Saturday Treadmill Run

It is a soccer tournament weekend for Caroline so I had to find an early time to run. My initial plan was to run with the group, but a front came through and all I could hear was the wind all night. The last place I wanted to run was in the wind so I opted for the gym and the treadmill. I got a little extra sleep and had exactly one hour at the gym. I jumped on the treadmill and suffered through 7.1 miles. It actually wasn't that bad, but I would always rather run 7 miles around LB Lake.

Stats - 7.1 miles/60:30/8:31 pace

Thursday Fat Burner

Today I hit the gym for another fat burner workout. I rode the elliptical trainer for an hour and then lifted weights for my upper body. I followed that up with 20 minutes on the treadmill. It is weird how dead you legs feel after a rest period.

I am down 1.5 pounds from last Thursday.

Running stats - 2.3 miles/20 minutes

Run in the Hood

Today I went for another run in Circle C. I wanted to get out for 45 minutes like Monday. I walked Emma to her bus stop and then took off...or at least tried. My legs felt like big bags of cement. I guess my legs are still tired from the marathon. I took it easy and ran through the park to get off the street. I encountered some dumb ass dogs off their leash, but didn't went past them without any incident. I picked it up on the way back so I could get under 9:00 pace. I am going to do another fat burner workout tomorrow and then hopefully get to run with the group on Saturday.

Stats - 5.23 miles/46:49/8:57 pace

Weight Burner Workout

Today I hit the gym hard. I need to get ahead of my weight gain. I actually gained half a pound this past week. I figured that was from a night at Eddie V's on Saturday. I have to admit I love to eat and my plate never goes to the sink with any food on it. I learned not to waste food as a kid, but as an adult it haunts me.

For today's workout I rode the elliptical trainer for an hour, lifted upper body weights, and then ran for 20 minutes. I was exhausted at the end which feels great. I need to keep up this kind of double workout until I get near my weight goal of 190 by 6/1.

Running Stats - 2.25 miles/20 minutes

Back to Running

Today I went out for a regular run for the first time since the marathon. My legs feel good except for some slight pain in my right calf. That calf has bothered me since I tweaked last May. I am watching it closely. I did a big loop of Circle C and it wasn't easy. I still really enjoyed the time on the road and to getting back to my normal routine.

Stats - 5.07 miles/45:31/8:58 pace

Fun Day with Marathon Kids

Today Emma and I volunteered at the Marathon Kids final mile in Austin. I am challenging myself to give back and do more volunteer work and Emma loves doing it as well. Emma and I were assigned to the medals area which meant that were able to give out medals to the kids after they crossed the finish line. It was a great experience. Those kids were so excited to get the medal after running 26.2 miles over the past 5 months. We worked both sessions and then helped tear down the event. It was a great experience!

Easy Run

Today I headed out with Carla for an easy run in the neighborhood. The goal was to run very easy for 30 minutes. It was a nice run and Carla actually left me at home for another 3 miles. She is doing great!

Stats - 2.92 miles/33:06/11:20 pace

Marathon Recovery Day 4

Today I hit the gym again for some cross training and upper body weights. I rode the elliptical trainer for 45 minutes easy and then did an upper body weight workout. I am feeling good other than a really sore right calf. Hopefully that will go away soon. Tomorrow I plan on doing some easy running for 20 minutes and then rest on Saturday.

Marathon Recovery Days 1 - 3

I woke up Monday pretty sore. I had a hard time sleeping because my legs were throbbing so bad. The course tore up my quads really bad and I could definitely feel them last night. I got up and walked for about 30 minutes and covered 2 miles. My legs felt better once I warmed up, but stiffened quickly when I got home.

Tuesday -
I woke up today and felt like hitting the gym. I rode the recumbent bike for 10 minutes and then rode the elliptical trainer for 30 minutes. I also lifted upper body weights. I guess I am punishing myself for getting heavy and not sticking with my weight routine prior to Dallas. I also really felt like exercising and the upper body is the only part of me that doesn't hurt.

Wednesday -
I met Wish and walked for about an hour and 15 minutes. We covered 3.8 miles and I jogged the last half mile back to the house. I felt pretty good and my legs don't feel as sore today.

2009 Austin Marathon

The 2009 Austin marathon was a tough race to say the least. The course is hard and it feels like you are climbing no matter where you are. My training and diet from Dallas in December to now hasn't been the best and for the marathon you get out what you put in so my 3:58:21 time was about right.

I met Brian and Carrie at the Runtex annex around 5:45 in the morning. We hung out and got ready to run. We headed over to the start line around 6:30 and it wasn't too crowded around the 3:30 pace group. My garbage bag/Gatorade bottle bathroom worked like a charm. Especially since the race started 15 minutes late.

Brian and I stuck to our race plan for the first part of the race which meant going slower than 8:00 pace up the hills and faster down the hills. We were ahead of plan for the first 7-8 miles and then started to get to where we were on plan. I was getting tired going up Exposition and Brian didn't look so hot either. Carrie left us in the dust going up Exposition and Brian dropped off I think somewhere near Bull Creek/Shoal Creek. I was having a hard time breathing which is probably some lingering effects of the cold I had in the past couple of weeks. I don't think I have ever wheezed during a marathon, but it happened today. Once I slowed a bit it went away. I saw Carla and Emma near Northcross Mall and gave them my gloves and pace band. I knew there was no way I was going to get to 3:30 at that point and just wanted to finish without walking. I also wanted to finish under 4 hours after the debacle in Dallas.

I think at that point in the race I was about 5 minutes off pace and fading. Rachel jumped in with me at mile 19 and was a life saver. She just kept talking to me about this and that so I wouldn't think about anything else. I think we walked 2 times for a minute and then I walked half way up the hill at Dean Keaton. What a shitty place for a hill...right at mile 24. Once Rachel turned back I had about 1.2 miles to go and trudged on. Emma ran me up the hill on San Jacinto which really helped a lot. Once got to the top on San Jac I ran faster through the finish which was just across from the Capitol (see picture above).

My time wasn't what I wanted, but I finished my 13th marathon out of 14 starts and feel good about it. Average training gets you average finishes so this is fine. I know what I need to do better next time. Weight training, core work, diet, and I need to lose about 15 pounds from my race weight today. I am planning to make my next BQ attempt at the Portland Marathon on October 4th. It's where I ran my first marathon and it would be sweet to come full circle with my BQ time there.

I want to thank Carla, Emma, and Caroline for encouraging me to run this race after I got back from Dallas in December. Your support is awesome and I love you all! I also want to thank Brian and Rachel for all their support this extra long marathon season. You all are great friends!

Stats - 26.2 miles/3:58:21/9:06 pace

Easy 30 Minutes on the Trail

This morning I joined the group for an easy 30 minute run on the trail. I ran with Brian and we talked about our race plan for tomorrow. We did a few striders and then headed back for stretching. The annex was full so we stretched outside. It was a nice day.

Stats - 3.07 miles/29:01/9:26 pace

Final Workout - 4 Days to Go

Today was my last official workout until Marathon Sunday. All that is left is an easy 30 minute run on Saturday morning. I got home late from the UT basketball game so I did my workout at home. I ran about 1.5 miles and then did 1 minute on/1 minute off fartleks for 10 sets. I finished with a 1.5 mile cool down run. Everything felt great and I am feeling good mentally as well. I ran out to the store to get my last minute supply of carbs for the next 3 days.

Stats - 5.21 miles/44:08/8:28 pace

Cross Training - 5 Days Until the Marathon

I looked back at my blog from the fall of 2006 when I ran my best marathon time in Chicago. I decided this week was going to look like 2006 when I only ran on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday prior to the race. In 2006 I rested completely on Tues/Thurs/Friday. I decided to do something to today so I hit the elliptical trainer for 35 minutes just to work up a sweat. I stretched at home and did some easy ab and back work to keep things loose.

I am feeling positive and have been doing some visualization since I know the course like the back of my hand. It's scary that I know it so well especially since I hate the course so much. It would be totally ironic for me to get my BQ time on this shit course!

I want to send out a special Congratulations to my best friend in the world, Dan...the fool went and got engaged in December. Seriously I wish him and his bride to be the best!!

Marathon Week - 6 Days to Go

Well it is marathon week. It didn't really hit me until this AM and that is a good thing. I usually have all this build up and pressure leading up to a marathon. This time it is a lot different since I am running in my hometown. There are many pluses including sleeping in my own bed, I get to cook my own food, and I can sit on my ass in my own house on Saturday instead of on top of a hotel bed. This race is really an after thought and I am totally calm. I am just going to run and see what the day holds. Of course I will have a special time in the back of my mind, but it is just another race in Austin.

As for today, I didn't sleep last night so I did not meet the Gazelles for 1000s at the track. I opted for running just over 3k at MGP. I warmed up for about 15 minutes and then did an out and back on Escarpment. The first mile was downhill and the second mile was uphill. Kind of a nice prep for the Austin course. After I finished the MGP section I cooled down back to the house. It was warm and humid so I felt OK. The weather is looking good for Sunday. Hopefully the forecast holds.

Stats - 5.31 miles
3K MGP - 2 miles/15:59/8:00 pace

Nice 10 Miler

Today we ran 10 miles on the LBL trail. The goal was 6 at an easy pace with the last 4 at MGP. Since I have been sick all week I didn't know what to expect. I hit my inhaler before I left to open up the pipes a bit. I hate doing using the albuterol because it increases my heart rate. Rachel, Brian, and I started in the pack, but by the north side separated from the masses. We started the pace part a bit past I-35 and I actually felt good and wasn't breathing as hard as I was on Wednesday. My cardio felt a lot better and I wasn't coughing up as much stuff as earlier in the week. Rachel dropped off the pace and Brian and I finished strong. We did a few strides and then joined the group for stretching.

After today's workout I am actually getting excited about the marathon next week. It will be a fun day no matter what happens.

Stats - 10.15 miles/1:25:10/8:23 pace
Pace Splits - 7:50, 7:48, 7:49, 7:35

Thursday Run

I met Wish for a tour of SW Austin. We ran our usual 8 mile loop. I am feeling better every day, but still don't have my wind back yet. I made it through the run and enjoyed myself as usual.

Stats - 8.2 miles/8.16 miles/1:11:43/8:47 pace

I am really calm with a marathon on the horizon. I actually don't feel like running it, but I signed up and plan to toe the line unless the weather is really warm. I am also running this race as part of the Phoenix Climb for Cancer. I register every year in honor of my friend Jon Moss who died in 2006. I have never been able to get out there for the actual event so this year the Austin Marathon is my "climb." If anyone is interesting in supporting me with donations please click Donate below.

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800s at AHS

I felt better last night so I got up early to meet the group for 800s at AHS. I was very happy to see new daddy Brian at the workout this AM. He and his wife adopted a baby boy on Saturday so they are on a whirlwind of adjustment in their lives. I remember those days well and sometimes miss the girls being so small.

We jogged over to AHS, did our drills, and we were the "3:30" group. We took off and neither one of us was really into it today. I was having a hard time breathing and Brian was just plain tired. We muddled through 6 repeats and finally got under 3:30 for our last two repeats. It was a good workout, but my times were not anywhere near where they should be with 10 days to go for my next marathon.

Splits - 3:42, 3:44, 3:36, 3:33, 3:28, 3:24 - Average 3:34

Stats - 7.16 miles

Run at Home

My cold kicked into high gear on Super Bowl Sunday so I took Monday off. I am still bummed that the Cardinals lost on Sunday. They had it and just needed to make one more stop. I am happy they got that far after sucking forever, but to get so close and lose really sucks...and I am just a fan living 1100 miles away from Phoenix.

As for my run I decided to go to the gym and run on the treadmill so I could get stay inside and away from the cedar pollen. I ran for 45 minutes and then did some stretching and some ab work.

Stats - 5.33 miles/46:00/8:38 pace