i've lost that loving feeling

grinding...I tell you what, it took me over 7 miles until my legs felt decent. Tightness, stiffness, and the like plagued my legs for most of this run, as I was struggling to hit 830 miles (hilly). While I had slight relief Saturday from taking Friday off, the 19 miles set me back a little bit on the road to recovery. But that's fine, that's why I am out here grinding for just a little while longer, until the magnificent taper.

Miles: 8.11
Time: 1:04.29
Pace: 7:57

Garmin  -

running for time

When we approach our daily training, most of runners set out to accomplish so many miles, or whatever measurement of choice. But the goal is useually a distance. "I'm going to run 6 miles today", etc. With GPS watches so prevelant now a days, this is the case more than ever, I would surmise. Yet, I read somewhere recently that the body doesn't know distance, as much as it knows time. If you go to run, say, 6 miles, you could be across the board as far as how much time you are out there training - where your time could be really good (short, 36 mins) or really bad (long, 54 mins). And of course completing the goal of distance can give you an aray of time on the feet, and overall, exercise.

So what I was reading was that in normal training runs, it's better, says the author, to run for time. If you go out to say, run for 40 mins, your differentiation will be in distance, where you could have had a fast run (7 miles, quicker pace) or a slower run (say, 5 miles, slower pace). But despite the difference in distance, your body is out there working up to run for certain periods of time, and getting used to being on the feet longer, and becoming more efficient in giving the body oxygen, and working the cardio/pulmenary system for longer periods of time. I think you get the idea.

But he was saying that aligning our training based on time, where the body can get used to being on the feet and running that period of time, and where we can up the time, rather than up the distance...well he was saying that the body is more in-tune in this fashion, and will eliminate some of the vagaries of our upward trending endurance.

It was an interesting perspective, none-the-less. Something I think I might try and implement. It will be easier for me since I don't have a GPS watch, and therefore am not slave to looking down and feeling as if I have to hit certain round numbers of distance.

Anycase, as I ran for 35 mins yesterday on an out and back, I decided to hit my normal neighborhood 4 mile loop, and tack on until I hit 40 mins. I hit one mile in 745, and pretty much stayed right at that pace for the rest of the run. Legs were a little tired, but I could tell my body actually began to feel like it was getting looser and recovered as I clicked off the last 10 mins of the run.

Time: 40 mins
Miles: 5+
Pace: 745ish

Recovery run

Time: 42.11
Miles: 5.5
Pace: 7.33

Legs felt alright. Splits: 7.49, 7.29, 11.30 (1.5), 7.30, 7.15

Went out down towards Seneca and Park through Madison Park, and down around the west side of Montford Drive for a little bit, and then back the same way.

another recovery run

so...what's this business about the legs taking a week to recover from races, and then feeling good for a day to get through a semi-quick long run, and then feeling poor again the very next day? I guess that's called running, and training. Despite the difficulty it lends, I stayed deligent and put in 5.5 miles of easy recovery running. I was just happy my overall pace was a few ticks under 8 min pace. Either taking tomorrow off, or something easy and short again. I'm leaning towards the latter as this weekend looks like my running may be shot (guys beach golf trip!).

Here is the garmin link, via running buddy David Brinkley.

still getting the trash outta my legs

another one of those slow plodding runs. Went out 3 miles and turned around. Weather
was real warm, and I listened to my body and kept the pace easy.

Miles: 6
Time: 47:46
pace: 7.58

first run back

Happy New Year to all! After 21 days of absolutely no running or exercise (since Thunder Road Marathon Dec. 11th) I found myself restless after the final Panthers loss of the season to the Falcons. With unseasonably warm temperatures outside, I was finally pulled to undertake my first run of 2011. Comfortable in shorts, and t-shirt, I ran from home and did the 4 mile Montclair loop. When you combine nice temperatures with the second day of people keeping to their resolutions, the neighborhood streets were full of people out on walks, jogs, and bike rides. Being in that company was nice, and so was just getting out and moving again. My body felt pretty tight, like a stiff jointed old tin man who was in desperate need of some oil. Aerobically I felt pretty good considering the lay off, and after clicking off my first mile in 8:13, I felt a LITTLE bit more comfortable. 4 miles was just right though, and hopefully I can continue from here and look at the local race calendar and pick something relatively soon that will give me some focus.

Miles: 4
Time: 32:57
Pace: 8:14

the mighty Misses Sip

Miles: 9.5
time: 1:14:04
pace: 7:48

The rolling hills of the vicksburg national millitary park, located against the north west banks of the mississippi river,
served as a nice get away for a run, espially in the 70 degree weather. It was paved but it was intended for light traffic, and mostly bikers and runners. The natural landscape is just sprinkled with statues and monuments of Confederate war hero's and commanders as well as union cannon's and stone carvings.










talked to a guy in the parking lot and he told me of 2 loops I could do that would give me 5.5 miles - a 2.5 mile loop and a 3 mile loop. I followed his finger to the 2.5 mile course first and then when I came around believed that I was going into the 3 mile "loop". I must have missed my turn - I kept getting farther away from the car and it was getting dark. So when I passed 2 women walking their dogs we discoved the shortest way home was to go the way I came. So ended up with a nice moderatly long run.

Felt pretty good and was very occupied by the sights so it was kind of up and down on the tempo - but I didn't feel bad.