Zero day

Today ended up being a zero miles day. I felt ok during the day but just ran out of motivation as the day went on and it became night. The worst part of these days is that all I find myself doing is beating myself up for not running. In a way what is worse, a crappy run or killing myself over and over in my head ?

Here is another link to a video that I find good to watch to get me pumped up to run. I guess I should have seen this before the day got to late so I might have got out huh ? It is a video in Ritz

Totals: 0

I made it !!

Well with the crazy cool weather once more today I decided to give the tredmill a try once more. This time I used my parents one. I went after it with the two prog attack. I put in a video of a Boston marathon and last years NYC marathon, as well as using my ipod. I seem to need everything to make this darn thing work. What was funny is that it seemed to work pretty good for about 30 min's or so. After that it got harder with the last 10 min's of my 50 min run seeming taking 30 min's by its self. I did feel real good which was good since I normaly feel like crap on the tredmill.

Let me also say that those darn Nike Haywards I got felt just great !!! It is still light but has a great fit in the toebox. Quickly becomming my favorite training shoe I am using now.

Totals: 50:15 7 miles ( Nike Hayward )

Beautiful and Moving

As many people who know me will tell you I LIVE and LOVE this sport of ours. There is so much in running that I Find beautiful and moving. Whether it be the person who is not a runner and has never run like my Mom running her one and only race a many years ago to the epic battles we have seen in races like the 5k and 10k to the marathon. To the ultra marathon runners like Minnesota's own Scott Jurek reining supreme 7 years in a row at Western States. I could go on and on about all the runners who give me faith in what I believe is a sport about faith in ourselves and our training. Distance running is beautiful to me. I tell my wife that life is one big running race. We train everyday to be the best parent, spouse, worker we can be. There are bonks along the way but we never give up on the finish line. This Video I added today to the blog of the duel in the sun is a great example of pushing yourself and not giving up and in the end recognizing your competitors who bring the best out in you. We do not do it alone !!! Enjoy.

A busy day @ the Dome

With the bottom dropping out today I was thinking there would be a bunch of people at the Dome to run inside. It is crazy to think that when including the windchill it was a 100 swing in temperature from the day before !!! Well I was not let down at there was plenty of people running around and around. In some ways I thought there would be more but was happy that it was not the case. Anyway it was a good day to be inside and it works out good that Tuesday is my up tempo day.

I was looking to continue my ways with adding some more speed work to my weekly workouts. I was not sure what to do. I knew I wanted to do something a little longer but not to long. I settled on one of my favorite Dome workouts which is 1200 repeats. I like to keep this stuff pretty loose and fun. There is no need to go to crazy in January, it is a long season ahead of me. I started out with a two mile warm up then jumped into the 1200 repeats. I felt ok but not great today. I just did not feel like I was in a groove. The times where a bit faster than I thought considering I did not feel like I was going to hard. I think I pretty much averaging between 5:40 and 5:47 mile pace. I even felt like I kept the pace ok during the cool down. One thing that did suck big time was I forgot my body glide and my legs started to chafe toward the end of my cool down run. I was forced to cut it short because it just plain was getting uncomfortable. I made sure I put a bottle of body glide in my bag when I got home asap !! Tomorrow looks like more of the same weather wise so I am not sure what I will be doing. I do not know if it would be smart to try to run in like -45 degree weather ??


Totals: 1:00:48 9 miles ( Nike Jasari )

Is the warm weather a good thing ?

So it was crazy out today. It was like a daytime high of like 45' which felt very warm. Now as good as it can feel at the time I for one do not like it because I know it will be super icy later. I hate ice !!!! I was able to run after work for one of my Monday night runs with my friend Liz. I knew from the walk to my car that this could be a crazy run as the water on the roads freezing minute by minute. I almost fell walking to the car if it was not for my cheetah like instincts.

As I ran to Liz's house I knew this was going to be a slower run and one that I needed to stay on side streets so I could run in the middle of the road. I hate that feeling of being so stiff trying to brace yourself in case of a fall. Man it was like that for most of the run. Liz has been sick the last 5 days so we where going to keep it slower and maybe a bit shorter. It was great to get my weekly catch up with her. I guess she is going to Florida at the end of the week for a little vacation in the keys, Nice !!! We kept our part together to 30 min's. So after I dropped her off I took the longer way home so I would get at least 50 min's of running. I felt real good other than the stiffness of hoping not to fall on the ice. Tomorrow is a workout day at the Dome which I think will be a good thing given the fact they are saying that with windchill it could be like -35 to 40' at night. That is a 100 degree swing in 24 hours !!!! Only in Minnesota, but I LOVE this place.

Totals: 50:15 7 miles ( Nike Haywards )

Sunday fun with Sonya

Sonya and I where very lucky today and got our friends Carri and Simon to watch Evan so we could run long together. They live out in Plymouth so we ran out from the Luce Line trail head down to Medicine Lake, around the lake and back to the car. We did add a bit on the end to make it just over 2 hours. I felt very good. The weather was pretty good for us as well. It was like 25' when we ran which was perfect for footing and all. Having this time with Sonya is so important to me !! So with this great run after watching a great movie in Rescue Dawn the night before I had a awesome 24 hours that was for sure.

She wise I ran in another new pair of the new Nike Haywards. These are supposed to be made off of drawing that Steve Prefontaine did for his perfect shoe. Who knows if it is true but I did like them.


Totals: 2:10:11 15 miles ( Nike Haywards )
Week Totals: 64

St Paul Winter Carnival 1/2 marathon

Today was the St Paul Winter Carnival 1/2 marathon which has been a yearly tradition for Sonya for many years in a row now. So Evan and I got all bundled up at took his Mommy to the race. This years weather was very nice all in all. Much better than the freezing weather last year, which was good since I knew there was no way Evan was going to sleep through it this year. We where able to get to like 5 different places to watch her and other we are friends with Like Pat Russell and Nicole Cueno run. Ithink all in all everyone was pleased with the effort. Nicloe won the women's and Sonya was 3rd. Pat was like 15th or so but was just running easy. He has won this race like 4 other times I think. What was funny was that times where slower this year with better weather ? Who knows was but I was proud of Sonya and the gang.

I then had to work till 5pm so I ran after that. Let me tell you this night was one of those great nights where everything feels great !!! I was so smooth and feeling fast. I had some great tunes rolling in my ears as well !!! I wore the Jasari's once more. What a great shoe. I kept it at like 8 miles since I knew I had a longer run in the morning tomorrow.

Totals: 55:42 8 miles ( Nike Jasari )