Detroit 2007, Week 5 Day 1

EZ Run: 4miles @ 8:52
Planned: 4miles @ 8:55
Weight: 196.5

First run with my new EZ pace of 8:55, since I have been running to fast for the last 4 weeks I should not be surprised that this was no problem. As a mater of fact I spent most of my efforts keeping the pace down.

What I am worried about is my tempo run this week. For some reason I am really having mental problems with speedwork. I am going to try my best to make sure I am in a good head space Thursday morning before I hit the road.

PS. I seam to be having problems getting to the Nike+ site today, I will add the graph once It is working again.

Detroit 2007, Week 4 Day 4

EZ Run: 8miles @ 8:45
Planned: 8miles @ 9:00
Weight: 192.5

Today's run went surprisingly well considering how crappy most of last week went, not to mention that I when I started my run I was in a crappy mode, and assumed that a crappy run was to fallow.

I think what saved this run was a combination of things. I actually got some sleep the night before, and eat a nice spaghetti dinner, and most importantly I think, I got out relatively early before the heat and humidity was to high. Over all very happy with the run it's self, next week I start back on increasing mileage, as well as upping my pace 5 seconds, hopefully I am not pushing my self to hard, I will know soon enough.

PS. As far as weight goes I am sure this is mostly water loss, I will most likely be back to 195 or 194 by my next run.

Detroit 2007, Week 4 Day 3

EZ Run: 6miles @ 9:01
Planned: 6miles @ 9:00
Weight: 195.5

100% humidity and two beers make a for a pretty pathetic run.

I got invited to dinner with some friends, and since I once again was waiting for the afternoon to run, I thought I was going to have to miss my run. Perhaps that would have been for the best. But instead I got back from dinner around 7:45 and felt pretty good, so I decided to do my run after all. Problem was I had eaten ALLOT, and drank two beers, not to mention the fact that it was in the 70's with 100% humidity.

All this considered the first mile went well, though I ran to fast 8:24 I think, but I noticed that I was sweating quite a bit. By the end of mile 3 I looked like I had just got out of a shower, and was feeling I had already done 6 miles. I ended up doing a short walk after mile 3, 4, & 5. I am just lucky that I was able to finish.

The fact that I weighed in at 195.5 after this run is proof of how much water I lost, because after the dinner I had, defiantly not on my diet, I am sure I should have weighed in at 198 at least.

Lesson learned. Back to morning for me.

Detroit 2007, Week 4 Day 2

EZ Run: 6miles @ 8:51
Planned: 6miles @ 9:00
Weight: 195

I am writing this two days late, because I made the mistake of running in the afternoon. And have fallen behind. I will avoid this in the future, but for now I am just going to portend that I am writing it just after my run.

This run went fine, beside being waylaid by a stray dog, and having to get it turned around and headed home, costing me at least 20 seconds of my first mile. The humidity was quite high and I started to feel it toward the end of the run. I think we are coming into the "Run in the morning" part of summer.

Detroit 2007, Week 4 Day 1

EZ Run: 4miles @ 8:55
Planned: 4miles @ 9:00
Weight: 196.5

All went well this morning, I did have the desire to stop and walk, but that was strictly physiological. I felt physically fine the entire run, and was no more tired at the end then I would expect.

Today's run start my first recovery week. I think I need it more then I should. If Things continue to feel tough next week I might consider keeping my training paces the same as the first month, until I am more confidant that I am not pushing it to far.

Sadly my first running day of my new diet seams to have see me half a Pound up. Lets hope this dose not become a trend.

The Other Plan.

Its time to lose some weight.
Diet (Week 1 day 1): 196.

A year ago I started running as way to lose wait, In April of 06 I realized that I had let myself slip quite out of shape. By counting calories and running regularly I managed to go from 230 on my birthday in April, to 183.5 in November. My goal had been to get to 180, but I had put on so much muscle doing the running that I felt I had more then met my goal. I decided that that as long as I could stay around 190 I would be happy.

I have managed to keep to this, though I have twice now, after stressful weeks, found my self hitting 200. Both time I have just watched what I eat for a week or so, continued to run and gotten back to the low 190's.

However Of late I have been feeling out of shape, and noticing that that 10 pounds or so effects my running, and my attitude. So I have decided to get rid of it. I was never able to get to 180, I hit a wall around 185 and could never get past it. So In a attempt to force my self over that wall I have decided to combine my Detroit Marathon Training with a 12 week diet. Hoping this will help my body, heath and my race time.

My diet plan is this, I am going to keep my calorie count down, cutting out snacks and junk, and run. for the next 12 weeks of Training I will track my weight with my times, And will be equally obsessed with them. My main goal is to be 180 on the day after the Detroit Marathon (October 22, 2007). Wish me luck.

Detroit 2007, Week 3 Day 4

Long Run: 16Miles @ 8:59
Planned: 16Miles @ 9:00

I don't really know what to say about today's run. I Was not in a very good mood as I hit the road. I was once more annoyed to find out my Ipod was dead. It seams that my computer had shut down, but the Ipod on its dock seamed to have stayed on, with no power coming up the USB cable. So I had to wait until it charged up to about half way. Never the less I hit the road about 8:30 with Harry Potter and some Gatorade strapped to my back.

I lucked out and my legs seamed fine, but after about 4 miles in I took a 200m walk brake, and took off again. I decided I would take another brake at 8, and 12, miles. I did this and a few shorter brakes as well. I was a bit upset that I did this, but it seamed to work out OK.

I am trying to keep myself from worrying about walking, but its hard, it makes me feel like I am blowing it. I need to work on getting my mental state to last through these things.

Detroit 2007, Week 3 Day 3

Pace Run: 5miles @ 8:25
Planned: 5miles @ 8:30

Despite yesterdays painfully cool down, I seamed to have know problems today. I did wait until the evening to run. I of course started off to fast, and ended up running mile 3 a bit slower then I wanted. But over all I ended up feeling good with the run.

I am still a bit annoyed that my iPod batteries failed on my Wednesday, I lost 5 miles from my current challenges, and goals. But I am pleased that it looks like that was the only lasting damage done by my thursday speedwork.

Detroit 2007, Week 3 Day 2

Tempo Run: 5.1miles - 3.1 @ 7:24
Planned: 5miles - 3 @ 7:35

This was one of those days when I cant help but feel I should not have run. It started off when I awoke feeling like a cranky old man. Forced myself to get up to run, and found that both my Garmin and my Ipod had dead batteries. After messing around with them for a half hour I just decided to wait and run in the evening.

I spent the rest of the day watching as the humidity built, and the temperature climbed. Buy the afternoon I was convinced that I would be running on the treadmill if at all. Thin the rain came. As it will do sometimes in Michigan it came came down in sheets, knocking down branches, signs, and gutters. But when it left the sky was blue, and the humidity was back to a livable level.

By the time I got home from work, changed and made it over to the local high school track (without my Ipod) it was beautiful, and I felt that I had done the right thing in waiting for the afternoon.

Then the strangest thing happened, I ran a mile warm up, and my calf's stated to tighten up uncomfortably. I was a bit concerned because I have not been having goof luck with my speed work the last few weeks. I decided to just "Push on through" and I took off on the tempo run. And to my surprise It went well. I averaged a bit faster then I should but over all I was content. But then I stopped, and ran my cool down mile.

It was Hell, about 200m in to my cool down my calf's turned to flesh colored tubs of pain. I kept going hoping to work it out, but it just continued. When I Finlay reach 1 mile, at a whopping 10:39. I was so messed up that I had to just sit in the grass and attempt to stretch for 10 minutes before I was able to get up and drive home.

That was last night, and I was sure that I would be in pain this morning, but to my surprise all seams well. I actually feel pretty good. Never the less I am going to push by pace run up to this evening, and at the first sign of pain I might skip it all together. I will find out tonight, one way or the other.

Detroit 2007, Week 3 Day 1

EZ Run: 4miles @ 8:49
Planned: 4miles @ 9:00

Today's run was blessedly uneventfully. Perhaps I ran a bit faster then I should but I'm not complaining.

With today's run I am pretty convinced that I have recovered from my Week 1 shoe adventure. I will be curious to see how my Tempo Run on Wednesday.

Detroit 2007, Week 2 Day 4

Long Run: 14miles @ 8:51
Planned: 14miles @ 9:00

Today's run was most notable for the fact that it was so much better then last weeks long run. I hit the road about 7am with a pretty good attitude, some Gatorade and a pack of Gue. Around 8 miles I walked for about 200m drank some Gatorade and downed my Gue. That got me another 5miles before I decided to polish off my Gatorade, and walked another 200m. For once these walk brakes did not seam to destroy my momentum. And I was able to pick up were I left off each time, and even maybe a bit better.

Over all I am happy, This is only week 2 of 16 and I have quite a few long runs to go. I wont start worrying until I get back to the 20's.

Detroit 2007, Week 2 Day 3

Pace Run: 5miles @ 8:18
Planned: 5miles @ 8:30

I ran a bit fast again, and I think I need to be a bit more careful, The point of these pace runs is to get used to the pace, so it feels natural. However its is really hard for me not to try and gain a bit on my virtual partner as I run, and I always feel like I cant slow. I should leave the speed to my speed work. Oh well maybe I will get some control before I hurt myself.

This also marks 2 days of Almost dead on Nike+ Readings. .02 for both times. It is even more impressive because yesterday was Intervals and my Pace was all over the place. I am even more convinced the its the weather.

Back on my normal shoes I have not had any new pain, I still get a bit of a bite in my left knee when I hit a steep hill, but I think this is just the damage form last week, and it seems to be fading.

Detroit 2007, Week 2 Day 2

Intervals: 5miles - 2x1600 @ 7:09
Planned: 5miles - 2x1600 @ 7:10

As I always seam to be saying lately. This was harder then I thought it would be. I did it, and without to much strain. I just felt like I was not going to make my time. I know that that is the point of Intervals, but still.

My legs were much better off again today. I felt a couple of twangs in my knees going up a hill while I was warming up, but I am pretty sure that they are just remits of my last weeks Shoe Adventure. If they persist past Sunday I will start to pay attention to them.

Detroit 2007, Week 2 Day 1

EZ Run: 4miles @ 8:35
Planned: 4miles @ 9:00

Back in my new "old shoes" I am quite convinced that my problems were the Nike Air Equalons. This morning was only a EZ run, but it was done without any sharp pains. My left calf was a bit sour but that I blame on last weeks punishing. I even ran quite a bit faster then I was supposed to, and not on purpose, it just happened.

I was told once that if you find a shoe that works for you, stick with it. I know this to be true now, I guess I am just surprised that the first real running shoes I ever bought would turn out to be those shoes.

I will be even more interested to see how my speedwork goes. I will not quite say all is well, but hopefully by Sunday I will be sure.

Detroit 2007, Week 1 Day 4

Long Run: 10miles @ 8:56
Planned: 12miles @ 9:00

Bad mode + Bad shoes = Bad run. This run was very disappointing, It took me a good part of the day, and a relatively enjoyable viewing of "Live Free or Die Hard" to pull myself out of my funk. More or less.. This run my not quite have been a disaster, but it was close. It started with a mile of annoying knee and shin pain, (Caused by my shoes I think). I stopped and almost turned back, but I decided to push on. This worked out, and by 2 miles things seamed OK. Around 5 miles I took a short pause, to drink some Gatorade. I think this was a mistake. Over the next 7 miles I paused 4 more times, I seam to have lost my will, and could not pull my self out of it. By the end of the run I had walked 2 of my 12 miles. Paused while I was walking so I was able to keep track of my actual run. And manage to squeeze in 10 miles at my long run pace.

I am afraid that after one week and 26 miles, I have to admit that my Nike Air Equalons are trying to kill me. I have never had as many annoying pains in my knees, my shins, and most ever other part of you legs you can hurt. The crazy thing is I bought them because I thought I needed more support. But apparently I have adapted to a lighter shoe. Next week I will be going back to Air Zoom Moire's. If by the end of the week I am not back to my more accustom "a bit sour" state I will be concerned. I hope that I have not done any lasting damage over the last week.

Perhaps the thing that bothers me most is that this is only the first week of my Detroit 2007 Training, and I am already having problems. I can only hope this is because of my shoes. I guess Ill will know by next week.

Detroit 2007, Week 1 Day 3

Pace Run: 4miles @ 8:24
Planned: 4miles @ 8:30

This run went fine, other then the face that I waited untill almost 10:00 to get to it. And I think I am officaly going to have to start watching the hummitity. I was quite soked by the time I got home.

I also started up a Runner+ account yesterday. It seams to be be a pritty cool site. It is nice to be able to make changes to the charts. I do wonder how they are going to be able to pay for the site, there is quite a bit of data and services on the site, and it cant be cheap to maintain.

Detroit 2007, Week 1 Day 2

Tempo Run: 5.5 miles - 3miles @ 7:31
Planned: 5miles - 3miles @ 7:35

I am a bit disappointed with today's run, I have the day off so I slept in a bit. And by the time I got out the door it was 72 out with a relatively high humidity. On top of that I was feeling a bit under the weather. I am still hoping that I am not getting sick.

I did my warm up with no problems, 1 mile at 9:14. At the 1 mile mark I started my Nike+ and my Garmin and hit the run. Even before I got to 1 mile I was feeling a bit winded, and dripping sweat. To my shame I have to admit at 1.8 miles I was overcome with the urge to walk, and I have to admit I did. I paused my Garmin, and my Nike+, and walked some 400m or so. When I did start running again I was better off, and went a bit faster then I meant for the next mile.

When I reached the required 3 mile point I walked another 800m or so before running my final cool down mile, At something like 9:40. Over all I think all is well, and I am not over shooting my runs, It was just not my best day.

One other note, I did not record my Warm and Cool with my Nike+. I might make this a habit for my speedwork. It will end up messing up my Nike+ total mileage but It is allot more accurate if I only record the speedwork itself. Today it recorded 2.99 miles for my Garmins 3.0. That about as close I ever expect form it.

"The Plan" Detroit 2007

I have put togeather a pretty realistic training schedule for the next 16 weeks. This plan is based on a goal pace of 8:30, and a finishing time of 3:42.51. I will be updating this image as the days progress.

This schedule was based a plan provided by Runners worlds Smart Coach. With a few tweaks based on adding Pace Runs, and what I learned training for LA.

Detroit 2007, Week 1 Day 1

EZ Run: 4miles @ 8:44
Planned: 4miles @ 9:00

This was the first day of my Detroit marathon training program. We are of course starting off with the basics. Once again I am wearing my new Equalons, I did not notice any problems. My calfs are sour, but I am not quite sure if that has anything to do with this run.

I have my Plan is all worked out, I'm will post a copy of it tonight. The only thing that I am still deciding what races I can do while in the middle of my training program. I have a feeling I will have to make those divisions as I go.

10 Miles in New Shoes.

Long Run: 10Miles @ 8:46
Planned: 10Miles @ 9:00

After some 600 miles I decided to, retire the shoes I brought for the LA Marathon. After 1600 or so miles running on Air Zoom Moire's. Which are very light weight shoes, one step above running barefoot. I decided to try something with more support. Since I am going to be doing allot of Long Runs over the next four months. So I picked up a pair of Nike Air Equalons.

After 10 miles, I'm still not sure weather what I think of them. For the first mile or so I was wondering if it possible to have to much support. I had a bit of pain in my left knee, as I ran up a hill. I'm not sure if this was the shoes fault. I was feeling a bit sour before I even when out. However at the end of the run I was feeling quite good, I would even say better then normal. Once more not sure if this had to do with the shoes either.

I will be starting my Detroit Plan tomorrow, and will be upping my Miles continuously for the 16 weeks. I plan on giving the Equalons a good pounding, and by the next 500 miles I should know weather it has made a difference or not.