Pete Tanguay

Ran a 5k in North Little Rock this morning, first of 3 races in 3 days in 3 states.  The weather was unbelievable, in the 50’s to start and only 62 at the finish.  It was a loop course where we did 1 3/4 loops so you knew exactly what the finish would be like because you ran by it in mile 2.  Felt good, pushed it to a good pace but really felt my last mile should have been better.  The first part of fit was a little uphill and I didn’t get up this quick enough, then a flat spot that I got through and a downhill finish.  I am going to get under 22 in a 5k, that’s my goal!!!

So now I have a goal to meet this time in Memphis on Monday morning.  That’s the last race and I’ll run it hard and finish hard.  On to Tupelo where I am doing a 14.2 mile race.  Great tune up for the Soaring Wings Half Marathon next month.  With the cool temperatures I’d really like to run an 8 minute or less pace for the 14.2.  That would be a great race and just a few weeks ago I felt it would be impossible due to the heat but this cool weather is inspiring. 

Look out Tupelo, here we come!

Decided to do one more run before the races this weekend and the faster group runs an 8 mile route on Wednesday morning so I thought I would go with them.  Figured I’d be feeling good after 2 days off.  About 1.5 miles into the run I was telling one of them that I was running 3 races this weekend and he said, I can’t believe you are doing 8 today.  That made me start to think.  Well, should I be running 8 … with a faster group … and doing hills?  I decided to skip the middle hill and catch them on the way back so I only got in 7.  But the last 2 were tough.  Just got through them.  It was not really hot, I just felt fatigued.  Still sore in the upper back part of my legs and tired.  Probably work related. 

So, I don’t expect a lot out of my races this weekend, other than to have fun, enjoy the adventure and to do the best I can in each race.  Once it is over I think I’ll get into serious Soaring Wings Half Marathon training mode – or be injured, one!

This has been a weekend of simply enjoying running with friends.  Ran 8 miles with a group yesterday who had started earlier and had already run 6.  Ran with them for awhile and then cut through Spencer Mountain to add a hill and ended up catching another group that was on mile 17 of a 20 mile run.  When they stopped for water 2 of us, who were “just” running 8 went on and picked it up to the end.  It’s amazing how many different people are running different paces and distances. 

Also went to Tony’s funeral yesterday and said good-bye to a fellow runner.  Here’s a tribute I wrote to him.  I met him running, ran/raced with him a number of times and got to know him well.  It was sad to see him go but he lived a full, happy life, even though it was way too short.  Feeling very blessed today.

Saturday:

Sunday:

Weather is turning a little cooler and this is making the runs a little easier.  Having two days off doesn’t hurt either!  Ran with two other guys this morning and we had a nice comfortable pace through downtown and decided to run a 7.5 mile route and as we got into about mile 4 or so I could feel myself slowing down and lag behind them.  They kept the pace and I focused o relaxing and not tightening up.  Kept my focus and as we went up the back of Salem Hill I started to feel strong again.  Went up the hill and picked it up coming down the other side and then got into a good finishing stride.  This is encouraging for my races coming up next weekend. 

Nice to get back out and do some track work this morning.  Low 70’s – beautiful morning.  Nice run over with a friend, did 6 800’s by myself and then one with a friend who was doing them a little slower and then 4 of us ran 3 miles with the last one a little quicker.  I felt good this morning, again probably because I didn’t run yesterday.  I never pushed hard, just worked on having a good run.  When I was running with the slower group at the end I worked on running lightly and using smaller strides.  I think this is really going to help me in my racing.  Off to a great 2nd day at the new office.

Nice run this morning.  I still feel fatigued and it starts aroud mile 3 or so.  Just not a lot there.  Maybe too much fluid loss from mowing the lawn, maybe just sore from running, maybe its the heat … who knows.  Just doing what my body is willing to do and it’s not far and it’s not fast.  Learning to relax and run with what I’ve got. 

I had lots of options to run this morning.  The fast group was doing 20 miles starting at 4 – 2 10 mile loops so I could do the second loop with them, hoping they would be tired so I could keep up.  There was a group starting at 5 doing 3 and meeting up with other to do 13 more.  Some were coming at 5:30 to do 13, some were coming at 5:30 but cut off to do 9.  All these great options and what did I choose?  To show up at 6 and run an easy 5 with a slower group.  They started walking and I went on.  I just felt tired and there’s no reason to push it with 2 weeks out from Tupelo.  Had a nice run, but when I start slow it often gets to be a challenge as it is more of a pounding than gliding pace.  Nice coffee/bagel with friends afterwards which makes it all worth it.

Ho-hum 5 miles, downtown route.  Felt good but seemed to wilt at the end.  Seems I really need a day off between runs to have a full tank.  Had planned to do 7 or 8 but the others wanted to do 5 and I decided to stay with them.  Nice morning, nice friends, nice run, nice life. 

Temps were a little cooler and I had a good tempo run.  Mile warmup, 3.5 mile tempo and then an easy recovery.  I feel good about the tempo, especially the last half mile which is uphill.  I had caught and passed a couple of faster runners and I knew they could pass me if they wanted to and I focused on my form, even though I could hear footsteps coming!  They had run a couple miles before the group started. 

I actually did some walking in the last couple of miles (watch was off) and mentally didn’t want to run, kept wanting to cut the run short.  My mind was saying I did a good tempo run and I should just quit.  Forced myself to keep going.  I would like to get to where these are 8-10 mile runs, with a hard tempo at the start.  Seems to be more of a mental battle than anything and once I start running 10 minute miles it turns into pounding rather than a nice stride.  I’ve cut my running back to 3-4 days a week and I feel a lot better. 

We have such a great running group.  I got there at 5 and there were some who had just run 2 miles and back ready to start with the group.  There was a group who had run 6 (started at 3:55am) and were planning to run another 9 and possibly add on 3 to get 15 or 18.  When I left to come home, after sitting and talking and having coffee, three of them were striding on in!  There were about 30 runners there in all at 5am, ready to do various routes at various paces.  Love it!

Ran at 4:30 this morning (yawning as I type).  A group training for a Fall marathon is doing speed work in the middle of runs and so I did this with them.  Ran a couple miles and then 3 hard miles and then easy finish.  I thought we were going to do a 7:30 pace on the tempo but they kept it about 8 min/mile.  It was enjoyable and nice to be able to lead the group rather than trying to keep up with the group as I do with the faster runners.  Weather was beautiful – 70’s and low humidity almost felt like Fall.