Yesterday I laced up for the Madison Mini-Marathon. I'm not very good at tapering. Really, there is no tapering that exists for me. I get to the long run and then just stop running any distance over 5 miles. It's more of a drop off. I try to help this by doing my long run only about 2 weeks out from the race, but how much it actually helps is debatable.
After the 10 mile long run on a Sunday two weeks ago, I've only ran a 5k race, two 4 mile runs, and then a 6 mile run this past Wednesday. I kept up with the yoga and did some biking, but made myself do no exercise whatsoever on Friday.
Yesterday morning, I got up and got on the scale and clocked in at my heaviest. Ugh, I thought. Recently, I've been thinking some about this number on the scale and my difficulty in letting it go. I've gotten better at not dwelling on the number, but I still have to mentally justify that number each time I step on the scale. Even though I feel healthy and fit, I still struggle with just letting the scale be what it is.
Race starts at 7am, and I was supposed to meet Barry at 6am at his place to ride downtown together. I set the alarm for 5:15, and slowly rolled out of bed. I spent a good 10 minutes dousing myself in sunscreen, trying my best to reach my back without any help. After digging around for running clothes, I made a cup of tea and only had about half of it before I went out the door with a granola bar in hand. At 6:02, I was in my car on Barry's driveway. Barry was running later than me, so I munched on my granola bar and sipped water to make sure I was well hydrated. We got downtown about 6:25am and parked at a metered spot, deciding to risk a ticket. Thankfully, it was easy to find a parking spot downtown despite how close it was to race start.
I don't own a running watch. People ask sometimes how do I know how fast I'm going. I tell that that I usually just listen to my body. I aim to push in training and my body tells me when it's too much. So when I formulate race strategies, it's more of a mental game and throughout the race, it's a constant loop in my head of "remember the miles to go". For this race, I debated starting with the 2:00 group or the 2:10 group. Since I was in Corral G, only the 2:10 pacers were in my corral, so I decided to start a bit behind them and to aim to chase down the 2:00 pacers. Barry had plans of dropping out of the race or to walk for large chunks of the second half. I wasn't sure what he was going to do, but I knew that running with him is always a bad idea for me. He's like the watch that I don't need when I want to stay tuned in to how my body is feeling. I resolve to ignore where he is when the gun goes off.
The race starts and my legs feel fatigued already, but I catch up to the 2:00 pacers pretty quickly. At this point, I know I'm running sub-9:00 min miles to have caught up to 2:00 pacers about 2 miles in. But I'm feeling good despite a nagging fatigue in my legs, so I maintain pace and run with the 2:00 group for a while. I get a little bit ahead of them in anticipation of the water stops, but somewhere around mile 4, I'm feeling really good and I get pretty far ahead of the 2:00 group. I know they're behind me, but I'm not sure where. I walk through every water stop. At this point, I'm resolving to not let the 2:00 group pass me until mile 8. We get to mile 8, and my pace has slowed. I know the distance between me and the 2:00 group is shortening when I hear spectators cheer the 2:00 pacers just as we exit the Arboretum.
Right before mile 9 marker is Cemetery Hill. This was a daunting, daunting hill. We went up at a sharp incline, leveled for a bit, and then went up some more. A lot, a lot of people around me were walking at this point and I aim to just make it up the hill. The hill took a lot out of me and not too long after, the 2:00 pacers pass me. I keep them in sight though, and slowly recover enough to catch up to them again. By mile 11, when we turned onto Lakeshore Path, I'm shadowing the 2:00 pacers, and there is hardly anyone around them. Either everyone's found their legs and managing to stay well ahead of them, or they're lost the 2:00 group. I know I've got a little bit of a cushion having started behind the 2:00 pacers, but I have no idea how much. Knowing I'm near the end and almost done keeps my speed up. When we get to the Memorial Union, I hear the pacers say to each other how they try to tell those in their group to hurry up ahead of them to guarantee a sub-2:00. I wasn't expecting to have any speed left in me, but when we round that final corner, I catch up to and pass the 2:00 pacers. I hear them say they've got 40 seconds to cross the finish and make sub-2:00 and they are right on target with their time. The finish is downhill and I sped down that faster than I had imagined possible at that point. I felt good despite the blister that I knew had formed around mile 10.
1:58:47 was my final time. Sub-2:00 was a PR that I've been chasing for about 2 years now. I'm happy to have gotten there, but the thrill of achieving a PR is not what it used to be. I noticed this after the Full Moon 5k. It was a great PR, but it was mostly just another race. We attach more importance to reaching a sub-2:00 time, but the difference between a 1:59 and a 2:02 is the same as 2:02 and 2:05. It's just the difference between a good race day and a bad race day. Ultimately, I'm still just a 2:00 half marathoner.
But numbers are useful for lines in the sand and setting a goal. I'd like to run sub-2:00's consistently and see times closer to a 1:55.
Sunday, August 17, 2014
Thursday, August 7, 2014
Two 5k's and extolling the benefits of yoga
This would be my third season of running. It's been a little over two years since my very first race in April of 2012 at Black Earth. I've actually raced a lot less this year. A year ago, by the beginning of August, I had already ran 12 races. This year, only 3.
It was hard to find local, affordable, yet chipped races in Southern California. But here in Madison, there are an abundance of them. Knowing a couple of regular runners and racers in Madison certainly makes a difference in the number of races I enter. It's the social knowledge of which races are worth entering and which ones are not.
Running of the Swiss 5k
After the LA Marathon in the beginning of March, I've significantly reduced the number of miles. I've kept running, but rather than running hard and pushing for longer and longer distances, I've just gotten on the treadmill with the goal of enjoying my run. I hovered at about 3-6 miles maybe twice a week for a couple of months. When I got back to Madison late May, I had plans to get back into the swing of races, and I thought the Running of the Swiss 5k in New Glarus would be perfect.
I wasn't expecting to set any records, but I wasn't quite expecting how difficult a time I would have with this race. The lush greenness of Wisconsin was not treating my throat and lungs well. About a mile in, those floating particles of pollen had found their way into my throat and into a cough that forced me to stop and walk. About 2 minutes later, I started jogging again, keeping it nice and light so I wouldn't be breathing too hard.
In the end I finished 28:35. I was ecstatic. I was hoping for a 28:35 but I had given up any hope of that once I started walking. I kind of couldn't believe that I managed that even with walking for 2 minutes in the middle there.
Following this race, I signed for a couple of races for the fall. I thought there would be a few more races I'd run, but the next race was the Movin' Shoes 5k that happened last night.
Movin' Shoes Full Moon 5k
I ran this race last year, and it is definitely my favorite 5k despite the hill at the end. It's a chipped finish, small field, gorgeous views of Monona Bay and the Capitol on the course, and friendly, friendly people. There's also a pretty nice prize raffle at the end.
Though my running had still been very spotty throughout June and July (at best 12 miles/week), I started ramping up the miles in the last week or so because of the half marathon next Saturday. I did 10 miles this past Sunday and it felt good. Throughout June and July, I had gone on some bike rides and been doing A LOT of yoga. I knew that the 5k should be under 30 minutes, but nearly all of my running had been on the treadmill and every runner warns about how non-equivalent the two are. Moreover, I'm currently carrying about 5 lbs more than I was last year.
Last night, I set a PR by over a minute with a 25:18. That's an 8:09/mile pace which I'm ecstatic about. I like to measure my running by comparing with what I was capable of doing when I was 15. At 15, I couldn't go sub-8:00 on one mile for the life of me. The first mile of my 5k last night was 7:50, 16:02 at mile 2. So much for trying to not go out too fast.
This leads me to speculate. I've ran less all year than I have last year and I'm 5lbs heavier than I was last year. I shouldn't be setting 5k PRs. The only thing that I can point to that I've really done differently is more biking and A LOT more yoga.
I started a regular yoga practice last summer, and pretty quickly I noticed the benefits. Yoga was keeping me strong even if my mileage wasn't quite up to par. Less miles logged in training, but setting a PR nonetheless at Quad Cities Half Marathon. What took me a bit longer to notice was that yoga got rid of my hip pain. My hips had started bothering me after some long runs, especially if I didn't sleep in the exact right way after. These days, I don't feel it anymore.
It's not yoga specifically that helps with my running, but I believe instead the strength training and the stretching. I may be carrying more weight, but I'd like to think that the extra weight is due to muscle gain.
I'm still expecting a 2:10 half marathon next Saturday. One thing I learned at Quad Cities last year is that while strength training may keep my muscles moving to the end, it doesn't help with the cardiovascular training I need to keep the same pace past mile 10.
It was hard to find local, affordable, yet chipped races in Southern California. But here in Madison, there are an abundance of them. Knowing a couple of regular runners and racers in Madison certainly makes a difference in the number of races I enter. It's the social knowledge of which races are worth entering and which ones are not.
Running of the Swiss 5k
After the LA Marathon in the beginning of March, I've significantly reduced the number of miles. I've kept running, but rather than running hard and pushing for longer and longer distances, I've just gotten on the treadmill with the goal of enjoying my run. I hovered at about 3-6 miles maybe twice a week for a couple of months. When I got back to Madison late May, I had plans to get back into the swing of races, and I thought the Running of the Swiss 5k in New Glarus would be perfect.
I wasn't expecting to set any records, but I wasn't quite expecting how difficult a time I would have with this race. The lush greenness of Wisconsin was not treating my throat and lungs well. About a mile in, those floating particles of pollen had found their way into my throat and into a cough that forced me to stop and walk. About 2 minutes later, I started jogging again, keeping it nice and light so I wouldn't be breathing too hard.
In the end I finished 28:35. I was ecstatic. I was hoping for a 28:35 but I had given up any hope of that once I started walking. I kind of couldn't believe that I managed that even with walking for 2 minutes in the middle there.
Following this race, I signed for a couple of races for the fall. I thought there would be a few more races I'd run, but the next race was the Movin' Shoes 5k that happened last night.
Movin' Shoes Full Moon 5k
I ran this race last year, and it is definitely my favorite 5k despite the hill at the end. It's a chipped finish, small field, gorgeous views of Monona Bay and the Capitol on the course, and friendly, friendly people. There's also a pretty nice prize raffle at the end.
Though my running had still been very spotty throughout June and July (at best 12 miles/week), I started ramping up the miles in the last week or so because of the half marathon next Saturday. I did 10 miles this past Sunday and it felt good. Throughout June and July, I had gone on some bike rides and been doing A LOT of yoga. I knew that the 5k should be under 30 minutes, but nearly all of my running had been on the treadmill and every runner warns about how non-equivalent the two are. Moreover, I'm currently carrying about 5 lbs more than I was last year.
Last night, I set a PR by over a minute with a 25:18. That's an 8:09/mile pace which I'm ecstatic about. I like to measure my running by comparing with what I was capable of doing when I was 15. At 15, I couldn't go sub-8:00 on one mile for the life of me. The first mile of my 5k last night was 7:50, 16:02 at mile 2. So much for trying to not go out too fast.
This leads me to speculate. I've ran less all year than I have last year and I'm 5lbs heavier than I was last year. I shouldn't be setting 5k PRs. The only thing that I can point to that I've really done differently is more biking and A LOT more yoga.
I started a regular yoga practice last summer, and pretty quickly I noticed the benefits. Yoga was keeping me strong even if my mileage wasn't quite up to par. Less miles logged in training, but setting a PR nonetheless at Quad Cities Half Marathon. What took me a bit longer to notice was that yoga got rid of my hip pain. My hips had started bothering me after some long runs, especially if I didn't sleep in the exact right way after. These days, I don't feel it anymore.
It's not yoga specifically that helps with my running, but I believe instead the strength training and the stretching. I may be carrying more weight, but I'd like to think that the extra weight is due to muscle gain.
I'm still expecting a 2:10 half marathon next Saturday. One thing I learned at Quad Cities last year is that while strength training may keep my muscles moving to the end, it doesn't help with the cardiovascular training I need to keep the same pace past mile 10.
Monday, March 31, 2014
A sort of biking adventure
I've reduced my running significantly after the LA marathon. Nothing over 6 miles. My LA marathon partner Anita has gotten into biking and so after a failed previous attempt to go biking, we made solid plans to go yesterday. We loaded up our bikes, sunscreened and headed out for a path that picked up in Culver City and would drop us out onto the beach path.
It was a gorgeous, gorgeous day and I was looking forward to getting 10-15 miles of biking in. A short ride since I hadn't biked in a while. Unfortunately, we hadn't gone more than 500 feet when I heard a loud POP! - the unmistakable sound of a tire popping. Though I had thought of bringing a tire repair kid with me that morning, I did not. I had often gone riding in Madison without one and I had never gotten a flat. I thought I'd be fine. Thankfully, between the two of us, we had all the tools and knowledge to fix a flat. I had a tire pump and Anita had not only a tire repair kit but also a spare tube. She had never fixed a flat before, and I at least knew how to do it and had removed the tire from my bike before.
So I turned my bike upside down, removed the tire, put in the new tube, pumped it back up and were in the middle of putting things away when POP! - again, the tire was flat. We were baffled. We hadn't even put the tire back on the trail yet. I undid the tire once more, examined the tube and saw that it was a different kind of hole. The hole looked like the tube had been pinched but I had checked and double checked that it wasn't pinched between the tire and the rim. I told Anita that I would try to fix it again, and if it popped once more then I think we should call it a day. We took out the patch kit and I patched up my tube. I put it back in and in the middle of pumping the tire back up, I noticed that the tube was peeking out of an apparently giant gash in the tire. The pressure as we pumped it pinched the tube and led to the second popping. Of course, I forgot to check the actual tire itself. So we packed it up and hiked a trail nearby and had lunch.
Afterward, I learned of "the dollar bill" trick, where you stick a dollar bill where the gash in the tire is to prevent the tube from pushing out and getting pinched. It's not ideal, but when you're miles from home, it can temporarily provide a way to limp home. Now I've got to make sure to carry cash and a tire repair kit with me the next time I ride.
I noticed a couple of things while attempting to repair the tire on the side of the trail. One is that people were very willing to help us. Nearly everybody who passed by no matter if they were bikers or runners would ask whether we needed any help. We politely turned them down each time, but it was nice to know that we could've easily found help had we needed it.
The other thing I noticed was how impressed people were that I knew how to fix a flat on my bike. I always thought that everybody who rode their bike knew how to fix a tire or rode with somebody who did. I mean, I was nervous to ride long by myself when I didn't know how to fix a tire. We got a lot of offers of help but also a lot of people commenting on how impressed they were that we seem to know how to fix the situation because they would've been stuck themselves.
I only know because I took the WAAM class in Madison. Even though the problem wasn't something that I could actually fix on the road, it's nice to know that the next time I run into a flat, I know how to keep going.
It was a gorgeous, gorgeous day and I was looking forward to getting 10-15 miles of biking in. A short ride since I hadn't biked in a while. Unfortunately, we hadn't gone more than 500 feet when I heard a loud POP! - the unmistakable sound of a tire popping. Though I had thought of bringing a tire repair kid with me that morning, I did not. I had often gone riding in Madison without one and I had never gotten a flat. I thought I'd be fine. Thankfully, between the two of us, we had all the tools and knowledge to fix a flat. I had a tire pump and Anita had not only a tire repair kit but also a spare tube. She had never fixed a flat before, and I at least knew how to do it and had removed the tire from my bike before.
So I turned my bike upside down, removed the tire, put in the new tube, pumped it back up and were in the middle of putting things away when POP! - again, the tire was flat. We were baffled. We hadn't even put the tire back on the trail yet. I undid the tire once more, examined the tube and saw that it was a different kind of hole. The hole looked like the tube had been pinched but I had checked and double checked that it wasn't pinched between the tire and the rim. I told Anita that I would try to fix it again, and if it popped once more then I think we should call it a day. We took out the patch kit and I patched up my tube. I put it back in and in the middle of pumping the tire back up, I noticed that the tube was peeking out of an apparently giant gash in the tire. The pressure as we pumped it pinched the tube and led to the second popping. Of course, I forgot to check the actual tire itself. So we packed it up and hiked a trail nearby and had lunch.
 |
| Giant gash in my tire. |
I noticed a couple of things while attempting to repair the tire on the side of the trail. One is that people were very willing to help us. Nearly everybody who passed by no matter if they were bikers or runners would ask whether we needed any help. We politely turned them down each time, but it was nice to know that we could've easily found help had we needed it.
The other thing I noticed was how impressed people were that I knew how to fix a flat on my bike. I always thought that everybody who rode their bike knew how to fix a tire or rode with somebody who did. I mean, I was nervous to ride long by myself when I didn't know how to fix a tire. We got a lot of offers of help but also a lot of people commenting on how impressed they were that we seem to know how to fix the situation because they would've been stuck themselves.
I only know because I took the WAAM class in Madison. Even though the problem wasn't something that I could actually fix on the road, it's nice to know that the next time I run into a flat, I know how to keep going.
Saturday, March 15, 2014
2013 Race Favorites
I meant to write this around the New Years since it seemed a fitting way to recap 2013. But alas, here we are in March.
I set a few PRs in 2013. Some by default, and some by training. I set a half marathon PR in March, and then set a new half marathon PR six months later in September. I set a 10k PR as part of a 50k relay, along with a 5k PR. These were by effort. That is, these are instances of measurable improvement. In comparison, I also set a 1 mile PR and a marathon PR by default since they were the first of these races that I've ran.
There were a few races in 2013 that were quite memorable and enjoyable for me. Of course, because experiences are biased by default, you should take my pick of favorites with a grain of salt. Had the weather been different that day, had I better trained, etc, I might have picked a different set of favorites.
In the category of half marathons, the Quad Cities half marathon is my favorite of 2013 for the unique experience of running across a suspension bridge, a very scenic course, cheap race entry and the ease of logistics. The Get Lucky half marathon comes in second for its awesome swag and ease of logistics. There aren't too many races where you can easily find parking just a five minute walk away when it's 50 minutes before the start. Third is a toss-up between Fort Atkinson and Madison Mini-Marathon. The Madison Mini drops a bit because of the course change that sends you up some not fun hills at mile 10, which also makes the last bit not as interesting. However, the beginning of the race is still quite lovely as it hits all the highlights of Madison. Fort Atkinson, on the other hand, has a quaint small town feel. I love that the field of runners is so small and the race entry is so cheap. I also particularly enjoy the AYCE pancake breakfast at the end and its flat course. Last, of course, is the Haunted Hustle. That one, I'm never doing again.
I only ran one marathon in 2013, and even if I were in the vicinity, I don't know that I'd do again in 2014. I still remember the hills of Cincy, but I also remember the very well organized race. I suspect it's one that I'll come back to in the future, just not immediately.
I ran three 5ks in 2013. My favorite is definitely the Full Moon 5k. I mean yes, I did PR so that may be why I think of it as fondly as I do, but I also remember the amazing view of the Capitol building at night as we rounded Monona Bay. The glittering reflection of the Madison skyline in the water is mesmerizing. I'd run it again just for that. Neither the Arboretum Sprint nor the Valentine's 5k made a strong impression on me. Those are take it or leave it for me. The same goes for Syttende Mai and Crazy Legs.
The last 2013 race that I'm sad to be missing in 2014 is the Mad City 50/100k. This is also a small race, but I enjoy it for the opportunity to run my favorite path in Madison, as well as the chance to run among runners of all speeds. In most other races, I'm corralled or grouped with other runners of relatively the same speed as me, but in this event, I get passed by the faster elite runners AND I get to see the slower runners steadily plodding along, and both of them inspiring me to keep pushing for my best. I also really like watching each of the relay teams support their teammates and the general camaraderie as we wait for our own teammates to finish.
I have yet to make plans for 2014 races mostly because I'm not all that certain where I'll be for the second half of the year, but I'm looking at some of the races mentioned above if I happen to be in Madison.
I set a few PRs in 2013. Some by default, and some by training. I set a half marathon PR in March, and then set a new half marathon PR six months later in September. I set a 10k PR as part of a 50k relay, along with a 5k PR. These were by effort. That is, these are instances of measurable improvement. In comparison, I also set a 1 mile PR and a marathon PR by default since they were the first of these races that I've ran.
There were a few races in 2013 that were quite memorable and enjoyable for me. Of course, because experiences are biased by default, you should take my pick of favorites with a grain of salt. Had the weather been different that day, had I better trained, etc, I might have picked a different set of favorites.
In the category of half marathons, the Quad Cities half marathon is my favorite of 2013 for the unique experience of running across a suspension bridge, a very scenic course, cheap race entry and the ease of logistics. The Get Lucky half marathon comes in second for its awesome swag and ease of logistics. There aren't too many races where you can easily find parking just a five minute walk away when it's 50 minutes before the start. Third is a toss-up between Fort Atkinson and Madison Mini-Marathon. The Madison Mini drops a bit because of the course change that sends you up some not fun hills at mile 10, which also makes the last bit not as interesting. However, the beginning of the race is still quite lovely as it hits all the highlights of Madison. Fort Atkinson, on the other hand, has a quaint small town feel. I love that the field of runners is so small and the race entry is so cheap. I also particularly enjoy the AYCE pancake breakfast at the end and its flat course. Last, of course, is the Haunted Hustle. That one, I'm never doing again.
I only ran one marathon in 2013, and even if I were in the vicinity, I don't know that I'd do again in 2014. I still remember the hills of Cincy, but I also remember the very well organized race. I suspect it's one that I'll come back to in the future, just not immediately.
I ran three 5ks in 2013. My favorite is definitely the Full Moon 5k. I mean yes, I did PR so that may be why I think of it as fondly as I do, but I also remember the amazing view of the Capitol building at night as we rounded Monona Bay. The glittering reflection of the Madison skyline in the water is mesmerizing. I'd run it again just for that. Neither the Arboretum Sprint nor the Valentine's 5k made a strong impression on me. Those are take it or leave it for me. The same goes for Syttende Mai and Crazy Legs.
The last 2013 race that I'm sad to be missing in 2014 is the Mad City 50/100k. This is also a small race, but I enjoy it for the opportunity to run my favorite path in Madison, as well as the chance to run among runners of all speeds. In most other races, I'm corralled or grouped with other runners of relatively the same speed as me, but in this event, I get passed by the faster elite runners AND I get to see the slower runners steadily plodding along, and both of them inspiring me to keep pushing for my best. I also really like watching each of the relay teams support their teammates and the general camaraderie as we wait for our own teammates to finish.
I have yet to make plans for 2014 races mostly because I'm not all that certain where I'll be for the second half of the year, but I'm looking at some of the races mentioned above if I happen to be in Madison.
Sunday, March 9, 2014
LA Marathon
4:53:15.
I can't complain. It was 65 at the start, 79 by the time I was at mile 21. I was SEVERELY undertrained. I did a 19 miler two weeks ago and didn't touch my running shoes again until Friday before the race. The 3 mile run on Friday was rough. The 19 miler was supposed to be the 20 miles, but I had to stop at 19 because I felt like I had strained my groin. So I stopped and stretched and things seemed to be okay. But on Friday, I was feeling it again.
Sure enough, mile 8, that groin started acting up enough that I was certain I had strained it. It hurt, but thankfully, not bad enough that I couldn't keep going at a slower pace.
My bowels were also giving me issues around mile 12, so I finally hopped in a porta potty at mile 15 marker. There weren't enough water stations and I felt dehydrated for much of the race. I'm pretty sure I'm sunburnt despite a generous application of sunblock and a hat.
So given all those issues, being just 5 minutes slower than my very first marathon where I was better trained and ran in a cool cloudy 65 degrees throughout condition, this is a win in my book. I even managed to average a 9:27 my last mile again.
About the LA marathon itself: I'm glad that I did it since it was the very first one that I'd seen that inspired me to want to run a marathon, but I'm probably never running it again. To the organizers' credit, with a field of 25,000, the course didn't seem overly crowded. You were always running with people, yet you still always had room to run. It also didn't take us overly long to get to the start. I was expecting to wait nearly half an hour before I'd get to the start line, but I was there in less than 3 minutes. I also appreciated the number of spectators that came out and supported us along the course. BUT, it's still a field of 25,000, which made the logistics of this race a nightmare. It took nearly an hour for my friend's parents to get through the traffic for the race just to pick us up. The finish line was over 20 miles from the start, but there were no shuttles back to the start where I had parked my car. The medal at the end was just okay, and the food at the finish line left MUCH to be desired. With an early bird entry fee of $150 and given that LA is HOT, I much rather pass. There are so many better races out there. Flying Pig being one of them.
I can't complain. It was 65 at the start, 79 by the time I was at mile 21. I was SEVERELY undertrained. I did a 19 miler two weeks ago and didn't touch my running shoes again until Friday before the race. The 3 mile run on Friday was rough. The 19 miler was supposed to be the 20 miles, but I had to stop at 19 because I felt like I had strained my groin. So I stopped and stretched and things seemed to be okay. But on Friday, I was feeling it again.
Sure enough, mile 8, that groin started acting up enough that I was certain I had strained it. It hurt, but thankfully, not bad enough that I couldn't keep going at a slower pace.
My bowels were also giving me issues around mile 12, so I finally hopped in a porta potty at mile 15 marker. There weren't enough water stations and I felt dehydrated for much of the race. I'm pretty sure I'm sunburnt despite a generous application of sunblock and a hat.
So given all those issues, being just 5 minutes slower than my very first marathon where I was better trained and ran in a cool cloudy 65 degrees throughout condition, this is a win in my book. I even managed to average a 9:27 my last mile again.
About the LA marathon itself: I'm glad that I did it since it was the very first one that I'd seen that inspired me to want to run a marathon, but I'm probably never running it again. To the organizers' credit, with a field of 25,000, the course didn't seem overly crowded. You were always running with people, yet you still always had room to run. It also didn't take us overly long to get to the start. I was expecting to wait nearly half an hour before I'd get to the start line, but I was there in less than 3 minutes. I also appreciated the number of spectators that came out and supported us along the course. BUT, it's still a field of 25,000, which made the logistics of this race a nightmare. It took nearly an hour for my friend's parents to get through the traffic for the race just to pick us up. The finish line was over 20 miles from the start, but there were no shuttles back to the start where I had parked my car. The medal at the end was just okay, and the food at the finish line left MUCH to be desired. With an early bird entry fee of $150 and given that LA is HOT, I much rather pass. There are so many better races out there. Flying Pig being one of them.
Sunday, February 9, 2014
Marathon training and failing (again)
Okay, so I kind of dropped off on blogging about running mostly because after the Haunted Hustle, I stopped running races. I had signed up for the Turkey Trot and had plans to run the Berbee Derby, but I ended up not doing either.
Wisconsin is having a really really cold winter. What has this done for my marathon training? Well, it's pretty terrible. When the days get shorter and the weather colder, finding the motivation to put on running shoes and run outside is pretty impossible. But when the days start to get longer in the spring, training is a thrill. My training has not been off to a very good start, though not necessarily a bad one either.
Last spring, when training for a marathon in May, I had stopped running altogether that winter. I was barely able to do 5 miles when I started up again at the end of January. Two weeks later, I ran a 5k race that was cold and rough. It was one of my slowest 5k. By mid-March, however, I was able to pull out a half marathon PR. But training sucked. I vowed that the next marathon training schedule would go better. Problem is, marathon training is time consuming and such a long process. It's hard to train for a race that's 6 months away! Not to mention, the long runs that take hours and hours.
This time, I didn't stop running this winter. I just stopped running some races butt early in the morning. And though the winter has been really cold in Wisconsin, I've been hitting the gym and logging some speedwork on the treadmill. Couple that with a yoga practice, and I've been feeling like a much stronger runner.
I also escaped the Wisconsin cold and made this move across the country to California for a few months. One might think that the 65 degree temperatures in sunny SoCal would be conducive to my running, but you'd be wrong. Instead, I'm having a hard time finding the time to run. I spend 1.5-2 hours commuting to and from work. What could/should be my running time has become my commuting time. Plus, it's amazing how love a running trail/path could motivate one's training. There's no awesome Arboretum loop here, just local streets lined with houses and unleashed small yappy dogs that chase me. No, I've not been happy with my runs here until this past Wednesday.
This past Wednesday, I sucked it up and decided to lap it around a park. At .7 miles, if I wanted to do 15 miles, it meant nearly 22 laps. I didn't know if I'd have the patience to do it, but I found that counting down the number of laps left was a lot easier than counting up. So I did 15 miles in about 2.5 hours. I felt really very good about that. I didn't struggle as much as I had with 15 miles last spring and most of the run felt easy and comfortable. My legs felt tired and sore the next day, and I'm nowhere near the weekly mileage that I really need to be at, but I'm feeling much more optimistic about this marathon I'm supposed to run in a month. Shit, A MONTH!
Wisconsin is having a really really cold winter. What has this done for my marathon training? Well, it's pretty terrible. When the days get shorter and the weather colder, finding the motivation to put on running shoes and run outside is pretty impossible. But when the days start to get longer in the spring, training is a thrill. My training has not been off to a very good start, though not necessarily a bad one either.
Last spring, when training for a marathon in May, I had stopped running altogether that winter. I was barely able to do 5 miles when I started up again at the end of January. Two weeks later, I ran a 5k race that was cold and rough. It was one of my slowest 5k. By mid-March, however, I was able to pull out a half marathon PR. But training sucked. I vowed that the next marathon training schedule would go better. Problem is, marathon training is time consuming and such a long process. It's hard to train for a race that's 6 months away! Not to mention, the long runs that take hours and hours.
This time, I didn't stop running this winter. I just stopped running some races butt early in the morning. And though the winter has been really cold in Wisconsin, I've been hitting the gym and logging some speedwork on the treadmill. Couple that with a yoga practice, and I've been feeling like a much stronger runner.
I also escaped the Wisconsin cold and made this move across the country to California for a few months. One might think that the 65 degree temperatures in sunny SoCal would be conducive to my running, but you'd be wrong. Instead, I'm having a hard time finding the time to run. I spend 1.5-2 hours commuting to and from work. What could/should be my running time has become my commuting time. Plus, it's amazing how love a running trail/path could motivate one's training. There's no awesome Arboretum loop here, just local streets lined with houses and unleashed small yappy dogs that chase me. No, I've not been happy with my runs here until this past Wednesday.
This past Wednesday, I sucked it up and decided to lap it around a park. At .7 miles, if I wanted to do 15 miles, it meant nearly 22 laps. I didn't know if I'd have the patience to do it, but I found that counting down the number of laps left was a lot easier than counting up. So I did 15 miles in about 2.5 hours. I felt really very good about that. I didn't struggle as much as I had with 15 miles last spring and most of the run felt easy and comfortable. My legs felt tired and sore the next day, and I'm nowhere near the weekly mileage that I really need to be at, but I'm feeling much more optimistic about this marathon I'm supposed to run in a month. Shit, A MONTH!
Monday, October 28, 2013
Haunted Hustle Half Marathon 2013
I ran the Haunted Hustle this past Sunday, and this will probably be the last time I run this race. I don't know who puts on the Haunted Hustle, but it occurred to me after this race that they may not be runners.
This was my slowest half marathon yet. I could feel it Saturday night that I didn't have it in me to go fast Sunday morning. I was hoping for maybe better than 2:10, but I felt like I had lost a lot of the strength I had built over the summer. My running became nonexistent after the Quad Cities Half marathon. The weather's turned cold and the lure of warm blankets and pillows have made me soft. I need to remember, no long races after the first week of October in Wisconsin. The temperatures are comparable, but 40 degrees in the fall has a different effect on my running than 40 degrees in the spring.
This was my slowest half marathon yet. I could feel it Saturday night that I didn't have it in me to go fast Sunday morning. I was hoping for maybe better than 2:10, but I felt like I had lost a lot of the strength I had built over the summer. My running became nonexistent after the Quad Cities Half marathon. The weather's turned cold and the lure of warm blankets and pillows have made me soft. I need to remember, no long races after the first week of October in Wisconsin. The temperatures are comparable, but 40 degrees in the fall has a different effect on my running than 40 degrees in the spring. Friday, September 27, 2013
The Competitive Drive
I often think back to last year's Lake Monona 20k. Despite the many half marathons I've ran, I've yet to run one at the same pace as that race. That was only the third race I had ever ran and yet it has become my goal to run at the same pace but just slightly longer.
I feel like a stronger and better runner these days, but I'm not hitting the pace that I did for the 20k. Partly I think it's because of the haphazard nature my training has devolved into. Last spring, I was training seriously for the Madison half marathon. I wasn't following a schedule, but I ran regularly and did a long run of 12 miles 2 weeks prior to the 20k. I trained and I tapered. These days, I run when I feel like it and sort of randomly run a half marathon when I feel like it.
During the Quad Cities Half marathon though, I wondered at mile 10.5 when I let the 2:00 pacer pass me by, if maybe the reason I'm no longer running at the same paces as when I first started running because I no longer have the same competitive drive.
When I first started running, I had no idea what kind of pace I was capable of. I fully expected to run my half marathon at a 12 min/mi pace. I kind of thought I'd run a half marathon, and then a marathon at some point and then be done. Check off the item on the bucket list and move on to other things. But running into a race creates a lot of adrenaline. I used to think to myself, "You're in race. You can't slow down!"
But these days, I no longer think that. Probably because races aren't as novel and perhaps because the foot injury last August put a somewhat different perspective in my head. When I let the 2:00 pacer go, I had no regrets. I thought to myself, "it's okay. I'll catch up or I won't."
I no longer have that sort of competitive drive. I worry about pushing too hard and getting injured. I don't just want to run one race. I want to run many more.
I feel like a stronger and better runner these days, but I'm not hitting the pace that I did for the 20k. Partly I think it's because of the haphazard nature my training has devolved into. Last spring, I was training seriously for the Madison half marathon. I wasn't following a schedule, but I ran regularly and did a long run of 12 miles 2 weeks prior to the 20k. I trained and I tapered. These days, I run when I feel like it and sort of randomly run a half marathon when I feel like it.
During the Quad Cities Half marathon though, I wondered at mile 10.5 when I let the 2:00 pacer pass me by, if maybe the reason I'm no longer running at the same paces as when I first started running because I no longer have the same competitive drive.
When I first started running, I had no idea what kind of pace I was capable of. I fully expected to run my half marathon at a 12 min/mi pace. I kind of thought I'd run a half marathon, and then a marathon at some point and then be done. Check off the item on the bucket list and move on to other things. But running into a race creates a lot of adrenaline. I used to think to myself, "You're in race. You can't slow down!"
But these days, I no longer think that. Probably because races aren't as novel and perhaps because the foot injury last August put a somewhat different perspective in my head. When I let the 2:00 pacer go, I had no regrets. I thought to myself, "it's okay. I'll catch up or I won't."
I no longer have that sort of competitive drive. I worry about pushing too hard and getting injured. I don't just want to run one race. I want to run many more.
Monday, September 23, 2013
Quad Cities Half Marathon
10k split: 56:00
A lot of this marathon reminded me of the Flying Pig. There was a marathon and a half marathon event that started out on the same course before the half marathoners turned off somewhere before mile 9. There was also a relay component for the marathon. They had a Pump N' Run event, and a shorter 5k event. The course also traversed more than one state and ran across a couple of bridges and interstates.
We drove down Saturday afternoon and picked up my race packet. Like the Flying Pig, swag included a poster of the Quad Cities marathon, but I declined the poster. I was trying to give my Flying Pig one away to my sister even. The shirt didn't feel like a dri-fit shirt, though the label claims otherwise. It was soft, and made for a nice sleep shirt. We also got a Quad Cities bandana. I chose a blue and green one to match the colors of the marathon.
All races except the kid's race started at 7:30am on Sunday in Moline, IL. Our hotel was only a 5 minute drive away and AWAY from the race which meant very little traffic. It was 42 degrees at the start, though expected to warm up to 50s mid morning and low 60s by noon. I chose a sleeveless singlet to wear along with some capris, though I suspected I'd be too warm. I got to the start shortly before 7am and was cold standing around, so I ducked inside a building until about 7:15am. Then I lined up with the other runners and was surrounded by body heat.It was crowded at the start. Unlike Flying Pig which was strictly corralled, the Quad Cities allowed runners to line up according to what their perceived pace was. Though there were pacers with signs, I felt they were spaced much too closely together. The 2:10 pacer was really close to the 2:00 pacer, and I was planning to start between the two. In the end, I chose to line up with the 2:10 pacer. I find that starting with the 2:10 group and chasing the 2:00 group has worked well for me. I crossed the start line with 1:20 on the clock.
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Ironman volunteering
This past Sunday I volunteered on the bike course for Ironman Wisconsin. I spent about 6 hours pointing right and yelling "left!" so that bikers didn't miss their turnoff. It was right at an intersection so along with Officer Ann and Barry, we directed traffic as best as we can. I don't think I ever quite appreciated how obnoxious drivers can be until I'm watching them honk (at an officer!) for having to wait for bikers, making a turn right into the path of the bikers, and sometimes swerving damn close to them. I wasn't biking yet I was ready to curse out some of these drivers. The bikers were trying to complete an Ironman! Some drivers were nice and polite, and some were just assholes.
Last year, I was right by the finish line and watched as people came through, smiling and waving. It inspired me to do one. This year, working the middle of the bike course made it feel possible. The athletes do two loops of the bike course so they travel the same terrain and pass us twice. Some waved and nodded and said "thank you for volunteering," but the majority of them were focused on the race. It wasn't like the finish line where the racers were happy and relieved to be finished, but it was like how I felt on the marathon at mile 18, when you hit that point of not thinking too far past the next obstacle. You say to yourself, just get up that next hill, or just 5 more minutes. It is a mental battle.
So, I'm looking forward to the LA marathon and been scouting out training plans. I know now that I'll need to build in a few weeks of rest. I also would like to get up to 24 miles, and ideally a couple of times. Getting to 20 miles was sufficient to get to the finish line, but it didn't leave me feeling confident at the start. If part of the point of the 20 mile long run is to boost confidence, then I really need it to be closer to 24 to feel good. I'm aiming to start training in the first two weeks of November, which will give me 18-20 weeks. Ideally, I'd like to keep up with a weekly maintaining fitness schedule of a long ~10+ mile run on the weekends, and shorter 6 mile (tempo and interval) runs during the week until November when I'll start racking up the miles.
Last year, I was right by the finish line and watched as people came through, smiling and waving. It inspired me to do one. This year, working the middle of the bike course made it feel possible. The athletes do two loops of the bike course so they travel the same terrain and pass us twice. Some waved and nodded and said "thank you for volunteering," but the majority of them were focused on the race. It wasn't like the finish line where the racers were happy and relieved to be finished, but it was like how I felt on the marathon at mile 18, when you hit that point of not thinking too far past the next obstacle. You say to yourself, just get up that next hill, or just 5 more minutes. It is a mental battle.
So, I'm looking forward to the LA marathon and been scouting out training plans. I know now that I'll need to build in a few weeks of rest. I also would like to get up to 24 miles, and ideally a couple of times. Getting to 20 miles was sufficient to get to the finish line, but it didn't leave me feeling confident at the start. If part of the point of the 20 mile long run is to boost confidence, then I really need it to be closer to 24 to feel good. I'm aiming to start training in the first two weeks of November, which will give me 18-20 weeks. Ideally, I'd like to keep up with a weekly maintaining fitness schedule of a long ~10+ mile run on the weekends, and shorter 6 mile (tempo and interval) runs during the week until November when I'll start racking up the miles.
Monday, August 26, 2013
Races are like a drug.
Folks, have you noticed that there is usually a little widget in the sidebar that lists my upcoming races? Have you noticed that since last week that widget is GONE? Yes, indeed. I currently have no races on my calendar. Part of this was by design as I had only figured out in the last month and a half where I'll be for 2013-2014.
My friend P commented that racing was like a drug for me and Barry. I totally agreed. I wondered hypothetically how much a cocaine habit would cost me annually and whether that amount was more or less than my current racing habit. It's only been a week since my last race and I'm ITCHING to sign up and start training and thinking about the next one.
I've decided to not run a marathon this fall. There aren't really any marathons past mid-November in the Midwest within driving distance, and a November marathon would be too soon to do a good job of training. I rushed and half-a$$ed the training for my first marathon, and I didn't feel like trying to do that again. Instead, I have my sights on the LA marathon on March 9. It'll be an expensive marathon, as all California marathons tend to be, but it's the marathon that first inspired me to dream of running one.
My friend P commented that racing was like a drug for me and Barry. I totally agreed. I wondered hypothetically how much a cocaine habit would cost me annually and whether that amount was more or less than my current racing habit. It's only been a week since my last race and I'm ITCHING to sign up and start training and thinking about the next one.
I've decided to not run a marathon this fall. There aren't really any marathons past mid-November in the Midwest within driving distance, and a November marathon would be too soon to do a good job of training. I rushed and half-a$$ed the training for my first marathon, and I didn't feel like trying to do that again. Instead, I have my sights on the LA marathon on March 9. It'll be an expensive marathon, as all California marathons tend to be, but it's the marathon that first inspired me to dream of running one.
Sunday, August 18, 2013
Madison Mini-Marathon 2013
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| Bottle opener medal |
So, I didn't have much expectations going in. My legs were feeling much more fatigued than usual and I knew that was going to be an issue going in. I had done some speed training on the treadmill this summer and hit some nice PRs in the shorter distance races, but I didn't put the time in to do any long distances. I knew that I was likely to peter out by mile 8.
Sunday, July 28, 2013
Capitol Mile
The Capitol Mile is put on by the Wisconsin Track Club. You run 1.75 loops around the square for a net downhill course. They run 7 different "heats": Elite Women's, Elite Men's, Girls Youth, Boys Youth, Open Women's, Open Men's, and Masters.
I hemmed and hawed about running this race. I was downtown at Barrique's working when Barry stopped by around 3:30 asking if I was going to run my division of Open Women's at 4:15. I had all my running gear in the car with me, but I couldn't decide if I felt like running a mile. At 3:50, I decided to do it. I grabbed my stuff, quickly changed and met him down at registration. Because I hadn't decided to run this, I didn't plan my food intake particularly well. I ate lunch at about 3pm, and I certainly felt it midway through the race.
There were only 7 of us in the Open Women's division. It was incredibly small and somewhat amusing at the start when none of us wanted to be right at the starting line, asking each other if they want to be ahead. This is very different than the Boys Youth group all jostling each other at the start line.
The last time I ran a mile and just a mile was back in high school when I was 15. The fastest I've ever ran it then was at 8:00. So I had no idea how to pace myself during this race. I figured one mile, no big deal, I'll just go all out. About 200 meters in, I'm running third in the pack and thinking to myself, "holy shit, I'm not this fast." I pull back. I turn a few corners and I'm climbing the hill back toward where we started. Halfway up this hill, I hit the 1/2 mile marker and someone shouts 3:22. Whoa, still way too fast. And sure enough, I feel myself lose all gas at this point and some of that lunch shifting itself upwards. The second half mile, people are passing me left and right, but I've little choice in the matter and nothing left to sprint with at the end. I come in last. Still, I finished it at 7:30 for a PR.
I hemmed and hawed about running this race. I was downtown at Barrique's working when Barry stopped by around 3:30 asking if I was going to run my division of Open Women's at 4:15. I had all my running gear in the car with me, but I couldn't decide if I felt like running a mile. At 3:50, I decided to do it. I grabbed my stuff, quickly changed and met him down at registration. Because I hadn't decided to run this, I didn't plan my food intake particularly well. I ate lunch at about 3pm, and I certainly felt it midway through the race.
There were only 7 of us in the Open Women's division. It was incredibly small and somewhat amusing at the start when none of us wanted to be right at the starting line, asking each other if they want to be ahead. This is very different than the Boys Youth group all jostling each other at the start line.
The last time I ran a mile and just a mile was back in high school when I was 15. The fastest I've ever ran it then was at 8:00. So I had no idea how to pace myself during this race. I figured one mile, no big deal, I'll just go all out. About 200 meters in, I'm running third in the pack and thinking to myself, "holy shit, I'm not this fast." I pull back. I turn a few corners and I'm climbing the hill back toward where we started. Halfway up this hill, I hit the 1/2 mile marker and someone shouts 3:22. Whoa, still way too fast. And sure enough, I feel myself lose all gas at this point and some of that lunch shifting itself upwards. The second half mile, people are passing me left and right, but I've little choice in the matter and nothing left to sprint with at the end. I come in last. Still, I finished it at 7:30 for a PR.
Movin' Shoes Full Moon 5k
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| "Hot" black shirt. |
The Full Moon 5k is put on by the Madison running shoe store, Movin' Shoes. I've bought the last 4 pairs of running shoes there. The shoe store puts on a number of races throughout the year including a Frosty 5k and a Elver Park 5k, but this is the first of their races that I've been to. The race is limited to a field of 500 runners, which is plenty so that I was never alone on the course, but I also never felt crowded. At only $20 race registration with technical shirt, blinking light and chip timing at the finish, this race is a much better choice in my opinion than the Electric Run.
The race starts at 9pm on a Thursday with packet pick-up over at Olin Park, which is actually about 3/4 mile from the start. Barry and I parked down there, picked up our packets and t-shirts, hid from the storm cloud for about 20 minutes before we had a nice warm-up to the start. I debated back and forth about a rain jacket. There was a looming storm cloud that may or may not hit us, but when the rain never quite materialized before the start, I didn't bother. It was just a bit too warm for a jacket anyway. I did wear a hat to keep raindrops out of my eyes just in case.
By 9pm, the sun has set in Madison, and it's fairly dark. Barry warned me of the speed bumps on the course with stories of when he tripped over one and then finished the race with blood dripping from his elbow. The race directors provided us with blinking lights to attach to our persons, which I appreciated, but this I also left behind with the rain jacket. It was darker than I had expected but the race directors lighted the course with blinking lights in the parts where street lights were lacking.
The course itself is beautiful. We start on the west side of Monona Bay and run around it to Brittingham Park, cutting over to John Nolen and then back down to Olin Park for the finish. Everybody who's ever lived in Madison knows that the drive around Monona Bay has some amazing views of the Madison Capitol and the skyline, especially at night in the summer when the bay glitters with the reflections of the lights. The course takes us right toward and past this view. These kinds of courses were designed as a love letter to Madison.
Monday, July 22, 2013
Bugline Recreational Trail
This post would be more interesting if it were punctuated by some photos, but I don't run with a phone, so no photos.
I was in Milwaukee this weekend and decided that after weeks of training on the treadmill, it was time to take it on the road. We had a bit of relief from the heat this weekend: only high 80s as opposed to high 90s. The Bugline Recreational Trail is in Waukesha County, but the start of it is pretty close to Milwaukee County Line. I started actually about a mile in on the trail. It's a gravel stone path with some road crossings. Every mile was marked with a sign next to a wooden bench. The path is mostly tree-lined, though there were a few areas where I was under the blazing sun. I tried to run faster past those areas. Between the mile 3 and mile 4 marker was this stone quarry just beyond the bushes on either side of the path. The quarry was no longer in use and had this beautifully blue quarry pond. It was completely unexpected and I was reluctant to turn around about a half mile past the mile 4 marker because I wanted to see what else laid on this path.
I was on the treadmill for most of the last few weeks because of my knee and left foot, and I think the time on the bouncier treadmill surface helped. I didn't feel any pain on my run. I was not, however, adjusted to the heat and humidity. All told, I ran about 7 miles in 1 hour and 15 minutes or so. My shoes picked up a nice selection of rocks.
I was in Milwaukee this weekend and decided that after weeks of training on the treadmill, it was time to take it on the road. We had a bit of relief from the heat this weekend: only high 80s as opposed to high 90s. The Bugline Recreational Trail is in Waukesha County, but the start of it is pretty close to Milwaukee County Line. I started actually about a mile in on the trail. It's a gravel stone path with some road crossings. Every mile was marked with a sign next to a wooden bench. The path is mostly tree-lined, though there were a few areas where I was under the blazing sun. I tried to run faster past those areas. Between the mile 3 and mile 4 marker was this stone quarry just beyond the bushes on either side of the path. The quarry was no longer in use and had this beautifully blue quarry pond. It was completely unexpected and I was reluctant to turn around about a half mile past the mile 4 marker because I wanted to see what else laid on this path.
I was on the treadmill for most of the last few weeks because of my knee and left foot, and I think the time on the bouncier treadmill surface helped. I didn't feel any pain on my run. I was not, however, adjusted to the heat and humidity. All told, I ran about 7 miles in 1 hour and 15 minutes or so. My shoes picked up a nice selection of rocks.
Monday, July 15, 2013
Mineral Point Historical Run
I meant to write this post about the Mineral Point Historical Run that happened on the Fourth of July earlier, but I got started and then I sort of just forgot. So I'll do my best to recap.
I wasn't feeling the run at all on the morning of the Fourth. I slept late the previous night and got woken up much too early by chirping birds. Only about 3.5 hours of sleep before Barry picked me up at 6:30am. In my hazy not quite awake state, I managed to put on the proper clothes, but forgot to apply sun block or bring a hat. This was a mistake for July. At first I wasn't too worried since it's only a 5 mile run. I figured 50 minutes in the morning sun shouldn't be too bad. Nope, felt that sun beating down on me about 25 minutes into the run, and I started worry about sun burn.
I had been warned that it'd be a hilly course, but I thought it'd be good training. Unfortunately, only about a mile into the race, I started getting cramps. I began walking knowing that that was the only way I could expect to continue, but then I was kind of just done with the race. I just didn't want to run anymore. Eventually, I manage to convince myself to start running again, and I aimed to just pace with the people around me. By this point, there were very very few people around me.
In most races, I'm usually middle of the pack. I've never been far back enough or in races small enough where I needed to actually pay attention to the route markers. The Mineral Point Historical Run had two events, a 2 mile and a 5 mile. The 2 miler had about 150 participants, but the 5 miler only had about 80. I was occasionally in view of a couple of people, but when corners were quickly turned in succession, I had to follow the route markers or I'd be completely off course.
I came in 52:57, which is still under an 11 minute pace, but puts me in 77 out of 80 people. Poor showing, but I can't complain when I walked nearly half of the course. After the race, I went to bbqs and enjoyed good food with little guilt.
The Mineral Point Historical Run is a very small town race. We didn't even have bibs, just our name written on a slip of paper tucked into a ziplock bag, pinned to our shirts. Registration was expensive for what it was with the lack of food at the end, but it benefits the local Chamber of Commerce.
I wasn't feeling the run at all on the morning of the Fourth. I slept late the previous night and got woken up much too early by chirping birds. Only about 3.5 hours of sleep before Barry picked me up at 6:30am. In my hazy not quite awake state, I managed to put on the proper clothes, but forgot to apply sun block or bring a hat. This was a mistake for July. At first I wasn't too worried since it's only a 5 mile run. I figured 50 minutes in the morning sun shouldn't be too bad. Nope, felt that sun beating down on me about 25 minutes into the run, and I started worry about sun burn.
I had been warned that it'd be a hilly course, but I thought it'd be good training. Unfortunately, only about a mile into the race, I started getting cramps. I began walking knowing that that was the only way I could expect to continue, but then I was kind of just done with the race. I just didn't want to run anymore. Eventually, I manage to convince myself to start running again, and I aimed to just pace with the people around me. By this point, there were very very few people around me.
In most races, I'm usually middle of the pack. I've never been far back enough or in races small enough where I needed to actually pay attention to the route markers. The Mineral Point Historical Run had two events, a 2 mile and a 5 mile. The 2 miler had about 150 participants, but the 5 miler only had about 80. I was occasionally in view of a couple of people, but when corners were quickly turned in succession, I had to follow the route markers or I'd be completely off course.
I came in 52:57, which is still under an 11 minute pace, but puts me in 77 out of 80 people. Poor showing, but I can't complain when I walked nearly half of the course. After the race, I went to bbqs and enjoyed good food with little guilt.
The Mineral Point Historical Run is a very small town race. We didn't even have bibs, just our name written on a slip of paper tucked into a ziplock bag, pinned to our shirts. Registration was expensive for what it was with the lack of food at the end, but it benefits the local Chamber of Commerce.
Sunday, June 16, 2013
Fort Atkinson Half Marathon
I ran the Fort Atkinson Half Marathon Saturday. This is a small local race technically in its 4th year with a field of only about 350 runners. I say technically because according to Barry, this used to be a 10k event for many years until they recently upgraded it to a half marathon distance. There's also a 5k event that's new this year with only about 150 runners. The half marathon started at 7am, and the 5k started 10 minutes later. The fairly flat course took us through and around Fort Atkinson. There were small bunny hills throughout, but I hardly noticed them. It kept the course interesting without adding any real difficulty though I heard others disagreeing.
Monday, May 20, 2013
Syttende Mai 20 mile 10 mile run
Around the beginning of May, I signed up for the Syttende Mai 20 mile run. This was before I had run the marathon, and I was ambitious. There weren't many runs in general that are 20 milers, and I didn't really want to miss it.But a week after the marathon, I was doubting it. On a five mile run, something went wonky and my knee was giving me some issues. Nothing serious, per se, but I noticed it when I had been sitting for a long time and put pressure on the kneecap by crossing my legs. I started to rethink my choices.
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| Button to get into festival events. |
The 20 mile and 10 mile run are both point to point. The 20 mile run starts at the Capitol in Madison and ends in downtown Stoughton. The 10 mile run starts at the midway point and has the same course. There's also an untimed 17 mile walk that starts at the Badger Bowl. The runs and the walk are both part of the Syttende Mai (Seventeenth of May in Norwegian) festival in Stoughton. There are shuttles before and after the race that runs from Stoughton to Madison. Since my friend Barry was running the 10 miler, I figured logistically, it'd make more sense to stick with him.
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Running shoes search and the Saucony Virratas
In my opinion, running shoes are by far the most important piece of equipment to running. It's not fun to run in cotton shirts and shorts, but even that is preferable to running in dri-fit clothing and the wrong shoes.
I'm not a shoe girl. I'm not one of those people who owns a closet of hundreds of dollars worth of shoes. I wear my $16 flip flops in the summer, and my $35 on sale Merrell in the fall. The most I've ever spent on a pair of shoes was $120 on a pair of black boots. When it comes to running shoes though, I've always been more willing to drop the chunk of change. I imagine that running shoes have grown to be a huge industry. New designs and models come out often and with the recent trend towards running, companies are tapping into that industry. Barry, who these days shows up to races with more than one pair of running shoes, reminds me of the days when he'd go shoe shopping and there would be two choices: racing shoes or training shoes.
I'm not a shoe girl. I'm not one of those people who owns a closet of hundreds of dollars worth of shoes. I wear my $16 flip flops in the summer, and my $35 on sale Merrell in the fall. The most I've ever spent on a pair of shoes was $120 on a pair of black boots. When it comes to running shoes though, I've always been more willing to drop the chunk of change. I imagine that running shoes have grown to be a huge industry. New designs and models come out often and with the recent trend towards running, companies are tapping into that industry. Barry, who these days shows up to races with more than one pair of running shoes, reminds me of the days when he'd go shoe shopping and there would be two choices: racing shoes or training shoes.
Friday, May 10, 2013
Post Goal Race
Two days after the Flying Pig Marathon, I felt completely 100%. Speedy recoveries always amaze me. It's like I feel proud of my own body for bouncing back as quickly and as well as it does. By Tuesday evening, I felt strong and invincible. In retrospect, my slower pace for the marathon is what contributed to my
complete lack of injury. Because I was so much slower than my usual
pace, I was mostly just trudging along.
Usually after a race, a couple of miles the day or two after helps tremendously with recovery. I didn't feel like I needed it after Flying Pig, but I was going to get back out there and run a few miles on Wednesday anyway. Unfortunately, I pulled some kind of muscle in my neck on Wednesday and I was in all kinds of pain. My head only had about a 140 degree turn radius before I felt some kind of pain. So on Wednesday, I was back to remembering the fragility of my body. Running a marathon damaged nothing. Doing nothing hurt a neck muscle.
It's Friday and that pain has subsided. Now the neck just feels like I slept on it funny. I plan to go out there tomorrow and do a loop around the Arboretum. I signed up to run 20 miles next Saturday. Yes, it was kind of crazy when I had signed up to do it. I was thinking that I didn't want to let all my hard work training for the marathon just melt away. Barry had recommended that I at least wait until I got through Flying Pig, but I knew that a race was the best way to ensure that I wouldn't just sit on my butt for the next 5 weeks eating ice cream. Mmm, ice cream.
I'm thinking about my next marathon and have started looking into marathons in the fall. I'd like to run one sooner than that, but summers aren't kind to marathon runners. The only problem is I'm not sure where I'll be in the fall. Meanwhile though, my goal for the summer is a sub-2:00 half marathon. I'm signed up for the Madison Mini-Marathon, which I also ran and loved last year. I'm also eyeing the Fort Atkinson Half marathon in the middle of June. I'd like to start incorporating some quality runs into my training, i.e. tempo runs, interval training, hill climbs, etc and I kind of want to use the Fort Atkinson Half and the Madison Mini as comparisons for a before and after.
But who knows. I always feel a bit lazy after a goal race.
Usually after a race, a couple of miles the day or two after helps tremendously with recovery. I didn't feel like I needed it after Flying Pig, but I was going to get back out there and run a few miles on Wednesday anyway. Unfortunately, I pulled some kind of muscle in my neck on Wednesday and I was in all kinds of pain. My head only had about a 140 degree turn radius before I felt some kind of pain. So on Wednesday, I was back to remembering the fragility of my body. Running a marathon damaged nothing. Doing nothing hurt a neck muscle.
It's Friday and that pain has subsided. Now the neck just feels like I slept on it funny. I plan to go out there tomorrow and do a loop around the Arboretum. I signed up to run 20 miles next Saturday. Yes, it was kind of crazy when I had signed up to do it. I was thinking that I didn't want to let all my hard work training for the marathon just melt away. Barry had recommended that I at least wait until I got through Flying Pig, but I knew that a race was the best way to ensure that I wouldn't just sit on my butt for the next 5 weeks eating ice cream. Mmm, ice cream.
I'm thinking about my next marathon and have started looking into marathons in the fall. I'd like to run one sooner than that, but summers aren't kind to marathon runners. The only problem is I'm not sure where I'll be in the fall. Meanwhile though, my goal for the summer is a sub-2:00 half marathon. I'm signed up for the Madison Mini-Marathon, which I also ran and loved last year. I'm also eyeing the Fort Atkinson Half marathon in the middle of June. I'd like to start incorporating some quality runs into my training, i.e. tempo runs, interval training, hill climbs, etc and I kind of want to use the Fort Atkinson Half and the Madison Mini as comparisons for a before and after.
But who knows. I always feel a bit lazy after a goal race.
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