60 minutes

I had to get up early drive Alex to the airport. He is the one who now carries the fly on business torch. I pass it to him willingly. I am still trying to figure out how I ducked the whole traveling thing during my last gig. How did I ever get to be a VP with so little travel?






Once I got back from dropping him off, I hung out at the house until around 11:30 AM and then went out and ran a very easy 60 minutes. The weather was very moderate. 60's. Spring-like.

Hoka Hey!

Don't break this model

I got out mid morning and ran for 75 minutes. It was all super slow stuff. It's been warm this past weekend but it was maybe mid 60's while I was out there today. I was channeling Van Aaken so I not only ran slow but also threw in a couple of walking breaks.

It is hard for me to run slow (even after all of this time practicing it) but I know that over the long haul, I will feel much better for it. The faster runs come from my foundation of super slow runs, taking whole days off and only adding judicious amounts of tempo work. When I break this model, I break myself.

Return to WVC

I finally made it back over to West Valley College (WVC) this morning. The club was running "all courses day" which meant you could choose which of the road courses you wanted to run.

I chose none of the above.....

I ran for an easy 70 minutes around campus stopping now and then to chat with folks I hadn't talked to in months. It was nice seeing people and catching up. I can't complain. I actually felt OK even though I could tell that I was still in recovery mode from Thursday's steady effort.

Breakfast afterward.

Two good loops

I ran at Forbes today. Jake is off in Texas someplace so I ran my own pace which was very different from last Monday. I did the first loop in 22:39 and the second in 22:33. I sandwiched this inside 65 minutes of total running. It was definitely warmer but I can't say that the heat got to me. My legs felt good considering that I ran a slow 60 minutes yesterday. For a brief moment I was the fastest guy on the trail. But any local stud could have blown by me. They were just absent during the time I was out there.

Actually it all broke out something like this.

• 5 minutes of shakedown at home
• 1 x 2.7 in 22:39
• Jog over to the school and back which took me roughly 5 minutes and change.
• 1 x 2.7 in 22:33
• Easy jog of 10 minutes around the warm down walking loop and back up the trail a bit and return.

The Path to the 60 minute run

I ran 60 minutes very slow today. It is heating up a bit. Quite a change from last week when storm clouds were gathering over the Bay Area. Actually it felt good to run "warm". I jogged over to the college and did my usual loops. around the track and soccer field.

Dwight (he of the 100 mpw) is now ensconced in South San Jose. He lives close to the trails down in that area. John, Jake and I used to train down there at Hellyer Park but that was 32-35 years ago when we were local studs.

Welcome to the world of slow

Jake and I decided to run from Forbes today instead of Thursday. Jake was tired as a dog (whenever a dog gets tired) so we ran super slow. Each loop was right around 33 minutes which is a new record for super slow. I had run a 5 minute shakedown at home so my total running time was a blistering 71 minutes.

The weather was on the comfortable side with sun and moderate temperatures so it was easy to see that summer's coming on pretty fast.

Jake will be traveling to Texas and back over the next week so my plan is to run Forbes again alone on Thursday and see if my "alone" slow is as slow as today. I doubt it.


In the meanwhile Dwight (he of the 100 mile weeks) is on his way to South San Jose to rejoin the human race after drinking the cool aide snow cones in Fort Collins (mostly snow) for many winters. Of course he expects us to do some training together. I can't see it. I am way to slow on my runs. He is at least two minutes per mile faster. My secret training is to run as slow as I can stand it most days and I have NO intention of changing any of that.

Back running

I was back running early this afternoon. What a difference from two days ago when it was raining mice and fish. Today it was sunny and breezy. On the warm side. I did a very easy 60 minutes broken up into segments of 1 minute walking and 4 minutes of running. It was good to be out there again even after only 4 days. I will take Sunday off and run again Monday.

Dennis Hopper died today. A rebel who made it, lost it and made it all the way back again. In way, a glimpse of James Dean had he lived. He was built in the same mode. I just enjoyed seeing him up on the screen. You always wondered what he was going to do next.

Feeling better

3 days of meds and I am feeling better. Less coughing today. If I feel good on Saturday I will run, take Sunday off and run again Monday. When you get a cold, an ear infection and then another infection in the throat and chest, there must be some meta message in all of that.

On the IR list again

I seem to have some sort of secondary infection left over from that cold I caught back in late April. So I am on antibiotics for a while. I am going to take some time off from running. At least the next several days and maybe the rest of the week. Between the cold, ear infection and now this, it seems that I need the symptoms to pretty much disappear before I get serious again.

Trotting

I got out early (for me) and trotted for an easy 70 minutes. Supposedly there is rain coming again. There were some dark clouds but they were intermittent and now and then the sun would come out and break everything up.

The Weekend Results

Saturday

I ran mid day and cruised for 65 minutes. Very windy as in VERY! I took the RR Tracks up to McClellan and around the pond and then down to the college and did loops around the track and through the campus. My legs felt very good but I had no desire to go beyond and hour. My motivation is not what it was before my recent cold. Hope it will return.

Sunday

Got out relatively early and ran another 65 minutes with 8 x 1oo thrown in for good measure. I did 6 of them on the track and kept them in the 18 second range. The last two were done on the road on the way home.

69er

We have been having very strange weather. It has been raining & drizzling some days each week followed by sunny days and then cycling back to wet. Today was all good though. I went to Forbes with 14 minutes of shakedown under my belt and did another 55 minutes with Jake of really slow stuff to hit 69 total. So the longest since I started running after my cold.

Rain-Run Man

The rain that was supposed to hit the Bay Area yesterday , arrived last night and drizzled its way in to this morning's run. I went out bravely anyway hitting the pavement, track and soccer field for 60 slow minutes. My legs felt better. I felt recovered.


More Rain

Pitty Pat 50

I went just before 9 am on Sunday and pitty-patted through a slow as I could run 50 minutes. I could feel those 100's from Saturday. I felt very vulnerable. To be a veteran runner of so many years means putting up with tired, sore leg days. The key is to run slow enough so it doesn't hurt.

The soccer field has been empty for the last two days. There must be a break in the weekend amateur soccer season. It is great being able to do the BIG, BIG loop.

8 x 100

I really had every intention of going over the Saturday club workout but a big mug of coffee got in my way. I did make it over for breakfast however and then ran around 12:30. I got off to a good start. It was all sunny and around 60 degrees (but not at all cold). My legs felt good. Plenty of early energy that propelled me down the RR tracks around the pond and over the college at a good pace. I felt good enough to stride 8 x 100 each lap around the big loop hitting 19's right off and working my way down to the 18's, 17's and finally a 16. I struggled back home. I was wrung out but still covered 65 minutes before I called it quits.

So good early and middle energy and low energy at the end. No complaints though.

He of the 100 mile weeks

56 minutes of mostly easy running this morning over at Forbes Mill with Jake. The weather was cool but sunny. I ran 5 minutes before and then Jake and I ran a 26:30 loop. On the second loop I picked up the last 500-600 meters and ran in from the marker in under 2 minutes for a 24:30. This was a good sign that there is still some speed in them thar legs. I was going to round the running off to 60 minutes but thought better of it. I am still coming back from that cold and minor ear infection. Time to hop things up in the next several weeks.

Dwight (he of the 100 mile weeks) sent me an email saying he was moving back to the Bay Area. He is going to reside in South San Jose. This is good for our 60 plus team.


The Marker!

Hazy Run

Slept very well Monday night. I woke up around 7:30 and staggered into the kitchen to quaff large amounts of coffee. I got out around 9 am for a 55 minute easy slow (did I say easy?) run. I was pretty well hazed out on whatever NyQuil I drank the night before (time to get off that stuff). But the combination of the run and shower and some food woke me up in time for lunch with an old work buddy of mine.

In a way this has been like post-party time runs back in the day. Running with a hangover. Pretty crazy. My legs feel really good. It's my brain that is back on the flat bed of this truck.

45 minutes in a low key

I ran an easy, low key 45 minutes this morning rather than get up early and go to the DSE race. Sleeping in was the priority.

It drizzled through most of the run. The college track and soccer field were crowded up because of some sort of event that was going on so I did a run-by and decided to seek alternate paths and roads.

All in all, I felt good. I may have turned the corner on getting enough sleep and ridding myself of the last vestiges of this cold. Who knows, I may be able to work my way back to the master bedroom from my self imposed exile up in the den.

Back To Business

51 minutes today of running up and down the dammit trail with Jake. Legs felt fine. 26 and change on the first loop and 24 and change on the second. I also did an 8 minute shakedown run at home beforehand. So 59 minutes total.

Is my cold gone? I believe it has departed but left behind some wicked post-cold symptoms. I may have a slight infection in one ear. Nose still runny and I am sure I will remain in night time seclusion up in the den until I can sleep through the night without a coughing jag. I had a real good'un last night and had to swill some NyQuil to calm things down so I could get some sleep. Morning coffee is my major weapon in bringing me around.

I know.This too shall pass.

35 minute buzz-run

This cold doesn't want to let go. I had to take a dose of NyQuil again last night at 3 pm to get back to sleep. It's mostly the evening and night time post nasal drip and coughing. But I rolled out of the sack this morning feeling hung over but generally okay. I ended up running 35 minutes with a slight NyQuil buzz but my legs felt good and my energy was there. Go figure.

Must have been the double dose of carbs. Pasta salad for lunch and pasta again for dinner.



Not me but the expression fits!

The Green Goddess

A week into this "cold" and I am dealing with dripping and coughing. Finally had to move into the ups stairs den so I wouldn't keep Sue up at night with my bouts of hacking. I was planning on running Sunday but decided it just wasn't worth it. Slept better last night but still not right. Between the green goddess NyQuil and a lessening need for nose drops I am drugging myself to sleep and so it takes part of the morning to shake out the cobwebs. I told Sue that I will come back down to the bedroom when I am sleeping normally through the night.

My running is stuck on a sand bar and I will attempt to back it off during high tide and get things turned around and going right again.

I ran 25 minutes late this morning as the first step back. I mean it's only been a week.

By the way an American finally broke 27 for 10K. Solinsky ran

26:59.60 !!

Yikes! A good 4 miler for me.

Dump Week

After trying to run through numerous colds through the years I finally learned a valuable lesson in 1984. I took six whole days off, recovered rather quickly and was running and racing with little loss of time within several weeks.

Before that, I would always try to run through the cold and end up extending it into another cold or the flu with a fever and all that goes with it. 1981 and 1982 were particularly bad. I spend most of the summer of 1981 dealing with a recurring cold and flu until finally I had to take a month off to get things right. In 1982, I had a similar situation. A cold, flu and weeks lost while kept trying to come back too soon.

Colds are only warnings. For whatever reason you come down with one of the buggers, it is sign that your body was not able to resist the virus. I have had a pretty good run of 14 months without being sick.

I last ran on Sunday. I began to feel the first symptoms (sore throat) on Monday afternoon. I may well not run again until next Monday. I was running well before this thing got me. I will come back much faster if I just handle this as a dump week.

On the shelf

I have caught a slow moving head cold. Sore throat last night and the beginnings of a runny nose today.

I am on the shelf.

I figure I will take some time off from running and then see how I feel. My recovery from this sort of thing is usually related to how long I take off. If I take the rest of the "work" week off generally my recovery will be faster.

Acai..I am hooked!

As I contentedly sit on my couch sipping my acai-cranberry-pomegranate flavored Vitamin Water, I can in all honestly say "Job well done!" This past weekend I ran 70 minutes on Saturday and another 60 on Sunday. Sue and I drove over to Seascape on Friday afternoon to get a few days of R & R. Seascape is perched on some pretty steep bluffs overlooking the Pacific. The first morning was sopped in with fog but today was bright Sun.

Sun's Back....70 easy minutes

Back to Forbes Mill. The "weather" has cleared out and it was sunny and cool (but not cold).

I had done an 8 minute shakedown at home and then ran another 62 minutes going up and down the dam trail with Jake. 70 minutes total. Legs felt OK. Glad I didn't have to bash a loop today. Jake wanted to run slow and I was glad to stick with him. First loop in 27 and change. Second in 25 and change. Mostly we caught up on Jake's high school team and discussed my chances of going under 19 minutes for one up and back. Jake recommended that I sneak up on it. As we age it is harder to run hard. But some do it. I have club full of guys who can still push the envelope. Whether I ever can again is another issue but I know last Thursday certainly replicated the feeling of running hard.

So what's working?

• No work stress.
• I am mostly running within my limits.
• No speedwork except some strides once a week.
• Mostly every other day running or about 4 days a week. I am playing with the idea of five days a week if I continue to get stronger but am not wedded to it.
• I don't run anything that doesn't make sense to me. I am through fooling myself.
• PR's these days are defined as beating what I did the year before.

To top this off I have an awareness that things can change in an instant. Injury, illness. Whatever. You have to roll with it and then rebuild. It goes with the territory.

Winter in Springtime

It may well be spring in the Bay Area but not today. Today it was winter. Rainstorms fueled by high winds are strafing the Santa Clara Valley. I got out during a quiet period this morning just after 8:30 and ran 70 minutes. My legs felt recovered from last Thursday. I did big loops over at the college sharing the track with Asian Girls. They seem to be the only other runners and walkers who make it out when the weather looks dicey. I was on my last loop when I looked over at the local hills and could see a heavy veil of gray coming on rather fast. I could barely make out a curtain of showers leading the way. It caught me about ten minutes out but it wasn't too bad. At least I was dressed for it. Got wet but not soaked.

The rain came in right over these hills. The college track is somewhere down below.

Sore legs and recovery

I ran both Saturday and Sunday.

Saturday's 60 minutes was a study in sore legs and my constantly stopping for the littlest excuse. Adjusting my cap, retying my shoelaces. You name it and I stopped for that reason. About mid run I began to feel relatively decent and from then on the effort wasn't too bad. Obviously, I was still recovering from Thursday's triumph of will.

Sunday was a relatively normal run. I was still slightly sore-legged but felt much better. On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being much better, I would say I was a 7. I ran an easy 45 minutes and finished up with 6 x 20 second strider's on the street in front on my house.

I know this was a five-day run week. It will be interesting to see how I recover over the next week.

I am beginning to think about how fast I can get. This is dangerous, no?

This is the back of the pack at Zippy's 5K run today up in Golden Gate Park.
This may have been where I would have found myself had I raced today.

An Old Man Ran Up The Hill

I drove over to Forbes this morning to run the hill. I was Jakeless. He was over at Lynbook running a regular coaching session for his kids who are on Spring Break.

The place was near deserted. One other car in the lot when I drove up. I warmed up for 20 minutes alternately jogging over the high school track and back and then up the trail a bit and back down to the parking lot. My legs felt excellent so I decided to see how fast I could do the outbound uphill half of the loop followed by a short rest at the top and then a push back down. My goal was to break 10:20 going up and crack 9 minutes going back down. In my mind, I allowed myself a 2 minute rest at the top.

I went out rather fast hitting the first mark at 2:13 (Don't ask me what the exact distance is. It's just a mark with a pylon). The next pylon is supposedly a mile up the trail and it is just beyond that point that I turn around.

I hit the crest of the first very serious hill in just over 6 minutes so I know I had a good time going. One thing for sure. No one was passing me.

When I hit the turnaround I hit the stop watch and glanced down to see 9:58! I walked for about 40 seconds, felt recovered and just turned around and head back to the lot. Not much rest but more time trial-like. I kept the old man throttle to the floor but worked hard at staying relaxed. If this wasn't a race it certainly was a serious time trial.

I hit that 2:13 pylon in 7 minutes flat and realized that I would have to break 2 minutes coming in to break 9. I picked up slightly and then ran hard the last 30 seconds in.

8:52!

I jogged down for 21 minutes to round things out to an hour of total running.

So: 9:58 + 40 seconds recovery + 8:52 = 19:30 which is my fastest time in two and half years. The hard sections equaled 18:50 so now the question looms on whether I can run that same time without stopping?

Back to back

I ran back to back going late Tuesday morning and doing 65 minutes. I ran some old course variations including a loop around the small lake on the other side of McClellan in back of the 7-11 and then a tour of Jollyman Park before finally ending up running big loops over at the college. I was fine until I was coming home. There was a steady headwind that wore me down and knocked me back but finally I just slowed the pace and settled in.


http://twosevens.com/paint.php

An easy hour in the rain

I took yesterday off. Not because it rained but because of the wind gusts. I told my wife that I was running Monday no matter what it was like outside and I can say in all certainty that it was raining (still) but the wind had died way down.

I did an easy hour this morning dodging puddles and people walking with umbrellas. My legs felt fine. I ran into Ohio and we chatted for several minutes. It was good seeing him but I began to cool down and being soaked, this was not too good so eventually I said good-bye and sped on trying to regain that cocoon-like warmth that had cloaked me so effectively for much of my time out there.

Ready to runble

I slept in this morning missed my umpteenth club workout but made breakfast. I finally digested my morning meal and went out around half past twelve noon. I clipped along for 63 minutes. There was a nice quartering wind that buffeted me around on the way out but could not keep me from running rather quick. My legs felt very (very, very, very) good. I reached one point on my run that is usually around 13 minutes but I was in the low 11's. The whole run was me keeping under control because I felt ready to run hard (runble...like rumble).

That something

Forbes today as usual. I did a 5 minute dump run at home and the drove over to meet the new Jake by the dam trail. It was chilly but warmed up after a while. We did the first loop in 25:40, rested for a few minutes and then went up and ran 24:27 for the next loop. Jake seemed pretty knackered after that one so we agreed on a 16 minute easy jog as a warm down. Everything (for me) totaled around 74 minutes. Of course that was really counting everything.

I continue to be surprised at how really good I feel. As Jake said as we walked back to our cars after breakfast, "You've figured something out. Don't lose it."

Of course that something is not working. At least not at a you gotta be there sort of job.

I am beginning to toy with the idea of trying to run in the low 19's for the dam loop. Of course I haven't broken 19:30 much less 20 flat so I have a way to go.

This is turning the clock back sort of stuff.

Run, adjustment, breakfast

I had to get out early this morning because Danny was coming over and we were going up to Menlo to see Big Bad Bill (Bill our Chiro). The rain that had been hovering around for several days had cleared out and while on the cool side, it was almost perfect for running. I was out by 7:30 AM (Yes, A-M). As usual I kept the pace on the easy side and was able to run 75 minutes. It was the usual. Down the RR tracks, over the college and then a series of numbing but enjoyable big loops around the track and soccer field.

Danny showed up at 9:30 and we drove up to Menlo Park. It was 8 weeks since my last adjustment and my lower back was bothering me a bit. Bill set me right and then Danny and I went next door for breakfast.

So it was run, adjustment and breakfast. The perfect training day.


Big Bad Bill

Passed Twice

I ran 70 minutes midday Saturday. My legs felt so good that I had to hold back. Sunday was another 50 minutes run in the morning to avoid the supposed incoming storm front. I added in 6 x 100 meter strides. Once again it was hold back time. I really felt great! But to put it in perspective younger Asian guy blew by me during about mid run and later on stocky Indian guy lurched by me as he finished his run. It the wages of still running at the sunset of my 64 years on the planet.

But my legs felt great!

Said it once again and now I will let it go.

Forbes 76

It was the usual stuff in the morning at Forbes Mill. I ran a 10 minute shakeout beforehand at the house and then did another 66 minutes up and down the trail with Jake. It had rained the night before but the trail held up well. A few puddles but outside of that, smooth sailing. My legs continued to feel good. 76 minutes total. I know I said I would keep to around 60 but I have decided that I will make a game day decision instead. If I feel good I will keep on going.

3-4 pounds

OK. I am on a diet. Really a mini-diet. I need to lose 3-4 pounds and frankly the days of my going out and pounding miles to burn calories is a thing of the past. So I am watching what I eat and I have cut back slightly on my running so that I don't run (excuse the pun) myself into the ground. Hopefully this doesn't take too long. I know I will see progress if I just cut down on the evening wine and cashews. I also tend to really stuff it at dinner. So that all has to change.

This morning I did 65 minutes on feelin' good legs. A quick moving storm had just swept through the south bay and I went out just after it disappeared over the mountains to the south east.

50 minutes

Last day of the training week. I ran 50 minutes slow as usual with 5 x 20 seconds strides coming down the homestretch. The weather continues to cooperate. Sunny, cool and very little wind. The burden of living in California in the late winter.

slow----slow, slow-slow

Rumbled out the door in the early afternoon running my now classical slow----slow, slow-slow pace.

I ended up doing 63 minutes in part to round out the 87 minutes I ran on Thursday. The day was really perfect. Low 60's, sunny and very little wind. My legs felt good. I am sure I could have run faster and longer but my plan is to run again on Sunday and I don't want to build up week over week too quickly.

20:05!

Forbes Mill in the morning again. I met Jake there before 8 am and jogged an easy loop. I then let Jake get ahead of me on the 2nd loop before I went out and ran an 85-90% 'er. It took me some time to get my HR up to 85% but I just worked it hitting the half way mark in 10:40. I slud back down in 9:25 for a 20:05. Good effort. Best in 3 years.

In the late afternoon I met Shel at Stanford and I ran another 35 minutes. My legs felt very good. Like I hadn't run hard in the AM. Strange sensation feeling that good.

Total for the day was 87 minutes.

70 minutes

I ran slow as heck this morning for 70 minutes. Beautiful spring-like day. Can't believe it. I did my usual (I am in a rut) college course to get in some mini-hills on the decaying par course that caps the top of the track. Felt great probably because i kept it so easy. Funny though...My left quad was sore after I got up from my bed where I had been stretched out watching some TV and eating breakfast.

Ice and Advil to the rescue (I hope).

Drumming out 50

I drummed out 50 minutes this morning before meeting Ron for breakfast. I can't say I was as strong as yesterday. But it was first back to back in a while. On my back home I added in 4 x 20 second strides, starting one very two minutes until I got to my house.

Instead of breakfast...I ran

I drove over to Carrows my Saturday "usual" club breakfast but no one showed up (huh?). I waited around for awhile and finally gave it up. I decided to drive over to the Sunnyvale Baylands instead of heading home. I figured it wouldn't be too crowded and it was near perfect weather. High 50's and little or no breeze.

I ran for an hour and had to push to get my HR up into 65-70% range. I felt strong which is rare these days.

Best Tandem

Forbes Mill. Ran 3 good loops with Jake. Best tandem run we have had in several years. 26-25-sub 25. I ran 6 minutes of shakeout at my house before so all told about 82 minutes. Some young thing blond in a jogging suit blew by us on the second loop. I wondered if I could stay with her if I could have paced her if I was on one of my time trial efforts. Jakes said "yes" but I had my doubts.

Weather was cool and sunny. Perfect for a blast up to the dam and back.

Jake may need a pace maker for an irregular low heart beat! His heart rate drops down into the low 30's and misses a beat now and then. As long as they leave the top end alone he should be fine.

Up In The Hills Again

I ran for 60 minutes back up in the hills this morning. It was the first time in almost two years. I walked several truly steep sections but ran everything else.

This isn't me and these ain't my hills. But it get
across the general idea.

23:02

Was it worth it? Hardly but I made the monthly trek up to the Dolphin Club Race in San Francisco. The weather was beautiful. On the cool side but very little wind and bright sun. The 5K event was up by the yacht harbor right on the Presidio. I was a bit sleep deprived due to daylights savings time but I gave it my best 85-90% effort. I played chicken and didn't look at my stop watch until I crossed the finish line in 23:02. I noted that I was 22:16 at the 3 mile mark.

This was 7 seconds better than the last time. Nothing great. No dramatic leap forward. With my warm up and warm down I banked around 48 minutes of running.

It is what it is.

I am beginning to feel like everything that once worked is no longer working. Either my body is just used up and I really do need to become a self time junior jogger or I need to get used to pushing (which is very tough these days). Pushing would be time trials and tempo runs which obviously have a high possibility of injury. Ultimately when I am out there (like today) I am not in oxygen debt. I am not orgasmically gasping for air. I am simply out of sync. I never feel comfortable. I don't expect to perform at the levels of 3 years ago but I have dropped off rather steeply (of course age related drops are not always straight line).

I feel that I should be able to run a tempo effort in the 21's. Maybe not the low 21's but down under 22 minutes. I may have to claw my way back down. Ugh! More secret racing and time trials. Watching my weight and diet. And for what? To establish myself as a 2nd class age grouper.

I'll need to forget all that happened in the past. All of it. Treat this time like it's the first time. So go after the Asian guy and big Larry. No watch. No HRM. Then pick the next guy. Get under 20 on the Forbes Mill loop.

Get used to it.

82 minutes

Forbes Mill. Sunny & cool. Maybe 40 degrees at the start. I did three loops with each one faster than the prior. 27:15-25:45-23:55. Legs felt very good but I took a header on the backside of the second loop.

SPLAT!



Ripped up my old gloves and scraped up my right knee.

There will be blood.

But the adrenaline was flowing and I ran well. With my 5 minute shakedown run at the house I did around 82 minutes.

Just 77 Minutes

I am beginning to really enjoy being off of work. After two days of pounding carbs I finally began to feel like my old self. I went out around 10:30 am. It was sunny and breezy and on the cool side but nothing that shorts and a long sleeve "T" couldn't handle. I made plans to run some threshold reps but never ended up doing them. When it came down to it, I "just" ran 77 minutes at 65-70% of max HR . Over to the college via the RR tracks, around then big loops around the soccer field and the track.

Not a born to run day

I ran in the AM before the club breakfast. Cool but not cold out. Ground out 25 "slow" minutes. Felt low on energy. Like I was on empty.

Had some carbs for breakfast and did a second run around 1 pm. This time I ran 50 minutes at an easy pace. Felt a bit better. Had some left over pasta for a late lunch. It was warmer. Close to 60 degrees out.

This was one of those days where I wanted to chuck it. Not a born to run day.

WET 60 minutes

Ran at Forbes with Jake. Very wet. Rain coming down steadily but thankfully little or no wind. The trail was pretty empty. I saw one other runner and maybe several walkers. Jake dropped out during the first loop. His legs were dead (dead...dead). I think it is the renovation he is doing on his downstairs bathroom. He has been struggling for the past two weeks and this so happens to parallel the same period of time he has been working on his house.

Hmmmmm....

I ended up running two slow loops and a bit extra before and after. Maybe 60 "real" minutes total.

O-U-T

I am OUT of work. Retired once again. I must be. I turned in my badge and office keys today. There is no way I could get back inside even if I wanted to. I received a last email from my boss asking if I ever made progress on one of the very projects that I came to hate. Nope, I said, and if you remember I sent you an email weeks ago saying that I was out of time on getting this one done. There was much that I didn't get done before I left that was way more important than this project.

But she is a friend and I hate to let her down but happily she has enough drones on staff who will jump all over this. That's what drove me out. Welcome to Dronesville.


Out of my way earthling. There is a new policy to work on.....


Anyhow....

I ran twice today covering an easy 40 minutes this morning and another 30 minutes in the afternoon. Cool weather in the morning and breezy later on.

Double

I ran twice today for the first time in a long time. Unlike Friday where I lazed around all day, I actually had stuff to do today like join my club for breakfast and get a haircut. So I sandwiched my schedule with a morning 30 minute jog and added in another 35 minutes easy run in the mid afternoon. Both runs were unremarkable except that I could actually do them after all of these years and miles.

SVW

Monday is my last day of work. Actually Wednesday was my last day because I am finishing off with unused PTO and will only come in Monday to turn in my laptop, badge and keys. I know I keep saying this, but maybe I need to rewrite it because it seems that it is finally true.

I have applied for social security and medicare so this may well be "it". Not sure. Someone used the retirement word but I am not comfortable with it (yet).

I have decided to create my own Hawaii this spring and summer and see how it feels. You know. Shorts, t-shirts, sandals (or old running shoes..no socks). Maybe a gym even though I tend not to use those things. Certainly running. A coffee shop, a book store and if I can find a decent, uncrowded place...a beach now and then. If they get crowded I can always outlast school and come back in the fall when school is back in.

Sounds decadent.

Consulting. Maybe if the work is interesting and does not require a badge or office or being someplace on a regular basis. Next year would be better because I can collect social security and make consulting fees and keep both.

What a bonanza.

I am looking at blogging. Silicon Valley Warrior (SVW) style. One thing I have discovered is that being a SVW makes you strong and resilient.

In the early days it looked a great deal like this.


But later on it became this.



And at the end it became this.

Aurens..Aurens..Aurens!


All men dream: but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dreams with open eyes, to make it possible.

Seven Pillars of Wisdom

Pale and Vacant

I drove over to Forbes Mill this morning arriving early (but Jake was already there). I had decided not to push it. I was the recipient of a terrible night's sleep. 3 hours. Well, I guess it could have been worse. My mind wouldn't stop playing old tapes. Having woken up around 3 AM, I had tried to fall back off but finally gave in and rolled out of the sack. I glanced at the clock.

It was a pale and vacant 4:30 AM. Night is like time travel. When I awake like this I can remember, after a fashion, many of the times I would thrash around sleepless in some bed. Mine or someone else's. It is timeless. It feels the same. It is 1955 or 1983 or 1992.

But I have learned to cope. Not to fight it.

In the next several hours I read, drank coffee and then did a five minute shake out run at around 7 am.



Anyway, back to Forbes. I decided to run easy. Jake and did a loop in just over 26 minutes but he was already struggling. OK, then it was too fast no matter what the pace was. We turned right around and ran a second loop but Jake stopped to walk about 7 minutes in and I decided to just keep going arriving at the turnaround in 13:15. Regardless of being sleep deprived, my legs actually felt good so I pushed a bit on the way back. I sailed back down in 11:05 crossing into the parking lot in 24:20. I decided to add another 5 minutes to make the whole thing 60 minutes.

My so called retirement

Email to a friend on my so called retirement

I was thinking that my so called retirement should have certain critical elements.

1. My coffee shop. Yours was Starbucks. I haven't picked mine yet. Any recommendations on ambiance. Near a bookstore or not?

2. My alternative work. In your case it was painting. I have written inciteful books and poetry. I really didn't mean insightful. Mostly my works have incited controversy or disgust (or no interest what so ever).

3. Not making money. I know you went without. I believe I can do that too as long as those government checks keep coming in (Hmmm..do I have to stand on a line to at social security to pick them up???).



I am thinking of adding in a beach for spring and summer use. Maybe even a small coastal hamlet to hang out in. You know, some coastal running trails. Maybe a beard and mustache.

Anything else I am missing?


Authoritative Executive


I won't miss work. Today was typical. I was sitting in my last HR staff meeting thinking about how I should take action items for the following week. Of course except for a short exit meeting late Monday morning, there is no next week for me.

At least not there. The big boss (my bosses boss) breaks in and beckons to two of the staff. I need you right away, he says. And of course he does. He is wearing a suit. There is an important board meeting. I am just damn glad it is not me that he needs for that meeting. It has been me over many years and many companies. But not this time. Not lately. I am not jealous of them nor would I trade places with them. Not even if I could be 10 years younger and two minutes faster in a 5K race. I don't feel superior because I am not. I am simply able to leave and not be at anyone's beckon call.

The Immediate Pull Of Gravity

I drank a tankard of coffee and then set out at around half past 8 am. I was dressed to the 9's and maybe overdressed but a quartering wind kept me on the cool side and the tights protected my legs. The run felt good. All 70 minutes of it. The usual course. Over to the track, around the par course and the soccer field. Plenty of soft "giving" surfaces and plenty of Asian Girls either running on the track or walking in between classes. I admit though that morning runs, even when decent, are still like wading through the shallows of varying degrees of molasses. There is little or no torque. Of course 100K miles and years of wear and tear don't help. In the old days when I ran slow, I always felt like I was holding back.

But not any more.

If I pick it up, I can feel the immediate pull of gravity.

Pulling me down and slowing me down.

But I give myself no choice. It is a run day and so I run.

I can just see it

I can just see it now. The big "I have to work" finish line up ahead.



I still have to slum through next week but March 1, 2010 is it. I'll have to remember to shave and shower once I am out.

75 slow minutes today. I took off at around 1 pm. The wind picked up during the latter half of the run. Big storm coming in.


An idea whose time has come

Tinman Tempo

In pre-retirement mode, I drove over to Old Forbes Mill mid morning. Jake, who is a high school track and field coach, was going to try to join me if his "ski week" workouts got over early enough.
As it was I never hooked up with him. I know how he gets when he s in coach mode.

I warmed up at home with an easy 10 minutes and then drove to the trail. I ran the first loop in 24:37 capping put at 70% of max. This was a good sign so I threw in a Tinman Tempo loop staying mostly in the 75-80% range with the last several minutes at 83%. I just missed breaking 22 minutes (22:03) but I knew that I run well. I then jogged down 13 minutes for a total of 70 minutes.



Tinman, Tempo Run "look"

75 big ones!

Got out by 8 am this morning. The fog was thick blotting out any sunlight. I was still feeling Sunday's AT run so I did a Galloway-type recovery run, walking 1 minute and jogging 4 until I hit an hour. I then ran another 15 minutes at a slow but steady pace for a total of 75 big ones.

The goal of this run was to burn some calories, get in some distance without beating myself up.

CV's and such

I am going to have to claw my way back to respectability in this running game. But I know that intervals won't do it. Never has and never will. As much as possible I am going to run very other day.

Oops, I know this is a change in plans but it will work out to 3 days one week and 4 the next. I should be able to handle it.

My focus will be on increasing the time run on the days I run (duh).

If I do hard workouts they will be limited to one of several types.

Striders on the track. Real strides, not all out sprints.

I will more than likely adapt Tinman's CV's and tempo runs. They are way off anything hard like VO2 max work but should help me develop the ability to handle faster work. Even yesterday, running down the promenade south of AT & T Park, I was uncomfortable with the fast pace. Not with the oxygen intake part. I was no where near lactic acid per se. It was more of the physical nature of running harder than a slow jog. The mechanics are just not there.

Since I am close to 23 flat for 5K at 85-90% my plan is to focus on the next level which is 22:30. I can't believe I am this slow but I had better get used to this sort of thing. I may get faster for a time but eventually I will be slower.

CV pace is 7:24 (these are like threshold reps)
Tempo Pace is 8:09 (this is more like lactate runs)

I wonder what the latter converts to on the Forbes Mills loop?

23:09

I ran another of those pesky 5K's at 85-90% of max. Typically I chose a Dolphin Club race up in San Francisco. It started about a mile south of the Giants Ball park, circled the outside of the stadium twice and then came back that same mile to the finish.

Nice course. Flat and relatively fast. It was cool, sopped in with fog and with a light head wind going out. Even with a 22 minute warm up my blood was like sludge but I just got out a quickly as I could to drive my HR up into my target range and then just stayed there for the rest of the way. I didn't look at my splits. My last run at this effort had been 23:38. The one before that was at 24 minutes and change so I just hoped to "do better".

I was further up in the pecking order, running with folks that I knew generally ran in the high 22's and low 23's. Of course I wasn't racing them. They were just company while I ran to my HR. I picked it up if I dropped below range (85%) and slowed down slightly if I went over 90%. So it was simply a game against myself.

Anyway, I came across in 23:09 which was better than my last effort but still 2 minutes slower than I was running these in 2007 & early 2008 (prior to pulling my calf). It is hard for me to believe I will ever get that 2 minutes back.

Realistically, getting down into the 22's would be nice.

The total workout including my 5 minute "dump" run in my neighborhood was 60 minutes.

27 minutes warm up
23:09, 5K at 85-90%
10 minute warm down

81 minute progression run

Okay. I have decided to commit to a 3 day week running program for the next 3 months (at least).
Three days running and two days walking. Not quite what the Furman boys had in mind but close.

One day will be a longer progression run of 8-10 miles

One day will be a 85-90% threshold run. Generally this will be either a 3 mile/5K run or a loop at Forbes Mill.

One day will be either sprints or threshold intervals at 85-90%. It also could be a now and then a test time trial over the mile to 2 mile distance.

I figure it will take a month for me just to adjust.

I ran over 8 miles today for the first time in forever. It was a progression run of sorts but totaled out at 81 minutes including my dash to the bath (room) and back after the first loop.

The loops (sans the dash) were roughly 27:50-26:30-23:38.

Cheetah leaving by the exit

I seem to be going down fighting. @Work that is. I told my boss how I feel about Pit Bull while I counter her hammer like chess moves with my own indirect, counter moves. I stopped her cold on one of her unwanted and pointless campaigns. She doesn't even realize that I was coaching the other side. It was easy to outwit her.

But I am going to be gone in less than 3 weeks and time will run out. So in the end I get to be Cassandra and warn those dwindling few who will listen that HR is headed for a fall.

Really, what am I accomplishing?

One friend told me that I was going out like a tiger.

"Nope, I am a Cheetah," I said. "We can't climb trees."

I think I just need to go out quietly. My agitation tells me that I am running on empty. I will embrace the void. The outside of work life.




This will be me in March.....

Post Super Bowl Run

In the world of winding down from work there is time for a cup of java and then a nice whippy-legged 60 minute run. I got out reasonably early (8:30 AM) and ran my usual route over to the college. I did a mix of soccer field and big loops around the track until it was time to head back. No HRM on this run. I kept things slow.

Given that yesterday was a typical Super Bowl feed which included B-B-Q chicken and ribs, chips, dip and wine, it was amazing that I actually felt decent.

I did go into work afterward but only after hanging around the house all morning, showering and surfing the web.

Target

So now I know that my weakness is exposure to hell bent for leather and lead, anger management, micromanaging, territorial types. To some extent this has been one of the footnotes of my so called career.

Bullies!

The words change but the concept is the same.

As I wrote some years ago, I must have a target painted on my back. Or perhaps I am the man painted on the target. Maybe I painted myself there.



Even in my soon-to-be last job, I ran into two of them. The first individual, I didn't bring in and the other I did bring in. The first person eventually self destructed but only after she played all of us against each other. The team pretty much hated her. While she was still here I moved offices to distance myself. I was ecstatic.

The second one was a good girl consultant until she was offered my job and then she turned into a pit bull. With only a month left I decided not to fight this one out but I realize fully that this is just another of those folks who think they can run me down while smiling to my face. At this moment I have 3 weeks to go and will continue to avoid her as much as possible.

Not ignore her. Just avoid any unnecessary contact. It isn't pleasant this tackling dummy thing.

I was hoping for a peaceful exit but that doesn't seem to be the case. Once you let one in the door, you shouldn't be surprised if it bites your hand and mauls you as you go down for the count.



Happily I will be heading out the door and she can maul someone else.

Drills

I ran 70 minutes today right on the heels of a departing rainstorm. I kept the pace slow throughout.

In the middle of the workout I did drills on the track walking them instead of bounding them. I would jog in between. We'll see how sore I am later on but so far so good.

Big girl's soccer game over at the field so that was off limits. I stuck to big loops around the track.

75% Solution

I headed over to Forbes and met up with a very punkish Jake. He was tired from two hard running days earlier in the week and a day of working on his house.

And I??

Fresh as a daisy from two full days off from any sort of running. We ended up running one loop together which was very easy and just under 28 minutes. My HR was in the high 130's. One the second loop I ratcheted my HR up to around 75% of max and cruised the course in 23:52. If I add in the warmup jog before and after the loops I was right around 71 minutes.

The ice cold, won't make eye contact, slim blond was there. A great deal younger than us. I get that but after so long, not even a smile. :-(

By the way, talking of blonds (and I am not so sure she is a real blond) here is where you will find most of them in Europe.

Inquisitor

Well, she seemed nice. It was supposed to be redemption of sort. You know. because of that first time when she was cross examining me (actually it was a job interview) and, unemployed and in need a job I had the courage to suddenly stand up and say this interview is over and I walked out of the office and the building into a 100 degree day. Nothing to look forward to except to get away from her big, arrogant ego and a long drive home, sans air conditioning.

Oh she came running out and apologized and I forgave her for being such a dick but I still went home. I knew, back then, that us working together would be HELL.

Redemption came around and I hired her and it was fine for 7-8 months as long as she was a contractor but then when I decided to leave and she backfilled my job. Except it was more like backhoeing my job. Suddenly it was all those years ago. Too bad. She looked so good on the outside.

BEFORE


A friend told me, she is an inquisitor, not inquisitive. That put things in perspective.

Now the disengagement comes more quickly. You can't engage with the psychotic not go a bit mad yourself.

Too bad. I stayed too long. So one more of those to hurdle and the road is clear.

AFTER

60 minutes of easy running

I got out around 8:15 AM and ran 60 minutes. My legs felt surprisingly good especially since I walked an hour on Sunday and inserted some drills to put some zing in my legs. I felt none of it this morning.

The goal was to work a half day and I ended up staying down into the early evening. Met the new CEO. We chatted. May be a chance for me later on if I am outside HR. I won't count on it but if he still feels the same in a month or two, we can talk. It won't be about title or money. I will come back because the odds are long and it's the work I do best.

Stepping out

Monday is the beginning of my last 4 weeks as an employee anywhere (or so I hope). I need to begin to seriously transition my role. The first step is going to part time. The second step is caring a great deal less about how what will soon be my former job is done by my successor. So Monday, I will care a great deal less.

X's and O's my friend.

X's and O's.

My plan is to irrelevant about mid February and then just play out the string.

After March 1st I will begin that work fast I spoke about. One never wants to say never but I think about 90 days of not thinking or talking about work will go a long way to putting me into the neutral zone in transitioning my work life.

75% test: 33:36

Wow! Another Saturday of sleeping in and missing the club workout. This is getting to be a real trend. I did make breakfast and caught up with Dimitri who may have a stress fracture. He hasn't run in weeks. He had an MRI last week and will find out the results next week.

I did finally run but waited until after high noon to go out. Blue skies had given way to clouds coming in. I had decided to run my test course at 75-77% of max so I got out fast (based on today's standards). I felt good but even though the weather was cool, I still had to slow somewhat to keep my HR at or under my target. Of course that is the idea. Run fast until you have to slow down.

I got back home in 33:36 which was about a minute and 18 seconds faster than when I last ran the course at 70%. For some reason I think that 70% was better in its class versus this run. but then when I stop to think about it, 78 seconds faster ain't just hay. Afterward I slowed down to a jog and ran the clock to one hour.

Anyway, 33:36 is my 75% target time to beat.

Old Forbes Mill

I drove over to old Forbes Mill. Jake couldn't make it. Some sort of flu bug. I had a nice run anyway covering 70 minutes on the trails. It was cool and the ground was wet with runoff from recent rains but it all worked out anyway. I kept my HRM in the low 140's most of the way.

Felt Good

47 minutes this morning. On the cool side but thanks to a bountiful, carb loaded Tuesday I actually felt OK. I originally was just going to run an easy 45 minutes but decided to up it to 50 when I ran into one of our club members and we stopped to chat. By the time I finally headed home I was back to the 45 minutes plan but was too far away to avoid going over that and eventually landing on the BIG Forty-Seven.

Who Dat?

I ran early today to head off the rain that never came. I paid the price for eating comfort food on Sunday. Ribs, Chinese food, chocolate, lemon scone and a banana for good measure. No coffee in the morning. Just launched myself out the door for 70 minutes of dead legged, no good carbs, running. OK, sort of like running in jello but running never the less. The girls were back walking at the track (Who Dat?). Strange group of females and because I am not a young alpha male, they take no notice of me which means I am sort of invisible. I ran my loops stopping once at the bathroom and continuing to grind out the yards until I finally gave myself permission to head back home.

Obsolete

If it weren't for the friendship I have with my present boss (the last boss I will have..hopefully) I would be out of my job right now. Two weeks is even too long much less 5 more weeks. I am going to have to act like a obsolete battleship and just swing at my moorings until I can pull the flag down. Of course I am not obsolete but it is good to have a cover story.

60 minute run

So I dragged ass all week and hadn't run since last Monday. The trip to Seattle, the Governor's birthday, the trip back. Overloaded with restaurants, banquet halls , airports and airplanes. I don't travel well. I used to (once I cleared jet lag) but that was a million years ago. I got home early enough yesterday from SJC to run but instead laid around the house and surfed the web and watched TV.

So today was it but I delayed the inevitable, slept in, had a giant mug of coffee and drove over to the vets to pick up Amber's ashes.

I let her ride up in the front seat with me. She would have liked that.

I finally got out in the early afternoon and ran 60 minutes with the HRM grooved in the 140's most of the way. Nice run. I totally missed the showers that wet things down in the morning. Mostly it was sunny and breezy. No complaints.

The Last Runner Sitting

.The last runner standing has become the last runner sitting. Rain has lashed the Bay Area for the past 3 days. I ran Monday because I had all day to run and dry out. Tuesday was my normal day off. Wednesday is a travel day to Seattle for my father in law's 100th birthday. Of course it is raining up there too. I decided to just chill and run Friday afternoon when I get home or Saturday which is a normal running day. It makes little difference these days if I miss several runs. I can pick it up later on

Blown Around for 75 minutes

A big storm came in and drenched the place. I waited until late morning before heading out the door for 75 minutes of slow running. I got blown around quite a bit but except for a few short periods the rain was never that bad. My college loop course was compromised. I now know what all weather surface means.

Water stands on top of it.

The far side of the soccer field was flooded. I pranced through it anyway and got my feet soaked. I pretty much had the track to myself.

I was glad I did the run. Very Chicago Bears, monsters of the midway type of running (and I am not even a Bears fan).

Test Course: 34:54...HUH!

I ran an easy 15 minutes this morning before joining my club at breakfast. At noontime I went out and ran my test course at 70%. Last time out I did a 37:38 which was a 25 second improvement over the time before that.

This time I cruised 34:54 which shocked me. The conditions were similar to the last two runs. Afterward I thought that maybe I had missed a lap over at the college but in reviewing the run, I realized that I hadn't short sheeted anything. I had just nailed the course. HR in the 148-152 range the whole way.

I am not totally sure why this level of improvement happened. Maybe it was running only 3 days this week or maybe it is because I am distancing myself from reps and sprints. In any case I will continue to run 3-4 days a week with an emphasis on 3 until I finish working.

Haunting

We're all having problems missing Amber. I was home alone today on the computer upstairs in the den. I heard a slight rustle of dog-like footsteps on the landing The hairs on the back of my neck stood up. I shivered slightly and went to the doorway and looked out at the landing where Amber usually burrowed up against the wall. Of course she wasn't there but I felt her presence. Maybe just a very vivid memory of her. I don't believe in an afterlife but as a Christian friend told me the other day, "That's where I am fortunate. I believe in an afterlife. In my world you'll see Amber again."

I am willing to settle for her haunting us as some guardian spirit if that is her wish. None of us would mind.


Amber would do this. Lying on the floor with her leg
and paw across my arm.


I found this on the following site:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bar-art/76183167/in/set-1518578/

Another 75 minutes

Jake and I resumed our Thursday runs at Forbes Mill. As usual he was exhausted from too much running and working on his house. I was fresh legged after two days off. We did a couple of up and backs. I had run before and added on some more running afterward. 75 minutes total. My legs felt OK. I had originally planned to run an AT loop but decided against it. Laziness was the factor. It was just cold and early and not the best conditions.

On the work front. The new CEO is on board. Our 3rd in 3 months. Of course since I am leaving for once I don't care. I have made no attempt to meet with him. He is a blank sheet of paper to me. BLANCO. Very similar to my last few months at Transmeta back in 2002. We had just hired a new CEO and people would keep saying "You ought to meet with him. You know the company better than just about anybody." I came close once but when he canceled due to a scheduling conflict I never tried to reset the meeting.

That's what I am doing here.

Leaving.

In a month (or less) I should be as compelling as oatmeal without raisins.

Then I am going to disengage completely from the world of work for 3 months to see what it feels like. OK, if someone calls and it is interesting, I will talk. But the market is quiet and unless I try (and my plan is not to try) I will be retired.

Amber 1995-2010

Amber the wonder dog


RIP

November 13th 1995 to January 12th 2010

75:01

I crushed the 75 minute barrier today!

75:01!!!!!

45 minutes this morning and another 30 minutes at lunch. I would have run further this morning but I was unnerved when I dropped one of my gloves into the urinal at the college. I washed out the glove right on the spot in one of the bathroom sinks but realized that the better part of valor was either tossing the gloves (they are cheap brown cotton gardeing gloves) or getting them home and into the washing machine. I chose the latter.

Luckily it wasn't that cold so my gloveless hands didn't freeze.

My legs were murky at best. I felt no residual soreness from yesterday's sterling 23:38 (cough...cough). If I was of a mind to, I probably could run every day as long as the pace was slow enough. Maybe in the world without work (WWW) I might be motivated enough to try this but I doubt it.

23:38

ran that 5K AT run up in GG Park in SF in 23:38. This was 25 seconds faster than the last time which was about a month ago. The course was relatively flat but still had two good little hills and some rollers sprinkled throughout. I found it harder to drive up my HR because it was cold and damp but at least not windy.

So some improvement over the last time but still quite a bit behind what I was doing back in 2007. If I age grade my efforts now, my run today was worth an 18:12. My 21:08 in 2007 was worth 16:38. So I have slipped down the age grading curve even just running AT.

So what can I do about it? Or better yet what will I truly do about it? Smiling

1. I will run more minutes every other day. Not sure how high I will take this but it will help with number 3 (below)

2. I will do more AT workouts. I have felt awkward running AT but that's really because I have spend very little time at that specific effort. Not like it's that hard but your body gets ready to do something because your body gets used to doing it.

3. I need to lose some weight. I am also heavier by about 5-7 pounds heavier than I like to be. This I can accomplish, as long as I do it slowly. Usually a pound every week or two is fine. I have a small bicycle tire (rather than a spare tire). I can see it when I look in the mirror.

4. I am quitting regular full time work. This could be a biggie. Work was draining me. Back to consulting or retirement (which means no more bosses!!!!!!!)

5. I will add in several days of hour walks. I did a heck of a lot of walking back in 2008 when I was injured. It's funny to say but I will have to get back into walking.

Given all of this I am not sure what the effect will be. Sometimes runners at my age who take time off don't come back. 2008 was a very, very spotty year. I missed a great deal of running and 2009 was basically a get back in shape year but even the track reps didn't really help the way I thought they would. I ran stuff too fast and this combined with work stress probably did more to drain my energy rather than build strength.

There's nothing further here for a warrior.

I am leaving my job again. It feels normal because that has been a pattern in my work life since forever.

I talked to my boss several weeks back and told her that I couldn't stay unless I had the bandwidth to do the strategic work the company needed versus the tactical work that had become the norm for the last 3 months.

You have to choose, I said.

Do the safe but short sighted thing or do the thing that might save the company.

I didn't envy her. I knew intuitively she would choose the former.

It is so safe to bury yourself in process. In time she'll be looking for her next job.
She made her choice.

So I depart on March 1st. I have been ready to leave since early November.

          There's nothing further here for a 
          warrior. We drive bargains. Old men's 
          work. Young men make wars and the virtues 
          of war are the virtues of young men; 
          courage and hope for the future. Then, 
          old men make the peace. And the vices of 
          peace are the vices of old men; mistrust 
          and caution.

          Ah, yes. But then Aurens is a sword with 
          two edges. We are equally glad to be rid 
          of him. Are we not?

A squall or two

Ran 45 minutes at lunch today. HR in the 130-140 range. Not sure if it was because I was rested or the cool weather. In any case, it was a good run marred only by a rain squall or two that passed over the Baylands forcing me back to my car to retrieve my cap.

The plan for Sunday is to run another of those pesky AT 5K runs. This one is up in Golden Gate Park (again) but the course is more forgiving than last time. I will take Saturday off so I am relatively spry come Sunday morning.

Test Course #1 - 37:38

I ran 60 minutes this morning with test course #1 thrown in at 70%. I covered the distance in 37:38 or 25 seconds faster than last week. Conditions were about the same except that I threw in a 10 minute easy warm up and ran 13 minutes after. One of these days I ought to measure the course. I am guessing 4 miles but maybe not. The distance is less important than my getting faster over time.

I took a day off from work and lazed around not getting out until mid morning.

A preview of my life come spring.

No, I did not run

I didn't run today. No the sky didn't fall in and the earth was not swallowed up in a cataclysmic event. Things just got too tight at work (the job I plan on leaving soon...remember???).

Since I am planning on running Sunday I can still sneak in workouts on Thursday and Friday or possibly Saturday as a backup. In any case I will get my 4 dinky days this week in somehow.

DINKYDINKYDINKYDINKY

Real Double

Did the real double today. 2 x 35 minutes in ole style. I ran 35 minutes this morning before heading off to work and then doubled back at lunch for another 35. I lucked out. Clear and cool this morning and clear and moderate at noon. Perfect running weather.

On the work front, I am architecting my departure. If all goes well I may be out of there by the end of February or early March. At best I stay but part time. I doubt there will be the budget for it and I won't cling or hold on. Well, I acted clingy the next day for several nanoseconds and then got over it.

I will miss the people but not the tasks. I have been over ready to leave since last November.



New Rules (or old rules).

Don't try to extend this thing. If someone asks you to stay, to do the type of work you are best at, then fine but otherwise you are leaving.

Act like a consultant

Use this card if all else fails

Cut Here

Shaking it out

I didn't hurry out for a run. Decided to go for breakfast. Did a 10 minute shakedown before heading over to breakfast but very little shaked out. Got down to Carrows for breakfast with the club. Passed a roaring car fire on my way in.

I waited until around 12:30 PM to finally go out and run. The weather was overcast with mild temps and very little wind. I ran another 50 minutes at a clip (whatever that is). I ran over to the college and did big loops around the soccer field and track.

A 60 minute day.

Test Course #1 - 38:03

I ran a test course at around noon today. The course is from my house, up the railroad tracks, down McClellan to the college and onto the track. I then do 4 big loops around the track and come home the same way I went out.

I don't know the distance.

My educated guess is around 4 miles. It's OK if it's not. Right now I don't care. The purpose of the course is not the distance but rather the average HR and time.

My goal today was to run it at 148-152 HR or 70%. The elapsed time today was 38:03.

I start out quickly which is relative for a guy bearing down on 65 years old. I try to get my HR up in my target range as quickly as possible and then try to stay there for the rest of the run. The painful part is having to slow down to stay down under 152.

My goal is to run the course once a week. Every now and then I will run it at 158-160 HR or roughly 75%.

If the times come down for both the 70 and 75% test efforts then whatever I am doing is working. If it gets slower then I am blowing it.

My focus for 2010 is no longer going to be to see how fast I can at the top end. I enjoyed the workouts last but my right achilles and calf started to come apart.

Now my focus {{{the new focus}}} will be to see if I can improve at 70%, 75% and 90% efforts.

I might run a 70 & 75% effort weekly but the 90%'ers will be about once every 3rd or 4th week.