Longest run yet

6.4 miles today in 8:57 pace.

I parked at the church, ran through town past wesleyan, past the Mount Pleasant refuse facility, past the lumberyard, and to 218 south. Ran back into town, into the first exit, then to the road just ebefore Wal-Mart and took a route. I connected with the road that leads back to the road I started on, and ran back to the church.

I ran quite well -- pretty steady. The only problem was the blister(s) I developed. I can't wear the New Balance socks anymore.

Miles on new shoes -- 211.5

Morning run

I got 2 days rest after my 1,000-meter workout, not exactly by choice but I could use it. I would have run yesterday, but I got home and watched my beautiful granddaughter while Tammy was taking a class toward her master's in Burlington.

This morning, I got up at 6 before the baby was up and before Tammy took off to class. I ran 41 minutes around the high school on the bike path and then around the 900-meter grass loop twice and home. Pretty easy pace. It was good to get back out there.

After I run the Iowa City 5K, I'm going to take 4 weeks to get ready to run a mile as fast as I can. I like the Runner's World The Solid Mile plan.

Plans for next week, etc.

I think I'll try to run Sunday, maybe 45-minute fartlek.

Monday -- Off/Iowa City for the CCA cross country meet.

Tuesday -- Easy/30 minutes.

Wednesday -- Completely off

Thursday -- 5-minute warmup, 16 x 300s on the track, with 100 walk rest, 78 seconds, 500 cooldown.

Friday -- Off

Saturday -- 55-minute run.

Total miles on my new shoes -- 205

1,000-meter repeats

Today was sort of a breakthrough day. Of course, with a nearly-50-year-old body, breakthroughs are more like trickle-throughs. Nothing comes suddenly or easily.

I ran 15 minutes with the middle school kids, then played a little ultimate Frisbee. Then I tried to attack the track with 1,000-meter repeats. The goal was to hit 4:24 on every one (22-minute 5K pace) with a 200 walk to the starting line again (about 3 minute rest).

The result:
4:15 (3-minute rest)
4:23 (3-minute rest)
4:20 (a longer rest to go to the bathroom and get a drink).
4:24 (a little longer rest, wondering if I could make it the last one).
1:42 for 400. My lower leg (right?) started to cramp a bit, and I immediately stopped. It doesn't feel sore now, 2 hours later, so I think I'm OK. I'll completely rest tomorrow.

So it was 19:04 for 4,400 meters. 6:58 per mile.

OK, so if I can do this on Oct. 17, I'll run 21:39 -- and be the happiest person in the world.

4.5 miles tonight.

Yesterday, I warmed up with the middle school team as it got ready for the Mount Pleasant meet. A half mile, plus a little bit more. It was a fun night of cross country -- the kids ran their best, with Taylor 2nd, Eli 5th, Angel 9th, and everybody running so well. Then I was further inspired by Sam and Jake and Ruben and the boys as they won another meet. This is a fun tradition to be part of -- I'm trying to inspire those younger kids to be a big part of this.

Monday, I ran 2.1 miles -- the cemetary loop -- in 20:20.

Total for the week -- 7.3 miles. Total miles on the new shoes -- 201.

Threshers run

41 minutes -- 14 minutes to Old Threshers (on the new road), then three half-mile-ish tempo runs (4 minutes, 3:48, 3:35), with a 4-minute rest between.

I am feeling better while running than I have in the last 15 years, since my marathon. And even then, I was hurt often. Now, I am not experiencing an injury that gets worse the more I run. i have finally found a good, productive zone.

And I am running smart, too. I can't imagine doing things better than I am. Harder, shorter intervals last Wednesday, rest Thursday, 51-minute long run Friday, rest Saturday, 41 minutes with some tempo running today. I am stressing a different aspect of my conditioning each time. Plus the rest is invaluable.

Tomrorow, I will run a couple of miles with the ms kids, then Tuesday I will jog around on the Mount Pleasant course cheering for the Columbus runners. Then Wednesday, I will do another track workout (maybe 4 x 1,000 meters in 4:24 -- hopefully 5 of them).

4.3ish miles today. 18.5 miles for the week. 194 miles on the new shoes.

Beautiful night

I ran 51 minutes around Eastlake Park -- after walking 20 minutes with my beautiful wife. It was a great night, 70 degrees and 9-minute pace. It was just what I needed.

5.7 miles.

Miles on new shoes -- 189.5

A little short on intervals, but hopeful

I ran a mighty tough workout tonight. It was a mile warmup, plus about a half-hour of ultimate Frisbee and soccer at the park in CJ (with the jh kids).

Then I got to the track and decided to run the 500s in 2:12 with two-minute rest.

I got started in 2:06 and actually tried to slow it down, but I stayed in the 2:05-2:07 range. I managed six, but then my knee started hurting and I really was spent. I need to try to extend these intervals a bit from now until Oct. 18 -- Run for the Schools.

Six 500s: 2:06, 2:05, 2:05, 2:05, 2:06, 2:07. I was hitting the 100 in 23 and 400 in 1:40 almost every time. I like my consistency, but I need to get a little tougher to be able to finish -- and a little faster.

If I could finish this workout -- with 10 of them -- I would feel confident I could run my 5K in 22.

Probably 2 miles of running before the track, then 3,000 meters (1.86 miles).

3.8 miles total -- 183.8 miles on my new shoes.

Cruising

Another excellent run tonight. I ran with the JH kids to Economart in downtown Columbus Junction and back (2 miles), then to Eli's house and back (another 1.2 miles). This was in about 8:45 pace. Then after I said goodbye to the kids, I went out to the track for another 12 minutes. This had to be another 1.4 miles, because I would stride hard on the straightaways (on the football field), and ease up on the curves. Altogether, 4.6 great miles.

I can say this clearly. I feel better than at any time I've been running in the last two years. I have no achilles pain, very little knee pain, and I'm able to push my runs to a point where I believe it will pay big dividends.

Miles on new shoes: 180

Another interval idea

3 x 1-mile (with 2-3 minutes rest) in 7-minute pace (next wednesday?)

So this week:

Monday -- 4 miles fairly easy (kids will be running 25 minutes).
Tuesday -- rest (kids doing 50 x 100).
Wednesday -- 10-minute warmup, 10 x 500 in 2:12 with short rest, 10-minute cooldown. (kids doing 1 mile and playing a game).
Thursday -- rest (to Fort Madison for cross country meet).
Friday -- Do the new course + extended part = 6.4 miles.
Saturday -- rest
Sunday -- 5 miles.

Big day of running

We went up to a cool cross country course near Benton Community in Atkins. The trails are awesome, with tree-lined protection from the sun and a soft, grassy, or dirt running surface. The middle school kids did great -- I was never nervous and felt very proud of them. In 1 1/4 miles, it was Eli 7:55, Angel 8:25, and Christian 8:55, Taylor 8:25, Kassandra 9:10, Kylie 9:13, and Claire 10:41. It was awesome. All finished in the top half, except Claire. Eli was 6th and Taylor 7th, I believe.

The varsity boys ran tremendous, getting second to Tipton. The key was Ruben, who was third in 18:20. A great breakthrough performance. This season is going to be fun.

Then I came home, inspired. We had eaten McDonald's (quarter pounder with cheese, fries, diet coke), but it was like I wasn't fazed. I ran the new 4.8-mile course in 43:44 -- 9-minute pace.

That, combined with about a mile this morning in warming up with the kids and running around the course, made a 5.8-mile day. It was great.

total miles on new shoes -- 175.

Interval idea

Sometime next week: 10 x 500-meters at 5K race pace, with two-minute rest.

So these should be about 2:12. for a 22-minute 5K.

Then I'll do 5 x 1000 with 2-minutes rest in 4:24, maybe the week after that.

2 promising runs

Tuesday, about 13 minutes with the junior high team -- to the park and back.

Then on the way home I ran the Winfield golf course perimeter twice. About 23 minutes. So a total of 36 minutes, including a couple of pretty tough surges on the golf course.

4 miles.

Today (Thursday), I ran a total of 38 minutes. 24-minute "indian" run with the junior high kids. A little with the slower group, then a tough 12 minutes or so with Eli, Angel, and Taylor. They worked hard, and I worked hard. Some very good surges of running. Hot-cold style. Then I finished with about 14 minutes on the track, usually sub-9 pace.

4.5 miles.

Total on new shoes --169.5

Six weeks to Run for the Schools 5K

Six weeks to the Run for the Schools 5K. My goal is 22 minutes. Here is my plan:

Tuesday, Sept. 8 -- 35 minutes or 4 miles, fairly easy, plus 5 strides.

Wednesday, Sept. 9 -- Off

Thursday, Sept. 10 -- 40 minutes, fairly easy, plus 5 strides

Friday, Sept. 11 -- 6-mile long run on new course.

Saturday, Sept. 12 -- Easy warmup with middle-school team. Then kind of run around watching them, cheering, and getting splits, easy cooldown with team.

Sunday, Sept. 13 --1.5 mile warmup, 5 x hill, 1.5-mile cooldown.

Good week

It started today as a run around the high school on the trail. But I felt very good -- the knee was feeling little pain. So I ran the hills hard, then when I got back home, I decided to run back up Linden Drive to the mile mark and back. I ran a total of 41 minutes, including 8:30 the last mile and even faster pace as I was progressing through the hills. 4.5 miles.

I mapped out a good course. Either 4.8 miles or 6.4 miles. To the park the long way, but keep going until I get to a gravel road that goes to the Interstate south of the high school. Follow that all the way to Grand, take a right and if I go right home, it's 4.8 miles. If I go left at the intersection after the high school then run out and back past Old Threshers, it's 6.4.

Saturday, i was at the Central College Cross Country invitational and saw some great cross country. Our Sam Chaney won and Columbus finished a respectable sixth as a team. Marty Gingerich ran the 6K college course in 22-something. I did a little running. Probably 12 miles for the week.

Friday, a good night of running on the fields in Eastlake, including five laps on the 900-meter grass trail. Those laps were from 8:40 to 8:20 pace (4:50 to 4:39). 4.7 miles.

Wednesday, 1 mile with the middle school runners, then we played ultimate Frisbee. 1.3 miles.

Tuesday, maybe 22 minutes of running. Ran on the cowpath road, then went up to IMS and ran and followed some of the kids. 2.5 miles.

Monday, 27 minutes of running. 3 miles.

Total on new shoes -- 161 miles.