Philadelphia Tour - 7 miles

Garmin Link
6.87 miles
8:59 moving pace

Made plans to meet my friend Paul for a run Sunday. We were only going to do about three miles, so I decided to run down to his house in Queen Village - one of the old Federal-era parts of town.

We weren't meeting until 10:00, so I left the house at about 9:20. It was already in the mid-80s and very humid. The route I chose went through an old industrial and warehouse section of town - Washington Avenue - and there were no trees or other sources of shade at all. I managed to keep close to an 8:00 pace, and hit 4 miles at the end of Paul's block. Paul gave me a cold bottle of water, which revived me before we started out again along the I-95 overpass beside the Delaware River.

As we ran, Paul pointed out the neighborhoods we were passing every few blocks: Queen Village, Society Hill, Old City, Penn's Landing, Chinatown, Logan Square, and Fairmount. Paul says he can tell the different neighborhoods by smell. That's certainly true of Chinatown, with all the restaurants and fish markets - especially when the temp and humidity are up.

Of course we also passed within sight of the Betsy Ross house, the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall. We finally staggered to a halt a few hundred yards shy of the Art Museum, and wandered over to Rittenhouse Square after stopping at Starbucks for some cool drinks. I don't remember the last time I've sweated like that.

Walked home, and got soaked to the bone by a thunderstorm. Although it was less than 7 miles, I was so wiped out that I fell asleep on the couch Sunday afternoon. I'm not much of a napper, so that is unusual.

Art in the Open - 5 miles

Garmin Link
5.06 miles
9:23 moving pace

Jogged with Susan and Raminder at lunch. There was an art program going on all along the rec path and we stopped to take a few pictures. This guy was making sand paintings near the Fairmount Water Works in the shadow of the Art Museum. I told him we would pray for no wind.

Clearing My Head - 3 miles

Garmin Link
3.16 miles
8:12 moving pace

Sometimes a run is just the thing to work out the physical effects of a stressful situation, allow me to clear my head, and put things in perspective. Had a rough work meeting near the end of the day on Thursday, and decided to run if off. Went straight down Walnut Street to a meeting with friends in center city. Planning to run again today, so did not push hard.

Cooler Again - 6 miles

Garmin Link
6.34 miles
8:14 pace

Sixty two degrees this morning when I hit the road at about 7:15. That and the lack of humidity made a huge difference in the comfort of this morning's run compared to Sunday. Had a bit faster pace, and wasn't pining to quit after four miles. Did have some pain afterwards. Doctor yesterday thought it was probably shin splints. I'll start the Naproxen tonight & see if that helps.

Summer Again - 5 miles

Garmin Link
5.02 miles
8:25 pace

Decided to get out again Sunday after about two weeks off. It was warm and muggy - 76 degrees when I started out at about 7:30. Had 7 miles in mind, so turned around at the Art Museum at 3.5, but was more than ready to stop at 5. I really tend to wilt when it's over 70, and any humidity just multiplies it. Wasn't quite as pain-free as I would have expected after two weeks.

Had my yearly physical today and talked to the doctor about it. He prescribed some anti-inflammatory meds and referred me to a sports medicine specialist. I'm going to try again tomorrow (Tuesday) early, and hope to have better luck as the weather has cooled off again.

Half the Office - 5 miles

Garmin Link
5.01 miles
7:43 pace

Chris, Raminder, Susan and I all went out Wednesday. That's about half of our open office. We ran together for the first mile, then Chris and I sped up. We maintained a good, relatively fast pace - burning off some stress from a difficult meeting in the morning. Mile five was our fastest at 7:13. That seems fast to me now, but Chris and I averaged 7:16 and 7:12 respectively for the 10-mile Broad Street run just a year ago. Glory days, I guess.

Friday - Hot and Hazy - 6 miles

6.07 miles
7:52 pace

After about a week of highs in the sixties, Friday it was up to about 85, hazy and humid, when I got out for a run after work. Chris wasn't able to join me, so I thought I would try a little longer distance - 7 to 10 miles.

Felt good starting out - was doing a pretty fast pace - but began to wilt after about three miles. Turned around at 3.75 and took this shot of a crew team practicing on the Schuylkill. Gave up and stopped altogether at 6. I don't do well over 70 degrees, and this was quite a bit warmer. Still managed to keep the average pace below 8:00.

Wednesday Jog with Raminder and Susan

Garmin Link
4.64 miles
9:26 moving pace

Instead of doing a longer run on my own, decided to join Susan and Raminder on their weekly lunchtime jog down to the Art Museum and back. Weather was overcast and damp, and quite cool - maybe 50 degrees. We managed a little faster pace than last week, but it was gentle enough that I think I will still be in shape to run with Chris on Thursday. Tried to take advantage of the slower pace to concentrate on my form.

Cool and Overcast - 5 miles

Garmin Link
5.34 miles
7:47 pace

I wasn't looking forward to running today - even after four days off my joints and tendons are still sore - but once Chris and I started out, it felt really good to get the blood moving. We kept a pretty good pace - more consistent than last week's, and though it was only five miles, it was fast enough that it felt like a workout, without overdoing it. Temperature was back down in the mid-fifties, an ideal temp for me.

"Chris" Pace

Garmin Link
5.26 miles
7:46 moving pace

After the past couple weeks of relatively slow runs, I knew that today's run with Chris would be different. Chris and I are sometimes the hare and the tortoise. He tends to start fast, then slow down on the return, while I usually need a mile or two to establish a cruising pace.

We kept up a good pace (7:30s and 7:40s) until the fifth mile when we both were running out of gas and getting overheated (temp was about 80). This was the fastest run I've done in months, probably. Although we were both tired out at the end, it still was a pleasant run in beautiful weather, and the pace was comfortable enough to keep up a conversation the whole way.

Jog with Raminder and Susan

Garmin Link
4.58 miles
9:41 moving pace

I've taken off the past several days - legs have been kind of stiff and painful - but Wednesday when Susan asked if I wanted to join her and Raminder on their weekly jog, I decided that wasn't a bad idea, and improvised a running outfit. Wore the five-fingers and winter long running pants and undershirt.

Weather was warm, (low 70's) but not humid or hot. We don't usually get too many of these nice spring days in Philly before it turns steamy. We took it easy, and ran an abbreviated version of the 5.5 mile route Chris and I have been doing. It was good to get a few miles in after some time off. Chris and I have a run planned for today. It's been a while since I've run at a "Chris pace" so we'll see how it goes.

Rittenhouse Square

6.12 miles

Ran downtown to my Thursday appointment after work today. Even after two days off, and some pre-run stretching, I didn't feel much like running, and calves were tight. Instead of detouring onto the rec path on the way down, I decided to divide my run in half, and run home instead of taking the trolley.

Stopped in Rittenhouse Square to take these pictures. It was a really beautiful day - weather in the 70's - will be up to 90 by Saturday. Lots of people enjoying the park after work.

Felt much better an hour or so later on the way home. Calves had loosened up somehow, and stride was much more relaxed, and pace faster.

Rainy and Slow

Garmin Link
6.5 miles
8:27 pace

It's been raining since last night, and I took advantage of a break after lunch to try to get a run in. Even though it was two hours after eating, my belly was uncomfortable for most of the way. I need to avoid running after lunch.

Had a hard time getting a good pace going, and got a phone call from Barb during mile 2 that slowed me down a bit. It started raining again, and was coming down pretty steadily the whole way back. Saw a family of geese on the path - the little goslings were still all yellow. Not sure I've ever seen them that young before. Thought about trying to get a picture, but with the rain and the aggressive nature of Ma and Pa geese, decided against it.

More Relays

Garmin Link
6.01 miles
8:25 pace

Another 6-miler with Doug this morning. On the way down to the path, we had to negotiate more street traffic than yesterday as people converged on Franklin Field for the Relays. The big attraction today is Usain Bolt, "world's fastest man", who will be running a leg of the 4X100 relays for Jamaica.

Lots of little groups of runners in matching warmups or singlets jogging on the rec path and around the neighborhood. We saw Georgetown, Tennessee, Texas A&M and Princeton among others.

Doug is having some allergy trouble, and during the second mile said he wanted to do no more than our usual six today. We had started slow - I'm feeling a bit stiff - but increased speed steadily, doing the last two miles both under 8:00. Doug wasn't feeling great, but he was the one pushing the pace on the way back.

Doug is fun to run with. On the way down he ran on the edge of the sidewalk in the path of all the streetlights and parking meters, dodging and twirling around each one, holding an imaginary football and coaching himself out loud, "this CAMP is not a CUPCAKE!" (He's going to football camp in June, after school lets out.) His sense of humor really reminds me of Yancey.

Penn Relays

Garmin Link
5.72 miles
8:00 pace

The Penn Relays are going on at Franklin Field through this weekend. All week there have been groups of high school and college relay teams from around the country wandering and jogging around the campus, usually in their matching warmups. Chris and I passed the track on our way to the rec path and snapped a couple of pictures.

Weather was perfect - sunny and in the low sixties, and all our splits were under 8:00 except the first and last. And we were comfortable enough to chat the whole way. Even though I'm in maintenance mode for a while, I think the daily running is toughening me up, and have gotten faster and more comfortable as the week has gone on.

Doug and I are planning on a run tomorrow morning, then I might take Sunday off.

Another Run Downtown

Garmin Link
6.17 miles
8:17 pace (8:07 moving)

Doug declined to run this time, which was probably a good idea, although the weather was sunny and much nicer than the previous run - 70 degrees according to the display on the PECO building as I passed.

Similar route to last run, except that I took my more meandering route down to the rec path so as to hit 2.5 miles at the terminus of the path. Went out to circle the Art Museum parking lot and was at about 5.25 when I climbed the stairs from the path back to Walnut Street. Continued east to end up at 15th and Walnut with a little over six miles.

Left home at 5:00, so hit center city in prime rush hour traffic and had to wait to cross at a few corners. That accounts for the relatively large difference between my overall pace and my "moving" pace as recorded by Garmin.

Rainy Run With Doug - 6 miles

Garmin Link
6.67 miles
8:18 pace

Doug went out with me into the drizzle yesterday afternoon. We took a straight line down to the rec path and went out to the three mile mark. I was heading downtown, while Doug was returning home, so if he followed the same route back he would have six miles.

The last mile we did together (mile 4) was 7:51, and Doug was just cruising. After we split, I had to slow a little to get through the Center City traffic, but did my last mile and a quarter around Rittenhouse Square. It is about .4 miles around, wide sidewalks, and no streets to cross.

Ended up on Broad Street near the Union League (pictured). The Union League is a Republican men's club that dates back to Lincoln and the Civil War (hence the name.) It is still a functioning club (and now admits women), but I think is less political or social, and more about business and networking.

Run with Dan - 5 miles

Garmin Link
5.51 miles
7:57 pace

Took a rest day yesterday, and was concerned that I might have overdone it. Was still a little sore today, but mostly muscle stiffness. Don't think I'm getting any injuries. Was rested for a good run - all mile splits except the last one were under 8:00.

I think it was a little long for Dan at this pace. This was only his third run in four weeks. But I expect that if he keeps running, in a few weeks I won't be able to keep up with him.

Clark Park Run - 6 miles

Garmin Link
6.13 miles
8:08 pace

Fit a run into a busy Sunday. Got to the supermarket by 7:00 and did a big shop. I like avoiding the lines on weekends. At home, I started a batch of yogurt - usually make four quarts every week. I eat it for breakfast and Barbara has it at night. Woke up Doug at 9:30 to run, but he said he was too sore from yesterday, and rolled over.

Haven't run around the park for a long time. It is not a fast course - you have to cross Woodland and Chester Avenues twice for each 1.25 mile lap. But on a Sunday morning, traffic was pretty light. I was able to bump up the speed a bit - still feeling good after waking up a bit stiff. Last mile was 7:43.

Finished the run in front of this statue of Charles Dickens and his character Little Nell. It was made for the Chicago World's Fair in 1893, and ended up in Clark Park in 1901. This park was also the site of Satterlee Hospital during the Civil War. Many of the Gettysburg survivors were treated there.

Barbara took me to an amateur orchestra concert at the local Catholic high school this afternoon. It was nice, although I don't go to a lot of classical music concerts like she does. I think there might have been more people on stage than in the audience. Afterward I made dinner, cleaned up, and it was already 8:00. I think we squeezed quite a bit out of this weekend.

Six-miler with Doug

Garmin Link
6.01 miles
8:32 pace

Doug and I took a run out to the Art Museum from home. We stopped briefly at the turnaround point and got someone to take this picture. I think Doug will be taller than me by the end of the summer.

Doug gets faster every time we're out. He wants to do the Broad Street Run (10 miles) next month, and I don't think he'll have any trouble. We are too late to sign up, but I think we can run "bandit-style". If he enjoys it, maybe he'll want to try the Distance Run (half-marathon) in the fall.

I was a little sore this morning, but Doug taught me a 10-minute stretching routine that I think will be helpful. No pain during the run, and now, five hours later, am feeling fine. Would probably be prudent to take a day off tomorrow - maybe we'll do a bike ride instead.

Lunchtime with Chris, Raminder and Dan - 5 miles

Garmin Link
5.37 miles
8:24 pace

Beautiful today, temperature about 60 degrees when we left the office, but felt warmer in the sun. We took our normal route down to the Art Museum and back. First time I've run with Dan, who is new in the office. Dan is a tall, thin guy who used to run on the Drexel University track team about ten years ago, but hasn't done much distance running.

I was prepared to let myself fall behind in the interest of keeping to my 8-8:30 pace, but Dan and Chris weren't running any faster than that, so ran with them most of the way. Raminder dropped back once we hit the path, but she wasn't far behind, and got ahead of us for the last mile when she took a shortcut leaving the path.

Would have liked to have gotten a picture of the four of us, but I left the iPhone in the office, since I wasn't going to be listening to music.

So far, so good after three consecutive running days. We'll see how it is tomorrow, but I am prepared to skip a day at the first sign of trouble.

Running an Errand - 7.7 miles

Garmin Link
7.7 miles
8:26 pace

Had an appointment in center city after work, so decided to save a couple of subway tokens and run down. Doug accompanied me partway, and did about four miles himself.

Took these photos at about 8:00 at dusk after the meeting. First is City Hall, which I think was Hallie's favorite building in Philadelphia. Across the street is the 45-foot Clothespin sculpture by Claes Oldenburg. (For a vertigo-inducing VR view of this corner, click here.) I lengthened the run a little bit both coming and going by taking a couple of laps around Rittenhouse Square.

The pace was not as slow as it looks, as a considerable amount of it was through crowded city streets, and I had to wait for traffic at a few corners. Even so, three of the mile splits were under 8:00. By the time I got home at 8:30, felt like I had burned some calories, and was able to keep my supper pretty light. Hoping to lose a few pounds if I can keep this up.

New Experiment - 5 miles

Garmin Link
5.16 miles
8:15 pace

It's been a tough week since the last run. While the weather has been perfect for running most days - cool mornings, with highs in the sixties - I have been stiff and achy like never before since the last run with Chris. That run was faster than usual, but nothing too radical, so I'm not sure how to account for it. It just did not seem to get better all week, and I even developed a sore and painful back for a few days.

On top of that, I am putting on some weight, which is not only disheartening, but will become a practical problem if I don't nip it in the bud, since I got rid of most of my fat clothes in the past year.

Yesterday I wasn't expecting to run, but a couple of the women in the office, Raminder and Susan, were heading out at about 2:00 yesterday. Raminder was part of our original group that trained together and ran the 2007 PDR, and Susan is the friend who planned the Valley Forge bike trips that Doug and I have ridden on a few times. Raminder asked if I wanted to come, but I had to decline as I had a client coming in for a meeting. Soon after they left the client called and canceled, so I changed quickly and decided to try to catch them.

I didn't end up catching them, but we crossed paths when I was at about the 2 mile mark and they were heading back towards work. Wish I would have had the presence of mind to snap a picture for the blog.

I was still digesting a turkey hoagie from lunch, so had to keep the pace and distance relatively short. I'm thinking that as an experiment I might try taking the distance and speed down a notch, but run more often - maybe five or six times a week. I wonder if more consistent (but less intense) exercise might help with the weight issue.

I have an appointment in center city this evening, so I might try running (about three miles each way), then do another 5-miler tomorrow at an 8-8:30 pace. We'll see - I might find it too hard on my body after only few days, or maybe it will work out.

Fast, then slow - 5 miles

Garmin Link
5.48 miles
7:39 pace
83 degrees

Ran with Chris at lunch today. We started fast - under 7 minutes for the first mile - and even so, I was holding Chris back. As we started to fade in the heat, we got progressively more slow, and pooped out at 34th and Walnut, walking the quarter mile back to the office. I think this is the first day over 80 degrees in 2010. It is supposed to hit 87. Still another six weeks until the swim club opens.

Maybe it is the warmer weather, allergies, or just my body adjusting to the sudden change in seasons, but every run lately seems to be a struggle. I'm tired a lot, and it takes at least two or three days after each run for the aches and pains to ease - which means that they never really go away. Will have to switch to mornings and adopt a different work schedule soon. (I've been working 6:30 to 2:30.)

Saturday 8-miler

Garmin Link
8.01 miles
8:05 pace


Went out for a 10-miler at noon today, but ended early - at 8 miles. Kept a decent pace, but just got tired out. Temp was in the 70's and I wilted a bit in the sun. Lots of people out enjoying the good weather and preparing for the Broad Street Run next month. (30,000 runners, so I'm sure a number of them were out training today.)

Was still feeling a bit tired and achy from the run with Doug on Wednesday. Maybe my body is taking a while to adjust to the change in seasons.

6-miler with Doug

Garmin Link
Doug and I have the rest of the week off for Spring Break. We took a run down to the Art Museum yesterday and ended up at our favorite burrito place after finishing 6 miles. I was in the Vibrams, so Doug was able to outrun me at a number of points and pace some faster runners on the crowded rec path. Took this photo on the run. You can just see the Art Museum on the right.

Doug is doing great! If we weren't too late, I would have signed him up for the Broad Street run in May. With two pretty effortless 6-mile runs in the past week, I think he would be more than ready for a 10-mile race.

Sunday Half - 13.1 miles

Garmin Connect
13.1 miles
8:25 pace

Was still feeling a little sore from pushing my pace on Friday, but wanted to get out today. Yesterday was a big eating day - cheesesteak for lunch and big pasta dinner in South Philly. Stepdad Bob is visiting, and we're trying to keep him full.

Did not push the speed today, and didn't leave until 11:30 after a relatively light breakfast earlier in the morning - banana and blueberry muffin. I took a Gu packet, since I was in danger of really emptying the tank, but didn't need to use it, maybe thanks to the spaghetti dinner last night.

Did the loop out to the Falls Bridge from home. By my usual route that would have been 15 miles, but I shortened it a bit, and stopped about a mile from home, as soon as I hit 13.1.

One Hour Run - 7.76 miles

Garmin Connect
7.76 miles
7:44 pace

Had to leave work on time yesterday, so decided to limit myself to one hour. The relatively fast run on Tuesday must have reset my internal speed regulator, because the first mile, usually my warmup mile, was 7:40. (I was aiming for an 8:00 pace overall. Slowed down for the second mile, but all the rest were under 8:00. Fastest were miles 6 and 7, both at 7:34. Last 3/4 mile was at a 7:02 pace as I raced to cover all the ground I could in one hour.

Couldn't wait for Chris as he was stuck in a meeting. Dan, the new guy in the office, waited around to run with Chris, since he wanted to do a shorter distance. Dan used to run track at Drexel, and has been running only occasionally, but looks like he is fast. He ran the Broad Street 10-miler last year with the same time as both Chris and me (1:12), but with only 3 weeks training as opposed to my 3 years.

Dodging Raindrops - 5 miles fast

Garmin Link
5.6 miles
<7:30 pace

Yesterday I was planning a 10-miler at about the same pace as Sunday, but the weather and Chris had other ideas. We weren't able to get out of the office until about 1:30, and by then it was raining steadily. A long run wasn't as attractive as it was when the sun was out.

Chris set the pace, and he is the hare to my tortoise. Unfortunately, something didn't work right with the Forerunner, likely because of the rain or the cloud cover, and the first half mile did not register. I would have liked to have seen all the splits, because it felt like we were moving fast. As it was, miles 2 through 4 were steady at 7:20, and mile 5 slowed down to 7:57 because I was sucking wind. I think I slowed him down most of the way - Chris doesn't run regularly anymore, but is a serious cyclist (and 9 years younger than your correspondent).

I think this did me more good than the 10 mile run would have, since it stressed my windpower. Unfortunately, it did irritate a sharp pain on top of my left foot - where one of the long bones that lead down to the toe meets the top of the foot. Hope it is OK by Thursday.

Daffodils Everywhere - 13.1 miles

Garmin Link
13.1 miles
8:12 pace

Set out for a 10 mile run at 7:30. Wore the Lunarglides - did not feel ready for a run that long in the Vibrams. Felt pretty good after the first couple of miles, and crossed from the rec path over to West River Drive since it is closed to traffic now on weekend mornings. Paused to take this shot of the Boelson Cottage (c.1684) where I turned around a little after the 6 mile point. Noticed daffodils everywhere along the route. They must have been charged up and waiting for the last several days of 70+ degree weather.

Lengthened the run by doing a loop around the big park area in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art at the end of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. This is where the Philadelphia Marathon and the Philadelphia Distance Run both begin and end. There was some kind of run going on later this morning, so it was all closed off to traffic.

Took the usual route home, and finished 13.1 miles, or half the marathon distance, looping through Clark Park and ending up at the end of my street. The time wasn't anything special, and I felt fatigued by the end, but this was my longest run since doing the same distance on Jan. 22. This makes me feel like I'm getting back into shape after a long hiatus.

Five Miles - A Little Faster

Garmin Link
5.27 miles
8:04 pace

Out again yesterday to the rec path with Chris. We were both still a little sore around the ankles from the Vibrams, so we wore our running shoes and managed a bit faster time. Miles 3-5 were all under 8:00. Hard to believe that today's measly five miles was slower than my marathon pace less than four months ago. How quickly we backslide.

Weather couldn't be more beautiful. Mother Nature is showing us some love after her miserable performance last month. It is expected to be in the 60's and 70's through the weekend - 76 on Saturday!

Spring at Last

Garmin Link
5.52 miles
8:21 overall pace

Chris and I both wore our Fivefingers yesterday for a quick run down to the Art Museum and back. Had to pause for traffic a few times on the surface streets, but the miles running on the path were faster, just a bit over an 8 minute pace.

We're getting some well-deserved early spring weather for the next few days - highs forecast in the mid-60's all the way until Sunday.

One Hour, All You Can Run - 7.6 miles

Garmin Link
7.59 miles
7:54 pace

It's been raining hard for the past few days, so when it cleared up this afternoon, I decided to get a quick run in before we were to meet some friends for dinner. I ran out to the 3.5 mile point near the Art Museum at about 29 minutes and turned around. After the first two miles, all the splits were under 8:00. Fastest mile was number 7 at 7:41. Got back near home with about 3 minutes to spare, so did a half-mile lap around the park to stop at one hour exactly.

By the time we finished dinner it was raining again, and it is supposed to continue through tomorrow, so glad I got it in. Should be able to run on Tuesday and Thursday.

Back to the Schuylkill Path

Garmin Link
7 miles
8 minute pace

Went down to the river path for the first time since January. Weather was overcast, but in the mid fifties; plenty warm enough for shorts and t-shirt. Forgot to charge my watch until about 15 minutes before leaving, it died after 5.4 miles. I took it despite the low battery reading since I figured that as long as it got me to the halfway point I would know the mileage fairly accurately.

After the first two miles in which I had to cross a lot of streets and wait for traffic, all splits were under 8:00. Still, for only a 7-mile run it felt like a lot of work. I guess that's what happens when you take a significant time off.

Wore my old Nike Lunarglides today since I am still feeling a bit of soreness in the achilles and right knee from the last five-fingers run.

Yet Another Franklin Field Five

Chris went out with me to the track for five miles yesterday - his first run in a few weeks. I didn't have the Forerunner, but I think we were running about an 8:00 pace. Weather was beautiful - upper 50s - and I wore shorts for the first time in 2010. Left achilles and back of right knee are sore today.

Getting Faster... 6 miles

Garmin Link
6.15 miles
7:52 pace

Again in the five-fingers, ran five miles at the track, then a cooldown mile back to the office. Worked on speed today. Had negative splits for the first five miles; mile five was 6:56. Overall pace for first five was 7:32.

Was much less sore after Monday's run, although the tendinitis had returned in my right leg, from behind the knee, all the way up into the rear of the upper thigh. Will consult a doc if it doesn't get better soon. At least this doesn't bother me while running, and am having zero shinsplints or other below-the-knee pain. Feel like I have adapted pretty quickly and painlessly to the five-fingers.

Another Five Fingers Run - 5 Miles

Garmin Link
5.3 miles
8:16 pace

To the track again today with the Five Fingers. As expected my lower legs and achilles were sore for a couple of days after the first "barefoot" run, but feet were just fine. By Saturday I was ready to run again, but just wasn't able to get out this weekend.

Started slow, but mile 5 was 7:33. We'll see if the soreness returns as I work out some new muscles, but I think I might be ready for a longer run down on the rec path next time. Anything more than a couple of miles at the track is kind of tedious.

5 Miles in Five Fingers

Was so happy to get back to the track today. The tendonitis - if that's what it was - behind my right knee finally seems to be gone. For a few weeks it would come and go for three or four days at a time, and it was definitely aggravated by all of the snow shoveling we've had to do. (Already we've broken the total snowfall record for Philadelphia this year, and are expecting another 6-12 inches tonight.)

Yesterday I picked up a pair of Vibram Five Fingers and some toed socks, and was eager to try them out. I've been following the barefoot running movement, and these zero-support, separated-toe shoes seem like a sane compromise. (In the last few years, more people have begun to subscribe to the theory that cushioned running shoes facilitate a style of running that causes injury in the long term for many runners. Barefoot or minimally shod running is theorized to help you to run in a way that is easier on the body.)

The run was interesting. I did not feel that it changed my form very much - I've been consciously trying to keep a mid-foot strike since reading Chi Running. It was surprisingly comfortable. Everyone advises to start slow and short. I was planning three miles, but ended up running five, getting faster throughout the run. I didn't bother with the Forerunner, since I didn't want to push the speed (and the battery was dead after my month-long layoff.)

By the last mile, I could feel some wear on the balls of my feet, which is probably good - means I am not heel-striking. Now, eight hours later, I can feel some fatigue in my lower legs, but no worrying pain. With the snow coming tonight it might be several days before I can run again. I think I will stick with the Five Fingers for a while and see if it helps to avoid some leg pain.

Tendonitis? Arthritis? Lazyitis?

The tendon problem behind my right knee got worse over the weekend, until by Monday and Tuesday it was very painful to get up from the desk and try to walk across the office. Wednesday and this morning it is better, although this week for the first time I am really noticing joint pain in both hips and knees. It is apparent when I get out of bed or when getting up from the desk after sitting for a while. Will take this week off before deciding how to proceed.

Heard a pair of stories on "All Things Considered" NPR last night:

Study: Humans Were Born To Run Barefoot

Americans Long Way From Running Barefoot"

Funny that they felt the need to counter a science story based on research with a story that mainly uses as sources people whose income relies on selling running shoes.

It looks like the marathon in March won't work out. My stepfather is visiting that weekend, so it would be hard to get to the Jersey shore on Sunday. So maybe instead I will take a little time off to heal, and give some barefoot/Vibram Fivefingers runnning a try.

Garmin Connect
13.11 miles
8:31 pace (8:15 target)

Still low-energy today. Took a two-hour lunch and did the East Falls loop from the office. Made my mileage, but at a slower than target pace. Only had 2 mile splits under the target pace of 8:15. Weather was decent - overcast, but low 40's. Will have the weekend to recover, then back to the track on Monday or Tuesday.

Week Minus 10 - Tempo (8 miles)

Garmin Link
8.14 miles
1 mile easy
6 miles @7:31 (7:44 target)
1 mile easy

Skipped a couple of runs, including the 20-miler I had planned for Saturday. Legs were starting to really bother me by the end of last week and I've been feeling a bit under the weather. By today the legs were better, and although I still wasn't feeling great, my belt was starting to feel a little tight, which isn't a good sign.

It's funny how some days you can get a great time without putting out a lot of effort, and other days require constant pushing just to make an unremarkable time. Today was one of the latter. After straining to hit 7:44 for the first three tempo miles, I decided to pull back a little at the halfway point and just get through the run. To my surprise, I continued to get negative splits (faster each mile) until the last tempo mile was 7:02. Not blazingly fast, but a nice surprise after the struggle of the first half of the run.

Afterwards I was a bit wrecked for the afternoon at work - different from the pleasant relaxation that usually follows a run. Tonight I'm getting to bed early and try to catch up on some sleep. Will sleep better after finally getting some excercise.

Week Minus 11 - Tempo (6 miles)

Garmin Link
6.63 miles
1 mile easy
5 miles @7:26 (7:29 target)
cooldown

Beautiful today - sunny and 40 degrees when I left the office at noon. Left the gloves and earband behind; in fact, would have been more comfortable in shorts. Legs were hurting at first, but I took it pretty easy the first mile (8:41) before shifting into ~7:30 tempo gear. Wasn't feeling my best, and it was a struggle to keep the pace up for five miles, but I did manage to make it. Hope I didn't pound my legs up too much and that it won't be a problem for the 20-miler scheduled for Saturday. I am still intimidated by those long runs, but after last week's 18-miler went so well, I'm not dreading it too much. The weather should continue to be nice and on the warm side through the weekend.

Week Minus 11 - Intervals (7 miles)

Garmin Link
7.04 miles
2 mile warmup
2 x 1200m @4:44 (4:55 target) (2 min RI)
4 X 800m @3:06 (3:13 target) (2 min RI)
1 mile cooldown

Chris came with me down to the track - a bit warmer today; about 30 degrees and sunny. Although the speed work is never fun for me, it seems to be getting easier to make the target times. I took a look back at this same workout back in August, and my times are significantly better now.

Week Minus 12 - Distance (18 miles)

Garmin Link
18.07 miles
2:34:03
8:31/mile pace (18 miles @8:45 target)

It was so cold when I left the house at 7:30 this morning that after the first mile I thought I would start circling around back towards home, and do maybe three miles. Fingers were completely numb, which has never happened with these lightweight running gloves before. By 1.5 miles, they were thawing a little, so I continued on towards the river. By the time I got down to the river path, the sun was coming out, and the temperature display on the PECO Building read 21 degrees.

From home, the Falls Bridge is about 7.75 miles, so if I am going farther than 15 miles, I usually cross the bridge and run till my halfway point (never more than 10 miles for this program) then double back home the way I came. Today, after crossing the bridge I followed the path in the opposite direction, towards Manayunk, until hitting 9.15, then returned without crossing the bridge, the way I would if I were doing the 15-mile loop. The path peters out after about half a mile, but I think you can take the sidewalk all the way into Manayunk. This was part of the Philly Marathon route.

Aside from the cold, the run wasn't difficult. I kept the speed conservative. 20-miler next week, so I want to be careful and not beat myself up between now and then. Track was closed last week, but I think the students return Monday, so hope it will open then. I think Chris is planning to join me.

Week Minus 12 - Tempo - 5 miles

Garmin Link
5.25 miles
8:08 pace

Chris came along for his first run a few months today, so we went a little shorter than the six miles I had scheduled. Windier than Monday and no sun.

I've transcribed the Run Less, Run Faster training program I'm using, and it appears over in the right hand column. Maybe I'll figure out some way to highlight the workouts that finish, skip or fail as I work my way to the marathon on 3/28.

Week Minus 12 - Intervals

Garmin Link
7.27 miles
2 miles warmup
3 X 1 mile @6:41 (6:41 target)
2 miles cool down

Cold and windy today - as it has been since Saturday. I'm usually skeptical of "wind chill", but this weekend, with winds up to 30 and 40 mph, made a believer of me. It only got down to the low twenties, but really did feel much colder.

It was 30 degrees when I started my run today, but once down on the river path where the wind was whipping through, it felt like the wind chill adjusted temp of 20. Wore a new Xmas Brooks cold weather top from Mom and Bob, and it was perfect for this weather.

These 1-mile speed intervals are tough. It takes forever for those miles to end when in the process of being winded. So much of this is mental. Just made the target of 6:41/mile, but had to cheat a little - after the second interval I was so winded that I rested three minutes instead of one. Hope that didn't take away too much from the value of the workout.

New Year's Day 10-miler

Garmin Link
10.01 miles
8:30 pace

Did not feel much like running today - I think the Ethiopian takeout that we had for New Year's Eve dinner might have caused some problems. Barb, Doug and I all had some digestion issues today.

Barbara convinced me to go out, and I'm glad she did. The sun came out a little, and the temp was warm enough - about 40 - to leave the gloves at home. It is going to top out at around 30 the next couple of days. The inch or so of snow we got yesterday was nearly gone, but a few icy patches remained that seemed more treacherous for being wet in the sun.

Went out six miles before turning around, but quit after 10 and walked the rest of the way home. I'll get a fresh start on week -12 of the training program on Monday. With luck the track will be open.

Week Minus 14 - Distance (17 miles)

Garmin Link
17.17 miles (1,010 miles exactly for 2009)
2:25:23
8:27 pace (8:45 target)

After missing the distance runs for weeks 16 and 15 of this training program, I really had to make this one. I put it off with all of the snow and rain, but it was beautiful, warm and sunny today. [Photo is over my shoulder with the iPhone, trying and failing to get Memorial Hall in Fairmount Park across the river, but at least you can see that it was a sunny day.]

Disappointed that even after my spotty running for the past few weeks, my legs still feel kind of rickety and painful from getting out of bed until about the fourth mile into the run. Maybe that's just an unavoidable part of getting older.

Did not push hard, enjoyed the weather, sunny and in the 40s after so many days of snow and rain.

Broke 1,000 miles for the year! Significantly short of the 1,200 miles I thought I could do, but a milestone nonetheless.

Week Minus 14 - Tempo (7 miles)

Garmin Link
7.26 miles
1 mile easy (8:06)
5 miles @7:44 target (7:43 actual)
1 mile easy

Braved the snow and 25 degree temp to try a run today. The track was closed. From what I could see through the gate, they haven't even attempted to clear it. With the students gone, this week might have been a scheduled closing regardless of the snow.

Ran down to the rec path, having to stop a few times for traffic. Had to run in the street in a few places where the sidewalk is not yet cleared, and hurdled some piled up snow on the corners. The running path was mostly clear, but had to go carefully in a few iced up places, especially under the bridges. Under these circumstances, was glad to meet my time goal - had to hustle the last two tempo miles (7:25 and 7:24) to make it.

Sunny and no wind, so once my blood got moving it didn't feel cold at all. Took off gloves after two miles, and headband after five. Only about seven miles left to break 1,000 for the year. If the weather cooperates, would like to do this week's scheduled 17 mile run on Saturday.

Snow... No Running

Was planning to do a 15-miler Saturday morning and break 1,000 miles for the year, but was less enthusiastic when we woke up to a few inches of snow, still falling steadily. We hadn't expected the snow to start until about 9:00, so I had optomistically thought I'd be able to get the run in beforehand.

It ended up snowing steadily all day Saturday, and left us with 23 inches, a record for one-day snowfall in December here.

As you can see, our houses are only 15 feet wide, so Doug and I shoveled for four elderly neighbors in addition to our house. Doug made 30 dollars in paying jobs, also shoveling out a car.

Instead of waiting for the storm to be over like smart people, Doug and I were out shoveling every few hours as the snow built up. Even so, we had a good 8 inches waiting for us Sunday morning.

Notice the strange snow overhangs on the roof. About half an hour after we finished shoveling on Sunday we heard a big thud, and saw that the sidewalk was covered with about a foot of heavy snow that had fallen from the top roof onto the porch roof, and emptied onto the sidewalk. Back into our boots and gloves for more shoveling.

Photo on the right is the view out my office window on Monday. There is a little garden and pond tucked between some of the research buildings called the "Biopond". The pond has fish and turtles, and a family of ducks that live there for a few months every spring. Sometimes we see a red-tailed hawk roosting in the trees.

Week Minus 15 - Tempo (7.5 miles)

Garmin Link
7.5 miles
1 mile easy
5 miles @8:00 target (7:52 actual)
1.5 miles easy

Took an easy run at the end of the workday yesterday. It was on the cool side - mid-30's - but clear and sunny. Uneventful. I'm scheduled for a 15-miler on Saturday, and that would put me just over the 1,000-mile mark for the year.

May have to see a doctor about this foot problem. It doesn't bother me much running, but can be painful just walking around. Doesn't seem to get much better or worse.

Week Minus 15 - Intervals

Garmin Link
5.66 miles total
1.5 mile warmup
4 X 800m @3:13 target (3:09 actual)
(2 min RI)
1.5 mile cooldown

Missed my distance run yesterday. Was still feeling cruddy with day 10 of this cold, and it was sleeting and raining pretty good, so decided to sit it out.

Today, still don't feel much better. Think I have a bronchial infection or something. But going to the track feels like less of a commitment than going all the way down to the river path. The weather was sunny and about 20 degrees warmer than yesterday, which didn't hurt either.

Made my speed targets without much strain. Right foot is hurting again, even with all the rest I've had the past few weeks. Chris is going to try to make it for the 7-mile tempo run on Wednesday.

Week Minus 16 - Tempo (6 miles)

Garmin Link
6.5 miles
7:55 overall pace

2 miles easy,
2 miles @ 7:14 (7:03 actual)
2.5 miles easy

Another long break from running, this time due to a bad cold that started a week ago, and still hasn't completely left. This was supposed to be the first week of a repeat of the 16-week program I used for the Philly marathon. The target for this program is the Ocean Drive Marathon on March 28. Tony and Cole are definitely on for it, and Chris is on the fence.

This was the first run this fall with the temp in the 20's - about 27 when I left work at 11:00. Got out the gloves and headband which have been waiting in my desk drawer since last winter. Windy, but also clear and sunny. It felt tough to keep the pace below 7:14 for the middle two miles, but got easier as I went. Afterwards, stopped at "King's Wok" lunch truck next to Franklin Field. That's about a half mile from the office, and got quite chilled waiting for the food and walking back in the wind.

Since I got started so late this week, I've skipped the speed workout, and will do the distance run Sunday. Then I should be able to run Tue, Thu, Sat next week.

What's Next? - 10 miles

Garmin Link
10.15 miles
1:19:35
7:50 pace

Had a nice 10-day rest since the marathon. Would have run a couple of days earlier, but got busy - was also enjoying the feeling of walking around with no soreness. It's funny, but after the marathon and 2-3 days of being sore all over, the past few days I've felt physically better than I did in days leading up to the marathon. No little aches and pains to ignore when walking around.

Today I took a lunchtime 10-miler at my marathon race pace. Felt that it should have been a breeze, but after the first mile, had to push more than a little to keep the pace up. Felt good to run pain-free though, and the weather was about 50 degrees and overcast - great for running.

Been thinking about what's next. Chris and Tony say they're up for the Ocean Drive Marathon at the end of March. That would give us 16 weeks to prepare - exactly what's needed for the "Run Less Faster" program I used last time. Maybe I could try the 3:20 program this time around. Found out over Thanksgiving that bro-in-law Joel once ran a 3:21, so now I have him in my sights.

2009 Philadelphia Marathon

Garmin Link
26.2 miles
3:27:49 (goal 3:30)

I've been really anxious about this race. Had a hard time getting to sleep last night, but woke up a few minutes before the 5:00 alarm went off, had some oatmeal and Gatorade and locked up my bike at the Art Museum exactly on schedule at 6:15. It was 40 degrees - 10 degrees warmer than last year, when they had to deal with ice on the streets at the water stations.

Found a 3:30 pace group at the lineup, and ran with them for about half the race. That was a big help, especially for keeping the pace under control for the first few miles. The race day excitement, and all the runners, make it hard to judge your pace. The Forerunner helped too - especially the "virtual partner" that tells you where you are in relation to your chosen pace. The Forerunner distance was off from the official race distance by 1% - by the end it said 26.46.

Tony took this pic at about mile 24. He and Amy were there for their son Cole who was running his first marathon too. Cole is 15 and finished in 4:32 - pretty impressive. I wasn't as lighthearted as you might guess from the photo, but was surprised and happy to see Tony and Amy. Tony has run many marathons and has been an inspiration - for fitness and life in general - for years.

Felt pretty comfortable for most of the race. Could feel the right foot a bit - no other problems. The 8:00 pace felt about right. The last two miles were tough - but that always seems to be the case, no matter what the length of the race.

This was a Boston qualifying time, but it turns out that the Boston Marathon registration is closed for 2010. I think I am eligible for 2011 though. Right now I don't feel like thinking about more races anyway.

So glad that this is behind me. It was not the ordeal that I thought it might be - perfect weather helped; sunny and about 50 by the end. The Distance Run in September taught me a lesson about pacing, and kept me careful today.

Week Minus 2 - Distance (Bailed after 3 miles)

Garmin Link
3.06 miles @8:05 pace
Target: 10 miles @8:00

Yesterday morning was still feeling too sore to run - right foot especially. By late afternoon thought I was feeling better, and after a Saturday spent trying to catch up on things in the office, a run seemed like a good idea.

It turned out that I was still hurting, and after three miles of pushing it, decided to bail out rather than risk making it worse. After getting home, the right foot has continued to be especially tender and swollen. Couldn't walk on it barefoot. I think this might be plantar fascitis, although that is usually on the heel and mine is on the balls of the feet. The three middle toes and balls of feet are sensitive to any pressure. Couldn't be gout, could it? ;-)

I've been noticing this - although not nearly as bad as it was last night - for a few weeks, and it does seem to respond well to rest, and it doesn't usually hurt while running after the first mile or two, so I don't think it will keep me from the marathon next week.

Week Minus 2 - Tempo (6 miles)

Garmin Link
6.01 miles total
2 miles easy
3 miles target @7:14 (actual @6:55)
1 mile easy
7:37 pace overall

Rainy and windy - went down to the track with Chris. Didn't mind running at the track on this messy day, but pushing a fast pace for three miles at the track feels longer than three miles on the path. Beat the target time without any trouble. Just one more ten mile run on Saturday, then just a couple of short runs next week. Last run before the marathon (3-miler) should be Wednesday, which will give me three days to rest and heal before Sunday.

Week Minus 2 - Intervals (6 miles)

Garmin Link
1.5 miles warmup
5 X 1000m @4:03 target (actual 4:06)
400m RI
.5 mile cooldown

Chris went with me down to the track today and ran in his Vibram Five Fingers. After the marathon I think I'm going to try that and see if it helps my form & reduces aches & pains.

It was warm (upper 60s) and humid today, and the haze might have interfered with the Forerunner. Had a hard time getting and keeping a signal (which is why Garmin says 5.44 miles instead of 6). But it did seem to work during the intervals - each one was 2.5 times around the track as far as I could tell. My average was a few seconds off from the target - if I had known I probably could have squeezed out a little more speed.

Could feel some pain in the legs, but it is getting better, I think. With mileage going down, I think it won't be too bad for the marathon. Twelve days to go.

Week Minus 3 - Distance (13 miles)

Garmin Link
13.01 miles
1:43:00
7:55 pace
Target: 13 miles @8:00

Left mid-morning after eating only an apple and a banana. Could really feel the difference - will eat two bowls of oatmeal before the marathon. All mile splits were under 8:00 except for #7 @8:22 and 10 @8:02.

Week Minus 3 - Tempo

Garmin Link
6.63 miles
7:19 pace (overall)
Target: 1 mile easy, 5 miles @7:29
Actual: 1 mile @8:03, 5 miles @6:59

Felt very good this afternoon - was able to push pretty comfortably after the first mile, even having to duck through some rush hour traffic. The sixth mile was fastest at 6:29 before I jogged the last 2/3 mile home.

Broke 900 miles for the calendar year today. Won't make 1,200 this year - will be lucky to break 1,100 for 2009.

Week Minus 3 - Intervals (8 miles)

Garmin Link
7.82 miles
1.5 mile warm-up
8 X 800m @3:13 target (3:09 actual average for 2-8)
1.75 mile cool-down

Went to the track yesterday at lunchtime. Legs were aching during the warm-up, but were OK after the first mile. I did not count the first interval in my average - I think the Forerunner had a hiccup, because it was at least 2 and a quarter laps before it stopped me. All the rest seemed to be about right - time was consistent - between 3:07 and 3:12. It still seems uncanny to me that running the speed intervals blind, my times are usually so close to the target.

Schedule is tapering down for the last three weeks. The long run this week is 13 miles, which is so much easier than 20. Aches and pains are relatively under control now. With fewer miles the next couple of weeks I might be in good shape for the marathon. I had been considering not running at all the week before, but that might not be necessary.

Week Minus 4 - Distance (20 miles)

20 miles
Pace: 8:05 through mile 16
Target: 8:15 overall

Yesterday was the last 20-miler before the marathon, and I was apprehensive. Hadn't successfully completed 20 since August 7. Had a bowl of instant oatmeal with raisins and brown sugar - have learned from experience that running the tank empty is no fun.

Weather was cool, overcast and breezy. Ran into Scott at the Art Museum at about mile 4. Looked like he was returning from a run. Completed the loop (12.9) and returned back up MLK Drive (west side of the river). Forerunner battery died just after hitting 16 miles, but I had some warning and was calibrated to the quarter mile marks on the path. Turned back at 17.5 and hit the Sweetbriar shortcut at 19.6. Kept going until I hit the bridge into Mantua just past the Philadelphia Zoo. That should have been between 20.25 and 20.5.

It's hard to tell what pace I maintained for the last four miles, but it did not feel like I slowed down. In any case, I'm pretty sure that since the first 16 averaged 8:05, I made the target of 8:15 overall. I had hoped for an 8:00 pace, but think I was just not rested enough. For these next three weeks the mileage will go down, so I hope to be fresh for the marathon.

Week Minus 4 - Tempo (8 miles)

Garmin Link
8.22 miles
1:04:50
Target:
- 1 mile easy (actual: 8:14);
- 7 miles @8:00 (actual: @7:50)

Today I was feeling the effects of every-other-day training for the last 5 workouts. Keeping below an 8:00 pace was more of an effort today for 8 miles than it was Sunday for 17. Legs were hurting for the first mile or two. I will have 2 days off before the final 20-miler, so hope I can rest/heal enough before then so that the long run is not too punishing at an 8 minute pace. Would like to have another confidence-building long run (like last weekend) before the marathon.

Interesting article in NY Times yesterday - again referencing Christopher McDougall's Born to Run - but this time discussing human beings' evolutionary suitability for distance running: Human Body Built for Distance.

Week Minus 4 - Speed Intervals (8 miles)

Garmin Link
8 miles
1.5 mile warmup
10 X 400m @1:35 target (1:26.5 actual!) 400m RI
1.5 mile cooldown

Good workout today. It rained and drizzled until mid-morning, and I was able to get out to the track at about 11:00. These 400 meter sprints (not quite sprints, but close) are much easier mentally than the longer ones, even though there were 10 reps. My time was substantially under the target - almost 10 seconds/rep faster. Slowest was 1:31 (first one); fastest was 1:19 (last one).

Got talking to another runner, and it turned out that she is on the same "Run Less, Run Faster" training program. She had done a number of marathons, including Boston, and was able to give me some advice. I realized that one thing I haven't thought about at all is hills, which is a big factor in the Boston course, and somewhat less for Philly. I guess it is a bit premature to be worrying about Boston....

Week Minus 5 - Distance (17 miles)

Garmin Link
17.01 mile (Target: 15 miles @8:10 pace)
2:14:44
7:55 pace

This wasn't the longest run or the fastest, but it was the longest under an 8:00 pace. Felt pretty good, too - good enough to add an extra two miles over the target at the end. Nothing hurting too much. Foot felt better than on the two previous runs - quite a relief, since I was afraid it could develop into something worse. Next weekend is the last 20-miler before the marathon, and after today's run I'm going to feel comfortable aiming for an 8:00 pace - my target for the marathon, four weeks from today.

Decided not to do the NERR run, mostly so I could get an earlier start. Passed their start point a few minutes before they were about to begin, and I was already at 11 miles. Also, I would have been tempted to race as fast as possible, instead of maintaining the 8:00 pace.

Had a bowl of oatmeal and an apple before running, and Gu packets at 6 and 12 miles. Think that helped keep energy up. Did not feel exhausted afterward, and got home early enough to take Doug to an Autocross that Matt Grubel was competing in. Now it is 6:30 and I'm tired and legs are aching a bit. If I'm still sore on Tuesday, I might skip the speed intervals this week. It's important that I keep from getting injured or worn down again before the marathon.

Week Minus 5 - Speed Intervals - 6 miles

Garmin Connect
6.36 miles
warmup (1.5 miles)
3 X 1600m @6:41 target (6:35 actual) 400m RI
cool-down (1 mile)

Decided to squeeze in the speed workout that I missed on Monday before the 15-miler this weekend. Left foot started hurting immediately, and I almost quit out of caution after half a mile. Warmed up for another mile, and foot was getting better, so began the speed work.

Today I was at the track. It is cool enough now that I can start to run at lunch time for the shorter workouts, and the track works well for speed. Had no trouble meeting the target, although my one complaint about the Forerunner is that I cannot tell how I'm doing on the intervals until after the run, so it is hard to gauge and adjust my speed between intervals.

15-miler planned for Sunday. Haven't yet decided if I will sign up for the 25K NERR Marathon Tuneup, or just run on my own. The organized run will guarantee that I get out there and finish it, but it also means I have to ride my bike down and wait for the race to start - plus spend $20-25 bucks - and no t-shirt this year! Tony and Cole won't be racing after all, either.

Week Minus 5 - Tempo - 12 miles

Garmin Link
12.43 miles (20K)
1:38:16
7:54 pace
(7:47 pace for 1st 18K)

Felt somewhat healed up after a week off. The first couple of miles were much more comfortable than what I am used to. Kept up a faster pace than usual - 8:00 was the target for 10 miles. Left ankle (or upper foot?) started hurting again for the last mile and a half - I slowed way down. The first 18K (or about 11.2 miles) averaged 7:47. Last mile and a half of that was 7:40.

Forerunner was accidentally still set to metric and no mile splits from my last speed interval run, and I forgot to reset it before starting out.

I have been feeling so much anxiety about the marathon that I decided a couple nights ago not to run it. I probably still will - I paid for it - but am getting too mental about it. I'll just keep training and see what happens.

Week minus 6 - Speed Intervals

6.9 miles
10-20 minute warmup
1000m @4:03 (actual 4:08)
2000m @8:26 (actual 8:58)
2 X 1000m @4:03 (actual 4:13, 4:09
(400m RI)

Had a setback Saturday morning. A quarter mile into my planned 15-mile run I decided to bag it. Legs were hurting and I didn't want to aggravate them. Decided to rest for the weekend.

Didn't exactly tear things up on my speed workout this morning, either. I just feel easily tired and winded for some reason. My shin splints aren't going away, and I have a new sharp pain in my right foot. I also feel mentally fatigued. Just get tired of running whenever I think of the miles ahead.

I have a short (6-mile) run scheduled for Thursday, which I might skip if legs are still hurting. I really want to force myself to do the 20-miler scheduled for next weekend, if only for morale reasons. Then the following weekend there is a 25K (15-mile) marathon tuneup race that I'm looking forward to. It was fun last year, and this year Tony and his son Cole will be running.

Tried out the new Nike Lunarglides today. They are a little large for me, but I think they will work out. My old shoes had a lot of miles on them, so maybe the new ones will be a little easier on my body.

Barefoot in Central Park and Other Interesting Links

Saw a NY Times blog post about Christopher McDougall, who wrote Born to Run, the book that got me thinking about barefoot running techniques. (It is also an fascinating adventure story, although the gonzo writing style was a little much for my taste - I recommend it.)

Also found the McMillan Running Calculator, which recommends paces for different types of workouts based on your times for various races. It also calculates predicted times for many race distances. There seems to be a lot of useful information there on training, although I haven't dug into it yet.

Week Minus 7 - Tempo (12 miles)

Garmin Link
12.02 miles
1:35:51
7:59 pace
(10 miles @7:51 plus 2 miles @8:35)

Feeling much better about the program today. (Thanks for the encouragement, Dad.) The target was for one easy mile plus 10 miles @8:00 pace. It feels good to have exceeded the pace pretty easily. But it's still scary to think that my goal is to continue that pace for another 14.2 miles. I guess I should just trust the training program and see what happens.

This was my first afternoon run since the springtime. Suited up to run this morning, but it was raining, and the forecast was for sunny weather in the afternoon at about the same temperature (65 degrees.) It turned out to be beautiful fall weather, but very windy. Got hit by a small falling tree branch near Hunting Park Avenue, and remembered a news story a few months ago about a runner who was killed by a falling branch a couple of miles up river.

Now I have two days off, and a fifteen mile run @8:20 scheduled for Saturday. Since I did not make 20 miles last weekend, I'm thinking of extending Saturday's run. 20 miles would put me just over 40 miles for the week - something I've rarely done.

Week minus 7 - Intervals (8.17 miles)

Garmin Link
1.5 mile warm-up
6 X 1200m @4:55 (4:57 actual) 3 min. RI
1.5 mile cooldown

I was happily surprised to see that today's speed intervals averaged only a hair over the target (4:57 vs 4:55 - or 6:40min/mi). Usually the speed runs are hardest for me, so maybe that is good sign for the rest of the week. Legs were hurting significantly, but I don't feel it so much when moving fast.

Wednesday's run may be challenging (1 mile easy, 10 miles @8:00/mile). But I've got to get back to that sustained 8:00 pace for long runs pretty quickly if I have any hope of doing it for the marathon.

Week minus 8 - Distance (fail) 13 miles

13.01 miles (20 miles target) Garmin Link
1:50:24
8:29 pace (8:30 target)

Another disappointment today - was supposed to make 20 miles, a distance I've done 3 times in the past couple of months without a problem. Today I pooped out at 13 miles. Forgot to bring Gu packets, which I usually eat every hour on a long run. Maybe I just ran out of juice. Or maybe I'm just a little burnt out physically and mentally. Next weekend is a 15-miler, which I should be able to handle, before trying another 20-miler the following week.

Week minus 8 - Tempo (6.21 miles)

6 mile run:
1 mile easy
4 miles @7:29/mile (7:24 avg actual)
1 mile easy

Ran with Chris this morning. First run this fall with weather in the forties. Had a hard time getting the speed going for the 4 tempo miles. The first two were about 7:47, but we made up for it with the second two, which were about 7:00 each. I have definitely lost some ground, whether it is from lackadaisical training (and injury) over the last couple of months, or from running too hard at the PDR, I don't know.

20-miler on deck for Saturday. Only have to maintain an 8:30 pace, and have previously done this distance @ 8:22.

Week minus 8 - Speed Intervals (8.91 miles)

Garmin Link
warmup
1600 @6:41 (7:03 actual) 400m RI
3200 @13:42 (14:36 actual) 800m RI
2 X 800 @3:13 (3:22, 3:34 actual) 400m RI
cooldown

After 8 days off, and several irregular weeks, my times are way off. Don't feel like I've fully recovered from cratering at the PDR.

Eight weeks left before the marathon, so I'll do the best I can with the last eight weeks of this program.

2009 Philadelphia Distance Run

13.1 miles Garmin Link
1:38:25
7:31 pace

Splits:  5 Km   10 Km  10 Mi     Finish
Times:   21:44  44:57  1:13:55   1:38:25
Pace:     7:00   7:15  7:24         7:31 

After laying off for almost two weeks, today was the PDR. I attempted a run last Monday, but stopped after .6 mile because of calf pain. Could have run through it, but wanted to try to let it heal up before today's race. That did seem to work.
Had very little pain during the race - could feel it, but not enough to slow me down.

[Photo by Alethea: Tony, me, Kim and Chris before the race.]

When I registered for the race in the spring, had just finished the 10-mile Broad Street Run at a 7:10 pace, so was hopeful that I would continue to get faster over the summer. So I registered with a (very optomistic) expected finish time of 1:30 or a bit under 7:00/mile. (As it turned out I did not make that kind of progress over the summer, and today was just aiming to match last year's time of 1:40.) The 1:30 estimate put me in the first corral, which turned out to be a big mistake. The corral 1 people took off very fast, which made it hard to judge my own pace. Mile 1 was 6:19 - way faster than I wanted to go at that point. I tried to slow down, but it was harder than you might think. It is a morale killer to have seemingly everyone passing you for mile after mile.

So my pace continued to be too fast for the first half of the race, although it seems that I slowed down pretty much continually. By the ten mile point I was whipped. The last three miles were the most grueling I've experienced. Was lucky at least that the weather was perfect - sunny and about 60 degrees. Finally made it with a finish time a minute thirty five faster than last year's.

But after crossing the finish line, I found that although I wasn't dizzy, I couldn't seem to keep my feet under me. Kept stumbling sideways when I was trying to move forward. Finally someone pulled me out of the way and I flopped down next to the barrier and tried to catch my breath. One of the race volunteers sat with me, and after a few minutes, I saw Chris finish and yelled at him, hoping I could walk off with him. I still couldn't walk straight, so they took me off on a stretcher. Quite embarrassing. After about 20 minutes, and a liter of water via IV, they let me go. Chris came with me, and even got some friends to offer me a ride home. I feel bad that I imposed on him when he should have been resting and celebrating the end of the race.

After being released, I hung out for a while with work friends Chris, Tony, Amy, Alethea and Kim. Tony had his best time in years, and his and Amy's son Cole, who is just 15, finished his first PDR in 1:55. After a while, I felt OK riding my bike home. Have been taking it easy the rest of the day - lots of liquids, and a little bit of walking around the park.

Wearing Down - 2 hours, 14 miles

14.00 miles Garmin Link
2:00:20
8:35 pace

Got out for a run yesterday morning, although I had to push myself. This bronchial infection just hangs on and makes me feel run down. Plus, my left leg is still hurting, my pace has gone way down, and I continue to be behind in my mileage. Discouraging.

I think I'm at a crossroads with my leg pain. Have been reading a lot about the benefits of barefoot or minimally shod running, and the new theory that cushioned running shoes and orthotics actually cause more problems than they solve.

Just finished Born to Run last night. In the course of the this great true adventure story about American ultra-marathoners connecting with a remote tribe of Mexican runners, the author makes the case against running shoes. His thesis in a nutshell is that barefoot forces you to develop the structures in your feet and adapt a more natural stride.

Yesterday I consciously tried the "barefoot" style, which is more or less the same as Chi Running - upright stance, relaxed, short steps, heels up. Concentrating on this, plus some leg pain even after four days off, kept my speed down, and naturally, despite my intentions, today the leg hurts more than ever.

I might invest in a pair of Vibram Five Fingers and slowly try some "barefoot" running at the track while continuing my standard cushioned training until the marathon. Then I'll make a decision about whether to really concentrate on the the barefoot style or give up on distance running or what.

Fall Loop - 13.5 miles

13.53 miles Garmin Link
1:54:25
8:27 pace

Back in Philly. The weather turned much more pleasant while we were gone. Temp was 59 on the way out this morning and 61 on the return. Did the full East Falls loop from work, going out West River Drive and returning on Kelly Drive. Right shin and left hip were hurting the whole way. That was a disappointment since this is my first run in a week. Time was also slow. Probably still recovering from bronchitis that kept me in bed Saturday morning.

Hope I will not be too sore to do a 20-miler on Friday, but the way I feel now, 8 hours later, am not optimistic.

My buddy Tony Robertson recommends the new Nike Lunar Glides. Since the New Balances I got last month have been kind of a bust, I might go out after dinner and try on some Nikes.

Lake Union/University/Ballard/Fremont

13.27 miles Garmin Link
2:02:43
9:15 pace

Left the hotel at 4:30 and started north along the lake. I originally had planned to follow a route I found on the Internet, but the map on the website was hard to use on the iPhone while running, so I gave up, and just tried to find my way around the lake. It was very dark, and not well lit, especially after I turned west and found the rec path going through Fremont and then northwest into Ballard. Turned around at 6.6 and tried to retrace my steps back. Did not start to get light until about the 8 mile point.

Yesterday I did 45 minutes on the stairmaster, and could really feel it in my calves today - very tender.

Travel Day Half Marathon - 13.1

13.1 miles Garmin Link
1:47:46
8:13 pace

Had my sights on a 20-miler this morning, but woke up an hour late and settled for 13 miles. Neglected to have my usual two bananas ready before the run, and I think that made a difference in energy level. Ate a Gu packet after 7 miles, but it was still a struggle from mile 9 on. Slightly cooler and less humid (both in low 70s) than the worst weather lately, but still not terribly comfortable for a long run.

Am looking forward to better weather in Seattle. Found a route online for a half marathon distance around Lake Union that I can catch right outside our hotel. Hoping I can do at least this distance on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, and make up some of my miles. Then I'll repeat week minus 9 of the training program when I get back.

Week minus 9 - Tempo - 6 miles

6.37 miles
3 miles @ 7:07 (target 7:14)

73 degrees, 86% humidity

This was something of a messed up run, although successful in the sense that we beat the target time for the important three miles. First, for some reason the Forerunner did not register the first mile (although it did register the time.) Not sure what happened. Maybe it had not completed picking up the satellites when we started out and somehow picked them up at exactly 1 mile.

We managed to get through the warmup and speed part of the workout, despite the awful humidity, but stopped for water and walked a quarter mile at the 4.5 mark. We picked back up at a jog at 4.75, and I made it to 6.37 before throwing in the towel again a few blocks from work. If Chris hadn't been with me, I'm sure I would have given up sooner. The humidity just kills me, even if the temperature isn't terribly hot.

Week Minus 10 - Distance - 14 miles

14.02 miles Garmin Link
1:53:32
8:05 pace
Target: 13 miles @ 8:15 pace

Redeemed myself somewhat today by exceeding both distance and pace targets. It was possibly more humid than ever - you couldn't see the tops of the buildings this morning for the mist in the air - but the temperature was a bit cooler - 67 degrees - and that helped a lot.

I went back to my Nike Shox, and that seemed to help the leg pain. Maybe these two new pair of New Balances aren't going to work out.

Very happy with the time. Getting a few 20+ mile runs under the belt puts a run like this in a different perspective, and it is easier to be mentally and physically strong at the end. The last two miles were the fastest by far - 7:53 and 7:45.

Week minus 10 - Tempo FAIL

8.25 miles Garmin Link

Chris was having some toe problems and didn't run yesterday, and I should have followed his example. Shinsplints(?) have started up again, especially in left leg, and were especially bad for the first mile. The weather has warmed up again, and was very humid, which seems to be my Achilles heel. The target was to run miles 2-7 at a 7:44 pace. I just could not get the speed up to where I wanted, and only hit 7:44 for the 5th mile. Found myself stopping at this point, and walked for half a mile. It was so humid that sweat was literally dripping from both hands onto the ground. Jogged the final 3.25 miles back to the office at a slow pace.

One problem with the Forerunner is that sometimes when it gets hot and humid, in between my body heat and all the sweat, the touch controls stop working. I wasn't able to shut off the timer until after I returned to the office and could towel down.

Shins are still hurting this morning, so I may skip the 13-mile run scheduled for tomorrow. My times for the long runs are weeks ahead of schedule, so I don't think it would be much of a training loss, except that it puts my total mileage that much further behind target.