Weekly Summary-9 Weeks to Seattle

Sunday.
Seven nice and slow.

Saturday.
Off

Friday
Off

Thursday.
Off

Wednesday.
Seven nice and slow.

Tuesday.
Off

Monday
Off

Weekly Summary-10 Weeks to Seattle

Sunday.
Hit the pavement for 10. Longest road run, not related to a race, that I've done in over a year.

It's beyond me how these guys do 40, 50, + road miles a week. It beats the hell out of your body.

Saturday.
Off-not really but swamped with work.

Friday
Off-not really but swamped with work.

Thursday.
Off-not really but swamped with work.

Wednesday.
Waked / ran 3 during lunch, did some light weights. Ran 11 at night.

Tuesday.
Off

Monday
17 miles, pulled back 25 secs / mile. First 10 easy, last 7 tough. Losing weight, but still feeling extra 8-10 that I'm carrying.

Weekly Summary-11 Weeks to Seattle

Put in a decent 50 this week. Weight starting to drop some, but still 8 lbs over optimal. Three and half weeks to Beach To Bay, will drop another 5 even if I have to starve myself.

Sunday.
Wanted to do 5 to burn calories. Long day and couldn't hit it until at least 10. Had a Jack and soda instead and called it a week.

Saturday.
4 in AM. 10 at night, slow. 93% humidity, power felt good but still no fun to run in those conditions.

Friday
Walked 3 after work; did light weights.

Thursday.
Easy 7, held back 15 sec / mile.

Wednesday.
16 miles, pulled pace back 15 secs / mile, still hot.

Tuesday.
Light weights and core work during lunch. Walked a couple.

Jogged a couple at night.

Monday
Walk jogged 4 during lunch. Easy 8 at night.

Self-Flagellation

I've often said that I can't run in the heat and humidity.  It is more accurate to say that I can't run fast. 

 

If I tried to run 7:00 min / miles in 80 degrees / 90% humidity, I'd be wiped out on the ground after 8 miles.  If I pulled back to 7:30, I could do 15-18.  At 8:00, full marathon no problem.  But racing is one thing, training is another.

 

Last year I had to pull back all my summer training by 15 sec / mile just to log my scheduled distance.  I did it, but was miserable still.  Yet in early October when I ran the Harbor Half marathon, I posted a solid 1:32, and that was going over the 130 foot harbor bridge not once, but twice.

 

The point, ".. when you're telling these little stories? Here's a good idea - have a POINT. It makes it SO much more interesting for the listener," is that I can probably slow down my summer training by 30 secs / mile, make it much less torturous, and yet still probably not effect my overall marathon time by more than 2-3 minutes.

 

No brainier.

Discovering my feminine side

A few runners espouse the benefits of a strong core (midsection) in marathoning. I've also read about it quite a bit. In the past, I've tried some of the recommended routines (crushes, back arches, side twists). I found them beneficial, but simply I lack the self-discipline to do them consistently. So I was enthusiastic to see that my local gym offered a 25 minute "core" class every other day.

The class gathered, literally 10 women and me. The instructor welcomed us, "Morning ladies," then a slight pause, "..and guy. We usually get one token guy." She then instructed us to grab our balls. Being mostly women, I assumed her meaning was different than the typical man's instinctive interpretation. One by one, the ladies approached the nearby closet and retrieved a large soft pink bouncy ball. Had I been anywhere near the exit, I would have inconspicuously moon-walked backwards and out the door. But I was cornered; accordingly, I tried to traverse across the "studio" floor as manly as possible. For a brief moment it occurred to me to place my index-finger across my nose, and blow out a wad of snot as definitive proof that I wasn't gay!

It was embarrassing enough, but I just prayed that one of the weight-lifting type of fellows wouldn't walk by and notice; certainly I would be later ostracized from the locker room acknowledgments like, "What's up" and "Hey." The insecurity was one thing, but now I was sure that it would be a complete waste of time.

I assumed that the class would be hundreds of hardcore crunches and hanging leg curls. I mean, how much core workout can you get from a bouncy ball? Turns out quite a bit. After 15 minutes I was continually glancing at the clock, "When is this going to end?" Not only did the individual exercises produce the "burn", but the wide variety really hit all aspects of the core: upper abs, lower abs, obliques, lower back.

So, I guess that I will sacrifice my tough guy he-man persona if it helps me get closer to a sub 3:00 marathon.

Weekly Summary-12 Weeks to Seattle

Sunday.
13 miler. Pulled back 12 secs / mile to handle heat. Humidity sucks.

Saturday.
Ran 5k with Juliet in the morning.

Friday
Walked three during lunch, with some light weight work. Easy 6 at night.

Thursday.
Thought about 13, 3 miler was enough. Inflamation in back and right hip.

Wednesday.
70 degrees with 90% humidity. 9 miler felt like 20.

Tuesday.
8 miles at easy pace. Walked a couple more.

Monday
Walked four during lunch, with light weight lifting.