RobRuns

First run of the year. Hmmm

2012-01-15T16:04:00.001-06:00

The temperature went over 60 today, and I just couldn't resist trying out my healed up achilles tendos. I hadn't run for four weeks, although I have been pretty consistent at the gym on the eliptical trainer.
I went down to English Landing so the surface would be soft and the terrain flat. I kept the pace slow.
Prior to this run, and for a full week, all of the pain in my achilles tendons had gone away, I could force a slight twinge in the right one going down the stairs, but at no other time could I feel anything out of the ordinary. It was going to be easy enough to avoid going down stairs on this run.
Everything went fine until about the two mile mark, and then I could feel that old pain coming back. I slowed my pace, and stopped once to stretch and another time to walk a short distance, but once I got to the four mile mark I knew I'd gone far enough. I was not interested in making things worse.
The good news is the left achilles does seem to be completely repaired. The right still needs more time, though, so I won't run again for at least another week.

Finishing out the year

2011-12-28T17:06:00.001-06:00

I've been running a little bit here and there, a little longer and a little faster as my lingering aches and pains have faded. Today I did 6.1 miles on the trail at English Landing Park, bringing my total for the week so far to 11.8 for the week. I think I might end up with a total of 20 miles this week, twice as much as last week. I've run 6 times since a week after the marathon for a total of 30.3 miles. I'll probably end the year about 25 miles shy of 1,200 miles, but that's not bad considering all the time I had to sit out for my bike accident in April and my torn ligament in November.
My main problem is a variety of aches in and around my feet. My Achilles tendons have both been a little tender since the marathon. They weren't tender before, during or for several days after the race, but as soon as I started running again, they were tender. I finally broke out my new stretching gizmo, called the Pro Stretch Plus. I used it for 3 or 4 days, and all the pain went away. I haven't used it for two or three days now, and today the pain started to return, so I think I'll go back to it for a while longer. It obviously works.
Other than my Achilles, I've had some minor aches in my left foot a couple of times. Today, for one (but not yesterday). I don't know why that is, but I will keep my pace and mileage down until this all goes away.
Regardless, the weather has been very good and I've been off work, so getting out has been great. Next week it will get harder to get out, since I'll be back to work during the daylight hours and will have to run at night.

2011-12-20T21:59:00.000-06:00

Two days of raining but it finally quit by the time I got home from work tonight. It was still wet and overcast, and a cool 35, but there was no wind. It was actually kind of nice out, run-wise. I hadn't been out for a run since last Thursday, so I was anxious to get out there again.
I felt real good when I started out and I thought I might be able to go five miles without the tendonitis in my Achilles acting up. Everything was fine for the first 3.5 miles, but then my right Achilles started to get a little sore. I took it real easy that last mile and a half, and I can't see myself running more than 10 or 12 miles all week with this nagging little problem. No worries. I'm not training for anything right now anyway.
Tonight's stats: 5.1 miles in 48:21 for a pace of 9:29.

2011-12-15T17:49:00.000-06:00

Waited a few days to run again (5), because after last Saturday's run my right achilles tendon was sore. It had felt fine for the past couple of days, so I decided to take advantage of a day off and do another easy 5.
I felt very good for the whole run, but after a couple of miles my achilles tendon was a little sore again. Not bad, but I definitely don't want it getting any worse. After 3 miles I stopped and did a little stretching. I started up slowly again, and now it felt noticeably better, so I just kept going for another two miles. Finished up with 5.1 miles in 47:57, which is a 9:24 pace.

Rest over

2011-12-11T20:07:00.001-06:00

I waited a whole week, and then I felt like I just had to get out there and run again. Went down to English Landing Park for its level, soft surface, and did an easy 5.1. I was stiffer and less recovered than what I expected, but I kept the pace very easy and didn't try to do anything other than work out the kinks. I think I'll keep the runs to about 3 a week for a while, and no more than 15 or 20 miles a week. I want to stay in shape, especially over the holidays, but I don't want to overdo it.
Today's run took 48:37, for an average of 9:32.

Dallas White Rock

2011-12-05T12:00:00.001-06:00

Marathon No. 9 is now in the books: Dallas White Rock.

This marathon was supposed to the easy one, with no hills, mild weather, and a comfortable lead-up fall training session. I used a moderate training schedule and did everything I could to avoid injury. Things don't always work out the way they're planned.
I'm not even going to get into April's bike vs. dog incident, in which the dog went on to live a life of pillowy comfort somewhere south of the border while I spent days in the hospital and two months away from running. I wasn't really training then, just building the all-important base.
Once training did start, it went pretty well until the long runs of over 15 miles started. I didn't take them as seriously as I should have and frequently went out too fast and/or didn't take enough water. I would often come back over tired and sometimes dehydrated to the point of light headedness. One 18 mile run in September was particularly bad from the standpoint of dehydration. I scared everyone, including myself, and tried to get my act together after that.
I still always seemed to struggle through my long runs too much, and after my longest, a 21-miler, I suffered a severe cramp in the bottom of my left foot that before it healed completely blossomed into a ligament tear. That came right at the end of October, sent me to the foot doctor and then the physical therapist, and to the bench for two weeks. The training I missed there probably cost me in Dallas, because I should have peaked at the end of those two weeks. Instead, once I could run again, I was already in taper, a time when you should not be tearing up your body.
I still felt like I was in good enough shape to finish the marathon with no time goal, if only my foot could be repaired well enough to stand the pounding for that long. The doctor and physical therapist worked minor miracles in that regard. I went in hardly able to walk, and came out two weeks later feeling like I was in the game.
Then came Dallas. The whole notion of a cool, sunny, calm, flat race just went right out the window. Rain was forecast all weekend long, including Sunday, race day. It did rain, and it was cold, and it was windy. The conditions were the most miserable and challenging I've encountered in any of my marathons. I wore rain gear, but there was no way to stay dry in conditions like that. Water ran down the streets and into our shoes as we trudged along, we splashed through small ponds that formed at most cross-streets and in all other potholes and low areas. It didn't rain every minute, but frequently and sometimes heavily.
Once we got going I knew my only job was to find a way to finish.
I was determined not to start out too fast and was successful, averaging exactly 10 min. per mile for the first 6 miles and finishing the first 13.1 in 2:08, a 9:46 pace. As early as the 8 mile mark, with no pain in my foot and the rain temporarily halted, I knew I was going to finish.
Right about mile 11, however, I felt a very minor twinge in the bottom of my left foot, the foot that had been the subject of physical therapy. That came on a slight uphill, and I had no further problems as the course leveled off and went downhill. Still, I was officially on notice.
Then, about mile 15, the foot began to hurt moderately as I went up hill. The hills on the course were not particularly challenging, but the extra stretch they produced in my foot was becoming significant. At mile 16 I knew my foot would be a problem the rest of the way. If this would have been almost any other course, with a normal number of hills, I'd have been in big trouble. But this one was flat enough that the pain never got unmanageable, and I was saved.
That's not to say it didn't have it's effect. I changed my stride - I knew I was but couldn't help it - and that led to a lot of extra energy burn in my quads. I slowed my pace, and I had to walk quite a bit especially in the last 5 miles to calm down the pain in my foot before I could run again. Time wasn't important, but I was still determined to finish, and to do it without crippling myself.
I finally ran across the finish line in 4:28:40, a 10:16 pace. I've seldom done worse, but I was very pleased with the outcome. As I walked away from the finish line I had a flash of emotion as I realized how fortunate I was to overcome the injury and extreme elements and finish another 26.2 race. You don't always have to have a great time to have a great race.

Splits:
9:49
9:39
9:33
9:45
9:16
9:46
9:41
9:44
9:49
9:37
9:33
9:34
9:42
9:31
10:01
9:46
10:03
11:18
10:47
10:57
11:56
11:09
11:03
13:19
4:26 (11:54 pace)

Race eve

2011-12-03T09:05:00.000-06:00

warm and rainy today. forecast is for low forties and rain at race time. a little siteseeing today.

Final miles

2011-11-30T22:04:00.000-06:00

I ran my final training miles tonight - 2.3 miles without even leaving my neighborhood - before the Dallas marathon on Sunday. I really took it slow, averaging 10:24.
I've been looking all week for my rubber heel cups, which I want to wear during the race to help prevent soreness in the bottom of my left foot. I never could turn them up, so before my run tonight I made my own out of an unused pair of running shoe inserts. They aren't quite as comfortable as the real thing, but they're not bad. I might change my mind about wearing them, but at least I'll have them if I want to use them.
I've pretty much decided my only goal for this race is to finish. If being under-trained is better than over-trained, then I definitely have that edge. Because of the torn tendon in the bottom of my left foot, I missed my last long run of 20 miles and about two weeks of running beginning about Nov. 1.
I think I'll have to take it pretty easy, especially early, if I'm going to make it to the finish line without pulling up lame. I was thinking the other day that I might run the first 6 or 7 miles at a 10 min. pace, then the middle 13 at 9, and the last 6 or so at whatever pace I can muster. In theory, that might result in about a 9:30 pace, or a 4:09 marathon. Anything around that time would be fantastic.

Homestretch

2011-11-28T22:00:00.000-06:00

Less than a week to go before the Dallas marathon, so my run today was a short, easy one. 4.5 miles averaging 9:58. It was cold out, but dry. At the moment the weather for the marathon is supposed to be cold (below 40 at the start), and possibly rainy. Joy.
My foot is good at this point. Not great, but good. I would like it to be closer to great by Sunday, obviously, but no matter how it feels I'll go as far as I can and then I'll stop. I hope that's at the finish line.

Turkey Trot

2011-11-24T12:12:00.000-06:00

If ever there was a day made for running, it was today. Low 40s, no wind, bright and sunny. Angela and I were in the Parkville Turkey Trot, along with about 2,600 other runners and walkers.
The goal for the race was to try to average 10 min. per mile, and we came close, finishing with an unofficial average of 10:14 per mile. We had to walk a couple of times so Angela could manage her asthma. I think we would have averaged about 9:30 otherwise. We'll get the official results later in the day.
Despite the walking, this was a 5k PR for Angela by at least 6 min. Besides running with my granddaughter, the upside for me was no pain in the foot.
Mike came along and took pictures for us.

Encouraged

2011-11-22T21:00:00.000-06:00

I think I've turned a corner with my foot. It felt good enough this morning that I made plans to run again tonight, even though I had run on Monday night.
The schedule, largely abandoned for the past two weeks, called for 5 miles. To continue to play it safe, I put my hard rubber heel cups into my running shoes, and I walked the first 4 tenths of a mile so I wouldn't have to run up the hills out of the neighborhood. I started with a 10:10 mile, and actually did 8:45 in mile 4. The average was 9:20.
No pain at all in my feet. My quads are a little sore still from Saturday's run, but that will go away. I also pulled a calf muscle Saturday, due to bad form, but that is healing up quickly, too. I don't have any long runs left before the race, so I should be pain free and ready to roll in Dallas on Dec. 4.
First, though, Angela and I will run a Thanksgiving Day 5k in Parkville. Her pace.

Good run

2011-11-22T08:18:00.000-06:00

We had a Men's Running Club gathering last night, and I wavered back and forth all day on whether to actually run. By the end of the afternoon my foot was feeling pretty good, although my left calf was sore from Saturday's run, in which my form was all off from compensating for my foot pain.
As it turned out, I was delayed getting away from the office and I was going to miss the start with the group. Even though I had changed into my running gear I was pretty sure I wasn't going to run. About then, one of the other runners called and said he'd run with me, since he was going to be late, too. Just like that, I changed my mind.
In the end, the run went much better than I anticipated. I used heel cups in my running shoes and we kept a very easy pace on the soft surface. Overall, we covered 3.04 miles in 31:34, which is a 10:24 pace. I think the treatments are starting to pay off.

Running, resumed

2011-11-19T20:46:00.000-06:00

After a layoff of almost 2 weeks I finally hit the road again today. I have to admit I was pretty apprehensive about this run, since I knew my foot was not fully healed. It definitely has improved, however, and my physical therapist was not against this run at all. She thought I could run, that I would be sore afterward, but that I should recover quickly. She just wanted me to take it easy.

I planned to run with Mike on the trails at Smithville Lake. Before we left, I jogged up the street a half block and back again. Not good. I just didn't think I'd be able to go 10 miles. We talked it over and devised a route that would keep us within about 3 miles of the car at all times in case I had to just give it up.

We kept the pace slow, averaging 10:25. I was doing OK on the flat and downhill portions, but any kind of uphill quickly brought on the pain. By the time we hit 4 miles I was sore enough that we discussed driving all the way to English Landing Park so we could finish on a level, soft surface. But once we got to the car at the 5 mile mark, I decided if I didn't finish right then, I wouldn't want to 45 min. later at a new location.

After a short rest we headed out on what we thought would be a flat route. The first mile felt so good that I announced I was sure I could make the full 10. Almost immediately, it got hilly, I got sore, and doubts crept in. I kept going, though, and at the 8 mile mark we turned around and headed back. Now we were running into a 35 mph wind and it forced me to lengthen my stride.To my surprise the discomfort in my foot eased up a bit. I'd been keeping my stride short thinking that would minimize the possibility of further injury. Turned out that a more normal stride was better.

Anyway, I did 10 miles averaging 10:30 per mile. The layoff didn't seem to have hurt, and I had no problem with the distance. The effort all came from dealing with the foot. I favored it enough that my right hip got a little achy. I still don't know if I can go 26 miles, but I still have 2 weeks to heal so the chances are good.

Foot update

2011-11-12T11:33:00.000-06:00

My session at the gym today was an hour on the eliptical trainer and 65 min. on another machine that is kind of a cross between an eliptical and a treadmill. The second machine fairly closely simulated running, but without the pounding of the treadmill or ground. I would liken it somewhat to running in water. I got my heart rate up to 142 once - accidentally - but kept it around 130 most of the time after a long warmup. Since I was inside I also was able to enjoy two hours of "Boom," a book about the impact of the '60s by Tom Brokaw.

The foot itself weathered the workout just fine, and I could have gone another 30-60 min. Maybe I should have. But at this point I don't want to overdo anything, I just want to heal.
According to the machines, the entire workout burned 1,444 calories and was the equivalent of about 11 miles of running.

I saw the podiatrist Friday, and she diagnosed a ligament strain. She said the intense pain I had on my last run was probably due to nerve damage. She's confident there's no stress fracture.

After hearing that I had a marathon in less than four weeks she prescribed a topical nsaid anti-inflammatory, physical therapy featuring ultrasound, the use of an Ace wrap around my foot, and ice therapy. "You don't have much time, so let's do it all," she said. She also told me I could run right now if I took it easy. This is the same doctor who got me through my first marathon in 2005 when I had a bone spur problem that made it hard to even walk, much less run. I have a lot of faith in her.

My first session of physical therapy is Monday, and I plan to schedule as many as I can as quickly as I can. The doctor said I should begin to see improvement by the third session, and she didn't think I'd need more than 6 sessions.

So that's it. I didn't run today and don't anticipate running until I can walk without pain, and I anticipate that happening within the next two or three days, and certainly no later than Thanksgiving Day, when granddaughter Angela and I will run a 5k.

Foot

2011-11-08T21:37:00.000-06:00

This thing with my foot doesn't seem to be getting any better. It was raining this evening, so I went to the gym to try to get 7 miles in on the treadmill. I figured the soft level surface would make it possible for me to get the distance in.
I was doing OK for 3.5 miles, then all of a sudden the pain got fairly intense and I had to pull up. After a short rest, I gave it another try, but that lasted all of 2 strides and I decided it wasn't worth it to risk making it worse. I just climbed off and went home.
I will not run again this week until at least Saturday. In the interim I'll probably do my workouts on the eliptical trainer. Saturday's run is supposed to be a 20-miler, but I have a feeling that's not going to be possible. If I have to start my taper now to give this a chance to heal, that's what I'll do. I'm in good enough shape that I should still be able to run in Dallas.

Good early-morning run

2011-11-05T15:20:00.000-05:00

With the grandchildren here overnight Friday and for half of Saturday, I decided it was best that I get up early for my 12-mile run. I had promised them a pancake breakfast, and needed to be manning the griddle before 8:30
So, at 5:46 I rolled out of the sack, pulled on my cool-weather gear, laced up my new New Balance 1080s, and headed out.
I wanted to take it easy on this one, mainly because the arch of my left foot, which became sore as a result of last Saturday's long run, was still a bit iffy. On the level it was fine, but the hills made it hurt. Since my route was fairly hilly, I didn't know if I could do all 12 miles, but I figured an easy pace would give me a good shot.
I opened with a 10:21, followed by 9:56, and then because of my easy pace I was able to improve the pace by an average of 7 seconds per mile for each successive mile. The exceptions were the last two miles, each run in 8:51.
30.2 miles for the week.
The overall average pace was 9:27 for 12.2 miles. My foot was sore at several points, but the interspersed level stretches kept it manageable.
The pancakes were on the table before 9 a.m.

2011-11-03T21:25:00.000-05:00

Nice run tonight. Just eased through 5.7 miles in the nice cool post-rainfall weather. Did it in 53:40, for an average of 9:25.
Bought new New Balance 1080s last night, but didn't wear them for this run. Will break them in on Saturday on my 12 miler.

2011-11-01T20:50:00.000-05:00

Nice, warm week - at least the first half - so I haven't wasted any time getting my first two runs in. I did 4.3 miles dodging 5-year-old pink-dressed princesses and teenage vampires on Halloween night. That one took 37:32, for an average of 8:44.
Then, Tuesday night, with the temperature at an incredible 74 degrees at 6:30 p.m., I did the scheduled 8 miles. That took 1:13:01 for an average of 9:07.
The weather is supposed to take a turn tomorrow, bringing rain and possibly even a little snow. Happily, though, I'll be enjoying a rest day.

Longest

2011-10-29T12:54:00.000-05:00

Went out this morning determined to maintain a pace that would allow me to just cruise through 21 miles. It was cool, clear and calm, so the conditions were right for a good run.
I started out with a 10:23 and then fell into a long series of splits around the 9:30 mark. It felt comfortable and it seemed like I'd be able to maintain that pace indefinitely. Then, by the time I hit mile 17, I kind of hit a wall. Not THE wall, but I was suddenly a little light headed and overly weary. I stopped to drink and rest for a few minutes before taking off again. I'd been drinking, but possibly not enough. For the next 4 miles I kept my pace at about 10:00, which is what I felt was safe and sustainable for the rest of the run.
Overall, I did 21 miles in 3:24:11, for a 9:44 average. When I got home I ate a big bowl of oatmeal with bananas and strawberries, drank a bunch, and then weighed myself. I'd lost 5.5 pounds on a 21-mile run in cold-to-cool weather. That's a lot, and probably means I wasn't hydrating like I should have been, which might explain the trouble I had in the last four miles. 39.5 for the week.

2011-10-26T21:37:00.000-05:00

Much cooler tonight than earlier this week - just 54 when I got going at 6:45 p.m. That's not bad for a fall day, though.
I had just six miles on the schedule, and I had no desire to do anything fast. I just wanted a nice, easy, comfortable run.
So, I started off slow and pretty much kept it that way until the last two miles, which averaged 8:59. The first mile was 10:15 and everything else was right around 9:30. I did 6.2 miles in 58:28, which is a 9:26 average.
That sets me up for two days of rest before my 20-22 miles on Saturday.

2011-10-24T21:30:00.000-05:00

Felt fresher than I expected tonight, so I ran my scheduled 8 miles. Total time was 1:12:03, for a 9:01 average. My last two miles were my fastest, at 8:35 and 8:34.

Too nice not to

2011-10-23T15:18:00.002-05:00

It was just too nice out today not to go for a run, so even though this should have been a day off, I decided to do an easy 3 and just enjoy the perfect day.
I headed for the Line Creek trail, which has been extended recently. What a great trail this is going to be when it's all done. It will start about a mile north of us and go all the way to Riverside, where I understand it's supposed to hook up with the levee trail and then the English Landing Park trail. Ultimately, it's to be extended all the way up to Weston and then over to Smithville Lake, where there's already a great trail around most of the lake.
Because I wanted to see all of the new extension, I wound up with 4.3 miles, averaging 9:27. Another month and we'll wonder where all this great weather went. Best to enjoy it now, while we can.

A test

2011-10-22T16:53:00.000-05:00

Saturday was another real nice day for a run. I got out about 7:30, when it was still in the low 40s, so I had to wear gloves and a couple of layers on top. I went down to the levee, which, as it turned out, was open for about .8 of a mile. Better than nothing. I went out and back on that to start.
I had 12 miles on the schedule, but I decided if I was going to go 12, I might as well do a half marathon, and I might as well test myself a little bit doing it. I thought it would be nice to know at 6 weeks out just how I was doing.
I didn't treat it like a race, though. I still wanted to feel good at the end and I didn't want to go into a high-mileage week needing to recover more than usual. I started with a 9:53, then followed that up with a 9:22. I was being careful because I'd come out of my last run on Thursday with a little bit of a right calf muscle pull. It was slight, but enough to be a bit of a concern. It never bothered me, though, and after a couple of miles I just forgot about it.
Miles 3 and 4 were 9:05 and 9:06, and then all the rest of the splits were under 9:00, with a couple in the 8:36 range. I stopped briefly three times with the clock off to drink and refill my bottles.
The final tally was 13.1 miles in 1:57:28 for an 8:59 average. I think I could have shaved a couple of minutes off that if it had been a race at the end of a taper week.
30.5 miles for the week.

2011-10-20T21:11:00.000-05:00

Got out for the third day in a row tonight, so now I can have an off day before my long run on Saturday. That's only 12 miles, so it's not a big deal, but I like to have a day of rest before anything of any length.
The sky was clear tonight, and I got going a little earlier than usual, so I had almost two miles with at least some daylight. There was a slight breeze and it was a couple degrees over 50, which is warmer than the last few nights. Nice conditions for a run.
I wasn't sure what kind of run this would be when I took off. I decided I didn't want to climb any hills to start things off, so I walked until the climb was all behind me. The run turned out to be almost identical to Tuesday night's 7-miler. I started with 9:32, and then did 9:13 and worked my way down to 8:34 for my last mile on the way to an average of 9:00.
I felt better than I did for my 4 mile run Wednesday night, probably because I didn't start the run with any hills.

Back on foot

2011-10-18T21:16:00.000-05:00

After four days off from running I finally got back out tonight. I could still feel the residual effects of the weekend bike rides, but once I got going it didn't seem to be a factor. I guess the muscles used are different enough. I even thought I felt a little stronger on the hills after all those Hilly Hundred climbs, but maybe it was just all the days off.
Tonight's run was 7.2 miles. I started off thinking tempo run, and that's the way it developed. After opening with 9:33 and 9:22, I went 9:07, 9:03, 8:35, 8:42 and 8:30, plus the partial mile at an 8:41 pace. The average was 8:59.

Hilly Hundred

2011-10-17T22:34:00.000-05:00

"Hilly Hundred." That's a cute name that now seems to fall far short of what this event is all about. I'm trying to think of a more descriptive name - Hundreds of Hills, Horrendously Hilly, Hills of Horror. I'm working on it.

Sean, Mitchell, Rob and Mike.

For the two days I totaled 103.27 miles, 57.48 on day one, and 45.79 on day 2. I averaged a shade over 12 mph and had a top speed of 35 mph.
What was it like? Relentless hills, mostly steep, one after the other after the other after the other. Descents were as fast as you dared, but the roads were rough, pitted, potted, and curving. I "Ohhh shiiitted!" more than once as I flew down the backside of a hill I had just crawled up at 3 mph, unable to brake much for fear I'd fly right off the front or wipe out on the rough surface.
And the wind. Lordy! As bad as it was Saturday, it was even worse on Sunday. Straight out of the west at, I'm guessing, 25-35 mph. It seemed like I rode west the entire distance.
On Friday evening, before riding, we heard about the hill on Mt. Tabor Road: maximum grade 20.2.This came up on the second day about two-thirds of the way through the ride. I tried for the five miles preceding the climb to prepare by easing back and resting my legs as much as possible. It didn't work. I wasn't more than 60 feet up the hill before I knew it was fruitless. I was off and walking, along with at least half the "riders" around me. It was hard to even walk up that hill.

Climbing the Mt. Tabor Road hill. We all walked it.

This ride is definitely meant for experienced cyclists, riders who know how to work the gears to their best advantage on climbs. I pretty much knew what I needed to do, but my timing could have been better. On the infrequent occasions when I began the climb at the right speed and in the right gear, and shifted at exactly the right time, the climbs seemed surprisingly easy. More often, though, I mistimed at least one aspect and paid with expensive withdrawals from the energy bank.
I'm not sure I'll ever do the Hilly Hundred again, but if I do I'll want to train a little harder and ride a road bike. Both would make the job easier. I'm happy with how it turned out, though. It was a tremendous workout and another experience I can put on the list.

Crowding it all in

2011-10-13T08:13:00.000-05:00

With running not much of an option beginning today, I set out this week to get all 20 miles on my schedule in between Tuesday evening and Thursday morning.
To do it, I ran 7 tempo-pace miles Tuesday evening, then got up early Wednesday morning and ran 7.1 miles. Wednesday evening I went to the gym to lift, and I followed that up with 3 easy miles on the treadmill, so my total was 10 miles for Wednesday. This morning I got up early again and finished off the 20 with 3.1 easy miles on the street. So, I had 20.2 miles in about 35 1/2 hours. It was a little bit like Hood to Coast, but not as hard and certainly not as fun. right now my legs and feet feel a like they usually do after an 18-mile run.
I'll get 100 miles of biking done on Saturday and Sunday, so it's not like I'll be sitting around.

2011-10-12T08:01:00.000-05:00

Followed up last night's 7 miler with 7.1 miles this morning. Took this one much slower, as it was less than 10 hours after Tuesday's run. I did the distance in 1:08:57, so the average pace was 9:43. Lots of deer out there everywhere, both last night and this morning.

2011-10-11T20:46:00.000-05:00

I felt surprisingly good after running 20 on Saturday, standing on a concrete floor selling bloody marys for 8 hours Sunday, and taking Monday off. I started off at an comfortable pace and tried to maintain that effort throughout. I gradually increased my speed as I loosened up.
After a 9:33 first mile, I went 9:01, 9:03, 8:52, 8:40, 8:48, and 8:53. That's an 8:59 average, and like I mentioned, it was comfortable.
This is a low mileage week in which I am scheduled for only 20 miles total. I don't know if I will get them all in, what with my schedule starting Thursday, but it probably doesn't matter. A little extra rest is always helpful.

20

2011-10-08T18:27:00.001-05:00

OK, finally I have managed a long run properly and finish in good shape. And this one was 20.3 miles, my longest by 2.3 miles so far this training period.
I didn't quite follow my plan of 3 miles at 11, then 3 miles at 10, but I did start with one mile at 11 and then hung around the 10 mark a lot of the time. I had a few miles around the 9:35 mark, but I was pretty consistent all the way.
I did this by parking the truck in a central location (Tiffany Springs shopping center) and then running out and back in various directions. I used the truck as a energy station - someplace where I could stop to fill up my hydration bottles and pop in a few Shot Bloks, which provide quickly-absorbed calories. That, and a reasonable pace, contributed to a good run. I felt better after this one than after either of my previous 18-milers. Things are looking up.
My time was 3:21:49, for an average of 9:57.
Just for the record, my right foot is a little sore and stiff, but I think that will go away in a couple of days. It doesn't seem serious at all.

Pleasant run

2011-10-06T20:41:00.000-05:00

I had half a mind to get up early this morning for my run, but the half that didn't want to get up early won out and I ended up doing 7.2 miles after work. That's OK, though, because half the run was in the daylight, and the weather was perfect.
Since I have a 20-mile run planned for Saturday, my goal this evening was to avoid placing any extra stress on my legs. At no point did I want to feel my legs tiring. I started out fairly slowly, I thought. In checking my splits at the end, however, I saw that my first mile was 9:18, which is significantly faster than my normal opening mile. The first mile also has the most hills, so that makes the split even more interesting.
Mile two was 9:15, and then mile 3 was 9:05. At no point in any of those miles did I feel like I was struggling up hills and burning up extra energy. Mile 4 was 9:15, which seems a little curious since it is mostly flat to downhill. Maybe I was just trying to avoid building too much speed.
Mile 5 was 9 min. flat, and then I did 8:51 and 8:53. The last 2 tenths was run at an 8:48 pace.
The whole run was very comfortable. I spent most of the 65 min. thinking about how to pace myself on Saturday. I'd like to do the first three miles at 11 min. pace, the next three at 10 min., and then something like 9:30 over the final 14. A slow start like that should set me up nicely. We'll see.

2011-10-04T20:29:00.000-05:00

I did make it to the MRC run last night, and we ran the full 5 miles for a change. I can't remember when we last did that. With those 5 miles I had 8.2 for the day. I averaged just under 10 min. per mile for all of it, so it was an easy 8.
Tonight I did 3.3 miles, and once I got going I decided to make it a tempo run. My opening mile was 9:32, followed by 8:39, and 8:30. The final 3 tenths was done at an 8:07 pace. The overall was 8:50.

2011-10-03T08:18:00.000-05:00

Went out for an easy 3.2 miles this morning, since I am not sure if I can make it out for a run this evening at the MRC meeting. If I do make it to the MRC run, I'll just tack that onto this one and swap it for my normal Tuesday run (scheduled for 7 miles).
I was not looking for speed this morning, so I averaged 9:50. I felt pretty good, though, and could have gone farther and faster. Just sticking to the training schedule.

Goal-Pace long run

2011-10-01T14:05:00.000-05:00

I didn't really set out to do this, but my long run this morning turned into a goal-pace run, meaning I averaged what I hope I can average for a whole marathon. This was only 12.3 miles though, so that's quite a difference.
It was mid 40s when I got started, and I opened with two miles just short of 10 min. pace. I just let the run come to me the rest of the way, trying to stay comfortable and to not burn up too much energy. I wanted to finish strong and feeling good.
Mile 6 was my first under 9, and all the rest of them (with one exception) were under 9 the rest of the way. My last full mile was the fastest at 8:34, and that surprised me because it seemed like I had slowed down in that mile.
Anyway, I DID finish strong - and I felt pretty good at the end - so I accomplished my goal for the day.
30.7 miles for the week.

Out early again

2011-09-29T21:29:00.000-05:00

Got out early again this morning for my run. Work is keeping me at the office late each night, so morning is the only time I know I can run. It's dark, but the weather has been superb, and once I get out there it feels good.
This morning it was 6.2 miles. I opened with a 10:10 mile, then improved my pace each mile so that by the end I averaged 9:11 overall. The thing I've noticed this week is that I seem to have crossed some kind of leg strength threshhold. The climbs up the hills out of the neighborhood are much easier now than they were just two weeks ago. That's a positive sign.
The next thing I need to shoot for is a good, strong long run. Once I can do that I'll feel like I'm ready to run a marathon.

Refreshed

2011-09-27T08:28:00.001-05:00

For the first time in what seems like forever I felt completely rested and fresh for my run this morning. Friday's long run had been a chore, especially the second half, and Sunday's short recovery run seemed like a bit of an effort. Most of my runs in the past several weeks have not been on what I would call fresh legs.
After a day off, I was out early Tuesday morning for 7 miles, and I felt good right from the start. I'm sure a day's rest had something to do with it, but I've had plenty of days off since training began. Maybe it was that beer I had with Mike Monday evening.
In any event, I did 7.1 miles in 1:02:58, an 8:53 average, and it felt very good all the way. Maybe I finally am getting into shape, although I feel like I have a long way to go. I really need to feel good about a long run before I'll feel like I have a decent marathon in me. There's still plenty of time for that.

a tough 18

2011-09-23T16:59:00.000-05:00

I ran 18 miles this morning, didn't take enough hydration, got lost on a new route and had to be picked up 5 miles from the finish by my wife. Eventful. The route I picked was 100 percent in the bright sunlight. It was a cool day, but I underestimated my hydration needs. I was sweting, but it was evaporating pretty quickly. For the first 14 miles I rationed my water - 24 ounces - and I thought I was doing well. But I started to tire quickly about then, and realized I had not been hydrating enough. I was off course, but that was a small matter. I knew generally where I was, and I had my GPS-equipped phone , so I wasn't worried. I figured out that once I was done I'd still be 5 miles from home, so my plan was to call Kay with a half mile to go. She called me a little befoer that, though. While she was driving out, I finished my 18. By the time we got home I was feeling the effects of dehydration in a big way. I rinsed off in the shower, collapsed on the couch with my feet up, drank Gatorade and water, and spent an hour recovering. I recovered pretty quickly and feel fine now, but I definitely pushed myself too far and put a little scare in everyone here, which I am sorry about. I did my miles in a little over 3 hours, due to the extra walking I did in the last 4 miles. It all counts, though, and I will be smarter next time.

2011-09-21T21:26:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I had a great workout as Bill B. and I hiked the Meadow Lake trail. The hike starts at about 10,000 feet and ended at 12,000 feet. This was a lot of fun and a lot of work. I had my Garmin GPS with me and used it to keep track of our elevation as we worked our way up the side of the mountain. the first two thirds of the 3.4 mile climb was on a dirt and rock trail through dense pine forrest. the climb was steady but not severe most of the time. We would stop and rest every 10 min. or so. Once we got over 11,000 feet, we had to rest after every 50 feet of climb because we'd be winded, our legs screaming and our heart rates way up. I checked mine at one point and it was about 150. The last 500 feet were about as verticle as you'd ever want without real climbing gear. At several points we were climbing up the rocks, one hand and one foot at a time. At several points I wimped out and opted for easier routes if they could be found. Along the way we came upon a multi-level waterfall, and at the top we were treated to a view of the feeder lake with mountain peaks rising from three sides. It was cold and windy way up there, so we didn't waste a lot of time there. The climb took about three and a half hours, and thereturn two and a half. Great fun. Pictures to come. s

2011-09-16T10:03:00.000-05:00

Went 12.1 miles in 1:54:39, for a 9:29 average. Rained for the last 3.5 miles, and was a little on the cold side all the way. Better than 100 degrees and sunny, though.

2011-09-14T20:45:00.000-05:00

Almost cold tonight. I had just a four mile run on the schedule, and I planned to run it fairly slowly. Once again today my legs did not feel too energetic, so it must be taking a while to recover fully from my long Saturday run. That's exactly why this is a low mileage week, I guess.

In any event, I managed to make it through 4.7 miles, averaging 9:16, which was faster than I thought I was going. I'll have a day of rest Thursday and then will do my long run on Friday, since we will be on the road Saturday. Friday's long run is just 12.

2011-09-13T21:43:00.000-05:00

This is a low mileage week, and today was my first run of the week after 18 miles on Saturday. I thought my legs would be fresher, but they felt tired until the last mile and a half or so. I probably just went out a little too fast. My first mile was 9:25, and then everything else was between 8:50 and 9:08.

The 5.5 miles took 50:05, for an overall average of 9:07, which is coincidentally the pace for a 4 hour marathon, so I guess I can count this as the perfect tempo run.

Brain running

2011-09-10T16:00:00.001-05:00

For a change I used my brain for my long run, and the result was pretty good.

Last week I ran 14 miles, but went out too fast and faded badly at the end. I was gassed. This week, with an 18-miler on the schedule, I knew I needed to be smarter. It was a cool morning and perfect for any kind of run, but particularly a long one. I had a flat course laid out, which oftentimes means I start out too fast. This time, though, I opened with a 10:45 mile, and followed that up with 9:58 and 9:44, so my first three miles set me up very nicely for a well-paced 18.

Most of my miles were between 9:30 and 9:45, but I occasionally threw in a faster mile. I had two miles a few seconds over 9, and two others a few seconds under 9. I was beginning to tire toward the end, but my last two miles were still close to the overall average of 9:32 (9:40 and 9:30). I did 18.1 miles in 2:52:29.

When it was over I felt better physically after this run than I did after the shorter run last weekend, so that's a big plus.

They should all be this way

2011-09-08T21:05:00.000-05:00

Today I went from not running to maybe running to eliptical machine to cautionary run. And it all turned out beautifully.
After Tuesday's easy 4 miler the bone on the outside of my right foot was very sore, as if it had been bruised or even hairline fractured (I always think the worst). I planned to run 7 miles on Wednesday, but cross trained with weights instead to gain an extra day of rest. The foot felt a little better this morning, and seemed to improve as the day wore on. There was still some soreness at the end of the day, though, and that's why I debated whether to run.
Once I put on my running shoes, though, the foot felt much better and I decided to test it with some walking and easy running. It was a beautiful evening, with no wind, temperature below 70 and low humidity. I kept the pace nice and easy, especially early, and just cruised through the miles, hoping at first for 3, then 5 and finally getting all 7 in. I felt so good at the end that I could have easily gone 10, but I didn't need those miles.
The result was 7.2 miles in 1:08:00 for an overall pace of 9:35. Very enjoyable way to end what had been a fatiguing and stressful day at work. Best of all it doesn't seem like the run aggravated my foot any. I'll rest again Friday and then shoot for a successful 18-miler on Saturday.

Fine, new route

2011-09-04T22:51:00.000-05:00

I was in Iowa for the weekend and planned to get my 14-mile long run done on Saturday, which the forecast suggested would be cool. Problem was that it was also rainy, with thunder and lightning, almost all day long.

So, the run was postponed until Sunday morning, and this was a perfect running day. The temperature was 52, and at 7 a.m. the sky was perfectly clear and there was a very light breeze out of the north. I headed for the Sauk Trail, a paved trail through the countryside from Carroll to Lake View.

It was a two-mile downhill-to-flat run from the house to the trailhead, and then a mostly flat five miles from there to the turn-around. Along the way I ran through residential areas, corn fields, forested areas and even a light industrial district. Most of the way was without shade, but there were a few protected areas. At 52 degrees, it really didn't make much difference.

The running conditions were so good that I had difficulty keeping the pace down. Ultimately, I paid for going too fast for the first 12 miles. I started out with a 9:27 and a 9:21, then spent quite a bit of time at or below 9. Mile 9, for instance, was 8:37. I wasn't watching my pace, but of course I knew I was going too fast. I thought it was no problem because I'd be able to keep it up the whole distance.

Well, that wasn't true. After mile 11, which I ran in 9:06, I suddenly became acutely aware that I was wearing out. I had very little life left in the legs. At about 11.5 miles I ran up to the base of the only significant hill on the whole run and decided to walk it, which probably took 90 seconds or so. That mile was done in 10 min., as were miles 13 and 14.

So, unfortunately, I was unable to finish strong. Still, It was an enjoyable run on a perfect day and I have nothing to complain about. Overall, I ran the 14 miles in 2:08:55, which is a 9:08 average. Since the last mile was 9:49, I probably ran the first 13.1 miles in right at 2 hours, or possibly just under. Obviously too fast for a "long, slow run."

I need to get my pacing right by next weekend, when I have an 18-mile long run.

Out ahead of the heat

2011-09-01T08:21:00.000-05:00

With the temperature expected to get to 100 today, I got up early for my run. I had no idea what the temperature was at 5:30, and I really didn't even want to check. When I got outside I was greeted by warm, humid air. There were two pluses, though: the sun wasn't up and there was a pretty good breeze.

I didn't need anything other than an easy run, though, I just decided to work my way through the mileage at a comfortable pace and not worry about time at all. I started at 10:29 and worked my way gradually down to 8:45 for the last full mile. The overall pace was 9:25 for 5.4 miles.

When I got home I checked the temperature and it was 81 (at 6:30 a.m.), and headed down. I was glad I hadn't waited until evening. -- Rob

2011-08-30T08:22:00.000-05:00

Started out nice and slow this morning, then ramped it up a bit to record a good tempo run of 6.2 miles. I opened with a 10:23 mile to warm up, then increased the speed at a comfortable rate. Mile two was 9:38, then came 9:14, 9:03, 8:44, 8:34, and the last 2 tenths at an 8:32 pace. That computes to 9:15 overall.

Easing back in

2011-08-29T08:12:00.000-05:00

Woke up early enough to go out in the cool early morning for my recovery run. After a 12 mile run and 8 hours of painting on Saturday, then 48 miles on the bike and an hour of painting on Sunday, the notion of a "recovery" run seemed about right.
Walked up the hills for a quarter of a mile and then did an easy 3.25, averaging 10:04. It all felt pretty good.

Long bike ride

2011-08-28T21:34:00.003-05:00

Four of us rode in the Summer Breeze organized bike ride Sunday morning, leaving from Longview Community College at 7 a.m. We chose the 45-mile route (rather than 70 or 100 miles), which went around the north side of the lake, through Grandview, south to Peculiar and then back to the lake. We averaged 13.6 mph for the whole ride. About the only time we pushed the pace was the last 10 miles or so. Mile 44, for instance, averaged out at 21.5 mph, while the other faster miles were in the 18 mph range.
The ride served as a good measure of our readiness for the Hilly Hundred ride several of us are planning to participate in in October. That one features 100 miles over two days in the hills of Indiana. Personally, I came away from this ride convinced I could do the Hilly Hundred.

Rob, Bill, Mitchell and Mike just before the ride started.

Who gets up this early on a Saturday?

2011-08-27T21:11:00.000-05:00

Got up REAL early this morning, thanks to the cat, which woke up hackin' at 4 a.m. I hustled her onto the tile floor and stayed awake to see if I had to clean anything up. Nope, thank you. I laid awake for half a hour, then decided to get up, get dressed, and head out. I took my time, but was running by 5:15.
This was a 12 mile "long" run, so nice and easy was the rule. I ran at about a 10:04 min. pace for the first half and about 9:22 for the second half. I walked frequently, but not quite every mile. The temp was about 70, so not hot, but not really cool, either.
My first mile was 10:49, an excellent start to a long run. I took a strange route, first going west under the interstate and into Tuilleries shopping center, where I make a couple of loop, then ran a couple short loops on the Highway 45 trail. By the time I got back on the other side of the interstate again I was at 6.5 miles, so on that side I ran my usual route up to 72nd St. and back, finishing with about a quarter mile left to the house, which made for a nice cool-down walk.
The run ended a low-mileage week at 21.8 miles.

Nice evening run

2011-08-25T21:08:00.000-05:00

When I got up this morning I immediately regretted sleeping in because the temperature was a cool 62. It would have be an absolutely perfect morning for a run.

As luck would have it, though, humidity stayed low during the day and the temperature never got too high. I waited until 7 p.m. to go out, and by then it was a pleasant and relatively dry 81.

As usual, I walked for a while before I started out, and then I went faster than I should have. I really never felt comfortable the whole way, and that's because I failed to ease into the workout. It was only going to be 4 miles, though, so it didn't matter all that much.

I started with a 9:23, then did 8:52, 9:02 and 8:44, and then .28 mile at an 8:51 pace. I was going to quit right there, but since I was still a little over a mile from home I recorded the run, walked a couple minutes, then started over. The last mile felt the best of any of them even though most of it was up hill. I did it in 9:10, making my overall pace for the workout 9:01.

Since this is a low mileage week, I've only recorded 9.5 miles all week so far. Seems like hardly anything, but I guess it's good for overall muscle recovery. My long run this weekend will be 10-12 miles.

2011-08-23T08:08:00.000-05:00

Mercury was headed up to 97 today, so I got up early for my run. I was on my way by 5:45, walking a quarter mile before breaking into a jog and ramping up from there. It was about 71 and humid at the time.
After a first mile at 9:59, I ran 9:06, 8:47, and 8:36. The last .3 was done at an 8:16 pace. With those times, the run qualified as a tempo run.

First really long run in a long time

2011-08-20T11:05:00.000-05:00

I burned some serious cal today, and yesterday, for that matter.
The schedule called for 14 miles today, so I wanted to get up early and get it done before it got too warm. I had trouble falling asleep last night, then we had a big storm about 2 a.m. that got us out of bed for quite a while. This morning there were trees down all over the place, including on our neighbor's car for the second time this summer. Our trees were unscathed.
Anyway, I slept a little later than I planned and didn't get started until 6:30 a.m. It was cool but pretty humid. The first 9 miles went pretty well. I ran up to my gym, where I took a short break in the air conditioning, refilled my water bottles with refrigerated water, and stood in front of the fan for a couple of minutes.
With the humidity coming on strong, and the temp rising a little, the last 5 miles were a little tougher. I walked about 30 seconds between each mile, kept the pace slow, and stayed hydrated. I finally made it to the end in 2:13:25, a 9:29 pace. I was pretty gassed by then.
The run probably burned something in the neighborhood of 2000 calories. Yesterday, I had a short weight lifiting session in the morning, and then rode 23.5 miles in the evening with Mike.Between those two I probably burned another 850 calories. I feel like I've addressed my fitness needs for the weekend.

Mornings for me

2011-08-18T08:11:00.000-05:00

I ran in the morning again today, since the forecast was for a high of just about 90. I'm not anxious for a hot-weather run, and lately it's been relatively cool in the morning - upper 60s - so that's the time to go.
I decided before I left that this would be an "easy" run. I never pushed the pace, especially early, and kept the effort "conversational." That is, had there been someone to talk to I could have done so in a normal manner.
Over the course of the run I naturally speeded up, but because that was done so gradually I really didn't notice. My splits were 10:12, 9:35, 9:11, 8:47 and 8:44. The overall average was 9:18.

2011-08-17T08:11:00.000-05:00

Out at 5:45 this morning for a short 4 miler. It was cool, but humid. I had no intention of doing anything fast, and covered the distance in 37:17, for a 9:20 average.

Savoring a cool-weather run

2011-08-15T21:42:00.000-05:00

Nice, cool day today, so even though I technically wasn't scheduled to run I did anyway. I'll just move my schedule around the rest of the week to compensate.
I didn't get going until about 7:15, and by that time the temperature was down in the lower 70s. I decided to go 6 miles, and because of the temperature I pegged it as a tempo run. I felt good because I had had a very easy and short run on Sunday.
I opened with a 9:18 mile, then went 8:52, 8:47, 8:40, 8:21 and 8:27. The last .2 was done in 1:38 (an 8:13 pace, for what it's worth). So, I definitely got a tempo run out of it, averaging 8:43 for the 10k.

A great 5k day

2011-08-14T21:51:00.001-05:00

What a blast we had this morning in the Susan Komen Race for the Cure! Six members of the house of Perschau entered, three as walkers and three as runners. Five of the six had never entered an organized run/walk event before. Everyone finished in great shape. We were among an announced 30,000 people who were on hand down at Union Station.

The run went about how I expected. My granddaughter Angela and son Justin and I started about midway in a huge throng of walkers and runners, so the early going was difficult. I tried to keep the three of us running in a straight line, but Angela impatiently zigzagged through the crowd. She also pushed the pace, and at several points during the opening mile I had to slow her down. The course had changed a little this year, and I knew exactly what was waiting for us in the last mile: the long climb up the Broadway overpass. People look at it and think it's nothing. Then they run two miles to get to it and find out it can be a deal-breaker.

We eventually ran most of the first mile on the sidewalk so we'd have a little room to ourselves, and hit the first split in 11:42. That was a shade faster than I thought was wise. I really wanted to keep it to 12 and hope everyone had a lot left for the finish. It was pretty close, though. At the end of the first mile we walked for about 30 seconds through the aid station.

Mile two was uphill most of the way. Our crew was feeling pretty good, though, and half way up they were having an easier time than they or I thought they would. Still, I thought I could detect a little more concern on their faces. I definitely didn't have to coach them very hard to keep the pace at 12.

Justin giving the thumb up, me, Angela, Dawn. In front are Kay and Jaden.

By the time we finished mile two we'd crested the hill and reality was setting in. That had been a long, tough climb. We walked about a minute, then cruised downhill toward Southwest Blvd. Angela wanted to go slow on the long downhill and then charge the Broadway overpass, which we could see up ahead. Justin just wanted to maintain an even pace, which is what we did.

As we hit the base of the Broadway overpass, the one-mile walk route merged with us and the street was clogged. We found a little extra room on the sidewalk and went that way. Revived after the downhill, Angela forged ahead, but the bridge hill was doing its number on Justin. He plowed ahead, though, motivated by our proximity to the finish and a strong aversion to crap from his buddies. He made it over the top and down the hill to the corner of Pershing and Broadway. The finish was maybe 200 yards ahead. Angela was 30 yards in front of us, but she came back so we could lock arms with each other and cross the line together. The official photographer better have that picture.

Afterward both were rightfully proud of their first 5k. I said something about how happy and proud I was to be with them when they did it. It was undoubtedly inadequately stated. I just hope it's something they both remember for a long time. I will.

The walkers all did the full 5k, too. That was my wife, Kay, daughter-in-law Dawn, and grandson Jaden. Our support team was my son, Mark, grandson Jace and granddaughter Arianna. Everyone did a great job and had a super time.

Race day draws near

2011-08-13T16:19:00.000-05:00

In just a few more hours an unprecedented number of Perschau family members will join with 30,000 other walkers and runners in the Susan Komen Race for the Cure. Three of us will run the 5k, and three more will walk the distance. It is the first organized race or walk of any kind for everyone but me.

The walkers are Kay, Dawn and Jaden, who is 9. Their plan is to walk at least one mile, which I think they will consider to be too short. My guess is the crowd will carry them along and they'll go the distance.

Running with me are Angela, who just turned 13, and Justin. We are not "racing," per se. The goal is to run as much of the distance as possible and finish. Because of the weather the last few weeks, it's been tough for everyone to train leading up to this event. But luck is with us. Conditions are supposed to be near perfect with a temperature of 65 to start. That and the natural adrenalin that you get from a race should energize everyone. I see my job as managing the race for the two novices, who I know will be pumped up and rarin' to go. A good experience might mean more running for them in the future.

My plan is for the three of us to cross the finish line with our arms hooked together, which should make a good picture. When the walkers finish there will be another picture of all six of us.
_________________________________

As for today's long run: I did 8 miles in 1:15:51, a 9:28 pace. It was a cool morning, I think the temp must have been around 68 or so, but it was pretty humid. The sweat was pouring off me at the end of the run. So, week two of my Dallas marathon training ended with 23.7 miles (the schedule called for 21). Not a hard week at all.

2011-08-11T20:40:00.000-05:00

It was warmer this evening, so running was a little more difficult. Lucky I was scheduled for an easy 5 miler. I did take it easy, averaging 9:25 for exactly 6 miles.

Feel-good run

2011-08-10T20:55:00.000-05:00

Great to get out and run a decent distance and not really have to worry about heat stroke. It had been a busy and frustrating day at work, and I'd been looking forward to my run all day. I needed the therapy. The temp was a couple degrees under 80 as I started out. I didn't even feel the need to take any water along.
I started with a quarter-mile walk, then took off at comfortable pace. My goal, honestly, was a tempo run, but I didn't want to overdo it, especially early. Conditions were favorable to push it a little, and I did, but I was able to avoid oxygen debt. I never checked my pace, but the stats afterward showed I opened with a 9 min. mile and speeded up each mile thereafter. I did 6.3 miles in 54:34, an 8:40 overall pace.
It's gratifying to know that those hot-weather grinders actually do some good.

Cool

2011-08-08T08:11:00.000-05:00

This was the best day for a run in weeks, but according to my schedule, I could only do 3 miles. I got up early and was out by 5:45. It was still mostly dark, and it was partly cloudy and 70..
It's always amazing what a little cool weather can do for a run. This was supposed to be an easy 3, but after walking a third of a mile, I started out a little faster than usual and loosened up quicker than usual. The first mile was 9:43, and that was followed by 8:53 and 8:34. The last partial mile was done at an 8:29 pace. The overall pace ended up at 8:59 (3.41 miles).
Because of the favorable weather I kind of wished I'd had a longer run on the schedule, but there's a reason this was supposed to be a short run. I'll stick with the plan.
Coming up: 5k on Sunday. Angela and Justin will run their first 5k with me. Kay, Dawn and Jaden plan to walk the distance. Watch for pictures.

Sock swap

2011-08-06T10:29:00.000-05:00

I really was looking forward to my long run this week. I thought that, with the break in the weather, it'd be a little cooler and a little less humid than has been the norm lately. I got up early and was out the door by 6:40 a.m. I drew up a training schedule Friday night, and only needed a total of 24 miles for the week, but it also called for a 12 mile long run today. I wasn't going to go that far, but thought I might be able to do 10, and if I did I'd end up the week with a bit over 30 miles.
I headed straight north (on my very zigzaggy course) from the house. It wasn't long before I determined that it wasn't as cool as I'd hoped, and the humidity was over the top. It was mostly cloudy, so the humidity was trapped against the ground which, as luck would have it, was where I was. I had plenty of water and was moving slowly, so I decided I'd shoot for 10 anyway.
About one mile out I began to get a hot spot on the pad of my left foot, something that has plagued me since returning to running two months ago. This time it came despite brand new $9 running socks. Thinking my left shoe might be slightly less snug than my right, I stopped at mile 2 and re-laced. It did no good, but at least by then I was done with uphills for a while and the problem eased.
By the time I reached the 5-mile mark I was pretty well soaked from sweat, and the hot spot was getting hotter. I sat down on a big rock on the side of the road and removed my shoes and socks and then put my right sock on my left foot and vice versa (no, I didn't swap my shoes), thinking that might make a difference. Both socks were soaked with sweat already by then.
The sock swap didn't work either, but the whole thing was manageable as long as I walked up the hills, which by then I was doing with increasing frequency.
At mile 7 I dropped in at the 72nd St. Sinclair station for some much appreciated cold water from their soda fountain. From there I plodded on home, finishing 9.71 miles in 1:36:30, which is a 9:57 pace. That was enough for exactly 30 miles for the week.

2011-08-04T21:51:00.000-05:00

This little break in the weather has been great for outdoor exercising. I still wait until the sun gets low on the horizon before I go out, but running at 84 or 85 with no direct sun is significantly more comfortable than the same temperature WITH direct sun. Much less 90 or 95 with direct sun.
I went out without a clear idea how far I wanted to go. No less than 3, and maybe as much as 7. With the relatively moderate temperature it didn't take long to determine that I'd be able to go fairly long. My splits after the first mile were pretty consistently in the 9:10 to 9:25 range, and I never felt like I needed to walk to conserve energy. I even drank on the run.
Final mileage was 7.1 in 1:06:24, for a 9:22 pace.

Cold snap

2011-08-03T21:24:00.000-05:00

It was about 17 degrees cooler tonight than last night, so that gave me a great opportunity to get out and run. Of course, the temperature was still about 90, so it wasn't exactly frigid. I waited until about 7:40 pm to leave the house, giving the sun plenty of time to get low on the horizon and eliminating the energy-sapping effects of direct solar heating.
As usual, I started slowly. It took about 2.5 miles to loosen up and get my breathing right. The hot, humid air makes that a little tough. I walked about 30 seconds every mile or so.
Overall pace was 9:39 for 5.4 miles. I was quite comfortable for the second half of the run and could have gone farther, but decided there was no point in it.

2011-08-02T20:53:00.000-05:00

Was out with the Men's Running Club Monday night. Half the guys walked and the others ran 3.1 miles. I was in the running group. It was warm, but the entire route was in the shade, we ran slowly, and the turnaround point was a QT, where we cooled off and refilled our water bottles with cold water.
We averaged 11:10 for the run.

Hot

2011-07-31T22:27:00.000-05:00

I didn't get out for my run until about 10:15 this morning, and that was about 2 hours too late. It was 90 by the time I headed out for a short, easy run. I don't want this to sound harder than it was. It was doable, but it wasn't exactly easy.
I tried to stick to the shaded areas, but some of the run necessarily had to be in the sun, and it was brutal. About a mile out I passed another runner who was sitting in the shade right on the trail. I asked on my way past if she was OK, and she said she was, so I ran on. I knew what she was doing and it reminded me to really take it easy. I ran slowly and walked often.
I wanted to run 4 miles, with anything more a bonus. By the time I hit the four mile mark, I was still about three-fourths of a mile from home, so I ran in the shady spots and walked the rest. My final total was 4.7 miles in 45:33, which is a 9:41 pace.
I ate a lot of ice cold watermelon when I got home.

Good long run

2011-07-29T09:41:00.000-05:00

I had the morning off today, so I had plenty of time to get a long run in and I didn't even have to get up extra early to do it.
At the cat's insistence, I still rolled out of bed shortly after 6, which is pretty much my usual time anyway. I guess the cat knows that. I was on my way by 6:45. The temperature was 74, and it was very humid, since it had rained overnight. As usual, I walked about a quarter of a mile, then started off at a 10 min. pace. I walked between each mile for about 30 seconds.
As I loosened up, my splits improved steadily, even though I don't feel as though I was expending any extra effort. My fastest mile was mile 8, the last half of which is downhill, which I clocked in 8:58. Overall, I did 8.1 miles in 1:16:11, a 9:25 pace.

2011-07-28T08:32:00.000-05:00

Overslept a few minutes this morning and didn't get out until 6 a.m. The temperature was 81, but I was only planning to go 3 or 3.5, so it didn't matter how hot it was. Once I got outside it was was immediately obvious that the humidity was lower than in past mornings, and I thought it was almost comfortable.
I walked the first quarter mile, then rolled into a slow run that increased in speed from mile to mile. I felt good all the way, except for some arthritic pain in my left ankle area that worked itself out after a couple miles. That's something that comes and goes with me.
Finished with 4.3 miles in 39:55, for an average of 9:17.

Another humid day

2011-07-26T08:02:00.000-05:00

Up early again today - it was harder this morning for some reason - and out for a run. Temp was 75, which is fine, but it was very humid again.
Kept this run easy from start to finish, averaging 9:34 for 4.7 miles. Walked first for a while, then started out at a slow pace and kept it pretty slow all the way. My calf muscles are still a little sore from the weekend eliptical workouts, but they're better, and I had no trouble with my Achilles, although it's still on my mind all the time. I won't count myself healed until I quit worrying about it.

2011-07-25T08:21:00.000-05:00

After two 65 min. sessions on the eliptical trainer and an 11-mile running week I felt ready today to run on the streets again.
I got up about 5:15 and was on my way in 73-degree weather by 5:30. The relatively cool temperature was nice, but the dew point was obviously very high. It seemed like no sweat evaporated from my skin. Still, I knew it was the best conditions I could expect all day, and probably all week, so it was worth the effort.
I walked up the hills out of our neighborhood to get the blood moving a little and loosen up my Achilles tendon and calf muscles. My calf muscles were a little sore from my eliptical trainer sessions.

I opened with a 10:16 mile, then had a 9:18 and 9:14. My two full miles were 8:50 and 8:59, and the pace for the last half mile was 8:49. The average was 9:17. I didn't check my pace at all during the run.
I had no problems with the Achilles, but when I got back I could feel the tightness in my calf on the same leg, so I immediately massaged it with a bottle of frozen water.
Nice to get a run in outside.

On the outside

2011-07-21T22:00:00.000-05:00

Couldn't stand it anymore and had to get outside for a run, inflated heat index and all. I had it figured out - wait until at least 7:30, when the sun is low in the sky. It wouldn't be cool, but it wouldn't be like sitting in the broiler.
For the most part, it worked. Naturally, I took it easy, walking the first quarter mile up the hills out of the neighborhood, and then chugging along at a nice, easy pace. The worst part, frankly, was a growing hot spot on the ball of my left foot. New socks, and they weren't as friendly to my feet as I expected.
The best part was my sore Achilles didn't get any sorer. I really think that treadmill makes it worse and may have even caused the problem in the first place. I need to stay off that thing as much as possible.
Tonight's run: 5.52 miles at a 9:26 pace.

2011-07-19T22:02:00.000-05:00

Finally got out for a run tonight after running only 3 miles since last Thursday. It's been near 100 every day, and humid. Plus, I've been babying a sore Achilles tendon.
I didn't really get "out," either. I went to the gym and used the treadmill. I started with a walk for 5 min., then turned on the timer and averaged 9:54 for 5.56 miles. The Achilles got a little stiff in the last couple of miles, so it's not completely healed yet. I'm not going to push the pace or miles for the next week or so while I wait for the weather to break and my tendon to heal.

It's gotten almost impossible

2011-07-16T10:04:00.001-05:00

I was figuring on just a short, easy run again today, mostly because my Achilles tendon is sore. It was 80 when I stepped out the front door, and the humidity was way up. I was struck by the fact that even a gulp of air was warm.
I walked for a quarter of a mile to warm up my sore tendon, then took off at a slow pace. It was really not a good day for a run. I don't really mind heat, but it's very uncomfortable when the humidity is so high nothing evaporates from your skin. That evaporation is what keeps you cool. I was happy to be getting a run in, but just as happy that it was going to be short.

I was aiming for 4 miles, but went out a little farther than 2 thinking I would come back a shorter way. I misjudged the distance, though, and wound up with 4.6, averaging 9.28.
When I got home I ate breakfast and then mowed the lawn, and as far as I'm concerned, that can be it for outside activities for the rest of the day.

The Big Three

2011-07-15T16:43:00.000-05:00

A three-mile run usually isn't a big thing, but this morning it was. Angela agreed to get up early and go out on a run with her grandfather. In an effort to take advantage of a little cooler weather, we started at 7:30, but "cooler" is a relative thing. It was already hot and humid. The goal was to cover 3 miles on the run, even if there was some walking involved. If she made it, it would be Angela's longest sustained run.

We decided to run on the Longview Lake trail, which I hadn't used for at least 6 years. My recollection was that there was a fair amount of shade along the trail. Bad memory. Most of the part of the trail we were using was sunny, and I knew that would be the first big obstacle to Angela's 3-mile goal. She's not used to running in the heat.

We started off, and I was almost startled at the early pace. Angela was running at well under a 10 min. pace - around 9:30. After a couple minutes, I reigned her in some. Still, the first split was 9:54, which I considered too fast for me, much less Angela, considering the temperature. As the experience runner, I kicked myself for allowing her to make the 3 mile goal more difficult to reach than it needed to be.

Before starting out we'd agreed to walk between miles, so when the first mile ended, Angela was ready for the breather. I kept the GPS going much of time as we walked a good quarter of a mile, so by the time we started running again the pace was up pretty high.

We ran out to the 1.5 mile mark and turned around. From that point on we walked every half mile with the GPS off. Mile two was 12:03 pace, and I could tell Angela was paying for that fast first mile. She welcomed every walk segment, drank plenty of water, and allowed me to slow the pace.

The last mile was 10:22, which would have been a nice opening split. Angela wanted to know if three miles would be the same as the race we are planning to run in August. Well, yes, I said, except for that little one-tenth more. I asked if she wanted to run that one-tenth, too, but she was satisfied with an even 3. Goal attained!

All in all it was a very good run for Angela under extreme conditions. Take 15 degrees off the temperature and I'm confident we would have completed the three miles in under 30 min. As it was, we did the 3 miles in 32.23, for a 10:47 pace. Very respectable.

It's going to be a good race in August.

Big cool down

2011-07-13T21:52:00.000-05:00

Huge blast of arctic air blew through Kansas City Tuesday night and stayed around most of Wednesday. It was only 83 when I got home from work, so I figured I could run outside for a change. I strapped on 16 ounces of water and some sun screen and headed out.
Eighty-three is hot, too, it turns out. Plus it was humid. I could tell within the first 100 yards I needed to take it easy. I did, too, but I still averaged 9:31 for the first three miles. That's faster than I should have gone, but it didn't seem like it at the time. I didn't watch my pace at all, but just tried to stay out of oxygen debt.
I got pretty thirsty by the halfway mark and was sucking down the water pretty fast. All the ice had melted by then and it was getting warm. Fortunately, right there in front of me was the Sinclair convenience store, so I stopped in for a refrigerated water refill from their soda fountain. Tasty stuff.
By now the sun had slipped enough that the shadows were longer and the shade a bit more plentiful. I was all loosened up, too, so the second half of the run was more comfortable than the first. Walking time ballooned mile 5 to 10:38, but then the rest of the way was done at a 9:17 pace.
So, the final figures were 8.01 miles in 1:16:39 for a 9:35 average.
The only downside of the run was a tight right Achilles tendon. I probably need to rest that thing for a couple of days so it doesn't get worse.

2011-07-11T08:07:00.000-05:00

Rolled out of bed at 5 this morning to get my run in before work. Thought I might be able to go 5 miles outside, but the temp was still 84, and it was humid. There was also lightning in the north, the direction I would have gone. I opted for the gym. I ran 5.36 miles in 50 min. for a 9:20 pace overall.

Whew!

2011-07-09T16:12:00.000-05:00

Mike, Bill and I met up at 55th and Brookside in Kansas City at 6:30 a.m. for a 10-mile run. The temp was under 70 when I got up at 5:15, but by the time we started our run it was 75 and climbing rapidly.

We ran together for the first 3 miles, then Bill dropped back, and a mile or so later, Mike dropped back as well. At that point I was running in the shade on Ward Parkway, against a gentle breeze and flat to downhill. I had two pretty fast miles (under 9), but then I decided I needed to slow down if I was going to make it to the end in good shape.

When I turned off Ward and headed west with about 2.5 miles left, I lost most of my shade and breeze, and when I turned north on the trail it was all gone. The sun was up pretty high by then, too, and it was hot. The last two miles sounded like a long way, so I cut the pace back, drank the water I had, and reminded myself that two miles was only 20-22 min. of running, and that I could always do that. Good thing it was only a couple miles, because I really had to force myself to keep going in the last half mile.

The final total was 10.65 min. in 1:48:01, for a 10:09 pace. When I finished, I was dripping wet head to foot from sweat.

2011-07-07T21:30:00.000-05:00

Looked like rain tonight, so I headed for the gym. No sooner had I gotten started than the sky cleared off. Those are the breaks. I felt good and just kept going, starting out at a 6 mph pace and steadily ramping up to 7.1 mph (8:27 pace). I had my headset on and got through an hour and 5 minutes of my audio book. My pace for the whole run was 9:ll.
Despite having the book to listen to, I found myself wondering if there was a nearby marathon I could run in September, sort of as a training run. Crazy, probably, but I think I'll check it out.

Treadmill

2011-07-06T07:48:00.000-05:00

It was in the 90s and very humid, so I went to my new fitness center to run for a while on the treadmill. I signed up there on July 4, so this was my first time on the treadmill there. It turned out to be kind of a tough run, I think because of the unfamiliar surface and the movement of the machine as my strides hit it. It was definitely different than the machines at the old fitness center. I'll get used to it.

I ran 6.13 miles in one hour. I was thinking about going longer, but an hour on that machine was long enough.

Wet again

2011-07-03T14:45:00.001-05:00

This was going to be a bike riding day, but the rains came by mid morning and it looked like they'd be around off and on all day long, so that idea got shelved. Shortly after noon the clouds parted some, so I decided I'd try to squeeze in a run. I didn't feel weary at all after Saturday's slow 12-miler, so I thought I could go 7 or 8 miles at a moderate pace.

Everything went fine, but around mile 4 one small dark cloud opened up on me for a few minutes. That blew over and I kept going until I turned around at mile 5. I figured if I took the short way home I'd have about 8 miles. At mile 6, it started raining again though, and this time it was heavier and there was a little lightning. I still had a ways to go, so I picked up the pace and switched to an even shorter route home.

About a half mile from the house Kay called and offered to come and get me, but I ran it in (my pace over the final half mile was 7:50 as if I could outrun a lightning strike).

With the weather pushing me I averaged 8:57 for 7.55 miles, which was faster than I expected to do, but it just goes to prove that if you take it easy on those long runs you an recover much quicker.

New territory

2011-07-02T21:53:00.000-05:00

Bill, Mike and I joined up with a group from the Kansas City Track Club at 55th and Brookside, all of us planning to go 10 or 11 miles. It was a hot, humid day, so we all dialed our expectations back. It was going to be slow with a lot of walking.

This was our first run with the club, which we all joined just recently. Before the run began we met several of the other members, many of whom had already run the area previously. It was decided we'd follow three other guys who knew a perfect route of the right distance. But they were out of sight within a half mile, and we were left on our own.

Happily, we were not totally unfamiliar with the area, and we improvised very well, running north to UMKC, through campus, then north to the Marshall Sculpture Garden at the Nelson Art Gallery, then into Mill Creek Park in the Plaza and along the Plaza River Walk.

We were joined by Natasha, a young lady who was training for her first half marathon and who had never run 12 miles before. We were running her pace, and she didn't know where she was going, so she just hung with us. She turned out to be very pleasant company, and kept us from descending into our usual bawdy banter.

After coming out of the Plaza area, we retraced our route back to the car where we all refreshed our hydration before heading south for an out-and-back finish. Mike and Bill turned around at a point that would give them 10 miles, but Natasha stuck with her 12-mile goal. She was heading into an area that has been known to be a bit unsafe, so I felt I needed to offer to run with her, and she was happy to accept.

She had told me earlier that she could hold 10s, and that's what I was expecting, but as the sun got higher, and more intense, she suddenly bonked. That was near the end of mile 9. From there it was a struggle, and I almost called Mike and Bill for a vehicular rescue, but we walked much of the final 3 miles and finally made it back.

For my part the pace was such that the run was not difficult at all, despite the heat. It was slower than I would have done on my own for sure, but on these long runs in this kind of weather, it's good that I was slowed down.

33 miles for the week.

After the run Kay and I picked up Angela and took her to the running store to buy her a pair of running shoes. That was my promise if she got serious about training for a 5k, and she has (plus she plans to go out for track when school starts). Our 5k is Aug. 14.

A run and a deer story

2011-06-30T09:44:00.000-05:00

Got up at 5:20 this morning and was out running 20 min. later. It was already 76.5 degrees and humid. I did 6 miles and took it easy all the way, averaging 9:47 per mile. Now I can sit out the worst of today's heat and all of Friday's.

I didn't see a single deer on this morning's run, which is unusual. However, when I got home there was a young doe in the back yard. It didn't bolt when came out the door, and even let me get within about 10 feet. I stood there talking to it for several minutes, its ears twitching back and forth and its front leg tapping the ground as if it was counting. It made no show of alarm whatsoever. If anything it seemed to be curious.

I considered trying to get closer, but finally turned and walked back to the back door. When I looked back she had followed me, keeping that 10-foot distance. After another short face-to-face, she headed for the fence line and started eating leaves from the bushes. By the time I got back inside and upstairs, she was gone.

Strange encounter.

2011-06-29T21:21:00.000-05:00

I had a real good run this morning. Got up early and was on my way by 5:40 a.m. Although it was going to get into the 90s later in the day, it was still about 65 when I started out. The air felt cool and there wasn't a whisper of a breeze. Gorgeous.

After a day off, my legs felt pretty fresh, but I took it slow for the first three miles while I got loose. I'm pretty much resigned that it's always going to take that long to loosen up. That's OK, since starting slow almost always means I can finish strong. In this case, my first three miles were all well over 9, and my last four were all under 9, with the fastest 8:42. I planned to run 6, but since Thursday's run promises to be in much warmer weather, I decided to go 7 today make the Thursday session shorter.

Granddaughter Angela, who has wanted to run a 5k for months, reported today she ran 2.5 miles without stopping. The impressive part is that she has to motivate herself and get out there and do it on her own, and she is. I promised her a pair of running shoes if she liked running and could stick with it, and now it appears I'm going to have to make good. I will, and gladly.

2011-06-27T21:46:00.000-05:00

Went down to the river hoping to do some sightseeing while getting my run in, but the park was closed even to pedestrians. Part of the trail in the park was covered with water, but not because the river had gone over it banks - it's still contained. We had a heavy rain last night, and I guess the ground is too saturated and the little feeder creeks too full to absorb anything.
So, I parked the truck and ran out and back alongside Highway 9, going a little ways down a couple side roads to get 8.11 miles in. I didn't take along any kind of fuel belt because I had planned on looping past the truck a couple of times, so the whole run was done without any hydration along the way. At 77 degrees it was just on the verge of being too hot to do that for a run that long, but I drank before I took off and made out just fine.
As is usual these days, it took me a good three miles to warm up, and after that I felt real good. The first three miles were pretty slow, and the last four fast by comparison. I was an average of a minute faster per mile in the second half over the first half. The overall average was 9:20.

Different sort of long run

2011-06-25T17:46:00.001-05:00

Where to start?

Let me just quickly skip over the pelting rain, high winds, thunder, lightning and blow driers and say that Mike and I had a great run at Smithville Lake early this morning. We did a long, slow run of 10 miles averaging 9:58 per mile. We walked every mile for a minute and kept a comfortable, conversational pace. In terms of running time, we were out there for about 1:40. In terms of real time, it took us closer to 2:30.

It was cloudy when we started out, but it didn't start raining until sometime in mile 2. It was a light rain and was, we thought, fine. What's a little rain? Feels good, actually.

The rain picked up a noticeably in mile 3, and off to the north we could see an occasional lightning bolt. We pressed on, talking ourselves into the notion that it wouldn't get THAT bad. Oh, but it did. By 4.5 miles, it was raining good and hard, and it was all we could do to shun the cover of a little wooden two-holer on our way to the turnaround at 5. By the time we got there it was a gully washer. We turned and, instead of walking, high-tailed it back to that aromatic and lightless johnny.

Lovely place, that johnny. I don't want to get into this too much, but we crowded into one of the stalls to wait out the storm for a bit. Mike used the toilet for a chair for a spell, and his bowels just kind of went into autopilot, burping and belching like they were settling in on an NFL Sunday afternoon with the wife gone. Outside, the rain pounded and the thunder boomed. Surely this would pass soon.

And it did, sort of. The rain slowed down enough so we could make a dash for it. Down the path we went for a half mile before the sheets of rain came again, but this time with some serious streak lightning. We passed one campground restroom where - and Mike insists I recount this - I remarked, "It gots light." I was trying to say "It's got lights," but I think I might have been struck by lightning or something. It came out wrong and now I'll never live it down.

We went a bit farther until it got just too frightening, and then spotted yet another fine restroom establishment. We scurried up the hill to it, and literally struck it rich. It had lights, real toilets, and sinks. It was clean. Best of all, it had two wall-mounted blow driers. We hung around there for probably 25 minutes drying our hair, shirts and shorts. By the time we left we were warm and dry. Great place. We'll be back the next time we're in town. Maybe they'll have complimentary hot chocolate by then.

The rain let up finally, so off we went again. It came down relatively lightly for the next couple of miles, but quit completely for the last two miles. Somewhere in those last few miles we ran a couple at near 9 min. Pretty good for a couple of old men.

They say you should run in a storm at least once so you know what it would be like for a race. Now that I've done it I can truthfully say it's ... probably not worth the effort. Still, we got the whole run in, and to a runner, that's all that counts.

Hope everyone else had a good run today, too. -- Rob and Mike

Beautiful morning

2011-06-22T07:45:00.000-05:00

Got up for an early run again today. Just a stupendous morning. I don't know what the temperature was, but even now, over two hours later, it's just 65 with low humidity. It must have been in the upper 50s earlier.

I got out early enough to plan for at least a 6 mile run. I started with two easy miles, and then settled into a goal-pace run for the next 5 miles. Overall, I ran 7.2 miles and averaged 8:51. Splits were 9:45, 9:27, 8:53, 8:39, 8:26, 8:24, 8:16, 1:47.

Out early

2011-06-20T08:32:00.001-05:00

I finally managed to get out of bed early enough on a week day to get a short run in before work. Had to, since I expect the business day to last well into the evening.

It was 75 and humid at 6 a.m., which wasn't great but probably the best the day had to offer. I walked a half mile, then ran 1.5. That made the return trip 2 miles for an overall 3.51 miles. I did it in 32:11, a 9:11 pace.Splits were 9:14, 9:11, 9:01 and then the half mile at an 8:27 pace.

-------

The night didn't run as late as I expected, so I went to the gym in the evening to lift some light weights and then did an easy 2.5. Tuesday is a day off.

Beating the heat

2011-06-18T13:55:00.000-05:00

Mike and I got out early this morning, before the clouds cleared and things got hot. We ran at English Landing Park, alongside the swollen, but still contained, Missouri. They say that flooding won't occur until close to this time next week.

We're both reading books purporting to know the secrets of running into your 60s, 70s and beyond. The keys seem to be to start slowly and walk often. We've discovered that with relatively little practice, we can do both of those things pretty well.

So this morning we took our time churning out 8 miles (I went 8.86). We kept it pretty slow and walked just about every mile for a few seconds. The only split I ran very hard was mile 8, which I did in 8:26. That brought my overall pace to 10:10, which is just about right for a long run. Mileage for the week was 29.1.

How it should be

2011-06-16T22:19:00.000-05:00

I planned to get up early this morning to run, but by the time I woke up it was already 6 a.m. and a bit too late to get out for 6-plus miles. I could have done it, but I didn't want to be rushed on my run or afterward getting ready for work. I kind of regretted that decision when I went out to get the paper: it was a beautiful, cool, calm day. A perfect running day. Plus, now I was kind of rolling the dice, since thunderstorms were forecast for the rest of the day. I might end up on the treadmill.

I got lucky, though. By the time I got home - later than usual - the sky was clearing, the humidity was dropping and the temperature was in the middle 70s. I went down to the river trail planning to run at least 6 miles. With no hills to climb and perfect weather, I felt really good all the way. I opened with a 9:27 mile, cut that to 9:00 in mile two, then finished with 8:40, 8:50, 8:45, 8:35, 8:26. The overall pace was 8:50 for 7 miles, my best for a distance like that in a very long time.

Those hot weather runs can be tough, but they help make runs like this one possible. It's a good payoff.

Hot again

2011-06-14T20:10:00.000-05:00

Yeah, it was kind of toasty today. A little over 90. I started slowly and expected to keep it that way, but after about 3 miles things started to feel a lot easier and I just naturally increased the pace. I averaged about 9:30 for the first three miles, and 9 for the last 3.4.
Nice run.

Good start to the week

2011-06-12T15:03:00.002-05:00

Another cool day, so instead of resting after yesterday's 8 miles, I decided to take advantage of the good conditions and run for the second day in a row. I like running on Sunday because it gets my mileage off to a good start early in the week. Plus, Saturday's run was not a tough one at all, and I felt pretty fresh.

So with the good weather, and legs that were ready to go, I took off thinking "more than 5." I guess I wasn't convinced I really wanted to go for a run, because right away I wished I was sitting on the porch reading a book. That's what pleasant Sunday afternoons are for, isn't it? A half mile down the road that thought was gone, though, and I settled in.

My first mile was 9:45 and the second 9:34. By then most of the big hills were past me, and the splits improved. Mile 3 was 9:14, then 9:03, 8:51 and 8:57. After that I reset my watch and ran .8 mile at a cool-down pace. Total mileage was 6.85. Even though it was relatively cool (67), I was pretty heated up when I got home. A nice bowl of ice cold watermelon helped with that.

I think I'll go get that book now.

Perfect conditions

2011-06-11T14:50:00.000-05:00

Conditions were, for a change, optimal for a long run this morning. The temperature was in the low 60s and humidity was low. Mike and I went to English Landing, figuring it would be the last time in weeks that we'd be able to run there. The whole area is expected to be flooded by the middle of next week after they open the Gavin's Point Dam in South Dakota. The little town of Parkville, which is next to English Landing Park and a stone's throw from the Missouri, has erected two 4-foot dams, one made of sandbags and the other of metal and canvas. The hope is they can avoid having the downtown area flooded. The park itself is being offered up to the flood gods.

The Missouri is very high, but still about 6 or 7 feet below bank-full, and moving swiftly. You would not want to be out on or in it.

To begin we ran west along the river on a dirt farm road that eventually curves north and hooks up to a highway leading back to Parkville. Everything went fine until the 2.6 mile mark, when Mike's knee started hurting. It looked for all the world that I'd have to run back to town to get the car and go back and get him, but after a 10-min. walk, his knee was suddenly fine again. We ran back to the park on the highway stronger than ever, and completed another 3 miles after that for a grand total of 8 miles. Our splits improved each mile, and the final average pace was 10:03, which is just about perfect for a long run.

Slog through the soup

2011-06-09T20:33:00.000-05:00

Boy, this was another humid day. Hot, too, but the humidity really made the going tough. Breathing was tough, and I think - I don't know, I'm no doctor - I think my lung is a bit constricted by the two smashed ribs. But maybe it's just the heat and humidity.

Anyway, I went 4.11 miles in 39:21 for an average pace of 9:35. That qualifies as an easy run. Friday is a rest day.

Hot

2011-06-08T20:17:00.000-05:00

This was the "coolest" day for running all week, but it seemed like the hottest. It was 92 when I left the house. I picked the Line Creek trail, which features a pretty serious hill in the last mile, but was mostly shaded the entire way. Breathing was tough going up hill, so I walked the steepest parts. I can still feel those healing ribs when I breathe real deep.

Despite the weather, it was a pretty good run, as I totaled 5.1 miles and averaged 9:19 per mile. Miles 3 and 4 were both under 9, which means I could call it a tempo run.

2011-06-07T08:16:00.000-05:00

The Men's Running Club of Kansas City met last night. We ran 4 miles at an easy pace in 95-degree heat, then escaped to the air conditioning of Tanner's Bar and Grill for drinks and sandwiches. We had two new members, including one man who has lost 132 pounds through diet and running in the past year. Pretty good story.

The run was done in 42:06, for an average pace of 10:32.

2011-06-05T20:33:00.000-05:00

I spent all day at the Kansas Speedway serving margaritas and bloody mary's to auto racing fans who had to endure 95+ degree heat while sitting on aluminum bleacher seats in the direct sunlight. Many, many were under the mistaken impression that vodka and/or tequila would hydrate and cool, and spent a lot of money trying to make it work. All the better for our charities.

I'd been standing for hours, but when I got home I couldn't resist the idea of getting a little run in. It was still hot, of course, so I headed to the river trail, where there was some shade and I wouldn't be on the hot, hard pavement. The run really wasn't all that bad. I started slowly to give myself time to acclimate, and kept the pace comfortable. I didn't watch my splits, so when I finished with an average of 9:14, I was surprised. For me that's fast on a blistering hot day. I even had a couple miles in 8:58.

2011-06-03T21:18:00.000-05:00

I ran 4.1 miles tonight, completing 4 days in a row. I'll be tied up with other activities Saturday and Sunday, so I wanted to get all my miles in before the weekend. With the mileage on Friday, I totaled 22.7 for the week, which is about right for this point in my return.

It was about 86 degrees when I started my run, but it wasn't as uncomfortable as the day before. The humidity was a little lower. I was able to average 9:19 per mile.

Commitment time

2011-06-02T20:30:00.000-05:00

Three of us are signed up for the Dallas Marathon, which is Dec. 3. So, the decision is made and money is spent. Between now and then I just need to get into shape. There's plenty of time.

Yesterday we had rain and lightning, so I went to the gym and ran on the treadmill, putting in 60 minutes and running 6.32 miles. The average was right at 9:30, but I had a few miles between 9:05 and 9:13.

Today there was no rain for a change, but it was mid 80s and very humid. I decided to go only about 4 miles and to take it easy. I walked out of the neighborhood so I wouldn't have to run up all the hills, then chugged along at an easy pace. The overall average pace was 9:55, and I did 4.23 miles.

A long run

2011-05-31T12:33:00.000-05:00

I had a day off today, so I took the time to drive up to Smithville Lake to run the trail there. Even though I got going fairly early in the day, it was already pretty warm and, because it had rained earlier in the morning, humid. When the clouds broke up, there was a lot of sun out there. But the trail is in the shade about 35 percent of the time, which helped a little.

I hadn't run for a couple of days and expected to have some extra spring in my legs, but I didn't, really. The whole run was kind of a slog, and I made frequent rest stops, especially in the second half of the run. I ended up doing 8 miles in 1:17, which is a 9:35 pace. I was glad I did it, but also happy when it was finished. The next one will be better.

2011-05-28T09:08:00.000-05:00

It was almost cold this morning. I had to put on a long sleeved shirt for my run on the river trail. The temp was in the mid 50s, and the river area was hazy, almost foggy. The breeze made it feel like upper 40s.
I thought it might rain, so that got me going a little faster than I might have otherwise. I was only going to go about 6, so even if I went out too fast it wasn't like it was going to be a disaster. You can always finish 6 miles.
I opened with a 9:30, then averaged 8:55 for the next two miles. After a short stop for a little hydration, I started over again, opening with a 9:23 and then averaging about 9 for the next 2+ miles. My overall pace was 9:07 for 6.23 miles.

A tad bit farther

2011-05-26T20:56:00.000-05:00

I thought I'd missed all the perfect running days of spring, but I was lucky and today was one of them. I got home a little late because of problems at work, but got out for a nice 5 mile run on Line Creek Trail. It's hilly, but I'm not hurrying these days. Very enjoyable.

My pace was 9:27 per mile, and the distance was my longest by .36 mile since the accident.