I just felt like running

Alabama A&M 10K

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Location:

Decatur,AL,

Member Since:

Jan 27, 2007

Gender:

Male

Goal Type:

Boston Qualifier

Running Accomplishments:

New blog at http://runkeeper.com/user/schotz/

Short-Term Running Goals:

2010 Race Schedule:

6/5: Eurocross 5K/8K

7/17: HTC Twilight Run 5K 

8/7: Hot to Trot 8 Hour (Atlanta)

9/18: Hartselle Depot Days 5K

9/25:  Elkmont Rails to Trails 10K 

10/16 Liz Hurley 5K 

10/24: Stone Steps 50K  (Cincinnati,OH) 

11/13: Chickamauga Battle Field Marathon (TN)

12/4: Frosty Freeze 5K (Decatur) 

12/31: Recover 50K (Huntsville) 

Long-Term Running Goals:

http://runkeeper.com/user/schotz/

Personal:

Born 1972 in north central Wisconsin

Married for 11 yrs to very supportive non-running wife. Two children : Fiona, 6 (in picture) and Elliott (2 yrs)

Co-Race Director of  Delano Park 12 Hour Run (www.delano12.com). President of River City Runners (www.rivercityrunners.org)

3 cats and 1 dog (chocolate lab)

In high school, I was an slightly overweight , badly asthmatic J.V. cross country runner.  I enjoyed being part of the team but never excelled.   The summer after my freshman year in college I decided to run a marathon.  6 weeks later I ran a 3:11 at Grandma's Marathon in Duluth (1991) and I was hooked on long distance running where my asthma wasn't as much of a factor. 

 

 

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Miles:This week: 0.00 Month: 0.00 Year: 0.00
Ohana Racers Lifetime Miles: 232.86
Saucony Trail Lifetime Miles: 147.44
Lunar Racer Lifetime Miles: 69.61
Lunar Glides Lifetime Miles: 132.75
Kayano 16 - 1 Lifetime Miles: 276.41
Kayano 16 - 2 Lifetime Miles: 19.11
Easy MilesThreshold MilesMarathon Pace MilesTrack speed mileageHill mileageTotal
200.588.201.000.000.00209.78
Elliott Stroller Miles: 4.00
Easy MilesThreshold MilesMarathon Pace MilesTrack speed mileageHill mileageTotal
5.700.000.000.000.005.70

Nice sunny summer day. 82F. Ran a couple trail loops and then up to the plastics plant and back. 

This week will be back to normal.  Last week with the new product was a little crazy.  Starting Wednesday, I was at work for 16 hours, 14hours Thursday, and then 24 hours on Friday.   I spent Saturday sleeping and recovering.  Took Sunday off to help Liza catch up on sleep and do some gardening and mowing.

I plan to run to work one day this week.   I'd like to work up to be able to do this multiple days per week.   It will be nice in the mornings but the afternoons are now in the high 80's and low 90's so they will require some pre-hydration and carrying a bottle.   On the bright side, it is good conditioning for the Hot to Trot 8 hour run I'm considering.

Comments(1)
Easy MilesThreshold MilesMarathon Pace MilesTrack speed mileageHill mileageTotal
6.400.000.000.000.006.40

Ran three laps of the trail.  Nicely shaded but no wind.  We have officially hit summer -  89F.  6 miles is about the limit for not carrying a water bottle.  I was ready for a drink when I got back.  20 oz Sun Drop and 20 oz of ice water.  I need to keep doing these lunch runs in the heat to get my body acclimitized to the heat in case I end up doing the Hot To Trot 8hr.

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Easy MilesThreshold MilesMarathon Pace MilesTrack speed mileageHill mileageTotal
5.000.000.000.000.005.00

Helped pace Marlon in the mile for the company fitness challenge.  He did well.  Met his goal (7:15) with room to spare (6:35).  I didn't do as well in mine.  I benchpressed 80lbs 18 times versus goal of 26.  I improved alot from 6 times I could do when I started  but I still didn't get the $75 reward.  I will still work at getting there. I just didn't put in enough workouts.

Run went well.  Its still hot .   I've started carrying a bottle which I wouldn't normally do for short runs.

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Easy MilesThreshold MilesMarathon Pace MilesTrack speed mileageHill mileageTotal
7.250.000.000.000.007.25

Paced a few more people in the mile run.  Jon T. met his 7:15 goal (7:01).  Shalana was on pace at the 1/4 mile but fell off pace and didn't make it.

Still hot but manageable with water and pacing.

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Easy MilesThreshold MilesMarathon Pace MilesTrack speed mileageHill mileageTotal
6.450.000.000.000.006.45

Did three laps on the trail.  Hot and sunny.  91F.  Carried a bottled of 20 oz .chilled Cytomax.  Refilled with tap water halfway through and finished that too.

Have a little pain in my upper calf- outer edge (abaxial).  pretty near the knee.  Doesn't seem to impact running but i feel it when I stretch.

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Easy MilesThreshold MilesMarathon Pace MilesTrack speed mileageHill mileageTotal
20.000.000.000.000.0020.00

First big long run in awhile.  Tried a Jeff Galloway run/walk strategy.   1 mile run / 45 seconds walk.    Worked really well.  Got faster as the run progressed.  Was able to finish with a 7:20 mile.  Overall, I averaged 8:45 pace (including walks).

Started early to beat the heat.  Supposed to be 97F today.  Was 71F at start (5:30am) and got up to 83F by the time I finished.  Pretty humid.  Went through 6 water bottles and still lost 3 lbs during the run.

Fueled by 1 Gu Pack (25g Carbs) every third walk break.  Seemed good but ran out since I had only carried 4.  Had my favorite flavors- Vanilla and Espresso.

Doubled my normal post run stretch routine.  This got it up to a whole 5 minutes.

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Easy MilesThreshold MilesMarathon Pace MilesTrack speed mileageHill mileageTotal
6.000.000.000.000.006.00

Took an afternoon run on the Point Mallard Trail.  A hot afternoon again (around 93F).  The trail is shaded so it didn't seem too bad.

At about 3/4 mile in, I tripped over my own feet and took a header on to the trail.  One of those slow motion crashes.  Very vivid , yet there is nothing to do.    Ended up sprawled on my back covered in dirt with a smile.  Both knees, elbows, palms  and a small bit of my back bloodied.  Not bad though. 

Crashes like this happen mostly during ultras for me.  Taking thousands of steps eventually leads to a couple duds here and there.  One foot not picked up enough or set down properly.  With so many steps in a long race, its amazing we humans can do it so well.

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Easy MilesThreshold MilesMarathon Pace MilesTrack speed mileageHill mileageTotal
6.750.000.000.000.006.75

Lunch run at work. A little cooler.  91F.  We are on the verge of a cooling off.  No more 90's for a while.   I'm starting to get used to it though.

Ran a fartlek.  Took some 60-90 sec striders on the trail on uphills (7min/mile pace).  Felt good.  Right knee was a little sore from yesterday's fall but it will be OK.

Paced Amy B. in the 1 mile fitness challenge.  She was just back from England and was fatigued . Inspite of that, she met her goal of 8:12 and was able to collect her prize from the company nurse.

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Easy MilesThreshold MilesMarathon Pace MilesTrack speed mileageHill mileageTotal
5.500.000.000.000.005.50

Lunch run.  Ran three laps on the BP Nature trail.

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Easy MilesThreshold MilesMarathon Pace MilesTrack speed mileageHill mileageTotal
4.880.000.000.000.004.88

Morning run.  I was supposed to pace Rita in the 1 mile -  9:57 target.  She was a no show.   Ended up running laps on the 1/4 mile stretch where we do the test runs  and then did a loop on the trail.

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Easy MilesThreshold MilesMarathon Pace MilesTrack speed mileageHill mileageTotal
9.600.000.000.000.009.60

Ran to work for the first time this morning.  1 hr 17 min.  Went well.   My wife talked me out of trying a roundtrip this time around.  I'll try that next week , especially if it cools down a little.    I'd like to get to where I don't drive at all for an entire workweek but that will take time.  I've never done more than 60 mile in a week and that would be 96.

Was nervous about a couple things on this run and none of them panned out.  Part of the run was past houses outside the city limits (almost in the country), I was worried there may be unleashed dogs that would chase me.  I passed 4-5 dogs which were outside but all were caged or chained.

My other concern was traffic.  This wasn't a big deal.   I went by the chicken plant before shift change which I think must be 7am.  State Docks Road (where 3M is) was the busiest stretch along my route but it again very tolerable-   less than 30 cars in a span of 1.5 miles (this was after 3M's shift change - 6am).

Initial mile splits were around 9 minutes.  Once warmed up, I settled into a 8 min/mile pace.  Last mile was 7:19.  Felt good.    So nice to run in a little cooler weather.

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Easy MilesThreshold MilesMarathon Pace MilesTrack speed mileageHill mileageTotal
3.000.000.000.000.003.00

Took it easy today.  Race , Hills, and distance on Saturday.

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Race: Alabama A&M 10K (6.2 Miles) 00:39:57, Place overall: 11, Place in age division: 2
Easy MilesThreshold MilesMarathon Pace MilesTrack speed mileageHill mileageTotal
10.306.200.000.000.0016.50

Had a hard rain last night which dropped the temperature and brought in clouds.  That made for the best running weather here in several weeks.  Temperature never got above 70F during the race.  Even right now as I'm writing at 1pm, its only 77F.

The A&M course is quite scenic.   Heads down Chase Road, through a nice green valley, past the railroad museum, through a nice neighborhood before turning back and then doing two laps within campus.  It has a steep hill at about 4.1 miles which you then repeat at 5.8 miles.  I felt good.  Started easy and tried to maintain and finish strong.  I was pleased.

Got a chance to try a little race tactics with a local 22 year old, Sam Koudriavtsev.  I came even with him at around 3.5 miles and tried to pass him.  He was determined to stay with me and hugged the curb.  I pushed a little and gapped him on the first hill climb and built a 15 yard lead.  That held on the gradual downhill and by the start of the 2nd attempt at the hill was maybe 10 yards.  I stayed steady up the steep grade and tried to pick it up as the grade lessened.  I could hear him coming so I decided to ease up a little to let him catch me.  (I didn't have to ease a whole lot).  He pulled even with me and got a few strides ahead right at the crest of the hill.  We had only 0.2 miles to go.     Thinking he had just expended quite a bit of effort in the pass on the climb , I surged hard past him as I headed down the gradual grade and the finish.  My only hope was to break him as I didn't have the legs to keep the pace to the finish.  He blew by me 15 seconds later and I was the one broken.   He ended up beating me by 6 seconds.  I did almost catch Jon (4 seconds ahead of me).  That hardly ever happens at shorter distances.

Jon and I ran after the race around campus and through a couple neighborhoods.

Comments(2)
Easy MilesThreshold MilesMarathon Pace MilesTrack speed mileageHill mileageTotal
7.000.000.000.000.007.00

easy day.   pushed elliott in the stroller for 4 miles.  Called my dad on the speaker phone for fathers day.  I knew if I didn't do it then, it would be 9pm before I'd get the chance.  Worked pretty well- I ran slow 10-11 min/mile while pushing  so I could talk without breathing heavy.

Later in the day I ran a little at point mallard.  Jon and I were finalizing the start for the Spirit of America 5 mile run.  We will do a little over a lap on the soccer field before heading down the paved road between the golf course and the forest where the trail is.  It will return on the trail like it normally does.  It will end up over 1/2 mile grass, 1.5 paved, 3 miles trail.

Elliott Stroller Miles: 4.00
Comments(2)
Easy MilesThreshold MilesMarathon Pace MilesTrack speed mileageHill mileageTotal
5.000.000.000.000.005.00

easy run at lunch.  felt pretty weak.  Temp back up to 89F.   Good  Hot to Trot 8hr training.

The biggest issue is I was not hydrated and under fueled.  I get to work and indulge in a little too much coffee.   Drinking coffee all morning, no water, and then 89F conditions don't bode well for a perfect run.    When I actually run the 8hr, I'll be much smarter.

I'm going to run to work and then back home in the evening on Wednesday.  This will be 19.2 total  plus any pacing I do for the company 1 mile challenge.  Hope its not too many 7 minute milers.

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Easy MilesThreshold MilesMarathon Pace MilesTrack speed mileageHill mileageTotal
4.000.000.000.000.004.00

Took it easy.  Big day tomorrow. 20+ miles if all goes well.

Starting to cool off .  Already 71F.  Supposed to get down to the high 50's.  My morning run to work will feel soooo good.

Comments(1)
Easy MilesThreshold MilesMarathon Pace MilesTrack speed mileageHill mileageTotal
20.000.001.000.000.0021.00

Ran to work and back.  Nice way to commute.   Coming home was easier than going there.  I felt stronger and better fueled.   Also in the morning I had some stomach issues and was in a frantic search for a restroom at one point during the run.

I paced Bailey and Jamie in the 1 mile when I got to work.  Nice 10 mile warmup and then a 7min/mile.  I felt pretty weak but was able to pull it together and get both of them to their 7:15 goal.  Jamie needed some strong encouragement at the end to keep it going but he made it in 7:10.

I pass a large garden on the corner of Miller st. and Cockrell on the way.  So far they have cabbage for sale.

Water refilling is a issue on the return trip.  It will be hot and there are no parks or visible water spiquots.  At about 4 miles in , I walked into McCulloms seafood and asked to buy some sweet tea to go.  The nice lady at the counter took my bottle and without hesitation filled it with ice and then sweet tea.   "Free of charge" and in southern style called me "sweetie and sweetheart" through the process.  That hit the spot.  Southern sweet team is very sweet and almost too much so for running.  It tasted so good and my pace picked up.

I met Jon at the church and ran the remaining 3 miles home with him.  He brought me orange gatorade which also hit the spot.

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Easy MilesThreshold MilesMarathon Pace MilesTrack speed mileageHill mileageTotal
5.400.000.000.000.005.40

Trail run at work.  Nice weather.  Cooled off.

May flies have hit.  They peaked yesterday so I didn't ingest any today.  They are so prolific for a day or so and then they disappear and die.

Comments(1)
Easy MilesThreshold MilesMarathon Pace MilesTrack speed mileageHill mileageTotal
3.202.000.000.000.005.20

lunch run.  Did 2 one mile repeats.  6:18 , 6:16. 

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Easy MilesThreshold MilesMarathon Pace MilesTrack speed mileageHill mileageTotal
9.250.000.000.000.009.25

Ran with Jon and Bob over to point mallard, on the trail, and then back.  Did a lap on the soccer field to figure the distance.  Inside perimeter almost exactly 0.5 miles so it will work for the 1 mile fun run next weekend at the spirit run. 

Run felt pretty good.  I was dragging a bit on the trails but got my second wind on 13th street and ended up doing one sub-7 minute mile.

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Easy MilesThreshold MilesMarathon Pace MilesTrack speed mileageHill mileageTotal
1.500.000.000.000.001.50

Evening run  for no other purpose other than to keep up my unintended running streak.  21 straight days and counting.

With my trip to Minnesota this week, I should be able to get in some good runs. probably a couple two-a-days.   Temps in the 60's and 70's will be nice.

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Easy MilesThreshold MilesMarathon Pace MilesTrack speed mileageHill mileageTotal
11.300.000.000.000.0011.30

easy run from the hotel .  Ran a section through Cottage Grove Ravine Park-  nice surface- shaded with soft dirt/grass base.   Thought I was lost for awhile and ended up running a little longer than I planned.  Once I found my way, I picked up a the pace and did 2 miles at 7:04 pace.   Around 8 min/mile pace overall.

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Easy MilesThreshold MilesMarathon Pace MilesTrack speed mileageHill mileageTotal
9.700.000.000.000.009.70

Easy 3.1 mile run in the morning from Hotel.  90th St. to Inwood to Hillside Trail to Point Douglass (Hwy 61 frontage road) and back to hotel.  Quiet residential streets.    Nice.  Flat. 

Did 6.6 mile loop after work.  Getting hot here too.  85F and humid.  Felt ok.   90th street on bike path to Ravine Park.  Big Hill to climb.  Ran through the park on the bike path.  Very nice.  Started hearing gunshots or fireworks echoing through the valley.  Got louder as I got to the lake at the bottom of the ravine.  I was sure it was someone setting off firecrackers in the park but no smoke.  As I exited the park and climbed out the ravine, I saw the 3M rifle range across highway 61.  Several people out there.  It had to be a mile or more to the park but the sound carried.  I may have to drive over there to see what the range looks like.  I could see a little lodge or shelter but it was across the highway and a field from where I was running.

Used my travel perdiem to buy muscle milk (chocolate, 12g carb, 22g Protein, 11g fat) and bananas.  Figured it was better than the Wendy's hamburger I had last night.    I'd generally prefer a recovery drink to have more carbs (80 Carb/20 protein) in it.  It tasted OK , maybe it would be better if chilled. May try Boost.   My goal in all of this is to find something I can stick in the fridge at work so I can have it after I run to work. 

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Easy MilesThreshold MilesMarathon Pace MilesTrack speed mileageHill mileageTotal
9.000.000.000.000.009.00

Started at about the 25.5 mile mark of the Twin Cities Marathon Course on Summit Ave.  Ran backwards on the course to the river at around the 22 mile mark.  I went downriver a little to Princeton Ave and started to head back.  Nice shaded residential streets.  Princeton deadended into Macalaster College.  Went south to St. Claire Ave and continued back east.  Ended up in the Crocus Hill neighborhood (very nice old stone homes).  Finished up on Grand Hill/Summit Ct. and back across to Summit Ave.

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Easy MilesThreshold MilesMarathon Pace MilesTrack speed mileageHill mileageTotal
3.100.000.000.000.003.10

Ran at 4am from the hotel before heading to the airport to catch a 6:45am flight.

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Easy MilesThreshold MilesMarathon Pace MilesTrack speed mileageHill mileageTotal
5.000.000.000.000.005.00

Took two days off to catch up on sleep.  Two nights with about 4 hours sleep in the past 3 days.   Traveling, Spirit Run, and furniture moving now behind me.

After warm-up , did two one-mile repeats  (Loop Springdale,Acrilane,Brookwood,Pennylane plus a little more on springdale).  6:15 first mile,   6:05 second mile.  Felt decent.   Good to get back to training for the 8 hr.

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Easy MilesThreshold MilesMarathon Pace MilesTrack speed mileageHill mileageTotal
10.300.000.000.000.0010.30

We had to take Liza's car to the shop-  batch hatch wouldn't open.   To avoid having Liza drop me off and then pick me up, I ran home.   Went well.  Wasn't super hot  (83F).   I had to push it because I needed to meet Liza at church at 6pm and then I'd push Elliott in the jog stroller back home.  I kept every mile under 8 minutes.  Had one under 7.  Felt good.   Pushing Elliott home was nice and easy 9:30 pace.    I had one Gu at mile 2 (about 5:15pm).  I almost completely had a blood sugar crash from mile 9 one.  Very weak.   When I got home, I inhaled 6 chocolate marshmellows and  a 20 oz Gatorade. Walked the dog and pushed Elliott for about 3/4 of a mile while munching on chips and a few oreos.  I was back to normal by the time I got home.

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Easy MilesThreshold MilesMarathon Pace MilesTrack speed mileageHill mileageTotal
200.588.201.000.000.00209.78
Elliott Stroller Miles: 4.00
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