Time on Legs - Charity

This week we go from snow and rain to record high temps. The photo above was taken from out front of my house. What a great way to start each day.

Today I joined about 500 other people in running the "Run for a Child's Sake" 5K run. This run is to raise money for our local Child Advocacy Center (CAC). If you are not familiar with Child Advocacy Center's, they are in many communities and help children who have been the victims of abuse. These valuable dedicated people need our constant support to continue their fabulous work. I have worked many times with our CAC and am very grateful for how hard they work to defend the defensless.

Today's run was an extra for my training plan and I was very please with my performance. Yesterday I ran my final long run in my training plan and went 13 miles. I was able to make my goal pace for my mini-marathon for the entire run. Memo to self: do not buy new shoes and then go right out for 13 miles in them. I was pretty sore at the end.

Time for my taper...

Time on Legs - Training Winding Down

Today was scheduled for an 8 mile tempo run. Who knew that in Colorado we would get several inches of rain along with snow mixed in. That was all I needed to bug out on today's run. As I near the end of my 12 week running plan I have been evaluating how it has gone. This was only the 3rd run that I just did not do. Not too bad and I do feel ready for the Colorado Mini-marathon (15 miler) on May 6th. A couple more training runs before my easy week taper and the plan is finished. Setting up a training plan has both been good and bad. The good is that my running has really grown stronger and I have become faster. The bad is that the strict adherence to a schedule has taken a little of the joy out of my running. I was almost obsessed with getting each days workout accomplished. But, it has prepared me for the race.
The photos in today's blog are from one of my favorite trails to run on. The rain has created high water levels in the river that overflows the trail. So, it seems that I have chosen a good day to miss out on a run.

The week has been a pretty good one minus the weather issues. The knees are a little better and the running has been strong. I went on a long run with Dean and the goal was for an easy enjoyable smooth 13 miles. I should know better than to trust him, instead he took me on a hilly trail run and we barely eeked out 11.5 miles. I was beat. I followed that run on the next day with the fastest 5 miles I have run this year. It felt great.

And the training winds down....

Time on Legs - Not the knees!

It has been a bit since I have blogged. The hard weeks of my training is upon me and it has taken its toll. Just this week my knees have really been hurting. This has been pretty depressing since it was a serious knee injury that put a stop to my running several years ago. It took me 10 years to get back to the running that I enjoy so much. I do not want an injury to cut into my training as well as my fitness for running. With all that said, the training has been going real well and I am ready for my race in just over 2 weeks.

An update on how my wife is doing. She continues to adhere to the C25K plan and is progressing very well. I am very proud of how she keeps at it even though she is not really enjoying it right now. As for the sales pitch of her running a race this summer, we have progressed from "hell no" to just "no". I am making progress.

So far this year I am at 344 miles on my way to Tinkoff's 1000.

Time on Legs - The Wind

Man, do I hate wind! Colorado, like much of the rest of the United States, has been experiencing a lot of weather changes. Spring is just like that. With our rapid changes comes a lot of wind. I really do not like running in this junk. With that said, I have been getting out there anyway. I am in my final push of hard weeks before my 15 mile race on May 6th. This week's running has been going really well despite my grumpiness about the wind. One of my problems. however, is that I have got to get my mind around training smartly or I am going to injure myself. Today's run was an 8 mile tempo run with 6 miles planned at a tempo of a 9:45 pace. My first mile as a warm up should have been pretty slow before my tempo run and I was feeling really good even at the start. When my Garmin 205 beeped at mile one, I looked down to see I had cranked out a 9:09 pace. I then settled into a good 6 miles with an average of 9:29 pace. So as a cool down for the last mile I figured I should slow it up. That did not happen and I ended the entire run with an overall pace of 9:22. I am happy with the times, but mad at myself for not managing my run better.

As I was running this week I though a lot about support. For me, it would be impossible to keep on training if I did not receive support from others. That support comes in many ways and all of it motivates me to keep on moving. My wife is the best! Steve Runner has a podcast about how our significant others play an important role in this crazyness we do. She tolerates and encourages my many hours out on the trails. She does this because she knows how much I enjoy it. I love her for that. I also receive motivation from the many podcasts I listen to each week. Listening to the "rambling diatribes" and the running of 1000 miles through 2007 as well as Nigel's English Country runs really help me connect with a community of runners. Also, those folks who leave me notes of encouragement on this blog really give me a sense of a greater community in running. I really appreciate that. Finally, I have two good friends who join me regularly on runs and constantly offer support and encouragement. They are the best.

I seem to be rambling on....

Time on Legs - Spreading the Joy

Others might call it more agony than joy. Last week my wife began her program to becoming a runner. I introduced to her the Couch to 5K program highlighted on Phedippidations. This is a great way for a beginner to move from a sedentary lifestyle and become a runner. She has done well with setting a goal for each week to follow the program. I am working on her to enter a July 4th 5K race. I am really excited and proud of her efforts. More to come on this.

Time on Legs - Easy Weeks

Everyone needs an easy week once in awhile. This week was mine. My plan called for easy shorter runs this week and I am taking advantage of it. My runs have been enjoyable and I have not been concentrating on speed or time. Weather has been great as well. At work we test for fitness and today was my day to get it done. As part of the testing we run 1.5 miles and try to get in a specific time. At my age I get 14 minutes to get it done. I was shooting for a sub 13 minute finish. My time was 12:13. The best part was that the track where we do this is 1.5 miles for the office. My partner and I ran to the tract, tested and then ran back to the office. The looks from the others was priceless. They thought we were crazy. A little sore from the sit ups and strength testing. I have got to hit the weights more!

No long run at all this week, just one more 5 miler on the schedule.

I will be out working this Easter. Happy Easter to each of you!!