MyHowl - Mar 15 > 21

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Thursday

I love the primitive side of life... natural beauty just a few short steps from my front porch.
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#wildlife #sofla #alligators #reptiles #swamp #Florida#wild #creatures #environmental #vegan

Wednesday
My long-time buddy from Denver, Richard Samuel is coming to town today. I will have to adjust my training schedule in order to be a proper host for the next few days. It will be good fun to show South Florida to him.  
Monday
5:21 PM and I am still not out the door. I have been in bed most of the day; now I am pretending to want to get a short run in. Lets see...
> I DID IT! - I waited until nearly not running at all and somehow found a pocket of motivation and ran. I got in over 13 miles. Yesterday I ran longer (for 2 hrs) and only managed 10 miles, so this leaves me pleased.
Sunday
On your mark, get set, go.... tough day. I am happy to have gotten out and I am happier to have gotten back in. 

Training (week total: 62.41 mi)
Fri Run 1:15:00 - 8.65 mi - 133 avg hr
Ran out at Deerfield Beech. Heavy headwind for the four miles back in.
Thur - AM Run 1:00:28 - 7.12 mi - 136 avg hr
Trail run at the trash heap. I charged the uphills. 
Thur - PM Run 41:00 5.2 mi - 131 avg hr
Runners Depot run.
Wed 6.71 mi - 7.27 pace - 147 avg hr

Short route - I have to head up to the West Palm Beach Airport to pick up my buddy. Good effort with some tempo bursts.

Tue AM 7.5 mi - 8.08 pace - 137 avg hr
Trash Heap - hills/550' elevation gain - good run
Tue PM Run 25:49 - 4.25 mi - 7:57 pace - 124 avg hr
World of Beer run club. I ran with Mark and Sam. Nice and short, but we picked up the tempo each mile. Sam was my pacer at the Keys 50 last year; he is racing it this year. I need to find a few pacers for this years race... takers?
Mon Run 1:57:00 - 13:23 mi - 9:50 pace - 126 avg hr
Much better today. I faded over the last few miles, but I ran a lot smoother than yesterday.Tue AM Run 1:01:1
Sun Run (trail/hills) 2:00:00 10.75 mi - 11:00 pace - 115 avg hr
It was rough for me out there today. I felt tired and slow and I couldn't shake the funk. It was hot and humid.

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Last week: 40.43 mi - last month: 235.72 mi - last year: 2,670.88 mi

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#traumatic #BrainInjury #TBI #running #training #healing #politics #liberal #democratic #triathlons #UltraRunning #vegan #athletes #blogging #Google #Blogger #rants #howls #peace #love #WorldOfBeer #Beer #Facebook #marathon #PlantPower #liberal #secular #atheist #LeftWingPolitics #democratic #fitness #health #PlantBasedNutrition  

MyHowl - Mar 8 > 14

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Tuesday
Two rest days and I am almost ready to start moving again. I need to begin to refocus and decide whether or not I am going to run The Keys 50; I have run it 2 years in a row (I did not finish in 2013 but managed 15th overall 1st in age group in 2014). I would like to go back and see how I have progressed. Sort of a post TBI barometer. The problem is, I have to up my training now in order to be prepared for running 50 miles. I don't know...
Friday
I am getting closer to committing to a return to the Keys 50. The race is on May, 16; 2 days after I turn 50. I suppose doing it will be a profound statement as I enter a new age group and begin my life as a senior athlete. Hmm. I suppose I should get over myself and embrace it. It also symbolizes a demarcation that puts my past to rest - all of it. The successes and the pain (including my traumatic brain injury). It is time to see how far I can go now. Not to lament what I think that I have lost. Times are changing and times are getting better. After finishing the A1A Marathon and The Dances With Dirt 50K last month, I feel tired (although I am happy with my performance at both races). I have not felt enthusiastic about returning to that ultra race. In fact I have been rationalizing reasons why ultra running isn't for me and how it isn't making me any faster... Yeah, the truth is I need to return. And once I slow down my consumption of food/booze, lose some more weight; I will get faster. And to be completely honest, I am getting faster. I will find the money to enter the Keys 50. I simply need to wrap my coconut shell around this fact: I need to run the Keys 50 again.Saturday
A good week of training on tired legs. I did manage to take 3 days completely off and my recovery seems to be going well. This week should be back to normal and then the build for the Keys 50 shall begin.Saturday
I am glad that this week is over. I had some OK runs, but mostly I felt really tired despite 3 complete rest days. 
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Training
Sun Rest
Mon Rest 
Tues AM 3/10 Run 1:01:25 - 7.22 mi - 8:30 pace - 122 avg hr
Easy run to get the legs moving
Tue PM Run 37:42 - 4.0 miles - 9:25 pace - 108 avg hr
Wed Rest tired and lazy. I need to get my feeling back.

Thur AM Run - 9.12 mi - 1:18:26 - 8:36 per mile pace - 143 avg hr

Trail run with 700 feet of elevation gain @ the trash heap

Thur PM Run - 5.2 mi - 41:42 - 8:01 per mile pace - 132 avg hr

Runners Depot Run Club
Fri 3/13  Run - 6.74 mi - 51:36 - 7:39 per mile pace - 139 avg hr
I felt a little bit better today. Unfortunately our 3 week winter is about over; heat/humidity has started to return
Sat  Run 8.15 mi - 1:04:26 - 7:54 per mile pace - 142 avg hr
Steady effort 

Week total (3 rest days): 40.43 mi

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#traumatic #brain-injury #running #training #healing #politics #liberal #democratic #triathlons #ultra-running #vegans #athletes #blogging #Google #Blogger #rants #howls #peace #love #Worldofbeer f#Beer #Facebook #marathon 

MyHowl - Mar 1 > 7

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Monday
Well, here we go, it is taper time. The reality is it is becoming more of a train through/moderate taper. I will cut back and include some complete rest days this week as Sundays 50K trail race approaches. I feel pretty good at this point and my confidence is pretty high. Of course, 32 miles is a long way and anything can happen on a trail as I proved last year by getting lost for 38 plus miles. I think I am in better shape based on my Marathon a few weeks ago.
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Wednesday
A day off from training today... probably needed - but why do I feel so guilty? I will run tomorrow and we drive Friday to Dade City, FL (Green Swamp) for Saturday's race.
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MY TRAINING
Sun 3/1: Run - 1:26 - 10.11 miles - 8:30 Pace - ? avg hr.
Vista View trash heap trail run with 700 -800 feet of elevation gain. I do not know for sure because my Garmin is not uploading my data to Garmin Connect and I am not happy about this. Anyway good run in my new light weight New Balance Minimus trail runners. 
Mon 3/2: Run - 1:03:00 8.22 miles - 7:39 pace
Steady pace - felt pretty relaxed today.
Tue AM 3/3 Run - 1:02:00 - 7.26 miles - 8:30 pace
Hill repeats - about 800 feet of elevation gain
Tue PM 3/3 - Run - 42:07 - 5.2 miles - 7:54 pace - 136 avg hr
WOB (World of Beer) fun run.
Wed 3/4 REST
Thurs 3/5 - Run - 1:32:07 - 10.15 miles - 9:04 pace 
Slow run, heavy wind - tired
Fri 3/6 rest/travel day
Sat 3/7 RACE - 50K - 4:49:31 - 9:03 per mile pace - 141 avg hr
A great day. I won my age group and came in 8th place overall. 

Week Total (1 rest day): 85.02 mi (that is a lot of mileage for me!)
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#traumatic #brain-injury #running #training #healing #politics #liberal #democratic #triathlons #ultra-running #vegans #athletes #blogging #Google #Blogger #rants #howls #peace #love #Worldofbeer f#Beer #Facebook #marathon 

Dances With Dirt 50K Race

Dances with Dirt Green Swamp Race

Well Mimi Reeves, and Frank Fahey and I drove to Dade City on Friday to race Saturday, March 7.
- Frank ran the 10K
- Mimi ran the 13.1 mile race
- I ran the 50K race
The cool thing is that each of us placed in our particular age-groups in our races which made the 4 hour drive home very enjoyable as we rehashed our individual race stories. Frank is convinced (and he may be right) that our regular hill/trail runs at the trash heap gave us a competitive edge.
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Last year I ran this race and got really lost. I ran 38 miles instead of 31 in 6:27 minutes; somehow still managing 4th place in my age group. Yesterday I did get lost a few times, but re-tracked quickly. I ran 32 miles in 4:49 minutes (9:03 pace) and finished 1st in my age group and 8th place overall.

I am particularly pleased with my effort and the results that I posted today. The journey back to running after my traumatic brain injury has been long and slow. I have been diligent and although my struggles are still slowing my running times, the work is paying off. I definitely do not take it lightly and without a doubt I value my success greatly.

I started pretty fast. After 10K I was in 4th place overall. My pace was in the low to mid 7:00 minute per mile range. I felt good and although I may have started a bit too fast, I don't have any regrets. As I approached mile 10, I maintained an aggressive pace.

Miles 10 - 20 slowed considerably as the swam filled the trail and I was emerged in waist deep water, near impassible grass, weeds and woods often and tiring ankles (not to mention a massive blister on the arch of my right foot). The pack of runners really thinned out and navigation became difficult. At times I didn't see anyone for long stretches and the course was difficult to find. I was running lost in my own personal nightmare. I was happy to get passed at around mile 22 and I followed the fleet footed runner as long as I could but he quickly dropped me. At mile 29 or so I fell hard. I got up quickly and quickly began running again but I was disoriented. I felt lost. My pace was in the 10:00 minute per mile zone now. I mostly just wanted an assurance that I was still on course. Memories of last years epic lost-man's race haunted me. At around mile 30 I heard some voices. "on your left", "one more", as a man and a women passed me. I have never been so happy to be passed! I tried but I couldn't keep up. Before long they were gone. I struggled on and eventually found the finish line.

I was surprised/thrilled to find out that I won my age group and finished in the top 10! I didn't have any expectations because I mostly looked at this race as a long training day. I certainly didn't think I could break 5 hours on this course.

Today was a great day!
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#GreenSwamp #DadeCity #DanceswithDirt #running #ultrarunning #trailrunning #swamp #50K #traumaticbraininjury #tbi #recovery

The DIVE INN invite

An open invitation to my northern snow-bound friends. Come down to the sunshine state because it is cold up there.

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#Florida #postcards #vintage #vacations #motel #signs#neon #greetings #hi #sunshine #mermaids #beach#deco #winter #south #bathing-suits 

My Howl - Feb. 22- 28

Something new: 
Beginning this week I will not howl at you every single day about my training. I'm sure that it gets old (I do it for me mostly - to track my training progress). I will continue post random thoughts here, but as far as my training goes, I will only post a once a week summary - from today on; unless I race during the week (then probably an additional race report). Hopefully this will help keep my blog more interesting and your inbox less cluttered. I'm sure as I have been learning how to use Blogger, I have annoyed some of my friends/followers. This is certainly not my intention and I do not want to lose any of the those that do follow me ;-) - so S T A Y  and explore my space; please comment or email me and let me know how I am doing.

Sympathy card:
At times I probably come off as an ego-maniac and well, I probably am. But the truth is, as my healing continues, typing my thoughts, creating content and re-learning graphic design and stuff really advances my progress. So don't hate me, follow my blog, share it, comment and tell me I suck but mostly read my rants. Thank you. Living with a traumatic brain injury is hard - it is really hard and every single day I face new challenges to old problems. Sometimes I scream really loud, for unknown reasons and at random times. Poor, poor Mimi. She burdens so much more than she deserves to. I hope that she continues to let me stay...
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MY TRAINING
Sun 2/22: Run - 2:00:00 - 12.85 miles - 10:10 Pace - 114 avg hr
Mon - Rest
Tue AM - 1:06:09 - 8.5 miles - 7.46 pace - 137 avg hr - 650' elevation gain
Trail run at Vista View trash heap. I ran strong and attacked the uphills. I am happy with my effort.
Tue PM - 42:30 - 5.5 miles - 7:43 pace
World of Beer fun run. I started easy and built my tempo through the finish.
Wed Run - 57:03 - 6.72 miles - 8:29 pace - 121 avg hr
Easy pace - trying to get my tired legs firing again
Thu AM Run - 1:00:09 - 6.41 miles - 9:23 pace - 118 avg hr
Very tired this morning - It was hot, humid and windy and my motor spurted thru this jog.
Thu PM Run - 42.34 - 5.27 miles - 7:41 pace - 130 avg hr
Runners Depot fun run
Fri Run - 52:28 - 7.14 miles - 7:20 pace - 135 avg hr
Good run with some temp; but pretty steady, actually.
Sat Run - 1:12:00 - 8.22 miles 8:45 pace 125 avg hr
Hot, humid and windy - very tired and slow; I felt like I was running uphill today. One of those runs that I am glad that I got out the door and did what I could. I was hoping to run a lot longer, but just couldn't get moving today.

Week Total (1 rest day): 59.61 miles
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#traumatic #brain-injury #running #training #healing #politics #liberal #democratic #triathlons #ultra-running #vegans #athletes #blogging #Google #Blogger #rants #howls #peace #love #Worldofbeer f#Beer #Facebook #marathon 

Margaux Juniper is 4 months old!

Wed. 2/25
Oh, the happy days!

My Grand-baby, Margaux Juniper is 4 months old today... Wow-zee!

visit: Nico Berlin and Margaux Juniper (Family)