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Friday, March 2, 2012

East Loop 1

I got home from ViPR training at SLP LTF today and decided it was a perfect day to go for a run.  I had a couple of appointments that canceled this evening so I didn't go in to Crosstown or coach.  My plan is to piggy back 6 tonight with a longer run of 10+ on Sunday morning.  These last two weeks, the only time I've had to run is on the weekends.  It's good to be busy and I'm blessed to have the opportunity to spend a few evenings with the kids.  They are growing up fast.  Any way the ViPR is a great tool that I'm looking forward to implementing with my clients.  A great tool and it was great to learn and interact with Michol Dalcourt.  A wealth of knowledge and experience in the industry. 

6 miles tonight.  It was a bit windy so I headed out into the west wind to the Park Reserve.  It is nice to have a few inches of snow to work through now that Superior is on the map for May 19th.  I've decided to do the 50k again this year.  I finished last year with a time of 5:35 averaging 10:45 miles.  That's going to be tough to beat especially since, if I remember right the trail was optimal that day until finish time when it started to rain.  I've incorporated more speed work into my training which will train turnover as well as VO2, help with flexibility, and it takes less time so that mean more time at home with the fam.  Hills are another add to this years program.  I feel like with each race, I become more and more decisive with the plan that I'm putting together for the race.  I'll bunch the 50k and book end that race with two half marathons this year.  Minnetonka (first weekend in May) and Minneapolis (first weekend in June).  It would be nice to finish one of them in under 90 minutes... or both.  East loop-towards the swimming hole, past the chalet, take a right at the trail x-ing.  stay heading north east until you'll eventually meet with the snowmobile trail lining zachary.  Follow that into the woods heading east, till you meet up with pavement, head south through 6-8 inches of snow till meeting up with the culdasac near the picnic area.  3 intervals on the road past the chalet, jogging recover til the neighborhood ends, sprint (sub 5 minute mile pace) to 97th and home.  97th is full of hip and ankle mobility with ballistic active isolated stretching for hamstrings, quads, and calves.  It was a beautiful night on the trail and fun to have the opportunity to run through some snow.  (great hip flexor training).

The best part though was coming home.  I had some Whey Isolate, banana with peanut butter, the last 4 rolls from Costco (Happy Birthday Brent and I love the Costco idea for lunch)!, a banana strawberry chobani, and a whole bunch of water.  I helped Caden write his story about the can of worms starring Kai, and his Star Wars story starring Yoda.  I think it is about Yoda's fast trip to Courasant in a galactic speeder or a starfighter... I can't quite remember.  The bigs took showers tonight and Elli got her hair wet, I think she forgot she didn't want to when she got in.  I got to be a ninja with Caden in the downstairs living room, calm Elli when she found out Caden started coloring her picture from Grandma (might want to bring her another one mom), and read two books to them for bedtime that we had never heard or read before (well, Elli had read "First Day Jitters", but neither of them had listened to "Big Smelly Bear".  Both books end well and I sure do love those two.  They are such good friends.  Elli-"I'm sad that you started coloring my picture from Grandma". Caden-"I'm sorry Elli."  Elli- "I'm going to color the rest... ok?"  Caden- "ok Elli, I'm sorry."  Elli- "I forgive you."  Priceless

Sunday, February 26, 2012

10k hills train

 A trail after a half mile warm up (loop 1)

Welcome to 2012.  Finally some snow on the trails here around Elm Creek.  So this morning I am thinking about Superior while still trying to increase my time on the pavement for some half marathons early.  Really stretched out the hip flexors on the downs today.  I ran a sub 50 minute 10k followed by 4 hill repeats on Osseo Hill here on the north side of 81 and the North West corner of 81 and Elm Creek Blvd.  There is what looks like a game trail up the hill.  I'd walked this repeat last summer a bit and usually gravitated to the tubing hill for repeats at Elm Creek.  The last couple of weeks though, I've begun (inspired by "A Football Life"-Walter Payton) to look for some more sprint hills.  Today each repeat was under 18 seconds so it's not a big hill.  On the downs of that I was focused on quick steps side steps getting my ankles ready for Oberg and Carltons Peak.  That last down on Oberg is a beast coming in.  Some drops of 3-4 feet in places and the same for Carltons.  It took just under 50 minutes for the 10k and about 20 minutes to run the repeats and cool it back down heading into home.  I got back just in time to make eggs for the family and watch an episode of Ninjago-Tick Tock, shower and sit down to write.  What a beautiful morning to be on the trail and I'm looking forward to a fun day with family.