Moon Set

1/27/2010 - Progression run

Just over 7 miles. Planned on splits of 9:30, 9:00, 8:30, etc. down to a final mile of 7:00. Basically hit the splits with the HR under 160 except for the last two miles. Well under LT throughout. Felt great overall. Not a real struggle even in the final two miles. Max HR of 173 with an average HR for the run at 151. Average pace of 8:19 for the run.

Definitely starting to feel some progress. I did an 5 mile MAF test yesterday on the Rock Creek to Coal Creek Loop around the hospital. It looks like I took about 27 seconds off of the time from 1/15/2010 to 1/26/2010. Not a ton of improvement, but close to 10 seconds a mile. I'll take it at this point. And today, it look awhile to get my HR over the 145 range... in fact I was under 147 for the first three miles with 147 the average in mile three at a pace of 8:25. This feels like progress.

Day off tomorrow, with a planned 7-8 at work on Friday easy.

Activity Details for 1/27/2010 - Progression run

Thursday tempo run - 5 miles between 150 and 160 HR

Fit in a tempo today, 1st in my four week block. Still a bit sore from Monday's Green, but felt good enough to run in a slightly higher HR range. Overall felt very smooth and glad to be moving a bit faster. Generally running in the low 8's today which is close to what I used to run all of my runs at. HR was generally just at 160 with a max of 163...always gravitate to the top end of the specific range for some reason. Overall solid run counter-clockwise on the Stearns Lake Loop. Still muddy, but excellent to be back out on trail...seemed better than pounding around the Colorado Tech Center.

Excellent comment by Tim on Brandon's blog today on fuel. I will be re-reading this one for sure.

Activity Details

Green with Brandon, George and AK - 1/18/2010

Excellent trail run up Green today for about 2800 ft of climbing. Had to meet Brandon today to pick up a camera I was buying from him...intersected nicely with a run he was getting together with Zack and Tony. Had not met either of these guys in person before although I have been exchanging blog comments with George for a little over a year now.

Naturally I was concerned about being dropped out of the gate never to be seen again. Fortunately I was able to keep George in view mostly because he had no traction and I could see Brandon here and there because he was doing the climb twice and was obviously conserving energy... GZ could not help but comment that was not MAF'ing it today...which was certainly true. Tim, my four week block starts tomorrow since I blew it today as my HR generally hovered between 165 and 170 for the majority of the climb....not LT, but not too far off either!

My main goal for the run was to meet the boys, make it to the top before everyone turned around for waiting too long and pick up my newer Canon Rebel XT. Mission accomplished on all three fronts. Thanks Brandon!

Some great pictures and video at the boys blogs....

http://georgezack.blogspot.com/2010/01/monday-011810.html

http://brandon.fuller.name/archives/2010/01/18/07.33.09/

Activity Details...

Medium run - easy - Sunday 1/17/2010 - 10.5 miles

Ran a loop around Baseline Lake via So Boulder, Baseline and 76. Kept the HR under 145 for the most part; max of 150 with an average of 144. Pretty slow overall pace, but the slight inclines demanded a "slow" pace at this point in base training. Felt real smooth overall for most of the run. No knee pains, just some hotspots on the feet after about 8.5 miles. Not IT issues...even at mile 10.

Activity Details...

31.6 miles on the week in 4:44 hours. Average pace for the week was just over 9min miles compared to my average pace back on the week of the 14th of 8:16. Just goes to show how much I have slowed things down as I try to build some aerobic strength/base. I will be giving this plan a whirl for a few weeks with some MAF tests interspersed to check for progress. Excited to see what happens...if anything.

Great summary of the philosophy I am following on GZ's blog.... Check it out here...

5 miles - Friday 1/15/2010

Ran one of my old favorites, loop out Rock Creek to Coal Creek, under 287 and back...just a bit over 5 miles. This will be a perfect route for an MAF test, a lot less boring than running around the office 4 times. Really, really muddy with some snow here and there. A bit annoying to start, but nice to hit something different today. As usual the HR spiked at the very beginning of the run...this is of course why I need to do a real warmup prior to doing any kind of real workout or interval. Strange.

Here are the splits...notice the HR spike in the first .25, then the settle. Pace was mostly even given the early mud...definitely a bit faster as I got back on pavement with no real pace fade across the miles.

Great feedback from Lucho this week. He took the time to analyze my LT results from my Boulder Center for Sports Medicine test from late 2008. According to the master, I need to be running in the 135-145 range for most runs with a tempo run sprinkled in weekly in the 150-160 range. "Easy" targets to hit, elegant plan for the foreseeable future. Of course I just need to get used to running slow for the foreseeable future as 135-145 puts me in the 9-9:30 range on a flat course. Kind of an adjustment since I have been running in he low 8's and below through most of the fall and early winter. But, I am convinced this is what I need to do now to build my base fitness for what comes next....

Activity Details for 5 miles - Friday 1/15/2010

Steady 4+ mile at projected marathon pace - 1/13/2010

Needed to keep HR under 156, but for some reason the mood struck to run a bit faster than planned as I have been running slow over the past few weeks. Felt good to get below 8min miles for the first time in awhile, but of course I should have followed the plan. Average HR at 160 for the run...still a higher than I used to be able to run at this pace, but not bad nonetheless.

Met Lucho today in person. It is always great to meet someone in after following their blog for awhile. Had the same experience with Brandon last year when we banged out a 10-mile Heil Loop. Spent a bunch of time talking about training and pacing. Got some great ideas for the next couple of months as I figured out whether Colfax is in my future. Step one was pretty clear...run more. This of course is always my problem as I constantly complain about not having the time with work, family, etc. However, Brandon, Lucho and GZ all make it work with multiple kids and jobs...so I just have to choose to make the miles happen. Step two, give MAF a real try. I have basically been doing this for the last couple of weeks after switching to HR-based training by following Brandon's lead. So now I really need to dial in the right HR. I had mentioned to Lucho yesterday that I through my LT was in the 160's. However I dug up my Boulder Center for Sports Medicine data and came up with the following; report states that my LT back in Sept of 08 was 174 not 172 for a pace between 7:19 down to 6:55 for supra-LT. The max HR listed on the report for VOMax is 182. So, the question is if this puts my MAF target HR closer to 150 rather than 145? I think I heard that MAF is between 25 and 30 beats less than LT? Lucho, what do you think? Step three, do two weeks of MAF with a 5 mile MAF test each week to check current fitness and then jump into a 4 week block of mainly MAF with some progression runs and maybe a bit of tempo. This all fits quite nicely into the current RW plan I am following.

More to come...easy MAF run today either at work or after work....

Stupid HIP is still bugging me a bit, bursitis I think. Not a long term-worry, just an annoyance.




Details here...

Easy 6.5 miles - 1/12/2010 - CC Tech Center

Ran an easy loop in the sun...shorts and a long sleeve shirt. Another beautiful day. Felt great overall, kept HR low throughout. Just under 9min miles...not quite progress yet, but close. Left hip is still a little soar. Ice tonight.

Garmin Connect -Activity Details

Easy 7 miles - Waneka Loop - 1-9-2010

Just missed catching the Oatmeal 5K at Waneka by about 15 minutes...hoped to intersect with the leaders but needed to keep moving. Annoying again keeping the HR 145 or under, especially with a few little inclines. Stayed with the plan and kept the overall HR at 144 for the 7 miles. Did some strides for just under a mile after the prescribed 7. Felt ok overall. No pain later in the day..slight tightness in the right knee late in the run, but felt it would not have been an issue if I had continued the run. I guess twinges are just going to be there as I reach 40. Wonder how long it will take to improve the pace? Pace was consistent through most of the run until the last 3/4 mile which was mostly uphill.Easy 7 miles - Waneka Loop

Details here...

1-7-2010 - Easy 4miles on the mill

Easy 5 miles was on the schedule for the day...decided to bag the last mile as I really needed to get back to the office...and the mill was just annoying me. The machine is really setup up for cardiac re-hab rather than working out, so it is extremely minimal in features. It does adjust the incline, but the speed only goes to 7.2 mph. Funny the mileage calculation seems to either tick over faster or the speed is off because the pace that is calculated when I enter the miles vs time in runningahead and connect ends up being quite a bit faster. Case in point was today where by the end of the workout I was supposedly doing a 10:30 pace to keep the HR below 145. However, the overall workout came in at just over 9 minute miles throughout. So, something is just not right. Anyway, goes to what GZ always says in that a mill workout can only be compared to another mill workout on the same mill....

So, I am feeling pretty good after a few days of using the runnersworld program downloaded to my Garmin. I set the program to be based on HR as Brandon did last summer as this does seem like a good idea and a great way to keep pace in control based on fitness. I made an assumption that my max HR is 185 given a few 180+ readings over the past months on some inclines and intervals. I also ran the numbers based on the 3:30 marathon target just for the heck of it. This put the paces well slower than my last 5K early in 2009 and my BB10K of 44...so, I am thinking that the 185 is about right as the paces I am hitting seem to be pretty close based on the HR targets. Regardless, I am running a lot slower with the majority of my runs at under 150 which puts me right in MAF territory as well.

I really intuitively have known that I have been running too fast over the past few months, so this focus on HR has been a nice change. Honestly a lot of my twinges are starting to disappear and I am finding myself a lot less beat up overall...really starting to crave more distance and speed.

So, the real question in all of this will be whether I really have the time to bang out the long runs this winter and spring. I think I can definitely get in the weekly workouts, it will just be all of the 20+ milers...I think there are like 5 of them. We will see. Regardless, I will follow

Really preliminary races for 2010 are as follows:

1. Colfax Marathon May 15th

2. Bolder Boulder (running slow depending on recovery from Colfax) May 31st

3. Denver Marathon

Kind of ambitious...need to let the list fester for a bit... Will probably add a small race or two to the list as well...

Here are the details for today...

1/2/2010 - Easy mid-long run

1/2/2010 - Easy mid-long run

Ran real slow again. Turned off my pace display and just ran by HR. Worked to keep it under 150...overall average of 148. So, so given the pace ended up being slow. Not a great run actually, day after a big guac dinner my stomach was just not into it. Frequented BK and the Waneka bathrooms to take care of business...ugly and a waste of precious time. Hip still hurts a bit as well. Wondering if I need to take a week to get everything back in order before starting my HR focus. We will see.

12/31/2009 - Thursday - SUPER easy

Activity Details for 12/31/2009 - Thursday - SUPER easy

Last run of the year. Just got in over 100 for the month! Didn't think I was going to make it given how little I ran early in the month. Ran the Mesa and Harper...all snow, kind of like running on a loose trail. Felt decent, a little sluggish mainly. No real pain to speak of.

More mileage this year than 2008 by about 15% or so. Overall average HR was lower and the pace was faster. Not sure if I can make any real conclusion based on this data, but I think overall I got faster in 2009 at shorter distances but slower at longer distances; notice some of the early long runs in 2008...decent pace with a low HR. Funny, I would be happy to hit those distances now with that kind of pace and HR. I may have run more often in 2009; just not as far. I did 17 runs >= 10 miles in 2009 and about the same in 2008. Whereas I did 10 runs >= 13 miles in 2008 vs. only 4 in 2009. So, it was great to increase the frequency of running in 2009 but I really need to increase the longer runs at 13 miles and great to really make some improvements.

Date	Course	Distance	Duration	Pace	Avg HR	Activity	Max HR	Type	VO2 Max
2009		1317.4 Mi	188:17:56	8:35	152		172
2008		1142.0 Mi	167:57:45	8:50	156		176

Date	Course	Distance	Duration	Pace	Avg HR	Activity	Max HR	Type	VO2 Max
9/6/2009		13.4 Mi	2:26:58	10:59
8/23/2009		13.7 Mi	2:01:53	8:53	91		140
8/16/2009		13.1 Mi	1:59:56	9:09
7/5/2009		15.4 Mi	2:27:39	9:37	144		175
10/19/2008		26.2 Mi	3:49:00	8:45
9/20/2008		21.0 Mi	3:08:00	8:58
9/6/2008		18.0 Mi	2:41:07	8:58
8/24/2008		18.0 Mi	2:39:47	8:53	157		182
8/16/2008		16.5 Mi	2:23:07	8:40	158		177
8/9/2008		15.0 Mi	2:13:01	8:52	153		168
7/26/2008		14.2 Mi	2:06:00	8:55	174		186
4/12/2008		14.4 Mi	2:04:22	8:40	153		183
2/16/2008		17.0 Mi	2:26:42	8:38	151		173
2/9/2008		15.0 Mi	2:06:42	8:27	156		178

12/30/2009 - Wednesday - Easy with some slow tempo

12/30/2009 - Wednesday - Easy with some slow tempo

No pain today for any of the run. HR was a bit lower than this identical run on Sunday with a slightly faster pace. Temperature was similar. What gives? Good run overall. Still running in the Precision 10's, working great. Probably will consider moving to the Ronin's for my next shoes.

Day 4 of my case of Pink Eye. The kids have all had it at this point, Lily and Owen are in their second weeks are and finally resolving. Mine still suck at this point, very dry, itchy and uncomfortable. As a result, I have been wearing my glasses rather than contacts. Kind of a bummer as it has been a bit bright lately.

The muscle right above left hip on my back is still sore. Hurts a bit when I walk up stairs or push off. Does not bother me during the run, but is definitely a bother. Mostly feels like a small pull of some sort.... I am thinking it will resolve with time.

12/28/2009 - Easy run through Louisville and Superior

Kept the pace easy overall. Kind of cold in the early AM, but seemed to be dressed appropriately. HR was still fluctuating a bit, but tried to keep it in MAF territory. The usual drift at the end of the run, especially with the slight "climb" home. 147 average for the run, not too bad.

Garmin Connect -Activity Details

12-27-2009 Sunday Run

Sunday run with some slightly faster miles and some undulating hills.

Felt great overall. Kind of slow due to the icy conditions, but form felt great and smooth overall. A little left knee IT pain at the end of the run. WTF? Really felt like I had the right form throughout. Strange.

Tried out the Mizuno Wave Ronins yesterday. These are my next shoes. Feel much better with lower heel and flatter cushion these days. More cushion for me = sloppy form. The Ronins felt perfect, same fit as the Precision 10's, but without the heel lift and less cushion and A LOT lighter...almost as light as the Lunaracers without the narrow forefoot. I may transition even more minimal to the Mushas after the Ronins....no heel to speak of. WTH?

Been a crappy running month between the weather, Christmas and the damn viral pink eye making its way through the the house. I am almost close to putting in half the mileage in December as November. I did a few Elliptical augmentations however that at least kept the fitness status quo, but the low mileage has taken its toll. My HR for a given pace is certainly higher than it was through November. It is amazing how lower volume has had such an effect on me. For now I am just going to try to MAF my way back to form keeping the HR just under 150 which I think is my proper MAF HR. I will add a few progression runs and pickups periodically to spice things up.

Got to get something regular going.

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Easy run at work - Stearns Lake Loop at Work

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Easy run at work - Stearns Lake Loop at Work

Monday/Tuesday 10/26-27

Run home/run to work. Easy run home on Monday. Felt ok to start, but progressively hard trouble catching my breath. I think I had a bit of an asthma attach...weird. 5 miles or so.

Ran to work on Tuesday. Felt entirely better. Used my new asthma inhaler which must have helped. Did a 3 mile 10k+ pace tempo. Average of 7:28 for the entire run. 5.13 miles total. Much better. Mellowed on the foot plant and just focused on fast turnover. Seemed more efficient and easier to maintain my pace...even with a bit of a heel strike.

The Precision 10's are working great after 3 runs.
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Friday 10/23/2009

Easy run today at work. 5.17 in 41:44 at an avg pace of 8:05.

Felt a bit tight, but ok otherwise.

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Thurs 10/22/09

Progression run with each mile a bit faster. Fastest in 6:55 or so. Felt great overall...beautiful day. 42 and then around Stearns and back along Imel for 6.36 in 7:42.

Yesterday did 6 flat before work in the rain and snow. Davidson in the dark!

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Tuesday 10/20/2009

Been a long couple days on my shoe journey. What started so promising with the MT100's quickly devolved into taping up another box and sending two pairs of them back to onlineshoes.com. The original pair felt great, but clearly too small in a size 9. So, rather than risk running in them I simply exchanged for a 9.5. Just to be safe, I kept the 9's around for comparison purposes once the 9.5's showed up. So, the 9.5's arrived and I did two runs in them as described in previous posts. I certainly liked the minimalist feeling of them especially since they really forced me to run well, i.e. without landing on the heels, etc. They definitely had a nice foot plate that provided some protection, but they just ended up now having enough room in the forefoot for my foot type...even though I originally reported they felt fine. I got blisters on the first day which I wrote off to the socks I was wearing. On the second day the blisters were worse and I noticed a weird heel thing. For some reason the heel cup is made from rubber rather than padded fabric. I guess they pinched a nerve such that as I walked or ran with an extended foot I felt this strange pull right at the back of the heel. This started the first time I tried the things on in an 9. It did not hurt really, but it was something I noticed. I did not notice it while running, but when I landed on my heel...like when descending a steep hill I would notice it. So, alas; I am no AK and will resort back to my trusty Brooks Cascadia 3's. They may be a bit big, but with the right socks they have carried me through a mountain half, a great 10k at Eldora and numerous Front Range Runs....Back to what works I guess.

The road shoes are not working much better. Although I love the Lunaracers, they are a bit narror as well for me...blisters on the outsides of my big toes and a bit uncomfortable. They are excellent for runs 7 miles or less, but not so good on stuff longer. So, I figured I would try another Nike shoe for the hell of it. Picked up a pair of Nike Avante+s' at Sports Authority as none of the local shops carried them including Solepeppers and BRC. Of course they felt great in the store, but once I got them out on a 5 miler this weekend I ended up with the same blisters as I got from the MT100's. I realize that no shoe is perfect, and that I am always reaching for the "perfect" shoes; but to get blisters on such a short run right out of the box is not a good sign. So, returned those bad boys as well!

Which leads me to today.... Headed out a an excellent 6.7 miler at work today on a slightly random route. Went back to the trusty Mizuno Precision 8's... These are the same shoes I PR'ed the BB back in 2008 with. They have about 500 or so miles on them, but now are almost 2 years old. Needless to say they are a bit compressed. But, they just fit my forefoot and still feel light and almost glove-like. They are under 10oz, so they are certainly a performance trainer light enough for racing and everyday training. They did not disappoint as I had no blisters, no real pains anywhere and I felt smooth out there. Averaged under 8 for the run with the last mile and a half at at 7:39 pace. Not pushing it...just rolling. One of these days I will get a new HR strap so that I can tell what the heck my HR is doing, but for now I am just running on feel.

And, as a followup; I ordered a pair of Precision 10's from RR last night. Got confirmation from "theshoeguy" at Mizuno that the 10's fit the same as the 8's with the same wide forefoot. So, let's hope he is right!

Day off yesterday...just no time, and VERY sore from Sunday.

Sunday, did another round of Ski Training with my neighbor (personal trainer/former Olympic Athlete). Did a lot of plyometrics and core work; i.e. torture for an hour. Ran the mile from the house with the boys on bikes to Heritage Park and the mile back after the workout for an extra 2 miles on the week. Sore in the hips and on the insides of my legs. I got to imagine this stuff is going to help running as well as skiing!