A couple of nice Eastlake runs

Two very good nights. On Wednesday, I ran 25:30 at the park. It was cool and windy, but I ran very well. I felt very smooth and running is getting easier.

Friday night, I was going to run about 28 minutes. But it was so nice and I felt so good, I turned it into 30. I have so many options at Eastlake Park ... I ran a couple of laps on the marshy trails, went around the 900-meter trail, then went back and forth on the "backstretch" of the 900-meter trial (about 6 minutes on that), then around the driving range. I love the surfaces and I felt light and snappy. Like I said, this is getting easier. The knee was not very sore at all.

Next week, I believe the running will be Tuesday night (30 minutes), Thursday morning (30 minutes), Friday morning (20 minutes), Saturday afternoon (35 minutes). I have track meets Thursday and Friday.

New goal

Maybe it was a mistake to read my 11th-grade Composition journal. But it's really gotten the wheels turning. I used my journal to record legendary cross country and track workouts, predictions, times, results, etc. I was a hell of a high school runner.

I believe I can return to being a hell of a runner. So I have been clicking around and rediscovered the master's running entry of Richard Stiller. He had a plan for running a 5:20 mile in his early 50s, and he succeeded. I'm not even going to get into the specifics of the plan because I'm not even close to that position right now.

But I am going to try to hit 5:20 or 5:30 .... before I'm 55. That's about 3 years and 7 months. I can do it, I know I can. But here are some overarching principles I must follow:

• Lose weight and eat and drink healthy. I'll probably have to get down between 160 and 170. 24 weeks, 24 pounds to Run for the Schools (171 projection).


• Stay healthy. If you suffer a muscle tweak, slow down or back off. Example: I felt a little cramp on the outside of my lower right leg tonight. Ease off, like I did. Stretch lightly.


• Be consistent. Run smart and steady. Begin to do one faster run a week (tempo) at about the six-week mark -- about that first week I get out of school. Do just one faster run (tempo, intervals) a week. Be able to run almost 3 hours a week and be well conditioned.

10 weeks to July 4 run (goal: run 20 miles a week before that):

Week 1 -- 13; Week 2 -- 14; Week 3 -- 15; Week 4 -- 12; Week 5 -- 15; Week 6 -- 16; Week 7 -- 17; Week 8 -- 15; Week 9 -- 19; Week 10 -- 20 (shoot for 8K at CR).

Quick run on track

Tonight was great ... a light drizzle, about 55 degrees, no wind. I decided to run about 25 minutes on the track. I warmed up for about 6, then did a loop where I accelerated for 100 meters on the track and then just kept my footsteps light and spirited around the practice field next to the track and back to the track. It was about a 4-minute loop, I did it 3 times. Finally, I decided to run at a steady pace 1 mile on the track in lane 1. I was running the first three laps in 2:12 (about 8:48 pace), then picked it up, keeping it brisk but within my ability right now, on the fourth 400. I did it in 2 minutes for an 8:35 final mile. So I ran about 27:30 and felt very good. Probably 3 miles.

33 minutes

Because of major time commitments, etc., I took two days off. Then I was determined to make my long run of the week ... 33 minutes today. I did it and actually felt good. I went out to Eastlake. It was another typical windy, cold, overcast day ... about 55 degrees. But I did it smart. Not a hard pace. 6-minute warmup in Eastlake, 1 mile down the airport road and back, then the 7-minute grass loop. 33 minutes. Probably 3.5 miles.

This week, let's go monday (25 minutes), Wednesday (28 minutes), Friday (28 minutes), Sunday (35 minutes). Almost 2 hours of running, 12 miles.

Good milestone

I survived a good test over the weekend. Saturday, I road my bike out to Eastlake and I ran three miles (5 loops of the Eastlake road) in 29:15, which is 9:45 pace, but it was in a howling, cold wind. Sunday, I ran the RiverRun 5K in 26:47 -- which is 8:38 pace. Certainly nothing to brag about, but it is good news to have done that at this stage of my training. A good milestone.

Then I took two days off running. I was going to run Tuesday, but it was very cold and rainy and I was extremely tired. So I ran last night -- Columbus City loop in 26 minutes. It was very hard, but I am getting there. A little at a time. At my age, it gets harder to get back into shape. I have to stay smart and do this the right way.

Friday, I'd like to run 33 minutes.

BRisk run on windy day

Yesterday I went to Eastlake and ran on the marshy trail and then took about 3 brisk laps (3-4 minutes each) on the driving range area. Kind of a slight uphill, grassy, soft. My legs felt light and I ran smoothly. And my conditioning is getting a lot better. I'm not slogging along anymore. 24 minutes

Best run so far

I ran 31 minutes, my best run so far. It was on the trails at Eastlake Park, my exclusive running course right now. The weather was awesome ... 65 degrees, and no wind. I just felt a lot better ... a great indication I am getting there. Weekly weight check: 192.9. So I've lost 2.4 pounds this week and 4.5 overall in two weeks.

Run in extreme heat

It was about 85 degrees and extremely windy this afternoon as I ran at Eastlake Park. I was kind of slow and methodical for about 24 minutes. But that's pretty good after running 25 minutes Friday night at Marr Park ... a real nice run ... and then walking with Tammy the RiverRun 5K in Iowa City.

60-degree night

In 60-degree weather, I headed out for Eastlake Park. I ran down to the marshy grass trail then back to the soccer field. Then I went around the loop to the 900-meter grass loop. Then back around the .6-mile park loop and through the 900-meter grass loop again. All tolled, it was about 3.2-3.3 miles and I ran 30 minutes. It was my best accomplishment yet since I got started running again. Everything seems to feel fine.

Making progress

My weekly weigh-in was 195.3 -- 2.1-pound loss. That is good progress. Last night, I ran 20 minutes a few hours after giving blood. It was a good accomplishment. I ran almost 27 minutes in Iowa City on Saturday on the Riverrun course. I felt strong. Then last Thursday, it was about 23 minutes. So I am plugging away, staying consistent. That is what is going to get me back to runnning again. What I really want to do is be able to run with the xc girls this summer.