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Today I finished off week 12 in my training for the 2013 New York City Marathon with a great 13.5-mile run in East Nashville, Shelby Park, and the Shelby Bottoms Greenway with our running group. One of the things that made it great was getting a very nice break in the temperatures. When Nathan and I got out of my car by the train trestle in Shelby Park, it was only 62° with humidity that was not too terrible for July.
The train trestle in Shelby Park just before this morning’s group run.
Before the group all arrived for the run, Nathan and I got in 1/2-mile warmup out-and-back to the Shelby Bottoms Greenway Nature Center. Our group then started with a 4-mile loop that incorporated a couple of laps around big pond in Shelby Park and a short distance on Electric Avenue. On the way to Shelby Park, Nathan and I prepared for the run by listening to the song Electric Avenue by Eddy Grant, which I had not heard in a LONG time.
These first 4-miles were quite hilly, but my legs felt much better than I expected after the disastrous track workout on Thursday night. Dan had to remind me not to push the pace, since the goal today was simply slow, easy miles.
After grabbing a quick drink back at the cars, we did a second 4-mile loop on the Shelby Bottoms Greenway and Barclay Drive, and my legs continued to feel really good in the mild conditions. After this loop was completed, Nathan and I were at 8.5-miles in total. My schedule called for 12-miles, but there were some members of the group that were going to do as many as 8-miles out-and-back on the Greenway for the third part of the run. I knew I didn’t want/need 16-miles, but my legs felt good enough that I suggested to Nathan we try to do 2.5-miles out-and-back to end up with a total of 13.5, which would be my longest run since the injury by over 3 miles. This is exactly what we did, and I felt strong all the way to the end. We even dropped below 8min pace for the final 1.5-miles.
This run was a BIG confidence boost after a rough track workout on Thursday night. In total we completed 13.56-miles with an average pace of 8:52 per mile. Perfect long run! For the week, I got in just under 38 total miles. Slowly building my way back up.
On a side note, I’m still having some problems with my left hip after tweaking it earlier this week. However, it continues to feel better as I run on it, and doesn’t affect my stride, so I’m going to try and train through it unless it gets a lot worse.
After the run, our group had an awesome breakfast at Sky Blue Cafe in East Nashville where they have Trivial Pursuit question cards on the table. It was a lot of fun taking turns on the trivia questions.
Beast Mode….ON!
I’m currently in the middle of week 12 in my training for the 2013 New York City Marathon. Last week was my first after completing the “return to running” program from my doctor, and this week I began my official training plan for NYC (more on that in a minute).
Week 11
On Thursday, Friday, and Saturday of last week (4th of July weekend), we had a LOT of rain in Middle Tennessee, which is quite unusual for July. On Thursday I met several friends for 7-miles of trails in Percy Warner park in a downpour. The trails were pretty nasty, but overall the footing was decent. I stayed strong through the first couple of miles, but then my lack of fitness started to show on the very hilly route:
I ended up walking up several of the more severe climbs just to be able to finish. Even though the conditions were tough, and I am not in ideal shape, the park was really quite beautiful in the rain. I am very fortune to live so close to such an awesome place to run and to have great friends to share it with (even in a downpour):
With Brian, Marc, Josh, and Mark after the (very wet) trail run
After a very easy recovery run with Nathan on Friday (also in the rain), I had my first tempo workout on Saturday since returning from the injury. This was also done in a downpour in Percy Warner Park with my regular running group. We got in 10 total miles, with approximately 45 minutes of tempo intervals. I ran all of the intervals with Brian and Nathan, and ended up feeling MUCH better than I expected, even though I almost tossed my cookies during one of the more intense efforts. It was a very good morning with a very dedicated group:
At the end of last week, I finally mapped out my training schedule for New York, which is an 18-week plan, and will generally follow the pattern below:
- Monday – 60 to 70-Min Easy (Trail or Road)
- Tuesday – 60 to 90-Min Tempo Intervals / Easy Run (alternating weeks)
- Wednesday – Rest
- Thursday – 6 to 8-Mile Track Workout
- Friday – 40 to 50-Min Easy
- Saturday – Long Run / Marathon Tempo Workout (alternating weeks)
- Sunday – Rest
Week 12
In keeping with my new plan above, on Monday Nathan I did an easy 7.5-mile run on the Harpeth River Greenway (including a new unpaved section) in the nasty heat and humidity. My legs felt pretty toasty after the difficult effort on Saturday, but I was glad the get this one done. At the end we did 4 stride outs as I continue to try and incorporate more up tempo work into my training. Sometime during this run (maybe during the strides), I must have tweaked my left hip, because it started aching later in the day. It is still there today (Thursday) as I write this, but fortunately it is one of those “injuries” that gets better as I run, which does a lot these days to ease my mind, since I am so fearful of another stress fracture.
On Tuesday, Nathan and I did a tempo interval workout that consisted of :
- 20-minute warmup
- 6 x 4-min (7:15 to 7:20 pace) / 1-min recovery jog
- 10 to 15-minute cooldown
The heat and humidity was again very nasty, which made the workout difficult. My legs didn’t feel nearly as good as they did during Saturday’s workout, but I still managed to hit the goal pace during the first 4 intervals. I faded during the last two, but still kept them in the 7:40 range. Overall, I was pretty happy with the effort.
After a rest day on Wednesday, I returned to track tonight (Thursday) for the first time in over 16 weeks, and it was humbling on a hot and muggy evening. We started right off-the-bat with a 2000m interval, which punched me right in the mouth. I was only able to complete the first 3 sets of the workout, before pulling out and jogging a few easy laps to cool down. It was one of those nights where I left angry at how much fitness I have lost, and how miserable I felt. However, I know this is only the beginning of a long training schedule, and am determined to come back stronger than ever.
Beast Mode….ON!
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What Does it Really Mean to Have Faith in Jesus Christ? (Romans 3:19-26) – Audio recording of my Sunday morning sermon at Bellevue Church of Christ in Nashville, TN on July 7, 2013.
The lesson came from Romans 3:19-26, and looked at two of the most fundamental questions in Christianity:
(1) Why did Jesus have to die?
(2) What does it REALLY mean to have faith in Jesus?
Romans 3:21-26 (ESV)
21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
For students in my Wednesday night class on Paul’s letter to the Ephesians: Handouts and Notes for Ephesians Chapter 3:14-21 are now available online. Lord willing we will begin covering this text during class tomorrow night at 7pm at Bellevue Church of Christ!
Am I Dreaming?
There are two main features I prefer in running shoes:
1.) That they be Saucony
2.) That they be RED
However, I’ve never been able to get my training shoe, zero-drop shoe, and trail shoe all in RED at the same time. Well, it looks like that might be about to change!
Kinvara 4
I am down to my last 2 pair of Kinvara 3s, so I should be ready for the 4s in about a month or so. Definitely going for these babies in Red and Citron!
Virrata
Since it looks like Saucony is going to do away with the zero-drop Hattori that I’ve been using for the past two years, I may give the Virrata a try. If so, this colorway looks about perfect! They are supposed to be released later this month.
Peregrine 3
I’ve been running in the very first Peregrine trail shoes for the past 2 years, and it is about time for a replacement. Just found out that later this summer they are going to release the Peregrine 3 in Red and Citron! Yeah Baby!!
Download MP3 Audio (Right-Click Here)
The Equation of Life (Ecclesiastes 9:11-12) – Audio recording of my Sunday evening sermon at Bellevue Church of Christ in Nashville, TN on June 26, 2013.
Life doesn’t fit into an equation, and is full of injustices and things that just don’t seem to make sense. This study looks at ways in which we can be ready to deal with the unexpected and unfair things that are a part of life under the sun.
Ecclesiastes 9:11-12 (ESV)
11 Again I saw that under the sun the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the intelligent, nor favor to those with knowledge, but time and chance happen to them all. 12 For man does not know his time. Like fish that are taken in an evil net, and like birds that are caught in a snare, so the children of man are snared at an evil time, when it suddenly falls upon them.
On Sunday, I will be preaching at Bellevue Church of Christ during our morning worship service that begins at 9am. The lesson will come from Romans 3:19-26, and will look at two of the most fundamental questions in Christianity:
(1) Why did Jesus have to die?
(2) What does it REALLY mean to have faith in Jesus?
We would LOVE for you to join us!
Romans 3:21-26 (ESV)
21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
From our recent trip to Myrtle Beach:
