6.75 Miles - Ravenswood

Ran a mile, then ran around the same course as the Ravenswood Run 5k.  Then ran home. 6.75 miles total.  Swim tomorrow.

7 Miles Along the Chicago River

Ran up to Lincolnwood and back on the Chicago River Trail.  7 miles.

Final 5k: 23:30

4.75 + 3.5 = 8.25 miles (Before Breakfast)

Today, I planned on doing a morning run and an evening run. After my (6:45am) 4.75 recovery run, I got home and then walked/fed the dog, and made coffee.  All told, this all took about a half an hour.  I still had my jogging suit :-) on and felt like I could do a few more miles right there and then.  So, I grabbed my Garmin and utility belt and logged another 3.5 miles.  I don't have to run this evening!  Yeah!

Update: I couldn't resist.  I ran 2.5 miles around Welles Park this evening.  So 10.75 miles for the day over 3 runs.

16 Mile Run - My Max Before Boston

The Brooks Hanson Marathon training plan calls for 3 long runs of 16 miles a piece.  This goes against conventional training plans which call for 20 to 24 mile long runs.  Brooks Hanson's theory is that anything over 16 miles takes too long to recover from, and thus adversely affects training.  Better to get back running tomorrow than to have to take 3 days off because I just ran 24 today.  Today was my first 16 Miler.

Today was the Hustle Up the Hancock.  I did not participate, but I got a couple pics of the Hancock Building as I was running by:

 The sign behind me says "McDonald's The Future."  So, is McDonald's our future?

Wastin' away in this unique/quaint establishment

Another different kind of bird floatin' in the lake.  2/28/12 Update:  Could this be a Common Goldeneye duck?

5 Mile Recovery - Comic Book Store

5 mile recovery run around Lincoln Square.  Here's a picture of me from this morning's run in front of a comic book store. When I was a lot younger, I used to go to this store when I would visit my relatives in the big city:

Total Miles for the Week:  50.

45 Minute Swim

45 minute swim. Tomorrow will be around 5 miles.  Then Sunday is the highest mileage I will run before the Boston Marathon: 16 miles!

8.15 Lake

Opted to run instead of swim.  8.15 miles. Swim tomorrow.  Some pics from this a.m.:

Final 5k: 24:28

Ski Jump Video

A little video I made Sunday:

8 Mile Lakefront

Yes, it was much easier running on flat land today. 8 miles @ 7:20/mile.  Swim tomorrow.

Grand Geneva - It's Snow Fun

Well, I was about a month late to attend a new race that I just heard about called "It's Snow Fun Run" which takes place at the Grand Geneva Resort.  However, I did get in three straight days of hill running on the grounds of the resort: 10, 10.5 and 8 miles.  For a flat lander like myself, that place is hilly!  I believe it was awesome training for The Boston Marathon's hills. Unfortunately, Boston is still seven weeks away so I need to figure out, how to keep this "hill fitness" going. Anyway, here are some pics from my first run on Sunday morning,

  I was the first one to run on this trail for the day.

 High up on a hill..

Horses chillin'.











I then did an hour of yoga at the spa, went swimming, then I hit the ski slopes:

Swam and hit the hot tub after I took the short shuttle trolley ride back to the lodge.

This morning, I ran for the third straight day and luckily, it was snowing for my run, so I got some good pics:

Hills, and more hills...

Cheese!

Running on the cross country ski trail

Babbling brook

 Ski slopes in the distance

End of the trail...

 So, I am tired, but feel 25% stronger now that I have battled the mountains for three days.  I will see if flat, lakefront running seems easier tomorrow.

10 Miles of Hills Yesteday then 8.5 Miles of Hills Today

Pics coming soon..

5 Mile Recovery and the Lincoln Square Maypole

Ran a 5 mile recovery run around Lincoln Square.  Check out this picture I took this morning of  Lincoln Square Maypole!

Total Miles for the Week: 50.1

11 Miles and a Picture of North Avenue Beach

11 mile fast tempo run at 7:23/mile pace.   To North Avenue Beach and back.

Final 5k: 22:40

30 Minute Swim

First day off of running for 6 days.  30 minute swim.

11 Miles Lakefront

11 mile morning lakefront run. About 32 degrees.  Seems as if the 10k race on Sunday has made my legs a wee bit faster. First break this week is tomorrow with a swim.

Final 5k: 22:21.

3.25 Miles

3.25 miles around Welles Park.  Will try and run 11 tomorrow.

Post Race Recovery - 6.85 plus 2 miles

Morning: Ran 6.85 miles around Ravenswood.
Evening:  2 miles around Welles Park.

Cupid's Dash 10k / 5k 2012 Race Review

I ran the Cupid's Dash 10k up in Highland Park this morning.  The race had rented out the Highland Park movie theater as a warming center:

 Inside the theater:

I warmed up by running two miles wearing 5 layers of clothes.  After my warmup, I waited in my car.  Unbeknownst to me at the time,  I had parked right near the start line, so I was able to relax in my car and sip coffee.  Once the announcer gave the 30 seconds until start warning, I was able to put my coffee down, take off 2 layers (I was really comfortable from my warmup run) put my mittens on, lock the door and walk 10 yards to the start!  It was about 14 degrees at the time the race started, but as you can see, the sun was out, which always makes things seem warmer:

The start corral in downtown Highland Park.  Took these pic from my car seconds before the race started...

The horn sounded and we were off! This is the same race I ran last year where the lead van took a wrong turn and we ended up running a 9k instead of a 10k.  They said it wouldn't happen again.  Well, the lead van went the wrong way about 800 yards into the race!  Luckily, there was a volunteer at the spot waving the 10k runners in the correct direction, but it was too late for the van.  By the time the van realized that it had gone the wrong way, the van could no longer back up and go the correct route.  Anyway, we soldiered on without the van, running up and down some pretty serious hills (for this part of the Midwest, anyway) along Sheridan Road.  I may have started a little fast, a typical rookie mistake, but I can't seem to help myself.  I am used to training in this kind of weather, but not racing, and it takes my lungs a few miles to get acclimated to the dryness and the cold when running that fast, but I managed.

At about mile 3, one runner next to me tried to yell "Happy Valentine's Day" to a volunteer and it came out as "Habby Wawentines Day", since his face was semi-frozen.  We both laughed.  The water at the second aid station was mostly ice, but I got a tiny bit of water out of the cup!  Then, before you knew what hit you, the race ended.

Somehow, my Garmin only measured 6.10 miles, not 6.20 miles.  Usually at the end of the race my Garmin is a little bit over in the mileage say 6.25 miles.  This overage occurs because is nearly impossible to run the tangents completely straight due to things like having to weave around people.  I don't know if they shortened the course by .15 miles for some reason, or if they lead us the wrong way again. In any case, something seems to be a little off on the course distance.  On top of that, I heard some 5k runners complaining that they had run 3.6 miles instead of 3.1 miles!  I think some of them were lead down the wrong way, running a few additional blocks!   I noticed about a mile from the finish that the 5k runners were merging with the 10k runners at two different intersections!  One group had definitely run the wrong route! Anyone know anything about that?

Here are my splits: 1) 6:38 2) 6:35 3) 6:31 4) 6:52 5) 6:53 6) 6:36 6.1) 5:55.  Using the pace calculator for 6.1 miles with a time of 40:41, I get a predicted marathon time of 3:14:30.  Not bad at this stage.  I should get faster over the next 2 months.  But if not, I would be very happy to go sub 3:15. Picture of me after the race:

Here's a video I took near the finish line:

Final evaluation:  Pros: Great to be running a 10k in the middle of February.  Nice facilities, beautiful course near the lake with rolling hills.

Con:  Second year in a row with (possibly) incorrect mileage, and a lead van that got lost.  Some auto traffic mixed in with the runners.

Not Enough Snow to Ski, So 1.75 Mile Run

I was hoping for a little more snow, so I could cross country ski today.  But alas, it was only a dusting here in the city.  So did a short run in the -3 windchill at 7am.  Cold, cold 10k tomorrow.   Off to yoga now. 1.75 miles total.

Total Miles for the Week: 42.

5 Mile Shakeout for Cupid's Dash 10k in Highland Park on Sunday

Ran 5 miles around Ravenswood.  I was planning on running 3 miles today and 2 miles tomorrow.  However, with visions of an unneeded hard workout through the snow tomorrow, I decided to cram 5 whole miles in today while the sidewalks are clear.  If we're lucky and get some accumulation, I can always x-country ski tomorrow, the day before my 10k.

40 Minute Swim

Nice, somewhat intense swim.  Three more days until my first race of the season a 10k.

5 Mile Recovery - Ravenswood

5 mile recovery run.  Ran the same course as the Ravenswood Run 5k, plus 2 miles.  4 more days until my first race since the New York City Marathon.  Swim tomorrow.

11 Miles - Lakefront

Nice morning about 32 degrees a little snow at the end of the 11 miles.
Final 5k: 23:20

5.25 Mile Recovery

The Cupid's Dash 10k in Highland Park is on Sunday.  So, I am frontloading this week with miles, so I can do a mini-taper at the end of the week. 

14 Miles and A Stop at Trader Joe's

Ran 14 Miles to just before Navy Pier and back. On the return trip, about a mile and a half from home, I stopped off at Trader Joe's.  There, I bought some groceries and then ran home with them.  I have realized it is not easy running with additional weight that you are not used to.   This is especially true when you are carrying a gallon of yogurt!  Anyway, took some pics:

 

4 Mile Recovery Run, Yoga and "I will be an Ironman"

4 mile recovery run around Welles Park then an hour of gentle yoga.

Total Miles for the week: 44.1 which is the most weekly miles I have run since the week I got my shin injury the week of 9/11/11.

I am thinking of doing a Triathlon later this year.  I found this triathlon related video and thought this video was hilarious.  Favorite line. "There is nothing fun about 4:30 in the morning...you are truly insane!"

"I am training for an Ironman"

"Royal Flesh" Body Modifications and an 11 Miler

Again, the lakefront trail has an unusual number of people out for an early February day.

On my way back from the lake, I passed this place on Broadway.  Body modifications!??

11 Miles Total.

Final 5k: 22:58.

Shoe Exchange and a 30 Minute Swim

Exchanged my size 11 Mizunos for size 12 last night at Fleet Feet in Lincoln Square.  Lucikily, I was able to do an exchange because I was at day 30 of their 30 day return policy.  Here's hoping that the new size will lessen some soreness I have been having with my left toes and my knee.  I think the size 11 shoes were cramping my toes.  I have never worn such large shoes, but the toes must be freed!

Swam for 30 mintes this morning.  Hoping for some big miles tomorrow.  Hopefully, the number of miles I run tomorrow will equal the size of my old shoes!

Holy Cow! Was that 2012 US Olympian Abdi Adirahman on the Lakefront Trail this morning??

I think I saw Abdi Adirahman, on the Lakefront trail this morning as I was running.  Darn, I had my camera in tow as well, and could have gotten a pic.  I thought I recognized him as I ran Southbound around Diversey Harbor.  I saw him again about 45 minutes later when I was running Northbound, somewhere around Fullerton.  I just found out that he was in town for this Fleet Feet Chicago Marathon Launch event last night, so it was probably him!

13.1 Miles Lakefront Run

13.1 Mile lakefront run.  A pic taken this morning near Diversey bridge:

Final 5k: 23:05