2.9 miles (4.7 km) | 27:42 | 9:30/mile (5:54/km)
This was an easy run over the same loop route as yesterday but in the opposite (counterclockwise) direction. Temperatures were about the same as all week, hovering around 0 C (32 F). A tiny bit of fresh snow was down, but already melted in places that they'd salted.
On motivation: I really, really didn't want to run this morning. I worked late last night, had a late 10 PM dinner, was up reading until midnight, and didn't sleep well. When 6 AM rolled around, I wanted to go back to bed and turn this into an unscheduled rest day.
I told myself that I would just swap today's run and tomorrow's rest day. After about 10 minutes, I decided to go out and do it. There was no good physical reason not to, and it was only an easy run of less than 3 miles/30 minutes.
On toes: my little toe on my left foot is hurting me a bit. It's got a weird toenail that is really tiny and hardly ever grows (at least, I never have to cut it). Yesterday it was sore to walk around on it, and sore in my boots I wear on the trip to work. I'm not sure if it was yesterday's running shoes or the boots that did it.
I've got two pairs of running shoes that I alternate. The ones I wore today didn't seem to bother the toe.
I've also got long second toes on both feet, longer than my big toes. That means they rub on most running shoes. They're not blistered yet because when I started running last week I used two pairs of socks for warmth. But they are a little sore on the tips.
Tomorrow is a scheduled rest day. Other than my toes, I don't feel sore anywhere. I'd like to keep that up.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
2.9 miles (4.7 km) | 27:01 | 9:13/mile (5:44/km)
Another dark morning running at 6:20 AM. Today there was light snow as well. The temperature was mild, right around 0 C (32 F). It was absolutely beautiful.
Another dark morning running at 6:20 AM. Today there was light snow as well. The temperature was mild, right around 0 C (32 F). It was absolutely beautiful.
My GPS watch was not getting great satellite reception (overcast?). It showed my pace varying quite a bit from below 8:00/mile to almost 11:00/mile. It was also strange that my heart rate was low, down around 125 bpm, for the first 0.8 of a mile before jumping up to about 180 bpm for the rest of the run. The heart rate monitor must not have been getting good reception either, or I didn't have it fitted properly.
Tomorrow I'll try the same loop in the opposite direction.
Monday, January 4, 2010
2.16 miles (3.48 km) | 18:45 | 8:40/mile (5:23/km)
After a scheduled off day on Sunday, this was another short, easy run. It was the first time running in the dark this year; I left before 6:30 in the morning. It was chilly again, but not too bad once I started running. Temperature was about -1 C (30 F).
After a scheduled off day on Sunday, this was another short, easy run. It was the first time running in the dark this year; I left before 6:30 in the morning. It was chilly again, but not too bad once I started running. Temperature was about -1 C (30 F).
My average pace was helped by two one-hundred meter sections where I picked it up to about 6:30/mile just to see what it felt like. My legs (quadriceps especially) were stiff yesterday, but they seem to have recovered and felt good running today.
I plan to run about 30 minutes tomorrow.
Saturday, January 2, 2010
2.2 miles (3.6 km) | 19:39 | 8:51/mile (5:30/km)
First two runs of the year (and in a long time). The first one was January 1, the second was today. It's chilly here (26 F/-3 C), but not too cold once I start running.
I didn't remember to put on the heart rate monitor yesterday until I was already bundled up, and then I didn't want to bother. Today, I had it on. Average heart rate was 163 bpm. It was higher for the second half of the run and my pace was even.
Overall, I felt pretty good. I'm trying not to overdo it while it's still easy. My quadriceps were sore after the first run. I plan to take a scheduled day off tomorrow.
2.2 miles (3.6 km) | 20:07 | 9:02/mile (5:37/km)
First two runs of the year (and in a long time). The first one was January 1, the second was today. It's chilly here (26 F/-3 C), but not too cold once I start running.
I didn't remember to put on the heart rate monitor yesterday until I was already bundled up, and then I didn't want to bother. Today, I had it on. Average heart rate was 163 bpm. It was higher for the second half of the run and my pace was even.
Overall, I felt pretty good. I'm trying not to overdo it while it's still easy. My quadriceps were sore after the first run. I plan to take a scheduled day off tomorrow.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
30 minutes & 60 minutes
Tuesday I ran from my sister-in-law's place in Bayville (on Long Island) out toward the village of Centre Island. I ran out 15 minutes before turning around and coming back. The total time was just barely over 30 minutes.
This morning, Wednesday, I ran the same direction for 30 minutes before turning around and running back. The total time was under 1:01.
My knee feels OK. It's still a little sore, but not keeping me from running. My ribs feel very sore, but it's a duller soreness than when I first banged them, so it doesn't keep me from running.
I figure 30 minutes is a little more than 5K, and 60 minutes is a little more than 10K. Tomorrow I will run 30 minutes, maybe along a slightly different route.
This morning, Wednesday, I ran the same direction for 30 minutes before turning around and running back. The total time was under 1:01.
My knee feels OK. It's still a little sore, but not keeping me from running. My ribs feel very sore, but it's a duller soreness than when I first banged them, so it doesn't keep me from running.
I figure 30 minutes is a little more than 5K, and 60 minutes is a little more than 10K. Tomorrow I will run 30 minutes, maybe along a slightly different route.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Long run fiasco
I had planned to run 11 miles (well, an hour an 45 minutes) in Copenhagen on Sunday morning. Early Saturday, I took the ferry and bus to Copenhagen. My wife and son and I spent the day in Tivoli, the amusement park. We stayed at a Danish hotel chain called Cab Inn that has really tiny rooms, like ships' cabins (get it?).
Our room had two bunks, with a pull out mattress. My wife was going to sleep on the lower bunk, with our son on the pull out right next to her. This didn't leave any room for the ladder to the top bunk for me. I though I could get down from the top bunk all right (at 4:45 AM, and without waking anyone else up) without the ladder, but I decided to practice Saturday night to be sure.
Coming down by hanging myself over the metal side and then dropping, I banged my ribs on the side and severely bruised them. I don't think they're broken, but it hurts to twist or pick up anything heavy (like the two suitcases we were carrying, or the two-year old).
I tried to run on Sunday morning, but my ribs hurt a lot. I ran for twenty minutes, then I had to stop and walk. I ran and walked for a little while after that, but my knee would stiffen up while walking so I'd have sore ribs and a sore knee when I started running again.
So, I decided to turn around. I ran and walked most of the way home. I was out on my "run" for an hour and twenty minutes. I would judge that I ran for about half the distance (not time). I guess I only ran 45 minutes, which would be five miles or a little less.
I was pretty disappointed. I had been planning how I was going to get the run in with all the travel, and I was looking forward to it because it was my longest of the year, my first over 10 miles, and over halfway to my 20-miler, the longest run before the marathon.
I've landed in New York now, and took Monday as a rest day. I'll go out and try to run three miles tomorrow and see how I do. I think the 11-miler is a lost cause, because there's no real way to get it in now.
Our room had two bunks, with a pull out mattress. My wife was going to sleep on the lower bunk, with our son on the pull out right next to her. This didn't leave any room for the ladder to the top bunk for me. I though I could get down from the top bunk all right (at 4:45 AM, and without waking anyone else up) without the ladder, but I decided to practice Saturday night to be sure.
Coming down by hanging myself over the metal side and then dropping, I banged my ribs on the side and severely bruised them. I don't think they're broken, but it hurts to twist or pick up anything heavy (like the two suitcases we were carrying, or the two-year old).
I tried to run on Sunday morning, but my ribs hurt a lot. I ran for twenty minutes, then I had to stop and walk. I ran and walked for a little while after that, but my knee would stiffen up while walking so I'd have sore ribs and a sore knee when I started running again.
So, I decided to turn around. I ran and walked most of the way home. I was out on my "run" for an hour and twenty minutes. I would judge that I ran for about half the distance (not time). I guess I only ran 45 minutes, which would be five miles or a little less.
I was pretty disappointed. I had been planning how I was going to get the run in with all the travel, and I was looking forward to it because it was my longest of the year, my first over 10 miles, and over halfway to my 20-miler, the longest run before the marathon.
I've landed in New York now, and took Monday as a rest day. I'll go out and try to run three miles tomorrow and see how I do. I think the 11-miler is a lost cause, because there's no real way to get it in now.
Friday, July 11, 2008
10 K pace
6.2 miles (10 km) | 57:38 | 9:18/mile (5:46/km)
This was a 6 miler at marathon pace. My pace was 8 seconds per mile slower than my goal pace. I ran the same route as on Tuesday, when I actually did run at my marathon pace.
I was a bit distracted this morning (thinking about software bugs, I guess). I stopped my watch at the one kilometer mark, but then forgot at the two kilometer mark. I got three kilometers, I don't really know where four is, and I got five (halfway). Six is the same as four, then I forgot all three of seven, eight, and nine. Each time I remembered about 45 seconds later, and told myself "I'll get the next one".
I did remember to stop my watch at the end.
The first kilometer was 5:32. I averaged 5:22 for the next two, and 5:36 for the two after that. That's 5:30/kilometer (8:52/mile) for the first 5K. The second half, I averaged a much slower 6:02/kilometer (9:44/mile).
Knee is still a little sore, but not so bad since I've started stretching morning and night again.
Tomorrow I will take an off day, because we need to catch the bus at 5:45 in the morning to get to the Aarhus bus station, to get on a bus to get on a ferry to get back on the bus to go to Copenhagen. I will try to run an 11 miler on Sunday in Copenhagen. Actually, since I don't really know where I'm going to run, I'll probably just run an hour and 45 minutes (just over a 9:30/mile pace). I'll run out somewhere for 50 minutes, and figure to take about 55 minutes back.
That will take me up to 14 weeks away from the marathon (as of Sunday). The next two weeks, I will have to tweak things because of travel. I think it will work to just shift things by a day, so my long runs are on Sunday instead of Saturday, and so Monday and Friday are my off days.
This was a 6 miler at marathon pace. My pace was 8 seconds per mile slower than my goal pace. I ran the same route as on Tuesday, when I actually did run at my marathon pace.
I was a bit distracted this morning (thinking about software bugs, I guess). I stopped my watch at the one kilometer mark, but then forgot at the two kilometer mark. I got three kilometers, I don't really know where four is, and I got five (halfway). Six is the same as four, then I forgot all three of seven, eight, and nine. Each time I remembered about 45 seconds later, and told myself "I'll get the next one".
I did remember to stop my watch at the end.
The first kilometer was 5:32. I averaged 5:22 for the next two, and 5:36 for the two after that. That's 5:30/kilometer (8:52/mile) for the first 5K. The second half, I averaged a much slower 6:02/kilometer (9:44/mile).
Knee is still a little sore, but not so bad since I've started stretching morning and night again.
Tomorrow I will take an off day, because we need to catch the bus at 5:45 in the morning to get to the Aarhus bus station, to get on a bus to get on a ferry to get back on the bus to go to Copenhagen. I will try to run an 11 miler on Sunday in Copenhagen. Actually, since I don't really know where I'm going to run, I'll probably just run an hour and 45 minutes (just over a 9:30/mile pace). I'll run out somewhere for 50 minutes, and figure to take about 55 minutes back.
That will take me up to 14 weeks away from the marathon (as of Sunday). The next two weeks, I will have to tweak things because of travel. I think it will work to just shift things by a day, so my long runs are on Sunday instead of Saturday, and so Monday and Friday are my off days.
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
5K easy
3.1 miles (5 km) | 28:14 | 9:07/mile (5:39/km)
I went five kilometers at about the same pace as Monday.
My left knee is still sore. I stretched this morning before my run, and my legs were really tight. When my knees hurt before, I was stretching twice a day morning and night and additionally after every run. Then, when my knees suddenly stopped hurting, I was so excited that I completely stopped stretching at all.
So perhaps the knee soreness that has been dogging me for the last week and a half is the same issue and due to lack of flexibility. I'll get back to a stretching routine and see if it helps.
I seem to have been able to drastically alter my "natural" running form with just a couple weeks of attention to it. For the last kilometer today, I concentrated on lengthening my stride by pushing off behind and turning my legs over a little faster. For about the same perceived effort, I ran 5:24 (faster than my average) for the last kilometer.
Tomorrow is a scheduled rest day, with stretching. Friday is a six miler at marathon pace. I will take Saturday off. I am taking my family on the ferry to Copenhagen first thing in the morning, and spending the day at the Tivoli amusement park and the night in a hotel in Copenhagen. Sunday, I will run 11 miles around and about Copenhagen before heading to the airport for a 12:20 flight to New York for two weeks of vacation.
I went five kilometers at about the same pace as Monday.
My left knee is still sore. I stretched this morning before my run, and my legs were really tight. When my knees hurt before, I was stretching twice a day morning and night and additionally after every run. Then, when my knees suddenly stopped hurting, I was so excited that I completely stopped stretching at all.
So perhaps the knee soreness that has been dogging me for the last week and a half is the same issue and due to lack of flexibility. I'll get back to a stretching routine and see if it helps.
I seem to have been able to drastically alter my "natural" running form with just a couple weeks of attention to it. For the last kilometer today, I concentrated on lengthening my stride by pushing off behind and turning my legs over a little faster. For about the same perceived effort, I ran 5:24 (faster than my average) for the last kilometer.
Tomorrow is a scheduled rest day, with stretching. Friday is a six miler at marathon pace. I will take Saturday off. I am taking my family on the ferry to Copenhagen first thing in the morning, and spending the day at the Tivoli amusement park and the night in a hotel in Copenhagen. Sunday, I will run 11 miles around and about Copenhagen before heading to the airport for a 12:20 flight to New York for two weeks of vacation.
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
10 km
6.2 miles (10 km) | 56:43 | 9:09/mile (5:40/km)
Ten kilometers today. It turned out to be at my target marathon pace for a four hour marathon. My pace was pretty even, running 5:40, 5:37, 5:28, 5:33 (average for kilometers 4 and 5), 5:38 (average for kilometers 6 and 7), 5:40, 6:08, and 5:47. The second to the last kilometer, run in 6:08, is almost entirely uphill.
My left knee has been sore. It stiffens up when I'm sitting around at work and hurts a little when I'm walking around. It doesn't hurt when I run. Today, I noticed that my let shin is also a little sore when running. There is also a pair of bones in the top of my left foot that sometimes get out of joint somehow and hurts a little from the odd pressure on it. If I stop and twist my foot a little bit, it pops back with a click and feels better after that (popping it back doesn't feel so good). I have had this for at least ten years. When I used to do hiking and backpacking with forty or more pounds in my pack, the foot would do this all the time.
The last two days, I've noticed my foot behaving oddly in this way on my run. I wonder if my knee pain in my left knee is due to compensating by running differently on my left foot.
I think my running form has improved over the last few weeks since I began trying to be conscious about it. I still don't know if it's good (and my knee started hurting after I changed it), but it definitely feels strange to run with my old bouncy stride.
Ten kilometers today. It turned out to be at my target marathon pace for a four hour marathon. My pace was pretty even, running 5:40, 5:37, 5:28, 5:33 (average for kilometers 4 and 5), 5:38 (average for kilometers 6 and 7), 5:40, 6:08, and 5:47. The second to the last kilometer, run in 6:08, is almost entirely uphill.
My left knee has been sore. It stiffens up when I'm sitting around at work and hurts a little when I'm walking around. It doesn't hurt when I run. Today, I noticed that my let shin is also a little sore when running. There is also a pair of bones in the top of my left foot that sometimes get out of joint somehow and hurts a little from the odd pressure on it. If I stop and twist my foot a little bit, it pops back with a click and feels better after that (popping it back doesn't feel so good). I have had this for at least ten years. When I used to do hiking and backpacking with forty or more pounds in my pack, the foot would do this all the time.
The last two days, I've noticed my foot behaving oddly in this way on my run. I wonder if my knee pain in my left knee is due to compensating by running differently on my left foot.
I think my running form has improved over the last few weeks since I began trying to be conscious about it. I still don't know if it's good (and my knee started hurting after I changed it), but it definitely feels strange to run with my old bouncy stride.
Monday, July 7, 2008
Off day and 3 miles easy
3.1 miles (5 km) | 28:10 | 9:05/mile (5:38/km)
I skipped my long run for the weekend. It was to be a six miler on Saturday, but my knee was still a little sore on Saturday and I helped some friends move, which took pretty much all day. It was quite a bit warmer than usual on Saturday, too.
Sunday the stores were open (because it was the first Sunday in the month) and we had to run some errands before our vacation next Saturday. My knee was still hurting, so I too Sunday off, too.
As a result, I didn't get my six miler in. I though about trying to run six this morning, but decided to just stick to today's scheduled three miler. I will run six miles as scheduled both tomorrow and Friday anyway.
There are now 15 weeks to go until the marathon. It's annoying that I skipped two runs last week (three miler on Wednesday and six miler on Saturday), but it's also annoying that my left knee is sore for two days after a run. It is still a little sore today, but I think I'll be able to do my six miler tomorrow. I'll just do a 5 km loop and see if I feel like doing another one after that.
This week has an 11 miler (almost 18 km) on Saturday. I'll move it to Sunday, because Saturday we will be traveling early in the morning to Copenhagen and then visiting the city all day. There is also a mileage jump with the Tuesday and Friday runs jumping from five miles to six miles.
I skipped my long run for the weekend. It was to be a six miler on Saturday, but my knee was still a little sore on Saturday and I helped some friends move, which took pretty much all day. It was quite a bit warmer than usual on Saturday, too.
Sunday the stores were open (because it was the first Sunday in the month) and we had to run some errands before our vacation next Saturday. My knee was still hurting, so I too Sunday off, too.
As a result, I didn't get my six miler in. I though about trying to run six this morning, but decided to just stick to today's scheduled three miler. I will run six miles as scheduled both tomorrow and Friday anyway.
There are now 15 weeks to go until the marathon. It's annoying that I skipped two runs last week (three miler on Wednesday and six miler on Saturday), but it's also annoying that my left knee is sore for two days after a run. It is still a little sore today, but I think I'll be able to do my six miler tomorrow. I'll just do a 5 km loop and see if I feel like doing another one after that.
This week has an 11 miler (almost 18 km) on Saturday. I'll move it to Sunday, because Saturday we will be traveling early in the morning to Copenhagen and then visiting the city all day. There is also a mileage jump with the Tuesday and Friday runs jumping from five miles to six miles.
Friday, July 4, 2008
5 mile pace
5 miles (8 km) | 46:07 | 9:13/mile (5:46/km)
This was a five miler at my marathon pace of 9:10/mile. My knee felt better at the start of the run after an extra rest day (I skipped a three miler on Wednesday). After the run, it was a little sore again. I should probably ice it, but I have to go to work and sit in front of a computer for eight hours now (July 4 is not a holiday here).
My splits for kilometers 3, 4, 5, and 6 are a little fishy. I think that I have the wrong idea of where the 3 kilometer mark is (so 3 is short and 4 is long; since it's 4 km out and 4 km back, that means that 5 is long and 6 is short).
My splits (target for a four hour marathon in 5:42/km) were 5:40 for the first kilometer and 5:32 for the second. The second is downhill. For kilometers 3 and 4 I averaged 5:31 and for kilometers 5 and 6 I averaged 5:58. Kilometer 7 was 6:19 (uphill) and the last kilometer was 5:48.
Tomorrow is my long run for the week, but it's only six miles. If I keep my knee from stiffening up too much, I should be fine for it. On my way to work this morning, I am going to ride my bike on my running route to verify where the three kilometer mark is and also to check where five kilometers is in case I want to make my six-miler a 10 km by running 5 km out and back.
This was a five miler at my marathon pace of 9:10/mile. My knee felt better at the start of the run after an extra rest day (I skipped a three miler on Wednesday). After the run, it was a little sore again. I should probably ice it, but I have to go to work and sit in front of a computer for eight hours now (July 4 is not a holiday here).
My splits for kilometers 3, 4, 5, and 6 are a little fishy. I think that I have the wrong idea of where the 3 kilometer mark is (so 3 is short and 4 is long; since it's 4 km out and 4 km back, that means that 5 is long and 6 is short).
My splits (target for a four hour marathon in 5:42/km) were 5:40 for the first kilometer and 5:32 for the second. The second is downhill. For kilometers 3 and 4 I averaged 5:31 and for kilometers 5 and 6 I averaged 5:58. Kilometer 7 was 6:19 (uphill) and the last kilometer was 5:48.
Tomorrow is my long run for the week, but it's only six miles. If I keep my knee from stiffening up too much, I should be fine for it. On my way to work this morning, I am going to ride my bike on my running route to verify where the three kilometer mark is and also to check where five kilometers is in case I want to make my six-miler a 10 km by running 5 km out and back.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
5 miles, sore left knee
5 miles (8 km) | 48:47 | 9:45/mile (6:06/km)
I ran five miles this morning. My watch is at home, so I don't have the time right now (I'll update this post with it when I get home). It was pretty slow, over 46 minutes.
My left knee was a little sore after Monday's three miler. It might have been a little sore beforehand, I don't remember. Today, it was more sore after the run. This is a different knee soreness than I had after Salt Lake City---it is only one knee not both, and it hurts when I'm just walking around. If I sit for too long it stiffens up and it's hard to walk around after that.
I actually think it's sore from biking, not running, but I'm not sure of that. If it still feels this way tomorrow morning, I will skip tomorrow's three miler to give myself two rest days in a row.
I ran five miles this morning. My watch is at home, so I don't have the time right now (I'll update this post with it when I get home). It was pretty slow, over 46 minutes.
My left knee was a little sore after Monday's three miler. It might have been a little sore beforehand, I don't remember. Today, it was more sore after the run. This is a different knee soreness than I had after Salt Lake City---it is only one knee not both, and it hurts when I'm just walking around. If I sit for too long it stiffens up and it's hard to walk around after that.
I actually think it's sore from biking, not running, but I'm not sure of that. If it still feels this way tomorrow morning, I will skip tomorrow's three miler to give myself two rest days in a row.
Monday, June 30, 2008
5K easy
3.1 miles (5 km) | 28:38 | 9:14/mile (5:44/km)
Easy 5 km. I could tell that my legs were a still a little tired from Saturday's nine miler. I'm glad that this week has a short long run.
The rest of the week is 5 miles, 3 miles, rest, 5 miles at marathon pace, and 6 miles for my long run.
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Recap: 16 weeks to go
Here's a quick recap if you're just tuning in.
Four weeks ago, at the beginning of June, I decided I wanted to complete a marathon and this time I would really do it. I checked the calendar for fall marathons in Europe. The Amsterdam marathon stood out for a bunch of reasons. It is the second Sunday of the fall school vacation in Aarhus, so my wife would have the week leading up to it off from her teaching job. Amsterdam is served by Sterling airline (a Danish discount airline) and we have vouchers for travel somewhere in Europe due to an earlier cancellation. We have some close Dutch friends to give us advice, and my wife has a cousin living in Amsterdam. (There are some drawbacks too. It's not as exotic as Rome, Athens, Venice, or Barcelona.)
I've seen Amsterdam listed as one of the top 10 marathons in the world. It is a big race, which can make the logistics interesting (I've heard to choose a smaller race for a first marathon). However, my uncle will be flying from Florida to run the race too. He's run somewhere around twenty marathons, some of them quite far from his home, so he should be a pro at the logistics.
After picking the race, I only had to train for it (in twenty weeks). I chose Hal Higdon's Intermediate I training program as a reasonable program. It's not a huge jump in difficulty from his novice programs (basically it lets you get one more 20 miler than the Novice II program; and it has a day of cross training instead of a rest day). The program is an 18 week program, so I quick ramped up over two weeks.
My goal for the race is really just to finish it. I've picked 4 hours as a target time, but only because the training program has "pace" runs run at marathon pace, so I had to pick something. I think if I get the distance in to complete the race, 4 hours is realistic.
Now, I've just finished week two of the program. There are sixteen weeks until the race. My long run is up to 9 miles, and my weekly mileage for the last week has reached just over 25 miles.
Four weeks ago, at the beginning of June, I decided I wanted to complete a marathon and this time I would really do it. I checked the calendar for fall marathons in Europe. The Amsterdam marathon stood out for a bunch of reasons. It is the second Sunday of the fall school vacation in Aarhus, so my wife would have the week leading up to it off from her teaching job. Amsterdam is served by Sterling airline (a Danish discount airline) and we have vouchers for travel somewhere in Europe due to an earlier cancellation. We have some close Dutch friends to give us advice, and my wife has a cousin living in Amsterdam. (There are some drawbacks too. It's not as exotic as Rome, Athens, Venice, or Barcelona.)
I've seen Amsterdam listed as one of the top 10 marathons in the world. It is a big race, which can make the logistics interesting (I've heard to choose a smaller race for a first marathon). However, my uncle will be flying from Florida to run the race too. He's run somewhere around twenty marathons, some of them quite far from his home, so he should be a pro at the logistics.
After picking the race, I only had to train for it (in twenty weeks). I chose Hal Higdon's Intermediate I training program as a reasonable program. It's not a huge jump in difficulty from his novice programs (basically it lets you get one more 20 miler than the Novice II program; and it has a day of cross training instead of a rest day). The program is an 18 week program, so I quick ramped up over two weeks.
My goal for the race is really just to finish it. I've picked 4 hours as a target time, but only because the training program has "pace" runs run at marathon pace, so I had to pick something. I think if I get the distance in to complete the race, 4 hours is realistic.
Now, I've just finished week two of the program. There are sixteen weeks until the race. My long run is up to 9 miles, and my weekly mileage for the last week has reached just over 25 miles.
Long run: 9+ miles
9.1 miles (14.67 km) | 1:25:58 | 9:26/mile (5:52/km)
This week's long run was to be nine miles. I made it a bit longer, because I ran down to the corner of a park that was a convenient place to turn around. I ran from my house almost all the way to the north end of Risskov, a forest/park near Aarhus. As my long runs get longer, I'll be able to turn a lap of Risskov.
I ran the first half in 41:15 and the second half in 44:44. That's a 9:03/mile pace for the first half and 9:49/mile for the second half. My legs, especially my quadriceps, were having trouble turning over fast enough for the last two miles (I ran the last kilometer at a 10:00/mile pace). The last 5 km is gently uphill, with the second to last kilometer having a bit larger hill. Still, my pace fell off quite a bit in the second half.
Tomorrow will be an off day (I'll probably bike into the city and back both today and tomorrow, and pushing the lawnmower is a bit of a cross training workout). I get a reprieve from long runs next week, where my "long run" on Saturday is only six miles. The week after that is an 11-miler which I will probably have to run on Sunday morning in Copenhagen before boarding a noon flight to New York. And the week after that is a 12-miler that will be somewhere in Michigan where I'm stopping in to visit my Dad. My first Saturday back after that is a 9-miler. So that is to say that It'll be five weeks before I actually have a chance to run all the way to Risskov.
This week's long run was to be nine miles. I made it a bit longer, because I ran down to the corner of a park that was a convenient place to turn around. I ran from my house almost all the way to the north end of Risskov, a forest/park near Aarhus. As my long runs get longer, I'll be able to turn a lap of Risskov.
I ran the first half in 41:15 and the second half in 44:44. That's a 9:03/mile pace for the first half and 9:49/mile for the second half. My legs, especially my quadriceps, were having trouble turning over fast enough for the last two miles (I ran the last kilometer at a 10:00/mile pace). The last 5 km is gently uphill, with the second to last kilometer having a bit larger hill. Still, my pace fell off quite a bit in the second half.
Tomorrow will be an off day (I'll probably bike into the city and back both today and tomorrow, and pushing the lawnmower is a bit of a cross training workout). I get a reprieve from long runs next week, where my "long run" on Saturday is only six miles. The week after that is an 11-miler which I will probably have to run on Sunday morning in Copenhagen before boarding a noon flight to New York. And the week after that is a 12-miler that will be somewhere in Michigan where I'm stopping in to visit my Dad. My first Saturday back after that is a 9-miler. So that is to say that It'll be five weeks before I actually have a chance to run all the way to Risskov.
Friday, June 27, 2008
5 miles
5 miles (8 km) | 45:27 | 9:05/mile (5:41/km)
Today was just a regular five mile run. It was not supposed to be a pace run. Those are every other Friday, and I skipped last Friday's due to a cold and sore knees.
However, I actually did run this one at marathon pace, without really trying or paying attention to the time. I didn't even stop my watch at each kilometer mark, so I only have the total time.
I might revise my goal for the race to be faster than four hours as the race gets nearer, but for now, I'm still targeting primarily to finish and then to finish with a time under 4:00:00.
It's rainy here today. I ran in a drizzle this morning. Tomorrow is scheduled for a nine miler. I will either run that tomorrow, or if the weather suddenly looks good, go to Legoland instead and move the long run to Sunday.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
5K easy
3.1 miles (5 km) | 27:50 | 8:50/mile (5:34/km)
Today was an easy three miler after work. I keep getting faster on these easy runs, but I don't think I'm putting in much more effort. I must be getting stronger from the mileage, and I'm also concentrating on efficient running form.
My last three 5 km runs, since Salt Lake City, have been 30:00, 28:05, and now 27:50.
Tomorrow is a rest day. Friday is a five miler. Friday I will switch back to running in the morning, before work. My long run for the weekend is a nine miler (again, longest of the year so far). It is scheduled for Saturday, but it might move to Sunday. If it doesn't rain on Saturday, I will probably go to Legoland with my wife and son instead and move the long run to Sunday.
Today was an easy three miler after work. I keep getting faster on these easy runs, but I don't think I'm putting in much more effort. I must be getting stronger from the mileage, and I'm also concentrating on efficient running form.
My last three 5 km runs, since Salt Lake City, have been 30:00, 28:05, and now 27:50.
Tomorrow is a rest day. Friday is a five miler. Friday I will switch back to running in the morning, before work. My long run for the weekend is a nine miler (again, longest of the year so far). It is scheduled for Saturday, but it might move to Sunday. If it doesn't rain on Saturday, I will probably go to Legoland with my wife and son instead and move the long run to Sunday.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Afternoon 5 mile run
5 miles (8 km) | 43:59 | 8:48/mile (5:30/km)
I tried something different today. Instead of running in the morning before work, I tried running in the afternoon after work. I noticed in my stretching that I was quite a bit tighter in the morning when I wake up (even after stretching) than in the evening before bed. I also thought it would be easier as my weekday runs got longer to run in the afternoon. Since it doesn't usually get too hot in Denmark, I thought it might be worth a try.
After one day, I don't think I like it. The problem is the bicycle ride home from work. I usually ride pretty hard (I want to get home), and that tires my legs too much. It's better to run in the morning with fresh legs, and then ride after my run.
I will run tomorrow after work so that I don't have two runs too close together, and then after my rest day on Thursday I will shift my run back to the morning.
I also tried some harder running. My legs felt good and I was getting sick of plugging along at 9:40/mile all the time. Since I skipped my pace run last week, and the Friday run this week is just a plain old five miler (not a pace run), I decided to run some harder intervals.
At each kilometer mark, starting after 1 km, I ran harder for 90 seconds, followed by running easy to the next kilometer mark. The pace I ran at was somewhere around what I imagine my 5K pace would be (but I'm not sure, because I don't know how far I ran each time). Then, for the last kilometer to home, I ran harder for 90 seconds, then even harder for 90 seconds, then another notch harder until home.
My kilometer splits were (if I hit my watch at the right spot) 5:39, 5:23, 4:51, 5:40, 5:52, 5:37, 6:04, and 4:53. That works out to a pace in minutes per mile for each split of 9:05, 8:40, 7:48, 9:07, 9:26, 9:03, 9:47, and 7:52. On this 8 km out-and-back run to the south end of the Egå Engsø (a man-made lake near my house), the second kilometer is downhill (and the seventh uphill).
I might try some more focused speed work (strides? intervals?) after I get back from my US vacation in the end of July. I had thought to run hills, but I'm pretty sure I won't do that. I don't want to try it before my knees are used to the distance I'm adding to them. And, since I've registered for the Amsterdam marathon, I don't suppose I actually need to be able to handle hills for the race.
Tomorrow is 3 miles easy.
I tried something different today. Instead of running in the morning before work, I tried running in the afternoon after work. I noticed in my stretching that I was quite a bit tighter in the morning when I wake up (even after stretching) than in the evening before bed. I also thought it would be easier as my weekday runs got longer to run in the afternoon. Since it doesn't usually get too hot in Denmark, I thought it might be worth a try.
After one day, I don't think I like it. The problem is the bicycle ride home from work. I usually ride pretty hard (I want to get home), and that tires my legs too much. It's better to run in the morning with fresh legs, and then ride after my run.
I will run tomorrow after work so that I don't have two runs too close together, and then after my rest day on Thursday I will shift my run back to the morning.
I also tried some harder running. My legs felt good and I was getting sick of plugging along at 9:40/mile all the time. Since I skipped my pace run last week, and the Friday run this week is just a plain old five miler (not a pace run), I decided to run some harder intervals.
At each kilometer mark, starting after 1 km, I ran harder for 90 seconds, followed by running easy to the next kilometer mark. The pace I ran at was somewhere around what I imagine my 5K pace would be (but I'm not sure, because I don't know how far I ran each time). Then, for the last kilometer to home, I ran harder for 90 seconds, then even harder for 90 seconds, then another notch harder until home.
My kilometer splits were (if I hit my watch at the right spot) 5:39, 5:23, 4:51, 5:40, 5:52, 5:37, 6:04, and 4:53. That works out to a pace in minutes per mile for each split of 9:05, 8:40, 7:48, 9:07, 9:26, 9:03, 9:47, and 7:52. On this 8 km out-and-back run to the south end of the Egå Engsø (a man-made lake near my house), the second kilometer is downhill (and the seventh uphill).
I might try some more focused speed work (strides? intervals?) after I get back from my US vacation in the end of July. I had thought to run hills, but I'm pretty sure I won't do that. I don't want to try it before my knees are used to the distance I'm adding to them. And, since I've registered for the Amsterdam marathon, I don't suppose I actually need to be able to handle hills for the race.
Tomorrow is 3 miles easy.
Monday, June 23, 2008
5K easy
3.1 miles (5 km) | 28:05 | 9:03 / mile (5:37 / km)
Today was an easy three miler. Well, it felt easy, but it was a few seconds per mile under my target marathon pace (of 9:10 / mile), so it was more like a pace run. I concentrated on running the last kilometer with good form, and ran 5:32 with about the same effort as the rest of the run.
I know that I have too much up and down motion in my running form. This means I use more energy bouncing than going forward. That energy translates into a bigger impact on my joints with each step. When I concentrate on good form, I try to imagine that there is a ceiling just a couple of inches above my head and that I have to stay under it. I can tell when I am doing it right, because I move forward at a greater pace (and so my legs actually have to work harder to turn around faster---so I slip back into bad form when I'm tired).
It seems to me that I must look silly running so low to the ground, but the opposite is probably true (I look silly bouncing up and down like Tigger). I should have my wife videotape both strides so I can actually look at them.
I've been trying to concentrate on form because of the sore knees I developed last week. Today my knees felt much better. The were sore after the (half downhill) long run a week ago and the soreness lasted until the long run this past weekend. After two rest days on Thursday and Friday, they were still very sore on Saturday and I was afraid I had really hurt them. Then yesterday, they didn't feel bad at all, which was unexpected. Today, they hurt not really at all. The best thing about today's run was that I felt so normal.
A friend of mine just finished Grandma's Marathon in Duluth, Minnesota. It was her second marathon. She ran 4:26 something. Her goal was 4:22, but she had been sick and missed over a week of training (and one long run) about three weeks before the marathon. I think she did pretty good---she ran very even splits, with her times for the first 10K, the half, 20 miles, and 25 miles all averaging out to about the same pace.
Today was an easy three miler. Well, it felt easy, but it was a few seconds per mile under my target marathon pace (of 9:10 / mile), so it was more like a pace run. I concentrated on running the last kilometer with good form, and ran 5:32 with about the same effort as the rest of the run.
I know that I have too much up and down motion in my running form. This means I use more energy bouncing than going forward. That energy translates into a bigger impact on my joints with each step. When I concentrate on good form, I try to imagine that there is a ceiling just a couple of inches above my head and that I have to stay under it. I can tell when I am doing it right, because I move forward at a greater pace (and so my legs actually have to work harder to turn around faster---so I slip back into bad form when I'm tired).
It seems to me that I must look silly running so low to the ground, but the opposite is probably true (I look silly bouncing up and down like Tigger). I should have my wife videotape both strides so I can actually look at them.
I've been trying to concentrate on form because of the sore knees I developed last week. Today my knees felt much better. The were sore after the (half downhill) long run a week ago and the soreness lasted until the long run this past weekend. After two rest days on Thursday and Friday, they were still very sore on Saturday and I was afraid I had really hurt them. Then yesterday, they didn't feel bad at all, which was unexpected. Today, they hurt not really at all. The best thing about today's run was that I felt so normal.
A friend of mine just finished Grandma's Marathon in Duluth, Minnesota. It was her second marathon. She ran 4:26 something. Her goal was 4:22, but she had been sick and missed over a week of training (and one long run) about three weeks before the marathon. I think she did pretty good---she ran very even splits, with her times for the first 10K, the half, 20 miles, and 25 miles all averaging out to about the same pace.
Saturday, June 21, 2008
8.2 mile long run
8.2 miles (13.2 km) | 1:19:00 | 9:38/mile (5:59/km)
I did manage to make it out for my long run (again, the longest of the year so far). I went just over 8 miles and took just under 80 minutes. My pace per mile was just about the same as all of my training runs have been.
I ran the first half in 39:24 and the second half in 39:35, which is pretty good because the second half is gently uphill. I tried to push the last two kilometers a little bit but not to much. I ran 6:03 for the second-to-last kilometer (almost entirely uphill) and 5:40 for the last kilometer.
I am still getting over this cold, so my throat was dry and sore. My knees were still a little sore for about the first kilometer, but then they started to feel better.
About halfway through, I got soaked by a quick but heavy rainshower.
The first week of my training program is in the bag. I skipped one day (a 5 miler) due to sore knees and the cold, and I skipped a cross training day. I shuffled the other days around due to my transatlantic flight. I still got my long run in, which is the important one.
I don't think I will make any special effort to do any cross training tomorrow. Then I will run 3, 5, 3, rest, 5, and 9 (miles) for the rest of the week. The important thing next week is to get the 9 miler in and let my knees rest, so I may shorten the five milers to three, depending on how I feel those days.
17 weeks to Amsterdam.
I did manage to make it out for my long run (again, the longest of the year so far). I went just over 8 miles and took just under 80 minutes. My pace per mile was just about the same as all of my training runs have been.
I ran the first half in 39:24 and the second half in 39:35, which is pretty good because the second half is gently uphill. I tried to push the last two kilometers a little bit but not to much. I ran 6:03 for the second-to-last kilometer (almost entirely uphill) and 5:40 for the last kilometer.
I am still getting over this cold, so my throat was dry and sore. My knees were still a little sore for about the first kilometer, but then they started to feel better.
About halfway through, I got soaked by a quick but heavy rainshower.
The first week of my training program is in the bag. I skipped one day (a 5 miler) due to sore knees and the cold, and I skipped a cross training day. I shuffled the other days around due to my transatlantic flight. I still got my long run in, which is the important one.
I don't think I will make any special effort to do any cross training tomorrow. Then I will run 3, 5, 3, rest, 5, and 9 (miles) for the rest of the week. The important thing next week is to get the 9 miler in and let my knees rest, so I may shorten the five milers to three, depending on how I feel those days.
17 weeks to Amsterdam.
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