Hurt :(

Not much more to say, but it looks like Gasparilla will be a no go for me. I'll focus on recovery and see how I can train better in the future.

Hot Outside

I didn't feel like running today for some reason, but I went out anyway. To my surprise, it was uncomfortably hot out today. Before my lunch break I spoke with someone in Atlanta that told me they were experiencing freezing rain and temps below 32 degrees. When I went for my run, it was muggy and in the mid 70's. The weather didn't help motivate my running and I cut my 5 mile loop short and ran 4 instead.

The training program mileage is really starting to increase and I'm having problems keeping a positive attitude when I run. I keep focusing on my toe that still bothers me, rather than how consistently I've been able to maintain a sub 8 minute pace, even for my long runs.

I hope this is just a phase I will come out of soon. Tomorrow is an off day and I hope to be rejuvenate for Saturday's 13 mile run.

Current December Stats:

Activities: 11
Mileage: 67
Pace: 7:45

Ho Hum Monday

The good news is that my toe felt better today. I ran my 5 mile loop at work and the weather was great. Cooled down to the high 50's today, huge cold front pushing through :)

With Christmas just around the bend, I find myself looking forward to the start of our vacation. I've been feeling the pains of running 30 miles per week, mostly in my toes and it makes getting motivated harder. I know I won't be taking time off from my training while on vacation, but I look forward to some relaxation anyway.

Today I averaged 7:50/mile with a stop I had not planned for. Fortunately the park has facilities. Tomorrow I'll run the same route per my usual plan. I think the weather will be mild again. Gotta love Florida in the winter.

Ouch my toe

I've logged 108 miles over the last four weeks, including 11 this morning with the Blue Sharks running club. Overall, I feel that I am improving a great deal each week. The mileage is just starting to increase as well. Next weekend is a 13 mile run followed by 11 on Christmas Eve. I can't believe Christmas is already here.

Somehow I've managed to bruise my big toe. I'm not sure what happened, but I began to notice a problem earlier this week. Today, my toe felt like someone was yanking my nail off while I was running. I'm not sure what I can do to resolve this problem. Hopefully some rest tomorrow will help. I guess it could be my shoes. I've run in Asics GEL-1100's regularly, but this is my first pair of 2100's. They feel like they fit the same as my 1100's, but perhaps there is something different.

The run this morning was nice and easy despite my discomfort. I can't complain about the weather here in Tampa (55F this morning), especially after seeing the national forecast. I'll get a taste soon enough when we travel to Denver.

Feeling Slow

I ran 5 miles yesterday at 7:46 pace and yet I felt slow. In early October, my average pace was over 9 minute/mile. My running has improved so much, since I started training for the Gasparilla Marathon and I find myself pushing to run faster each week.

On Wednesday, my training teammates took off like a rocket, running the entire 6 miles under 7 minute miles. I didn't feel I could keep up with them and completed my run at 7:34/mile. I knew I ran well, but I couldn't help feeling that I failed to keep up with my group. I've been training as hard as these guys, but somehow they have the will to push harder than I've been able to do. I keep hearing that voice saying, "don't push too hard, or you won't finish". I need that voice to go away. I have not failed to finish any run I've started during my training.

My teammates tell me, that they feel the "pain" when they run that fast, but run through it. I need to push through and put the voices to bed.

Time for Firm Goals

I've read that the best goal for a first time marathoner is to finish the race. In fact, I've read it many times and I began my training for the Gasparilla Marathon with finishing as my goal. With twelve weeks remaining before the race, I feel more confident than ever that I am capable of finishing the race. This weekend's Half Marathon told me that my body was ready to continue when I crossed the tape.

My trainer feels that our group is capable of pushing out a 3:30. My half (1:43:29) was probably slightly slower than the pace I'll need to reach this goal, considering I did not stop running at any point. While reading "The Great Boston Marathon Qualifier", I noted that Vince stopped during each water stop and even squeezed in 4 potty breaks as he qualified for Boston with a sub 3:30 run. This tells me that I'll need to improve my running pace over the next 81 days if I hope to fulfill my trainers ambitious goal. I don't know how many first time marathoners run 3:30's, but the goal seems lofty.

Of course, if anyone told me I could run a 1:45 half a few months ago, I would also think the goal was lofty. I've trained religiously, and focused on improving my stamina and pace and I have time to improve. I improved my pace by more than 1 minute/mile since starting this training program. Another 20 - 30 seconds per mile and the stamina to keep the pace for 26.2 will get me to a 3:30 run.

I feel confident that my training team will do everything possible to prepare for a 3:30 marathon and therefore I am modifying my goal for Gasparilla from simply finishing to finishing in 3:30. I believe that setting this goal will help design a race strategy and give me something lofty to shoot for.

Results are in

I checked the results from the Brandon Half Marathon today. To my surprise, I finished third in my division (30-34). There were only nine runners in my class, but I feel pretty good anyway. I don't think I can say I finished in the top three in my division before today.

I went to the gym today at lunch a bit sore and stiff, so I took an easy 3 mile run. By the end of mile 1, I felt good. After my run, I made sure to spend some time stretching, something I'm not always good about. Tonight I feel good. Fortunately, this weekend will include less mileage and a chance for my body to recover even more. We'll be back up to 13 miles on the 17th, less than 2 weeks away.

Half Way There

Today, I completed my first Half Marathon in Brandon, FL. My goal was 1:45 and I completed the run in 1:43:26, so I was pleased with my results. My training group and I ran a consistent pace together for the first 8 miles. At that marker, one of my colleagues went out on his own. He finished at about 1:40. At mile 11, I lost the other member of my group, but only gave up about a minute to him in the last two miles.

Happily my laps did not fall off badly throughout the run, as happened to me in the Turkey Trot. I actually felt very good as I made the final turn towards the finish line. I believe I could have stayed with my teammates for the entire run, but this race served a greater purpose to me. My focus is on the Gasparilla Marathon and I need to prove that I can run consistent mile after mile. Today, I felt I proved I can be consistent and this will go a long way to help me prepare to run the Marathon.

This afternoon, I'm feeling a bit sore, but I plan to take it easy tomorrow. I definitely do not feel as bad as my first mile of running after taking nearly a year off to be lazy. Today's run was an accomplishment, I'm proud of.

Ready to Go

The Brandon Half Marathon is tomorrow morning and my training group will be running the race as a training run. The group plan is to run a conservative first mile, gradually picking up the pace to 3:30 Marathon. The weather will actually be a bit warm tomorrow, and I kind of wish we ran this race today instead. This afternoon I ran 2 miles to get loose for tomorrow morning. I took Thursday and Friday off.

I expect that Davo will keep us from getting too excited during the first mile. The Turkey Trot 10K showed me that letting yourself get caught up in the excitement can ruin a run. Tomorrow will be my first Half Marathon and I would be very happy if I can finish around 1:45. I believe I've trained well enough to accomplish that goal.