twin peaks

Flying in to Charlotte-Douglas, I was looking out the window at Crowders MTN, thinking it would be cool to go try and run up it. Well, with some unusal free time, I went straight from the airport to the gas station, got a gatorade (frost blue) and a power bar (chocolate peanut butter), and then drove to Crowders MTN state park.

The last time I was there was about 2 or 3 years ago, so once I started making my way, I wasn't exactly sure which way to go (right or left) once you go about a .1 mile into the trail. I chose right (the path to the top of Crowders), and soon realized that this was a way I didn't remember. About .8 of a mile into the trail, I came to a road, and saw a sign for the RockTop trail which would lead me to the top. As I started up that trail, it became very rocky and steep and I was soon walking. I would run as much as I could and walk when I had to, but I made it to the top in about 25 mins. My Iphone showed it was just over 2 miles up. I think I rose in elevation about 660 feet. (900 ft to 1560 ft). Made it down in 22.09.

Map:
Part 1 - 3/4's of the way up: http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/39434864 7% grade, 12.58 ppm
Part 2 - last bit up: http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/39435658 8% grade, 12.14 ppm
Part 3 - Descent: http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/39438500 10.34 ppm

Well since that wasn't what I was looking for, I decided while running down, I would stop by the car get some gatorade, and do the other climb - where I go left at the beginning. Also since I had only done 4+ miles I felt I could do it.

The rest helped my legs come back a little bit, and I set off again. This was the trail I remembered, and knew it wasn't as rocky, although just as long and high. 2+ miles to the top, and actually this peak (Kings Pinnacle) is 80 feet higher than crowders. I made it up just under 21 mins (20.53 by my watch). It wasn't as hard, but I did have to walk after about 15.45 into the run, and alternate until I got to the summit. Rise of (650+ ft). I made it back down in 19 flat.

Ascent: http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/39442210 11.27 ppm 6.8% grade
Descent: http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/39446876 9.42 ppm

Miles: 8+
Time: 80+ mins
Elevation Gain: 1200+ ft.

As I write this Friday morning, my legs haven't felt this sore since Thunder Road Marathon. What a great day of something new for a run! I encourage everyone to try this, walking or running.

lightning crashes

840 pm, sunset, I hit the door. First off, I picked up dinner and went to the park with wifey and babe for an outdoor picnic. luckily there was shelter - that was round 1 of the rain. It stopped, and I was happy it had cooled off. Around 8pm as I was getting ready to go run, it started up again....heavy. lightning, thunder, the whole shebang. Anyway, just after 830 it ceased enough for me to get out there and get my run in. It rained the whole time, but it felt good, and wasn't coming down crazily at all. The lower temperature naturally made it easier and more comfortable, and the water felt amazing. my shoes got heavy the last mile but i still logged a good clip.

im trying to keep the pace low so it doesn't feel fast, and so my body adapts. i think i'm heading in the right direction.

miles: 4
time: 27.33
pace: 6.54

another long full day

similar to Sunday...and this doesn't happen ever on Monday's...but for "work" all I had to do was get up to Boone, get with an Agent, and go play golf up in the Mtns. After 6 hours of sleep last night (11pm-530am), I drove the 2+ hrs up the mountain, tee'd off just after 9am, played 18 holes, had lunch, and drove home. Was back around 5pm. Decided it was too hot to run so I was going to wait...till after dinner. Katie cooked tortilini and made salad. Had a light portion, then after an hour or so and some yard work, decided I would knock out my run around 8pm. My legs started off feeling sluggish from the start, but after a mile I was starting to warm up. I just went off random turns around the neighborhoods, not knowing my splits or pace, and just wanted to run for 40+ mins. I was kinda rolling the last couple of miles I must say.

Nice to be able to keep getting after it. I know that my mileage has dropped, but my quality of runs (pace) has improved, and im feeling more fit.

Time: 43.22
Miles: 6.07
Pace: 7.08

at least i got in a few

Sunday....sleep in (avery was up unusally long during the middle of the night from 230-5 off and on), then 18 holes of golf from 12-430, then sister in law's birthday dinner at Beef and Bottle. I also had a glass of wine. So we end up home at 745 and I chill around the house for a bit thinking about how the day was wasted without my run, and then just go out and knock 4+ miles out. Considering the long day I was a little tight/tired/full but managed to feel okay and keep a decent pace.

Miles: 4.2
Time: 31.03
pace: 7.24

music power

miles: 4.15
pace: 7.02
time: 29.15

about 3 miles in i started to catch my runner's high. this one was notcieable. it was amplified by some sweet dave matthews band tunes. two step, from live in boston at fenway - circa 2007, provided the last mile charge to lower the pace. I was flying here and it felt good. legs were just so so in the beginning, but like i said, i was starting to feel great towards the end once i got loose.

texas+heat+track

from my hampton inn off the highway, I chose to run south and catch the next road that would take me somewhere away from the busy freeway I was near for the first .75miles of the run. I turned east, and about a mile and a half in, i saw a school. I turned in and found some athletic fields and started to look for a track, when i then saw the football goalposts. aha! I made my way onto the track, and once I stepped on I noticed i was almost 2 miles into the run, so i did a lap then paused my iphone once i was at 2 miles. after a 10 second rest, where i looked at my split and noticed i averaged 6.45 pace for those miles, i decided to get on with the run and do something quick on the track....i went out and clicked off a mile - thinking that would be it, in 6.15, and decided on that 4th lap that I would rather try and hold that for another mile than rest and start up for another interval. I was able to stay focused and clicked another 6.15. i paused for 1 min to get some water, and then jogged back to the hotel. Since my first 4 miles were pretty quick, even though i was slower, overall my pace stayed pretty solid for the 6 miles.

MIles: 6
(2 at 645, 2 at 615, 2 slower)
time: 39:51
Pace: 6.39

nice 4 mile paced run

time: 28.32
pace: 7.08
miles: 4

another day in a row of running, and another day i was able to keep my pace down and not feel too beat up.

"long run" and week recap

Okay, so I ended up sleeping in since Avery was being a good daughter on Father's Day and decided to take a nap after her morning Bottle. Katie and I didn't hesitate to grab a few more hours of precious sleep. After getting up around 11, and eating a little something I hit the roads for just over 8 miles of running. I decided to do my old faithful huntingtown farms loop that i've done so much. I felt OKAY, but the second half of the run the sun came out and it got warm...and humid. My pace was pretty good, but the run took a toll as I was kind of tired.

Anyway, it's a good week back of running. 6 days. 30+ miles. Right direction after the last 3 weeks have gone, 9, 9, 18. (weekly mileage).

Miles ; 8.1
time; 59.20
pace: 7.19

Summer Breeze 5k

I remember when this race was called the BB&T Summer Breeze. It used to be run downtown. Also, back in highschool, I garnered awards for the two times I did it. Today would be a different result. Funny how it seems I work a lot harder, but am running pedestrian like times, compared to highschool. I knew my training was light the last few weeks (9 miles, 9 miles, 18 miles), and that being at a Phish concert the night before is never the best pre-race preparation, and that I had been running relatively quicker this week in an effort to drop my pace...so I didn't think anything reall fast was in the books. But I was hoping I would be where I should (Sub 18!?!) Anyway, after a warm up - I was lined up, and let my buddies take it out quick. I knew Mitchell wouldn't be reachable probably at all, and Jason and David shot out a little quicker than normal - so I let them go. I held on and was right where I wanted at mile 1. 6 mins. Just like last race, I was at 6.04 and then was able to drop my splits significantly. This time, I would feel like I was upping the pace slightly, but the clock indicated otherwise. The field was pretty packed, so that was nice to work off others, and I made a good move the second mile to not fall off, especially since I clicked off a 6.15 for that mile. The next and last mile was supposed to be fast, so I tried to open up, but just wasn't happening. When we got to the Lake at Freedom Park for the finish I sped up so, realizing guys were breathing down my back, and I didn't want to get totally passed by everyone. I was able to ride it out and finish strong. My time kind of sucked (19.09) but it wasn't the worst race ever.

Time: 19.09
Pace: 6.10
place: 35th
Results:

lunch shakeout

Squeezed in 2 miles during lunch. Leg's didn't feel bad from workout, just not as fresh as they have been.

Miles: 2
Time: 15.26
Pace: 7.42

mapmyrun and a nice pace

solo run tonight so no Garmin handy. When I finished I went back to Mapmyrun.com as I have done in the past, and discovered that they had changed their website around. I was prompted to register a username and password, and then after my mapping, I was asked to share the run. So I shared it to facebook. I didn't spend much time, but perhaps I can figure out how to link it or share it from mapmyrun onto this blog. That'd be nice. So I had some oatmeal for breakfast and mcdonalds for lunch, and the weather was cloudy and in the 80s so a little reprieve from the hot heat we have had. I wasnt'sure my pace, but my legs felt good and I decided to keep the pace at a nice level, hopefully, and it did feel like, it was sub 730....I would have to wait and seee until the last mile because I could register my pace from that and get a feel for how much effort I put forth. Last mile was 654 - and that didn't feel too much faster than my pace on the rest of the run. Anyway when I got done with the run, I mapped it out and low and behlod it was almost exactly 5 miles.

Miles: 5
time: 35.04
Pace: 7.00

track workout: Speed Ladder

warm up: 1.7 miles easy

Workout: 400m, 300m, 200m x 3. Minute rest between intervals, minute and a half between sets.
Splits: 1.21 (58), 1.01 (1.00), 37. (1.28) 116 (59), 1.01 (1.00) 36. (130) 119 (1.00), 1.02 (1.10), 32.

cool down: 1.3 miles easy

Met Jason and set off at 6:15am. I got 5 hours of sleep last night, but it went fine. Not too hard of a workout, which is okay since I'm racing Saturday. Just felt good to get the legs turning over. Also, wasn't bothered by this being my second run in 12 hours. No problems. Weather was good.

rep your street/road

for Charlotteans out there, or those who feel qualified to answer, what street or road in Charlotte represents the most time and memories. For me it's Sharon Amity, and even after it turns into Sharon Ln...(where it eventually dead ends into Sharon). I guess that means life takes a turn, and I have some comfort that the street change quarter stream still caries more or less the same name. Any rate, it's funny the life I have lived started at the beginning of Sharon Amity - up the North side. Off from my home, young friends living off the road, popular shopping mall off of it (Eastland), middle school friends and bike explorations, parents first place in town (apartment - 1983), basketball practice churches, fast food stops, road races, burials. I drove down that road tonight. Spurred up a lot of memories. In fact, I was on it because I was visiting one of the aforementioneed good friends from yesteryear. So good night, I have a track workout in 6 hours!

course preview for Summer Breeze

met up with David and we ran the course for this coming Saturday's 5k. Started slow and easy around 8 min pace, then brought it down to the mid 7's and ended on the low 7 side of things. Tacked on a couple extra after the course.

Miles: 5.22
Time: 39.08
Pace: 7.30

legs called for an easy pace

set out to run about 5 miles, and immediatly could tell my legs were kind of tired from the quicker runs the last few days. The pace was slow, so I honored it with some 8 min miles. Not much else to say.

Miles: 4.6
Time: 36.39
Pace: 8

And that was my last run for the week. Travel and lack of sleep kept me from doing a long run Sunday. 4 days this week of running, but not a real steller week. I guess it's alright. I'd like to hit about 25 miles this week, and it would be great if I could get an 8 miler in Sunday. I'm looking to do a speed workout on the track tomorrow morning.

post storm

thanks to the storm blowing through I was able to run in low 80s and steamy conditions rather than mid 90s and hot sun......Legs felt fine, I kinda pushed it in surges to because it felt good to open up.

Miles: 4
Time: 27.52
Pace: 6.58

Speedwork: 400s

Easy jog warm up from home out through the trails at Marion Diehl and onto the track.

Warmup: 10.03

Track Workout: 400m x 10 (rest): 1.23 (58) 1.22 (58) 1.18 (59) 1.19 (59) 1.21 (59) 1.20 (1.00) 1.20 (1.00) 1.22 (1.01) 1.20 (1.00) 1.15

Average: 1.20

Pace: 5.20

Cooldown: 10.21

Temperature: 90+

Miles: 5

Solid workout. Felt alright.

back at it...again!

Okay so in the last 2 weeks I have run 4 times (twice per week) with a total of 18 miles (4+5 and 4+5). Talk about a rest period. Since late Jan. I have been running approx 4 days a week on average with about 25 miles per week. So it's been a pretty good base. With the lack of running lately, I'm chalking it up to my mid season taper, so I can gear up and get some faster times in the second half of the races left on the schedule for the year. I'd like to start getting the mileage quicker on the run, and cut back just a tad too, with an increase on speed work. Instead of 6-8 miles I'd like to run 4-6 miles, but drop the pace. And instead of mile repeats or fartleks, I'd like to drop the interval and get some turnover. We'll see how it goes.

Anyrate, today's run felt awesome. It was in the 90's again, so another hot day, but my legs sure were fresh. My breathing felt good and relaxed too. I went out in just under mid 7 pace and dropped it under 7 almost the rest of the run. Just was able to power through with ease.

Miles: 5
Time: 35.25
Pace: 7.05

solid run with mitchell and david in the heat

set off for the trails around Marion Diehl where the pace was easy to start us off. I picked it up but was basically just going off fresh legs and trying to get the ridiculously hot run over with as soon as possible. nice to see some sub 7 min miles though in that weather none the less - check out the Garmin link for the run

Miles: 5
Pace: 7.25
Link: Garmin