Carbo Crash!

Last night Sandy and I went to Branson (a tourist town) and enjoyed a nice dinner at Macaroni Grill. I had the spaghetti and meatballs! Oh man was it good! Only prob? I think I carbo crashed! I was draggy and slow today. Truth is, probably not the case but I need to blame something! Just one of those days when you feel like you are dragging a ton of bricks. When I got to the hill repeats I began to feel some better. I am debating whether or not to begin 10% increase next week. The stinkin' heel flared up yesterday as we walked miles at Branson. Frustrating? It's been feeling so good and now...suddenly it's back. Boo!
30 minutes 4x hill repeats-peace!

An Eager Want to-

An important principle in motivation...true motivation, that motivation that comes from the depth of the soul, that motivation that brings about a wanted change, comes from "an eager want to". This is a well known truth and leadership axiom.
Why in the world would anyone in their right mind want to run? Much less run up and down a hill? They've gotta be pure loco!! 26.2 miles? Are you crazy!
It's fueled by the want to! Think about this principle in all your dealings; with spouse, friends, children, and you'll gain a clearer perspective and maybe actually have incredible influence! What's the eager want to with them? How can I inspire an eager want to in others and myself? Lots to chew on there....
Today I did my 30 minutes and my 4 hill repeats. I actually did one in 1:59! That's one of my fastest so far. Rest tomorrow run 30 on Saturday , then I increase by 10% next week! I seem to have a little want to! Peace!

Back to Back

Funny! How could running two consecutive days be a big deal? However, it is symbolic to me...as I'd been struggling with motivation, injury, and fatigue over the past few months, this shows I am making a come back...albeit very gradual and slow...glacier(al) if you will.
The sun is out but the tenacious cold is hanging on; adding a cold north wind it requires motivation to get out! Oh, how I long for the 50's!!
I did 30:39 minutes of running and 4 hill repeats. I was sucking air as usual...I've been timing the repeats to watch for improvement or decline. This might be a gauge to use in the coming weeks as how to tweak the workout. As for now; two more runs this week @ 30 min with 10 min as hill repeats. Peace! Hey aren't the Olympics awesome!! Since one of my favorite bloggers is Canadian (Marlene)I'm saying congrats on the awesome Gold medal in skating last night!!

Kicking the Habit

I wonder....could hills become habit forming? I mean instead of complaining about them...as I have over and over in the past, how about embracing them!!
Several weeks ago I decided to get serious about running again. I knew in my heart I'd have to build back slow! I'd been living with injury and I'm tired of it! So with some time given to healing I opted for an odd return? Hill repeats? Strange....seeing as how I'd never done hill repeats. Oh, I've run hills but not as in interval training. So out I went to my little lane beside my house. A nice 12-17% grade 1/10th of a mile long. I can double the distance but the additional grade is horrendous!
Now hills are a habit! Every run ends with 3-4 hill repeats depending on how I'm doing. I devote the last 10 minutes to these repeats. When will I have to kick the habit? Does training demand I lessen hills? We will see but I'm leaning towards keeping them on for a while.
This week is 4 runs @ 30 minutes with the last 10min HR's. I am rebuilding very slowly. I will initiate the 10% increase next week working up to five running days. Today the stinkin' cold weather and bone chilling wind is ruling the day, but I snuck in some hill repeats! Peace!

Smoked

The weather man missed it!!! It's 56 degrees outside!! They said it would be 40's with cold rain!? Poor folks...what a job!
I finished out my simple little week of three runs @ 40 minutes each (total) with 10 min of hill repeats on the end. I am on a slow rebuild and that's okay.
Next week I will level out- I will still run 120 minutes but in four sessions with the 10 minute HR segment on the end. I have been increasing by 10% each week for four weeks. Now I rest for a week and begin the 10% increase again.
The body has responded well as even today, as I didn't feel it, I still knocked off two good miles!
I am still thinking about downhill repeats! I am wondering where they would fit into the training schedule, and what benefit would be gained. I've been practicing my form (flys) and the yanking of the heel really works!
My neighbor has kind of ruined the day...he's burning something and has filled the valley with smoke! So I smoked the hills today! Four of em!! Hope all is well with you and today I'm excited because Spring is really close....I can smell it...whoops, no...that's the smoke! Peace!!

Rexting?!

Today there is a hint of spring in the air!! 40ish with high clouds and a light breeze. The birds are singing, and the Woodpecker pecking! Just a joy to be part of the event!
As I was running along the road a red truck went by, he/she went off of the road! He/She kept driving half on and half off? Was he/she texting? Or was he/she runner gawking? Was it a he or a she? Maybe she was? Dream on old man!! Runner gawking can be as dangerous as texting...be careful out there Spring is coming and the "cuckoo" birds will be out!
Man, I'm here to tell you I am a believer in hill repeats! Even though I've a low base of miles my efforts are already bearing fruit. I felt so strong today and I actually knocked off one mile @ MP! Yahoo!! Well, I ran 30 min then did four hard 80-90% Hill Repeats of 1/10 of a mile each.
I'm slated for one more 40 minute run this week then I expand to four days next week at 30 minutes a pop. Hope the day is an event where you are! Peace!

HR= Hill Repeats!

Today I upped to 40 minutes. I'll only run three times this week. Man I hope it warms up! It's just flat out frigid! Oh how I long for Spring and SUMMER!! I love the sauna!!
The hill repeats are definitely working! My training pace seems faster? I've noticed that out on the roads hills are treated differently now (mentally).
I ran for 30 min then did 4 hill repeats. This is how it has been going...I'll go out and run but save the last ten minutes for hills. One thing to be sure...hill repeats are work! You heart rate is up and so is the breathing rate. I have actually been nearly out of breath a couple of times!
So the rebuilding continues...slow but sure...10% increase...stabilizing next week with four runs @ 30 min each. Interesting mental change: Looking at running in time first rather than distance? Probably will change back?! Peace!!

Heat Wave!!

Today it is warm!! 40+ degrees! Very nice!! Cloudy, breezy, but the warmest day in months!
Yesterday I had a butt kicking headache! I very rarely get sick but I was down for half the day.
I opted to keep on schedule today and got the 36.5 minute run in with three hill repeats. I could tell I wasn't at 100% because my recovery was slower than norm on the repeats.
What I though about today: Whiney people-do you ever tire of the constant complainer? Do you know anyone like that? Is it just a lifestyle? Can a whiner be a nice person? Is there hope that they'll stop whining? Am I a whiner? Yes! Especially when I'm sick! My wife has to put up with it, bless her!
I feel like I'm getting stronger in resolve, and I have a pretty decent plan to get back on track-Peace!

Stronger and Longer

Step by step....inch by inch.... I have noticed the old body responding! Today I actually knocked off two good miles out of the 3 1/2. The hills are having effect!
My plan is to increase 10% each week off of a 30 min 3 run a week start. I am up to 36.5 minutes per run and still three runs. Next week I will go to 40 min and still 3 runs. Then the next week I will go to four runs at 30 minutes each. I will still add in hill repeats during this build phase. I plan on leveling off at four runs @ 30 minutes for two weeks then start the 10% increase again until I add enough time for an additional day putting me back to running five days a week. I really don't have a race in my sights but I'll just play that by ear. I tried a downhill today! It was fun!! That's why I love running, it IS fun! I also had to go to a health screening for Sandy's employer today. My blood pressure was 116 over 74! I'm chillin' baby! All my other numbers were real good! I will continue to pursue the breaking of the four hour barrier in the marathon. Right now I'm experiencing quite a set back but it's hard to keep a good man down! Peace!

DOWNHILL F.L.Y.S.

Well so another week begins and so does my miniscule running schedule! Gee, I'm only running three days a week! Alas, it is my plan....36 1/2 minutes today in the bitter cold and blustery North winds. A good day to treadmill it, but I fried mine! This is constituting a 10% increase over last week.
I also did five hill repeats and because of the additional snow on the ground I was hesitant about trying my downhill training.
However, I have developed a strategy for downhill training. We know downhill running is a great time for recovery, and we know that we have to be continually braking or else we speed up. How can we use downhill running as a training element? Okay I'm still working on all the answers but I have initially developed an acronym-FLYS- forward lean- least time-yank heel-
Yes, maintain a forward lean or you begin to brake! Yes, don't allow your feet much contact time with the ground! How? Yank your heel and stretch for yards-here's what you'll see- a quicker turnover and a cry for help!!! Good luck...I'm gonna try it as soon as the snow melts!
Peace-

Running is Healing!

Healing- to make sound or whole b : to restore to health 2 a : to cause (an undesirable condition) to be overcome. Running does this!!
Obviously this isn't always the case is it? We often run into injury, but in many ways running is healing. I have noticed this phenomenon lately as I've been obsessed with hill repeats! Oddly my heel and ankle are feeling better than ever? My strength is returning as well as my resolve?! In many ways I see running as a source of healing. However, so is rest!!
Today was the strongest I've run in three months! 33 minutes and four hill repeats. I was thinking what the benefits would be if I do reverse hill repeats? Running down as hard as I can and walking up? Maybe I'll try? Peace!!

I've got it BAD!!!

Nasty, nasty day today!! Snow first, then sleet, then cold drizzle. I finally got out of a meeting and off the stinkin' phone, got home and began to justify not running. However......I have a renewed spirit! Even though it's nasty, Sandy arrived home, I decided to hit it!
33 minutes outside running. I did 14 hill repeats! The hill is a nice secluded lane on my property that is 473.21 feet long, that's about 158 yards. Nearly a 1/10th.
I chugged the rises and jogged the descents. As I was on the downhill my neighbor drove by, they use the lane as an easement, she said, "You've got it bad if you have to exercise!" Interesting statement? I guess I do! My plan is to keep increasing 10% a week up to around 40 minutes a run then I'll add a run and cut the time. I'm taking it slow because I want to be stronger than ever for my next marathon. I feel like I've run the last three beat up! Today my body felt better than ever! Hope the weather is decent where you are...I long for the hot Summer, running while the katydids sing and the sun is low in the western sky, where you taste the salt and find yourself fully immersed in the joy of the run....hey...I can do that in the Winter, too....where the snow covers the ground, the cold rain soaks to your bone, and the Bluebirds are hunkered down four to a house! 33 minutes of running fun! Peace!

Stabilized

I love the Olympics! The Downhill Skiers are awesome! Watching one take a tumble is a fearful thing! That's kind of how I've felt in regards to my running for two months! Tumbling downhill! Finally, I think I may have come to stop...stood up...and looked back up the hill!

This week is a beginning. I will start adding 10% to each run this week. Therefore I ran for 33 minutes today with 4 hill repeats. The roads are still wet and slushy in spots but not bad at all. The achilles feels almost as good as new! Ah....hope springs eternal!!

A funny thought occured to me when I woke up today? I wondered how many days I'd been alive and which number today was? Turns out today is number 19,950! I'd like to run more miles than days lived. I'm behind by over a 1,000! I'm an odd bird...huh?

33 minutes of running bliss! Peace!