The last few days before the SF Marathon, I definitely didn't feel ready to run 26.2 miles. I didn't feel particularly strong, or fast or rested. I also still had little nagging aches and pains from training. I've read it's common to feel like your fitness is slipping away during the taper period. I didn't let this bother me and focused on my plan for race day. I wasn't particularly worried about the event, since I knew I trained well for it. I slept well at night until the final night before the event. My supervisor at work agreed to let me come in an hour later the week of the event which added an extra hour of rest for the 5 previous workdays. Thanks again Quintana! The night before the event, I only slept a few hours. Nervous energy kept me up late, and then I wide awake again at 3:00. I had set my alarm for 3:30, so I went ahead and got up. I had coffee and a light breakfast. I also continued to consume fluids to assure I was completely hydrated for the start.
We arrived at the starting area shortly after 5:00. Tina was a trooper and woke up at the crack of dawn to delivery me to the starting line. Thank you Tina! I immediately queued up in the very long lines for the portapoties. 20 minutes later it was my turn. Unfortunately, getting up at the crack of dawn, threw off my bodies timing, so no go. I next stood in line to drop off my sweats. 10 minutes before the start of my wave, I was ready to race... except that now the coffee had worked it's magic and I had to go now. I reluctantly got back in the 20-minute line for the portapoties. As a result I missed my wave's start (the SF Marathon starts in waves). I had planned to run with one of my training partners, Jim "The Energizer Bunny". That plan was scraped as I heard my wave start. Once I had the opportunity to take care of business, I trotted over to the starting line. I just made the tail end of the next wave start. And so then begins my 1st Marathon!
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
A minute or two after finishing...
Thanks to Kim for snapping a quick photo soon after my finish. In case it's not obvious, I wasn't quite a happy camper yet!
Monday, August 4, 2008
Success!
Well, yesterday I competed in my first Marathon. I completed the challenging San Francisco Marathon with an official time of 4:01:19.
I also may have run my first Marathon, on the challenging San Francisco Marathon course, in a time of 3:58:09!
More on the discrepancy between these two times, and lots more about my exciting day, in a later post...
I also may have run my first Marathon, on the challenging San Francisco Marathon course, in a time of 3:58:09!
More on the discrepancy between these two times, and lots more about my exciting day, in a later post...
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
5 days to go / 600 miles of training / "taper madness"!
Well, 5 days to go! I had a short 5 mile run yesterday and felt pretty good. I think I'm ready!
With yesterday's run I've now logged over 600 miles of running since February 12th, 2008. That's enough mileage to wear out two pairs of running shoes. That's all the way to Los Angeles... and half way back again...;)
I've been experiencing a bit of "taper madness". I've been alternating between excitement and complete dread of this weekend's event. At times I feel like I'm going to have a great run; at other times I'm worried that I'm going to totally choke and have a miserable last 6 miles... I had one day last week where I was depressed and in a foul mood all day. After my run that evening, everything was totally fine again. From what I've read, this is all very typical. Here is one of the more amusing descriptions of "taper madness" that I've read:
http://www.runrichmond.com/id33.html
I feel totally confident in my ability to get my self to the 20-mile mark at an average pace between 8:40-8:59 per mile. It's that last 6.2 miles that are the great unknown. But then that's what running a Marathon is all about. Essentially these hundreds of miles of running and months of training are all just to experience that last 6.2 miles. The two big challenges are to have the endurance to keep running at my goal pace for beyond the 3-hour mark and to continue running once my muscles are depleted of fuel.
For my weight, I'll burn thru over 3600 calories during this event. Our muscles and liver have the capacity to store much less than that in the form of easy to use Glycogen. Most of the rest with have to be converted from fat stores. The point in a Marathon when your muscles are depleted of Glycogen is where runners hit the the infamous "wall". Continuing to run after this point is significantly harder as your body chemistry conspires with your mind and body to get you to stop. I'll consume 300-400 calories during the race in the form of Gu energy gel, which should help ease that transition somewhat. During my long training runs, I purposely consumed less calories than I will in the Marathon. My goal was to force my body to convert fat stores into fuel. It made for some tough running in the last few miles of my long training run, but hopefully it will pay off this weekend!
With yesterday's run I've now logged over 600 miles of running since February 12th, 2008. That's enough mileage to wear out two pairs of running shoes. That's all the way to Los Angeles... and half way back again...;)
I've been experiencing a bit of "taper madness". I've been alternating between excitement and complete dread of this weekend's event. At times I feel like I'm going to have a great run; at other times I'm worried that I'm going to totally choke and have a miserable last 6 miles... I had one day last week where I was depressed and in a foul mood all day. After my run that evening, everything was totally fine again. From what I've read, this is all very typical. Here is one of the more amusing descriptions of "taper madness" that I've read:
http://www.runrichmond.com/id33.html
I feel totally confident in my ability to get my self to the 20-mile mark at an average pace between 8:40-8:59 per mile. It's that last 6.2 miles that are the great unknown. But then that's what running a Marathon is all about. Essentially these hundreds of miles of running and months of training are all just to experience that last 6.2 miles. The two big challenges are to have the endurance to keep running at my goal pace for beyond the 3-hour mark and to continue running once my muscles are depleted of fuel.
For my weight, I'll burn thru over 3600 calories during this event. Our muscles and liver have the capacity to store much less than that in the form of easy to use Glycogen. Most of the rest with have to be converted from fat stores. The point in a Marathon when your muscles are depleted of Glycogen is where runners hit the the infamous "wall". Continuing to run after this point is significantly harder as your body chemistry conspires with your mind and body to get you to stop. I'll consume 300-400 calories during the race in the form of Gu energy gel, which should help ease that transition somewhat. During my long training runs, I purposely consumed less calories than I will in the Marathon. My goal was to force my body to convert fat stores into fuel. It made for some tough running in the last few miles of my long training run, but hopefully it will pay off this weekend!
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
21-mile run: final long run and now the "taper"
Saturday I put in my longest run this year, 21 miles along Alameda Creek in Fremont. This was a very flat run and mostly on dirt trails. It was overcast most of the morning and cool, perfect for our longest training run.
I was a little apprehensive going into this run since I was feeling pretty beat up from the previous week's workouts. As it turned out it was fine. I ran with Jim and Nina from the LMJ&S most of the way. Jim and I ran the first 19-20 miles at a pace between 9:18 and 9:36 minutes per mile. Nina kept up with us for the first 12 miles and then settled into a slightly slower (and more appropriate for her) pace. Nina's a trooper - she's going to do great - she just jumps right into to these challenging runs without hesitation. Great job Nina!
Myself, I hit the wall at right around 20 miles and slowed down significantly for the last mile - maybe 10:30 pace or so. Jim still seemed to be in good shape and continued on at a good clip. Jim has been training longer than I and putting lots more mileage. I often hit a wall at the very end of our longest runs while he just powers on, hence my nickname for him, "The Energizer Bunny". He's going to do great in the Marathon. I'm confident about the first 20 miles, my hope is that I'm able to keep up with Jim in the final 6 miles...
I purposely ate less on this run than I will in the Marathon, forcing my body to convert fat stores for fuel for that last mile or so. It makes for tough running, but I'm hoping a will benefit in the Marathon.
If you haven't run distances of 16 to 20 miles or more, there is a physiological difference from running shorter distances. It's always a challenge to run longer than you have previously, but with distances of 16-20 or more, your muscles run out of Glycogen and your body then has to depend on converting fat stores for fuel. This is much less efficient and so most people experience a dramatic amount of fatigue. That's what occurring when Marathon runners hit the notorious "wall". My intention was to force my body to burn fat stores for fuel instead of allowing it to consume carbohydrates from an energy gel. One of the goals in Marathon training is to get your body more efficient at converting fat stores. I probably consumed about 70 calories from part of a Clif bar on this run, during the Marathon I expect to consume more like 400 calories from energy gels in the final 2/3 of the event. Hopefully, I'll experience fatigue late in the main event, but not hit a dramatic wall with miles to go. You can read more about "the wall" on wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marathon_(sport)#Glycogen_and_.22the_wall.22
I had a few concerning aches show up late in this run. The shoes I ran in are about worn out and probably weren't the right shoes anyway. I picked up a new pair of running shoes that I'll train in for the next few weeks, and race in if there are no problems. My legs are typically hurting towards the end of these long runs. Hopefully I won't run into any serious problems in the later stages of the Marathon.
All and all I'm pleased with how my training has gone. I'm definitly stronger than a month or two ago and relatively injury-free. I'm happy with how this run went, particularly since I didn't feel rested and fully recovered at the start. I now have 3 weeks of the "taper" period and then the race on August 3rd. The taper is the period before the Marathon where one reduces their mileage and rests up for the race. 3 weeks seems like a long time, but pretty standard. Ok, that's it for now...
More to come!
I was a little apprehensive going into this run since I was feeling pretty beat up from the previous week's workouts. As it turned out it was fine. I ran with Jim and Nina from the LMJ&S most of the way. Jim and I ran the first 19-20 miles at a pace between 9:18 and 9:36 minutes per mile. Nina kept up with us for the first 12 miles and then settled into a slightly slower (and more appropriate for her) pace. Nina's a trooper - she's going to do great - she just jumps right into to these challenging runs without hesitation. Great job Nina!
Myself, I hit the wall at right around 20 miles and slowed down significantly for the last mile - maybe 10:30 pace or so. Jim still seemed to be in good shape and continued on at a good clip. Jim has been training longer than I and putting lots more mileage. I often hit a wall at the very end of our longest runs while he just powers on, hence my nickname for him, "The Energizer Bunny". He's going to do great in the Marathon. I'm confident about the first 20 miles, my hope is that I'm able to keep up with Jim in the final 6 miles...
I purposely ate less on this run than I will in the Marathon, forcing my body to convert fat stores for fuel for that last mile or so. It makes for tough running, but I'm hoping a will benefit in the Marathon.
If you haven't run distances of 16 to 20 miles or more, there is a physiological difference from running shorter distances. It's always a challenge to run longer than you have previously, but with distances of 16-20 or more, your muscles run out of Glycogen and your body then has to depend on converting fat stores for fuel. This is much less efficient and so most people experience a dramatic amount of fatigue. That's what occurring when Marathon runners hit the notorious "wall". My intention was to force my body to burn fat stores for fuel instead of allowing it to consume carbohydrates from an energy gel. One of the goals in Marathon training is to get your body more efficient at converting fat stores. I probably consumed about 70 calories from part of a Clif bar on this run, during the Marathon I expect to consume more like 400 calories from energy gels in the final 2/3 of the event. Hopefully, I'll experience fatigue late in the main event, but not hit a dramatic wall with miles to go. You can read more about "the wall" on wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marathon_(sport)#Glycogen_and_.22the_wall.22
I had a few concerning aches show up late in this run. The shoes I ran in are about worn out and probably weren't the right shoes anyway. I picked up a new pair of running shoes that I'll train in for the next few weeks, and race in if there are no problems. My legs are typically hurting towards the end of these long runs. Hopefully I won't run into any serious problems in the later stages of the Marathon.
All and all I'm pleased with how my training has gone. I'm definitly stronger than a month or two ago and relatively injury-free. I'm happy with how this run went, particularly since I didn't feel rested and fully recovered at the start. I now have 3 weeks of the "taper" period and then the race on August 3rd. The taper is the period before the Marathon where one reduces their mileage and rests up for the race. 3 weeks seems like a long time, but pretty standard. Ok, that's it for now...
More to come!
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
20-Mile run
Saturday morning I knocked out my longest run thus far this year: 20.3 miles. That's about 3 hours and 20 minutes of non-stop running...
I met early Saturday morning with a few people from my training group. Jim, the "Energizer Bunny", was out of town. I ran with Kenny from our club whom I hadn't met before, and Nina who is new to the club. Kenny has run Marathons in 43 of the 50 states, and is working on completing Marathons in all 50 states! I believe he normally trains at a faster pace than we ran Saturday, but he was nice enough to run with Nina and I for the entire distance. Thanks for the company Kenny!
Nina was amazing. This will be her first Marathon. Two weeks ago her longest run was 12 miles. Last week I believe she ran 16 miles and then 19 miles on Saturday. Big jumps in mileage like that are tough. She not only put in a solid 19-mile run, but at approximately 10-minute/mile pace, which is faster than her normal training pace - great job Nina!
My 20-mile run was at right around 10-minute mile pace - perfect for a long training run. Even though I had put in a fairly quick 8-mile run 2 days earlier, this run felt comfortable. 2 days later, I put in another 9-mile run and other than feeling a little beat-up from all the mileage, that run felt fine as well. I think I should be ready on race-day. Other than a few minor aches and pains, I seem to be free from injury. Next Saturday will be my longest training run of 22 miles, and then 3 weeks of "tapering off" in preparation for the marathon on August 3rd. Stay tuned!
I met early Saturday morning with a few people from my training group. Jim, the "Energizer Bunny", was out of town. I ran with Kenny from our club whom I hadn't met before, and Nina who is new to the club. Kenny has run Marathons in 43 of the 50 states, and is working on completing Marathons in all 50 states! I believe he normally trains at a faster pace than we ran Saturday, but he was nice enough to run with Nina and I for the entire distance. Thanks for the company Kenny!
Nina was amazing. This will be her first Marathon. Two weeks ago her longest run was 12 miles. Last week I believe she ran 16 miles and then 19 miles on Saturday. Big jumps in mileage like that are tough. She not only put in a solid 19-mile run, but at approximately 10-minute/mile pace, which is faster than her normal training pace - great job Nina!
My 20-mile run was at right around 10-minute mile pace - perfect for a long training run. Even though I had put in a fairly quick 8-mile run 2 days earlier, this run felt comfortable. 2 days later, I put in another 9-mile run and other than feeling a little beat-up from all the mileage, that run felt fine as well. I think I should be ready on race-day. Other than a few minor aches and pains, I seem to be free from injury. Next Saturday will be my longest training run of 22 miles, and then 3 weeks of "tapering off" in preparation for the marathon on August 3rd. Stay tuned!
Friday, July 4, 2008
17-mile run... at sub-Marathon pace!
On June 28th I put in a 17-mile run in and around San Francisco. My Marathon training group met at The Sports Basement in San Francisco, which happens to be on the route of the S.F. Marathon next month. Jim, the "Energizer Bunny", and I met up early with another Marathon runner, Francisco, since the three of us were putting in a longer run than the rest of our traing group (most of my training group are training to run the Half Marathon).
Francisco is a younger, faster and an experienced Marathon runner. Jim and and ran with him for a few miles, but then he took off. Francisco was going for a long easy run of ~22 miles at a "leisurely" 8-minute mile pace - a lot faster than Jim and I. Jim and I are hoping to run the Marathon at right around 9-minute/mile pace, so we should be training at a pace even slower than that... Francisco: thanks for running a few slow miles with us old, slow guys!
Jim and I ran about 4 miles from Crissy Fields towards the starting line of the upcoming Marathon and then turned around to head back to Crissy Fields. Once back at The Sports Basement, we met up with the main group to join them for the rest of our run.
A large group of us ran up to and then across the Golden Gate Bridge. Jim and I kept up with a pair of faster runners whom I hadn't met before. We followed them down to Fort baker, under the bridge and then back to Crissey Fields. For extra measure, Jim added a quick detour around the lagoon before returning to our starting point. Even though I was totally beat, I felt compelled to follow him.
Once I returned home, I mapped out our run and checked my running time. I was surprised to discover that Jim and I had completed a solid 17-mile run at just under 9-minutes per mile. This is faster than our goal pace for the Marathon and faster than recommended for a long training run. On the other hand, it's empowering to have knocked out approximately 2/3 of the Marathon distance at faster than our target pace!
Francisco is a younger, faster and an experienced Marathon runner. Jim and and ran with him for a few miles, but then he took off. Francisco was going for a long easy run of ~22 miles at a "leisurely" 8-minute mile pace - a lot faster than Jim and I. Jim and I are hoping to run the Marathon at right around 9-minute/mile pace, so we should be training at a pace even slower than that... Francisco: thanks for running a few slow miles with us old, slow guys!
Jim and I ran about 4 miles from Crissy Fields towards the starting line of the upcoming Marathon and then turned around to head back to Crissy Fields. Once back at The Sports Basement, we met up with the main group to join them for the rest of our run.
A large group of us ran up to and then across the Golden Gate Bridge. Jim and I kept up with a pair of faster runners whom I hadn't met before. We followed them down to Fort baker, under the bridge and then back to Crissey Fields. For extra measure, Jim added a quick detour around the lagoon before returning to our starting point. Even though I was totally beat, I felt compelled to follow him.
Once I returned home, I mapped out our run and checked my running time. I was surprised to discover that Jim and I had completed a solid 17-mile run at just under 9-minutes per mile. This is faster than our goal pace for the Marathon and faster than recommended for a long training run. On the other hand, it's empowering to have knocked out approximately 2/3 of the Marathon distance at faster than our target pace!
Monday, June 30, 2008
Attempted 18 mile run on 6/21 ---> meltdown!
I attempted what was supposed to be my longest run thus far this year on 6/21. Things didn't quite work out as planned!
I mapped out a 18 mile run in Wildcat Canyon. I made a few mistakes planning this run: I underestimated how steep the hills were, I underestimated how much water I'd consume in 10 miles and I got a late start...
It was hot this day and I really should have started running around 7. As it turns out I didn't get started until almost 9 - oopsie! It was quite warm out there between 10:30 and 11 - right around the time I ran out of water! The route I planned took me on trails I haven't run before. I knew they were probably hilly, but they were a lot tougher than I had planned. The first real hill was Belgum Trail. It was a steep climb of ~320' in just over 1/2 mile. I ran up this hill thinking it would be the worst I see this day. Unfortunately once I hit San Pablo ridge trail, I had a ridiculously steep climb for the next 1/4-1/2 mile... The plan was for a relatively flat run this day...oopsie!
The route I mapped out did not have water available after about ~2.5 miles out until the 12-mile mark. Unfortuantly out in the sun, running on a hot day, the liter of water I carried with me ran out around mile 9. By mile 12 I wasn't feeling so good - oopsie again!
By the time I made it back to a water source around the 12-mile mark, I was pretty cooked. I kept running until ~mile 16-17, and then I just walked the rest of the way - I was done!
Hopefully, I learned my leason and will stick to flatter courses on the days I'm trying to increase my mileage! Oh, and to make sure I have enough water... Oh, and to remember that I melt in the heat!
I mapped out a 18 mile run in Wildcat Canyon. I made a few mistakes planning this run: I underestimated how steep the hills were, I underestimated how much water I'd consume in 10 miles and I got a late start...
It was hot this day and I really should have started running around 7. As it turns out I didn't get started until almost 9 - oopsie! It was quite warm out there between 10:30 and 11 - right around the time I ran out of water! The route I planned took me on trails I haven't run before. I knew they were probably hilly, but they were a lot tougher than I had planned. The first real hill was Belgum Trail. It was a steep climb of ~320' in just over 1/2 mile. I ran up this hill thinking it would be the worst I see this day. Unfortunately once I hit San Pablo ridge trail, I had a ridiculously steep climb for the next 1/4-1/2 mile... The plan was for a relatively flat run this day...oopsie!
The route I mapped out did not have water available after about ~2.5 miles out until the 12-mile mark. Unfortuantly out in the sun, running on a hot day, the liter of water I carried with me ran out around mile 9. By mile 12 I wasn't feeling so good - oopsie again!
By the time I made it back to a water source around the 12-mile mark, I was pretty cooked. I kept running until ~mile 16-17, and then I just walked the rest of the way - I was done!
Hopefully, I learned my leason and will stick to flatter courses on the days I'm trying to increase my mileage! Oh, and to make sure I have enough water... Oh, and to remember that I melt in the heat!
Monday, June 16, 2008
Dick Houston Memorial Woodminster X-C Race
Sunday I completed the 43rd annual Dick Houston Memorial Woodminster cross-country Race. This was a tough 9-mile trail run in Joaquin Miller and Redwood Regional parks in the East Bay hills. This was the third and final race of the East Bay Triple Crown Trail Championship events. The Woodminster race is an interesting event in that it is handicapped by age and gender. The start is in waves, with Older runners getting a head start. There were 6 waves of runners at 4 minute intervals.
This was another tough course. After only 1/2 mile we hit the first hill which climbs ~550' in less than a mile. This is particularly challenging, since in that first 1/2 mile we're not really warmed up or settled into a pace yet. Additionally, the hill is almost single track, so you either have to run the first 1/2 mile too fast for good position or try to pass other runners on a narrow, steep trail with inconsistent footing. I opted for a compromise and ran the first 1/2 mile slightly fast to not get behind too many slower runners on the hill and to hopefully keep touch with a few faster runners.
After the top of the first hill, the course trends downhill, with only minor hills to climb, for the next 3 miles. By the halfway point we have dropped over 700' to the lowest point in the course. I generally held my own thru the first half of the race, some faster runners from later waves passed me and I passed runners from earlier starts. At the 4.5 mark we start the big climb of the event, affectionately refered to as the "Woodmonster". The toughest section climbs ~650' in ~3/4 of a mile. The hills in this course are tough because they aren't a steady incline that you can settle into a slow pace on. They are full of rocks and roots and steps which force you to constantly change your stride. We ran this course last weekend, and in that training run I ran the entire way up the "Woodmonster". During the race, however, I decided not to try to run the steeper sections and to focus on just getting up the hill as efficiently as possible.
After the "Woodmonster", the course is mostly flat or downhill. I had saved enough to be able to run these last 3 miles at a pretty good clip and passed ~10 competitors in this section. Most of the last 1/2 mile is a trecherous downhill. I could hear another runner right behind me running this section, so a barreled down this hill at a reckless pace. I was able to keep him behind me and finished solidly mid-pack - 93rd of 178 runners (some of which benefitted from their headstart). Without the handicapping my time was good for 82nd place - again solidly mid-pace. My actual running time was 1:23:50, which is almost 15 minutes faster than my time from last year.
This was another tough course. After only 1/2 mile we hit the first hill which climbs ~550' in less than a mile. This is particularly challenging, since in that first 1/2 mile we're not really warmed up or settled into a pace yet. Additionally, the hill is almost single track, so you either have to run the first 1/2 mile too fast for good position or try to pass other runners on a narrow, steep trail with inconsistent footing. I opted for a compromise and ran the first 1/2 mile slightly fast to not get behind too many slower runners on the hill and to hopefully keep touch with a few faster runners.
After the top of the first hill, the course trends downhill, with only minor hills to climb, for the next 3 miles. By the halfway point we have dropped over 700' to the lowest point in the course. I generally held my own thru the first half of the race, some faster runners from later waves passed me and I passed runners from earlier starts. At the 4.5 mark we start the big climb of the event, affectionately refered to as the "Woodmonster". The toughest section climbs ~650' in ~3/4 of a mile. The hills in this course are tough because they aren't a steady incline that you can settle into a slow pace on. They are full of rocks and roots and steps which force you to constantly change your stride. We ran this course last weekend, and in that training run I ran the entire way up the "Woodmonster". During the race, however, I decided not to try to run the steeper sections and to focus on just getting up the hill as efficiently as possible.
After the "Woodmonster", the course is mostly flat or downhill. I had saved enough to be able to run these last 3 miles at a pretty good clip and passed ~10 competitors in this section. Most of the last 1/2 mile is a trecherous downhill. I could hear another runner right behind me running this section, so a barreled down this hill at a reckless pace. I was able to keep him behind me and finished solidly mid-pack - 93rd of 178 runners (some of which benefitted from their headstart). Without the handicapping my time was good for 82nd place - again solidly mid-pace. My actual running time was 1:23:50, which is almost 15 minutes faster than my time from last year.
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Lake Chabot Trail Challenge Half Marathon
Click on the Elevation Profile above for a better view - looks like fun, huh?
Today was the Lake Chabot Trail Challenge Half Marathon. This was a challenging, hilly run; primarily on trails, around Lake Chabot. I had a great run, finishing the tough 13.1-mile course in a time of 2:01.
I started out conservatively, knowing that I had some challenging hills ahead. At mile 3 the fun began with a very long, steep hill - climbing about 600' in elevation in less than a mile. The course continued to be hilly thru mile 8. It was a fun race. I had runners to run with, and compete against, for the entire run.
I'm very pleased with my results. I didn't have a goal for this event, but I certainly didn't expect to come in so close to the 2-hour mark. I 'm also very happy to find that I that I was able to run all the hills just fine and felt pretty good at the finish. All the miles I've logged, and hills I've been running have paid off...
I started out conservatively, knowing that I had some challenging hills ahead. At mile 3 the fun began with a very long, steep hill - climbing about 600' in elevation in less than a mile. The course continued to be hilly thru mile 8. It was a fun race. I had runners to run with, and compete against, for the entire run.
I'm very pleased with my results. I didn't have a goal for this event, but I certainly didn't expect to come in so close to the 2-hour mark. I 'm also very happy to find that I that I was able to run all the hills just fine and felt pretty good at the finish. All the miles I've logged, and hills I've been running have paid off...
Looking at my splits, I don't think I could have done a better job of pacing myself. I ran the first 3 miles in a leisurely 26:40. By mile 10 of this hilly course, I was still strong enough to knock out the final 5k in 25:35, or 8:14 pace - not bad!
I finished 103rd out of a total of 243 runners.
This was the 2nd of the East Bay Triple Crown Trail Championship events. In two weeks I'll race in the third and final event: The Dick Houston Memorial Woodminster Cross Country Race - a tough 9 mile run through the Oakland hills...
This was the 2nd of the East Bay Triple Crown Trail Championship events. In two weeks I'll race in the third and final event: The Dick Houston Memorial Woodminster Cross Country Race - a tough 9 mile run through the Oakland hills...
Saturday, May 31, 2008
16+ mile training run
I knocked out a 16+ mile training run last weekend - my longest run since last summer. I hadn't planned on running so far since I have a Half Marathon scheduled 8 short days later.
I showed up to my Saturday morning group training run planning on 8-10, maybe 12 miles depending on who else was putting in a longer run. Jim, who I refer to as the "Energizer Bunny" 'cause he just keeps going and going..., annouced he was planning on a 16-mile route so I thought I'd just go ahead and join him. I was thinking it was pretty cool that I'm in good enough shape that I could attempt a 16-mile run on a whim. We had a pretty good training run. I was able to keep up with Jim for about 14-15 miles and then just run out of gas. I had to slow down significantly for the last mile or two. I expect that this 16+ mile run was a little too much considering I'm racing the following weekend, but it's a good investment looking forward to the full Marathon in August...
I showed up to my Saturday morning group training run planning on 8-10, maybe 12 miles depending on who else was putting in a longer run. Jim, who I refer to as the "Energizer Bunny" 'cause he just keeps going and going..., annouced he was planning on a 16-mile route so I thought I'd just go ahead and join him. I was thinking it was pretty cool that I'm in good enough shape that I could attempt a 16-mile run on a whim. We had a pretty good training run. I was able to keep up with Jim for about 14-15 miles and then just run out of gas. I had to slow down significantly for the last mile or two. I expect that this 16+ mile run was a little too much considering I'm racing the following weekend, but it's a good investment looking forward to the full Marathon in August...
Monday, May 19, 2008
Tilden Tough Ten
Well, yesterday was the Tilden Tough Ten. First of the East Bay Trail Triple crown events. I was rested and had a good run. I finished the 10-mile course with a time of 87:40. Over 6 minutes faster than I ran this same event last year!
It was a perfect morning for running, nice out but not too warm. I ran well rested and ran smart. It's very tempting to start out at too fast a pace. Fortunantly, for much of the race I was running with Jim from the Lake Merritt Joggers and Striders Marathon training group. He's great at keeping a good pace. This is a small event limited to 300 runners. It was a pretty solid field of runners, most casual runners opted for the Bay to Breakers which is held on the same day. A time of 87:40 put me in 148th place out of 276 finishers - solidly midpack.
My next race will be the very challenging Lake Chabot Trail Challenge Half Marathon... Stay tuned!
It was a perfect morning for running, nice out but not too warm. I ran well rested and ran smart. It's very tempting to start out at too fast a pace. Fortunantly, for much of the race I was running with Jim from the Lake Merritt Joggers and Striders Marathon training group. He's great at keeping a good pace. This is a small event limited to 300 runners. It was a pretty solid field of runners, most casual runners opted for the Bay to Breakers which is held on the same day. A time of 87:40 put me in 148th place out of 276 finishers - solidly midpack.
My next race will be the very challenging Lake Chabot Trail Challenge Half Marathon... Stay tuned!
Sunday, April 20, 2008
SKYLINE RIDGE HALF MARATHON
Well, I knocked out a tough Half-Marathon yesterday. The course profile is above - click on it for a better view.
This was an EnviroSports event and was run down in the Skyline Open Space Preserve, just south of “Alice’s” on the peninsula. This was a challenging course with plenty of hills. The field was limited to 200 participants, some of which ran a shorter 10k race, which just the first of two out-and-back sections.
Last weekend I raced in the heat, this weekend it was unusually cold. It was very cold, windy and overcast at the start. The sun came out later, but it was still surprising cold all morning.
The course consisted of an out-and-back of approximately 10k and then a 2nd out-and-back for the balance of 13.1 miles. The course was quite hilly, with the first 10 minutes of the race a steady climb. This helped sort out the runners pretty well.
I intended to run a conservative race, considering this more a training run than a competitive event…
As it turns out I ran the first 10k quite quickly as did a few runners around me. I completed the 1st 10k leg in ~ 1:02:23. Not a particularly fast time if it had been a flat course, but it felt fast considering the hills. A quick look at the course profile and it looks like we had a total of over 1000' of elevation change - just in the first 10k. If I had run the 10k event and finished with this time I would have placed 25th out of 89 runners! But I still had 7 miles to go…
At about the 8 miles mark I started paying the price for having gone out so quick. My legs were trashed and I was already started feeling fatigued. I had committed to running all the hills in this event, but at mile 8 my calves were in pain. Since I injured my left calf last year I decided to walk the steepest of the remaining hills to prevent injury. I walked/hiked as quick as I could up these hills, so I didn’t really give up any time. I probably walked a total of ¼ mile of the steepest hills and probably gave up 1 minute of time at most…
The last 3 miles I felt pretty trashed. I kept thinking that others runners that I had passed earlier would come past me, but only 1 runner passed me in the last 3 or 4 miles. I guess they were hurting as well.
Out and back runs on narrow trails are interesting. The course running both ways on the same trail means that you get to see the runners ahead of you pass you on their way back and of course you get to see who’s behind you as well. The leader was so fast and smooth and relaxed when he came past me – kind of amazing – he was definitely in a different league…
So I finished this challenging Half Marathon with a time of 2:21:41 – nothing special. This was a training event so I didn’t have a finishing time goal. It looks like we had over 2000' of elevation change in this event - so the equivalent of running from Ocean Beach to the top of Mt. Davidson, the tallest hill in San Francisco, and back - twice. For reference last year I ran my first Half Marathon on a faster, relatively flat course and finished in less than 2 hours. I placed pretty well in this event: 32nd of 104 runners, with only 5 runners my age or older ahead of me. I was, of course, totally whipped after this event, but I think it was good training for the upcoming East Bay Triple Crown Trail Championship series events starting next month…
Last weekend I raced in the heat, this weekend it was unusually cold. It was very cold, windy and overcast at the start. The sun came out later, but it was still surprising cold all morning.
The course consisted of an out-and-back of approximately 10k and then a 2nd out-and-back for the balance of 13.1 miles. The course was quite hilly, with the first 10 minutes of the race a steady climb. This helped sort out the runners pretty well.
I intended to run a conservative race, considering this more a training run than a competitive event…
As it turns out I ran the first 10k quite quickly as did a few runners around me. I completed the 1st 10k leg in ~ 1:02:23. Not a particularly fast time if it had been a flat course, but it felt fast considering the hills. A quick look at the course profile and it looks like we had a total of over 1000' of elevation change - just in the first 10k. If I had run the 10k event and finished with this time I would have placed 25th out of 89 runners! But I still had 7 miles to go…
At about the 8 miles mark I started paying the price for having gone out so quick. My legs were trashed and I was already started feeling fatigued. I had committed to running all the hills in this event, but at mile 8 my calves were in pain. Since I injured my left calf last year I decided to walk the steepest of the remaining hills to prevent injury. I walked/hiked as quick as I could up these hills, so I didn’t really give up any time. I probably walked a total of ¼ mile of the steepest hills and probably gave up 1 minute of time at most…
The last 3 miles I felt pretty trashed. I kept thinking that others runners that I had passed earlier would come past me, but only 1 runner passed me in the last 3 or 4 miles. I guess they were hurting as well.
Out and back runs on narrow trails are interesting. The course running both ways on the same trail means that you get to see the runners ahead of you pass you on their way back and of course you get to see who’s behind you as well. The leader was so fast and smooth and relaxed when he came past me – kind of amazing – he was definitely in a different league…
So I finished this challenging Half Marathon with a time of 2:21:41 – nothing special. This was a training event so I didn’t have a finishing time goal. It looks like we had over 2000' of elevation change in this event - so the equivalent of running from Ocean Beach to the top of Mt. Davidson, the tallest hill in San Francisco, and back - twice. For reference last year I ran my first Half Marathon on a faster, relatively flat course and finished in less than 2 hours. I placed pretty well in this event: 32nd of 104 runners, with only 5 runners my age or older ahead of me. I was, of course, totally whipped after this event, but I think it was good training for the upcoming East Bay Triple Crown Trail Championship series events starting next month…
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Brickyard Cove 8 mile
Notes to self:
Drink enough water before a hard run on a hot day... Drink enough water before a hard run on a hot day... Drink enough water before a hard run on a hot day...
This was a tough race. I wasn't adequately hydrated and had a tough time after the first 5 miles or so. I probably didn't drink quite enough water the last few days before the race and we were late getting out of the house this morning so I also neglected to bring water to drink on the drive there...
Then of course, it was warmer on the course than one would expect at 9:00 AM in the Bay Area in April...
This was a beautiful course of rolling hills - in Martinez, along the Carquinez Straits. The course includes a number of moderate hills that are deceptively challenging if running at a quick pace. I ran the exact course last weekend on my long training run. It was much cooler last weekend and we hit the course at a fast pace (for a training run). Last weekend I finished the 8 mile course in 68:48 which works out to an average pace of 8:36 minute miles - pretty quick for a training run.
My plan was to start out at just under 8:30 pace and then see if I could sustain that and possible even have some reserves for a faster pace for the last mile or two... I ran smart, not going out too fast, but just kinda melted. I came across the 4-mile mark at 33:14 (8:18 pace), right where I wanted to be… but it was hot out there, and I wasn't adequately hydrated and I melt in the heat...
My mile splits tell the story: 8:22, 8:04, 8:26, 8:20, 8:55, 9:01, 9:37, and 8:31. I finished in 69:19, actually slower than I ran the exact same course in a training run the week before... did I mention I melt in the heat?
So I completed this event at an average pace of 8:39 minute miles – not bad for an off day…
Now I have 5 days of easy runs and rest and then a Half-Marathon next Saturday morning. The upcoming event should be interesting: 13.1 miles and a hilly trail course. Did I mention my longest run this year has been 10 miles? My goal is to run a very easy ~9:00 pace on the flat and downhill portions and just take my time running up hills. I just want to run the entire event and finish – no time goal at all… just survive! Should be interesting! Stay tuned…
Drink enough water before a hard run on a hot day... Drink enough water before a hard run on a hot day... Drink enough water before a hard run on a hot day...
This was a tough race. I wasn't adequately hydrated and had a tough time after the first 5 miles or so. I probably didn't drink quite enough water the last few days before the race and we were late getting out of the house this morning so I also neglected to bring water to drink on the drive there...
Then of course, it was warmer on the course than one would expect at 9:00 AM in the Bay Area in April...
This was a beautiful course of rolling hills - in Martinez, along the Carquinez Straits. The course includes a number of moderate hills that are deceptively challenging if running at a quick pace. I ran the exact course last weekend on my long training run. It was much cooler last weekend and we hit the course at a fast pace (for a training run). Last weekend I finished the 8 mile course in 68:48 which works out to an average pace of 8:36 minute miles - pretty quick for a training run.
My plan was to start out at just under 8:30 pace and then see if I could sustain that and possible even have some reserves for a faster pace for the last mile or two... I ran smart, not going out too fast, but just kinda melted. I came across the 4-mile mark at 33:14 (8:18 pace), right where I wanted to be… but it was hot out there, and I wasn't adequately hydrated and I melt in the heat...
My mile splits tell the story: 8:22, 8:04, 8:26, 8:20, 8:55, 9:01, 9:37, and 8:31. I finished in 69:19, actually slower than I ran the exact same course in a training run the week before... did I mention I melt in the heat?
So I completed this event at an average pace of 8:39 minute miles – not bad for an off day…
Now I have 5 days of easy runs and rest and then a Half-Marathon next Saturday morning. The upcoming event should be interesting: 13.1 miles and a hilly trail course. Did I mention my longest run this year has been 10 miles? My goal is to run a very easy ~9:00 pace on the flat and downhill portions and just take my time running up hills. I just want to run the entire event and finish – no time goal at all… just survive! Should be interesting! Stay tuned…
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
First race of 2008
5k in 23:50! Whoo-hoo! Not too impressive for a competitive runner, but I'm really happy with my result with just a few weeks of training and still almost 10 pounds heavier than I was last Summer... I have a 10k race planned for next weekend... whoohoo! more fun ahead!
Sunday, March 16, 2008
2007 Summary
Well, it's now 2008. I've started training again, now that I'm recovered from last years injury. Here is a summary of last year's results:
My first run: 3/21/07 - just 18 short weeks before the SF Marathon!
My first race: 4/15/07 - 10k (6.2mi.) in 51:29!
My first Half-Marathon: 5/6/07 - 13.1mi. in 1:56:42 (with just 7 weeks of training)
Best track workout: 7/4/07 - 3mi. tempo run at 23:39, then 3x800m. at 3:42, 3:40, 3:37 (400m rest between each)
Longest run: 7/6/07 - 20.5 mi - I could have run a Marathon this day. As it turns out a strained my achilles tenden and that was the end of my first attempt at competing in the SF Marathon
Total miles run: over 350 total miles in 17 weeks...
Oh, and I collected donations for the American Diabetes Association as part of "Team Diabetes". Together, we collected over $5000.00! Thanks to all of you that made a contribution!
My first run: 3/21/07 - just 18 short weeks before the SF Marathon!
My first race: 4/15/07 - 10k (6.2mi.) in 51:29!
My first Half-Marathon: 5/6/07 - 13.1mi. in 1:56:42 (with just 7 weeks of training)
Best track workout: 7/4/07 - 3mi. tempo run at 23:39, then 3x800m. at 3:42, 3:40, 3:37 (400m rest between each)
Longest run: 7/6/07 - 20.5 mi - I could have run a Marathon this day. As it turns out a strained my achilles tenden and that was the end of my first attempt at competing in the SF Marathon
Total miles run: over 350 total miles in 17 weeks...
Oh, and I collected donations for the American Diabetes Association as part of "Team Diabetes". Together, we collected over $5000.00! Thanks to all of you that made a contribution!
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