Ez week

On Saturday the treadmill I ran on tried to kick my ass. I was feeling so weak during a normal steady state run that I had to stop at 3 miles. But luckily I had guts to continue and I was able to finish it. A night before I was up too late and instantly had pay the dues. That's what getting older really means???

On Sunday I broke my barriers and took mp3s with me on the long run. Of the 15.5 miles only 1.5 was not icy.

This week is an easy one so no Workout Wednesday for me. I did an easy 5 miler today. Next Saturday I'll run 3.1 miler at the local "race". The one and only Road Running Relay called Karhu-viesti is getting closer...

Top 5 songs from the long run:

The plan

For the next couple weeks roads will be a slippery mess here but it's only mandatory before the Spring and open roads are here. Especially in the mornings the grip is unbearable. Thus, jumping on the treadmill was an easy choice for today's steady state run. I ran a 5 miler (@ 6.14) which was just according to the plan (improving 15 secs from last week).

Oh, the plan hasn't yet been introduced here. It's not any rocket science but a simple idea of reaching various steps before the ultimate goal. Now I have reached my all time low and I'm older than before so the humble plan is to start from the bottom (check), achieve 36 minutes at 6 miler, then proceed to 34 and 32 minutes. During this progression my engine will be modified to endure Berlin Marathon in September. Currently, I'm just happy if I'm able to start and finish that one. Oh and the whole basis of this plan is to Run by Feel.

Paternity leave

This week is sort of vacation. I'm having the last week of paternity leave (before I'll be with Lil' D for 6 weeks in April-May). This means a bit different schedule since I don't have to run at 6AM. This makes it special. Hah. No really, the chance to spend some time with Lil' D is the best.

On Monday I had a massage at Roni's. He a talent and he's really popular among triathletes and some runners too. Tuesday I ran 6 miler (@ 7:15) in increasingly slippery conditions. The weather is warming up which generates slippery/icy roads. Accordingly, today I ran WOW on treadmill. I did 2x2000m (@5.50s) + 2x1000m (@5:35) ' 3 min. with WU and CD. Such fun!

Rest of the week

Monday was miserable experience as it is supposed to be when you're sick (puking + high fever). Tuesday was also a day off, but I felt alive again. On Wednesday I did a short shakeout run and on Thursday I jumped back to original schedule.

Yesterday morning I did a nice 7.5 miler and listened to music for the first time in 23 years on the road. Weather was also easy on me (it was only 7F compared to real feel of Thursday: -15F), so it was an excellent booster. Today I did a tempo/steady-state run on treadmill after baby swimming. To summarize my feelings during those 5 miles (@6.17): I really hope that I could again get back in shape...  Patience...

Oh and this would be an awesome race: http://www.runforyourlives.com/

Treadmill fun

Morning temperature was -11F => treadmill. Easy run would have been ok, but I had planned to run a wave run. Conveniently we have baby swimming at 8 AM in a spa which also has a gym with 2 treadmills. After "swimming" and sauna I sneaked out do to the workout. When I entered the gym both treadmills were in use so I had to warm up on a stationary bike. After 25 minutes on bike I was ready to roll.

I enjoyed enourmously when I was running 4+ miles by alternating 1ks (6.40/5.50). Huge fun. Because this was the first "faster" workout for ages, I decided to be patient and do only 4 faster repeats. It worked fine and after the run I felt awesome and ready for more. That's the best feeling!

Yesterday I had an opportunity to run easy with young studs. I joined Jole and Bruni who were getting ready for the indoor nationals which take place this weekend in Helsinki. Rock! 

In the middle of the week

On Monday afternoon I had my revenge with treadmill (or vice versa). The first workout was a steady state tempo run 4k (@ 6:34) + 4k (@ 6:26) + 2k (@ 6:00) + 2k WU and 2k CD. It was fun but boring and humid. The weather outside was, however, a good motivator due to around -13F temp.

Yesterday I had a massage but a pretty easy one. Today I did 6 miler starting at 6AM (in mild 0F).

The worst news from yesterday is that Jukka Keskisalo has again a bad problem. Now a broken bone in the foot.

Workout Thursday

Yesterday I ran an easy 4 miles in the morning. In the evening I just ate - a lot.

Today morning I jogged 3 miles and concentrated more on the evening. It was time for a workout (at last). Due to unfavorable road conditions I had to choose the treadmill. It helped me through 5x1k'2 min rest jog (3.18-3.04/k). Then I ate some more.

All of a sudden

Weekend is here. Again. After Wednesday's hill workout I did only two easy morning runs. I didn't have enough time for another run since on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday I left work aroung 9:30-10:00 PM. That sucks of course but the revised version of the manuscript is ready.

This morning I chose the treadmill over icy roads. Hamstrings are feeling pretty tense due to running on ice, and thus, today's accelerating tempo (5M, 29:40, from 6:25 to 5:20s pace) wasn't that easy. But it's done. Tomorrow: long run.

No run and then run

Thursday: No run. Didn't feel like it.

Friday: Morning jog 6 miles and then in the evening a 5M tempo run on the treadmill: 29.30. I accelerated from 6.28 to 5.29/mile with a rendo feeling (average pace 5.55). This was actually the first decent tempo run since Atlanta (11/20/09). It's good start. Or at least a good way to compensate yesterday's lazyness.

Back on treadmill?

The temperature changed almost dramatically from freezing to this annoying 30F. The annoying part is explained by the slippery snow and soon-to-be sleet and ice. Both of the latter suck and that's it. Yesterday I thought that I felt tired and so I ran only once. Today I was even more tired, and thus, I punished this body twice (with a core workout).

For tomorrow I have planned a tempo run, but after the micro-level climate change I'm not so willing to hit the slippery roads. Fortunately, there is always the treadmill (dislike), which also might might ease the hiding injury on my left achilles/ankle/heel.

Day 3 - still stuck in Atlanta

Our morning jog was ~7 miles in the Mid- and Uptown Atlanta. After we finished news told us that Peachtree was partly closed due to a suspicious package at the Temple.

In the evening I went to gym and ran a 5 mile tempo run (29.20) on treadmill. With 4+ miles warm up and cool down today was 16+ miles.

In the morning I received unfortunate news. My father had a stroke and he's now hospitalized. Depending on his condition our stay in the US will last to mid-December or only couple of hours. I feel broken, but hopeful.

Road trip - Day 1

Hah. After spending over 11 hrs in a car we sneaked out for a run at the hotel's gym. It's sick - running in gym I mean. I did only 4.5 miles of whic 3.1 were sub 6.30s (last mile 5.25). Didn't have time to eat too much junk food today, but there is still enough time to correct that. Tomorrow I'll have a chance to see Atlanta by foot.

Bored on that same treadmill

This morning I hit straight to our club house and turn on the treadmill for 6.2 miles. After second mile I got pretty bored. That's the way it goes. This I missed yesterday, but thanks to Jason: here you go. In the evening I had to get as far away from the treadmill as I could. That 7.5 miler felt sooo good. Even if most of the pavements around Columbia are still covered with ice, being outside beats grinding a treadmill 6-0.

Workout Wednesday

Due to sort-of-ice on the pathways, I chose to spend some more time with my friend, the treadmill. After 2 miles warm up (it was warm already at the beginning) I ran 7.5 miles accelerating tempo from 6.40 to 5.38 pace (last 2 k ~ 7.00). It felt okay and I'm just happy with it.

Back on a treadmill

Ok. Yesterday I was suprised (again) about the effects of tiny amount of snow. But this morning the same roads and pathways were covered with thick icy layer which of course sucks. Instead of staying in bed late I crawled slowly closer to a treadmill and fought through an ez paced 3-miler (6.50/mile). It has been awhile since the last time I've met this buddy of mine. In Finland, during the iciest seasons, treadmill was my soulmate, but here our relationship has been cold. Hence, today was a big day. Luckily both of us were cooperative. Maybe it is the language barrier that hinders the usual cursing between us.