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With thunderstorms in the area this morning, I decided to come home from work a bit early and try to squeeze in an easy 6-mile run before midweek Bible study. It was cloudy, windy, and a bit cooler (mid 70s) when I started but the humidity was NASTY. I also knew more heavy rain was on its way so I was hoping to knock out the run before it arrived.

I parked my car across from the Old Harding Road driving range, and ran 1.5-miles out-and-back both directions on the Harpeth River Greenway. My legs felt really good from the start, and my pace quickly got a bit too fast. The plan was to try and keep all my splits between 8:26 and 9:05, which is my “Easy Run” range under the Hansons training plan that I intend to start in a couple of weeks. I was good for the first two miles with 9:00 and 8:27, but then mile-3 was 8:07. As I started the second out-and-back I kept telling myself that I needed to slow down.

About a 1/2 mile into the second segment I started to feel a few raindrops and then after another 1/4 mile the bottom completely fell out. For some crazy reason I decided to run without a hat, and I could barely see anything with the downpour. I took off my shirt and made a quick, makeshift bandanna, which did a surprisingly good job of keeping the rain out of my eyes. Since I was already soaked, and there was no lightening, I decided to just finish my planned route. While the rain was a little irritating at first, I quickly started to feel fantastic. The cool rain was much more tolerable than the intense humidity at the beginning, and my body just dropped into a nice groove. Of course this also resulted in me continuing to run faster than I planned as my splits below demonstrate:

For some reason my body just wanted to go faster today, and all-in-all this run felt fantastic. The good thing is that the last mile really didn’t feel much faster than any of the others.

So, hoping to get in another easy 6 over the next two days before a 10-miler with the group on Saturday. Trying to build up my base a little over the next two weeks before St George Marathon training officially begins.

Beast Mode….ON!

This looks daunting when written down, but below is my tentative training plan (click to enlarge) for the 2014 St.George Marathon. It is based on the Hansons Advanced Marathon Training Plan:

(Click to enlarge)

It’s gonna take a LOT of discipline the make it through this schedule, especially considering I’m having a hard time finding running partners these days. The total weekly mileage peaks in the mid-60s, but the longest single run is only 16-miles (that’s right….NO 20-milers).

I shifted the Hansons plan a bit so I could end up with my Speed / Strength workout on Thursday and my tempo runs on Saturday. My plan right now is to do the speed workouts at the Vanderbilt track with the JSRC track group. I won’t be able to do the same workouts as everyone else, but at least it will give me access to a track. When it comes to the strength workouts I plan to do these on local greenways.

By far my two biggest concerns are consistently doing 6-days of running each week AND the tempo runs at goal marathon pace. Those are gonna hurt!

Beast Mode…ON!

Just found out about an hour ago that I was selected in the lottery for the 2014 St George Marathon! So excited to be participating in this race. Definitely one of my bucket-list marathons and a chance for redemption after dealing with multiple injuries over the past 18+ months. It is also the perfect race to celebrate my 40th Birthday! Can’t wait!!!

Now, I’ve got to work-out travel arrangement and my training plan. On training, my goal is simple….3 hours 15 minutes. I’ve broken it once before, but this time it will be for a BQ. Everything I do in training will be aimed squarely at this target. I also know that to get there I have to avoid injury, which has been a problem for the last year and a half.

I mentioned in my post yesterday that I hoped to get back on the road today after taking last week off. I got in a solid 6.25-mile easy run on the Harpeth River Greenway. It was pretty warm and humid, but overall my legs felt fantastic. If I decide to go with the Hansons Marathon Training Plan, my easy-run target pace will be between 8:26 and 9:26 per mile. Today I averaged 8:40 pace, which is right in-line.

Beast Mode….ON!!!!

Well…tomorrow is the day I find out whether or not I made it into the 2014 St George Marathon. Feeling a little nervous, because I REALLY want to do this race to celebrate my 40th birthday and return to marathoning. If I don’t get in, then I hope to quickly select an alternate race. Either way I plan on mapping out my training plan ASAP, and am strongly considering doing the Hanson’s Advanced Plan. More on that later if I choose to go this direction, still in the middle of reading the Hansons Marathon Method book.

After the 500 Festival Mini Marathon last Saturday, I took an unplanned week off from running this week. Just felt tired and decided to take a week to recover. My plan is to get back on the road tomorrow. I did a new core workout yesterday morning, and my obliques are more sore today than I ever remember before. This is definitely a problem area for me, so hoping this new routine will help out there.

Beast Mode….ON!

Today’s Run

After a hard progression tempo effort yesterday afternoon, today’s run was a little more conservative. I ended up doing an easy 5-miles utilizing the flat section of the Blue Trail in Edwin Warner Park and the Harpeth River Greenway. The weather was perfect with sunny skies and temps around 78º with a gentle breeze. My legs were quite tired and heavy from yesterday, but felt a lot better by the time I was finished. I actually briefly considered doing a full-on trail run today, but thankfully decided against it. That would have DESTROYED my legs. Anyway, here are my splits:

Cross-Training

After finishing my run I did the P90X Ab-Ripper-X workout, which I have not done in a long time. The intent is for each set to be 25 reps, but I started modestly by doing 15 of each. Hoping to slowly work my way up over the next several weeks.

Tomorrow will be a planned rest day from running and cross-training.

St George Fallback Plan

Yesterday I posted about entering the lottery for the St George Marathon in October. In my post I mentioned needing a fallback plan in case I’m not selected, and want one that would be a great destination for celebrating my 40th birthday (and return to marathoning). Well today I found out that there is still a way to get into the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, DC. as part of the Runner’s World Challenge. The fee is a bit more, but would be worth it to have a great fall destination race. Likely won’t sign-up until after the lottery drawing on May 5th, so I hope there are still spaces available. Any other suggestions out there?

Beast Mode….ON!

So Is This A Running Blog or What?

It’s true that this blog has been little more than a mirror of my Instagram feed and a place for my Bible class notes for the past 6-months or more.  Honestly, my running has been fairly aimless since returning from my many injuries in the fall of last year, and there hasn’t been a lot to write about. I have been making goals each month, but very inconsistent in hitting them. My running base and overall speed is improving, but I need a LOT more structure to have any shot of getting back to where I was in the spring of 2012 when I set my current marathon PR of 3:12:28 at Rock n’ Roll New Orleans.

I also have to find a way to be more disciplined in cross training. To this point in 2014, I’m averaging just over 100 miles per month with absolutely NO cross-training. This is a sure-fire recipe for getting injured again. To get back to where I want to be will require 150 to 200 miles per month, and there is no way to do this without dedication to cross training.

So, starting this week I’m trying to get more serious about making a return to marathoning this fall. This will include putting together a detailed training schedule (trying to decide whether or not to hire a coach for this), and also schedule for upper and lower-body cross training activities.

Also today I put my name in the hat for the St. George Marathon lottery. This is a bucket-list marathon, and would be a GREAT place to mark not only my return to marathoning, but also my 40th birthday. I was hoping to get a group together for the race but didn’t end up having any takers, so if I get in it will be a solo effort. This seems appropriate since running is such an individual sport. It will also provide an opportunity for a little mini vacation with Olivia.

However, I know that the odds are against being selected in the lottery, so I need to pick our a backup plan. Trying to find a marathon that would be a great destination for celebrating my 40th, but is also a fast and scenic course. Any suggestions for the fall?

Today’s Run

I went out to the Harpeth River Greenway after work with Olivia and the Girls. Both Sara and Kate are completing miles toward the ING Kids Rock Marathon this Sunday (Sara’s first kid’s marathon), and still have a little ways to go. I started off walking with the girls before moving into a progression tempo run over six miles. Here were my splits:

My BQ time for a fall marathon will be 3:15:00 (7:26 pace), so it was nice to get in the last two miles under this pace. I felt really good throughout, and it was good to criss-cross the girls several times during the run. After the 6th mile, I ran an easy half-mile cool down with Kate as she was finishing her 4th mile, and then walked another quarter mile with Olivia, Kate & Sara. All-in-all it was a good afternoon run.

Cross Training

Tonight I knocked out a half set of P90X Chest and Back. I’m still feeling the affects of Brachial Neuritis in my left shoulder when attempting push-ups, but still got in a fair number of reps. I feel quite confident I’m going to be VERY sore tomorrow.

Looking Ahead

A week from Saturday I’m planning to run the 500 Festival Mini-Marathon in Indianapolis. I had a deferred entry from missing last year, so I finally decided to give it a go. This will be my 5th Mini. Hoping to improve upon my 1:41 from the Tom King Half Marathon back in early March. I didn’t have a qualifying half-maration time from the previous year, so it will be strange not being in a seeded corral near the front.

Beast Mode….ON!

Just found out a few minutes ago that I will have guaranteed entry for the 2013 ING New York City Marathon this November. This was supposed to be the case all-along under their “denied three times” provision (which goes away in 2014), but had been very much in question since the cancellation of the 2012 race. They have been working ever since on the logistics of trying to make sure all of the 2012 participants were taken care of.

Well, they just announced that most of the previous guaranteed entries will still be honored for 2013, including those previously “denied three times.” Outside of Nashville, New York is my favorite city, so I’m super excited about the possibility of being part of the 2013 race. Should be awesome!

Now that this is firmed up, I plan to put my name in the the lottery for the St. George Marathon in St. George Utah on October 5th. This is supposed to be one of the most beautiful races in the country, and is also a very fast course with almost 1,500 ft. of elevation loss from start to finish:

Getting in is by no means guaranteed, but it would be a great opportunity to run a BQ if I’m selected. If not, I’ll probably look for a substitute sometime in late September or early October.

Other than these two races, I am registered for the Country Music Marathon here in Nashville again as the official 4-hour pacer for the race. That would put me at 4 marathons for the year, which sounds just about right.

Beast Mode…ON!!