Zero!

We haven’t seen temperatures this high for a while now, although it’s gone below zero again as the sun sets.  Yesterday I worked outdoors for 3 1/2 hours in temperatures ranging from -14 (morning) to -5 (afternoon) removing snow that had drifted in Sunday night and Monday morning.  I couldn't start the snowblower in the morning, so the biggest drifts were removed by shovel.  Then later in the day, after applying heat to the snowblower, it started easily and I finished the job and did the neighbors driveway too.  Great cross-training.

Today we ran in the YMCA again, "marathon pace" again, just 3.8 miles, tapering.  I felt slight pains in the left quads and calves, both rather unusual.  Both went away, so let's not worry about it.  I didn't feel as strong today as I did two days ago, but I did OK anyway.

11:15, 10:54, 10:59, 8:28 (10 laps), total time 41:36, pace 11 minutes/mile.

Marvelous Run

Nine miles on the YMCA track at a relatively fast "marathon pace," I felt full of energy the whole way and could easily have gone farther.  I took a Clif Shot gel at mile 2 and mile 6, with about five ounces of water at miles 2, 4, and 6.  Pace was run one lap, walk one.  I moved right along in both cases, but there were a few distractions on the track too, including a few families with excited preschoolers zig-zagging along near their parents, which called for a reduction in my speed now and then as I sort of pussyfooted past.  It's OK - the YMCA is for everyone, and these ones were mighty cute.

Whining: The right knee hurt just a little, but nowhere near enough to make me want to slow down.  I think it will be OK on a mostly straight course.

Splits: 11:06, 10:47, 11:09, 10:46, 11:14, 10:35, 11:06, 10:44, 10:10, nice last mile, total 1:37:36, average pace 10:51.  This corresponds to a 4:44 marathon if the pace could be sustained for almost three times as far.  That's unlikely, so I'll go a lot slower in the actual upcoming marathon.  For better or for worse this is the long run, and it's taper time now.

Marathon Pace

I tried running six miles at marathon pace, more or less, running one lap and walking the next, taking 40 triplets (120 paces) for a running lap and 50 triplets for a walking lap (I walk fast).  After 60 minutes I had logged 5.4 miles.  Good enough - at that pace I would finish a marathon in 4:52 or so if I could sustain it for another 20 miles.

That's very unlikely.  I'm thinking that a run/walk ratio of 2/1 or even 3/1 might be a better strategy for the next marathon.  Believe it or not, my longest run since the November marathon in San Antonio has been 6 miles.  I still hope to get in a longer one, maybe 8 to 12 miles, but it's way too late now for a 20-miler and I'm going to have to take it easy in the marathon, shooting for 5.5 or even 6 hours.

Blogging Is A Habit

Thursday, January 23, 2014

And I got out of the habit.  Maybe I'm back now.  After the Memphis Marathon that wasn't, and one short run in New Orleans, I didn't run for ten days, mostly because I was blowing and shoveling snow almost every day during that time.  In December I ran only 28 miles, less than I should run in a week, but I spent way more hours clearing snow.

January hasn't been much better, either.  Despite the extremely low temperatures (minus 17 this morning, schools closed), there has been enough snow to keep me pretty busy - our driveway and sidewalks get dangerously icy if not kept clear.   I don't always feel like running after spending three hours clearing snow,

I did enjoy a local race, though, called Meet of the Miles.  It's a one-mile race, eight laps on a 200-meter indoor track at the University of Minnesota, and I was able to run another three miles in warmup too.  Fun time with old friends.

We have done some other running as well - 55 miles so far this month, including today.  All of it has been in the Woodbury YMCA, except for three miles Tuesday, when we ran in the soccer dome in Stillwater.  That one was scheduled for six miles, but I cut it short because of knee pain.    A mile in the dome involves 22 right-angle corners on a flat surface, while the YMCA requires more than twice as many corners but the corners are sloped, which my knees like much better.

Six miles today, back to the YMCA, no knee pain, no problems at all.

Splits: 10:04, 9:50, 9:42, 10:03, 9:39, 9:12, total 58:32.  I think I ran 14 laps instead of 13 in the fourth mile.  Oh well

Regular breakfast:  Oatmeal, yogurt, strawberries, blueberries, currants, pear, kiwi, macadamia nuts, almost all organic.  Marathon food!