Friday, August 01, 2008

COUNTING CHICKENS

It’s nice to know I’m not the only one that goes by dew point, not humidity.

You never know who you will find blogging.

In case you missed it in the comments, Joseph sent a link for a Brian Sell facial hair contest. I haven’t entered yet, but I see that Eric has. I hope to do so this weekend. Voting starts August 11th, so I’m sure I’ll mention it again.

A week ago I was looking at my monthly mileage and figured I’d be right around 300 for the month. That’d be my highest July ever. A week later I ended up with only 285 miles for the month – 2nd most ever behind 291 in 2006. Getting any kind of run in yesterday would, most likely, have put me over that figure. However, to go along with my beat up body, I seem to have caught some type of bug and my throat is more sore than ever before. Usually when I have a cold I feel like crap early in the morning, but get better as the day progresses. And when I’m out running is when I feel the best. Well that’s not the case this time around.

So my leg is banged up, I feel like crap and it’s supposed to be 90-95 degrees this weekend.

Happy effin’ birthday!!!

Quote of the day;

“If I’m in really good shape, I’ll grow a little something on my face. Usually the goofier the facial hair, the better the shape I’m in. You can’t get too cocky. You can’t look like Ulysses S. Grant and go out and run a 2:30 marathon.” – Brian Sell

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hey Chad:

Ran 266 miles in July, my second highest ever. Going for 285 in August and 300 miles in Sept. Training for TCM. My birthday is August 3...so happy ****ing birthday to me too. I love running in the heat, so am looking forward to the weekend.

Don't have near your speed, but love reading your column...great tips, and always enjoy reading about other runners. I think the Twin Cities running commnity is awesome.

Plan on running Gopher/Badger Half Marathon Aug. 9, Rochester Half Marathon Aug. 23, then City of Lakes 25k on Sept. 7. Three nice stepping stones to test how my training is going.

Cheer up...better days are ahead. It's always darkest before the dawn.

Anonymous said...

I banked out at 120 miles for the month and actually began feeling a bit like I was running. At 30 miles a week I feel as if I am in the camp of the typical "runner."

I have decided to stay around 35 and attempt to do Al's in 31 w/ a high end goal of 30. Now, it takes some harder efforts to try and accomplish this and though I am pleased with my early progress, I am just not fit enough aerobically. Today I planned to do around 4 at 6:40 pace, but only musteres 6:45 for 3.5 miles. Man, it was hot out there.

Since it's 7 weeks away, I'm kind of treating it like HS cross-country. Get used to running fast a couple times per week and spend the other 3 runs at an hour with one close to 1:30. I will see progression, but when you don't have the big V-8 engine one must work the other energy systems and get out of them what you can before they expire.

I don't know all the terms like LT, etc., but I know my body is petering out much sooner than I like. It's as if you have to be content to shorten workouts and maintain a sense of freshness for the other days. This is odd to me and if not for my physical limitations I wouldn't hesitate to be back out training almost everyday for longer periods of time.

However, this contentment with a much abbreviated schedule makes it fun. I actually look forward to running when I can and trying to press myself into a semi-reasonable runner. But there is no future in it once you have tasted the fruits of long, tiring, beat down training regimes. I've climbed my side of the mountain a few times and once you get up there your always looking for a way back. I'm not interested in climbing someone else's mountain, but would sure as hell like to get up near the tree line again.

Zeker, your up beyond the tree line. I enjoy reading your blog like many because we get a glimpse of what your doing up there. Like Shorter said, "It's not done with good looks and a secret recipe." Your using time honored methods and they will pay off.

Can one actually look forward to getting up at 4 AM in the middle of the week to do a 15 miler because that's what's required? How about coming home from work, with one workout under your belt and you are going to go bang out 8 x 800m fast? Nobody tells you to do it, but through force of will one does because they must. Most of the time you can't even see the changes going on. One races occasionally during heavy training, but on tired body and mind. Am I getting anywhere? How many times have I said that? I just want to sleep and spend the first half of the day a work without dragging my body around. With a family you have to go to extreme lengths to not look like a burned out Father at times. It's no wonder most cash it in, rather than press on. At least that was me at times, but I miss it anyway.

Double

Wayne said...

Thanks for the notice on Dick Beardsley's blog.

Chad said...

Anon, happy effing birthday to you too. Doesn't look like the weekend temps were as high as they thought. I hope to be at COL and Rochester too. Be sure to say hi if you see me.

Double, if anyone can get in shape in 7 weeks and bang out a great Al's run, it's you. I'm not sure if I'm above the tree line. I sure don't feel like it lately. But I still have 9 weeks to regroup.

Wayne, no problem. I haven't read too much on his site yet.