Met up with the Wednesday Meetup crowd for a run I've never attended before. It started at the Charlotte Running Company, where I needed to check out shoes for my free pair anyways, so I showed up early, put on some Vibrams, liked how they felt, and decided that since I don't actually need a new pair of shoes (2 technical trail, 2 moderate trail, at least 2 road/off road hybrids), I might as well try the new trend, and get a pair of lounging around shoes, if nothing else. As soon as I remember to get the gift certificate from Stephanie, I'm getting them.
As for the run, I wasn't sure what to expect. The previous night's trail running had felt fine, albeit slow, so I decided to push it a little more. Plus, having never run this route, it had a lot of turns, so I wanted to stay with people to avoid getting completely lost. If I had, I would have been able to get back to the start easily, but it's the principle of it all. We started off with about 15 people, various speeds and distances (4, 6 or 8 miles), and I stuck with Kay.
Our first mile was just under 9:00, 8:43, apparently, and I felt fine. Walked for a bit 12 minutes in, just because I had been running at a sub 9 pace for 12 minutes. Started running again, second mile was a 9:02, but still felt good. I was just trying to keep people in my sights, and avoid getting hit by cars, and somehow, even with a 1 minute walk break, I did my third mile in 8:22. Wasn't actually trying to go fast, and definitely could have run harder, but I was debating the distance to run at that point. Thought I was past the 4 mile turn, so figured that would push me to run 6, but when I caught up with Kay, she told me I was wrong. My fourth mile was an 8:35, but that includes waiting at a light for roughly 30 seconds, and then I decided to do a fifth mile simply by running a half mile down East, and then back up. By myself my pace may have slowed a bit, but it was also downhill, then back up at the turn around, so I managed an 8:18 with another minute walk. Really pleased with the results, though I suspect I'll feel it on Thursday morning, so plan to skip the Common Market run and do something on Friday.
Overall, 5.13 miles, 8:30 average, probably the fastest I've ever run that distance. My 5k PR is faster, but also 2 miles shorter. Quite happy with my legs, now I just need to keep this up.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Friday, January 15, 2010
Planning Works?
Who knew?!?!?!
Ran this morning, kept to the run 5 walk 1 religiously, and averaged a 10:15 for 7.5 miles, including 3 repeats on Goat Hill. Debating how to run the 13 miler next Saturday, maybe a run 6 or 7 walk 1, but I really think I need a plan, especially for the start. Once we hit the green trail, it's flat enough that if I'm feeling good I can kick it up, but I'd hate to run out of gas early. 26 males signed up so far, so I'm thinking my odds of placing aren't good, but who knows how the age groups will fall. Granted, with only one prize per age group, I'm still screwed, but hey, I'll try to size everyone up.
It was a really pretty morning to run. Took a great picture of the mists over the Catawba around 7:30, tried to capture the doe I spooked, unfortunately she was too fast and agile. Think I'll bring my camera on the race, just for posterity. It was really fun to realize that even though it was 30 degrees, at most, after 50 minutes of running I would have sworn it was nearly 60. Just goes to show that cold can't really stop a training run, because it goes away. And then comes back like a mo-fo. My face was raw after! Pain is temporary, blah blah blah.
Might do another run at USNWC tomorrow, while Stephanie and Maya climb, just a short 3 miler, probably. Rain on Sunday will shut it down for a few days, so I need to get in all I can, hopefully with one last training run on Wednesday before the race.
No real goals for the race. I'd love to set a new PR, which would just involve beating 2:09:22. I'm confident that I could do that on a road course, since I feel strong and know that I'm better at hills than I was in 2006 for DC, but the level of hills we have at Whitewater is just too intense to do that, at least until I'm a lot slimmer and faster. If I can do the 13 miles with a smile on my face, and a confident stride, running from the treeline until we cross the finish line, I'll be happy.
Especially since I'm hashing later that day.
Ran this morning, kept to the run 5 walk 1 religiously, and averaged a 10:15 for 7.5 miles, including 3 repeats on Goat Hill. Debating how to run the 13 miler next Saturday, maybe a run 6 or 7 walk 1, but I really think I need a plan, especially for the start. Once we hit the green trail, it's flat enough that if I'm feeling good I can kick it up, but I'd hate to run out of gas early. 26 males signed up so far, so I'm thinking my odds of placing aren't good, but who knows how the age groups will fall. Granted, with only one prize per age group, I'm still screwed, but hey, I'll try to size everyone up.
It was a really pretty morning to run. Took a great picture of the mists over the Catawba around 7:30, tried to capture the doe I spooked, unfortunately she was too fast and agile. Think I'll bring my camera on the race, just for posterity. It was really fun to realize that even though it was 30 degrees, at most, after 50 minutes of running I would have sworn it was nearly 60. Just goes to show that cold can't really stop a training run, because it goes away. And then comes back like a mo-fo. My face was raw after! Pain is temporary, blah blah blah.
Might do another run at USNWC tomorrow, while Stephanie and Maya climb, just a short 3 miler, probably. Rain on Sunday will shut it down for a few days, so I need to get in all I can, hopefully with one last training run on Wednesday before the race.
No real goals for the race. I'd love to set a new PR, which would just involve beating 2:09:22. I'm confident that I could do that on a road course, since I feel strong and know that I'm better at hills than I was in 2006 for DC, but the level of hills we have at Whitewater is just too intense to do that, at least until I'm a lot slimmer and faster. If I can do the 13 miles with a smile on my face, and a confident stride, running from the treeline until we cross the finish line, I'll be happy.
Especially since I'm hashing later that day.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
No Spiderwebs
but some great early morning running today. I'm guessing it's too cold for spiders? Got started a little before dawn, enough light to see without my headlamp, still brought it just in case. In case I was stuck out there tonight, I guess.
I dressed warm (it was 29 degrees, probably), and took to the solitary trails. Literally. As far as I can tell, no one else was on the trails while I was. No cars at the trailhead when I got back, one lady getting ready to run. Didn't see another human while running. Plenty of squirrels, though. And at least 5 deer, which spooked and started running parallel to me, until my trail went away from their route. Kinda wanted to follow them.
It was another training run, partially for the 13 miler there on 1/23, partially for the upcoming marathons and ultra(s). I should have planned better, and set out on an established run 5 walk 1, but instead I ran for the first 15 or so minutes, before walking. Then felt tired for the next half hour, running intermitently, although it was a rather hilly section, I usually have problems there anyways. Once I got on the run 5 (or 6/7) walk 1 (or 2), I felt better, and knew there was still gas in the tank for more running, if needed. Instead cut it off at 9.65, 10:55 average.
It was a good learning experience, as well as a great run. I learned that I really need to have a plan on these long runs, because I'm sure I would have been faster had I started slower. Kinda like what my last post said. And obviously a race would also allow me to find a pack to pace with, though it does create the possibility that I'd get sucked into an excessively fast group. While one can start a 5K slow and pick the pace up if legs/lungs/body feel good, I'm guessing it's harder to do that in a long-distance run like what I'm preparing for, unless you can see the finish line (metaphorically). And I need to work on pacing myself early, so that I can finish strong. My next long(ish) run will be a dedicated 5/1, to see what kind of pace that results in, and to see how it feels. Might need less, might need more. And most importantly of all, I'm learning that after 9.6 miles, my legs can feel like they can do more. It isn't much, in the grand scheme of things, but 9 miles is a lot of running compared to when I was struggling to do 3 a few years ago. Also, the 13 miler is well planned, because the final 3.5 is relatively flat, basic trail. which will really be nice after the technical trails of the first 9.5.
I'm stuck debating if this counts as a half marathon. Technically, it's only 13 miles. Should I run back .05 at some point, and then keep going, so that at least I'll have done 13.1?
I dressed warm (it was 29 degrees, probably), and took to the solitary trails. Literally. As far as I can tell, no one else was on the trails while I was. No cars at the trailhead when I got back, one lady getting ready to run. Didn't see another human while running. Plenty of squirrels, though. And at least 5 deer, which spooked and started running parallel to me, until my trail went away from their route. Kinda wanted to follow them.
It was another training run, partially for the 13 miler there on 1/23, partially for the upcoming marathons and ultra(s). I should have planned better, and set out on an established run 5 walk 1, but instead I ran for the first 15 or so minutes, before walking. Then felt tired for the next half hour, running intermitently, although it was a rather hilly section, I usually have problems there anyways. Once I got on the run 5 (or 6/7) walk 1 (or 2), I felt better, and knew there was still gas in the tank for more running, if needed. Instead cut it off at 9.65, 10:55 average.
It was a good learning experience, as well as a great run. I learned that I really need to have a plan on these long runs, because I'm sure I would have been faster had I started slower. Kinda like what my last post said. And obviously a race would also allow me to find a pack to pace with, though it does create the possibility that I'd get sucked into an excessively fast group. While one can start a 5K slow and pick the pace up if legs/lungs/body feel good, I'm guessing it's harder to do that in a long-distance run like what I'm preparing for, unless you can see the finish line (metaphorically). And I need to work on pacing myself early, so that I can finish strong. My next long(ish) run will be a dedicated 5/1, to see what kind of pace that results in, and to see how it feels. Might need less, might need more. And most importantly of all, I'm learning that after 9.6 miles, my legs can feel like they can do more. It isn't much, in the grand scheme of things, but 9 miles is a lot of running compared to when I was struggling to do 3 a few years ago. Also, the 13 miler is well planned, because the final 3.5 is relatively flat, basic trail. which will really be nice after the technical trails of the first 9.5.
I'm stuck debating if this counts as a half marathon. Technically, it's only 13 miles. Should I run back .05 at some point, and then keep going, so that at least I'll have done 13.1?
Monday, January 11, 2010
Why I Like Running With My Girlfriend
She keeps me from being an idiot. Her new shoes showed up today, so we did a little road running to see how they felt. For her. Too small for my feet. 2.6 miles, 9:17 pace. Good tempo, nice and easy run, and I never had to walk. That's why I like keeping pace with her. Had I been alone, I would have run faster, but I also would have walked some. A useful trait, obviously, since ultras you'll eventually have to walk, but it was nice to actually run nearly 3 miles. In fact, had she not wanted to stop, I could have easily done run a full 3 miles, based on how my legs felt. In fact, they felt so good, I think I'll do a long run at Whitewater Tuesday morning.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Mid Run
First off, can I just say how happy I am that I know honestly think of a 5-miler as a mid-length run? Like "I could go longer, but this will suffice"?
That being said, after doing 15 miles in 2 days, I wasn't sure how to do this run. And I think I did it wrong. Probably by running at all. Especially by running in "minimalist" shoes. I did my Tuesday recovery run in regular shoes, with the extra support. Now, I know that studies have shown people instinctively hit the ground harder in shoes with more cushioning, and step lighter in shoes with less, but I didn't want to overdo the minimalist running, so I had the padding. I might have needed it today, as well.
Originally, this was supposed to be a 4 miler, with the Thursday Meetup group. However, due to a forgotten Inter-Americas 2011 planning session, I couldn't make that run. So I hit Whitewater early, and decided to do some laps around the whitewater section, semi-interval-ish. There's about a half mile of gravel around the water, so I just ran on that, up and back, up and back. Recovery walks in between, but I probably did it wrong. I did do .34 miles at a 6:53/mile pace, but slowed after that, and started to notice a pain in my left shin. Stopped after 3, and went on the trails, slowly considerably, just enjoying the silence, jogging occasionally, pushing up hills, etc. 5.77 for the day. 11:29 pace.
But I still have pain in my shin, and I'm worried about shin splints. Or just over-doing it. The 12 miles might have been too much, too early. Sure, I'm doing a 13 miler on Jan. 23, but maybe I should have stopped at 10? I'll take tomorrow off, and see how it is Saturday, since I don't really need another long run this week, I might do a medium, and I'm also thinking about doing some barefoot work at a nearby soccer field. Or that could be Sunday, before the hash, since I won't be FRB even if I try. 6-7 miles Saturday, maybe half a mile Sunday barefoot, then hash and hope it isn't too much. It isn't too too much, I don't think I'll risk injuring myself more, but it could be a good amount to see how my legs are actually feeling.
That being said, after doing 15 miles in 2 days, I wasn't sure how to do this run. And I think I did it wrong. Probably by running at all. Especially by running in "minimalist" shoes. I did my Tuesday recovery run in regular shoes, with the extra support. Now, I know that studies have shown people instinctively hit the ground harder in shoes with more cushioning, and step lighter in shoes with less, but I didn't want to overdo the minimalist running, so I had the padding. I might have needed it today, as well.
Originally, this was supposed to be a 4 miler, with the Thursday Meetup group. However, due to a forgotten Inter-Americas 2011 planning session, I couldn't make that run. So I hit Whitewater early, and decided to do some laps around the whitewater section, semi-interval-ish. There's about a half mile of gravel around the water, so I just ran on that, up and back, up and back. Recovery walks in between, but I probably did it wrong. I did do .34 miles at a 6:53/mile pace, but slowed after that, and started to notice a pain in my left shin. Stopped after 3, and went on the trails, slowly considerably, just enjoying the silence, jogging occasionally, pushing up hills, etc. 5.77 for the day. 11:29 pace.
But I still have pain in my shin, and I'm worried about shin splints. Or just over-doing it. The 12 miles might have been too much, too early. Sure, I'm doing a 13 miler on Jan. 23, but maybe I should have stopped at 10? I'll take tomorrow off, and see how it is Saturday, since I don't really need another long run this week, I might do a medium, and I'm also thinking about doing some barefoot work at a nearby soccer field. Or that could be Sunday, before the hash, since I won't be FRB even if I try. 6-7 miles Saturday, maybe half a mile Sunday barefoot, then hash and hope it isn't too much. It isn't too too much, I don't think I'll risk injuring myself more, but it could be a good amount to see how my legs are actually feeling.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Recovery Run
While my Garmin tells me I did 11.6 miles at a 12:00 pace yesterday, SportTracks tells me it was 12.21, at 11:29 pace. Either way, it was the most consecutive miles I had done in . . . . . . . ummmmmm, 3.5 years? On November 25th, we ran 13 miles for Joel's birthday, but that was 5 miles, 10 minute break, 5 miles, 3 hour break, 3 miles, and all roads, all flat. Before that, I had done at least 11 in August, 5 in the Marine Mud Challenge, then 6 or so on the hash that afternoon, once again, there was a break. Before that, it was probably my half-marathons in 2006. Those were both sub 10:00's, one flat, one hilly, but doing 11:30 for 12 miles felt pretty good, especially considering the severity of the trails. And I was consciously taking it slow, to get the distance in.
Anyways, decided to follow that up with the weekly Tuesday run at the Whitewater Center. Temperature was below 30, and with only 3 miles of running, my legs never really warmed up. Part of that was probably the fatigue from yesterday, definitely makes a difference, but I still managed 11:00/mi, and didn't injure myself. Eyes wouldn't stop tearing up from the cold, should have worn glasses to shield them.
So I'm up to 15 miles in 2 days of running this week. Taking Wednesday off, probably running on Thursday, not sure on Friday, then a mid run on Saturday, possibly barefoot running before the hash on Sunday.
Anyways, decided to follow that up with the weekly Tuesday run at the Whitewater Center. Temperature was below 30, and with only 3 miles of running, my legs never really warmed up. Part of that was probably the fatigue from yesterday, definitely makes a difference, but I still managed 11:00/mi, and didn't injure myself. Eyes wouldn't stop tearing up from the cold, should have worn glasses to shield them.
So I'm up to 15 miles in 2 days of running this week. Taking Wednesday off, probably running on Thursday, not sure on Friday, then a mid run on Saturday, possibly barefoot running before the hash on Sunday.
Monday, January 4, 2010
Memorial Run
While I was running today, I missed a call from my mom, telling me that my dad's dad had passed away. He had been in a nursing home for a while, and was fading away, not from any disease, but simply because his 90th birthday was last August. And so my short training run changed. I did some quick math, deciding to somehow get in 2 hours and 15 minutes, or 135 minutes, which would be 90 seconds for each of his 90 years. Figured that would involve most of the trails at the Whitewater Center, ended up doing everything except for the Figure-8 trail, and did Goat Hill twice, both for some hill work and to see the alternate route down it. 2 hours and 20 minutes, so technically 93 seconds per year, and 11.6 miles according to the Garmin, probably closer to 12.5 in reality.
It was a good run. Gave me time to reflect on his passing, and my memories of him. I've now lost all 4 of my grandparents, so if I ever have kids, they won't get to meet them. Also realized that it's up to my brother and I to carry on the Vance name, since the rest of our cousins are either female or have a different last name. I know it's hardly logical, but he was one of 9 children, he and my grandma had 6 kids, 9 grandchildren from those 6 kids, and at least 11 great-grandchildren, from only 4 of the grandchildren. I'm also sad that he never got to meet Stephanie and Maya, they would have really liked him. It's definitely tough losing another grandparent when I am out of state. My mother's father died when I was a kid, still playing baseball, so I was probably 11 or so. Her mother died when I was in South Carolina. My father's mother died on December 26, 2007, and I couldn't make the funeral because I had to go back to Georgia for work. And now I'll miss another funeral, because I literally can't afford to go up there.
I've decided to run at least 4 marathons this year, one for each of them, and I'd like to wear a t-shirt with a picture of each grandparent on there. A little extra motivation when it gets tough. Probably should also do that for the ultra(s), because those will definitely have some tough spots. First marathon is 2 months away, need to keep training.
It was a good run. Gave me time to reflect on his passing, and my memories of him. I've now lost all 4 of my grandparents, so if I ever have kids, they won't get to meet them. Also realized that it's up to my brother and I to carry on the Vance name, since the rest of our cousins are either female or have a different last name. I know it's hardly logical, but he was one of 9 children, he and my grandma had 6 kids, 9 grandchildren from those 6 kids, and at least 11 great-grandchildren, from only 4 of the grandchildren. I'm also sad that he never got to meet Stephanie and Maya, they would have really liked him. It's definitely tough losing another grandparent when I am out of state. My mother's father died when I was a kid, still playing baseball, so I was probably 11 or so. Her mother died when I was in South Carolina. My father's mother died on December 26, 2007, and I couldn't make the funeral because I had to go back to Georgia for work. And now I'll miss another funeral, because I literally can't afford to go up there.
I've decided to run at least 4 marathons this year, one for each of them, and I'd like to wear a t-shirt with a picture of each grandparent on there. A little extra motivation when it gets tough. Probably should also do that for the ultra(s), because those will definitely have some tough spots. First marathon is 2 months away, need to keep training.
Friday, January 1, 2010
Starting the New Year right
The local Meetup group had a trail run scheduled for January 1, which I was looking forward to. Originally it was supposed to be held at Whitewater, but the rain 2 nights before had it closed, so instead we went to McDowell Nature Preserve. I had hiked there before, but never really thought about running there. For one, there's only 7 miles there. Also, they're all hiking trails. No mountain biking. This meant a lot of slick areas, because walking and running require different levels of trail. But still, it was right by my house, so I made the trek over. Hard to beat a 20 minute round trip to trail running.
11 hardy souls showed up, temperature was around 38, not much in the way of wind. Trails were somewhat muddy, mainly an issue around the sharp turns/eroded trails. It was supposed to be 6 miles, but multiple Garmins said our route was 4.75, so I'd guess it was around 5 or so. We then stood around talking for a while, discussing races and nutrition and such, discovered a guy I had hashed with before was on the same high school xc team as Geoff Roes, ultra-geeked-out for a while.
Eventually most of the people started to leave, but 4 of us decided to run some more. I, for one, did not want my first run of the year to be a paltry 5 miles. So instead, my first run of the year was 8.15. Debated doing another 1.85 or so to get to 10 to start '10, but a quiet evening sounded better.
11 hardy souls showed up, temperature was around 38, not much in the way of wind. Trails were somewhat muddy, mainly an issue around the sharp turns/eroded trails. It was supposed to be 6 miles, but multiple Garmins said our route was 4.75, so I'd guess it was around 5 or so. We then stood around talking for a while, discussing races and nutrition and such, discovered a guy I had hashed with before was on the same high school xc team as Geoff Roes, ultra-geeked-out for a while.
Eventually most of the people started to leave, but 4 of us decided to run some more. I, for one, did not want my first run of the year to be a paltry 5 miles. So instead, my first run of the year was 8.15. Debated doing another 1.85 or so to get to 10 to start '10, but a quiet evening sounded better.
Bringing in the New Year
I've started 2010 with a goal to run more. Both in terms of weekly/monthly/yearly distance (at least 1000 miles, going for 1500), and race distance, as I'd like to complete several marathons and at least 1 ultra. Let's see how that goes.
Oh, and lose more weight. Started 2010 at 195, goal is below 180, assuming that weight still lets me run well
Oh, and lose more weight. Started 2010 at 195, goal is below 180, assuming that weight still lets me run well
Monday, December 28, 2009
Saturday, 12/26
Waaaaaay too much food was consumed from Wednesday to Friday, so Saturday was another long run. And as much as I wanted to run trails, the several inches of rain we got on Thursday night and Friday morning meant that wasn't going to happen. I talked Stephanie into running on the nearby Greenway, which to her dismay was flooded at one point, and apparently not everyone enjoys wading through mid-calf water when it's 45 degrees. However, in my NB 790's, I just kept moving, and my shoes drained quickly. One problem I couldn't avoid was a general feeling of "blah", along with mild asthma. Planned to cut the run short to 4.8 miles, but at the spot we needed to turn, I felt like going further, while Stephanie was having stomach issues, so she headed home. I picked up the pace at this point (we had gone 3.51 miles in 35:26, 10:06 pace), which was easy since this part was downhill or flat for most of the way back.
When I got to the Greenway exit by Stephanie's house, my Garmin had only registered 5.6 miles, not the 6.8 or so that it should have shown to make it a 7 mile run. I was still feeling good, so I decided to just keep going and make my own path home. This also meant I ran through the flooded section again, expressing derision for all those who turned around by splashing joyfully through it. When I got back to the house, I had done 7.26 miles, in 69 minutes. 10K was just under 60 minutes, and I averaged a 9:06/mile over the last 3.75.
Really felt good about this, since I chose to keep going rather than surrender to the desire to veg on the couch. And then chose to go another 1.8 miles, when I could have once again gone back to veg. And my legs still feel good, 2 days later, so hopefully my legs didn't mind 21 miles in only 3 runs this week. I know I need to start getting an actual long run in each week, it's mainly just an issue of time and location. I wanted to do 10 or more at Whitewater on Thursday, but didn't have the time. And with the wet conditions recently, when I have had the time, it's been closed. It's tough to work up the motivation to run long on the roads without company, while I have no problem running long on trails by myself. Greenways are somewhat in between, but if the recent weather trends keep up, I'll have to spend more time on them, and just learn to deal.
When I got to the Greenway exit by Stephanie's house, my Garmin had only registered 5.6 miles, not the 6.8 or so that it should have shown to make it a 7 mile run. I was still feeling good, so I decided to just keep going and make my own path home. This also meant I ran through the flooded section again, expressing derision for all those who turned around by splashing joyfully through it. When I got back to the house, I had done 7.26 miles, in 69 minutes. 10K was just under 60 minutes, and I averaged a 9:06/mile over the last 3.75.
Really felt good about this, since I chose to keep going rather than surrender to the desire to veg on the couch. And then chose to go another 1.8 miles, when I could have once again gone back to veg. And my legs still feel good, 2 days later, so hopefully my legs didn't mind 21 miles in only 3 runs this week. I know I need to start getting an actual long run in each week, it's mainly just an issue of time and location. I wanted to do 10 or more at Whitewater on Thursday, but didn't have the time. And with the wet conditions recently, when I have had the time, it's been closed. It's tough to work up the motivation to run long on the roads without company, while I have no problem running long on trails by myself. Greenways are somewhat in between, but if the recent weather trends keep up, I'll have to spend more time on them, and just learn to deal.
Thursday, 12/24
Apparently the Whitewater Center decided to tease me by finally opening on Wednesday, when I was scheduled to spend the next few days with Stephanie's family, doing Christmas/birthday things. Luckily, I managed to snag a few hours on Thursday, and got out to the USNWC for possibly the last run of the year there, with the bad weather scheduled for that night. As much as I wanted to put in a full 2 hours on the trails, I needed to get home to shower and dress for dinner at her Nana's, so I did 81 minutes and 7.4 miles. Felt pretty good throughout, packed extra layers to practice strapping them on my hydration pack and carrying extra weight. Apparently I should start wearing a bell when I'm running, as I once again scared someone on trail, simply by saying "on your left" as I was approaching. 10:57 pace was intentional, wanted to take it easy, walked one hill just to get a feel for that part of the course, planning on doing the 13 miler here in a few weeks. Also, burning a thousand calories is a good way to get ready for Christmas feasting.
Tuesday 12/22
With the Whitewater Center still closed, I was once again stuck doing Renaissance Park. Showed up early to get in some extra miles and enjoy some slightly warmer temps, only to realize that my headlamp seemed a bit dim. Maybe it was just the fading light around me, and once it was fully dark my light would seem normal? Nope! Apparently my 4-setting light is stuck on "low". Just put in new batteries, so I'm guessing it's the bulb, finally fading after a few years of service. Normally, I wouldn't really have minded. I'm usually able to run in low-light conditions, but the rain the previous Friday was still apparent, as the trails were quite muddy. Okay, maybe the USNWC had a reason to be closed. Decided to run down the gravel road, and then back up it, for a little hill work, and then through the far parking lot, before heading back on the trails. Only .8 miles, but the light was so dim I gave up, made my way to the actual road and just ran back on it. Thus, I found myself standing in the parking lot by my car, 34:11 and 3.24 miles after I started. I had averaged a 10:32 mile in that time.
Went inside the offices to warm up a little, and came out to find Tasty in the parking lot. We talked, I told her that I wasn't going on the trails with no light in the mud, so she was on her own. However, a newbie showed up, and since he lives north of town, he was set on running, no matter the trail conditions, temperature or company. And so Tasty decided to run too. They headed onto the trails, and I debated what to do. Since I hadn't heard back about my dinner plans, I decided to run some more in the parking lot. 30 minutes later, I had done another 3.1 miles, apparently at a 9:44 pace. not exactly speedy, but hey, I managed to get 6.34 miles and 63 minutes out of a night when I could have stopped instantly due to the dead light. Felt decent, just cold, and Tasty and I met a new, fast runner who likes trails, so maybe we'll introduce him to the dark side of running
Went inside the offices to warm up a little, and came out to find Tasty in the parking lot. We talked, I told her that I wasn't going on the trails with no light in the mud, so she was on her own. However, a newbie showed up, and since he lives north of town, he was set on running, no matter the trail conditions, temperature or company. And so Tasty decided to run too. They headed onto the trails, and I debated what to do. Since I hadn't heard back about my dinner plans, I decided to run some more in the parking lot. 30 minutes later, I had done another 3.1 miles, apparently at a 9:44 pace. not exactly speedy, but hey, I managed to get 6.34 miles and 63 minutes out of a night when I could have stopped instantly due to the dead light. Felt decent, just cold, and Tasty and I met a new, fast runner who likes trails, so maybe we'll introduce him to the dark side of running
Monday, December 14, 2009
Shoez
Like more and more runners these days, I've gotten into the minimalist style of running. It's been tough, especially since I was so excited when I got my lighter shoes that I overdid it at first. I still have a nagging ache on the top of my right arch, especially noticeable when driving. Oddly, I never feel it when running. I suspect it's from the new shoes and mid-foot running transition. On Thursday, I ran 6 road miles, 2 before the group run, in my New Balance 790s, then 4 with everyone else, in my old Mizunos. I feel a difference with the New Balances, they're just so light and make me feel powerful. That seems to be reflected in my splits. I'm still not good about warming up and pacing, so my first mile was a 7:45 pace. I dialed it back for the second mile, mixing walks in at this point and going back up hill, so overall it was a 9:15 pace for 2 miles. Switched into the more conventional shoes, though since I've had them for a year they're definitely not as cushioned anymore. And my first mile was an 8:35. I don't think I was trying to go slower, and I usually run faster with a group, plus this involved a .75 mile downhill run! However, over the course of the run, I began to feel last Saturday more in my legs. I didn't think it would still be with me, but I guess that degree of trail racing, combined with another 4.5 miles of road running had kicked the ass of my quads a bit. Thus, it's hard to make an exact comparison between shoes, though my feet and legs felt great while hashing this Saturday.
On that note, I'm a sucker for the Sing-Off. I've known about the Bubs since 2002, and am a fan of acappella in general, so I can't help but like it! It's kinda weird that they've already apparently filmed everything except the finale, and don't tell me it's the "hottest show in America" during the previews for night 2, plus the constant "they're doing it without instruments!!!!" gets annoying after a while, but I can't help but enjoy the harmonies and choreography. Where are the Waiters or Last Call?!?!?!!?!?!
On that note, I'm a sucker for the Sing-Off. I've known about the Bubs since 2002, and am a fan of acappella in general, so I can't help but like it! It's kinda weird that they've already apparently filmed everything except the finale, and don't tell me it's the "hottest show in America" during the previews for night 2, plus the constant "they're doing it without instruments!!!!" gets annoying after a while, but I can't help but enjoy the harmonies and choreography. Where are the Waiters or Last Call?!?!?!!?!?!
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Moping
For some reason, it seems like every time our Tuesday trail run is scheduled for the US National Whitewater Center, it rains. Which shuts the trails down. Which I hate, because the USNWC is my favorite place to run around here. 14 miles of trails, beginner to highly technical mountain biking, so a runner can pick and choose a longer, flatter run or a run with more climbs. As I continue training for my trail marathons and ultra(s?) in 2010, I'll definitely be wearing the hell out of those trails. Plus, at $40 for a year-long pass, it's a great deal. Assuming it doesn't rain every time I want to run there.
Of course, running on wet trails is a necessary skill, so a place like Renaissance Park, which simply asks that you don't use the trails for 24 hours after rain, is great. I only feel slightly dickish for violating those rules, mainly because it's for bikes more than runners, since they can skid and slide more than we do. Unless it's seriously muddy, in which case the trails are screwed no matter what. 7 miles of trails, not as fun, which I know is because of the terrain, not the design of the trails. There's only so much you can do with a forest, especially when you have no budget. God bless the volunteers. Not the Tennessee ones, they suck.
And so I did a little 4.5 mile run on the wet trails at Renaissance today. Legs weren't feeling stellar, so I cut it shorter than I had planned, but with temps in the 60's, how could I not run? Slipped and fell at the very end, if it wasn't for the high temperatures, I wouldn't have been out there, but I'm still glad I did it. Never regretting a run you did, and all that jazz. On that note, how is that the home of Broadway ruled against gay marriage?
Of course, running on wet trails is a necessary skill, so a place like Renaissance Park, which simply asks that you don't use the trails for 24 hours after rain, is great. I only feel slightly dickish for violating those rules, mainly because it's for bikes more than runners, since they can skid and slide more than we do. Unless it's seriously muddy, in which case the trails are screwed no matter what. 7 miles of trails, not as fun, which I know is because of the terrain, not the design of the trails. There's only so much you can do with a forest, especially when you have no budget. God bless the volunteers. Not the Tennessee ones, they suck.
And so I did a little 4.5 mile run on the wet trails at Renaissance today. Legs weren't feeling stellar, so I cut it shorter than I had planned, but with temps in the 60's, how could I not run? Slipped and fell at the very end, if it wasn't for the high temperatures, I wouldn't have been out there, but I'm still glad I did it. Never regretting a run you did, and all that jazz. On that note, how is that the home of Broadway ruled against gay marriage?
Monday, December 7, 2009
Baby's First Run Recap
As I've begun to immerse myself in the field of ultrarunning, I've enjoyed reading the write-ups of various runners, of various abilities, of various skill levels. While it's great when you can "get inside the head" of a 100-miler winner, it's also interesting to read what a "back of the pack" finisher took away from the experience. Because that's what this really is. A 5K is an event. 3 miles, completed in as little as 15 minutes. Sitcoms take more time than that. I can do one in 26 minutes, probably. A 10K doubles the mileage, doubles the time, but can you really learn anything about yourself in 60 minutes? True, there's the "twists ankle, finds the inner strength to go the last 2 miles" story, but it's still just 6 miles. When you get up to the level of a marathon, you're more committed. 2 hours for the best, 4 hours is still good, and there's nothing wrong with 6 hours. You can get a lot done in 6 hours. Soul searching, hitting the proverbial wall, etc. But you can also just power up your iPod and lose yourself in the music.
Yet ultras seem to be a different monster all together. A champion might finish in 15 hours, or possibly 24, for a truly grueling one. And while an iPod can also last that long, can you really run 24 hours sustained solely by music? Or can a trip that long teach you something about yourself. Help you find a new purpose, or redefine what you want to do with your life. One of the biggest differences I've noticed is the discussion of aid stations. The volunteers there, the different foods offered, the struggle to keep going. Most of the time, they're not running through, downing a water or Gatorade on the fly. They've covered 30, 40, 50 miles, and may be wondering why they should keep going. Sitting down to change shoes, and enjoying the resting sensation.
And I want to experience that. To reach that point, and see what I find within myself. Sure, a marathon is a good place to start, to be moving for (ideally) 4 hours or so. So we'll start with shorter races, and build up.
Saturday was a "shorter" race. 7 miles. Some chose to do the loop again, and hit 14 miles. 360 did the 7, 135 did 14, according to the results. The race caps at 750, and apparently usually hits that mark, but the cold and wet conditions may have kept some people away, since only 495 completed the course (maybe others started but didn't finish?) As a starter for my "running rebirth" I couldn't have picked a better race. Nor could it have started in a worse way. While standing in line for the port-a-potty, I suddenly realized I had left my bib in my car. I had my timing chip on my shoe, so I wasn't worried about not getting an official finish, but I really wanted pictures of this. And without a bib number, it's hard to search for yourself. Man, I really hope the event photographers let you search for bib numbers. Because there was less than 5 minutes before the start, and I had to run a good .4 miles there, and then back, to get my bib and start the race. Added nearly a mile, and I didn't even make it in time. I ran past the pack on my way to the start, only to discover there was no starting mat, so I, and a few others, just started back down the road toward the tail end of the pack.
I quickly made up ground, and was pleased with how well my legs felt. I was trying to avoid overdoing it so early, since we were on the roads at this point. The switch to trails was the first hold up, since it was a narrow gap in the brush, so I got a brief respite. A lot of people seemed surprised/dismayed by the mud. True, you don't sign up to slog through mud constantly for 7 miles, but it's a trail race, and we just had rain. Rain + trail = mud. It's a simple equation. Thus, I was able to pass a bunch of people, as they were trying to go around the mud rather than just splashing through it. This was a theme for the remainder of the race. I didn't see many people other than myself actually choosing to run through the mud, which slowed them down and gave me open paths and quicker running.
While I'm no speedster, I'm hardly a back of the pack runner in events like this, so I was glad I had found a way to keep moving and fall in with people who were more my speed. That being said, my time definitely suffered from starting at the very back. I'm not saying I would have won any awards, but I would have been several minutes quicker, possibly even breaking 60 minutes, had I not been dodging people so often and early. It's one thing to do it on roads, but on trails, you can't just pass someone whenever you feel like it. You have to wait for an opening, or for them to find a spot to move over. This also may have helped me to keep my legs fresh, because I couldn't overclock.
Early on, I started to appreciate just how awesome my New Balance MT100's are. I hate to sound like a paid reviewer, but they definitely gave me an edge. With a lot of hills, both up and down, many of which were slick with mud, I never lost my footing. On uphills, I could power through and not worry about my feet slipping back and fall on my face. And on downhills, their braking system in the heels meant I kept my speed up, skipping across rocks, roots and mud without fail, unlike many of the other racers. And with how lightweight they are, plus how quickly they shed water (many streams were stepped through), my feet were never weighed down. I didn't really have time to examine the shoes of anyone else, but from the number of them that seemed concerned about getting their shoes wet, I'm thinking that a lot of people weren't wearing trail shoes. Yes, the water was cold, but if you kept moving, you weren't going to catch frostbite or anything. So I jumped through puddles and streams with glee, taken a certain amount of joy in abusing my shoes, because I knew they could take it.
Anywho, this trail was a muddy mess. I'd hate to be the ones who have to clean it up, because the mud was everywhere. I wish I had pictures of the awesomeness, but those pesky water crossings would clean my lower legs back up.
I'll try to find pictures of Marcus's legs later, as they looked like he had bathed in the mud, but my own legs will have to do for now.
My mind is still jumping all over the place from this run, wanting to share everything at once, which I think speaks to how joyful I felt during this experience. I found a certain perverse joy in this playing in the mud, jumping into mud puddles, flying down hills, for 7 straight miles. I think hashing helped prepare me for this, because I've definitely run in worse conditions, without helpful trail markers. I had a goofy grin on my face for most of it, which kept me positive and upbeat, instead of thinking about how much further we had to go. In fact, I really didn't pay attention to the distance until we were 4 miles in. 3 miles left, how hard could that be?
As for my mile splits, it's kinda hard to determine. My Garmin tells me that I did 6.66 miles, which can be blamed on GPS coverage, confirmed by others also have 6.6-6.7, instead of 7. But going by my watch, the first mile was 11:19, which sounds right, because of the waiting at several spots. Mile 2 was 11:05, more waiting. Mile 3 was 10:11, getting faster. Mile 4 was 11:26, possibly because I took a breather with a slower pack, before powering back ahead, with Mile 5 in 9:25, and Mile 6 at 9:47. Technically, Mile 7 was in 6:13, because that's when I finished, and while I sped up at the very end, it wasn't that fast. Mainly because I thought I still had 4/10 of a mile to go, instead of rounding the corner and seeing the finish line. My pace was a 9:47, with only a couple walk breaks, never lasting more than a minute, but the lines for several bridges and hills definitely held me up. I'm envious of the 14 mile winner, who not only ran both 7 mile loops fast enough to win the shorter race with either one, he finished 11 minutes ahead of 2nd place. I saw him finish, and didn't even realize it, because I only beat him by 20 minutes. Twice the distance, and he's 20 minutes behind me. Wow.
Not that I'm in any way disappointed with this race. I'm really pleased with my effort, especially since my last 10K was 5 seconds slower. I go another .8 miles, in much worse conditions, and I'm 5 seconds faster. I've put in a lot of training, long trails, longer roads, hills, speed, and I'm started to see results. One of the most telling factors, other than my jogging to my car after the race, is that I then did a 4.5 mile hash 2 hours later, on roads, and had an 11:00/mile pace. Not speedy, by any means, and I wore trail shoes rather than road shoes, but I still ran decently well, and when you're hitting most checks as the first runner, you get slowed down by the searching. All told, I did nearly 13 miles on Saturday, between warm ups, the race, and the hash, and while my legs are definitely feeling it, it's hardly unbearable. Also, since I'll say I started at the very back of the pack, I passed 251 runners in the 7 mile race, and 54 in the 14 mile race. 304 runners. That's a lot of passing, especially since I never got passed. Well, never got passed and didn't pass them back.
I'm also quite appreciative for the Race Director, and all of the volunteers that helped with parking, aid stations, registration, after race food, timing, etc. I'm honestly surprised that they held the race, considering how bad the conditions were, since the trails will be beat-up for a while. Assuming the park service doesn't get pissed off and ban the race from coming back, they're champs for letting us have the event here. The trails are a lot of fun, a great mix of hills and flat areas. The parking was a nightmare, because we couldn't really park off the road because of the mud, so the street became a one-lane road, but I made it out of there with no problem.
I'll have to keep looking out for trail races in the area, and ask other locals if they know of any coming up, as I'd like to do at least one more trail race (at least 10K) before March and the Umstead Marathon.
Yet ultras seem to be a different monster all together. A champion might finish in 15 hours, or possibly 24, for a truly grueling one. And while an iPod can also last that long, can you really run 24 hours sustained solely by music? Or can a trip that long teach you something about yourself. Help you find a new purpose, or redefine what you want to do with your life. One of the biggest differences I've noticed is the discussion of aid stations. The volunteers there, the different foods offered, the struggle to keep going. Most of the time, they're not running through, downing a water or Gatorade on the fly. They've covered 30, 40, 50 miles, and may be wondering why they should keep going. Sitting down to change shoes, and enjoying the resting sensation.
And I want to experience that. To reach that point, and see what I find within myself. Sure, a marathon is a good place to start, to be moving for (ideally) 4 hours or so. So we'll start with shorter races, and build up.
Saturday was a "shorter" race. 7 miles. Some chose to do the loop again, and hit 14 miles. 360 did the 7, 135 did 14, according to the results. The race caps at 750, and apparently usually hits that mark, but the cold and wet conditions may have kept some people away, since only 495 completed the course (maybe others started but didn't finish?) As a starter for my "running rebirth" I couldn't have picked a better race. Nor could it have started in a worse way. While standing in line for the port-a-potty, I suddenly realized I had left my bib in my car. I had my timing chip on my shoe, so I wasn't worried about not getting an official finish, but I really wanted pictures of this. And without a bib number, it's hard to search for yourself. Man, I really hope the event photographers let you search for bib numbers. Because there was less than 5 minutes before the start, and I had to run a good .4 miles there, and then back, to get my bib and start the race. Added nearly a mile, and I didn't even make it in time. I ran past the pack on my way to the start, only to discover there was no starting mat, so I, and a few others, just started back down the road toward the tail end of the pack.
I quickly made up ground, and was pleased with how well my legs felt. I was trying to avoid overdoing it so early, since we were on the roads at this point. The switch to trails was the first hold up, since it was a narrow gap in the brush, so I got a brief respite. A lot of people seemed surprised/dismayed by the mud. True, you don't sign up to slog through mud constantly for 7 miles, but it's a trail race, and we just had rain. Rain + trail = mud. It's a simple equation. Thus, I was able to pass a bunch of people, as they were trying to go around the mud rather than just splashing through it. This was a theme for the remainder of the race. I didn't see many people other than myself actually choosing to run through the mud, which slowed them down and gave me open paths and quicker running.
While I'm no speedster, I'm hardly a back of the pack runner in events like this, so I was glad I had found a way to keep moving and fall in with people who were more my speed. That being said, my time definitely suffered from starting at the very back. I'm not saying I would have won any awards, but I would have been several minutes quicker, possibly even breaking 60 minutes, had I not been dodging people so often and early. It's one thing to do it on roads, but on trails, you can't just pass someone whenever you feel like it. You have to wait for an opening, or for them to find a spot to move over. This also may have helped me to keep my legs fresh, because I couldn't overclock.
Early on, I started to appreciate just how awesome my New Balance MT100's are. I hate to sound like a paid reviewer, but they definitely gave me an edge. With a lot of hills, both up and down, many of which were slick with mud, I never lost my footing. On uphills, I could power through and not worry about my feet slipping back and fall on my face. And on downhills, their braking system in the heels meant I kept my speed up, skipping across rocks, roots and mud without fail, unlike many of the other racers. And with how lightweight they are, plus how quickly they shed water (many streams were stepped through), my feet were never weighed down. I didn't really have time to examine the shoes of anyone else, but from the number of them that seemed concerned about getting their shoes wet, I'm thinking that a lot of people weren't wearing trail shoes. Yes, the water was cold, but if you kept moving, you weren't going to catch frostbite or anything. So I jumped through puddles and streams with glee, taken a certain amount of joy in abusing my shoes, because I knew they could take it.
Anywho, this trail was a muddy mess. I'd hate to be the ones who have to clean it up, because the mud was everywhere. I wish I had pictures of the awesomeness, but those pesky water crossings would clean my lower legs back up.
I'll try to find pictures of Marcus's legs later, as they looked like he had bathed in the mud, but my own legs will have to do for now.
My mind is still jumping all over the place from this run, wanting to share everything at once, which I think speaks to how joyful I felt during this experience. I found a certain perverse joy in this playing in the mud, jumping into mud puddles, flying down hills, for 7 straight miles. I think hashing helped prepare me for this, because I've definitely run in worse conditions, without helpful trail markers. I had a goofy grin on my face for most of it, which kept me positive and upbeat, instead of thinking about how much further we had to go. In fact, I really didn't pay attention to the distance until we were 4 miles in. 3 miles left, how hard could that be?
As for my mile splits, it's kinda hard to determine. My Garmin tells me that I did 6.66 miles, which can be blamed on GPS coverage, confirmed by others also have 6.6-6.7, instead of 7. But going by my watch, the first mile was 11:19, which sounds right, because of the waiting at several spots. Mile 2 was 11:05, more waiting. Mile 3 was 10:11, getting faster. Mile 4 was 11:26, possibly because I took a breather with a slower pack, before powering back ahead, with Mile 5 in 9:25, and Mile 6 at 9:47. Technically, Mile 7 was in 6:13, because that's when I finished, and while I sped up at the very end, it wasn't that fast. Mainly because I thought I still had 4/10 of a mile to go, instead of rounding the corner and seeing the finish line. My pace was a 9:47, with only a couple walk breaks, never lasting more than a minute, but the lines for several bridges and hills definitely held me up. I'm envious of the 14 mile winner, who not only ran both 7 mile loops fast enough to win the shorter race with either one, he finished 11 minutes ahead of 2nd place. I saw him finish, and didn't even realize it, because I only beat him by 20 minutes. Twice the distance, and he's 20 minutes behind me. Wow.
Not that I'm in any way disappointed with this race. I'm really pleased with my effort, especially since my last 10K was 5 seconds slower. I go another .8 miles, in much worse conditions, and I'm 5 seconds faster. I've put in a lot of training, long trails, longer roads, hills, speed, and I'm started to see results. One of the most telling factors, other than my jogging to my car after the race, is that I then did a 4.5 mile hash 2 hours later, on roads, and had an 11:00/mile pace. Not speedy, by any means, and I wore trail shoes rather than road shoes, but I still ran decently well, and when you're hitting most checks as the first runner, you get slowed down by the searching. All told, I did nearly 13 miles on Saturday, between warm ups, the race, and the hash, and while my legs are definitely feeling it, it's hardly unbearable. Also, since I'll say I started at the very back of the pack, I passed 251 runners in the 7 mile race, and 54 in the 14 mile race. 304 runners. That's a lot of passing, especially since I never got passed. Well, never got passed and didn't pass them back.
I'm also quite appreciative for the Race Director, and all of the volunteers that helped with parking, aid stations, registration, after race food, timing, etc. I'm honestly surprised that they held the race, considering how bad the conditions were, since the trails will be beat-up for a while. Assuming the park service doesn't get pissed off and ban the race from coming back, they're champs for letting us have the event here. The trails are a lot of fun, a great mix of hills and flat areas. The parking was a nightmare, because we couldn't really park off the road because of the mud, so the street became a one-lane road, but I made it out of there with no problem.
I'll have to keep looking out for trail races in the area, and ask other locals if they know of any coming up, as I'd like to do at least one more trail race (at least 10K) before March and the Umstead Marathon.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
The Problem With Trail Running
At least, the trails that I often run, is they're technical mountain bike trails, and full of turns, dips, and uphills. You don't want to get too much speed on a bike there, because if you fall you're going ot do some serious damage. For a runner, this makes it tough to run quickly. On one hand, it should theoretically make you a better runner, because running on these trails makes any relatively flat course incredibly easy in comparison. But it's still disconcerting when I struggle to maintain any sort of speed for a distance.
On the trails, I can run at a 9:00 to 10:00 pace, and take walking breaks every 3-5 minutes to recharge my batteries, so I'll end up averaging an 11:00/mi pace overall, usually. On a 5 mile road course this past Saturday, my runs were all under 9:00, with a best of an 8:22 pace for 1/2 mile. I was holding back slightly, because we then did a 3.5 mile run 9 minutes after I finished the 5 mile course, once again running sub 9:00 laps, although I walked for a longer period of time to allow a new runner to catch up to me, but I still felt great with my speed. Finally, 6 hours after this, I did a 4 mile hash, which was half on the road and half in creeks and woods where you really couldn't run.
All in all, I did 12.68 miles on Saturday, with an 11:21 pace overall. And I felt good afterward! No problems Sunday morning, although legs were a little heavy Monday, and no pain. Yesterday, I ran 7.5 miles, and another 3.0 today, so I've done 10.5 for the week. And those 10.5 have been at a 12:11 average pace. Probably a little slower than usual, as I'm still not used to the longer weekend runs, and pushed a little too hard on Saturday, but that's a fairly accurate representation of my trail speed. On the 3 miler today, the last two-tenths of a mile were in the open, on a gravel path, but I didn't really recognize the difference until I saw that I ran that .2 with an 8:13 pace, without trying. I mean to say, I wasn't attempting to sprint the last section, just to run it, and I didn't realize my speed until I uploaded the courses to my computer. This is confirmation that I really should spend more time on the open courses, instead of tight trails, so that I can work on my speed and stamina. I should try to find a track around me that I can run at.
On the trails, I can run at a 9:00 to 10:00 pace, and take walking breaks every 3-5 minutes to recharge my batteries, so I'll end up averaging an 11:00/mi pace overall, usually. On a 5 mile road course this past Saturday, my runs were all under 9:00, with a best of an 8:22 pace for 1/2 mile. I was holding back slightly, because we then did a 3.5 mile run 9 minutes after I finished the 5 mile course, once again running sub 9:00 laps, although I walked for a longer period of time to allow a new runner to catch up to me, but I still felt great with my speed. Finally, 6 hours after this, I did a 4 mile hash, which was half on the road and half in creeks and woods where you really couldn't run.
All in all, I did 12.68 miles on Saturday, with an 11:21 pace overall. And I felt good afterward! No problems Sunday morning, although legs were a little heavy Monday, and no pain. Yesterday, I ran 7.5 miles, and another 3.0 today, so I've done 10.5 for the week. And those 10.5 have been at a 12:11 average pace. Probably a little slower than usual, as I'm still not used to the longer weekend runs, and pushed a little too hard on Saturday, but that's a fairly accurate representation of my trail speed. On the 3 miler today, the last two-tenths of a mile were in the open, on a gravel path, but I didn't really recognize the difference until I saw that I ran that .2 with an 8:13 pace, without trying. I mean to say, I wasn't attempting to sprint the last section, just to run it, and I didn't realize my speed until I uploaded the courses to my computer. This is confirmation that I really should spend more time on the open courses, instead of tight trails, so that I can work on my speed and stamina. I should try to find a track around me that I can run at.
Friday, September 25, 2009
Ruminations On A Friday Night
First off, it's just funny to be completely sober on a Friday night. Went to the fair with Stephanie, Maya, and Maya's friend, nice little family time. It's a little disconcerting to feel a change in my thoughts, in that I now enjoy taking my time while driving, not just for safety, but out of some strange feeling of parental responsibility. And I'm not even a parent!
But anyway, to the heart of my desire to write, running. It's still somewhat strange to me, to be a runner. To have dedicated running attire. Wicking shirts, specialized socks, running shorts. Not just basketball shorts, actual running shorts. In high school, my brother was the runner. I saw no reason for it. The only race that I'm aware of him entering, the Manchester Road Race, he completed in 38:05, when he was 17. That was the first race I ever entered, when I was 21, and I did it in 46:33. He averaged a 7:57 mile, I did a 9:43. Talk about getting your ass kicked!
But there's something more to running, I've come to believe. Most people who enter a 5K, 10K, half or full marathon, they don't expect to win. Nor should they. Some are just seeking to place in their age group, acknowledging that time is taking a toll on their bodies. But others are just looking for self improvement (and maybe a cool shirt). I've started to enjoy running more for the inner aspects of it, rather than the outer. The moments that matter the most to me are those precious seconds when my legs are loose, my breathing measured, and my stride long. When I go from running next to Stephanie to pulling past her, without any slowing down on her part, or actual effort on mine. We ran last night and I had that happen about 2.5 miles in to a 5 mile run. My pace dropped below an 8:00/mi, and yet I didn't feel like I was pushing it. I was just utilizing my natural leg length.
That's what keeps me coming back, those moments when the running feels easy and I feel free. I seek out trails to run not just because of the challenge and variety they create, but because it's easier to feel free without the constant humming of traffic. To believe for that little bit of time that it's just you and the trail. I'm sure you can achieve that feeling for a longer period of time out West, or even around here in the rural areas.
It's the same feeling I used to get from golf. I enjoyed it most when it was just me, the club, and the ball. No competition, no external pressure, just my own internal contest. I have no problem walking during a run, because when I do it, it's a choice, not necessity. I'm training my body to go longer distances, and that requires taking it easy some times. I've had guys comment "you hung with us for that first mile" when they don't realize that I could have kept going, but I chose to take a break, usually because I've already run 3 or 4 miles before they showed up, and I've got 3 or 4 more to go.
One of my favorite books, which addresses the impressionable nature of the golfing public, speculates on why people love golf so much. It concludes that it isn't the setting, the battle against nature, or the variety of skills it calls for. Instead, it's the variable nature of it all, the same reason that Tiger Woods doesn't win every time, but can still put together rounds that wow everyone around him. On any given day, he can put together a nearly perfect round of golf. He may never birdie every hole, but if he plays the course enough times, he will have a birdie or better recorded on each hole. The thing is, that's also true for the average golfer. For some, it may be to par every hole. But everyone has the possibility. It starts on the first tee box, before the ball is even struck.
And the same can apply to running. I pull in to the parking lot, stretch, and get ready, and this could be a perfect run. My lungs could be clear, my strides firm, my splits negative, everything is possible. I'm not going to run a 4:00 mile or 15:00 5K, but I can cover a stretch of ground faster than previous, or with less effort. There's something beautiful about running for the sake of running, doing it for your own enjoyment, marveling at the beauty of how our bodies work, how we can rapidly cover difficult terrain without busting our asses (most of the time).
Yes, I realize that can be at odds with the idea of inner competition, trying to outdo yourself, but some days, I'm running with a goal, and other days, I'm running just to feel alive, to fight through the wind in my face, feel the sweat run over my eyes, and keep pushing, wondering what is beyond that next bend.
But anyway, to the heart of my desire to write, running. It's still somewhat strange to me, to be a runner. To have dedicated running attire. Wicking shirts, specialized socks, running shorts. Not just basketball shorts, actual running shorts. In high school, my brother was the runner. I saw no reason for it. The only race that I'm aware of him entering, the Manchester Road Race, he completed in 38:05, when he was 17. That was the first race I ever entered, when I was 21, and I did it in 46:33. He averaged a 7:57 mile, I did a 9:43. Talk about getting your ass kicked!
But there's something more to running, I've come to believe. Most people who enter a 5K, 10K, half or full marathon, they don't expect to win. Nor should they. Some are just seeking to place in their age group, acknowledging that time is taking a toll on their bodies. But others are just looking for self improvement (and maybe a cool shirt). I've started to enjoy running more for the inner aspects of it, rather than the outer. The moments that matter the most to me are those precious seconds when my legs are loose, my breathing measured, and my stride long. When I go from running next to Stephanie to pulling past her, without any slowing down on her part, or actual effort on mine. We ran last night and I had that happen about 2.5 miles in to a 5 mile run. My pace dropped below an 8:00/mi, and yet I didn't feel like I was pushing it. I was just utilizing my natural leg length.
That's what keeps me coming back, those moments when the running feels easy and I feel free. I seek out trails to run not just because of the challenge and variety they create, but because it's easier to feel free without the constant humming of traffic. To believe for that little bit of time that it's just you and the trail. I'm sure you can achieve that feeling for a longer period of time out West, or even around here in the rural areas.
It's the same feeling I used to get from golf. I enjoyed it most when it was just me, the club, and the ball. No competition, no external pressure, just my own internal contest. I have no problem walking during a run, because when I do it, it's a choice, not necessity. I'm training my body to go longer distances, and that requires taking it easy some times. I've had guys comment "you hung with us for that first mile" when they don't realize that I could have kept going, but I chose to take a break, usually because I've already run 3 or 4 miles before they showed up, and I've got 3 or 4 more to go.
One of my favorite books, which addresses the impressionable nature of the golfing public, speculates on why people love golf so much. It concludes that it isn't the setting, the battle against nature, or the variety of skills it calls for. Instead, it's the variable nature of it all, the same reason that Tiger Woods doesn't win every time, but can still put together rounds that wow everyone around him. On any given day, he can put together a nearly perfect round of golf. He may never birdie every hole, but if he plays the course enough times, he will have a birdie or better recorded on each hole. The thing is, that's also true for the average golfer. For some, it may be to par every hole. But everyone has the possibility. It starts on the first tee box, before the ball is even struck.
And the same can apply to running. I pull in to the parking lot, stretch, and get ready, and this could be a perfect run. My lungs could be clear, my strides firm, my splits negative, everything is possible. I'm not going to run a 4:00 mile or 15:00 5K, but I can cover a stretch of ground faster than previous, or with less effort. There's something beautiful about running for the sake of running, doing it for your own enjoyment, marveling at the beauty of how our bodies work, how we can rapidly cover difficult terrain without busting our asses (most of the time).
Yes, I realize that can be at odds with the idea of inner competition, trying to outdo yourself, but some days, I'm running with a goal, and other days, I'm running just to feel alive, to fight through the wind in my face, feel the sweat run over my eyes, and keep pushing, wondering what is beyond that next bend.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Recovery
Apparently I caught something during the Labor Day hash-travaganza, as I was subsequently barely able to move for a week following it. As a result, I wasn't able to run, and even at the next hash I was struggling just to keep control of my body, hence my not being FRB, which apparently was unusual enough for people to ask what was wrong.
Luckily, I'm back to running, and feeling much better, although the weight loss was kinda nice. Nearly back below 200, and kicking Slim's ass
Luckily, I'm back to running, and feeling much better, although the weight loss was kinda nice. Nearly back below 200, and kicking Slim's ass
Monday, August 31, 2009
The Joys of Running
Is it possible to feel poorly after a run? I don't mean that in terms of physical exertion and pain, but rather the mental aspect of one's life. Every time I finish a run, I'm imbued with the "runner's high" (yes, I understand the actual reasons behind this phenomena) and feel great for the next few hours, if not longer. That's one of the reasons I enjoy running in the morning, it provides a great start to the day. You may not want to get up earlier than normal to run, but afterward, you'll be glad you did.
Did 6 miles of running/scouting yesterday, discovered another great Greenway in Charlotte, and felt fantastic after. What made it even better was that my body also felt great, despite having just done a 10K. The route wasn't as technical as the USNWC Trail Run Challenge, at least, I thought it wasn't (my Garmin tells me there were more elevation changes this time), but I still felt like I could have done more mileage if needed. It's good to see some results from my increased training and mileage, and it makes me want to participate in a 1/2 Marathon on September 19, mainly because it climbs to the top of a nearby mountain, only 900', but still fun. Only slightly more than 2 weeks before the event, is this enough time to get ready? I know I shouldn't, especially since I have no money, but it's really really tempting!
Did 6 miles of running/scouting yesterday, discovered another great Greenway in Charlotte, and felt fantastic after. What made it even better was that my body also felt great, despite having just done a 10K. The route wasn't as technical as the USNWC Trail Run Challenge, at least, I thought it wasn't (my Garmin tells me there were more elevation changes this time), but I still felt like I could have done more mileage if needed. It's good to see some results from my increased training and mileage, and it makes me want to participate in a 1/2 Marathon on September 19, mainly because it climbs to the top of a nearby mountain, only 900', but still fun. Only slightly more than 2 weeks before the event, is this enough time to get ready? I know I shouldn't, especially since I have no money, but it's really really tempting!
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Mileage vs. Time?
Saw an article about Kara Goucher, an American marathoner, and how Americans are too focused on how far and how fast we run, rather than just seeing what we can do. I'd love to reach that level, but ironically I need more structured training before I can get there. Although I've got my Garmin with me during most runs, I'm rarely paying attention to it, other than timing my walk breaks, and occasionally seeing how far we've gone. The rest of the time, I'm enjoying the run, and trying not to bust my ass, since most of the time, I'm on the trails. I'll bring the Garmin when we're hashing, too, mainly because I like to let the slower members know how far they went.
The main reason I like trail running so much is because it makes it easier to turn my brain off and just run. You can spend more time just enjoying the scenery, and trying to not step on bunnies or get run over by deer, and less time worrying about your pace or inhaling car fumes. That's a great aspect of Charlotte, all of the non-road running you can do. Other than the Whitewater Center, we've got endless Greenways, like the one by Stephanie's house. Also, obviously, when a pretty girl asks you to go run, it's kinda hard to say "no".
The main reason I like trail running so much is because it makes it easier to turn my brain off and just run. You can spend more time just enjoying the scenery, and trying to not step on bunnies or get run over by deer, and less time worrying about your pace or inhaling car fumes. That's a great aspect of Charlotte, all of the non-road running you can do. Other than the Whitewater Center, we've got endless Greenways, like the one by Stephanie's house. Also, obviously, when a pretty girl asks you to go run, it's kinda hard to say "no".
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