Running Chicago, for me

Nice run John--not bad looking HR data either!

John, as Schuey said, those are some good looking workouts. Wednesday's looked like a great hard workout. With my marathon training supposed to begin next week, I still haven't settled on a program. I was going to fall back on one of Hal's plans (which I still may do), but it looks like it's worth taking a look at Hudson. The adaptive training approach could work well for me given my tendency to break down mid-cycle. I also really like longer FCR's, and would work those into any program I do. I think the absence of more of those workouts during Boston training really cost me.

+1 on the nice runs John. You are rolling!

Looking really strong John, keep it rolling. Those workouts look pretty challenging; I think I would need to carry a set of instructions with me to manage them. Also impressive pace/HR performance which predicts good things for Chicago.

Thank you Peg and John K. My HR is doing pretty well so far, I'm happy about that.

Seth Harrison wrote:John, as Schuey said, those are some good looking workouts. Wednesday's looked like a great hard workout. With my marathon training supposed to begin next week, I still haven't settled on a program. I was going to fall back on one of Hal's plans (which I still may do), but it looks like it's worth taking a look at Hudson. The adaptive training approach could work well for me given my tendency to break down mid-cycle. I also really like longer FCR's, and would work those into any program I do. I think the absence of more of those workouts during Boston training really cost me.

Seth, just be careful when you start training. I think the easy run approach may be the best as any speedwork really stresses the body and we don't want you injured.

Tom H wrote:Looking really strong John, keep it rolling. Those workouts look pretty challenging; I think I would need to carry a set of instructions with me to manage them. Also impressive pace/HR performance which predicts good things for Chicago.

Tom, I usually write out my workout on a 3x5 card and bring it with to the track, or on the route, if there are variations in pace throughout the run.

Friday
Today was a good run but we're in the middle of a large work event so I had to do this on the TM, which I haven't done much of at all. The plan called for 2x3 miles from MP-HMP with 60 seconds recovery. THis was a good run without the stress of all miles at tempo, although obviously it is not quite as beneficial. My HR data is really low. When I run on the TM, my HR is lower than outside. And when I run in the morning, it's lower than later on. SO when I run in the morning on a TM, it's pretty low. I assume the training effect is still there. THis run was not very difficult at all, it was one of those confidence builders.

	Split	Time	Distance	HR	% HR	Type
	1	0:08:48	1	120	71%	Warm up
	2	0:08:48	1	120	71%	Warm up
	3	0:08:00	1	125	74%	MP
	4	0:07:47	1	130	76%	MP-15
	5	0:07:30	1	135	79%	HMP
	6	0:08:00	1	128	75%	MP
	7	0:07:47	1	132	78%	MP-15
	8	0:07:30	1	139	82%	HMP
	9	0:08:48	1	122	72%	Cool down
Total		1:12:58	9	128	75%

THough today was a rest day, because I didn't run last Monday when I took a golf trip, I ran a missed workout, which was just 6 miles with 10x100 meter strides. There is a track near by house that a bunch of old people usually walk 3-4 across on but I was out pretty early due to this work project this weekend, so it was fairly empty. But looking at my splits, I can tell I was half asleep the first three miles but it's an easy run so no biggie. Mile 5 had the strides which is why the HR is higher and the pace faster.

Split	Time	Distance	Avg HR	HR %
1	0:09:54	1	110	65%
2	0:09:20	1	115	68%
3	0:09:30	1	118	69%
4	0:09:13	1	122	72%
5	0:07:52	1	136	80%
6	0:08:46	1	131	77%
7	0:01:17	0.15	122	72%
Summary	0:55:55	6.15	121	71%

Good runs and mileage of late nice job. Easy runs I am not concerned at the pace. I run by perceived effort and let the run fall where it may. As long as I am in my HR zone I feel it served its purpose.

Training is looking good, John. Stay with it and Chicago will be yours.

Kenny B. wrote:Good runs and mileage of late nice job. Easy runs I am not concerned at the pace. I run by perceived effort and let the run fall where it may. As long as I am in my HR zone I feel it served its purpose.

Thanks Kenny, I totall agree on the easy runs, especially six miles or so. You almost can't do wrong on them no matter the pace.

Michele "1L" Keane wrote:Training is looking good, John. Stay with it and Chicago will be yours.

Thanks Michele, I am hoping you are correct, I feel this can happen.

This week was a stepback week which coincided well with a big week at work and thankfully we are done with that project as of yesterday, I'm so relieved. The long run today was only 12 miles with a weekly planned total of 50 miles. I wanted to add a few miles to it, but as it was a harder than usual run and I missed a lot of sleep the past 3-4 days, I decided to stay with the plan and honor the stepback concept. THe plan was starting at 9:00 and progressing to 8:15. My dilemma - it was 91 degrees when I started and while I can do easy runs in the heat, I can't do harder runs in the heat.

So my compromise was to run to the health club (3.5 miles) and try to run outside as much as possible while holding planned pace. After five miles I could tell mt HR was getting high so I brought the rest of the run to the TM. Tougher run than expected, I think because even the five miles in the heat took a lot out of me. But I held to the pace reduction mostly throughout the run.

Split	Time	Distance	Avg HR	HR %	Where
1	0:09:00	1	117	69%	Outside
2	0:08:49	1	130	76%	Outside
3	0:09:01	1	135	79%	Outside
4	0:08:44	1	139	82%	Outside
5	0:08:43	1	143	84%	Outside
6	0:08:35	1	145	85%	TM
7	0:08:30	1			TM
8	0:08:25	1			TM
9	0:08:25	1			TM
10	0:08:20	1			TM
11	0:08:15	1			TM
12	0:08:15	1	140	82%	TM
Summary	1:43:02	12

Bummer on the women's world cup but it was great to see them in the finals.

I hear you on the heat John. I was out the door shortly after 8 am this morning and was done with my 8 miles by 9:20 and if it had been anything more than a super easy run, I would have had to bail at some point. Your idea is a good one, get a little of the heat training benefit and get to finish the planned miles.

I can do short easy runs in that temps but anything else is a freakin' nightmare and would go inside.

Great job.

Good run and smart to stick with the plan when you're already having a big week at work. Work stress wears out a body too not just running stress...

The heat is crazy, glad you have access to a treadmill.

I think splitting the hot runs up between inside and outside is a great idea. I do it and I know if I didn't live within running distance of my gym, there are runs I'd never finish. Great job improvising!

I've split a run like that before - in my case it had to do with some messed up road conditions that prevented me from running my course all the way, and since I was right in front of my house when it happened, I hopped on the tm and finished. Smart move!

Thanks for the notes, Jim, Kenny, Julie, Natalie and Mike. I use the TM a lot in the winter once the ice comes in so I am not anti-TM. It is good to be able to do some outdoors even in the heat, this was a good compromise.

Today's run was pretty bad with the heat, it was a harder workout than it should have been. I left around 6:00 AM and it was only 81 degrees but it was difficult. The plan was 7 miles plus 10x100 strides. Since a good track is 3.5 miles away, I ran there, did the 100s and then ran back. The strides really did me in with the heat. It was a very good thing they had a drinking fountain there. When I got home, it looked like I ran in a rainstorm, completely drenched. I had to sit in a cold bath and cold shower to try to stop sweating as I had to get to work. Still, a good day. Tomorrow is supposed to be just as hot and it's a harder workout so it will be the TM.

Split Time Distance Avg/Max
HR %
1 0:09:06 1 110 65%
2 0:09:00 1 124 73%
3 0:09:09 1 129 76%
4 0:08:56 1 140 82%
5 0:09:53 1 140 82%
6 0:09:36 1 132 78%
7 0:10:04 1 129 76%
8 0:09:56 1 129 76%
9 0:02:24 0.25 134 79%
Total 1:18:10 8.25 127 75%

Today was my interval day and with the heat, I knew it would be tough outside. The plan also called for hills which I have to drive to and don't have time during the week. So I knew a partial TM workout would be needed.

Plan: warm up, then 5 x 3 minute intervals at 5K feel (1:30 flat, 1:30 hill) with 4 minute recoveries. I'm lucky that the health club (which is actually at work) has a 2.5 mile loop outside. So I ran the loop as a warm-up, switched to the TM for the intervals, and then ran the loop for warm down. Pretty decent run, 8.7 miles total. The second half of the intervals at 6 and 5.5% were tough, the timer seemed to move so slow! Wound up with a little over 2 miles at 5K feel.

Warm up	Time	Distance	Pace	Max HR	HR %	Where
	0:09:14	1.00	0:09:14			Outside
	0:08:56	1.00	0:08:56			Outside
	0:04:34	0.51	0:08:57			Outside
Intervals (totals)
	0:07:30	1.08	0:06:58	144	85%	TM - 0%
	0:07:30	1.03	0:07:15	156	92%	TM - 5.5%
	0:16:00	1.52	0:10:30	127	75%	TM-0%
Warm down
	0:08:59	1.00	0:08:59			Outside
	0:09:12	1.00	0:09:12			Outside
	0:04:58	0.56	0:08:52			Outside
Summary	1:16:53	8.70

2 very good days of running like the splitting up from outside to TM. Maybe a good idea to keep from the monotony of the TM.

Thanks Kenny. It is sort of tedius on the TM, I try to change speed a bit or inclines but mostly rely on good music. It's always a bummer when I get on and find out my iPod is out of power.

Today I had a 10 miler on tap but I had to be back by 7:30 for a meeting. So I had to cut it short a little bit and wound up with 9.4 miles. Today is supposed to be the hottest day since 2005 but it really helped that it was cloudy most all of the run. I think I've acclimated to the heat for easy runs but it's impossible to acclimate for any faster type runs.

Split	Time	Distance	Avg HR	HR %
1	0:08:51	1	119	70%
2	0:09:02	1	125	74%
3	0:09:08	1	126	74%
4	0:09:10	1	131	77%
5	0:08:55	1	133	78%
6	0:08:55	1	136	80%
7	0:08:57	1	137	81%
8	0:09:08	1	138	81%
9	0:09:19	1	137	81%
10	0:03:33	0.39	138	81%
Summary	1:25:02	9.39	132	78%
Pace	0:09:03

And apologies to the Shueys but I have to go to a Cubs game today as there is a team outing to celebrate our recent project completion.

Boy another runner with great pacing technique - nice job John.

Keep it up John.

Thanks Michele, Dave. Though I rely on the Garmin a lot, I am definitely developing a sense of what pace I'm running at more than before. It's going to take a while but it's happening.

Today was another warm, humid day with the full sun out. Luckily I only had a five mile recovery run on tap. I was dragging out there but part of that was being out in the sun all afternoon yesterday, and having a lot to eat. The miles were really slow but in a recovery run, who's counting? Tomorrow I have a very tough workout, even with 10 degrees cooler in the forecast, I think I may do it on the TM to improve my chances of succeeding at it.

Split	Time	Distance	Avg HR	HR %
1	0:10:18	1	109	64%
2	0:10:17	1	112	66%
3	0:10:16	1	117	69%
4	0:10:06	1	121	71%
5	0:09:52	1	124	73%
6	0:00:13	0.02	121	71%
Summary	0:51:04	5.02	117	69%

John you are like me. My recovery runs can 9:08 to as high as 10+ the key for me is running them in my HR zone but using perceived effort to stay there. Your HR consistency is very good the past two days considering the weather. That is always a good sign.

I'm with Michele, great pacing. I have a Garmin but still can't pace evenly to save my life.