21 Weeks to a BQ

Nick Morris wrote:08.21.12 -

My right calf still had a little tightness in it, so I gave it one more day. I will be back at it on Wednesday...

Smart to take it easy after a race like that and to listen to your body.

Thanks Kenny and Joel...I know I made the right decision. THe goal is to make it to the start trained and in one piece

08.22.12 -

6 miles...Back at it again after recovering from Ragnar. A nice easy 6 to get back in the swing of things. I completed 6.23 miles at a 7:36 pace. With the completion of my run this evening, I am officially halfway through my training cycle. Looking back on the first half of my training, I am very happy with how things have gone. My weight is down, my times are pretty fast, and my body feels good. Starting next week I begin to really ramp up the miles and I think that I am ready for it...

08.23.12 -

7 miles...Another good run as I get back in the swing of the second half of my training. I completed 7.53 miles at a pretty easy 7:29 pace. Both of my post Ragnar runs have been a faster pace, but a relatvely easy pace. I am thinking that the racing put lightning in my legs Off day tomorrow before a stepback weekend...

Nice to see your post race runs are looking good so far. Keep up the great work, it is going to pay off.

08.24.12 -

Scheduled off day

08.25.12 -

7 mile fartlek...As I always say, the fartlek is my favorite training run. It is both challenging and fun. Two things that you normally don't see in the same sentence. Plus, it breaks up the monotony that is a training cycle. I completed 7.52 fartlek miles this morning at an overall pace of 6:58. That is even with a 7:50 warmup mile and a 7:50 cool down mile. I feel like I am starting to fly now

08.26.12 -

12 miles LSD...I decided to run this morning's run to practice two things that will help on race day. They are discipline and consitency. Discipline to not run too fast, especially early in the race. And consistency to run at the same pace over a long period of time. I decided to pick a pace that was not too fast, yet not too slow. So, I went with trying to stay at a 7:50 pace. It is slower than I wanted to run, so it helped me pull back on the reigns a little. I ended up doing a pretty good job as I finished with a 7:50 pace over 12.40 miles, with a pedestrian average heart rate of 134. You can see my mile splits below...

Mile 1 - 7:50
Mile 2 - 7:50
Mile 3 - 7:50
Mile 4 - 7:50
Mile 5 - 7:50
Mile 6 - 7:51
Mile 7 - 7:50
Mile 8 - 7:50
Mile 9 - 7:51
Mile 10 - 7:50
Mile 11 - 7:51
Mile 12 - 7:50
Mile 12.40 - 7:50

11 weeks in the books...10 more to go!!

08.27.12 -

3 mile recovery...Recovery runs keep getting harder as my fitness level increases. I was able to get through 3.11 miles at an 8:32 pace. Double tomorrow...

08.28.12 -

4 miles...Run #1 of the day. Four extremely easy 8 minute miles this morning on what is my second time of running doubles this cycle. I completed 4.28 miles at an even 8:00 pace. Seven more miles on the docket this afternoon.

Nice work, Nick. Keep it up.

08.28.12 -

7 miles...Run #2 on the day. I nice easy 7, inwhich I got caught in a bit of a rain shower for 2.5 miles. I completed a pretty easy 7.25 miles at a 7:28 pace. We will see how my legs respond tomorrow when I am scheduled to run 11.

08.29.12 -

11 miles...Eleven miles this evening. I was surprised that my legs had so much life in them. I completed 11.25 miles at an easy 7:36 pace. Not bad for having 25 miles on my legs the last three days. I am surprised at how much my fitness has improved in the last week and a half. Another double tomorrow...starting with four easy miles in the morning.

08.30.12 -

4 miles...Run #1 of the day. I decided last night that I was going to take it very easy on my legs the rest of the week, as I still have a lot of miles to go. That being said, my legs finally started feeling a little tired this morning when I woke up. They did however start to spring back after the first mile or so into the run. I completed a nice and easy 4.26 miles this morning at an 8:07 pace. Seven more this evening to round out the day...

08.30.12 -

7 miles...Second run of the day and I could feel this one. Took it nice and easy though and finished 7.22 miles at an 8:01 pace.

08.31.12 -

13 miles...7th day in a row of running which included two days of doubles. I am probably going through the hardest stretch of training that I have ever put myself through, as I still have a 20 miler tomorrow morning to boot. All of this is because I had to rearrange my schedule this week and move my off day to Sunday. I have a wedding to attend on Saturday and we all know that I will not get much rest on Saturday night. Anyways, I completed 13.13 miles at an 8:04 pace. Legs were pretty heavy, but I am hoping that the lower pace will help me with the 20 on Saturday.

09.01.12 -

20 mile LSD...20 miles to round out a challenging week. I surprising woke up this morning with fresh legs than the day before...maybe the slower miles the last couple of days allowed me to recover a little. I still decided to run conservatively and finished the first 10 miles at an 8:12 pace. I was still feeling really good and my paces slowly began to get faster on the way back...so much that the last three miles were my fastest at 7:51, 7:51, and 7:25!! I ended up running 20.25 miles at an average pace of 8:04. My heart averaged a very low 136 and I must say, although reluctantly, that this 20 miles was fairly easy...even on worn legs. Definitely another big confidence booster. I finally have a scheduled off day tomorrow and may take monday off as well, before heading into another milage filled week.

Total for the week = 70.75 Miles

Indeed a good sign when the 20 feels good. Your work is paying off!

That's a nicely run 20, Nick. Wondering when you're going to start believing me that you're on track to blow that BQ out of the water.

Mike MacLellan wrote:That's a nicely run 20, Nick. Wondering when you're going to start believing me that you're on track to blow that BQ out of the water.

Things are definitely looking like they are going in the right direction.

09.02.12 -

Scheduled off day...finally...

09.03.12 -

I was scheduled to run a 3 mile recovery run, but instead I took the entire day off. I figured I needed an extra day after logging 70+ miles over eight consecutive days.

09.04.12 -

8 miles...Back at it again. This time an 8 mile run to start the week. I completed an easy 8.52 miles at a 7:38 pace. Basically, just putting in work

09.05.12 -

13 miles...Midweek 13 miler...another easy run tonight. Right now it feels like I am just running to run. Not exerting a lot of energy and just enjoying being one with the run (oh crap...I just sounded like Kenny ). Anyways, I completed 13.47 miles at a 7:37 pace.

Nick Morris wrote:09.05.12 -

13 miles...Midweek 13 miler...another easy run tonight. Right now it feels like I am just running to run. Not exerting a lot of energy and just enjoying being one with the run (oh crap...I just sounded like Kenny ). Anyways, I completed 13.47 miles at a 7:37 pace.

being one with the run?!?!?!?!?!? What have you done with Nick, please bring him back, ok?

Nice stretch you are going through right now. Keep up the great work.