tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-50311627845799058842024-03-05T06:19:31.063-08:00The Working (Marathon) RunnerDickson Mercerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579504905041071151noreply@blogger.comBlogger170125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5031162784579905884.post-23061203967228064152015-10-26T11:59:00.003-07:002015-10-26T11:59:54.949-07:00Marine Corps Marathon 2015 log<u>Fundraising for Friends4Michael</u>: <a href="https://www.crowdrise.com/F4MMCM2015/fundraiser/dicksonmercer">$2,020</a>.<br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Week of July 27</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">W - AM 7 PM 9 - 3 by 1600 with 3 min rest (5:16, 5:07, 5:00)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Th - 9 </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">F - 11 </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">S - 13 - 2 WU, </span><a href="https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/853067049" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">6 @ MP</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (5:40, 41, 42, 41, 44, 38 - 34:10 (5:41 avg) 5 CD</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">S - </span><a href="https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/853067090" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">17</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - (17.36 miles in 2:04:32 - 7:10 avg.)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total - 80</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Week of August 3</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">M - 6</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">T - 12 --- 2 WU, </span><a href="https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/856629156" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">4 miles in 22:40</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, alternator, 5:55, 5:20, 6:01, 5:20, half mile easy, 2 miles in 11:01 (5:30, 5:31), 3.5 CD</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">W</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - </span><a href="https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/856629232" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">15</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (1:49:28 - 7:18)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Th - 10</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">F - 11.5</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">S </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">20 --- 2:11:22 (6:34) Dueling Ferries: Opening 10 in 68, back 10 in 63. Started over 7 min pace and worked gradually down from high 6 pace from there. 6:30s by 8. Ran last 5 at 6:15 pace.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">S - 10.5</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total - 85</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Week of August 10</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">M - 6 </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">T - 11 with Luke and Outlaw</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">W - AM 12 - 5 by 2k with 2 min rest on bike trail trying to run smooth at 10-15 seconds faster than marathon pace. Somewhat successful. Had some stomach problems. Reps were 6:50-55 so roughly 5:30 pace or slightly faster.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Th - 10</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">F - 10</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">S - 6</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">S - 12 - Falmouth Road Race - 46th. 39:36.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total - 68</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Week of August 17</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">M - 7 </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">T - 10</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">W - AM 10, 10 by 2 min on/1 off PM 4.5</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Th - 9.5, 5.5 </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">F - 12</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">S - 10 </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">S - 20 - 1 WU, </span><a href="https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/875589866" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">19 in 1:59 (6:15 avg)</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> on hilly loop. Humid. Decent effort. But when I wanted to get rolling, at 16, I started struggling. Finished with a few laps on high school track.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total - 88.5</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Week of August 24</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">M - 6 </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">T - 17 --- AM 10 PM 7</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">W - 17 --- AM 5 PM 12 - Track: 3 by 2k (6:24, 19, 15); 2 by 1600 (5:00, 5:00). 3:30 rest.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Th - 14.5 --- AM 7 PM 7.5</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">F - 10</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">S - 12 - 3 WU, Gettysburg Alumni XC 5k, 4th, 16:53, change shoes, 5 by 1k on the course at marathon effort with 3 min rest, 2 CD </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">S - 16</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total - 92.5</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Week of August 31</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">M - 6 </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">T- 15 --- AM 10 PM 5</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">W - 18 --- AM 12 - 4 by 2 miles on Anacostia trail w 3 min rest. Rough. Too humid. 10:53, 54, 11:08, 11:50. PM 6</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Th - 10 </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">F - 11</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">S - 15 --- 10, 5</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">S - 20 --- AM 6 PM 14 - Larry Noel 15k, </span><a href="https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/890568374" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">54:33</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, 1st. Good practice running marathon effort in the heat on a hilly course. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total - 95</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Week of Sept. 7</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">M - 7 </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">T - 15 -- AM 10 PM 5 </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">W - 17.5 -- AM 8 PM 9.5</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Th - 8.5</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">F - 22 </span><a href="https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/894961783" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(2:22:40; 6:29 avg.</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) Threw in a faster mile every 4 miles. Got in a pretty good rhythm, with times varying a bit during stretches when I had to negotiate bridges and more traffic.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">S - 7</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">S - 14</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total - 91</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Week of Sept. 14</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">M - 15 --- AM 8 PM 7</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">T - 16 --- AM 10 PM 6</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">W - 0 - off, sick</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Th - 15 --- AM 9 PM 6</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">F - 11.5</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">S - 10</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">S - 20 - Navy Air Force Half Marathon - 1:17:27, 20th. </span><span style="background-color: whitesmoke; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Had to go into this with a run-for-fun mindset. Still getting over cold and didn't want to run hard and set myself back another few days. A solid run at marathon "effort" and helpful to practice things I am not good at - taking water, gels.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total - 87</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Week of Sept. 21</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">M - 6</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">T - 15 --- AM 10 PM 5</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">W - 18 --- AM 6 PM 12: Workout was 4 by 2 miles on roads w 3 min. First two were on point (10:40) with Luke, Sam, Kieran. Towards end of 2nd, though, I felt a twinge in my quad. Strained my hip flexor. Hoped it would work itself out on the 3rd, but it didn't. 11:00, and called it day, jogged in.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Th - 13.5 --- AM 7 PM 6.5</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">F - 11.5</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">S - 25 - </span><a href="https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/911198919" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">24 in 2:34</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">:52 (6:27) + 1 mile jog in to avoid walking. Soul-sucking headwinds. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">S - 11</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total - 100</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Week of Sept. 28</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">M - 6</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">T - 15 --- AM 10 PM 5</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">W - 15 --- Todd's War session: 44:45 for 8 miles on the track alternating miles at MP with intervals between 1600 and 400.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Th - 8</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">F - 14 -- AM 10 PM 4</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">S </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">22</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> --- </span><span style="background-color: whitesmoke; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2 WU, <a href="https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/931597211">4 by 4 miles on, 1 off</a>: 23:30, 23:09, 23:12, 23:04</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">S - 11</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total - 91</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Week of Oct. 5</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">M - 6</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">T - 17 --- AM 5 PM 12, 10 by 800 (2:25 avg)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">W - 8</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Th - 9</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">F - 12</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">S - 10 --- 4 mile tempo on track, 22:35, 6 by 150. Windy!!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">S - 17</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total - 80</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Week of Oct. 12</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">M - 6</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">T - 10</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">W - 14 --- AM 5 PM 9, Mall, 3 by 1 mile with 2:30 rest (5:00, 4:55, 4:50)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Th - 8</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">F - 9</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">S - 8</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">S - 14 --- 10 steady (6:25 avg), 3 on hilly stretch (5:50, 5:50, 5:30)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total - 70</span></div>
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Dickson Mercerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579504905041071151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5031162784579905884.post-60693651504482813482015-05-20T08:41:00.000-07:002015-05-20T13:12:32.784-07:0043 Laps + Father's Day 8kIn <a href="http://workingrunner.blogspot.com/2015/05/running-mcm-for-friends4michael.html">my last post</a> I mentioned my decision to run Marine Corps Marathon in support of the <a href="http://www.friends4michael.org/">Friends4Michael</a> Foundation and shared my plan to run <a href="https://www.dcroadrunners.org/">D.C. Road Runners</a> One-Hour Track Run as a fundraiser. I stole this idea from my dad; 20-some years ago I watched him run 10+ miles on the Monmouth University track to raise money for the Special Olympics.<br />
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Prior to last night I found out the event record was 17,700 meters, roughly 44.25 laps. I came up a little short of that last night; the <a href="http://www.racepacket.com/rsltwrap1.php?id=6646">results</a> indicate I covered 43 laps (17,217 meters). But I was pleased with the effort on a hot night (I am feeling that marathon strength coming back!), and am really grateful to my GRC teammates who pitched in money per lap -- especially Charlie and Tex, who also helped pace me.<br />
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Looks like these 43 laps will raise more than $800 -- on top of what has already been raised -- for Friends4Michael. You can still donate <a href="https://www.crowdrise.com/F4MMCM2015/fundraiser/dicksonmercer">here</a>.</div>
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The other thing is ...</div>
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The GRC's <a href="http://www.fathersday8k.com/">Father's Day 8k</a> is coming up - it's on June 21 at 6:30 p.m. This is a really fun, low-key race, and I always enjoy being on the other side of things, helping to put a race on. This race benefits our club, and it's always fun to see families incorporating this race into their day. There's a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/1435512886755073/">Facebook page</a>, too.</div>
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Dickson Mercerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579504905041071151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5031162784579905884.post-80917967780186105732015-05-12T15:19:00.000-07:002015-05-12T15:24:07.827-07:00Running MCM for Friends4Michael Foundation<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">This October marks ten years since my first marathon, and I cannot think of a better way to celebrate that than by running my first Marine Corps Marathon in this city I call home. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I have spent the fall and spring getting back to the fundamentals - racing cross country and track - and I believe I will be ready in October to take a fresh run at 26.2 miles and go under 2:30 again. (My training will focus on running 5:40 pace and finishing in the top 10.) </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">But I have another, much-more-important goal - and that is to raise $1,000 for the <a href="http://www.friends4michael.org/">Friends4Michael Foundation</a>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">This started, to be honest, by asking myself how I would gain entry into this sold-out race. My first thought - </span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">to be honest, again - was: "Who could I call? What back channels could I go through to get in?" </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">But then I looked at the list of all the great charities that partner with the Marine Corps Marathon and I started thinking about everything differently. Running had given me so much. Here was such a great opportunity to re-channel all of that positive energy. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The logo, "The Mighty Kwinn: Fight for the Cure!," reminded me of the Bob Dylan song. Then I started reading about what this was really about, which is the Friends4Michael Foundation and the story of Michael Kwinn.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">As a runner, I get very results-oriented (see paragraph two). I am frequently guilty of losing the perspective of what running is really about, and how lucky I am to be able to do this. I want to be able to set high goals without losing that perspective. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Michael was extraordinary. This is a kid who, after finding out he had a brain tumor, devoted the rest of his life to raising awareness about his disease, raising money for research, and helping people in any way he could. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The other thing about Michael was, he never, ever quit. He never gave in. He never stopped putting up a fight. He accomplished so much in his 14 years. And now </span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">his spirit lives on through his family and his friends and through volunteers and runners - through Friends4Michael, which provides financial assistance to the families of children who have brain tumors and also raises money for research efforts. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I am so honored to represent Friends4Michael in the Marine Corps Marathon. </span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I just have one more goal I did not mention - and that is to put up a performance that would make Michael proud. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">You can contribute to my fundraising effort in two ways:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span><b style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Fundraiser</b><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">: On Tuesday, May 19, I will participate in D.C. Road Runners One-Hour Track Run. It is pretty simple: You run as far as you can. In an hour. In a circle.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I am asking friends to pledge to donate an amount - a quarter? 50 cents? a dollar? - for every lap I cover. My goal will be to run ~11 miles, or 44 laps. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">If you'd like to participate, email me at dickson.mercer@gmail.com and let me know what you would like to pitch in. Afterward I will report back to everyone with my result, and we can all make a really nice donation together.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I would love to get a lot of participation on this. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">That said, you can also </span><b style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Just Make a Donation </b><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">by going to my </span><a href="https://www.crowdrise.com/F4MMCM2015/fundraiser/dicksonmercer" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Crowdrise page</a><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> or by donating </span><a href="http://www.friends4michael.org/donate/" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">directly to the foundation</a><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Thank you for your support! </span>Dickson Mercerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579504905041071151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5031162784579905884.post-90020034217386053952015-02-04T04:52:00.001-08:002015-03-21T19:39:09.282-07:00Training Update: Nov. 24 - Feb. 1<div class="p1">
(Recently, when I have thought to update this blog, the thought following that one has been: “If I have time for this, I should probably get my act together on that story I am working on for Charlie, instead.” The latest one was a profile of Christo Landry. I look forward to sharing it here.)</div>
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Looking through the logs I’ve posted below, thinking about it all in the context of 2014, the Boston Marathon feels like it happened so, so long ago.</div>
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That was a very disappointing race that capped a trio of tough marathons. I look back on those races – Boston, Twin Cities, Boston – and recall mistakes I made in training, mistakes I made in the races themselves, external factors that were out of my control …<span class="s1"> </span>But I'm also trying to let all of that go now. I'm accepting that those races just weren't my days.</div>
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The mystique of the marathon, in a lot of ways, is what I both love and can’t stand about it. I love how complex it is – the way, for example, my friends <a href="http://www.milestothetrials.com/">Teal</a> and <a href="http://blog.grcrunning.com/2015/01/what-teal-didnt-do-differently.html">Breezy </a>write about it. (I love even more how they race them.)</div>
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But also, truthfully – repeating myself here – I cannot stand that complexity. Because, really, it’s so simple: in the sense that there is no universal program – in my opinion – that will lead to success for everyone (particularly, I think, for working professionals). There is only the program that will work for you. You just have to figure out what that program is. (Right - I know - it's not simple at all, as it turns out.)</div>
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The sort-of driving thought behind my running right now, though, is that the specific training for the race - for me, I am saying - is much less important than the larger training picture: the building blocks. </div>
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Strength and speed. Most runners tend to have one more than the other. I have less speed. On one hand, sure, races at half marathon and below are radically different than racing the marathon. I think, though, if I'm going into a marathon cycle, unable, say, to regularly break 16 minutes for 5k, aren't I really just adding whip cream on top of horseshit? </div>
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The above paragraph does not apply, it seems, to many marathon specialists. But I do think the "data" reveals it applies to me. You look at my two best years in marathoning, 2006 and 2009 -- I am aware, by the way, that it is now the year 2015 -- those followed years in which my speed was optimized, or close to optimized. In 2006, I was coming off four years of anaerobic-intensive training (college), and a season in which I lowered my 5,000 personal best to 15:13. In 2009, I ran my second-fastest marathon on the heels of breaking 16 in a summer 5k and running a new personal best in the half marathon.</div>
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After Boston, I hit the reset button and tried to go back to the beginning. I ran some summer mile races, which were equal parts fun and frustrating but served the larger goal of improving my efficiency running at faster speeds. I started breaking 16 for 5k again. I ran a couple five-milers under 26 minutes (something I had never done, only splitting it in a 10k.) </div>
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One of my favorite parts of the second half of the year was bumping into my college coach at cross country meets - from Gettysburg's home invitational to Lehigh's Paul Short. He even made it out to Clubs, where I not only had him, but my parents, and my wife's parents, all supporting me - and proud of me, even though I of course got completely crushed. </div>
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One of my favorite athletes is Andre Agassi. Not because of the commercials, the style. (To be clear, the inspiration for the trucker hat comes from the way my dad, and many others, used to dress for running and racing during the early days of the "boom" ... and Levon Helm.) But the way Agassi would climb out from rock-bottom, getting his confidence back at small-time tournaments, and rise all the way back to the top of the sport. </div>
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I'll never reach the top of the sport. But I do believe I can again reach the top of my game. </div>
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(After running 15:49 for 5,000 indoors some weeks ago, I looked up my last indoor 5k result and saw that it was almost exactly 10 years earlier: <a href="http://www.plattsys.com/results/res2005/nyuj05.htm">15:26 at the NYC Armory</a>. It was a decent-enough rust buster. And I'm looking forward to going for a personal best for 3k at the Princeton Invitational on Feb. 22. The idea, all along, was to use the fall as a springboard to new track personal bests in the spring; I updated my <a href="http://www.grcrunning.com/dickson-mercer.html">GRC profile</a> to kind of reflect that. We'll see.)<br />
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<i>Nov. 24-30</i><br />
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<b>M</b> - 6<br />
<b>T</b> - 5, 7<br />
<b>W</b> - 9<br />
<b>Th</b> - 10 - Nazareth Run for the Pie 5k in Nazareth, Pa, 5th, 15:56 (39 seconds faster than last year)<br />
<b>F</b> - 10<br />
<b>S</b> - 10<br />
<b>11</b> - 11 - Pre-Club Cross Country National XC, 6k - 7th, 20:00<br />
<i>Total</i> - 68<br />
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<a href="https://instagram.com/p/v65KJKupDR/" style="color: black; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_top">Before Nazareth Pumpkin Pie 5k with bro and sis in law. @luffdiddy FTW in 15:02. I broke 16 on this course for first time.</a></div>
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A photo posted by @dicksonmercer on <time datetime="2014-11-27T22:37:57+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">Nov 27, 2014 at 2:37pm PST</time></div>
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<i>Dec. 1 - 7</i><br />
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<b>M</b> - 5.5<br />
<b>T</b> - 7<br />
<b>W</b> - 5, 7 - PM - Rough workout. Caught a cold. 3 by 1600 in 4:54, 4:55, 4:59, 1 by 800 in 2:29<br />
<b>Th</b> - 7.5<br />
<b>F</b> - 10<br />
<b>S</b> - 10.5 - Cell Tower workout: 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 + 4 strides<br />
<b>S</b> -12.5<br />
<i>Total</i> - 65<br />
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<i>Dec. 8-14</i><br />
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<b>M</b> - off<br />
<b>T</b> - 9.5<br />
<b>W</b> - 9 - 6 by 1:45<br />
<b>Th</b> - 8<br />
<b>F</b> - 5<br />
<b>S</b> - 10, Club Cross Country Nationals 10k, 33:48, 332nd<br />
<b>S</b> - 6<br />
<i>Total</i> - 47.5<br />
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<a href="https://instagram.com/p/wmE9OrupCJ/" style="color: black; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_top">@macdonaldadrian and I with our college coach, Aubrey Shenk, after clubs.</a></div>
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A photo posted by @dicksonmercer on <time datetime="2014-12-14T17:08:23+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">Dec 14, 2014 at 9:08am PST</time></div>
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<i>Dec. 15-21</i><br />
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<b>M</b> - 7, 4<br />
<b>T</b> - 10, 4<br />
<b>W</b> - 10<br />
<b>Th</b> - 9, 5 - PM Beer Mile, 9:59<br />
<b>F</b> - 9<br />
<b>S</b> - 10<br />
<b>S</b> - 15.5<br />
<i>Total</i> - 83.5<br />
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<i>Dec. 22-28</i><br />
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<b>M</b> - 8<br />
<b>T</b> - 10<br />
<b>W</b> - 10<br />
<b>Th</b> - 10<br />
<b>F</b> - 12<br />
<b>S</b> - 10<br />
<b>S</b> - 15, in NJ, Manasquan Reservoir, 22 by 1 min on/off<br />
<i>Total</i> - 75<br />
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<i>Dec. 29-Jan. 4</i><br />
<br />
<b>M</b> - 10<br />
<b>T</b> - 10<br />
<b>W</b> - 10<br />
<b>Th</b> - 10, at Lafayette football stadium. 6 by ~300; 20 diagonals on field, jogging end zone<br />
<b>F</b> - 10<br />
<b>S</b> - 10<br />
<b>S</b> - 15, + 20 by 1 min on/off<br />
<i>Total</i> -75<br />
<br />
<i>Jan. 5-11</i><br />
<br />
<b>M</b> - off<br />
<b>T</b> - 8, 4,5<br />
<b>W</b> - 5, 9 - 30-min progression on treadmill: started at 6:00, accelerated every quarter mile, ended at 4:56; 5.5 miles during the segment.<br />
<b>Th </b>- 9<br />
<b>F</b> - 10<br />
<b>S</b> - 12 - 8 mile tempo in Rock Creek Park. 5:36 average.<br />
<b>S</b> - 13.5 from Sycamore Landing. Road loop.<br />
<i>Total</i> - 70<br />
<br />
<i>January 12-18</i><br />
<br />
<b>M</b> - 5<br />
<b>T</b> - 10<br />
<b>W</b> - 5, 8 - Treadmill. Did 6 by 3 minutes, progressing from 6 flat to 5 flat during each rep, pushing up pace every like 30 seconds.<br />
<b>Th</b> - 8<br />
<b>F</b> - 9.5 <br />
<b>S</b> - 9 - Terrapin Invitational: 15:49, 6th. 9:55 through 3200. Faded.<br />
<b>S</b> - 10. Cold and rainy. Emily and I moved our long runs to Monday holiday.<br />
<i>Total</i> - 64.5<br />
<br />
<i>January 19-25</i><br />
<br />
<b>M</b> - 14<br />
<b>T</b> - 6<br />
<b>W</b> - 5, 11 - Bethesda Tunnel - 5 times 4 by 300+. 2.5 min rest between sets, 45 sec between reps<br />
<b>Th</b> - 8<br />
<b>F</b> - 11.5<br />
<b>S </b>- 10<br />
<b>S</b> - 17<br />
<i>Total</i> - 82.5<br />
<br />
<i>January 26 - Feb. 1</i><br />
<b>M</b> - 5<br />
<b>T</b> - 10<br />
<b>W</b> - 8, 9 - Bethesda Tunnel - 3 times 4 by ~600 (out and back). 4 min rest between sets, 45 seconds between reps.<br />
<b>Th</b> - 8, 5<br />
<b>F</b> - 12<br />
<b>S</b> - 11 - Track: 3200 in 10:15, 3 by 800 in 2:23-25; 2 by 400 in 67-68<br />
<b>S </b>- 19<br />
<i>Total - 87</i><br />
<br />
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<br />Dickson Mercerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579504905041071151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5031162784579905884.post-8545248566955563802014-11-24T13:15:00.000-08:002014-11-24T13:15:17.124-08:00Training Log: Oct. 20 - Nov. 23<i>Oct. 20-26</i><br />
<br />
<b>M</b> - 5<br />
<br />
<b>T</b> - AM 9 PM 6<br />
<br />
<b>W</b> - AM 5 PM 12, Track - 3 by 3200 with 5 min rest: 10:10, 10:03, 10:17. Came off the rails 1600 into rep 3, but good to work through it.<br />
<br />
<b>Th</b> - 8<br />
<br />
<b>F</b> - 14<br />
<br />
<b>S</b> - In Chicago. 10. Workout of 10, 8, 6, 4, 2 on the Lakefront, dodging people in a Halloween-themed half marathon.<br />
<br />
<b>S</b> - 4. Whoops.<br />
<br />
<i>Total</i> - 73<br />
<br />
<i>***</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Oct. 27-Nov. 2</i><br />
<br />
<b>M</b> - 10<br />
<br />
<b>T</b> - AM 9 PM 6<br />
<br />
<b>W</b> - AM 5 PM 13 - On Mall: 2 by 1.5 miles in 7:34, 33; 2 my mile in 4:57, 4:59; 2 by 800 (2:27, 2:24)<br />
<br />
<b>Th</b> - AM 5 PM 8<br />
<br />
<b>F</b> - 11.5<br />
<br />
<b>S</b> - 11, Cell Tower Field XC, with Patrick and Blur, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Tempo effort.<br />
<br />
<b>S</b> - 16<br />
<br />
<i>Total</i> - 94.5<br />
<br />
<i>***</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Nov. 3-9</i><br />
<br />
<b>M</b> - 6<br />
<br />
<b>T</b> - 11<br />
<br />
<b>W</b> - AM 4 PM 11.5, Track - 4 by 1200 in 3:42, 3:41, 3:38, 3:35; 4 by 600-ish in 1:43ish<br /><br />
<b>Th</b> - 8<br />
<br />
<b>F</b> - 10<br />
<br /><b>S</b> - 10, Happy Runner Wedding 5k, 6th. This was far and away the best 18+ minute 5k XC race I've run since high school.<br />
<br />
<b>S</b> - 10.5<br />
<br />
<i>Total - 71</i><br />
<br />
<i>***</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Nov. 10-16</i><br />
<br />
<b>M</b> - 6<br />
<br />
<b>T</b> - AM 10 PM 7<br />
<br />
<b>W</b> - AM 4 PM 12.5, Track 10 by 800 with 2:30 rest: 2:28, 28, 26, 24, 24, 23, 22, 21, 21<br />
<br />
<b>Th</b> - 8<br />
<br />
<b>F</b> - 12<br />
<br />
<b>S</b> - 11, Cell Tower Field XC, 4 by 2k in 6:42, 45, 45, 41<br />
<br />
<b>S</b> - Off, <a href="http://bit.ly/1qMaH4x">covered US 12k champs</a>.<br />
<br />
<i>Total - 70.5</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>***</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Nov. 17-23</i><br />
<br />
<b>M</b> - 6<br />
<br />
<b>T</b> - AM 9, 6 by 600, windy, 20s, didn't time. PM 4<br />
<br />
<b>W</b> - 9<br />
<br />
<b>Th</b> - 7.5<br />
<br />
<b>F</b> - 6<br />
<br />
<b>S</b> - 10, Rothman 8k, 25:54, 29th. Thought I could run faster, but solid effort. Love racing in Philadelphia. It was cold: 25ish. Got out a little slow; thought I was picking it up but was just maintaining. At 3, a turnaround, I realized I needed to adjust and focus and make sure I broke 26. Evan ran a great race 25:19, and not pushing harder after the mile and going with him may have been a mistake. I was in no-mans land for the whole race, picking off stragglers. A pack might have helped. 5:08, 11, 10, 16, 15.<br />
<br />
<b>S</b> - 16<br />
<br />
<i>Total</i> - 67.5<br />
<br />
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<br />Dickson Mercerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579504905041071151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5031162784579905884.post-23908792694551697332014-10-20T11:04:00.000-07:002014-10-20T11:04:20.948-07:00Training Log: Sept. 22 - Oct. 19<i>Sept. 22-28</i><br />
<br />
<b>M</b> - off<br />
<br />
<b>T</b> - 10, 4.5<br />
<br />
<b>W</b> - On Mall with Luke, Kieran, Franklin (thus, doing my own workout): 2 by 2 miles in 10:22,<br />
10:28; 1 mile in 5:10<br />
<br />
<b>Th</b> - 12<br />
<br />
<b>F</b> - 11 with 10 by 1 min on/off on grass<br />
<br />
<b>S</b> - 10, at PSU. Dropped off van in lot to reserve our post-game tailgating spot, then ran back to the house in Port Matilda. Hilly, and we got moving a bit toward the end. Not bad for a bachelor party run.<br />
<br />
<b>S</b> - 13.5, at PSU, on trails<br />
<br />
<b>Total</b> - 72<br />
<br />
<i>Sept. 29-Oct. 5</i><br />
<br />
<b>M</b> - 8<br />
<br />
<b>T</b> - 6, 4<br />
<br />
<b>W</b> - 5, PM: Track - 2 by 2400 in 7:39, 7:30; 1200 in 3:39<br />
<br />
<b>Th</b> - 8<br />
<br />
<b>F</b> - 7.5<br />
<br />
<b>S</b> - 10.5, Paul Short Invitational (8k), open race, rainy but course was fast, 27:07, 161st<br />
<br />
<b>S</b> - 16, in NJ<br />
<br />
<b>Total</b> - 74<br />
<br />
<i>Oct. 6-12</i><br />
<br />
<b>M</b> - 5<br />
<br />
<b>T</b> - 10.5<br />
<br />
<b>W</b> - 5; PM, 12, on Mall - 10 by 800 Started at 2:26 and ran last 5 in 2:22-23<br />
<br />
<b>Th</b> - 10<br />
<br />
<b>F</b> - 10.5<br />
<br />
<b>S</b> - 16.5, at Hains Point, rainy and very windy: 6 miles easy, <a href="http://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/610335507">8 miles trying to just cruise for half and pick it up the other</a>, 2.5 cool down. 6:07, 6, 5:57, 5:59; 5:41, 5:35, 5:41, 5:47. I started out on Ohio Drive and ran out towards the point, much like the races run out there. It was tough because as I was really starting to cruise, I turned straight into the wind; then, after the 5:35, I got rolling but then the wind made my life miserable again. As coach says, with my broad shoulders I'm "like a sail out there." So it goes.<br />
<br />
<b>S</b> - <a href="http://bit.ly/1sEE0u6">Covered Army-Ten Miler</a>. Ran with backpack to track house party. <a href="http://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/615675829">10.5</a><br />
<br />
<b>Total</b> - 80<br />
<br />
<i>Oct. 13-19</i><br />
<br />
<b>M</b> - 10<br />
<br />
<b>T</b> - 9, 5<br />
<br />
<b>W</b> - 5; 10: Track - 5 by 1600 in the rain with 2:30 rest in 5:07, 03, 00, 00, 02<br />
<br />
<b>Th</b> - 8<br />
<br />
<b>F</b> - 10<br />
<br />
<b>S</b> - 11, Gettysburg Invitational (8k), 44th, 27:21<br />
<br />
<b>S</b> - 16<br />
<br />
<i>Total</i> - 84 <br />
<br />
Two cross-country races. At Paul Short I had the right idea (not getting pulled out too fast, running an even effort) but didn't execute it right, as I got bunched up in the back and forced to go through the mile in 5:37. I passed 200+ guys (there were just shy of 500 in the race) and ran 5:20s the next four miles. I also had confidence issues in this race, and having really tight heels didn't help that.<br />
<br />
So, going into Gettysburg, I worked on the head part of it (that's why I really liked this <a href="http://www.milestothetrials.com/2014/10/race-report-2014-army-ten-miler.html">post</a> by Teal), and the heels, too, by doing extra heel drops and using a wobble board more. The course was damp, but not a mud bath, which was great, and it was very windy but a good temp. I set a goal to be in the top 30, and I think I did pretty well getting out of the gate, positioning better while not getting pulled out too, too fast - 5:12 for first mile - though I did maybe punch it a little too hard when things opened up about a half-mile in. This time, I got up where I wanted to be by about the halfway point, but had a pretty rough last two miles and slid back.<br />
<br />
There were 34 teams and 355 runners. (10 years since I graduated Gburg, btw.)<br />
<br />
***<br />
<br />
Cross country, lucky for me, is part of the process, not the end goal. It's a way to get really strong and run new bests this winter and spring for the mile through 10k. I trained through Gettysburg and will continue with a similar schedule for a couple more weeks, then rest some for a race with PR potential: the Rothman 8k (though we are not officially in).<br />
<br />
My alumni XC race Labor Day weekend was kind of a struggle, then road races following it went really well. If a similar thing happens with Rothman, then I know the strategy is working and I'm not maybe in a need of a short break to recharge. Much the same, if Clubs XC goes well, I am pretty confident the winter and spring will go much better. <br />
<br />
I looked back at my logs since the start of June and I've averaged 72 miles over 20 weeks - like running from my doorstep to Wrigley Field and back. I kind of like the schedule: making Monday the equivalent of an off day and doing weights in the afternoon; doubling Tuesday and Wednesday with GRC workout; grind out tired 8-10 Thursday and do weights in the afternoon; Friday run with CHDP; work out again on Saturday; go long on Sunday. I think lengthening out my long run in the next few weeks will give me a little more strength in the last 5k of XC. <br />
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Dickson Mercerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579504905041071151noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5031162784579905884.post-82394010856493565792014-09-21T14:03:00.000-07:002014-09-21T14:09:13.353-07:00Training Log: Aug. 25 - Sept. 21<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw0B5C9pjHDh93jvOAWpwCCHPzsyhskexy7Z5TLWmqOeJIdphUrbScpx3KiRx9gMrANeSRSOkV3me4zYkiuAf1xyG-gQ3yAmu2-JdqFG0fupMceKlFcl3NBwSgNSnGAzA6vppmSmnpt4lE/s1600/grcnavy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw0B5C9pjHDh93jvOAWpwCCHPzsyhskexy7Z5TLWmqOeJIdphUrbScpx3KiRx9gMrANeSRSOkV3me4zYkiuAf1xyG-gQ3yAmu2-JdqFG0fupMceKlFcl3NBwSgNSnGAzA6vppmSmnpt4lE/s1600/grcnavy.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>Photo by <a href="http://www.youngrunnerphotos.com/Race-Photo-Galleries/NavyAir-Force-Half-Marathon-5-/">Cheryl Young.</a> Navy 5 Miler. Always more fun to race with your friends. Outlaw up front making things honest in the opening mile.</i><br />
<i><br /></i><u>August 25 - 31</u><br />
<br />
<b>M </b>- off<br />
<br />
<b>T</b> - 8, with Charlie, did a 4 by estimated 1k workout on the Ohio Drive field. Was hitting about 3:15 for each loop. Race tuneup.<br />
<br />
<b>W</b> - 10<br />
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<b>Th</b> - 8<br />
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<b>F</b> - 6<br />
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<b>S</b> - 11 - Gettysburg College Alumni Race. 2nd. 16:42. I run this race most years I'm able, but tend to be in marathon training and go into it with really heavy legs. This year, given my current emphasis on shorter races, I had higher hopes: was thinking about time. In XC? Seriously, 15 years into this, you still routinely make rookie mistakes? Anyway, I pressed a little too hard early and paid the price the last 2k. Soph Ben Taber, who has been <a href="http://www.gettysburgsports.com/news/2014/9/10/MXC_0910143314.aspx">running really well</a>, ran away for the win - and both teams seemed really motivated, which was great to see. Form wise, I have never exactly been a model for efficiency - but I could see in this video how badly it was deteriorating. Worked on that in the two races that followed.<br />
<br />
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/IQsJrULnNdQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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<b>S</b> - 16 with Butters and Adrian. Easy running - 2 hours - on the battlefield trails. Great to be out there again.<br />
<br />
<i>Total</i> - 59<br />
<br />
<u>Sept. 1 - 7</u><br />
<br />
<b>M</b> - Labor Day, 13, with Sam, Patrick, Charlie, Wiggy at Riley's<br />
<br />
<b>T</b> - AM 9 PM 4<br />
<br />
<b>W</b> - AM 5 PM 10, Track 2 by 2k in 6:19, 6:14; 2 by 1k in 3:02ish<br />
<br />
<b>Th</b> - 10<br />
<br />
<b>F</b> - 9<br />
<br />
<b>S</b> - 10 - National Press Club 5k. 4th. 15:29 on short course. I converted it to 15:55. Hot, humid morning, so this was a confidence booster.<br />
<br />
<b>S</b> - 13<br />
<br />
<i>Total</i> - 83<br />
<br />
<u>Sept. 8 - 14</u><br />
<br />
<b>M </b>- 6<br />
<br />
<b>T</b> - 10<br />
<br />
<b>W</b> - AM 5 PM 10, on Mall. I would estimate: 2 miles in 10:10, 1.5 miles in 7:30, 1 mile in 4:55.<br />
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<b>Th</b> - 8<br />
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<b>F</b> - 9<br />
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<b>S</b> - 7<br />
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<b>S</b> - 14, Navy 5 Miler. 4th. 25:51. Felt comfortable early, moved up from chase pack to lead pack with a sub-5 second mile, and didn't fall apart too bad coming home: 5:13, 5:21. Focused on -- per the video -- when things got tough, just not letting my arms fly all over the place. Seemed to help. PR for 5-mile race, so, as coach says, "You gotta be happy with that."<br />
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<i>Total </i>- 70<br />
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<u>Sept. 15 - 21</u><br />
<u><br /></u>
<b>M</b> - 6<br />
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<b>T </b>- AM 8 PM 5<br />
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<b>W</b> - AM 10 PM 5<br />
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<b>Th</b> - 10<br />
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<b>F </b>- 11<br />
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<b>S</b> - 13 - Cell Tower tempo with Blur, Stu, Fridge, Kyle, Wertz. Did 8k. I had 28 flattish for 5 miles, 28:45 for the four loops, cutting down slightly each one until, for me, the last. I felt comfortable, in the sense that tempo pace felt like tempo pace, but the last 2k loop was tough. XC is a real challenge for me, and I look forward to focusing on it through clubs in December, with maybe a road race thrown in there somewhere if I see a good opportunity.<br />
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<b>S</b> - 16 from Riley's Lock with Klim and Wiggy. Just a good steady run, most of it high-6 pace.<br />
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<i>Total</i> - 84Dickson Mercerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579504905041071151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5031162784579905884.post-70732786298623681072014-08-28T18:37:00.001-07:002014-08-29T10:09:54.608-07:00Training Log: August 11-24 + RunWashington High School Edition<div class="issuuembed" data-configid="0/9061218" style="height: 334px; width: 525px;">
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I have two stories in this edition: A piece about one of my favorite training spots - Frederick City Watershed - on page 8 in the reader ... and a profile of Sherwood High School Coach Dan Reeks on 13. This is our second high school-focused issue, and Charlie and I really appreciate feedback. Email us at dickson@runwashington.com or charlie@runwashington.com.
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">If you are interested in picking up the print edition, here is <a href="http://www.runwashington.com/runwashington-magazine/">where to find to it</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>August 11 - 17</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>M</b> - off</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>T</b> - AM 10 PM 4</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>W</b> - AM 7 PM 10 - Track: 3200 in 10:20; 2400 in 7:33; 1600 in 4:55; 800 in 2:22</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Th</b> - 12, Outlaw's Ramble</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>F</b> - 12, CHDP</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>S</b> - AM 11 (tempo) PM 5</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>S</b> - 17</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Total</b> - 88</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We got to Cosmic Charlie's Training Cabin in Giles County, VA on Friday evening. No electricity or running water. Just a beautiful place to be.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTu5nL-9JYq6WXxI5cIeDGcM2aub8F3yveewOPDIR60pqPdrdXePfCN3w1-CcS9bQ4yC-nBNDx8Y9aL_yMoUzLHq_2hTBrQfyJHO0bW-YXy3II02rjASlaSnnrwvZgt7lUsn0NX8kP7xd2/s1600/cabin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTu5nL-9JYq6WXxI5cIeDGcM2aub8F3yveewOPDIR60pqPdrdXePfCN3w1-CcS9bQ4yC-nBNDx8Y9aL_yMoUzLHq_2hTBrQfyJHO0bW-YXy3II02rjASlaSnnrwvZgt7lUsn0NX8kP7xd2/s1600/cabin.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I was planning on doing a shakeout upon arrival, but I was beat from the drive, so went for a nice walk with Emily and Bruno while Charlie ran then we all enjoyed some wine in coffee mugs and took in the view.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjzs0VdzHUiF4mNKDk5nypxH5IX6NDrCbwFaSreIV3EvX3hTP0JbL3_GSoLBCXK6LrZsxCSFpjkt0ILG5W-Q3Yf39cOVhqriFBws6GFu1U7Lnb1RCrhJmXFdWulanr436BDUxG5XEK80Ys/s1600/Screen+shot+2014-08-28+at+9.00.05+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjzs0VdzHUiF4mNKDk5nypxH5IX6NDrCbwFaSreIV3EvX3hTP0JbL3_GSoLBCXK6LrZsxCSFpjkt0ILG5W-Q3Yf39cOVhqriFBws6GFu1U7Lnb1RCrhJmXFdWulanr436BDUxG5XEK80Ys/s1600/Screen+shot+2014-08-28+at+9.00.05+PM.png" height="320" width="318" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It is roughly 2,000 feet in Giles and there a lot of dirt roads and forests and it is really cool out all the time. Saturday we did a great tempo in the morning and, in the afternoon, a few easily miles on the road then jogged up to an overlook (photo above).</span><br />
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Happy. Just in my [short] shorts ...spitting, jumping, running -- that's the way to live." <a href="http://t.co/TGoORn1i2V">http://t.co/TGoORn1i2V</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">— Dickson Mercer (@dicksonmercer) <a href="https://twitter.com/dicksonmercer/statuses/501384645364424704">August 18, 2014</a></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Sunday we went long with the University of Richmond XC team - a run I'll remember for one of the most difficult climbs I've ever endured. Wish my watch hadn't run out of juice. Also, it was really cool meeting and getting to chat a bit with <a href="http://stevetaylor7.blogspot.com/">Coach Steve Taylor.</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>August 18 - 24</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>M</b> - 5.5</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>T</b> - AM 10 PM 6</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>W</b> - AM 4 PM 11 - Track: 10 by 800. 2:26, 25, 24, 24, 22, 22, 20 ... in over my head ... dropped at 600 ... 2:23</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Th</b> - 10</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>F</b> - 12</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>S </b>- 12, 30-minute tempo at Lehigh XC course</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>S</b> - 13 at Lehigh Parkway</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Total</b> - 83</span>Dickson Mercerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579504905041071151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5031162784579905884.post-56328517111794719482014-08-10T16:31:00.003-07:002014-08-11T04:10:29.485-07:00Training log: July 21 - August 10<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMkChY6zzQytlM9Cq3OkVh9N_1fKhkYEodDIL5jsayMrrnQNO3PYLseVnBTicqxK7jNYOH6dxJBWrXT034BhqNEoPo1HnfI_gGF1pVZFC1BUGcudZDJtkmv_DvE3NQUkES-v3umMa_GmBy/s1600/goinggreen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMkChY6zzQytlM9Cq3OkVh9N_1fKhkYEodDIL5jsayMrrnQNO3PYLseVnBTicqxK7jNYOH6dxJBWrXT034BhqNEoPo1HnfI_gGF1pVZFC1BUGcudZDJtkmv_DvE3NQUkES-v3umMa_GmBy/s1600/goinggreen.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>July 21 - 27</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>M </b>- off</span><br />
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<b>T</b> - 9<br />
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<b>W</b> - PM 7. DCRRC Track Champs. I had run the 3k here last summer in 9:02, but this year decided to tie it into my low-key mile tour. I was feeling a little run down, and I knew the race was going to be very fast. Luckily, I bumped into <a href="http://www.letsrun.com/news/2001/07/scott-andersons-journals-on-letsrun-com/">Scott Anderson</a>, who told me he was shooting for 4:30, so I just tucked in behind him. It was really hot, and the wind picked up a bunch right as we started (a storm was rolling in). I felt more comfortable than <a href="http://workingrunner.blogspot.com/2014/07/runwashington-marathon-edition-training.html">at Midsummer</a>, at least, and we went through right in 67. But then the second lap slowed to 70, and while I was able to move with the pack and pick it up on the third lap, the last lap, especially the last 150, was really rough. I tied up big time and seemed to be losing my mental tether to Planet Earth, as well. Another 4:36, and <a href="https://www.dcroadrunners.org/races/race-results/2014-results/2412-2014-dcrrc-track-championships-mile-heats.html">last in the heat</a>. Ouch. Anderson, who I enjoyed cooling down with, ran 4:28.<br />
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<b>Th</b> - 9<br />
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<b>F </b>- 8<br />
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<b>S</b> - 10. Tempo at Gallaudet Track. 4 miles, starting at 5:40 pace and cutting down to 5:15. 4 by 200 in 32-33. I love working out here, even if I have to run in lane 4.<br />
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Wrote that night about a <a href="http://www.runwashington.com/2014/07/27/fast-times-lots-neon-crystal-city-twilighter-5k/">very fast Crystal City Twilighter</a>.<br />
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<b>S</b> - 14, Large Animal Loop with Klim and Outlaw.<br />
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<i>Total</i> - 57<br />
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<i>July 28 - August 3</i><br />
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<b>M</b> - off<br />
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<b>T</b> - 11<br />
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<b>W</b> - PM 12. Met up with Luke. We ran out to Anacostia Park and did 20 by 1 min/off on the grass. This workout rocked.<br />
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<b>Th</b> - 10<br />
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<b>F</b> - 12<br />
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<b>S</b> - 11. Tempo with GRC at Cell Tower Field in Rockville. Roughly 6k at roughly 5:30ish pace. Jogged another 2k loop, then did 5 by 50 seconds before cooling down.<br />
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<b>S</b> - 14. From The Line with Sam, Charlie, Stefan.<br />
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<i>Total</i> - 70<br />
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<i>August 4 - 10 </i><br />
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<b>M</b> - AM 6.5 PM 4<br />
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<b>T</b> - 8, + hill sprints.<br />
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<b>W</b> - AM 4 PM 9. BCC Track. Just trying it turn it over and stay fresh. 6 by 600. Going through 400 in 73-75, starting out, and then striding through last 200, starting out in 35. Did last one in spikes and ran 68 and 32 feeling surprisingly smooth.<br />
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<b>Th </b>- 6, + strides<br />
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<b>F</b> - 8.5, + strides<br />
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<b>S</b> AM 3, + strides<br />
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PM 7. Going Green Track Meet. I felt really good going into this - a couple off days really helped, plus I had backed off the more-mile specific stuff. Basically, I was a lot fresher and my legs felt good.<br />
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Nicolas Crouzier, who rolled me the last lap at Midsummer, was there, but he had run the two-mile earlier, part of what would turn out to be a really nice double (9:42, 4:37).<br />
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I took it out, and, lacking confidence in shorter distances, took it out way too fast. (I always just figure I am going too slow.) Not positive on 400 split - but it was south of 65, for sure. I tried to <i>punch it</i> every 200, but with 400 left I was totally lactic - more lactic than I have been in many years. Last lap, I slowed down a lot, unfortunately, and was luckily to not get run down.<br />
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4:34. <a href="http://www.mcrrc.org/going-green-track-meet-2">Results</a>. Not quite what I wanted, but I feel good about the effort. Things are coming together.<br />
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<b>S</b> - 15. I went out to Edwards Ferry and was shredded from last night's race. I turned my watch off after a few miles and did a solitary Dueling Ferries loop (quite an experience going through "Kansas" solo, I'll say), then tacked on another 5 on the Towpath.<br />
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<i>Total</i> - 71<br />
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I'm turning now - reading wise - to Updike's "Rabbit, Run." Next up after that is <a href="http://www.attackonorleans.com/">Klim's debut: Attack on Orleans</a>.<br />
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I will say, I had kind of a blast reading <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Steve-Scott-Miler-Americas-Legendary/dp/0028616774">Steve Scott's autobiography by Marc Bloom</a>. Scott held the American record in the mile for 26-plus years, until Webb broke it, and has the record for total sub-4s, at 136.<br />
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Check him out here in "spanking" form, just missing the world record. Just a little more exciting, in my opinion, than Webb's American record-breaking run.<br />
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Growing up, my family went at least twice to see indoor track meets at the Meadowlands, including <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/1989/02/11/sports/track-o-sullivan-and-ivan-cruise-aouita-struggles.html">this one</a>, when Scott, late in his career, went toe to toe with Said Aouita and got outkicked but ended up with a 3,000 American indoor record, nonetheless. Afterward, my dad and I saw Scott sitting in the stands, not far from us, and got his autograph, which I need to dig up. (I remember that more clearly - I would have been 7 at the time - than the race. I also remember, generally, how everyone would stand up and go crazy during the last lap of a close race.)<br />
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The life of a pro miler was very different back then. Scott made his money by racing; on a good year he scrapped together a solid living, but he certainly wasn't getting rich, so to speak. Racing on Friday and Saturday was standard. He would go to Europe, for example, and just do the math: 15 races times his 2k appearance fee. (On one trip, he had 20 grand stolen from him right before he was about to fly home.)<br />
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There were a ton of meets back then. His training was intense: hammered all the time, 90-mile weeks, really intense speed work. And oftentimes, rather than rest between sessions, he would go out and play golf - leading to speed golf! He also talks about how this worked in his mid 20s but how he had to start making serious changes to keep running well in his 30s. The point: I got some ideas there, for sure, and I am looking forward to applying them.<br />
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I have two weeks here to do some solid training, then I actually have a string of races, three weekends in a row: my alumni XC race, the Press Club 5k (for fun; I've been to some events there lately), and then the Navy-Air Force 5 Miler. Then, with Club XC coming up, and with hopes of running well at 5k and 10k in the spring, I'll need to add in the strength to complement this early phase of speed development. I'll have to make sure, though, that - and Scott's book really brings this home for me - that I don't just start running 85 to 95 a week while still doing the same level of intensity. This has been a mistake I have been making too often the last few years. The key, then, will be to drop a hard session and, to stay sharp, be really diligent about doing strides almost every day. If I write this down, maybe I'll actually follow through with it! <br />
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<br />Dickson Mercerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579504905041071151noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5031162784579905884.post-71412345297661713972014-07-21T05:26:00.005-07:002014-07-21T05:31:35.804-07:00RunWashington Marathon Edition & Training June 30 - July 20<div class="issuuembed" data-configid="0/8571483" style="height: 334px; width: 525px;">
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<b> June 30 - July 6</b><br />
M - 7<br />
T - 10<br />
W - 10 - Track: 2 by 1600 in 5:12, 5:08. 8 by 400 in 70 down to 67. Very hot.<br />
Th - 10<br />
F - 12<br />
S - 8<br />
S - 15<br />
<i>Total</i> - 72<br />
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<b>July 7-13 </b><br />
M - 8<br />
T - 10<br />
W - 5, 5<br />
Th - 6<br />
F - 7, Midsummer Night's Mile: 7th, 4:36<br />
S - 13.5, with group from store<br />
S - 10 on towpath<br />
<i>Total</i> - 64.5<br />
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<b>July 14-20</b><br />
M - 7, with 10 hill sprints<br />
T - 9, 4<br />
W - 5, 8. Track: 2K in 6:17, 3 by 600 in ~1:40; 4 by 300 in 47-48<br />
Th - 7, 5<br />
F - 10<br />
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S - 12. One of my favorite training spots: <a href="http://connect.garmin.com/activity/544780119">Frederick Watershed</a>. All dirt roads. Nice and cool. You climb 1000 feet in first four miles then gradually descend the next 5. With Charlie and Luke. Finished with six uphill strides.<br />
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S - 9. Gallaudet Track: 1600 in 5:08 (having to two run around anti-jogging gates out to lane four in two spots) and 8 by 200, with last 4 in spikes. Was hitting about 33 seconds, focusing on trying to run more relaxed while running "fast"<br />
<i>Total</i> - 76
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/UeKhr3PpEaw" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Dickson Mercerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579504905041071151noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5031162784579905884.post-80355532258537932972014-06-29T13:05:00.002-07:002014-07-01T08:25:54.083-07:00Training Since Boston<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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After Boston, I took the customary week off and basically trained
moderately: 30 to 60 minute runs, a couple Sundays and Fridays in the
90-minute range, and a few workouts (helping Patrick keep his
sub-5-minute-mile streak going comes to mind). I raced the three-mile <a href="http://www.capitalchallenge.com/">Capital Challenge</a>
on May 21, a Wednesday morning, for a work team. Then, on Saturday, as
is becoming tradition, I raced the <a href="http://www.springlake5.org/">Spring Lake 5</a> and finished 7th in
26:56.<br />
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The next week we went on vacation and I took six days off that refreshed me and got me interested in doing the training again.<br />
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Over the next year the focus for me will be the mile to 10k. I'm excited to switch it up.<br />
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Below is my training since my last break (still building).<br />
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<b>June 2 - 8</b><br />
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M - 5<br />
T - 7<br />
W - 7<br />
Th - 8<br />
F - 9.5<br />
S - 9<br />
S - 10<br />
<i>Total</i> - 55<br />
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<b>June 9-15</b><br />
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M - 7, with 10 hill sprints at Lang and Bladensburg (the rep is about 25 seconds)<br />
T - Blew it<br />
W - AM 5 PM 10 ... 5 by 1200: 3:55, 3:49, 3:45, 3:45, 3:47<br />
T - 8<br />
F - 10.5, CHDP<br />
S
- 10 ... Workout with Luke, who was doing 6 by 1k, and Outlaw. 3 by 600
in 1:48, 1:47, 1:46; 3 by 400 in 68s; 6 by 100 strides.<br />
S - 13<br />
<i>Total</i> - 63<br />
<br />
<b>June 16-22</b><br />
<br />
M - 7, with 10 hill sprints<br />
T - 9.5<br />
W - 9, 100 degrees out for 1600 in 5:03, 4 by 800 in 2:29, 29, 28, 27<br />
Th - 8<br />
F - 11.5, CHDP<br />
S - 11, Ridge Road in Charlottesville. Hilly. Did 8,6,4,2 with half the rest of previous interval.<br />
S - 12<br />
<i>Total</i> - 68<br />
<br />
<b>June 23-29</b><br />
M - 8, with 10 hill sprints<br />
T - 10<br />
W - AM 4 PM 10 ... 6 by 1k: 3:10, 10, 7, 6, 9.<br />
Th - 8<br />
F - 12, CHDP<br />
S - 10, with 8 diagonals on soccer field. NJ.<br />
S - 10, with 10 by 2 min on/1 min off on dirt road. Little down one way, little up the other.<br />
<i>Total</i> - 73<br />
<br />
My first race is the Midsummer Night's Mile on July 11th.Dickson Mercerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579504905041071151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5031162784579905884.post-89763356612881314262014-04-26T06:13:00.001-07:002014-04-26T06:19:41.165-07:00Boston Marathon 2014<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">April 14 - 21</span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i><b>
M</b> - 8</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>T</b> - AM 5 PM 5, gym</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>W</b> - 9 - 3 miles on track in 16:50 (5:38)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Th</b> - 7</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>F </b>- 6</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>S</b> - 5, with Adrian in Boston</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>S</b> - 4, with Todd - out and back from the starting line</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
Me # 918 & Dix # 393, Boston shake out complete. <a href="http://t.co/w8Ne4YvJoS">pic.twitter.com/w8Ne4YvJoS</a><br />
— Todd Lippin (@liprides) <a href="https://twitter.com/liprides/statuses/457962903694761984">April 20, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<h2>
<br />
<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Monday, April 21, Boston Marathon:</b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> 2:38:37, 254th. </span></h2>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I think I captured my feelings about the race pretty well in <a href="http://americanmag.blogs.american.edu/2014/04/22/boston-strong/">what I wrote to Mike Unger</a>, a writer for American Magazine.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Everything up until 17, actually, could not have been better. Up in Boston, I was feeling really relaxed. Race morning was great. A group of us met up at the buses, and then we even got to chill at Reaves' father-in-law's house in Hopkinton rather than sit on the ground in the athletes village. They announced the temperature at the start as 54 degrees, with a tailwind. The sun was warm, but I figured we'd feel great once we got moving. The opening mile was pretty jammed; I didn't force it. Mile 2 I started to settle into a rhythm, and from there I was running relaxed, feeling like I was holding back. Around 10k, I linked up with Reaves, who ran a new pr of 2:29, and when he started to pull away around 13, I didn't want to force myself to go with him; I could tell he was having a great day. Plus, he has a very, very strong record at Boston. I knew I just had to run my own race - until 17, when it all unraveled.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I do believe I was in 2:28-2:32 shape. I really do. Along those lines, going through the half in 1:14-flat or so was according to plan, and I did it without at any point seeing a slow split and thinking, uh oh, better pick it up. Twice, rather, I saw fast splits, south of 5:30, and pumped the brakes a bit. That said, had I understood that the conditions were not exactly perfect, as advertised, as we all thought, would I have gone out a bit slower? Maybe. I also think I would have run slower, too - because nothing I have ever done to beat warm conditions has ever worked. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It is a frustrating thing, truthfully - the unraveling - but not because it results in a slower time than I had initially hoped. It is frustrating because I am not able to run the marathon the way I want to - to really celebrate it, in a sense. That feeling that sets in during the back half when things get tough. And you start throwing your chips in. And then 20 comes, and it's gloves off, and you're running all out, as hard as you can, to maintain a pace that two hours earlier - when you were fresh, when the adrenaline was pumping - felt almost like a jog. In just two and a half hours or so, it's like you go on this wild spending spree, throwing down months and months and months of training.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">That is how you run the marathon. And when I run the marathon that way, no matter the time, I am happy. But lately - my last three, actually - it feels as if my body just shuts down on me; it won't let me do it. Is it random? Is it something physical? I don't know. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This year, the sun did affect me. The medics had to scoop me up at the finish. And during the long walk to the family meet-up area, one after another kept coming up to me and suggesting I visit a medical tent. But how much was the sun? I'll never know - and frankly, I don't plan to dwell on it, either. I am going to focus the next year on the 10k. In 2015, I'll look to strike again at 26.2 on a flat-and-fast course on a cold day. In the shorter term, I will recover, race the Spring Lake 5 in a few weeks, and then take another week off. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Boston, for three years in a row now, has both humbled and inspired me; it has been nothing less than an emotional roller coaster. I love the race, the city, the people. So darn much. There's nothing like it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">My cousin Anna took this photo of me at 22. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvOg1n6lNbUwmyZsBtKGnXXNN5qKsa8IJHGnB7RKqGTTKrCmyUfNu51hZV68y7AaJ-t5YnHoPJbk-tDA82_8BKiXKZWwIFruAGLKH9rz-Bf8ejnz89KZNJ4l3j6lBPx9Y2ZkXgpZ7iwq37/s1600/dm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvOg1n6lNbUwmyZsBtKGnXXNN5qKsa8IJHGnB7RKqGTTKrCmyUfNu51hZV68y7AaJ-t5YnHoPJbk-tDA82_8BKiXKZWwIFruAGLKH9rz-Bf8ejnz89KZNJ4l3j6lBPx9Y2ZkXgpZ7iwq37/s1600/dm.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>Dickson Mercerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579504905041071151noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5031162784579905884.post-29243622609461505742014-04-15T04:20:00.001-07:002014-04-26T05:17:01.145-07:00Boston Training Week #15<i>April 7 - 13</i><br />
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<b>M</b> -9<br />
<br />
<b>T</b> - 9<br />
<br />
<b>W</b> - 10 -Track - 3 by 1600 with 400 rest: 5:01, 5:00, 5:01<br />
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<b>Th</b> - 6<br />
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<b>F </b>- 9, Cap Hill Distance Project<br />
<br />
<b>S</b> - 7<br />
<br />
<b>S</b> - 13. <a href="http://jakeklim.blogspot.com/2014/04/the-return-of-snakes.html">Met Jake at Riley's Lock</a>. Picked it up last few miles on the towpath: ~5:45, 5:30, 5:24<br />
<br />
<b>Total</b> - 63<br />
<br />
One year ago ... As I type this, listening to <a href="http://www.npr.org/2014/04/15/303172333/boston-to-pay-tribute-to-victims-of-last-years-bombing">this</a> on NPR.<br />
<br />
<b>"We Will Finish the Race"
</b><iframe frameborder="0" height="224" src="http://www.sportsonearth.com/shared/video/embed/embed.html?content_id=32073955&width=400&height=224&property=soe" width="400">Your browser does not support iframes.</iframe>Dickson Mercerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579504905041071151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5031162784579905884.post-68856189020248213452014-04-08T04:27:00.001-07:002014-04-08T04:28:15.629-07:00Boston Training Week #14In early January, as I was ramping up my training for Boston, American Magazine contacted me to see if I would be interested in doing an interview and photograph for the "This I Know" feature. The staff was awesome to work with. I was really grateful to be able to share what's driving me in my preparation. Check it out in the viewer below.<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="384px" src="https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/embed/8AMgQnHS6AFOIWTN" width="512px"></iframe>
<br />
<i><br /></i><i>March 31 - April 6</i><br />
<br />
<b>M</b> - AM 5 PM 7<br />
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<b>T</b> - AM 8 PM 5<br />
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<b>W</b> - PM 13 - Track - Yasso 800s: 10 by 800 with 400 rest. 2:34, 2:34, 2:31, 2:30, 2:27, 2:25, 2:23, 2:23, 2:24, 2:23. Average of 2:27. Good to see the turnover come back.<br />
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<b>Th</b> - 8<br />
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<b>F</b> - 10<br />
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<b>S</b> - <a href="http://connect.garmin.com/activity/475913689">18</a>, comfortable, windy<br />
<br />
<b>S </b>- 11<br />
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Total - 85Dickson Mercerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579504905041071151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5031162784579905884.post-32070230047046002092014-03-31T11:24:00.000-07:002014-04-01T12:20:22.305-07:00Boston Training Week #13<i>March 24-30</i><br />
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<b>M</b> - AM 5 PM 9, with Luke and Charlie<br />
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<b>T</b> - AM 7 PM 6, gym<br />
<br />
<b>W</b> - PM, track, 14: 4 by 3,200 with 400 rest (~2 min) at GRC workout with Patrick. Cold and very windy. 11:00, 10:54, 10:49, 10:44.<br />
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<b>Th</b> - AM 10 PM 5, gym<br />
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<b>F</b> - 12, with Capitol Hill Distance Project<br />
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<b>S </b>- 11, on towpath in the rain with Patrick, Breezy, and Justin.<br />
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<b>S</b> - 27: AM 3 WU, <a href="http://connect.garmin.com/activity/470713404">17-mile tempo</a>, 2 CD. PM 5 with Luke in the rain and the snow.<br />
<br />
<b>Total</b> - 106<br />
<br />
There was a part of the workout Sunday where I was thinking of pulling the plug on it: not because I was feeling bad or having a hard time, but because the weather - as Charlie's <a href="http://www.runwashington.com/2014/03/31/reston-marathon-runners-withstand-sampling-weather/">story about the Reston Marathon</a> attests - was really frustrating and limiting. <br />
<br />
Emily planned to join me on a bike so I would have some company and could practice fueling and drinking. We chose a start time of 10 a.m., allowing time for good rest, breakfast, and so she could get her own run in. For the route, the plan was out-and-backing it along the Anacostia River bike trail.<br />
<br />
During the warm-up it seemed like maybe we were sneaking it in at a good time. As we got rolling with the workout, though, it started raining really hard. The path was water-soaked and the wind chilled us to the bone; I thought of my buddy Patrick Reaves winning the City of Oaks Marathon back in 2009 in conditions described on the GRC blog as a "cold, wet hell."<br />
<br />
In the opening mile I stopped to tiptoe over a fallen tree limb. When I saw the grass around the big puddles was no better, I just splashed through them instead. As we crossed over the bridge into Anacostia River Park, the wind stonewalled us and I made an on-the-fly detour to get around some ankle-deep water. Emily, I could tell, was frozen; I had to get her back home, and I slowed for a little while so we could discuss our options. We turned around, and I got her back to the RFK parking lot, a spot she knew how to get back to our place from. (No gels or water were consumed at any time during this run.)<br />
<br />
While my venue was a bust, it was my only option. Turning into Northeast and its stoplights and all that would have been much worse. So, I ran literally as hard as I could across the RFK parking lot, sprinting against the wind, bound for more cold, wet hell. I was like 9 miles into the tempo, thought of pulling the plug, but decided just to accept the conditions and continue running hard.<br />
<br />
It was strange. I never got tired, exactly - but it was kind of frustrating to be gunning it and keep seeing high 5s or, when the wind was really bad, low 6s. Not wanting to end with a 6-plus-minute mile, I ran an extra in 5:56 to close out 17 with a 5:58 average. I don't like the mystery. I do like, on the other hand, that I ran hard for 1:41. <br />
<br />Dickson Mercerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579504905041071151noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5031162784579905884.post-21565880751937664162014-03-24T10:46:00.002-07:002014-03-24T10:52:03.264-07:00Boston Training Weeks 11 & 12 <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3tFrhn2xrpBlBF9drNoQPmdUPKku5Ct1DyzUv5DJr2TUHYZ0ykTyDA-mZbFX2rIwLaL_Hh5gZCj1h1ViMXv9WGl2yhz9L8UytMU5e6tOpTRzBqTTy-Q3OV-XthdktZ8A_SSqIT-eWFFtu/s1600/dmrnr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3tFrhn2xrpBlBF9drNoQPmdUPKku5Ct1DyzUv5DJr2TUHYZ0ykTyDA-mZbFX2rIwLaL_Hh5gZCj1h1ViMXv9WGl2yhz9L8UytMU5e6tOpTRzBqTTy-Q3OV-XthdktZ8A_SSqIT-eWFFtu/s1600/dmrnr.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>March 10 - 23</i><br />
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<b>M</b> - AM 5 PM 5, gym<br />
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<b>T</b> - 11, with 6 by 3 min on, 2 min off on Mall <br />
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<b>W</b> - 14<br />
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<b>Th</b> - AM 7 PM 5<br />
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<b>F</b> - 9, strides<br />
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<b>S</b> - 18 - DC Half Marathon, 1:14:40, 16th place: In the few minutes before the race went off, I realized, up until that very moment, I hadn't really thought about my own race. My thoughts, up until that point, had been race day logistics: Emily was running her first marathon and our parents were visiting, including my Dad who was running the half.<br />
<br />
The one thought I had about it was that I wanted to give it a hard run - faster than goal marathon pace - 1:12s, say - but I could tell early in the week that the race might end up being more of a goal MP run. The last few weeks, as I have rebounded from the tendon strain, I have entered what I believe is a very positive marathon grind - the kind in which I am tired, but not too, too tired. Warming up, I felt very sluggish, and what I experienced in the race was the feeling of very good fitness paired with turnover that perhaps just isn't any better than it needs to be. This is the purest marathon shape I have been in in many years, and I am excited to ride it out to Boston to run rested and fearlessly. <a href="http://connect.garmin.com/activity/461477930">Watch splits</a> show I was decent on the flats but not grinding through the hills very well. <br />
<br />
But what an awesome weekend. Dad, 58, was 6th in his age group, and Emily, well, she just hit it out of the park.<br />
<br />
As a coach, she made it very simple for me. We decided early on - based on her previous half marathons, the time she could commit to training, and the type of experience she wanted to have - that sub-four-hours was a good goal. Early in her training, I discovered that sub-four pace, under 9 minutes per mile, was more or less her training pace. That eliminated any need for speed work, so we just settled into a solid Monday to Saturday routine and gradually lengthened her Sundays (she worked up to about 22 in 3:15).<br />
<br />
Our plan to take the guess-work out of the pacing and run with the 3:55 pace group was foiled before the race even started. She seeded herself at 4:00, and the 3:55 team was two corrals ahead. So she did it alone, getting out a bit quicker than planned and running tough in the 20s. I saw her at mile 12, outside of our place, and she was just cruising along, smiling. Then we all went over to see her at 19, where I ran with her for a couple minutes until she was about to cross the bridge to Anacostia. She was really focused and tough; I knew then she would get it done.<br />
<br />
3:56:49.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMWnNwWxARgpUZU-dkKQZ2ZHtlJQKZ-nCCEjVQa_pDvRKAQq0Rm1RB4MoejIEoHouJS1TSczz5pykGb1XHjYuzLJfch6aTCS2IPLX8zie3T4ugH7SW8jsH3KxyfsoenDXxDVTPc6pO1zfS/s1600/d&e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMWnNwWxARgpUZU-dkKQZ2ZHtlJQKZ-nCCEjVQa_pDvRKAQq0Rm1RB4MoejIEoHouJS1TSczz5pykGb1XHjYuzLJfch6aTCS2IPLX8zie3T4ugH7SW8jsH3KxyfsoenDXxDVTPc6pO1zfS/s1600/d&e.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a></div>
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<b>S</b> - AM 10 PM 8<br />
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<b>Total</b> - 92<br />
<br />
--- <br />
<br />
<b>M</b> - AM 8 PM 6<br />
<br />
<b>T </b>- 11 - 7 easy. Changed shoes and did 6 by 600 in neighborhood - up a hill, down a hill - with 90 seconds rest.<br />
<br />
<b>W</b> - <a href="http://connect.garmin.com/activity/466590961">15, steady</a><br />
<br />
<b>Th</b> - AM 8 PM 5, gym<br />
<br />
<b>F</b> - 12, with Capitol Hill Distance Project. <br />
<br />
<b>S</b> - 20. Met up with Patrick at The Line. We did 10 in about 72 minutes, changed shoes, and did a 10-mile tempo on Beach Drive on the same course we on Feb. 15: 4.3 out from the Line to the Pierce Mill gate and 4.3 back, then add on.<br />
<br />
<i>February 15</i>: 5:54, 40, 46, 46, 46, 6:00, 5:51, 6:05, 6:03, 6:04 - 58:55<br />
<i>March 22</i>: 5:46, 5:37, 5:41, 5:36, 5:42, 6:02, 5:52, 6:12, 6:05, 6:11 - 58:41<br />
<br />
It felt a lot different than the last time, when my legs were fresh but I was breathing hard. On Saturday I felt really controlled cardiovascularly but my legs were heavy, and I had a hard time getting them to move the last few miles after Patrick turned off. Afterward, the only thing I am scrutinizing is footwear, as I didn't seem to be getting the support I needed for my foot in the adidas adizero flats: they're either too worn down and need to be replaced ... or I need a little more in the heel. Good to learn this now rather than a month from now.<br />
<br />
<b>S</b> - 15 - Ran with Charlie and Beth at Burke Lake. I planned to stop at 10 if I was tired, but felt fine and continued on.<br />
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Total - 100 Dickson Mercerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579504905041071151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5031162784579905884.post-51135802297344758642014-03-11T18:34:00.001-07:002014-03-11T18:36:21.396-07:00Boston Training Week #10<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">March 3 - 9</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">M - 8, snow wiped out afternoon run</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">T - AM 8 PM gym, 6</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">W - AM 6 PM 10 Track: 2 by 2k in 6:23, 6:20; 2 by 1k in 3:03, 3:08. Skipped last 2 by 1k. Rusty with these paces, but got what I needed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #222222;">Th - 9, no real signs of fatigue from track workout. PM Celebrated Emily's successful dissertation defense.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">F - 12, Capitol Hill Distance Project</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">S - 11, drove out to Pierce Mill with Luke, who was doing a workout. Ran with him for awhile and linked up with Jake and Tex, too. Out and back and such on Beach; beautiful day. Did 10 by 20 seconds on/40 seconds off during last two miles. PM 6 with Luke and Hilary in the neighborhood, out to Kingman Island.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">S - 18, back to Poolesville: Sycamore Landing. <a href="http://connect.garmin.com/activity/458064254">Steady hilly run</a> with Jake, Tex, and Kieran. Felt great, though my foot acted up the last few miles when I wanted to push, much like last week. There continues to be a line. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Total - 94</span></div>
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Dickson Mercerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579504905041071151noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5031162784579905884.post-72042570153594073642014-03-03T16:24:00.002-08:002014-03-06T17:29:21.255-08:00Boston Training Week #9<i>February 24 - March 2</i><br />
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M - AM 6, around Lincoln Park. PM gym, 6 on treadmill<br />
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W - PM 15, with Patrick, Matty, Kerry<br />
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Th - AM 5 ... had a PM run planned but had to skip it<br />
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F - 13, with Capitol Hill Distance Project<br />
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S - 14.5 <a href="http://connect.garmin.com/activity/453307322">Tempo</a>. Started at The Line in Rock Creek Park with Charlie and we ran the 4.3 miles down to the Pierce Mill gate, where we met Evan and Balmer. Plan was a six-mile tempo, out and back on Beach, at 5:25 pace, with a little bit of an incline early and downhill late.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTcjV-ATEdHbLE3yx5vmBYj8FVKD37Aln1HbRrB3hYRxOSmcwBwuROpvPlJC4Mxk18hvzFHthSe66mtBWK3e47l9I0Chs-lJv8rHah5l_-faZ1dd1CH7ujit4YZrSmYDwK6JuZmSGYxkTN/s1600/Screen+shot+2014-03-03+at+7.08.49+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTcjV-ATEdHbLE3yx5vmBYj8FVKD37Aln1HbRrB3hYRxOSmcwBwuROpvPlJC4Mxk18hvzFHthSe66mtBWK3e47l9I0Chs-lJv8rHah5l_-faZ1dd1CH7ujit4YZrSmYDwK6JuZmSGYxkTN/s1600/Screen+shot+2014-03-03+at+7.08.49+PM.png" height="133" width="320" /></a></div>
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After about a mile and a half we started to split up, with Charlie gapping us. By the turnaround, we were all about even, but on the way back we started to spread out: Balmer, Charlie, Evan, me. I wasn't able to hit the hoped-for pace but ran pretty steady and was happy with the workout.<br />
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5:37, 5:41, 5:36, 5:41, 5:33, 5:41 - ~33:45<br />
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S - 21 - I returned to the Line and ran with Luke, Jake, and Outlaw. Did Stefan's loop, where, starting from the Line, you head up to Georgetown Branch, go down the CCT, back up the Rock Creek Parkway trail, pass the Pierce Mill gate, and continue up Beach. When feeling good, I like to approach marathon pace after I pass the Pierce Mill gate. And I did feel good, energy-wise, but my foot started rebelling, sort of recoiling every 6 to 10 steps. I iced it afterward and it felt fine today. I guess I just asked a bit too much of it this weekend. I will do this route one more time before Boston and make it 22.<br />
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Total - 90Dickson Mercerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579504905041071151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5031162784579905884.post-63203604553527217352014-02-23T15:25:00.000-08:002014-02-24T10:38:53.229-08:00Boston Training Week #8<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUW3ahwP7S6Ut6QCCohPzPANrl4p5_IRo1DxktCFVtYBhe12ihnW0NO3eFKH-m8-qCfj3JQ_HTgv07D-eJ7R1glDpjb_z98XVGk_Jt5YU37710Un6vZ9K8nZ78KXBOv24QJyHtIn3jgaMF/s1600/dmrrcaclubchallenge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUW3ahwP7S6Ut6QCCohPzPANrl4p5_IRo1DxktCFVtYBhe12ihnW0NO3eFKH-m8-qCfj3JQ_HTgv07D-eJ7R1glDpjb_z98XVGk_Jt5YU37710Un6vZ9K8nZ78KXBOv24QJyHtIn3jgaMF/s1600/dmrrcaclubchallenge.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b> </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">February 16-23</span></i> </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>M</b> - 8 with Charlie before departing Westmoreland State Park</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>T</b> - AM 8, felt tired still from <a href="http://connect.garmin.com/activity/445536704">Saturday workout</a>. Noon: Gym. PM: <a href="http://archive.org/search.php?query=creator:%22Ratdog%22%20date:2014-02-18*">Bob Weir</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>W</b> - PM 13.5 ... met up with Patrick and Evan on the hill and we ran down to Hains Points for a <a href="http://connect.garmin.com/activity/450137486">3-mile pickup</a>. Felt great on the D.C. side heading out but boy did we get crushed by wind after we made the turn. Took turns sharing the lead, running single-file. 30 minutes after the pickup I did two pretty forgettable mile pickups in the neighborhood, then jogged it in.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Th </b>- AM 10 with Patrick and Evan</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>F</b> - 11 - met up with Capitol Hill Distance Project</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>S </b>- 9. I had a really busy week at work (with a Bob Weir show tossed in, </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">to be fair</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">). Even after a good night's sleep on Friday, I was still feeling really rundown: had a cold coming on, had inflammation creeping back into the foot. I got going with a new pair of Brooks Ghost 6. For months, I had been ordering the Ghost 5 (a shoe I really like) online because I tried the 6 once and wasn't a fan. Now the 5 is getting pretty hard to find - 'Maybe the last one was just a dud,' I thought. Nope; my foot felt terrible. So, after a block, I returned to my place, put on a 5 and carried on, feeling much, much better. Except, I still didn't really feel like running. In short, I was complaining a lot. Then ... I bumped into Luke, who has the best, most easy-going attitude ever (made the Olympic Trials, too) and his girlfriend Hilary. We ran past RFK and looped around Kingman Island for a while. All was suddenly well.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>S </b>- AM 17 - We took a GRC crew for the first time to the <a href="http://www.striders.net/races/rrca/2014">RRCA Club Challenge</a> in Columbia, Md. It was the first time we had ever fielded a team for this and we all really enjoyed the way it was both kind of low key with some fun club competition thrown in. Plus, it's a very tough course and great for some hard training. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVeenJmlTd63bx7J-GbhO_EBjg_NkIXkkkjruLd83DJ9XJQ9dzijAu7T736dVlDayNOljtp5Icxbna6_G-Ht0q8-he0Ir0INn3WFWtrTP-e73z18N2V9ru-Kewefi5ENQalJrH4VqTB45p/s1600/Screen+shot+2014-02-23+at+3.34.18+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVeenJmlTd63bx7J-GbhO_EBjg_NkIXkkkjruLd83DJ9XJQ9dzijAu7T736dVlDayNOljtp5Icxbna6_G-Ht0q8-he0Ir0INn3WFWtrTP-e73z18N2V9ru-Kewefi5ENQalJrH4VqTB45p/s1600/Screen+shot+2014-02-23+at+3.34.18+PM.png" height="113" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Luke led the way for us: We were 1, 4, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 19, 55, 68. In the overall, which includes 9 scorers, we </span><a href="http://www.striders.net/public/races/rrca/2014/2014.rrca.10m.men_overall.pdf" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">lost to Falls Road by a point </a><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">. In a different division with 4 scorers (1-39), </span><a href="http://www.striders.net/public/races/rrca/2014/2014.rrca.10m.1_39_men.pdf" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">we won with 22 points</a><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTKVUh-rFdpPlO41aY5QdsqS4-f_4MMC5V5-_9DKbDrG7APdD6xhzy20t2S58TECbRg9ZBqtH2EW_Yi59O_ZpZHUH9trHZbRP5E24-e1DWq2NCMxRqhEAoy09kBfrLgWtQSbekrinPJNrL/s1600/mgf_1275+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTKVUh-rFdpPlO41aY5QdsqS4-f_4MMC5V5-_9DKbDrG7APdD6xhzy20t2S58TECbRg9ZBqtH2EW_Yi59O_ZpZHUH9trHZbRP5E24-e1DWq2NCMxRqhEAoy09kBfrLgWtQSbekrinPJNrL/s1600/mgf_1275+(1).jpg" height="211" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">My goal was to get some more marathon work in and I mostly accomplished what I set out to do. The rolling course had a faster opening half. Working with Patrick, I went through 5 miles in 27:30 - about 30 seconds faster than planned - feeling very comfortable, then tried to pick it up. I felt in control, and, maybe because I was able to pull away from the people around me, felt like I really was picking it up. Turns out, I wasn't, perhaps partially because I started moving on a hill. Nonetheless, I felt pretty good out there, like I always had something extra in the tank, which leads me to believe I am moving in a solid direction. Patrick pulled up next to me in the last half mile and we ran the rest of the way together, finishing 11th and 12th in 56:37 - 2:28 marathon pace. I'm glad that, with Boston coming, I am doing a lot of my harder running on up-and-down terrain. I love surging a little on the gradual downhills, but steep ups and downs are still trouble for me. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">These are the splits I had: 5:25, 5:32, 5:42, 5:41, 5:32, 5:53, 5:34, 5:55, 5:48, 5:41.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">PM - 6 easy with Luke.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Total - 83 </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The 8 days off (two lost weeks, essentially, since it started on a Thursday) have certainly thrown a wrench into things. I missed some key workouts and, with 8 weeks left, haven't cracked 90 MPW. Still, I feel fine with where I am right now - I just need to really focus, stay healthy, and do things right the next five weeks before taper hits. At DC RnR, in three weeks, I think I'll need to give it a good hard run and get a brutally honest assessment of my fitness. A couple light track workouts, I can tell, will do me good right now. I'll also, i</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">f the marathon gods will it,</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> will work in 16 at goal MP after RnR - three weeks out from Boston.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">---</span><br />
<i style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></i>
<i style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">After every race, the first thing d’Elia did was to remove her shoes and thank her feet for taking care of her. Then she would have a beer. She enjoyed introducing running to first-timers, teaching them to love the sport first before getting competitive. She viewed running as a friendship that requires nurturing.</i><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>“I view running as a necessary tool to help get me through life, so I do everything I can to nurture it, take care of it, and appreciate it. I want to hold on to my friend for as long as I live.” --- </i><a href="http://www.runnersworld.com/general-interest/first-woman-over-50-to-break-300-in-marathon-dies">Runner's World's obituary of </a></span><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><a href="http://www.runnersworld.com/general-interest/first-woman-over-50-to-break-300-in-marathon-dies">Toshiko d’Elia</a>, the first woman over 50 to break three hours in the marathon.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia;"> </span></div>
Dickson Mercerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579504905041071151noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5031162784579905884.post-48265944221614147782014-02-16T11:49:00.000-08:002014-02-18T03:55:18.490-08:00Boston Training Week #7<b>Feb. 10 - 16</b><br />
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<b>M </b>- AM 45 PM gym</div>
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<b>T</b> - AM 65 PM gym</div>
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<b>W</b> - AM 70 PM gym</div>
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<b>Th</b> - Snow. Took it as a sign to rest my foot, which wasn't feeling great.</div>
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<b>F</b> - 5 on treadmill. Foot felt a lot better.</div>
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<b>S</b> - 16 with <a href="http://connect.garmin.com/activity/445536704">10-mile tempo</a>: For the tempo, I ran with Patrick, Evan, and Matty from The Line on Beach to Pierce Mills gates and back, then added on about 1.4. Good venue for this: not too hard, not too easy, and tougher - climbing a bit - coming back, with a big hill around 8. It was great to be back with my training partners; Evan and Patrick helped pull me through the last four miles. Good training partners are everything. It was cold and snowing, so the road was slick. I did this in trainers.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPXpSpDTMtWyG0fPjGDyb1u8ETA8fi-ZUYo5ox8AtpDEqezrEiZq-dzAzUIY66lZxGPDhTRkLNjGBJQvl8Q4OPcGSqhjLdBv9HOdJv3FGRgVUWlsHVdJC_JM0LCjEiKiwOtQs_5kt8z67k/s1600/Screen+shot+2014-02-18+at+6.51.50+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPXpSpDTMtWyG0fPjGDyb1u8ETA8fi-ZUYo5ox8AtpDEqezrEiZq-dzAzUIY66lZxGPDhTRkLNjGBJQvl8Q4OPcGSqhjLdBv9HOdJv3FGRgVUWlsHVdJC_JM0LCjEiKiwOtQs_5kt8z67k/s1600/Screen+shot+2014-02-18+at+6.51.50+AM.png" height="110" width="320" /></a></div>
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5:54, 40, 46, 46, 46, 6:00, 5:51, 6:05, 6:03, 6:04. I felt smooth early and had to really work late. Coming off eight missed days, I will take it and am glad I was able to get it done. Iced afterward and was very pleased to not feel any soreness or inflammation as the day went on - with the tendon, that is.</div>
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<b>Sun</b> - 12 in 84 minutes with Charlie on the roads near Westmoreland State Park in Montrose, VA. Out here with friends renting a couple cabins. I was tired today from the workout but my foot felt good!<br />
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This was still a very low mileage week but I was able to execute the plan, which was to be really careful working back into training but also get back in the flow by doing the week's main workout. (Originally I planned to do a little track work on Wednesday, but skipped that.) Tuesday and Wednesday, I was pretty frustrated by how the tendon was feeling; the soreness seemed to be creeping back. The day off and an easy Friday seemed to help a lot.</div>
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Saturday and Sunday helped flip the switch mentally: feeling much more positive. The week coming up was originally designed as a down week, and it looks right to me for this stage of the game. Now, I hope, I can get back on schedule and put in 5-6 solid weeks. Sunday I have the RRCA 10 miler and I will look to run the first half at MP and see if I can pick it up. Also, I saw Dr. Pribut again on Friday and he gave me some strengthening exercises to start doing. Evan had some good ideas there as well. </div>
Dickson Mercerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579504905041071151noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5031162784579905884.post-27746638186744899902014-02-11T04:06:00.001-08:002014-02-11T05:41:41.315-08:00Boston Training Week #6<i>February 3 - 9</i><br />
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Monday to Thursday I wore a boot and also applied a <a href="http://www.voltarengel.com/consumer/default.aspx">topical gel called Voltaren</a> in the mornings and evenings. By Wednesday, my foot was feeling a lot better: I could walk around normally during the few minutes after I woke up when I didn't have the boot on. Monday and Tuesday, I didn't take a step without it.<br />
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<b>F</b> - 30 minutes. I could feel the area a little bit but it didn't get worse during the first 30 minutes. Was it inflamed or weak? The eight days off did me no favors.<br />
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<b>Sat</b> - 45 minutes. Feeling a little better.<br />
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<b>Sun</b> - 60 minutes. Emily and I went to Burke Lake, where the guys trained a week earlier, and I felt like I was running again. While Emily finished her long run (~22 in 3:15; this will be her longest run for DC RnR), I read the entire New York Times and made a sandwich and Swiss bakery run. (No, Ryan McGrath, faithful reader, I did not run <i>on</i> the ice.)<br />
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I am not entirely in the clear yet. Monday, I woke up, after a whole day feeling fine, and the foot didn't feel great.<br />
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I can't wait around for it to be perfect. I can't just ignore it, either.Dickson Mercerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579504905041071151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5031162784579905884.post-2435359691617319422014-02-02T11:19:00.001-08:002014-02-02T11:20:36.074-08:00Boston Training Week #5<i>January 27 - February 2</i><br />
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<b>M</b> - AM 6 PM 5, gym<br />
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<b>W</b> - 15 - The workout, as planned, was a warmup; 2 by 10 minutes with 3 minutes rest, 60 minutes, another 10-minute pickup, cooldown. I ran down to Hains Point from work and met up the Capitol Hill Distance Project crew. I did a 2-mile pickup around Hains Point, keying off Charlie, in about 11 minutes. Jogged a few minutes, then did another 10-minute pickup, keeping it in the 5:30s. After the second pickup, I started feeling really cold and hungry, so I threw in the 3rd 10-min rep about 45 minutes after the last one instead of after 60. I had that feeling I was really entering into good marathon shape: wasn't going that fast (about 5:45 pace) but felt like I could run "hard" for a long time without it really wearing on me - if that makes sense. Does it?<br />
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That night, though, as I was falling asleep, my right foot didn't feel right. For a couple months, I had been dealing with what felt like a minor hot spot below the ankle - an irritation caused by friction. I had been keeping the area covered and putting antiobiotic ointment on it, and while I never seemed to fully kick it, I never really felt it while I was running; rather, I'd notice it when I came to a stop or was wearing work shoes. <br />
<br />
Th - 0. I woke up and basically couldn't put any pressure on the foot. Emily got me some ibuprofen, I iced my foot in bed for 30 minutes, took a shower, got dressed, walked around gingerly until the pain eased enough to put on my shoes, and biked to work. By the end of the day it was feeling better, but there was also a lot of swelling and I knew I wasn't getting past this one that easily. Not a hot spot, apparently.<br />
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F - 0. Saw <a href="http://www.drpribut.com/">Dr. Pribut</a>, who is a real pleasure to work with. I also have had good experiences addressing foot issues (I have a history of getting weird infections in my feet) with <a href="http://www.footandankle-md.com/doctor-spector.html">Dr. Spector</a>, but his office is a little tougher for me to get to these days. Dr. Pribut diagnosed it as a tendon strain - specifically, the peroneus brevis tendon. It had been aggravated for a while, and I guess it was just a matter of time until it acted up.<br />
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I have had one bad tendon strain prior to this - in 2006, I believe. It was in the lower leg and hurt like hell; I thought for sure it was a stress fracture. It took in the ballpark of 10 days to 2 weeks to heal. This one? We'll see. We tried stabilizing it with an ankle brace, but I could still feel it a little ... so Dr. Pribut fit me with a boot (a first for me).<br />
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Right now the plan is to keep the boot on basically all the time (except for when sleeping, obviously), give it a little test on Friday, and go from there.<br />
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<i>"To succeed at anything, you need passion. You have to be a bit of a fanatic. If you would move anyone to action, you must first be moved yourself. To instigate, said Emerson, you must first be instigated." Doc Sheehan</i>Dickson Mercerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579504905041071151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5031162784579905884.post-79412409292452716092014-01-27T16:00:00.002-08:002014-01-27T16:03:21.253-08:00Maybe My Favorite Photo of All-Time<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Having finished our 16-milers out on the country roads of Poolesville, Charlie and I drove up Willard Road to look for food (as it happens: foot-long chicken parm subs and lemonade) while Emily finished up her nearly three-hour Sunday effort in prep for her first full, DC Rock N Roll. We saw her trucking down the road and I hopped out of the car to see how she was doing and if she needed anything.<br />
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Emily and I sometimes say that she is a writer who runs while I am a runner who writes. We try to support each other in our respective endeavours and sub-endeavours. And, as you can see by the smile on her face - wearing the running outfit I gave her for Christmas 2006, to which she has wisely added ear muffs - her marathon training is going quite well.Dickson Mercerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579504905041071151noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5031162784579905884.post-73391552466769424832014-01-26T15:12:00.000-08:002014-01-26T15:15:02.283-08:00Boston Training Week #4<i>January 20-26: Down Week</i><br />
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<b>M</b> - 9 miles in Seattle's Seward Park. Was only supposed to go 8 but lost track of time; love running there.<br />
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<b>T</b> - 9 back in DC. Started snowing in the afternoon. PM Yoga with Emily<br />
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<b>W</b> - 5 easy on treadmill<br />
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<b>Th</b> - <a href="http://bit.ly/1jF080J">15</a>. Continuous run; 10 degrees, so had to do the double thermal, hooded sweatershirt, jacket thing. Started out with 4 miles easy down to Hains Point, where I went straight into a 3 mile tempo in a circle because the gate was shut and the road beyond looked really icy (doable for recovery running, maybe, but not great for a tempo).<br />
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It was tough to get going - felt like I was wearing a weight vest: 5:55, 5:45, 5:40. Straight into 4 miles at about 7:20 pace, then straight into 3 by a mile with 60 seconds rest. At that point, I had to start heading back home and just had to accept that I'd have to slow down when it got icy (things like the fish market parking lot and crossing South Capitol are hard to negotiate smoothly): 5:59, 5:50, 6:03.<br />
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PM - Worked with massage therapist, then did gym stuff, focusing on legs.<br />
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<b>F </b>- 11.5 with Capitol Hill Distance Project<br />
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<b>Sat</b> - AM 6 easy PM yoga<br />
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<b>Sun</b> - <a href="http://connect.garmin.com/activity/434453783">16</a> with Charlie, Outlaw, Klim, and Patrick. Klim had a <a href="http://jakeklim.blogspot.com/2014/01/the-frozen-fox.html">slam-dunk idea</a> to head out to Sycamore Landing in Maryland - not far from Riley's Lock - and run some country roads that were clear of snow and ice and really nice and quiet. This was great training - and I think, at that, also a perfect place to do Boston-specific training. I'll head back there soon, I bet. According to my watch I had 16 in 1:41, about 6:20 avg. The one thing I noticed was that, after I split with the group at 13, it was hard to stay focused: the hills were winning. With a mile to go, heading down the one icy stretch of the run towards the car, I met up with Murphy and got rolling again a bit; still, I need to make sure I can get it done without the help of a group.<br />
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<b>Total</b> - 71.<br />
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I feel good about this first block of training - 76, 81, 87, 71 - and look forward to the next month. The next four weeks should be pretty similar, with a little more volume and a workout/race on February 23: the <a href="http://www.striders.net/races/rrca">RRCA Ten Mile Challenge</a>, a race I've always wanted to run. Core goals remain being laser-focused on the type of training I believe works for me in the marathon and <i>at age 32</i> (per <a href="http://workingrunner.blogspot.com/2014/01/2013-training-logs-and-thoughts.html">previous post</a>: "everyone's magic formula is different"); cutting away bulk miles and not exhausting myself; and, getting leaner and stronger.<br />
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Thinking of this, for some reason ...<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.200000762939453px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>"There are going to be times when we can't wait for somebody. Now, you're either on the bus or off the bus. If you're on the bus, and you get left behind, then you'll find it again. If you're off the bus in the first place — then it won't make a damn." -- Ken Kesey</i></span></span>Dickson Mercerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579504905041071151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5031162784579905884.post-39718722998922574502014-01-19T16:00:00.000-08:002014-01-21T18:37:44.175-08:00Boston Training Week #3<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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M - AM 6 PM 4, gym<br />
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T - 11 with miles 5-9 in 5:36, 5:36, 5:48, 5:45<br />
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W - AM <a href="http://connect.garmin.com/activity/433851897">14</a> PM gym<br />
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Th - 6 easy<br />
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F - 12 with Capitol Hill Distance Project PM flew to Seattle<br />
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S - <a href="http://connect.garmin.com/activity/433851941">20</a>. One of my favorite runs ever. Ran along the Lake Washington loop. Needed a few miles to shake out the flight but got rolling a bit - though not down to goal MP; that will come, I hope - on tough, rolling terrain. Riding the pain a bit. Some great hills. Tons of hippie vans. One awesome neighborhood and view after another. This was out and back, and I closed in on 10 miles on the UW campus but had to do a lap on the bright purple track before turning around. Saw who I thought was Jordan Hasay warming up but figured it was look-a-like, but it turns out there was indeed an indoor meet there yesterday. I'll post the run data soon.<br />
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S - 14 with Drea, my former GRC teammate. Her husband, Paul, joined us for part of it. Great to see more of the city and experience some of the epic hills Seattle has to offer.<br />
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Total - 87Dickson Mercerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579504905041071151noreply@blogger.com0