3M Half Marathon

Today was my favorite race of the DC series. It's the third time I've run it and I have only been able to go full out once...last year when I PR'd by running a 7:30. This year I know I have to hold back a bit, but that's OK because Freescale is THE Goal!

I got up at 5 and drank my accelerade at home before I left the house. I ate a PBJ on the way to the race and had pants and a jacket on for the warmup. We did about a 1 mile warmup and then did some drills in the parking lot at Gateway. I changed into my long sleeve Gazelle shirt, took off my pants and headed off to the bag drop with Jay. I found a vacant dumpster to do our personal business and was good to go. I think I started out further back than I wanted, but found Kelly and Patrick and were ready to go. The weather started out cruddy, but the heavy rains held off. It was in the mid-40s at the start with a bit of drizzle.

Mile one was my slowest of the day with all the crowds. I tried to hold back through the chute going down Mesa and Spicewood Springs. It was harder than I expected, but I did hold back. I let Kelly, Diana, Marci and Patrick go. I really wanted to run with them all day and had the stamina to do it, but I wanted to be safe today rather than sorry in two weeks. I was really consistent after the first mile.

1 - 8:10
2 - 7:42
3 - 7:43
4 - 7:43

Once we we crossed MoPac we were in very familiar Freescale course territory. We ran this a few times during our training and I know it really well. I wanted to settle into my "happy place" for the rest of the race. I found my groove a bit and took some enervitene at mile 5. I took on water or gatorade at every place they offered even though it was cool and I wasn't thirsty. The miles seemed to fly by and I was feeling great.

5 - 7:40
6 - 7:42
7 - 7:42

The stretch down Burnet and to Guadalupe was uneventful. I paced with the same pack for the whole time. We traded positions a lot. They would pass me on the downhills and I would get them on the uphills. We went up the hill by Seton Medical Center and it was a breeze. Last year, I thought it was a mountain, but after a year with the Gazelles, it's nothing.

8 - 7:55
9 - 7:48
10 - 7:50

The final stretch down Guadalupe was all downhill. I picked it a little bit, but was still holding back. I let go the last mile which was the fastest of the day. The only part I let up on a little was the final .1 miles. It's a straight drop down and I was just in cruise control. Gilbert was actually cheering me for saving my quads. I sprinted the last little bit on the flat road and ended up with a 1:41:24.

11 - 7:45
12 - 7:43
13 - 7:16
0.1 - :45

The time was 3:12 slower than last year, but I felt like I could have held pace for the full marathon...exactly the way I wanted to feel. I went back up the the last hill and cheered on some other Gazelles as they came in. I ran with Jay the last little bit and then went and got my warm clothes. I was really cold! We hung out a bit and talked to some of the other folks in the group. We finally got too cold and Alex was kind enough to give us a ride back up to our cars at Gateway. I was another good day and another building block into my marathon foundation.

Easy Saturday Run

We did our usual pre-race 4 miler with stretching today. We ran from RunTex to the MoPac bridge and back. As I have said in previous postings, these are my favorite runs. Today I didn't even wear my Garmin. The weather was nice...I didn't even need gloves. I was able to talk to a lot of my training partners during the run. We were able to go inside for the stretching part this week which was nice. We finished early so Jay and I headed to Einstein's for a bagel before we went back to RunTex to get our 3M packets.

I spent the rest of the day resting and taking in liquids for the 3M race. I had a garden buger for lunch and my usual pizza for dinner. I was good and only had 3 pieces.

Total Mileage about 4.4 miles

Easy, Pre-Race Fartleks

Today we did 1x1 minute fartleks around autitorium shores. It's 3 days until 3M so it's our usual pre-race Thursday workout. The weather was good for running near 50 degrees. We did a two mile warmup to the foot bridge and back and then did drills. I ran with Kelly, Margaret and Marci. We about 3 laps during the 20 minutes and then did 5 strides to complete the workout.

Total Mileage about 5.4 miles.

Easy Weds Run

Today was my easy run of the week. My legs were a little beat up from Meriden. My left shin is hurting where I injured it two years ago which means that I ran too hard down the hills at Meriden. I took it really easy with today's run and I hope the fartleks tomorrow and the day off on Friday will hopefully help the leg heal. I ran in Circle C as usual and it was really eneventful which was nice.

Total Mileage - 4.24 Miles
Time - 36:04/8:30 pace

Repeats at Meriden - YUCK!!

Today we did 1000 meter repeats at Meridan. It is one of my least favorite workouts just due to the terrain. I hate running fast on down steep hills and am always thankful when I can walk away unscathed. Temps were in the high 40s so it was good weather for shorts and a couple of layers on top. We meat at RunTex Town Lake and took off as a big pack to the intersection of Meriden and 11th. G told us to run 5 repeats. I was really burned out from yesterday's pace run, so I didn't plan on going fast at all. I ran with Kelly, Margaret, and Marci...my new posse. It's always a challenge to chase them!

I did the 5 repeats and got faster with each one. I was sluggish at the start and then felt better as we progressed. I then did the 5 uphill repeats and 2 backwards.

Repeat times - 5:12, 4:59, 4:58, 4:47, 4:42

Total mileage was about 5.5 Miles

Final Pace Run

Today was our final pace run before the race day...other than 3M of course. It was cold again this morning...in the low 30s. I wore two layers on top and tights with gloves. The weather is doing the yoyo thing again. 40 on Sunday and 75 tomorrow. No wonder I can't get rid of my cough.

I started out with Liliana and Alex and a few other lady Gazelles. We went counter clockwise on the trail and when we hit the two mile mark they all took off. I kept to my goal pace of 8:00. I started out a bit fast, probably trying to keep up and because I hate running on the east side of I-35 by myself. Crazy Karen was a bit ahead of me so I felt a little better I caught up with her at I-35 and we talked for a bit.

Mile
1 - 7:45
2 - 7:30
3 - 7:59
4 - 8:12
5 - 8:02
6 - 8:42 - 1.07 Miles (the Garmin flaked out under the MoPac Bridge)
7 - 7:51
8 - 7:41 (.985 Miles - 7:48 pace)

1:03:46 - 7:55 pace for 8.05 miles

My fingers started getting numb at the start of mile 7 and I wasn't feeling so good. I tried to pick it up a bit, but only dropped a little time from miles 4-6. When I got to the mile zero marker I was really dizzy and had to sit for a bit. I finished with a .75 mile cool down run and got the feeling back in my fingers and felt better.

It was a good confidence builder running with a cold, in the cold, and still being able to run faster than my Freescale goal pace. Confidence is high for a solid 3:30ish performance in 20 days.

Total mileage - 10.94 miles

Last LSR before 3M and Freescale

Today was the longest we will run until marathon day. It is the begining of the taper. I havent' got a whole lot of sleep the last two nights and have had a bad cough so I was kind of worried heading into the run. The weather was nice, in the high 50s at the start and sunny once the sun came out. I ate a clif bar on the way and drank 12oz of accelerade.

The goal for the day was to run the 3M half course plus a few miles. I rode to the start with Jay and some other folks. I started out with my usual group plus Margaret, Marci and Kelly. They took off after a bit and we saw them again at the first water stop around mile 5. I took a pee, ate a carboom and we were off again. This time Alex jumped into the lead pack and I ran with Margaret and Liliana. Liliana's foot was bothering her again so she was taking it really easy. We took a potty break for the ladies at a store along Burnet and were off again. We got more water around mile 10 and I ate another carboom. We hit House field and caught up with the folks in our group that went faster. We ran back to Auditorium shores and did 4 strides. After that we joined the group in progress for stretching. I guess everyone else bailed on the strides so we were late. I drove Jay, Diana, and Margaret back to the top and headed home for some rest.

I felt ok except for the cold I have. Hopefully it goes away soon. I want to be totally healthy come race day. I wore my new marathon shoes today and had no problems so that is a good sign. I will another 40 or so miles to them and they will be ready to go on 2/13.

LSR Distance - 14.82 Miles - 2:08:00/8:38 Pace
Total Mileage - 15.4 Miles

Ladder Workout

Today we did a new ladder workout. It consisted of 2x2000, 3x1000, anx 4x400. I had to catch a 9:15 flight, so I was only able to do part of the workout. I drove straight to AHS and ran a two mile warmup on the track. I did my drills with the group and then headed off on the workout with Kelly and Marci. They are both faster than me, but I was able to hang with them. I completed 2x2000 and 2x1000 before I had to leave. I wish I could have finished because it was nice to get faster as we progressed.

Splits - 8:55, 8:42, 4:27, 4:11

Total Mileage - 7.64 Miles

Easy Weds Run

Today was my usual easy run on Wednesday. I dropped the kids off at school and then headed out. I usually just do an out and back of 4 miles, but wanted to do a bit more today so I add a detour at the end. My legs are tired, but I feel really strong. I got a massage from Lucy yesterday afternoon and she really worked some things out of my calves. I need to see her more often to keep the crud out.

Total Mileage - 4.75 miles

Easy Recovery Run

I took yesterday off after another hard race at Buda. That race feels like a marathon afterward, but I felt really good yesterday with minimal soreness. I hope that means that I am stronger and had more left in the tank than I thought. I think this whole game is more mental than I think and I need to break through that barrier. I ran with my usual crew this AM and Jay joined us for most of the run around the I-35 loop. We did a few strides afterwards to complete the day.

Total Mileage - 7.64 Miles

RunTex 30K

Today was another day in Buda. This is my least favorite race of the Distance Challenge. This is my third year running it and there is always some type of head wind. This year we had a huge head wind from the North which meant that it was in our face for most of the race. It was in the low 30s at the start with a huge head wind. I warmed up with the Gazelles once I got my chip situation figured out. I got to the course without my personal chip and had to get one from RunFar. After the warmup, I ran back to my car and put on my race clothes. I wore two layers on top with shorts and gloves. For my food I ate a peanut butter and Jelly sandwich at 6AM and a clif bar on the way to the course. I drank 12 oz of accelerade and some gatorade on the way.

I started out with Kelly and we wanted to go out a little bit slower than 8:00 pace. The first few miles were uneventful. It was cold and windy since we were going straight into the wind. I took water at mile two and kept a good pace.

Mile 1 - 8:07
Mile 2 - 8:06
Mile 3 - 8:05
Mile 4 - 8:14

After mile 4 we made the turn into the trailer area. This part is a slow downhill where you head east, then north, and west up a pretty good little hill. Marci caught up with this in this area and her and Kelly took off. I was running with Jeff Burras and didn't make a move with them. I wish I would have since Kelly beat me by two minutes. After the little hill we headed west on a gradual incline and back onto the main road. I made the turn there and straight into a stronger wind. I tried to keep a steady pace as we made the right turn and quick left into the neighborhood section where the course bottoms out. I ate some Enervitine at Mile 5 and took water and powerade at every water stop.

Mile 5 - 8:14
Mile 6 - 7:54
Mile 7 - 8:21
Mile 8 - 8:03
Mile 9 - 7:53
Mile 10 - 7:50

The neighborhood section was pretty easy until you hit the bottom of the course at mile 12 and have to climb back out. I got to within 15 seconds of Kelly and Marci and for some reason couldn't catch them. Getting out of the neighborhood is a steady climb. I grabbed a gum ball for the sugar and almost choked on it. I took the second half of my enervitine at mile 10.

Mile 11 - 8:02
Mile 12 - 8:09
Mile 13 - 8:17

At mile 14 it was time to pick up the pace. The wind was finally at my back and I wanted to take advantage of it. The next 4 miles are kind of rolling and I was able to keep the pace below my goal pace of 8:00. I felt really strong during these miles. Mile 17 is a really good climb and my pace suffered this mile. When I go to mile 18 my energy was zapped, but I kept plugging away. I saw Gilbert outside the stadium with about .6 miles to go and he ran with me for a bit and got me into a good rhythm. I was able to finish my last 1.6 miles under goal pace.

Mile 14 - 7:38
Mile 15 - 7:53
Mile 16 - 7:41
Mile 17 - 8:17
Mile 18 - 7:58
Mile 18.6 - 4:46 (7:57 pace)

Total time - 2:29:28
Pace - 8:02

I finished second in the under 39 Rhino division for the second year in a row and was 28 seconds slower than my goal pace. Overall a good day for a race I don't really enjoy. I am glad the marathon is only a month away. I feel strong and believe I can hold an 8:00 pace for the entire marathon which would be great.

30k Race Goals

These are some pretty basic goals since I think I ran a great 30k last year. I ran a 2:29:43 which was an 8:02 pace. I got second place in the Rhino division, 200-210 pounds.

For tomorrow:

2:29:00 - This is an even 8:00 pace and exactly what I want to obtain a 3:30 at Freescale. The difference from last year is that I want to feel like I have a lot left in the tank as I speed up over the last 5 miles. Last year I died right at mile 18.

Stretch goal - 2:25:00 - 7:47 pace; this is a nice round number to try and hit

My last goal is to win the 39 and under Rhino division since this is my last 30k before I turn 40 in March. Last year I missed it by 47 seconds.

Easy 4 Miles and Stretching

Today was an easy, pre-race day. I met the group and we did an out and back to the MoPac bridge, 4 miles, from RunTex followed by a few strides. We met Gilbert for some stretching afterwards then it was time to pick up the race number.

I ran a couple of errands, grabbed lunch with Emma at Chick Fil A and then drove the 30k course. I remember most of it and saw a few parts I really hate...like the little detour at mile 4. Since I am the "new" pre-race, stress free Frank, I have not been obsessing about the race. I got home did a few things and retreated to the couch. I had a few snacks, lots of water and we had pizza for dinner...again my usual pre-long run food, so nothing special for the race.

I have already packed my race bag, mixed my drinks, and am ready to go. I have a couple of different shirt combinations in the bag since I don't know what to expect for the weather. I am thinking shorts and one long sleeve layer on top with gloves. I was pretty warm today when we did the 4 miles and I had tights and two layers on top.

Anyway, time to watch the next football game and stay off my feet. Just another long run tomorrow... :)

Easy Fartleks

Today was a really easy workout in preparation for the RunTex 30k. In fact, this week has been really easy. I guess Gilbert is helping us with a mini-taper for the big race on Sunday. We ran 1 hard/1 easy for 20 minutes. The weather was a lot colder than it has been with temps in the high 40s and a really strong north wind. Going from warm to cold really sucks. I wish the weather would stabilize for a bit. I ran the fartleks with Sean at a pretty easy clip. We did 6 strides afterwards and then did some form drills. I actually think I got it this time. I didn't feel like a baby pelican trying to walk.

Tomorrow is a rest day and then an easy 4 miles and stretching on Saturday. I really enjoy the little pre-race runs...totally relaxed and everyone is in a good mood in anticipation of the race. The cedar is starting to bug me...especially with itchy eyes. I need to get plenty of rest to avoid getting sick.

Total mileage = 5 miles

Easy Run

I was going to take today off since I was really tired after yesterday's workout, but decided to go out for a few miles to get the kinks out. The weather was still warm and humid. A cold front is supposed to come through tonight so hopefully it will stay nice and cool for a while. I ran around the neighborhood and felt pretty good after the first mile. I did three strides on our street after I got home.

Easy run 3.16 miles/27:17/pace 8:39
Total mileage - 3.48 Miles

800s at AHS

Today was another warm winter day, but not as bad as yesterday. It didn't feel as humid. It's 5 days until Buda and we are doing kind of a mini taper this week. People racing Buda only had to do six 800s today after the usual warmup and drills. The other folks got stuck with doing the circuit workout.

The track was really crowded with the Gazelles and the Rogue training folks. I had to pass a lot of folks during the first repeat. I got progressively faster through throughout the workout and tried to run with Alex's group for the last one. I hung with them for the first lap, but then dropped back. We did three 200s to finish the day and then headed back to RunTex.

Repeat Times - 3:29.96, 3:30.22, 3:23.49, 3:24.41, 3:18, 3:09.17

Total mileage - 8.32 Miles

5 and 5 Pace Run

Since Buda is 6 days away, today was a 5 and 5 pace run which means that you run the first 5 miles easy and then pick up the second 5 miles so that you finish 3-5 minutes faster than the first 5. The weather was warm, humid and crappy today. It was one of those high 60 and drizzly days.

I met Liliana and Alex at 5:45 at RunTex and we were off. The first 5 miles went by uneventful and then once we cleared I-35, we took off. Of course they took off and I just sped up. I had some stomach issues again and had to stop just past the Pfluger bridge for some relief. I flew after that and was greeted by Gilbert as I crossed the zero mile marker. I ran 4:37 seconds faster during the second half than the first half so I did well. I did 5 strides at auditorium shores and headed back to RunTex. It was a good workout and except for the stomach problems, would have been a lot of fun. I need to eat better over the weekends to avoid this in the future.

Stats:
First 5 miles - 46:45 (9:21 pace)
Second 5.31 miles - 42:08 (7:56 pace)
Delta - 4:37
Total Time - 1:28:53 (8:37 pace)

Total mileage for the day - 10.97 Miles

Recovery LSR

It's the week after the 22 miler and a week before the RunTex 30k so today was a shorter recovery long run. The goal was to take it easy until the last 3 miles and then speed up. The weather was in the 40s at the start so I wore shorts, two layers on top, one pair of gloves and a running hat. We started a little later, 6:30AM, this week so it was nice to get an extra half an hour of sleep. There were 9 of us in our group this morning and most everyone stuck together until the last 3 miles. We ran from RunTex to Mt. Bonnell, down Balcones, across 35th to Exposition, down Exposition to Lake Austin Blvd. and then back to RunTex on the South side of the trail.

We got water at Red Bud Trail, the top of Mt. Bonnell, and at O'Henry Middle School. I tried an Enveritin gel that Gilbert gave me at the top of Bonnell and ate a Carboom at O'Henry. Everyone took off from O'Henry with Alex and Liliana in the lead. I ran with Kelly the whole way back and our last three miles were 7:44, 7:35, and 7:40.

We ran 5 strides at Auditorium shores and then headed to the RunTex "barn" for stretching. I got put on the spot to take Jay's place as the counter. I had to leave a bit early and turned the reins over to Alex as I ran out the door.

LSR Mileage 13.5 Miles
LSR Time - 1:54:56
Pace - 8:31
Total Mileage = 14.26 Miles

Tempo Run

Today was temp run day. Another 4 miler from the mile zero marker to the Mopac bridge and back. The weather was really cold...in the mid 30s with a strong NW wind. I wore a dri fit tee and a long sleeve shirt on top, tights, and two pairs of gloves. I also wore my snow hat.

We did about a 1.2 mile warm up to the Pfluger bridge and back and then did our drills. I really wanted a new PR for this course since I have been running so strong, but was worried about it since I thought it was too cold to run really fast.

I started out at a pretty good clip and ended up running by myself the whole way with Liliana in front of me and Sean/Margaret/Jay behind me. I got to the half way point in 14:27 and picked it up a bit on the way back to finish in 28:54 a 7:13 pace. It was a 15 second PR over last time which was pretty good given the conditions.

Total mileage = 7.33 miles

Easy Run

Today was the weekly Wednesday easy run around Circle C. I dropped the kids off at school and then headed out on my run. The weather was really warm again...in the high 60s with a strong wind out of the Sout. A cold front came through this afternoon and it is now in the low 40s. What a difference!

The run was uneventful but nice. I look forward to my Wednesday runs because there is no pressure to go fast or anything...just me and the roads. I usually keep a nice pace just to get the heart rate up, but nothing too hard today since we have our 4 mile tempo run tomorrow.

Total Mileage - 4.08 Miles
Time - 33:39
Pace - 8:15

2000 Meter Repeats at Zilker

Today we did 2000 meter repeats at Zilker. The weather was really warm again for this time of year. We jogged over to the Zilker soccer fields and then did our drills on the road that goes around the fields. They were still tearing down the trail of lights so the road was blocked off.

I started running with the usual suspects, but it ended up being me and Margaret at the finish for the first 3 and then I ran the last one by myself. I got stronger after each repeat and felt really good after the run.

Repeats - 8:58, 8:43, 8:30, 8:18

Total Mileage - 8.63 Miles

Recover Run and Strides - First Run of 2005

Today was a recovery day since we did the 22+ miler on Friday. I took Saturday and Sunday off after the long run. My allergies went wild on New Year's eve but a little extra rest and some meds made it go away. I usually get Cedar fever really bad and I am hoping it doesn't hit that hard this year.

The weather was drizzly and gray today with temps in the high 60s. I met my usual Monday crew at RunTex and we did a counter clockwise loop around the trail for 7 miles. Afterward, we did 20 strides. Gilbert finished his 10 miler as we began the strides and I got some personal coaching for a couple of them. I need to loosen up my upper body...especially my shoulders. I tend to run tight and lean to the left.

7 Mile time - 1:02:33
Pace for 7 miler - 8:56
Overall mileage for the day - 8.23 miles

Happy New Year!!!

I can't believe it's 2005 already. 2004 was my third full year of running. I started running in June of 2001. It's amazing what I have accomplished in just 3.5 years.

- Lost 50+ pounds
- Ran 5 Marathons (including Chicago and New York)
- Ran 9 half marathons
- Ran 61 races ranging from 5ks to full marathons
- Ran in two Hood to Coast Relays

I have to be honest in saying that if you would have told me I would have accomplished the above things in the early part of 2001, I would have told you were f'ing crazy! I am so happy now that I made the lifestyle change and am blessed to be able to run. I have met many friends along the way and my closest friends now and are my running buds. We are a strange breed and no one other than another runner can understand why we do what we do.

2004 was a very good year for my running. After running the Motorola marathon and not meeting my goals, I made a huge change. I joined Gilbert's Gazelles in late March with my friend Jay. I think we both thought it was going to be a 6 week class just to check it out, but we are both hooked and had a great running year. I stayed relatively healthy for most of the year and only had a few nagging injuries that didn't last for more than a few weeks. I PR'd most of my races and ran two more marathons. All in all a great year!

As for my 2004 statistics:

- Ran 19 races including two marathons
- Ran 1,716 miles for the year; an average of 143 miles per month - Up from 1301 Miles and 108.43 miles a month last year
- Ran 9 PRs at various distances including half, 30K and full marathon

For 2005 as I turn 40 and become a "Masters" runner, I have the following goals:

- Stay injury free
- Start to swim and bike so I can run a triathlon this year
- Skip my usual fall marathon so I can train hard and qualify for Boston at Freescale 2006
- Run the Mini Indy 500 Half marathon in May for my yearly "race trip"
- Continue to train with the Gazelles 3x a week
- Get my 10k and 5k times within range of the Boston Marathon calculated times
- Weight train my entire body so I can get to below 190 pounds