5K race -- year in review

Did a New Year's Eve 5K race today. Based on my half marathon, the mcmillan calculator said I should have run 21:28 (6:54 min/mi) for 5K, so my goal was 7 min miles. I figured that was ambitious enough since I've never run even 400 meters at that pace. The half marathon, however, was very hilly. This was definitely not a flat 5K, but not as bad as the half marathon, so under 21:28 was possible. Anyway, I ran 21:15 and am very pleased. 188 bpm average.

Splits:

• warmup: 14:37/138 -- high heart rate. Probably the old fight of flight race anticipation. I'm calling this 1.4 miles
  
• 6:43/180 -- lined up too far back and felt like I was dodging traffic, but in retrospect I went out a hair fast anyway
• 6:58/191 -- a little uphill, but I think I probably relaxed too much here
• 6:49/190 -- should have pushed a little harder. heart rate should be in the 192-193 range
  
• 0:43/195
• cooldown: ran at home on the treadmill for 20:00/146. Said I ran something like 1.7 miles (11:46 min/mi). This thing can't be right, can it? I calibrated it though and if anything its displayed pace is actually generous. I'll have to try and calibrate again.
  

wr9-1

week
57.8 miles (time 9:01, which is a speedy for me 9:22 min/mi pace)
shoes
wr9-1: 241 + 43: 284
wc7-3: 300 + 15: 315

The year in review

Jan 1st through June 30th: 1138 miles in 196 hours, 43 minutes (10:22 min/mi)
July 1st through December 31st: 1451 miles in 246 hours, 52 minutes (10:12 min/mi)
Overall: 2589 miles, 443hrs 35mins, 10:17 min/mi

I should go out and run 11 miles so I can get to 2600 and a 50 mpw average!

The fun thing about being a new runner is being on the steep part of the upward curve. I PR'd every race I ran except one this year.

Feb 10K: 47:21 (PR)
Mar Marathon: 4:16:56 (PR)
Apr 10M: 1:19:25 (PR)
May Marathon: 3:59:56 (PR)
July 8K: 39:05 (first 8K, slower the 5M PR)
Aug 10M: 1:18:33 (PR)
Oct Half Marathon: 1:40:02 (PR - first half marathon)
Oct Marathon: 3:56:14 (PR)
Nov Marathon: 3:43:16 (PR)
Dec Half Marathon: 1:39:12 (PR)
Dec 5K: 21:15 (PR - first 5K)

Next stop is Disney next weekend for the Goofy challenge. Then some rest. Between MCM and Disney I'll have done (should I survive) 3 marathons, two halfs, and a 5K in 10 weeks.

I'll have to think about some 2007 goals after that.

15 miles

lake b bathrooms out and back, 14.79 miles, 2:21:27/146 (9:34 min/mi)

This is a semi-new route. Excuse the anal measuring. 5.27 miles out to SR, 1.36 miles on path from SR to lake B. The new part is an out and back to the bathroom. I found a trail description that says the bathrooms are 60 yards short of .8 miles so the out and back is 2*(.8 - 60*3/5280) = 1.53 miles. Then 1.36 and 5.27 back. Total is 14.79. Well now I know. Sorry you had to see that.

I broke the string of good running days. My heart rate was kind of high from the beginning for the pace. I kept the pace rather than resort to a slog since I've been working on my cadence (I ran with djsteveboy's "cruise control" podcast playing at 175 bpm). Slower than that and my ridiculously short stride gets somewhere worse than ridiculous. I blame the bad day on 10.5 hours in the car yesterday and lack of sleep. Kids sleep in the car and don't go to sleep until midnight. I still woke up at 6:30 though.

I noticed at my parent that my heart rate before I went out the door was about 5 bpm lower than normal (52 versus 57). Maybe this is what sleep does for you?

New year's eve 5K tomorrow. Should be interesting. I've never run a 5K. Based on my half I should theoretically be able to run just under 7 min/mi. That seems inconceivable though since I've never run a 7 minute mile. The fastest mile I've ever run was a 7:07 down a *very* steep downhill during the half marathon (8:41 back up that sucker). The team oregon wizard says my average hr should be 196 for a 5K. Ouch!

wc7-3

9 miles

from parents to 1-mile loop, 4 around, and back. 8.7 miles, 1:21:36/140 (9:23 min/mi)

Same as yesterday basically except some longer waits to cross the road. Loops were 9:21/139, 9:01/143, 9:09/143, 9:03/144.

wr9-1

9 miles

From parents to one-mile loop, 4 loops, and back. 8.7 miles, 1:20:38/142 (9:16 min/mi)

Very good pace at the heart rate for me. I've let myself hover around 145 instead of staying strictly below it. The four one-mile loops were 9:09/140, 9:12/143, 9:12/143, 9:10/145.

I seem to have naturally fallen into the higher cadence now. It looks a bit ridiculous though. Counting right arm swings, I'd get 44 or 45 per 300 seconds which is 170-175 steps per minute.

wr9-1

11 miles

from parents to one-mile loop, 6 loops, and back. 10.7 miles, 1:39:52/144 (9:20 min/mi).

Felt good so I added a couple of loops. Good pace/heart rate for me.

wr9-1

9 miles

from father-in laws. Out two-lane road on bike path and back. 8.7 miles, 1:21:56/143 (9:25 min/mi)

Cold, some rain, and quite windy. Didn't notice the wind on the way out because it was at my back! 42:18/139 out. Turn into it and decided to keep up the pace and accept a higher heart rate -- 39:38./144 back.

wr9-1

9 miles

from parents to one-mile loops, 4 loops, and back. 8.7 miles, 1:24:22/140 (9:42 min/mi)

I accidentally left the foot pod on 1.053 so it should have read 1% high. Anyway, it turned off again. Very frustrating. Didn't matter though, because I knew the route distance. Glad it didn't happen during the long run.

week
60.3 miles
wc7-3: 283 + 17 = 300
wr9-1: 198 + 43 = 241

wr9-1

18 miles

At parents. Tooled around neighborhood streets until watch read 9.49 miles. Pit stopped at the house and headed out to the 1-mile loop. Did 4 around and then headed back. The watch read 1.01 miles for each lap. At the end it read 18.29 total. Adjusting for the 1% error and the miles to km conversion error in the watch s/w, gives 18.29*1600/(1.01*1609.3) = 18.00. Total time was 2:59:00, so again a little under 10 min/mi. I started out extremely slow for the first 30 minutes though before I put on the podrunner 175 bpm podcast. The laps around the one mile loop were between 9:15 and 9:25 and my heart rate got up in the 150's hitting 160 at the top of the steep hill. Very nice run.

wr9-1

9 miles

At parents for Christmas. out to 1 mile loop, four times around 1 mile loop, and back.

I ran with the footpod to calibrate it. I set the calibration to 1.000 (from 1.017) before heading out. It was way off on the way out (1.87 I think), then the four laps around were .89, .90, .94, .95, and then coming back was 2.24 I believe. The footpod always seem to read way high when I first put it on a pair of shoes and then it settles in over a couple of runs. Anyway, I set the cal factor to 1/.95 = 1.053 for the next run. Using the factor, I'd call this run 2*(2.24*1.053) + 4 = 8.7. It took a little under 1:27, so that's right on 10 min/mi pace which seems right. Each lap around the 1 mile track was about 9:50.

wr9-1

8 miles

out, around lake a, and back.

After my really lethargic run yesterday, I threw a few strides in today. 6 times I ran "fast" for about twenty strides (right footfalls). I seemed to naturally pick up the pace a little after those.

wc7-3

8 miles

out, around lake, and back, 8.3 miles, 1:28:40/132

A very strange run today. I started out slow and never warmed up. I planned to cut out the walk breaks but the occasional twinge convinced me otherwise. Anway my average heart rate was only 132 bpm! I was very slow (1:28:40) but 132 bpm is very low. I saw <120 down some hills. I shuffled up some steep hills and was less than 140. Very odd.

wc7-3

8 miles

out, around lake a, and back, 1:26:09/135

Slow but low heart rate. I was going to give up the walk breaks today but my left calf thingy bothered me at about 2 miles and I started the walk breaks. I did a good job of getting out the door this morning and started at 5:40 versus my usual ~5:53.

The weight still isn't off. I was 165 after today's run. I think the extra two or three pounds is food-induced. I need to watch it over Christmas. I don't want to haul any more weight than I have to for the 39 miles around Disney.

wr9-1

20 miles

out, around lake b, back plus 22 laps around the track to make 20 miles

Basically a repeat of two weeks ago except I was a tad slower today. The 22 laps at the end (in sight of the "finish line") was a terrible idea.

wc7-3
week
59 miles
shoes
wc7-2: 390 + 16 = 406 (retire?)
wc7-3: 254 + 29 = 283
wr9-1: 184 + 14 = 198

8 miles

out, around lake a, and back

Still did the run/walk thing. Ran a little faster today. That seems to happen when I run in the daylight. 1:22:18/139

wc7-3

8 miles

out, around lake a, and back.

Did more gallowalking today. Same method as before. I still have lots of sore places, especially my left foot. My heart rate was much lower today though. I looked down and was surprised to see it at 130 or so at the bottom of hills. My average heart rate was only 134. I was slow (10:24 min/mi) but not horrifically slow for such a low heart rate. I think I've recovered my endurance. Seems like Friday is the day that usually happens.

I didn't mention it, but yesterday I weighed 168, which is 5 pounds more than Sunday. This is the third time I've seen this. The last two marathons and this half marathon, I was 163 on race day and 168 four days later. Today I was 165 and I'll bet I'm back to 163 on Sunday as happened the previous times.

Got my results postcard from the half. Overall: 66 of 328, men: 55 of 212; M35-39: 5 of 27. Not too bad, especially for a club race. I used to hope for top half at a club race like this. Seems like I'm usually top 25% for half marathon and shorter, but still halfway for the marathon.

Calibrated the new treadmill today. Belt lenghth is 10 feet 4 and 3/16 inches or 10.35 feet. Set to 7 mph. First run: 50 revolutions in 47.9 seconds. Second run: 50 revolutions in 47.9 seconds. Third run: 50 revolution in 48.0 seconds. (5280*47.9) /10.35*3600= 6.79 mph. Hey, that's not I was looking for! I set it 8 mph (7:30 pace) yesterday for a minute. I could hardly keep up and couldn't understand since I ran a half marathon at that pace, so I thought for sure the treadmill was off. It is off(by 3%) but the wrong way! Not sure what's going on.

wc7-2

6 miles

2 nbhrd loops

I didn't have a lot of time today so limited to 6 miles. It was probably good for me anyway. Did the run/walk thing again today.

wr9-1

8 miles

out, around lake, and back.

Same as yesterday with some run/walk. Broke out wc7-2 to get some miles on them and retire them.

wc7-2

8 miles

out, around lake a, and back.

I did the Galloway run/walk thing to make sure I didn't hurt myself coming back from the half marathon. Ran about 3 minutes and took maybe 20 paces. After that took 60 seconds at roughly each mile.

wr9-1

half marathon

warmup 16:06/125, generously saying 1.4 miles; half-marathon 1:39:12/180.

I almost didn't run this today. I ran a marathon 6 weeks ago and then an unscheduled "redemption marathon" 2 weeks ago. I was sick last week and not totally over it. (On Thursday, I took my second sick day at work in 7.5 years there.) I was also a little worried about not getting in a long run today with the Disney Goofy challenge looming . I decided to drive down there and see what happened. Dismissing last second thoughts of doing it as a training run (something I've never done), I pinned on my number determined to give it the old college try.

The course was advertised as "rolling hills," which when you extrapolate from race director language is a little disconcerting. It more than lived up "rolling hills." I have a baro alimeter in my watch and it shows 469 ascent/489 descent (start and finish are same altitude, discrepancy is change in baro pressure). The A10, which is a local race known for being hilly, was 348/344. Here's a graph with my PR half (blue), A10 (red), and today's race (green).

Other than "hilly," the course is hard to describe. It was mostly on roads through neighborhoods. At the bottom of the first giant hills we went down about 20 stairs (that we later went back up!) and onto a path. We came off the path, onto roads, onto a gravel path that circled a baseball field, back onto roads. We took roughly 400 turns in the race I'd say.

Here are my splits with time/bpm

• 7:33/162 (down hill)
• 7:07/174 (down big ass hill)
• 7:16/179
• 7:19/180
• 7:24/180
• 7:45/181
• 14:50/180 (7:25 pace)
• 7:23/181
• 7:37/181
• 7:29/182
• 8:41/182 (up big ass hill!)
• 7:56/185 (up hill)
• 0:47/191

Total was 1:39:12/180 by my watch. A 50 second PR! My average heart rate was 2 bpm lower than my previous half marathon. I think this is from being sick although truth be told, I wasn't as uncomfortable in the second half of today's race as I was 2 months ago, so I might have had a little more to give, but this was definitely a good effort. Great finish area: Krispy Cremes, bananas, bagels, soup, bagels, beer wagon, and hot pizza!

My half marathon PR is now my fastest pace (7:35 min/mi) at any distance (raced from 8K to marathon), so I should be setting some PRs in the spring.

wr9-1
week
45 miles
wc7-2: 390 + 0 = 390 (need to get this over 400 and done with)
wc7-3: 240 + 14 = 254
wr9-1: 153 + 31 = 184

8 miles

out, around lake a, and back.

Nearly as bad as Tuesday with hr and pace. 10:24 min/mi and 140 bpm! I'm supposed to run a half tomorrow? Ugh. Maybe I'll just jog it and get my shirt.

wr9-1

8 miles

out, around lake a, and back; 8.3 miles; 1:25:01/139

No running yesterday as I was sick. I took just my second sick day from work in 7.5 years. Today was very slow, but not as bad as Tuesday. It was 23 degrees with 13 mph winds at 6am.
I wore my warm tights, a long sleeve tech shirt, with my thick long sleeve tech shirt over it, my vest, my winter hat, fleece gloves, and my neck gator! Normally this would be way overdressed for me, but I wanted to be cautious today. The neck gator worked well. I pulled it up over my mouth and was able to breath in relatively warm air. It hurts to breath cold air when I have a cold like this.

Time/heart rate was pretty dreadful. It was a minute worse than my first run back after the marathon (at the same heart rate). I was fine a few days after that, so hopefully that will hold true this time as I have a half marathon on Sunday. I'm looking forward to the end of my racing extravaganza so I can get my base mileage back up.

wc7-3

8 miles

out, around lake a, and back. Very slow (10:34 min/mi) *and* high heart rate (140 bpm). 26 degrees. Still sick. Have no idea how I did this.

wr9-1

rest

sick. no running.

6 miles

2 nbhrd loops very slow. Almost 60 minutes. 135 bpm hr. Sick. Temp of 100.8 last night.

wc7-3

18 miles

New route today: out to SR (new path cutting through school), path from SR to lake B, around lake B, and back via the same route. 17.86 miles, 2:54:26/142 (9:46 min/mi)

Didn't feel my calf thingy at all until 90 minutes in. Maybe I should have kept my runs less than 90 minutes for a couple of weeks and then it would have gone away? Oh well, it still seems headed in the right direction. I can feel it as I walk around tonight but just barely.

This was a very strange run today. I used the "cruise control" podrunner podcast which is at 175 bpm to try and increase my stride rate. I think I should have tried something a little slower first, but I eventually got the hang of it. I couldn't pick my feet off the ground very much and ran rather straight legged, which I don't think is good. Anyway, my heart rate got into the 140's and I decided to stay there, turning off my alarm and running in the low- to mid-140s rather than strictly below 145. I figured by running near 145 early on, I'd see a bigger rise in heart rate and get into the 150 and 160s to maintain pace. But I didn't. I stayed around 145 on the way home. I went well over going up the monster hills, but when I got on level ground, I was back to 145.

• 52:44/133; 5.27 miles (10:00 min/mi) - Out to SR. (google earth'd distance)
• 13:07/141; 1.36 miles (9:39) - path from SR to lake B
• 44:08/143; 4.6 miles (9:36) - once around lake B. This had to be one of my "fastest" laps in a long time.
• 13:03/145; 1.36 miles (9:36) - path from lake B to SR
• 51:22/147; 5.27 miles (9:45) - back from SR

Running out my door like this saves a good bit of time. I save about 30 minutes not driving to lake B and back. Plus I didn't stop to buy ice on the way back. I just used the cold water from the tap. Since it was 30 degs this morning, it was cold enough. I also don't spend as much time assembling stuff to go and making sure I have everything. I just put on my stuff and go out the door.

The route has some nice features. It feels psychologically easier to do an out and back to me than to do loops. I also go by my tenth-mile track at the end. This would be a very nice way to tack on some measure marathon pace runs (or whatever) to see what kind of shape I'm in after running. Like 20 laps around at 160 bpm. I could also do a neighborhoop loop to get over 20.

wr9-1

week
44 miles
wc7-2: 390 + 0 = 390
wc7-3: 214 + 26 = 240
wr9-1: 135 + 18 = 153

8 miles

out, around lake a, and back.

I tried to run the part around the lake just a hair faster than usual, running at 145 bpm instead of strictly below. The out and back would then be cooldown. The results was

21:27/134 out
35:37/145 around
22:44/142 back

I probably should have done the back a little slower, but overall this is what I was going for. My quads are still very tight. Hopefully they'll be better tomorrow. I didn't notice my calf/achilles thing at all today.

wc7-3

9 miles

New work route: nottingham, beauregard, w. braddock, crest-summit-monticello, russell, cedar, king, janney's lane, seminary for 9.36 miles, 1:37:12/138, 10:24 min/mi

I thought it was quite hilly but maybe I'm a wimp. It was also very warm and humid this morning for December 1st. 62 degrees and 61 dew point (97% humidity). Plus I was navigating a lot on the new route. Enough excuses for 10:24 min/mi? Oh, yeah. One more excuse. I had a fever of 101.1 last night.

The real point of this exercise was to test out the idea of driving to work (with no traffic) and running there. This doesn't save as much time as running in (driving still takes some time) but the logistics are easier. I'll need some more time to stretch my runs. So how it go?

1. 5:13am - alarm goes off. brush teeth and shave and get in the car
2. 5:36am - pulling away from the house. Not sure how step 1 took 33 minutes. Either time moves faster this early in the morning or I move slower.
3. ~6am - park at work
4. 6:06am - hit the start button on my watch and start running
5. ~7:45am - click the watch off, take a shower, drop my bag in the car (so I don't forget to take it home), buy a muffin, and head upstairs
6. 8:24am - walk in the door of my office. Not sure how the last step took so long, but I chatted with someone in the locker room.
   

I was disappointed that I only had 6 minutes to spare, since I was hoping to have extra time that I could use to run longer (when I stretch a couple of weekday runs) or sleep later. I did manage to get in 12 minutes more of running and in my office at least 6 minutes earlier. There's considerable room to improve here (like bringing in some Clif bars and avoid the muffin stop), but I'm not sure I could get to 12 miles without getting up even earlier.

Bottom line is that this doesn't save me a huge amount of time. It took me 25 minutes door-to-door and it generally takes 40-45 with traffic. Occasionally it will take an hour but that's relatively rare. Plus there is the hassle of packing a bag, which I don't think I want to do every night. I could just go to sleep and get up earlier with that time. The route isn't all that great either (I had to run on concrete sidewalks almost the whole time).

wc7-3