7 Mile Moderate Run

Today I finally got to run on land. I met the group before my flight to Orlando for kind of a weird run. We were supposed to do the 7 mile loop at a moderate pace and then drop it down for the last two miles. We went out at a slow pace for the first mile and then dropped it down from there each mile. I didn't feel too bad coming off the ship since I only gained two pounds on the ship. I was a bit sluggish, but once I got going felt good. I ran the last two miles in 7:22 and 7:09.

I did 8 strides and then had to run to the airport to fly back to Orlando.

Stats - 7 miles/56:54/8:13 pace

Vacation Running

I was able to to run 4 times on the Mariner of the Seas this past week as we sailed through the Atlantic an the Caribbean. My goal was about 20 miles, but I ended up with 27.38 miles in 3:45 for the week. We were at Coco Cay in the Bahamas on Monday. I ran on Tuesday during our day at sea; I ran on Wednesday before we got off the ship in St. Thomas; I skipped Thursday because we had to get off the ship early for an excursion; and I ran on Friday and Saturday while we were at sea. It was weird doing all my miles on the treadmill with the ship bobbing. I had to really concentrate. I had to play some games as I was running or I would have gone crazy. I warmed up about 15-20 minutes each day and then I would kick it up to do some long fartleks at pace.

As for the trip, we had a great time. Lots of great food, good drink, naps, and fun with the girls. It was a good week for my body to heal up and get ready for the stretch run of my fall marathon training.

Grove "Back Down Week" LSR

Today we met at 6AM for the Grove loop which is 13-14 miles. We took off as a big pack, but once we got out past the Statesman building, we started to settle into our normal groups. I ran the majority of the way with Anne and Alex. We had folks in and out of during the run, but it was us 3 for most of it. We stopped near ACC for the first water stop where I ate my first Carboom. I stopped for a hydration adjustment at Holly park and we got water again under I-35 where G was stopped...I ate my second Carboom there. The tempo started out pretty slow, but after mile 4 all paces were sub 8:30 which was kind of fast for this run. I enjoyed it because I have a rest week next week, but if I were sticking around I may have slowed a little. We stopped for water at the Rock and then it was time for a fast finish that none of us had planned. Anne took off and Alex and I chased her. The two of them finished ahead of me, but I was happy with my finishing miles. I ran mile 12 in 8:02, mile 13 in 7:22, and the last half mile at 6:59 pace. Over all it was a fun run...and only 13.5 miles.

We gathered for stretching and the talk in my area was about the "Package Guy" who was running with see through lycra shorts. He didn't leave much to the imagination and the jokes and innuendos during stretching were hilarious. I hope we didn't offend the Gazelle family stretching near us. I did some ab work when I got home and then watched the recording of Floyd Landis winning the last time trial and theoretically the Tour De France. All he has to do is finish tomorrow without incident and he is good to go.

Stats - 13.47 miles/1:52:10/8:19 pace
AHR - 140
MHR - 167

Recovery Run

Today I got to RunTex for my recovery run to meet Jay and Anne. Amy also joined us, but no one else. A few folks are running their long run tomorrow due to weekend plans. We headed out counterclockwise and Anne and I created a small gap between Jay and Amy. We were on the stretch right before the new water fountain and small foot bridge on the north side of the trail when some whack job came running down the embankment at Anne and I. We kind of moved out of the way and then he started running right behind us. Anne and I picked up the pace a bit and lost him, but it was a bit spooky. We got around the bend out of the whackos reach and waited for Jay and Amy to show up just to make sure they were OK. It just shows that no one, men or women, should be running on the trail by themselves...especially in the early morning. After that the run was pretty uneventful...just some good conversation as we finished the last half of the run. I did 4 strides and then rushed off to the gym for a brief leg weight workout. I scratched my back on the track doing sit ups yesterday, so I wasn't able to do my ab workout. I did some quick stretching and was in my chair for my 8AM meeting.

Tomorrow is a rest day and then we have the Grove Run on Saturday. 1 more day until vacation!

Stats - 7.15 miles/1:07:41/9:28 pace

1000s at AHS

Today we met at RunTex to head over to AHS for 1000s. Jay was back from vacation and Sean surprised us by showing up today. He is already back from his tour of Europe and after a few days of relaxing decided to rejoin the group and get going again. We did an easy jog over and then had to do our drills on the north side of the track. There was another training group there with a lot of people. We finished up and then got started. G listed me with a faster group, but they would run me into the ground so I stayed with my normal group who all run faster marathons than me. I looked up my goal times on the McMillan chart and read I should do them between 4:01 and 4:10. We took turns leading the repeats and were pretty consistent. I wanted to close out fast and did my fastest 1000 on the track ever. My overall average was also a PR.

Splits - 4:10.0, 4:11.5, 4:09.2, 4:05.1, 3:49.5; Average 4:05.1

We did 4x200 to practive butt kick. I got yelled at here because I don't butt kick that well. I need to work on that more. He wanted 50 situps once we were done. I think I did around 30. I never do full sit ups for my abs so 30 was a nice number.

I did my cool down run with Skud and Sean and we heard more about his trip. I headed off to the gym for a quick stretch and a shower. My legs feel pretty good for a hard two weeks of running. It will nice to do a flat, long course this weekend and to have a break next week while I am on vacation. My goal is to run 20-24 miles on the ship and lift weights. I also want any weight gain to be minimized, so I have to control my urge to eat and drink everything in sight.

Stats - 8.62 Miles (2.32 warmup/drills, 3.75 repeats, 1.0 200s, 1.55 cool down)
Max HR - 173 (during my last repeat)

Easy Running

Today I got to RunTex earlier than usual for my recovery run. I need to get there everyday now at 5:45AM so I can get to work earlier. I have a new position and need to be a bit more dedicated. Alex, Brian, and Rich were there for the run. We did the 7 mile loop at a really slow pace, but no one seemed to really mind. We have had a rough week of running and we are definitely feeling it. Rich peeled off at the Pfluger bridge and the 3 of us finished out the loop after some much needed water at the Rock. We did 4 strides and called it a day. I went to the gym and did my 125 abs, leg extensions, leg curls, calf raises, and some dips and pull ups. I also did the full stretching routine.

Tomorrow brings 1000s at AHS.

Stats - 7.08 Miles/1:10:29/9:58 pace
AHR - 116
MHR - 134

First Pace Run of the Summer Season

Today we met at 5:45 for our first pace run of the fall season. The drill was to run 10 miles total, a 2 mile warmup, 6 miles at comfortable pace, and the last 2 miles a bit harder. We ran an easy two miles as a group and then we split off. I started with Anne, Shannon, Thon, Amy and Carrie, but once we got going I decided to go faster than their starting pace of about 8:40. I know my MGP so I decided to run it from the start. I stopped at the Holly Dam for a potty break where Thon and Shannon caught up with me. I went ahead again from there. The instant readings on my Garmin were giving me slow times, but the mile splits were right where I needed them. I stopped for a quick drink at the Pfluger bridge and also stopped at the Rock. I also stopped at the Rock for some water and saw Anne coming in. I was able to drop the last mile down to 7:19, but I was definitely working hard. My legs felt tired, but I was very consistent and that is what I needed to do for this workout. I want to get these runs down to where I am running at least a 7:30 pace comfortably.

I did 6 strides and then headed to they gym for a complete stretch as well as 125 ab repetitions.

Mile Splits for 8 miles - 7:46, 7:41, 7:28, 7:37, 7:41, 7:43, 7:40, 7:19

Stats - 10.18 Miles/1:20:51/7:56 pace
8 mile portion - 1:01:09/7:39 pace
AHR - 149
MHR - 169

My Friend Jon - A Real Fighter!

Yesterday I received an email from my friend Jon (The picture to the left is us on my 40th birthday last year in Phoenix). Jon and I used to work together in Phoenix about 10 years ago and have been friends ever since. He has battled Hodgkin's disease over the past 12 years and has beat it into remission 4 times. We almost lost him last fall, but he beat the odds and is still with us. We, as runners, train hard, deal with pain, and sometimes injury, but we are blessed to be able to run and to be healthy. I know Jon would give anything to go through our "pain" and be able to run.

The email that I received from Jon is below. Despite all his physical issues, his spirit and mind are both strong and positive. He is truly an inspiration to me and I am proud to call him a friend. Please keep him in your prayers. LiveStrong Jon!

******************************************************************************

Well, I am sorry for the long delay in getting out an update. The last couple of months have been a bit of a struggle with many different things happening. It is never boring around the Moss house…..

Cancer: We don’t have any indications of active cancer at this time and we are very happy with that. Remission is always a great word to hear!! I am having some issues with what is called GVHD (Graph vs. Host Disease) which is an ongoing side effect from my bone marrow transplant in 2001. What it means is my brothers white blood cells(which my body now makes after the transplant) see my healthy cells as “foreign” and wants to eliminate them. When it happens in the lungs, which is what we think is the case right now, is that it limits my breathing and I am on oxygen 24/7. We are trying a chemotherapy drug called Rituxin which may help reduce the GVHD. This drug is one of the new drugs that fight just specific cells and has virtually no side effects. I had treatments each of the last 4 weeks and have 4 more to go. So far so good, but still no improvement.

Heart: It is working better. My heart function tests out at 45-50 on a scale where the top is 65. Yes, I know, that scale makes no sense, but I just go with the numbers they give me. As a point of reference, when I was in the hospital back in November I was testing out at around 25. As my lungs improve I will be able to do more rehab and hopefully improve some more on the heart.

Voice: After being on the ventilator for so long with my heart surgery I have damaged my left vocal cord and it no longer works. There are a couple of surgical options that could give me some slight improvement in my voice, but I cannot do the surgery until my lungs get better. (notice the ongoing theme with the lungs)

Eye: Yes, this is the newest chink in the armor. I have had cataracts surgery in both of my eyes already, which is a side effect of all the Prednisone (steroid) that I have taken. My vision started getting blurry in my left eye about 2 weeks ago and so finally last Friday I went in to get it checked. Initially they thought I had a detached retina, but then realized I had a rare viral infection in the retina of my eye. I guess it is very aggressive and if I had waited over the weekend to get it checked out it would have progressed too far and I would have gone blind in that eye. I have been taking IV drugs every day for the last week with one more week to go. It looks like we caught it in time.

Hip: Last July I had my right hip replaced and it has been fantastic. The problem is now my left hip has degenerated to the point where it needs to be replaced. My orthopedic surgeon can do it by using an epidural so I don’t have to go under general anesthesia, but I need to get more stable with my lungs before we can do that. For now I just use a cane to help get around. (this issue is also caused by long term steroid (Prednisone) use)

Blood Counts: I am “anemic” which means my red blood cell counts are low. This affects my energy level and stamina because the red cells are the vehicle that carries oxygen throughout your body. We are trying some drugs (EPO/Procrit) to increase my red counts. They are the same drugs the cyclists use for “doping” in the Tour de France.

Lungs: They are the big mystery. I can breathe just fine when I am sitting around but any time I do anything to cause exertion I quickly become short of breath, even with my oxygen. Pray for the lungs, they need all the help they can get!!! J

Quality of life has been low lately, but we keep pushing along and know that it will get better. Both the girls are headed out of town on separate trips. Alison to Costa Rica for 3 weeks to teach kids English on a program through the U of A, and Emily to Nebraska to ride horses every day. That leaves Kaylene stuck with me all by herself. Now I have to figure out if that is a good thing or a bad thing. J We are hoping for some peace and quiet and a chance to recharge our batteries. I would be a lot easier if it wasn’t so damn hot………..

Thank you for all of your continued support and prayers. We know we will get through these latest challenges because we have such an amazing support group of friends and family. Alison and Emily have been amazing at taking care of me this summer and have made things much easier for me. I am so proud of how well they have grown up, but I guess I might be a little biased. They had a great teacher in their mother who is my ultimate caregiver!!

Love & God Bless

Jon

Runtex to 2222...Long Run!

Today we met at 5:45AM for a long run up and over Mt. Bonnell to 2222. I took off with my LSR pals Anne, Alex, and Shannon. It was warm as usual, but this weekend we didn't get any cloud cover like we have had the last few weeks. We stopped for water near the Hula Hut where I ate my first Carboom and then I took a pit stop at the lake bathroom. The group didn't wait for us, but Anne and I caught them at the cleaner's. We got more water there and headed up Mt. Bonnell. We stopped at the top where I felt like I just wanted to go home. My quads were screaming. We went down the other side, through the brutal curvy part and turned around at 2222. We saw Jan and Brad on the way back. It turns out that my little pack and the two of them were the only ones that went all the way to 2222. The climb back to the top was brutal, but I made it got more water at the top. I also ate another Carboom. We doubled back and went down Balcones to avoid the big drop going down Bonnell. We made another stop at the cleaners and headed down Exposition. We made another stop at O'Henry where I ate my last Carboom and we were off again. We kind of split up after that with Anne taking the lead, Alex on her heels, and Shannon and I just trying to finish strong. There wasn't anything left in the tank for a really fast finish, but the last 4 miles were in the 8:12-8:14 range which wasn't bad since our overall pace was 8:44.

I did 6 strides and then headed off to get my Endurox, Gatorade, and stuff for stretching. Alex and I jumped in for most of the stretching and then headed over to Deep Eddy for a 30 minute soak with Jan and Brad. We jumped in the deep end where the water was colder. I also swam around a bit which seemed to loosen up the muscles even more.

It was a tough day, but the kind of day that gives you confidence on marathon day. If you can survive 17 miles on this course and in this weather, Chicago in late October will be a piece of cake!

Stats - 17 miles/2:28:40/8:44 pace
AHR - 141
MHR - 166
I checked my HR stats from this run exactly a year ago and the numbers were identical.



The route was supposed to be 18 miles, but my Garmin came in at 17 with a little extra running at Auditorium shores. I looked up last year's run and it was 16.75 miles.

Fast Recovery Run

Today I met Anne at RunTex for a recover run. Some of the people that usually run the Recover Run did the Tempo Race today. Gilbert snatched a few of them up as they were arriving at 6AM. We went counterclockwise on the trail. We started out at recovery pace, but went slightly below that pace for the last 3-4 miles. My legs definitely feel tired today after a week of hard workouts. I am already at 28 miles this week and should around 45-46 for the week. Wilke and Tempo race in the same week really drain you.

I rushed off to work for an early meeting, but was still able to do some leg extensions and work my calves on the machine and standing. I did some light stretching and will do my abs and pushups at home tonight.

Tomorrow brings a much needed rest day before the 18 mile run to 2222 via Mt. Bonnell and back.

Stats - 7.11 miles/1:01:59/8:44 pace
AHR - 133
MHR - 148

Tempo Race

Today we met for this month's tempo race. As usual the Gazelle herd was pretty thin. G wasn't happy about it and said something about not telling us what the workout is until the morning of the workout. I think that would get a few more folks out of bed. The "race" was the usual 2 mile out and back to the Mopac bridge. G wanted us to go at least 2 seconds faster than the June race...and at least a 30 second neagative split. On paper that sounds easy, but while we should be in better shape since the last time, the weather is definitely worse.

We did a 15 minute warmup which took us about 1.5 miles and then did drills on the grass. G got us together to do the "high knee" part quicker and shorter than we normally do it. We lined up at the zero mile marker and were off. I got past some of the slower folks and settled into a good pace. I was pretty much by myself until I got passed at the railroad tracks where I was passed by a guy I don't know. I chased him the rest of the way, but didn't get close. I ran the first mile in 7:05, the second in 7:16 for a 14:21 first half. The second mile crushed me and I felt like just turning around. Once we made the turnaround, I gathered myself and tried to pick it up. I brought the 3rd mile back to 7:05 and did the last mile in 6:42 for a second half split of 13:47 which was a 34 second negative split...perfect! I was 16 seconds off of my tempo race PR and 33 seconds faster than when we did this in June.

I did 6 strides and then G put us through the "higher/open" drills. I am finally getting it after two years. I headed to the gym for my 100 abs and stretching. I am beat now and looking forward to an easy 7 miles tomorrow. That sounds weird doesn't it.

Stats - 6 miles (for Carrie and Thon; includes warmup, drills, tempo race)
AHR - 162 for tempo race
MHR - 173 for tempo race

Easy Running

Today I showed up at 6AM at RunTex for a 7 mile recovery run. It was a ghost town except for Emily. We waited a few minutes and Brian showed up. We waited until almost 6:10 and then took off clockwise on the trail. It was warm and humid again and as I did last year, this will be my last post about weather unless it is something other than hot and humid. Emily peeled off at the Congress bridge and Brian and I finished the loop. I headed over to the gym and did leg extensions, leg curls, calf raises on the machine - dual and single, calf raises on the pull up machine, pullups, 120 abs, and some light stretching. I will save my 60 pushups for home this evening.

Stats - 7.09 miles/1:05:18/9:13 pace
AHR - 128
MHR - 148
Morning weight 196

RANT
I went by RunTex after lunch today to pick up a new pair of shoes. As usual they didn't have my size in stock. I know it has been at least a year since I have walked in there off the street and walked out with a pair of shoes. I want to support RunTex, but this is really old. Academy had 4 or 5 pair of size 12 Asics GT 2110s on their shelves this past weekend, but I didn't buy them. It makes no sense.

Wilke...Hot, Humid, Wilke!

Today we met at 5:45 for our journey to Wilke. This week is a really tough week. We had Wilke this AM, the Tempo Race on Weds, and the run to 2222 and back on Saturday. It should be around a 45 mile week. The weather was really warm, humid and just sticky. It said 76 in my car when I got to RunTex.

I ran over with Anne, we did our drills and we were told to do 7 forward, and 3 backward. I took my singlet off since it was soaking wet and ran without a shirt. I was probably jiggling a bit, but I didn't need the extra weight of a drenched shirt going up the hill. I really focused on my form which is exactly what I needed to do with my twisted ankles. My left ankle flared up from the camber of the road on Saturday's long run, and my right ankle has a twinge from stepping in a hole during strides on Saturday. I finished off 4 and stopped for water. I did the last 3 and didn't get yelled at at all from G...I must be doing them right! I did two backward and G said two was enough. I ran back with Brian, Rachel, Emily and a few other folks at a really relaxed pace. I headed off to the gym where I did most of the stretching routine and my 100 ab workout and 15 pushups. I will get in another 35 at home tonight.

Stats - 8.1 Miles
AHR -
MHR -

Post run weight - 197 (lots of water loss today!)

LSR to Mt. Bonnell

Today we met at 6AM and were off to do either Scenic or Mt. Bonnell, 12-14 miles. I decided early on to do the Mountain. The weather was mid 70s and humid as hell. I ran with Anne for the early part and we were joined by a new person named Steve. He ran Boston this year, but said he hasn't run since so he is working himself back into shape. We stopped for water on Lake Austin where I ate my first Carboom. We headed into the hill of scenic where we stopped for a brief potty break. We stopped again for water at the cleaners and headed up Mt. Bonnell. We stopped for water at the top and headed down the other side to Balcones and took that way home. I went ahead a bit on Exposition, but we were all together again at the O'Henry water stop. I ate my second Carboom and it was time for the fast finish. Anne took off ahead of me and Steve was behind me. I was able to drop the last 3.5 miles all under 7:45 which was good. My legs were burnt after the Bonnell climb and I didn't know what to expect for the fast finish. I passed Anne after the foot bridge and finished strong to the mile zero marker. I did some strides and then ran back to RunTex to get my stuff for stretching.

G was doing some balance and form drills so I did some of those and then jumped out to visit with Wish for a bit. Jay led us in the full stretch routine and it was time to head out. Carried cracked me up as we were leaving. She has a great sense of humor. I stopped at Jack and Adams to get some new sunglasses. The folks there are really nice and very friendly. I did my 100 abs at home and iced my left ankle as I watched the tour.

Next week brings Wilke, the Tempo Race, and an 18 miler to 2222 and back...rough week!

Stats - 13.5 miles/1:52:54/8:21 pace
AHR - 147
MHR - 170
Splits - 9:15, 8:43, 8:52, 8:33, 8:23, 8:26, 8:40, 8:17, 8:35, 8:17
Fast Finish - 7:43, 7:41, 7:36, 7:36 pace last half mile

Recovery Run

After taking a rest day yesterday, I got up early and went to RunTex to meet for a 7 mile recover run. Many in my M/W group skipped yesterday and did the T/Th workout this morning. I got there just before 6AM and hooked up with Jay, Richard, and Thon. We headed counter-clockwise on the trail and lost Richard and Thon at the Rock. They were talking about going shorter, but we did see Thon running alone when we were crossing the bridge at I-35. Jay and I picked up the pace over the last 4 miles after starting out really slow. All of the last 4 miles were in the 8:xx range. I headed to the gym after I got back and did the full stretch routine and my ab exercises. I need to get back to the gym for some weights next week. This week has been crazy with the holiday and my folks being in town for 4 days.

Stats - 7.08 Miles/1:05:06/9:12 pace
MHR - 151
AHR - 128

Silicon Labs Marathon Relay - Happy 4th of July!!

It's the USA's birthday and it is also race day. I got up at 5AM and headed down to AHS for the 2nd annual Silicon Labs Marathon Relay. We has the same basic team as last year with the addition of Alex and subtraction of Patrick. We met at 6AM and carried our supplies to the football field at AHS. We set up camp with two other Gazelle groups that we train with. I dropped off my stuff and set off on some warmup laps with Anne and Shannon. We did about a mile on the track, changed into race gear, ate a Clif Shot, and then did some drills.

I ran the first leg again this year which was a 12k. I lined up with Anne and Shannon. The gun went off and I let them go ahead of me. I wanted to keep my pace sane and finish strong. The course went east out of the drive in front of AHS and onto Cesar Chavez. I passed KK before the turn onto Congress and dusted her big time overall. We headed east to Congress and the headed south and up the incline towards Oltorf. I caught Shannon and Anne before the turn and enjoyed the downhill back toward the Capitol. After the bridge over Town Lake the road starts the incline to the Capitol grounds. This was my slowest mile. The air was really still and it was hot. I drank a gulp at almost every water stop. We had to go around the Capitol and then back downhill to Cesar Chavez. As soon as we turned downhill I picked it up for the finish. I felt really strong going downhill and then making the turn onto 2nd street and back onto Cesar Chavez. That piece was downhill to flat making for a nice finish. I rounded onto the street in front of the HS and heard my team cheering for me. I handed the band to Jan and she was off! I got an awesome towel soaked in ice water and headed back to camp where I drank some Endurox, some Ultima, and many bottles of water. Rich and I did a mile cool down on the track and then some strides. I finished in 55:26/7:23 pace which was a 38 second improvement over last year on a harder course.

The team did really well. Everyone ran really strong and Jay even came near a PR on his 5k leg...and that was at 9:50 in the AM. The team came in 6th place overall in the Open Mixed division (last year we came in 13th) with a time of 3:16:14 (last year's time was 3:21:42) for over a 5 minute improvement.

We hung out for a bit after everyone finished and watched the award ceremony where Rich's team picked up medals for 2nd place in the Odds and Ends category. I headed home to get ready for the Party Barge to complete my 4th of July celebration. Nothing beats being free to do the things you enjoy. Happy Birthday USA!

Splits - 7:07, 6:58, 7:29, 7:15, 7:42, 7:19, 7:00, 6:58 pace for the last part
Stats - 9.14 miles
MHR - 175
AHR - 163

Easy Pre Race Run

Today a few of us met at RunTex to do an easy 5 miles before tomorrow's marathon relay. We did the Rock to Congress loop which came out to a little less than 5 miles. I was really groggy and tired, but was happy to be out there. The weather was warm and really humid again. There is a weird weather pattern that is bringing constant rain into the area. Most of the discussion was around the race tomorrow and plans for the camps that we set up. Last year's race was a blast and I am really looking forward to running tomorrow. The legs feel really good and it will be nice to race again.

Stats - 4.86 Miles/46:24/9:33 Pace
MHR - 138
AHR - 120

Grove LSR

Today we met at RunTex for a 15-16 miler. The plan was to run the Grove loop and then add on a mile once we got to the Rock. The weather was back to warm and humid after a really nice week of cool mornings. All of my normal training posse was gone this weekend so I ran with Alex the whole way. G had water just past Grove and Riverside and I ate a CarBoom there. We headed off again and G was under I-35 for some more water. We stopped at the Rock before the out and back where I ate my second CarBoom. We ran out a mile and then turned around. We saw Brad and Jan on the way back and no one else. I think we were the only 4 people that attempted to get to 16 miles. My watch ended up with 15.64 miles which was a bit short of our 16 mile goal. We got back as the group was beginning stretching and did our strides. We got our stuff and were back in time to do the second half of the stretching routine with everyone.

I headed over to Deep Eddy with a few folks for a wonderful soak. It really helped my left knee and ankle. My legs felt really good afterward. After that is was home to get ready for my Mom and Dad to arrive.

Stats - 15.64 Miles/2:15:02/8:38 pace