OK, forget Bowerman for now. I realize that the reason I got faster was just running easier for a very long time but getting stronger and doing once to twice weekly 100's. I know it runs against all the popular training theories but that's the way it is with me. So it's Joe Henderson LSD with 100's. OK, I admit it. That's the way it has always been for me.
So today, with this in mind, I ran 5 miles this morning keeping the effort very easy and then this afternoon, in the 90 degree heat, I went back out for another 5 with 6 x 100 thrown in at 16 second average. My legs felt very good so DON'T F-*-*- K IT UP NOW.
Wednesday, August 30, 2006
Monday, August 28, 2006
Back to School Run
I ran 8 miles this morning. It was cool and overcast so no complaint there. The traffic on Bubb-McClellan hub was backed way up. The schools are sequentially opening now that summer vacation is over and the first few weeks is generally bad. Once I crossed McClellan I was pretty much home free on my trail.
My legs didn't feel to badly after Saturday's workout but I spent most of the run thinking about whether I should be doing any intervals at all. You can see I am really sick and don't know what to do ;-0. The great AT run a week ago Saturday came from not doing speedwork. My runs were starting to feel very good again and the question (to myself) is whether I want to risk this. I think it works like this.
I get beat up.
I bonk (triathlete word)
I run easy
I feel good
I start adding in speedwork
I get beat up
I bonk.......
That sub 20 minute 3 mile AT run is out there waiting for me. Why not go seek it now.
My legs didn't feel to badly after Saturday's workout but I spent most of the run thinking about whether I should be doing any intervals at all. You can see I am really sick and don't know what to do ;-0. The great AT run a week ago Saturday came from not doing speedwork. My runs were starting to feel very good again and the question (to myself) is whether I want to risk this. I think it works like this.
I get beat up.
I bonk (triathlete word)
I run easy
I feel good
I start adding in speedwork
I get beat up
I bonk.......
That sub 20 minute 3 mile AT run is out there waiting for me. Why not go seek it now.
Sunday, August 27, 2006
Pain Relief
On Wednesday I carried the timer clock from the upper parking lot down to the track. A big NO NO for me. I can do a short lift (clean and jerk) but not long lifts and this was a looooooong lift. After that neither my left knee or back were right. Yesterday I had to wear the ProTech knee brace and my back felt creaky all day. Finally I just pounded down some advil and hoped it would help.
I woke up this morning and I felt ok again.
So much for core training and straight legged knee lifts. I won't stop doing them but I am at that point in my running career where I pay the price for stupidity immediately.
Saturday, August 26, 2006
Date Pace- Goal Pace
Got up in the AM early and hauled my butt over to the club workout. JimH showed up to run Farwell. D&M were there too. D looked a bit leaner but still not running.
After a 3.5 mile warmup I went to the track with Dimitri and ran a Bowerman type workout.
6 x 400 in about 95 (date pace) with a full 400 jog and then 4 x 200 in 44 (goal) with a 200 jog. Then we ran 3 x 100 in 19-18-18 with a 300 meter jog between. Not sure the last part was needed. My legs were tired and these are best done on fresher legs. Walked a lap afterwards.
Maybe 8 miles total.
Afterwards at breakfast Walt showed up and looked flushed. Given his heart problems, we think he was having an attack of agina. Damn age is a bitch. The attack passed and he had his high fat breakfast. Well, the guy has guts.
After a 3.5 mile warmup I went to the track with Dimitri and ran a Bowerman type workout.
6 x 400 in about 95 (date pace) with a full 400 jog and then 4 x 200 in 44 (goal) with a 200 jog. Then we ran 3 x 100 in 19-18-18 with a 300 meter jog between. Not sure the last part was needed. My legs were tired and these are best done on fresher legs. Walked a lap afterwards.
Maybe 8 miles total.
Afterwards at breakfast Walt showed up and looked flushed. Given his heart problems, we think he was having an attack of agina. Damn age is a bitch. The attack passed and he had his high fat breakfast. Well, the guy has guts.
Friday, August 25, 2006
Easy 4 miles
An easy 4 miles this morning. I felt ok.
Tomorrow is Bowerman date pace intervals. The journey begins.
Much of the club will be up running cross country in Santa Rosa. If we had a decent 60 plus team I might be up there too.
But NOOOOOOOOO. No team to speak of. I guess if I were faster I could run with the 50 year olds but that isn't in the cards right now. Reversing history is tough.
Tomorrow is Bowerman date pace intervals. The journey begins.
Much of the club will be up running cross country in Santa Rosa. If we had a decent 60 plus team I might be up there too.
But NOOOOOOOOO. No team to speak of. I guess if I were faster I could run with the 50 year olds but that isn't in the cards right now. Reversing history is tough.
Thursday, August 24, 2006
Musings
A day off again. As much as I believe I would like to run every day the reality is that I no longer want to. It's a bit like the old game we used to pay way back when. Would you want to be rich and famous.
Yes, if I can walk outside and not be mobbed.
Would you like to be a world class runner?
Yes, if no one tells me what races to run.
On the odd side of my life, DC, who could be one of the best 60 year old runners in the country is beset with his usual obsessive behavior. 17:47 might not be that exciting to the casual Santa Clara open class runner but at 60 it is something else. He can't turn off the 100 mpw voices and the "I have to run hard all the time" endless loop tape. Of course he has innoculated his better half with the same disease and God knows what sort of life she has with his 46 muscle tests every day, running 90-100 mpw and ice water baths.
Let's see, I am obsessive so you have to be obsessive.
I guess I was obsessive for about 60-70 minutes a day back in my best years. That often added up to 60-70 mpw. But it was an hour or a little more and then I moved on with my day.
D and M were not at the workout again. He is getting fat. 150 I would say. I doubt he'll break 5 minutes for the mile this year. Not unless we drop him off the Eiger. Too many injuries and too much poundage. the curse of aging. Same with Ray. He raced best at 145-150 lbs and now he tips the scale at 185.
185!
And he has a plan to be a good runner at age 50 which is about two years away. Since the plan began he has gained 10 lbs!
Ok....There is still time. I am rooting for him. But 185 lbs!
I gained ten pounds last year and spent all that summer and early fall losing it. It sort of creeps up on you. When people other than runners tell you that you are looking good, that's when you are in trouble. Then you have to step on the scale.
We have a high school girl who has joined our group on Wednesdays. Well, she'll be with us until school starts in September. Her mother shows up too. "The Pick" has been over there hitting on her. It is often said you can tell how a young girl will look in twenty years if you look at her mother. The mom looks good. Slinky and slender and injured. No wedding ring either. I don't know. I stay away.
God, running is great.
Yes, if I can walk outside and not be mobbed.
Would you like to be a world class runner?
Yes, if no one tells me what races to run.
On the odd side of my life, DC, who could be one of the best 60 year old runners in the country is beset with his usual obsessive behavior. 17:47 might not be that exciting to the casual Santa Clara open class runner but at 60 it is something else. He can't turn off the 100 mpw voices and the "I have to run hard all the time" endless loop tape. Of course he has innoculated his better half with the same disease and God knows what sort of life she has with his 46 muscle tests every day, running 90-100 mpw and ice water baths.
Let's see, I am obsessive so you have to be obsessive.
I guess I was obsessive for about 60-70 minutes a day back in my best years. That often added up to 60-70 mpw. But it was an hour or a little more and then I moved on with my day.
D and M were not at the workout again. He is getting fat. 150 I would say. I doubt he'll break 5 minutes for the mile this year. Not unless we drop him off the Eiger. Too many injuries and too much poundage. the curse of aging. Same with Ray. He raced best at 145-150 lbs and now he tips the scale at 185.
185!
And he has a plan to be a good runner at age 50 which is about two years away. Since the plan began he has gained 10 lbs!
Ok....There is still time. I am rooting for him. But 185 lbs!
I gained ten pounds last year and spent all that summer and early fall losing it. It sort of creeps up on you. When people other than runners tell you that you are looking good, that's when you are in trouble. Then you have to step on the scale.
We have a high school girl who has joined our group on Wednesdays. Well, she'll be with us until school starts in September. Her mother shows up too. "The Pick" has been over there hitting on her. It is often said you can tell how a young girl will look in twenty years if you look at her mother. The mom looks good. Slinky and slender and injured. No wedding ring either. I don't know. I stay away.
God, running is great.
Wednesday, August 23, 2006
Leaking badly
I ran a slow 3 miles this morning and came back in the afternoon and ran 6 miles with 6 x 100 in the 17's and 16's. It was hot today (mid 80's). I was just not hydrated enough and I leaked badly. But I got through the workout. I will take Thursday off and and an easy day Friday.
Russ joined the club afor the afternoon workout (3 x 1600) and ran hard. He sat in the shade for a long time after the workout was over. Whetver we were 10-15 years ago, we're not that anymore. Still, I consider it ok if I can circle the campus after a run with the younger, faster guys. I mean what am I still doing out here after almost 40 years BUT I AM STILL OUT HERE. That is the key.
Danny was a no show.
Distancing....
Distancing.....
Russ joined the club afor the afternoon workout (3 x 1600) and ran hard. He sat in the shade for a long time after the workout was over. Whetver we were 10-15 years ago, we're not that anymore. Still, I consider it ok if I can circle the campus after a run with the younger, faster guys. I mean what am I still doing out here after almost 40 years BUT I AM STILL OUT HERE. That is the key.
Danny was a no show.
Distancing....
Distancing.....
Tuesday, August 22, 2006
My so called long run
Monday was my long day. It was overcast and cool. I stayed mostly on the trail by the railroad tracks running about 8 miles. I went out very easily and picked it up coming back. I was dinged up a bit but generally it was a good run.
Based on Saturday's AT run I am now theoretically faster than last year or anytime this year. Based on my training "less is truly more". It flies in the face of conventional thinking but every decent run I have had in the last 10-15 years has come off less.
Based on Saturday's AT run I am now theoretically faster than last year or anytime this year. Based on my training "less is truly more". It flies in the face of conventional thinking but every decent run I have had in the last 10-15 years has come off less.
Saturday, August 19, 2006
AT Run
Friday I ran an easy 4 miles.
Saturday I went over to the club handicap run (3.06 miles) in the morning, warmed up for several miles and then proceeded to run a 20:41 AT run (85-90%) which was 46 seconds better than last year's effort. This run shocked me because I didn't expect to run anywhere around this time. Actually I ran 2 seconds faster then the official time because I didn't get off the start line for 2 seconds. So actually my running time was 20:39. This was my fastest AT effort in 5-6 years.
Where did this come from?
25-30 mpw and once to twice a week 100's?
I celebrated by warming down for another mile, had coffee and eggs at the Collins' house with everyone else who ran or helped to put on the annual event.
Saturday I went over to the club handicap run (3.06 miles) in the morning, warmed up for several miles and then proceeded to run a 20:41 AT run (85-90%) which was 46 seconds better than last year's effort. This run shocked me because I didn't expect to run anywhere around this time. Actually I ran 2 seconds faster then the official time because I didn't get off the start line for 2 seconds. So actually my running time was 20:39. This was my fastest AT effort in 5-6 years.
Where did this come from?
25-30 mpw and once to twice a week 100's?
I celebrated by warming down for another mile, had coffee and eggs at the Collins' house with everyone else who ran or helped to put on the annual event.
Thursday, August 17, 2006
Test Effort
Here we go again.
Bowerman!
I ran 3 miles this morning keeping it easy. I wanted to have plenty of oomph for this afternoon’s test effort 1600 meter.
I warmed up for 2 miles. Dimitri showed up as he often does when I need a pacer. He asked me what I wanted to run and I said 6:40-7:00 pace just to draw a line in the dirt so to speak. I went out under control and passed the 400 in about 97-98 seconds. Dimtiri was about 10 yards in front and I felt good enough to just play “catch up with him and stay there” which I did. We went through 800 in about 3:14-15 and I began to think about 6:30. At 1200 we were 4:48-49 and I began to think faster. Still I held back until the final 200 and then picked it up.
We crossed in 6:20, which was much better than I expected.
I ran 6 x 100 cruising them in the 18’s and 17’s and picking up the last one and running 16 and change. Then I warmed down around 2 miles.
It was a good start.
Next week I start doing 8 x 400 in about 95-96 seconds. Date pace.
Bowerman!
I ran 3 miles this morning keeping it easy. I wanted to have plenty of oomph for this afternoon’s test effort 1600 meter.
I warmed up for 2 miles. Dimitri showed up as he often does when I need a pacer. He asked me what I wanted to run and I said 6:40-7:00 pace just to draw a line in the dirt so to speak. I went out under control and passed the 400 in about 97-98 seconds. Dimtiri was about 10 yards in front and I felt good enough to just play “catch up with him and stay there” which I did. We went through 800 in about 3:14-15 and I began to think about 6:30. At 1200 we were 4:48-49 and I began to think faster. Still I held back until the final 200 and then picked it up.
We crossed in 6:20, which was much better than I expected.
I ran 6 x 100 cruising them in the 18’s and 17’s and picking up the last one and running 16 and change. Then I warmed down around 2 miles.
It was a good start.
Next week I start doing 8 x 400 in about 95-96 seconds. Date pace.
Monday, August 14, 2006
Bowerman
Today starts the Bowerman approach to the mile. Bill died in 1999 so he's going to have provide inspiration from the grave.
I ran for about 70 minutes this morning at 140-150 HR. The run felt good. In his book, Bill said that milers need to run one long day a week. Right now 7-10 miles is long.
Wednesday, I will run a 1600 meter three-quarter effort to establish date pace. Bill liked his runners to run one of these every 3-4 weeks to adjust my date pace workouts. After the 1600, I will do some cut down 100's.
Goal pace is 6 minutes so anything under 7 minutes for date pace will serve a purpose. I just need a starting place.
I ran for about 70 minutes this morning at 140-150 HR. The run felt good. In his book, Bill said that milers need to run one long day a week. Right now 7-10 miles is long.
Wednesday, I will run a 1600 meter three-quarter effort to establish date pace. Bill liked his runners to run one of these every 3-4 weeks to adjust my date pace workouts. After the 1600, I will do some cut down 100's.
Goal pace is 6 minutes so anything under 7 minutes for date pace will serve a purpose. I just need a starting place.
Saturday, August 12, 2006
Friday and Saturday
Two uneventful days. Friday was 4 miles easy. My legs felt ok even though I didn't sleep that well. Sue's in Seattle and I am falling into this habit of going to bed late but waking early.
Saturday I ran an easy 4 mile and then went to the track and ran 6 x 100 cutdowns. 20-19- 18-17-16-16.
300 meter jog recovery. This was followed by two laps easy jog and then Dimitri and I ran around campus for an easy jog. Maybe 12K total for the day.
Saturday I ran an easy 4 mile and then went to the track and ran 6 x 100 cutdowns. 20-19- 18-17-16-16.
300 meter jog recovery. This was followed by two laps easy jog and then Dimitri and I ran around campus for an easy jog. Maybe 12K total for the day.
Wednesday, August 09, 2006
Mini heat wave
Another 8 miler. I started very slow but gradually upped my HR to 145-148 by mid run.
Mini heat wave in for a few days and it was already getting warm as I ran another of those "Gee, I wish it were cooler" runs.
Dwight (he of the hundred mile weeks) sent a strange email saying that things were not going well for him and running. I recommended he cut back his miles for a time and lay low on the speed work. It went over his head. I then told him that I had to get back to the planet earth :-)
Mini heat wave in for a few days and it was already getting warm as I ran another of those "Gee, I wish it were cooler" runs.
Dwight (he of the hundred mile weeks) sent a strange email saying that things were not going well for him and running. I recommended he cut back his miles for a time and lay low on the speed work. It went over his head. I then told him that I had to get back to the planet earth :-)
Monday, August 07, 2006
Like the old days
Jack Foster once intimated that his runs in his 60's and 70's felt like the runs he had done at his peak, as long as he didn't look at a watch. By the way Jack died in a bike accident in 2004. He was one of the greats of running when he was competitive. He loved running and loved cycling.
Lousy end though. A car ran into him. He was just finishing a ride.
Today's run was a throwback run for me.
8 miles this morning (give or take). It was cool and overcast and the HRM wasn't constantly bumping up at 70%. There was this magic moment coming back where I felt I was really moving along smoothly. It didn't feel slow and it didn't feel like a jog. I searched my memory banks and realized that is what it running used to feel like.
Lousy end though. A car ran into him. He was just finishing a ride.
Today's run was a throwback run for me.
8 miles this morning (give or take). It was cool and overcast and the HRM wasn't constantly bumping up at 70%. There was this magic moment coming back where I felt I was really moving along smoothly. It didn't feel slow and it didn't feel like a jog. I searched my memory banks and realized that is what it running used to feel like.
Saturday, August 05, 2006
Back to Running
Meanwhile, back to running.
Today I ran about 7 miles slow as usual. Part of it was spent watching the club mile races on the WVC track.
Jake ran 6:41 and was happy about it. 6:41: An easy day training pace for 7-8 miles twenty years ago.
Tom missed breaking 5 minutes. He ran 12 x 400 in 75 on Wednesday. The bet was that he would not recover. He didn't. Still a good race and a PR but he left a sub 5 on the track by doing those 75's.
Joe (65) and Bob (64) ran their usual "twins" race with Bob leading the whole way and with Joe catching him with a a few yards to go. Joe came inside and caught Bob unaware. Joe won by a step. Bob wanted to see the photo's of the finish. It was a joke. No one photographed it.
Dimitri reminded me that I could have beaten Bob and Joe. I reminded him that I doubted it. I am not in the mindset for racing.
Today I ran about 7 miles slow as usual. Part of it was spent watching the club mile races on the WVC track.
Jake ran 6:41 and was happy about it. 6:41: An easy day training pace for 7-8 miles twenty years ago.
Tom missed breaking 5 minutes. He ran 12 x 400 in 75 on Wednesday. The bet was that he would not recover. He didn't. Still a good race and a PR but he left a sub 5 on the track by doing those 75's.
Joe (65) and Bob (64) ran their usual "twins" race with Bob leading the whole way and with Joe catching him with a a few yards to go. Joe came inside and caught Bob unaware. Joe won by a step. Bob wanted to see the photo's of the finish. It was a joke. No one photographed it.
Dimitri reminded me that I could have beaten Bob and Joe. I reminded him that I doubted it. I am not in the mindset for racing.
Friday, August 04, 2006
The Track & The Neutral Zone
I went out just before 8 am and ran 5 miles. I kept my HR in the 145-148 range. I ran normal course over to De Anza Track and back.
There was a guy walking on the track in the innermost lane. There was a girl trying to run intervals but she had to go around him. I came by and said (to her) "They never move." She laughed. The walker started talking about a sign by the gate to the track which said joggers should stay off the inside lane. I told him not to take it personally but thought to myself, does he really think the inside lane is for walkers?
I headed home.
The track can be a weird place sometimes.
I vegged the rest of the day. Breakfast with Ron (Oatmeal) and lunch with Sue (Sea Food Rissoto).
I am beginning to think about not working next year or at least not the way I work now. I am headed into the neutral zone. DANGER WILL ROBINSON!
William Bridges, a life coach, explains the neutral zone this way.
Phase 2 – The Neutral Zone
It would be much easier if a transition, like a change, could occur within an hour or two. To
replace one leader with another, reorganize divisions and departments or realign reporting
relationships are all changes that can happen overnight. But the inner shift—the transition – does
not happen as quickly as the outer shift – the change. We call that transitional phase, the neutral
zone. It is a term that the traditional language of change doesn't recognize.
In the neutral zone, the old reality is gone but the new reality isn't functional yet. Even so, this
may be a time full of activity.
There was a guy walking on the track in the innermost lane. There was a girl trying to run intervals but she had to go around him. I came by and said (to her) "They never move." She laughed. The walker started talking about a sign by the gate to the track which said joggers should stay off the inside lane. I told him not to take it personally but thought to myself, does he really think the inside lane is for walkers?
I headed home.
The track can be a weird place sometimes.
I vegged the rest of the day. Breakfast with Ron (Oatmeal) and lunch with Sue (Sea Food Rissoto).
I am beginning to think about not working next year or at least not the way I work now. I am headed into the neutral zone. DANGER WILL ROBINSON!
William Bridges, a life coach, explains the neutral zone this way.
Phase 2 – The Neutral Zone
It would be much easier if a transition, like a change, could occur within an hour or two. To
replace one leader with another, reorganize divisions and departments or realign reporting
relationships are all changes that can happen overnight. But the inner shift—the transition – does
not happen as quickly as the outer shift – the change. We call that transitional phase, the neutral
zone. It is a term that the traditional language of change doesn't recognize.
In the neutral zone, the old reality is gone but the new reality isn't functional yet. Even so, this
may be a time full of activity.
Thursday, August 03, 2006
A workout that fell short
I ran 5 miles Wednesday morning. I felt a lack of energy all during the run. In the afternoon I went out and ran another 4 miles at the track. My goal was to update my max heart rate by running some hard 400's. It didn't work out well. No matter how hard I ran the 400's I couldn't get my HR above 180 and mostly it stayed in the mid 170's. I did only 4 of the 400's before calling it quits and just jogging an easy mile warmdown very slowly. Afterwards I thought to myself, "Why did I even do this workout?"
It could be that going out and blasting max workouts is a thing of the past anyway. I don't seem to be able to or want to race hard so what should I expect.
On the analytical side, usually when this happens it is a sign of lack of fuel (carbo's) or just being tired or a combination of both. I also know that my max is higher than this having run the last mile of the Xmas relays at 189-191 back in December and even then I wasn't all out. I may make an executive decision and just say that my max is 190 for now and adjust my training heart rates downward.
It would mean 70% (easy effort) would be 148 and 90-92% (AT) would be 176-78. 95% (VO2 max) would be 183. It might make sense for now. It's not that my max may not still be 195 but since I am not training for max efforts, it may no longer be pertinent.
So even though it will be hard to "listen to the messenger" I will go out and run an AT 3 miler soon. I will proabably use the club handicapped run on August 19th. It is 3.06 miles so it is close. I just won't go over 176-178 during the run.
It could be that going out and blasting max workouts is a thing of the past anyway. I don't seem to be able to or want to race hard so what should I expect.
On the analytical side, usually when this happens it is a sign of lack of fuel (carbo's) or just being tired or a combination of both. I also know that my max is higher than this having run the last mile of the Xmas relays at 189-191 back in December and even then I wasn't all out. I may make an executive decision and just say that my max is 190 for now and adjust my training heart rates downward.
It would mean 70% (easy effort) would be 148 and 90-92% (AT) would be 176-78. 95% (VO2 max) would be 183. It might make sense for now. It's not that my max may not still be 195 but since I am not training for max efforts, it may no longer be pertinent.
So even though it will be hard to "listen to the messenger" I will go out and run an AT 3 miler soon. I will proabably use the club handicapped run on August 19th. It is 3.06 miles so it is close. I just won't go over 176-178 during the run.
Tuesday, August 01, 2006
90 minutes
Monday morning.
My legs were still tired from my 70-75% effort of Saturday but I went out very slow and very easy and ran as much dirt and trail as I could find. I admit that as I ran along my legs began to loosen up and at the end, I felt good.
The run was 90 minutes. Maybe 9-10 miles. I am not sure. I really wandered around criss crossing and combining several courses. I didn't want to think about how far I had run, just how long I had run.
Mission accomplished.
My left knee was bothering me (again) so I wore the ProTech brace and I had no discomfort during the run or after. I think sitting seems to exacerbate it the most and I did a great deal of sitting around this weekend.
My legs were still tired from my 70-75% effort of Saturday but I went out very slow and very easy and ran as much dirt and trail as I could find. I admit that as I ran along my legs began to loosen up and at the end, I felt good.
The run was 90 minutes. Maybe 9-10 miles. I am not sure. I really wandered around criss crossing and combining several courses. I didn't want to think about how far I had run, just how long I had run.
Mission accomplished.
My left knee was bothering me (again) so I wore the ProTech brace and I had no discomfort during the run or after. I think sitting seems to exacerbate it the most and I did a great deal of sitting around this weekend.
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