Dragons

This week was a wild one. In addition to having my feminist porn jones thwarted and having to substitute Jon Heder and Billy Bob Thornton on Monday, the intended sanctity of my Monday morning-Thursday evening-Saturday morning plan was dismantled. The good news is that this is owing to more training rather than quitting. You see, I made a genuine discovery about running this week--it goes that as one begins to train, one's body adjusts to the stress and can handle more of it. For this process, I've coined the term adaptation. As the body adapts, one needs to accelerate one's training to continue gaining fitness. Talking to Blax in the 821 kitchen, he suggested that there are a handful of well-respected coaches around the country who already incorporate some variation on this idea in their programs. I'm taking his word for it.

Anyhow, I advanced my Monday "long" run to Sunday afternoon. It went well, but I only managed 20 minutes.

This meant that my rolling hills action on Speedway came on Wednesday morning instead of Thursday afternoon. I think I splayed out all of 25 minutes for that one, but can't remember exactly.

Friday morning I hit the Santa Cruz wash for some sand action. I ran five minutes each of warmup and warmdown and 15 minutes in the sand.

I thought about running today but I wont. I'll run tomorrow morning, and by God, I really need to hit 30 minutes here. If Dan Maher is reading this, I thought about making you a birthday card using a funny picture from an old magazine and a speech bubble saying something to the effect of "happy birthday Dan," but it turns out that my old magazines have no funny pictures. At all.

Looking at the calendar last Sunday, the running schedule looked something like, "55-60 miles, 2 workouts on the track, long run Sunday of 11-14." The rest of calendar was filled with scribbles and crossed out/moved due dates for assignments, exams, take home tests, reviews, lab reports, and -- now -- Wednesday night softball games at Sportspark.

We lost our inaugural game 35 - 6 in six innings. I went 0 - 2 with a fielder's choice and a fly out to shallow right field. I also scored a run.

Next week is looking surprisingly empty as I have a single Statics assignment due Wednesday morning. Unfortunately, the plan was for me to get in a solid week this week because next week is the Cinco 10k. However, as I'm sure you could guess, there were conflicting issues and I just knocked out workout #1 this morning at Tucson High. It was quite similar to last week's 2x1000, 2x800, 4x400 with half-distance recovery -- but a pinch faster. I don't have my watch with me right now but it ended up looking something like this:

2x1000 (goal: 3:22) -- 3:22, 3:20
2x800 (goal: 2:40) -- 2:39, 2:39
4x400 (goal: <80) style="font-size:85%;"> I think PA is great -- This is actually pretty accurate given that it's from an active military officer -- In-N-Out still the biggest thing in Tucson

Inspired by a once-again joyful Modest Mouse album which I bought at Replay Entertainment in the Bookstore today, I have decided that today I wil make my return to running. I think I have 20-25 minutes of easy running planned on the soft grass of the mall.

I will let you know how it goes.

Training for the Mud Run and the complete and utter domination of the Indian road racing scene begins today.

I usually keep comments closed because, frankly, no one ever seems to comment on my blogs. However, since my last few posts I have been told by people that they wanted to comment -- but simply could not. Fine -- I'll bite and start opening comments. But don't blame me when a bunch of goose eggs sit at the bottom of these posts in the comments section.

So on to running: As expected, Saturday's yardwork pretty much laid me to waste (I think this is it for digging holes and filling them with concrete though) and so my long run ended up being the race + warm up/down efforts. Today I had 8 - 10 easy scheduled but, due to the way my tests are falling this week, I've decided to go ahead and move workouts to Wednesday afternoon (before my softball double-header) and Friday. This means I won't make Group Run this week. It also means that I kinda felt like I was cheating if I did today as just an easy run, considering tomorrow was going to be the same thing.

I headed off down ODC this evening planning a progression run. How much progression didn't matter as much -- I just wanted to feel like I wasn't struggling and still going slower in the final miles (read: I didn't want to relive every race I've run this year). After the half-mile to the pavement I started the watch and eased to Country Club in 7:30 and 7:25 miles. I definitely wasn't in any sort of groove but soon things came together because my mind started to wander.

As I thought about my poor racing but, what I feel is, good training I couldn't help but to think of my backyard as the perfect analogy. It was ugly. It filled up four dumpsters of garbage -- including the absolute base that was jackhammered by mexicans. But now it's better. It's got a solid base. It's actually usable -- but there is still a ways to go and that's just gonna take weeks and hard work. It's taking shape though. And that's the important thing -- moving forward. Eventually it's going to be a finalized project -- but much of that is based on the bs that I hate doing. Pipework? No one ever notices that unless it's broken. Straight posts with solid footers? That's the kind of thing that doesn't just happen on it's own. And while it will likely not be finished this summer, it does need to become luau-acceptable in the next few months because it's already on the schedule (Jeff Dodge is invited).

I need to make myself luau-ready because, come Tucson 5000, I'm gonna be burying a whole pig with some hot coals weather I like it or not.

So while I have a hard time feeling like I am making noticeable progress in the running realm sometimes (I mean, anyone can do a solid workout -- racing is where it counts), I'm comforted to know that it can be related to similar situations where I do see markable improvement.

Anyways, once I got off this topic, I began to try to figure out how I would get in all my mileage for the week. I was feeling good so I decided to extend the run to Craycroft to give myself a head-start on the week. Things ended up feeling good for the entire run and I was able to close with a 6:30 mile (so maybe it was like my race -- LOLerskates) to finish 12 in 1h26m and a final pace in the 7:09 range (7:23 out, 6:45 back) on a very fast/smooth out-and-back.

I'm hoping to get in a really solid week of training here with Cinco just a couple weeks away. So far so good, I'd say.

Cinco is next -- What I'm getting everyone for their birthday's this year-- In-N-Out opens April 24, Bitch

HEY!!! I just tried to go to a lecture and film screening about feminist pornography, but I was late and then I couldn't find a parking space, and I was so worked up about it that I went home, got soaked in Seagram's and updated my myspace profile!!!! oh yeah...i have one of those now...I'M STOOPING TO YOUR LEVEL RUPERT MURDOCH!!! YOU HEAR ME??? IT'S ON NOW, FUCKER!!! now I'm watching School for Scoundrels with a real ambivalent lean. Anything involving Jon Heder should involve ambivalence. WEDNESDAY'S RUN IS GONNA RIP, KIDS!!! YOU HEARD IT HERE FIRST. YEEEEAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


note: i will only update my myspace profile in times of desperation.

You know, blogging about my training encourages my impulse to congratulate myself. Being able to congraulate oneself is healthy, but considering the status of my fitness, encouraging it is a distortion of priority. I will announce, nonetheless, that I executed week one of the Uplift Mofo Mud Run Training Plan to a tee.

Monday I set out in the morning fully intending to run 30 minutes. I ran 15 minutes out, but on the way back, my "engine" just shut off after 25 minutes. I shouldn't think of myself as too much of a sage when it comes to "listening to my body," but there was a certain feeling that told me that calling it right there was the best move.

Thursday I advanced my Speedway run from afternoon to morning. I think I was hungry. I've had some great runs and workouts when I was a little hungry, but this wasn't one. It wasn't bad--it was just nothing triumphant.

Saturday I woke up, thought about Tumamoc, and was scared all the way to the far northeast side. This, of course, meant Snyder. My low ebb workout for Snyder had always been 4x30 seconds, but I lowered it to three on Saturday. To top it off, I had extra recovery because I shed a layer after each rep and at one point stopped to give directions to a hippy. I'm not one for pigeonholes, but this guy was straight crunchy. I pointed him toward River and Sabino Canyon Roads, where I assume the Yonder Mountain String Band was performing.

Saturday was also the Spring Cross Country Classic, which I'm sure I declared my steadfast intentions to enter some time ago. Then I forgot about it because forgetting about things like that is cool. But I'd like to make clear that the idea of an open cross country race and the idea of an open cross country race with a keg both have my admiration. I heard that a certain Ol' Dirty "called me out" for the Tucson 5000. When the man speaks, one listens--I'll be there.

Speaking of calling people out, I would like to "call out" Omniscient as to whether or not he owns My Life by Bill Clinton, and if so, whether or not he would lend it to me. Get at me about that.

My official stance on the 2007 Spring XC Classic was that I had fun. I didn't look for a PR -- I just ran to appreciate what the sport has to offer.

Or whatever.

Either way, in your face, Phil!

And I actually did kinda have fun at it until I saw the results this morning.

Waking up at 5:30 yesterday, I could hear the rain coming down. I had a very outdoorsy day planned and rain could definitely put a.....wait for it....damper on my plans. About 7 I texted J, who was working the race, to ask if it was still on. He replied that it was and almost immediately I could hear the rain stopping.

I drove down to the course in time to catch the start of the womens race. The course did look a lot less threatening this year as the rain appeared to pack the areas that were normally full of soft sand. I asked J about this but he explained that there would be 'a lot of fucking heel-strikers' in the first race who would surely break up the packed areas. With that in mind,I warmed up and headed to the line. The usual faces filled the start and I decided that I would go ahead and just try to go out in about 5:50 then move around from there.

Before the start, Levario pointed out that next to 'sex' on my bib, Dan had written, "M-ish". I thought it was pretty funny and that sort of put the whole day into perspective. It was all supposed to be about having fun. You know, getting some cocktails. starting a fire in someone's kitchen. So Dan yelled "Go!" (It is Tucson's budget XC race) and everyone was off. For being a course that's won in high 16's some years, I thought the lead guys were taking it out pretty hard and I wanted to no part in that. Hanging back, I ended up running the first mile with Levario. We came through the first mile in about 5:44. I felt pretty relaxed still but realized that we were pretty much alone for quite a ways.

We started to move up and picking off the straglers who had fallen off the lead pack, only managed a 6:00 for the second mile. This honestly surprised me as I thought I was keeping a pretty constant effort. I think it may have been the rolling stuff at the start of the second mile that really slowed me down. It was just past the second mile marker -- and the next time up the hill -- that I was passed by two dudes. I tried to hang on with them but pretty much realized that they had been chilling behind me for the last couple K and had let me do the work with just this situation in mind.

Anyways, through the third mile I found myself amongst some kid and some old guy. By the hair, I recognized the old dude as the character who had sat on Paula Morrison's shoulder at the Sun Run and outkicked her (thus beating me handily). The kid -- just some like 18 year old. I don't remember much about the third mile except that I got sweat in my eye and it burnt like hell. I couldn't believe it. I also remember trying to move early so that old guy wouldn't be able to throw down on me in he last 60m. It worked on him but not on the kid as he left my kickless ass in the dust. I finished in 19:04, good for 10th and 11 seconds better than last year -- but I was still pretty disappointed as I thought I should have been able to run under 19 there. I guess it's just a reminder that I have a lot of work to do -- especially on the strength side of the house as , come about mile 2, I was really not enjoying being out there.

I did a short cooldown with Shane -- this year's champion -- and, unable to stay for Tecate and other social funness, headed home to work on the fence until 6 last night. It was a pretty full day and I'm finding myself pretty sore tonight. Fortunately I'm doing alright on miles so I'll do my run this afternoon.

I don't really have any pictures from the race. Sorry.


Hall, 2:08:24 -- Having attained perfect test scores and an excess budget, schools now focusing on decor -- Race Results

Great attitude Mike. It's those courses that are so tough that you don't fret about hitting a PR that you re-discover why you enjoy this sport. Folks that will only run on pancake flat / fast coursed just don't know what they're missing.

You'll do great this weekend. Can't wait for the race report.

-"Punxsutaney" Phil commenting on Mike's blog about Saturday's Spring XC Classic.

It does seems pretty harmless, no? Of course. And Phil is one of my favorite commenters on Running With Lydiard. But this was an obvious call out in my direction. I mean, an hour after I commented that I hated this course (possibly even more than I hate oatmeal) he chimed in with his two cents. And his two cents, if you can't read between the lines, were that I'm a complainer.

While he couldn't be more right, I stand firm that I don't like old people calling me out. It's the principle of it all. You give these people an inch, they'll take a mile. No sir -- not this time.

Tomorrow, I run for spite.

Take that, I Run for Hope (If she ever comments I'll have to bust out my rant about how I don't take lip from no womens)!

Actually, Phil's comments may be a blessing in disguise. As I've mentioned before, my races have been very non-competitive recently. Where has the fire been? I'll tell you where -- misguided. Now, finally, I have a reason to perform! I shall run for spite in order to run for fun in order to show Phil what's up!

Why? Cuz that's how I roll!

Now, after last year's meltdown at this race (the knee injury was well in place at this point), I'm no doubt looking to top my 19:++ performance. But more than that, I'm looking to have fun. Maybe I'll go out off-pace and see if I can't pick some people off. That's fun. Maybe I'll wear just a pair of BOA shots and no shirt -- guys like that always seem to be enjoying their race experiences. Perhaps just running with a smile is key.

And if all else fails, I'll just get hammered at the beer garden afterwards.

Just kidding. I have to head right home after the race and to start working on the fence we're putting up next to the patio. Hmmm....now I'm thinking I should go ahead and shoot for a long (and fun) cool down and make tomorrow my long day as I will likely be spent on Sunday morning.

We'll see.

Phil's Running in the Sun Blog -- Last Year's Results -- Spring XC Classic

I read today that Chicago Bears linebacker and presumptive Nobel Prize winner Brian Urlacher is being fined $100,000 dollars by the NFL for drinking vitamin water and wearing a hat. This is no way to treat the man who invented modern linebacking, the internet, the four post bed, and who picked up the slack on the 9/11 commission while Lee Hamilton took four prostitutes on his boat for a week. In light of this, I am collecting donations to help Brian offset the fine. I will pocket these donations and then concentrate on sending Brian good vibes. I hope you will contribute.

Dog, I borrowed an egg. I was gonna replace it on Thursday, because I figured you wouldn't go through a dozen eggs that fast. So it's not Hickman's, it's Compass "Band of Thieves" Bank that caused this.

About halfway into yesterday's workout I was applauding myself for cutting Monday from 8 down to 6 miles. 12 hours from a workout, I was finally wise enough to open my eyes and realize that another couple miles could only make things worse at this point. Levario was good enough to give me a ride home on Monday and now it's up to me to find out where I can fit 2 more miles into my week (oh, whatever will I do?).

So yesterday I woke up, had some tea and clicked around Fark, and then headed out the door. I brought my new racers just to give them a little break in period. I'm a firm believer in training in flats before trying them out in a race situation. Not necessarily for everyone, but it eases my mind from worrying about a pair of shoes during my races -- because I sure don't need the extra stress. My destination was Tucson High School (less than half a mile from my house). Arriving at the back entrance, I found that this gate -- which is even left open in the summer -- was locked. After a verbal WTF? I ran around to the main entrance and, through the Badgers' ghetto-ass courtyard, I was able to reach the track.

This was my first time on the track since I tried to cram a couple workouts in before the Turkey Trot last November (where I went on to run 18:43 and not even score for Dragons). THS had their track redone a couple years ago and it's much nicer than I remember. Though I only ran there once in high school (Apr 21, 1998 -- I anchored our 4 x 800 to an 8:38 victory -- L4WL) , I remember that at about 80 meters down the first turn there was a spot where sprinkler would always water down the track. So in that one 15 meter section, their track had a definite bounce. I applaud the school's decision to install new water-free facilities (they also have that fake grass stuff in the infield. It's kinda slippery but definitely beats any grass outside of Arizona Stadium).

Apart from the quality track and convenient location (you know what -- I also ran an all-comers meet there once and lost to a couple old black guys in the 100m) THS's track is kinda cool because it sits down in their stadium. Obviously, this is their old architecture as no one these days would execute such a simple and classy idea -- but it still adds a little to the atmosphere.

Anyways, after finishing about 10 minutes of warmup (I was just anxious to Git-R-Done) I began my workout. 2x1000, 2x800, 4x400 with half-distance jog recovery. The 1000s were do be done in 3:25 and, 800 into the first one, I realized I had jacked my math and brought in a 37 to make the first one on time. I hit the second in 3:22 and was glad that this part was over. I'm not especially fond of 1000's (I am so picky -- no wonder I suck) but I did enjoy 500m recoveries.

Onto the 800's. With 2:42 goal times, this was only a second per lap faster pace. These definitely required some focus though and, my form and all, I brought in a 2:42 and a 2:41. With only the 400's left, I was getting anxious to get home. With a goal time of 80, I was definitely noticing the shorter recoveries, but still managed 78's before changing my shoes and heading back home. I began thinking and was surprisingly glad that the school hadn't applied any new security measures that would prevent me from working out on their track before 7 in the morning.

Exiting back out the gate, I was greeted by the droves of greasy-haired, cologne-soaked teens talking about the hip hop music as well as the latest talking picture playing at the cinema. I had gotten out of there just in time.

This evening in the Running Shop group run at 6:15.

Dr. Phil Blames VaTech on Video Games -- Apparently, Iraqi leaders fail to understand the physics of explosions -- Some 2A Track Coverage

......Addendum!

I wrote this before breakfast this morning. But, now, as I sit down with my breakfast burrito, I feel the need to make it public that Hickman Farms eggs suck. I bought a dozen eggs yesterday and this morning I opened the carton to find only 11 eggs sitting in the carton. Now, yes, I understand that it isn't that hard to open a carton of eggs at the store and check for missing/cracked eggs. And every other time I've ever bought eggs (Fry's brand, notably -- but this week Hickman's was on sale and I thought I'd go ahead and support local eggeries), I have knocked out this ritual. Yesterday, however, I thought that my lifetime perfect odds would be good enough to carry me. I guess I was wrong.

Yes, I am taking this especially hard. As you all know, I am not a morning person so I don't like to wake up on Wednesday's finding out that I just got screwed by The [Hick]Man. Still, I got a 11 cent score to settle -- and those 11 cents belong to me! Never again will I purchase local anything. From here on out, it's Wal-Mart, big oil, GM, Disney, and anything else to stick it to the Ma and Pop Hickmans of the world!

Seacrest out!

Last week finished out and I didn't feel too tired. Getting that second workout pulled from the agenda might have been just what the body needed. For the third straight weekend, I spent a day doing yard work and that left the legs pretty much blasted. Still, I'm pleased with the progress and after the concrete is poured tomorrow, I'll be relieved that it won't be possible for me to do anymore work on the driveway. Naturally there will be other stuff -- but putting up a fence seems like a much less daunting task than things involving shovels, picks, and wheelbarrows.

Upon getting offered an elite, comped entry to this weekend's Spring XC Classic, I've decided that I will be taking part. This means that this week will be 'scaled back' to about 50 miles. It also means that I need to figure out what dish I will be providing for the post-race potluck. I'll go ahead and leave open the comments in case anyone has suggestions.

Anyways, so this is my update. Tomorrow morning is my first workout on the track so I'm going to get up and pound out some repeats over at the THS track. It should be fast as I only have about 3 miles of work so I took tonight easy and went for a run with Levario. We discussed Mud Run plans and it looks like Tucson will, again, have a legit showing at the June race.

In other Dragons news, Mike ran a couple 5k races this weekend and Lucas won his 5 mile trail race in Oro Valley on Saturday. I'm assuming they will be showing at Spring XC as well.

Anyways, this was just a quickie.


Mike's updates -- Lucas wins Everybody Runs -- Boston Results

This afternoon marks the Sidewinders' home opener. With a 6:30 start time against Colorado Springs, if Fireworks Friday isn't enough to bring you to the game, let it be known that Randy Johnson will be our starting pitcher. He's supposed to throw around 90 pitches so it should be a pretty standard night.

Perhaps he'll off another bird.

Anyways, this is all much more exciting than any running update I could offer about myself. So just to catch you up on some Dragons knowledge:

Mike and Lucas will both be in the 5,000m this evening at Sabino High School. Lucas will then be running some sort of Everybody Runs race out in Catalina State Park (perhaps as a pacer) on Saturday.

Sunday will be the Race for the Cure. I actually don't know who is taking part in that race this year.

I think that's about it. I hope to pick up my new racers (first pair in MANY years) this afternoon.

Sidewinders -- Race for the Cure -- Everyone Runs Catalina State Park

After this week it looks like I'll be moving to the Tucson High track for my workouts. While I, frankly, don't consider this to even be my decision -- it definitely isn't one I'm going to fight. After the tempos at Reid, the hill at Sabino, and the recent Farleks on ODC -- I'll be glad to get to get back to my first true love -- a quality track.

Well, relative to everything else, I guess...

There is also going to be some sprints in the grass. These have to be mid run so I'll probably go ahead and knock them bitches out at Himmel Park (assuming there still is grass there).

Anyways, as you can guess, this marks a further phase (of sorts) into my training. Honestly, recent weeks have had definite pros and cons. On the plus side, I feel like I've been able to progress and perfect the workouts assigned, which is always encouraging. I've also stayed (until my knee started aching this morning) injury free to date. The cons, however, have been that I've been unable to get my mileage past 55 or my long run past 13. It just seems that, by the end of the week, I just need a break somewhere and that usually results in a slow and unwanted 5 on Saturdays just to be able to give Sundays a go. Also, of course, have been some pretty disappointing race performances. Definitely because of the time, but more because of my lack of competitiveness in these races.

Still though, I'm very pleased with my training. Because of this (and because there appears to be no team competition this year) I'd been playing with idea of skipping the Spring XC Classic in a couple weeks (Grand Prix points and all). At this point, I'm just not very excited about taking a cycle-down week and missing a workout just so I can race on some slow course in the heat (though I do think the beer garden is pretty good). Last year I 19:something'd that race as my knee injury was flaring all the way up and I just didn't have a very good experience.

I know that everyone else -- well, at least Mike and Lucas (who is running 2 races this weekend) -- is racing quite a bit, but I don't know if that's what I need right now. No doubt, I need more races -- but I need more smart races. So I don't know -- we'll see, but at this point, I'm thinking I might just go ahead and wait until the Cinco 10k to ease off for a week.

Anyways, thats' my update.


Phoneline may be open by the end of summer -- Jeff Dodge edged out by Dan Beaver at the Tillman Run -- Friday Night Kristen Yoder 5000m at Sabino

I'm trying to do a better job of updating here.

Monday evening was 7 miles along the Santa Cruz. This time I headed south and realized that there is actually quite a bit of trail along the river so I enjoyed my run in the darkness. I was all alone out there -- except for some old guy on a squeaky Huffy who was smoking a cigarette. I passed him while I was on the trail off the path but when they merged, he pedaled up behind me and we chatted for a bit. He told me how he used to run distance.

I almost quite right there.

But then we hit a downhill and I had no choice other than to drop him and that was that.

Yesterday was going to be my second edition of my fartlek. I went out and did four in the morning just to make sure I was loosened up or whatever. Then the night rolled around and the next thing I knew, it was damn 10:30 and I wasn't about to go do a workout then. I pushed back my alarm for this morning then. Surprisingly, I was up and ready to go when it sounded and those good feelings lasted through the entire run. In fact, I'm debating whether to make this workout more difficult next week because today just seemed to go too well.

So that brings us to this moment. I'm sitting at 19 miles for the week with the 10k group run this evening. I understand that they set some sort of record last week, cruising at around 6:40 pace -- so I am hoping that doesn't become the case this week because I use that run as a recovery. Period.

Since the fartlek got pushed to this morning, I do hills on Friday and the long run on Sunday.


Top Tucson TF Marks -- Fellow Salpointe 2001 grad, Karen O'Hagan won her Sabino Sunset Run age group -- 4/21: DMRun148 Presents the Spring XC Classic

Last week was basically uneventful. Last night I got out for about 50 minutes along the Santa Cruz River before dinner. I was sore from about 9 hours of intense yard labor on Saturday and the legs just were not feeling it. Because of this, I was glad to get on a path with which I was not familiar with the markers because I think it gave me the opportunity to relax. Bringing it in I was loosening up some, but I'm not yet sure if they'll be worse or better before today's run.

I'm a little bummed because I was planning on running the Pat Tillman run in Tempe with former ASU 800m star, Jeff Dodge, this Saturday but my lack of backyard progress from this weekend requires that I stay here and work on it some more this weekend. Oh well -- it would have been nice to run a race just for fun.

Anyways, this week is pretty much gonna look like last week. About 50 miles, a fartlek, a hill workout, and a weekend long run (should probably think about knocking that out Saturday instead of waiting till Sunday in case I'm worn out again).

Just some terrible blog.

4/13: Open 5k on the track at Sabino -- CTF Jeff Dodge interview -- 4/7: Pat's giving up millions of dollars just to be shot by your own people and then having your cause of death lied about to your parents and America so that you could be used as a poster boy for a war you found morally questionable 4.2 miler