Mr. Garmin Does It Again

Time: 28:03
Distance: ~4 miles

Mr. Garmin is up to his same old tricks. He's trying to sabotage my training in the most deceiving ways. There was a "weak satellite connection" message and no pace calculation as a result. Oh well. I ran in Brookhaven after work on a standard loop that was windy and boring. The bicycle riders were out in full force and rude as usual.

Hiding from the Spring Winds

Time: 53:18
Distance: 8.06 miles
Pace: 6:37
Splits: 7:42, 7:11, 6:44, 6:25, 6:19, 6:21, 6:13, 6:02
Map

I got blown up to Sutton Woods only to find that the trail was a little sloppy and I didn't feel like working my achilles more than necessary. The legs are feeling good but I don't want to risk it. The spin through town and campus was quiet. I finished up at the gym and tried to stretch but found myself watching Sportcenter's Top Ten.

John Zogby Speaks

Time: 22:23
Distance: 3.21 miles
Pace: 6:58
Map

After I got home from work this afternoon I suited up and took a jog up to campus. John Zogby was speaking on campus in an informal setting with about 50 students who were receiving extra credit, a couple professors and a few other members of the community. The university's president was also in attendance and introduced Zogby at the a gallery in the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art. Zogby spoke about the "globals" (18-29) cohort and had some very positive things to say. For a bit more info. I'll lean on the article that was written about the talk. I had no shame sitting in the back of the room with the shorties on while others awkwardly sported their blazers, dress shoes and white socks.

The legs were a bit tired on this short spin. I just wanted to shake them out a bit and be able to do a few strides on Main St. at the conclusion of the run.

Monday Morning Mashup

Time: 68:49
Distance: 10.97 miles
Pace: 6:17
Map

W/u: 7:21, 6:56, 1:41 (for .24 at 7:06 pace)
3 miles: 5:18, 5:17, 5:16
.49 recovery: 3:54
3 miles: 5:21, 5:21, 5:13
C/d: 8:15, 7:18, 1:31 (for .22 at 6:57)

I met Scotty D along Pickard this morning for a bit of a workout. Jailhouse had me running 2 x 3 miles in 5:20-25 with 800m recovery. I figured that keeping things familiar on Pickard would be wise despite our spring breezes of 20 mph out of the south. If you check out the map, you can see that the first half mile was windy and then running south along Jenkins was windy. Luckily, the route had us finishing with a wind-aided half mile.

I led much of the first effort feeling strong but a bit weary of what the wind would do to the exersion level. I wasn't planning on starting off at sub-5:20 pace but that's what the legs wanted to do. Running into the wind wasn't as big of a factor on the first part as I would have thought. The rhythm was working well and I was slowing up the final section just trying to remain smooth.

The second interval started much like the first but since I was warm it felt much easier. Cutting over on Timberdell past Barry Switzer's house was windier but the pace wasn't as quick. I hoped to ease off the pace a bit in the early stages so that Scotty and I could work together coming off Jenkins. The final battle into the wind wasn't too bad and things got rolling along Imhoff. I dropped the pace on the slight downhill and continued pressing a bit all the way to the finish.

Overall, I'm glad at how the body responded despite the conditions. I recovered quickly between sets and the pace wasn't over the top. I'm glad to be getting in any work at sub-marathon pace these days.

Week in Review

Time: 518:48
Distance: 78.68 miles

Good week of training but I sandbagged on a workout. I will blame my laziness on the spring weather which involves lots of wind. I'm pleased that the legs and mainly the achilles are feeling strong. Each day my stride and comfort level seems to be improving. I have 4 weeks to the day until the OKC Marathon.

Great Morning

Time: 85:46
Distance: 12.57
Pace: 6:49
Splits: 7:13, 6:46, 6:30, 7:00, 7:19, 7:04, 6:49, 6:48, 6:46, 6:39, 6:33, 6:33, 3:45 (.57 miles at 6:36 pace)
Map

After a miserable day of running yesterday, today was much improved. The sun was shining and the wind was absent. I ran from my apartment to Scotty D's house and we toured the streets of Norman while making a quick stop at the GT. The legs were feeling good but the feet weren't because I was running in the Adrenalines. They are definitely not my favorite pair of shoes, but I use them to give a bit more stability to the gait. The GT was in fair condition, but a little soupy in parts.

There is a slight chance that I will run again this evening. If so, I'd like to do some strides so that I could loosen the muscles for tomorrow's workout of 2 x 3 miles.

Lose, Lose

Time: 45:00
Distance: 7.00 miles

The treadmill is an awful machine but so is wintry mix. I ran at the gym this morning because it was windy and I didn't feel like putting on a cold weather running costume. Too many articles of clothing to wash in the sink. The pace started out slow but was clipping along by the end of it. For some reason the treadmill limits you at 45 mins so I raced to the 7 mile mark. I would estimate the last mile was run around 5:20 pace and it was judged perfectly. The schedule had me at 8 in the AM and 4 in the PM. After work I was planning on suiting up for a 5 miler but, again, I didn't want to suit up for the wind which is now at 21 mph. Tomorrow is going to be nice so I won't be able to talk myself out of some jogs.

The Not 800s Workout

Time: 60:56
Distance: 9.47 miles
Pace: 6:26
W/u: 7:44, 6:49, 6:47, 6:36, 6:37 (for .98 miles at 6:47 pace)
W/o: 2:19 (.45 miles/5:09 pace), 1:27 (.24 miles/6:11 pace), 2:53 (.56 miles/5:08 pace), 1:41 (.24 miles/7:01 pace), 2:47 (.53 miles/5:16 pace), 1:59 (.29 miles/6:56 pace), 2:37 (.49 miles/5:22 pace), 1:51 (.27 miles/6:52 pace), 1:45 (.36 miles/4.55 pace), 1:18 (.18 miles/7:13 pace), 1:44 (.33 miles/5:15 pace)
C/d: 3:55 for .55 miles at 7:06 pace
Map

The schedule had me slated for some 800s but I wasn't about to try the 10 x 800 in 2:20 with 2 mins rest business. The temps and the winds weren't right for such a workout and instead I ran a fartlek workout in its truest sense. At about 4 miles I clicked the split button and dropped the pace to what felt fast but comfortable. I was attempting to run strong, maintain my form and relax my breathing. When I felt like any one of those elements started to faulter, I split the watch and ran easy. The distances for both the hard and easy sections vary greatly based on the turns, the wind and how I was feeling. My aerobic fitness level is sitting at about 5:15 pace right now which isn't great but it could be a lot worse.

Scotty posted a video of Geb running on a treadmill a few days ago and it's no wonder why he's the WR holder in the marathon. Watching Geb run is humbling because his stride is so powerful, yet smooth and his arm carry is so relaxed and efficient. There is little wasted motion and all of his energy is focused to propelling him forward. When I'm out on the roads, it's this video of Geb that I picture to bring my form back into proper alignment.

Action at the GT

Time: 63:56
Distance: 10.02 miles
Pace: 6:23
Splits: 7:41, 6:38, 6:31, 6:22, 6:16, 6:21, 6:09, 6:07, 6:00, 5:42
Map

The weather continued to be relatively nice this morning and I decided to run up to the GT. I noticed there were a few cars parked in the little lot near the starting point and I hoped the Jamaican's were out doing a workout. I didn't see anybody running on the soft surface but I could see some women were running on the far side road. Not what I was expecting which was a little disappointing. I still ran on the GT for a few laps and the pace was cutting down nicely so I wanted to run on the roads. The body was feeling good and the stride felt strong.

Sushi Preview

Time: 27:08
Distance: 4.08 miles
Pace: 6:38
Map

The run from my house to campus was pleasant and I used it to work up an appetite for In the Raw. I lapped the outdoor track a few times to fill time and then finished up at ITR. The new sushi restaurant near campus has some pretty stellar happy hour offerings. The California, New York, Candy and Veggie rolls were all just $3 and the beer was cheap. Scotty D and I had some rolls and gyoza to start while waiting for Skolnick. We were impressed with the sushi pros downstairs. The ITR salad which was also just $3 was overwhelming in size. Great deal.

Just as we were finishing up the former OU football legendary coach Barry Switzer stumbled upstairs with his cronies. By stumble, I mean stumble as those guys were having a great time off the red wine. Barry was swearing up a storm in the first minutes of his arrival and I can only imagine that the rest of the evening was eventful.

Effing Mr. Garmin

Time: ~60+?
Distance: ~8 miles
Map

This morning I took a spin around Norman with Scotty D. I started by dropping off my bag of goodies at Cafe Plaid and then ventured down to Pickard to meet my running buddy. We toured campus and made a few loops on the outdoor track infield. It was such a nice morning that instead of going 4, we turned it into a longer run of about 8. I shed my jacket around mile 5 and managed to accidently stop the watch. Things got a bit confusing so I lost a bit of data. Oh well. The legs were feeling a little sluggish but overall no aches or pains. I hydrated on some coffee at the Plaid before getting the first of my tri-annual haircuts.

Bloody Hell

Time: 103:43
Distance: 16:49
Pace: 6:17
Splits: 7:18, 6:30, 6:31, 6:20, 6:16, 6:10, 6:05, 5:59, 6:03, 6:17, 6:07, 6:19, 6:13, 6:08, 6:07, 5:55, 3:27 (for .49 miles at 7:06 pace)
Map

Woof. This morning's run was a good indicator of my fitness but brutal at the same time. I set out to run Bobcat loop this morning so that I wouldn't have to worry about finding extra minutes/miles in town. The wind out of the north was hovering around 15 miles/hour when I started and seemed to shift a bit to the west during the run. Running out Post Oak Rd. provided me with a bit of wind at my back which got the pace clipping along. I was surprised to look down and see some low 6-minute splits in the hills.

I made the turn north and was protected a bit by the woods on 60th which made things bearable. By the time I hit Lindsey the wheels were starting to fall off. I didn't have water, the fitness is low, the wind was high and the hills were long and gradual. There were many factors into why I wasn't feeling so hot near miles 10, 11 and 12. I pushed on hoping that the legs and lungs would adjust to the increased output. As I approached 24th I could tell the wind was a bit stronger but the hills were gone. Mr. Garmin was telling me that the pace was dropping but the effort certainly wasn't. I was in a weird zone where I could see the pace was respectable, the effort was high, but it felt like I was running 7:15s based on how fast I seemed to be moving.

The last few miles were hard based on effort but at least I was rewarded with some solid splits. I pushed the last full mile with the intention of running sub-6. Not that impressive on a normal day but considering I did it into what was now a 20 mph breeze, I'll take it. The schedule had 16 miles on it and I sorta pulled a Julie Komo/Mikie Mo when I hit the distance. I was done running into the wind at 6 minute pace and decided to just finish back to the apartment nice and easy. My hip flexors were quite tight at the end of the run. Overall, I'm pleased with my first long run in about a month.

Windy Zig Zags

Time: 71:59
Distance: 11.05 miles
Pace: 6:31
Splits: 7:47, 6:52, 6:39, 6:30, 6:32, 6:22, 6:15, 6:18, 6:16, 6:07, 6:04
Map

What a crappy morning. I woke up to sustained winds of 20 mph or more and contemplated running at the gym on the 'mill. I set foot out the door and ran a block south and then headed east before cutting back south a block. I repeated the south, east, south, west routine for quite some time. I considered running 6 miles outside and then finishing up on the 'mill but that seemed just as bad as the wind. If you don't normally look at the map, I would recommend you doing so today because it shows a unique shape. I was just over 8 miles when I hit the Pickard/Imhoff intersection and turned to head straight north. Having the wind at the back was huge time.

I was definitely a big sluggish today which I'll contribute in part to the wind and the workout from yesterday. I didn't mean to drop the pace each mile but that's the way it went. I still felt heavy and the breathing wasn't as relaxed as it should have been. Tomorrow's long run could be interesting. The wind continued throughout the day but hopefully it will be finished by the morning.

Issued by The National Weather Service
Oklahoma City, OK
3:16 pm CDT, Mon., Mar. 23, 2009

... WIND ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM CDT THIS EVENING...

SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL CONTINUE AT 25 TO 35 MPH THROUGH THIS EVENING. THE STRONG WINDS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH A STRONG SURFACE LOW OVER CENTRAL NEBRASKA. SOME WINDS GUSTS ACROSS NORTHERN OKLAHOMA MAY EXCEED 50 MPH ESPECIALLY THROUGH 7 PM.

A WIND ADVISORY MEANS THAT SUSTAINED WINDS OVER 30 MPH... OR FREQUENT GUSTS OVER 40 MPH... ARE EXPECTED. WINDS THIS STRONG CAN MAKE DRIVING DIFFICULT... ESPECIALLY FOR HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES. USE EXTRA CAUTION.

Week in Review

Time: 482:29
Distance: 71.71 miles

Solid week of training. I got in a couple good workouts that have told me a little about my fitness. I was finishing long runs about 6 weeks ago in 5:20 and now I'm struggling to run 4 x 1.5 miles at that pace. In the next 20 days I know my fitness will be much improved. The legs will feel stronger and the breathing will be much easier. I would like to get out the door a few minutes earlier next week so that I have time to stretch at the gym post run.

Sutton Woods Workout

Total Time: 72:38
W/u: 23:14 for 3.19 miles
W/o: 34:52 for 6.17 miles
C/d: 14:32 for 2.00 miles
Total Distance: 11.36 miles

I headed out in the direction for Sutton Woods this morning with a 4 x 1.5 mile workout staring me in the face. I haven't run in Sutton at sub-5:45 pace in a really long time, if ever. On the jog over I knew that having some blockage from the wind would be helpful. I wanted to make sure the distance of the loop was close to 1.5 miles before starting the workout so I toured the course a final time before plunging into the splits. I was glad to learn that the full loop is roughly 1.55 miles.

Just as I was about to start the workout in the standard counter-clockwise direction a group of 5 half-way housed adolescents came strolling through. They were going to be in one of the narrowest sections of the course so I opted to run in the opposite direction. This meant that the wind would be at my back for the first 400-600m.

Interval #1: 5:10, 2:36 (1:00). I went out too hard for the first 800-1200m as the watch was reading 4:50 pace at the start. This was due to me wanting to have a good workout and the wind at my back. I started to feel heavy by 1.25 miles. Not good considering this was the first interval.
Interval #2: 5:13, 2:37 (1:00). Again, I went out too hard for the first section and started to feel heavy in the arms before I hit the mile. I was trying to relax but it was difficult with all of the turns. This was the closest I would come to hitting the right pace.
Interval #3: 5:20, 2:42 (1:00). On this interval I tried to run controlled the first 800m knowing the wheels were about to fall off. This was going to be the reverse hammer interval as I hoped I could finish things off well.
Interval #4: 5:25, 2:41. I was feeling pretty terrible by 800m and considered stopping but I knew even if I wasn't hitting the pace I was still running faster than goal marathon pace. The breathing wasn't too terrible but the upper body was heavy.

This wasn't the best workout but I will gain some fitness from it. Anything sub-2:30 pace will give me some benefit at this point. The legs are feeling healthy and I was glad to be on dirt today.

Wake 'em Up

Time: 26:46
Distance: 4.00 miles
Pace: 6:40
Map

This evening after work I set out in the direction of the GT. There was a solid wind out of the south that blew me up to the grass in no time. Two loops around the outer section had me feeling a bit fresh. I got to watch a group of peeps play cricket on the north section of the field. I think they were Indian (dots not feathers) and there were about 8 of them playing a clever game of the stuff. I've never understood the rules of cricket and the scoring seems to be even more bizarre. Who remembers this scene???



Before heading back to the apartment I stopped the watch and ran 3 x 200m. I probably averaged 32 seconds, granted I had the wind at my back and it's slightly downhill. Hopefully, when I try the workout tomorrow the legs will be a bit more responsive. I may give it a shot at Sutton Woods but it will depend on the weather in the morning.

Busted Workout

Time: 49:36
Distance: 7.36 miles
Map & Map

I got downstairs today and it was rainy and windy. I had a workout slated of 4 x 1.5 miles at 5:15 pace. Initially, I wasn't going to run the workout due to the weather but as I hit campus things started to clear up. I told myself not to punk out and just hit the track to improve the fitness. I toed the line and was off at a blistering 800m split of 2:36 and change. The legs and lungs were not feeling great and I ended up punking out. I got in some easy miles and realized that the legs were not feeling fantastic either. The quads are a bit sore, but mostly I'm a wuss.

Searching for Soft

Time: 63:28
Distance: 10.00 miles
Pace: 6:21
Splits: 7:16, 6:52, 6:39, 6:23, 6:11, 6:01, 6:06, 6:04, 5:57, 5:57
Map

I was looking for some soft surfaces this morning and I found a few near campus. I started with a quick pass through the Duck Pond with hopes of running on the rec fields. It looked like they had been sprayed with fertilizer and were that phony green color similar to turf. I ended up south of campus and on the rugby field for several laps to pass the time. It was nice being on a groomed surface that was soft and empty. Finally, I ventured past Scotty's house and up Pickard back to my apartment on Main St. The pace got a little quick the last half. The breathing wasn't as relaxed as it should have been too.

What Carbon Footprint?

Time: 29:50
Distance: 4.56 miles
Pace: 6:32
Map

This morning I took the bus to work and this evening I ran home. The legs feel decent and not too sluggish from yesterday's workout.

Light and Easy

Time: 45:xx
Distance: ~6 miles

This morning I ran easy out in Sutton Woods. I took the quickest way possible to the trial and ran a few loops. The body isn't feeling too sluggish this morning. Some good time on the feet.

Easy Evening

Time: 32:xx
Distance: ~4.5 miles

After work Scotty and I ran home from Brookhaven. I was supposed to elliptical this evening but by the time I would have hit the gym it would have been close to 8 pm. Not my style. The pace was easy but the legs were fried. We were pretty busy at work today and with this morning's workout my legs have had it. Early to bed tonight.

A Bit of Irish Luck

Time: 52:15
Distance: 8.38 miles
W/u Splits: 7:31, 6:53, 2:39 (for .38 miles at 7:20 pace)
W/o Splits: 5:26, 5:25, 5:16, 5:10
C/d: 13:52
Map

Today things got serious in terms of the training. Rewinding to last night Scotty, Gus and I compared and contrasted the pours of the black stuff from cans vs. bottles. I worked on my technique and found that gripping and ripping worked best with a Guinness can. It was difficult to get the beer to set up with any resemblance to what you would get out of a tap and don't think I'm telling you that we know how to pour the stuff here in Oklahoma. Da WeeMan can reprimand me for not know the proper way to get the right layer from a can or bottle. But, then again Da WeeMan is a pro with things like getting the best creamy head possible... when it comes to drinks. Anyway, back to this morning and how lucky I was to wake up at 4 am to drink some water for the workout's hydration preparation.

I set off in the direction of Pickard knowing the workout could be a bit of a crime. The pace didn't look that fast on paper but I haven't done anything under 5:40 without a girl in tow in quite some time. I was hoping the southern breeze would keep things in control the first few miles and give me a boost when I started to hurt. Jailhouse's goal for me was to run 5:30, 5:25, 5:20, 5:15 for 4 miles. As you can see from the splits above I was successful though I may have dry heaved at the end of the last mile. For some reason I felt the need to drop a 5:10 and not 5:11 or 5:12 which kept me after the pace Mr. Garmin was telling me and with 200m to go I wasn't feeling so hot. After a quick cool down I was off to work feeling good. I think the Irish gave me a bit of luck last night and I'll take it.

Running the Roads on St. Paddy's

Time: 52:38
Distance: 8.25 miles
Pace: 6:22
Map

Steve from Nike was here today to show some new gear. It is St. Paddy's Day and we assumed Steve came at 8:30 am in order to get back to Dallas in time for some raging parties. That wasn't the case as he didn't even know that it was in fact Eamonn's favorite holiday. I stopped in during part of my run for a few minutes and tried to convince Oscar to drink a beer. He was having none of it so I left to continue out on the roads. The body was feeling good and hopefully things go well in the morning.

Man with a Plan

Time: 32:54
Distance: 4+ miles
Gym

Carrot Top arrived at the shop around closing time wondering if I was going for a run. He had already put in some miles by the time I was able to join him and we took a tour of Brookhaven. Nothing too exciting on that front. This afternoon Jailhouse shot me an email with my training for the next 42 days. It looks reasonable, although he has me working out the day after St. Paddy's day. Idiot. I was supposed to run a 6 miler and a 4 miler today which I came close to doing. Oh well. On the drive home from work with Gustavo we drove by Downtown Fitness and I saw that Ms. Kristi Cook was banging away on the 'mill. I opted to walk up the street and amuse her for a few moments. In the back of my mind I knew that I was a few miles short on the day so I threw down a couple more miles just to impress the couple on the elliptical machine.

Man without a Plan

Time: 25:24
Distance: 3+ miles
Gym

I took a spin through the streets of Norman this morning and had to wonder why the streets were so quiet. I finally realized once I reached campus that it was spring break and all the students were off in another world getting hammered and flashing their tits. I finished the run at the gym and lifted some stuff in an attempt to get huge. I think I also may have ellipticalled both forward and backwards for 5 minutes each. I kept the run brief this morning so as to preserve the freshness in my legs. I'm also waiting for Jeffrey to hit me back with a 42 day plan. Yesterday I shot off an email to Jailhouse with the hope that he could help me come up with a plan to get me healthy and in 2:30 marathon shape for OKC. We'll see how it shapes up.

Week in Review

Time: 392:42
Distance: ~52.8 miles

I'm really pleased with how this week turned out in terms of training. Having Meagan here was a big part of being out on the roads during the beginning of the week. I was able to make a new friend in Dwight Jacobs who was visiting from Greensboro, NC too. Perhaps when I'm in NC we'll meet up sometime. Most importantly though the body is feeling healthy and ready to start putting in some miles.

Lovely Sunday

Run #1 Time: 41:15
Distance: 5 miles

Run #2 Time: 30:51 (run in several sections)
Distance: 4 miles

I checked the weather on my phone this morning and was delighted to see that it was cold but not windy. I quickly changed into my running costume and was out the door for a bit of a shakeout. When I hit the downstairs I saw a local running coming up Main St. and decided to join him. I'm a bit embarrassed that I have forgotten the guy's name because I've sold him shoes several times in the past. He's an assistant principal at Norman High and also a bit of a triathlete. He was out for his long run at about an 8 minute clip. I wasn't looking to go far but ended up getting just over 41 minutes. This afternoon I was planning on joining Scotty over at the HES lab for his VO2 max test and perhaps convince the graduate students to hook me up too. Since the scheduled time for the test was moved until Monday I sat an excessively good amount of time at Winans. I read some articles, watched an episode of 24 (show is past the point of being realistic. It's now reached Steven Segal levels. Nothing a little bit of RAM can't fix.), and bought some bread down at Forward Foods.

The weather continued to be nice into the afternoon so I went home and strapped on the LunarTrainers. Granted I threw my trusty pair of SuperFeet into them and headed out the door. A few minutes later I was at the OU track and was hopeful that someone was doing a workout. I snooped around the indoor facility a bit and then decided to do some drills outside. Aldwyn Sappleton showed up at some point with a workout slated in the sun. He was to do 2 x 500-300-200-100 at 52 second pace. I had nothing better to do than wait around for him to warm up and get started on the workout.

He split 68, (3:00), 40.6, (1:30), 27.6, (60), 13.9, (12 minutes recovery) and then 69, (3:00), 42.2, (1:31), 30.0, (60), 14.1. It wasn't a great workout but definitely solid for an 800m guy with a pr of 1:47.

After the workout I jogged over to Kristi's/Boone's and caught up with the recently crowned All-American. Boone placed 10th at NCAAs over the weekend and had one of the fastest finishes of the group. Too bad he was already at the back of the pack and really couldn't make up too much ground. Great race nonetheless.

My legs felt good on all segments of the run.

Shout out to Pat Tarpy who ran 63:27 today at the New Bedford Half Marathon. Scroll down to see #79 too. Nice work for the both of them

Day Off

Time: none
Distance: none

I figured that with all the running I did with Meagan this week earned me a day off. I'm still in the 3 week period of getting back on my feet and I don't need to push the achilles to the brink. The body is feeling good and I'd like to keep it that way.

Easy Time

Time: 41:17
Distance: 6 miles

I got a call from Scotty D this morning asking if I wanted to run. Sure thing. I originally was going to put in some time later in the day once I got off from work, but who's to pass up a morning jog. He was over at my place a few minutes later and we set out on the streets. It was a bit misty and cool, but overall the temps were great in the low 30s. It was good to be out on the roads when they were quiet. There wasn't a lot of action going on this morning, perhaps because it's Friday the 13th and people wanted to stay inside.

Mile Two Is Surely Not Right

Time: 59:24
Distance: 8.00 miles
Pace: 7:27
Splits: 8:07, 6:29, 7:19, 7:11, 7:49, 7:36, 7:25, 7:38
Map

Meagan and I stumbled down stairs to find that it was raining outside and 35 degrees. Classic Providence weather. The run took us through campus and down to Scotty D's. Before leaving I put a call out to our treadmill running buddy to see if he was game. He of course didn't answer his phone but I was certain to tell him that I would have the celly on my person during the run. I got a call about halfway down Pickard asking where we were and I told Mr. Downard that he had about 8 minutes before our arrival. A few minutes later the group grew to three and we were pounding the 'crete as one. The run north was a bit fierce due to the wind and at one point Meagan almost vommed all over the place because of Raynaud's syndrome/phenomenon. Not sure what happened on mile two but the split is wonky.

Mr. Garmin is Back

Time: 59:51
Distance: 7.80 miles
Pace: 7:41
Map

The Garmin is back in action after a bit of a holiday in the British sense. Meagan and I set off for Sutton Woods a few hours after our "morning" run. We spent the time in between at a laundr-o-mat getting our clothes smelling minty fresh. I don't have a washer or dryer now that I live in the slums which means I will do some of my laundry in the sink when things get bad. Meagan thought that I wouldn't be able to get the stench out of her clothes with a hand wash so she made me go pay to have the clothes washed and dried. I haven't been to such a facility in many years and they all seem the same. A little old couple owns the place and they have let the quality run amok with all thte dirty clothes, cigarette butts and the class of society. Anyway, point being that there wasn't much rest time between the runs, but D-Jacobs wanted to put in some minutes.

The mercury is no longer at a muggy 80 and has now settled in at 35 with a nasty windchill which meant getting to Sutton sucked. Dwight was shocked at how windy Oklahoma is and I was happy to help him calous in the elements. We three took a few loops on the dirt before heading back to downtown. The legs felt solid and the achilles was not a factor.

Barely a Morning Run

Time: 30:11
Distance: 4 miles

I took a spin up to the GT with Meagan for a light run around 11:30 am. She realized that her schedule had her slated for a double on tomorrow but that wasn't going to fly since she was also scheduled to fly. Yesterday morning I ran skins during the mile repeats but today I was bundled up in long sleeves and pants. A northern front decided to visit for the rest of the week along with some cold winds.

A Workout for DeCoste

Time: 54:53
Distance: ~8 miles
W/u: 15:54
W/o: 5:49.52, (3:00), 5:45.65, (3:00), 5:44.38, (3:00), 5:44.07, (3:00), 5:39.38
C/d: 11:01

This morning was my first workout since late January and it felt great to be back on the track. Meagan had a workout planned for today that consisted of 5 x mile in 5:45 with 3 minutes rest. No problem was the thinking about going into this workout and I'm glad it worked out. Scotty met us at the track during our 3 minute rest after the first interval. He was warmed up and ready to help block the wind on the second mile repeat. I definitely haven't done anything close to sub-6 minute pace in a good while so it took a lap to get going. I think the splits for the first mile were 1:31, 2:57, 4:23, 5:49. Meagan gave me specific instruction to not blaze the first lap and so I tossed in a 91 second effort. Whoops.

After we got done with that interval I confiscated her watch and forcing her to trust that I would keep the splits honest. The remaining part of the workout would be done off feel hoping that I could keep my end of the bargrain and click off even 85s and 86s. I was spot on the rest of the workout averaging 85s on the remaining laps. On the last effort I wanted to test the girl and see if she could hang when I dropped the pace a second each lap. I wanted laps of 85, 84, 83, 82 but it ended up something like 85, 85, 84, 85. It was a good effor regardless and I'm glad I was able to help the cause. The achilles wasn't giving me any lip which I was happy about. I'm taking the rest of the day easy.

A Double Run? You Kidding Me?

Time: 29:02
Distance: ~4 miles

Meagan was tapped for a double run today and I was game for the second half of it. Scotty D joined us for the ride and Carrot Top showed up by chance too. The four of us spun through Brookhaven and now that it's light much longer I think some night running should be in order. The legs continue to feel good so I'm going to see what happens the next couple of days while Meagan is in town before taking a day off.

Rompin' Through Sutton Woods

Time: 45:58
Distance: 6 miles

Meagan and I ran from my apartment up to Sutton Woods for a look at the dead bodies. We didn't find any bodies today but there is always some hope for a "Stand by Me" moment. The weather was nice and legs were rockin'. I wanted to drop the pace and leave Meagan in my wake but I didn't want her to be the next body found in the woods. I'm always looking out for her well-being you know.

Week in Review

Time: 232:52
Distance: 32 miles

The achilles seems to be nearly fully healed which is good because my blog is getting pretty boring. I got a comment from a loyal reader saying, "I used to enjoy stopping by The OK Runner. Now, ehhh. I could take it or leave it. When are you going to start doing ridiculous things again like 8 X a workout per day so we can all see how crazy you still are???????" Well, now that the leg is feeling good and Meagan is in town the ridiculousness is about to start.

D-Jacobs, Scotty D, Meagan and the GT

Time: 52:19
Distance: ~7 miles

This afternoon Meagan arrived to the OK State. She decided that Oklahoma is just as good as any other spring break destination. After Scotty and I picked her up from the airport we changed costumes and took a jog to the GT. We met up with a gentleman visiting from Greensboro, NC that is here for a workshop at the US Postal Training Center. A few days ago he had called the store and asked where some good places to run were. I suggested the few places that would be classified as "good" and he was glad to know there were some spots. A day or two later he stopped by the shop and I immediately knew it was Dwight Jacobs. He is a thin, 40 something black dude with a southern accent and it didn't hurt to see his shirt that was from some race in Greensboro. We exchanged contact information and this morning he gave me a call asking if I was going to be doing any running. The run was set for post-Meagan's arrival at the GT and the crew was feeling good. The weather was perfectly warm with little to no breeze. The legs felt fresh and the body was wanting to run.

Almost a Day Off

Time: 16:12
Distance: 2 miles

This was a planned day off to keep the mileage low. My left knee is a little scraped and sore. I'm not too worried about it though because the icing helps. The achilles feels pretty solid too.

Update: I lied. I actually did run to meet Spencer, Rook and Saker at The Library for a pint. I gave the nipple rings an update at Hall of Tattoos and afterward I made it over in time for a Coach's IPA.

Run Over by a Dog

Time: 48:09
Distance: ~7 miles?
Gym: morning

This morning I was up early and off to the gym to meet Kristi. She gave me shite yesterday for not being present on the elliptical machine. This morning I kicked her ass in terms of arrival time and claimed I had already been on the machine for 30 minutes before she had joined. Too bad the timer on the elliptical proved that I had only been there 8 minutes. The 45 minutes went rather quickly having someone to chat with.

In the afternoon Scotty and I headed to Sutton Woods to get out of the windy weather. We took a few spins around and around the dirt trail. There wasn't too much action out there and we didn't come across any dead bodies. A few couples were out walking their pups enjoying the warmer temps. Unfortunately, one couple was being truly rebellious and took their dog off the leash. The black mutt seemed to be having a great time bounding in the weeds until Scotty and I came running through. From the woods it charged in our direction in a friendly manner attempting to get back to it's master. The dog ran directly at me giving me two options: (a) hold my ground and hope/figure the dog would move as it wouldn't make sense to run into an object (me) or (b) dodge the dog and hope the mutt doesn't choose to move in the same direction as myself with the end result being a collision. I chose (a) and the dog didn't cooperate as it plowed into my left knee knocking me down. Little bastard.

Spring Is Here?

Time: 35:44
Distance: 5 miles
Gym: morning

Last night at 'sicking Kristi showed me her Downtown Fitness card and invited me to join her at 6 am for some elliptical action. Not gonna happen. I was there a bit later and put in some time warming up the muscles for some decent stretching and eccentric loads. The achilles felt fine this morning after not really icing last night.

After working with Oscar all day I ran home from the shop on a windy but warm evening. The legs were feeling good and it felt like I was running at a good clip. The darkness probably made me feel like I was running faster than I actually was but that's okay at this point. The 80 degree temps today were a joy but the pollen in the air sucks. My allergies are killing me.

Breadsticking Night

Time: 45:43
Distance: 6 miles
Gym: morning?

Today was my day off which coincided nicely with the group's weekly outing to a local restaurant. We like to do our part to help the economy. Scotty D and I headed up to OKC a little early to meet Spenis for a jog. We took a spin through Crown Heights and ran on part of the OKC Marathon course near Edgemere Park. The achilles felt good on the rolling hills and didn't give me any problems. I'm still a little hesitant to push off fully or really get up on my toes, but the confidence in the achilles is coming back. The runs are short and slow these days which is what I need.

The Streak Goes Down

Time: none
Distance: none
Gym: morning

I got up and headed to the gym for some elliptical and biking kicks. I was warmed up and did my eccentric loads on the achilles that is feeling much better. I was hoping to run in the evening after work but Gustavo didn't bring his costume. I didn't feel like running in the dark and decided to take the night off. I also broke my streak of alcohol free days (AFDs). Yesterday during the run I was thinking about the last time I had a beer and I'm pretty sure it was last Sunday during the Academy Awards which means I had an AFW. And, actually it was wine that I was drinking. Tonight I had a Bud Light Lime which hit the spot while we watched the OSU vs. Kansas State game. Some "bracketologists" say that with the win OSU would be given a spot into March Madness. Next up is Bedlam here in Norman on Saturday.

Monday Run at the GT

Time: 37:45
Distance: 5 miles
Gym: afternoon

I dropped my stretch rope and the gym this afternoon before starting off on a run up to the grass track. The legs were feeling good and the achilles wasn't the least bit noticeable. It was definitely the best it has felt in well over a month. I decided to take a spin on the outer (1200m) loop which might not have been the best choice since I think uneven terrain might cause the achilles to a bit extra work. The grass didn't seem to bother anything but I know having the SuperFeet and Adrenalines on definitely provide much more stability than I normally like. At the gym I lifted a bit and worked my core. Nothing that exciting and probably not even close to the powerlifting that Tom does with his frat buddies.

Week in Review

Time: 138:58
Distance: ~18 miles

I'll take the 18 miles for the week and keep it as a starting point. Next week perhaps I will run 30 and a few more the following week. Tom says I need a plan for the next 3 weeks, but we'll see about that. I could just go back on the steroids and start lifting at the gym.

The Brown men's squad finished with 52 points and a 5th place finish going over the 33 point barrier I previously set. Not bad considering after the first day of competition with two points the team had 2 points. Duriel Hardy probably had the best performance on the team with a runner-up finish in the 5k to go along with his 5th place finish in the 3k. His 5k time also bested my over/under of 14:39 that I established.

In good fun I'd like to point out that Dartmouth finished the meet with a whopping 18 points. Tom noticed that one Cornell runner would have tied the entire D'mouth contingent. Zachary Hine put up 10 points in the 5k with his win and another 8 points for second place in the 3k. So much for the days when Dartmouth guys could be seen at the front of the pack.

Day Two Coming Up

Time: 32:40
Distance: ~4 miles
Gym: afternoon stretching

Day one is in the books and day two is coming up at the Ivy League Heps Championships. Brown is doing poorly down at the bottom of the barrel with 2 points. Duriel Hardy placed 5th in the 3k earned the team a couple of points. It will be a large task for the team to break the over/under that I put at 33, but big points should be expected from Matt Jasmin in the 60mHH. The team should break the abysmal 15 points scored in 2002 at Cornell. That year Brown qualified 4 guys to the mile finals and failed to score. The team needs to reverse the trend. FloTrack is on site and is providing some video coverage of the the meet.

In other news OU competed at the Big 12 Championships over Friday and Saturday. Jacob Boone was 4th in the mile where the new collegiate mile standard was set by German Fernandez in 3:55.02. That's fast. Really fast.

Update: I headed out the door this afternoon following a morning of refreshing internet sites. I stuck around Winans for a good bit watching how the races were playing out up in Boston. The body felt really good to be outdoors putting in some miles. I have been wearing a pair of Adrenalines and today I decided to slip in some SuperFeet. I'm trying to limit the amount of motion back at my heal through midfoot so that I'm not cranking on the achilles. I think this helped today as I felt great physically and my confidence is coming back about how much force I can apply to the toe-off.

I got to chat with my coach (read: running consultant) this evening and he suggested I form a plan for the next 3 weeks. I asked him how his continuous 3 week plan was working for him and he informed me that he was no longer pursuing the sport of athletics and would be taking up power lifting. Tom shouldn't give up the dream quite yet so I suggested that he imagine himself as a 53 year old menopausal woman who weighs 233 pounds. One day she looks in the mirror and is disgusted with herself and decides she wants to run a 5k. The Couch to 5k plan that has been advertised in Runner's World would provide Mr. McArdle with the perfect opportunity to get back on the national racing scene. Tom needs to do something because Keith Kelly is currently kicking ass on the comeback trail.