On the Cusp of 200

I've pushed my legs hard, pulling back when I thought I needed to. This month, I topped 50 miles in a week once and 40 miles twice. Feeling good about the base I've built, I started to wonder if May would be my highest mileage month ever.  So I looked back.

My father, grandmother, and me back in the 70s.  It was also Christmastime.

Sunday, while visiting my grandmother's grave, I naturally thought about her funeral about 6 years ago.  Kim was with me- my significant other at the time and the wonderful individual who introduced me to running.  I'd only been running for maybe 15 months. Back then, I didn't log mileage or geek out over shoes.  But I'm certain my May total has surpassed anything I had done to that date.

I hit the Minuteman Trailway later that afternoon and headed east.  It brought back memories of runs of the past.  I did my first ever 18 mile run on this trail, with Mark riding his bike along side me. That was 2006, and I was in town to visit my grandmother for her birthday- the last we would celebrate together- and I was 4 months into training for my first marathon and TNT event.

Kim and me in Alaska, 2006.  First marathon and first Team in Training event.

When I reached the end of the Minuteman Trailway, I headed toward the Charles River. Apparently Memorial Drive along the river is closed off to car traffic on Sundays, leaving it open for pedestrians.  This was part of the May 2009 Race to Remember Half Marathon that I ran with my Warrior-mates.  It was my first half going solo, and while I did love running with Kim, it was quite meaningful to be able to find a new independent identity in my running.  It was somewhat symbolic, perhaps, of my life at the time, transitioning to a new life and a new me.  This was the year I returned to TNT as well.

Charles on the left, Memorial Drive on the right, goslings in the middle.

Before Sunday's the run, May's total sat in thirteenth place as far as mileage is concerned, right after August 2009, which my have been my only healthy running month of a frustrating fall season, and right before March 2012, during my ramp up to Ironman fitness levels and just prior to a rather stressful April which included the end of my 13 month relationship with Emily and somehow injuring myself with turf toe.  By the end of the 19 mile run through these Boston suburbs, May 2013 was seventh on the list, ahead of August 2011, the point at which my switch to midsole search was coming to fruition, and behind this past March.

Wow.  This past March ranks in the top 10.  As does April. And here comes May.

May is currently sitting in fourth place.  The months ahead are all from the glorious fall 2010 season of training. That season has been in my mind, a target for me to reach- no - surpass.  I've definitely approached things differently this time around, slowly building a hardy base. I'm still building that base and have only introduced pure speed and strength work into my routine a couple times so far.  Still, I know I'm not yet as fast, but I can feel the progress.  And after the Berkshire Trail 15k this weekend, hills, weights and speed, (oh my!) will become the focus.  I expect my mileage to drop in June because of this (and the 180 mile bike ride Mark and I have planned), which is fine.  High mileage has always just been a means to the end- that end being fast times.

With nine days left, I am 56.4 miles shy of 200.  Will I make it?  My calendar says yes.  But I will listen to my body and do the right thing.  I will not over train just to hit this arbitrary number.

I Don't Waffle. I Eat Them.

My second test of the year came with a little bit of fanfare.  Despite finishing 87 seconds slower than my 5k PR, I finished first in my age group and 8th overall out in Clinton Township.  It helped that the faster runners ran the 15k instead.  And it was a small field.  Still, I'll take the little medal and the sub 7:00/mi pace and move on to the next.

My pacing was pretty good on this somewhat hilly course, as it was during my latest half marathon and that's encouraging to me. I'm going to line up more 5k tests.  Because of their shorter distance, I'm able to test myself more frequently and (hopefully) see progress sooner.  Something around Father's Day would work out best, I think.  And I can sign my parents up, too.

8th out of 186 ain't bad.  But I want faster.

It's May already and I had imagined being faster than this by now. Building this base has been a slower process than I expected.  Adding to the delay was a stubborn series of colds that just wouldn't let up around the end of March. That killed my training momentum.  And I've had to avoid the gym and my love of free weights because of some issues with my back that Leslie is working on.  Can you believe it?  Two visits and she didn't even touch my legs because if the mess that was my back. So my upper body and core are lacking in strength, too.

But it would seem I'm back on track.

I've gotten a lot of miles in on my urban commute workouts.  They are exactly what they sound like and I  normally do them at a pretty fast click.  I like to think of them as fartleks or cruise intervals.  Sometimes I have to slow down because of pedestrian traffic and sometimes I have to come to a complete stop because of car traffic. But when I can let loose and go, I do, like on the Manhattan Bridge on my way home or though Harlem on the way to Yankee Stadium for a game.  Ranging 6 to 7 miles, they've been great to integrate even more into my workout routine.

I've been seeing progress in my long runs, specifically my *bad* long runs.  A bad long run I did last week where I felt sore and sluggish and where my bowels weren't cooperating translated to an 8:43 pace over 16 miles.  A few weeks ago, that would have more likely been a 9:30+ pace. I'm sure my fitness plays a part, but specifically, I'm feeling more efficient with my form.  I'm able to hold it longer and easier, staying relaxed throughout, sometimes even getting more relaxed as the run progresses.  A good 16 miler translated to an 8:30 pace two weeks ago.  Both these runs were done at effort level 2.5ish out of 5 on average.  I will need a good long run at this effort level to equate to a 7:45ish (or less, hopefully) pace to get to a sub 3-hour marathon.

On a 12 mile urban commute and 1/2 mile hill repeat combo day, I took note of the salt buildup on my face.  It is getting warmer and my miles are getting longer.  A sweat test will be in order some time in June.  It will be good to get a measurement of that again before it gets the better of me.

My face is as salty as my attitude.

Last week my mileage was 51.8, including a 7 day stretch that was 60+.  I felt pretty beat up by Saturday, but that is to be expected.  Monday I rested, sleeping 14 hours(!), recovering from that mileage as well as the excellent fun times that happened over the weekend, including the Run for Hope, which raised money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society via the RALLY campaign, and cheering the New Jersey Half and Full Marathons.  This week I have another 50+ miles planned and don't expect there to be any problems. Last night's urban commute was completed at a 7:29 per mile click including a sub 7:00 mile coming off the Bridge.  Thursday, I'll be introducing 1/4 mile hill repeats into my workouts to make my lungs and heart bigger.  I'm hoping the SCBkR tHrILLer group will be out to run with!

TNT BK just before the Race for Hope 5k put on by the students of the NJHS at the Battery Park City School, which was only part of the day's training.  These runners completed between 9 and 18 miles before noon.

With miles up and french fry consumption down, I've been losing fat at a descent rate.  Nothing extreme- it's probably one pound a week now, but I don't weigh myself so I don't really know.  I just go by feel- how my jeans fit, but most importantly, how I feel on a run. I am pretty excited about being at a point that I'm happy enough with to eat fries again.  I miss fries.  Especially from Bear Burger and Dram Shop. And Daisy's disco fries.  Yum.  I think I'm close.  I probably have another month before I start cheating giving myself a french fry allowance. Maybe sooner if I continue with these 50+ mile weeks in a healthy way!

Flea market find after a trail run in the Atlantic Highlands on the Appalachian Trail with the team. Now I'm gonna eat waffles for breakfast, too!