Sunday Company

90 minutes. 9.13 miles, 9:49/mile 134BPM average.
Ran with Gunner this Sunday and it was nice to have the company. Hopefully Brian will be able to make it out more now that his focus is shifting from long course triathlon after his excellent result at New Balance Half Iron in Victoria last weekend.

Weekly Recap June 22-28

39.16 miles
143 BPM average
5 hours 50 minutes
Longest run: 9.90 miles
Shortest run: 5.53 miles
Average run: 7.83 miles

Looking back through this week's written log it's easy to notice the trend of eating more sugar and staying up later now that summer is here. Staying up late and eating all manner of BBQ offerings is not compatible with 4:40AM alarm calls to go running. The next two months represent the last section of MAF training before a switch to more race-pace focused efforts. They will be the first big weeks of training volume and I can't be working against myself by pounding ice cream sandwiches at 10 at night. As delicious as they may be.

Getting Up

After my little stumble and the missed workout earlier in the week I was very happy with the way I rebounded to complete the remainder of the workouts. Aside from Thursday's run being cut short by one third due to some GI issues, I felt pretty great.
Thursday: 50 minutes. batteries on the Garmin died but I'm guessing it was about 5.5 miles
Friday: 75 minutes. 8.93 miles, average 8: 24/mile 153BPM.
Saturday: 60 minutes. 6.50 miles, average 9:14/ mile 138BPM.

Summer Stumble

Tuesday:
morning run
lunch out
afternoon core work
dinner out
dinner meeting till 10PM including a cookie and brownie late
late to bed

Wednesday:
bad sleep
bad allergies
bad alarm clock
no run

Tuesday

75 minutes. 8.30 miles, average 9:03/mile 137BPM.
Felt good, ran a couple short pick ups at the end and felt really fresh and quick. The temptation to run outside MAF range is getting stronger and stronger the fitter I get at the bottom end. The next several weeks will be a test of my discipline.

NPR Sunday

Ran listening to the last two NPR 'All Songs Considered' podcasts on the iPod and it was amazing. Time flew and I heard at least three bands that I definitely will be checking out: Firewater, Cloud Cult and The Fleet Foxes.
90 minutes. 9.90 miles, average 9:06/mile 142BPM.
Latest update from Gunner has him 63rd out of the water at the New Balance Half Iron in Victoria in a time of 33:30. Sweet!
The new prototcol as of this morning for the next two weeks is as follows. This assumes that I can put two weeks together without missing a scheduled workout. I'm using this as a guage to tell me if my body is ready to add some more volume. The fam and I are heading to Cabo for a week on July 5th to stay at the Riu Santa Fe and I'll be taking my shoes and trying to get in a little bit of running the days we're there. 2 weeks on, one week waaaay off, and then the big volume starts on the march to Seattle.

Sunday: 90 minutes at 140HR
Monday: Off
Tuesday: 75 minutes at 135HR
Wednesday: 60 minutes at up to 140HR
Thursday: 75 minutes at 135-140HR
Friday: 75 minutes at 150HR
Saturday: 60 minutes at 135-140HR
Total time: 7 hours 15 minutes
Total milage approx: 48-ish.

Weekly Recap June 15-21

43.26 miles
Average HR 145
6 1/4 hours
Longest run 9.61 miles
Shortest run 4.95
Average run 7.21 miles

Felt great overall this week and really good about getting the mileage up and not missing any of my scheduled workouts. As well, a slow steady progression has kept me from getting injured which is massive!
The protocol that I am using from Hadd's paper has three progressively longer weeks to get his subject ( named Giuseppe, awesome name!) up to 80 miles a week assuming that he was already at about 50 miles. I had been closer to 35 or so when I ran Vancouver. I told myself that I would not advance to the next 'step' until I had two weeks back to back without missing a workout. This is week number 2 without dropping a set so I'm ramping it up a little starting next week. The frequency and intensity will stay roughly the same but the 45 minute runs get dropped off and replaced with some 60 minute sessions and the long run gets a little longer. I'll post the exact set after tomorrow's long run.
Two things have been on my mind this week with regards to training. First, I have been starting to think about when (if?) I need to switch over from solely doing MAF based training and start adding some speed/tempo work to prepare to race. I might email Lucho to see if he has any advice on this matter. Part of me thinks that if my fitness level isn't to a place where I am capable of hitting 3:10 that I shouldn't race until it is. And I'm scared to hear that from someone else having focused so much energy around training for Seattle in November.
And that brings me to the other thing that I've been spending a lot of time thinking about this week. For the first time in my streaky history as a runner, I feel like I 'own' my goals. I'm not running to look good for a girl, or to impress my run club buddies, or to brag about it at work, All I care about is getting faster and not quitting on myself. It finally matters more what I think about my training than what anyone else does. And when the alarm goes off at 4:45AM, that's what's been getting me out of bed. I don't know when it happened but I do know that from here on out that's what will make all the difference.

Weekend week end

45 minutes. 5.01 miles, average 8.59/mile 139 BPM.
Ran outside. 20 degrees, warm and overcast. Long sleeve shirt which was perfect this early and at this pace but would be way too much later in that day of if I was running faster.

TGIF?

75 minutes. 8.60 miles, average 8:44/mile 145 HR.
Felt restless today and had a hard time settling in to the pace. Maybe I am finally getting sick of running on the treadmill?

2400 meter test results

How lazy can you get? Rather than retyping the results of my 2400 meter test I decided to take a picture of the scraps of paper I have used to conduct the most scientific of testing.
To recap: about 8 weeks ago I decided to switch up my training methodology and follow a 'run slow to run fast' MAF type program based on a paper by Hadd and as practiced by Lucho with incredible success. At that time I performed a test he recommends called the 2400 meter test used to track your progress against a baseline result. The gist of it is that you time yourself over 2400 meters (or about 1.5 miles) at 5 progressively higher HRs. And about every 6 weeks you run the test again to compare the results to make sure that you are getting progressively faster at the same HR over the same distance.
I had put the test off a week so these results are after 8 weeks rather than the recommended 6. Still, pretty exciting.
The numbers to the left are the HR and the numbers on the right are approx minutes per mile.
First, the original pace over 2400 meters, including strategically placed 'coffee spot' that lends the test some real credibility.

And secondly, the results from this weeks effort.

Yup, that's right. Over a full minute per mile faster at 140BPM. At first I thought that must be a mistake but it makes sense given that I have done by far the most mileage right around that 140BPM mark. Anyways, I was beyond stoked to see that number. I have no idea what kind of progress to expect from here but if I am running 8 minute miles at 140BPM in another 8 weeks I'll be giddy. Either way, it's working, and not just at the bottom end. I have not had my HR over 150 BPM for 8 weeks and still shaved seconds off the times at 160, 170, 180 BPM. Not as much, but dang I'll take 20 seconds either way!
It's so reassuring to see results from a program that was based mainly on theory and the testimony of others. Steady as she goes from here. Just keep piling on the miles, stay healthy, be patient and save some cash for the plane ticket to Boston.

Thursday

60 minutes. 6.59 miles, 9:06/mile 137 average.
About the same as yesterday but over a longer stretch which I suppose is a good sign. Felt much better this morning after a great meal last night. Not having run at the top end for two months really left me feeling depleted yesterday. I can't imagine how I used to train that way all the time.

Recovery morning

45 minutes at 135 HR average. 4.95 miles at 9:05/mile. Stretching, core work. About two hours total at the gym this AM. Did the 2400 meter test yesterday with some great results! Will post them later tonight. No graphs but maybe some half assed tables. What I really need is some comp whiz to turn this data into sweet looking bloggable graphs.

Hard Copy

Check out what I got! A sweet new copy of the Runners World training diary. Copyright 1978 but at least they updated the cover pic. That white spot is lightning coming of their feet as they run. That kind of thing happened in 1978.

Lavender

We have temporarily named the new baby Lavender, partly because like Violet it is also a colour and a plant. But mostly because it is super fun to see the looks on people's faces when we tell them. Up for consideration for baby number three: Periwinkle!

Easy like Sunday morning

90 min easy. 9.61 miles, average 9:21/mile 145 BPM.
Monday was day off to hang with Violet and Jamie. Went to the doc to get our ultrasound and make sure that all is well. Pretty crazy to see a little person moving around in there. Pics to come.
Also, foot is feeling better and will run the Conconi test and 2400 meter test this week to see if all this HR training is actually making me faster.

Wildlife

Skipped the Y and ran outside today for the first time in a while. Saw a squirrel instead of squirrelly people . A refreshing change.
42 minutes, 4.15 miles Average 10:17/mile 135 HR

Needed: Shin guards and elbow pads!

A little bit of chafing from the running shorts and a whole pile of scrapes from coming off the mountain bike several times last night makes showering a massive sting-fest. I love summer! Today a co-worker saw my legs and said I looked like a 2 year old. Er, thanks?
Today: 75 minutes. 8.48 miles, 8:50/mile 147 average.

More Mileage

6.6 miles in 60 minutes. 9:05 pace at 137 average. These numbers includes a one mile warm up which was slower paced and lower heart rate. I'd post the chart, but to be honest it's pretty dull: one long flat line. I ran some pick ups last week and my foot is feeling a little tender so I've decided to hold off on the testing until next week. They call for some fast running and after reading Kirsten Sweetland's latest post I'd rather sit on the testing a few days than risk anything.

Inspired

Spent all weekend at the World Cup event in Vancouver and came away wanting to add multi sport to my training schedule after my Boston qualifier and a shot at a sub 40 min 10K. Saturday was early, early, up at 3AM onsite by 5AM to shuttle the Athletes With A Disability handlers and equipment between the swim start and T1. Next time I think I'm having a tough go, I'll remember the lady missing one arm and half a leg being carried from the water's edge into T1.
Or the guy coming of the bike and hopping on his carbon fibre 'riding leg' until he could switch it out for his carbon fibre 'running leg'.
Incredible courage.
Saw some pretty sweet performances from the able bodied athletes as well. A staggering run off the bike for Alistair Brownlee from England in the men's U-23 race and an equally impressive run from you-know-who for the Elite men.
Some excellent pics of the Canadian contingent at Gunner's blog
Some HR training data to post, maybe tonight. Also, am retesting on the 2400 meter test as well as the Conconi test and should have some sweet, juicy graphs to post by weeks end.

BAMF!

Top 8's, baby. Beijing, here we come.

Pumped!

Happy birthday to my amazing wife, Jamie. Without her I wouldn't have nearly the amount of time I do to train. I'm so thankful, I might even consider taking her with me to Boston when I go!

Also, picked up the new Weezer album today which will be what's rockin the iPod for tomorrow's run.

On the Bike

Just a couple pics from the ride at the Watershed last week. Found a great flow section last time but didn't have the camera. More pics to come.