Week 14 and 15: Uh-Oh

I was a little surprised the 30K race didn't hit me much harder than a normal Sunday long run. Of course I was disappointed by my performance in the 30K, but at least it shows I'm capable of sub-3 on a good day this year. I wanted to run the 30K in about 2 hours (6:30 pace) and was in a good group at that pace the first half, with RichF, the lead woman, and another guy. But I left them drift ahead of me a little on the second loop. The water stop at the turnaround for the third loop was crowded and I overran the last person with water. I had to turn around and run back to get to someone passing out water. I completely lost contact with the group running 6:30s. Not that I could see very far; I ran the race blind without my glasses because of the fog and mist. I tried to maintain pace, but I slowed into the upper 6:40s. Just after the end of the third loop I was blown away by DaleL, another 50+. He passed me so fast I couldn't try to keep up with him. I ended up fifth in the 50 to 54 age group. I can't believe I used to look forward to turning 50.

77 miles for the week (December 14th to 20th)
M AM - 5¾ miles recovery run at 8:40 pace, foggy 59°F at 4AM
M PM - missed
Tu - 6¾ miles at 7:25 pace, 66°F and foggy again at 4AM
W AM - 7¼ miles at 7:25 pace, 49°F and windy at 4AM
W PM - 5 miles with 6x600/200 at an average 7:11 pace, 600s in 2:09 to 2:01, 49°F and occasional light rain
Th - 6¾ miles recovery run at 8:14 pace, raining and 48°F at 4AM
F - 15¼ miles at 7:15 pace, 54°F at 10PM
Sa - 10¼ miles recovery run at 8:40 pace, some sun and 63°F at 1PM
Su - 20 miles LSD, average 7:36 pace, sunny and nice, 56 to 59°F from Noon



54¾ miles for the week (December 21st to 27th)
M - 10 miles recovery run at 8:46 pace, 65°F at 3PM
Tu - missed, traveled to Glen Rose to get furnace repaired (600+ mile round trip), 66°F morning low temperature
W - 11¾ miles with 4x1M, miles in 6:12, 6:02, 6:04, and 6:05, average pace 7:48, 74°F windy and humid at 11AM
Th - missed, just too busy, 71°F at midnight but a strong cold front came in and lowered temperature down to the 40s by the end of the day
F - missed, too busy again, 35°F morning low
Sa - 11 miles at 7:23 pace, 52°F at 5PM with continuous light rain
Su - 22 miles LSD with some sub-7 miles near the end, average 7:15 pace, sunny and nice, 55 to 58°F from Noon

I can usually find the time to keep up with marathon training through the holidays but it just didn't work out this year. Week 15 was supposed to be 91 miles, the last hard week before beginning a three-week taper. I was very discouraged Saturday. But Sunday's long run reminded me of why I enjoy distance running. I'll push as hard as I can this week and cut the taper to two weeks. This marathon won't be a PR, but I still hope for a strong race.

Week 13: Still Not Performing

82 miles for Week 13 (December 7th to December 13th)

On vacation all week
M - 9½ miles recovery run at 8:57 pace, 60°F raining with deep puddles at 5PM
Tu - 15 miles medium long run at 7:33 pace, 74°F windy and humid with deep puddles at 3PM
W - 10½ miles easy at 7:50 pace, 56°F at 11AM
Th - 11¾ miles with 4x1 mile hard, average 7:12 pace, miles in 6:18, 6:04, 5:57, and 6:01, 43°F and windy at 10AM
F - 8¼ miles easy at 7:54 pace in Glen Rose, my left knee bothered me on the hills, 46°F at 1PM
Sa - 7 miles recovery at 8:20 pace, 68°F at Noon
Su - 20 miles with a 30K race at an average 6:38 pace, 47°F from 7AM with fog and mist

The 30K time was a little better than the earlier races, but it's still not near where I want to be.

Here's a little copperhead I nearly ran over on Wednesday:

Houston Marathon Training Week12: Knee Again?

72½ miles for Week 12 (November 30th to December 6th)

M AM - 6¼ miles recovery run at 8:43 pace, 55°F windy and raining at 4AM
M PM - missed
Tu - 6¾ miles general aerobic at 7:09 pace, 51°F windy and raining at 4AM
W AM - 6¾ miles general aerobic at 7:28 pace, 47°F at 4AM
W PM - 6 miles on the track, 6x600 with 200 recoveries, my left knee started bothering me on the turns, 600s from 2:07 to 2:09, average pace 7:04, 48°F at 7PM
Th - 5¾ miles recovery run at 8:13 pace, 46°F at 4AM
F - 11 miles medium long run at 7:27 pace, my left knee started bothering me again, 35°F starting at 4:30PM (first 30s this Fall)
Sa - 10 miles easy at 8:41 pace, 47°F at 3PM
Su - 20 miles at an average 7:41 pace, left knee started complaining quite a bit the last couple of miles, 63°F from 1PM with continuous rain


The knee flair-up was a huge disappointment. I want to do the work, but dealing with this knee is just more frustration. I think I made a mistake by combining scheduled 6/4 recovery run doubles into one easy to get done run during my days off from work. Those ten mile recovery runs probably were too much of a stress. I still have hope for the Sugar Land 30K, but if the knee isn't back to 100% I won't be able to race.

Catching Up: Weeks 9, 10, and 11

I've been busy with the power plant finishing its refueling outage and then the Thanksgiving holiday. I'm also still somewhat discouraged with my training.

73¼ miles for Week 9 (November 9th to 15th)

M AM - 6¾ miles recovery run at 8:37 pace, 70°F at 4AM
M PM - missed
Tu AM - 6¾ miles recovery run at 8:32 pace, 64°F at 4AM
Tu PM - 4 miles on the treadmill at the power plant, 8:08 pace
W AM - 11 miles general aerobic at 7:15 pace, 62°F at 4AM
W PM - 7 miles on the track, average pace 6:46, 69°F at 7PM, plus another 1¼ miles to pick up my wife's van
Th AM - 6¾ miles recovery run at 8:23 pace, 59°F at 4AM
Th PM - missed
F - 13 miles medium long run at 7:16 pace, 71 to 74°F starting at 9AM (home waiting for the power plant to heat up)
Sa - 7½ miles easy at 8:11 pace, 79°F at 9AM with a Gulf breeze
Su - 9 miles at an average 7:21 pace, 78°F from 4PM after working all day at the power plant; came home too late for a long run



73¾ miles for Week 10 (November 16th to 22nd)

M AM - 4¾ miles recovery run at 8:16 pace, 75°F at 4AM
M PM - missed
Tu - 7¾ miles general aerobic at 7:09 pace, 46°F at 4AM first 40s of the season!
W AM - 7¼ miles hard general aerobic at 6:54 pace, 47°F at 4AM
W PM - 6 miles on the track, 6x600 with 200 recoveries, sped up on each 600, from 2:10 to 2:04, average pace 6:59, 65°F at 7PM
Th AM - 4 miles recovery run at 8:01 pace, 64°F at 4AM (woke up late)
Th PM - missed
F - 13 miles medium long run at 7:23 pace, rain all day with deep puddles, 66°F starting at 4:30PM
Sa - 9 miles easy at 8:44 pace, overcast 58°F at Noon
Su - 22 miles at an average 7:21 pace, 57 to 62°F from 9AM

Running in the cool 40s on Tuesday and Wednesday morning felt wonderful.


75 miles for Week 11 (November 23rd to 29th)

M - 10 miles recovery run at 8:54 pace, 71°F at 10AM (vacation day)
Tu - 10 miles recovery run at 8:30 pace, 66°F at 11AM (vacation day)
W - 11 miles medium long run at 7:17 pace, 64°F from 4:20PM, started too late to finish scheduled 15-miler (vacation day)
Th - 10 miles recovery run at 8:32 pace, 58°F from 10AM (Thanksgiving Day)
F AM - missed a 12-miler with 7 miles at LT; just felt bad
F PM - missed 4 mile recovery run, busy with family
Sa - 10 miles easy at 8:22 pace, 71°F at Noon with a Gulf breeze picking up
Su - 24 miles at an average 7:37 pace, 76 to 75°F with the dewpoint in the upper 60s°F starting at 10:45AM


There were some decent long runs, but I was disappointed I didn't even attempt the hard LT run on Friday. I don't know whether it was from Thanksgiving dinner or just apprehension about a long, difficult run, but I felt horrible that morning. At least there's another two weeks before the Sugar Land 30K.



We're getting pretty close to race time:

Week 8: New Shoes But Same Old Racing Rut

My new Nike Air Zoom Elite-4s arrived Friday. Here they are with my Mizuno Elixirs (916 miles) and Saucony Tangents (894 miles).





81¾ miles for Week 8 (November 2nd to 8th)

M AM - 6¾ miles recovery run at 8:50 pace, 55°F at 4AM
M PM - 4 miles on the treadmill at the power plant, 8:23 pace
Tu - 7¾ miles general aerobic at 7:15 pace, 57°F at 4AM
W AM - 10 miles general aerobic at 7:12 pace, 57°F at 4AM
W PM - 6 miles on the track, average pace 6:34, 66°F at 7PM, these miles felt so much better with the cooler temperatures
Th AM - 6¾ miles recovery run at 8:18 pace, 59°F at 4AM
Th PM - missed
F - 8¾ miles easy general aerobic at 7:37 pace, 58°F at 4AM
F - 4 miles on the treadmill at the power plant, 8:11 pace
Sa - 7½ miles easy at 8:42 pace, 78°F at Noon with a Gulf breeze picking up
Su - 20¼ miles with a 25K race at an average 6:55 pace, Hobby Airport had 70 to 71°F with the dewpoint 66 to 67°F (YUCK) at least it stayed overcast

The weather was beautiful this week, EXCEPT for Sunday's 25K race. Even considering the warm weather, I wasn't happy with my performance. I was encouraged by this week's training and thought I had a good shot at a decent 25K. At least there's another four weeks before the Sugar Land 30K.

These first three races don't project any glimmer of a new marathon PR:

Marathon Equivalent Performance
10M: 3:09:51
Half marathon: 3:08:03
25K: 3:08:08

Karen Thibodeaux has some good pictures, I like the ones rounding the corner leaving downtown. Stupid water-saving washing machines!

Week 7: Inspiration!

I watched Meb tear up Central Park Sunday morning and then I got the chance to run my first 22-mile long run under a beautiful deep blue sky in nice cool, dry air. You'd have to be dead to not be inspired.

75¾ miles for Week 7 (October 26th to November 1st)

M AM - 5¾ miles recovery run at 8:45 pace, 78°F at 4AM
M PM - missed
Tu - 7¾ miles general aerobic at 7:25 pace, 56°F at 4AM but not feeling very good (blew off a planned tempo run)
W AM - 10 miles general aerobic at 7:24 pace, 70°F at 4AM
W PM - 6 miles on the track, average pace 7:24, 80°F and very humid at 7PM, added another 1¼ miles to pick up a car
Th AM - 4 miles recovery run at 8:44 pace, 81°F at 4AM, just before I went out to run I heard a noise in the garage and found the hose to the washing machine spraying water into a flooded garage
Th PM - missed (replaced the washing machine hoses and valves)
F - 10 miles general aerobic at 7:27 pace, heavy rain and deep puddles, but a nice cool 57°F at 4AM
Sa - 9 miles easy at 7:38 pace, 69°F at Noon, very nice and sunny!
Su - 22 miles averaging 7:38 pace, very nice and sunny, 71 to 72°F from 11:30AM with the dewpoint in hte upper 40s!


I'm hoping this inspiration and nice weather will carry over to Sunday's 25K race.
I still need a new pair of shoes.

Week 6: I Need New Shoes

My current running shoes, Mizuno Elixirs, now have over 900 miles on them. I think I'm starting to feel it too, especially in the lower legs. I've been searching shoe sales, but I haven't found a pair of lightweight support shoes for under $70. To make matters worse, I lost my work shoes at the power plant on Monday. I had to walk in pouring rain from the office building to the plant, getting my shoes completely soaked. And wet shoes are contamination magnets:



So I had to buy new work shoes Monday evening. I still don't have new running shoes.





72 miles for Week 6 (October 19th to October 25th)

M AM - 6¼ miles recovery run at 8:26 pace, 58°F at 4AM
M PM - 4 miles recovery run at 8:03 pace on the treadmill at the power plant
Tu - 10 miles general aerobic at 7:19 pace, 76°F at 4AM
W AM - 8¾ miles general aerobic at 7:31 pace, 79°F at 4AM
W PM - 6 miles on the track, average pace 7:05, 79°F and very humid at 7PM
Th - 6¾ miles recovery run at 8:41 pace, raining and 76°F at 4AM
F - 5¾ miles general aerobic at 7:35 pace, a very nice 56°F at 4AM but I drove to San Antonio Thursday evening to pick up my daughter from UTSA and didn't make it back home until after midnight
Sa - 7 miles recovery at 9:00 pace, 73°F at Noon, very nice and sunny!
Su - 17 miles with a half marathon race averaging 6:48 pace, overcast to partly cloudy, Hobby Airport had 66 to 71°F from 7AM, with the dewpoint going from 58 to 61°F and a east-southeast wind at 5 to 8 mph. A little better than the humid 75 to 76°F down on the coast where I live.

The half marathon was another disappointment. I wish there was more time until the 25K.


Good luck to everyone running the New York City Marathon Sunday, including Peter Sagal from Wait-Wait Don't Tell Me!

You can't mention NYC without Grete
Photo Gallery: NYC Marathon: Grete Waitz - Universal Sports