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This has been a very solid week of training, and has helped to greatly improve my confidence that was starting to wane. Things have been going well since coming back from the stress fracture, and my endurance has been terrific, however I just didn’t feel like my speed was coming along.

Well there have been several things this week that have made me feel a LOT better about my speed, including:

• A solid tempo effort on Tuesday with Nathan and Paxton. I was able to hold a 7:08 pace for 40 minutes in the middle of a 10-mile run.

• A solid track workout on Thursday with over 6k of intervals. Here’s the rundown of the repeats:

  -6 x 100m Stride Outs – 6:05 pace
  -1600m fresh (400m Recovery) – 6:17 pace
  -3 x 200m fresh (400m Recovery) – 5:50 pace
  -1000m fresh (300m Recovery) – 6:09 pace
  -800m Straights and Curves* (300m Recovery) – 7:20 pace
  -800m fresh – 5:54 pace

  *Run the straights, jog the curves 

• A solid 20-miler today on tired legs and a challenging route (over 1,400 ft. of elevation gain – see below). My average pace for the total run was 8:28, and I ended up with 4-miles under 8:00, including a 7:07 split for mile 11. My legs felt strong all the way to the end.
  

When combined with easy runs on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, my total mileage for this week was just over 52-miles. This also puts me at just over 145-miles for the month of January.

Beast Mode…ON!

The Bellevue Trio Reunion Tour continued today with a tempo run through the streets of Bellevue on a cold and overcast morning. Nathan, Paxton and I started at the Bellevue Church of Christ parking lot with a 20-minute warmup loop back to the cars, and then we did a 40-minute tempo run at just under goal marathon pace.

Since Paxton has just started back running again, we split up a bit for this section to allow for different paces. My goal marathon pace is 7:14, so Nathan and I tried to hold our pace for the tempo segment between 7:05 and 7:10. While I could definitely feel some fatigue in my legs, especially after doing P90X Legs and Back last night, overall I felt really good. We ended up doing 4 different out-and-back segments during the 40-minutes, mostly in River Plantation, and ended up with an average pace of 7:08. I still doubt I’ll be ready to hold this pace for 26.2 at NOLA, but it was relatively comfortable for 40-minutes this morning.

We arrived back at the cars at almost exactly the same time as Paxton, and then ran another 20-minute loop as a cool down. In total, I finished right at 10-miles in approximately 80-minutes of work.

Beast Mode…ON!

Other than one post-run picture, I don’t think I’ve made a single running post in 2013. Well, I am still running, and things are going well in training for the 2013 Rock n’ Roll NOLA Marathon on February 24th.

The weather here in Middle Tennessee has been crazy for the past couple of weeks. For example, last Thursday, Friday, and Saturday it was around 65º for my runs, and I wore shorts and a singlet. This morning it was 27º and windy, and I wore tights, a jacket, and two pair of gloves. It has been sleeting since early afternoon, so we may end up ice skating instead of running in the morning.

Highlights of the last two weeks:

The Return of Paxton – The best thing that has happened over the past couple of weeks is that Paxton has started running with Nathan and I again. He took a break from running during the second half of 2012, and joined us back on January 4th. It is good to have him back.

Marathon Workout – On January 5th, our group began their bi-weekly marathon workouts in preparation for spring marathons. While NOLA is much earlier than most of the races that everyone else is training for, it was still good to get in a tempo workout with the group. Here’s a rundown:

• 10-Minute Warmup
• 20-Minute Marathon Pace + 30sec
• 10-Minute Marathon Pace
• 5-Minute Recovery
• 10-Minute Marathon Pace (negative split)
• 12-Minute Marathon Pace
• 18-Minute Recovery

My goal for the marathon pace intervals was to land between 7:05 and 7:10, since my goal pace is 7:14 for a 3:09:59 marathon. Nathan and I ended up running most of the repeats slightly faster than this, but overall I felt fantastic. Nathan even joined me early (and stayed after) to turn the workout into a 20-mile run as I ramp up for NOLA.

Track with JSRC – My splits are slowly coming down to times much closer to my peak last summer. Two weeks ago I ran the entire workout with Robert (who is 15, and fast), and felt great. The planned workout was a ladder:

• Warmup
• 6 x 100m Stride Outs
• 400m (200m recovery)
• 800m (300m recovery)
• 1200m (400m recovery)
• 800m (300m recovery)
• 400m
• Cool down

When Robert and I finished the first 1200m, and the recovery, John instructed us to add another 1200m before going back down the ladder. Even with this extra repeat, I felt really, really good during this workout.

Last Thursday night, I didn’t feel great, but still had good times on most of the repeats.

Long Run Deluge – Last Saturday our group started on Belmont Boulevard, ran downtown, and then across the Cumberland River through East Nashville and into Shelby Park before heading back. Most of the group got 10 to 12 miles, however Nathan and I met early for 3-miles on Belmont Boulevard and then ran an extra loop on the Shelby Bottoms Greenway to end with a total of 17-miles. The “highlight” of this run was that most of it was completed in a steady downpour. It was raining so hard as we were on our way back that a van stopped and asked us if we needed a ride.

So far I’ve completed 99.9-miles for 2013, and hoping to get in around 200-miles for January. Good start to the new year!

Beast Mode….ON!

The Saucony Kinvara has been my training and racing shoe of choice since its introduction in 2010. I’ve loved every version so far, and we got our first look at the upcoming Kinvara 4 (K4) last month on the Saucony blog. Today Running Warehouse posted some new pics along with a rundown of changes and color options for the shoe that will drop in May.

Per Running Warehouse…The K4 retains many of the design elements of its successful predecessor, though a few tweaks (such as an improved upper and the addition of a PowerGrid heel insert) should make for a more enjoyable running experience. Saucony claims weights of 7.7 oz in a Men’s size 9 and 6.7 oz for a Women’s size 8.

Changes from the K3

• Revisited Upper: Overlays around the forefoot have been stripped down to increase breathability without sacrificing security, and a redesigned heel collar should reduce rubbing on the Achilles.

• Upgraded Cushioning: We expect that the switch from ProGrid to PowerGrid in the heel will deliver a smoother and more plush transition from heel to toe.

• Color Variety: The May 2013 release will consist of five colorways on both the Men’s and Women’s sides, so there should be something to suit everyone’s tastes.

Men’s Colors

• Citron/Black/Green
• White/Navy/Orange
• Blue/Black/Slime
• Red/Black/Citron
• Grey/Yellow/Black

Women’s Colors

• Purple/Pink/Citron
• White/Grey/Vizipro Coral
• Citron/Black/Pink
• Blue/Orange
• Black/Pink

What do you think? Personally, I’m excited about the changes, though I do think the new overlay pattern results in a less attractive shoe than the K3.

26.4.26 Foundation to Deliver $30K From Marathon to Sandy Hook

I believe that 2012 was the first time I had ever written down my running goals, and I ended up with a pretty successful year in spite of my stress fracture. For 2013 I’m doing away with all goals related to total mileage or running a certain number of races, and instead focusing on racing achievements.

• Stay Healthy – This first one is a direct result of missing 6-weeks of training with a femoral stress fracture in 2012. While this could mean a lot of different things, I’m going to try and put a quantifiable measurement on it. My goal is to avoid any running injury that would cause me to miss more than a week of training. To work toward this goal I’m going to try and be smarter than I was in 2012, however I still plan on pushing the envelope as it relates to my capabilities.

• Qualify for the 2014 Boston Marathon – After completing my “Quest for 3:15” last year, my attention immediately shifted to qualifying for Boston. In order to qualify for 2014, I will have to run a sub-3:10 marathon (7:14 average pace) between now and early October (most likely). My current PR is 3:12:28, but I’m still trying to regain my speed and endurance after coming back from the stress fracture. My first chance at this will be on February 24 at the 2013 Rock n’ Roll NOLA Marathon, which is also the site of my current PR. It’s probably unrealistic that I’ll be ready for a BQ by then, but I do think it is achievable in 2013.

• Run a Sub-1:29 Half Marathon – My current PR of 1:29:52 was set on one of the hardest courses that I’ve ever run at the 2012 Oak Barrel Half Marathon. I’ve had a lot of bad luck In other races with much faster courses, and I do not feel that my PR is indicative of my capabilities, especially at their peak in 2012. To that end, I want to break 1:29 (or better) in 2013. That will require maintaining an average pace of 6:47, which is a bit daunting.
• Finish in the Top 500 at the 2013 500 Festival Mini Marathon – This is one of my absolute favorite races, and I’m registered to participate for my 5th consecutive year in 2013. The Mini is the largest half marathon in the US with 35,000 runners. To go along with the “Indy 500” theme, the first 500 finishers get a special medal in addition to the normal medal that all finishers receive. I got one of these for the first time in 2012 with a finish time of 1:31, but this was aided by the oppressive humidity for last year’s race. In previous years, it required a finish time of 1:28 or better to achieve this mark.

Well, there it is for what it’s worth. What are your running goals for 2013?

Since this is it for 2012, I wanted to talk a final look back at my running goals for the year. I was a little bit sidetracked by a femoral stress fracture in my right leg, which caused me to miss the entire month of September, along with 3 full marathons and 1 half marathon. However, in spite of this, I still consider 2012 to largely be a success from a running perspective with new PRs in both the half and full marathons. Here’s a rundown:

• Goal #1: Complete 2,000 training miles. My total for 2011 was 1,763, so this will be a pretty big increase. Will take over 166 miles per month to reach this goal. I know it is attainable, but only if I stay healthy and disciplined.

  Achieved – Up until the last week of August, I was WELL ahead of pace for 2,000 miles in 2012, but not running for the entire month of September, and some of October, made this goal very questionable up until the end. However, my return to running program went so well that I ended up with just over 2,022-miles for the year, which is 259-miles ahead of my total for 2011.

• Goal #2: Complete my “Quest for 3:15” in a full marathon. This has been a very public goal for quite a while, and I hope to break through in 2012. I would also like to take this a step further in 2012 and break 3:10 which is my Boston qualifying time. I know this is pushing it, but I’m dreaming big. Really want to run my first Boston Marathon in 2013. To do this I will not only have to be disciplined to my running schedule, but will also have to be committed to quality runs, cross-training, diet, and sleep.

  Partially Achieved – The “Quest for 3:15” was officially completed at the Rock n’ Roll NOLA Marathon on March 4 with a finish time of 3:12:28. However, due to the stress fracture, my fall marathon season was wiped out, and with it the goal of running a BQ in 2012. I’m hoping that next year both Nathan and I can run a BQ so that we can both experience Boston together for the first time in 2014. That is unless Nathan decides to completely forego road marathons for trail ultras after finally finishing “Born to Run” (not kidding). 

  While not an official marathon, I did end up running 26.2-miles at the 26.4.26 event just over a week ago. This was a very special experience.

  My next scheduled marathon is the 2013 Rock n’ Roll NOLA Marathon at the end of February, but I’m having serious doubts about my ability to break 3:10 in this race. Coming back from the stress fracture has not allowed me to run the type of mileage I would like leading up to this race, so I might have to target a race in the fall.

• Goal #3: Finish at least 5 full marathons. I ran my first 2 full marathons in the fall of 2009, and then completed 4 full marathons in both 2010 and 2011. As of now I’m only registered for the Rock N’ Roll New Orleans Marathon in March, but I have also submitted my request to be the 3:45 pacer in the St Jude Country Music Marathon in May and have my eye on a handful of other races. Whether it is as a pacer or participant, I want to do at least one marathon at a slower, conservative pace where I can enjoy it.

  Not Achieved – I completed two full marathons in the spring, and was registered for three more in the fall, but as mentioned above, the stress fracture wiped all of these out. As for running one at a slower, conservative pace…I was the official 4-hour pacer for the St Jude Country Music Marathon back in April and had a blast!
   

• Goal #4: Officially break 1:30 in a half marathon. I had an unofficial 1:29 finish in the Murfreesboro Middle Half Marathon in 2011 (due to course misrouting), but want to have it in writing in 2012. My best opportunities will most likely come at the 500 Festival Mini Marathon in May or again at the Murfreesboro Middle Half Marathon in October.

  Achieved – I officially broke 1:30 for the first time at the Oak Barrel Half Marathon in Lynchburg, TN on April 7th with a 1:29:52. I was hoping to take it even lower at the 500 Festival Mini Marathon in May, but the 91% humidity throughout the race was a deal breaker on that front. As for the Middle Half mentioned in the goal, this race was also a casualty of the stress fracture. I ended up running the Chickamauga Battlefield Half Marathon in November as my first race back after the injury (I was originally registered for the full). This was obviously not the occasion to run really fast, but I was pleased to finish in 1:39:06 even though my longest run prior to the race was 8-miles, and I used a 10/1 run/walk strategy throughout.

It’s been snowing here in Michigan since noon yesterday, so I decided to wear trail shoes for my run this morning. I parked at Potter Park and did 3-miles out-and-back on the Lansing River Walk, which took me right to the edge of the MSU campus.

The snow on the greenway was ankle-deep in places, but my traction was really good with the Saucony Peregrine trail shoes. It was a really beautiful route by the river, and my legs felt good considering the 14-mile run yesterday. 

The running was slow in places with the snow, but I still managed to get in just over 6-miles at around 9-min pace.

Beast Mode…ON!!

Today’s run was a little bit slippery with all of the snow and ice here in Michigan. I almost fell 3 times, but thankfully only actually fell 1 time. Luckily I escaped any significant consequences, coming away with only a couple of bruises.

Otherwise it was a really good run. I started out at our hotel with a 2.5-mile loop through a residential area, and then ran 5.5-miles down Saginaw Highway to the Grand River in downtown Lansing.

Olivia drove out and met me at one of the trailheads for the Lansing River Walk. From there we ran just under an hour out and back on the River Walk, which was a much better route than the 5.5-miles down Saginaw.

In total I finished just over 14-miles for the day, and felt really good throughout.

Beast Mode…ON!!

It didn’t seem possible back in September, when I was on the shelf with a femoral stress fracture, but today I crossed the 2000-mile threshold for 2012. 

Not sure what this means in the grand scheme of things, but it still feels pretty cool. I haven’t had many run related posts recently, but things have continued to go well in my training for the 2013 Rock n’ Roll NOLA Marathon in February.

The weather in Middle Tennessee has been a bit unpredictable, from days where it is in the mid 60s by 6am to days where you need two pair of gloves. Last Thursday I finished a track workout at Vanderbilt with the JSRC in 30+ mph wind. It was brutal and felt like I was running in place in the turns. It was such a crazy night that we took a picture at the end to commemorate those who survived 🙂

Today was one of those days where you know you’re a real runner with wind, sleet, and snow pounding you in the face throughout. Even so, Nathan and I still cranked out a good 7-miles through Belle Meade.

By far the highlight of the past couple of weeks was participating in the 26.4.26 run last Saturday in honor of the victims of the Newtown tragedy. The course was a 6.5-mile loop, and runners could choose to run it once or up to four times for a total of 26 miles for the 26 victims at Sandy Hook Elementary.

My longest run since coming back from the stress fracture had been 17-miles on Dec 8th, so I was definitely not trained to run 26-miles. However, on the Thursday before the event I decided I was gonna give it a shot.

Each runner was asked to carry an “angel” with the name of one of the victims, and mine was for Grace McDonnell, age 7:

It wasn’t easy, but little Grace and I made it all the way through 4 loops. 26.38 miles completed in 3 hours and 43 minutes. I faded a bit in the last of the 4 loops but I was determined I wasn’t going to walk a step. I thought a lot that day about Grace and the 25 other precious souls that lost their lives. I’m proud of the city of Nashville and our awesome running community for supporting this effort in such an overwhelming way. It was awesome to be a part of it.

I found out later that the entire thing was born of out a text message that was sent from one friend to another suggesting a group run the following Saturday of 26-miles to honor the victims. After that it was posted on Facebook, and they ended up with 1,012 runners, and many, many volunteers.

Hope everyone else out there is doing well with their running, and enjoying the Christmas Season!

Beast Mode…ON!

Another video of the 26.4.26 running event yesterday for the Newtown victims. There might even be a sighting of yours truly in this one!

http://vimeo.com/56175134

Video about the 26.4.26 run in Nashville yesterday in honor of the 26-victims in Newtown, CT. What an awesome event! I feel so privileged to have been able participate.

26.4.26 – Today’s Goal…26-miles for the 26 victims of the Newtown Tragedy

Today I signed up for an running event this Saturday that was organized by Robbie Bruce with X3 Endurance / Nashville Running Company. The idea is to run up to 26-miles to raise money for the 26 victims of the Newtown, CT tragedy this past Friday. I’m not sure if I’m in 26-mile shape or not, but I’m gonna give it a shot. Their goal is to raise $26,000 to go to the families of the tragedy. If you live in the Nashville area, please come out and join this effort. The course is a 6.5-mile loop, and runners can choose to run it once or up to four times for a total of 26 miles. All runners are asked to donate at least $1 for each mile completed. You can get more information by visiting the following link:

http://www.facebook.com/events/206120006191196/?ref=ts&fref=ts

If you are not in the Nashville area, but would like to help, a website has been setup to accept donations:

http://www.x3gear.com/collections/donations/products/26-4-26-sponsorship

An article about this event was featured in today’s issue of The Tennessean

Nashville runners to hit street to benefit Newtown

Desi Davila ‘Miserable,’ Barely Running (RunnersWorld.com)

I don’t think I’ve posted a running update for the past two weeks, but I’ve continued to slowly build my mileage back up as I train for the Rock n’ Roll NOLA Marathon. I’m feeling really good, and my speed and endurance are coming back waaaaay quicker than I anticipated.

Here are a few of the highlights from the past two weeks.

Tempo Workouts

Starting a week ago Tuesday (and continuing this Tuesday), I put tempo workouts back into my training schedule for the first time since coming back from the injury. Last week Nathan and I did a 20-minute warmup, 20-minutes at 7:10 pace (just below goal marathon pace), and a 20-minute cool-down. The tempo segment was tougher than I expected, but I guess I should not have been surprised since I was only two days removed from my longest run in 14-weeks.

This week we did a 20-minute warmup, then 6 x 4-min tempo (with 1-min active recovery), and a 20-minute cool-down. The goal for the tempo section was to run at a pace between 6:50 and 7:00. For 4 of the 6 we ended up running at faster than goal pace (6:30s and 6:40s), 1 was right on target, and 1 was a touch slow. Overall though it was a good, tough workout.

Track Workouts

I didn’t get to run track this week, but last week’s workout felt fantastic. Here’s the rundown:

• ~3-Mile Warmup
• 6 x 100m Stride Outs
• 800m Group “Indian Run” (200m Recovery)
• 800m f (300m Recovery)
• 600m f (300m Recovery)
• 800m Straights and Curves
• 600m f (300m Recovery)
• 800m f
• 3/4-Mile Cool Down

In peak condition I would run my 800m “fresh” intervals around 2:50 to 2:55, and during this workout my two splits were 3:00 and 2:57. Just a touch slower than at my peak, but still much further along than I thought I would be at this point.

Long Runs

Two weeks ago today I completed a 15-mile run, which was my longest run since returning to running. My plan during marathon training is to only increase my long run mileage every other week. With that in mind, last week I had a very enjoyable 14.4-mile run with our group on Old Natchez and Moran roads in Franklin. This was a beautiful morning for a run, and the pace was a bit more chill than my 15-miler the previous Saturday.

Today I completed a 17-mile run on a gloomy, yet warm and humid, day in Brentwood. The planned group run was for 3 different loops totaling 14 to 15 miles. Since I wanted at least 17, Nathan and I started a bit early and got in 3 before the group arrived. I felt, really, really good for the first 14 or so miles, but my legs started feeling pretty fatigued as I passed my previous long of 15-miles. Part of this had to do with the middle loop of the group run, which was quite hilly, and Nathan and I also picked up the pace a bit.

Also, with this run in the books, my total mileage for 2012 is exactly 1,900 miles completed. I’ve still got a shot at reaching my goal of 2,000, but it’s gonna be close!

Beast Mode…ON!

Today Saucony began dropping a little information about the upcoming Kinvara 4, which is set to lunch on May 1, 2013. It is obvious from the pics that there are going to be some changes to the Flexfilm overlays, which were introduced in the Kinvara 3. Otherwise it appears as though the only other significant change is to the heel insert. Per Saucony:

For the Kinvara 4, we upgraded the heel insert to our PowerGrid material, which helps to improve the cushioning level of this shoe. We’ve also adjusted the FlexFilm overlays from the Kinvara 3 to the 4. By exposing more mesh in the forefoot, we improved breathability while still maintaining great lockdown, and conversely we added more FlexFilm in the midfoot and heel area to really help frame and secure the foot through all phases of your gait.

No word yet on the weight, but the outsole appears largely unchanged from the Kinvara 3. On a purely aesthetic note, the change to the Flexfilm overlays will not allow for the dramatic designs we see today in the Kinvara 3.

What do you think?

runningmyownrace replied to your post: One America 500 Festival Mini Marathon (Indianapolis)

This is on my bucket list! Do you live in Indiana? I went to school at IU so I would love to do this race. Maybe next year.

I actually live in Tennessee, but love Indianapolis and love this race. It is a good race to put on a bucket list. A lot of race directors could learn a lot from the organization of the Mini Marathon.

Just registered for the One America 500 Festival Mini-Marathon (the Mini) for the fifth year in a row. The Mini is the nation’s largest half-marathon, having sold out with 35,000 participants for the past 11 years. The course for the Min begins in downtown Indianapolis, and then heads west toward the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and does a complete lap around the 2.5 mile track before heading back downtown to the finish line.

This is a fantastic race on a flat and fast course. Lord willing Nathan and I will be lined up in seeded corral A on May 4th, ready to go really low, and get the coveted “500” medal for being one of the first 500 finishers! Who else is running the Mini?

Also looking forward to some awesome steak and shrimp cocktail at St. Elmo’s Steakhouse!

Today I felt like my “Return to Running” program un-officially ended. While I haven’t been on the specific plan in a couple of weeks, I’ve still been very conservative with my mileage and pace, taking frequent walk breaks, and not running more than 3 or 4 consecutive days without a break. This has led to my “training” feeling slightly abnormal.

Well, this morning was the first run since the injury that felt like a normal long run with our group. The plan was for a 10 to 12-mile run in Belle Meade, but Nathan and I met a little early and got in 3.5-miles before the rest of the group arrived. During this warmup, we did a 10/1 run/walk ratio, but after this I completed the remainder of the run in 30 to 40-minute segments, only stopping briefly for fluid breaks.

Nathan and I ended up running most of the route with Tyler, Andy, and Robert, and our pace generally got quicker throughout, with 5 of the last 6 miles under 8:00 pace, and a final mile of 6:53:

The thing that felt so great about this run was that I had the energy to maintain the faster pace in the later miles. The last few days I’ve been thinking a lot about getting into a long run schedule for the Rock n’ Roll NOLA Marathon, and worried about having the endurance  and energy to get where I want to be by race day at the end of February. Today, those fears subsided significantly since a solid 15-miler puts me right where I need to be for the more intense training in December and January.

A big thanks to Nathan, Andy, Tyler, and Robert for pushing and pacing me to my best, post-injury training run! It feels good to be back.

Beast Mode….ON!