That old adage''your body will let you know when it's had enough" rang true last nite when for the second night in a row I found myself sleeping in my recliner by 7.15pm having just eaten dinner,and while on Tuesday I was able to rouse myself to stay awake till 10.45pm last nite was very much a case of Goodnite Vienna as I hit the zzzs by 8pm,I'm sure my body will thank me later. I did at least get my 9 miler in yesterday to stay on course for another 55 mile week and inspite of the rain this evening I took care of my 6 miler to put me at 35 miles w/ Saturdays race to come followed by another Sunday 15 miler. So yes I did get a spot in this years Upenn Invitational on Saturday and hope to improve upon the 15.57.7. I ran last year which set me up for my pr of 15.36.8. and a bronze at Nationals,while 15.36 may or may not be good enough to get on the podium at this years Nationals I know I need to be down in the mid 15.20s to get on the podium at Worlds three weeks earlier,and yes by now you'll have deduced that I'm running the 5,000m at Worlds,more on that decision tomorrow. I ate Gyro sandwiches for dinner last nite, a welcome change of pace,though judging from the rapid speed I feel asleep soon afterwards I feel some bugger may've substituted my Lamb for Turkey such was the rate I began to give the zzzs a pounding,each fortnite I sit and write my meals/groceries list it gets harder and harder to keep things from becoming monotonous so when I saw the Gyro Sandwich Kit in the frozen section I was all over that,emm emm good. Sticking w/ things of a Greek nature next Friday the remark of one of my all time favourite movies "Arthur" hits the screen. I adore the original, in my humble opinion one of Dudley Moore's finest movies,supported ably by Liza Minnelli and Sir John Gielgud so when I learnt of a remark w/ Russell Brand as the lovable Arthur Bach the millionaire drunk I though it high time to check out Mr Brand's other movies,as luck would have it "Get Him To The Greek" came on Cinemax over the weekend. If you haven't yet seen it it's worth checking out although I felt Sean Combs aka P Diddy was the star of the movie in his role of Principle Records head honcho trying to get Aldous Snow to the Greek Theater in LA. Anyways whether it was the 3 hours extra sleep or the 6 miler in the rain this evening my appetite has an edge to it so I'm off to enjoy some Crab,Lobster and Scallops...and the hope I don't crash out b4 8pm again tonite!
Thursday, March 31, 2011
All Greek To Me
That old adage''your body will let you know when it's had enough" rang true last nite when for the second night in a row I found myself sleeping in my recliner by 7.15pm having just eaten dinner,and while on Tuesday I was able to rouse myself to stay awake till 10.45pm last nite was very much a case of Goodnite Vienna as I hit the zzzs by 8pm,I'm sure my body will thank me later. I did at least get my 9 miler in yesterday to stay on course for another 55 mile week and inspite of the rain this evening I took care of my 6 miler to put me at 35 miles w/ Saturdays race to come followed by another Sunday 15 miler. So yes I did get a spot in this years Upenn Invitational on Saturday and hope to improve upon the 15.57.7. I ran last year which set me up for my pr of 15.36.8. and a bronze at Nationals,while 15.36 may or may not be good enough to get on the podium at this years Nationals I know I need to be down in the mid 15.20s to get on the podium at Worlds three weeks earlier,and yes by now you'll have deduced that I'm running the 5,000m at Worlds,more on that decision tomorrow. I ate Gyro sandwiches for dinner last nite, a welcome change of pace,though judging from the rapid speed I feel asleep soon afterwards I feel some bugger may've substituted my Lamb for Turkey such was the rate I began to give the zzzs a pounding,each fortnite I sit and write my meals/groceries list it gets harder and harder to keep things from becoming monotonous so when I saw the Gyro Sandwich Kit in the frozen section I was all over that,emm emm good. Sticking w/ things of a Greek nature next Friday the remark of one of my all time favourite movies "Arthur" hits the screen. I adore the original, in my humble opinion one of Dudley Moore's finest movies,supported ably by Liza Minnelli and Sir John Gielgud so when I learnt of a remark w/ Russell Brand as the lovable Arthur Bach the millionaire drunk I though it high time to check out Mr Brand's other movies,as luck would have it "Get Him To The Greek" came on Cinemax over the weekend. If you haven't yet seen it it's worth checking out although I felt Sean Combs aka P Diddy was the star of the movie in his role of Principle Records head honcho trying to get Aldous Snow to the Greek Theater in LA. Anyways whether it was the 3 hours extra sleep or the 6 miler in the rain this evening my appetite has an edge to it so I'm off to enjoy some Crab,Lobster and Scallops...and the hope I don't crash out b4 8pm again tonite!
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Forde For Ireland
Had Trap picked Millwall's David Forde for this evenings friendly vs Uruguay that would've made a nice headline.....alas he stuck w/ Keiran Westwood so we may have to wait till the games w/ Scotland and Northern Ireland in Dublin in May b4 that happens. Last chance to drop the hammer this evening on my 10 miler,tomorrow I begin to lower my mileage and reduce the speed leading upto Saturdays race so I took full advantage of that and dropped a 64 min 10 miler along Cobbs Creek Parkway. Still no official word from Upenn re the Saturday meet,the deadline for entries is tomorrow evening so I'm guessing they'll wait till Thursday b4 seeing which non college athletes they'll invite,let's hope I'm one of them.
Monday, March 28, 2011
The Road To Sacramento Starts Here
Still no official word on Saturdays meet at Penn but if I recall at the same meet last year I didn't hear until either Tuesday or Wednesday so no need to hit the panic button just year,if need be Widener also has a meet and Delaware also has a meet the following Saturday but I'd rather run at Penn,it's w/in walking distance and somewhat of a home track even though I don't get to workout at Franklin Field anymore. Began my week w/ the view of racing on Saturday,brisk 10 miler along Cobbs Creek Parkway,following my 15 miler yesterday I could've been forgiven for easing off the gas a little but still clocked a respectable 65 minute time,there'll be enough time to ease up on the pace as the week winds down to Saturday. It's funny the embers of the indoor season have just gone out and already guys are talking about the outdoor season,Penn,Drake,Club Nationals,Worlds,Masters Nationals,I know it's still March but those meets will be here b4 we know it ergo the need to begin getting ready now.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Marchin' To The Beat Of My Own Drum
Come mothers and fathers throughout the land,and don't critize what you can't understand Your sons and daughters are beyond your command,your old world is rapidly aging Please get out of the new one if you can't land a hand Oh the times they are a changing The Times They Are A Changing-Bob Dylan While the masses were either at the Cesar Rodney Half Marathon or at the Mid Atlantic C'ships I was out on Cobbs Creek Parkway doing my 15 miler to bring me up to 50 miles for the week. After a few weeks of blips on my weekly mileage it was time to get back up to the 50 mile mark and hopefully stay there as the countdown to Worlds and Nationals is well and truly on. Conditions were thankfully sunny but w/ a mild chill in the air as I set off around 10.35am. It's hard to think that Friday is April 1st,spring and hopefully better weather are right around the corner,ditto for outdoor track season. Fingers crossed my outdoor debut will be Saturday at the Upenn meet,it's not official yet but I'm mentally and physically preparing for it,kicking off w/ a 10 miler tomorrow
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Movin' In The Right Direction
So much for March coming in like a lion,going out like a lamb I got up at 9.20am w/ every intention of leaving the house by 10am to be on Temple's track by 11am for my 5x1,000m......till I copped a glance at the temps.....bugger that I waited till 1pm to leave and even then the trusty sign in Fresh Grocers parking lot said 37 degrees,I almost turned back for my thermal hat and gloves,let's hope in a fortnites time when I revisit this repeat it's a tad warmer!!
Mile warm up but precious little in the way of stripping down,fleece,long sleeved dri fit shirt and running tights conditions,sooner or later my paleness will have to be unleashed on the general public but it's looking at later right now,hopefully next Saturday will at least be vest and compression shorts conditions.
So back to the tried and tested 5x1,000m repeats,this was such a bread and butter workout for me last season,it'd have been nice coming into today on the back of 5x10 miles but that didn't pan out,there will however be plenty of time for that after next week.
Was 1.15 per lap too ambitious this early in the year?perhaps but I'd rather set the bar high and bring that time down than look at 1.18s.....fortune it is said favours the brave.
#1,1,000m 1.12-1.17-36-3.05.2.Leave it to me to go out brisk on the opening lap! clearly the memo about not going out at 72 second 400m repeat pace had been misplaced!!!
#2,1,000m 1.15-1.20-36-3.11.7.I'm reasonably convinced a more economic opening 400 on #1 would've negated a 1.20 second lap....and for the first and probably not the last time this say I utter the time honoured"the genie's out of the bottle now"mantra!
#3,1,000m 1.15-1.21-37-3.13.9.Another opening 1.15,that's something to build on,will need to eliminate the 1.20/1.21s over the coming weeks.
#4,1,000m 1.18-1.21-36-3.15.4.How very New Kids On The Block of me to be Hangin Tough,last years post Upenn 5x1,000m #4 ballooned up to 3.27.8 so this year I could more than live w/ a 3.15.4.
#5,1,000m 1.16-1.22-34-3.12.5.To have kept all 5 1,000s at 3.15 or under was pleasing and while there's a ways to go just yet I feel I'm heading in the right direction at last.
The real test will be in 2 weeks time on the back of 5x10 miles to see where my 5x1,000m stack up last year I went:3.11.8-3.16.6-3.14.6-3.27.8-3.13.0 that's what needs improving upon but I feel it's more than doable.
10 miler tomorrow to finish off the week,unless I feel the urge to make it 15 for a 50 mile week....we'll see which way the wind blows in the am....and at what temperature!
Mile warm up but precious little in the way of stripping down,fleece,long sleeved dri fit shirt and running tights conditions,sooner or later my paleness will have to be unleashed on the general public but it's looking at later right now,hopefully next Saturday will at least be vest and compression shorts conditions.
So back to the tried and tested 5x1,000m repeats,this was such a bread and butter workout for me last season,it'd have been nice coming into today on the back of 5x10 miles but that didn't pan out,there will however be plenty of time for that after next week.
Was 1.15 per lap too ambitious this early in the year?perhaps but I'd rather set the bar high and bring that time down than look at 1.18s.....fortune it is said favours the brave.
#1,1,000m 1.12-1.17-36-3.05.2.Leave it to me to go out brisk on the opening lap! clearly the memo about not going out at 72 second 400m repeat pace had been misplaced!!!
#2,1,000m 1.15-1.20-36-3.11.7.I'm reasonably convinced a more economic opening 400 on #1 would've negated a 1.20 second lap....and for the first and probably not the last time this say I utter the time honoured"the genie's out of the bottle now"mantra!
#3,1,000m 1.15-1.21-37-3.13.9.Another opening 1.15,that's something to build on,will need to eliminate the 1.20/1.21s over the coming weeks.
#4,1,000m 1.18-1.21-36-3.15.4.How very New Kids On The Block of me to be Hangin Tough,last years post Upenn 5x1,000m #4 ballooned up to 3.27.8 so this year I could more than live w/ a 3.15.4.
#5,1,000m 1.16-1.22-34-3.12.5.To have kept all 5 1,000s at 3.15 or under was pleasing and while there's a ways to go just yet I feel I'm heading in the right direction at last.
The real test will be in 2 weeks time on the back of 5x10 miles to see where my 5x1,000m stack up last year I went:3.11.8-3.16.6-3.14.6-3.27.8-3.13.0 that's what needs improving upon but I feel it's more than doable.
10 miler tomorrow to finish off the week,unless I feel the urge to make it 15 for a 50 mile week....we'll see which way the wind blows in the am....and at what temperature!
Friday, March 25, 2011
Don't Call It A Boycott
Another up tempo 10 miler along Cobbs Creek Parkway this evening as parity seems to be returning to my day to day/week to week life.
For only the 4th or 5th time this year I worked a five day week this week,between race schedules,vet appointments etc I've had a decent amount of time off,which while great has thrown my schedule off a tad,I'm one of those people who likes life in straight lines,while it can be predictable there's something about working Monday to Friday,coming home getting changed going out for my run,showering,making dinner writing my blog,going to bed and w/ the clock ticking down to the entry deadline to Worlds,the outdoor season and the Worlds and Nationals I need to get back on schedule again and now.
I'm off to the track tomorrow to conduct a 5x1,000m repeat,it was such a huge part of my success last season and right now as I'm rebuilding my confidence after a less than rewarding indoor season it's important to revisit a repeat I'm familiar w/ to gauge where I'm at right now and see what needs to be done to get me ready for Sacramento and Berra in July.
Long b4 the need to crank out a 5x1,000m I'd made up my mind not to compete at the Mid Atlantic Indoor C'ships tomorrow at Delaware,w/ an outdoor race on tap next Saturday and my full quota of indoor races filled there was no need to run one more indoor race period....besides I'm a big lover of banked indoor tracks,Delaware isn't banked so......
I'm sure there are those who'll point out I've sidestepped the Mid Atlantic C'ships since 08 and have been MIA from Mid Atlantic meets also from 08 and there's good reason for that,period much less last years infamous "Possum Gate"surrounding the Penn Relays and the post meet fall out where I was called out by Joel Dubow on Masterstrack Blog and labeled Possum,a move that backfired in biblical proportion in my opinion and while I may've suggested we didn't attend Philly Masters meets I never called for a boycott,my choice not to attend their meets is my prerogative I know several of my teammates will be there tomorrow and I wish them well,for me there are bigger fish to fry.
For only the 4th or 5th time this year I worked a five day week this week,between race schedules,vet appointments etc I've had a decent amount of time off,which while great has thrown my schedule off a tad,I'm one of those people who likes life in straight lines,while it can be predictable there's something about working Monday to Friday,coming home getting changed going out for my run,showering,making dinner writing my blog,going to bed and w/ the clock ticking down to the entry deadline to Worlds,the outdoor season and the Worlds and Nationals I need to get back on schedule again and now.
I'm off to the track tomorrow to conduct a 5x1,000m repeat,it was such a huge part of my success last season and right now as I'm rebuilding my confidence after a less than rewarding indoor season it's important to revisit a repeat I'm familiar w/ to gauge where I'm at right now and see what needs to be done to get me ready for Sacramento and Berra in July.
Long b4 the need to crank out a 5x1,000m I'd made up my mind not to compete at the Mid Atlantic Indoor C'ships tomorrow at Delaware,w/ an outdoor race on tap next Saturday and my full quota of indoor races filled there was no need to run one more indoor race period....besides I'm a big lover of banked indoor tracks,Delaware isn't banked so......
I'm sure there are those who'll point out I've sidestepped the Mid Atlantic C'ships since 08 and have been MIA from Mid Atlantic meets also from 08 and there's good reason for that,period much less last years infamous "Possum Gate"surrounding the Penn Relays and the post meet fall out where I was called out by Joel Dubow on Masterstrack Blog and labeled Possum,a move that backfired in biblical proportion in my opinion and while I may've suggested we didn't attend Philly Masters meets I never called for a boycott,my choice not to attend their meets is my prerogative I know several of my teammates will be there tomorrow and I wish them well,for me there are bigger fish to fry.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Ashes To Ashes
My mother said to get things done you better not mess w/ Major TomAshes To Ashes-David Bowie
I picked up Hobbes ashes today,when he died two weeks ago the Cat Hospital offered me the chance to have him cremated,I'd never done that b4,when Calvin died 4 years ago I had the luxury of having a back yard to have him buried in,no such luck this time around so when they offered me the chance to not only have Hobbes cremated but giving me his ashes I took it,a long and dignified life{16 years,8 months,14 days}deserved a dignified end hence his ashes sitting in a nice wooden box in my bedroom.
I've known since last Friday his ashes were ready to be picked up,why I waited till today I don't know,granted the sense of closure may've come sooner but in a surreal way picking up his ashes makes his passing final,since his photo is my screen saver I see him at least twice a day but collecting his ashes was a reminder today that he's gone.....that said I do have"the little girl"to keep me company.
Cranked out another brisk 10 miler along Cobbs Creek Parkway as I get ready for Saturday's return to 5x1,000m repeats,it'll be interesting to see where this years opener stacks up against the same repeat this time last year,w/ a month to go b4 the entry deadline for Worlds now is the time to crank things up a notch.
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