This is Why I Buy My Running Gear Online

Popped in at my local Fleet Feet store yesterday afternoon, because I was out and about in the neighborhood and I heard they were having a sale. I don't go to this store very often. Mostly I find myself there if they are hosting packet pickup for a local race. But the store changed ownership earlier in the year and didn't sponsor the races I was doing so I didn't have a reason to go there.

I entered the store and was immediately greeted/accosted (depends on your perspective) by an older, not especially fit looking woman (I know, I shouldn't be judging! Well, I mean she looked older and less fit than me. She looked like somebody you'd see walking a 5k.)

I try to explain that I just want to look around, not looking for anything in particular, heard they were having a sale, blah, blah, blah.

Oh year, turns out the sale is 11% off, in honor of the store's 11th anniversary. Not much of a sale, since there isn't anything I really need. But there are also a couple of bins with $5 socks and some half-price gear.

I pick through the socks, while the woman hovers. I feel like she is worried that I am going to shoplift some socks. It makes me uncomfortable. I don't find any socks in my size. I give up on this.

The woman goes away and comes back a couple of times, each time telling me that she will be right back with me. But, I do not need her help. I have tried to make this clear. She steers me over to the running bra section. I am a woman, I must need running bras, right? Ok, I will look, just in case there is something that is really a great deal at 11% off.

When it comes to my running clothes, I tend towards the old school side, a little bit. Not cotton, Not that old school. But I like my clothes, like my shoes, to be fairly simple. I like those basic sportsbras in a wicking fabric that come in S, M, L. I don't like having to figure out  my exact measurements and cup size. Unfortunately, that is all they have in this store. It's just too complicated for me to deal with, and plus 11% is not enough of a deal on an item for which I do not have an urgent need.

Ok, that's it for the bras. I wander over to the $30 shoe table. There is a pair in my size but they are not my usual style. I resist the urge to try them on.

I take a quick look at the gear rack but nothing catches my eye. I am on my way out the door when I see they have a few more bins with gear at 50% off. That's more like it.

I pick through a bin and find one of those fuel belts that also holds your race number. Been thinking about trying one of these, and at $8 I cannot resist.

A young man comes over and proceeds to do the same hovering thing that the woman did earlier. I definitely have the impression that they are worried that I am going to shoplift something. Is it really so much of a problem for them? Do I really look like a shoplifter to them?

There's a fair amount of activity in the store and I wonder about the other shoppers. I figure they must be new runners who need to stock up on attire at almost list price, or they don't know yet what kind of shoes suit them so they need guidance from "experts." I've consistently had bad luck with the shoes recommended for me by these "experts" and anyway, I'm wearing cheap shoes in last year's model and I know the store doesn't carry them and even if they could order them for me, I can order them myself probably cheaper and have them delivered directly to my home. I guess I am not the target market for a running shoe store, even though I am an avid runner. It is somewhat ironic.

So anyway, the guy continues to hover as I start to pick through the bins of old leftover technical race tees, and then stop myself because I don't need any more of these even if they are giving them away.

And then comes one helpful thing: they guy points out to me the clearance rack, over on the other side of the store in the men's department, which I had missed earlier. Not too much there, and it's obvious why most of it is on clearance (nobody, even a beginner, is going to be dumb enough to buy white running shorts, and the real mystery is how this stuff ended up in the store in the first place). However, as the guy continues to hover, I do find a couple of worthy items. There's a blue and white shimmel top and a nice pair of black shorts, both in my size. I snap them up at 50% off. That's a real sale price, and the only way you'll get me to buy this stuff that I can live without at full price.

So, for less than $60, I leave with the fuel belt, a new top and new shorts. Not bad. Sixty-five degrees out today so I even wore my new duds for my run. The shimmel is a little big but the shorts are okay.

Back to the story of the store. As he rings me up, the guy asks me if I am training for anything. I don't want to get into it too much but I just say I am always training for something. He asks me if I have ever run a marathon and I say, yeah, just last week, and I'm training for another in January. He starts talking about their training programs and I ask if they have anything on Wednesdays, because I am starting to think it might be nice to have a group to run with or at least a couple of friends, because I am getting kind of lonely out there.

Oh yes, he says, Wednesday if their "No Boundaries" program. I have a feeling I know what this is but I let him keep talking anyway. Yes, it is their couch to 5k program. He continues describing it, and after a bit I have to interrupt to tell him that I do not think it is for me. What part of  "I ran a marathon last weekend" did he not understand?

And so, I am reminded again of why I do not shop in these stores unless there is some incredible sale going on.

Just gonna run

I've officially given up on the schedule. Not that there is much more of it to follow. Yesterday was the last change to get a decent long workout in and I blew it again. Was supposed to do 10-12 with the last 4-6 at marathon pace. Should have gone back to Lunken. Instead, struggled through six in the neighborhood and quit. It was a hot afternoon and I was tired from lack of sleep and dog training class.

Today I just went for a run around the Park-Kilgour route, 4.23 miles in about 45 minutes. It was later in the afternoon and a little cooler and I actually enjoyed myself.

I had been thinking the last few days a bit that it might be a waste of time to go to Indy. And then yesterday I started thinking that what the heck, I might as well go and just run and forget about trying to BQ. Just at least  run the race I have been training for, enjoy the expo and the pasta dinner and the speakers and the day.

And then, this evening, I realized something else. I only have to run 9:30s to qualify for Boston. I can do that, can't I? I ran sub 9s for a half on a hillier course a month ago. I just have to start out slow. I have to run that first mile in 10 minute pace, then do the gradual cutdown to a 9:30 by mile 4. Keep 'em all under 9:30 and throw a couple faster ones in where I can. And I'll have it.

Dayton River Corridor Classic Half-Marathon

I had a sucky race this time in Dayton, for a variety of reasons but mostly maybe it just wasn't my day.

Previous Years at this Race

I have some fond memories of this race from previous years. It was one of the first half-marathons I ever raced. The first few years we did it, the start and finish was in downtown Dayton at a rather run-down convention center. The course was a mix of downtown Dayton and trail along the river. They even had a little expo where you could pick up anything you might have forgotten, and a pasta dinner for people who came in the night before.

One of the first years I did it, I remember that Bill Rodgers was there competing. I think it was the year he turned 50. This race even makes an appearance in sequel to the classic running novel, "Once a Runner" by John L. Parker, Jr. ("Again to Carthage" is the name of the book, if you are interested). Quenton Cassidy comes up to Dayton to compete in this race while he is training for the Olympic Marathon Trials. He beats Frank Shorter, but there are about 13 guys ahead of them. So this used to be quite a significant race, back in the day.

It's not what it used to be.

The course has changed multiple times in the past dozen years. There always seems to be some construction going on in the Dayton area that affects the course. There were a couple years where it started and finished at the Dayton Art Institute. The last few times I've done it, we started and finished at the University of Dayton arena. We usually go through a bit of the industrial area (which I have always enjoyed because it takes us by the Dayton Dog Training Club) before hitting the paved trail that runs along the river. One year I seem to remember that we made a foray into Carillon Park and had to run across a grassy field section that was not especially well-marked. We don't do that this year but you can see the carillon itself in the background of some of the pictures late in the race. (I won't be getting any of those pictures because they just make me think about how a woman with a gut that big cannot possibly be thinking she is going to qualify for Boston.)

This year we get on the trail a lot sooner and skip the industrial part (more about this later), which is undeniably more scenic but I am a little disappointed not to pass by the dog training club.

Pre-Race

Ok, so anyway, I left the house around 7 and got there around 8 for the 9 am start. Plenty of parking at the arena. No lines for the bathrooms, either. That is what makes this a good staging are. I pick up my number and shirt, but am surprised (as are many other people) to discover that there is no chip-timing. I guess they don't really need it but it's starting to seem so old-school not to have chip timing. Even my local 5k races have chip timing now.

The shirts are shortsleeved technical tops and the woman's one is hot pink. I ordered a medium but they give me a large, which I do not notice until I am back at the car but it looks like it runs kind of small so I decide not to try to exchange it. Apparently there was some kind of issue with the shirt sizing and distribution because I overheard a lot of people complaining.

The Dayton race was previously a pioneer in providing more interesting shirts than average, but I guess the rest of the racing world has finally caught up. The first few times I did this one we got sweatshirts, then there were a couple of years when we got windshirts, then longsleeved tech shirts, and the last time I was up here, we got a shortsleeved gray tech shirt, which I happened to be wearing for this race. I was also wearing my black cap from the Delaware marathon. I had a brief period of wondering if I was inviting bad luck by wearing these items. I had worn the Dayton shirt for Delaware and that a miserable day. I did kinda wish I had worn something brighter, because the gray shirt was bringing my spirits down on this overcast and dreary day.

I sat in the car for awhile. It was a bit chilly and extremely windy outside, and there was nowhere to sit down in the lobby of the arena. I wished I had brought a throwaway shirt or a thin jacket.

Lined up in the street with the rest of the runners and waited for the gun. Would have liked some pace signs but there were none so I just had to guess.

Confusion on the Course

Once we got running I warmed up pretty quick. We ran down the street as I remembered and made a turn and went over a bridge. But then all of a sudden we were on the trail, and that was interesting because I did not remember us hitting the trail that early. But I had expected the course to be different, since it always is! Not until we passed where I would have expected to see the first mile marker did I become increasingly concerned.

My GPS said we had gone a mile and I had run it in 8:05. Ohoh. That was not good. That was a minute faster than I should have been going. Would I pay for that later? I would. I started asking people about where the mile marker was and nobody seemed to know what was going on.

All of a sudden we came upon the mile 2 marker. Ohoh. At this point it was apparent that we had cut off about half a mile. In fact, the lead police vehicle had gotten confused and taken us the wrong way. But I didn't know this, so I was wondering if we were going to run a short course or if we were going to make it up somewhere along the way. And this bit of uncertainty, along with the fact that I had gone out way too fast,  conbined to detract from my performance in this race. Or that is my story and I am sticking with it.

As we continued along the path, I began to wonder when we were going to see an aid station. I had expected them roughly every two miles, but we were approaching the three mile marker (although in fact we had only run 2.5 miles) and we hadn't hit one yet. One finally appeared around 3.5 miles into the "official course" so I had a bunch of water and my first GU there. If I had known there would be no water until that far in I would have carried my own. This was another thing that affected me negatively, no doubt.

Rather than look at my splits based on where the mile markers appeared, I will just record the lap times from my GPS:
1) the aforementioned ridiculous 8:05
2) 8:20 (still too fast)
3) 8:34 (still too fast)

Somewhere in this early part of the race I caught up with a female race walker. She was really moving and it took me a bit to catch up with her. I had overheard some other people telling her she was amazing, and I stupidly decided to chime in on that, and her withering stare told me how it went over. Should have kept my mouth shut. I am just an asshole I guess. She was pretty serious, and I heard her tell a friend who was along side her how hard it was for her "not to race." I guess this was just a workout for her?

After mile three (or 2.5 as it were) my pace climbed. Not ridiculously high but higher than my goal. Higher than I would have expected. Higher than it needs to be if I wanted to place in the AG in this race, or expect to qualify for Boston in a couple of weeks:

4) 9:37
5) 9:17
6) 9:38
7) 9:11

I had my second GU at the aid station that was somewhere past mile 7, I think. I didn't have another later because of the placement of the aid stations, but I did take Gatorade a few times. Hmmm, maybe I needed that GU to get me through the last three miles. Worth pondering.

In the second half of this race we were running into the wind, and it was brutal.

8) 9:25
9) 9:41
10) 9:19

I ran up alongside a young woman in mile 7-8 or so. She seemed unaware of my existance and started to actually run me off the road! These zombies with their iPods are really getting ridiculous. So after that I stayed right behind her for a bit and used her to block the wind (she was on the wide side) until I had a chance to pass her outright.

The wind was making my nose run like crazy and it was quite unpleasant. Then late in the race I was running behind a pair of women who decided to farmer's blow their noses at the same time, and so I got hit with their snot. That was one of the more disgusting things that has ever happened to me in a race. So of course I had to pass them after that. Should have blown some snot on them too but I did not.

11) 9:57
12) 9:51

Those last couple miles were brutal. Flat but the wind was just ridiculous. Finally we made the turn down into the parking lot. I ran the last .1 miles in 43 seconds. My official time was 1:58:41, which included about 7 seconds to cross the start line.

The Aftermath

The race director apologized about the misdirection that cut the course off. He said they thought it was 12.66 miles, but I ended up with 12.8 on my GPS. In the second half of the race, it seemed like we picked up a couple of tenths along the way. So I guess if we had not cut off that part in the beginning maybe the course would have actually been long.

Post race, they had LaRosa's pizza, and pancakes. I went for the pancakes. They had this set up outside and the wind made obtaining and eating the pancakes a bit challenging. For some added fun, the pancake flippers were throwing the cakes in the air and you were supposed to catch them on your plate. That was just nuts. There were pancakes flying all over the place and landing on the ground. I finally got one on the third try, then I demanded the guy just lay some on my plate because catching them was too much work. I had my pancakes wrapped in sausage, and I had a little orange juice, and I checked my name in the results to verify that I had not won anything, then I changed my clothes in the bathroom and it was time to head for home.

In the end I was 9 of 29 woman in my age gorup and 266 of 579 runners overall (not sure where I placed among women).

I'll be back for this one again, but I won't be making it a priority. At this point it seems that the State-to-State race has definitely surpassed it in quality as a local half-marathon.

Another Failed Long Run

Today I was supposed to do the last really long run, 18-22 miles. I had a hard time decided where or how to do it. The weather was overcast and about 52 degrees. Weather.com said it wasn't going to start raining until 4 pm or so. 52 and overcast ought to be great weather for a long run. But I prefer a little sunshine. Still, it didn't seem bad enough to do it on the treadmill.

In addition to the treadmill, I considered Lunken, my "3 loops" course x 2 (gives me over 20), 3 Loops plus Mariemont (around 18.5) and an oldie I haven't attempted in years and years, "2 Parks" plus Delta.

After a dog walk---the Observatory route in reverse to avoid cats---I suited up for Lunken. I wore my CW-X capris and a longsleeved top from the Reindeer Romp. At the last minute I threw on my thin red jacket. I was thinking it might be cozy to put on after I was finished for the drive home. Hahahahaha. I wore my fanny pack and carried Chomps.

Got down to Lunken around noon. It was considerably more desolate down there than usual. I guess the weather was keeping people home? Or maybe it is always like that on Friday? I wouldn't know because I've been going there on Mondays and Wednesdays lately.

I had forgotten how much colder and windier it gets down there. I needed that jacket after all. I wore it most of the way. I took it off and tied it around my waist for awhile during the first lap but I ended up putting it back on again for the second, remembering how much the cold contributed to my last failed long run a couple of weeks ago.

Oh, yeah, and I've gone back to the Pegagsis 28s for the long run, because I think the 29s are too snug or something.

Started out okay, except I really wasn't liking the wind. No knee pain this time and hips did not feel as tight as they have lately. I did my first lap around the airport in the counterclockwise direction, as usual. I ran back to the car in the first quarter mile because I was worried I had forgotten to lock the door, and then at the end I did the out-and-back around the playfield to push it over 6 miles. Here are the splits for the first lap:
1) 10:11
2) 10:21
3) 10:01
4) 10:01
5) 10:07
6) 10:09

Not bad, right? So after stopping to refill my water bottle at the car, I headed back out to do the 9 mile lap that includes the Armleder trail. The wind was kicking up and it was drizzling off and on. There were some big dark clouds overhead. I wondered if I would get this thing done before the rain started.

At least the Armleder trail is prettier, so there's that. And there were a few more people out on it, so it was a little less depressing. But, as I finished up the 2-mile loop around the park and prepared to head back on the connector, the wind really started whipping up and it was raining a little more. Still, as I ran up the hill to Lunken, I was thinking that maybe I would at least get around and finish the 9 mile loop, which would give me 15 or so.

But when I got up to the top of the hill, I just really couldn't face the idea of the back half of Lunken if it kept raining. So I just ran the mile back to the car. I just really wanted to get home and get out of the wind and into dry clothes. It didn't seem worth risking getting a chill just so I could get the miles done. Maybe I am just a wimp. But I swear if the weather is like this two weeks from now I am cancelling the trip to Indianapolis. No point in going if I'm not going to BQ.

Here are the splits from the last six miles:
7) 10:47
8) 10:23
9) 10:20
10) 10:55
11) 11:12
12) 11:04

In the end, it was 12.25 miles in 2:08:31 or 10:29 pace.

It sucks that I couldn't get this done. So I have one skipped long run, two failed/shortened long runs, and one sub-par race. Doesn't bode well for the marathon. I need a good couple of workouts to restore my self-belief. There's not much left, though. There's an interval workout scheduled for Monday, and a fast-finish 10 miler on Wednesday. And that's it.

I think I am going to try to do 8-10 tomorrow, on the treadmill if I have to. Then I can at least say I did 20 over 2 days.

The Struggle Continues

Week 13, Day 4

Schedule said off or 30-45 easy. I did the Mooney run in the lae afternoon. It was cool and sunny but windy. I felt pretty good. Time was 41:40 for 4.1 miles or 10:09 pace.

Week 13, Day 7

I skipped the Friday and Saturday runs because I was at an agility trial. Sunday was the Dayton River Corridor Classic Half-Marathon. I will write a race report about it soon, but it was not a good day for me. They cut a half mile off early in the race. So the race was shortened, but we also missed the first water stop and didn't get water until three miles in. It was very windy. I went out way too fast---8:05 for the first mile---and I paid for it later. It was overall very discouraging.

Week 14, Day 2

I took off the day after the Dayton race as the schedule prescribed. Tuesday it said off or 30-45 minutes easy, so I did a little run around Hyde Park for 36:36, or 10:54 pace for 3.35 miles. I started out wanting to do the park but they were doing construction, so I ran down Observatory to Delta and then down Erie to Marburg, crossed over and did the Victoria Loop, then finished up around HP east. .

Week 14, Day 3

Schedule said 45-60 easy, so I did Erie-Broadview Settle for 4.85 miles in 53:18 or 10:59 pace.

Week 14, Day 4

Schedule said 30-45 easy. I did the park for 3.08 miles in 34:42 or 11:15 pace.

The Struggle to Fit Running in Around the Wedding

It has been a challenge to fit the running in the past week. I'll just go through it day by day and compare what I was supposed to do with what I actually did.

Week 12, Day 1
This was a scheduled off day after the half-marathon. I didn't run, but I did do 15 minutes of core work and 15 minutes of upper body work with the Nike Training Club on my iPhone. Plus I cleaned the bathrooms!

Week 12, Day 2
I managed to complete the scheduled 30-45 minute "easy run," completing 3.15 miles around the park in 36:43 or 11:30 pace. Okay, it was very slow but the park is hard. The weather was drizzly and the roads were slippery. I felt a little knee twinge, which might have been from the conditions, or maybe a result of the cross-training yesterday. Cross-training = bad for you.

Week 12, Day 3
The schedule said 45-60 easy. I did the EBSE route for 4.85 miles in 51:54 or 10:41 pace. Better than the day before but did get the knee twinge at the start of mile 4. I backed off and it went away, but iced it when I got home. I think it really was from the damn cross training.

Week 12, Day 4
I was supposed to do a 16-20 mile long run. Instead, I drove around completing various wedding-related errands with Susan. Also, I had to take the dogs to the kennel and that was a two hours of driving. This is the first major workout that I have missed and I hope it won't turn out to be a key one.

Week 12, Day 5
The schedule calls for a 40-50 minute recovery run. I do the Madison route for 4.9 miles in 52:56 or 10:47 pace. I had to hustle to get a run in before we had to head out for the mani-pedi party.

Week 12, Day 6
The schedule said off or 30-45 easy. But this was the day of the wedding. So hahaha, it wasn't happening.

Week 12, Day 7
Again, the schedule said off or 30-45 easy. I did 3.15 miles on the treadmill in 45 minutes, using Program 2 mostly on Level 5 which has a top speed of 5.2 mph. Felt really tired but like I needed to do something.

Week 13, Day 1
Was supposed to do a 18-22 mile long run. I went to Lunken in the middle of the day, after the dog walk, with every intention of getting at least 18 in. The first five went well, but when I went back to the car to refill my water bottle, I made the mistake of switching to a shortsleeve shirt. It was pretty windy and not that warm, and I think this apparel switch played some role in my srtuggles the rest of the way. For the second loop, I went down the Otto Armleder trail and connector, then continued the rest of the Lunken loop. This gives you a nice 9 miler. I was hoping then that I could go back to the car and just head out for another 5 and I'd have over 19. But my hips were really sore and my pace was slowing and I felt like crap. So I just went a little way down and back towards the playfield and ended up with just 16.38 for the day. I guess we could consider this a makeup for the 16-20 I missed last Thursday, but maybe the point was to do 16 last Thursday and another 18 on Monday. If so, I have failed.

Week 13, Day 2
Schedule said off or 30-45 recovery. I am bored with my regular 3 mile routes. It was late in the afternoon and I had already walked the dogs around the park. Had agility class in the morning, then some driving around with post-wedding errands. So, went down Erie, then across and jogged a little around the dogwalking area, then did the Victoria-Portsmouth loop and came home, for a total of 3 miles in 31:35 or 10:31 pace.

Week 13, Day 3
Today the schedule called for 45-60 easy. I didn't make it out until late afternoon again, following a morning rally class with Zen, returning vases to the florist, and a dog walk around the Observatory route (scary when the out of control dogs lunged for a pile of dog poop on Erie and Zen pulled her leash out of my hand and I got a knee twinge as i tried to brace myself, hold on to the dogs, and not fall down). I did the Park + Kilgour route, for a total of 4.23 miles in 45:35.

I am bothered that I missed the long run last week and had to shorten the one this week. Otherwise, I guess I am not in such bad shape. But I know the long runs are really key and the area I've been lacking before. And here I am again. Well, if I can run a decent half-marathon this weekend, I'll feel a little better about things. I have one more really long run next Friday, then a fast finish long run the following Wednesday, and that's it.

State to State 10

This is the one I've done all ten years, a half-marathon in Oxford. This year was the best ever.

 On the ride up there this morning I reminisced to myself about the changes over the years. The first time was the year before Susan transferred to Miami, I think. I parked in an elementary school parking lot a few blocks from the start.

The second year I parked in a lot right next to the start. Susan did not come out to see me. The third year I parked on the street near her dorm, and she let me come inside to use the bathroom and wash my face. The third year I drove over to her apartment after the race, took a shower there and then we went out for lunch.

Ever since the third year I've been parking on Church Street, a couple of blocks from Uptown Parks, where the race starts and finishes.

Yesterday I thought I might be getting a cold but I was just tired. Went to bed early and felt fine this morning. Ed woke me up to go outside at 4:15 am and I decided to just stay up. Had two cups of coffee and a banana. Left the house at 6 am.

Parked the car in the usual place. Plenty of parking at 7 am. No lines at the portapotties, either. Same old, same old. Packet pickup was more organized than usual, and they had everything in one bag for you rather than making you wait on separate lines for the bib and the chip.

The shirts were the most attractive they've ever had at this race, longsleeved techncial tops with a blue and yellow design.

It was a little chilly before the sun came up so I went back to the car to put on my bib. Discovered I had # 2 this year (last year was # 3). I have to assume this has something to do with being a streaker, even though they didn't do anything special for us.

When the sun came out I headed back to the start. I was wearing the black CW-X capris, black cap from Milwaukee, shortsleeved shirt from Leading Ladies, and over that I layered the shirt from the Disney half and my Marathon & Beyond top. I kept the M&B top on for awhile, but eventually left it at the gear check---they actually had a gear check this year, another area they have improved.

It was in the upper 40s at the start but felt warmer, and predicted to get up to about 55 by the time I would finish.

Got back in the portapotties just in time before the lines got long, hung out a little longer in the park and then it was time to get out in the street and wait. They had a clock set up that was counting down to the 8 am start time. I thought that was pretty cool. Race actually started on time. How often does that happen?

Since I felt pretty good, my goal was to try and run a time similar to last year, if not just a bit faster. I think I have about the same speed, but I'm a few pounds heavier, although with possibly better endurance (see that 18 miler last week). To run something like a 1:59, which is just a touch over 9 minute pace, I figured I just needed to keep most of the miles in the low 9s, maybe a couple faster, and nothing over 10.

Down the hill we headed and I was feeling pretty good. The red bricks always go on for longer than I expect. No train coming across the tracks unlike the problem a couple of years ago. They did have a special chip mat out there though just in case a train came unannounced so if you had to stop it would not affect your chip time. The middle-aged people playing the bongos were out in their usual spot. I felt good. First mile 8:58. Okay. I had a little walk and drank some water at the first aid station. I took my longsleeved top off and tied it around my waist.

They had aid stations at just about every mile, which is something I think they started last year. Mile 2 was another 8:58. Still okay. I was noticing some of the women around me. There was a woman who looked like she could be in my age group, wearing an orange shirt. I knew she was # 8 because as we passed by aid stations people would say "good job # 8." She had a tattoo of a feather on her calf. She looked like she was running fast but she was not going any faster than I was. When I would catch up to her she sounded like she was laboring. But she would pull ahead when I took my walk breaks.

I walked for 30 seconds through the water stops, and occasionally another 30 seconds on the uphills.

The jog through the upscale neighborhood was over before I knew it, and soon we were in the senior citizen complex. I missed the three mile marker, but three and four together were 17:53. Still sub-9s, great. I had a GU at the aid station in between three and four.

There were two other woman I noticed, both probably younger than me. One was tall and her feet splayed out to the sides behind her as she ran. Well, I left her behind after a couple of miles. The other one was also tall, but more athletically built, wearing a longsleeved purple top. Like # 8, she looked strong and fast but every time I caught up to her she sounded like she was struggling.

One thing I do, in situations like this, when I catch up to these people, is I try to control my breathing so it sounds like I am not struggling at all. And every time we pass a mile marker, I look down at my watch and I say something really positive and optimistic sounding like "great!" I want them to know that I am feeling fine. It's mean but it works.

I saw the bulls, I saw the horses, but mostly I was focusing on the race.

Mile 5 was 8:52, mile 6 was 8:50. I was actually faster than last year. They had a clock set up at the halfway point and it said 58 something. If I did not slow down too much in the second half of the race, I thought I was in good shape to be under 2:00.

Mile 7 was 9:29. I think that's the one with the big hill. It doesn't seem as bad as it used to feel. I had a GU in here somewhere. Mile 8 was an 8:32. Either that one is a bit short or it's because of the downhill. # 8 caught up to me and passed me, but then I passed her again. I remember thinking later in the race that if she did catch me again I was going to just let her go, or maybe ask her how old she was first. But that was about the last I saw of her.

I had a brief conversation with a young woman who was also hoping to break 2:00, and I assured her that we were in good shape for it. But I pulled away from her after mile 10 and I don't know if she made it or not.

Mile 9 was a 9:23. Either it's long or it's the hill. Mile 10 was a 9:11. As long as I could keep them under 10 I thought I would be okay. The second half is always harder on days when you are running into the sun. At least it wasn't too hot and I had dressed correctly.

Mile 11 was 9:24. I was looking forward to the downhills in the last couple of miles. Mile 12 was an 8:45. The drummers were still out there with more of their friends. I clapped for them.

Now we were crossing the train tracks again and heading up the hill. I thought I could see the finish line at the top of the hill, but I eventually realized it was just the street signs. We weren't even at the bricks yet. I could have pushed harder coming up the last hill but there were no other women around to try to beat. Mile 13 was 8:34.

I did kick hard for the last .1, but not hard enough to puke. Last .1 was 48 seconds. I had broken 1:58. Final time was 1:57: 30-something. Need to wait for the results to get the official time. I saw it posted at the race, but don't remember exactly.

Got my finisher's medal and it is much prettier than previous years. There were just all kinds of upgrades at this race this year. I walked over to the food area, expecting the usual bagels and bananas and maybe some cheese sticks or yogurt. But no, they had chocolate milk! And pizza! They read my comments on the survey from last year, apparently. I had some milk and told the volunteers how nice it was to have these refreshments. The race director overheard me and came over and I complimented her on all of these new enhancements, and told her that I had done the race all ten years. She said she wondered how many of us there were and  she also wondered why they didn't do anything special for us. I hope maybe next year. Anyway, I told her that the chocolate milk and the pizza more than made up for it.

I walked to my car and changed into a dry shirt, then headed back to the finish area to check the posted results. Found out that I had won the age group. Woohoo! This year they are giving out the awards at the race. You just walk up to a table where they have the awards and you tell them who you are and they give it to you. So I got it. It's a nice little plaque. Also nicer than the awards from last year. Did they listen to me on that too? It's all good.

Turns out I just missed the third place grand master by about 20 seconds. If I had known, I could have picked it up some. But I don't really ever recognize anybody in this race, so I wouldn't have known who she ws.

So in it's tenth year, this race that I have sometimes wondered about why I kept on doing it has transformed itself into a superior event, really just about perfect. I'm already looking forward to next year.

Week 11, Days 3 & 4

Been busy so skipped posting the last few days. So this is for the runs I did on Wednesday and Thursday. After the Yassos on Monday, I did not feel bad about taking Tuesday off.

Wednesday I just did an easy three around the park. Time was 33:38 or 11:08 pace, once again a pretty good pace for that difficult route. Can't remember now what time of day I did this. Oh, that's right. It was in mid-morning after walking the dogs and before I went out to get my hair and nails done.

Thursday I did an easy five miler on my "Madison" route. This one was in the early evening, after 5 pm, after I got back from setting my crates up for the agility trial on Friday. The roads felt kind of slippery after the rain. My knee didn't feel great, and I don't know if that was because of the rain/humidity, or because I had run the dogs in agility class in the middle of the day (and maybe the knee brace I wear for agility was bothering me?), or because I had been schlepping the wire crates around and setting them up. And of course, I think I probably alter my stride when I am worried about slipping.

Come to think of it, the left foot is feeling a little weird also. That might be because now that it is fall, I've been changing my regular dog-walking shoes. Had been walking in the Keens all summer with no problem, but the last few days I've worn my old Merrills a bunch and maybe they are causing a problem. Note to self, get some Keens for the fall/winter.

Anyway, felt a little knee twinge early in the second mile, and maybe I should have cut the run short. But I kept going. the knee became bothersome again near the end of the run, when I had just about a half-mile to go. I even stopped and walked a little bit at that point, then jogged slowly the rest of the way. Time was 54:07 for 4.9 miles or 11:02 pace, which is not bad considering the walking.

Anyway, I took yesterday off because of the agility trial, and then I'm also taking today off because of the race tomorrow, and also because, damn it, I feel like I am getting a cold. Just in time for State-to-State tomorrow morning.

Now the dilemma. Do I skip the race and then it turns out it's not really a cold anyway? And then I have broken my streak of doing this race every time since the first year. Or do I run anyway, and turn the cold into pneumonia/bronchitis, just in time for the wedding next weekend and when I am really not going to have time to get to the doctor this week and have a gazillion things to do?

In the meantime, I am sucking down the vitamin C. I really have to get back on the vitamin kick. I actually did take them this morning before I went off to stand around in the cold outside at the agility trial. Was colder than I expected when I got there and I was wearing shorts. Stupid.

It looks like it is going to be in the upper 40s in Oxford tomorrow morning for the start of the race, and only climb to about 55 degrees by the time I finish. Gonna be one of those years where I have to layer and debate ditching my old garments, I guess.

Last year the weather was pretty perfect, and I made my goal of breaking 2:00 and even placed second in the age group. This year I wanted to go even a little faster, and the workouts of the last few weeks were telling me that I was in shape to do that, but now I don't know. If I really feel sick even taking it easy is going to be stupid. Well, at least it won't be raining tomorrow. Last year I think I also felt like I was getting a cold before the race but it was a false alarm. I was a little thinner this time last year. Let's not dwell on that.

Week 11, Day 1

I could have run yesterday when I came home from the agility trial but instead I just ate Chinese food.

Today I did another Yasso workout at Lunken. I thought about doing 7 or 8, but it was hard enough to get myself in the mood for 6. The schedule says 6-8. I counted back from the race date to see what it would be if I was just doing Yassos every week, and it would be just 6 this week so that settled it for me.

I'm feeling better than two weeks ago when I did the last set of Yassos---no hangover or headache---but I am just a little tired. Did not get out for the dog walk until 10 am. So it was almost noon before I started on the Yassos.

The weather is great for a mid-day run, fortunately, and once I got going I felt pretty good. Like last time, I wore my fanny pack with the water bottle and brought along some GU.

I started around the loop in the same clockwise direction as last time, but I didn't do as long of a warmup as last time. I jogged from the parking lot out to the first mile marker that you hit after the top of the hill. Well, actually, I jogged for a mile, then stopped to stretch a little bit at the benches at the top of the hill, then walked for a minute, then jogged up to the mile marker. So, the warmup was just 1.1 miles in 11:59.

Here are the splits for the intervals:

1) .49/4:02 recovery of.31/3:19
2) .49/4:09, recovery of .34/3:31
3) .49/3:58, recovery of .34/3:41
4) .49/3:54, recovery of .30/3:41 (had the GU pack during the recovery)
5) .48/3:57, recovery of .31/3:23
6) .51/4:03, recovery of .96/10:01

For the recoveries, I did the same thing as last time. I walked for 30 seconds, then jogged for a minute, then turned around and jogged back to the marker, then jogged about 15 seconds or so past it and then back to start the interval again at the mile marker that was my previous end point.

The only difference was after the fourth interval, I walked more. I had the GU at that point, and I walked for over a minute, then jogged for a minute, then jogged back.

To keep myself occupied during the intervals, I counted to 60 three times, checking my watch each time I hit 60. For the first two intervals, I had to run a little more before I hit the marker, but on the later ones, I was getting to the marker just about the time I hit 60 for the third time.

I had the watch set to show lap time in the main display, and distance in the smaller display. That seemed to work out okay.

I passed one woman who was doing possibly multiple laps at a slower pace even then I was going on  my recoveries. She asked me how long I was running and I told her that I didn't know for sure because I was doing intervals and going back and forth. I wondered if she was looking for someone to run with. That would be nice, but not today.

There was also some guy who was apparently walking around in the same direction, who started around the same time I did, and somehow even though he was walking and I was running (and I kept passing him during my intervals), we finished our loop around at about the same time. He never did say hello to me. I couldn't figure out how he got ahead of me, but maybe he had ducked into the bushes for a pee during one of the early intervals, then came back out? Anyway, that was a little weird.

Overall, I have to be satisfied with this workout. I think it felt a little easier than last time. Probably good that I didn't start as crazy fast.

Week 10, Days 5 and 6

Didn't run on Thursday because just too busy. Got in a short one yesterday after I came home from the agility trial, and then did the stride interval workout that was scheduled for yesterday, today.

Okay, first up, let's talk about yesterday. Not too much to say about it. I wore my new Nike Pegasus 29s. Felt just like the 27s and the 28s, except maybe a little smaller and snugger and that is probably good. Did the EBE route, finishing up by going around the neighborhood, which put it at 3.1 miles on the GPS in 34:02 or 10:40 pace. Felt a little tired from the agility trial but not bad.

Today I needed to do the stride workout. This is described as 55-70 minutes of easy running with 10-15 strides of 25 seconds or so and recoveries of 1 minute, with the strides done either at the end of the workout or somewhere in the middle.

Hmmm. Oh, and the strides are supposed to start out around 5k race pace and build up to like mile race pace by the end of each interval, if I understand this correctly.

For a run that long outside I was going to need water, and if past experience is any guide, probably a bit of fuel half way through. The intervals were best done somewhere that I wouldn't have to cross streets or encounter a lot of traffic, either pedestrian or motorized.

So after thinking about it a bit, I decided to start out with my regular Park loop, then return home for water and a GU, then go back up into the park and do the strides around the pavillion. And when I finished that up, I could just jog back home the shortest way.

This worked out pretty well. I ran the park loop, including jogging down the trail right to the front door, in 35:02, which the GPS said was 11:04 pace for 3.1 miles. That's actually not a bad time for that route. I made it to Custer, my traditional checkpoint, in 26:49, which is a good pace for that run.

Then I had a glass of water and a GU pack, as planned, and headed back out. Instead of running up the street as I normally would at the start of a run, I went up the trail to Observatory Ave. I felt good. Better than I do at the start of a run. I guess that is the effect of the warmup!

I jogged up the hill for 9 minutes, which put me up near the left side of the pavillion. Then I walked for a minute and started the intervals, running clockwise around the pavillion and gardens. I forget what I had the GPS set to display but it worked out well for keeping track. I know I had one of the displays set up for manual laps, and I knew that I was going to need 21 manual laps to finish the workout (1 lap to jog up the hill, then 10 laps of fast running and 10 laps of recovery). Maybe the other display was total distance or something like that. Yeah, I think that was it. The main display was the manual lap time.

For the recoveries, I walked for 30 seconds and jogged for 30 seconds.

The time of each lap varied a little bit depending on how accurate I was at looking down at the watch and hitting it to stop the lap, but the important data point is probably average speed for each of the intervals:

1) 8:09 (just figuring it out)
2) 7:48 (slight downhill)
3) 6:41 (more downhill)
4) 8:34 (slight uphill)
5) 7:00 (more flat?)

I was feeling better than I remembered feeling the last time I ran short, fast intervals. I think when I tried a similar workout during my last training cycle, I was running the intervals too fast. I think I had been doing them just about all out for 30 seconds, instead of starting at 5k pace and gradually accelerating. I tried to concentrate more on my form---because that is part of the point of the exercise---and then really speeding up the last ten seconds.

After the fifth interval, which put me on the right side of the pavillion (if you are coming uphill from Observatory), I switched direction and did the other five going counterclockwise.

6) 7:17
7) 6:28 (downhill)
8) 7:44 (uphill?)
9) 7:11 (flat?)
10) 7:35 (not sure why it was slow because I think it was downhill)

Anyway, I probably could have done 5 more but this was enough.

Then I just jogged back home on Observatory and stopped my watch just before I hit the trail. This second half of the workout was another 3.1 miles, in 32:15 or an average pace of 10:37.

I'm pleased with how this workout went. Overall, I should take confidence from having done all of the important workouts so far. I don't think I've missed a single speed session or long run. Have I? And when has that ever happened before.

No matter how the race turns out, I will have done the work.

Now the only two things I'm worried about are getting sick, and the struggle to get these last few key weeks of training in. The wedding really figures into these concerns, because it is a big stressor, and also I will be exposed to a lot of germs!

I've started trying to remember to take my vitamins again, and I'm going to have to work on getting plenty of sleep.

Week 10 , Day 3

I can't believe I actually got the 18-miler done, mostly because I was so not mentally into it.

Physically, I had no real excuse, since I don't have anything major going on right now, and we had great weather for a long run today. The high is probably in the mid-60s. It's sunny but not too hot. It was in the mid-50s when I started my run.

After a 45-minute dog walk around the neighborhood---trying to avoid loose dogs, which is becoming more and more of a problem lately, I decided to pack up and head out to Lunken. (OMG, I just watched that video and I swear I saw my van in the parking lot. I should watch it again and see if I can find myself on the trail.)

I wore capri tights since it was a little cooler today than I've gotten used to. Set the GPS watch to display lap times, I didn't really believe I was going to do 18. The schedule said 16-18. Especially after I got started, I was thinking I would be lucky to get 16 done.

I wore my fanny pack with a bottle of ice water and carried some Chomps and a GU packet.

The trail is 5 miles around, but it's a little more if you add in the distance to and from the car (where I would go at the end of each loop), and then I was going to do a little bit more to make sure I got at least 16.

I like to park in the lot on Wilmer Ave. and run the first loop counterclockwise. I switch direction for each loop.

With this new watch, I have mile/lap times:
1) 10:04 ---takes me up to the Sky Galley/terminal area, where we verify that there is indeed no mile marker visible (an issue during the Yassos last week)

2) 10:25---getting on the back side of the trail

3) 10:04 --- had some Chomps

4) 10:18 --- took the walking break down the steep hill

5) 10:16 ---took the walking break as I was approaching the van, refilled water bottle at van, wiped my face, put on fresh chapstick

6) 10:15---running the trail clockwise, walk break up the steep hill, had some Chomps

7) 10:30---bummed that I am slowing down

8) 10:17---started feeling depressed and suicidal, wondering how I am going to make myself get out there for a third lap

9) 10:29---back near the terminal again, had some Chomps

10) 10:43---back to the van, refilled the water bottle, wiped my face, reapplied sunscreen

11) 10:41---this third loop is going to be a lot slower, but now I am committed, heading back up Wilmer Ave. and passing the terminal. I'm seriously considering taking walking breaks every half-mile the way I do when I run on the treadmill, but then I will be out here even longer. I'm also thinking that maybe I do need to get a carrier for my iPhone and decent earbuds, because this is so damn boring, and it would be nice to listen to a podcast or some music. However, there is a lot of bicycle traffic and I would be a little nervous about not hearing them coming up behind me, since there were a few times even on this run where I almost got run over.

12) 10:58---creeping along, no longer suicidal but wondering how I am ever gonna qualify for Boston in Indy. Thinking that maybe I really need to start getting more sleep. Go to bed at night by 10. Maybe the reason this is hard is because I am so tired. Have the last of the Chomps.

13) 11:08---maybe I will do 17. Four more miles to go!

14) 11:04---decide to extend the run by doing a mile or so out and back along the Otto Armleder trail, a new loop that connects to Lunken. Never been on this trail before. Actually, I guess it is a one mile trail connector that goes to a two-mile loop. So I guess my out and back was on the connector piece. This could make a nice four mile extension to a Lunken loop, to push it up to nine mile around, but I like the five mile distance for carrying water. Anyway, I hit the connector around 14.4 miles, and I ran on it until the GPS said 15.5 miles, then turned around and headed back. It's very pretty. Lots of yellow wildflowers. A nice change of scenery from Lunken, which is kind of monotonous and ugly in places.

15) 11:15 --- on the connector, have the GU packet. Chocolate Mint, yum.

16) 11:32 ---still on the connector

17) 11:35---walked down the steep hill at 16.5. Think about skipping this walk break and just running to the car which would be around 17.5 miles. Then think, heck, why not go for the 18 so I can at least know that I did it. So I do take that last walk break. Pass the car at 17.5, so then just keep going a quarter mile towards the golf course entrance, then turn around and head back towards the van.

18) 11:13 Done!

Final time was 3:12:59, which amazingly is an average pace of 10:43, which even more amazingly is within the target range for long run pace. Really. The slow end of the range is 10:50. Now, we can see that only my first 11 miles were within the pace range. The last 7 miles were outside the range. Not sure if that matters. Well, maybe it does. But, things could be worse. This is the same pace that I averaged for 12.55 miles back on Aug.1.

Back home, I had my chocolate milk and a huge bowl of leftover spaghetti and meatballs. Am feeling pretty tired, stiff and sore right now. But do have a little of that good post-long run feeling. Knee felt okay and I didn't even ice it. I had a little funny feeling in my right foot in the second half of the run but I think it is okay. I am happy to be able to cross this one off my list!

Do I have to do one of these again next week? I hope not. I really do not enjoy the long runs.

Week 10 (Already?) Days 1 & 2

Just a couple of easy runs on the schedule at the start of this week. Yesterday I went for the 45-60 minute easy run. After the dog walk, I headed out around 11 am around the park/Kilgour route plus a little bit up Observatory and back on Pape. The GPS watch said it was 4.83 miles in 54 minutes, 11:09 pace but it is hard to run around the park.

Today I didn't go out until later in the afternoon because it was raining this morning. Decided to do my trail loop because it was a bit windy and cooler than I'm used to, and I was looking forward to the shelter from the wind that you get in the woods. Also, I wanted the freedom to just go nice and slow in a pretty place without having to worry about crossing any streets.

Trail route was 2.97 miles in 45:45, which is the ridiculously slow pace of 15:23, but it's on the trails. That is actually not any slower than usual for the trail route.

Tomorrow I am supposed to do the long run of 16-18 miles. Not sure if I will do it outside or on the treadmill.

Glenwood Gardens Night Trail Run

This race, last night, was the last event of this year's Dirt Days series. It was the third year for this race, and my third time doing it. Hey! Another streak!

Glenwood Gardens is a Hamilton County park that I have never visited in daylight, but I suspect is is pretty when you can actually see it. The race course is on the walking trails that circle around the gardens, some of which are paved, and some of which are gravel. The terrain is a combination of flat and gentle undulations.

So, it's not really like a trail race, as compared to traditional trail races. But, it is run in the dark, which presents a different type of challenge. Especially for those of us who are unfamiliar with the park during daylight.

I needed a good placement in this race to move me up in the standings for the Dirtiest Dozen. This year they are taking your placements from your four best races in the series (so you have to do at least four to qualify), and the top 12 males and 12 females will get the awards. Last year it was a handmade ceramic cup. I've placed 7th the past two years. Trying to move up some, but mostly the goal is just to make it, period. I've done five out of the previous six races, so I have enough scores already, and even without a good placement at this race it looks like I will make the top twelve.

But we always want improvement.

Last year (which you can read about here) I finished this race in a little over 30 minutes (30:08 to be precise) and was 11th woman and 11th overall finisher age-graded. So this year, I wanted to break 30 minutes, and make it into the top ten women and top ten age-graded. And if Cyndi K. showed up, I wanted to beat her. And if I could beat her by three spots, I would finish ahead of her in the Dirtiest Dozen standings. But if she didn't show up for this one, she wouldn't be in the standings, because she has only done three races.

It was a nice evening to run, with temps in the 60s and low humidity. The race didn't start until 9 pm, so the park could get good and dark. I had a cup of yogurt around 5 pm, and a banana around 7. Left for the race around 7:45, which was a bit early but I was ready to go.



I wore a red running skirt, a white top (the one with the "26.2 Dog" on it I bought at Hartford last year), a white running cap, my trail shoes, and the little Petzl headlamp that I only use at this race. (Looks like I will need to remember to replace the batteries for it next year!) The headlamp gives off enough light to make it around the trails. They also give you little red blinkies to attach to your back at the race, which helps the people behind you. And the side of the trail is marked with the little blinkies as well, just enough so you can find your way around.

I decided to wear the Nike GPS for this one. I've used it enough now that it is not too distracting. And since the miles are not marked on the course, I thought it would be nice to have a good, bright display of approximately where I was in the race and how long I'd been out there. I set it for 1-mile autolaps but turned off the sound.

I got my number and headed out for a warmup. Last year I had stressed out about getting lost in the dark, so this year I just ran straight down the trail from the start and decided that I would turn right around after a half mile or so. They hadn't finished putting the blinkie lights out on the trail yet, but this was enough of a warmup. I didn't see many other people warming up, but maybe that was because I couldn't see very much, period. I noticed that there were already people gathering in the start area, and I thought that was weird because we still had like 40 minutes until the start of the race.

I felt a little stiff. And my headlamp didn't seem quite as bright as I remembered. Honestly, I was a little nervous about falling. And then I felt a little twinge in my left knee towards the end of the warm up. It went away quickly, but it was enough to worry me a little.

No sign of Cyndi K., but I couldn't really see who was there in the dark, anyway.

I joined the other people waiting at the start around 8:45, which still seemed way too early. And of course, the race didn't start right on time. The GPS had worked fine during my warmup but when I tried to get it started again for the race it had trouble finding the signal. Of course. At least the shoepod sensor was working.

There were the usual people there with compression socks but at least I didn't see any fuel belts for this 3.6 mile race. I did see a couple of young women wearing long tights, and one of them even had on a long sleeve top and a vest! That seemed like too much clothes even if you were just going to stand around and watch. I was perfectly comfortable in my little skirt and top.

I put myself pretty close to the front, then got scared about being run over and moved back a row. I counted a dozen or so women ahead of me, which seemed like a reasonable position. I would pass some, and maybe someone from behind would pass me, but I certainly thought I belonged among the top dozen women.

As we started, I had a moment of fear that I would get tangled up in the other runners before things opened up. But soon I was into a rhythm, and just concentrating on the sound of my breathing and the thump of my feet. I quickly passed a group of about 3-4 women who had been in the front, then set my sights on one just ahead. Just tried to keep moving steadily along, knowing there would be time enough to pass her later.

After the start, I was really only passed by one group of people, a woman running with a couple of guys, who must have started pretty far back. They were booking it.

The first mile or so of the race makes a loop on a paved trail. I caught up to the woman who was just ahead of me late in that first mile, then pulled a little ahead. But she stayed with me and pulled ahead again. Okay, be that way, I thought, I am happy to draft off you. And I tucked in right behind her.

But she was tiring, and when we hit the gravel it was too much for her, and I pulled away for good.

The gravel was deeper than I remembered, and harder for me to run on. It also seems like the gravel section, which is pretty much two miles of the race, has most of the hills. Or maybe the hills are just more noticeable when they are on gravel. Whatever. I felt myself slowing down on the gravel.

It was comforting that I found myself remembering more of the race from the previous two years, so I wasn't as worried about getting lost as I had been last year. I saw the guy who looked like he was going to win coming around the gravel loop where the you can see the faster runners on their way back, and I didn't remember that from last year so I wondered if this meant I was further ahead or further behind.

I tried not to look at the watch too much. I referred to it periodically to see how far I'd gone, and it WAS a little disheartening to see that, oh, I have another two miles of this! Well, once I'd passed the approximate halfway point, I felt a little better about things.

The elapsed time was harder to read on the watch, but as we left the gravel and returned to the pavement for the last portion of the race, it looked like I was going to have trouble hitting that sub-30 minute goal. I had to remind myself not to quit, and just keep pushing. There weren't any other women ahead of me that I could see and try to catch, so that made it a little tougher to stay motivated.

And then I got the twinge in my knee again. Damn. So I backed off a little, and it went away, but I was afraid to push too hard.

Finally I could see the finish line, and then the clock, which unfortunately, was in the 29s and ticking away. I pushed it again but could not make it in time for the sub-30. Final official time was 30:04, or four seconds faster than last year.

Maybe if I hadn't had the knee twinge come up, I would have gone a little faster in the last half-mile and gotten it.

I gave my tag to the woman at the end of the chute, then pulled off into the grass for some dry heaves, and then I walked up the hill towards the shelter. I thought that it wouldn't be a bad idea to ice down the knee. I decided that if I could get an ice bag, I might even stay for the awards. There weren't that many women walking around in the shelter area. And last year they even had pizza.

But there was no ice to be had, even at the medical/message therapy tent. And it looked like the only food available was bags of apples, probably unwashed. So I decided that the best thing to do was just get home as fast as possible and ice the knee there. And that's what I did.

Back home, I sat down with my bag of frozen peas for my knee, and ate a Lean Cuisine and drank some chocolate milk. The knee seems okay today so hopefully it is nothing serious. I think the ice was a good idea. Maybe all my stiffness and the problem with the knee were related to having given Maggie a bath in the afternoon, which involves some bending over and risk of slipping, and so does tend to take it out of my body a little bit.

So I will blame my somewhat disappointing performance at this one on the Maggie bath. Yeah, that's the ticket.

Reviewing my results (thanks to the help of the GPS), I ran the first mile in 7:42, which was possibly too fast. The second mile was an 8:55 and the third was an 8:37, which were partly due to the hills and the gravel but perhaps would have been a bit faster if I had not gone out so quick in the first mile. the last .6 was a 4:50.

I ended up placing 12th of 79 women, which, while not what I had hoped for, is still good for the Dirtiest Dozen because it displaces my 21st place from Powder Keg. So I have a 10, 15, 15, and a 12---not too shabby. Cyndi K. was not there, so she is not in contention this year. I have mixed feeling about that because it is fun to have a friendly rivalry and someone to race against. She is a good competitor for me because we are about the same pace. She has an advantage on the trails (where I am often afraid to push too hard on the downhills because of my knee) but I am a little faster on the roads.

Tenth place woman in the race ran a 29:33. I was 54 of 163 runners overall, and 15th based on the age-graded times (11th last year). There were more runners this year, which explains why even though I was a tiny bit faster I did not place as well.

I'm a little bummed out because I am training so diligently for Indianapolis and I am expecting my race times at the shorter distances to improve as well. But I have to remind myself that maybe that is not realistic. My speed at the shorter distances is not far off what it ever was. But it's the endurance I have always lacked, and hopefully that is what the training will give me. We'll find out in about 7 weeks.

Am I looking forward to the 18-miler on Wednesday? Not really.

Week 9, Day 5

Yesterday the schedule called for another easy run, this time just 30-40 minutes. After walking around the neighborhood with Tommy & the dogs, I headed out for my regular old loop of the park.

Did not get out until 11 am but no worries, because it was another pleasant day. Hit my "checkpoint" at Custer in 27:03---historically, anything under 27 is pretty fast on this course, so to be right at 27 on an "easy" day is pretty cool.

Finished the run of 3.01 miles in 33:16 or an 11:02 pace. While that sounds slow, for this course that is relatively fast. So, I am getting faster. It is happening!

Tonight is the Glenwood Gardens night trail run. Last year I finished in just a smidge over 30 minutes, so this year I hope to at least break 30.

Week 9, Day 4

Today the schedule called for a Recovery Run of 30-45 minutes, or a rest day. I am not sure what I am supposed to be recovering from since yesterday was an easy day, but maybe it is because this is supposed to be an overall recovery week with reduced mileage.

The dogs woke me up around 6:45 and I was out the door by 7:15 am, so a little later than usual. It was a warmer morning than we've had the past few days. It was nice to run in daylight but I didn't like all the traffic.

Just did the Shady Lane route as usual. Still a bit frantic about not falling down. Wonder how long it is going to take me to get over that? I am so obsessed now with looking at the sidewalk when I'm on Erie that I almost ran into a guy coming the other way.

Finished in 35:04 for 3.21---hey, the GPS matches what it said on Tuesday for a change!---which is a 10:56 pace, right in line with what it is supposed to be for a "recovery run." I think I am getting a teensy bit faster after all.

I've been thinking about the GPS discrepancies, and I wonder if it has to do with starting the run before the GPS signal is ready. The shoe pod is supposed to take over whenever the GPS is not working, but maybe that doesn't quite apply or work properly if you use the Quick Start command before you have a GPS signal. That is supposed to be the point of the Quick Start but maybe it doesn't really work.

Tomorrow I think it's another short and easy one. I'm thinking about getting out the spreadsheet I used last time and plugging in this training block and see how it compares to last time, and the BQ time. I've definitely never followed a schedule so consistently before. I've done all the long runs so far and all the speed sessions, except for the one where I substituted a race. Actually, no, I did do that that speed session too, just pushed it out a couple of days to allow for the race recovery. It might be more, it might be less, than I've ever done before but at least I am sticking to the program.

Week 9, Day 3

Today the schedule calls for an easy run of 50-60 minutes. Slept in this morning, then walked to dogs around the park, the long way because the weather is so nice for a change. Got out for the run around 11 am. Felt a little tired and it was getting warmer by then and quite sunny. But still not bad.

Did the Madison route. Tried to keep the pace easy and mostly, felt pretty good. Was thinking about the upcoming trail race this weekend during the first mile. Thinking about my goals---breaking 30 minutes (was just a few seconds over last year), trying to get into the top 10 women and possibly the top ten age-graded runners, beat Cyndi K. by more than three placements (this is what I need to do in order to place ahead of her in the Dirty Dozen standings). I can't control some of these things so I am trying to focus on the breaking 30 minutes. Last year I think I was recovering from a cold so I really should be able to run a bunch faster this year. And then, when it comes down to the end of the race, I just have to try to pass all the women that I can.

Anyway, I was thinking about all this when all of a sudden I think I actually see Cyndi K. running towards me. I am pretty sure it was her. She was running with some guy, and they were coming down Erie as I was going up it. She was wearing the pink technical top from the Lady Distance Classic and she has the longish, wavy blond hair like Cyndi K., and she gave me a big hello. Had to be her. So that was kind of random. Huh.

Rest of the run went along pretty well but another odd thing was that I noticed the GPS seemed to be saying that I was running farther for this route than it did when I last ran it a couple of weeks ago. That's weird. I would have thought that the GPS would be at least as consistent as the shoe pod was.

Had a bit of knee twingey stuff going on in the last mile and a half or so, coming up Observatory. Also had noticed that my left and right feet are landing differently, and I'm not sure what to think about that. And my right shoulder/neck area is a little sore, like I pinched or pulled something or slept on it funny, and that was bothering me yesterday also.

When crossing Observatory at Delta, had a near miss with an inattentive car driver. I hate crossing that intersection. The woman driver (I am sad to say that it is always a woman who almost hits me) was coming down Observatory and turning right on to Delta. She looked to her left but not straight ahead where I was. I had the signal, the all-too-brief signal that you get at that intersection. I could tell she didn't see me so I hung back a bit and she cut me off. As she cut me off, she finally noticed me and gave me a little friendly wave.

Right. So I gave her the finger in response. Idiot. If I were a guy I probably would have pounded on the hood of her car as well. So she is lucky she just got the finger. Probably didn't understand what I was upset about. The fact that you could have run me over, moron, that is why I gave you the finger. Pay attention, and when you screw up, please recognize it and appear sorry for your mistake.

I noticed that she had a bike rack on back of her car, and I thought that she was probably one of those idiots who drives their car to the trails in the park and then rides their mountain bikes in there on the narrow little trails that are supposed to be pedestrian only. I hate those people.

Speaking of bikes, I forgot to mention on Monday that when I was out at Lunken I ran by the "ghost bike" that somebody put up in memory of Andrew Gast. I hadn't been sure before exactly where the accident occured. I thought it was closer to the intersection and that was why the driver didn't see the bike. But it was pretty much in the middle of Wilmer Ave., so based on that I assume the driver just wasn't paying attention when he hit Andrew Gast from behind.



If I'd had my phone with me I would have taken a picture of it myself.

Anyway, back to today's run. I was going to extend it a bit by doing a loop around the block to get it up over five miles, but the knee twinge scared me and I was going to be over 50 minutes anyway so I decided to play it safe and just stop when I normally would for this route.

Final time was 51:08 for what the GPS says was 4.92 miles. And here's the weird thing. When I ran this same route on Aug. 27, the GPS said it was just 4.74 miles. On that day, I actually ran a little bit faster that I did today, but the pace is getting recorded differently because of this mileage discrepancy. Whatever. Maybe I should just go back to the shoe pod, because at least it was consistent for the same course from one day to the next.

Anyway, according to the GPS, today my pace was 10:23. The good news is that this is right in the target range for an easy run. And whatever we want to say the distance was, 51:08 is a decent time for this route, assuming I was taking it easy. Which I mostly was. So this means I really am getting a little faster after all.

Week 9, Day 2

Today is a recovery run day. I got plenty of sleep last night. In bed around 10, set the alarm for 6. But the alarm went off in the middle of a dream and I felt like crap when I opened my eyes. So I hit the snooze button, thinking that I would probably run later this afternoon, but after a few minutes I felt okay and wanted to run.

Gave Zen her pill and had the dogs out for a pee then hit the road for an easy jog on the Shady Lane route. Felt a little better than I have other mornings, although I was a little nervous about falling down. Felt better once I got past the spot where I fell!

First mile was very slow but gradually picked it up and finished the 3.2 miles in 35 something. I know that's slower than the schedule dictates, but it is still faster than usual over that route, so we just have to keep that in perspective.

Week 9, Day 1

Today's workout was supposed to be 6-8 Yasso 800s. Yasso 800s are a marathon-predictor workout popularized by Bart Yasso of Runners' World. The theory is that the amount of time in minutes and seconds that it takes you to run each of a set of ten 800 meter repeats translates into the time in hours and minutes that it will take you to run your marathon. So if you can run ten 800 meter repeats in 4:00 each, then you can run a 4:00 marathon.

I've done these before. If you are using them as a weekly speed workout, you start out about ten weeks before your race, and you just do four repeats the first week. Then you add a repeat on each week until you get up to ten, and you do that last workout 10-14 days before your race.

I've had some success with these. I haven't always made it all the way through the 7 weeks of doing them. When I qualified for Boston, I did my Yassos on the indoor track the Cincinnati Sports  Club.

I've always done them as half-mile repeats instead of 800s. A half-mile is a little further than an 800, so I figure, all the better. If I can run that time but go a little farther, maybe it's even more likely that I'll achieve my goal.

Greg McMillan says that in his experience, the Yassos tend to predict an actual time that is about five minutes slower than the repeat suggests. So, that's another reason that my little farther, little faster half-mile isn't such a bad thing, I assume.

Most recently, I've done my Yassos on the treadmill. But it's always better if you can let your body dictate the pace instead of relying on a machine. And it is a gorgeous day today. So after the dog walk around the park, I packed up my gear and headed to the Lunken bike trail.

I decided to wear my fanny pack with a bottle of ice water, and at the last minute I threw in a GU pack. It was about 11 am when I started running. The bike trail is just about 5 miles around, mostly flat, with markers every half-mile.

I really wasn't feeling all that great today and had a hard time making myself get out there for this one. I am tired from the weekend of dog showing, and also probably the gin & tonic followed by the beer last night and not getting as much sleep as I need didn't  help. But I have to make myself do the key workouts if I want to qualify for Boston or at least run better than I have the last few years.

Here's what I did:

Started with a slow warmup until I hit the 1.5 mile marker. This got me up the big hill---there is just  one short, steep hill heading up to the back side of the loop, and another less steep one coming back down to Wilmer Ave.---so I would be able to do the repeats mostly on the flat. That was about 1.6 miles of running, which I did in 16:54 or 10:31 pace, a good warmup.
.
First repeat, .49 mi. in 3:49 (too fast!)
Recovery of .35 mi. in 3:51
I was looking at my watch a lot during that first repeat, thinking I was not going fast enough! But actually, it was much too fast.

For the recoveries, I walked for about 30 seconds past the marker, then jogged for a minute, then turned around and jogged back to the preceding mile marker, then jogged maybe 15-30 seconds past it, then turned around and jogged to the mile marker, where I started the next repeat. So after each half-mile fast repeat, I was doing a recovery a little bit out and a little bit back, and starting up again where the last repeat ended. This enabled me to get all 6 repeats plus the warmup in over the five mile loop.

Second repeat, .48 mi. in 3:56
Recovery of .36 in 3:54
I was stressing out because it seemed like every time I looked at my watch I was going slower than the 8:20 pace that would be optimal, but in the end I was still faster than I was supposed to be.

Third repeat, .49 mi. in 3:57
Recovery of .31 in 3:20
I finally stopped looking at my watch and tried to just gauge my effort as what I should feel like in a 5k, since my experience is that Yasso 800s roughly translate to 5k race pace. I think this is the one where I caught up and passed a woman who had gone by me at what I thought was a pretty brisk pace on my way back for the recovery.

Fourth repeat, .47 mi. in 4:03
Recovery of .39 in 4:12
Funny about the slight variations in distance according to the GPS. I wonder which is more accurate, the road markers or the GPS?

I really wanted to stop at this point. Besides the not having felt so great at the start, there was the effect of having run the first three repeats at a pace that was probably too fast.

Fifth repeat, .52 mi. in 4:22
Recovery of .34 in 4:01
This one was slow but I missed the half-mile marker (or there wasn't one) so I ended up running a little further than I was supposed to. This one ended near the airport terminal where you run down the hill and cross the street. Maybe there isn't a marker there? I can't remember. So I just stopped when I realized I'd gone farther than a half-mile per the GPS.

At this point I decided that it was time to have that GU after all. Better late than never! On the recovery, since I did not know where the half-mile marker was supposed to be, I just kept going forward until I hit four minutes, and then decided I would do the last repeat...wait, I don't even really remember what I decided now. Did I do it based on distance? Or time? Or did I keep going until I hit the next marker and then start? Probably not since the recovery was only .34.

Sixth repeat, .47 in 4:06
This one was a little short but I thought that made up for the last one being a little long. I think I did it based on counting, since I had noticed during the previous repeats that if I slowly counted to 180, it roughly came out to a half-mile of running. I'd see the marker when I got to 180. So for this one I just counted to 180 and stopped running when I hit it, since I was now so out of sync with the mile markers. So it came up a little short but close. Actually, it was the same distance as the fourth repeat, so maybe it was about right anyway.

This put me pretty much back to the start of the loop, so I just kept going until I hit the first half-mile marker, then turned around and jogged back to the car. I took a couple of walking breaks in there, too. When I got to the car, I was close to 7.5 miles so I kept going a few feet so I would get that. No real reason to do that but I did. So the cool down was 1.17 miles in 13:33, or 11:33 pace.

Total workout was 7.51 miles in 1:13:57. One thing I should have done was packed a little cooler with another water bottle or Gatorade or a Picky Bar or something to have right when I finished. Yes, it is only a three mile drive back home, but it would have been nice to have a little something before I had to get in the car.

Back home, I had my chocolate milk and then I had a frozen meal for lunch. Didn't ice my knee. It's not bothering me, but really, I just forgot about it. I'm feeling pretty wiped out. It was a hard workout. But, it's not supposed to be easy. The main thing is, I did it.

I'm not sure if there are any more Yasso workouts included in this training schedule, but if there are, next time I will remember to have a GU a lot sooner, I will spend less time looking at my watch, and I will remember to bring a little something to drink before I drive home.

Week 8, Day 7

I got a short one in today after I got home from the dog show. According to the schedule, I was supposed to do a couple of easy runs Friday and Saturday, then very easy today or take an off day. Well, I didn't run Friday (mostly out shopping and driving around) or Saturday (at the dog show), but at least I got one in today.

Wanted to do 5 miles but ended up with just 4.2. Did a combo of the park & Kilgour race routes. Was slower than the supposed "easy" run pace, but this was around the park and it is hard. Actually, my pace was probably a little faster than I would usually cover this route in, I'm just recording it slower because of the stupid GPS.

Ran 4.2 miles in 46 something, or a 10:55 pace. The second and fourth miles (downhill from the pavillion & Principio, and some downhill on Ault View and Observatory Place) were the fastest.

Week 8, Day 4

Time for the long run! I wasn't sure I could get it done. Debated waiting until tomorrow, maybe stop somewhere like Lunken or Loveland Bike Trail after setting up for the show this weekend.

Wanted to run outside, but it was another humid day. Just wasn't going to happen unless I could've gone out before the dog walk. Still harbored the hope that I might be able to get out there. It was overcast and not too hot, but still quite humid. And then it appeared that the sun was going to come out. And I remembered that I was going to be out there for like three hours. And it was already after 11 am.

Had walked the dogs around the Observatory route just before. Was able to take all three at once because of it not being sunny yet. Did not see any lizards, but had to cross the street a few times to avoid other dogs. Seemed like there were more dogs out being walked than usual. One woman asked me if they were all my dogs, and if they were "long-haired" ---- that is right up there with the oddest questions ever. Can't you see with your own eyes the length of the hair. I don't consider it long so I said "medium long." She also complimented how well-behaved they were. Hah!

(Did not get this finished yesterday so continuing today.)

So yeah, it was late when I got going. Eddy, Zen & Maggie joined me in the basement and Eddy gave me a little trouble about it but not too bad:


I did a slow warmup to 3.5  mph, then up to 5.8 mph (10:20 pace), continuing at that pace for the rest of the run, with my 1 minute water/walking breaks at 3.5 every half-mile. I got off the mill at 3, 6, 9 and 12 miles to have some Chomps and grab a fresh bottle of water.

I got pretty sweaty and debated changing shoes and clothes part way but I toughed it out.

Once I hit 16 I did the treadmill cool down for 5 minutes. Final time was 3:08 for 16.3 miles. Slow but at least I got the miles done. Biomechanically, felt fine, and that is also a good thing. Iced the knee after, just as a precaution.

How did I occupy myself during this three hour ordeal? Well, I listened to two installments of The Marathon Show, the entertaining (if you are a Marathon Maniac or similarly inclined) podcast by Joe Taricani. That took about two hours. And after that, I watched MSNBC. I know, not my usual Bravo  gay realtors or house flippers.

I feel good enough that I could have run today but I drove over to the Clermont Cty. fairgrounds to try to rope off our set up area (only to discover that it had already been taken care of, don't get me started...) and that's 40 minutes each way, and then since I was out anyway I went shopping for some new dog show clothes on sale, and also found some possible shoes for the wedding.