Feb 23 to Mar 1

Much better week of running behind me. Had issues with the lungs early in the week, but hacked out the crud by Wednesday. Very nice Saturday run with the group for 20 miles. Here is the schedule for the week ahead.

Mon: 9 easy with the group
Tue: 2 mi w/u + 10 mile tempo + 2 mi c/d
Wed: 9 with group
Thu: 8 easy
Fri: 8 easy
Sat: 2 mi w/u + 6 mi marathon pace + 1 mi tempo + 6 mi marathon pace + 1 mi tempo + 2 mi c/d
Sun: 12 easy with the group

Random Thoughts

The weather is slowly getting better. It is hard to see when we have snow and wind, but the frigid temps are pretty much gone

Shamrock 15K is in two weeks. I will be timing this one. Hardly anyone has signed up yet. I know it is the same day as the Mill Creek Half Marathon. My feeling is that it just hasn't been promoted well.

I am going to watch the Amazing Race this season. I never really watched it before, but it looks interesting.

Busy week ahead. Pick up parents from airport today, teach RunScore to SARC on Wednesday night. Maddie's b-day on Thursday. Maddie's b-day party on Friday night with a sleep over at my house. She will be 11 this year. Below is her 4 year old party. Time flies....

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Week of Feb 16 to 22

Well last week just sucked. I was sick the entire week and my running was crap. Jo and I did have a nice time in Florida and it was good to see Kevin's family, but I felt awful the entire trip. I will just stick with my plan and get back into it this week.

Mon: 8 easy
Tue: 2 mile warmup / 4 x 1 mile repeats / 4 x 400 meter repeats / 2 mile cooldown
Wed: 13 group
Thu: 8 easy
Fri: 10 miles
Sat: 20 miles
Sun: 12 miles

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Peak Week Ahead

A nice "down" week behind me as I head to the first of my "peak" weeks. When I selected the Daniels plan to follow, the first thing you had to do was determine your peak mileage. Based on my life and work schedule...I went with 91. I know several people who go over 100. My 45 year old body is not built for 100....so 91 it is. I will be traveling down south to warm temps on Wednesday so my Thursday to Sunday runs will be in shorts and no shirt. Lucky timing.

Mon: 10 miles easy
Tue: 2 mile warm up. 4 mile tempo / 4 min rest / 3 mile tempo / 3 min rest / 2 mile tempo / 2 min rest / 1 mile tempo. 2 mile cool down.
Wed: 13 miles group run
Thu: 10 easy miles
Fri: 10 miles
Sat: 2 miles warm up / 4 miles tempo / 10 miles easy / 2x2 miles tempo with 2 min rest / 2 miles cool down
Sun: 12 miles easy

Random Thoughts

A great turnout at the Frostbite 5K. Watching / timing races is tough because I want to jump in and run.

My aquarium is filthy. I hate cleaning it.

The shuttle launch was delayed, so we won't see it go. Bummer.

Cavs vs Lakers will be a great game. I hope the Cavs make a statement.

The warmer weather here is a bonus. Snow storms still ahead. I will not take the warmer days lightly.

Chicken Fried Rice Rocks.

Tomorrow Never Knows by The Beatles is my current favorite song.

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Random Madness

Today was one of those days where I just couldn't put logic to half of what I saw all day. Things are very different in my parallel universe....

Mall Food Court - Maddie and I were at the mall and decided to grab a bite to eat. We watch people troll for free samples of food. Bourbon Chicken and Philly Cheesesteak bits seem to be the most popular items. I would say that over 60% of the people went around the food court and hit it for seconds.

Oldest Child Shower - My son has a habit of never using the same towel twice. I buzz through loads of laundry each week. Tonight he needed 3 towels to dry off. After our recap of proper towel etiquette, I looked at the shower and the ceiling was soaked. WTF? If I was this way at that age I don't remember it. We are working on fixing this bad habit.

Friday Movie Day - A few years ago the people that I work with (myself included) would take Friday afternoons and go to the movies to view the Academy Award Nominated films. We haven't done this for a while. Today I ran out to the bank for a few minutes and when I returned the office was locked and everyone was gone. My co-workers assumed I went for a run and they decided to go to the movies. As it turned out, I didn't have my office keys and was locked out. Fortunately I was able to pull out my Airtran Frequent Flyer card and pick the lock of one of our doors. A skill I acquired at Ohio U. Maybe that's not so good.

Frostbite Prediction Run - I was able to figure out how to do a prediction run inside of Run Score, a running race software application. I was pretty proud of myself. Next I started to enter all of the runners into the database. There are 4 people who predicted they would "run" a 5K in 60 minutes. Are you freakin' kidding me? I am all for people being active and trying to get fit...but an hour to go 3 miles? The bad news is I have to wait for them to finish AND it delays getting the results to everyone else.

Friday Night Prime Time TV - The choices on the networks are Howie Do It (NBC), Ghost Whisperer (CBS), Wife Swap (ABC), and Cops (FOX). Have we all become idiots? Friday's used to rule. Here is the 1977 Friday night line up - Donnie & Marie (ABC), The New Adventures of Wonder Woman (CBS), and Chico and the Man (NBC). Ok....maybe things haven't changed.

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Goodbye January

What a month. Nothing but cold and near record breaking snow. All the while I had the highest monthly mileage total in nearly 3 years. 311 miles in the book. I am 4 weeks into the Daniels Marathon Plan and all is going well. February will be tougher, both with mileage and weather. The payoff should start in March/April with the finale on May 3rd at Pittsburgh. Cross your fingers for me.

Mon: 6 easy miles
Tue: 2 miles easy + 10 miles marathon pace + 2 miles easy
Wed: 13 miles group
Thu: 9 miles
Fri: 4 miles easy
Sat: 4 miles easy
Sun: 4 miles easy + 8 miles MP + 1 mile Tempo + 6 miles MP + 1 mile Tempo + 2 miles easy

Random Thoughts

Thanks to Ben and Bella for a fun Groundhogs Day Party. Homebrew was awesome.

Just can't route for Pittsburgh. Go Cardinals.

My face is chapped from the January temps.

Heading to Florida next week to see the Shuttle Launch. Got tickets to get into Nasa. Should be LOUD.

Congrats to my friend Ron Legg for his honorable mention in Running Times as Masters Runner of the Year.

The ice on my roof is melting as I write this.

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