Training Week 8/21/14

This is the last week before Iron Mtn and things are going well and I don't feel too bad about tapering. 
8/19/14 - Ran the 6 mile loop and ran 1.5 as a cool down.
Ran in Five Fingers in the evening.  Ran to the track and then did 2 miles at HR as a short MAF test.  Both miles were very close to each other and ended up 6:46.
8/20/14 - Ran at the cove, the lowers to the end of Schoolhouse and back at 142.  HR was good today and it was tough to run that hard.  This route ended up at 9.5 miles.
8/22/14 - Ran at Devil's Marbleyard.  G and I took the Belfast Trail to the top then got on Gunter Ridge Trail, and then the GHT back to the car.  This is a great run but the GRT is getting very overgrown.  In addition, there are chiggers on this route.  I'd bring tall socks and some bug spray next time.  Probably a better loop for the Fall and Winter.
8/24/14 - Ran around Grandin Court, Fishburn, VWCC and Winding Way for 8.35 miles.
Total for the week; 37.7 miles running.  I  had planned to get around 30.

Training Week 8/11/14

8/12/14 - Ran the 6 mile loop.  High HR and then 1.5 mile cool down.
Gina and I rode 13.6 miles that evening.  We road biked up Roselawn, Sugarloaf, Keagy and then back on Apperson.
8/13/14 - Ran 7 miles at the Cove, up Hi Dee Ho and down Buck to the Road.
8/15/14 - Ran 11.2 and biked 8 marking the Fab 5k course.  I also did a time trail on the course after I marked it and was slower this year running a 19:34
8/17/14 - Ran 14.75 from Day Creek.  Ran up Black Horse Gap, north on the AT, Down Bobblett's Gap, and then the GHT back to Day Creek.  HR was a little higher than I would have liked but there was quite a bit of climbing.  Ended up getting chiggers on the GHT.  Got to remember tall socks and bug spray.  Chiggers suck!
 Total for the week;  40.4 mile running, 8 miles on the mtn bike, and 13.6 miles cycling.

Training Week 8/4/14

The next race is the 8/30 Iron Mtn 30 miler.  This is a pretty simple event.  It runs along with a 16 and 50 miler, located in Damascus VA.  The race goes out 4 miles on the Creeper Trail and then hits the Iron Mtn Trail for an out and back race course.
The goal for this weeks training is to hit the 60 mile mark and get in a good long run.  From here it is taper time.
8/5/14 - 6 mile loop and cool down - 7.5 total
              4 mile Five Finger run.  I haven't run in FFs since 11/10/13
8/6/14 - 9 Miles at the cove at 142 HR.  Ran the new Rattlin' Run to Songbird took a left to finish songbird, then up tuck a way, and 4 Gorge back to the parking lot.  the new trail was about 2.65 to Songbird and the last 1/2 a mile wasn't finished and was pretty rough side hill running.
8/8/14 - 23.9 miles running up Poage Valley Ext to the top of Poor Mtn and back.  I run this because it is one of the toughest climbs and longest uphills that you can get around Roanoke.  You haven't experienced steep until you run Poage Valley Ext. 
8/9/14 - 5.4 miles of random running around Grandin Court.
8/10/14 - 10.25 miles running around Fishburn, VWCC, Winding Way and Persinger
Total for the week;  60 miles running

Training Week 7/28/14

Well, we are back VA and so far no vacation hangover.  Good to be back and to not be thrown back in the high humidity. 
7/29/14 - Did a short road ride with a few small climbs for 13 miles
7/30/14 - Finally got to check out the newly finished Lake Shore Trail at the cove.  Did a Horse Pen, Lake Shore, Hemlock, 1000ft Climb, Gauntlet, Horse Pen loop for a total of 11.75 miles
8/1/14 - Did a MAF test on the track.  Not very good in comparison to my 2 previous ones but I'm still recovering from the TRT 50 and the other vacation miles.  Did a total of 11 miles
8/2/14 - Ran 6.3 through Fishburn, Persinger, and PH.
8/3/14 - Ran 11.3 with James.  4 mile loop to Bridge Street, 3 hill repeats, greenway, graveyard and back.
Total for the week;   39.35 miles running and 13 miles cycling.