Dixies Dashing Diary

Rest. Still really sore from race Saturday.

Took Sunday and Monday off to recover from Saturday's race. My legs are still sore.

This morning I started off at about a 9:45 pace for the first half mile or so just to loosen my legs a little. I eventually averaged out to about an 8:22 but I really focused on taking it easy and letting my legs just get the blood flowing and feeling better on the run. I'll probably do the same tomorrow.

This was supposed to be a high milage week but at this point I'm more concerned with running uninjured than hitting a milage goal.

Time: 5:53 am  Total Time:  59:45 (8:22 avg)

Temp: 73º  Humidity:  84%

Could not sleep so I did not run this morning. Got home late and found my wife had made a wonderful dinner. Had a family meal out on the pool deck and enjoyed the time together. We even called our daughter at college and had her on speaker while we all got to enjoy her virtual company.

I tried to sneak out for a quick run but the phone rang at 8 pm and it was my longtime running buddy Keith. He and I talked for about 45 minutes. While talking about running with him, another running buddy called and wanted me to call him back when I finished with Keith. By the time I was finished talking about running it was after 9 pm. I gave up the run and instead made two dozen chocolate chip cookies. Yes, I ate a bunch of them myself and slept like a baby!

Ran tonight with the Run for the Brews crew. Ran from the Dunedin House of Beer. Went out to the third bridge on Dunedin causway and picked up the pace on the way back. There was a front moving in from the Gulf so at one point the wind was so strong that the rain actually stung as it hit uncovered skin (I was shirtless so that was pretty much most of my body). Matt R was with me almost the whole way. He backed off for the last couple of miles.

Last 5 mile splits were:

1. 7:55
2. 7:37
3. 7:34
4. 7:54
5. 7:23

Time:  6:39 pm  Total Time: 1:19:41 (7:57 avg)

Temp: 70   Humidity: 83%

Wind was out of the West at a steady 10 mph with gusts of up to 16.

This past week was all about recovery. I really did not realize how much last Saturday's race took out of me. I took Monday off to have an extra recovery day and then again Wednesday I just didn't have enough sleep to get up and run in the morning. I felt great on my Thursday night run and decided to take another rest day before 20 today.

Today we started from Longleaf and though we started at  9 min pace the first mile, by mile 3 Victoria and I were running close to 8 even. Jorge and Jamie were behind us and Keith jumped in after 3. Keith helped keep us in check for a more reasonable pace until I felt the call of nature and reached for the trusted BGP (bathroom goal pace). I made it to the park just in time!

The Striders were in full compliment today as what looked like around 40 people huddled up in the dark with little glow sticks and hat clipped headlights made them look like a convention of fireflies in the middle of the pitch black shelter parking lot. It seems most everyone came out today to celebrate our first taste of winter, 48º and 50% humidity. It was glorious to run in oxygen rich, cool, dry air!!!

My run was uneventful with the exception of two things. My left achilese has begun hurting again and Keith and I ran the last mile in close to 7 minute pace! He had a phenominal run. I had a  fine last long run with a strong finish.

My last 5 mile splits were:

1. 8:29
2. 8:07
3. 7:42
4. 7:44
5. 7:09

I'm trusting that the hard work that has already been done will ready me for the race. My base, my speed work, my race last week, my coming taper, have all gone better than planned. Now it's time to trust the numbers and stay healthy.

Ran with Mark on our normal Monday route. My achilles on my left leg was really bothering me. Just hasn't stopped being sore to painful since early last week. We warmed up easy and ran overall pretty conservative. 

Time: 6:09 am  Total Time: 1:07:33 (8:25 avg)

I slept in this morning getting the first 8 hours + sleep I've had in I can't remember when. I decided to let my body get some more rest before I go back out an put more pressure on it. My achilles on both legs are now bothering me.

Tonight I started out around a 9 min plus pace. I thought if I could warm up gently or slowly enough I could avoid any pain o discomfort.  This worked for about 3 miles. The rest of the run was painful and uncomfortable. I just tried to keep running comfortably and focus on form.

The night, however, was beautiful. The bay was slick calm and though the moon was fairly new, it cast moon light all over the slick, calm bay. This was the kind of night I wished Tracey could see.

Time: 6:55 PM   Total Time: 1:17:54 (8:39 avg)

I've decided to take the rest of the week off to let my achilles recover.  They just don't seem to be healing. I'm going to ice every day and do about 2 hours on the bike Saturday.

Rest

Rest.

Biked 21.8 miles

Time: 1:25:22  (15.4 mph avg)

Ran with Mark. My AT is still really sore. I just felt like I was damaging it further by continuing to run so I came back, did some light skipping and stretching and called it a day.

Trying to stay positive and telling myself this will eventually pass and I still have time.

Today is my birthday so I had to run just so I wouldn't feel so old. My oldest son and I went for a run on our local golf course. My achilles hurt. I started feeling old anyway...

I did run though so I'm still alive and kicking!

9:01 pace

Bike: 10.01  Time: 32:37 (18.57 avg)

Ran: 4.02  Time: 31:37  (7:51 avg)

Rested, Iced, Rested, did some projects around the house...

Rode:  10.04 miles

Avg: 16.1 mph

Total Time: 37:32

Did some light stretching and called it a day. Achilles is still sore but much better than it's been. I'm trying to envision being completely healthy one week from today and running comfortably for a PR or BQ.

Tonight I decided it's time to give it another try. My achilles has felt so much better these last couple of days I didn't want to risk damaging it again so close to the race. I started out at a shuffle and just gradually eased the pace down. My AT felt perfect for the first half mile. Slowly the soreness returned. I tried to focus on breathing comfortably, short verticle strides, and soft foot strike. My pace gradually felt less labored and more groove like. Though uncomfortable I felt like could get on one of these paces and just cruise for twenty miles or so. The splits were: 8:17; 7:49; 7:56; 7:57

Time: 7:49 PM  Total Time: 32:50 (8:05 avg)

Temp: 69  Humidity: 73%

TURKEY TROT 2010!!

Ran with Mia, Shelby, and Zack. Ran slowwww with Mia, Shelby, and Zack. Ran 6.2 miles in 1:05. The idea was to run slowly to get my legs moving but not stress my AT. It was actually more painful to run easy (10-11 min pace). Not to worry though. I got something in for the day and will rest till the race on Sunday.

Beautiful day for a race. Not too cool, not too hot.  The long and the short on the day was that I qualified for Boston by 3 seconds. I ran a good race but possibly could have run a smarter race.

The first 6.5 miles was due North. My 10K split was 49:08. I was running with Birget from New Smyrna Beach who had a 3:35 PR and was looking to do 3:30.

At the turn around we were staying in the mid 7:40's to low 7:50's which felt very comfortable however faster than my race plan. In the first half I had 8 miles under 7:50. My game plan was to stay between 7:50 and 7:55...

At the half my time was 1:43:00 and I felt like the King of the World!!! We had picked up Mark P (faithful running mentor and training partner who came all the way to Cocoa just to pace me through the last half) and a couple of 100 lbs. girls who were barely breaking a sweat. We were in this tight group kind of cruising along and soaking in the crowd, the music, the beautiful down town strip. I made the mistake of handing my shirt off to Mark (who then ran it to the car and headed back out to catch up with us). I felt so good my next two miles were 7:31 & 7:41. When Mark finally caught back up to us he reminded me that we still had a long way to go and that I should save some for the last 10K.

Mile 20 I crossed at 2:37:24 (7:52 avg). At this point I'm still feeling confident although not as excited about the final 10k as I had anticipated just 5 miles ago. At mile 15 I couldn't wait to get to the 20 mile mark. I wanted to smoke the last 6.2 miles with my new found super human strength. Now that I've reached the 20 I'm thinking more serene and gentle thoughts. I noticed that Birget has been in front of me for several minutes now and I just can't get up the steam to catch her and stay with her. At mile 21 I'm beginnig to wonder just how far 5 miles actually is. My splits begin to weaken...

•               Off Prev  Off Pace
• 20 - 8:08 (+ :16)    (  :08)
• 21 - 8:15 (+ :07)    (  :15)
• 22 - 8:25 (+ :10)    (  :25)
• 23 - 8:43 (+ :18)    (  :43)
• 24 - 9:06 (+ :23)    (1:06)
• 25 - 9:14 (+ :08)    (1:14)
• 26 - 9:02 (- :12)     (1:02)
• 385 - 7:04              Approximately 4:53 off 8 min pace lost in the last 10K

The last 10k I was struggling to keep from walking. I felt like I had nothing left in the tank. Nothing cramped. Nothing necessarily hurt (although my feet were blistered pretty badly). I just didn't have anything left. I felt so helpless trying to catch up to Mark who was trying ever so politely to not allow me to quit or throw my BQ effort away with so little distance left. After much prayer, prodding from Mark, and counting to 100 about a dozen times, I finally saw the 26 mile marker and realized I was almost home. I began my surge to the finish around the 720 degree circle of doom! This park in which we finished had this fancy pergola type structure which was built in a large circle around a grassy court yard. I guess they wanted to use every last inch of it because the finish line was all the way around the back side. When I finally crossed the finish line it took me several seconds to stop my watch so I though I missed Boston by 2 seconds. At that point I really could have cared less...

The day was a win no matter how bad I felt in the end. I can't wait till the next race and the chance to break 3:30. I'm convinced that I can but I need to get my mile back up, stay uninjured for the entire training cycle, and run a little bit more conservatively for the first 18 miles. I would really like to finish racing not just staggering to the finish line.

THANKS to Mark P for being there so patiently for all of the training runs and call in questions about everything from pace to nutrition, and for constantly telling me that I could do this. Next time, hopefully, it won't be such a close call.