Merry Christmas!!

I ran outside this morning for the first time in a couple weeks. It was cold about 10 degrees, but once I got past the first mile it was very nice and a beautiful winter morning. I have been running mostly inside on the treadmill the past two weeks due to very cold weather and a lot of new snow on the roads and paths. I am kind of wimping out this year and trying not to run in the cold weather below 10 degrees, but I also don't want to get hurt running in poor conditions for no reason.

Anyway, a merry christmas to all. I am enjoying it with my family and getting in some good runs during the restful time of year.

5 miles 8 min pace 10 degrees

On and Off again

This past weekend I was very busy giving x-mas tree and wreath to my past clients. I started Saturday morning and wasn't finished until late Sunday afternoon. Due to that I didn't get a run in over the weekend and once I fell off the wagon I didn't do a good job re-motivating myself to get out Monday or Tuesday.

Last week I did get in 20 miles and I did get in 3 miles on the treadmill today. I'm back on the wagon and it feels good.

3 miles 9:00 pace

Sat. Morning

Perfect late fall morning, brisk but not cold or windy. I left Lifetime and ran along the Mississippi doing my normal route over the Ford and Lake Street bridges. I felt good through 5 miles, however I tired quite a bit mile 6 and slowed my pace and focused on form verses speed. Overall a smooth comfortable pace and run.

6 miles (46:40) 7:30 pace 27 degrees 8:30am

Easy Today

Today was easy after 6 miles yesterday. I am slowly building as I get back into a good routine. My legs feel good, I just don't want to rush into long distances without having a good base of miles.

10/13 3 miles
10/14 6 miles 8:05 pace 50 degrees
Today 2.25 9:30 pace treadmill

Weeks End

Saturday I ran with my brother in-law Dan. We try to meet Saturday mornings for a 4.5 mile run and coffee after. I arrived early and ran a 2 mile loop. When I got back to the coffee shop Dan was waiting and we hit our 4.5 mile loop. Dan was a little sluggish, but around mile 2 he found his groove and we picked it up to a 6:30 - 6:45 minute pace. It was a hard effort, but it felt good.

6.5 miles 7:10 pace 60 degrees

Sunday we had a family brunch at our house, which also turned into a family dinner. A long day and a lot of food. I got on the treadmill in the evening to get the blood moving.

2 miles 9:10 pace

Easy Three

I didn't run a ton of miles this week, but I've been running daily and working out at the gym. My legs have been fairly sore so I tryed a yoga class yesterday and I felt great after the class, howevrer today it's adding to the soreness. I think in the long run it will be helpful.

3 miles 8:06 pace 141 HR 5:25 am

Maintainance Miles

Felt alright this morning. I feel rested mentally and had a little faster pace this morning however my legs were pretty heavy. These morning short run I am really just looking to loosen up with an easy pace.

3 miles 7:52 pace 5:15am 50 degrees

Wednesday

4 miles 8:00 pace 12noon

Nice Fall Morning

What a nice first morning of Fall with a very comfortable temperature and a light breeze. I felt great this morning with a good spring in the legs after coming off a tiring weekend.

3 miles 8:36 pace 141 HR 62 degrees

Weeks End = Tired

Even though the kids were up early this morning (5am), I got in a easy run with Carter in his stroller. My body performed as expected with a lack of sleep, oh and did I mention the 4 beers at the neighbors last night? Needless to say it was a easy run to finish off the week. I also hit the gym in the late morning to lifted upper body. This week was a good start getting back on the running wagon.

5 miles 65 degrees

Saturday Run

Great morning for a run. There was a slight breeze to stay just cool enough in the morning humidity. My legs were a little sore from lifting earlier in the week, but loosened up and felt good through the second half of the run.

6 miles 8:11 pace 70 degrees

Thursday Run

I think there are about 2 weeks left of good morning running weather. This past week the weather has been flirting with 50 degrees, below 50 in the early morning it gets pretty cool. Once the temp starts to drop below 50 or 45 degrees it will be time for light gloves and long sleeves. Bring it on Fall, I am ready for you.

3 miles 8:03 pace 146 HR 58 degrees

Renewing a routine

Working on getting back into a routine now that are babies are a month old. Focusing right now on getting up before the rest of the family and getting in a few miles. Once my routine is established I will work on putting on more miles and evening workouts.

Tuesday 9/16 Evening run at 7:30pm. Last mile at 7:10 pace.

3 miles 8:30 pace 75 degrees

Today 9/17 Morning run at 5:30am.

3 miles 8:09 pace 148 HR 55 degrees

I should mention my wife Lisa and I had twin girls Lauren and Claire at the beginning of August. Carter now has 2 little sisiters to either care for or punish, I have faith he will be a good big brother.

Chilly Morning

Brisk morning air with clear skies.

3 miles 8:10 pace 49 degrees

Another Year

Well it's been a few weeks because I have been trying to work through a hard decision to pull the plug on training for Grandma's Marathon this year. I am already registered and have paid for the privilege. However it is just that, a privilege to run and train for a marathon and sometimes you have to make hard decisions.

My training this year has been very good, I haven't missed a workout and have been progressing as planned. However this late summer my wife will be expecting twin girls. As she progresses, I realize that my 16+ mile Saturday morning runs are harder on her then they are on me with having to wake at 6:30am to care for our 20 month old boy. I also know that as we get further into the summer and her pregnancy, she will most likely go on bed rest. I will not have the support needed to run a marathon and she will not have the support that she shouldn't have to ask for.

Being a runner is a wonderful thing. It will be with me through having children, it will be with me while I raise my children and hopefully it will be something I can pass on to my children or at least its principles of patience, consistence, determination, planning, reflecting and freedom.

This will be a year of maintaining, half marathon's and 10K's. I will have to focus on family, work and look to next year for another marathon and someday Boston.

Training week six

This week is starting out right. Saturday I ran nice 14 mile run at a comfortable yet steady pace. I had a couple short recovery runs Sunday and Monday. Tuesday, tempo run of 10 miles in an 1hr 10min. Miles 2-4 in 14:20 and miles 4.25-7 @ a 7min pace. I felt strong through the end of the tempo sessions and finished the last few miles at marathon goal pace (8:10pace)or a little slower. Today was a easy 5 miles on the treadmill and upper body weight training.

Big Breakfast = Bad Run

Yesterdays seemed very long as I labored through the first 9 miles. I thought mile 10 was going to be better, it wasn't. I know better, however when your looking at the menu everything looks good. I was planning on having a poached egg, toast and fruit. In stead I had a three egg denver omelet, hash browns and toast. Oh yeah and a gallon of coffee. Live and learn.

10.75 miles. 8 min pace.

Long time gone

Indeed I have been gone a long time. I just currently finished week 4 of my 16 week training schedule for Grandma's Marathon, scheduled for June 21st in Duluth Minnesota. This past week was my best week training with a total of 41 miles. As far as the prior 3 weeks I will give a run down on miles at the bottom of the post, however work has been busy, but I should be more balanced good forward to get in all my workouts.

The coming weeks I am aiming to increase my milage so by the end of May I will have 3 , 60+ mile weeks. My strategy this year is to consentrate on more good miles and pick up some speed workout toward the end of the longer weeks and into June. Hoo Ahh.

Week 1 - 27 mi
Week 2 - 28 mi
Week 3 - 21 mi

Hittin' It

The past couple of days have been good runs. Yesterday I did 9 miles on the river roads. A light snow pack covered the asphalt paths providing a good footing that was comfortable under the foot. Often those paths have a thick uncomfortable hard pack that is hard to run on, but the past couple of warm days melted that pack and new snow fell lightly Friday night.

The run yesterday went well with a moderate pace and a time of 1:11:17. I didn't wear my heart rate monitor to focus on my effort verses checking the monitor and not listening to myself. However I did a light treadmill workout this evening and for the first time registered and low heart rate zone which is something I was missing.

5miles @ 9 min pace. 137 HR

Few Days in Review

Saturday long run felt good, moderate pace.

9miles @ 8 min pace. 156HR

Busy with work both Sunday and Monday. Tuesday was also a busy day with work, but I didn't want to miss another day, ecspecially a hard day. Run was after a long day. 8pm, dark, mild temps around 20 degrees.

7miles @ 8 min pace. 156 HR

Light workout today, at least I tried to keep at a recovery pace. My heart rate was in the low to mid 160's the whole time. I think work and excessive coffee are starting to catch up.

4miles @ 9:15 pace. 161 HR

Not Feelin It

Windy day with 25 mph winds, which didn't bother me as much as the packed uneven paths today. I felt unsteady and it sapped all the energy right out of me and I ended up changing my route to hit some hills resulting in 4 miles instead of 6. I'm planning on getting in another 3 miles on the treadmill tonight.

My new year resolution to eat better started out good today with my lunch and dinner packed, however I was very hungery around 3pm and ate my dinner and had a bunch of Oreo cookies as I drove around looking at properties. Already cheating myself.

4 miles @8:30 pace. 156 HR

Giddy - New Year Run

Started out the New Year inside with a hard treadmill 3 miler. Not the distance I wanted, but I was short on time and thought I would make up the effort with a grade between 4-7% for all 3 miles. I was a little sore from Monday's squats, but after the first half mile I was in the groove.

Today I was also inside on the treadmill since it's about -5 degrees outside. I am planning on keeping my weekly schedule and doing a longer run tomorrow (Thursday) outside. However I did get a sighting of Carrie Tollefson today at the gym. That was pretty neat since I was doing planks, which I read about last night in Runner's World that she recommended for core workouts.

4 mile @ 9 min pace. 152 HR