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Had a great run today. The schedule called for an easy five miles at an 8:07 pace.

I clocked the first mile at 8 minutes, and increased the pace because I was feeling great. Miles two through four were 7:30. In my last mile, I did a few sprints and brought the pace to 6:40.

1. 8:02
2. 7:30
3. 7:35
4. 7:23
5. 6:41

I won’t run tomorrow, as Sunday is the Chilly Cheeks trail run. It’s a 7.2 mile trail race. Sponsored by Pretzel City Sports, the Chilly Cheeks is one of their toughest races, maybe its MOST challenging course on a “per mile” basis. I just LOVE the tagline for this race:

“The only thing colder than this race is the race director’s heart!”

Fifteen avid “hamilton area trail runners” (including myself) will carpool to the race in Reading PA.

Repeat three times:

• 12 Cross-over pushups on the bosu with feet on slider discs
• 20 v-sits

Repeat three times:

• 8 pike pushups (almost like handstand pushups, but with feet up on a bench)
• 20 Straight leg hops (push-up position, pop legs up and over the bosu, and back)

Repeat three times:

• 10 x Squat thrust complexes (Squat thrust, negative push-up to floor, roll over to back, v-up and back with legs straight, roll back to stomach, push-up, kick legs back in and stand up)
• 10 x 50 lb bb Bicep curl into arnold press

Repeat Three times:

• 12 Side to side incline pull-ups on smith (hands 2 shoulder widths apart, pull chest up to each hand – alternate each time)
• 10 Side leg extensions (push up position, legs on stability ball, slowly swing leg out to the side and hold for one second, alternate legs)

Repeat three times:

• 15 overhead extensions, 40lb db (roll back onto stability ball, hips raised, extend dumbbell overhead stretching the chest, keeping elbows slightly bent)
• 10 each side: Reverse crunches with cross-over reach behind (lock feet under a machine, lean back and twist to left, reach with right arm behind you, and return)

The plan this morning was to do five miles overall, including two 1600 meter speed drills at a 6:22 pace, with an 800 meter jog in between.

Plan fulfilled and I focused on running form throughout. I noticed I had to pay a little more attention to my form during the second 1600 meter block. The speed work was from mile 2 to mile 3, and mile 3.5 to mile 4.5.

Mile 1: 8:10
Mile 2: 8:00
Mile 3: 6:18 (1600 meters – speed block)
Mile 3.5: 4:03 (800 meters – recovery)
Mile 4.5: 6:21 (1600 meters – speed block)
Mile 5: 3:59 (800 meters – recovery)
Cool Down.

Today’s run was a solid six miles. I aimed for an 8:07 pace. My bruised foot called for attention since I’ve been landing mid-foot in my runs, but I managed to maintain my pace.

1. 8:16
2. 8:04
3. 8:01
4. 8:04
5. 7:55
6. 7:32

Monday evening I went for a short warm-up run before karate class began. It was snowing and cold, which seemed to keep everyone away except me, so I ran by myself, barefoot in the snow. The trucks were out dropping rock salt. During the last quarter mile of the run, I stepped on a big piece of rock salt, which ended up bruising the bottom of my foot.

Karate training was great — it was just Sensei and me. Spent most of the class working on form: in basics, combinations and kata. When I used to get to train with Sensei one on one, I naively used to expect some “special” secrets to be endowed. True, he shares information, but it’s not some well-kept secret guarded since the dawn of the origins of shotokan. In fact, I find the secrets he shares always have to do with basic principles and good form. I came away from class, once again appreciating the things new students are taught, but with my perspective and experience, understanding them even better. In fact, they are secrets from the origins of shotokan.

I ran my first scheduled long run of the 2009 training season. It was a ten mile run past Mercer Airport over Jacob’s Creek bridge, into Hopewell Township, and back home.

 
(Airport entrance on Bear Tavern Road)

(Jacobs Creek Bridge near Hopewell)

(Welcome to Hopewell Township)

There are a few nice hills along Bear Tavern Road, which took a bite out of my pace after mile five.

1. 8:20
2. 8:20
3. 8:17
4. 8:10
5. 8:12
6. 8:49
7. 8:30
8. 8:34
9. 8:46
10. 8:20

Average pace: 8:26. I must begin speedwork training.

I ran seven miles today. I’m trying to get back into a more intense running schedule. Plannig for swimming, karate and weight-lifting tomorrow, then a ten mile run Sunday morning.

1. 8:13
2. 8:07
3. 8:05
4. 7:52
5. 8:00
6. 7:55
7. 7:47 

As I was off from work, I ran from the house past the NJ Department of Motor Vehicles HQ, along Lower Ferry Road to the NJ D&R Canal Path. I ran a few miles along the canal, then returned home.

It was nice and cold today, and most of the canal was frozen over.
Weather.com for Ewing, NJ: 16°F; feels like 2°F.

After the run, I curled up with a nice cold chocolate Muscle Milk shake.

Warm up – half mile at 8:00 pace.

• Five sprints @ 15 degree incline on treadmill:
• 60 seconds at 8:00 pace, 90 secs rest
• 60 seconds at 8:00 pace, 90 secs rest
• 60 seconds at 8:00 pace, 45 secs rest
• 30 seconds at 7:00 pace, 45 secs rest
• 30 seconds at 7:30 pace
• # Heart rate elevation.

Repeat three times:

• Pushups with added weight on back
• Body weight squats with feet close together to sitting position on bosu (30 seconds)
• v-sit position, throw weighted ball to partner, forward, right-to-right, then left-to-left

Repeat three times:

• Hip rolls for 30 seconds (feet elevated on stability ball, 12″ apart with hips off floor, stabalizing with arms)
• Jumping lunges for 30 seconds
• 10 decline pull-ups (alternate hands each rep [plyometics])

Repeat Twice:

• 8 Modified Barbell curls 50 lbs (raise to 90 degrees from bottom; lower to bottom and raise 180 degrees; down 90 degrees and back up; lower 180 degress back to bottom.)
• 30 seconds of squat thrusts

Repeat Twice:

• Squat hops. start in squat position with hands on floor, leap forward onto hands, then follow with legs down the hallway and back.

I’ve been doing this race every year on New Year’s day since 2003. It’s a great way to start the year off. The results are posted at compuscore:

http://www.compuscore.com/cs2009/janfeb/hamhang1.htm

At noon, about 400 runners gather at the Kuser Road entrance to Veteran’s Park in Hamilton, NJ to kick off the year with a five mile race. This year it was nice and cold — about 20 degrees at noon so not many people were in shorts or short-sleeve shirts. I didn’t train for this race, but I did improve my time since last year: 35:08, about 30 seconds faster.

I started the race with Bill and the running gang this year. The next event for the group is the 7.2 mile chilly cheeks in PA.

Six days after setting my PR at the ING NYC Marathon, I did the Mud Run at McGuire Air Force Base with a group of avid runners.

Thanks to Bill for suggesting this race!

This is a first for the event and it was great – 6.2 miles of mud and sweat.
The 10K course encompassed different types of terrain, including asphalt, dirt, hills, water hazards, a jaunt along the tarmac, and of course, mud! There were mud pits, rope climb walls, belly crawls, a tire course, wall climbing, creek traversals and more. It’s the most fun I’ve had at a race.
I am definitely doing this again in 2009!
Here are some pics I took of my teammates along the course: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sconzof/sets/72157609922432845/