Solstice 10 Mile

First of my nine (or so) races. It went just about perfectly. :)

I went in with this vague idea of going relatively easy the first three miles, moderate hard the second three miles, and hard the last three miles.

Of course, those of you with math skills realize that this adds up to nine. I didn't really figure that out until mile six. On the other hand, I didn't follow that plan even a little, so I just got a chance to laugh at myself.

I warmed up about mile with some of my Daily Mile friends, kicked back and watched the 10K start. Soon enough I was lining up with the rest of the 10 milers, feeling that anticipation that usually comes at the beginning of a race.

Doing the first half mile on a horse track was sort of interesting. A bit sandy, and kind of banked, it wasn't my favorite running surface; on the other hand, I like it better than concrete. Nearly tripped going out of the track, and a few minutes later hit the first hill.

I later thought that during the race, if I can feel myself going down the hill, I'll probably have to pay for it a lot, later. Well. We started off with money in the bank. The first hill wasn't killer. Might maim a bit, if you didn't respect it, but not killer.

No, I think it was the downhills that were truly killer. I like to let my momentum work, but it still and kill the quads. I was feeling it by mile eight, and am particularly glad I skipped my strength training workout Friday.

The miles flew by; I thought random thoughts, and attacked (or was attacked by) random hills. There were houses, but I didn't see them. Lots of people were wearing the race shirt, I guess, but I wasn't paying attention.

In fact, either I was in the "zone" for most of the race, or I pretty much sleepran through it. Not really sure I could tell the difference, really.

Finished the race in 1:16:28 (Garmin time) and enjoyed the post race festivities. Had a good time standing around and chatting with all the various people. then went off to Guernsey Farms for food and company. I'm regretting not getting chocolate milk and ice cream... but I'll know better for next time.

So, I got a shiny new PR to go along with my shiny new metal. Also got a lei, which was new but not shiny. A good race. I definitely recommend it!

It's possible I've overdone my race commitments this season. But you know how it goes when a big chunk of my social set are runners: every race anyone is doing sounds like a good idea. So here it is:

6-25 Solstice Run 10M
7-4 Hungry Duck Half Marathon
7-31 Warrior Dash 5K
8-6 The Legend Half Marathon
8-14 RUT lucky 13 fat ass
8-27 The Crim 10M
9-3 Labor Day 30K
9-10 Run Woodstock 50M
10-2 Brooksie Way Half Marathon

If I have anything left, I may sign up for a marathon after the Brooksie, but I'm not sure. Hopefully I can run these relatively smart; not push so hard that I injure myself.

I'm a little worried about the Crim/Labor Day 30K/Woodstock weekends; one after the other isn't a great way to keep myself from overdoing it. But I wouldn't have a problem dropping down from the 50 Mile to the marathon, or even the half if necessary. Or DNFing. There are lots of 50 Milers out there, and I have time to try again, if at first I don't succeed.

If you're doing any of these races, let me know!

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Location:Races!

Bayshore Race Report

Random things I learned during the race:

-S-Caps dissolve in rain; next time, remember a baggie.
-The further out Gus are pinned on shorts, the more they bounce.
-Muscle cramps anywhere is bad. Muscle cramps everywhere is worse.
-As much as you might desperately want to run up to the ambulance and collapse, it's better to collapse after the finish line. The ice cream tastes better there, too.
-Having a friend run me in the last couple of miles is a race saver. Big time.

Executive summary:
Time: 3:24:44  [New PR!]
Pace: 7:47
Average Heart Rate: 175
Age group: 32/136
Over all: 179/1463

How things went: a story in three parts.

The first part went fairly well; at least according to plan. I was hanging with a group of people who were all shooting for a 3:15 or 3:20. It felt a little harder than I had hoped, but the weather cooperated nicely. 50's or so, rain, a bit humid.

First 8 Miles-
Average pace: 7:24
Average HR: 172

The second part got a little rough. The group pulled away, and to try to hang with them would've taken more out of me than I wanted to spend. For no real reason I could see my heart rate jumped up about 20 beats per minute, and by mile 11 my quads were starting to talk to me. This is what we'd call "A Bad Sign"

I got through the half way mark in 1:37:16, right on target for my 1st goal of 3:15, but I was feeling more than half used up. I was, in fact, feeling about as used up as I wanted to be feeling at about mile 20. This stage lasted till mile 18, when the wheels really started to come off.

Miles 9-18
Average pace: 7:26
Average HR: 191

Right around mile 19, the cramps really started to do me in. The quads were relatively tame, just fatigued. But in my hamstrings (or maybe my piriformis) calves, and side began to blaze with pain. Not all at the same time, but enough to sing a chorus together. Some times one part of my body would take the lead, sometimes another. Occasionally a duet.

Some tough going.

Miles 19-26
Average pace: 8:25
Average HR: 163

It was during some of these miles I had to stop and walk to try to work out my side cramp; other times I was pushing as hard as I had and was averaging a 9 min/mile. Then around mile 23, a wonderful running friend found me on the course and ran me into the finish line, talking to me and helping the miles move along as they should rather than like molasses. We chatted, though I can't be wholly certain what I said. My mind was pretty well in tatters by that point.

But I crossed the line, and it was good. I met my brother soon after, and we chatted and ate ice cream together, and that was great. We staggered around town together bit, having lunch and otherwise congratulating one another on another fine race.

I walked out into lake Michigan and replaced the agony of fatigue with the agony of hypothermic shock. I decided that my hips needed to get in on the action and knelt down, too. After a little while, I wondered if I'd ever be able to stand up. If I did try to stand up, would my legs buckle? And if I fell face first in the water, would my lungs explode?

After showering lake Michigan, marathon salt and a good portion of the icky feeling away, I felt like a new man. Now if only I could find a shower that would spray the fatigue away, I'd be happy. All in all, a great race, with great friends and a shiny new PR! Now if I could only concentrate on school work... :P

Goals

It's time to start considering goals.

First, if all the things I can't control go perfectly:
Fly goal: 3:15
Happy goal 3:22
Content (New PR) goal: 3:27:44
Stuff happens: 3:35

Breaking 3:20 would be pretty amazing.  So would not hitting the wall. I'd like to negative split; I'd also like to run the last 10K faster than the first.

Mostly, I just want to have a good run, and an enjoyable time. There will be plenty of other races in the future, and I hope to be running them, too.  :)

better than expected

I was worried about this week; that the illness I suffered from would keep me from running the way I'd like. Or would cause me to have a relapse if I went too far too fast.

I was worried about the wrong things.

I should have been worried that I would get too caught up in finally being able to run again, and run a bunch of junk miles- miles that are too hard to be easy but too easy to be beneficial in the way I'd like.

And right now, I'm sort of caught in that gear. I need to remember how to slow it down during easy runs. Trails help, as do running in five fingers. but still, there's something comforting in running at a moderate effort. It's just not helpful for me to accomplish my goals.

I need to work on that. :)


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Location:W Bristol Rd,Flint,United States

sick

I'm really bad at being sick. Most people are, so I figure that puts me in the majority.

I've had about five days of being either only able to talk in a whisper, or sounding like I'm going through puberty again. For a while it was nice not to have to say much of anything to anyone, except by choice. Now it's just annoying.

I've only run four miles this week. Part of me is aghast; another part of me feels weak enough that the four miles may have been a mistake. Today's work shift wasn't bad; it was steady but not crazy busy, and most of the people were able to hear me when I spoke. I'm kind of worried about tomorrow, though. Saturdays are usually a little more difficult.

*sigh* I'm really looking forward to when I'll be back running easy, fast, and comfortable...


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Pain scale

http://www.xkcd.com/883/

I ask this question fairly frequently; not as much as a real practitioner, but more than the average bear.  I need to remember to phrase it for those with overactive imaginations. :)

Intervals!

I went into this workout worried. My Martian Half went really well, but I worry that I may have left too much out on the course. A (projected) two minute PR is about four minutes faster than I thought I would do, and about three minutes faster than I thought may have really been healthy for me.

Tuesday I did a leg workout which is still kicking my ass. at least, that's where about half the pain is. The rest is in my quads. And yesterday I felt like I was running just a bit too fast, sabotaging today's run.

I get worried when factors pile up like that. It's a thing.

So I got to Indian Springs, and the day is just perfect, for me. Mid 40s, overcast, and just a bit breezy. Two mile warm up. I thought of the intervals my coach assigned me: six 800s with a 400 rest between, paces as follows: 7:30, 7:15, 7:00. 6:45, 6:30, 6:30.

First interval (goal: 7:30) was hard: I guess my legs were set on half marathon pace from this weekend. Started to fast, slowed myself down too much, played yo-yo to catch up. Wash, rinse, repeat. 3:46 (7:32).

Second interval (goal: 7:15) went much better.I felt relaxed, checked every 30 seconds or so to make sure I was on target, and didn't do much tweaking. 3:37 (7:14).

Third interval (goal 7:00) also went really well. I just pictured myself running a 10K, tried to find my rhythm, and started thinking a little more about breathing. 3:28 (6:56).

Fourth interval (goal 6:45) didn't go quite so well. Got a little lazy, didn't check my watch to make sure I was on track, so when I hit about 600 meters, my average pace was 6:53. So I ran hard and hit the 800 meters completely winded... but ahead of schedule. Oops. 3:19 (6:38).

It was during this rest interval I really started to play with the idea of changing my breathing. Counting breaths is my mantra when I'm running; I've been doing it for years, and it really helps me focus. When I'm running easy, I use my breaths to time my foot falls; usually to the tune of one breath every six steps, three in, three out.

If I'm holding a 180 step cadence, and count every inspiration and expiration, I should be doing half a breath (and count) every second. And I've counted literally thousands of my breaths.

Harder running usually calls for two steps per inspiration and expiration, meaning I hit about a 90 count during a minute. This is what I shoot for during a half, 10K or 5K. I've only toyed with the idea of taking breaths faster, never played with it.

I started playing with the new breathing pattern after doing the stupid interval. Two steps to breath in, one step to breath out. Easy to maintain during rest; foot falls are slow, and I have time to think about it.

Fifth interval (goal 6:30) came, and it went out the window. I was averaging a 6:39 pace for the most part until I hit a lucky down hill; this helped enough to let me hit my interval goal. But towards the end I was gasping like a landed fish. And wheezing, which wasn't much fun at all. 3:14 (6:28).

Rest interval. I tried to practice the two steps (breath in) one step (breath out) pattern a bit more. Maybe a little better handle on it.

Sixth (and final) interval (goal: 6:30). I started with the new pattern right off. It felt... pretty good. Like running a waltz. Every time I exhaled, I imagined my breath hanging just a meter before me, and every time I inhaled, I caught up to it. It kind of gave new meaning to "catching my breath." The interval went smoothly. No yo-yoing after falling off pace. No concentration lapses. And best of all, no Wheezing! 3:15 (6:30).

So, gentle reader, if you've made it this far, color me impressed. I hope it was diverting if not entertaining. I renamed my blog appropriately, I think. Perhaps if you've spent time thinking on these things, you could drop me a line to tell me what you've learned...


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Martian Half Marathon

I love race plans. I always get a laugh when I reflect on my plan after the race. Or a "How did that happen?" feeling when a race actually goes to the way I expected.

I don't get the latter feeling too often.

In any case, the race weather was splendid. In the beginning of the week, the weather was promised fine, and I didn't believe it. Last couple of days, the weather promised wintery mix, and I chose to hope for the best.

I got lucky. It happens, from time to time.

Low to mid 30s, nice bright sun, and a breeze that probably helped more than it hurt. One of the big non-controllable factors work out about as well as I could have possibly hoped, and I thought during the run that I should give all due amazement for the fact.

Also for the fact that I didn't overdress. It was a near thing.

Anyway, I got to the race, parked far away but easily, and did the packet pick up thing. Did a brief (1 mile) warm up, regretted that I forgot to bring my Gu, and lined up next to some friends and waited for the start.

I also love goals, much as I love race plans. I always go in with bunches of goals, from the aggressive to the intelligent to the silly. Usually I can hit a bunch of them, sometimes all, but most of the time only a few.

For this race, my time goals were as follows: 1:35-1:37 if things go amazingly well. I gave myself a 1 in 5 chance of hitting this one. If I run smart, 1:37-1:40. That would have been my 'happy with the race' goal, meaning I'm running about where I expected. 1:45+ would have been okay, but it would have meant either I snag (like pain that warns of injury) or I decided to run with someone just for the fun of it.

The race started, and I settled into the "comfortably hard" groove that makes me love half marathons. It felt like a 7:30-7:40 pace to me. Garmin said it was 7:23. I thought "cool" and didn't change a thing effort wise.

Next lap went by in 7:10. I thought to myself: "this is something close to my 10K pace last winter. Sweet!"

Around mile 3 or 4 I got passed by a women wearing a Boston Marathon Jacket. Personally, I have no problem at all getting chicked, especially by a women wearing a Boston jacket. But she was going about my speed, and I thought: Hm. Maybe I can keep up!

So I ran along, attacked (or floated over) the hills, and tried to run a nice, relaxed, even race. That ended when I started to see runners who had hit the turn around and started to run back. It's a wonderful thing to be part of a running group; the encouragement during an out and back that a lot of friends are doing is awesome.

I tried to spot as many people as I could, cheering people on and being cheered. I missed a few, and sometimes names only sprung to my sugar deprived brain long after the people had passed me by. It happens.

When I hit the turn around, the mass of runners started to pass by, and I got enough encouragement to help me drop my mile pace about 15 seconds. Oops.

I hit the water station with the Gu, and walked long enough to take it and water without choking. Boston girl passed me, and for the next five miles or so was hundreds of feet ahead of me. I told myself I was okay with that, and kept on.

Right around mile nine my Garmin bleeped, but there wasn't a mile marker anywhere near me. I thought: Hm. Well. I hope the course isn't long. Or short. Or whatever. In other words, I was practicing denial.

The miles continued to pass. The discrepancy between my garmin and the course markings grew. And I chose to deal with it by ignoring it. I just wanted to finish strong.

About a mile away from the end, just as I was flagging, I saw a friend by the side lines with a camera; he shouted some encouragement as I hammed it up for the camera. Gave me a big boost, and I hoped I didn't make too much of a fool of myself. Forlorn hope, perhaps, but one I'll cling to till I see the evidence.

About half a mile from the end, I reeled in Boston girl and passed her by. I didn't sprint, so I didn't feel like a heel doing it, but I just maintained a nice, even acceleration. Till I hit the corner going into the finish line. I stepped up my acceleration a bit more, until a few hundred feet away, where I really stepped it up.

It felt smooth, easy, and comfortable. If I had tried to do it more than a quarter mile, I'm sure I'd be dying, but it felt really good to cut loose a little. About the only time I feel comfortable cutting loose is kicking into the finish; even during intervals or whatever, I hold myself back. At the end of a race... well, things are a little different.

I finished the race, got my medal, and stood around talking to all the people who finished prior to me, and then who came in afterward. Till the sweat and the wind threatened hypothermia. Realized I scored a PR. Realized that the course was perhaps a half mile long. Realized that the two in combination was really pretty cool.

Hung out for a bit, congratulating and commiserating as the situation warranted, then went off to the Daily Mile Meet Up. Great people, great time, and I even got to biology geek for a while! :)

Executive Summery:
Distance: 13.1 (Garmin 13.52) miles
Time: 1:36:57
Pace: 7:25 (Garmin 7:10) min/mile
25/168 AG,  116/1836 OA (Top 15% of my Age Group; top 7% Over All!)

Personal Record! (Down from 1:37:02, set in 2008)
Side note: if Garmin had the correct average pace, I would've crossed the finish line in 1:33:53. Which really kind of rocks. :)

Thanks to all who made it all the way to the end of this! I did name my blog appropriately, eh? ;)

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books in 2011

Not a running post, believe it or not.  Most of the time, I listen to books as I drive, or do laundry, or cook or dishes.  Fills the empty time between silences.  I read something when it's given to me; though i might start hitting the library soon. Anyway, here's my list:

2011 Books in the first quarter (Jan-March)

*Way of kings- B Sanderson

*Soulless- G Carriger
*Changeless
*Blameless

Blade Itself- J Ambercrombie
Before They are hanged
Last argument of kings

The final empire- B Sanderson
The well of ascension
Hero of ages

*Agatha hetrodyne and the airship city- P&K Foligo

Dauntless- J Campbell
Fearless
Courageous
Valiant
Relentless
Victorious

*The Black Company- G Cook

Assassin's Apprentice- R Hobb
Royal assassin

Altered Carbon- R Morgan
Broken Angels

*Best served cold- J.Ambercrombie

Shards of Honor- LM Bujold
Barrayar
The Warrior's Apprentice

*New books; all the others are all audiobooks, and ones I've listened to in the past.  Great for long car trips; since I know the story, it only needs some of my attention.  But it does a lot to keep me from getting bored, strangely enough.

Pancakes!

I think that pancakes (or waffles) may be one of the most versatile edibles evar. The beauty is that you can put whatever you like on them, and they can still turn out pretty good. I either make (or buy) a big batch of them, eat a bunch, and freeze the rest. After they've been popped in the toaster, they have this neat crunchy texture which I might like a little better than fresh made.

A little weird, but there you go. Anyway, on to the spreads...

Grade B maple syrup might be my favorite, and it's an old stand by, but it lacks some imagination. Still, with a good dose of olive oil spread, it's very hard to beat.

When it comes to energy longevity, I like to put sun nut butter on them. It's like peanut butter, but made out of sunflower seeds; different flavor, same consistency, but different feeling when I eat it. Not sure what it is. Probably all psychological.

When it comes to yummy sweetness, I like blueberry or raspberry jam. I usually go for Trader Joe's organic, because it costs a bit more than smuckers but isn't as pretentious as some of the stuff they sell at whole foods or plum market.

Finally, there's nutella. Mmmm...

Before a long run or race, I'm a big fan of eating two: one with the nut spread and the other with jam. When I feel like an actual breakfast, I go with the syrup option. But when I want a treat, I'm not sure anything I can think of beats nutella. Stuff is dangerous!


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Came across an interesting realization today...

I like to ride on a bike trainer because it's safe, and it reminds me how much more fun it is to bike on the roads.
I like to bike on the roads because it's good crosstraining, and it reminds me how much I'd rather be running.
I like to run on the roads because it's fast, and because pretty soon I get to run on trails.
But I most of all love to run on the trails, especially through mud, especially in five fingers.

Because, for me, it doesn't get much closer to childish fun than that.  :)

Tempo Run!

I was a little worried about today's run.

Part of it was the possibility of freezing rain, sure. But mostly it was because I was supposed to run for nine miles, five of which at a 7:30 pace.

It really shouldn't have worried me all that much; a 7:30 is probably right around my half marathon pace, or maybe a little faster. But over the past couple of weeks I've been doing some tempo runs, and they haven't been easy. 7:40s and 7:30s have made me work fairly hard.

So I figured I'd tempt fate by wearing shorts, just because I can.

Weather here is a mite unpredictable, but today it was in the high 30s with rain. That can be awfully chilly, but if I dress to be warm when doing a tempo run, it gets really easy to get *too* warm.

So. Shorts.

And so after work, I went off to Indian Springs, and started my run. It started off fine, although my heart rate was kind of jacked. I was in the 170s almost immediately, even at a 9 min pace. I figured it would settle after a while, and it'd be fine.

The first two miles went by easily, just like they should. When I dropped into my tempo pace, my watch started yelling at me because I was well into the sixes for the first minute or three. I know it wasn't something I could maintain, but it felt fairly natural and good to be there. But I followed my coach's advice and slowed down till I was in the 7:20s.

The next five miles went by fairly easily, all thing considered. Keeping my cadence in the 90s, I tried to push off a little more powerfully, and that worked. I kept my breathing comfortable, and tried to relax my neck and shoulders.

When I got to the end, I was pretty amazed by my average pace for the five: 7:19. I really felt like I was running at a 7:30 odd pace. 11 seconds per mile might not seem like a lot, but that's 4:40 faster during a marathon, which may mean the difference between registering for Boston and not.

So, it was a good run. Gave me some confidence, which is never a bad thing to have...


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20 Miler

I have a love/hate relationship with 20 milers, like most marathoners. There's a sort of mystique about them, where the number in a particular training schedule is like a badge of honor. A few plans have runs going longer, some shorter, and I understand the rationale behind both.

Some say that the gains to the body aren't worth the risks; that once you go above 20 miles or a certain amount of time on your feet chances of injury go way up. I don't know if those who argue this point have any good research to back it up, but I can get their meaning.

The Hansons, I've heard, generally don't have their runners go much above 16 miles for the long run- and for them, that would take about two hours. I would think that the majority of their group's run easy pace is ~6:30, maybe 6:45. Since the Hansons have their runners up around 90-120 miles/week, it kind of makes sense.

But for many, 20 miles is a kind of bell weather; if you can do 20, you can do a marathon. Building up to 20 can be tough, especially if you do it slow and sure, only adding a mile or so to the long run every other week. That's the smart way of doing it.

Me, I went from 12 to 17 to 20 in three weeks. Not as smart, but as an experienced runner I can honestly say that I've done things more stupid. I'll take it easy for a week or so, and then go up to another 20, possibly more. I don't know- I'll leave it for the coach to decide.

I'm happy that my 20 miler today went well. My legs are a little tired, but it's that pleasantly fatigued feeling that comes from a job well done. They sort of tingle, which could either be due to the strain of the run today or the cold water spray down I gave them after my shower. Or both.

I'm not sure it matters. I do know that I'm pretty excited about going for a long trainer ride tomorrow at the Novi Running Fit; I'm hoping to bike as long as I ran today, time wise. I'm also looking forward to getting in a good amount of time stretching tonight, because I figure my body really needs it.

But mostly, I'm getting excited about the training. If I did the counting right, Bayshore is 13 weeks away. Means 11 weeks of some hard training and the a two week taper, which will also be hard, but in a different way.

And yeah, I'm pretty excited to see how it'll go. :)






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speed work

I hate it when I can't remember simple instructions. Or when I try to remember them, and even though they don't jive with simple math, by the time I think of it it's far too late for adjustment.

Anyway, the scheduled run today looked like this: 8 miles total; 2 warm up, 4 at 7:20-30, 2 cool down.

What I read was: 8 miles total; 2 warm up, 6 at 7:20-30, 2 cool down. It didn't even occur to me that 2+6+2 doesn't equal 8. At least, it didn't occur to me until mile four of the workout. Life is like that.

So I compromised by running five at 7:20-7:35, the extra mile coming out of the cool down. It was a fairly tough run. Nothing felt quite right for the first three miles. Things did click in for the next mile, but then I started thinking about how I didn't know what I was doing for the workout, and that really kept me from running quite so fluidly.

Oh well; tomorrow's another day. Rest day, to be exact. I'm almost certain to eat more than I should, and that might make the 16 I'm planning to do on Saturday harder, but I'm okay with that. I like my rest days, and I think that I've earned it.

As for the new BQ times, I'm still working up a reaction to it...


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Race Report: super 5K

Summary:
Time 21:44
Pace 6:59
Place 18th AG, 122 Gender, 144 OA

5Ks aren't my strong suit. I'm not sure what my strong suit is, or if I have one, but no matter what, 5Ks aren't it.

That being said, I kind of enjoyed this one. I got in early (like I like to do) and spent some time going to packet pick up, getting my gear together, and finding my running buddy to do the warm up.

Warm ups are important when I do a 5K. I really don't feel like I get relaxed when I run until I hit mile four or five.

We slogged through the slushy roads figuring out the lay of the land, waving to the other runners out on the street. Most of us were playing 'dodge the car' with people coming in for the race. Humidity made me worry a bit, but it turned out to be a non-factor, as far as I could tell.

Finished the warm up, switched over to race gear, and went into the building to chat with friends until race start.

For non-goal races, I'm almost always taken off guard by the start of the race. I'm both nervous and unfocused, and so I'm chatting with friends when the "go" is given. So people start surging around me and I'm surprised when I have to start moving. Hopefully it doesn't annoy people too much.

Anyway, I ran fairly easy for the first mile, and though there was a bit of weaving in and out of people, it wasn't bad. I do realize, though, that the Saucony Fastwitch, though a wonderful racing flat, isn't the best shoe for slushy conditions. The first bit I stepped in gave me instantly wet socks, and I forgot to pack spares. Oops.

First mile- 7:04

Second mile is a straight shot east on 11 mile road, hit the turn around, and start heading back. I like this part of the race, because you get to see the front runners coming at you, and can both cheer and be cheered. Sometimes I see people, sometimes I don't. But it's always a psychological boost to me.

Of course, I can get a little distracted by trying to find people to cheer for, and feel a little dizzy as the people zip by. But that's just part of the fun!

Second mile- 6:59

The third mile has a small down hill that's relatively steep, and a nice, gradual uphill that lasts until the final tenth of a mile. I dug a little deeper for the uphill, concentrated on my form and turn over, and just thought that it'll all be over fairly soon. Timed my breaths, timed my cadence. Every little distraction helps.

Third mile- 6:58

Last tenth I stepped on the gas to what extent I had left, and ran it at about a 6:17 pace. Not bad, though for a tenth of a mile it's not so hard. I'd love to be able to hold that for say, a marathon. But a tenth of a mile is a start. :)

Had a great time, and really enjoyed getting to know some of the great SE michigan folk from the Daily Mile afterward. Wide range of experiences, but all happily into the running thing.

Also got some Mizuno Swag, which is kind of nice. Their new tag line is "be yourself, only better" Not sure I'm completely happy with that motto, but I'll certainly wear the shirt. Ya'know. I like free shirts. :)







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Super 5K

Last year I was extremely excited about the Super 5K. I hadn't raced for months, I'd been training hard and I really wanted to know where I was under "real" race conditions. I had a hard time falling asleep. That's something that I expect for a marathon, not for a 5k. But I digress...

This year is a little different. I had a goal race that took a lot out of me in late December, and I was eight months further along in my training last year. I'd done speed work, and I had a larger base to draw from. Though I want to do well this year, I don't believe that I'm nearly at the level of fitness I was last year.

Still. I'm excited. I ran part of the course tonight with the Novi group, and I felt like I wanted to attack the hills and see what my body can do. Wisely, as a recovery run from my long run yesterday, I held back.

This Sunday, if the mood strikes again, I'll be able to, um... indulge myself a bit. Maybe I'll come in under 22 minutes, maybe not. But I'll be excited to try!

For reference, last year's race was 21:28.


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1/24 week in training

Well, another week went by, and it was good. Training was fun, and not too strenuous. 40 miles, plus or minus, with about two hours on the bike trainer thrown in for good measure.

A couple of interesting things:

Heart rate- was running with the Novi running fit group, and it turned into a tempo run. The speed was okay (7:45s or so) but my heart rate was pretty high for the last mile. I averaged 194, with a high of 204. I've been that high before, but only at the end of a goal race. And especially not at a pace that slow...

I've been under the weather for the past couple of weeks; nothing serious, just a cold. I was 90% over it before this weekend, but I think the running Saturday and Sunday may have depressed my immune system enough to let the viruses catch their breath. Oh well, it happens.

I've started to feel a minor ache at what feels like the metatarsal/phalange joint of my third toe, left foot. About a one on the pain scale, but I feel it while I'm walking around, and I'm a trifle worried it'll change my gait. Anyway, I'm just writing about it here to reference in case I ever need to do a history about it. :P

Next week looks good, too; maybe 45 miles, same about of biking, strength training twice in the week, and the Superbowl 5k on Sunday. I'm looking forward to it!


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Cold showers

I like cold showers, mostly in place of ice baths. I don't really have the time to buy bags of ice every time I do a long run, and the water out of the pipes comes out at 50 odd degrees, so I figure it's close enough for who its for.

Besides, it makes my showers faster. I don't wait for the water to warm up before hand, and I usually need a little bit of a shock to get me moving in the morning, anyway.

But the big point is, it makes my legs feel better. After a hard run my legs feel sore enough that I stumble around like my muscles just don't want to work. For some reason, the cold water spray down helps out a lot.

You can talk about how vasoconstriction can decrease inflammation, but can the cold water really penetrate that deeply into the muscles of my thigh? I don't know. I do know that it works and even if it's all psychological, I'm okay with that.

All I really need to do is have the courage to get into the shower after my harder runs. I know my legs will thanks me for it. But I don't know if it gets any easier.

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1/17 the week in running

Observations from the week:

Most traction devices work on an 'average volume of shoe' principle. If you're using a low profile shoe, they don't work so well.

Sitting on a bike for over an hour requires callouses I just haven't developed, or something.

Thermo receptors in the body are weird. After a long run in the cold, I took a shower. The same water hitting my hand felt scalding hot while hitting my chest felt extremely cold.

Rather than taking an ice bath, I tend to spray down my legs with cold water, calling it good enough. If I don't, everything feels sore. Anyway, today I thought I'd cheat, and just do my quads. I wound up with sore hamstrings, and it made walking around feel... awfully odd. I'm used to having no pain or pain everywhere.

The week itself went well; here is the schedule as planned-
M- off
T- Bike 45 min
W- 6+6 miles
Th- Bike 60 min and lift
F- 6 miles
Sa- 10 miles
Su- 6 to 8 miles

Obviously, I haven't done Sunday's run yet, but everything else has gone well. I biked 90 min on Thursday because I got into the episode of "The Wire" that I was watching. Most of the miles were done with people, which is always nice. And weight training feels pretty good- though I kind of wish I could up it to twice a week.

I'll talk to my coach about it.

Of course, I also want to up my miles, add speed work, and spend three to five hours a week on the bike trainer in addition to my current workout schedule, but that might be a bit much. I got my running coach in order to help me find that fine line between training hard to get the best result for the effort, but not crossing over into overtraining, and it seems to be going well.

But as they say in Cricket, it's still early innings.

I get the schedule for next week tomorrow. Hopefully I'll remember to post about it then...



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