... when doing speed work, don't forget which lap your on. The consequences can be sort of... interesting.
Tuesday is speedwork day, where I and many of my running friends run around in circles as a grand metaphor of life. Faster and faster without getting anywhere, but improving by leaps and bounds- at least, that's how I try to rationalize it when it feels like people have been beating me with sticks.
Oh, and the sun was pretty intense today, too. :)
So anyway, the plan was to do two 1200 meter runs with 400 rest intervals, and then four 800 meter runs with a 200 meter rest interval. tough stuff.
Except I can't seem to count. My first 1200 was fine- 3 laps around and a few minutes rest to have my heart rate come down to something sane. The second... for some reason I thought my second lap was my first, and so I went on to do four. If I had been smart enough to check my GPS, I would've known better. If my brain hadn't been baked out of my head, I might've been able to count to three properly.
But as it was, I set a new mile PR of 6:41, down from 6:52 set at the Huntington Woods race. Oops. :)
So, let this be a lesson to you; Sometimes being absent minded can have some rather pleasant consequences!
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Saturday, July 28, 2007
Racing. It's a learning process.
So... the grand strategy I laid out a few days ago went bye-bye in the first 30 seconds of Heart of the Hills. Oops. Yes, I did the complete newbie mistake of going out too fast. Yes, I paid for it a little. And though I'm not a race newbie, I am really new to the ins and outs of racing races, rather than running them.
If that makes sense.
Anyway, let's talk about goals. I usually have three: A manageable one if I have a mediocre race; a achievable with a good effort and circumstance, and "pie-in-the-sky" if things go really really well through no fault of my own. My Huntington Woods 3M experience was of the latter variety. If you had asked me two minutes before the race if I thought I could average a 7:07 pace, when my mile PR was 7:30, I would have probably laughed and said "Not a chance." So it can happen. Hopefully more than once. :)
My goals for this race were simple- Primary goal of 10K PR at sub 53. Secondary goal of sub 50. And "OMG" goal of sub 46. I wanted negative splits. I wanted no shin splints. Oh, and to not get passed by a girl. (just kidding!)
Of the three time goals, I beat two, and was 58 seconds off for the third, coming in at a very happy 46:57, or a 7:34 pace. Saying I'm pleased is a nice understatement, and I'll leave it at that for now.
As for the details of the race:
My pacing (after the first mile) was good. Even though the course was quite hilly, (and to be fair to me, the first mile is the flattest of the six) I maintained pretty even splits. How even? Well... you be the judge... 7:09, 7:39, 7:34, 7:35, 7:31, 7:26 and my last .2 was at a 6:13 pace or so. I confess I sped up when I could hear the announcer calling out names and the crowd cheering.
Take off the first mile, and I did have negative splits. I didn't feel even a twinge of shin splints. And I remember being passed by two women; one I lost sight of around mile three, the other I passed about a mile and change from the end. I think it does my ego good to both catch up and to be blown away. Weird, eh?
I placed fifth in my age group, but there was less than a minute and a half between me and number two, while there was six minutes between number two and number one. If I was in the 25-29 AG I would have been first place by over a minute; if I were in the 35-39 I'd have been 10th.
So I'd better get faster before I get older. :)
And yes, I barely remember a thing about the scenery. That's one of the sad casualties of racing rather than running races- everything sort of passes as a blur.
Heart of the Hills was a splendid race, and for a race I'd been looking forward to for quite some time, it lived up to my expectations!
If that makes sense.
Anyway, let's talk about goals. I usually have three: A manageable one if I have a mediocre race; a achievable with a good effort and circumstance, and "pie-in-the-sky" if things go really really well through no fault of my own. My Huntington Woods 3M experience was of the latter variety. If you had asked me two minutes before the race if I thought I could average a 7:07 pace, when my mile PR was 7:30, I would have probably laughed and said "Not a chance." So it can happen. Hopefully more than once. :)
My goals for this race were simple- Primary goal of 10K PR at sub 53. Secondary goal of sub 50. And "OMG" goal of sub 46. I wanted negative splits. I wanted no shin splints. Oh, and to not get passed by a girl. (just kidding!)
Of the three time goals, I beat two, and was 58 seconds off for the third, coming in at a very happy 46:57, or a 7:34 pace. Saying I'm pleased is a nice understatement, and I'll leave it at that for now.
As for the details of the race:
My pacing (after the first mile) was good. Even though the course was quite hilly, (and to be fair to me, the first mile is the flattest of the six) I maintained pretty even splits. How even? Well... you be the judge... 7:09, 7:39, 7:34, 7:35, 7:31, 7:26 and my last .2 was at a 6:13 pace or so. I confess I sped up when I could hear the announcer calling out names and the crowd cheering.
Take off the first mile, and I did have negative splits. I didn't feel even a twinge of shin splints. And I remember being passed by two women; one I lost sight of around mile three, the other I passed about a mile and change from the end. I think it does my ego good to both catch up and to be blown away. Weird, eh?
I placed fifth in my age group, but there was less than a minute and a half between me and number two, while there was six minutes between number two and number one. If I was in the 25-29 AG I would have been first place by over a minute; if I were in the 35-39 I'd have been 10th.
So I'd better get faster before I get older. :)
And yes, I barely remember a thing about the scenery. That's one of the sad casualties of racing rather than running races- everything sort of passes as a blur.
Heart of the Hills was a splendid race, and for a race I'd been looking forward to for quite some time, it lived up to my expectations!
Friday, July 27, 2007
(pre) Raceday Strategies 2
So, I've got a 10K I'd really like to do well in tomorrow.
Is it counter intuitive that I'm drinking Riesling and eating cheese poofs tonight? One of my best training runs was done hung over... and I'm a big believer in never do on race day what you haven't done in training!
Is it counter intuitive that I'm drinking Riesling and eating cheese poofs tonight? One of my best training runs was done hung over... and I'm a big believer in never do on race day what you haven't done in training!
"Ah ha" moments: Swimming
It's happened a few times with running, a few times in school, and strangely enough, this last Monday with swimming.
I'm not a natural in the water; sure, during summers when I was a kid I loved to spend time splashing around. But when I was twelve I discovered books, and that was that. It's been a good twenty years since I've been in the water with any sort of regularity, and I've never done it to actually get somewhere.
Anyway, with the triathlon training, I've spent time treading water trying to figure out how to use my arms. How to keep my legs from cramping. when to spot. And most importantly- when to breathe.
It's important, breathing. With running it's easy: just time taking a breath for every second, or fourth, or sixth left foot fall, and after a while it becomes relatively natural. Sometimes I'll be gasping; other times I'll be focusing on using my abs rather than my chest to get air into my lungs. I'll never really worry about drowning while running unless I have a particularly poorly timed drink.
With swimming, as I'm sure the observant reader can tell, it's a little different.
When my muscles got a little bit better at moving in such harmony to let me breathe, it let me focus on getting more air into my lungs, rather than blowing out a half-mouthful of water and then trying to get some air. I was able to relax a lot more, which goes a long way toward energy conservation. And my speed improved because I spent a lot less time treading water or backstroke gasping for breath.
Still, it's just the first baby step to actually feeling comfortable in the water. But it does feel kind of nice to have some improvement, ya'know?
I'm not a natural in the water; sure, during summers when I was a kid I loved to spend time splashing around. But when I was twelve I discovered books, and that was that. It's been a good twenty years since I've been in the water with any sort of regularity, and I've never done it to actually get somewhere.
Anyway, with the triathlon training, I've spent time treading water trying to figure out how to use my arms. How to keep my legs from cramping. when to spot. And most importantly- when to breathe.
It's important, breathing. With running it's easy: just time taking a breath for every second, or fourth, or sixth left foot fall, and after a while it becomes relatively natural. Sometimes I'll be gasping; other times I'll be focusing on using my abs rather than my chest to get air into my lungs. I'll never really worry about drowning while running unless I have a particularly poorly timed drink.
With swimming, as I'm sure the observant reader can tell, it's a little different.
When my muscles got a little bit better at moving in such harmony to let me breathe, it let me focus on getting more air into my lungs, rather than blowing out a half-mouthful of water and then trying to get some air. I was able to relax a lot more, which goes a long way toward energy conservation. And my speed improved because I spent a lot less time treading water or backstroke gasping for breath.
Still, it's just the first baby step to actually feeling comfortable in the water. But it does feel kind of nice to have some improvement, ya'know?
Sunday, July 22, 2007
Training...
So, I should probably relate how training is going for my fall marathon(s). On the surface- it's going well! No injuries, no burn-out- I did a 15.5 mile run yesterday and felt great! I felt a bit fatigued afterward, but it is just as likely that the fact that I didn't have breakfast or lunch (I had to rush to go to work) is as probable a reason for the cause.
I also did an 8 mile recovery run this morning, and it went fine. 10:25 pace around a hilly course, and my heart rate average was 135. Essentially, I followed the path of the Heart of the Hills race, which I'm going to try to run my best this Saturday.
I have a race strategy. I'd really like to run the first third of the race in the eight to 8:15 min/mile pace, the second third in the high sevens, and the last third as fast as I can. Hopefully the mid to low sevens, but that's just a hope. Maintaining sub-eight really is what I'm after; hopefully enough to have my average pace below eight min/mile.
I'll let you know how it works out.
Beyond that, my weekly milage has been pretty good. I did 51 last week, while only doing 41 this week. I skipped my mid-week long run, probably because I came home from work a bit too fatigued to convince myself to get out the door. I did go biking a couple of times, so that was nice. I even went swimming for about 10 minutes. *sigh* Baby steps.... a lot like when I first started running.
On the flip side, my average pace is pretty slow. Running with my 501 training class keeps me in the 10:30-11:30 pace. I do make it up during my speedwork. But I really need to add in my Thursday tempo runs. I guess that'll be my goal for next week... this week, I'll take it somewhat easy for the race saturday. I hope.
I also did an 8 mile recovery run this morning, and it went fine. 10:25 pace around a hilly course, and my heart rate average was 135. Essentially, I followed the path of the Heart of the Hills race, which I'm going to try to run my best this Saturday.
I have a race strategy. I'd really like to run the first third of the race in the eight to 8:15 min/mile pace, the second third in the high sevens, and the last third as fast as I can. Hopefully the mid to low sevens, but that's just a hope. Maintaining sub-eight really is what I'm after; hopefully enough to have my average pace below eight min/mile.
I'll let you know how it works out.
Beyond that, my weekly milage has been pretty good. I did 51 last week, while only doing 41 this week. I skipped my mid-week long run, probably because I came home from work a bit too fatigued to convince myself to get out the door. I did go biking a couple of times, so that was nice. I even went swimming for about 10 minutes. *sigh* Baby steps.... a lot like when I first started running.
On the flip side, my average pace is pretty slow. Running with my 501 training class keeps me in the 10:30-11:30 pace. I do make it up during my speedwork. But I really need to add in my Thursday tempo runs. I guess that'll be my goal for next week... this week, I'll take it somewhat easy for the race saturday. I hope.
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Speed intervals didn't quite go as planned.
First, instead of doing mile repeats, it was a reverse ladder. We started off with 1200 meters, and then decreased by 200 until we did a 200 sprint.
So much for concentrating on breath. I mean, I had to, but I couldn't compare apples to apples or anything. Mostly I just tried to finish each lap at a good pace, and most of the time I averaged 90 seconds per lap, or a 6 min/mile pace. It'd be more impressive if I could say I did it for longer than 4:30, but I didn't.
Whether I did a 400 or a 1200, I was only a second or two off a 6 min pace.
Except for the 200 sprint. I don't know if it was because it was the last lap and I stopped pacing myself, or if I broke through a mental block, or what, but I did it in 30 seconds, or a 4:00 min/mile pace.
Which, I have to say, isn't half bad. :)
First, instead of doing mile repeats, it was a reverse ladder. We started off with 1200 meters, and then decreased by 200 until we did a 200 sprint.
So much for concentrating on breath. I mean, I had to, but I couldn't compare apples to apples or anything. Mostly I just tried to finish each lap at a good pace, and most of the time I averaged 90 seconds per lap, or a 6 min/mile pace. It'd be more impressive if I could say I did it for longer than 4:30, but I didn't.
Whether I did a 400 or a 1200, I was only a second or two off a 6 min pace.
Except for the 200 sprint. I don't know if it was because it was the last lap and I stopped pacing myself, or if I broke through a mental block, or what, but I did it in 30 seconds, or a 4:00 min/mile pace.
Which, I have to say, isn't half bad. :)
Monday, July 16, 2007
Triathlon Training
Running is my passion; it has a lot to do with how I spend my free time, my work, and my intellectual stimulus. It's fun, it's an escape, and it keeps my body healthy when it isn't breaking it down.
That being said, mondays are a cross training day for me, and a group of my friends decided to make it into a triathlon training day. Swimming- I'm taking a while to get into the habit. It's tough- but so too was running when I started. It'll take work.
Biking however- today, biking was fun. In a crazy, OMGWTF Imgonnadie! sort of way. Picture being on a road bike riding seriously for the first time evar. Going down hill. In the rain. 30 miles per hour.
I was breaking the Kensington metropark speed limit on a bike. The ground contact on a good road bike is about the size of two postage stamps. And the rain was pelting me like little pebbles.
It's the first time I ever thought that I might possibly enjoy biking more than running! That darned element of danger...
That being said, mondays are a cross training day for me, and a group of my friends decided to make it into a triathlon training day. Swimming- I'm taking a while to get into the habit. It's tough- but so too was running when I started. It'll take work.
Biking however- today, biking was fun. In a crazy, OMGWTF Imgonnadie! sort of way. Picture being on a road bike riding seriously for the first time evar. Going down hill. In the rain. 30 miles per hour.
I was breaking the Kensington metropark speed limit on a bike. The ground contact on a good road bike is about the size of two postage stamps. And the rain was pelting me like little pebbles.
It's the first time I ever thought that I might possibly enjoy biking more than running! That darned element of danger...
Sunday, July 15, 2007
Breath
I've been thinking a lot about breathing.
It's kind of weird, considering how long I've been doing it, but there are certain muscles I can choose to use, a certain depth, regularity, and timing which all can play a big role in how and how well I run.
The hardest thing, I think, is focus and concentration. If I'm able practice for 30 seconds before I get distracted by something I'm usually pretty surprised. And I really don't know if actively expanding my abs is really helping my speed. But I do know I go from wheezing to heavy breathing when I do it. Of course, it could also be explained by a subsequent drop in my pace.
I'm supposed to be running 1600 intervals on Tuesday, I think. It would be a great place to try to figure it out, if I could compare two intervals breathing "normally" and two focused on ab breathing. If I could keep myself focused on ab breathing for more than half a minute. And if there aren't confounding factors. :P
It's kind of weird, considering how long I've been doing it, but there are certain muscles I can choose to use, a certain depth, regularity, and timing which all can play a big role in how and how well I run.
The hardest thing, I think, is focus and concentration. If I'm able practice for 30 seconds before I get distracted by something I'm usually pretty surprised. And I really don't know if actively expanding my abs is really helping my speed. But I do know I go from wheezing to heavy breathing when I do it. Of course, it could also be explained by a subsequent drop in my pace.
I'm supposed to be running 1600 intervals on Tuesday, I think. It would be a great place to try to figure it out, if I could compare two intervals breathing "normally" and two focused on ab breathing. If I could keep myself focused on ab breathing for more than half a minute. And if there aren't confounding factors. :P
Saturday, July 14, 2007
Goals...
So, I guess I didn't know that I had 1000 miles as a goal for the year; it just hit me how happy I was when I achieved it that I achieved it.
But I have been thinking of other goals, more or less seriously-
Run 2000 miles in a year.
Run a sub-50 minute 10K
Run a half marathon sub-1:45
Run a sub-4 marathon.
Run an ultra, either a 50K or 50 mile.
Those are short term goals which I think I could do in the next six months to a year. I may even be able to do now, if I have a good day- though at a risk of injury. I haven't logged long enough long runs lately to feel comfortable saying a sub-4 marathon is in my grasp.
"I'd like to eventually" type goals:
Qualify for Boston
Run the distance of the circumference of the earth, that is: 24,900 miles (roughly)
Lot of factors play in, but that's where I am right now. :)
Cheers!
But I have been thinking of other goals, more or less seriously-
Run 2000 miles in a year.
Run a sub-50 minute 10K
Run a half marathon sub-1:45
Run a sub-4 marathon.
Run an ultra, either a 50K or 50 mile.
Those are short term goals which I think I could do in the next six months to a year. I may even be able to do now, if I have a good day- though at a risk of injury. I haven't logged long enough long runs lately to feel comfortable saying a sub-4 marathon is in my grasp.
"I'd like to eventually" type goals:
Qualify for Boston
Run the distance of the circumference of the earth, that is: 24,900 miles (roughly)
Lot of factors play in, but that's where I am right now. :)
Cheers!
Milestone brag!
According to my records, today I passed 1000 miles for 2007! If I don't get injured or sick for more than a week or so, I may be able to reach 2000 this year!
Yay me! :)
Yay me! :)
Friday, July 6, 2007
Raceday Strategies 1
I'm going to have to come up with a pic in the style of indexed, but till then I share a tidbit to warm you-
If you're on your way to an early race, and you really need to wake up, skip drinking coffee. Just spill it on your lap; it's far more effective.
The screaming can be a bit disconserting for the other drivers, tho...
If you're on your way to an early race, and you really need to wake up, skip drinking coffee. Just spill it on your lap; it's far more effective.
The screaming can be a bit disconserting for the other drivers, tho...
Wednesday, July 4, 2007
Hungry Duck half
Yum! Sounds tasty, eh?
Anyway, after a pretty tough five days of training, I knew I wasn't going to race this one. If I broke it down by time, I did two hard hours on Friday, hour and half easy on Saturday, hour and a half hard Sunday, three hours moderate on Monday, and about a half hour of hard intervals (speedwork) on Tuesday. By miles it's 38 running, 30 biking, and .25 swimming.
Not the best way to prepare for a half marathon, but if I wanted a supported long run with friends on my day off, it's a pretty good way to go. I maintained form, listened to my body, and relaxed through much of the race. I actually enjoyed scenery. I also had good conversation with W~, with whom I ran the race.
It was a inaugural, so everyone got a course PR. :) The course itself was well marshaled, except for a snafu where a anther W friend of mine ran down the wrong street for about a minute and a half. The volunteers jumped into a car to chase him down, but the damage was done: he dropped from sixth to ninth overall.
It was also quite hilly, but lots of trees and meadows and stuff as nice scenery. Though I gotta say I still prefer my trails. Trails rock!
Many of my friends did quite well- winning or placing in age groups, though the course was such that I don't believe anyone got a new half marathon PR. I finished dead last in my age group, but even if I ran my half PR, I still would have been three minutes behind second to last.
Not that I feel defensive, 'natch. :P Anyway, pics I took are here:
Hungry Duck run Pics!
Cheers!
Anyway, after a pretty tough five days of training, I knew I wasn't going to race this one. If I broke it down by time, I did two hard hours on Friday, hour and half easy on Saturday, hour and a half hard Sunday, three hours moderate on Monday, and about a half hour of hard intervals (speedwork) on Tuesday. By miles it's 38 running, 30 biking, and .25 swimming.
Not the best way to prepare for a half marathon, but if I wanted a supported long run with friends on my day off, it's a pretty good way to go. I maintained form, listened to my body, and relaxed through much of the race. I actually enjoyed scenery. I also had good conversation with W~, with whom I ran the race.
It was a inaugural, so everyone got a course PR. :) The course itself was well marshaled, except for a snafu where a anther W friend of mine ran down the wrong street for about a minute and a half. The volunteers jumped into a car to chase him down, but the damage was done: he dropped from sixth to ninth overall.
It was also quite hilly, but lots of trees and meadows and stuff as nice scenery. Though I gotta say I still prefer my trails. Trails rock!
Many of my friends did quite well- winning or placing in age groups, though the course was such that I don't believe anyone got a new half marathon PR. I finished dead last in my age group, but even if I ran my half PR, I still would have been three minutes behind second to last.
Not that I feel defensive, 'natch. :P Anyway, pics I took are here:
Hungry Duck run Pics!
Cheers!
Friday, June 29, 2007
catharsis denied... [edited for spelling]
It's been a week.
Some high notes, many low notes, and the last three days have been... interesting. I wonder if they have a betting pool going on at work to see if I'll explode or implode, and what it'll look like. But enough of that-
I run for stress management, among other things. It does wonders to my ability to deal, focus on essentials, and put things in perspective. It flushes out the under used adrenaline, clears my mind, usually puts a smile on my face. I don't remember a time when it didn't work for me, to brighten my mood a little, if not by leaps and bounds.
That is, until today.
The plan was to finish work, go to a metro park, bike ride for 15-20 miles and finish with an eight mile run at whatever pace felt good. Figure the low nine's maybe high eights if I was feeling spunky.
I did the biking, and it was fine... a little under 16 miles in a little under an hour- I averaged 16.1 mph. Not bad for a mountain bike, I guess. Transitioned to running stuff, and set off without looking at pace.
It wasn't a bad run, mind you. I did eight miles in an hour and five minutes, something that would have sent me into spasms of joy not that long ago, and is still pretty neat when all is said and done. Heck, half my miles were below an eight minute pace- something that I've never touched before.
But it's this lingering feeling of dissatisfaction, I guess. I was grinding my teeth as I drove home, for no apparent reason.
Ah well. I guess I'm a victim of the "when all you have is a lead pipe, every problem looks like a kneecap" syndrome. Running and exercise are great tools, but they can't solve all of life's angst.
[edit: maybe a good night's sleep helps- I feel a lot better now than I did a few days ago...]
Some high notes, many low notes, and the last three days have been... interesting. I wonder if they have a betting pool going on at work to see if I'll explode or implode, and what it'll look like. But enough of that-
I run for stress management, among other things. It does wonders to my ability to deal, focus on essentials, and put things in perspective. It flushes out the under used adrenaline, clears my mind, usually puts a smile on my face. I don't remember a time when it didn't work for me, to brighten my mood a little, if not by leaps and bounds.
That is, until today.
The plan was to finish work, go to a metro park, bike ride for 15-20 miles and finish with an eight mile run at whatever pace felt good. Figure the low nine's maybe high eights if I was feeling spunky.
I did the biking, and it was fine... a little under 16 miles in a little under an hour- I averaged 16.1 mph. Not bad for a mountain bike, I guess. Transitioned to running stuff, and set off without looking at pace.
It wasn't a bad run, mind you. I did eight miles in an hour and five minutes, something that would have sent me into spasms of joy not that long ago, and is still pretty neat when all is said and done. Heck, half my miles were below an eight minute pace- something that I've never touched before.
But it's this lingering feeling of dissatisfaction, I guess. I was grinding my teeth as I drove home, for no apparent reason.
Ah well. I guess I'm a victim of the "when all you have is a lead pipe, every problem looks like a kneecap" syndrome. Running and exercise are great tools, but they can't solve all of life's angst.
[edit: maybe a good night's sleep helps- I feel a lot better now than I did a few days ago...]
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Huntington Woods 3 Mile
I hate to say this, but I think I'm a long distance snob. Part of it was because I got shin splints if I took the first two miles too quickly, back when I first started training. Part of it is because I loved the endorphin rush I got around mile four, and then the second one around mile seven.
Hard to experience in a three mile race.
Today I ran a three mile race, and believe it or not, I PRed in a big way. Not so surprising with respect to the race, because- hey, it was my first three mile race, so I could have done it backwards and still PRed.
But I ran the first mile at 7:07. Which beat my previous mile PR by about 21 seconds.
When I heard the count I thought "OMGWTF I'M GOING TOO FAST AND I'M GONNA CRASH AND BURN" and I was kind of convinced that I'd get shin splints and my last two miles would be at a 15 minute pace. So I eased up a bit, and spent about half of the second mile trying to slowly catch a couple of friends of mine who I saw only a few hundred feet in front of me.
No shin splints, thankfully.
I caught up with them, chatted for a bit, and finished the second mile in 7:24, which would have been a new mile PR if I hadn't run the first mile. And I thought... "Hm. A mile or so to go. I have a mile left in me. I wonder how fast it'll be?"
Also, I experienced something curious a couple of times when I was running. I think I was in "flow" whatever that means. But it was like I was entranced. My breathing was a lot more regular and even, and I could feel my footfalls were lighter. I have no idea if I was running faster at those times, or not. But it felt really good.
It was great to have some friends there, both on the course and to hang out with and cheer for those who got awards. If I hadn't had pacers, I'm sure my pace would've dropped significantly from 7:24, maybe to the eights. So, much kudos to GG and GG!
On the minus side, I really can't say a think about the neighborhood that I ran though. People said that there were a lot of pretty houses and yards and stuff, and I don't remember any of it. I remember waving to the volunteers and thanking them, a hill, a couple of turns, a golf course and the finish line.
A very new, very different race experience, though Dexter-AA was pretty close. My final mile was at 6:52, a new mile PR by about 36 seconds. My final time was 21:24, according to my garmin, with an average pace of about 7:08, about a minute faster than my goal.
And yes, I'm geeked. :) I guess endorphins aren't necessarily attached to miles, ya'know?
Hard to experience in a three mile race.
Today I ran a three mile race, and believe it or not, I PRed in a big way. Not so surprising with respect to the race, because- hey, it was my first three mile race, so I could have done it backwards and still PRed.
But I ran the first mile at 7:07. Which beat my previous mile PR by about 21 seconds.
When I heard the count I thought "OMGWTF I'M GOING TOO FAST AND I'M GONNA CRASH AND BURN" and I was kind of convinced that I'd get shin splints and my last two miles would be at a 15 minute pace. So I eased up a bit, and spent about half of the second mile trying to slowly catch a couple of friends of mine who I saw only a few hundred feet in front of me.
No shin splints, thankfully.
I caught up with them, chatted for a bit, and finished the second mile in 7:24, which would have been a new mile PR if I hadn't run the first mile. And I thought... "Hm. A mile or so to go. I have a mile left in me. I wonder how fast it'll be?"
Also, I experienced something curious a couple of times when I was running. I think I was in "flow" whatever that means. But it was like I was entranced. My breathing was a lot more regular and even, and I could feel my footfalls were lighter. I have no idea if I was running faster at those times, or not. But it felt really good.
It was great to have some friends there, both on the course and to hang out with and cheer for those who got awards. If I hadn't had pacers, I'm sure my pace would've dropped significantly from 7:24, maybe to the eights. So, much kudos to GG and GG!
On the minus side, I really can't say a think about the neighborhood that I ran though. People said that there were a lot of pretty houses and yards and stuff, and I don't remember any of it. I remember waving to the volunteers and thanking them, a hill, a couple of turns, a golf course and the finish line.
A very new, very different race experience, though Dexter-AA was pretty close. My final mile was at 6:52, a new mile PR by about 36 seconds. My final time was 21:24, according to my garmin, with an average pace of about 7:08, about a minute faster than my goal.
And yes, I'm geeked. :) I guess endorphins aren't necessarily attached to miles, ya'know?
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Relativity Speaking
I don't remember much from my physics class, but one phrase sticks in my mind. My professor was babbling on about Einstein's theory of relativity, and the fact that it can be summed up in one statement:
You Can't Feel Speed.
Now, it didn't make me sit up and take notice, and I didn't have a light-bulb moment all of Einstein's theories made sense were suddenly made clear. But I do understand that riding in a car at 60 mph and flying in a plane at 600 mph feels about the same.
I found, however, this has absolutely nothing to do with exercise.
Today I did 10 miles on my bike, transitioned to running stuff, and did a 4.5 mile run. And I can honestly say that I felt like I was barely crawling along when I was running, even though it was just a tad slower than my 10K pace, and about a minute and a half faster than my target pace.
I tried to slow myself down. I failed. I tried to feel like I was going fast. Failed at that, too. So I just ran along at my "feeling" slow but "relatively" fast training run. And now I know something about doing triathlons... I'll never feel as fast running as I do riding a bike. If I were to try to do so, I'd probably be quite SOL. :P
You Can't Feel Speed.
Now, it didn't make me sit up and take notice, and I didn't have a light-bulb moment all of Einstein's theories made sense were suddenly made clear. But I do understand that riding in a car at 60 mph and flying in a plane at 600 mph feels about the same.
I found, however, this has absolutely nothing to do with exercise.
Today I did 10 miles on my bike, transitioned to running stuff, and did a 4.5 mile run. And I can honestly say that I felt like I was barely crawling along when I was running, even though it was just a tad slower than my 10K pace, and about a minute and a half faster than my target pace.
I tried to slow myself down. I failed. I tried to feel like I was going fast. Failed at that, too. So I just ran along at my "feeling" slow but "relatively" fast training run. And now I know something about doing triathlons... I'll never feel as fast running as I do riding a bike. If I were to try to do so, I'd probably be quite SOL. :P
Sunday, June 17, 2007
Training Last week...
It was a good week. :)
None of the runs were a *long* run, but all of them were at relatively easy, enjoyable pace, aside from the speed work. And since it was bloody hot and I felt like I was coming down with a cold, I cut the intervals short (4X400, rather than 6X400).
I also enjoyed doing three bike rides; about 10 miles apiece, at about 14-15 mph. It's really nice to train outside my specialty, because I don't feel the compulsion to push like I might with running. Eg, if my heart rate is in the 130s during biking, I'm happy, while running in the 140s seems low.
Anyway, the stats:
Distance- 38 Miles
Time- 6:22
Pace- 9:56 min/mile
The funny thing is, beside the speed work day, every single other run was with a group. Just with Running Fit, we had a five group runs this week... It's not like I'm a part of multiple clubs. Just one, whose members (I guess) are as obsessive as I am. It's really pleasant to think that I ran 32 of 38 miles with friends.
None of the runs were a *long* run, but all of them were at relatively easy, enjoyable pace, aside from the speed work. And since it was bloody hot and I felt like I was coming down with a cold, I cut the intervals short (4X400, rather than 6X400).
I also enjoyed doing three bike rides; about 10 miles apiece, at about 14-15 mph. It's really nice to train outside my specialty, because I don't feel the compulsion to push like I might with running. Eg, if my heart rate is in the 130s during biking, I'm happy, while running in the 140s seems low.
Anyway, the stats:
Distance- 38 Miles
Time- 6:22
Pace- 9:56 min/mile
The funny thing is, beside the speed work day, every single other run was with a group. Just with Running Fit, we had a five group runs this week... It's not like I'm a part of multiple clubs. Just one, whose members (I guess) are as obsessive as I am. It's really pleasant to think that I ran 32 of 38 miles with friends.
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Overtraining and Sickness
As Freud said: "Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar."
Something I'm not noted for with respect to running is objectivity. When I look at myself, my training schedule, and how I feel, I'm about as blind to my own faults as is humanly possible.
That being said, it should be no wonder that I've been prone, in the past, to overtraining. I get sick and have to take a couple of weeks off. I get injured and I have to take a couple of weeks off. Possibly both some day, thought that's not happened- at least, not yet. *knocks on wood*
But sometimes, even if I do everything right, I can get sick. Something comes up, and my immune system just can't seem to fight off a virus, or germ or whatever. Typically my body is healthy enough to beat them down, but not always.
So anyway, I've got a spring cold now. I'm pretty sure it's not due to overtraining, but I really can't be sure. It's possible that after the last two races, my body just decided to say "heck with it! I need a rest!"
I do kind of wish, though, that instead of getting sick or injured, my body would just write me a letter, or something. *sigh* If it does decided I'm overtraining. Because, ya'know... this being sick thing kinda blows.
Something I'm not noted for with respect to running is objectivity. When I look at myself, my training schedule, and how I feel, I'm about as blind to my own faults as is humanly possible.
That being said, it should be no wonder that I've been prone, in the past, to overtraining. I get sick and have to take a couple of weeks off. I get injured and I have to take a couple of weeks off. Possibly both some day, thought that's not happened- at least, not yet. *knocks on wood*
But sometimes, even if I do everything right, I can get sick. Something comes up, and my immune system just can't seem to fight off a virus, or germ or whatever. Typically my body is healthy enough to beat them down, but not always.
So anyway, I've got a spring cold now. I'm pretty sure it's not due to overtraining, but I really can't be sure. It's possible that after the last two races, my body just decided to say "heck with it! I need a rest!"
I do kind of wish, though, that instead of getting sick or injured, my body would just write me a letter, or something. *sigh* If it does decided I'm overtraining. Because, ya'know... this being sick thing kinda blows.
Friday, June 8, 2007
Tapers and recovery; recovery and tapers
Taper weeks drive me batty.
Recovery weeks are a little better. This week has been both; recovering from Dexter-Ann Arbor half and preparing with Flirt with Dirt, a little 10K I'll be running tomorrow morning. I've barely run at all this week, and even if I race tomorrow I'm still not going to be doing all that much afterward, with working and all.
Of course, I have no idea how I'll do tomorrow. I'm thinking between 49-55 minutes, giving me a minute/mile range. Trail running is harder, but I ran a half faster, so it might even out.
I'm a bit nervous.
[update] 53:11.80! I'm well content. :)
Recovery weeks are a little better. This week has been both; recovering from Dexter-Ann Arbor half and preparing with Flirt with Dirt, a little 10K I'll be running tomorrow morning. I've barely run at all this week, and even if I race tomorrow I'm still not going to be doing all that much afterward, with working and all.
Of course, I have no idea how I'll do tomorrow. I'm thinking between 49-55 minutes, giving me a minute/mile range. Trail running is harder, but I ran a half faster, so it might even out.
I'm a bit nervous.
[update] 53:11.80! I'm well content. :)
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
Pronghorn Antelope
Have you ever heard of the Pronghorn Antelope?
They aren't really antelope; their sight is about eight times more acute than ours, even as they have a 320 degree field of vision. Also, they're able to run 10K in about 10 minutes.
Scientists really have no idea why; the only faster land animal is the cheetah, who are native to another continent and are sprinters anyway. No North American land predator even comes close to the speed, let alone the staying power. In physiological terms, their oversized lungs and heart give them a Max VO2 of about 350; roughly seven times that of a decent casual athlete.
Why would they develop to be some of the best runners in the animal kingdom? Usually there's some easily explainable rational need. Usually some set of circumstances, once explained, make it all understandable.
I'd like to speculate that it developed these marvelous qualities because somewhere up the evolutionary tree someone decided that it's fun to run. It isn't always about running away from predators. It isn't always about getting the trophy. Sometimes, it's just about being out there pushing yourself because of the sheer joy of movement.
There are some great races coming up this summer; Flirt with Dirt, Dances with Dirt, the Crim, Labor Day 30K, Towpath and the Freep. I'm looking foward to all of them. But I very much rejoice each day as I'm able to head out the door, ready to conquer another run in the life, one breath at a time.
They aren't really antelope; their sight is about eight times more acute than ours, even as they have a 320 degree field of vision. Also, they're able to run 10K in about 10 minutes.
Scientists really have no idea why; the only faster land animal is the cheetah, who are native to another continent and are sprinters anyway. No North American land predator even comes close to the speed, let alone the staying power. In physiological terms, their oversized lungs and heart give them a Max VO2 of about 350; roughly seven times that of a decent casual athlete.
Why would they develop to be some of the best runners in the animal kingdom? Usually there's some easily explainable rational need. Usually some set of circumstances, once explained, make it all understandable.
I'd like to speculate that it developed these marvelous qualities because somewhere up the evolutionary tree someone decided that it's fun to run. It isn't always about running away from predators. It isn't always about getting the trophy. Sometimes, it's just about being out there pushing yourself because of the sheer joy of movement.
There are some great races coming up this summer; Flirt with Dirt, Dances with Dirt, the Crim, Labor Day 30K, Towpath and the Freep. I'm looking foward to all of them. But I very much rejoice each day as I'm able to head out the door, ready to conquer another run in the life, one breath at a time.
Dexter Ann Arbor Half!
The Dexter-Ann Arbor has come and gone, along with the runners, the rain, and my (to date) best half marathon experience yet!
First off, the stats:
Distance: 13.1 miles
Time: 1:54:00 (chip time)
Pace: 8:43/mile
The day broke muggy and warm, cloudy, windless and stifling. The half marathoners were bussed to far away Dexter (well... 13.1 miles far) to much merriment and anticipation. I was seated next to W, a first time racer. I could tell when she very politely held up her chip timer and said: "Excuse me, but do you know what this is?" Well... that and I had asked her a few minutes prior, but that's beside the point.
She was full of questions about running and hydration and using Gu and stuff like that, and I was happy to relate all that I knew. I don't know if it helped her at all, but it helped distract me considerably. After venting my wisdom (about 30 seconds) and the wisdom of my running friends (the rest of the trip) I gave her the one piece of advice that I thought would be most important to her: this above all else- don't go out too fast. Warm up slowly, don't give into temptation to keep up with all those who might pass you in the beginning.
Strangely enough, I sort of managed to follow my own advice, though not completely. :)
I met up with some of my running group friends- it's always nice to chat with running buddies before a race. After a 20 minute delay for a tree being down on course, we started. I ran the first two miles with a friend R, who kept a steady pace through the race. It was her first half marathon, and she was running just to finish. Also, she didn't know that she'd be free to run it till Wednesday last week, so she wasn't able to train like she might've wanted.
I ran my first two miles at a calm 10:30/10:15 pace, with an average heart rate in the 130's and 140's respectively. After stopping for a quick drink of water, I went off too quickly. Oh well, irony has always been my friend. I try not to dwell to far into hypocrisy... or if I do, try not to reflect upon it too much. It would depress me.
My third mile was 8:08 pace, as was my fourth. I stopped off for Gatorade and water, and lost maybe 15 seconds coughing because I'd forgotten how to swallow correctly. Oops. Still, I managed to keep my pace relatively consistent. I had a few miles in the 8:40 range, but a lot of that might have been due to the hills... I think there were more hills this year than last, though I could be wrong. There was certainly more humidity- of that, I'm certain. :)
Another nice thing about starting off slowly is the psychological boost given by passing people for almost the entire race. I'd see someone up ahead. I'd focus on them, giving them names like "white singlet" or "red hat" or "nike symbol" and I'd slowly reel them in, hoping to pass them. One person in particular, "nike symbol" passed me at mile 10. For some reason, this got my blood going, and was just the boost I needed to finish the race strong.
The race ends with a relatively (for Michigan) substantial hill at the end. I knew I was pushing myself a bit when I looked at my heart rate just prior to the hill and saw I was at 190 (my predicted max heart rate is 187). But I felt fine- just a bit out of breath. I slowed down a little at the start of the hill, and let myself be passed by a few who were starting their kick early. About half way up I started to really work my legs, finally crossing the finish line at about a 5 min pace and a heart rate of about 204.
This is the first race where I really "raced" in that I tried to push myself to (or maybe a bit past) my limits. In the last three or four weeks I've done speed work. I told people I had a goal time (1:50 dream goal; 2 hour "more realistic" goal; and "I'll be happy with" goal of breaking last year's 2:08:54). And lastly this is all part of my hopes of eventually getting a BQ.
I really do consider myself well satisfied. :) Many thanks to Tfor waiting after her race (on the day after her birthday no less!) E, K and R for feeding me dinner afterwards, and to you for actually reading through all of this! :)
First off, the stats:
Distance: 13.1 miles
Time: 1:54:00 (chip time)
Pace: 8:43/mile
The day broke muggy and warm, cloudy, windless and stifling. The half marathoners were bussed to far away Dexter (well... 13.1 miles far) to much merriment and anticipation. I was seated next to W, a first time racer. I could tell when she very politely held up her chip timer and said: "Excuse me, but do you know what this is?" Well... that and I had asked her a few minutes prior, but that's beside the point.
She was full of questions about running and hydration and using Gu and stuff like that, and I was happy to relate all that I knew. I don't know if it helped her at all, but it helped distract me considerably. After venting my wisdom (about 30 seconds) and the wisdom of my running friends (the rest of the trip) I gave her the one piece of advice that I thought would be most important to her: this above all else- don't go out too fast. Warm up slowly, don't give into temptation to keep up with all those who might pass you in the beginning.
Strangely enough, I sort of managed to follow my own advice, though not completely. :)
I met up with some of my running group friends- it's always nice to chat with running buddies before a race. After a 20 minute delay for a tree being down on course, we started. I ran the first two miles with a friend R, who kept a steady pace through the race. It was her first half marathon, and she was running just to finish. Also, she didn't know that she'd be free to run it till Wednesday last week, so she wasn't able to train like she might've wanted.
I ran my first two miles at a calm 10:30/10:15 pace, with an average heart rate in the 130's and 140's respectively. After stopping for a quick drink of water, I went off too quickly. Oh well, irony has always been my friend. I try not to dwell to far into hypocrisy... or if I do, try not to reflect upon it too much. It would depress me.
My third mile was 8:08 pace, as was my fourth. I stopped off for Gatorade and water, and lost maybe 15 seconds coughing because I'd forgotten how to swallow correctly. Oops. Still, I managed to keep my pace relatively consistent. I had a few miles in the 8:40 range, but a lot of that might have been due to the hills... I think there were more hills this year than last, though I could be wrong. There was certainly more humidity- of that, I'm certain. :)
Another nice thing about starting off slowly is the psychological boost given by passing people for almost the entire race. I'd see someone up ahead. I'd focus on them, giving them names like "white singlet" or "red hat" or "nike symbol" and I'd slowly reel them in, hoping to pass them. One person in particular, "nike symbol" passed me at mile 10. For some reason, this got my blood going, and was just the boost I needed to finish the race strong.
The race ends with a relatively (for Michigan) substantial hill at the end. I knew I was pushing myself a bit when I looked at my heart rate just prior to the hill and saw I was at 190 (my predicted max heart rate is 187). But I felt fine- just a bit out of breath. I slowed down a little at the start of the hill, and let myself be passed by a few who were starting their kick early. About half way up I started to really work my legs, finally crossing the finish line at about a 5 min pace and a heart rate of about 204.
This is the first race where I really "raced" in that I tried to push myself to (or maybe a bit past) my limits. In the last three or four weeks I've done speed work. I told people I had a goal time (1:50 dream goal; 2 hour "more realistic" goal; and "I'll be happy with" goal of breaking last year's 2:08:54). And lastly this is all part of my hopes of eventually getting a BQ.
I really do consider myself well satisfied. :) Many thanks to T
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