Training week of 1/6/14

Man is my back still giving me problems.
1/7/14 - Did 3 miles on the elliptical at an easy pace without pain.  Sore afterward.
1/8/14 - Did 3 miles on the elliptical and ran one easy on the treadmill.  Running did not feel good. but I feel better today overall.
1/10/14 - Decided to take a test run today and did 6.95 miles around the neighborhood and greenway.  Felt better today and almost felt normal running.
1/11/14 - This is the Willis River 35/50k day.  My plan was to go and run the as much of the last 10 miles of the 50k course while everyone else was running the race.  This was a cold rainy morning with a forecast of lots of rain and mid 50's. 
- I did run the entire 10 mile section and it was wet and sloppy.  A couple of creek crossings were thigh high and deeper on the return trip.  Footing was OK except for the downhills. 
- After I finished I decided to head out and bring in our friends.  First up was Matt Prescott.  He came in 6thish in the 35k and was motivated to go out for the remaining 10 miles since he would be the first on the 50k section.  Johnny Robinson was 2nd to come in about 2 minutes back.  He headed out for the 50k too. 
- On my second trip out I caught James Decker.  He was another couple of runners back and decided to hang it up after the 35k finish. 
- 3rd time out I met up with Ed McKeown and after a brief time he decided to head out for the 50k.
- 4th time out I met up with Carla Cross and Lorraine Moore.  Both talked about getting swept out and down in the river crossings.  They seemed a little shaken from it and said the water was over their waist in a couple of places. 
- Next up was Gina and David.  They ended up getting off course and doing a few extra miles.  Both wanted to do the 50k but they came in after the time cutoff and weren't allowed to continue. 
These were the wettest muddiest conditions I've ever seen in a race.  On each of my trips out to catch my friends the course got worse.  First it was muddy, next you could see deep footprints, then the footprints were full of water, and lastly the trail became a creek with water flowing down it.  It was a crazy day but it made for quite a few stories and laughs.
- Matt Prescott ended up 1st and Johnny was 2nd in the 50k. 
- I ended up with 19.2 miles for the day, so I was happy.
1/12/14 - Ran 10.2 keeping my HR below 142 and cycled 14.3. 
Total for the Week - 43.35 miles running and 14.3 mile cycling

First Week of 2014

Well this week didn't go over very well.  I really injured my low back during my fall on Chestnut Ridge.  I tried to do some running this week but the pain and muscle strain got worse with each effort.
12/31/13 - Ran the 4 & 6 mile loops for 8.15 miles total.
1/1/14 - Ran the 6 mile graveyard loop and then went on a 13.25 mile bike ride up Roselawn, Sugarloaf, keagy and back.
1/2/14 - Timed the Resolution Run and opted to not exercise.
1/3/14 - Ran 6.2 miles marking the Chestnut Ridge Loop for the FT
1/4/14 - 5.7 miles running on the trails of Fishburn Park.  After this run my sacrum was on fire and I regretted not taking more time off to let this injury heal.
26.05 miles running and 13.25 cycling

I'm going to take some time off this week to see if I can participate in any of the Willis River 35/50k on 1/11/14.  I've enjoyed this race over the last few years and have done well.  I was hoping to attempt running sub 4:30.  Now I'm not sure I will even race or run it at all.

Week of 12/23/13

12/24/13 - Ran the 6 & 4 mile loops ccw for an 8 mile run.
12/25/13 - Ran and hiked 13.55 miles up to Brushy Mtn in the Smokeys
12/26/13 - Ran and hiked 11.4 miles up the Prong Trail and down the main road from Newfound Gap.
12/28/13 - Cleaned up Chestnut Ridge Loop - Hurt my low back clearing a tree.
Also went out for a short 13.1 mile road bike ride.
12/29/13 - Ran 5.5 mile in Raleigh Court
Total for the week;
44.5 miles running and 13.1 cycling

Training Week of 12/16/13

This will be the last training week before the 1/11/14 Willis River 35/50k.  After this week I will be tapering with little focus on miles, wearing my HR more while trying to keep my HR at 142 and no more than 150.
12/17/13 - 7.5 miles running the 6 mile loop and 1.5 cool down.
12/18/13 - Annual running group cookie run around Raleigh and Grandin Court.
12/20/13 - Ran 24.25 miles from Route 11 to Black Horse Gap on the AT and back.  5500ft of climbing.  Long slow run.
12/21/13 - 8.25 miles running in Fishburn Park, VA Western, and the 6 mile loop - Kept HR below 142
12/22/13 - 9.3 miles running around Raleigh Court, Greenway and graveyard loop - Kept HR below 142
Total for the week;
54.3 miles running

Training Weeks from 11/11/13 to 12/15/13

Found out I didn't get into Uwharrie 40m, so we need to come up with another plan.
11/12/13 - 7.75 miles.  Ran the 6 mile loop in 41:11 and then did a 1.75 mile cool down with 12 sets of stair climbs at Patrick Henry
11/13/13 - Ran 9.7 at the cove.  4 gorge, tuck-a-way, songbird with a few out and backs.
11/15/13 - Rode 14.6 miles at Liberty Mountain.  Having not ridden for awhile, that was tough.
11/16/13 - 13.75 miles running the Garst Mill/Lewis Gale loop with 12 stair climbs at PH in my cooldown.
11/17/13 - 13 miles running the CtC 25k course.
Total for the week;
44.2 miles running
14.6 mile mtn biking

Training Week 11/18/13
11/19/13 - 7.8 miles running the 6 mile loop, 1.8 mile cool down with 15 stair climbs.
11/20/13 - Ran 8.75 miles Grandin, Norwich Park, Greenway, Jesus Saves church, and back.
11/22/13 - This was a long run before we travel back to Illinios for Thanksgiving.  20.75 miles running Greenway to Mill Mountain, did the MMM 10k course, Woodthrush, Fern Park and back on the greenway. 
11/24/13 - Ran 5 miles in the Forest Preserves in Tinley Park.
Total for the week;
42.3 miles running

Training Week 11/25/13 in Illinois
11/25/13 - 10.5 running at Swallow Cliff Woods with 7 125 step stair climbs at the toboggan run. 
11/26/13 - 6 miles running in the Forest Preserves.
11/27/13 - Ran 4 miles in Arcola in the cold and biting wind.
11/28/13 - Ran 9 miles around Ashmore.
11/29/13 - 13.5 miles running around Ashmore
12/1/13 - Ran the 14.5 mile Hollins Loop with James.
Total for the week;
57.5 miles running

I tallied up my mileage for the month of November and noticed that I should be able to hit 2000 miles of running for the year, for the first time ever.  Last year was my previous high of 1762. 

Training Week of 12/2/13
Gina and I put our names in for the Tahoe Rim Trails 50 miler at the end of January.  We will know on 1/1/14 if we got in.  Our backup plan will be to sign up for the San Juan Solstice 50 miler again in Lake City CO.  Gina wants to finish a 50 miler and would really like to finish the SJS 50 after last year's issues that caused her to be pulled at mile 31. 
12/3/13 - 7.75 miles running the 6 mile loop and cool down with 10 stair climbs.
12/4/13 - 9.75 miles running at the cove.  4 Gorge, 1000ft climb and down Hi dee ho with a few out and backs.
12/6/13 - 9.75 miles running the grave yard loop to the greenway to Bridge Street and then the rest of the 4 mile loop.  I did 2 .75 mile and 1 .5 mile interval on the greenway.
12/7/13 - Ran 20.5 miles of tough mtn running.  I ran Poage Valley Extension to the top of Poor Mtn and back.  I tried to keep my HR below 155 except for the last steep .7 mile climb up Poor Mtn.  Great run.  This run was punishment for me no wanting to run and the impending bad weather that was coming on Sunday.
12/8/13 - James and I ran 5 around the hood.
Total for the week;
52.75 miles of running

Training Week of 12/9/13
This is a recovery week since I've hit 2 50+ mile weeks back to back.  Not really focused on miles or speed for the week.  Just want to stay at 40+.
12/10/13 - Ran 6 in the cold rain.
12/11/13 - 7.25 miles at the cove running up Hi Dee Ho and down buck to the road with a few out and backs.
12/13/13 - 10.3 miles running around fishburn and doing stairs at VA western Comm College.
12/14/13 - 10.15 miles running the 4 mile loop, greenway to Jesus Saves Church, and back.
12/15/13 - 7.1 miles running random Grandin Court and Fishburn miles.
Total for the week;
40.85 miles running