As always, life is running me over........

LAtely, life has dealt us some tough times which i shan't go into in this blog, but in the past few weeks, I have managed only 4 runs, although 2 of them were in SOuth Carolina, where I got to feel the effects of training at altitude for the first time.  Emotionally wrecked, I was just looking to go out for a jog to clear my head.  Instead, i blew through a 5 miler in less than 31 minutes!  It felt awesome!  And I don't even hardly train right now.  I look forward to more training.  I also had the chance to go for a 6 mile run at 8,400 feet!  Talk about taking your breath away. Hopefully, life will settle down, and I can run more......and post more...

Sunday morning run

So, I fianlly got up early and went for a run.  Just an easy 5 at 5:30, it was cold and I forgot my gloves.  But, at least I was out, and nobody else was.  The neighborhood was dark and eerie.  It was a weird feeling.  But 5 none the less, i'll take it.

2 for 2 - Bill Roberts 5K Race

SO, while I am by no means in race shape, i have been entering very tiny races here in Denver, just to get out and have some fun.  This weekend, I did the Bill Roberts 5k, which was a race to benefit the 8th grade class at the Bill Roberts school.  It was low key, only about 175 people were out if I had to guess. I decided to let the kids go out first, so they could have a little fun before I started racing. They led for probably the first 1/4 mile or so, then I started picking it up.  I cleared the first mile in 5:59, then hit mile 2 in 12:08 (6:09). That was nice and consistent, then the factors of not racing for a long time hit me.  I came through mile 3 in 18:51 (6:43) and I was spent.  The good thing was, there was nobody around, so it did not matter that I was fading.  I finished in 20:32 (the course was actually 3.25), so that translates into a 19:35 5K.

I'll take it, not fast at all, but I am hardly running, and Ash and the boys made it out to cheer me on.  It was a nice morning, and that now makes me 2 for 2 in racing in Colorado.  While the size of the race and organization does not compare to NYC, it was nice to actually be out in front of the race and win one for a change.  What to run next...........

Uptempo 4 miles

As coach, sometimes i get to run with the kids, sometimes I don't.  Today, our meeting got out early so i could actually go to practice (usually I miss Wednesdays .  That meant I had to run home real fast and get my clothes and make it back to school.  By the time I did, our top guy was already gone.  SO, that meant, I had to run 6 minute miles to catch him.  I did by mile 2, and we ran the last 2 together, the first in 7:15, the last in 6:35.  Nice uptempo run for him and a nice surprise for me to get to run,.

A Fresh Start

SO, I have changed around my website a little and am trying to get a fresh start on marathon training.  It has been a lackluster year of running, but not without good cause   A year ago this passed weekend, we visited Denver for the first time, in hopes of living there one today.  Today, we have been here over 2 months and are still getting settled and finding connections.  So, of course with moving there is a massive toll on training.  Also, Judah joined our family in November, which doubles Daddy duty, and, last August, hernia surgery knocked me out for a while.  All that to say, running-wise, its been a tough past 12 months.

The good news is that we are here in Denver, with wide open space and room to run, and now I am trying to find time to squeeze some in.  I'm the assistant XC coach at the high school here, so I have found time to get some runs in sometime.  Yesterday was a tough one.

We did 400 and 800 intervals, and my job was to pace our top guy.  While he is just a freshman, I have not done speed work in a long long time.  So, we did the following:

400m - 1:19
800m - 2:52
400m - 1:16
800m - 2:48
800m - 2:46
400m - 1:08

So, needless to say, i was winded, and tired. 68 for a 400 is stuff I ran in high school.  It was nice to know that I could still do this workout, and our top guy hung with me up until the last one.  It was a nice change of pace.

My goal is to find time to run at least 4 times a week right now and prepare for a spring marathon.......oh yeah, and actually keep up with my blog :)

This is the season.....

This is the season i am in, where 25 miles a week is very good. While I crave to be logging 100 mile weeks and cranking out workouts, i also crave to spend time with my hot wife and my 2 sweet boys. Right now I run when i can, maybe late at night, or during nap time, but it is definitely not with any regularity. I have made the effort this week to run, and i have made it out the door 4 times this week. As you know if you check this site with any consistency, it is in shambles because i do not have a free moment to make a post. Life is crazy, and I am thankful for my blessings, thankful for my boys who love to watch me race, and Ash who encourages me to get myself running. I am thankful to Brent for being my new (and first) running partner and helping me get out and run, knowing someone is waiting on me. While I feel i can hardly handle the day, I have found this week that running helps me relax and see things in perspective. I have definitely missed running, and am working toward having it be a normal part of my life again. Who knows when i will write again.......