Music

Daily Quote: "I decided to download my new CDs in their entirety. 'What's Going On' (by Marvin Gaye) is more than the sum of its parts. The songs literally flow together, and so it's butchery to separate them. The new Animal Collective album, 'Merriweather Post Pavilion' is a similar listening experience. For others, like the new Dave Matthews or the most recent Beck, my new approach means that I hear the entire album instead of just a few selected songs." --Tamara Rice Lave, Running Times Magazine, article, "My New Running Partner," October 2009, pg 16.

I don't own any of those fancy Ipod or MP3 toys, I still have my old Sony Walkman CD Player that I listen to when I'm on the treadmill. The old player doesn't have a shuffle mode or thousands of stored songs, but my local library has hundreds of CDs to checkout and currently I'm listening to these three CDs this week:

• "Hot Rats," by Frank Zappa.
• "As Far As I Can See," by The Zombies. (Colin Blunstone and Rod Argent)
• "Living With War," by Neil Young.

Today is a Lactate Threshold Run, but since this is a Recovery Week, when I reduce the volume (mileage) and maintain intensity, it'll only be 5 miles instead of last week's 9 miles.

8:00 a.m. Lactate Threshold Workout. 5 miles. 24 Hour Fitness at Rainbow and Alta. Life Fitness Treadmill set at a 1% grade. 1 mile warmup at 6.1 mph (9:50 minute miles.) 3 miles at 7.6 mph (7:54 minute miles.) 1 mile cooldown at 6.1 mph (9:50 minute miles.) Average heart rate, 156 bpm. Cardiac drift, 179 bpm. Shoes: New Balance 720.

Body feels great! I hungered for more, and was difficult to stick with my cut-back plan, this hunger is a good sign that I'm not overtrained.

SUMMARY, AUGUST 24-30, 2009

Daily Quote: "Some runners are more prone to injury than others. Certainly the more biomechanically sound a runner is, the less the chance of overuse injuries. The more weight the runner is carrying, the greater the chance of overuse injuries; the repeated impacts on the feet and legs are made more serious by the additional pounds being supported. Age and sex can also be a factor in dealing with running injuries. Older runners are more prone to injuries, since bones gradually become more prone to injuries, since bones gradually become more brittle and the joints and connecting tissues less flexible. The wider pelvis of a woman causes a more radical angle of impact to the ground when running; as a result, women are more susceptible to certain leg and hip problems than men." --Richard Benyo, from his book, "Making the Marathon Your Event."

I'm fortunate not to have many injuries since I started running in 1999. The worst injury I've had would be my plantar fasciitis injury in 2003 that took eight months to heal. I've had a non-running related knee injury when a passenger had accidentally bumped it during 2008, but thankfully wasn't too serious. I've had the typical soreness, like this year's right ankle and my right shoulder, but overall, I've been pretty lucky and plan to train smart enough as to stay healthy and fit for the "2009 RNR Las Vegas Marathon."

SUMMARY, AUGUST 24-30, 2009

Finished my third week of marathon training with a total of 63 miles, which is my highest weekly mileage this year! I've continued my running streak and haven't had a day without running since February 14th. Next week is my scheduled Recovery Week, where I cut-back on my mileage, but maintain the intensity. Only 14 weeks until the 2009 RNR Las Vegas Marathon!

The big news this week is that I have finally reached my racing goal weight of 170 pounds on my six foot frame!! Of course, I'm never satisfied and now plan on reaching 165 pounds for my upcoming marathon, I haven't been less than 170 pounds since the early 1970's.

I accomplished only two weight circuit sessions last week. I won't return to three sessions until after my marathon as it's just too difficult to find the time and energy to squeeze more into my routine.

My sleeping patterns have been very good, which has been a struggle due to the extra mileage, nevertheless this year I won't sacrifice sleep so I can run more. Last year I did doubles (ran twice a day), but this year I plan on not doing any doubles nor have any 100 mile weeks. As stated in the above paragraph, I'll only be doing two weight circuit sessions per week until after the marathon. This year's plan is less mileage and more emphasis on quality runs. My morning heart rates have been the usual, approximately 38-41 bpm.

A short recap of last week's training:
Monday: Lactate Threshold Workout. 9 miles.
Tuesday: Recovery Run, 5 miles. Weight Circuit Training.
Wednesday: Long Run, 19 miles.
Thursday: Recovery Run, 5 miles.
Friday: Recovery Run, 6 miles. Weight Circuit Training.
Saturday: Medium-long Run, 13 miles.
Sunday: Recovery Run, 6 miles.
Total Weekly Mileage: 63 miles.

Excessive Heat Warning

Daily Quote: "When I decided to return to running at age thirty in 1977, I was carrying 207 pounds on a 6-foot frame, compared to an ideal weight of 154-170. Obviously, I had my work cut out for me. Psychologically, I could not face running while weighting more than 200 pounds, so I embarked on a weight-loss program. I cut out the Roy Rogers roast beef sandwich, large fries, and chocolate milkshake at lunch and instead ate an apple and took a 2-mile walk. It took nearly two months to drop to 199 pounds, but the day I did, I began my running program: a slow lumber twice around the block. A year from the day I started running regularly, I weighed 162." --Richard Benyo, in his book, "Making the Marathon Your Event."

Appears I'll be spending another week on the treadmill training for the 2009 RNR Las Vegas Marathon, today's weather is typical of what I'll be facing throughout next week:

An excessive heat warning is in effect from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. as temperatures are expected to reach 108 in parts of the Las Vegas Valley, the National Weather Service said. Friday's high of 109 was one degree short of the record set in 1944.

Today is my scheduled Medium-Long, Progressive, Run.

8:00 a.m. Medium-Long Run, Progressive. 13 miles. Time, 1:58. 24 Hour Fitness at Rainbow and Alta. Life Fitness Treadmill set at a 1% grade. 6 miles at 6.5 mph (9:14 minute miles), last 7 miles at 6.6 mph (9:06 minute miles). Average heart rate: 150 bpm. Cardiac Drift: 157 bpm. (Note: my maximum heart rate is 190 bpm) Shoes: Nike Air Structures.

Body felt very strong and could easily have ran faster! No aches nor pain, even my temperamental right ankle didn't ache.. Next week is a Recovery or Cut-back week and plan on running 10 miles, but at the same intensity.

19 Miles!!

Daily Quote: "Every athlete has a best racing weight which should be elucidated by trial and error. But the starting point for this is to aim for 10 per cent below the average weight for height. It is a long-established fallacy that because one runs every day one cannot be overweight for competition. We require about 2500 calories a day to exist, and if we run 10 miles a day at a steady pace (able to converse while running) we will burn and require a further 1000 calories. Thus if we consume 5000 calories a day, say, we are in the process of putting on weight! What's more, if we are big fat-content eaters we can even develop a paunch." --Frank Horwill, "Peak Performance" newsletter.

I've reached my racing weight goal of 170 pounds, and now plan to lower my weight to 165 pounds, which will be my lowest weight since the 1970's!! I wonder if I still have any old Disco clothes left in my closet?

Today's plan is to run my longest run this year, a 19 Miler!

8:00 a.m. Long Run, Progressive. 24 Hour Fitness, Rainbow & Alta. Life Fitness Treadmill set at a 1% grade. Time, 2:53. Overall pace, 9:06 minute miles. First four miles at 6.4 mph (9:22 minute miles), four miles at 6.5 mph (9:14 minute miles), four miles at 6.6 mph (9:06 minute miles), four miles at 6.7 mph (8:57 minute miles), and the last three miles was at 6.8 mph (8:49 minute miles). Average heart rate 156 bpm. Cardiac drift, 162 bpm. (Note: my maximum heart rate is 190 bpm) Shoes: Nike Air Structures.

My right ankle is slightly sore, but overall my body is fine. My average heart rate is a little high for a long training run that should improve over the next 15 weeks. Thankfully next week is a cut-back or recovery week when I cut back on volume, but keep the intensity the same. Next Wednesday my long run will only be 15 miles.

170 Pounds!!

Daily Quote: "No man six feet tall and weighing 176lbs (79.8kg) will ever win the London Marathon, and it is unlikely that a woman five feet six inches in height and weighing 130lbs (58.9kg) will ever do so either. Why? To answer this we must consult Dr Stillman's height/weight ratio table. He fixes the non-active man's average weight for height with a simple formula. He allocates 110lbs (56.2kg) for the first five feet (1.524m) in height and 5 1/2lbs (2.296kg) for every inch (0.025m) thereafter. He is harsher with women, giving them 100lbs (45.3kg) for the first five feet and 5lbs (2.268kg) for every inch above this. --Frank Horwill, "Peak Performance" newsletter.

I have now reached my marathon weight goal of 170 pounds!

Thus, the above quote means that my non-active average weight is: 6 feet tall (1.829m) would be allocated 110lbs (50kg) plus 12 x 5½lbs (2.495kg), which comes to 176 lbs. BUT, since I'm an active runner what would be my ideal racing weight?

According to Frank Horwill, "These allocations are considered healthy guidelines for non-active people. However, a distance runner needs to weigh less, about 5 to 10 per cent less. This makes our 6 foot tall male requiring to be 8 to 17 lbs less than his 176 1bs, around 168 lbs to 159 lbs. And our female of 5ft 6ins should be around 6 lbs to 13lbs less, around 124 lbs to 117 lbs."

My achieving two Boston Qualifiers have given me a rough estimate on what my marathon weight should be. My last two Las Vegas Marathons were Boston Qualifiers and my weight was at 171 and 170 pounds respectively, hence, 170 pounds has been my marathon racing goal weight ever since. I now wonder if I should lose even more weight?!? I remember reading where Dr. Sheehan stated that the ideal marathon racing weight would be around two pounds for every inch...that would mean at my 72 inches I should weigh 144 pounds!! Perhaps within the next 15 weeks I could reach 165 pounds without losing strength in the process?

Today is my Recovery Run.

8:30 a.m. Recovery Run. 5 miles. Time, 49:10 minutes. Overall pace, 9:50 minute miles. 24 Hour Fitness at Alta and Rainbow. Life Fitness Treadmill set at a 1% grade, 6.1 mph. Average heart rate 139 bpm. Cardiac drift 145 bpm. (Note, my maximum heart rate is 190 bpm.) Shoes. New Balance 720.

My average heart rate is a little too low even for a recovery run, and considering raising my next recovery run speed to 6.2 mph (9:40 minute miles). I feel well rested and tomorrow I'll be attempting my first 19 miler of the year!

Lactate Threshold Run

Daily Quote: "Lactate threshold training should be run at close to the pace that your currently race for 1 hour. For serious marathoners, this is generally 15k to half marathon race pace. Slower runners should run closer to 15k race pace on tempo runs; faster runners should run closer to half marathon race pace. This should be the intensity at which lactate is just starting to accumulate in your muscles and blood." --Pete Pfitzinger and Scott Douglas in the excellent book, "Advanced Marathoning."

I prefer doing my speedwork on Monday morning as I can get to bed earlier on Sunday night and with a relaxing Sunday can prepare mentally for a harder than usual workout for Monday.

8:00 a.m. Lactate Threshold Workout. 9 miles. 24 Hour Fitness at Rainbow and Alta. Life Fitness Treadmill set at a 1% grade. 2 mile warmup at 6.1 mph (9:50 minute miles.) 4 miles at 7.6 mph (7:54 minute miles.) 3 mile cooldown at 6.1 mph (9:50 minute miles.) Average heart rate, 156 bpm. Cardiac drift, 179 bpm. Shoes: New Balance 720.

Felt great to run much faster than my usual paces, felt hard, but could have run even faster. Depending how my body feels, I may increase my speed to 7.7 mph (7.48 minute miles) next week. I might be running faster with less effort as I'm now lighter, I'm currently 171 pounds...wonder how I would feel at 165 pounds?

SUMMARY: AUGUST 17-23, 2009

Daily Quote: "Bite off small chunks. Over a few years, you can double or triple your mileage, but increasing mileage too much at once is almost certain to lead to injury or overtiredness. Unfortunately, there's no scientific evidence indicating how much is safe to increase at one time. A commonly used, but unvalidated, rule of thumb is to increase mileage by no more than 1 mile for each training session that you run per week. For example, if you run six times per week, you would increase your mileage by up to 6 miles per week." --Pete Pfitzinger & Scott Douglas from their excellent book, "Advanced Marathoning."


SUMMARY: AUGUST 17-23, 2009

Finished my second week of marathon training with a total of 61 miles, which is my highest weekly mileage this year! I've added a Lactate Threshold Run into my routine and will continue to have one hard speed drill per week. I've continued my running streak and haven't had a day without running since February 14th. Only 15 weeks until the "2009 RNR Las Vegas Marathon!!"

I've lost another pound last week and I'm now 171 pounds on a six foot frame! My racing weight is 170 pounds and only need to lose one more pound before the marathon...geez, can I lose another pound and maintain my race weight within the next 15 weeks?!?

I accomplished three weight circuit sessions last week! As my marathon training mileage and intensity increases it's getting more difficult to find the time and energy to squeeze in the weight training. Starting next week I'll be only doing two weight sessions per week throughout the duration of my marathon training.

My sleeping patterns have been very good, which has been a struggle due to the extra mileage, nevertheless this year I won't sacrifice sleep so I can run more. Last year I did doubles (ran twice a day), but this year I plan on not doing any doubles nor have any 100 mile weeks. This year's plan is less mileage and more emphasis on quality runs. My morning heart rates have been the usual, approximately 38-41 bpm.

I've been blogging less due to marathon training, but hope to as least post my key workouts and week summaries throughout the next 15 weeks.

A short recap of last week's training:
Monday: Lactate Threshold Run, 9 miles.
Tuesday: Recovery Run, 6 miles. Weight Circuit Training.
Wednesday: Long Run, 18 miles.
Thursday: Recovery Run, 5 miles. Weight Circuit Training.
Friday: Recovery Run, 6 miles.
Saturday: Medium-Long Run, 11 miles.
Sunday: Recovery Run, 6 miles. Weight Circuit Training.
Total Weekly Mileage: 61 miles.