August 5 – August 16, 2013

On Monday, I took a day off as precaution of the scratched knee.

On Tuesday morning, I joined Dojo of Pain for a set of 800m interval workout on Hais Point.  Before start, I planned to run 6x800m at 2m’55s’ pace.  Then I ran 3m'00.02s', 2m'55.21s', 2m'48.03s', 2m'49.87s', 2m'50.42s', & 2m'48.32s'.  I felt sore after the sixth, but thought I should do more.  We jogged slowly back to Jefferson to get our shirts, then I departed, and then stroll toward Lincoln on Ohio Drive.  After about a mile of recover jog, I decided to run 2x400m repeat by feel.  I surged forward as I crossing the Tidal Basin bridge; I ran 1m’35.05s’ for the first 400m, but I missed the mark for the second, so I end up with 2m’16.13 for about 525-nish meter.  I finished the day with total of 9.2 miles. 

I felt significant sore on Wednesday morning, but think I should punish myself more.  I got to work early enough and ran this loop in 1h’25m’54s’.

On Thursday, I got little greedier and ran this loop in 54m’22s’. 

On Friday, I wanted to run, but realized Going Green Track Meet is on Saturday night; then another day off of my feet. 

As I said before, I am not a miler and never will be.  I ran Going Green as second workout of the week.  For the 2-mile, I planned to run 1m’26s’ per lap to have a new personal best if condition works out for me; but I got the track so late and didn’t have enough time to do a proper warm up.  I end up running the second heat and I ran a pretty disappointed time at 11m’53.7s’ – (1m'26.50s', 1m'30.06s', 1m'29.32s', 1m'31.15s', 1m'31.47s', 1m'29.99s', 1m'31.64s', & 1m'23.37s'); it is a good workout pace for marathon training, but isn’t good as a track race. 

2013 Going Green 2-Mile - 11m'53s'

For the miler, I did little better by running 5m’50.1s’.  After the miler is 4x400m relay and I ran the first leg for our team, I done that in 67-second – fastest 400m I ever ran and our team finished second in the relay.

Sunday was a sore day, but I still managed to run with few friends around Bethesda Trolley Trail for about 14.5 miles. 

On Monday of August 12, I ran a reasonable easy 6 miles around this loop for 45m’53s’. 

On Tuesday, I planned to do 8x800m with Dojo of Pain.  The temp was cool, but cloudy, and I wasn’t fully recovered from hard runs in the past few days.  I ran first six sets in 2m'53.49s', 2m'57.33s', 2m'56.11s', 2m'51.08s', 2m'51.89s', & 2m'51.72s' – averaged 2m’53.6s’ each.  My legs felt very tender.  Alan felt the same, we decided to switch gear to jog 800m and do 2x400m to get some speed instead; we ran 1m’16.89s’ and 1m’18.02s’.  These two sets of quarter turned my tender legs into Jell-O.  I got in approx. 9 miles.

On Wednesday, I ran this loop in 1h’11m’14s’.

On Thursday, I ran opposite direction of Wednesday’s run, but little shorter distance in 55m’24s’.

On Friday, I hit the gym for core and strength exercises and tried to recover from running as I get ready for run in Leesburg 20K on Sunday.  Race report will post later.

July 13 – July 18, 2012

I took my usual day off on Friday of thirteen.  The next day, I made a very silly mistake before my progression long workout.  I got up in the morning and get my coffee.  As I pour coffee out into my mug, chew down some oatmeal, and I had a mood to have some soy milk with my coffee.  That was very stupid idea and I had about two spoons full of soy milk with it; I felt sick to my stomach just three miles into my run.  But I sucked it up and kept on going, took some water when I got to Aspen Hill park, and hoped that can wash it down; but that didn’t help and I threw up when I was crossing Veir Mill Road.  That was my first threw up on a run whether in races or training runs.  I finished the run with 1h’15m’49s’ approx. 10 miles flat.  I wanted to go further, but my stomach was in so much pain.  I felt better after some warm water and few hours of relaxing on couch.

The next day, I help out in the MCRRC Half Marathon program and ran in RCP trail.  I was pacing three guys for 8m’30s’ per mile pace.  They did well for the first half; after half way turn around, only Mike from Russia can keep up and ran exactly 1h’25m’14s for 10 miles, average 8m’31s’ and I think he should be able to reach his goal in Parks Half if he done everything right.  I ran additional two miles afterward as little extra to added into my weekly mileage.  I finished with the day with a total of 1h’40m’14s’ approx. 12.1 miles. 

Monday was nice day to run, I wasn’t as sore as any other day after a long run or workout; but I was somewhat frustrate with something, which I can’t remember why right now.  I ran very easy on RC PKWY that morning and ran into Teal near Kennedy Center; finished the day with 34m’06s’ approx. 4.7 miles. 

Tuesday morning was getting warm at upper 70s’ and I ran for 48m’22s’ approx. 6.9 miles. 

This morning was so fraking warm at 83 degree when I start my run at 06:55.  I planned a workout for myself to do on Hais Point.  The plan was to run 6 x 0.5 mile between 2m’46s’ and 2m’40s’ pace, if I feel good after the sixth, then I’ll run two additional halves; if not, then run 4 x 0.25 mile around 1m’20s’ pace; and take 0.25 mile as recover between each repetition. 

I stroll down to East Potomac Park and start my reps under the metro underpass.  It was so warm, humid, and I didn’t get very good sleep last night; all these really do affect my plan, but my splits are following:

3m'05.49s'	3m'00.57s'	2m'54.87s'	2m'55.15s'	3m'37.12s'	2m'59.50s'
0.49	0.50	0.50	0.50	0.60	0.50

 

I miscalculated at the fifth set and I ran 0.6 mile instead, but it is all good.  I was so beat after the sixth and I decided to run 4 by quarter instead; the splits are following:

1m'25.29s'	1m'24.90s	1m'23.83s'	1m'21.70s'
0.25	0.26	0.25	0.25

I ran for a total of 1h’17m’12s’ approx. 9.4 miles, which included warm up, workout, recover run, and warm down.  I can’t complain too much for what I had done today – the condition was not ideal.  I am going to jog easy tomorrow morning and then prepare the weekend ahead.

June 23 – June 28, 2012

I went back and took a second look at my results.  I noticed I make a mistake and told the “lie” to everyone – I didn’t run a personal best in Columbia Father’s Day 8K.  I ran okay, but good enough for personal best.  I actually ran faster in Rockville Twilight 8K last year.  I didn’t know what got into me and make that silly mistake. 

Anyhow, I ran around Matthew Henson Trail for about 40m’41s’ and approx. 5.6 miles on Friday, then helped out at MCRRC half marathon group on Sunday.  I got to Carederock around 7 on Sunday morning, the task was to pace three people go south on Towpath for a 9-mile run; Steve and I were two pacers, the pace was very easy with these trainees.  Around mile 4.5, they turn around with Steve, but I want to put in some faster miles; therefore, I continuous go south for another mile, before I turned back to chase them down. 

As you can see, I ran very slowly for the first four and hit pretty good splits from mile 5 on; but they still beat me by about two minutes get to the parking before I caught up with them.  I had a very good long run with solid progression. 

I felt tried and sore on Monday morning, I skipped the run, but jog in the evening on Matthew Henson Trail after work.  I stroll around for 41m’53s’ approx. 6 miles.  Then onto the next morning, I felt better after solid eight hours sleep, but still hold the pace and ran easy on RCP trail for 41m’23s’ approx. 5.5 miles. 

I usually do a mid-distance run on Wednesdays, but since Mid-Summer Miler is coming up soon, so I did a quarter mile repeat on 06/27/2012.  However, since I am not in any exact goal for the miler and I ran a pretty good progression run just three days ago, so I decided to run 8 x quarter-mile by “feel” with quarter-mile recover, but I lost count and ran nine reps, which is fine.   The splits are

0:01:13.08	0:01:20.20	0:01:35.27	0:01:35.53	0:01:37.40	0:01:29.18	0:01:28.83	0:01:25.75	0:01:30.21
0.26	0.29	0.26	0.26	0.25	0.25	0.26	0.26	0.25

I finished with a day with 57m’24s’ of running, approx. 8 miles' work.  I have one more workout before Mid-Summer meet and I am hoping to run a solid race there.  I wasn’t as sore as I expected this morning, maybe I didn’t work as hard; I ran out very easy to White Haven and Glover Archibald Trails for 56m’29s’ approx. 7.3 miles.  This weekend is going to be so hot and I am so ready for it.

June 7 – June 12, 2012

I felt sore next day after a mid-week long run and went out for a jog in Tidal Basin on Thursday morning; logged 38m’56s’ for approx. 5.5 miles.  It may not sounds easy, but it felt pretty good and relax.  Time roll around till Friday night, I drove out to MC Agricultural History Farm Park for a low-key XC 5K.  I ran a pretty good time on that course, finished with a time of 20m’10s’, a second best time in cross country; not bad for someone not running much for more than a month. 

On Saturday morning, I met up with a MCRRC official to get a new 5K course map on Matthew Henson Trail, where I will be the race director in 2013.  I will let you all know about it later on.  I drove down to the Line and serve my duties as an Assistant Coach in the MCRRC Summer Half Marathon Program.  I led the group stroll around the Rock Creek trails for about 6.5 miles and then I ran additional 3.5 miles in faster pace.  I finished the week at 40 miles – longest weekly mile since Gansett Marathon. 

My left knee was sore on Monday morning; I skipped the run in the morning and sat on ice pack on my IT Band for few hours at work.  I got out of work earlier enough to put some running before the storm get to Aspen Hill.  I ran about 47m’07s’ for approx. 6.7 miles on the ball field of Queens’ Guard Park. 

It was super humid this morning after overnight showers; I did a fartlek workout as I plan on racing in a local race on Father's Day.  I jogged down to Ohio Drive, then ran seven times of 4 light-poles with a 5K race effort and take 4 light-poles distance as break, then ran three times of 8 light-poles with the same effort with same distance as break.  Then stroll back to L Street Locker from P Street and 23^rd Street.  I finished the workout with a time of 49m’40s’ for approx. 6.8 miles.  It is not bad, but I don’t necessary need to do more of this till August; I need to build up mileage before I start the fall marathon training in late July.

April 7 – April 12, 2012

I woke up in the morning of April 7 and planned on run an easy ten-miler on Towpath.  As I was waiting for the light on MD-28 and I remember boredom of running on that trail; don’t get me wrong, it is very nice to run there, but I kind of want to see something different that morning.  I changed my route right at that moment and en-route to Lake Shore Trail in Seneca Regional Park.  I know that trail is much hillier than Towpath, but I figured since I am going to run easy, why not something fun.  I did my run there, logged 1h’20m’09s’ and approx. 10.1 mile; detail is here. 

I felt more than fine on Sunday morning.   My legs were actually hungry for more miles, but I hold my horses, and ran 40m’17s’ and approx. 5.7 miles.

On the morning of 04/09, I did my last tempo run for Gansett Marathon.  The plan was to run the repeats in marathon goal pace – 6m’40s’ per mile; so I planned for 4x1m’40s’ (or 0.25 mile), break for 1m’40s’, 2x3m’20s’ (or 0.5 mile), break for 3m’20s’, and finished with 4x1m’40s’ (or 0.25 mile).  I felt excellent for the workout and learn that I am so ready for the battle on Saturday; workout detail is below:

	Distance (Mile)	Splits	Minutes per Mile
Warm Up	1.67	11m’32.69s’
Tempo 1	0.30	1m’42.18s’	5m’41s’
Recovery 1	0..19	1m’38.65s’
Tempo 2	0..27	1m’39.28s’	6m’08s’
Recovery 2	0.17	1m’40.97s’
Tempo 3	0.26	1m’39.00s’	6m’21s’
Recovery 3	0..19	1m’39.50s’
Tempo 4	0.27	1m’40.72s’	6m’13s’
Recovery 4	0..19	1m’38.80s’
Tempo 5	0.52	3m’22.32s’	6m’29s’
Recovery 5	0..35	3m’18.33s’
Tempo 6	0.51	3m’21.07s’	6m’34s’
Recovery 6	0.27	3m’18.03s’
Tempo 7	0.27	1m’40.55s’	6m’12s’
Recovery 7	0.16	1m’36.01s’
Tempo 8	0.28	1m’42.09s’	6m’05s’
Recovery 8	0.19	1m’43.87s’
Tempo 9	0.30	1m’41.70s’	5m’39s’
Recovery 9	0.19	1m’38.35s’
Tempo 10	0.30	1m’42.22s’	5m’41s’
Warm Down	1.30	9m’54.14s’
Total	8.15	59m’50.47s’	7m’21s’

Tuesday morning was pleasant day for running, I felt I am so ready after my last tempo workout the day before; but I still need to control my horses before I get too tire too soon.  I ran out to Rock Creek Trail from L Street locker room in the early morning.  I logged 36m’23s’ and approx. 5.2 miles. 

Today and tomorrow are day off from running; the purpose of it is to keep my legs relax till race day.  I don’t plan on do anything than walk around the Mall during lunch hour.  Looking ahead for Saturday weather in Narragansett RI, it looks good so far.  Temp is going to be at 48 degree at 08:00 with 8 mph wind from the west, which is cross wind for both directions of the race course; but, the wind direction will change to tail wind or no wind (I hope)...