Pete Tanguay

Something is wrong when you are running down the road at 5am and someone asks where so and so is and the answer is “they ran with the early group”.  So when is 5am not the early group!  I had planned to start at 4am with some others to run 6 and then meet up for 11 or so more but didn’t get out of bed in time so I came “late” at 5!  Groups were running all different routes this morning from 5 – 22 miles.  I had a nice 11 mile run with 4 others at a pace that was real comfortable.  Wanted to do the next 8 with them to run 19 but had to get back to start work.  It’s the last run of the year.  What a year it has been. 

Enjoying doing spin class instead of running so much.  Did an hour spin on Monday and Wednesday (today) this week and it’s great cross training.  I think it is going to build up supporting  leg muscles to help avoid injuries.  Planning on running 19 with a group tomorrow who are training for New Orlaans marathon.  Not sure why I am running 19 but I guess it is because I can.

Getting out of bed this morning I did not want to do speed work.  I wondered if there was anybody I could convince to go for a nice 7-8 mile run.  Didn’t even mention it, just ran to the track with the group.  We ran to the new UCA track which was a 2 mile run rather than a one mile run to the high school track.  Today was 6 800’s, trying to keep it at a steady, sub-7 pace.  I felt real good.  It’s so much easier to run on a track with the cushion and support of the track.  We ran 2 laps, then stopped and cooled down for about a minute and did it again, 6 times.  Felt really good running back.  I wasn’t fatigued from the speed work and so running back felt very easy.  I hung back to run with someone who was going a bit slower.  Did a good kick in the last 1/2 mile.  Now I’m really glad I did speed work.  I worked on how my foot landed and kicking my legs backward to push myself forward.  Also tried to run very relaxed and focused on “smooth”.  I’ve become very aware of all of the unnecessary things that steal energy from me during a run / race.  Trying to eliminate them. 

Today is Julia’s birthday and for that reason alone, a VERY special day. 

Seems I am running with the wrong crowd these days.  I keep intending to go out for a nice run and end up with these people who are dragging me along with them!  Doing the 5 mile downtown loop we started out a little fast and before I knew it there were four of us watching two faster runners leave us as they picked up the pace and the pack of runners behind us.  Then there were two of us and I’m trying to keep pace.  Ran mile 2.5 to 4.5 on my own trying to keep pace with Jeff who was “dragging me” behind him.  Finally caught him at the end and we finished together.  It was a good run, a little harder than I had planned and a great way to start a Sunday.  Cool 25 degrees. 
Starting to get excited about the 2010 running plan.  Still feel good with my running and looking forward to a good schedule.  I have lots of races on the possibility list and running goals on the goals for consideration list.  Being patient and continuing to listen to how my body wants to run, improving my form, doing strength training to loose some more weight and support my running and doing a lot of races and a couple key races seem to be rising to the top of the lists.  I’m thinking the Hogeye Marathon in April will be my first marathon of the year and would like to get under 4 again on a much more difficult course.

Signed up for the Grand Prix races for 2010 as part of the Conway Running Club.  Last year I got off to a great start and ran most of the early racese and then after the OKC marathon was off for a bit and my schedule (or desire to travel out of town to race) didn’t quite match up with the Grand Prix events.  It’s a great time, though, running with friends and having lots of races to test your abilities at different distances.  No final decisions on the 2010 race schedule but hopefully many of these races will be on the schedule.

Great to get out for a run after being in the house snacking on M&M’s, cookies, fudge, peanut brittle, Hershey’s Kisses, … that is when I’m not drinking beer, pomegranate martinis, … or eating a meal.  But then, we must stay warm when it is cold out.

Planned to run a nice easy run but found myself with a couple other runners in the lead pack and ran the first 5+ miles with them and mentally I just couldn’t stay with them so I cut off.  They were running 12 and I wanted to slow the pace a bit and do 10.  Henry, who is in his 70’s now, has a 2:42 marathon PR and Curt said they picked up the pace when I cut off.  I rested a bit, threw my hat off at the house and continued running trying to find a comfortable pace.  It was very clear how much your mind impacts performance.  We were running along and I was feeling a little pushed and when I looked down at my watch and saw we were running an 8:08 pace my mind jumped in and said – “You can’t keep this up for 12 miles”.  From that point on all I could think of was how I couldn’t do it.  It’s like the difference when you are pacing someone else and when you are trying to keep up with someone.  You can be going the same pace but the second one is so much harder.  Enjoyed the run in 32 degree weather, which felt even colder as I ran along the Tucker Creek bike path.  There was a big blue herring standing in the water with ice on his beak.  I thought, how can he do that.  Finished up the run and had coffee with the others – great start to a Saturday.

Sitting in the parking lot at 5am in the pouring rain, we thought – glad we don’t live in Seattle, what are we thinking and look, McDonalds is open.  Went and had a cup of coffee and tried to convince ourselves that running would be a good idea but couldn’t break through the barrier of reason.  Decided to head to the gym and did 3.5 miles on the treadmill and then 30 minutes of strength work.  Nice to get into the gym and hope I can get a regular work out going.  I have never liked running on the treadmill but today as I was running I noticed a diagram of a track and it showed me running around it, 1/4 mile per lap.  I did some 7 min /mile pace laps and thought this would be a good way to work on speed work.  Come do 800’s with a slow lap between them for about 30 minutes and then work out for 30 minutes.  Could be a good thought for evening training 3-4 times a week. 

It’s supposed to rain all day, but I’ve got my run in so it’s ok now.

I recently asked a very accomplished running friend some advice on training and getting faster at my running.  He had a lot of good tips, but also some excellent quotes/thoughts that I enjoyed:

“You just have to train hard and believe that the breakthrough is around the corner.”

“Your body has to be convinced your really serious before allowing for the physiological adaptations that permit you to reach a new level.”

So, patience is a big piece to the puzzle that’s not talked about enough.

Remember these words from the running doctor, George Sheehan, when he wrote, “What should I do after running a marathon?” Sheehan anwers his own question with “Run another, and another, and find that much more about myself.” With experience comes faster times. Sheehan would agree that repeatedly putting yourself through this cycle, You will “become the person you were meant to be.”

Thanks Bob.
(read about his 2007 Kona Ironman)

I DID NOT want to get out of bed today.  Even after I was up I almost went back to bed.  I’m thinking, I don’t have to run because I’m not training for anything.  Went ahead and got there a couple minutes late and had to catch up to the group.  Did 6 hill repeats plus the over and back and added Country Club Hill on at the end.  Perfect day for a run. 

Day off running, into the spin class and did a nice hour of spinning with some serious muscle burn in the legs.  Came home and fell back asleep in my chair for 45 mintues before starting work.  It’s Christmas week and hard to believe it’s almost a new decade!