Training Log - Week 8 of 28 - Saturday

Didn't quite make it to eight miles today. Another very hot & humid day.

5:20am - wake up
6:00am - 7.25 miles (close enough for government work!)

Marilyn has also told me that she is planning to run at least one mile with me.

Martin is in for three.

Steph is in for at least one.

I'll get by with a little help from my friends.

This week begins "track work". Now that we've built up a base we are going to get faster and stronger.

I am also adding extra days during the week. A two miler here and there to keep me on the move.

On the iPod today:

I Will Not Be Moved - Natalie Grant
Miracle of the Moment - Steven Curtis Chapman
Everlating God - Lincoln Brewster
Eminence Front - The Who

Training Log - Week 8 of 28 - Friday

No run today. Rest!

8 miles on Saturday morning.

My sister Stephanie and my friend Martin have agreed to jump on the course on race day and run with me for a mile each at around mile 20 - 21.

Click here to see map of the course.

I've never run more than 21 so I figure that if I have someone running next to me for encouragement that it will carry me through the park and onto Allen Parkway (mile 23 - 25).

Training Log - Week 8 of 28 - Thursday

All week I have not been able to bring myself to run outside. On the way home from work I was sweating like a pig even though I had the A/C on full. It's just too damn hot.

3 mile tempo run indoors.

A tempo run consists of a period of slow running then a faster than normal pace followed by a period of cooling down. A ran each of the three miles at a different pace.

Slow run = 11 minute mile
Fast run = 9 minute mile
Recovery run = 10 minute mile

Friday is a rest day.

Long run on Saturday.

Training Log - Week 8 of 28 - Wednesday

2 miles. Indoors on treadmill.

Training Log - Week 8 of 28 - Tuesday

3 miles

I ran inside on a treadmill today. Too freaking hot!

Plus, I wanted to sleep in. I believe I overdid it with back to back runs on Friday and Saturday. Might be overtraining a little bit.

Sing and Make Music - Psalm 57

Psalm 57:5-11 (NIV)

Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
let your glory be over all the earth.

They spread a net for my feet—
I was bowed down in distress.
They dug a pit in my path—
but they have fallen into it themselves.
Selah

My heart is steadfast, O God,
my heart is steadfast;
I will sing and make music.

Awake, my soul!
Awake, harp and lyre!
I will awaken the dawn.

I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations;
I will sing of you among the peoples.

For great is your love, reaching to the heavens;
your faithfulness reaches to the skies.

Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
let your glory be over all the earth.

Training Log - Week 7 of 28 - Saturday

Muggy, humid, and miserable. No end in sight for about another six weeks. I am ready to run in cooler weather.

I only got 5 in today. I set my alarm for 5:30am, or so I thought. I accidentally set it for 5:30pm! Needless to say. I arrived just in time for 5 with the Champions Fit blue group.

Time permitting I will get three miles in on Sunday.

6:20am - Wake up
6:50am - 5 miles

Training Log - Week 7 of 28 - Friday

4:50am - Wake up
5:30am - 5 miles

This has been a long week.

Tuesday and Wednesday I had a stomach bug.

Thursday brought rain and lightning at run time. Ok to run in the rain but no lightning!

This morning was catch up but I am going to be three miles behind my goal for the week. Eight miles on Saturday morning. I will probably break 20 miles total per week next week.

Today was a bagel run. We began and ended at Panera Bread on SH249. Also, we do this on occasion to celebrate birthdays in the club. Happy birthday Kimberly Bowron and Mark Lehman!

What I am listening to on my iPod:

Baba O'Reilly - The Who
Hey Ya! - Outkast
Back Down to Zero - Robbie Rivera
Let It Rise - Big Daddy Weave
Free to Run - Newsboys

Anything with a solid cadence helps with the run.

Baba O'Reilly speeds up to double time in the last several bars!

Training Log - Week 7 of 28 - Monday

The cool air from last night's rain did not last until this morning.

Another hot and humid day. August in Houston, gotta love it!

4:50am - Wake up
5:30am - 5 miles

Total mileage this week = 5 miles

Ran slower this morning. The advanced team coach is advocating a plan of running slower (1 minute slower than race pace) in the early part of the training. The benefits are:

1) increases the stroke volume of your heart (heart pumps more blood with fewer beats)
2) increases lactate threshold (point when body cannot get rid of lactic acid waste product faster than it is produced; soreness!)
3) burns fat instead of glycogen, leading to weight loss and
4) trains your body to run on stored fat, not glycogen - delaying or hopefully, eliminating "the wall".

That would be great. The "wall" is not much fun. Avoid if possible.

Training Log - Week 6 of 28 - Saturday

Not quite as hot this morning.

Ran with one of the other Champions Fit coaches for the last 2 miles. She was flying! It's easier to get through a run if you have someone to talk to!

5:30am - Wake up
6:10am - 7 miles

Total mileage for week 6 = 15 miles

Adding a fourth day of running next week. The week after that I will add one more.

Will most likely start running garages on Tuesday.

Since we don't have many hill here in Houston, we use parking garages for our "hill" training.

** Fundraising update - received approximately $1800 from Rapides Regional Medical Center. A little shy of the $3000 I was expecting but perhaps there will be more to come. Still 22 weeks to go before race time!

Training Log - Week 6 of 28 - Thursday

It's so HOT, even at 5:30am.

A run of any distance in this weather is nothing but a slog. Averaging an 11 minute mile right now. The good news is that when the weather begins to cool down in October it will be easier to pick up the pace (last year my mile pace was about 9:30/mile).

If it doesn't kill you, it makes you stronger!

4:50am - wake up
5:30am - PREP workout then 4 miles

Total mileage this week = 8 miles

Going to pick up another 3 or 4 on Friday, since I missed a day in the middle of the week. Long run of 7 miles on Saturday. Should get me up to 18 or 19 miles. Nearly back to my pre-baby mileage base.

On the fundraising front, just shy of $9000 on the website and still to collect a reported $3000 from RRMC!

What the Papers Had to Say About A.C.

Town Talk, the local paper in the Alexandria, LA area, published two artciles about A.C. last week in addition to his obituary.

Our View: Buchanan Legacy Alive and Healthy

RRMC CEO remembered for 'visionary leadership'

Arren Calvin "A.C." Buchanan, III - Obituary

Training Log - Week 6 of 28 - Monday

Getting back on track today. Our whirlwind trip to Louisana for Buck's funeral (and to spend time with Lisa) made it difficult to get any runs in.

4:50am - Wake up
5:30am - PREP workout and 4 mile run

Total mileage this week so far = 4 miles

*PREP workout includes the following

30 crunches
12 push ups
25 body weight squats
30 low back extensions
15 squats with dumbbell presses
20 lunges each leg, holding dumbbells

I am sure I will be sore tomorrow!

Marilyn's Comments from Buck's Funeral

My wife, Marilyn, made the following short speech during Buck's funeral (I am so proud of her!):

My name is Marilyn Peacock & I am AC’s oldest niece.

I loved my uncle dearly. Ever since I was a little girl, I always felt as though we were kindred spirits – both with logical minds, but also feelers. And I’ve seen several parallels in our lives.

There were times in my life, as well as in his when one of these aspects – the logic or the feelings – outweighed the other taking each of us down paths that led to less pleasant times .

But we learned from these experiences – learned what to steer clear of, and eventually found the way to balance, and back to the path that led to happiness.

I found my wonderful husband Scott, and AC found Lisa,
And I thank God regularly for both of them.

I am so thankful that my uncle found his soul-mate, and that he was able to live such a loving and fulfilling life with her.

I thank Lisa for coming into his life and giving him the love and respect he so richly deserved, and for completing the wonderful person he grew to be.

I also want to thank all of you here – his colleagues, members of his church family and his community, his friends and extended family – for caring for my uncle and for being a part of his life. I know he treasured you all. God bless you.

Revelation 7:9-17 - "...every tear from their eyes"

Visitation is at 5pm on Friday, the funeral is on Saturday.


Revelation 7:9-17 (New International Version)

The Great Multitude in White Robes

After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.

And they cried out in a loud voice:
"Salvation belongs to our God,
who sits on the throne,
and to the Lamb."

All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying:

"Amen!
Praise and glory
and wisdom and thanks and honor
and power and strength
be to our God for ever and ever. Amen!"

Then one of the elders asked me, "These in white robes—who are they, and where did they come from?"

I answered, "Sir, you know."

And he said, "These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

Therefore,
"they are before the throne of God
and serve him day and night in his temple;
and he who sits on the throne will spread his tent over them.

Never again will they hunger;
never again will they thirst.
The sun will not beat upon them,
nor any scorching heat.

For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd;
he will lead them to springs of living water.
And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."

In Memoriam - A.C. Buchanan

Buck passed away today. Later in the day on Monday, his condition deteriorated. He became unconscious and never woke up. We were told that the clot is his brain burst and he hemorraged severely.

By this afternoon his neurosurgeons told us that he would be in a vegetative state permanently. The decision was made, in accordance with his wishes, to end life support.

Buck passed with Lisa, Carolyn (Lisa's sister), David (Buck's son), Nick & April (Lisa's son and his wife), and several of his neices and nephews by his side.

Lisa is resting at her hotel with her sister and her neice Kathryn. She is due to return to Louisiana on Wednesay.

Please keep Lisa and the entire family in your prayers.

I'll post information about funeral arrangements when they become available.

I have a five miler at 5:30a. I think it will be the toughest run I've ever done.

Truly a dark day.

Lunchtime Visit with Buck

Marilyn & I visited Buck and Lisa at lunctime (Lisa's sister, Carolyn, was there, too). The kidney issue mentioned earlier has been discounted. Apparently, that's ok now. His doctors are preparing to start him on a different "super drug" (this is what Lisa called it). The first time they tried this it caused problems with his heart. The staff will be monitoring that closely. Once that's under control they will look at some thinning agents to address the clot in his brain. I am sure that this is infinitely more complex than I am describing but I am not a medical professional.

Buck seemed to be in good spirits, all things considered. Lisa says at times his having problems finishing his sentences. Also, it seems that he can't tell what each hand is doing at one time.

In the meantime, we are hunkering down for Tropical Storm Edouard, which is coming right for us. A hospital is probably the safest place to be at the moment.

Update from Lisa - Stroke

** Lisa called at about 9:25am. Apparently Buck had a stroke on Sunday. He still has a blood clot in his brain. Doctors say that they cannot treat the clot at this point because Buck's kidneys are not functioning properly. They have to address the issue with the kidneys first. They were taking Buck for an MRI when she called. More updates as I get them.

Training Log - Week 5 of 28 - Monday

** Visited with Buck and Lisa briefly yesterday. As we were parking the car at their hotel, Lisa called to say that she was taking Buck to the ER. Couldn't finish his sentences. Couldn't hold his fork. Would stare off into space. By the time we got there he seemed OK and we talked for a few minutes. She took him to the ER anyway to have him checked out.

4:50am - wake up
5:00am - 3.3 miles - didn't feel like running further - stressed out over Buck's situation

Training Log - Week 4 of 28 - Sunday

** Email from Lisa that Buck seems to be feeling better after a platelet transfusion yesterday. Headed down there after lunch to visit.

No workout - day of rest as the Creator intended.....

Psalm 103:1-6

Praise the LORD, O my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.

Praise the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits-

who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,

who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion,

who satisfies your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.

Training Log - Week 4 of 28 - Saturday

** Via sister-in-law, was told that Buck will be staying in Houston for the next month. Sounds as though the treatment is getting more agressive. Email from Lisa on Tuesday said that his bloodwork showed that his "blasts" are up (meaning his body is producing cancel cells again).

Pray hard!

5:15am - Wake up
6:00am - 6.13 miles

Total mileage this week - 13.13 miles

The theory behind marathon training is this:

Shorter "bread and butter runs" during the week, long runs once a week. On the long runs each week the mileage gets bumped up a little bit. Next week, 7 miles on Saturday.

Saturday is long run day with the entire club. In addition to training for the marathon, I am coaching beginning and shorter distance (half marathon runners) on Saturday morning. This is how I started out five years ago.

Training Log - Week 4 of 28 - Friday

** Lisa emailed this morning to say that she and Buck are off to their appointment at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.

Friday - no scheduled run - rest!

In preparing for the marathon, there are three races in the 2009 Houston Marathon Warm Up Series:

Oct 26, 2008 - Koala Health & Wellness Centers/Luke's Locker Half Marathon (13.1 miles)
Nov 9, 2008 - HMSA Classical 25k (15.5 miles)
Nov 28, 2008 - Champions Fit 30k (18.6 miles)
Dec 20, 2008 - Champions Fit/Katy Fit Annual 21 Mile Run

The 21 miler is called the "cookie run." Volunteers are waiting every few miles with cookies (carbs are good when you are going to burn them off!).

Tomorrow morning will be a 6 mile run with my club, Champions Fit.