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

Week 4 and 5: First Test

Houston Marathon Training Week 4 finished with my first test, the Space City 10-Miler in Clear Lake. I failed.
The weather was decent: overcast, 63-61°F with the dewpoint at 61 to 59°F and a light North 7 to 8 mph wind. I started out easy, but even a 6:25 first mile felt hard. When I ran a 6:39 second mile, I knew I didn't have it. I don't know if it's the slow running because of the recent heat and humidity, or if I'm getting too old, or if it was just a bad day.

74 miles for Week 4 (October 5th to October 11th)

M AM - 6¼ miles recovery run at 8:55 pace, 82°F at 4AM
M PM - 4 miles recovery run at 8:17 pace on the treadmill at the power plant
Tu - 10 miles general aerobic at 7:47 pace, very warm and humid 84°F at 4AM
W AM - 8¾ miles general aerobic at 7:46 pace, 84°F at 4AM with the dewpoint inland at Angleton all the way up to 80°F
W PM - 6 miles on the track, average pace 7:15, 85°F and very humid at 7PM
Th - 6¾ miles recovery run at 8:41 pace, full Summer heat 85°F at 4AM
F - 8¾ miles general aerobic at 7:57 pace, another Summer morning, 85°F at 4AM
Sa - 7 miles recovery at 9:06 pace, 59°F at 9AM, so much better!
Su - 16½ miles with a 10-mile race averaging 6:47 pace, overcast 63-61°F from 7AM



66 miles for Week 5 (October 12th to October 18th)

M AM - 6¼ miles recovery run at 8:57 pace, 71°F at 4AM
M PM - 4 miles recovery run at 8:02 pace on the treadmill at the power plant
Tu - 10 miles general aerobic at 7:36 pace, very warm and humid 84°F at 4AM
W - had a very bad sore throat and took the entire day off, maybe that's my excuse for racing so poorly Sunday, 83°F at 4AM
Th - 6¾ miles recovery run at 8:28 pace, 82°F at 4AM
F - 10 miles general aerobic at 7:38 pace, 71°F at 4AM
Sa - 9 miles easy at 8:00 pace, 68°F at 11AM, sunny and nice dry air
Su - 20 miles averaging 7:36 pace, beautiful sunny day, 68°F from 11AM It's so much more fun to run in nice cool, dry air!

There just isn't enough time to prepare for the Houston Half Marathon this Sunday. I'm afraid that's going to be another disaster.

Week 3: Cold Fronts Welcome Here

Attention all Cold Fronts: Please come on down to the Gulf and please feel welcome to stay as long as you want. We really want you to visit.


72¾ miles for the week (September 28th to October 4th)

M - 6¾ miles recovery run at 8:35 pace, 82°F at 4AM
Tu - 9½ miles general aerobic at 7:33 pace, the schedule had 4@LT included as part of this run, but I was worn out after just one LT mile, 74°F at 4AM
W AM - 8¾ miles general aerobic at 7:20 pace, 69°F at 4AM
W PM - 6 miles on the track, tried to run Tuesday’s 4@LT but I was dead after just 1½ miles, average pace 6:59, 80°F and very humid at 7PM
Th - 5¾ miles recovery run at 8:26 pace, 82°F at 4AM
F - 10½ miles general aerobic at 7:51 pace, 80°F at 4AM
Sa - 7½ miles recovery at 8:47 pace, 79°F at 11AM
Su - 18 miles LSD with emphasis on the ‘S’, average 8:40 pace, sunny and unbelievably humid 86 to 87°F from 2:30PM

Wednesday morning's cool weather only lasted a few hours and by Wednesday evening's run the dewpoint was back in the 70s. Friday morning's run was just before some severe thunderstorms came through and Friday ended up being a very pleasant day. But by the time Saturday came along, it was back to warm and humid. Sunday was just awful.