10 DAYS UNTIL TAPER!!!!
Ok, lets get caught up here.
Friday (July 25) was the Midnight River Run (actually at 11:15 but hey). Last year I ran 15:24 but they lengthened the course this year by over 200 meters so even with the cool evening we had, the times were much slower. I went out in the lead pack but faded to 4th in the second 1/2 of the race. I held off the guy in 5th in the end before the gap to the rest of the field. There were a couple hundred runners but in the end I couldn't keep up with the college kids (Though the guy in 5th was a college kid too). Final time was 16:16 in the midst of another 90 mile week.
This week looks like it could be 100... not degrees...miles. I ran 37 miles in 36 hours before taking the morning off, but I've got another long (12-14 miles) run tonight and my actual long run on Sunday.
Practice (actaully its summer conditioning because it's all optional) for cross is going well. While practice is optional, we are lucky to have kids that make it to practice very consistently all summer long. I think we will have a stronger team this fall then the one that went to the state finals a year ago.
We've been lucky here that we haven't had that bad of weather, but it appears that the hot weather is finally here and will likely be here for the next several weeks. For all of you where it's hot, stay safe.
I don't like to make long posts, so I try to post more often rather than put it all in at once...while this isn't one of those times, sorry.
1. Hammer the training again right now for my return to Ragnar (we are doing the 12 person division this year) and then my big 50 miler coming up in September. I was just short of 90 last week (88) with the tough 3 x 2 mile workout on Tuesday, a hill workout on Friday and 2 hours yesterday. Even with a race on Friday night this will be another big milage week for me.
2. Summer condition is going well for the team I help coach. We can't have official practice until August but we have had great turn out from our varsity runners all summer long. It is very true that the more the merrier. When you get good turn out you have more fun and the more fun you have more people want to come. I'm lucky to work with a great group of kids.
3. It is HOT here. It is 90's and humid. The humidity makes it bad, but it could be A LOT WORSE. We've had triple digits this time of year so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this is as bad as it gets...
4. New book I've been reading is Killer Dreams. It's ok but I have several pretty good ones waiting for me once I finish this one so I'm hurrying to move on.
5. As I said in 1 I have a "race" on friday. It is the 5K were I ran 15:24 last year. They are changing the course AGAIN. I hate when they do that. With my training where it is I'm just hoping for sub 16 but we'll see. Anytime you're training like I am races are very much hit and miss.
Stay cool everyone. I'll post the info about this weekends race.
My buddy Josh is on his summer training program for ISU and I've been doing the program with him. That is I've been trying to do the program with him. After the illness a few weeks back, I've been really struggling in my workouts. I have had some decent days but all and all it's been a struggle. However tonight was the crown jewel in the ISU summer training program (at least in my mind). The workout is 3 x 2 miles at 10:10. With the temp being 92 degrees today we stayed off the track and hit the rolling trails of Hawthorn Park. So here's how it shook out...
Josh Jeff
1: 10:00 10:15
2: 10:15 10:19
3: 10:29 10:18
It was a very strong workout for me. While I didn't chase Josh on the first one, it was my goal to run all 3 under 10:20 so it was a very strong workout for me. Hope everyone's running is going well. I'll have a post about the new book I'm reading in the next few days.
After missing a few days last week from illness, I've got right back in to the training mode. I worked back into it over the weekend (by that I mean I did a hill workout on Saturday) and was ready for a good hard workout Tuesday. We stuck to Josh's summer training program, and here's what the work out looked like.
The work out was a 10 mile run with 4 X (4 min on / 4 min off). On means race pace, off means training pace.
2 Mile Warm up (12:20)
6 Miles that included the 4 x 4 (32:30)
2 Mile Cool down (12:10)
Total time for 10 Miles 57:02
Josh actualy was a hair faster than me because he actually pulled away from me on the last on and then waited for me to catch up. Josh you will remember is the guy who had the tumor removed from his leg a little of a year and a half ago (not cancerous) but wasn't allowed to do any weight bearing exercise for 6 months. I'm very happy to see him running so well after everything that he has gone through. We did stop at the 8 mile mark to grab a drink of water before starting the cool down but that was the only break in the entire run. SOOO, I've been soar that last couple days.
Anyway I'm headed North for the 4th of July so everyone have a Safe and Happy 4th of July.
