March 26 Days 235.4 Miles
February 24 Days 220.2 Miles
January 26 Days 283.9 Miles
Total 2016 76 Days 739.5 Miles
Monthly Archives: March 2016
Training March 26th – April 1st
This week 51.2 Miles
Saturday March 26th – 4.8 miles, 5 sets of 69 push-ups, 21 minutes of Planks
Sunday March 27th – 20 miles LSD in 4:26:02. 3 sets of 30 squats.
Monday March 28th – 4.8 miles, 4 sets of 10 chin-ups, 3 rounds boxing the heavy bag.
Tuesday March 29th – 4.8 miles, 5 sets of 69 push-ups, 21 minutes of Planks
Wednesday March 30th – 12 miles LSD in 2:37:36. 3 sets of 30 squats.
Thursday March 31st – 4.8 miles, 4 sets of 10 chin-ups, 3 rounds boxing the heavy bag.
Friday April 1st – Date night with my Wife!
Over nine months ago I became United States Centurion C78. A few days after that I announced my intentions to become an Australian Centurion. I had ten months to prepare. Let me tell you that ten months has flown by. Step number two of a six step journey I have planned. My journey of five world Centurion Badges has changed to Six. Looks like Africa will host the inaugural African Centurion Qualifier on Robben Island, South Africa this October. I will have to sacrifice my trip to New York for the U.S. Qualifier. I hate to miss any Centurion race. The chance to race an inaugural Centurion Event is too good a deal to pass up. I am getting way ahead of myself here. One BIG goal at a time. The way the time flies by I have no choice but to plan ahead. Trust me I am not overlooking Australia.
Easy week training for me this last week. Just nice Centurion Pace work. Another round of the same next week. Same mileage minus the strength training starting on Tuesday or what I affectionately call TAPER!
Training March 19th – 25th
This week 46.2 Miles
Saturday March 19th – 2.4 miles
Sunday March 20th – 26.2 miles at the A2A Marathon in 5:01:53.
Monday March 21st – Day Off.
Tuesday March 22nd – 4.8 miles, 5 sets of 69 push-ups, 21 minutes of Planks
Wednesday March 23rd – 8 miles LSD in 1:47:48. 3 sets of 30 squats.
Thursday March 24th – 4.8 miles, 4 sets of 9 chin-ups, 3 rounds boxing the heavy bag.
Friday March 25th – Date night with my Wife!
Last weekends Marathon and my legs. Without a doubt I can walk high weekly mileage. I can train hard and walk long distances both without injury. The question is do my legs fully recover? I think late February’s Cowtown 50K race left my legs tired. More tired than I thought. I resumed my hard training for three weeks. Then raced the A2A Marathon. My legs were not responsive. I have been under the impression that if I kept piling on the miles my legs would adapt. I still believe that. However I also need some recovery time. My plan was to pile on more miles before the Australian Centurion. This week I focused instead on recovery. I will do the same between now and my Centurion race. I have the fitness now for a hundred mile race. This last week and next week would not have added much more to my fitness. Just looking to maintain now, then Taper. Achieve my Goal. Race Australia with happy RESTED legs.
2016 A2A Marathon
My third year in a row to do this Point to Point Marathon in Ardmore, Oklahoma. I get to sleep in my own Bed. Easy 30 minute drive to the race. The race officials take the racers by school bus to the starting line. An eye opening 25 minute ride that gives you a chance to fathom what your feet are about to do. The last two years we pushed 20 mph headwinds. Not this year. Cool with a 15 mph tail wind. The wind is significant because 19 miles of this race is all in one direction. My goal this year, just a nice easy sub five hour marathon. Sometimes races don’t go as planned. I just didn’t have my “A” game today. Nothing is wrong. Nothing hurt. No blisters. I just could not walk as fast as I wanted, For me anyway this hilly marathon is tough. There were more marathon racers this year. The support staff is Great. Water stops are about every mile. The A2A is a great race. I just have not figured out how to race it YET. I finished with a 5:01:53. The highlight of the race was my Wife and Grandkids waiting at the finish line. The race finishes on the track in the football stadium. I was the only racer in the stadium. My grand kids were so excited. They said, ” Granddad you won the race.”
Training March 12th – 18th
This week 58.2 Miles
Saturday March 12th – 4.8 miles, 5 sets of 69 push-ups, 21 minutes of Planks
Sunday March 13th – 27 miles LSD in 5:53:55 in lane 3 on the track. 3 sets of 30 squats.
Monday March 14th – 4.8 miles, 4 sets of 10 chin-ups, 3 rounds boxing the heavy bag.
Tuesday March 15th – 4.8 miles, 5 sets of 69 push-ups, 21 minutes of Planks
Wednesday March 16th – 12 miles LSD in 2:37:58. 3 sets of 30 squats.
Thursday March 17th – 4.8 miles.
Friday March 18th – Date night with my Wife!
No taper before my A2A Marathon this Sunday. Just using the race as a supported training walk. I need the miles more than a personal best marathon. There will be time for personal records after my World Centurion Quest is over. The Forecast is about perfect for a marathon. Dry, cool and light wind.
Speaking of World Centurion Quest. I signed up for the Redcar Blast this week. The Redcar Blast is the 105th British Centurion Qualifier this August in Redcar, UK. That is my next goal. Just thinking about Australia right now. One Goal at a time Please.
Training March 5th – 11th
This week 58.2 Miles
Saturday March 5th – 4.8 miles, 5 sets of 69 push-ups, 21 minutes of Planks
Sunday March 6th – 27 miles LSD in 5:50:50 in lane 3 on the track. 3 sets of 30 squats.
Monday March 7th – 4.8 miles, 4 sets of 9 chin-ups, 3 rounds boxing the heavy bag.
Tuesday March 8th – 4.8 miles, 5 sets of 69 push-ups, 21 minutes of Planks
Wednesday March 9th – 12 miles LSD in 2:34:27. 3 sets of 30 squats.
Thursday March 10th – 4.8 miles, 4 sets of 9 chin-ups, 3 rounds boxing the heavy bag.
Friday March 11th – Date night with my Wife!
I am getting excited about my Australian Centurion Race in five weeks. I have trained hard. Much harder than I did for my U.S. Centurion race. I feel great. That is not the reason for my excitement. It is getting to share the Track with other Centurions. Some of the best long distance walkers in the world. I am inspired by watching other Centurions Race. These folks have also chewed the pavement training. They have survived the race, felt the pain, enjoyed the success.
Australia will be well represented with Australian Centurions. Michelle Thompson holds every female walking race record in Australia up to her age. Every new age group she enters She breaks the records. Will be fun to watch her zip past every few laps. Clarrie Jack will be looking to add to his many walking records. He is now racing in the 70 year age group. John Kilmartin is a double Centurion with Australian and British Centurion Badges. John has been a mentor to me in my Centurion quest. John is faster than I am. Can not wait to meet him and watch his walking form.
The Netherlands will be represented by a pair of Double Badge Centurions. Sandra de Graaff and Albertus van Ginkel. Both are Continental and British Centurions. I raced last summer with two Dutch racers. I expect to be equally awed by Sandra and Albertus.
There are several other top Australian walkers in the field. Excited. Going to be Fun!
Training February 27th – March 4th
This week 55.0 Miles
Saturday February 27th – 2.4 miles
Sunday February 28th – 31 miles at the Cowtown 50K in 5:57:17
Monday February 29th – Day off
Tuesday March 1st – 4.8 miles, 5 sets of 68 push-ups, 21 minutes of Planks.
Wednesday March 2nd – 12 Miles LSD in 2:38:36. 3 sets of 30 squats.
Thursday March 3rd – 4.8 Miles, 4 sets of 9 chin-ups, 3 rounds boxing the heavy bag.
Friday March 4th – Date night with my Wife.
With post race recovery being a good judge of fitness my training has worked for me. I took one day off and jumped back into my workouts. I feel great. Only my core and glutes were sore. Looks like I will lose both big toe nails. I have lost each one over the last two years. First time to lose both together. I will keep building mileage. Six weeks to my Australian Centurion attempt. I have a small local hilly point to point Marathon in two weeks. I have finished the A2A marathon twice. Once one second over 5 hours. Once 48 seconds under 5 hours. This year I will try for a 4:59:59 training walk finish.
