Fast Night at the Track: Gettin' Whupped by Skeeters and My Own Fat

3200 meters warmup
6x100 striders
1000 fresh (300) 4:30
800 fresh (300) 3:36
600 fresh (300) 2:45
400 good (200) 1:30
3x200 (100) (fresh {:46}, good {:42}, fresh {:45})
[800]
800 fresh 3:41
3x200 (100) (fresh {:50}, good {:45}, fresh {:49})
600 meters warmdown

total: 7.8125 miles

78°F | °C
Current: Clear
Wind: E at 0 mph
Humidity: 46%
course: Wheaton College track

Tonight was a whuppin'. While I never felt wiped out, from the looks of my last 800 and set of 200s, the gas had left the tank. Made sense that it would be. While last night's run was no barn burner, it was a longer one for me. Tonight's workout was almost as long.

Inhaled a few bugs. Served as the health care program for a gathering of mosquitoes who sucked more than their fair share of blood.

Frank and I were partners tonight. He is fantastic conversationalist, a guy with years of running behind him, and is a well-versed gentleman beyond the track.

I won't mind dropping another ten pounds and then seeing how this workout feels. I'm spent, with an easier day tomorrow. Planning a leisurely 4.36 miles in the afternoon.

Post 500 - Running With a Pacemaker (and Healthier Because of It)

My 500th post in the Runner's Dilemma

1.75 miles warm up
6x100 meter striders
3x1000 (300) [400] {5:02, 4:57, 4:56?}
600 meter warmdown

total: 5.0 miles

74°F | °C
Current: Mostly Cloudy
Wind: E at 0 mph
Humidity: 49%
course: Wheaton College track

I'm alive. This was not in doubt, per se, but how I would survive was a concern. Right now, I feel well enough. While I hardly screamed around the track, I held close to the pace I was asked to run, and finished when I was told to finish. What more can I do?

I ran with Lee. He's the pacemaker's pacemaker, with years of running behind him enough to smell a pace within seconds.

Not certain of my times, as I left them in the car, but those are close.

Such was my first track workout since April.

Training Aside a Train: 6.0 Miles on a Track Next to the Tracks

2.0 miles warmup
4.0 miles run

total: 6.0

75°F
Current: Mostly Cloudy
Wind: E at 0 mph
Humidity: 52%
course: Wheaton College track

Felt good. Not sure how fast I went (around 8:30s for my first two miles). Ran with the JSRC club for first time in months, though just for the warmup. They did some 150s and 200s while I ran four miles worth of laps.

It was nice to hear the rush of the train through the evergreens.

Not much to say. Spaghetti's boiling.

Truncated Workout - The Trunk of the Elephant's Child (video)

1.25 miles warmup
6x100 m striders
1000 m (400 m)
1600 m (400 m) (7:45)
800 (400 m) (3:40?)
1600 m (7:32)
600 m warmdown

total: 5.875 miles

52°F
Current: Clear
Wind: E at 0 mph
Humidity: 41%
course: Wheaton College track

Not a lot of juice in the tank today. Long week at work compounded by getting things done at home added up to one tired Tony. My 800 was supposed to be a 1000, and after my last 1600 was supposed to be another 1000.

Tired, not happy running in the back, but glad I ran.


The Elephant's Child (click)

The Elephant's Child by Rudyard Kipling (Narrated by Jack Nicholson, with illustrations by Tim Raglin and music by Bobby McFerrin)

Miles, Miles, Miles (That's It) 3x1600 Repeats

1.5 mile warmup
6x100 striders
3x1600 m repeats (400 m recovery) (7:54, 7:53, 7:44)
1200 m warmdown

total: 6.125 miles

48°F
Current: Partly Cloudy
Wind: E at 0 mph
Humidity: 51%
course: Wheaton College track

My favorite workout, but a hard one as I'm not fit. Not much to say other than the last mile was a gut catcher. On the whole, each fourth lap was hard.

Good reconnecting with so many of the guys.

Cool Track Heated Up With a Slow Plod

3.5 miles (9:00/mile)

total: 3.5 miles

38°F
Current: Clear
Wind: E at 0 mph
Humidity: 53%
course: Wheaton College track

Getting out to the track was good. While all I did was run the outside lap a bunch of times, I saw the guys, met a few new people, and felt good doing it.

Most of the group was there. They ran a variety of 800s and miles. Jim stood freezing with a stopwatch. I was kind of toasty.

I trodded in lane eight until I finished three miles. A brief warmup and warmdown completed it all, though everything was the same pace. It killed me to watch everyone, wanting to be fit enough to keep up, but I'm not.

Pain, Like an Elixir of Encouragement, Tells Me Good Things

3200 m warmup
6x100 striders
2000 m - 8:23 (400)
1600 m - 6:46 (400)
1000 m - 4:02 (400)
400 m - :82 (400)
600 m warmdown

total: 6.875 miles

73°F
Current:Clear
Wind: N at 0 mph
Humidity: 56%
course: Wheaton College track

Jim sent out a little note to the JSRC group with our workout a few days ahead of time. The distances were no big deal. They add up to a 5K, not counting recovery times. The hard part was the ranges of time. Each runner, based on their level, had different times to hit. I hit mine pretty close. My mile was a second slow, and my 400 was eight seconds fast.

Poor, or short workouts took their toll. So did a difficult night of sleep (just three hours) the night before. How much? Hard to say, but I felt the pain of pressing the runs in my core. Being winded, out of gas is not unusual, but the pain is. It was not a cramp. Just pain.

Pain is never good, but good can come from it. I need to find my limit apart from cramps and other controllables. This pain was the kind which comes from finding that limit in a workout. This same pain I need to find in a race context, knowing all I've got is right there on the road.

Unrelated, but good news.

Four Hundred Three Times Three Times (Really)

3200 warmup
6x100 striders
3x3x400 (200)[400]
600 warmdown

total: 6.25 miles

74°F
Current:Mostly Cloudy
Wind: SW at 7 mph
Humidity: 71%
course: Wheaton College track

A solid, albeit somewhat too fast, workout. Felt sluggish, then easier as I went along. No explanation for that. Held back when for the first 400 of the third set, could have broken 80 seconds finally, but I was already ahead of myself.

1:39, 1:43, 1:32
1:39, 1:25, 1:37
1:22, 1:30, 1:27

4xMile Mid-Day Track Intervals

PADS Run (western suburbs of Chicago)

I am volunteering. Join me. Show up at 6 am.

2800 meter warm up
6x100 striders
2x2xmile (300)[400] - (7:03, 6:32, 7:19, 6:51 - total: 27:45)
600 warmdown

total: 6.125 miles

62°F
Wind: W at 3 mph
Humidity: 81%
course: Wheaton College track

Rain waylaid yesterday's practice, so we hit the track this afternoon. Sparse crowd. Just Matt F, Margaret and myself, at that speed, in that order.

The gist was to run slower, faster, slower faster. My times were supposed to be 7:48 and 7:17, which turned out not to be reality. The 7:03 felt easy, with a first lap in 93, then slowed down purposely. The 6:32 took a lot out of me, even though I think I had a few seconds better in me. My third mile was slow, filled with fatigue, but I lived. Still OK within the structure of the workout.

My last lap was in 97 seconds, encouraging as I was tired. My middle two laps weren't much, but I'll take the good that I can.

Compare to a similar workout last October. Then, I ran 1:06 slower:

Mile 1 -- 7:10

Mile 2 -- 7:14

Mile 3 -- 7:14

Mile 4 -- 7:13

total: 28:51

Short Stuff: Little Bits of Little Bits

2800 meters warm up
6x100 striders
3-4 x 200 f (100)[400]
1x400 f (400)
3x250 gfg (150)[400]
1x500 f (400) - 2:00
1200 meters laps in and outs (slower on curves, quicker on straights) - 5:21
jog 3-4 m's vf
3x200 f+ (stand :30) (:39, :38, :38)
600 meters warmdown

total: 6.28125 miles

78°F
Current:Mostly Cloudy
Wind: SE at 1 mph
Humidity: 67%
course: Wheaton College track

Strange workout. I felt tired for most of it, but at the end, for the final group of 200s, found them easy, running with the front group.

Brad Webb had us over to his beautiful home afterward for a BBQ. Most everyone made it. We watched the Olympics in style, in his home theater Rich Flansburg celebrated his birthday, adding to a very good day.

Friday is a day, driving to Wisconsin, and Saturday we ride the Elroy-Sparta Trail.

Survival of the Soon-to-be Fitter

3200m warmup
6x100 striders
1000 (300)
400 (400) (1:39)
1000 (300)
400 [600] (1:38)
200 (50) (:38)
200 (50) (:37?)
200 (50) (:37)
200 (50) (:40)
800
600m warmdown

total: 6.625 miles

76°F
Current:Cloudy
Wind: 13 mph / 20 km/h / 5.7 m/s from the NE
Humidity: 52%
course: Wheaton College track

Survived well enough. Several good workouts in a row.

I'm not sure of my 1000 times.

The 200s were run in a cycle: 200 m on the track at a decent clip, then 50m across the grass, then onto the next 200. The 250m cycle had to be complete within a certain time.

The 800 was also different: curves were jogged, straights harder. Fartlek.

That's it for now. I'm have Olympics to watch.

Me, Stella Artois, and the Post Run Lager

3200 meters
6x100
5x200 f (100)[400]
3x400 (200) gfg [500] 1:28, 1:41, 1:29
2x400 (200) gf [400] 1:24, 1:40
3x200 f (100) (3:40)
600 meters warm down

total: 6.5625 miles

80°F
Current:Mostly Cloudy
Wind: W at 4 mph
Humidity: 42%
course: Wheaton College track

Coach Jim was out of town today, so we had to fend for ourselves. He left us a workout.

A concern I had was how I'd feel after yesterday's run. I had a listless, "I don't wanna run" attitude, but knew I should. The runs I least want to do are the ones I skipped last year, and the oners I dare not miss this year.

My intended marks were for the 400: 1:30, 1:38-1:42, 1:30, then 1:30 and 1:38-1:42. I was close. Too fast for the faster ones.

Now, I'm sipping a cold Stella Artois, a drink well-earned.

A good crowd made it out. Paul, Rudy, Margaret, Matt, Rich, Lee, Jody, Frank., Brad and others.

Recovery, but Not Recovered

3200 meters warmup
6x100 striders
1000 f (300)
600 f (300)
400 f+ (200)
3x200 fgf (100)[600]
800 f (300)
400 f (200)
3x200 f (50)
600 meters warmdown

total: 7.3125 miles

74°F
Current:Clear
Wind: S at 3 mph
Humidity: 89%
course: Wheaton College track

Tonight was a recovery workout, but still difficult. It was a good night to focus on form.

I held well to pace, running with Matt Jewell. He's speeding up greatly the last few months and imagine this time next year he'll be reporting much quicker times in his races.

Three Mile Repeats and a BBQ

3200 meter warm up
6x100 striders
3xmile (400)
600 m warmdown

total: 6.25 miles

85°F
Current:Mostly Cloudy
Wind: S at 4 mph
Humidity: 54%
course: Wheaton College track

Good run tonight, despite the heat. I needed that. My goal was to hit 7:10-7:25. Did that. Felt OK throughout.

1. 7:16
2. 7:10
3. 7:13

Met Matt Fausey, a guy I met at the Freedom Four while catching my breath afterward. We watched the people coming into the track for the final 150 meters or so. I had forgotten, so was surprised when he made it. Good runner. He kicked out a 24:55 at that four miler.

Aftwards, Margaret had us over for a BBQ. Great hospitality (especially after screaming out some 6:40 miles).

Hot and (Legs Are) Heavy - 4 Miles Checked Off

4 miles fresh - 34:55 (8:43/mile)

total: 4.0 miles

85°F
Current:Clear
Wind: S at 4 mph
Humidity: 40%
course: Wheaton College track

finish
84°F
Current:Mostly Cloudy
Wind: SE at 2 mph
Humidity: 45%

Slower than it looks. I was at 8:30, 8:23 for the first two miles, but by 2.5 miles was tanked. Decided just to get it done. Heat. Humidity. Drained for two harder days (one fast, one far).

Progress is on, but not always as obvious. My job is to get in the workouts, and believe that they will take me there.

Time to watch the Trials.

Pre-Race Workout: Short and Sweat

3200 meters warm up
6x100 meters striders
3x200 f (100)[400]
1x400, g first 200, f last 200 (400)
2x150 build ups (150)
600 meter warm down

total: 4.34375 miles

83°F
Current:Clear
Wind: SW at 4 mph
Humidity: 37%
course: Wheaton College track

As you see, a careful workout, looking toward Friday's race. I held my own despite not running for several days.

For the 200s, I hit :44, :43, :44. For the 400, I passed 200 meters in :39, finished in 1:26.

The build-ups: new to me. Slow for first 50 m, up a gear each 50 m, then, pretty quick last 20 meters.

Ran into the SunJoy running club, traded lanes with them.

A post-workout Fanta Grape hit the spot.

Feeling Sour After a Good Workout

3200 warm up
6x100 striders
2x3x400 (200)[400] (fresh, fresh, good/fresh, good, fresh)
4x200 (roughly) (100)[200]

total: 5.6875 miles

85°F
Current:Mostly Cloudy
Wind: W at 3 mph
Humidity: 54%

3x3x400 was the plan, but safety first. Heat.

I ran something close to 1:44, 1:44, 1:31, and 1:44, 1:31, 1:44. Faster? Nope. Not tonight. Tried hard to run my pace as instructed.

Cutting this post short. I have been up since 5:30, dinner (plate of rice) disagreed with going down, and I am not feeling well.

The Quick and the Alive: 200s and 250s

3200 meters warm up
6x100 striders
4x200 f (100)[400]
4x250 gfgf (150)[400]
4x200 fgfg (100)[400]
3x250 vf (150)
600 meters warmdown

total: 6.75 miles

79°F
Clear
Wind: NW at 0 mph
Humidity: 27%

Met Marc Dedman from the Nashville group. He was up on business, dropped in. Todd Busteed stopped in for a few laps.

Also, Frank Possinger and his wife, Nancy, had us all over for a BBQ. Good time getting to know people in street clothes.

The run: hot, not humid, but a sturdy workout just the same. I hit my times. Relaxing is tough for me in short runs. The 200s are not sprints the way we do them, but part of teaching us to learn to run hard, in good form, and steady when tired, without going over.

Now, I am sleepy, having gotten up early (5:40 am) for a Bible study group, and need to crash.

Some Like It Hot (Those Would Be Other People)

3200 meters warmup
6x100 striders
3x150 f (50)[400]
3x200 fgfg (100)[600]
1xmile (1st lap f, 2nd lap g, 3rd lap f, last lap g) - 6:57
jog for 4 minutes vf (about 600 for me)
2x400 (1 minute stand) f
400 meters warmdown

total: 5.96875 miles

88°F
Cloudy
Wind: S at 6 mph
Humidity: 50%
course: Wheaton College track

My legs are tired from yesterday, and from Tuesday.

My miles have been accumulating as well, though I probably am benefiting more than hurting from this. My 31-day cycle of miles has been above 75 miles since May 17 all but one day, and above 80 all but one day since May 21. Big miles? No, but more than last year.

Even a slight increase will make a difference. Five more miles a week can't help but influence my race times in a good way, especially as overtraining is not an even a question yet. It quickens the weight loss side of fitness, which is no small thing. If I drop five lbs, I drop almost 4% of my weight. If that is useless fat, then I can't help but speed up. Get to 125 lbs, where I should probably be, I will have left behind 6%. The dividends this will pay in a race in exciting to consider.

Strong storms are predicted, with 85°F. Even if there is no rain, plenty of heat. One way or another, it will be a tough day.

---

The Workout
Hot, hot, hot. Some like it hot. I don't. Cool as a cucumber here, daddio, but not tonight.

Jim said if we were tired (and I am), to focus on the mile (which I did). He calls it the in and out mile. No idea why, but it means to start relaxed, then pick it up, then relax, then pick up.

My splits were not consistent, as the first and third should be similar, and the second and fourth should likewise relate.

1. 1:42 (1:42)
2. 3:26 (1:44)
3. 5:18 (1:52)
4. 6:57 (1:39)

I struggled through the workout, not just the mile. My 400s were at 1:52 and 1:50, barely crossing the finish line.

T'weren't mah night.

You might say:
Pease porridge hot,
Pease porridge cold,
Pease porridge in the pot,
Nine days old;
Some like it hot,
Some like it cold,
Some like it in the pot,
Nine days old.

or prefer: Some Like it Hot Trailer (Marilyn Monroe)

Three Miles Up Tempo (Gimme a Beat)

1.5 miles warm-up
3 miles - goal: 7:55-8:10 pace - reality: 24:04 (8:06, 8:22, 7:36)
1 mile warmdown

total: 5.5 miles

82°F
Clear
Wind: W at 5 mph
Humidity: 43%
course: Wheaton College track

Now, sitting in my easy chair while the breeze is still cool, all is looking tough. That's as fast as a 24:32 5K (high as 25:16). I don't know if that's in me today. Still, that's what my schedule says, and I am not hurting. Just not sure if I have that much oomph in the legs. I'll give it a go, and start with the slower of the speeds, and go from there.

Time to run.

---

Now, having run, the results are in. Warmed up fine, first mile OK, second mile I fell asleep, third mile I ran too fast. Felt fine, recovered fine with a leisurely warm down. Ran into SunJoy runner Scott Allen on the way out.

In all, I think things went better than expected. I have something still to learn about my pace and to confidently throw it forward (the second mile).

Looking ahead to Thursday's workout, it will be tough. Some 150s, 200s, 400s, and a varied pace mile. Seven miles including the warm-ups.

Can I nap? I need to shower, find that easy chair.