Day 348

• 5.02 miles
• 7:17/mile pace
• 0630
• From/To Home
• Becca ran 8 this morning, four of which were mile repeats at like 6:40/mile, which is quite strong considering...well, yeah, she hasn't run any mile repeats in years, but I don't really need to explain why that is quite strong, it just is.   Anyway, that made me feel like I couldn't just run 8:50 miles like I wanted to, so I grabbed my iShuffle thing and decided I'd run easy for a song, then hard for a song etc.  It was more enjoyable than recent efforts, so I might make a habit of this.   What I need to make a habit of is following a schedule, I have all but given up on the schedule I was trying to follow before because, well, I think I just wasn't ready for it and as a result it buried me...perhaps more mentally than physically, but felt 6 feet under regardless.   I haven't given up on the early December marathon, though I have little hope of making my sub-3 hour goal...I still want to do it even if only to hang with those that are going (The Rosenlof's and Elliot).  

Day 334

• 5.02 miles
• 7:43/mile pace
• 0630
• From/To home
• Longest run in weeks....not sure anyone would believe that I am doing marathon training, not sure if I even believe it, but I am, though I feel I need to restart now.   I mean like building mileage back up slowly etc.   Not sure how I'm going to accomplish my goal, but perhaps I'll start feeling much better on runs soon...I do think I finally shook the virus I had...now to get the hip feeling better and stop getting hemoroid flare-ups.

Day 328

• 4.15 miles
• 8:03/mile pace
• 0835
• From/To Home
• Last run prior to resuming actual training...that's my hope anyway.   Speaking of training...if we assume that I somehow hang on and finish out the 366 days of streak running then what?   My recent difficulties have convinced me that maybe I won't just run every day for the rest of my life, but, I do have some other very long streaks that I think probably will continue -- like 30+ years of brushing my teeth every single day, no matter what the weather or circumstance may have been.   So, I'm thinking I may be just start another random streak if only so that I can write really depressing posts here every day still.   Any suggestions?   Right now I'm thinking perhaps 25 push ups a day?   Or should it be more?   I'm serious about the suggestion request.

Day 225

• 7.08 miles
• 7:33/mile pace
• 0627
• From/To Home
• Terrible, terrible, terrible, terrible, terrible, terrible, terrible, terrible two's.   Yesterday I received a training plan that a friend purchased, which I plan to also follow, because, well, it turns out that maybe I'm a mooch.  Since I haven't had a moment to read/study/understand the plan I decided that this week would be my last week of making up whatever I feel like before starting that highly structured plan in earnest...which meant that I had to think up some torturous work out for today since it's supposed to be a day that I include some sort of speed effort, per me.   So, naturally I didn't come up with anything, instead I just asked Becca...she suggested another round of the terrible 2's, I asked how many, she said some absurdly high number (I hope she was kidding), to which I responded that I did 7 a few weeks ago, so she said, "do 8."   I complained a bit, but knew then that 8 terrible 2's would be the work out of the day for me.   Here is how they played out, in mileage, after a 1 mile warm up and then followed by a 1.69 mile cool down return home:
• .33
• .22
• .33
• .21
• .33
• .21
• .34
• .21
• .33
• .21
• .33
• .21
• .33
• .21
• .33
• .23
• Basically almost exactly as they looked last time, with maybe a little slower running between terrible's...perhaps I'm getting weaker.   Anyway, that is done, a few easy days then 17, broken up in 2 peices, with IronChad on Sunday, followed by starting the aforementioned plan...if I can understand it.

Day 129

• 21.14
• 8:23/mi pace
• 0710
• From/To home
• Ran with Bec, final 20 miler before here March 4 marathon in MSY -- I made her run an extra mile because I don't believe in the insane idea that one should only run a max of 20 miles in any one run prior to a marathon, how does that make any sense?   I did tell her that we'd be doing an extra mile before we started, so I didn't trick her because I'd rather not risk divorce.   The run went well, basically just cruised and got in a few hills for good measure -- considering the effort the pace surprised me a bit and has me thinking that perhaps Bec can set 3:35 as a goal for her marathon...hmmm, have to think about this a bit more.  Think I like "Shot Blocks" now, though they are still weird initially they do seem to result in a rather even energy supply if taken properly (which for me I've decided = every 45 minutes of a long run at cruise pace).   
• Also noticed while reviewing running streak posts from the initial months that when I'm out of shape I whine (or would that be Wein?) a lot more...I do feel much better structurally when running now though, which I'm glad about.  

Day 127

• 5 miles
• 8:24/mi pace
• 0625
• From/To home
• My cruise pace is just slow -- really have to make something happen if I want to be on pace for a sub-3 hour marathon, seems completely impossible at this point.  

Day 126

• 5 miles
• 7:12/mi pace
• 0740
• From/To home
• Pushed the pace today, had shortness of breath for pretty much the whole run...had a few moments where I felt relaxed and gliding at a good pace, but mostly just a struggle to keep up a pace I felt acceptable.   Tried to really push the last mile, ran out of gas resulting in a 6:39 mile -- not bad, but was hoping for better.   Can't believe I did an entire marathon at a faster pace than this and I've set a goal to do even better?  Perhaps I am really old now, depressing.   Need to start on the strength stuff and keep stacking the mileage before I give up I guess.   Also need to play more golf, not to help me run, but because I now suck and that isn't acceptable.  

Day 116

• 20.07 miles
• 8:33/mile pace
• 0720
• From Sherry's house, West on Bell until it turned into some Parkway, went around some of the White Tank (Tawk) Mountains and return same out and back route.  
• Uphill going out, downhill returning...the downhills beat me up pretty good, need to do more downhill running.   Case and Finn stayed with Sherry :).   First time I have done a 20 miler in over a year, wasn't that horrible, though I clearly need to get more under my belt.   Thinking a lot about signing up for a marathon now...perhaps the Tucson Marathon in December as it is fast/downhill etc.  

Day 113

• 5 miles
• 8:40/mi pace
• 0630
• From/To home
• Went out slow intentionally, but am a bit concerned that my "cruise pace" is as slow as it is...believe it was 8:10ish at one point and would like to see it get back to that, but since I'm not motivated to do any speed work it may not get back there for a while I guess.   Anyway, miles keep accumlating, which has to be a good thing I think.   Staying on Becca's marathon plan...20 miler coming up, which, of course, is concerning. 

Day 105

• 5 miles
• 7:08/mi pace
• 0745
• From/To Home
• Ran hard this morning, hardest I've run during this latest comeback -- happy with the pace, though had to run last mile in 6:40, which I'm pleased with, but does mean that the average up tempo pace other than that mile was close to the 7:20+ range...feel like I may be getting there though, which is good.   Probably fastest I've done that particular 5 mile loop (to Utopia, to 67th, to Union Hills, to 75th, to Beardsley, to 67th, home via Utopia/68th), which is both good and bad.   Went to bed at 7:30pm though, which is an indicator that I was pretty tired and or sick -- feel better today though, had some body aches a little last night, but not like a flu, more like lingering effect from the Tough Mudder, which is shameful considering it was 3+ days ago.   Anyway, was supposed to do 8 miles today, per Bec's training schedule, but just ran out of time to get it in...perhaps I'll do 8 tomorrow, when I was scheduled to do 5, we shall see.  

Day 104

• 5 miles
• Slow
• 0625
• From/To Home
• Very slow, legs didn't feel great -- still think it's the shoes mostly -- but also had G.I. issues that made me go extremely slow, definitely slower than 9 min/mile.   Did the mileage prescribed on Bec's marathon training guide, so at least did that.   Stomach still a bit jacked, but no big deal...fearing a cold as Case is under the weather and I'm feeling it a bit too...fingers crossed.

Day 91

• 8.33 miles
• 8:31/mile pace
• 0602
• From/To Home
• Started out sub 8:30, then slowed considerably as a result of need to use the bathroom...finally at about mile six I was able to get the bowels to pull back the trying to escape turd and then sped up to fend off the inevitable drop, which worked for almost the rest of the way.   Was fairly miserable during the middle of run, but felt good after.   Marathon plan has begun, though I'm not signed up for any marathon.

Day 86

• 1.7 miles
• Slow
• 0800
• From/To Home
• Gave myself a break due to my lazy/late start and self promise to begin marathon training next week.

Day 85

• 5.25 miles
• Medium
• 1900
• From/To Home
• Felt pretty good, decided to extend to 5 miles, not bad for back to back days, though nothing like what I'll need to do if I get back into marathon training...which I plan to start in January.   Good enough reason to go to Waffle House afterwards.