Facebook me

I've gotten quite lazy with the blogger posting - because I put all my runs up on my Facebook profile. It's really so user friendly - and the Garmin connect interface shares so easily with the facebook platform. So friend me up on FB - that's where I am now. Peace!

Grandfather Mountain Elevation Map

So that's not as bad as one might think - net elevation gain of 1000 feet or so. I'm a little worried that I'll accelerate on the downhill between 10 and 13 and then pay for it the last few miles - so I'll have to be careful about that.

The Pieces are Falling into Place

I now have 13 ten mile runs in the last 30 days. These are all solid runs at 725 pace or better, and they have felt progressively more natural and comfortable especially in the last week. I feel like I now have the base to go for 12 and 13 mile runs, and to do some more focused speed work which will probably take the form of 10x400 runs at a local track in the 1:30 or 6 minute pace neighborhood.

I have also been better about my diet in the past few weeks. I have cut ice cream, pizza, burgers, soda, and substituted popsicles, tomato sandwiches, Gatorade, and salmon or tuna - and a few ounces of whey protein after each run.

I think I will be ready for a very good race at Grandfather on July 10. And then Baltimore in October. My plan is to qualify for Boston and then run it next April in 3 hours or better. Boo yah.

10 miles at 717 pace

Ten miles at 719

Building a strong base, proud of that. Cross training with weights and targeting my leg muscles with leg extension, calf raise, hamstring extension and squat exercises. Eating lots of Alaska pink salmon and tuna as a source of muscle building protein. Doing 100 pushups a day to make my upper body strong - but not bulky.

Garmin Connect

Trying to put all the pieces together so that when the Grandfather Mountain Marathon rolls around in 2 months, I will be prepared to finish in the top 10% on that great big green field with the bagpipes and Highland Games in the background. Should be a fabulous day.

Ten miles at 718

Then 5k later in the day after work. Also joined a gym where I'm going to focus on using the weight machines to target specific muscle groups like the quads, calves, shoulders, abs. Feeling good!

Ten miles at 712

Last mile fastest at 637 - that's more like it!

Garmin Connect

Now if I can just maintain - maintain - maintain :)

Sometimes I feel like my body can't take the running

I mean the punishment of long distances, and amping up mileage on a week to week basis. But then I remember Dean Karnazes and his 50 marathons in 50 days achievement, and it helps me calm down and realize that what I do is well within the range of the human body, in comparison to his epic exploits.

Excited about Grandfather Mtn Marathon

It's a tough hilly race - but also one of the few summer marathons in the south, and very scenic and beautiful, starting on the ASU campus and ending amongst the Highland Games, the annual Scottish heritage festival where grown men in skirts throw telephone poles and huge stone hammers and drink epic quantities of whiskey. Should be amusing to see then!

I've managed a series of 10 mile runs lately and I think having the goal of a big race has helped focus me. I'm thinking I should always have one on deck - after Grandfather, something in August would be nice.

Time to go check out Marathon Guide!

Best source for race planning I've found.

Ten Miles at 738

Building a base - I want to be doing these at 715 - well 645 actually - and that's quite possible.

9.3 miles on Sunday

Couldn't quite make it to 10. Also took Monday off - what happened to ten every day? I was just too tired. But if you look at it on a week by week basis - I've increased my mileage exponentially so that is positive as far as conditioning.

I know what I must do now

Run ten miles every day as fast as I can.

How simple is that?

Registered for the Grandfather Mtn Marathon

It's on July 10th. It's nice to have a goal to shoot for. Starts at 3000 feet, ends at 4000 feet 26 miles later.

I train at sea level and am just getting my mojo back after taking off far too much time. This will be a challenge.

10 miles at 7:16 pace

Last mile fastest at 6:49 - that's more like it!

Going back to church

Getting back into the swing of things

Lately I've had a good string of solid 10k runs so I'm feeling much better about that. I contracted the norovirus in mid April so that really set me back a good month - the gastroenteritis made it difficult to keep food down so I had very little energy for physical activity.

Feeling much better and stronger now though - and with the lovely weather, I have no excuse to not get in a 10k run every day. That is my current mission, and I choose to accept it. Happy trails.

Off and On

Which is better than nothing. I was hit with the norovirus a few weeks ago which really put a crimp in my spring training plans. But I'm getting out more and more, my focus lately has been 10k training runs at moderate pace. As I feel healthier I will drop my pace down and do some longer runs. Coming back has been a challenge though.

I bonked yesterday

It was raining and I hadn't gone for a run in the rain forever. Turns out it's one of those romantic notions that's far better in theory than practice - I only got a mile or two before I was soaked and cold and decided to wrap it up far short of my mileage goal. Hopefully today's run will be more on point.

14 miles with the Charleston Running Club

A morning run down through the historic old downtown - fun! Kicked my ass though - thank you Advil.

Garmin Connect

46 minute 10k

Felt good - Cooper River Bridge Run in two weeks- I'd like to run a 44 minute time there. Seems doable. 3% towards my Garmin goal of 180 miles in 30 days - part of project "Getting my Fast back" :)

Garmin Connect

Running Down South

I moved to Charleston SC about 6 months ago. Since then I've been running off and on - less regularly than I had been previously. This is mostly because I've had other things to do - getting settled living in a new region, being closer to family, taking up a new kind of work.

But I'm getting back to the running as well, it's a great stress reliever and gives me energy and keeps me strong and healthy. So I will post here as often as I can. Here's to covering a lot of miles in Oh Ten in pursuit of the inimitable runner's high.