Quick Run Before Work

3.26 miles, 26:53, 8:18 pace, Avg HR = 143, Max HR = 158

I thought I might be working late tonight, and I've slacked off a bit this week, so I thought I'd run before work today.

8:58, 8:17, 7:43, 1:49 (.23 miles)

Kenyan Nights #16 - Second One Mile Time Trial

6:19, 1 mile, Avg HR = 164, Max HR = 179

I felt as though I could have run this faster, but it was a bit congested and I didn't go out fast enough at the beginning or sprint long enough at the end. None the less, I improved 21 seconds over my last mile time trail. The problem is that the course was different, so the time comparison may not be completely accurate. Yes, I'm faster, but I'm not really sure how much. The course was two laps, each lap had an uphill portion and a downhill portion.

3:09 (1st half)
3:10 (2nd half)
6:19 total

Kenyan Nights #15 - Two Hills

Avg HR = 144, Max HR = 175

Five minutes up two hills (fast up, easy down) and two minutes rest times four.

I felt pretty good on this run, and only 5-6 people in the entire session were faster than me. I haven't given my all on a KW session in quite some time, so I'll have to build up to that sometime soon.

Leisurely Run

2.5 miles, 21:41, 8:41 pace, Avg HR = 138, Max HR = 159

Negative Splits:
2:32 (10:08)
2:24 (9:36)
2:12 (8:48)
2:16 (9:04)
2:14 (8:56)
2:04 (8:16)
2:04 (8:16)
2:01 (8:04)
2:04 (8:16)
1:49 (7:16)

Long Run with a Friend

8.78 miles, 1:29:40, 10:12 pace, Avg HR = 137, Max HR = 148

Mile 1-4 were run almost exactly at 9:30, but my running partner faded after that and I wasn't going to leave him behind. I guess you can say that this was my first "official" long run with a marathon training group. I tagged along with Houston Fit, and it was nice to run with a large group.

Tempo Run

4.75 miles, 38:52, 8:11 pace

Based on my amateur analysis of my workouts, I think the major element missing is a series of tempo runs. With that in mind, I might consider doing todays workout on a regular basis.

Jog to Rice
Tempo Run around Rice
Jog Home

Due to a user error, I couldn't capture my splits the way I wanted to. But my overall pace for the tempo portion was 7:20. Hopefully I can use this as a benchmark to measure my progress.

No HR info, didn't wear the monitor.

And on a more important note, today is my 5 year anniversary!

Kenyan Nights #14 - Progressive Laps

Avg HR = 156, Max HR = 179

Today we ran ~.55 mile laps progressively faster. This is a repeat workout, with the exception of having a short rest break between laps. It was hot, and I guess Sean didn't want anyone overdoing it and collapsing from heat stroke.

4:26 (8:03 pace)
4:09 (7:32 pace)
3:54 (7:13 pace)
3:54 (7:13 pace)
3:37 (6:49 pace)

Scattered in there was about 3:14 of rest, or about 49 seconds between laps.

Run to Niko Niko

2.32 miles, 21:28, 9:15 pace

My wife and I ran to Niko Niko tonight for the Gyro special. We made the 2.32 mile run in 21:28, for a 9:15 pace. I'm not sure why, but my watch malfunctioned and didn't record the run.

After the run I ate twice as many calories as I burned to get there. Yum!

Kenyan Nights #13 - One Very Short Loop

Avg HR = 147, Max HR = 171

The weather was hot and the sun was brutal, so we only ran one short loop in the shade. Up fast, down easy for five straight minutes . . . rest . . repeat for four reps. I took the last one very easy because my legs never really felt good, perhaps because of the 15 miles I ran over the past two days.

Overall this wasn't one of my favorite workouts because it was very crowded and I just wasn't into it.

Another Morning Run

4.56 miles, 39:04, 8:33 pace, Avg HR = 143, Max HR = 164

Today I ran from home, around Rice, and back home for a total of 4.56 Miles in 39:04 at an 8:33 pace. In typical fashion, I ended up with negative splits.

Nothing special here, with the exception that I ran with a thick cotton shirt because I wasn't expecting to log many miles and I didn't want to run fast. Conclusion -- don't do that again.

9:39
8:42
8:22
7:57
4:17 (7:47 pace)

Breaking the Barrier

10.19 miles, 1:30:11, 8:51 pace, Avg HR = 143, Max HR = 163
My mission today was to break 90 minutes and/or 10 miles. I've never run that far or long before, and I hit some serious mental and physical resistance on my long run last weekend. But I brought along a small bottle of some sort of "energy" supplement in case I hit the wall, and an MP3 player for motiviation.

After 1:30:11 and 10.19 miles (8:51 pace), I was done. And it wasn't nearly as hard as I though it would be. I managed negative splits almost the entire way, and ran a 8:12 pace over the last .94 of my run.

9:48, 9:23, 9:15, 9:04, 8:51, 8:43, 8:26, 8:21, 8:18, 8:28, 1:20 (.18 miles, 7:24 pace)

For the first time I belive I could complete a half marathon. But I'll tackle that if and when I crack 20 minutes for my 5k.

Oops . . . where's my wallet?

3.55 miles, 34:34, 9:44 pace, Avg HR = 129, Max HR = 151

Today was my day off from work, so I wanted to get in a "Beat the Heat" Kenyan Way morning workout. I got up early enough, but I couldn't find my wallet so I scratched the KW run and ran around Hermann Park instead. After a slow warmup of 2.7 miles in 26:22 (9:46 pace), I tackled the hill at the Miller Outdoor Ampitheatre. Three laps was enough for me, and I called it an early day.

Kenyan Nights #12 - 8x300m and a half mile time trial

Today we ran 8x300m with about 90 seconds to 120 seconds of rest. Once that was over, we rested five minutes and ran an 800.

Since I didn't have my GPS watch today, I didn't get any splits on the 300s. But Sean called out the times and I averaged around 66 seconds for each one.

I followed Sean's advice on the 800, and didn't use my arms for the 400m "out". I kicked it in at the half point and really pushed hard for the remaining 100m . . . for a 2:47. I have no idea how accurate the measurements were, but I'm pretty satisfied with my effort and my body feels great just a few hours afterwards.

no HR info . . . no watch

Rest Day

I worked a bit late today, and I guess I'm still wimping out a bit, but I decided to skip today.

Kenyan Nights #11 - Hills on a Long Course

2.86 miles, 25:33, 8:55 pace, Avg HR = 159, Max HR = 179

The Kenyan Way workout today was a longer course than usual. It included four short, steep hills, and one long gradual hill before a recovery jog. Of course we ran up the hills fast, and down the hills slow. The recovery jog was mostly flat as well. I wouldn't say I gave my top effort today, but I was still recovering a bit from yesterday's long run.

LSU Lakes +

8.61 miles, 1:19, 9:10 pace, Avg HR = 155, Max HR = 159

I ran solo around the LSU Lakes, plus a bit of the garden district today. My goal was 10 miles in 90 minutes, and I wanted to start around 6 or 7 AM to avoid the oppressive heat that bothered me the day before. I overslept and didn't get started until about 8 AM, but the weather wasn't my problem today. I hit the wall around mile 5. I'm not sure what happened, but I think I'm going to start carrying some sort of fuel for long runs in the future.

8:55, 8:25, 8:39, 8:47, 9:13, 9:23, 9:34, 9:56, 10:04 pace for the rest of the run.

Highland Park, Baton Rouge

3.65 Miles, 34:11, 9:22 pace, Avg HR = 152, Max HR = 165

I ran with Julie today at her "home" course. She ran cross country in high school, and they regularly ran the 2 mile circuit at Highland Park. She looked strong, buoyed by her "home field advantage". For the first time in a while she beat the pants off of me.

I felt weak, still hurting from the last two days I ran and letting the weather get the best of me.

Rest Day

I took a break today. It wasn't a scheduled break, but I needed the rest and I was low on motivation.

Crossed My Threshold

I planned to run a 6 mile threshold run with a friend tonight at a 7:40 pace. He's faster than me, and I'm grounded in reality -- so I didn't expect to be able to hold on the whole time. I figured I'd let him go after the first lap of Memorial (3 miles). What I didn't factor in was my fatigue and muscle soreness from yesterday.

I managed to hold on for just under a mile . . . at a 7:30 pace. After that I let him go and jogged the remaining 1.9 miles at a 8:19 pace. These times are inexact since I loaned my watch to my speedy partner, but overall: 2.9 Miles at a 8:02 pace.

Afterwards I walked for about 20 minutes and ran back to the starting point for about 8 minutes . . . probably a little over a mile.

I think I'll take tomorrow completely off. This works out well since I'll be travelling, but the real reason is to recoup my motivation. I've been running very hard this week, and today is the first time I didn't enjoy it since those first couple of weeks when I started running three months ago.

Kenyan Nights #10 - Relays

Avg HR = 146, Max HR = 164

We met at Memorial Park today. The only other time we met at Memorial Park (5/23/07) I had one of the hardest KW workouts I've even completed. This one was right up there.

Three man relays . . . each person runs 1/4 mile (measured .12 on my watch). I ran each at a notch just below all out.

1 - 0:38, rest - 1:29
2 - 0:38, rest - 1:28
3 - 0:38, rest - 1:32
4 - 0:39, rest - 1:31
5 - 0:38, rest - 1:35
6 - 0:39, rest - 1:33
7 - 0:38, rest - 1:35
8 - 0:39, rest - 1:32
9 - 0:37, rest - 1:31
10 - 0:39, rest - 1:36
11 - 0:38, rest - 1:33
12 - 0:37

Running Hungry

2.83 miles, 23:20, 8:14 pace, Avg HR = 146, Max HR = 171

I worked a bit later than usual today, and rushed home to get in a quick run before dinner. This was so short that it probably didn't help much, but I'm glad I ran instead of settled on the couch for the night.

2:25 (9:40)
2:15 (9:02)
2:10 (8:41)
2:09 (8:38)
2:10 (8:42)
2:03 (8:13)
1:54 (7:37)
2:00 (8:00)
1:55 (7:42)
1:54 (7:36)
1:47 (7:11)
0:33 (6:38) (.08 mile)

Kenyan Nights #9 - Steep Hills

Max HR = 168

The course had two of the steepest hills we've run to date, next to the grave yard near Shepherd. We ran hard up and easy down. 10 minutes, 5 minute rest, 10 minutes.

I took this session easier than any other KW session before, because my legs were still significantly weak from the last two days. All in all it was still a good workout.

Cooking at Rice

8.87 miles, 1:19:20, 8:57 pace, Avg HR = 152, Max HR = 165

Today I ran three loops around Rice in what seemed to be the hottest weather to date for the year. The Rice loop is almost completely shaded, but the shade can only help so much. In addition this was the longest run I've ever done.

Jamba Juice never tasted sweeter than after that run.

9:23, 9:06, 9:00, 8:47, 9:01, 8:49, 8:46, 9:02, 7:07 (8:40 pace)

Houston Heights Run

5K, 21:57, 7:03 pace, Avg HR = 170, Max HR = 187

I set a new PR today at the Houston Heights 5k Run . . . 21:57. I wish this would have been chip-timed, but since it wasn't I'm using my watch time which I started when I crossed the starting line (not the gun.) It was a crowded race, so my time from the gun will be slower.

Even though the run started at 7:30 AM, the car temperature gauge read 78 degrees. Humidity was a huge factor, and motionbased reported it as 94%.

I woke up and my legs hurt a little bit, which was upsetting since I rested the last two days. Maybe I'll rethink complete rest in place of a slow run next time.

My quarter miles splits were:
1:39 (6:36 pace)
1:47 (7:08)
1:45 (7:00)
1:43 (6:52) -- 6:54 mile 1
1:48 (7:12)
1:45 (7:00)
1:49 (7:16)
1:43 (6:52) -- 7:05 mile 2
1:48 (7:12)
1:50 (7:20)
1:52 (7:28)
1:47 (7:08) -- 7:17 mile 3
0:35 (5:50)

I started slowing down significantly during the third mile, but I picked up the pace during my last quarter mile, and even higher for the last tenth.

Overall I'm proud of my performance, as I have been training and dieting quite strictly over the past month. But I realize now more than ever how far away my ultimate goal is -- breaking 20 minutes in a 5k.

Rest Day Two Before Race

There is a chance of rain tomorrow.

I joined the Dynegy Running club, in anticipation of becoming a full-time employee. I joked with Julie that I'm now a semi-professional runner, since they're sponsoring my entry.