Philadelphia is in the midst of a great stretch of weather. Nearly every day in the past two weeks has been 65-75 degrees, full sun, light winds, and low humidity. Perfect for running and I think I'm becoming spoiled.
I was out for 6 miles with Heather of Monday afternoon. When I run with Heather I tend to accidentally push the pace and she has to keep slowing me down. I have gotten good at staying about 1/2 step behind and letting her lead the speed. On Monday, she was the one pushing and I was the one holding on. My legs were tired after a fairly hard weekend and apparently Heather was feeling good. We did few miles at around 7:00 pace and although my legs were protesting I wasn't about to let her know so I just kept it up. 6 miles in 46 minutes
Wednesday afternoon, my class was cancelled and I took advantage of the evening off with a hard mountain bike ride. The exciting thing about this riding is that I see improvement every time I am out there. The hills get a little easier and I find myself making it over a log or two that had me dismounting in the past.
I took the trails all the way down to my old block, Sumac Street, and rode past my old house. The new owner, true his word, has gutted the entire building and is now building a rooftop deck, four stories up. The house sits atop a big hill and the views are going to be spectacular, I am a little jealous. 18 miles in 90 minutes.
I was lacking motivation Thursday night and picked up the new edition of runners world. To me, most of this magazine is filled with a lot of fluff. I guess there are plenty of tips for new runners but it doesn't really cater to people who have a little more experience. There are sometimes good articles about past races, or specific individuals. Amby Burfoot, a writer for the magazine, had an article recounting the race to his Boston Marathon win and the training leading up to it. This definitely motivates and got me out the door.
A trip on the trails up to Northwestern Avenue and then Forbidden drive back down to Valley Green. A quick stop at the water fountain and then I turned around to head back up to Rex Hill and the park exit. I have started timing my trips up Rex, which is almost exactly 0.5 miles long. Last night was 4:20, so I guess that is the time to beat right now, but I was tired and wasn't pushing so I don't think it will be to hard. A conservative 7 miles in 54 minutes.
Friday, April 25, 2008
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Reluctant Sunday
It took a little mental convincing to get out the door this morning. Going to bed Saturday night I thought a longish run would be perfect, but my legs were sore from the race in the morning and the idea of 10 miles up and down Forbidden Drive just wasn't appealing. I delayed with breakfast, a couple cups of coffee and some Sunday morning TV.
Around 10:30 I laced em up and headed out. I started off easy and after a couple miles my legs found there rhythm and I was fully enjoying the run. All of the foreboding thoughts from earlier had quickly evaporated in the 70 degree temps and full sun. In fact I had a real snap to my step and the miles kept coming in around 7:15 pace. It was one of those runs where you try to slow down but it feels great keeping the pace up so you just go with it.
In the last few miles I began to feel a little fatigue, especially heading up Rex but overall a great run. Just under 13 miles in 95 minutes.
Around 10:30 I laced em up and headed out. I started off easy and after a couple miles my legs found there rhythm and I was fully enjoying the run. All of the foreboding thoughts from earlier had quickly evaporated in the 70 degree temps and full sun. In fact I had a real snap to my step and the miles kept coming in around 7:15 pace. It was one of those runs where you try to slow down but it feels great keeping the pace up so you just go with it.
In the last few miles I began to feel a little fatigue, especially heading up Rex but overall a great run. Just under 13 miles in 95 minutes.
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Clean Air 5K
This is possibly the furthest I've fallen behind on posting since I started this blog a couple years back. I also haven't been keeping up with my run-log. I realized how badly I was behind when I tried to log in this morning's race found I couldn't recall all the runs I had done over the last 10 days. Was that an 8 miler or 6 miler? Was Heather there?
The goal half-marathon kind of fell apart this spring and since that I just haven't been as... anal about running. I have definitely been getting out there but just not worrying about how fast, far and intensely I am running. This has translated into many 1 hour runs over the past couple weeks at whatever pace I am comfortable at, usually to fast to be called easy and to easy to be called hard.
I've also been out on my mountain bike a couple times and it is awesome. I kill myself on the uphills and fly on the downhills. Hitting jumps, stumps and keeping things just in control. My lungs hurt after ride on Thursday. That just doesn't happens on runs very often, somehow it is a different burn.
I think things may be like this for a while. Anywhere between 30-50 miles a week with a bike ride or two thrown in. Less structured, no stress running.
For second week in a row I signed up last second for a 5K. This time around it was the Race for Clean air on MLK. Chip timed, over 1000 runners, and what seems like perpetually good weather, a great race to really get into the spring season and perfectly placed two weeks before Broad Street. This was my third time running. The first in 19:01 in 2005 and the second in 18:21 in 2006. Both of these times are suspect due to a short course. It was discovered last year that the course was only a 4.9K. I think my times in 2005 and 6 were both run on that short course.
This year was a new certified course that was actually 5K. I thought I was in shape to run under 18:00 but I had a few harder runs last week along with a hard 90 minute bike ride on Thursday so I didn't feel 100%. I lined up next to Ryan and a couple other Philly Runners. The start is slightly downhill and light wind would be at our backs so I planned to go out fast and try to hold the rest of the way.
First mile went by in 5:31, just about where I wanted to be. There was large pack in front of me but I wasn't going to catch them so I just kept pushing and tried not lose any ground. Hit the turn around and then mile 2 in 5:48. About where I thought I would be but I was hoping for a little faster. At this point I know I am in the realm of my 17:43 PR, if the last mile goes well I could maybe perhaps have an outside chance.
It was not to be. A controlled slow down was what I expected at the start and it's what happened in the end. Mile 3 in 5:59. I was passed by two guys in the last mile which is always frustrating but they passed smartly, at a good clip and I couldn't answer. Finished in 17:56, good for 14th place. Didn't PR but I was still very happy with the race. It was only my second time under 18 minutes and it means that I am in good shape for Broad Street on May 4th. Beating my PR there of 59:41 seems very out of reach right now but it always seems that way at Broad Street.
The goal half-marathon kind of fell apart this spring and since that I just haven't been as... anal about running. I have definitely been getting out there but just not worrying about how fast, far and intensely I am running. This has translated into many 1 hour runs over the past couple weeks at whatever pace I am comfortable at, usually to fast to be called easy and to easy to be called hard.
I've also been out on my mountain bike a couple times and it is awesome. I kill myself on the uphills and fly on the downhills. Hitting jumps, stumps and keeping things just in control. My lungs hurt after ride on Thursday. That just doesn't happens on runs very often, somehow it is a different burn.
I think things may be like this for a while. Anywhere between 30-50 miles a week with a bike ride or two thrown in. Less structured, no stress running.
For second week in a row I signed up last second for a 5K. This time around it was the Race for Clean air on MLK. Chip timed, over 1000 runners, and what seems like perpetually good weather, a great race to really get into the spring season and perfectly placed two weeks before Broad Street. This was my third time running. The first in 19:01 in 2005 and the second in 18:21 in 2006. Both of these times are suspect due to a short course. It was discovered last year that the course was only a 4.9K. I think my times in 2005 and 6 were both run on that short course.
This year was a new certified course that was actually 5K. I thought I was in shape to run under 18:00 but I had a few harder runs last week along with a hard 90 minute bike ride on Thursday so I didn't feel 100%. I lined up next to Ryan and a couple other Philly Runners. The start is slightly downhill and light wind would be at our backs so I planned to go out fast and try to hold the rest of the way.
First mile went by in 5:31, just about where I wanted to be. There was large pack in front of me but I wasn't going to catch them so I just kept pushing and tried not lose any ground. Hit the turn around and then mile 2 in 5:48. About where I thought I would be but I was hoping for a little faster. At this point I know I am in the realm of my 17:43 PR, if the last mile goes well I could maybe perhaps have an outside chance.
It was not to be. A controlled slow down was what I expected at the start and it's what happened in the end. Mile 3 in 5:59. I was passed by two guys in the last mile which is always frustrating but they passed smartly, at a good clip and I couldn't answer. Finished in 17:56, good for 14th place. Didn't PR but I was still very happy with the race. It was only my second time under 18 minutes and it means that I am in good shape for Broad Street on May 4th. Beating my PR there of 59:41 seems very out of reach right now but it always seems that way at Broad Street.
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Run the Rox 5K
A short easy run with Heather last night. It was a trip to "The Bridge" and back. The bridge is crosses the Wissahickon Creek down the path from Mt. Airy Avenue. This bridge was 3 miles from my old house and it is also 3 miles from my new place. So a run to the bridge is 6 miles. 54 minutes.
I received an e-mail on Friday about a 5K in Roxborough on Saturday morning called Run the Rox. The start is about 4 miles from my place and it fit perfectly into about an 11 mile run with the trip there and back. Got out the door around 8 for an easy 4 miles there.
It race was about as hilly as 5K course can be on the street. It started on a hill, then turns onto a long downhill, then you make a right onto a hill, turn around up a small hill, then downhill, then a small uphill, left, big uphill, right, downhill, left uphill and finish. Here is the course. Having run this area for several years I knew exactly what I was in for.
The first half was mostly downhill and the second half mostly uphill so I decided to start easy and save it for the second half. The race started with a lot of rabbits and I was in about 20th place after a 1/4 mile. Were on steep long downhill and I took it easy slowly passing runners that had started to quickly. I could see Tom Haxton, local speedster, way out in front and then a string of runners from the Philadelphia University Cross Country team.
There were no mile markers and I only glanced at my watch at the turnaround 1.5 miles in, 8:50. I was keeping a decent pace but not really killing myself. I passed a couple more runners on the return and found myself a long way by myself as we headed back up the long hill to the finish. I was slowly catching the guy in front of me but thought he was out of reach. I realized as we ran up the final uphill stretch that he had nothing left and I probably could have caught him had I pushed a little harder but by that point it was to late. I finished in just under 18:50. A decent time considering the course. I think I could have shaved about 10 secs off had been a little more motivated but I was happy with the time.
4 more miles home and I was done. A beautiful morning and a fun race.
I received an e-mail on Friday about a 5K in Roxborough on Saturday morning called Run the Rox. The start is about 4 miles from my place and it fit perfectly into about an 11 mile run with the trip there and back. Got out the door around 8 for an easy 4 miles there.
It race was about as hilly as 5K course can be on the street. It started on a hill, then turns onto a long downhill, then you make a right onto a hill, turn around up a small hill, then downhill, then a small uphill, left, big uphill, right, downhill, left uphill and finish. Here is the course. Having run this area for several years I knew exactly what I was in for.
The first half was mostly downhill and the second half mostly uphill so I decided to start easy and save it for the second half. The race started with a lot of rabbits and I was in about 20th place after a 1/4 mile. Were on steep long downhill and I took it easy slowly passing runners that had started to quickly. I could see Tom Haxton, local speedster, way out in front and then a string of runners from the Philadelphia University Cross Country team.
There were no mile markers and I only glanced at my watch at the turnaround 1.5 miles in, 8:50. I was keeping a decent pace but not really killing myself. I passed a couple more runners on the return and found myself a long way by myself as we headed back up the long hill to the finish. I was slowly catching the guy in front of me but thought he was out of reach. I realized as we ran up the final uphill stretch that he had nothing left and I probably could have caught him had I pushed a little harder but by that point it was to late. I finished in just under 18:50. A decent time considering the course. I think I could have shaved about 10 secs off had been a little more motivated but I was happy with the time.
4 more miles home and I was done. A beautiful morning and a fun race.
Friday, April 11, 2008
Trail Addiciton
I think the trails in the Wissahickon are becoming an addiction but one that I surely don't mind. On Wednesday I was back in there on my bike looking to push myself a little harder than my first ride this season last week. The trails were dry and my legs were fresher making for a faster and longer ride. My improvement in running over the past few years seems to have carried into mountain biking. If my cardiovascular system has improved it makes sense that it would have an effect here too, maybe not as directly an improvement but still better.
In fact, I seemed to have less trouble pushing up some steep, more technical hills than I can remember in the past. It is strange but I feel like I am already on par with how I rode in the past after just two rides. 16 miles with about 10 of them on the trail.
On Thursday night I met Russ for a run through the park. Russ was a steady Philly Runner a couple years back and I haven't seen much of him since until bumping into him on a run in December. I found out that he also was moving to Chestnut Hill and would be looking for a running partner.
Russ, Zeke, (his dog) and I ran around 6 miles in the park on some very hilly terrain. It was great to catch up and I look forward to more runs in the future. After our run I did a few more miles by myself. On the last hill out of the park my legs were aching, all the hills over the last few days were catching up with me. 9 miles in 75 minutes.
In fact, I seemed to have less trouble pushing up some steep, more technical hills than I can remember in the past. It is strange but I feel like I am already on par with how I rode in the past after just two rides. 16 miles with about 10 of them on the trail.
On Thursday night I met Russ for a run through the park. Russ was a steady Philly Runner a couple years back and I haven't seen much of him since until bumping into him on a run in December. I found out that he also was moving to Chestnut Hill and would be looking for a running partner.
Russ, Zeke, (his dog) and I ran around 6 miles in the park on some very hilly terrain. It was great to catch up and I look forward to more runs in the future. After our run I did a few more miles by myself. On the last hill out of the park my legs were aching, all the hills over the last few days were catching up with me. 9 miles in 75 minutes.
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
Trail Running with Boomer
Half the fun of running on the trails in the Wissahickon is trying to figure out how they all connect. I've read that the park contains 57 miles of trails but it only follows the creek for about 6 miles so this means there are little dirt paths running everywhere. I completed a little more of the overall trail map in my head last night on a 5 miler with my dog, Boomer.
Boomer has really become a great dog to run with. I don't think I'd take him anymore than about five-six miles at this point but he runs well. Keeping about five feet in front of me at all times and leading the way on the tight paths, never really straying. I think the higher speed keeps his mind focused and he isn't tempted by simple distractions such as horse manure, deer pee, and puddles of water. However, if we do cross another dog he can't resist running over and showing all of his attention.
5+ miles in 45 minutes.
Boomer has really become a great dog to run with. I don't think I'd take him anymore than about five-six miles at this point but he runs well. Keeping about five feet in front of me at all times and leading the way on the tight paths, never really straying. I think the higher speed keeps his mind focused and he isn't tempted by simple distractions such as horse manure, deer pee, and puddles of water. However, if we do cross another dog he can't resist running over and showing all of his attention.
5+ miles in 45 minutes.
Saturday, April 05, 2008
Friday night, for the fist time in a very long time, I went for a mountain bike ride in the Wissahickon. I am not sure if I went at all last year. I pulled out my bike and was scared that it was going to be in bad shape. But after adding some air to the tires, adjusting the brakes slightly, and cleaning up the cables I was to go. The gears weren't prefect but the bike is 7 years old and has been ridden a few 1000 miles, I can't complain.
It felt good to be back in the saddle I was soon tearing downhill, until I came to a series of roots and rocks, then things quickly slowed down. It seems my skills and my balls have both decreased greatly since my biking heyday about 5 years ago. After a couple miles and several hills I was feeling more confident and loving it. I biked the exact route I ran earlier in the week.
10 miles in 60 minutes. (yes those hills really slow you down on the bike)
Saturday - Easy 6 miles with Heather in quickly fading light. Felt decent 52 minutes
Sunday - I ran down the length of Forbidden Drive to join Ryan and Deirdre somewhere along the paved path between Lincoln Drive and Ridge avenue. It was raining lightly and cool but once I was moving I really enjoyed. Once I got to the paved portion of the path I waited for my running partners to appear but sadly they never did. Perhaps they were turned off by the ran. I eventually started heading back after a mile or so hopped across the creek to run 3-4 miles on some trails.
About 11 miles in 82 minutes.
It felt good to be back in the saddle I was soon tearing downhill, until I came to a series of roots and rocks, then things quickly slowed down. It seems my skills and my balls have both decreased greatly since my biking heyday about 5 years ago. After a couple miles and several hills I was feeling more confident and loving it. I biked the exact route I ran earlier in the week.
10 miles in 60 minutes. (yes those hills really slow you down on the bike)
Saturday - Easy 6 miles with Heather in quickly fading light. Felt decent 52 minutes
Sunday - I ran down the length of Forbidden Drive to join Ryan and Deirdre somewhere along the paved path between Lincoln Drive and Ridge avenue. It was raining lightly and cool but once I was moving I really enjoyed. Once I got to the paved portion of the path I waited for my running partners to appear but sadly they never did. Perhaps they were turned off by the ran. I eventually started heading back after a mile or so hopped across the creek to run 3-4 miles on some trails.
About 11 miles in 82 minutes.
Friday, April 04, 2008
A great trail run last night in the Wissahockon. I've put together a 7 mile loop with a perfect mix (at least for me) of hills, singletrack, twists and turns. I wanted to run easy but I always have a hard time keeping things slow once I get going on these trails. It's more fun when you are running fast.
My legs are feeling it this morning, but a good kind of hurt. 8 miles in 60 minutes.
My legs are feeling it this morning, but a good kind of hurt. 8 miles in 60 minutes.
Wednesday, April 02, 2008
6 Days
I haven't posted since last Thursday so I have some catching up to do.
Thursday - Heather and I ran over to the Chestnut Hill track for a workout. When we arrived, there were 20-30 kids running the track in what looked to be a elementary-middle school track workout. The options were to either run over some kids and piss off the coaches or run somewhere else. We opted for the latter and headed over to Wolcott Hill for a workout.
I had done 8x30 second hill repeats my last time here. For no good reason I decided on 5x60 sec hill repeats. Nothing to exciting just banged them out. I can say that I feel more fluid and strong on the hill. These once a week workouts must be having an effect. 7.5 miles in 66 minutes
Friday - Easy run on trails and Forbidden Drive in the Wissahickon. 8 miles in 62 minutes
Saturday - I joined Deirdre and Steve for a long run. I had gotten up a little early and ate but just before we started the run my stomach was grumbling for some more food. Not a good way to start a 16 miler. A long loop out through Manayunk to the Belmont Hill and back through Farimount Park. I had come more for the company than for the miles and it was nice to hang out with Deirdre and Steve for a couple hours.
At Montgomery Avenue, they continued on to the Fire trail in Fairmount park and headed down to MLK for a trip to the Art Museum. I have to admit I was really dragging by this point and my pace slowly eroded the closer I got to the end. 15.5 miles in 2hr 5 min. I thought the average pace was faster than this but physics doesn't lie.
Sunday - 40 easy minutes in the pool. Haven't swam in a while and it felt good.
47 miles for the week
Monday - An Easy trail run with Heather on a damp and still evening. We found a few new trails and I really enjoyed the run. About 7 miles in 62 minutes.
Tuesday - I normally don't run after class on Tuesday but the weather was warm and I saw literally about 15 runners on my drive home so I couldn't resist. I went out the door just as it got dark for a loop around Chestnut Hill that included the 5 1/4 mile tempo run I have done over the past few weeks.
My legs felt fresh and fast and I had high hopes of squeezing some seconds off of the 32:25 tempo time I ran the past 2 attempts. I again passed by the roadside digital speedometer which lit up as it started tracking me. 9-10-9-10-9-10-11. I gave a little burst at the end to get 10 11 miles an hour.
I tried not to hold back much and by the second half of the run I felt like I was really cruising, eating up the road with each stride. It was great. However, as I crossed the imaginary finish line at Waterman street my watch read 32:25. The same exact time as my last two attempts. 5-1/4 miles over hills, streets, and traffic lights. Three different attempts, different weather conditions, feeling different before and during the workout, I managed to run the same exact time to the second. I am in no way boasting, I was hoping to shave 10 seconds off last night. It just seems odd. It will now be my mission to go sub 32:20 on this loop. 8.1 miles in 56 minutes.
Thursday - Heather and I ran over to the Chestnut Hill track for a workout. When we arrived, there were 20-30 kids running the track in what looked to be a elementary-middle school track workout. The options were to either run over some kids and piss off the coaches or run somewhere else. We opted for the latter and headed over to Wolcott Hill for a workout.
I had done 8x30 second hill repeats my last time here. For no good reason I decided on 5x60 sec hill repeats. Nothing to exciting just banged them out. I can say that I feel more fluid and strong on the hill. These once a week workouts must be having an effect. 7.5 miles in 66 minutes
Friday - Easy run on trails and Forbidden Drive in the Wissahickon. 8 miles in 62 minutes
Saturday - I joined Deirdre and Steve for a long run. I had gotten up a little early and ate but just before we started the run my stomach was grumbling for some more food. Not a good way to start a 16 miler. A long loop out through Manayunk to the Belmont Hill and back through Farimount Park. I had come more for the company than for the miles and it was nice to hang out with Deirdre and Steve for a couple hours.
At Montgomery Avenue, they continued on to the Fire trail in Fairmount park and headed down to MLK for a trip to the Art Museum. I have to admit I was really dragging by this point and my pace slowly eroded the closer I got to the end. 15.5 miles in 2hr 5 min. I thought the average pace was faster than this but physics doesn't lie.
Sunday - 40 easy minutes in the pool. Haven't swam in a while and it felt good.
47 miles for the week
Monday - An Easy trail run with Heather on a damp and still evening. We found a few new trails and I really enjoyed the run. About 7 miles in 62 minutes.
Tuesday - I normally don't run after class on Tuesday but the weather was warm and I saw literally about 15 runners on my drive home so I couldn't resist. I went out the door just as it got dark for a loop around Chestnut Hill that included the 5 1/4 mile tempo run I have done over the past few weeks.
My legs felt fresh and fast and I had high hopes of squeezing some seconds off of the 32:25 tempo time I ran the past 2 attempts. I again passed by the roadside digital speedometer which lit up as it started tracking me. 9-10-9-10-9-10-11. I gave a little burst at the end to get 10 11 miles an hour.
I tried not to hold back much and by the second half of the run I felt like I was really cruising, eating up the road with each stride. It was great. However, as I crossed the imaginary finish line at Waterman street my watch read 32:25. The same exact time as my last two attempts. 5-1/4 miles over hills, streets, and traffic lights. Three different attempts, different weather conditions, feeling different before and during the workout, I managed to run the same exact time to the second. I am in no way boasting, I was hoping to shave 10 seconds off last night. It just seems odd. It will now be my mission to go sub 32:20 on this loop. 8.1 miles in 56 minutes.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
I went to an expo in Center City for work yesterday and this afforded me a later start than normal. I took advantage by getting out the door early into a beautiful morning. Sun was rising, temps were up and it was an enjoyable run. The loop consisted of 2 miles in Chestnut Hill, followed by 4 miles along Forbidden Drive and then another 2.5 miles up the Germantown Hill and back to home. 8.5 miles in 66 minutes and a great start to the day.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Making Tempo Work
Mondays this winter have been my tempo runs and it was more of the same last night. The winter was mild but spring so far has been a little on the cool side. A bit of a tease but I'll take a long cool spring over a quick warmup to summer any time.
I knew all day that the workout was going to be tough. For whatever reason my legs were a little sore and I just had a feeling that it was not going to be so smooth. I was right. After a 1-1.5 mile warmup, I set out on a tempo loop around Chestnut Hill, the same that I had done a few weeks back. Slightly over 5 miles on a rolling course, including one traffic light and a lot of turns. Right from the start I didn't feel smooth and I was having a difficult time getting comfortable and sensing my pace. I made up my mind that no matter what, I was completing this loop at tempo effort, if that meant things went a little more slowly then the last time, so be it.
At 1/2 mile in I pass by the Springside School, a fancy grade school in the area. They have a speed sensor out front, the same you see out on the highway or busy roads which tell you how fast you are going in an effort to get you to slow down. This one was meant to keep cars going slow as the kids are getting out of school. I noticed just as I was passing that it was picking up my speed, 9 miles an hour. I literally laughed out loud when I saw that and it gave me a slight pick me up.
The remainder of the loop was tough to push through, my lungs seemed ok but my legs did not want to turn over the way I had hoped. I just kept going. As I approached the end of the loop I realized I was still going to put in a decent time. When I got home I further realized I had actually run the loop in the same exact, to the second, amount of time I had run it a few weeks back. Holy Shit. It was ugly and felt horribly slow but I still maintained my goal pace. That really made the whole thing worth it and definitely put a positive spin on a less than ideal workout.
8 miles in 54 minutes.
I knew all day that the workout was going to be tough. For whatever reason my legs were a little sore and I just had a feeling that it was not going to be so smooth. I was right. After a 1-1.5 mile warmup, I set out on a tempo loop around Chestnut Hill, the same that I had done a few weeks back. Slightly over 5 miles on a rolling course, including one traffic light and a lot of turns. Right from the start I didn't feel smooth and I was having a difficult time getting comfortable and sensing my pace. I made up my mind that no matter what, I was completing this loop at tempo effort, if that meant things went a little more slowly then the last time, so be it.
At 1/2 mile in I pass by the Springside School, a fancy grade school in the area. They have a speed sensor out front, the same you see out on the highway or busy roads which tell you how fast you are going in an effort to get you to slow down. This one was meant to keep cars going slow as the kids are getting out of school. I noticed just as I was passing that it was picking up my speed, 9 miles an hour. I literally laughed out loud when I saw that and it gave me a slight pick me up.
The remainder of the loop was tough to push through, my lungs seemed ok but my legs did not want to turn over the way I had hoped. I just kept going. As I approached the end of the loop I realized I was still going to put in a decent time. When I got home I further realized I had actually run the loop in the same exact, to the second, amount of time I had run it a few weeks back. Holy Shit. It was ugly and felt horribly slow but I still maintained my goal pace. That really made the whole thing worth it and definitely put a positive spin on a less than ideal workout.
8 miles in 54 minutes.
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Frustration
At the start of 2008 I was thinking about what I wanted to do for a race this spring. I decided I wasn't going to have the time and more likely the drive to train for a marathon (Boston) over the winter. A good second option would be a 1/2 marathon. My PR for the distance is a little weak at 1:24 and if I could break 1:23:00 I could qualify for the NYC marathon in November. The training would be a little less intense and I wouldn't mentally flog myself for cutting short miles as school work piled up.
Training has gone fairly well over the winter and if I have a good race I think I could sneak in a 1:22:xx. My 10K a few weeks back predicts a 1:22:00 so I am not pulling these numbers out of thin air. My only problem is finding a race. My only criteria is late March through April and within a 100 or so miles from my house. At first it was going to be Nashville in late April, which coincided with a visit to Heather's sister who lives there. That trip fell through. Then I started to thinking about the Runner's World Half Marathon. Full. Next popped up the Brooklyn half Marathon on April 26th.
Perfect. Heather has a 3 day weekend. Also, my friend Ian not only lives in Brooklyn but invited people to join him while he raced it. It is a fast, flat course and was also put on by NYRR, the same folks that run the NYC marathon so I wouldn't even have to prove my race time. On Monday I was booking a room in Brooklyn for that weekend and double checked the race date.... they moved it to May 3rd. WTF. Some complaint from Brooklyn residents and now it is a weekend later. A weekend that doesn't work as well. A weekend that also happens to have the Philly Broad Street Run. A weekend that throws a wrench into my plans.
So now everything is up in the air. If I don't race by May 3rd my time won't count for NYC 2008 and there doesn't seem to be another that fits the bill. I've had this ambiguous race date somewhere in the future all winter long and it has been driving me nuts. Now it is spring and I still don't have a definitive answer. I'll keep you posted.
Anyhow, my runs.
Friday. 5 easy miles on Forbidden Drive with my dog Boomer. Untimed and enjoyable. A little cool but calm and sunny. Probably around 8:15 pace.
Saturday, 13 not so easy miles on Forbidden Drive. Ran these a little faster than I would have liked and even with the huge Rex Hill which I extended all the way to Germantown Ave for a total of 9:00 minutes steady uphill, I still managed to average 7:25 pace for the run.
Sunday (Easter). I had a surprising 48 miles already under my belt for the week so I decided to take it off.
Training has gone fairly well over the winter and if I have a good race I think I could sneak in a 1:22:xx. My 10K a few weeks back predicts a 1:22:00 so I am not pulling these numbers out of thin air. My only problem is finding a race. My only criteria is late March through April and within a 100 or so miles from my house. At first it was going to be Nashville in late April, which coincided with a visit to Heather's sister who lives there. That trip fell through. Then I started to thinking about the Runner's World Half Marathon. Full. Next popped up the Brooklyn half Marathon on April 26th.
Perfect. Heather has a 3 day weekend. Also, my friend Ian not only lives in Brooklyn but invited people to join him while he raced it. It is a fast, flat course and was also put on by NYRR, the same folks that run the NYC marathon so I wouldn't even have to prove my race time. On Monday I was booking a room in Brooklyn for that weekend and double checked the race date.... they moved it to May 3rd. WTF. Some complaint from Brooklyn residents and now it is a weekend later. A weekend that doesn't work as well. A weekend that also happens to have the Philly Broad Street Run. A weekend that throws a wrench into my plans.
So now everything is up in the air. If I don't race by May 3rd my time won't count for NYC 2008 and there doesn't seem to be another that fits the bill. I've had this ambiguous race date somewhere in the future all winter long and it has been driving me nuts. Now it is spring and I still don't have a definitive answer. I'll keep you posted.
Anyhow, my runs.
Friday. 5 easy miles on Forbidden Drive with my dog Boomer. Untimed and enjoyable. A little cool but calm and sunny. Probably around 8:15 pace.
Saturday, 13 not so easy miles on Forbidden Drive. Ran these a little faster than I would have liked and even with the huge Rex Hill which I extended all the way to Germantown Ave for a total of 9:00 minutes steady uphill, I still managed to average 7:25 pace for the run.
Sunday (Easter). I had a surprising 48 miles already under my belt for the week so I decided to take it off.
Friday, March 21, 2008
Head for Zee Hills
A cool, extremely blustery evening yesterday. I got out the door around 6:15 for 8-10 miles with some hills. After a 20 minute warm-up, in which I really wasn't feeling to smooth but good enough, I came to the bottom of the hill where Wolcott Street meets Valley Green Drive. From now on I'll just refer to it as "Wolcott Hill". My last time here I ran 7 repeats from the electric pole to the 805 mailbox post in 30 seconds, this time I was shooting for 8.
The first one was more difficult than I remember and came in at exactly 30 secs. The second one was a little easier and after that I just hammered them out. Like I said, they are not extremely difficult but I definitely felt like I had put in a workout after 8 reps in 16 minutes. Each repeat was 29-30 secs.
The fun thing about working out in this location is that after you complete the set you then have to run up a 1/2 mile long hill. This hill goes slowly but after that I settled into a comfortable pace and continued on my loop. I wish I could say the rest of the run was uneventful but I started to feel a little distress in my lower abdomen with about 3 miles to go. My rational mind was telling me to heed the warning signs and cut the run short. Just a simple left turn and I could be home in 6 minutes. My runners mind was telling me that I had to complete this loop or else I would burn in the fires of hell for being a wuss. (This is what I get for guzzling 10 oz of strong coffee before the run. I must learn from these errors and not repeat them in the future.)
I of course made the wrong decision and continued on my way thinking "How bad could it get, I am nearly done?" A mile later I as forced to walk. These walking breaks increased in regularity until I was forced to stroll the last 1/4 mile home. It wasn't a fun stroll.
9 miles in 72 minutes.
The first one was more difficult than I remember and came in at exactly 30 secs. The second one was a little easier and after that I just hammered them out. Like I said, they are not extremely difficult but I definitely felt like I had put in a workout after 8 reps in 16 minutes. Each repeat was 29-30 secs.
The fun thing about working out in this location is that after you complete the set you then have to run up a 1/2 mile long hill. This hill goes slowly but after that I settled into a comfortable pace and continued on my loop. I wish I could say the rest of the run was uneventful but I started to feel a little distress in my lower abdomen with about 3 miles to go. My rational mind was telling me to heed the warning signs and cut the run short. Just a simple left turn and I could be home in 6 minutes. My runners mind was telling me that I had to complete this loop or else I would burn in the fires of hell for being a wuss. (This is what I get for guzzling 10 oz of strong coffee before the run. I must learn from these errors and not repeat them in the future.)
I of course made the wrong decision and continued on my way thinking "How bad could it get, I am nearly done?" A mile later I as forced to walk. These walking breaks increased in regularity until I was forced to stroll the last 1/4 mile home. It wasn't a fun stroll.
9 miles in 72 minutes.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Spring Rain
Tuesday night was a DNR. I was to lazy to get out of bed in the morning and I arrived home from class at 8:00 pm on a cold rainy evening. My stomach was growling and who was I to protest so I decided to take a day off.
Wednesday morning I was again to lazy to get out of bed and when I arrived home from school at 7:00 it was still raining but this time it was a warm spring rain. The kind that you can run through in shorts and shortsleeves, the kind I don't mind. Heather had the same idea and joined me for a run.
To be truthful I really felt like running alone. The plan was to get home, get right back out, bang out an 8 mile loop in a about an hour and just get things over with as quickly as I could. But I couldn't really protest when Heather asked, especially on a rainy evening and Heather doesn't really know the loop very well. So instead of 7:30 pace, it 9:00 pace. My legs were thanking me but my mind was itching to pick things up.
7.2 miles in 65 minutes.
The good thing is that the run left my legs fresh for a harder workout and few extra miles tonight.
Wednesday morning I was again to lazy to get out of bed and when I arrived home from school at 7:00 it was still raining but this time it was a warm spring rain. The kind that you can run through in shorts and shortsleeves, the kind I don't mind. Heather had the same idea and joined me for a run.
To be truthful I really felt like running alone. The plan was to get home, get right back out, bang out an 8 mile loop in a about an hour and just get things over with as quickly as I could. But I couldn't really protest when Heather asked, especially on a rainy evening and Heather doesn't really know the loop very well. So instead of 7:30 pace, it 9:00 pace. My legs were thanking me but my mind was itching to pick things up.
7.2 miles in 65 minutes.
The good thing is that the run left my legs fresh for a harder workout and few extra miles tonight.
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Back to Work
I'm back from an absolutely fantastic trip to Spain. Heather and followed Rick Steve's guide book for a majority of the trip and it rarely led us wrong. We jumped from city to city, saw the sites, drank spanish wine, and ate tapas. The weather was great and we even managed to get a run in Seville, on what is their equivalent of Kelly Drive. I might have some pictures up on the blog in the future but it is more likely that I will never get around to posting them. For now I am just trying to work back into the routine of a busy life.
We arrived home Sunday afternoon around 4:30 pm and Heather and I were running by 5:15 on Forbidden Drive. 6 Easy miles in 48 minutes.
Last night I decided to jump right back into things and set out on a tempo run. 2.5 mile warmup on Forbidden Drive to Northwestern Avenue and then 3.5 - 4 miles somewhere around 6:15-6:20 pace. This tempo workout didn't go as smoothly as my last couple which seemed less like workout and more like fun. After miles of walking last week my legs were a little shocked to be moving this quickly and they let me know it. The last couple miles miles home were vey slow. 8.8 miles in 1:03
We arrived home Sunday afternoon around 4:30 pm and Heather and I were running by 5:15 on Forbidden Drive. 6 Easy miles in 48 minutes.
Last night I decided to jump right back into things and set out on a tempo run. 2.5 mile warmup on Forbidden Drive to Northwestern Avenue and then 3.5 - 4 miles somewhere around 6:15-6:20 pace. This tempo workout didn't go as smoothly as my last couple which seemed less like workout and more like fun. After miles of walking last week my legs were a little shocked to be moving this quickly and they let me know it. The last couple miles miles home were vey slow. 8.8 miles in 1:03
Friday, March 07, 2008
Back on the Trail
I was a tech geek slacker Wednesday evening. I picked up an iPhone on my way home from work and got so involved with activating, adding music, adding contacts, and generally checking the thing out, that I ate up all the time I had for running. had it been sunny and 55 degrees I think I would have run regardless of my new toy but it was 35 and windy so I just stayed home.
I made up for the missed run last night with a hard trip on the trails in the Wissahickon. The route and the run intensity materialized as things progressed as i wasn't sure how I was going to feel at the start. How I felt was great.
After a couple quick miles on the flat and wide Forbidden Drive I made the decision to turn up a trail hill in the park, the kind of hill that would make me wish I hadn't made that decision by the time I reached the top. I've been reluctant to run hard on the trails because of a nagging ankle pain that has left me feeling a little unstable on the rolling, rocky, root covered paths that dominate the Wissahickon.
Things were fine last night and as the run progressed my confidence grew. I was soon pushing up and down the hills, around sharp turns, and leaping fallen trees. God I love this. I hit a kind of runners high halfway through and this carried me through the rest of the run, past the Valley Green Inn, up and out of the park and through Chestnut Hill. I was feeling so good that the last 1/4 mile practically turned into a sprint. A conservative 9.5 miles in 74 minutes.
This evening I leave for a week trip to southern Spain. My running shoes are taking up some of the precious space in my backpack so I hope to get at least a couple runs in but if I don't that is ok too.
I made up for the missed run last night with a hard trip on the trails in the Wissahickon. The route and the run intensity materialized as things progressed as i wasn't sure how I was going to feel at the start. How I felt was great.
After a couple quick miles on the flat and wide Forbidden Drive I made the decision to turn up a trail hill in the park, the kind of hill that would make me wish I hadn't made that decision by the time I reached the top. I've been reluctant to run hard on the trails because of a nagging ankle pain that has left me feeling a little unstable on the rolling, rocky, root covered paths that dominate the Wissahickon.
Things were fine last night and as the run progressed my confidence grew. I was soon pushing up and down the hills, around sharp turns, and leaping fallen trees. God I love this. I hit a kind of runners high halfway through and this carried me through the rest of the run, past the Valley Green Inn, up and out of the park and through Chestnut Hill. I was feeling so good that the last 1/4 mile practically turned into a sprint. A conservative 9.5 miles in 74 minutes.
This evening I leave for a week trip to southern Spain. My running shoes are taking up some of the precious space in my backpack so I hope to get at least a couple runs in but if I don't that is ok too.
Tuesday, March 04, 2008
A taste of spring the past couples days with temps in the upper 50's and 60's. I took advantage Monday night, 6 easy miles with Heather into the Wissahickon. Very easy paced recovery run. 6 miles in 55 minutes.
Tuesday morning it was still in the lower 50's and I went out the door in shorts and short sleeves. Judging by the way my legs felt went I stepped out of bed I thought was going to be tough run. Strangely, I felt decent right from the start. Still some lingering soreness but my stride was smooth. 5 miles in 38 minutes.
Tuesday morning it was still in the lower 50's and I went out the door in shorts and short sleeves. Judging by the way my legs felt went I stepped out of bed I thought was going to be tough run. Strangely, I felt decent right from the start. Still some lingering soreness but my stride was smooth. 5 miles in 38 minutes.
Sunday, March 02, 2008
Northeast Road Runners 10K
It hasn't been the best week as far as mileage is concerned. I knew school work was eventually going to catch up and steal a couple runs and this week it forced me to miss two. This was convenient as it turned into a taper for the race today and produced some decent results. I won't complain.
After a Saturday off from running, I was raring to go for the race this morning. Heather was eager to join, a pleasant surprise from most weekend mornings. Heather usually likes to run later in the day. We took a ride down to Lloyd hall for the race. It was a cool sunny morning but not freezing, a fairly stiff breeze was coming down Kelly drive, especially as we passed boathouse row. Par for the course on this road.
Seebo said he might join me and it was nice to see him and Reba not longer after we arrived. We warmed up with a couple easy miles and with Seebo I sort of planned a race strategy. Keep the pace very close to 6:00 on the way out and then give it everything I had with the tailwind on the way back. The goal was to try and get below 37:00, which is around 5:57 pace.
The bullhorn went off and after a little shuffling, Seebo and a young guy pulled ahead and I was running next to a 4th guy. Mile 1 in 5:53. A little fast for pushing through the wind but I felt good. Between miles 1-2 I pulled solidly into third, Seebo and young guy getting further ahead, 4th guy dropping back. A no mans land position I kept the rest of the race. Mile 2 in 6:01
Mile 3 6:03. More wind and I am getting a little nervous that 37:00 may be slipping away.
I split out the 0.2 miles in the middle of the race to line up the mile splits for the return in 75 seconds and now I am heading home, praying that the tailwind can perform miracles. It does.
Although I don't feel like I have increased the pace, mile 4, with two miles to go, passes in 5:55. Now I have 11min and 50 seconds to run the final two miles and try break 37:00. I am really pushing now and keeping an eye on 1/4 splits that racing on the Kelly Drive bike path affords me. Mile 5, 5:53.
Now I am fairly confident I have it. If only I can keep this ragged, ugly, gasping trot going for one more mile. The 1/4 miles splits let me know it's working and I cross the line somewhere around 36:52, final mile 5:48. I was happy. A huge PR. (mostly due to the fact that I haven't raced the distance since the fall of 2005). Heather also finished well, 6th place female in 46:23.
The last mile was the fastest and for me, in a race of this distance, that doesn't often happen. Usually it turns into more of a hold on as long as I can but today, I feel I raced smart and hit my time. The race also lets me know that I have a good gauge of my fitness and with some more work through the spring I should be able to nail a sub 1:23 to qualify for NYC marathon. Now I just have to find a half marathon in mid to late April.
For the week. 38 miles.
After a Saturday off from running, I was raring to go for the race this morning. Heather was eager to join, a pleasant surprise from most weekend mornings. Heather usually likes to run later in the day. We took a ride down to Lloyd hall for the race. It was a cool sunny morning but not freezing, a fairly stiff breeze was coming down Kelly drive, especially as we passed boathouse row. Par for the course on this road.
Seebo said he might join me and it was nice to see him and Reba not longer after we arrived. We warmed up with a couple easy miles and with Seebo I sort of planned a race strategy. Keep the pace very close to 6:00 on the way out and then give it everything I had with the tailwind on the way back. The goal was to try and get below 37:00, which is around 5:57 pace.
The bullhorn went off and after a little shuffling, Seebo and a young guy pulled ahead and I was running next to a 4th guy. Mile 1 in 5:53. A little fast for pushing through the wind but I felt good. Between miles 1-2 I pulled solidly into third, Seebo and young guy getting further ahead, 4th guy dropping back. A no mans land position I kept the rest of the race. Mile 2 in 6:01
Mile 3 6:03. More wind and I am getting a little nervous that 37:00 may be slipping away.
I split out the 0.2 miles in the middle of the race to line up the mile splits for the return in 75 seconds and now I am heading home, praying that the tailwind can perform miracles. It does.
Although I don't feel like I have increased the pace, mile 4, with two miles to go, passes in 5:55. Now I have 11min and 50 seconds to run the final two miles and try break 37:00. I am really pushing now and keeping an eye on 1/4 splits that racing on the Kelly Drive bike path affords me. Mile 5, 5:53.
Now I am fairly confident I have it. If only I can keep this ragged, ugly, gasping trot going for one more mile. The 1/4 miles splits let me know it's working and I cross the line somewhere around 36:52, final mile 5:48. I was happy. A huge PR. (mostly due to the fact that I haven't raced the distance since the fall of 2005). Heather also finished well, 6th place female in 46:23.
The last mile was the fastest and for me, in a race of this distance, that doesn't often happen. Usually it turns into more of a hold on as long as I can but today, I feel I raced smart and hit my time. The race also lets me know that I have a good gauge of my fitness and with some more work through the spring I should be able to nail a sub 1:23 to qualify for NYC marathon. Now I just have to find a half marathon in mid to late April.
For the week. 38 miles.
Friday, February 29, 2008
It's been a busy week. With mid-terms and a vacation approaching in the next couple weeks I have been devoting more of my time to school and other items. This means I need little more focus to get in my runs.
Wednesday night I got home from class around 7:45 and laced them up to head out for 8 miles around 8:15. I really don't like running this late. This usually means I get home from the run, shower, quickly put something together to eat and then it is time for bed. However, I was in the mood to run and it went well although probably a little to fast.
8.1 miles in 59 minutes. This translates to about 7:15-7:20 pace. Still technically classified as an easy run but a little fast for my liking. My calves were fairly tight the entire run but other than that I felt good.
Thursday - I got up early to get into work so I could get out early and go to school for a review session for a test next week. I again didn't get home until after 7:00 and this time I just didn't have it in me to go for a run when I got home. I was hungry and truthfully I just felt like sitting on my ass for a little while with dinner and a couple beers.
I planned to get out for a run this morning, saw the 18 degree temps at 5:50 this morning and decided to get in the shower instead of into my running shoes. It'll have to wait until this evening.
Wednesday night I got home from class around 7:45 and laced them up to head out for 8 miles around 8:15. I really don't like running this late. This usually means I get home from the run, shower, quickly put something together to eat and then it is time for bed. However, I was in the mood to run and it went well although probably a little to fast.
8.1 miles in 59 minutes. This translates to about 7:15-7:20 pace. Still technically classified as an easy run but a little fast for my liking. My calves were fairly tight the entire run but other than that I felt good.
Thursday - I got up early to get into work so I could get out early and go to school for a review session for a test next week. I again didn't get home until after 7:00 and this time I just didn't have it in me to go for a run when I got home. I was hungry and truthfully I just felt like sitting on my ass for a little while with dinner and a couple beers.
I planned to get out for a run this morning, saw the 18 degree temps at 5:50 this morning and decided to get in the shower instead of into my running shoes. It'll have to wait until this evening.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
As soon as I hit the split button to end the tempo portion of my run last night I knew it had been a great workout. I ran close to the same route I did two weeks ago for a tempo run but this time around I felt stronger, more in control and definitely faster. I again ran by feel, but sometimes you just know when everything is falling into place. I couldn't wait to get home measure the route.
Just as last time I warmed up for a little over mile. Unlike the last time I made a mental note of my starting point and hit the split button on my watch. I sped up and tried to run at a controlled pace that was somewhere around 6:25. The tempo portion is mostly rolling with one major downhill followed immediately by a big uphill (similar in incline but slightly longer than St. Georges in Fairmont Park) about 1.5 miles in. I was hurting a bit at the top of the hill so I slowed the pace to take a slight breather. Continued on my route across Germantown ave into East Chestnut Hill and the turning north at Crittenden Ave. The turn over of my legs was telling me that I was moving along well and that my pace was increasing. My lungs were telling me to give it more gas but I continued to hold back.
I felt great, like I could have kept this pace up for 10 more miles. The time was flying by and with 10 minutes remaining to reach my 32 minute tempo goal I pushed the pace a little more. Finished up 5.2 miles in 32:26 for an average pace of 6:15. Faster than a couple weeks back when I ran somewhere around 6:25 pace. It was also easier this time around and the run got faster as it went. If I would have added another mile I am sure the average pace would have dropped slightly. So, overall, a great workout.
Tuesday monring. An easy run around Chestnut Hill. 5.2 miles in 40 minutes.
This Sunday I plan on running the Northeast Road Runners 10K which starts at LLoyd Hall. I haven't run a 10K since November 2005 and my PR at the distance is a little weak at 38:43. If I am running like I ran last night I think I have a good shot at going 37 minutes. That will be my goal.
Just as last time I warmed up for a little over mile. Unlike the last time I made a mental note of my starting point and hit the split button on my watch. I sped up and tried to run at a controlled pace that was somewhere around 6:25. The tempo portion is mostly rolling with one major downhill followed immediately by a big uphill (similar in incline but slightly longer than St. Georges in Fairmont Park) about 1.5 miles in. I was hurting a bit at the top of the hill so I slowed the pace to take a slight breather. Continued on my route across Germantown ave into East Chestnut Hill and the turning north at Crittenden Ave. The turn over of my legs was telling me that I was moving along well and that my pace was increasing. My lungs were telling me to give it more gas but I continued to hold back.
I felt great, like I could have kept this pace up for 10 more miles. The time was flying by and with 10 minutes remaining to reach my 32 minute tempo goal I pushed the pace a little more. Finished up 5.2 miles in 32:26 for an average pace of 6:15. Faster than a couple weeks back when I ran somewhere around 6:25 pace. It was also easier this time around and the run got faster as it went. If I would have added another mile I am sure the average pace would have dropped slightly. So, overall, a great workout.
Tuesday monring. An easy run around Chestnut Hill. 5.2 miles in 40 minutes.
This Sunday I plan on running the Northeast Road Runners 10K which starts at LLoyd Hall. I haven't run a 10K since November 2005 and my PR at the distance is a little weak at 38:43. If I am running like I ran last night I think I have a good shot at going 37 minutes. That will be my goal.
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