Back to Burlington (I hope)

Alex Kubacki wrote:Impressive running that late, especially on a treadmill. I'm getting pyched for the Half.

I keep forgetting that the half is coming up! That's odd for me. I guess I'm so looking forward to the full in Burlington again, that I tend to forget about it. I really like running the half and this one ought to be nice, because it looks like it will be the flattest half I've ever run. Hope the weather is nice (I tend to curse races into bad weather by my presence!).

You've run Ironhorse before right? You think it's flatter than that? Have you run on the Farmington Trail before?

Alex Kubacki wrote:You've run Ironhorse before right? You think it's flatter than that? Have you run on the Farmington Trail before?

Yes, I've run Ironhorse - that's my pr in the half, from '09 (1:45:22). I do expect this one to be flatter. But I've never run any part of the course. I'm expecting the trail portion of the course to be really flat. I guess we'll see! I'm not entirely sure why I think that, but I expect at some point near when I signed up I checked out the elevation changes one way or another.

Treadmills sure do come in handy from time to time, huh?
Good job getting the runs squeezed in to a jam-packed week!

KathyK wrote:Treadmills sure do come in handy from time to time, huh?
Good job getting the runs squeezed in to a jam-packed week!

Thanks Kathy. While usually not my first choice, over the years I have learned to love the mill!
13.1 today @ 9:04 average pace, all-in.
Beautiful day here. I started at about 10:15 and it was in the 50s somewhere, bright and sunny. No leaves yet, so no shade whatsoever, and the sun climbing up there.
I should have paid more attention to hydration. It is my weakest link. I am very prone to dehydration, and it takes a toll on me. In the end, this run worked out fine, but it could have been tricky at the end.
I felt pretty good and didn't feel dehydrated prior to the start. I drank about a quarter liter of water (brought two half liter bottles to the start with me) right before I started, and headed out the first leg, 3.5 out and 3.5 back. As I was running the last couple of miles of that, I was feeling a little parched, but also had to pee. I took the need to pee as a good sign. When I got back to the car (so at just over 7.0), I took a quick leak and grabbed the full half liter bottle and headed out for the 3.05 out and 3.05 back. I figured I would be fine. It was still probably no warmer than 60.
I felt good. But as I approached about 9.0, I could tell this was going to be a dehydrated run at the end. I had taken in almost the whole half liter, and was feeling very dry. Sweat drying up, mouth dry. I didn't feel bad otherwise, which was good. I am pretty tuned into the dehydration symptoms. I should have turned back early, so I could also have the benefit of the half-full half liter I left at the car, but I kept going.
When I turned at 10.05, I was really dry. I kept the pace pretty steady, but when I got to 11.1, I figured I had nothing to prove, have already proven over and over again that dehydrated runs can end really badly, and that slowing down would help. It was probably now about 65, so the fact that it wasn't really hot really helped, I'm sure. I took it a bit easier the last couple of miles, and ended fine. It was nice to get that last slug of water at the car when I got back!
So, this season's first hydration reminder for me. A good lesson to learn as I head back into a peak week this coming week, and as I have a couple of races on the near horizon.
I sure hope it cools down Monday for the folks running Boston!!!

Shortest run in quite a while today - 6 miles is all I had scheduled for the short run of the weekend to end week 12. Felt funny to not go further.
Hot. Wouldn't feel that hot if it were the middle of the summer, I suppose, but despite the relatively warm winter and early spring, I am not at all acclimated. Getting well into the 70s by the time I started at noon. Clear sky at the time and lots of sun, with no shade anywhere. I hate the sun.
I did this three out, gradual downhill and three back, gradual uphill. On the out leg, I opened it up a little, with the fastest mile being 8:14. Felt good to sweat, after the dried out end of my run yesterday. After the turn, I knew I would slow down for the uphill, and did (just over 9:00 for a couple of miles). When I got to the final mile, I decided to speed up a little. When I got to 5.5, I saw that I was right at 48:00, so could break 52:00 if I ran the last half mile at under 8:00 pace. So I did that. Finished at an average pace of 8:39, and felt hot, but good.
One thing about this weekend - having run these miles a little faster (since the runs are so much shorter), it really caused me to doubt my ability to run a HM PR in two weeks. That would take 13.1 at 8:00 or better, and I just don't think I have that in me. Almost all my miles for months have been slow, aiming toward healthy legs and another marathon. But, we'll see how I feel when the gun goes off to start the half in two weeks. I figure I have nothing to lose but my pride by going for it. Of course, if we get a dose of that hot weather, fuggedaboutit...

Michael, I wouldn't worry about your Half goal. You've been running on tired legs now. If you take a couple of easy days heading into the Half you should be fine. Then you can let it go during the race.

Thanks Alex. I was thinking that during my runs this weekend, but when you're tired, it seems like you'll never have fresh legs again! I expect to go out at HM PR pace no matter how I feel, and just see what happens...

Michael Enright wrote:Thanks Alex. I was thinking that during my runs this weekend, but when you're tired, it seems like you'll never have fresh legs again! I expect to go out at HM PR pace no matter how I feel, and just see what happens...

That sound like a good plan. As you mentioned, you have nothing to lose but your pride.
The weather sure did heat up in a hurry this year. I hope that doesn't mean an extra hot summer!

KathyK wrote:

Michael Enright wrote:Thanks Alex. I was thinking that during my runs this weekend, but when you're tired, it seems like you'll never have fresh legs again! I expect to go out at HM PR pace no matter how I feel, and just see what happens...

That sound like a good plan. As you mentioned, you have nothing to lose but your pride.
The weather sure did heat up in a hurry this year. I hope that doesn't mean an extra hot summer!

I'm with you regarding the weather, Kathy. A little concerned that I'm running a marathon on Memorial Day weekend. If the trend continues, it'll be 125 degrees.

Nice 5 miler this morning. Normally in the spring, I can't train during the weekdays in the a.m., but this week the kids are out of school, and I actually have reasons to get started a little later than usual for work, so it's perfect (and the weather is cooperating). So, instead of jamming 20 miles midweek into two longer runs, I can break them down into 5/10/5, like Hal's Int. II would normally have. Ran it at a comfortable 9:05. Nice to run some hills for a change that are shorter and more intense. Saw four Canada geese, 5 turkey vultures (all gathered in a tree like in the cartoons) and one hawk.

Nice 10 miles this morning. Weather was a little chilly. Too bad they couldn't have run Boston today!!
I finally did something that I've figured I ought to do, but never have. That is, run more than one loop of the hilly route down my road. It's sort of daunting - I always take a left out of the driveway when I do this route, which takes me about 170 feet uphill over the course of the first mile. Then over the top, down the back side, turn around and come back up and down. Then a little loop out the other way. I never want to go back up the big hill after the first time.
But I wanted to do 10 miles this morning and the loop is only 5 miles. After that, it gets complicated, and with weekday traffic, the extensions onto the state highway get funky. So, wanting to do the 10, I just did the 5 twice. Not bad. Good news is that although I always take the uphill slow, I was pretty consistent on both loops. Splits and elevation chart below.
Felt pretty good!

Nice run Michael. Those hills should really help come Burlington.

Alex Kubacki wrote:Nice run Michael. Those hills should really help come Burlington.

Thanks Alex. Yup, I remember all too well that big hill at mile 15!
5 more miles on the same hilly route this morning, at 9:07 average. Nothing too different about that. Nice run.

Good job on tackling the big hill twice! Pat yourself on the back!

KathyK wrote:Good job on tackling the big hill twice! Pat yourself on the back!

Sometimes I pat myself on the back so hard, I get whiplash!
I did pat myself on the back a little this afternoon after the 22 miler.
I had been thinking about going extra long on this one all week, and it all seemed to be coming together to give it a shot. I had a good breakfast a couple of hours before, the weather was pretty good, and I had not conflicts. Yesterday, I was reading Alex's blog and he mentioned he was going to do a 22 mile "time on your feet" run. So I decided I'd go out real slow and do that as well.
Got started about 9:15. When I started, it was cloudy and chilly. But within about 2 miles, it got sunny and warm. Fortunately, not too warm, but still it was in the 70s and sunny for much of the run. Although the leaves are finally coming out, there aren't enough of them yet to throw any real shade. So, another reason to go slow.
I was well hydrated. I took my first pit stop just after the first mile and watered a tree. That was a good sign, as I was starting with a full tank.
I ran out 3.5 and back, so was back at the car at 7, and chugged down a 20 oz gatorade. Then I grabbed a gu and a bottle of water and headed out the other way, to go 4 miles out and 4 back. I took another wee wee break on the out leg, and ate the gu when I got just past 12.0. Drank the water as I went, and got it all in (half liter). I was back at the car at just over 15, and slugged down some more water, grabbed another half liter to go, along with a gu. Back up the hill to repeat the first out and back. Ate the gu at just past 17 miles. Finished off the water along the way. The last 3.0 are nicely downhill, and I had a hard time not speeding up a fair piece along that part of the route. Man, I was tired. Finished up, grabbed more water and stretched. I was pretty dehydrated, despite all the fluids I took in. The sun and warmth get to me easily. But it was ok.
So, I think that will be the longest run of this cycle. Next week is a stepback, so shorter, and the final "peak" week I expect to keep at 20 for the long run. But it was good to get this in. Took not quite 3:40, so a reminder of what it's like to run the race (though I've never run it quite that fast). Splits and elevation below. The longer splits are for my various pee/gu/car breaks.

Well done Michael on the 22M. See you in a week.

Thanks Alex. Looking forward to it. Last time I saw you, you were near collapse!
10 miles today. Rainy here, so on the mill. Took it easy. Uneventful, except I blew the breaker twice. Does that occasionally, but not recently. Maybe it's hard to get more than 16 years out of a treadmill?

Nice run, Michael!

Michele "1L" Keane wrote:Nice run, Michael!

Thanks Michele - it sure did tire me out!

That 22 miler is a serious run.

Dave Wolfe wrote:That 22 miler is a serious run.

Thanks Dave. It sure felt like a serious run!

Dave Wolfe wrote:That 22 miler is a serious run.

+1 Looking good Michael!

John Kilpatrick wrote:

Dave Wolfe wrote:That 22 miler is a serious run.

+1 Looking good Michael!

Thanks John!
8 miles tonight at the track. Man, was it windy! Straight out of the south. Could really feel it on the homestretch (or on the backstretch after I changed directions a couple of times).
Just loped along at 9:14 average. Felt pretty good. And as it gets darker later, I did most of it before it got all that dark, which was a nice bonus.

Another easy 8 miles at the track. I was feeling a little tired during the run, and figured it's because I've done 48 miles over the last 5 days. So, the three days I'm taking off before the race Sunday are well-timed and seem needed. Plus, it'll give me time to do some chores!

It's looking like it might be almost like the Cape weather. Around 40 but with the wind the Real Feel will be around 29 they're saying. Although we might see the sun. Winds look to be coming out of the NW. That would be a headwind the first half I think.