As expected the run on Tuesday night was HOT! The few miles I ran before meeting with the group had me drenched.

Through the fall, winter, and spring you forget how much it sucks to run in the heat. I sweat heavily so it is especially bad. I constantly down water through the summer in a endless battle with my sweat. I get jealous of people that cruise along in 90 degree heat for 5 miles and have only a few wet patches. Oh well, just keep drinking, keep sweating, and keep running.

Back to the run last night. I went faster than I expected finishing 7.5 miles in 54 minutes. Didn't feel great the first three but all was good after that.

70 and Counting

Post number 70 for me, I really didn't think it would last this long. More of a passing idea that I kept up with for a few weeks and then it would slowly fade away. I am not always the most diligent poster but when I start to fall behind it sits on my mind. I find it motivating to blog. The 4 people that read this each week keep me motivated.

I was telling my sister about this blog and she was excited to read it. I gave her the address a few weeks ago and in the times I've seen her since then she never mentioned it. I figured she had lost the address or forgot to look it up. However, this weekend she says "I checked out your on-line thing. Your were right, I don't get it." I guess you need to be a runner and not just a sibling.

Anyhow, I haven't posted about a run since Friday, I think. Saturday was a run through the "Badlands" of Philadelphia with Seebo, Kevin j and Erin. Seebo did a great job putting together some info about the area we ran through here. I am sure just about everybody reading this has read his post already so your up to date on the route.

It was Memorial Day weekend, I spent Sunday at my parent's place near the Jersey shore. A good chunk of the day was spent fishing and hanging out with my nephews so I skipped the run. I had my 40 miles for the week and I just couldn't find the motivation.

Monday, Heather and I went for a bike ride. The day was hot but not so bad when you were cruising along on your bike. We timed our trip from her house to Hahnamen Hospital where she goes to school. She is going to commute to work by bike now and needed an idea on how long the trip was going to take.

From there we cut across town and headed south. We took a lot of back alleys, and liitle streets through town, eventually ending up at the Ben Franklin Bridge. Rode up to the middle and then headed back. Made a pit stop in Old City for a few beers, a stop at Logan Circle for a dip in the fountain, and then back home. 25 inconsistent miles on the bike in I have no idea how long.

The heat is now on in Philly and the group run tonight should be a sweaty affair. The future forecast looks much cooler, my prayers for a cool summer could still be answered. Let's hope.

Another Wace in the Wiss.

Back in the the Wissahickon Park for the final installmant of the May trail series. I was pleased with a good Philly Runner turnout this week. Stevus, E-Mike, Kevin J, Heather, Elizabeth S. and Monika. Erin was also there but more for support and to enjoy the weather. The threat of a creek crossing kept her in her sandals, no running shoes.

I warmed up with a couple easy miles and then joined the crew of racers, about 3o, definitely more than last week. After a brief course expalanation we were on our way. I promised myself to hold back a litlte this week, and I did, but just a bit. Stevus Kevin J and a few others pulled ahead and I took it a little easy.

After a couple miles I found myself in 3rd place again with a guy hot on my heels. I was holding back a little less than I had planned but still not going all out. With a mile to go I was caught and I didn't answer, just didn't have it in me last night. With 1/2 mile to go we cut through the creek on a nearly waist high river crosssing. A little trip up the far bank and it was a quick run downstream, across a bridge and into the finish.

I ended up with third place again due the lead guy cramping and falling of pace. Steve was on fire last night and ran to a first place finish. If he every seriously trains I think he will pretty incredible. All other PR's seemed to really enjoy.

Afterwards I stuck around for a few beers and spread of food that the Valley Green Restaurant lays out for the Wanderers. Everone was sitting at large banquet style tables eating a buffet of chicken, corn, potatoes, and fruit on an outdoor covered patio. Dessert even came out after we finished dinner.

I thought maybe it was just for the races but it seems they eat a good meal here after every Thrusday night run. No bill, you just drop how much you think you owe on the bar as you walk out the door, including beers. I might have to make Thrusday nights in the park a little mroe routine.

A Sprint Finish

Started a little early again and ran about 2 miles before the official Tuesday group run. Kevin, who usually leads the Tuesday night runs was not there last night so the run started at 6:35 instead of 6:45 and I almost missed it. As soon as I ran up we were on our way.

Cruised out to the turn around with Jim at a decent clip and tried to get into the run. My legs were a bit tight and it took several miles for them to loosen up. As we went by Lloyd hall on the return trip we passed a couple runners and one of them decided to pick it up and run with us. It felt kind of like a challenge so I picked up my pace, he followed. This continued back and forth up the hill to the Art Museum. My first real running duel with someone I didn't know, he was new to the running group.

I was trying to gauge his breathing and I really felt I had him beat so I just slowly upped the pace and he held on. We were neck and neck and I planned on keeping it that way and just finishing at the same time but in the last 50 meters he tried to take off. I knew I had a lot left so I just sprinted the last bit and easily beat him. It felt good. The last mile was a 6:05 and I know the second half of that mile was much faster than the first.

A couple cool down laps around the Art Museum steps and I was done for the night. Wednesday will be an easy run in prep for another Thursday night trail run with the Wissahickon Wanderers. Good Stuff.

44 Miles and Running

I am behind by three runs on my blogging. I know this frustrates the multitude of reader who eagerly await an update about my running everyday... or not. Sorry for the delay and I will try to keep more up to date in the future. I am sure it won't happen, but at least I have a little bit more to write about when the runs pile up.

I have to cast my memory all the way back to Friday. This was a recovery run from the race on Thursday. My upper ankles/lower calves were really aching. I put in 3.5 miles through Manayunk at a 7:45 pace. The ache wasn't any worse while running and it just had to work its way out of my legs.

Saturday morning my legs weren't any better, in fact I think they felt a little worse. This is often the case though. A tough workout does not really show it's full effects until 2 days after a run. I really can't bitch that much though, it wasn't like I was hobbling, just really achey after sitting for a while until I walked a bit to loosen things up. I am sure there are runners out there that would laugh at me for even mentioning these aches because they deal with more on a daily basis. All things are relative.

Anyhow, I went out for an 8 miler on Saturday evening with Heather. The loop we took sent us through Manayunk at just after 9:00 on Saturday night. We didn't go up Main Street but there were still plenty of twenty somethings hanging out with beers on their porch or stoop. as we cruised through the neighborhood. I mentioned to Heather that they must think we are a little nuts for running on a Saturday night, maybe they think we are just total dorks for it. She says "They wouldn't be to far off".

Maybe we are dorks for running until 9:30 on a Saturday night, but the mexican food and maragritas at Johnny Manana's afterwards tasted all the better after a good run.

Sunday was a longerish evening run. A loop that started at my house, Bloody Nipple, Belmont Mansion, Girard bridge, Lemon Hill, Art Museum Steps, Kelly Drive, and back to my house. The legs were still achey and I really thought I was gonna get killed by the wind but things weren't to bad. My legs, although they felt kind of tired, kept me moving at a good pace. The wind was only a problem from Boathouse row to the Columbia Bridge on the way up Kelly Drive. This was only a few miles out of the 12.2 I ran so the wind wasn't much of a factor.

This run started a little slow but sped up as it progressed. I was ticking off 7:10-7:20s as I came up Kelly Drive. I have a feeling that by the time I get to the Chicago marathon in October the pace I need to hit to qualify for Boston may feel fairly easy. In fact it already does. At least much easier than it did thsi time last year. Of course I don't want to to get to cocky, I know just about anything can happen in a 26.2 mile race but I am feeling confident at this point.

44 miles for the week

Wanderers Trail Race

On a trail run you never can really be sure what to expect. How many hills are on the route? How fast am I going, I really can't tell with all these hills? I am goign to kill myself going down this hill!

It was an informal race held by a running group, the Wissahickon Wanderers, that frequents the park. I met up with their group and a couple Philly Runners, Stevus and Kevin J, in front of the Valley green restaurant. An old restaraunt/lodge that sits on the main path that follows the Wissahickon Creek for 6 miles through the park. In the 1800's this path was the route many took from Philadelphia out to Germantown and beyond. The restaurant was place to eat and rest on the trip.

About 25 of us were milling around before the race. It was a very informal affair, the race coordinator jotted my name down on a piece of white paper and I was signed up. He explained the route which was marked with bright green chalk and we lined up. I really didn't know any of the runners except the couple PR's so teh competition was a question mark.

Started off in 5th place with a couple guys right behind me. First 1/4 mile was nice and flat, but that was soon to change. We started charging up the first hill and I held my place with "the fast guy", Stevus, Kevin J and some other guy in front. After a couple hills I was able to get into third with Stevus a few feet ahead. At this point I was hurting and we were winding up a looooong hill into a meadow at the top. I stuck close to Steve and tried to hang on. This worked for a mile or so but he eventually started to pull ahead. The lead guy was at this point not in sight.

I was feeling good about third so I just kept pushing hard and hoped that nobody caught me. The hills continued both up and down with many loose rocks, roots, and turns. I run this park a lot so I knew the paths fairly well, I just didn't know exactly what the route was.

We eventually ended up on the main path again for about 1/2 mile. I was running hard but I really couldn't tell my pace, I think it had dropped off a a good bit by this time. A turn onto the final hill that the coordinator had referred to as "Buck Hill" before the race. Just the mention of it illicited several groans from the crowd, by the top I knew why. Long, fairly steep and at this point in the race I wanted cry. I closed my gait and picked up my breathing just trying to hold on until the top. It finally ended and I knew the rest of the was was down hill. I pushed as hard as I could down the final hill and crossed the line in just under 34 minutes.

Steve had finished about 45 sec ahead of me and Kevin J was not far behind so we took 2, 3, 4 in the race, not a bad showing. Afterwards we chatted with the other runners and relaxed with some Cliff Bars provided by the Wanderers.

One the hardest races I have run but a great time. I will definitely be back next week for the 4th and final installment of the series.

Tuesday night Stevus, Seebo, and I decided to go a little longer than the normal 5 mile group run to the Falls Bridge and then up the Bloody Nipple. We kept a brisk 7:20-7:30 pace and everything felt good. We looped around Fairmount Park to Montgomery Ave where Seebo headed off into West Philly and Stevus and I returned to MLK. Down the drive to the Art Museum for 10.5 miles in 78 minutes. I wanted a decent workout and I definitely got one with this run.

Wednesday night I planned on running an easy 5 or so in anticipation of the Wissahickon Wanderers Trail Series Thursday night. This is a 5-6 trail run through Wissahickon Park headed up by a local running group that meets there. I was goign to take a teh trail at the top of my block down to Forbidden Drive and then take it slow for an out and back.

I hit the trails and things just started speeding up. The route in my head quickly changed from an easy path to all trails. I connected a few of my favorite routes in the park for a challenging trail run. I still kept it short for 5.5 miles in 40 minutes.

Washington

I'm back from my little trip and sadly I am back at my desk, but that doesn't mean I don't have time for a short post.

I'll start off by saying that Washington and Seattle are beautiful. All that crap about rain, rain, rain apparently isn't true from May through September. One day of rain and 4 of blue skies really made a for a great trip.

I went with my girlfriend and we stayed at her parents place which is about 50 minutes west of Seattle via drive and the ferry. Their yard backs up to the Hood Canal, which is a branch of the Puget Sound. Beyond the canal are the Olympic Mountains, majestic snow covered peaks on the Olympic Penisula. This all made a for a great view while eating dinner, washing dishes, or sitting on my ass on patio.

It also made for interesting scenery when running the roads. The runs were relaxing at about an 8:30 pace. 3 runs, totaling about 20 miles. I didn't have my watch, I didn't really know the distance, and really I didn't care. A 5 mile race I thought was supposed be the weekend I was there is actually taking place the following weekend so I missed it. Oh, well.

For now it is back to work and running. 40-50 miles a week through June with at least one speed work out and an increasing long runs sound like a plan to me. After that, marathon training for Chicago will start in earnest. I am hoping for a cool dry summer, worries about a steamy 20 milers in August have already crept into my mind.

Tuesday with the Group

I swear this blogging makes me run more miles. I was going to run 5 with the group today but after reading Seebo's post about a 13 mile recovery run I felt I really should be running more. I am not complaining though, it is good thing. It's nice to draw some inspiration from others and hopefully even inspire someone else once in a while.

So I added a wopping 2.5 miles to the group run with an out and back on the lower schukill trail extension before the race. It was again a nice night for a run and the Tuesday group was brimming with new arrivals. Everyone was still in good spirits from Broad Street and pre-run chatter was centered around that.

I fell into an easy run with Alex, Jenn, and new Kevin who is doing some consulting work in Philly. We now have a consultant from Florida and Colorado, a few more and we might be able to start up our own firm.

A steady 7:30 pace out and back gave me 7.5 miles in 56 minutes. I am a little sore and tight but the run felt good and it definitely loosened me up.


Tomorrow I head out to Seattle and will probably miss a few posts. I hope to take in several scenic runs while I am out there. It should be a big change of pace from Kelly Drive.

Broad Street Run

Heather and I were out the door at 6:45 and after a quick stop to pick up some bagels for the after run party hosted by Craig and Andy we were on our way down to the sports complex and our ride on the subway. I got to the start later than I would like, as usual, and had a quick pit stop before lining up. Luckiliy I saw a few guys from the group as I was walking to the line and I started next to Stevus who's goal time of 1:01 was just a minute faster than mine.

The weather was perfect, the energy at the line was up, and really how could it not be on a day like that with 15,000 people piled up behind you. The gun went sounded and off we went. Steve and I quickly fell into a nice pace and mile 1 went by in 5:55 a little faster than I wanted but not insane. The barely sub 6's continued and my 3 mile split was 17:54. At this point I knew I wasn't going to be able to sustain this pace but those quick early miles were in the bank for my 1:02 goal.

Stevus somehow found another gear, which on his 30 miles of training in 2006 seemed impossible, and started pulling away a bit by mile 4. I pulled through mile 5 at 29:58, a pr, and I could feel myself slowing a bit. The next couple miles were between 6:05 and 6:15 but with 3 miles to go I realized a sub 1:01 was in reach if I could just hold on and run a decent final mile. Mile 8 in 6:10 or so, mile 9 was the same and my watch read 55 minutes. If I could sub 6 the final mile I could go under 61 minutes. However, after 9 miles a sub 6 is easier said than done and I could only muster a 6:03.

Final time 61:03. I was elated with this finish, a full minute better than my goal and over 3 minutes faster than last year. I quickly found, Ian, Steve K, Stevus, Seebo, Craig and Kevin F at the finish who had all PR'd as well. Just like last year everyone seemed to do well and was in good spririts. Congrats to all the finishers and especially to Craig and Andy for putting together some great omlettes and beers in FDR park afterwards. It was a nice cap to a beautiful morning.

Down Two Days, Bring on Broad Street

What a time to get a damn cold. All winter long not even a sniffle and now in May, a head and chest cold. Wednesday and Thursday I laid low, tried to feel better with a lot of soup and and OJ. This morning I nearly called out of work but a shower usually will wash that urge out of me and it did today.

I did leave work a little early and I was feeling a bit better so I headed out for 5 today. It wasn't great and it wasn't bad, all seems to be in working order. Just a general tightness in my chest after the run. I have heard that a few miles can kick up the immune system and help clear a cold, I hope it's true.

I'll sleep in tomorrow and pray for the best. No matter how I feel there will be no half assing it at Broad Street. It's a race that has been on my mind since January and cold or not I am giving it all I got. Also, I am on my company's coporate team and based on last year's corporate team times we have a shot at first place. So it's time it's time to kick some ass, bring it on Broad Street.

Yes, this post was designed to try and boost my spirits. You know what... I think it worked.

The Tuesday night run went just as expected. Easy pace, good company, and some food and beer afterwards. Started off a little quicker then I wanted with a 6:50 but then slowed it down and enjoyed the beautiful weather the rest of the way. Almost 6 miles in 43 minutes.

I have come down with a little cold that was bothering me yesterday and has stepped up a bit today. I really don't think it is much and hopefully it will pass before this weekend.

I Am an Idiot

So as I said in last post, this is a taper week. I planned on running light Monday night, 5-6 miles at a moderate pace and then a little quicker workout with the group on Tuesday night.

Heading out the door I had no intention of going to the track. My mind wasn't even on the track. I ran up to Mitchell street and headed through Manayunk. Mitchell street just happens to bring you right to the track at Roxborough High School. It was a nice evening, there were a few people on the track, I had my "fast" shoes on so I figured what the hell. A couple mile repeats at 6:00 minutes pace to give me a feel for pacing at Broad Street on Sunday.

I took an easy lap and then picked up the pace. I cruised through 1600M in just under 6 minutes. However I just felt like crap when I was done. My shins were cramping, my hip was achey, things just didn't feel good. A couple laps recovery and then I did 2, 400 repeats with 200 M recovery at 83 seconds each. I have no idea why I did this, I've never even run a 400, why start a week before the race? One more cool down lap and I headed home.

I was damn achey when I got home, things just didn't feel good, it was discouraging. Maybe it is because I really haven't had a bad run in a long while that it is bothering me. These things happen right, not all runs can be good, better bad run on Monday then this Sunday. Blah blah blah.

Good news is that I don't really feel to bad this morning and I have a week of light, enjoyable runs in front of me before Sunday. So out tonight with the group for an easy 5, and then some beers at the Bishops Collar, our monthly meeting spot for post-run beers and drinks.



All told about 6 miles in 42 minutes.

Let the Mini Taper Begin

I guess I have become a lazy blogger lately. It always seems I am writing about 2 or maybe three runs each time I log on here. Today is no exception.

Friday night was 6 miles with Heather on Forbidden Drive. This has become a regular occurence lately and I think it is working well. The 6-10 miles I run with her a couple nights a week are always much slower than I would normally run by myself but fast enough that it is still a decent workout. They are easy days, but instead of me just calling them easy days and then running to fast, they actually are easier.

Saturday morning I made it to the 9:30 group run for the first time in a couple months. I was in a rush, rush, to get there and then of course got there in plenty of time to hear the announcements. I am kind of happy this run gets a late start, I would have missed it many times had it not.

Ian came rolling in just as we were heading out and I hooked up with him and a new PR named John for a little trip through Fairmont Park on the fire trails. Got all the way to the Chamoniuox Hostel and then headed back via Girard ave for about 9 miles in 65 minutes. The weather was perfect and I really felt good start to finsh despite some achey legs. 37 miels for the week. I was a little upset not to hit 40 miles for the week but not upset enough to run through a nasty Bachelor Party hangover Sunday afternoon.

I plan to taper this week before Broad Street. No runs over 6 miles and not over 20 miles total before Sunday. This morning I decided on my race plan. Go out at 6:00 pace and see how long I can hold on. If I am feeling good hopefully I can hold on the entire way and maybe squeak out a 59:59. If it is a bit much I'll slow down and still break my goal of under 1:02. At least thats the plan.