Last Week recap

I have been really crazy the past week and have been really slacking on the blog entries.

Here is last weeks training:

Monday 3/31/08: Off, Stretch/Bike to Sycamore Park and do Hill repeats
-Actual: Stretch/Yoga. Active rest.

Tuesday 4/1/08: 3 Miles with 8 x 100 meter strides
-Actual: 1 mile warm up with 3-1 mile repeats. Total: 4 miles. No strides.

Wednesday 4/2/08: Chestnut Ridge: 5 miles -Very Hilly
-Actual: 6.25 miles - Still Very Hilly!

Thursday 4/3/08: PNHS Track: 5 Miles; 1 Mile Repeats with short walk breaks.
-Actual: 5 Miles Treadmill

Friday 4/4/08: Off, Stretch/Bike
-Actual: Off

Saturday 4/5/08: Off

Sunday 4/6/08: Fools FA Run -unsure of distance.
-Actual: 45 k or 28 miles


Totals: 43.25 Miles

Fools FA = Baconator

Okay, sorry for the late post. I know everyone has been on edge to read about the Fools FA on Sunday. : )

In short, it was a great time. Met some new people I have only heard about.

The trails up in CVNP couldn't be better. I envy those runners and what they have up there.

We started out at 7AM as a group which quickly thinned out within a few miles.

I ended up running with Roy Heger for a short while until I found out he had the flu, and then I flew on down the trail. -Sorry Roy. The trails for the most part were not too bad in terms of hills.

It was a very runnable course. Lloyd Thomas, who had put on the event, was running circles around everyone that day, had stopped to take pictures of people, and we eventually ran together for a few miles. Actually, I think he was walking while I was running. : )

We discussed the CVNP and different aspects of running. I had first met Lloyd last year at Mohican when I was out marking the Red/Green loops of the Mohican 100 course. I went out ahead of the runners and made sure the lime markings were still good. He was one of the leaders of the race and came upon me just before the Fire tower aid station.

Here is a picture of Lloyd and I after the Fools FA:

I ended up getting both a good uphill and downhill work out. I noticed so many people had their dogs out for a walk on the trails. So many big dogs including Labs.

So, why didn't I finish a full 50k?

The temps warmed up as the day went on, and I was feeling really guilty about being out there, and my dog being stuck in a crate all day. I had about a 2 1/2 hour drive back home and decided, I'd had enough. I was feeling good despite feeling guilty about leaving my dog all day.

I had left at 3:30 that morning, and wouldn't get home until after 5:30. I knew I only had a little bit of daylight left after I got home.

Anyway, I have been wanting to try a Baconator ever since they came out like last year, and decided today was the day. So, was I man enough for the Baconator?

You betcha.

I ate it and then a few hours later went to diner with my wife.

Update:

I forgot to add that I covered 45k in 6:09.

I felt fairly decent at the end and could have gone ahead with the rest of it but again, read above why I didn't.

Tonight I had planned on going to the track again, but with the rain and cool weather we are having, I decided to treadmill it tonight.

The run went really well. I stopped once at 3 miles because I thought my pager went off.
The rest of the run went really well. I had to refrain from running a few extra miles as I had a lot left in me at the end of the run.

I need to rest up for Fools FA on Sunday. I still have not decided if I will "Run" the 25k or "Do" the 50k. It will depend on how I am feeling at the end of the little loop, and/or if I get lost.

I may take this time and just "Do" the distance and not worry about the time.
After all, it is a Fat Ass.

I'm gonna kick back with my Succeed Clip2 now and recover for this coming weekend.

Totals: 5 Miles...........Time: 47:17........9:27Pace

Spring is here

Something woke me up today a little early and I thought it was a warm spring breeze. No wait, it was only a dream. It was actually my dog breathing in my face. I think he actually sensed the spring like weather and wanted to go outside. I got up and noticed the sun shining brightly upon us. I quickly checked my running schedule, and was excited to see it was a Chestnut Ridge Metro Park run.
I quickly threw my running gear on and headed out the door as I knew I didn't have much time until I had to get back for my on call rotation.

I snapped pictures while I was running, but you can get somewhat of a sense what the terrain is like out there in this park.

This is actually really good Ultra training grounds as the trail varies a lot in elevation gain and loss. I don't know the exact numbers yet. Plus, it is only a few miles from my house. The hills are relentless. Nothing like Mohican, but good enough. There is one hill I call the Heart Stomp Hill. It is a little over 3/4 of a mile long, and when you thought you were at the top, it keeps climbing. This is a great place to do both up hill and down hill training. I can imagine after 15-20 miles of running this, your quads would be trashed.
I ended up doing 3 loops which gave me 6 miles.

By the time I was on my 3rd loop, I was walking most of Heart Stomp Hill.
The end of the loop there is a really long downhill that will prepare your quads, and allow for a little bit of speed work.


Totals: 6.25 miles.......Time:1:08:14......10:55 pace (Very Hilly)

Start of the trail:

Here is Heart Stomp Hill looming in the background. It winds all the way to the peak you see in the middle of the picture.

End to a relentless downhill:

Treadmill Intervals

I wanted to go to the track tonight, but the weather is not cooperating very much.

I decided to run my intervals minus the strides I had planned for.

Mile 1 -Warm up: 9:27 pace......165 HRA (Heart Rate Average)
Mile 2 - 8:49 pace........................186 HRA
Mile 3 - 8:29 pace........................186 HRA
Mile 4 - 8:09 pace........................190 HRA

I had to take a few forced breaks in between the intervals which didn't help me much.
Felt okay overall.

Week In Review

This was not a particularly stellar week for running. I am so freakin over Winter. It is supposed to be warming up next week into the 50's & 60's. This coming week may not go as well since I am on call. I started my on call rotation on Friday, but covered for someone this past Wednesday. As you can tell, I didn't get much in in terms of mileage or quality runs.

Monday 3/24/08: Off -Actual: 0 Miles

Tuesday 3/25/08: PNHS Track Workout 1 Mile Repeats-Actual: 1 mile repeats for 5 miles total

Wednesday 3/26/08: 6 Miles-Actual: 1 Mile repeats for 3 miles. Ran stadium stairs.

Thursday 3/27/08: PNHS Track Workout: Yasso 800's, Cross Country Course:-Actual: Stationary Bike 5 Miles. -No running mileage

Friday 3/28/08: PNHS Track 4 miles easy-Actual: 5 Miles Easy

Saturday 3/29/08: Off - Stretching

Sunday 3/30/08: 15+ Mile Road Run
-Actual: 6 Miles Road

Total Mileage:
Running: 19 miles
Cycling: 5 miles

I think I have posted this before:

Being on-call sucks.

I was paged once last night about an hour after I fell asleep, and then again this morning before I went out for my run. I had about 5 hours of sleep.

Anyway, I started out on my run this morning around 9:00. I started out walking and when I reached the end of my street I started out slowly. I got two blocks away, and I see these cute little Toe-Headed Twins on the street corner. I walk up to them and say "hey" and they started looking at me weird and started grumbling while backing away from me. I said "Hey, I won't bite" They responded in their language: "But, I will" (I think it was French)

I decided there wasn't much I could do to get them to go back to their place and I started running again. Next thing I know, they are running next to me. Then they start out running me.

I'm like come on man, your legs are shorter than mine!

I was able to snap a picture of them as they ran away from me. I eventually found their home and they ran back into their own yard.



(Yes, I know my humor is twisted a little)

Back to the run:

I had planned to throw in some walking in today's run as I need to prepare for a few Ultras I have planned this coming season. The plan was 15 miles today and some stationary biking and some cross training.

I got 6 miles into my run and got paged again. I stopped at home and started working again. So, if I get a chance, I will go back out for another run today to finish up 9 miles or whatever I can.

There were a lot of dogs out today, and I even ran into a cat walking out in front of me on the road. Luckily none of them wanted to bite my leg off.

To Be continued...................

Looks like all I am going to get in today is 6 miles. I ended up walking parts of the run for a reason but, I ran all the hills. I have been on calls all day and looks like there is no end in sight.

Totals: 6miles......1:02:50.......10:28 (walked 4 or 5 times not sure on amount of time walked)