Catching Up

I was out of town last week, so I have some catching up to do today.

The 18-mile run on the 19th with the Runners World group was a long, lonely run, as many of the people in the FOB 4 were running in the Race for the Cure, or they dropped off early (or both). I was pretty excited to see that I sustained a sub-9:00 pace. I checked my Garmin at a little over 13 miles (13.2), and I was under 2 hours, which I was also glad to see.

Last week's runs were pretty standard runs, although I was running without my MP3 player. My (second) Sansa Clip finally quit working for good the weekend of the 18th. I was in Houston last WednesdayFriday, so I ran 5ish miles in the vicinity of the hotel without getting lost, so I'm now 2 for 3!

This past Saturday's 20-miler was challenging, but the weather couldn't have been better. As a matter of fact, I am becoming a little concerned: after OKC, I realized that I had grown accustomed to perfect running conditions. Then, on race day, conditions were far from perfect. I'm sure it will happen again--I just hope I am more prepared than I was in OKC!

9-28-09
Distance: 6.06 miles
Time: 49:48
Avg. Mile Pace: 8:13

9-26-09
Distance: 20.12 miles
Time: 3:06:54
Avg. Mile Pace: 9:16

9-19-09
Distance: 18.06 miles
Time: 2:42:24
Avg. Mile Pace: 8:58

The Out and Back

In the past, I was never crazy about the out and back. Kind of boring seeing the exact same scenery twice in a row in a relatively short amount of time. But lately, I've been really liking the out and back. I simply think to myself, "All I have to do is go __ miles, and then I just turn around and go home." For weekday training runs, this is really nice, because 4 miles out is (usually) the farthest I go. Then, as I said, I simply turn around and run back to my car--deosn't even seem like 8 miles. I wouldn't mind trying an out and back marathon. I know that the 13.1 miles back would not even compare to the 4 or so return miles I am currently running during my weekday training, but I would be interested to see the psychological difference between an out and back and a loop.

This morning, I headed out to run the same path and distance I ran Monday morning in order to determine my distance Monday morning (since my Garmin died less than a half mile in on Monday). My legs felt tired right off the bat, so I knew it was going to be especially important for me to run today. A couple of miles in, I started loosening up and feeling a little better. Tool's "Vicarious" at about mile 3 helped to move me along for a good 7 or 8 minutes as I was transitioning into feeling better.

I forced myself to refrain from checking my Garmin until I hit the turnaround point. Once I hit the spot, I looked down and saw that I had hit 4.66 miles. I was pretty happy about that, as all I was really wanting to do was run 8 miles, both Monday and today, and it looked like I would be exceeding (and had exceeded) 9 miles both days. This brought me to 70 miles for the month so far (after I completed today's run), which is ten miles beyond my August monthly total (because of that little injury I had in August).

9-16-09
Distance: 9.3
Time: 1:18:17
Avg. Mile Pace: 8:25

Complaining

There, I have given you fair warning.

I woke up at 5:00 this morning ready to go, despite the fact that DVR'ed Mad Men kept us up pretty late last night. From there, the morning went downhill, and not in the good way. I got up, threw on my shorts, a tech shirt, and my not-so-fresh smelling shoes. Just as I was about to head out of the house, I realized that I was not quite ready to leave. (Somebody please tell me how to shift my "schedule.") After my pre-run pit stop, I headed out to the car to drive over to the Creek Turnpike trail. I got in and realized that I was missing something...my MP3 player! I contemplated running without it, but I have learned that that's just foolish, so I went back in, grabbed my MP3 player and a towel (which I had also forgotten), and headed out to the track. At this point, I was already considerably later than usual.

Once I arrived at the 91st & Garnett parking lot, I turned on my Garmin. As it powered up, I immediately received the "low battery" notification. (Why don't they put a battery meter on the face of the display??) I stood with my arm held out perpendicular to my body for a few minutes waiting for it to locate satellites. As I was doing so, I was contemplating the vanity of this exercise, knowing that it would fizzle well before I finished my run.

Satellites located, my fading Garmin and I stared out for 8 miles. The path was pretty well covered with standing water and mud because of the shoddy erosion control and drainage measures implemented by the city. My trail-running friends will be happy to know that my shiny white Nikes are now covered with mud. Of course, I could have avoided some of the mud and water if the path were illuminated at all. (Yep, still complaining.)

It didn't take long for me to realize that I did not know where the 4-mile turnaround point was, as I rarely run east at Garnett for my 8-mile runs. I knew where the 3-mile turnaround was, but unfortunately, this morning, I could not even see my 3-mile billboard beacon because for some reason, the power was out all along the Creek Turnpike except for the cross streets, and at that hour, it was still very dark; not to mention, I was running east, so the west-facing billboards were completely darkened. (Clearly, I have become way too dependent on my Garmin.)

I was able to figure out 3 miles in spite of the darkness, so I continued running east in hopes that I would see something that would remind me of a 4-mile mark. Didn't happen. I simply have not run 4 miles that direction enough. So I had to guess. Of course, I didn't want to undershoot, so I kept saying, "OK, at that fence, I'll turn around...at that tree line, I'll turn around...at that hill, I'll turn around." I'm not sure how far I went--I would guess maybe an additional quarter or half mile out--I will run the same distance with my Garmin tomorrow or Wednesday to find out--but I know I exceeded 4 miles.

The return was uneventful (aside from getting my shoes really muddy at 129th). I was really bummed that my Garmin was not working, because I knew that the pace was pretty brisk (for me, anyway), and I would really have liked to have known what it was. And unfortunately, I did not look at the time just before I began my run, so I couldn't even do the math.

There, that's all of my complaining.

Saturday's 12-miler was good. The pace was unusually fast for my long run. I was able to keep up with Scott for about 10 miles of it, but after the last water stop, I did slow it down some.

Next Saturday, 18!

I'll have a happier post next time. Thank you for indulging me.

9-14-09
Distance: 9.3

Grinding Out 6 Quick Miles

This morning, I decided to pick up the pace a little bit. Frustrating how much work it took to do so! But that's OK, I'll get that part over with now so that on November 1, I wont have to work through it for the first time in the midst of 26.2 miles.

It was a quiet, dark run on the Creek Turnpike trail headed west with only two short stops for traffic. I clipped my MP3 player on my "sleeve" (at least, as much of a sleeve as there is on a tank top). About a mile in, it began sliding down the back of the sleeve until it finally ended its descent just inside my arm pit. I didn't want to stop and mess with it, and it was securely clipped, so I left it. It annoyed me for the remaining 5 miles, but at least it didn't cut out (although my right ear bud kept slipping out of my ear because of it). Ended up with an 8:24 average pace, which I have not hit for almost 3 months. My hope is to keep that pace for my 8 mile runs, and eventually get it down closer to 8 minutes. Should help increase my VOx and help me with the hills (as I will be hopefully maintaining this pace on the hilliest sections of the Trail).

9-11-09
Distance: 6.07
Time: 51:00
Avg. Mile Pace: 8:24

A Rainy Return to the Creek Turnpike Trail

I awoke to thunder and lightning in the 3:00 hour this morning and was immediately disappointed, realizing that my planned first day back on the Creek Turnpike trail in weeks would likely be postponed. But apparently, the storm only needed a couple of hours (or less) to drift away, because by the time my alarm woke me up at 5:00, the rain, lightning, and thunder had passed...temporarily.

I started at the 91st Street entrance between Garnett and Mingo and headed west. The first hill at Mingo felt fine, but it is probably the mildest of the three I would hit on my out-and-back that would take me almost to Harvard. Between Mingo and Memorial, as I was approaching the second hill, I began to notice a few sprinkles. No big deal. The hill was fine, and I was able to cross Memorial without having to stop.

Just past Memorial, the rain started picking up, so I moved my MP3 player to my waistband in hopes that my shirt would protect it from water damage. As I crossed Sheridan, I noticed in the headlights of the passing cars that the drops I had been feeling had now turned to a full rain. I was also seeing lightning moving in and was glad to be close to the protection of the running track "underpass" just west of Sheridan.

The rain picked up from the time I entered the tunnel of trees on the eastern half of the stretch between Sheridan and Yale to the time I could see the sky again. It felt great, but I was seeing more lightning to the east. Watching my Garmin closely, I turned around exactly at the four-mile mark.

The return was pretty uneventful. I was wet, but the rain had cooled things off a little, so I had no complaints. It finally stopped at about the same place it had started raining on me--between Memorial and Mingo.

Incidentally, I was able to make it all the way back without having to stop at the major intersections. A full 8 miles without any stops. Doesn't happen too often on that route.

9-9-09
Distance: 8.01
Time: 1.10.06
Avg. Mile Pace: 8:45

18 Miles of Hills

As was probably the case with many of my Runner's World companions, my Labor Day weekend was no holiday from running. Of course, in light of the fact that I was returning from being "off" from running for 2-3 weeks, I was happy to be doing it.

Saturday morning was my first morning back with the Runner's World group since August 8. The group was scheduled to run 18, but I only ran 9. This first half of the scheduled course was very hilly. My doctor told me that it was the downhills that tear up the abductor muscle, so I was a tad concerned. Fortunately, I never felt a thing for the entire course (although my legs were pretty sore Saturday afternoon!).

I had decided that I was going to start back on the Creek Turnpike trails this week since Saturday had gone so well, but I saw on Facebook Sunday evening that Robb was going to be running early Monday morning. I hated to pass up the opportunity, so at 6:00 on Labor Day, I was at Veteran's Park rather than my usual Monday morning spot. We had a great run through the first moderately hilly 9.25 miles of the Route 66 course. I love the run through the neighborhoods around Woodward Park, and even the trudge up the long incline on 15th headed toward Utica past all of the shops on Cherry Street is nice, despite the fact that it is a pretty mean way to begin the race. The loop out to Southwest Blvd. is not the most attractive, but it's just a small section of the overall course. It ended up being a great workout, and I was home in time to have breakfast with my family, which was a perfect finish to the morning.

I did take my usual Tuesday morning off today, although as the races approach, I may change that and add a run. Tomorrow morning, I'll be back on the Creek Turnpike Trail for 8 miles.

9-7-09
Distance: 9.24
Time: 1.34.13
Avg. Mile Pace: 10:10

9-5-09
Distance: 8.9
Time: 1.21.46
Avg. Mile Pace: 9:10

Just Ahead of the Rain--First Time This Week

My best intentions were rained (actually, lightning-ed) out Wednesday and Thursday. My hope to get in at least 17 miles before Saturday's run with the Runner's World group were thwarted. I had decided that unless there were tornadoes within a mile of our house this morning, I was going to run today. (Odds of being struck by lightning, 1 in 700,000, and I was ready to take my chances.)

The moon, not even a day away from being full, was high in the sky when I (finally) got out the door at 5:30. I again ran my old neighborhood route in an attempt to stay off the hills for one more day in light of my recent groin strain.

I can't really explain how good it felt to get my legs back again, and the only thing that bothered me at all was the realization that I was a little more tired than I usually am as I got into the run.

At the end of the run, I had that old familiar feeling that I have grown to appreciate over time: sore legs. But a good sore that merely serves as a reminder that I did something good this morning.

Tomorrow, I'll be back on the hills with the FOB 4 for nine miles of the 18-mile trek--still easing back in to the routine. After this morning's run, I feel very good about getting completely back on track starting next Monday, as I did not even feel a hint of pain or soreness in my left abductor this morning.

9-4-09
Distance: 7.09
Time: 1.01.43
Avg. Mile Pace: 8.40
Rabbit Count: 1