Today's Run - 11/29

I decided to switch up my run schedule this week and do Mon, Weds, Thurs runs so that I could play poker on Monday night. I am also thinking I will try to work in a few days of cross training over the next few weeks.

The winter weather continued this morning, it was in the high-teens and dark when I headed out. I ran an old familiar route to the Darby Loop, Out to 250 and then through the Scottish Homes to get about 5Miles in. This is route has some good hills and flat sections combined with good view of the equestrian center. I was able to get the timing of my run so that I could run into the sunrise and see much of the nice scenery during my run.

My legs still feel pretty rested even after the Spinning on Sat and the 4 Mile run on Sunday. I was not blazing fast this morning. I was able to maintain a comfortable 8:30 pace.

I will start building my mileage for the next training program to start in early / mid Dec. I will do a 7-8 Mile long run this weekend and a 9-10 Mile the following with smaller runs filling in the weekday runs.

Today's Run - 11/28

We went to ACAC yesterday and I did a spin class instead of running. It was great to get back to the Gym. I had forgotten how much of a luxury it is to have a nice place to workout. The spin class was good but not as hard as I remembered, most likely because my legs are overall cardio condition is improved. After the first 15mins of class I started to see the similarities in the class with running. We did tempo work, speed and endurance work. Even with the similarities I found that I still wanted to run, and it took a lot of not to get on a treadmill. I expect that a Tri will be one of my 2011 goals.

The weather has started to transition from the fall to winter. The temperature dropped significantly over night, falling into the low 20's and high teens. I pulled my winter gear out last night and was comfortable running in tights, shorts, long sleeve-tech shirt, hat and headlamp. I was out just before sunrise and it was quiet and dark for my run.

I am starting to build my base of miles in preparation of starting my next training program in early December. I decided to do a 4Mile tempo run at 8:15 pace (~10K pace). The route had some good hills and I did a pretty good job sticking to my pace. I speed up for the last ~1/4 Mile.

2010 Boar's Head Inn Turkey Trot Results

2010 Boar's Head Inn Turkey Trot Results are posted.

Ella and I finished 369 out of 1163 runners. Our time was a bit better than shown due to the race only having clock time and not a chip time. My Garmin showed under 30Mins when we crossed the finish. I look forward to running it again next year.

PLACE NAME               S AG DIV   DIV/TOT  TIME   PACE
===== ================== = == ===== ======== ====== =====
369   Douglas Morrison   M 35 M3539  15/39   30:32  9:51

Today's Run - 11/25

We ran the Boar's Head Inn Turkey Trot this morning. Emily ran / walked with Wes in the stroller and I ran with Ella in the jogging stroller. This is the 2nd year in a row we have run this, after a few years off. I am glad this is becoming a tradition again. I really enjoy this race because it is big enough to feel like a race but casual enough to be fun. There both ends of the spectrum of runners, guys blazing sub 6min miles and kids running there first race. The course is challenging with some good hills which makes it a bit more fun for a short race. The CTC and The Boar's Head Inn put on a great show with food and drink.

The weather held up for the race with overhead clouds and temps in the forties. We had to start in the back with all the strollers and it was very tight. Ella and I weaved our way for the first mile and half until the crowd of slow runners / walkers thinned out. With the crowds in the first mile, Ella and I averaged just over a 10Min mile pace. The second mile on the course has significant hills but we cranked up the pace a bit to 9:37. As we started to pass trotters that went out faster than they should we heard comments like "That is embarrassing to be passed by a guy pushing a stroller!". But the best one I heard was "Go Dad!" from a spectator watching Ella and I chase down a group of costumed runners. Ella and I crossed the finish line just under 29Mins after doing the third mile in 8:15.

Here are some pictures of us, enjoy and Happy Thanksgiving.

Today's Run - 11/24

A quick 2Mile run this morning around the lake and back. I started at an 8Min pace and then went down to 7:42 for the second mile. This is a pretty flat route with some small rolling hills.

I am still trying to figure out why my heart rate jumps way up to 180 in the first 4mins of my run and then flattens out to mid 150-160 after I get going. This may be my body adjusting to the exercise and then levels out once everything is working.

I am looking forward to the Boar's Head Inn Turkey Trot tomorrow. Hopefully the rain will hold off and Ella and I will get a good run in. I need to get the jogging stroller tires filled with air this afternoon or we won't be going anywhere fast tomorrow.

Today's Run - 11/23

A nice 5K run this morning in prep for the Boar's Head Inn Turkey Trot. I am excited to run the turkey trot with Ella in the stroller. This means that I will be starting in the back of the pack, but we will work our way up. The goal will be to be under 27Mins.

I did the Darby Loop which is a small lollipop route with some good hills. I was not pushing to hard, but worked the negative splits from 8:20 down to 8:00min mile pace. It was warmer this morning that the last few days and I was comfortable in my long sleeve shirt and shorts. I am getting out early even though I only have a few miles to run. It is nice to get my run in and have time to enjoy the morning with the family.

My legs are feeling good, but I am amazed how hard it is to run fast. Switching from the longer slower runs to short fast distance really pushes my legs and heart rate differently. It is not that I like the longer run pace better, it is just different to be back working on speed. I did a little bit of speed work in my last marathon training and hope to add more as I prepare for the National Marathon in March 2011.

Today's Run - 11/21

A single mile run this morning to complete my first week of recovery after the marathon. So far the recovery is going well but I am anxious to pickup my mileage. I also hope to get back to the Gym to do some cross training.

The temp was in the mid 30's and it was another calm crisp fall morning. I decided to do the Paddington loop to get in my mile because it has a good set of hills and a few views of the golf course. I picked up my pace goal from yesterday and ran this mile at my 5k pace.

Today's Run - 11/20

I got to sleep in a bit this morning and headed out just after sunrise. The fall weather is here and a frost covered the ground. My running sleeves and gloves kept me warm as I adjusted to the elements during first mile.

I headed out for 3Miles and quickly decided to see if I could manage an 8Min Mile. The first 2Miles were pretty simple but the last mile had a section of hills that made this a challenge. I complete the 5K at 24:30 and it felt good with an overall pace of 7:55 which was right on my 5K pace time.

Richmond Marathon Pictures

Brightroom posted pictures of me from the 2010 Richmond Marathon here

Most of these pictures were from Mile 22 and I was struggling. The pictures after the race are good with James and I together.

Today's Run - 11/18

I am traveling again to CT, which has hampered my running this week slightly. I missed my run on Weds to catch the 6:30am Flight to NYC. Since I am still in recovery week missing a 2Mile run is not a big deal, so I decided to go 3Miles on Thursday.

I headed out on my normal out and back route. It was dark and I had my headlamp on to light my path on the sidewalks. My legs are recovering from the marathon with little soreness or issues. I tried not to push to hard and was able to do negative splits starting just below HM pace and finishing at about a 10K Pace.

Richmond Marathon Results

Official Results for the 2010 Richmond Marathon are posted here

Name: Douglas Morrison
Bib Number: 2021
Overall Place: 1890
Sex Place: 1273
Age Place: 205
10K: 00:55:30
Half: 01:55:17
20M: 03:01:35
Net Time: 04:17:27
Clock Time: 04:19:46

An all-time record of 16,106 runners participated in this weekend’s events. The 26.2-mile SunTrust Richmond Marathon drew in 4,952 runners, while the McDonald’s Half Marathon had 6,605 and the HCA Virginia 8k had 4,549 participants.

Today's Run - 11/16

My first run after the marathon to start my reverse taper.  I was not sure how I would feel when I headed out.  My legs are feeling good with limited soreness in the quads and calf muscles.  I am tell that massage helped speed up the recovery and that my legs are stronger than they were in the spring.  

The recovery mile run this morning stretched my legs a bit and it felt good to get back on my feet.  It was raining and dark but relatively warm.  I had to get out early because I had an early work meeting, so I was out and back before 6am.

Today's Run - 10/13

Emily, my Dad and James left our hotel at 6:15 for the race. We stopped grabbed a bite to eat and were downtown shortly by 7am. We found our way to the starting line just as the 8K race started. James ran the Richmond 1/2 Marathon, we looked for a spot out of the wind and cold to wait out James start. I also got to see Laura, Marty, Heather and Kyle before they started their speed walk of the 1/2 Marathon. It was a great to see them before the race started.

After the start of the 1/2 Marathon, I checked my runners bag and headed to my corral. It was starting to warm up and I felt good standing in the mass of runners with the sun shining. I waved to Emily and my dad as I headed out.

I worked to start slow, but it was tough as the crowd was moving pretty quick. But I was able to start with 9:30 mile and work down from there. Early into the 2nd Mile I bumped into a CTC Marathon Training member Zen. We ran worked together to maintain a 8:30-9:00min pace. We ran together for the first 13Miles or so but got split up. After 17Miles I started to struggle, I was still wearing my hat and racing sleeves, so I worked to shed those to cool off. At mile 16 I was able to see my friends Trish and Cheryl. It was a huge pick up as I continued to work through and mile 21, I started to get a few leg cramps forcing me to walk for a few stints. I continued to battle the leg cramps through Mile 24.5 where the pull to the finish kicked in. I turned the final turn onto the downhill stretch down Cary St. As I ran down the road I saw my friends Doozie and Dawn cheering me on. Another block and I saw my Dad, Emily with Ella and Wes, James, Jim and Liz. I slapped my dad's hand and headed to the finish line to cross with a chip time of 4:17:26.

I really enjoyed this weekend and the support from family and friends. We were able to celebrate my Mom's birthday, and James and my running. As a birthday gift I dedicated the last 2.2 Miles to mom. I am happy with my race even though I did not break the 4Hr mark. I improved my time Marathon Time by more than 11Mins. Looking back at the race, the thing that stands out is I was over dressed with my hat and racing sleeves as the temps went from the 30's to the 60's. I will take these lessons learned and incorporate into my training for March.

Today's Run - 11/11

A simple 2Mile run this morning. I took it pretty easy half marathon pace and head back to the loop around the lake. These small runs leave me so unsatisfied and wanting more.

All the training is done, and now I start the long wait to toe the line for the Richmond Marathon. The last 20 Weeks of training have been great! I feel like a stronger runner than I was when I started the program. I am excited and more prepared to run the race. I believe I have a good probability of reaching my Sub 4Hr goal.

Today's Run - 11/10

I did the Paddington Piper Loop and Cottages track this morning for the 3Mile run. I basically did a tempo run @ 8:30 pace with a pickup at the end. I felt good and my legs are in good shape even though my right hamstring has been a bit tight. The temps have been perfect for the morning runs. I wish it were a bit more light because I would be lost without my headlamp.

I am getting excited about the race. It is hard to believe that we are 3 Days away!

Today's Run - 11/9

After all these weeks of training I finally find a spot in the 'hood that I can do track work on. The path around the lake is ~1/2 Mile and this works out great for 400 / 800 M pickups. It is a bit boring running in circles but at least it is pretty flat.

I did 5x400 with 2min jog after a 1 mile warm up. I was able to do all the 400's in under 2Mins, so this basically turned into 2mins on 2 mins off drill. I was happy with my pace for these, all well under 5K pace.

This was my last real workout before the race on Sat. Next couple runs will be a few miles each.

Today's Run - 10/7

I got an extra hour of sleep last night because of the end of Day Light Savings Time. It was still in the low 30's when I headed out but it was light. A pretty uneventful run, but I worked on my pace to see to if I could do 5K in under 25mins on the hilly Paddington and Piper Loop. First Mile is a set of rolling hills, the second mile is down hill, and the last mile is a long up hill. I had forgotten that with the shorter races you are working the entire time. Unlike with distance running you can take a break and push harder to make up time. With 5K you have to run fast all the time. I could feel this in my heart rate more than in my legs.

My legs are feeling good as I go into my last week before the race. My right hamstring is a bit tight, but loosens up after a mile or so. I will continue to stretch it this week.

Today's Run - 10/6

The last long run of the CTC Marathon Training Team was this morning at the UVA Track and Bellair. I headed out with another runner into the dark morning and headed towards the hills of Bellair to start our 7mile run. We started much faster than usual and my heart rate shot up pretty quick. After a bit we settled into a 8:40 pace. We did the hike out to Bellair then headed back to the UVA Campus and hit the Park and then back to the UVA Track. We finished the 7Mile run with a .1 Mile sprint. Overall this run was much faster than I will run for the marathon but it felt good to run faster and a little harder than normal long runs.

We have started the official 7Day countdown to the Richmond Race. I am excited to run this race and spend the weekend with friends and family.

Today's Run - 10/5

Due to rain in the morning, I moved my Thursday run to Friday. I headed back to the Q2 Section of Glenmore to get in my 4Miles with Hill Pickups. I ran splits at a Half Marathon Pace then did 0.1 Mile hill pickups. The hill pickups changed ~30Ft over 0.1Mile. I did all the Hill Pickups in under 40 Secs and worked to get faster for each.

Today's Run - 11/3

Another dark cool morning for my run this am. I can tell my legs are recovering from the training efforts as they are feeling extremely light and fast on these shorter runs. I worked on negative splits again today and was able to hit the splits at an easy pace.

Excitement is starting to grow for race day. I know a number of others that are running the 1/2 Marathon and Marathon so it is fun to connect with them on how their training is progressing. I have my travel plans pretty well worked out and am working to get the pre-race dinner and post-race activities planned.

Today's Run - 11/2

The first run of my taper felt different than many of my Tuesday runs. With 2 full days of recovery since my long run my legs felt oddly light and nimble when I headed out. It was hard not to break into a full sprint to see how fast I could go. I kept hearing coach saying, "Run Easy!" and I was able to control my desire to go all out. I worked again on negative splits starting 1/2 Marathon Pace and heading south from there. The out and back course is down hill for the first 2.5Miles and uphill for the back 2.5Miles. Doing this on negative splits is a good accomplishment.

The fall weather is here and it is great for running! The temps was in the low 30's and I was comfortable wearing shorts, tech shirt, running sleeves and gloves. My only gripe is that it is staying darker longer. I have a good headlamp but mentally I know that I am running in the dark because of the limited long distance visibility.

Great book on Running

I read "Born to Run" by Christopher McDougall in Sept and could not put it down. A great story about running, human nature, running industry and ultra marathons. It is an easy read that will have you exploring the physical and mental challenges of running while learning about the origins of how and why we run.

New Mile Marker....

I passed a new mile marker last week, I had a private thought of happiness and forgot to mention it here. I passed 1,000 Miles running in 2010. In training for 2 Marathons this year I invested 16hrs of time and logged more than 100Miles a month of running. I track every run and can see the improvement in then numbers and the way I feel about my running.