Lexington bound

Alright, I signed up for US Masters X-C race December 9th in Lexington, KY.

Dirigo guys may send a team.  Hopefully.  After yesterdays run there is no doubt I should have a chance to be in top 5.  Goal is still top 15, but if I can have a good race, I should be right up near the front.  If I can stay with pack I should be able to get away from just about anyone in final half mile.  I don't have he best kick, but it should be good enough if I can stick close.

Now I just need to figure out flights, hotels and car rentals. 

Still plan on 4 mile race this weekend as long as I can get a ride to the race in Ellsworth.  I think one of the guys I work with will drive me.  The course is pretty tough, but I'd like to be under 21:20, and really I'd like to be under 21:00. 

3 mile race next weekend is more important and should be a tough race up front.  Flat course, but wind can be an issue on this course.  Going to try and run first mile of this in 4:50 and then hopefully be in low 15's for whole thing if it's not windy.  Won't be able to stick around for awards.  Race is at 1pm, and I have to be at work at 3.  So I will run, jump in my car and drive the hour back to BH.

Baby ruth

So other than water this is all I could find for some energy during the run today. Mini Baby Ruth,  had it at about 12 miles, by the time I started next interval I felt great.

Forgot I used to eat Mars Bars during my 3 week hike in Scotland years ago which kept me going.

Long run

20 miles, 1:54:39, treadmill.  1.5% incline the whole way.  1500+ feet of gain.

3 mile warmup(18:00)
4-miles at 5:40 pace(22:40)
1 mile(6:15)
4-miles at 5:33 pace(22:12)
1 mile(6:15)
3-miles at 5:24 pace(16:12)
1-mile(6:15)
1-mile at 5:16 pace
1-mile at 6:00 pace
Half mile at 5:05 pace
Half mile at 6:00 pace.

5:43 average.

What's amazing is how shitty I ran at Sunday's race and how easy today was.  What I averaged about 5:30 pace for 10-k and over triple that distance today and I am not much slower.  I even forgot my mp3 player, so I did whole run with no tunes.

Easy run tomorrow and Saturday.  Legs probably won't be full for Sunday's race, but as long as they are rested for next weeks 3 mile race I don't really care.

Easy short run

4 miles , 24:51, treadmill.  1.5%, pickups every half mile.

Easy run

9 miles, 57:09, treadmill.  Legs feel good.

Planned week of training

Today and tomorrow, got to run easy.  Rest up for long run Thursday.

Long run Thursday,  Going to run 3 mile warm-up.  Then 4x3-miles with 1 mile float between. 1 mile at 5-k pace, 1-2 mile cool down, makes 21-22 miles.

First 3 mile piece at 5:40 pace, float at about 6:00-6:10 pace.
Next 3 miles at 5:34 pace, float a mile.
Next 3 miles 5:27 pace, float a mile.
Last 3 miles,  5:21 pace, float a mile
1 mile at 5-k pace., 1 mile cool down.

17 miles of good work.  I'll do this on treadmill at 1.5% incline.

Friday and Saturday easy runs and Sunday a 4 mile race.  Not sure about this course.  I don't think its a fast course, so I'd like to be under 5:20 pace.

After that its some workouts to get ready for 10-k X-C race in Lexington, then train for Midwinter 10-miler in Feb. and 50-k in March.  Still up in the air whether I will do a real long run before 50-k.  I may just stick with normal marathon training with some biking in after my long runs.  I want to stay healthy and not get injured.

Moderate run

Finally got the treadmill fixed after about an hour of working on it.  Had to reload some programsinto it.  These new treadmills are more like computers.

After that I tested it out.  Between running like shit yesterday a race, the way my day went and then having to frig with the treadmill for an hour I ran 6:00 pace with some surges every mile.  1.5% incline the whole time.

7.5 miles, 43:56, 555 feet of gain.  Not easy, but not hard.

Legs feel better now.  Thought about running longer, but I need to rest a little before Wednesday's long 20 mile workout.  I really cannot wait to race again and get the stink of yesterdays race off me.  I really thought I was ready to run closer to 33 minutes on that course yesterday, not 34:08.  The one good thing about racing crappy is I always run the next few races really well, because I run pissed off.

2011 I ran piss poor at the Sugarloaf uphill challenge, drove 2+ hours home and did a workout, then ran a solo 1:09:30 for a half marathon with a bunch of it on dirt the next weekend.  Probably won't be in anyone at the 4-mile race this weekend, but I don't care.  The 3 mile race the weekend after will have good competition and I'm going out and running myself into the ground.  No tactics, other than not going out super stupid, but it's going to be a race from start to finish and not jogging for half the race and a sprint finish.  I'm pissed.  I hate traveling all the way to Boston to run like shit when I could have stayed home and run just as fast solo.