So, it turns out I don't like it. Now, am I going to use it for the rest of the year (50 more weeks) or am I going to give up and order the kind I have been using for the past 15 years or so?
It is cumbersome, that's the main thing. I don't like having the week spread out over 4 pages. That is just ridiculous. And the "intensity factor" thing I am just using to record my shoe mileage. And I am missing the helpful charts from the Glover book, which it turns on I relied on a lot (pace and race time predictors, etc.)
Have been getting some good runs in lately, though. Have found a new way to get the long runs done on these hot days when I can't get started at 5 am. What I do is just a very short 1-3 miler outside and then I come in and do 1-3 on the treadmill. Well, what I actually do depends on the weather when I start and what happens to be on TV at the time. Like, if it's raining then I start on the treadmill, but if it just looks like it might rain any minute, then I start outside. Because it usually doesn't and then I get some miles outside before it does. And if there is something absorbing on the TV when I'm on the mill, then I might stay until it is over. Like that movie "Shaun of the Dead" that I got sucked into on Sunday afternoon. And I go back and forth, mill and outside, until I get the mileage done.
I don't have to carry water, I don't have to carry GU, I don't have to plan a route because I can just run wherever for a couple of miles (which opens up many intriguing possibilities for place I don't ordinarily run to and from that are a short distance away), I don't have to worry about bathroom breaks and where to take them, I don't have to feel guilty about leaving the dogs for long periods, I don't have to drive anywhere. It is great.
I got a 10 miler done last Monday, and another 12 this Sunday. And I didn't feel as beat up as I usually do after. That's something.
Another new thing I'm trying that I do like: GU Chomps. So far I've had the orange and the strawberry. Very satisfying. I don't know how they would be to carry on a long run, but with this new method that involves me having to walk through the kitchen every couple of miles, they work great.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Fairfax 5k race report
No one reads them anyway so I will just put it here. I did this one on Saturday morning. I haven't done it in a bunch of years. I guess the date conflicted with dog shows or something. It's in the neighborhood and even closer than I realized when I actually decided to run to the start instead of driving my car.
Yeah, so to make it a longer run, I ran to and from the race. It's a bit over 2 miles from my house. Last night I suddenly realized just how familiar I am with the course, since I have to drive about half of it everytime I go to and from the dog training club. And the route there is part of a 4-mile out and back that I do pretty regularly.
The nice thing about the run there is that it was mostly downhill until the end, which I walked so I would not be too out of breath when I went to pick up my race number. I was pretty sweaty and disgusting by that point, and feeling quite self-conscious.
It was a very small crowd this year, less than 75 people for the walk and the run. Don Connolly (race director) actually told us all at the start that they would just skip the award ceremony and hand us our medals as we crossed the finish line, since they had more than enough medals to give one to everyone there. That worked for me, because I didn't want to stay for the awards ceremony since I needed to get going on that jog back home before I stiffened up.
A newspaper article had said that they were hoping to get over a hundred people this year. I guess there was just too much competition, with at least two other 5ks going on at the same time this weekend. I know there were more people there last year, when Susan and Becky ran it. I think there was a high school girls team that showed up last year, and they skipped it this time for some reason.
It's a double loop course. They always describe it as mostly flat, which is ridiculous because it is more than half hills. For some reason, the hills didn't seem as long or as steep to me this year. I've done this one in the 23-24 minute range, but that was a long time ago. Last time, I was in the 27s, but that was on a year when I had already done the Madiera Mile and the Hyde Park Blast in the days right before this race. My goal time was 28:30 (9:10 pace), very modest but in line with my current training and racing.
At the start, lined up behind the fitter-looking women. Not too many of them, so couldn't go too far back. Went through the first mile under 9 minute pace, and was pretty pleased. Passed a woman wearing an Ipod right away, and happy with that too. Passed two of the fit women right before the first water stop at the halfway point back by the start/finish area. Just kept thinking, glide, glide, glide---that is kind of my new mantra, I guess. I am smooth and I glide. I just glide right past you.
Well, before too long the fitter of these two women couldn't take it anymore so she passed me back. I let her get ahead but stayed pretty close behind her. Sometimes drafting off her, sometimes just using her for shade. Second mile was in the 8:40s. Woohoohoo. And I wasn't even feeling too bad.
Didn't see a mile marker for 3. Tried to finish strong without throwing up. Could have caught that woman but that would have meant throwing up. Her friend was struggling and well back. They turned out to be younger than me anyway.
Finished in an official time of 27:24, which was much better than my goal, and even a little faster than the last time I did this race. Had a cup of water, walked around in circles for a bit to catch my breath, and then grabbed another cup of water to sip on as I started the slog home. I basically walked until the water was gone and then switched to a jog. It wasn't as awful as I expected, even though it was mostly uphill.
In the end, I was 8th woman overall (not saying much since it was such a small race) but only 3 of 3 in my age group. The women who beat me (by several minutes) were so far ahead that I never saw them after the start.
So, glad I got in this pretty good little workout close to home, and I will try to make it back there for this race when the schedule permits.
Yeah, so to make it a longer run, I ran to and from the race. It's a bit over 2 miles from my house. Last night I suddenly realized just how familiar I am with the course, since I have to drive about half of it everytime I go to and from the dog training club. And the route there is part of a 4-mile out and back that I do pretty regularly.
The nice thing about the run there is that it was mostly downhill until the end, which I walked so I would not be too out of breath when I went to pick up my race number. I was pretty sweaty and disgusting by that point, and feeling quite self-conscious.
It was a very small crowd this year, less than 75 people for the walk and the run. Don Connolly (race director) actually told us all at the start that they would just skip the award ceremony and hand us our medals as we crossed the finish line, since they had more than enough medals to give one to everyone there. That worked for me, because I didn't want to stay for the awards ceremony since I needed to get going on that jog back home before I stiffened up.
A newspaper article had said that they were hoping to get over a hundred people this year. I guess there was just too much competition, with at least two other 5ks going on at the same time this weekend. I know there were more people there last year, when Susan and Becky ran it. I think there was a high school girls team that showed up last year, and they skipped it this time for some reason.
It's a double loop course. They always describe it as mostly flat, which is ridiculous because it is more than half hills. For some reason, the hills didn't seem as long or as steep to me this year. I've done this one in the 23-24 minute range, but that was a long time ago. Last time, I was in the 27s, but that was on a year when I had already done the Madiera Mile and the Hyde Park Blast in the days right before this race. My goal time was 28:30 (9:10 pace), very modest but in line with my current training and racing.
At the start, lined up behind the fitter-looking women. Not too many of them, so couldn't go too far back. Went through the first mile under 9 minute pace, and was pretty pleased. Passed a woman wearing an Ipod right away, and happy with that too. Passed two of the fit women right before the first water stop at the halfway point back by the start/finish area. Just kept thinking, glide, glide, glide---that is kind of my new mantra, I guess. I am smooth and I glide. I just glide right past you.
Well, before too long the fitter of these two women couldn't take it anymore so she passed me back. I let her get ahead but stayed pretty close behind her. Sometimes drafting off her, sometimes just using her for shade. Second mile was in the 8:40s. Woohoohoo. And I wasn't even feeling too bad.
Didn't see a mile marker for 3. Tried to finish strong without throwing up. Could have caught that woman but that would have meant throwing up. Her friend was struggling and well back. They turned out to be younger than me anyway.
Finished in an official time of 27:24, which was much better than my goal, and even a little faster than the last time I did this race. Had a cup of water, walked around in circles for a bit to catch my breath, and then grabbed another cup of water to sip on as I started the slog home. I basically walked until the water was gone and then switched to a jog. It wasn't as awful as I expected, even though it was mostly uphill.
In the end, I was 8th woman overall (not saying much since it was such a small race) but only 3 of 3 in my age group. The women who beat me (by several minutes) were so far ahead that I never saw them after the start.
So, glad I got in this pretty good little workout close to home, and I will try to make it back there for this race when the schedule permits.
Friday, July 09, 2010
Trying to decide
Can't make up my mind if I will run today or not. Doing Fairfax Day 5k tomorrow. Not that I am going to be competitive. Well, I guess if I am going to run I should get to it.
Tuesday, July 06, 2010
My New Training Log
It is time to turnover to a new training log. For the past, what, 10-12 years I have been using "The Runner's Training Diary" from Bob & Shelly Glover. Obviously I must like it, or else I really don't like change. Or both!
I do like it, but they revised it a couple of years ago and I liked the previous edition better. Because I really don't like change at all! Mostly, what they did was put a bunch more info in the back. Good info but not really needed, and it makes it more difficult to flip back and forth between the diary pages and the yearly summary pages and the charts and schedules---all of which I use a lot.
So I decided to try something new. Ordered "The Runner's Diary" from Matt Fitzgerald. Will start using it next week. But have dipped into it a bit and not sure I like it better. There are a few things I'll like but other things I will miss.
What I don't like so far:
I do like it, but they revised it a couple of years ago and I liked the previous edition better. Because I really don't like change at all! Mostly, what they did was put a bunch more info in the back. Good info but not really needed, and it makes it more difficult to flip back and forth between the diary pages and the yearly summary pages and the charts and schedules---all of which I use a lot.
So I decided to try something new. Ordered "The Runner's Diary" from Matt Fitzgerald. Will start using it next week. But have dipped into it a bit and not sure I like it better. There are a few things I'll like but other things I will miss.
What I don't like so far:
- Bigger, more awkward size, plus oversized cover pages that will get bent and look messy
- Doesn't have the handy marathon training schedules like the Glover book
- Has pace charts, but not the handy predictor charts that Glover has
- 4 pages per week vs. 2 pages per week in Glover, will make it hard to flip around from week to week
- Doesn't have the little spot to write in what shoes I wore, so I have to just put it in the regular notes
- Monthly Planning Calendar pages where I can record a summary of my planned runs for the whole month
- That's it, actually, I can't find anything else I like better at the moment
- The spaces to record your nutrition for the day, because although it sounds appealing who knows if I will actually be able to keep up with it
- The "rating" space, because again, who knows if I will actually use that
- Intensity Factor, which might be fun to track if I can get the hang of computing it easily. You are supposed to take your current, "functional threshold pace" (the pace you could sustain for an hour in race conditions), convert that to seconds per mile, and then compare it to how fast you ran your workout. So you get an intensity percentage. Now who knows what my FTP is? So I am just going to figure it on a 60 minute 10k or something like that. Anyway, whatever you use, as long as you keep using the same thing I guess the Intensity Factors could be compared to each other. Doesn't this sound like too much work, though? That's what I'm thinking.
- Weekly Summary, again could be good if I use it, but will it be too much work.
Tuesday, March 09, 2010
Egg Nog Jog
I never wrote about the last 5k I did back in December so I wrote about it today. And here it comes, below. First, somebody just asked me for my blog address. Since I don't really want my blog to be a public thing, I told him I had deleted it! This is more like a diary and it creeps me out that strangers might find it. I would use an actual diary or journal but I've never found one I liked. And so, we blog. Once in awhile, in a great long while.
This is the 5k I ran back on December 19. I ran three 5ks in the month of December, because I missed racing and I was hoping it would help me gain some speed. This was the last of the three races.
This one takes place in the Cincinnati neighborhood known as Mt. Adams. That means it’s not flat, although the race route itself is not as hilly as it could be. Mt. Adams is an area of upscale shops and restaurants where Tommy and I spent a lot of date nights back in the day (or night). It is also the home of the Cincinnati Art Museum, Playhouse in the Park, and Krohn Conservatory (all located in Eden Park, part of which you run through during the Flying Pig).
My original plan was to bring my dog Eddy along for this one, as he had joined me on the previous two 5ks earlier in the month and we had a lot of fun together. But a snow/ice storm on race morning changed my plans. His feet are very sensitive and I didn’t want him running on the salt encrusted roads. I also didn’t want to take a chance on me losing my balance on the ice while I was also holding onto his leash. So Ed stayed home.
On the upside, this meant that I could hang out after the race in the coffee shop/wine bar that was the site of the awards ceremony.
Last time I ran this race was ten years ago, when I finished in 24:16 according to my records, and placed third in my age group. Two age groups later, I was not expecting a time that fast, but still hoping for a placement. The day before the race, I picked up my number and t-shirt (and chip, yes, chip for this relatively small local race) at the running shoe store, where I overheard the manager (who is one of our local studs) talking about how last time he ran it (when he was in high school), he and the other leaders took a wrong turn that resulted in the course being shortened. Turns out that was the same year that I last ran it! So I know I can’t expect too much.
On race morning, I drove our old Ford Explorer to the start because it seemed best equipped to handle to road conditions (and the chance that somebody might skid into me). Hilly Mt. Adams is not big fun to drive around in on a snowy morning. And even on a good day, it’s no fun trying to find a parking space there. I drove around the streets near the coffee shop a few times before I found a nice, big space in front of a townhouse about two blocks from the start.
Mt. Adams is just a couple miles from my house but I realized I had not been there in years. The wine shop where we used to go for tastings is gone, but the Blind Lemon where we used to sit on the back patio and listen to music is still there. The coffee shop and wine bar that we runners are hanging out in are new to me, though.
Warmed up my legs running around the block a few times from my car, and was especially glad that I didn’t bring Ed because the roads were heavily salted. Lined up at the start back with the old geezers. Race start was uphill but it leveled off a bit soon enough. I saw the “man who doesn’t wear shirt but should”---he was wearing a shirt this time though and I passed him sooner than usual, which was a good sign. Also dumped a number of the geezers.
We ran around the Playhouse/Museum area (relatively flat part) and I saw a guy running with a Beagle. He would have to win First Dog this time.
Missed the first mile marker. Mile two had a significant downhill section, and then we hit a flat out-and-back across a grassy (or rather, snowy and slushy) field (what?!) which was quite unpleasant. I am guessing this was the section of the course that was left out in 1999, because I know I would have remembered it. There was some lady in pink that I was trying to pass.
My time on my watch at the mile two mark was 17:18 but this included a little bit of extra time getting to the start. Mile 1 was more like 9 minutes, mile 2 with the downhill was like 8 minutes. In the third mile we had to climb back uphill, and I did manage to pass pink lady. The most unpleasant part of this mile was a section where we had to run up a little parking area ramp that had not been salted. It was quite slippery and I had to stop and walk up it carefully to keep from falling.
The finish line was near Rookwood Pottery and The Celestial restaurant, which is a few blocks away from the wine bar. I don’t know why they set it up that way but that’s how they did it. My official time was 27:22, which was slower than my two previous 5ks, but I didn’t have Ed pulling me and this was a more challenging course.
I got some dry clothes from my car, changed in the car (!) and headed back up to the wine bar. They were serving egg nog, which turns out to be a most excellent recovery beverage. They also had pizza but I stuck with bagels. Found a seat at the bar and waited for the awards. I get impatient with this stuff now but it helped that there was this rather cute, Jon Bon Jovi-like guy standing next to me. (Don’t tell Tommy). So while I sat there all gross and grimy and old and fat and disheveled and sucking down the egg nog, I could fantasize that Jon Bon Jovi found me cute as well, though we never acknowledged each other’s presence. I had never seen this guy before at a race---I am sure I would have remembered!---but he looked like a regular runner and he had friends there that he was talking with about training plans for the week, etc.---not that I was eavesdropping or anything.
Anyway, eventually they got to my age group, and surprise, Jon Bon Jovi is in my age group (just like the real Bon Jovi), which I find out because he gets a prize. And then, I get one, too. I am third in the age group. I get my hardware and head back for the car, humming… oohhhhh we’re halfway there, ohhh ohhh livin’ on a prayer, take my hand, we’ll make I swear-air, ohhhh livin’ on a prayer, livin’ on a prayer…( #1 on VH1’s 100 Greatest Songs of the 80’s per Wikipedia). (I tried putting up a link to the Alvin & Chipmunks version of this song, which the dogs find quite disturbing, but I couldn’t get it to work. Search for it if you dare!).
Anyway, I was 3/12 in the age group, 44 of 149 women, and 146 of 359 overall.
This is the 5k I ran back on December 19. I ran three 5ks in the month of December, because I missed racing and I was hoping it would help me gain some speed. This was the last of the three races.
This one takes place in the Cincinnati neighborhood known as Mt. Adams. That means it’s not flat, although the race route itself is not as hilly as it could be. Mt. Adams is an area of upscale shops and restaurants where Tommy and I spent a lot of date nights back in the day (or night). It is also the home of the Cincinnati Art Museum, Playhouse in the Park, and Krohn Conservatory (all located in Eden Park, part of which you run through during the Flying Pig).
My original plan was to bring my dog Eddy along for this one, as he had joined me on the previous two 5ks earlier in the month and we had a lot of fun together. But a snow/ice storm on race morning changed my plans. His feet are very sensitive and I didn’t want him running on the salt encrusted roads. I also didn’t want to take a chance on me losing my balance on the ice while I was also holding onto his leash. So Ed stayed home.
On the upside, this meant that I could hang out after the race in the coffee shop/wine bar that was the site of the awards ceremony.
Last time I ran this race was ten years ago, when I finished in 24:16 according to my records, and placed third in my age group. Two age groups later, I was not expecting a time that fast, but still hoping for a placement. The day before the race, I picked up my number and t-shirt (and chip, yes, chip for this relatively small local race) at the running shoe store, where I overheard the manager (who is one of our local studs) talking about how last time he ran it (when he was in high school), he and the other leaders took a wrong turn that resulted in the course being shortened. Turns out that was the same year that I last ran it! So I know I can’t expect too much.
On race morning, I drove our old Ford Explorer to the start because it seemed best equipped to handle to road conditions (and the chance that somebody might skid into me). Hilly Mt. Adams is not big fun to drive around in on a snowy morning. And even on a good day, it’s no fun trying to find a parking space there. I drove around the streets near the coffee shop a few times before I found a nice, big space in front of a townhouse about two blocks from the start.
Mt. Adams is just a couple miles from my house but I realized I had not been there in years. The wine shop where we used to go for tastings is gone, but the Blind Lemon where we used to sit on the back patio and listen to music is still there. The coffee shop and wine bar that we runners are hanging out in are new to me, though.
Warmed up my legs running around the block a few times from my car, and was especially glad that I didn’t bring Ed because the roads were heavily salted. Lined up at the start back with the old geezers. Race start was uphill but it leveled off a bit soon enough. I saw the “man who doesn’t wear shirt but should”---he was wearing a shirt this time though and I passed him sooner than usual, which was a good sign. Also dumped a number of the geezers.
We ran around the Playhouse/Museum area (relatively flat part) and I saw a guy running with a Beagle. He would have to win First Dog this time.
Missed the first mile marker. Mile two had a significant downhill section, and then we hit a flat out-and-back across a grassy (or rather, snowy and slushy) field (what?!) which was quite unpleasant. I am guessing this was the section of the course that was left out in 1999, because I know I would have remembered it. There was some lady in pink that I was trying to pass.
My time on my watch at the mile two mark was 17:18 but this included a little bit of extra time getting to the start. Mile 1 was more like 9 minutes, mile 2 with the downhill was like 8 minutes. In the third mile we had to climb back uphill, and I did manage to pass pink lady. The most unpleasant part of this mile was a section where we had to run up a little parking area ramp that had not been salted. It was quite slippery and I had to stop and walk up it carefully to keep from falling.
The finish line was near Rookwood Pottery and The Celestial restaurant, which is a few blocks away from the wine bar. I don’t know why they set it up that way but that’s how they did it. My official time was 27:22, which was slower than my two previous 5ks, but I didn’t have Ed pulling me and this was a more challenging course.
I got some dry clothes from my car, changed in the car (!) and headed back up to the wine bar. They were serving egg nog, which turns out to be a most excellent recovery beverage. They also had pizza but I stuck with bagels. Found a seat at the bar and waited for the awards. I get impatient with this stuff now but it helped that there was this rather cute, Jon Bon Jovi-like guy standing next to me. (Don’t tell Tommy). So while I sat there all gross and grimy and old and fat and disheveled and sucking down the egg nog, I could fantasize that Jon Bon Jovi found me cute as well, though we never acknowledged each other’s presence. I had never seen this guy before at a race---I am sure I would have remembered!---but he looked like a regular runner and he had friends there that he was talking with about training plans for the week, etc.---not that I was eavesdropping or anything.
Anyway, eventually they got to my age group, and surprise, Jon Bon Jovi is in my age group (just like the real Bon Jovi), which I find out because he gets a prize. And then, I get one, too. I am third in the age group. I get my hardware and head back for the car, humming… oohhhhh we’re halfway there, ohhh ohhh livin’ on a prayer, take my hand, we’ll make I swear-air, ohhhh livin’ on a prayer, livin’ on a prayer…( #1 on VH1’s 100 Greatest Songs of the 80’s per Wikipedia). (I tried putting up a link to the Alvin & Chipmunks version of this song, which the dogs find quite disturbing, but I couldn’t get it to work. Search for it if you dare!).
Anyway, I was 3/12 in the age group, 44 of 149 women, and 146 of 359 overall.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Not good
So, next Sunday I will be participating in yet another marathon that I am not properly trained for. Things were going pretty well until a few weeks ago. In addition to the 12 miler I posted about in December, I got in a 14 miler and a 16 miler. That last one was in mid-January. I got up to 8 Yassos, also not too shabby. Then things fell apart.
Got busy, got lazy and got injured. And for the last week I haven't run at all, trying to just recover enough from the stupid injury in order to be able to get my shoes on and start the race.
It's some weird thing with my right toes. And that right foot is bad enough without this new problem. It started about 2 weeks ago, when I noticed that during a short treadmill run my foot felt like there was a small stone in the ball of the foot or like my socks were bunched up or something. But when I took the shoe off, it was more like a big red cyst under the skin, or a blister except it wasn't a blister, if that makes any sense. I tried different shoes, but by the end of the week the cysts or blisters or swelling or whatever it is had spread to several other toes, and the baby toe was particularly a mess. Red and swollen and itchy.
No problems anywhere else on my body so not an allergy.
I think it may have something to do with having to wear snow boots for the dogs walks for much of the past 2 weeks. Maybe those boots are too tight in the toes and that is causing the abrasions? Anyway, Thursday I order a bunch of new shoes online. The ones that arrived, a half-size larger, did not solve the problem, and now I am waiting on a pair that is the same size as I have been wearing but in a D width.
On Friday, I went out to DFW shoe store and found a pair with a wide toe box to wear just for walking around. On that day, the only shoes I could get on my feet to go out were the huge snow slippers that I keep in the basement to step outside in the backyard with the dogs. Awful. Anyway, these new shoes are Merrills, which I have had trouble with in the past but these seem to be okay. More flexible than the Merrills I had before, and a nice wide toe box.
Am waiting for my shoes to arrive so I can try a treadmill run. If they are going to be my marathon shoes I have to test them before the race!
I did have moments of panic last week that I had some weird cystic foot disease, or diabetes, or gangrene. But with rest and wider toe boxes the toes are looking better, so I'm not running out to the doctor just yet. Plus he'd only tell me not to do the marathon and we can't have that. And I am too embarrassed to show my feet to anyone. So they have to get better without medical assistance.
But I'm not very psyched for my visit to New Orleans. I can hardly walk. So I don't think I am going to enjoy it much.
Got busy, got lazy and got injured. And for the last week I haven't run at all, trying to just recover enough from the stupid injury in order to be able to get my shoes on and start the race.
It's some weird thing with my right toes. And that right foot is bad enough without this new problem. It started about 2 weeks ago, when I noticed that during a short treadmill run my foot felt like there was a small stone in the ball of the foot or like my socks were bunched up or something. But when I took the shoe off, it was more like a big red cyst under the skin, or a blister except it wasn't a blister, if that makes any sense. I tried different shoes, but by the end of the week the cysts or blisters or swelling or whatever it is had spread to several other toes, and the baby toe was particularly a mess. Red and swollen and itchy.
No problems anywhere else on my body so not an allergy.
I think it may have something to do with having to wear snow boots for the dogs walks for much of the past 2 weeks. Maybe those boots are too tight in the toes and that is causing the abrasions? Anyway, Thursday I order a bunch of new shoes online. The ones that arrived, a half-size larger, did not solve the problem, and now I am waiting on a pair that is the same size as I have been wearing but in a D width.
On Friday, I went out to DFW shoe store and found a pair with a wide toe box to wear just for walking around. On that day, the only shoes I could get on my feet to go out were the huge snow slippers that I keep in the basement to step outside in the backyard with the dogs. Awful. Anyway, these new shoes are Merrills, which I have had trouble with in the past but these seem to be okay. More flexible than the Merrills I had before, and a nice wide toe box.
Am waiting for my shoes to arrive so I can try a treadmill run. If they are going to be my marathon shoes I have to test them before the race!
I did have moments of panic last week that I had some weird cystic foot disease, or diabetes, or gangrene. But with rest and wider toe boxes the toes are looking better, so I'm not running out to the doctor just yet. Plus he'd only tell me not to do the marathon and we can't have that. And I am too embarrassed to show my feet to anyone. So they have to get better without medical assistance.
But I'm not very psyched for my visit to New Orleans. I can hardly walk. So I don't think I am going to enjoy it much.
Monday, December 14, 2009
12 miles today
Finally got another long one in today. Here is how it went:
Warmed up with 1.35 on the treadmill. Then headed outside to enjoy the beautiful day with Ed. Did 4.5 with him---my 4-5 mile route that goes up Erie Ave. and back on Observatory. We turned at Stetiniums which makes it 4.5. Had a Powergel back home with some water. Then I took Maggie out for 3 miles around the park. This was maybe too much for her because she hasn't been running with me in a long time and she is kind of heavy now. And she's no spring chicken either. She wasn't in distress and she wasn't limping, but we had to go very slowly. Back at home, had another Powergel with water. And then I finished up with a slow 3.05 on the treadmill, which was pretty much agony the way the last few miles always is.
But I got it done! It took forever but I got it done!
In other news, they finally posted the results from our Reindeer Romp on Saturday. Well, I guess I should have hung around for the awards. Turns out I won my age group and they had me as third woman overall. Really I was fourth woman but they placed me ahead of that young woman who finished just ahead of me. They did give us the same time, and she wasn't in my age group so it doesn't really matter. But dang, I didn't realize the race was that small. I thought there were tons of people ahead of me, and I didn't know how deep they were going on the awards so I didn't bother to stay. Never thought I'd win my age group!
I was1 of 4 in the AG, 3 (really 4) of 44 women, and 22 of 82 runners overall. I guess one reason I didn't know how few people were really ahead of me is that the 10k runners were out there too, and there were about 30 of them ahead of me for most of the race.
Warmed up with 1.35 on the treadmill. Then headed outside to enjoy the beautiful day with Ed. Did 4.5 with him---my 4-5 mile route that goes up Erie Ave. and back on Observatory. We turned at Stetiniums which makes it 4.5. Had a Powergel back home with some water. Then I took Maggie out for 3 miles around the park. This was maybe too much for her because she hasn't been running with me in a long time and she is kind of heavy now. And she's no spring chicken either. She wasn't in distress and she wasn't limping, but we had to go very slowly. Back at home, had another Powergel with water. And then I finished up with a slow 3.05 on the treadmill, which was pretty much agony the way the last few miles always is.
But I got it done! It took forever but I got it done!
In other news, they finally posted the results from our Reindeer Romp on Saturday. Well, I guess I should have hung around for the awards. Turns out I won my age group and they had me as third woman overall. Really I was fourth woman but they placed me ahead of that young woman who finished just ahead of me. They did give us the same time, and she wasn't in my age group so it doesn't really matter. But dang, I didn't realize the race was that small. I thought there were tons of people ahead of me, and I didn't know how deep they were going on the awards so I didn't bother to stay. Never thought I'd win my age group!
I was1 of 4 in the AG, 3 (really 4) of 44 women, and 22 of 82 runners overall. I guess one reason I didn't know how few people were really ahead of me is that the 10k runners were out there too, and there were about 30 of them ahead of me for most of the race.
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Easy Sunday
Did a 3-miler around the park with Ed. Yes, almost 10 minutes slower pace then we raced at yesterday, but that's because I let him stop to pee and poo as much as he needs when we're on a training run. It's a dreary, drizzly day but not so cold, so it was good to do the run outside, and with Ed, of course.
The streaking thing is going really well. My streak is two weeks long! Maybe soon I will feel worthy to actually join the streak association and pay the fee. It is helping me keep my weekly mileage up, and that can only help.
So what is up for this week? Well, I really want to try to get a 12-miler in tomorrow. Wednesday I'll hit the treadmill for intervals again, this time at 7 mph pace. Then take it easy until later in the week, when Eddy & I will probably do the Eggnog Jog in Mt. Adams, which should be our last race together this year.
The streaking thing is going really well. My streak is two weeks long! Maybe soon I will feel worthy to actually join the streak association and pay the fee. It is helping me keep my weekly mileage up, and that can only help.
So what is up for this week? Well, I really want to try to get a 12-miler in tomorrow. Wednesday I'll hit the treadmill for intervals again, this time at 7 mph pace. Then take it easy until later in the week, when Eddy & I will probably do the Eggnog Jog in Mt. Adams, which should be our last race together this year.
Reindeer Romp Race Report
Ventured west of town on Saturday morning for another 5k with my best running buddy. This was the 3rd annual Reindeer Romp, which includes a 5k, a 10k and a kid’s fun run. The races are on flat, fast, USATF-certified courses that are a nice mix of scenic country roads and a paved bike trail. The event benefits the Crosby Kringle Chest, which provides Christmas toys for needy children, and includes a post-race pancake breakfast in the Crosby Township Senior Center.
I would have opted for the 10k, but with Eddy I need to stick to the 5k. Had the weather been snowy with a risk of ice and/or salt on the roads, I would have left him home. But it was clear and dry, although quite cold (low 20s at the start). I had considered doing this race last year, but I remember the weather was really miserable that weekend so I stayed home.
This is about a 35 minute drive from my house. Eddy and I arrived slightly less than an hour before the start of the race, which I thought might be too early, but the small parking lot was already full and we had to park on a grassy field next to the building. I picked up my race packet, deposited my toy donation (Holiday Barbie), visited the restroom, and went back to the car to get Ed.
The race shirt (included with registration) is better than most. It’s long-sleeved navy blue cotton with a cute red & white design.
Eddy & I headed out for our warm-up on the little quarter mile trail in front of the senior center. After I was warmed up and I was satisfied that Eddy was as “empty” as possible, we headed back over to the registration area to hang out. Eddy was the only dog in attendance at this event. He got to meet some new people, and we did some “breed education” as it seemed that nobody there had ever seen a Flatcoat before. He was a good ambassador for Flatcoats.
Since I didn’t know much about the course, I had previously emailed the race director to make sure that Eddy would be welcome. She advised me that we should be sure to line up in the back of the pack, on the outside of the curve and just in front of the walkers, to avoid getting in the way of the faster runners. The race used chip timing but only for the finish line. Still, it wasn’t such a big crowd so I wasn’t too concerned about where we started, and I certainly didn’t want to cause any accidents with Eddy’s presence.
Even starting in the back of the pack, we were much less boxed-in than at last weekend’s race, so it really didn’t cost us much. Hit the first mile marker in 8:40, which was slightly faster than our average pace last weekend. Just like last weekend, my goofy boy was all business once the gun went off. He is a very focused racer!
I stopped at the water station for a drink. I assumed it was water but it was some sort of sports drink, which I really didn’t need for a winter 5k. I swallowed it and immediately realized it was a bad idea. Eddy just rolled his eyes at me. He really does not like to stop during these races! And then he took off like a rocket, seemingly intent on passing all ten or so people who had gone by us during the break.
Mile 2 was an 8:34. So now it was looking pretty good for us to beat our time from last week and get a new PR for Eddy. I started getting warm, so I unzipped my jacket and removed my hat. It was a pain to carry the hat in one hand and the leash in the other, but I just had to deal. The brim of the hat was too big to cram into my jacket pocket.
Eddy definitely had a lot left, and I had to hold him back a bit in the last mile, because I could not go that fast or I was going to toss the sports drink. Did not hit my watch at the 3 mile but our time was 9:01 for the last 1.1, about 20 seconds faster than last weekend at the end. The time on my watch was 26:15, or about 44 seconds faster than last weekend. The course was flat, and I am learning how to race again.
In the last half mile, we were passed by a tall blonde woman. I was pretty sure that she was not in my age group, so I let her go, but post-race it is really bothering me. In the last stretch, she was slowing down and we for sure could have caught her, even if it did mean I would have thrown up the sports drink. I am not letting that happen again. Letting somebody beat us like that, I mean. Throwing up, that just happens sometimes.
Post race I played some Frisbee with Ed in the field next to the senior center. Maybe we should have done the 10k after all. Then I put him in the car and went inside to change into dry clothes. The pancakes smelled really good, but I didn’t feel right about hanging out while he waited in the car, and so for the second week in a row I left a race without getting any food! I am going to have to start bringing food with me to these things.
Have no idea how we finished in the pack, because the results are not online yet. It would be nice to think that I placed in my age group but I really have no idea. But I enjoyed this little race, and I am loving running these things with Eddy, so I think we will be back next year.
I would have opted for the 10k, but with Eddy I need to stick to the 5k. Had the weather been snowy with a risk of ice and/or salt on the roads, I would have left him home. But it was clear and dry, although quite cold (low 20s at the start). I had considered doing this race last year, but I remember the weather was really miserable that weekend so I stayed home.
This is about a 35 minute drive from my house. Eddy and I arrived slightly less than an hour before the start of the race, which I thought might be too early, but the small parking lot was already full and we had to park on a grassy field next to the building. I picked up my race packet, deposited my toy donation (Holiday Barbie), visited the restroom, and went back to the car to get Ed.
The race shirt (included with registration) is better than most. It’s long-sleeved navy blue cotton with a cute red & white design.
Eddy & I headed out for our warm-up on the little quarter mile trail in front of the senior center. After I was warmed up and I was satisfied that Eddy was as “empty” as possible, we headed back over to the registration area to hang out. Eddy was the only dog in attendance at this event. He got to meet some new people, and we did some “breed education” as it seemed that nobody there had ever seen a Flatcoat before. He was a good ambassador for Flatcoats.
Since I didn’t know much about the course, I had previously emailed the race director to make sure that Eddy would be welcome. She advised me that we should be sure to line up in the back of the pack, on the outside of the curve and just in front of the walkers, to avoid getting in the way of the faster runners. The race used chip timing but only for the finish line. Still, it wasn’t such a big crowd so I wasn’t too concerned about where we started, and I certainly didn’t want to cause any accidents with Eddy’s presence.
Even starting in the back of the pack, we were much less boxed-in than at last weekend’s race, so it really didn’t cost us much. Hit the first mile marker in 8:40, which was slightly faster than our average pace last weekend. Just like last weekend, my goofy boy was all business once the gun went off. He is a very focused racer!
I stopped at the water station for a drink. I assumed it was water but it was some sort of sports drink, which I really didn’t need for a winter 5k. I swallowed it and immediately realized it was a bad idea. Eddy just rolled his eyes at me. He really does not like to stop during these races! And then he took off like a rocket, seemingly intent on passing all ten or so people who had gone by us during the break.
Mile 2 was an 8:34. So now it was looking pretty good for us to beat our time from last week and get a new PR for Eddy. I started getting warm, so I unzipped my jacket and removed my hat. It was a pain to carry the hat in one hand and the leash in the other, but I just had to deal. The brim of the hat was too big to cram into my jacket pocket.
Eddy definitely had a lot left, and I had to hold him back a bit in the last mile, because I could not go that fast or I was going to toss the sports drink. Did not hit my watch at the 3 mile but our time was 9:01 for the last 1.1, about 20 seconds faster than last weekend at the end. The time on my watch was 26:15, or about 44 seconds faster than last weekend. The course was flat, and I am learning how to race again.
In the last half mile, we were passed by a tall blonde woman. I was pretty sure that she was not in my age group, so I let her go, but post-race it is really bothering me. In the last stretch, she was slowing down and we for sure could have caught her, even if it did mean I would have thrown up the sports drink. I am not letting that happen again. Letting somebody beat us like that, I mean. Throwing up, that just happens sometimes.
Post race I played some Frisbee with Ed in the field next to the senior center. Maybe we should have done the 10k after all. Then I put him in the car and went inside to change into dry clothes. The pancakes smelled really good, but I didn’t feel right about hanging out while he waited in the car, and so for the second week in a row I left a race without getting any food! I am going to have to start bringing food with me to these things.
Have no idea how we finished in the pack, because the results are not online yet. It would be nice to think that I placed in my age group but I really have no idea. But I enjoyed this little race, and I am loving running these things with Eddy, so I think we will be back next year.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
My Foot Hurts
Did 5+ miles on the treadmill. First I did a little bit of the hill program at a walking speed. Ugh, remember never to do that again. Really aggravated the achilles. Then I did a bunch on the speed interval program at level 6. So, I'm glad I got the run in, but now my foot is really hurting. Maybe it's from the stupid snow boots.
Trying another template
I like this one better. Too bad I am not creative enough or knowledgable enough to create something on my own.
I just decided to add my personal records to the sidebar. Saw another blogger who had done that. Maybe it will inspire me. Of course, her PRs were fairly new as it looks like running is fairly fresh for her. My PRs are 7-9 years old! I don't know, it might still inspire me.
I just decided to add my personal records to the sidebar. Saw another blogger who had done that. Maybe it will inspire me. Of course, her PRs were fairly new as it looks like running is fairly fresh for her. My PRs are 7-9 years old! I don't know, it might still inspire me.
Want to make it prettier
I have been trying to change the colors of this blog away from the template, but have been unsuccessful. Maybe I am stuck with this.
Am going to try to do 5 on the treadmill today. It's cold outside, even if it is sunny.
Signed up to do the Reindeer Romp over in Harrison on Saturday morning, hoping to bring Ed. There is a 5k and a 10k, and if I was going by myself I'd do the 10k but with Ed it has to just be the 5k. But I wonder if I will really feel like doing it if it turns insanely cold by then, or even if I will want to bring Ed if there is a risk that they will have salted the roads.
I emailed the race director to ask whether dogs were allowed, and she said it was okay but would prefer I line up in the back so as not trip anybody at the start. I'm cool with that as long as we don't get impossibly blocked in. Mostly am just wanting to get Ed out of the house and away from Zen, who is in season.
Am going to try to do 5 on the treadmill today. It's cold outside, even if it is sunny.
Signed up to do the Reindeer Romp over in Harrison on Saturday morning, hoping to bring Ed. There is a 5k and a 10k, and if I was going by myself I'd do the 10k but with Ed it has to just be the 5k. But I wonder if I will really feel like doing it if it turns insanely cold by then, or even if I will want to bring Ed if there is a risk that they will have salted the roads.
I emailed the race director to ask whether dogs were allowed, and she said it was okay but would prefer I line up in the back so as not trip anybody at the start. I'm cool with that as long as we don't get impossibly blocked in. Mostly am just wanting to get Ed out of the house and away from Zen, who is in season.
Wednesday, December 09, 2009
Interval Day!
Did the same interval workout as last Wednesday on the treadmill, but a little faster. Long w/u, followed by 4 x 1/2 mile @ 6.9 mph (about 8:42 pace, or just about current 5k race pace) with 3 minute recoveries (1 minute @ 3.5 mph or walking, 2 minutes @ 5 mph or a slow jog), followed by a short cool down @ 5 mph and then the cool down setting on the treadmill for 5 minutes.
I feel better when I run faster than when I am slogging at 5 mph. Wore the NB 1130s again today, am loving them.
I feel better when I run faster than when I am slogging at 5 mph. Wore the NB 1130s again today, am loving them.
Tuesday, December 08, 2009
Consistency is hard
So I'm running everyday but I'm not blogging every day.
Yesterday I did 4 miles on the treadmill. I did the speed interval program on level 5, with a tiny bit of level 4 near the end. My foot hurt in my old stiff Brooks Addiction shoes.
Today I did the bare minimum to keep the streak alive. Just 1.15 on the treadmill. Was going to go for 5 miles but am distracted by thoughts of my little girl dog, Zen, who is having surgery this afternoon to remove a blockage.
Yesterday I did 4 miles on the treadmill. I did the speed interval program on level 5, with a tiny bit of level 4 near the end. My foot hurt in my old stiff Brooks Addiction shoes.
Today I did the bare minimum to keep the streak alive. Just 1.15 on the treadmill. Was going to go for 5 miles but am distracted by thoughts of my little girl dog, Zen, who is having surgery this afternoon to remove a blockage.
Sunday, December 06, 2009
Today's run
Today did the 4-mile "Mooney" loop with Ed. This was mid-day, after a morning 2-mile dog walk and giving Zen a bath. It was cold (low 30s and some wind) but sunny when we started. Glad we went out when we did because the sun was gone by the time we turned around, and if I had waited any longer I would have ended up on the treadmill.
We finished in 48:28 which is slow but that includes lots of pee breaks and one poop break for Ed. Had to let him have it since he was such a good boy yesterday!
We finished in 48:28 which is slow but that includes lots of pee breaks and one poop break for Ed. Had to let him have it since he was such a good boy yesterday!
Catching up
I am going to try again to post regularly. I am running regularly, I should write regularly.
So....first thing is, I have begun a running streak. This will enable me to become a member of the US Running Streak Association: http://www.runeveryday.com/ . Kind of a silly thing but what the heck? You only have to run one continuous mile per day to count it towards a streak. No reason I can't do that. And they let you do it on a treadmill. So why not do that? Even on the days I'm not planning to run, no reason I can't climb on the treadmill and do a mile. I don't even have to dress for that.
So I started the streak thing last Monday, and I've run every day since, and actually only Friday was a 1 mile day.
Second thing was I did the Born to Run race again in NJ the day after Thanksgiving. This year got my sister to do it. She resisted more and more the closer we got to the race, and even during the race tried to get me to leave her but I stuck with her because I didn't care how slow we went. She is always looking for a reason to quit. But we finished. I did not think our time was that bad for a jog/walk, but at that race it did put us pretty far back in the pack. 657 finishers and we were 643 and 644, so only a handful of people behind us. Funny, my sister cared more about that than I did. Well, if you want to do better, you have to train!
And third thing is, speaking of training, I decided I ought to get out there for a 5k, so I signed up for the Jingle Bell 5k for Arthritis on Saturday. Decided to bring Eddy along to run with me since he has turned into quite the running partner. And I knew that this race was okay to do with dogs because I walked it with Logan a few years ago. I would have left him home if we had snow though because I didn't want him to have to run through the salt on the roads. Fortunately, although it was cold we did not have precipitation.
Earlier in the week, I actually did some 1/2 mile repeats to see what kind of pace I could stand. I usually do them (Yasso 800s) for fast marathon training but I have found in the past they seemed to approximate my 5k pace also. So I got on the mill and did a few at 6.7 mph, which is just under a 9:00 pace. And that felt okay, not too challenging, so I figured I should be good for at least a sub-28:00 5k. I really hoped that I wasn't going over 28 minutes because I don't know if I've ever raced a 5k that slow in my life. I know I'm getting decrepit but I want to hold that off as long as I can.
Eddy was great at the race, a perfect gentleman. I kept him on a very short leash, and we were able to run in the thick of the pack without getting in anyone's way. He did not once try to pull away to pee on anything, and we took care of the pooping before the race started. Of course, there really isn't any nice grassy area to poop along that course anyway so it was especially important to take care of it ahead of time. We got lots of compliments on how handsome and well-behaved he was.
We had a good race, me and Ed. 8:55, 8:45, 8:27 and 52 seconds for the last bit, for a finish time of 26:59. This put me 7th of 43 in the age group, not enough for a placement (they only went 5 deep), but I was pretty pleased anyway. And Eddy was the first dog. Not that there is any kind of prize for that but it was fun anyway. As we came around the last bend, people started cheering for him and yelling "first dog" the way they do for the first man or woman. I am proud of my Ed and looking forward to many more races with him.
So....first thing is, I have begun a running streak. This will enable me to become a member of the US Running Streak Association: http://www.runeveryday.com/ . Kind of a silly thing but what the heck? You only have to run one continuous mile per day to count it towards a streak. No reason I can't do that. And they let you do it on a treadmill. So why not do that? Even on the days I'm not planning to run, no reason I can't climb on the treadmill and do a mile. I don't even have to dress for that.
So I started the streak thing last Monday, and I've run every day since, and actually only Friday was a 1 mile day.
Second thing was I did the Born to Run race again in NJ the day after Thanksgiving. This year got my sister to do it. She resisted more and more the closer we got to the race, and even during the race tried to get me to leave her but I stuck with her because I didn't care how slow we went. She is always looking for a reason to quit. But we finished. I did not think our time was that bad for a jog/walk, but at that race it did put us pretty far back in the pack. 657 finishers and we were 643 and 644, so only a handful of people behind us. Funny, my sister cared more about that than I did. Well, if you want to do better, you have to train!
And third thing is, speaking of training, I decided I ought to get out there for a 5k, so I signed up for the Jingle Bell 5k for Arthritis on Saturday. Decided to bring Eddy along to run with me since he has turned into quite the running partner. And I knew that this race was okay to do with dogs because I walked it with Logan a few years ago. I would have left him home if we had snow though because I didn't want him to have to run through the salt on the roads. Fortunately, although it was cold we did not have precipitation.
Earlier in the week, I actually did some 1/2 mile repeats to see what kind of pace I could stand. I usually do them (Yasso 800s) for fast marathon training but I have found in the past they seemed to approximate my 5k pace also. So I got on the mill and did a few at 6.7 mph, which is just under a 9:00 pace. And that felt okay, not too challenging, so I figured I should be good for at least a sub-28:00 5k. I really hoped that I wasn't going over 28 minutes because I don't know if I've ever raced a 5k that slow in my life. I know I'm getting decrepit but I want to hold that off as long as I can.
Eddy was great at the race, a perfect gentleman. I kept him on a very short leash, and we were able to run in the thick of the pack without getting in anyone's way. He did not once try to pull away to pee on anything, and we took care of the pooping before the race started. Of course, there really isn't any nice grassy area to poop along that course anyway so it was especially important to take care of it ahead of time. We got lots of compliments on how handsome and well-behaved he was.
We had a good race, me and Ed. 8:55, 8:45, 8:27 and 52 seconds for the last bit, for a finish time of 26:59. This put me 7th of 43 in the age group, not enough for a placement (they only went 5 deep), but I was pretty pleased anyway. And Eddy was the first dog. Not that there is any kind of prize for that but it was fun anyway. As we came around the last bend, people started cheering for him and yelling "first dog" the way they do for the first man or woman. I am proud of my Ed and looking forward to many more races with him.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
To run today or not?
Trying to decide if I will run today. At the moment I am still digesting lunch, so I don't have to decide right away.
Ran the State-to-State half marathon in Oxford, OH on Sunday. Had a goal of 2:25 to 2:30, horrendously slow but matched my horrendous training. It went better than expected, and I finished under 2:19. Seven minutes slower than last year and a new PW but nice, even splits, which I haven't generally seen in this race. It's a hilly out and back and usually you're running into the sun on the way back. This year it was quite cool and overcast, which helped tremendously.
I have a streak going at this race, having finished every year since the inaugural event. So I had to go do it even if I wasn't up for it. This was the 7th year, and I'm hoping that if I keep going I might eventually be the only woman who has done it every year. They gave us autographed copies of a book for the 5th year, and at that time there were just a handful of women who had done all five races.
So I was a bit worried post race when I checked the results and they didn't have my time recorded. Fortunately, I contacted the timing company and the race directors, and they got it straightened out and I am in there now. Whew!
Just a week and a half to Baltimore. Looks like my sister and niece will be joining me there. We need to find someplace good to go for the pasta dinner.
Ran the State-to-State half marathon in Oxford, OH on Sunday. Had a goal of 2:25 to 2:30, horrendously slow but matched my horrendous training. It went better than expected, and I finished under 2:19. Seven minutes slower than last year and a new PW but nice, even splits, which I haven't generally seen in this race. It's a hilly out and back and usually you're running into the sun on the way back. This year it was quite cool and overcast, which helped tremendously.
I have a streak going at this race, having finished every year since the inaugural event. So I had to go do it even if I wasn't up for it. This was the 7th year, and I'm hoping that if I keep going I might eventually be the only woman who has done it every year. They gave us autographed copies of a book for the 5th year, and at that time there were just a handful of women who had done all five races.
So I was a bit worried post race when I checked the results and they didn't have my time recorded. Fortunately, I contacted the timing company and the race directors, and they got it straightened out and I am in there now. Whew!
Just a week and a half to Baltimore. Looks like my sister and niece will be joining me there. We need to find someplace good to go for the pasta dinner.
Friday, September 25, 2009
Feel Like Giving Up
The running has not been going well the past few months. I'm not even making 20 miles a week lately. I haven't gone further than 6-8 in over a month. No way I am ready for the half-marathon this weekend and the marathon in a couple of weeks.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Issues with my foot
Have been stuggling a lot lately with my sore right foot/bone spur/plantar fascia/achilles/whatever it's all connected anyway. Probably was not a good idea to run that 5k 36 hours before the Delaware Marathon. Also probably wasn't a good idea to run every day the week after the marathon, which I thought I had to do because after that I would have almost two weeks off at dog shows.
Then I really aggravated while we were at the FCR Nationals, running around the conformation ring with Zen. Felt a pain in it after I showed her the second day, and I could barely walk on it after that.
Then I got home, and before I had a chance to get better, I stupidly ran a fast 5k. Got sucked into entering by my daughter. It's a race in the neighborhood that I do like but it was a bad time for me to be racing. I told myself I was just going to jog but in the end the competitive fires got the better of me. It's one where the top 25 men and top 25 women get nice glass beer steins. I have two of them from previous years and I wanted a third. Bummer, I finished 31st but worse than that, I could barely walk afterwards. In fact, I couldn't walk home. We had to hitch a ride from a kind stranger.
So since then (early June) things have been bad. I got so desperate I even spent a ridiculous amount of money on off-the-shelf orthotics from The Good Feet store. What a rip off. Anyway, it's been six weeks or so now and I think that maybe it is slowly getting better. As usual, time off from running does not seem to help at all. I feel worse after skipping a day than if I run, somehow.
Am thinking about making and keeping a little log of my footwear and activity to see if there is any pattern, because it seems like I have to wear something a little different every day to keep it at bay. Some days I need the mega-inserts from The Good Feet store. Other days, I get relief from mere Powerstep insoles. And some days, I even feel best wearing just the insoles the shoe came with. I don't really see a pattern to it, so I'm wondering if there is one.
Then I really aggravated while we were at the FCR Nationals, running around the conformation ring with Zen. Felt a pain in it after I showed her the second day, and I could barely walk on it after that.
Then I got home, and before I had a chance to get better, I stupidly ran a fast 5k. Got sucked into entering by my daughter. It's a race in the neighborhood that I do like but it was a bad time for me to be racing. I told myself I was just going to jog but in the end the competitive fires got the better of me. It's one where the top 25 men and top 25 women get nice glass beer steins. I have two of them from previous years and I wanted a third. Bummer, I finished 31st but worse than that, I could barely walk afterwards. In fact, I couldn't walk home. We had to hitch a ride from a kind stranger.
So since then (early June) things have been bad. I got so desperate I even spent a ridiculous amount of money on off-the-shelf orthotics from The Good Feet store. What a rip off. Anyway, it's been six weeks or so now and I think that maybe it is slowly getting better. As usual, time off from running does not seem to help at all. I feel worse after skipping a day than if I run, somehow.
Am thinking about making and keeping a little log of my footwear and activity to see if there is any pattern, because it seems like I have to wear something a little different every day to keep it at bay. Some days I need the mega-inserts from The Good Feet store. Other days, I get relief from mere Powerstep insoles. And some days, I even feel best wearing just the insoles the shoe came with. I don't really see a pattern to it, so I'm wondering if there is one.
Monday, May 18, 2009
Delaware Marathon Part One
Got on the plane Saturday morning and flew to Delaware. Quads were a little sore, right foot was a lot sore. Took some Aleve.
Cathy picked me up at the airport and we headed to Wilmington, and after some confusion with the GPS (apparently Wilmington actually has two streets named Delaware Avenue!) we arrived at the Sheraton, where they let us check in early. Pretty good for a race hotel, with self-parking for just $12, only a mile to the start of the race (and we needed to drive to avoid the slums), and a spacious, comfortable suite for $99.
The small expo was down at the park where the race started and finished. First we hit the Riverfront Market for lunch. Kind of like a food court with a vegetable market in the middle, and like much of Wilmington, seemed a little down on its heels.
At the expo/packet pickup, I purchased a nice black water-repellant cap from the New Balance shop selling race logo wear. I also bought a t-shirt that had the names of all the registered marathon runners on the back. Kinda silly because the first time I wash it you probably won't be able to read my name anymore. Cathy also bought a hat. Not too much else there, just that logo-wear shop and another vendor selling running attire. Oh, and a booth with some local personal trainers or something of no interest to us travellers.
In addition to our race t-shirts, which were New Balance technical tops but unfortunately for me in a man's size and cut, the race goody bags also included a souvenir beer glass and a sticker for your car window.
I needed sunscreen and vasoline and snacks and food for Sunday morning breakfast, and Cathy had forgotten to pack underwear. I decided the food court did not have good enough quality fruit, so we headed off in search of a mall or supermarket. Found a large, new Shop-Rite supermarket down along the riverfront area, where we were able to fulfill all our requirements. For snacks, we ended up with Pepperidge Farm Mint Milanos and Chips Ahoy cookies, along with a quart of skim milk. For breakfast, I got some bananas and some chocolate iced cake donuts.
Then it was back to the hotel where Cathy took a nap until it was time to head for the pasta dinner (she had been up until 4 am gambling in Atlantic City that morning before she picked me up).
Around 5:30, we headed to the pasta dinner, which was held at the Joe's Crab Shack, about a mile from the race start. Should have been a clue about the quality that they had chosen this as the restaurant. But the race organizers had made it sound like it would be a fun time. And how hard is it to serve up a decent plate of pasta and sauce?
I guess it was too hard for Joe's Crab Shack. Absolute worst pasta dinner I have ever attended. Just disgusting.
First problem was, we had expected that there would be a private room or section set off just for the runners, but in fact it seemed like they had us all mixed in with other people. We were seated outside, with two guys, a father and son who were also doing the race. The promised band was playing, a group of doctors from the local hospital (race sponsor), and it was impossible to have a conversation over the din of their "music."
While we were waiting impatiently for service, I suggested that we go somewhere else, but Cathy didn't agree, perhaps because we had already paid and would have to push to get our money back, or she didn't want to make a scene.
The guys sitting next to us were served first as they had been seated before us. Teeny little salads, but I wasn't expecting that much from the salad so was not too alarmed. But then their pasta arrived and it was cold! So they older guy sent his back.
They were having the marinara sauce, which is bad enough cold, but we had ordered the olive oil. The pasta was available with and without shrimp, and we went out on a limb and ordered the shrimp. We were of course expecting full-size shrimp. But no, we got just those tiny little prawns. And worse, in a luke warm and rancid tasting sauce. Not sure if it was even really olive oil. It was truly disgusting. So after eating a little and pushing it around on the plate, we said goodbye to the guys, wished them luck on the race, and got up and left.
On the way out, I stopped at the registration table and let the guy taking people's money know that it was the worst pasta dinner ever. Didn't try to get my money back because we had already eaten half of the food, but we did tell everyone waiting online that they would be better off going someplace else, and some of them did.
We ended up at a brew pub right next store, and got a table at the bar just in time to watch the Preakness, which was better anyway. This food was pretty good and didn't cost much more than we had already spent on the pasta dinner. I need to remember that few of those pasta dinners are really worth attending.
After dinner, we headed back to the hotel to watch a little bit of TV before going to bed early. I forgot that the Adidas Track Classic was on ESPN2, and I only got to catch a few minutes of it before bed.
Sunday morning, I got up at 4 am for my pre-race coffee and breakfast. Cathy got up at 5 and we headed down to the start around 6. Cathy had already decided that she was not going to do the half-marathon she was registered for, because she really was not trained for it. So she was mostly just there to support me, and she did an excellent job.
We had to drive to the start even though it was not that far from the hotel because the area in between the hotel and the riverfront is basically a slum. There was a race shuttle from the hotel but seating was limited, so they were encouraging people to drive. Plus the shuttle was leaving at 5:20 and that was too early for me. Everyone we had spoken to the day before had said that we should park over by the Joe's Crab Shack and walk from there, but I was skeptical because that was almost a mile away. So I suggested we drive down close the start and see what we found, and in fact there was a lot directly across the street from the start where we could park all day for $3.
We sat in the car until about 6:30---it was quite cold and a bit rainy---before we went over to the start area. I was wearing a throw away old cotton t-shirt and nylon anorak over a short-sleeved technical top and my CW-X capri tights. And of course, a hat---this time, the hat from my most recent marathon in Chickamauga because it was fairly water repellant and even matched my shirt (light gray).
Ducked into a portapotty where there was no line. Found out after that was because it was reserved for people with medical "issues." Cathy said this was okay because I am crazy and that counts as a medical issue!
Then we found a park bench where we could sit and wait for the race to start. There was dj playing upbeat tunes from the 80s, but otherwise it was all fairly low key. The race was full but they put a pretty low cap on it because I guess they wisely realize that the course will not accomodate a very large field. Most of the out of state runners are, like me, members of the 50 States Club or the Marathon Maniacs or both.
Just before the race was to start, of course the wind picked up and it started raining harder. I had ditched the throw away cotton shirt but had to keep the anorak. Ended up putting it on and taking it off throughout the race as we turned corners and faced headwinds and rain. It's really quite a mess, shredded on the bottom and at the cuffs, and now with some gigantic holes from one occasion when Zen got a hold of it. And at one point it got stuck in the zipper of my fanny pack and I yanked it out so now it is even worse. But it survived to come home with me again anyway.
I am getting tired and will finish this later.
Cathy picked me up at the airport and we headed to Wilmington, and after some confusion with the GPS (apparently Wilmington actually has two streets named Delaware Avenue!) we arrived at the Sheraton, where they let us check in early. Pretty good for a race hotel, with self-parking for just $12, only a mile to the start of the race (and we needed to drive to avoid the slums), and a spacious, comfortable suite for $99.
The small expo was down at the park where the race started and finished. First we hit the Riverfront Market for lunch. Kind of like a food court with a vegetable market in the middle, and like much of Wilmington, seemed a little down on its heels.
At the expo/packet pickup, I purchased a nice black water-repellant cap from the New Balance shop selling race logo wear. I also bought a t-shirt that had the names of all the registered marathon runners on the back. Kinda silly because the first time I wash it you probably won't be able to read my name anymore. Cathy also bought a hat. Not too much else there, just that logo-wear shop and another vendor selling running attire. Oh, and a booth with some local personal trainers or something of no interest to us travellers.
In addition to our race t-shirts, which were New Balance technical tops but unfortunately for me in a man's size and cut, the race goody bags also included a souvenir beer glass and a sticker for your car window.
I needed sunscreen and vasoline and snacks and food for Sunday morning breakfast, and Cathy had forgotten to pack underwear. I decided the food court did not have good enough quality fruit, so we headed off in search of a mall or supermarket. Found a large, new Shop-Rite supermarket down along the riverfront area, where we were able to fulfill all our requirements. For snacks, we ended up with Pepperidge Farm Mint Milanos and Chips Ahoy cookies, along with a quart of skim milk. For breakfast, I got some bananas and some chocolate iced cake donuts.
Then it was back to the hotel where Cathy took a nap until it was time to head for the pasta dinner (she had been up until 4 am gambling in Atlantic City that morning before she picked me up).
Around 5:30, we headed to the pasta dinner, which was held at the Joe's Crab Shack, about a mile from the race start. Should have been a clue about the quality that they had chosen this as the restaurant. But the race organizers had made it sound like it would be a fun time. And how hard is it to serve up a decent plate of pasta and sauce?
I guess it was too hard for Joe's Crab Shack. Absolute worst pasta dinner I have ever attended. Just disgusting.
First problem was, we had expected that there would be a private room or section set off just for the runners, but in fact it seemed like they had us all mixed in with other people. We were seated outside, with two guys, a father and son who were also doing the race. The promised band was playing, a group of doctors from the local hospital (race sponsor), and it was impossible to have a conversation over the din of their "music."
While we were waiting impatiently for service, I suggested that we go somewhere else, but Cathy didn't agree, perhaps because we had already paid and would have to push to get our money back, or she didn't want to make a scene.
The guys sitting next to us were served first as they had been seated before us. Teeny little salads, but I wasn't expecting that much from the salad so was not too alarmed. But then their pasta arrived and it was cold! So they older guy sent his back.
They were having the marinara sauce, which is bad enough cold, but we had ordered the olive oil. The pasta was available with and without shrimp, and we went out on a limb and ordered the shrimp. We were of course expecting full-size shrimp. But no, we got just those tiny little prawns. And worse, in a luke warm and rancid tasting sauce. Not sure if it was even really olive oil. It was truly disgusting. So after eating a little and pushing it around on the plate, we said goodbye to the guys, wished them luck on the race, and got up and left.
On the way out, I stopped at the registration table and let the guy taking people's money know that it was the worst pasta dinner ever. Didn't try to get my money back because we had already eaten half of the food, but we did tell everyone waiting online that they would be better off going someplace else, and some of them did.
We ended up at a brew pub right next store, and got a table at the bar just in time to watch the Preakness, which was better anyway. This food was pretty good and didn't cost much more than we had already spent on the pasta dinner. I need to remember that few of those pasta dinners are really worth attending.
After dinner, we headed back to the hotel to watch a little bit of TV before going to bed early. I forgot that the Adidas Track Classic was on ESPN2, and I only got to catch a few minutes of it before bed.
Sunday morning, I got up at 4 am for my pre-race coffee and breakfast. Cathy got up at 5 and we headed down to the start around 6. Cathy had already decided that she was not going to do the half-marathon she was registered for, because she really was not trained for it. So she was mostly just there to support me, and she did an excellent job.
We had to drive to the start even though it was not that far from the hotel because the area in between the hotel and the riverfront is basically a slum. There was a race shuttle from the hotel but seating was limited, so they were encouraging people to drive. Plus the shuttle was leaving at 5:20 and that was too early for me. Everyone we had spoken to the day before had said that we should park over by the Joe's Crab Shack and walk from there, but I was skeptical because that was almost a mile away. So I suggested we drive down close the start and see what we found, and in fact there was a lot directly across the street from the start where we could park all day for $3.
We sat in the car until about 6:30---it was quite cold and a bit rainy---before we went over to the start area. I was wearing a throw away old cotton t-shirt and nylon anorak over a short-sleeved technical top and my CW-X capri tights. And of course, a hat---this time, the hat from my most recent marathon in Chickamauga because it was fairly water repellant and even matched my shirt (light gray).
Ducked into a portapotty where there was no line. Found out after that was because it was reserved for people with medical "issues." Cathy said this was okay because I am crazy and that counts as a medical issue!
Then we found a park bench where we could sit and wait for the race to start. There was dj playing upbeat tunes from the 80s, but otherwise it was all fairly low key. The race was full but they put a pretty low cap on it because I guess they wisely realize that the course will not accomodate a very large field. Most of the out of state runners are, like me, members of the 50 States Club or the Marathon Maniacs or both.
Just before the race was to start, of course the wind picked up and it started raining harder. I had ditched the throw away cotton shirt but had to keep the anorak. Ended up putting it on and taking it off throughout the race as we turned corners and faced headwinds and rain. It's really quite a mess, shredded on the bottom and at the cuffs, and now with some gigantic holes from one occasion when Zen got a hold of it. And at one point it got stuck in the zipper of my fanny pack and I yanked it out so now it is even worse. But it survived to come home with me again anyway.
I am getting tired and will finish this later.
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