Freethinker ~ Freerunner

I ran an easy 8 today, but I was not going for mileage.  I set out just to enjoy the day and run for an hour or more at a comfortable pace.  I ended up being gone an hour and 16 minutes.  The temperature was 33 degrees, but the sun was shining and the wind was breezy.  There is still snow all over the ground but not so much on the roads or the trails.  I had about a quarter mile of snow to run on, but other than that it was clear.  

My right knee felt great the whole time.  I was a little worried about it because it bothered my somewhat this morning just lying in bed reading my Marathon training book by Gordon Bloch, which I highly recommend as a great resource for anyone training for a marathon.  It covers everything from training schedules and nutrition to how to prepare psychologically for the big race. 

Today is the official start to my Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon training.  The race is sixteen weeks out from this past Sunday.  Today's run was scheduled to be a 6 mile easy run at a 9:07 pace.  Since I finished my six miles in 51:13, which is an average pace of 8:34, I think I over shot this one a little.  I need to learn how to hold back a little bit more in my training.  That is one of the things I have learned from the Marathon book I have been reading.  

The temperature during my run was a frigid 22 degrees and the trail I ran today still have some pretty dangerous icy spots.  Some of the trail was covered in deep frozen snow.  I had to make my way carefully through these areas that I could see other runners had already helped to pave the way. 

 My right knee felt fine all the way through, but my right ankle was a little sore after about 2 and half miles.  I think it had to do with the rough and uneven terrain of the packed icy snowy areas.  Overall I'm feeling really good.  I'm looking forward to next week when there may be a break in the below freezing temps.  

I was supposed to run 5 miles today including 3 at a tempo pace of 7:37, with one warm up and one cool down mile on top of that. 

I got outside and ran my warm up mile and figured out that with 20 mile per hour winds on top of 14 degrees is just not for me.   I somehow ran my warm up mile in under my 7:37 tempo pace by the time I got back to my house.  My face was a little to red to go on. 

Looks like I'm going to have to lay low until Sunday when we go above 30 degrees again.

I'll just substitute tonight with a supplemental weights workout. 

I had a great run today in a nice 32 degree, blue sky environment.  I felt really good throughout.  My goal pace was set at 9:07 with a distance of 9 miles.  

That was slightly interrupted by a fellow cyclist whom I crossed paths with during my final two miles.  I was slightly startled when I came upon him because he was walking his bike and clutching his left arm.  He spoke something to me as I passed so naturally I stopped and removed my headphones.  He told me that he thought he had broken his arm and wanted me to help him get back to his car.  I asked him where his car was located, to which he responded that it was at the trail head.  I asked if that was the parking lot at 101st street and he said that it was.  I asked him if he could make it that far and he asked me how far that was.  I told him it was over a mile from where we were.  At about this point I realized that even if I could get him to his car, or run the 15 or so minutes back to my house and come back with my car to pick him up that he was in no condition to drive.  So I decided to call an ambulance.  I walked him about 400 feet up a hill to the nearest main street off the trail and we waited another 5 or 10 minutes for the ambulance.  When it arrived I waited about another 5 or 10 minutes for the medics to load the cyclist at which point I asked them if they could transport his bike to wherever it was they were taking him. Luckily a fire truck had also been dispatched so they did offer to take the bike after the realized that I was not a friend, but only a passerby.  

This will go down as one of my more eventful runs for sure.  I'm glad for the cyclists sake that I always run with my cell phone.

I was only supposed to run 6 miles at a 9:07 pace today as part of my training.  I ended up tacking on an extra 2 miles and by the time I got home I had run an 8:36 pace.  The temperature was 38 degrees starting out and 33 at the end.  The sun had just set as I finished.  I checked my pulse somewhere at the start of mile 7 and it was about 160.  I felt pretty good today but it is becoming increasingly obvious that these New Balance 1225's have just about seen their last training run.  I'm looking forward to speed training on Thursday.  

I did a little speed training tonight at the local high school track.  My schedule had me down for 5 miles broken down into the following:

1 warm up mile, 2 x 1600 in 7:12 w/ 800 m jogs; 1 cool down mile.

I completed the first 1600 meters in 7:22, and the second 1600 meters in 7:28.  

I did not feel like I over exerted myself in the least.  I should have run a little faster to finish in under the goal time.  Part of the problem was getting used to my awesome new watch that calculates up to 12 splits and monitors my hear rate in both beats per minute and percentage of aerobic range.  

I should be feeling really good for my 14 mile long run Sunday. 

Nice and easy long run planned for today.  Training schedule planned 12 miles at a 9:07 pace.  I ran the first mile nice and easy and the last half mile nice and easy, although I did not record the splits.  That is something I need to start doing, including the splits for all my miles.  I have my new watch that records up to 12 splits, I just forget to us it until I'm half way through. 

Today I was scheduled to run 5 miles at an easy 9:07 pace.  I finished in 0:51:24 at an average pace of 8:34.  

Splits:  (1 mile) 8:01, (1 mile) 8:51, (1.2 miles) 9:01, (1 mile) 7:57, (1 mile) 8:34, (1.2 miles) 8:59.

I had some problems with my neighborhood course that I didn't realize until today.  I thought I had my mile markers down, but when I got back home and recorded my splits something did not look right.  I drove the course after I showered and realized what I thought was mile 2 was actually about 1.1 miles total distance, and my mile 3 is actually about 1.2 miles total.  I have adjusted my mile markers to fix the problem and should be able to record more accurate splits on my next training run.  

Other notes:  The temperature was a very nice, unusually warm 61 degrees.  I think my body has become accustomed to running in sub 30 degree weather because I began sweating profusely after only one mile.  I finished my run drenched as if it were 80 plus degrees.  I really see now how the body adjusts gradually to the changing seasonal weather patterns.  

Today I ran a tempo run.  My schedule called for 5 miles total, including 3 at a 7:12 pace, with 1 warm up and 1 cool down mile.  I recorded my actual splits below. 

I ended up running a little faster than my goal pace on miles 1 and 3.  My legs and joints felt really good tonight, but my stomach was cramping really bad.  I felt my self have to slow down somewhere on my second tempo mile.  Had I not cramped I would have run all three miles in well under goal pace.     

Splits:  8:33, 6:55, 7:22, 6:50, 8:22

I ran 14 miles today.  My schedule called for a 9:07 per mile pace.  I ended up finishing in something closer to 9 minute miles.  Left lower inner leg felt slightly tender on the run, and the bottom of my left foot felt tender was well.  Right knee felt mostly fine. 

My endurance seems to be coming along, although when I got home gobbled up a cheese steak, peppers and onions, french fries, a whole avocado, two hard boiled eggs, two slices of cheese, some crackers, and a large bagel toasted with cream cheese and jam.  It was delicious. 

Splits:  9:11, 9:03, 9:25, 9:26,  8:49, 9:21, 9:31, 9:29, 8:49, 9:00. 

Now I realize why I should have paid more money for a better watch.  My heart rate monitor has been acting up, and I can only record 10 splits.  

I ran an easy 6 today at a 8:16 pace.  My stomach was cramping for about 5 of the 6 miles.  I think my digestive system is a little off because Alisha and I have been eating a lot of meals out this past week or two.  We found out only about three weeks ago that she is pregnant, and as a result she has not felt up to cooking much lately.  I guess I'm going to need to learn to make a few meals if I'm going to sustain our healthy diet.  

My legs felt mostly good, although my left foot was feeling a little sore near the heal area.  I'm trying to concentrate more on landing on the balls of my feet rather than the heels.

Splits:  8:48, 7:44, 8:16, 8:17, 8:32, 8:07

We have had a harsh winter, weather wise.  A huge ice storm moved in this afternoon.  The temperature has been hovering around 32 degrees, with 15 to 20 mph winds.  So today I broke down and joined a health club.  I figured I could utilize the indoor training facility on the cold, nasty days of the winter.  I can also take advantage of the great elliptical trainers, and AMT machines for my cross training as part of my marathon program.  I really haven't had any good cross training activities since I began marathon training, so this will be good.  I'll be able to really kick my training in to high gear and accomplish my goal of 26.2 miles in April.  

I ran 7 miles on the treadmill tonight while watching the news.  It is so different from road running, that I felt really strange, like I didn't belong.  After about 2 miles though, I started to become more comfortable.  It has been so long since I used a treadmill.

I enjoyed being able to take so much control over my pace, but it takes a little something away from the running experience.  Running treadmill is like taking away all the unknowns.  There are no rolling hills that come up to hit you and push you to your limits. 

My goal tonight was to run 7 miles at a 9:07 pace.  I ran 7 in an 8:54 pace.  

Splits:

9:50, 9:06, 8:25, 8:49, 8:46, 8:51, 8:33

I was scheduled to run 7 miles at a 9:07 pace.  I ran the treadmill because the roads are still covered with ice and snow and the hi today only made it to 25 degrees. 

I averaged an 8:44 pace.  I can't wait to get back out on the trail, but I know this small break from it has probably been good for my knees and shins.  

I will probably get back outside this week, and begin using the health club for my cross training on Mondays, Wednesdays, or Fridays. 

Splits:

10:00, 8:13, 8:36, 8:36, 8:35, 8:35, 8:35