Looking back and looking ahead

Last year I ran 1555.9 miles. That is by far the most miles I have ever run in any given year. I averaged 30 miles per week with my longest week coming the first of November at 52 miles. That was the peak week of training for Sunmart 50k. November was also my highest mileage month with 183.

I ran the Houston half-marathon with Jakeb which was the high point of the year for me. I ran the Surfside Marathon (4:11:05). I set a 10k PR at The Bayou City Classic (47:56). Jakeb and I ran a trail race in Austin at Walnut Creek Park called The Maze. It was one of the more fun races I have ever run and gave me the desire to run more trail races. I ran a midnight 25k in July called El Scorcho (2:14:44). It was a bit disorganized but it was fun to run a race in the middle of the night. I finished the year by running farther than the marathon by finishing Sunmart 50k (5:49:15).

I started running in May of 1993 and in 14 years of running 2007 was my best year yet.

In 2008 I think I will try to keep the miles up and take the year as it comes to me. I do have a few hopes and plans. I am signed up for the Chevron Houston Marathon this month and I hope to finally break four hours. My marathon PR is 4:00:55 set at the Dallas White Rock Marathon in December 2006. I wish I hadn’t walked through that last water stop.

If marathon recovery goes well I will start training for the Ouachita Trail 50 miler. I have been intrigued by that race for a while so maybe this year will be the year I can run it.

Mixed in the training for the OT50 will be the Bayou City Classic, which our family tries to run every year. I may run the Seabrook Lucky Trail Marathon as a training run for OT50. I am most excited about training with Jakeb for the Hog’s Hunt 25k the first week in April.

After the OT50 I have no plans. In fact it is such a pinnacle experience (pun intended) for me I cannot allow myself to look past it.

Happy New Year!

Tapering again

I ran 19.5 miles last Friday. I would usually run an even 20 but I had run an out-and-back to McLean Park and over the Brazos river bridge on 2004. Then I ran back home and that portion of the run ended at the house at mile 19.5 and I didn’t think a half a mile was going to make that much of a difference to my marathon training.

This past Friday I ran 14 in 2:01 (8:40 pace), which is faster than I intended to run. It felt pretty good though. I’ve run 6 and 8 miles since then. My taper has a little more intensity than normal. I want to be rested enough but there have been times when I have been a bit lethargic going into the last week before the marathon so I am trying something new. Hopefully I won’t blow up because of it.

Houston is just two weeks away.

To the Track and Back to Mute Math

I am not a fan of cold weather so this morning’s 61 degree temperature was welcome. I ran a 1 mile warm-up to the track. Then at the track I ran 4x800 (3:22, 3:25, 3:28, & 3:26) with 400 recovery. Afterwards I ran a 1 mile cool-down back to the house as I listened to Stare at the Sun and Obsolete by Mute Math. Such a good groove to run to…

Wild-eyed and crazy!

I was running my 5 mile route this morning by Brazoswood High School. As I neared Slade Field three guys is an old beat-up red car screamed out of their window in my direction as they passed. It scared the mess out of me because I was in my own world listening to Radiohead’s In Rainbows. I shrugged it off and kept running.

The three wise guys (not in a biblical way of course) turned around and I heard them screaming again as they approached behind me, “You better run! We’re gonna get you.”

I thought to myself “What a bunch of bucketheads.” Then I got mad as I thought about the fact that I pass other people, both women and men running and walking in our neighborhood all the time and what if these guys had been harassing them instead of me.

They told me to run so run I did; right at them as they came towards me. I started screaming at the top of my lungs and the driver kind of swerved all over the road wondering, I'm sure, what kind of crazy guy they had decided to chase and was now chasing them back. I thought for a second about throwing my ipod at them as they went by but that would have been stupid because I don’t really have $150 laying around to replace it.

So instead I chased after them, which I knew was a race I could not win, all the while screaming at the top of my lungs “STOP!” They slowed at the stop light at Dixie Drive and Brazoswood Drive and actually pulled into the Slade Field parking lot.

I started to sprint towards them and had to run about 300 yards. As I approached them they were already near the street. I ran in their direction still yelling “YOU BETTER STOP!” - all the while trying to look as wild-eyed and crazy as possible. The driver pushed on the gas and the tires screeched as they retreated toward Lake Jackson. The old red car had Louisiana license plates.

I don’t have a clue what I would have done had they stopped. I know what I did was not that smart because one of these days something like that is going to happen to me and they will have a weapon. I just wanted to freak them out a bit and let them know that not every person running down the side of the road is an easy target for their stupid games.

Sunmart Pictures

Here are some pictures from Sunmart on Saturday.

New Template

My old template was ...well old and apparently not compatible with blogger anymore. Because I do not have time to mess with it I threw together a new template. Some day I may work on one I like better.

Sunmart

I ran the Sunmart 50k in 5:49:35, an 11:14 per mile pace. At first I was a little disappointed with the outcome but I had to remind myself that it was hot and the hills were more than I had bargained for.

The first 18.5 miles I ran close to a 10-minute pace but the last 12.5-mile loop I started fast-walking most of the uphills, which really took a toll on my overall time.

I ran with my ipod but there was a point at which I realized how different it was to run in the woods and how stupid I was being to ignore it in favor of tunes. So I turned off the music and just existed to run with my thoughts.

Physically I felt pretty good at the finish but I am sore today. I do not feel any worse than when I run a marathon.

Sunmart is a very well organized fun race. I like trail running a lot. I hope to run this race again and others like it.

This afternoon I looked up the results on-line and found out that I finished 99 out of 520 runners and 15th in my age group out of 40 so I feel better about how I did. It is all about comparisons, huh? How sad is that?

Taper Madness

I am in the late stages of my taper for Sunmart Texas Trail Endurance 50k. Typical taper stuff is going on. I am worried about whether I trained enough. I am eating too much and not running enough so I am gaining weight. My lower legs have hurt a bit which is weird because they haven’t given me any problems in training. I have far too much nervous energy that is not being burnt off by running.

The next two days I am off and Friday morning I will run two miles just to loosen everything up. And then Saturday I race. This is another first, to run more than 26.2. I am excited to race and celebrate the way of life - the running life - I am happy to live …

“Running is a way of life, and racing is a celebration of that life.” - Jenn Shelton via Riding the Wind (Anton Krupicka)

Thankful

I am thankful that I have two legs and health enough to run 14 miles on a day set aside for gratitude.

Now let's eat ... and watch football.

Happy Thanksgiving!

20 miles and weather

I ran 20 miles on Friday morning. The weather cooled down long enough for me to get my long run in and then it warmed up again. I must be doing something right.

Saturday I ran 5 on the trails and then Sunday morning I ran 5 in the rain. I really like running when it rains - especially when it is a downpour. When it rains hard I feel as if I am the only one who exists in a world no one else is willing to enter. The feeling is even more intense when it is dark. Sunday morning it was good to be isolated in the dark torrent alone with my thoughts.

Friday long run

I ran 24 slow miles. My legs were still sore from running at the track Wednesday on top of the fact that I did not do a very good job of fueling or hydrating yesterday. I did cover the miles though and today that is what counts.

Track work out

1 mile warm-up to the track, 4x800 with 400 recovery (3:30, 3:29, 3:30, 3:34), 1 mile cool-down home. The mile home was almost euphoric.

Training Normalcy

Training is going well. I ran 18 Friday morning at 8:53 pace. I've run 5, 8, 5, 5, since all between 8 and 9 minute pace. Tomorrow I will run some speedwork at the track.

Nothing extraordinary has happened otherwise. This weekend calls for 24 on Friday morning. It will be my longest run before Sunmart.

Run on …

Bid me run and I will strive with things impossible. - Shakespeare

22 Miles

8 on soft ground, 14 on pavement - 9:28 pace

I feel pretty good. Andrea and I are off for some lunch at Kim Son.

Just running and looking forward to Sumart

I’m still running.

I received my post-registration information packet from Sunmart Texas Trail Endurance Runs yesterday and I am extremely excited about running that race. The anticipation for Sunmart is somewhat different from the anticipation I feel for a marathon. This race is more about pure running than it is about time and technique. It probably has to do with the place I am in emotionally as well.

I am excited about going beyond the marathon distance for the first time. I am excited about running in the woods of Huntsville State Park. I am just excited.

I ran 18 miles weekend before last. I ran a really easy pace until about mile 11, and from 11-15 I ran with a friend from church who just happened to catch me. He was running much faster than me and I sped up a bit and he slowed down significantly and we ran a couple together. I paid for it the next day with incredibly sore legs.

Last weekend I ran 20 alone. I ran well within myself and about 8 miles were off road. I felt much better after this run.

Tuesday morning I ran at the track for the first time in a couple of weeks. I have been running tempo runs and fartlek rather than track workouts. Tuesday I ran 8x400 with 200 recovery and a 1 mile warm-up cool-down (1:44, 1:46, 1:46, 1:43, 1:43, 1:43, 1:45, 1:43).

The schedule calls for 21 tomorrow, 18 next weekend and 24 the weekend after before I begin to taper.

I read the article on Tony Krupicka in Running Times as I sat at ate lunch a few minutes ago and my mileage seems meager compared to a guy who does 200 mile weeks. I really like these quotes:

..................

Running sharpens the focus on life and intensifies the emotions.

Is there any better reason to do anything? (Running Times Article)

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Going running all day in our present society is completely pointless,

but there is a big difference between something having a point

and something having meaning. (Web Quote)

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- Anton Krupicka

Either side of sunrise

I ran a mile to the track this morning. At the track I ran 4 x 800 with 400 recovery. My times were 3:35, 3:39, 3:39, and 3:39. Then I ran a mile home for five miles total. Even though I ran hard I never felt like stopping. Usually when it comes to speed work at least once during the workout I feel like I’ve had enough. This morning I felt good and I was as charged up running the last repeat maybe even more than I was on the first.

Saturday morning I ran 15.5. I was scheduled for 15 but on Oyster Creek Drive I was zoned out enjoying the exploration of my own mind since I left the iPod at home. As I approached Oak Drive I realized I was supposed to have turned on Circle Way and no matter what I did I was a half a mile out of the way. Oh well.

As part of my long run I ran the trail behind McLean Park onto highway 2004 to run over the Brazos River Bridge twice. That is one of the few ways to get in hill repeats in Lake Jackson. On the way out I scared a Whitetail deer (a doe). She ran off into the woods 50 yards ahead of me. On the way back in both me and a eight-point buck scared each other off of the trail as I turned a sharp corner and there he stood. We both jumped at the same time as he bailed off of the trail and into a wetland area.

Both of those runs are examples the reason I run. I am training to run a 50k. That is the destination. But the journey so far has been so good. It feels good to push myself at the track and feel my body respond by getting stronger. It is cool to lose myself on a run so much that I miss my turn. I also like to be surprised by nature when so many people would miss it because they are breathing artificially cooled air while lying in between their warm sheets. I would rather sweat in the damp air of a Saturday morning on either side of sunrise. It is so good to run …

This and that

This weekend I missed my long run. There was just wasn’t enough time to fit it in. I don’t mind missing a scheduled run here and there but I really hate to miss long runs. Last week was a cut back week so maybe it won't matter too much that I missed running long. This weekend is a 15 miler which I hope to run Friday morning before Andrea and I go to Houston to hang out.

Tuesday I ran speed work at the track. I ran a mile warm-up to the track and then ran 6X400 with 200 recovery. My times got progressively slower – 1:41, 1:42, 1:43, 1:45, 1:45, 1:47. I ran a mile cool-down back home. It felt good to run hard.

Friday morning if I make my 15 mile long run the last mile will be my 1000th mile for the year. That is the earliest I have ever reached the 1000 mile mark. My goal was to average running more than 100 miles per month. That should not be a problem since I am really picking up the miles for 50k and marathon training … assuming I do not injure myself.

Also two weeks ago I signed-up from the Chevron Houston Marathon. Andrea and her sister Gwen are signed-up for the half again. Jakeb decided to forgo the half this year for basketball.

Brazosport Relay Triathlon

I was on a team called “Hot Fuzz”. We came in 1st place for the Male Corporate Division. Our team really should have come in 2nd place but the winning Male Corporate team was in 2nd place overall and took the overall Male division trophy. Since there is no duplication of awards we got 1st Male Corporate.

Our swimmer Greg swam the 1k in 14:24. The 1st runner John ran his 5k in 24:05. I ran my 5k in 22:51. Wes rode his bike for fifteen miles in 38:13.

The weather was hot and very humid. I think we did pretty well and it was a fun event.

Austin and Town Lake Trail

Andrea and I spent last weekend in Austin. It was time for us to get away from Lake Jackson and be alone. We had a great time eating good food and shopping as Andrea tried to spend what was left of her birthday money.

We stayed downtown on 5th street and IH-35. Saturday morning I woke up, drank coffee, stretched and headed out of the door to run on Town Lake Trail. It has been years since I ran in downtown Austin but I remember Town Lake (which is actually a river) being an excellent place to run.

As I ran south on Travis toward the river I miss-stepped on an uneven part of the sidewalk and aggravated my twisted ankle. I was mad and limped around for a while contemplating walking back to the hotel room and forgetting about the run. I thought about it while I walked and said “Forget it, I’m running on it”. After a couple of strides my ankle started feeling better and by the time I made it to the trail I completely forgot about it.

I ran past members of the Austin Rowing Club as they cleaned their crafts and got them ready to launch onto Town Lake. I turned down a slight grade and was blown away by the number of people who were running on the Town Lake Trail on a Saturday morning. There were training groups running together getting ready for some unnamed race. There were both moms and dads pushing strollers with kids who were content to ride. There were couples running together and there were runners running alone, some pushing themselves and some running at a comfortable pace.

Town lake is the most festive place I have ever run outside of a marathon. It is like a party of people who have their health and ability to move in common. We navigated the trail together with a sameness of purpose.

I crossed the lake on a foot bridge made especially for those moving under their own power and ran back the way I came on the opposite side of the river. The south side of the river trail passes Runtex – one of the best running stores in the world. Runtex puts out igloo coolers with water, free to whoever is using the trail. I crossed Congress Avenue Bridge and headed back to the hotel. This was one of the best runs I’ve had in a while. I lost myself in the atmosphere and forgot that my ankle ever hurt or that running takes any effort at all.

Town Lake Trail is a great place to run.