AM rest

I was going to get an easy short run in this morning, but got called in to do a DRE last night and got some sleep this morning instead.  So tonight I'll get in a longer run than I planned, but at least my legs will have 24 hours rest in them.  Amazing how much better they feel just giving them a half a day more rest.

If they feel good tomorrow night I'm probably going to do a medium long run with a workout with middle part at goal marathon pace, with some pickups every 10 minutes.

12-k race on Saturday, as even and hard as I can go, hopefully 5:20 pace or so.  There are some good hills on the course.

Next week I've got a hard 20 miler I'm going to do.  5-mile warmup, followed by 10 miles going 5:35, 5:25, 5:15, 5:35, 5:25, 5:15, 5:35, 5:25, 5:15, 5:35.  Then last 5 miles with a bunch of 30 seconds hard/30 seconds easy.  I'll do this on the MDI marathon course which will tell me if I'm ready to roll.  Before Hyannis 2010 I ran this going 5:20-5:25, 5:10-5:15, sub 5:00-5:05.

After that I've got some key workouts I usually do the final few weeks before a marathon.  10-15x1000 with 30-60 seconds rest at just faster than tempo pace.  A real fast workout with mile all out, some quick 800's, and a fast 400.

Flat 10-k race 2 weeks out for some confidence.

Easy PM run

3 miles on treadmill.  19:57.  Legs are empty.  Good stuff.

Just over 35 miles in last two days.  Good enough to start the week.

Two runs Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, then probably one run Thursday and Friday to rest up for 12-k race on Sunday which I'd like to run well in.

Weekend of races

Warmed up and did 5-k course in Orono.  First mile was not as fast as I thought it would be.

Legs were pretty sore still but I managed to go out in 4:55.  Leader was about 4:50.  After that I held onto goal marathon pace the rest of the way which was good with the hills and the 600 meters on the trails.

Cooldown, the 5-k course again.  Won a pie of whoopie pies.

Drove down to Bradbury with Autumn and set camp.  Went and got about 6 miles in on the trails.  Legs were fried.

Got up Sunday and got in a couple miles easy.  Hung out in about 4th place for most of the race.  At about mile 6 I went past 3rd, and then caught 2nd place.  Finished in 2nd in about 1:27:54 for the 12 mile race.  I didn't fall at all, which is amazing.

Afterwards I only managed a real slow 4 miles.  Couldn't do anymore.

Back in Bar Harbor, about to jump on the treadmill for another run.  Legs are good and tired.

Easy pm run

5- miles on treadmill at hotel.  34:24.

I'm counting hike as mileage,  with day off I had 68 miles for week.

Hike and a run, Thursday

Headed to Baxter Wednesday night.  Rained all night.  But we still had fire before bed.  Woke up by 5,  coffee, eggs and bacon.

Headed to Baxter which was only 3 miles away.  I already got a $5.00 parking pass, and it cost nothing to get in as maine resident.  Went the 8 miles on dirt roads up to roaring brook.

We hiked up Katahdin from roaring brook.  Went up to chimney pond, up cathedral to top.  Rained the whole time.  Rangers said cathedral was not recommended in rain.  I would say if you are not in shape, haven't done some rock climbing or some real technical climbing, you're setting yourself up for a bad day.

We were fine because of of our experience, gear, and being in shape, and knowing our limits.  The ice pellets were not fun.  But it wasn't super cold, probably 35-50 degrees depending where you were.

We'd gone up Katahdin stream to saddle a few years ago when it was in the 10-20 degree range, rain at bottom, ice and super windy on top.  That climb I think we used about all the gear we owned, and it still sucked.  This was way better than that year.

Not much of a view on top.  Saw one person up there.  Windy and ice pellets.

Went down via knifes edge, Helen Taylor trail.  Also not recommended on a rainy, windy day unless you have some experience.   Other than the hike to chimney and the top we didn't see anyone.

It was real slow going the 1.1 miles over to Pamela.  Probably took us two hours.  A couple of times it would clear just enough so you'd see next peak ahead.

Heading down Helen Taylor sun came out partway down  Figures.  we hiked down 1.2 miles to treeline and had lunch.  The iI hauled ass down the last 2.2 miles ahead of my friend so I could sneak a run in. 

7.8 mile hike, I only fell once going up, on 1st cathedral, hurt like hell too, and once going down while I was hauling ass down and ended up in the bushes.

Legs were jello at bottom.  Threw on some running shorts and shoes and ran from roaring brook back just past gatehouse.  Made it 8+ before my friend came by in truck.  Good timing because it had just switched to pavement and my legs were fried.  Felt good running other than downhill.  I'll have to map it out because my gps was all over the place.  Said some miles were 5:50 and some 7:30.  Nope, and nope.  Probably ran about 6:20 pace, but I wasn't running sub 6 or 7:30, sunny and hot for run and I kept telling myself this must be what running an ultra feels like.

Good days work, hot shower a few miles away at campground.  Dinner, a campfire and in bed by 8pm.  I was tired.  Slept much better without rain.

Up by 6:00am,  coffee, pancakes and bacon,  packed up and headed to Bangor.

Friend dropped me off at hotel, I checked in all my bags, headed out and got in an easy 5.1 miles, mostly on labor day course.  Hot, sunny, legs super sore.  This must be how legs feel like in ultra, ran about 6:45-7:00 pace.  Sore every step.

Headed for treadmill in a few minutes for another easy run, then dinner before the concert at waterfront.  I have my Nascar hat, so I'll fit in fine at a Brantley Gilbert concert.

Short workout

I ended up waking up late, 1:30,  So I did a workout that was pretty short, buut a good bang for my buck.

10 minute warmup, 1.67 miles.  6:00 pace

5x2:30 downcycles.  Stayed at 6:00 pace, each 30 seconds I increased incline.

2%=5:52 pace
3%=5:42
4%=5:32
5%=5:24
6%=5:16

90 seconds float at 1.5% at 6:00 pace.

12 minute cool down, 2-miles.

7 miles(42:00)

Easy run

12.4 miles, 1:19:50, treadmill.  Pickups every half mile.  Legs felt pretty good, back 90% better.  Cranked up the incline a couple times to 4-10% to wake legs up for tomorrow's workout.

Hot and humid.  I got two water bottles in and could have used more.

Wanted to get in at least 10 miles.