Steamer...Charlie?

  So I met a Hillbilly a while back. He is a short, rotund, 60ish, long white bearded, bespectacled man. His name is Charlie. Today as I ran by his shack...he was out under a shade tree...no air conditioning you know! It's about 98 degrees today so Charlie was taking it easy. I, of course, was running! What a sight I must've been to him.....I can just imagine what he was thinking...."city slickers...movin' out and takin' over the country with there new fangeled ways....it ain't like it used to was..."
  Any way...we are friends. My heel is cooperating and I was able to run 6 miles today. I am taking it day by day so we will see what tomorrow holds tomorrow! Hope you are well! Peace!

Still Strong, though....

So all the miles I have run are not lost! I have been babying the achilles by running "lighter" and so far it's not worsened. I have had to cut down miles just a dab, 4 yesterday, 5 today. I thank you for your words of encouragement and advice...I will take it! I hope to run a sixer tomorrow. I felt super strong today! Like I could of run a race. Grateful for the ability to run! On another note, we had a really good visit with my son, his wife, and our amazing grandson, Alex this past week. We live over 7 hours away and it's really hard on us because we love them so much. You may remember some posts from last year about the difficulties our family went through....well time has a way of helping us navigate through it all...so does love! If you do  anything above all else love each other!! Peace!

Old age

The body is definitely failing. I have logged lots of miles but really just starting the marathon training and the old Achilles problem is starting back up. Very discouraging. I managed 4 miles without a problem today but I am feeling discouraged with the whole thing! I certainly can't and won't quit running, nor will I give up my desire to run another marathon. Guess I'll train smart and hope for the best....peace!

Mind over the matter?

   Yesterday I was so fatigued I napped instead of ran!! I was simply wiped out! I really hated to lose a day of training, being obsessive and all, but common sense won out. So today would be the long run...and finally I am starting to get close to logging a true long run (16 miles or more). I put in 12 miles of hard hills today and I was really pleased with the strength and pace. I finished out with 2 miles at nearly MP...so a good run! I was thinking at around the 7 mile mark, as my shoes squished and sloshed because of excellent sweating skills, do other runners hurt while running? I don't mean pain hurt, I mean hurt, hurt...you know what I'm saying? The quads are turning into cement, your feet are done...yet you push yourself through....this is important training! I wonder how strong I will be when I am able to take it to the flats! I hope the achilles stays well..you see, I am surrounded by hills!! I began to gauge the distance of some of these hills, 2 tenths, three tenths, yes the downs are nice and I push the tempo and turnover on each one.
  Well, sure hope your training is going well! Peace!

Morphing...??!!

  When my eldest son was a little boy his favorite T.V. show was the "Power Rangers!" Oh how he loved that show!! I personally thought it was cheesy but then what do I know I love to run!
  I vaguely recall that they would "morph" from their everyday "run of the mill" life into a "Power Ranger!"
   There's a chance I may be morphing! Today during the course of my 9 X 2min @ HM pace I found myself running faster and recovering quicker! No...the heat is still on....no...I wasn't on drugs....I think the training is starting to pay off! I finished the week with 6:54.56 in time on the roads! 36.3 miles, and now three weeks in a row over 30 miles for a week. The HM pace has morphed to 10K pace, btw....
  Well I have already been strategizing next week...Mon. go long-12 miles, Tues. EZ 85 min, Wed. 85 min rolling hills..off Thurs, Fri, and Sat...on vacation!! Going to see my son, daughter-in-law, and grandson in Louisiana! Then Sunday I could knock off some speedwork!! Well hope you are doing good! now time to morph!!!!Peace!!

When in doubt.....run!!!!

Today I was in a great debate with myself on whether I should rest my heel or run....suddenly, yesterday, my right heel began to burn....uh oh!! No es bueno!!! Even worse it had some kind of twinge thing going on....needless to say we Runners are a fickle and sensitive breed. Ever on the lookout for dogs and pain we will run when threatened!! So that's just what I did...ran. I did 80 minutes in the searing heat today! Boy did it suck me dry!!! Yet I had no pain or dog encounters!!! Es bueno!!! I have logged 6 hrs and 4 min on the roads this week!!! I have 31+ miles in...I have run long, and hills, and tomorrow I do my speed work. Tonight it's into the big city for some fine cuisine with friends. I vow to not pig out!!!! Peace!
 

Always somethin'

   The 80 minute run today was on W South... a hilly and curvy route....I am feeling great heart and lung wise....the creeping aches and pains of foot, heel, leg are starting to bug me. They aren't debilitating pains or issues but why can we just ever run w/o probs?
  The high temps and humidity have returned with a vengeance. I have been tired and testy lately....I probably need a cut down week. I have been looking at next week to go ahead and probably only run 3 times. We will be traveling so it is a good opportunity to cut down and find some rest. Hope you are well....peace!

#600

  Today is my 600th blog posting. I still enjoy doing this and I really am thankful for the friends I have in the blogosphere. The blog is really a good motivational tool. Some are really good! Some are mediocre..(ahem)..oh well I push on. :)
  Today I made it all the way down to the bottom of Center Road....otherwise known by me as 2K hill. I actually ran all the way up today. The cooler temps are making a huge difference! So 80 minutes of running today with 3 more runs on tap this week. I ought to reach into the 30 mile region again this week....pretty good base building. Hope you are well! Peace!

Into time...

    My training this time has been more centered on time than distance, I totally understand the importance of distance though. It's just a different mind-set if you will. Like today; I wanted to increase to 2 hrs for my long run....I wound up doing 2:03.40 because of the distance I needed to achieve. An interesting development takes place when you run by time, your mileage can increase substantially! Last week 34 miles, the week before 30 miles, this week, if I keep increasing will prob be 36-37 miles. I may have to level off for a week. My right quad has been acting up....a strange feeling that feels almost like it's in the bone? I need to remember the value of resting! Today's pace was the fastest so far this training block for a long run. I seem to be getting stronger, thinner, and faster. I was thinking that the level of difficulty, hills, climbs, downs, etc...made this run equivalent to probably a 15-18 miler on the flats...these hills can be a real bear!! Well a good start to the week!!! Now off to town to "run" errands! Peace!

On the Border

I am pushing the limits of my body lately. I have been listening yet pushing...stretching and pressing beyond the easy into the hard....today a slight tiredness has been my companion. I have been pressed and stretched professionally lately, which I love, and it crosses the border into my training. I finally was able to get out and launch into my EZ 75 minute run....I began to feel pretty fair and it turned out to be a decent run.
  There was a point where the heat and humidity began to erode my motivation but then I thought "I am a long distance Runner!"  "I press on!!!" I noticed a surge of strength and I finished strong!
  I will hope to run another 75 minutes tomorrow with my repeats mixed in....that will give me around 33 miles this week!! Not too shabby! Hope you have a great weekend!!! Peace!

Lips match life

   You all hear me preaching the importance of listening to your body but do I do it? I have run myself into the ground more than once in my life!!! This week I ran 115 minutes on Monday, 75 minutes on Tuesday, and yesterday I was beat! Normally it would of been hill reps.....but I napped instead!!! I listened! Today, still a little tired I eased into a run with the intention of a short warm up then hill reps....yet I began to think.....where am I in training mode now? I need to begin a transition into focusing on the long run and pace runs so I headed off down Center road....towards the dreaded 2K hill!!!! I would incorporate a rolling hill run with pace....and run up 2K hill to boot. I only went down 2/3rds the way this time and proudly knocked off a 9 minute mile on the way home! A 46:45 minute run putting me at 20.65 miles for the week. I have two runs left. 75 minutes EZ tomorrow, and 75 minutes with 2minutes X 8reps @ HM pace on Saturday. A big week of Bluegrass coming up. I am blessed to be able to play music with some fine friends and neighbors. We will be traveling to a real cool place this Saturday called "The Star Theatre" in Willow Springs, Mo. A really cool venue! Hope you are well my friend!! Peace!

I'll be Back

Yes, a lame title, yet it is my hope to be back to running a marathon. I've run five and have had a long dry spell. I hope to achieve #6 this year. The last two days I have been on the roads running for a total of 3:10.02....I am increasing ever so gradual and have been doing so for months! Now I am running in the 30's for a week and plan to continue the increase. So far this week over 16 miles logged of rolling hills! If I run a flat marathon I will be a monster!! Yes! The power of positive thinking!!! So 75 minutes of rolling hills in the 80 degree sunshine...oh how I love the Summer time!!! Peace!

Extreme Run

     Today is long run day....we have some milder weather so the heat and sun impact is lessened. This made a huge difference in my pace today, btw.
   Why title extreme run? No matter the direction I run I have some seriously steep hills to traverse. So as I went out 57.5 minutes I had to run some real whoppers, especially the "Scenic View" hill. Not that I am in any way complaining it just makes the long run a harder effort. I was talking to myself after I made the turn back saying, man this is hard! Funny, though, I really was able to crank it up the last three miles and did a negative split so I had to add on at the end to get my 115 minute run in today. It truly is amazing the difference hot weather running makes....I felt like Superman today in the 70 degree temps!! Hope you are well....on another note, I've been trying to post a comment on "Meg Runs" blog but it won't let me sign on? Somebody tell Meg hi for me!! Peace!

The Will

Fact is most people have a lazy streak. Being industrious takes a great deal of effort and drive. Perhaps that's the element that compels people like us...drive. An inner power that compels us to reach our goal....seems those goals can be so fleeting, even sometimes unfulfilling.
  Yet I am driven. Even today with the soaring heat and humidity, the sweltering sauna of Summer covering the land, I dove into the run with roadwork the goal. I am up to a 7 X 2min @ HM pace session as I increase this gradually. I actually go faster than HM pace at times but it all balances out due to the rolling nature of my roads! A good warm-up then into the session. Working on form and rythum, after four I had to dig real deep! The heat makes you work so much harder! I was sucking air like I was racing a 5K! Anyway, finished #7 and felt pretty good about the effort. I will go to 8 next week and then make an increase to probably 5 X 3min and increase....well we are off to a friends house for a party! They have a swimming pool!!! I can't wait! I love to swim and I don't get the chance very often. Peace!!

Possible Reprieve

   This morning we received 6/10th inch of rain...cooled us off...I got out asap, considering the wait on lightning, I still made it out as the clouds covered us from the relentless Sun.
  I was running strong and confident and wanted to go ahead and hold the pace. It felt easy and I was not suffering from the heat at all.....until....the sun popped out! Suddenly I began to feel the heat, steam, and it began to toast me.
  I held on the same effort but the pace slowed. This week has been one of my best when it comes to pace speed. So 70 minutes of running today. I plan on 70 more tomorrow with a 7 X 2 minute @ HM speed session worked in, I have been developing a vision of myself; I see me running long distances again. I picked up the latest edition of "Runners world" today. I used to take the mag many years ago, thought I'd read some about running! Hope you are well, appreciate you! Peace!!

Weekly repeats

  Week in and week out we runners train! Yes I run for just the sake of running but I remember when my running took a turn from just fun to something more....racing! Now racing is fun!!
  So we train to have fun in our races.....what could be more fun than having gutted out a 10K and in the last 100 meters hold off a late charge from a rabbit? Nothing!! (Well almost nothing if you know what I mean).
   So we train...I did 10 X 175m hill repeats today @ 10K effort. Total time with warm-up cool-down 52 minutes. Feeling good, a little tired, but good. Going out with friends tonight. Hope you are well! Peace!

Listen to the Body!!

Of course any Runner worth their salt knows the adage.."listen to your body". However; it is another thing to respond to what it's saying! Over the years I have found that really listening requires discipline. Don't you just hate it when you are talking to someone and you know they aren't listening to you!? When someone speaks to me I make every effort to give them my full attention. This is very difficult for me because I am your classic ADD Adult!! Same goes with our bodies....it speaks but are we paying attention? Today my body said go!! Let me run! So I did! Man it felt good! 72 minutes of running, and at least half of it was nearing MP. I am inching closer and closer to a fitness level that will enable me to train for and run a marathon. I am excited! Yesterday running just wasn't possible. When my window of opportunity came it was 108 degrees outside! So I will run Thursday and still get my 5 runs in this week. Up to 15.5 miles already this week! Peace!

I'm Melting!!

  So my goal today was to run 105 minutes, and to run the last 2 miles faster....didn't work! I got out late and the heat, sun, and humidity took a toll and I melted away...however I did run the whole way and feel fine, I just wasn't able to push the pace into marathon pace zone. So it was a good fat burner and I've kicked off the week with a solid training run. I really, really need to get this run into a higher mileage zone. I am continuing the building....tomorrow 70 minutes, Wednesday 70 minutes of hills, Thursday off Friday 70 minutes conversational, Saturday 7X2 min @ HM pace or faster...sounds good, huh? I should get into the 30+ mile range for the week, too. I am really excited about how my body is responding, too. I pulled out a pair of jeans the other night and put them on, the seemed a tad tight? Not bad but snug....hmmmm...turned out they were some old 33 inchers! Oh yeah!! The waist line is shrinking!! Peace!