For Whom the Dogs Bark

April 28, 2024

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Location:

Cypress,TX,

Member Since:

Oct 10, 2009

Gender:

Male

Goal Type:

Other

Running Accomplishments:

5K: 24:22 (March 2010); 22:33 (October 2010); 20:47 (May 2011); 21:05 (May 2012); 21:33 (September 2012); 21:23 (November, 2013); 22:31 (September 2014)

5M: 39:22 (November, 2012); 35:54 (November, 2013); 36:03 (March, 2015)

10K: 44:08 (November, 2010); 49:20 (July, 2013); 44:07 (April, 2015)

12K: 56:03 (December, 2013); 58:58 (December, 2014)

10M: 1:11:58 (October, 2012); 1:15:24 (October, 2014)

Half Marathon: 1:53:xx (London's Run 2010); 2:05:21 (Cowtown 2010); 1:37:04 (Gusher 2011); 1:42:19 (Huntsville 2011); 1:33:47 (Baytown Jailbreak 2012); 1:33:50 (The Woodlands 2012); 1:42:52 (Texas 2015); 1:49:17 (Jailbreak 2015); 1:38:34 (The Woodlands 2015)

25K: 2:01:47 (Fifth Third River Bank, May 2014)

Marathon: 5:51:35 (Texas Marathon 2009); 6:21:36 (Ogden 2009); 4:58:29 (St. George 2009); 4:13:45 (Texas Marathon 2010); 4:04:12 (Utah Valley Marathon, 2010); 5:11:14 (Hartford ING, 2010); 3:41:43 (Richmond SunTrust, 2010); 3:39:27 (Texas Marathon 2011); 3:41:46 (Utah Valley Marathon, 2011); 3:30:35 (St. George 2011); 3:41:51 (Richmond 2012); 3:49:15 (Texas 2013); 3:46:59 (Paavo Nurmi, 2013); 3:34:04 (St. George 2013); 3:49:51 (Texas 2014); 3:31:59 (Richmond 2014); 3:28:34 (Boston 2015)

Short-Term Running Goals:

3:20, 1:30, 0:20

Long-Term Running Goals:

I'm 60, there is no long term.

Personal:

I live, work and run in Houston, Texas. I have run 17 marathons, some good ones and some others. I prefer straight, flat, cold, sea-level marathons, still waiting for my first one. I feel like there are more PRs out there. When I have them, I am told it is time to dial it back, run for healthy reasons. I'm sure that's right, and I'm sure it won't happen.

My wife and I are from the mountains of the west. We have five kids, three granddaughters and three grandsons. The kids and grandkids are native Texans but we are not -- you have to be born here.

As for my blog title: I run most of my miles before sunrise, sometimes hours before. On the back road of my neighborhood two hours before daylight, I can depend on a pack of mutts behind the boundary fence lighting up when they hear my footsteps. I have wondered what they wanted; but according to Hemingway I needn't ask.

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Miles:	This week:	0.00	Month:	0.00	Year:	0.00

Thu, Jun 30, 2011

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
6.18	4.00	0.00	0.00	10.18

73F, 90%, calm and clear. Just a few degrees cooler but it made a difference today. Ran 6 LHR at 9:58 per mile, then a 4-mile tempo run, splits were 7:17 (160), 7:22 (168), 7:09 (175) and 7:07 (182), average pace 7:14, maximum heart rate 188 bpm. Overall 8:53 per mile. I feel good after this run, interesting how much better I feel after running fast. I think it is an indication that my aerobic fitness has declined through the last couple of training cycles. What I really need to do is to log some serious LHR miles and do only that for a while, but I plan to wait until after SGM to start something like that. What is also interesting is how much controversy there is over this. For every expert who says don't neglect speed work while doing base mileage, there is another who claims that you will damage yourself running fast too often. All you can do is experiment with your own body to see what works.

Comments

From SlowJoe on Thu, Jun 30, 2011 at 13:56:41 from 132.3.53.68

Nice tempo run, that is a good pace for this temperature. I'm going to file a protest that Houston is getting cooler weather than us though. Actually, we might be in H-town the weekend of the 8th-10th. Might be fun to get in a run if you're around, I'll shoot you an email when our plans solidify?

From flatlander on Thu, Jun 30, 2011 at 15:19:50 from 198.207.244.102

Joe, would be great to get in a run with you. There is a chance I might travel, but for now I am good either Friday or Saturday.

From derhammer on Thu, Jun 30, 2011 at 15:36:53 from 204.10.241.154

Nice run Flat.

As far as the experts, I think one needs to define "speed" and "base" paces. To me true speed workouts are probably 400m at 95% effort. I don't see you doing much of that. I don't even consider a tempo run at 10k effort as speed - more of a stamina workout. Your aerobic system will still be getting a great stimulus even at this pace. It's when you go anaerobic that the benefit stops.

From everything I have read aerobic base runs should be 10-20% slower than MGP. Though I base mine off of Jack Daniel's VDOT table / McMillan calculator. This may be too restricting though. I still do it - it's how my mind works.

From JG on Thu, Jun 30, 2011 at 16:54:33 from 74.190.51.252

Great consistent mileage this week Flat ... that is a good recipe for success in the summer heat!

From Dan on Thu, Jun 30, 2011 at 22:52:16 from 24.209.83.20

Nice tempo- all I know is I get confused when I read the experts too much. I get even more confused when I try and figure out what really makes my body tick. Good running though.

From Steam8 on Fri, Jul 01, 2011 at 11:15:20 from 166.70.55.77

If you figure it all out....let me know. I am slow and feel like crap these days. I was in great shape two months ago before the marathon that I qualified for Boston and now since I have had to recover from injury I can't seem to get back into decent shape. Maybe I need to read more and try some things out!

From I Just Run on Fri, Jul 01, 2011 at 13:02:20 from 166.137.141.78

Wow Flat, those were some good fast miles! Way to run...!

I'm with S8 on this issue too. I felt like that a couple of weeks ago. That's when I decided to do my 7 x 7 workout. I think it did the trick because on the days I didn't feel like I wanted to run or didn't feel like I had much energy, 7 was a distance I knew handle. On the days I felt good at the end of the run I felt energized and ready for the next day of 7. On these days it was hard not to run extra but I'm glad I didn't because that just made me want to run more the next day. Each day I just ran what I felt (slow some, fast some and a mix some). Oh well, that's the "I Just Run" philosophy if how to break out of the "crappy day feeling syndrome".

I Just Run

From SlowJoe on Fri, Jul 01, 2011 at 16:28:31 from 75.109.104.60

Sounds good Flat, we'll be driving in on Friday so let's try Saturday. Should have more solid plans by Wednesday and I'll send you a message.

From flatlander on Fri, Jul 01, 2011 at 17:58:05 from 198.207.244.102

DH, good points. One thing I am lacking is a good feel for realistic MP. The slower I set it, the slower my runs, but if I set it too fast I worry if it is wearing me out without too much improvement. I have always believed that the harder you run without injury the faster you improve. I still kind of do, but I don't really know.

JG, you're right, the main thing is to get out there and stay in the game.

Dan, I don't read too many books, as a result I don't know much.

Steam8, that happened to me after my marathon at theat the first of this year. This time around I came back more slowly and I seem to be doing better, but hard to tell in the heat.

IJR, that looks like a simple but effective approach. Just pick a distance and run it however hard you want. It has certainly been working for you.

Joe, sounds good.

From Steam8 on Fri, Jul 01, 2011 at 18:11:09 from 166.70.55.77

True! Hard to tell in the heat! It is a KILLER! I keep feeling like I am going to puke! I don't remember the last time I felt like this after a run! MISERY!

I JUST RUN -- what if 7 miles seems overwhelming and miserable everyday? ha!

From I Just Run on Fri, Jul 01, 2011 at 19:59:05 from 166.137.143.32

Steam,

How about 3x7...? Everybody's got to start somewhere :-) I couldn't run a mile a year and a half ago :-)

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