July 13-15

NO RUNNING because I am sick. Tried to go this morning, but didn't feel well enough with having to be at work at 6am. I am going to try again tomorrow and 10 mi again on Sunday.

July 12, 2011

Distance: 5 mi Tempo Run

Time: 35:25

Pace: 7:05

Course: FF to WF Elementary and back

Felt: Good.

Amount of sleep: about 5 ish

Start time: 4:20am, had to work at 6

Weather: 80+ and humid as crap

Shoes: Asics GT 2150

Other notes:

Tempo run. Felt good except for the humidity. Ate half a banana and half a cup of coffee before I left.

July 10, 2011

Distance: 10mi

Time: 1:19:20

Pace: 7:56/mi

Course: FF to Capital and back

Felt: Good. Haven't run that long in a while. I was encouraged.

Amount of sleep: about 5.5

Start time: 6am

Weather: 70 or so, nice and cool

Shoes: Asics GT 2150

Other notes:

Ate 1/2 granola bar and drank 1/2 cup of coffee. Had one gel pack during the run and used the Vitalyte drink mix. This is my favorite drink mix that I have ever used. I think it's better than gatorade, doesn't taste as sweet like I'm drinking straight sugar.

Week total:28 plus 2 strength training sessions

July 8, 2011

Distance: 4 mi

Time: 36:00

Pace: 9:00/mi

Course: Falls Lake Trails section 1 out and back

Felt: Felt great to run trails again. I think these shoes will be just fine, no trail shoes needed. It's technical and I felt just fine in them. It was hot hot hot.

Amount of sleep: about 6.5-7

Start time: 10am

Weather: 85-90 and humid

Shoes: Asics GT 2150

Other notes:

N/A

July 7, 2011

Distance: 6 mi

Time: 47:36

Pace: 7:56mi

Course: FF to Stone Chapel loop

Felt: Good middle of the week mid distance run. Left knee felt a little funny again today.

Amount of sleep: about 6.5

Start time: 6am

Weather: 70 or so, nice and cool

Shoes: Asics GT 2150

Other notes:

Ate 1/2 banana and drank 1/2 cup of coffee. Went to the YMCA, did stationary bike for 25 min, leg curls and extensions, leg press, piel squats, bench press, hyperextension, incline situps, and more.

July 5, 2011

Distance: 3 mi or so, plus weights at the Y
Time: 25 min
Pace: 8:20/mi
Course: Treadmill
Felt: Good

Amount of sleep: about 7
Start time: 10am
Weather: inside

Shoes: Asics GT 2150

Other notes:
Did dumbell bench press, lunges, bar curls, hyperextension, air bike, plank, and exercise ball squats. Good exercises.

July 4, 2011

Distance: 5 mi

Time: 40:43

Pace: 8:09/mi

Course: FF to Stone Chapel and back

Felt: Good easy run. Slight tinge in my left knee a couple of time. Very slight, went away fast.

Amount of sleep: about 6.5

Start time: 6am

Weather: 75-80, humid, muggy.

Shoes: Asics GT 2150

Other notes:

Ate 1/2 banana and drank 1/2 cup of coffee. Did 100 situps. This is my last week of not on a plan if I'm going to start a 16-week program for the City of Oaks race. My long run this weeks needs to be 10. Next week the plan starts on 10 as well.

July 1, 2011

Distance: 1 mile warm up, 3x800m intervals at 3:00-3:10/800 pace with 400 meter slow jog/walk in between. Got kicked off the track, so I did three sets of stadiums at Wake Forest-Rolesville HS running fast up and easy jog down with one minute rest in between sets. Then 1/2 mile-ish cool down.

Time: 40:00 or so

Pace: n/a

Course: WF-Rolesville HS

Felt: Good

Amount of sleep: enough

Start time: 8:30am

Weather: 80ish, hot

Shoes: Asics GT 2150

Other notes:

Didn't run any more miles this week. I got up too late several days because I stayed up too late. If I go to bed on time I don't have a problem. My hours at work were also bumped up a little this week, so that's more time on my feet so I have been more tired and needing the rest. If I go to bed when I know I should, I do just fine.

In other news, I heard from Jamie Clement this week that I might be able to run the CIty of Oaks marathon for free this year by signing up as a pacer. The only problem is I will need to be a pacer for a time that I KNOW I can run, instead of shooting for a good time. I'm going think about it. If I do a 4 hr pace, then it would be a good training run for the Mt. Mitchell race in Feb.

Weekly Total: 5 + intervals.

June 28, 2011

Distance: 5 mi

Time: 38:07

Pace: 7:37/mi

Course: FF to Stone Chapel and back

Felt: Good

Amount of sleep: about 6.5

Start time: 6:30am

Weather: 65-70

Shoes: Asics GT 2150

Other notes: good easy run

June 26, 2011

Distance: 8 mi

Time: 1:02:00

Pace: 7:45/mi

Course: FF to Joyner Park (and around inside park) to SEBTS via W Oak and back.

Felt: Great.

Amount of sleep: about 6.5

Start time: 5:45am

Weather: 65-70, cool, felt awesome.

Shoes: Asics GT 2150

Other notes:

Ate 1/2 banana and drank 1/2 cup coffee before I left. Used the electrolyte drink during the run, tasted good, and I think it will especially help on longer runs when I need it even more. Felt encouraged in my ability to run the marathon in November for sure. Short term goals: Run Raleigh City of Oaks Marathon Nov 6th, 2011 and then the Mt Mitchell Challenge 40 mile run Feb 25th 2012. I need to run a 50 mile race sometime next year to qualify to enter the Umsted 100 miler in 2013.

Weekly Total: 25.25

June 25, 2011

Distance: 3.5 mi

Time: 27:42

Pace: 7:55/mi

Course: FF to SEBTS and back

Felt: Sluggish

Amount of sleep: about 6.5

Start time: 8:30am

Weather: 75-80, humid

Shoes: Asics GT 2150

Other notes:

I ate about 30-45 min before i ran, and I think that's why I felt so sluggish. I think I do better with little in my stomach to start out with. Also did 100 sit ups. Planning on doing long run tomorrow (8 miles).

June 24, 2011

Distance: 5 mi

Time: 39:30

Pace: 7:55/mi

Course: FF to Wake Forest Elementary and back

Felt: Good

Amount of sleep: about 6.5ish

Start time: 6:30 am

Weather: 75 ish, nice, starting to get hot already

Shoes: Asics GT 2150

Other notes:

Good easy run. Also did 80 sit ups. Attacking hills. Paid more attention to form after reading and article in RW about running form. I feel good about it.

June 22, 2011

Distance: 4.75 mi. 1.3 to hill on historic st in WF near Josh and Cora's house; 6 hill repeats, 6:14-6:45 pace for 60-75 seconds, jog down to recover; return home

Time: 40:00 min

Pace: 8:13/mi

Course: FF to hill, hill repeats, and back

Felt: Good and appropriately hard. The last one or two repeats I began to feel the lactic acid buildup in my legs but kept going.

Amount of sleep: about 6 hrs

Start time: 6:30 am

Weather: 75 ish, nice, starting to get hot already

Shoes: Asics GT 2150

Other notes:
Should increase the number of repeats to 8 over the next few months. Today was my hard day. Planning on doing easy 4-5 tomorrow, same on Friday, 3-4 on Saturday, and 7 on Sunday. Also did 125 crunches. 75 straight + 25 each side. Beginning to think I can sign up for the marathon in Nov in Raleigh. I feel good and I think I have plenty of time to train. We'll see once my hours at work ramp up over the next few weeks.

June 20, 2011

Distance: 4 miles

Time: 32:00 ish

Pace: 8:00/mi

Course: FF loop around seminary.

Felt: Good. Some stiffness in my left knee when I started this morning. It worked out though by the top of the first hill coming out of FF. Not worried about it.

Amount of sleep: about 6 hrs

Start time: 5:45am

Weather: 65-70, nice

Shoes: Asics GT 2150

Other notes:
Good loop. I prefer to loop rather than out and back.

June 19, 2011

Distance: 6 miles

Time: 50:12

Pace: 8:22

Course: FF to Wake Tire/Tyler Run and back. Relatively flat.

Felt: Good, despite the heat.

Amount of sleep: about 7+

Start time: 3 pm

Weather: 90 ish, hot!

Shoes: Asics GT 2150

Other notes:
Haven't run more than about 4 miles in a while. Felt good. Had to restrain myself from wanting to run faster.

June 17, 2011

Distance: 5 miles

Time: 42:30

Pace: 8:30

Path: FF to Joyner park and back. Hilly course. Good.

Felt: Very good. Nice slow pace. My best 1/2 marathon time, 1:27, was after doing MOST of my training with Melissa at a slower pace than I usually do on my own. I think my easier runs need to be at a slower pace like this, especially for endurance's sake.

Amount of sleep: about 7 hrs

Start time: 5:30am

Weather: 60s/70s, nice

Shoes: Asics GT 2150, only have about 20 miles on them so far. Should last until the 1/2 marathon in November.

Other notes:

Will need to purchase some trail running shoes in the next couple of months. I need to find a good pair that will fit and not rub blisters on my weird heels. I have only had one that I could use: Keen Wasatch cross training shoes. They were bulky/heavy, but worked. I finished 9th in the Bel Monte Endurance Run with those shoes. If I could find some like those that are a little lighter it would be ideal.

Journey to First 100

This is my personal blog to track my running training.

The goal: Run a 100 mile race, one of my personal lifetime running goals. I want to do this while at the same time having an appropriate balance in my life between family, work, and running. If running throws it out of balance, my training will have to slow down and I will put off this goal for a few years until I can devote the necessary time to training.

Time goal: None. Finish.

The race: Umstead 100 Mile Endurance Run, March/April 2013, Raleigh, NC.

The timeline: Today is June 17, 2011. That leaves about 22 months until the race.