Friday, April 27, 2007

Apr 27, 2007 - Beautiful and WET!


OK, so here's the same old course...

Sanoodi Data

But, the key today was water. Big storm on Tuesday/Wednesday with lots of snow/rain. Well, it's still on the ground and I had to shoo away some ducks (well, they heard me coming and flew away on their own) off of my trail.

How'd I feel? Well, pretty good actually. Went out fast, caught up to Jesse H and took it easy with him for a 1/4 mile after trudging through the first mini-lake. He turned back to work and went left into the trails. Where I encountered much more mud and water. The last two miles I felt pretty bad in my stomach. Not sure the cause of that, but whatever, had to keep going. A positive takeaway is that I had to lift my knees a bit more to prevent additional splashing, so that's added work, almost like running up a hill. ;-)

Sunday, April 22, 2007

A Recovery Day?


So, the family, including the dog, went for a little 3 mile hike up Mt. Herman Rd. Fun fun!!! We are nuts.

Sanoodi Data

I had to carry Summer pretty much the whole way, and Jess carried Jack in a front pack the whole way....tiring!! But so nice to get out!

Saturday, April 21, 2007

April 21, HRCA Heritage Day 5k


Oh gosh, I stink! Well, I did NOT train for a hill like that. I got 16th overall, 13th male... Hmpf...I got up the climb 5th, but then started getting passed. The hill destroyed my pyche. Ouch. Anyway, after the hills it's a bit rolly and such, and there's one last little climb before heading down. Checking my data you can see I did contiuously speed up down the hill, but never enough. I'm not my normal racing self. Weak mentally. :-(

I guess that's OK, first race in about 5 years, and it's this monster hill. I'll post links to the results and this photography group that was there later.

Before I get too into this, I wanted to make one comment, I wore the heart rate monitor to bed, and while asleep my heart rate dropped down to 49...just lying in bed before sleeping it was in teh 50's. And about the heart rate, I had some Rockstar on the drive to the race, and just drinking that stuff increased my heartrate 10-15 bpm....so I don't think I'm going to drink an energy drink before racing again. I think that could make it beat faster and shallower. And that can't be good.

So, well, I guess I should spill the beans...I finished in 25:22 per my watch...we'll see what the chip says. That's probably the slowest 5k of my life. But after this week of lack of sleep, missing my last intervals and a couple of runs...I guess that's OK. I'm going to try and stay in shape and place/win my age group next year! For my age group 30-39, there were many people to compete against. Seems to be the most popular age for running.

At the end, my right calf was very sore, so I stretched, changed my T-Shirt and went for a mile cool down, just running on the track. So, the final summary? This run won't give me a great wave for the Bolder Boulder, so I'll have to do a treadmill thing, or some other race...flatter...or just live with a crowd and having to pass a bunch of people. I haven't decided that, yet. OK, without further ado, here are my three sets of data, The Race, a lot of walking/jogging to warm up and, finally, the cool down.







All righty...the weather was very aggreeable, mid/high 50's <10 mph winds, into us up that hill, felt very warm turning around and running with the wind. Great day to run! OK, good job, be proud, be happy!

OK, a few more links/pics...this was my first race bib in about 5 years!!

Number 1277And here's the link to the official results...who knows how long this will ever be active...and lastly here are the pics of me running, in no particular order, taken by Youth Sports Photography NetworkYSPN.





Wednesday, April 18, 2007

Apr 18, 2007


OK, so took yesterday off as part of my taper, and it was a georgous day. Today, was running after work to see the course for the race Saturday. If we ran at lunch like normal it would have been beautiful, 60's and light wind...but, we ran later and got 30MPH winds...dead into our faces as we climbed that hill for the first mile...OUCH... I stopped and walked a little. I only wanted to see the course, not hurt myself. Here is the run info.



Tomorrow is off, and then Friday is a light stretch before the big race on Saturday.

Feeling OK, but, man, that hill is going to be TOUGH!

Monday, April 16, 2007

Quick 10k Apr 16, 2007


So, here's the run, taken from Steve's watch...



We went out pretty fast, I thought I had a 10k listed for today at a anything under 8 pace...but I was wrong...that was supposed to be yesterday, but I missed that, due to hanging out with the family, and such. Also, I never did get in that set of longer intervals. I'll get in another 3 or 4 sets of intervals before the 10k in 6 weeks.

So, how did today feel? Well, it felt pretty good, actually. Only 4 hours of sleep at night, the last two nights, so I'm a bit drained, but I was able to keep up the 7:30-ish pace the first three miles, then we throttled it back for a mile and took it in pretty nicely. Legs feeling good, had protein and banana shake after dinner, and going to go ice my shins, for protection and get some sleep...I hope. I have set up two chiropratic appts for Tuesday and Thursday....gotta get this kink outta my neck, which should help me feel better for the run this Saturday. Check the link for weather, etc...

Saturday, April 14, 2007

Apr 14, 2007


Quick little 5k from home. Spanish bit loop again.

Summer put watch in data mode, so didn't start until I got to Alliegance, oops... Since that's .37 miles, and I started kinda fast I lost a bit over 2 minutes of time, maybe?

I'll post times starting from this point, with distances...I hate not having that watch. I need to sell that stuff on EBay, QUICK!!!
Mile    Split    Time    Pace
0.37 0:00 0:00 0:00
0.49 0:48 0:48 6:40
0.97 3:44 4:32 7:47
1.29 2:29 7:01 7:46
1.92 5:12 12:14 8:15
2.39 3:19 15:34 7:03
2.69 1:58 17:32 6:33
2.84 1:18 18:51 8:40
2.93 0:59 19:50 10:56 (Doubt it (map/location issue))
3.19 1:26 21:16 5:31 (Yeah, see)
So, maybe 23:30 total? 7:20-ish total
So, started really fast, then slowed, then felt slow and crappy, but overall time seems like it was OK. Especially since has that little hill. When got home I iced my shins, they actually feel OK since I took off Friday. Weather was 51°F and not too windy. Felt awesome!

Thursday, April 12, 2007

Apr 12, 2007 (Super Cold and Snowy)



Holy Crap! It snowed for about an hour or so today...and guess what, that's about when we ran!

Yeah, we checked the weather, about low/mid 30's, 18-20+ mph winds...but it just looked overcast and no big deal. So we went out for out 10k.



It started out OK...

Looking GoodEven after the first mile, when approaching the gate on Jordan, we were doing good. (That's Steve in the image.)

Gate was Broken Sometime this WinterSoon after crossing Jordan (haha, get it?) and going left, the snow started falling. And when we turned West we got a good belting of a side wind and it really started snowing. Here's a pic of some shivering deer we saw...notice all the snow.

Are these Deer as Cold as US?That wasn't the worst of it...right about the 3 mile point we turned south and were running dead straight into the wind, straight up hill!!! OUCH!!!

Well, we made it, and when we finally turned left on Orchard the wind was a bit more sideways, and we were done climbing the hill...so I took the opportunity to snap a pic of myself while running.

This Guy is Stupid!Remember that first pic up there...that was right near work, all clear and decent...well this is what we saw when we returned to that same area.

SEAKR's Building and LOTSA SNOWAs I said, we made it...in one piece even...and covered with snow...check it out.

I'm a SnowmanAlso check out the ground, it got some coverage. Well, after we got in, cleaned up and got back up to our desks, it was nearly done snowing and the sun came back out...what bad timing. We really should have run yesterday! Messed up my training days a little, and sure put us out there on the worse day.

But, anyway, about the run, and me...I felt OK, pretty slow, but that's OK with the weather the way it was. My tendonitis is flaring up and my shins are hurting. I'm trying to stretch and ice...just gotta keep working it. Nothing TOO bad, yet.

Tuesday, April 10, 2007

Apr 10, 2007


Yeah, pretty much met my goal, and then some...check it out.



Motionbased has this new "gravity" mapping dealie for dealing with elevations...

Elevation from a GPS Stinks!The pace was 7:33, 7:34, 8:05...then slow to about 5k, then I walked 50 or so yards, and then "kicked it in" for the last 400 or so at about 7:40-ish pace. Notice on that motion-based link, the 23 MPH winds. YES, 23 MPH!!!! That means, that middle mile or so, heading NNW we were going pretty much dead INTO the wind...i.e. a headwind of 30 mph, counting our running speed into it. So, the first 7:33 was easy, with a bit of a side wind, just starting out, but then going over those hills along Cherry Creek, dead into the wind...that 7:34 was HARD!!! Much harder than I wanted to run. Tomorrow's 10k should be much easier.

Monday, April 09, 2007

Apr 9, 2007


Another day of intervals. Slow 10:30 warm up.
400    800    1200   Pace
1:27 1:29 5:52
1:25 maybe? 5:40
1:30 1:36 1:44 6:27
1:28 5:52
1:34 6:16
1:24 5:36
1:23 5:32
TOT 14:33 5:49
Cool down for 9:20. Total of about 4.5 miles for the day, running/jogging, another nearly 2 miles of walking 400 at a time between runs, so about 6-ish miles of motion.

Temp was about 55° with very little wind. That 1st 400, I had the watch on Data, not Chrono, so I missed getting the time, but was early and felt fast, so I'll assume 1:25. The wind was into my face on that 5th run (was supposed to be an 800, but I wimped out). Since I wimped out, I decided to do an extra 400 to make up the distance and to do them as fast as I could. I ran a total of 2.5 miles at an average of 5:49 pace...so, ah...I met my 6:10 or better goal, but went a LOT faster than I wanted. Oh well....I wanted pain. Shins are feeling pretty good, though, so that's nice, since I don't want THAT kind of pain.

My buddy Steve went out and ran 9.25 miles...nut-job! We're both nuts, I'm nuts sprinting like this, he's uts running such long distances...although, I'm sure I'll do a few of those with him after this 5k, before the 10k. And I know he'll go out and do more intervals and some fast 5k tempo runs...so, yeah, we're both nuts!

Anyway, now to try and get a good nights sleep...I hope Jacky only wakes up once, if that!

Sunday, April 08, 2007

Sunday

Missed today...bad boy! Was supposed to do a 10k...but the weather and just my laziness (watched The Masters with Jacky) kept me from getting out. Bad for my training. Will just have to slide my doy off during the week back to today. WIll adjust, but won't let this set me back too much! Will still try to do intervals tomorrow. With the day off they should be good and fast!!!

Saturday, April 07, 2007

Apr 7, 2007

On the Treadmill. Still cold and snowy outside. Not in the mood to slip and slide on the streets. Did about 3.5 miles in 30 minutes. Started uphill at a 3, and had a while at 8.0 mph, and then dropped the incline and pace. Watched the miles and the time and I kept it just under 7:00 pace...so the motor isn't that accurate, or it doesn't push along...it could follow my stride and be faster than on the screen?

Regardless, it was weird, it felt both very short time and like forever...I need to see things moving around me. Shins were sore...dare I say shin splints from the cold/hard running yesterday. Iced the after the run a bit and before going to bed. Will keep icing and making sure to stay one step ahead of the pain.

Friday, April 06, 2007

Apr 6, 2007

OK, today was interval day...

Dist     Time   Pace     Notes
800 3:06 6:12 Up/Down Hill
400 1:30 6:00 Straight uphill
1200 5:03 6:44 Uphill, then down into wind
800 3:14 6:28 Ended uphill
400 1:25 5:40 Neighbrhd, uphill, FAST
1200 5:08 6:51 Towards work, some hills
TOT 3M 19:26 6:29 Avg, Qual for Wave 3
Still need to keep trying, not ready to make my goal yet.

Hurt of course, but, had to push through it. Today was the coldest day of the month...had some snow, too! And windy...brrrrrr...

Wednesday, April 04, 2007

Apr 4, 2007

Actually about 7.25 or so, total distance. Add another 8 or so minutes to the total as well. Was shooting for 7:50 or so pace, for about 6.2 miles...went a bit longer and a bit slower, which felt fine, being a recovery run after yesterday. Felt good overall, finished decently at the end. Body is sore and tired, but no bad aches or pains (except neck/shoulder stuff).

Decent run...only 2.5 weeks until my 5k qualifier!
Here's another view, with the mapmyrun site...so many ways to do this...sigh...Still think motion-based is best...but, they don't seem to have blog embedding.

I do like this though...showing the mileage markers...but, it doesn't have the satellite option, etc. hmpf.

Tuesday, April 03, 2007

Apr 3, 2007

OK, so now I decided I need to start getting serious. I got confirmation from Jess that I can run these three races, so I need to start training! So, today we went out to do a 5k at pace! 22:20...which would get me into the 6th wave (which is about 47 minute 10k....I can't believe I'd run a 10k that slow on Memorial day)...Starting to train, my GOAL is 19:50 (wave 2) or better, but I'd be OK with a 20:48 (wave 3) which converts to about a 43 10k. That'd I'd be OK with.

Around 50°F and not too windy. I started struggling after two miles. Steve pulled me along. He's still in much better shape than I am.