A little under the weather….

Moved my day off from running that was supposed to be today to yesterday. I have been a little under the weather as of late, but I will grind out my speedwork tonight and then an easy 3 milers tomorrow AM and ending the week of running with a 12 miler on Saturday. Needed to cross train on my off day this week, but just not feeling it with the cold.

Congrats to everyone that raced and finished Chicago Marathon last weekend. I ran that race last year and it is truly a joy. Awesome crowd support and amazing scenery make the race go by quickly. By far the best expo I have ever seen at a race as well. Now if only I can get into the NY Marathon. I have only one year under my belt in the lottery, so I likely have a while to go.

Here is my list of “must do” races:

• New York City Marathon (TBD)
• Boston Marathon (TBD-either have to get faster, older, or get in with a charity)
• Big Sur Marathon (TBD)
• LA Marathon (TBD)
• ING Miami Marathon (Jan 30, 2011)
• 26.2 For Donna Breast Cancer Marathon (February 13, 2011)
• The Ice Age Trail 50 mile ultra marathon (May 14, 2011)
• Pikes Peak Half Marathon (TBD)

There are many more that I will probably do, but these are definite. I usually will do one big destination race per year. By big I mean requiring a flight to get to/from. I have already booked my hotel for Miami and am just hoping to remain injury free until then.

Well, update….knocked out my speedwork and surprisingly felt okay despite hacking up my lungs during the first few repeats. I did a warm-up, 6 x 400 meter repeats at 1:40 pace, followed by a cool down. Total was about 3 miles.

Mileage today = 3 miles
Mileage for the week = 9 miles

Nice fall running....

Knocked out a nice 10 miler this AM on the West Orange Trail here in Winter Garden, FL.  This weather has been so nice.  High 50's at night and low 80's during the day.....WITHOUT the humidity.  Loving it.  Anyway, the West Orange Trail is a Rails-to-Trails path that snakes its way 30-40 miles through central Florida.  It is nice because there is water stops along the way and things to see.  It was crowded today with all of the nice weather.

Anyway, my goal was simply to log the miles today at a nice easy pace.  I did it at around a 10:15 pace.  My nutritional regiment for a run of that length is as follows:  approximately 30 minutes prior to run I drink a cup of coffee and eat a piece of whole grain toast with almond butter; during the run I ate a Mint Chocolate Gu about at mile 5.5; after I had a mushroom omelet, 1/2 hash browns, and fruit cup.  During runs I usually use my first gel around 1 hour in and then every 45 minutes after.  This of course depends on how I am feeling.  In the past I have had problems with cramping in long mileage (i.e. over 20 miles) situations which I can usually get to subside with salt supplements.  Anyway, tomorrow is a rest day....can't wait..

Total mileage for the week = 22 miles

So why blog about running.....

I used to hate/despise running and anything to do with running for as long as I can remember.  I ran only when my baseball or football coach told me to.  The bad thing was, at the time, I was actually good at it.  I was a sprinter.  I could steal bases in baseball or run routes in football with the best of them, but an endurance athlete I was not.  In 2004 I found myself living without my now wife, away while I was working to start a new business venture.  Overcome with boredom I made the bold statement "I think I will run a marathon".  Little did I know that would be the turning point to take me down the road for one of biggest passions of my life.  

I now absolutely love to run.  I love the endorphins that make my body tingle with the good fatigue that comes from cranking out 26.2.  I love the burning lungs that come with a ferocious speed work session.  I love the people that running seems to attract.  I love the races and the atmosphere of the environment.  I love the solitude and personal challenge that running can present.  It is a great sport indeed.  I am no longer the speedster with short distances nor the great endurance athlete that I hope to be, but I love the sport.  I am 36 years old (almost 37), married with 2 cats.  I thought that I might blog a bit about running to hopefully share my races reports, training, trials and tribulations so that I might inspire or bring the enthusiasm that I feel for the sport to others.  I have completed 5 marathons (Chicago, The Palm Beaches Marathon, A1A Marathon, Disney Marathon, and the Green Bay Marathon), lots of half marathons, and more 10k/5k's that I could hope to count.  My PR (personal record) for the marathon is 4:23 (Green Bay marathon) and my PR for Half Marathon is 1:51 (Seaside Half Marathon).  I am just above average for my age group based on those time (approximately average).  My next race of any consequence is the OUC Half marathon which is in December and then the ING Miami Marathon in January.  After that I am not sure. I have great aspirations to start into triathlons and ultras, but we shall see what my mind is like.  

I run and have run with only ASICS shoes and I currently have 7 pairs (some are worn beyond belief) of the same shoes in my closet.  I do not listen to iPods or music typically in races, as I love to soak in the environment and listen to the cheers,chants, and the pulse of the surroundings.  I am not against them, I just think that you are missing out if you are not taking in the environment.  This is especially true at destination races.  I use Body Glide for chaffing, band-aids on my nipples to prevent the horrible bloody nipple syndrome, and change into Crocs immediately after each race or long run (like little clouds for your sore feet).

Anyway, that is about me, about my blog. I hope to post 4-5 times per week with various topics that I hope are of interest. Anyway, I had better run to bed here soon....got a 10 miler in the AM.

Weekly Mileage Thru today 12