Man...

I miss Santa Barbara.

High Tides and Soft Sands

Well, it looks like 7 miles of the half is on the sand. Leave it to the SEALS! I usually love running on the hard packed sand along the beach, and it is one of the things I miss most about living in Santa Barbara. So, initially I thought, GREAT! Then, I looked up the tide chart and saw that right around 9:45am is the peak of the high tide at +4.85ft. That may cause some complications. Usually when the tide is that high, there is not very much hard packed sand left. Just spongey, soft sand. So, time might not be the priority in this race. It is a bit disappointing because my training has gone so well, and I think I am capable of a fast time. On the other hand, it will be a great challenge and I think, although it may be frustrating, it will be fun to run wet. It is good to know these things going in because you can prepare yourself for a different kind of suffering.

Yesterday was a good day and the legs are feeling strong. I ran an easy 5 miles, with 3 of them at 6min pace. The pace felt so easy and relaxed. I thought I was running 7min pace. So, I am ready for a good race, and looking forward to setting something up after this race. I am still a bit away from being able to race at 5min pace here in Denver, but it is around the corner. I think that if I keep on the same plan, that a couple of months from now, I should be pretty solid at 5min pace. Right now, I can run that pace at threshhold for a mile at a time. That means a 5k is probable at 15ish, but nothing farther yet.

This will be a good test. I leave for San Diego Friday and hang with the family for a couple of days prior to the race. It should be nice!

Finch

The Time is Near

Today was a good day. I went out with the intention of running a broken tempo to shake the legs out and get a bit of work in. I ended up doing 8 at 6min pace. I was comfortable throughout an was never near pushing. That is a good thing with a race a little more than a week away. I would not want to run every day at that pace, but it was fairly reasonable, and I could have gone awhile at that effort. So, I will get in a speed session this week, and maybe a more focussed tempo this weekend. That will lead me into a nice easy week with mostly 5-6 milers and some pick-ups. Then off to race with the Multisport Ministries group. Hopefully everyone has been training. I think I should have a pretty good run. I will know soon enough!

Finch

Cold Hills!

Last night I headed out to Chatfield Res to do some hill repeats with the Practical Coaching and Elite Coaching groups. I did a nice easy run a lunch at about 7min pace. Decided I would head on down and get some anaerobic work in. The speed has been coming along, so I thouhgt hills would be a nice change. I ran in a couple of miles and then met up with the group. We headed to the hills, which is .6mi long. We started the first one really easily, and I picked it up a bit at the end. After that, I ran alone and hit the hills in 3:30 each time. I felt good through the seven I decided to do. I was feeling the downhill recovery a bit and decided it was a good long day with the earlier miles and the tempo the day before still sitting in the legs. With the hill being .6, I was at about 5:50 pace and that is fine for now. I was pushing near the top each time, but never too hard. Always more there, and it is a good place to be right now. Everyone was looking pretty good up the hills, and it was a good workout. I was having stomach issues as well, so I found a bathroom, and then headed back to my car. I was tired last night, but feel strong today. The legs are feeling another long week, but are healthy and ready to go. I did a Pilates class today that was pretty weak. I like Pilates, and it is a constant in my training. The class was just a bit soft. I will get in a few tonight for an easy day, and then a long run tomorrow. I will see how I feel on Sunday and do whatever suits my fancy. Anyway, the race is here soon, and it is nice to feel like I have some fitness behind me. It has been a long time since I have been able to run with this efficiency. There is a long way to go, but it is nice to know that I can go out and race well!

Finch

To the Pain!

The training is continuing to come along nicely. I do not run with a HR monitor, but it would have been interesting to see the effort today. I have been logging between 60-70 miles and feeling great. No pains, no problems, and I feel smooth on most runs. Today was 10 probably a nice shake-out later, but 10 for now. In the 10 was a 7 mile tempo. I ran just that, tempo, nice hard effort without too much exertion. I felt it most in the first 3 miles, but the remaining four were smooth and a nice effort. I ran a bit under 6 min pace (5:50ish), and did the 10 miles in 63 minutes. It was a good day because I am confident that I can hold that pace, at altitude, for a half. That should transfer nicely to sea-level, and I still have a couple of good weeks of work. I am not sure if I will get at it tomorrow or the following day, but I have 16 or 20 400's at 75 with a brisk 200 recover (1:00 or so). It is nice to feel better, not fast yet, but better. It is coming around and this race has been a great motivator. I will find something after this and keep it up. It has been fun to mix up the running again and to start to feel fast again. Other than that, I swam an easy 2 miles yesterday. I did 1500 straight and relaxed in 25:00. So, nothing fast, but good enough just cruising. I really don't have any goals in the pool, and I just get in when I want to get off the legs.

This week looks like it will be around 65-70 miles with a day off. Not too bad, and it feels pretty good. I'm not a zombie at work anymore!

Finch

Miles...

Well, the miles are coming along. If I continue to feel good this week, and all goes according to plan, I will hit 60-65 miles. A pretty big jump, but done with a good amount of easy days, and some longer days with hard work. Yesterday's workout went well. Ended up doing 6x400 2x800 6x400. I did the 400s in 75 with a brisk 200 recovery (around 1 minute). That is pretty close to my anaerobic threshold right now. I did the 800s in 2:36, which is not that much slower, but I felt fine at that pace. So, I think I can develop 75s and get them to 72s or so before the race, and hopefully feel good at 5:30. I felt great yesterday at 5:12 pace, but not great enough to hold it for 13 miles. Maybe 6... It is nice to be getting in consistent miles, and to feel fluid out the door. It has been awhile, and I have awhile to go before I feel "fast", but I can tell it is coming along. It has been a patient journey thus far, and I will continue on with the same philosophy.

A couple of easy days totaling 8miles, and then 11 miles. Followed by either a day off or an easy 6. Then a nice 14 miler with a tempo in the middle at 6ish pace. Should be a nice week. Next week will be similar with a back to back day tempo-repeats. Less than four weeks to the race. Nothing like a crash course in quick fitness!

Finch

Maybe, Just Maybe

Well, training is going well, and I am healthy. The legs feel great and I have had some nice workouts, without pushing too hard and taking the appropriate rest. Last week I got in a tempo, I felt like total crap during the whole thing! Then two days later I hit 12x400 at 75 with full recovery. It was nice to be able to hold the pace (even though it is pretty slow). It is not slow right now, and that has me a bit nervous. It is some of the first speed work I have done, but at least I am feeling a lot more comfortable at 5:00 pace. This last weekend was a nice 12 with Guinness, and a lot of work on the house. I think I got in somewhere around 50 last week, and I am going to put in a few more miles this week and next (60something). Tomorrow is going to be 4x400, 4x800, 4x400 all at around 5min pace. We'll see how everything feels at that pace. I hit a nice 8 today out along the river during my lunch break at a comfortable 6:45 pace. It was nice and easy and even, so I think that bodes well for the training, and some improvement. I think that I should have a good race in me if I stay healthy and follow the schedule leading into March 29. I would like to feel good at 5:30pace, but I am not sure if I can make it in three more weeks or not. Time will tell. It is fun to train again, and I can remember the feelings of getting fast. I remember it used to come along in a few weeks, so here's to hoping!

Finch