High Five By 55

Current Training Focus: 10K training to build some leg speed before beginning Chicago Marathon training. Current Training Plan: Jack Daniels 5K/10K Phase II Week 1 Plan Week's Intention: run easy, continue to let the tweaked hamstring heal, perhaps test the hamstring with some strides to see if I'm ready for some faster work. Summary: after last week's hamstring strain, I was leery to push very hard this week. I had felt fairly good after running all easy last week, but did have some soreness and tightness in the hamstring after last Sunday's long run. So this week I went in expecting to run all easy miles. Overall, the week went well, the hamstring was slightly sore from time to time, but nothing of any consequences. I was even able to run some decent strides and a tempo run without any negative consequences. Good progress, and I'll return to the 10k training plan next week, but backing the interval paces off a bit. Monday: (Nike Vomero 17) 6.30 miles @ 8:39/mile ...

I still want to do this thing. I still want to figure out how to become mountain capable enough and fit enough to finish the High Five 100 while predominantly training in Florida. And I want to do it by the time I turn age 55. All that said, I'm rethinking how I want to go about doing that. My initial plan had been to spend the years from age 46 to 55 practicing in the mountains by completing Hardrock qualifiers and chasing an entry into the Hardrock 100 Endurance Run. Then once that happened, running Hardrock (likely uncrewed) as the final puzzle piece before jumping into High Five 100. It was a fine plan. It was a plan that excited me in many ways. It was a plan that did have a big potential flaw in it.  The flaw, I want to be spending time and hiking and running in the San Juan mountains. Hardrock is in the San Juans, but none of the qualifying races are. At first, I figured that would be fine. It would be fun to travel to new places and experience different mountains. And that...

  2024 Jacksonville Marathon - A PR! I've been battling with myself for several weeks deciding whether I actually wanted to write this little diddy or not. I'm going to be sharing perhaps a bit too openly and honestly for my own comfort here, and haven't been sure I want to do that. I've finally decided that it's probably a good thing. And knowing nobody really reads this space, not a terribly unsafe thing either. So, I begin... Looking back at 2024 brings up a lot of emotion. The year concluded on such a high note with my run at the Jacksonville Marathon in mid December where I set a PR and executed a marathon the best I ever have, whether racing or pacing. It was a wonderful way to close out the year and I was left giddy for days with the way that race went. But I'm kind of starting at the end of the story, not the usual way to begin. The truth is 2024 was a deeply challenging year for me, both professionally and personally. I struggled with physical health. I...

My Miami Marathon pacing experience has put me in a place I have rarely encountered since beginning running in 2016. I am completely and totally devoid of motivation to run. I'm so bummed by the entire experience that I just don't feel like heading out the door right now. This is not an uncommon experience for runners as I understand it, but it has been uncommon for me. In fact, I can't remember a single time in at least the past 5 years when I've felt this way. Sure, a day here or there where I didn't want to run crept in. Or a series of days where I wasn't super excited about it, but still mostly wanted to go. But this time is different. This time I really don't want to go run. So I'm going to just go with that for a little while...sort of. I have a dog that needs his exercise and loves running, so I'll run with him daily. But I'm not going to do any specific training, at least for a few days, perhaps even a few weeks. I'll let the funk be ...

I seek adventure. I seek journeys. I seek experiences. A big reason I do any of this running from 5ks to mountain ultramarathons is this pursuit of adventure. And yes, a 5k can be an adventure. An internal one. But an adventure nevertheless. And in some respects, among the hardest I've tried since it's just me against myself. But mostly I'm seeking adventure in grand places, preferably with pleasant company. Though I very much do also like to spend time alone. This High Five By 55 idea is really the pursuit of the grandest adventure and journey. It's not about completing any single race. It really is about the journey that prepares me to get to that race. And that race my never happen. Who knows. The ultimate practice I want to take out of this project is remaining focused on the journey instead of any discrete step. I wrote about Bighorn doubts yesterday. That's focus on the discrete step. It's okay. I should have doubts. A mountain ultramarathon is never easy ...