65 good minutes

Got out by around 8:30 AM and did a relatively strong 65 minutes. The HRM seemed to hover in the 130's most of the run. There is no question that it is getting tougher and tougher to run in the 140's on cool mornings. I could read it that I am getting in much better shape and hence, when that happens, you have to push to get your heart rate up.

What I need to do is put in test runs.

There are three kinds that I have used in the past.

70% test run best done in the morning when it is cool. Run 4-5 miles pushing my HR up to 70% and holding it there throughout the run. Do this once a week.

75% test run. This can be done at anytime of the day. generally 4-5 miles. Once a week is good enough.

85-90% AT run generally over 3 miles to 5K.  This should be done every 3-4 weeks.

If over time these runs get faster than I am getting in better shape. They don't lie.

An Underwhelming 5K

It rained most of last night and this morning. I got up way too early and drank coffee in the dark before going out and jogging 6 minutes in the neighborhood to shale things out. Stepped into several puddles which soaked my shoes and socks. When I got back home I took out the blow dryer and dried my shoes and pulled out a pair of dry socks.

I then drove up to Shel's house in Foster City and from there he drove us the rest of the way up to the Dolphin Club 5K which started and finished across from the Conservatory of Flowers in Golden Gate Park.  It rained all the way up.

I warmed up an additional 17 minutes while it still continued to rain. I wasn't very motivated but I went on auto pilot and just did it.  At the start of the race, I began talking to a guy named Scott Johnson, from North Carolina who was visiting the area. We ended up just jogging the race which suited me to a "T".

The conversation was great and the time was slow. 30:12.

Slow As I Could Run

I did bricks today. First I got up and drank a big mug of coffee while watching TV and the events that are unfolding in Egypt. Then I drove over in a heavy fog and met Danny for breakfast at Holders. I am known there as Danny's friend.

I finally got out for a slow as I could run 60 minutes around 12:30. It was still cool but the fog had lifted and had been replaced by high overcast.

Getting into really good shape

I got up early and after enuf coffee I jogged the neighborhood for ten minutes. Then I drove over to Forbes and met up with Jake for our usual two loops. Jake seems to have found a program that works for him. Two weeks ago he was slaughter city and barely running. He struggled with a 28 minute and change first loop. Today we ran the first loop in the 26:40's. My HR was in the 130's most of the way. Some 140's coming back down. I jogged over to the restroom at the track, did my business and jogged back

On the second loop, I let Jake lead. We reached the top in 12:25 and then came back down in 10:32. My HR on the trip out was mostly in the high 140's. The downhill side of the run was at a quicker pace but my HR stayed around 150 until we hit the flat section and Jake began to pick it up. Gradually my HR went up to about 155-158 and stayed there until we ran by the ramp. Then we both went harder seeing that we had a chance to break 23. The reward was 22:57.

Total running time was about 67 minutes.

Okay. I am ready to run now.

Strong throughout

Ran early again. Out by 8:15 am. There seems to be no 10 am run in my life these days.

Headed over to the college after running a loop in the neighborhood.  Nice and cool. It took about 20-25 minutes to get my HR up into the high 130's and low 140's. I ran my usual super loops at the college. Boring, I know but for some reason I like it. I kept working my HR up towards 148 as I went along. Sort of a mini progression run. It wasn't that hard. If I backed off my HR dropped easily.

I was out about 65 minutes and felt strong throughout. Don't ask me what my mileage was. It was 65 minutes and that's all my body needs to know most days.

The Perfect Run. I just don't know where it is.

70 warm minutes

I missed on the club 5K on the track. Dwight did his usual 20:13 which despite mega miles and supplements is his new level. Still not bad for a 63 year old runner.

The other "don't tell me to cut my miles"  Jim showed up and ran in the 23's. My guess is that he is on the road back from his don't cut my mileage injury. In any case I am glad he can run again.

Or not.

His girlfriend may have let him out to play for once. I wasn't there, so I am not sure.

As usual I quaffed coffee and hung around the house until it was time for breakfast at Carrows. A big crowd showed up for breakfast including Dimitri who thinks he may have fractured a bone in his left foot. I bet him a breakfast that it was a simple sprain or muscle pull so he he is going to get an x-ray and let me know who won.

I got out at about 12:15. The temperature had climbed into the high 60's and even though I know that is not hot, I perceived it as warm. No trouble getting my HR up in the 140's. I had to even slow down several times to keep it from going over 150. No question temperature is a key factor on HR.

I ran for 70 minutes throwing in a few short big loop hills over at the college. Felt fairly decent (after all I did run 50 minutes yesterday).

Bare Footing

It was a cool Sunny morning. I got out at around 8:30 AM. and ran for 50 minutes keeping my HR in the 130's and 140's. My legs felt very good so I moved things along. The college track was busy. Chatted with a few folks including a guy bare footing it. I asked him how that was working for him. He told me that he had back problems but that it had stopped bothering him once he began running without shoes.

Good run. Pushed coming back and saw 151 flicker on my HRM.

Carpe Diem

Forbes Mill day. I ran 10 minutes around the neighborhood to shake things out and then drove the usual route over to Los Gatos. It was colder than the last several days but I still decided that shorts with gloves, ski cap and long sleeve T was enough. Jake was feeling a little bit less beat up so I let him set the pace on the warmup. We ran 27:12. My HRM mostly read in the 120's so this was a very easy pace. A fast leggy blond blew by us on the way up (I couldn't even hear her breathing).

When we got back I asked Jake if he was going to do another loop and he said "yes" so I decided to trail him up and back and keep it easy.  The second loop was more in the 130's and 140's with a flash of 150 over the last short section.  This one was right around 24:50. The leggy blond was coming back from whatever summit she had run to and just torched us again.

Total for the day was 62 minutes which was enough for my greedy running heart.

Strange day. Had breakfast with Jake but also had a lunch and dinner scheduled both of which were canceled. In my line of work this often happens. I decided to carpe diem and just go with the flow.

MLK Day Run

Thick fog this morning. Kept things cold and damp. I went out before 9 am and ran for an hour at what was mostly a low HR. MLK day so little school traffic. College was empty of studentia. Ran some super loops and picked it up going back. Worked my HR into the 140's. It flickered at 147-48 and I certainly was not laboring at all. It's probably the cool weather but my HR does not jump up and say, "Wow, you are really tired and we need to slow down."

Drove over highway 17 for lunch with a colleague at the Crows Nest in Santa Cruz. Had a great time. The fog burned off once I passed the summit and the ocean side was sunny, t-shirt weather. I had truly died and gone to heaven.

Crows Nest, Santa Cruz

Light headed and then okay

I sucked down coffee and breakfast for my morning workout and then went home and surfed the computer until sometime after 12:30 pm. Finally went out and ran mid day in the sun.

It wasn't that warm. Maybe low 60's but I wilted early in the run, feeling kind of light headed. My heart rate was stuck in the 120's.

Finally, I just stopped and walked. I drank some water and then began running again.

And I began to feel better. I picked it up slightly and adjusted. The second half of the workout was normal. HR up in the 130's and 140's. I moved along feeling better as I continued to run. Finally ended up doing 70 minutes.

I need to run in the warmer weather to get used to it. No other way out.

Hates it but needs it.

Light Headed

The Sun...Finally

 Danny and I went to see Big Bad Billy in the morning. Had late breakfast afterward.

I hung around the house digesting food and then went out after lunch with my new minimalist HRM and ran for 35 minutes keeping in the 130-140 range. After a really soppy Thursday, today brightened up nicely and I was able to actually go out on t-shirt, shorts and a hat to shield off the sun.

I felt pretty much recovered from Wednesday's AT run.

AT run

Forbes Mill day. I ran 6 minutes in and around the neighborhood just to shake things out. Then I drove over to Forbes to meet up with a much beat up and tired Jake. We really slow jogged the first loop in just under 30 minutes. Jake is weighing in about 10 pounds more the usual and this along with his "mike" workouts have killed off his legs. On the other hand, wimpy me, running as slow as I can stand it, felt pretty good. I ran the second loop as an AT effort, reaching the top in 11 flat and coming back down in 9:55. I ran with the HRM and worked my heart rate up to 85% going up (it seemed to take a long time) and then grooved it at 88-90% coming back down.

I hit 20:55 which was just under my hoped for goal of breaking 21 minutes.

Rounded off my 6 + 30 + 21 equals 57 minutes.


This is where I turn around. Just beyond is the trail up to the dam.

Back in session

I ran early this morning. Early being about a quarter past 8 am. Not as cold as Sunday. My legs finally felt good again. I wasn't dragging. I headed over to the college, which is now back in session, and shared the track and my par course hills with the swarming members of a fitness class. I was out for about 55 minutes.

I am running back to back days so I figured that 55 was enough.

Flickering thought

Oh man, it was {{{cold}}} this morning. Low 40's but a quartering headwind made it seem like it was much cooler. I ran a slow, creaky 65 minutes.

I could not warm up! Now and then a thought flickered across my mind about doing some hill charges or a progression effort coming back home but I simply wasn't up to it.

The college was empty. No soccer games and the track was deserted except for a tall guy who often walks there. We know each other by sight and often chat.

An empty, hollow "filler" run. Allows me to eat more.

Back at it again

I took three days off. I was at a client off site for two of those days which began early and ran late. I just decided not to run and try to get myself rested. So today was my first workout since Tuesday. Even then, I  put it off to after mid day and didn't get out the door until around 12:40 and ran for 65 minutes. I ran my normal course over to the college and ran super loops focusing on repetitions of the par course hill at the West end of the track. It was around 50 degrees and the sun played hide and seek behind a layer of cloud cover. The run was unremarkable. But I wasn't drag-assing and my "tired cough" seemed to have gone away. No complaints.

There were a few walkers on the track and one runner who was heavy breathing as he bled along the outside lane. There was also a plump chick who was alternately walking and running and fighting the battle of the bulge. Sort of cute in her own way but getting that middle aged spread in her lower body. Not fat but no longer thin.

Traps

Traps

• I start feeling good and then begin to push each and every run until I break down.
• Thinking I can run more than 3-4 days a week and be effective.
• Not understanding that a day off is a training day. It's called rest. Long run, tempo run, easy run, rest.
• Listening to training advice from runners who, no matter what age they are, have young legs.
• Ever thinking that too slow is really too slow. Walking now and then isn't too slow.
• Dieting while I am training.

Why am I waking up so early?

I woke up way too early. 4:30 AM, I think. I lay in bed until around 5:45 and finally got up and made coffee. I took it slow finally jogging the neighborhood for an 8 minute shakedown run. Then over to Forbes to meet Jake. I jogged around another 3 minutes trying to stay warm. It seemed like it was in the low 30's. Jake and I ran the first loop in 27:36. 15:00 going up and 12:36 coming back down. I did the second loop alone getting up there in 13:01 and then heading back down in 10:07. I hitched a ride with some younger guy who was setting a hard pace. I passed him, he came back on me and I finally hung on to him and let him lead until he got tired. We finally ran in together with him cutting off at the ramp. I thanked him for the ride and ran the last section back to Forbes.

Why am I waking up so early? Sleep has been a problem. My take is that the diet has me running around with a "I'm tired cough" and is affecting my sleep. Can a cold be far behind?

My resolution is that I am going to back off on the calorie counting for right now.

The top of the ramp

Another 60 minutes

Sunday Afternoon

I decided not to run until early afternoon. I had my 3rd consecutive breakfast at Carrows with Danny (It just happened. Not planned) which must be some sort of record.

It rained most of last night and was still coming down this morning but more like showers. The wind had died down and outside of very gray skies, it really wasn't too bad. I finally put off running as long as I could and stomped out the door right around 1 pm. I ran for an hour throwing in some easy hills  mid run. 

Tomorrow is the official end of the holidays and everyone will go crazy again for about week before settling back into work as usual.

Breakfast Run

New Years day 2011. I woke up earlier than I would have like but who has control of such things anymore. Made myself the usual mug of coffee and listened to the wind howl and the rain fall for almost an hour before I finally went out to run. The wind had dropped and the rain spigot had been reduced to a drizzle. I slow jogged for 60 minutes heading over to a mostly deserted college campus, doing some loops and the  coming back home. Then I drove over to breakfast @Carrows for breakfast with Danny and Jake.