I decided to try something different last night. I ran a race put on by a local club, in a park near me, in the evening. I figured it would give me some idea what the DCRRC crowd is like and whether I'd want to join. And, I hate missing any races that are just a few miles from my house.
The registration was $5. I got no shirt and the timing isn't exactly perfect, but it was a great, no-frills experience. I showed up within 15 minutes or so of the start, parked, and followed the obvious runners milling about the parking lot to the starting line. A small crowd had gathered, maybe 60 people or so, listening to Ed Grant (President of the DCRRC) say a few words. When I approached him right before race time and asked him who to give the $5 to, he simply held out his hand and that was that. Nice.
As an aside, the DCRRC seems to be mostly populated by odd looking people. I know that is a crappy thing to say and it isn't like I'm freaking Brad Pitt. But, well, what can I say? I saw some ragtag running clothes, some floppy old hairdos, and some of the strangest running styles I've ever witnessed. I guess that is what hardcore looks like when it comes to running.
There was no gun or anything like that. Just a voice saying "GO!" and we did. I glanced at my Garmin and I was running pretty fast in the first part of the race. I felt very strange too. Maybe I was running too hard (6:00-6:30/mi for most of the first mile) because I was dizzy and felt out of sorts. I thought I might puke or pass out or something and I was having difficulty focusing on the fact that I was running. I was a little worried as to what might be going on, but I began to feel more normal as I continued on. I mean normal in the sense that I had my wits and knew what I was doing. Physically, I still felt off. I went from fast and dizzy to an exhausted and progressive slow down until the end of the race, with a finishing pace somewhere around 7:30/mi, I think. The overall pace was 7:22 or 7:23, so maybe I was even slower than that at the end. In any case, I felt increasingly tired and I began to cramp up with a bad side stitch. I keep saying it was a fun race, but I really felt like garbage for most of it. I had no second gear after the first mile or two and just tried to hold on. I kept hoping I'd catch up with the runners in front of me, but I couldn't make up a single foot on them no matter how hard I tried. I just didn't have crap in me.
I did say it was in a park. Did I say that it was mostly on a dirt trail? And that it rained all day and had started to rain again right before the race? You can imagine what happened then. It was a complete mudfest. The trail surface was well packed, so it wasn't too hard to run on or maintain footing. But, there were a lot of soft spots along the edge of the trail and loads of puddles throughout. I quickly gave up trying to jump over them or dash around them and I just started running right through, hoping to not step too deep into the water as I went. My socks and shoes were completely soaked and I could feel the extra weight as I plodded along. My legs were splattered with mud up to my knees and my clothes were pretty damp from the rain and the sweat.
Given the short distance, though, it didn't last too long. As I crossed the finish line, they handed me a blank card and called out my time. I walked over to the back of a Subaru Outback, filled in my name and age, marked my time on the card, and handed it in. Race over. It was kind of cool to not have a ChampionChip or any fancy mats and to just do a race like they used to do it (well, like DCRRC still does).
In the end, I'm somewhat disappointed with my performance, but not the general experience. It was short and fun and I'd do it again.
DCRRC Paul Thurston 4.5 Mile Race
Fairfax Station, VA
August 21, 7:00 PM
Time: 33:15
Gender Place: 26/48
Overall Place: 28/67
Pace: 7:23
Showing posts with label running. Show all posts
Showing posts with label running. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Update on Running
So, I think I am getting back on track. I dropped my plan, which was really not a plan at all, and have adopted a new one which is solely focused on achieving PRs in my next two races. I am actually going to do a few more than that, but there are two I am focusing my energies on (meaning that I've actually registered for so far). So, the plan is mostly speed building with just a bit of distance in there to prep me for the longer race, the Army Ten Miler. I've got the distance covered since I've been running 10+ on a weekly basis for most of the year. But, it will be good to push the pace a bit over a 10-12 mile distance in prep for this race, something I haven't done much at all this year. I usually just run the longer stuff at 8:45-9:00/mi unless I feel like total crap. So, maybe running it closer to 8:00/mi will be useful, but we'll see how the plan goes.
In any case, I took an Advanced 15k plan from Hal Higdon and am using that. I think Hal's plans are too loose, even the advanced plans, but it is so easy to just take one and start running that I figured it was better to just do that than try to build some custom plan from various sources. Besides, I used Higdon's plan as a base for my marathon plan last year and I was pleased with the overall result. As an aside, I plan on using a Pfitz-style plan for my next marathon. Too many people have had loads of success with Pfitz's methods for me to ignore it.
I ran 5 days straight, something I haven't done in weeks, which is an accomplishment at this point. And, every run was "good". I felt strong during the runs and my speed was at or above where I wanted it to be in each instance. So, I feel positive about where this plan is headed, although it is still rather early. I'll do a 5K test in another week or two as a measure of where I am at and then I'll know how I'm doing. In the meantime, I am going to try and make it to the Paul Thurston 4.5 Miler tonight at Burke Lake Park. It's run by DCRRC and only costs $5, plus it is almost in my backyard (sort of). My only concern is that it is mostly on a dirt trail and it rained a good amount last night. So...how muddy could this race be tonight? My guess is that it will be an absolute slopfest and that I'll be covered in mud, but that might make it all the more fun. I'll slip on the trail shoes and just have at it. If you (as if anyone is reading this) are in the area and don't mind the mess, why not come out around 6:30PM? Race starts at the ice cream joint near the carousel and kiddie train, which is next to the parking lot right behind miniature golf.
In any case, I took an Advanced 15k plan from Hal Higdon and am using that. I think Hal's plans are too loose, even the advanced plans, but it is so easy to just take one and start running that I figured it was better to just do that than try to build some custom plan from various sources. Besides, I used Higdon's plan as a base for my marathon plan last year and I was pleased with the overall result. As an aside, I plan on using a Pfitz-style plan for my next marathon. Too many people have had loads of success with Pfitz's methods for me to ignore it.
I ran 5 days straight, something I haven't done in weeks, which is an accomplishment at this point. And, every run was "good". I felt strong during the runs and my speed was at or above where I wanted it to be in each instance. So, I feel positive about where this plan is headed, although it is still rather early. I'll do a 5K test in another week or two as a measure of where I am at and then I'll know how I'm doing. In the meantime, I am going to try and make it to the Paul Thurston 4.5 Miler tonight at Burke Lake Park. It's run by DCRRC and only costs $5, plus it is almost in my backyard (sort of). My only concern is that it is mostly on a dirt trail and it rained a good amount last night. So...how muddy could this race be tonight? My guess is that it will be an absolute slopfest and that I'll be covered in mud, but that might make it all the more fun. I'll slip on the trail shoes and just have at it. If you (as if anyone is reading this) are in the area and don't mind the mess, why not come out around 6:30PM? Race starts at the ice cream joint near the carousel and kiddie train, which is next to the parking lot right behind miniature golf.
Thursday, August 16, 2007
YMCA Loudon County Leesburg 20K
So, this race established a PR for me since I've never run a 20K and this is the only one in the area that I am aware of. I don't know that I'll run this race again, so this performance will stand on its own for a long time.
I find it funny that they always suggest that there will be long lines for packet pick-up the day of the race because I never have any problem at all. Every time I've done it, I've never had to wait behind more than 2 or 3 people. And, I've never not been able to grab a t-shirt in my size. I'd like to pick my stuff up in advance, but driving out to a running store in rush hour traffic on a Friday seems like a big waste of time since I can just get everything the morning of the event. In any case, I say this because I left my house early to get out to Leesburg so that I could grab my packet and not have to wait too long in a big line. Traffic was light, parking was easy, and I was back at the car, sipping my coffee, within five minutes or so.
The crowd was larger than I expected, although I didn't read up on the race and can't say my expectations were in line with reality. A 20K race in Leesburg at 7:30AM in August doesn't sound like an attractive event to me. Of course, I did it. The crowds were not all there for the 20K, though. They run a 10K as well and about half of the runners were doing that instead. And, the folks who ran the 10K were clearly smarter than me. They finished in time to get bananas and to eat the ice cream before it got gotten all runny. That's right. They had ice cream, among other things, as a post race snack. I like the idea, but I don't want freaking ice cream at 9:30AM. I definitely don't want runny ice cream and soggy chocolate wafers that I get to peel out of wet paper. So, I avoided that stuff when I was finished. I did have plenty of water and all that and I drank a Harris Teeter Diet Coke which tasted like carbonated toilet water. Wow, that was some seriously horrible soda.
I felt kind of funny before the race. Funny in a "I have to take a dump, but it might not come out" type of way. So, I stood in line for the PortaJohn with the hope of dealing with it. And, I thought I had. I mean, I certainly felt better afterwards, but it turned out that I was quite done. In any case, I jogged down the block and back as a warmup and elbowed my way through the crowd to a spot in the corral. The race started on time, but they had a water station right before the starting line. So, I stopped and had a cup of water before crossing the mat. I felt a little thirsty and figured it might help out. Then, I was off. We ran a for a short bit through downtown Leesburg, making a circle in some shopping center parking lot, and then headed out on the W&OD trail for the rest of the race. The W&OD trail was pretty cool, for the most part. Heavily shaded, which was really welcome, and I've never run it before, so it was nice to get the chance. It quickly veered off into what seemed like a much more rural area with older homes and farms (or what seemed like farms from what I could tell).
Like all races, the crowd was pretty thick for the first mile or two and I had to do a lot of moving around to get passed the slower runners. I prefer running close to a small group and am always relieved when I reach the point in a race that the crowds have thinned out. I stuck with a general pack for a while on the trail. I'd gain a little on one person, they'd pull away. Someone would come up close and then fall back. I think I was about 100 meters behind the same guy for almost 10 miles of the race. The course seemed like a slow uphill climb for most of the first half. There was a short and fast downhill segment that was just a tease. I ran a little too hard on the downhill and immediately regretted it as I then had to continue my climb until we hit the turnaround. But, the nice thing is that the majority of the return trip was downhill. So, I dropped ten seconds per mile from my pace on the way back, going from what looked like a 7:5x/mi to the eventual 7:42/mi I ran. Around mile 4 or so, I felt like I really had to pee. And, I also felt the beginning warning signs of diarrhea. Now, I wasn't too worried about that since I often get some sort of a cramp that feels like that during a race. And, it wasn't bad enough to concern me. So, I kept running...and the general sensations got worse. And worse. I actually ran off on a side trail to take a leak, but I didn't do a thing about the diarrhea. The cramps got worse and I started to think that I might actually experience the thing I had always joked about: crapping yourself during a run. From mile 8 to mile 12 was basically a race against the poop; a delicate balancing act between running as fast as I could so I could get to the bathroom, but not running so fast that I lost control. it got close, but I made it across the finish without an incident and quickly got that chip off my shoe. From there, I grabbed a bottle of water and carefully made my way back to the PortaJohns to handle my business. Or, maybe, the business handled me. In any case, it was quite a racket and one of those times when you really wish you had a place to wash your hands appropriately.
I used my Garmin during the race. Now, I may have started it too early or something, but it kept hitting the mile marks almost a tenth of a mile before I actually past the marker on the race route. In the end, the Garmin had a few extra tenths of a mile on my overall distance and have me running a pace that was two seconds faster than recorded by the chip. So, I don't know which system is more accurate, but I am not happy about that large a difference. There isn't much I can do about other than to assume that the numbers I see during my training are not quite what I will see during a race. If I run a test 5K in 21:50, maybe I should assume I will run a real 5K in 21:55 or 22:00.
On the way back to the car, some volunteers were just handing out the extra t-shirts. I guess they would rather give them away then keep them and try to sell them for cheap. In any case, I am grateful to have picked up a second t-shirt. Since they were technical shirts, I'm now stocked on tops for running until the temps really drop. I just wish someone would give out shorts or running pants or something like that. I don't have enough of either of those. Hell, I'd take a hat or some socks once in a while too. Of course, corporate logos on socks wouldn't really work out.
Overall, it was a nice enough race, but not so nice or enjoyable that I would be compelled to drive out to Leesburg at 6AM on a Sunday to do it again. Although, to be fair, nicer weather and less gastric distress would have made the whole thing much more pleasant and might have changed my mind.
YMCA Loudon County Leesburg 20K Bib # 563
Leesburg, VA
August 12, 7:30 am
Time: 1:35:40
Gender Place: 119/385
Overall Place: 153/672
Pace: 7:42
I find it funny that they always suggest that there will be long lines for packet pick-up the day of the race because I never have any problem at all. Every time I've done it, I've never had to wait behind more than 2 or 3 people. And, I've never not been able to grab a t-shirt in my size. I'd like to pick my stuff up in advance, but driving out to a running store in rush hour traffic on a Friday seems like a big waste of time since I can just get everything the morning of the event. In any case, I say this because I left my house early to get out to Leesburg so that I could grab my packet and not have to wait too long in a big line. Traffic was light, parking was easy, and I was back at the car, sipping my coffee, within five minutes or so.
The crowd was larger than I expected, although I didn't read up on the race and can't say my expectations were in line with reality. A 20K race in Leesburg at 7:30AM in August doesn't sound like an attractive event to me. Of course, I did it. The crowds were not all there for the 20K, though. They run a 10K as well and about half of the runners were doing that instead. And, the folks who ran the 10K were clearly smarter than me. They finished in time to get bananas and to eat the ice cream before it got gotten all runny. That's right. They had ice cream, among other things, as a post race snack. I like the idea, but I don't want freaking ice cream at 9:30AM. I definitely don't want runny ice cream and soggy chocolate wafers that I get to peel out of wet paper. So, I avoided that stuff when I was finished. I did have plenty of water and all that and I drank a Harris Teeter Diet Coke which tasted like carbonated toilet water. Wow, that was some seriously horrible soda.
I felt kind of funny before the race. Funny in a "I have to take a dump, but it might not come out" type of way. So, I stood in line for the PortaJohn with the hope of dealing with it. And, I thought I had. I mean, I certainly felt better afterwards, but it turned out that I was quite done. In any case, I jogged down the block and back as a warmup and elbowed my way through the crowd to a spot in the corral. The race started on time, but they had a water station right before the starting line. So, I stopped and had a cup of water before crossing the mat. I felt a little thirsty and figured it might help out. Then, I was off. We ran a for a short bit through downtown Leesburg, making a circle in some shopping center parking lot, and then headed out on the W&OD trail for the rest of the race. The W&OD trail was pretty cool, for the most part. Heavily shaded, which was really welcome, and I've never run it before, so it was nice to get the chance. It quickly veered off into what seemed like a much more rural area with older homes and farms (or what seemed like farms from what I could tell).
Like all races, the crowd was pretty thick for the first mile or two and I had to do a lot of moving around to get passed the slower runners. I prefer running close to a small group and am always relieved when I reach the point in a race that the crowds have thinned out. I stuck with a general pack for a while on the trail. I'd gain a little on one person, they'd pull away. Someone would come up close and then fall back. I think I was about 100 meters behind the same guy for almost 10 miles of the race. The course seemed like a slow uphill climb for most of the first half. There was a short and fast downhill segment that was just a tease. I ran a little too hard on the downhill and immediately regretted it as I then had to continue my climb until we hit the turnaround. But, the nice thing is that the majority of the return trip was downhill. So, I dropped ten seconds per mile from my pace on the way back, going from what looked like a 7:5x/mi to the eventual 7:42/mi I ran. Around mile 4 or so, I felt like I really had to pee. And, I also felt the beginning warning signs of diarrhea. Now, I wasn't too worried about that since I often get some sort of a cramp that feels like that during a race. And, it wasn't bad enough to concern me. So, I kept running...and the general sensations got worse. And worse. I actually ran off on a side trail to take a leak, but I didn't do a thing about the diarrhea. The cramps got worse and I started to think that I might actually experience the thing I had always joked about: crapping yourself during a run. From mile 8 to mile 12 was basically a race against the poop; a delicate balancing act between running as fast as I could so I could get to the bathroom, but not running so fast that I lost control. it got close, but I made it across the finish without an incident and quickly got that chip off my shoe. From there, I grabbed a bottle of water and carefully made my way back to the PortaJohns to handle my business. Or, maybe, the business handled me. In any case, it was quite a racket and one of those times when you really wish you had a place to wash your hands appropriately.
I used my Garmin during the race. Now, I may have started it too early or something, but it kept hitting the mile marks almost a tenth of a mile before I actually past the marker on the race route. In the end, the Garmin had a few extra tenths of a mile on my overall distance and have me running a pace that was two seconds faster than recorded by the chip. So, I don't know which system is more accurate, but I am not happy about that large a difference. There isn't much I can do about other than to assume that the numbers I see during my training are not quite what I will see during a race. If I run a test 5K in 21:50, maybe I should assume I will run a real 5K in 21:55 or 22:00.
On the way back to the car, some volunteers were just handing out the extra t-shirts. I guess they would rather give them away then keep them and try to sell them for cheap. In any case, I am grateful to have picked up a second t-shirt. Since they were technical shirts, I'm now stocked on tops for running until the temps really drop. I just wish someone would give out shorts or running pants or something like that. I don't have enough of either of those. Hell, I'd take a hat or some socks once in a while too. Of course, corporate logos on socks wouldn't really work out.
Overall, it was a nice enough race, but not so nice or enjoyable that I would be compelled to drive out to Leesburg at 6AM on a Sunday to do it again. Although, to be fair, nicer weather and less gastric distress would have made the whole thing much more pleasant and might have changed my mind.
YMCA Loudon County Leesburg 20K Bib # 563
Leesburg, VA
August 12, 7:30 am
Time: 1:35:40
Gender Place: 119/385
Overall Place: 153/672
Pace: 7:42
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
No Closer to a Goal
So, at least this week, I've had little success in getting my ass to bed at a normal time, at getting up easily, and at making it out the door for a run. Nothing at all. When I want to get things back on track and I don't, I just feel like a jerkoff. I'm not really impacting anyone other than myself, but it does make me a bit grumpy. I'm not depressed, but I feel shitty about myself today.
I think I am going to take off early and head home for a run before dinner. I need to do something to get started and I'll feel a whole lot better if I know that I can still run 35-40 miles this week. Ugh. 35-40 miles is depressing as well. I had a few weeks above 50 miles, but I've completely crashed. And, with a few races coming and the need to schedule my surgery, I don't know if I'll break the 60 mile mark any time soon.
I think I am going to take off early and head home for a run before dinner. I need to do something to get started and I'll feel a whole lot better if I know that I can still run 35-40 miles this week. Ugh. 35-40 miles is depressing as well. I had a few weeks above 50 miles, but I've completely crashed. And, with a few races coming and the need to schedule my surgery, I don't know if I'll break the 60 mile mark any time soon.
Thursday, July 19, 2007
First Phase of Speed Work
I think I've completed my first full cycle of speedwork. I did hill repeats, 200s, and 400s, alternating the workouts each week for three months now. I tried to do fartlek and tempo runs on the weekends, but I didn't always follow a real plan when it came to those runs. Nevertheless, I think I definitely got some benefit out of all of this. I now need to determine what the best course of action for the rest of this year and the early part of next year is. I found a pretty rigorous 30 week plan that should get me in great shape for the National Marathon, but I'd need to get started on that in a few weeks. Before I do that, I'd like to run a few races to gauge my current capability. I've got a 20K lined up for August and a 5K in September, but I'm not really targeting those in my training other than hoping to get PRs in both. I've run 200 meters in 40 seconds, and 400 meters in 1:30. I'd like to drop those times across the board and I'd like to start including 800s in my speed workouts. I seem to have a tendency to run the second half of a repeat faster than the first part. I do the same thing for many of my runs, although I usually flip that behavior for longer distances. So, for example, when I do 6 or 8 miles, the return trip is usually faster. However, if I run a half marathon or more, the second half is almost always slower. This probably means I need more long distance training, which is something I haven't done much of this summer.
I need to do a race soon. I'm getting antsy not having a recent performance to determine where I'm at in my training. I might run one of the cheap and no-frills 5ks that the running clubs around here hold. $5 or something, no shirt, no ChampionChip timing. But, it will give me competition and provide a good opportunity to just run my ass off for 20 minutes.
I know almost nobody reads these posts, but I don't care. Nobody wants to hear me talk about running, so this is all I've got.
I need to do a race soon. I'm getting antsy not having a recent performance to determine where I'm at in my training. I might run one of the cheap and no-frills 5ks that the running clubs around here hold. $5 or something, no shirt, no ChampionChip timing. But, it will give me competition and provide a good opportunity to just run my ass off for 20 minutes.
I know almost nobody reads these posts, but I don't care. Nobody wants to hear me talk about running, so this is all I've got.
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Fantasizing about the Future
I recently read about a woman who turned herself into an Olympic-caliber marathon runner. She wasn't a runner, then ran her first marathon around a 3:45, and then spent the next year training like mad. She dropped an entire hour from her marathon time, getting herself in under the cutoff to qualify for the Olympic marathon trials.
To me, this is simply amazing. To shave an hour off in one year seems absurd. I can't even begin to imagine how she did it other than with massive amounts of motivation and commitment. I can't help but wonder, though, if I'd be able to do something similar. Even if it took two or three years, I wonder if it is possible. I wonder if I have the basic goods in my genetic makeup to turn my body into an Olympic marathon machine. The cutoff for men is 2:22 for Grade "B", so I have serious doubts I'd be able to make it. That would represent cutting an hour and twenty minutes from my current marathon time. I think I'll cut off close to 30 minutes by the time I run another marathon, but I can't be certain about that. And, even if I did, how the heck would I cut the next 50 minutes from my performance?
I'm not sure how much more effort above what I'm putting in now would be required to do something like this. I'm running, or trying to run, six days a week and I'm trying to get to a point where I consistently run 50+ mpw. But, since cracking the 50 mile mark, I've been in a tailspin with my training plans. I crashed and burned for 5 straight days because I just couldn't get my tired ass out of bed. With the extra rest, I did have an awesome track workout this past Saturday, though. But, I followed that up by blowing off my long run on Sunday morning. I made it out for a decent six miles yesterday, but again couldn't get up this morning for my run.
To me, this is simply amazing. To shave an hour off in one year seems absurd. I can't even begin to imagine how she did it other than with massive amounts of motivation and commitment. I can't help but wonder, though, if I'd be able to do something similar. Even if it took two or three years, I wonder if it is possible. I wonder if I have the basic goods in my genetic makeup to turn my body into an Olympic marathon machine. The cutoff for men is 2:22 for Grade "B", so I have serious doubts I'd be able to make it. That would represent cutting an hour and twenty minutes from my current marathon time. I think I'll cut off close to 30 minutes by the time I run another marathon, but I can't be certain about that. And, even if I did, how the heck would I cut the next 50 minutes from my performance?
I'm not sure how much more effort above what I'm putting in now would be required to do something like this. I'm running, or trying to run, six days a week and I'm trying to get to a point where I consistently run 50+ mpw. But, since cracking the 50 mile mark, I've been in a tailspin with my training plans. I crashed and burned for 5 straight days because I just couldn't get my tired ass out of bed. With the extra rest, I did have an awesome track workout this past Saturday, though. But, I followed that up by blowing off my long run on Sunday morning. I made it out for a decent six miles yesterday, but again couldn't get up this morning for my run.
Sunday, June 17, 2007
Unofficial 5K PR!
So, I was hoping to do a local 5k this past Saturday morning. A low key race that I could just register for the day of the race, so I wasn't committed ahead of time. But, I still wanted to do it. However, life sometimes has other plans and I didn't make it. Noah came home early from school on Friday with a fever and was still dealing with the effects the next day. In fact, he got up at 5:30AM and asked me to hang out with him in the family room watching TV. I tried to get him to go back to bed, but to no avail, so we headed downstairs to watch. I thought I might have an outside chance of still making it to the race, but he was clearly feeling needy and I didn't want him to get upset, which would no doubt have happened if I had left the house. In any case, I tried to catch up on sleep on the couch. Later that day, when he had finally gone down for his nap, I was able to fit a run in. My initial goal was to just run 6 miles or so at a decent pace. I wanted to run around 7:30/mi since that is about where I should be for a tempo run, I believe. But, a funny thing happened. I could tell that I had speed in my legs, so I just let it rip. I started off at 7:30/mi, but I get inching up the pace as I ran. When I realized I had a good shot at running a personal best for a 5K, I figured I should just go for it and I did. So, without a race course or any competition, I destroyed my own record in a 5K. My previous time in a 5K was 25:24, but I've now done that distance in 21:50, which is a 7:04/mi pace. This is huge for me and a great sign that my speedwork this year is working. I then took it easy for the last 3 miles and jogged on home, a big grin across my face.
Now, I've only run one 5K before and it was the first race I ever ran. And, I had only been running for a few months when I did it, so it makes sense that I would have made some real improvement. Nevertheless, I didn't think I had improved this much yet. With some more speedwork, some actual rest, and real race conditions, I think I can do a 5K in sub 7:00/mi pace. This also means that I've got the speed to do a sub 3:30 marathon (around 3:27), assuming I do the appropriate distance training. That gets me much closer to my goal of qualifying for Boston, but I still need more speed for a 3:10.
Now, I've only run one 5K before and it was the first race I ever ran. And, I had only been running for a few months when I did it, so it makes sense that I would have made some real improvement. Nevertheless, I didn't think I had improved this much yet. With some more speedwork, some actual rest, and real race conditions, I think I can do a 5K in sub 7:00/mi pace. This also means that I've got the speed to do a sub 3:30 marathon (around 3:27), assuming I do the appropriate distance training. That gets me much closer to my goal of qualifying for Boston, but I still need more speed for a 3:10.
Monday, May 14, 2007
Back to Racing - Battle of the Boulevard 10K
I ran my first race in months this past weekend. I hadn't considered any races up until recently and finally registered and made it to my first one since last year's marathon. I wasn't sure what to expect, but I had at least hoped I had made some slight improvement. My last 10K was about a year ago and I ran it in 7:47/mi pace. I ran the Army Ten Miler in 7:40/mi pace. So, I figured I could do at least 7:40/mi, if not faster. I ran through the winter, albeit with no real goal pushing me, and I only had a layoff of a few weeks due to my back injury. So, I didn't think I'd have really lost much fitness. In any case, I may not quite be where I thought I was.
I ran the first ever Battle of the Boulevard 10K this past Saturday. It was organized by a local running store, Pacers, and was tied to some sort of Arlington-centric festival. It was probably a cool event, but I wasn't interested in hanging around much. Besides, Jon and I were running it and it was his birthday and all, so we had more exciting things to do. Uh, or less exciting, depending on how you look at it. It was his birthday after all...Happy Birthday, Jon!
I had hoped to use the Metro to get to the race since the start/finish line was right near Clarendon Metro. But, I got up late and was concerned that I'd get screwed by waiting around for the subway. So, I drove, which turned out to be a good decision. First, it meant I could stop and get a small cup of coffee and actually drink it on the way to the race, something I couldn't have done on Metro. And, parking was really easy. Jon had found a lot that had free parking that morning and was just two or three blocks from the race. I met Jon in the parking lot and we just hung around until the race started. The crowd seemed very feminine - that is, there seemed like a whole lot of women were going to be running this race. My sense is that the ratio is usually pretty even and it may have been, but it felt like things were way out of whack. I think that the male-female ration in Arlington is probably not that even, so maybe it is just because of that. So, Jon and I stood around and stared at women while I pointed out some of the more "famous" local runners in the crowd, like Max Lockwood and Dane Rauschenberg. I guess I am becoming a bit of a running fan, so to speak, and like following the exploits of the local runners who are way better than me.
It seemed rather warm. Okay, it was rather warm, certainly for 8AM and definitely for a 10K. I don't know what the official temp was at the start of the race, but it was hot and humid and I sweat a heck of a lot. The weather was the first sign that this wouldn't be the best race performance for me. The other sign was the topography of the race. Starting in Clarendon and racing into Rosslyn and then down 110 means mostly going downhill, particularly the first mile and a half or so. I know I went out fast, but I tried to take advantage of gravity and let myself get pulled down the hills a bit. I any case, I held my speed for the most part on the flat section and well past the turn around. On my way back, I saw Jon and we high-fived. Not long after that, I passed a particularly sweaty and gangly co-worker of mine. I didn't notice her at all, but she called my name as I ran right past her. I said hi, wished her good luck, and kept going. Coming back into Rosslyn, I think I was still averaging a 7:30/mi pace. I felt good, but I knew that the climb back to Clarendon was coming and that it would be very hard to keep that pace. Yeah, it was hard alright. It was like climbing stairs and I felt like I was sucking wind. I knew I was slowing down so I didn't even bother to look at my Forerunner...I didn't want to know how bad it was getting.
The hill leveled off and I ran as hard as I could past the Whole Fields, Whitlows, and up to the finish line. I felt good, but wiped out. I grabbed a bunch of bottles of water and hung around the finish waiting for Jon. After Jon rolled in, we poked around the festival area a bit since I thought I had heard that they posted the times for the first 1000 runners, but we couldn't find it anywhere. So, sweaty and warm, we headed back to my house for a bit of birthday brunch in Jon's honor.
My performance was pretty disappointing overall. Having run a sub-8 minute pace in a 10K last year and a sub-8 minute pace in a 10 miler as well, I figured I would definitely run a sub-8 pace for this race as well. I was hoping for a 7:30/mi pace, but missed that by a fair amount. Admittedly, my training hasn't been as hard the past few months, but I still didn't think I had lost much. I am now doing some speedwork and will be giving it another shot in either a 5K or 10K soon. 7:30/mi or bust!
Battle of the Boulevard Bib # 4725
Arlington, VA
May 12, 8:30 am
Time: 48:45
Overall Place: 242/1314
Pace: 8:03
I ran the first ever Battle of the Boulevard 10K this past Saturday. It was organized by a local running store, Pacers, and was tied to some sort of Arlington-centric festival. It was probably a cool event, but I wasn't interested in hanging around much. Besides, Jon and I were running it and it was his birthday and all, so we had more exciting things to do. Uh, or less exciting, depending on how you look at it. It was his birthday after all...Happy Birthday, Jon!
I had hoped to use the Metro to get to the race since the start/finish line was right near Clarendon Metro. But, I got up late and was concerned that I'd get screwed by waiting around for the subway. So, I drove, which turned out to be a good decision. First, it meant I could stop and get a small cup of coffee and actually drink it on the way to the race, something I couldn't have done on Metro. And, parking was really easy. Jon had found a lot that had free parking that morning and was just two or three blocks from the race. I met Jon in the parking lot and we just hung around until the race started. The crowd seemed very feminine - that is, there seemed like a whole lot of women were going to be running this race. My sense is that the ratio is usually pretty even and it may have been, but it felt like things were way out of whack. I think that the male-female ration in Arlington is probably not that even, so maybe it is just because of that. So, Jon and I stood around and stared at women while I pointed out some of the more "famous" local runners in the crowd, like Max Lockwood and Dane Rauschenberg. I guess I am becoming a bit of a running fan, so to speak, and like following the exploits of the local runners who are way better than me.
It seemed rather warm. Okay, it was rather warm, certainly for 8AM and definitely for a 10K. I don't know what the official temp was at the start of the race, but it was hot and humid and I sweat a heck of a lot. The weather was the first sign that this wouldn't be the best race performance for me. The other sign was the topography of the race. Starting in Clarendon and racing into Rosslyn and then down 110 means mostly going downhill, particularly the first mile and a half or so. I know I went out fast, but I tried to take advantage of gravity and let myself get pulled down the hills a bit. I any case, I held my speed for the most part on the flat section and well past the turn around. On my way back, I saw Jon and we high-fived. Not long after that, I passed a particularly sweaty and gangly co-worker of mine. I didn't notice her at all, but she called my name as I ran right past her. I said hi, wished her good luck, and kept going. Coming back into Rosslyn, I think I was still averaging a 7:30/mi pace. I felt good, but I knew that the climb back to Clarendon was coming and that it would be very hard to keep that pace. Yeah, it was hard alright. It was like climbing stairs and I felt like I was sucking wind. I knew I was slowing down so I didn't even bother to look at my Forerunner...I didn't want to know how bad it was getting.
The hill leveled off and I ran as hard as I could past the Whole Fields, Whitlows, and up to the finish line. I felt good, but wiped out. I grabbed a bunch of bottles of water and hung around the finish waiting for Jon. After Jon rolled in, we poked around the festival area a bit since I thought I had heard that they posted the times for the first 1000 runners, but we couldn't find it anywhere. So, sweaty and warm, we headed back to my house for a bit of birthday brunch in Jon's honor.
My performance was pretty disappointing overall. Having run a sub-8 minute pace in a 10K last year and a sub-8 minute pace in a 10 miler as well, I figured I would definitely run a sub-8 pace for this race as well. I was hoping for a 7:30/mi pace, but missed that by a fair amount. Admittedly, my training hasn't been as hard the past few months, but I still didn't think I had lost much. I am now doing some speedwork and will be giving it another shot in either a 5K or 10K soon. 7:30/mi or bust!
Battle of the Boulevard Bib # 4725
Arlington, VA
May 12, 8:30 am
Time: 48:45
Overall Place: 242/1314
Pace: 8:03
Monday, March 19, 2007
List of Things to Do
I went for a decent run yesterday. Nine nice miles, although it was cold and windy and not the most enjoyable experience. In any case, I am trying to get my head straight about running and I want to refocus on my running goals. So, here they are:
1. I currently weigh about 172 pounds. I had been down to 170, but I've gained a bit the past few weeks. It is time to stop messing around. I need to cut out the midnight PB & Cookies nonsense. I want to get to 165 in an effort to get faster and I must hit that number before my next marathon training cycle. That means, I have until the end of May to lose 7 pounds. I can do this.
2. I need to get faster. My goals require more speed, plain and simple. So, I need to incorporate some degree of speedwork. I think the best way to do that is to focus on training for a 5K and attempting to run one at 7:00/mi pace.
3. I need more speed because my goal is to qualify for the Boston marathon. I need to be able to run a marathon in 3:10 to qualify and I need to do that before I turn 34. That is going to be rather hard, frankly, so I may end up getting to qualify in the next age group, which requires a 3:20. I still want that 3:10, though. I would like to qualify for and run in the 2009 Boston Marathon.
4. To get to Boston, my goal for this year is to run a 3:25 in a marathon. It will likely be MCM again, if I get to run any marathon at all. I could try Richmond, too, which is likely to be a faster course. In any case, a 3:25 would be a major step forward and a drop of 18 minutes from my previous marathon performance. If I put in the effort, I can definitely do this.
So, to recap, I want to get to 165 pounds, run a 7:00/mi pace for a 5K and be able to do a marathon in 3:25 by year end. This will put me in position to train for a marathon in late 2008 in which I can score my Boston qualifying time. Along the way, getting personal records in a 10K and a few other races would be nice.
1. I currently weigh about 172 pounds. I had been down to 170, but I've gained a bit the past few weeks. It is time to stop messing around. I need to cut out the midnight PB & Cookies nonsense. I want to get to 165 in an effort to get faster and I must hit that number before my next marathon training cycle. That means, I have until the end of May to lose 7 pounds. I can do this.
2. I need to get faster. My goals require more speed, plain and simple. So, I need to incorporate some degree of speedwork. I think the best way to do that is to focus on training for a 5K and attempting to run one at 7:00/mi pace.
3. I need more speed because my goal is to qualify for the Boston marathon. I need to be able to run a marathon in 3:10 to qualify and I need to do that before I turn 34. That is going to be rather hard, frankly, so I may end up getting to qualify in the next age group, which requires a 3:20. I still want that 3:10, though. I would like to qualify for and run in the 2009 Boston Marathon.
4. To get to Boston, my goal for this year is to run a 3:25 in a marathon. It will likely be MCM again, if I get to run any marathon at all. I could try Richmond, too, which is likely to be a faster course. In any case, a 3:25 would be a major step forward and a drop of 18 minutes from my previous marathon performance. If I put in the effort, I can definitely do this.
So, to recap, I want to get to 165 pounds, run a 7:00/mi pace for a 5K and be able to do a marathon in 3:25 by year end. This will put me in position to train for a marathon in late 2008 in which I can score my Boston qualifying time. Along the way, getting personal records in a 10K and a few other races would be nice.
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
Marine Corps Marathon Report
It has been a week and a half since the marathon and I think I am finally getting back to normal. My gut was a mess for days, but it has also taken a while for my legs to feel okay. I was sore for a few days and walked a bit funny, but nothing major. It wasn't until I tried to run this past Sunday that I could tell that I wasn't quite right still. I had terrible shin splints in my left leg and my right knee has been achy since then. I took a few quick laps around the parking garage today and feel better, so I might just try to go for a jog tonight.
Anyways, so for the marathon. Support from friends and family raised my spirits leading into the event, but I could have used a tow truck to get me through the last few miles. It was an amazing experience, hands down. I guess I knew it would be, but I imagine that one doesn't walk away with the sense that it was "amazing" if the marathon you ran was a smaller scale event, with less pomp and pageantry and far fewer spectators. I don't like big races, but MCM might have changed my mind. I've seen estimates that there were 100,000 people lining the course. I don't know if that was true, but it certainly felt like it. I hastily wrote my name on my shirt prior to the start and it turned out to be a very good decision - I got cheered for 26 miles straight. Lots of "Go Dave" and "Looking strong, Dave"...you get the picture. It really made my day and kept my chugging along whenever I started to lose focus. I also met a number of really friendly runners and was able to have conversations with them during the race, a big reason never to wear an iPod to a marathon. Those folks just isolate themselves, but the rest of us got to bond and make friends, even if for just a few miles. And, the Marines themselves were really, really supportive. They had somewhere in the neighborhood of 4,000 Marines participating in mostly support roles and they were the most vocal, most enthusiastic, and most helpful people on the course. So, long story short, they don't call this the "People's Marathon" for nothing.
It was cold in the morning, but it wasn't hard to get around or to get into a Porta-John or anything. I just waited around until things got close to start time and then I moved up in the crowd to try and get near the Clif Bar Pace Team that was shooting for 3:40. I think they were too far up in the pack, frankly, but more on that in a minute. In any case, I got into a good conversation with a guy named Marc from Brookline, MA and we ended up chatting for several miles until we got seperated at a water station later on. The crowd was thick for several miles, in fact I think it was fairly think up until about mile 10 or so. That is what you get with 34,000 registrants. I found that hanging by the Clif Bar Pace Team was problematic since so many other runners wanted to be with them. It created a logjam on the course and it was difficult to run comfortably next to them or right behind them. I think a fair number of runners who started behind these guys were running faster races and had to work their way around the crowd. So, after a fair amount of frustration, I took off around the side figuring I'd be better off trying to just stay in front of them. Even if it was just by a 100 feet or so, it would give me some room.
I was drinking, but I don't think I was drinking enough. I ate my first pack of Sports Beans (a "special" version of jelly beans for energy and salts) at about 6.5 miles and a second packet around 13 miles. For some stupid reason, I never ate another thing after that - I really regret this. I know better, but the Sports Beans were turning out to be a real pain to eat this time around. I've never had an issue with them in the past, but the chewing was making it a bit harder to breath right and after I went through that twice, I just didn't want to do it again. Of course, I had no gels and I didn't grab anything along the course. So, instead, I switched to drinking Powerade when I got the chance. But, as I said, I don't think I drank enough fluid along the course and I am pretty certain I got dehydrated. I get fooled by cool weather and my thirst mechanism doesn't often kick in until it seems too late. I hydrated well prior to the marathon, but I'd be surprised if I took in much more than 50 oz of fluid during the race itself and that wouldn't be enough to even get me through 20 miles in one piece. The wind on the course was a killer too. But, I didn't really lose much time during the windy stretches. I did lose energy though and could feel myself running out of gas as I passed over the bridge and worked my way towards Crystal City.
By my calculations, I ran my fastest miles from 20-23, at a 7:40/mi pace. This was the stretch Audrey and Noah were going to be in, so I guess I just got excited and took off looking for them. I was rewarded with a chance to see them twice, but I hit the wall not long after that and ran 10:00/mi pace for the last 3.2 miles or so. I bet it was more like a 9:00/mi pace that quickly fell into an 11:00/mi or worse. By the end, I felt like hell and kept wishing for it to just be over. It was at this time, and only this time, that I thought about never doing another marathon. Oh, and that hill at the end just sucks. It is short, but it is like the final little torture, one last reminder that a marathon just isn't a walk in the park.
Here are the general splits from the race website (I didn't do my own and my math skills break down dramatically when I run):
Mile 5: 42:30
Mile 10: 1:23:44
Half: 1:48:40
Mile 15: 2:04:23
Mile 20: 2:46:45
Mile 23.5: 3:13:41
Finish: 3:43:36
I'm a bit disappointed in that I think I was on pace for more like 3:36 or 3:37 and I believe I could have done that if I had been smarter when it came to energy and fluid. I know I got dehydrated because I was stumbling like a drunk at the end. I was totally coherent, but very dizzy and I needed to lay in the grass for several minutes before I could move on and head for home. That has only happened to me a few times before - always on long runs when I got dehydrated. I think I dropped 6-8 pounds in weight during the race and I usually get light-headed (or worse) in that range. The wind didn't help and I wonder how much of an effect that ultimately had too. But, it was my first and I had a wonderful time overall. So, after this soreness wears off, I'll be back running and it will be time to plan how to do a faster marathon. I think I learned a few lessons and I can only get better. Oh, and those guys running with the Clif Bar Pace Team for a 3:40? It looks like they paced properly and got it. Their pacer, a guy named Greg, came in at 3:39 and change. So, maybe I should have just stayed with them.
Anyways, so for the marathon. Support from friends and family raised my spirits leading into the event, but I could have used a tow truck to get me through the last few miles. It was an amazing experience, hands down. I guess I knew it would be, but I imagine that one doesn't walk away with the sense that it was "amazing" if the marathon you ran was a smaller scale event, with less pomp and pageantry and far fewer spectators. I don't like big races, but MCM might have changed my mind. I've seen estimates that there were 100,000 people lining the course. I don't know if that was true, but it certainly felt like it. I hastily wrote my name on my shirt prior to the start and it turned out to be a very good decision - I got cheered for 26 miles straight. Lots of "Go Dave" and "Looking strong, Dave"...you get the picture. It really made my day and kept my chugging along whenever I started to lose focus. I also met a number of really friendly runners and was able to have conversations with them during the race, a big reason never to wear an iPod to a marathon. Those folks just isolate themselves, but the rest of us got to bond and make friends, even if for just a few miles. And, the Marines themselves were really, really supportive. They had somewhere in the neighborhood of 4,000 Marines participating in mostly support roles and they were the most vocal, most enthusiastic, and most helpful people on the course. So, long story short, they don't call this the "People's Marathon" for nothing.
It was cold in the morning, but it wasn't hard to get around or to get into a Porta-John or anything. I just waited around until things got close to start time and then I moved up in the crowd to try and get near the Clif Bar Pace Team that was shooting for 3:40. I think they were too far up in the pack, frankly, but more on that in a minute. In any case, I got into a good conversation with a guy named Marc from Brookline, MA and we ended up chatting for several miles until we got seperated at a water station later on. The crowd was thick for several miles, in fact I think it was fairly think up until about mile 10 or so. That is what you get with 34,000 registrants. I found that hanging by the Clif Bar Pace Team was problematic since so many other runners wanted to be with them. It created a logjam on the course and it was difficult to run comfortably next to them or right behind them. I think a fair number of runners who started behind these guys were running faster races and had to work their way around the crowd. So, after a fair amount of frustration, I took off around the side figuring I'd be better off trying to just stay in front of them. Even if it was just by a 100 feet or so, it would give me some room.
I was drinking, but I don't think I was drinking enough. I ate my first pack of Sports Beans (a "special" version of jelly beans for energy and salts) at about 6.5 miles and a second packet around 13 miles. For some stupid reason, I never ate another thing after that - I really regret this. I know better, but the Sports Beans were turning out to be a real pain to eat this time around. I've never had an issue with them in the past, but the chewing was making it a bit harder to breath right and after I went through that twice, I just didn't want to do it again. Of course, I had no gels and I didn't grab anything along the course. So, instead, I switched to drinking Powerade when I got the chance. But, as I said, I don't think I drank enough fluid along the course and I am pretty certain I got dehydrated. I get fooled by cool weather and my thirst mechanism doesn't often kick in until it seems too late. I hydrated well prior to the marathon, but I'd be surprised if I took in much more than 50 oz of fluid during the race itself and that wouldn't be enough to even get me through 20 miles in one piece. The wind on the course was a killer too. But, I didn't really lose much time during the windy stretches. I did lose energy though and could feel myself running out of gas as I passed over the bridge and worked my way towards Crystal City.
By my calculations, I ran my fastest miles from 20-23, at a 7:40/mi pace. This was the stretch Audrey and Noah were going to be in, so I guess I just got excited and took off looking for them. I was rewarded with a chance to see them twice, but I hit the wall not long after that and ran 10:00/mi pace for the last 3.2 miles or so. I bet it was more like a 9:00/mi pace that quickly fell into an 11:00/mi or worse. By the end, I felt like hell and kept wishing for it to just be over. It was at this time, and only this time, that I thought about never doing another marathon. Oh, and that hill at the end just sucks. It is short, but it is like the final little torture, one last reminder that a marathon just isn't a walk in the park.
Here are the general splits from the race website (I didn't do my own and my math skills break down dramatically when I run):
Mile 5: 42:30
Mile 10: 1:23:44
Half: 1:48:40
Mile 15: 2:04:23
Mile 20: 2:46:45
Mile 23.5: 3:13:41
Finish: 3:43:36
I'm a bit disappointed in that I think I was on pace for more like 3:36 or 3:37 and I believe I could have done that if I had been smarter when it came to energy and fluid. I know I got dehydrated because I was stumbling like a drunk at the end. I was totally coherent, but very dizzy and I needed to lay in the grass for several minutes before I could move on and head for home. That has only happened to me a few times before - always on long runs when I got dehydrated. I think I dropped 6-8 pounds in weight during the race and I usually get light-headed (or worse) in that range. The wind didn't help and I wonder how much of an effect that ultimately had too. But, it was my first and I had a wonderful time overall. So, after this soreness wears off, I'll be back running and it will be time to plan how to do a faster marathon. I think I learned a few lessons and I can only get better. Oh, and those guys running with the Clif Bar Pace Team for a 3:40? It looks like they paced properly and got it. Their pacer, a guy named Greg, came in at 3:39 and change. So, maybe I should have just stayed with them.
Monday, October 16, 2006
Army Ten Miler Race Report
I know, I know. You, my faithful reader, are sick of all the running related posts. But, what did you expect? I spend as much time running and thinking about running as I do working or dealing with my family. So, bear with me, a few more running posts and then I might chill out for a bit.
So, a little over a week ago, I ran the Army Ten Miler. I signed up months ago with my friend Jon. We were going to run in the team competition, but we never got a fourth member on the team, so the team was disbanded and we ran as individuals in the "All Comers" group. This race was huge, something like 24,000 people registered for the event. I read that only 16,000 or so actually showed up, which seems like a heck of a lot of drop offs to me. Did those clowns not care that they paid $45 or more to run this thing? I don't get it and I wonder if the total registration numbers weren't inflated a bit to get some press and to pressure people to sign up quickly. At 24,000 people, they can claim that they are the largest 10 mile race in the US and the second largest in the world. In any case, as you can expect, a big race means a big pain in the ass for most runners. I'm not interested in going to a festival, but that is how these events often turn out. packet pick-up is always a chore since there is a limited amount time to get your stuff and they don't do race day pick-up, something that smaller races can handle. So, I had no choice but to waste time on a Saturday afternoon to go get a bib and the t-shirt for the race at some overcrowded hotel. And it was a waste. Parking was a bitch, the hotel was packed, and the t-shirt is fairly boring to look at. Not the ugliest one I've got, but not something I want to even wear on a plane when travelling home from a business trip. I thought the expo might be worthwhile, but I was wrong about that too. No good deals and a bunch of shitty idiots milling about, making it impossible to move or to find anything on sale. Ah, anyways. I got out of there, irritated and not particularly excited about the race. I wouldn't have even bothered to do any of this if there was any way to get my money back, but there wasn't.
The night before the race, I fell asleep early, but woke up at 2AM or so. And I couldn't get back to sleep. As it was, I planned on getting up around 5:30AM to drive to the race. I would have loved to take the Metro, but the wacky security that they'd set up for the race that disallowed runners to have cellphones, not to mention heart rate monitors and bottled water (fascist idiots), had me concerned that I'd have no way to contact anyone post-race to figure out what was going on. There were plans for a picnic at a nearby park, but I didn't want to just wing it and head over there without calling Audrey to make sure that the plan was still valid. In any case, I did catch a bit more sleep, but not enough to make much difference and then I was up and out of the house.
It was freaking cold. 50s maybe? Maybe 40s even? I didn't make any coffee (and no place was open at that time), so I grabbed my crap and headed out. I got to the parking garage in Pentagon City at 6:20AM or so. Race starts at 8AM, so I've got tons of time to kill. I hung out in the car for a bit, listening to the radio, before deciding to head over and check things out. Crowds were starting to form, but there wasn't much else to see. I hung out in the starting area, watching the parachuters come down and rubbing my legs together to try and stay warm. I didn't really prepare for the cold, so I only had shorts and a t-shirt on. Next time, I'll bring a black plastic garbage bag or something that I can ditch during the race.
It was a pretty cold and boring morning until the race started. Despite the wave start and the bib colors for general race paces, lots of people didn't listen and jammed the front. I got off fairly lucky, only having to wait a few minutes from when the gun went off until I passed the start. Some folks had to wait fifteen minutes or more. So, gun goes off and the throng lurches forward, slowly jogging as one, then suddenly stops. We start jogging again, slowly through the start, and then things pick up as the pack thins out a bit. The pack never really thinned out much over the ten miles. I spent the entire time dodging and jumping and sidestepping other runners to try and keep my pace and find room to run. It was very frustrating and I'm glad I didn't trip anyone or have anyone trip me.
I'm sure it was a scenic run, but I can't ever pay attention to the overall surroundings when I'm running, so I didn't see the Pentagon or enjoy running the bridges or look at the monuments or anything like that. It is a shame and kinds of makes it silly to keep running races in the city. If not for the sites, who cares where it is? I've enjoyed my regular runs much more, particularly those on the boardwalk in Jersey and the few runs I got to do out in Carmel-by-the-Sea.
I didn't intend to go crazy and push it, but I couldn't help things once I got started. I don't consider myself to be supercompetitive, but I just had to run as hard as I could that day. In truth, I think I could have run a bit faster, but I didn't rest up much and I took it easy for the first few miles. In the end, I crushed my previous PR for a 10 mile race, but I assumed I would considering all the training I've done since the Cherry Blossom 10 Miler.
Army Ten Miler Bib # 4725
Washington, DC
October 8, 2006, 8:00 am
Time: 1:16:42
Overall Place: 1942/15589
Gender Place: 1669/8970
Pace: 7:40
Moral of the story? After my marathon, I'm not doing any more giant races like this. Except the New York City Marathon and the Boston Marathon, of course. But, really, that is it.
So, a little over a week ago, I ran the Army Ten Miler. I signed up months ago with my friend Jon. We were going to run in the team competition, but we never got a fourth member on the team, so the team was disbanded and we ran as individuals in the "All Comers" group. This race was huge, something like 24,000 people registered for the event. I read that only 16,000 or so actually showed up, which seems like a heck of a lot of drop offs to me. Did those clowns not care that they paid $45 or more to run this thing? I don't get it and I wonder if the total registration numbers weren't inflated a bit to get some press and to pressure people to sign up quickly. At 24,000 people, they can claim that they are the largest 10 mile race in the US and the second largest in the world. In any case, as you can expect, a big race means a big pain in the ass for most runners. I'm not interested in going to a festival, but that is how these events often turn out. packet pick-up is always a chore since there is a limited amount time to get your stuff and they don't do race day pick-up, something that smaller races can handle. So, I had no choice but to waste time on a Saturday afternoon to go get a bib and the t-shirt for the race at some overcrowded hotel. And it was a waste. Parking was a bitch, the hotel was packed, and the t-shirt is fairly boring to look at. Not the ugliest one I've got, but not something I want to even wear on a plane when travelling home from a business trip. I thought the expo might be worthwhile, but I was wrong about that too. No good deals and a bunch of shitty idiots milling about, making it impossible to move or to find anything on sale. Ah, anyways. I got out of there, irritated and not particularly excited about the race. I wouldn't have even bothered to do any of this if there was any way to get my money back, but there wasn't.
The night before the race, I fell asleep early, but woke up at 2AM or so. And I couldn't get back to sleep. As it was, I planned on getting up around 5:30AM to drive to the race. I would have loved to take the Metro, but the wacky security that they'd set up for the race that disallowed runners to have cellphones, not to mention heart rate monitors and bottled water (fascist idiots), had me concerned that I'd have no way to contact anyone post-race to figure out what was going on. There were plans for a picnic at a nearby park, but I didn't want to just wing it and head over there without calling Audrey to make sure that the plan was still valid. In any case, I did catch a bit more sleep, but not enough to make much difference and then I was up and out of the house.
It was freaking cold. 50s maybe? Maybe 40s even? I didn't make any coffee (and no place was open at that time), so I grabbed my crap and headed out. I got to the parking garage in Pentagon City at 6:20AM or so. Race starts at 8AM, so I've got tons of time to kill. I hung out in the car for a bit, listening to the radio, before deciding to head over and check things out. Crowds were starting to form, but there wasn't much else to see. I hung out in the starting area, watching the parachuters come down and rubbing my legs together to try and stay warm. I didn't really prepare for the cold, so I only had shorts and a t-shirt on. Next time, I'll bring a black plastic garbage bag or something that I can ditch during the race.
It was a pretty cold and boring morning until the race started. Despite the wave start and the bib colors for general race paces, lots of people didn't listen and jammed the front. I got off fairly lucky, only having to wait a few minutes from when the gun went off until I passed the start. Some folks had to wait fifteen minutes or more. So, gun goes off and the throng lurches forward, slowly jogging as one, then suddenly stops. We start jogging again, slowly through the start, and then things pick up as the pack thins out a bit. The pack never really thinned out much over the ten miles. I spent the entire time dodging and jumping and sidestepping other runners to try and keep my pace and find room to run. It was very frustrating and I'm glad I didn't trip anyone or have anyone trip me.
I'm sure it was a scenic run, but I can't ever pay attention to the overall surroundings when I'm running, so I didn't see the Pentagon or enjoy running the bridges or look at the monuments or anything like that. It is a shame and kinds of makes it silly to keep running races in the city. If not for the sites, who cares where it is? I've enjoyed my regular runs much more, particularly those on the boardwalk in Jersey and the few runs I got to do out in Carmel-by-the-Sea.
I didn't intend to go crazy and push it, but I couldn't help things once I got started. I don't consider myself to be supercompetitive, but I just had to run as hard as I could that day. In truth, I think I could have run a bit faster, but I didn't rest up much and I took it easy for the first few miles. In the end, I crushed my previous PR for a 10 mile race, but I assumed I would considering all the training I've done since the Cherry Blossom 10 Miler.
Army Ten Miler Bib # 4725
Washington, DC
October 8, 2006, 8:00 am
Time: 1:16:42
Overall Place: 1942/15589
Gender Place: 1669/8970
Pace: 7:40
Moral of the story? After my marathon, I'm not doing any more giant races like this. Except the New York City Marathon and the Boston Marathon, of course. But, really, that is it.
Monday, September 11, 2006
Marathon Training Update
Anybody care really? Things are going well, all in all. I've run three 20 milers now and think my training is on track. Yesterday's run was rather hard, ending with me collapsing on the front lawn. But, I feel fine today. Two more big runs, the Army Ten Miler, and then it is time to start the taper. I've got time, but I can feel the marathon getting closer now. I am bit nervous, but I'm also really excited.
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