Thursday, May 1, 2008

I'm Back!

Okay a long blogging break, but I just didn't feel like it. and really was not running much. I actually took a zero WEEK following BRR 50. Didn't feel like running (mentally- physically I was 100% two days later) so I didn't run. I have spent many many hours "cross training" Meaning I have been clearing a yard via cutting saplings & dead trees with a hand saw, raking, shoveling, leveling ground, digging up roots and rocks, dragging piles dirt/pine needles/wet leaves/mulch around on a tarp, weeding, cutting down vines, pulling up root systems, ect ect ect. ugh pretty tiring total boy work considering I never do anything half-assed, or in a non-obsessive way. Yard looks great and is now twice the size.

Anyway I did manage to run the Rivana Trail in Charlottesville yesterday solo without making any wrong turns. It was good run and was the first good weather day in a long while. It took 3:31 and is an unknown distance. The garmin had it at 17.5 on the watch, but it was tracking low as a measured mile on blacktop read on the watch as 0.9 miles. The motionbased upload put it at 18.7. previous uploads have had it as high as 22 miles! who knows...it was a solid run though.

April ended up being the smallest monthly total mileage in a long while for me.
Jan- 208- 17 runs
Feb- 227.5- 14 runs
March-201- 17 runs
April- 169.5- 16 runs
That 806 miles for the year to date, meaning I am averaging an impressive 12.6miles per run.

For reference in 2001 I put in 2827 miles of running averaging 12.2 miles per run. Doubtful I will keep up this pace though as my intent for the next few months is to run shorter, faster, and more frequently in an attempt to get into Pr marathon shape. I want to run a quick road marathon in September.

I am looking at a few events on the eastern coast during that month and might hit Rochester, NY, Erie, Pa, or Akron, Oh for the potential race. I want to get it in before Oct 3rd's Grindstone 100 miler. I have already paid to enter this new and sure to be epic race. I don't have high expectations there, but want to be able to go and take part with the goal of a finish even if my legs are not specifically training for a trail mountain race.

I fly out to Chicago in 48hours and look forward to completing my training in prosthetics at Northwestern Univ and the Rehab Institute of Chicago. I aim to run a lot of doubles and road runs in the 5-7 mile range while there. I will also be taking part in the Ice Age 50 miler in 9 days as my brother Tim will be flying into town to go run the great Ice age races with me. The two of us have run marathons or ultras together in TX, NM, NC, and VA since he paced me the last 20 miles of the 2002 Western states 100. amazing how time has flown by!

Going forth I hope to give weekly updates on how my stay in Chicago is going and how my plan for a PR marathon is developing.

4 comments:

Bryon Powell said...

Loomdog,
Good to have you back in the fold. Don't fret one down month. It happens. Frustrating, yes, but easy to bounce back from. I started a decent training program in January and February before for having a lame stretch for all of March and on into the first week of April. I've now run consistently for just four weeks (everyday, but 2.5 mile easy days in there) and am already feeling strong even though I haven't gone long, have logged only one 50 mile week, and haven't done anything fast. You be back in no time. ... Now I need to suck it up and provide a training update!

Bedrock said...

Loomdog,

Glad all is well. I too have been doing your form of "cross training" as my honey do list seems t want to compete with my running log. Anyway, I am planning on doing a fall marathon to try and qualify for Boston and am leaning towards something in September. Keep me posted on what you choose. Erie looks to be pretty cool and fairly flat and fast. Good luck in Chi-ton. I will be there some over the next month on business, maybe we can get a run in. Later.

Gregg said...

Greg-
looks like I am out of the Ice Age next weekend. Damn achilles trouble again! I'll run into you one of these years. Good luck with the training and racing.
Gregg

I am a runner. "We are what we repeatedly do" said...

Gregg sorry to hear that achiles is acting up again! Ice Age should be a fun one. I will be happy to add another state to my 50 state club total. (currently 22)

Bedford- I'll keep you posted. Erie looks fast, but I wonder about the wind being close to the lake?...I hate wind...

Bryon- glad to hear you are getting consistancy back. That is what I want from these next two months the most.