Zac's blog thinger

Treadmill. Felt so so. Took it slow. Ran about 8.5 minutes per mile or 59:30. Ran a touch slower at the beginning and a bit faster at the end.

Something must have been affecting my run. My HR was about 133 at the 8:30 pace. I brought it up to 8:00 pace and my HR shot up to 150. For whatever reason, I was getting fatigued more than usual at the 8:00 pace.

It might be the never ending cold that I have that seems to go away and then emerges over and over again. Who knows.

Weight 172 (goal 160)

Pavement and grass. Ran, as suggested by Sasha, to Liberty park and did a couple outside loops and back. Total time was 52:30 or 7:30 pace. I have a really hard time keeping my pace slower than 7:30 outside lately. It just feels good to be moving at that pace.

Besides a little aching in my right foot (not too bad), it was a good run.

Pavement at 5 AM. Going to a lunch thing at work to say so long to a coworker that is moving on to greener pastures. I didn't want to miss my run so I went this morning.

I leave pretty early for work but I discovered that as long as I plan clothes, lunch, and everything for work the night before, I can make time pretty easily for a morning run. Running in the dark creeps me out a bit though.

Come January or so, when my body has fully acclimated to 50 miles per week +/-. I will probably start running a little more in the mornings a couple days each week. This way, I hopefully will be able to increase my mileage to about 60 miles per week. Of course, I need to be careful that I don't end up making something I love into too much of a chore. I just want to get to the point where I'm having competitive finishes in races. I'm in a tough age group but if I can get a little of my old speed back coupled with good mileage base, I should be able to go sub-2:50 in a year or so. That will give me a pretty good shot at placing well in my age group. It'll be exciting to walk away from a race with a trophy once-in-a-while like the old days.

Anyway, the run was very slow. Between the darkness, the hills, and the sleepiness my first 5 miles were close to 9 minute pace. I ran the last two in about 7:30 pace. I was just glad to be out getting the miles in.

5:30 AM on the Pavement. Tried a new 5 mile loop out (actually 5.08 per mapmyrun.com). I've been really struggling in the early mornings to get my pace up (something about the dark and cold, I think). I'm just way sluggish. In the afternoons, I have to work hard to slow myself down.

My first 5 mile loop was in a very slow 45 minutes. My total time was 1:26:30. The average pace was 8:30 per mile. I was pretty close to the pace I wanted to run on the second 5-mile loop but the first wasn't so good.

I'm sure my times will improve as I continue to go out on those early runs. My body is to used to running on a treadmill in a warm room.

Noon Pavement and Grass. Twice around Liberty Park Loop. I was excited to find a decent runner running the inside loop about a quarter of the park ahead. Worked hard to pass him in the last stretch of the first loop. It made the run pretty fun.

Felt pretty decent but not super energetic. My stomach started giving me a little trouble. I may be a little dehydrated again. It could be something else??

Total time was 51 minutes or an average of 7:17 per mile. That's a little fast for what I should be doing this time of the year and Friday and Saturday's runs were too slow. Some of the factors that I think affect the run are topography, time of the day, temperature, light, and visibility to the public. All of these factors varied tremedously between these runs. Friday and Saturday were cold, dark, early, hilly, with no one watching me run. Todays run was warm, light, middle of the day, flat, and with tons of passing cars and people watching.

Who knows? I'll just keep running and not worry about it.

Weight is still 172 (160 lbs goal)

Treadmill and stairs. Pretty average run except that after the first 2 miles I ran some stairs. 4 times up and down a 5 story building. It was at least a 1/2 mile (I think) but it felt much more difficult than a flat 1/2 mile. I actually went really fast and didn't feel it too bad. Of course, after I got back on the treadmill, the next two miles were tough. I was clearly recovering from anerobic activity. My pace was about 8:30 during these recovery miles. I picked it up from there. Topped out at about 6:30 pace for the last little bit of the 7 miles.

I don't even know what my total time was.

I discovered a cool new ultra-marathon race that will be starting in Eagle Mountain, following the pony express trail. I'm not going to go the entire 100 miles but I was told that I was welcomed to join them for 30-50 miles. It may be pretty cold because it is on Dec 29th. I would imagine the pace will be pretty slow. The director has encouraged everyone to stay together in groups to make it all more fun but of course, they won't stop you from going faster.

Anyway, it sounds like an adventure and the price is right - free.

Weight 170 (goal 160)

Treadmill. 56 minutes. Ran the first two slow and then tried a 5k trial to judge my fitness. After 1.5 mile, I concluded that I had made some progress but am still far from where I would like to be pre-speedwork. So I went back to my old 8 minute pace after a short recovery and ran the rest of my mileage that way. I need to be patient.

Weight 170 (goal 160)

Treadmill. Felt a bit sick again. November is typically a tough month for me because my kids bring tons of sicknesses home and things are a little busier with the County budget.

Took it easy. Ran first half very slow and then ran 8:30 pace through mile 4. I ran the last 3 miles at 8:00 pace.

My legs felt a little sore or tight at the start. This was probably because of the stairs I did the other day that I am not accostumed too. No big deal though. Felt very relaxed throughout most all of the run, especially when I increased the pace to 8:00 pace.

Weight 171 (goal 160) - I don't seem to be making much progress toward my goal. I probably need to somehow shock my body a bit to get to the hard to get to fat stores. I used to have a running weight of 155 so I know that it is possible. Of course, it's been 10 years.

Early morning icy pavement. Not terribly fast because of the ice and darkness. Took a pretty good slide but managed to keep upright. I exhibited better balance than all my attempts to surf the Jersey shore growing up.

This run was meant to be about 10 miles but my progressing cold got the better of me. After 5 miles it was clear that my body needed rest, not more miles. I decided to listen this time and cut the run short. My time was a very slow 45:30. I swear, I consistently get sick this time of November, every year. Ugh!!

Treadmill. Short and slow today. I'm still feeling pretty sick. I'm full of phlym and have a bit of a sore throat. Generally I feel run down. I wanted to give my body a chance to recover and I suppose it'll give my tendons and things a chance to recover a bit too. I hope to feel well enough to go 5 tomorrow and be back on track by Wednesday. To bad you really can't plan how these things will play out.

Treadmill. Still sick. Took it easy but felt good enough to slowly work up to 7:00 pace.

Generally feeling better. I plan to be back on track tomorrow. The break was refreshing apart from the cold that went with it.

Weight 171 (goal 160)

Treadmill. Still a little phlegmy but felt strong. Took this one a little fast. First 1/2 mile slow but increasing quickly throughout and second half 7:30 pace (8:40 roughly for the slower starting mile). Miles 2-6 at 7:00 pace and mile 7 at 1st qtr 7:00 pace, 2nd qtr 6:40 pace, 3rd qtr 6:18 pace, and 1st half of last qtr at 6:00 pace and last 200 meters at 5:40 pace.

My overall time was 50:24, average pace 7:12 per mile.

It felt good and I could have taken it even faster, I think.

Weight 170 (goal 160)

Treadmill. Took it much easier than yesterday. Felt a little cruddy at first, most likely due to some mexican food I ate to close to my run. The bad feeling subsided after a few miles.

First 1/2 slow building to 8:00 pace, which I held through mile 4. Ran mile 5 and 6 at 7:30 pace, which felt very comfortable. Picked it up a bit during 7.

Total time was 55:30 or about 7:55 pace. If my pace seems slow as compared to my notes above that is because of two factors: 1st, I start off really slow (15:00 mile pace even) and work my way up to pace. It wastes time but allows me to loosen up a bit. 2nd, the treadmill only changes paces so quick so I lose a couple seconds changing from one pace to another. Not that anyone was really concerned besides me.

Weight 172 (160 goal) - I'm in a weight rut. It's time to initiate some diet ideas.

Treadmill. 55:30 total time. Pretty relaxed.

Early morning pavement. 1:28 total time or 8:43 per mile. That is very slow. I obviously am not a very good cold morning runner; the hills do me in a bit too. Actually, the thing that probably slowed me up the most was my gut.

Anyway, I was glad to be getting the miles done, even if they weren't the best.

Treadmill. Felt so so but worked through it. Total time was 52:40. Ran mile 5 at 6:15 pace. Ran the second half of mile 6 at the same pace. Oh, and the time is a little downward skewed by a very slow warm-up mile.

Weight 170 (goal 160)

2 times around Liberty Park loop. Very windy. 51:20 or 7:20 mile pace. Felt pretty easy for the most part.

Weight 170 (goal still 160)

6 am pavement. Hilly. 57:15 or 8:07 pace. Not a bad run.

6 am pavement. Very hilly. Too slow. 61 minutes or 8:38 pace.

6 am on the pavement. Ran a 4 mile loop and then did 3 more 1 mile loops. Felt so so. Time was 57:30 or 8:17 pace.

2 pm run from my house to Smith's in Saratoga and back, 5 miles each way. Felt like crud for the first 3 miles. I was excited to see that despite the bad first 3 miles I was able to still maintain a sub-8:00 pace the first half (the downhills helped). The next three miles were almost entirely uphill and I was happy to have averaged 8:20 pace during this tough section. I finished the 10 miles in 1:20 or 8:00 pace. I felt good and decided to run another mile loop. I ran that in 7 minutes (major hilly course). My total time was 1:27, which was good considering the hills, the cold, and the lousy beginning.

6 AM on the pavement. Did a 5 mile loop and two 1 mile loops. It was a bit icy but not too bad. I ran pretty slow. I must just not do well in the dark. I find it frustrating. My time was 61 minutes or 8:38 pace. Sure, there some decent hills but I swear I was going faster than that.

Well, it's a lot better than not running at all! Much better than any winter since high school. I've always done terrible during the winter so this is a great improvement.

Treadmill. Legs were sore but not sure why. I didn't do anything too extreme. I didn't stretch as well the last couple of days but I'd be surprised if that were what was causing the soreness. Strange?

Anyway, I worked through it. First half was a slow warmup and then the second half was 8:00 pace, which continued through mile 3. Mile 4 and 5 were at 7:30 pace and mile 6 was at 6:07 pace. Mile 7 was 1/3rd at 8:00, 1/3rd at 7:30 and the final 1/3rd at 7:00 pace.

Total time 53:51 or an average of 7:41 pace. Not too shabby for a bad leg day.

My weight was 172 (goal 160). I'm obviously losing nothing.

Treadmill. The snow cost me a lot of my running time today. It took me two hours to get to work. I ended up just running a quick 4 miles in about 27 minutes or 6:45 pace.

Actually I started with a slow 1/2 mile (not too slow though) and then I did a fast 5k. Mile one and two were 6:11 pace and mile 3 was 5:42 pace. The last 10th was 5:26 pace. I didn't get the total time but based on these paces the time would be 18:36. I would probably need to add back about 6-10 seconds for the time it took to get up to pace so about 18:45+/-.

That is really fast for me. I haven't gone that pace for years. I know that in a race I could definitely go faster so I probably could go sub-18 minutes.

I'm pretty excited.

I recovered pretty well and comfortably ran the rest of the miles and rushed to get back to work.

172 lbs. (goal is still 160)

Treadmill. Felt pretty comfortable at about 7:30 pace after a slow first 1/2 mile and ran 7 miles in 53:30 or 7:38 pace on average.

Weight 170 (goal 160)