Bagel Run

I like this. I like the feeling when your legs are more and more co-operative, and when the amount of pure pain does not wear your body down when running easy runs. This morning we ran another Bagel Run without bagels. I ran with Tom, Andy, Mark, Tim and Lady X (name unknown) for the first 7 miles after which I continued with Andy. I ran 13 miler (@ average pace of 6.25) and did not feeling a thing.

In other words, I negatively assisted tomorrow's XC race by running too fast today. You get this smart only through years of experience.

Fartlek

Smelly Friday? No. I challenged myself to run @ faster pace the first time since Bmore marathon relay. Well, someone could also claim that my pace there wasn't so fast, and I wouldn't have anything to say about that. But the reality was and is what you see. Today I felt just fine doing 5x3 min. with 2 min rest jog. Afterwards I even noticed that the pace (5.40-5.13) was a little faster than I expected. So I can already now cite O'Shea Jackson a.k.a. Ice Cube: "Today was a Good Day".

It is snowing back home....

Time flies

After all, I did two runs yesterday which was pretty nice. In the morning I sneaked out for an easy 3 miler + 5x100m strides. Then I did my now-usual gym workout before I left to spend my valueable hours on Capitol Beltway. In the evening I met with guys for a normal Wednesday group run. It felt just great. No remarkable pain => nothing to complain! Our bodies are - after all - build for distance! Good read.

Today I ran 5 miler and hope that I have enough time for another one in the evening. Tomorrow I'll do some fartlek. I'm really excited about Sunday's NYC marathon. If it is really going to be Sell's last major marathon, I should consider driving to NYC to watch the race...

What?

Tuesday is just about to turn into Wednesday. Time is flying. Today I had time only for one run, since I have been revising one article to be submitted to the final round asap. The run itself was so painful experience that it was pretty easy to neglect its second counterpart in the evening. Tomorrow I will have to spend some extra hours on beltway, but I'll do my best in order to hurry to HCC for another group run.

But Thursday is always better, right?

Not like any other Monday

This was a nice Monday for awhile. Two easy runs and added with a gym session in the morning. In addtion, todays comprised couple of hours in a car. I returned my office keys, and accordingly visited Fairfax campus first time in few weeks. I have to confess that foilage does not spoil the scenery... I had planned some sort of tempo repeats for the evening, but instead I just ran 6 miles without a watch.

Course preview

I really did NOT remember the special nature of the Grapevine XC race which takes place next week. Today I had a chance to join Jason on his way to check out the course and run a little over there. Due to my scarce memory capacity I had totally forgotten what to expect, but a picture of challenge lives strong in the back of head the rest of the week. I'm sure that the course was sleeping today, and it will unleash itself next Sunday. At least that's what my hamstrings told me to expect. 9 miles at pedestrian pace.

Conference

No running on Friday nor on Saturday due to the conference in Arlington. Yesterday I had my alarm waking me up @ 4:30 AM, but I did have enough energy to go running (=what a wuss). Maybe today I'll have a chance to sneak out for a run after I've spend the afternoon in D.C with couple European colleagues.

One of my heroes, Brian Sell, is running his last serious marathon in NYC according to Runner's World.

My brain hurts

After couple easy days I chose to continue with an easy day. Sweetie and I ran 6.2 miler (51.20) and then I continued with some exercises in order to get this aging body in some order. It's tough work with uncertain outcomes... Oh, if anybody knows any time machines available with reasonable price, please let me know.

No. It's just talk. After missing 3-4 years of the "active years" due injuries I just gotta be happy with current circumstances no matter the amount of pain involved. Running Times magazine had a good article on aging. I think that it's the first time when I have paid any attention to this subject. Am I too late?

Fortunately, the brain hurting thingy is more work- than running-related...

The afternoon jog (5 miles, ~6.57/mile) felt much better than the one in the morning. I even started to invent new Finnish XC Series purely because I envy XC's popularity here.

No workout Wednesday, just running

Easy 3-miler + gym workout. Hamstring are already feeling better which of course does not suck. This evening I'll again join THE group at HCC. Hopefully others are still tired from marathon and stuff.

Well, Mark (marathon PR man) and Carlos weren't so tired, but still pace was easy and enjoyable. No particular problems with hamstrings. That's pretty ok.

There there

The fall is usually the easiest season in training. All the work and races are done and there is only recreational running in your schedule. But when you are a recreational runner, what you are supposed to do? I don't know, but I'm learning.

In any case, it's maybe better not to pay too much attention to this kind of details, and just enjoy running as such. Today's morning shake out (5 miles) was just that, a pleasure fulfilled with familiar pain. And I'm still smiling.

Getting back on the road

Last week was exhausting. We had Finnish quests and some driving to do. Additionally, life was less ordinary since I didn't run so much. Due to current hamstring problems I took couple days off and started to do some strengthening exercises. As of now, I feel better - lower ab pain has decreased without inflammatories and hamstrings don't hurt so much while sleeping.

Still something curbs my enthusiasm for running and that scares me. Is this the end? I hope not.



In your face non-running season!!!!

I'm back. I had to sneak out (6.2 miles, 42.30) because of the weather (and Jole and Luca, thanks guys!). Legs are hurting, yes, but that's partly due to morning's activities at the gym(!?!??!).

Back home

We began our short road trip on Saturday morning after running in Baltimore - both ran the relay. My running sucked (no news), but it was compensated by Tom's, Carlos's and Izzy's efforts and we won the whole relay. After that we packed ourselves in the White Flame (Pontiac) and found ourselves running in Central Park, at the Niagara Falls and in Philadelphia.

Now it's good to be back. Hamstrings told me so. At the moment running does not make me happy.

BRF

Baltimore Running Festival is soon here. Accordingly, I spend a short moment on the track this morning. I'm again desperately trying to get these legs back to work. Track was slightly slippery after rain, and hamstrings gave a notice. Baltimore's event reminded me that it's been awhile since I've been running any type of relay.

In Finland we have one legendary road relay every spring called Karhu-viesti (about 36 miles and seven legs, 33-years old event). Its competitive dimension has been declining at the same pace with the number of competitive Finnish runners, but still it has own comfort for us. Another big thing is the Finnish Team Relay Championships. In this annual event distance runners have two races, 4x800m and 4x1500m. Nowadays I'm only capable for timing other's efforts, but back in the day it was pretty fun race. At least when you were awarded with Championship medal.

Anyway, I'm really waiting for Saturday morning.

Where's the spinach?

Army Ten Miler went mostly like I expected, but I was 60 seconds slower than I hoped for. Left hamstring and gluteus are now pretty much done, and accordingly left leg went almost dead after the first "hill" close to legendary Watergater hotel. After than it was really hard to keep the pace up. In addition to not being in PR-shape, this kind of defect slows me down too much.

Now it is sure that IF I once more want to feel fast, I'll have to start to do some serious strength training. It's the aging that is not avoidable even if you would eat spinach!

But the race itself was nice. Even if the course is not as flat as Cherry Blossom, it is pretty neat to start and finish at the Pentagon. After ATM we drove down to Fountainhead Park in Virginia and MTB'ed there almost 3.5 hrs. Today I'm going to run at all, since left hamstring is too sore.

Feeling just fine

"Workout Wednesday" was much more pleasant this week than last week. I'm learning quick I think. Without all you can eat buffet running was nice and feeling was pretty good. Suprisingly good actually. Mark, Bob, and Seth, however, seem to be ready for some rumble in Baltimore marathon. That's good.

Today I kept it easy, and similar schedule will continue for couple days. Last month was only 220 miles, since I had some trouble to deal with.