P-5

Ran 10 this morning with 7 steady at 7:30 pace. I couldn't keep my brain focused on anything so I just let it wander. Lots to do today. Gotta go.

P-6

Race day is fast approaching. Today was a slow easy 5 miles. Running 8:30 pace I never really loosened up but I am trying to get fully recovered from the hard runs of the past 3 weeks. I have started my race week hydration plan that calls for 4-5 700ml water bottles per day + meal time drinks. I have my chip and race shoes in my carry on. I am washing my running clothes so I can pack my race clothes today. I haven't yet picked my throw aways. By tonight, I plan to have all of my race essentials packed and ready to go. Then I will check it every day until I leave on Friday.

Portland in 7 days!

Since I couldn't get my long run in yesterday, I received my alternate instructions from Steve: "12-14 but not too hilly. Keep it easy then close the final 10-15 minutes." I laid out a gently rolling 14 mile route and headed out with every intention of following Steve's instructions to the letter. My course was laid out with 2 mile segments so I kept track of my 2 mile splits. The pace for each 2 mile split worked out to: 7:45 7:30 7:15 7:10 7:00 6:29 6:23. Overall pace for 14 miles 7:05. I really really tried to maintain an even effort once I reached the 7:30 pace but there were just too many other runners out there this morning and as I blew past each one of them I just kept smiling, saying good morning and squishing them into the pavement. Figuratively of course. So it ended up being a progressive pace run without an all out finish. I will run about 35 miles this week then take the battle to the streets of Portland next Sunday. The goal is <3:10. I am going to try to run even 7:15/mile for 20 then see if I can shave a minute or two off the final time. After the last 3 weeks of mostly great runs, I feel that this is the best I have ever felt going into ANY marathon I've ever run. The goal does not seem as big a stretch as many of my previous attempts. Ruth Anne promised me that she will go to Boston with me whether she qualifies at Portland or not. That will be great. If I can put together a winter training season that ends up as well as this one I will be ready to go for 3 hours at Boston. Whoo Hoo.

P-8

I had water stop duty this morning so couldn't figure out an easy way to get my 16 miler in. Ran for 40 minutes which should have been 5 miles or a little more. I've asked Steve to advise me on what I should run tomorrow. I only saw a few of the Austin Marathon runners as I was at the 10 mile turn around and most of the group was maxing out at 8. Did see quite a few folks out doing other runs, Abe, Maria, Chad, Jimmy who else? I have a skate fitting at noon then we are going to a Kayak demonstration and try out at 2.

On the real world side of life: It's official, we are now Green Horse Realty and a member of Beyond The Move Realty. Our web site www.GreenHorseRealty.com is up and almost where we want it. Our office space will be available on the day we get back from Portland so we will be in business! Can't wait to get started.

P-9

59 degrees, sunshine and a girl on her scooter! What a great way to start your day. After dropping Eileen off at school I headed out with no route and no watch for an easy run of 5 miles or so. I was a little tight at the start but loosened up about a mile in and ran what I thought was an 8 min pace winding through the neighborhood streets. I was thinking about the Portland Marathon pace calculator that Jim found on line yesterday. It claims to take in to account the course profile and produce mile by mile splits for your goal time. It also asks for a recent race of any length and produces a predicted finish time for Portland. For my goal time, I plugged in 3:10:00. Then I plugged in several race times. The one I thought was most appropriate was the Zooma 1/2 marathon that I ran last February. It was on a hilly course near Bastrop not the blazing fast 3M course. Using my time of 1:29:04, the Portland Marathon predictor predicted a 3:07:17 and produced mile by mile splits for that time. I then used my IBM 10K time of 39:52 from last year and got a prediction of 3:06:58. All of that adds to my confidence level that my goal is within reach.

P-10

4:15am alarm goes off, turn off alarm, roll over, go back to sleep. 4:20am give up going back to sleep, get up, get ready for workout. Discombobulated all morning, checked forum, miss post about change of location. Head to Rogue, no one around. Checked forum on iPhone found workout moved to Barton Springs. Selected route has 16 stop lights, all red. Arrive just as group heads for track. Can't remember workout description or paces. Ask Steve for workout when we arrive at track, he asks me if I'm feeling OK. I guess I usually have my shit together and now he's concerned. Workout is 6x1 mile with alternating 400s at 10K - 1/2 marathon. Don't know what those paces are so I just run fast and less fast. Paces ranged from 5:52 to 6:52 and averaged 6:20 for the 6 miles. Paces should have been 6:44 and 7:00 and should have averaged 6:52. Should have known I was fast when Lightning Larry is bitching at me for pulling him too fast on a couple of laps. Well, don't know whether to call this a great workout or an act of great stupidity. 10 days to Portland.

P-11

Yesterday's run was one of my worst ever. The only good thing was the short walk home. I'm going to put it in a box and leave it alone now.

Today I ran an easy 6 after walking Eileen to school. I didn't run the watch but I needed to get a feel for the pace so I looked at the time at my final mile mark and clocked a 7:00. I needed confirmation that I was on a pace that fit with the effort level and it was just right. The world of running is looking good these days. The weather is cool, I have a great group of runners training for the Austin Marathon and I look forward to our Tuesday's together. This Saturday I have drawn coaching duty so I am working on a plan to get my 16 miler in. I may have to run Sunday if I can't come up with a workable plan.

P-12

For only the second time I can remember, a Team Rogue workout has been canceled do to weather. I didn't get the word until I arrived at Rogue so I had to decide on how to revise my plans. Ruth Anne had an early meeting so I decided to head home and run after taking Eileen to school. Our message says that we will do today's workout on Thursday so I plan to do the Thursday workout on my own this morning. It looks like 2 x 2 miles at half marathon pace. That will be easy on my regular running route. I'm looking forward to running in the rain but I will look for some reflective clothes before heading out.

P-13

Easy 5 miles today after walking Eileen to school. It was hot and humid. I am hoping the weathermen are not just teasing about the cold front coming tomorrow. The weather underground says it will likely be 50-55 at the start in Portland and 60-65 at the finish with a 40% chance of rain. Historically speaking. It will be another week before any kind of accurate forecast will be available. I wouldn't mind 50 degrees and light rain. Or 45 degrees and sunny. Hold the wind please. Beer and fries at the finish if you don't mind. Just found this YouTube video and thought you might enjoy.

P-14

The final countdown to Portland has begun. I am growing more and more confident that my 3:10 goal is reasonable and obtainable. I have some concerns about the course that I will not be able to put to rest until I see them in person on Friday before the race. Before heading out on my run today, I read some Portland race reports other runners have posted online. The concensus of the ones I read is: run conservatively until AFTER the tall bridge at mile 18 try to close in the final 4 miles. Today's 5 miler was a breeze. I waited a little too long to head out and it was hot and humid but I knew it was just 5 miles and paid no attention really. I was ever so slightly stiff for about 1 mile but was running smooth and fast by mile 2. I'm looking forward to the final 2 weeks of workouts.

Last big run before Portland

This is getting even scarier. I feel great. Keith pointed out after our run that I have that look like I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop. There may be a bit of truth in that observation. Today was 23.5 miles with 20 miles at MGP+20sec/mile. What that means is: I want to run a 3:10:00 marathon which works out to 7:15/mile. So today I was supposed to run at a 7:35 pace. That did not exactly happen. In fact I was all over the map as I had no one running my exact pace but 5 or 6 runners running near my pace so I was constantly trying to judge who was where while trying not to get lost in the dark with directions printed in fine print. Slowest mile was mile 2 at a 7:40. Fastest mile was 20 at 6:51. Overall average pace for the 20 was 7:20. Overall pace for the entire 23.5 was 7:27 or a 3:15 marathon pace. That is a great confidence builder BUT I need to be careful this week to get full recovery before the marathon.

Just a note about the "new" Las Vegas. You may remember a few years back when Las Vegas tried to cultivate a family friendly image? Well, those days are GONE! The Treasure Island Pirate attack is now a lame ass pole dancing routine with show girl and Chippendale rejects. The M&M store is stocked with men's boxers with "Melts in your mouth not in your hands" printed on the fly. We had a great time but Eileen will not be making any more trips to LV with us for a VERY LONG TIME! Parents you are warned.

Temp Down - Up Tempo

Man, lower the daily temp 10 degrees and I start to feel like a rock star. Since I am leaving town in the morning, I got my tempo run in today. My breathing was a little ragged on the first mile but I was pleasantly surprised by the 7:27 pace for the 3 mile warm up. When I got to the mailbox marking the start of the tempo section I tried to drop the hammer but it was more like melting the butter and I just kind of oozed into it. 6:58 for the first mile. I may not have stopped my watch while I waited to cross Oak Knoll because mile 2 clocked at 6:15. Of course I had another runner up ahead and I did have to catch him before turning around. When I went by he just said WOW! When I turned around and went past him again he asked me what pace I was running so I just shrugged and said about 6:15. I really didn't want to puke while he was in sight! Mile 3 6:25 and mile 4 6:32 (crossing Oak Knoll again). What really pumped me up was after the tempo section I slowed way down and just cruised home. When I retrieved the paces from my watch the 3 mile cool down was a 6:57 pace! And I wasn't even breathing hard!

I will be running tomorrow in Las Vegas after a 3 hour plane ride. That'll be fun, NOT. If there is time, maybe I'll drive up to red rocks and run at 6,000 feet. Saturday's run is the last Race Prep run for Team Rogue Portland. We are warming up for 2 miles then running 2 x 10 miles at 15 seconds slower than MGP and 2 miles back. So 24 miles with 20 at 7:30 pace. Assuming I behave in Vegas, this run should be a piece of cake.

Of Shoes and Fish

Yesterday was the first time I have run on the roads in the rain in my current shoes. I was anxious to find out how they would perform since there is always a good chance of rain in Portland in the Fall. Within a block, we came to water standing in the road that was at least 2 inches deep so I ran right through it. Others in my group were weaving, jumping and high stepping to avoid getting their shoes wet. I will admit I HATE wet shoes and have performed all of the same futile gymnastics on many a wet run in the past. The result: my shoes completely filled with water then completely drained within 2 strides. I could feel the water rushing out of the shoes and there was absolutely no squishing. Of course the shoes have no insole, I don't wear socks and the whole upper is mesh. This morning as I was putting on my shoes for a quick 5 miles, it occurred to my that of course my shoes would work great in the rain, they are Piranhas after all!

Since it was not raining this morning, I elected to put a few more miles on the pair I have picked for race day. I relaced them in the Arthur Lydiard preferred method, got everything adjusted just right and headed out. Man I LOVE these shoes. Each pair has subtle differences and this pair is the most comfortable pair of shoes I think I have ever run in. They will go back in the closet today. I will run no more than 2 medium long runs in them before race day so they will have about 60-70 miles on them. Perfect!

Rain, miles and smiles

The countdown has begun. We race in 3 weeks. Today it rained. I elected to run with the big dogs today. At 3 miles I determined that I would not get dropped today and focused on running easy and relaxed. I've mapped out the route we ran at 16.4 miles in 2:00:40 working out to a 7:20 average pace. We hit the turn around at 1:03:40 or 7:42 pace making the return trip in 57 minutes flat or 6:54 pace. Race pace for Portland is 7:15 so I feel I'm in good shape for race day.

Again To Carthage

Big things happening in Geezer's little world these days. I took and passed the Texas Real Estate Sales exam last Monday. Waiting now on the license and making a decision on broker affiliation. I'm going today to get fingerprinted and photographed for the license. Tonight is the first group coaching for the Austin Marathon training season. It looks like we will have about 20 runners again and a mix of advanced, intermediate and beginner runners. I'm getting excited about it!

Saturday was the first long run for the Austin Marathon groups and the coaches were expected to be there. I needed to get my 24 miler in so I mapped out a 17 mile route from my house to Rogue and started out at 4:28am. I averaged a 7:20 pace down to Rogue then stood around for 25 minutes and got stiff as a board. The final 7 miles were run with Jimmy and several others at a more reasonable 8 minute pace. After the workout Sean loaned me his copy of "Again To Carthage" by John L. Parker Jr. It's the sequel to "Once A Runner" that I read last year in Sacramento. Even though the main character is a sub 4 miler and Olympic medalist, I absolutely identify with the single minded pursuit of goals and the punishing training that he endures. While I can't physically go live in the woods for a year to train for one race, my family will confirm that I am quite capable of disappearing for a couple of weeks leading up to an important marathon. During our track workout this morning, I was playing scenes from the two books in my head and completely into a zone. Except for the lap that I first passed Sadie. I think she picked up her pace just slightly as I went by and I automatically picked mine up and blew my rhythm all to hell. It took me took more laps to get back on track! Anyway, with the exception of those 3 laps, I nailed the pace on the 16x400 at 10k pace.