10 Mile Week

I had Monday off so I went out on a nice slow 10 mile run. It took me to the top of the bluffs, so I got in some nice hill work in. Tuesday and Wednesday passed without a run- work, dogs, life. After work on Thursday I was going to go out, but started to feel bad. Well, I had the flu. Thursday night, throwing up; Friday sweating and hallucinating; today, just achy. I could possibly go out but I would only do it so I'd get the mileage in which probably isn't a good idea so I'll just sit at home and read the RW magazine that came in the mail.

Winter Running

Today I was dressing for my run- it was going to be my long run because it's my only day off until Saturday. Well, I was putting on my socks and kinda watching the T.V. at the same time and see that there is a winter weather advisory for the area. Gotta run. I ended up driving to my wife's work and dropping off the car so I wouldn't have to turn around to pick her up if I was still out. I headed through the frozen marsh with a slight snow fall. When I was about 3/4 of the way through I saw a bald eagle in a tree. I slowed down for a moment to admire it. Beautiful.
Then on to more practical matters. I needed a restroom. I would have just went off trail, but the snow was high enough that it would have been quite cold on my exposed ankles so I held on for another mile until I hit Riverside Park. Bathrooms are closed!. I ended up running another 2 miles or so until I went past an iceskating rink where I could finally 'rest'.
Ended up with a 9 mile run and a 52 min 10k. My best so far. Part of that was through fresh powder. BTW: I'm sure that it's probably a little more thrilling to ski in powder then to run in it.

Hood to Coast Movie

Last night instead of going out for a run I went to see the movie Hood to Coast. There are very few movies out there about running, or with running in them, so you've got to catch them when you can. The move was set up as a one night event with a live interview at the end of the documentary. I'm not much for events.
If you don't know anything about Hood to Coast (HTC), look it up. In short, it's a 12 person relay race over a 197 mile course. It starts at Mt. Hood and finished in Seaside, OR. Please don't think that this is a review. I'm not one to review movies. I have not been to a movie in the theaters since around 2004 I think. The reason then was because I was living overseas and I wanted to watch something in English. Ok- I will give it a thumbs up.
My guess is that this will be available for rental in a couple of months, so you may just have to keep an eye out for it. If I happen to remember to look, I'll post something when I see it.

Training

I've decided to start doing some sort of actual training. Up until now I've pretty much have just gone out and ran. I'm not going to work a whole lot on intervals or fartleks, but just get down a good hard/easy running program. I'm using the Heart Rate Monitor Training for the Complete Idiot and a Sportline 1010 Monitor. I've got my HR numbers:
Resting= 50
Max= 185
70%= 145

BTW, my actual HRmax is exactly what the book estimated it would be. 205-(.5 age)= 185. Cool. I took my HR as I crossed the finish line during the last 5K. I was able to check it between the almost throw-ups.
So the other day I went out for an easy run using the books program of staying at or below my 70% max (145 bpm). It's pretty difficult to do. I'd be fine for a bit, and then it seems like it would jump up to 180 or so and I'd have to walk. It was also difficult because of the terrain. It's mostly flat around here, but there are some areas on my runs that haven't been plowed, so I'm running through a foot of snow. When my HR rose above 145 I slowed down, but that just made it harder to move. I ended up just standing there for a minute so that I could run in the zone. Most of my energy was used just looking at my monitor. I guess I don't have any sort of pace down.
I made it home and checked my miles and time. It was 4.3 at around a 11'11 pase. Wow was that slow! But it didn't feel like much of a run at all. Well see how this goes.
I''m suppose to do a hard run next, but my legs are still a little sore from Saturday's race and life is really trying to get in the way this week, so I might take another easy day next. We'll see.

Reading

I've said it before. When I do something, I'm all in. Since I've started running, here are some of the books that I've read. I won't put in each issue of magazines. This is also not any form or review or recomendation, just a list (and in no real order).


The Complete Book of Running- James F. Fixx
Second Book of Runnind- James F. Fixx
No Need for Speed- John Bingham
Heart monitor Training for the Complete Idiot- John l. Parker, JR
The Runner's Diet- Madelyn H. Fernstrom
The New Competitive Runner's Handbook- Bob Glover & Pete Schuder
Running Anatomy- Joe Puleo & Patrick Milroy
Marathon & Half Marathon: The Beginner's Guide- Marnie Caron
Run Fast- Hal Higdon
Ultramarathon Man- Dean Karnazes
Galloway's Book on Running- Jeff Galloway
First Marathons- Gail Waesche Kisievitz

Runner's World
Running Times
Trail Runner
Marathon & Beyond


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Saturday's Race

I had to get up extra early so that I could drop my wife off at the airport before I headed off to the 5k. (She's in Florida, and I'm in 7'F weather.)

The whole time since I woke up I just was not up for the race. My legs felt heave and slow and the rest of my body was not much better.

Race time. I started at the front of the middle section. Within the first quarter to half mile I realized that I was going way too fast- at around a 7 min. I quickly slowed down and kept a more comfortable pace. That turned out to be around an 8 m/m- still fast for me. At the 2 mile mark I was ready to walk, but I figured that I did it to myself and I was not going to walk until I had to throw-up. I somehow made it to the finish without the upchuck and was even able to sprint the last tenth.

I forgot. During the entire run, I only passed 1 person and had around 20 pass me. I ended up with a time of 25'51- which is my new PR.

2010 Stats

Here are my numbers for 2010 (Starting Aug. 22nd).

Days of my running year: 132
Days ran: 78
Days off: 54
Miles ran: 326.34
Average run (miles): 4.18
5k ran: 3
Best 5K time: 26'21
Longest run (miles): 13.3