Running for life, liberty and happiness

Catching up

2010-09-22T22:30:00.003-04:00

Last Saturday, I took second overall at the Ritley Run 5-K at Perry High School with a 19:12 time!

It's a fast course and I finished it five seconds faster than last year when I also took second place with a 19:17.

This race is really a nice community event as there is a 1.5 mile fun walk and small dashes across the football field for young children, who each receive a finisher's medal.

The weekend before Sunday Sept. 12, I ran the half marathon at Presque Isle in Erie, Pa. I was doing great for the first seven miles then my left leg tightened up and I had to drop down from my 7:30/mile pace down to about an 8 minute pace.

I said goodbye to the pace group I had found, hoping to break 1:40. But I managed to gut it out and finish in a respectable 1:42:05

I finished in 65th place overall out of 694 total finishers so ending up in the top 10 percent is a pretty good showing. My age group at this distance is also very competitive as I finished tenth.

Runners World Quote of the Day:

"The battles that count aren't the ones for gold medals. The struggles within yourself - the invisible, inevitable battles inside all of us - that's where it's at."

Jesse Owens, American track and field athlete and Olympic gold medal winner

Happy running!

Miller Paul Marut 5-K

2010-09-05T22:24:00.002-04:00

Yesterday was the fourth annual Miller Paul Marut Memorial 5-K run in Concord Township.

This is always a nice event for a good cause as the proceeds raised go to help Riverside Local School District in memory of Miller Paul Marut who died from SIDS as a young infant to a Concord Township couple.

This course is an out and back 3.1 mile run that is mainly downhill with some rolling hills on the way out, then of course, some rolling hills and mainly uphill the way back.

I ran a 6:09 split for mile one and I was cooking down the hills. Reality set in, and so did the hills, and I finished mile two in 6:59 and the last 1.1 miles was in about 7:22. So my pace was pretty consistent, considering the first mile was just about all downhill.

Overall, I finished the race in an unofficial time of 20:32. I think I also took fourth in my age group, missing out on a medal by about 10 seconds or so.

I'll post a little more once I have the official results.

Runners World Quote of the Day:

"The great advantage of our sport over all others is that we don't need a ball or a team or a field, or even, according to some, shoes. We just need to stand someplace, imagine ourselves in the center of a circle, pick one out of the 360 degrees available to us, and head thataway."

Peter Sagal, a 3:20 marathoner and the host of NPR's Wait, Wait...Don't Tell Me!

Happy running!

I'm baaaaack

2010-08-12T22:16:00.003-04:00

At the urging of an "anonymous" comment, I'm going to return from sabbatical.

During the summer, I've run several races including some 5Ks, a 5-miler and a half marathon.

My times have been pretty decent and it's been fun to be part of a new age group, even winning a couple awards including a 12th place overall and second in age group for a 20:31 in the Ashtabula YMCA 5K on July 4 and a recent first place age group and sixth overall showing in Conneaut Windmill 5K with a 20:11.

To help with strength and cross training, I've also started a new workout program designed to get you to eventually to do 100 pushups and 200 situps. I've done two workouts so far, it's been a challenge and different, but kind of fun and not very time consuming. It can even be done in the living room while watching TV. Bonus.

Runners World Quote of the Day:

"I think there is too much emphasis placed on the distinction between the people in the front and the people in the back. I happen to feel that the sensations are exactly the same for all of us."

Kenny Moore, marathoner and writer

Happy running!

On sabattical for now

2010-05-11T11:14:00.002-04:00

I am suspending posting on this blog for a few weeks due to time constraints. Will be back posting soon.

25-minute hard tempo run

2010-04-23T15:52:00.004-04:00

Last night's workout called for a 1-mile warmup, followed by a hard 25 minutes, then another mile for a cooldown.

I felt great during this workout and my challenging speed workout from Tuesday paid off, I believe.

Here are the splits:

Mile 1 (warmup) 8:14

Mile 2, 6:55; Mile 3, 6:47; Mile 4, 6:49; Mile 4.66 (end of 25 minutes) 4:29 which translates to a 6:49/mile pace. This part of the workout 3.66 miles was done in 25:02, which translates to a 6:50/mile pace!

Mile 5.66 (cooldown) 8:35

Total workout was 5.66 miles (including warmup and cooldown) and was done at a 7:23/mile pace.

Gotta love it!!!

Runners World Quote of the Day:

"We run, not because we think it is doing us good, but because we enjoy it and cannot help ourselves...The more restricted our society and work become, the more necessary it will be to find some outlet for this craving for freedom. No one can say, 'You must not run faster than this, or jump higher than that.' The human spirit is indomitable."

Sir Roger Bannister, first runner to run a sub-4 minute mile

Happy running!

New challenging speed workout

2010-04-20T21:29:00.002-04:00

Tonight's speed workout was something I haven't done before. Very tough, but a refreshing change!

The training called for running two miles at 10-K pace, followed by five minutes rest. Then run one mile at 5-K pace, three minutes rest, then another mile at 5-K pace, three minutes rest.

After this, then run a 1/2 mile at slightly faster than 5-K pace, rest three minutes, then another 1/2 mile at the same pace.

Total equaled five miles.

That two-mile run was killer and my lungs were burning at the end, but each sprint afterward was slightly easier, although it was faster.

Here are the times/splits:

2 miles, 13:34 (6:42, 6:51); 1 mile, 6:34; 1-mile, 6:34; 1/2 mile 3:17; and finishing with 3:12 for the last 1/2 mile.

Interesting how as you get more tired, the pace increases!

Runners World Quote of the Day:

"The training is constant. You just have to stick with it and you'll be successful. I use running to stay healthy and burn off the day's stress."

Dorothy Metcalf-Lindenburger, NASA Astronaut

Happy running!

Three challenging, one easy workout this week

2010-04-18T21:50:00.003-04:00

Tuesday was a sprint workout day and that called for seven 1/2 mile sprints.

I was a little nervous about the volume of this workout, but once I got into it everything seemed to go just fine and I cruised much faster than anticipated.

Here are the times:

3:14, 3:05, 3:02, 3:06, 3:04, 3:02 and finally the last lap faster than three minutes at 2:57!

After a day off, Thursday called for an easy run of 30-45 minutes, so I decided to do four miles. Nothing special here, but still feeling the effects from Tuesday's sprints.

I did four miles in 32:39 for a 8:10 average mile pace.

Friday's workout was much more intense. This was a tempo run of five miles plus a mile warmup and a mile cool down for seven total miles.

Total run including warmup and cooldown was done in 51:57 for a 7:26/mile pace!

Here are the splits:

8:12 (warmup), 6:56, 7:00, 7:08, 7:13, 7:07 and 8:18 (cooldown)

I was flying during some of these miles that were done at a moderate pace, I'm guessing that's around 80 percent effort, perhaps I ran them a little harder than that though.

Saturday I had to work so not much of a day off for recovery before my next challenging workout.

Sunday's run was for 10 miles. My legs were definitely not as fresh for the long run, and despite some heavy gusts of wind for some stretches, I still ran at a pretty good clip. This is a good sign that my training is progressing well.

Here are the splits:

8:02, 7:51, 7:35, 7:42, 7:41, 7:44, 7:49, 7:42, 7:56 and 7:47. Total was 10 miles in 1:17:56 for a 7:48/mile pace!

Hypothetically, if I could have held that pace for another 3.1 miles, I would have run a 1/2 marathon in 1:42:15. But this was just a training run and I wasn't fresh at all, so who knows?

I know for sure that I'm done with week three of the 10-week training program for the 1/2 marathon. I'm running paces that are certainly giving me hope that I can establish a new 1/2 marathon PR June 6 in Concord.

Right now, my best time in a half marathon is 1:36:25 last fall at the Towpath 1/2 Marathon.

Can't wait to see what happens!

Runners World Quote of the Day:

"I tape my list of goals, both large and small, above my bed so I see them when I wake up. This holds me accountable."

Chris Solinsky, Elite runner from Portland, Oregon

Happy running!

Race simulation on Sat.; easy run on Sun.

2010-04-12T22:06:00.003-04:00

Saturday's workout called for a 9-mile race simulation. What that means is running six miles at an easy pace, then running the final three miles at goal race pace plus 20-30 seconds.

The workout is designed to let your body experience what it may feel like toward the end of your race and to keep your pace at a pretty good clip while tired.

The first six miles were pretty easy although it was warmer than I anticipated so my long-sleeved shirt was a little warm and I was glad to run in shorts.

However, I think it wasn't hydrated enough at the start because I got really thirsty quickly.

Anyway, my first six miles ranged from a 7:55 for the first mile down to a 7:31 for mile three.

The first six splits were: 7:55; 7:43; 7:31; 7:49; 7:50 and 7:48.

I felt great at this point. To begin mile seven I amped it up to a 7:10 pace, followed by a 7:07 for mile eight.

I was cruising along toward finishing mile nine, when I felt a cramp or tweak or something in my calf/Achilles area with about 0.5 miles to go. I had to slow down a little bit and by the end I was limping slightly. Still, I managed a 7:26 for the last mile.

Immediately after I got home, I hopped into the shower and let cold water pour onto my legs to calm down any possible inflammation. This helped a lot as did the ibuprofen I took later.

On Sunday, I felt much better although my calf was still reminding me of yesterday's workout and to go very easy for this four-mile run.

I listened to my body and ran the four miles in 32:47 or 8:12/mile pace. Later that night I got out my trusty massage tool, "The Stick" and helped smooth out my legs muscles. This morning I felt nearly recovered and hopefully with Monday off entirely, I'll be ready for Tuesday's sprint workout.

Runners World Quote of the Day:

"Keeping my eye on today is about all I'm capable of. And today, I think I'll go for a run."

John Bingham, "Back to the Future," Runner's World

Happy running!

A hard tempo run

2010-04-08T22:42:00.003-04:00

Tonight's workout called for a hard 20-minute tempo run with a mile warmup and mile cooldown.

After an easy 8:22 mile for a warmup, I zoomed into tempo running mode.

Basically the 20 minutes of tempo running equaled about three miles. So the first mile was done in 6:45, mile two was done in 6:50 and mile three was done in 6:49!

I was pushing it pretty hard, but that's the point of this workout. I love the fact that I was able to run about what I was hoping -- sub 6:50s for each mile.

Final cooldown was done in a relaxing, although I was pretty tired, pace of 8:09.

Total workout was five miles in 36:50 or 7:22/mile pace including warmup and cooldown.

Runners World Quote of the Day:

"Life is short. Running makes it seem longer."

Baron Hansen, Danish architect

Happy running!

A tough but fast sprint workout tonight

2010-04-06T22:02:00.003-04:00

This is the start of the second week of my 10-week program to train for a half marathon, which you can see here. It's the one Ryan Hall used a couple years ago when he ran the half marathon in Houston in 59-minutes plus.

I have to say that tonight it felt pretty nice to run a sprint workout in shorts and short sleeves.

The workout called for five, 1,000 meter sprints or .62 miles. After each sprint, the workout calls for a 2-minute rest.

Usually sprints are done at a fairly consistent pace, but tonight was very unusual in the fact that I ran all five at 3:43 each! I couldn't do that again probably if I tried.

At 3:43, that translates to a 5:59/mile pace! Wow, I'm very pleased that I ran each of these sprints (0.62 miles is not exactly easy to sprint) faster than six minutes per mile pace. This is some good stuff for me.

Runners World Quote of the Day:

"Often, the enjoyment is the training before and the memory after."

Doug Kurtis, former race director for the Detroit Free Press/Flagstar Bank International Marathon

Happy running!

Great 10-mile run Sunday

2010-04-06T21:41:00.003-04:00

It was beautiful morning Sunday and a nice quiet time to get out for a 10-miler.

I felt pretty good this morning, although still feeling a little bit tight and sore from Friday's tough tempo run.

But after a fairly easy mile that served as a warmup, I ran the rest of the distance at a fairly good clip.

Here are the splits:

1. 8:07
2. 7:53
3. 7:47
4. 7:58
5. 7:57
6. 7:50
7. 7:52
8. 7:45
9. 7:52
10. 7:53
10.11 52 secs. or 7:56 pace

As you can see, this was a pretty consistent pace for this run. Total mileage was 10.11 and was completed in 1:19:52. that translates to a 7:54/mile pace.

I felt pretty good after I was finished. It was kind of warm to be wearing running tights and a long-sleeve shirt, but I'll take it over the cold any day.

The best part about this run is that it felt fairly easy and I didn't fatigue like I have in the past when getting up to 10 miles. This is very encouraging!

Runners World Quote of the Day:

"Winning has nothing to do with racing. Most days don't have races anyway. Winning is about struggle and effort and optimism, and never, ever, ever giving up."

Amby Burfoot, The Runner's Guide to the Meaning of Life

Happy running!

Catching up after a busy week

2010-04-02T23:44:00.005-04:00

It's been a busy week at work and with running so I'll do my best to recap the week since it's been a while from the last post.

After my 12-mile run last Friday, on Sunday I got in a fairly easy 4.19 mile run in 31:30 for a 7:32 pace. Still was feeling the after effects from the 12-miler, but very pleased at the ease of this pace.

On Tuesday, it was time for some sprints. I proceeded to do a warmup of 1.18 miles at 8:51 pace.

Next were five 1/2 mile sprints. Here are the splits: 3:06, 3:13, 3:04, 3:08 and 3:06.

Followed by a 0.64-mile cooldown at 8:41/mile pace.

This was a very hard workout, but I was pleased by the pace I ran each sprint.

Wednesday's workout was just a very easy recovery run, since I was pretty tired and sore from the sprints. I ran four miles in 32:53 or 8:13 pace.

Thursday I was hurtin' so I took the day off in preparation for a tempo run on Friday.

I decided to do a moderate tempo run on Friday night, and it was actually hot outside! So I got to wear shorts and a T-shirt! Love it!

I also got a new pair of shoes on Friday at Achilles Running Shop's Erie, Pa., store. Thanks to my wife who picked them up for me! No sales tax in Pa. on shoes, by the way.

After a one-mile warmup of 8:18, I cranked out four moderately hard miles. Splits were 7:19, 7:17, 7:20 and 7:02! (should have broken 7, but no biggie).

I followed that effort up with a nice cooldown mile of 7:54, which felt pretty easy as it should have.

Now I'm hoping I can get up early on Sunday and get in a nice 8-10 mile run before a day spent with the family.

Runners World Quote of the Day:

"Once you are a runner, it's always there in the back of your head."

Bill Rodgers

Happy running!

12 mile run on Friday

2010-03-28T13:36:00.002-04:00

Since I had the day off for my 40th birthday, I decided what better way to celebrate than to run 12 miles at the Ashtabula Metroparks Western Reserve Greenway Trail!

The first six miles were pretty easy, cruising along at about a 7:53 mile pace. Little did I realize was the strong wind propelling me from the back.

When I turned around at six miles even, I let out an "ugh". Suddenly there was this stiff wind in my face, perhaps 20-30 mph and I was six miles away from my car.

Plus, I had forgotten that the first six miles is slightly downhill most of the way.

So now I'm running mostly uphill with a tough wind in my face.

Needless to say, my run back was slower.

I won't bother listing all the splits, but total time for the 12 miles was 1:39:09.

After typing that number, I realize my pace was 8:15 for the entire run. Not too bad considering this is my longest run of the year.

Translating that to a half marathon would be somewhere around a 1:48. I guess that's really not too bad for a long casual run on a Friday afternoon.

Runners World Quote of the Day:

"The true runner is a very fortunate person. He has found something in him that is just perfect."

George Sheehan

Happy running!

Awesome tempo run today

2010-03-24T22:56:00.003-04:00

The weather outside after work was fantastic today, so what better way to celebrate than running a moderately hard 4-mile tempo run, plus one mile warmup and cooldown, for a 6-mile total.

The first mile was an easy warmup in 7:59, then time to ramp it up!

Mile two was done in 7:18 -- felt great.

Mile three done in 7:11, Mile four finished in 7:15, then Mile five was done in 7:01 -- nearly in the sixes!

After the five miles, time for a cooldown, which I did in 7:39 -- kind of fast for a cooldown, but it felt pretty slow after the previous paces.

After six miles, I wanted to see if I would finish faster than 46 minutes for a 10-K. I only needed to run 0.2 more miles, so what the heck.

Overall I finished the 6.2 miles -- a 10-K -- in 45:55. That was actually faster than what I ran the Erie 10-K on March 13! Including the mile each for a warmup and cooldown, my total per mile pace was 7:23.

"As we run, we become."

Amby Burfoot, The Runner's Guide to the Meaning of Life

Happy running!

Easy four mile run

2010-03-23T20:02:00.002-04:00

On Monday night it was windy and cold, but I wanted to get in a nice four mile run.

First mile was a warmup in 7:56.

Mile two was 7:40; Mile three was 7:37; Mile four was 7:38.

Overall pace was 30:53 for a 7:43 mile/pace.

I like how paces in the mid sevens are becoming easier for me.

Nothing special yesterday really, so on to the Runners World Quote of the Day:

"Vary your training, your running partners, and your environment. Only your imagination limits the ways you can spice up your running routine."

Bob Glover, The Runner's Handbook

Happy running!

50-minute tempo run

2010-03-21T23:18:00.002-04:00

On Saturday, I decided to do a 50-minute tempo run that included 10-minutes of warmup at an easy pace and a cooldown of 10 minutes at an easy pace.

The 40 minutes in between was some pretty hard running, but not full-out effort.

Here are the splits:

Mile
1 = 7:55
2 = 7:29
3 = 7:24
4 = 7:24
5 = 7:04
6 = 7:25
6.6 = 5:07 (8:31 mile pace)

Total was 60 minutes for 6.6 miles which is a 7:34/mile pace. On the surface that might not appear that fast, but I'm considering the first 10 minutes and last 10 minutes were done at an easy pace.

Some of the mile paces were done at times faster than seven minutes, a few times including mile five I was running at a 6:45/mile pace, but I got stuck at a traffic light and had to stop for about 10 seconds while cars passed, if not for that I would have run that mile faster than seven.

At one point, I looked at my watch at 6.2 miles (10-K distance) and my time was 46:28, which was only 28 seconds slower than my 10-K from the race last weekend. At that point in my running I was in cooldown mode!

It's nice to be healthy and not running in cold, windy and wet conditions, for sure.

Runners World Quote of the Day:

"It should make us proud to know we are part of a running lineage that stretches back from the original Olympic Games in 776 BC to this very moment."

Michael Sandrock, Author and runner

Happy running!

Easy 5-mile run

2010-03-18T21:51:00.002-04:00

Weather was once again fantastic tonight after work, so I decided to do an easy paced 5-miler.

First mile was done in a very easy 8:15. The remaining splits were:

Mile
2 = 7:56
3 = 7:44
4 = 7:53
5 = 7:39
5.08 = 0:36

Total = 40:05 for 5.08 mile for a 7:53 pace.

I am encouraged by this run especially since I was pretty sore from the previous day's 10-mile run. Usually I don't run the day after a long run, but I was feeling good today, so I just did it.

Hope on Saturday I can do a fast-paced tempo run.

Runners World Quote of the Day:

"Great is the victory, but the friendship of all is greater."

Emil Zatopek, Olympic gold medalist in 5 km, 10 km, and marathon

Happy running!

Unplanned 10-mile run tonight!

2010-03-17T22:08:00.003-04:00

Got home shortly after 6 p.m. tonight and no one else would be home for an hour or so. That meant I could do a long run, but I originally planned to do maybe six miles.

I set out determined this would be an easy run and after four miles, I coasted along at just under an 8-minute mile pace. I felt great and it was nice outside so I decided to do another four miles, but at around mile six, I figured what the heck, why not do four more and make it ten?

So I did and I never really slowed down much. Here are my splits ...

Mile
1 = 8:09
2 = 7:59
3 = 7:49
4 = 7:54
5 = 7:49
6 = 8:01
7 = 7:57
8 = 7:54
9 = 7:56
10 = 7:52
10.16 = 7:44 mile/pace

Totals are 10.16 miles in 1:20:39 for 7:56/mile pace. Not bad for a Wednesday!

Pretty neat doing a long run in the middle of the week. Never have I run more than 10 miles on a weeknight. Not even when I trained for the Cleveland Marathon in 2007. Strangely, it's been a few hours now since I finished, but I'm not overly tired. We'll see how I feel tomorrow.

Anyway, it was good to get in this long run, since I raced last weekend and last week I was sick a little bit, so I didn't get much mileage in. I guess my body and mind were just ready to do a little bit more than usual today.

Runners World Quote of the Day:

"I run almost every day and love it. I need to stay lean for my sport, and I tend to build bulk and muscle easily. Running helps me stay stringy."

Apolo Ohno, Olympic speed skater

Happy running!

Daylight savings time rocks!

2010-03-15T21:44:00.002-04:00

It occurred to me this afternoon that there would still be daylight when I got home from work, typically around 6:30 to 6:45 p.m.

Sure enough, sunset was scheduled for around 7:30 p.m. so I had plenty of time to get in a nice, easy 30-minute run OUTSIDE on a weeknight.

I was still sore from Saturday's 10-K in Erie, so nothing hard tonight just a 8:07/mile pace for each mile for the 3.7 miles I ran.

It felt good to get out there on the road to loosen up a little bit. Doubtful I'll do a sprint workout on Tuesday, but maybe a little more intense run than today.

Runners World Quote of the Day:

"Act like a horse. Be dumb. Just run."

Jumbo Elliot, Track and Field Coach

Happy running!

Erie 10-K race day experience (Updated)

2010-03-13T13:07:00.006-05:00

Updated: 6 p.m.

Turns out I finished 7th in my age group out of 25 and 51st overall out of 257. I'll take it.

I also forgot to mention the very nice fleece blanket that was given to everyone who completed the Erie Runners Club Winter Series. That was finishing the Turkey Trot in November, New Year's Day 5-miler and today's race.

Original post:

After not running since Tuesday due to illness, I wasn't sure what to expect this morning at the Erie Runners Club St. Patrick's Day Distance Festival that included a 10-K and 5-K.

Some brave souls ran both races, such as my friends Heather and Dan Cass. I chose to just run the 10-K.

For the most part, the weather was the biggest factor for many runners and their results. The course was a 6.2-mile out-and-back loop. Most runners had strong runs for the first half of the race with strong gusty winds from Lake Erie at their back.

At the turn around point, just slightly before the 3-mile mark, runners then were faced with stiff winds that really did a number in sucking the energy out of you. Rain also started to come down during the last half of the race, nothing too hard, but enough to make it hard to see out of my glasses.

My first three mile splits were an average of about 7:10 per mile. But the last 3.2 miles were a different story. The average for the last portion of the race was 7:40 per mile. It's really hard to keep your pace when the wind is gusting around 30 mph on you.

Anyway, my overall time was 46:00 flat, which is a 7:25/mile pace. I finished 51st overall and not sure what place in my age group, but not high enough to win an award.

I'm pretty happy with everything considering the conditions. I've run faster than this in the past, for sure, but considering I just got over an illness and the weather wasn't great, it was a pretty good day.

At least I feel pretty healthy now.

When I see official results, I'll post a link to them.

Runners World Quote of the Day:

"I don't know how the creative process works, but it always seems, as I'm running...that thoughts start coming in; sentences start coming in."

Robert A. Caro, biographer

Happy running!

Last speed workout before Erie 10-K

2010-03-09T22:17:00.002-05:00

Tonight was my last speed workout before Saturday's race in Erie, Pa.

The distances run were shorter but more intense tonight.

I ran six 400-meter sprints each at 6:00/mile pace or 90 seconds each.

I knew this was going to be a fast and tough pace after sprint No. 1. I remember thinking "Wow, I have five more of these".

Anyway, I settled in and got used to the pace, sweating up a storm. After each interval, I did a light jog as recovery for 90 seconds, then back to the sprints.

I'm getting ready to race, it will be nice since it's been more than two months. The 5-miler on New Year's Day was my last one.

Hopefully the weather will be decent on Saturday -- meaning no rain.

Runners World Quote of the Day:

"A marathon is like life with its ups and downs, but once you've done it you feel that you can do anything."

Anonymous

Happy running!

A steller 8-mile run

2010-03-07T20:29:00.002-05:00

This morning it was about 35 degrees and not a cloud in the sky. What a beautiful day to go for a long run!

My legs were a little tired from my 6-mile tempo run on Friday afternoon, but that didn't stop me from enjoying this run.

The first mile was completed in 7:50 or so, then I kicked it up a few notches.

Splits for miles two through eight were: 7:32, 7:26, 7:19, 7:27, 7:05, 7:19 and finally 7:13.

Total time was 59:26 or 7:26 per mile average! This is perhaps my best training run ever for this distance and the final three miles were the fastest of the bunch.

Can't wait for the Erie 10-K next Saturday.

Runners World Quote of the Day:

"Those long runs cleanse my system, physically and mentally."

Joan Benoit Samuelson

Happy running!

Nice tempo run today

2010-03-05T17:05:00.002-05:00

Loved having a nice sunny Friday afternoon off work (have to work Saturday), so I got in a good tempo run outside!

First mile was a warmup of 8:47, then time to engage into 4 miles of fairly hard tempo running.

I sped up and ran a 7:05 mile, followed by a 6:57 mile, then a 7:14 mile (had to stop for a bit due to a highway crossing and cars barreling down the road), then picked up up for the faster mile of the bunch -- a 6:56!

Following this, I did an easy 1-mile cooldown of 8:29. Funny how it felt so slow after cruising for the previous 4 miles.

Total run time was 45:31 for 6 miles or an overall pace of 7:35. But really the key to the workout was running those four tempo pace miles at around 7 minute/mile pace. Very encouraging!

Runners World Quote of the Day:

"I've always liked hills. I see a challenge, a goal, and I feel instantly galvanized to achieve the goal."

Amby Burfoot, The Runner's Guide to the Meaning of Life

Easy 3.6 mile run, Erie 10-K sign up

2010-03-04T22:24:00.003-05:00

Wednesday night was designed to be an easy 30-minute run, so that's what I did -- nice and easy.

I basically ran 3.6 miles in 30 minutes, which translates to an 8:20/mile pace. Not hard after pushing myself with sprints the night before.

I also signed up for the Erie Runners Club St. Patrick's Day 10-K on March 13, which you can do here.

I'm not really sure what kind of time I will be able to run for this race since it's the season's first, but maybe I can beat 45 minutes? That would translate to faster than a 7:14/mile pace.

I haven't run many 10-Ks in my life, mostly 5-Ks, 5-milers and half marathons, so this distance will be good to determine my current training paces for the Lake Health Distance Classic Half Marathon on June 6.

Many of the training workouts for a half marathon base workouts off of 10-K race pace, so this will this be perfect timing for a fresh 10-K time as I'm getting ready to begin a 10-week training program at the end of March.

I hope 2010 can be my most successful racing season especially since I'm turning 40 this year and will compete as a youngster in the masters division (for people 40 and older).

Runners World Quote of the Day:

"It is a sublime thing to suffer and be stronger."

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, American educator and poet

Happy running!

Challenging speed workout

2010-03-04T22:18:00.003-05:00

On Tuesday night, I did 5 x 1000 meter sprints on the treadmill.

First I warmed up with an easy mile, then set the treadmill for 6:40 mile pace. At 1,000 meters or 1K, which is 0.62 miles I ran each of them in about 4 minutes, plus a few seconds.

I followed this with 2-minute easy recovery jogs.

Not the easiest of workouts that's for sure, but it was good to get in some speed while working on the endurance.

After the speed workout, I did a 1/2 mile cooldown that was definitely needed. I can feel myself getting faster with these workouts.

Runners World Quote of the Day:

"I do my best thinking when I'm running. I don't know why that is - everything seems to flow so easily. It's almost a spiritual thing for me."

Apolo Ohno, Olympic Speed Skater

Happy running!

Easy four mile run

2010-02-28T19:59:00.003-05:00

Although it was starting to melt outside, the snow was too deep to run outside today, so I headed to the gym for a treadmill run.

I was still kind of feeling sore from yesterday's 8-mile run, so I did 10 minutes on the stationary bike to loosen up.

This run wasn't designed to be fast, rather easy just to get in some mileage.

I really didn't pay attention to the mile splits, but most of the miles were done around 8:20/mile pace or slower.

Overall, the time was 33:44 or 8:26/mile pace. You would think these runs really are easy, but that's never the case because of the soreness and stiffness from the previous hard workout. However, I guess it's better than calling it a slow run, right?

I like this Runners World Quote of the Day:

"I don't believe in restricting calories, I believe in burning them."

Chanamalla Samagond, Indian National Champion at 800m and 1,500m

Happy running!

Eight miles on the (dread)mill

2010-02-28T10:39:00.003-05:00

With the weather outside so frightful Saturday and the roads so undelightful, there was only one place to go ... the tread, er, dreadmill as a friend of mine put it.

The first mile was pretty much a warmup at 8:25/mile pace. But the last 7 miles were all done at 7:53/mile pace or faster.

Ultimately I finished the last mile at about 7:43/mile pace with a total run of 63:09 for an average of 7:53/mile pace.

Fairly decent, although I usually run quicker outside, but at least I got the mileage in at a respectable pace.

Maybe I'll get some cross-training in today if I can get to the gym. Easier said than done with how the roads are still packed full of snow.

I feel for all the people training for a spring marathon who were looking to get in long runs of more than 10 miles. Good luck!

Runners Quote of the Day:

"I do recommend running as a cure-all. It's the magic ingredient and an important physical release. It has helped me look and feel better."

Dr. Drew Pinsky, Addiction Specialist and TV Host

Happy running!

Awesome speed workout

2010-02-25T23:20:00.003-05:00

On Wednesday night, I got in a great speed workout on the treadmill!

After a very easy mile warmup, I bumped up the speed to a 6:44/mile pace and did a 1/2 mile. I ran six in total and each was at a progressively faster pace until the fifth one, which was done at 6:28/mile pace.

It felt hard, but good enough where I did a final, sixth one at the same pace.

Once I was done, I did a very slow half mile cooldown. Very tired and sweaty when done, but it's all good!

I haven't run at those paces for a long time, so I was very encouraged by this workout! I'm looking forward to running the 10-K in Erie on March 13.

Runners World Quote of the Day:

"Success does not come to the most righteous and rigorously disciplined but to those who continue running."

Amby Burfoot

Great lift, easy 4-mile run

2010-02-24T10:46:00.004-05:00

Monday night I got in an awesome strength training workout. Did chest, abs and legs. Felt good.

Then I hopped on the treadmill for an easy 4-mile run. After a mile warmup of 8:50, I settled in and did the remaining three miles around 8:13/mile pace.

Hopefully on Wednesday, I'll be able to do a speed workout on the treadmill. Work has been crazy the past two weeks, so I hope I have the energy for a good workout.

People are also starting to ask me if I'm doing the 1/2 marathon in Cleveland in May. I'm not sure, it's expensive and kind of far away for me. Plus, it's three weeks before the Concord Half Marathon, which I really want to race and do well. I'd like to blow away my time from last year, which was 1:39:25.

I'll just have to see how the training goes along with other life commitments before I make a final decision on Cleveland.

Runners World Quote of the Day:

"Running should be a lifelong activity. Approach it patiently and intelligently, and it will reward you for a long, long time."

Michael Sargent

Happy running!

Awesome day & run!

2010-02-20T18:31:00.002-05:00

With temperatures in the mid 30s, it was a perfect day for a long run. Sunshine was abundant and the wind wasn't too bad.

I decided to bump up the mileage to a 10 miles today. Farthest run I've done in a long time. I really felt great for the majority of the time.

All of my miles were done faster than 8 minutes! The total time was 1:18:10 or 7:49/mile pace.

This is probably the fastest I've ever done a training run for this distance. This fires me up! Hopefully a sign of good things to come.

Runners World Quote of the Day:

"The ability to make a man go beyond the point at which he thinks he is going to die."

Franz Stampfl on what coaches need

Happy running!

A day off before big weekend

2010-02-19T21:46:00.004-05:00

On Thursday, I was still stinging after Wednesday's speed workout. I had intended to take the day off Thursday, but my legs were screaming for me to do something, so I hit the stationary bike for 40 minutes. Felt good to get some blood flowing through there as I recovered.

For Friday night, I decided to take the night off and have plans to do a long run on Saturday and perhaps a 4-5 miler on Sunday. The weather should be decent, so I'm hoping to do my long run on Saturday at a swift pace and hopefully I'll feel fresh. Maybe I'll bump up the distance to 10 miles, if I'm feeling good.

With the Olympics in full swing, I wanted to link you to this story about speed skater Apolo Ohno, who is a runner too. Check it out here.

Today's Runners World Quote of the Day is short and sweet ...

"Run into peace."

Meister Eckhart, 14th-Century Philosopher

Happy running!

Great speed workout tonight

2010-02-17T22:50:00.004-05:00

First time I got in some speedwork in a while and it felt great! I did five 0.5-mile sprints at paces that initially I began at 7:03 per mile.

At the start of each one of the five, I progressively bumped up the speed on the treadmill to the point I ran the last interval at 6:44/mile pace. The best part is that it didn't seem overly hard.

Between each interval, I did a recovery jog of about 1:35 at a 9:40/mile pace, then ramped it back up to speed.

I'm trying Ryan Hall's 1/2 marathon training plan, available here.

Looking forward to this plan, it seems like it's something I can do.

Runners World Quote of the Day:

"When you have the enthusiasm and passion, you end up figuring how to excel."

Deena Kastor

Happy running!

Easy 3-mile run

2010-02-15T22:23:00.003-05:00

After initially thinking I would just take tonight off, I decided against it. I just didn't want to take two consecutive days off after eating a little more than I should have during the past weekend.

So I hit the treadmill for an easy three miles. Nothing special, just wanted to get in a decent sweat. Three miles done in 25:22 or 8:27 per mile. This was more about calorie burning than actual training.

Tuesday, I'm hoping to get in a speed workout on the treadmill or at least a hard tempo run. We'll see how the day goes first.

Runners World Quote of the Day:

"You feel good while you're running and you feel even better when you're finished."

Fred Lebow, founder of the New York City Marathon

Happy running!

Busy week at work, great run today

2010-02-13T13:55:00.002-05:00

This past week at work was one of the most busy I've had in a long time, so I didn't have the time or energy to post, sorry loyal readers.

Tuesday night was a good 5-mile tempo run. After a mile warmup, I got in three solid miles faster than 7:23 including the third one at 7:03. Finished with a mile cooldown of 8 minutes. Whew, that one was tough, but good.

I needed a day off after that and on Thursday, I got in a fairly easy 4-mile steady state run in 32:24 or 8:06/mile. Not too bad, but I was still feeling slightly tired from Tuesday's tough run and tired from work.

Saturday was a new day and after a good night sleep and a nice breakfast, I got in 8 miles in 61:15 or 7:45/mile pace. Wore the Yak Trax and they definitely helped on the snow-covered roads where I live.

So I was very happy considering the snow and somewhat windy conditions. I felt strong and fresh at the end and did the last mile in 7:38! Very pleased, indeed.

Runners World Quote of the Day:

"Running was a practical and mystical discipline. It was a way of melding the inner and outer realms."

David Hobler, runner

Happy running!

Good weekend of running

2010-02-07T22:31:00.003-05:00

On Saturday, I got in lots of strength training. I did abs, lower back, legs and hips.

Then I hopped on the treadmill and got in 5 miles. The first mile was nice and slow at 8:34/mile pace.

The last four miles were done around a 7:41 pace or so. Ultimately, I finished the five miles in 39:24. Nothing special but it was good to get four miles in at a solidly fast pace.

On Sunday, it was cold about 23 degrees, but it was sunny and the wind wasn't too strong so I wanted to get in a long run outside.

I decided to run 8 miles. Most of the miles were done faster than an 8-minute pace, with the last two slower than 8-minutes. I was definitely feeling the effects of my layoff, plus the strength training of my legs the day before made them feel heavy.

But I got the distance in and I can't complain too much since it was my first long run for about three weeks.

For the weekend, it was a good to get in 16 miles including Friday's workout

This week I hope to get in a some additional quality workouts to get back into the swing of things.

Runners World Quote of the Day:

"Commitment to the body machine. It was as critical as the commitment to the goal itself."

Richard Christian Matheson, "Third Wind"

Happy running!

Sinus infection slowing me down

2010-02-06T09:17:00.002-05:00

After two weeks of battling this cold and trying to run a little during that time, I went to the doctor on Friday.

He gave me some antibiotics and confirmed I have a sinus infection. Already the medication is helping, hopefully I'll be back up to speed in a few days.

Anyway, I did managed to get in a short 3-mile run Friday night. Nothing special, just trying to maintain some level of fitness while I recover.

I finished in 24:30 or 8:10/mile pace. Hopefully I can get in a couple solid runs this weekend and then I can get back into more hearty training.

Runners World Quote of the Day:

"Ultimately, the best runners are the ones who are willing to work very hard but who have a little bit of a lazy streak in them."

Benji Durden, Coach

Happy running!

Getting healthy slowly, 5-mile tempo

2010-02-03T12:16:00.003-05:00

Monday night was a time for cross training so I did some strength training that involved chest and abs. The layoff wasn't too bad on this end, so I was happy about that.

Then I did 45 minutes on the stationary bike, 30 minutes were at a pretty good clip of about 90 rpms. I guess that's decent, because I was working up a nice sweat.

Tuesday night's workout was a 5-mile tempo run. The first miles was easy pace about 8:50/mile. The second through mile four were done between 7:33 and 7:40/mile pace. Nothing spectacular and my legs and whole body just felt tired like I needed a day off.

I managed to finish the run with the last mile done as a cooldown or easy pace of 8:13/mile.

I'm hopeful my health from this stupid cold/sinus problem will take care of itself soon, but I have a doctor's appointment for Friday in case it doesn't.

With adding cross training to my regime, I thought this quote was appropriate.

Runners World Quote of the Day:

"The body loves variety. The body is the same as the seasons: It likes change."

Priscilla Welch, British marathon runner

Happy running!

Getting healthy, back to normal

2010-01-31T21:25:00.002-05:00

On Saturday afternoon, I was able to get in 5 miles on the treadmill. Nothing too hard, just a fairly easy pace, although it was a challenge due to the illness layoff.

I managed to run about the distance in 42:40 or 8:32/mile pace. Again, just trying to get my lungs and legs back into shape.

On Sunday, after we got back meeting my new niece Erin Elizabeth Geisler, it was sunny, but cold outside -- about 25 degrees and falling -- so I did a run outside.

I wanted to do 5 miles, but after mile 3, I decided to skip the last mile because the wind and cold was getting too much. It dropped several degrees during the run and I could tell.

Anyway, I ran it at a good clip. First mile was 7:53, then mile 2 was at a 7:38 pace and mile 3 was at 7:08 pace. Mile 4 was fast too, and I finished the run in 30:50. Total distance was 4.08 miles so that translates to 7:33/mile pace. Not too bad, considering the cold, wind and my gradual return to health!

Runners World Quote of the Day:

"Our sport becomes not just what we do but an integral symbol—on all levels—of who we are."

Gloria Averbuch

Happy running!

Finally healthy to run again

2010-01-29T14:05:00.002-05:00

It's been six days of a massive head cold and finally it relented enough that I was able to get in a run today.

Yes, I'm also off work today, finally. So I went to the gym and decided to do a really easy 30-minute run. I basically ran 3.6 miles for an 8:20 pace and it felt good to get a little sweat.

Didn't want to do anything too hard because of the layoff and not risking my health taking another turn for the worst.

I really hate January colds, by the way, I seem to get one every year.

Anyway, I hope I can put this behind me and get back to doing some training. The 16-week program for the Concord Half Marathon in June is about ready for me to start, so we'll see how it goes.

I think this quote is appropriate from Runners World:

"Free your mind, and your feet will follow."

Kevin Nelson, The Runner's Book of Daily Inspiration

Happy running!

Killer 8-miler that got me sick

2010-01-25T21:38:00.004-05:00

Sorry for the late post here, but I got stuck working the weekend and didn't have time to blog.

On Saturday before work, I got in a tough 8-mile run, busting it out in 60:30. The pace was 7:33 per mile. I felt pretty good, legs heavy from my intense workout on Thursday, but still good.

However, I may have paid a price for running this hard, then heading into work for the remainder of the day.

I now have a head cold and it sucks. Figures just as I ramp up the training, I get sick.

Unfortunately, this seems to be common for when runners push it too hard, too fast, like it appears I did. Your immune system gets pushed to the limit because you're trying to recover from your training and sometimes you pay the price.

Looks like it's nature's way of telling me to back off a little bit. Not really what I want to do, but I'll likely take a few more days off from training so that I can get better.

So far, the cold hasn't moved into my lungs, which is what you fear as a runner since that's when you are supposed to stop running. I just hope that I can get healthy pretty quickly.

Working nine days in a row isn't going to help, but if I make it to Wednesday, when I have a day off, all I have to do is work Thursday, then it's a three-day weekend.

I'm going to need it.

Runners World Quote of the Day:

"My philosophy on running is, I don't dwell on it, I do it."

Joan Samuelson

Happy running!

Achilles Running Shop news!

2010-01-22T16:35:00.003-05:00

If you're looking for a good deal on some running gear, get yourself over to Achilles Running Shop in Mentor.

Here's an e-mail passed along from one of the store's owners:

"Last 3 days of the Achilles Running Shop Anniversary Sale!

25 percent off all winter apparel & accessories

20 percent off Trail and Gore-Tex shoes

Extra 20 percent off all sale and clearance shoes - FINAL SALE

50 percent off all summer apparel- FINAL SALE

Don't forget - Every purchase puts you into a drawing for a $50 Gift Certificate.

8791 Mentor Ave., Mentor 440-255-7861"

A 5-mile tempo run

2010-01-22T11:19:00.002-05:00

Last night, I cranked out a 5-mile tempo run that was very challenging.

The first mile was easy to warm up at 8:34/mile pace, then I ramped it up to a 7:13/mile pace for the next 10 minutes. It felt good, so at mile 3, I sped up farther to 6:53/mile pace and kept that pace for the next 10 minutes.

The last 10 minutes of the run was done at an easier pace to cooldown. It was about 8:20/mile pace.

So overall, my 5 miles were done in 39:40. But the key was running that 20 minutes very hard. I definitely was tired when done and my legs felt the effort for sure.

Today, I feel very good and without the usual soreness that follows a tough run like this. I think the concept of "Run Less Run Faster" will be a good one.

Again, I plan to start the 16-week program at the end of January. I hope it will allow me to reach goals I've wanted to do for a long time.

Runners World Quote of the Day:

"I ran to be free; I ran to avoid pain; I ran to feel pain; I ran out of love and hate and anger and joy."

Dagny Scott, Runner's World Complete Book of Women's Running

Happy running!

Solid 4-mile tempo run, cross-training

2010-01-21T13:55:00.003-05:00

On Tuesday night, I did a 4-mile tempo run that included a 1-mile easy pace around 8:20, followed by 2 miles at 7:19/mile pace. I wrapped it up with another easy mile about 8 minutes.

The running wasn't too difficult and I am preparing for a new program from the book "Run Less Run Faster".

Prior to the run, I did chest strength training and abdominal core workout. I can really feel it helping and the ab workouts are getting better each time.

On Wednesday, I decided to just do some cross-training after my hard workout last week and Tuesday.

I basically rode the stationary bike for 45 minutes at about 80-90 rpm. It was quite a change using different muscles in my legs. I'll have to get used to this.

My new training program is set to begin at the end of this month, so that I can begin the 16-month training program for the Concord Half Marathon in early June.

It will be interesting to see if the Run Less Run Faster method helps me.

Runners World Quote of the Day:

"At first an ordeal and then an accomplishment, the daily run becomes a staple, like bread, or wine, a fine marriage, or air. It is also a free pass to friendship."

Benjamin Cheever, Strides

Happy running!

A long run on a nice Saturday, easy day Sunday

2010-01-17T23:06:00.002-05:00

On Saturday, it was a "balmy" 38 degrees when I decided to do a long run of 8 miles.

It was the first time in weeks that there was actually dry pavement on the roads near home, so I decided to hit the road.

I really felt great, busting along the first few miles at about 7:50/mile pace, then toward the middle, I sped up a little bit to get down into the 7:30-7:35/mile pace. I kept this up for about three miles or so, then easing up to about 7:45-7:50 mile pace for the last couple miles.

Overall, my run was finished in 61:20 or 7:40 mile pace. Pretty solid, I thought.

For Sunday, I debated to take the day off from running since I was feeling sluggish, but since I ate a few more calories than I should have, I decided to get in four easy miles to burn off them off. Cross-training might have been a better option, but I still managed to get in 4 miles in about 32:50 or around 8:12 mile pace.

I purchased a new book endorsed by the Amby Burfoot, executive editor of Runners World. It's called "Run Less Run Faster" and is written by three guys -- Bill Pierce, Scott Murr and Ray Moss.

The basic premise is on more quality in running workouts, not quantity. I'm about halfway through it right now.

I'll write more about this later as I get further into my reading. So far, it's very intriguing. I may use the plan to prepare for a May or early June half marathon.

Runners World Quote of the Day:

"That is why athletes are important, why records are important. Because they demonstrate the scope of human possibility, which is unlimited. The inconceivable is conceived, and then it is accomplished."

Brian Ganville, "The Olympian"

Happy running!

Two great workouts

2010-01-14T11:34:00.002-05:00

On Tuesday night, I felt guilty after a burgers and fries lunch earlier that day at Five Guys in Mayfield Heights, so I hit the gym hard.

Ten minutes of ellipitcal, then chest and abdominal strength training followed by 5-miles on the treadmill.

My pace was pretty steady the entire time, hovering around 8-minute to 7:40/mile pace. Burned off a lot of a calories and the run felt pretty easy.

On Wednesday night, I did 10 minutes of ellipitcal then some upper and lower back strength work before the treadmill for a hard 3 miles. The first mile was a warmup around 8:20 pace, then mile two was around 7:40 pace, and finally dropping down to 6:40/mile pace for the final mile. Felt great!

Runners World Quote of the Day:

"At age 43, when I found myself standing in my garage in a new pair of running shoes, I knew that it was my moment of truth. Behind me lay forty years of bad decisions and broken promises."

John Bingham, "The Courage to Start"

Happy running!

A solid 4-miler with a little speed

2010-01-12T10:45:00.004-05:00

After taking Sunday off, I hopped on the gym treadmill Monday night and busted out a 4-mile run after 8 minutes on the elliptical machine. No strength training after a late start, since my wife had to work later than normal.

The first mile was nothing more than a gradual warmup at about 8:40/mile pace. The second and third miles were faster, done at about 7:53/mile pace.

The last mile I wanted to get a little speed work done, just to raise the heart rate. I gradually sped up to about 7:13/mile pace for a few minutes and then finished the last 0.5 miles at 6:48/mile pace.

One thing I noticed about this run is that training in the 6-minute mile range gradually has become easier, which leaves me very encouraged!

Runners World Quote of the Day:

"It has been said that the love of the chase is an inherent delight in man-a relic of an instinctive passion."

Charles Darwin

Happy running!

New GPS watch and Yak Traks

2010-01-09T22:22:00.004-05:00

Today was a very exciting day!

I got to do my long run outside (four layers on upper body plus two hats) although it was very cold about 17 degrees at the start and 12 degrees when finished. I managed to get in close to 8 miles in around 62:30 or about 7:50/mile pace! I also have to say, this was not a hard run, rather it was fairly easy. I'm very encouraged at what lies ahead for 2010 if I can stay healthy and injury-free year.

This was the first time I tried out my new GPS watch that shows among other things how fast I'm running, how many miles and the pace. I had some problems at first figuring out how to use it, but finally I think I have the hang of it.

I also made a stop at Achilles Running Shop in Mentor this afternoon on our way back from the Disney on Ice show in Cleveland. I purchased a pair of Yak Trax, which help you get a solid grip on packed ice and snow. They just slide over your shoes and presto! Since the city doesn't salt our road, this is a very handy item to have.

The Yak Trax are way better than the old Ice Stablicers I have. These Yak Traxs are much lighter and fit on my shoes a lot better. I can't emphasize enough what an improvement this is over my previous system. Wish I would have had then during the 5-miler on New Year's Day!

Now that the holidays are over, I'm hoping to have a little more time to blog every time I run. I've missed a couple days when I've run, but didn't make a post. Hopefully, that will change immediately.

During the past week, I've been running lightly (still recovering from the soreness from the 5-miler), but getting a lot of strength training in. I'm really noticing some results. My core strength is already about 4 times stronger than 3-4 weeks ago.

My upper body strength is increasing too, with very high reps so that I don't build mass, rather strength and definition. Working my legs and hips also has paid off. I'm noticing on my long runs, I'm still pretty fresh when I'm done and my hips and legs are holding up for longer periods of time without tiring. I attribute it directly to the strength training!

Today's quote from Runners World is perfect!

"Running is a kind of investment in yourself."

The Runner's Book of Daily Inspiration, Kevin Nelson

Happy running!

Happy New Year/Erie Runners Club 5-mile race results

2010-01-01T13:49:00.005-05:00

What a nice way to spend New Year's Day before settling in to watch some college football bowl games. Heading into the race I knew it wasn't a day for a personal record or outstanding time, rather it would just be fun and a hopefully injury-free day.

It was about 25 degrees, windy and very icy on the course. I ran with my old ice spikes for the first time in a race, which definitely helped, but since they are heavy on my shoes, it felt like I was running with ankle weights on, probably adding two lbs. to my feet.

Doesn't sound like a lot, but it sure was noticeable. My legs felt very heavy the entire time.

With that said, under these conditions I'm pretty happy with my time, which was 36:29 or 7:18/mile pace. I finished 38th overall out of 300 people and 5th in my 35-39 age group.

If the weather was warmer and the course free of ice, I'm guessing that I could have easily run in the 34-minute time range, perhaps even faster.

But at least I was out there today after considering not running the event on the drive there, with the snow, wind and ice blowing all over the road.

One thing I've learned, it's time to invest in some new technology for my shoes if I want to run outside. I talked with Heather Cass of Erie, Pa., who works for the newspaper there and is a friend.

She showed me what she wore on her shoes, they're called Yak Traks. I've heard about them, but never really got a chance to see someone wear them. One thing for sure, they are MUCH LIGHTER than what I wore.

So today I can consider the race as a great training run and I'm looking forward to the spring and summer racing season.

Runners World Quote of the Day:

"I know I can run a marathon, ironically something I couldn't do in my younger years. This aging thing isn't so bad after all."

Jim Miller

Happy running!

New Year's Day 5-miler in Erie, Pa., approaches

2009-12-30T10:16:00.005-05:00

With the holidays in full swing especially Christmas traveling, my time has been limited along with my Internet access, so it's been a while since I posted. I'll just give a brief synopsis of what's been going on with my training.

I've been running very consistently, and three days in a row were outside on Christmas Day (3.5 miles? in 30 minutes); post Christmas Day (a hard 5.1 miles in 38:10 for 7:29/mile pace) and following that up the next day (7.6 miles in 60 minutes for 7:53/mile pace!).

Last night I decided I'll do the 5-miler on New Year's Day (10 a.m. start!) unless there is heavy snow. I'm doubting I'll set any speed records, but it will be fun to get out and race with some other crazy people like me.

In the process of making that decision I did an easy, easy 30-minute run -- 8:52/mile pace. Just to taper off a little bit from all the hard training during last weekend and so that I could be fresh.

I also got to try out a new pair of runner's short that Santa gave me. Has a pocket in the back to carry my iPod. It worked great! Hardly noticed it was there and I didn't have to hold it during my treadmill run.

I'll try to make sure I post my race results as soon as I find out how I did on New Year's Day.

Runners World Quote of the Day ... I really like this one:

"When you have the enthusiasm and the passion, you end up figuring how to excel."

Deena Kastor, U.S. Olympic Marathoner

Happy running!

Awesome hard, brisk 5-mile tempo

2009-12-23T12:16:00.003-05:00

I didn't have much time to post this last night, so this is a day late, meaning my workout was Tuesday night.

Got in 8 minutes of elliptical work, then hit the weights for some chest, hips and leg exercises.

Surprisingly, the lower body workouts continue to feel great and I'm keeping my theme of very little weight with a very gradual goal of increasing the pounds lifted. I'm feeling less sore in these areas after a run, so it must be working.

After the weights, I hit the treadmill. I wanted to do a hard tempo run -- meaning the first and last miles would be fairly easy, but the middle three miles would be challenging.

I busted out the first mile in 8:32 to get warmed up. Then I ratcheted it up to a 6:58/mile pace for the next three miles. This was hard right away, mentally I knew I could do it and hoped the physical part would hold up.

There were times when I wanted to slow down and take it easier, but this is where strength is built mentally. After 2 miles, I kept thinking I can always run just one more mile and that's what I did.

It wasn't easy at all, but busting out 3 miles faster than 7 minutes a mile for a tempo workout was great! I think I gained even more mental toughness than physical improvement during this run.

That's because I don't have much experience training faster than a 7-minute mile pace for an extended period of time, although 5-K races are a different story since you don't have to save yourself and can go all out.

During previous tempo runs when the weather was warm, I've done a few training runs that have had mile paces faster than 7 minutes, but then I always seem to slow down a little bit at some point and haven't sustained it. So I'm very encouraged by this run.

After the 3 miles at 6:58/pace were done. I walked for about 30-40 seconds to recover, then dialed it back in at a 8:06/mile pace to finish the 5 miles.

The time was about 38:13 for the entire 5 miles or 7:38/mile pace. But the overall time isn't what was important or even the goal here, it was to sustain a hard training pace faster than 7 minutes per mile and that's what was done. So I'm very happy to break this barrier.

Runners World Quote of the Day:

"This is what really matters: running. This is where I know where I am."

Steve Jones, former marathon world record holder

Happy running!

A long run on a Sunday

2009-12-20T22:34:00.002-05:00

After watching the Browns win their second straight, I headed to the gym to get in a long run.

I did a quick 10-minute warmup on the elliptical machine then hit the treatmill. Long runs are supposed to be done at a fairly easy pace.

I cranked out the first mile in 8:34 and it felt great. So I bumped it up to an 8:13/mile pace for the next mile.

Eventually, I ratcheted it up to about an 8 minute mile pace for most of the remaining time. For the last 0.3 miles I kicked it in at 7:30/mile pace.

Total time and distance was 7.5 miles at 60:38 for 8:05/mile pace. Pretty solid for a long run, I'm happy.

Runners World Quote of the Day:

"I always run alone, away from phones and stress. Running is a major part of my life because it keeps me sane."

Michael Roux, Jr., Executive Chef, Le Gavroche, London

Happy running!

Fast 5-miler with intervals, strength training

2009-12-19T22:17:00.004-05:00

Today was a good hard 5-miler mixed in with 3x800s, and 2x400s. It was at a fast pace.

First I'll mention the ab workout and the other warm-ups. I hit the elliptical for a 10-minute session, then over to the free weight area to do the hanging ab straps, which are absolutely killer.

You basically hang with your arms in the straps and then lift up your legs to your chest. If you keep your legs straight out while raising them it targets the lower abs more. If you just raise your legs with them pointing down, it's less on the lower (but still gets 'em) and more on the rest of the abdominals. I did six sets overall mixing in the different exercises, trying to get up to 10 in a set on most, but not always.

Then I hit the ab crunch weight machine and did three sets of 12 for the upper and mid-abs, left and right obliques. I'm digging this new routine for my core. I feel it's making me stronger overall.

I saw a woman jumping rope and when she was finished, I gave it a try. Back in high school we used to do 500 jumps as a way to warmup for basketball practice. I probably did about 50 before calling it quits today.

On the treadmill, I wanted to go fairly hard, especially since I had two Christmas parties on Friday, so I wanted to burn some calories.

The first mile was done fairly comfortably at 7:58. The second mile I initially bumped it up to about 7:41/mile pace and mixed in two 400 meter sprints as fast as 6:40/mile pace. Mixed in between these intervals were "breaks" at 7:20/mile pace.

Then I wanted to sustain that quick pace longer. I decided to do three sets of 800 meters at 6:40 pace with 1-2 minute "breaks" at 8:00 mile pace. Whew, that was tough.

During the final mile, I was feeling it and dropped down to about 8:34 so I could recover for a few minutes, then busted out the last 0.6 miles at 7:30/mile pace.

Overall the 5-miler was finished at 37:20 or 7:28/mile pace. I was pretty happy with that, especially getting some quality time at 6:40/mile pace during a 5-mile training run.

As I mentioned in a previous post, if I can stay healthy and injury-free, I don't think it's out of the question to consistently train next year in the mid to high 6-minute mile pace and maybe bust out a race or two faster than 6-minute-mile pace. Running in the 18s for a 5-K would be nice for a soon-to-be 40-year-old.

With this in mind, I thought this Runners World Quote of the Day was appropriate ...

"It is amazing how much you can progress week after week, month after month, year after year if you allow for gradual training increases."

Bob Glover, The Runner's Handbook

Happy running!

Easy four-miler with strength training

2009-12-17T22:35:00.003-05:00

Felt good tonight even after yesterday's somewhat challenging workout. I started the night off with 7 minutes of elliptical and then did some biceps, lats and lower back weight training. Three sets of each.

Then I hopped on the treadmill with running easy in mind. For the most part, it was just that, running at an 8:13/mile pace for the first 1.5 miles, then gradually bumping it up to 7:53/mile. After sticking at that pace for a while, I decided to ratchet it up for the final 1/2 mile.

I gunned it up to 7:13 mile for two minutes then decided to sprint it in for the last 0.3 miles finishing up at a 6:48/mile pace. Felt great!! The total time was 32:20 for 4 miles or 8:05/mile.

I'm certainly enjoying this new regime of strength training and treadmill running. A nice change for running out in the cold.

Runners World Quote of the Day:

"Running changed my life and brought it into balance. I now feel as though my entire essence, body, and soul is centered."

Donna Isaacson, Casting director

Happy running!

Feeling stronger, faster

2009-12-16T21:54:00.003-05:00

Today was nice to have the day off work, since I had to work during the last weekend.

I took advantage getting in some strength training before I embarked on a 5-mile run. I tried something new adding in a set of leg presses. I think the last time I did a set was back in high school, gulp 21-22 years ago.

I started with very little weight, since I had no idea how it would affect me because I planned to run later. But it actually felt really good and energizing! I also did some hip abducter strength exercises for the second time in two weeks. It feels like I'm getting stronger in my legs, allowing me to run faster.

I also worked in three sets of shoulder press and lateral raises for the upper body. Good stuff!

For the run, I started slowly busting out the first mile in 8:48, picked up the pace to about 7:40/mile, then finished up the bulk of the run at 7:30/mile or faster. The last three minutes I ramped it up to about 7:06/mile.

So the last for miles were run at an average of 7:28/mile pace, ultimately finishing at 38:32 for 5 miles or 7:42/mile.

The best part of this run was that for the most part, it felt fairly easy. I hope this is a sign of things to come. I'd love to train in the low 7-minute mile range and have it feel "easy". Perhaps by spring, I'll be able to train in the high 6-minute mile range and start running some races at a sub-6 minute pace. Wouldn't that be awesome just as I'm turning 40!

With this in mind, I felt this Runners World Quote of the Day was perfect:

"I run with my head, my heart and my guts, because physically, I don't think I've got a great deal of talent or ability. I started at the bottom and worked up."

Steve Jones, former marathon world record holder

Happy running!

Four-miler, core and strength

2009-12-14T23:25:00.002-05:00

I didn't get the chance to run Sat. or Sunday due to work, so I was definitely fresh for tonight's workout. Sometimes, it's really nice to have a few days off from running to let the body and mind recover.

I started the night with a 5-minute elliptical warmup, then hit the weights for a chest workout, 3 sets each of chest press and fly.

Then I asked the gym trainer on hand for some suggestions for lower abdominal workouts and she gave me some good suggestions. I'm not sure what they are called or really how to describe them (maybe a future post), but I know this is certainly an area to improve. If I can make gains in strength in the core this winter and spring, I feel like it will lead to faster racing times next year.

After killing my abs, I hit the treadmill for 4 miles and finished in 30:10 or 7:32/mile pace. I ran the last two miles at 7:13 or faster including the last three minutes at 6:53/mile pace. Felt great. Lots of sweat too.

Runners World Quote of the Day:

"This is not about instant gratification. You have to work hard for it, sweat for it, give up sleeping in on Sunday mornings."

Lauren Fessenden, marathoner

Happy running!

Long run and lifting

2009-12-13T09:39:00.003-05:00

First, I must apologize because this post is two days late, meaning my workout was done on Friday. I had to work Saturday and simply forgot to publish the post on Friday evening.

I hit the gym and did some back workouts including lats, traps and lower back after doing a 10-minute warmup on the elliptical machine.

Once that was all finished, I did a 7-mile run in 61:30 at 8:47/mile. The pace is usually much slower for a long run, which I consider anything longer than an hour of time.

It's been quite a while since I've run more than an hour on a treadmill. I think the last time was in the winter of 2006-2007 when I was training for the Cleveland Marathon in the spring of 2007. I'd much rather run outside, but when it's a lake-effect snowstorm you don't have much choice.

Speaking of marathons, I thought this Runners World Quote of the Day was appropriate, although I don't claim to have a love for this distance:

"I didn't want to run Boston to prove anything. I just fell in love with the marathon."

Roberta Gibb on running the Boston Marathon

Happy running!

Recovery and strength workout

2009-12-09T23:15:00.002-05:00

Tonight I was feeling sluggish, but still managed to make it to the gym to get in a workout.

I hopped on the elliptical machine for 10 minutes to get a warmup before hitting the weight machines. I kind of like this elliptical machine, it's different and I'm finding it helps me get ready for my workouts.

I focused on chest and shoulders tonight with the weights. Then I got on the treadmill.

Nothing special tonight, just trying to get the soreness and stiffness out of my legs after last night's hard workout.

Not much to report with the run, although I managed to "get in" four miles in 34:47, for an 8:41/mile pace. This is what I call a recovery run, nice and slow, but it's still tough since you're definitely not fresh and just trying to power through the after affects of a hard workout the day before.

Runners World Quote of the Day:

"When the runner's high does set in, usually around three or four miles, my body flows into a smooth rhythm and my mind is no longer conscious of how far or how long I've run or how much farther to go."

Matthew Shafner, lawyer and marathoner

My comment to this statement is I wish that was the case for me most of the time, but it's not. What a lucky guy! I'm always conscious of how far I've run and how much farther there is to go.

Happy running!

Super blend for a workout!

2009-12-08T22:13:00.004-05:00

Tonight I tried to shake things up a little bit, so I did a combination of several different workouts. Loved it!

First, I did 135 abdominal crunches on a machine -- basically it was 9 sets of 15 and included the front, left and right abdominal muscles or three sets of 15 for each side. Confusing? Probably not worth explaining, but it's much harder than sit-ups and was done with 45 lbs. each time.

Then I hit an elliptical machine and did 10 minutes on that. I've never really used one before except for a few minutes, so this was a nice warm-up for my run. It was kind of awkward at first, but I can see mixing this in occasionally as part of a workout. The low impact can be very helpful.

For my run, I decided to do a blend of tempo running and speed intervals. The first mile I ran in about 8:20 to get going. Then I dropped down to a 7:30/mile pace and alternated running at 6:53/mile pace for 1 min. 40 secs then switching back to 7:30/mile pace for one minute. I did six sets of this, before cooling down at an 8:34/mile pace.

Ultimately, my total run including warmup and cooldown was done in 30:57. It was 4 miles long for a total overall pace of 7:44 per mile.

I thought today's Runners World Quote of the Day was appropriate:

"Do quality workouts year-round, including during the winter. You're less likely to get injured because you won't hurry the training process, and you'll race better because you build fitness on a solid foundation."

Brad Hudson, elite coach

Happy running!

Back to the grind

2009-12-07T22:05:00.004-05:00

The snow outside was frightful, and vacation was so delightful, I had no place to go ... so I went to the gym for a run tonight. Betcha thought I'd come up with something more clever. Wrong :-)

Anyway, I got in 4 fairly easy miles, although it was a harder time than I thought it would be. My legs felt tight and the back of my legs were sore. Must have still been feeling it from my 5-miler yesterday.

The pace was about 8:40/mile for a total of 34:40. I'm glad I got it in though, I need to drop a few lbs. gained from too much vacation indulgence.

When growing up we used to had a poster on the door headed down to the basement. It simply read: "Those who indulge, bulge" and had a picture of a pig on it. I always thought it was humorous, but it is a lesson I remember, but frequently have a hard time following.

Tis the season, I suppose, but hopefully I can keep weight gain to a minimum.

Runners World Quote of the Day:

"It's the athlete's job to learn to do the hard things easily."

John Jerome, The Sweet Spot in Time

Happy running!

Last day of vacation running/first day of snow

2009-12-06T21:50:00.004-05:00

Today is the last day of freedom before back to the grind on Monday morning.

This means the days of afternoon naps and running whenever is convenient are over for the time being.

With that said, I pumped out a 5-miler at a comfortable pace. It snowed, so the streets weren't completely clean and were a little slippery in some places.

The first three miles were done pretty much at an 8-minute mile pace (24:08). The fourth mile was a little slower because I encountered some black ice, so my footing wasn't that great. I clocked an 8:20 (32:28) for that mile.

After the black ice was gone, I decided to kick in the last mile, finishing it up at 7:20 pace to complete the journey in 39:48 or 7:57/mile pace.

For the next few months, my daily runs on weekdays/nights will mostly be conducted on the treadmill (boring!), but at least I can still get my mileage in without fear for safety.

Happy running!

Awesome 5-mile tempo run!

2009-12-04T19:35:00.002-05:00

I'm very excited after today's 5-mile run, one of the fastest training runs I've ever done for this distance!

From the very beginning I felt warm and ready to go and did the first mile in 7:30.

Then I picked it up and did the second mile in about 7:15 with my watch showing 14:45. From there, the third mile time was 22:00 for another 7:15 mile.

Mile #4 was done in 29:25, so a little bit slower at 7:25, but still pretty good. I must have been feeling it after those two hard ones.

The last mile I decided to go as fast as possible, trying to simulate almost a race pace, but not quite.

When I got done, my watch read 36:15! That meant I did the last mile in 6:50. Very cool considering that during my last 5-K race just a little more than a week ago, my average mile was 6:34.

I feel great!

Runners World Quote of the Day:

"Good thoughts are no better than good dreams, unless they be executed."

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Happy running!

Strength and recovery

2009-12-02T22:59:00.002-05:00

Tonight was all about hitting the weights and running a fairly easy recovery run.

I busted out three sets of chest, back, shoulders, arms and abdominal exercise during a 45-minute span.

Feeling nice and warm from the lifting, I set out to do a nice easy run of 30 minutes or 4 miles depending on how good I felt.

I eventually settled in for an 8:20 mile pace for the first three and then decided to do another mile at 8:13. Felt awesome and finished in 33:30 for the four miles or 8:22/mile.

I love vacation, have I mentioned that?

Runners World Quote of the Day:

"If one has determination, then things will get done."

Chinese Proverb

Happy running!

A medium-hard five miler

2009-12-01T21:10:00.003-05:00

Today I really wasn't sure what I wanted to do, but since I'm on vacation, now is not the time to pass up running outside during the daytime.

So after I made a decision to do five miles, I figured I'd just go with what felt good. In this case, it meant going at a pretty hard, but not too hard, pace. I busted out the first mile in 7:57, then did the next three miles at a similar pace -- around 7:55 or so.

The last mile I was pretty tired, but thought I'd kick it in. Surprisingly, when I looked at my watch after finishing up, I had run the last mile in 7:17 and wasn't expecting to see that pace. For the entire five miles, my time was 38:57 or 7:47/mile pace.

All in all, a good run considering I ran pretty hard the day before. Oh how I love vacation!

Runners World Quote of the Day:

"They say you can't run away from your troubles. I say that you can."

John Bingham, The Courage to Start

Speaking of Runners World, here is a link to good article to check out in case you ever have a bad race. We've all had them, that's for sure.

http://bit.ly/4opfgZ

Happy running!

A steady state of mind

2009-11-30T16:17:00.003-05:00

Since I'm on vacation this week, I get to run whenever I feel like it. Typically that's in the afternoon, maybe like 2 or 3 p.m. So that's what I did today.

I decided to do a steady state run meaning running all the miles at nearly the same pace. I wanted to go fairly hard today, since I didn't get a chance to run on Sunday because we were in Pittsburgh visiting some train museums for an upcoming story my wife will be writing.

I felt relatively fresh and I took off at a 7:45/mile pace. After the first mile, bumped it up to about 7:30/mile pace and kept it close to that for the next four miles finishing in 38:20.

It was pretty good to go that fast outside, although it was cool and I managed to avoid the sleet that had fallen earlier in the day.

I love vacation, then again, who doesn't?

Runners World Quote of the Day:

"Dwell on the positive, but have controlled, passionate anger."

Pat Tyson, running coach

Happy running!

7-miler with a friend

2009-11-28T21:16:00.004-05:00

Today was my first run after the Erie Runners Club Turkey Trot on Thursday and I felt a little bit sore and stiff.

So I did a short 1/2 mile warmup before joining up with our neighbor's grandson Steven and his younger brother (can't remember his name right now).

We did a really easy two-mile run (1-mile out and back) before parting with the younger guy, then Steven and I set out for five more miles.

It was cold out today, mid 30s, but we ran most of the way at 8:20-8:30 pace or so, talking and chatting the whole time. Turns out, Steven just finished his senior year of cross country at Westerville High School near Columbus.

His team this year qualified for regionals and he was on the varsity squad as the team's seventh man. His personal record for the year was in the mid 18s. So he's a pretty good runner, plus he's tall and skinny.

I kind of felt bad for Steven because he was running in jeans. I guess when you're 17, you can get away with that kind of stuff. It certainly didn't seem to bother him one bit.

Steven's planning to go to college, he said, adding that he intends to study computer engineering and possibly continue his running career in college. Hopefully it all works out for him.

When it was all said and done, it was nice to have someone to run with around my home. Made the time go by fast!

Runners World Quote of the Day:

"A change of pace in terms of your running pace will give you strength psychologically."

Bill Rodgers

Happy running!

Erie Turkey Trot results!

2009-11-26T22:14:00.002-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving! Well, I managed to have a great day! I am certainly thankful. In fact, I established a personal best at the Erie Runners Club Turkey Trot 5-K. My time was 20:26, which is 5 secs. faster than 2007 when I ran a 20:31.

It was cold and drizzly, not horrible conditions, but when it's 45 degrees and you're wearing a short sleeve shirt and racing shorts, it can get a little bit frosty.

There were 1,700 runners and walkers in the 5-K this year and I managed to finish 56th overall and 4th in my age group! No award this time, but needless to say this was a highly competitive field with the winning time overall at 15:20, which is blazing!

Heck, the guy who won my age group (35-39) finished in fifth overall with a time of 17:20! The guy who finished second in the age group ran a 19:17 and third place was 20:11, nipping me by 15 seconds.

The start of this race was unbelieveable, I've never seen so many people try to jam up to the front of the line. People were actually off to the side of the course, with officials yelling out that people would have to run over the mat for their chips to be activated. Crazy! There was definitely too many people who wanted to be in the front that should not have been. Petpeeve!

Anyway, a great race, plus it sold out the day before meaning no day of race registrations were accepted. I think that might be a first for this race. Just goes to show how popular it has become.

After it was over we hustled down to my sister's house in Stow for T-giving dinner. What a feast. All guilt-free, since I earned my appetite!

Runners World Quote of the Day:

"Commitment to the body machine. It was as critical as the commitment to the goal itself."

Richard Christian Matheson, "Third Wind"

Happy running!

Last run before the Trot

2009-11-23T21:38:00.002-05:00

Tonight was my last easy run before the Erie Runners Club Turkey Trot 5-K on Thursday.

By easy, I mean easy. Just a 2.5-miler tonight in 21:15 or 8:30/mile pace. There will be no running on Tuesday or Wednesday so that I am completely fresh for the race.

Goals for the Turkey Trot? Would love to break 20 minutes and place in my age group: 35-39. It will be tough, with at least 1,000 runners expected to run and likely 40 or more in my age group.

Hopefully, I can accomplish these goals, but if not, I'll be fine because at least I'm healthy right now. Plus, I'll be headed with my wife and son to my sister's house for some Thanksgiving dinner! Can't wait.

Lastly, a quote from Runner's World, maybe not one I agree with but ...

"It is very difficult to train for a marathon; but it is even more difficult to not be able to train for a marathon."

Aaron Douglas Trimble, Runner

Happy running!

30-minute tempo

2009-11-22T21:28:00.003-05:00

Today was a balmy 52 degrees and sunny when I headed out for a 30-minute jaunt before watching the Browns lose (at least it was an entertaining game).

This run was the last hard one before Thursday's Turkey Trot.

I ran the first mile in 8 minutes, then picked it up for about a 6:55/mile pace or so for the next two miles and then finished the last mile in 8 minutes.

All totaled, it was about 4 miles in 30 minutes for a 7:30/mile pace, very solid.

On Monday, I'll probably do either 2 or 3 miles really easy and then take off Tuesday and Wednesday so that I can be fresh for the 5-K race on Thursday.

Looking forward to this! Hopefully the weather will be decent this year. Right now, the forecast calls for a high of 46 degrees and rain. At least it's not supposed to be a blizzard.

Happy running!

Intervals & distance

2009-11-21T16:09:00.003-05:00

Today's run was initially just going to be an easy 5-miler, perhaps around 40 minutes or 8 min/miles. After 2.5 miles in, I suddenly thought that I might mix in some 200 meter sprints or 45 seconds intervals at 85-90 percent effort.

I ended up doing 6x200 intervals and backed off for a minute after each one, which means I slowed down to about 7:45/min pace in between the intervals. Kind of what they call fartlek training.

What a great workout that was! I finished 5 total miles in just over 38 minutes, just over 7:36/mile pace average. Surprisingly, I felt very fresh at the end, but still had a tough workout.

With the Turkey Trot coming up on Thursday, this was the last speed workout prior to the race, so I feel like I'm just about ready to peak again, since it's been about a month since I raced the 5-K in Painesvile and then came down with the H1N1 flu.

Although I was just starting to feel sick that day, I still competed and won my age group, not with a time I'd like, but the course was very tough and hilly and I wasn't near 100 percent.

With that in mind, I thought this tidbit was appropriate ...

Runner's World Quote of the Day:

"Recognize your victories."

Joan Benoit Samuelson, 1984 Women's Olympic Marathon champion.

Happy running!

Great deals from Achilles Running Shop

2009-11-20T22:48:00.002-05:00

I took the night off from running, but as promised, I wanted to pass along some news about the after Thanksgiving Sale at Achilles Running Shop, 8791 Mentor Ave., Mentor. Their phone is 440-255-7861.

The store is open next Friday from 8-8, Saturday 10-6, & Sunday 12-5, and all regular priced apparel is 30 percent off. Also, all regular priced shoes 20 percent off and accessories are 20 percent off. Clearance and sale items are priced at an additional 20 percent off.

For early bird shoppers on Friday from 8 to 10 a.m., you get a free duffle bag (valued at $60) with $125 purchase while supplies last. Everyone who purchases $50 or more all weekend will be entered into a raffle for a free pair of shoes!

Happy running!

Awesome tempo run

2009-11-19T21:59:00.003-05:00

Got in a great tempo run tonight spanning 5.25 miles. Squeezed between a mile warmup and a 1.25-mile cooldown were three hard-paced miles.

The energy level was there today so I amped up the speed for these three miles to a 6:53/mile pace for the first mile. This was probably just a tad too fast, so I dropped down to 6:58/mile pace for the last two miles.

It's been a long time since I did a training run that included sustained pace faster than 7-minute miles.

I was definitely feeling the lungs burn and the legs felt great. This type of run is what really makes a difference for me when it comes to running 5-Ks.

For me, running 10 miles isn't that difficult and neither is running sprints at a quick pace.

But the workout combination of endurance, plus speed goes a long way toward improving race times for me. We'll see how it might translate to next Thursday's 5-K Turkey Trot in Erie, Pa.

Runners World Quote of the Day:

"Nothing's better than the wind to your back, the sun in front of you, and your friends beside you."

Aaron Douglas Trimble, Runner

Happy running!

P.S. Check back on Friday night for news about a big sale coming up at Achilles Running Shop in Mentor!

Fruit cake/4-mile recovery run

2009-11-18T23:20:00.004-05:00

The food editor at The News-Herald, Janet Podolak, brought in some fruit cake that someone made for her to sample. Oh my gosh was that good! What a delicious afternoon snack providing me extra energy to burn off this evening.

After last night's intense speed workout, tonight was designed to be a fairly easy steady-state 4-mile run, one that I eventually finished in about 32:20.

Feeling a little sore, I decided to warm up for a mile and stretch out before amping up the pace.

I hopped back on the treadmill and jumped into an 8:34/mile pace for a while, but that soon just felt too slow, so I dialed it down to 8:00/mile pace and keep it at that speed for about 25 minutes.

For the last four minutes of the run, I felt great and decided to kick it in at a 7:30/mile pace. Still felt easy, which was the point of tonight. I'm hopeful Thursday's workout will be a fast-paced tempo run.

Happy running!

Speed doesn't kill/Erie Runners Club Turkey Trot

2009-11-17T22:58:00.003-05:00

With not a lot of time to spare this evening due to babysitting duties at home, I finally got out to the gym for a speed workout on the treadmill just after 9 p.m.

I decided to do 6x200 intervals with 1-minute recovery jogs. After a 1-mile warmup at 9:06 pace, I did a little stretching, then got ready to amp it up.

The 200s were run between 5:49 and 5:43/mile pace, more toward the latter for the final four intervals. Felt great, like I could have gone even faster pace, but this was good for tonight. I finished up with a 1.25 mile cooldown at about 8:00/mile pace.

Earlier in the day, I signed up for the 5-K for the Erie Runners Club Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving morning. I'm stoked since last year I couldn't run it due to a sprained ankle from furniture moving. It wasn't my fault, ask my wife :-)

The Runners Club is expecting more than 2,000 runners combined for the 10-K and 5-K with the race director indicating he expects this year to be the largest crowd ever.

Registration online closes Nov. 19 at 9 p.m. So if you haven't registered for either race, do it now. You can also register the day of the race, but aren't guaranteed a shirt or sweatshirt.

If weather conditions are good (which they rarely are this time of year), the course is ripe for a good finishing time. For the 5-K it's completely flat and is an out and back course. It's probably similar for the 10-K, but I'm not sure since I haven't done that race.

I enjoy the 5-K especially because you get to see all the runners (and walkers too) at some point and any cool costumes people are wearing. Most of the time, people are cheering you on and it's a lot of fun.

Fewer than nine days to go until race day! By the way, if you're planning to run something on Thanksgiving drop me an e-mail or post a comment. Would love to hear from you. I'll also publish your results on this blog if you like.

Happy running!

A hard lift and easy run

2009-11-16T22:58:00.003-05:00

For the second week in a row, I got in a good weightlifting session. Always feel great after pumping some iron for about 30 minutes.

I hope I can continue this trend because strength training is one of the keys, I think, in maintaining fitness when you're not racing much in the winter.

Obviously, the Governator wasn't known for being a runner, but how can you not love old photos of that guy? No girly man was he. He pumped you up!

After working up a sweat, I hopped on the treadmill and busted out 4 miles in 34 minutes for about an 8:30/mile pace. Nothing too hard, just a good run to get the kinks out after taking off Sunday.

Runner's World Quote of the Day:

"The more I thought about what I get to do, the less I realized I had to do. It was just a shift, just a new perspective, just a new and more grateful method for labeling the things in my life. Think about it — if you stopped yourself every single time you were about to say, 'I have to' and changed it to 'I get to,' it might change your entire experience."

Kristin Armstrong, Mile Markers blog, runnersworld.com

Happy running!

What a beautiful day for a long run

2009-11-14T21:21:00.004-05:00

Runners World quote of the day from running legend Bill Rodgers:

"A road race is the closest thing to a party I can think of."

With this in mind, I woke up this morning and headed out for a 10-miler with my friend Tom.

We got in a wonderful run with temperatures in the mid-50s and a cloudless sky. Is this really November?

No complaining here, take it while you can get it and enjoy it.

Our run was great, just slightly over an 8:50/mile pace and we finished 10.44 miles in 1 hr. 32 min. and some change.

It was one of those days where you don't really want to stop because you're having too much fun.

Happy running!

Refreshed after a day off

2009-11-13T21:39:00.002-05:00

After feeling sluggish Thursday I took the day off. This helped rejuvenate me so on Friday, typically my normal day off from running, I got in a nice and easy 3.5-mile run at 8:34/mile pace.

I'm ready for a good 10-miler on Saturday morning with my friend Tom Brickman. We like to meet up at the Ashtabula County Western Reserve Greenway Trail.

I love running long runs here because it's very scenic and no cars. It's also not packed full of people like many running trails in Northeast Ohio, but there are usually enough runners, bikers and walkers so that you don't feel alone.

Quote of the day:

"Believe that you can run farther or faster. Believe that you're young enough, old enough, strong enough, and so on to accomplish everything you want to do. Don't let worn out beliefs stop you from moving beyond yourself."

John Bingham, "Tools and Rules," Runner's World

Happy running!

A hard five-miler

2009-11-11T23:19:00.002-05:00

Just got done watching the Cavs beat Orlando, sweet!

Before watching the game on DVR, I got in a nice five-mile tempo run, essentially finishing my jaunt in about 37:30. I felt strong pushing for 21 minutes in the middle between the slower warmup and cooldown.

I love that feeling when running 7-minute miles starts to feel "comfortable" and I can start to really push the pace into the mid to high six-minute mile range.

Hoping tomorrow I can get in a nice easy run and take Friday off.

Here's a quote from the legendary Bill Rodgers that I wanted to pass along, basically it's not always easy to get out and do what you love, but somehow you need to find a way.

"In the 30 years I've been a runner I've run more than 150,000 miles. Still, some of the hardest steps I take are those first few getting out the door for daily runs."

Lifting & GoErie.com

2009-11-10T21:33:00.006-05:00

Got in my first strength training session in a while tonight. Nothing too heavy just light weights and high repetitions - meaning sets of 10 to 12.

I love to lift and it seems like once I'm back into it I feel great. Then all of a sudden I stop and that's it for months. Wish I could break the cycle.

After my lift, I got in a nice recovery 3-mile run to follow up after last night's hard tempo run. Nice and easy pace about 8:13/mile, but lots of sweat so that's good.

I'm getting fired up for the Turkey Trot in Erie, Pa., on Thanksgiving morning. Just hoping it's not a blizzard this year! If you'd like to register, click here.

Anyway, thanks for a plug for my new blog from Heather Cass, who authors the Runners Notes blog on www.goerie.com which is the Web site for the Erie Times-News. She also puts together the Her Times magazine, a must read publication designed for a female audience.

Heather is a personal friend and a very good runner and active member of the Erie Runners Club. I was pleasantly surprised to see she had mentioned this blog in one of her postings. Thanks again Heather.

Happy running!

Tempo run time/Achilles Running Shop news

2009-11-09T22:06:00.003-05:00

Busted out a 35-minute tempo tonight on the treadmill.

Overall, the run was 4.25 miles with miles 2 and 3 conducted at faster than 7-minute mile pace finishing at a top speed of 6:32/mile pace for 2 minutes, then cooling down the last 10 minutes at an 8:13/mile pace.

That's one nice thing about a treadmill, you can see exactly how fast you are going.

Here are some of the latest deals and happenings at Achilles Running Shop in Mentor:

New Price Reductions on Shoes! They're making room for the new models coming soon.

The following are now 25 percent off - in stock only:

Adidas Supernova Glide
Asics 2140 & Kayano
New Balance 769
Nike Free 5.0, Free Everyday (men), Skylon, Structure Triax
Saucony Triumph 6 & Guide II

Also, there are still spaces available for the store's Diva Night, which is Wednesday, Nov. 11 at 6:45 p.m.

The featured guest will be Dr. Jessica Jordan from French Chiropractic and Wellness Center. She will discuss running, running injuries, and how chiropractic can help.

If interested, RSVP by calling 440-255-7861 or e-mail pat@achillesrunning.com.

Happy running!

Beautiful day for running in shorts

2009-11-07T19:25:00.002-05:00

Wow, 65 degrees in November and I ran in shorts! Gotta love that.

My 10-plus miler yesterday was tougher than I thought and I'm feeling pretty tired and sore today. It was mostly because the run had some challenging hills including a slow 3/4 mile incline at mile 9.

My Achille's tendons were barking at me a little bit so today was a recovery run. Just did a nice easy 20-minute run to loosen up. Ran at an 8:30/mile pace.

For the week, I got in 38 miles, which is one of the higher totals I've had for a while because of all the racing I've done this year. A typical race week means two days off prior to the race and lighter than usual mileage.

Speaking of races, I'll be running the Erie Runners Club Turkey Trot in Erie, Pa., on Thanksgiving morning. I'm entering the 5-K. I've heard more than 1,000 people will be doing the 5-K this year and probably about the same number for the 10-K.

I'd like to place in my age group (35-39) that would be a good day. Hopefully the weather won't be a blizzard like it usually is when I do this race.

Happy running!

New shoes and instant energy beans

2009-11-06T18:18:00.005-05:00

Love my new Nike Air Zoom Structure Triax shoes and got to try them out on a 10-mile run with a buddy of mine.

My feet feel pretty good and I have no problems to report right out of the box.

I also tried eating one Life Fitness Instant Energy Beans Double Mocha Gourmet Chewable before the run.

They have 40 mg of caffeine in them plus tons of B12 vitamin and only 5 calories each.

The taste wasn't good that's for sure. Soon into the run, I felt the surge of caffeine, especially since I rarely consume any at all. No coffee or pop with caffeine because it gives me problems sleeping.

But I keep getting these sample in the packets from road races, so I figured I give one a try.

It's hard to say if I'll try them again because they sped up the bladder and forced a bathroom break during the run. Plus, I'll probably have trouble falling asleep tonight.

But hey, at least I know what they're like.

Got a new pair of shoes!

2009-11-05T21:31:00.002-05:00

I love shopping at Achille's Running Shop in Mentor.

Great place to get your gear because the people there actually know what they're talking about and can help you find the best pair of shoes for you to wear.

Decided to go with Nike Air Zoom Structure Triax shoe. It's the third pair in a row I've purchased and I love them.

Figure I'll try them out on an easy 10-miler on Friday. Will let you know how they feel.

Welcome to my blog

2009-11-04T22:27:00.003-05:00

For the most part, I've been a runner -- except for a six-year lapse when I got big and fat during my late 20s and early 30s -- since I was a freshman in high school.

As I soon enter the Masters Division for 40 years and older, I hope to use this forum to keep people updated about my running adventures.

Perhaps I'll put occasional posts on how my training goes and other related matters, but I will definitely try to put any race results on here. I'd also like to try to pass along any advice I can share based on my experiences.

We'll see how this develops.

Hope to see you out on the road, trail or race sometime soon!