Marathon Training

Sunday, April 1, 2012

9 Mile Long Run on the Island

Today I continued my commitment to staying fit while vacationing so I ventured out on a very humid morning to tackle a 9-mile long run. I took ¼ mile walking breaks after each mile so some may argue that I really didn't get my miles in. But, on the other hand, I think it is Hal Higdon who recommends walking breaks after each mile. Regardless, I am on vacation in "Provo" (short for Providenciales), Turks and Caicos, so I am going to take credit for the full 9 miles! I need some way to burn off those extra calories I am eating at dinner and the somewhat sedentary (but very relaxing and restful) time I am spending either on the beach or poolside. Just two and a half more days of this paradise living and then I will be headed back to my routine schedule in Philadelphia.

Speaking of dinner, I just returned from Magnolia Restaurant and Wine Bar where I had their signature dish, Cracked Pepper & Sesame Crusted Rare Seared Tuna with soy ginger sauce, jasmine rice and vegetables. Hands down, this was one of the best meals I've had here in Provo so far!

Tomorrow will be a REST day for me but I do plan on walking on the beach throughout the day. I will be getting plenty of rest as I lay on the recliner listening to the gentle rolling of the waves coming ashore on Grace Bay beach.

Happy and Safe Running!
John

Thursday, March 29, 2012

6.5 Mile Beach Run

Well, I sacrificed my Interval Training run today and replaced it with a 6.5 mile run on Grace Bay Beach in Providenciales, Turks and Caicos. Ok… Ok… it was a tough sacrifice but running on the sand turned out to be a fairly good workout for me! Yes, the weather was gorgeous and I was able to listen to the waves of the aqua colored Atlantic Ocean rushing to shore - not a bad deal at all.

This is my first time to this island and it really is quite lovely. I am staying at the Royal West Indies Resort at Grace Bay and have the pleasure of being right on the beach. This will be my home away from home for the next week so I expect to get several more quality runs in along the shore. Also, I want to venture out and run the flat roads – hope to get a nice Long Run logged before the end of the weekend.

Happy and Safe Running Folks!
John

Sunday, March 25, 2012

Bucks 5K Series Opens With a New PR!

Today was opening day for the 2012 Bucks 5K Series with the Central Bucks Family 5K Race in Doylestown. It was an overcast day with spotty drizzling rain and temps in the low 50's at the start of the race. I had my best performance ever for a 5K - coming in at 23:34 - that's a 7:35 pace! Certainly not elite status (Ha!) but faster than I would ever have imagined being able to run a year ago. I keep going back to the importance of speed training which I added to my training regimen in December. Mixing it up with interval training has really helped me run stronger and faster!

Next up in the series is the New Hope-Solebury Spirit Run on April 22 and then I'll be running the St. Luke's Half Marathon in Allentown, PA on April 29, followed by the Broad Street (10 Mile) Run in Philadelphia on May 6 - Yes, Running season has begun!

Happy and Safe Running!
John

2012 Races

5K: BCRR Cham-Pain (1/1/12) - 24:33
5.3 Mile: BCRR Predict Your TIme (1/8/12) - 42:30
8 Mile: BCRR Polar Bear (1/15/12) - 1:08:10 PR
4.6 Mile: BCRR Honest Abe (1/22/12) - 42:53
9.3 Mile: BCRR Terrible Tyle (1/29/12) - 5.3 Miles - 46:35
5.3 Mile: BCRR Pick Your Way (2/5/12) - 42:57
Half Marathon: BCRR Eenie-Meanie-Minie-Moe (2/12/12) - 1:58:38
4.6 Mile: BCRR Staggered Start (2/19/12) - 35:45 PR
10K: MCM Irish Sprint 10K (3/17/12) - 54:54
5K: Central Bucks Family YMCA (3/25/12) - 23:34 PR
5K: New Hope - Solebury "Spirit" Run (4/22/12) - 24:45
Half Marathon: St. Luke's (4/29/12) - 1:55:38 PR
10 Mile: Broad Street Run (5/6/12) - 1:25:13 PR
5K: Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure - Phila (5/13/12) - 24:46
5K: Doylestown Red, White, Blue (5/26/12) - 24:04
5K: Chalfont Challenge (6/9/12) - 26:31
6 Mmile: Princeton Healthcare 10K (6/10/12) - 49:40 PR
Half Marathon: 1/2 Sauer, 1/2 Kraut, 1/2 Marathon (6/16/12) - 1:57:11 2nd Place Male 55-59
5K: Herb Kahl Memorial (6/24/12) - 24:32
5 Mile: Run the Gates (6/3/12) - 40:40 PR
10K: Revolutionary Run (7/4/12) -52:36 PR
Half Marathon: Rock 'n' Roll Chicago (7/22/12) - 2:08:26
Half Marathon: Rock 'n' Roll Providence (8/19/12) - 1:59:25
Half-Marathon: Rock 'n' Roll Philadelphia (9/16/12) - 1:57:42
18Mile: LBI 18-Mile Run (10/7/12) - 2:48:30 PR
13K: Hatfield OctoRun (10/21/12) - 1:08:55 PR
Marathon: Marine Corps Marathon (10/28/12) - 4:36:54
5K: BCRR Covered Bridge (12/9/12) - 26:26
5.3 Mile: BCRR Jingle Bell (12/16/12) - 42:23 PR

2011 Races

5K: Central Bucks YMCA (3/20/11) - 27:17:18
Half-Marathon: FirstWatch Sarasota (3/13/11) - 2:06:12
5K: New Hope-Solebury Run (4/3/11) - 26:34:54
5K: Bridge Valley Trailblazer Race for Autism (4/16/11) - 27:42:31
10Mile: Broad Street Run (5/1/11) - 1:35:54
5K: Cornerstone Race (5/7/11) - 25:55:87
5K: Race for the Cure - Phila (5/11/12) - 27:19
5K: Doylestown Red, White, Blue (5/28/11) - 26:18:94
10K: Princeton Healthcare 10K (6/5/11) - 54:42:82 PR
5K: Herb Kahl Memorial Scholarship (6/26/11) - 25:13 (3rd Place Male 50-59)
5K: Chalfont Challenge (6/11/11) - 26:04:17
5K: Run Over (Pancreatic) Cancer (7/2/11) - 24:51 PR
Half-Marathon: 13.1 Minneapolis (8/21/11) - 1:59:48
Half-Marathon: Rock 'n' Roll Philadelphia (9/18/11) - 1:59:02 PR
5K: Chestertown 5K (9/24/11) - 25:25 (1st Place Male 50-59)
18Mile: LBI 18-Mile Run (10/9/11) - 3:08:30
13K: Hatfield OctoRun (10/23/11) - 1:10:57 (2nd Place Male 55-59)
Marathon: Philadelphia Marathon (11/20/11) 4:23:46 - PR
5K: BCRR Covered Bridge 5K (12/4/11) - 26:29
5.3Mile: BCRR Jingle Bell 5.3 Mile Race (12/11/11) - 43:39

John's Book Reviews

The Orchardist by Amanda Coplin
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It’s been a while since I’ve been ‘wowed’ by a book so it was with great pleasure that I recently finished reading The Orchardist by Amanda Coplin. Set in the 1800’s in the Pacific Northwest, the characters in this story represent what would be considered an ‘unconventional’ family by some standards in our current society – a family created out of horrific circumstances when 2 young (and pregnant) girls (Jane and Della) come upon William Talmadge (“Talmadge”), a loner who tends to and nurtures his orchards of apricots, apples and plums. Talmadge’s family roots are similarly tragic – he and his sister, Elsbeth, were orphaned as youngsters. And, at the age of 16, Elsbeth walked into the woods and never returned, leaving Talmadge alone and left to wonder what became of her. This lack of closure regarding his sister’s disposition is a key driver to the relationship he develops with Jane and Della - that of a nurturer and always wanting to provide a sense of comfort and belonging.

The complexities of the relationships that Talmadge has with Jane and Della, as well as Jane’s eventual daughter, Angelene, are compounded by the circumstances that drove Jane and Della to escape their painful upbringing and living environment. Trust and a willingness to be nurtured are not always welcome and these are the forces that drive the conflicts between what Talmadge wishes for the girls and the final outcome of the tragic events that continue to shape their lives.

(view spoiler)

Although it is still early in the year, I think it’s going to be hard for me to come across another book in 2013 that is so beautifully crafted and inspirational. Bravo to Amanda Coplin for this splendid novel!

View all my reviews