Training: Week of Feb. 21, 2010

Total mileage: 55
Races: Mt. Mitchell Challenge(34-36miles) - 1st  4:31.16

Sun - Morning 4m @7.53   Total - 4

Mon - Afternoon 4m @~7.30   Total - 4    My mid/upper is killing me.

Tue - Off    Back is just too locked up.  Can't turn head or twist torso.

Wed - Afternoon 6m @~7.25   Total - 6

Thu - Afternoon 6m @~7.18   Total - 6

Fri - Off   Trying give my back a little more rest for Mt. Mitchell

Sat - Morning 35m - Mt. Mitchell Challenge  4:31.16    Total - 35

February Summary:

Total Mileage - 321 (Highest Feb. total ever)

Races - 3

2/13 Groundhog Gallop 10.5M 1st 1:09.20

2/20 Hardcore Serious Trail Runners 8K 1st     31.35  CR

2/27 Mt. Mitchell Challenge  34-36M 1st 4:31.16

On Sunday my back was bothering me some.  It was mainly my lower back on the left side.  Then I woke up on Monday and the low back felt okay.  But my mid/upper back, mostly on the right side, had gone absolutely berserk and Tuesday was in full lockdown mode.  I was somewhat concerned all week as Mt. Mitchell Challenge was on Saturday.  I had a DNF there last year as my back was all whacked there last year.  I would have been more concern if it had happened later in the week or if not for Where's Waldo in August.  My back did about the same before Where's Waldo 100K this year, but worse.  Then I ran fine at Where's Waldo and ran fine at Mt. Mitchell this Saturday.  So maybe the key to managing my back and racing is to have it go totally crazy a few days before racing.  Then it'll be okay on race day.  I'll get a race report up later in the day with some photos hopefully, then disappear into my greenhouse for another week.

Training: Week of Feb. 14, 2010

Total mileage: 80
Races: Hardcore Serious Trail Runner 8K (~5.25 miles) - 1st  31.35

Sun - Afternoon 4m @7.46   Total - 4

Mon - Morning 7m @7.37; Afternoon 4m @7.52   Total - 11

Tue - Afternoon 8m @~7.12   Total - 8

Wed - Morning 4 1/2m @7.33 with strides; Afternoon 10 - 3 1/2m tempo on the track;

    5.46, 5.46, 5.43, 2.50 = 20.05 @ 5.44 Avg.  Cadence - 196 steps/min.   Total - 14 1/2

Thu - Morning 4 1/2m @7.40 with strides; Afternoon 10m @~7.16   Total - 14 1/2

Fri - Morning 4m @7.46; Afternoon 8m @7.20   Total - 12

Sat - Morning 16m - Hardcore Serious Trail Runner 8K(~5.25)  31.35; 

 Warmup 3m, Cooldown 8 with Lat & Jeff   Total - 16

I am late getting this post up.  I have had my head buried in my nursery work and I have about two more weeks of that.  This is my grafting season for the trees and I tend to get a little crazy and zoned out during this time.  The trail marathon that I was supposed to run on the 20th got postponed so I found an 8K trail race in Charlotte.  It was a fun race and glad I went down for it.  I'm sure the course was long by a good bit, but that doesn't matter for a trail race.  But I'm pretty sure I was averaging under 6:00 pace.  I got to meet some new people, I believe this was my first trail race in the Charlotte area.  I did a 8 mile cooldown with a couple of guys, Lat and Jeff.

Link to Mt. Mitchell Challenge race report on Mountain Running blog.

Training: Week of Feb. 7, 2010

Total mileage: 100
Races: Groundhog Gallop - 10.5 miles: 1st 1:09.20

Sun - Afternoon 21m @7.30   Total - 21

Mon - Morning 4 1/2m @7.44 with strides; Afternoon 10m @~7.20 with high school guys

    Total - 14 1/2

Tue - Morning 10m @7.46; Afternoon 5m @7.28   Total - 15

Wed - Morning 4 1/2m @7.38 with strides; Afternoon 10 @~7.30   Total - 14 1/2

Thu - Morning 4m @7.55; Afternoon 7m - 4m @~7.50, 3m @~8.30 with Stacey   Total - 11

Fri - Morning 4m @8.05; Evening 3m @7.50   Total - 7

Sat - Morning 17m - Groundhog Gallop 10.5m 1:09.20 @6.36 avg.; Warmup 2m, 

 Cooldown 4 1/2(2m with Annette)   Total - 17

Weather threatened to derail another racing weekend, but I finally got to do another race.    I'm glad Scott Bassett's group, BigfootRunning, was putting this race on as they are a pretty diehard group.  They put on and/or time a lot of races in NC and surrounding states.  They always do a great job.  The course was altered because the weather made a section to hard to manage.  So instead of a half marathon, we only ran 10.5 miles consisting of two 5.25 mile loops.  The area got about 1 inch of snow overnight and I believe a little may have still been on the ground in places from the last snow.  I like running in bad conditions and generally consider it an advantage to me.  Running fast was rather challenging though.  A slower pace was probably good as my legs were feeling quite dull from my increased training volume.  Shortly after going into the trails after a 3/4 mile loop on the roads, I was alone for the rest of the race.  I averaged 6.26 for the half-marathon last year and remembered some approximate splits.  Going through 2 miles and 3 miles, I was well off last year's pace as I expected.  But I was having fun playing in the snow and mud.  The 8K folks had gone off for their one loop a half hour before us so in some places the snow got packed down and became icy, especially on the second loop.  In the more sunny places the trail became just a muddy mess.

I had thought 1:10 would be a good goal after seeing the course on my warm up.  I hoped to come through the first loop in 35.o0 and came through in 35.02, nice.  I wanted to squeeze a little time the first three miles of the second loop, then try opening up more the last 2.25.  I went through 3 miles 12 seconds ahead of the first loop.  Trying to open up my stride and get more speed was kind of crazy.  I was slipping around more and could barely get around any turn.  It was more like lots of short sprints when the trail straightened out any.  It was a lot of fun.  My backside was covered in mud at the finish (I'll get a picture up later) and my finishing time was 1:09.20 and 34.18 for the second loop.  I got to cool down with Annette Bednosky and catch up with her some.  It was nice to get out to another race finally.  Hopefully next week's race at Pilot Mountain State Park will happen as they are already talking of postponing it.  The park is currently closed because of icy conditions and downed trees.  I can run in poor footing and over, through, or around trees, let's do it.

Training: Week of Jan. 31, 2010

Total mileage: 102

Races: none

Sun - Afternoon 16m @7.25   Total - 16

Mon - Morning 4m - 2m snowshoe @9.05 & 2m road @7.42;  Evening 10m @7.13   Total - 14

Tue - Morning 4m @7.44;  Evening 12m - 5 x 1200 with 1/2m recovery(3.57, 3.59, 3.56, 3.59, 3.58)

           warmup @7.43, cooldown @7.38  Total - 16

Wed - Morning 4 1/2m @7.50 with strides;  Evening 9 1/2 @7.41  Total - 14

Thu - Morning 4m @7.40;  Afternoon 11m - 4m progressive run(6.25, 6.16, 6.07, 5.55) warmup @~7.20,

           cooldown @~7.00  Total - 15

Fri - Morning 4m @~7.30;  Evening 7m @~7.45 in heavy snow in Blacksburg, VA @ 10:00pm  Total - 11

Sat - Morning  10m - 5m on treadmill on 15% @12.44 & 5m @<8.00>

          Evening 6m @7.46  Total - 16

January Summary:

Total Mileage - 386 (Highest mileage month ever; previous - 365)

Races - 2

1/2 Tsali Frosty Foot Fest 50K 1st 3:46.09

1/9 Little River Trail Run 10Miler 4th 1:07.07

I had not planned on three quality days this week.  I just felt pretty good and things just worked out that way.  I was pleased with the VO2 Max workout on Tuesday as I averaged 3.58.  I did the workout on the road near my home.  A few years ago I rolled out 1 mile with marks at 50 meters, 100, 200, 300, 400, 600, 800, 1/2 mile, 1000, 1200, 1400, and 1 mile.  It is relatively flat for around here.  I would have liked to have run all 3.57s, which is an obsession of mine.  Alison laughs at my obsession as I felt these repeats were too variable.  I like to aim at perfect workout pacing, it is part of the fun for me.  In October, I ran a 10 x 1 mile close to perfect.  The first 9 were all 5.56, but I sped up a little on the last one and ran 5.55.80.  All ten repeats were within 1 second, but the middle 8 were all within .6 seconds.  That was fun, in my mind.

On Friday, Alison had surgery in Charlotte on her left knee to clean up the cartilage behind the knee cap.  During the surgery, I was directed to a conference room to talk to the surgeon, Dr. Perry, a well resumed orthopedic surgeon.  I knew what was coming and didn't really want to be in that position.  Dr. Perry showed me some pictures of inside Alison's knee.  There was a nickel size area where the cartilage had complete separated from the bone.  It was under the weight bearing portion of the medial condyle.  Dr. Perry was recommending a microfracture procedure be done and wanted my approval.  Microfracture means six weeks non-weightbearing, not even a trainer or stationary bike.  And no running for 3-6 months.  Plus for 4-5 weeks, she is supposed to have her leg in a devise that passively moves her leg for about 8 hours a day.  So approve this for your wife who is currently unconscious.  But one of Dr. Perry's statements made it much easier.  He said that she is done running without microfracture or a more complicated procedure of cartilage replacement which would require two more surgeries.  So Alison woke up with the microfracture surgery.  She was immediately concerned about work as she will be out six weeks instead of a couple of days and they are already short staffed.

So I drove her home through the snow, helped get her situated, and immediately left.  I had been scheduled to help officiate at a Virginia Tech track meet in Blacksburg, VA.  I had to drive in more freezing rain and snow.  Plus since the surgery had taken longer and the drives been slower, I couldn't get my run in until after the Friday track meet portion.  I had to run late in a cold, heavy snowfall and deep snow on the ground.  It was such a chore, woe is me.  Actually, the run was rather fun and just playing in the snow.  I was thankful to have the opportunity and choice to be out running.  In fact, when a run is rough, I often tell God I'm thankful just be out running.  Just to ease any concerns, Alison is good and will soon be planning what her next running race will be.  We've already talked about her possibly walking Mt. Washington with Richard Fedion.  That's my week in running, hope yours has been good.