Week 15 (9/21-9/27)

September 28, 2015September 27, 2015 veggiefueledrunner Training, Weekly #marathontraining, #run, #running, #training, marathon, taper

Monday: 5.2 Miles (Pace 7:58)

I don’t want to jinx it but the nice fall weather is continuing here in Baltimore! Most of the day was overcast and dreary; after getting some work done and coming to the conclusion the light rain wasn’t going to stop I went to the Promenade to run. The rain picked up a little during my run but not to hard, honestly I barely noticed. I had another strong run with negative splits and my last mile being my fastest. I think my legs are a bit refreshed after a lower mileage week last week!

Tuesday: 7 Miles (Pace 8:38)

After two great days of running, my body was starting to get tired. My plan was to run 10 miles downtown, but I wound up doing 7. I ran with my friend Kristen, we started a bit faster than I wanted to but quickly fell into a steady pace. During my longer runs and in general I have been trying to make a habit of starting slow and then picking up the pace. That is the strategy I plan to use in the marathon. We ran along the water and it was a bit humid but still a nice evening out. When ended the run at Tin Roof and talked with our friend Theo for a bit. Kristen left and Theo and I caught up a bit, I hadn’t seen him in a few weeks. It was good run and I hope to make up some miles tomorrow.

Wednesday: 2.1 Miles (Pace 8:24)

So much for making up the miles. Even though I had a relatively light day at work, I was still pretty fatigued. It seems like it has taken my body longer to recover before I am ready to go 100% again. After work the day got away from me and I had a night college fair to attend and only had time to get in a few miles.

Thursday: 1 Mile (Pace 8:16)

After a late night from the fair last night, an early morning, and another evening college fair I didn’t feel like running much. For some reason this week has been a bit more difficult for me to motivate myself to get out and run. I think I can see the end in sight and I’m getting excited for a break. I need to keep my eye on the marathon and not slack off these last few weeks.

Friday: 1.5 Miles (Pace 8:16)

Knowing my long run is tomorrow, I decided to take it easy on the run today. I wanted to make sure I stay hydrated and well fueled for my final long run tomorrow. I saw my neighbor and friend on the run, he was walking his dogs, when I ran up behind him I actually scared him. I guess I’m a really quite runner. After a quick chat I was on my way and finished my run.

Saturday: 20 Miles (Pace 9:12)

Last night I slept close to 9 hours, the long days at work have really been taking it out of me. I know you can’t catch up on sleep, but it was nice to get in a few more hours than I had been. For breakfast I tried a new energy bar from Extend Nutrition, I actually won a gift card from Ashley’s blog. It is suppose to keep your blood sugar balanced for up to 6 hours during the day. The run today had course support from Falls Road Running Store, they host the run every year before the marathon. The course starts at Patterson Park and follows the marathon course. You run most of the hills which is good, it gives you an idea of what to expect. During the run, I met some new people and chatted with them as we ran I also saw some people I know from running and ran with them for a while. When I wasn’t running with anyone I reflected over the last few months of training and running the same course 3 years ago in preparation for the marathon. Things have changed a lot since then, which I hope to write about in a separate blog. As I thought about the last few months I have never trained with this much intensity or intent before. I am hoping it will pay off come race day! I wasn’t trying to run a certain pace and when I finished I was happy with it. I felt comfortable, very tired but comfortable with how I ran. I know how I want to refuel during the race and I have a plan, I just need to stick with it. After the run, I had an event to go to for my best friend, and then I had some people over my house. We had a bonfire and enjoyed sitting around telling funny stories. Sarah and FKBT came over and brought some dessert, it was a great way to end the day and begin my taper!

Sunday: 1 Mile (Pace 8:43)

All through the night, I had a horrible headache and woke up with one as well. No it wasn’t from to many beers, I think it was a combination of being dehydrated from running, not eating properly afterwards, and the smoke from the fire. I woke up had some breakfast and started to feel better. Today was the home opener for the Ravens; I went to the game with a friend. I didn’t have time to run before the game so when I got home I did a quick loop around the neighborhood. My body felt fatigued from yesterday, at one point I actually thought about stopping, but I didn’t. I’m so close to finishing the streak. Today was day 337 of the running streak. The end is in sight. I am looking forward to a day of rest and I’m looking forward to the marathon! I am so glad that taper time has started! I didn’t get in all the miles I should have this week, if I can I will make some up this upcoming week, but it is time for my body to regain strength through some easier runs!

Walking through the Inner Harbor After the Ravens game, really high tide!

Total Miles: 37.8

-Veggie Fueled Runner

Week 14 (9/14-9/20)

September 21, 2015September 20, 2015 veggiefueledrunner Training, Weekly #marathontraining, #run, #running, #runstreak, #seawheeze, #training, marathon

Other than the rough end to Week 13, it was a great week. I’m looking forward to this week and the lower mileage. I am also looking forward to the finishing my streak in just over a month! I never thought I would make it this long, I just need to stay healthy and get through the next 6 weeks!

Monday: 5.2 Miles (Pace 7:58)

What a difference a day and some hydration makes. I ran the same route along the water tonight as I did last night, the weather was near the same, but I was able to run much better. Sometimes I forget how important hydration is when it comes to running. I eased into the first mile and then negative split every mile after. Today’s run was a confidence booster after last night!

Tuesday: 1 Mile (Pace 8:14)

Time got away from me today. After work I had a meeting I needed to go to which started 30 minutes late. By the time I got home I didn’t have 6 miles in my legs, plus I had an early day on Wednesday. I did a loop around my neighborhood to keep the streak going!

Wednesday: 5 Miles (Pace 8:11)

This morning was an early morning followed by a long drive to a college fair I had to go to. The first session was 4 hours, then a break, and an evening session of 2 hours. My plan was to run in between the sessions. I had packed extra clothes with me so I could shower after running. At the first session I was talking with some of my colleagues I hadn’t seen in a while and they were planning to run during the break as well, though we were all running different distances. The first session ended at 1300 hrs, which just happened to be when you could register for the SeaWheeze Half Marathon. After some tense minutes of waiting, I was able to register! I was really lucky to get in there were only 10,017 spots and the race sold out in 11 minutes. I was really pumped and ready to run. I found a gym where I could shower after running, I had to buy a day pass that was $15. Pretty expensive for a shower but sometimes that is the cost of running The sun was high and the humidity was just as high, it was a rough run considering how cool it had been in the evenings the last few days.

Thursday: 1 Mile (Pace 8:56)

Today was a really early morning after not getting home till late, I only had about 5.5 hours of sleep and a long day ahead of me. My day was pretty much standing in one spot for about 7 hours while I presented to students and another college fair. My legs were really sore from standing in one spot all day. I didn’t have the energy to do a tempo run and didn’t really feel like running at all. I managed to eek out a slow mile but I wasn’t to happy.

Friday: 1 Mile (Pace 8:33)

I don’t say this often but I was happy for Friday to arrive, it had been a long week! After another early morning and another 4 hours of standing my feet and my legs were pretty sore. After work I helped a friend move some dance equipment to where she teaches on the other side of town. When I finally got home I responded to some work emails and then took a nap for 2.5 hours. I woke up, ran, ate dinner, had a glass of wine, and went back to sleep. I was exhausted from the week. My friend invited me out, but I was too tired to go, I felt bad but I knew I would be any fun.

Single serve, so you don’t have to open a whole bottle…don’t judge me 😉

Saturday: 12 Miles (Pace 8:51)

After a solid nights rest I was feeling pretty good! The weather was overcast and really foggy when I woke up. I drove to the BWI Trail to meet FKBT and Sarah to run. Even though it was overcast it was still humid. Sarah was doing her long run, 22 miles, and I needed to do 12. I planned to run one loop with her and then she would continue on. FKBT was planning on meeting some friends to go on a long bike ride. At the start of our run, another runner waved me down, we belong to the same running group on FB, and he recognized me. It was nice to meet him, I’m always surprised by how awesome the run community is and you never know when you will actually meet someone you only know from social media! As we went around the loop lots of other runners and bikers said ‘hi’ and one walker even shared some words of encouragement as we passed them. People on the trail are much more friendly than most in Baltimore. It was a nice loop to run around, differently scenery and some hills but nothing to big. I think I slowed Sarah down a bit, I like to go a bit slower on my longer runs, we actually talked about that at the beginning and she said it would be good to test out her pacing. After my 12 we stopped together briefly to take a runselfie and for Sarah to get some water and she was off on the loop again. It was nice to get the run out early in the day. My legs still were not fully recovered but I was happy to get the miles in!

Sunday: 7.3 Miles (Pace 7:47)

After an hour of trying to get my new printer from work to scan I was ready for a run. The air was cool and crisp perfect for running. I decided to run at the Promenade along the water. I was hoping to run 6 miles but once I got going I figured I would add some extra to make up for what I had missed earlier in the week. I eased into the run with a slow mile and then what felt pretty easy turned out to be a 7:30 mile. I was feeling pretty good and decided to try and stay around that pace. Half way through my run I was surprised at how strong I was feeling. The miles were just passing by. I finished strong and really happy with this run considering how the week had gone. Even though this was a low mileage week it was rough, standing in one place really took its toll on my legs and feet. I am a bit nervous for the upcoming week and the 50+ miles I will need to do. Oh today was day 330 of the running streak, 5 weeks to go! 4 weeks until the Baltimore Runinng Festival and 26.2!

Total Miles: 32.5

-Veggie Fueled Runner

Week 13 (9/7-9/13)

September 14, 2015 veggiefueledrunner Training, Weekly #cancer, #cancersucks, #defeatcancer, #giveblood, #giveplatelets, #marathontraining, #redcross, #run, #running, #training, marathon

As week 12 ended I was feeling good especially after my PR in the Charles St. 12. I was ready for the heavier mileage week that was in front of me!

Monday: 4.1 Miles (Pace 8:16)

My legs were feeling strong today, the lower miles in week 12 really helped out. The heat and humidity are still lingering in Baltimore, but I would expect nothing different for Baltimore weather. I decided to run around my neighborhood in the early evening. As I was finished I saw my neighbors and after I cooled down I talked to them for a few minutes, not an overly exciting run, but I was happy with the pace.

Tuesday: 10 Miles (Pace 8:54)

My friend Kristen texted me in the morning and asked about my plans for running, when I told her, she wanted to run with me. We waited till early evening when the sun was staring to go down before we ran. We started at the Korean War Memorial went down Clinton street and made our way towards Patterson Park. We looped both parts of the park twice and then made our way back to the waterfront. We stopped once because my shoulder was cramping up, but once I massaged the pain away the last few miles of the run went well. Just as we were finishing we ran into some of my friends I hadn’t seen in a while. We stopped a spoke to them briefly and then finished up the last quarter mile. I dropped Kristen off and decided I was going to get a burrito from Chipotle. I went into the store and the music was so loud it could have been mistaken for a dance club. I could barely hear the server when she was asking me what I wanted. She made my burrito and I thought, what a waste she had put entirely to much rice, beans, veggies, and cheese on it. If I had to guess I would say the burrito probably weighed close to 3 lbs. I knew immediately I wasn’t going to eat the whole thing. When I got home and bit into it, it had way to much cheese on it; it didn’t even taste that good. I ate some of it just to get some food in my body but threw most of it away. I don’t like to waste food but I didn’t think a burrito would be good reheated. I should have taken a picture

Wednesday: 5 Miles (Pace 8:45)

After work today I had an appointment with the Red Cross to donate platelets. I had never done it before and had lots of questions when they called and asked me donate. My questions included how it would affect my training, how long it would take to recover, did it matter that I’m a vegetarian. The person who called was very helpful in answering all my questions but out of caution I asked them all again when I went to my appointment. They assured me it wouldn’t affect my training and recovery was actually faster than giving whole blood. I asked if I would be able to run tonight, because they said no strenuous activities for 12 hours. The phlebotomist told me I should be okay to run after 2 hours, but to carry extra fluids with me. They were very nice, it takes a while to donate, it took me 2.5 hours. They said it takes longer your first time. While you are donating you get to watch a movie on your own personal dvd player. I watched ‘Men of Honor’. They also cover you with blankets because you get cold when you donate. I started with one blanket, but during the donation process the machine started beeping the phlebotomist said it was because my veins were constricting because I was cold. She felt my arm and said I was freezing, I didn’t even realize it and they but more blankets on me. After I finished donating I had about an hour before I was suppose to go to a new run club, Holabird Sports Run Club. I drank a lot of fluids and some extra orange juice and figured I would see how I felt. The run club met at the Korean War Memorial and they had a rep from Under Armour there, it was funny I had actually met the rep at the Charles St. 12, she is friends with one of my running friends. It was a great group of people, we started really slow, which was fine with me, but it was too slow after a mile, it was more than a 10 min pace. I started to pull away a bit and another runner came up along side me, her name was Heather and we ran the rest of the way together and chatted a bit. Afterwards we all met back up and talked for a bit before we called it a day. Everyone had asked how I felt, I had told them before about my donation in case something happened, plus I had bandaids on my arms. Surprisingly, donating didn’t effect my run at all.

Thursday: 5 Miles (Pace ?:??) 5 x 800 hill repeats

When I got to Patterson Park to run hills, I realized I had forgot my Garmin. I know the distances for the hills, but wouldn’t know the time. I actually arranged to meet Heather who I met yesterday and run hills with her, she had a GPS watch but at the end of our run I forgot to ask our pace. The training plan calls for 400m hill repeats but I figured 800 are better since Baltimore is hilly and we got in a longer distance. I was hoping to do 6 repeats but I was tired after 4 and took a quick breather, Heather kept on going, she was pushing the pace. As I ascended the hill I thought about doing one more but figured that 5 was good and I called it a day.

Friday: 1 Miles (Pace 8:37)

Friday’s are always marked as rest days but on a run streak a rest day doesn’t really exist, so I did the next closest thing. I ran a slow mile around my neighborhood and then met up with some friends.

Saturday: 20 Miles (Pace 9:25)

The plan was to get up early and run before the rain came, but I decided to sleep in. I must have been really tired, I slept for 10hrs. I felt refreshed when I woke up but I did not feel like running. The weather was dreary outside, in the 70s, but humid. I couldn’t wait till later to run, my best friend was having a birthday party. I delayed as long as I could and finally hit the road around noon. I decided to run a different route instead of in the city. I started from my house and ran towards Edgemere and the North Point Peninsula. The terrain reminded me of the marathon course with the hills that I would be running. My plan was to run the peninsula and then go to my parents and have them give me a ride home. There were lots of straight aways on the run which made the miles seem longer. Around mile 9 I reached North Point State Park, when I passed the Visitor Center I saw my Dad’s truck. I wasn’t surprised my parents are always at the Park, my Dad is volunteer and Honorary Ranger and my Mom likes to take pictures along the trails. I headed towards the fishing pier and noticed an event going on and quickly realized it was a wedding, then I saw my parents were in attendance. I stopped and saw them, their friend’s daughter was getting married at the park. The reception was just beginning I waved to my parent’s friend said bye and then continued my run. At that point I figured I needed a new plan, since my parents were at the wedding and wouldn’t be able to give me a ride home. I was close to the midway point of 20 so I decided to run back the same way I came. Around mile 14 the skies opened up and it started pouring down rain. I remember thinking about Sarah and her post about her 16 mile run earlier in the day and I wished I only had 2 miles to go. It rained intermittently for the next 6 miles. At mile 17 I stopped at a 7-11 because I had run out of water and if I didn’t get some I’m not sure I could have finished. On this run I ate Clif Bloks more frequently, every 4-5 miles, and I think that helped. I passed my house just before 20 miles and was so happy when my Garmin beeped. I was pretty surprised at my pace, I was trying to go slow and get the miles in so I wasn’t shooting for any certain pace, but I thought I was going slower so I was pretty happy.

Sunday: 5.1 Miles (Pace 8:48)

I felt surprisingly good when I woke up. I made sure to stretch after the run yesterday and I think that really helped in my recovery. I had lunch with some friends and then watched the Ravens game with them. So close to a victory but we came up short. It was about 2000 hrs when I started my run, the air was actually a bit chilly compared to what it had been. It was in the low 70s and a light breeze was blowing. I was hoping to get in 10 miles and I thought I could since my legs were feeling good. A little over a half mile in I got sick while I was running. I figured it wasn’t a big deal it has happened to me before, when I was in the military. I just figured it was because I had a big lunch. I kept on going but was feeling really sluggish in one sense but felt like I was running pretty hard in another. At one point I thought my Garmin was off because it said I was running over a 9 min pace but it felt like it I was going faster with the amount of energy I was putting out. I chalked it up to just loosening up the first mile. Somewhere in the middle of mile 2 my pace had picked up but I knew 10 miles was not in the cards. I wasn’t feeling well; my head was starting to hurt. I started to think about it and I didn’t have as much fluid today as I normally do, and I should have been taking in extra after the long run. By mile 3 I knew I was dehydrated and it was time to head back. I didn’t want to run any further because I didn’t have my phone with me. Even though my head was hurting I was trying to keep the pace, I figured it was good marathon simulation. When I got back to my truck I felt totally depleted of energy, I was definitely dehydrated. I went to Target and bought some Gatorade and chocolate milk. I drank the chocolate milk on the way home, it did start to make me feel better almost immediately. After I showered I mixed the Gatorade with water and drank about 40 oz, before bed. I mixed 6 oz of Gatorade with 20 oz of water. I think mixing it helps you digest it easier. I finally started feeling better before bed and finishing up the blog. Note to self, remember to properly hydrate! Normally I carry a water bottle with me but forgot to today

Total Miles: 50.1

-Veggie Fueled Runner

Week 12 (8/31-9-6)

September 7, 2015September 8, 2015 veggiefueledrunner Race, Training #chuck12, #marathontraining, #run, #runfriends, #runhappy, #running, #temporun, #training, marathon

Week 11 ended on a bit of a rough note with the long run, but overall it went pretty well. I was happy with the week and felt I made the most out of it. I’m looking forward to the lower mileage week this week and the Charles St. 12 on Saturday.

Monday: 4 Miles (Pace 8:21)

Last week it was rather cool for the last week of August, in Baltimore the heat can return in an instant! The heat and humidity came back today. It was in the low 90’s with 70% humidity, so I waited until later in the evening to run. I hydrated throughout the day and was feeling better after yesterday’s long run. I started my run feeling good and then just like yesterday around mile 2, I felt like a ton of bricks hit me. I felt wiped out. I pushed through and finished my run. I chalked it up to not having enough water throughout the day, even though I thought I had. Glad to get this one behind me.

Tuesday: 2.25 Miles (Pace 7:58)

It is looking like the heat will not subside until the weekend, which will be better nice since I have a race this weekend. I was suppose to go 6 miles today, but I waited till later and didn’t have the time. I was meeting a friend to move lacrosse goals which turned out to be harder than one might think. Anyway, I digress. I figured since I wasn’t running 6 miles I would run a bit of a faster pace. I got my miles in around the neighborhood and felt pretty good today. I think I am rehydrated!

Wednesday: 5 Miles (Pace 8:00)

This evening I ran with my friend Cat and her brother. She wanted to do a tempo run and I was fine with that, I’m suppose to do speed work tomorrow but I figured I could just swap days. We ran around Canton and Fells Point, we started out pretty slow around a 8:30 pace, we chatted and caught up on what everyone had been up to, then John (Cat’s brother) really picked it up. We quickly dropped to a 7 min mile and averaged 7:30 for the next 3. The conversation dropped to a minimum during those 3 miles, the last mile we slowed down and cooled down. It was still muggy but it felt good to get a tempo/speed work in. I decided at the end of the run I wasn’t going to do intervals tomorrow.

Thursday: 3.3 Miles (Pace 8:14)

Since I wasn’t doing intervals I figured I would still do the mileage I would have running intervals. I looped around my neighborhood and had a strong run. It was negative splits which I am always happy with.

Friday: 1 Mile (Pace 8:24)

Tomorrow is race day! I made sure on my short run tonight to deliberately run a bit slower. After my run I made some pasta for dinner, which I had also had for lunch and dinner on Thursday. Carbo-loading!

Saturday: 12 Miles (Pace 8:09)

See Charles St. 12

Sunday: 3.1 Miles (Pace 8:09)

This morning I was little sore from the race, my feet and quads mostly. I hobbled around a bit and then got ready for the day. I was meeting a friend from high school; we were going scuba diving in in a quarry in Westminster. We drove up spent about an hour maybe a little more in the water, had lunch and then came back. I showered and sat on the couch for a little while to rest and I started to dose off, I texted some friends and asked if the wanted to go see a movie, they said yes. That gave me the motivation to get up and run before going out. My first mile was pretty slow, I think swimming loosened my legs up some but I was still tight. Close to the end of the first mile it felt like my legs released and my stride was back to normal. I didn’t want to push it to much I wanted to use this run to stretch out. My next mile was smooth and 40 seconds faster, my 3rd mile felt just as good and was 20 seconds faster. I didn’t mean to run negative splits today but I was really happy that I did and even more surprised I was able to do it at my race pace just a day later. In my mind I’m hoping that means the training is paying off!

Total Miles: 30.65

-Veggie Fueled Runner

Week 11 (8/24-8/30)

August 31, 2015 veggiefueledrunner Training #chuck12, #marathontraining, #run, #runchat, #runcommunity, #runhappy, #running, #training, marathon

Week 10 was a solid week, I left some miles out there but overall I was content with the week. Coming up is another tough week with 3 longer runs, after that I get a bit of a reprieve.

Monday: 4.1 Miles (Pace 8:11)

Today was a good day to start off the week and inspired me to run my mid-week article about the running community. I ran later in the evening, the humidity returned, but was bearable. I ran around my neighborhood. For the last few runs around my neighborhood I always see a group of young boys playing in the same area. Everytime they see me one yells, ‘Hi’ and I yell ‘Hi’ back, then he says ‘My name is Justin’ and I’ll respond ‘Hey, Justin how’s it going?’. Our brief conversation always goes that way, today he yelled back you always say the same thing, I laughed to myself, by then I was to far away to say anything back. It is reassuring to see nice young people in the area. (Gee, I sound old. haha)

Tuesday: 10.2 Miles (Pace 8:56)

My friend Kristen was suppose to run with me today she wanted to run longer than we normally do at Tin Roof, which is where I met up with her and some other runners. I wasn’t sure if I was feeling up to 10 today and I told her I would be running at a slower pace. She took off with the other runners who were running around a 7:45 pace, about a mile in I broke off and ran by myself the rest of the way. They only ran about 5 miles total. I ran around the stadiums, Fed Hill, Locust Point, Ft. McHenry, and back along the promenade in the harbor. I picked up my pace after mile 7, to change it up a bit and make sure I could do after running slower. When I got back to Tin Roof everyone had already left, so I went to 7-11 got a gatorade and drove home.

Wednesday: 5 Miles (Pace 8:04)

The MAC was suppose to start a new run group tonight to take the place of City Sports Run Club. When I arrived only one other person was there and I asked the staff if there was going to be a run tonight. He said no, it would start next week. Since I was down in Harbor East I decided to run the loop I would have ran with City Sports. I ran into Kristen about a 1/4 mile in and we ran together. It was a negative split run and I was pretty happy with it!

Thursday: 2.1 Miles (Pace 8:11)

A tempo run was scheduled for today, but I sort of squirmed out of it. I wasn’t sure what I was going to do for my long run this weekend and I rationalized that I sort of did a tempo run yesterday and talked myself into an easy run around my neighborhood. I was really happy with my splits, I eased into the run with a 8:43 mile and turned it up the second mile and ran 7:43.

Friday: 1 Mile (Pace 8:21)

Even though I took it easy yesterday, today was a scheduled rest day. I ran in the early evening and took an easy run around the neighborhood.

Saturday: 9 Miles hiking; 1 Mile (Pace 8:11)

Today, plans changed about 10 times. I was supposed to go hiking with my friends, then I arrive and they told me we were running. I didn’t have running shoes, but said I would run in my Vibrams. Then we get started on the trail and we decided to hike, but I left my water and gear so I didn’t have anything to drink. We hiked 9 miles in about 4 hours. The terrain wasn’t that difficult but my legs were tired after being on my feet for that long in Vibrams. We stopped and ate afterwards, the food was good, but it did not agree with me. I stuck close to home for a while. Once I starting feeling better I decided I should get in a mile. Today I was suppose to run 10 miles, but the time I was on my feet and how I was feeling I figured a mile run would make 10 and that is I rationalized it. Plus I wouldn’t have been on my feet for so long if I had just ran 10 miles like I wanted to, anyway…

Sunday: 17 Miles (Pace 9:35)

It was a bit warmer today than it had been the rest of the week, so I decided to hydrate throughout the day and run in the evening. This run was the first one in a long time that I decided to take a fuel belt with me. I had 20 oz. of water and some bloks to help keep the sugars in my body up. I was feeling great during the run, I decided to start at the Korean War Memorial and do a tour of the city. I ran the docks on Clinton St. then up to Patterson Park where I did some laps and hills, then along the promenade to Harbor East, into Locust Point, through Fells and down into Little Italy. I felt strong throughout the run, I was drinking a little bit of water every 4-5 miles and taking a blok at the same time. I would chew on them for about a mile instead of eating it quickly. Everything was going great until just before Mile 16, I’m not sure what happened. I looked down at my Garmin and things started to go black, I almost fell over. I thought I had been taking enough fluids and eating, but I started to think I was dehydrated. I thought there was a convenience store close by so I made a loop and doubled back, but no such luck. I knew one was about a mile away in Power Plant so I made my way over there. I wasn’t feeling good at all. I bought some water and gatorade and mixed them together. I was starting to feel better. I gave my left over water and gatorade to a homeless guy outside the store. I chatted with another one for a little while about exercise, he told me I should do some pull-ups and I’ll get ripped really quick! I thanked him for the advice, popped another blok and started running again. This time I think the blok actually made me feel worse. I was running on President St, trying to figure the quickest way back, when someone started yelling my name. It was my best friend and his wife driving by, I yelled back to turn around but they didn’t hear me. I stopped and called his cell phone it went straight to voicemail, thankfully his wife answered. They were getting dessert at Vaccaro’s. I asked if they could give me a ride back, they said they could, so I ran over to where they were at. As I got to the bakery, my Garmin beeped for 17 miles. I got really stiff on the quick ride back to my truck. I know I left 3 miles out there, but they weren’t going to be quality miles and I wasn’t feeling well. When I got home I stretched out and sat on the floor for a little while. I wasn’t really feeling well, but that is to be expected after a long run. I hopped on the scale, I always weigh myself before and after a run, I had lost 7 lbs. on this run. That could explain why I wasn’t feeling well, most of that was water weight. I drank some more fluids, but didn’t feel like eating. After an hour I started feeling better and had a light snack, before finishing typing this and going to sleep! Overall, I think this was a good week of training but I’m looking forward to the reduced mileage next week! Oh and next week is a race week, I decided to run the Charles St. 12 for the first time!

Total Miles: 49.4

-Veggie Fueled Runner

Not the best photo, but I took it after 17 miles so... — Not the best photo, but I took it after 17 miles so…

Week 9 (8/10-8/16)

August 17, 2015 veggiefueledrunner Training, Weekly #brooksrunning, #marathontraining, #run, #runhappy, #running, #tired, #training, #uber, marathon

I am so happy week 8 is over. I thought running in St. Thomas would be really nice and peaceful, it proved to be the exact opposite. Seven days of runnings hills really took a toll on my body. If I ever have to run in St. Thomas again it will be to soon!

Monday: 1 Mile (Pace 8:03)

It wasn’t in the cards, I couldn’t run in St. Thomas again. Early in the morning I decided I would run once I got back home. I couldn’t take another run on the mountain. I knew I would be tired after a day of traveling but would rather do that than run on the island again. Once we arrived at BWI it was late, our flights had been delayed. When I got home it was raining out but I didn’t care I was looking forward to running on flat ground, I thought about going further but it had been a long day of travel and as much as I enjoyed running this evening I wanted to get to sleep! It is good to be back!!!

Tuesday: 9 Miles (Pace 8:11)

Okay, now back to my training plan! Normally, I’m not a fan of mid-distance runs during the week but today I was looking forward to running on terrain that didn’t have 20% inclines! My friend Cat and I met at along the waterfront and ran about 4 miles together. She was doing a tempo run, which I didn’t know before we started and the first four miles were faster than I would have liked to start out, but it was good to push the pace. She ran home after our four together, it was actually five for her, she had to pack for a trip. I thought about continuing my run back home but that wouldn’t have gotten me to nine and I would have had to loop the neighborhood. I didn’t really feel like doing that, it was still early evening so I decided to head towards the harbor and turn around when I felt like it. I ran along the promenade all the way to Harbor East. I looped Harbor East and headed back towards Canton. I had slowed my pace down some, it was pretty humid out. I hit nine miles along Boston St. near the Safeway, it was a great run. I walked around a little to cool down and then called an Uber to take me home. I have really become a fan of Uber I like it because I’m not forced to run in a circle and come back to the same place, I can do an out-and-back run and get a ride home when I’m done. If you haven’t tried it I would recommend you do! Use my promo code for a free ride davidj3146ue

Wednesday: 4.1 Miles (Pace 8:12)

I was a bit sore after yesterday’s run, I think my body is still recovering from last week. I did some stretching through the day and put on some Arnicare cream which really helps! I recommend it for any type of pain you are having. I went to an early dinner with a friend and ran afterwards. I waited for the sun to start to go down, the evening air was cooler than it has been recently. It took me a little while to get into a rhythm, but when I did the run felt smooth. I thought about going further but decided to stick to the plan for today.

Thursday: 3.1 Miles (Pace 7:50)

My right foot was bothering me most of the day, it was the side of my foot; not much I could do in the way of stretching. I waited again till the sun was setting to run, the air was unusually cool for an August evening. As I started to run, I wanted to focus on my form. I could tell it was a bit off the past few runs. I took the first mile easy, focusing on my stride, core, hip rotation, breathing, getting into the groove. The first mile was 8:30. Today was suppose to be an interval workout but I’m going to do hills tomorrow, so I thought I would do a mini tempo run. The second mile I felt like everything was falling into place from my foot strike to my arm swing. I clocked mile two at 7:50. I wanted to have negative splits for the run and was feeling strong, I pushed a little bit more in the final leg and put down a 7:21 mile. I was really happy with the run, not because of the negative splits but with how I was able to focus on my form and make some corrections.

Friday: 1 Mile (Pace 8:27)

The plan was to run with November Project, the plan did not happen. I didn’t sleep all that well, I was tossing and turning most of the night and when I woke up I could tell I was really dehydrated. Opting for a better run later in the day I didn’t go to November Project. Through the day I was pretty sore and my training plan did call for today to be a rest day so I decided to only run a mile.

Saturday: 1 Mile (Pace 7:50)

I felt much better today and thought about moving my long run to today. I thought another day of rest which my plan called for would be good. I did a loop around my neighborhood and pushed the pace a bit. I think my body is still recovering from Week 8, it was a rough week last week.

Sunday: 10 Miles (Pace 8:46)

Normally I like to do my long runs early in the morning or late in the evening to avoid the heat of the day. My friend Kristen couldn’t run until 1000 hrs, we actually started at 1030 hrs. It was already heating up for the day. We planned to do 13 miles, but by 5 miles I knew I didn’t have it in me. The heat was brutal and there was not a lot of shade where we were running. We stopped and got some water. We decided to start to make our way back. While I was running I looked down and could see the salt just ‘pouring’ off of my legs with the sweat. I was loosing fluids fast. We stopped at a ground fountain in the harbor that shoots water into the air. We walked through it to cool off and it helped. We were both exhausted when we got back to her house. We met up with our other friend Ben and after showering then went to the pool for a few hours. All the sun really zapped my energy. Though it wasn’t a perfect week, it was much better than last! Long runs must be done early in the summer!

Total Miles : 29.2

-Veggie Fueled Runner

FullSizeRender (5) — Not a run photo, because I forgot to take one this week…oops!

My ‘Born to Run’ Experience

August 8, 2015 veggiefueledrunner Training #borntorun, #saintthomas, #training, #usvi, #vacation, #vc2015, #waterisland, marathon

About two years ago, I gave Vibrams a try. I really liked them for about 6 weeks; then one day I was on a run when my foot started hurting very bad. When things didn’t get better the next day I made a doctors appointment, diagnosis tendonitis. Once I recovered I gave up the Vibrams and stuck to ‘normal’ running shoes, until yesterday…

We took a ferry to Water Island, which is about 10 mins from St. Thomas. I spent most of the day snorkeling and we decided we would catch the last ferry back to St. Thomas which left at 2100 hrs. Around 1800 hrs. I decided I didn’t want to run really late back on St. Thomas and that I would run here. I asked the shuttle driver how far it was to the dock, he told me it was .7 of a mile. I didn’t bring my running shoes with me, he asked what I was going to run in. I told him I’d go barefoot. I knew it was going to be a challenge, especially the hills. I started running and quickly realized it was going to be a bit harder than I had thought, loose gravel and asphalt really hurt my feet. When I got to smooth areas it was such a relief. After running for a while I realized I was lost. I know you really can’t get lost on an island, but I didn’t know where the dock was and my feet were really starting to hurt. I ran down a road that said private drive, hoping to run into someone! A jeep was driving up the road and I waved at them to stop. I asked them which way it was back to Dinghy’s? They said they didn’t know and remarked I had forgotten my shoes. I told them I didn’t I was just running barefoot. Since they were not any help I kept running. The asphalt road ended and a rocky dirt road started, I decided to turn around my feet weren’t going to be able to handle it. Finally I came across someone who gave me directions back to Dinghy’s. I descended the steep hill and ran across the beach and right into the water to sooth my feet and cool off. I had been running for about 30-35 mins, I estimate I went about 2.5 miles. Some areas I had to walk because of the loose gravel. When I got out of the water it felt like I had a blister, I looked at the bottom of my foot and sure enough. I had a blister on my left foot, a blood blister about the size of a half dollar coin. My foot is still sore today and perhaps running barefoot wasn’t the best idea, but you have to do what you have to do to keep the run streak alive! 286 Days!!!

What ‘extreme’ running experiences have you had?

-Veggie Fueled Runner

Week 7 (7/27-8/2)

August 3, 2015August 2, 2015 veggiefueledrunner Training, Weekly #intervals, #longrun, #marathontraining, #run, #runchat, #running, #thesweatlife, #training, marathon

In week 6 I got things back on track and even added a few miles. After this week I will be traveling again, this time to St. Thomas for vacation! I’m looking forward to it, but in this week I need to focus on training!

Monday: 3 Miles (Pace 8:09)

This evening the air was still and thick, my legs felt like logs after putting in 10 miles yesterday. My cadence seemed like it took forever to complete one rotation. As I started running I thought about cutting the run short, then I realized a marathon is about fighting through being tired and finishing the race. As I completed the first mile, my Garmin 220 beeped 8:47 a bit slower than I wanted to but I wasn’t sure how the next 2 would go. I took off my tank top, not because of the heat because yesterday I forgot to put on some ‘protection’ when I ran, so my chest was a little sore (get the point?). My pace started to pick up a bit. Then came the gnats, swarms of them. Since the air wasn’t moving, they seemed to be everywhere. My Garmin 220 beeped 7:57 for mile 2, much better even though my legs were tired. As I ran I think I swallowed a gnat, I know one landed on my lips. I looked down and my chest was covered in gnats, I tried to wipe them off as I ran, but they kept piling on…I clocked my third mile at 7:40! Negative splits. I felt like I was pushing much harder and I hope that feeling will pay off when it comes time to tackle 26.2!

Just a few on the gnats 'left over' after colliding with them during the run. — Just a few on the gnats ‘left over’ after colliding with them during the run.

Tuesday: 3 Miles (Pace 6:31); 1 Mile Pace (9:41)

Conditions this evening were less than ideal for speed work, lets be honest they were down right brutal! The heat index was 94 with 60% humidity, yeah it sucked! Yesterday, I agreed to meet two of my running friends to do interval training, we were texting throughout the day and everyone knew it was going to suck tonight! We did 6 x 800 repeats. After the first repeat my throat felt like a desert, I didn’t think I had 1 more in me, let alone 5 more. We took quick breaks in between intervals, but they didn’t seem long enough. After 3 intervals I looked at my watch, 9:56. I remarked I could remember 10 years ago I could run that same distance 4 seconds faster without stopping. Elizabeth quickly reminded me I probably had rested legs as well, very good point! After the 4th interval I was sure I was done, but Cat talked me into another and then I talked her into one more. We all got our 6 x 800s in. I was spent, I thought about running home, we were in Patterson Park, it is about a 4 mile run. After a mile I decided to stop and get a veggie pita from Samos in Canton and call it a night. The mile after the intervals was rough. I have been streching more frequently and noticed a big difference the next day, so when I got home I made sure to strech. My legs were tired and sore, but I know putting in the work now will pay off come race day, and it is always better to put in the hard work with two great friends!

A beautiful sunset after a tough workout!

Wednesday: 1 Mile (Pace 8:30)

Anguish, it’s the only way to describe the pain I had when I woke up around 0400 hrs to use the bathroom. I thought I was going to have to crawl to my bathroom. I stretched after running, but my heels were still throbbing in pain when they touched the floor. I hobbled to the bathroom and back to the bed. When I woke up in the morning I knew I had to stretch more. I hobbled to my guest bedroom and spent some time stretching which helped. I find it odd my heels hurt so much, I am more of a toe to mid-foot striker when I run. The intervals yesterday had really done me in. I was thinking today was going to be the day the streak ended. After spending most of the day stretching and hobbling, I decided I would try to run a mile just to keep the streak alive. I was a painful start and the rest of the run felt less than comfortable but I got the mile in to keep the run streak going! Day #277 in the books!

Thursday: 1 Mile (Pace 8:06)

Today I did something I haven’t done in a while, ran only a mile back to back. My legs were still sore from the interval workout. As I started my quads felt like they were going to fall off my legs, but I got into the groove. Even though I wanted to run more, I knew to stay healthy I shouldn’t risk it. I was surprised at my pace when I finished.

Friday: 5 Miles (Pace 8:32)

Finally my legs were starting to feel normal, I wanted to get up early and run before the heat set in but I hit the snooze to many times. I ran in the middle of the day and while it was hot, it was much less humid. I thought about running a bit further, but my plan is to run 20 miles tomorrow so I didn’t want to push it to much. I ran around my neighborhood, and had two dogs run up to me because they weren’t on leashes. That caused me to stop and pet (hold) the dogs while their owners came to get them. I didn’t want the dogs to keep running because I run in the street and I was worried they might get hit by a car. I don’t understand why people don’t use leashes, especially if their yard doesn’t have a fence. Overall a good run today!

Saturday: 19 Miles (Pace 9:38)

After hitting the snooze once I was up and moving around. I was dreading the miles I was about to put in. I met my friend Elizabeth around 0630 hrs. I took an Uber to her place, my driver told me I look to heavy to be a marathon runner (we were chatting). I don’t think he meant to be rude. He quickly said most are really skinny. I know I’m not really skinny, but when I weighed myself this morning I was 146, I think I’m okay. Although my plan is to lose 10 more lbs. before the marathon so I am a little lighter. Anyway, when I got to Elizabeth’s she looked about as enthused as I was to log the miles. First thing I said, “I don’t wanna be a runner anymore, I wanna be a sleeper!” We both laughed and off we were. Around mile 8 or 9 we stopped for water, between mile 12-13 I was feeling really bad. Things wouldn’t stop shaking and I almost told Elizabeth I think I was going down, but I figured she would notice me missing after a few strides, haha. Fortunately, I didn’t pass out but I knew I needed some electrolytes. Around mile 15 we stopped for more water and I got a gatorade. I told Elizabeth I wasn’t feeling well and to push ahead if she wanted. The next 4 miles were slow for me. I wound up doing 19 and she was probably a little over 20. When we finished, we both sat, actually I laid on the ground for a few minutes. Ugh, another run in the books and I know what I need to work on. Oh, and I lost 6 lbs. on the run, where’s that Uber driver???

Sunday: 3.1 Miles (Pace 8:30)

Surprisingly I did not feel as bad as I thought I was going to today. I was sore, but not in pain. Throughout the day I did have some aches and pains that came and went but nothing intolerable. I did feel more tired than usual which I attributed to running 19 miles yesterday. It took me almost a mile to loosen up and feel like I could get into my stride. After that I felt pretty good and was happy with how I ran today. Overall, I think I had a good week, but the toughest one yet in the training!

Total Miles: 36.1

-Veggie Fueled Runner

Week 6 (7/20-7/26)

July 27, 2015July 27, 2015 veggiefueledrunner Training, Weekly #brooks, #brooksrunning, #novemberproject, #novemberprojectbaltimore, #run, #runfriends, #runhappy, #running, #training, marathon

Traveling for two weeks really threw off my training plan, especially when I was hanging out with my friends. This week I really want to focus on staying on track and maybe throwing in a few extra miles.

Don’t forget to register for my giveaway on July 30th!

Monday: 5 Miles (Pace 8:59)

One thing that was nice about being out of Baltimore the past two weeks was the lower humidity. Today the humidity was up near 45% and the temp climbed to 93 degrees. The weather report said the heat index was between 103-105. In the interest of my health and wellness, I decided to focus on hydrating throughout the day and run in the evening after the sun started to go down. I convinced one of my running friends to join me and she convinced her brother to come as well. I say convinced because I think she was leaning towards running on the treadmill rather than outside. We met at her house ran down to the promenade on Boston St. through Fells Point and back. The air was thick and the sweat was pouring off of us. Our pace was a bit slower than we normally run, but we got the miles in. Sometimes you need to adjust for the weather and make sure you are safe when you run!

Tuesday: 7 Miles (Pace 8:11)

My plan today was to run with Tin Roof Runners, they usually run between 3-5 miles, but I needed to run a bit further to stay on track with my training plan. Though I did add a few extra miles yesterday. I decided to take an Uber to run club and get out early and run a few miles before running with the group. I had the Uber drop me off in Highlandtown about 2 miles away and I ran to Tin Roof in Power Plant Live. It was a good warm up before running with the group. The weather was humid as usual and I think that kept people from coming out to run club, but a few people showed. We ran a loop through Fells Point, Canton, Patterson Park, and back to Power Plant Live. It was a good run and nice to be running in my hometown after 2 weeks away!

Wednesday: 5 Miles (8:04)

I decided to bike to run club tonight, it is about 6 miles each way, a nice warm up before hitting the streets. I added a few more miles today, even though it is still early in my training and it probably won’t matter, I feel like I need to make up the miles I missed last week. I ran with City Sports Run Club tonight! That is where I started running about 2.5 years ago; a TomTom rep was there and raffeling off a TomTom Runner Cardio. To enter the raffle you had to demo the watch. The rep who I have known for a while now, joked that I could wear my Garmin 220 on one arm and then TomTom on the other. I opted to just run with the TomTom. It was a little bit bigger, and only had one button on the wristband, it also had a heart rate monitor built in. Overall I liked the Runner Cardio, but I’ll stick with my Garmin. Had I won the watch I may have been swayed! One of the reps I didn’t know also ran with us, he only ran a 1/4 mile with us and then stopped. We ran around the city through the Harbor, Locust Point, Fed Hill, and back. After the run, when we got back to the store he informed us he had a heart attack about 3 weeks ago. I was amazing he was even able to run that much, the body is an amazing thing!

Thursday: 1 Mile (8:16)

Due to some other committments I had to run in the late afternoon today, probably the hottest part of the day, though it wasn’t as hot as it has been the last few days. I was sore from earlier in the week and hitting the links earlier in the week. I decided to switch my tempo run today and do it Friday with November Project. I got my new shoes in the mail, and decided a short run would be a good start to breaking them in. I ordered Brooks Glycerin 12’s Ombre collection. I’ve ran in Brooks for the last 2 years, same shoe, same color, either orange or the ombre (blue/orange). When I find something I like I stick with it! After adjusting the laces the way I like I took a loop around the neighborhood and kept the run streak alive!

2 Years of Running Shoes; when I find something I like I stick with it!

Friday: 4.7 Miles (Pace 8:09)

Well I didn’t get to run with Sarah and FKBT when I was in Providence so I figured I would go to November Project this week and run with Sarah and hear about her half marathon. I decided to work in some cross training again and rode my bike to NP, it was about 4 miles each way. This week I was suppose to do 5 X 800 intervals, but I decided that hills would be just as good. The training plan does say you can swap workouts if the race course is hilly and Baltimore is a hilly course, especially the second half. NP always runs hills on Friday and it just so happens the hill they run is about 800 meters, so it worked out perfectly. I still tried to sprint when I could but the hill is a 5% incline and by the 3rd one I was feeling it. On the second ascent I could see a person walking dogs near the top of the hill but I didn’t see a leash so I assumed they were off leash. You know what they say about assuming. As I turned the corner at the top of the hill I felt something pull hard across my stomach, it was one of those retractable leashes. I’m not sure who I pulled more the dog or the owner. He immediately started apologizing. I decided not to respond at all, because what I would have said would not have been nice. I pushed the leash over my head and went on my way. The 5th hill I was struggling but I still gave it my all, when I finished I was thinking about trying to run that little extra to get to 5 miles but my legs were spent and I still needed to ride my bike home. You can always count on a good workout with November Project!

Saturday: 7 Miles (Pace 8:14)

Seven Miles on tired legs, tired from the hills the day before and just in general tired. Today marked 9 months of my run streak, I’ve ran everyday for 9 months, it is even a little hard for me to believe. When I started out I wasn’t sure how long I could keep the streak up, so far I’m really happy with how it is going! These 7 miles were suppose to be at race pace, but I just wanted to get them in; when I started I wasn’t even sure I if I had 7 miles in my legs today. Furthermore 8:14 might be my race pace, though I’m hoping it will be slightly faster, only time will tell. I ran the peninsula around my house, the evening air was warm but tolerable. I had a negative split on each half and I picked up the pace the last 2 miles, the last mile was actually my fastest at 7:56, which made me happy. I felt much better after I got the miles in, funny how it always works out that way. I’m not looking forward to the 10 miles tomorrow. I see now why the training plan has the day of rest between hills and the next two days of running…oops.

Sunday: 10 Miles (Pace 8:54)

I tried something I’ve never done on a training run before; a point to point run. I decided to run in the city, so I took an Uber to the Korean War Memorial and went from there, not really knowing where I would end up. I decided to run along the waterfront for a while, when I got to the harbor I ran up Pratt St. From there I looped both stadiums and headed towards Ft. McHenry, I made another detour ran around a park, not really sure of the name and then looped the Under Armor factory and that made 10 miles. I was pretty happy with my pace, I was trying to run slower which is sometimes hard for me when I run by myself. I was trying to focus on just logging the miles instead of the speed. Yesterday I was dreading running, today I enjoyed each mile and the scenery. It got me thinking does it matter where you run? I think it does, I enjoy running more in the city than I do my own neighborhood. I think it is because of the people, scenery, and other runners in the city. Another week of training in the books!

Total Miles: 39.7

-Veggie Fueled Runner

Week 5 (7/13-7/19)

July 20, 2015July 20, 2015 veggiefueledrunner Training, Weekly #deepcreeklake, #marathontraining, #militarytime, #providence, #run, #runchat, #runfriends, #runhappy, #running, #training, #travel, #waterfire, marathon

I felt great about Week 4 and the miles I got in, I thought they were quality and though I moved the days around a bit, I was able to get in all my miles plus some. So far I am really happy with the training plan and the variation in schedule that it has.

Monday: 3.1 Miles (Pace 8:11)

Another travel day, off to Providence. I wasn’t sure what the plan was for the evening, it was between dinner with friends or co-workers an no one could decide what to do. Knowing that a decision wouldn’t be made till late I figured it was best to run before I got on the plane. I hadn’t packed but I’ve moved half way around the world and packed in 2 hours so I knew I had enough time to run around the neighborhood. The weather was already warming up at 1000 hrs. when I ran and like a typical Baltimore day the humidity was high. I was happy to only have to run 3 miles today, I was a bit tired from Week 4 even though it felt good, plus I had run less than 12 hours before. After the 3 miles I packed for the week and I was off to the airport!

Tuesday: 3 Miles (Pace 8:37)

Seven miles was not in the cards today. I had been in meetings from 0800 to 2000 hrs. I was worn out after 12 hours of meetings. I had thought about trying to get in 7 miles but my stomach was a bit full after having dinner, plus I didn’t start running until close to 2045. I was a bit disappointed that I didn’t get in 7 miles and knew I would have to make it up Wednesday. It was an enjoyable run along the canal in Providence and it reminded me of running in Baltimore, just a bit cleaner and less crowded. Normally WaterFire is only held every other Saturday in the summer, but for some reason they had a special showing tonight and they were starting just as a finished my run. I showered quickly and then went over to walk around the river and listen to music before calling it a night. Three miles and WaterFire was a good way to end a long day!

Wednesday: 7 Miles (Pace 8:32)

Well I had to do 7 miles today since I didn’t yesterday. Our meetings ended earlier, at 1730, but when we went outside the sky looked ominous. I checked the radar and clearly a storm was moving in from the south. I wanted to run before dinner but I didn’t want to get soaked. A few of my co-workers wanted to get dinner so I decided to go, thinking that after dinner the rain would have passed. It is restaurant week in Providence so we went to the Capital Grill. I ordered brussels sprouts (my favorite) and mashed potatoes. Pretty much the only things I could eat on the menu. I was less than impressed, the brussels sprouts weren’t seasoned very well and were soft instead of crunchy, the mashed potatoes were okay. All through dinner I kept looking out the window but the rain never came. It was still overcast when we finished dinner around 2000 hours, but it didn’t look like it was going to rain. I quickly changed and hit the pavement. In the nearly six years I’ve been coming to Providence I have never ran the hill that leads up to Brown University, it looks like a beast! I decided today would be the day. About a mile into my run mother nature had it in for me and the sky opened up, it started raining pretty hard. I rounded the corner and stared up the hill towards Brown. I glanced down at my Garmin 220, I wanted to know how long the hill was, in my mind it was miles long. Surprisingly it was only .2 of a mile but the elevation climb was 111 ft. with an average incline of 13-16%. Once I was at the top I was relieved and winded, but I had made it. I looped the University property twice and ran back down the hill. Going down was almost as hard, I needed to lean way back and slow my pace. Not only because of how steep the hill was but because of the rain. I was happy to get back down without falling. I looped around the canal and back towards the hotel, finally in mile 6 the rain let up but the wind picked up. Mother Nature made sure she made me pay for not running the 7 miles on Tuesday. Even though I was soaked it was a good run and my legs felt great!

Thursday: 1.1 Mile (Pace 8:08)

After running in the rain last night I wanted to give my legs a rest before doing a tempo run and let me shoes dry out, but today was a travel day from Providence, back to Baltimore, then on to Deep Creek Lake. I was going from a work trip to a weekend with my friends. Time was not going to allow me to rest my legs before a run, nor did I have time for a tempo run. I hit the snooze once and reset my alarm once before I woke up. I had to be ready for meetings at 0745, I finally walked out of the hotel lobby at 0700 to run. The morning air was unusually cool even for Providence. I did a quick mile around the city and it was off to meetings. I figured I would try to make miles up later this week, but I also felt a cold coming on.

Friday: 1.1 Mile (Pace 8:11)

After a plane ride, shuttle trip, and a cab ride I arrived in Deep Creek at 0030 hrs. My friends had arrived earlier in the day, I spent some time catching up with them and went to bed around 0300. The next morning, we went white water rafting at Wisp Ski Resort. It was a blast! The plan was to get lunch and go out on the lake next. My friends had towed a pontoon boat from home. So much for making up some miles, my week was really getting derailed by other activites. The area around the cabin where we were staying was a bit hilly but not hilly enough to make up for low mileage. The run streak stayed alive!

Saturday: 4 Miles (Pace 10:36)

Long run was the plan today but by now you have probably guessed the training plan was out the window this week. Today we planned to play disc golf and went out on the lake again. Right after breakfast my best friend asked me if I wanted to run. I figured it would be better to get the run in before the day really started. We ran a slower pace than I normally do but it was good to run with him and chat about the last couple of weeks since I have been traveling.

Sunday: 1 Mile (Pace 7:58)

Today we had to pack up, load the boat, and drove back to Baltimore which is about a 3.5 hour drive. On the way we made a 2-hour pit stop at the casino and ate lunch. We got back to Baltimore around 1830 hrs, we still needed to put the boat back in the water, tie it up, and drop everyone off. After a long day of traveling and not feeling the best the past few days (I think I have a slight cold) I didn’t feel up to a long run, it was a quick mile around the neighborhood.

Total Miles: 20.3

-Veggie Fueled Runner

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