VT Dad’s fight vs. inertia & flab

Today was cold and rainy, the meteorologists were 100% correct.  By race time the rain was light and steady. The race went almost as I visualized it.  I moved up towards the front before the start of the race and found a clear running path for almost the entire race.  I relaxed for the first downhill mile, reaching the one mile marker in ~7:28.  I stayed relaxed until we veered off the bike path and through a monster puddle.  At the sharp uphill I started to race, and bounded past 5 runners.  I kept my stride and cadence through  the single track trails, passing a few people along the way.  I crossed the second mile marker at ~15:40.  I continued on , moving forward, only being passed by 2 runners during the last half of the race.  I finished strong setting a PR by 10 seconds, finishing in 24:55.  I also finished 101st out of 360 runners.  I have 5&½ more weeks to drop my 5K time by 56 seconds ,in my next race 1/1/08 to reach my 5K goal.  To top off this awesome run I scored an apple pie in the post race raffle.  I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving.

I’m up early this morning, it’s gray and rainy just like the forecast for this morning’s race.  This is a big social event, a celebration of running in the area.  Many of the people racing are big time runners, for many others it is their only race of the year.  I’ll get to UVM early, chat and say hellos while I warm up.  I want to move up towards the front so I’ll be less affected by the crowd as I try to find my pace.  The course starts off on a bike path with a running trail beside it.  I need to utilize any openings, and find a comfortable stride and cadence.  The first mile is down hill, use gravity to my advantage.  Run fast, efficient, lengthen that stride, feel tall, but lean forward and lower your center of gravity.  From mile 1 to about 2200 meters the course is still on the bike path but it has flattened out.  Stay relaxed, stay focused, breath.  At 2200 meters we turn off the bike path onto cross country trails.  It will be muddy, it will be tight, relax have fun.  At about 2350 there is a steep short uphill, bound up it, the race doesn’t start until you’ve crested the hill.  2350-3700 narrow undulating trails, try to run your race, pass others when you can, maintain tour stride and cadence, this middle K is critical to my finishing time. 3700-4000 the course has opened up to a slight downhill driveway.  Open up your stride, use gravity, relax, save what you can for the finish, you’ll need to have something in reserve for the finish. 4K-5K gradual uphill all the way to the finish.  This is what you’ve been training for.  At the "Archie Post" 4.5 markings you only have 700 M left.  At the “3 tree” you have 250 meters left, surge, press on from that “3 tree” to the finish. Surge to the finish.  Run hard, one curve to go, short straight away to the finish line.  Stop the clock, recover, chat up your friends again, and head home to celebrate Thanksgiving.  The time on the watch is only a number, the journey has been a joy, and today is only one more step.

Although I am enjoying my running transformation, my passion is basketball.  During the summer I was playing 4X a week, and today I got to renew my acquaintance with those in my M/W/F game.  It was awesome.  I really notice the difference that losing those 17 pounds have made.  I felt spring in my step as a raced up and down the court.  I played for ~2 hours.  Just the push I was looking for.  Tomorrow is my 5K race, but with the crummy weather forecast, and difficult course, I don’t think I have much of a chance reaching my goal time of 24:00.  Until then, I’ll enjoy the endorphins from my basketball high.

Today was the second of five consecutive days where the weather is projected to be miserable.  In the early AM I awoke to freezing rain.  By the end of my run it had tapered off to a light drizzle.  Since my exercise focus today is basketball at 11:30, I decided to do a workout outlined by my ATL based coached from Jeff Galloway.  I started my first mile at a slow pace, and took a walking break at the ¼ mile & 1 mile point.  I then ran a hard mile, followed by another walk, a second hard mile, followed by another walk, and a cool down last mile.  I had fun, but I think I’ll save this workout for a change up, rather than incorporate it into my normal routine.  During my second hard mile, I found a running form and cadence where I was silent for 30-40 seconds at a time.  A wasn’t a Clydesdale lumbering with a clip clop clip clop marking every step, but I was a gazelle, silently frolicking in the Savannah.  It felt really cool, and I was able to find the stride pattern a second time in that mile, and sustain it for almost a minute.  That’s all for now, breakfast, Thanksgiving grocery shopping,  and basketball await.

When I took my dog out for a walk in the pre-dawn, the wind was whipping, and it was snowing.  The snow was just starting. It had not yet begun to stick to the road.  When I dropped Mookie back at the house, I added layers, putting on my Michelin man outfit.  I really enjoyed my, run even though the wind was annoying.  As the road conditions worsened, the idea of running for time dissipated, and I relaxed and just ran for myself.  Just me and the white stuff, alone for 4.5 miles.  A blissful, peaceful, break from the day to come.

I listened to my personal trainer and motivating coach from SD, she may be a pixie, but she’s tough.  She laid it out to me straight.  It was time to get back to my stability ball workouts.  I had been so focused on my running that I had forgotten about my core.  I didn’t have the right balance in my life, and my running form was suffering.  So I went back to the basics, and had a fantastic stability ball workout.  Thanks, coach.  Can’t wait to run bright and early in the morning.

I missed my 5:00 AM alarm this morning, and I am feeling off kilter.  I decided to make today my rest day, so I will run tomorrow.  I am  feeling a little banged and bruised, so the rest will do me good.  I will wait until next week to try run to school. Tomorrow when I wake up I will decide whether to go 4.5, 6.1, or 7.3 for my pre-dawn run.

Days Running 5/7
Mileage 30.9
Pace 9:36 declined by 13 seconds/mile this week :>(     I need to improve nearly 1 minute per mile in next 9 weeks to reach goal pace by Jan20 which is 8:40
Long Run 12 miles,
Long Run Pace 9:52 new goal of 8:40 by Feb17
Avg. Hr 150 not as efficient as last week
%HR too high 28.7% not bad
%HR in zone 67.3% not bad
Weight 198, down 1lb from last week, 3 more lbs to go before New Years
This week had some positives, including another run that was below my  Jan20 goal of 8:40 pace, and a 12 mile long run below a 10:00 pace. But this week also had some difficulties.  I don’t believe I was as efficient a runner as the previous week, my form was off by a bit.
I slacked with my stability ball workouts missing the last 4 nights. Goals for my next half marathon in April:  1.To finish in the top ½ for my age group.  2. Finish under 1:50:00, faster than 8:25 pace.

This coming week is an exciting one for me.  Tomorrow, and subsequent Mondays,  I plan to run to the High School at a tempo pace, and return as a recovery run.  The distance is ~7.3 miles, and my eventual goal is to complete the run in under an hour. Wednesday & Friday will be only my second and third opportunity to play in the regular lunch time basketball game at my gym since school started.  In addition, on Thanksgiving AM I’m running a 5K race with another chance to reach my 5K goal of 24:00 before January 20th.

This morning was another fabulous morning to run. It was cold, calm, and clear.  As I set of for my run the sun was just breaking the horizon, and the frost was glistening in the early morning light.  I ran with my dog again, and tried to keep my focus simple.  I focused on just 2 things my breathing and my leg turnover.  Without any other distractions I just enjoyed the run.  Mookie and I we alone on this picturesque peaceful morning. I had an awesome run, and finished 51 seconds faster than the same run last week.

When I took my dog for a walk before my morning run the cold left me numb. It was a combination of below freezing temperatures, and the wind whipping and gusting.  I went back inside, and added another layer everywhere; so I was running in 3 sets of tights, 2 jackets including a windbreaker, and 2 hats.  I was giving the Michelin man a run for his money.  Since I hate the wind, I also plugged myself in to my i-pod for the first time this year.  I really enjoyed the i-pod, and my running mix seemed to be dead on.  It played “Beast of Burden” on my first uphill, and the variety of 70’s and 80’s music had me dancing as I ran.  My long run was turning into a party, until I hit the wall on my 10th mile.

I had been breezing along, slower than last week, but still breezing. My slowest timed mile was my 9th at 9:27, so I was on track to easily stay under  2 hours for the run, and keep every measured mile under 10 minutes.  My eleventh mile is a timed mile.  I had fallen off the 10 minute pace, and was desperately fighting to stay below 10:00.  My form left me, I was arms, & legs, fighting separately  an awkwardly, and struggling,.  Ultimately failing by 7 seconds.  All the wheels had fallen off my wagon, I was lost and in danger of going over 2 hours for the run.  I removed my ear buds, and tried to focus, only on one key, my breathing.  I struggled to regain control of my breathing.  As my breathing became more focused, my form improved.  I was again running as one.  Not a very fast one, but as one.  I recovered enough to finish 7 seconds under my goal time.  I learned a lot about myself those last 3 miles.  Hopefully it will be a lesson I can use again and again.