A good Run

Tonight there is a possibility of showers and since I didn't want to run in the rain, I decided on a lunchtime run. 

Today's goal: Upping my routine runs to 4 miles. 

Using Map My Run, I roughed out a 4 mile route from the office and took off. Since this was at almost noon on a hot day (85 F) and an increase in distance, I just started out light.  About 1/4 of the way through I took a GU and sped up a bit.  My right calf was tight and I took a short walk break.  The back half was against the wind and up hill so it was slow going.  The last mile or so I started picking it up.  Ending time: 46:08.  I finished strong and headed to Subway for some lunch. When I sat down to map it out, it came to a bit over 4.1 miles.

Goal achieved! 

Paige and I

   I’m planning another 5K this weekend very similar to yesterdays, although the course isn’t as hilly.  They have a 1K fun run that Jen and Paige will be doing, with Connor in the stroller. Also, in two weeks is the “Kids on the Run” race where Paige will be running a 1K and Connor a 100 meter. 
Paige has run with me a few times, always as a run/walk, so tonight I thought I’d challenge her.  We did 1.5 miles nonstop (other than about 20 seconds at the turn around).  She was awesome!  No whining, didn’t fall (as she is prone to doing) and even finished with a sprint! 
The numbers:  1.5 miles at 24:15.  I’d say that’s great for a 5 year old!! 
I had to get a few pics when we got back so here she is post run finishing off our water.
 

Viking 5K Pictures

Waiting for the start

Such a huge race!!

It’s Me, it’s me!

Race Results

Today's race did not go as planned.  As I mentioned in my previous post, I had some foot pain yesterday, so I was concerned about that.  It really didn't bother me.  here's the recap.

I got up this morning, got ready and could feel a bit of soreness so I took some ibuprofen.  Finished getting ready and made some green tea. We arrived at the school and got my race packet.  The t-shirt was black cotton with yellow writing.  Not really a good one to run in but oh well.  I didn't put it on by the way, wore a white tech shirt.

I said by to Jen and Connor and did some stretching of my legs.  The race started out on a track so we headed over to the other side while Jen and Connor hit the bleachers.

The gun went off and I started out cautious. It was one loop around the track then off through some fairly high grass. When we hit the grass I decided to speed it up as my feet were feeling fine.  About 200 yards through the grass and we hit a steep down and up across a ravine, came out to a residential street. I was feeling good, hot but good.  As I approached the 1 mile mark, I realized I was going too fast.  I hit one mile in 9:11, about 44 seconds faster than my normal pace.

Then right after the mark, the road began a nearly mile long up hill.  I was pushing it really starting to feel the heat (about 85 degrees at this point)  and sweating buckets.  Good thing I had my Nuun filled water bottle!

On the turn around loop I had to stop and walk a bit.  But started back up, but after hitting the 2 mile mark (10:44) I knew I was worn out.  The last 1.1 miles was a struggle.  Several small hills, the ravine, which was about 40 degree incline down then back up, through the tall grass which by this point felt like quick sand (the guy beside me made that observation), then a final lap around the track.

I knew the last 1.1 was going to suck because I struggled so much but at 13:24 all I can say is that it REALLY sucked.  I was hot, worn out, and just wanted it to be done.

Final time was 33:21.  A good minute faster than my last race, but nowhere near what I'm capable of.  Still it was a PR, so I'll take it.

After recovering and thinking about it.  I think the downfall was that I started too fast.  Had I not pushed myself too much at the beginning, then taken the long hill steadily, I probably could have held out for the last third.  It did have some good downhills and had I not been worn out.  I probably could have coasted through them and finished much better. 

So the take away lessons, be prepared for hills (I need to find a more hilly route), watch my speed at the begining, and now that summers hit look for runs that start earlier.

Now to take a nap, then later find a race for next week so that I can put this one behind me.

Pictures to come once Jen gets them on her computer.

Weekend Running

I didn't run Friday or today.  I decided to take a rest day on Friday because I've logged a considerable amount more than normal and tomorrow I have a race.  Today, I was having the familar feeling at the back of my heel.  Yup, the bone spur/bursitis/gout/whatever it is.  So I elected to rest it.  I'm hoping I'll wake up and it will have cleared.  It's funny like that. comes quickly and goes quickly.  The podiatrist I went to wasn't very helpful. He did an ex-ray and said I do have a bone spur, but didn't prescribe anything other than an NSAID.

I'll probably go to a different podiatrist sometime in the near future.  For now, it's more of an annoyance.  Not debilitating like it used to be.

Tomorrow's goals.  As I stated before, my BFHG is sub 29 minutes.  I don't know about this one.  If my feet weren't bothering me, I'd say it's doable, but for now I'll focus on the mail goal.  Sub 30 minutes. 

Either way, I'm bound to PR tomorrow.  Since I had a 5 year hiatus from running, and crossed that mythical 30 year old mark.  I don't consider my old times as my records.  There's no way in hell I'll beat my high school records (about 20:30).  So that means my PR is at 34:23 from the last race.  Easily beatable unless I have an injury tomorrow.   

Off to bed and rest my foot.  Here's to a great race tomorrow!