Peach Hill

Last day of the year. Tom and I ran a campus loop followed my Peach Hill, a course we hadn't done in years. Lots of uphill followed by a nice bit of down...Hard to believe this used to be a 4 mile warmdown for us back in the day.

Anyway, 63 minutes total.

Danny joined us for breakfast! Getting over his cruise and a lousy cold.

Walked Lucy for a half hour after breakfast.

On the track at Foothill

Ran at Foothill Track with Dimitri. He did a two mile time trial (14:33) and I did every other lap with him. Mostly 7:15 pace running which wasn't that easy. My body wanted to run an eight pace. Gee, I wonder why?

With a good warmup and warm down I got in 60 minutes.

8 pace!

Tom and I warmed up for 20 minutes (we needed it. It was cold) and then ran 400-400-600-400-600-400-600-400 on the track averaging an eight pace or better. I had recovered well from last Sunday and Tuesday. No problem keeping on pace. It's becoming almost automatic now. Tom struggled with the last two reps but still hit goal pace. I was slightly under.

Yes, I am the king of the eight pace in short bite sized reps.

Solo Run

I did a solo run this morning tramping along an old course though the local neighborhood. Plenty of rolling hills. I pushed a bit more than usual. Not hard by any means but on the edge. I kept the run at an hour even though I felt good enough to run farther. But I had to ask why. Why did I need to go further?

There was no reason.

I'm a 5k racer who no longer races. Well, never say never. 

I have a tough workout scheduled for Thursday.

Shut it down at an hour.

So I did.

PR Obliteration

Ran at Foothill aka The Long Run and obliterated my former PR of 78 minutes dropping it down to 74:12.  The whole run felt great! Got up to the park in just under 44 minutes and came back down in 30 minutes and change. Never really pushed the pace but didn't jog either.

I guess this is where a runner's got to be careful. Two course PR'S in the last four weeks.

Righting the ship

Righted the ship. I made sure I got enough carbs ( sorry ladies, carbs, not protein ) for several days prior.

Even though it was still relatively cold (California cold) Tom and I went to the track and banged out 400-400-600-400-400-600-400-400 at a sub 8 pace. We both felt strong.  The 400's are starting to drift down to 1:55 and the 600's were around 2:55. Of course the goal isn't really faster. It's longer.

Whatever it is, we have a ways to go.

Slog(ing)

A tired running day. Either dieting or simply not enough carbs ( probable reason ).  60 minutes of slog(ing).  I was hanging onto Tom's coat tails throughout the run.

Slow down, Tom.

TOM! SLOW DOWN!

Except we weren't going that fast so I kept my mouth zipped.

Timeless Run

After walking for two days I joined up with Dimitri and we ran up Moody Road in the (((cold))) morning. We topped out in the upper park before heading back down again. I called it 80 minutes but it might have been longer. I didn't time it. No stopwatch. No nothing. A "timeless" run. I was tired. Probably a combo of Thursday and my diet. Losing weight ain't for sissies. It was cool but sunny back in the parking lot. Warmed up nicely.

Reps on the track

Tom went on a wine tasting trip. Danny is off on The Love Boat somewhere in the Caribbean.

However, I went to the track. It wasn't quite as cold as it's been for the past week. I warmed up for 24 minutes and then launched into 400-600-400-600-400-600-400 at just under an 8 pace. 200 meter walk in between reps as always. I walked 10 minutes to cool down afterwards. 60 plus minutes all together.

The workout wasn't that hard but I had to focus to stay on pace. That's what this is all about anyway.

I also did a forty minute walk with Lucy at mid day. My legs felt good. Not tied at all.

Running and walking added up to an hour and fifty minutes.

GOD, when is it gonna warm up?

Another slightly below freezing morning run with Tom. GOD, when is it gonna warm up? 

We ran 60 minutes capped off with a ten minute cool down walk. Everything warmed up with the digits of my fingers coming on line last of all.  It was sunny and crisp with no wind so things could have bern colder. I was happy with the run. We moved along once we got unfrozen.

I am on my own Thursday. 400's on the track at the new six pace ( which is an 8 pace ).

Up and Back record

Set a new "up and back" record between the college, the upper park and back agin. Sort of surprised because it was (((cold))) out. In fact it was so cold ( low 30's ) that I jogged around the parking lot waiting for Dimitri to show up. Once we got moving I actually felt really great. We summited in under 45 minutes and made it back in the usual 33.

What am I finding out about myself ?

Three days a week of running is enough for me right now. Maybe sometime I'll go back to seven days of running in 14.

Just not right now...

The eight pace day is not tearing me down. It seems to help me run faster.

There are no rules...but then I am always finding out that bit of wisdom.

8 x 400 or the quest for the elusive 8 pace.

Tom and I reached the first milestone in our quest for the elusive 8 pace.

We ran 8 x 400 easily averaging under two minutes a shot. With our long warmup we did an hour total. Temps were in the low 30's but luckily there was almost no breeze and once the sun cleared the nearby trees, we actually warmed up.

A Good Run

A good 60 minute run this morning despite cooler, windy conditions. Tom and I ran some sections of the course in the low to mid 9's. Glacially slow by old standards but really decent for guys our age especially when the pace is age graded. I've been feeling good lately on my runs. Probably a combo of three day a week training, losing weight and those pesky 400's.

Calorie Burner

I pretty much walked my way to Sunday. 30 minutes on Friday, 60 on Saturday ( even though I felt good enough to run ) and then another 40 minutes early Sunday afternoon. On Sunday morning Shel and I ran the south side of the Presidio for around 55 minutes. We took it very easy with walk breaks.


Purely a calorie burner.

7 x 400

I showed up at WVC to hook up with Tom. We ran our usual hour and then some. The heart of the workout was 7 x 400 at an eight pace.  The club turnout for the usual Turkey Day 7 mile run was very light. Maybe 5-6 runners. Back in the day 15-20 people would be out for the event.

Wally and I grabbed breakfast at Holders. Runners showed up from a local Turkey Trot still wearing their purple T shirts and race numbers. When I raced my T would be soaked. No way I could wear it afterwards. Obviously a "participants" group. Not a competitive group.

You guys run slow but I'm still sweating

Vince ran with Tom and I today. In passing he made what was an innocent but pointed comment.

You guys run slow but I'm still sweating.

65 minutes at an easy pace. Drove up with Danny and Tom afterward to see Bill Tarr for our monthly chiro visit and breakfast. Danielle cut work and joined us for an early lunch ( for her ).

Winning back pace

After two days off it was good to get back at it.  60 minute run followed by a 40 minute dog walk.

I paced my buddy who was doing a 2 mile AT run. He ran 14:42 and I ran 800, lap off, 800, 2 laps off, 400. The only reason I didn't do two laps on the last one was that my left foot cramped up. It didn't bother me at all on the much slower paced warm down. Not sure of the cause. I might have tied my shoelaces too tight. 

Winning back pace is tough. I was never in oxygen debt but the effort was still a stretch. 

6 x 400

Running with Tom. Danny has all but disappeared from running or walking. I am hoping he'll come back after his cruise ( plus 5 pounds ). Anyway, we miss his company.

Tom and I went to the track after a 25 minute warmup and ran 6 x 400 at an 8 pace. I felt okay but Tom struggled. We warmed down to make it 60 minutes total. We're halfway there. Once we get to 12 x 400 we'll convert our 200 meter walk to a 200 meter jog walk. Then we'll tackle some longer reps.

65 minutes

Tom and I extended our time running to 65 minutes. We ran the trail up to HWY 9 as part of venue. Cool and overcast.

Drifting for 85 minutes

Dimitri and I really drifted through our "long" run this morning. 85 minutes. We started a bit deeper in the college parking lot and took our time getting to the top by the park. So I guess I could call this run "Park to Park". We got to the summit in 48 and came back down in 37. Usually we're up in 46-47 and 33 coming back down.

Who cares though.p? Slowing down is inevitable. You might as well practice it from time to time.

It was a sunny, cool morning but I got away with a T and cycling gloves.

5 x 400

Made it over to WVC and ran a good hour with Tom. We did a 25 minute warmup and then ran 5 x 400 at a tick under an 8 pace ( 1:59 per lap ). We walked 200 meters between reps. Then we headed around campus and ran the total workout time up to a total of sixty minutes.

Both of us felt pretty strong. It'll be interesting when we get to 12 x 400 with a 200 jog recovery.

Funeral Games

Another gap in postings. Walked Friday and Saturday but had to drive to Santa Rosa on Sunday. My mother passed on at age 91 that morning at around 3:15 am. Now begins the funeral games. My sister and I will prepare the estate for transition which culminates in the sale of my mother's home.

I finally got out for a run on Tuesday for 60 minutes. My legs were rested. I also rang up another 35 minutes of walking. Lucy was glad to see me back so she could be walked.

Anyway, for the record

My father lived from 1918-1999
My mother lived from 1922-2013

8 pace is the new six.

An hour of running and with some walking. Ran some 8 minute pace 400's at the track with a 200 meter walk for recovery. My long term goal is to get used to running faster on occasion.  8 pace is the new six. Tom joined me for the workout. He was really tired after we finished but by his own omission he ran too fast. I hope that I didn't too. I was within myself on each rep but then I have done faster with Dimitri.

Catching up

I realized I stopped posting last Thursday. So i am playing cach up. I walked long on both Friday and Saturday to burn calories  but got back to running on Sunday. 45 puny minutes. Unremarkable really. Then I walked with Lucy afterwards and bumped up my daily total to 70 minutes. Friday, Saturday and Sunday were all 70 minutes or more (just not a great deal of running).

Monday was a piddling two miles with Wonder Dog (aka...Lucy).

This morning was another 60 minute run followed by 30 minutes of walking including a visit to Blackberry farm with Lucy.

Warm, sunny and breezy.

IF THIS BE WINTER, THEN SO LET IT BE!

Cold College

Woke up early. 5:15 (((am)))

Ugh.

My mother is dying up in Santa Rosa. 91 years old. She's in hospice. EOL ain't pretty. Reminds me to enjoy life by the ounce. At least she gets to die in her house. We don't know when. Days. Weeks. Deathwatch by any other name.

I got out for my 60 minute run with Tom. Cold College but warmed up later on in the bright sun. Ended up alone at breakfast. Tom got a call from his wife, right after we ordered, that Ratman had showed up unannounced. Tom had to go so I was left alone with my pancakes.

Calorie Burner

Danny is still not running or walking. Tom and I ran an hour joined by Vince. Believe me, this run was nothing special. A calorie burner at best but I felt good especially with the continued addition of walk breaks of one minute in every ten minutes (9-1). Once again it was cool weather and overcast. I am still sticking with short sleeves and gloves but I can see where that is going to end soon.

Vince is a good addition. He is on his way to becoming a police officer so we may lose him to work. Good guy. Hope he shows up more.

81 minutes

Overcast and cool morning. Dimitri and I running the long hill from Foothill College to the park and back. It took a long time to climb into the sun. We took our friggin ease getting up to the halfway point. Two minutes slower than last time. No guard at the shack like there was all summer so no one to stop us from rootin' around the trails if we'd been of a mind to do so. But like cowards we turned back dropping down the same trail with urgency until we hit Moody and ran in like real athletes.

81 minutes. 48 up and out, 33 down and back.

Saw Jimmy and his wife in the parking lot. We chatted a bit. Then a coffee and a power bar recovery tango. Came home hungrier than ever and scarfed da bagel and yogurt.

Gallowalking

Another sixty minutes with Tom. Cool and overcast as we ran WVC loops. We've incorporated one minute walks every ten minutes. I read someplace that it's called Gallowalking after Jeff Galloway. Whatever it's called it seems to help with the continuous pounding.

These days it's all about keeping the legs fresh. Can't go nowhere on dead legs.

Sixty minutes of recovery

Recovery from Sunday was good. I ran an easy 60 minutes with Tom around WVC. Cool and overcast.

I am really slow

Showed up at Foothill for my Sunday morning run with Dimitri. The plan was for him to 8 laps on the track while I jumped in for six of them. The trouble was that some organization had taken over the stadium so we were out of luck. Instead we ran up Moody Road to the top ( just before the twisters begin ) and came back at AT pace. I ran an inglorious 15:10 ( 7:02-8:10 ).  The reason for the faster first mile is because the course drops steeply for the first 800 and then begins to flatten and roll out while still do continuing to gradually go downhill.

I am really slow. That's the takeaway.

But it was fun anyway.

Easy run

36 minutes of easy running around the track and the campus. The club was doing a track workout but us dog meat runners circled around and socialized. Nice breakfast afterward.

Cool morning but once the sun was up, it warmed up.

Return to Wally Wista

 Thursday was campus loops and Valle Vista (Wally Wista ) with Tom.

Tom is rounding back in shape and had to walk every five minutes heading up the hill.  I was glad to accompany him being the lazy bastard I am. If there is a slower way, I'll find it.

The return trip downhill was nice. We finally finished up in the track in 60 minutes. HRM was rarely over 135 the whole way.

Slow jog

Showed up to find Tom ( the walker ) ready to run. We did a cool sixty minutes at a slow jog. My HR was down in the 120's most of the time. I recommended that we walk one minute every 10 minutes which made it easier on Tom ( and me ). We also walked to cool down afterwards. So probably 65 minutes total.

Cool, sunny, slight breeze.

The Weekend

Saturday: The usual socializing, hanging out at the track, thirty minutes of easy jogging while Danielle ran her 4 x 400 rep workout.

Sunday: Dimitri and I ran up to Foothill Park and back. 80 minutes of super slow bliss. Great weather. Sunny and cool but warming to the 60's.

Better running

Thursday was interesting. Danny text. See you at breakfast. He has PF. No choice but to rest it.

Tom was at WVC but nursing a hammie and walking. Rick and I ran together. Felt more energetic due to focusing on carbs the day before. 60 minutes of mostly running but with some walking. Ended up on the track with some striders.

Cool weather at the beginning but it warmed up nicely.

Burning calories

On Monday I walked 5 miles. Between my 2 mile Lucy walk and a three mile round trip to Tom's Cafe for lunch with Bob and his houseguest, Charles, I burned up an extra 500 calories.

Tuesday was another dead legged day. 50 minutes of running and ten minutes of walking. Rick and Tom joined me. Danny was resting his injured foot. Something was not right. I was dragging and decided not to run 100's at the end.

We went to breakfast afterward. Tom said his hamstring was sore. The wages of going from mostly walking to mostly running in one big gulp.

Cashed it in

Not feeling that hot. Ran 30 minutes on Saturday and another 50 minutes on Sunday. Feeling lethargic and I seem to have a slightly upset stomach. I was going to run a time trial 800 Sunday but after warming up I (((knew))) it was not my day so I cashed it in. Went for coffee anyway. That and a slice of blueberry cake did the job.

I have been struggling with my running. That has been ongoing for some time. Like in late 1990 when I finally went to an every other day schedule, I know it is way past the time to shift again. I figure three days a week will be enough with walking as cross training. I plan to use the HRM to make sure I don't overtrain even though almost anything constitutes overtraining these days.

So I figure it this way.

3 days of running
Dog walks with Lucy most days
1-2 extended walks of an hour or more to burn calories

Now and then threshold workouts or tempo runs to see if I reverse the slow over the past year. Forget last year. That wasn't so good but it was faster than this year just because of age.

The other Rich

Ran at WVC ( boy, am I in a rut ). Danny and Tom....absent. Tom back in cheese head land and Danny doing something else. I didn't rush over. Had the extra cup of coffee and drifted over around 8:45. Rick (the other Rich) was there running so we joined up and ran together. It was an easy 50 minutes for me with some easy striders on the track to finish things off.

It was good to catch up with Rick. Last Thursday was a bit combatitive. The economy (blah...blah...blah...). 

Like flies

My running partners are going down like flies. Tom is having back issues and is reduced to walking. Danny has some mysterious foot problem and can't run at all.

I ran alone putting in a modest 50 minutes peppered with 100 meter strides and a 39 second 200.

The good news is that we all made it to breakfast.

Thursday I am on my own.

80 minute run

After two days off ( except for Doggie walks ) I ran 80 minutes with most of it spent climbing long hills in back of Foothill College. Beautiful day. Cool but sunny. Dimitri joined me and we ran up to Palo Alto Park and back. My legs felt okay. The Virtual week seem to be working.

I spent yesterday morning with John Clary at the Stanford XC Invite. Thousands of high school runners swarmed the golf course. College runners too. The start and finish are so remote and barricaded that you can't get close enough to really see the runners. We walked out on the course ( more barricades and flags ) and were able to see runners whiz by for a few fleeting seconds. In 1973, I watched Pre and John Ngeno finish a PAC 8 race right in front of where I was standing. Those days are gone.

Tom's Back

Tom returned from Cheesehead land aka Wisconsin. Danny and I ( and Rick K ) ran for 50 minutes including 5 x 100 striders. Rick got into over Obamacare and I told him to put a lid on it because it wasn't worth flushing a friendship down the toilet for. So we agreed to stop talking about something that neither of us were going to do anything about anyway.

We're a big country for talking but not for doing.

I guess I also pissed off the flag bearer from our 1984 Olympic Team because I told him I had never heard of him ( which was true ). Ed Burke. Actually I knew his story but had no memory of his name.

An all around edgy day.

50 minutes easy

I ran an easy 50 minutes with Danny over at WVC this morning. We did NOT do strides afterwards. We'll most likely add them to our Thursday run. The weather was perfect. Cool but not cold. Feels like fall is coming on.

Some threshold work

I took Friday and Saturday off except for Lucy walks. I had every intention of running on Saturday but the lure of coffee kept me glued to my carafe of black mud. I still showed up to watch the club workout and Thad breakfast afterward. But I did not run.

I felt more energetic on Sunday and ended up walking Lucy for a half hour and then running 55 minutes with Dimitri. He did his two mile run and I jumped in for 3 x 2 laps at what turned out to be AT or roughly 85% of max. I would run two laps, take off one and repeated that three times. The total was 11:36 for a mile and a half Of work. Looks pretty slow until I age graded it back to my fast days. It was almost spot on for threshold pace at age 30.

5 x 200 on my own

I was on my own today. Tom's in Cheeseville aka Wisconsin. Danny was putting on a race at Lockmart aka Lockheed.

I still went to the track because the house cleaners were at home. I jogged easily and sluggishly for twenty minutes before doing some short strides. I then dove into the workout. 5 x 200 (200 jog). 44-43-42-42-40. Warmed down afterward. 40 minutes all together. Gatorade and a power bar.

I didn't push the 200's but they were still tough. The 200 jog recovery made them challenging.  Doing them alone made them challenging. This workout tells me that I have a long way to go.

The Double

Did the double today. Ran an easy 40 minutes with Danny this morning including 5 x 100 on the track.

At noon Bob and I did our 3 mile walk to "the club" aka Burger Town and back.


Probably low balling it but around a 7 mile day.

100 minutes of something

I walked Lucy for a half hour, did a short dump run and then drove up to Foothill to catch up with Dimitri. It has been a month since we last ran. He was getting over a cold so we jogged an easy hour up and back on our usual hill course. Then we went to the track so I could do some striders.

19-18-18-17 ( walk back )

Not too bad for not pushing.

The running portion of my workout was right around 70 minutes. Add in the Lucy walk and it's a 100 minutes of something.

30 minute jog

I jogged 30 minutes over at the club.

While I was down on the track I timed Danielle's rep workout (400-600-400-200). Did my usual bulls##t socializing. Many of the usual XC runners chose not to drive all the way up to Redding. What a long haul that is. 257 miles or about 4.5 hours of driving each way. Maybe if I had a small private plane. Still 4 hours round trip.

Whoa!

Nope!

45 minutes with striders

Danny was a no show so I went it alone. I jogged around for 25 minutes and then went to the track. I ran off 3 x 100 (300 jog) in 19-20. I didn't push the 100's. Kept them strong and even.

Then I threw in a 200 in 38. Wow! A whole second faster than last Saturday.

I jogged around some more and finished off with another 100 in 19 and change.

45 minutes total including a short warmdown.

Tom and I went to breakfast.

40 minutes

Danny and I ran an easy 40 minutes at WVC and ended up with some striders on the track at the finish.

Same ole..same ole...

50 minutes

Got out early and walked Lucy. Then I ran for 50 minutes. I decided not to run longer. It didn't make sense the day after the 200's. I threw in some hills to make it challenging. 

Surprisingly I felt decent except for the bathroom "run" I had to make about 3/4th's of the way through. Just when I thought it was safe to explore the streets of Cupertino.

It's mid afternoon now on a heater of a day and I have the "nods".

4 x 200

Supposed to be an easy day but I had this feeling......

I jogged for ten minutes and caught up with Danielle who was going to run  a 4 x 400 cut down workout. I decided to pace off her effort but just do half the distance. I wanted to see if those striders were having any effect. The plan was run to the 200 mark and jog back.

46-43-42-39. Felt good too. Nothing outstanding but it's been since when that I last did anything at this pace?

We jogged around campus for a cool down.  Phil caught up with us halfway.

No idea??????

Left my stopwatch in the trunk of my car. Have no idea exactly how long Danny and I ran. Maybe (maybe) 40-45 minutes. It was kinda freeing.  We still ended up on the track striding 100's for five laps.
Tom mostly watched up. He is going in for some roto-rooter  work on his arteries next week. Should be back running with us the week after if all goes well. He had his first angioplasty ten years ago.

40 minutes

40 minutes today with Danny. He the victor of yesterday's club handicap race. We ran easy in the morning around WVC while he recounted his race. I was still feeling Sunday's AT run and Danny was tired from his race so we only did 3 x 100 at the finish.

"Kini" girl and her friends have disappeared from the volleyball area. Probably won't be back until next summer.

I did some age graded research on the mile. I have to run around 6:25 to equal the 5:19 I ran at age 50. A sub six is like running 4:24 as a youngster. I ran 4:31 at age 31. This won't be easy. For fast open and master runners those times may seem ridiculously easy but there's a day where they ain't. Ten years ago running sub six was an afterthought.

Another tempo run

I walked Lucy for a half hour and then jogged by a circuitous route to Blackberry Farm. I had decided to run a 15 minute tempo run. Five minutes longer than last weekend. My warmup was 18 minutes. I started closer to McClellan Ranch, running by last week's starting point and doing the loop up Byrne, down McClellan and snaking back through the ranch and into the Park. I ended up going all the way to the parking lot and circling it before time was up. I then jogged no walked 17 minutes to cool down.

My HR pretty much floated between 168-170 throughout the tempo part of the run. I felt in control and strong. It's more mental these days. My body is trying to get used to tempo effort after well over a year of not doing that effort ( a repetitive theme in my post competitive phase ).

Holders steps in

35 minutes at WVC. I wore the HRM and kept the effort in the 130's and low 140's. socialized with the club. Afterward we went to Holders, the new breakfast place. Everyone seemed happy. We'll the miss the Carrows staff but once again, with them closing their doors, it was time to move on.

Since I joined the club in 1977 it's been...

The donut shop
The Ranch House
Lyons
Carrows
Holders

Some life in them there legs

Tuesday and Thursday were replica's of each other. 35 minutes (the new hour) of easy running with 6 x 100 on the track at the tail end of the workouts. On Thursday I dropped in some 18's on the 100's without pushing. It's a sign that some of my long lost speed might be coming back (or I am running them too fast) ha ha!

Tom, Danny and even Rick K joined me except that Rick did his own speed workout.

AT workout

Walked Lucy for thirty minutes.

I jogged an easy ten minute warmup over to and around Blackberry Farm.  Then I did a ten minute AT run on a loop. Start and finish was the same. Jogged and walked for 15 minutes afterward. My threshold seems to be around 168-69 or almost ten beats lower than a few years ago. I think I am just very rusty. Not used to working at that level. My plan is to gradually extend the time spent at threshold to around 20 minutes.

Kini girl.

Danny and I ran 35 minutes and finished up on the track doing 6 x 100 strides. The last one was kinda fast but still under control. I ran in the 17's but I was being careful. It was the only one I timed.

Did a walk cooldown by "kini girl"...

I think it's the end of the season for beach volleyball at WVC.

Thirty minutes is the new hour

Thirty minutes is the new hour. Danny and I ran thirty minutes this morning with the last 7 minutes at 80%. I seriously could have gone harder but frankly 80% felt good enough.

Redux nd long run

With Dimitri out of town, I decided to do a redux and run in Cupertino starting from my own house ( oh no! ). I ran over to De Anza ( the ever closed track ) to finally see that it was open after its remodel job. It looked pretty nice but my west side hill is gone. Oh there's a remnant but its not runnable. Sniff, sniff.  After doing some super loops I returned home via McClellan Ranch and Blackberry Farm. 72 heart monitored minutes altogether. Stayed in the 130's for the most part but watched my HR crawl up to the low 140's in the latter stages.

It was all good. My legs felt okay and I was able to move along. Don't ask me at what pace. I have no idea.

I got home, hydrated ( let's hydrate ) and then took Lucy out for a half hour jaunt.

Missed breakfast

I drove over to WVC where I seem to do most of my so called running these days. While I jogged around campus with Matt the club was running Farwell. Danny decided to run it too. I guesstimated 28 minutes and change but Danny struggled in at 29 and change.  The field was light because the competitors were over at Santa Cruz for the first XC race of the season.

I ended up doing 30 minutes.

I never got to breakfast. Ended up chatting with Steve and by the time I got to my car it was 10 am. So I missed breakfast.

35 minutes with striders

I ran 35 minutes total this morning. Took it easy until the end when I ran 6 x 100 striders. Tom ran part of the way with me and Danny was more than happy to run the striders.

Cutting back feels good.  

My plan is to run this way until I feel good again.

Might run a short campus loop tempo on Saturday or Sunday.

Striders

Walked and ran for 65 minutes. The running portion was maybe 30 minutes which included 8 x 100 striders. Danny ran with me and Tom mostly walked. He is having some pressure in his chest. Going to see his cardiologist.  It's been ten years since he had a stent put in.

I told Danny I am going to limit my running for now. We can still do an hour but one third to a half will be walking. He seemed fine with it.

Need to freshen up the old legs.

My right knee ain't going away. At times I can still feel it. No question that my SPLAT fall did something.  I am hoping I didn't tear the meniscus again. I don't feel it most of the time but I am monitoring it.

I have a ways to go

55 minutes of easy running. Threw in an 800 time trial at 3:23. I only pushed the last 200.

I have a ways to go. Decided to cut my running in half going forward at least for the time being. I seem beat up and not recovering well. I'll fill in the gaps with walking.

Easy stuff

No running for 3 days. So my legs were rusty. I jogged 40 minutes of easy stuff while the club did 600's.

Big day

Ran 65 minutes with Danny and Tom this morning. Ended up doing 5 x 100 at the end.

Later on I walked an hour with Bob ( to lunch and back ).

That long thing

Really got into running that long thing this morning. 88 minutes with plenty of hills. Got stronger as the run progressed. Dimitri was my partner. Beautiful day. It started out overcast but then the clouds vaporized and it was sunny and cool. We ran around campus a bit to add time and then climbed the hill to Foothill Park and back. So a good amount of constant up and down.

Thursday and Saturday

Thursday was the same ole 60 minute run flavored with 8 x 100 strides. Trying to fire up the old spark plugs. Tom and I ran our hundreds in around 24. Doesn't seem that quick but it's faster than our training runs. It's all relative and for me, very conservative. If I were doing them alone, I would be hammering 18's to 20's. Nice but frankly overtraining these days.

Tom wanted to break 8 for the mile ( Yes, the mighty have fallen ). So I agreed to pace him through the first lap at an 8 pace so he didn't  go out too fast.

On Saturday I did just that taking him through in 2 minutes flat with a pre race recommendation that he stay at that pace though three laps and blast the last quarter. He did that too running 7:47.
2-2-2-1:47.

I got in a total of 30 minutes easy running.

By the way, some of my eight pace stuff must be paying off. 2 minutes felt really easy.

A return to the big easy

71 minutes of easy running with Danny and Tom at WVC. Did 5 strides on the track towards the end.

Ran an hour total with Dimitri over at Foothill. We stayed on the track while he ran a 2 mile tempo run. I ran with him ( sort of ) by doing the following.


Warmup

800 at an 8 minute mile pace
400 rest (Dimitri kept running)
800 at an 8 minute mile pace
400 rest (Dimitri kept running)
800 at an 8 minute mile pace

Warm down

It is not surprising how tough an eight pace can be if you mostly run really slow training run week after week and month after month. I admit that each 800 got easier.

So 800's in order...

Shock
Less shock
No shock

Chatting it up

Easy 40 minute run at WVC chatting it up while the club ran 5k on the track.

Bottom

Another hour run. Tom, Danny and I finished up on the track and ran 5 x 100 striders.

Tom and Danny are planning on running the club 5K this weekend. I have no desire to run the race. The impetus just isn't there. Might be fun to run every other lap though.

Wow.  Talk about hitting bottom.

An hour

When you have run most of our adult life, other people, non runners just don't understand how much a part of you it becomes. A runner is more than just working out and racing.

It becomes you.

No longer competitive.

No longer fast.

Still a runner.

They could lay you off or fire you or whatever but as long as you could run, it was okay. I know because I lost or left plenty of jobs over the years. The running was consistent.

Danny, Tom and I ran an hour today. Well, Danny started late and Tom didn't feel good but we still got in our run. At the very end Danny and I ( at my urging, for no good reason ) did 4 x 100 meter strides.

Then we drove up to see Big Bill and get adjusted and have breakfast.

Long run

83 minutes of running up in the Los Altos hills in back of Foothill College with Dimitri. Stiff legged going out but then after the halfway point I began to loosen up and feel better. Reached Foothill-PA Park again before turning around. There was a ranger on duty to stop us from going in but once I explained to him that we were just using the bathrooms and getting water, he waved us in.

Easy easy

40 minute easy easy  jogging while Danielle did 2 x 800 in 2:55. This also included a warm down around campus.

Walked for 30 minutes with Lucy afterward.

Tuesday and Thursday

Ran 60 minutes both days with Tom and Danny. I felt good Tuesday but more like running on empty on Thursday. These are times that try men's soles (lol). Nothing is easy anymore. My body is heading south of the Mason-Dixon line but I think I am still in the Carolinas.

Tom and I are talking about doing some pickups during next Tuesday's run.

800 meter

I ran for about an hour today mostly over at Foothill College Track. Sandwiched in the middle of the run was a 3:30 800 meter which was harder than I figured it would be. It wasn't all out but no question it was a bit of a gut buster. Dimitri was running a 7 minute mile so I just hung with him for two laps.

40 minutes easy

Drove over to watch the club workout which was the mile on the track. I jogged around chatting with various runners while piling up ;-) 40 minutes.

Tuesday...Thursday

Tuesday

60 minute run on Tuesday with Danny and Tom. Managing my right knee. Now and then I get a jolt while running.  Most of the run is fine but no question "it" is there. I am icing and doing leg exercises to strengthen the knee.

Thursday

I ran 66 minutes. Five over at the house and 61 at WVC and Valle Vista. Tom was my pardner today. Knee felt better. I read an excerpt from a Chi Running website on running with knee problems. I adapted more a lean from my ankles upward (ever so slight) and the run was without pain or incident. I kept my knees low and relaxed. It seemed to help.

Good strong run.

82 minutes

I am nursing a slightly sore right achilles and a bothersome right knee issue. The good news is that neither seems to keep me from running. Actually the achilles was not even a bother today. The knee is out of whack though it only bothers me in the first few minutes of a run and then pretty much goes away. No sharp pain but I can feel it.

I am sure it is a result of the fall I took 2.5 weeks ago.

I am Advilling and icing it.

I didn't expect to be able to my usual Sunday long run but I did a five minute test around my neighborhood and everything seemed good to go so I went.

Dimitri and I ran the usual....

Foothill College to Palo Alto Park (hills and all) and back. 77 easy minutes. 44 minutes up, 33 minutes back.

The weather was mild and my legs felt okay.

Lonely Progression Run

Dropped by Los Altos Fitness (the new name for Shawsu) and did a progression run on the treadmill. I had the place to myself. 2:30 PM and it was virtually empty.

I started out at a ten minute mile effort and ratcheted the speed up every five minutes until I was down to a  8:27 pace at the end. That's a 6:15 age graded. I shut things down at 30 minutes. I was actually okay. Not struggling, just running sub tempo.

My right knee was a tiny bit sore when I started running today. It was sore on Tuesday and Thursday too but both times the soreness went away after a few minutes. Same today. It doesn't feel anything like when I tore the meniscus last year but it is "there" non-the-less so I am monitoring it.

Humidity R US

Met Tom and Danny over at WVC for an hour run. It was hot and humid at 8 am. We stayed on the campus running in the shade as much as was possible. My legs felt good but it was still tough given the weather. In the Central Valley they would say it was cool but here it was still too warm. We all felt it.

The volleyball crew was out and playing. They waved, we waved. We're beginning to know each other.

Breakfast afterward. Our normally half deserted restaurant was packed with (large) folk.

Oh for a spot of shade

I got up early and had coffee outside in the backyard because if I drank it inside I broke into a sweat. Drove over to WVC and met up with Tom (staring wistfully out at the track) and Danny who showed up fifteen minutes in arrears. We ran 58 minutes and walked another six.

Team volleyball was bikinied up and playing in the soft white beach they have created next to the track.

It was their weather (HOT) not ours. We ran while feeling our way along from shaded spot to shaded stretch. I told Danny later that maybe we should have run much earlier or not at all. But we did get our run in.

Sound of one hand clapping...

Bob and I walked three miles at lunch to and from Tom's Cafe in Loyola Corners. It had to be in the 90's.

Chock up a weak 9 mile day.

I was pretty wiped out by the time I got home in the early afternoon. Guzzled water and napped.

Cupertino, CA

Tuesday 4:00 PM

Clear

90

°F | °C

Precipitation: 0%

Humidity: 40%

Wind: 3 mph

Temperature

Precipitation

Wind

4 PM

 

 

7 PM

 

 

10 PM

 

 

1 AM

 

 

4 AM

 

 

7 AM

 

 

10 AM

 

 

1 PM

 

 

4 PM

 

 

7 PM

 

 

10 PM

 

 

1 AM

 

 

4 AM

 

 

7 AM

 

 

10 AM

 

 

1 PM

 

 

4 PM

 

 

7 PM

 

 

10 PM

 

 

1 AM

 

 

4 AM

 

 

7 AM

 

 

10 AM

 

 

1 PM

 

 

4 PM

 

 

7 PM

 

 

10 PM

 

 

1 AM

 

 

4 AM

 

 

7 AM

 

 

10 AM

 

 

1 PM

 

 

4 PM

 

 

7 PM

 

 

10 PM

 

 

1 AM

 

 

4 AM

 

 

7 AM

 

 

10 AM

 

 

1 PM

 

 

4 PM

 

 

7 PM

 

 

10 PM

 

 

1 AM

 

 

4 AM

 

 

7 AM

 

 

10 AM

 

 

1 PM

 

 

4 PM

 

 

7 PM

 

 

10 PM

 

 

1 AM

 

 

4 AM

 

 

7 AM

 

 

10 AM

 

 

1 PM

 

 

4 PM

 

 

7 PM

 

 

10 PM

 

 

1 AM

 

 

4 AM

 

 

7 AM

 

 

10 AM

 

 

1 PM

 

 

4 PM

 

 

7 PM

 

 

10 PM

 

 

1 AM

 

 

4 AM

 

 

7 AM

 

 

10 AM

 

 

1 PM

 

 

4 PM

 

 

7 PM

 

 

10 PM

 

 

1 AM

 

 

4 AM

 

 

7 AM

 

 

10 AM

 

 

1 PM

Tue

99°

63°

Wed

104°

63°

Thu

97°

59°

Fri

84°

55°

Sat

84°

57°

Sun

90°

57°

Mon

90°

57°

Tue

91°

59°