Better Days

May 29

4mi, 31:39. Another easy run. No energy issues this week, just scrambling for time. BIKE: 65min + to pick up K at school, run additional errands, etc. (ax)

May 28

5+mi, 40:20. HILLS. 4 x marmot hill (approx 2:15 up). Natural interval. No pushing the pace and my legs did feel a little tired after Tuesday's longer run. Still, will repeat this workout with 6-8 reps at least once in each of the next 3 weeks. (rad)

Rebound

May 27

13mi+, 1:51. Postal. Feeling much better than I did last week. A non-petrol cruise into town so that I could mail a couple of letters. 80% on trail. Some definite ups and downs. A busy week ahead to finish some book art, but I'll hope to parcel out some running as well. (rad)

May 19-25: 30mi. Oi! Not such a good week... Chalk it up to too burning the candle at both ends last week. Not planning to do much better in the week ahead, but after that I'm golden until Afton! 4 days of really relaxed running and several other failed attempts to leave the house. That being said, I did rest enough for a solid 32:39 performance at the Mazama 10k trail race this past Saturday. Lest anyone think that my legs move anywhere near that fast, its 100% certain that the course was short. 1/2mi sorta short!

Blocks

May 12-18: Happy. Hit my mileage goals despite only running 4 days AND I didn't get hurt -- or at least I haven't noticed anything yet. Similar or slightly higher miles for next week, but spread out. It should be an easier week for that. Another "speed" or hill workout for sure. Mazama 10k trail race next Saturday.

May 18

18mi, 2:08.20. Ran in my old Seattle stomping grounds -- Greenlake, The Birke Gilman, University District, Ravenna Park, etc.. Fun to have a lot of people around for a change - even when I was suffering through the 2x2mi threshold (6:10 pace) workout in the middle of the run. I felt "OK" on that part, but not great. Considering the 5 hrs of driving to Seattle in the morning, and the 2 hour trail run yesterday, I guess I'm pretty happy with it. (rad)

May 17

12mi, 1:59. Monument Creek Trail with Brian. Nice and slow. Great sunny morning. Awesome raging river waters! 1 x Gu. 1x Cliff Block. 2 bottles H2O. (cas III) BIKE: Almost an hour and a half bike ride with Keeley and Sarah in the afternoon. I was getting light headed in the last 20 minutes. A hot day for so much outside activity even though I was drinking like crazy!

May 15

11mi, 1:35. Black Bear etc. on Sun Mountain. Another warm day made easier by an early morning run. BIKE: Rode Keeley into school. Ditched the bike and started my run. (rad)

May 14

10mi, 1:20. FS 800. Roads and trails near our house. An easy run in antcipation of craming in LOTS in a short amount of time this week. BIKE: Picked K up from the Roths. A windy ride home at the end of the day. Warmer. (rad)

Hawk Hunted!

May 5-11: 5 days. 48mi. Most of this week's mileage was accomplished via back-to-back medium-long runs on Sat. & Sun. In each instance, I ran for just over 2 hours on hilly terrain. On Sunday's faster effort, I used a single powergel and a PBJ sandwich for fuel, in addition to 2 x H20 bottles - one of those being 1/2 lemonade. Fine combinations all around, but it still isn't hot and I wasn't really out there for all that long. I also took 1-2 s-caps on each run... Next week I'll step up the mileage into the mid-upper 50's and see what that feels like. Need to do a tempo run and perhaps another LSD in the 18-20mi+ range. Also, BIKED 4.5 hrs this week. Most of it with K in tow.

Highlight of the week: The attack by a Northern Goshawk on Friday afternoon. The scene of the battle was a short section of trail less than 10 mintues from home. I won't be going back until fall... These birds are VERY protective of their nesting sites! On it's first pass, it knocked me in the back of the head. I reacted to the blind-sided flutter and sqwaking too late, and hit the ground only after being 'thwacked'. I basically sprinted the next 200m of winding trail, avoiding dives 2-3 by repeatedly throwing myself on the ground. Scary stuff from a 2-3 lb bird!

National Bike Month

I recently read that May is National Bike Month. Ditch that car and ride! Especially during National Bike WEEK, which just happens to be May 12-18.

To wit, and more to the point of this training log, I have currently ridden my own bipedal machine 4 times this week. Lucky for me, I had done so even before the aforementioned realization. A premonition if you will. Also a fine supplement to the running, although it is always too windy on the ride back from town. Cest la vie!

I'm Back!

Not that anyone has been missing me... but I've decided to start posting again. My year thus far has been a pretty gradual roll towards my current 40-50 mile weeks. I'm within 10 miles of my YTD mileage totals from 2007 (when I was training for Wasatch) and it all feels good. With a little luck, and some extra speed/hill work to boot, I'll ramp up the training in the next week or two as I prep for my "race of the year" -- the Afton Alps 5ok -- which is first and foremost the annual reunionaj with my college xc running teamates. With respect to that race, which is a few weeks earlier than my 50k from last year, I'll be a little bit more aggressive with the training in the next 8 weeks. Beyond early July, I might make a return trip to the White River 50mi, but we'll see how the work/life management goes between now and then.

I had a great time training for (and attempting) my first 100 last year, but it always felt like a one-shot deal. By that, I simply mean that I wasn't going to make it an annual thing. Maybe next year :)

April 28-May 4: 5 days. 48mi. The bulk of this week fell to a 2hr, 14 miler, and the Sunflower Iron (22mi). I felt strong on both runs, and did a good job of running patient on Saturday -- saving something for a strong final 5-6 miles. 2nd place again, just a few seconds difference from last year's race. Reconnected with the winner of the Rattlesnake 1/2 Marathon, James Varner, from two weeks ago. It turns out that he and his running ladyfriend, Alison Hanks, are moving to Winthop in two weeks. More folks to call upon for trail cruising!

Alright, back to the drawing board. Literally...