I only run on days that end in a "y."

Supposed to be recovery run on the trail but ended up faster that I should have.  Nice lunchtime run nonetheless.

Out and back from the house this am.  Trying to keep the mileage low for race week.  No watch but ran at a pretty good clip.  Nice and cool morning around 60 degrees.  Probably take a day off tomorrow.

Exchanged emails with the coach about running the Run For the Water 5k instead of the 10 mile race at the end of October and she is all for it.  Working on the short distance races and getting faster is what this training period is all about. 

Some easy miles after work around townlake.  90's and warm.

easy miles at lunchtime around the trail.

3 easy followed by 200m fast with 200m easy x 4 around the track, then 1 mile easy home.

50 degrees with a strong breeze.  I have not run this race in 4 years I think.  I was always in marathon training and didn't want to race.  This course is around the IBM campus and the Domain - a large shopping area.  There are quite a few turns and loop arounds in order to get 10k.  The course is mostly flat but has some good gentle up and downs.  There is also a 5k option and there is a point in the course where the 5k finishes and the 10k keeps going.  Man, I really wanted to stop at the 5k mark!

The cool weather was great but the wind did play a factor.  There were a couple stretches where I tucked in behind someone even though I had to run a bit slower.  Between miles 3-4 a runner I know, Jonathan, and I took turns to block the wind for each other.  I was glad he came along because he really helped me out here.  By the end of mile 4 though I started pulling away.  Mile 5-6 I felt pretty strong and even thought there was a mild incline here I managed to pass a few runners here, including Kip.  I hit mile 6 around 36:40ish I think so I knew I had sub 38!  I started cruising here and then out of nowhere Kip and another runner, Mani, that I had passed went sprinting by with about 100m to go.  Well, of course, I had to follow and tried to keep up.  It's hard to make up time when someone flies by like that.  In retrospect, I am glad they did, because they unknowingly got me where I needed to be.

Looking back at the splits, I wish I could have mile 2 back.  Not sure what happened there but I left at least 10 seconds out there.  Well, I am pretty confident I can run a sub 18:00 5k looking at these splits. 

6:05, 6:12, 6:00, 5:56, 5:57, 5:55, 5:20.

My watch says 6.33 miles, but everyone else that I ran with had 6.24.  Hmmm.

Anyway - a 1 minute and 3 second PR!! 

(Updated time to official chip time of 37:52) 

nice and easy recovery miles - traveling to Lima Peru for business this week.  Probably not much time for running.

Finally got a chance to run  here - 9 miles with a couple along the costal hills of Lima.  

I am glad I am not training for a marathon so I dont have to obsess about getting my miles in. 

Arrived yesterday back from Lima.  I had planned on getting a run in when I got into Austin.  Unfortunately, my flight did not leave Lima until 2 am and my sleep on the plane was not that great.  It's only a 6 hour flight to Houston, so I may have slept 5 hours but I woke up several times.  By the time I got into Austin around noon I was toast.  

When the alarm went off this morning I felt that I could have easily slept 3 more hours.  But I managed to get myself out of bed to show up for the workout.  

This was a tough one due to several factors - it was warm and humid again, lack of complete rest, the guys I ran with went out too fast, and I think I was still recovering a bit from the 10k.  I could feel it in my legs during the 1k's.

The plan was to run 3k @ HMP, 2k @ HMP - 10 seconds, and 3 x 1k @ 10k pace.  

I ran about 2.5 miles warm up and then we started the 3k.  This felt fairly easy but I knew we were running too fast.  I tried to slow the other 2 guys down but to no avail.  We ended up running the 3k at 6:00 pace - and the course was marked out by the coaches and it was long.  So all the of repeats ended up being long distance wise.  We ran a loop which consisted of road, pathway, cutting through some grass and then back on a road.  Side note: I have to say I like running repeats on the track only because these are more mentally challenging.  I know this will pay off during races though, since those races are on roads and not a track.

For the 2k I stayed with the guys and when they were going faster then my target pace I slowed down a bit and finished with 6:10 pace average, right where I wanted it.

The 1k did not go so well as I finished with the guys and we ran a 5:44 pace, the next one I fell back and ran around a 6:05 pace.  My legs were shot at this point. 

After dying on the 2nd 1k I decided to call it a day.  I didn't think there was anything to gain by trying to get through 1 more.  I ran a couple easy cool down miles. 

3k (1.92 miles) in 11:27 (6:00 pace) (too fast!)

2k (1.37 miles) in 8:25 (6:10 pace) (good pace here)

1k (.65 miles) in 3:42 (5:44 pace)  (too fast!)

1k (.65 miles) in 4:00 (6:09 pace) (I died on this one.) 

Met the guys in the am for 9 easy miles on the trail.  Some brief thunderstorms delayed our run initially, but the sky cleared and it turned out to be a glorious morning.

Legs felt pretty good today. 

5.5 easy around the trail at lunchtime.

3.5 warm up miles to the track to meet the group.  It had finished raining and the trail had quite a few puddles and it was really soft.  I got to the track and the coach wanted to do the first half of the workout on the trail to keep paces in check and the second half on the track. Well, with the trail in the condition it was in it was hard to run fast.  

So the workout was 4 x 400 and then 1 x 800 with 1 minute active recovery between repeats, then 4 minutes recovery and repeat the above on the track.

Target was 5k pace but again, hard to get to that pace on the trail.  I found that the 1 minute active recovery was good - it made the workout progressively harder.  On the track I just ran 200m between each repeat and that ended up being 1 minute.

Trail times:

400m  1:29

400m 1:28

400m 1:29

400m 1:29

800m 2:56

4 minute recovery

track workout

400m 1:23

400m 1:23

400m 1:25

400m 1:25

800m 2:51 

2.5 miles cool down. 

7 miles easy run.

5.5 miles around the trail at lunchtime...no watch but I was working hard.

5.5 around the trail at lunchtime.

The group was split up today with some racing and others doing one workout in prep for the 10 miler race in 2 weeks and some doing another workout if not racing the 10 miler.  

I was in the third group.  I got there a bit early to get a couple miles in.  Finally others started showing up - it was a small group and no one in my pace range.  2 easy miles to the start of the workout.

The workout was 3 x .95 mile loop around Scenic Drive at half marathon pace with no stopping.  The firs half mile is a nice incline up Scenic Drive, a left turn and then a hard left which takes a road down parallel to Scenic, a hard left, and repeat another 2 times.  After the last one I kept going around to get a full 3 miles in.  

Tempo miles - 6:29, 6:24, 6:14. 

I thought I did relatively well considering the long uphill stretch.

Then 3 miles back - I added one extra on - at sub 7:00 pace.  Not sure why but my legs felt really, really good. 

Met up with Kevin and Dan for 11 easy miles on the trail.  Legs were a bit trashed from yesterday.  Pushed the last mile and a half, otherwise pace was around 8:00 - 8:20.  A quick dip in the Springs afterward.

5.5 easy around the trail at lunchtime

3 miles warm up followed by 8 x 300 with 100m recovery in between at Austin High.  Nothing too hard with race on Sunday - just working on turnover.  Plan was to start at 5k pace and work down a bit if I felt good.  Well, legs didn't really feel that great but I got through it.  100m is not a lot of time to recovery - maybe that's by design.  The last 300 I turned into a 400 in order to mentally push a bit.  2.5 miles cool down and a good clip.

It was warm and muggy, too.  Wore the A 5's as those are what I plan on racing in. 

300m - 1:06 - 5:54 pace

300m - 1:03 - 5:37 pace

300m - 1:02 - 5:32 pace

300m - 1:01 - 5:27 pace

300m - 1:01

300m - 1:01

300m - 1:01

400m - 1:17 - 5:09 pace

Decided a day of rest was in order.

Hopefully the last warm and muggy morning for a while - 70 degrees - 8 mile out and back and added on at the half way point.  Guessing close to 9 miles - no watch.

5.75 easy at lunchtime - nice cold front - felt like a real fall day - cloudy, cold, and windy.

5 easy on the indoor track at the gym with strides, then some good stretching followed by hot tub and steam room.  Felt great.

Great morning - 40's to start, but dark.   It was hard getting into the right pace at the beginning, really the first 2 miles.  Not sure if it was the dark or what.  I kinda of ran out of time before the race and got to the start with like 2 minutes to go. I started my warmup too late. :-)  I got back to the annex with 7 minutes to change shoes, put on my timing chip, and find my music.  I was rushed to say the least.  I was able to squeeze in the front but was 6 rows behind the very front – not good.  1 minute to go at this point.  Normally I like to be standing here already and thinking about the race and my strategy.  No time for that today.

I had to dodge quite a few people in the first 50 m but then got out on my own.  I passed a few runners all the way until the turn around, and then picked off a few more as I picked up the pace, especially on that last mile. It was a big boost to be able to zero in on runners in front of me and reel them in.  I could not hit the right pace on the first mile and had to keep speeding up.  I would look at my watch and it was a 6:00 pace so I would pick it up to get to 5:40's.  I was running very relaxed though and wasn't struggling.  It's unfortunate that I wasn't able to take advantage of the nice decline going down 1st street.  To think I hit a 5:37 coming back up that street with a steady incline tells me I have enough to run those first miles faster.  I was trying to make up as much time as possible but there is only so much I could do.  

I think it I would have been able to hit 5:45 on the first mile I would have had a much better chance at breaking 18:00.  However, I feel confident it is coming with some more races and experience under my belt.  It is only a matter of time at this point.

For the record I think the race cheated me 3 seconds – my chip time and start time are the same – I don't think this could be true since I started back a bit and my watch reads 18:05! Oh well, I can't complain.

I won the masters division – got a nice Soleus running watch, certificate and medal, so that is pretty cool.  I was told the guy I beat out was the runner I passed on the last quarter mile.

Splits:  5:53, 5:52, 5:37, .14 @ 4:57.  Would like to work on my kick – I tried to sprint the last bit and didn't have it in my legs.

Per watch – 18:05 for 3.14 miles.   Odd - race results below show 5:47 average, my Garmin says 5:45 average.

00:18:08

00:18:08

3492

David

Schwalm

Austin

TX

Gazelle 5K Masters

1

10

44

78759

10

5:47/M

1079

468

34

I think I have a good baseline to work from now.  On to the next race!  (I kind of like this compared to marathons where the chance only comes every 4 - 6 months.)

6 easy miles around Town Lake at lunchtime - legs more sore that I would have thought.  No watch no paces.

I had a physical today.  I was sitting for a couple minutes when the nurse took by heart rate.  She looked at me and asked if I was a runner.  Her first words.  My resting heart rate in a sitting position was 40.  I would like to know what it is when I am sleeping.  They did an EKG as well,  I will be interested in the results of that.

The Dr. wasn't too worried as long as I don't get symptoms of dizziness or fatigue.  

5.25 easy miles on the trail at lunch.  Legs still sore.  I failed to mention in my race report that the race had a 10 mile option as well.  In fact, the 10 miler is the main attraction.  So after the 5k I went up and started running away from the finish line.  I picked up the first runner that I knew that looked like he was hurting and brought him in.  I then turned around and did this for maybe 5 or 6 more runners, I can't remember for sure.  Anyway, I was running pretty fast during those stints so my legs took some more punishment on top of the 5k.  Maybe that is why my legs are still sore.

My running mind wants to go out for 4 more this evening buy my rational mind says no way.  Saturday's workout is 3 x 1 mile at 5k or faster speed so I need to make sure I am fully recovered. 

I don't know what I was thinking - I went out for a leisurely easy run at lunch and got caught up in in a little foot race that I shouldn't have.  It was in the high 80's - hot and sunny.  So I over did it on the first few miles and it made the last miles miserable.  I never fully recovered the rest of the day.  

I popped on the trail just in time to be passed by a couple runners moving pretty fast - it was apparent that they were not going to last and I was right.  Moved right by them as they stopped - finishing their run I guess.  But there was a woman who was motoring and everytime I wanted to pass she picked up the pace.  Well, I couldn't let that happen so I finally passed here at around a 6:40 pace,  told her "nice pace" and she said the same.  I wasn't feeling bad at this point, pretty good actually.  But I was stuck as I couldn't slow down and have her pass me again now could I? :-)   Well, turns out she wore herself out, too, because when I turned on the overpass she was about 1 minute behind and even when I stopped for water 1.5 miles later I never saw her again.  I slowed down the last couple as the heat and mild lingering fatigue from Sunday took its toll.  Think I will take Thursday off.

Not how I normally like to run ...

8:06, 6:48, 6:58, 6:55, 7:38, 7:35, 7:50, 7:50.