Taper Run #1 -

Wahooo Taper is here! For your new (and non) runners reading this - (Sidebar Seems from my last post I have more than one reader here - Hi Jon and Jess - sorry I missed you in my last count...sidebar over) - taper is the period where you start cutting back in distance and intensity of training runs so you can start getting the body recovered from the day to day grind of the past weeks of training. Since I was injured and took some time off and already had to cut back some runs - this week will be a quasi taper before the real taper starts next week. Taper is also the period where one starts to go a little crazy - things like following start to happen (feel free to leave comments on what happens to you during taper).
- You start to think "Did I do enough training to really run 26.2 miles?"
- Mood shifts from - glass half full - to holy crap I lost the damn glass.
- You put on weight - and start to worry about it.
- My legs get really twitchy on rest days
- Stress dreams start to happen about race day (I'll get into these sometime later during taper)
- Every little ache or twinge in your legs freaks you out.

Now for today's run -
Went out for a 7 miler with hopes of adding some speed work in. After a mile warmup I started to do 1/3 mile on's and off's with the "on" segments being at 5k pace/effort. Normally I would go by pace - but it was super windy today which made holding the pace difficult. Ended the run with what should have been a Marathon pace (8:24) mile - which was an 8:08 mile.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/55158494

On more specific Marathon news - the marathon beard is growing in nicely (unless you ask my wife). I have to talk with my facial hair coach to see what our plans should be for race day. I also ordered my race day shoes (Saucony Kinvaras) from the running store in my area - they should be here next week, which means as soon as they come in all my runs will be done in those shoes to get them gently broken in before race day.

Neglected Blog

So its been since Week 9 of Philly training since I last posted - and today marked the start of week 16. I apologize to my reader (Hi Dad).....First the weekly break downs of since week 9

Week 10
I ran 3 times that week with one of the runs being the Niantic Half Marathon. My ankle had started to give me troubles during week 9 and wasnt getting much better. So I decided to do a mini taper heading into the half marathon. That morning things didnt feel much better so I decided to just take it easy and not push too much out there. You can read about my race at DailyMile - short of it is I ran very well and strong even with ankle issue. Total mileage for the week 22.5 miles

Week 11 (Sept 27 - Oct 3)
Monday I woke up after running Niantic and I could barely walk. I knew I was going to need some time off after the race - but I ended up taking 5 days before I attempted to run again. Spent the week icing, elevating, ibuprofen-ing and trying my best to stay off my feet. Thought about getting some crutches to keep pressure off when I had to move around - but decided against it. Total mileage for this week was 8.75 (which was done on Saturday with Milford Road Runners). At this point I was starting to get really nervous about Philly and my training. I felt that 3:40 was slipping away - and that Id be lucky to do a 4:40.

Week 12 (Oct 4-10)
Things started to feel a little better but still not 100%. Ran a total of 4 times that week - some good some bad. Long run of the week was 12 miles. Ended the week nervous that I could even do the 26.2. Total mileage was 27.5 miles. At this point I decided to toss the Pfitzinger plan out the window. There was no way I was going to try and "sneak" back into the plan after the past 3 weeks.

Week 13 (Oct 11-17)
This week things actually felt almost normal again. Had some good runs and a couple bad ones - but thats normal whether you are healthy or not. Actually got 5 runs in during the week - one being an almost 20 miler (19.6) with Alecia and Brian. Even though that long tired me out and I felt miserable (and hungry) for the mile or so - it did give me the confidence back that I had been missing. But then I did something dumb - I went for a 4 miler the next day. I never run the day after a long run - its ALWAYS my rest day. I wont make that mistake again - as even though I had good company for it - that run sucked. Total mileage - 40.6 miles.

Week 14 (Oct 18-24)
I got 5 runs in again this week - and even started to bring back some speed work to wake up the legs a bit as they had been feeling heavy and slow since Niantic. The long run this week I decided to cut back pretty far from last weeks 20 and I did a 15 miler on the hilly Milford course (thanks Al for joining me for the entire 15). Total weekly mileage 35.5 miles.

Week 15 (Oct 25-31)
This week I knew I wasnt going to get all 5 "planned" runs in as my Doctor Wife was out of town over the weekend so no running at all. Started the week by doing 8x800 Yassos for some speed work. Had a crap run mid week in which I got 1.5 miles out and had to call it and walk it back. I took Friday off from work to get my last 20 miler in. The 20 miler was great - by far one of my best runs this training cycle - and maybe top 3 all year.

Week 9 recap

Week nine is in the books.....I have a slight ankle/shin problem coming out of week nine. Recovery week is next - so I may take an extra rest day to try and recover from this. Hopefully things will feel better before Niantic Half Marathon on the 26th. Here are the totals for week 9 - half way to Philly!

Total runs: 6
Total distance: 51.25 mi
Total time: 7:18:55
Average pace: 8:33

Highlights
-18 miler w/12 at marathon pace with Alecia

Lowlights
-stupid ankle/shin issue

Week 8 Recap

Well week 8 is over, 1/2 way to Philly....(I may go out tonight for a few miles) ......here is how it went.

Total runs: 4
Total weekly distance: 48 miles
Total weekly time: 6:51:47
Average weekly pace: 8:34

Highlights:
- New Haven 20k Race on Labor Day
- 20 miler on Saturday

Lowlights:
- Wednesdays 9.5 miler - blech
- Allergies still lingering around
- Coming up short on my weekly planned mileage (even if I go out tonight for a few)

20 miler #1 of 3

Ran again with Chuck (who I ran with Monday at the New Haven 20k)....and as usual it was a fun run. Even around mile 18 when things started to get sore and a bit painful I was glad to have Chuck around.....it would have been so easy just to either stop or mail it in and slow down to a crawl. He was running his last 20 miler before Portland (ME) Marathon - and wanted to go 22 but it wasnt in the cards for him today. Im glad to have this first 20 under my belt and kind of look forward to the next one. Today was the furthest I have run in almost a year....since the Cape Cod debacle......but we wont talk about that. Off to the Norwalk Oyster Festival....

Total Distance: 20 miles
Total time: 2:55:23
Avg Pace: 8:46

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/48505234

5 miler - with 1 mile on and 1 off

After a rest day yesterday, I decided to head out this morning for a whatever 5 miler. (I thought about going out after dinner - but my wife who is much wiser than me, told me I should just rest, get healthy, get some sleep and go in the morning. I knew her PhD would come in handy with my running some day).

The whatever run is what I call the - I'll make up what I do once I get out there. As soon as I stepped outside and felt the lovely cool air I felt rejuvenated and ready to run...hard. But with the first 20 miler of this marathon training tomorrow I knew I shouldnt go all out hard for too long. So I decided on one mile on and one mile offs. The first mile I held back a little just in case the On/Off idea wasnt right. From there I slowly pushed the pace on each on segment.

Overall I felt good - most of my allergy issues seem to disappear while I'm running (except for the super dry throat). I'm probably going to come up short this week on mileage - but I'm hoping the quality of my runs makes of for the missing quantity. Happy Friday everyone!

Total distance: 5 miles
Total time: 41:35
Average pace: 8:19
Avg Hr: 158
Max Hr: 179

Splits
8:03 / 147
9:03 / 149
7:39 / 165
9:48 / 155
7:00 / 176

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/48356043

New Haven Road Race 20k - Official Race Results

Official Results
Place: 667
Div: 137
Bib: 380
Age: 34
Gun time: 1:37:54
Chip time: 1:37:14
10k Split: 49:25
Gun Avg: 7:53
Chip Avg: 7:49

http://www.jbsports.com/Newhaven20k2010.htm

New Haven Road Race 20k - Race Report

Hello Week 8!

Today was the New Haven Road Race 20k. I had no idea how today would go since I ran 18 just two days ago and the last few days allergy-wise have been miserable. I figured I wanted to be around 8:00-8:24 per mile. Woke up around 6am - had some breakfast, got myself ready and walked to the green (~1.5 miles). Once I got there I to my number pinned to my shirt and the D-tag on to my Kinvaras. Chatted a bit with some Milford Road Runners at our tent - then off for a quick warm-up and potty stop. Once I got through the bathroom line - I had only a few minutes to get to the start.

I lined up a ways back and shortly after I got settled in a spot - the gun went off. I took it easy for the first 1/2 mile (I really had to as it was very busy). After the crowd cleared a bit I found a comfortable pace and tried to just sit on it. Just around mile four I noticed my good friend Chuck a few steps ahead of me. From that point on we ran the race together. He said he wanted to run 8s even - but that didn't happen. We seemed to alternate each mile which of us would push the other along. At a water stop at mile 10.5 or so he decided to take a breather and drink his drink instead of spilling it all and he waved me on. As I made the final turn down Whitney I saw my wife and son in the crowd. I made a quick detour to give my son a kiss - then back to the course I went. Once back on the course I started looking for Chuck again - seeing he was only 20 feet or so behind me I held up until he caught up to me. We finished together which was great.

Overall I felt great - esp coming off the 18 miler. I figured I could have picked up the pace a little overall but running with a friend today and having fun was what it was about.

Garmin Times
8:02
7;49
7:49
7:39
7:50
7:43
7:38
7:56
7:40
8:06
7:51
7:36
3:31 (for .49 miles @ 7:14 pace)

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/47842084

Bad blogger, marathon training etc etc etc

Yes I've been a bad blogger as of late. I know all of you (all 1 of you) must be sad not to have been able to read about my runs here. I hope you have been able to cope for the last three weeks. The end of summer always seems to be crazy, add to that marathon training and getting my son ready for school, its a miracle I remember to put pants on in the morning (I have yet to forget to do that - wahoo!)

Training for Philly has been going well. Mother nature has tried her best to derail me -between the heat, ragweed season and a potential hurricane coming through New England -but she has yet to knock me off course (knock on wood). Below are my week totals for the past three weeks.

Week 5
Total Distance: 45.67 miles
Total Time: 6:33:44
Avg Pace: 8:37

Week 6 (Recovery)
Total Distance: 36.35 miles
Total Time: 5:12:20
Avg Pace: 8:35

Week 7
Total Distance: 50.0 miles
Total Time: 7:36:01
Avg Pace: 9:07

Highlights of the last three weeks:
1) 9 miles with 5 at 1/2 marathon pace with Mike in NY (http://www.dailymile.com/people/MarkJ2/entries/2913390)
2) 16 miles with 10 at marathon pace (even though this hurt a bit) (http://www.dailymile.com/people/MarkJ2/entries/2989885)
3) First run in my Kinvaras - (http://www.dailymile.com/people/MarkJ2/entries/3066064)
4) 7 miler with strides - I felt fast that day (http://www.dailymile.com/people/MarkJ2/entries/3139661)
5) 18 miler - getting my confidence back big time for distance after this (http://www.dailymile.com/people/MarkJ2/entries/3160007)
6) Non running highlight - my son starting 2nd grade

Only negative over the last three weeks - ragweed. My allergies are going crazy (as they usually do at this time of the year). Hard to balance taking enough medication (benadryl) to combat the allergy symptoms but not so much that I'm all drowsy and stupid all day.

Week 8 starts tomorrow (Labor Day) with the New Haven 20k. Since I just came off running 18 miles yesterday I dont think Ill be racing this one very hard....but as my wife said yesterday "When do you ever take it easy at races?".

Long run - PITTSBURGH!

Today was the day I had been looking forward to since we planned our little road trip from FL to Pittsburgh (and beyond). I planned out a run with the help of a co-worker, MapMyRun and Google Maps (street view). My main sightseeing goal, being a lifelong Pirates and Steelers fan, was to run by PNC Park and Heinz Field.

My parents dropped my off at the University of Pittsburgh campus for me to start my run - figuring it was a good ending point we could all navigate our way back to. I wrote the route on a note card and shoved it in my pocket. First four miles seemed to just fly by - as I ran through the Strip District and then to the bike path - I could see downtown which looked awesome. I worked my way (since there was a bike path detour) over to 6th Street and then over the Roberto Clemente Bridge.

This is what I had been looking forward to - as I came over the bridge I could look right into PNC Park where my beloved (yet not good) Pirates play. I followed the path along the river to Heinz where my beloved (and good) Steelers call home. I looped around Heinz back to PNC and back over the bridge. From there I hopped on the Smithfield St Bridge to the other side of the river and along the bike path there. I ran the path until the Hot Metal bridge where I then started my way back towards downtown. The bike path is very cool there - it runs down the middle of a highway.
Then came "THE STAIRS" - I figured I'd have to walk them as they were very steep and seemed to just keep on going. If you look at my splits (elevation chart and my HR) you can see where this happened on my run. Once I finally made it up the stairs I found it hard for my legs to get going again - but eventually found a (slower) groove. The fifteenth mile was about 3/4 mile away from the pick up spot - so once 15 hit I stopped the Garmin - walked a few feet - then jogged back to the pick up spot (no data on the Garmin for that 1/2 mile cool down).

So happy with this run - glad it lined up with a regular medium-long run day and not a Marathon Pace run. This allowed me to relax and look around and enjoy running through Pittsburgh -a city I have never called home but one I love just the same. Week 4 of Philly training - DONE!

Total distance: 15 miles
Total time: 2:16:06
Avg pace: 9:04
Avg HR: 154
Max HR: 170
Splits
8:43 / 145
9:12 / 146
8:32 / 140
8:29 / 151
8:34 / 155
9:01 / 153
8:49 / 155
9:05 / 152
8:38 / 155
8:40 / 157
8:51 / 158
9:07 / 158
8:54 / 160
11:31 / 161 (big stairs)
9:52 / 164

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/44483716