Fiesta Vaca. - then TRAINING BEGINS

It's Friday, May 26 at 6:13 CDT PM.

I have not blogged since last Thursday. Yes, I know, it feels like a crime.

To recap last week, I made it 21.5 miles. And this week has been soft at 8 week to date.

Some may wonder "why the inconsistency, Ryan"? Maybe I am wannabe committed runner.

I've put in 12-hour days at work 3x this week and I think I've weathered the storm. I'm going to knock out what I can tomorrow morning... goal is 7 miles. I've been softening since I am preparing for vaca.

Major developments:

• I registered for the Chicago Marathon on 10/22/06.
• I have purchased and begun reading the book Advanced Marathoning by Pete Pfitzinger.

I'm leaving for a grand vacation in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico in 2 days on Sunday. Those who know me will understand I will be doing my fair share of drinking and carousing.

Here is my commitment to myself: When I return from vacation on June 4, the Chicago marathon training regimen will be front and center in my life.

I am to going read the Pfitizinger book (can't spell that damn name) cover-to-cover over the course of my vacation. I'm already two chapters in; let's just say that I am inspired and overwhelmed at the same time.

This is the marathon in which I will give my all. June 5th, 2006 -- there will be 20 weeks.

IMPORTANT... As an aside, if anyone knows how I can create a cool blog template with the chicago skyline , please let me know. I've already downloaded the pic I want. I want to have a cool blog background like so many of you out there - instead of this boring Blogger standard template. HELP :)

It's Thursday nite and I need to get my ass in gear

So I've run 10 miles this week so far. 5 on Tues and 5 on Thurs. :( I need more!

See, out here in the SW Chicago 'burbs, it's been rainy, windy and unpredictable. (Excuse monkey is talking). OK, it's also 'cause I'm a ball of stress and I need to get my priorities in line.

I will rock out another 5 tomorrow, 4 on Sat, and hopefully 7 on Sunday.

This will get me to 26 for the week... if I can pull it off.

I know, you're thinking... "only 26 for the whole f'in week?? and you want to run 26.2 in only 3 hrs 10 min later this year??"

I'm grappling for reality also.

8k race / Strong finish to a hectic mid-week

I can only guess how many planned morning runs that I have missed over the years due to sleeplessness. It happened again this week, while I was in Baltimore at the hotel fretting over work issues in bed. I need to learn to relax. I can't get up and go after 5 hours of sleep like some people. I'm seriously ready to seek a doctor's help.

The second greatest run killer for me are travel delays (which causes lost sleep). That also happened this week on Thurs night with a weather system freezing air travel near O'Hare temporarily. Another 3 hours of my life I'll never get back.

Of course, I have been totally behind at work, so I've not been able to cut corners to go run. Despite the constant schedule hurdles, it was a highly respectable week - with an outstanding race performance on Saturday.

Mon 5/8 - 3.2 miles
Tue 5/9 - 11:55 AM - 5.0 miles
Wed-Fri - DNR for various reasons: weather, travel, sleeplessness
Sat - Joliet 8K Race - Cool weather with sprinkles - Smokin' pace - See recap below
Sun - 7.2 miler through North Plainfield - Excellent cap to the week - 7:38 pace / Avg Hr: 156
TOTAL: 20.1 miles

Joliet 8K - Last time I did the math, an 8k race was equivalent to about 4.96 miles. So I figured I would try to run somewhere close to 7:00-7:10 mile, since I haven't been in any race shape lately. The Joliet 8k surprisingly brought on a few hills, which were a welcome change of pace. The temp's were high 40's and damp with some moisture.

Let's just I was a bit surprised to cross the finish at 32:27 for 8k. It's not that I didn't race hard, but 6:32 mile pace??? I'm struggling to believe it. Not helping me believe was that my Polar distance monitor read 4.78 miles - were both the watch and the race organizers off??

I've not run that fast in a year. Nevertheless, It was good for THIRD in my age group out of 18. Had I known that earlier, I may have stuck around to see if it won me an announcement over the PA. Who knows. I am thinking this 8k may have been a wee bit short.

http://www.cararuns.org/race_results/results06/explorejolietall.html

I ran a 3.5 mile race last year at 6:26 per pace, which I think is my fastest recorded race pace for any distance.

http://www.clubct.org/Results/05Results/05AprShowRes.html

The Western Springs 10k is next up in two weeks on Sat. May 27. I'll try to go for a 41:30 on this one.

Planned mileage this week
Mon - Rest
Tue - 5
Wed - 6
Thu - 4
Fri - Gym - bike/strength train
Sat - 8 long
Sun - 4

NOTE : We leave for Cabo San Lucas two weeks from today!

Rounding out my 1st week in IL

New home chores that distracted me from running...

Weeding, Laying sod, Mowing the yard, Watering the yard, Installing new bath light fixtures, Installing new bath faucets, Unpacking boxes, Breaking down boxes, Taking boxes and garbage into garage; You get the idea...

I am exploring new terrain in my new hometown. This place is FLAT.

I ran in the Kayanos for the first time today. Six miles total - an out & back to a bar called Gunther's.

I ran the first half mile with my wife at a leisurely 10 min pace around our subdivision - and then went off on my own.

Total: 45:06 - 7:31/mile

TOTAL MILEAGE FOR THE WEEK: 21 miles

UPCOMING RACE: Joliet 8k - Sat 4/13

Plan for 5/8 week
Mon - 3
Tue - 5
Wed - 4 - then travel in PM
Thur - Away in Maryland
Fri - 4 EZ
Sat - 8k RACE - Joliet
Sun - 4

Settling into Plainfield, IL / ASICS GEL KAYANO's

So my last post was Sunday, April 23. Today is Saturday, May 6, 2006. Quite a bit has transpired since my last post. We are officially moved into our new home in Plainfield, IL.

Plainfield is in the 'burbs. I'm not going to make it sound over-sexy. There are seemingly a trillion houses in this suburb and Coporate America is capitalizing upon the explosive growth in this Western Chicago 'burb. You like chains? We've got 'em... Chili's, Applebees, Target, WalMart, Quiznos, Starbucks - & MUCH MORE -- all are less than 0.5 miles from my house.

But we love our new home. I have space here. We moved from 1168 sq ft to 3 -year old house, 2626 sq ft with a nice yard, full basement. Here's the kicker: We paid $63k less for our house than the selling price of our Connecticut condo! Real estate is irrational.

On to my running. I set a goal for the week of April 24 of 20 miles, which I knew would be tough with all of the transitional work that needed be done. Truth is I came up short... 18 miles last week. I'm not going to detail them for you, but there were 4 runs total -- two runs making up 9 miles in Connecticut, one run for 5 miles in Pennsylvania, 4 FAST miles on the countryside in Eastern Ohio on our way to Chicago.

All things considered, not too bad. We were in the car for 950 miles with visits to family and friends in Pittsburgh and Cleveland.

We closed on our house on Monday May 1. There are still quite a number of boxes. But I have been getting out for some short runs this week to keep the legs moving.

Tue - 4
Wed - 4
Thu - 3
Fri - 4
Sat - Yard/house work all day
Sun -- ??? - targeting 7 miles

ASICS GEL KAYANOS
I took a trip up to downtown Naperville (11 miles north) to visit the Naperville Running Co. It is the only specialty run store I could find. For the record, I have been a dedicated Asics GT's man for the past 7+years. Well, with my ambition to kick my running up a notch, I figured I would explore a more advanced shoe. $135 later, I am walking out with the Kayanos. The cushioning felt luxurious and I went for them. I keep you posted on how they peform.

Peace...