Running The Race

I was determined to swim at lunch today. Since I am on the waiting list for the GJCC Tri on Memorial Day, I’ve got to spend some time in the pool.

Did 5 x 100m repeats. I did better that I expected but by the last repeat, I felt my form, if you can call it that, was slipping. At least it was a start.

Ran 5 miles this afternoon when I got home from work. Really didn’t try an push the pace so I was a little surprised at my time.

Training for the week
Sun: Rest
Mon: 5 miles – 43:16, 8:34, 500m swim

We had storms over night Friday. The really bad weather was to the northwest of us in the Clarksville area.

I was scheduled to only run 5 miles so I didn’t get up early. When I rolled out of bed a little after 6 am and checked the radar, the rain was moving out of the area. My weather station had recorded 1.18 inches of rain since midnight.

I finally headed out the door around 7 and told Gayle I was going to run between 5 and 8 miles.

When I got to the turn-around-point for 5 miles, I kept going. I felt like I was just getting warmed up. When I got to the tunnel under Wilson Pike, it was flooded. Normally, I would run through the water but I just didn’t feel like running in wet socks and shoes. Besides, this was a “recovery run”. So I turned around and headed home. The total was 6 miles.

I tried to register for several races yesterday, Moon Pie, Half Middle, and St. Jude’s. During the check out process, active.com hung and then my browser crashed. It appears that nothing went through. Of course, Active’s Customer Service department is closed on Saturday. So, I’ll call them Monday before I try and register again. Sure don’t want to be dinged for signing up twice.

Our county had a “household waste” recycle day Saturday. So I took several old computers and lawn mower batteries. Seeing all the old hardware was geek’s dream.

Spent the rest of the day replacing shrubs that didn’t make it through last summer’s drought and then taking Laura Anne to the Frist Center to complete an Art assignment.

Training for the week
Sun: Rest/Walked 2 miles
Mon: Rest
Tues: 4 miles – 36:47, 9:10 pace
Wed: Rest/Swam @ Y during lunch
Thur: 4 miles – 35:50, 8:55 pace
Fri: Rest
Sat: 6 miles – 57:45, pace 9:36

Total for the week: 16 miles

I have rested more than I have run this week so it felt good to get out and run this afternoon. The temperature was in the mid-70s but the wind was gusting up to 17 mph. It was great when the wind was at your back.

Ran a comfortable pace. Again, it felt good to stretch my legs.

Training for the week
Sun: Rest/Walked 2 miles
Mon: Rest
Tues: 4 miles – 36:47, 9:10 pace
Wed: Rest/Swam @ Y during lunch
Thur: 4 miles – 35:50, 8:55 pace

After two days of rest, the soreness was gone and so I headed out this afternoon for an easy 4 miles. It felt good to stretch my legs.

Training for the week
Sun: Rest/Walked 2 miles
Mon: Rest
Tues: 4 miles – 36:47, 9:10 pace

Staying dry

On the bus

Amy and I had lunch yesterday and then went to the Expo to pick up our Packets for the Country Music Marathon on Saturday. Amy is doing the half.

Storms are forecast to move in tonight. Hope the rain has moved out by race time. The temperature should be in the 60s with the wind from the North. At least is will not be humid.

Amy is coming over after work to eat pasta and then spending the night. Hope to be on the bus at LP Field by 5 am.

Looking forward to running with Michele again. Good luck to Lana, Holly, Keith and James. With 30,000 plus running in the streets of Nashville, it is more like a parade rather than a race.

If you have seen the Love/Hate New Balance ads, that is how I feel about Race Week. I am excited about the race but hate the anxious feelings. Oh well, not really much I can do except chill.

It doesn’t look like it will be very chilly on race day. In fact, it appears that is may be another warm and humid race. I hope not

Ran 5 miles with 6 x 100m strides. It was 80 degrees. The one thing I don’t like about racing this time of year is that if it does turn out to be a warm race day, more than likely you haven’t had enough time to become acclimated to the heat.

That’s life.

Training for the week
Sun: 8 miles w/ Amy – 1:29:03, 10:50 pace
Mon: Rest
Tues: 5.15 miles w/ 6x100m Strides – 45:53, 8:54 pace

Finished out the week Saturday morning with an 10 mile run. I started out not pushing the pace but wanted to get close to MP for the run. Therefore, my target for was 1:31:32. Even with three water breaks and a pit stop, if finished in 1:31:41…close enough.

Now it is just a matter of waiting out race week. At this point the forecast is overnight lows in the mid-50s and the high for Saturday in the low 70s with a 30 percent chance of showers and storms. At least the forecast gives me something to obsess about this week.

Training for the week
Sun: 10 miles w/ Amy – 1:51:07, 11:06 pace
Mon: Rest
Tues: 8 miles – 1:10:50, 8:51 pace
Wed: Rest
Thur: 5.15 miles w/ 6x100m Strides – 45:37, 8:51 pace
Fri: Rest
Sat: 10 miles – 1:31:41, pace 9:10

Total for the week: 33.15 miles

In a post The Elements of Marathon Style V, blogger Lance Martin defines the word Taper. My favorite part is his definition is what he terms as the final phase…

The final phase of the taper, which often occurs on race morning in the race chute, is called the “good faith estimate.” This is when the runner, despite all evidence to the contrary, decides that he can run the marathon 15 minutes faster than his training would indicate.

How true, how true.

Training for the week
Sun: 10 miles w/ Amy – 1:51:07, 11:06 pace
Mon: Rest
Tues: 8 miles – 1:10:50, 8:51 pace
Wed: Rest
Thur: 5.15 miles w/ 6x100m Strides – 45:37, 8:51 pace
Fri: Rest