My asics arrived today in time for my workout at the track. On the schedule, 5×800s with 400 recovery. Once again, I did a mile warm up across the street into Veterans park. My target pace for the 800s was 3:18. My splits were close: 3:17, 3:18, 3:17, 3:16, 3:13. I jogged the recovery intervals. I ran the mile cool down in the park. It’s too early to tell, but I like my Speedstar IIIs so far.
5.75 mile total.
The good thing about hills is that what goes up usually goes back down. My run yesterday included a hill around mile two. I checked my watch at the top of the hill, which was coincidentally the half mile split. My time for the 1/2 mile was 4:24. When I reached the bottom of the hill and saw my mile split — 7:45, I realized that the down hill must have helped me a little. My second 1/2 mile time was 3:21.
My legs are sore today.
I ran for fun in college. After I graduated, I ran less and less and eventually I stopped running all together. After a 10 year break, I started again in 2004. Today is my four year anniversary of my return to running. Since then I logged 3000+ miles and clocked 16 days, 12 hours, 21 minutes, 42 seconds of running. I feel very fortunate.
Run for the Fallen — Beginning Flag Day on June 14, 2008, a dedicated team of runners has run across America from Fort Irwin, CA to Arlington National Cemetery, one mile for every Soldier, Sailor, Airmen, and Marine killed in Operation Iraqi Freedom. For ten weeks, team members have marked each mile with an American flag and signcard in an apolitical reflection of remembrance of each service member.
Run for the Fallen will finish its apolitical memorial run just outside Arlington National Cemetery today, Sunday, August 24, 2008. It is on this day that we run together in honor of all service members killed in both Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. Final day event info can be found here. Runners are encouraged to run with a group or run on a mile on your own. Dedicate a mile. If you’ve already run, stop a moment and think about the sacrifices that have been made.
Prior to my Sunday run, I did a search on the iCasualties: Coalition Casualty Count web site and made a list. I chose 5 servicemen from places near to my heart. Then, I ran 5 miles at Etra Park. At each mile split, I stopped and looked at the list and ran that mile thinking about them, the city where they were from and the family that misses them.
Thanks to Redhead fangirl for telling me about the Run for the Fallen a couple of weeks ago and for reminding me that today was the final day.
Mile 1:
Juan Guadalupe Garza Jr., 20
4/8/2003
Temperance, Michigan
Private 1st Class, USMC
Mile 2:
Eric R. Wilkus, 25
12/25/2006
Hamilton, New Jersey
Private, U.S. Army
Mile 3:
John J. Young, 24
9/21/2007
Savannah, Georgia
Specialist, U.S. Army
Mile 4:
Curtis T. Howard II, 32
2/22/2006
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army
Mile 5:
Evan A. Marshall, 21
1/28/2008
Athens, Georgia
Specialist, U.S. Army
My scheduled tempo run was 1 mile easy, 2 miles at 7:25 pace, 1 mile easy. Mile 1 was 9 minutes. Miles 2/3 were in 14:57 which was close to the 7:25 pace. I realized after the fact that I actually ran 2.18 miles so my pace was too fast @ 6:58/mile. Mile 4 was 10 minutes even. By then I was overheated and tired. The redhead and I had dinner and then we went for a walk at Veterans Park. The dog park was jumping. We had fun watching all the dogs running around. We saw versions of dogs that we know: Aussie, Blue, Coco & Pippin.
Time to watch some Olympics.
My training plan post brought up the question of whether to use a training plan or not? Personally, I think that it depends on the individual. If someone opts for a plan, it’s important to find one that fits their schedule/needs/abilities.
Does anyone have advice for Bill? His comment is below:
Comment by Bill on Aug 21, 2008
Just curious, am I the only one who just runs without abiding by a bonafide routine? I mean I know that failing to plan is planning to fail but I could never be bothered with this approach or that one. I just run for as long, hard and often as my body tells me to. Sometimes that’s just a jaunt around the block and other times it’s a longer run than I would have ever imagined myself doing. I also make sure to mix in the cross training a couple times a week. I don’t feel like I’m missing out on anything because I feel like I keep improving but some part of me is starting to wonder whether I’m cheating myself by not choosing a “paper plan”. I tend to think doing so would take some of the enjoyment out of it for me. Perhaps a blog topic for another day but I’d be interested to see what others think…
When I arrived at the local HS track, I encountered a large dust storm blowing across the road. I saw the construction grader and the swath of dirt, but it really wasn’t windy enough to generate that amount of dust. I began to think that I had a mystery on my hands. I’ve had luck solving puzzles while running in the past so I decided to start my workout.
I warmed up by running across into Veterans park and back (1 mile). On the schedule, 8×400s at a 1:37 pace. I super-concentrated on running equal splits. My results were: 1:37, 1:37, 1:37, 1:37, 1:37, 1:37, 1:37, 1:37. While I was running, I noticed another dust storm (luckily I was upwind) with no apparent source. I cooled down by again running across into Veterans park and back (1 mile). I had thoughts of stopping at the ice cream truck parked at the playground, but the dude drove away on my return trip. At the end of my cool down, I solved the mystery. Football practice was letting out and a stream of cars were driving out of the woods across the swath of dirt—instant dust storm.
With roughly 12 weeks until the start of November and the Half-fast Shave your 5K challenge, I’ve started the Furman Institute 5K training program. I’ve trained using the FIRST half marathon program (twice) and the FIRST marathon program (twice). The program emphasizes a 3+2 program which consists of 3 targeted runs (speed work, tempo and long runs) with cross-training on 2 other days. I’ve been happy with my results, though I predicting that this will be my best plan yet. Here are 4 reasons why.
1. I’m committed to cross-training on the non-running days. Yes, I’ve said that before but I’m going to get in a routine of biking or doing easy runs on my cross-training days. I’m also going to continue to do Wii Fit yoga, strength, balance and aerobics training.
2. My pacing is based on my current ability rather than where I would like to be. I read that suggestion in Runner’s World Run Less, Run Faster: Become a Faster, Stronger Runner with the Revolutionary FIRST Training Program and I realized that I’ve been doing the training wrong. In the past, I’ve tried to train at the pace that I wanted to be and I had mixed results. I had difficulty maintaining the paces throughout training and my finish times were slower.
3. Now that I know the plan better, I’m going to follow it. Case in point, in the past I would have been happy if I ran my speed work faster than the target goal, though it would usually impact my other runs during the week. Tonight I ran 1:37s across the board. I could have gone faster, but I found a rhythm in doing them all the same speed.
4. A 5K isn’t a marathon. Sure, I’m going to be training, but marathon training is way harder. I’m content to be on the marathon sidelines this Fall.
I feel good. My mileage has been lower this year, but I’m running well. 5 blog posts in one day? I’m excited about running.
My current shoes, Adidas AdiStar Cushion 6, are only midway through their expected life span. I’ve ordered a pair of Asics Gel-Speedstar 3. They are a lightweight performance trainer. If I like them, I plan to use them for my speedwork and my 5K races this fall. They will be all speed–all the time.
I hope that they work out better than my spidey shoes which were my last pair of funky looking shoes. I returned them after a couple of runs.
