Thursday, April 28, 2016

Busy Thursday

Almost didn't fit one in today logging a 5Ker on the backyard trail before dinner.   Tried to buy three pairs of shoes today but they had to be ordered.  Picked up a couple of dozen Gus and a new Water Bottle and a Car ....at least the day wasn't all that bad.  


Two Run Wednesday

Sun was shining and I had a bit of time after work so I decided to take in a little Trail time.  Logged a 5.2 Ker on the backyard trail then retired to the Hammock for a few cold ones.     It was a wee bit cool in the high single digits but I was prepared.  

Wednesday, April 27, 2016

Adios Treadmill

One more lunch run now I can take it outside for the next 4 days.   One more 5Ker logged on my meal break today.  

Tuesday, April 26, 2016

Again

5Ker on my meal break today.   Not doing much this week with the season opener  PYP 50K on Saturday

Monday, April 25, 2016

Lunch Run

 Back to an 8 hour day shift so there was only time for a little 5Ker at lunch today.

Sunday, April 24, 2016

Solid Saturday

Misses posting yesterday ...

12K @ 5:00 pace with 8 0.2K 4:45 farteleks don on my meal break today.     The run felt easy and I had my mind on Antenna building and was watching the Jays game so it went by quickly.

Sunday Sunday

Another 12 hour day shift today and another 12Ker  done the same as yesterday today on my meal break.  

Friday, April 22, 2016

Squeezing it in

7K today on my meal break.  Unusually working days I can only fit a 5Ker in but I opted nit to shave so I could run a little longer!  

Thursday, April 21, 2016

Trail Thursday

10.6 Ks logged on the backyard trail this afternoon...still just fitting it in!  

Been busy ... still running!

No time to post too many spring things and then some!  

Monday ,  wrapped up mid 7 without running,  I really felt horrible no energy sore through so I decided it best to avoid the gym.    Slept for and hour when I went home at 8:00 am then it was a beautiful Sunny day with temps in the low even mid 20's.  Headed out to the backyard trail logging 10K then enjoyed a few hours in the hammock downing a few cold ones then having a rather pleasant snooze!   Its pretty cool being mid April having that kind of weather!

Tuesday ,   another busy day running around test driving cars and eventually buying a replacement for the trusty old Corolla that packed it enroute to my last Ski of the season.   Wanted to go long Tuesday  Wednesday but just didn't have the time so I settled on some trail time logging 9.9 Ks on the backyard trail.    I made sure I left dome time for my favorite hammock recovery ritual.   It was cooler on Tuesday but still very pleasant.

 Wednesday ... still no time to go long continuing with all the seasonal activities.  Put the Summer tires on my Wifes car and in the process left the wheel lock on the nut!!!!!!!!   First little run of the day was retracing my route I took so I could re-torque the nuts after a few Ks.    Logged 5.4 K up the second then East on Grey Rd 12 to the Baseline and back and of course I didn't find the lock.   So felling a little stressed and pressed for time I wanted to go longer again  but settled on a second run a little trail time logging 5.2 K on the back yard trail.


Sunday, April 17, 2016

Mid 6

12K this morning on my meal break.  I really didn't feel like doing it but as is usual once I got going I was fine.  


Saturday, April 16, 2016

How far is it?

Below is Garmin GPS Data I gatherer last summer.   Each number represents 6 laps of my backyard trail ...

4.38
4.4
4.41
4.46
4.47
4.51
4.51
4.53
4.56
4.56
4.57
4.6
4.6
4.62
4.62
4.65
4.66
4.66
4.66
4.68
4.68
4.69
4.69
4.69
4.7
4.71
4.71
4.72
4.72
4.73
4.73
4.74
4.74
4.74
4.75
4.76
4.77
4.77
4.78
4.78
4.78
4.79
4.79
4.79
4.79
4.79
4.79
4.8
4.8
4.8
4.81
4.81
4.82
4.82
4.83
4.84
4.85
4.85
4.86
4.87
4.88
4.89
4.89
4.9
4.91
4.91
4.92
4.93
4.93
4.95
4.95
4.95
4.95
4.97
4.98
5.01
5.01
5.02
5.03
5.03
5.06
5.06
5.09
5.09
5.28

Now remove the top and bottom 10 results ....

4.57
4.6
4.6
4.62
4.62
4.65
4.66
4.66
4.66
4.68
4.68
4.69
4.69
4.69
4.7
4.71
4.71
4.72
4.72
4.73
4.73
4.74
4.74
4.74
4.75
4.76
4.77
4.77
4.78
4.78
4.78
4.79
4.79
4.79
4.79
4.79
4.79
4.8
4.8
4.8
4.81
4.81
4.82
4.82
4.83
4.84
4.85
4.85
4.86
4.87
4.88
4.89
4.89
4.9
4.91
4.91
4.92
4.93
4.93
4.95
4.95
4.95
4.95
4.97

That leaves 65 results and when averaged it works out to 4.78.   

So as I have always though 6 laps of the backyard trail is 4.8 Ks.   

Now remove the top and bottom 10 results again ....

4.68
4.69
4.69
4.69
4.7
4.71
4.71
4.72
4.72
4.73
4.73
4.74
4.74
4.74
4.75
4.76
4.77
4.77
4.78
4.78
4.78
4.79
4.79
4.79
4.79
4.79
4.79
4.8
4.8
4.8
4.81
4.81
4.82
4.82
4.83
4.84
4.85
4.85
4.86
4.87
4.88
4.89
4.89
4.78
4.78

and the average is .... 4.78!

Warm Trail Saturday

Not enough sleep ...again!   Logged a very nice 5Ker on the backyard trail basking in glorious Sun and warm temps.  


Mid 5

 Theme of this mornings run ... indigestion!   Not sure if it was the Chicken Caesar Salad ,  the XL Timmy's French Vanilla with the Glazed Doughnut at Midnight then again it could just be this stupid night shift.  Logged a 10Ker @ 5:00 pace with 4:45 farteleks at 4,5,6,7,8 and 9K mark.




Jackie , Jack and the Man Cave

 Did another 2 run day logging 5K on the backyard trail Friday afternoon.   It was very peachy summer like weather.   Opened the " Man Cave in the Forest ".    Just had the tunes going a cracked the first cold one of the season and Jackie the wild somewhat domesticated Classic Rock loving Rabbit showed up.    She was much braver then last year checking me out from a little more then an arms length distance.   A short time later her friend Jack showed up ... guess Jackie gave the all clear. The Rabbits hung around for about 10 minutes keeping an eye on me.

Man cave is officially open for the season ...



















 The Garmin's Battery was about to die and I wanted to make sure I got 5 laps in so I decided to use the little bit of Snow that was left. Laid down my last marker , ran and marked 4 laps then picked up my last maker on the completion of lap 5 ....can you tell what I used for the last marker?


Friday, April 15, 2016

Mid 4

9K @ 5:00 pace with 5X0.2K 4:45 fartleks this morning on my meal break.  

Thursday Trail

In keeping with this weeks theme I rolled out of bed around 4pm ,  ate then headed out for a little trail time.   Continued to open up the man cave in the forest bring some new chairs... audio stuff tomorrow.

Logged 5.4Ks again much easier as only about 20% of the trail is snow covered.  Spring has arrived.


Thursday, April 14, 2016

Mid 3

8K done @ 5:00 pace with 0.2K 4:45 fartleks done at 4,5,6 and 7K.    

Wednesday Trail

 Ditto yesterday but a little more groggy getting going.    This time it was a 5K backyard trail run logged.  Its still 70% Snow covered but thats about to change.


Wednesday, April 13, 2016

Mid 2

Another 7Ker this morning on my meal break.  HR was lower and all the other metrics looked really good.  


Two Run Tuesday

 Slept about 6 hours through the day getting up at 4pm.  Had breakfast then headed out for a little 5.4K Run on the backyard trail.   It really seems to agree with me running at that time of day after sleeping.  It kind of makes me think that it would be cool to get up extra early when I am working days to fit a short one in.    


Tuesday, April 12, 2016

Mid 1

7K the usual way this morning on my cold turkey first mid.  I was a little slower getting up to full speed but that was my little reward for getting it done at 2am ...like I really felt like doing it NOT!   Did a weigh in ,  171 lbs ... still on the light side so I better get drinking more Beer!

Monday, April 11, 2016

Trail Monday

Car blew up yesterday on the way to Blue so I am without wheels today so I had to skip the Y and hit the trail instead.    There was a few inches of fresh slush so it was slip slid and slippery time but I was OK with that.  Logged an incredibly slow 10.5 Ks loping the backyard trail.   I was OK with slow because it was really good practice for how I want to approach the Sulphur 100 next month.







A good read

Every now and again I come across something that is worth coming back to.  This Blog entry http://www.liveforaliving.com/living-blog/the-blind-leading-the-blind was done by the fellow who paced Rhonda through the Barkley.  It provides huge insight into what Barkley ,  Rhonda and the author is all about.   Very worthwhile read for anyone ever interested in Ultra Running.  

Sunday, April 10, 2016

Neighborhood Trails

11.4 Ks logged on the neighborhood trails this morning.   Quads were a touch sore after yesterdays 1/2.    The trails were pretty rough from all the freeze thaw cycles.   I was thinking about going a little longer but I felt the cold pressing so I decided to call it a day diving for the Hot Tub.


Saturday, April 9, 2016

Marden 1/2 Marathon


 Completed my first 1/2 in 4 years running the Marden Marathon in 1hr47min45sec.     Finished 46th out of 165 participants,  31st out of 67 men and 7th out of 19 in the 50-59 age group.  I was really trying for a sub 1:45 and gave it my best shot but I fell short of my goal by 2min45sec.    

 It was a pretty cold today somewhere between -5 and -10 C but it was more about the wind.   It was particualry bad between 6K and the 10.55K turn around.   It was like I had the wind knocked out of me and I had to cover my mouth to keep the wind out when I was breathing.    The wind was strong enough that it helped on the way back LOL.    Got a wee bit warm with the wind at the back but there was only a few Ks left so I hung in there not making any changes.

 There were some pretty decent hills ,  not huge but they  became particularity tough the last 5K when I was trying to hold it together and even pick it up a bit.   I am not sure if it was the cold or a lactic acid build up but the legs felt stiff the last 5K.  

 So all and all a good day ,  not great result but I am glad I did it.  I give myself a B- for results but an A+ for effort.     I didn't pay any attention to the Garmin other then time and distance calculating pace as I went along.   After the race I looked at my Heart Rate and I high zone 3 pushing into zone 4 maxing out at 164 BPM ....   I consider 166 BPM to me my max.

Metrics tell the story ...
























I was a slighly positive split running the first 10.55Ks in 53min34sec and the second 10.55Ks in 53min46sec.  I really thought I had a negative split!  

All the splits ....





































 and of course the after pic...


Friday, April 8, 2016

Rest Day - 2nd time since Jan 31

 It was tough not to hit the trail for a 5Ker today.   I am leaving work early because I am running  a 1/2 early in tomorrow so no lunch run!   This was only my second day of not running since Jan 31 ... YIKES!   To alleviate my anxiety I allotted and extra 30 minutes to my hot tub time!  

Thursday, April 7, 2016

Again

7K this eve just like Tuesday and Wednesday.  Left Knee acted up after Mondays track run so I have been going easy the last few days.  Its a no big deal familiar thing so no worries.  

Wednesday, April 6, 2016

Wednesday Lunch

7K on my meal break this evening.   Metrics were gathered correctly so here it is ...


Tuesday, April 5, 2016

Lunch Run

7K logged on my meal break this eve.  Didn't run last night at work after the LSD at the Y.  My left knee was tender ,,, an over use pain that occurs from time time.  The fix is simple ,  a good night reset!   Getting my race on for Saturdays 1/2 ... looking forward to it.

Monday, April 4, 2016

Y Monday

I was originally planning on hitting the slopes this morning but when I checked the lifts were not turning today ... rats!      The foot or so of new snow and the -8C temps made for great ski conditions but not so great running conditions so I decided to take it inside heading for the Owen Sound Y.  I was suppose to do this run on Saturday but felt like I was coming down with something.   I felt great this morning so I figured why not!   Couldn't go long long because I had to be at work a 4pm besides I have a 1/2 coming up this Saturday and would like  to race it.    Decided to run for 3 hours then do a 2K cool down.   I was moving well right off the start running the first 5K at a 5:20 pace.  Slowed it down the next 15K and crossed the 21.1 K mark in 1hr57min,   Held the 6 min pace though 31K in just a little under 3 hours then wrapped it up with a 2K cool down walk.

 Logged a total of 33K on the track satisfied that I got my "long one " in that I skipped on Saturday.

Trail Sunday

11.5 Ks logged on the backyard trail Sunday.   A few cm of snow were on the ground and it made for a rather pleasant running surface.  


All the metrics ...


Sunday, April 3, 2016

Saturday Trail

Was planning on going long Saturday but I woke up feeling like I was coming down with a cold or flu bug.  I have read allot lately about running when sick and its just not a good idea.   Felt better later in the day so I took it outside logging a very pleasant 10.2 Ks on the backyard trail.  


Friday, April 1, 2016