Daily run logging has resumed... August reflection

Today's run: 7 miles @ 8:34/mile in 1:00:08, outdoors - elevation 234 ft

Rolling, rolling, rolling... I am rolling along toward my goal marathon of the year - the Marine Corps Marathon. I put in 160 miles in August, my highest mileage month of this year (maybe ever). I've tracked my heart rate and my efficiency at 150 beats per minute is presently at around 8:45/mile pace when run at my 7 mile baseline.

Tomorrow begins September. The mileage will continue to rise. Probably to 200 or more miles. I hope to watch the heart rate bpm drop. I still need to know how to analyze this heart rate data, but I do use the info on the run. When I feel I need a break, I break until my heart rate is in the 120s range.

My painful right knee is occasionally bugging me, but it isn't hurting me like an injury. I bought new shoes and know that I should never let so many miles go by in a pair of shoes without replacing them. Well, more to come.

Getting ready to race

I am still plugging away at this running thing. August marked my second year training at running distance races. I am happy that my first running injury suffered this June has not completely sabotaged my Fall marathon plans, but my hopes for an early Boston qualifier is almost assuredly off. I gave myself 3 years to run a Boston qualifying race. For me, on the cusp of age 35 that means that I must run 3:15:59 to qualify. That's averaging 7:28/mile for 26.2 miles.

What makes me think I can get to Boston soon? I ran a 5K race in May in 21:06 with a fever. I ran the Cherry Blossom 10-miler in 1:12:57 without gasping, which is an average pace of 7:17/mile. I think that if I didn't injure myself running 50 miles/week I would've been able to post the sub-20 minute 5K and 1:30 half marathon I'd feel gives me the best indicator of my 3:15 potential.

What do I need now? Speed. I will have to ask myself to race 10K every three weeks until MCM to break 3:30. I want to put up at least 2 sub-45 minute 10K (my best race time is 46:21). There are 11 weeks to go until the Marine Corp Marathon. It is time to put up or cruise to the finish line. I prefer to race.

Back in the saddle once again

I am running again. I don't know if my knee is right just yet, but I am running. I did 2 miles on Monday to test things out and 3 yesterday to get back in the swing of things. Today, I played basketball and won two games of one-on-one and a game of 21 and had no problem playing above the rim, so I know that P90X is working (plyometrics, baby).

I am wearing a knee brace during every physical activity (except swimming). It is a bit uncomfortable, but keeps my knee from yelling at me so I'll wear it. I am also swimming more than ever before. I can only go 50 meters at a time, but I rack up some reps while the kids are in swim practice. Breath control in swimming is serious business.

P90X has put a few pounds on me, but I think that 190 lbs looks good on me. It funny how I used to think I couldn't get down to 192 and now I have to put on weight to get to 190.

The Summer's good. Life is good. I just celebrated my eleven year anniversary with a beautiful wife and happy, healthy, and awesome children. I couldn't be happier.

One more week to go

I have been "resting" my knee for more than two weeks now. One run in almost a month. The runner's knee scare had me see an orthopedist who had recommended I perform inner quad strengthening exercises since he suspected the reason to be a muscle imbalance pulling my patella off center. I've been doing these straight leg quad contractions 50 reps twice a day for a week now and have been given instruction to test out running again in a week. I have a knee brace to use when I do, but it will feel good to get back out and run again. I gotta train again and revise the plan to fit a new time goal.

MCM Training - Week 2 (5/31 - 6/6)

A hard head makes for soft tissue damage. I ran only once this past week, on Monday for four miles. The previous week left me with an acute pain in my right outer knee so I decided to rest by not running. Instead I began the P90X program.

P90X is not the ideal way to rest, but it did not stress my knee (even the plyometrics) like running did. I did get a good cardio workout doing the PlyometricsX and I am getting some much needed strength training and stretching via Yoga X. I am even doing the dieting, which has caused me to cook some pretty tasty meals that I would have otherwise not done.

I plan on doing some light running in the mornings next week and plan on keeping the P90X thing going. I will restart marathon training in late June or the beginning of July with a different 16 week training plan for MCM. I am going to scale back my marathon goal at MCM to 3:25:00. We'll see...

MCM Training - Week 1

This week was an adventure in running too much. I ran 6 days this week and covered 49.5 miles for an average of 8.25 miles per day this week with a long run of 12 miles. I did my first two double run days of 4 miles in the morning and 4 miles in the evening. These were not too bad I had much more trouble with my 8 miles straight days on Tuesday and Thursday. I had to remember to slow down when the temperature is too hot and really need to relearn how to refuel on the run.

I say that this was a trial of running too much because I have probably given myself a bit of ITB soreness (aka, runner's knee) and this is most likely due to trying to run too much too soon. I have no swelling, just tenderness, so I do not think it is serious. I probably need to follow the RICE principle (rest, ice, compression, and elevation). I plan to rest today and maybe even tomorrow if the pain is consistent with yesterday and today then I'll resume the training.

Road to Boston Qualifier at MCM

I have completed another race - my sixth since picking up running in Summer 2008. Since my body has transformed from my 6'4" 211 lbs frame to 185 lbs over nearly 2 years and I've covered more than 1,640 miles in that time. I feel my potential to become pretty good at this running thing so I am assessing my goals. The only goal I have that is somewhat long term is to "Boston Qualify." I turn 35 this year, which requires that I cover the 26.2 mile distance in a certified race in 3 hours 15 minutes. Where do I stand with regard to this goal? Well I decided to look at the age graded score for this race time compared to my current race times.

Race #1 - Baltimore Half Marathon 1:51:57 - Age Graded Percentile 33 (52.98%)

Race #2 - Jug Bay 10K 00:46:21- Age Graded Percentile 33 (58.6%)

Race #3 - Frederick Running Festival Marathon 4:03:27 - Age Graded Percentile 33 (51.31%)

Race #4 - Baltimore Running Festival Marathon 3:58:19 - Age Graded Percentile 34 (52.42%)

Race #5 - Cherry Blossom 10-Mile Run 1:12:57 - Age Graded Percentile 34 (61.33%)

Race #6 - Armed Forces 5K 21:07 - Age Graded Percentile 34 (62.08%)

I have definitely gotten better with more training and base mileage. It may appear that I do better in the shorter races, but since I have been perfecting my training regimen and getting more base mileage in I should be able to do better in all race lengths.

So, the age graded percentile for a male of 35 years running a 3:15:59 marathon is 63.74%, which is an entirely feasible goal if I train hard through the Summer. I will set up some benchmark races this Summer to see if I can really do it at MCM this year. I think that I'll need to get the following:

• Race A - 10K - 42:00:00
• Race B - Half-Marathon - 1:33:00
• Race C - 5K - 00:20:00

I've got the training plan to do it (see here) now for the work. Progress will be logged.