10 minutes of rowing and 45 minutes of spinning for the equivalent of 5 miles running. I also went skiing with the girls, but not enough to count as anyting.

Victor

Cross-training: 5.0 miles
Running: 0.0 miles
Shoes: n/a
WTD running: 18.5 miles
WTD total: 24.5 miles

posted by Not So Competitive Runner at 10:24 PM | 0 comments  

I ran ten easy miles at 7:23...nothing special or interesting. I felt good but kept the run under control since this is a recovery week.

Ran in a pair of Sauconys for the first time in about 10 years. The Azura's are not a bad pair of shoes. They fit well and provide good cushioning and little suppport, which is what they are supposed to do. But the heel is overbuilt and they could put more cushioning in the forefoot. Better said, they should move some of the cushioning in the heel to under the forefoot.

Victor

Cross-training: 0.0 miles
Running: 10.0 miles
Shoes: Saucony Grid Azura LC (new)
WTD running: 18.5 miles
WTD total: 19.5 miles

posted by Not So Competitive Runner at 11:12 AM | 0 comments  

This is a recovery week so yesterday I was off and today was an easy 8.5 at 7:40 on occasionally slick roads. Felt OK, except my medial shins hurt me. Could be the new shoes or could be two heavy weeks. Shoveled show.

Victor

Cross-training: 0.5 miles
Running: 8.5 miles
Shoes: ASICS 2100 (new)
WTD running: 8.5 miles
WTD total: 9.5 miles

posted by Not So Competitive Runner at 2:56 PM | 0 comments  

Here is the rest of my training for the Christmas week:

Wednesday:
10 miles out and back on hilly HR. I was tired and felt heavy so pace was only 7:46.
Shoes: Flash

Thursday:
Six miles on some occasionally slick roads with T. Almost lost it going down on hill on the ice. 12 years ago I broke my right wrist after slipping on the ice going down hill.
Shoes: Pegesus

Friday:
12 miles in Orange and Milford CT at 7:30. Starting to get some energy back.
Shoes: Burn

Saturday:
Off/Christmas

Sunday:
19 contrived miles in Orange and Milford CT at 7:23. Energy was reasonable. Feet hurt, but then it is time to retire the Burns. I managed a slight negative split even though the first half was mostly down hill and with the wind and the second half was mostly uphill and against the wind
Shoes: Burn

WTD running: 65.0 miles
WTD total: 68.0 miles

Victor

posted by Not So Competitive Runner at 9:36 AM | 0 comments  

You know it is cold when the snow crunches with every step. Today was my coldest run this season. Well it is, after all, the first day of winter. The operative word is "first", meaning there are many more days of winter to come and therefore many more days of cold runs. This won't be the last time I'll see -10 and probably there will be a few days colder than that.

Here is my attire for today's 11 mile hilly run:

• Regular running socks
• Trail shoes (Asics Eagle)
• Expedition weight long underwear
• Light weight running pants
• Coolmax singlet
• Coolmax long-sleeve t-shirt
• Light fleece top
• Wind shell
• Light weight hat (removed after 5 miles)
• Balaclava
• Medium weight glove liners
• Old wool mittens

If anything I was slightly overdressed.

Given the cold and the fact that the roads all had a good cover of snow, I did not wear my Forerunner (although I suppose I should see if it can handle such cold) or even a watch. In fact I had the best traction on the 1.5 mile dirt stretch. At least on that stretch the snow wasn't polished and slippery.

I must say that the cold never really bothered me. I was tired and sore. Probably due to the relatively high mileage I've been running and the lack of sleep. L has been sick lately and up frequently. At one point during the run, just after five miles and before the steepest stretch of hill there was a big snow covered field lit up in the moonlight. My only thought at the time was, "wouldn't it be nice to go lay down in the comfortable snow to rest." OK, so I need more sleep and should back off on the mileage. I'll work on getting more sleep this week and next week is a recovery week with mileage between 55 and 60 instead of in the 70's.

I also got in 10 minutes of rowing before heading out the door so today's mileage will total 12.

Victor

Cross-training: 1.0 miles
Running: 11.0 miles
Shoes: ASICS Eagle (trail shoe)
WTD running: 17.0 miles
WTD total: 21.0 miles

posted by Not So Competitive Runner at 2:10 PM | 0 comments  

We had a sick kid last night so lack of sleep prevented me from getting up to row, lift, and spin. Instead I headed out for a noon time run of six miles. It is zero out with a strong north wind. The first third of the run head directly north into the wind. By the end of the second mile, I had icecycles forming on my eyelashes and I was worried about frostbite. The second third runs east. Not too bad and my eyelashes thawed out. The last third runs mostly south again and with the sun in my face and the wind at my back I pulled off my had and unzipped my jacket. Always start by running into the wind on cold days. Especially if the wind is from the north and the sun is up.

The footing was a bit tricky here and there. Too cold for salt so I pretty much ran on snow the whole way. Fortunately, when the snow is this cold it stays pretty firm and I was generally able to get a good grip.

I also had a 1.5 mile walk to and from work to get the car.

I have a 10+ mile run planned for before sunrise tomorrow morning. It is supposed to be 10 below zero, but at least the wind should be gone.

Cross-training: 3.0 miles
Running: 6.0 miles
Shoes: ASICS Eagle (trail shoe)
WTD running: 6.0 miles
WTD total: 9.0 miles

posted by Not So Competitive Runner at 2:59 PM | 0 comments  

Today's run was on my "Boston Simulator" loop. This is really an out and back with slight variation on the way back to maximize the uphills. The course is mostly downhill for the first 7 miles (with some notable exceptions) and then rolls till I turn around. The last seven miles are mostly uphill.

I felt pretty good most of the way. Some of the early uphill stretches into the wind were a struggle and in places my pace fell off 7:30. After a while, however, I got into a rhythm and managed to hide from the wind. During these miles I averaged 7:20. On the way back I managed to pickup the pace. All miles were well under 7:20 and a few of the easier hill miles or flat stretches were under 7:00. During all these miles I did not feel like I was pushing all that much. Overall, I covered the 18 miles at a 7:18 pace.

I ran on my GEL Flashes. These are a great shoe, but I was definitely feeling the road on some of the faster miles. This may have more to do with my toe problems than with the shoe. I have cut out some of the toe areas of an old pair of inserts and put these in the Flashes instead of the newer inserts that came with them. I've done this to relieve the pressure on some of my black and turning black toenails. So it is possible that my not having less cushioning under my toes and using old inserts is making the ride of these shoes harsher than usual.

Cross-training: 0.0 miles
Running: 18.0 miles
Shoes: Asics GEL Flash
WTD running: 57.0 miles
WTD total: 74.0 miles

posted by Not So Competitive Runner at 2:08 PM | 0 comments  

10 minutes rowing, weights, core strength, 20 minutes spinning, and 5 mile run with the dog. Nothing significant. Oh, it's cold and I have lots of Christmas shopping to do.

Victor

Cross-training: 3.0 miles
Running: 5.0 miles
Shoes: Pegesus
WTD running: 39.0 miles
WTD total: 54.0 miles

posted by Not So Competitive Runner at 9:06 PM | 0 comments  

My blacked toe felt better during the day yesterday, so this morning I taped it up, cut a notch out of my shoe insole to give the toe more room, and went for a run. I was aware of my toe, especially on the downhills, but I was never in any pain and didn't need to alter my stride.

It looks like I may be headed for my first 70 mile week in quite a while. I got in another 10.5 today over a hilly route. I increased my effort slightly on the hills, but other than that I took it easy. The whole run averaged 7:30 and the last two miles (down a hill) were close to 7:00. I did feel tired and my legs were slightly sore. I need to get more sleep.

Victor

Cross-training: 0.0 miles
Running: 10.5 miles
Shoes: Burn
WTD running: 34.0 miles
WTD total: 46.0 miles

posted by Not So Competitive Runner at 11:22 AM | 0 comments  

Today was a scheduled recovery and cross-training day. Good thing too, because after yesterday's run I took off my sock to notice a very black toenail. Funny how it didn't hurt till I saw it. Anyway, I am clearly going to loose it and it hurts quite a bit now. Today I rowed for ten minutes, did some weight and core strength training for 20 minutes, and then got on my bicycle trainer for another 45 minutes. I'll call it the equivalent of 6.5 miles.

I will also walk for 3.5 miles this afternoon

Cross-training: 10.0 miles
Running: 0.0 miles
Shoes: n/a
WTD running: 23.5 miles
WTD total: 35.5 miles

posted by Not So Competitive Runner at 9:17 AM | 0 comments  

This morning the temperature was supposed to be close to zero with clear skies. Instead the temperature was a rather moderate 15 degrees and it was snowing, making the roads rather slick here and there. Even though the snow was less than an inch thick, I found it difficult to get much traction. Fortunately, the roads had little traffic on them so I was pretty much able to run down the salt lick in the middle of the road. The Nike Pegesus tread really wears down quickly, so what I though would be a decent snow running shoe is rather slick. Well, I guess it is back to trail shoes when it snows.

13 miles this morning at 7:15 pace with some of the later miles at MP or below. My right ITB hurt slightly on some of the slicker stretches of road and for a bit afterwards. Feels OK now but I'll want to watch it.

Cross-training: 0.0 miles
Running: 13.0 miles
Shoes: Pegesus
WTD running: 23.5 miles
WTD total: 25.5 miles

posted by Not So Competitive Runner at 1:31 PM | 0 comments  

You would think that Orlando would be a good place to run in December. Well, not for me. I only managed to get in one 10 mile run, and that on the treadmill in a hotel fitness center. So after 5 days without running, but with plenty of slow walking around the magic kingdom, I got back on track this weekend.

I managed 10 miles on Saturday with about 8 200-400 meter reps at 5:35 to 6:10 depending on whether I was heading uphill or down. Overall Pace = 7:15. Shoes = Pegesus

Sunday's run was a very difficult slog. I was tight, had no energy, and barely made it through 14 miles at an 8:00 pace. I did run a very hilly route and in places there was snow on the road making the footing slick, but all that doesn't add up to an 8:00 pace. Must be tired after not sleeping all last week. It is those darn air conditioners -- they keep me awake.

Today was much better. The temperature was about 15 degrees and there was a very strong breeze off the lake. Still, I managed 10.5 miles at 7:15 pace with about 8 strides thrown in. The temperature tomorrow might be close to zero.

Cross-training: 0.0 miles
Running: 10.5 miles
Shoes: DS Racer
WTD running: 10.5 miles
WTD total: 12.5 miles

posted by Not So Competitive Runner at 1:33 PM | 0 comments  

I was not expecting to be able to post today, but the hotel where I am staying has a PC with an Internet connection in my room. Very cool.

My run was not so cool. My options were to run around the hotel parking lot or hit the treadmill. I don't know how anybody puts up any real milage on a treadmill. I was bored to death after 15 minutes. So all I could manage was 10 miles of the 16 I had planned. Tomorrow I'll try running intervals in the parking lot. It is bound to be much more interesting.

I also found it interesting that of the dozen people in the hotel gym at 5:30 this morning, I was the only one sweating. I sweat a lot and sweat was flying off me and dripping everwhere. Nobody wanted to run on the treadmills on either side of me.

Victor

posted by Not So Competitive Runner at 1:21 PM | 0 comments  

This run made up for Wednesday's miserable run. It was my first run this season in the snow...the first of many I expect. A quarter to a half inch of snow was down and it was still snowing when I stepped out the door this morning at 5:30. I wore my new pair of DS Racers, which have a pretty good tread for light snow. The moonlight was filtered through the clouds but with the new snow on the ground it still gave enough light so that I could see across the farm fields.

I decided to run my summertime 10 mile loop, maybe for the last time this year, which is mostly on farm roads not plowed in the winter. So I had nice views of the fields, hills, woods, and lake in the pre-dawn moonlight.

Anyway, 10.5 miles at a 7:10 pace, including 10 strides. Maybe I'll get a chance to get out for a noontime run today as well. If not, my next run will either be on a hotel treadmill or around a convention hotel's parking lot. Either way, I'm not looking forward to it.

Victor

Cross-training: 0.0 miles
Running: 10.5 miles
Shoes: DS Racer
WTD running: 31.0 miles
WTD total: 31.0 miles

posted by Not So Competitive Runner at 9:02 AM | 0 comments  

With the temperature at around 30 degrees, a steady rain falling, and a good wind from the south, getting out the door at 5:30 AM was the hardest part of today's run. I had 10 mile run with 4x1 mile tempo intervals planned for this morning. I had hoped I would be able to run the intervals at slightly under 6:15. Well, I'm not quite there yet and managed something slightly over 6:20. But given that my quads were tightening up due to the cold rain, I was getting splashed by cars driving through puddles, and my fingers were getting numb, I'm not going to complain about the pace. I got plenty of other things to complain about. Snow would have been better.

But I'm headed to Orlando next week with the family. If I get any runs in at all they are likely to be on a treadmill so I'll be thankful for being able to run outside.

Victor

Cross-training: 0.0 miles
Running: 10.0 miles
Shoes: Burn
WTD running: 20.5 miles
WTD total: 20.5 miles

posted by Not So Competitive Runner at 11:46 AM | 0 comments