Autism Awareness 5K

A beautiful morning for a race....that is, for anyone who has gotten enough sleep in the last week to function like a normal person !
At any rate, Monica wanted to get a long run in today, but due to some delay in registering for the race we had to cut it short, so we only managed to sneak in 6 miles before the race. Mind you, in my 27 year running career, I have NEVER done a 6 mile warm up. I told Monica that I am starting to question her sanity...
The race went OK. They had a really good turnout, although most of the people were there for the cause and not to be competitive. I like races that are low key though every once in a while because there's no pressure and you can just go out and race the clock. My first mile was OK, I hit 5:17, I slowed and by the turnaround was only averaging 5:29 pace. At this point I started to feel hunger pains (as I'm sure that I had burned up my breakfast of Fruity Pebbles and an Irish cream mocha on our 6 mile "warm up") and I pretty much backed off to 6:00 mile pace after that. I finished in 17:49 and Monica was 2nd overall in 19:19. Of course we had to do ANOTHER 2 miles afterward, so we got in an 11 mile day. Good old fashioned fun. That's what that is.

Scotty (of "Scotty Doesn't Know !" fame) ran well today, a few ticks under 21:00 and looked ready for tackling his first marathon next Sunday. Portland is a great marathon for first timers and I'm sure that Scotty will kick some butt ! Knock 'em dead, kid !

Looking forward to running the City of Trees half marathon next Sunday. Two goals: run under 1:20 (6:06 per mile average) and to win the Masters age group.

Thanks to Mike, Kevin and Liz for cheering us on this morning !!

Run With the Animals

I felt decent warming up for the race and very relaxed through what read as a 5:18 first mile. I had to assume that the first mile was a bit long or something because the Greater Boise guys didn't even go sub 5, so i was a little surprised. I felt decent through the second loop even though I lost contact and ny the 3rd and longest loop I could tell that I was really struggling. My leg speed is decent right now and my edurance is too, I just need to work on putting everything together. I ended up running 17:40, but we all sort of came to the conclusion that the course was long, so who knows what kind of an effort it was.

My next race is the Run for Autism 5K next Saturday and I'd definitely like to dip back under 17:00 again. Hopefully the course is accurate.

It was great to see all of the ladies mix it up at the Women's Fitness Celebration yesterday. Although those weren't exactly PR conditions the ladies all ran well.

Inspiration

This is one of my favorite speeches, taken from Theodore Roosevelt's 'Citizenship in a Republic' speech. I think that this is pertinent to anyone who is out there training for a marathon (or any race, for that matter), putting out the effort. we all suffer setbacks and personal defeats, but this validates the effort that we all put forth. Anyway, we all could use some inspiration, and this is good stuff. This is hanging on my refrigerator.



It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face in marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat

Finally ! My legs feel like my legs again !

Despite a bit of soreness from yesterday's workout, I needed to get out and get some fresh blood going to my muscles, so I set out to do my 4.5 mile loop, which is basically the Air Force Appreciation days course with the residential area loop cut off of it. Taking off I actually felt decent and was intent to cruise along and feel relaxed. It was the same wind that we experienced during the race. As I hit the 2 1/4 mile mark (the start of the bike path)averaging about 6:30 pace, I started watching my splits as I had the wind at my side and back. I ran my next 3/4 miles at about 6:00 pace and then the next mile (mile 4 of the race course) in 5:49. Now considering that I ran those actual miles during the race in 6:16 and 6:12, I was pretty pleased to now be running 6:03 and 5:49. Let's just say that I felt a hell of a lot better tonight and I wasn't even pushing the pace. I shut it down and cruised the last 3/4 mile as a 'cool down' and stretched afterward. Still a little sore, but encouraging stuff.
I rewarded myself by making a cheeseburger and washing it down with a Pepsi and a chocolate shake (not to mention a couple of mini Snickers bars). Easy running tomorrow and Friday and Saturday I tear up the 5K at the 'Run With the Animals'. Looking forward to it !

Medical and dietary marvels

Never underestimate the healing power of chocolate milk !

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/02/24/health/webmd/main1342839.shtml

http://www.indiana.edu/~hplab/research/chocolate_milk_as_a_post_exercise_recovery_aid.html

10 x 300

after being talked into running this workout on the track, I already wasn't having any fun.It seems like evry time that I've stepped on a track lately that the wind has been blowing in my face and this was no exception. I started out my first one on pace (:49), then :53, :53, :53, :54, :54, :54, :55, :56, and :49. Since I wanted to run these in :51 (equivalent to :68 second 400's or 4:32 mile pace) let's just say that I wasn't really pleased. This workout felt a lot harder than it should have. My legs have felt really tired since the Payette Lake 30K and they felt like lead today. I'm hoping that a couple of more easy days and some extra sleep will get me back to normal.

Next race : Run With The Animals 5K, goal 16:40

Air Force Appreciation Days 5 miler

Augh! While I was glad to get the win, the weather conditions and the condition of my quadriceps were not conducive to running a fast time. I was definitely still feeling the aftermath of the Payette Lake 30K combined with a lack of sleep. Cool plaques for winning though, and I got to get my picture taken with Miss Idaho (who Liz is still convinced is pregnant). Whoop a dee doo !

It was really cool to have everyone make the trip out to Mountain Home Sweet Home for the race. Team Apex kicked some serious butt, we have some seriously fast women in our group ! Looking foward to seeing all of you ladies tear it up at the Women's Fitness Celebration 5K on the 20th. Post race 'Fizzy Navels' shall be the theme of the day ( :