An uneventful 10 miles out to the Art Museum and back. The weather was beautiful and I felt good so my planned 8 turned into a 9, then a 10, then a 10 with a few trips up and down the Art Museum steps. Total time 77 minutes, not including the the trips up the steps.

I wanted to go a little shorter because the Wissahickon Wanderers trail series starts up again for September this evening. I will definitely be up there tonight for the racing and the beer and food afterwords.

I am a little nervous about going all out in a race on the trails. I think a faster pace makes injury a little more likely on the rough terrain. I'll back off a bit and keep things controlled. I really don't need any type of injury after a summer of training.

Two easy runs so far this week.

Monday was a 6 mile trail loop through the Wissahickon. Took my time and enjoyed the run.

Last night I met up with the group for another rainy Tuesday run. Put in a couple miles beforehand and then ran with E-mike out to the 5 mile turn around. We picked up the pace on the way back to about 7:10's and everything felt great. 7 miles in 49 minutes.

Saturday night I headed out with Heather down Kelly Drive to retrieve her car that was aprked on 19th and Green. I twas nice to have a destination when you start a run. We ran 6 miles through soem very light mist in 50 minutes. The only highlight was a police chase of some asshole that was flying up Kellly Drive and around the Art Museum.

The 6 miles was uneventful and slow, the way a recovery run should be. My legs felt strong.

Sunday I went out on Forbiden Drive... again. All of my routes are seeming a little to regular lately, especially Forbidden Drive, but the softer path and the shade are just to nice to stay away. I planned on about 12 at a moderate pace. The first mile was a little slow but after that I got into a groove and was hitting 7:00-7:05. A little faster than I really wanted to go but I felt good and attempts to slow down just didn't go to well so I kept it up. I decided to go to Northwestern Avenue and back. 13 miles in 93 minutes. Dead on marathon pace.

I didn't split the miles on the way home and didn't realize the pace had been this quick until I logged in my run. 13 miles at marathon pace after a 22 miler on Friday . Good stuff.

I was happy to break 60 miles for the week in just 5 days and also to hit 40 miles in one weekend(Fri-Sat-Sun) . My biggest weekend yet.

Next week I am going to pull back to about 50-55 miles for a little recovery before my final 3 week push to taper.

20 on Friday

Thursday was a DNR and I only have 21 miles so far this week with three days left. I am going to need a big weekend to hit 60 miles for the week.

My planned Saturday morning 20 miler was looking very wet and windy beacause of a little storm named Ernesto. I remember an 18 miles last year in similar weather and it wasn't pretty, I didn't want to repeat that. I could either push my run till later Saturday after the rain had stopped or wait until Sunday morning. Niether option was very appealing. I like to get my long run out of the way early in the weekend beacuse I tend to dwell on it and worry if it is going to go well.
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Thursday night Heather had the brilliant idea that I should just do my long run on Friday. I was off from work and the weather was cool so why not. For some reason this never crossed my mind, my long runs have always been Saturday and that's the way it is.

I debated it in morning and decided to go out for 10, if I felt good and the rain had held off I would do 20. The first 5 miles on forbidden drive felt great and although it looked like it might rain any second it was still dry so 20 was looking more likely.

I made it to the end of Forbidden Drive and at this point just to get back to my house was a total of 13 miles so I was comitted. I looped around in the park, took some trails and rehashed the same route a few times to get my mileage up to 20. My pace the entire way was between 7:15 and 7:45 with most of the miles longer than 7:30.

It threatened ran the entire way, some sprinkles here and there and an occasional gust of wind but it just never came. Thank God. Sometimes the rain can be refreshing but this wasn't one of those days and I was glad to finish with a shirt damp with sweat but not with rain.

I ended with a little over 20 miles in 2 hr 36 min. The first of 3, 20 milers this year and it went very well. Not a bad way to start of September

I headed out to Kelly drive for a tempo run last night.

1.5 mile warm up and then I picked it up just past the Falls Bridge. 4 miles as follows; 6:20, 6:11, 6:13, and 6:12. The last mile was uphill to the Art Museum and I was really pushing to keep the pace up.

I took a little breather in front of the museum and then continued on the path exstension to the turn around. Headed back home at a fairly easy pace. 12.5 miles in 1hr 28 minutes.

Overall a geat workout.

I may not get a run in tonight because of an obligation after work. If not, that will make 247.0 miles for the month of August. A few less miles than July but July had 5 weekends and August 4.

Deluge

I planned on running 11 miles last night. 3 Before the group run at easy pace, 5 miles at tempo pace with the group, 3 miles after the group run at easy pace.

I started running under overcast skies around 6:00 and not long after a light rain began. It steadily increased and by the time I was 2 miles in had become a total downpour. I had a hard time even running with my head up because of the rain in my eyes. I was totally drenched in minutes and decided at that point a tempo run wasn't going to happen.

Instead, I just enjoyed the rain. On a regular basis runing in downpours would get really annoying but every once in a while it is a blast. I made my way up to the Art Museum where I met about 6 other Philly runners for our evening run. The rain continued to pour and the skyline was totally obscured by low clouds and rain.

The rain had lightened a tad before the group set off but it had left gigantic ankle deep puddles along some portions of the path. I had gingerly jumped puddles when the rain first started but now plowed right through them. Heather and I ran out to the Strawberry Mansion bridge and back. 9 miles in 83 minutes.

I almost pulled a DNR for the day. I was a bum in the morning, drank coffee and watched TV, than ran some errands. Before I knew it 2:00 had rolled around and it was Fantasy Football Draft time at my house. 12 friends, 4 beers and two cheeseburgers later I wasn't really feeling a run.

A cup of coffee gave me some energy and I decided to head out at 7:30. I was trying to think of a route but nothing really seemed appealing. Set off through Manayunk and tried to find streets I haven't been down before.

Things felt good but tight and by the time I was ready to finishI was really getting into the run. It had started to rain and my iPod doesn't take to well to that so I called it quits. 5.4 miles in 42 minutes.

63 miles for the week and it was defintiely a good one. With the track meet in the begining and a great long run at the end. Hopefully I can string together 5 more good weeks till taper.

The Long and Sweaty Road

As planned I met up with Ian, Chem Steve, and Jim for 10 miles through Fairmount Park. The pace started off fairly leisurely for about the first 6 miles. The weather was cool but humid and I quickly built up a good layer of sweat on my brow and soaked through my shirt.

Ian began to push the pace a little as we neared South Georges Hill and we were probably running about 7:15's by the time we hit 10 miles back in front of the Art Museum. We dropped off Jim who was runnig 10 for the day and continued on Kelly Drive.

A quick stop at my car to chug some Gatorade and lose my shirt and we were back at it. Hitting about a 6:55 mile than a 6:45 then a 6:40. Steve turned around at Strawberry Mansion and Ian continued to the Bloody Nipple as I turned around at Falls Bridge. On the way back I quickly caught up to this young guy who as I was passing, picked it up and got ahead of me again. I wasn't about to push it so I let him go. A 1/4 mile later the same thing so I decided to drop the hammer, however small that hammer was after 14 miles, and ran another 6:45 mile.

I stopped for a drink of water at the fountain and he again passed behind me. I caught him a bit later and this time instead of passing I decided to talk. I asked him if he was in Kids Run Philly Style, a high school program in philly that is designed to get inner city kids involved in running, and he chuckled and said "No, I am a little older than that". We chatted it up a bit and I find out he has run 8 marathons and is planning on 2 in the fall. I am really wondering his age at this point and he tells me31. It was my turn to chuckle and apologize for thinking he was in highscool.

Finished up with him in front of Lloyd Hall. 18 miles in 2:15. Another quick long run. My longs runs have gone very well so far and I am glad I can pick up the pace . I am a little worried that these fast runs are not giving me enough time on my feet and I think I will slow it down for my first 20 miler next week.

Also, I passed Alex going the other way on what I imagine was the early miles of his first 20. I hope all went well.

The Stevus Route

6 miles through Wissahickon Park tonight on a route I always refer to in my head as the Stevus Route because I was with him the first time I linked together these particular trails.

Ran it nice and easy in prep for a long run tomorrow. It was a good sign that I had to conciously slow myself down several times during the run.

18 tomorrow with what looks to be a nice sized crowd. I find myself looking forward to the long run a little more knowing I'll have some good company.

Last nights run started off like many lately, my legs feel tired and achey prior to the run and I wonder how things are going to go, the first few miles I don't feel to hot and then everything loosens up and I really get into the run.

I met up with some Thursday nighters, Jim, Steve, and Alex for a 7.5 mile trip through Fairmount Park. I planned on doing 10-12 for the night but with the way my legs were feeling before the run I didn't think it ws going to happen.

Over Spring Garden and down 34th past the zoo, up the Lansdowne hill, Concourse to Parkside and I was feeling a lot better. Alex had to dropout early in the run due to some issues and we continued on our way chatting mostly about past races. Sometimes I really don't feel like talking about running while running but last night it was nice to hear some others experiences.

We finished up in front of the Art Museum in 63 minutes and we were sure we had gone 8 miles but a check on Gmap indicated 7.6. I guess the legs just weren't moving as fast as we thought.

At this point I was feeling great and decided to tack on a few more miles by myself on Kelly Drive. I ran to the normal Tuesday night turn around at the John Kelly Statue and back. The first 3 miles at marathon pace and the last one at 6:50. Cruising along. 12 miles in 93 minutes.

My legs wouldn't let me forget the track meet on Tuesday night as I achingly started a recovery run after the sun had set a bit yesterday evening. Things started off slow and didn't get much faster as I ran down Henry Avenue and tried to get myself lost in East Falls.

Although the speed didn't increase my legs got happier and I started to loosen up and enjoy it, the exact reason you are supposed to do one of these recovery runs. I was looking to do six and winding my way through unknown routes is a good way to make yourself do the miles, you're never really sure how far ou have gone and how far it is to go back. 6.4 miles in 52 minutes, just right.

Track Meet

Went over to the Roxboruough High Track last night to meet up with several Philly Runners for the Wissahickon Wanderers Track meet. This was my first track meet and having a little expereince on the track I was excited and a little nervous at the same time.

I signed up for the mile and the 5000 meter (which for some reason on the road can be called 5K but on the track you have to call it 5000 meter).

I was shooting for sub 5:30 in the mile which would be a PR, mostly because I have never raced a mile. The first lap went quickly in about 72 and in the shuffle I fell towards the back of the pack. I laid off the pace a bit because I felt I was pushing to hard to early. It was a mistake. I should have just kept pushing it.

For the remainder of the race I concentrated on trying to reel in the lead I had given to everybody else and it just never happened. I finished in 5:22, a time I was very happy with and it falls pretty much in line with what I expected to run. I learned a bit in the race and in a year from now when I might run another mile race I'll have a better idea of how to race it.

The 5000 was a much smaller field with about 7 runners. In the first lap Seebo was quickly in the lead with another guy right on his tail and then Stevus, Me, and Kevin J in a bunch behind them. It was clear after a couple laps that Seebo had the race wrapped up and the fella that was on his tail quickly lost ground. I fell in behind Stevus and tried to keep him close and distance myself from Kevin J.

The next 8 laps or so nothing really changed. I kept banging out 90-92 sec laps and stayed close to Stevus. I began gaining on Stevus around lap ten and was able to pass him and the guy in second place during the last two laps. It felt good to finally beat Stevus in a race after several close ones. He always seemed to be able to pull away in the end but luckily, this time, I pulled it out.

Second place, it made me feel a bit better about my mile finish.

A great night, I wish something like this happened a little more often. Maybe a bi-monthly meet with stopwatches keeping time and friends racing against each other.

I need to get my ass out to the track more often!

A stroll up and down Kelly Drive was on order for tonight and I headed out for a fairly easy 9 miles after work. Nothing to exciting to report. Just listened to some tunes on my iPod and let my mind wander. I mixed in 4-5 short pickups in the second half just to mix thing up a bit.

Passed Jim Mayo on the way out, then bumped into Kevin and Amanda at Lloyd Hall, again passed Jim on the way back and a 1/4 mile later Craig caming whizzing by in the other direction. Many familiar faces on a Monday evening. A little over 9 miles in 70 minutes.

Tomorrow night will be my first ever "Track Meet" at Roxborough High put on by the Wissahickon Wanderers. I wish I was a little more rested for this so I'd really see what I can do in the mile but 41 miles in the last 4 days are sure to hold me back a bit. It should be interesting.

An easy 8 miler through Wissahickon Park/Mt. Airy/Roxborough. I have been a little tired of running the same old routes and I mixed it up a bit tonight running streets I have never been down before.

My legs felt good despite the 16 miles yesterday and I stretched a planned 6 miles into about 8 in 62 minutes. This puts me at 61.7 miles for the week at an average 7:37 pace.

I was looking back over my training log this evening and comparing last years marathon build up to this years by distance and pace. I noticed that my average pace for all of 2005 was 7:46. My average pace so far this year is 7:45. I've gotten an entire second quicker per mile. I knew all of these miles were paying off.

An easy 16?

Met up with the group at 8:00 in front of the museum and fell into a good pace with Jenn as we head up MLK. The miles clicked off between 7:30 and 7:40. Conversation came easy over a lot of topics and I enjoyed the trip around the drives.

We finished in 64 minutes, I bid adieu to Jenn, slugged a half quart of gatorade that I had in my car, stripped off my sweaty shirt and headed down Pennsylvania avenue intent on 7-8 miles more through Fairmount park. I a foot bridge over pennsylvania and the railroad tracks and it dumped me on Sedgely, up over the Girard Bridge where I was surprised to see Mr. Yellow Shorts, Jim Mayo in appropriate attire for his name. Said a quick hi and continued down Lansdowne, North Concourse, St. Georges Hill to Chamonioux. A very familiar route.

I took Chamonioux for a short distance and then cut into the first field to drop onto Parachute Hill. While crossing onto the lawn I somehow didn't see a large dead branch hanging low from a tree. It caught me in the head and then gave me a good gash on my neck. I screamed a very girly "owwww' and then followed it up with some expletives. Hurt like a bitch but it wasn't bleeding and I just kept running.


Down parachute hill to Montgomery, for the second time hit the water fountain at Montgomery and MLK. I realized that I felt much better now after 14 miles than I did at 2 miles the first time I stopped, it made me happy.

Down MLK and cut under the bridge to go behind the Art Museum to add a little distance and make sure I hit at least 16 miles. The last mile I could feel the dehydration and heat getting to me a bit but I finished strong. 16.5 miles in 2hr 5 minutes.

I am always apprehensive at the beginning of these long runs, hoping everything will go well. So far so good this year.

It was time for some speedwork last night. I headed out for 12 miles on Forbidden Drive and mixed some mile intervals in with a lot of recovery in between.

Took the first few miles easy and then hit 1.5 miles in just under 8:55. I pushed a little harder than I should have so after a mile recovery I lightened up for the next interval, 1 mile in 6:02. Again a mile recovery and my 3rd interval was 1 mile in 6:13. I ran a couple more miles and then towards the end of the run I hit a 4th mile at 6:15. I didn't push to hard in the last two intervals and I was very happy with the time.

Most of the miles in between were run at a fairly brisk pace and I finished 12 miles in 83 minutes. Very pleased with the pace and the run overall but I am glad I have a DNR today due to a Fantasy Football draft after work. Everything is tight and the day off will feel good, although I can't help but wonder if I might be able to squeeze in a few miles when I get home late tonight.

Splinter 10

I planned for 10 miles last night and I had originally wanted to get in 5 miles before the group run to meet my goal. I quickly realized that I wasn't going to get out of work in time to do that so I asked if anybody was willing to join me for a splinter 10 miler from the group run and luckily Jim and E. Mike were up for it.

We stuck with the group on the way up Kelly and continued on up to the Falls Bridge, over the BN and then through Fairmount Park back to Girard Ave. Jim and I really picked it up till we were almost sprinting the last 20 yards to the Art Museum. A little over 10 miles in 84 minutes.

The pace was very comfortable the whole way (until the very end of course) and it was good to just run along and bullshit with these guys.

I had not route in mind when I went out last night, I just knew I wanted to run at least six and any additional distance would depend on how my legs felt. I took a familiar route through teh narrow streets passing many runners along the way.

Eventually I ended up on Umbria Avenue and followed this to the end, Shawmont Street. I hadn't planned on running the Shawmont hill but I ended up there so I just took my time and eased my way up the hill to Ridge Avenue. Followed Ridge all the way back to my house. A little over 7 miles in 51 minutes.

8 Down 9 to go

6 miles at dusk through the Wissahickon. Heather and I ran a loop that was one of the courses in the Wanderers summer trail series. I let Heather lead the pace and she was moving a much quicker than I had expected her too. A long 6 miles in 51 minutes

I thought I would have been a little more beat up after the run yesterday but everything felt realtively good., I hope this continues into next week. 60.4 miles for the week. I came in on the low end of my 60-65 goal but I am going to blame that on abbreviated run on Friday night. All in all a very good week. 9 weeks till Chi-Town

Things are Back on Track

Thursday night was an easy 7-8 with the normal crew. We didn't take the normal route however. After a trip down Pennsylvania avenue and then winding through the top of north Philly we ended up crossing railroad tracks that led to single track. At this point I was totally turned around and figured I was in a secret little area of park in North Philly. The trail suddenly stopped and I was face to face with the Girard ave bridge where it crosses the Schuylkill. I quickly realized we were standing on top the the "Rock Climbers Rock" where Kelly Drive goes through a tunnel in the rock. A nice surprise. It made me wonder why all these people are trying to climb up there. You can just run around a bit and end up on top.

The remainder of the run was on a more normal route in the confines of Fairmount Park. I didn't have a watch but I am guessing about 7.5 miles in an hour.

Friday night I went out for 5 with Heather on the trails in the Wissahickon. We had gone about 2 leisurely miles when that damn pain in my foot struck again. A sharp pain right behind my toes that quickly gets worse if I keep running. I decided to stop as soon as I felt it and hoped that it wouldn't hinder the 18 miles I had planned for the following morning.

Saturday morning I headed out a little apprehensive of the pain I was sure would pop up once I started running. One step, two steps, 300 steps, and all was fine not even a twinge. I don't think I will ever figure this one out. I counted my blessings and kept moving.

The first 6.5 were at about 7:40 pace and I was really feeling great. The weather was cool, I had my iPod, and the park was crowded. I got to the end and the plan was to pick up the pace to sub 7:30 for the following 5 miles. I hit about 7:15-7:25 miles the entire way. I was cruising and found myself having to hold back my pace to keep it where I wanted it.

The next 5 I was shooting for marathon pace (about 7:10) or better. I hit the 5 miles in 34 minutes, the last one came in at 6:36. I was really pushing at the end but I was ecstatic when I saw my time, sub 7:00 for the 5 miles. The remaining 1.5 miles I dialed back to about 7:45 pace. I was totally spent by the time I finished but I was very happy with the run. 18 miles in 2hr 15min.