After a frankly disappointing week the week b4 my goal this week was to bounce back w/ a 5 day/50mpw.......
Tuesday 10 Miles
Sweet and merciful Jesus the heatwave broke and while I offer heartfelt apologies to any European readers of the blog it's your turn to sweat and swelter under that bastard heat
Monday was shot re a run thanks to a 12.5 hr work day plus the end of the heatwave was punctuated by heavy storms but Tuesday it was blue skies and comfortable conditions
My takeaway from the easy 10 out and back along Kelly Dr,it's nice to breathe,nicer to finish what I started,awesome to be done b4 the heavens opened and the 9 min miles were an added bonus
Wednesday 8 Mile Tempo
This is where the wheels began to fall off last week so there was a sense of "revenge" going over to the Art Museum Loop just b4 11am to tackle my 8 mile tempo run
80 degrees and almost picture perfect conditions{almost because as we all know perfect doesn't exist!}
Splits of:6.50-7.12-7.26-7.29-7.32-7.25-7.39-7.22 brought me home in 58.59 off 7.22 mile pace,a 1.16 improvement on the July 14th effort
W/ the exception of mile 7 being a bit arsey I was reasonably pleased w/ my time and overall performance but as my former coach often told me"there's more meat on that bone" and w/ another 4.5 weeks till the Philly 10k and another 6 tempo runs scheduled I'd like to see my overall time and mile time come down
Thursday 10 Miles
Another easy/recovery/shake out run,one last "calm b4 the storm" day at work b4 the proverbial "hits the fan" for the next 8 days and I put in long hours w/out a lunch hour and then drag my sorry carcass out to log my miles but I'm damned if those feckers are gonna screw my training up
Another evening of pleasant temps and decent air quality as rumours of #4 heatwave are beginning to emerge from the weather peeps........
Saturday 14 Miles
As has become my won't of late I've been not only getting the long run in on Saturday but also getting up early to do so
Out the door by 7.50am and down to the Schuylkill by 8.10 as I made my way out to just beyond Strawberry Mansion bridge on Kelly Dr b4 turning and heading back.
I still have 7 weeks till the Philly Rock & Roll 1/2 marathon and fingers crossed several 14 miles to get myself in decent half marathon shape,roughly 9 min mile pace this morning but come race day I'm hoping to go out in 6.30 pace and hold on as long as I can,I logged a 1.24 half at the Love Run in March and having retasted "rarefied air" I'd like to taste it again
Sunday 8 Mile Tempo
Two choices,easy 8 mile/recovery/shake out run OR second tempo run on tired legs?
Option B please.....,
I would have rather been able to do this early to mid morning but my schedule dictated it would be 2.45pm b4 I could get to the trusty AML to resume hostilities w/ the Garmin......
Splits:6.54-7.14-7.13-7.31-7.38-7.40-8.05-8.09 =60.25 off of 7.33 mile pace,1.26 slower than Wednesday.
I kinda "shit the bed" the last 2 miles" but hung in there to at least finish what I started,I knew my splits were getting slower and slower but frankly I'd rather have a crack at a Tempo run off of tired legs and fail then take the easy way out and "jog" 8 slow miles
All in all a good week,sadly I'm gonna come up a tad short of 200 miles for the month by virtue of being a slacker at the start of July but I'm finishing strong and rolling into August w/ purpose and momentum
Monday, July 29, 2019
Monday, July 22, 2019
Dog Days 2 Sharmrock Warrior 1.........Where's VAR When You Need It?
Go figure my first week back blogging and of my 6 proposed runs I only managed 3 and the last two ended up DNF's........#whodbeafeckinrunner
So I wrote the week up as follows:
Monday 9 miler
Tuesday 9 miler
Wednesday 8 Mile Tempo Run
Thursday 9 Miler
Friday Rest Day{Pagan Sabbath}
Saturday 14 miler
Sunday 6 miler...........
However......the best laid plans of Mice & Men .......and Runners.........
Monday
I ended up blowing everything off on Monday,the run,Laundry,Starbucks to have a rare FOD{Fuck Off Day} they come around once in a blue moon and frankly w/ a tweak I could log a 50mpw
I spent the day in bed reading the Lol Tolhurst book 'Cured:The Tale Of Two Imaginary Boys" it was just one of those books I couldn't put down and must say altered my opinion of Lol and his time in The Cure
I identified w/ his struggles w/ alcohol,the black outs,waking up w/ cuts and bruises,alienating friends and co workers etc and the ability to turn it all around,make amends to the ones he'd hurt and start a new life for himself,it's a worthwhile read even if you're not a Cure fan
Tuesday
10 Miler,new plan 10 & 10 eitherside of my 8 mile Tempo run and the 14-8 on the weekend...5day/50mpw......love it when a plan comes together.....
Again since I was off work I had the luxury of a mid morning run which as Heatwave #3 was about to begin was a blessing
The previous Thursday I was off and thought I was being clever getting said run in midmorning however I discovered heading up and down Spruce St b4 and during lunchtime is NOT a great idea as it felt every fecking CHOP & HUP employee was lined up at the several lunch trucks between 37th & 34th St and weaving in and out of them feckers wasn't fun......SO armed w/ trusty Garmin I went "the road less travelled" and down Powelton Ave and Mantua to reach West River Drive,marking off the 2 mile,2.5 mile splits
The foot of the ramp down to W. River Dr was mile 3,that particular day was a 12 miler so I "eyeballed" the 4,4.5, and 5 mile marks b4 my 6 mile turnaround which afforded me the knowledge of where to turn today on a 10 miler
Roughly 10 min mile pace for a 1.40 time,time and pace were not options I just wanted the miles in but even at 10.40am I was cognizant of the already rising heat.......
Wednesday
8 Mile Tempo
From Early March till early May I'd made a point of using my Wednesdays off to do my 8 mile tempo run around the Art Museum Loop,starting at Lloyd Hall at the beginning of Boathouse Row and going counter clockwise up Kelly Dr,over Falls Bridge,down W.River Dr and finishing in front of the Art Museum Steps
On a good day I shoot for 7 min mile pace or sub 7,the previous Sunday I logged my first Tempo Run in 2 months and gone 7.30 mile pace for a 60.05 time so the hope was to better that......
Even at 10.30am it was hot and humid when I set off and while I opened in an identical 7.03 to Sundays run,the next two splits went 7.33,7.34 and I was beginning to feel the heat and this pace,a far cry from the 10 min miles I was running yesterday
The slight uphill towards Falls Bridge felt harder than it should but I was confident the slight downhill on the otherside on W.River Dr would negate that........he said hopefully......
Just b4 the 4 mile mark I stopped.....43 years of running have taught me"when you aint got it,you aint got it" and today I didn't have it
The time honoured"Walk Of Shame" when you bonk/dnf is never fun.....at least at that hour on a Wednesday mid morning there were few witnesses to my shame as I humbly walked down W. River Dr and back to 30th Station to jump on the trolley home
Ever the optimist I told myself I could have a second crack at it Sunday since I was now rescheduled to do 8miles not 6 as I originally wrote........
Thursday
There are four things you can depend on in life,Death,Taxes,Septa NOT running to schedule and Work"fucking up a Teddy Bear's Picnic"!!!!!!!
My first day after a well earnt week off and feckin Skids up the wazoo,upshot it was 4.40pm when I got done work,5.50pm when I got home,stick a fork in doing 10 miles between 6pm-7.30pm period but again the heat was playing havoc as a Heat Advisory Warning for the area was in full effect.
Saturday
14 Miler
Two weeks ago I'd gotten up at 6am to get out by 6.35am to get my long run in b4 it became too hot and humid to run so I opted to go that route again and by 7am when I reached the Schuylkill Footpath that leads to Kelly & W. River Dr it was already populated w/ other runners,walkers and bikers who had thought likewise
2 weeks ago I misjudged the turnaround and turned a 1/4 too early,last week I had to extend my run to the 3/4 mile marker to compensate losing 1/2 a mile between 4-4.5 miles when a "call of nature" required a pit stop in the Lloyd Hall rest room and this week I just plain overshot the 1/2 marker
In my defense I didn't see either the 1/4 marker,1/2 mile marker or 3/4 mile markers beyond Strawberry Mansion Bridge and b4 I knew I was now upto the 3 miler mark which given it's 4.5 miles from my front door to Lloyd Hall meant I was now at 7.5 miles,did I turnback now,weave thro the rowers congregated at St Joe's Boathouse and either take a mile off the end of the run.....OR continue doing the loop and make it a 15 miler via trusty Powelton Ave?
For the second time in 4 days just b4 the Conrail Bridge on W. River Dr my legs said"no mas" at this stage I had 8.5 miles in,I walked 1/2 a mile and got going again after wringing out my not so dry drifit sleeveless running shirt which even at 7.30am was dripping in sweat but w/in 1/2 a mile I was toast......
Another dnf,another "walk of shame" home this time witnessed by other runners who were able to keep going as they made their way south along W. River Dr.
At this point I said "feck it" as my ex coach GP often said"you can't chase lost miles" rather than fuck w/ an even hotter day Sunday I stuck a fork in my week and settled for the 23 miles I had,Monday begins a new week and sees this bastard heatwave brake
In running as in life you get knocked down, you have set backs but you take it on the chin and ready yourself for the next week......
So I wrote the week up as follows:
Monday 9 miler
Tuesday 9 miler
Wednesday 8 Mile Tempo Run
Thursday 9 Miler
Friday Rest Day{Pagan Sabbath}
Saturday 14 miler
Sunday 6 miler...........
However......the best laid plans of Mice & Men .......and Runners.........
Monday
I ended up blowing everything off on Monday,the run,Laundry,Starbucks to have a rare FOD{Fuck Off Day} they come around once in a blue moon and frankly w/ a tweak I could log a 50mpw
I spent the day in bed reading the Lol Tolhurst book 'Cured:The Tale Of Two Imaginary Boys" it was just one of those books I couldn't put down and must say altered my opinion of Lol and his time in The Cure
I identified w/ his struggles w/ alcohol,the black outs,waking up w/ cuts and bruises,alienating friends and co workers etc and the ability to turn it all around,make amends to the ones he'd hurt and start a new life for himself,it's a worthwhile read even if you're not a Cure fan
Tuesday
10 Miler,new plan 10 & 10 eitherside of my 8 mile Tempo run and the 14-8 on the weekend...5day/50mpw......love it when a plan comes together.....
Again since I was off work I had the luxury of a mid morning run which as Heatwave #3 was about to begin was a blessing
The previous Thursday I was off and thought I was being clever getting said run in midmorning however I discovered heading up and down Spruce St b4 and during lunchtime is NOT a great idea as it felt every fecking CHOP & HUP employee was lined up at the several lunch trucks between 37th & 34th St and weaving in and out of them feckers wasn't fun......SO armed w/ trusty Garmin I went "the road less travelled" and down Powelton Ave and Mantua to reach West River Drive,marking off the 2 mile,2.5 mile splits
The foot of the ramp down to W. River Dr was mile 3,that particular day was a 12 miler so I "eyeballed" the 4,4.5, and 5 mile marks b4 my 6 mile turnaround which afforded me the knowledge of where to turn today on a 10 miler
Roughly 10 min mile pace for a 1.40 time,time and pace were not options I just wanted the miles in but even at 10.40am I was cognizant of the already rising heat.......
Wednesday
8 Mile Tempo
From Early March till early May I'd made a point of using my Wednesdays off to do my 8 mile tempo run around the Art Museum Loop,starting at Lloyd Hall at the beginning of Boathouse Row and going counter clockwise up Kelly Dr,over Falls Bridge,down W.River Dr and finishing in front of the Art Museum Steps
On a good day I shoot for 7 min mile pace or sub 7,the previous Sunday I logged my first Tempo Run in 2 months and gone 7.30 mile pace for a 60.05 time so the hope was to better that......
Even at 10.30am it was hot and humid when I set off and while I opened in an identical 7.03 to Sundays run,the next two splits went 7.33,7.34 and I was beginning to feel the heat and this pace,a far cry from the 10 min miles I was running yesterday
The slight uphill towards Falls Bridge felt harder than it should but I was confident the slight downhill on the otherside on W.River Dr would negate that........he said hopefully......
Just b4 the 4 mile mark I stopped.....43 years of running have taught me"when you aint got it,you aint got it" and today I didn't have it
The time honoured"Walk Of Shame" when you bonk/dnf is never fun.....at least at that hour on a Wednesday mid morning there were few witnesses to my shame as I humbly walked down W. River Dr and back to 30th Station to jump on the trolley home
Ever the optimist I told myself I could have a second crack at it Sunday since I was now rescheduled to do 8miles not 6 as I originally wrote........
Thursday
There are four things you can depend on in life,Death,Taxes,Septa NOT running to schedule and Work"fucking up a Teddy Bear's Picnic"!!!!!!!
My first day after a well earnt week off and feckin Skids up the wazoo,upshot it was 4.40pm when I got done work,5.50pm when I got home,stick a fork in doing 10 miles between 6pm-7.30pm period but again the heat was playing havoc as a Heat Advisory Warning for the area was in full effect.
Saturday
14 Miler
Two weeks ago I'd gotten up at 6am to get out by 6.35am to get my long run in b4 it became too hot and humid to run so I opted to go that route again and by 7am when I reached the Schuylkill Footpath that leads to Kelly & W. River Dr it was already populated w/ other runners,walkers and bikers who had thought likewise
2 weeks ago I misjudged the turnaround and turned a 1/4 too early,last week I had to extend my run to the 3/4 mile marker to compensate losing 1/2 a mile between 4-4.5 miles when a "call of nature" required a pit stop in the Lloyd Hall rest room and this week I just plain overshot the 1/2 marker
In my defense I didn't see either the 1/4 marker,1/2 mile marker or 3/4 mile markers beyond Strawberry Mansion Bridge and b4 I knew I was now upto the 3 miler mark which given it's 4.5 miles from my front door to Lloyd Hall meant I was now at 7.5 miles,did I turnback now,weave thro the rowers congregated at St Joe's Boathouse and either take a mile off the end of the run.....OR continue doing the loop and make it a 15 miler via trusty Powelton Ave?
For the second time in 4 days just b4 the Conrail Bridge on W. River Dr my legs said"no mas" at this stage I had 8.5 miles in,I walked 1/2 a mile and got going again after wringing out my not so dry drifit sleeveless running shirt which even at 7.30am was dripping in sweat but w/in 1/2 a mile I was toast......
Another dnf,another "walk of shame" home this time witnessed by other runners who were able to keep going as they made their way south along W. River Dr.
At this point I said "feck it" as my ex coach GP often said"you can't chase lost miles" rather than fuck w/ an even hotter day Sunday I stuck a fork in my week and settled for the 23 miles I had,Monday begins a new week and sees this bastard heatwave brake
In running as in life you get knocked down, you have set backs but you take it on the chin and ready yourself for the next week......
Thursday, July 18, 2019
It's Been A While
To quote Arron Lewis of Staind "it's been a while" but "better late than never" I guess?
So why now have I opted to put pen to paper....or at least fingertips to keyboard keys and resume ye olde blog aka "The Shamrock Warrior Chronicles" now you ask........?
The answer to that is two fold,I stand on the cusp of a major landmark w/ my running in early November{touchwood,and the help of God} and it would be nice to record that plus last week while compiling my career 10k road race times I had to "refer to the oracle" so to speak and go back through my old running logbooks{a precursor to the blog} and realized I kinda miss not recording them in full like I had back in the day so the plan is to sit down each Monday and review the week that was as I count down to the Rocky Run on November 9th.
Come Sunday it'll be T Minus 5 for the Philly 10k and T Minus 8 for the Rock & Roll Philly 1/2 Marathon time to knuckle down and get cracking in training,like Marta said after Brazil bowed out of the recent Women's World Cup and probably brought an end to her illustrious career
"you have to cry in the beginning,so you can smile in the end".........
So why now have I opted to put pen to paper....or at least fingertips to keyboard keys and resume ye olde blog aka "The Shamrock Warrior Chronicles" now you ask........?
The answer to that is two fold,I stand on the cusp of a major landmark w/ my running in early November{touchwood,and the help of God} and it would be nice to record that plus last week while compiling my career 10k road race times I had to "refer to the oracle" so to speak and go back through my old running logbooks{a precursor to the blog} and realized I kinda miss not recording them in full like I had back in the day so the plan is to sit down each Monday and review the week that was as I count down to the Rocky Run on November 9th.
Come Sunday it'll be T Minus 5 for the Philly 10k and T Minus 8 for the Rock & Roll Philly 1/2 Marathon time to knuckle down and get cracking in training,like Marta said after Brazil bowed out of the recent Women's World Cup and probably brought an end to her illustrious career
"you have to cry in the beginning,so you can smile in the end".........
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
