The original game plan for the week was:easy 8 Monday,repeats Tuesday,tempo 8 Wednesday,repeats Saturday,Sunday TBD......
A combination of being a little "shagged out" after Mondays brisker than expected 8 miler and a sleepless nite meant the lure of an extra 9 mins in bed yesterday morning over getting up at 5am and getting my backpack ready in order to schleep to Roxboro for repeats won out...hey ho!
I did have the option of coming home post work and grabbing my gear and heading back to Temple's Geasey Field for my prepossed repeats.......OR waiting till Wednesday for said repeats....which was the side of the fence I came down on.
Now the only wrinkle in that was having done an "easy" 8 miles on Monday w/ a view to hitting the track for repeats on Tuesday I couldn't very well go "bat shit crazy" today and have nothing in the tank for repeats so rather than make it a brisk tempo run I'd go easy but try and make it competitive easy run.
Much like Monday I wasn't paying attention to my early splits although I did check my watch at Lloyd Hall 28.48 so I knew I was "in the ballpark" of Mondays 36.16 turnaround split.......and YES I know you shouldn't mix your metaphors.....I used Cricket in the title and now I'm talking Baseball.....sue me!!!
36.24 at the turnaround,8 seconds down on Mondays split......oh it was SO on now!!!
I wasn't 100% sure I'd get under Monday's 1.11.26 I'd done that off of fresh legs and a rest day but if I was going down I was going down swinging!!!
My splits at Lloyd Hall and Mile 6 were on schedule for a 1.11 at least the over/under on .26 was debatable,hiting 39th and Baltimore Ave I saw 1.05 and something on the watch,given every second was vital I couldn't actually slow down to read what the seconds were,time to not only "bring the pain" but also embrace it.
On the the corner of 49th and Cedar I clearly had the "pedestrian right of way" as I began to cross the second to last street b4 the finish......evidently the driver who was forced to stop to allow me to continue my forward trajectory wasn't overly keen on the idea......trust me fucker you DON'T want me as your hood ornament and following "words to that effect" I gave it everything in the final block b4 crossing the plain of my front door on the corner of 50th St..........
1.11.21...........................................................................................................................................................
Oh how sweet it is!!!,eight seconds down at the turnaround,five seconds up at the finish,it does beg the question how fast would a tempo run have been???? a question best left for another day I hope.
Tonites 8 miles brought me upto 100 for the month w/ a day left for hopefully 6 miles,mile warm up,4 miles of 800m repeats{8x800m}mile cool down,had I not lost last week maybe a 140 mile month.....#theresalwaysmay
Wednesday, April 29, 2015
Tuesday, April 28, 2015
What Do You Know? Sometimes Less Really Is More!
I almost didn't make it out the front door for my easy 8 miler yesterday,one of the drawbacks of a week off{or almost a week off since I did knock out a 8.4 mile Art Museum Loop run Saturday} is getting into that false sense of a "comfort zone" where having not ran for a week you think to yourself"do I really want to run today?"
Thankfully this was only fleeting and by the time I arrived home I was shoving those negative thoughts down my throat and humbling myself by laying on the living room floor to get my stretches in,now that I'm dealing w/ Sciatic Nerve issues in both hamstrings I'm having to do double the stretches to keep said Sciatica at arms lenght but it's a small price to pay to allow myself "another day" day in,day out.
Out the door gone 4.30pm the plan was an easy 8 miler to kick the week off,last time out on my easy 8 miler I went 1.14.02 which felt like a reasonable target to chase given for all intence and purposes I was coming off the DL {Disabled List}
Conditions were grey and overcast but 58 degrees when I set off,to be 100% honest I wasn't fixated on splits,I blew through the opening mile and it was almost an afterthought to check my watch at mile two......
28 mins plus at mile 3/Lloyd Hall {technically the 3 mile mark comes in around the Art Museum.....}b4 making the turnaround in 36.16.....1.12.32 pace if I kept this pace last time out my turnaround split was 37.27.......
I still wasn't thinking about a brisk time,the whole point of an easy run is to take it easy,there will be time for lung busting on the Tempo run whenever I get to that this week.
W/out going "gangbusters" I did feel pretty good, a week ago I had all manner of crap on my lungs but you'd have never known it today as I was picking off miles w/ ease,once again a weeks inforced rest had become a positive rather than a negative.
Almost a year ago after eight weeks of high intence training for my outdoor season opener I pulled/strained my right groin which while sucking like a Dyson vacuum initially proved to be a blessing as that week off allowed me to recharge my batteries to the point where every ninth week after that I took a week off,something I planned to keep in my rotation this season but between my taper for Indoor Nationals and incomplete weeks when the weather interupted my training etc I hadn't reached a point where I felt I had eight weeks of 5 day/40mpw.....till I got sick and was forced to sit out a week.......
Finished in 1.11.26 clearly lent considerable weight to that argument,my last tempo run over the same 8 mile out and back course was 1.10.12 so maybe I did need that week off,the trick now is to keep this pace and intensity up for the remainder of the week.....easier sai than done but on fresh legs....who knows?
Thankfully this was only fleeting and by the time I arrived home I was shoving those negative thoughts down my throat and humbling myself by laying on the living room floor to get my stretches in,now that I'm dealing w/ Sciatic Nerve issues in both hamstrings I'm having to do double the stretches to keep said Sciatica at arms lenght but it's a small price to pay to allow myself "another day" day in,day out.
Out the door gone 4.30pm the plan was an easy 8 miler to kick the week off,last time out on my easy 8 miler I went 1.14.02 which felt like a reasonable target to chase given for all intence and purposes I was coming off the DL {Disabled List}
Conditions were grey and overcast but 58 degrees when I set off,to be 100% honest I wasn't fixated on splits,I blew through the opening mile and it was almost an afterthought to check my watch at mile two......
28 mins plus at mile 3/Lloyd Hall {technically the 3 mile mark comes in around the Art Museum.....}b4 making the turnaround in 36.16.....1.12.32 pace if I kept this pace last time out my turnaround split was 37.27.......
I still wasn't thinking about a brisk time,the whole point of an easy run is to take it easy,there will be time for lung busting on the Tempo run whenever I get to that this week.
W/out going "gangbusters" I did feel pretty good, a week ago I had all manner of crap on my lungs but you'd have never known it today as I was picking off miles w/ ease,once again a weeks inforced rest had become a positive rather than a negative.
Almost a year ago after eight weeks of high intence training for my outdoor season opener I pulled/strained my right groin which while sucking like a Dyson vacuum initially proved to be a blessing as that week off allowed me to recharge my batteries to the point where every ninth week after that I took a week off,something I planned to keep in my rotation this season but between my taper for Indoor Nationals and incomplete weeks when the weather interupted my training etc I hadn't reached a point where I felt I had eight weeks of 5 day/40mpw.....till I got sick and was forced to sit out a week.......
Finished in 1.11.26 clearly lent considerable weight to that argument,my last tempo run over the same 8 mile out and back course was 1.10.12 so maybe I did need that week off,the trick now is to keep this pace and intensity up for the remainder of the week.....easier sai than done but on fresh legs....who knows?
WWJD What Would Jumbo Do????
Initially when I got sick last weekend I thought I'd be out of action for two days tops...having sat out Monday and Tuesday I thought I'd be back in commission come Wednesday....cue Go West singing "The King Of Wishful Thinking".....by the time Wednesday and Thursday had come and gone w/out me lacing up my running shoes I figured I'd stick a fork in the week and start a fresh on Monday......cue the Penn Relays....
I figured if ever there was a weekend to be sat at home NOT running it was this weekend,Mondays Boston Marathon was still unwatched on my dvr,Sunday was the London Marathon and on Saturday they were showing both Penn Relays and Drake Relays in the afternoon......cue yours truly taking a "zen like" philosophy w/ the recliner....and becoming one w/ it........
Mid way through NBCSN's coverage of Penn they showed the College Mens 4x1 mile relay,a race and distance close to my heart which peaked my interest to say the least.....
By the time of the anchor leg w/ Edward Cheserek running for Oregon it looked like a "slam dunk for the Ducks........
For reasons best known to himself Cheserek the leading college 5,000m/10,000m runner and NCAA Indoor Mile champ got his "knickers in a twist" about being out in front and opted to slow the pace.....why I don't know as he was more than capable of outrunning the field.....by doing so the entire field was now bunched on his shoulder come the bell lap and it became a "kickers finish".....w/ Villanova's anchor Jordan Williamsz an 800m/1,500m specialest leaving Cheserek in his wake coming off the final turn......GO WILDCATS!!!!!
Now granted I have no real connection to Villanova,sadly I didn't go there{sidebar I've always said IF I'd grown up in America w/ the same athletic talent I had growing up in South East London I would have wanted to have gone to Villanova period and been coached by the late,great legendary Jumbo Elliot.....whether I had the grades or money is of course another matter} but given my hero worship of Eamon Coghlan who did go there and was coached by Jumbo I've always felt that Villanova was my "would be"alma mater........
So much so that following their dramatic win in the 4x1 mile relay I felt "duty bound" to get off the recliner,stretch and head over to the Art Museum Loop for an impromptu 8.4 miler around the Art Museum Loop.....my usual "out and back 8 miler along the Schuylkill Banks and Kelly Dr was compromised by said Penn Relays,I knew trying to navigate my way passed Franklin Field to the South St bridge would be problamatic.....but I wasn't going to allow that to stop me from getting a run in........I think Jumbo would have approved!!!
I figured if ever there was a weekend to be sat at home NOT running it was this weekend,Mondays Boston Marathon was still unwatched on my dvr,Sunday was the London Marathon and on Saturday they were showing both Penn Relays and Drake Relays in the afternoon......cue yours truly taking a "zen like" philosophy w/ the recliner....and becoming one w/ it........
Mid way through NBCSN's coverage of Penn they showed the College Mens 4x1 mile relay,a race and distance close to my heart which peaked my interest to say the least.....
By the time of the anchor leg w/ Edward Cheserek running for Oregon it looked like a "slam dunk for the Ducks........
For reasons best known to himself Cheserek the leading college 5,000m/10,000m runner and NCAA Indoor Mile champ got his "knickers in a twist" about being out in front and opted to slow the pace.....why I don't know as he was more than capable of outrunning the field.....by doing so the entire field was now bunched on his shoulder come the bell lap and it became a "kickers finish".....w/ Villanova's anchor Jordan Williamsz an 800m/1,500m specialest leaving Cheserek in his wake coming off the final turn......GO WILDCATS!!!!!
Now granted I have no real connection to Villanova,sadly I didn't go there{sidebar I've always said IF I'd grown up in America w/ the same athletic talent I had growing up in South East London I would have wanted to have gone to Villanova period and been coached by the late,great legendary Jumbo Elliot.....whether I had the grades or money is of course another matter} but given my hero worship of Eamon Coghlan who did go there and was coached by Jumbo I've always felt that Villanova was my "would be"alma mater........
So much so that following their dramatic win in the 4x1 mile relay I felt "duty bound" to get off the recliner,stretch and head over to the Art Museum Loop for an impromptu 8.4 miler around the Art Museum Loop.....my usual "out and back 8 miler along the Schuylkill Banks and Kelly Dr was compromised by said Penn Relays,I knew trying to navigate my way passed Franklin Field to the South St bridge would be problamatic.....but I wasn't going to allow that to stop me from getting a run in........I think Jumbo would have approved!!!
Wednesday, April 22, 2015
You've Got To Be Shittin' Me?????
Amazing!!!!!! I got through the ENTIRE Winter w/out getting sick once,here we are a few weeks into Spring and I'm struck down w/ a cold.......are you fucking shittin' me?????
On the heals of my latest setback another incomplete repeat session I returned to "the scene of the crime" w/in 24 hours to "have at it" w/ 4x1 mile repeats w/ 3 min recoveries.
I wrapped my right hamstring w/ a Compression bandage to aid the "knot" issue which I subsequently realized is Sciatica to try and get through this repeat......something that's become an "Albertross" around my neck of late and while my initial reaction to my sub par splits was the Sciatica post repeats my head felt congested,my nose was running,I had no appitite which for those of you who know me know on most given days I could "eat a scabby Horse and his jockey"!!! and I awoke on Monday to a headace,sore throat and a ton of fluid on my lungs.........don't need to be a Harley St doctor to know I'm "Tom Dick".......you don't need to be Sherlock bleedin' Holmes to know I'm pissed off by that!!!
As for the workout it's self,my previous 4x1mile repeats went:
5.35.6
5.40.7
5.45.4
5.42.2
#1 mile
1.20-1.26-1.25-1.20=5.31.8
A promising start and 5 seconds up on March 27s effort,was this going to be my day afterall......
#2 mile
1.27-1.31-1.32-1.24=5.54.8
As soon as I opened in 1.27 I knew I was up "Shits Creek" w/out a paddle,now for "Damage Limitation"....
#3 mile
1.30-1.32.-1.29-1.23=5.54.6
W/ hindsight I was drowning in a sea of Mucus so I can be forgiven for my slow splits I think...
#4 mile
1.30-1.32-1.31-1.18=5.51.0
Trying to put a positive spin on thes repeats is akin to "putting Lipstick on a Pig" admittedly but given I went through 800m in 3.02 and 1,200m in 4.31/4.33 I can be proud of not "mailing it in" and staying sub 6.00.....
#smallvictoriesarevictoriesnonetheless
On the heals of my latest setback another incomplete repeat session I returned to "the scene of the crime" w/in 24 hours to "have at it" w/ 4x1 mile repeats w/ 3 min recoveries.
I wrapped my right hamstring w/ a Compression bandage to aid the "knot" issue which I subsequently realized is Sciatica to try and get through this repeat......something that's become an "Albertross" around my neck of late and while my initial reaction to my sub par splits was the Sciatica post repeats my head felt congested,my nose was running,I had no appitite which for those of you who know me know on most given days I could "eat a scabby Horse and his jockey"!!! and I awoke on Monday to a headace,sore throat and a ton of fluid on my lungs.........don't need to be a Harley St doctor to know I'm "Tom Dick".......you don't need to be Sherlock bleedin' Holmes to know I'm pissed off by that!!!
As for the workout it's self,my previous 4x1mile repeats went:
5.35.6
5.40.7
5.45.4
5.42.2
#1 mile
1.20-1.26-1.25-1.20=5.31.8
A promising start and 5 seconds up on March 27s effort,was this going to be my day afterall......
#2 mile
1.27-1.31-1.32-1.24=5.54.8
As soon as I opened in 1.27 I knew I was up "Shits Creek" w/out a paddle,now for "Damage Limitation"....
#3 mile
1.30-1.32.-1.29-1.23=5.54.6
W/ hindsight I was drowning in a sea of Mucus so I can be forgiven for my slow splits I think...
#4 mile
1.30-1.32-1.31-1.18=5.51.0
Trying to put a positive spin on thes repeats is akin to "putting Lipstick on a Pig" admittedly but given I went through 800m in 3.02 and 1,200m in 4.31/4.33 I can be proud of not "mailing it in" and staying sub 6.00.....
#smallvictoriesarevictoriesnonetheless
{K}not Again.......
April was not only scheduled as my "transisition" month from Indoor to Outdoor but also a month to lay solid foundations for the summer in the build up to Outdoor Nationals,Worlds and 5th Avenue Mile........best laid plans of mice and men eh????
I've now suffered back to back weeks of two repeats being scrapped due to not being able to get on the track to begin w/ and also two incomplete repeats.......funny I always thought running was meant to reduce not induce stress!!!!! did I get that wrong too???
Things began well enough.....I actually got to and on the track which in light of recent weeks is not something I've been able to say,sunny and blue skies,little to no wind,little to no obstructions on the track,maybe I could do a number on these 5x200mx2 repeats?
6 lap warm up conducted it was on w/ the bandana and on w/ the flats and "down to bussiness" 5x200m in 33 seconds and under w/ 45 second recoveries,a five minute rest inbetween sets......I felt I could do this,given this was my debut at this particular repeat I had no previous splits to guage a "baseline" off of but 33 and under felt doable......
#1 5x200m
32.37-33.00-33.37-32.25-31.79
So far so good,I saw no reason to think the second set wouldn't follow suit as I paced back and forth on the infield Pole Vault runway waiting to attack #2.......
During that rest period the knot in my right hamstring that forced me to step off the track w/ 500m to go last Sunday reintroduced its self and 100m into the first 200m of set #2 I pulled up again..........
BOLLOCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I've subsequently come to the opinion it's Sciatica,I had a similar issue last summer w/ my left hamstring although thankfully not as pronounced as this.
To combat it I will have to double the stretches I've been doing to ease the discomfort in my left hamstring to include my right hammy and hope that helps,I can ill afford any more incomplete repeats,glass half empty I've gone 0 for 4 in the past fortnite now,glass half full in April I have weeks and months to crush it,w/ any injury or illness the right diagnosis is half the battle{2011s Anemia issue is a classic example.......} so here's hoping......
I've now suffered back to back weeks of two repeats being scrapped due to not being able to get on the track to begin w/ and also two incomplete repeats.......funny I always thought running was meant to reduce not induce stress!!!!! did I get that wrong too???
Things began well enough.....I actually got to and on the track which in light of recent weeks is not something I've been able to say,sunny and blue skies,little to no wind,little to no obstructions on the track,maybe I could do a number on these 5x200mx2 repeats?
6 lap warm up conducted it was on w/ the bandana and on w/ the flats and "down to bussiness" 5x200m in 33 seconds and under w/ 45 second recoveries,a five minute rest inbetween sets......I felt I could do this,given this was my debut at this particular repeat I had no previous splits to guage a "baseline" off of but 33 and under felt doable......
#1 5x200m
32.37-33.00-33.37-32.25-31.79
So far so good,I saw no reason to think the second set wouldn't follow suit as I paced back and forth on the infield Pole Vault runway waiting to attack #2.......
During that rest period the knot in my right hamstring that forced me to step off the track w/ 500m to go last Sunday reintroduced its self and 100m into the first 200m of set #2 I pulled up again..........
BOLLOCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I've subsequently come to the opinion it's Sciatica,I had a similar issue last summer w/ my left hamstring although thankfully not as pronounced as this.
To combat it I will have to double the stretches I've been doing to ease the discomfort in my left hamstring to include my right hammy and hope that helps,I can ill afford any more incomplete repeats,glass half empty I've gone 0 for 4 in the past fortnite now,glass half full in April I have weeks and months to crush it,w/ any injury or illness the right diagnosis is half the battle{2011s Anemia issue is a classic example.......} so here's hoping......
Friday, April 17, 2015
Money,I'm Tellin' Ya....It's The Shoes!!!!
Since Indoor season ended I've been doing two 8 milers out and back along the trusty Schuylkill footpath/banks and Kelly Drive.
Last week I felt there needed to be a distinction between my easy/recovery run and Tempo run,too often the Tempo Run gets overlooked in my training so the plan was going forward easy/recovery run to kick off the week,repeats followed by tempo run......alas Wednesdays repeats didn't materialize due to a transportation issue which had me not only fuming but also frothing at the mouth,add the chance to "christen" my brand spanking new Sketchers Go Bionic running shoes and "something brisk" was always on the cards.....
W/ sunny skies and 69 degree temps conditions were ideal when I set off at 4.30pm to put things in prespective on Tuesday I ran the opening mile in 8.40 on route to a 1.14.02......tonite 7.34......ah shit,Genie's out of the bottle now!!!
I didn't have an issue w/ going out that fast....afterall it was a tempo run,the issue now was how well I could hang onto that pace
Proving mile 1 was no flash in the pan I clocked 16.33 at mile 2 b4 clocking 28 something at the "slightly long" mile 3
Reached the turnaround in 34.50.....1.09.40 pace if I could hold onto this pace,at this stage of the season I feel my strength,stamina and speed are at decent levels so why not go for it?
Low 42s at mile 5 b4 63 something at mile 6......was that 1.10 there for the taking?
Prior to the on/off ramp at Market St which is give or take half a mile b4 mile 6 I was cognisent of footsteps behind me......this was one time I was grateful of the challenge as it meant I couldn't "switch off and hit cruise control" said footsteps followed me down to the on/off ramp at South St bridge where I suprised myself w/ the fluidity of how I attacked the uphill and also put daylight between myself and my "shadow"
Yes! beat the red light at South Street & I 76 and again at 34th and Spruce St as I closed in on mile 7 at 39th and Baltimore.....1.02.00......I'd need a 7.59 closing mile to get under 1.10.....
It was always going to be a tall order to begin w/ I was gritting my teeth and grimacing as I made my west up Baltimore Ave but if I had to "go down swinging" then sobeit......
1.10.12 are you fuckin' kidding me!!! a 8.12 closing mile as I crushed not only Mondays easy/recover run of 1.14.02 but also last weeks Tempo Run of 1.13.04.
I'm tellin' ya it's the shoes aside from being 6.4oz and liteweight compared to my previous Sketchers Night Owl shoes the fact they're Red & Black they looked like two size 10.5 Formula One Ferrari's on my feet.....no wonder I was "burning rubber" out there this evening.....
Last week I felt there needed to be a distinction between my easy/recovery run and Tempo run,too often the Tempo Run gets overlooked in my training so the plan was going forward easy/recovery run to kick off the week,repeats followed by tempo run......alas Wednesdays repeats didn't materialize due to a transportation issue which had me not only fuming but also frothing at the mouth,add the chance to "christen" my brand spanking new Sketchers Go Bionic running shoes and "something brisk" was always on the cards.....
W/ sunny skies and 69 degree temps conditions were ideal when I set off at 4.30pm to put things in prespective on Tuesday I ran the opening mile in 8.40 on route to a 1.14.02......tonite 7.34......ah shit,Genie's out of the bottle now!!!
I didn't have an issue w/ going out that fast....afterall it was a tempo run,the issue now was how well I could hang onto that pace
Proving mile 1 was no flash in the pan I clocked 16.33 at mile 2 b4 clocking 28 something at the "slightly long" mile 3
Reached the turnaround in 34.50.....1.09.40 pace if I could hold onto this pace,at this stage of the season I feel my strength,stamina and speed are at decent levels so why not go for it?
Low 42s at mile 5 b4 63 something at mile 6......was that 1.10 there for the taking?
Prior to the on/off ramp at Market St which is give or take half a mile b4 mile 6 I was cognisent of footsteps behind me......this was one time I was grateful of the challenge as it meant I couldn't "switch off and hit cruise control" said footsteps followed me down to the on/off ramp at South St bridge where I suprised myself w/ the fluidity of how I attacked the uphill and also put daylight between myself and my "shadow"
Yes! beat the red light at South Street & I 76 and again at 34th and Spruce St as I closed in on mile 7 at 39th and Baltimore.....1.02.00......I'd need a 7.59 closing mile to get under 1.10.....
It was always going to be a tall order to begin w/ I was gritting my teeth and grimacing as I made my west up Baltimore Ave but if I had to "go down swinging" then sobeit......
1.10.12 are you fuckin' kidding me!!! a 8.12 closing mile as I crushed not only Mondays easy/recover run of 1.14.02 but also last weeks Tempo Run of 1.13.04.
I'm tellin' ya it's the shoes aside from being 6.4oz and liteweight compared to my previous Sketchers Night Owl shoes the fact they're Red & Black they looked like two size 10.5 Formula One Ferrari's on my feet.....no wonder I was "burning rubber" out there this evening.....
Wednesday, April 15, 2015
Grey Skies,40% Chance Of Rain......{K}not A Problem!
Having sat out Monday as a precaution following Sundays abrupt end to my 4x400m/milex2 repeats I was back at it on Tuesday w/ an easy 8 miler on tap.
On a scale of one to ten,ten being the most uncomfortable the knot in my right hamstring felt like a two I was reasonably confident I could get through an easy 8 miler period muchless get myself back on schedule for this week.
Conditions were grey and overcast when I set off around 4.30pm w/ a 40% chance of rain,ergo why I threw on my Spurs baseball cap.....just in case!
Early on into the run it had to be said the knot in my hamstring wasn't an issue and maybe sitting out Monday was the prudent move even if it meant passing up a gloriously sunny 73 degree day,still it wasn't all doom and gloom on Monday since I wasn't running I had the chance to hit Center City post work to take care of a few errends pick up the new Track & Field News and swing by St John's church to light a candel for my late fathers birthday.
Were he still alive "the auld fella" would have been 82 on Monday w/ him dying at 51 it's hard to picture how he might've aged.......going out on a limb I'd say at 82 he'd:still like his Guinness,still play Bingo,still follow Spurs,still cuss like a sailor but go to mass every Sunday and still bollock me to high heaven for every race I didn't win....... I could be wrong.......but I doubt it somehow I knew Kevin too well!!!!!!,Happy B'day Pop you are missed!
Early splits were: 8.40 at a mile,18.02 at 2 miles 30.08 at 3 miles and 37.27 at half way which leant towards a 1.15.54 time.....for an easy run I could live w/ that.....what I couldn't live w/ was one of my pet peeves while out running the "I'm gonna bust a gut to catch up w/ you,overtake you .....then slow down"................ you have no idea how much that pisses me off and while this was an easy run and I didn't want to eat into my reserves for tomorrows repeats I blew "Mickey Mouse" away on the downhill under Girard bridge.
Credit to "Minnie Mouse" who tried to reel me in along Boathouse Row when she pulled along side me I bumped it up a notch pacewise but rather than fade behind me like "Mickey Mouse" she tucked in behind me and tried again w/in a half a mile....again I repelled her to the point after the turnaround I saw here walking along Kelly Dr no doubt calling me every name in the book as I went by her in the other direction.....if you want the lead you'll have to earn it I won't roll over and just hand it to you.
44.57 at mile 5 I'm used to being at 45s so clearly "the run for home was on" based on the 12 min split from mile 2 to 3 outbound 57 mins at mile 6 was on the cards plus another 18 mins for the final two miles and 1.15........
57.54 at mile 6....plus 18.02 would be 1.15.56...... I needed to be at nine 7 in 1.05 to have a crack at 1.14.......1.05.08....
An 8.54 closing mile brought me home in 1.14.02,I ran the opening mile in 8.40 so I can't be too concerned about the knot in my hammy to be honest it was never an issue over the eight miles.
I ran 1.14.05 on my easy 8 miler last week so I have to be pleased w/ this evenings effort,lets see how the 4x1 mile repeats go tomorrow b4 tackling an eight mile tempo run on Thursday,last week I clocked 1.13.04 in the rain,in dryer conditions is sub 1.13 on........
On a scale of one to ten,ten being the most uncomfortable the knot in my right hamstring felt like a two I was reasonably confident I could get through an easy 8 miler period muchless get myself back on schedule for this week.
Conditions were grey and overcast when I set off around 4.30pm w/ a 40% chance of rain,ergo why I threw on my Spurs baseball cap.....just in case!
Early on into the run it had to be said the knot in my hamstring wasn't an issue and maybe sitting out Monday was the prudent move even if it meant passing up a gloriously sunny 73 degree day,still it wasn't all doom and gloom on Monday since I wasn't running I had the chance to hit Center City post work to take care of a few errends pick up the new Track & Field News and swing by St John's church to light a candel for my late fathers birthday.
Were he still alive "the auld fella" would have been 82 on Monday w/ him dying at 51 it's hard to picture how he might've aged.......going out on a limb I'd say at 82 he'd:still like his Guinness,still play Bingo,still follow Spurs,still cuss like a sailor but go to mass every Sunday and still bollock me to high heaven for every race I didn't win....... I could be wrong.......but I doubt it somehow I knew Kevin too well!!!!!!,Happy B'day Pop you are missed!
Early splits were: 8.40 at a mile,18.02 at 2 miles 30.08 at 3 miles and 37.27 at half way which leant towards a 1.15.54 time.....for an easy run I could live w/ that.....what I couldn't live w/ was one of my pet peeves while out running the "I'm gonna bust a gut to catch up w/ you,overtake you .....then slow down"................ you have no idea how much that pisses me off and while this was an easy run and I didn't want to eat into my reserves for tomorrows repeats I blew "Mickey Mouse" away on the downhill under Girard bridge.
Credit to "Minnie Mouse" who tried to reel me in along Boathouse Row when she pulled along side me I bumped it up a notch pacewise but rather than fade behind me like "Mickey Mouse" she tucked in behind me and tried again w/in a half a mile....again I repelled her to the point after the turnaround I saw here walking along Kelly Dr no doubt calling me every name in the book as I went by her in the other direction.....if you want the lead you'll have to earn it I won't roll over and just hand it to you.
44.57 at mile 5 I'm used to being at 45s so clearly "the run for home was on" based on the 12 min split from mile 2 to 3 outbound 57 mins at mile 6 was on the cards plus another 18 mins for the final two miles and 1.15........
57.54 at mile 6....plus 18.02 would be 1.15.56...... I needed to be at nine 7 in 1.05 to have a crack at 1.14.......1.05.08....
An 8.54 closing mile brought me home in 1.14.02,I ran the opening mile in 8.40 so I can't be too concerned about the knot in my hammy to be honest it was never an issue over the eight miles.
I ran 1.14.05 on my easy 8 miler last week so I have to be pleased w/ this evenings effort,lets see how the 4x1 mile repeats go tomorrow b4 tackling an eight mile tempo run on Thursday,last week I clocked 1.13.04 in the rain,in dryer conditions is sub 1.13 on........
Monday, April 13, 2015
Fugazi
Pandora's box of holocausts gracefully cruising satellite infested heavens waiting,the season of the button,the penultimate migration
Radioactive perfumes,for the fashionably,for the terminally insane,insane do you realize? do you realize? this world is totally Fugazi......and it is yours
Where are the prophets? where are the visionaries? where are the poets to breach the dawn of the sentimental mercenarys?
Fugazi-Marillion
Fugazi- Military slang for "fucked up situation" made famous by Vietnam war stories
In a week when Marillion ruled the "airwaves" on my phone via Spotify "Fugazi" just about sums up my week in training,at least where the track was concerned.
I got shut out of Roxboro on Tuesday due a track meet and just couldn't summon the desire to try my luck again on Thursday given Tuesday ended up being a wasted three hour round trip w/ fuck all to show for it minus a shitload of Marillion getting downloaded to my Playlist on Spotify on my phone.
Not to worry I'd sacrifice the Sunday long run in favour of back to back repeats like I did three weeks ago......untill I arrived at Temple's Geasey Field around 1.30pm to find it out of commission,the drawback of not being a driver is not having the ability to hop in my motor and drive off to the nearest track or scour the neighbourhood for an available track.......
So Sunday I finally got onto a track at Temple's Geasey Field around 11.25am,glass half empty only one repeat this week not two,glass half full at least I was on a track......
Opted for the 4x400m/mile/4x400m/mile repeat although and maybe to my detrement I opted to nix the 4 min recoveries in favour of 90 seconds for the 400s and 3 mins either side of the "Decathleats Mile" since this was a new twist on a previously ran repeat it didn't seem worth using the splits from the last repeat {Feb 7th} a "baptisim of fire" if you like.....
4x400m #1
66.65-68.11-70.30-72.29
A little disappointed to see each 400 get two seconds slower but at least off of 90 second recoveries they were honest 400s unlike the previous 400s w/ 4 min recoveries
Decathleats Mile #1
1.26-1.30-1.33-1.21=5.50.77
Would prefer to see those 1.30/1.33s lower,something to work on when this repeat is revisited
4x400m #2
73.19-74.95-73.75-73.65
Having gone 73.19-74.95 I would have been ok w/ 75/76 400s on 3&4 so credit where credits due for throwing a pair of back to back 73s period but off of 90 second recoveries to boot
Decathleats Mile #2
1.31-1.32.........
It's been a long time since I've been unable to finish a repeat session,we're talking years but at the top of the home straight on lap 3 at 1,100m I felt a knot in my right hamstring.
It felt irresponsible to carry on and potentially injure myself so I pulled up and shuffled onto the infield.
What lead to this knot? a reaction to the 90 second 400s? not eating enough b4 heading to the track? not taking water w/ me? all of the above?????
I don't have the answers.....what I do have is a slightly gimpy right hammy that I've iced,taken anti imflamatories,and have wrapped in an ace bandage.
I'll sit out tonite and see how it reacts tomorrow if it feels like a go an easy 8 miler along the river as a "test run" b4 heading to Roxboro on Wednesday for {hopefully} repeats as i've said time and time again in training "it's not if you face adversity,it's how you handle it".......
Radioactive perfumes,for the fashionably,for the terminally insane,insane do you realize? do you realize? this world is totally Fugazi......and it is yours
Where are the prophets? where are the visionaries? where are the poets to breach the dawn of the sentimental mercenarys?
Fugazi-Marillion
Fugazi- Military slang for "fucked up situation" made famous by Vietnam war stories
In a week when Marillion ruled the "airwaves" on my phone via Spotify "Fugazi" just about sums up my week in training,at least where the track was concerned.
I got shut out of Roxboro on Tuesday due a track meet and just couldn't summon the desire to try my luck again on Thursday given Tuesday ended up being a wasted three hour round trip w/ fuck all to show for it minus a shitload of Marillion getting downloaded to my Playlist on Spotify on my phone.
Not to worry I'd sacrifice the Sunday long run in favour of back to back repeats like I did three weeks ago......untill I arrived at Temple's Geasey Field around 1.30pm to find it out of commission,the drawback of not being a driver is not having the ability to hop in my motor and drive off to the nearest track or scour the neighbourhood for an available track.......
So Sunday I finally got onto a track at Temple's Geasey Field around 11.25am,glass half empty only one repeat this week not two,glass half full at least I was on a track......
Opted for the 4x400m/mile/4x400m/mile repeat although and maybe to my detrement I opted to nix the 4 min recoveries in favour of 90 seconds for the 400s and 3 mins either side of the "Decathleats Mile" since this was a new twist on a previously ran repeat it didn't seem worth using the splits from the last repeat {Feb 7th} a "baptisim of fire" if you like.....
4x400m #1
66.65-68.11-70.30-72.29
A little disappointed to see each 400 get two seconds slower but at least off of 90 second recoveries they were honest 400s unlike the previous 400s w/ 4 min recoveries
Decathleats Mile #1
1.26-1.30-1.33-1.21=5.50.77
Would prefer to see those 1.30/1.33s lower,something to work on when this repeat is revisited
4x400m #2
73.19-74.95-73.75-73.65
Having gone 73.19-74.95 I would have been ok w/ 75/76 400s on 3&4 so credit where credits due for throwing a pair of back to back 73s period but off of 90 second recoveries to boot
Decathleats Mile #2
1.31-1.32.........
It's been a long time since I've been unable to finish a repeat session,we're talking years but at the top of the home straight on lap 3 at 1,100m I felt a knot in my right hamstring.
It felt irresponsible to carry on and potentially injure myself so I pulled up and shuffled onto the infield.
What lead to this knot? a reaction to the 90 second 400s? not eating enough b4 heading to the track? not taking water w/ me? all of the above?????
I don't have the answers.....what I do have is a slightly gimpy right hammy that I've iced,taken anti imflamatories,and have wrapped in an ace bandage.
I'll sit out tonite and see how it reacts tomorrow if it feels like a go an easy 8 miler along the river as a "test run" b4 heading to Roxboro on Wednesday for {hopefully} repeats as i've said time and time again in training "it's not if you face adversity,it's how you handle it".......
Thursday, April 9, 2015
Happy Running In The Rain Under April Skies
Mother Nature is a fickle whore,we go through all kinds of weather during Winter March is a bitch of a month to predict and then we reach Spring......except April tends to be another unpredictable month complete w/ "April Showers" which always makes life difficult.
I'd known since Sundays seven day forecast that after clear skies and sun on Monday Tuesday through Friday would be blighted w/ said April Showers.
I hedged my bets Tuesday as they were calling for rain but w/ 72 degree temps and duly schleeped out to Roxboro in the hope of getting my repeats in if itr was going to rain as it indeed did a least the temps would be warm.......however this all went to shite when I was confronted by a track meet out there.......not only a wasted trip but one of my two rest days shot to shit,returning home at 6.10pm I didn't feel like heading back opt the door for a 8 miler.
Ever the "Boy Scout" I did my due diligence and saw Thursday to be the better of the two days to reattempt said repeats so Wednesday was reasigned as my 8 mile tempo run......
Conditions were grey and overcast w/ a hint of rain but also decidely cooler temps than the past few days when I arrived home just after 4pm,there was never a option of blowing this off period but w/ a potential "supersoaker" heading our way on Friday I felt it prudent to take care of business today even if it meant relyibg on the trust olde Under Armour half zip jacket and three quarter length bottoms to help negaite the cooler temps......w/ hindsight a rain jacket may have been prudent!!!
For the opening three miles it was a soft misty rain the type that forced me to ditch my glasses since I couldn't actually see out of but did allow me to read my stop watch more clearly for once,miles one through three were in keeping w/ Mondays splits en route to my 1.14.05 time,as long as I kept close to that I'd be satisfied w/ my time,while I didn't want to go "balls out" the day b4 a potential repeat session I also didn't want to be out in this any longer than need be.
At mile three the misty rain became a lot harder,not a downpour but heavy enough to be noticeable,funnily enough prior to my run at work I was telling one of my co workers if I have to run in the rain I prefer it starts raining after I start my run as opossed to beginning said run in the rain.....file that under "careful what you ask for you might just get it".
37.43 at the turnaround a potential 1.15.26 which would've been below what I was shooting for to begin w/ plus the rain and 41 degree temps served as an added incentive to pick up the pace.
I tend to run the inbound leg of my eight milers faster than the outbound four miles so I was confident of getting under 1.15.26......besides who wanted to be out in these conditions any longer than they had to be?
By the time I reached mile six the rain had stopped.....however I was suitably drenched due to the previous three miles so it was somewhat of a mute point,not a mute point were my five and six mile splits which pointed to a 1.14 time if I was willing to go after it......challenge accepted!!!
One plus from the rain was clearer sidewalks,this however didn't stop yours truly issuing not one,not two but three black hearted celtic pagan comments to three of lifes less than attenive pedestrians in the final mile and a quarter of my run,the third of whom forced me to slow in the final 100m of my run,one man and his fuckin' dog indeed!!!
Despite "Kruffs" or the "Westminster Dog Show" I still finished in 1.13.04 61 seconds faster than Mondays time and 19 seconds quicker than last weeks previous best of 1.13.23...both of which were run in dry conditions I hasten to add!
I'd known since Sundays seven day forecast that after clear skies and sun on Monday Tuesday through Friday would be blighted w/ said April Showers.
I hedged my bets Tuesday as they were calling for rain but w/ 72 degree temps and duly schleeped out to Roxboro in the hope of getting my repeats in if itr was going to rain as it indeed did a least the temps would be warm.......however this all went to shite when I was confronted by a track meet out there.......not only a wasted trip but one of my two rest days shot to shit,returning home at 6.10pm I didn't feel like heading back opt the door for a 8 miler.
Ever the "Boy Scout" I did my due diligence and saw Thursday to be the better of the two days to reattempt said repeats so Wednesday was reasigned as my 8 mile tempo run......
Conditions were grey and overcast w/ a hint of rain but also decidely cooler temps than the past few days when I arrived home just after 4pm,there was never a option of blowing this off period but w/ a potential "supersoaker" heading our way on Friday I felt it prudent to take care of business today even if it meant relyibg on the trust olde Under Armour half zip jacket and three quarter length bottoms to help negaite the cooler temps......w/ hindsight a rain jacket may have been prudent!!!
For the opening three miles it was a soft misty rain the type that forced me to ditch my glasses since I couldn't actually see out of but did allow me to read my stop watch more clearly for once,miles one through three were in keeping w/ Mondays splits en route to my 1.14.05 time,as long as I kept close to that I'd be satisfied w/ my time,while I didn't want to go "balls out" the day b4 a potential repeat session I also didn't want to be out in this any longer than need be.
At mile three the misty rain became a lot harder,not a downpour but heavy enough to be noticeable,funnily enough prior to my run at work I was telling one of my co workers if I have to run in the rain I prefer it starts raining after I start my run as opossed to beginning said run in the rain.....file that under "careful what you ask for you might just get it".
37.43 at the turnaround a potential 1.15.26 which would've been below what I was shooting for to begin w/ plus the rain and 41 degree temps served as an added incentive to pick up the pace.
I tend to run the inbound leg of my eight milers faster than the outbound four miles so I was confident of getting under 1.15.26......besides who wanted to be out in these conditions any longer than they had to be?
By the time I reached mile six the rain had stopped.....however I was suitably drenched due to the previous three miles so it was somewhat of a mute point,not a mute point were my five and six mile splits which pointed to a 1.14 time if I was willing to go after it......challenge accepted!!!
One plus from the rain was clearer sidewalks,this however didn't stop yours truly issuing not one,not two but three black hearted celtic pagan comments to three of lifes less than attenive pedestrians in the final mile and a quarter of my run,the third of whom forced me to slow in the final 100m of my run,one man and his fuckin' dog indeed!!!
Despite "Kruffs" or the "Westminster Dog Show" I still finished in 1.13.04 61 seconds faster than Mondays time and 19 seconds quicker than last weeks previous best of 1.13.23...both of which were run in dry conditions I hasten to add!
Tuesday, April 7, 2015
The Not So Manic Monday
Maybe it was growing up in London for almost 24 years where we got Good Friday AND Easter Monday off that makes me somewhat nostalgic for those days now that I've been on this side of the Atlantic for almost 28 years and I have to work both days.....we may be a God fearing nation.....just not a God worshiping nation.....NOT that everyone back in England is at Mass on Good Friday,muchless Easter Monday I hasten to add.....just off from work!
Hard on the heals of Sundays long run it was prudent to make Mondays 8 miler an easy/recovery run period but w/ repeats on tap for Tuesday I also wanted to keep some of my Gunpowder dry,dry being the operative word as "April Showers" look to prominant this week.
However Monday was nothing but blue skies and a whopping 72 degrees,surfice to say shades and shorts were the order of the day when I set off at 4.35pm.
Another day when my opening splits were in keeping w/ recent runs just under 15 mins to the South St bridge{roughly a mile and a half} sub 18 mins at mile two along the Schuylkill Footpath,29 mins at Lloyd Hall for mile three and then the turnaround at the mile mark on Kelly Dr in 37 mins.
Even though this was a "easy run" compared to a "tempo run" I felt comfortable reaching halfway in 37 plus,in keeping w/ recent runs these runs have felt effortless which is how I'd like them to feel.
The trick now was to see off the inbound 4 miles w/out over extending myself b4 Tuesdays repeats and at near like metronomic pace I reeled off mile splits of 45 mins at Lloyd Hall {5}57 on the Schuylkill Footpath {6} and 1.05 at 39th St {7}
A 9 minute mile in closing over the final mile/elevan blocks would give me a 1.14 finish,pretty much what the halfway split of 37 plus indicated and w/out over exending myself I clocked a 1.14.05 finish,1.55 up on Thursdays same easy/recovery 8 miler.....a solid start to my week
Hard on the heals of Sundays long run it was prudent to make Mondays 8 miler an easy/recovery run period but w/ repeats on tap for Tuesday I also wanted to keep some of my Gunpowder dry,dry being the operative word as "April Showers" look to prominant this week.
However Monday was nothing but blue skies and a whopping 72 degrees,surfice to say shades and shorts were the order of the day when I set off at 4.35pm.
Another day when my opening splits were in keeping w/ recent runs just under 15 mins to the South St bridge{roughly a mile and a half} sub 18 mins at mile two along the Schuylkill Footpath,29 mins at Lloyd Hall for mile three and then the turnaround at the mile mark on Kelly Dr in 37 mins.
Even though this was a "easy run" compared to a "tempo run" I felt comfortable reaching halfway in 37 plus,in keeping w/ recent runs these runs have felt effortless which is how I'd like them to feel.
The trick now was to see off the inbound 4 miles w/out over extending myself b4 Tuesdays repeats and at near like metronomic pace I reeled off mile splits of 45 mins at Lloyd Hall {5}57 on the Schuylkill Footpath {6} and 1.05 at 39th St {7}
A 9 minute mile in closing over the final mile/elevan blocks would give me a 1.14 finish,pretty much what the halfway split of 37 plus indicated and w/out over exending myself I clocked a 1.14.05 finish,1.55 up on Thursdays same easy/recovery 8 miler.....a solid start to my week
Monday, April 6, 2015
Picking Up Where We Left Off
We go walking hand in hand all across the land it's East at Easter people walking hand in hand
When ships are moving South it will be East at Easter we will rock you rock you little child, we will rock you rock you little child
All across the land it's East at Easter
East At Easter-Simple Minds
It had been five weeks since my last Sunday long run and subsequently five weeks since I last went 5day/40mpw......I'm not saying the two are "mutually exclusive" but they do tend to go together like Easter and Passover.....Mazel Tov!
After a drab 0.0 draw between Burnley and Spurs I needed something to wake me up as I headed out the door at 10.40am,conditions were sunny and warm and yesterdays winds had died down considerably......which was a blessing.
There have been times in the not so distant past when I've questioned if I had the legs for a 14 miler down,around the Art Museum Loop and back again......today wasn't one of them!
I wasn't paying much attenion to splits as I reeled off the opening six miles at what felt like a reasonable clip so I was somewhat taken aback to see 57.27 at half way as I began to cross the Falls Bridge,last time out I clocked 58.01 at Falls Bridge on route to a 1.58.28 to be honest I wasn't expecting 57.27 today....was a 1.55 wishful thinking or there for the taking?
At least heading south on Kelly Dr I'd have people to chase which always helps,1.03 at 8 miles,1.11 at 9 miles and 1.18 at 10 miles.
1.26 at Lloyd Hall w/ "three miles" to go....it should be stated for the record the "mile" from mile 2 to Lloyd Hall at mile 3 is long...more like 1.5 but I've always rounded down,I don't own a fancy Garmin to get an accurate measurement nor do I feel the need to go to my local Home Depot for a measuring wheel either it is what it is,it's long...hey ho!
Mile 12 was 1.38,going up the on/off ramp to South St bridge I didn't feel that "pop" in my legs I often feel at the same point of an eight miler,sure enough mile 13 was a 10 minute mile 1.48,no 1.55 today which was fine by me to be honest off a 5 week hiatus from Sunday long runs I was thinking 2.06 b4 I hit Falls Bridge in 57.27.
1.58.00 at the finish,another 10 minute mile hey no harm no foul it was still 28 seconds quicker than my March 1st effort.
I'm probably looking at 13 Sunday long runs over the next 14 weeks,ample time to get down to 1.55 and below should the mood take me but frankly todays 1.58.00 earnt me my Cadburys Cream Egg post race reward,all the miles none of the guilt!!!
When ships are moving South it will be East at Easter we will rock you rock you little child, we will rock you rock you little child
All across the land it's East at Easter
East At Easter-Simple Minds
It had been five weeks since my last Sunday long run and subsequently five weeks since I last went 5day/40mpw......I'm not saying the two are "mutually exclusive" but they do tend to go together like Easter and Passover.....Mazel Tov!
After a drab 0.0 draw between Burnley and Spurs I needed something to wake me up as I headed out the door at 10.40am,conditions were sunny and warm and yesterdays winds had died down considerably......which was a blessing.
There have been times in the not so distant past when I've questioned if I had the legs for a 14 miler down,around the Art Museum Loop and back again......today wasn't one of them!
I wasn't paying much attenion to splits as I reeled off the opening six miles at what felt like a reasonable clip so I was somewhat taken aback to see 57.27 at half way as I began to cross the Falls Bridge,last time out I clocked 58.01 at Falls Bridge on route to a 1.58.28 to be honest I wasn't expecting 57.27 today....was a 1.55 wishful thinking or there for the taking?
At least heading south on Kelly Dr I'd have people to chase which always helps,1.03 at 8 miles,1.11 at 9 miles and 1.18 at 10 miles.
1.26 at Lloyd Hall w/ "three miles" to go....it should be stated for the record the "mile" from mile 2 to Lloyd Hall at mile 3 is long...more like 1.5 but I've always rounded down,I don't own a fancy Garmin to get an accurate measurement nor do I feel the need to go to my local Home Depot for a measuring wheel either it is what it is,it's long...hey ho!
Mile 12 was 1.38,going up the on/off ramp to South St bridge I didn't feel that "pop" in my legs I often feel at the same point of an eight miler,sure enough mile 13 was a 10 minute mile 1.48,no 1.55 today which was fine by me to be honest off a 5 week hiatus from Sunday long runs I was thinking 2.06 b4 I hit Falls Bridge in 57.27.
1.58.00 at the finish,another 10 minute mile hey no harm no foul it was still 28 seconds quicker than my March 1st effort.
I'm probably looking at 13 Sunday long runs over the next 14 weeks,ample time to get down to 1.55 and below should the mood take me but frankly todays 1.58.00 earnt me my Cadburys Cream Egg post race reward,all the miles none of the guilt!!!
Poo{h} Sticks
The opening line of the Serenity Prayer tells us"accept the things I cannot change" which would be apt for my trip to Temple's Geasey Field for my 3x300m/3x200m repeats on Saturday lunchtime.
I could tell from the brief amount of time I stood out on the corner of 50th & Baltimore Ave waiting for the #34 trolley it was windy which never bodes well for Geasey Field at the best of times but I had visions of being tossed around like a rag doll on the back straight there today.....and sadly I wasn't wrong.
Arriving at11.25am I at least had the track more or less to myself,always important when doing shorter repeats a la 3x300/3x200m where laying claim to lane 1 is vital.
Six lap warm up taken care of it was time to "get stuck in" was able to rock the shorts look again but kept the Under Armour Spurs half zip jacket on,the sun was out but the blustery wind across Geasey Field meant my nipples cut pain glass if need be....yeah it was that windy!!!
Last time out over 3x300/3x200m on Feb 25th I went:
47.61 33.49
49.68 33.53
50.15 33.31
51.73 33.82
52.62 35.00
53.78 32.66
On the whole plus/minus I ended up at minus 11,I was in the hole for four seconds after the opening 300m but I stayed w/ it.....what else was I going to do? I've never been to a track meet where the officials have said "you know what guys the wind's blowing rather harshly,we're going to run clockwise to help you combat it........" so I made the best of a bad situation and notched another set of repeats on my 2015 resume.....let's hope it's not as windy whenever I next tackle 3x300/3x200m
I could tell from the brief amount of time I stood out on the corner of 50th & Baltimore Ave waiting for the #34 trolley it was windy which never bodes well for Geasey Field at the best of times but I had visions of being tossed around like a rag doll on the back straight there today.....and sadly I wasn't wrong.
Arriving at11.25am I at least had the track more or less to myself,always important when doing shorter repeats a la 3x300/3x200m where laying claim to lane 1 is vital.
Six lap warm up taken care of it was time to "get stuck in" was able to rock the shorts look again but kept the Under Armour Spurs half zip jacket on,the sun was out but the blustery wind across Geasey Field meant my nipples cut pain glass if need be....yeah it was that windy!!!
Last time out over 3x300/3x200m on Feb 25th I went:
47.61 33.49
49.68 33.53
50.15 33.31
51.73 33.82
52.62 35.00
53.78 32.66
On the whole plus/minus I ended up at minus 11,I was in the hole for four seconds after the opening 300m but I stayed w/ it.....what else was I going to do? I've never been to a track meet where the officials have said "you know what guys the wind's blowing rather harshly,we're going to run clockwise to help you combat it........" so I made the best of a bad situation and notched another set of repeats on my 2015 resume.....let's hope it's not as windy whenever I next tackle 3x300/3x200m
Friday, April 3, 2015
Hard 800s Followed By Easy Eight Miler
Following a punishing repeat session at Roxboro on Wednesday an easy/recovery 8 miler out and back along the Schuylkill footpath/banks and Kelly Dr was just what the doctor ordered
A slightly later start {4.40pm} than usual but now that it's still light at 7pm that's not as big an issue as it was during Winter.
On the subject of the four seasons it's actually starting to feel like Spring now.....this may be helped by the fact we've finally gotten out of March....which is always a bastard month to begin.....personally I don't think Spring should begin till April 1st.....that's just me!
Anywho....at 66 glorious degrees meant I could at long last dig out my blue Villanova shorts ......I strongly considered going the whole hog,Shades,Shorts and Sleeveless but thought better of it.....other than Indoor track I've had to keep myself covered up since November and all that pale flesh on display at once might be TOO much for an unsuspecting public.....but be warned General Public that day is nigh!!!
Given this was billed as an easy/recovery run I wasn't looking to go "bat shit crazy" pace wise as my legs were understandably a tad heavy from the 8x800m 24 hours earlier that said I reached the turnaround in roughly the same split 37 mins plus and ditto for mile five 45 mins plus......however unlike Monday when I was willing to push the pace making it more of a tempo run today I was happy to just keep easing my way along the Schuylkill Banks and footpath,when I saw my six mile and seven mile splits roughly a minute slower I wasn't phased by it.....somedays it needs to be a easier pace,being able to seperate easy/recovery miles from tempo miles is important.
Home in 1.16.00 respectable enough I was just happy to have 22 miles on the clock for the week,short repeats Saturday and a return to the traditional Sunday long run {14 miles} should see me at 5 days/40mpw this week
A slightly later start {4.40pm} than usual but now that it's still light at 7pm that's not as big an issue as it was during Winter.
On the subject of the four seasons it's actually starting to feel like Spring now.....this may be helped by the fact we've finally gotten out of March....which is always a bastard month to begin.....personally I don't think Spring should begin till April 1st.....that's just me!
Anywho....at 66 glorious degrees meant I could at long last dig out my blue Villanova shorts ......I strongly considered going the whole hog,Shades,Shorts and Sleeveless but thought better of it.....other than Indoor track I've had to keep myself covered up since November and all that pale flesh on display at once might be TOO much for an unsuspecting public.....but be warned General Public that day is nigh!!!
Given this was billed as an easy/recovery run I wasn't looking to go "bat shit crazy" pace wise as my legs were understandably a tad heavy from the 8x800m 24 hours earlier that said I reached the turnaround in roughly the same split 37 mins plus and ditto for mile five 45 mins plus......however unlike Monday when I was willing to push the pace making it more of a tempo run today I was happy to just keep easing my way along the Schuylkill Banks and footpath,when I saw my six mile and seven mile splits roughly a minute slower I wasn't phased by it.....somedays it needs to be a easier pace,being able to seperate easy/recovery miles from tempo miles is important.
Home in 1.16.00 respectable enough I was just happy to have 22 miles on the clock for the week,short repeats Saturday and a return to the traditional Sunday long run {14 miles} should see me at 5 days/40mpw this week
Thursday, April 2, 2015
No Foolin' It's Roxboro In Spring!
Like the Swallows returning to Capistrano it's a rite of passage to see me head out to the high school track at Roxboro in April/early May for my midweek repeats.
For all my bitchin' about Roxboro,the actual track its self,the hike to get there via the #9 bus and the attitude I always seem to encounter from the natives who seem clueless re track etiquette it would seem odd NOT to run there as I've been out there almost every year for the past ten years and lest we forget my first track victory in America came on that track in 05 at the old Wissahickon Wanderers meets in a 5,000m.
I had to push back my planned 8x800m repeats from Tuesday to Wednesday,the threat of rain plus the prospect of three repeats in four days seemed like overkill,as it was when I arrived there at 4.25pm yesterday afternoon the track was bathed in glorious sunshine,albeit w/ a stiff headwind on the bottom turn and down the back straight.
Mile warm up it was time to throw on the trusty shades and bandana and have at it.
Last time out over 8x800m on Feb 4th I went:
2.27.45 -2.31.44 -2.31.44- 2.33.40 -2.32.99- 2.34.18- 2.35.53- 2.32.34
I was taking four minute recoveries then,as w/ the 4x1 mile and the 4x400/mile x2 repeats I'd cut my recoveries to three minutes we'd see if that would effect my times?
#1 800m
1.14-1.15=2.29.41
A solid start,I could live w/ 1.14/1.15 splits,could I keep them up over eight repeats?
#2 800m
1.17-1.18=2.35.40
A lapse in mental focus on the opening 400m put me in the hole but at least I didn't "mail it in"
#3 800m
1.17-1.16=2.33.89
Go me! a negative split,how I'd like to see them become the norn over the coming weeks and months
#4 800m
1.19-1.16=2.35.54
Shaken by that opening 400m 1.19 I dropped a 1.16 to keep my pre workout goal of 2.35 and under alive......
#5 800m
1.18-1.19=2.37.70
Bugger! Maybe the extra minute of less recovery was catching up w/ yours truly?
#6 800m
1.20-1.18=2.38.83
Credit where credit's due after opening in 1.20 I dug deep rather than go into the tank,question was what did I have left?
#7 800m
1.16-1.20=2.36.78
Surprized myself w/ that opening 1.16 especially as going into the first turn I was forced out into lane three to go around a group of kids on the track,did pay for it a tad on the second lap but after seven 800s I could be excused for being a little spent.
#8 800m
1.20-1.15=2.35.71
Finished strong after a disappointing opening 1.20,good to see the legs and brain on the same page when I needed to pick it up over the final lap.
Overall reasonably pleased w/ this, pre workout the goal was 2.35 and under,didn't feel the need to extend expectations because I'd lowered recoveries.
Going forward I'd like to see more even splits which would aid and abet lower times I believe and hopefully eliminate those 2.36,2.37,2.38 splits next time out in three weeks time.
For all my bitchin' about Roxboro,the actual track its self,the hike to get there via the #9 bus and the attitude I always seem to encounter from the natives who seem clueless re track etiquette it would seem odd NOT to run there as I've been out there almost every year for the past ten years and lest we forget my first track victory in America came on that track in 05 at the old Wissahickon Wanderers meets in a 5,000m.
I had to push back my planned 8x800m repeats from Tuesday to Wednesday,the threat of rain plus the prospect of three repeats in four days seemed like overkill,as it was when I arrived there at 4.25pm yesterday afternoon the track was bathed in glorious sunshine,albeit w/ a stiff headwind on the bottom turn and down the back straight.
Mile warm up it was time to throw on the trusty shades and bandana and have at it.
Last time out over 8x800m on Feb 4th I went:
2.27.45 -2.31.44 -2.31.44- 2.33.40 -2.32.99- 2.34.18- 2.35.53- 2.32.34
I was taking four minute recoveries then,as w/ the 4x1 mile and the 4x400/mile x2 repeats I'd cut my recoveries to three minutes we'd see if that would effect my times?
#1 800m
1.14-1.15=2.29.41
A solid start,I could live w/ 1.14/1.15 splits,could I keep them up over eight repeats?
#2 800m
1.17-1.18=2.35.40
A lapse in mental focus on the opening 400m put me in the hole but at least I didn't "mail it in"
#3 800m
1.17-1.16=2.33.89
Go me! a negative split,how I'd like to see them become the norn over the coming weeks and months
#4 800m
1.19-1.16=2.35.54
Shaken by that opening 400m 1.19 I dropped a 1.16 to keep my pre workout goal of 2.35 and under alive......
#5 800m
1.18-1.19=2.37.70
Bugger! Maybe the extra minute of less recovery was catching up w/ yours truly?
#6 800m
1.20-1.18=2.38.83
Credit where credit's due after opening in 1.20 I dug deep rather than go into the tank,question was what did I have left?
#7 800m
1.16-1.20=2.36.78
Surprized myself w/ that opening 1.16 especially as going into the first turn I was forced out into lane three to go around a group of kids on the track,did pay for it a tad on the second lap but after seven 800s I could be excused for being a little spent.
#8 800m
1.20-1.15=2.35.71
Finished strong after a disappointing opening 1.20,good to see the legs and brain on the same page when I needed to pick it up over the final lap.
Overall reasonably pleased w/ this, pre workout the goal was 2.35 and under,didn't feel the need to extend expectations because I'd lowered recoveries.
Going forward I'd like to see more even splits which would aid and abet lower times I believe and hopefully eliminate those 2.36,2.37,2.38 splits next time out in three weeks time.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
