"By failing to prepare you are preparing to fail"

Recovery day.

No running. Stairs were a little tough today, but the only real pain seems to be in the quads. Not sure why.

One more rest day. I'm feeling a little sick today. Sore throat. Eyes are watery. Maybe allergies? I hope to run a nice easy 2-3 recovery miles tomorrow. Legs feel good. Still some slight quad pain, but other than that feel great.

...one more rest day. I worked from home today. The water eyes I had yesterday turned into conjunctivitis (pink eye), so I thought it best to keep this highly contagious infection to myself. I MUST RUN TOMORROW...I PROMISE!!!!

 Oh, pictures from the Cowtown Marathon are now online: www.cowtownmarathon.org

My bib is (well look at my picture and figure it out :-)

I finally got out and ran. Not much, but I ran. This was my first run since Saturday's marathon. No real pain. Ever so slight tightness in the right quad. Other than that felt good. Was still a little breezy, but temperature was 70+ at noon when I ran. I like it warm during training runs, but prefer the 40s and 50s on race days. HR was a little high for the effort.

AP: 7:54 Avg HR: 150 Last mile was 7:14 (with the wind at my back)

 I'll give the pushups a try before bed tonight. Gotta keep up with Huans!

 PC: 40-36-24-20, MAX 48. I think this was Week 5, day 1, Column 3.

Ran with Tom after work today. Tom ran the Half Marathon on Saturday, his longest race ever in just over 2 hours. Tom lost about 65 pounds in one year, due mostly to picking up running. I remember his first 5K ever almost 2 years ago, and the determination on his face as he trudged the final half mile..I believe his half marathon pace was faster than his first 5K pace. Tom's recovery pace was about 10:00/mi today..a little slow for me, but if it's between running alone a little faster or running with someone, I'll choose running with a buddy anytime!

After our jog, I did one quick solo mile in about 7:00, just to see how the equipment was feeling. All systems are go for a quick rampup for Boston!

Pink eye and sore throat are now a memory.

Temp: 80

Wind: S20+

HR: forgot my strap at home

Bfast: Biscuit w/ egg, bacon, cheese. Green tea w/ honey. Cran-grape juice

Snack: a small package of mini-Oreos (I was hungry)

Lunch: Arby's chicken sandwhich, fries, unsweetened iced-tea

Dinner: Homemade pizza, cheese and mushrooms. Sweet tea. Frosted cupcake

(Ok..now that I read what I ate today, I think I eat more like a college kid than a middle-age distance runner...)

Another hot (80+) windy (20+ MPH) day. Ran at lunch with Darin and Eric. The plan was to do 6 miles between 7:30 and 8:00 pace. This felt more like a tempo run than a MP training run. My HR was between 150-165 depending on the direction of the wind/hills. I'm not fully recovered from the marathon on Saturday, but 6 days have gone by and I feel pretty good.

Tomorrow is kids' soccer/baseketball/catchup on housework day. Not sure when I'll get my long run (12-14 miles) in..but I'll find the time. 44 days 'til Boston.

Cross training day. I'd like to think that taking my boys to soccer and basketball games, coming home and working in the garden, and knocking off a few of my honey-do's counts as cross-training. :-)

It felt good to catch up on some jobs around the house. 

DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME - SPRING FORWARD

 Today was a gorgeous day. The wind was barely noticeable. I was going to run 12-14 today, but ran out of daylight.. I had my wife drop me off 8 miles from home, with about one hour of daylight. My Garmin wasn't charged, so I'm guessing I averaged about 8:00/mi, with a few of the miles in the low 7:00s. It was a great run with lots of rolling hills..thoughts of Boston!

Rest Day..nothing to see here..please move along. :-)

Another crazy day. This time change is making it very difficult for me to wake up in time to go to work. I haven't used an alarm in years (except the nights before races, when I use 2 of them..I don't want to be late for races..) I decided to telecommute today, so that I could be able to take my boys to soccer practice immediately after work, without the usual 45 minute commute each way. 

Ran a mid-week long run at lunch time. 75 degress, 15MPH wind felt pretty good. Overcast skies helped keep me cool. I felt a bit sluggish for coming of a rest day, but once I got a few miles into it, I was glad I ran.

Coached the boys soccer practice, and then was off to and open house at my kindergartener's school. Now I'm starting to realize why there are so many older people at races...once the kids are out of the next, there's a lot more time for running!! It'll be bitter-sweet, I'm sure.

I'm shooting for my first 50 mile week of the year this week...supposed to rain tomorrow. I might have to run on the treadmill.

We got some much-needed rain today, and temps in the upper 30's. As much as this would have been ideal training weather, I opted for the treadmill. Did 5 miles as quickly as possible.

AP: 7:30

Last mile: 7:00

The rain is supposed to stick around for a few days, so maybe I'll brave the elements tomorrow..

Ran a quick 3.85 mile loop after work w/ Eric. The rain let up, and it was about 40 degrees and a slight breeze. Not bad weather.

Eric took off quick today. I stuck with him for about 2 miles then he inched his way away from me. I wasn't feeling like pushing it too much today.

AP: 7:08  (Eric finished w/ 6:59...I knew he was going for sub 7:00, I just couldn't hang w/ him today. I'll get him next time :-)

I'll admit it...I'M A WUSS!!!!  ooooh..it was cold and rainy outside, so big bad Marc-E stayed inside and lit a fire in the fireplace. So much for that planned 50 miles this week, unless I do a marathon for a long run on Saturday..at least it isn't supposed to rain! :-)

(I did help coach my boys' baseball practice..which was held inside a gym due to the rain)

OK...maybe I'm not a complete wuss. I managed to get in my 50 mile week afterall!!!! Woohooo..yay me!

Today was probably the best run I've had all year. The temp when I started was 46 degrees, slight wind (8-10mph), overcast skies. If there's weather I could hope for at Boston, it would be like today's (maybe with a nice 20 MPH tailwind, but I won't get greedy :-)

Today I ran on the Mineral Wells State Railway Trailway (or whatever it's called). I love running on hard-packed gravel..especially a day after a good rain (no dust). Being that this trail used to be railroad tracks, it drains great. No puddles to dodge! The trail has a mile marker ever..er..mile. I park at the trailhead and run out half as far as I want to run for the day. When I reached the 11 mile mark, I still felt great, so I went to 12 and turned around. I knew I would get in 24 miles, one way or another. I was on a 8:09 pace at the turnaround (more downhill on the way out).

I was trying to run by effort today. I planned to keep my HR between 130-140 for the first 20, then let it go from 140-150 for miles 21-22, then 150-160 for the final 2 miles. I stuck to it very well. This meant slowing down a little on the uphills, and speeding up a little down hills. I think I might give this "effort" thing a shot at Boston -- though I usually run "by feel" anyways.

I kept thinking about what Kathie said about my last run of 3.85 -- and how she would have put in an extra .15 miles just to make it 4. Well, I felt so good when I got to the parking lot that I ran around it in an attempt to make up those .15 miles...when I hit the "stop" button on the Garmin it was 24.16 -- I was over by .01 miles. Doh!! What is Kathie going to think of that?!

Avg Pace: 8:20

Avg HR: 139

I really need to order another pair of Asic Speedstars and wear them in a little before Boston.

Day of Rest (well sort of..the sun was out for the first time in about a week, so I played with the kids in the yard, did a little tilling of the garden, and some Spring cleaning in preparation for another visit from the in-laws this week.) It's amazing how much get done when one doesn't have to run! :-)

Another beautiful day. A little warm when I ran after work (76 degrees, light breeze). An easy solo 6-miler (all my running buddies are on vacation for Springbreak).

8:00, 8:16, 8:12, 8:14, 7:56, 7:20

AP:7:58

HR: 143

Ran in my "Boston" Speedstars from last year (the ones I bought at the Expo and ran in the next day...a rookie mistake) 

Got a call from my buddy, Tom Slick today. I doubt if there is anyone more excited about running Boston than Slick! 35 days and counting....

Ran after work with Tom for 3 miles (9:49,9:40,9:39)

After Tom left, I picked up the pace a little. (8:17,6:52)

75 and sunny.

It's my anniversary! 21 Years Ago Today I Married  Wife, Beth.

This week is Spring Break for my kids. I'm taking today and tomorrow off of work. Last night the boys and I set up the tent in the back yard and camped out. They really love that. The weather right now is perfect for camping. In the 70's during the day and down in the 50's at night.

I headed to the rail trail this morning for a mid-long run. I went out nice and easy for the first 7 miles, and decided to turn the last 7 miles into a tempo run. It felt great!

Going out for a nice dinner tonight. Tomorrow might be a rest day. :-)

Mile1	9:21	156 BPM (not accurate)
Mile 2	8:27	129
Mile 3	8:17	132
Mile 4	8:27	134
Mile 5	7:52	129
Mile 6	8:20	127
Mile 7	8:38	130
Mile 8	7:41	132
Mile 9	7:43	140
Mile 10	8:08	136
Mile 11	7:23	143
Mile 12	7:29	144
Mile 13	7:36	145
Mile 14	6:59	153

I wouldn't call Friday a day of rest, exactly, but I didn't run. Stayed home from work and got lawn mowed, and set up 2 more tents, and got the place cleaned up for company. We were planning to have a few of the boys' friends over for a campout in the backyard. Their friends had a last-minute cancellation...but the campout went on without the friends. The boys loved the campfire and s'mores. I had fun too! :-)

Woke up from camping in the back yard at the crack of dawn. Made waffles and bacon for the family, then headed to the trail. I only had time for about 18 miles (before boys' soccer game), though I would have like to have done more. The temperature was around 65-70 for this run, and a light breeze. I didn't feel real strong today, but didn't feel bad either. 

AP: 8:13

AVg HR: 133

Max HR: 155

Miles 18 was the fastest at 6:58 -- feels really good to be able to do a sub 7:00 at the end of a long run.

Got in 52 miles for the week (with 2 rest days). Not bad for me..that's 2 50+ milers in a row..woohoo. Not sure what this next week will allow for mileage.

Last day of Spring Break..took the boys fishing at a friend's pond after church. Didn't catch anything, but still had lots of fun.

I promised myself not to take 2 rest days in a row until the last week before Boston, so I hit the treadmill and got bored. The sustained winds were 28 MPH and the dust was a little too bad for me, so I opted for the "climate controlled" environment (phrase borrowed from Smooth). 

AP: 8:00

Did last 1/2 mile at 9.5 MPH (6:18/mi). Maybe I'll do some Yasso 800's next time I need to run on the treadmill.

Ran a tempo run with Darin after work. We planned to run 7:30ish miles, but ended up a little faster. I ate way too much for lunch for such a fastish run. I didn't feel real well for most of the run...overall it was a pretty good run.

Splits: 7:19, 7:26, 7:24, 7:29, 7:12, 7:17

Weather: 72 degrees, 12 MPH Wind NNW

AP: 7:21

HR: forgot monitor..doh!

27 days 'til Boston!

Projected marathon pace: 7:40 (3:20:59)

Ran another tempo run with Darin and Eric at lunchtime. The weather was nice. Overcast, 60 degrees, 12 MPH SE wind. 

When the 3 of us run together, we never know what the pace will be. I was thinking "easy 8's", but before you know it we clicked off the first mile at 7:20, and we're talking the whole time! The conversation died down around mile 3, when we saw our overall pace was about 7:22, and decided to pick it up a little. The final mile was 6:48, and I felt like I had just run a 5K race! Great workout with great friends.

7:23, 7:22, 7:24, 7:13, 7:19, 6:48 

AP: 7:14

Did a few pushups afterwards, but my heart isn't into the pushup challenge. I'm going to have some fine legs, but the rest of me is...not so toned.

Saturday was my wife's birthday. After a party at the house on Friday night, and the massive quantities of food I consumed...I wasn't much into the run, when I finally got my butt out the door to run. I had to run at least a little, to keep my promise of no more than 1 rest day in a row. It wasn't pretty, but I got in 3 measily, slow miles. I didn't even make 20 miles for the week. Not a good mileage week for me..

Today I Ran (Sort of) My Longest Training Run Ever

I needed to get in a long run this weekend. I hit the rail trail I like to run on at about 1PM (after church and lunch). It was 65 degrees when I started, and I decided to try to make it to the little store at the State Park at the end of the trail...15.5 miles away. I had my fuel belt and 3 little bottles of Gatorade to start. I ran the first 13.1 miles in about 1:44 (7:50/mi), and made it to the store to refuel. Bought a Snickers bar, 1/2 liter of water, and a 32-Oz G2 Gatorade. I ate the Snickers, drank the water, and refilled my fuel belt bottles, guzzled the remain 12oz or so of Gatorade, and headed back. At around the 20 mile mark I decided to start taking a few walk breaks. I was feeling a few wind-stitches (probably from all the Gatorade/water sloshing around in me), so I took it easy all the way back in. I didnt' decide to run 31 miles until I got to the trail. I didn't do any special carbo-loading, and I didn't bring any GUs with me. I probably would have been a little stronger at the finsih, had I prepared a little better. I was very glad to get that overwith. I really need to find my MP3 player if I'm going to continue to run these long solo runs.

IT IS NOW TAPER TIME FOR BOSTON!!!! WOOOHOOOOO!

AP: 9:28 (lots of walking on the way back in)

TEMP: 65-70 degrees

WIND: 20 MPH S

Got my new Asic Speedstars in the mail yesterday. Time to break them in for Boston. Ran what I thought was going to be and easy 6 miler at lunch w/ Darin. It was another windy day, so when the wind was behind us, we cruised.

splits: 7:46, 8:03,7:46,7:38,7:26,6:32

AP: 7:31

HR: 143,143,138,141,150,163

Gotta love new shoes!!!

Decided to run another 4+ miles after work with Tom. AP: 9:40