Changing the Target again ... Summary to Follow

Monday, May 31, 2010
Not sure whether a marathon will be run this summer ... so, some changes in the running plan will take place, again

o Cancelled on doing Grandma's Marathon (unless really inexpensive airfares show up in the next two weeks)
o Uncertain on whether to run the Missoula Marathon (July 11th) ... maybe
o Signed up for some events in the Montana Senior Olympics ... (but no marathon there)

--> So, a revision of the training plan will take place
--> (Plus, the weather has been really quite poor and my running enthusiasm is low)

Another Quick Run ... Out and Back!

Friday, May 21, 2010
It's hoped the quick runs can make me a little faster ... if only for a little while>

Today I just did a quick run down the road to Kelly Rae's and back. It was nothing too special. Just down the road and back again. I hope to be able to get just a little faster again by pressing harder on the short runs. It should help!

Mileage: 3.257 miles Time: 32:57

Against the Wind ... and ... Running with the Wind

Thursday, May 20, 2010
Going up the hill against the strong wind meant a return with the wind (as long as it didn't change ... sometimes it does)

A lot of wind blew through overnight. Today, some of that lingering wind continued to blow through for much of the day. When I went out for my run, it was up the hill and against the wind. Not always a favorite combination. It reminded me (of a song, of course) but also of a marathon I ran many years ago. I did a marathon called the Un-Boston marathon (probably in 1983 or so). It was on a repeating loop, flat, boring, and windy course that meant running against the wind for half of the repeating loop (four stinking 6+-milers!). Well, today was that kind of windy day. But the run up the hill actually wasn't too bad since most of the uphill section is sheltered by a combination of trees and embankments. I ran the uphill all of the way (slowly sometimes) and turned around at the gate like I have been doing for my repeating eight-milers. The run down was quite nice with a sunshine and cloud mix. During the last mile the wind helped push me down the last section of road and back to the ranch. It was a good run!

Mileage: 8.00 miles Time: 1:27:00

Changing the Target ... Changes the Workout

Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Instead of a June marathon, it looks like some Senior Olympics Events

Unless some exceptional "airfare wars" take place over the next month, my new plan is to do some events in the Senior Olympics around mid-June instead of running the marathon. As a result, I modified my already modified training plan (not officially, just in my mind so far) and in addition to the alternate run/bike plan, I added a shorter, but faster run to the training today.

This was just a quick out and back 2-miler! It wasn't actually all that quick, but I did the run just after returning from a 13 mile bike ride. It was a good run, and fit into the day quite well.

Mileage log: 2.0 miles Time: 20:50

Back out there Running ... No Rollover Today!

Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Tip: When biking through a ditch, do not press with all your strength if you are in a low gear!

There was a little soreness in my system as I began my run today.

Yesterday's cross-training bike ride had a little event during the early part of the ride. There is a ditch to drift through just after crossing the highway. While going through it, I shifted down into the lowest gear so that I would be peddling easily as I climbed the bank. Well, I overdid the pressure and did a flip-over wheelie and ended up on my back with my feet still clipped into the pedals. Luckily, I was riding the Bike Friday (20" wheels and not very heavy - on second thought, that's probably why the wheelie happened, too) and, with a little help from Patti got back on the road again.



So, with some aches from the rollover, I started my eight miler today. It was a bit warm but a nice running temperature. Some clouds had developed after starting out totally clear earlier in the day. For some reason, the small GPS went a little crazy again and gave me credit for more miles than I actually was running (and a great best pace time, too) but that didn't count! The run was good though, and with some animals and old farm equipment to cheer me on, I did the out and up and return and down in good spirits!

Mileage: 8.00 -- Time: 1:28:30

Recovery was Quick ... No Stinky Run, Today!

Sunday, May 15, 2010
I did slow down though for a skunk crossing the road ahead of me

Another week begins and the training continues. Since I haven't been doing the single long run, I've had to break my training plan a bit and do back-to-back runs instead of the every-other-day routine outlined in the training plan. This bunches up 3 or 4 runs in a row for the end of one week and the beginning of the next. With the completion of today's run, I'll probably take a day off from running tomorrow. (Good thing, too, I've gotten pretty tired with the last couple of runs and actually went down for an afternoon nap the last two days).

Today was a repeat of the out, up, and back eight mile run beginning with the stretch up Batavia Lane to Sherman Road and up the road to a gate. Yesterday, most of this was a jog/walk combination resulting in the six miles I managed to complete taking as long as the usual full eight miles. I was able to run all of the way today (with the exception of the skunk slowdown) and finished the run in less than 90 minutes.

It was a totally clear day (during the run ... now it is cloudy as I write this) with light wind and mild temperatures (mid to upper 60's; actually kind of "hot" after running on much cooler days most of this spring).

Overall, the run was uneventful and I felt good during and after the run. (Just drop asleep tired later in the afternoon).

Mileage log: 8.253 miles ?? (GPS might have gotten ahead of itself on this one, but, I'll take it!) -- Time: 1:29:16 (no watch stopping for the skunk crossing)

A Flat during Cross Training Bike Ride ... Flat Run Followed

Saturday, May 15, 2010
Tired tire and Tired when Running, too

The morning cross training ride had already been cut short. Then, during the return part of the ride, my bike developed a flat. The only tube I had was for a 27" thin tire. Not a good match for my 26". Plus, the tire bead would not seat, etc. etc. Luckily, Patti rode back to the ranch and got the truck. So, end of bike ride with 10.5 miles out of a planned 16 or so.

Around the middle of the day, I decided to do my run for the day instead of doing lunch. That might have been a mistake since just about a mile into the run I just didn't feel like running anymore. I stopped for a short time to adjust a shoe/sock combination that seemed to be rubbing on my ankle. After the adjustment I continued jogging up the road. The plan was to do a repeat of the 8-mile runs. But, while trading off jog/walk combinations I decided to turn around just after the 3-mile mark when thunder was heard and I thought I'd just be running uphill into a rain/thunder event. The return trip was slow, too, with my body/mind system just not getting it together for much running. At least the cabin near Sherman Pond looked good, even though my running didn't!


It was just a flat tired training day!

Mileage log: 6.366 miles ... Time: NA - mostly walking so it was not important.

Warmer Weather and a Faster Run

Friday, May 14, 2010
Trying to keep up on the training plan ... even without doing a long run ... it just means running more often!

o Running/jogging the whole way, except for the occasional photo
o Up the hill again to touch the gate
o Sunny and warmer conditions; actually beginning to sweat a little!
o Full eight up and back with good time

-- Mileage log : 8.00 (GPS lost signal for a bit) : Time: 1:25:00!

Late ... And Just another Eight -- A Fine Run

Thursday, May 13, 2010
I am still out there every other day (or more) doing the run ... just not feeling the 'Eye of the Tiger' in doing a marathon, though

Mid afternoon start

o Batavia to Lupine Meadows gate ... and back down the road again
o Nothing special -- stop at a stump for a photo; chat with the Carrs
o Horse riders crossing the road as I returned to the ranch

-- Mileage log : 8.199 miles ... hard to tell the pace; since I chatted on the return run

Undecided on Race Plans but still doing Eights

Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Originally planning to run a marathon in Duluth in June ... may not ... Maybe I'll run the Missoula Marathon in early July, instead

Quick Bullets (Plus, Today about 8 gophers got the bullets, too)

o Doing the standard 8 - Batavia to Sherman touch the gate and back down the hill
o Sunny and warm as I ran the start of the route
o Cloudy and cool as I returned
o Trucks and cattle ... that was about it

-- Mileage Log : 8.00 miles in 1:27:21! Not bad!

Another Eight Just for the Run of It!

Sunday, May 9, 2010

It was already after noon before I started up Batavia Lane to Sherman Road. (Just a lazy Sunday morning before that and I wanted to run before eating lunch). The clouds were mixing it up in the sky with interesting weather in the area. The wind picked up and the air had some scattered rain in it as I headed up Sherman Road. I didn't actually run in any rainfall, but it was close, as the turnaround area was soaked when I finished the uphill climb. The return downhill was fairly fast, and I was on target for another round-trip in less than 90 minutes. However, as I got back to the blacktop a herd of horses at the Glazier Ranch were running and kicking up their heels. So I stopped for a couple of minutes while taking some photographs and video as they ran by and climbed the hills.

-- Mileage log : 8.199 -- 1:33:54

New Shoes ... Sunshine ... and a Good Quick Run

Friday, May 7, 2010
Going up the hill for the third eight in a row

The forecast for this morning was for record low temperatures. That didn't quite happen with some overnight cloud cover. There was still some light frost on some surfaces, but not a record low. (Yesterday morning was actually a couple of degrees colder!)


At the time of the run today, there was a mix of clouds and sun. This was an improvement after the cloudy conditions of Wednesday and the rain and snow mix that took place during Monday's run). Today was mostly sunny with a nearly ideal running temperature.


The training course was a repeat of the run up Sherman Road to the Lupine Meadows gate. Maybe it was the new Nike shoes, maybe it was the favorable running conditions, or maybe I'm just getting in better condition. In any case, it was the best running time for the route with the 8.037 miles completed in 1:27:30! (No record setter. I once ran a half marathon in about the same amount of time; but, I was somewhat (much!?) younger then!)

Double Up on the Crazy 8 Runs

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

(Second eight mile run) ... more to follow

-- Mileage log : 8.115 miles

---

Monday, May 3, 2010
Misty clouds, light rain, and steady rain; all in today's run

The weather did not look that good, right from the start, today. However, with not doing a long run for over a week, I decided I'd go out on one of my legacy training runs up Batavia Lane to Sherman Road and then up Sherman Road to the gate. This run has been my standard out, up, and back run for a couple of years. My normal training plan leveled out with the eight-miler being the base run once training had worked through 3-3's, 4-4's, 5-5's, etc. until finishing with 8 runs of 8 miles. (Usually with a day off somewhere, just to take a break). Once the 8-miler routine was completed, I'd normally modify the training routine slightly by doing 4 eight mile runs followed by increasingly longer runs for one day in the training week (10, 12, 14, etc.) until doing either 16 or 18 miles as the long run of the week. This year, with the modified alternating: running/biking plan, the runs have been somewhat different. In any case, this route became the crazy 8 run in my mind; since it seemed crazy to run 8 miles all the time; and, because the route loops through a couple of switch backs, almost feeling like running loops made up of 8's,


Today, it was cloudy with low clouds and mist when I started the run. Conditions did not improve, in fact, they deteriorated during the course of the course (of course) and steady rain was falling by the time I reached the turnaround gate. There was no decrease in the rainfall during the downhill return run either. Streams of running water flowed down the road with me as I did the three-mile downhill on the gravel road. The last mile on the blacktop was wet and shiny with the steady raindrops making small splash patterns on the roadway during the return to the ranch. When it was all said and done, I completed the run in pretty good time, actually breaking the hour-and-a-half time for the first time this year on the eight-miler!

It was nice to get back under a roof, though. And after a cool-down 10-minute spin on the indoor Nordic Cycle, I showered and put on warm sweats for a short afternoon nap!

-- Mileage log : 8.161 miles; Time 1:29:18

May Day Running ... Late, but on the Road Anyway

Saturday, May 1, 2010

For whatever the reason, it seemed to take until almost the end of the day today before I decided to lace on the running shoes and get out there. The day was quite a mix of sun and clouds. There were showers moving through the the area from time to time. So, with all of that going on, I almost was going to just forget about going for a run any time today. But, early in the evening, I decided to just get out there and run.

I headed down Batavia Lane and decided to turn on Managhan and head for the bike trail. Getting to the trail was a fine two mile run without much going on. While I was running on the trail, I noticed the hills to the north has some low clouds hanging over them. The run on the trail was for about an mile and a half with a turn toward the clouds and showers as I headed passed Parson's Tractor and up Marquardt Lane. This is the road with the stone castle next to it. Also, there are some large fields along the road that hold a combination of old farm equipment and cattle. Tonight, some of the cattle were close to the road and some of the young ones were hanging out in some of the machinery.



The threatening showers kind of split up as I ran the mile plus to get to Kienas Road. Over the south hills, the clouds billowed a bit as the showers passed by without getting me wet and the sun lit up the evening sky over the hills. It ended up being a good run (not particularly fast) but a good evening outing just the same. During the last section of the run, just before getting back to the ranch, the Longhorns watched as a jogged passed.

-- Mileage log : 6.842 miles