Hills 'O' Plenty

5 Miles - 41:14

Took a different route again today in Sedona. Wound up getting lost, but not matter where I turned, it was always the same, more hills, and not ending up where I wanted to go. Nice day though, beautiful out. Was a little sore for hiking, but man it was great.

More thin air running

4 Miles - 33:35

Another morning run here in Sedona. I took a different route today, through some neighborhoods, over a lot of hills. Felt good though, shoes feel great.

Running at Altitude

4 Miles - 33:36

Ran this morning before hiking, 4 miles in Sedona. The altitude was a factor going up the hills. But considering we hiking hard yesterday, I felt good. Wore the new shoes today, felt good.

Mackinaw Bridge Race

5.1 Miles - 34:03

Wasn't feeling good for this race, we got up to Mackinaw Island around 11 PM, had to get up around 4 AM to go get our packets for the race. I haven't been training after the 25K, haven't stayed with my diet.....I was just going to run this for fun.....

Oh man, I ran 6:43 miles, are you kidding me, and I didn't feel like I was running faster than I had in any other race. I just felt good. I will be going to Sedona to hike next week, then we I get back it's time to start training for the Marathon.

Oh yeah, and I received my new shoes, same shoes I have, just new. This race was the last time I will be wearing my old ones.

More Humidity

5 Miles - 42:49

It gets hotter and more humid here everyday. We ran towards Old Town again, this time when we got back to the hotel my legs weren't feeling so hot, so I only ran once around the hotel. I think 4 days in a row was a little much after not running for a week, but I will be taking Thursday and Friday off. Oh, and I might be running the Mackinac Bridge Run instead of Traverse City, everyone I was going with bailed, and another group is going to the Bridge Run. We shall see.

Humidity isn't that great

6 Miles - 52:09

It was really humid today in Orlando. Amanda and I went for another run. This time we left from her hotel and went towards Old Town. It was a nice run on some clay sidewalks. We got back to the hotel and I ran a few laps around the hotel to get to 6 miles.

Orlando Running

3.5 Miles - 30:05

It's a little toasty and humid down here in Orlando. Amanda and I went for a 3.5 Mile run around my hotel while we are down here for a convention. It sprinkled a little, which felt pretty good. My legs felt better today, so I think I am good for the race this weekend.

First Run after the Riverbank 25K

4 Miles - 34:08

I was a little stiff today. I think it was a combination of still being sore from the race, and not stretching a whole lot in the last week. But I got 4 in, felt better as I went on. I found it really hard today to stay motivated while running. Up till now, I have been motivated by the 25K. An with my marathon training not starting till I get back from hiking in Arizona at the end of May, I was just run to run. Might have been a combination of things, but it felt a little different. Hopefully running in the beautiful weather of Orlando will snap me back into it this week.

Fifth Third Riverbank Run 25K

15.5 Miles - 1:55:12

What an amazing race. This is by far the best race I have done thus far. Tons of runners, I think 14,000 0verall, even more exuberant spectators, all over the course, pep squads, cheer leaders, people just parking and cheering you on. It was great. Plus I had a lot of good friends running in the various races throughout the day.

As for the run itself......it's long...not too hilly....but long. My goal was to make the 2 hours club, which I did by almost 5 minutes. I was planning on running around 7:40 miles, I ended up running 7:26 miles, which blew me away. Didn't think I was going to be that strong today. My first mile was around 8:15 and I wasn't feeling too good. Thought I was in big trouble. Once I got though mile 2 I was feeling better, still not on pace, but gaining. I caught up with Pam and Hank around mile 3, Hank was packing Pam and he had a sign he was caring during the whole run (which is amazing) that said something like the Pam 2 hour club or something. After 4 miles I just took of at a good pace and was weaving around people. It was a pretty nice course, packed with runners though, I was running on the sidewalks and in the dirt to get around people.

At the halfway point I still felt really good, and at that point I knew I was running below 7:30 miles, but I kept at that pace with how I was feeling. Then the hills came, they weren't big, but after 8 miles, any hill is big. They slowed me down a bit, but I was always able to get back to pace after I made it to the top. It was at about mile 14 that I started to struggle a little, but when I made the last turn for the home stretch, and all those people were cheering, thousands of them, it was a great feeling. I was also able to out kick everyone I was running around at the end, which has not been the case in the past. All this turned into the best race of my life so far, but I feel like things will just keep getting better.

Last run before the 25K

4 Miles - 34:44

I was able to take it easy today, started out a little fast and just kept getting slower as the run went on. It just is not comfortable to run that slow, so it's awkward, and not a very easy day. So I'm going to rest for the next 2 days, eat lots of pasta, get some sleep and get ready for Saturday.

71 degrees...It's gonna be a good summer

6 Miles - 48:48

Didn't take it easy today like I was planning, I have to write that way too much. Anywho, felt ok running the 6 miles, just a little pain in my hamstring, nothing to worry about. My legs were still a little weak from all the hard workout I have been doing lately, looking forward to the 2 days rest before the race. I think the worst thing that happened was I stepped onto a piece of glass from a wine glass that got broken at a party I had a while back. A lot of blood, but not much of a cut, should be fine by Saturday.

Ok, one more quality run before the race

8.5 Miles - 25K Race Pace - 1:04:49
0.5 Miles - Walk - ?????
1 Miles - Easy - ?????

I read a lot of article on the major marathon runners, and I have always heard them talk about getting discouraged while training. I never really knew what it was, or how they got discouraged. Today I found out though. Up till today, every run I have gone on, I have run either farther, harder, or faster than I planned, and I haven't stopped short of what I planned on running. It's been a good feeling. That wasn't the case today.

I felt really good today, so when I started my 8 mile easy run, and noticed that I was on a good pace, I figured why not make it a Race Pace day, and go 10. Good plan. Except when I rounded mile 8, my right hamstring and back of my knee started hurting, so I stopped at 8.5 and walked. After a half mile I jogged the last mile.

Stopping at 8.5 miles was discouraging, I have never had to do that before, I have been tired, and in pain, but I could always just push through it. Not today, it was a different pain, and I stated thinking about the race next weekend, and not wanting to get injured.....don't know, just wasn't a good feeling to stop like that.

I'm sure I am ok, and will be fine next Saturday......but for some reason, I just had to walk.

4 Miles

4 Miles - 30:09

I was pretty sore today from the tempo run I did on Wednesday. Didn't help that I ran this run a little faster than I should have (I had dinner plans I had to hurry for). But my upper legs front and back were very sore. I was going to run 8 tomorrow, but I'll give it another day.