Wednesday, October 15, 2008

 
Were does time fly?

Well it has been almost 4 months since I have posted a blog. Wow where to start?

To say life has been busy would be an understatement. Work and being a full time single dad has been sucking the life out of me and fortunately I have manage to keep up on some running. No correct that, I have been running a lot lately.

Since I have posted last I ran several races including the Twin City Marathon where in less than ideal conditions I did manage to qualify for Boston. My official time was 3:27:24. I finished 76/580 in M45-49 age group and was 711 overall out of 7800 or so who completed it. I am fairly pleased with the results.

The big highlight was going to Running Amy's wedding. To say she was a beautiful bride is an understatement. She and her husband Troy were fun and we had a great time at the wedding. I hope to post a few pictures up in the next few days.

I am going to get caught up on Blogs and start to post again. I should be past the busiest time at work now and have more time to stay connected.

Enjoy the day everyone.

Kurt

Thursday, June 26, 2008

 
Wednesday Night Track workout

Last night I did my weekly track torture session. I did a 2 mile warm up 6 x 400 with 400 recover runs and 2 mile cool down. Bad news was I was pretty inconsistent still on pacing. Good news I was running fairly well.

Splits for each of the 400's

1) 78
2) 85
3) 90
4) 90
5) 86
6) 85

Not sure why I flew so fast on the first lap but I was trying to pull it down after the 200 mark. I burn the first 200 a little to fast. Each lap seem to go well. I think one of the differences was I was running on a real track vice the gravel track I use at the local middle school. That along with the torture plan my coach has me doing (Jack Daniels type of plan) seems to be finally paying off.

Enjoy the day everyone.

Kurt

Monday, June 23, 2008

 
Running Update

I have now been working with my running coach for a month and have found it to be an interesting experience. I find that the mileage isn't much different than what I was doing but she is pushing me more with increased speed work. I do more intervals, more fartlek and strides than I have ever done before. While my legs are feeling it I am getting more consistent in my speed work for a change and running smoother. Times haven't dropped much but I do expect by fall the times will be back in the range I am expecting out myself.

On days I would sometimes bag a run I find that having to be accountable to someone else has made me get out and do the run. It is giving me more motivation and once I mentally get back into racing again I will be pulling it all together and looking to set new Master's PR this and next year.

One of the little things I have been doing is after my long run on Saturday's I go to the beach here on Long Island. The nice thing is the water is really still cold in the low 60's. Usually it is me and a bunch of kids in the water until I can't stand it anymore. Still it beats doing an ice bath and helps the legs recover quicker.

Enjoy the day everyone.

Kurt

Monday, June 16, 2008

 
Yesterday I had a fun filled day with my youngest daughter Maddie and Marsha for fathers day. The day started off with my favorite race on Long Island, the Deputy Chief Ray Downey 5K who died in 9/11. This is
a big event with lots of things going on. This year was no different with over 1600 for the 5K and another 500 in the family fun runs.

The only downer it was warm (84) and very humid (storms last night).

Race started and 10 am and off we went. I had done a 2 mile warm up and was soaked before we even started. Hit the 1st mile comfortably at 6:15, mile 2 I felt good but started slowing down due I think to the humidity and did that in 6:37, Mile 3 more of the same ran a 6:41 and passed 2 guys in my age group at the 2.5 mile mark who normally are a bit faster than me. I hit the final .1 in 42 which was good considering it was on wet grass. Final time was 20:17 or about a 6:22 pace. Not as fast as I had hoped but then you take what you can go
with. I finished 41/1639 overall and 3/133 in the M45-49 age group so another piece of hardware for me. The main thing is I felt comfortable this race than the past few and didn't get sick at any point in the race. Asthma constricted me but I was able to run through it easier.

So after that we went to see the Hulk. All in all a great day!

Now from my favorite bride to be here is my response to your blog tag!

1. How would you describe your running 10 years ago? Faster with less injury issues but at the same time less fun. It was all about running and placing in my age group versus enjoying the running. I am less competitive internally than I use to be.

2. What is your best and worst run/race experience? It is both from Gasparilla doing the Jeep Challenge. I did a 15K, 5K and half marathon in less than 24 hrs. Hot one day and cold and wet the next. Most challenging run I have ever done. Finished 2nd Masters out of 500 or so who did the whole 3 events.

3. Why do you run? So I can eat cheesecake, chocolate and enjoy staying sane (more or less anyway)

4. What is the best or worst piece of advice you’ve been given about running? Best advice that I listened to and actually followed through with: Enjoy the running and if your serious about it then make a plan and work the plan. Only by doing both (having fun and working hard) will you get better.

5. Tell us something surprising about yourself that not many people would know. I hate blueberry's. I despise them. I wish they would be eradicated off the face of earth.


Enjoy the week everyone. P.S. Side note to TryPiggy you have speed. You need to run more miles and build up your base to sustain the speed you have.

Kurt

Thursday, June 05, 2008

 
Coach is killing me.

Last night she had me do the dreaded doctervals. Doctervals are 8 x 200 with the goal to go all out but consistent pace. I need them in order to achieve my goal of a sub 5:15 mile this august.

It had been a very rough week at work so limited sleep, lots of stress and of course I was doing the speed work on the middle school gravel track where it had been raining. I figure the track is adding 1-2 seconds per 200 to my time (I am sticking to that and that will be my story!)

Splits were 34, 35,37, 36,35, 38, 38, 38

Not the fastest I have done but did manage to get sick after lap 6 and lap 8. At least I know I did it right then.

Today was rest day and plan on doing 6 on Friday, 14 on Saturday and 6 on Sunday. Need to work on getting stronger and faster. The coach is pushing me in the right direction.

Enjoy the day everyone.

Kurt

Sunday, June 01, 2008

 
Been Busy!

Wow this being almost a full time single Dad, working and running is keeping me busy. Having an adorably cute 10 yr old along with dating is taking up what little free time I may have but no regrets.

My injured hammie is still bothering me but less than before. I am also taking a break from racing for a while to give it more time to recover.

I also have made two big decisions, one I am doing the running camp that I was debating. The second decision is I have retained a running coach to help me get over the injuries, improve my running times and reach the goals I have been chasing. After all I am not getting any younger!

This past week I ran 39.7 miles, nothing challenging other than doing some so called speed work that was slow. The speed work was a challenge. Interesting day for track work out. At lunch from work I ran down to the local track that is a mile away, did another mile to warm up and then was chased off the track by the local police. They said the track was closed to the public even though it wasn't used.

I am also the moderator for an online running group called Joy of Running. Please take the time to join. It is a great group with about 800 runners.

I will attempt to keep more current!

Enjoy the day everyone.

Kurt

Sunday, May 04, 2008

 
I ran the Long Island Half Marathon today and it was less than a stellar performance for me.

Lack of good training and fighting injuries took their toll creating my 2nd worse Half Marathon time.

Weather turned out to be really good with temps in the 50's maybe high on the humidity which could have caused some issues with the breathing but not much.

Splits were as follows:

Mile
1) 6:50
2) 6:42
3) 6:54
4) 7:15 (started cramping in my tush now)
5) 7:20
6) 7:22
7) 7:27
8) 7:29
9) 7:21
10) 7:36 (really hurting in both sides of tush and left knee)
11) 7:42
12) 7:33
13) 7:38
.1) :47

Total official time was 1:36:10 I placed 184/3154 overall and 22/242 in age group If I had run 1:30:00 as planned I would have easily been in top 100 overall and 11th in age group. Knee and leg are fine now but the knot in the left side of the tush still there. I have a lot of work to do before Twin City Marathon in order to both keep up with Danielle and get Boston Qualified.

Enjoy the day everyone.

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