Back to Normal

Spring break is over and the step-children are back from their trip to Disney with their father. I am glad that they are back, mind you...but this alters my available time to run. We have band, dance, and baseball practices to tend to once again after a week of freedom. So it will be a while before anymore +60 mile weeks of running (which my body won't mind!).

In the past two weeks I have run slightly more than 126 miles without physical injuries. By the end of each week, I felt dead...but elated to be able to cover the miles. I averaged 10 miles each run, with the longest run being 16.6 miles (I need to go longer, damn it!).

My wife has also increased her mileage in the past couple of weeks! Her long run is now above 7 miles (up from 4 miles just two weeks ago). I am very proud of her and look forward to running many miles with her! Now, if I could just get her on the trails...

Easter weekend runs:

Sunday:


Saturday:


Friday:

Happy Easter!

Running in the Windy City of...

...not Chicago, but Bartlett. Today's run was very, very windy. It seemed that no matter which direction I was headed, I was still running into the howling wind! Tired legs and lack of motivation killed yesterday's planned run and almost did the same to today's, but I forced myself outside to get in at least 4 miles before the rain started (which, at 8:26 pm, has yet to hit). I finally got into a groove after a few miles and ended with 10.11 miles in 1:42 (10:02 pace). Not bad for an easy run (except for the winds).

Germantown Half

All went well today at the race. No problems except a sore ass and tight hamstring & calf. I (once again) started too fast and had to slow it down and settle into a 9:30-ish pace. A few stops to stretch out the legs and one stop to socialize with some ultra friends on the sidelines. Great race...made even better due to the fact that I didn't cough up $45 (I did not use any aid provided by the race...except a few cookies at the end!).

Great to see that Mike, Holly, Drew, and Lauren ran like the wind! Their finish times make me feel real old(er)! Congrats to Kristi & Brad for finishing in great time, especially since neither have ever run that far before!

My time: 2:06:06 (9:33 pace)
My Splits:
1 8:50
2 8:53
3 9:04
4 9:08
5 10:03
6 9:40
7 9:49
8 9:39
9 10:20
10 9:46
11 10:17
12 9:49
13 9:49
14 1:02

Saturday

Today's run almost didn't happen. The weather sucked all damn day. I thought about going to the gym to run the treadmill, but that didn't sound too fun. I finally decided to head to Shelby Farms to run on the paved paths and prayed it would not rain again. Although it did not rain, the wind was blowing hard and the temps were in the low 50's. Not too bad, but I prefer better.

My pace was too fast for the first 6 miles and I knew that I would pay dearly for this mistake later. I kept it steady for 10 miles and then my right hamstring and calf muscles started to lock up. I tend to sweat profusely when running due to being a fat ass...and today was no exception. Trying to keep my gut from bloating again, I had kept the water intake to bear minimum (20 oz H2O for entire run) and only had one gel (at 6m mark). I had a S!Cap at the start and another at the halfway. Figuring all this, I assumed that I was dehydrated and was experiencing some lactic acid build up in the legs. Oh well...I stopped to stretch several times and had to walk for a minute of so during mile 12, but I kept moving forward.

This story is getting too long...so, to sum it all up:
Total: 13.16 miles in 2:07:03 (9:39 pace) (PR)
10k time was at 56 minutes and change (PR)
Splits:
1 9:25
2 8:37
3 8:57
4 9:04
5 8:37
6 9:19
7 10:25
8 9:25
9 9:59
10 9:45
11 10:42
12 10:10
13 11:48
14 1:45

I am amazed at my endurance level since the MS50 two weeks ago. That race, even though I fell short of 50 miles, was a turning point for me. Before then, I would walk way too much in practice runs and races. I didn't have the confidence needed to successfully finish a marathon, let alone an ultramarathon. Now I do have that confidence and I can force my fat ass to hold a decent pace throughout each run.