15 Miler!

Daily Quote:

"The long run is what puts the tiger in the cat."

--Bill Squires

Today is a 15 miler that is my longest run since the 2008 Boston Marathon.

9:45 a.m. Medium-Long Run, progressive. 15 miles. Life Fitness Treadmill set at a 1% grade. 5 miles at 6.3 mph, 5 miles at 6.4 mph, and 5 miles at 6.5 mph. Average heart rate: 154 bpm. Cardiac Drift: 165 bpm. Gym was HOT and sticky. I'm so happy I brought extra water with my usual bottle of Gatorade as I needed every last drop. I was so soaking wet that my chest was rubbed raw, I'll need to use Body Glide during next week's planned 16-miler.

My base building is coming along faster than last year because my training hasn't been broken up by tapering and recovering from shorter races. Last year I tried to race myself to fitness with shorter races, which was fun, but might not be as productive for marathons and ultra marathons.

I'm going to take a short nap before work, it's going to be a very slow work night, which is common after a three day holiday weekend. I might try to walk around the airport's cab holding area throughout the night as I await fares coming to Vegas.

SUMMARY, JUNE 30 - JULY 6, 2008

Daily Quote:

"Winning is not about headlines and hardware [medals]. It’s only about attitude. A winner is a person who goes out today and every day and attempts to be the best runner and best person he can be… Winning is about struggle and effort and optimism, and never, ever, ever giving up."

--Amby Burfoot

Today is another Recovery Run, almost a duplicate of yesterday's run, but today I have new batteries and can listen to U2's CD.

9:30 a.m. 6 miles. Life Fitness Treadmill set at 1% grade/elevation. All 6 miles were at 6.0 mph (Note: my maximum heart rate is 190 bpm). Average heart rate: 141 bpm. Cardiac Drift: 146 bpm. No aches nor pain and prepared for tomorrow's run of 15 miles, which will be my longest run since 2008 Boston Marathon.

Tonight my wife and I will be seeing the movie, "Hancock," starring Will Smith.

SUMMARY FOR WEEK OF JUNE 30 - JULY 6, 2008.

Finished second week of my four week training block (I'll increase mileage for three weeks then the fourth week is a recovery week) and ran a total of 55 miles that's my longest mileage week this year.

I'm currently 174 pounds on a six foot frame, my goal is to weigh 165 pounds for the 2008 Las Vegas Marathon. As my weekly mileage become longer I should have no problems meeting my weight goal, nevertheless, I still need to keep junk food under control and maintain a healthy diet.

I accomplished three sessions of weight circuit training and had increased the weights for the chest press and lat pull-down. I'm quite pleased with the results of my weight training as I'm much stronger now than last year.

I was able to sleep well last week with 7-8 hours of sound, REM sleep daily! My morning resting heart rates are low, 38-42 bpm. Although I've been sleeping well at nights I'm still enjoying short naps before work.

A short recap of last week's runs:
Monday: Medium-Long Run, Progressive, 14 miles.
Tuesday: Recovery Run, 5 miles.
Wednesday: Tempo Run, 6 miles.
Thursday: Recovery Run, 6 miles.
Friday: Medium-Long Run, 11 miles.
Saturday: Recovery Run, 6 miles.
Sunday: Recovery Run, 6 miles.
Total Weekly Mileage: 55 miles.

July 4th Weekend

Daily Quote:

"Running is a lot like life. Only 10 percent of it is exciting. 90 percent of it is slog and drudge."

--Dave Bedford, English distance runner

Today is an easy Recovery Run and ran earlier than normal so my wife wouldn't miss me.

8:00 a.m. Recovery Run. 6 miles. Life Fitness Treadmill set at 1% grade/elevation. All 6 miles were at 6.0 mph (Note: my maximum heart rate is 190 bpm). Average heart rate: 142 bpm. Cardiac Drift: 146 bpm. The batteries were dead in my Sony Sport CD Player and had to listen to the gym's droning electronic music noise that simply dulled my mind into a Zombie state. Body felt invigorated after the run, hence I immediately jumped into my Weight Circuit Program, which lasted the normal 30 minutes. I was able to get home before the wife awoke!

Tonight we'll be seeing the travelling "American Idol Show" at the Thomas & Mack Center, I'm not familiar with the singers as I never watched the show, nor television for that matter, but my wife is a HUGE fan!

Medium Long Run Twice This Week!

Daily Quote:

"A medium-long run is any run of 11 to 16 miles. Medium-long runs reinforce the physiological benefits of your long runs. To gain the greatest physiological benefits, the pace for these should be similar to the pace for long runs."

--Pfitzinger & Douglas from the book "Advanced Marathoning" pg 134.

Fridays are normally my General Aerobic Runs, which I've very gradually increased my mileage and are now Medium-Long Runs. I'm now running two Medium-Long Runs, but eventually Mondays will be a Long Run rather than Medium-Long Runs (long runs are any runs 17 miles or longer).

9:30 a.m. Medium-Long Run. 11 miles. Life Fitness Treadmill set at a 1% grade. 6 miles at 6.3 mph and last five miles at 6.4 mph. Average heart rate: 146 bpm. Cardiac drift: 153 bpm. (Note: my maximum heart is 190 bpm). I was surprised how steady my heart rate was during today's run, maybe it's time to increase the speed of my Medium Long Runs or perhaps the last couple of miles at marathon pace?
Body feels good, no aches nor pain, but I'm very tired and work tonight will be extremely busy and hectic due to the Fourth of July tourists; I'm looking forward to sleeping late tomorrow morning.

Need More Water

Daily Quote:

"Western States Ultramarathon trivia: runners are expected to drink 8 gallons of fluids during the race, or a 20 ounce bottle every two miles!

--Karl King, ultramarathoner

9:30 a.m. Recovery Run. 6 miles. Life Fitness Treadmill set at 1% grade/elevation. All 6 miles were at 6.2 mph. Average heart rate: 142 bpm. Cardiac Drift: 149 bpm. I brought one small bottle of water and did feel parched after the run, will need to bring a larger bottle next time. I've been drinking water every two miles, maybe when the gym is hotter than normal I should be drinking every mile. My right ankle is fine and I've returned the treadmill setting to a 1% grade as to closely simulate running outside.

Immediately after my run I accomplished a weight training circuit workout, which took me approximately 30 minutes to complete. I'm happy with my progress with lifting weights, I'm so much stronger and leaner than last year at this time.

My wife has Friday-Monday off due to the holiday weekend, running might be problematic to complete my planned mileage.

Clarence DeMar

Daily Quote:

"He (Clarence DeMar) wasn't a scientist who after long and thorough study came to the conclusion that twice-a-day workouts were the way to become a better marathoner. He was a printer who ran to and from work each day, a clean, dry shirt tucked under his arm. He found that twice-a-day workouts fit well into his workday world; on weekends he ran long. The mix allowed him to charge up a tremendous battery of strength and endurance, which served him well when he raced. It also allowed him to commute to and from work without having to pay for carfare. It would not be reaching to say that along with everything else, Clarence DeMar was a skinflint; he grew up poor, worked at a boys' home and never learned to waste his money."

--Rich Benyo, "Marathon & Beyond Magazine," May/June 2008 pg 8.

I've heard of Clarence DeMar as he had won the famed Boston Marathon seven times during the first half of the 20th century, but I didn't know about his running back and forth to work! I wonder how far Clarence had to run to work? I live 8.5 miles from Checker Cab's yard and could run back and forth from work in the fall-spring, but not practical in the hot summer months. I've often wonder how I could increase my mileage working 12-hours days as a cab driver and Clarence DeMar's training is the answer! Plus, with gas prices eventually reaching the $5.00 mark I could save some bucks as well...I could be saving "green" both in money and the environment at the same time. What do you think?

Today is a scheduled Tempo Run and decided to run the exact format as last week.
10:00 a.m. Life Fitness Treadmill set at a 1% grade. Total Distance: 6 miles. Warm-up: 2 miles at 6.3 mph. Tempo: 3 miles at 7.5 mph. Cool-down: 1 mile at 6.3 mph. Average heart rate: 157 bpm. Cardiac Drift: 172 bpm. (Note: My maximum heart rate is 190 bpm) I didn't suffer any aches nor soreness, and my right ankle feels fine! My heart rate numbers are a tad lower and may increase my speed to 7.6 mph next Wednesday. I admit I was very tired after my run and took a much needed one-hour nap after a small lunch of Ham & Cheese Lean Pocket.

Easy Does It

Daily Quote:

Runners need 400 to 800 milligrams of sodium per hour during warm and hot weather conditions. The average pretzel or saltine has only 30 milligrams of sodium.

--from ultramarathoners Karl King @ James Raia

Today is my scheduled Recovery Run and it'll be very easy due to yesterday's 14-miler.

11:00 a.m. Recovery Run. 5 miles. Life Fitness Treadmill set at zero grade/elevation. All 5 miles were at 6.0 mph (10 minute miles). Average heart rate: 139 bpm. Cardiac Drift: 144 bpm. No aches nor pain and right ankle is fine. Didn't do any weights after my run as I had to leave for a much needed haircut. My head feels lighter! My hair is almost cut to military length and hopefully won't need another haircut until fall.

My friend Boscho at the about.com forum was concerned about my ankle and asked, "Did you think why this happens or what is the cause? It could be overtraining, muscles imbalance, running shoes, etc."

I wrote to Boscho at about.com forum site the following post:

Howdy Boscho!
Yup, I've had this same ankle soreness on and off for the last SIX YEARS! I believe that the soreness is not related to my running, but to my job, which is sitting in a cab sometimes for 12-hours straight...if I get out of the cab so I can lift heavy luggage into the trunk I can feel the stress pulling on my ankles, or if I have to leave the cab for a trip to the bathroom it takes awhile for the ankles to warm-up and adjust to walking. When cab business is slow and I have more time to walk the airport's cab holding area and do stretches I never have ankle problems.
During my runs I usually have no problems, unless I try to run too fast, too far, too soon. My races in the Las Vegas Marathons and the Boston Marathon I didn't have issues with the ankle, but remember my ankles did suffer during the Salt Lake City Half Marathon with that last section on cobblestones. I also had issues with the ankles on hilly 5k races, but on flat courses doesn't cause any pain. That's one reason I set the treadmill to zero grade when my ankle complains as it doesn't cause any stress nor pain on my ankle. I also find that heel lifts are helpful if the soreness lasts more than two days. The RICE treatments usually gets me back to running fairly quickly
When the ankle starts hurting when I first awake, I strive to treat it immediately, which often cures it for weeks before another episode. I doubt if it's due to overtraining as I've ran harder and longer last year at this time, plus I'm very cautious about increasing my mileage. Currently I have no pain whatsoever with my ankles, but will still be conservative with my mileage increases.