Easy + Weights

The schedule called for a 10k race. I did 6-ish easy miles instead. It wasn't quite as cold today, but still chilly. Then, it was off to the gym to do some weights before work. I'm trying to do better with the weight training. I should do no less than 2 days per week.

• 5.8 miles in 45:28, about 7:50 pace
• 10, 8, 8 unassisted chin-ups
• 3 x 15 bent rows, 100 lb. barbell
• 3 x 15 upright rows, 65 lb. barbell
• 3 x 25 back hyperextensions
• 3 x 15 side bends (for obliques)
• 3 x 15 oblique twists

And of course, some walking around the neighborhood with the kids Trick or Treating! Happy Halloween!

Tempo Run

At the dark, early, cold hour of 6 AM I met my good friend Matt for a tempo run today. We jogged to the 1.5 mile Athens High track and did 5 miles. Our goal was 5 miles in under 37 minutes. We flat out smashed that goal with a 35:56. What a great run!!! He says that I was pulling him. I say he was pushing me.

1. 7:21
2. 7:26
3. 6:56
4. 7:09
5. 7:02

By the time I jogged back home, I had put in about 9.2 miles for the day!! And it felt like just a couple. Running with a friend makes the miles easier!

Weights

Today was just an ordinary day off from running. I did weights this morning at the gym. I mixed it up a little bit and did barbells instead of dumbbells today. That's probably not good because of my lack of symmetry, but I just felt the need to mix it up a bit. It also helps me to realize how weak my upper body is! I need to work on that sometime, probably after the marathon.

• 3 x 15 bench press with 115 lbs.
  
• 3 x 15 military press with 75 lbs.
• 10, 8, 8 unassisted dips
• 2 x 20 leg raises
• 3 x 50 Swiss ball crunches
• 3 x 25 weighted crunches

Half Tempo

Today's (yesterday's, actually) schedule called for 2 x 4 mile @ 7:03 (tempo). I really wanted to get this one in. It was COLD! And dark! I started at about 5:50 or so and jogged over to the Athens High track. Then I took off my jacket (mistake!) and started my 4 miles at tempo.

The leg felt ok, but just ok. My left knee hurt, but I ignored it and refused to adjust my stride or gait to ease the pain. Then, the knee either quit hurting or went numb. I could still feel a little tightness in my left hamstring. I just pushed through it, wanting to do this VERY challenging workout. About 100 yards or so from the end of the 4 miles, my left hamstring tightened up with the familiar pain that I've felt there before. UGH! I was so close to 4 miles that I hobbled through, walk/limp/jog/hopping. I'm sure it was funny to watch. But I knew that I was nailing the pace. I wasn't going to stop! After the 4 miles, I walked home. Jogging was too painful.

1. 7:15
2. 6:59
3. 7:08
4. 7:02 (with the walk/limp/jog finish!)
   

That fourth mile was HARD!! I really wanted to try for another 4, but my leg just would not. Sigh. Weights and rest are planned for tomorrow and another tempo attempt is planned for Thursday (if the leg is ok). Even though speed is on the schedule, I'm trying tempo again.

This is a recovery week, so I won't feel too bad about missing some miles this week. I'm going to try to get well because I'm about to hit peak mileage for the training program. I need to be healthy for it.

Unfinished Workout

Today's schedule called for 2 x 4 miles @ tempo (7:03) pace.

I jogged over to the Athens High track as my warmup. It was pretty cold this morning, so I added 5 minutes to my warm up time and wore a jacket. I was feeling pretty warm after about 20 minutes and did some quick stretching. (Really, it was procrastinating because I knew how difficult the workout was going to be!)

Regular readers may remember a ding to my left knee that I got playing tennis. Again, I dove; I didn't fall. That's my story. Well, that just hasn't healed up yet. And the pain has affected my stride. I looked pretty ridiculous trying to run this morning. It was hurting pretty much through the whole warm up. It was cold, and I was favoring that left side. I almost wish I had a video so I could laugh, too.

When I started running near tempo pace, my hamstring tightened up just a bit. That's probably related to my stride being messed up because my knee hurts. So, I slowed down after a whopping 0.5 mile tempo run and Gallowalked the rest of the way around the track and back home. The total was about 5 miles.

Tomorrow's workout is 4 miles easy, so I'm gonna say I did tomorrow's workout today and then try for tempo tomorrow if the leg is ok.

Goals

I'm trying to figure out what my goals should be. I've been told to pick 3 goals.

1. A goal for the absolutely perfect race. Perfect conditions and some good luck thrown in
2. A second goal that is more reasonable but difficult
3. The third goal is one that I could live with, but anything worse is a disaster
   

I'm not going to tell (m)anyone what my ideal perfect lucky goal is. My second more reasonable goal is to finish. Period. Well, there's a 6 hour limit at the Rocket City Marathon, so 6 hours is my second goal. My third goal is to survive.

I was completely humbled on the 20 mile run! I tried to start slow. I really wanted no sub-8 miles early so that I could finish strong. I don't think the few early sub-8's made the difference. I was simply exhausted!

The good news is that I have 3 more runs >= 20 miles. Hopefully I learned something on this run and can do better on the next ones and be ready for race day.

20 miles!?!

I met my good friend Matt this morning for a nice 20 miler. I have a completely new respect for the marathon distance now. It is simply amazing what happened to my mind and body during that last 5 miles. I was warned, but I did not believe it. Now that I've experienced it, I know it's real.

Oh the hubris at 12 miles! "I feel GREAT! This is going to be easier than I thought!" That was simply pride before the fall! I will say that it was in some ways easier than last week's 18 miler because I had a partner. It's amazing how much more pleasant running is with a partner.

I don't really have splits. The whole 20 miles took 2:53 for a rough average of 8:37 per mile. My iPod / Nike+ started acting up again. (I need a Garmin Forerunner 305.) Most of the first 13 or 14 were near 8. Some below (as low as 7:40, maybe) and some above (one as high as 8:50, but most others sub 8:15). The last few were nearer to 9:30. And that seemed almost impossible to maintain.

It hurt. I wanted to stop. I finished. Now, I'm off for an ice bath.

And a big shout out to Matt for hanging in there with me. That last mile from your house to mine was MISERABLE!!! I needed a partner to keep me going at the end!

Thanks to my good friend Kevan Moore for mowing my lawn today! When I got home, he was on his way to my house to mow my lawn. He wouldn't be talked out of it! He says 20 miles deserves it. He's been cheering me on and encouraging me the whole way. I appreciate it bud! After painting at the church building today, I don't think I could have also mowed the lawn.