Four and a half hours

 Running

I was successful. I finished a 4.5 hour run.  The first four hours weren't too bad.  I actually managed my 4.5 mile loop 4 times in record time, as in faster then the last time I tried to run 4 loops.  The wheels came off at the end of that.  I had dropped from 10 minute to 11 minute miles, but I really thought I could maintain at least 12 minute pace for my last half hour.  However, I started feeling dizzy.  So, I tried mixing in some running with some walking and headed back to the apartment to refill my bottle with water.  I kept moving that last half hour, but instead of 23 miles, I only managed 22.

I have one more four and a half hour run to do.  Hopefully, I can hit 23 miles on that effort.

Tomorrow, I'm only doing three loops easy (~14 miles) and then adding 3 more miles at marathon pace or whatever I can stand.  I really felt like fast finish runs like this prepared me well for the California International Marathon (CIM), and I want fit some into this training cycle.

Travel

One thing that hasn't suffered too much since retirement is travel.  I've already gone into the whole Panama escapade.  We bought another trailer and traveled to Texas from California, then up to Washington.

White Sands

  We also took a Gate 1 tour of eastern Europe in 2022.  It included Albania, Montenegro, Croatia, and Slovenia.

Tirana

Bled Slovania

Then to the Columbia River Gorge.

Mount Saint Helens

In 2023 we returned to Amsterdam to meet our son during his Math conference that he was attending.

They make some fabulous hot chocolate in the Netherlands.

Then we flew into Portugal, the Algarve

We went to a few places in Portugal, Coimbra, Porto, Lisbon, Nazare, and Evora.  We found some Roman ruins.

Then we took a ship out of Lisbon and did a trans-Atlantic crossing.  

But I'll save the rest for another post

Catching Up

I've been away for awhile.

I'm still running.

I'm still painting.

And I'm still playing.

Running

The Donut Dash 5k (2022)

This was meant to be a warm up in preparation for the Olympia Marathon.  It was a poor pace for me.  Or was it?  Maybe this is the new normal for me. 27:46

Olympia (Capital City) Marathon (2022)

Before I started training for the California International Marathon (CIM), I read an article that basically said that you should get used to running for the total time you think it will take you to run a marathon, but run slow.  I figured, based on my data, that I could run a marathon in under 4 hours.  So during my training, my long run maxed out at 3 hours and 50 minutes.  I managed 23 miles.  On race day, I ran the marathon in 3 hours and 48 minutes.  I didn't bonk, everything went relatively smoothly.  

I ignored that advice in training for Olympia.  I used an easier training regime.  I believe it was a Hal Higdon plan.  I maxed out at 3 hours and 50 minutes for a little over 20 miles.  But nothing I did suggested I could run a marathon in under 4 hours.  Also, Olympia is hilly, not flat like the CIM.  On race day it rained.

I managed 4 hours, 30 minutes and 19 seconds.  The wheels came off at 4 hours - my pace bombed.  Otherwise, I might have managed a sub-4 hour.

Two Cities Marathon

Part 1 (2023)

Training? What training?  For a variety of reasons, I didn't really train for this marathon.  I read some articles about people who were in decent shape, experience runners just running a marathon.  I met someone while traveling who said they did this all the time.  Of course, they also took 6 hours to complete the thing.  I didn't even think I would run this marathon this year.  I was crazy busy building up curriculum for a new job, training, and taking an online class.  The longest run I managed was 14 miles a couple of times.  Nevertheless, I went ahead and signed up 3 weeks before the marathon.

Surprise! It didn't go so well.  Good news, I finished.  Oh, but it hurt at the end.  I had an emetic reaction.  The emergency health professionals came over to check on me.  It wasn't pretty.

Time: 4 hours, 49 minutes and 30 seconds

The course was flat, I just wasn't prepared.

Part 2 (Now)

Going back to that advice.  I have more time.  I'm training.  Last weekend I ran 3 hours 44 minutes for 19 miles.  I'm still much slower than I used to be.  However, one bout of Yasso training suggested I could finish the marathon in 4 hours 25 minutes.  So this weekend I plan to run 4 hours and 30 minutes.

I'm doing some speedwork once a week, but no tempo training.  This might be an issue.  But I don't seem able to do speedwork twice a week anymore.  The last time I tried that was during the 2024 Modesto Half-Marathon...

Modesto Half-Marathon (2024)

In the spring I decided to try a half-marathon again.  It's what I've done the most.  It's arguably where I developed what little speed I have.  However,  I haven't done a sub-8 mile since 2022.  Maybe I need to get on a tread mill and do some hill sprints?

I turned to my old training pal, Hanson.  This training plan is what netted me a sub-1 hour 45 minute half in 2018.  I forgot just how intense it is, with its twice a week speed training.  I hurt my right hamstring.  I thought I was recovering all right.  My speed suggested that I would at least finish the half before 2 hours?

But I didn't.

On race day, I could still feel that right hamstring.  At 11 miles the wheels came off, and I slowed down.

2 hours and 19 seconds.

Miniatures

I've only been playing with other peoples' miniatures.  I went to a couple of conventions in Olympia.  I got to play some Pique there, and crushed the opposition.  I played some To the Strongest.  I've discovered a new gaming group down here in Fresno.  They meet once a month.  My miniatures are still mostly packed away in boxes.  I'm still painting my 10mm Civil war stuff in preparation for a Altar of Freedom game.  I want to give Brent Oman's "Battle Command" rules a go.  It will be interesting to compare.  I know Battle Command will be more solo gamer friendly.

I should be moving into a new house in October.  Then I'll unpack the boxes, set up a new gaming table and painting desk, and hopefully be fully back in business just in time to try Sam Mustafa's "Eisenhower" rules for world war 2.