Tuesday 4/30/2013
Finished the month well with a 46 minute run at the Reservoir on my own. It was beautiful and sunny, windy – but when isn’t it windy at the Reservoir? I did 6 x 30 second strides about 30 minutes into the run and felt fast and fresh. Glad my legs have come back quickly after the string of 90 minute runs last week. I feel good heading into the race. I need to keep my weight in check because it’s been nearly ideal, but I don’t want to lose that in the last 10 days before the race by overeating. Good month overall, despite all the days off. We did a lot, traveled a lot, and I still feel in shape and ready to run a 50 mile race.
Monday 4/29/2013
Ran with Julie for the first time since Lumphini Park in Bangkok a couple weeks ago. After a week of long runs on my own her pace was refreshingly slow. I felt good and it was nice to be running with more ease than before. Plus, it was really good to have someone to run with again. We ran the Reservoir. It was warmer and less windy than any other day since getting home. We ran the figure 8 loop and a little add on to make it a 60 minute run.
Sunday 4/28/2013
Took the day off. After yesterday’s near miss and tired legs, I figured it was time to reassess the pre-race plan. I think it’s time for a day off, then some speed work, then some easy days, and then the race. Enjoyed the rest today.
Saturday 4/27/2013
I did it, even though I almost turned around and came home. It was finally sunny out at the Reservoir today but after my first few steps on the pavement headed up towards the gravel path, I stopped and walked back to my car. I was tired and not in the mood for another 90 minute run. I stood at my car for a minute, then walked up the stairs to the path. At that point I knew I should go. I did two figure 8 loops around the two reservoirs and called it a day. 95 minutes total. I felt fine once I got going but I can feel it in my legs and my toes. Time for a day off.
Friday 4/26/2013
Another day at the Reservoir, this time earlier in the day because we had dinner plans. It was still windy but not cold. I forgot my watch and due to my plans for getting in at least 90 minutes, I made sure I checked the clock in the car before starting and I also made sure to do more than 90 minutes so I wouldn’t have to check my finish at the car and then keep going. I managed to get in 95 minutes. Feeling fine, not great. Spring in my step from earlier in the week is currently gone.
Thursday 4/25/2013
Reservoir was better today, not nearly as cold. I also thought to bring my own jacket today after yesterday’s craziness. Not a bad run, but really windy. Got in my requisite 90 minutes.
Wednesday 4/24/2013
Cold, ridiculously cold, windy, and rainy day. Julie and I went to the Reservoir to stay off the roads and we were blasted. Not only was it cold, but I only thought to wear shorties and a long sleeve running shirt. After 20 minutes, and getting drilled by head-on rain and wind, I thankfully found Julie’s raincoat in the car and proceeded to finish my 90 minutes. Julie was already in the car warming herself by the time I was finished. The rainjacket was like a shield and really warmed me up, but the sheer ridiculousness of all the wind and rain up on the water made for quite a memorable experience.
Tuesday 4/23/2013
Another day of 90 minutes, but this time I did a workout in the middle. My dad wanted to ride his bike with me so I took advantage of the opportunity and had him pace me for an MP run. I did a 19 minute warm up and then headed into the MP portion of the run. I hoped to do at least 5 miles and 8 if all went well. It was windy but thankfully I tucked in behind my dad. I was shooting for 6:15 to 6:20 pace. I went 6:08, 6:13, 6:02, 5:58, 6:02, 6:02, 5:59, 6:03. I felt great, relaxed, and under control. My left hip felt a little off but nothing to slow me down or cause any pain. After the workout, my dad headed home and I put in another 23 minutes to finish up the 90 minute run.
Monday 4/22/2013
90 minutes alone at the reservoir and Riverbend park. I didn’t feel too great for the first 45 minutes but eventually got better. I wore sunglasses because I had my eyes dilated today at the eye doctor. It was really sunny and bright despite the glasses. I had to stop and poop midway through the run and to pee a little later. I got better as I went too, but 90 minutes felt pretty long today.
Sunday 4/21/2013
OK, I’m getting it going for the upcoming WI race. I’m shooting for 90 minutes a day for the next couple weeks before backing off the last few days. Good thing I had this plan going into today’s run at Van Buren state park; it was a mudfest! It was such a mess that early on I was bushwhacking to get around big mudpuddles. Eventually though, I found better trail and also gave up on missing the mud so I simply ran through it. I got a little rhythm going but it was good to have to constantly shift gears, do little ups and downs, and test many of my stabilizer muscles. Good 90 minute first run for the WI push.
Saturday 4/20/2013
Weak sauce. I was out of it all day after getting home. I slept much of the day and didn’t go running. It probably would have helped me but I didn’t have a plan and therefore didn’t get it done.
Friday 4/19/2013
Another lazy day. I have missed more days this month than any I can remember. I have had a hard time adjusting to the jetlag time change business. I am awake at night, groggy during the day, and generally not motivated to train. I probably need a plan of some sort.
Thursday 4/18/2013
Finally went for a run! Wasn’t feeling totally back to normal yet after all the flights and the sinus infection but I was in Seattle, it wasn’t hot or cold, and it wasn’t raining; how could I not run? Ended up doing 63 minutes with one large loop around Green Lake, one small loop, and one loop around Woodland Park to and from Rocket Cop’s place. Went slow and felt fine. Legs are fresh.
Wednesday 4/17/2013
No excuse today. I simply didn’t get going fast enough today and spent the rest of my time with friends, not running. Anna and I did get in a nice long walk to and from Carkeet Park though.
Tuesday 4/16/2013
Traveling continues. Today had 12 hours in Seoul on a layover followed by a 13 hour flight to Detroit, followed by a 4 hour flight to Seattle, getting me in at 11:30pm. This was the longest day ever, and I still didn’t get a run in!
Monday 4/15/2013
Travel day. We spent Sunday night in the Bangkok airport and then didn’t get on the Bangkok flight leaving at 6 am. We eventually got a hotel room to nap for a few hours before catching an 11pm flight from Bangkok to Seoul. Probably could have run, but sleep seemed much more important.
Sunday 4/14/2013
Last run in Thailand. Julie and I ran in Lumpini in the morning for our last run before heading home. We ran together nice and easy for around 55 minutes total. Felt better than yesterday for sure.
Saturday 4/13/2013
Tried to do a long run today, and today was my day to bonk. We ran together from the hotel to Lumpini (8 minutes) and then ran the loop alone at our own paces. Plan was to do 2 hours. I wasn’t pushing it, probably low 7:00 minute pace. Felt sluggish from the get go. Sweating my ass off. I got in 7 loops total before calling it a day. I did 90 minutes total and was totally done by the end. I could have pushed further but it would have wrecked my legs and didn’t seem worth it.
Friday 4/12/2013
Ran from our new hotel in Bangkok and found the connector path to Lumpini. We ran somewhere around 45 minutes total. Not too hard, didn’t feel like doing anything too crazy. We were both happy to simply get out there and run again.
Thursday 4/11/2013
Travel day from Singapore to Bangkok. We totally could have run but neither of us felt like it. Excuses a plenty but the zero days are piling up.
Wednesday 4/10/2013
Slept through the alarm this morning so we ran in the evening instead. Rather than take the metro to run (all our running clothes smell atrocious at the moment) we went down Gayleng again and ran at East Coast Park. We walked 20+ minutes until we got to Haig Rd and then began the run. It was 14 minutes to the park, we then ran 34 minutes in the park before heading back. By the time we got back to Geylang we were feeling good so we kept running until the congestion got to be too much. We did 71 minutes total. I ran with Julie the entire run.
Tuesday 4/9/2013
This run is remembere as the Julie bonk run. We went out in the morning from our hotel to East Coast Park trail. It was a busy, congested run for 20 minutes to even get to the park. We thought of doing close to 2 hours total since it took so long to get to the park and because it was such a nice running path. The heat and humidity were more noticeable here than most other places we’ve been and Julie began lagging once we got on the trail. I ended up running on my own for over 30 minutes before meeting up with her again. She was in rough shape and lightheaded. We sat in the park a bit while she rested. We found a water fountain. We started the long walk home and soon decided to use some of the money we had brought with us to get a cab. Thankfully this was easy and we were quickly home to our hotel. I still ran 70 minutes and did a good bit near 7 minute pace on my own.
Monday 4/8/2013
Off day as we traveled all day from KL to Singapore. The train was late and by the time we were to Singapore it was after dark and late. Good day for a day off though.
Sunday 4/7/2013
Last run in Malaysia. Ran 62 minutes at KLCC Park around the 1300m track loop at 9:30am. Not as many people today and not as hot as usual. Maybe we’re adjusting to the heat! Ran with Julie the entire time at a steady pace. Ran the last 12 minutes faster with her. Good run, glad to have back to back runs in of over an hour each.
Saturday 4/6/2013
92 minutes in KL! Longest run in Asia and longest run since the 50 miler 4 weeks ago. Felt good, sweat my tail off. We ran from our hotel near Chow Kit over to the Titiswanga park. We did loops there around the lake, ~14 minutes each, 5 times. It was about a 10 minute run to and from the park.
There were tons of people there this morning (there were hardly any yesterday afternoon). There was some sort of walk/run event for middle school age girls. We were dodging them left and right the first couple laps. It thinned out the last few though. We probably weren’t going too quickly but it was good to be running that long in this much heat and humidity. Time to hydrate and recover. Probably back to KLCC park tomorrow morning.
Friady 4/5/2013
Ran for a whooping 32 minutes this afternoon in Kuala Lumpur at a park around a lake. A few possible “reasons” (not excuses, right?) to explain this: it is really hot here and we went out around 3pm, my legs were tired from yesterday’s run, we’re trying to be more like my brother Jeff and only shoot for minimal run times each day. Whatever the reason, we ran short today, but we also walked about an hour total going to and from the park from our hotel. As is often the case, I’m simply glad we ran today.
Thursday 4/4/2013
We ran for the first time in Kuala Lumpur. And thankfully, we found KLCC park in the shadow of the Petronas buildings. We didn’t get out until after 6pm and were simply hoping to be able to run a ltitle. Instead, we found a 1300m rubber track path around some water in the middle of a really modern, developed part of the city. There were tons of people out running and walking in the park. I ran with Julie for the first lap and then went on my own for the next 40 minutes. I started at around a 6:45 pace and lowered it down to closer to 6 minute pace by the end. A guy that I passed on my 6th lap challenged me and started pushing the pace. I smiled at him and continued to push with him. He only lasted a couple minutes but he successfully lowered my pace and got me breathing pretty hard. I sweat a ton and was very in need of water by the end of the 58 minute run but I was really glad to run and even happier to feel fresh and run fast.
Wednesday 4/3/2013
Ran after another full day of travel and logistics, this time in Phuket Town. We ran around 5:30pm after it began cooling down a bit and after we’d settled in our hotel. We headed towards the local “stadium” where we hoped for a track similar to Chiang Mai. Not so, this time it was merely a dirt field for soccer. No worries, we ended up running laps around the complex on the sidewalk which was around 1500m total. We did 5 laps, the last two I did quickly on my own around 6 minute pace or faster. It felt good and my legs were fresh. 42 minutes total.
Tuesday 4/2/2013
Another day off. We checked out of our room at Ban’s and instead of finding another room on Koh Tao for a reasonable price (there weren’t any) we ended up making today a travel day with a night boat ride. Needless to say, travel getting in the way of training again. Oh well.
Monday 4/1/2013
Ran 48 minutes with Julie around Koh Tao, mainly on the main road. I tried to go up one of the more remote hills to one of the other beaches but she kind of flipped out for fear of dogs so we turned around. Simply glad to be getting some running in while here. Lots of burning and pollution, doesn’t feel too good on the lungs.