Mileage Reporting 42nd week of 2014

Most excellent 6 mile run a 5:00 am. 61 deg. f. 63 % rh.
I also love running in the dark.
I also like the lack of people and traffic. (very nice)

Some of my favorite runs were starting in the dark and watching the sun rise towards the end on a longer run.
If I recall correctly, you (and Sced) were a big influence on me last summer when I got curious about early morning running.

That said, today I forwent the early morning run in order to run down by the river in a few hours and enjoy the autumn leaves, which are reaching peak color. I woke up with this song in my head:

"The falling leaves drift by the window
The autumn leaves of red and gold
I see your lips, the summer kisses
The sunburned hand I used to hold

Since you went away the days grow long
And soon I'll hear old winter's song
But I miss you most of all, my darling
When autumn leaves start to fall

I see your lips, the summer kisses
The sunburned hand I used to hold

Since you went away the days grow long
And soon I'll hear old winter's song
But I miss you most of all, my darling
When autumn leaves start to fall"
It's one of the first songs I learned to walk a bass line under.

72F on yesterday's run home!

A couple of miles here and there every day, some weights here and there. Hectic week. Allergies getting to be too much. I love the warm windy days, but it's blowing around something my system finds wicked.

BTW, should someone tell Sced we're over in this week now?
This one was made last year, so the gravel is very sharp. Also since it is bound, the gravel does not move as you step on it making the surface much more punishing than a typical gravel road.

I've only run on gravel a few times, but I agree, it's a lot easier than rough chip-n-seal. We have some mild chipseal around here though, and it's not too bad, kind of therapeutic for a half mile or so, then it gets annoying.

To round out Wednesday's activities, which still included innumerable stair repeats and household squats . . .
Just curious, how are you squatting around the house? I recently began squatting at my sit-stand(-squat) desk, and it helps a lot in keeping me loose. Maybe I should be squatting more at home as well?
 
Don't wake up sced. She gets grumpy if she does not get enough beauty sleep. ;) Got a few runs in this week, 3 of about 5k in length but none in winter challenge range. Summer showed up again in winterpeg. Supposed to drop to 0C again tonight so I should be able to post some winter miles this weekend. I sure hope that the geese who decided to stop in town on their south leave soon. I'm tired of running in goose poop. It is now impossible to avoid on the paths and grass that I run on. Had to start leaving a bucket of water outside so I can rinse my feet before going into the house. :mad:
 
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Just curious, how are you squatting around the house? I recently began squatting at my sit-stand(-squat) desk, and it helps a lot in keeping me loose. Maybe I should be squatting more at home as well?

Just giving myself credit for extensive up and down movements around the house with this project. :D Since I am very conscious of good body mechanics, a lot of those movements closely resemble the "official" squat, and particularly useful ones, at that.
 
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Don't wake up sced. She gets grumpy if she does not get enough beauty sleep. ;) Got a few runs in this week, 3 of about 5k in length but none in winter challenge range. Summer showed up again in winterpeg. Supposed to drop to 0C again tonight so I should be able to post some winter miles this weekend. I sure hope that the geese who decided to stop in town on their south leave soon. I'm tired of running in goose poop. It is now impossible to avoid on the paths and grass that I run on. Had to start leaving a bucket of water outside so I can rinse my feet before going into the house. :mad:

Do any of them chase you down? I had a few get aggressive with me this year around my ponds, but that was in the spring when they had babies.
 
Do any of them chase you down? I had a few get aggressive with me this year around my ponds, but that was in the spring when they had babies.

I've got my dog with me usually so if they get stubborn I just tell to him "go get them". 2 weeks ago I was taking my grandson for a walk and witnessed 2 geese fighting. They are very vicious when they are cranky. One had the other by the neck with his beak and was not letting go. I almost had a goose for dinner but I felt sorry for the loser. I sent my dog in to break up the fight. :)
 
I've got my dog with me usually so if they get stubborn I just tell to him "go get them". 2 weeks ago I was taking my grandson for a walk and witnessed 2 geese fighting. They are very vicious when they are cranky. One had the other by the neck with his beak and was not letting go. I almost had a goose for dinner but I felt sorry for the loser. I sent my dog in to break up the fight. :)
I think TJ had goose for dinner a few years back, I think she used bread to kill it;)
 
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Last couple days here before the marathon on Sunday. I worked mon-wed and no runs in then, and since it was a dayshift about all I could do was a few flights of stairs now and then. Wednesday was a rough one... had extra 2hr training class after work which makes an already long day far too long. Got up at 4am to get ready for work, and got back home at 9pm from work. :dead: This would have been my 'hell week'... 3 12hr dayshifts, 1 day off, then 3 12hr nightshift, but I took off my nightshifts for the marathon. That gave me a nice wed-sun off, but cost me 36hrs of vacation for what would have been a normal day off for most people! The following week is usually thur-sun but... 2 more days of a drill (tues, wed) at least only 8hr days. Had I not taken off my nights for the race, I'd have had a 74 hour week followed by a 64 hour week (including flipping to nights and back to days in there too). But anyhow, at least I'm getting decent sleep and up and about and not stuck in a chair for 12hrs right prior to the race.

Wednesday did 6.25mi, worked it up to my marathon pace for about 4 of those miles.
Thursday did 3.8mi, just a very easy 10min+ pace
Tomorrow I'll shoot for a super easy 2mi or so

Some bad news though... as I figured... forecasted temps keep dropping for Sunday morning. A couple days ago it was saying low 40's. I can handle that. I even purposely did a couple early morning runs on cold days to try to get my feet winterized. However coldest we had was 41F so far that I could run. Now forecasted temp at race start is mid 30's :nailbiting: dangit. Patches of frost between 7 and 8am (race start 7:30). :sour: Depends what website you read but the most favorable one is only 38, while the NWS is 35. It was somewhere around there last year... and my feet went numb for a long while... but ended up ok. So think I'll be ok if it doesn’t drop even more. Just one day sooner and it would have been around 50! Its going to be the coldest morning yet this fall. I need to find an earlier marathon! This one is just local for me though, in fact I can see the start/finish line out the window from my work, and have a parking spot in the garage, bathrooms, and indoor warmup and stretching area waiting for me. :D I'm going to end up wearing slippers and sweatpants to the starting line I think.

Not sure if I'll even try to beat the pace of my first marathon last year. My training hasn't been as good, though I do have more experience now under my belt. The one 24 miler I did I felt strong and had much lower heart rate than last year, and ran almost half of it a little faster than my marathon pace. But I was sore and in some pain the next day... couple few days. I know the marathon hurt last year, and my recent 24 miler did, so pretty sure this one will too. Because of that I'm not going to push too hard. Still like to target what I did last year, but I'll save really pushing it for another year.
 
Friday - 24 shod miles. My Ultra training has been short on back to back runs, so I thought this would be a good time to get one in. This time I stayed on the pavement following Hwy. 101 into Carlsbad and then joining on to their marathon course to the south and then an out and back to the east. I am registered for that marathon in January and have no idea on foot ware or lack of yet. I think it would be mostly barefoot friendly with white line options or sidewalk on a few rougher sections of pavement, but I am leaning towards doing it in at least sandals. I started off the run way too fast, I was surprised how well I felt considering the 20 miles yesterday, a day in the sun, getting pounded by waves, and the extra beer consumption. Ran with an Ultra runner for a couple of miles. From Utah and has done the Zion 100 twice and is familiar with the Ultra Adventure races. What are the odds? Especially finding one running on pavement. First 8 miles were sub 8mm pace. Way too fast and I slowed it down going up some hills too the east. Middle 8 miles went great. Last 8 were a little tough with the heat and humidity, but I finished the run in 3:30. Now I am thinking a sub 4 hour marathon is an obtainable goal in January.

For some reason I ended up with two huge blisters on my feet. I haven't had a blister in at least a year. Was it the sand the day before, or the faster shod pace? I was trying some homemade cork foot beds in the shoes, but I ran a fast 9 miles with no problems the week before. The extra humidity and sweaty feet? The back to back run? Not too concerned, the skin will just get tougher.

Hey Tristan, have a great marathon. I think you will be fine with the cold start, especially if the sun will come out.
 
5km run around the Wetlands. No clock. No HRM. Just slow running (and walking.) Surprised to still finish in 35 mins. It seems that if I push harder I just end up walking for longer. 15-16C, so can't count for the Winter Challenge :(
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Last couple days here

Now forecasted temp at race start is mid 30's :nailbiting: dangit. Patches of frost between 7 and 8am (race start 7:30). :sour:

Not sure if I'll even try to beat the pace of my first marathon last year. My training hasn't been as good, though I do have more experience now under my belt. The one 24 miler I did I felt strong and had much lower heart rate than last year, and ran almost half of it a little faster than my marathon pace. But I was sore and in some pain the next day... couple few days. I know the marathon hurt last year, and my recent 24 miler did, so pretty sure this one will too. Because of that I'm not going to push too hard. Still like to target what I did last year, but I'll save really pushing it for another year.

That is quite the work schedule! Sounds like you definitely do want to keep your feet warm before the race. And it does sound like you should not go into it "pushing" to a certain pace. However, if you relax, you might be surprised at the end and also feel better for it. I went for my first post marathon run today. Just 2.25 miles, which felt super easy at first, but into the second mile the thigh muscles sent a message that they would like me to take it pretty easy for a few more days. :) 40°F, too, which was dry, but still colder than I have been used to and the feet never really got warm.
 
5km run around the Wetlands. No clock. No HRM. Just slow running (and walking.) Surprised to still finish in 35 mins. It seems that if I push harder I just end up walking for longer. 15-16C, so can't count for the Winter Challenge :(
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Sometimes it seems that the less I 'try' the faster I go!

Ken Bob's mantra of "Relax, relax, relax" really does work!
 
Ok, so before I get confused again, this week I ran a couple of miles most days, but not yesterday.
This morning (late) I made up a new route around the area, about 5-6 ish. Really pretty fall weather and trees. Even went past a spooky old cemetery. A few well placed hills. Then back to work and errands and Saturday stuff.
 
It turned out that I really needed the rest...my feet were too tender from last week. So this week ended up with only 2 runs, still with a total of 30km/18.6mi. Spring is back, and looking like we have a glorious week ahead.

Early november I will be in Singapore for a course. It will be interesting to see if I get arrested for running barefoot in the streets ! :rolleyes: