uphill climb

65 miles? Just for the heck of it? Wow!

Nice ride, John -and I'm still the one with the pedestrian pace - not you.

Schuey wrote:Sweet ride today John! You have to love the fact that you are now doing things today with less effort then when you started. With everything I have been through I'm now reminded why I loved partaking in sports when I was younger and why I decided to leave my demon years behind because how great it feels to be fit and to continue to gain fitness. There is no other better feeling, well maybe to still see Jerry playing is guitar any day of the week. Oh lets not forget the wonderful women in our lives!

Thanks for the reminder about the importance of my wife in all of this. She works full time and goes to school while being a mom and supporting me. She is awesome! It is pretty fun to see changes in fitness - I know some of them are physical, but I also think a lot of them are mental...

Julie wrote:Nice ride! I can't imagine getting on a bike or anything after a 22 mile run. I barely want to get my shoes off and sit down after a 20 miler! You definitely have ambition!

Just over 2 months till Augusta, then and you are counting down the days already! You'll do great.

Thanks Julie - I don't think I would be worth much on a bike either after a long run - the triathlons are bike first and then run so I try to train that way mostly. And yeah - I'm excited about Augusta and I don't even need to be "great" - I will feel great if I can finish the damn thing!!!

Natalie Wolf wrote:65 miles? Just for the heck of it? Wow!

Thanks - but I can't make a cake worth a damn

Michele "1L" Keane wrote:Nice ride, John -and I'm still the one with the pedestrian pace - not you.

Thanks - after looking at the racing picture on your blog, remind me never to make you mad

For today: ran 15 miles in 2:00:39. Felt good and could of done more, but decided 15 was enough for today. Kicked it a little at the end just as an exclamation point for the week. Sometimes it feels good to air it out a little!

mile	pace	Heart Rate
1	8:15	123
2	8:18	126
3	8:18	130
4	8:14	132
5	8:09	135
6	8:20	131
7	8:15	132
8	8:09	137
9	8:04	136
10	7:54	138
11	7:52	141
12	8:52 (included a duck in the woods potty break)	137
13	7:41	148
14	7:12	161
15	7:02	169

Nice job on the 15 your training is quite amazing.

No worries, John - I'm only 5'4" and 123 lbs - nothing too scary.

Thanks Ken. Today was an important day, but not because of anything to do with running. Got some great health news with my mother that makes my day - she is undergoing cancer treatment and had a setback, but to make a long story short, by total accident her Doctor was able to discover a blood clot in her leg before any damage is done. Her original setback is being treated (side effect of chemo) and she is doing MUCH better. Whew....

Now to the much less important stuff...
My wife has to work 2nd shift this week, so I will not be able to cycle outdoors, but I started off today with an 80 minute self-inflicted spin session at the gym, doing 4x10 minute threshold intervals with 2 minute cool downs between. During intervals, I tried to keep my heart rate between 140-150, which feels really high when spinning/cycling although not so high when running (never did understand why the difference in HR between the two when effort seems even harder sometimes on the bike). Was probably equivalent to a 28 mile ride. Spinning in a semi-lighted quiet room looking out windows before the sun comes up is basically mind-torture for me - I honestly wanted to quit after about 10 minutes and definitely after the first interval, but the bike is not going to ride itself come race day...

Sometimes it seems like I churn out laps in a pool without ever seeing any real progress. This afternoon I got to see an improvement - finally. Swam 2500 yds in 41:29. Avg. pace was 1:39/100 yds. I normally swim about 1:45 or so, so I am VERY happy to see a few seconds shaved off . I also didn't bleed as much time as the swim went either - something I tried to focus on. There was a guy in the pool swimming at about my pace and I didn't want him to pass me - think it was a good motivator. Have to remember that...


On a side note (I don't know if I'm talking to myself now or not - scary thought...), almost everyone here is driving me NUTS. You all are rocking running workouts getting ready for huge awesome races and it's making me want to crawl out of my skin. I really enjoy the triathlon stuff, but I really LOVE running. I can't wait to get back to marathon training. I feel as if there are big things ahead - maybe not, but it sure is fun to think about...

All of this recovery crap is driving me nuts too - I don't want to recover, I want to run fast . I know, I know, I am listening to everyone and have been taking it seriously - much more seriously lately. As Randy says, we need to be mindful of recovery. Doesn't mean I have to like it.

The ramblings of a nutjob? Probably....

Gotta love stuff like this - can relate to much of it...

Glad things are well with your mom!

Those were some good ramblings. Randy is right be mindful of your recovery. Matter of fact be mindful to everything you think speak and act about.

I agree you don't have to like it you just have to accept it. There is a difference now in order to like something you have to really understand it's purpose on how it serves you better to be who you want to be. Otherwise you will continue to resist it and what resists persists. So set aside your "need" to race and when the opportunity comes you can easily bring it back.

Meanwhile your training is amazing whether racing or not.

Glad to hear about your Mom, John. A good friend just lost here Mom - so I'm glad this is going the other way.

I know that recovering stinks, but don't do what I used to do and run every workout too fast - you know that is not the purpose.

John, after going through your blog, I can see how dedicated you are to your trainng and your goals. Can't help but think this is going to pay huge dividends to you in the not too distant future. Keep up the good work!

Glad your mom caught a break. Sometimes it's better to be lucky than good. It cannot be easy to go through what she has had to face.

John, you are very motivated to become a better athlete. If you want to reach high levels of athletic performance you REALLY NEED TO LEARN TO LOVE RECOVERY.

Recovery is just as important to your training as the various workouts you do. Without appropriate recovery I guarantee you that you will NOT become as good as you could have become.

The best runners, triathletes, etc., all are excellent at recovering. It's the one component of training that allows your body to become stronger. Your muscles, etc., get stronger when they rest not when they are being torn down constantly. So, try to think of recovery as a very important component, maybe the most important component to your training and overall development as an athlete.

I love when I am nearing a race and take two days off and just feel the strength building in my legs. Going up stairs feels like floating and I feel so light. That is a great feeling.

Thanks Kenny, Michelle, Jon, and Randy for dropping by. I guess it is a protest against my body's need to recovery - but I am learning to listen to what it is telling me better. It is not all mind over body. I'm learning that there is a time and a place to push through pain and fatigue and there is a time to use it to back down to build up. Probably take years to get a good feel for when to do both...

Randy, Michele, Mike Mac, Schuey, Kenny, Mark, etc. - you've all made a huge impression on me and I am trying to ride the line between too much and not enough.

Randy E wrote:Without appropriate recovery I guarantee you that you will NOT become as good as you could have become.

Another good piece of advice Randy - I will file this one away...


For today:
Hit the spin bike this morning for 60 minutes. 20 minutes warm up (HR ~130) and then 4 intervals with standing on the pedals and spinning pretty hard for 5 minutes (HR ~150) and then sitting for 5 minutes (HR ~140). Avg HR was 143 for the hour. Pretty taxing...

Lunch - ran 6.15 miles in 46:28 - avg HR 154, avg pace 7:32. Walked a little and drank some between miles 5-6. Splits as followed...

Distance	Pace	HR
1.0	7:30	132
1.0	6:54	155
1.0	7:13	156
1.0	7:25	159
1.0	7:13	166
1.0	9:04	140
0.15	7:38	162

I'm glad your mom has had some great health news! That is more important than a good run any day of course...

I will kind of add to what others have already said, but some of my best marathons have been after I had a cold a few weeks before and took a few days off for that, and at the same time gave my muscles and body a break. My very best recovery after a marathon was when I had a horrible stomach flu like illness and had no energy to run until a week after. Wow, giving your body a week off after a marathon really is good (or was for me that time, but that's the only time I've done it). So rest is good and muscles need to heal. There is a place for being tough and pushing yourself, I do it pretty often but pushing through some pain sometimes just aggravates it.

You already know all that, though, and I don't find your pace/mile slow at all. You are doing a good job training. When I get down on myself for being slower than I'd like I just think of how I didn't run at all 7 yrs ago and was not healthy or in shape by any means. I was also really depressed and I am sure wasn't planning out what marathon I was going to run next or even had hopes of walking a 10K. So I try to be thankful for where I am now and the relatively good fitness I have gained in the years of running I've had.

Sorry for the novel.

More good training coming out of you, especially that recent indoor bike and swim.

It looks like you're learning to listen to your body for signs of fatigue as concentrating more on recovery, as well. There will be a time when doing a quick 40 minute run will be considered "recovery," but be patient while you wait for it.

Good to hear your mom has gotten some good news! Mine just had a health scare with a staph infection so I can absolutely empathize.

And don't feel bad about struggling with the recovery thing. It took me a while to submit to the idea that running slower would actually enable you to get faster sooner. You definitely can't nail those hard workouts to the best of your ability if you keep pushing all the time. Dave-O's signature line says it about as well as it can be put.

John, I'm so glad to read the news with your mom. I hope everything else continues to go well with her health.

As for recovery, I've been thinking about it a lot over the past couple of days as I've started a new training cycle. Not only am I going to try to make recovery runs real recovery runs (something I've not done previously), but I'm also going to really try to drop the pace on my easy runs. For me, the goal for this cycle will be to build mileage without constantly breaking down, which as you know, has been a real challenge. I'm probably looking at one speedwork session each week. Other than MP runs which will come later in the cycle, I'm planning on a lot of miles being slower than they have been, with, as I said above, real recovery pace runs. I'll be interested to see how you do with yours.

Looks like you had a great workout yesterday!! And I will mirror what the others have said about recovery. It's definitely a hard thing to master.

Julie wrote:I'm glad your mom has had some great health news! That is more important than a good run any day of course...

I will kind of add to what others have already said, but some of my best marathons have been after I had a cold a few weeks before and took a few days off for that, and at the same time gave my muscles and body a break. My very best recovery after a marathon was when I had a horrible stomach flu like illness and had no energy to run until a week after. Wow, giving your body a week off after a marathon really is good (or was for me that time, but that's the only time I've done it). So rest is good and muscles need to heal. There is a place for being tough and pushing yourself, I do it pretty often but pushing through some pain sometimes just aggravates it.

You already know all that, though, and I don't find your pace/mile slow at all. You are doing a good job training. When I get down on myself for being slower than I'd like I just think of how I didn't run at all 7 yrs ago and was not healthy or in shape by any means. I was also really depressed and I am sure wasn't planning out what marathon I was going to run next or even had hopes of walking a 10K. So I try to be thankful for where I am now and the relatively good fitness I have gained in the years of running I've had.

Sorry for the novel.

Thanks Julie - I learn a lot from people like yourselves. I forget sometimes how far I have come in 19 1/2 months - I was like you were 7 yrs ago. I am trying to be mindful of rest and I guess will learn a lot as I go.

Mike MacLellan wrote:More good training coming out of you, especially that recent indoor bike and swim.

It looks like you're learning to listen to your body for signs of fatigue as concentrating more on recovery, as well. There will be a time when doing a quick 40 minute run will be considered "recovery," but be patient while you wait for it.

Thanks Mike - You are a great inspiration for me after your story of where you started vs. where you are now - I always appreciate the insights...

mul21 wrote:Good to hear your mom has gotten some good news! Mine just had a health scare with a staph infection so I can absolutely empathize.

And don't feel bad about struggling with the recovery thing. It took me a while to submit to the idea that running slower would actually enable you to get faster sooner. You definitely can't nail those hard workouts to the best of your ability if you keep pushing all the time. Dave-O's signature line says it about as well as it can be put.

Thanks - Mom is doing great - hopefully yours is too? That is probably exactly what I needed to hear that you struggled with it too.

Seth Harrison wrote:John, I'm so glad to read the news with your mom. I hope everything else continues to go well with her health.

As for recovery, I've been thinking about it a lot over the past couple of days as I've started a new training cycle. Not only am I going to try to make recovery runs real recovery runs (something I've not done previously), but I'm also going to really try to drop the pace on my easy runs. For me, the goal for this cycle will be to build mileage without constantly breaking down, which as you know, has been a real challenge. I'm probably looking at one speedwork session each week. Other than MP runs which will come later in the cycle, I'm planning on a lot of miles being slower than they have been, with, as I said above, real recovery pace runs. I'll be interested to see how you do with yours.

I'm glad to hear it Seth - I appreciate how hard you work and I would love to see you stay through a training cycle sans injury! I have done a couple of recovery runs recently and now am somewhat following the pace guidelines set on McMillans webpage. Running in the heat slows everything down a bit, but the effort is still there.


For today - two runs in the heat, one at noon and one at 5 PM. I don't even know how hot it was, I quit paying attention. It was hot - not quite Chicago hot I don't think though!!!

noon run 5.5 miles at 7:19 pace, HR 148

miles	pace	HR
1	7:22	131
1	7:19	143
1	7:22	145
1	7:20	153
1	7:14	161
.49	7:10	163

5pm run 4.6 miles at 7:22 pace, HR 158

miles	pace	HR
1	7:30	161
2	7:27	150
3	7:15	155
4	7:17	160
.62	7:18	165

Very nice running and biking! I'm sorry your Mom has to go through something so terrible and to have other things happen like blood clots is very frustrating.

Keep up the great work and the great support you give your Mom.

nice running! Yeah please remind yourself it's been less than 2 years and you're already doing 7-something pace runs. You obviously have some talent (coupled with hard work, of course) to pick up that much speed that fast. Hang in there with this heat and drink up your water!

Wed run noon time i see rise in HR certainly hot weather can do that. But pm run looks steady which is a good sigh the noon run did not kill you. You have shown so amazing improvement as julie said you have some hidden talent that you are tapping into just recover well so you see it to its max.

Nice double day running, especially in the heat. The paces look great and the heart rates are not too far our of contol considering the circumstances.

Thanks Chas, Julie, Kenny, and Nick.

One of cool things with my job is diving during the summer to monitor striped bass populations. Long story short, they are a coolwater fish living in the south - they need relatively cold water to live and the only place they can find it in our system is by underwater springs. We know where most of the springs are and dive them during the summer months to monitor the fish populations. This is an image we took Thursday when diving -

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It is neat having fish as big as 50 pounds inches from you at times. Following Thursday's diving I was tired - I don't know why diving always does that to me, but it zaps my energy pretty good.
For Thursday, I had planned a double workout, but only did a swim - 2,112 yds (1.2 miles) in 37:14 - back to my usual pace of 1:45/100 yds...

Friday: Did what felt like a recovery run - 5.3 miles in 41:53 (7:54 pace). When it is hot out (as it basically always is), I really notice the HR spiking... Avg was 137 when, at that pace, it should of been a lot lower. Oh well - the heat is not going anywhere!

Saturday: Went cycling and probably had my worst ride ever. Planned on doing a 75 mile ride, but ended up cutting it short at only about 48 miles - HR was spiking way above normal to just hold a very modest speed and I was just sweating buckets - totally unable to hold any speed whatsoever, even going down hills. When I got home, I noticed my front tire was almost completely flat. No wonder - I'm such an idiot...
48.4 miles, 2:31:01, 19.2 mph, Avg HR 145 (really really high for that kind of speed - maybe not so bad for a flat tire). Now I felt a little better and I can maybe get away with chalking it up to a hard workout...

Sunday: Forgot my HR monitor, but ran 15.1 miles in 2:06:00. Avg pace was 8:21.
I usually always eat breakfast before a long run, but decided to try it without any or without eating Gus or anything during the run. I did have some gatorade and my wife dropped off some water for me along my route - she was a lifesaver as I was sweating buckets again. I don't know if it was in my mind or not, but I definitely felt like I was running on fumes by the end of the run.

All and all a good week. Might go riding this afternoon, but this A/C is feeling really good and I think higher priority is a nap!!!!!!

Smart move cutting the bike short after monitoring yourself. No need to wipe yourself out maybe for a few days if you kept at it. Big picture. Nice 15M. I like doing the long runs without taking gels or anything because I really believe it helps with burning efficiency. If I'm going to throw in a lot of pace miles then I'll end up needing something, but on the standard LSD I don't. But the electrolites are still important though.

I agree with you about spinning... mind numbing.

nice long run!

Cool fish photo. The Henry Dorley Zoo in Omaha has a really cool aquarium that people can walk through and it's like walking through a tunnel in the water because there are fish on top of you and to either side, just glass between you of course. Kind of poor description but it's really cool. Not the same as what you get to do but the closest thing I've ever been through. My little girl really loved it when we took her this spring.