Week 1: 15 miles

I think while I am rebuilding my base, i'll just post weekly totals and some comments. After the 5k on Sunday last week, I ran 3.5 on Tues and 4 on Thurs outside at easy 8-9 min miles. I was in London over the weekend to see my kids, so only had time to do a 4.5 miler on Friday. My leg is starting to feel better, both during and after runs. That is encouraging. This week, I plan to run at least four days, and try to run one 6 miler, so target around 20 miles.

Day 1: 3.1mi, 21:30

The 5k went surprisingly well. I didn't try to kill myself, so I was pretty surprised to run it in the same time as the one I ran back in June. I came in 17th overall and third in my age group. So my layoff did not do as much damage as I had feared. I took a couple of aspirin prior to the run, which minimized the thigh issue. I feel comfortable now with pushing up the mileage a bit and throwing some speed workouts in there as well.

Restart: Day 0

I met with an orthopedist at the beginning of September to discuss the recurring pain on my left thigh joint. After an hour of various tests, he recommended I take a couple of aspirins a half hour before running. I'm not kidding. So after a couple months of running about once a week, I've been gradually building up my mileage and frequency, running 3-5 miles 3-4 times/week. I've been running 8-9 minute miles, just to get back into the rhythm, and using my HR monitor again most days.
I feel ok, although I was travelling in Asia for two weeks, which made it hard to get motivated, and have come down with a cold in the week since I returned. But I am less worried about my leg, as the doc didn't think I would do further harm running on it (although I am supposed to avoid speedwork for the moment). So the quest is back on. I will get a good test of my fitness level tomorrow, when I run a local 5k. It is quite hilly, so I think I will be unhappy above 25 minutes, pleased if I am sub-24, and very pleased if I am sub 23.

Day 191: 4mi, 33:29, Boston

I set up a appointment today to see a doctor, but it won't be until end August. In the meantime, I'll just keep stretching and running. Tonight resumed my low HR training, for the first couple of miles anyway. Second half was a little erratic, getting up into the high 140's vs my target of 137bpm. Left thigh pain was moderate but constant. Tried to lengthen my stride/pull my knees higher for some of the run, thinking this might help stretch the muscles out some. Suggestions welcome.

Day 190: where am I?

I've tried to minimize my running over the past three weeks to see if my thigh improved. I also tried doing some new stretches, along with my new self-diagnosis that I have an iliopsoas strain. I don't know how to pronounce it, but the symptoms seem to fit very well. Unfortunately, the rest and stretching haven't worked, so I am going to see a doctor.

I've done a few short (3-4 mile) runs over the past few weeks at 8-9 minute miles, and I've done a few 25 mile bike rides as well. But without the thigh flexor muscles working properly, the 5 minute mile will be out of reach. So my first priority has to be to get it fixed. Let's hope the doc will give me the magic bullet.

Day 179: 4mi, 35:00

A moderate pace on tonight's run along the Charles. After two weeks of very light training, my leg is feeling a lot better. There was still some lingering pain towards the end of the run, but overall, it felt pretty good. If it feels good tomorrow, I am going to start building back the mileage and working on my speed.

Day 178: 3mi, 28:00

A run to and along the beach on Nantucket on Sunday. Running on the sand is slow, but I think it helped my left leg problem. Followed with a nice ocean swim.

Day 175: 3mi, 24:45

Mostly just a run to loosen up. Some pain in my leg.
Followed with an even shorter 2 miler in 16 mins on Day 176, along with some light lifting. Trying to cure the pain.

Day 172: 4mi, 35:00

Back in Boston, went for an evening jog along the Charles. Very relaxed pace. I like to take it easy on the transition between time zones, especially when I am running very late or early in the previous zone. Can't find my HR monitor chest strap, but I was targeting 8:30 miles, which should keep me under my 137bpm target.

Day 169: 5.4mi, 44:52

I haven't really run since the 5k race because the pain in my leg had increased and I wanted to rest it. I also had a busy travel schedule, so couldn't run until I got back to London on Friday. [I did try to run once in Jerusalem, but only made it a mile before deciding to go to the pool]. So this run I did without the HR monitor, and really just wanted to see how it felt to do a decent pace. As might be expected, it was the fastest I've run this course all year. Had a good deal of discomfort in my leg, so the 10 days off didn't really help much. Time for professional help - not physical therapy, but sports medicine.

Day 159: 3.1mi, 21:25

Tonight was the 5k road race. I didn't feel like I killed myself, but I was glad when it was over. I ran about exactly what I thought I would, which was good enough for third place in my age group and 17th overall out of a few hundred runners. Last year, I ran the same race in 20:22. While the last few weeks have been unusually light training (and heavy travelling), I am not progressing as I hoped. The left thigh muscle/tendon problem was evident from early in the run, and feels like it did five months ago. I don't know what to do about it.

The Macmillan calculator converts this 5k time into a 6:10 mile. I have to solve this muscle problem so I can push harder.

Day 158: 3.1mi, 26:42

An easy 5k on the treadmill, mostly to loosen up before tomorrow's 5k race, but also to see where I am using the 137bpm limit. I crossed the 3mi point in 25:50, which looks similar to where I was in April, but slower than I was in May. The last few weeks have been erratic with my travel schedule and the triathlon, but hopefully will improve after one more trip next week. Unfortunately, whatever tendon/muscle problem I have in my left thigh is still nagging me. I will try to keep doing the stretches and some of the exercises I got in PT, but I think I am going to start mixing in some speed work.

Day 155: 3mi, 29 mins

I was in California for most of the week, and did not run at all. Didn't do much of anything, except a little yoga and tennis, to recover from the tri. Flew back to London on Thursday night, which was not a pleasant experience. 9 1/2 hrs in coach, sitting next to a guy who was too big to stay in his own space. Needless to say, I didn't get much quality sleep. Friday I did a short run around Kensington Gardens, and that will be it for the weekend. I may try to run a 5k race on Tuesday night. It might not be a great indicator of progress, since I have been in recovery mode for a week, but I'd still like to see where I am vs last year. The tri was too hot and humid to compare with last year.

Day 149: Mooseman Triathlon

My splits at Mooseman:
0.93 mi swim: 34:11
27.25 mi bike: 1:27:45
6.2 mi run: 54:55
Total: 3:05:35

Last year, I did a 31:12 swim, a 1:32 bike and a 45:35 run, for a 2:57:20 overall time. My swim was clearly slower. I only put in a half dozen swims this year, so I was not too surprised about that. The first quarter mile or so is pretty freaky, and hard to get relaxed with dozens of other swimmers flailing around. I managed to get in my groove after some space opened up, but on the return leg my back started bothering me, and then my left calf cramped up after someone bumped into me. I kept going, slowly, and eventually it softened up. I was just looking to get it over with.

The bike was better. I bought a new bike last summer, which is considerably lighter, stronger, and easier to shift. I think that made a big difference. Had a problem with my calf cramping up about ten miles in, and my left quad started cramping too, so I had to coast for a few minutes and try to work it out. By that point on the bike, it was a very warm (80's) and quite humid, so the cramping may have been related to hydration. My back was in pain most of the second half of the bike as well.

I knew the first mile of the run would be slow as I transitioned my legs from the bike, but the heat was really bearing down on us, so I was very slow (even walking at times) throughout the run. Every now and then there would be a stretch of shade or a light breeze, and I would pick it up a bit. Even towards the end, I felt I had some reserves left, but the heat was always there to slow me down.

Throughout the race, I was thinking mostly about finishing and trying to enjoy it, rather than pushing my limits to get a good time. Especially on the run - I was interested to see how my 10k would look after the low HR training I've been doing, but I didn't want to kill myself or do any damage in that heat. It is hard to tell how effective the training has been. I tried to wear my HR monitor on the run, but it wasn't getting the signal for some reason.

So overall, I'm glad I did it again. Had some good support up there, and there was no rain this year. Got a massage and a good feed after the race. And it was great to do a workout well in excess of what I usually do. I have some pain and soreness today, but nothing major. Sometimes helps to push harder because it can put the day-to-day aches and pains in better perspective.

Day 145: 6mi bike, 0.4mi swim

A warm-up day, ahead of my tri on Saturday. Hoping an easy week is a panacea for all my minor aches and pains.

Day 144: 4mi, 34:44

After a long weekend of agonizing lower back pain, I woke up this morning feeling much better. I woke up at 4:30 thanks to my jet lag, did a thorough stretch, and went for a slow run along the river. HR in the low 130's most of the way, except for the last leg up Beacon Hill.
Still planning to run the triathlon on Saturday, as long as my back doesn't start deteriorating.

Day 140: 5.4mi, 49:33

Another overnight plane ride. This was one of the most painful yet. The thing about having meetings in India is that you have to drive everywhere, and traffic is a mess. So it takes 1/2-1 hr to get anywhere. And this is all stop and go, lane changing travel, stuffed in the back of a Honda. I added up my time in the car on Wednesday - more than 4 hours, to go with my 6 hours of meetings. On top of similar days on Mon and Tues, as well as domestic flights on both days, my back was feeling some serious strain by Wednesday. I had a lighter day on Thursday, but the back pain was still there. By the time I got on the plane last night (the 2:15am to London), I was looking for a cane. Sleeping on the plane is never a great thing, but my back ached the entire way, and kept waking me. I hope this will be resolved by a few good nights' sleep, otherwise that triathlon is in trouble.
Since it is less painful for me to be standing or walking than sitting or lying down, I went out for a run anyway today. Kept a moderate pace (9:10mins/mi), but it did not feel easy. My HR stayed under 137 most of the way.
I will take it easy this weekend, and will do some light running/biking/swimming next week, ahead of the tri.

Day 139: 6.2mi, 54:53

I ran without my HR monitor today on the treadmill here in Mumbai. Very hot and humid, so I am sure my HR was very high. It was over 150pbm when I checked it at the end, and my t+5 HR was 122bpm - one of my highest ever. I went to the pool afterwards, but it was quite small so I didn't do any serious distance.

Day 138: 10mi bike, 30 mins

I had no time to work out the last few days, until 9pm Wed night. After driving around Mumbai all day for meetings, I had to keep the workout short. Still acclimatizing to the bike, but did a mile run to warmdown.

Day 135: 18mi bike, 65 minutes

I arrived in Delhi (India) at 6am this morning. I checked into the hotel and went right back out to check out some of the city sights, because otherwise I would've slept half the day. Hot and crowded here. I originally planned to day trip to the Taj Mahal, but I was too late for the fast train, and driving takes 3-4 hrs each way. Even my Delhi tour energy faded by about mid-day, and I went back to the hotel to chill in the pool and doze next to it. I managed to do a few hundred meters all told, but it was mostly to get out of the 104 degree heat. I felt awake enough by 4pm to go into the gym and get on the bike for a comfortable 18mi ride, followed by a couple of 9min miles on the treadmill. So I got all three events in today. Unlikely I'll be able to do much more during the week, as my days are packed with meetings and three of the four nights I am flying to my next city.

Day 134: 5.4mi, 51:27

I ran around the parks again on Saturday morning with a friend who was pushing his infant daughter in a jogging stroller. So naturally a nice, easy pace. For me, anyway, since I wasn't pushing anything. We ran about a minute/mile slower than I have been doing. I was surprised by how low my HR was during the run, averaging only 115bpm. Running this easy helped me justify running two days in a row, against my physical therapist's recommendation.

Day 133: 6.9mi, 60:28

I added another park to my London parks run today, to get some longer distance in ahead of another week on the road next week. I ran at a higher than normal HR, averaging 146bpm, and getting up towards 160 when I picked it up over the last quarter or so. I'm still a little wary about how this low HR training is going to play out during a race. I haven't really done any mileage near race pace in two months, so I thought pushing a little harder today might send a small signal to my body about what is coming. I also wanted to see how I felt during and afterwards, and overall, I feel ok.

Day 132: PT

I had access to a gym with a pool tonight in London, so I got in a half mile swim. My schedule next week looks very crowded, so I am not optimistic I will get in much (or any) time in the pool then. Hopefully will still be able to do some cardio. Tonight I also did 20 mins on the elliptical, and then some backwards incline running. A solid non-running workout.

Day 131: 5.4mi, 47:32

Another cool day in London, but for some reason I could not get my HR under control. I felt like I was going slower than when I ran the same route Sunday (and I was), but my HR was above 140 most of the time. I averaged 141 for the run, which is well above my low HR limit of 137, but I just didn't feel like slowing down for some reason today. I keep questioning whether this low HR training is preparing me for race conditions. A lot of the devotees recommend raising intensity as a race approaches, although the diehards disagree. I guess I want to mix it up more as my tri approaches, and as I start working towards my next mile attempt (mid-June, if I am healthy).

Day 129: 3mi, 32:36

My physical therapist advised not to run on consecutive days, but I had the time and the weather was cooperating, so I went for a short run Monday evening anyway. I did some backwards running to pretend it was a physical therapy session. Got some strange looks in Kensington Gardens. Today (Tuesday) didn't have time to do anything, as I expected, so just as well. Will do at least five on Wednesday.

Day 128: 5.4mi, 46:23

The rain stopped about 6pm this evening in London, so I took advantage and ran around the parks, despite some lingering travel fatigue. It was cool with a light breeze, so I had no trouble staying around 137bpm. My left thigh muscle/tendon issue is still nagging me, but there seems to be some improvement. I am in London all week, and should be able to run every other day. Weather permitting.
Today's pace: 8:35. That is substantially faster than my pace Thursday (Day 125) and a long ways faster (2-3 minutes) than my recent runs around this same route. (http://sub-5.blogspot.com/2007/04/day-109-54mi-4814.html).

Day 125: 6mi, 55:18

Tonight I did the same route as two nights ago. I ran easier than on Tuesday, trying to be stricter about staying at 137bpm, or at least under 140. But I had almost as much trouble as Tuesday, even though I was running a lot slower. I couldn't figure out what was going on until I passed the outdoor thermometer just before I finished. It was a solid ten degrees warmer than Tuesday, so my body had to work that much harder to keep my temperature in control. My quads were tight after last night's workout, especially on the first hill, but the adductor felt better.
My splits at the approximate mile marks:
mile 2: 16:44
mile 3: 9:46
mile 4: 10:12
mile 6: 18:36
ave pace: 9:13

Day 124: PT

I did a physical therapy workout tonight - stretching, strengthening and agility sessions. I won't go through the whole program, but I want to note two exercises that feel like they are targeting the right area -and are a lot harder than they sound.

First is a one-minute step drill. Stand on a Reebok-type step platform. Keeping the left leg straight, raise the left foot off the platform and lower in front of the platform until the left heel touches the ground. This is done by bending the right knee and doing a partial squat on that leg. Then rise back to the starting position. The left foot should be flexed upwards so only the heel somes in contact with the ground and the top of the platform. Repeat as many times as you can in one minute. Switch to other foot. Repeat three times. I rested 5-10 seconds betwen sets. The thighs burn after about 45 seconds. Only takes about ten minutes, but it is tough.

Second is the one-minute backwards run on the treadmill with an incline. I use a 15% grade and set it at 3.3mph. That is the pace I walk at during the middle of my cooldown after runs, but going backwards is a totally different story. I can barely stay on the treadmill for the full 60 seconds. Again, this feels like it gets right to the muscles around the area where I am having pain. It works them and stretches them, but doesn't cause pain. Well, except the running backwards for one minute pain. My HR gets up over 150 by the last rep. That amazes me given the pace and the short duration. Give it a try, but use a very low speed. The balance and rhythm and muscles used in running backwards are very different than normal running, and using a TM with a grade can be unforgiving! I do 4 reps of this exercise.

Day 123: 6mi, 52:50

75 and sunny tonight, so I had to run outside along the river. My adductor was very tight yesterday, but felt ok tonight during the run. Had a lot of trouble keeping my HR near my target 137bpm. Kept drifting up over 140. I kept expecting the wind to cool me off and lower it. The weather was too nice not to run a little faster.

I have some rough splits at 2, 3, 4, and 6 miles:
mile 2: 16:20
mile 3: 9:22
mile 4: 9:38
mile 6: 17:30
ave pace: 8:48

Day 121: 6mi, 52:35

This was my fastest indoor 6 miler since starting the low HR training, and it was my steadiest pacing by far. My tendon/muscle problem was a dull ache most of the way, but my HR was very subdued. First time I've managed to stay under 9 min/mi pace for the entire run. It was relatively cool in the gym today, so that was a factor, but I'm still pleased with the progress.

mile 1: 8:59
mile 2: 8:24
mile 3: 8:35
mile 4: 8:42
mile 5: 8:55
mile 6: 8:58
HR t+1: 122
HR t+5: 93

Day 120: 25mi bike, 0.67mi swim

I figured I ought to ride my bike at least once before the triathlon, so I went for a moderate ride this morning. I might be travelling the next three weekends, so this really was a must ride. Exercise bikes just aren't the same. That was my first ride this year. About time. Took about as long as I hoped it would (1:32), which is about what I did last year in the tri (26 miles). Different courses, but I was not pushing hard. This suggests to me that the low HR training I've been doing has improved my all-around aerobic fitness, which makes up for my lack of time on the bike.

I've only done slightly more swimming than cycling this year, so I used the same reasoning to get myself in the pool this afternoon. Felt reasonably good throughout (24 mins), so I feel comfortable with a month to go for the 0.9mi swim in the tri, as I should be able to swim during the week and when I'm on the road.

Day 119: PT

I spent almost three hours at the physical therapist tonight. It's a very different place than any other PT I've been to. More like a run-down gym than a medical establishment. The guy who runs it has a crew of helpers/trainers running around, and he gives them instructions for each of the clients. Kind of disorganized, but he seems to have a decent following.
Tonight he gave me a bunch of stretches to do, some of which I had already been doing but also some new ones. Then I spent some time doing strengthening exercises on some of the weight machines, mostly isolating the quads and other thigh muscles. Then there was a series of strength/agility exercises, like backwards stairmaster (4x1mins), one-legged knee bends on a step (3x1min on each leg), and running backwards on a treadmill at 3.3 mph with a 15% grade (4x1mins). Some of those got tough at the end of each rep. Finished off with some resistance exercises using a 'theraband', and finally a couple of sets of electric muscle stimulation, the last one with ice on my leg. Needless to say, a highly atypical workout for me.
I should do some or most of these 2-3 days per week. He told me not to run on consecutive days, and no speed work. I even have to take it easy when cycling. The good news is he thinks I can be past this problem in three weeks. Which is really good timing because I am four weeks away from the triathlon.
I'll just have to train really hard that last week.

Day 118: 5mi, 45:17

Nothing too remarkable about this morning's run on the treadmill. I did go see a physical therapist last night, however. Main takeaway is that he doesn't think I have any permanent damage that can't be repaired. Probably a tendon tear on one of the adductor muscles. Good thing is I can probably keep training through this, although no speed work at the moment. I go back tomorrow night for a training session where the PT will give me some stretching and strengthening exercises, and hopefully a recovery timeframe. I feel better to be doing something about it now, instead of just hoping it will get better.
mile 1: 8:57
mile 2: 8:34
mile 3: 8:46
mile 4: 9:15
mile 5: 9:38

Day 117: 3mi, 27:13

I was too tired to run last night, but felt worse when I woke up, so I only did 3 and did it pretty slowly. Didn't change my pace at all once I got going.
mile 1: 9:17
mile 2: 8:58
mile 3: 8:57

More importantly, I spent almost two hours in physical therapy this afternoon. The good news is the guy says it is probably a tendon tear on one of the adductor muscles, and that I can probably work on stretching and strengthening it while continuing to run. I go back Friday for a training session. No speed work for a while, but looks like mileage will be ok.

Day 115: 5mi, 45:12

I felt pretty good this morning after a solid night's sleep. Not a particularly fast five miles, but I was itching to go faster. I think I will try a fast three miles tomorrow and see how that compares to my times from early this year. I'm seeing a physical therapist on Wednesday. Hoping I will not be told to take three months off.
mile 1: 8:42
mile 2: 8:34
mile 3: 8:49
mile 4: 9:21
mile 5: 9:46

Day 113: 5.4mi: 49:18

Beautiful 60 degree and sunny morning here in London. I am battling a chest cold, 12 hours in a plane yesterday, and only 5 miles run so far this week, so I am not surprised it was slow. Would've been even slower but I ran the last 1/4 mile or so at a fast pace (HR up to 163). Another day off tomorrow, but I should be able to have a few weeks of consistent training after that. I have a triathlon (Intl distance - 1.5k swim/40k bike/10k run) first weekend of June, so I plan to keep up my running mileage, and add in bike and swim sessions regularly. I am also going to start mixing in some tempo runs to build towards my next mile attempt.

Day 109: 5.4mi, 48:14

Well, I missed my flight to Beijing this morning (thanks to my lovely ex-wife), so I was able to get in my run around Kensington Garden and Hyde Park today. I have my traditional air-travel induced sore throat, but the air in London is pretty mild today. I felt like I ran easy, but this was one of my better times on this course in recent weeks. Maybe it is working.

Day 105: 4mi, 35:10

This is Friday morning's run. I managed to run 6 of the last 7 days, which is not a target, but a result of knowing this coming week will be very light. I'll get to watch the London marathon live tomorrow, though, so that almost counts as a workout. :)
mile 1: 8:40
mile 2: 8:34
mile 3: 8:39
mile 4: 9:17

Day 104: 5mi, 45:22

An unremarkable but steady five miler this morning. It will be difficult to get much running in over the next week, as I'll be in London both weekends with my kids (i.e., no running) and in Beijing in between, where I can run but only under a heavy blanket of jet lag. I made it above 25 mpw last week, and I am trying to keep my rolling weekly mileage above that level. I know I need to get into the 30-40 mpw range, but the travel keeps getting in my way. When I come back from this trip, I am going to start mixing in some speed work. I could keep base building for a whle, but I think late summer is going to be my best opportunity to try to get close to 5 minutes, so I've gotta get moving!
mile 1: 8:44
mile 2: 8:37
mile 3: 8:55
mile 4: 9:16
mile 5: 9:48

Day 103: 4mi, 36:07

I started my run this morning more slowly than usual, at just under 9 minute miles, and I just stayed there. My HR did not get to 137 until about 2.5 miles in, and I only had to slow a little for the final mile. I intended to run again tonight, up until I arrived home, at which point I decided I was too tired. One good thing about this low HR training is that it really lowers the bar of motivation: it's much easier to convince myself to get out there, but there are still times when I feel drained. Like tonight. But I like the easier training. Not sure how much it is helping me towards my goal, but I enjoy it more. Like the Reebok ad says - run easy!
mile 1: 8:58
mile 2: 8:57
mile 3: 8:57
mile 4: 9:14

Day 101: 3mi, 26:13

My main goal tonight was actually to get in some time in the pool, so the run was more of a warm-up. Slept badly last night, so I felt very slow. I am getting cautiously optimistic about my adductor injury, which does not bother me at slow speeds. I am not going to do any speed work until at least two weeks from now, when I get back from my next trip. Even then, I am going to ramp into it, with some higher intensity workouts. I'll be more than three months into this low HR program at that point. It still feels like I just got started, but I have to start mixing in some speed work at some point. my splits today:
mile 1: 8:39
mile 2: 8:35
mile 3: 9:00

Day 100: 5mi, 43:57

I was on a running discussion forum yesterday, asking about indoor vs outdoor running, and why my times might be steadier outdoors. There was agreement that the cooling effect of wind could help keep the HR down. I also got a recommendation to run closer to my average pace at the beginning (i.e., slower), and that might help my pace in the later miles. So I tried that today, keeping my pace above 8:30 the whole time. My fifth mile was in 9:12, which is definitely one of the fastest fifth miles I've run under the low HR plan. I'll have to try it a few more times to see if it is more than just my having a good Sunday run.
My splits:
mile 1: 8:37
mile 2: 8:34
mile 3: 8:35
mile 4: 8:59
mile 5: 9:12
HR t+1: 125
HR t+5: 97

For those interested in the low HR chat forum it's here:
http://www.coolrunning.com/forums/Forum6/HTML/022020-25.shtml

Day 99: 8.64mi, 1:18:59

I was inspired to do a long run this morning by all the media coverage ahead of Monday's Boston Marathon. Saw quite a few of them along the river doing their last training miles as well. I felt very good today. My legs felt strong even though there was a stiff headwind during miles 2 through 5. My splits are taken at milestones on my route which only approximate another mile in distance, but I took them anyway.
mile 1: 8:13
mile 2: 8:15
mile 3: 10:02 (26:29 thru 3 miles)
mile 4.5 13:33
mile 6: 13:36
mile 7: 10:01
mile 8: 8:01
mile 8.6: 7:20

Once again, as in my last outdoor run along the Charles, my pace seems abnormally steady. when I run on the treadmill, my times go up every mile as I try to keep my HR steady, usually starting at 8 mins and ending around 10 mins at 6 miles. On today's run, even though the splits are not exact miles, some of them are the exact same distance, as I run basically an out and back loop. So mile 2 and mile 8 are the same distance, as are miles 3 and 7. In both cases, my 'back' time is faster than my 'out' time. The wind is definitely a big factor, as it was in my face going out and at my back on the return. That may account for all of it, but I am still surprised that it seems easier to keep the HR under control than indoors. Maybe the wind helps keep my body cool, so my heart does not have to work as hard to regulate temperature (it was about 45F out there today, before the wind chill, and I dress pretty lightly). In any case, I was glad to get in a good long run and feel good about it at the end.

Day 97: 6mi, 55:44

I felt tired even before I ran tonight, and I felt tired all the way through. Pretty slow times as well, except for that blazing last half mile at a 10min/mi pace! Just can not shake the cobwebs this week. Maybe when the sun reappears here in New England I'll feel better. My splits:
mile 1: 8:12
mile 2: 8:31
mile 3: 9:01
mile 4: 9:41
mile 5: 10:10
mile 6: 10:09
HR t+1: 125
HR t+5: 92

Day 96: 3mi, 26:17

Well, this is clearly turning out to be a rest week. Felt sluggish this morning, so kept the run short and slow. I meant to run again this evening, but I had an early work dinner. Tomorrow I'll do at least five. For sure.
mile 1: 8:17
mile 2: 8:43
mile 3: 9:17
HR 125 and 96 at t+1 and t+5

Day 94 (2): 3mi, 24:57

Still tired this evening, but I wanted to get in a swim. I'm doing a triathlon in June - international distance (0.9mi swim, 26mi bike, 6mi run) - so I need to spend some time in the pool. As a warm-up, I did another three miles on the treadmill.
mile 1: 8:05
mile 2: 8:01
mile 3: 8:49

Day 94: 3mi, 25:13

A four day layoff due to my Easter visit to London. Not sure it helped or hurt, but still a little travel fatigued this morning. Time only for a short run.
mile 1: 8:02
mile 2: 8:20
mile 3: 8:52

Day 89: 4mi, 34:02

My back was a dull ache all day, and I felt it during tonight's run. Otherwise I felt pretty good, so went out a little faster than normal. Overall, it looked a lot like yesterday's first four miles. My splits:
mile 1: 7:40
mile 2: 8:12
mile 3: 8:45
mile 4: 9:25
HR t+1: 130
HR t+5: 106

Day 88: 5mi, 44:11

Back on the treadmill tonight. My times are steadily improving over the past few weeks, but still far behind where I was a month or so ago (42:27 on day 58, e.g.), and also a lot slower than I was on Sunday (day 86) . Not quite sure what is going on. Felt reasonably good at the beginning, although my back has been bothering me all day, but felt tired and slow by the end. I guess that is my aerobic capacity talking. I really felt like running faster, not slowing down, as the miles wore on. I felt like I needed to dig deeper, rather than let my HR dictate a slower pace. But I stuck with the program. My splits:
mile 1: 7:54
mile 2: 8:06
mile 3: 8:44
mile 4: 9:27
mile 5: 10:00.0
HR t+1: 130
HR t+5: 105

Day 86: 6mi, 51:29

I had a good, steady outdoor run today. A few aches from miling yesterday, especially around the left adductor, but I felt like I kept a pretty constant pace throughout the run. I didn't really log the mile splits, since I don't know exactly where they are, but I turned around in 25:07, so the return was 26:20 or so, into a breeze. I made it to about the two mile mark in just under 16 minutes, and on the way back from that point to home was 16:42. That is a much steadier pace than I normally do on the treadmill, where the final mile is closer to 10 mins/mi pace. My HR t+1 was 105, and t+5 about 90. One reason my HR comes down faster when I run outside is that I normally do a cooldown run on the treadmill for five minutes, gradually slowing to a walk. When I run outside, I go straight to a walk.

Day 85: 1 mile, 5:51.6

I made it to the track today. Had a nice 7 1/2-minute mile warmup, and then a good set of stretches. As soon as I started the mile itself, however, my adductor flared up. I get the pain right at the top of my stride, when my left thigh is closest to horizontal. I didn't want to stop, so I had to alter my stride so my thigh did not rise as high. Very disappointing. Here are my lap times:
lap 1: 1:23
lap 2: 1:29
lap 3: 1:31
lap 4: 1:28

I don't know whether to take a month off to try to heal it, or try to run through it. I did a couple of cooldown laps and stretched again, but I was so unhappy with my times I decided to run a fast quarter, to see if I could even break 1:20. I managed to do a 1:16.1, which made me feel a little better, but not much considering my goal is to average 1:15 for four laps. Feels like a long way off. I'm going to check in with a physical therapist to see if I can get some guidance on healing.

Day 83 (2): 6mi, 52:45

I decided to run again after work to get my mileage up. I feel a lot better in the afternoon than I do first thing in the morning. My times clearly are a lot better having had a chance to wake up. Not only was my 3 mile time (24:40) a lot faster than this morning, but my 5 mile time (43:12) was my fastest in a while. My splits:
mile 1: 7:48
mile 2: 8:09
mile 3: 8:43
mile 4: 9:09
mile 5: 9:23
mile 6: 9:33
HR t+1: 130
HR t+5: 100

I plan a short run tomorrow night, and will do a timed mile on Saturday morning, weather permitting. Since I am closing in on three months on this quest, I will also do a review this weekend of my progress so far and my plan for the next three months.

Day 83: 3mi, 25:15

I got up too late to do my planned 6-7 miles. A lacklustre performance.
mile 1: 8:22
mile 2: 8:15
mile 3: 8:38

Day 81: 5mi, 44:05

After a full night's sleep, my run today was a big improvement over yesterday, with the first three miles a full minute faster than yesterday. My speed dropped pretty quickly after that, though, so I don't think I am quite back to normal. My splits today:

mile 1: 7:57
mile 2: 7:55
mile 3: 8:30
mile 4: 9:27
mile 5: 10:16
HR t+1: 130
Hr t+5: 105

Day 80: 3mi, 25:33

Back in Boston, I had a long sleep and did a short run this morning. Felt pretty good, overall. My splits:
mile 1: 8:14
mile 2: 8:29
mile 3: 8:50
HR t+1: 120
HR t+2: 100
If I get up early enough, I'll try a longer run tomorrow morning. Hope to do a mile on the track on Saturday.

Day 77: 5.4mi, 50:54

I did my London parks run today in the drizzle. My legs felt really good. My throat and sinuses are acting up, however, so I think the travelling is finally catching up with me. I was slower again than last week on this run, despite letting my HR stay above 137 for stretches (I averaged 140). I'll blame it on all the travel and time zone changes.
HR t+1: 120
HR t+5: 105

Next week I plan to do two 6 milers and two 3-4 milers during the week, and then get on the track on the weekend to see where my mile is.

Day 76: 3.1mi, 28:43

Had to wait 20mins for a treadmill this morning, so I ran out of time and could only run a 5k. felt pretty lousy anyway, so that was fine. Looking forward to running outside tomorrow in London. No splits, but clearly a slowish pace. HR t+1 115, and 105 at t+5.

Day 75: 5mi, 45:12

Another night of limited sleep, but I felt ok today. My HR showed the fatigue, I think, as you can see by my splits:
mile 1: 8:24
mile 2: 8:23
mile 3: 8:42
mile 4: 9:43
mile 5: 10:00
HR t+1: 129
HR t+5: 105

Day 73: 3.1mi, 25:53

5k on the (metric) treadmill here in Taipei. Took it easy, as I only got about 4 hrs of sleep on the 11hr plane ride last night. Not sure I built any aerobic capacity in this run, but it was a good way to clear my head. My splits:

mile 1: 9:00
mile 2: 8:00
mile 3: 8:08
HR t+1: 120
HR t+5: 90

Day 70: 5.4mi, 48:26

I did my London parks run today. A couple minutes slower than the last time I ran it using the HR monitor. Maybe the lack of sleep on the plane last night had an impact. I'm off to Taiwan on Sunday, so won't run again until Monday.

Day 68: 6.33mi, 55:18

I ran outside today with the monitor on. Had to make a diversion from my normal 6 mile route to drop something off, which added a few tenths. I planned to do 4 or 5 miles, but decided to keep going because I won't have a chance to run tomorrow. The HR monitor allowed me to run a faster pace (8:44/mi ave) than the cautious pace (9:19/mi) I ran Sunday without the monitor. My HR at t+1 was 112, and at t+5 was 90.

Day 66: 3mi, 23:55

A nice workout today. I almost mailed it in, because I was tired and a little sore from my runs this weekend. But I needed to get some time in the pool, since I'm doing a triathlon in June, so I decided to do a short run and then a swim. I'm really glad I ran, though, because, although I was sore, I had almost no pain anywhere during the run. I stretched well before I ran, and the swim seemed to help stretch things out a bit more afterwards, so I felt great after I was done. I hope this becomes the normal situation.

My splits today:
mile 1: 7:59
mile 2: 7:48
mile 3: 8:08
HR t+1: 120
HR t+5: 96

The swim was 1/3 of a mile in 10:54. My HR monitor did not work in the pool, but told me my HR was 88 just after I finished, so I think I was well within the 137 limit while swimming.

Day 65: 6mi, 55:53

Another 50 degree day in Boston, so I did a long run along the river. It was very slow compared to my other runs on this route, but I am happy with it for a couple of reasons: one, my back did not hurt; and, two, my left adductor muscle was a steady ache but was not painful. After yesterday's mile, I wanted to keep a very relaxed pace. I also did not have my HR monitor, so I wanted to keep my pace slow enough to make sure I stayed under 137bpm. I spot checked it a few times, and got HRs between 125 and 148, so I think I was probably in the range. My HR at t+1 was 110 and at t+5 was 98, both of which look a little strange.

Day 64: 1 mile, 5:49

I made it out to the track today. I'm relatively pleased with how it went. My lower left back and left adductor made their presence known, but I don't feel like I made them any worse. My right calf was not a problem at all, so that seems to have resolved itself.

Not too cold out there (around 50), but blustery. I did a 3/4 mile warm-up (2:05, 1:50, 1:55), which took my HR up above 150. I stretched some more, did the mile, then did a couple laps warm-down.

My splits:
lap 1: 1:25 (long lap)
lap 2: 1:26
lap 3: 1:29
lap 4: 1:29
HR t+1: 140
HR t+5: 120
max HR: 187

Usually, I have an accurate feel for my lap times, to within a couple of seconds. My first lap today, however, felt like a 1:30. I was not trying to kill it, given my back issue, so I was surprised to see I came in at 1:25. And that included the stub 9 meter piece you have to do when running a mile on a 400m track. I'll give credit to the low HR training for giving me some extra aerobic capacity. The rest of the laps I tried to keep it steady. I was winded at the end, of course, but overall felt pretty good.

Day 62: 3mi, 24:58

A lackluster run. My calf felt ok, but my lower back suddenly was bothering me again today, even before I ran. Starting to feel like my body is working against me on this quest. Everyday, seems there is a new pain to deal with, or an old one that reappears. It would be nice just to end a run feeling tired, instead of in pain.
my splits:
mile 1: 7:55
mile 2: 8:17
mile 3: 8:46
HR t+1: 120
HR t+5: 89
I am tempted to try a timed mile on the track this weekend, but I won't do it if my back is bothering me. That's the one area I don't run through the pain - I stop. The back is way too central to everything else to be messing around with.

Day 61: 3mi, 24:41

Woke up a little early this morning and got in a quick 3 miles on the treadmill.
My splits:
mile 1: 8:35
mile 2: 7:46
mile 3: 8:20
HR t+1: 120
HR t+5: 90

Day 60: 3.5mi, 28:33

After Sunday's run, where I had a sharp calf pain, I noticed my right leg was swollen below the calf. I rested Monday, but it was still somewhat swollen today. I took it easy in terms of distance as a result. Might try to go back again tomorrow morning. My splits:

mile 1: 7:48
mile 2: 7:55
mile 3: 8:18
mile 4 pace: 8:59
HR t+1: 125
HR t+2: 95

Day 58: 5mi, 42:27

Back on the treadmill today. About 3/4 of a mile in, pain flared up in my right calf/Achilles area again. I almost jumped off, but instead slowed and changed my gait. I don't know whether this is what I should do (probably not), but I kept running anyway. The pain subsided but didn't go away, and started to rise again at about 3.25 miles. I think this is related to the injury to my right knee a few weeks ago, which has also been generating persistent pain. And on top of this, I've got a mild chest cold. I think that's all my excuses for today.

The good news is that my times seem to be coming down for the 137 max HR. Today's 42:27 compares to the 42:45 on Day 51, 44:49 on Day 42, and 44:00 on day 32, my first day of low HR training. I don't count the 41:49 on Day 39 because I used a max HR of 152 on that run. But now I am only half a minute slower than that time with a HR of 137, so it does seem to be helping my aerobic capacity.

My splits today:
mile 1: 8:12
mile 2: 7:57
mile 3: 8:21
mile 4: 8:45
mile 5: 9:12
HR t+1: 125
HR t+5: 98

I did not get out to the track for my mile, which is probably a good thing given the way my right calf is acting. I would like to see where I am, though, so I will try next weekend. I think I will throw some speed work/intervals into one workout this week as well.

Day 57: 5.4mi, 50:07

I did my London parks run today. I did not have my HR monitor, so I kept it slow to be sure I stayed under 137bpm. I'm also coming down with a chest cold, so that probably slowed me as well. Anyway, ran about four minutes slower than I did a week ago.

Tomorrow, unless it is too nice a day to run inside, I plan to do five on the treadmill to see how (if) my pace has changed.

Day 55: 4mi, 38:32

My right calf was painfully tight on Thursday, but bearable. A nice, easy 4 miles outside. Friday, I'm in a plane all day, but will get outside again on Saturday.

Day 53: 3mi, 30 mins

I had this whole week off, and it turned out to be one of my least productive in terms of mileage. On Tuesday (Day 53), I set out for a five miler, despite the snow on the ground, but within two miles I succumbed to searing pain in my right calf and had to walk/run back home. no idea where this came from (it was tight on Day 51, but not debilitating), although I'd guess it is related to my right knee smash the week before, which caused me to limp for a week. Not much more to say other than this was disappointing, and I took Wednesday off as well.

Day 51: 5mi, 42:45

I got back on the treadmill Sunday, after a longish layoff of three days. My splits:

mile 1: 8:23
mile 2: 8:11
mile 3: 8:20
mile 4: 8:43
mile 5: 9:04
HR t+1: 123
HR t+5: 92

So my pace seems to be steadier than when I first started the low HR training. I also noticed that I did not have to adjust my pace at all during the entire last mile. In previous runs, I had to keep slowing down pretty regularly - every quarter mile or so. It's only one data point, but it seems like my body is getting used to operating at this HR, and can maintain this level of exertion for longer now.

Day 47: 5.4mi, 46:30

Today I ran outside for the first time in weeks. A sunny, 50 degree day in London, so even though my knee was bothering me, I couldn't pass up a nice, long run around the parks. Not much data today, but here's my route:
http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=721631

My heartrate was a little harder to control running outside than on the treadmill. I managed to average 138bpm, but peaked at 149. I'm looking forward to a mile test to see if there is any improvement in my time. I think this is week four of low HR training, so may be a bit early. I am aiming for the end of next week (1st wknd March), if my travel schedule allows.

Day 45: 6mi, 53:34

Still some knee pain today, but it was bearable and wasn't increasing, so I did a good long run on the treadmill. I couldn't let a long weekend go by without at least one decent length run. My splits, after a 5 minute warmup on the bike:

mile 1: 9:15
mile 2: 8:40
mile 3: 8:29
mile 4: 8:36
mile 5: 8:54
mile 6: 9:10

HR t+1: 125
HR t+5: 98

Flying to London tomorrow night, so unlikely I will get in a run, but should be able to do at least 5 on Wednesday.

Day 44: 10mi bike, 35:00

Yesterday, I thought I would skate on a frozen pond instead of run. About ten minutes in, my left skate went through the ice and stopped dead. My right skate and the rest of me kept going, and the brunt of the impact of me hitting the ice was taken by the inside of my right knee. So my run today lasted only a few minutes, with increasing pain on each footfall. I switched to the bike, and managed to get my HR up towards my max 137bpm towards the end. Will try another run tomorrow, but this feels like it may take a day or two more to clear.

Day 42: 5mi, 44:49

I stayed within my 137 bpm range very consistently on this run. Even though I felt tired Friday afternoon, keeping my HR low made this run last night very comfortable. Every time I started feeling fatigued, my HR would rise, so I had to slow down. My splits:

mile 1: 8:33
mile 2: 8:20
mile 3: 8:55
mile 4: 9:16
mile 5: 9:45
t+1 HR: 126
t+5 HR: 89

Day 41: 3mi, 25:02

The coolrunning.com discussion forum on low HR training tells me to stick with a target HR of 142, or even 137 (180-43), regardless of what my HR monitor says. So I went back on the treadmill this morning to do the same 3 mile time test at the lower HR of 137-8. My splits:

mile 1: 7:58
mile 2: 8:00
mile 3: 9:04

I think I will continue with the low HR program for another two weeks, then do a mile test.

Day 40: 3mi, 22:58

I was tired this evening, so thought I see how long 3 miles would take with my HR under 152bpm. Felt pretty good, but I am still uncertain about whether 152 is the right number. Felt a little lactic acid buildup around mile 1.5, when I first reached peak HR and was running a 6:48 pace. I'll visit the coolrunning discussion forum and see if I can get some advice. My splits:
mile 1: 7:29
mile 2: 7:27
mile 3: 8:03
ave HR: 140
t+1 HR: 136
t+5 HR: 106

Day 39: 5mi, 41:49

An interesting workout today, which was actually faster than it looks. I got a HR monitor today (Polar RS200, if anyone is interested), and after doing the tests that come with the monitor, it gave me a target HR training zone of 116 to 152bpm. This is a higher max than I have been working with (141 or so) the last few times out, and it made a big difference in my pace. My splits:

mile 1: 10:42
mile 2: 7:30
mile 3: 7:30
mile 4: 7:51
mile 5: 8:16

My HR at t+1 was 136, and at t+5 was 106. My average HR during the run was 136.

The HR monitor figures out my target zones by doing a 5 minute test where I start out walking slowly and end up at a jog, so the first five minutes of my run didn't cover much ground as it included three minutes of walking. So I feel like it was really a 38-39 minute 5 mile pace. Was a lot easier monitoring my pace, as the treadmill picks up the signal from the transmitter, and the new target max of 152 was much easier to stay within and fine tune by slowing down a little.

So now the question is, which is the appropriate target HR - 142 or 152? I think I will go with the HR monitor's calculations, since it took a lot of personal information (age, weight, height, activity level, resting HR, etc.) to calculate the training zone. It also felt like a moderately difficult workout, maybe a 6 out of 10, which seems about right for aerobic training. So I'll go with that for awhile and see how it works.

Day 38: 4mi, 34:20

After four days off, I was expecting that the adductor muscle pain might have abated, but it did not. Another low HR day, so I didn't have a lot of pain, but I didn't feel any improvement either. As for the run, my splits were:
mile 1: 8:30
mile 2: 8:10
mile 3: 8:10
mile 4: 9:30
As in some other low HR runs, I kept my HR below 140 steadily for awhile, but then it spiked to 150 at mile 3 and refused to come down. I need a HR monitor to help me track it more readily (I'm still using the handholds on the treadmill about every 1/4 mile or so, which is not exactly a comfortable way to run). My HR at t+1 was 138 and 98 at t+5.

Day 33; 4mi, 33:40

Day 2 of my low HR program. more stable HR today - kept it at 137-140 between miles 1 and 3.9. For some reason, my HR spiked to 151 with an eighth of a mile to go. My HR at t+1 was 139, and 96 at t+5. My splits:
mile 1: 8:30
mile 2: 8:00
mile 3: 8:20
mile 4: 8:50

Day 32: 5mi, 44:00 [Low HR Day 1]

I spent some time last night reading up on low HR training. Basically, the idea is to stay under aerobic threshold while training to improve aerobic capacity. While this is generally targeted at improving distance running times, the mile is roughly half aerobic, and I am persuaded by the arguments I have read that I will benefit as well in my mile quest. Plus, I was planning to ease off for a couple of weeks anyway. For more info on low HR training, check out this page and the links on it:
http://formationflier.spaces.live.com/

The low HR guys say you need to do only low HR runs for 12 weeks. I am not planning to stay with the program that long, but I reserve the right to stick with it if I see improvement. For the mile, however, I will have to bring back the intervals and high intensity runs at some point; that is inescapable.

So tonight, even though I don't have a heart rate monitor yet, I did the five mile test suggested here: http://www.rrca.org/resources/articles/slowdown.html In this run, you keep your HR under the aerobic threshold the whole time, adjusting your pace to do this. Then you record the mile times, and track this through the training program.

There are different formulas for the aerobic threshold HR. I used 185-43 [my age] which gives 142. Another formula uses 180-age, so I round it down to a target HR of 140bpm. I did not do much warmup prior to running, so took a while to get up to the HR. I started around 8:30 pace, moving gradually through 8:00 to about 7:30. My HR hit 141 around 1.25 miles in. I managed to keep it at that level by notching down the pace gradually until 2.50 miles, when my HR spiked to 151bpm. I had a hard time getting it back down. Had to back off all the way to ten minute miles, and took over a mile for my HR to fall, which it then did sharply. I picked up the pace again, the HR stayed around 130, before spiking back to 150. I managed to get it back down only at the end of the run. At t+1, my HR was 133, and at t+5, I was at 100. My mile splits:

mile 1: 8:15
mile 2: 7:50
mile 3: 8:35
mile 4: 10:00
mile 5: 9:20

It was a pain to have to use the handholds on the machine to get my HR. I don't fully trust it either, although I did check my pulse manually once, and the machine was about right. It should be easier once I get a wearable HR monitor.

Day 31: 2mi, 17:00

An easy night. A little lifting, then 15 minutes on the bike, then 2 miles on the treadmill.
Tomorrow, I'm thinking 4 miles in 30-32 minutes. Indoors again. It's about 100 below with the windchill here at the moment.

Day 30: 5mi, 42:00

More mileage at a moderate pace. First mile in 9:00, then 8:30, 8:30, 8:15 and finally a 7:45. HR was 133 at t+1 and 99 at t+5. No major pains. Did some laps in the pool as part of my warmdown.

Will try to get in a run at least four of the next five days, as I will be in London this weekend and unlikely to run. Will do between 3-5 miles each run, but no high intensity.

Day 29: Mile: 5:57

Slower than I expected, even with my various excuses. My splits:

1:22
1:33
1:32
1:30

The track was covered in ice when I went by in the morning. I went back up early afternoon, and it was mostly clear, but there were plenty of big puddles, and the parts that were not clear were dangerously slippery. During my second warm-up lap, I decided to get my ice scraper out of the car and try to clear the layer of ice in turn 1, which was still in the shade. I scraped away for about fifteen minutes and made a pretty good dent in it. I finished my warm-up, stretched and got started.

Besides having to run around the puddles (all in lane 1) and slow down near the ice patch, there was a stiff wind to contend with on the backstretch and turns 3 & 4. The wind would have benefited me on the home stretch and turns 1-2, except that this part of the track is sheltered by a hill, so not much help there. My adductor problem was firing up during lap 1, but as I eased off the pace, it wasn't too bad.

All in all, I didn't push too hard, but if I take away all my excuses and went all out, I probably wouldn't have been more than 5-10 seconds faster. That's probably where I should be, but isn't where I had hoped to be. What it means is that there is a long, long road ahead to get to sub-five.

I still plan to do easy mileage for the next couple of weeks to allow my adductor to recuperate. My medium term goals are to get to 5:30 by end March, 5:15 by end June, and 5:00 by end-Sep. Those don't feel all that realistic right now, but I'll keep them as targets until I need to change them.

Day 28: 2mi, 17:30

Just wanted to turn the legs over tonight. HR 114 at t+1, 80 at t+5. Even at this pace had some muscle pain in the adductor area.

Still planning a mile on the track tomorrow, weather permitting (some snow in the forecast). Best guess, assuming no major muscle problems, is somewhere between 5:30 and 6. My program: A light stretch first, then run a mile or so warm-up (2min, 1:50, 1:45, and 1:40 or so for the 400s), then a full stretch. In the mile, I'll try to go out in 1:20, then a couple of 1:25s, then see if I can run the last one a little faster. That would bring me in between 5:30 and 5:35, but I'll likely be a couple of seconds behind these times each lap. For cooldown, I'll jog a couple of laps.

And I'll take a little inspiration from Gail Devers, who at age 40, won the women's 60m hurdles at the Millrose games tonight. Adidas says impossible is nothing; I say age is nothing.

Day 27: 5mi, 42:00

A moderately easy 5 miles on the treadmill. HR at t+1 was 132, and 102 at t+5. The muscle pain in my upper left thigh persists. I think I have a pulled adductor muscle. I think I did it back in October, and haven't properly rested it. I will do another easy run tomorrow, and still plan a timed mile this weekend, but I think after that I will kill the intervals/speed training for two weeks to see if I can resolve this. I'm going to continue the distance work as long as the pain improves.

Day 26: 3mi, 23:30, intervals

After a day off and mostly low intensity runs this week, I felt it was time for some intervals. I started with a longer than normal 1 mile warmup in 8:30, then a slightly faster than last time set of 8x200m intervals:
1x10.0 mph (6 min mile pace)
1x11.0 (5:29)
1x11.5 (5:13)
5x12.0 (5:00)

Yeah, the last few hurt. I checked my HR at T+30 secs and it was 170bpm. A minute later, it was down to 150, and at t+5 was 130. I guess that qualifies as high intensity, for me, anyway.

I'm a little worried about some pain that cropped up early in the set at the top of my left thigh. It seems to be associated with the pain in my left lower back, as both appeared about the same time, and often recur together. It hurts more when I run faster, but I can't tell yet whether I need to rest it more or run through it.

Tomorrow, I plan to do a longer, easier run, probably five miles in 40 or so. Still planning on a timed mile over the weekend.

Day 24: 3mi, 24:45; 3mi, 21:50

Did an easy 3mi in the am, and felt like doing another 3mi after work. I thought about doing a fast 3mi this evening, but I was a little too tired after travelling this weekend. I managed to run two of the last three miles in 13:55, but didn't feel I had enough left in the tank to maintain that pace. I'm also keeping in mind my resolution to run longer but easier more times per week.

I plan to do a timed mile on the track this weekend, just to see where I am. Hopefully the weather will cooperate.

Day 21: 3.5mi, 30 mins

I managed to get in an easy run this afternoon. I like this idea of doing low intensity/low HR longer runs. This was only 3.5, but felt very comfortable. I wasn't wearing a watch, so couldn't record my HRs. Next run: Monday.

formula correction

One note on the formula: as written (below), it takes a mile time in seconds, and returns the pace in minutes per mile. If you prefer seconds per mile output, eliminate the division by 60 at the end.

The pace calculator

As promised, here is my excel formula for converting a given mile pace into equivalent times for other distances:


[mile time]*(1.1)^(LOG([other distance],2))/60

You input a mile time (in seconds) and a distance (in miles or fraction of a mile), and it returns a pace (in seconds per mile) that would be roughly comparable for that distance. Basically, the formula assumes a 10% speed decay with each doubling of distance, so a 5 minute mile is comparable to 2 miles in 11 minutes (5 1/2 minute miles). With a little algebra, you can also use it to convert, say, a 10k race time into a comparable time for the single mile. The formula says I should be able to run a 40:20 10k when I can do a 5 minute mile. I'd say they are equally distant from here!

Day 20: 2.5 miles, 19:05, intervals

A half mile warmup, then the following 200m splits, each followed by a 200m jog:

1x10.0mph (6 min/mi pace, 45 secs)
1x10.5 (5:42 pace)
1x11.0 (5:29)
4x12.0 (5:00)

The last couple of intervals were tough. On the 0-10 intensity scale, this felt like a 9, i.e., not quite nausea, but almost. HR at t+2 was 150bpm, and 124bpm at t+5.

Should be able to get in an easy 3-5 miles tomorrow, but unlikely anything on Sat or Sun. Will also post my calculator formula tomorrow.

Day 19: 5 mi, 39:43

In keeping with my new longer/slower training mode, I did a moderate 5 miles on the treadmill tonight in just under 8 mins/mi. Maybe a bit faster than I should have run (7:18 last mile), as my heart rate ended at about 140bpm and at t+5 was 118.

Tomorrow, I'm flying back to London in the evening, but I will try to squeeze in an interval session.

Day 18, part 2: 3 mi, 22:44

Yep, a second workout today, this one after work. Felt very smooth and easy from the beginning. I guess my morning run was a nice warmup. I didn't push too hard, first mile in 8 mins, second in 7:30, third in 7:15. My HR at t+1 was 136, and at t+5 was 105.

So why the two workouts? well, partly because I didn't have enough time to do the mileage I wanted this morning, and partly because of some advice I got yesterday. I set out my sub-5 goal on one of the coolrunning.com forums, and asked for suggestions. The respondents agreed on two things: that I should increase my mileage, and that I should slow down sometimes. They thought I was running too close to 'race pace' too often. I'm going to take these comments on board, although I still plan to do intervals/high intensity workouts one or two times per week.

One writer suggested checking out the pace calculator on mcmillanrunning.com (here: http://www.mcmillanrunning.com/rununiv/mcmillanrunningcalculator.htm). This also suggests that my medium and long runs were too fast for my mile pace. So I will try doing some more mileage at an easier pace and see how that works.

By the way, I built a similar calculator myself that I have been using for the past few years. Not sure how to post it here from an excel file, but I'll put the formula up tomorrow.

Day 18: 3.3mi, 28:40

A nice, slow, early morning run. 8 1/2 minute miles. HR at t+1 was 119, and 90bpm at t+5. I'll post more detail on why I ran this way in my next post.

Day 16: 6mi, 48:55

I did an easy 6 miles outside this morning. A beautiful, sunny day, but only 20 degrees F, with a brisk wind. Running into the wind for the first three miles kept my pace down, although the additional effort helped keep me warm. I run in the cold a lot, but this is the first time I remember my feet feeling cold. I kept a steady pace throughout, basically 8 mniute miles. Ending HR at t+1 was 120bpm, and at t+5 was 100.

Gmap One issue with running outside is trying to figure out how far I've actually run. I used to estimate my pace and back out the distance from the total time, but this is pretty rough, especially for longer distances. In marathon training, makes a big difference if I estimate I ran 21 miles but it was really only 19. Maybe that's why I always run too fast in the first half! But now there is an online solution to the problem: Gmap, a web-based pedometer that uses Google's mapping technology. You can plug in any route on here, and it will give you an accurate measure of the route's distance. My run today is here:
http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=657420
Gmap says it was 5.9669 miles. I'll go out and do the other 0.0331 miles later.

Day 15: 5mi, 37:19

Slightly shorter than my intended 6 mile run, but a decent workout anyway. On average, just under a 7:30 pace, with negative splits, and my last mile in under 7. My heartrate at t+1 was 150, and t+5 was 120.

Two other points about treadmill running: one is that the machines in my gym are Lifefitness, not Lifecycle (same company, though the other name is for their bikes, obviously). The other is that these treadmills only go up to 12mph, which is five minutes per mile. So my training will have to shift to the track as the goal gets closer. I only consider as legitimate the mile times that I run on a track, but I will also need to get out there to do intervals at sub-5 pace in training.

Day 14: Intervals

I ran intervals on the treadmill this morning. 3/4 mile warmup (it was the morning, after all), and then 8x200m, spaced by 200m jogs. Total run 2.75 miles in 20-21 minutes (forgot to check the final time). My HR at T+1 was 162, and T+5 was 125. My paces were:

2 x 10 mph (6 min/mi)
2 x 10.5 (5:42)
2 x 11 (5:29)
2 x 12 (5:00)

So I managed to get in some work at my target mile pace. Now, if I can just hold that pace for eight times the distance, I'm done!

I'll try to get in one longer run tomorrow, and a medium intensity 3mi on Sunday.

Treadmill running I've often wondered how running on a treadmill compares to running on the road. My gut feel is that treadmill is slightly easier, but I can't come up with any physics that would explain why. So I mainly use my treadmill times for comparison against other treadmill times, to track my progress. I have to say, though, it seems I work just as hard on the treadmill for a given pace as I do on the road. A friend of mine who is an elite runner thought the treadmill was maybe 5% or 10% easier, and so he would put a slight incline on the treadmill to make up the difference. If anyone out there knows the answer, let me know.

My other minor issues with the treadmill are more functional. One is that the Lifecycle machines I use seem to give me credit for the speed I punch in before the belt and I actually get to that speed. So if I start at 8 min/mi pace, it can take a good ten seconds to get up to speed, but I still get to the quarter mile in two minutes even. Not a big deal, but it makes a difference in the intervals, so I normally enter the high speeds a few tenths of a mile before I start the interval to give the machine time to catch up, and I enter the slower speed only after I finish the distance. The other issue is that dialing in the lower speed when I am running 12 mph is extremely awkward. Not sure how to get around this, but seems like a great way to pull a muscle!

Day 12: day off

No run today, but wanted to lay out in more detail how I will tackle the sub-5 quest. There are really two elements to getting there - an aerobic piece and an anaerobic piece. A few months back, I read an article by a man named Frank Horwill. He is a running coach in the UK, and has coached five sub-4 minute milers in his career. The article discusses training for a sub-4 mile (uhh, not currently my goal), but I think the principles apply equally well here. The full article is here (http://www.serpentine.org.uk/advice/coach/fh15.php), but my main takeaway is that he sees the mile as 50% aerobic, 50% anaerobic. By comparison, a 100m sprint is 100% anaerobic, while a marathon is close to 100% aerobic.

The reason this struck me is that I always knew intervals and speed work were important to improving my mile times, but I thought this was simply a matter of getting my legs used to running faster. The real reason to do intervals is to build up anaerobic capacity - to improve the body's ability to work with less oxygen than it can take in.

At the same time, the aerobic training is intended to raise the body's oxygen intake capacity (VO2 max). Interestingly, he says that longer, half-marathon pace runs just 'get in the way'. Of course, he still advises running that distance, but at a pace only 1 minute slower than best mile pace. Ok, that would kill me right now, but maybe that's only for four-minute milers.

His training regime includes three aerobic and three anaerobic (intervals) workouts per week. In phase I of my training, I plan to do only one or two interval sessions per week, but I will increase this if/when my times come down. The anaerobic piece is going to become more and more important as the 5 minute barrier approaches.

Day 11: 3mi, 21:00

I set out to do this run in 20 minutes flat, and was making good progress until I got about halfway done. I was on pace, but at 2 miles had to slow down. I just got tired. I managed to keep going and pick it back up for the last half, but the result was a 21 minute 3 miles. My splits:

0.25mi 2:04
1.25mi 9:08 (7:04 mile)
2.25mi 15:44 (6:36 mile)
3.0mi 21:00 (7:25 pace)

It's ok to ease up once in awhile. Some days, you just aren't feeling it. As long as there are some days when you push hard, you should make progress.

Some people may use heart rate monitoring to optimize your training. I check my HR at the end of the run, but not during the run (don't wear a monitor). I'll record my HR's at 1 minute into my cool down run (T+1) and at five minutes in (T+5). and see how that changes over time as the training progresses. Today was moderately intense, and my HRs were:
T+1 150bpm
T+5 120bpm

Day 10: 4 miles, 28:56

Had a nice, progressive 4mi run today. A little faster than I expected, but my back felt pretty good, and I hadn't run since Wednesday. My splits were:
Mile 1: 8:15
2: 7:20
3: 6:50
4: 6:20

Tomorrow I have a full schedule into the evening, so not sure I will get in a run, but my next workout will be a three mile high intensity run, whether it is tomorrow or Wednesday. Since my run today felt good, I will target 20 minutes for the 3mi.

New shoes I forgot to mention one other thing I did about a week ago - I bought a new pair of running shoes. I change them regularly - usually after about 250 miles. I don't know whether this is directly responsible for the improvement in my back or just helping a little, but it is important if you are training regularly to keep updating your shoes. Keep track of your miles so you know when to change them - the change in the old pair is gradual, so the lack of cushioning won't become noticeable until they are well beyond helping you. Usually, mine don't feel that bad at 250 miles, but when I put on a new pair I can feel a big difference.

I have tried buying two pair at once, but I find it is hard to keep track of total miles on each shoe, so I am back to one pair at a time. I've tried a lot of different shoes over the years, but I have been loyal to Saucony (http://www.saucony.com/) for about the past five. They fit me well, and I don't have any problems with them. That's mainly what I am looking for in a running shoe - something I don't have to think about.

Day 5: Intervals

On Wednesday, I ran 8x200m intervals on the treadmill, with 200m jogs in between. I run a half mile warmup, and total running time was 18:30 minutes. I ran the first 200m (1/8 miles, really) at 10mph (45 seconds) and increase it from there. My interval times:

1. 45 secs
2. 45
3. 43
4. 43
5. 41
6. 41
7. 41
8. 41

The last four I ran were at 11mph. I actually ran 300m on the final interval at the same pace. I felt ok, but I am still taking it a little easy so I can see how my back reacts to my return to running at higher speeds.

I did not get a run in over the weekend. The good news is that my back actually felt pretty good on Saturday and Sunday, despite having slept on a plane Thursday night and my overall lack of sleep. I flew back to Boston on yesterday, so today (Monday), I will take advantage of the holiday and run a nice steady 4mi. Crappy weather outside, so it will be another treadmill day.

Day 4

Tonight I ran a medium effort 3 miles on the treadmill in 23:23. A slow 8:30 initial warmup mile, followed by a sub-8, and a 7 minute final mile. I wrote yesterday that I would run intervals today, but I normally don't plan two high-intensity workouts in a row. I also woke up with a return of the back pain that has been plaguing me recently, so I opted for the more casual run.

Tomorrow, I'll try to do the intervals. Thursday night I am flying to London for the weekend to visit my kids. When I am there (every other weekend), it's hard to squeeze in more than one run, since they are young and can't be left alone. So I'll put up what I can tomorrow, and hope for one more run this week.

Sub-5 quest: Day 3

I took Sunday off, after all. I did do some light running/basketball late in the day, but not enough to consider it a workout. Tonight (Monday) I ran my 3 mi on the treadmill. My goal was 20:30. I did 20:44.

When I run on the treadmill for time, I normally run a half mile or so warmup, then straight into the 3 mi - i.e., a running start. In the 3 mi, I usually run negative splits - continually increasing the speed as I go.

Tonight, I ran the half in 4:00, or an 8 minute mile pace. Just before I got to the 0.5 mile mark, I increased the pace to 6:59 min/mi (8.6 mph). Each half mile, I increased the speed by 0.1 or 0.2 mph, so when I hit the 2.5 mile mark, I was running 9 mph (6:40 min/mi). Although my goal was to run through to mile 3.5 (since my first half mile was warmup), I was waning at mile 3. I got to 3.25 and hit the cool down button. Had I kept the pace through to 3.5, my final 3 miles would have been 20:24.

My mileage should be between 15-20mi/wk in this initial phase. My program will be to do 3mi three times each week, one medium length run (4-6mi), and one set of intervals (2.5-3mi). For the 3 mile runs, two will be in the 21-23min range, and one will be high intensity, with a targeted time. For intervals, I will alternate between 1/8 and 1/4 mile high intensity runs, with 1/8 or 1/4 mi jogs between. The runs will be at increasing speeds, starting at 10mph and peaking at 12mph, while the jogs will be at 7-7.5mph.

Tomorrow: Intervals.

The Sub-5 Blog

This blog will chronicle the training and progress I make on my quest to run a sub-5 minute mile. This has been a goal of mine for many years, and while I have often come close, I have never actually run a mile in less than five minutes. So why am I publishing my efforts? Three reasons:

1. it might give me that extra little bit of encouragement I need
2. it might help others to train for their own personal goals
3. I might get some feedback that will assist me in reaching my target

And maybe it will be a little entertaining.

I intend to give my running plan (including time targets) in advance, and then record the actual times and distances achieved. My goal is to be within striking distance by the end of the summer. Since I am already 43 years old, if I don't get this done soon, I am never gonna get there!

My starting stats

Most recent timed mile: Oct 06, 6 minutes flat.

I am a regular runner. I get out there about 4 times a week. My typical run is 3 miles; my long run is 6 miles. My regular 3 mile runs on the treadmill are now around 21 minutes. I ran 4mi outside yesterday in 30 minutes, and 6 miles outside today in 48.

These current times are significantly slower than my times up to and including last summer. In October, I did something to my back (not sure exactly what) that caused me to miss most of November and December. I was forced to consider dropping any hope at all of getting to sub-5. I still have pain, but it seems to be improving, or at least it isn't getting worse, so I have been gradually getting back into running.

My short term targets are to get my times back into my previous range: I should get my 3 mi on the treadmill at high exertion to between 19:30-20:00. My 6 mi run should come in below 44:00. And I want my mile times to be around 5:30. At that point, I will reset my targets times for each distance.

I've run the last four days, so I may take tomorrow (Sunday) off, or do an easy four miles outside (65 degrees here in Boston today!) in about 30 minutes. Monday, I will do 3 mi on the treadmill after work, and target 20:30.

If you've ever thought about running a sub-5 mile, I hope you'll join me on my quest. If your target is some other time or distance, I hope you will gain encouragement and support from this blog for your own goal. All the best!

John