I guess everybody must be running all out with no problems. New PR"s etc.  I've had some great runs the last few weeks, although I had a nice fall Wednesday night, that would have made the poor guy on the clip from "Wide World of Sports" proud.  I left my shoe in the crack of the sidewalk, my flash light flying through the air, and I think I ended up almost on Morehead Street before I stopped rolling.  Anyway, I've decided that 2010 is the year of speed!  I've set totally mixed up goals of PR's for the mile, 5K, and the half in no particular order.   How would anybody train for those goals?  More miles I guess.  I can finally run most runs without worrying about how I'm holding up.  So...

 

Here are my goals for 2010:

 

1 mile PR :  sub 6 minutes.  (this might be a joke but this is the one most important to me; I would give up all the others to to hit 5:59 or better)

 

5K -  22's  ( probably more realistic later this, especially later this year )

 

Half - sub 1:45  ( a stretch, since I don't think I have much endurance ability but by December...)

 

Anybody else setting goals.  I thought I would write mine down publicly, so the next time I want to slow down, I'll know I'm being held accountable.  

 

L

 

 

 

 

I've got no advice for you Lynwood but I do have a good luck for you on breaking some PR's.

 

My goals are to run a trail half marathon at the end of Feb and if I like it to try to get as many in as I can before it gets too hot. I'm also focusing on the Xterra Series of trail races in SC and NC. The only PR breaking I'm going to do is of the three 5k's I did last year. I know I'm still a long way away from being able to beat my overall 5k and 10k PR's.

 

I ran 12 miles at Kings Mt this morning and am exhausted! It was nice to not have a million layers of clothing on for once.

All right!  Sounds like everybody is serious, just as I figured. 

 

I've started my cross training which seems to be helping, and I'm purchasing a treadmill to be able to run more on the weekends instead of trying to get all my runs in Monday through Thursday.  A co-worker was tired of haning his clothes on his, and is selling it for $100.  It's probably not a great one, but that price is hard to pass up.  I should be able to manage more miles now.  "Miles of trials, and trials of miles."

 

Richard, I'm glad to get it so I can add the miles I need.   I've gotten use to them a little running at the Y.  The Harris Y has several Woodway Treadmills that are really good to run on and feel most like running outside.  Those kind of sold me on trying them, but there's nothing like the outdoors.

 

I"m not gonna make Myrtle Beach, but would like to try that sometime. Running a flat course would be nice for a change.  I'm holding off until I think I'm more competitive.   Glad to hear Linda is running her first!

 

Richard, My schedule these days is not letting me plan any runs ahead of time, I just run whenever I find a free hour.  Lunch time seems to be the most consistently free time for me these days, so if you want to do 5-6 miles  around noon at the Greenway let me know.

Yeah, Richard.  I wish I could afford one of those but must settle for a 3rd generation treadmill.  Yep, I'm the third owner.  I found that out right after we loaded it in my car at work today.  I gave the guy my $100 and he said he hoped I got more use out of it than he did.  I noticed the belt was quite worn, and I mentioned that.  He had said he only used it 10 times.  He did.  But he failed to mention that he had bought it used himself.  There's always suckers out there, and I might have just become one. 

 

I've thought a good bit about it, and I'm suprised to be excited about owning a worn out treadmill.  I realize now, it's not the treadmill I'm excited about. (I still don't like them) It's the additional miles I can now run.  I no longer have any excuse, except injury, from building real mileage. 

 

And I've had another really fun week of running.  I ran a 8 mile run on Monday, and sprinted up a hill at mile 7 that I've walked up quite a few times on much shorter runs.  It's an amazing feeling just to run and not feel weird pains, or having things hurt.   It's runs like that, that make me not care how fast I'm going or really how far.   Just the exhilaration of running. That's the reason I haven't replaced my GPS watch or logged miles online.  I know each week I've done all I can do and that's enough.  

 

I was running with a guy who was really inspirational.  He's 24.  While a pretty good high school runner, he gained a lot of weight in college and ended up at 300 lbs after graduation.  He's about 6'2" I would estimate.  He lost 110 lbs after college, started training, and ended up running the Corporate Cup Half at a 7:15 pace.  For some reason, that story sounds like one I've heard before.   I wonder why?

 

Now, if I could just figure out how to move a 200 lb treadmill from my truck, up a flight of stairs, and down two more, I might just get some running in this weekend!

 

 

I did the Charlotte Running Co trail race this morning. I did the 8.2 miler. It was a great muddy time! My time was 1:31:55. I'm pleased with how well I did considering I've had a cold all week and last night I was miserable and barely slept. I don't know how I placed. I needed to get my lungs out of the cold ASAP after I was done.

 

The race was great. Lots of water stops for a trail race and great volunteers. They had people directing runners when the distances split to different trails. They had 13, 8.2, and 3.8 mile races. I would definitely do one of their trail races again.

Great run for both of you.

 

Richard, I guess the heart rate monitor would definitely help you keep your pace consistent.  Would it help you avoid the walk/run technique?  Not that you did bad with that.

 

Ashley, that sounds like it was fun. I definitely hate that I missed it.  I was "certain" the White Water Center would refuse to let the race take place, so I couldn't figure out what to do about childcare.  I read the blog in paper, and it sounded tough.