1 - Speed run

2007-02-06T17:11:00.000-08:00

Today was the first workout of my training for the Columbus Distance Classic half marathon, which is April 14th in Columbus, Ohio. I ran it last year and enjoyed it, so I'm returning this year.

The workout today was a speed workout, with a goal of doing 8 repeats of 400m (1/4 mile). So as you can see from the graph, lots of squiggly lines. The workout went well, as I finished my 4 miles in 31:40, for an average pace of 7:52/mi. So my training is off to a good start.

A 10km run

2007-02-04T18:05:00.000-08:00

Today I got one last long run in before starting my half marathon training. The run went OK, though I had to slow down a bit from my initial pace. I ended up finishing the 10km (6.2 miles) in 50:59, for an average pace of 8:12/mi. I was happy with my performance though as it was quite a bit faster than my last 10km from almost a month ago, right before I got sick.

Weekly Total: 16.7 miles
2007 Yearly Total: 48.2 miles

Three and a half

2007-02-02T18:50:00.000-08:00

Today was about a 3.5 mile tempo run with a slow, gradual increase in pace. I'm not too happy with having the average pace being over 8 minutes, but that's all my body was allowing today. Hopefully better luck next time.

Four miles of speedwork

2007-01-31T18:48:00.000-08:00

Today was an attempt to do a little bit of speedwork. Obviously it was not too involved but it was better than nothing. I do like the ring of a 7:36/mi average pace though.

Just 3

2007-01-29T18:32:00.000-08:00

I finally returned to the fitness center at work this afternoon, only to find it just as crowded as I remembered it. Luckily, I did manage to secure one of the two open treadmills upon emerging from the locker room. I was all set to go, and then my iPod froze on me, just as my run was starting. I tried to fix it, but had no idea how to "unfreeze" it (until I got back in front of a PC, an hour later). So the 3 miles I put myself through today will be documented no place other than right here. But believe me, I did do them, and they were not easy. After running the first mile at around an 8:30/mi pace, I then alternated 1/4 mi stretches at 8:30 and 7:24. Not easy, but I knew I didn't have that far to go today. Still not feeling 100%. Lots of coughing afterwards, but not as bad as I had expected. I should be back to full go next week.

I'm back (finally) !

2007-01-27T18:39:00.000-08:00

After taking nearly two weeks off due to illness ("stomach flu") and subsequent headaches and weakness, I finally put my running shoes back on today and went for a run. Nothing special, just a 5K on the indoor track and the community fitness center. I kept it slow, at well over a 9:00/mi pace, for fear that I might lose a lung if I tried to push it any harder. I didn't feel great, but I didn't feel too bad. It was nice to get some physical activity back in my routine.

Weekly Total: 3.1 miles
2007 Yearly Total: 31.5 miles

A 10km run

2007-01-16T18:46:00.000-08:00

I managed to crank out my second 10km run of the new year today on the indoor track at the community fitness center. 10k is A LOT of laps around a 200m track. Too many to count without going crazy. I think if I tried calculating it ahead of time, I'd get frustrated by the thought of it and give up before I started. Thankfully my iPod can help turn my brain off and do all the counting for me. The only thing I have to think about is whether the anger-filled men playing basketball are going to start a fight with one another (or the refs), and to try to avoid the little kids that love wandering around on the track and getting in peoples way.

Weekly Total: 6.2 miles
2007 Yearly Total: 28.4 miles

Four more

2007-01-13T18:45:00.000-08:00

Just another simple four mile run today with some speed work that is a little hard to gather by looking at the run graph, but I promise, I did some.

Weekly Total: 8 miles
2007 Yearly Total: 22.2 miles

Four miles

2007-01-10T18:44:00.000-08:00

10km

2007-01-07T18:13:00.000-08:00

Went to the community fitness center today and ran 6.2 miles on the indoor track. Last weekend, I did just half of that distance on the track after doing the first half on a treadmill. I can now officially say that running around a track for almost an hour is every bit as boring as running on a treadmill. Especially this track which is shorter than a standard track. At least with the treadmill you have a TV to watch.

I kept the pace slow today as this was my "long run". I felt pretty good and did not sweat very much or feel too tired at the end. My lower back started hurting quite a bit during the last mile, but I managed to tough it out.

Weekly Total: 14.2 miles
2007 Yearly Total: 14.2 miles

4 mile tempo

2007-01-05T18:54:00.000-08:00

Today's run was done on the treadmill at the fitness center after work, which was surprisingly still not crowded (even less so than Wednesday). I hopped on my preferred treadmill, which is quickly becoming unpreferred because it seems to over-report my distance as compared to my iPod. Today, I had to run 4.2 miles to get my iPod to register 4 miles. Usually it's the other way around on the treadmills.

I started off the first 1/2 mile at around a 9:00/mi pace, and then at the .5 mile marker, I kicked it up to a 7:30/mi pace and kept it there for the next 3 full miles. It was tough to keep up, but I managed. For the final 1/2 mile, I knocked the speed back down a bit with a slight increase near the end (just to get the thing over with). My legs were pretty sore afterwards, and my lungs weren't too happy. But it was a good run.

First 4 of the new year

2007-01-03T19:12:00.000-08:00

Went for my first run of the new year today. Despite the nice weather, I opted to stay indoors (since it's more convenient) and hit up the fitness center at work. To my surprise, it was not crazy busy. Sure, all of the elliptical machines were taken, but the long line of treadmills were not even half taken. So I was able to get on one I like and get in my full workout without having to stop after 30 minutes. This made me happy.

I did a 4 mile run today, with a 3/4 mile warmup, followed by 1/4 mile intervals of fast and slow, with the "fast" being a 7:03/mi pace and the "slow" being around an 8:57/mi pace. The run graph doesn't illustrate this that well, but it was a tough run. I pushed myself and was happy with the results. I need more workouts like this one if I want to break a 3:40 marathon this year. Oops, did I just set a goal for myself?

Final run of 2006

2006-12-31T18:01:00.000-08:00

Today was my final run of 2006. I went up to the community fitness center and boarded my treadmill in hopes of doing 5 miles. However, things got busy and there is a 30-minute time limit, so after 30 minutes (and a little under 4 miles), I jumped off and started running around the indoor track.

I had originally intended to only run 5 miles, but I felt surprisingly good after leaving the treadmill and circling the track, so I stretched out my run to 10K, with a nice surge at the end. A good run to end the year on.

Weekly Total: 10.7 miles
Yearly Total: 928.5 miles (FINAL)

Back on track

2006-12-29T18:19:00.000-08:00

Today was my first run in a week, so I took it pretty easy. I had intended to only run 4 miles, but felt really good near the end and ran the last half mile at a very good pace that was closing in on 7 minutes a mile. I think my legs appreciated the week of rest, as they were pretty responsive today.

Four miles before I fly

2006-12-22T18:16:00.000-08:00

Today I was able to get out of work a couple of hours early, so I hit the gym and got in a 4 mile run before I leave for St. Louis this evening. I am packing my running gear, though I'm not very optimistic about whether it will get any use while I'm on vacation.

Weekly Total: 7 miles
Yearly Total: 917.8 miles

Just three

2006-12-20T18:15:00.000-08:00

A little short on time today, so I just ran a brief 3 mile run.

An 8 mile towpath run

2006-12-16T18:48:00.000-08:00

Today was the start of a new era in my running. I finally dusted off the old heart rate monitor that I bought shortly after I began running a year and a half ago (which I quickly discarded because I didn't like it telling me I was training too hard). And with that, I hope to have begun the "heart-rate training" era of my running.

First, I calculated my maximum heart rate to be around 190 bpm. I then picked up a Runner's World guide that told me my "target rate" for long runs should be between 65 - 75% of my max, which equals out to about 125 - 145. Given my utter disdain for running at anything less than hard, I stuck to the high end of that range, and tried to keep my rate right around 145. And surprisingly, I was very successful. Yes, I wasn't running at a pace that I felt comfortable with as I felt like I was really holding back. But I realize that the key to further improving my running abilities is to follow a plan. And I think listening to my heart rate is as good as any.

So, I hit up the towpath, enjoying the beautiful (and extremely rare) weather and hit up the towpath for the first time in a while, heading south for 4 miles before turning back. The temperatures were in the upper 40s, and between that and my reduced pace, I barely broke a sweat during the course of my 8.5 mile run. It's nice not to be dripping wet after a run.

Weekly Total: 19.7 miles
Yearly Total: 910.8 miles

Five mile tempo run

2006-12-13T19:12:00.000-08:00

Today was a rather bland 5 mile tempo run on the treadmill at work. It took a lot of effort for me to not speed up. I think that is the flatest run graph I have ever generated. It does a very good job of conveying how exciting the run was. But I'm trying. I know it's good for me. I can't run my hardest every time out.

Another treadmill 10k

2006-12-11T19:08:00.000-08:00

I'm starting to get good at these treadmill 10Ks. So much for adding variety to my running routine. Today's run was sort of a tempo run, with a gradually increasing pace. I'm not quite sure of why there is such the steep increase at the start. Guess I started my tracker sooner than I wanted to. This ended up being my first sub-8:00/mi average pace run in a while. I think a big part of my problem has been that I have been overtraining (in terms of my pace), so I'm trying to back off a bit, which is a lot harder than it may sound (I'm sure most runners would agree with me on that).

Some speed work

2006-12-06T19:03:00.000-08:00

Today's run graph looks more interesting than usual, as I was trying to do a little bit of interval training. I was sort of doing 1/2 mile intervals at around a 7:00/mi pace with a 9:00/mi pace for recovery. I then went faster (and subsequently had a slower recovery pace) with each mile. I was pretty wiped out near the end. It really provides a good workout, which is what I need to get back on the right track. Look for more run graphs to look like this in the future.

Weekly Total: 10.2 miles
Yearly Total: 891.1 miles

A treadmill 10K

2006-12-04T20:59:00.000-08:00

In order to make sure I still had it in me, I hit up the treadmill after work for a 10K (6.2mi) run at a decent clip. I started off strong before backing off for a bit and then gradually picking it back up for a strong finish. Still trying to get my legs back following the marathon.

Five more miles of speed work

2006-11-30T19:07:00.000-08:00

I had planned to do more of a tempo run today, but it sort of morphed into another speed workout, though with smaller variations between the half mile intervals.

Weekly Total: 9 miles
Yearly Total: 880.9 miles

Four more

2006-11-28T20:24:00.000-08:00

Today I did a four mile run on the treadmill at the rec center after work. I've accredited my lack of improvement in my previous marathon (Detroit, that is) to be because of my very bland, repetitive training routines. So, I've been trying to do a lot of reading online to learn about different training techniques that I plan to incorporate in my running from now on. One of these techniques is speed work. I've done a little bit here and there in the past, by now it's time to get serious about it.

So today, for the first three miles, I alternated between an 8:00/mi pace for 1/2 mile, followed by a brisk 6:58/mi pace for the next 1/2 mile. It was pretty tough at times, but I stuck with it. I need more workouts like this if I want to improve and break through this plateau.

First post-marathon run

2006-11-26T13:14:00.000-08:00

I went for my first since the marathon today. I actually felt really good this past week, much better than after any of my previous marathons. I could have started back up on Thursday, but I'm in no hurry as I don't have any races on the horizon, so I figured I'd just let my body rest a bit.

The weather outside was amazing today, mid 60's and sunny, which is well over 20 degrees above normal for Cleveland this time of year. So I headed outdoors and ran around the neighborhood. I actually took a different path than usual and ran through a bunch of subdivisions and it was very enjoyable. With the week off, my body was a little less than enthused about the run today. I was a little stiff and sore, but I made it through 6 miles at a reasonable pace.

Since I have nothing in the pipeline, except a likely run in the Columbus Distance Classic (1/2 marathon) in April, I'm just going to try and stick to 3 runs a week, around 15-20 miles or so, just so I don't lose my conditioning.

Weekly Total: 6 miles
Yearly Total: 871.9 miles

Marathon #4 - Philadelphia

2006-11-20T13:13:00.000-08:00

Hey, Rocky!
Originally uploaded by thespacerace.

Yes, it's true. I snuck off to the east coast this past weekend and ran yet another marathon. Yes, the Detroit one was only 3 weeks ago. But I really wanted to get visit my friend who now lives in Delaware, so I figured running the Philadelphia Marathon was a good excuse for me to do so.

My girlfriend and I on left Friday morning for the roughly 6 1/2 hour trek out east, suffering for rain for most of the first half, along with mountains and semis going way too fast. But we finally made it there and quickly left again to head for Philly to catch the marathon expo and some dinner. Well, traffic had different plans as we spent about 45 minutes sitting in the same spot due to an apparent accident on the bridge ahead of us. So the expo plans were moved to Saturday, and we had some tasty Greek food after we made it to Philly, before checking out one of my favorite singers, Eric Bachmann, perform at a cool little place called the North Star Bar.

On Saturday morning, we headed back to Philly and picked up all the necessary race stuff (bib, chip, shirt, free stuff) at the expo and did a little bit of exploring of Philly which seems like a very cool city. After watching the big OSU/Michigan football game, we had a very tasty homemade pasta dinner before heading to bed early.

Sunday morning, I was up at 5:45 and we were back on the road to Philly at 6:30. We got there just in time to follow some others in hopping the curb and parking on some innercity baseball field just a few hundred feet from the marathon area. The weather was cool, though not as bad as Detroit was, and there was not much wind to speak of. So, I opted for the shorts instead of the tights, though I stuck with the long-sleeve shirt which turned out to be a pretty good idea.

The race started about 8:05, a little behind schedule. I managed to secure a pretty good spot in the crowd, though it still took me a little over 2 minutes to cross the starting line (thank goodness for chip timing). I managed to keep up a pace of about 8:05 per mile for about the first 8 miles or so. But during mile 9, we went up a good sized hill for about a half mile and I was hurting by the end of that and I don't think I ever fully recovered from that. The first half of the race was pretty awesome. Running mostly around the city and little neighborhoods, there was a lot of crowd support and interesting sights to be seen.

At the halfway point, we crossed back by the Art Museum where the race started and headed north. At the 14 mile mark, I was at 1:57:02, which is an 8:21 pace. I actually improved on my pace between mile 10 and 14 as my average pace at mile 10 was 8:32. Unfortunately, the second half of the race was not so great, both course-wise and performance-wise.

For the second half of the race, we ran north of the museum along the Schuylkill River. It was scenic if you're into the whole nature thing. I train a lot in the park and enjoy the nature scenery, but when it comes to marathons I like the more urban settings with fans. The fans along the second half of the marathon were pretty few and far between, with the exception of the turnaround point at mile 20 when we ran through Manayunk. The crowds there were the best of any along the course. I hit the 20 mile mark at 2:52:51, so my average pace had swelled to 8:38. If I had managed to maintain that, I would have set a personal record. But, I didn't.

The last 6.2 miles of the race took me almost exactly an hour, or an average pace of 9:41 per mile. I guess it's safe to say that I "hit the wall". The only positive that I came away from it with is that I did not walk at all during that last 6.2 miles, or any of the 26.2 miles overall, which is a first. I walked in Detroit a bit, only because I had some cramps. But in Philly, I had no cramps, and no walking. Just slowness.

I managed to pickup my pace a bit during the last half mile as we finally encountered crowds of people again. I officially crossed the line in 3:52:55. Not my best time, but a time I am content with. Running two marathons in three weeks is not something I recommend if you're looking to break personal records. But I'm glad I drove out there and did it. I visited a new state for the first time (Delaware), got to hang out with my friends, explored a new town, and got a bit of exercise. And having a four-day weekend was an added bonus too.

Chip Time: 3:52:55
Clock Time: 3:55:06
Pace: 8:58.1
Mile 10: 1:25:26
Mile 14: 2:00:51
Mile 20: 2:52:51
Age Division (Men 25-29): 254 of 495
Men: 1894 of 3997
Overall: 2412 of 6178

Weekly Total: 29.2 miles
Yearly Total: 865.9 miles

one last tuneup

2006-11-16T21:06:00.000-08:00

Today was my last tuneup before this Sunday's Philadelphia Marathon (yes, I am officially registered now).

Just a 3 miler today at a decent pace of 8:17/mi. Since I was not going to get any other runs in this week, I wanted to get a decent workout in, and run at relatively the same pace I plan to for the marathon. So this was a way to get my body primed for that pace. The run went well. Hopefully it's a sign of good things to come on Sunday.

The big deciding "long run"

2006-11-12T17:59:00.000-08:00

Today's run was planned as the last test before I make up my mind on whether or not I want to run next weekend's Philadelphia Marathon. And after today, I cannot think of any reason not to run it.

I actually ran 12 miles, though I spent the first mile calibrating my Nike+ iPod thing (though it tracked the other 11 miles as 11.34, so apparently I didn't do such a good job adjusting it). I actually felt really good. It was pretty cold outside and I wore my warmups pants that I had not planned to, but it went OK.

I did not push myself very hard, I just wanted to see if I had the mileage in my legs, and apparently I do. So I plan to register for the Philadelphia marathon in the next few days, and making it my 4th marathon.

Weekly Total: 23.2 miles
Yearly Total: 836.7 miles

A 5 miler via the treadmill

2006-11-09T20:46:00.000-08:00

Went for a 5 mile run on the treadmill today after work, and managed to pull it off in a time of 39:10, for a 7:48/mi average pace. I was pretty happy with the results, except for the fact that I had to back off a bit on my pace for the 4th mile because I wasn't feeling it. But otherwise, things are looking pretty good.

A 10k on the treadmill

2006-11-07T19:41:00.000-08:00

Today I hit up the treadmill after work and managed to knock out a 10km (6.2 mi) run. My iPod said it was actually 6.39 miles, but I'll go with the treadmill's readout on this one. I pushed the pace pretty hard to see if my legs had it in them, and was happy with the results. I figure that if I decide to run the marathon in Philly in a couple of weeks, I need to get any "hard" workouts out of the way ASAP.

A 10 miler

2006-11-05T19:02:00.000-08:00

This afternoon I went out and ran a 10 miler, to see how my body was doing. I wasn't sure at first if I could make it that far, but I did. Unfortunately, I forgot to bring the receiver for my Nike iPod+ thing, so no graphs of today's run. I also stopped carrying my watch since I got that, so I had to resort to looking at the time on my cell phone which I carried in my Camelbak. I started the run at 3:44 and finished at 5:07. So 83 minutes to run 10 miles. That averages out to a nice 8:18 per mile average pace. Not bad being only 7 days removed from a full marathon.

So what does that mean? Barring any complications in the next week or so, I think I'm going to drive out to Philly in 2 weeks and participate in the Philadelphia Marathon. Yes, I realize that only taking 3 weeks between marathons is not the wisest thing I could do, but I feel that I can handle it. I'm in the best shape of my life, and I want to do the marathon thing one more time before I "hibernate" for winter. I'm going to try another long run next weekend, and that will be when I make my final decision. But for now at least, it looks like Philly is a go.

Weekly Total: 13.3 miles
Yearly Total: 813.5 miles

My first post-marathon run

2006-11-03T18:51:00.000-08:00

Today I did my first post-marathon run. My legs felt pretty good on Monday, the day after the marathon. But come Tuesday morning, I was limping around a bit. My left calf was extremely tender and did not like being walked on. My right one was also sore and tender, but not nearly as bad. Things improved slightly on Wednesday, and by Thursday I felt about 80%. So I decided to do my first run on Friday.

Nothing too exciting. I just went to the treadmill after work, kept the pace pretty light, and went for a half hour. I actually ran about 3.3 miles, though my iPod said 3.4 miles. I actually did not feel too bad. It was also the first run in my new shoes, a pair of Brooks Dyad 3. Things went pretty well. No real complaints, besides my lungs not exactly feeling up to par. I was coughing quite a bit after the workout, which was surprising since I did not push myself that hard and did not ever really feel short of breath.

So 3.3 miles in 30 minutes, for an average pace of 9:05 per mile.

The Detroit Marathon! - Race report

2006-11-02T17:10:00.000-08:00

My third marathon is now in the books. This past Sunday, I ran the Detroit Marathon. Overall it was a pretty fun race that took us into Canada for a few miles along with numerous little neighborhoods throughout Detroit.

On the drive up to Detroit on Saturday afternoon, things were not looking so great as 50+ mph winds were blowing the Vibe all over the highway, along with occasional downpours. But we made it there in the afternoon and met up with my friend Ryan who was running the half-marathon and was kind enough to put us up for the night. We went to the less-than-impressive marathon expo to pickup our required gear and then headed off to a big pasta dinner with some other friends before going to bed nice and early.

Race day started with a 6am wakeup to eat a bagel and an energy bar before driving downtown. The starting area was a sea of port-o-potties (well over 100) and long lines, though I managed to find one with almost no line. I then spent 5 minutes squeezing into the overcrowded starting coral for my pace about 10 minutes before the race started. Temperatures were only in the upper 30s so I decided to go with the leg tights under my shorts, long sleeve shirt, gloves and a knit hat. I also took along my iPod, which allowed me to track my run (see here).

The race started off well, as most of my runs do, with a first mile time of around 7:22. The first real challenge (course map) was during mile 4 when we crossed the Ambassador Bridge into Windsor, Canada. The bridge is super long and the first half was a pretty steep incline. The coolest part of the run was the run back to the States via the Detroit-Windsor underwater tunnel. My "underwater mile" time was 7:46, very good for mile 8. I then made it to the halfway point at 1:47:01, for an average pace of just under 8:10 a mile.

After that, things were pretty much downhill (in a figurative sense). The wind started picking up, and was really bad during the 3-mile run out to and around Belle Isle. During mile 18, I started getting cramps in my left calf muscle and had to stop to stretch a few times. The last few miles, which are always the worst part, was made even worse this time because of the wind. When we made the turn onto Lafayette Avenue for the last 3 miles, we started running into a headwind that was brutal. I ran my slowest mile in mile 24 with a time of 9:22, which is probably because of having to stop to stretch both calves which were now both cramping.

When we made the turn to head for Ford Field, I managed to pick things up, which was helped by a large crowd of fans that had been absent for most of the last 10 miles. We entered Ford Field through a big entryway that led into a downhill tunnel that led down to the playing field. I managed to sprint the last minute or so and finish strong, and finish in under 3 hours and 50 minutes, with an official time of 3:49:18, which is just under 3 minutes better than my personal best that I set back in Cincinnati in May. I had hoped to do a few minutes better, but given the conditions I should be happy that I did as good as I did.

After crossing the finish line, I crashed on the field for a bit. It was cool to be out on the football field with a bunch of fans in the stands, but I was too tired and dazed to really enjoy it. I felt pretty lightheaded, which I credit to dehydration and had to stop and sit down a number of times before grabbing some food and heading outside to my waiting friends.

Overall it was fun and I'm glad I ran it. I wish the weather had been a little better, but I guess I shouldn't have expected much better this late in the year. Next fall I'll try to run something earlier, if I do run one. I haven't decided what is next for my running career, but I don't plan to hang up my shoes quite yet. After all, I just bought a new pair on Monday.

Here are my numbers:

Underwater Mile: 7:46
1/2 Marathon Time: 1:47:01
Marathon (chip time): 3:49:18
Average Pace: 8:45/mi

Overall Rank: 1028 of 3881
Age Group (men 25-29): 119 of 306

And finally, my updated year-to-date stats:
Weekly Total: 33.6 miles
Yearly Total: 800.2 miles

Detroit Marathon Training - Week 16 - Run #2

2006-10-26T19:36:00.000-07:00

Today was it. The official end of training. Four months and almost 400 miles, all leading up to this Sunday's Detroit Marathon.

Today I took it easy for once. I got on the treadmill at work for a half hour and ran 3.4 miles or so. Nothing fast, except for a few brief speed intervals near the end, just so my body would realize that I wasn't going to run that slow on Sunday.

Now it's time to down some more carbs over the next few days, rest my legs, and visualize a great race. I won't publicly admit my "ambitious" goal, but my realistic goal for the race is to finish in 3:45.

Detroit Marathon Training - Week 16 - Run #1

2006-10-23T19:42:00.000-07:00

Today was the beginning of the end. The week of the marathon. The last couple training runs, albeit easy ones. Today I took it somewhat easy.

While I had only planned to run 30 minutes, I stretched it a little bit so that I could get in a nice even 4 miles, which took me just over 31 minutes. I pushed myself a bit, but nowhere near what I had been doing recently. Still, it was in hindsight probably a little much for this point in my training.

Detroit Marathon Training - Week 15 - Run #3

2006-10-21T19:45:00.000-07:00

Today was the last "long run", though it seemed pretty short compared to the ones I have been doing recently. It might have also been my last run in the park for a while as winter nears and my training is coming to an end.

A nice trail run on the towpath trail today, heading south from Brecksville. I managed to make it all 10 miles today (no surprise), but I did it in pretty good time, finishing in 1:19:49 for a nice sub-8 minute pace, which I am always happy with.

Weekly Total: 23 miles
Yearly Total: 766.6 miles

Detroit Marathon Training - Week 15 - Run #1

2006-10-16T17:57:00.000-07:00

Today's run I pushed myself, and tried out the "Distance" fuction of my Nike+ iPod for the first time. Instead of just running a straight 6 miles on the treadmill, I programmed my iPod to go for a 10km run (6.2 miles) and pushed myself pretty hard.

I finished the first mile in 7:46, and kept speeding up from there with my fastest mile being my 4th mile which I ran in 7:26. This was the hardest I plan to run before the marathon, which is now less than two weeks away. Time to start resting up a bit.

So 6.2 miles in 47:33, for an average pace of 7:36 per mile.

Detroit Marathon Training - Week 14 - Run #3

2006-10-14T12:13:00.000-07:00

Today's "long run" thankfully was not quite as long as the past few have been as I have begun my taper now that the marathon is only two weeks away. While it was shorter, it was also much colder. The temperature was in the mid 40s, and the wind was pretty strong at times. Fortunately I think the trees helped knock some of it down. So I was dressed a little differently than usual, opting to wear black tights under my shorts, and a long sleeve shirt. Both kept me warm, and I really did not get hot except for the brief periods of sunshine.

Since the run was shorter, I was able to use a different training route, as I headed north on the towpath from the Brecksville station, which I had not done in months. The change in scenary was very welcome. And I don't know if it was the different route or the colder weather, but today's run went great. I managed to hit the turnaround point, 7 miles, in 56:40, which put me at a 8:05/mi pace. And the 7 miles back only took a couple minutes longer as I finished my 14 mile run in 1:54:45 for an average pace of about 8:12/mi. I'm very happy with this.

As for my Nike+ iPod setup, it recorded my distance as 14.34 miles for an average pace of 7:59/mi. Obviously I like this a little better. I'm still not entirely sure which one to trust. The Nike+ thing worked really well on the treadmill the other day, only being off .04 miles on a 7 mile run. And I'm not sure of the accuracy of some of the marked miles on the towpath, as I know some on my usual route are longer than the marked distance. So I'm thinking about started to rely on the this device instead of the markers. I really should just find a track and do a very accurate calibration and go from there.

So 14 miles today in 1:54:45 for an average pace of 8:12/mi, according to the towpath's mileage markers.

Weekly Total: 26 miles
Yearly Total: 743.6 miles

Detroit Marathon Training - Week 14 - Run #2

2006-10-11T16:29:00.000-07:00

Another treadmill run today after work. It was sort of like a tempo run. I started at 8:00 pace, went up to a 7:53 for the second mile, 7:46 for the third mile, and after 4.5 miles I went back up and did a couple more miles at 8:00 before finishing hard.

I tried going harder today than I have recently, and it did not go so great. I had planned to keep increasing speed, but after 4 miles, I had to cut back or I was not going to make it 7 miles. One good development today is that the treadmill read 7 miles and my iPod said 7.04 miles. The only really difference between today and Monday was that I used a different model treadmill. So I'm guessing this treadmill might actually be more accurate than the other one. So it looks like I will stick to this model going forward.

So 7 miles in 54:21 for an average pace of 7:42 per mile.

Detroit Marathon Training - Week 14 - Run #1

2006-10-09T19:46:00.000-07:00

I began the "taper" part of my marathon training today with a fairly easy 5 mile run on the treadmill at work. It was my first treadmill run with my Nike+ iPod kit, and it went fairly well. It clocked in my 5 mile run at 5.22 miles. I'll probably calibrate the sensor on a treadmill once it gets cold and I'm stuck indoors for the winter. Until then, I'll just stick with what the treadmill tells me I ran.

I started off around an 8:13 pace for about 2.5 miles, before mixing in some speedwork for two 1/2 mile segments and then gradual speed increased over the fifth and final mile.

So 5 miles in 39:01 for an average pace of 7:48 minutes per mile.

Detroit Marathon Training - Week 13 - Run #3

2006-10-07T21:57:00.000-07:00

Today was it. The last "long run" of my marathon training. From here it's all downhill as I begin my "taper" now that the marathon is only 3 weeks away. Unfortunately, today's run didn't send me out on a very good note.

My first mistake was a fast start. I took the first mile to calibrate my Nike+ sensor, so I ran a mile and stopped briefly to set it. It indicated my first mile was actually .9mi, so it seems that it was exactly 90% accurate out of the box as the instructions indicated it would be. My first mile went by in about 7:30, which is not what I wanted to do. The next mile was the only other mile I checked my iPod, and it came it at .99mi, so I think I have it calibrated pretty well. I then tucked it into my Camelback and there it stayed until the end of my run.

Not all was bad with my run. I hit the turnaround point, 9 miles, at 1:14:30 for an average pace of 8:17 per mile. On the way back, I started wearing out around mile 13. I was really struggling and was not sure if I would make it. For the first time since I've been running, my feet started hurting. Usually I just get pain in my legs, but this time my actual feet were aching. So I don't know if that is a not so subtle hint that I need to get new shoes. I have around 350 miles on these shoes. I'll just have to see if it happens again.

My finishing time was 2:39:21 for 18 miles which averages out to about 8:51 per mile. This is slightly faster than my last 18 miler which was two weeks ago. But I feel much worse at the moment than I did two weeks ago after the run. I have been wheezy and my feet are aching. I just hope that my runs over the next few weeks go better because today did not do much for my confidence, even though I managed to finish.

Weekly Total: 28.1 miles
Yearly Total: 717.6 miles

Detroit Marathon Training - Week 13 - Run #2

2006-10-04T21:50:00.000-07:00

Tonight's run was pretty impromptu. I had just received my new iPod nano in the mail, along with my Nike+ kit, so I was very anxious to take it out for a test run. So I did. Even though it was almost 8pm and already dark outside. Not a good idea.

Disaster almost struck during my first mile as I was running through an intersection when I had the walk sign, and just as I was about to get to the other side, a car came up and of course did not bother to stop at the white line but started going through the crosswalk until they suddenly saw me and stopped. I had to swing out wide to avoid being hit. So obviously not a fun experience, and a warning to be more careful when I run that late.

The rest of the run was pretty uneventful. I finished and saw that my iPod told me I only ran 2.84mi, though I had mapped that route out numerous times and estimated it to be closer to 3.1mi. Then I read that the sensor is only about 90% accurate out of the box (until I calibrate it). So I'm sticking with my original 3.1mi estimate, as that is within the margin of error.

So 3.1 miles in 22:52, for an average time of 7:22 per mile.

Detroit Marathon Training - Week 13 - Run #1

2006-10-03T18:14:00.000-07:00

I was in a training class at work all day today, and a good part of that day was spent figuring out whether or not to run afterwards. Ultimately, I did, and ended up getting in a good run.

For the first time in a while, I headed to the park across the street for work for a nice outdoor run. It had rained in the morning, and everything was wet, but it had that nice fresh smell. Not all of the trail is marked, so I'm not definite on the distance, but I'm pretty sure I ran just over 7 miles. The first half I finished in 27:13, and I barely managed to pull out the "negative split" with a time of 27:12 for the second half, for a total of 54:25, which is around a 7:46/mi average pace.

So today's run was at a pretty brisk pace compared to what I've been doing the past couple of weeks. I felt like I needed to get in a tough workout, and today was a good day for that. It was sort of like a tempo run with some speed work mixed in. Not a lot of speed work, but some is better than none. I was huffing and puffing a few times, so that's a good workout in my book.

Detroit Marathon Training - Week 12 - Run #2

2006-10-01T17:51:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately, I only managed to get in two runs this week. However, today was the "big one". The 20-miler. The mother of all "long runs" when training for a marathon (at least in most training programs). So I suppose that's as good of an excuse as any to miss an extra run during the week.

I almost put off the run this morning when I awoke to see the pavement mostly wet in our apartment parking lot. It had rained pretty heavily the night before, and I was worried that the towpath trail was going to be very messy. But, I eventually got out of bed and out of the house a little after 9am, into a mostly sunny but chilly mid-50s October day.

Things started off pretty good, right around an 8:25/mi pace. The only scary moment was right before I hit my turnaround point at 10 miles, I had a sharp pain in my left knee that made me pull up for a few gimpy steps, but it was only momentary, and I was back to normal in no time. I hit the turnaround point at 1:26:30, for an average pace of 8:39 per mile. Not too shabby.

The second half was slower of course, as has become my norm. I was pretty dead most of the last 3 miles, but not quite as bad as the previous week's 18 miler. I tried to make it in under 3 hours, but those last few miles killed me. I ended up finishing around 3:03:15 (I failed to properly stop my watch at the finish, so the seconds is more of an estimate). Unfortunately, this is about 2 minutes slower than my last 20 miler I did back in April.

So 20 miles in 3:03:15, which averages out to a pace of 9:10 per mile, which is just over the 4 hour marathon pace. Not too happy with that.

Weekly Total: 28 miles
Yearly Total: 689.5 miles

Detroit Marathon Training - Week 12 - Run #1

2006-09-28T19:10:00.000-07:00

After slacking for the past few days, I managed to finally get my first run of the week in this afternoon. After work, I headed downstairs to the gym and hit up the treadmill for an 8 miler (which is about the max for what I can handle on a treadmill before wanting to kill myself out of boredom).

The run actually went pretty good, besides the boredom that is. I started off at an 8:20 pace (again, trying to emulate a realistic marathon pace) and did that for 4 miles before upping it to 8:13 for a couple of miles, and then to 8:06 for mile 6 & 7, and then down under 8 for most of the eighth and final mile.

I did learn one thing today. The gym's treadmill stops after 60 minutes. Fortunately, I was able to get in an extra 5 minutes during the "cooldown" cycle, but my time ran out at the 7.9 mile mark (65 minutes), so I had to stop, restart and finish the last tenth of a mile, which took about 49 seconds (most of which was spent ramping back up to speed). So that was pretty dumb.

So yeah, 8 miles in 65:49, which averages out to a little under an 8:14 per mile average pace (which would be a 3:36 marathon, which I would love, but it's late and I think that is the sign to go to bed because I must have started dreaming).

Detroit Marathon Training - Week 11 - Run #3 (post #100!)

2006-09-24T13:46:00.000-07:00

Today was another long run. One which kicked my butt. Hard. Last Sunday's 16 miler was not so bad, so I was hoping to get away with another good run today. No such luck.

I can't blame it on the weather though. While I went to bed fearing that my run would be washed out due to storms that were predicted, I woke up to fairly dry conditions. By the time I started my run (around 10am), it was partly sunny and in the 60s. Not bad for my first official run of the fall.

Things started off pretty well. I tried to stick around the 8:30 pace of last week. Unfortunately during mile 4 or 5, my body let me know that it needed a trip to the boys room (despite having done so before I left). During the next 2 miles, it was a struggle to keep going. Finally, I managed to make it to Peninsula and hit up the public restroom. Were it not for that, today's run would have been a disaster. This was not something that would have been done nicely behind a few bushes.

Once back on track, I made it the 9 miles to my turnaround point, and still felt pretty good. I don't remember exactly, but I think it was around the time I started mile 14 that the wheels started to come off. My legs were just not happy and my head was full of doubt. There were a number of times I wanted to stop, but I knew that would only make next week's run all the more difficult. So I trudged ahead. Just as I started mile 17, a guy passing me on his bike yelled out "How many you doing today?", to which I replied "18". He then asked "How many left?", to which I replied "2!". He then cheered me on and told me to keep going. This is the first time something like that has happened to me, and it was surprisingly uplifting. So I kept on going, and I did manage to finish those last 2 miles without stopping.

18 miles - 2:39:50 (about an 8:53/mi pace). Not as good as last week, but decent. If I ran that pace for the marathon, it would be almost exactly my finishing time from the Flying Pig back in May. Obviously, I want an improvement. But looking back, none of my long runs leading up to the Pig were near the actual pace I finished at. So I guess that is a good sign.

Weekly Total: 32.2 miles
Yearly Total: 661.5 miles

Detroit Marathon Training - Week 11 - Run #2

2006-09-21T20:08:00.000-07:00

Today was one of my longer treadmill runs, but not one of my better ones. I actually went to a different rec center today, that my company operates at another location. So it was an interesting change of scenery. However, the run itself was not that good.

Today, during my lunch break, I decided that my goal time for the upcoming Detroit Marathon will be 3:40. In order to do that, I have to run an 8:23 mile pace. So, I decided that today's run should be exactly at that pace. However, since the treadmill doesn't like doing that, I settled for the next best thing, 8:20. Which I did. And it was harder than I thought. I felt more like I was running a 7:20 than an 8:20. But I made it. Through 8 miles! That's almost a personal record distance on a treadmill. Granted I was ready to shoot myself out of boredom by the end.

So 8 miles in 1:06:44. I found out, much to my annoyance, the treadmill stops counting seconds after an hour. So ghetto.

Detroit Marathon Training - Week 11 - Run #1

2006-09-19T15:14:00.000-07:00

I surprisingly felt very good yesterday following Sunday's 16 mile run, but I decided to take the planned day of rest anyways. So today was the first run of the week for me. I just finished it up downstairs on the treadmill here at work.

For today's run, I decided to mix in a bit of speedwork, along with the idea of trying to stick closer to a "realistic" marathon pace. So for the first 3 miles, I did 800m speedwork intervals with the first half of each mile at 8:27 pace, and the second half at 6:58 pace. After that, I settled out around an 8:13 pace, with increases during each of the last miles, and gradual increases during the last mile.

In total, I ran 6.2 miles (10 km) today in 48:13, for an average pace of 7:46.6 minutes per mile. Not too bad. It felt good to push myself, but not to the extreme like I have been doing. I think in the long run it's better for me to focus on more realistic paces as long as I keep training for the longer distance races.

Detroit Marathon Training - Week 10 - Run #3

2006-09-17T10:05:00.000-07:00

Today was my first normal "long run" in a while, following last weekend's half-marathon race and a few weeks off before though. So I was worried that I might be a bit rusty. Fortunately, things seem to go my way today.

I made it out to the park around 8am today, and it was a bit chilly as temperatures were only in the mid 50s. But after a couple minutes of running, there is no coldness at all. For once, I started off at a slower pace instead of sprinting out the gates like I typically do. I didn't want to start fast and then fade like I typically do. So I did my first mile in 8:30 and tried to keep that pace for most of the run.

At my turnaround point, 8 miles in, my time was about 1:09, which is an 8:37 pace. However, I think that mile 6 is at least .1 miles longer than marked, and I did that "mile" about a minute slower, so I'm going to start trimming a minute off my team each time I run that mile. So a 1:08 time is exactly an 8:30 pace.

I hoped to match or possibly even beat that time on the way back, but it was not meant to be today. During miles 13 & 14 or so, I was starting to fade a bit. I was able to pick things up the last few miles, but it wasn't enough. I ended up finishing the 8 mile route back two minutes slower. So my adjusted final time was 2:18:06 which is an average pace of about 8:38 per mile.

So I was happy with today's performance. I wasn't exhausted those last couple of miles, so I think paying attention to my pace from the beginning is a good idea. Next week I am aiming to do an 18 miler.

Weekly Total: 29 miles
Yearly Total: 629.3 miles

Detroit Marathon Training - Week 10 - Run #2

2006-09-14T18:04:00.000-07:00

For the first time in many weeks, I was able to keep to my schedule this week and did my second run of the week today after work. I hit up the treadmill downstairs after work and set out for a 7 mile run.

I was a little overambitious and started off at a 7:30/mi pace for the first two miles, before going down to a 7:24 pace for 3 & 4. During the fourth mile, my lower back started hurting, and I knew that I wasn't going to make it 7 miles if I tried to keep up that pace. So after 4.5 miles, I knocked my pace back to a flat 8:00. That seemed to make things a bit easier, and I gradually increased my pace from there over the last couple of miles, and finished the 7 miles in 53:11 for an average pace of about 7:36 per mile.

I think I need more runs like today where I just slow down a bit. Realistically, my pace for the marathon is going to be around 8:30, so pushing myself at these much faster paces does not seem to make much sense when I sit back and think about it. But whenever I set out to run, it's hard to resist the urge to push myself. So I just need to force myself to do it, and get my body used to running the slower pace.

Detroit Marathon Training - Week 10 - Run #1

2006-09-12T17:45:00.000-07:00

Look at that, in the double digits for my training week now. Pretty soon it will be week 16, which is marathon week. After my race this past weekend, I'm now sort of wishing I had a few more weeks of training to do.

Well, today was back to normal. A run downstairs on the treadmill after work. I started off strong, at a 7:41/mi clip, and briefly decided to mix in some speedwork, doing the last 1/4 of the first mile in 6:44 or so. Not a good idea. It tired me out.

I did the second mile at 7:41 also, before kicking it up to 7:35 for miles 3 & 4. For mile 5, I went down to 7:30, and to 7:24 for mile 6, with increases every .2 miles and then even more frequently in the second half of the mile.

All in all, I finished 6 miles in a time of 45:06, for an average pace of 7:31 per mile. One of my better runs, if I do say so myself. The highlight of the evening though was my girlfriend treating me to a delicious salmon dinner that she cooked after I came home (with salmon in hand). That's about the best dinner ever.

Detroit Marathon Training - Week 9 - Run #3 (Half-marathon race)

2006-09-10T16:20:00.000-07:00

This morning was the River Run Half Marathon in Berea, OH. It's a pretty popular race here in northeast Ohio, and this is the first time that I did it. It's a pretty scenic run, through the Metroparks from Berea to Rocky River.

Things started off pretty well, though the starting area was very crowded. They used chips for timing, and did not have enough of the chip mats to cover the width of the road, so people had to cram together at the starting line to make it over the map. Things were pretty crowded the first mile or so, and I had to make some tough passes to get around people, but I'm starting to get used to that.

The first mile went by in 7:30, and I sped up a bit as my time after mile 3 was 22:02 (7:20/mi pace), but things started going downhill for me during mile 4. I can't remember very many other splits, but the tough miles for me were 4 and 7...and most everything after that. I won't lie, it was a hard race for me. I don't know why, but it just didn't seem to go well. It could be that I have not done a long run in over 2 weeks. Or that I put on a couple pounds in the past week. But whatever it was, I did not feel in race form.

Despite my troubles, I did manage to make it to the end without stopping even though I really questioned whether or not I would. Also, I did somehow manage to make a PR time, improving my previous best by just under 3 minutes. However, today's race was a bit of a wakeup call that I really need to get back into my training if I want next month's marathon to go well. Today looked good on paper, but I ran it and can tell you that it was not a good run. So there is a lot of work left to do in these next 7 weeks.

Time: 1:40:45
Pace: 7:43/mi
Overall: 149 of 838
Division (Male 25-29): 16 of 35

And here are my updated year-to-date totals:

Weekly Total: 26.1 miles
Yearly Total: 600.3 miles

Detroit Marathon Training - Week 9 - Run #2

2006-09-07T18:35:00.000-07:00

Went out for a late run this evening since I wasted my afternoon driving out to the west side (Parma) to pickup my packet for this Sunday's River Run half marathon. They had a packet pickup yesterday at the nearby Fleet Feet Sports, which I totally forgot about until this morning. Unfortunately, there is no race day pickup, so I was forced to go today or else I'd have to drive even further to pick it up Friday or Saturday.

So anyways, I got home, ate dinner, and headed out for a run. I didn't want to do the full distance of my newfound course, so I set out with a general idea of where to turn around. So I headed down pretty far, to the Solon schools intersection, turned around, ran around to the far apartment entrance, around the apartment loop and back to my complex. After a few minutes of drawing on the Gmaps Pedometer website, I calculated my distance to be 5.73 miles in a time of 49:32. That averages out to an 8:38/mi pace which might be true because I was feeling some pain at the beginning and took it kind of easy. With the big race coming up on Sunday, I didn't want to push it too hard.

Detroit Marathon Training - Week 9 - Run #1

2006-09-05T19:22:00.000-07:00

Got back in town this evening and headed out for a run on my newfound 7.3 (or so) mile route near home. I thought my pace was really good, but I ended up running a few seconds behind my previous time on this course, finishing in 1:00:52. I felt pretty good after my brief absense from running, so hopefully there won't be any lapse in my training level due to the days off.

Detroit Marathon Training - Week 8 - Run #2

2006-08-31T18:01:00.000-07:00

After taking a few days off, I was back with a vengence today. I don't start in anticipation of going all out, it just sort of happened that way. I showed that treadmill who was boss today.

I started off strong with a 7:30/mi pace, and bumped it up to 7:24 after the first mile. At the 3 mile mark, I bumped it up to 7:18, and did a few more increases after that. It was a struggle at times, because when I set a longer target (like 7 miles today), I just seem to dread the time. But I kept going, and kept speeding up. The last mile I went all out even though I was afraid I'd have to stop before my 7 miles were up.

My finishing time for the 7 miles was 51:13, a very strong 7:19/mi average pace. In fact, that is 13 seconds faster than the pace of my 10K PR! So needless to say, I'm very happy with today's results.

Weekly Total: 12 miles
Yearly Total: 574.2 miles

Detroit Marathon Training - Week 8 - Run #1

2006-08-28T18:27:00.000-07:00

Got an early start on this week since I missed the long run last week, and I'm also going to be unable to run over the coming holiday weekend. Headed downstairs to the gym after work and hopped on the treadmill for a quick run. I started at a 7:53/mi pace, and increased 6-7 seconds per mile. Finished the 5 mile run in 38:05, which is an average pace of 7:37 per mile.

I felt pretty good afterwards, despite doing the whole run at a 1% incline (I've been cheating lately and only doing 1% for half the run before going flat). Legs feel fine, which is good because I plan to run again tomorrow.

Detroit Marathon Training - Week 7 - Run #3

2006-08-27T19:08:00.000-07:00

Today's planned long run was disrupted by mother nature. I awoke early this morning to the sound of thunderstorms outside my bedroom window. I knew from then that my plans of a long run today were not going to pan out.

Fortunately, late in the day I was able to break out of my lazy trance and head out the door for a run around town. I followed the same route from my apartment, heading south on Route 91 towards Solon. Except I kept going, much further than before. I had no idea where I was going to stop, I was just going on and on. Finally I turned around and made it back to the apartment in just over an hour. An hour and 47 seconds to be exact.

I'm not quite sure of the distance, but a rough draft on the Gmaps Pedometer site told me abour 7.3 miles. That would put me at about a 8:19/mi average pace, which seems about right. So while I'm disappointed that I didn't get my long run in today, I'm glad that I was able to improvise and find a new little route to take.

Weekly Total: 19.5 miles
Yearly Total: 562.2 miles

Detroit Marathon Training - Week 7 - Run #2

2006-08-25T16:06:00.000-07:00

Did a rare back-to-back run today, having just run yesterday. But since I missed a few days, I had to compact this week's schedule. Fortunately, things seem to have turned out just fine.

I managed to get in 6.2 miles today on the treadmill at work. Just as I started my run today, the fire alarm went off. After some confusion, it turns out we didn't have to evacuate because a kid had pulled a nearby alarm. I kept the elevation flat today and followed this routine:

Miles 1 & 2: 7:47/mi pace
Miles 3 & 4: 7:41/mi pace
Miles 5 & 6: 7:35/mi pace (w/ increases during mile 6)

Things went well. A 10K in 47:15, which averages out to a 7:36/mi average pace. The biggest issue I'm having these days is boredom. Time just seems to drag during my runs anymore. There is nothing good on TV at that time of the day (crappy local news, Oprah, or Judge Judy). All the music in my old mp3 player is getting stale. I'm thinking about getting a new iPod nano, especially since I'm dying to try out that Nike + iPod thing they have going on. Even though I don't care to get Nike shoes, lots of people have reported being able to use it with any brand of shoes. Sounds good to me.

Detroit Marathon Training - Week 7 - Run #1

2006-08-24T18:54:00.000-07:00

Had my first run of the week today. I had planned on Tuesday, but just wasn't feeling it then. On Wednesday, I ended up staying late at work and did not feel like staying any later. So today it was.

I did 6 miles today. Started at a flat 8:00/mi pace at a 1% incline on the treadmill at work. For mile 3, I increased to a 7:53/mi pace. At the 3.5 mile mark, I dropped the incline (I was sort of struggling at that point). For mile 4 & 5 I ran at a 7:47/mi pace. The last mile I kept increasing, as usual.

I ended up finishing the 6 miles in a time of 46:45, which averages out to a 7:47/mi pace. Not my best time, but decent I suppose. I was pretty wiped out afterwards, having sweated a lot and really booking by the end.

So my current state of running is not so great. I'm still 9 weeks away from the marathon, which seems like an eternity, and I feel like I'm just stuck in a rut. Worse yet, running lately feels more like an obligation than something I actually look forward to. When I first started my training, it was exciting to have a goal again. And I'm sure as I get closer to the marathon, like in October, I'll be excited again. But for now, stuck in the middle of my training program, it's just rough. I felt pretty similar during the last marathon training program, which is when I was questioning if it would be my last marathon. But after doing the actual event, it's hard not to get excited about doing another one.

So the next month or so, I just need to grind out these runs and get through them. I have a dual goal of running the marathon in 3:40, and reaching the 1,000 mile mark by year's end. Hopefully I can get both, though I'd be excited about just one (preferably the 3:40 marathon). :)

Detroit Marathon Training - Week 6 - Run #3

2006-08-20T18:50:00.000-07:00

This week's run went about the same as last week's long run. 14 miles. Good conditions. Today it was pretty cool (upper 60s) and overcast. I headed north this time from Brecksville along the towpath. Not very much traffic today. Seems like people prefer riding in the sun.

First mile was 7:55, but I think that was the only sub-8 mile of the 14. During mile 2, I realized that today was not a running day. But I kept going because I needed the miles. I thought about going for 15, but by the end I was just happy to have made it to 14 again. I ended up finishing in 2:00:50, for an average pace of 8:38.

Weekly Total: 25 miles
Yearly Total: 542.7 miles

Detroit Marathon Training - Week 6 - Run #2

2006-08-18T19:28:00.000-07:00

Back to training today with a solid tempo run on the treadmill at work. Here is the breakdown:

Mile 1 & 2: 7:35/mi pace
Mile 3 & 4: 7:30/mi pace
Mile 5: 7:24/mi pace
Mile 6: 7:18/mi pace
Mile 7: Under 7:00/mi average

Overall, I finished the 7 mile run in 52:08 which averages out to a 7:27/mi pace. Not bad. I was a big sweaty mess afterwards, but I'm glad I did it. Resting up on Saturday for a long run on Sunday.

Detroit Marathon Training - Week 6 - Run #1

2006-08-15T14:46:00.000-07:00

My legs are still a bit sore for Sunday's 14 miler, so I took it kind of easy today. Didn't really do any speed work, just upped my speed with each mile:

Mile 1 - 8:27
Mile 2 - 8:13
Mile 3 - 7:53
Mile 4 - 7:13 (with increases every .1 after 3.6)

I finished the 4 miles in 31:44, for a 7:56/mi average pace. Hopefully this run does not set my legs back any further. I wasn't even sure if I was going to run today, but I'm glad I did. And my legs aren't hurting...yet.

Detroit Marathon Training - Week 5 - Run #3

2006-08-13T12:00:00.000-07:00

Today was the long run for a week. I did not feel bad at first from having just run the day before, but I think in the end it hurt me. I headed out to Brecksville to run on the towpath, and started running south since I went north last week.

The weather was very nice, so the towpath was crowded, even though it was only 9am. Most of it was bikers, but there were more runners than I usually see. Not to mention the trail is more crowded to the south anyways.

I felt pretty good and was keeping a fairly consistent 8:00/mile pace. I hit the 7 mile turnaround point at 57:11 (8:10/mi pace), but I think that was inflated because one of the miles seems to be measured incorrectly which adds about 45 seconds.

I started to get pretty tired on the way back, which reflected in my time. The 7 mile run back took me 1:02:45 (8:57/mi pace). I was pretty exhaused by the finish, mostly in my legs which are still sore now, 5 hours later.

So overall, I ran the 14 miles in 1:59:56, which equals out to an 8:34/mi pace.

Weekly Total: 24.1 miles
Yearly Total: 517.7 miles

Detroit Marathon Training - Week 5 - Run #2

2006-08-12T11:49:00.000-07:00

I was busy on Thursday & Friday evenings, so the second run of the week was pushed back to Saturday. Since it was just the day before my next long run, I took it pretty easy and ended up doing about a 5K. For the first time, I ran outside near my apartment. I took off from the front door of my building, out of the complex street and onto the sidewalk of the main street.

I looked at the Gmaps Pedometer site to try to figure out the distance, and it's roughly a 5K. The only bad part about it is that there are a number of intersections to run through, and also a hill that is nice on the way out, but not so nice on the way back.

I ended up finishing the 3.1 miles in 24:10. It was hot and I'm still not 100% sure on the actual distance, but 3.1 is a pretty safe guess.

Detroit Marathon Training - Week 5 - Run #1

2006-08-09T15:19:00.000-07:00

Been busy this past two evenings, so I was not able to run until today. I headed down to the gym after work to hit up the treadmill. Should have went outside since the weather is amazing, but I did not. I'm not sure if I'll be able to get another run in this week besides my long run, so today was a bit of a speed/tempo hybrid. I started off at a good pace, 7:53/mi, and kept speeding up with each mile.

Mile 1 - 7:53/mi
Mile 2 - 7:47/mi
Mile 3 - 7:41/mi
Mile 4 - 7:35/mi
Mile 5 - 7:30/mi (first half)
Mile 6 - 7:24/mi (first half), 7:17/mi (second half)
Mile 7 - 7:11/mi (first half) + stedily increasing

Overall, I finished the 7 miles in 52:59, which averages out to a 7:34/mi pace. Not too shabby for such a long run. I actually felt best during the 6th mile, which is good to know.

Detroit Marathon Training - Week 4 - Run #3

2006-08-05T18:08:00.000-07:00

This week's long run went much, much better than last weeks. What a difference six days (and more importantly, about 25 degrees) makes. I headed out to my usual long run spot, the towpath in Brecksville, and set off to run 6 miles north and then turn around. I started off well, with an exactly 8:00 first mile. I then slipped to about 8:20 for the next two, before clocking another flat 8:00 one. After that I sort of lost track. I know I hit the turnaround point at 49:06, which put me at an average of an 8:11/mile pace.

The 6 miles back where definetely not one of my best running experiences. In fact, it was pretty close near the top of the bad ones. It was kind of the first time that I found myself having to really go to the bathroom on a run. And I really had to go. The last 3 miles, I was pretty much preoccupied with debating whether or not to make a run into the woods, because it was bad. But I made it. And of course, by that time the need had magically passed for the time being. The second half of my run ended up taking 52:27, which averages out to an 8:44/mile pace. Part of that was the bad feeling, and part of it was just being tired.

So overall, I ended up running 12 miles in 1:41:33, which averages out to 8:28 per mile.

Weekly Total: 23.5 miles
Yearly Total: 493.6 miles

Detroit Marathon Training - Week 4 - Run #2

2006-08-02T15:03:00.000-07:00

Today was my speed workout for the week. Started with 1/4 mi @ 8:49 pace, then up to a 6:58 pace for 3/4 mi. I then did two more segments like that, except with a 1/2 mi in between at the slower pace. Then for the last mile of my four mile run, I ran 3/4 mi @ 6:58 pace, before speeding it up for the last quarter. The first half of the run was at a 1% incline on the treadmill, and the second half was flat.

So overall, I ran 5 miles in 37:55 for a 7:35/mi pace.

Detroit Marathon Training - Week 4 - Run #1

2006-07-31T15:00:00.000-07:00

Felt like I had to makeup the missed distance from yesterday's aborted run, so I hit up the treadmill after work today and did the remaining 6.5 miles to complete my 12 mile long run. I started off at an 8:00/mile pace, with gradual increases over the last mile or so. I finished the run in 51:19 (7:53/mi).

The run went fairly well. Felt long though. The longer runs on the treadmill get extremely boring. But I feel pretty good now, 25 minutes after the fact. We'll see how I feel tomorrow. I plan to get my speed work in on Wednesday, and my tempo run on Friday.

Detroit Marathon Training - Week 3 - Run #2

2006-07-30T19:39:00.000-07:00

Missed a run earlier this week because I was not feeling too well. I had hoped to have a strong comeback today with the week's long run. Unfortunately, the weather conditions had other plans for me.

I drove out to the park, actually somewhat looking forward to knocking out 12 miles. But it was hot. Really hot. It was in the low 90s, very sunny and very humid. I took a bottle of water with me, planning to fill up further along my way. But after a few miles, I knew that wasn't going to work out too well. My shirt was drenched after 2 miles, and my bottle was nearing empty.

After turning around at the 3 mile mark, I mixed in some walking with my running, because I was afraid of getting overheated. I saw only two other brave runners, and both appeared to be doing the same.

Subtracting out the walking parts, I'd say that I actually ran about 5 1/2 miles. My first mile was amazingly just under 8 minutes, but the later ones were more around 9 - 9 1/2. Disappointing that things could not have gone better, but I wanted to be careful and not get hurt, or something worse.

Weekly Total: 10.5 miles
Yearly Total: 470.1 miles

Detroit Marathon Training - Week 3 - Run #1

2006-07-25T17:16:00.000-07:00

I went into today's speed run with a plan, and actually stuck to it for once. The plan was to do 4 repeats of 1200m (3/4 mi), and that is exactly what I did. I ran the first 1/4 mile at 8:41, and then sped up to a 6:58 pace for the remaining 3/4. I did this four times, though I started the fourth speed segment at 6:51 and ramped up from there. I think I finished the four miles in 30:33 (7:38/mi pace).

I then ran a fifth mile starting back at an 8:41 pace and gradually picking up over time, until I was around a 5:45 pace for a sprint to the finish. My time for the five miles was 37:25 (7:29 pace).

I was struggling a bit at first near the end of the speed segments, but I seemed to get stronger as I went along. And afterwards, I felt fine. Even now, a few hours later, there is no soreness in my legs at all. So of course I'm left wondering if I need to push myself harder, but I'm just glad that I was able to accomplish what I set out to do today. And my overall pace was faster than last week's speed run, so that is good I suppose, even though my speed segment pace was slower.

Detroit Marathon Training - Week 2 - Run #3

2006-07-23T19:13:00.000-07:00

Today saw the return of the weekend long run. Since I ran a race last Saturday, the first long run of my training was not until today. I'm happy to report that the run went well, though I'm not looking forward to blocking out 2 - 3+ hours out of every weekend for the next four months.

I hit up the Towpath Trail in Brecksville today (which fortunately just reopened two days ago as they have fixed all the flood damage from nearly a month ago) for the first time in quite a while. I headed south and ran five miles down past Boston, and then back. I stopped in Boston on the way back for water, and boy did I need it. I had made this my lone planned water stop (well, I don't really have any other stops to choose from), and I really should have gotten more. I really needed a drink by the time I got there, and drank so much that I felt a little off the next two miles or so.

As for my pace, it was not as good as I would have hoped. I started off the first two miles at an 8:05/mile pace. From there it dropped to about 8:20 for the next two. At the end, my time for the ten miles was 1:23:26, which averages out to an 8:20 pace. Not bad, but considered I ran a half marathon nearly four month ago at a 7:55 pace, I was hoping to see better things.

Weekly Total: 21 miles
Yearly Total: 459.6 miles

Detroit Marathon Training - Week 2 - Run #2

2006-07-21T14:54:00.000-07:00

Life has yet again interferred with my running, so I have been off from running the past few days. But I made my return today with a run after work in the gym on the handy old treadmill.

Today's run went pretty well. I pounded out an extra mile more than my treadmill usual, running a total of 6 miles in a time of 45:20, for a 7:33/mile pace. This was slightly faster than last week's tempo run pace. I ran about the first 2 miles at a 7:41/mi clip, before bumping it up to 7:35/mi for the middle two, and 7:30 for the 5th mile, and then increased gradually during the last mile, with a sprint to the finish.

I think 7:30 is going to be the pace that I aim to stay at with the tempo runs. I know I have no chance of doing that for a marathon distance, but I need to keep pushing myself.

Detroit Marathon Training - Week 2 - Run #1

2006-07-18T20:13:00.000-07:00

Tried to get some speed work in today. I'm realizing that I might be pushing myself too hard, and I'm not sure if that is good or bad. With the last marathon, I really felt like I slacked off on my training, though everything turned out very good in the end. But now that I have seen progress, I'm hungrier than ever for good results. So I'm feeling more motivation this time around, and in turn am pushing myself harder.

Today I ran 5 miles. For the first three, I ran the first 1/2 mile at 8:34 pace, followed by the second 1/2 mile at a 6:31 pace. So I went with the 1/2 mi speedwork right off the bat, and at a faster pace than before. I had to ease up the last 2 miles, though I gradually pushed myself harder and harder the last mile, increasing my speed almost every 30 seconds. I ended up finishing the 5 miles in 38:18 (7:40/mi pace), just slightly faster than last week's tempo run.

I am sore, but hey, I did it and I didn't get hurt. I have noticed my breathing after I run has been fine. Not too long ago, I used to be really wheezy after a hard run, but lately I've been fine. The only problems I've had lately seem to be the gallons of water I sweat during my runs. But if that is the worst problem I have, I guess I'm pretty lucky.

Race Report: Winking Lizard "A Shot in the Dark" 4 miler

2006-07-16T17:59:00.000-07:00

Even more post race festivities @ Winking Lizard - Cleveland, OH
Originally uploaded by thespacerace.

Last night I ran in the 3rd annual Winking Lizard "A Shot in the Dark" 4 mile race through downtown Cleveland, OH. Despite being only three years old, it has become a very popular race, likely due to being a short run downtown (and of course the affiliation with a bar, and post-race party in the street, including a "beer garden"). I heard many good things about it, so I decided to try it out this year.

The weather conditions were less than ideal. It was very humid and temperatures were in the upper 80s (despite the 7pm start time), and the setting sun was right in my eyes at times. The course was a pretty good one, starting off downtown in the Gateway District, over the Lorain Avenue bridge into Ohio City, and then back over the Detroit bridge and back towards the arena. The event was chip timed, which was nice.

The starting line was a mess, as they ended up changing it from where everyone was originally lined up, so people near the back ended up near the front. So I spent most of my first mile getting around slower runners, which wore me down. I think my first mile was a 7:14 or so. Mile 2 went a little more smoothly, especially since it was mostly flat. I reached the halfway point at 14:14. Mile 3 was the hardest of the run as it involved going over a second bridge which was more inclined than the first. I can't remember my split for that one, but it was not good. Try as I might, I was not able to really kick on the afterburners to the finish until the last 100 feet or so. I crossed the line in 28:38. I really feel like I could have met my goal of sub-28 were it not for the weather conditions.

Here are the numbers:

Time: 28:38
Pace: 7:10/mi
Overall: 107 of 1130
Division (Male 25-29): 20 of 112

While I had hoped to do a little better, this is my best showing statistically since I started running a little over a year ago. Top 10% overall, and top 20% for my division. Things are looking up. No more races scheduled for a while. I'm sure I'll run some more races this summer, but the next one I'm signed up for is the River Run 1/2 marathon in September.

Weekly Total: 17 miles
Yearly Total: 438.6 miles

a fairly easy run

2006-07-13T21:02:00.000-07:00

Was still a bit sore today from yesterday's tough run, so I wanted to take it easy today yet still get a bit of a workout. So I aimed for an 8:30/mile pace. And that's exactly what I did for 4 miles, finishing in 33:57. The back of my left thigh was feeling a bit tight, but other than that I wasn't doing too bad. Taking tomorrow off, and then I have a 4 mile race in downtown Cleveland on Saturday evening. Hoping to keep it in the low 7s, even not better for that one.

Detroit Marathon Training - Week 1 - Run #2

2006-07-12T15:04:00.000-07:00

Today was my try at a tempo run. I haven't really settled on what the pace for this should be. The plan I am (sort of) following suggest my 10K pace, which would be 7:32/mile. Others say like 10 seconds off your Projected Marathon Pace (PMP), which would be about 7:50/mi, since I'm (unofficially) aiming for an 8:00/mi pace. Today, I ran my first two miles at 7:47, bumped it up to 7:41 for mile 3, 7:35 for mile 4, and 7:30 for the start of mile 5, with increases every 1/4 mile.

I finished the 5 miles in 38:26, for a 7:41/mi average pace. I actually didn't feel too bad, though it was much easier to run with the treadmill flat than at a 1% incline, as I switched back and forth a couple of times. I'm not quite sure what is next. I may get an easy 3 in tomorrow since I'm going to Cedar Point on Friday, and Saturday evening is my 4 mile race downtown. We'll see.

Detroit Marathon Training - Week 1 - Run #1

2006-07-10T14:56:00.000-07:00

I began my 16-week training plan for the Detroit Marathon today. I hit up the treadmill at work and did a little bit of speed work. I ran 800m @ 8:20, followed by 400m @ 6:44. I kept doing this and ended up doing about another 600m, and two 800m speed intervals. In all, I ran 4 miles in about 30:44 (a 7:41/mi pace). I felt pretty good and really kicked it up my last 400m, actually breaking under a 6:00/mi pace for about 150m. Not too bad. I don't want to push myself too hard because I have the Winking Lizard 4 mile run coming up this Saturday evening, which is likely going to be my last race for a while.

awesome weather

2006-07-05T20:02:00.000-07:00

The heat and the humidity receeded for today, so I headed across the street from work to the park and had a very good six mile run. It was awesome weather for running (with the exception of a little too much sun, but I suppose that's good for the Vitamin D) and I did not end up getting super sweaty like I would have on the treadmill at work.

I ended up doing 6 miles in 45:12, which equates to a pretty good pace of 7:32/mile, which is the same pace I had for the 10K a little over a week ago. Not bad for not running in almost 5 days, not to mention the somewhat hilly course.

Since I am now registered for the Detroit Marathon, I am planning to start my good ol' 16-week marathon training program next week. So this is my last week to really do whatever I want, not that it's a big deal. I seem to do better in a structured program anyways. But I just don't feel as guilty missing a run when it's not on a schedule.

Weekly Total: 6 miles
Yearly Total: 421.6 miles