It was a warm morning, nearly 60 degrees which is just wrong for Oct 28. My first mile, the slow one, didn't feel bad at all so I pushed the pace a little. At Sanders Theater I watched the pedestrian crossing light count down and I tried to race it, but pulled up just a little short, reaching the crosswalk just after it hit 0 and the traffic started across. Oh well, there are always more lights. On to the river, along the dirt paths (I put new batteries in my headlamp, still need a brighter one) and enjoyed the early morning warmth. At the Elliot bridge I noticed a shell in the water, gliding silently along in the darkness with nothing but a bow and stern light to bring notice. They pulled up along side me as I came closer to the water and for a while we paced each other down the Charles in the darkness. A rabbit jumped out of the bushes in front of me and decided she was going the same direction I was and hopped away directly ahead. I picked up speed to catch her but no such luck; that was not a race I was going to win.
Waiting for the light at the JFK bridge I noticed the crew boat was now well ahead of me so I decided to race it to the River St bridge. Fortunately, they had no idea I was racing them and it was easy to catch up and pass. I suspect they were fishing. Just before the last bridge a collection of about 20 young folks in matching running gear and snazzy reflective belts all ran by the opposite way, almost in unison, in stark contrast to my solitary morning. Back to Cambridge and I spied another runner that I attempted to reel in. There was a second runner as well, but he was clearly too fast to catch so no race was initiated on my part. I caught my prey at Western Ave just in time to meet up again with the group of 20 identical outfits, passing by me in clumps of 3 and 4 now. Back towards home and a pretty fast time for me. It was my fastest run since the half marathon, except for the first mile I was right around 8:30.
I loved the little races I could make for myself. Traffic lights are great, but the consequences for losing can be dire. Rabbits and other game are classic targets, but you have to prepare yourself for lifetime of disappointment. Crew boats are great fun, but it works best IMO when they don't realize that they're racing you, and it's best to avoid the 8's if you're slow like me. Other runners can be fun, but it's hard to sneak up on them when it's pitch black and you're running with a headlamp. And, as it turns out, they are all variations of running against yourself.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Suburban Wildlife
It was such a nice warm day near the end of October that I wanted to get out in daylight and not have to worry about running under a headlamp. I finished my last meeting of the day around 4:00 and started my run before 4:30 in a t-shirt and shorts. It was nearly 60 degrees and it felt great to be out there, MP3 player churning out new tunes I recently added. Never underestimate new tunes. As usual, the first mile was slow but not awkward, always a good sign, but by the end of mile 2 I had a stitch in my side so I slowed down again. I had decided to take the 5 mile loop and turned left at the cul-de-sac.
The leaves on the ground made it a little difficult to see my footing but I was on a sidewalk, what could happen? At the halfway point the stitch was gone and I picked up the pace a little. A pleasant day out, my pace became deliberate and faster. At 3 miles I knew I could make this a good overall pace so I switched my watch to see my pacer and started reeling him in. On Princess Pine Dr, less than a mile from the office, I spotted a deer standing on the edge of the road, just staring at me as I approached. She ran across the road in front of me, then paused as I went by. I forgot about the time, my pace, work, and just locked eyes with her as we ready each others body language.
And then I was past, chugging up the last hill and across Rt 3 towards home, or at least the office. I went 5 miles, just under 9:00/miles, and ended up one suburban wildlife encounter richer.
The leaves on the ground made it a little difficult to see my footing but I was on a sidewalk, what could happen? At the halfway point the stitch was gone and I picked up the pace a little. A pleasant day out, my pace became deliberate and faster. At 3 miles I knew I could make this a good overall pace so I switched my watch to see my pacer and started reeling him in. On Princess Pine Dr, less than a mile from the office, I spotted a deer standing on the edge of the road, just staring at me as I approached. She ran across the road in front of me, then paused as I went by. I forgot about the time, my pace, work, and just locked eyes with her as we ready each others body language.
And then I was past, chugging up the last hill and across Rt 3 towards home, or at least the office. I went 5 miles, just under 9:00/miles, and ended up one suburban wildlife encounter richer.
A good run
At the end of last week my legs were pretty beat. I started with the Bay State Half Marathon and ran 4 more days during the week, including a nice albeit slow trail run in the Fells on Saturday. On Monday my legs were still sore and I wasn't holding out a lot of hope for a good run. I elected to run from home rather than from work, since the Charles River always seems to energize me. Friends had run the Bimbler's Bluff 50K race over the weekend and had some great finishes, even in the face of physical adversity, so I was determined that I would get out there one way or the other. Watching the Head of the Charles also helped my inspiration.
As I changed into my running gear my body felt energized; I'm not sure where that energy came from. As I stretched out front of my house I thought about going for 6 instead of 4 miles. It was warm and being out in shorts made my legs eager for a run. The first mile was slow, as it always is, but it wasn't awkward or painful, a good sign. I saw Mimi just before hitting the river, she was finishing her run as I was headed out. By then I'd made the decision to go up to the Elliot Bridge and extend the run. My headlamp illumination proved inadequate for running on the narrow dirt path next to the bike path, so I stayed on the pavement most of the way. It's amazing how few runners or bikers carry any sort of illumination. Silly people.
At the bridge I checked my pace and saw that I had stepped it up quite a bit, this might even be a fast run. Thinking about the rowers who had been on the river the past two days kept my brain occupied, and the next mile flew by. There were still a bunch of the big white tents near the footbridge and I thought I heard some people still out on the water but didn't see any bow lights. Ghost rowers, perhaps? The turn at River St and now I was headed back home. It's tough seeing the ground when the headlights of the oncoming cars are in your eyes, so I went back on the paved path, before cutting across Memorial Drive. The run was going to be a little short so I added a loop around my block to make sure I had 6+ miles. It ended up pretty fast, nearly my half marathon pace. If I took out the first mile it would have been faster.
I wonder where that energy came from? It wasn't there when I started getting ready for the run. Never look a gift run in the mouth.
As I changed into my running gear my body felt energized; I'm not sure where that energy came from. As I stretched out front of my house I thought about going for 6 instead of 4 miles. It was warm and being out in shorts made my legs eager for a run. The first mile was slow, as it always is, but it wasn't awkward or painful, a good sign. I saw Mimi just before hitting the river, she was finishing her run as I was headed out. By then I'd made the decision to go up to the Elliot Bridge and extend the run. My headlamp illumination proved inadequate for running on the narrow dirt path next to the bike path, so I stayed on the pavement most of the way. It's amazing how few runners or bikers carry any sort of illumination. Silly people.
At the bridge I checked my pace and saw that I had stepped it up quite a bit, this might even be a fast run. Thinking about the rowers who had been on the river the past two days kept my brain occupied, and the next mile flew by. There were still a bunch of the big white tents near the footbridge and I thought I heard some people still out on the water but didn't see any bow lights. Ghost rowers, perhaps? The turn at River St and now I was headed back home. It's tough seeing the ground when the headlights of the oncoming cars are in your eyes, so I went back on the paved path, before cutting across Memorial Drive. The run was going to be a little short so I added a loop around my block to make sure I had 6+ miles. It ended up pretty fast, nearly my half marathon pace. If I took out the first mile it would have been faster.
I wonder where that energy came from? It wasn't there when I started getting ready for the run. Never look a gift run in the mouth.
Sunday, October 24, 2010
End of a long week
I've already run 25+ miles this week, including the half marathon on Sunday and the night trail run on Thursday night. Today I wanted to do some more trail running, but in the daylight this time. The Fells are close to home, have lots of interesting trails to choose from, and the standard loop is 7 miles which is just what I was looking for. After pottery in the morning I headed to Sheepfold but as usual, the parking area was full, so I parked over on South Border Road by Bellvue Pond. A quick look at the map reminded me of where the trails went and off I went.
Right away I could tell that my legs weren't feeling great. They were tired and so was I. Do runners think of their legs as separate entities? I picked my way though the usual trails, climbing over some downed trees and skirting some mud and running water. Ah, this was rugged. At Sheepfold I paused a bit to have a Gu and pet some dogs before headed back on the mountain bike loop towards the hill. I ended up in a warren of tiny trails before coming out on a yellow blazed trail that led me to the water tower where I got the first comments on my Dirty Girl gaiters. After a brief stop for the view and running into a friend who was out for a hike I started down to the mountain bike trails in the back corner of the Fells.
I finally got into something of a rhythm here, not a fast pace but a comfortable gait. The discomfort and soreness drifted into an inconsequential haze and my mind drifted to thoughts of friends running or rowing this weekend which made it easy to continue. Around the corner of the reservoir and some fun switchbacks then onto some fire roads again where I could pick up speed. At one point I noticed an orange and white station that looked like an orienteering marker and sure enough some fast young people in spandex carrying maps went running by. They were running in all directions through the woods and on the myriad of trails, which made my casual run a bit surreal.
After passing though the start/finish line and seeing dozens of orienteering participants I headed through some random woods until I caught my trail to Bellvue Pond. The finish felts strong but I didn't have any desire to go further, 7+ was fine. I had to rush back, get food, pick up my rebuilt bicycle wheel and head to the river to catch some of the Head of the Charles Regatta. It was a busy run, one that never completely clicked, but a good day to be out. It was good to push through a bad start and persevere. I'm sure the ability to do that will serve me well some day.
I finally got into something of a rhythm here, not a fast pace but a comfortable gait. The discomfort and soreness drifted into an inconsequential haze and my mind drifted to thoughts of friends running or rowing this weekend which made it easy to continue. Around the corner of the reservoir and some fun switchbacks then onto some fire roads again where I could pick up speed. At one point I noticed an orange and white station that looked like an orienteering marker and sure enough some fast young people in spandex carrying maps went running by. They were running in all directions through the woods and on the myriad of trails, which made my casual run a bit surreal.
After passing though the start/finish line and seeing dozens of orienteering participants I headed through some random woods until I caught my trail to Bellvue Pond. The finish felts strong but I didn't have any desire to go further, 7+ was fine. I had to rush back, get food, pick up my rebuilt bicycle wheel and head to the river to catch some of the Head of the Charles Regatta. It was a busy run, one that never completely clicked, but a good day to be out. It was good to push through a bad start and persevere. I'm sure the ability to do that will serve me well some day.
Friday, October 22, 2010
Semi-Rugged - trail running in the dark
This run was something different, for sure. Mines Falls park in Nashua has a great collection of trails and will be host to the Jack London 10K trail run in early November. A bunch of friends all entered the race and Cathy organized a run of the course so we'd be familiar with it even though we've all run at Mines Falls in the past. I pulled into the parking area at 5:50 to see Cathy and Bob already there. They'd never met but had seen pictures of each other online so had already introduced themselves. Dani was going to try to make it, but told us not to wait if she wasn't there yet. We dressed for the run (hats, gloves, headlamps) and started out on the first loop.
It was still light and Cathy thought we should take advantage of being able to see so she took off at a blistering pace. Bob and I wondered what we had gotten ourselves into. The first part of the course is good footing so we were able to keep up, just barely, we even saw a muskrat in the canal. Over the bridge and back towards the gate house we heard a yell "Cathy" from the other side and concluded it was Dani. We decided to wait at the gatehouse at the end of the first loop and on we went on the rougher trails. I was pressing hard to keep up with Cathy who knows every root and rock so was running with purpose. Dani was waiting for us at the gatehouse when we arrived and we pressed off into the woods as the light dwindled.
Soon after that I turned on my headlamp and was centered in the cone of light. My concentration was on the reflective patch on the back of Cathy's pack, her feet, and the trail. If I allowed anything else to catch my attention I stumbled so I was forced to focus. There were a series of downed logs that we had to jump over, so naturally I tripped on the flat ground in between them, no blood - no foul. Cathy and I were running a bit faster than Dani and Bob (who ran faster than me in the half marathon on Sunday) and unfortunately we lost them on the other side of the highway. Since Bob knew the trails I assumed they elected to stay on the better trails while I plunged on following the reflective triangles that darted and skipped past obstacles.
Night time trail running is challenging. I stepped on a few roots and rocks that threatened to twist an ankle but never did. I tripped once and caught myself on my hands with no damage (except to my pride) and slowed down a bit after that. We kept up a conversation the entire run in our two little cones of light. Back to the major trail and we headed back towards home. But the Jack London has a trick or two up its sleeve as we headed back to the river, down and up a nice hill that had me slowing down due to not being able to see far enough ahead. Cathy, knowing the route, could run with more confidence and she sped ahead. Back to the last turn and a sprint for the finish, where we met Bob and Dani who had run their own route.
I've liked the trail running I've done in the past, but night time training is its own special world. As winter is coming up and sunset is now before 6:00 this may be a regular option until the trails are full of snow and ice. It's definitely a way to break up some boring training runs, and have fun on what would otherwise be familiar trails. Next time, rain and mud! Rugged!
10/21/2010 - Mines Falls trail run by metsky at Garmin Connect - Details
It was still light and Cathy thought we should take advantage of being able to see so she took off at a blistering pace. Bob and I wondered what we had gotten ourselves into. The first part of the course is good footing so we were able to keep up, just barely, we even saw a muskrat in the canal. Over the bridge and back towards the gate house we heard a yell "Cathy" from the other side and concluded it was Dani. We decided to wait at the gatehouse at the end of the first loop and on we went on the rougher trails. I was pressing hard to keep up with Cathy who knows every root and rock so was running with purpose. Dani was waiting for us at the gatehouse when we arrived and we pressed off into the woods as the light dwindled.
Soon after that I turned on my headlamp and was centered in the cone of light. My concentration was on the reflective patch on the back of Cathy's pack, her feet, and the trail. If I allowed anything else to catch my attention I stumbled so I was forced to focus. There were a series of downed logs that we had to jump over, so naturally I tripped on the flat ground in between them, no blood - no foul. Cathy and I were running a bit faster than Dani and Bob (who ran faster than me in the half marathon on Sunday) and unfortunately we lost them on the other side of the highway. Since Bob knew the trails I assumed they elected to stay on the better trails while I plunged on following the reflective triangles that darted and skipped past obstacles.
Night time trail running is challenging. I stepped on a few roots and rocks that threatened to twist an ankle but never did. I tripped once and caught myself on my hands with no damage (except to my pride) and slowed down a bit after that. We kept up a conversation the entire run in our two little cones of light. Back to the major trail and we headed back towards home. But the Jack London has a trick or two up its sleeve as we headed back to the river, down and up a nice hill that had me slowing down due to not being able to see far enough ahead. Cathy, knowing the route, could run with more confidence and she sped ahead. Back to the last turn and a sprint for the finish, where we met Bob and Dani who had run their own route.
I've liked the trail running I've done in the past, but night time training is its own special world. As winter is coming up and sunset is now before 6:00 this may be a regular option until the trails are full of snow and ice. It's definitely a way to break up some boring training runs, and have fun on what would otherwise be familiar trails. Next time, rain and mud! Rugged!
10/21/2010 - Mines Falls trail run by metsky at Garmin Connect - Details
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Another early morning
Went to Tavern at the End of the World to welcome Rebecca back to the States, if only for a brief visit, and to have a few beers with friends. Even brought a few of them back to the house for the night. :) So I ended up going to bed late and getting up early, but had a similar run as yesterday, a little slower but just fine. I made the decision early on not to worry about speed and just try to keep a steady pace.
I'm getting familiar with the other runners out there in the morning. And all the tents are set up for the HOCR by the boathouses. I'm hoping to spend some time along the river this weekend taking photos and cheering on the rowers.
I'm getting familiar with the other runners out there in the morning. And all the tents are set up for the HOCR by the boathouses. I'm hoping to spend some time along the river this weekend taking photos and cheering on the rowers.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Morning run after race
I ran the Bay State Half on Sunday, took Monday off, and wanted to get back into my routine by Tuesday. I felt much better than I expected so I planned for a morning run today. Got up at 5:30, put on my new shirt from the Bay State :) and reflective vest, hat and gloves, and headed out with my headlamp in flashing mode. It was cool but felt about the same as the temp at start time on Monday.
I really like the stillness of the morning when the streets are mostly empty and a few runners and bikers are the only ones moving. I checked my pace a few times but was mostly interested in stretching the legs. Some of the other early morning runners are becoming familiar faces; a community of people with a common interest but who never speak to one another. I run on the little dirt paths next to the paved bike path but I'm concerned about tripping in the dark so if it gets rough I cut back over.
The turn at River Street behind me, I headed for home feeling pretty good. There was no soreness, no twinges of pain when I stepped over curves. It was still dark as I pulled in front of the house, just under 9:00 pace. Time to start my day.
I really like the stillness of the morning when the streets are mostly empty and a few runners and bikers are the only ones moving. I checked my pace a few times but was mostly interested in stretching the legs. Some of the other early morning runners are becoming familiar faces; a community of people with a common interest but who never speak to one another. I run on the little dirt paths next to the paved bike path but I'm concerned about tripping in the dark so if it gets rough I cut back over.
The turn at River Street behind me, I headed for home feeling pretty good. There was no soreness, no twinges of pain when I stepped over curves. It was still dark as I pulled in front of the house, just under 9:00 pace. Time to start my day.
Monday, October 18, 2010
The Second Half - Bay State half marathon: Oct 17, 2010
My first half marathon was a hot, humid day and a very hilly course. I enjoyed the experience, but the run was quite painful. For my second half I chose the Bay State up in Lowell, MA in October. The weather was going to be much cooler, the course much flatter, and I hoped that I would be in better shape by then. Training during the summer went well and I could tell that my pace had been improving. The last week before the race I had problems with some taper runs and had some anxiety about how I would fare on race day. In addition, I had several friends running the race with me and people there to spectate, so the whole day was setting up to be a different experience.
My downstairs neighbors decided to have a party on Saturday night and so I did wake up a bit during the night, but nothing like the 3:00 loud cell phone call that happened before my last race. I felt pretty well rested when we headed out at 5:35 for Lowell. It was fairly easy getting to the parking area and Monica and I walked over to the Tsongas Arena just about 90 minutes before the start time. I was a little surreal seeing runners sitting in the arena seats, watching the Zamboni on the ice from the previous night's event (Riverdance on Ice) and sipping coffee or sports drinks. We walked around a bit, found a spot to stretch and warm up and waited for Bob and Geri to arrive. I guess because of the ratio of male to female runners the lines for the men's room were much longer than the lines for the women's room.
Just after 7:30 we headed outside and got online at the porta-potties. It was cool, around 42 degrees but the sun felt pretty good. I was still wearing my hat but I handed that to Monica before Bob and I jogged off to the start line to warm up. We saw Wenzel in the marathon corral looking excited and anxious for the race. Bob was doing a great job handling the stress from his first race, and the longest run of his career. We found a spot in the half marathon corral, sang the national anthem, and just a few minutes after 8:00 the crowd surged forward and the two groups merged on the course. Within 30 seconds Bob was out of site and I was trying to settle into a pace.
In my other half I settled into a 10:00 pace early on, and managed to maintain it most of the race. Here I ran mile one at 8:35 and mile 2 at 8:25 which I figured was too fast. I was afraid of going out too fast and burning out before the end so I consciously dialed it back a bit. The next three miles I averaged around 8:55, closer the pace I wanted to start at. I had been nursing a stitch in my side from about mile 2 and cutting back the pace helped work that out of my system. We had looped to the other side of the river and there was a strip of dirt and grass that runners could use and I took advantage of it. By mile 5 I was feeling better so I tried upping the pace again but kept jumping from about 8:45 to 8:55 up till mile 10. The course was a loop that we ran twice so things were familiar the second time through, which helped.
Monica and Geri were cheering from either side of a bridge on the course, so they saw us 4 times along the way. They were both wearing bright puffy jackets in the cold sunlight so they were easy to spot. I tried to look good when on camera. Knowing they were there cheering was good for the soul, and made it easier to increase my pace when needed. The second loop went by fairly quickly, crossing the far bridge as the marathoners at a 3:00 pace crossed back in the other lane. A woman in purple passed me around mile 8 and was still in sight at mile 10; it became my goal to eventually pass her before the finish. At mile 10 I figured the stitch wasn't coming back and with only three miles remaining I should pick things up.
Fortunately, there was still some gas in the tank. I dropped from 8:45 to 8:33 to 8:19 to 8:04, which may mean I should have gone out faster. I do feel like I could have run the race more consistently, but I'll leave the detailed analysis for another day. We turned into the baseball stadium and I saw Monica taking pictures as I entered the outfield. A sprint along the outfield wall and over the two bullpen pitcher's mounds and the finish line was right there. I knew I had beaten the 2:00 mark and was happy to see I had made it just under 1:54, a 16 minute improvement from June on a much friendlier course. The medal was nice but I really was excited about the Mylar blanket; to me that was the sign of a real runner. We met up with Bob (1:50) and Geri and Chris (1:44) along the third base line and put on some warm clothes. Dani (1:50) finished right after Bob but we never saw her all day. The food (especially the soup) tasted great after all that energy expended on a cold day. We ran into Mike and Monica (2:05) and hung out a bit more before going back on the course to cheer for Chris who was running the marathon.
We settled in around mile 24.5 on the marathon course and cheered on the runners. They seemed appreciative of the encouragement. Chris came along, a bit behind her target pace but still pretty darn fast. It felt good to cheer on others after I'd finished, kind of closing the circle. We headed back to the stadium, stopping to tie a dropped child's froggy hat to the railing so it wouldn't get stepped on, and cheered her on at the finish. After Chris went by we headed to our cars, joining the stream of hobbling runners and helpful supporters on our journeys. We went over to Chez Chris and Chris for a fine BBQ, birthday celebration, and Patriot's game before calling it a day around 4 and heading home.
Some thoughts from the day:
Garmin Connect track of the Race
My downstairs neighbors decided to have a party on Saturday night and so I did wake up a bit during the night, but nothing like the 3:00 loud cell phone call that happened before my last race. I felt pretty well rested when we headed out at 5:35 for Lowell. It was fairly easy getting to the parking area and Monica and I walked over to the Tsongas Arena just about 90 minutes before the start time. I was a little surreal seeing runners sitting in the arena seats, watching the Zamboni on the ice from the previous night's event (Riverdance on Ice) and sipping coffee or sports drinks. We walked around a bit, found a spot to stretch and warm up and waited for Bob and Geri to arrive. I guess because of the ratio of male to female runners the lines for the men's room were much longer than the lines for the women's room.
Just after 7:30 we headed outside and got online at the porta-potties. It was cool, around 42 degrees but the sun felt pretty good. I was still wearing my hat but I handed that to Monica before Bob and I jogged off to the start line to warm up. We saw Wenzel in the marathon corral looking excited and anxious for the race. Bob was doing a great job handling the stress from his first race, and the longest run of his career. We found a spot in the half marathon corral, sang the national anthem, and just a few minutes after 8:00 the crowd surged forward and the two groups merged on the course. Within 30 seconds Bob was out of site and I was trying to settle into a pace.
In my other half I settled into a 10:00 pace early on, and managed to maintain it most of the race. Here I ran mile one at 8:35 and mile 2 at 8:25 which I figured was too fast. I was afraid of going out too fast and burning out before the end so I consciously dialed it back a bit. The next three miles I averaged around 8:55, closer the pace I wanted to start at. I had been nursing a stitch in my side from about mile 2 and cutting back the pace helped work that out of my system. We had looped to the other side of the river and there was a strip of dirt and grass that runners could use and I took advantage of it. By mile 5 I was feeling better so I tried upping the pace again but kept jumping from about 8:45 to 8:55 up till mile 10. The course was a loop that we ran twice so things were familiar the second time through, which helped.
Monica and Geri were cheering from either side of a bridge on the course, so they saw us 4 times along the way. They were both wearing bright puffy jackets in the cold sunlight so they were easy to spot. I tried to look good when on camera. Knowing they were there cheering was good for the soul, and made it easier to increase my pace when needed. The second loop went by fairly quickly, crossing the far bridge as the marathoners at a 3:00 pace crossed back in the other lane. A woman in purple passed me around mile 8 and was still in sight at mile 10; it became my goal to eventually pass her before the finish. At mile 10 I figured the stitch wasn't coming back and with only three miles remaining I should pick things up.
We settled in around mile 24.5 on the marathon course and cheered on the runners. They seemed appreciative of the encouragement. Chris came along, a bit behind her target pace but still pretty darn fast. It felt good to cheer on others after I'd finished, kind of closing the circle. We headed back to the stadium, stopping to tie a dropped child's froggy hat to the railing so it wouldn't get stepped on, and cheered her on at the finish. After Chris went by we headed to our cars, joining the stream of hobbling runners and helpful supporters on our journeys. We went over to Chez Chris and Chris for a fine BBQ, birthday celebration, and Patriot's game before calling it a day around 4 and heading home.
Some thoughts from the day:
- I could have run in a short sleeve shirt except for the 10 minutes at the starting line. I don't think it would have changed anything but it's good to know that once the race started the temperature was never a factor.
- It was cool to run wearing the gloves that my brother used in his first Boston Marathon. I know they're disposable cotton gloves, but I like using them.
- I noticed a great blue heron flying over the course near the river before the first bridge crossing. I think I was the only runner looking up at that time.
- Karma works -- the frog hat we picked up off the ground was Chris' nephew's hat and his grandparents saw it tied to the fence and retrieved it for him.
- I didn't have nearly as much pre-race anxiety as the first time. It felt much different at the start, with a plan in my head.
- Having people cheering on the race course is very important.
- Running on dirt = good.
Garmin Connect track of the Race
Friday, October 15, 2010
Disappointed
A month ago an email came across my screen letting me know that my company has 20 bibs available for the 2011 Boston Marathon for fund raising runners. They do a lottery to determine which employees get the privilege of running the race, with the results announced today. In a fit of whimsy I put my name in, knowing that the chances of getting a bib were pretty remote -- it's a big company. But what the heck, why not? I've been careful not to get my hopes up but I know I had some fantasies about running Boston for my first marathon.
Well, the email came today and I wasn't selected. I'm on the waiting list, but I'm pretty sure that means I won't be getting a call any time soon. So I'm shifting to plan B, there are two marathons in May that will work fine with my schedule so I'm adjusting my sights as I type. I'm a little surprised at how much not getting a bib for Boston has hit me; I guess I've been somewhat unsuccessful at not getting my hopes up. On the plus side, this means I can teach at AMC Leader Training in the spring and the long runs won't cut into my winter skiing program as much.
But Boston would have been very special. Looks like it will have to wait until a later year. Maybe by then I'll be able to qualify. :)
Meanwhile, more rest for me. Tomorrow is the race Expo and then the Bay State Half Marathon on Sunday morning. The forecast is for temps in the 40's and sunny at the 8:00 AM start time. I'm going to have fun running with Bob, Chris, Chris, and Dani. Plus a few 1000 others.
Well, the email came today and I wasn't selected. I'm on the waiting list, but I'm pretty sure that means I won't be getting a call any time soon. So I'm shifting to plan B, there are two marathons in May that will work fine with my schedule so I'm adjusting my sights as I type. I'm a little surprised at how much not getting a bib for Boston has hit me; I guess I've been somewhat unsuccessful at not getting my hopes up. On the plus side, this means I can teach at AMC Leader Training in the spring and the long runs won't cut into my winter skiing program as much.
But Boston would have been very special. Looks like it will have to wait until a later year. Maybe by then I'll be able to qualify. :)
Meanwhile, more rest for me. Tomorrow is the race Expo and then the Bay State Half Marathon on Sunday morning. The forecast is for temps in the 40's and sunny at the 8:00 AM start time. I'm going to have fun running with Bob, Chris, Chris, and Dani. Plus a few 1000 others.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Unexpected run
"Woke up, got out of bed
Dragged a hat across my head
On the way downstairs I grabbed a Gu
Looking up, I noticed it was dark ..."
My apologies to Sir Paul.
I woke up this morning and looked at the clock. It was 5:30. I didn't feel like I was going to fall back to sleep so I quickly decided that I might as well go for my last run before the half marathon this weekend right then. It was going to rain later in the day and I would have to run at lunchtime so this would work instead. I threw on my new tights, new top, and new jacket, plus the new reflective vest (nothing like trying out a whole bunch of new things right before a race), put on the headlamp and the cotton gloves my brother used when he ran Boston, and headed downstairs.
In the quiet of the morning, able to see my breath in the headlamp glow, I started off at a slow pace. This was what my body was telling me to do and after that last few poor runs I decided to listen to it. I didn't really care about pace, I was just out for the mileage and to remind myself that I liked running. The temps were fine, I was probably over-dressed but not by much. As I came through Harvard Sq and my watch beeped at 1 mile I felt loose and comfortable. Along the Charles in the dark was very calming. As I came into the pool of light before crossing the foot bridge I saw first one, then a second bunny rabbit just sitting there. They didn't move away until I was right next to them, and even then they were pretty casual about it. I started coming up with a tortoise and the hare metaphor, but nothing came to mind. On the other side of the bridge I saw another morning runner waiting for the light. I thought about trying to catch up but she looked fast (and proved to be) and I wasn't interested in pushing my pace. Instead, I just kept my own pace as I headed back into Harvard Sq.
It was a good run for me, steadily faster as I went along, but never fast. It calmed my nerves after a bad run and put me in a good mood for the day and for the weekend.
Dragged a hat across my head
On the way downstairs I grabbed a Gu
Looking up, I noticed it was dark ..."
My apologies to Sir Paul.
I woke up this morning and looked at the clock. It was 5:30. I didn't feel like I was going to fall back to sleep so I quickly decided that I might as well go for my last run before the half marathon this weekend right then. It was going to rain later in the day and I would have to run at lunchtime so this would work instead. I threw on my new tights, new top, and new jacket, plus the new reflective vest (nothing like trying out a whole bunch of new things right before a race), put on the headlamp and the cotton gloves my brother used when he ran Boston, and headed downstairs.
In the quiet of the morning, able to see my breath in the headlamp glow, I started off at a slow pace. This was what my body was telling me to do and after that last few poor runs I decided to listen to it. I didn't really care about pace, I was just out for the mileage and to remind myself that I liked running. The temps were fine, I was probably over-dressed but not by much. As I came through Harvard Sq and my watch beeped at 1 mile I felt loose and comfortable. Along the Charles in the dark was very calming. As I came into the pool of light before crossing the foot bridge I saw first one, then a second bunny rabbit just sitting there. They didn't move away until I was right next to them, and even then they were pretty casual about it. I started coming up with a tortoise and the hare metaphor, but nothing came to mind. On the other side of the bridge I saw another morning runner waiting for the light. I thought about trying to catch up but she looked fast (and proved to be) and I wasn't interested in pushing my pace. Instead, I just kept my own pace as I headed back into Harvard Sq.
It was a good run for me, steadily faster as I went along, but never fast. It calmed my nerves after a bad run and put me in a good mood for the day and for the weekend.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Rest Day
Enjoyed the rest day, but for some reason my right Achilles tendon is sore after being on my feet all evening. I know I'm obsessing so I'm just going to relax, stretch some tonight, and not worry about it. It'll be fine in the morning, nothing to worry about, right?
On my drive to a meeting tonight after work I covered part of the Boston Marathon course. I've never looked at it quite like that before.
On my drive to a meeting tonight after work I covered part of the Boston Marathon course. I've never looked at it quite like that before.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Tapering - Second try
So, after talking to Robyn and doing some research online I found that my idea of a few relaxed runs during taper is not the approach most people recommend. Some targeted interval speed work is good, getting the body used to running fast. So today I decided I'd do a mile run to warm up, then alternate some faster half miles with slower paced stretches.
It didn't really work out that well, unfortunately. The first mile was OK, if somewhat awkward and slow. The first fast half mile went by well, I felt fast until the end, when I started feeling a stitch in my side. The next half mile was slow, then I started a faster half and it was clear that it wasn't going to work. The stitch came back and I gave up on the pace and just jogged a bit. After that I just opted to survive the run at a slow steady pace, somewhat disillusioned with my run. It really was a blow to my psyche, after several really good runs to have such a bad one and so close to my next race. This was supposed to be my taper -- a time of energy and rest. Instead I found myself sore and slow.
But having had a little time to reflect on this I think it's because of a few things:
And I signed up for the Jack London 10K trail race next month. :)
It didn't really work out that well, unfortunately. The first mile was OK, if somewhat awkward and slow. The first fast half mile went by well, I felt fast until the end, when I started feeling a stitch in my side. The next half mile was slow, then I started a faster half and it was clear that it wasn't going to work. The stitch came back and I gave up on the pace and just jogged a bit. After that I just opted to survive the run at a slow steady pace, somewhat disillusioned with my run. It really was a blow to my psyche, after several really good runs to have such a bad one and so close to my next race. This was supposed to be my taper -- a time of energy and rest. Instead I found myself sore and slow.
But having had a little time to reflect on this I think it's because of a few things:
- I haven't a clue how to train intervals, how fast to go, how to transition, resting in between, etc. If I want to do this right I need to find a coach or running group and not try to do this on my own all the time.
- I really need rest. No matter what my training schedule says, I need to listen to my body and rest when it tells me to. I've run every day but one since last Wed, including a few fast longer runs, with my only day off a 25 mile bike ride. Tomorrow is a rest day.
- Bad days happen. Don't let it occupy your brain too much. Accept it, move on.
And I signed up for the Jack London 10K trail race next month. :)
Monday, October 11, 2010
Attempting to Taper
I've got a half marathon coming up on Sunday, the second big race of my fledgling career, and according to my training plan it's time to taper. But let's face it, I have no idea how to taper. Before my last half marathon in June tapering simply meant not running, but this time around I am trying to do some slower, deliberate runs at an easy pace and I'm finding rather difficult. Today I set out for a 4 miler trying to hit 9:45/mile, just a slow and relaxing run. The first mile was right on pace but when I checked my time at the second mile I found that I had dropped to a 9:30. This is more difficult than I'd imagined. From someone who spent the last year trying to run faster every time I laced up the running shoes going deliberately slower takes some work. I don't know how to adjust my pace very well.
What I do know:
What I do know:
- I feel better after my run
- It was enjoyable
- I'm looking forward to tomorrow's shorter run
A Run with Robyn
For the most part, I've been a solo runner. It's easier for me to just head out on my own, run at my own pace, and not think about trying to keep up with anyone else. But on Saturday I arranged to go on a run with my friend Robyn, a hiking buddy from the AMC who has run a bunch of marathons but lately has become something of an insane rowing goddess. I decided not to hold that against her and we went ahead with the plan. As I pulled into Community Rowing (her home away from home) just before 10 AM on this beautiful fall day I spotted Robyn in her rowing gear, latte in hand. She gave me a quick tour of the place (it's a gorgeous building) and went up to change into running gear while I stretched in the weight room. Robyn had just rowed for and hour and a half which gave me some hope that I could keep up with her on the run.
We started off in shorts and t-shirts at just under a 9:00/mile pace according to my funky new watch. We chatted about life, running, and birthdays (mine was the next day) as my watch kept track of the mileage, occasionally beeping to let me know another mile had past. She led me on past Watertown Square to a part of the bike path I'd never run on as we meandered along the Charles pausing only briefly to let Robyn check out the crew boats on the river. I was conscious of the fact that we were keeping a pretty solid pace, but more so that we were two athletes bonding over the simplest joys; shared interest and exercise.
On we went, trying to decide how far we wanted to go but knowing that the final distance really didn't matter much. The pace and course was separate from the experience, a novel feeling for me. I've run with others before but I'd always felt that I was on trial. I know that it was coming from me, as none of my other running companions has ever put pressure on me to go faster or further. They've all been happy running at my pace and enjoying shared time. That's the kind of friends I have, I wouldn't have run with them if it was otherwise. But for this run I felt like I had earned my seat at the table. I knew Robyn was getting a good workout, I was as well, and we could also enjoy the social aspect of the event. It's not that I was pushing the pace, but that she wouldn't have done that workout without someone out there to push her. I think for the first time I felt like I was involved in a run where everyone benefited from the group experience, and that's a new and satisfying feeling for me.
As we got back to the boathouse we were only at 7 miles and I wanted to go for 8 so we ran another half mile up the bike path and turned around for home. "Cool down?" Robyn asked. "No, let's finish strong" I brashly replied and she mock groaned, shifted down a gear, and took off. I had been waiting for this and it still amazed me. I don't have that extra gear that allows me to lengthen my stride, pick up the cadence, and rip off a 6:00/mile pace. My cadence increased but with a ragged, spasmodic gate that didn't compare favorably to Robyn's smooth strides. It's also noticeably slower. But that will come with time, practice, and some great running partners.
Run in Garmin Connect
We started off in shorts and t-shirts at just under a 9:00/mile pace according to my funky new watch. We chatted about life, running, and birthdays (mine was the next day) as my watch kept track of the mileage, occasionally beeping to let me know another mile had past. She led me on past Watertown Square to a part of the bike path I'd never run on as we meandered along the Charles pausing only briefly to let Robyn check out the crew boats on the river. I was conscious of the fact that we were keeping a pretty solid pace, but more so that we were two athletes bonding over the simplest joys; shared interest and exercise.
On we went, trying to decide how far we wanted to go but knowing that the final distance really didn't matter much. The pace and course was separate from the experience, a novel feeling for me. I've run with others before but I'd always felt that I was on trial. I know that it was coming from me, as none of my other running companions has ever put pressure on me to go faster or further. They've all been happy running at my pace and enjoying shared time. That's the kind of friends I have, I wouldn't have run with them if it was otherwise. But for this run I felt like I had earned my seat at the table. I knew Robyn was getting a good workout, I was as well, and we could also enjoy the social aspect of the event. It's not that I was pushing the pace, but that she wouldn't have done that workout without someone out there to push her. I think for the first time I felt like I was involved in a run where everyone benefited from the group experience, and that's a new and satisfying feeling for me.
As we got back to the boathouse we were only at 7 miles and I wanted to go for 8 so we ran another half mile up the bike path and turned around for home. "Cool down?" Robyn asked. "No, let's finish strong" I brashly replied and she mock groaned, shifted down a gear, and took off. I had been waiting for this and it still amazed me. I don't have that extra gear that allows me to lengthen my stride, pick up the cadence, and rip off a 6:00/mile pace. My cadence increased but with a ragged, spasmodic gate that didn't compare favorably to Robyn's smooth strides. It's also noticeably slower. But that will come with time, practice, and some great running partners.
Run in Garmin Connect
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