Shorts Were a "No Go" Yesterday

Yesterday it was nice to be able to run around the lake again after spending six days on the Westside. Like I said in my earlier blog postings, I enjoy the change of scenery and enjoy running the Camp Randall loop like I had been doing the past few days but it's always nice to be able to run "my home course" which is Lake Monona. With as many times as I've run it (probably well over a hundred times), you would think I would be sick of it but I'm not. It's one of the nicest loops there is. Of course, I'm a little biased in thinking that. Anyways, it was nice to be back on the east side, even despite the brisk weather. Initially, after waking up, I put on shorts thinking that I could run in them like I had the past few days. I was wrong. After stepping outside and having the chilly November wind hit my bare legs, I had second thoughts, turned right around and went back inside to put on long running pants. It was just to chilly, especially with the strong wind. If there wasn't such a harsh wind blowing, I probably would have persevered and stayed in shorts but that North wind was just too strong and chilly. It really made running towards the Monona Terrace tough... like running into a brick wall. I knew I would get a reprieve the second half of the run and I did. Those northerly wind gusts that were holding me back for the first five miles gave me a gentle push in the back the second half and it was a very welcome push. Like the past several runs, yesterdays pace wasn't a blistering one (7:51 avg.) but that was fine with me. I know my average pace per run is going to start to slow a bit with the imminent winter weather coming. It was just nice to get in a solid 11 miler around the lake again.

Yesterday's workout: 11.1 miles > 1:27:09 > 7:51 pace

Miles this week: 19.5

Good To Be Back Home Again

Well, my umpteenth dog sitting stint this year with Ziggy is finally over. I was able to lie in the comfort of my own bed last night for the first time in six days. That is always a welcome feeling. I do have to say though, that the little shavetail was a lot better this time than the last time when I had to babysit him in September. This time, most nights, he would let me sleep pretty much throughout the night instead of getting up countless times to go out and do his business. That made things a lot easier and me a lot less cranky. Since yesterday was the final day at the 'ol Zigster's dog pad, I went for one final run down by Camp Randall Stadium and up the East/West bikepath. It was probably the chilliest day of the year yet. I think when I stepped outside it was something like °22 degrees. You know what though, I still ran in shorts. I didn't feel like putting on long running pants and despite the chilly weather it was actually pretty nice out. The sun was out shining and there wasn't too much of a wind chill. Despite wearing shorts, I still bundled up my upper body. Like I said the other day, I don't like being chilled in my upper torso... that is no fun at all. It was an enjoyable last run on the westside, though. I didn't set a blistering pace by any means (7:54), but it was still an enjoyable run nonetheless in that it was such a nice morning to take some clean, crisp air into the 'ol lungs. It was a good way to finish up dog sitting. Auf wiedersehen, Ziggy!

Yesterday's workout: 8.5 miles > 1:07:09 > 7:54 pace

Miles this week: 8.5

Weekend Miles in Shorts

Just a short litte entry to let you know how my weekend miles went. It was brisk weather wise, that is for sure. Despite the cool, crisp weather I was still able to run in shorts both Saturday and Sunday. I know... you probably think I'm nuts... and I am. My legs, however really don't feel the effects of the cold weather. It's my upper body that I usually bundle up a bit. So despite wearing shorts, I did wear two shirts, a running jackets, hats and gloves and was pretty comfortable running like that. The highlight of my weekend miles was running down by Camp Randall Saturday morning as people were heading there and preparing to watch the Badgers battle the Gophers for "the axe." Big rivalry game and it was a good one to watch later that day. Anyways, as I was running down Breese Terrace that leads you by the Camp, a couple guys were playing catch with a football and one of them yelled out to me to ask if I'd like to receive one. I nodded in approval and he let one go... a lame duck... it bounced in front of me but I did catch it on the hop, though. Oh well, it was the thought that counted. I picked it up and off balance, threw a perfect spiral back to him. He was pretty impressed... so was I actually, since i was wearing gloves. It was fun though, and a nice way to break up the run. Badgers won by the way 35-32 to retain the Paul Bunyan Axe for the fifth straight year. Better luck next year "Golden Rodents."

Saturday's workout: 9.1 miles > 1:11:48 > 7:52 pace

Sunday's workout: 5.1 miles > 40:41 > 7:59 pace

Miles last week: 34.4

I Actually Got Some Sleep

Well, my first two night of dogsitting for "Ziggy the Great" actually went pretty well. If you remember the last time I was over on the westside babysitting the Zigster, he had me up several times in the wee hours of the morning so he could wee wee himself. It wasn't very much fun and I was walking around like a zombie because of it. I was hopeful that this time wouldn't be a repeat occurrence and so far it hasn't been. I have been keeping him in the bedroom where I sleep so he isn't prone to wander around and slip in some extra drinks of water and so far it has been working. He really hasn't been getting me up in the middle of the night to do his best Niagara Falls impression... he's been pretty much sleeping thru the night which I greatly appreciate. Because of that I feel much more rested this time around but I still have a few days to go with him.

The good night of zzzz's I was afforded on Wednesday night allowed me to get in a pretty good run on Thursday morning. I also had a double bonus of being able to run in shorts because it was a pretty mild November morning. I really thought those days were done, but hey, I'll take 'em when I can get 'em. I did have to wear a wind jacket though, because it was pretty gusty out and my upper body does have a tendency chilled as we go deeper into the calendar year. Again, it was nice to be able to run the Camp Randall loop that I do when I put up stakes for a few days on the westside to watch Ziggy. It's a nice little loop that takes you down by the edge of campus and up a nice bike path that leads back to Midvale and Mineral Pt. Rd's. I wasn't setting too blistering of a pace on Thursday because of the windy conditions but I was still running nice and steady and didn't feel sluggish, which is always a good thing. I plan on doing the loop again tomorrow morning but tomorrow I don't think I will be wearing shorts. It sounds like it's going to be a pretty cold and raw day with some nice and gusty wind conditions. I better get used to it though, because I know there is definitely more days like that on the horizon. I just hope Ziggy will let me get another good night sleep;)

Thursday's workout: 9.1 miles > 1:10:47 > 7:45 pace

Miles this week: 20.2

A Better Day to Run

After dealing with the cold, windy conditions of the weekend, today's weather offered a nice respite for my training run. I still had to bundle up a bit by putting on my long running pants, running jacket, hat and gloves, but the temp was much milder and the wind was not as severe. It was a nice change of pace from battling the wintry elements. The next few days could be a challenge, though. By the looks of things it looks like it could be a little rainy with some snow mixed. Hopefully I'll be able to find a break in the weather where I can get in a quality run. I will be doing my running on the westside again, though. Yep, you guessed it... more dogsitting for Ziggy. His owners are headed to Las Vegas tomorrow for six days to do a little gambling. Should be a blast. I'll have to remember to bring some tranquilizers... for me and for the dog;)

Today's workout: 11.1 miles > 1:26:22 > 7:45 pace

Miles this week: 11.1

What Kind of Winter Lies Ahead?

I was thinking this past weekend when I was out for my daily runs that if I were a new runner trying to get a head start on my New Years Resolutions, I might have just said "forget it" and stayed inside to drink hot cocoa and eat oreos. Saturday and Sunday were pretty raw days to be outside getting in some miles. They were both very cold and windy days and my winter running gear got an early test. I knew the weather was going to take a turn for the worse sooner or later but I was really hoping that it would be later rather than sooner. I survived though. It certainly is nothing new to me. Actually, if you put things in perspective, as cold and windy as this past weekend was, it was really like running in Tahiti in comparison to what me and the hardcore runners in Madison had to deal with last year. That was one harsh winter... one that I would rather not relive. The weatherman at the tv station I work at assured me that it should be a lot gentler this coming winter. He made the early prediction of just a paltry 48.2 inches of snow for the upcoming season. I'll take that in a heartbeat. I know the Farmer's Almanac is predicting a lot more snowflakes for the upcoming winter, but our venerable meteorologist says the heck with that. Why? Well, I'll just let you read about it in his station blog and then you can decide for yourself. As for me, I'm holding out hope that David is right. Last year he predicted around 68 inches and we ended up with over 100. Not too close, right? Well, anyone can have an off year. That must just mean that he's due this time around. If he's not... well, lets just say that he be make snow angels face down in the snow;)

Saturday's workout: 11.1 miles > 1:25:16 > 7:41 pace

Sunday's workout: 6.1 miles > 47:52 > 7:51 pace

Miles last week: 40.4

Oh, What New Shoes Can Do!

My shoes were getting flat. Tuesday's election day run was proof of that. During that 12 miler, my knees were a little more achy and my right achilles started to get a little twinge to it... sometimes a telling sign that it's time for a new pair. My first pair of Saucony's served me well, though. I decided to give them a try at the beginning of August after years of being loyal to New Balance, and after putting in close to 500 miles on them, they are pretty much on their "last legs." A new pair was definitely in order. So, on my way to work yesterday, I decided to stop off at Movin' Shoes and pick up a new pair. Let me tell you, there is nothing like getting a new pair of running shoes. They are so nice and bright and clean, and just like when you get a new car, they have that "new shoe smell" to them. That doesn't last long though. As most runners will attest to, as well as their family and friends, the cleanliness and the nice smell go away very quickly. After picking them up yesterday afternoon, I was looking forward to getting out on the road this morning to give them their first "test drive." The morning didn't look too promising, though. When I woke up, it was pretty rainy and very windy. Oh well. I was at least hopeful of getting in a good five or six miles on the new treads. I checked the radar and was optimistic that there was a little break in the weather where I could get in my run. I waited a little longer and finally the rain had subsided a bit to a light mist. The wind was a different story. It was still pretty windy. I didn't care though. I just wanted to get out there and get in a run with my new shoes. From the very first stride I took in my run today I could feel what a difference wearing fresh shoes made. It was like putting springs on my feet and running on clouds. I could feel the support and cushion for my feet making my legs spring to life and giving me that extra boost. After having run thousands of miles in my lifetime, it's always a welcome treat. Because my feet and legs were feeling so good, I didn't want to cheat myself by just running a basic five miler. Even though the skies were looking somewhat ominous and I didn't know what the impending weather held, I decided to risk it and run around the lake anyway. The first half of the run was great. I had news shoes and gusty wind at my back. I was flying. The second half was a different story. It was a little more challenging at times because that wind that was my back was now in my face. I did vary my route a bit so that I had trees and houses blocking it at times, but once I got to Olbrich Park, there was nothing there to protect and barricade me from the wind. That was ok, though. The new shoes were still providing me with that nice, new springiness to my step. I even finished up strong by running the last mile in 6:43. Not bad for the 11th mile with the wind in your face. New shoes... you gotta love 'em.

Today's workout: 11.1 miles > 1:22:22 > 7:25 pace

Miles this week: 23.2

Voting on the Run

Well, this morning I decided to kill two birds with one stone. I wanted to get in a decent long run especially with the impending long night ahead for me at the tv station with election coverage. A good long run before an expected busy night at work always helps me to stay focused and relaxed and helps me to get whatever worries and frustrations I have in me... out. Since today is the much anticipated election day where we the citizens of the United States have the wonderful right to choose a new president for the next four years, I thought I would exercise twice... exercise to stay fit and in shape, and then exercise my right to vote and then have a fit, depending on who wins;) So with that, I threw on my running garb, stowed my drivers license in my shorts pocket for proof of residence, and headed out for a run around the lake. The morning was an extremely mild one considering that it is now November 4th. The sun was out shining brightly and it was fairly cool but not as much as it has been the last week or so. As I was out running you could definitely tell there was a buzz in the air... a lot more foot traffic, bicycle traffic and traffic in general, all I'm assuming, heading to their respective polling places to vote. The lake route is always an enjoyable route to run but today it was even more enjoyable with the anticipation that at the end of the run I would be casting my ballot like millions of other voters in this country with the hope that you will be helping, in some small way, to shape the great foundation of these United States. It really is a pretty awesome thing once you sit and think about it. I was also happy in the fact knowing that the end of this day marks the end of all those "wonderful" political ads that we've been accustomed to seeing (and tuning out) over the past several months. That, in and of itself, is a reason to rejoice. I finished up my 12 mile run by the Monona Community Center, the polling station where I vote. After cooling down a bit, I headed inside to do my civic duty. I had come at a good time. It was mid-morning and the lines were very short. I was able to walk right in, give them my name and address, get my ballot and vote. I was in and out of there in probably five minutes. Actually, the reason it was so fast for me is that the people inside conducted another vote... they all voted to get me in and out of there as fast as they could since I was all sweaty from my run and not smelling the greatest. That was my plan all along... you've got to love America. I should have been a politician... but they're dirty and stink for other reasons.;) Get out there and VOTE!

Today's workout: 12.1 > 1:34:39 > 7:45 pace

Miles this week: 12.1

Miles last week: 37.7

That Time of Year... Again

For whatever reason, I sometimes get much more thirsty when I'm out for a long run in the Fall and Winter as opposed to the Summer. I don't know whether it's the crisper, more dry air of those seasons that drys out my mouth or what, but sometimes during my long runs during those months I get a little parched and need to wet my whistle. Today was one of those days. It was very brisk and breezy out and as I was nearing the seven mile point in the run I decided that when I came upon the next water fountain I was going to take a bit of a respite and stop for a cool drink. I usually don't take pit stops on my runs around Lake Monona but today I was really looking forward to it... so I stopped... pushed the water fountain button and out came... nothin'. My wonderful friends at Madison Water Dept. had already turned off the water to the bubblers for the season. Terrific. The first snow of the season hasn't even flown yet here in Madison and they've already shut down the fountains. I know it's been a little chillier as of late, but c'mon... is it really chilly enough that it's going to freeze up the pipes already? We're not living in the Arctic Circle. After mumbling a few things to myself and shaking my head, I continued on. The Water Fountain Season comes and goes way to fast. Now I have to wait until the end of April or the start of May to have that convenience once again. I guess I'll have to make other plans. I'm not going back to carrying a water bottle either. It's annoying and it usually freezes anyway. Hmmm... there are a lot of bars along my running route. I have never been much for bar hopping, but that could work;)

Today's workout: 11.2 miles > 1:23:55 > 7:30 pace

Miles this week: 22.4

A Brisk Run Around the Lake

After taking a nice day off from running yesterday after my 15k on Sunday, I was back out on the road this morning. I was really deliberating whether I wanted to do just a quick run or get in a quality run around the lake. After sticking my head out the door to get a gauge on the weather conditions I decided it was just to nice a Fall day not to run longer. Winter will be coming soon and you have to take advantage of the nice days while they are still here. It was a bit chilly this morning so I opted not to wear shorts and instead went with the longer running pants. I might have been a little overdressed but it didn't affect me too much because the wind coming out of the north kept me comfortably cool. My legs felt surprisingly good this morning despite having raced just a couple days ago. I thought they might be a little shot but they felt pretty strong. Despite feeling good, I'm still going to err on the side of caution and continue to run every other day for awhile longer. As I said yesterday, there are no races on the horizon and it's nice to be able to give my legs a little extra rest by treating them to a few bonus days off here and there... after all, they've earned it. I'll be back at it on Thursday, though.

Today's workout: 11.2 miles > 1:25:16 > 7:37 pace

Miles this week: 11.2

Last Race of the Year?... Possibly. A New P.R... Definitely.

When I got up Sunday morning and stepped out the door, I wasn't too excited to be running in a race that morning. It was WINDY... and when I say WINDY, I mean EXTREMELY WINDY. I wanted to turn right around and crawl back into bed. I didn't want to deal with what felt like gale force winds that day. It was going to be hard enough running a 15k race two weeks after running the best marathon of my life... I mean, heck... who knew if my legs had fully recovered from that hard effort of October 11th? Well, we would soon find out. I told myself to suck it up and give it a go. I have been in Madison for over 14 years, but this was the first time I had ever participated in the UW Fall 15k. I had always wanted to do it, but the timing just never worked out. The last time I had done a 15k was two years ago in Milwaukee, and like then, I was two weeks removed from running a marathon. Back then, I had a pretty decent effort by running the 9.3 mile course in a little and hour and nine minutes. Not bad for coming off a marathon... in fact I remember being extremely satisfied for being able to average around 7:30 per mile that day, also in windy conditions. My only other 15k prior to that was back in 2002 when I ran that same Milwaukee course and probably averaged around 7:15 to 7:30 per mile for the race. One thing I knew Sunday though, was that even though I had basically taken it easy since the my marathon of October 11th, I knew I was still in infinitely better shape than those previous two times and that I had a good chance of getting my 7th PR of the year in seven different races. The wind was going to make it difficult, though. Not knowing the course layout, I was ever hopeful that the wind would be at my back a good portion of the time. The race started pretty much right at 9am and the wind had picked up even more since I had left my apartment. After the horn sounded, I was off in my orange racing shoes in my 10th road race of the year. The wind was somewhat in my face at the start but I honestly didn't feel it. I was too busy trying to gauge how my legs felt those first few hundred yards, and honestly, they felt pretty darn good. I was able get into a nice rhythm and set my body on cruise control pretty much right away. I hit the first mile mark at around 6:22 and felt very strong in doing it. Again, I was extremely pleased with how my legs felt, especially given the windy condtions. I hit the 5k mark at a little over 20 minutes and was still feeling pretty good. My pace had slowed a touch but that was ok... I knew it would a little bit because I had gone out fairly hard at the beginning. When I hit the 10k point in the course, I knew I was on pace for an extremely good time, well below my previous two 15k races. At the 10k mark, I came through at roughly 40 minutes and 30 seconds for a 6:31 pace average. I just had to hold on for another 3.1 miles. The next mile went pretty quickly. A couple of Movin' Shoes employees who I work with passed me around the 10k mark and I worked off them for the next mile or so which really payed some dividends. My 7th mile split was the fastest of the day for me at 6:12. After that, I started to fade just a touch with having to deal with the wind, a couple hills, and just generally feeling a bit tired. I didn't crash and burn, though. I finished up pretty strong and came across the line with a new PR of 1:00:45 and averaging 6:31 per mile. I was pretty proud of myself, to say the least, with having to deal with the wind and just being two weeks removed from a marathon. I really couldn't have hoped for anything better. I also had my third top 20 finish in a row by placing 17th out of 202 runners. It was a good way to end what will possibly be my last road race of the year. I won't say that for sure but with the road racing schedule in Wisconsin dwindling because of the colder weather coming, there really isn't much out there that peaks my interest. We'll see, though. Something might come up. I'll never say never. If it doesn't happen though, what a way to end my racing for 2008... my 7th PR in seven different race distances. Don't know if I'll ever top that one... I'll always try, though.

MY SPLITS FOR THE RACE

• Mile 1 - 6:22
• Mile 2 - 6:32
• Mile 3 - 6:34
• Mile 4 - 6:48
• Mile 5 - 6:36
• Mile 6 - 6:36
• Mile 7 - 6:12
• Mile 8 - 6:45
• Mile 9 - 6:35
• Mile 9.3 - 1:00:45

Yesterday's race: 15k > 1:00:45 > 6:31 pace

Miles last week: 29.3

Brisk Day, Brisk Run

After taking a day off yesterday, I was back out on the road today to get in a little run with a little speedwork sprinkled in. Since I am planning on doing the UW Fall 15K on Sunday morning, I wanted to get my legs used to turning over at a quicker pace. It was a typical Fall morning with cool temps and fairly breezy. I just started off by running a couple of miles easy and then threw in some 30 second to one minute pickups where I run at my normal 10k race pace, followed by a couple minutes of easy running. It's a nice little workout. I did something similar prior to running Whistlestop a couple weeks ago. It really gets your heart pumpin' a bit and gets your legs used to that quicker pace you will be doing in a race. I did a total of about six pickups sandwiched in the middle of a nice five mile run and I felt pretty good doing them, too. Despite racing fairly soon after doing a marathon (two weeks), I feel like my legs should hold up pretty good. This most likely will be my last road race of the year so I want to make it a good one. We'll see...

Today's workout: 5.1 miles > 37:42 > 7:24 pace

Miles this week: 16.2

The Evil Pumpkin

Today was an ideal morning to give my first long run since the marathon a try. It was an extremely cool and crisp sunny morning and there was a very light breeze blowing. Pretty much perfect conditons for me. After having two successful five mile runs over the weekend with days off in between, I was getting a little antsy to try something a little more substantial. My legs have been feeling good so why not give it a try... that and the fact that I was feeling a little guilty for eating a bunch of candy at work yesterday. One of our audio engineers at the tv station by the name of Pete has a tradition where a couple weeks prior to Halloween, he brings in an orange plastic pumpkin filled with candy, and he keeps refilling it every time it gets low. It's a very "evil pumpkin". It beckons your name as you walk by it, pleading with you just to take a piece of candy or two. I most certainly don't have as much restraint as I did last year. Last year at this time, I was in the middle of my "denial diet" where I swore off candy, ice cream, and any and all in between snacks in order to lose some excess weight. I really had no trouble last year warding off the pleas of the "evil pumpkin," and before I knew it, Halloween had come and gone without me giving in. This year is much different, though. I'm in great shape and don't have anymore weight to lose, so as I told Pete the engineer, I'm making up for last year... and boy am I making up. I must have really pissed that pumpkin off from last year with my "Just Say NO" attitude because this year the jolly 'ol jack-o-lantern is constantly tempting me with sugar fixes, and this time I'm not saying no. No wonder that stupid pumpkin is always smiling. The bad part is he'll be smiling for quite some time since there are still 10 days left til Halloween. I guess I'll have to practice temperance. With that, this mornings 11 mile jaunt was just the thing I needed... a little penance for all the sugary treats I ate yesterday. On the good side, maybe all that sugar gave me a little boost this morning because my legs were feeling good. For only doing a marathon a little over a week ago, my legs felt pretty fresh and fluid. I circled Lake Monona in around an hour and twenty-four minutes and thus felt very optimistic and confident that I should be able to run a nice race in Sunday's upcoming Fall 15k. Perhaps another PR?... who knows. Maybe I'll bring the "evil pumpkin" with me for some added motivation... nah, he can stay right where he's at. I won't need any candy on Sunday. I did have some more today, though... big surprise, huh?

Today's workout: 11.1 miles > 1:24:14 > 7:35 pace

Miles this week: 11.1

Taking a Victory Lap

The goal after the marathon was to take a full week off with no running. It didn't happen. I knew it probably wouldn't, either. I did give myself a good five days off, though, before I started feeling like I was getting a little too lazy. Let's face it, I was getting way to comfortable sleeping in til 9 or 10 am and I needed to get some exercise. Because of that, I decided to go for my first little run, or as my good friend Dave Dexheimer calls it, "a victory lap," last Friday. How did it go? It was five miles and pretty typical of a first run, post-marathon. Very slow and somewhat achy. Still, it felt nice. Nice to get outside in the cool, Fall weather and breath in some fresh air. Nice to stretch the legs out and get the aorta pumping. Nice to feel like I was doing something worthwhile. It was a nice "victory lap" in that it allowed me to reflect on the hard work I put in leading up to The Whistlestop and how that hard work translated into one of my all time best performances. It's fun to savor those memories in your first run back. My friend Dave is right, you have to take those "victory laps."

My second run last week was on Sunday morning. It was also a five miler and this time my legs felt like they had a little more pep. Where Friday I just ran a conservative 8 minute pace, Sunday I was back to doing a comfortable 7:37 pace with no real achiness in the legs. Tomorrow I am looking forward to doing my first run around Lake Monona since October 5th. It's supposed to be one of the best days of the week tomorrow weatherwise, and I want to take advantage of it. Plus I just want to see how my legs will react to a longer run, especially since I am planning to do a 15k race this coming Sunday here in Madison. I know it's probably a little crazy to be racing so soon after running a hard marathon, but I'm just not quite ready to acquiesce and put away my racing shoes for the year. Plus, I have always kind of liked the 15k distance... not too long, not too short. And it will also be nice to race again in this beautiful October weather we've been having. Snow and cold will most likely be coming soon which makes it a lot tougher to race. Mine as well enjoy it while I have the opportunity, right?

Friday's workout: 5.1 miles > 40:42 > 7:59 pace

Sunday's workout: 5.1 miles > 35:50 > 7:37 pace

Miles last week: 10.2

Third Times a Charm... I DID IT!!!

Last Saturday's marathon set up to be a perfect day to run... and I needed it to be. After enduring two heartbreaking marathons earlier this year where I just missed my 3:15 Boston Marathon qualifier by running a 3:17:45 in Napa Valley in March and 3:17:19 at Grandma's in June, I needed things to go right for me last Saturday morning in Ashland, WI for The Whistlestop Marathon, and they did. The weather couldn't have been any better if you would have ordered it. The Whistlestop is not your typical marathon in a couple of ways. First, it has a fairly late start time of 9am. Most marathon nowadays start fairly early, 7 or 8am, to beat the heat of the usual days. Up in Ashland, you generally don't have to worry about that since the race is in October and the area borders Lake Superior. It usually makes for some pretty cool temps at race time, as was the case last Saturday with a starting temp of 50°. That's perfect in my book. The other unique thing about The Whistlestop is that it's a point to point course, 24 miles of which are on an old, converted railroad track now made up of packed gravel and limstone. It's a pretty forgiving running surface and really gives your knees and joints a break from running on concrete and asphalt that you usually have to endure in most races. The tough part about running on that type surface up there is that there are inconsistancies in the footing. You might go from running on fairly big gravel pebbles, to soft, silty dirt, to ruts in the path caused ATV use, to a nicely packed surface. It sometimes makes it hard to get into a nice running rhythm when you are often darting side to side to find the best footing. It's a bit of a challenge but well worth it when you get to see the amazing Fall color display that the course provides. Wisconsin is known for having some of the most amazing Fall colors around, but I would have to say this is one of the best areas the Badger State has to offer. It's spectacular and you get to see mile after mile of it as the northwood trees line the whole course. The other nice thing about those trees is they give you optimum shade coverage if the sun is out like it was last Saturday.

After the singing of God Bless America, the race was underway. As I stated last week in my blog, my goal for the race was to start out fairly conservatively by running between 7:20 and 7:25 pace for the first half of the race and then build from there. That strategy was pretty much thrown out the window after the gun sounded. I didn't start out guns ablazin', like there was no tomorrow, but I still had a pretty quick first mile at 7:00 minutes even. It wasn't anything super fast but it was still 20 to 25 seconds faster than I wanted to be. I tried to calm myself down a bit and telling myself in essence to "ease up a bit" and "relax" and although I slowed somewhat I was still knocking off miles between 7:04 and 7:10 per mile. I really couldn't help it, though. The cool, crisp weather of the northwoods was just way too invigorating and my legs were feeling way too good that I just wanted to throw all caution into the wind and see what I could do for the day, so that's exactly what I did. Even though there were well over 700 marathoners entered in the race, I was pretty much on my own during much of the race. The race spreads out pretty quickly but the nice thing is that there are usually plenty of runners in sight to keep pace with and to reel in and pick off here and there. At the halfway point I was still feeling exceptionally good and my time reflected that. Thru 13.1 miles I was at a little over 1:33 and on pace to run a 3:06 marathon. Again, 3:15 was my Boston Qualifier so I was well ahead of that. The question was could I keep up that unrelenting pace. The answer was an emphatic yes. The next ten mile splits were all between 6:51 and 7:09 pace, five of which were under 7:00 minute pace, and the scary part was that I felt good doing it. I wasn't struggling to hang on or just looking for a solid finish... I was laying waste to this course, which only three years earlier, pushed me around a bit and caused me to finish in 3:23:06. Last Saturday, I was the one who felt like I was doing the pushing. After a good 24 miles or so my feet finally hit pavement. It was a welcome feeling, too. No more darting from one side to the other to find the best place to put my feet down. I was tiring a bit at this point so it was nice to just be able to run on a flat, smooth surface and just try to get in a nice running rhythm to knock of the last mile and a half or so. It also helped that the town people were there to encourage me on and tell me to finish up strong. One lady even yelled out to me and let it be know that I was in the top 20 for marathoners. I was pretty tired by that time so all I could say was, "Really?" As I would later find out, it was true. The main thing was my time. Where was I going to finish timewise? After a few more minutes and rounding a few more corners, I soon found out. 3:06:01. That's what I crossed the finish line at... 3:06:01. Not only did I decimate the Boston qualifying time by nine minutes, I also broke my personal best time from the 2003 Quad Cities Marathon by 51 seconds. I was dumbfounded to say the least. I honestly didn't know if I would ever get back to running a marathon time of that caliber again. The hard work paid of the last year paid off, though. The disappointment of narrowly missing my goal times at Napa Valley and Grandma's motivated me more. This time I did it, and did it soundly and with ease. The lady who yelled out to me was right, too. I did finish in the top 20... 20th out of 754 runners to be exact. By far, the highest I ever finished. It was quite a day. After retrieving my duffel bag and putting on some dry clothes I gave my mom and brother Pete a call. It was hard to tell them how the race went without choking back a few tears... I was just that happy. That's what a marathon does... it can really bring out a deluge of emotions. Those who have run them know what I'm talking about and for those who haven't, I'm sure you can imagine.

I'm a little sad that this is most likely the end of my marathoning for the year. Part of me would really love to do one more sometime in December but I think that might be pushing it a bit. I've really caught the bug, though. Number 10 is in the books and I'm looking forward to number 11. Maybe it will be Boston in April, maybe it will be Ft. Collins, CO in May... who knows. All I know is that I'm looking forward to that next one, looking forward to the training, and maybe even shooting towards running under the three hour time barrier... wouldn't that be something. I think I can do it, though. We'll see what next year brings.

A quick sidenote: I wanted to say congratualtions to my two running buddies who went up with me to Ashland and also ran The Whistlestop. My good friend Dave Dexheimer completed the 24th marathon of his career, finishing 212th overall with a time of 3:44:11, and my other friend Steve Chavala completed his very first marathon, finishing 233rd with a time of 3:47:34. I'm really proud of you both.

MY SPLITS FOR THE RACE

• Mile 1 - 7:00
• Mile 2 - 7:04
• Mile 3 - 7:07
• Mile 4 - 7:09
• Mile 5 - 7:10
• Mile 6 - 7:10
• Mile 7 - 7:06
• Mile 8 - 7:05
• Mile 9 - 7:04
• Mile 10 - 7:00
• Mile 11 - 6:58
• Mile 12 - 6:59
• Mile 13 - 7:02 - 1:32:14
• Mile 14 - 6:51
• Mile 15 - 6:54
• Mile 16 - 7:06
• Mile 17 - 7:04
• Mile 18 - 7:04
• Mile 19 - 6:56
• Mile 20 - 6:54 - 2:21:28
• Mile 21 - 6:57
• Mile 22 - 7:01
• Mile 23 - 7:09
• Mile 24 - 7:25
• Mile 25 - 7:18
• Mile 26 - 7:28 - 3:04:48
• Mile 26.2 - 3:06:01

Saturday's race: 26.2 miles > 3:06:01 > 7:05 pace

Miles last week: 42

One Final Run and a Guarantee

Well, this is it... one final tune up run before the big day on Saturday morning. One final run to get my legs churning, heart pumping, and get a good sweat broken. One final run to think about race strategy and how I'm going to attack the opening miles as compared to the finishing miles. One final run before what looks like my last marathon of the year. In retrospect, I had two clear main objectives when the new year started. The first one was to run three marathons in the calendar year so that I could get to an even ten for my career... I will be doing that. The second objective was to requalify for Boston in one of the three... I have yet to do that, just missing the standard in the previous two races by a couple minutes each. This weekends event should be a much different result, though. This should be the one. I'm feeling very confident in that all the training that I've put in this past year, over 1,600 miles worth of it, is pointing me toward a rapturous end result, one that I've been shooting for since the first of the year. As I've said in past races, especially the marathon distance, there are absolutely no guarantees on how you will do because it is such a tough and grueling race, mentally and physically... especially the last six of the 26 miles. I still stick by that. However, I would like to amend it just a bit. There are no guarantees, save for one. That I will dig down and battle and try my best to get out all the God-given ability I have on Saturday morning... to make myself proud and the people who know me best proud. That, my friends, is a guarantee!

Today's workout: 5.6 miles > 43:22 > 7:45 pace

Miles this week: 13.7

A Run With Some Pick-ups

After taking yesterday off to recoop from running four days in a row, ending with Sunday's 12 miler, I was back out on the road this morning to get in a decent little run. I didn't want to run 10 miles and I definitely wanted to run more than five, so I compromised and did eight. It wasn't a normal eight, though. No, I decided to put that Running Times article I talked about in yesterdays blog to use again. The writer in it stated that four to five days prior to your marathon you should do a run between six to eight miles and throw a series of pick-ups in to get a touch of speed work in. These pick-ups should be around 30 seconds in length and be at around your 10k race pace, which for me is around 6:15 per mile. The pick-ups should be followed by a good two to three minutes of easy running. I hadn't done a workout like that in awhile so it sounded like fun to me. After running easy for my opening two miles, I dropped the hammer and kicked up my speed to 10k pace for my first series of pick-ups. It felt a little strange at first, but after my heart, lungs and legs adjusted, I felt fine, feeling very fluid and somewhat relaxed. It really is amazing to see that after you do those 30 second short interval bursts and then you slow it down to what almost seems like a jog, how your overall pace still remains pretty fast. After slowing down after doing the pick-ups, my pace usually leveled off somewhere between 7:10 and 7:15 pace, and remarkably, it really did feel like I was jogging. In total, I did about seven of these quick hitters with some easy running in between, and actually finished up the eight mile run averaging around 7:28 pace. It really was a nice little workout that wasn't too hard, but at the same time got my heart pumping in spots and allowed my legs to really stretch out a bit. The cool, overcast Fall weather made it all the more enjoyable to run as well. I felt very gratified after finishing the workout, and like after Sunday's long run, I feel all the more confident going into Saturday morning's race.

Today's workout: 8.1 miles > 1:00:30 > 7:28 pace

Miles this week: 8.1

The Start of Marathon Week

Well, this is it... the start of marathon week. And how did I start it? By taking a day off from running. It was much needed since I had run the last four days in a row. I know, I know... I was supposed to take Saturday off, but as I said I would, I changed my mind a couple hundred times in the course of the night and decided a little three mile run wouldn't hurt me. It was a nice, crisp Saturday morning too, so I decided that before heading to work at Movin' Shoes I would just get in a little jaunt. I also would have felt a little guilty if I had only gotten in four days of running last week instead of five. For good or bad, I'm just used to my workout regimens. It's also called being stubborn;)

Sunday morning was no little three mile run. It was my last real long run leading up to the marathon next Saturday. I honestly didn't think I would get up early to get it in since I had gotten home late the night before from going to the Wisconsin/Ohio St football game where the good 'ol Badgers blew the game in the last six minutes or so. Ah, what the heck. I honestly forgot about it pretty much after the game was over with. I'm not going to waste my time brooding about the plight of the Badgers anymore. It serves no purpose and I have more fruitful things to think about... like getting myself qualified for Boston again. I can't control what the Badgers do but I sure as heck can control how I race next Saturday. Then again... it's a marathon... and as I've said in the past, marathons are a strange mistress... they can humble you in an instant. I guess I better watch what I say then. Aw, the heck with that too... I'm going into that race feeling just as confident as I did when I ran Grandma's Marathon in Duluth back in June. And why shouldn't I be confident. I've trained just as hard as I could have possibly trained, I had one heck of a half-marathon result just a little over a week ago, and I'm feeling pretty well rested. You can't beat that, right? I sure hope so. Yesterday's long run was also a nice confidence booster leading up to this Saturday's race. Like I said, yesterday was my last significant long run before the marathon so I wanted to make sure it was one of quality. It was. Once I got up and out the door, I was greeted by overcast skies and cool temps. I actually thought it might rain during the run but the rains actually held off til I was done. Now even though I wanted yesterday's run to be a quality one, I didn't want to go out guns ablazin'... that would have been stupid. No, I wanted to leave a little left in the tank, so I put into use something I had just read Saturday in The Running Times magazine about tapering before your marathon. The writer, whose name I forget, said that seven days out from your marathon you should get in a 12 mile run where you run the first six miles easy and then the last six miles at your goal race pace. Sounded like a good strategy, why not give it a try. I actually adjusted it a bit though, by doing the first five miles easy and the last seven at goal pace, but that's ok... I don't think it will hurt me. I was feeling a little antsy and wanted to pick up the pace a bit earlier. I'm such a go-getter, aren't I? I know... temperance. Anyways, it was a good workout. I did the first five miles between 7:35 and 7:45 pace and then ran the last seven miles in 7:26, 7:11, 7:22, 7:23, 7:22, 7:25 and 7:20. Goal pace for me is between 7:20 and 7:25 so I was pretty much right on the button with those splits. I'm pretty sure I can even go a little faster, but the plan is to be a little conservative on race day for the first 13 to 16 miles and then gradually try to pick it up from there. We'll just have to wait and see how the day shakes out. The bottom line is I know I can do it... I believe I can do it... so why not just do it.

Sunday's workout: 12.1 miles > 1:31:38 > 7:33 pace

Miles last week: 36.5

Overdressed a Bit

After yesterday's successful run, I wanted to head out this morning early to get in a litte run to see how my right calf would respond to running in consecutive days. It felt good yesterday so I thought two days in a row might be a good litmus test to see where it's at and how it feels. The morning was a brisk one... really brisk. Brisk enough for me to wear long running pants and a running jacket. It was probably a little overkill because once I got going and my heart started pumping, I got a little warm and decided I should have just worn shorts and a couple shirts. Live and learn. I always do that a couple times a year... feel the sharp chill in the air, get a little too bundled up, and then bake as if you were running in a parka in the Bahamas. It's that overdressing syndrome. It's not the most enjoyable. Despite that, it was a pretty enjoyable run. Although I didn't run that fast, it was a beautiful morning out to breath in some crisp, fall air and get in an easy five mile run. The best part though, was that my right calf didn't cause me any discomfort, so it seems as though it's on the mend. Even though I really don't want to take a third day off this week tomorrow, I most likely will. I'm planning on doing my last big long run before the marathon on Sunday morning, and thought I'd give myself Saturday off just to rest up a bit. Of course, I say that know... I may change my mind a couple hundred times before morning comes. Nothing like being decisive;)

Today's workout: 5.1 miles > 41:08 > 8:04 pace

Miles this week: 21.3

No More Babying... Time To Really Run

After my successful race last Saturday, I woke up on Sunday morning to get a post race run in. Just an easy five miler to get the kinks out. The run itself went fine. I think I averaged close to 7:45 pace which is pretty darn good after a hard effort like I had with the day before's race. During the run though, I noticed that my right calf had a little twinge to it and was a little tight. Nothing major, just probably a little delayed onset muscle soreness. With that, I decided to take Monday off to rest it, ice it, stretch it, and massage it in the hopes that the tightness would dissipate a bit. Tuesday morning came and I decided to give it a go. Nothing long, just a quick little five miler again. The run started off just fine, but as the run progressed, I could feel that little twinge of tightness occurring once more. Again, it was nothing major or painful, just a little tightness. Another day of rest followed with some more ice, light stretching, ibuprofen and massage. That brings us to today. A day where in essence I said, "No more babying it... Time to put the calf through some real paces and see what happens." By that I mean a good 11 mile run. It was a beautiful fall day to run, too... really crisp and brisk and a little breezy. I even wore a couple of shirt layers because it was so cool. Like Tuesday's run, everything started out just fine. No twinges of pain or nothing. As I got into the fourth and fifth miles I could feel a little tightness but it was nothing that was going to slow me down. I was working on a solid training run and really wanted to finish up strong. Once I had reached the eight mile mark, I felt I was in pretty good shape as far as the calf went. No real discomfort, just a little tightness, no better no worse... just fine with me. Despite taking a couple extra days of rest this week, I really turned out a good run today. The cool temps really reinvigorated me, and because of that, I got in a quality 11 miler at 7:27 pace. I'll take that any day of the week, sore calf or not.

Today's workout: 11.1 miles > 1:22:43 > 7:27 pace

Miles this week: 16.2

Ach, Du Lieber! It's Oktoberfest!

I know, I know... I said I would write over the weekend on how my Oktoberfest race in La Crosse went, but after the race, I was just enjoying relaxing at my parents farm and really didn't feel like writing. The race went great, though. I didn't necessarily expect a great result especially since I had a two hour drive after work on Friday night, didn't get home until 1am, tossed and turned in bed for four hours and then was up at 5am to head to La Crosse for the race. Not the most ideal pre-race rest plan. Oh well, I did it anyway and everything was fine. I was very appreciative that my dad also woke up early to drive me into town and cheer me on at the race. Having family members supporting me at running events has always meant a great deal to me, so thank you dad. The morning of the race was pretty much ideal. When my dad and I got to Riverside Park in La Crosse, it was still pretty much dark out but you could sense that it was a little overcast. It was also nice and cool and a little breezy. After picking up my timing chip and relaxing for a bit, I went for a mile and a half warm up just to loosen my legs up and get my heart pumping a bit. After stretching a bit and getting my thoughts together, I stripped off my warm up pants and shirts and laced up my orange Saucony racing shoes. I was ready to go. The race started promptly at 7am, and after a mad dash by everyone at the starting line, I settled into a comfortable pace. It had been awhile since I had done this particular race, 2002 to be exact. At that time, I was a neophyte to long distance racing and it was my first half-marathon. I ran well back in 2002, finishing the 13.1 mile course in a little over 1:28, averaging 6:45 pace and finishing first in my age group. Kind of a nice start for a "greenhorn" long distance runner. Since then, I had done a few marathon relays where my part of the leg was the half-marathon distance, but I hadn't run just a half-marathon since 2002, and in the relays I did, I hadn't come close to equaling that time of 1:28... until last Saturday. I was a little nervous heading into the race because it seemed like forever (early August) that I had a race of any distance. This was to be a nice test for me with the Whistlestop Marathon only a couple weekends away. I had put in the base miles and my legs were hardened and strong with close to 1,600 miles of training already logged this year, but I wanted to see what kind of race shape I was in... and I wasn't disappointed. Like I said, the race started off with runners running like there was no tomorrow... people tearing out of the starting line, running at a much faster pace than most would finish in. I don't get caught up in that "start of the race" madness... never really have. It's a long race and I like to settle into a comfortable pace early so that I will have more left for the end. I've learned that if you do that, you can reel in a lot of runners who are gassed because they went out way too hard. A lot of runners may pass me at the start of a race, but as they whiz by me, I always say in the back of my mind, "I'll catch up with you a little later"... and I usually do. I had a goal in mind of averaging 6:45 pace throughout the race but deep down I thought I could even run a little faster and possibly run 6:30's. When I approached the first mile marker, I was right on that pace... 6:29. It felt easy and comfortable but I still had 12 more to go. The next few miles, I bounced around between 6:30 and 6:40 pace, but I was still feeling very good... and confident that I might be in for a record setting day. The nice thing about this particular course is that it's an "out and back." You run a little over 6.5 miles out for the first half and come exactly the same way back for the second half. The nice thing about this is that it allows you to see who's ahead of you, and at the half way point there were only 14 runners faster than me. That's a pretty neat feeling to know that. It's also a little unnerving when, as your heading back, you are seeing just the throng of people that you are ahead of. It is a little overwhelming to say the least, and you have to calm yourself down a bit knowing that you are one of the race leaders. Even though it is a little overwhelming, I wouldn't trade that feeling for the world. It's a pretty cool feeling knowing that you're cruising along ahead of pretty much everybody else. Another one of the neat features of the race is that the last couple miles are on the Oktoberfest Parade route so you have quite a few spectators sitting on the sidewalks watching you run as they are waiting for the parade to start. Even though there were a ton of spectators out there, they weren't the most enthusiastic group. The adults were just lounging about, partaking in a few Oktoberfest libations (beer), and a lot of the kids were throwing footballs back and forth to each other, just passing the time. Maybe it was just too early in the morning for them too... who knows. Anyways, despite the lack of enthusiasm from the parade crowd, I was still able to finish up strong and pick off a few other runners in the process. With the finish line in sight, I picked up even a little more steam and crossed the tape in 1:25:30, finishing 11th out of 483 runners and first in my age division. I really couldn't believe it. Not only did I average a 6:31 pace for the 13 miles, but I shattered my 2002 time by three minutes and got my fifth P.R. (personal record) of the year, and all of them in different distances. Pretty incredible. I guess those 1,600 miles of training have really paid out some good dividends. When I think about it, I'm really at a loss for words. All I can say is "Ach, du lieber!" Whistlestop, here I come!

Saturday's race: 13.1 miles > 1:25:30 > 6:31 pace

Miles last week: 41

Making a Game Out of My Run

After running yesterday in weather that was an aberration from the normal fall temps, things were back to the status quo today as I laced up my shoes. The temps were very fall like this morning with cool, crisp fall air enveloping my body and filling my lungs. I really wish it could be like that year round... you can't beat it. After having a good, solid 11 miler yesterday for my workout, I had the intention of easing off the gas pedal a bit today but that really didn't come to fruition. Oh, I started off running easy hitting my first mile at a little over 8 minute pace, but as the run progressed, the achiness in my knees gradually dissipated and my pace quickened. It didn't help matters when in my fourth mile I heard a bunch of noisy grade schoolers on their bikes off in the distance behind me. I knew they would be biting at my heels within a few minutes so I made it my mission to pick up my pace even more (especially on the hills) and try to keep them behind me as long as I could. Sometimes doing stuff like that, making a game out of your run, can give you some needed and added pep. It worked. I held off those little shavetails for a good mile or so before they eventually passed me on their bikes, one making a snot-nosed comment to me as he went by. The game didn't end there, though. After they passed me, I picked up my pace even more and did my best to catch up to those impish rascals. I was succeding in doing it too, until they caught on to my little game when the snot-nosed kid looked back and said, "He's catching up to us." With that, they started pedaling feverishly. Ah, it was fun while it lasted and I can credit them with helping to run my last mile around 6:45. Thanks you little rascals... you were annoying, but helpful. Race day is on Saturday... I'll talk to you then.

Today's workout: 5.1 miles > 38:21 > 7:31 pace

Miles this week: 21.3

A Humid Day in Fall?

When I woke up this morning I was worried I might have some problems getting in my long run because of the forecasted rain. It turned out that wasn't the problem. By the time I stepped out the door and was ready to run my first steps, the rain had subsided leaving nothing but wet pavement, and surprisingly, a touch of humidity. Who would have thunk it? Not me. Not in late September. Even though it was a touch muggier than I've been getting used to, it still wasn't bad. It was fairly comfortable out, what with the overcast skies and a bit of a breeze. Much cooler days are coming, I know it, so I can deal with a little warmer weather here and there. I don't want to get too spoiled. Anyways, the warmer temps weren't to much of a deterrent this morning... I was still able to get in a good 11 miler around Lake Monona. I started out with a fairly conservative pace, but as the run progressed, I just kept getting gradually faster and faster, finally leveling off at a solid 7:30 pace. It was a good confidence booster run, especially since I had done a hard 20 miler just a few days ago. I am planning on running tomorrow, but nothing fast or long... just easy all the way around. I want to allow my legs to re-coop and get rejuvinated for Saturday's half marathon in La Crosse. I have to say I'm really looking forward to getting back in the saddle again, putting on my orange racing shoes, and seeing what my legs can do.

Today's workout: 11.1 miles > 1:23:23 > 7:31 pace

Miles this week: 16.2

Last 20 Miler in the Bag!

Well, I thought today I should put in a blog entry. Sorry I haven't written in awhile but after my five day stint with Ziggy the wonder dog, I needed some down time, sleep, and shock therapy. Watching that dog takes the creative juices right out of me and I just needed some convelescing time. I'm better now. Anyways, I targeted last Sunday to be my final 20 mile training run leading up to the Whistlestop Marathon on October 11th. I set my alarm to get me up at 6am so I could be out on the road after having a bowl of shredded wheats and an energy bar. The day was pretty much idyllic. I couldn't have asked for a better day to do a long run. I overcast and a little foggy and there was a comfortable cool temperature lingering about. It was so comfortable that I even ran with out a shirt. I won't bore you with the details of the whole 20 miles (because I'm lazy and don't want to write that much) but one of the neatest parts of the run was going through the UW arboretum and encountering just a ton of wild turkeys. I have seen wild turkeys in the arb before, but not as many as last Sunday morning. A good portion of them were baby ones and was pretty neat to see because I had never seen that before. If I wasn't so keen on getting the 20 miler over and done with and breaking the pace that I was working on, I would have stopped and watched them awhile. Maybe next time. The other cool part of the run was running up West Washington near the capitol and seeing the fog ever so lightly cover the capitol dome and the bronze lady standing atop it. It was a very serene and peaceful sight and was another indellible moment of the run. As far as 20 milers go, this was one of my best ever. Starting out I was a bit achy and tired in the legs, but as the run went on I loosened up and kept getting stronger. I was very pleased when I checked my watch and found out that I averaged 7:32 pace for the entire run. That is pretty darn good when you have no support and have to generate the pace yourself. Hopefully that is a good precursor for the Whistlestop. Time will tell, though. I will get a good hint of what is to come this weekend, when I travel to La Crosse to run in the half marathon they put on during Oktoberfest. It is a fast and flat course and very conducive to good times. I did this particular race back in 2002 and it was actually my first half marathon, before I started the whole marathoning thing. I ran well back then with less training so I am hopeful of a good result this coming Saturday morning.

The day after my long run I wasn't in too much of a great mood to go for a run. I never am the day after a big training run or big race... it's just the way it is. I was tired, my legs were a little achy and I was just feeling plain indolent. It was the first day of Fall, though, and I wanted to get at least a little run in and get the remaining stiffness from the previous days run out of my legs. Once I pryed myself out of bed and shoved myself out the door, I was so happy that I decided to go. The first day of fall was just great. The air was so refreshingly cool that if I could have hugged an air molecule, I would have. It really helped wipe the drowsiness away from my eyes and made the achiness in my legs feel a little better. What a great way to start Fall! I didn't run particularly fast that morning, or far for that matter, but I didn't care. I just wanted to enjoy the run for what it was and not have to worry about distance or pace or splits. I just wanted to enjoy running for what it was... running... outside... in the Fall. It's one of the many best things life has to offer.

Sunday's workout: 20.1 > 2:31:30 > 7:32 pace

Miles last week: 51.9

Monday's workout: 5.1 > 41:02 > 8:03 pace

Miles this week: 5.1

Ziggy: Part II

Well, I'm back at it again. After nine days of convelescing from Ziggy the dog, I'm back over on the westside looking after the graying gremlin. Hopefully this shorter five day stint will be a little better, and I am able to get some decent sleep instead of getting up at all hours of the night so he can water the lawn. I'm not holding my breath, though. Before leaving Monona to head to the westside, I was able to get in one last run around the lake yesterday and it was a good one. I wasn't sure if I were going to be able to get in any run at all because when I peeked out the window to check the weather, the skies were looking somewhat ominous and there was already a light rain falling. I thought I'd give it a shot though, because I really didn't want to get up early and run today with having to work at Movin' Shoes for four hours, then the tv station, and also having to check in on Ziggy. Suffice it say, I wanted to get the run in yesterday, no matter what the weather. Once I got outside it actually was very comfortable running weather. The clouds were definitely gray and there was a light rain falling on and off, but it was actually very refreshing and invigorating. The temp was also just the way I like it... nice and cool. Like Tuesday's Elysium Run, this one also started off great and kept getting better as the run went on. I again felt very fluid and strong... like I could keep on going like the Energizer Bunny. Although the pace was just a tad slower than Tuesdays workout, it was still a very solid 7:24 pace for the 11 miles. I don't know about you, but I'll take that any day of the week.

Thursday's workout: 11.1 miles > 1:22:20 > 7:24 pace

Miles this week: 27.3

The Day After...

I knew yesterday's run woud be hard to top... at least so soon after it. After all, yesterday was a pretty idyllic day... or as I called it... Elysium. (I hope you all looked up that word, too.) Today was The Day After Elysium... today was Averagium. Since there is no Merriam-Webster or Cambridge definition of that word (because I made it up), I will give it to you:

Av - er - a - gi - um [av-ir-ah-gee-uh m]
-adjective
1. a fancy word for "your average"
2. not a place or state of perfect happiness; not paradise
3. non idlyllic
4. an okay day
5. a state of "blah"-ness; a "blah" day
6. nothing to write home about
[Origin: Me; dummkopf; today]

Where else are you going to get a translation like that? What other blog would break down the root and the origin of the word like this one? (Hopefully no one is stupid enough to waste their time doing it!) Anyways, it is true that today's run was nothing to write home about. It was again a very nice, crisp, sunshiny fall day to go for a run, but other than that, it was just and "okay" run. My knees and legs were pretty achy from yesterday's hard effort and it didn't help matters either, when this morning, a little over a mile into my run, I rolled my right ankle running over a grassy area. There was no injury that was sustained... it just scared the crap out of me when I did it. All in all, it wasn't a bad run... but it wasn't a great run either. That's ok, though. At least at weeks end I can say I had one really outstanding training run. Sometimes, that's all you really need.

Today's workout: 5.1 miles > 39:29 > 7:45 pace

Miles this week: 16.2

In Elysium

Wow, did I fly today... and it felt good! Last week I got in a solid 47 miles but none of the runs felt very strong or fluid. Most of my runs were around 7:40 pace and even though that is still a pretty good pace, it wasn't the 7:30 pace or under that I had been getting accustomed to the last couple of months. We all have our down weeks and maybe that was mine. I thought this past Sunday this past Sunday that my pace would pick up a bit because the running weather was really ideal. On Sunday, I decided to get up at 4:45 am so I could get my long run done early so I could get down to the Monona Terrace to watch the start of the Ironman Triathalon. When I stepped out the door and felt the cool and briskness of the air, I was very optimistic that I was going to have a fast training run. I was wrong. The run went well, don't get me wrong, but it was another 12 mile run at around 7:40 pace. Maybe I just needed to get a little more rest. I haven't been getting a ton lately. I decided to give myself the day off on Monday since I had run the previous three days. The break did me good. After sleeping in a bit 'til 8:30 am this morning, I woke up to find another cool and brisk sunny day. Even though I much prefer it cloudy when I run, the brightness of the sun didn't bother me at all today. I actually enjoyed it. The temperature was just so darn cool and comfortable that I couldn't help but enjoy the sunshine. I was in elysium. The temps felt so good that it made my legs feel fresher and livlier, and from the get go I was was able to kick up a really good pace. After a down week last week, I was finally to crack off a good long run at 7:15 pace and again, it felt good. It was one of those training runs where for mile after mile you just feel like you can just keep on going without getting tired and without slowing down. It really is a wonderful feeling and one that I would love to experience more often. Some people call it a runners high. I call it elysium.

Miles last week: 47.3

Today's workout: 11.1 miles > 1:20:25 > 7:15 pace

Miles this week: 11.1

Here Comes Fall... And With It The Ironman

As much as I enjoy running some different routes on the westside of Madison, it's always nice to be back in Monona to be able to run around the lake. I was originally planning on doing a little five mile run yesterday morning for my first day back in Monona since my dog sitting stint, but a cold drizzle was falling yesterday, plus I thought my legs could use an extra day off, especially since my left knee was still a little achy and sore. Today though, it was time to get back to business no matter what the weather was like or how my knee felt. The weather this morning was pretty fall like. It was very overcast with a chill in the air, and there was a light mist falling at times with a pretty decent wind blowing. Fall is definitely a comin'. I actually broke my streak and wore a running shirt for the first time in a few months. That has to be a new record for me. I was actually getting pretty accustomed to running bare chested, what with the warmer temperatures of summer, but with the thermometer taking a little nose dive as of late, I thought it would be best to don a shirt today. I'm sure that disappoints most of the women in Madison, and Dane County itself for that matter (yeah right), but I'm sure they will survive. I do have to say though, that I did get a semi nice tan with with all the shirtless running. Now people can't accuse me of being the human nightlight or asking if my parents are albino's. I digress, though. Anyways, once I got outside and hit the pavement, it was nice to run the 'ol Lake Monona route again. There was quite a bit of activity going on too. For one thing, there were more bicyclist commuters than I had seen in quite a while. On the bike path's, they were coming from everywhere. No wonder gas prices have been dropping a bit lately... everybody is riding their bike to work. The second hub of activity was down at the Monona Terrace where all the Ironman athletes were taking a dip into the waters of Lake Monona to get in a light workout before the big competition on Sunday morning. Even though the event is a couple days away, you could definitely feel the excitement exuding from the athletes, which in turn helped me pick up my pace a bit. You know, people think I'm nuts for running the miles I do and the marathons I race, but I have to say I look pretty sane compared to those Ironmen and women. I honestly have never fathomed how they can line up on a given morning and do a 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike ride and a 26.2 mile run. How could anyone enjoy doing that? I give them all the credit, though. It's an incredible testament of the human will to be able to accomplish something like that. They are true athletes in every sense of the word, and even though I think they are a little nuts (and I mean that in the nicest possible way), I will be down by the Monona Terrace on Sunday morning cheering them on as they start, and encouraging them several hours later as they finish, some even into the late hours of the night. After running by them this morning and thinking of all the pain and hard work that they've had to endure over the past several months just to reach this point and this weekend, it really dumbfounds you on what the human body can endure. To say it succinctly... it humbles you. And it makes the little 11 mile training run I did this morning seem a like spit in the bucket... a cakewalk. To say it succinctly... like nothing.

Today's workout: 11.5 miles > 1:28:19 > 7:41 pace

Miles this week: 31.7

Hallelujah!! Dogsitting is Done

Tonight, I get to sleep in my own bed and don't have to worry about the bladder issues of a certain dog. Hallelujah! Yes, today marked the end of my tenure as Ziggy's keeper... for the moment anyway. In nine days I'll be back to look after the impish pooch. I bet you can tell I'll be counting the minutes. In the meantime, nine days will allow me to take a nice sabbatical away from the dog. It should give me just enough time to check myself into a mental health facility and straighten myself out after 10 days of potty patrol with "Zagnuts." I'm just kidding... I'm just deliriously tired from getting fractured sleep time thanks to you know who. Enough of my diatribe...

Since it was my last day on the westside, I decided get in one last 10 mile run of the Camp Randall loop. The weather conditions really changed quite dramatically overnight. Yesterday was pretty hot and humid (which made me glad I took the day off) and this morning it was like fall had arrived overnight. It was pretty overcast, very cool and fairly breezy... just how I like it. Despite the nice weather conditions, I didn't exactly feel the greatest today. My left knee was a little achy and stiff starting out, and although it eventually limbered up, I just didn't feel like my normal running self today. I actually felt somewhat sluggish during the first half of the run. The second half was a little better and I was able to run some splits that I'm accustomed to. Overall though, it was kind of stiff run... not as fluid as the last few have been. Still, it was a good workout and I was happy that I was able to average 7:40 pace despite not feeling up to par. Every run can't be a good one, though. That's what makes running a challenge.

Today's workout: 10.1 miles > 1:17:25 > 7:40 pace

Miles this week: 20.2

Highlights of My Weekend: A 22 Miler and Some Ice Cream

Over the holiday weekend I got in some good quality running. It started with a 5 a.m. wakeup call on Saturday morning. Saturday morning was forecasted as being in the mid 50's and whenever I hear that I get pretty excited in knowing that I can get in a good quality long run with those kind of temps. With that, I locked up the house, left "Zagnuts" the dog to fend for himself, and hit the road just as the sun was yawning and stretching its bright tendrils over the morning horizon. (Eat your heart out John Steinbeck.) The morning did prove to be a pleasant one. Starting out, the air seemed a little heavy with a little fog lingering about. The temp was comfortable, though, and as the sun rose, it burned off whatever fog there was and got considerably cooler, even more so in the shade. The beginning part of my route was through the Village of Shorewood and the bike path behind the UW Hospital that leads to the Memorial Union. On my way there, it was pretty cool to see some morning rowers out and about, dipping their oars into the calm waters of Lake Mendota and getting in their morning strokes. When I got up to the capitol, it was still pretty early in the a.m. but you wouldn't know it. People were out setting up their respective stands around the rotunda, getting ready to sell their goods and produce at the farmers market. "The Taste of Madison" was also starting up on Saturday morning, so those vendors were feverishly setting up their booths as well. From the capitol I headed down West Washington towards Vilas Park to do a loop around the arboretum. There were quite a few runners out in the arb that morning and it was nice to see. They must have had the same line of thinking as I had... get in that early moring run in the cool of the day. One of the neatest parts of the run was about two miles into the arb loop. I was just about at the arboretum nature center when I ran by six wild turkey out foraging by the side of the road. It didn't look like they had missed too many meals, either. They were pretty big birds. I never get tired of seeing wildlife like that up close. After I finished up the arb loop, I headed toward Monroe St. and Camp Randall where things were starting to jump with the anticipation for the first Badger football game of the year. It's always pretty cool to see all the fans decked out in their red and white for a Badger game and smell the brats cookin' on the grills. My Badger gameday experience was shortlived, though, as I quickly exited the area and headed up the East/West bikepath towards home. It was a good run overall. The weather was great, I got to see wild turkeys, wild Badger fans, and got in a quality long run in the process. To treat myself for getting up early and running 22 miles, I headed to Cold Stone Creamery in Greenway Station for a little cookie dough ice cream... actually not a little... a lot. It was a large waffle cone bowl of it and it tasted good. It was funny, as I was sitting outside enjoying it, an older couple walked by and the guy said, "I bet there is no calories in that." I told him it was my reward for running 22 miles earlier that morning. He and his wife laughed and said, "Well you need to replenish what you lost then." That indeed I did... and I enjoyed doing it too.

Sunday I didn't much feel like getting up early before church to get in a run. 'Ol "Zagnuts" the dog had me up and about several times during the night so he could water the lawn. He even gave me the added pleasure and bonus of cleaning up the contents of his stomach that he barfed up on the floor... twice. He really knows how to treat his sitter, doesn't he? So with that, I decided to sleep in a little bit and do my run late in the afternoon. I'm glad I did too. I needed the rest. By the time the late afternoon rolled around I was ready for a little run. It was sunny out but the temp was mild so it was pretty comfortable running conditions. My legs actually felt surprisingly good, too. There was no residual soreness or achiness and I actually ran my last mile in under 7 minutes. It really makes me feel good in knowing that my legs can recover so quickly now. A little over a year ago that wasn't the case.

Monday was Labor Day and the last official day of summer. It was again supposed to be a nice morning so I thought I'd see how my legs would react to a 10 mile run, two days after doing a 22 miler. Again I was pleasantly surprised. After a slow opening mile (which was just fine by me) I gradually got into a comfortable pace and kept getting stronger as the run went on. I wound up averaging 7:35 pace for the 10 miles and was extremely happy in knowing that I had run 37 miles in the past three days. It was a good way to head into a day off today.

Saturday's workout: 22.1 miles > 2:52:51 > 7:49 pace

Sunday's workout: 5.1 miles > 38:39 > 7:35 pace

Miles last week: 48.5

Monday's workout: 10.1 miles > 1:16:33 > 7:35 pace

Miles this week: 10.1

A Much Needed Day Off

Today I took a much needed day off from running. After getting up early to run a six miler yesterday and doing a quality 10 miler the day before that, I thought I would give my legs a break in preparation for tomorrow mornings long run of the week. It's supposed to be a nice, cool morning (in the 50's) and I thought I would get up early before I go to work at Movin' Shoes to get in a run of 15 to 20 miles. October is almost here and the Whistlestop Marathon is on the horizon so I want to take advantage of all the cool mornings I can to get in some quality long runs. I'm hoping to roll out of bed somewhere around 5 am so that I will have ample time to have a little cereal and then go for my run so that I won't have to rush off to my job right after I'm finished. I'll probably be hurting by the late afternoon from the long day but what else is new. My body should be used to it. I also wanted to take today off because my left knee has been a little sore the past couple weeks and it can always use a little break. The soreness is due to the miles my legs have been enduring as of late. My mileage as steadily been going up in this training period (usually mid 40's or more a week) and the knee just gets a little achy because of the overuse. It's normal. Nothing that I haven't dealt with before. I just have to give it some ice and rest here and there and I'm good to go. Even though the first few steps of a run can be a little tender, the soreness generally dissipates as the run goes on. The main reason I took off today is that my body was just plain tired and needed to sleep in a bit today. "Zagnuts" the dog (actually Ziggy) has been getting me up at all hours of the night during this housesitting stint I am on so he can do his part to fertilize and water the lawn. It's very aggravating sometimes and causes me to get some restless sack time. I guess that's what happens when you're an old pooch and you're bladder shrivels up to the size of a shot glass. Even Rip Van Winkle would have a hard time catching some zzzzzzz's at this house. Even though I had to get up several times during the night and morning hours, it felt good to sleep in later than I had been. Hopefully I got enough for tomorrow's 5:00 am wake up call.

Thursday's workout: 6.1 miles > 46:45 > 7:37 pace

Miles this week: 21.3