Taper

May 18th- An easy 5k today with the group: Erik, Minhong, Chris, Becky, and Laura. It was a pretty easy route, but I lagged behind to chat with some of the folks I don't get to talk to much. Erik and I went back and forth on the pros and cons of eating organic and the various ways big companies trick you into thinking their food is healthy. We could have went on for hours. The weather was great. Just a light drizzle to cool things off.

May 19th- Another easy day on the same 5k route as yesterday. Legs were feeling unexpectedly heavy, so I took it slow on the grass for the first two miles of the run. I must not have been running as slow as I expected, but decided to throw in some "easy" tempo work on the final mile home on Flat Rd. Felt like I was moving at 8:00 min pace, but it turned out to be 7:00 min. I could have held that pace for hours. Hopefully, that's a real good sign.

Das Cut

Somewhat easy loop with Brian at lunch today over to the Cut. I haven't gone straight up this route in a while, always looking to tag on a few extra miles and taking the long way up. There are arguments as to which route is harder, but taking it on straight up is definitely tough no matter how you slice it. You break into a long narrow valley about 3/4 mile long, with a looming hill in the distance. Staring this thing down is enough to get your heart rate up. The rain we got yesterday and today didn't help with traction on the early portion of the climb, and although the baseball-size rocks kept the mud to a minimum, they didn't help out my ankles at all.

I remember this route as one of my first runs with the lunch group when I started in Malvern a little over a year ago. I was still recovering from my ankle injury then and had lost a lot of fitness over the subsequent months. By the time I got to Malvern, I was in pretty bad shape and this run nearly broke me. I'm glad to say that now, while not much easier, it somehow doesn't seem as daunting as it once did. This just proves how perception can change over time and most of the reasons for not trying something in the first place is fear. Thrust yourself into the thick of things and pretty soon it becomes the norm, not leaving much room for doubt.

As an added bonus, Brian and I happened across a solo jogger heading in the opposite direction from us on the way back. As we got closer, I heard him yell out my name and quickly recognized him as my neighbor in Conshohocken. When we first moved in, I remembered he told me that he worked for JCI in Spring House, not far from where I worked. Now I'm wondering if his company doesn't do contract work for JNJ. I'll have to find out. Maybe I've just found myself another running partner.

About 5.5 miles. Untimed.

Told myself that 4-5 miles would be enough to get out the door, but turned that into a 7.5 mile Diamond Rock loop once I got the wheels going. It's always easier to persuade yourself out with an easy run. Grease the wheels and suddenly something longer doesn't seem out of the question. Storm clouds were looming all morning. In fact, the office area was dense with moisture... and the complaints of several coworkers. In timely fashion, the rain started with 10 minutes of the start of my run and soon turned into a heavy downpour. Thunder and lightning added to the ominous feeling of the run, but nothing would affect my slow and steady pace. I trudged up Howell Rd. with my eyes down to keep the rain out and slowly made it to the top. By the time I was out of the trails and on my way back down this same hill the sun was starting to peak out. It might seem weird to admit, but I'd prefer weather like this. I don't mind the wind and rain as it cools me off. And the sun shining at the finish of a decent run just compounds the high I already feel. Wouldn't have it any other way.

7.4 miles in 70 minutes

Heavy Legs=Time for a Break

Today had to have been one of the slowest runs in a while. I'm sure that the miles and workouts racking up, in addition to the little water and food I had this morning, and the sudden increase in temperature outside all had something to do with it. I wasn't trying to push either, so I ended up walking up many of the steep trails I would otherwise press up. It was fairly uneventful, but I did take notice of the nighttime presence in the area. At the top of the Cut is a huge bonfire pit with a multitude of beer cans around it. The kicker is the 1970s style that has obviously been hauled up to the top of the hill manually. Access to this location is too treacherous for even a four-wheeling SUV. There are bonfire pits strew about at other locations along this 2-3 mile trail as well, maybe from dirt-biking outcasts who were deemed not cool enough to be included in the party.

6.5 miles in 78 minutes

Late afternoon

I'll be out of town this weekend for the AOR race to DC, so I wouldn't be able to participate in the final scheduled WOD at CBCF. Tonight was pretty much my only free night. The WOD for this week was unveiled two weeks ago so people had plenty of time to practice or at least lament over it.

AMRAP 7 minutes

3 Barbell Thrusters (100lbs / 45kg)
3 Chest to bar Pull-ups
6 Barbell Thrusters (100lbs / 45kg)
6 Chest to bar Pull-ups
9 Barbell Thrusters (100lbs / 45kg)
9 Chest to bar Pull-ups
12 Barbell Thrusters (100lbs / 45kg)
12 Chest to bar Pull-ups
15 Barbell Thrusters (100lbs / 45kg)
15 Chest to bar Pull-ups
18 Barbell Thrusters (100lbs / 45kg)
18 Chest to bar Pull-ups
* If you finish the round of 18 pullups and thrusters, continue with 21, 24, etc.

Again, no idea how I would do it this workout. It was especially hard since there was no one else around performing it and I had no other benchmarks to go by. I finished with 82 total reps (ie. finished the round of 15 thrusters and did 7 C2B pullups). I would have liked to reach 18, but it felt pretty tough.

Mike asked me if I wanted to stick around for the daily WOD that they were performing that day:

Part I

For Time:

21 Deadlifts (225/150)

Run 4 CBCF laps (760 meters)

15 Deadlifts

Run 4 CBCF laps

9 Deadlifts

Run 4 CBCF laps

13:26

Part II

Tabata Hollow/Arch Holds

Was expecting to feel EXTREMELY wiped afterward, but I slept pretty well that night and didn't notice any lethargy. Tomorrow is a rest anyway.

Miles

Lunch run today with Becky, Raph, and Paul. The American Odyssey Relay is looming next week and it falls right in the middle of my training calendar. I rationalized that 20 miles in 24 hours at a decent race pace is equivalent to 20 miles in a single shot. Raph is also training for a marathon in Pittsburgh in a few weeks, so we are in a similar boat. His training follows more of a Crossfit Endurance type plan, although I don't think that's his intention. Last year he ran the marathon on minimal training in just over three hours. This year, I think he intends on repeating his plan from last year, perhaps with slightly more volume. He doesn't really include long runs in his training, rather he incorporates moderate distance runs done at tempo pace (10-14 miles) with some hill repeats and 800m intervals sprinkled throughout the week.

He has some background as either a track/cross country runner in high school and college, so I'm sure his rules don't apply to many others, but still interesting to see that he has had some success with this type of training. He is still accumulating 50+ miles per week, however. I'd like to try this type of training plan in the future, since it seems these longs runs just leave me feeling incredibly sore for days on end.

The run today was a 5 mile loop through the quarry and the nature preserve with the three of them. Raph and I added on a 3 mile loop down Flat Rd. and onto Lapp Rd at the end. Good weather, good run, but I was feeling the heaviness in my legs towards the end. I also found myself lagging behind the rest of the group during the early trail portion of the run, but convinced myself that I was running my own pace. Seems to work more for my mental confidence.

The triple incident

Today's workout called for eight miles. I brought my phone to gauge distance as best I could, but I still think it is falling a bit short. I don't really think I am running 11 minute miles. I mean c'mon. I'm not too familiar with the technology, but I'm pretty sure these phones and the Garmin devices use the same satellite. I don't know how one might get a better signal than the other, though. I guess it doesn't really matter. At this point a mile or two is just splitting hairs. I'm not really targeting any goal finishing time for this race anyway.

I was hoping for eight miles but it looks like I fell a mile short. Here is the summary. I was making my way through some overgrown trail that outlines the backyards of several homes, which on a route that is the prelude to the Cut. I had my headphones on and didn't notice the faint sound of danger until it was too late...dogs. A German Shepherd, and English Mastiff, and a pug. Despite the fear that was racing up my spine, I managed to let out a chuckle at this sight and told myself that there had to be some sort of invisible fence. In the back of my mind I kept thinking that German Shepherds don't have the best social personalities. I mean, they are trained to be police dogs and take down criminals...violently. I spotted the three of them from maybe a hundred yards away and kept up my pace, although keeping them in the corner of my eye. They kept advancing and I couldn't see anyone else in the backyard. Finally, they started crushing through the brush that made up the boundary between the yard and the trail. At this point, I think it's OK to admit that I $hit myself. I froze and the two bigger dogs circled me, barking and growling constantly, while the pug struggled to make it through the thick brush. The German Shepherd, while never making contact, was snapping at my wrist. After what seemed like forever, the owner finally came running out the back door, calling them all back and thankfully they obeyed. I didn't wait for any signal from her and took off down the remainder of the trail, unfortunately in the wrong direction I did miss the turn at the base of the cut and tried slogging through some marsh before giving up and turning around. I was a little hesitant to go back, but it was the only way and thankfully the dogs were back inside by now. The owner was standing out in the middle of the yard, staring at me and I wondered how many four-wheelers she has seen and cursed at while speeding by on this trail.

I took the long meandering route up the hill to add some miles onto the run. Lot of fallen logs to maneuver and I was rocking the Precisions, which have decent treads but not amazing ones. I nimbly bound over a waist-high log, planting one foot on top to carry me over, and the smooth bark-less trunk was too slick from the recent rain. It was like stepping on a sheet of ice. Luckily I had enough momentum carrying me forward so that I didn't land on the log and slow enough reaction time so that I didn't stick out my arm to brace my fall. I landed perfectly horizontal on the soft, rain-soaked ground-the remaining air in my lungs pushed out with a bellowing "Oooommf". I popped up, thankful that it hadn't turned out worse, and chuckled at the spill I had just taken.

I was dreading the notion that all bad things come in "3's," noticing the looming storm clouds over head I thought maybe this day would culminate in a lightning strike. Or at least a falling tree branch. The closest I came to fate was strong cloud of Christmas trees in the air. I thought maybe I had a brain tumor for a hot second, but rounded a corner and came across a few landscapers chugging a few beers next to recently fallen pine trees. Close call. I took Lapp Rd. home, up the hill on Tech Dr. and called it a day. Pretty good run.

Managing Fatigue

I headed out during lunch for the 7.4 miles up Diamond Rock with Becky and Raph. The past few times we've done this run it usually takes approx 64-70 minutes to finish. We did the reverse route, although it seems like it's become the normal route these days. It has a pretty decent hill about 15 minutes into the run, followed by a gradual downhill and then another challenging climb.

I got to thinking about runs that I really feel good about lately. Tuesday's interval workout, oddly, was one of those workouts. Other than that, I don't really seem to remember too many runs where I can feel a solid pop in my stride and really feel comfortable at a 7-8 minute pace. Granted, I've been putting in some hard strength work during the week. Granted, I don't have too many interval or tempo sessions under my belt during this training cycle. But I'm still logging 30-45 miles per week, which is more than I've accumulated in recent memory. Hopefully, when I start tapering I'll start to feel some of that fitness I've hopefully been building lately. I got a glimpse of it on Tuesday and I just want a little more.

7.4 miles in 64 minutes.

Short run

Run today called for three easy miles. Took a route with some coworkers through a hay field that I'm sure was crawling with ticks. Add sinkholes and poison ivy and that equals me never running through here again. To top it off, I found the remains of a deer femur (at least I think it as a deer...). Pace was very slow to accommodate all of the newbies, and I was happy to oblige. At least the grace was easy on my legs and got the blood flowing.

About 3.5 miles in 40 minutes.

Solo Malvern Run

A solo run in the rain through the quarry and the nature preserve today. I can easily remember the days when I was missing turns left and right. Now the heavily traveled route seems like second nature to me. I still can't consider myself an expert back here, but it's good to know I can head out on my own and find my way around. Of course the rain brought lots of mud and bigger creeks, but the wind wasn't so bad once I reached the protection of the trees. I had anticipated 70 degree weather all week and didn't pack anything but shorts and a tee. I opted to take the Brokeback portion of the trail (the first time I realized where the turnoff was) and finished with a sprint up the final hill in the park before cooling down for the last 1/2 mile.

My legs still felt pretty heavy, but at least the stiffness dissipated after a few minutes of warmup. About 4.5 miles in 40 minutes.

Early evening

Loss to Zero Defects tonight. Didn't play as well as we did last week, although they hit a ton of three-pointers. I think this drops us to second place, but I guess it doesn't really matter in the end. We beat the first place team handily twice already this season. Hoping for the best.

Growing numbers

I think it was a record turnout for the afternoon run today. Paul, Raph, Becky, myself, Chris, Brian, Frank, and Pedro rounded out the team and we headed onto what they called the "Hollow Rd/Horsetrail route. Some pretty decent climbs during this run, particularly in the beginning and then again about half way through. I charged both but didn't record the time it took to finish them. The hill up Yellow Springs is a almost 3/4 of a mile, and I would guess it took me about 5-6 minutes to reach the top of this hill. I would say it's pretty much one of the longest, steepest hills in the area.

Once we got to the top I realized I knew exactly which route we were taking. I don't really like this portion of the Horseshoe Trail. There are so many softball-sized rocks littering the trail, which are precariously covered by constant bed of leaves. It just makes running through this portion unenjoyable because every step is focused and hesitant. As soon as we made it out of this section, it was back on the road and almost immediately onto the long downhill back to the corporate campus. There is at least a section of grass on the side of the road and I have learned to negotiate this section with increasing speed. I never really feel any energy exerted on speeding up, rather just bracing myself for each footstrike and trying to make each one as smooth as possible. Let yourself go and you'll continue rolling faster down the hill, until either your nerves or your quads force you to stop. I reached the bottom and couldn't see the next runner in sight, including some of the more accomplished trail runners.

I can't remember what my final time was. I'll say 7.3 miles in about 67 minutes.

Nature Preserve

Rainy, muddy run through the quarry and the Nature Preserve with Chris and Paul. I should probably make it more of a habit to check the weather forecast in the mornings, but I never really plan for anything. All I brought with me today was a long shirt, shorts, a hat, and Mt101s. Of course no socks. Today might as well be as good a day as any to go sockless and hope I don't develop any blisters. As it turns out, I didn't get any despite the fact that my shoes seem to be just slightly loose. Might have to start trying this more often. The only down side of the MT101s is that in muddy conditions, they offer almost no ankle stability. This particular route has lots of steep uphill and downhill sections and the latter usually culminate in a sharp turn at the bottom which means you really have to trust your footing in order to plant and turn. Of course I have no confidence at this point, so I probably looked a bit like a ballerina tiptoe-ing down the hill trying desperately not to build up too much speed before inevitably face-planting in the mud. Luckily, it went OK and I had no spills.

We got to talking about preparations for the AOR relay at the end of April and many of the logistics still need to be worked out. For some odd reason, I realized that this will be one of the first races I've been in since Broad Street last year. Not terribly frightening, but remarkable nonetheless.

Should be about 5 miles in 42:48

Northern Loop

Early afternoon

A new route coined as the Northern Loop today with Frank and Brian. A few weeks ago I headed out with Paul on an extended version of The Cut route and lost him at one particular point in the run, just after the Horseshoe Trail picked up at Charleston Elementary School. I wanted to get back out to this area and meander about for a while, exploring the various sections of the trail. Before lunch I found out that the Horshshoe trail extends some 140 miles from Valley Forge National Park to Harrisburg where it picks up the Appalachian Trail. Even though most of the trail in this area hugs some pretty well-traveled roads, they are still blazed accordingly and you can still find some pretty technical sections to traverse. Today's run accumulated almost 800 feet of total vertical climbing. I'm not too savvy when it comes to total elevation, but that seems pretty decent for a lunch time run.

I had to bring a paper printout of the area so as not to get lost, but Frank and Brian quickly realized that they were familiar with the area that we were running through. That made things much easier. We joked about stringing together all of the main loops that we have been doing, The Cut, Quarry/Nature Preserve, CVT, and this Northern loop. Seems like it would be a good 17-18 miles. I think it was a joke.

About 7 miles total in 70 minutes.

Late evening

Basketball against Sales

The win tonight and the loss by Sweetness puts us in a legitimate three-way tie with Prestige WW. Each of us of one loss to both of the other teams. I think the rule is that if we all win out the rest of the season, rankings in the playoffs will be based on points scored. It would be nice to make it to the championship without having to play either of those teams.

Reverse Diamond Rock

Reverse Diamond Rock today with Frank, Chris, and Raph. The link follows the route we took, but doesn't reflect accurate time. I think we finished this run in just under 65 minutes. Didn't tackle the Howell Rd hill like I said I would always do, but going up slowly doesn't necessarily translate into less pain. In fact, it just drags it out. Funny how the combination of people's competitive running personalities and the Diamond Rock route tend to stretch out the group. There is a good 2-3 mile uphill stretch (with a minor stretch of downhill in the middle) up to the very top of the mountain if you run the Reverse Diamond Rock version. It's very easy for some to run their own pace, while others try to conquer it warrior style. Some people just have that need to lead on runs, even if they can't keep the pace on the uphill portions, which is evident by the immediate progression forwards upon cresting said hill. I'm not sure which category I fall into. Maybe I consider myself laid back only because I lack the fitness conquer hills the fastest. Or maybe I'm OK with others taking the lead if it is that important to them.

7.4 miles in about 65 minutes

Upswing

Early morning

AMRAP 7 minutes
5 burpees
10 Deadlifts (80)
8 rounds

AMRAP 7 minutes
15 Double Unders
10 OH Lunges (35)
5 High Low Planks
6 + 20 rounds

AMRAP 7 minutes
15 Box Jumps
10 OH Presses (55)
5 Plank Jacks
7 rounds

Early afternoon

Short trail run with Chris and Paul this afternoon. Runs like today make you realize that you're body doesn't always perform like it's indicating it might. After this morning's workout, I was doubting running, but wanted to hit a certain weekly mileage total. Fearing my legs would quickly fill up with lead, I decided against better judgement to venture out onto the trails. The monsoon-like conditions had left the quarry and nature preserve a veritable swamp-fest. My "jump-right-in" mindset over the past few days came in pretty useful, as entire stretches of trail were submerged in over-flowing creeks and mud that surged almost up to my shins in a few instances.

Honestly, it was the best run all week. My legs felt better than they have in forever during a run. When you factor in this week's activities, I would say that I'm finally on the upswing of what has been almost a year-long cardiovascular depression. Maybe it's too early to make that call. Maybe I should knock on wood before my long run on Sunday. But it just feels good to feel good about running again.