A little more than two weeks back into training and everything seems to be functioning normally! With the hopes of running in New Mexico & California over the next couple of weeks, it is much easier to stay focused and motivated. I would hate to get a chance to get out of the heat and only be in the shape to run 6-10 miles. Luckily, my 18.5 mile Tuesday morning kept me feeling okay throughout the week.
Work still sucks, but I've been able to keep my mind off of it when I run...for the most part. Granted, I've only had one run over 12 miles. Everything else has been quick 7-8 mile runs (well, not that quick: 45 to 50 minutes each). I'm nervous to just jump back into the 12-15 mile days, as I don't want to burn out because of the heat. I'm running/training during the hottest part of HELL over the next couple of months.
Lately, I've started incorporating swimming into my training regimen as something extra. Plus, getting in the pool during a hot, 100-degree day is pretty refreshing, even if I am swimming laps. I'm also sort of playing with the idea of an Ironman in the future and swimming could definitely help with that. More to come on that later...
As for distance over the last week...I missed a couple of days due to work, but my days have been between 8-15 miles at around a 6.40 pace in average. I'm going to start this week with the goal of keeping all runs at 10-17 miles and slow my pace. After this week, I'll go back to posting my weekly mileage and elevation gain/loss. But for today, I turned over 14.87 at a 6.20 pace.
Till next time I'll be running and trying to stay ahead of the heat demons.
New Commuter
Pic by K. McDaniel
Monday, June 13, 2011
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Let's Try this Again!
I'm currently in the process of refocusing and getting back to training...SERIOUSLY! I know I haven't posted anything in months. I could give many excuses for this, but I'm not going to make any. Simply, I just haven't.
I have been running, just not with the mileage that I need to run to be competitive at 50 miles. I've had a couple 100 mile weeks and one week where I logged the most miles ever of 130.6. But, the last few months I have hung out around the 60-70 mile range. I even clocked 11 miles in 55 minutes a few weeks ago, but I want to get back to the long runs. Granted, I have found great enjoyment in going out and doing hard-core short runs as fast as I possibly can, but still miss the torture of the LONG runs.
My long runs stopped when I was unable to clear my mind and just enjoy the fact that I was outside running. I would get 5 or 6 miles into a run and then start thinking about my job. I don't like my job, in fact, somedays it makes me out right miserable. Granted, I am thankful that I do have a steady paycheck coming in...no matter how small it is. But my job often gets in the way of my running. When I shortened my runs and upped the intensity, I didn't have time to let my mind wander over to the rigors of work. I have been content with this for the last 3.5 months or so, but I recently looked at the race results from the Jemez 50 and realized that I would have placed pretty well if I would have continued my training. I was shooting for 8:45:00 on that course. I was very confident that I would have succeeded in being in under that time. I withdrew, as my training weeks started getting shorter and shorter and went to Cincinnati to work on my up coming wedding plans with Kerry instead. A wise decision none-the-less! :)
The focus over the next few months in Hell will be to increase my mileage back up to the 85-100 mile range (and not melt), blog more, and simplify my life a little. I'm trying to plan a couple trips to San Diego and one to NM to hopefully run with a soon-to-be-friend who ran the Jemez 50 this year. As for race plans...possibly the Speed Goat 50K in Snowbird Utah.
Let's hope I can get back on track to where I want to be.
I have been running, just not with the mileage that I need to run to be competitive at 50 miles. I've had a couple 100 mile weeks and one week where I logged the most miles ever of 130.6. But, the last few months I have hung out around the 60-70 mile range. I even clocked 11 miles in 55 minutes a few weeks ago, but I want to get back to the long runs. Granted, I have found great enjoyment in going out and doing hard-core short runs as fast as I possibly can, but still miss the torture of the LONG runs.
My long runs stopped when I was unable to clear my mind and just enjoy the fact that I was outside running. I would get 5 or 6 miles into a run and then start thinking about my job. I don't like my job, in fact, somedays it makes me out right miserable. Granted, I am thankful that I do have a steady paycheck coming in...no matter how small it is. But my job often gets in the way of my running. When I shortened my runs and upped the intensity, I didn't have time to let my mind wander over to the rigors of work. I have been content with this for the last 3.5 months or so, but I recently looked at the race results from the Jemez 50 and realized that I would have placed pretty well if I would have continued my training. I was shooting for 8:45:00 on that course. I was very confident that I would have succeeded in being in under that time. I withdrew, as my training weeks started getting shorter and shorter and went to Cincinnati to work on my up coming wedding plans with Kerry instead. A wise decision none-the-less! :)
The focus over the next few months in Hell will be to increase my mileage back up to the 85-100 mile range (and not melt), blog more, and simplify my life a little. I'm trying to plan a couple trips to San Diego and one to NM to hopefully run with a soon-to-be-friend who ran the Jemez 50 this year. As for race plans...possibly the Speed Goat 50K in Snowbird Utah.
Let's hope I can get back on track to where I want to be.
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