Easy run

Treadmill.  8.25 miles, 55:16.

First 5 miles at about 6:58 pace, then last bit around 6:30 pace with light pickups every half mile at 6:00 pace.

Main goal was to run easy and no longer than I plan to race on Sunday.  Time on my feet run.

0.5% incline which feels pretty nice after doing most runs at 1.5.

Workout

Treadmill, 5.5 miles, 32:38.

1 warmup
2, 10:48, going 5:27, 5:271
.5 easy
1, 5:15,  first half at 5:158 pace, second at 5:12.

1 cooldown

HR stayed between 158-164 which is good.

Surprised with 100 degree fever.  I've been fighting the flu for 10 days now.  My stomach is in knots.

Change of plans

So I got up early to start getting ready for my 2x1.5 miles at goal 10 mile pace outside.

The dusting of snow has now turned to 3-5 inches.  So treadmill it is.

Easy run

4.6 miles treadmill.  30:00.

6:40 pace most of it.  15-20 second pickups every half mile.  3@6:00, 2@5:27, 2@5:00, 1@4:36.

0.5% incline.

Easy run with pickups

To make myself go slower, I dressed in 4 layers, even though it was 44 degrees, went out in the dark, and that seemed to work.

Did first 4.0 miles going 7:13, 6:47, 6:49, 6:45. 

Put on racing flats, took off three layers and went and did 3.85 more miles with a 20 second pickup every couple minutes.
6:30, 6:16, 5:56, 5:16(last..85).

7.85 total, 51:27.  Feels like I barely ran.

Workout

2.4 warmup.  15:30.  Windy.  Strides.

1.5 mile time trial.  7:14.  About 20 seconds faster than when I did this a week before Sugarloaf over same course in May.  Good sign.

2.6 cooldown, 17:25.

Easy run

7.6 miles 45:18.

About 25 degrees to start, really got cold last couple miles.

Tried to control myself, but I guess the treadmill will do that next week.

Ended up running every mile between 5:55-6:06 other than 3rd mile in 5:43, whoops.

Did high knees, bounding and strides all uphill after.  Legs aren't tired at all, but I really need to make sure I run a couple easy runs next week.

Happy with week, about 60 miles total with three days only getting about 4 miles each day.

Midnight talk

Damn cold out tonight.  Looks like another cold run tomorrow.  I'm going to just run easy, do some hill sprints, and get my last lifting and plyometics session in.

Saturday a workout I suppose.  After three days of easy running my legs should be good other than they'll be sore from lifting and plyometics.

I'm thinking something like 4x4:00 or 2x7:00 hard.  Don't know.  I make plans to simply change them.  Whatever I feel like I guess, but it won't be long.

Probably have to wait until Tuesday to do another workout with trial on Monday and maybe going through Tuesday.  I'd talk more about that, but defense attorneys are listening.  It's ok, read this midnight talk and enjoy the fact I keep you in business and someday I'll write a book about everything else and I assure you you'll enjoy that.

Whoops, I forgot this is a running blog. 

So I signed up for a half marathon at the beginning of march.  Hillt, probably cold.  For one I did it because I hate half marathons.  I love 20k, I love 25k, but 13.1 miles,  never enjoyed it.  So what better way to get over that then by running a half in the winter.

Easy run

Cold, 12 degrees.  Well not that cold but after running in 40 degree weather yesterday it felt cold.

4.3 miles, 26:29.

6:10
6:31
6:00
6:03
1:45

Next week mt easy runs need to be slower, so treadmill at 6:40-7:00 pace will be in order.  But today's run was good indication, especially with three layers on.

One day to go, about 53 miles for week so far.  Yippee.

Midnight talk

Got out of work just before midnight.  So I usually get home, have so food, wind down.

And post some more crap. 

So I thought I saw some friends  on tv at the pats game last weekend.  Turns out they were there. 

Easy run

4 miles, 26:04.  Still 40 degrees out. 

Legs felt good after yesterday's effort.  Still I kept things easy.  Almost took day off, but it was so nice out I wanted to take advantage.

Thoughts

So after tonight's workout I'm confident in my goal time at the 10-miler.  I think on a perfect day I could run what I did for 7.5 which would be 53:55ish.  Masters record is 55:17, so I've got a little cushion.

Still after tonight I plan on running first three miles at the slower end and if I'm feeling comfy pick it up.  Breaking the record would be great, getting under 55 even better and sub 54 would be ultimate goal.

Time to start resting up.

Workout

Ymca was crazy.   Did some drills and plyos, jogged a few laps around track.

10 minutes easy biking.

Half mile easy, 3:18

7.5 miles 40:25

1 mile cooldown,  6:30

Did run in my trainers so I wouldn't beat legs up too bad and save my new racing flats for race.

Splits of
Mile-5:21
Quarter- 77.5
Mile-5:30
Quarter-77.5
Mile-5:30
Quarter-77.5
Mile-5:30
Quarter-75
Mile-5:27
Quarter-77.5
Mile 5:27
Quarter-75

Easy

4.7 miles treadmill,  30:00.

20 minutes of pool running. 

Almost time to rest up

Tuesday is going to be last hard workout before I start to rest up for Midwinter.  With the storm coming in it looks like I'll be stuck on the treadmill.  So as I often do, a change of plans is in order.

I always feel like 10 days out is really the final time you can get something in that will actually help you for a race, other than maybe resting up and doing some shorter faster stuff.

Tuesday the plan is 7.5 miles going a mile at goal 10-mile pace(5:24-5:27), with a quarter mile at faster than 5-k pace  This should put me right about 40:00 for the whole thing.

Friday I'm going to try and get in something like 4x4:00 at 4:50 pace with lots of rest, 3:00.  The workout is short enough not to take much out of me, but should make goal 10-mile pace feel better.

Monday or Tuesday of next week depending on how long I'm at court I'll probably do something like 2-3x1.5 miles at goal 10-mile pace with 90 second rests.  This will be a trial run.  Wake up, eat, warmup, start intervals at same time race is, wear what I plan on running in race.  This should feel super easy.

Thursday I'll do a really light workout with some shorter intervals and only adding up to 12-15 minutes of quicker running, but not really pushing too hard.

Other than that its easy runs, strides most days after my runs, no hills the final week, and even if I get some treadmill running in I'll keep incline down at .5% instead of the 1.5% I usually run at.

Then its all up to me to get the job done at the 10-miler.  If the weather is bad my goal is crack the masters record of 55:17.  On a good weather day I think sub 54:00 is possible if I run smart.  Top 3-5 overall would be nice on a good day, but the main goal is going after that record.  There are a lot of fast runners coming and my only worry is I'm pretty sure there is going to be a couple way out front and then another group in the 56-57 range.  I'm hoping I've got someone to run with for most of it which will help, but I'm running first 3 miles at my pace no matter what.

First mile is pretty fast, even with the usual headwind and the first 600 gradually uphill.  I have to control myself and not go any faster than 5:20-5:25.  Mile 2 is series of rolling uphills and I'd like to run 5:30-5:35 for that one.  Usually the 3rd mile is spent recovering from mile 2, so anything around 5:30 and I'll be doing good.  Mile 4 and 5 are pretty fast and I'd like to get back down to to 5:20's and even some sub 5:20s would be fine here.  Miles 6 and 7 have some hills, but you get a downhill after each to recover and there is no reason I cannot run 5:25-5:30 pace.  Mile 8 climbs as you get near the B2B start line.  5:30 will be doing good here.  Mile 9 and 10 can be windy.  Mile 9 goes down, flattens out and then starts to climb gradually.  Depends on the wind, could be fast or slow.  Mile 10 continues to gradually climb and the final 500 meters is downhill.

Midwinter 10-mile past results
2002- 56:37 9th place
2008- 53:28 3rd place
2009- 52:40 2nd place
2010- 50:57 1st place
2012- 54:09 4th place
2016- 59:39 7th place,  ran this off almost no training.
Average is about 54:35 and this would be a good time for me this year.

Medium long run

Erik K.  Came down for a run.  I was just going to run 12ish, but he wanted to run 21, so I did 16.15 which is about as far as I'm willing to go two weeks out from midwinter.  He continued onward.

1:47:?? Cruised at about 6:40 pace throughout.  Nice weather, awesome to have someone to run with.

Great job Dirigo guys, they went 1,2 at thaw 4.5 miler today.

Workout

After warming up and reconning road conditions, I chose a different workout.

By the time I got up, woke up and went out the door it was after 3 and roads were already starting to get icy after a warm day of thawing.  So I went over to a very hilly dirt road that's a few miles long, cape road, and ran back and forth.  Probably the hilliest road on island.

So 2 mile warmup, about 6:30 pace, then 7,6,5,5,3,2,1 minute pieces.  Started at 5:30 pace and worked down to 5:00 pace.  Half rests after each, so 3:30 after 7, 3 after 6 and so on.  Kept the rests more of a float at about 6:00 pace.

Long cooldown,  6+, about 6:30 pace.

Total was 15.5 in 1:34:47, 6:06 average.  Felt pretty easy in new racing flats.  Legs are tired from hills.  6,5,4,3 I hit some big hills, but I cranked up like they were not there.

Not the planned workout, but another one of my favorites I used to run at Zap that always worked great.  The rests are usually run a little slower but I always do them faster if I'm fit.

Snowshoe run

Got in 5.64 miles of snowshoe running, 58:??.  Still pretty deep snow to run through.  The places where it had been packed down was almost pavement so I ended up breaking trail to the side most of the time.

Workout tomorrow, today I guess now.  Got my new racing flats.  First racing flats I've bought since 2014 that weren't made for marathon.  They are light and should be good for 25-k and less.  I've give them a good test today.

All toll I ended up with about 60 miles for the week, and with about 10 snowshoe miles, worth more than that.  The best week I've had in a while. 

After warming up the workout is going to be 10 miles with goal splits of 5:35,5:25,5:15,5:35,5:25,5:15,5:35,5:25,5:15, then last mile whatever I have left.  Cooldown with some 30 second pickups every mile.

Midnight snowshoe run

It was a super lovely day, but between all the sleep and house chores I ended up having to get out for a run after work just before midnight.

Jumped on snowshoes and ran on the loop road.  Snowmobiles hadn't gone through yet so it was slow going breaking trail.  3 miles, 35:44. 

I better get to bed,  I've got 14 hour shift tomorrow, and I need to try and get a short run in before noon.

Workout

We've gotten 8-10 inches of snow so far.  That made trying this workout outside unwise.

So I went to ymca,  5 minutes of biking, drills,  then jumped on treadmill.  I took less rest than usual to make sure I wouldn't go over 30 minute time limit.  Did faster pieces at 2.5 to 3.5% incline.  Building up the junk in legs good.

3:00 easy to warmup.
2:00 @ 4:40 pace, 3:00 easy
1:30 @ 4:40, 2:00 easy
1:00 @ 4:40, 1:30 easy
:45 @ 4:36, 1:15 easy
3x:30 @ 4:36, 1:00 easy
:45 @ 4:36, 1:15 easy
1:00 @ 4:40, 1:30 easy
1:30 @ 4:40, 2:00 easy
2:00 @ 4:40, 3:00 easy

No one ever got on other treadmills, so I ended up getting a couple mile cooldown.

7.5 miles total, 43:55.

Easy run

10 miles.  Tried to see how close to 6:40 pace I could get.  1:06:29.  Pretty nice out.  Definitely dropped once the sun went down, but I was pretty warm in running pants and a couple layers on top.

6:32
6:51
6:27
6:37
6:42
6:39
6:39
6:40
6:34
6:42

Rocky like x-training

Luckily the snow was pretty light.  Over 10 inches of snow here in Bar Harbor which is a little more than the 3-6 they talked about.  Got a lot of shoveling in yesterday and today.  A little roof raking, chopping firewood and I ended up getting a good core workout in. 

With two days to go for week I'm already over 50 miles for week, so easy and short the next two days so I'll be ready for longer workout Saturday.  Excited because it's supposed to be 40 degrees for one of the tougher workouts I've got planned.

Planned treadmill workout

Plan is to run 4.5 miles going back and forth between a mile at 5:20-5:20 pace, with 200 at 5:00 pace or so.  Might even go for another 1-2 if things go well since I have plenty of time to recover.

This is one of my staple workouts which teaches you to run a little faster than tempo pace(what I call buffering pace), surge and build some junk in the legs, then recover at buffering pace.  This really helps bring LT pace down a few seconds once it kicks in a week later.  Plus it teaches you to race where people are throwing surges at you in a race.  It's a really tough workout, and you cannot run the miles too hard because you're skimming the red line.  You really have to work the first minute after the surge and you can feel the lactic acid flushing out.

I usually do this on a track, but treadmill will work.

Most of the workouts the next couple of weeks will be aimed at working buffering system and hopefully making 5:30 pace for midwinter feel pretty comfy when the going gets tough. 

Wednesday I'm going to do short workout that dumps loads of lactic acid into legs.  Lactate ladder it's called.  You run  2:00, 90,60,45,30,30,30,45,60,90,2:00.  Double rests after each because the intervals are run allout.  It's only 12 minutes of total work, but workout takes 36 minutes with rests. 

FSU long run this Saturday is another creation.  Originally the FSU xc team runs a 10-k version going mile at tempo,10-k,5-k, tempo,10-k,5-k. 

I've created a long run version where I run 3-5 miles warmup, then 10 miles in manner above. Then 3-5 cooldown. 

Still up in the air on last couple of workouts but I'll come up with something.

A run

Plan was hill cycles today.

I headed over to my loop which even in the worst weather is pretty clear.  Today however, the loop had large patched of ice that were not run able.

Not just that, it was frigging cold.  I ended up doing 9.16 hilly miles.  Middle 2.5 miles in 14:00, and even then I couldn't get warm enough to try anything else.

Treadmill workout tomorrow to make up for today's shit session.

This weather and especially the roads on this island suck d.

Medium long run

16.5 miles, 1:50:55.  First 13+ with Kephart.  Windy, but still in the 50s.

6:55
7:22
6:46
6:52
7:03
6:39
6:34
6:53
6:53
6:32
6:11,  pickup.
6:30
6:40
6:52
6:30
6:16
3:19

Easy run

Tee shirt and shorts weather, so nice.  Wicked windy, but still so nice.  Legs feel good.  Saw my wife out and about doing her 10 mile run.

10 miles, 1:02:53

6:30
6:44
6:15
6:21
6:21
6:09
6:16
6:16
6:00
6:03

Track work

Warmed up with Tracy and Erik on the track.  About 2.5 miles.

12x1-k.  First 4 around 3:23,  then gradually got quicker as I went and finished in 3:14.  So about 5:26 pace down to 5:12.  About 45 seconds jog rest and that was plenty.  Never had to push, one of my most boring workouts, but it let's you get some work in just a little faster than tempo pace.

3 mile cooldown outside,  Tracy and Erik did 6 cooldown.

This was about 14-14.5 total for me which is longest I've gone in over a month. 

The snowshoe running has done more than keep me in shape, it's gotten me in better shape.  If I can sneak a few medium to longer runs in during the next few weeks I should bring my fitness way up and I should put myself in good place for 10-miler.

Easy run

PM 4.66 miles on treadmill.  30:00. 

30 second pickups at 4:30 pace every half mile.

Tomorrow's plan is to start  the 10-15x1000 @ about 5:20-5:25 pace and maybe speed things up slightly to 5:15 ish by the end.  Only taking 45-60 seconds rest between, so that should keep from going out too fast.

I'm still a little sore from mondays plyometics, lifting session.  Live it.

Day off, and snowshoe run

Called called into work 5 hours early so I ended up taking yesterday off.

This afternoon I got in 5.22 miles of snowshoe running, 42:46.

Track workout tomorrow.

Plyometrics, drills, lifting

I'll be sore tomorrow.  Got in my drills, plyometics and lifting.  Stepped things up today with jump squats and split jumps with weight.

Quick mile on treadmill after to stretch legs out after days of snowshoe running

Snowshoe run

6 miles.  3 miles to second switchback on Cadillac mnt.  About 800 feet of gain, 29:30.  Back down in about 22:00.

Couple new inches of snow. 

Midnight snowshoe run

4.2 miles of snowshoe running.  Got out of work at 11pm,  ran halfway up Cadillac mnt.  34:50. 

15 degrees,  no one else out.  Nice.

called in

Got called into work early, so I'll have to run at midnight.  At least it should be warmer.

Tomorrow

Tomorrow or I guess today now since it's after midnight I've got a planned snowshoe run with former maine marathon champ, Matt F.  That means one heck of a snowshoe run.

Haven't really gotten the runs or workouts I've wanted these last few weeks with the weather, but I'm actually feeling pretty fit off the snowshoe running I have gotten in.

Moderate run, short.

5.12 miles on treadmill, 30:00.  All the treadmills were in use once I got on mine, so had to abide by 30 minute limit. 

Kept it at 6:00 pace with 400 meter superset pickups every mile.  First 200 at 4:49 pace, last at 5:30 pace.  Kept it at 1.5% incline throughout.

Big swim meet, so pool doors were open.  Must have been at least 75 and humid. 

Snowshoe run

5.6 miles of snowshoe running.  1:06:49.

Autumn xc skied.

Broke trail most of the way.  Rugged.  There is 4-6 inches of snow with an inch layer of crust.  My legs got a good workout.  They feel good now.

Between shoveling this heavy snow and the run, I got some work in today.  On the way home from run a guy was stuck in snow bank.  Luckily I keep a steel grain shovel in my car.  Shoveled him out and got him on his way.  Autumn took the car home, so I ran home with grain shovel in hand.  Only 400 meters, but my legs felt amazing with no snowshoes on and running with a big ass shovel, jumping over snow banks, I felt like a bad ass, ha.

Days not done.  I've got to shovel my other driveway, chop and bring in firewood, and sleep.

Easy bike

40 minutes on the bike trainer.  Some bungee work after focusing on calves, hip flexors and hamstrings.

Plan is to destroy my legs on snowshoe run tomorrow

Workout

.25 miles easy on track,  drills and plyometics.

2 miles warmup on treadmill. 

4-miles in 21:08

1.5 mile cooldown.

7.5 miles, 43:47 total on treadmill.

Back to work.

New planned workout

So I'm gonna go hit the treadmill.  Kind of depends on how many people are on treadmill, but I'm going to at least do 4 miles fast.  With my limited time today, a 4 mile lactate response run, or 4 miles at close to all out is a great stimulus.  Short, simple, and good bang for your buck.

Pounded enough caffeine to wake up an elephant.

We'll see how it goes.

Planned workout, nope.

I guess I cannot call it a failure because I never tried.  But boy am I pissed.  With bad weather coming and today being the day to get something good in, oh boy,  I'm going into midwinter more pissed than I did in 2010.

Got done overnight shift, went to court for 8:30 am hearing.  Didn't start until 12:30, home in bed by 2pm, woke up 2 1/2 hours later to chop firewood and get things around house ready for storm.

Should be a fun overnight shift tonight.

I just pounded a shit ton of caffeine and am going to try and hit the treadmill and do something hard.

Toughest part about today is it was so nice out, the best day in weeks, and I was stuck inside.  Once my hearing started it only took 15 minutes.  I'd say more about court, but, enough said.

Easy run

9 miles, cold.  57:50.

6:32
6:46
6:15
6:21
6:32
6:18
6:24
6:17
6:20

5x hill sprints after, and uphill bounding.

Workout tomorrow and lifting/plyometics

Planned workout tomorrow

Tomorrow is going to be warmer, so plan is a longer workout.

Warmup 1.5 miles.

4-miles @ 5:30 pace, 90 seconds rest.
90 seconds hard, 2:00 rest.
3-miles @ 5:25 pace, 90 seconds rest.
80 seconds hard, 2:00 rest.
2 - miles @ 5:20 pace, 90 seconds rest.
70 seconds hard, 2:00 rest.
1-mile @ 5:15, 90 seconds rest.
60 seconds hard all out.

Cooldown

Easy short run

Still had my watch set to kilometers,  5.23-k, outside, about all I had time for.  Worked 3pm to 3am after race yesterday,  got to bed by 430ish, woke up at 1:30, headed out the door for run after chopping some firewood.

21:58, 6:46 pace which was good considering the layers I have on.  Getting pretty sick of this weather.  I started getting a cold yesterday coming home from race.   Took cold meds all day and night. Right now I feel ok. So let's hope.

Gotta go to work.