Monday, February 26, 2007

Me and Mr. Garmin


Me and Mr. Garmin
Originally uploaded by rus_runner.
For the last week (Sun, Feb 18 - Sat, Feb 24) all I did was 5 miles + 1 mile + 14 miles. Total 20.
14 miles I did on Sat, PM was Longest workout I did this year. Hard and with truly brutal weather conditions. Splits:

Mile 01: 08:42 / Avg.HR 132 / Max.HR 153
Mile 02: 08:34 / Avg.HR 150 / Max.HR 157
Mile 03: 08:31 / Avg.HR 149 / Max.HR 154
Mile 04: 08:35 / Avg.HR 151 / Max.HR 156
Mile 05: 08:51 / Avg.HR 149 / Max.HR 154
Mile 06: 08:34 / Avg.HR 152 / Max.HR 156
Mile 07: 08:40 / Avg.HR 153 / Max.HR 156
Mile 08: 08:45 / Avg.HR 152 / Max.HR 155
Mile 09: 08:45 / Avg.HR 152 / Max.HR 155
Mile 10: 08:42 / Avg.HR 153 / Max.HR 156
Mile 11: 08:42 / Avg.HR 152 / Max.HR 160 !
Mile 12: 08:47 / Avg.HR 153 / Max.HR 156
Mile 13: 08:51 / Avg.HR 153 / Max.HR 157
Mile 14: 08:47 / Avg.HR 154 / Max.HR 157

Total: 2:01:52 / Avg.Pace 08:42 / Avg.HR 150 / Max.HR 160 /

to Everybody! Have a Great RUN !!!

Saturday, February 24, 2007

I'm Down


bigsnow
Originally uploaded by rus_runner.

frwindow
Originally uploaded by rus_runner.

Really Down.
Last Saturday having completed my Half Marathon workout I laid down on the snow, on my right side. I watched a salute in the night sky. They shot several times. It was not really far - 800 meters away from my stadium (in the "district #30" if you know my city). I guess it was someone's birthday. It was great to lie there watching salute. Because I was lying on my personal highest point - never did 61.7 miles per week before.
This week I also made a record. No one among our runners can do it in the nearest 20 years. As per now, Sat afternoon I made 5 + 1 mile for the whole week. Total 6 (Six!!!) miles. Anybody can do it?

Here's how it transpired.
Sun, day off. Weather was normal, about -12C and I should have run several recovery miles to put something in my bank. I didn't.
Mon, AM. I got to my running places and stopped still, surrounded by snow and being attacked by strong blast and blizzards. There were moments when I didn't see anything within 5 meters around me. I stood there for couple minutes guesstimating my chances to run. No chances. F* It. I quit.
Just a nice morning walk.

Starting from those days - Mon, Tue we had here a really wild weather. It was serious. Russian news pages say that due to blizzards and cold 6 people total were lost and died. Some of them died on the 6th km of the road not far from their car... It was too late to save their lives
In Karaganda and Pavlodar region there was a snow and strong wind up to 17-22 meters per second, sometime to 24 - 29 meters per second...
They died and were found next to their cars, ablsolutely lost and frozen, not far from their little towns, villages. Officials "Do not recommend to Drive" on such days and it is prohibited to use main roads. But there are so many local ways. So people die every year. Ok, I'm here to be a running blogger, not a local reporter.

So, Once in the middle of the week I had a chance to make nice 5 miles. It was sort of warm and I ran competing with thick snow flakes, they were flying ahead of me, disappeared and other appeared again. It was nice.
Another eve I did only 1 mile. Snow & Wind, Wind & Snow. Pace? Oh, come on. Do not ask me.

Now this is my turn to ask after one lucky guy from Alberta, Canada - Haven't We Had Enough?!!! How many more days?

Now I even doubt of completing 205 miles this month. I shall try a lot. I didn't like my approach to the time management made last week. Funny! This week is a pure nonsense.
I Hate this ***ing Weather.
Even today (-20C) somebody from my work asked me: "Rus, did you run today?" - "I didn't"
"Please don't. Otherwise you'll die on the track. We need you here alive."
One more, as we know Mr. Garmin works with temps down to -20C, so i'm not sure if I can use it tonight.
I guess 30 days to go for Good Ol' Spring Days!
I have reached to my highest point.I have reached to the lowest point.
My Winter Struggle is not over. Many battles ahead and I'm excited about coming Spring and definitely sure I'll be on my personal running peak many many more times.

Sunday, February 18, 2007

My New PR - is it Getting Better, Man?!


week61.7m_Feb17_2007
Originally uploaded by rus_runner.
Thomas made a truly fantastic work! Inspired me a lot.

Mark - begged Mother Nature for the winter to be over and he got it.

Dallen as usually doing a tough speed work.

so on the previous week (Feb 4 - Feb 10th) my record was: 61.21 m, avg.pace 08:54
this week (Feb 11 - Feb 17th) I finished with: 61.70 m, avg.pace 08:44

Run more, run faster.
Everything is ok? NO!

Every week in run we may consider as a Project.
The Project requires a good management. I'm a self-coached runner, it means I rule my running work. My management for this Record week sucked.
On Feb 17th, Saturday morning I had in stock only 40.59 miles.
A day before, I posted that i was going to make around 55 - 65 miles. I did it in purpose, to be on the safe side. I wasn't sure I was able to reach 60 miles mark again.

Saturday morning Mr. Rus-coach made this reasonable question - So, what we gonna do? Haven't done the Half this week!
AM - 8 miles.
PM - Half marathon.
21 miles in total is nuf to get to 60.
I did it. Of course needless to say that it was a tough work.
Half marathon I clocked with 1:53:53, avg.pace 8:41,
3 seconds faster then I did last week!

If I make a graph/plot for the week, you would see this JERKness, Fri 4 miles! & Sat 21 miles! Incredible JERKness!!!
Now you know Who I am :)

Seriously - I'm a bad running manager. Shall learn to make it better.

P.S. About making a 20 miler. Shall write about it later.
In a nutshell - It's not a right time for doing it. If you know what does it mean - a Winter in Russia or Soviet Union. I'm simply "overweighted" with Heavy winter shoes, 3 jumpers and jackets on me, winter hat and hood and cowl. Sometimes I wear a bacalava.
Will do my first 20 miler in the end of March.

P.P.S. This running post got a big laugh.

Friday, February 16, 2007

Routine or making 55 - 65 miles per week

Do not have much to report.
Everything was usual. After making a "PR week" took a day off, second for this month. Ahh, this month is So-o Short!

Sun, Feb 11, 0 miles, Off and didn't feel guilty.
Mon, Feb 12, AM: 2 miles, avg. pace 8:37, avg. HR 139
micro injure, not really mentionable and (almost twisted my right foot on Icy road - nice start for the week :)
5 min later: 3 miles, avg. pace 8:17, avg. HR 143
the same day, PM: 6 miles, 48:49, avg. pace 08:08, avg. HR 144
Tue, Feb 13, AM: 6 miles, 51:11, avg. pace 08:32, avg. HR 145

look again, here's something to compare: the same distance 6 miles, much slower in the morning and with Higher heartbeat rate??
then all I did was a routine.

Tue, Feb 13, PM: 4 miles, 34:59, avg. pace 08:44, avg. HR 135
Wed, Feb 14, PM: 5.6 miles, 51:41, avg. pace 09:13, avg. HR 133 Lazy! the only excuse was a considerable cold wind.
Thu, Feb 15, AM: 3.27 miles + PM: 7 miles, 1:04:00, avg. pace 09:08, avg. HR 136
Ran and talked with my running pal Mr.Baghdad - hey don't be afraid - it's a typical name for Central Asia, for guys and even gals. He's a former wrestler and now is a lawyer.


I have no idea how I will end up this week (Sun, Feb 11 - Sat, Feb 17).
Guess will be "hanging around" 55 - 65 miles for this and two-three more weeks.

Have to be quick, time to run for me.
Thanks for comments. Thanks for answering me. Personally to Olga, Mark and Thomas and Grazie to LaLenchik.

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

Let Me Be Your Valentine!


Forgive me icq.com for using an image from one of your great flash cards... this year I'm unattached and do not give flowers to anyone (at least real flowers :) I'm having a Running Blog here so let's get back to running.

Monday, February 12, 2007

Better to run well than to say well


Feb_07_week
Originally uploaded by rus_runner.
Not a super week that was

61.21 miles in 8 sessions.
avg. pace 8:54 (have a plan to keep it under 9:00), avg. HR 140 bpm
see a picture for more details
9 hours outside with cold weather, moon and stars, snow and wind, clouds and heavy track. Bizarre
Tired of this feelings and struggle. I dream about Spring and running with sub 7:20
A real winter stays with us till the middle of March. Then 2 weeks for a Big thaw. Not sure I'll be able to run through the 40 cm layer of water and snow. And finally, since beginning of April tracks are sort of normal.
Cons: Great Steppe (it's a territory of 5 Frances) generate winds for the whole April, usually. So running wouldn't be comfortable.
May: Steppe is dry enough to run there.
I even have a CountDown for good April days - about 45 days to go...
"While the grass grows the horse starve"
No more complains about Winter. One of running bloggers said that: "Winter may kiss my ass"
That's right! That's what i think running throu blizzards or something.
Be very carefull cause such thoughts could be easily materialized!
The other dark evening I run alone upwind and against another wind blow with tapping my face snow I say it loud: Kiss.. Two laps later I feel that my butt is partly frozen and not only. There are other important parts. Had to quit my workout.

61 Miles - is my Personal Record
Announce I did was different though.

Saturday, February 10, 2007

i've got something to brag about


Half_Feb09_2007
Originally uploaded by furyhorse.
The Half that I made yesterday evening.
Right from the start I knew i was doing 13.1 miles and nothing more.
So kept it under 9:00
Really satisfied.

Mile 01: 08:20
Mile 02: 08:00 !
Mile 03: 08:55
Mile 04: 08:52
Mile 05: 08:50
Mile 06: 08:41
Mile 07: 08:39
Mile 08: 08:53
Mile 09: 08:40
Mile 10: 08:58
Mile 11: 08:45
Mile 12: 08:47
Mile 13: 08:39
Lap 14 0,1m: 00:52 (pace 08:22)

GOOD!

Feb 08, 2007, PM: 4,0 miles, 34:43, avg. pace 8:40, avg. HR 143
Feb 09, 2007, PM: 13,1 miles, 1:53:56, avg. pace 8:41, avg. HR 142

P.S. The weather here is changeable. Right before the start the dark "frosty" sky was full of incredibly bright stars,
after six or seven miles I noticed that sky filled with thick clouds...
I wouldn't say that my legs are sore now, but actually tired and I have about 11 miles to go today. To make a biggest weekly mileage. Ahh, this Madness goes on

Friday, February 09, 2007

Closer to 60 miles a week barrier

Frankly - I'm afraid to Run a 20 miler. But I have to do it anyway. 20 Miler scares me more than Marathon itself!
I believe there is a sort of "Virtual coefficient" for those who run in my conditions comparing to those with normal track in Chicago, Maine or Ireland. So if I make 18 with hard snow, tough wind and all those winter things is almost / sort of equal to 20 miles in normal conditions.

Coming back to my Sunday Half marathon, I didn't intend to make a Half, i wanted a Longer Run, at least 15 miles. As you may see it, Kept Sub 9:00 pace first 11 miles, then backed off hoping to make at least 4 more miles with sub 10:00.

It didn't occur. I stopped my Mr. Garmin and fell down to the snow. The Half. Done.
If I had knew I'm doing only the Half I would push sub 9:00 till the end.
Overshot the mark.
The Lesson to learn or my issue on How to Make a Good Long Run?

This week: Sun, Feb 4 - Sat, Feb 10th:
Feb 04, 2007, PM: 13,11 miles, 1:57:11, avg. pace 8:56, avg. HR 140
Feb 05, 2007, PM: 7,00 miles, 1:05:32, avg. pace 9:21, avg. HR 136
Feb 06, 2007, PM: 4,00 miles, 37:53, avg. pace 9:28, avg. HR 139 WIND!
Feb 07, 2007, PM: 8,00 miles, 1:10:01, avg. pace 8:45, avg. HR 138 opposite Wind!
and yesterday I made ...
Feb 08, 2007, PM: 4 miles !!! ain't that a SHAME! my stomach! gave me signal to give up WEIRD
and it disappeared, yep without a trace


recently I talked to "legendary" Mark and said that I would try to "crash 65" barrier.
As per now I made 32,10 miles (plus 4 miles on Feb 8th) during this week.
I have Today's eve, tomorrow's morning and Eve.
Now I really doubt about 65 but Sixty is something real.
I better get going

Thursday, February 08, 2007

Starting Push

ok now it's clear for me I shall be a better blogspot Poster : )
Here's how it went since Feb 1st, 2007.

February was ALWAYS the Coldest Month in former USSR (at least for Russia, Ukrain, Belorussia, Baltic countries and Kazakhstan). It was quite a normal temps from -25 down to -40 C. What's wrong with this world?! I cancelled my Feb 1st run due to "positive temps" +1 C!!! and as a result - adherent and ropy snow. Warm weather is a problem this season of year (at least for runners who used to have Cold season :) Made a slow (Holy Sh.. that was tough with that snow) one lap - quarter and refused to run, I gave up! Actually was tired and I realized that I'd done 180 miles per January, so convinced myself that One REST Day is acceptable sometimes.
Since that day we had -5 to -7 C which is better and almost perfect to Run.
The only problem is what Mark calls "footing" - 45% of my stadium track is slippery and full of small holes made by our steps in the "warm snow", so Watch Out otherwise you eager to twist / sprain you leg. (Then you will have a lot of REST Days, about a week or something; Oh No, please!).

Here's my work:

Feb 01, 2007: 0 miles
Feb 02, 2007, PM: 8,0 miles, 1:12:54, avg. pace 9:06, avg. HR 136

Feb 03, 2007, AM: 5,0 miles, 43:12, avg. pace 8:38, avg. HR 145
Saturday is a Speedwork day for me - I go to a Special track & Field GYM so it was:
Feb 03, 2007, PM: 4 x 1600m
1600m 06:22'9
1600m 06:27'0
1600m 06:23'0
1600m 06:22'2
btw my Garmin Training Center Software consider 1600m as 0.99 miles which is correct, I suppose. But 800m is clear 0.5 miles.
I did repeats in the Gym with 5 - 10 min rest between them.
Of course Running Monsters (i mean Masters) like Dallen would do it without stoppage and rest between repeats, even with faster pace but I do not compete here. (Saying "Running Monster" I didn't mean nothing offensive, I respect fast guys, for running fast)

Sunday after speed work - the only day for "Long Run" for me.
Feb 04, 2007, PM: 13,11 miles, 1:57:11, avg. pace 8:56, avg. HR 140
Splits

Mile 1: 08:16
Mile 2: 08:27
Mile 3: 08:56
Mile 4: 08:45
Mile 5: 08:55
Mile 6: 08:48
Mile 7: 08:43
Mile 8: 08:48
Mile 9: 08:41
Mile 10: 08:40
Mile 11: 08:50
Mile 12: 09:54 !!!
Mile 13: 09:42
add0.11: 01:40 (which is shocking 15:29 pace!)

what happened? Recently I found this article from Thomas' post he made a month before Dublin marathon. So I thought about conception of "The Marathon Long Run".
Wow - my working day is suddenly over. Have to go and Run tonight, 13 miles? at least Ten is for sure.
More comments tomorrow.

Thursday, February 01, 2007

180 miles. I Did It

Here I found a really moving video - New High School World record for 1 mile.
Alan Webb - the Biggest hope for American distance running

Jan 31st, PM.
Final run for January. Started almost in 10 pm. It took me more than an hour. I made up my mind to keep sub 8:30. Really we've got so many excuses like wind and snow to have "comfortable" 9:30 making a Half Marathon. 8.9 miles is less than the Half and slightly more than 10 K so it went like this:

Mile 1 08:08
Mile 2 08:16
Mile 3 08:28
Mile 4 08:19
Mile 5 08:24
Mile 6 08:27
Mile 7 08:07
Mile 8 08:01
+ 0.9m 08:14 (pace)

I finished mile #8 and was in such a groove to get that less than a mile done soon.. 2 quarters later I run inattentively and Snap .. I fall down in a tiny split less than a second, landed on my back with decent hit to my body.. Ouch .. I lay down on the ground and see a star, not really bright but shining right above me "Get up & Run" in a second I'm running again, completely spooked telling myself "you're not loosing anything, in 7 sec pace would be normal, 8:00 is not a big deal" Run after the hit like this is hard for several seconds but finally I managed to finish as I planned to. Keeping average pace Sub 8:30


Jan 30, 2007: 13,1 miles, 2:03'19, avg. pace 9:24, avg. HR 145
Jan 31, 2007: 8,9 miles, 1:13'39, avg. pace 8:16, avg. HR 151
Total for January 07: 180.19 miles! Avg. pace 9:33 slow but PR !!!

P.S. Thomas (former rubbish runner) made 333 impressive miles ...
Dallen finished with 334 miles. Congratulations. Good Job!
Mark aka Running Blogfather, his result is unclear for me as his Training Log has no info on this