PIM Speed Work

10.16M, 1:29:22, 8:47 pace, includes 4x800

Today started off poorly from a training perspective. I found myself awake and alert at about 1AM, with no chance to go back to sleep. I fooled around on the computer (running stuff) and watched some TV. Suddenly it was 3:30AM. As you can imagine, my planned ten miles at 5AM turned into a snooze fest.

Today's PIM session was a challenging one. 4x800 on the black top track at Memorial Park. I've emphasized to my PIMsters that running on a track is the "real deal". Perhaps that's just my take on it, but I certainly get motivated when I'm running the oval.

1M warmup
3:00 800
3:11 jogging 400 for rest
3:25 800
3:12 jogging 400 for rest
3:30 800
3:07 jogging 400 for rest
3:32 800
appx 2M warm down.

I tried to engage my PIMsters throughout the run, dispensing motivational advice and trying to help through the kick. I try to be careful because that sort of feedback quickly becomes aggrivating when you're doing speed work.

After PIM I went out for a little more than a lap with Jack at about 7:50 pace. He keeps me up-to-date on the local events. I always try to get an update on Diana's progress (she kicked butt in the half this weekend) and other Tornado runners. Our club is looking really strong this year.

PIM 400s

7M with 4x100

I was proud of my PIMsters this week, and I we did some true speed-work for the first time in the program. I ran with the fastest group and Coach Yong brought up the rear, but all of our times were great and all of our efforts were maximized.

My times:
1:42
1:27
1:22
1:19

Afterwards we met at Luke's Locker for a social and sale. It took every ounce of effort to decline the pizza and beer.

PIM - Batons - Week 10

2.31 miles, 36:56, 16:01 pace

Today's Power in Motion theme was "Where to from Here?"

Coach Ted organized a great mystery run in which the Batons finished second. We followed clues to our next destination, answered riddles and exercised our power of observation along the way. A good time was had by all.

Afterwards we gathered at the starting point for two kegs of beer and snacks. The coaches talked about their running clubs and the PIMsters talked about future goals. It was a great way to end the season, and it left me looking forward to the fall session of PIM.

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Unfortunately the minimal exertion required for today's run was still enough to make my Achilles very sore. I ran one mile at Will's Hills (probably 7:30ish) and it still bothers me. It's been one complete week since I've run (PIM exlcuded), and I don't think I'm getting any better. I fear my marathon trip is in jeopardy. I'll stay off of my feet for the next couple of days and hit the ibuprophen regularly. If I'm not in good enough shape for a long run on Saturday then I might have to drop out of the marathon.

(I swam for about 30 minutes on May 6 . . . Warm up of about 500M plus 10x50M sprints with about 20 seconds recovery. I did all of that without a watch so I didn't measure my splits or recovery time.)

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TDLY - 5/4/07 - Hermann and Rice, 4.09 miles, 36:34, 8:56 pace, Max HR = 176, Avg HR = 161, 15% Z5, 65% Z4, 15% Z3
5/5/07 - Julie's 3 Mile Route during High School, 3.03 miles, 26:15, 8:08 pace, Max HR = 180, Avg HR = 154. Out and back -- very slight uphill on the return. Coupled that with a pickup and it's one of my best paces over that distance to date.
5/6/07 - rest
5/7/07 - First Kenyan Way Run, three sets of hills with break between, Max HR = 174. The Kenyan Way program was a giant step forward for me. It marked my commitment to continue running rather than let it expire along with the end of PIM. Not only did it represent my commitment to continue running, but it signified my desire to "train" as opposed to just run. I wanted to be fast, and I was willing to work hard get there. My First Blog Entry.

PIM - Cinco de Mayo 5K

5K, official = 36:41.34, Garmin: Max HR = 137, Avg HR = 112

Congratulations Batons!

I am so proud of you! I saw many heroes at the Cinco de Mayo 5K!

A hero refuses to give up in the face of potential failure. I saw many of you who refused to quit, despite the internal noises in your head telling you that you couldn't achieve your goals. Some of you even had to overcome the external noises of naysayers in your life that thought you couldn't do it . . . perhaps because the idea was so foreign to them that they were afraid of your transfiguration.

A hero commits to the right thing when the path less taken looks easier. Many of you participated in physical activity for the first time in your life, and all of you made the decision to refuse the sweet allure of the couch and the potato chips.

A hero inspires others toward positive change. Your friends, family and strangers saw what you did today and realize that it's possible for them to turn their lives around.

My friends, life is not always fair . . . but the act of running is your best chance to get a fair shake. The rewards you reap are a direct result of the work you put into training. There are no gifts; there is no cheating; shortcuts don't exist. It looks so easy for those who won today, and I'm just as guilty as the next guy in thinking that they have a talent I don't have. But the reality is that they put in the work to earn their status. I am envious of their willpower and strive to equal it.

That same willpower is deeply rooted within you as well. "The will to win means nothing without the will to prepare. (Juma Ikangaa)." You made the decision to prepare, and you will soon decide whether this was a passing phase or a lifestyle decision. I hope you choose the latter, and that we will see you out next Wednesday and plenty of subsequent nights at Memorial Park and elsewhere. You are all champions, but this taste of success is only the beginning of much more to come if you stay the course.

I was excited to hear about many of your future plans and questions . . .about future 5Ks, half-marathons, speed work, taking it to the next level, et cetera. All of your coaches want to encourage your future aspirations by providing advice, support and camaraderie along the way. Please keep in touch with us via email and in person to keep us abreast of your future endeavors.

Coach Jonathan

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Other notes:
* I joined the Tornados last Wednesday after PIM, and therefore this was my club's race (even though I didn't do anything for this race.) I celebrated my membership by going out with the crew afterwards. Coach Manny (from PIM and a key Tornado) treated me to lunch! The Tornados are perhaps the fastest club in town, and a great crew to boot. I'm really hoping that I can improve my marathon time and slide in under three hours when I run Houston next year. They have several sub-3 guys, so hopefully some of that speed will rub off.

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TDLY - 5/1/07: 8.18 miles, 1:17:08, 9:25 pace, Max HR = 167, Avg HR = 158, 77% Zone 4, 21% Zone 3. I'll never forget this run. It's the first time I ran with Cory outside of PIM, and the longest I'd ever run in my life up until that point. The conversation and run was great early on, but I started to fade toward the end and it turned into a difficult run.
5/2/07: PIM Indian Run, 2.87 miles, 25:30, 8:53 pace, Max HR = 179, Avg HR = 156, 17% Z5, 51% Z4 - 24% Z3. As Indian Runs normally go, this one increased in pace the entire time with tehe last mile being 8:26. That was enough to push me into my Zone 5. I can remember finishing this run and being glad it was over because I couldn't run any faster.
5/3/07 - Rest

PIM - Batons - Week 9

2.90 Miles, Continuous Run with one water break in the middle, 33:34, 11:37 pace

Today we were scheduled for a 2.5 mile Indian Run. That's running in a single file line, and having the person in the back run to the front and say something about themselves as they're passing everyone. But our Batons have a wide variety of paces, so an Indian Run didn't seem feasible since the entire group has to run at about the same pace.

We opted for a trip around the park instead. For most of the Batons this was their first time to circumnavigate Memorial Park! The 5K goal race is this weekend, so this was a tremendous confidence builder.

On a personal note, I went to Will's Hills this morning, and my right Achilles still hasn't gotten any better. With the impending marathon, I've decided to take a solid week of rest in order to take the opportunity to heal. This will negatively affect my fitness level, but the possible side-effect of running through this pain is a long term injury. I can handle the pain, but I don't want to even think about sitting out 3-6 months because I was too dumb to take a break and heal.

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TDLY (This Day Last Year)- 3.39 miles, 29:35, 8:43 pace, Max HR = 174, Avg HR = 155. The bottom dropped out of the sky shortly into this run, and my MP3 player got so wet it quit working. I decided to take the opportunity to run inside of the Hermann Park golf course since nobody was golfing in the rain.

PIM - Batons - Week 8

2x(10R/1W).

Running ten straight minutes with a one minute break, followed by running another ten minutes is an impressive task for those who have only recently started running. But even more impressive is that I could tell our group could have skipped the walk break and run twenty straight minutes. At 2x(10R/1W), I think the only barrier to continuous running is psychological.

Good Job Batons!

PIM - Batons - Week 7

3x(5R/1W), 23:34, 11:36 pace

My group of Batons is dwindling somewhat, which is disappointing, but I'd rather accentuate the positive. The remaining members are progressing by leaps and bounds and I'm just about ready to push them out of the nest, figuratively speaking.

They're still doing the run/walk combination, and we are scheduled to continue various R/W combinations until April 30. But I believe most of them are ready to make the transition to running a complete mile or two non-stop RIGHT NOW! I'm not so sure they agree with me, but I can see through their doubt and I BELIEVE in their ability.

The human body is capable of so much more than we can imagine, and we are frequently limited by our subconsious. While I believe it's prudent to follow the sage advice of Dr. Bob and all of the other coaches at PIM who preach moderation, I also believe there are times when you need to lay it on the line and suck up the discomfort along the lines of Jack's recent email about "sandbagging". By extending yourself outside of your comfort zone, you will develop new boundaries of comfort.

The key is knowing the difference between discomfort (which lies in the brain) and pain (which lies in the joints, muscles and cardiovascular system). As a new runner I'm not sure I'm even qualified to tell that difference in my own body. And I'd never go so far as to tell one of my Batons if they were experiencing discomfort instead of pain. It's up to each person to arm themselves with knowledge, and make that decision themselves. Running legend, Dr. George Sheehan, put it best:

"Life is the great experiment. Each of us is an experiment of one-observer and subject-making choices, living with them, recording the effects."

So my Batons, follow this recipe: Soak in advice and knowlege, and season that with your individual experiences. Let that bake in your head, and it will rise to levels you never imagined.

On another related note, I listen to a podcast called Phedippidations. The host, Steve Runner, is a self professed "goofy, middle-of-the-pack runner" who shares his experiences and expertise about running in a very entertaining and personal way. He is truly a champion of the common runner -- that's you and me -- and nearly every episode has at least a few touching moments.

I've listened to all 150+ episodes, and I'd like to share my favorite with you. It's an inspirational tear jerker about Terry Fox, a Legend of Running. Whenever I'm feeling sorry for myself about being tired or uncomfortable while running, I think of Terry Fox. I hope you can dedicate a little more than an hour to listen to the whole show. If not, please consider listening to 29 minutes of the show that are specifically about Terry Fox.

You can find this show by going to http://www.steverunner.com and clicking the "Listen" button on the left side. Scroll to episode #46. You can also subscribe to the podcast through any aggregator. Email me if you need help.

parts about Terry Fox specifically:
0:00 - 2:30
4:45 - 27:15
31:45 - 36:00

There's a little Terry Fox in all of us.

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This Day Last Year (TDLY) - 2.79 miles, 26:14, 9:24 pace, Max HR = 148, Avg HR = 138.

PIM - Batons - Week 6

4x(4R/1W)

Today a portion of our Baton group went with Coach Lisa and Coach Ian to watch and/or compete with LP Run. I ran with the Memorial Park group. And when I say "ran", that's exactly what I mean. I'm seeing a fantastic transition among our Batons . . . people who could only run small distances prior to PIM are now able to run 80% of the time for 20 minutes (4 sets of 4 Run/1 Walk). The 4:1 ratio is the most we've done to this point, and everyone looked great. In fact, I believe that almost everyone in the group could have run 20 straight minutes if called upon to do so. I saw smiles of pride and enjoyment, and it's personally very rewarding to see their measurable progress.

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TDLY - Rest

PIM - Batons - Week 5

5x(3R/W)

The other day a brave soul posted a message to the power in motion yahoo groups email forum. Anyone can subscribe by sending an email to powerinmotion-subscribe@yahoogroups.com .

It's been many many years since,I've ran. The last few years any
excercise I did was either workout dvd's, some basic weights, and some
cardio on an elliptical or treadmill. I found this to be very
challenging and harder than I thought. It's been tough to keep on
track. I am extremely disappointed in how poorly I have been doing.
There is a part of me that screams at myself, not to quit or give up,
to keep going at it even if it's at my snail-like speed. Then I'm not
sure whether to continue for my own fear of failing. I have not been
really keeping up with the homework and i feel like I'm failing myself
but more so failing the PIM's as a group.
I'm not really sure what if anything I'm looking for, but I just wanted
to share.

Even champions at the the top of their respective games have self doubt from time to time. I really identified with this PIMster's email because I have my fair share of self doubt. So I sent the following reply to the group:

The most important thing I ever gained from running is self-discovery.

True, I gained many of the physical benefits normally associated with increased activity, but my stronger awareness of my emotional, physical and spiritual self is by far my greatest accomplishment as a runner. I'm not sure how or why it happened, and I certainly didn't set out with this in mind. It's quite likely that nobody else feels the same way I do. But I have a hunch that the challenges you are experiencing place you well on your patch to self-discovery.

It was extremely difficult for me last year when I started PIM. Much like you, I had self doubt. And just like you, I refused to quit.

We learn more about ourselves when presented with adversity than we would ever learn by taking the path of least resistance. By seeking challenges you explore your limits. By exploring your limits you expand them, and grow as a person.

If you have a moment, read the blog entry I wrote on the eve of the Texas Independence Relay, a relay race covering 204 miles that I ran with eleven other people. In the blog entry I discuss my fear of failure. Fearing failure doesn’t mean you WILL fail unless you allow the fear to stop you from making an attempt. I guess this is my way of telling you that you aren’t alone, and I commend you for sharing your thoughts with us. Keep at it. Adapt your goals if necessary and continue to reach out for help as you did in your email. When all is said and done, our ability to adapt and interact are some of the things that makes us most human.

Run strong,
Jonathan

http://runforspeed.blogspot.com/2008/02/texas-independence-relay-intro.html

PIM - Batons - Week 4

My PIM session Today

I mostly walked today with an injured runner from the GUs, Vicki. She hurt her foot and was wearing a soft cast. Her doctor told her to keep off of it, but Dr. Bob (GU Coach and retired orthapedic doctor) told her she could run or walk on it as long as it didn't bother her. There is a large contingent of medical personnel who believe that, under certain circumstances, recovery can be sped up by applying slight stress to the injury as opposed to total rest.

I listened to a great comment the other day on a podcast from a coach of olympic caliber athletes. He said the number one factor that determined a champion was how the person dealt with injury. If they were used to running two hours per day, did they use their injury time to catch up on their thesis? Or did they hit the bike and pool for four hours instead, and the chiropractor and masseuse for another couple?

PIM - Batons - Week 3

10x(1R+2W)

Becoming a Champion

Hello Batons!

I included an excerpt from Ryan Hall's blog. He is possibly the next American phenom at the marathon distance, and he is our best hope for a gold medal in the Olympic marathon in quite some time.

The key takeaway I get is that I don't have to win championships in order to be a champion. I measure myself against my maximum effort. I'm bursting with pride when I give 100% and I'm disappointed with myself when I give any less. Fellow runners, you have it in you to give championship effort and thereby become a champion. And although you and I will never touch Ryan's speed, we have the capacity to achieve greatness just like him. You just have to choose to "get back up".


How does Ryan's statement pertain to you?
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"The other day I was reflecting on how, when I was little, I always built up Olympians as these super-strong people who were just good all the time. Now that I am going to be one, it feels ironic that I thought of Olympians in this way. When I look at my strengths I realize that one of the most important characteristics I have is simply the ability to get back up. "
...
"I can’t tell you how many 800’s I jogged in over 2 minutes, even though I was going all out, or how many races I was doing everything I could do to just cover the distance. I remember racing in the London Super Grand Prix 5,000M two years ago getting the applause from the crowd for the last place runner who is struggling in far behind the rest of the field. After all these hard times, I, like Alicia, had a choice to make: was I going to get up or give in? I think some of the most celebrated moments in human achievement should be those times when everything is going against a person and they are down in the dumps but they simply choose to get up. That’s real greatness!"


Consider reading the entire blog entry at the link below:
http://www.thefinalsprint.com/2008/01/ryan-hall-perseverance-elite-athlete-blog-entry-1/

Triple Duty

I ran three times today:
1) Will's Hills 5 Warmup and 10x400
2) PIM Run 2 with Batons, 7x(1 minutes Run, 2 minuts Walk)
3) Run home from PIM happy hour (with booksack on) 2.69 Miles, 25:17, 9:24 pace

Wednesdays will continue to be difficult for me since I'll always have Will's Hills just 12 hours after my Rice track workout.

After the PIM workout, I rode with Coach Lisa to the happy hour spot and then loaded up my booksack on my back and ran home. I took it easy, but my right knee is bothering me and I almost decided to walk for a bit.

PIM - Batons - Week 1

I'm celebrating a birthday today. Today is the first day of the spring Power in Motion (PIM) session, which happens to be my one year birthday as a runner. It also happens to be my first day on the job as a coach for PIM, and the first day of running for many runners in my group, the Batons.

In an older post (http://runforspeed.blogspot.com/2007/08/kickoff.html) I talk about why I joined PIM. My blog and all of my comments therein serve as testament to how my life has changed since I took up running.

But this post isn't going to be about the reason I started running or what running means to me. This post is about how hard it is to start running. After all, it was only one year ago that I was in the same shoes as many of the 200+ participants in this session of PIM. So the feelings of "newness" are fresh on my mind. I still have that metaphorical new car smell.

To put it succinctly, starting to run was HARD. I can remember showing up and running the time trial for people who could run one mile continuously (but not three). I was scared I wouldn't finish my time trial. I was scared I wouldn't be able to do my "homework" runs 3-4 times per week. I almost stopped in the middle of my three mile run on the first weekend, but what kept me going is that I was determined not to quit. I defined "success" as completing the program, and I was determined to succeed. Sometimes our lives present us with challenges that are impossible to overcome. But nine weeks of running was not only achievable, it was well within my sphere of control.

Perhaps one of the reasons why I like running is because I am a recovering "control freak." And running is, almost without exception, entirely within my control. I determine how fast and far I run. Through my actions I decide if I'm going to get better or worse. I can experiment with new courses, training methods, foods and equipment. People may tell me that I shouldn't do "this", or should do "that", but ultimately it's my decision. If you are new to running, consider the empowerment you receive by being in total control of the pathway to your goal. Many of us seek this state through our careers or our personal lives. My epiphany was that running provided that outlet.

For the new runners -- you are on a path traversed by millions before you, yet yours is still unique. You will encounter your fair share of pitfalls and difficulties, but what glory is found in that which is easily achieved? You can do it. It will be hard, but achieving your goal is worth the work. Best wishes.


Today the Batons and I ran 7x(1R/2W) with a stretch break after the first three sets. I saw a lot of smiling faces and determination. Dr. Taylor did a fine job of motivating all of us and leading us through the stretching routine. I'm really glad I decided to become a PIM coach.

Unofficial Power in Motion Run

.46 miles warmup, 3.71 miles run

I'm coaching for Power in Motion this year. It's a great honor that they can use my services, and I'm excited to do a small part toward helping other people enjoy running.

This evening's run was an unofficial run with PIM, and technically it was cancelled because of rain and earlier lightning. I didn't get word that it was cancelled, and about five other people showed up anyway so we took a lap around the park. I got to spend some time with Tom and he gave me the skinny on different Houston running clubs and runners. He invited me to a hill workout session that apparently takes place every M,W and F near my house.

I'm also considering starting a speed workout program with a friend from work. He runs under his coach's supervision at Rice University on Tuesday evenings. I'm concerned that work will frequently run long and stop me from getting to the track in time. But hitting the speed and hill workouts again (with other people!) will be great for my 5K and 10K times.