First Post

I'm going to try to post some interest stuff.  I'm also going to use this to keep a training log, which I haven't done very well during the first two years since I took up running seriously.

First some background.  Since a seriously took running in August of 2010 when I began training for my first marathon, I've concluded that I like to run long.  I read Born to Run shortly after I started training and was inspired and amazed by the stories in the book.  Since I started I have run two marathons and a 50 miler.  That's not a lot of racing, but I've had steady improvement.  My first marathon was 4:43; my second, on a hilly course with warm temperatures was a 4:03.  My first 50 miler was 10:43, which was within my goal range of between 10 and 11 hours.  The next race I plan to run is a 100k at the end of July.

Now for my training.  Right before running my 50 miler I discover Mafetone.  After sort of figuring what my MAF heart rate should be (approx. 131, maybe a bit more for training time without injury), I tried training within that heart rate range and concluded that my aerobic efficiency isn't very good.  I have spent the past year training in a higher heart rate range.  I'm now going to try staying in my MAF range for a new base building phase following my 50 miler.  My pace in this range is a really slow pace between 10:15 and 10:30 on a level run.  If I'm trail running with some hills, it's a minute slower.

Since my 50 miler, my longest run has been 12 miles on April 6.  I really ran out of steam at the end of that run because of respiratory congestion. For the week ending April 7, I only got in 20 miles.  I've been fighting chest congestion for three weeks.  This past week, I think I only had about 11 miles.  Finally, I went to the doctor on Tuesday, April 17.  Diagnosis:  Pneumonia.  The doctor said that if I hadn't been in such good shape and had such good lung capacity, I would have been down for the count.

Yesterday, I ran across Chris McDougall's story about searching for Micah True on Outside.com.  It's a heartbreaking story, but also a wondrous tribute to a friend that obviously change the course of McDougall's life.  I highly recommend it because it captures the spirit that infuses running communities of all sorts, but especially the ultrarunning community.