9 Weeks from Bataan - Sunday

Duration = 1:55:27
Distance = 6.41
Calories = 783
Max HR = 136
Avg HR = 128
Max Cadence = 74
Avg Cadence = 67

Sunday: Long session
Equipment: Boots, jeans, t-shirt, & backpack (21 lbs)

Warm-up: 5:00 @ 3.0 mph
Main: 1:45:00 with HR in 125-135 (peak 3.4; finish 3.3)
Cool-down: 1:00 each 3.0, 2.5; 3:00 @ 2.0

Longest session with the backpack to date. Still no significant issues with the pack. There is a balance with tight enough to limit motion and too tight (can show as a hot spot on my shoulder at the base of my neck). I'm feeling better about possible paces for the March. Tonight, 3.3 yielded a stable heart rate under my MAF. When I bump the speed to 3.4, heart rate hits the 136 limit I'm enforcing and I drop back to 3.3. I will be looking at where this stable point develops as I increase the pack weight.

Speaking of weight, my current weight is the lowest in the last 6 months and is trending in the correct direction. I'm currently losing about 1/2 to 1 pound/week. This is a good rate.

I was planning on doing this outside, but I ran out of daylight. This led to a new data point on my treadmill: When it rolls over at 99:59, it stops. Continuing is just a matter of hitting Start again. The distance and calories are retained and continue to advance after the re-Start.

9 weeks to go.

Data:

Lap     Time    Lap Time  Max Avg Min Dist  min/mile  
A 1.  0:09:31.5 0:09:31.5 123 108  86 0.499  19:05  
A 2.  0:17:59.5 0:08:28.0 135 127 123 0.502  16:52  
A 3.  0:26:29.7 0:08:30.2 136 133 129 0.502  16:56  
A 4.  0:35:24.8 0:08:55.1 135 130 123 0.501  17:47  
A 5.  0:44:16.0 0:08:51.2 136 131 127 0.503  17:36  
A 6.  0:53:08.1 0:08:52.1 134 131 127 0.503  17:37  
A 7.  1:02:02.7 0:08:54.6 134 130 127 0.502  17:45  
A 8.  1:11:01.9 0:08:59.2 132 129 123 0.502  17:53  
A 9.  1:19:59.1 0:08:57.2 132 129 126 0.501  17:51  
A 10. 1:28:56.1 0:08:57.0 133 130 122 0.500  17:53  
A 11. 1:37:52.1 0:08:56.0 134 130 123 0.502  17:47  
A 12. 1:46:48.1 0:08:56.0 136 131 125 0.500  17:42  
1.    1:55:27.0 1:55:27.0 136 128  86 6.405  18:00

9 Weeks from Bataan - Friday

Duration = 40:08
Distance = 2.27
Calories = 265
Max HR = 137
Avg HR = 126
Running Index = 41
Max Cadence = 96
Avg Cadence = 70

Friday: short session
Equipment: Boots, shorts, tech shirt, & backpack (21 lbs)

Warm-up: 5:00 @ 3.0 mph
Main: 30:00 with HR in 125-135 (Peak 4.0; finish 3.4)
Cool-down: 1:00 each 3.0, 2.5; 3:00 @ 2.0

Standard short run on the treadmill. Pushed the pace a bit after the warm-up walk until HR forced me to slow. Overall, it was a fairly good session. I need to spend some quality time with the pack to learn more about the many adjustments possible to see if I can keep it better attached to my back. Good news is that there are no pack related hot spots at this time. I will need to be very careful with the boots and the socks. The boots are a good fit, but I will need to be sure to get the lacing right. Currently, the boots are a touch loose. Also, I need to remember to wear the better socks with the boots. The slight looseness and the thin socks allow the left boot to move enough to rub a small blister on the skin over the Achilles tendon.

Data:

Lap    Time    Lap Time  Max Avg Min Dist  min/mile  
A 1. 0:08:55.2 0:08:55.2 135 115  94 0.498  17:54  
A 2. 0:17:02.4 0:08:07.2 135 132 128 0.502  16:10  
A 3. 0:25:25.0 0:08:22.6 137 133 127 0.503  16:38  
A 4. 0:34:01.5 0:08:36.5 135 131 129 0.499  17:14  
1.   0:40:08.2 0:40:08.2 137 126  94 2.267  17:40

9 Weeks from Bataan - Thursday

Duration = 55:13
Distance = 2.61
Calories = 363
Max HR = 136
Avg HR = 126
Max Cadence = 75
Avg Cadence = 61

Thursday: hill session
Equipment: Boots, shorts, tech shirt, & backpack (21 lbs)

Warm-up: 5:00 @ 3.0 mph
Main: 45:00 with HR in 125-135 w/6% grade (Peak 3.3; finish 2.6)
Cool-down: 1:00 each 2.6, 2.5; 3:00 @ 2.0

Probably won't do two hill sessions in the same week again. I wanted to see what the 6% would do. After the warm-up, I increased the grade to 6%. After each minute, I increased the speed by .1 mph. At 3.3, I was just into the 125-136 range. By then end, I had reduced speed to 2.6 to stay under 136. The first minute of the cool-down was 2.6 with the grade back at the minimum, 1.5%. Next time, I will stay with 3.0 and see how the heart rate reacts. Next month, I will do one hill session where I allow the heart rate to climb.

Data:

Lap    Time    Lap Time  Max Avg Min Dist  min/mile  
A 1. 0:09:49.1 0:09:49.1 130 111  84 0.500  19:37  
A 2. 0:19:22.1 0:09:33.0 136 133 129 0.503  18:58  
A 3. 0:29:45.7 0:10:23.6 136 130 127 0.502  20:41  
A 4. 0:40:37.6 0:10:51.9 136 131 124 0.503  21:35  
A 5. 0:52:04.4 0:11:26.8 132 128 116 0.502  22:47  
1.   0:55:13.0 0:55:13.0 136 126  84 2.614  21:04

9 Weeks from Bataan - Wednesday

Duration = 40:09
Distance = 2.63
Calories = 251
Max HR = 136
Avg HR = 122
Running Index = 48
Max Cadence = 99
Avg Cadence = 85

Wednesday: short session
Equipment: Asics, shorts, & tech shirt

Warm-up: 5:00 @ 3.0 mph
Main: 30:00 with HR in 125-135 (mostly >4.0; peak 4.4)
Cool-down: 1:00 each 4.0, 3.5, 3.0, 2.5, 2.0

Tonight, I decided to just run. No backpack. No boots. I wore the lightest shoes I have: Asics Gel-Cumulus 9s. I walked for 5 minutes at 3.0 mph. I then started a slow ramp of .2 mph per minute. When I got to 4.4 at 11:00, I decided to stay there. I had not yet hit my limit, but was well into the 125-135 target range. I didn't hit 136 until 10 minutes later. For the rest of the session, I dropped .1 mph when I hit 136. At 35:00, I was still at 4.1. I started my cool-down at 4.0 and reduced by .5 per minute down to 2.0.

I am very happy with this session and feel great. This is faster than any session since November with the exception of the two 10Ks. While not quite a MAF test, it does demonstrate that improvement has occurred.

Data:

Lap    Time    Lap Time  Max Avg Min Dist  min/mile  
A 1. 0:09:08.4 0:09:08.4 110  97  78 0.497  18:22  
A 2. 0:16:04.6 0:06:56.2 130 125 110 0.501  13:51  
A 3. 0:22:52.7 0:06:48.1 136 133 128 0.502  13:32  
A 4. 0:29:53.7 0:07:01.0 136 133 128 0.502  13:59  
A 5. 0:37:14.5 0:07:20.8 136 133 119 0.503  14:36  
1.   0:40:08.9 0:40:08.9 136 122  78 2.625  15:16

9 Weeks from Bataan - Tuesday

Duration = 55:12
Distance = 2.71
Calories = 380
Max HR = 136
Avg HR = 129
Max Cadence = 70
Avg Cadence = 62

Tuesday: sorta long hill session
Equipment: Boots, ABU Uniform, & backpack (21 lbs)

Warm-up: 5:00 @ 3.0 mph
Main: 45:00 with HR in 125-135 (3.0 mph w/3.0% grade; peak 4.5%)
Cool-down: 1:00 each 3.0, 2.5; 3:00 @ 2.0

I did the entire session at 3.0 mph until the cool-down. After the warm-up and instead of increasing the speed, I increased the grade. The first minute after warm-up was 3.0%. This was followed with 4.5% until I hit my session HR limit of 136. I reduced grade to 4.0% and then 3.5%. Just under half the main section was at 3.5%. I reduced the grade to the 1.5% minimum of my treadmill for the normal cool-down sequence.

I had hoped to get to 6%, but my heart rate responded fairly quickly to the 4.5%, so I stayed with that. I will do a session with 6% to get an idea of how much that is going to slow me up.

Data:

Lap    Time    Lap Time  Max Avg Min Dist  min/mile 
A 1. 0:09:48.8 0:09:48.8 134 120 102 0.500  19:37 
A 2. 0:19:39.9 0:09:51.1 135 132 125 0.503  19:36 
A 3. 0:29:38.0 0:09:58.1 136 133 127 0.501  19:54 
A 4. 0:39:37.9 0:09:59.9 136 133 129 0.501  19:57 
A 5. 0:49:37.7 0:09:59.8 134 131 127 0.498  20:03 
1.   0:55:12.0 0:55:12.0 136 129 102 2.707  20:18

I did a full weigh-in to determine what the various items I have weigh.
Runner = 169.5
+ ABU Uniform = 173.5 (4 pounds from head to toe; no boots, keys, coins, or wallets)
+ Boots = 176.5 (3 pounds)
+ Pack = 196.5 (21 pounds, I added padding around the battery)

I lost 1 pound in 55 minutes of exercise in ~68F and somewhat dry conditions. This is another item I will need to keep an eye on. Finally, no issues or hot spots noted. If I get through a long session clean, I'll feel better. The 4 hour session will include full uniform and pack, 6% grade (at least in part), and all items and full water load to start.

9 Weeks from Bataan - Monday

Duration = 40:05
Distance = 2.25
Calories = 263
Max HR = 138
Avg HR = 126
Running Index = 41
Max Cadence = 75
Avg Cadence = 67

Monday: short session
Equipment: Boots, shorts, tech shirt, & backpack (20 lbs)

Warm-up: 5:00 @ 3.0 mph
Main: 30:00 with HR in 125-135 (peak 3.7; finished at 3.3)
Cool-down: 1:00 each 3.0, 2.5; 3:00 @ 2.0

Another bump in pack weight and a bit slower on the pace. Sunday, I will have to compare the final pace/speed to the finishing pace/speed from last Wednesday. I'm currently using the portable battery I use with portable radios or the portable telescope to add weight to the pack. I need to add some padding to the floor of the pack to protect it from the battery. The current load is denser than the load the pack was designed to carry.

Data:

Lap    Time    Lap Time  Max Avg Min Dist  min/mile  
A 1. 0:09:02.5 0:09:02.5 134 112  90 0.498  18:10  
A 2. 0:17:07.4 0:08:04.9 138 134 129 0.504  16:03  
A 3. 0:25:35.4 0:08:28.0 136 132 128 0.501  16:54  
A 4. 0:34:15.1 0:08:39.7 133 130 128 0.499  17:22  
1.   0:40:08.2 0:40:08.2 138 126  90 2.246  17:50

10 Weeks from Bataan - Saturday

Duration = 50:30
Distance = 2.84
Calories = 336
Max HR = 139
Avg HR = 126
Running Index = 40
Max Cadence = 97
Avg Cadence = 73

Saturday: Rescheduled sorta-long run
Equipment: Merrills, shorts, & tech shirt

Warm-up: 5:00 @ 3.0 mph
Main: 40:00 with HR in 125-135 (mostly 3.7-3.8; peak 4.0)
Cool-down: 1:00 each 3.5, 3.0, 2.5, then 2:00 @ 2.0

Great session. Only real issue was the HRM not properly recording my stride while running. It seemed to do better with a walking gait.

Data:

Lap   Time       Lap Time  Max Avg Min  Dist min/mile
A 1.  0:09:40.8  0:09:40.8 128 104  82 0.497   18:48
A 2.  0:17:18.8  0:07:38.0 138 132 127 0.500   15:15
A 3.  0:25:26.6  0:08:07.8 139 136 131 0.501   16:13
A 4.  0:34:03.7  0:08:37.1 139 135 129 0.501   17:11
A 5.  0:42:49.0  0:08:45.3 138 134 129 0.499   17:32
1.    0:50:29.6  0:50:29.6 139 126  82 2.837   17:23