August has always been a busy time in our family. There are many birthdays and with that family outings. My oldest is now starting school in the fall, and that makes for more busyness. Add to that running. August and September are always prime running time for anyone training for a fall race. This August I expect I will have my most mileage of any month, ever.
I feel like every weekend for the next 8 weeks is full, just ask my wife.
This weekend I have a 20 miler and a 10 miler.
August 17th 27 miles and 13.1 on Sunday
August 24th I am running the BLS Half and 6.2 on Sunday
Aug 31st I am helping others train for a half marathon running 10 miles
The weekend of Sept 7th two 10k's
September 14th is the weekend of the 50 miler
Next weekend after that a 6 mile training run with others to help them achieve their goals.
Sept 28th is the Brewers Mini Marathon that I am pacing for.
October 6th is the Lakefront Marathon.
I feel like after the next two weeks I will get a break in the mileage as taper begins. I love running and I love running A LOT but I do not think I will do a 50 again until the girls are older. That or do a 50 with less miles in training, only train for a full marathon and try my hand at 50.
I need to get through the next couple weeks....keep charging towards 50.
Wednesday, August 07, 2013
Sunday, August 04, 2013
Aches and Pains
After a recovery week, a week that my mileage is down, I am starting to feel the aches and pains of training for 50. No real injury or pain. Just fatigue, and creaky bones. I thought I would be cool and try out my zero drop shoes again. Actually I wanted to save miles on my shoes for future use. Silly me, now I got an achy right knee. So no more zero drops till next spring. My calves have millions of knots in them. I need to continue to drink water. And or get some massage therapy. Not massage for relaxation, massage to heal my legs. I wonder what my legs would feel like with a real foam roller. I have been using a steal rolling pin, that is all I got. I also need to add more yoga, or re dedicated to actually doing it.
Today is the beginning of peak phase. It is the time when my miles are the highest just before the taper or rest phase. My 13.1 mile trail run was less than stellar. I do it to myself every time. I went out with out eating to prime my body to burn fat. I also went with out food or carbs, once again to burn fat not carbs. I went hard and ran all but one of the hills on the first 6.5 mile loop. So of course I would be wiped out and tired.
Here is to continuing the charge to 50.
Today is the beginning of peak phase. It is the time when my miles are the highest just before the taper or rest phase. My 13.1 mile trail run was less than stellar. I do it to myself every time. I went out with out eating to prime my body to burn fat. I also went with out food or carbs, once again to burn fat not carbs. I went hard and ran all but one of the hills on the first 6.5 mile loop. So of course I would be wiped out and tired.
Here is to continuing the charge to 50.
Tuesday, July 30, 2013
Training...on a wing and a prayer.
I am sure that I have said this before. I don't know what I am doing. This 50 miler training is new to me and must be others too, there is nothing published online. For marathons there are neatly packaged plans that offer personal bests if you only follow their prescribed steps. Miss a step and it blows your confidence come race day. "Trust your training" they say. With out having a plan your confidence is just as torn not knowing if you have done enough.
As far as running shape I feel good. Finally today as I write this my legs are better from this weekends 50k. My calves were very heavy and tight. Tomorrow is the last day of July and I once again ran more miles than ever before this month. I hope to finish around 211 miles, ending with 3 miles with Joy.
When I make a running schedule I look at other plans and mix them together to get an idea of what I want to do. With lack of plans to pull from I added distance to marathon programs. I wished to include a marathon, 50k, and back to back 20 milers. With two of the three complete I don't know if I need to do back to back 20's. I feel in shape enough to run a marathon even a 50k in a couple of weeks if need be. Am I able to run a 50 miler right now? I don't know and I don't know what I need to do to get there. I may not know if I can until I toe the line on race day.
Until then keep charging and pursue 50 miles.
As far as running shape I feel good. Finally today as I write this my legs are better from this weekends 50k. My calves were very heavy and tight. Tomorrow is the last day of July and I once again ran more miles than ever before this month. I hope to finish around 211 miles, ending with 3 miles with Joy.
When I make a running schedule I look at other plans and mix them together to get an idea of what I want to do. With lack of plans to pull from I added distance to marathon programs. I wished to include a marathon, 50k, and back to back 20 milers. With two of the three complete I don't know if I need to do back to back 20's. I feel in shape enough to run a marathon even a 50k in a couple of weeks if need be. Am I able to run a 50 miler right now? I don't know and I don't know what I need to do to get there. I may not know if I can until I toe the line on race day.
Until then keep charging and pursue 50 miles.
Sunday, July 28, 2013
On the horizon
I am always thinking forward. The last couple of days I have been thinking about my 2014 running schedule. I don't know if I will try another 50 next year. I love the journey but I want to be around more to be a part of my kids journey. When they are older and involved in school and friends I may revisit the land of 50+
Next year I am doing The North Face again either the 50k or marathon. I won a free entry at a fun run with Dean Karnazes. But other than that I have no clue. Last year at this time I knew I would do Lakefront Marathon. There are a few races that I would like to do. John Dick 50k, and South Shore Half. Both races cost less than 15$ so why not. The following is a list of races that are on my radar for 2014.
The Big Ten 10k
Grandma's Marathon
Rock N Roll Chicago
Madison Mini
Door County Half
Ice Age 50k or Half
Dances With Dirt Half
Rock N Sole Half
Grand Island Marathon
Twin Cities Marathon
Chicago 50k
If money was not an issue I would love to run New York or the Marines Marathon, but not this year. I don't know where next year will take me. I would love to go on a destination race. I wish there were more fall half marathons in the Midwest. For now I will keep my eye on the horizon and continue charging towards 50.
Next year I am doing The North Face again either the 50k or marathon. I won a free entry at a fun run with Dean Karnazes. But other than that I have no clue. Last year at this time I knew I would do Lakefront Marathon. There are a few races that I would like to do. John Dick 50k, and South Shore Half. Both races cost less than 15$ so why not. The following is a list of races that are on my radar for 2014.
The Big Ten 10k
Grandma's Marathon
Rock N Roll Chicago
Madison Mini
Door County Half
Ice Age 50k or Half
Dances With Dirt Half
Rock N Sole Half
Grand Island Marathon
Twin Cities Marathon
Chicago 50k
If money was not an issue I would love to run New York or the Marines Marathon, but not this year. I don't know where next year will take me. I would love to go on a destination race. I wish there were more fall half marathons in the Midwest. For now I will keep my eye on the horizon and continue charging towards 50.
Ready for the Run
This Saturday was my longest training run, 50k. All went okay and there were no major issues. Just lots of running and lots of walking. Last time I ran a 50k it was in the snow and ice, I finished in 8:17. This go round I finished in 7:17. My running time was 6:30 so I felt good about my outcome, with :47 minuets of rest stops. Then I started freaking out. I entered my times into running calculators and figured I will be real close to missing the cut offs. Two weeks ago I ran a marathon, last weekend I ran two half marathons close to 2:00 with a nasty migraine in between and then ran a 50k this weekend. Maybe race day I will be more rested.
My first mile of yesterdays run was in 12:22. I felt a little slow for the first mile, but I said to myself, if I can hold this pace all day I'd be happy with that. My overall running pace was 12:26. Right on target. I am thinking that come race day I will shoot for 12-13 pace with 5-10 minute rest stops I should be fine. How do you run 50 miles? Let me count the ways. It's only a 50k and half marathon and a 10k. I like to think of it more as 1+1+1+1+1+1......
This week I ran 13.1 on Sunday a 10k on Wednesday and 50k on Saturday. Throw in walking 6.5 miles for my commute to work, a 5k fun run, and swimming a mile I have had one monster week. If I can do this I hope I can do 50 miles.
My first mile of yesterdays run was in 12:22. I felt a little slow for the first mile, but I said to myself, if I can hold this pace all day I'd be happy with that. My overall running pace was 12:26. Right on target. I am thinking that come race day I will shoot for 12-13 pace with 5-10 minute rest stops I should be fine. How do you run 50 miles? Let me count the ways. It's only a 50k and half marathon and a 10k. I like to think of it more as 1+1+1+1+1+1......
This week I ran 13.1 on Sunday a 10k on Wednesday and 50k on Saturday. Throw in walking 6.5 miles for my commute to work, a 5k fun run, and swimming a mile I have had one monster week. If I can do this I hope I can do 50 miles.
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