2009 Running Report

2009 Running Report

Good year in running for me. I had no injuries, save the current chaffing episode (see previous blog entry). I completed my first two marathons on very hilly and challenging conditions. I completed 1,136.7 miles in 171 runs. I ran in Australia, the UK, Orlando, and all over Bowie. The vast majority of my runs were outside and I think I am still getting faster. I hope 2010 brings good runs and a few new PRs in more different types of races. I still hope to get a BQ (Boston Qualifier - 3:15), but that is a bit of a stretch in the next year.

Total Runs Recorded in 2009

Runs: 171
Avg. Time: 00:57:35
Total Time: 164:09:08
Avg. Speed: 6.9 MPH
Avg. Mi Pace: 8:39
Avg. Dist.: 6.6 Mi
Total Dist.: 1136.7 Mi
Avg. Cal. Burned: 987.7 C
Total Cal. Burned: 166,926 C

Outdoor Runs in 2009

Count: 106 Activities
Distance: 767.44 mi
Time: 111:44:19 h:m:s
Elevation Gain: 95,334 ft
Avg Speed: 6.9 mph
Calories: 108,138 C
Avg Elevation Gain: 973 ft

Races in 2009

Baltimore Marathon 10/10/2009
Dist: 26.45 Mi
Time: 03:58:23
Pace: 09:00 min/mi



Frederick Marathon 05/30/2009
Dist: 26.20 Mi
Time: 04:03:27
Pace: 9:17 min/mi

Thursday Tempo Run

8.0 miles - 1:05:48 - 8:13 min/mi average pace

Treadmill tempo run today. 1 mile warm up and cool down. 6 miles in 46:41 for an average pace of 7:46 min/mi. Good stuff, now for some football :)

Twighlight loop around the hood

I never knew that socks could make such a difference. I bought a pair of Balega Enduro socks for my upcoming marathon and gave them a trial run this evening. OMG the words fail me they felt so good. They even have a cool website.



Short summary of the run. I ran well, I am finding that I can fairly easily run 8 minute miles, even when I am not trying to go fast. I got chased by the largest German Sheppard ever, interrupted dinner for a family of deer, and got cheered on my neighborhood kids. Not bad.

Stats:

• 6.01 miles
• 48:09
• 8:00 min/mi

P.S. I had done my 100 push-up and 8-minute ab workouts on Monday and Tuesday, but I skipped it tonight. I'll get back to it tomorrow.

Taper, taper, taper... I am trying to be disciplined and make today an easy run. I used the McMillan Running Calculator to determine what an easy run pace is and the result came back with 8:49 min/mi or 6.8 mph. So, I got on the treadmill and that is what I did. I could not resist spiking the run with a mile at 3.5% incline.



I have a couple of other thoughts that have been on my mind...

Yesterday's Boston Marathon appeared to be really good. I had to watch the finishes online because I was at work, but once again the women's final had plenty of drama and once again the finish race featured Dire Tune of Ethiopia. Unlike last year Ms. Tune failed to overcome the kick of Salina Kosegi and this time she fell over from exhaustion at the finish line. I saw her carried out on a stretcher and that was it. She is an amazing athlete she is the former Boston champion and there have been no front page reports on her health. In fact, I am no web research rookie and I can find no reports of her well-being on the Web.

This disappoints me.

Negative splits are for rock stars

Saturday mornings. My Saturday mornings are the days I relish most because it is the one time in a week where I have an hour or two to myself to see what I am all about. I am in my taper so today's long run is only 12 miles. I am trying to find my marathon pace so I set out to go out at a pace a bit above my goal time and come back at running my goal pace with increasingly stronger paces. Fat chance.

I still don't know my goal time. I felt good the whole time, but when I looked at my Garmin around mile 5 I realized that I was going too fast and had little hope of returning at a faster rate. I gave the negative split attempt a go, but I could not seem to match my effort at the start - I was tired. I did, however, push myself to my second fastest mile for my last and am grateful for that. Now I know what it takes to be an elite. I will have to train to my highest ability and have the confidence in myself to push beyond when the effort is required.

Split new ToolTip({'hideDelay':0,'delay':0,'hideEvent':'','showEvent':'mouseover'} ,{'onhide':null,'onshow':null,'oncomplete':null} ,"j_id80:normalTable:j_id85","j_id80:normalTable:j_id84","client",false,"bottom-right",false,10,10,"A4J.AJAX.Submit('_viewRoot','j_id80',event,ajaxOptions)",{'parameters':{'j_id80:normalTable:j_id85':'j_id80:normalTable:j_id85','ajaxSingle':'j_id80:normalTable:j_id85'} ,'actionUrl':'/page/activity/splits.faces','oncomplete':function(request,event,data){;{var _toolTip = $('j_id80:normalTable:j_id85').component;_toolTip.toolTipContent = $('j_id80:normalTable:j_id85content');_toolTip.displayDiv();}},'control':this,'onbeforedomupdate':function(request,showEvent,data){;{ var _toolTip = $('j_id80:normalTable:j_id85').component;_toolTip.toolTip.style.display = 'none'; }}} );; Split	seconds new ToolTip({'showEvent':'mouseover','delay':0,'hideDelay':0,'hideEvent':''} ,{'oncomplete':null,'onshow':null,'onhide':null} ,"j_id80:normalTable:j_id92","j_id80:normalTable:j_id91","client",false,"bottom-right",false,10,10,"A4J.AJAX.Submit('_viewRoot','j_id80',event,ajaxOptions)",{'parameters':{'ajaxSingle':'j_id80:normalTable:j_id92','j_id80:normalTable:j_id92':'j_id80:normalTable:j_id92'} ,'actionUrl':'/page/activity/splits.faces','oncomplete':function(request,event,data){;{var _toolTip = $('j_id80:normalTable:j_id92').component;_toolTip.toolTipContent = $('j_id80:normalTable:j_id92content');_toolTip.displayDiv();}},'control':this,'onbeforedomupdate':function(request,showEvent,data){;{ var _toolTip = $('j_id80:normalTable:j_id92').component;_toolTip.toolTip.style.display = 'none'; }}} );; Total Time	miles new ToolTip({'hideEvent':'','hideDelay':0,'delay':0,'showEvent':'mouseover'} ,{'onhide':null,'oncomplete':null,'onshow':null} ,"j_id80:normalTable:j_id99","j_id80:normalTable:j_id98","client",false,"bottom-right",false,10,10,"A4J.AJAX.Submit('_viewRoot','j_id80',event,ajaxOptions)",{'parameters':{'ajaxSingle':'j_id80:normalTable:j_id99','j_id80:normalTable:j_id99':'j_id80:normalTable:j_id99'} ,'actionUrl':'/page/activity/splits.faces','oncomplete':function(request,event,data){;{var _toolTip = $('j_id80:normalTable:j_id99').component;_toolTip.toolTipContent = $('j_id80:normalTable:j_id99content');_toolTip.displayDiv();}},'control':this,'onbeforedomupdate':function(request,showEvent,data){;{ var _toolTip = $('j_id80:normalTable:j_id99').component;_toolTip.toolTip.style.display = 'none'; }}} );; Total Distance	feet new ToolTip({'hideEvent':'','delay':0,'showEvent':'mouseover','hideDelay':0} ,{'onhide':null,'oncomplete':null,'onshow':null} ,"j_id80:normalTable:j_id106","j_id80:normalTable:j_id105","client",false,"bottom-right",false,10,10,"A4J.AJAX.Submit('_viewRoot','j_id80',event,ajaxOptions)",{'parameters':{'ajaxSingle':'j_id80:normalTable:j_id106','j_id80:normalTable:j_id106':'j_id80:normalTable:j_id106'} ,'actionUrl':'/page/activity/splits.faces','oncomplete':function(request,event,data){;{var _toolTip = $('j_id80:normalTable:j_id106').component;_toolTip.toolTipContent = $('j_id80:normalTable:j_id106content');_toolTip.displayDiv();}},'control':this,'onbeforedomupdate':function(request,showEvent,data){;{ var _toolTip = $('j_id80:normalTable:j_id106').component;_toolTip.toolTip.style.display = 'none'; }}} );; Elevation Gain	feet new ToolTip({'hideDelay':0,'delay':0,'hideEvent':'','showEvent':'mouseover'} ,{'onhide':null,'onshow':null,'oncomplete':null} ,"j_id80:normalTable:j_id113","j_id80:normalTable:j_id112","client",false,"bottom-right",false,10,10,"A4J.AJAX.Submit('_viewRoot','j_id80',event,ajaxOptions)",{'parameters':{'ajaxSingle':'j_id80:normalTable:j_id113','j_id80:normalTable:j_id113':'j_id80:normalTable:j_id113'} ,'actionUrl':'/page/activity/splits.faces','oncomplete':function(request,event,data){;{var _toolTip = $('j_id80:normalTable:j_id113').component;_toolTip.toolTipContent = $('j_id80:normalTable:j_id113content');_toolTip.displayDiv();}},'control':this,'onbeforedomupdate':function(request,showEvent,data){;{ var _toolTip = $('j_id80:normalTable:j_id113').component;_toolTip.toolTip.style.display = 'none'; }}} );; Elevation Loss	minutes per mile new ToolTip({'hideDelay':0,'hideEvent':'','delay':0,'showEvent':'mouseover'} ,{'onshow':null,'oncomplete':null,'onhide':null} ,"j_id80:normalTable:j_id120","j_id80:normalTable:j_id119","client",false,"bottom-right",false,10,10,"A4J.AJAX.Submit('_viewRoot','j_id80',event,ajaxOptions)",{'parameters':{'ajaxSingle':'j_id80:normalTable:j_id120','j_id80:normalTable:j_id120':'j_id80:normalTable:j_id120'} ,'actionUrl':'/page/activity/splits.faces','oncomplete':function(request,event,data){;{var _toolTip = $('j_id80:normalTable:j_id120').component;_toolTip.toolTipContent = $('j_id80:normalTable:j_id120content');_toolTip.displayDiv();}},'control':this,'onbeforedomupdate':function(request,showEvent,data){;{ var _toolTip = $('j_id80:normalTable:j_id120').component;_toolTip.toolTip.style.display = 'none'; }}} );; Average Speed	minutes per mile new ToolTip({'hideEvent':'','showEvent':'mouseover','hideDelay':0,'delay':0} ,{'onshow':null,'onhide':null,'oncomplete':null} ,"j_id80:normalTable:j_id127","j_id80:normalTable:j_id126","client",false,"bottom-right",false,10,10,"A4J.AJAX.Submit('_viewRoot','j_id80',event,ajaxOptions)",{'parameters':{'j_id80:normalTable:j_id127':'j_id80:normalTable:j_id127','ajaxSingle':'j_id80:normalTable:j_id127'} ,'actionUrl':'/page/activity/splits.faces','oncomplete':function(request,event,data){;{var _toolTip = $('j_id80:normalTable:j_id127').component;_toolTip.toolTipContent = $('j_id80:normalTable:j_id127content');_toolTip.displayDiv();}},'control':this,'onbeforedomupdate':function(request,showEvent,data){;{ var _toolTip = $('j_id80:normalTable:j_id127').component;_toolTip.toolTip.style.display = 'none'; }}} );; Max Speed
Summary	01:39:00	12.01	2,219	2,219	08:14	03:09
1	00:08:10	1.00	150	128	08:10	06:59
2	00:07:50	1.00	159	170	07:50	06:44
3	00:08:05	1.00	76	129	08:05	06:49
4	00:08:11	1.00	238	243	08:11	06:10
5	00:07:54	1.00	453	464	07:54	03:09
6	00:07:59	1.00	326	361	07:59	05:09
7	00:08:56	1.00	121	73	08:56	07:16
8	00:08:21	1.00	207	202	08:21	05:16
9	00:08:11	1.00	91	98	08:11	06:50
10	00:08:30	1.00	159	71	08:30	07:36
11	00:08:52	1.00	155	161	08:52	07:26
12	00:07:52	1.00	84	120	07:52	05:56
13	00:00:04	0.01

Good weather arrives!

I could not wait to get outside. Prior to today I have had three consecutive runs on a treadmill. The temperature, breeze and hills felt good. I just felt the joy of running today nevermind that it was getting dark before I got home. I just ran and maintained a good pace of 7:43 min/miles over 4.21 miles.

I just saw the new Nike Zoom Vomero+ 4 today. They look so awesome and I love almost every mile I ran in my Vomero+ 3's. I cannot believe that I let the fact that my running shoe store didn't have them in my size make me switch to my Saucony Triumph 6 shoe, which isn't bad its just I don't yet love them like the Vomeros. Oh well, I will not let that rain on my parade.

New Ab Workout Routine

I did a easy 8 miles today on the basement treadmill at an 8:55 min/mi pace. It was supposed to be a really easy run, but the squats and lunges from last night's weightlifting must've made it a little more interesting.

ForeverRun (a.k.a. Sara) from the Loop posted a blog about an obscure 1994 video called 8-minute Abs and this routine kicked my butt. I had been doing the Lolo Jones workout from February Runner's World magazine and this workout may have just replaced it as my favorite. This is because it is a complete Ab workout that does not require stopping to transition. If you can stand cheesy faux-90s Jazz/easy-listening you should check this workout out.

Less than 20 days to go until race time

Good ole Hal Higdon. I've used his Novice 1 marathon training plan for 16 weeks now and have logged over 376 miles since January began. Today was the first day I could walk normally after my longest run ever of 20 miles this weekend and I wanted to thank my body by going fast. So, after dinner this evening I headed out to the gym to bang out a 5-miler with a goal of sub-eight minute miles for the whole run.

I did the first 5K (3.1 miles) of this workout at 8 MPH on the treadmill, then took it down to 6.7 MPH for the next mile finishing the run a 8 to 8.3 MPH. The total 5 miles took me 38 minutes 50 seconds, a 7:46 min/mi pace - not bad.

We had a chance to hang out with Helen and Brandon down in Florida and got to talking about Brandon's body building competitions. This got me and Nay inspired and though we aren't entering any upcoming shows we both have been frequenting the Bodybuilding.com website and upping our workout activity. Tonight I lifted weights for about an hour and a half after running.

Workout

• Bench Press
• Deadlift
• Shrug
• Pushups
• Pullups
• 21's
• Side Curls
• Hammer Curls
• Skull Crushers
• Kickbacks
• Bent Arm Rows
• Side Lateral Raises
• Squats
• Walking Lunges

I started off with lighter weights because I have not lifted free weights in a while and have lost a lot of muscle in the last year or so. I want to get a more visibly strong physique so I'll be at this for a while and I am going to try to eat better. I actually bought some Whey protein since I don't tend to eat a lot of protein in my normal diet. Speaking of diet, I actually stayed on track with one today. I can get away with eating cookies because I am only 185 lbs (12% body fat), but I can get so much better if I just eat the right things.

FL Vacation Run #2

I set out to run 10 miles today to make up for missing my run yesterday, but I stopped at 6.62 miles due to an upset tummy. I thought better of running 10 miles yesterday because we went to the Magic Kingdom and I knew my legs would get a serious workout standing in line, walking and carrying my daughter, and I get cranky when tired.

Stats:

• Total distance: 6.62 miles
• Elevation gain: 369 ft
• Average speed: 08:30 min/mi
  

I'm running in the rain

I set out today to run fast, to make this marathon goal of mine more real. I want to run a 3:40 marathon. I need to run at an 8:24 min/mi pace for 26.2 miles to accomplish this - no easy feat. My goal for today was to run 10 miles at a 8:00 min/mi pace. It was misting when I got home from work today. I wrapped by iPod in a plastic baggie and put my Garmin on and ran out the door hoping to get the miles in before it both got too dark to run and before the drizzle turned into an all out rain.

Well, I could not run my normal long distance route because it doesn't have street lights and I didn't map a new one because I actually planned to run inside on the treadmill. I pieced together some routes that I thought might make up 10 miles and by my estimation it might have worked had the rain held off a little longer. I have lost one iPod due to running too long in the rain and I would not risk my new Nano and my Garmin 405 to a similar fate. So I rounded the entrance to my neighborhood at about mile 7 and wandered the sidewalks to increase the mileage count to just over 8 miles before trudging home in the rain.

Stats:
8.14 miles
1:06:16
8:08 min/mi

5 miles on the treadmill

I jumped on the treadmill for a quick 5 mile run today determined to maintain an 8 min/mi pace. I think that because I have been running these long distances recently I have not been expecting fast paces and got used to running slower. Eight minute miles is not too fast for me, but I have gotten unaccustomed to the pace. I accomplished my goal and even increased the pace for the final mile to complete the 5 miles in 39:48. I have got to remember to hold on to my pace in my long weekend runs in order to be ready for the marathon. You get used to the exertion, but your brain tells you to slow up even though you can keep going.

The almost 20-miler...

Well I got to run this weekend because my intramural basketball team laid an egg on Friday. At 3:30 PM on Saturday I cleared my schedule for 3 hours and set out to run. It was a misty/drizzly afternoon and I had a bit of fear about wearing my electronic equipment. I left my iPod and wore my Garmin, but I brought a sandwich baggie just in case the mist turned in to a real rain.

About 5 miles in my Garmin starts beeping to tell me that the battery charge is low. I saw the indicator earlier that day and noticed that it was at 33% battery. I guess that I misjudged that a charge level like that would carry me through the entire run because it stopped for me at 13.62 miles. I intended to run 20 miles, but I invented the route as I went along even running 1 mile down a dead end road. I finished with an 18.77 mile run as mapped by the Gmaps Pedometer.

I am bothered by my 9:38 min/mi pace because it seemed pretty close to my mental limit, but I did complete my hardest mileage week ever (56.78 miles). I really want a sub-4 hour marathon. If I am going to get it I am going to have to toughen up.

Championship weekend begins - the affect on training

I have officially retired my Nike+ Vomero 3 running shoes and replaced them with a pair of Saucony Triumph 6 kicks. I also finally registered for the Maryland Double, which means that I am now committed to completing both the Frederick and Baltimore Marathons. Yay!

This week I put in my normal midweek trio of treadmill workouts. My mileage was 5-10-5 from Tuesday to Thursday and I was facing a 20-miler this weekend, but doubt/hope I can't do it. You see, my intramural basketball team is in the third round of the playoffs this weekend and our championship is Sunday at the Comcast Center at the University of Maryland.

Tonight we take on the Minnesota Golden Gophers in the Elite Eight for our hopeful berth to battle the winner of Virgina/NC State on Saturday in the Final Four. Last game I was player of the game for the first - without scoring a field goal! I had to play a 6'8" guy from Emory University that outweighed me by probably 100 lbs. I got fouled every time I held the ball down low and I wanted the ball. After going 5 of 6 from the foul line I got a generous goal tend from my large friend and finished the game with 7 points. Not the highest scorer, but the most tenacious effort. I've got to play like that tonight and all weekend for us to gain the championship.

Let's go Maryland!

My first 18-miler

Today's run technically belongs to week 11 of my training program. I normally rest on Sundays, but I am in the playoffs with my intramural basketball team and we had a game on Saturday. We had a good game and beat the alumni team from Emory I had 7 points, but had to go 5 of 6 from the free throw line because my 6 foot 7, 300 lbs opponent kept fouling me. This run would've been mile 39 of that week - my highest weekly total ever.

Well I needed to get the run in, but convinced myself to do the run in the morning. So, I woke up at about 4:30 AM, ate a bowl of Grape Nuts and was out the door at 5:15 AM. The only problem was that it was still really dark out and I had no idea when the sun was supposed to rise. I solved this dilemma by running along the major roads in my area for about 12 miles hoping that the sun would peek above the horizon enough to light the way on my rural running road. The plan worked and I entered the far end of Beaver Dam Road 6:55 AM with enough sunlight to not run into a deer unexpectedly.

I ate a Clif Bar today for energy on the road. I gave me energy, but it is a brick. I mean I nearly broke a tooth trying snap off a piece. My legs felt pretty dead from mile 13 on, I could not put in the strides I planned on at that point. So the stats for my run were:

• Total Distance: 18.01 mi
• Total Time: 2:51:33
• Avg Pace: 9:31 min/mi
• Detail: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/2689229

I also got my Nike+ 500 mile club milestone. I complain often about my Nike+ and do prefer the data I get from my Garmin, but I like the milestones in Nike. They really make you feel like you accomplished something.

Running to Hoegaarden

Probably the only time I voluntarily did 5 miles on the treadmill. I got home about 5 minutes into the first half of the UMD vs Cal game, changed clothes and jumped on the treadmill because I needed to get in my five miles. I also had just gotten some Hoegaarden, which is an awesome beer that I had first tasted on my recent trip to Australia, and I could wait to plop down on the couch a watch some of the second half with a frosty mug. I was supposed to do a fairly slow recovery run of about 9:00 min/miles, but I just couldn't bear running for 45 minutes and only catching a little of the second half in comfort. So, I stepped it up a little and ran at 7 mph (an 8:34 min/mi pace).

So the good news is that Maryland won and my beautiful wife was a TV star for 5 seconds today hanging out in the mid-point break with Whoopi Goldberg on the View. I also had my brew, which was not the same as the draft I had down under, but immensly better when you pour it out in a can and into a glass.

My First Interval Training

Training phase: Week 11, Day 2

Today I did 10 x 800 meter intervals at 10K pace with a warm-up, cool-down and 400 meter rest laps. Total distance was 10.01 miles, average pace was 08:47 min/miles which is pretty amazing given that I walked and cruised for five the ten miles.

Pace/distance graph showing my intervals and rest breaks.

• Split 01: 7:01 min/mi
• Split 02: 7:01 min/mi
• Split 03: 7:14 min/mi
• Split 04: 7:22 min/mi
• Split 05: 7:35 min/mi
• Split 06: 7:35 min/mi
• Split 07: 7:23 min/mi
• Split 08: 7:24 min/mi
• Split 09: 7:32 min/mi
• Split 10: 7:33 min/mi
• Average: 7:22 min/mi

McMillan's running calculator, which I used to create my marathon goals, gave me my expected 800s speed workout time range as being 3:24.7 to 3:34.2, so I was a little off. However, I ran how I felt so I don't care about the 7 seconds I acheived my goal 10 miles. I consider this race as a base-building phase and the training I do for October's Baltimore Marathon as the one where I build upon my speed.

5 fast miles on a treadmill

I did a hardcore five mile treadmill run tonight at the gym. Started the run at 09:20 PM with a first mile at 7.5 mph, second at 7.6 mph, 7.7, then 7.8 mph. The last mile I bumped it up to 8.0 mph for the next 800 meters, the next 400 meters at 9.0 mph and the last lap at 9.5 mph. The average pace for my run was 7:41 min/miles. Followed the run up with a single weight training circuit of chest press, rows, shoulder press, pulldowns, squat, weighted lunges, ab machines, and planks. I was supposed to do another but the gym was closing so I headed back home to my sleeping family.

I read an awesome story about the current SunTrust National Marathon champ Michael Wardian. Michael has defended his title three consecutive times and is the USTFA's 2008 "Ultra Runner of the Year." His record wins at the National Marathon and 50K and 100K races didn't impress me as much as the fact that the guys is a lot like me. He is married with a kid and works a full-time job. He does what he needs to do to train like running a marathon on a treadmill (he formerly held the world record) and running like a mad man with a baby stroller. If you get a chance check out the article from Runner's World it was cool.

Feeling good and can't wait for Frederick Running Festival. There are 6 weeks and 6 days left until the race.

wOOt

Frederick RF 2009 Marathon Training - Week 10, Long Run

Training phase: Week 10, Long Run

Set out Saturday morning to complete my step back week 12 mile run at the goal pace of 08:49 to 09:49 min/mi. This pace is determined from the McMillan Running Calculator based on my best 10K race result. I am striving for a sub-03:40:00 marathon.

I run with both my Garmin and my Nike+iPod because I am driven to get at least 500 miles with Nike+ before throwing it in a ditch and getting the overly expensive Garmin foot pod to satisfy my treadmill data collection needs.

My Nike+iPod deserves better treatment because it has seen me through the beginning of my running life. I wore it on my PR for my 10K and my first pseudo race was the Nike+ Human Race 10K. However it has never been particularly accurate, costing me recorded miles and making me run longer and harder to achieve my goals. Today it froze my iPod just when I thought that I was going to finally achieve my 500 mi. milestone. Gotta be fair though, I have never calibrated the thing. I think it is the same problem I have with doing my speed work I like to run right after leaving my door. I don't drive to the track or other trails. I must write on this later.

Speaking of throwing things in a ditch... I actually would never do that. I carry water and fruit snacks with me on my long runs and the occasional half a banana. I have only thrown out the banana skin on my routes. I was actually wondering about whether running in the gutter/ditch/breakdown-lane affects your pace when I passed a litter clean up crew. Now, I run on a very scenic, public road that is very lightly traveled most of the time. It is actually the very road where most of the GW Birthday Marathon occurs. This road gets a lot of beer cans, cigarette butts, and fast food dumps from the occasional knucklehead and I guess some of the unlucky knuckleheads of PG County got forced to do their civic duty that day.

I thought as I passed them the following: first what would they think of me (someone who looks a lot like them sans the sagging jeans and urban swagger) busting my tail on mile 10 of a 12 mile run when they have to walk a pick up trash as a punishment and two I saw way too many gel packs, water bottles, and other runner debris on the trail that they'll have to pick-up. I want all runners to be above that tendency and let it be clear that if a litter crew is forced to do a clean-up detail that they are picking-up after people who need to stop the bad behavior of smoking and drinking and driving - not running to improve their health and increase human performance.

Enough preaching, here are the stats.

Laps

• Split 1 - 07:59, 1.00 mile
• Split 2 - 08:11, 1.00 mile
• Split 3 - 07:53, 1.00 mile
• Split 4 - 08:28, 1.00 mile
• Split 5 - 08:18, 1.00 mile
• Split 6 - 07:49, 1.00 mile
• Split 7 - 10:32, 1.00 mile
• Split 8 - 07:56, 1.00 mile
• Split 9 - 08:13, 1.00 mile
• Split 10 - 08:43, 1.00 mile
• Split 11 - 08:54, 1.00 mile
• Split 12 - 08:10, 1.00 mile
• Split 13 - 41:41, 0.01 mile

Summary

• Total Time - 01:41:44
• Total Distance - 12.01
• Elevation Gain - 2,091
• Elevation Loss - 1,974
• Average Speed - 08:28
• Max Speed - 03:42

Frederick RF 2009 Marathon Training - Week 10, Day 3

Training phase: Week 10, Day 3

Did a scheduled 5 mile run as part of my Hal Higdon Novice 1 Marathon Training Plan. Brand new route for me. I followed Higgy's (my pet name for Hal Higdon) advice and sought out a new course to run. I chose a road run near my house that has long, slowly building hills. I found it challenging and have wondered has my fitness made some kind of milestone improvement because the 8"00 min/mi tempo paces I have set for myself are becoming easy.

• Split 1 - 07:47, 1.00 mile
  
• Split 2 - 07:44, 1.00 mile
• Split 3 - 07:43, 1.00 mile
• Split 4 - 07:55, 1.00 mile
• Split 5 - 08:32, 1.00 mile
• Split 6 - 08:15, 0.20 mile
  

Graph of my run's elevation, pace, and distance

I have got to register for this marathon! Next paycheck I swear!

Running and Blogging

I do not yet have a Facebook account. I am not sure why. My wife has one, my brother, my mom - why not me? I guess its because I am unsure why anyone would want to read about me and the things I am doing. But I am writing here, aren't I?

Well, this post is my first in close to one year. I had only created this Blogger account to publish some draft versions of a data visualization project I had in grad school. I have since graduated and hadn't thought of blogging until recently when I got bit by the running bug.

I started to keep a pretty detailed journal of my training after I started my training for the Maryland Double (the Frederick and Baltimore Running Festival marathons) this year. I have regularly read the forums on active.com since registering for the Baltimore Running Festival's Half-Marathon in 2008 to stay informed and energized about the race. So, since active.com provided members with blogging software I began to log my training with their training tool and journal my experiences with their blogging software. Inevitably, I wanted to do a better job, publish a better experience.

Active's blogging software left a few things to be desired. I cannot add persistent images and widgets like, JavaScript embedded content. So naturally I started to search for other people who keep a journal of their running lifestyle. The first one I stumbled upon was tim-purerunning here on Blogger. His blog gave me the inspiration to go deeper into this blogging thing since I now have a running hobby.

Since for once in my life I have a hobby that I am striving to perfect I have something to talk about (share) with others. Unlike football and basketball, I actually have been setting goals, practicing, reading books and seeking knowledge about how to improve in running. I have spent a fair amount of time perfecting my career skills, but it hasn't been something I spent a lot of time socializing. So, that is why I blog. I am blogging about my running for now, but I am actually going to have to figure out how to incorporate my other passionate interests. I hope that some of you have read this far and might be interested enough to follow me - it would be a great encouragement if I found that someone else found my writing useful or wished to provide helpful pointers.