Week of 1/26 - 1/31/09 Summary

I am not doing a good job of logging my workouts lately so I here is another recap of the week.

1/26 - Short jog with Carla
We intended to do a 3 mile loop after the race yesterday, but once we started we didn't feel like running and did some run/walk until we got home.
Stats - 1.84 miles

1/27 - I ran with Wish through the neighborhood. We did a loop of the golf course and then did some loops in the west side of Circle C. It was a slow run, but good since my legs are still tired from the half marathon.
Stats - 6.2 miles/57:53/9:20 pace

1/28 - It was cold as hell today with ice. I skipped the Gazelle workout and when I went to run at home I turned back at the end of the cul-de-sac...too damn cold!

1/29 - Another very cold morning with 28 degrees when I went outside. I met Wish for the usual Thursday 8 mile loop. It wasn't too bad once we warmed up, but my hands and ears were really cold.
Stats - 8.2 miles/1:12:43/8:51 pace

1/30 - I ran a couple of loops in the neighborhood out to the HEB and back, and then around Caroline's school for just under 6 miles. I feel another cold coming on due to the cedar pollen...sucks!
Stats - 5.81 miles/51:30/8:52 pace

1/31 - We ran the southern part of the Austin Marathon course today. I ran with Rachel, Anne, and Marcy for most of the way. I didn't feel too good and was just happy to get the miles in. We ran the last couple of miles pretty fast which was good. Running this part of the course sucks as a training run because you have to spend a lot of time of the sidewalk. That takes a lot of concentration and tires you more. Hopefully running on the street on race day will be better.
Stats - 13.94 miles/2:01:28/8:42 pace

2009 3M Half Marathon

Today was the annual 3M Half Marathon. As usual, it was an awesome day for racing. It was in the high 30s at the start and cloudy. We hit some light southerly winds at near the end, but nothing to make a difference. We did a two mile warm up and then changed in our running gear. I decided on one long sleeve layer on top with compression shorts and running shorts on the bottom, gloves, and a running hat. Our goal for the day was to start off slow and then run an overall 7:50 pace. Brian and I have the marathon in 3 weeks so going to hard here could totally mess that up. The first half of the race was right on target with some faster miles during the 300 foot drop between miles three through 6.

Splits - 8:35, 8:11, 7:52, 7:46, 7:42, 7:46

Once we got past the transition point for the relay we hit another downhill section on Burnet to North Loop where we encountered our first hills. It wasn't bad at all although I know I was working a bit harder during miles 7-9. We picked it up for the last 4 miles and cruised down Duval, through the campus and into the finish line. We caught Anne right before the finish and she joined us for our four-person, (Anne, Brian, Rachel, me), finish line photo.

Splits - 7:56, 7:59, 7:53, 7:49, 7:40, 7:26, 7:25

Carla ran the first leg of the relay and found us at the bag pick up right after we finished. She had an awesome day too and I am really proud of her. It was a very good day. I did exactly what I wanted to do and am on track for a solid marathon in 3 weeks.

Race Stats - 1:43:02/7:52 pace
Overall - 719/4140

Week of 1/19 - 1/24 Summary

1/19 - Mile Repeats at Zilker
We did mile repeats today at Zilker. I was not wanting to do this since I pulled my calf here during the summer. I was very glad I came. I had a great workout. I started out slow as usual, but once I warmed up I had some good times.
Repeats - 7:20, 7:09, 6:56, 6:56, 6:51 - 7:02 Average

1/20 - Recovery through the Circle C Park
Wish is finally back running so we did an easy run through the park and then around Kiker.
Stats - 6.01 miles/54:39/9:06 pace

1/21 - Fartleks in South Austin
I didn't want to run in the dark on the trail so I did fartleks at home on the road. I had a good time and thought they were a lot more productive for me since I didn't have worry about tripping on anything on the trail. I did 13x1 minute with 1 minute in between each repeat.
Stats - 7 miles/1:00:01/8:34 pace

1/22 - SW Austin Loop
Wish and I got back to our usual Thursday route through SW Austin today. My legs were feeling tired so I am happy we went at a slower than usual pace.
Stats - 8.2 miles/1:14:36/9:05 pace

1/24 - 30 Minute Pre-Race Day Run
I did my usual 30 minute easy run at home today. It was really cold and windy so I picked a route to minimize the amount of wind in my face.
Stats - 3.42 miles/30:23/8:52 pace

Week of 1/12 - 1/17 Summary

1/12 - Rest Day after 20 Mile Race

1/13 - Ran an out and back on Escarpment at a moderate pace. My legs were feeling good after a day off.
Stats - 6.1 miles/52:40/8:37 pace

1/14 - 1000s at AHS
Repeats - 4:25, 4:25, 4:28, 4:25, 4:33, 4:18 - Average - 4:26
Stats - 7.77 miles

1/15 - Ran an out and back on Escarpment as a recover run. My legs were feeling a bit tired today.
Stats - 7.2 miles/1:04:35/8:58 pace

1/17 - LSR
Today we ran the top half of the marathon course. We decided not to run the entire 20 miles since we raced last Sunday. We cut across Great Northern and rejoined the course at Woodrow to the finish. The hill at Dean Keaton is not fun. I don't want to see it on race day!
Stats - 16.44 miles/2:22:37/8:40 pace

Runtex 20 Mile Race

Today I ran the Runtex 20 miler in Georgetown. This is the first time the race has been up there and it marked my return to this race after a year hiatus. I ran all the 30ks in Buda, the race in Round Rock, and the race in San Marcos since 2003. I rode up to the course with Brian and Randy and I honestly was not up for doing this race. I gained a few lbs over the holidays and haven't been feeling my best. We got up to the race site and it was really cold. Brian and I opted for skipping the warm up and staying inside one of the buildings that Georgetown High School provided. We finalized final clothing and then headed out to the start.

The goal for the race was to run the first 5 miles as a warm up and then run the final 15 miles at MGP which is 8:00/mile for me. The gun went off and we started off at a pretty good clip before pulling back. The weather was perfect...where were you on December 14th? I was feeling good, but my stomach was feeling weird. I think it was the flopping of my belly that was throwing me off. I had to pee something fierce during mile 4 so I pulled off to a potty. Brian continued on and I chased him down and he slowed a bit for me. That ended up being my slowest mile of the day.

Miles 1- 5 splits - 8:23, 8:18, 8:14, 8:40, 8:26

We started out on the loop portion of the course which had some rolling hills between mile 6 and 11. Nothing major, but enough to make you work a little and break up the monotony. The course was really nice for the most part. We did pick it up a bit for the next 5 miles and got into a really good rhythm.

Miles 6-10 splits - 8:16, 7:59, 8:04, 8:04, 7:56

The next section had us running into a bit of a wind from our side which wasn't too bad. We ran by the Gazelles water stop which was nice. We then headed onto a dirt road section which kind of sucked because the rocks were kind of big, but not too bad since it was only about half a mile long. The road on the other side was really rough, almost like a pebble tec surface and was hard on the feet. We had to run straight into the wind for about a mile before returning to the out and back section. That brought back some bad Dallas memories, but I fought through it.

Miles 11-15 splits - 7:56, 8:04, 8:05, 8:06, 8:15 (wind mile)

I was feeling tired after the windy mile and it showed in my last set of splits. Brian went ahead of me with between 3-4 miles to go. I was going through another bad spell, but kept plugging away. With about two miles to go I ran into Kelly and we ran each other in along with another man we met in that spot. I came out of my spell with two miles to go and had a nice strong finish. The course was about a quarter mile long and my Garmin had the course at 20.29.

Miles 16-20 splits - 8:33, 8:20, 8:35, 8:23, 8:02, (7:46 average for the last .29 miles)

I felt good at the finish and it was a good effort. The weather had a lot to do with it and I only pray that the weather for the Austin marathon will be just as good. If not, then adjustments need to be made at the starting line. I can't force marathons anymore...it just doesn't work.

Stats - 20.29 miles/2:47:04/8:14 pace
Finished 150 overall out of 730 finishers

Easy Pre- Race Run

After no running for three days due to the pain in my right foot I headed out for my usual pre-race 30 minute run. The weather did another ugly mood swing on us. It was in the 80s yesterday and in the 40s this AM with a week of colder weather ahead of us. The wind was out of the north and nasty again. I hope it isn't like that tomorrow. I did my 4 mile out and back loop, but made a tweak at the end to get out of the wind. I felt crappy at first, but once I warmed up I felt better. I did a few strides when I got home and did some light stretching.

My foot feels OK today, but I can still feel something in there so I have to b careful with it. Hopefully it holds up tomorrow during the race. The plan for tomorrow is to run 5 miles easy and then run 15 miles at pace. It is going to be perfect weather for me, high 20s/low 30s at the start, and warming up through the race. We will see how it goes!

Stats - 3.79 miles/33:10/8:45 pace

Elliptical Day

My foot was still hurting last night and when I woke up this AM. I decided to play it safe and hit the gym for some time on the elliptical trainer. It was a perfect day for running so I was not happy to be camped on the machine, but I am listening to my body. I did an hour of on the machine and did my ab work at home. It was a really good workout and my foot doesn't hurt anymore. I will run easy on new shoes on Saturday and then use the 20 miler as a partial pace run. The plan is to run 5 miles easy and then run the last 15 at pace.

Fartleks on the Trail

We met this AM for fartleks on the trail. It was still cold this AM, but no rain. We did about a 20 minute warm up and then started doing 2/1 fartleks. I was very paranoid of falling again so I didn't keep up with the faster people in the pack. I hate running in the dark now. I ran a good pace and had a good time with Marcy, Anne, and Kenny. We ended up doing 11 sets and then I joined the group for a quick stretch at RunTex.

My right foot pain came back today. I am not sure if it was my shoes or me tiptoeing through the trail in the dark that caused it. Hopefully it is no big deal.

Stats - 6.9 miles/58:39/8:30 pace

Treadmill Run

It was cold and rainy this AM so I headed to the warm confines of 24 Hour Fitness. I hopped on the treadmill and set the timer for 50 minutes. I ran at about an 8:50 pace for the first 10 minutes and then dropped down to 8:41 pace for the remainder of the run. I worked a nice sweat. I tried to do some abs, but I was so wet I kept sliding on the mat. I headed home to do my planks, back raises, and crunches.

Stats - 5.75 miles/50:15/8:44 pace

Happy Birthday Dad!!

Hard Run in the Cold

Today I skipped the Gazelle workout for some work on the road. I haven't done anything to tax my system except for the long runs on the 27th and 3rd. The weather was 35 degrees, drizzly, and some wind out of the north. What a change from our warm, humid, Saturday run. I was only going to do an easy 7 miles, but I started out with a couple of 8:27 miles and then stayed kicked it up for my 8 mile route in SW Austin. The nice part is that my fastest miles were on the return trip which is all up hill.

Mile 3-8 splits - 8:19, 8:07, 8:03, 8:18, 7:59, 8:07

I felt really good when I got home and did some basic stretching. I have knocked a couple of the pounds off that I gained over the break. I still have a few to go, but will really be watching what I eat over the next month.

Stats - 8.03 miles/1:06:05/8:13 pace

Tough 15 Miler

Today we ran the southern portion of the Austin marathon course. I think we ran the first 10 miles of the updated course before making a right on Windsor to take us back to Runtex. The weather sucked again. This is three long runs in a row starting with the Dallas marathon with warm, humid weather. I am not a fan of the Austin course, but did sign up on Wednesday. The new southern portion takes us almost to Ben White before turning off of Congress onto an alley that runs behind Chuck E. Cheese...definitely a scenic part of Austin! The goal was to go out easy, but after the first mile we settled into a pace of around 8:30 for miles 2-9. The pace dropped for miles 10-14 to between 8:50 and 9:00 as we ran through across Windsor, down Guadalupe, across MLK, and up San Jacinto...all mostly hilly. We sped up on the final mile going down Congress finishing with a 7:28. I felt a lot better this week than last week. I think I was better prepared with my nutrition and hydration. This was a really good confidence builder going into the 20 mile race next weekend and with the marathon in 6 weeks. I stretched with the group and called it a day.

Stats - 15 miles/2:10:25/8:41 pace

2008 Recap

2008 started out rough for me personally, but I persevered, learned a lot about myself, and deepened my faith. I was in a huge funk the first part of the year, but got through it with the help of my faith, my family, and my running buddies. The biggest lesson learned is that my life follows God's plan, not my plan. I am a control freak and when things don't go well or I lose control, I stress big time. Once I learned to "Leave It to God" things were better almost overnight. I never want to go back to that place again! The back half of the year was much better. We got rid of one of our big stress providers in June which was great. We had a nice vacation in late June and I really got into the Presidential elections. Obama getting elected was a big boost since he provides some serious hope for all of us. I hope he can truly deliver the change that is necessary for all of our sakes.

Personally, I had a good year at work. I am in my second year at Sun and continue to grow there. It's amazing what having a great manager and support will do for your career. I pray that the economy turns around so that the tech sector picks up which will help my company as well as the companies of many friends. I also did some things that I wouldn't normally do. Carla and I painted three rooms in our house which was huge. I am not handy at all and hate any type of home improvement. The rooms look great and we saved a bunch of money. I also set a goal for 2008 of reading a book a week. I finished my 52nd book on 12/29. I also read my daily devotional almost every day that I get quarterly from the Catholic Church. Reading these brief thoughts really keeps things in perspective.

As for my running, I did get back to basics and enjoy my running again. I ran the 3M Half Marathon in January and then focused on the shorter races and getting faster there. I made the mistake of cutting my long runs to less than 10 miles on Saturdays which was a huge mistake. That won't be the case this year. I had some good runs at the Cap 10k, the Bun Run 5k where I won the Clydesdale Division for the first time, and had a nice race at the Chuy's 5k. I started training for the Dallas marathon in June and didn't really do any races until I ran the Race for the Water 10 miler in November. The Dallas marathon sucked so no Boston Qualifying time for 2008, but I am not worried about it. My time will come and I am shooting for the 2010 race anyway. I continue to train with Gilbert Tuhabonye/Gilbert's Gazelles. Gilbert is a great friend and my training group is like family.

As for 2009, I will continue to chase my BQ time, but more than anything will continue to enjoy my running as I did in 2008. I want to stay healthy, work on my core, hit the gym, and spend more time helping Carla become a better runner and get Emma on the road to running so she can run in Middle School and High School. Caroline is a soccer stud already so we will keep her on that track. My big personal goal for 2009 is to have more patience with everyone I come in contact with...especially my family.

I want to wish everyone a very happy and prosperous 2009. I know I am full of hope for the future!

2008 Stats -
Ran 1873.48 Miles for the year
156.12 Miles per Month
36.03 Miles per Week

Easy New Year's Day Run

Today Carla and I did an easy run together. For Carla is was her longest run ever as she prepares for the 3M Half Marathon Relay. I got her to 5 miles on a pretty hilly course and she did great. We stayed together for the first 3.5 miles and then I wanted to see what I could do for the last 1.5 miles. I haven't really done any speed work since the marathon and I didn't feel good those last miles...and ran slow. It could have been the New Year's Eve beers too. I have put on a few pounds in the past couple of weeks, but I needed the break and can now focus on getting ready for the Austin Marathon.

Stats - 5 miles/51:05/10:13 pace