Qualify Grampy Qualify II 06/02/10

Last Saturday the Runners Club sponsered a trail run followed by pancakes. Running and pancakes, what more could you ask for? I went thinking it was an 8 mile run, turned out that it was over 10. I learned a few lessons: First, trail running is tougher than one might think. Second, trail running technique is different, you really have to pick up your feet more or you will stumble on a rock and fall. Third, when you fall, rolling can really protect you from broken wrists etc, however when you roll over a big ol'rock you can put a hurt on your ribs. And lastly, repeating a fall is not as difficult as having to run 6 more miles with a lot of hurt going on! Now you might think that doesn't sound like fun, but except for the falling part, it really was. It was a new challenge and nice to do a different kind of run. Yes, I will do another trail run as some point when I feel I can afford a bit of down time for sore ribs :))


Unfortunately the rib situation has forced me to take a couple of days off training. This evening I will go for a run to see how it goes. It would not be wise for me to do any upper body cross training for at least the rest of the week. I'd rather lose a couple of days now than weeks later.


Tomorrow, Thursday is the start of Speed Training. It is an amazing weekly workout. This week we will be doing 800 yard runs every 7 minutes, the faster you run the longer you have to recover, but then the faster you run the longer you need to recover :)), we'll be doing 6 repeats. In 2007, the fastest I have ever been, I cut 45 seconds off my mile time in the 14 week program. I hope to run a sub-7 minute mile this year........ I'll let you know in early Sept how I did.

Saturday training for the fall marathon begins. Our goal race is the Lewis & Clark Marathon here in StL scheduled for October 3rd, altho some will be targeting the Chicago Marathon on October 10th. I am anxious to see who and how many I will be coaching. This is always a fun time, getting to meet and learn about new runners, some who have never done a marathon before. Saturday is an orientation meeting followed by a 7 mile pace determination run, which will finalize what pace group each runner will be in. I will be leading a 10-1/2 min/mile group. This is the long run pace, which means that the race pace will be approximately 10 minutes or a 4 hr. 20 min marathon time.