The cold cost me a week of training. Well, to be honest, the cold plus dog shows cost me a week of training.
Got a little in last week, still felt a bit weak.
Then, travelled to NJ to visit my sister and run the MORE half-marathon in Central Park on Sunday. Yeah, I should have been doing a 20-miler. What else is new. I figured the race would be enough. Could have done the full as a long run, but had heard enough bad things about the event to make me shy away from that. Two laps of Central Park would have to be enough.
Well, it turned out to be unseasonably hot, so they cancelled the race at the last minute. What they did was, they totally cancelled the full marathon (so glad I wasn't signed up for that!) and told us that we could all run the half-marathon as a "fun run," and we should turn in our chips because they wouldn't be timing us. Oh, and they were now only going to keep the course open for 3 hours instead of 6 1/2, so if you were a walker who would take more than 3 hours (or if you could not make it to mile 7 in 1:45) you should only do one lap.
I decided right then that one lap would be enough for me too. So we decided I would run my one lap, then maybe run back to Cathy and walk in with her. She was definitely only doing one lap. I had previously set a goal pace of 9:00 so I would theoretically break 2 hours. Don't know how I thought that was going to happen after I couldn't even run sub-9:00s for the 15k a month ago. And then after I got sick and was so under-trained anyway, I just thought I'd go out there and see what would happen. Still thinking I might pleasantly surprise myself.
Not. Anyway, it was immediately evident that the race organizers had no choice about the cancelling of the race. It was pretty damn hot. I started with Cathy back in the 10:00 corral. It took us over 6 minutes to get to the start, mostly walking. I was passing people the entire way but I wasn't exactly tearing it up. First two miles were both 10:27s. I took water and Gatorade at the water stops, and walked through those. They had water stops every mile and they were well-staffed and well-stocked, but I wonder what it was like the second time around (and what it would have been like for lap 3 and 4 if you were doing the marathon).
In miles 3 and 4, I picked it up a bit with a 9:31 and a 9:29. I guess those must be the downhills? Then I remember we were going uphill and there was no shade and I started thinking maybe I was risking heat stroke, and I couldn't wait for it to be over. I was really sucking down the Gatorade at the fluid stations.
Mile 5 was 10:17, mile 6 was 10:24, and I was wondering why they didn't just make it a 10k. I was still passing people, though. Coming up on mile 7, I started looking for a place to drop out. Looked like everybody else was going around for a second loop. I was just about the only one quitting. But I just couldn't see any point to continuing. By dropping out, I would enable us to get home sooner and get lunch! It wasn't a race anymore anyway. Plus, I was cooked.
So finally, I cut over to the grass, and started walking toward the finish area, just in time to see Magdalena Lewy Boulet win with a time of 1:18 or so. She was the unofficial winner because it wasn't a race anymore. That's right, she almost lapped me! I ran 7 miles in 1:10:33, she ran 13.1 in 1:18.
I headed down to the food tables and I was probably the first person there, because most people were still going around for their second lap, and the fast women don't eat. I had a delicious chocolate chocolate chip bagel, a banana, and more Gatorade.
Tried to call Cathy but she wasn't answering. Walked back to look for her, but eventually got bored with that and was too tired to walk or jog towards where she might be, so I headed for a bench near 64th street where we had parked the car, and hung out there until Cathy showed up. She said she did her loop in around 1:45, with a sub-15:00 pace, so she was pretty happy. Honestly she was in a lot better shape than I was. She kept talking about how nice the downhills were. All I remember were the uphills!
Today I made it out for a little 3.1 mile jog on the route I call "Shady Lane." It was slow. It's still really hot, and this was mid-day after walking the dogs. Have put Powerstep insoles in my shoes, which seems to help but now I am wondering if I need to go up a half-size in the shoes, back to a 7. With the heat and the Powersteps, it's getting pretty snug in there.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
no running today
Caught Susan's cold. Actually it started for me yesterday, so this is day 2. Yesterday I definitely knew I had a cold but I managed to get out for a walk in the rain with the dogs anyway. Got progressively worse during the day and miserable last night. And now I'm in that weak state, with the chills. So didn't even make it out for dog walks today. On Ed's insistance, we did manage 45 minutes of backyard frisbee, however.
Susan wants to try her 20-miler on Thursday afternoon. I might join her for five miles of it if I recover enough.
Susan wants to try her 20-miler on Thursday afternoon. I might join her for five miles of it if I recover enough.
Monday, April 13, 2009
Pavillion Loops
Yesterday I wanted to do 15 miles and, if remotely possible, 20. Had originally planned to do 20 at Lunken Airport with Sooze, but she got sick. Thought about trying to do my three loop ten-miler twice. But that is mostly on sidewalks and couldn’t deal with the pounding.
Prompted by a guy that Tommy and I (or actually, just Tommy because I was oblivious to it until he pointed it out) have seen running loops around the pavilion in Ault Park, I decided that maybe I would give that a try.
I figured out that it is about .75 miles from my house up to the pavilion, and that the pavilion loop is about .65 miles around. A 20 miler is about 30 loops. Somehow that did not seem insane to me sitting here at my desk contemplating it.
The reality was far different.
Anyway, it was a pretty nice day for a long run. Temperatures in the upper 40s but bright sun and not too much wind, and the temps were climbing to the low 60s later in the day. But it was still in the 40s when I headed out.
I wore my CW-X tights, a black short-sleeved technical tee shirt from the New Year’s 5 mile race last year, my light blue hat from the Lady Distance Classic, and my hydration vest filled with ice water. Had not worn that vest for awhile, and it was more comfortable than I remembered. On my feet, I was wearing the NB 763s.
My knee felt a little worrisome as I ran up the street. I attribute this sudden rush of knee disability to moving the furniture around the living room on Friday night, and a couple of days of running with Ed. Yes, Ed was staying home for this one. Anyway, by the time I had gone a half mile, the knee was okay.
Started the first loop in my customary direction (counter-clockwise) and all was well. Took 9:44 to reach the start of the circle and 7:10 for the first lap, which included a one-minute walking break soon after I started the loop. Decided that 7 minute pace per loop would be acceptable. Decided to change direction at the beginning of each new loop. Had considered changing less often but that was the easiest way to remember. Kept track of my laps by using the split counter on my Nike running watch.
Well, I only made it 12 times around. It was a lot harder than I expected. Part of the problem was psychological. With it being Easter Sunday, and a lovely day, the park was unusually full of people, and I became acutely conscious that it was obvious to some of them that there was a crazy lady running loops of the pavilion. Also, there were at least two guys doing something similar, except they were walking, and that weirded me out too because I kept lapping them. I really would have preferred to be alone out there. Or else with some company, like Susan.
Splits were: 1) 7:10, 2) 6:53, 3) 6:26, 4) 6:39, 5) 6:57, 6) 6:47, 7) 6:46, 8) 6;57, 9) 7:10 (at this point decided that if I had two loops over 7 minutes in a row I would quit), 10) 6:40, 11) 6:53 and 12) 7:09 (at which point I decided I was really sick of the park and wanted to at least go someplace else).
Oh, also there was this old guy on a bicycle also doing loops of the pavillion. I've seen him before so that didn't bother me, but what did creep me out a bit was that he decided to change his route the same time I did and I ran into him again twice on my way home.
So I headed out of the park the way I normally would on my 3 mile loop, then decided that maybe I would try to see how much of my regular 10 mile run I could fit in, now that I was all warmed up. So instead of stopping at the top of the stairs the way I usually do, I headed back down the hill and the trail to my house.
But when I got to the house, I saw Susan’s car was here so I decided I should go in and see her. I thought maybe she was over her cold and we could go out for another five miles. Well, turned out she was just here to do laundry and hang out, and still sick so she couldn’t run. And by that point I didn’t really want to go back out so that was it.
Anyway, I got in about 10.25 miles, which is better than nothing. And now I have a cold too, so that might be it for the week. We’ll see. Time was 1:55:12, which is quite slow but it is a hilly run, and I thought my loop times were pretty consistent if you consider that the walk breaks occurred at various places on each loop. I think I might try this strategy again on a day when I can have the park to myself.
Prompted by a guy that Tommy and I (or actually, just Tommy because I was oblivious to it until he pointed it out) have seen running loops around the pavilion in Ault Park, I decided that maybe I would give that a try.
I figured out that it is about .75 miles from my house up to the pavilion, and that the pavilion loop is about .65 miles around. A 20 miler is about 30 loops. Somehow that did not seem insane to me sitting here at my desk contemplating it.
The reality was far different.
Anyway, it was a pretty nice day for a long run. Temperatures in the upper 40s but bright sun and not too much wind, and the temps were climbing to the low 60s later in the day. But it was still in the 40s when I headed out.
I wore my CW-X tights, a black short-sleeved technical tee shirt from the New Year’s 5 mile race last year, my light blue hat from the Lady Distance Classic, and my hydration vest filled with ice water. Had not worn that vest for awhile, and it was more comfortable than I remembered. On my feet, I was wearing the NB 763s.
My knee felt a little worrisome as I ran up the street. I attribute this sudden rush of knee disability to moving the furniture around the living room on Friday night, and a couple of days of running with Ed. Yes, Ed was staying home for this one. Anyway, by the time I had gone a half mile, the knee was okay.
Started the first loop in my customary direction (counter-clockwise) and all was well. Took 9:44 to reach the start of the circle and 7:10 for the first lap, which included a one-minute walking break soon after I started the loop. Decided that 7 minute pace per loop would be acceptable. Decided to change direction at the beginning of each new loop. Had considered changing less often but that was the easiest way to remember. Kept track of my laps by using the split counter on my Nike running watch.
Well, I only made it 12 times around. It was a lot harder than I expected. Part of the problem was psychological. With it being Easter Sunday, and a lovely day, the park was unusually full of people, and I became acutely conscious that it was obvious to some of them that there was a crazy lady running loops of the pavilion. Also, there were at least two guys doing something similar, except they were walking, and that weirded me out too because I kept lapping them. I really would have preferred to be alone out there. Or else with some company, like Susan.
Splits were: 1) 7:10, 2) 6:53, 3) 6:26, 4) 6:39, 5) 6:57, 6) 6:47, 7) 6:46, 8) 6;57, 9) 7:10 (at this point decided that if I had two loops over 7 minutes in a row I would quit), 10) 6:40, 11) 6:53 and 12) 7:09 (at which point I decided I was really sick of the park and wanted to at least go someplace else).
Oh, also there was this old guy on a bicycle also doing loops of the pavillion. I've seen him before so that didn't bother me, but what did creep me out a bit was that he decided to change his route the same time I did and I ran into him again twice on my way home.
So I headed out of the park the way I normally would on my 3 mile loop, then decided that maybe I would try to see how much of my regular 10 mile run I could fit in, now that I was all warmed up. So instead of stopping at the top of the stairs the way I usually do, I headed back down the hill and the trail to my house.
But when I got to the house, I saw Susan’s car was here so I decided I should go in and see her. I thought maybe she was over her cold and we could go out for another five miles. Well, turned out she was just here to do laundry and hang out, and still sick so she couldn’t run. And by that point I didn’t really want to go back out so that was it.
Anyway, I got in about 10.25 miles, which is better than nothing. And now I have a cold too, so that might be it for the week. We’ll see. Time was 1:55:12, which is quite slow but it is a hilly run, and I thought my loop times were pretty consistent if you consider that the walk breaks occurred at various places on each loop. I think I might try this strategy again on a day when I can have the park to myself.
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Broadview with Ed
Another run with Ed. I have actually run all seven days this week. Not far but something. Today I wanted to go out for just a little one right after our morning dog walk, and Ed insisted that he wanted to come along even though we had just returned from a two-plus mile walk.
A nice, sunny morning, temps in the upper 40s. Very pleasant and not too warm for Ed. I wore an old, white turtleneck and an old pair of thin lycra tights. We ran the route that I am calling "Broadview," which is down the hill, a loop around Broadview, back up the hill, and a little side jaunt through the neighborhood. Ends up being about 3.1 miles. Our time was 32:54, not too bad on this hilly route and again, with plenty of pee breaks for Ed.
A nice, sunny morning, temps in the upper 40s. Very pleasant and not too warm for Ed. I wore an old, white turtleneck and an old pair of thin lycra tights. We ran the route that I am calling "Broadview," which is down the hill, a loop around Broadview, back up the hill, and a little side jaunt through the neighborhood. Ends up being about 3.1 miles. Our time was 32:54, not too bad on this hilly route and again, with plenty of pee breaks for Ed.
Friday, April 10, 2009
Shady Lane with Ed
Ran the route I call “Shady Lane” this afternoon with Ed. This is a 3.1 mile loop with a turnaround here. I call it Shady Lane because that is the street where you turn. Temps in the high 50s. Wore my old blue and turquoise print capri Moving Comfort tights, and a royal blue turtleneck. I know I didn’t need the turtleneck, but thought it would make me feel a little more like Ed if I was hot.
Ed is a wonderful running buddy. If I could just get him to stop cutting in front of me and stopping to pee on every other tree during the first mile.
Our time was 32:35, which is pretty good considering all the times he stopped to pee!
Ed is a wonderful running buddy. If I could just get him to stop cutting in front of me and stopping to pee on every other tree during the first mile.
Our time was 32:35, which is pretty good considering all the times he stopped to pee!
So much for that
Well, so much for that idea. I did run yesterday, but ran out of time to blog about it. Well, I’m doing it now. And I might not run today.
Anyway, I was once again out in the mid-afternoon, but this time by myself because I deemed it a bit too warm for Ed. Did the 4.25 mile loop that includes an out-and-back on the Murray Ave. bike trail. Wore capri tights and a thin long-sleeved shirt---the one from the Thanksgiving Day race a few years ago that has my name across the back. Was a little warm on the way out so rolled up the sleeves. Did put on sunscreen. Nice breeze on the way back so the sleeves were back down.
My time was a very slow 48:15. Felt pretty good at first and didn’t even have foot pain when I started, and was all congratulatory to myself about how my new strategy of wearing old running shoes to walk the dogs instead of my stiff trail shoes seemed to be paying off. But then after about a half mile the pain started and continued pretty much until about 2.5 miles in. Very sad.
A nice afternoon for a run though. Passed a young mother with a baby in a stroller, a balloon, and a pretty little toddler girl. Passed a young women with two German Shepherds pulling her around---gave her a wide berth! Thought about giving her instruction in how to properly hold the leashes when walking two big dogs. But kept my mouth shut.
Anyway, I was once again out in the mid-afternoon, but this time by myself because I deemed it a bit too warm for Ed. Did the 4.25 mile loop that includes an out-and-back on the Murray Ave. bike trail. Wore capri tights and a thin long-sleeved shirt---the one from the Thanksgiving Day race a few years ago that has my name across the back. Was a little warm on the way out so rolled up the sleeves. Did put on sunscreen. Nice breeze on the way back so the sleeves were back down.
My time was a very slow 48:15. Felt pretty good at first and didn’t even have foot pain when I started, and was all congratulatory to myself about how my new strategy of wearing old running shoes to walk the dogs instead of my stiff trail shoes seemed to be paying off. But then after about a half mile the pain started and continued pretty much until about 2.5 miles in. Very sad.
A nice afternoon for a run though. Passed a young mother with a baby in a stroller, a balloon, and a pretty little toddler girl. Passed a young women with two German Shepherds pulling her around---gave her a wide berth! Thought about giving her instruction in how to properly hold the leashes when walking two big dogs. But kept my mouth shut.
Wednesday, April 08, 2009
3 miles with Eddy
So here is the new thing I am going to do to make myself blog. I am going to write about my run each day. Today’s run was just a little three miler around Ault Park with Eddy.
Time: A little after 3 pm.
Place: As I just said, Ault Park.
Distance: About 3 miles, maybe a little over.
Company: Eddy
Weather: Sunny, high 50s. Kinda nice. Not too warm for Mr. Ed.
Attire: Long gray tights, long sleeved-technical tee shirt from Dayton half-marathon (2002?), light blue hat from Lady Distance Classic.
Time: 32:32 (pretty good on this hilly course)
Ordinarily I start this one by running up the street from my house to the stairs. But my neighbor had just gotten home and was walking her Boxers up the street. I didn’t want to run by them with Eddy because it would just be too awkward. So instead we started out by going up the trail into the park. I suppose Eddy thought we were going trail running for a change and I considered it but I was not wearing my trail shoes, and you never know whom you are going to run into on the trail (i.e., could be other dogs who don't get on with Eddy).
So after we got to the top of the hill we just proceded on our normal route around the park. Eddy seems to understand the difference between our running route through the park and our walking route. Without he me telling him, he made the turn to go around the pavillion counterclockwise. When we walk, I always go clockwise. In fact, we did that walk just this morning.
We did encounter a few dogs out walking with their owners, and he did give them the stare, which of course generally made the other dogs jump around and bark at us while he just kept trotting along beside me. He is so full of himself.
Anyway, it was a nice little run and I didn't even have any major foot pain for a change. To make up for not running the little piece up the street, we kept going down the stairs and back down the street to the house.
Time: A little after 3 pm.
Place: As I just said, Ault Park.
Distance: About 3 miles, maybe a little over.
Company: Eddy
Weather: Sunny, high 50s. Kinda nice. Not too warm for Mr. Ed.
Attire: Long gray tights, long sleeved-technical tee shirt from Dayton half-marathon (2002?), light blue hat from Lady Distance Classic.
Time: 32:32 (pretty good on this hilly course)
Ordinarily I start this one by running up the street from my house to the stairs. But my neighbor had just gotten home and was walking her Boxers up the street. I didn’t want to run by them with Eddy because it would just be too awkward. So instead we started out by going up the trail into the park. I suppose Eddy thought we were going trail running for a change and I considered it but I was not wearing my trail shoes, and you never know whom you are going to run into on the trail (i.e., could be other dogs who don't get on with Eddy).
So after we got to the top of the hill we just proceded on our normal route around the park. Eddy seems to understand the difference between our running route through the park and our walking route. Without he me telling him, he made the turn to go around the pavillion counterclockwise. When we walk, I always go clockwise. In fact, we did that walk just this morning.
We did encounter a few dogs out walking with their owners, and he did give them the stare, which of course generally made the other dogs jump around and bark at us while he just kept trotting along beside me. He is so full of himself.
Anyway, it was a nice little run and I didn't even have any major foot pain for a change. To make up for not running the little piece up the street, we kept going down the stairs and back down the street to the house.
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