Monthly Archives: August 2008
Looking back eases my mind
Ever since March and the injury during the Shamrock Half Marathon, I’ve been questioning myself a lot in how I prepare for events. At times in the past five months, I have felt like I should just do 5ks and 10ks and not worry about 13.1 miles ever again. Other times I have felt extremely confident.
Heading into this weekend, I keep thinking about the two weeks in July that I couldn’t run very well due to my tail bone injury. After getting to 20 miles in a week before the fall, I simply could not do a long run two weeks in a row. But in the five weeks after that, I have felt the best I have felt in a long time even if I can’t seem to ever lose the 5 extra pounds I want to.
To help ease my mind a bit about this weekend, I went back and looked at my training for the previous two half marathons. I added up the mileage for the 10 weeks leading up to race week so I could see how I’ve done this summer. In the winter of 2007, when I set my PR at the Shamrock Half, I ran 193.8 miles in the 10 weeks before, logging four 20-plus mile weeks. This year for the same race, I did much less with 139.8 miles with three 20-plus mile weeks. It’s no wonder I got hurt, even if I was in good shape after marathon training at the end of 2007. So in the past 10 weeks for the Rock ‘n’ Roll Half, I have logged 201.6 miles, with six runs of 20 miles or more.
That really surprised me. I felt that my training in the beginning of 2007 was better than what I’ve done recently. I probably had better quality runs then, but getting in the extra mileage is important too. If I hadn’t missed those long runs in mid-July, I would likely have 220-plus miles.
Another interesting note about miles is the fact that at about halfway through the Rock ‘n’ Roll Half on Sunday, I’ll pass 100 miles for the month. It’ll be the most miles in a month this year, and it’s the first 100-plus month in almost a year.
Final pre-race thoughts
There’s no question that I’d love to set a PR this weekend, but my main goal is to enjoy myself. I’ve said it recently, but running has become fun again and all that matters to me on Sunday is to go out there and just do what I can do. I’m not going to get flustered if my pace falls off, and I’m not going to get overly excited if I start off quicker than I plan. The weather may play a role and there’s nothing I can do if it’s crazy hot or if it rains. All that’s left now is hitting the start button on my watch and then seeing what happens! Look for a race report sometime Monday …
What's this stuff falling from the sky?
When race weeks get here, it seems I always run out of things to say. Really all I am thinking about is the race and not doing anything stupid in the days leading up to it. This week is different with starting a new job and having child birth classes to go to on Monday and Tuesday nights, but it’s not making me forget about my end goal on Sunday. But the depths of posts feel kind of blah.
Today after work it was pouring down rain, but I was planning to run no matter what. By the time I got home and ready to run, it had slowed to a trickle. While running, there were parts of me wishing it would just pour down and there were parts of me that hated it. With the forecast on Sunday having a chance of rain, it was a must to run to remember what rain felt like. It’s been so dry lately that there have been no chances to run in the rain. (Until today, Richmond’s airport had only one-tenth of an inch of rain this month.)
I ended up having a great-feeling run. My legs are feeling good and rested and I just feel ready to get out there and push it for 13.1 miles. Enough said for today …
Workouts since last post
Aug. 26: Walk - 0.6; Run - 1.2
Aug. 27: Walk - 0.6; Run - 4.1
A distraction from running
Today I started a new journey in my life with a new job. I’m glad this is happening on race week rather than the middle of training. When that alarm went off an hour earlier than usual, I was dragging this morning. It was a usual planned day off a full run, but I still stumbled to a walk and short jog with my dog. He looked very pleased afterward.
Anyway, with the start of a new job, it’s easy to get distracted from running until I get into a normal routine. That’s a good thing this week. I’ll work my mileage in at various points, but it gives me a chance to rest my legs without thinking about it. I was feeling sluggish during yesterday’s short run. Before I know it, I’ll be at the beach and it’ll be race day. I don’t have to time to think about it until late Friday evening.
Workouts since Aug. 21
Aug. 22: Walk - 1; Run - 10.2
Aug. 23: Yard sale!
Aug. 24: Walk - 1.1; Run - 3.3
Week totals: Walk - 7; Run - 22.7; and one day of painting
Aug. 25: Walk - 1.1; Run - 0.5
Taper? Sort of
A recent comment asked if I was going to taper before the Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon. Well … yes and no. With having a big hiccup in the middle of July, I was unable to get the mileage I wanted about mid-way through my training this summer. But in the past five weeks, I’ve really poured in on with the miles and after this weekend, I’ll have my fifth straight week of 20-plus miles. With today’s 10.2 mile run and a run this weekend, I’ll have my fourth straight week of double-digit long runs. Next week, which will end on Sunday, Aug. 31 with the race, will make it six weeks of 20-plus miles and five weeks of double digit runs. I’ll leave it all out there on the course, which leads me to how I’ll “taper” without really tapering.
It all started today, with having my long run on a Friday. While I’ll admit that I was pretty tired just five days removed from my last long run, I’ve given myself a couple of extra days between my last long run and the race. I’ll get another 4-5 miles this weekend, and then I’ll have two 4-5 mile easy runs next week. I’ll back off the gas peddle a bit, since I’ve been pretty intense these past couple of weeks. I’ll get in a very short and easy run — probably 2-3 miles — the day before the race so I can adjust to conditions at Virginia Beach. So, when it comes to tapering, my mileage won’t be very different, but my mind frame and intensity will be. This approach is very similar to what I did in the winter of 2007 when I ran the Shamrock Half Marathon — and set a PR — and before I started blogging.
In comparison to earlier this year when I ran the Shamrock Half, I feel great heading into next week. I have no worries when it comes to injuries and I am very pleased with my mileage coming off a non-running injury. Things really got screwed up with falling on my steps, but I’m so glad that I’ve been able to move on. And while I’d like to set a PR at the Rock ‘n’ Roll Half, my main goal is to just run my race and have fun doing it. A PR really isn’t all that important — it just makes for a good blog entry and a new time on the right side of this page. I’ve done all I can do, and I’ll do what I can next week to finish off the job. I won’t get all worked up if it doesn’t happen. Running has become enjoyable again this summer, and that’s the best thing that I can ask for.
Painting = cross training
Earlier this summer I let a couple days of painting get in the way of running … and then at the end of the week I tripped at the top of my steps. Well, this week I got the paint brushes out again, but I didn’t let it get in the way of running.
As I’ve mentioned before, my wife and I are expecting a bo
y in November. With a new job beginning next week, this week is THE week to get stuff done around the house that I’ve been putting off. The biggest thing is the baby’s room, and I really didn’t want to save it for a rainy weekend in September or October. Besides, it looks like it’ll never rain in Richmond again.
So yesterday I busted out the paint, the brushes, the ladder and everything else you need to paint and got it all done … IN ONE DAY! It started early — probably around 10 a.m. — and didn’t end until about 6 p.m. I basically only took two or three sh
ort breaks. Thanks to some fast-drying paint (and three fans), I got two coats of two different colors on, plus the ceiling. Today my wife and I finished the job with the border.
What does all this have to do with running? Well, nothing, because I haven’t missed any runs, although today was probably a bit short because I was tired. Yesterday would have been a bike ride, but I got in a good enough workout with painting, kneeling and climbing up and down the ladder. Actually, I still got in a walk and short jog with my talk before all that fun even started.
If all goes as planned, I’ll actually be getting my long run in tomorrow. It’s a little closer than usual to my previous long run, but it also gives me a longer distance between this week’s long run and the Aug. 31 Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon. This weekend is shaping up to be busy for me, and a double-digit run doesn’t fit well with my plans.
Workouts since last post
Aug. 20: Walk - 1.1; Run - 0.7; Painting
Aug. 21: Walk - 1; Run - 4.1
A sad day in music
For those who know me well, know my obsession with the Dave Matthews Band. (I even have a blog about my experiences. Click here for it.) But, stealing words from another song, the music died a little bit last night.
If you haven’t heard, saxophonist LeRoi Moore died last night after having complications from an ATV accident in June. That accident occurred a day or two after I saw DMB in concert … LeRoi’s last show.
The band has continued on this summer with Bela Fleck’s Jeff Coffin filling in. And last night the band continued on with a show in Los Angeles. According to the official site, Dave told the crew: “There’s no place I’d rather be than here with you guys right now.”
Some people may question the future of DMB without one its original five members, but I think it would be a shame. There’s nothing wrong with canceling the rest of this tour and taking a break next summer, but they have to keep playing to honor LeRoi. They have to write songs about him, so he can live on in music.
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