1 Hour Run

Ran for an hour at a track near the field where Lauren had her softball practice. I ran easy and since I am not certain if the track was acurately measured -- it was dirt, I just ran for time. I'm guessing I did maybe 5.5 miles. No walking, just an easy jog.

Bike/Lift/Swim

Rode the stationary bike for 20 minutes, keeping a cadence around 88.
Lifted, mainly upper body for about 15 minutes
Swam 1250 yards.

Speed Workout

Went to the track and did the folowing.

ran one easy mile with the following splits
2:40, 2:38, 2:43 2:41

walked/ ran 2 laps, running 100 yards X 4 gradual excelleration

Then ran 400 yards in 1:47, walked 1/2 lap,
Then ran 400 yards in 1:54, walked 1/2 lap
Then ran one lap in 2:01, walked 1/2 lap
Then ran the above in 2:00, walked 1/2 lap

Ran 3 laps in 2:46, 2:53, 2:55, walked 1/2 lap

Total mileage 4 miles

I was sucking for breath on my 1:47 lap. I would like to see if I can run two laps in 4;00 or better yet a mile in 8:00.

I definately think workouts like this will help my 5K times.

12 mile bike

Rode another 12. I started trying to work on a higher cadence, but i feel very unstable on the bike when I am pedalling that fast. I am usually around 60. I was getting up to the 80-90 and like I said, i did not feel comfortable, but I will keep working on it. I then did increasing speed laps, and then went for max speed and got up to 24.2. All told, I rode for 58 minutes, averaging 12.4.

5K Run/Walk

Did another 3 run/1 walk with my brother in a slightly longer time and we walked the last bit instead of running through. I think I am running too fast to be able to do ten miles. I will try to do it slower and longer next time out.

5K Run/Walk in Rain

Was hoping to do my long run today. I went to the resovouir and started out in the drizzling rain doing a 3 minute run, 1 minute walk. I held that all the way through the 5K with the exception of running the last 54 seconds instead of walking.

Here's my numbers:
1 mile 10:21
2 miles 10:53
3.1 miles 10:39

Total time 31:54 Total run 24:54 run / 7 walk.

Not a bad speed for so much walking.

It was raining too hard at the end to continue. I'm curious how long I could have held that pace.

12 Mile Bike

Rode 12 miles in 1 hour. i wanted to quit after 6 miles, but I pressed on.

I did discover some games I can play to keep the riding more interesting.

A Sample workout:

3 miles (4 laps) Easy ride

3 miles ( 4 laps) increase average speed each lap

3 miles, (4 laps) go for highest average speed on starightaway

3 miles (5 laps) Easy ride

I can mix in a fast lap every other lap

Total time to go X miles

Anything to break the monotony.

So anyway, my peak speed was 23.2 MPH today.

It was cold and wet with a slight breeze.

12 Mile Bike

Rode 12 miles in 58 minutes at work on my good bike. Average 12.4. Hit high of 22.8. Way faster than the other one. Still my cadence is only in the 60s. I can't imagine going 90 and still keeping my feet on the pedals. I think getting clips will help. I am also having some trouble with the seat. It leans to far back, but I can push it forward, but then it rolls back. I will have to see if I can tighten it

5K run

ran the resovouir in 33:34. An easy run. I was tired before and my left toe hurt a bit -- I almost didn't run, but then I did. My toe feels okay, but a little stiff -- i don't know if it is overexertion or a touch of the gout. I took some ibuprofen. Likely I won't run again until Wednesday due to my work schedule

1 Mile swim

Swam 1 mile. I did 500 easy, and then 10 - 100 yard swims at a faster pace (2:00) with 15 seconds rest, and then finished with an easy 300.

Mile Run Test

Was really tired today and my legs felt tired too. When I came home from work, I slept for an hour, then rallied and went out to the track after dropping Lauren at softball practice. I walked two laps, jogged two laps (10:20 mile pace), walked a lap, and then ran a mile as fast as I could while still being reasonable.

I ran it in 8:30. Here are my splits:

2:00
2:07
2:14
2:07.

I know I did a mile in 8:00 a year or so ago, but that was later in the season. i am going to do a trial every month this summer , and hopeduully will get under 8:00.

56 Minute Run

I'm guessing I did 5 miles tonight. I took Laurento softball practice and then right from there, took off on a neighborhood run. I tried the following scheme.

Run 10, walk 1
Run 9, walk 1
Run 8, walk 1
Run 7, walk 1
Run 6, walk 1
Run 5, walk 1
Run 4, walk 1

I felt pretty good at the end, and returned to see the last twenty minutes of practice. Good use of time.

Next time I do a longer run -- Saturday maybe, I will try this out at the resovoir for maybe 7 miles.

6 Mile Bike Ride/3 Mile Run

Rode 6 miles in 42 minutes for a 9 MPH pace. Cold about 38 degrees with a fair wind.

After work, I went to the track, but it was very cold and windy and my legs were like ice cubes. I was planning to do a speed workout with a one mile time trial, but decided not to risk it. I went home and finding the tribe was away, I donned my sweat pants and went for a three mile run in the neighborhood.

5 Mile Ride

Rode 5 miles in the cold and wet, going so very slow. I think one of my tires is a little soft. Next nice weather day. Hopefully tomorrow, I will get my good bike out.

2.33 Mile Run

Did an easy neighborhood run. i wanted to do more, but again pressing commitments.

1 Mile Swim

It was a gorgeous day today. All day I thought about how I was going to go home after work and then do a long slow run. But I get home and suddenly I have obligations I didn't know about and there went my run. Anyway, I recovered enough to get to the pool later on and swim a mile, so I shouldn't complain. It is supposed to rain tomorrow. Maybe i can run in the morning before work.

5 K Tempo Run

Ran the resovouir today in a tempo run in 31:31. I wanted to run fast, but not too fast. It was cold and I was wearing multiple sweatshirts. I felt tired earlier, but kept going and did okay, I guess. I really want to do a race and onbliterate my 5K PR. We'll have to see. I need to keep training.

5 Mile Bike

Rode very exceedingly slow miles on my bike. It took me almost 40 minutes.

Next Race

Okay so here is my tentative next race:

Run a 5K on May 9.

It is the Race in the Park I did two years ago.

So I will have the goals to beat that time, or better yet, beat my 5K PR time.

I'll have 5 weeks to train. I plan to do three runs a week.

1 long run, 1 speed work and 1 easy 3 miler.

I will also be riding my bike and swimming.

Depending on the progress of my long runs and overall health, after the 5K, I will decide if I am up for the Iron Horse half marathon at the end of May or just try to run a faster Iron Horse 10K than last year, deferring a 1/2 marathon until October.

**

My first tri race may be June 11, which would be the first Lake Terramugus race of the year.

Lake T

Greater Hartford Quarter Marathon

Well, I have now completed a quarter marathon. It was long and tiring, and I don't know how long it will be before I am ready to tackle a half-marathon.

They had way more runners than they were expecting so because I signed up on site, no tee-shirt for me. I received number 380.

They had signs set up for people to seed themselves by time, going from 6 to 10 minutes. No signs for 11 minutes. I stood near the end.

It was cold, and I wore sweat pants and a hoodie sweatshirt, along with a hat and gloves. The second mile, which has a steep uphill, I stopped and walked for about a minute on the steepest part to preserve myself. Remember I was doing this only as a long training run.

I did not go out to fast because I wasn't thinking about time.

I just about hit the 5K mark when the leader lapped me. He finished with a 5:19 pace. All told I think I was lapped by onlt two runners. They finished and I had to go around again. I took three short walk breaks on the back half, Interesting that I was never passed while walking. I think I might have done better if I had walked more.

I plugged along, the last mile is mostly downhill with a half mile flat at the end.

I crossed the line in something like 1:13:02. An 11:09 pace. I was 345 out of 370 runners.

When I crossed the line, they placed a really nice ribbon and finishers medal around my neck, which made up for no tee-shirt.

They had a nice spread. I ate a banana, drank some blue juice and had some magic cookie bars.

I talked to a guy I knew who is training for the marathon. He says its all about walk running. It made me feel better about trying to do a half-marathon at the end of May. If I do one long run a week and incorporate walk running, and I can get my distance up to 10 miles without dying, I just might do it.

When I got home, I put my ribbon around my daughter's neck (picture coming), which she enjoyed. I did feel a little light headed. Overall I am sore, stiff and tired, but glad I made it, glad I ran the race.

Results

***

I have to decide my next race. Likely a 5K in May, with a decision to be made at a later point about doing the 10K or the half marathon at the late May iron Horse race. The tris don't start until June, but I will need to devote some time to getting some bike miles done.

Signed,

A Quarter-Marathoner

Allergist/Race Preparations

I wanted to run on Wednesday as my final prep for Saturday's race, but i was feeling very tired like i might be getting sick. At any rate, I have not worked out, resting all the rest of the week. On Friday I went to an allergist for the first time and after having drops put on both my forearms, soon had welts up and down the arms. I am allergic to dust, mold, dogs, cats, ragweed, and many, many types of trees. I am going back for more testing next week, I think this helps explain my coughing over the last many years.

Anyway, I am still set to race. It will be overcast and drizzly. I looked at last year's times and unfortunately, they show plainly that I will be lapped in this two laps around the reservoir race, and will have to have the indignity of passing the finish line on my first pass through while the leaders break the tape and the fans cheer. Last year the top runner ran a 5:15 mile pace. I am hoping for an 11:00 mile pace. I am going just strictly to finish and will likely employ some walking. Not because I don't think I can make it running all the way -- I know I can. I just don't want to overdo myself and ruin training. I will be taking this strictly as a long run.