Tempo Runs Slowly Coming Around

I did my second tempo run of the marathon training plan. Of all the workouts that have been disrupted by heal-scrape/sick/travel/hurricane - the tempo has suffered the most. Last week I barely made it 2.75 miles. Today - I think I managed 3.5 over 26 minutes. I'm really dragging Larry on these - but he's managed to do alright. Today, I did the Jupiter loop while he rested, and then did the last 1/2 mile without him - before looping back to jog in the last mile. That actually worked out well - gave me a nice cool-down and a good 5.5 total miles. I'm at 11 miles - with another long run planned for Friday (12, ugghhh).

On the home front - we continue to be without power. Although unsettling psychologically, it hasn't been bad at all from a practical standpoint. And the stars at night have been spectacular. It's hard to imagine that for millions of years - humans have looked up at night to such a brilliant display. Modern times - not so much...

Irene.

The New London Thames river. Pretty incredible. Makes me thankful it wasn't a more intense storm when it whipped through.

Made it out before lunch to survey the damage around Eastern Point. Beautiful day for a run - nice clean and dry atmosphere after a hurricane. I did the down ladder intervals I missed a few weeks ago: 1200;800;600;400;200. I also did ~400 up the Meche hill. They felt pretty easy although my groins were hurting - I had to stretch them out in-between intervals. A reminder of the workouts I missed last week: yoga - can't be forgetting the yoga. All ints were off-track, but I did manage the 800 in 3:10 (6:20 pace) - and that's a pretty decent measurement. I should be able to nail my other run workouts - although cross-training is going to take a hit since Lany doesn't start school until next week - so I'll be on drop-off duty for awhile - no biking. I may try and finagle a swim Thursday.

We're still without power in Groton. Wife is going stir-crazy at home with the kids. Hopefully Mystic will get it back - although The Day is reporting that it could be a week or more in some locations. An interesting few weeks to end the summer of 2011.

Another Humid Long Run.

What's with this weather? Great most of the week - humid for the long run. 10 miles today with very humid conditions. The run felt very difficult and my legs were dragging. My legs are pretty sore. I'm going to sit and watch Irene coverage now.

Morning after: legs feel better - nothing like a good night's sleep to rest things up. Nothing going today except maybe some easy yoga - and more Irene prep.

Come on Irene.

Kind of a scary weather development the last few days - heading into this weekend. Looks like we'll have a real legit hurricane in the NE for the first time in decades. I haven't let that deter my awesome training week. I did a tempo run yesterday with Larry (who was seriously chatty and dragging). I think I managed to drag him for about 2.8 miles - about 21 minutes (7:30s), 5 miles total (41 minutes). I continued with the biking - home last night and in to work today for about 18 miles round trip.

The topper was today - my last Shenny beach swim of the year. My birthday swim: I'm 40 today - happy birthday me! The water was choppy - not from Irene - but another system that's suppose to bring thunderstorms tonight. This turned out be good - I focused on breathing every 2 instead of every 3 - something I wish I did *before* last weeks triathlon swim. I really got the hang of it and the swim felt awesome - I even enjoyed the relatively large swells bobbing me up and down.

Tomorrow - a massive 10 miler. My total time for the week running should top 3.5 hours, mileage over 23. X-training time is already at 3:22 (over 12 'equivalence miles'). It actually feels like I'm training for a marathon again.

Start to a Good Week?

Question mark? Well, I haven't had many good weeks of late. But this week is starting out pretty bad ass. First - the weather's been great. Second - I did my first intervals of my 'marathon training' yesterday: 1600 (6:47), 800 (~3:20), 1600 (7:07) and then a good 2 minute hill climb. Solid, off-track effort. The topper - bike home last night and to work today - 18 miles and about a 1 hour 30 minute effort. Tomorrow I'll start with a good tempo run and then finish with another bike to and from work Wed evening/Thr morning. Hopefully, mileage will be good, x-training will be solid and I'll get in some strength. I'm looking for a 6-8 hour effort week.

Swampy Training

Weather has been pretty good this summer. But it really isn't the heat, it *is* the humidity. Friday I did 8.8 miles around work in 1 hour 19 minutes. Pretty cool, but humid. I definately didn't enjoy it. A week a ago Friday, I had the same issue with the 7.5 miler. I did the strength training today - so it was a tough 2 workouts in 3 days. I'm feeling better and hoping this next week will be the real 'start' of marathon training. Can it happen?

Rest in peace John the Younger. A great life, great person.

Tri-Week.

Last night was the Pfizer Tri. I did the swim in a respectable but unspectacular 12:15 and our team won the 'mens' division (only 2 teams total). I fun night to be sure. I decided to do my own tri that day: biked into work 8.8 miles, swim that night (~750 m) and then a 1.3 mile run. I'm still missing my marks for marathon training - and still feeling 'sick' with this lingering throat respiratory problem - but hope to get the run in tomorrow (~9 miles) and then pickup normal training next week.

Laughably Horrible Two Weeks

Sometime life just gives you crap. The last 2 weeks have been a horrible start to my Philly Marathon hopes. Following the heel fiasco I got a head cold that sidelined me Friday, kept me up coughing every night and diminished my training tremendously this week. I have managed a few workouts - despite the sickness/allergies/whatever.

• Monday I did a strength/run combo with my wife in a hot/humid/bug-infested field. I actually felt ok - but only managed ~18 minutes of strength and running.
• Tuesday, feeling a little better I took the kidos to the Stockton college track - hoping to get what I thought was a very doable workout in: 4x800s. Easy right? To start, the infield of the track just had an application of fertilizer and workers there warned that the kids probably shouldn't be playing out there. So with bored kids and more hot weather and only managed 2x800 - with warmup, maybe 2.5 miles.
• Wednesday I was back to work in CT, but felt horrible so I didn't do anything.
• Thursday, I attempted a swim - thinking I should probably get something in before next week's Triathlon. I did about 10 minutes of swimming in choppy water. It felt horrible - hopefully it's more the cold than my swim conditioning - but I'll find out next week.
• Finally today - somewhat pissed at my health - I did 7.5 miles. I should mention - the weather the last two days has been fantastic - so at least that's been good.

Next week'll be a little tricky. Assuming I'm feeling better - I'll still be a little constrained by the Triathlon on Wednesday. What I'm thinking is: Monday - run at lunch (intervals) and bike home. Tuesday bike into work (greb at lunch). Wednesday - just the tri swim - and maybe a run after I dry off. Thursday, off at lunch or easy swim and strength train at home. Friday - long run. I'll be jumping for joy if I can get all that in - and feel ok/good doing it (I'll settle for ok at this point).

Off to a Rotten Start

August 1st marked the beginning of Philly marathon training and - well, it didn't start well:

• My daughter has something like swimmers ear and didn't sleep well Sunday night - thus neither did myself or my wife.
• I ended up taking Advil PM to get back to sleep and had my 'benadryl hangover' the next morning.
• I also started the week with a monday morning dentist appointment. So feeling hungover and with my teeth scrapped - I headed into work.
• As I got ready for my lunch run, I realized I had forgotten my socks - so I went out without them. After 2 miles I realized I'd scrapped off enough skin on the heel to stop.
• I removed my shoes and walked back - the pads on the feet were sore after walking back.
• If that wasn't enough - I stepped on a small piece of glass left from a demo job in my house Tuesday morning. I think my feet have about had it...

I decided to bag the biking and not run today - just a 50 minutes strenght workout. I'm hoping to get a run in tomorrow and bike home. Then take Thursday off and do another bike-run on Friday. A bit scaled back - but I should be able to hit the remaining workouts after the disastrous start.