The KCPD's Police Athletic League (PAL) is hosting a Halloween Fun Run on Tuesday, October 29 at 6pm at the PAL Center (1801 White Avenue).
This should be a family-friendly event, allowing children that participate to run on the outdoor track at the PAL Center. Games and Halloween treats inside the PAL Center await after the Fun Run.
PAL has reached out to our running group to show up and support the kids. It would be a great way for our group to interact with kids doing something we already enjoy. Reply here on the blog or send me a message if you're interested in lending a hand.
Hello everyone...
It's time for another northland run and I have a new location for us to try. I've recently added the loop around Metro North Mall (400 NW Barry Road) to my runs and quickly learned it's a nice place to add some miles with minimal traffic.
Let's get together on Sunday, October 20 at 8:00am. We can meet on the south side of Macy's, which faces Barry Road. Here is a map showing where to park:
The loop around the mall is roughly 1.5 miles, making it easy to keep a run as short or as long as you like. I primarily run on the street surrounding the mall but it's also possible to run the majority of the distance within the parking lots, all but eliminating traffic.
See you there!
Here ya go...
Week 15 Recap
Total Mileage: 29.7 miles
Workouts:
- Two bicycle trainer sessions
- Two-mile tempo run
- 21.5-mile endurance run
- 6.2-mile/10K tune-up race
- 41:04 finish time; 6:37/mile average pace
I felt good overall about Week 15, although I would have liked a bit more volume. I had both a long endurance run and a 10K race lined up, however, so in the end things worked out well. I was very happy with how I felt during the 21.5-mile run even though I had to cut it a half-mile short due to time.
One thing I am confident made that run so successful was a bit of a nutrition experiment I tried. I often take a caffeine-based sports supplement before some of my runs, but this time I waited until about 2/3 through this run before taking some caffeine in the form of one of the small shots that are so popular nowadays, such as 5 Hour Energy.
I felt very strong during the final several miles of my run, particularly when it came to mental focus. This was quite a relief, as you might guess, particularly since the final stretch of my previous 20-mile run was not exactly pleasant.
I'll experiment with another energy shot one more time prior to race day. Assuming I still have no stomach/digestion issues it may be worth doing come race day, too.
As for the 10K, I was pleased because I not only set a new personal record but I also won the 10K itself! It's
the first time I've ever had a podium finish, let alone won a race, so I was
very excited. I'll be the first to admit there are definitely better 10K runners
out there but I nevertheless had a good day. Just as important, it was a great
confidence boost to gauge my overall fitness, including for my marathon.
I ran the Jeff Taylor Run for SAFE, which was my first time at the event. The course is very flat and fast, plus it's for a great cause, as I mentioned in my earlier blog post. I can say for sure I'll be back as years go by.
Week 16 Recap
Total Mileage: 34 miles
Workouts:
- Bicycle trainer session
- Four miles of intervals
- 2 x 2-miles (6:31/mile average pace)
- Six-mile race pace run
- Six-mile maintenance run
- Eighteen-mile endurance run
I was not entirely happy with Week 16, mainly the speed sessions. The race pace run in particular was disappointing. Not only was I seven seconds slow per mile, but I was supposed to run 10 miles as opposed to six. I have no one to blame but myself, though, as the combination of running in warm, windy weather too close to an appointment caused me to have both a physically demanding and shortened run. In some ways I was pleased with my mental toughness to try and push through the steady wind, but my pace just didn't get to where I needed it to be.
I also had to chop my long endurance run short by a couple miles. I wanted at least 20 miles, if not 22. The good news is I was very pleased with my overall pace. I felt strong the whole way and could have continued running while increasing speed. Race day is just a couple weeks away, though, so the few miles I didn't run won't necessarily make or break me at this point. Getting another 20+ miles in a single run would have been more of a confidence-builder at this point.
And speaking of race day, the bulk of my training is already over! Week 17 still has a couple challenging runs lined up, namely the usual interval and race pace sessions. After that it's time to start tapering!
Here's our latest workout of the week:
Warm-up: 5 minutes brisk walking or easy jogging
Main Set:
- 5 minutes jogging / Level 5 Intensity
- 3 rounds of the following:
- 2 minutes / Level 7 Intensity
- 1 minute easy jog for recovery
- 1 minute / Level 8 Intensity
- 30 seconds easy jog for recovery
- 30 seconds / Level 8 - 9 Intensity
Cooldown: 5 minutes walking
As always, be realistic about your speed and intensity. Don't overreach and extend yourself beyond your current ability. And remember intensity is all relative, even within an individual workout. The Level 7 Intensity of Round 1 for the 2 minute interval may feel easier than the Level 7 Intensity of Round 3.
In the end, BE SMART!
Back to the ol' Downtown Airport on Sunday, September 29...let's meet up at 8am.
Here is the original post about our runs for the Downtown Airport.
I also plan on attending this run...I have to admit I haven't been participating in our group runs as often as I would like but I plan on reversing that trend.
Hello everyone...
This is a quick, informal invitation to see if any of our group members are interested in participating in the upcoming Jeff Taylor Run for SAFE on September 22.
There is a 5K, 10K, and team option, not to mention the run itself is for an admirable cause. The registration cost is also modest, which always helps. In fact, there is a $3 discount for groups of four or more that use the team option.
I'll be running the 10K...I hope to see some of you there!
No use wasting time...I'll just get down to the recaps:
Week 12 Recap
Total Mileage: 31 miles
Workouts:
- Bicycle trainer session
- Interval run
- 2 x 3 miles (6:31/mile average pace)
- Nine-mile race-pace run
- Eight-mile maintenance run
- Brick workout
- Five-mile run (7:27/mile average pace)
- Bicycle trainer session
Week 13 Recap
Total Mileage: 47 miles
Workouts:
- Five-mile maintenance run
- Interval run
- 2 x 3 miles (6:31/mile average pace)
- Nine-mile race-pace run
- Bicycle trainer session
- Six-mile maintenance run
- Endurance runs
- AM: Twenty-miles (7:58/mile average pace)
- PM: Two-miles (9:30/mile average pace)
Overall I was pleased with Week 13. It was one of my highest-mileage weeks yet but I appeared to prepare for and absorb the training well. The twenty-mile run was a bit more difficult than I anticipated, particularly at the end. I think a combination of tweaking my nutrition strategy and increasing temperatures near the end of my run started to take their toll.
The two-mile run later in the evening was rough at first, but I kept the pace nice and easy, allowing my legs to loosen up a bit. Such runs are designed to help aid recovery and I feel it worked well overall.
Week 14 Recap
Total Mileage: 19 miles
Workouts:
- Nine-mile race-pace run
- Ten-mile endurance run
As well as Week 13 went, I was a bit disappointed with Week 14, mainly when it comes to volume of training. Although I bounced back quickly after the 22 miles on Sunday, I decided to take Monday off for some extra recovery. I arguably should have run, but I didn't want to risk running on less-than-fresh legs and get injured in the process. It's too late in the game to take unnecessary risks, after all.
Then life got in the way, as it often does. I ended up taking a couple unexpected days off elsewhere during the week due to some work and family obligations, so I ended up running only twice.
Thankfully, the runs themselves were very good, in particular the race-pace run. It was outdoors with a little bit of wind at times so it was a solid effort.
There is also a bit of a silver lining...given Week 13's high volume it was time to have another deload week, which I intended to use during Week 14. I just didn't intend to deload as much as I did, but we'll see how things progress in Week 15. I have a twenty-two-mile run lined up, as well as a 10K tune-up race.
My training should start to taper in a couple weeks so it's time to continue to maintain focus and push hard!
If it's not one thing, it's another...a recent move caused major delays in my updates on our blog, both for my training recaps as well as more important posts for group runs and that sort of thing.
Week 10 Recap
Total Mileage: 6 miles (yep, only six miles!)
Workouts:
- Easy bicycle trainer session
- Easy six-mile run
Had to take it very easy during Week 10 since I was nursing that borderline injury with my left leg. I ended up taking off four days straight, which was a test in and of itself as lame as that sounds. I'm glad I rested so much, however, because Week 11 was a great turnaround.
Week 11 Recap
Total Mileage: 36 miles
Workouts:
- Two bicycle trainer workouts
- Including an aptly-named workout from the Sufferfest series called "A Very Dark Place"
- Interval run
- 2 x 2 miles (6:31/mile average pace)
- 1 x 1 mile (6:18/mile average pace)
- Nine-mile race pace run
- 1 x 5 miles (6:50/mile average pace)
- 1 x 4 miles (6:41/mile average pace)
- Six-mile maintenance run
- Sixteen-mile endurance run
I was very pleased with how I bounced back in Week 11, although a healthy dose of rest tends to yield favorable results. I made an all-too-common mistake by running outdoors too late in the day for my race pace run, barely making it a few miles out before cluing into the fact it was far too hot and humid to run outdoors.
So I had to bag a few miles initially, but I quickly drove to a nearby gym where I hopped on the treadmill and pushed it for a faster-than-race-pace finish.
My sixteen-mile run was decent, but the weather really started to heat up for the last handful of miles. Still doable and my nutrition lasted for the duration of the run, but only barely.
Time to start getting psyched...I have a twenty-miler coming up next week. Now my training program is really starting to pour it on...
Here ya go...
Warm-up: 5 minute brisk walk or light jog
Main set:
- 4 minutes / Intensity level 5
- 4 minutes / Intensity level 7
- 4 minutes / Intensity level 5
- 4 minutes / Intensity level 7
- 4 minutes / Intensity level 5
Cool-down: 5 minute easy walk
Total: 30 minutes
Late again...been a rough couple weeks of training:
Week 8 Recap
Total Mileage: 21 miles
Workouts:
- Interval run
- 4 x 1 mile (6:17/mile average pace)
- Seven-mile race pace run
- Ten-mile endurance run
- AM run: 6 miles (7:57/mile average pace)
- PM run: 4 miles (8:07/mile average pace)
Not a good amount of workouts for Week 8...I was pleased with my speed workouts but I definitely need to add more volume.
Week 9 Recap
Total Mileage: 23 miles
Workouts:
- Two indoor cycling sessions
- Interval run
- 3 x 1 mile (6:17/mile, 6:15/mile, 6:10/mile)
- Eight-mile race pace run
- Fifteen-mile endurance run
Week 9 was full of highs and lows. Still need to add more volume overall. I was very pleased with my interval run and my race pace run despite being seven seconds slow per mile. Despite being a bit slow I had a great negative split for the run. In fact, I think I missed my target pace only because I started a bit too slow for the first couple miles.
This is good practice for race day but it left me too few miles to compensate for the slow start, forcing me to run even faster than I normally would to make up for lost time. Overall it was a solid effort that re-affirmed the power of smart pacing.
Unfortunately, the issue with my left leg mentioned weeks ago has crept up on me again. It interfered only a bit with my race pace run but was very noticeable during this week's endurance run. I'm pleased overall with the 7:45/mile pace I was able to hold, but I know I could have comfortably ran faster if my leg wasn't bothering me.
Looks like I'll really have to take it easy in Week 10, so now it's time to do the hard part and just rest...too bad resting often takes more discipline than running!
