February 28, 2014

Dawn Patrol.  Temps in the mid-30s with a strong South wind.  Intermittent drizzle made it fun. Cold and wet from start to finish.  There is a certain sense of happiness associated with running in the rain. In the summer months. 5.03 miles in 47.22 for a 9:25 min/mile pace.  Homebound leg was much faster with the wind at my back.  Spartacus Redux Mix on the box.  Solid Back and Bi workout on Thursday. 13 miles planned for Saturday AM.  Winter weather arrives Saturday PM or Sunday AM. Right foot takes a few minutes to get warm...

February 26, 2014

Dawn Patrol.  Frigid North wind sweeping down the plains.  19 degrees Fahrenheit with a windchill of 4 degrees.  It was uncomfortably cold this morning.  Rocked the full head and face mask for the first time.  Solid. Saved my face from freezing and falling off. Felt good once everything warmed up.  My gloves are rated for the mid-30s, which is somewhat underperforming when the temps are in the single digits. Finished the go-to 5.03 campus loop in a slower-than-usual 48:26.  Overall, it was a 9:38 min/mile pace.  Grunge Mountain Mix on the box.  Tuesday AM workout focused on the Chest and Tri. Thursday at the gym with an emphasis on the Back and Bi...and the whirlpool...and the steam room.

February 24, 2014

Dawn Patrol.  Back in the game after another week laid low.  Pun intended.  Threw out my back lifting weights last Tuesday morning, February 18, 2014.  Took the week off after suffering excruciating pain and suffering, mostly at night, for most of last week.  It was brutal.  Absolutely brutal.  February, as it turns out, has been a lame ass month of running for this author.  42 miles on but six runs.  Injuries and illness.  I will not dwell on this fact or let it affect my training moving forward.  My goals have not changed.  This morning's run was a standard five and change, per custom.  Out the door at the appointed time for a solid campus loop. Completed the 5.03 mile run in 47:25 for a 9:25 min/mile pace. It felt good getting back on the trail.  Old School Punk on the box. Tuesday back at the gym.  A planned 6-5-13 for the remainder of the week.  Bring on the noise.

February 17, 2014

Week Nine begins with a solid 5.03 mile run around familiar territory.  Temp was a balmy 54 degrees Fahrenheit with a brutal North wind (25 mph).  Shorts and long-sleeves; no gloves or beanie. Tracked a bit faster than usual.  Finished in 46:23 for a 9:13 min/mile pace.  No issues to convey.  Spartacus Redux Mix on the box.  Chest and Tri tomorrow, Tuesday.  Another five-mile loop on tap for Wednesday.

February 15, 2014

Saturday morning long-run.  Skipped Friday's planned five-miler, purposefully, as I felt the ramp up would have been too much after taking a week off.  Solid decision, although it pained me to be idle. Saturday's run was slow and steady: 11.54 miles in 2:03:55 for a 10:44 min/mile pace. Headed north through University North Park, which always reminds me of Over the Edge! Anyhow, no calf issues. The weather cooperated, as well.  Temps in the mid-30s with a light wind out of the north.  No complaints. This week's planned schedule: 5-5-5-13, plus two mid-week workouts at the gym.  Masters of Grunge on the box.  Mahalo.

Week Eight:
21.63 miles (134.14 miles for the training period)
3 runs + 2 gym days
200.00 lbs.

February 12, 2014

Dawn Patrol.  Another cold morning. Temp at 21 degrees Fahrenheit with a negligible North wind. So it was cold, but totally manageable.  Finished the go-to five-mile loop in 46:30 for a 9:13 min/mile average pace.  Today's run was a full three minutes faster than Monday's; I felt faster and was able to sustain it.  Spartacus Redux Mix on the box to get me through.  Tuesday's Chest and Tri was solid. Thursday's Back and Bi on tap, while Friday's planned five will lead me into Saturday's long run of 12 easy miles.  May be ramping up a bit quickly; however, I need to start getting some quality long runs completed.  This week's total should be in the 27-mile range.

February 10, 2014

Dawn Patrol.  Week Eight. Week Seven was a total wash.  Back in the game after a nine-day respite.  Left calf issues related to a sciatic nerve issue kept me sidelined.  Having calf issues less than a mile into last Saturday's (February 1, 2014) planned 12-miler should have been a huge red flag; however, like a fiend, I powered through it and finished a ten-mile run in agony. I took the week off to recuperate and was aided by frigid temps, three rounds of snow and ice and generally arctic conditions.  I did, however, manage two quality weight workouts during the week. This morning's 5.04 was completed in 49.30 for a 9:50 min/mile pace.  Temp was a frigid 20 degrees, which, coupled with the brutal North wind, made for a 9 degrees Fahrenheit temp. Frozen Fog and Frozen Face.  Hip Hop on the box.  New shoes. Tuesday at the gym for a chest and tri blowout. Five on Wednesday.  Mahalo.

February 1, 2014

Dawn Patrol.  Left calf seized early on, so I did the prudent thing and finished ten miles instead of the planned twelve. (Sarcasm is so hard on this damn thing.) Anyhow, it was a cold and windy start to the day and there was no way I was going to bag this run. Temps in the mid- 20s with a windchill of 18 degrees Fahrenheit.  Cold Front Blues Revisited.  Finished 10.03 in 1:48:22 for an average pace of 10:48 min/mile.  Left calf was sore after Friday's five miler, but I did not think it rose to the level of being concerned.  I was mistaken.  Finished with a pronounced limp. Hobbled. RHCP mix on the box. Sunday off to recuperate.  Five planned for Monday, assuming that I can ambulate.

Week Six:

20.10 miles (112.51 miles for the training period)

3 runs + 2 gym days

197.6 lbs.