A Chilly Day

Yesterday was a rest day (not really a scheduled one - but I improvised). I have been told to "listen to your body" but I do not speak that language. The truth is, I just didn't feel like running. Perhaps that was my body speaking to me... I do not know.  Instead of running I decided to cruise out to the beach and walk around. It was a seasonal winter day in SoFla and the beach was empty. It was nice.

Run - 1:39 - 12.1 miles - 8:10 Pace - 123 avg hr
Decent run; really windy again - I should stop complaining about the wind - at least it isn't 90/90 (90 degrees with 90 percent humidity); embrace the winter. Floridians like to say, "that is why we live here"

Barack Obama

Times certainly have changed since the years of GWB. Despite great odds our country is stronger, safer and smarter. Because of President Obama, her future is brighter. Thank you Mr. President. I have your back.

Oppressed - Malcolm X

Malcolm X - a voice of reason then, and more true than ever now. The media (FOX NEWS, etc) has been very effective in doing such.

#MalcolmX #media #newpapers #oppressed #racism #liberals #Foxnews #MSNBC 

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Run - 37:30 - 5.11 miles - 7:20 Pace - 133 avg hr
Runners Depot Run Group tonight; with Mimi and Fra. I was supposed to run 8 miles ate 40" per mile above marathon pace, but I didn't feel good today. I am glad that I went out to run club though. I ran pretty good, too.

Taper Run

Run - 37:59 - 5.15 miles -  7:22 pace - 138 avg hr
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Good run with some tempo thrown in. The taper continues. I have a longer/faster run on the schedule for tomorrow.

Not too long ago, Mimi and I were driving along a Florida highway just north of Orlando; we saw an auto show-room proudly waving this flag above the dealership. The flag was huge; as big as a football field – and I am not exaggerating, either.

I've heard arguments time and again about how the Confederate flag is no longer representative of slavery, and how it's now indicative of "Southern pride and heritage." But I'm really over the whole "respect your heritage" mantra, especially when your heritage is hate.

Obviously the salesman was making a sales pitch to his below the Mason-Dixon Line customer base. Nonetheless, it stunned this white-boy and the sight of it still leaves me feeling filthy. America, we stand united and all people are beautiful and equal. Flags, license plates, bikinis, jacket patches, stickers and other paraphernalia displaying this symbol are in my humble opinion, traitorous.

Yee-haw! 
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AM Run - 1:05:00 - 8.1 miles - 8:01 Pace - 700' elevation gain - 129 avg hr
Nice hilly trail run at the trash heap; with 4 times 2000 meter intervals. I felt great today!
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PM Run - 47:00 - 5.34 miles - 8:48 Pace
World of Beer Run Club - easy pace

My Two-Week Marathon Taper

So yesterday's run was the start of my two week marathon taper. I feel guilty tapering because I didn't do any 20 mile training runs and this makes me feel cheap. The reality is my volume is very good and I cannot cram miles in during this phase. I found a 2 week taper plan online by a former sub 2:20 marathon runner (training for a 2:56 marathon as an older runner). I'm going to follow this plan leading up to the race and hopefully I will arrive fresh and will run the best race that I currently can.

A two-week marathon taper schedule

Courtesy of Pete Marsh

Sun 13m steady
Mon 4m easy or rest
Tue 4x2,000m on the track (80%)
Wed 4m easy or rest
Fri 8m tempo (above race pace by 40sec a mile)
Sat rest
Sun 10m easy
Mon 4m easy or rest
Tue 2/3x2,000m on the track (steady)
Wed 4m easy
Thur 4m easy or rest
Fri rest
Sat rest (but I snuck out for a 2m jog in race gear)
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yep, this is what I will do.  I will follow this plan and run the best race that I can.
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Run - 52:00 - 6.1 miles - 8:31 pace - 120 avg hr
Into my active recovery plan. I didn't get out until 6 pm tonight - kept it easy and never looked at my pace on my Garmin. I felt sluggish, but I am glad I got out and ran. 

Great Balls of Fire

Goodness gracious great balls of fire. It is on - ready or not.

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Two weeks out until the A1A Marathon in Ft. Lauderdale. This morning I will run at the trash heap; the goal today is to run an easy steady pace for about 10 miles or so. A slower pace is okay. Even though I am probably not marathon-ready, I need to keep in mind that I cannot get more prepared in these next two weeks; however I can lose fitness or line-up at the race tired.  My focus is to keep the legs firing and to get to the starting line healthy. I think this will be my forth marathon since the TBI. Last year I ran a 3:23 and qualified for Boston. It was my best marathon post-accident. Hopefully I keep it together and run a good race. I don't know where I am at physically - I just need to keep my expectations in check. But that is hard. It would benefit me most to keep this race low key and to view it as quality training day. The thing is, it is just so painful for me; not running itself, but my sense of loss. I have an ongoing internal struggle. After the accident, a central part of me turned up missing; I search. I know that the running part was just a fraction of me, the person; but it is who I remember. My sense of self. Ah, I feel so petty and ungrateful obsessing about such a comparatively small aspect of my life. Obsessive? Yeah, obsess is what I do. But it is important to me as I continue to struggle and attempt to regain my lost running skill. Sometimes I feel like a rat in a cage. I wonder, am I nervous about this marathon? Time to release the big cat... Meow.

Long Slow Distance on the Heap
Run - 2:00:00 - 12.58 miles - 9:32 pace - 119 avg hr

Decent run on tired legs... 850' with of elevation gain.