Speed Workout #2. Whisper It... Sub 5 minute Mile.

So it's been roughly 3 weeks since my last speed workout at the track.  

Three weeks since I last wanted to cry from being so physically depleted.

At least this time I knew what I was getting into this time around.  Lets recap what I ran just 3 short weeks ago.  Actually... lets do a side to side comparison between the first speed workout and todays 2nd speed workout to show the differences.

.................July 30, 2008.......August 19, 2008

400  -.................1:24..........................1:15

800  -.................1:20.........................1:12

1200 -.................1:18.........................1:12

1600 -.................1:17 .........................1:13

2000 -.................1:22.........................1:13

2400 -.................1:23.........................1:11

2800 -.................1:27.........................1:13

3200 -.................1:25.........................1:14

3600 -.................1:25.........................1:14

4000 -.................1:21.........................1:11

4400 -.................1:22.........................1:16

4800 -.................1:12.........................1:08

Mile 1 -................5:29.........................4:52

Mile 2 -................5:37.........................4:51

Mile 3 -................5:20.........................4:49

3 Mile -................16:26........................14:32

One word: INSANE!  Not to shabby for a lil' old soccer player, eh?

My average times today were on mark with my fastest last lap time 3 weeks ago.  Keep in mind that I ran 14 miles yesterday, cycled 24 miles this morning, there was a strong headwind down the back stretch, and I wasn't running fresh.  So there is definite room for improvement!

Tomorrow it's up early for a swim session, another 20 or so miles of cycling (gotta break that 600 mile mark,) 10 - 14 miles of running, and ending up the day with a 2nd swim session since I was bad and skipped one today.  If I still have anything left, maybe go to the gym and get some lifting in.

I'm feeling great.  Fit.  Strong.  Confident.  Been icing the joints and so far everything is holding up.

There's still room to get better, faster, stronger.  Lots of room.

A Tweak here... A Pull There...

I forgot to mention a few things.

For the past month or so, my knee and body problems had seemed to all but disappear.  Today though, midway though my 10 + miles, the knees started acting up.

Right now, I have ice on my right knee, i'll be icing and heating the other and both ankles later on, and my left hamstring seems poised to snap.  No matter how much i stretch it, the tightness still remains.  

When I get sponsors / a semi - reliable income, I need to make weekly chiropractic and massage appointments to help keep my body in working condition.  

It's a scary thing feeling a tweak here, a pull there, and wondering if the next one could be the catalyst for events that would end your dream.

Milestone.

Well... hit a couple milestones this week, the most important being that I broke 200 miles running over the past month and change.  It doesn't seem like I'm running that far during training, but it's surprising and hard to stomach, looking back and seeing what I've actually done!

The other milestone was that I ran my 3 mile in a time of 18:02 and finally got my 5k time under 19 minutes.  Again... it's hard to believe that when I started a little over a month ago I was running 3 miles in 23 minutes and that I've already dropped 5 minutes off in this short of time.  Although it was a personal best by well over a minute, I wasn't happy since my goal was to get in the 17 minute range.  To miss by 3 seconds... gah.  Torture.

Today started the lead-up week to the first road race of the season:  the LiveStrong 5k in Philly.  The plan for the next few days was to run an easy 10 miles today with a 3 mile cool down, speed workout tomorrow, and then another 10 miles on Wednesday.  Rest Thursday, Friday, do an easy mile or two Saturday to loosen up, and then race like a bat out of hell on Sunday.  I would love to drop my 5k time to around 18 minutes... and if I can finally break into that 17 minute zone, I'll be one happy guy.

So I ran an easy 10.2 miles today.  Finished in 1:20:13 which is a little over my personal best, but still averaging 7:51 a mile.  I wasn't winded at the end at all... and I think the Baltimore Marathon shouldn't be too hard to conquer.  Especially my route here has more hills than in Baltimore.

Did a 3 mile "cool-down" and realized with about a half mile to go that my 22 minute pace probably wasn't the "cool-down" i needed.  I ran a faster mile pace than I did in my 10 miler.  Instead of feeling better after that run, I actually started to hurt for the first time.  After 13.2 miles, i was dead.  I can't wait to have aid stations with water and food during the actual marathon.  With that, i know it will be easy.

Looking forward to a personal best this weekend.

"It's not the triumph, but the struggle."

Spoken by the best athlete's of the work during the world's celebration of the Olympic Games.

Days later and the words are still sticking with me.

As I watch Michael Phelps win Gold after Gold, I am in just awe of him. He gives me chills just watching him push hard and breaking record after record. Go Team USA!

Now on to me... who is not quite an Olympic athlete. This past week and weekend has been actually really productive for me. After taking Wednesday off, I decided that I would focus on my swimming for the next two days. I really need to work harder on that but I honestly feel like I am getting a little better. Going to talk to a trainer in a couple days to get some pointers.

Saturday morning, Adam and I got up at 7am and went up to the bike trail on Martin Luther King Drive. What is great about Saturday mornings is that they close down the road so you have soooo much space to ride. No worries or pressures about cars. Ended up doing 18 miles which was a struggle with all the hills but felt great in the end.

Sunday morning was another day to wake up early and drive down to the beach at like 8am. When we got there, we decided to do a quick 25 minute run to warm up before jumping into the ocean. The water was freezing. Got to lay on the beach for about 40 mins before the thunderstorm started.

Really special driving and hour back while it hailed the entire way. Thanks a lot New Jersey.

Tonight is swimming again and by the power of Phelps I will do better.

Cheers,
e

Epic Cycling.

So last Thursday, i decided to take on my first real long distance cycling challenge.  The 100 or so miles from Canandaigua to Buffalo.

So i geared up, packed 3 bottles of water, 2 bananas, a sandwich, and my ipod... stoked about the journey that i figured would take me 6 hours, TOPS.  I planned on getting on the road by 6 am, but i actually left around 8.  Got about a mile in, and realized i had forgotten my cycling gloves.  

GREAT.

Turn around, pick them up, and i'm on my way... for real this time.  

It was overcast and the forecast called for severe thunderstorms at the day progressed.  I hoped that i could make it to my destination before those became a factor.

Driving this route in a car, i didn't realize how hilly it actually is.  The first 20 or so miles... all hills... and to make matters worse, i couldn't even get up to cruising speed DOWNHILL because the $%#&-ing headwinds were so strong.  I literally had to pedal to keep speed going down hills.  After pedaling hard up the hills and then having to do the same downhill... very demoralizing.

About 40 miles in, i decided to pull off and have a banana and a sandwich.  After a 15 minute food / fuel break, i saddled back up and headed off down the road (up more hills.)

Cranked away for another 15 miles and i suddenly realized that i was out of water.  Super.  Luckily, my father was leaving to head to buffalo a few hours after i left, in a car of course, so i had hoped water would be available upon his arrival.  

I was about half a mile into a mile climb and he blows by me and stops about a quarter mile ahead.  Not at the top of the hill, or just over the peak, but right on the slope so i have to stop mid climb.  

Thanks dad.

To make matters worse... no water.  It would have been really easy to break down my bike, load it up, and ride the rest of the way... but i resisted the temptation and kept on going.  Luckily, and much to my relief, my father came tearing back towards me about 5 miles later with 2 bottles of water.  He's my hero.  Seriously.

My hamstrings were cramping, my calves were cramping, i was getting sore being in the saddle, and my upper back was just killing me from being in that position for 4+ hours at this point.

Then started the rains.  Misting at first... then harder, mixed with headwinds and crosswinds that made each hammer of the pedals torture.  Mind you, i usually average between 18-20 mph on my rides... i was lucky to be between 13-14 mph at this point in time.  Again... demoralizing.

As the end of the ride neared, the sun came out, and for the first time i realized how close i was.  Only about 20 miles to go.  Only an hour and change.  But no, it would have been too easy to finish like that.  

The Place: Mile 77.5 - Bullis Road, just outside of Buffalo.

My back tire shreds.  AWESOME!  There was nothing i could do.  I had an extra tube and repair stuff, but with 20 miles left and no serious tire pump, i couldn't ride on.  So thats a big DNF.  

DID NOT FINISH.

The worse words an athlete can hear and words i hope to never experience during an actual race.  So now i have to head back out and attempt the ride again, and again, and again... until i'm successful.

So i called my father, he came to pick me up, and in the meantime i walked my bike an extra couple miles because i couldn't bear to just stand there.

The rest of the weekend was a gluttonfest and full of Rychlik family tomfoolery.  It was my cousins wedding on Friday, so naturally we had to party Thursday, Friday, Saturday, AND Sunday.

My family is more fun than yours.

So now, i guess you could say it's back to the grind.  I ate horribly, drank soda for the first time in probably at least 6 months, and enjoyed an alcoholic beverage or 10 with the family to celebrate the wedding.  

Time to detox and get back to it.

For real?

I come back from a weekend away and no one has posted since the 6th?  

I mean, really guys?  Really?  

Get your acts together.

I just got back into town (it's 2:30 am) and I have an appointment at 10 am, so i'll post about my weekend workout when i get time tomorrow.  

8\6

Hit the hills in New Hampshire this weekend. Almost immediately (and unsurprisingly), they hit back. I ran six miles in about 50 minutes Saturday and 5 miles in 40 minutes on Sunday, moving slowly because a) I didn't know where I was and b) hills. The road was often blocked off because a tornado passed through the area only a few weeks ago, so I swerved and leaped trees and tree limbs with astonishing frequency. I'm not sure how cars drove through the area; luckily I didn't see any cars because the roads were narrow and there were no sidewalks.

Tuesday upper body workout and a 4.5 mile run. Timed the first three miles at 7 minutes per mile, then slowed for the last 1.5 and concentrated on breathing rhythm and steady body movement.

Today, Phillies game: 12th row seats (Thanks, MALONE!)