Tuesday speed workout

Conditions: 90+ VERY VERY HOT

Ran 7 repeats today of 2 minutes, with 1:45 cool off, very nice run, yet very hot.

Umstead Long Run Sunday

Conditions: Sunny 70 degrees, VERY NICE!

Today was a pretty big milestone on the marathon training, 18 miles. I was up, at Umstead and ready to run at 7am on the dot. I ran out past the airport runway, all the way to the end of the Black Creek Greenway, which is pretty nice by the way, up to the North Cary Park, around the park, back down to the greenway.

About 1:10 into it I started feeling a little tired, I also think part of it was I was getting bored from the bridal trails and greenway, by the time I reentered Umstead I was almost 2 hours into it. The good thing was the hills seemed a bit shorter and less steep, perhaps I am getting used to them. Thanks to other runners around me on the last hill I really powered up that one as well and had a very nice finish, all total I ran about 2:45, ouch.

Freaky Friday

Conditions: 7:30am, 60 degrees, actually a little chilly?! Very Nice

Gilly and I left our driveways at 7:15 and met sqounk, budda and bobcat at Unity. Right off the bat I knew we were in trouble, Gilly has a rare fall on Spyder Hole, Bobcat a nasty over the handlebars fall on Banshee, Gilly another spill and then a flat. We rode the Thirsty Thursday route only until Mt. Jism and then pulled out for a full Neverland, I had forgotten how nice that trail is. At the 1/2 way point, squonk has a flat. Strange vibes today. I pulled out after the full neverland, still, a very nice ride to cap off a nice week of running and biking, ahhhhh, now I rest for my 18 miles on Sunday, ipod is loaded and ready.

Later.

Thirsty Thursday

Conditions: 85 degrees, low humidity, NICE!

Very nice turnout for Thirsty Thursday this evening, I believe there were at least 12 of us. It was one of my better runs thus far and I even had enough left at the end to really crank it on Spyder Hole. Either my speed workout and long runs are paying off or it was just one of those nights.

Wednesday, IBM MTB Ride

Conditions: Partly Cloudy, 85 degrees, low humidity

I have been trying to get a regular Wednesday ride organized so decided to try to find like minded IBMers for rides around RTP. I met Dave at Lake Crabtree at 5:30 for a nice hour plus ride around the trails. All of this running is really helping my endurance on the bike, especially any climbing, not that there is that much climbing at Crabtree.

Next week we hope to start at Rocky Road. Also hope to recruit a few more riders.

Tuesday, Speed Workout

Conditions: 85 degrees, nice breeze, high humidity

I've decided to get serious about my speed workouts as I have heard time and time again this is the best way to get faster. In addition to the MDI Marathon, my other primary goal is to speed up on distances up to a 10K. In reality, I want to keep up with everyone on Thirsty Thursdays, as these are often times run at a decent pace.

Today I went out and did my "timed" interval run, 2 minutes at about a 7:00/pace, followed by 1:45 of recovery, I repeated this 6 times. I warmup and cool down with a 10 slow jog. I felt better today than I have ever felt on one of these, I am going to try and stick with these through my MDI training, adding an interval each week. I do this on the pumpkin trail, while not the smoothest, flattest surface in the world, it beats the track. I may start taking Reilly with me on these and hitting Bolin Creek Greenway.

I figure my long runs at umstead are as good as any hill workout so I'll stop doing the weekly hill workouts and focus on intervals.

Sunday sort of long run at Umstead

I made it out this morning for a 12 mile run at Umstead. I was solo this trip so I brought along the ipod and the part of the recently downloaded Widespread Panic show from this year's Bonnaroo, can be found at here. Great way to make it up and down the hills of Umstead.

I really enjoyed the run today and seem to have recovered from last week's sickness. There were alot of runners and bikers out today and I ran the bridal trail to the lake and then took a left and ran past the west gate, then turned around and ran back.

Weekend Plans

I am feeling better than I did yesterday, going to take Saturday off from running and pick it back up Sunday. Looks like this will be an Umstead weekend. I am really excited about tomorrow as Beth's parents will be watching Reilly while Beth and I go mountain biking on the bridal trails of Umstead. I cannot remember the last time we biked together. It won't be long before I can take Reilly out there and let him enjoy the great trails.

Sunday I plan on doing my "off" long weekend, 12 miles on the hills of Umstead. The hills here have really helped my running and should really help with the Maine marathon. Umstead is fast becoming one of my favorite areas. Last Friday I discovered Rocky Road trails which connect to Umstead and Lake Crabtree. This gives Umstead some really nice single track options, wide bridal paths, single track for running only, and parts of the Cary Greenway. All of this very close to my office in RTP and Beth's parents house.

Thirsty Thursday?

I have been sick since my 16 mile long run Sunday and have not been out once. Tonight I'm supposed to go out for my weekly Thirsty Thursday run with the Trailheads. I'm trying to decide if I should go, right now I'm about 80% sure I'll go. This run is always tough as it is a tempo run on a very tough 6 mile loop through the Unity side of the Chapel Hill High School Trails.

I went and it sucked, I let Temptation Hill get the best of me and bowed out after only 4.5 miles, I had a really hard time breathing due to this cold, I suppose I'll rest through the weekend and see how I feel Monday. It's good to take a break during Marathon training.

Training Schedule for Mount Desert Island

Here is my training schedule for Oct 16 Mount Dessert Island Marathon.