Tuesday, January 29, 2008

More Speed Please

Tuesday- 5.7 miles-speed work
warm up
3200- 12:49 Ave HR 154bpm, HR 104- 60sec post run
6 min walk recov.
1600m- 5:48 ave HR 158bpm, HR 112-60 sec post run
cool down

Felt good today to push a little bit. I do need the speed work. Funny how pushing to get under 6:00 mile is a true challenge these days. but, progress is being made... two weeks ago I ran 5:54 mile with an Ave HR of 161. Lets hope it continues.

Other good news today. Vasque has picked up the Charlottesville Running Company running team for sponsorship. yippee!

Monday, January 28, 2008

Keep That average up!!

Thursday- 17 miles- 2:27
Friday- 5 miles 41min last mile 6:20
Sat & Sun- off traveling
Monday- 13 miles- 2:00

I am doing a good job of keeping the average mileage per run up in 2008. About 13 miles per run so far. This is similar to 2001 when I averaged around 4 days of running per week but managed to put in 2,975 miles for the year. (My biggest year ever) Lots of time off for recovery (and life) but I'm making the runs I do get in count.

A few good ones on the treadmill lately... 17 watching Pirates of the Caribbean- worlds end, and 13 today watching an oldy... Jurassic Park. Oooohhhh cloning is futuristic!

Getting pumped for 40 at Uwharrie Saturday

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Up Tempo

Tuesday- 7.9 miles- 54:18

A very nice one today pushing the pace. The legs felt great and I let em rip a bit on this 40deg spritzing rain day. I didn't plan to go long or hard, but once I got going I dropped the pace down below 7:00 and just went. It actually was pretty cool to see numbers on the Garmin in the 6:00 and under range! Menokin is a hilly loop, so running 6:52 pace here is quite good.

A congrats go out to my brother Tim and sister-n-law Sharon on their completing the Carlsbad marathon this past weekend. Sharon finished her first road marathon, and Tim ran a strong 3:23 despite backing off the pace after 20 miles to save himself for our run at the UWharrie 40 miler in 2 weeks. The last time we ran in the same race he finished the Umstead 100 miler (2006), while I stopped short and took a 6th in the 50 mile.

I'm looking forward to sharing the trails once again.

Monday, January 21, 2008

Swinging Bridge 50k

Friday -5miles w/ Anne
Saturday- 50K- 5:26 (9th)
Sunday & Monday- off

A good weekend here with a fun run at the Swinging Bridge 50k in Bear Creek st park, Cumberland, VA. Not sure why the event had the name it did...I don't remember crossing any bridges at all....but we did cross about 10 stream! Lots of blow down trees to climb over or crawl under as well! Literally 100+ on the bi-directional out and back course. Thus,the winning time of 4:23 was super impressive to me.

I had a fun day running the first 9 miles with Bethany Patterson and Derrick Carr of the VHTRC fame. We had lots of conversation before the first turn around point when Derrick began to pick up the pace. I gave chase and lasted a good 4 miles before backing the pace down and letting my HR drop below 150 again. I managed to run several miles near Dan Lehman the RD for WV's amazing Highlands Sky race (which I will unfortunately miss again this year due to being in Chicago!) Who told me about a new 50 miler being added to the mid-atlantic ultra calendar.....a Night run in August with a 9pm start time. Should be fun!

With about 1.5 miles to go before the 35k finish, where I would begin the second out and back section, I was caught again by Bethany. We ran in together where she took the First female placing in that race. I ran on alone for the final 10 miles holding a steady pace, but had to put in several walk breaks as the hills got bigger and my legs more fatigued.

Having my Garmin 305 was once again a nice treat to know how far sections were and how much I had left. This race clocked in at 31.3miles with an ave HR of 137bpm (stats here). I was able to finish up with a couple strong 8:00 pace miles coming home in 9th place.

Recovery has gone great as I seem to be getting over these long ones quicker and quicker. On to Uwharrie 40 in 2 weeks!

Best thing about this weekend was finishing 40 minutes before the snow/freezing rain began falling. Lets hope my luck continues.

Thursday, January 17, 2008

Am I A Wuss?

Tuesday- off
Wednesday 12 miles- 1:45 treadmill

So I have got in the habit of using my treadmill (pacemaster gold elite) while watching movies while running...especially on cold/poor weather days. I placed the TV on a cart that is easily wheeled between the exercise bike (Anne uses it..I hate it) and in front of the treadmill. We have a netflix subscription and always have 2 movies to view. Pretty good service and convenient. So lately I have been logging some good runs while chipping away at a big list of movies I have wanted to see, but have never gotten to. For me Action movies are best.

Yesterdays run was no different. I watched the Italian Job while strolling through 12 miles in the 1:45 of the movie. I start with a 1-4 minute walk, then bump up to 9:00 mile pace and then after one mile gradually bump the speed up to whatever I feel like. I honestly believe the treadmill is fast but have yet to get around and calibrating it (as Paul Dewitt describes here). So while I cruised many miles yesterday at 8:30 pace it feels quicker than when I run 8:30 outside on the roads. Due to added stress on my Achilles that I don't feel I need, I never run with the grade more than 0.0% for the entire run. I'll bump up the grade 1-2-3% every now and then for fun. And if I feel like walking I'll bring the speed down to 3.3 and the grade up to 10-15%. If I get into Hardrock I'll do a lot more of that kind of training!!!

A ceiling and a rotating fan help keep me comfortable inside my 69 degree house....despite the sleet and 34 degree rain that is falling outside currently. I know I'm a wuss.

Monday, January 14, 2008

Back on the Track in 08

Monday- 5.7 miles, speedwork 3 x mile

I went to the track today to do some running in the breezy conditions. I felt great and used a bigger recovery time between mile reps ike I talked about doing last year. 3 x mile reps with 5 minutes recovery was nice. 6:08, 6:00, 5:54 with the splits on the last one being 87, 90, 90, 87. Heartrate was returning to 105bpm 60-70 seconds post run with Ave HR during the repeats 157, 158, 161 (topped out at 170bpm)....not sure what my current max HR is but I'm guessing 185-190.

If I could get myself to do this every week or two I would be back ripping it up in the front of the ultrapack once again.

Sunday, January 13, 2008

So Freaking Cool!!!!!!!!!!!!

WOW Technology is Freaking Awesome!!!!!!!!!!

Check out my latest runs with my new Garmin 305 using Motionbased program:

Here.

Look at the Red Eye 50K data here.

Cool!!!!!

I ran the 8 mile Menokin loop with Anne today. Fun fun stuff.

Saturday, January 12, 2008

New Year Same Thing

Week Two 2008- 49.3 miles

Monday- 12.6- roads- 1:47
Thursday- 15- treadmill
Saturday- 14- trails- 2:08

A decent week getting in some longish ones and feeling good on all surfaces. Managed 9:00 miles on rolling short hills on the riverbank trails today. I felt a bit bonky on the treadmill Thursday and needed some shot blocks to keep the pace up, but today on the trails no lulls at all and only 50 cals of Gatorade taken one hour in.

I'm getting excited for some miles on some new trails at the coming up races: Swinging Bridge 50k, U (unspellable) 40, and mt Mitchell 40 all in the next 6 weeks.

Monday, January 7, 2008

Dangerous Roads??

First week of 2008- 47 miles
Friday- 11 miles on TM w/ bonking walk breaks
Sat- off
Sun- 6 miles- with Anne


Great photos of dangerous roads:

Almost as fun as this one of Hardrock 100 fame: Camp bird road



I entered the lottery........................


Wednesday, January 2, 2008

2008 Begins!

Wow! okay lots of stuff happening lately...quick run down below:

1. I got released from the Montrail sponsored running team in November after running in their jersey and shoes since October 2001.

2. I did very little running since Hellgate 100k. last three weeks were: 19, 39, 33 miles

3. I traveled to Wilbraham, MA for Christmas and some runs in the cold and snow. I got a Garmin 305 since I was such a good boy in 2007!!! yippie! its pretty awesome.

4. I managed to finish out December with a weak 193 miles which capped off a decent year for me (fifth highest mileage total year for me in last 20 years)

5. Closed out 2007 with 2775 miles.....the 3k mileage mark still eludes...

6. My Boyers Furnace Fat Ass 40 miler was again a success. (Results) I traveled to the Massanuttens and Ft. Valley for course marking and aid planting on the 29th and started off a field of 43 runners on the 30th at 7am. 20 of which managed to run 40+ miles! This is up from 11 of 37 last year. The weather held out until 7pm when a cold cold rain began falling hard on the last 3 finishers. The addition of a bon fire and pizza at the finish was a big hit with all participants and the skinny-I-get-cold-easily- RD!!! I think the most fun I had in the whole RD experience is shopping for the aid station food.... mmmmmmmmm sooo much yummy stuff I like to eat! a great report by super star Ft Valley resident Carter W here!

7. I started 2008 off with a good mileage total by going to my clubs Red Eye Fat Ass 50K in prince william forest (triangle, VA) yesterday running the 31.7 miles in 5:14. I ran with Jeff Holdaway (9-time Wasatch finisher) the entire way and tied for 3rd with him behind Robin Kane (4:43) and Mr. Amazing Howard Nippert (4:38)- who is recovering nicely from sports hernia surgery.

8. I have been picked up for sponsorship by the Charlottesville Running Company and BTTB racing for 2008! Russell and Francesca put on the great GEER 100k I ran last Sept., the Charlottesville marathon (roads and hilly!) which I ran in April 2006, as well as, the Bel Monte 50k/50mile which I am really looking forward to running in March. They have also introduced a canine running race series for 2008. Very Cool.

Very excited for another year of ultrarunning! Happy New Year All!