Twin Cities Marathon 2005: Erik's Fast Friends Training Log

Date:	Place:	Time:	Distance:	Workout/Comments:

9.28			4	Easy - This is my last posting until I log my final marathon report :) I leave tomorrow morning for Minneapolis and will no longer have access to the computer. Hard to say what kind of time I'll be able to run, but I do know that the training hasn't gone poorly. I've done the long runs, and gone fast often enough to push myself. Best wishes on an excellent race for all. I, for one, can't wait to get started!
9.27	Wolf Creek Rd.	38 min.	6	Easy Distance - legs are feeling well rested!
9.26			-	Ah yes, another rest day. Lots of those lately. Tomorrow I will run.
	Week 17:		24	A fine, albeit light week of running. A little too light perhaps, but hey, I'm tapering! NOT a good week of updating this log. All done at weeks end. Nothing like falling off the wagon at crunch time... My new book did just get a nice review at kidsrunning.com however :) Enjoy this final week before the marathon!
9.25	Arlington, WA	39 min.	6	Easy distance - A nice early evening run on the heels of my first bookstore event for SLOW DAYS, FAST FRIENDS!
9.24	Barnsley Lake	34 min.	5	SPEED - 10 min. up, 14 min at Threshold pace (likely harder) then a cool down. Felt pretty good. Now I just need to focus on some rest.
9.23		20 min.	3	Easy -
9.22		35 min.	5	Easy - Very untaxing taper stuff :)
9.21		35 min.	5	Easy - Finally back to running again after two days of slacking!
9.20			-
9.19			-
	Week 16:		39	Again, not as much running as I would have hoped, but pretty on par with what I've done. Needed to scale back from last week and get in a little "speed". Mission accomplished! One more week similar, with an even shorter long run.
9.18	Bear Creek Rd.	1:48	15	LSD - A final qualified long run. Stiff to start, payback for not cooling down yesterday, but the rest went pretty well. A terrific fall afternoon here on the eastern side of the mountains. Not a mountain run, but great views towards the Chelan Sawtooth Ridge and north to the Pasayten Wilderness area.
9.17	Perrygin Lake State Park	30 min. 16:31	4 3	Warm-up prior to race. SPEED - ran the "open race" in conjunction with Liberty Bell HS XC's home meet. A rolling course on dirt and gravel. Felt pretty good, but never got in an appropriate warm down :(
9.16			-	Didn't want a day off here, but the run just didn't happen...
9.15	Wolf Creek	22 min. 35 min.	3 5	Easy Easy distance
9.14		27 min.	3	Easy - a run with Sarah, Keeley, and Max
9.13	Sun Mt. Ranch	43 min.	6	Easy - a quick lunchtime run. Feel like I recovered off of another long run pretty well!
9.12			-
	Week 15:		54	A good week of running, especially considering it came in basically 4 days...probably also why I felt a little tired at the start of the this morning's long run. 3 weeks until the marathon, and the taper begins tomorrow! A longer run of 12-14 next weekend and a little shorter "speed" work will be fun.
9.11	West Chewuch/East Chewuch Rd. Loop	2:30:30	20	LSD - 6:00 AM: A cool damp morning in the 40's had me tight at the beginning. Felt stronger and loosened up as the run progressed. Not quite as good as I'd hoped to feel, but its been a long week and there is about 1000ft of climbing involved in the first 8 mi...
9.10	Wolf Creek Rd.	23 min. 46 min.	3 6	Easy - a nice morning run out by our house Easy distance - not quite as easy as it could have been, but for 6 mi. slightly uphill pushing a 35 lb 2 yr. old in the baby jogger, it wasn't too bad :)
9.9			-
9.8	Hwy 20, west of Winthrop	59:52	9	SPEED - 2+ up, 2mi in 12:02 (severe headwind!) 3 min active rest, 2 mi. in 11:45 (generous tailwind) 2+ down. Hard going out, HOT too, but another sustained effort in the bank. Not too many more of these workouts...
9.7			-
9.6	Wolf Creek Woods...	29 min. 57 min.	4 8+	Easy Easy distance - a great ramble about the woods near our "house under construction" - very excited about the trails to be explored even further just beyond our back door!
9.5		29 min.	4	Easy - A meeting and more house painting. A better run tomorrow!
	Week 14:		50	Again, not as much running this week as desired, but still some success. The long run on Sat. AM was great and the sustained "threshold" run on Wednesday felt pretty solid. Another similar week and then taper.
9.4	Wolf Creek Road	55 min.	7	Easy distance - I feel pretty good after yesterday. Painting a house for 4 hours on the heals of a long run actually has some benefits...
9.3	All over the place!	2:49	22	LSD - A truly relaxed feeling long run! The day-off yesterday might have helped with that, even though I would have liked the miles... Regardless, today's run was never too fast, looping about on various roads eminating from Winthrop. Started early (5:45am - light enough to feel comfortable with critters) so it was really great temperature-wise.
9.2			-	Curses! I could not get away from work and/or other duties...
9.1	Gun Ranch Rd.	30 min.	4	Easy
8.31	Big Valley Ranch to Winthrop on Hwy 20	59 min.	9	SPEED - 1 mi. up, 5 mi @ 6:01-6:10 pace, 3 mi. down. A good sustained Threshold effort.
8.30	Winthrop Trail to Sun Mountain	63 min.	8+	Easy distance - An entirely necessary rest day took some of the downhill deadness out of my legs. Today's run was nice and easy, and tomorrow's will be as well.
8.29			-
	Week: 13		41	Well, no 50 mile week, but I still feel like I'm recovering from the last one. Happy to have raced this weekend, but my legs felt pretty flat on the way up. More miles and an LSD near 20 mi. next week. The taper begins not long after!
8.28		30 min.	4	Easy recovery - still feel that 6 mi. of downhill running!
8.27	Cutthroat Pass	1:56+	15	RACE - 11.1 miles: 2000ft up over 5 mi. and then 2300 ft down to the finish. Warmed up and cooled down 2 miles. 5th place and 1:21:06 wasn't too far off of my first run of this event in 1999. Pleased overall :)
8.26		58 min.	8	Easy distance - Farther than I would usually go before a race, but I'd rather hit 50+ mi. again this week than excell at the Cutthroat Classic tomorrow.
8.25		28 min.	3	"Easy" - struggled through with Sarah and Keeley. Either dehydrated or getting sick. Wanted to go further, but felt BAD.
8.24	Winthrop, WA	45 min.	6	Easy distance - An easy AM run. "Rest" and then race this week.
8.23			-
8.22		36 min.	5	Easy distance
	Week 12:		51	My first 50+ mile week in over 2 years! From that standpoint, training is going well. My Threshold/Speedwork plan this past week was ill-advised at best, but I will have an easy start to this week before indulging in an 11 mile trail race next weekend.
8.21		23 min.	3	Easy - A shake the legs out run. I also either broke or rudely stubbed my second toe while swimming in the river today. A nice deep shade of purple...
8.20	Chewuch River Loop	1:54	17	Distance/Threshold - 2 up, 3x3mi. 6:12-6:25pace with 1mi. rest, easy down. A fine workout, but a bad idea on the heels of yesterday's run. Didn't feel great and I should have moved it to a different day...
8.19	Twin Lakes Rd.	52 min.	8	SPEED - easy up, 4x5min. up tempo w/ 1min. rest, easy down. A good variation on the track work. Felt nice.
8.18		24 min 28 min.	7 (in total)	Easy - a nice AM run with Sarah and Keeley (in baby jogger). Will run again this afternoon.... Easy - another nice easy run.
8.17	Wolf Creek Rd.	57 min.	8	Easy Distance - A point-to-point run out Wolf Creek Rd.
8.16			-
8.15	Wolf Creek Rd.	53 min.	8	Distance - Not feeling so easy today...I certainly don't feel like I'm running too much, but I'll need to take a rest day soon.
	Week 11:		41	Failed to break the 50 mi. barrier this week - my unspoken goal - but very happy to have strung together my 3rd consecutive 40+ miler. I haven't been this "consistant" mileage-wise since early spring 2003.
8.14	Big Valley Ranch	43 min.	6	Easy distance - a nice flat trail run with Keeley in the baby jogger and the dog loping along as well.
8.13		30 min.	4	Easy -
8.12	Twin Lakes Rd.	56 min.	7+	SPEED - 20min. up, 10x1min. tempo (:30 rest), 20min. down. HOT, and not much sleep last night finishing a book cover...wanted to put a little turnover on tired legs, and that's about how it felt :)
8.11	Wolf Creek Trail	2:14	16+	LSD - Hard to say exactly how far, but I was planning to go 18 and just wasn't out long enough. The run back, generally downhill, took 62 min. so I'm happy with 16. Took a nice fall as well and will have scabs to show off for weeks!
8.10	Winthrop, WA	58 min.	8	Easy distance - Another HOT (90+) lunchtime run, but back on track. My easy distance days should start to be more 8 mi. range for a while here.
8.9			-	Not a good start to the week, missing two days of training, but it is what it is...
8.8			-
	Week 10:		43	On the level: a good week amidst travel. No attempt to push things too much so it should have been a "recovery" week. I can bump the mileage up a little more in the weeks ahead. A very nice run in Minneapolis on Sat. AM!
8.7	Lake Minnewawa	28 min.	4
8.6	Minneapolis, MN	1:27	13	LSD - A quick trip through Mpls. for my Grandmother's 90th birthday celebration in McGregor, MN left time for a cruise around Harriet, Calhoun and Isles plus a little more! A very nice run with lots o' people watching.
8.5		42 min.	6	Easy distance
8.4		40 min.	6	Easy distance - a quick dusk run. much cooler
8.3	LBHS Track	65 min.	8+	SPEED - 2+ up, 5x1000m @ 3:39-3:42 pace (200m. active rest), 2+ down. A better "true" threshhold workout I think. Felt very within myself.
8.2	Sun Mt. Trails	44 min. 65 min.	6 -	Easy distance BIKE - a nice morning ride: perhaps a little extra quad work to loosen up/strengthen muscles around the knee...
8.1			-	A little rest
	Week 9:		43	A solid week. Very pleased with the great long run today and the "speed" work on Friday. Knees a little achy from 6 miles of downhill running this AM - watch it for the next week... I posted pictures from today's run!!
7.31	Cutthroat Pass/Pacific Crest Trail	2:11	16	LSD - early AM trail run with Max. GORGEOUS! UP for 6 miles (58:43) to Cutthroat Pass, then 2 miles north on the PCT. Reverse direction and head for home :) Entire run between 4600 and 6800ft.
7.30	Twisp River Trail	1:45 42 min.	- 6	HIKE - and easy stroll with Keeley, Sarah and the inlaws Easy distance - a VERY HOT! 4:30pm run. Couldn't get away earlier in the day, but glad I made it out eventually.
7.29	LBHS Track	61 min.	8+	SPEED - 2+ up, 6x800 @ 2:46-49 pace (1min. active rest), 2+ down. Another supposed "Threshold" workout done too fast. Arg! I should practice what I preach and SLOW DOWN. Nice to have finished the workout consistently, but not necessarily productive.
7.28	Twisp Swimming Hole	not long enough	-	AHHHH! Nothing doing this afternoon. Almost triple digits and the river is fine.
7.27		32 min.	4	Easy
7.26		37 min. 90 min.	5 -	Easy distance BIKE - a nice evening ride with Brian at Sun Mountain
7.25		31 min.	4	Easy - stretch the legs out. Starting to feel the runs just a little more. Sunday a little more intense than necessary.
	Week 8:		37	Getting back at it miles-wise. Keep up with the Threshold work and try for 16-18 LSD next week.
7.24	Winthrop	1:41	14	LSD - Again running a little quick for something like this - but it felt good today.
7.23	Hart's Pass	2+ hrs.	3	HIKE/easy running
7.22		24 min.	3	Easy - with Sarah and Keeley
7.21	Twin Lakes	41 min.	6	Easy distance - HOT lunchtime mileage
7.20	LBHS Track	56 min.	7+	SPEED - A short threshhold workout. 2+ up, 4x800 @ 2:55 pace (1min. active rest), 2+ down. Felt pretty good. Most likely ran a little too fast - faster than threshold a bit. Hopefully where I will be for the marathon though...
7.19			-
7.18		32 min.	4	Easy - evening run from home.
	Week 7:		34	OK. Much better. I really wanted to be 'round 40 miles by this week, but don't want to take too great a leap in miles...
7.17	Twisp River Trail	1:50	13	LSD - A great run with Mike & Charlie. Nice and easy. Gorgeous trail with rolling hills along the river and great footing for a trail run...
7.16		2 hrs. +	-	BIKE - up the Chewuch River roads with Sarah, Keeley, Mike and Charlie. Then Mike and I struggled with a stiff headwind and extra 12 miles to our lot and back :)
7.15	Monument Creek Trail	1:26	7+	Easy distance - A nice run on a new trail with Sarah. A rare opportunity these days.
7.14		23 min.	3	Easy - evening run from home.
7.13	Spokane, WA	54 min.	8	HOT! Felt horrible.
7.12		2 hrs.	-	HIKE
7.11		21 min.	3	Easy - evening run from home.
	Week 6:		3	86 hours of work finishing a book for deadlines does NOT help the training efforts! Feels like I am sliding backwards since TVR. Get back to it steady again next week...
7.10			-
7.9			-
7.8			-
7.7			-
7.6		23 min.	3	Easy
7.5			-
7.4			-
	Week 5:		33	A little more progress. It will be nice when I am finally finished with my current book assignment so that I can catch up on the sleep some more!
7.3		43 min. 1hr.	6	Easy distance - BIKE - with Sarah and Keeley
7.2	Winthrop Trail to Patterson Lk.	1:25	12	LSD - Uphill, then back down, but felt OK esp. when things leveled out on top for a while :)
7.1		41 min.	6	Easy distance - with Max.
6.30		28 min.	4	Easy
6.29		35 min.	5	Easy - lunchtime run
6.28		45 min.	-	BIKE -
6.27			-
	Week 4:		30	Fine. Need to add a 5th and 6th day of running soon, but I have gotten in a little BIKE x-training that should pay dividends on the overall fitness.
6.26	Driveway Butte	1:51 1hr.	13	LSD - Steep up. Walking mixed-in until the saddle on top. A good hard effort BIKE - biked with S to our lot.
6.25	Winthrop to Perrygin Lake	41 min.	6	Easy distance - A hot run to Perrygin Lake. Excellent swimming to cool off!
6.24		22 min.	3	Easy
6.23			-
6.22	Wolf Creek		8	Easy Distance - First part with S and K, then home on my own.
6.21			-
6.20			-
	Week 3:		34	A very positive week. My first back-to-back 30 mile weeks in 18 months, AND the "race" on Friday was a good indicator. A hard effort, but it makes approx. 6 min. pace for the marathon seem feasible. I could be dreaming...
6.19	Winthrop - loops from home	67 min.	10	LSD - should have been slower coming off of the Titus. Max must have pulled me along :)
6.18			-
6.17	Liberty Bell High School Track	64 min. (including warm-up)	10	Threshold/Marathon Pace - The Tits Van Rjin "1 hr. Classic" See how far you can go in 60 minutes on the track: I managed 2x5k at 6 min. pace plus some more for 37 laps + 20m. (14,820m)
6.16	Wolf Creek Rd.	41 min.	6	Easy distance with a little speed - 4x1 min. "pickups" tossed into a regular run. Good to work in every so often to help with stride efficiency.
6.15			-
6.14	Wolf Creek area	64 min.	8	Easy distance - first 3 with S&K, then home. A slow, then faster run.
6.13			-
	Week 2:		31	Felt like a good week to me :)
6.12		25 min.	3	Easy - with Max
6.11	Beaver Pond @ Sun Mountain & the Winthrop Trail	1:13	9	LSD - with S & K, then home again, mostly downhill (overspeed) running.
6.10	Perrygin Lake	59 min.	7	Easy distance - with Sarah and Keeley, then home on my own.
6.9	Gun Ranch Road	62 min.	8	Easy distance - an afternoon run with Max (my dog). Out n' back. A steady climb on the way out.
6.8			-
6.7		32 min.	4	Easy
6.6			-
	Week 1:		23	Heavily weighted to the long run... I have been running steady simliar miles leading up to this, but a good "first week" of marathon training.
6.5			-
6.4	Pacific Crest Trail - Bridge Creek Crossing	3hrs.	15	LSD - A fine example of how unconventional my training will be. Certainly NOT recomended to take a 3hr run this early in most training "plans", but we walked quite a bit. An AMAZING run on the Pacific Crest Trail. Very slow going up to Copper Pass and then pretty quick - jumping boulders, sliding on moss etc. - coming back down.
6.3	Buck Mountain	2hrs.	-	BIKE - single track, dirt roads and lots of cattle with Brian Sweet. Really fun. First time that I have really ridden single track on a mt. bike.
6.2		34 min.	4	Easy
6.1			-
5.31			-
5.30		31 min.	4	Easy
				return to the top


	TWIN CITIES MARATHON 2005: TRAINING LOG


		© Erik Brooks, 2000-05. All Rights Reserved.



Welcome to my FAST FRIENDS training log! (scroll down) When not writing & illustrating books, I do try to run a little :) Life, in general, has moved my better training efforts down the priority list, but I still love to run -- and to train for the occassional race. Running Twin Cities Marathon for the first time in 2002 - I couldn't help but smile for miles with all of the people cheering along the course! These smiles faded after mile 20 to say the least, but this race in particular, seemed like a great way to celebrate the release of *Slow Days, Fast Friends. To top it off, I hope to visit some Minnesota-based college running mates and to run the marathon with a few former athletes from my coaching days at Carleton College (Northfield, MN). Thus the "friends" will be out in force. Follow along as I wade through the next 4 months of training towards the marathon. It is GUARANTEED, that I will be all of over the map training-wise, so I wouldn't recommend any of this verbatim. In general terms, I will be building towards about 60 miles a week in late August to mid-September, with emphasis on LSD (long slow distance) and Threshold (the edge of aerobic/anaerobic activity) or Marathon Pace runs along the way. I live on the eastern slope of the the Cascade mountains in Washington state, so some of my LSD runs on trail will be longer time-wise than the marathon but only cover half the distance. I am curious to see how that translates into running on the road this fall. Perhaps a little bit of extra*-slow to help with the fast...we shall see!