Ready or not

Wednesday was my last run before Sunday's race. It is Friday now. I ran 29 minutes -- just out and back to Columbus City. I felt really stiff, especially in the hip-butt area, from Monday night's run.

Last night, Thursday, I played ultimate frisbee with the kids -- drizzly, cold night.

We'll see how far my training can take me. Now I have a cold, but hey, that's how it goes. I was going to run tonight, just a jog, but this cold and Brooklyn are here, so it's kind of hard.

I'll jog around the state middle-school course tomorrow and see how the kids do in that meet. I'm really looking forward to this. These students have been fun and they have worked hard. I couldn't have asked for a better group of kids as I started my Columbus career.

Miles on new shoes -- 241

Tough, hilly run

Tonight I ran 4.4 miles, very hilly, from the school to the golf course, two perimeter loops of the golf course, and back to the school. I ran it in 40:14, or about 9:08 a mile, which I didn't consider too shabby for this hilly of a run. That includes about 8:45 pace coming back -- which is the big hill on Spring street or whatever that road is.

Now I will kind of taper down for Sunday's Run for the Schools. My butt-hip is still sore -- but I do get loosened up. It hurts, but I am not damaging it further by running hard. I can tell that. I still think I can get close to 22:00 on Sunday. That would be 7:05 pace. Tough, but do-able.

Miles on new shoes -- 238.5

Columbus Day 5K

I ran the Columbus Day 5K today in Columbus Junction. Time: 23:18. I am pretty happy about that. I will be running the Run for the Schools in a week, and I think this was a good workout for that. I know I will run faster.

It started downtown, and we ran up the Second Street hill -- tough start. Then we ran past the school, to Orchard Lane, around that neighborhood, out Flatiron and back on Colton, then wind down to the park and a loop in the park, back out and take a right at Second Street and down the hill. I passed Taylor and Caitlyn about at the school.

It was cold -- 32 degrees -- and after the run it started snowing. But I felt OK, other than I had to go to the bathroom part of the way in. That may have slowed me a little. Left lower leg down by the Achilles was hurting just a little, right hip-butt area was hurting, but it was OK. I was going fast and feeling competitive.

Last night I ran 15 minutes on the treadmill.

Miles on new shoes -- 234

Tough workout

I started with a 1-plus mile run to the Chatauqua Park and back to the school. Then I played a little basketball with the middle-school kids.

Then I decided to do a speed workout, and i was a little unsure about what to do before I started. But I got to the track, did 4 x 300 with a 100 jog rest between 300s.

1:12
1:15
1:11
1:12

Then I decided to see how fast I could run a mile, trying to hit 7 minutes. I ran the 400s in 1:41, 1:46, 1:44, 1:45 for a 6:56 mile. It was very tough, leaving me to really wonder if I'm going to be able to break 22 minutes for 5K. But then, I had run a lot before, so I wasn't exactly rested.

229 miles on my new shoes.

Semi-hard 3-mile cross country

I ran the Cedarcrest cross country course before the Columbus Cross Country meet today in 24:33 -- about 8:31 a mile. I ran it semi-hard -- not all out or not a jog. It is very hilly and I try to push the hills fairly hard. It felt good. Then I picked out a 25-second incline -- 100 meters? -- and pushed it 5 times and joged back.

My weird pain on my right side is more of a hip-butt pain -- not a hamstring. When I push it, especially on hills, I feel it a little. I think for the next few weeks I just make sure I get rest, and it will be fine.

3.3 miles.

226 miles on my new shoes.

Easy run around MP trails

It was a nice, easy 38-minute run this morning around the trail around the high school, then around the trail in Eastlake Park and home. Probably a little over 4 miles. It felt nice on a 49-degree morning -- even though my right hamstring was a little tight. It loosened up as the run went on. I believe i'll be able to make it through the Run for the Schools 5K without hurting it badly.

4-ish miles.

for the week -- 18 miles

Miles on new shoes -- 222.5

Golf course runs

We went out to Cedarcrest again today and I ran an awesome set of intervals.

9:30 warmup (1 mile), followed by 4 x from clubhouse to corner green and back (not quite 800 meters?):

3:25
3:22
3:17
3:19

Followed by a 2-minute jog and rest between intervals. I am hoping it is 800, but I don't think it can be quite 800. It was a good strength-building run. Then a 6-minute jog cooldown.

Tuesday, I ran three times around the perimeter of Cedarcrest, about 3 miles, in 30 minutes.

Total miles for the week -- 13.6.

Total miles on new shoes -- 218.5