Long run today, 15 miles with Jack at 5:30am. Yesterday I did hills and I could feel it today, so it was a slow and easy pace. Followed the run with my usual shower at the YMCA, then Starbucks, then working at Below The Knee all day today.
2 things: 1, the shower I use at the YMCA is like a hot firehose of water, probably the best water pressure in town and this just voluminous cascade of hot water. Awesome. But 2, I did something really stupid lifting weights the last week in March and it still hurts. The next time I have a brilliant idea like that one, I'm going to attribute it to my Inner Dumbass and just dismiss it. What I did was bend over at the waist, holding 35-lb dumbells, and try to stretch out my hamstrings. What a f'ing idiot move. I immediately sensed that I had done something to my back and stopped, but I've had pain in my lower back ever since then. This morning it was as bad as ever... I thought last week that I had healed.
I will do some swimming this week and I bet that will fix it.
Some races are coming up: The Celebrity Classic 5k on April 19th, then the Midtown Classic on April 26th.
Also, Jeff Galloway is holding a clinic at Below The Knee on April 10th at 6:30PM.
All this information and details about ALL the upcoming local races are available on the Columbus Roadrunners website.
Showing posts with label long runs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label long runs. Show all posts
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Sunday, March 02, 2008
Albany Marathon
The Snickers marathon was my 2nd marathon and my 1st 'real' marathon. I ran the Columbus Red Nose Marathon on January 5th pretty much by myself. I had finished lots of 20 mile runs before that and did the Red Nose in 4:23:23, which was about what I expected. My goal was to do the Red Nose as a marathon-length long, easy run. I just wanted a baseline marathon time at a comfortable pace.
I chose the Snickers Marathon because it was close and because it got some good reviews on Marathonguide.com. Having read the reviews and now having run the course, I'm extremely glad that I chose this marathon. It was just small enough (371 in the full, 386 for the half marathon)that I didn't feel crowded, but big enough so that I was never running by myself. Every intersection had volunteers, the aid stations were every 2 miles and well-stocked with both water and Gatorade, and there were lots of people cheering at nearly every intersection on the course. The race director did a great job. I will definitely do this race again next year!
So anyway, I had between January 6th and February 29 to train up for this one. I got in a 12 and 3 20-mile runs, then another 12 the Saturday before the race. I'm a slow, steady plodding runner and my average pace on long runs is about 9:20. On my last 20-mile run my pace was 9:11. So I got to thinking, after that run, why not try to break 4 hours since my long run pace, like a lot of beginners, is eerily similar to my marathon pace.
One of my goals was to lose some weight between the Red Nose Marathon and the Snickers Marathon. I swam, I lifted, I did my usual thing... didn't gain or lose a single pound. I stayed right at 180 lbs. A bit heavy.
A friend and I drove to Albany on Friday and picked up the race packets. Drove back home that night, ate some dinner and was asleep by 9. I woke up at 3, like usual, and ate a Power Bar and drank some water. Then it was a couple cups of coffee... and some more coffee at the Circle K for the road. I met John at Below The Knee at 4:45am, we headed out and got to the race about 6:15. Plenty of time to loosen up, use the porta potties, stretch, check things out, make last minute adjustments or whatever. It was 44° at the start and the forecast was 57° at 11am. I wore shorts, a sleeveless tech tshirt, throwaway gloves, and a cap. I also wore my fuel belt, so I had 4 10-oz bottles and a flask of Hammer gel.
The first 4 miles were a bit fast for me but I settled in pretty well. At about mile 4, I started to run beside a kid named Adam. We didn't talk or anything, but at mile 6 I noticed that he wasn't drinking when we passed the water stops. I told him to start drinking right away, otherwise it would catch up to him later. The first 8 miles or so were kind of boring, just long stretches along the major roads in Albany, but then it turned in to the residential areas. Very scenic and lots and lots of people cheering on the runners. The race support was fantastic- every single intersection had support for the runners. Adam and I just kept trucking along at about a 9 minute per mile pace. He started hydrating pretty good and looked like he was in good shape. I felt fine, just trying to stay at a 9:00 pace. I used the Hammer Gel every 30 minutes, just as I had done on dozens of 20 mile runs, drank the CeraSport from my bottles, listened to us and other runners' footsteps, and tried to stay on track.
To cut to the chase, at mile 25 we were still very much right on track and I told him to kick it in to the finish... he asked about me, and I said "dude, this is my sprint". So he took off and I see where he hit 3:59:00 almost exactly. Good run for him. I watched him take off, then glanced at my watch, freaked out, and started my other sprint pace, the one that was probably about an 8:40 pace... but to me it was a sprint...and crossed the finish line still looking at my watch. Dang if I was going to do all of that and then get a 4:00:01 or something.
I talked to Adam afterwards and told him thanks for keeping me motivated during the race.
mile 10 01:29:44 8:59
mile 13.1 01:58:03 9:01
mile 20 03:01:29 9:05
finish 03:59:41 9:10
Marathon website Results
So, I'm glad I hit the pace I was shooting for and ended up with a 3:59:41... the fuel belt, Hammer Gel etc definitely helped me a lot. I didn't bonk at all, and only experienced major pain when I tried to sprint in to the finish. I have a feeling that when the photos are available, my finish line photo will show me fiddling with my watch.
Right now my plan is to work off all my soreness and then figure out what's the next thing up... probably the Ft Benning Reverse Sprint Triathlon in May.
I chose the Snickers Marathon because it was close and because it got some good reviews on Marathonguide.com. Having read the reviews and now having run the course, I'm extremely glad that I chose this marathon. It was just small enough (371 in the full, 386 for the half marathon)that I didn't feel crowded, but big enough so that I was never running by myself. Every intersection had volunteers, the aid stations were every 2 miles and well-stocked with both water and Gatorade, and there were lots of people cheering at nearly every intersection on the course. The race director did a great job. I will definitely do this race again next year!
So anyway, I had between January 6th and February 29 to train up for this one. I got in a 12 and 3 20-mile runs, then another 12 the Saturday before the race. I'm a slow, steady plodding runner and my average pace on long runs is about 9:20. On my last 20-mile run my pace was 9:11. So I got to thinking, after that run, why not try to break 4 hours since my long run pace, like a lot of beginners, is eerily similar to my marathon pace.
One of my goals was to lose some weight between the Red Nose Marathon and the Snickers Marathon. I swam, I lifted, I did my usual thing... didn't gain or lose a single pound. I stayed right at 180 lbs. A bit heavy.
A friend and I drove to Albany on Friday and picked up the race packets. Drove back home that night, ate some dinner and was asleep by 9. I woke up at 3, like usual, and ate a Power Bar and drank some water. Then it was a couple cups of coffee... and some more coffee at the Circle K for the road. I met John at Below The Knee at 4:45am, we headed out and got to the race about 6:15. Plenty of time to loosen up, use the porta potties, stretch, check things out, make last minute adjustments or whatever. It was 44° at the start and the forecast was 57° at 11am. I wore shorts, a sleeveless tech tshirt, throwaway gloves, and a cap. I also wore my fuel belt, so I had 4 10-oz bottles and a flask of Hammer gel.
The first 4 miles were a bit fast for me but I settled in pretty well. At about mile 4, I started to run beside a kid named Adam. We didn't talk or anything, but at mile 6 I noticed that he wasn't drinking when we passed the water stops. I told him to start drinking right away, otherwise it would catch up to him later. The first 8 miles or so were kind of boring, just long stretches along the major roads in Albany, but then it turned in to the residential areas. Very scenic and lots and lots of people cheering on the runners. The race support was fantastic- every single intersection had support for the runners. Adam and I just kept trucking along at about a 9 minute per mile pace. He started hydrating pretty good and looked like he was in good shape. I felt fine, just trying to stay at a 9:00 pace. I used the Hammer Gel every 30 minutes, just as I had done on dozens of 20 mile runs, drank the CeraSport from my bottles, listened to us and other runners' footsteps, and tried to stay on track.
To cut to the chase, at mile 25 we were still very much right on track and I told him to kick it in to the finish... he asked about me, and I said "dude, this is my sprint". So he took off and I see where he hit 3:59:00 almost exactly. Good run for him. I watched him take off, then glanced at my watch, freaked out, and started my other sprint pace, the one that was probably about an 8:40 pace... but to me it was a sprint...and crossed the finish line still looking at my watch. Dang if I was going to do all of that and then get a 4:00:01 or something.
I talked to Adam afterwards and told him thanks for keeping me motivated during the race.
mile 10 01:29:44 8:59
mile 13.1 01:58:03 9:01
mile 20 03:01:29 9:05
finish 03:59:41 9:10
Marathon website Results
So, I'm glad I hit the pace I was shooting for and ended up with a 3:59:41... the fuel belt, Hammer Gel etc definitely helped me a lot. I didn't bonk at all, and only experienced major pain when I tried to sprint in to the finish. I have a feeling that when the photos are available, my finish line photo will show me fiddling with my watch.
Right now my plan is to work off all my soreness and then figure out what's the next thing up... probably the Ft Benning Reverse Sprint Triathlon in May.
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Saturday
20.1 mile run early, last long run before I do the Albany Marathon. 9:14 avg pace, comfortable. If I could stay at 9:08 or so for Albany I'd be very, very happy :-)
Saturday very busy at Below The Knee with lots & lots of runners coming in, including many from military schools on Fort Benning who were complaining of shin splints. Shin splints can be very painful & they are definitely the last thing you want if you're trying to complete a military course like BOLC II or OCS, since the runs & distances are all mandatory and the typical treatments for shin splints (rest, lower your mileage, ice, etc) can't be used. You just basically have to suck it up, do the best you can, and try to get better so that you can complete the course without getting recycled or worse.
The web has some great information about shin splints. Here is where I'd start- these are the places I've gone to get information:
1. The Shin Splints Injury Forum in Runner's World online forums has lots of real world examples of ways to treat shin splints.
2. There's an excellent article in Sports Injury Bulletin that is full of stretches & exercises to help treat shin splints.
3. Finally, here's a guide to taping your shins.
Saturday very busy at Below The Knee with lots & lots of runners coming in, including many from military schools on Fort Benning who were complaining of shin splints. Shin splints can be very painful & they are definitely the last thing you want if you're trying to complete a military course like BOLC II or OCS, since the runs & distances are all mandatory and the typical treatments for shin splints (rest, lower your mileage, ice, etc) can't be used. You just basically have to suck it up, do the best you can, and try to get better so that you can complete the course without getting recycled or worse.
The web has some great information about shin splints. Here is where I'd start- these are the places I've gone to get information:
1. The Shin Splints Injury Forum in Runner's World online forums has lots of real world examples of ways to treat shin splints.
2. There's an excellent article in Sports Injury Bulletin that is full of stretches & exercises to help treat shin splints.
3. Finally, here's a guide to taping your shins.
Saturday, February 09, 2008
Saturday - Long Run
5:30 am, Riverwalk... 20.5 miles. Got finished at 8:45 so it was, again, around a 9:33 pace for my long run. Yesterday I ran at lunch from North Marina through Bibb City to just about the 'homeless shelter' area, and back, which meant that I did a fairly hilly course. I could feel it today...
No big deal though. Went to the YMCA after the run, showered, made it to Starbucks... then home to grab some stuff & then to Below The Knee. Lots of runners in today, so it was a fun day to work there. We have some new Brooks Adrenalines & Glycerins in, and they always sell really fast.
Probably do a couple of laps around Lake Heath tomorrow afternoon.
-Mike
No big deal though. Went to the YMCA after the run, showered, made it to Starbucks... then home to grab some stuff & then to Below The Knee. Lots of runners in today, so it was a fun day to work there. We have some new Brooks Adrenalines & Glycerins in, and they always sell really fast.
Probably do a couple of laps around Lake Heath tomorrow afternoon.
-Mike
Saturday, February 02, 2008
Saturday - Long Run Day
31° this morning at 5:30am... so I ended up running from the River Club to Fort Benning & back, by myself, for 20.5 miles @9:29 pace. I wanted to take it easy and test my foot out, and it felt good throughout the run. I think it's OK, but I'll keep using the insoles for awhile anyway, just in case.
I did renew my membership in the Columbus Roadrunners today. I didn't run in the Super Bowl 5K , but I went by the race after my run.
let's see...
I'd like to drop from 179 lbs down to about 175 by the end of February.
I got a new pair of swim goggles on Friday afternoon... can hardly wait to test them out in the pool on Monday. Photos & a review soon. It's funny how I swim so much, but have gone through a bunch of $8 goggles. I have used the Speedo Sprint & the Speedo Ultra anti-fog for years and years. My pair of Speedo Sprint is scratched and can barely seal now, so I needed some new ones badly. I fall into a rut of just using the same thing over and over. So these are new, and more expensive, and I'm excited to try them out.
I think I'll run a couple of laps around Lake Heath tomorrow after work, so I'll wind up w/ 44.3 miles for the week.
I did renew my membership in the Columbus Roadrunners today. I didn't run in the Super Bowl 5K , but I went by the race after my run.
let's see...
I'd like to drop from 179 lbs down to about 175 by the end of February.
I got a new pair of swim goggles on Friday afternoon... can hardly wait to test them out in the pool on Monday. Photos & a review soon. It's funny how I swim so much, but have gone through a bunch of $8 goggles. I have used the Speedo Sprint & the Speedo Ultra anti-fog for years and years. My pair of Speedo Sprint is scratched and can barely seal now, so I needed some new ones badly. I fall into a rut of just using the same thing over and over. So these are new, and more expensive, and I'm excited to try them out.
I think I'll run a couple of laps around Lake Heath tomorrow after work, so I'll wind up w/ 44.3 miles for the week.
Friday, February 01, 2008
Thursday
Didn't get to do anything at lunch, so I ended up running once I got home, around 6:45 pm. It was 43° (felt like 35°, according to weather.com), and a little breezy, but I dressed appropriately. A few raindrops, but a nice run nevertheless. Went a different route so I could get hills, so it was probably 5.9 miles instead of 6.05 or whatever (I wasn't wearing the Garmin, lesson learned).
My foot is feeling much better. I've been using my old, tried-and-true Sorbothane rigid arch insoles religiously, moving them from one shoe to another starting when I get out of bed in the morning, and it's making a difference. At first I could literally feel a tendon or something snapping every time I took a step with my right foot, right in the arch area.
I'll run probably 3 or 4 miles on Friday, then go for a 20 mile run on Saturday morning. Saturday will be the test, for sure. I'm just gonna take it slow and easy and see how my foot feels. It's supposed to be clear and cold (31°) on Saturday morning.
My foot is feeling much better. I've been using my old, tried-and-true Sorbothane rigid arch insoles religiously, moving them from one shoe to another starting when I get out of bed in the morning, and it's making a difference. At first I could literally feel a tendon or something snapping every time I took a step with my right foot, right in the arch area.
I'll run probably 3 or 4 miles on Friday, then go for a 20 mile run on Saturday morning. Saturday will be the test, for sure. I'm just gonna take it slow and easy and see how my foot feels. It's supposed to be clear and cold (31°) on Saturday morning.
Saturday, January 05, 2008
Saturday - Long Run Day - Red Nose Marathon
Today is sort of an unusual day for a couple of reasons. First, I ran the Columbus Red Nose Marathon and second, today is my longest run since 1982, when I was a Second Lieutenant in the Army.
I've been doing 20 mile runs for a while now and just figured that 26 would be OK as long as I kept to my normal long run pace, which is about 9:45 when I do 20 mile runs. I really enjoy my long runs, so I was pretty excited about tacking on an extra 6 or so miles.
So my time wasn't great, 4:23:23, but I'm running tomorrow again and will do a 20-miler with a friend this coming weekend in preparation for the Snickers Albany Marathon in March.
It was still very enjoyable, my knees didn't hurt, and I didn't have any major pain at all until mile 25 when I stepped on a rock or something. That sucked. But I was back at the car shortly after that, then I was taking a hot shower at the YMCA, and now I'm working and trying to sneak some chips & salsa in between customers.
One of the coolest moments on the run today was when I had crossed onto Fort Benning, just past Oxbow Meadows, at about 6:45am, and 2 Army guys wearing full gear came out of the mist just across the long wooden bridge. I was able to say hello & find out they were Army Lieutenants getting ready to attend Ranger School & doing a 12 mile ruck march to prepare. I said 'hooah' and ran past them. Very motivating. I got my tab with Ranger Class 8-88... seems like a very long time ago.
So anyway, that's my day so far. An invigorating 26.2 mile run, then working until 6. Man am I hungry!
I'll run 3-4 miles tomorrow and then it's back to the normal routine next week.
I've been doing 20 mile runs for a while now and just figured that 26 would be OK as long as I kept to my normal long run pace, which is about 9:45 when I do 20 mile runs. I really enjoy my long runs, so I was pretty excited about tacking on an extra 6 or so miles.
So my time wasn't great, 4:23:23, but I'm running tomorrow again and will do a 20-miler with a friend this coming weekend in preparation for the Snickers Albany Marathon in March.
It was still very enjoyable, my knees didn't hurt, and I didn't have any major pain at all until mile 25 when I stepped on a rock or something. That sucked. But I was back at the car shortly after that, then I was taking a hot shower at the YMCA, and now I'm working and trying to sneak some chips & salsa in between customers.
One of the coolest moments on the run today was when I had crossed onto Fort Benning, just past Oxbow Meadows, at about 6:45am, and 2 Army guys wearing full gear came out of the mist just across the long wooden bridge. I was able to say hello & find out they were Army Lieutenants getting ready to attend Ranger School & doing a 12 mile ruck march to prepare. I said 'hooah' and ran past them. Very motivating. I got my tab with Ranger Class 8-88... seems like a very long time ago.
So anyway, that's my day so far. An invigorating 26.2 mile run, then working until 6. Man am I hungry!
I'll run 3-4 miles tomorrow and then it's back to the normal routine next week.
Saturday, December 29, 2007
Saturday - Long Run
The holidays are just killing me. That and the weather. I ran three times this week, 6,6, and 12 for a measly 24 miles. I did get to the weight room a couple of times and I did swim a couple of times... so I maintained my place. But I'm not in better shape than I was a week ago, and that's always the goal.
so 12 miles this morning. Next Saturday I'm still planning to do a 26.2 mile training run. I did some 20's and then a 12 today, so if I run a couple of times next week I should have no trouble. I'm still planning to do the Snickers Marathon Bar marathon in Albany on March 1st, so this run is just part of my training for that event.
so 12 miles this morning. Next Saturday I'm still planning to do a 26.2 mile training run. I did some 20's and then a 12 today, so if I run a couple of times next week I should have no trouble. I'm still planning to do the Snickers Marathon Bar marathon in Albany on March 1st, so this run is just part of my training for that event.
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