Week in Review

62 miles20 mins. ellip.4 AFDs2 snow daysI'm very pleased with this week. I added a few more miles from last week, completed two solid workouts and soldiered through a very snowy run at McAlpine. More importantly, my body has handled the additional stress remarkably well. I'm feeling strong and much closer to being fit than I have in a very long time. Next weekend's 5k at the Armory will be my first true test of fitness, and I'm both excited and anxious to see what these old legs can ...

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Slow and Sloppy McAlpine Run

76 mins. (9.5-10 miles)I met Jess at Old Bell for today's long-ish run, uncertain but hopeful about the trail's conditions. As it turned out, this run more or less sucked. The snow was several inches deep and too soft in most places to support our weight, which essentially meant we were sinking in and spinning our wheels for most of the run. There were several miles on the Footlocker course that weren't too bad (possibly because it was under tree cover and therefore didn't see as much precip hit the ground?), but overall this was a very slow and...

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Snow Day Shenanigans

6 milesThe winter storm we'd all been preparing for came to fruition last night and throughout the day today, blanketing the entire state with more ice and snow than it's seen in quite some time. That meant virtually every activity involving driving was canceled today, including the team's meet at Chapel Hill and my shift at Run For Your Life. Jordan and I planned to spend the day inside reading, watching movies, drinking cocoa and otherwise enjoying...

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Racing the Weather

2.5 mile w/u3 mile predator @ 17:52 (5:58, 5:59, 5:55)2.5 mile c/dTotal: 8 milesThe impending inclement weather was on everyone's minds this morning, so Jess and I planned to go to McAlpine for our workout immediately following her morning class. Though no precip was falling at the time, it wasn't much of a stretch to imagine what would unfold later in the day. Thick, low-lying clouds, temperatures in the low 40s and falling, and a stiff, blustery wind greeted us upon our arrival at Old Bell. There wasn't much dilly-dallying before beginning our...

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Twice in a Row

AM: 57 mins. (~8 miles)PM: 3 miles + strengthYup, you're reading the title correctly. For the second day in a row, we managed to drag ourselves out of bed and complete our entire run before the sun came up. I'm beginning to think we could actually make this into a weekly routine (but don't hold me to that just yet...baby steps). And I will say that while the whole "waking up" process still sucks, I've noticed that I have more energy throughout the day on the days I've gotten up early. During times when I expected to be tired and dragging, I've...

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6AM From the Dowd

AM: 52 mins. (7 miles)PM: 20 mins. ellip.20 mins. core + strengthLast night I set out my entire running costume for this morning, convinced it would make the 5:20 alarm slightly less painful. Believe it or not, my plan worked. That's not to say I bounded out of bed but there was definite progress from last week. The run itself was more enjoyable than last week as well, mostly because it didn't take six miles to get my legs under me. I still lagged toward the back of the group at the outset, but overall I think my body is growing accustomed to the...

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First Shape Cutting of 2010

AM: 3 milesPM: 2 mile w/uTarget: 12x400 w/90 sec. rest @~low 80sActual: 82, 82, 81, 80, 80, 80, 79, 79, 77, 75, 79, 772 mile c/dTotal: 7 milesWow, it's been a while since I've done any serious shape cutting. Four hundos are definitely not one of my favorite workouts, but since my foot speed is practically nonexistent they're a necessary evil. At any rate, due to a combination of many factors I ended up having to run this on my own, with Jenna standing by to call out a majority of the splits. Normally Jess and I would do this type of workout together...

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26 Gusting to 42

AM: 6 miles + strengthPM: 4 milesAs you've probably guessed, the title of my post refers to the wind speed in Charlotte today. Needless to say, my out-and-back along the bike path this afternoon was rather tough. The nice part about today's runs was that both of them were with Jordan, which is something that hasn't happened too much recently (mostly because I haven't doubled consistently since, oh, about July). It reminded me of living in Oklahoma last summer when we did virtually all of our runs together. I credit myself with helping Jordan stay...

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Week in Review

60 miles20 mins. elliptical5 AFDs10.5 laps at ETSUDefinitely another positive week, both in terms of mileage quantity and quality. I would've preferred to run a bit faster at the meet, but I'll take it as a step in the right direction. Now it's time to string together a few weeks of quality training before I give the 5k a go at the New Balance Invitation...

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Going the Extra Mile

73 mins. (10 miles)My day started when I awoke at 8:30 to Jordan standing over me and taunting, "I just ran 20 miles. What have you done today?" He's always showing off.When I did get around to running--10am practice with the team at McAlpine--it pretty much sucked. It was rainy, McAlpine was a soggy mess, and my legs were tired and confused and more than slightly put out about having to run the day after an unusually hard effort. If it weren't for Jenna and Jess to keep me company, I would've really been hating life. Instead my hatred was moderate...

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ETSU 3k

20 min. w/u + strides (2.5 miles)3k race @ 10:2324 min. c/d (3 miles)Total: 7.5 milesSo, let's focus on the positives. I won the race. I won my heat, which was the middle of three, but also ran faster than the other two heats, so technically I won overall. The second positive is that I negative split. I think I went through the mile in 5:34, then closed the final 1400m in 5:28 pace. Lastly, I felt very controlled and relaxed the entire time, never really straining for the pace.With that out of the way, let me say I'm fairly disappointed in my run....

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ETSU or Bust...Actually, Both

AM: 6 milesLate AM: 30 mins. yoga/coreThis morning I enjoyed a nice, relaxed 6-miler with Jordan before preparing to leave for the ETSU track meet. Last year the same meet (except it was a week later) served as my first ever indoor track experience; tomorrow it will just be a rust-buster and fitness check en route to a few (hopefully) fast 5ks in the coming weeks. I'm approaching the race with few expectations--after all, I've only been running consistently for about a month--and as such am free from any self-imposed nervousness and/or pressure....

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Rainy Double

AM: 55 mins. (7.5 miles)PM: 20 mins. (2.5 miles) + strengthRemember how earlier in the week I wished for the nice weather to stick around? Yeah, not so much. Today was rainy and cold and, even worse, windy. The morning run was tolerable, as we got out the door before the wet stuff really started coming down, but by afternoon the conditions were so miserable that I opted to run on the treadmill. I honestly can't remember the last time I've been on one of these contraptions, and after this afternoon's experience I know I haven't been missing much....

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Early Morning From the Dowd

AM: 52 mins. (7 miles)PM: 20 mins. ellip.20 mins. core/strengthLast night I made a half-hearted suggestion to Jordan that we try to get up in time for the Charlotte Running Club's Wednesday morning run. They meet at 6am at the Dowd YMCA, which is a mere 10 minute drive from our house, and jog it out through Dilworth and the surrounding neighborhoods for approximately an hour. Now many people who read this blog probably run at 6am all the time (and let's not even talk about my dad, who has already finished running, showering and eating his second...

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Fire On the Track

AM: 3 milesPM: 3 mile w/uTarget: 6x800 @~2:40-2:45Actual: 2:47, 2:45, 2:44, 2:43, 2:43, 2:381.5 mile c/dTotal: 7.5 milesI wish I could say my title was in reference to how fast I blazed these 800s, but that's not the case. I ran more or less the same pace as when I did this workout two weeks ago in Palm Springs. Not only that, but I felt worse today too. I'll attribute part of it to running this effort solo (Jess was supposed to join, but she's sick),...

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MLK Afternoon

AM: 3 milesPM: 44 mins. + strides + jogging around~7 milesThis afternoon Jordan and I enjoyed an easy run from the main entrance at McAlpine. We were supposed to meet the team, but they pulled a bait-and-switch and ended up parking at Boyce. Instead of running toward them we opted to just run the Footlocker course twice. As Jordan said in his blog, the park was packed with people and pets taking advantage of the holiday and the gorgeous 60-degree weather, so there was a fair amount of bobbing and weaving involved while navigating around others....

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Week in Review

57 miles1 hour 30 mins. elliptical6 AFDs2 workoutsA resounding improvement from last week. I'm feeling strong and slowly but surely increasing my fitness. Next week I'm planning on an early week workout followed by a "race" at the East Tennessee meet next weekend. I think I'm running the 3k, which should be a real treat for everyone considering how out of shape I am, but I'm surprisingly not dreading it too much.Onward and upwa...

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McAlpine Flooding

AM: 66 mins. (9 miles)PM: 20 mins. poolAnother Sunday, another long(ish) run from Old Bell. We're so predictable. Actually there was a bit of excitement before the run today, which Jordan has done a stellar job of recapping on his blog. And come to think of it, the run itself was slightly more exciting than usual due to the excessive flooding at the park. The weirs we normally cross were completely submerged, which meant we had no way of accessing the main park (where the Footlocker course is) from Old Bell without running off the path, up a dirt...

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Busy Saturday

AM: 30 mins. yoga/corePM: 41 mins. (5.5 miles)For the second weekend in a row, we had a pretty busy Saturday at Run For Your Life. By the end of the workday I was tired and grumpy (probably hungry too) and not super excited about running. The sky was darkening almost as quickly as my mood, and I knew that if Jordan and I didn't head out the door immediately it would be both too late and too rainy to salvage the evening. And so, away we went for a Freedom Park loop.I don't have much to report about this run except my legs were killing me. I attribute...

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Predatory Musings

AM: 30 mins. ellip + stretchingPM: 3 mile w/u3 mile predator in 18:17 (6:08, 6:09, 6:00)2 mile c/dTotal: 8 milesJordan and I left around 2 to meet the team for an early afternoon workout at McAlpine. I planned on doing a short, cautious predator run (oxymoron, right?) while Jordan had the world's longest workout on tap. Good thing he's fast so I wouldn't have to wait around for him all day. The best part about today's practice, in addition to it being much earlier than normal, was the absolutely gorgeous weather. I swear the temperature was almost...

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Like Sands Through The Hourglass...

AM: 20 mins. (2.5 miles) + StretchingPM: 48 mins. (6.5 miles)It's hard to believe that today marks the one year anniversary of my move to Charlotte. In some ways it seems like just yesterday Jeff and I were heaving my futon mattress over the balcony of my Atlanta apartment and loading up his truck with the remainder of my belongings. Yet so much has happened in the past year that it almost feels as though it were a lifetime ago. A few things I've done in the past 365 days include: ran my first indoor and outdoor track seasons; got injured, then...

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Recovery Day

AM: 30 mins. ellip.PM: 64 mins. (8.5-9 miles)I saved the run until after work, when temperatures were warmer and I knew Jordan would be game for joining. We embarked on a loop that he does fairly often and incorporates the greenway, Freedom Park, the Booty Loop, and the surrounding Myers Park neighborhoods. Not much to report other than my legs felt pretty tired and I could tell I was running slowly. Oh we...

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Running Late

AM: 3 milesPM: 20 min. w/u (3 miles)Target: 3x1200 @ ~6:00 pace or faster (4:30)Actual: 4:24, 4:17, 4:13CD #1: ~1 mileCD #2: ~1 mileTotal: ~7.5 milesYesterday Coach Simmons suggested I do a light threshold workout today if I was feeling good, and I was eager to meet the challenge. As we seem to be in the habit of doing lately, Jordan and I had devised an unnecessarily complicated workout schedule; I planned to meet the team at McAlpine at 4:30, but Jordan wanted to join a few Charlotte Running Club peeps at JC Smith for a track workout at 6. In...

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McAlpine Monday

AM: 30 mins. ellip.10 mins. stretching2x20 water pump extensions=80PM: 44 mins. (6 miles)10 mins. stretching, water pumpsI felt absolutely great on the afternoon run today. Despite arriving late to McAlpine and having to play catch-up (thanks to Jordan, of course), it only took a few minutes for my leg to warm up and feel normal. Just after the first mile marker, Jordan and I ran up on a guy wearing a pair of Karhus. Needless to say, Jordan was pretty excited, and I would wager that this marked the first time ever that three people were running...

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Week in Review

33 miles2 hours 45 mins. ellip.1 day off4 airportsWell obviously this week was a bust compared to last week. I'm chalking it up to a combination of the lost travel day and the unseasonably cold weather. The week was bookended with a solid workout on Monday and two really fun weekend runs, so all hope is not lost. The primary goal for next week is to get in some solid mileage without compromising the condition of my leg. A secondary goal would be getting in another workout, ideally a tempo or progression run. We'll s...

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Will Run For Breakfast

AM: 55 mins. (~8 miles)10 mins. stretchingIt took several attempts, but sometime around midnight last night we concocted a plan for this morning's runs. The problem was that Jordan wanted to meet a few fellow Thunder Roadies at Old Bell at 8am for an uptempo long run, but Jenna wasn't really interested in meeting me much earlier than 10. Since Jordan and I only have one vehicle between us, this called for some compromise. The group finally agreed on Proposition 3C: I would take Jordan to Old Bell at 8 to drop him off, then return at 10 to meet...

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Saturday Night Skyline Run

AM: 30 mins. core/yoga10 mins. stretchingPM: 46 mins. (6 miles)Whether due to New Year's resolutions, an influx of gift cards, or some other unrelated cause, business was booming at Run For Your Life this afternoon. We were packed with customers well past closing time, which meant I didn't get out the door until after 5:30. Normally I wouldn't mind, but I'd hoped to both run and go feed Coach Simmons' dogs (whom I'm watching all weekend while he's...

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Way Too Cold

Friday, 1/8AM: 50 mins. ellip.PM: 30 mins. ellip. + stretches2x20 water pump extensions=80Thursday, 1/7AM: 45 mins. ellip. + stretchesPM: ~1 mile run, 1 mile walkIt is with a heavy heart that I inform my loyal readers I've had to take a few days off from pounding the pavement. Simply put, this weather ("cold" doesn't do it justice) is absolutely terrible for my shin/leg issue. I left California feeling great and am now reduced to hobbling around every time I attempt to run. I started what I'd hoped would be a delightful evening run with Jordan...

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Belated Title

Tuesday, 1/5: OffWednesday, 1/6AM: 51 mins. (7 miles)ChiroPM: 3 miles15 mins. core/stretchingTuesday was completely off due to travel. Jordan and I tried to fit in some extra credit, rising before 5am to hit up the fitness center, but turns out the doors don't unlock until 6. Not cool. Approximately 12 hours later we found ourselves touching down in Charlotte and being accosted by the bitterly cold temperatures. Remind me why we left California??Wednesday morning I met Jenna at McAlpine for a nice catch-up jog. I haven't seen her in almost three...

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Palm Springs High School Workout

AM: 30 mins. ellip.15 mins. core/stretchingPM: 20 min. w/u (2.5 miles)Target: 6x800 @2:45 w/2:30 restActual: 2:46, 2:47, 2:44, 2:44, 2:42, 2:3716 min. c/d (2 miles)Total: 7.5-8 milesWon't be seeing these again for a while...Well, kids, we've pretty much reached the end of the line. Tomorrow morning we depart our desert paradise and return to the frigid and barren tundra that is Charlotte. With that in mind, Jordan and I couldn't think of a better...

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Week in Review

59 miles60 mins. elliptical6 days in San Diego3 successful Upas runsI've neglected the Week in Review for the past month or so because, well, I kind of forgot. Besides, there wasn't anything exciting to write about. But without question, I couldn't have asked for a better week than this one to bid farewell to 2009 and usher in 2010. Sixty miles isn't much to brag about when I'm actually fit, but it's certainly more than I've been able to do in many months. Thursday's respectable workout lifted my spirits by proving that I'm not as hopeless of a...

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Upas Loop Encore

AM: 60 mins.8+ milesPM: 15 mins. ellip.For our last morning in San Diego, Jordan and I were once again greeted by warm sun and clear blue skies. In light of the rest of the country suffering a severe cold snap, I'm equal parts appreciative of our mild conditions and dreading the return to Charlotte in a few short days.We planned to run what I now refer to as the "Upas Loop," or, inexplicably, the "Oompa Loompa" (because it sort of sounds the same...

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Touring the Harbor

AM: 60 mins. (8+ miles)PM: 28 mins. (3.5+ miles)Yesterday I was shaking my head ruefully and commenting about how much different you can feel from one day to the next. Today I was saying the same thing, but in a positive way. Looks like the afternoon/evening of rest and relaxation last night--combined with a few hits of ibuprofen and some of Jordan's newfangled healing techniques--did just the trick, as my leg (and entire body) felt dandy on this...

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Hobbling Into 2010

AM: 45 mins.~6 milesPM: 25 mins. yoga/coreWell, I must admit that my first run of 2010 wasn't nearly as glorious as my final run of 2009. Instead of feeling fast, light and strong like I did yesterday, today I felt stiff, awkward and hobbly. I barely made it around two loops of the upper section of Balboa Park without Jordan falling asleep, not to mention that my leg never really warmed up or felt normal. I'd harbored grand intentions of doubling...

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