Monday Riser

Distance: 9.27 mi.
Time: 1:10:47.9 - 7:39 ppm.
Map and Elevation Profile

As discussed, this week marks the beginning of another marathon training cycle. I love the way that looks on my computer screen. It seems as though I just finished the last one, and really, I guess that's the case. The truth is that I have recovered well and felt remarkably fresh in the days since Thunder Road. More importantly, the training has left me feeling fit and I want to build on that. I am confident that my body will continue to hold up, although I certainly plan to take increasing measures to ensure that is the case.

Today I started at Old Bell and ran up Sardis through the neighborhoods behind Boyce Park. This neighborhood features some steep, rolling hills and very lovely homes. It's obviously much nicer on the side closest to Sardis and gets increasingly worse as you approach Monroe Road.

I was pleased with today's run. If you look at the elevation profile in the link at the top, you can see this was an effort that involved a good number of hills, and I still managed 7:39 pace for the whole thing without any tribulation. I write comments like this in my blog so that I'll know how I felt when I go back and review my own training.

Last Big One of the TR Cycle

Distance: 20 mi.
Time: 2:33:15 - 7:40 ppm.

Today would be the last big long run of my Thunder Road cycle. I regrettably failed to update my gel inventory; however, thanks to Katie's family I had gorged myself on sandwiches, chicken nuggets, strawberries, steak, shrimp, a baked potato, bread, and other things yesterday at Appalachian State's homecoming football game. I brought a clif bar to munch on at my halfway point but found myself more than full of energy on this one.

I would run nearly the same route I did for my first 20-miler, at least at the start, by running through Lansdowne to Providence. I went through Sardis Forest and instead of getting lost just continued on to Sardis North this time. Then, I ran the full Old Bell loop. I had wanted to incorporate some hills into this one, and got that done. After taking on some fluids just past mile 10, I headed up to Boyce to run through the hills of this neighborhood. All told I basically spent the first 14-plus on hilly roads before finishing up on the trails. I had stopped to stretch a good bit due to more muscle tightness, but all in all I felt pretty good. My fastest split was a 7:04 at mile 18 and I was still able to finish at 7:31. 

Botched Tempo Run

Warmup: 1.93 mi. in 15:10 - 7:52 ppm.
Tempo: 4.68 mi. in 32:07 - 6:52 ppm.
Cooldown: 0.71 mi. in 6:31 - 9:11 ppm.

I do a lot better when I run in the mornings, which is a good thing considering race times, and not the case today. I hadn't eaten much, had plans to go out for Mexican food later, and could not think about anything other than enchiladas and burritos and Dos Equis and the excellent company I would soon enjoy. It showed...

I started at Old Bell but planned to run up Boyce and through the hilly neighborhoods nearby to really test myself on this one. Well, I started out way too fast, which always dooms me. I opened with a 6:41 mile on the hilliest part of the whole route and soon came undone. My left shin started bothering me; this would be my last run in the old Pegasus. I ended up averaging 6:52 per mile which would be decent if I didn't call the workout after fewer than five miles. Some days you're the windshield, and some days you're the bug. Oh well, 'til next time.

You mean I have to do this....plus another 10.2 miles?

I graduated from Charlotte Christian in 2000, which means I've come upon my ten-year reunion.  I had planned to attend the reunion breakfast at the school and then do my long run all over campus and the Boyce/McAlpine trails behind the school.  The plan called for 16 miles, which would be my longest run ever. 

First of all, I didn't plan very well for this run.  I was going to run at 6am and then just hope the breakfast would be plentiful and good, but I slept in, meaning I would have to eat but wouldn't be able to eat too much.  They gave us some bagels, fruit, and juice and talked about what all was going on in the school these days.  The main gig for the reunion would be the Saturday night dinner, but being that I was in charge of ours I felt obligated to attend the breakfast as well.

I didn't have much on the stomach and it was about 11:00 a.m. by the time I set out to do my 16.  I ran around campus and up Sardis Road for a bit before hopping on the trails at Boyce Park.  I wanted to run from there to Harris Boulevard and back, then take on some water and possibly another bagel before I finished the run.  I felt pretty good as I had logged roughly 10 miles at better than 8:00 pace before I made it back to the car, but the way I destroyed the bagel and water told me that maybe I was a little undernourished.

With about 6 miles left, I jogged down the road and hopped back on the greenway at the Sardis/Old Bell entrance.  There were a lot of runners out, which usually got me pretty fired up.  I was still feeling great as I headed toward McAlpine Park and even entertained ideas of dropping the pace down a few notches at the end.  Then, with a little over two to go, it hit me.  I felt like my body somehow realized it had never been this far before - ever - and it started breaking down.  I hunched over a little bit, started breathing heavier, lost control of my arms in stride somewhat - I even stumbled off the path at one point and almost fell down.  I made my way back to the Old Bell lot and panicked when I remembered my car wasn't there.  I would have to run uphill on Sardis to get back to it.  Off in the distance I saw what looked like a cute figure with a ponytail waving back-and-forth, so I tried to speed up.  Who was this girl?  Was she even there, or was I now hallucinating?  Maybe she would have water!!  When I finally caught the girl, she was not, in fact, waiting for me with open arms and a platter of Gatorade.  In fact, she was probably comtemplating whether or not to call a medic when I huffed-and-puffed my way past her. 

I got halfway up the hill and into the CCS parking lot and just stopped.  I couldn't move anymore.  I had finished my 16 - barely - but this run was a reality check that I needed to stop being proud of myself for getting back in shape and start taking this seriously again.  I also decided that I was going to start taking some form of power gel and some water in the middle of my long runs.  I can't eat much right before I run, of course, but I figured a good-sized meal the night before a long run, even late at night, would be in order as well. 

I have built up from 8 to 10 to 12 to 14 (did that twice) to 16 miles for my long runs and seem to breaking a barrier every time.  When I get past the point that was previously my longest run, I start to tighten up, but it was much worse today.  Oh well, this run will soon be a distant memory as I have 18 on the schedule a week away.

Hopefully it will go much better than this one!