I woke up this morning at 0500 because Nathan let out a yell. I went to his room and held him for a minute but he wanted back in his crib to be covered up. I brewed a cup of coffee, ate a banana and got dressed. I met my neighbor at 0600 and we drove to the Fairgrounds, arriving at 0620 or so. I did a two mile warm-up, hit the restroom and stretched a bit. The temps were nice, 59 or 60 at the start.
The plan for today was to go out easier than I did last year and to try to pick it up around the 5K mark. I ran splits of 6:35, 13:22, 20:13, 20:54, 27:06, 34:08, 40:50 and 42:06 at last years race. I wrote them on my hand last night before bed so I had a reminder of where I wanted to be at each mile mark.
After the National Anthem and the start I settled into a relaxed pace. I had no one I was gunning for and I just made sure I didn't get caught up in the excitement. I hit the mile in 6:40.56, which was a bit faster than I wanted but I felt good and wasn't in any distress. I eased up heading into the park and let myself flow down the hill as we left to head towards the cemetery. I eased up the first decent hill and hit mile two in 13:28.01 (6:47.45), about six seconds slower than last year.
I noticed that Joy was slowly coming back to me at this point but didn't really care, I just wanted to continue to drop 6:45 miles and see what happened until I could make a push during mile four. I used another downhill to my advantage as I entered the cemetery and came up on Joy right around the three mile mark. I crossed three in 20:09.32 (6:41.31). Just as soon as I caught her she spurted away and I let her go as she is known to run negative splits. I hit 5K in 20:49.17 and eased up the hill heading out of the cemetery. Once I crested the hill I surged and tried to maintain heading toward the four mile mark. Last year at this point I eased up too much. I crossed four in 26:55.99 (6:46.67) and was about 13 seconds ahead of schedule. I caught Joy at this point and passed her for good as I surged down the hill but slowed down once I hit the last major uphill going into Lincoln Park. I surged once again as I crested the hill and started to feel a bit of discomfort. Instead of slowing I surged again and told myself I only had ten more minutes to go.
I rounded the corner to the five mile mark and passed in 33:39.86 (6:43.87) to find myself nearly 30 seconds ahead of last year's time. The last 1.2 is a bit muddled but I think I passed a guy, got passed by another guy and passed two others as I entered the gate to the fairgrounds. I remember clicking my split at the mile to go mark and aside from that I only remember snippets of the last bit. I remember rounding the corner coming to the six mile mark and passing in 40:18.69 (6:38.83) and being too far out to catch the two guys ahead of me. I gave it a good shot and ran the last .2 in 1:11.95 to finish in 42nd place (six worse than last year) and in 41:30.64, a PR by 36 seconds.
I ran from the "mile to go" point in 6:25.64.
Today's time puts me within 1:45 of my PR from 1997 when I ran 39:46 after a night of debauchery.
I placed second in my age group and I feel pretty good about my chances of going under 19:00 at the PPR. I'm thinking 18:45-18:55.
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Ten miles of reflection on the Parade Run
I got up this morning for a ten mile jaunt along the bike trail. It was a beautiful day with temps in the mid 60s and low humidity. I wasn't relishing the run but I made it the entire uncomfortable way in 1:21:39 with out and back times of 41:30 and 40:09.
I replayed my race from Thursday in my head and realized that even though I felt sluggish the whole way I ran fairly well. I stayed off the hard sprint the first 400 but felt it was too early to go with Joy when she blew by me about a minute into the race. I chalked it up to her being way ahead of me in training this year and waved goodbye as she passed.
The Parade Run course is basically an L-shaped out-and-back that starts in the fairgrounds and takes a hard right approximately 600 meters later. You run about a kilometer to the mile mark, turn around and retrace your steps to the finish line. John L. and I determined that the distance from the gate to the finish would take 30-35 seconds and that would probably indicate a pretty good place to launch a blistering kick. The Parade Run is one of only two races I have done since my first full season of racing in 2005 and I have never avoided being gunned down in that final stretch.
After watching Joy go by I concentrated on running relaxed. By chance I looked at my watch as I made the hard right and saw that it took me 2:18 to get there. My pal, and nemesis, Dan was ahead of me at this point but I caught him as we passed a set of speakers playing a drumbeat that sounded suspiciously like "36-24-36" by the Violent Femmes. Dan had the indignity of being passed by me as I sang the bridge to the song: "36-24-26, I want lots of pretty chicks. . ." I wasn't singing a few blocks later as I approached and hit the turnaround in about 5:56-5:57.
I snagged a paper cup of water that promptly spilled as the volunteer didn't let go. I took a big enough sip to wet my whistle and dumped a few drops on my head as I took advantage of the downhill to surge. The pack had strung out a bit at this point but I knew that if I could catch the two guys ahead of me I'd have a good shot of going under 12:00 no matter how much it hurt.
The discomfort struck a block later and a subversive voice in my head told me that anything faster than 12:20 would be acceptable. At that point I looked up and saw that Joy was in sight and told the subversive voice that he was full of shit and needed to sit back and buckle up because I wasn't done quite yet.
I focused on relaxing and reeling in the two ahead of me hoping that Joy had run the first mile at a suicidal pace and would come back to me. After the race I found that Joy and her pace crew hit the mile in 5:36. When I hit the turn to head straight into the fairgrounds I told myself I only had about two minutes to go and that if I was going to break 12:00 this stretch was where it was going to happen. I caught one of the two I'd been chasing about a half block from the gate and caught the other (a short, skinny 12 year old boy, ironically) about a hundred meters from the line. I hit the finish in 12:00.86 by my watch but forgot that I hit my watch at gun time instead of when I crossed the mat.
My official time was 11:59.68 but it was rounded up to 12:00 by the race results people, which irritates me. I placed 34th overall, a two place improvement from last year, and won the 30-34 age group by 1:20. Unfortunately I wasn't the fastest 30-34 year old in the race as Joy ran 11:41 high. I am heartened by the fact that her 5:36 first mile took a toll on her because that meant I ran a faster second mile than she did, though not much faster. I do wonder how much faster I could have run if I'd tried to maintain contact with her and her pacers though.
The prediction that John L. and I came up with to determine the amount of time it would take to get from the gate to the finish was spot on as I covered the distance in 32.88 seconds and avoided being out-kicked in that stretch for the first time in four attempts at this race.
Next Sunday is Abe's Amble 10K and I am hoping to go under 42:00. The tempo runs, longer intervals and distance base is not as impressive as it was last year but I was also training through Abe's in preparation for the PPR. Maybe I'll surprise myself on Sunday. Maybe I won't.
I replayed my race from Thursday in my head and realized that even though I felt sluggish the whole way I ran fairly well. I stayed off the hard sprint the first 400 but felt it was too early to go with Joy when she blew by me about a minute into the race. I chalked it up to her being way ahead of me in training this year and waved goodbye as she passed.
The Parade Run course is basically an L-shaped out-and-back that starts in the fairgrounds and takes a hard right approximately 600 meters later. You run about a kilometer to the mile mark, turn around and retrace your steps to the finish line. John L. and I determined that the distance from the gate to the finish would take 30-35 seconds and that would probably indicate a pretty good place to launch a blistering kick. The Parade Run is one of only two races I have done since my first full season of racing in 2005 and I have never avoided being gunned down in that final stretch.
After watching Joy go by I concentrated on running relaxed. By chance I looked at my watch as I made the hard right and saw that it took me 2:18 to get there. My pal, and nemesis, Dan was ahead of me at this point but I caught him as we passed a set of speakers playing a drumbeat that sounded suspiciously like "36-24-36" by the Violent Femmes. Dan had the indignity of being passed by me as I sang the bridge to the song: "36-24-26, I want lots of pretty chicks. . ." I wasn't singing a few blocks later as I approached and hit the turnaround in about 5:56-5:57.
I snagged a paper cup of water that promptly spilled as the volunteer didn't let go. I took a big enough sip to wet my whistle and dumped a few drops on my head as I took advantage of the downhill to surge. The pack had strung out a bit at this point but I knew that if I could catch the two guys ahead of me I'd have a good shot of going under 12:00 no matter how much it hurt.
The discomfort struck a block later and a subversive voice in my head told me that anything faster than 12:20 would be acceptable. At that point I looked up and saw that Joy was in sight and told the subversive voice that he was full of shit and needed to sit back and buckle up because I wasn't done quite yet.
I focused on relaxing and reeling in the two ahead of me hoping that Joy had run the first mile at a suicidal pace and would come back to me. After the race I found that Joy and her pace crew hit the mile in 5:36. When I hit the turn to head straight into the fairgrounds I told myself I only had about two minutes to go and that if I was going to break 12:00 this stretch was where it was going to happen. I caught one of the two I'd been chasing about a half block from the gate and caught the other (a short, skinny 12 year old boy, ironically) about a hundred meters from the line. I hit the finish in 12:00.86 by my watch but forgot that I hit my watch at gun time instead of when I crossed the mat.
My official time was 11:59.68 but it was rounded up to 12:00 by the race results people, which irritates me. I placed 34th overall, a two place improvement from last year, and won the 30-34 age group by 1:20. Unfortunately I wasn't the fastest 30-34 year old in the race as Joy ran 11:41 high. I am heartened by the fact that her 5:36 first mile took a toll on her because that meant I ran a faster second mile than she did, though not much faster. I do wonder how much faster I could have run if I'd tried to maintain contact with her and her pacers though.
The prediction that John L. and I came up with to determine the amount of time it would take to get from the gate to the finish was spot on as I covered the distance in 32.88 seconds and avoided being out-kicked in that stretch for the first time in four attempts at this race.
Next Sunday is Abe's Amble 10K and I am hoping to go under 42:00. The tempo runs, longer intervals and distance base is not as impressive as it was last year but I was also training through Abe's in preparation for the PPR. Maybe I'll surprise myself on Sunday. Maybe I won't.
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Parade Run
I felt sluggish from the gun in the 82 degree temps, 53% humidity and NNE 9 mph wind. I hit the mile in about 5:57 and followed up with a 6:03, by my watch. When they posted results from the chip timing my official time was 11:59.68 but on the website they rounded all the times up or down and my time is 12:00. Bastards.
I won the 30-34 age group by about 1:20. This is the only race where I have a complete set of age group awards. 2nd and 3rd in 25-29 and 1st in 30-34. Coolness.
I won the 30-34 age group by about 1:20. This is the only race where I have a complete set of age group awards. 2nd and 3rd in 25-29 and 1st in 30-34. Coolness.
Friday, August 1, 2008
Bud Lite Lime and 3200 meters
Last night I had a Bud Lite Lime with the two chicken tacos I had for dinner. I'd been very drowsy all day, ate a late lunch, needed to finish my research paper for the week and was ready for bed by 1800 hrs when dinner rolled around. I wasn't in any mood to run even though I had a hard practice scheduled so I had a beer while I ate. After dinner I wrote my short research paper on community college finance and was wired. I decided to run that practice I had scheduled.
I changed clothes, drank a little water and ran to the high school track where I did some strides and launched into a 3200 meter tempo run. I decided to do the tempo at 6:20 pace but I figured that 3200 meters is actually about 18 meters (or two seconds) short of two miles I would run the 3200 meters in 12:36 (6:18/1600 meters).
As I was finishing up my strides I had a small burp that reminded me of my solitary Bud Lite Lime. "Sodium" I told myself. "No need to skip the practice, you're all worked up and warmed up anyway."
I calmly walked to the start line and proceeded to click off these 400 splits:
1:36.26
1:34.11--3:10.37
1:34.27--4:44.64
1:33.67--6:18.31
1:34.36--7:52.67
1:34.95--9:27.62
1:35.66--11:03.66
1:32.09--12:35.37
I felt pretty decent but started getting a bit uncomfortable going into lap six. I held pace but on the homestretch of lap seven a bug flew into my eye and caused me to slow down a little until it crawled out. I recovered from the bug and increased turnover to ensure that I made it to 3200 in 12:36.
The Bud Lite Lime didn't come back to haunt me at all but I stuck with water the rest of the night as the 75 degree temps, lack of wind and 92% humidity kicked the crap out of me.
Today the body feels like I ran a comfortably hard effort in slightly dehydrated condition and I am a bit sore. I think I am going to take it easy heading into the Parade Run two mile Thursday and maybe to a short and fast effort early in the week before Abe's Amble. I still have hopes of going under 12:00 at the Parade Run, I hope the weather cooperates. I would also love to get under 42:00 at Abe's but will be quite happy with finishing and running a strong effort.
I changed clothes, drank a little water and ran to the high school track where I did some strides and launched into a 3200 meter tempo run. I decided to do the tempo at 6:20 pace but I figured that 3200 meters is actually about 18 meters (or two seconds) short of two miles I would run the 3200 meters in 12:36 (6:18/1600 meters).
As I was finishing up my strides I had a small burp that reminded me of my solitary Bud Lite Lime. "Sodium" I told myself. "No need to skip the practice, you're all worked up and warmed up anyway."
I calmly walked to the start line and proceeded to click off these 400 splits:
1:36.26
1:34.11--3:10.37
1:34.27--4:44.64
1:33.67--6:18.31
1:34.36--7:52.67
1:34.95--9:27.62
1:35.66--11:03.66
1:32.09--12:35.37
I felt pretty decent but started getting a bit uncomfortable going into lap six. I held pace but on the homestretch of lap seven a bug flew into my eye and caused me to slow down a little until it crawled out. I recovered from the bug and increased turnover to ensure that I made it to 3200 in 12:36.
The Bud Lite Lime didn't come back to haunt me at all but I stuck with water the rest of the night as the 75 degree temps, lack of wind and 92% humidity kicked the crap out of me.
Today the body feels like I ran a comfortably hard effort in slightly dehydrated condition and I am a bit sore. I think I am going to take it easy heading into the Parade Run two mile Thursday and maybe to a short and fast effort early in the week before Abe's Amble. I still have hopes of going under 12:00 at the Parade Run, I hope the weather cooperates. I would also love to get under 42:00 at Abe's but will be quite happy with finishing and running a strong effort.
Sunday, July 27, 2008
The lead-in to the Duel
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
SIZZLING!
I've been pretty bad about posting the last few weeks but I've been busy with my grad. school class, working around the house and getting ready to start my new job as the Radiography Program Director at Richland Community College in Decatur.
I've been running pretty consistently, four days a week for about 24 miles. I get two easy days of five to six, a tempo or track session and an eight mile long run. After tonight I think I'm going to step up to ten mile long runs and faster speed days.
Tonight I ran the Sizzling Mile at the SHG track. I was in heat eight with the 5:00 to 5:30 people. As I was warming up I thought maybe sub-5:30 was a little ambitious of me to attempt what with my injuries of late. The hamstring is great and hasn't bothered me for about a month.
I challenged Dan from Hardy Breed to a duel and he accepted. When we lined up on the waterfall I took the position closest to the outside and out of traffic. When "go" was yelled I stayed outside, clicked my watch at the 1600 meter start line in 2.09 seconds, and waited until the pack strung out on the backstretch of the first lap. Joy and I were together and at 200 I was in dead-last with Joy a half-step ahead. We hit 400 in 1:20.90 (1:22.99) and I took the lead from Joy, picked off one or two runners and worked my way up behind the main pack a few seconds ahead of us. I hit halfway in 2:44.44 with a 400 split of 1:21.45.
I decided to start racing at the half and put down a hard surge the next 200 to catch, pass and gap the pack I was chasing. Dan was leading that pack and I passed him right at the 1000 mark. I hit 1200 4:04.45 with a 1:20.01 third lap and gave one last, long dig in the gun lap.
Things got a little muddled the last 400. I think I passed one or two more people but Carl B. caught and passed me on the last corner and a skinny little 15 year-old nipped me at the line. I guess that is karma's way of getting me back for sprinting down the 12 year-old a month ago.
I ran the last lap in 1:17.11 for a total time of 5:21.56, unofficial. My official time was 5:21.85 and I finished 12th in my heat of about 20. Dan finished a few places back in 5:27.60 and Joy finished in 5:28 high, I think. Our heat was won with a time of 4:56.
If you subtract my 2.09 seconds from waterfall to 1600 meter start I ran the high school mile in 5:19.76. That feels pretty nice.
In a nostalgic note for Nate, I ran into our old friend Clint L. He brought one of his runners down from Peoria, she won the women's division in 5:18. It was nice seeing you Clint!
I am going to shower and hit the sack.
I've been running pretty consistently, four days a week for about 24 miles. I get two easy days of five to six, a tempo or track session and an eight mile long run. After tonight I think I'm going to step up to ten mile long runs and faster speed days.
Tonight I ran the Sizzling Mile at the SHG track. I was in heat eight with the 5:00 to 5:30 people. As I was warming up I thought maybe sub-5:30 was a little ambitious of me to attempt what with my injuries of late. The hamstring is great and hasn't bothered me for about a month.
I challenged Dan from Hardy Breed to a duel and he accepted. When we lined up on the waterfall I took the position closest to the outside and out of traffic. When "go" was yelled I stayed outside, clicked my watch at the 1600 meter start line in 2.09 seconds, and waited until the pack strung out on the backstretch of the first lap. Joy and I were together and at 200 I was in dead-last with Joy a half-step ahead. We hit 400 in 1:20.90 (1:22.99) and I took the lead from Joy, picked off one or two runners and worked my way up behind the main pack a few seconds ahead of us. I hit halfway in 2:44.44 with a 400 split of 1:21.45.
I decided to start racing at the half and put down a hard surge the next 200 to catch, pass and gap the pack I was chasing. Dan was leading that pack and I passed him right at the 1000 mark. I hit 1200 4:04.45 with a 1:20.01 third lap and gave one last, long dig in the gun lap.
Things got a little muddled the last 400. I think I passed one or two more people but Carl B. caught and passed me on the last corner and a skinny little 15 year-old nipped me at the line. I guess that is karma's way of getting me back for sprinting down the 12 year-old a month ago.
I ran the last lap in 1:17.11 for a total time of 5:21.56, unofficial. My official time was 5:21.85 and I finished 12th in my heat of about 20. Dan finished a few places back in 5:27.60 and Joy finished in 5:28 high, I think. Our heat was won with a time of 4:56.
If you subtract my 2.09 seconds from waterfall to 1600 meter start I ran the high school mile in 5:19.76. That feels pretty nice.
In a nostalgic note for Nate, I ran into our old friend Clint L. He brought one of his runners down from Peoria, she won the women's division in 5:18. It was nice seeing you Clint!
I am going to shower and hit the sack.
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Top-10 5K times since my comeback.
1. 19:02 - Polka Pace Race, 2007
2. 19:25 (twice) - Scholastic Challenge and Jingle Bell Run, 2007
4. 19:31 - I CARE for Residents, 2008 (winna!)
5. 19:35 - Polka Pace Race, 2006 (1:08 PB at the time, from 20:43)
6. 19:45 - Jingle Bell Run, 2006
7. 19:47 - Premier Bank, 2007
8. 19:54 - Scholastic Challenge, 2008 (out-sprinted a 12 year old, ALMOST vomited)
9. 19:57 - Premier Bank, 2008
10. 20:12 - Run For Hungry Children, 2008 (vomited)
It will be a good season if I can drop under 20:00 a few more times to get that 20:12 out of my top-10. I will also be happy if I can get to 100% and at least put a scare into that #1 time. This season has been so up-and-down. At least my times have been consistent.
2. 19:25 (twice) - Scholastic Challenge and Jingle Bell Run, 2007
4. 19:31 - I CARE for Residents, 2008 (winna!)
5. 19:35 - Polka Pace Race, 2006 (1:08 PB at the time, from 20:43)
6. 19:45 - Jingle Bell Run, 2006
7. 19:47 - Premier Bank, 2007
8. 19:54 - Scholastic Challenge, 2008 (out-sprinted a 12 year old, ALMOST vomited)
9. 19:57 - Premier Bank, 2008
10. 20:12 - Run For Hungry Children, 2008 (vomited)
It will be a good season if I can drop under 20:00 a few more times to get that 20:12 out of my top-10. I will also be happy if I can get to 100% and at least put a scare into that #1 time. This season has been so up-and-down. At least my times have been consistent.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
