AM: 15+ miles moderate
I joined Liam, Joe, Jason, and Alicia at the soft-surface side of the ATT. This was the first tights morning of the year given the low-30s temperatures. I never got too warm, either. Winter is showing early signs of a pulse.
After starting conservatively, we picked up to near 6:00 pace at the turnaround of the out-and-back, coming in at 50:00 spot on. At that point it's sufficient to say that Liam got frisky. He pushed the pace, first taking us to 5:30s, and then to 5:20s, or so I'm told as I didn't take splits. I stuck on him for a while until I came to grips that running a 5-mile tempo at the end of a 15-miler the day after another 5-mile tempo was probably on the list of stupid ideas, so I shifted down a gear instead of shifting up.
I pulled back to run with Jason where we weren't exactly dogging it, hitting our last mile in 5:44. 6:13 average for 15.2 miles, with the second half averaging 5:51. Despite all of this, I never felt uncomfortable. Maybe another positive sign? Historically, my best fitness gains have come in the fall and winter. Perhaps that trend will continue this year. After a lackluster spring and summer, I hope so.
11.07.2010
November 6
AM: 5-mile tempo @ East Campus, 4:30 recovery jog, 8 x :30 on/off, 11 miles
I ran a solo workout for a 3-lap tempo around the rolling gravel dust East Campus loop. I kind of fell asleep in the second loop but pulled myself back together on the third. The East Campus trail is 1.67 miles, making for a perfect place for tempo distances in multiples of 5. Other than a light drizzle, the weather was cool and downright pleasant. After finishing the tempo in 26:51 (close to goal half-marathon pace), running a faster pace for the pickups at the end was refreshing, touching on some anaerobic stress toward the end. I left feeling like I could have done more. I interpret that as a positive sign.
Splits: 8:53, 9:04, 8:52
I ran a solo workout for a 3-lap tempo around the rolling gravel dust East Campus loop. I kind of fell asleep in the second loop but pulled myself back together on the third. The East Campus trail is 1.67 miles, making for a perfect place for tempo distances in multiples of 5. Other than a light drizzle, the weather was cool and downright pleasant. After finishing the tempo in 26:51 (close to goal half-marathon pace), running a faster pace for the pickups at the end was refreshing, touching on some anaerobic stress toward the end. I left feeling like I could have done more. I interpret that as a positive sign.
Splits: 8:53, 9:04, 8:52
11.06.2010
November 5
AM: 10 miles easy
PM: 4 miles easy
I ran easy again in the dark of the morning before my 8:00 class with Jason and Liam on campus and the WaDuke trail. After school, I went out with Valerie for a shake-out run. Earlier than day, she pointed me to an article on the Huffington Post: Are NYC Marathoners Athletes?
Personally, I think it's rubbish, even writing as one of those super-cool top-500 types that the author admits are OK to race. #501? Sorry, Remy Guerin of Canada. I don't care if you're 44 years old and still running 2:53 marathons. You missed the cut. I guess you're not an athlete.
I posted the link on Facebook, and it got some strong opinions. Rather than reinvent the wheel, I'll repost my take on it here because it makes for good discussion:
I have a lot of runners on facebook, so I posted it as provocative reading even though I don't agree with it. I'd have given it the dislike button if I could. It's hard, really hard at times, to juggle a career and try to run races on the side, no matter what your time goals are. To me, that's 100-times more difficult than the race itself. Most people who run, whether they're in the top 500 or the last 500, *like running* and can manage the discomfort of the event itself. The race and training isn't the hard part; that's the fun part.
Plus, without the 36,500, the top 500 that they wax poetic about wouldn't have a race to run, or even a sport to compete in or, if they're lucky enough, a career to pursue. There are a lot of other "non-revenue" sports that don't garner nearly as much attention as distance running does, especially the marathon. Moreover, it's one of the few sports (only sports?) where almost anyone can line up with the best in the world. The Olympics, Boston Marathon, and World Championships are the only events with any real exclusivity in the marathon.
There are a lot more reasons why the authors got this wrong. I haven't even addressed the money raised for charity or tourism revenue that 37,000 people (and their accompanying spectators) bring to the city. If marathons didn't make economic sense, then they wouldn't happen. But instead, they're more popular than ever. That same aforementioned exclusive race, Boston, sold out in *eight hours* this year. What this shows is that not only are there more people in the sport, but there are more *faster* people in the sport. If you, like the authors, take a truly an elitist perspective when it comes to marathoning, then you have to recognize this as a positive. A faster field will ultimately yield faster times and more competition at the top (emphasis added).
PM: 4 miles easy
I ran easy again in the dark of the morning before my 8:00 class with Jason and Liam on campus and the WaDuke trail. After school, I went out with Valerie for a shake-out run. Earlier than day, she pointed me to an article on the Huffington Post: Are NYC Marathoners Athletes?
Personally, I think it's rubbish, even writing as one of those super-cool top-500 types that the author admits are OK to race. #501? Sorry, Remy Guerin of Canada. I don't care if you're 44 years old and still running 2:53 marathons. You missed the cut. I guess you're not an athlete.
I posted the link on Facebook, and it got some strong opinions. Rather than reinvent the wheel, I'll repost my take on it here because it makes for good discussion:
I have a lot of runners on facebook, so I posted it as provocative reading even though I don't agree with it. I'd have given it the dislike button if I could. It's hard, really hard at times, to juggle a career and try to run races on the side, no matter what your time goals are. To me, that's 100-times more difficult than the race itself. Most people who run, whether they're in the top 500 or the last 500, *like running* and can manage the discomfort of the event itself. The race and training isn't the hard part; that's the fun part.
Plus, without the 36,500, the top 500 that they wax poetic about wouldn't have a race to run, or even a sport to compete in or, if they're lucky enough, a career to pursue. There are a lot of other "non-revenue" sports that don't garner nearly as much attention as distance running does, especially the marathon. Moreover, it's one of the few sports (only sports?) where almost anyone can line up with the best in the world. The Olympics, Boston Marathon, and World Championships are the only events with any real exclusivity in the marathon.
There are a lot more reasons why the authors got this wrong. I haven't even addressed the money raised for charity or tourism revenue that 37,000 people (and their accompanying spectators) bring to the city. If marathons didn't make economic sense, then they wouldn't happen. But instead, they're more popular than ever. That same aforementioned exclusive race, Boston, sold out in *eight hours* this year. What this shows is that not only are there more people in the sport, but there are more *faster* people in the sport. If you, like the authors, take a truly an elitist perspective when it comes to marathoning, then you have to recognize this as a positive. A faster field will ultimately yield faster times and more competition at the top (emphasis added).
November 3
AM: 16:00+ tempo, 3:00 jog recovery, 1.37 miles hard (~10k XC pace), 10+ miles
This was an interesting workout that Jason pulled from his days at UNC. George and I started in one direction on the WaDuke trail (a 2.91-mile gravel dust loop with rolling, sometimes rather steep, hills), while Liam and Jason went the other direction. Jason and I were on one team, while Liam and George were on the other. When each runner met his teammate in the middle, they slapped hands and reversed direction.
It was kind of hard to see because it was still dark in the morning, so I kept the first half controlled. I didn't end up catching George until the last, long hill to the parking lot, and he wasn't about to let me get ahead, pushing me all the way to the top.
The second rep went well also, with me chasing Liam for the second half, who finished about 5 seconds ahead of me. Plus, the sun rose at this point, so we could see a bit better. We started at the road, ran downhill to do a large fitness loop (a .8-mile branch off the side of the trail), finishing on the bridge. I hit 6:53, or right at 5:00 pace, feeling strong. I also got to try out a new pair of the Brooks Wire, which I can happily give two thumbs up to as an XC spike.
This was an interesting workout that Jason pulled from his days at UNC. George and I started in one direction on the WaDuke trail (a 2.91-mile gravel dust loop with rolling, sometimes rather steep, hills), while Liam and Jason went the other direction. Jason and I were on one team, while Liam and George were on the other. When each runner met his teammate in the middle, they slapped hands and reversed direction.
It was kind of hard to see because it was still dark in the morning, so I kept the first half controlled. I didn't end up catching George until the last, long hill to the parking lot, and he wasn't about to let me get ahead, pushing me all the way to the top.
The second rep went well also, with me chasing Liam for the second half, who finished about 5 seconds ahead of me. Plus, the sun rose at this point, so we could see a bit better. We started at the road, ran downhill to do a large fitness loop (a .8-mile branch off the side of the trail), finishing on the bridge. I hit 6:53, or right at 5:00 pace, feeling strong. I also got to try out a new pair of the Brooks Wire, which I can happily give two thumbs up to as an XC spike.
11.03.2010
November 2
PM: 8 miles easy, weights, core
Because of an early morning class, I couldn't get out until the late afternoon. I dropped my key at one point, but fortunately I realized it soon enough to turn around on the ATT to find it.
Also, I officially saw my first drug deal on the ATT. I've seen my share of illicit substances there, sure, but this was the first transaction I've witnessed right on the trail. Running by in half tights right during the exchange was unbelievably awkward, to say the least. I got a weird look.
Because of an early morning class, I couldn't get out until the late afternoon. I dropped my key at one point, but fortunately I realized it soon enough to turn around on the ATT to find it.
Also, I officially saw my first drug deal on the ATT. I've seen my share of illicit substances there, sure, but this was the first transaction I've witnessed right on the trail. Running by in half tights right during the exchange was unbelievably awkward, to say the least. I got a weird look.
November 1
AM: 11 miles easy
I met Liam, Reed, and Alan for a run through North Durham and then down through Forest Hills park. The warm weather we had last week is officially gone.
I met Liam, Reed, and Alan for a run through North Durham and then down through Forest Hills park. The warm weather we had last week is officially gone.
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