Akron Marathon Relay

So I had my work team together again this year to run the Akron Marathon 5-person relay, it is amazing how much they have all grown as a runner, they actually did long runs, speed work and practice races just to get a little faster. Our time last year was 4:33 and they wanted to beat that time.

I went downtown Akron with my neighbor Jennifer, a new runner doing the relay with her co-workers and this was her first big race, it was nice seeing the race through fresh eyes. Left the house by 5:15am and was able to park very close to the finish line and it was a perfect location for Jen since it was by her exchange point.

Met up with my team members, someone sang the national anthem and then they were off, it took the people in the back with us almost 5 mins to cross the start line, I then cross over to the first exchange point with Dick to see our team member come in so we could estimate how we were doing. Well, Dick all this quick calculation and came up with the fact that I need to get to him by 10:02 am for him to be able to finish around 4 hours, am leg 4, he is 5. I also wanted to see some running friends since this race is about the only time I see them

So off I went to catch the bus, got to Sand Run, use the porta potty and waited around, saw the leaders go by, then had to use the porta potty again. Since I was at the Metro Park, did my warmup on the buckeye trail but couldn't do much because I was concern about missing my team , it was a good thing since they didn't call his number when he came by and I just happened to see him, did dynamic flexibility too. Well, off I went we are about 7 mins behind so it means I really need to run hard no walking up the hill to get to the last exchange point on time. I ran mile 1 too fast but I know that was probably going to be it since it was uphill from now on, but I survive and got to the last exchange point at 9:58am then I decided to keep going with my team member, I had 12 miles on my training schedule and running 2.8 miles and going to catch the bus back to the stadium and doing my run later in the day seem pointless. Ran 7.2 additional miles, got off the course before getting too close to the cheering crowd since this was no longer my race.

Walked over to the stadium, got my post race meal and my 2 beers then went to find the rest of my team mate and Jen.

EMERALD FLYERS #8435

Broadview Heights, OH

Age: 99

Distance	MAR
Clock Time	4:07:17
Chip Time	4:04:29
Overall Place	425
Division Place	297 / 682
Leg1	33:31
Leg2	1:02:59
Leg3	52:44
Leg4	27:01
Leg5	1:08:16
Divtotal	682

Got back home too a nice hot bath, a cold water soaking was out of the question, I think I was cold enough then took a nice long much needed nap before having to get down to watch my son at the Aurora Band Show where I sat in the rain for 2 hours watching different schools perform then back home for another hot shower.

Elevation (ft.)

Split	Minutes per MileAvg Speed	Minutes per MileMax Speed	Beats per MinuteAvg HR	Beats per MinuteMax HR
Summary	09:42	05:23	158	177
1	08:29	07:13	152	169
2	10:50	05:32	162	169
3	09:09	05:50	166	173
4	09:20	07:41	164	173
5	09:03	05:23	165	177
6	09:50	06:58	158	164
7	10:44	08:18	157	165
8	10:20	08:53	152	158
9	09:47	07:59	153	159
10	09:31	08:05	150	167
11	08:48	10:04	160	160

Worked out with Coach Troy this morning doing Runervals 2.0 Treadmill Tempo, wow this was hard but in a sadistic was fun, better than just running straight tempo miles in between warmup and cool down miles, I stayed at the 10k pace required by my training program but changed the incline as given by Coach Troy. At the beginning they gave a run down of the program for example 4x90sec @ base pace+3mph, 3% incline with 30sec off, doesn't sound too back until the program started and I realized that the 30 sec off was just off the incline and not off the speed, so you stay at the same speed for the 8 mins. So it ended up being a nice rolling hill tempo run, there was 3 different set of workout pus warmup and cooldown finish there cool down still at tempo spreed then did one more mile for my cool down at recovery pace per my program. 6 miles @ Added on 4DS shoulder, calves and core, also did Dynamic flexibility before my run and 4DS stretch after.
Slight pain/tightness in my right heel not sure from what.

After work picked up dinner for my son since band practice was starting 1 hour early and he wasn't going to have time to go anywhere to eat after Chess club meeting. I noticed earlier in the day that Mark from Ohio Outside had a posting up on the vertical runner's board about a training run at Munroe Falls Park that starts at 6:30pm, with my son gone by 5:30pm I could actually go for a trail run at a new site, it really don't take much to make me happy. The training run was for the Ohio Outside Trail series, the trail is very well maintain and the hills were manageable, may end up signing up for the series something to help combat the eating season. We ran 2 loops (4.4 miles) of the Indian Spring Trail in 49 mins, even though we started at 6:30pm it got quite dark in some sections and we had to watch our footing but very good run, it turn out it was just Mark and I that showed up which wasn't surprising since most people are running Akron on Saturday.
In the am did 30 mins of Spinning, 30 Day Shred level 2 and Gin Miller's Fitbody Supine.

Today was 1k intervals, I decided to give the Running Mate Lamp Post Drill a try, first time around instead of doing the short interval I did my required 1k @ 3k pace with 3 mins recovery, the music was great and the segment actually workout pretty well, so did

Dynamic Flexibility
0.4 mile warmup
4x1k @3k pace with 3 mins recovery

then restarted the Lamp post drill and did it as required with 8mph for the first round and 9mph for the second with recovery at 4-5mph, 4 mins recovery at 6mph, stopped when I got to 6 miles and cool down then did Cathe Slow and Heavy Legs to finish things off.

Yesterday only did 3 of my 6 scheduled 6 miles run since my ankles were still kind of sore and then did Cathe 4Ds Chest & Back, going down the stairs was kind of painful felt like I just ran 26.2 miles, massage and ice, no pain today.

Woke up Saturday with tightness on the outside of my ankle on both leg, since the pain was identical I knew it was from the 3 miles barefoot running which I was expecting since this where muscle that normally don't get use with shoe on and 3 miles was a lot at once, most I have done previously was 1 mile at pine hollow and since that was on the trail probably more forgiving. Massage the pain location, walk around for a while to loosen things up, ate a cranberry orange scone and mixed up a packet of ZizZazZ tangerine energy drink (I like that this product does not have sugar and it is loaded with vitamins but wish it has a little bit of sodium. I never crash from it and it taste great) Due to making sure my ankles were thoroughly warmup before leaving the house, I left later than expected which means I was going to be running late for my dental appointment, will not have time for a ice bath or thorough stretch.
Left the house at 8:35am should have left around 7:30am, changed the route up this week, went down route 43 as usual but headed to the ABC streets,enjoyed running there last week so added them this week, so ran all the way down to G, then the plan was to zizzag across between Inwood and orchard.
Halfway through G, 2 cops cars came flying down with lights ON but no siren, stopped a couple of feet ahead of my get out of car with guns drawn so I crossed the street to te other side, not sure what was going on but wasn't staying around to find out either, so ran down orchard to get to F, half way through, 3 more cops also with guns drawn, so turn around and headed off to E, since I am running on the left side only get to D before heading back to Solon Rd and then back up to SOM center, then off to CVS in Twinsburg since that is still the pit stop, got there after 7 miles, took Carboom double espresso before getting to CVS, at CVS use the restroom and bought a bottle of water.
Instead of going down Glenwood, I headed back up to Solon, since Pettibone it now under construction all the way to SOM, I can run straight through. Okay this was suppose to be a progression run, start at the bottom of the base pace and work my way up to half marathon pace for the last mile. My legs were still tired/heavy when I started so just ran by feel and didn't look at the garmin to get them warmup since the warmup walk didn't do much, base pace (10:51 -9:54) HM pace (9:02), not quite sure what happened with mile 5, can't remember slowing down unless if I was crossing a street or making sure a backing out driver saw me before crossing, my legs felt better has I move along and then by mile 9 I decided I didn't want to do the fastest mile at 12 since I wasn't going to get that much time to stretch so mile 11 was going to be the fastest mile with 12 as cool down. So at mile 11, I went out targeting 8:36 for some reason that what was stuck in my head, I was really bum that I could only kickout 8:51 so started cool down at mile 12 but realize I was still a good mile from the house, so after mile 12 even though I was incredibletired and my legs fried I tried for 8:36 again still didn't happen, oh well, time to cool down, shower and get to the dentist. Wore the danskin skort definitely not meant for long distance for me too much fabric in the compression short and it get on ridding up, also there was some kind of a knot or whatever that bruise my right tight.

Split	Minutes per MileAvg Speed	Minutes per MileMax Speed	Beats per MinuteAvg HR	Beats per MinuteMax HR
Summary	10:29	05:32	147	189
1	11:00	09:34	140	180
2	10:47	09:23	141	151
3	10:51	06:02	138	147
4	10:32	07:05	140	148
5	11:57	07:20	142	147
6	10:45	08:26	144	158
7	10:37	07:43	147	158
8	10:32	09:07	144	163
9	10:22	07:17	145	157
10	10:37	08:33	149	166
11	08:51	05:32	162	175
12	10:21	08:14	156	168
13	08:56	06:46	163	189
14	10:50	08:05	157	167

Since I was so busy all day yesterday and didn't get a chance to get to my workout room till this morning to record my workout, I didn't realize I was suppose to be running a 9:02 pace and not 8:36.

13.5 miles 2:21:38 10:29 avg/pace

Let's talk about nutrition, so I ran for almost 2 and a half hours and had one scone, 12 oz mix of ziz zazz, 1 carboom and 12 oz bottle of water, am I fueling enough for optimum performance (what ever that is), I read lots of blog and people talk about taking salt tablets, this and that to prevent this from happening or to be able to do ....

In the time I ran those 13 miles someone is done with 26 miles, okay I may never be that fast but could I have done 15 if properly fuel, am still new at all this athletic stuff and I think reading blogs/books makes it more confusing, nutrition is something I struggle with alot, (well along with pacing ) I really just started eating (banana or scone) before my run normally I will drink a cup of accelerade(good sick of the blue raspberry) and was good to go. I am a salty sweater, I finish most runs with salt residue all over my face, should I be taking salt tablets.

I like running for the fun of it but I also like to see that I am getting better and improving in speed, form and pacing just like I enjoy deadlifting 50# it was nice to see that I could deadlift 100# and still keep my form.

I am running the second leg of the Akron Marathon Relay next weekend.

Got on the treadmill this morning for a quick easy 3 miles, this now makes 4 day straight of running. When I started the run, I had a old reoccurring problem of a rolled up sock under my right feet so I took the shoe off to fix the sock but then decided to run with just my "I love my MBT" sock guy sock. I have been wanting to do this for a while and I have to try and do this more often, since my right feet has been injured for so long, almost 2 years now, I did change my gait and running form with it getting better now I need to start making slow adjustments. The main change I made was shifting my weight to the left while running so I land hard on the left since the right is injured I do not heel strike but with so much weight on the left I was heel striking, I can hear the sound when I run and try to correct for it but it is harder to focus due to everything going on around me but on the treadmill the sound is loud and obvious when I land wrong and with just sock heel striking wasn't fun. When I land perfectly, there is no sound and it feels like am floating, half way into mile 2 I got the form down and was able to move the pace to 6mph and half way into mile 3 moved it up to 7mph and it felt great. So 3 miles @ 10:22 pace

After work did 19 mins on the stepper, I have been doing this barefoot for about 3 months now, my aero stepper has nice padded wide footbed that are very comfortable.

Back from Columbus after dropping off son #1 off at OSU, it was a long day, although even though we parked all we though he would need by the time we unpack, we needed more stuff, so he went with his Dad to the opening session and I made a trip to Target and Staple and it seems so were all the other parents. Also made a trip to the book store and $400+ later he had most of his books.
I was able to get in 3 miles, 1 mile warmup and 2 miles @ 5k pace after doing dynamic flexibility before we left this morning, I feel good after running 3 days in a row still down 5 miles for the week but there has just been so much going on this week

Took the day off work today, so as to finish getting all the necessary college stuff for my son, it was a long day trying to squeeze so much in. Started the day out right with with 4 of the 6 miles I missed Monday, I had no problem doing 6 but I did feel like running around the cul-de-sac so just did one giant loop around the area and called it a day. Got back home did 4DS chest and back which was also missed on Monday and then Pilates Perfect Arm. I plan on running tomorrow if I can wake up on time we have to get to OSU early to get him unpack and settle before we have to go to a parent meeting from 1-4 for the program he is there early for. So I think this will be the first time I am running 3 days in a roll, will see what happens.

Split	MilesDistance	Minutes per MileAvg Speed	Minutes per MileMax Speed	Beats per MinuteAvg HR	Beats per MinuteMax HR
Summary	4.00	09:50	06:47	156	186
1	1.00	09:53	08:17	165	186
2	1.00	09:48	07:57	146	178
3	1.00	09:56	06:47	151	175
4	1.00	09:46	07:32	161	174
5	0.00	08:07	09:37	163	163

First stop Walgreen for passport pictures, next post office to apply for US passport for my son, next doctor's office for yearly physical, lunch at Ruby Tuesday, Target for Supplies, Marshall for new wallet, his wallet basically came apart at the post office, Walmart for supplies Target didn't have the right BBQ chips, then son #2 called staying after school for Chess Club then will go to band practice from there which means I need to bring dinner to school before band practice, now we are packing up, wow there is so much but I will prefer for him to have toom much than be without.
It is going to be so hard without him but I think it will give me a chance to focus more on son #2, although I am not sure he is looking forward to it.

I woke up this morning dreading my workout thinking I have a 3 miles tempo at 10k pace but got excited when my schedule shows 4x1k interval at 5k pace, okay so neither is a barrel of fun but I enjoy the intervals more than the tempo run but they are growing on me. So today's workout was

Dynamic Flexibility from Matt Fitzgerald's Brain Training for Runners Book
1 mile warmup at recovery pace
4x1k @ 5k pace with 3 mins recovery
3x0.1mile all out sprint with .1 mile recovery pace
Recovery pace to 6 miles

Cathe 4DS Legs, Core + Stretch

Yesterday there was so much going on, so all I could manage was level 3 of 30 Day Shred.

Getting my son ready for college, we are taking him down on Thursday, so there is so much to get done and the fact that his financial aid is still screwed up and payment is due, makes things quite stressful.

Very busy day today due to helping out with the Solon Marching Band, got up at 7:30am got dress, ate a bagel and took my son over to the high school by 8:15am for Tag Day (band members go out asking for donations) I was scheduled to work with the music parents for Market day but that doesn't start until 9:30am so I went for a run, from the High School down SOM center road to Twinsburg, since this was going to be a quick run, I decided to run it faster than Base pace which has a max pace of 9:43, didn't go too bad, the last .5 mile was a cool down run before going into the building for Market day hence the slow pace

Split	MilesDistance	Minutes per MileAvg Speed	Minutes per MileMax Speed	Beats per MinuteAvg HR	Beats per MinuteMax HR
Summary	4.50	09:23	06:21	157	203
1	1.00	09:38	08:39	152	203
2	1.00	09:03	07:44	161	173
3	1.00	08:50	06:21	157	171
4	1.00	09:03	07:11	163	175
5	0.50	11:20	08:35	146	170

Got back from the run, towel off, change shirt and spray myself down with body mist then went into the building to volunteer for Market Day, got that done then went over to the Stouffer's Outlet to see what they have, got lasagna, hot pocket and a 4 pack lean cuisine. When I got back to school, my son was still not back so I switch shirt again and went for an easy run down the ABC street knowing I won't be too far away when he calls, I wasn't sure about this run since all I had after the first run was 2 trail cluster, a couple of dry cranberries and 2 cups of coffee, no energy gel or drink

Split	MilesDistance	Minutes per MileAvg Speed	Minutes per MileMax Speed	Beats per MinuteAvg HR	Beats per MinuteMax HR
Summary	5.00	10:18	07:07	148	224
1	1.00	10:36	08:25	139	160
2	1.00	10:19	08:59	151	224
3	1.00	10:21	08:18	149	164
4	1.00	09:53	07:07	149	162
5	1.00	10:21	07:25	150	164
6	0.00	08:05	09:32	155	155

So 5 miles later he still hasn't called, so decided to add some barefoot running so set the Garmin for 1 min run/ 30sec walk repeat 5X He called has I was about to start and I told him to come on over to the field where I was training, but the time he got there I was done

Split	Hours:Minutes:SecondsTime	MilesDistance	Minutes per MileAvg Speed	Minutes per MileMax Speed	Beats per MinuteAvg HR	Beats per MinuteMax HR
Summary	00:07:30	0.65	11:35	07:27	145	162
1	00:01:00	0.10	10:11	08:00	141	162
2	00:00:30	0.03	15:24	10:08	144	156
3	00:01:00	0.10	10:07	08:27	145	161
4	00:00:30	0.03	15:50	08:31	146	157
5	00:01:00	0.10	10:19	08:35	141	150
6	00:00:30	0.03	15:24	08:53	150	155
7	00:01:00	0.10	09:31	07:35	148	154
8	00:00:30	0.03	18:53	09:19	148	158
9	00:01:00	0.10	10:14	07:27	144	153
10	00:00:30	0.03	17:59	08:58	150	156

So ended up with 10.15miles for the day, the schedule call for 4 miles since this was a step down week but total distance is significantly lower that last week. Got back home and did some leg and Abs workout for 17 mins then shower took both kids to CVS to get their flu shot, I get mine through my job and then it was time to head back to the High School to volunteer for the Band Bash, to help with parking.

All in all not a bad day, did notice that running on grass may not be the best for me, seem to aggrevate my PF