The weather was perfect – low 50s, no wind and a typical late afternoon sun that made it difficult to see – and made for a very enjoyable workout. Typically I don’t utilize the heart rate feature of my Garmin 405, but today decided to strap on the chest strap and see how hard I was working. The graph below shows I topped out at 170 beats per minute, with a nice gradual increase on each interval. The low points are where I stopped to change my shoes!

So, all in all a very good workout – a real confidence booster – and despite being tired towards the end I really felt fast on the final couple of sprints.

Back at the house I did another Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred (Level 2 no less!) which I’m positive is helping my flexibility and upper body/leg strength. Tomorrow I plan on taking a break from “the shred”, with the aim of feeling rested for the Hair of the Dog 5k on New Year’s Day.

Oh yes, I also did 20 sets of 10 push ups this morning with 20 seconds rest between each set. After my recent success on the Hundred Push Ups plan, I’m keen not to lose all my hard earned strength….

PS One last comment – tonight I also passed the 2400 miles mark for the year. I wonder what 2009 has in store for me?

Well, if I’m honest, it wasn’t “that far away”, but it was probably double the mileage I anticipated covering tonight. The weather was fantastic again today – temperatures in the low 70′s, with no humidity and hardly any wind – perfect for a late afternoon run. It was also another chance to break in my new Brooks Glycerin 6′s and yet another experiment with a pair of earphones – this time a neon green pair by Sennheiser. I’ve spent months, if not years, searching for the perfect headphones/earbuds I can wear while I work out – today, I might have found them!

T-shirt and shorts were all that was needed for the run, and after strapping on my heart rate monitor and Garmin 305, I was on my way – motivated and looking forward to an easy 3 or 4 miles. The new shoes felt fantastic – such a comfortable ride, with great cushioning and a perfect fit. I had no intention of tracking my pace or heart rate tonight, I just wanted to run. The familiar first mile marker came and went and I continued along the road, nice and relaxed, listening to some good tunes and amazed that the ear buds were actually still in my ears.

After what I guessed to be about 20 minutes, I turned around, retraced my steps with the intention of going home. However, something made me take a left turn through a hospital parking lot and before I knew it I was jogging around lane 4 of the local high school track. Today was definitely not the day for a speed workout (I was just running remember), but I did pick up the pace on each circuit and worked my way inside to lane 1, one lap at a time. Once in the inner lane I couldn’t resist opening things up and sprinting the 400m oval – it felt great and made me look forward to future track workouts in the coming weeks.

By now I’d been out running for about 45 minutes, so I decided to make my way home in the darkness. Back at the house, I was somewhat surprised to see I’d covered 8 miles exactly, in just over an hour.

Tonight was a thoroughly enjoyable run – my legs and lungs felt great, the weather was perfect and the random tunes on my iPod Shuffle helped the time go by really fast. Also, for the first time in years, the earphones stayed in my ears, so I think I’ve found a new part time training tool.

You can view the stats for my run by clicking on the map above. I must admit I haven’t studied them at all tonight. It was just “one of those runs” where everything clicked and I really don’t need to know all the gory details.

By the way, one of the random songs that played on my Shuffle was an old 80′s track “I Ran” by The Flock Of Seagulls. How apt I’m sure you’ll agree. If you’ve never heard of it, click on the iTunes button to listen to a preview…

Happy Miles!

–Steve

Decided to head outside this afternoon for a short run to help shake out some of the stiffness from yesterday’s 20k race – my longest run since the middle of November. The weather was great – mid 60′s with a warm south west wind – perfect for a Sunday afternoon run in January. My only really goal for the workout was to keep it easy and control my heart rate – ideally keeping it under 90% of my max.

After a nice sedate start (7 minutes 53 seconds for the first mile), I slowly picked up the pace and recorded three almost identical miles of 7:21, 7:17 and 7:18. My breathing was nice and relaxed, and aside from moderately sore quads, no doubt caused by the hills at Fort Story yesterday, my legs felt pretty good too.

The last part of the run back to the house was just as easy. No need to pick up the pace and no need to finish with a kick. A nice stress free Sunday afternoon run which will hopefully help me recover from the tough race yesterday morning.

I completed the 4.75 miles in just over 35 minutes – an average pace of 7:25 per mile.

Average heart rate for the workout: 148 beats per minute with a max of 159.

Back at the house I spent 5-10 minutes stretching out my quads and hamstrings, followed by the first workout in Week 3 of the Essential Abs program. All in all a very productive Sunday!

Today was the day for the first event in the Tidewater Striders Distance Series – a 3 race series designed to be used as a tune up for a Spring marathon. The 20k race consists of 2 x 10k loops on Fort Story Army Base – home to both old and new Cape Henry Lighthouses. The route features 2 short “hills” per loop, (which is actually quite unusual for a race in flat-as-a-pancake Virginia Beach) and starts/finishes right next to the original lighthouse which was built in 1792.

This would be the 6th time I’ve run this particular race since 1999, with finish times ranging from 1:17:27 last year to 1:25:06 in 2001. Two days ago, based on my current fitness level after a fairly lazy December, I made the following prediction:

This year I’m definitely not in that kind of shape, and I’ll be more than happy to get close to 1 hour 20 minutes. With this in mind, my race goal is to start off at 6:26 per mile and run the first 10k loop in about 40 minutes. How I feel at the 10k mark will determine what happens in the second loop I would love to speed things up a fraction, but if I can maintain the same 6:26 pace I’ll be satisfied.

Conditions for the race were very good – sunny, about 40°F with 6-10mph SW winds – and after an easy two mile warm up and removal of 3 clothing layers I was ready for the off. Fort Story always brings out the worst in people (and I don’t mean that in a nasty way). So many runners at the start line psych themselves out before the race is even underway. Some of the comments I heard were “It’s always so cold and windy here”, “I wish this was a flat course – the hills are really tough!”, “I hate running 2 loops”, “I’m so out of shape at the moment”………the list goes on.

I, on the other hand, seem to thrive in the conditions:

• The wind and the cold doesn’t bother me. As long as I warm up properly and wear gloves during the race, I’m fine.
• I try to use the hills to my advantage – catch people on the uphill section and cruise down the downhill section. The change in incline also uses different muscles which is always a good thing!
• I use the 2 loops to help my pacing strategy and break the race up into smaller pieces.
• I’ve accepted my current fitness level after a busy holiday period and am looking to use this race as a platform to build on

I was conscious when the horn sounded not to start off too fast, and reluctantly watched as the leaders disappeared into the distance. Some were actually running the 10k race (one loop of the course) so I decided not to panic and stick to my race plan. Mile 1 was completed in 6 minutes 22 seconds, a few seconds quicker than planned, but it felt very easy and my heart rate was just 156 beats per minute.

For the first four and a half miles I had the pleasure of running alongside Charlie who authors the excellent Running Nowhere Fast blog. He’s on a real high at the moment and every race seems to be a new PR for him. Having company made the time go fast and I was pleased with the mile splits we were ticking off – 6:37, 6:27, 6:32 and 6:27.

My race prediction called for a first 10k in 40 minutes, so I decided to pick up the pace a little, wished Charlie good luck and pressed on. Mile 6 was slightly quicker (6:12) and would turn out to be the fastest of the race, but it allowed me to complete the first circuit in 39 minutes 58 seconds – perfect!

By now, many of the runners ahead had run through the finish chute and completed their 10k races, which left a pretty spread out field ahead of me. I grabbed a quick drink of very cold water, before setting off on the second, lonely loop. I was able to catch and pass one runner between the 7 and 8 mile markers, but the other runners ahead were definitely out of reach. I decided to concentrate on my form and maintain a quick cadence.

Although I gradually slowed for the next 4 or 5 miles (6:20, 6:22, 6:24, 6:28 and 6:34), I always felt in control of my race. A Raspberry Hammer Gel I’d carried since the start and consumed at the 15k mark took a few miles to kick in, but I’m sure boosted me sufficiently to finish with a 6:24 last mile.

My wife Ally, who ran a solid 10k race herself, came back to cheer me on and take a few photos – a nice surprise and another boost! With a final spurt towards the finish line, I finished in 1 hour 19 minutes and 53 seconds – 11th overall and 2nd in the 40-44 age group. After quickly doing the math, I worked out my second loop was completed in 39 minutes 55 seconds – 3 seconds quicker than the first one. How’s that for even pacing and how’s that for meeting my goal?

The 20k race wasn’t easy (my heart rate maxed out at 177 beats per minute towards the end of the race), but it’s given me some confidence and a nice platform I can now build on. The 12.4 miles was also the longest run since my 10 mile race in November and my biggest training week for a while too.

Next up – the Mud In Your Eye 5k XC race in 2 weeks time…

Had an enjoyable run tonight despite the cold and windy conditions. After running a couple of errands after work, I was almost tempted to run on the treadmill, but decided to get outside and face mother nature head on instead. I layered up on top (short sleeve base layer, Brooks fleece and Brooks lightweight jacket), pulled on my new lightweight gloves and woolly hat and was ready to go. Armed with a reflective wristband and flashing armband, at least I felt safe as I headed out the door.

The first mile was the slowest and the toughest. The north west wind was stronger than I expected and the cold air made my eyes stream constantly. It was too dark to read my Garmin GPS, so I just continued to run by feel and try to keep my breathing controlled and rhythmic. My legs felt much better than they did last week, but I could definitely tell I ran a race yesterday. My sore quads took a while to loosen up.

The remainder of the run was a mix of battling the really strong and biting headwind or trying to control myself in the huge tailwind! As is usually the case, my body soon warmed up and the mid 30°F temperature actually felt quite pleasant.

For the record, my mile splits were 8:15, 7:36, 7:25, 7:33, 7:24 and 7:35 and my average heart rate 147 beats per minute – a steady, even-paced run despite the unfavorable conditions.

Surprise, surprise, tonight’s run was not my best. 5 miles at MT pace turned into a “hang on for 3 miles at the fastest speed you can manage”. The temperature was 93°F with an estimated heat index of 105 and I must admit, sounds more and more like an excuse every time I use it in my workout reviews. The wind turned out to be a factor also – blustery at around 18mph and enough to sap what energy I had left. On top of all that, I feel like I left my legs on the sand at last week’s Mud Run.

I really don’t have many positives to report from tonight’s run. I couldn’t manage one mile at anywhere close to MT pace (my three best efforts were 6:47, 6:31 and 6:38) and it makes me question if the plan is indeed working for me. Kind of ironic that just 5 days ago I was bragging about “the turning point in my marathon training“.

Another nagging doubt I have is my right foot. It was only a few months ago that I was laid up with a possible stress fracture and was forced to take several weeks off. Tonight on the run I experienced a similar pain which now feels like a dull ache. I really hope this is nothing more that a slight overuse situation and something that won’t develop into a major issue.

So, Friday is a rest day and then on Saturday I get to race a mile on a local high school track. Every year the Tidewater Striders Running Club organize a mile race – a rare chance to race fellow club mates on a 400m track. Last year I ran a 5:06 mile, but I’m not expecting much better than a 5:20 this year. We’ll see.

Sunday’s sees another 20 mile long run at PMP + 45-60 seconds. Should be ok, but I’m a little worried about my right foot. Let’s hope this long run turns out as good as my last one!

I think today could go down as a turning point in my marathon training plan. After yesterday’s Mud Run (a very tough 5 mile race across sand, trails and a mud pit), I wasn’t looking forward to an 18 mile Sunday morning long run. The first words I muttered to my wife on waking were “I don’t think I can run 1 mile this morning, let alone 18″. Running on soft sand had caused muscles to ache that I rarely use. Even my arms and shoulders were aching from the extra effort of running up and down sand berms. I also felt slightly dehydrated and a trip to the bathroom confirmed this. The only positive thing seemed to be a cooler air temperature than previous weeks and lower humidity.

One hour later I find myself stretching in the usual parking lot where I start all my long runs. The plan today called for 18 miles @ PMP + 45-60 seconds, which equates to a 7:26 to 7:41 per mile pace. I decided to run the first 4 miles on North Great Neck Road which would leave 14 miles to run on the relative comfort of the trails at First Landing State Park. I also allowed myself the luxury of an “any pace” first mile, which would hopefully allow my body enough time to adjust from sleepy soundly to training for a marathon.

Two tenths of a mile into the run and I noticed my Garmin 305 GPS wasn’t working. I had to stop, reset it, wait for the unit to acquire a lock on the satellites and then select that the advanced workout that I’d programmed last night. Finally I was off and running with the clock ticking on the 305. I was actually surprised how I felt. The stiffness I’d felt in the parking lot had almost disappeared. The aches and pains were barely noticeable. The cool air felt wonderful and made such a pleasant change from the stifling heat of the past couple of weeks. My first mile quickly passed and I was pleased to note the time of 8 minutes 4 seconds.

The next 3 miles on the road went by quickly too. No problems meeting my goal pace and everything feeling great. The only thing I needed was a bathroom – I guess I must have compensated too much for the feeling of dehydration and now I needed to lose some of the water I’d gulped down earlier on. Luckily it was only 2 miles to the Visitor Center toilets so in fifteen minutes I’d be safe!

Mile 5, 6 and 7 were all in the zone too (even with a bathroom break) and once I hit the main Cape Henry trail I must have subconsciously picked up the pace. Miles 8, 9, and 10 were run at an increasingly faster pace (7:25, 7:19 and 7:13). I was still feeling great and over halfway through the workout, but I told myself to slow down a little as there were still 8 miles left and anything could happen.

Needless to say I ignored my own advice and [stupidly] got faster and faster. I stopped briefly for a drink with 2 miles to go, picked up the pace some more and then with 17 miles under my belt I decided to run as fast as I could and see what time I could cover the last mile in. I was slightly amazed, and very happy, when I glanced down at my Garmin to read 6 minutes 14 seconds.

So, all in all, a great workout and probably my most satisfying long run to date. I mentioned at the top of the post it could be a turning point in my marathon training plan – I say this mainly because the 18 miles came after a very tough race just 24 hours previous. My average heart rate was only 140 beats per minute with a max of 162bpm for the final fast mile – another confidence booster! It looks like the heat of the past 2 or 3 weeks has been a major factor on my self-perceived “poor” performances. Now I just hope I can recover in time for Tuesday’s track workout. Bring on Week 6!

Definitely the toughest long run since I started the Furman Institute of Running Marathon Plan one month ago – partly due to the heat and high humidity but also the fact I had to run 20 miles. Typically at this stage of a marathon training program (i.e. 12 weeks to go), I wouldn’t be running 20 miles, but the FIRST to the Finish plan calls for 5 x 20 mile runs over a 10 week period. If you’ve been following my progress over the past 4 weeks, you’ll know I started at 13 miles for a long run, increased to 15 and 17 miles over the next 2 weeks before tackling the 20 miler today – quite a big jump in a short period of time.

Anyway, that’s what the plan called for, so that’s what I needed to do. Luckily (if luck is the right word), the required pace for the 20 mile run was the slowest of all the long runs so far – PMP (Planned Marathon Pace) + 45-60 seconds per mile, which equates to a training pace of 7:26 – 7:41 for me based on my current 5k time.

As usual I used my Garmin 305 to keep me in the zone and set off on my run just after 7am in the hope of avoiding the worst of the current weather conditions. I allowed myself a gentle first mile to wake up my legs, but then picked up the pace a little to drop into “the zone”. By mile 5 however, I was running too fast and already at the quicker end of the planned pace. With 15 miles to go I realized this was probably a mistake and backed off a little.

20 miles is a long way to run, especially when you’re trying to stay in the shade and protection of the trails at First Landing State Park. Therefore I decided to run out onto Atlantic Avenue and take a trip down the Virginia Beach Boardwalk – not exactly the best surface to run on (i.e concrete!), but a pleasant change of scenery.

I managed to run all the way to 1st Street before reaching the 10 mile mark and my turnaround point. The breeze that felt so good heading south was now at my back, which made the temperature appear 10 degrees higher. I topped at one of the public water fountains to take a much needed drink, but the water ran hot and wouldn’t/couldn’t run cold. I knew it was going to be a long run back to where I’d parked the car!

When things get tough at this stage in a long training run, I usually resort to playing games with myself to help the miles pass quicker and take my mind off the “pain”. On the boardwalk especially it’s just block after block, hotel after hotel and public bench after public bench. You can choose to look east out onto the Atlantic Ocean, but the view is essentially the same for miles and mile and miles.

At the end of the day it’s just a question of putting one put in front of the other and maintaining the best pace you can. Eventually I reached 64th Street and the relative comfort of the shady trails, but I still had over 5 miles to run and my pace was beginning to slide towards the 7:41 per mile pace. I stopped at a fountain in the park to take a drink (cold water this time) which gave me enough of a boost to pick up the pace. Now it was just a question of counting down the final miles….

The last 40 minutes were pretty tough (who am I kidding? – very tough!), but I know from experience, these training runs are what make you strong when marathon day arrives. Eventually I made it back to the car where my wife was waiting with a cold bottle of water and a smile. With over 70% humidity, I guessed I’d lost about 4 pounds through sweat loss – time to rehydrate and take in some liquid carbohydrates and protein to start the muscles healing process. Hammer Nutrition’s Recoverite always works well for me and I never finish a long run without drinking at least 24 ounces of the magic potion!

So, 4 weeks down, 12 to go and I must admit the program is more challenging that I anticipated. Looking ahead, however, I’m sure all the hard work is going to pay dividends. Week 5 is another tough week so I just hope I’ll be able to recover in time for my 1600m repeats on Tuesday….

The first workout of Week 3 calls for a track workout, so it’s another early morning run for me at Landstown High School. After a 10-20 minute warmup, the goal was to run 1200m, 1000m, 800m, 600m, 400m and 200m on the track with a 200m rest between each effort – quite challenging as I’m required to run faster as the distances decrease.

My goal times according to the FIRST Training Pace Worksheet were as follows:

1200m     4:091000m     3:21800m      2:39600m      1:56400m      1:17200m      ? (not on the plan)

I knew, based on previous track workouts, I’d struggle to meet all of the goal times, but I hoped to be able to get fairly close and stay consistently close as the workout progressed. My actual times turned out to be:

1200m     4:19 (-10)1000m     3:33 (-12)800m      2:47 (-8)600m      2:03 (-7)400m      1:19 (-2)200m       :36

As you can see, I seem to get better (i.e. closer to my goal time), the shorter the distance. Maybe it’s partly due to being half asleep at 4:30am?? I must say, I am starting to feel stronger and faster during the workout and I’m confident I will start hitting my goal times pretty soon. I’m not overly concerned at the moment as the Sunday long runs are my main priority and so far I’ve hit the required pace in both of them.

Next up is some more cross training tomorrow evening, followed by another tempo run on Thursday after work. I’m hoping the cooler temperatures stick around for a few more days