... my back is not happy with me. I don't know whether is due to crap form, or an instability 'cause of landing on my tail bone one day when I fell from a tree, or a mix of stuff. All I do know is that my SI joint is only happy when I'm not moving.
*sigh* life is like that.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Monday, November 22, 2010
Jingle Bell 10K
10Ks aren't as much fun as half marathons, but their a sight better than 5Ks. 5Ks are just an exercise in pain management, perhaps not as bad as 800s, but still to be avoided as possible.
the last time I did the jingle bell run was in '07, which was a good year for me. some good races, and some bad, but for the most part everything I put a serious effort into went fairly well. this race in particular. records say I finished in 42:38, but I blamed it on the course being short.
Could be that. Or it could be I had a really good race. Maybe some of both. But I took away from that experience that maybe I had some speed that I hadn't tapped into yet. Well, I was slower this year, but I still put up a respectable showing, i think: a decent 43:47. Not sub-7 pace, but pretty close. Got me 19th overall, though only 6th in my Age group. it's not like I'll ever be going sub 30, or even sub 40 unless I have some sort of break through.
First mile went how first miles usually go. I started off a little slow till I figured how my body would respond to race pace. During my warm up I had to walk for a bit to keep myself from throwing up. Bit of irony that was lost on me at the time, but I didn't have any problems with my stomach during the race. So I guess it was worth it. Still, I was worried that I'd mess up someone's lawn for a bit.
Ran with a friend of mine who wasn't going to race the race- or so she said before the race started. She did a five mile easy run before the race, and was thinking that she'd just run with a friend. Well, she pulled ahead of me after mile one and finished well enough to take female Master's. I was happy enough just to be able to keep her in sight for a couple of miles.
Also was recognized by one of my customers; a high school cross country runner whose mom is the team's coach. I was surprised that she was able to do any sort of recognition during the race- personally, I'm usually too absorbed to recognize anyone unless I run with them on a regular basis.
Anyway, i got to the end and saw the time counting its way up to 44, which I beat, and the runner up ahead of me, whom I didn't. Couldn't have asked for better weather, or a better marked course, and it was fairly flat. though I like hills; gives me a reason to say why I didn't earn a PR. Even though in this race I say that I did, if the '07 race really was short.
This week, I've got the trot with turkeys, which I'm looking forward to. Always fun running around someone else's stomping ground.
the last time I did the jingle bell run was in '07, which was a good year for me. some good races, and some bad, but for the most part everything I put a serious effort into went fairly well. this race in particular. records say I finished in 42:38, but I blamed it on the course being short.
Could be that. Or it could be I had a really good race. Maybe some of both. But I took away from that experience that maybe I had some speed that I hadn't tapped into yet. Well, I was slower this year, but I still put up a respectable showing, i think: a decent 43:47. Not sub-7 pace, but pretty close. Got me 19th overall, though only 6th in my Age group. it's not like I'll ever be going sub 30, or even sub 40 unless I have some sort of break through.
First mile went how first miles usually go. I started off a little slow till I figured how my body would respond to race pace. During my warm up I had to walk for a bit to keep myself from throwing up. Bit of irony that was lost on me at the time, but I didn't have any problems with my stomach during the race. So I guess it was worth it. Still, I was worried that I'd mess up someone's lawn for a bit.
Ran with a friend of mine who wasn't going to race the race- or so she said before the race started. She did a five mile easy run before the race, and was thinking that she'd just run with a friend. Well, she pulled ahead of me after mile one and finished well enough to take female Master's. I was happy enough just to be able to keep her in sight for a couple of miles.
Also was recognized by one of my customers; a high school cross country runner whose mom is the team's coach. I was surprised that she was able to do any sort of recognition during the race- personally, I'm usually too absorbed to recognize anyone unless I run with them on a regular basis.
Anyway, i got to the end and saw the time counting its way up to 44, which I beat, and the runner up ahead of me, whom I didn't. Couldn't have asked for better weather, or a better marked course, and it was fairly flat. though I like hills; gives me a reason to say why I didn't earn a PR. Even though in this race I say that I did, if the '07 race really was short.
This week, I've got the trot with turkeys, which I'm looking forward to. Always fun running around someone else's stomping ground.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Quick update
Legs are sore... Time to break out the aleve and foam roller. Jingle Bell run race report due soon!
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- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Week in review...
It was a good week of running.
First, the summery:
M- 6
T- 10 (bike) and weights
W- 13.7
Th-off
F- 9
Sa- 12.5
Su- 8.5
Totals:
49.7 running
10 biking
As I noted before, the weights was a nice change, and it made me feel stronger as I ran things like hills.
Also, today I ran the Run Through Hell race, getting a 10K PR- 44:04 (garmin time), pace of 7:06. I'm really very pleased with that- I went in thinking 7:15-7:45 was about as good as I could expect considering the hills, the crowd, and that yesterday's run was pretty tough.
Things I wish I could have done better:
Remembered a post-race snack for afterward. I was *hungry*.
Started up a little bit... I had to weave around a lot of people at the early stages of the race. Even though I thought I was fairly close to the start, I probably should have been further up.
Worn better shoes- I should've donned my racing flats. The Elixers are nice, but they're getting a little long in the tooth, and I did have both the Kinvaras and Fastwitch in my trunk. Ah well, next time.
Good times!
First, the summery:
M- 6
T- 10 (bike) and weights
W- 13.7
Th-off
F- 9
Sa- 12.5
Su- 8.5
Totals:
49.7 running
10 biking
As I noted before, the weights was a nice change, and it made me feel stronger as I ran things like hills.
Also, today I ran the Run Through Hell race, getting a 10K PR- 44:04 (garmin time), pace of 7:06. I'm really very pleased with that- I went in thinking 7:15-7:45 was about as good as I could expect considering the hills, the crowd, and that yesterday's run was pretty tough.
Things I wish I could have done better:
Remembered a post-race snack for afterward. I was *hungry*.
Started up a little bit... I had to weave around a lot of people at the early stages of the race. Even though I thought I was fairly close to the start, I probably should have been further up.
Worn better shoes- I should've donned my racing flats. The Elixers are nice, but they're getting a little long in the tooth, and I did have both the Kinvaras and Fastwitch in my trunk. Ah well, next time.
Good times!
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Being Coached and strength training
So, I decided to hire myself a coach.
I've been thinking about it for a while, mostly because I want someone with some objectivity to make up my weekly training program. I like what I've done in the past, and I've learned a lot.
I just want to try something different.
My first week started off with some cross training (I chose biking for cardio) and some resistance training. Nothing amazingly intense- lunges, squats, steps ups, and some core work. But it was enough to get me sore for a couple of days, in an uncomfortable but not all the way to pain type way. Except when I sneezed. That hurt.
But the interesting part was the effect it had on my running, especially with respect to hills. I've always approached hills with a consistent effort type idea. Now, even though my muscles were sore, I could power up the hills. The muscles liked working hard, or something.
It'll be curious to see what happens in the future- if I ask to do it more than once per week, and if I continue to see its effects on my running. And if my running really does become better because of it.
I contracted for the next two months to take me to a Fat-Ass 50K on December 19th. If it goes well, I'll renew for a longer term- hopefully to help me run a 3:15 at Bayshore. That's the plan, at least. I'll try to keep you posted on how it goes.
I've been thinking about it for a while, mostly because I want someone with some objectivity to make up my weekly training program. I like what I've done in the past, and I've learned a lot.
I just want to try something different.
My first week started off with some cross training (I chose biking for cardio) and some resistance training. Nothing amazingly intense- lunges, squats, steps ups, and some core work. But it was enough to get me sore for a couple of days, in an uncomfortable but not all the way to pain type way. Except when I sneezed. That hurt.
But the interesting part was the effect it had on my running, especially with respect to hills. I've always approached hills with a consistent effort type idea. Now, even though my muscles were sore, I could power up the hills. The muscles liked working hard, or something.
It'll be curious to see what happens in the future- if I ask to do it more than once per week, and if I continue to see its effects on my running. And if my running really does become better because of it.
I contracted for the next two months to take me to a Fat-Ass 50K on December 19th. If it goes well, I'll renew for a longer term- hopefully to help me run a 3:15 at Bayshore. That's the plan, at least. I'll try to keep you posted on how it goes.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Brooksie Way Half
I almost wish I had done the 5K. Frank Shorter was running the race, after what he claimed was his 160,000 mile hip check up. Really, I think it was some sort of surgery, or something, but honestly how cool would it be to be in a race with Frank Shorter? And to say that you beat him?! He came in a 27:23, so it would've been possible...
But to think. If you Run 40 miles per week 50 weeks out of the year you end up with about 2000 miles. It's a respectable distance, and certainly more than 95% of the rest of the population typically does. But it would take you 80 years to run 160,000 miles. It's over six times around the world at the equator, if I remember right. It would be running from New York to California something like 50 times.
Pretty amazing to contemplate. But I digress.
The Brooksie Way took place on a day almost perfect for running; high 30s low 40s, a bit of sun, a bit of wind, and little to no humidity. Definitely fall; the season's colors were already showing forth.
Of course, I didn't see any of the colors when I got there, because I like to get to races early and sacrifice a little sleep to avoid the nightmare that is parking. So when I pulled up and in with no traffic I figured I made the right choice. Seeing the miles of backlog about 45 minutes later I knew I made the right choice. :)
I did about a 1.8 mile warm up with a friend, found another friend whom I had promised to pace, and waited for the start of the race. Though the temps were a bit brisk, warming up in a jacket let me stay warm enough to wait at the finish line in my typical sleeveless tee.
So the race started, and even though we were smack dab in-between the seven and eight minute pace signs, we probably passed a couple of hundred people in the first mile. *sigh* race etiquette. Oh well, what can you do?
Let me natter on a bit about my race plan. I didn't really have one, except I wanted to try to pace a friend of mile for as long as I could hold on. He wanted a 1:40 half, which is roughly a 7:38 pace. Personally, I thought that there I could probably hang on for six miles, I might be able to hang on for 10 miles, but would check in with myself at those points to see how I felt.
I gave myself a 1/3 chance of being able to finish with him.
The first six miles were downhill, and some pretty fast running. Though most of it was on roads, a good chunk was on the Paint Creek Trail- not paved, but flat and a good running surface. We hit mile six at 43:52, which is a pretty good clip; maybe a 7:20 average pace.
I didn't really realize that my friend's race plan was to bank time during the fast downhill of the beginning to slow down during some of the pretty killer hills of the middle. It worked. Even though our pace dropped to the low 8's and high 7's for the next three miles, we got through the 10 mile mark right around 1:16... meaning I beat my Crim time by about four minutes.
The last three miles went nicely- hard work, but good. We got onto Oakland University's Campus and wound our way through some vaguely familiar streets until we started toward the mansion, and some extraordinary downhills started. My friend asked me if I wanted to push myself, and after taking a minute or so to consider, I guess I decided I did.
When I saw the clock hit 1:39 I knew I was coming in under 1:40, and was kind of shocked. My friend let me go ahead and finished two seconds after me. We wandered a bit, met up with some friends who finished earlier, found coffee, and hung out a bit more.
It was a throughly enjoyable race, and I had a wonderful time. First time I have run as a pacer to someone at my level, and it worked better than I thought it would. Perhaps we'll be able to pace one another to a 3:15 at Bayshore next year... that would be pretty cool. :)
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But to think. If you Run 40 miles per week 50 weeks out of the year you end up with about 2000 miles. It's a respectable distance, and certainly more than 95% of the rest of the population typically does. But it would take you 80 years to run 160,000 miles. It's over six times around the world at the equator, if I remember right. It would be running from New York to California something like 50 times.
Pretty amazing to contemplate. But I digress.
The Brooksie Way took place on a day almost perfect for running; high 30s low 40s, a bit of sun, a bit of wind, and little to no humidity. Definitely fall; the season's colors were already showing forth.
Of course, I didn't see any of the colors when I got there, because I like to get to races early and sacrifice a little sleep to avoid the nightmare that is parking. So when I pulled up and in with no traffic I figured I made the right choice. Seeing the miles of backlog about 45 minutes later I knew I made the right choice. :)
I did about a 1.8 mile warm up with a friend, found another friend whom I had promised to pace, and waited for the start of the race. Though the temps were a bit brisk, warming up in a jacket let me stay warm enough to wait at the finish line in my typical sleeveless tee.
So the race started, and even though we were smack dab in-between the seven and eight minute pace signs, we probably passed a couple of hundred people in the first mile. *sigh* race etiquette. Oh well, what can you do?
Let me natter on a bit about my race plan. I didn't really have one, except I wanted to try to pace a friend of mile for as long as I could hold on. He wanted a 1:40 half, which is roughly a 7:38 pace. Personally, I thought that there I could probably hang on for six miles, I might be able to hang on for 10 miles, but would check in with myself at those points to see how I felt.
I gave myself a 1/3 chance of being able to finish with him.
The first six miles were downhill, and some pretty fast running. Though most of it was on roads, a good chunk was on the Paint Creek Trail- not paved, but flat and a good running surface. We hit mile six at 43:52, which is a pretty good clip; maybe a 7:20 average pace.
I didn't really realize that my friend's race plan was to bank time during the fast downhill of the beginning to slow down during some of the pretty killer hills of the middle. It worked. Even though our pace dropped to the low 8's and high 7's for the next three miles, we got through the 10 mile mark right around 1:16... meaning I beat my Crim time by about four minutes.
The last three miles went nicely- hard work, but good. We got onto Oakland University's Campus and wound our way through some vaguely familiar streets until we started toward the mansion, and some extraordinary downhills started. My friend asked me if I wanted to push myself, and after taking a minute or so to consider, I guess I decided I did.
When I saw the clock hit 1:39 I knew I was coming in under 1:40, and was kind of shocked. My friend let me go ahead and finished two seconds after me. We wandered a bit, met up with some friends who finished earlier, found coffee, and hung out a bit more.
It was a throughly enjoyable race, and I had a wonderful time. First time I have run as a pacer to someone at my level, and it worked better than I thought it would. Perhaps we'll be able to pace one another to a 3:15 at Bayshore next year... that would be pretty cool. :)
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Friday, October 8, 2010
Beautiful Day...
Want to go for a run... trying to decide whether, six, nine or 14 miles. Decisions, decisions...
I bought a pair of New Balance 100s; they're a minimalist shoe (though not quite as cool as the minimus). Feels short, though it tested properly in the store. I'll just have to see how they develop.
This racing season has gone really well; I'm trying to decide whether to end it on the high note of Brooksie, or do a few more runs just because I can. I love running through the woods, but I also love running fast. There was really something to the feeling of doing 7:10-20s during Brooksie and feeling good, and being surprised by every mile marker.
Hopefully, I'll be able to do a Brooksie write up soon...
I bought a pair of New Balance 100s; they're a minimalist shoe (though not quite as cool as the minimus). Feels short, though it tested properly in the store. I'll just have to see how they develop.
This racing season has gone really well; I'm trying to decide whether to end it on the high note of Brooksie, or do a few more runs just because I can. I love running through the woods, but I also love running fast. There was really something to the feeling of doing 7:10-20s during Brooksie and feeling good, and being surprised by every mile marker.
Hopefully, I'll be able to do a Brooksie write up soon...
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Week in Running 9/13
Kind of a step down week for me...
Distance- 42.7
Time- 6:24:32
Pace- 9:00/mile
M: off
Tu: 5.5 mile run on the West Bloomfield Trail after work. Turned dark by the time I actually hit the trail, so I wore my lights. Felt odd after all this time.
Wed: 6.1 Run with the group. Started slow, picked it up about half way. Felt pretty good to cut loose a little. Though I wonder if I'd be better off trying to keep up with some of the guys. I think I have it in me to run faster. Of course, it also might break me...
Thurs: 4.0 mile run around Pontiac Rec's West bridle loop. Nice and muddy, froggie, turtlie, and the odd turkey. Didn't see any big animals, though. In five fingers.
Friday: 9 mile run around Pontiac Rec's Bridle loop. Five finger run, which was also a lot of fun- thought not quite as fun as Thursday. Forgot my Garmin, so I just ran by feel.
Sat: 5 mile run at Indian Springs. It was supposed to be a nice, easy shake out run to keep the blood flowing for the race on Sunday. Went a little harder than I probably should have. Still, don't think I sabotaged myself... much. :)
Sun: Romeo to Richmond half. 13.1 miles in 1:42:43 (according to Garmin) The race was good, though I kind of wish it would have been Richmond to Romeo. That way, the wind would have been at my back *and* the sun wouldn't have been in my eyes. I was promised a rainy and cloudy day! How dare it be sunny and breezy?!
All in all, a good week of running. Next week, the goal is 54 miles, and to run four races at Run Woodstock. *Really* looking forward to this one. Love trailing, love camping, am looking forward to the whole experience!
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Distance- 42.7
Time- 6:24:32
Pace- 9:00/mile
M: off
Tu: 5.5 mile run on the West Bloomfield Trail after work. Turned dark by the time I actually hit the trail, so I wore my lights. Felt odd after all this time.
Wed: 6.1 Run with the group. Started slow, picked it up about half way. Felt pretty good to cut loose a little. Though I wonder if I'd be better off trying to keep up with some of the guys. I think I have it in me to run faster. Of course, it also might break me...
Thurs: 4.0 mile run around Pontiac Rec's West bridle loop. Nice and muddy, froggie, turtlie, and the odd turkey. Didn't see any big animals, though. In five fingers.
Friday: 9 mile run around Pontiac Rec's Bridle loop. Five finger run, which was also a lot of fun- thought not quite as fun as Thursday. Forgot my Garmin, so I just ran by feel.
Sat: 5 mile run at Indian Springs. It was supposed to be a nice, easy shake out run to keep the blood flowing for the race on Sunday. Went a little harder than I probably should have. Still, don't think I sabotaged myself... much. :)
Sun: Romeo to Richmond half. 13.1 miles in 1:42:43 (according to Garmin) The race was good, though I kind of wish it would have been Richmond to Romeo. That way, the wind would have been at my back *and* the sun wouldn't have been in my eyes. I was promised a rainy and cloudy day! How dare it be sunny and breezy?!
All in all, a good week of running. Next week, the goal is 54 miles, and to run four races at Run Woodstock
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Thursday, September 16, 2010
Some thoughts while on the trail...
I love running in the rain.
Frogs are really kind of weird looking. I'm really glad I didn't step on one of the dozen or so I saw hanging out in the puddles.
Saw a rock about the size of a dinner plate. Realized it was a snapping turtle. Happy that I didn't scream like a little girl.
I live running though mud, as long as I'm in five fingers. I still shy away from doing it from time to time, and I have no idea why.
I stopped in the middle of the run, thinking of all the things to be thankful for. Wind on my face sand between my toes. A niece with a new liver, and that the surgery went well. A mom with cataracts being removed, and that that surgery went well. Being able to run four miles without a second thought. A job that I enjoy most of the time. School, because learning is fun on a lot of levels.
Toys like an iPad and contact lenses. Enough food that I have to worry about overeating. Shelter that keeps me warm when it's cold, cool when it's hot, and the power to change things around if I so desire.
The world is a far less threatening place during a run. And it's easier to be grateful when in motion.
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Frogs are really kind of weird looking. I'm really glad I didn't step on one of the dozen or so I saw hanging out in the puddles.
Saw a rock about the size of a dinner plate. Realized it was a snapping turtle. Happy that I didn't scream like a little girl.
I live running though mud, as long as I'm in five fingers. I still shy away from doing it from time to time, and I have no idea why.
I stopped in the middle of the run, thinking of all the things to be thankful for. Wind on my face sand between my toes. A niece with a new liver, and that the surgery went well. A mom with cataracts being removed, and that that surgery went well. Being able to run four miles without a second thought. A job that I enjoy most of the time. School, because learning is fun on a lot of levels.
Toys like an iPad and contact lenses. Enough food that I have to worry about overeating. Shelter that keeps me warm when it's cold, cool when it's hot, and the power to change things around if I so desire.
The world is a far less threatening place during a run. And it's easier to be grateful when in motion.
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Wednesday, September 15, 2010
One thing...
... that annoys me about high mileage running is, of course, having to take two showers a day.
It gets tedious. Worse is being to tired and going to bed all gross feeling. Hopefully I won't have to do that more than once at woodstock.
On the other hand, if that's all I have to complain about, life is pretty good...
It gets tedious. Worse is being to tired and going to bed all gross feeling. Hopefully I won't have to do that more than once at woodstock.
On the other hand, if that's all I have to complain about, life is pretty good...
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Week in Review
Summery:
Distance: 51.6 miles
Time: 8:41
Avg. Pace: 10:07/mile
M- Nice run on the West Bloomfield Trail. Ran with L~ with whom I haven't run since last October, and whom I sadly didn't recognize until she reminded me of her name. I was feeling the effects of the Labor Day 30K, and so may have pushed it a little bit harder than I should have. But I'm okay with that- beautiful days deserve nice runs, right? :) Fell in the first couple of hundred yards. Bled quite a bit, and I still have the scrape as well as a minor war wound. Good times!
T- Pontiac Rec, in Five fingers. I was originally going to do speed work at the WBHS track, but there appeared to be a game on and it was too busy to really be of interest to me, so I scotched the plan in favor of doing the bridle trails. I wish it were a bit muddier. It would have made it more fun. But they've done some trail maintenance, so everything was dry on only moderately fun to run though.
W- Group run from the store. Was pretty good- ran fairly easy. I may have to ramp up the Wednesday store runs to a tempo/threshold; there are a number of people who run at that pace. I like to keep my easy runs easy, though. Hm...
Took Thursday off.
F- ran the mountain bike trail at Pontiac Rec in Five Fingers again. Nice, but I may be happier running at Island Lake in them. Less technical, and I need to get used to watching my feet in them again. Earlier in the morning may be the way to go, too.
Sa- WB group run at the trail again. Ran with C~, and had a good time. Definitely fall type weather, and quite beautiful for all that, but I'd like to not have to leave to go work at the store quite so quickly. Glad, though that I'm not like the assistant manager having to flee to the store after running the Crim. He was kind enough to do that for me, because there's no way I could have run the Crim and gotten back to the store in time to open.
Su- Brooksie way half marathon course, minus a mile or so. Nice easy pace, and the terrain didn't seem nearly so bad as Labor Day 30K. I'm looking forward to it!
All in all, a great week of running. I'm grateful to be back in the 50 mpw world; and I'm not certain if I'm going to stay in the 50-60 for the next few weeks (minus a step down) or bump it up to the 60s. I think the former would be the wisest, but the latter might be more fun. Ah, decisions, decisions...
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Distance: 51.6 miles
Time: 8:41
Avg. Pace: 10:07/mile
M- Nice run on the West Bloomfield Trail. Ran with L~ with whom I haven't run since last October, and whom I sadly didn't recognize until she reminded me of her name. I was feeling the effects of the Labor Day 30K, and so may have pushed it a little bit harder than I should have. But I'm okay with that- beautiful days deserve nice runs, right? :) Fell in the first couple of hundred yards. Bled quite a bit, and I still have the scrape as well as a minor war wound. Good times!
T- Pontiac Rec, in Five fingers. I was originally going to do speed work at the WBHS track, but there appeared to be a game on and it was too busy to really be of interest to me, so I scotched the plan in favor of doing the bridle trails. I wish it were a bit muddier. It would have made it more fun. But they've done some trail maintenance, so everything was dry on only moderately fun to run though.
W- Group run from the store. Was pretty good- ran fairly easy. I may have to ramp up the Wednesday store runs to a tempo/threshold; there are a number of people who run at that pace. I like to keep my easy runs easy, though. Hm...
Took Thursday off.
F- ran the mountain bike trail at Pontiac Rec in Five Fingers again. Nice, but I may be happier running at Island Lake in them. Less technical, and I need to get used to watching my feet in them again. Earlier in the morning may be the way to go, too.
Sa- WB group run at the trail again. Ran with C~, and had a good time. Definitely fall type weather, and quite beautiful for all that, but I'd like to not have to leave to go work at the store quite so quickly. Glad, though that I'm not like the assistant manager having to flee to the store after running the Crim. He was kind enough to do that for me, because there's no way I could have run the Crim and gotten back to the store in time to open.
Su- Brooksie way half marathon course, minus a mile or so. Nice easy pace, and the terrain didn't seem nearly so bad as Labor Day 30K. I'm looking forward to it!
All in all, a great week of running. I'm grateful to be back in the 50 mpw world; and I'm not certain if I'm going to stay in the 50-60 for the next few weeks (minus a step down) or bump it up to the 60s. I think the former would be the wisest, but the latter might be more fun. Ah, decisions, decisions...
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Monday, September 6, 2010
Week in Review
Week went well... 44 miles, seven hours, seven minutes. Getting back into some nice milage again!
Monday's group got me poison ivy, which I'm still dealing with to a lesser extant. Been a while since I had it. Pretty miserable experience. :P
Wednesday group was kind of hot. Ran a decent chunk of it with J~, who suggested we sprint to the end- I found myself working out some left over angst. After I stopped I felt both my pecs and lats cramping up, unused to the exertion.
Think I'll have to do something about that- maybe add arm swings with dumbbells into my regimen, or something.
Thursday was a nice five finger run around Pontiac's bridle loop, though I switched over to the bike path at mile five. Felt nice to be doing some decent miles in five fingers again, though I wished there was more mud.
Saturday was the Labor Day 30K, which may be my favorite race. definitely going to have to see about doing that one as many times as possible. :) I'd love to be able to run it when I feel in top shape, and see what happens...
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Monday's group got me poison ivy, which I'm still dealing with to a lesser extant. Been a while since I had it. Pretty miserable experience. :P
Wednesday group was kind of hot. Ran a decent chunk of it with J~, who suggested we sprint to the end- I found myself working out some left over angst. After I stopped I felt both my pecs and lats cramping up, unused to the exertion.
Think I'll have to do something about that- maybe add arm swings with dumbbells into my regimen, or something.
Thursday was a nice five finger run around Pontiac's bridle loop, though I switched over to the bike path at mile five. Felt nice to be doing some decent miles in five fingers again, though I wished there was more mud.
Saturday was the Labor Day 30K, which may be my favorite race. definitely going to have to see about doing that one as many times as possible. :) I'd love to be able to run it when I feel in top shape, and see what happens...
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Crim Recap
I like goals when I run. Even if I don't make any them, trying to do them helps me run a more intelligent race. Occasionally I overdo it and have a half a dozen different hopes floating around of how the day will go, but for the most part things have gone well with this philosophy. Guess that's why I stick with it.
Anyway, this is the third Crim I've run, and the first since '06. '07 was a huge year for me, when my running ability improved by leaps and bounds. I was curious to see how I could do even coming off an injury and six weeks of recovery and gaining 10 pounds.
Trust me, by the end of the race I think I could feel every ounce of that extra weight dragging on me like dozens of tiny anchors. But I digress.
the day was as perfect as the Crim gives- middle 60s at the start, windy and not overly humid. I've had runs in the mid 60s feel like hell because of high humidity conditions, but luckily the race managed to dodge that bullet this year. I got in early, got my race stuff and put it all together- number pinned, D-tag attached, the usual.
My goals were as follows: a PR (<1:37:08), sub 9 min/pace (1:30) sub 8:30 (1:25). Secondary goal is to run the last three miles faster than the first three. I also had in the back of my head the idea of negative splitting, but I wasn't certain I was up for that.
I started off the race feeling pretty good, enjoying the relative cool and the flatness of the roads. I knew it wasn't going to keep up- temps were scheduled to go up to 75 or so by 10AM, and the hills aren't anything to sneeze at. I was a little bit worried when I noted my mile splits were right around 8 minutes, though. I told myself I could take it easier during the middle third of the race and run hard for the final third and it would be fine. It would give me an easier time doing the hilly part of the course.
Right around mile three, I linked up with a couple of friends from the running group; both of them were doing their long run for their training program as part of the race. They'd met early to do five miles, run the Crim, and then do another five after the race. Personally, since they're trying to run a 3:30, I figure they did a good marathon pace run in the middle of their 20, although I have no idea how much they rested between runs.
It was really helpful having them to talk to, though. Kept me from taking the hills too seriously, and I did let my pace fall off like I wanted to. I passed the half in 41:01. I think mile five was my slowest, but also with my highest heart rate average (171) until I hit my last mile. I also think the hills at mile five were also the hardest.
One word about pacing- at least, according to my garmin, I'm pretty good at it in the beginning of a race. My first three mile splits were 7:56, 7:57 and 7:57. Not too shabby! heart rate was in the 160's, too. I'm pretty happy about that.
Anyway, final time was 1:20:33, five minutes faster than my stretch goal of 1:25, and 16:35 faster than '06. My first three miles were at an average of pace of 7:56; my final three miles were done at an average pace of 7:45, so i got that goal too. And since I passed the midpoint in 41:01, I managed to drop about a minute thirty from the first half to the second.
All in all, I call it a win. :)
Anyway, this is the third Crim I've run, and the first since '06. '07 was a huge year for me, when my running ability improved by leaps and bounds. I was curious to see how I could do even coming off an injury and six weeks of recovery and gaining 10 pounds.
Trust me, by the end of the race I think I could feel every ounce of that extra weight dragging on me like dozens of tiny anchors. But I digress.
the day was as perfect as the Crim gives- middle 60s at the start, windy and not overly humid. I've had runs in the mid 60s feel like hell because of high humidity conditions, but luckily the race managed to dodge that bullet this year. I got in early, got my race stuff and put it all together- number pinned, D-tag attached, the usual.
My goals were as follows: a PR (<1:37:08), sub 9 min/pace (1:30) sub 8:30 (1:25). Secondary goal is to run the last three miles faster than the first three. I also had in the back of my head the idea of negative splitting, but I wasn't certain I was up for that.
I started off the race feeling pretty good, enjoying the relative cool and the flatness of the roads. I knew it wasn't going to keep up- temps were scheduled to go up to 75 or so by 10AM, and the hills aren't anything to sneeze at. I was a little bit worried when I noted my mile splits were right around 8 minutes, though. I told myself I could take it easier during the middle third of the race and run hard for the final third and it would be fine. It would give me an easier time doing the hilly part of the course.
Right around mile three, I linked up with a couple of friends from the running group; both of them were doing their long run for their training program as part of the race. They'd met early to do five miles, run the Crim, and then do another five after the race. Personally, since they're trying to run a 3:30, I figure they did a good marathon pace run in the middle of their 20, although I have no idea how much they rested between runs.
It was really helpful having them to talk to, though. Kept me from taking the hills too seriously, and I did let my pace fall off like I wanted to. I passed the half in 41:01. I think mile five was my slowest, but also with my highest heart rate average (171) until I hit my last mile. I also think the hills at mile five were also the hardest.
One word about pacing- at least, according to my garmin, I'm pretty good at it in the beginning of a race. My first three mile splits were 7:56, 7:57 and 7:57. Not too shabby! heart rate was in the 160's, too. I'm pretty happy about that.
Anyway, final time was 1:20:33, five minutes faster than my stretch goal of 1:25, and 16:35 faster than '06. My first three miles were at an average of pace of 7:56; my final three miles were done at an average pace of 7:45, so i got that goal too. And since I passed the midpoint in 41:01, I managed to drop about a minute thirty from the first half to the second.
All in all, I call it a win. :)
Week in review...
Happy with this week: Did some easy runs, some speed work, and a race which gave me a little confidence back as a runner.
Total miles: 35.8
Time: 5:13:19
Average pace: 8:45
Mon: 6 miles WB trail with the Monday morning group
Tues: 6.1 miles WBHS track speed work. Quarters.
Wed: 4.1 at Pontiac- five finger run, 6.1 WB group run with K.
Thur: off
Fri: 3.5 on WB trail. Supposed to be easy.
Sat: Crim- 1:20:33. 16:35 PR. 8:04 pace.
Sun: off
A week to be happy about, I think. :)
Next week, 37-42 miles! Many of them with come from the Labor Day 30K, I think. Not one I'm going to race- it's almost double the length of my longest run since May. Rolling the dice, but I've gone without running this race for so long that I really *don't* want to miss it again.
That being said, I also really don't want to get injured. Maybe I'll go heart rate mediated...
Anyway, tentative plan-
Mon- 5-6 group run
Tues- 5-6 speed work
Wed- 5-6 group run
Thurs- off
Fri- 3-6 shake out run
Sat- 18.6 Labor Day 30K
Sun- off
Total Planned miles are 37-42. I hope it goes well!
Total miles: 35.8
Time: 5:13:19
Average pace: 8:45
Mon: 6 miles WB trail with the Monday morning group
Tues: 6.1 miles WBHS track speed work. Quarters.
Wed: 4.1 at Pontiac- five finger run, 6.1 WB group run with K.
Thur: off
Fri: 3.5 on WB trail. Supposed to be easy.
Sat: Crim- 1:20:33. 16:35 PR. 8:04 pace.
Sun: off
A week to be happy about, I think. :)
Next week, 37-42 miles! Many of them with come from the Labor Day 30K, I think. Not one I'm going to race- it's almost double the length of my longest run since May. Rolling the dice, but I've gone without running this race for so long that I really *don't* want to miss it again.
That being said, I also really don't want to get injured. Maybe I'll go heart rate mediated...
Anyway, tentative plan-
Mon- 5-6 group run
Tues- 5-6 speed work
Wed- 5-6 group run
Thurs- off
Fri- 3-6 shake out run
Sat- 18.6 Labor Day 30K
Sun- off
Total Planned miles are 37-42. I hope it goes well!
Monday, August 23, 2010
The Crim
Here's where I speculate on what the Crim is going to be like.
First off, I haven't run it since '06, and my time was 1:37. Which i really think i should be able to beat, although I'm not certain by how much- doing a nine minute pace today wasn't "easy" and it's a much easier course. But here's how I see a couple of different ways to run the race going...
Run it easy; probably just shy of a 10 minute pace. Don't work hard, enjoy the experience, wave to the crowds and people watch. Hit the end and not feel tired, winded, or in any way overly stressed. Predicted time: 1:36
Run it moderate: this would probably start off trying to be easy, but then ramping up the effort until I fall into something approaching marathon effort. Possibly climbing to Half marathon effort. On this course I could figure that to be probably 8:30-45 pace, averaging in the race something just over a nine minute mile. At a guess, 9:15-30. Predicted time 1:33
Run it moderate-hard: if the race day feels really good, and the temps are low, I'd probably start off trying to run easy but really running moderate, and after the first couple of miles going into half marathon effort pretty quickly. If the Bradly's go well, and I'm feeling good through mile seven, perhaps even seeing what I've got left. Predicted time: 1:30
If things go extraordinarily well, somewhere in the 1:20s. I don't think it's impossible, considering my marathon pace in April put me below 1:20. But it's not April, and I'm not in that shape anymore, sadly.
Running it smart would be much happier. I can leave fast for another year.
First off, I haven't run it since '06, and my time was 1:37. Which i really think i should be able to beat, although I'm not certain by how much- doing a nine minute pace today wasn't "easy" and it's a much easier course. But here's how I see a couple of different ways to run the race going...
Run it easy; probably just shy of a 10 minute pace. Don't work hard, enjoy the experience, wave to the crowds and people watch. Hit the end and not feel tired, winded, or in any way overly stressed. Predicted time: 1:36
Run it moderate: this would probably start off trying to be easy, but then ramping up the effort until I fall into something approaching marathon effort. Possibly climbing to Half marathon effort. On this course I could figure that to be probably 8:30-45 pace, averaging in the race something just over a nine minute mile. At a guess, 9:15-30. Predicted time 1:33
Run it moderate-hard: if the race day feels really good, and the temps are low, I'd probably start off trying to run easy but really running moderate, and after the first couple of miles going into half marathon effort pretty quickly. If the Bradly's go well, and I'm feeling good through mile seven, perhaps even seeing what I've got left. Predicted time: 1:30
If things go extraordinarily well, somewhere in the 1:20s. I don't think it's impossible, considering my marathon pace in April put me below 1:20. But it's not April, and I'm not in that shape anymore, sadly.
Running it smart would be much happier. I can leave fast for another year.
Weekly recap
last week- a step down week, and the last free weekend from races for the next couple. I'm pretty excited about the Crim this Saturday, but even moreso for the Labor day 30K the week after. But I digress...
Monday's run was with the group, mostly with L, and it was good. I reflected on the fact that maintaining a nine minute pace wasn't nearly as easy as it used to be.
Tuesday I got up, thought about going to speed work, and skipped it. My body felt a little to tired from four days straight of running, and I was feeling like I was coming down with something. I think it might be allergies, though, so I could be wrong.
Wednesday was group run, and it was good! Mostly let... um... I forgot who set the pace, but it was relatively brisk.
Friday was a not-so-fun run at Kensington. I don't know if it was the extra weight from the backpack, the fact that the water made me feel sick, or just the heat that killed me, but it was *not* a fun run. Walked a good chunk of it, doing 10 miles in 2:09 or so, if I remember right. 13 min/mile... I did better four years ago when i was training for Detroit on my own. Bah.
Sunday was the exact opposite- trails with five fingers, only four miles, no extra weight, and it was significantly cooler. So, ya'know. That was better. :)
I really don't know whether I'm going to be able to do well for the Labor Day 30K; it'll be going from a max run of 10 miles to one of 18.6, which is a huge step up. If I'm smart, I'll run it with L and W (different L), take it easy, walk the hills, and have a good time. Without any danger of injuring myself.
Perhaps I'll be able to do that for the first 10 miles, and then for the last half of it see where my body wants to take me. I do wish I had gotten a 12, 14, and 16 mile runs in prior. But such is life. Hopefully I won't hurt myself too badly...
Monday's run was with the group, mostly with L, and it was good. I reflected on the fact that maintaining a nine minute pace wasn't nearly as easy as it used to be.
Tuesday I got up, thought about going to speed work, and skipped it. My body felt a little to tired from four days straight of running, and I was feeling like I was coming down with something. I think it might be allergies, though, so I could be wrong.
Wednesday was group run, and it was good! Mostly let... um... I forgot who set the pace, but it was relatively brisk.
Friday was a not-so-fun run at Kensington. I don't know if it was the extra weight from the backpack, the fact that the water made me feel sick, or just the heat that killed me, but it was *not* a fun run. Walked a good chunk of it, doing 10 miles in 2:09 or so, if I remember right. 13 min/mile... I did better four years ago when i was training for Detroit on my own. Bah.
Sunday was the exact opposite- trails with five fingers, only four miles, no extra weight, and it was significantly cooler. So, ya'know. That was better. :)
I really don't know whether I'm going to be able to do well for the Labor Day 30K; it'll be going from a max run of 10 miles to one of 18.6, which is a huge step up. If I'm smart, I'll run it with L and W (different L), take it easy, walk the hills, and have a good time. Without any danger of injuring myself.
Perhaps I'll be able to do that for the first 10 miles, and then for the last half of it see where my body wants to take me. I do wish I had gotten a 12, 14, and 16 mile runs in prior. But such is life. Hopefully I won't hurt myself too badly...
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Rest Heart Rate
Woke up today and my heart was beating at about 72 bpm. Normal, but it felt fast to me for some reason. After seven hours, eating (which boosts the metabolism), drinking coffee (which also boosts metabolism), and the like, my heart rate is 63 bpm.
Could be a sign of overtraining. To be paranoid, I'm taking the day off from running, especially since it's speedwork. Besides, my body feels pretty tired and my throat feels scratchy. Though they sound like excuses, they really are reasons, and I'd love to go to speedwork today if I really felt like it were a good idea.
But it doesn't, and I can live with that. :)
Could be a sign of overtraining. To be paranoid, I'm taking the day off from running, especially since it's speedwork. Besides, my body feels pretty tired and my throat feels scratchy. Though they sound like excuses, they really are reasons, and I'd love to go to speedwork today if I really felt like it were a good idea.
But it doesn't, and I can live with that. :)
Sunday, August 15, 2010
The week in running...
Not displeased; the rebuilding continues.
Stats-
total miles- 30.8
time- 5:37:35
average pace- 10:59
number of runs- 6
Monday group run. It's been a while since I've run with the Monday morning group. It was always a nice, relaxed, and comfortable atmosphere. Nice to have the direct invite from Bill... I've missed that group's connection.
Tuesday speedwork. A mix of 100 and 200 meters runs, done at a moderate to hard effort. With the sun and the heat and everything, I think I'm playing it smart by not trying to go overboard. This upcoming week, though, I'm thinking of doing a ladder of effort consisting of 400s; after a warm up, do a 400 at marathon pace, then half marathon, 10K and then 5K, then lower the effort back down to marathon pace again.
The nice thing is that I'll be able to see if my pace and heart rate will be something consistent from one 400 to the next. Still, that's only two miles; perhaps I'll have to do a few more things to make it a bit more distance; I'd like to get in at least five miles.
Group run on Wednesday; we'll see how that goes. Part of me really wants to go farther than six miles, but another part of me knows that it might not be the best idea. Oh well, I'll burn the bridge as I cross it.
Thursday- probably a rest day. It's so cool to think that I'm back on a five or six day per week running schedule, even if most of those runs are a lot shorter than they used to be. I've missed this part of the game, too. :)
Friday appears to be off, so I'll probably do something interesting then- perhaps travel a bit to Island lake and do some running there, or perhaps Kensington. Perhaps I'll do Pontiac- that kind of calls to me now, too.
Probably another rest day Saturday, since I'm working again. And then run on Sunday, either with RUT or doing the Kirk in the Hills. I miss doing the Kirk. It was a splendid challenge, but I don't feel safe doing it without others there. *sigh* dislike road running. except when the roads are clear of everything except runners. :)
Stats-
total miles- 30.8
time- 5:37:35
average pace- 10:59
number of runs- 6
Monday group run. It's been a while since I've run with the Monday morning group. It was always a nice, relaxed, and comfortable atmosphere. Nice to have the direct invite from Bill... I've missed that group's connection.
Tuesday speedwork. A mix of 100 and 200 meters runs, done at a moderate to hard effort. With the sun and the heat and everything, I think I'm playing it smart by not trying to go overboard. This upcoming week, though, I'm thinking of doing a ladder of effort consisting of 400s; after a warm up, do a 400 at marathon pace, then half marathon, 10K and then 5K, then lower the effort back down to marathon pace again.
The nice thing is that I'll be able to see if my pace and heart rate will be something consistent from one 400 to the next. Still, that's only two miles; perhaps I'll have to do a few more things to make it a bit more distance; I'd like to get in at least five miles.
Group run on Wednesday; we'll see how that goes. Part of me really wants to go farther than six miles, but another part of me knows that it might not be the best idea. Oh well, I'll burn the bridge as I cross it.
Thursday- probably a rest day. It's so cool to think that I'm back on a five or six day per week running schedule, even if most of those runs are a lot shorter than they used to be. I've missed this part of the game, too. :)
Friday appears to be off, so I'll probably do something interesting then- perhaps travel a bit to Island lake and do some running there, or perhaps Kensington. Perhaps I'll do Pontiac- that kind of calls to me now, too.
Probably another rest day Saturday, since I'm working again. And then run on Sunday, either with RUT or doing the Kirk in the Hills. I miss doing the Kirk. It was a splendid challenge, but I don't feel safe doing it without others there. *sigh* dislike road running. except when the roads are clear of everything except runners. :)
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
The thing I hate about my lack of fitness...
.. there are a lot of things I dislike about having lost a lot of fitness over the past two months.
I'm about 10 pounds heavier than I was and 15 pounds over where I want to be.
I can't run as far or as fast.
lethargy.
annoying habits of overindulgence at the table.
weakness for ice cream.
eating for fun.
eating out of boredom.
But the thing that annoys me the most is the stress relief I'm denied by not being able to cut loose. There's something awfully freeing about hammering away at the miles at something close to "hard." It's a stress relief that feels like no other I've experienced. when the whole body is working together like a machine- it's beautiful.
And if feels good. Like an accomplishment, like acing a test in a hard class because you know the material back on forward, like a pay off for having done work of quality.
Of course, since I haven't done any quality training, the lack of that feeling should come as no surprise. And getting it back will feel pretty wonderful.
I maintained a sub-8 minute pace for 26.2 miles; three hours, twenty seven minutes and some odd number of seconds that was in the forties somewhere. Three-Twenty something is a pretty big accomplishment from starting in the four-forties four years ago.
With the right amount of work, and the right inspiration, I can do it again. Better, even. All I have to do is play it smart, and do it right, and have a bit of luck on my side.
But more than anything else, i think I'm looking forward to feeling that feeling again. :)
I'm about 10 pounds heavier than I was and 15 pounds over where I want to be.
I can't run as far or as fast.
lethargy.
annoying habits of overindulgence at the table.
weakness for ice cream.
eating for fun.
eating out of boredom.
But the thing that annoys me the most is the stress relief I'm denied by not being able to cut loose. There's something awfully freeing about hammering away at the miles at something close to "hard." It's a stress relief that feels like no other I've experienced. when the whole body is working together like a machine- it's beautiful.
And if feels good. Like an accomplishment, like acing a test in a hard class because you know the material back on forward, like a pay off for having done work of quality.
Of course, since I haven't done any quality training, the lack of that feeling should come as no surprise. And getting it back will feel pretty wonderful.
I maintained a sub-8 minute pace for 26.2 miles; three hours, twenty seven minutes and some odd number of seconds that was in the forties somewhere. Three-Twenty something is a pretty big accomplishment from starting in the four-forties four years ago.
With the right amount of work, and the right inspiration, I can do it again. Better, even. All I have to do is play it smart, and do it right, and have a bit of luck on my side.
But more than anything else, i think I'm looking forward to feeling that feeling again. :)
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Rebuilding
running wise, everything fell apart in June. Bad combo of being unlucky and unwise. For all intents and purposes, I had about eight weeks off of running, and I didn't do anything to pick up the slack.
last week, I did a series of tests. Six mile run. Speedwork. Lots of stretching and even a bit of warming up to boot. No problems, really, except for the normal "I've lost a hell of a lot of fitness dammit!" type issues. All part of the game. Ran 18 miles total, which wasn't bad when all is said and done.
This week will be 24; I subscribe to Daniels (or maybe it's Pfitzinger's... I forget) idea of adding in mileage in a week the sum of the number of runs you did in the last week- thus, since I did 18 miles in six runs last, this week I'm up to 24. This week, since i did the 24 in five runs, I'll shoot for 29 (or so). Not nearly so conservative as the 10% rule, but I'll throw in a rest week after next just because it's probably the smart thing to do anyway.
And I think i'll keep to that schedule, adding four to six miles per week every three weeks with a rest week thrown in. Comes to 12-18 miles per month. At the end of August I should be up around 36 miles per week. 40-50s for September, and hitting the 60s in October if everything goes well.
I may even be in a place to be able to run a decent race sometime in October. It's a pleasant thought, at least. :)
So, for next week:
Goal distance: 30 miles
Number of runs: 6. Or so.
... of course, it occurs to me that if I were to break up my runs into short, three to four mile type things I could add nine to ten miles per week if I really add miles more quickly. But that might be counter productive...
last week, I did a series of tests. Six mile run. Speedwork. Lots of stretching and even a bit of warming up to boot. No problems, really, except for the normal "I've lost a hell of a lot of fitness dammit!" type issues. All part of the game. Ran 18 miles total, which wasn't bad when all is said and done.
This week will be 24; I subscribe to Daniels (or maybe it's Pfitzinger's... I forget) idea of adding in mileage in a week the sum of the number of runs you did in the last week- thus, since I did 18 miles in six runs last, this week I'm up to 24. This week, since i did the 24 in five runs, I'll shoot for 29 (or so). Not nearly so conservative as the 10% rule, but I'll throw in a rest week after next just because it's probably the smart thing to do anyway.
And I think i'll keep to that schedule, adding four to six miles per week every three weeks with a rest week thrown in. Comes to 12-18 miles per month. At the end of August I should be up around 36 miles per week. 40-50s for September, and hitting the 60s in October if everything goes well.
I may even be in a place to be able to run a decent race sometime in October. It's a pleasant thought, at least. :)
So, for next week:
Goal distance: 30 miles
Number of runs: 6. Or so.
... of course, it occurs to me that if I were to break up my runs into short, three to four mile type things I could add nine to ten miles per week if I really add miles more quickly. But that might be counter productive...
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