Monday, May 17, 2010
running, walking, jogging...
...even backtracking. I had the chance to run to pick Silas up from school this afternoon. On the way home in the stroller, he decided he wanted to join me on the ground. We took the last 1.5+ miles together in fits and starts, taking breaks to eat honeysuckle and to "repair the tracks" while we played trains. About 4.5 miles for me in who knows how long. Not the most productive run fitness-wise, but I'd do it again.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Presidio 10
6:50-6:57-6:37-6:41-6:07-7:25 (last 1.2): 40:39
The splits just begin to tell the story of the course at Sunday's Presidio 10. I drove into the city with S, who was mainly looking to burn off stress before her qualifying exams tomorrow, and E, who was expecting to walk the course after wrenching her knee in a skiing accident two weeks ago. My goal was a bit more specific today: run 10k that felt like sub-39, even if the hilly course wouldn't allow it.
The course began in the Presidio, a former military base in San Francisco and the gateway to the Golden Gate Bridge. The area is quite lovely, actually, and is a part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. A 10 mile race started at 8:00 (it also happened to be the CA state championship, but apparently nobody invited Meb), and about 1200 of us 10k-ers lined up half an hour later.
I was a few rows back from the line, but the path was wide enough that I was able to make my way up quickly at the gun. I had about 10 guys ahead of me, I guessed, as we started our ascent toward the bridge, with a little passing here and there. The first hill coming out of Crissy Field was steep and curvy, so I was aiming for about a 6:30 pace but not sure if that would work. Turns out that it didn't, and mile 1 came just as we hit the Golden Gate Bridge. That's not all that came, though; the 10 mile race had started 30 minutes before us but also included a 2 mile detour before the bridge, which meant that at mile 1 we collided with the back of the first race. I managed to take this in stride, but I knew I was in for a tough out-and-back 3 miles across the bridge. At least it wasn't foggy, so I could enjoy the scenery as I dodged walkers, then joggers.
At the north end of the bridge, we went down a set of stairs to cross under the bridge for the trip back. I was managing to get my pace up a bit, but still had to fight traffic for the trip back. A bright spot was glancing across the bridge and seeing E running, somewhat cautiously, but apparently not bothered by her knee.
By the time we crested the bridge the second time, things were clearing up enough that I could turn on some speed. I still wasn't sure who was in front of me, since we were right in the middle of the 10 mile race pack, but the last 2 miles or so were either gently downhill or flat along the bay. Finally, with about a quarter mile left (I guessed) the 1o k race branched off as we headed toward the finish. I saw one man taking this route, about 20 or 30 meters ahead of me, and decided to reel him in. He figured out what was going on hen I was just off his shoulder, and we both had to push it to the finish. I wasn't going to let it go, though, and managed to edge him out just before the line - 6th man overall, and 1st in 30-34.
Feeling good about the strong finish, I jogged back to find S, and ran some of the last mile in with her, cutting across the field before the end so I could cheer her in.
Honestly, I was only mildly annoyed by the crowded conditions of the 10k, and whatever annoyance I'd had melted away when we hit the post-race spread. Sitting down in the field with my friends, eating pancakes and breakfast burritos and drinking Sierra Nevada, on a sunny day at the Golden Gate? Can't beat it. And the age group swag was out of control - a (much needed) backpack, a crazy pullup contraption that will give me abs of steel, a gift certificate to Sports Basement, and (wait for it...) a fuel belt! Somebody will be going as Chewbacca next Halloween.
I don't think this quite felt like a sub-39 10k, but the all-out finish left me feeling that way. I will definitely be back for this one again, but the 10 mile race next time.
The splits just begin to tell the story of the course at Sunday's Presidio 10. I drove into the city with S, who was mainly looking to burn off stress before her qualifying exams tomorrow, and E, who was expecting to walk the course after wrenching her knee in a skiing accident two weeks ago. My goal was a bit more specific today: run 10k that felt like sub-39, even if the hilly course wouldn't allow it.
The course began in the Presidio, a former military base in San Francisco and the gateway to the Golden Gate Bridge. The area is quite lovely, actually, and is a part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. A 10 mile race started at 8:00 (it also happened to be the CA state championship, but apparently nobody invited Meb), and about 1200 of us 10k-ers lined up half an hour later.
I was a few rows back from the line, but the path was wide enough that I was able to make my way up quickly at the gun. I had about 10 guys ahead of me, I guessed, as we started our ascent toward the bridge, with a little passing here and there. The first hill coming out of Crissy Field was steep and curvy, so I was aiming for about a 6:30 pace but not sure if that would work. Turns out that it didn't, and mile 1 came just as we hit the Golden Gate Bridge. That's not all that came, though; the 10 mile race had started 30 minutes before us but also included a 2 mile detour before the bridge, which meant that at mile 1 we collided with the back of the first race. I managed to take this in stride, but I knew I was in for a tough out-and-back 3 miles across the bridge. At least it wasn't foggy, so I could enjoy the scenery as I dodged walkers, then joggers.
At the north end of the bridge, we went down a set of stairs to cross under the bridge for the trip back. I was managing to get my pace up a bit, but still had to fight traffic for the trip back. A bright spot was glancing across the bridge and seeing E running, somewhat cautiously, but apparently not bothered by her knee.
By the time we crested the bridge the second time, things were clearing up enough that I could turn on some speed. I still wasn't sure who was in front of me, since we were right in the middle of the 10 mile race pack, but the last 2 miles or so were either gently downhill or flat along the bay. Finally, with about a quarter mile left (I guessed) the 1o k race branched off as we headed toward the finish. I saw one man taking this route, about 20 or 30 meters ahead of me, and decided to reel him in. He figured out what was going on hen I was just off his shoulder, and we both had to push it to the finish. I wasn't going to let it go, though, and managed to edge him out just before the line - 6th man overall, and 1st in 30-34.
Feeling good about the strong finish, I jogged back to find S, and ran some of the last mile in with her, cutting across the field before the end so I could cheer her in.
Honestly, I was only mildly annoyed by the crowded conditions of the 10k, and whatever annoyance I'd had melted away when we hit the post-race spread. Sitting down in the field with my friends, eating pancakes and breakfast burritos and drinking Sierra Nevada, on a sunny day at the Golden Gate? Can't beat it. And the age group swag was out of control - a (much needed) backpack, a crazy pullup contraption that will give me abs of steel, a gift certificate to Sports Basement, and (wait for it...) a fuel belt! Somebody will be going as Chewbacca next Halloween.
I don't think this quite felt like a sub-39 10k, but the all-out finish left me feeling that way. I will definitely be back for this one again, but the 10 mile race next time.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Installment Plan
7.5 miles total with 5x1000(300) in 3:40-3:42-3:43-3:40-3:36
A Seebo workout. I was aiming for 3:42s, which is 18:30 pace for 5k. Felt good!
A Seebo workout. I was aiming for 3:42s, which is 18:30 pace for 5k. Felt good!
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Weekend runs
Saturday - 10.3 miles in 1:54
Sunday - 5.7 miles in 43:33
Sarah and I drove up to Redwood Regional Park on Saturday morning to kick off her Boston taper with some serious trails. About 24 minutes into the run, her Garman reported that we'd gone 1.85 miles. Things got a bit easier after that, but mile 10 was our first sub-9 minute mile. Beautiful views, wet socks, and muddy calves. I don't care what anyone says, it's going in the log as a long run. I'm not mapping the route, but for the record our trails included West Ridge, French, Baccharis, Dunn, Bayview-Sequoia, and possibly others
An easy run in the rain this afternoon made 31 miles for the week.
Sunday - 5.7 miles in 43:33
Sarah and I drove up to Redwood Regional Park on Saturday morning to kick off her Boston taper with some serious trails. About 24 minutes into the run, her Garman reported that we'd gone 1.85 miles. Things got a bit easier after that, but mile 10 was our first sub-9 minute mile. Beautiful views, wet socks, and muddy calves. I don't care what anyone says, it's going in the log as a long run. I'm not mapping the route, but for the record our trails included West Ridge, French, Baccharis, Dunn, Bayview-Sequoia, and possibly others
An easy run in the rain this afternoon made 31 miles for the week.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Bandito
15.7 miles in 2:05
I met Sarah for a long run this morning that happened to coincide with the course of the Oakland Half Marathon. My stiff back put me on notice early in the run, but began to feel better with the activity, as I tried to stick with my mission of pacing 7:55 miles for Sarah, who is three weeks out from Boston.
I really enjoyed the marathon/half marathon course, which I had planned to run legitimately before January got in the way. It was a tour of many lovely and not-so-lovely parts of the Town, highlighted for me (who am I kidding - for everybody!) by running through a flaming arch set up for the occasion in front of The Crucible. Crowd support was great, and people seemed stoked to be running Oakland.
I bailed a little early, at mile 8 of the course and mile 12 or so of my run, to head home for a bit more Silas birthday celebration: the bestowing of his first bicycle. It's a 12" Specialized that I bought from Cycles of Change, a local nonprofit. I removed the pedals and lowered the seat so that Si can "scoot" on it. Not surprisingly to me, he cried when he first saw it, but calmed down a bit after I explained to him that when I was his age, I didn't know how to ride a bike either. He then declared that, even though he didn't like it, he wanted to practice. And, within 30 minutes: "I love my bike!"
I met Sarah for a long run this morning that happened to coincide with the course of the Oakland Half Marathon. My stiff back put me on notice early in the run, but began to feel better with the activity, as I tried to stick with my mission of pacing 7:55 miles for Sarah, who is three weeks out from Boston.
I really enjoyed the marathon/half marathon course, which I had planned to run legitimately before January got in the way. It was a tour of many lovely and not-so-lovely parts of the Town, highlighted for me (who am I kidding - for everybody!) by running through a flaming arch set up for the occasion in front of The Crucible. Crowd support was great, and people seemed stoked to be running Oakland.
I bailed a little early, at mile 8 of the course and mile 12 or so of my run, to head home for a bit more Silas birthday celebration: the bestowing of his first bicycle. It's a 12" Specialized that I bought from Cycles of Change, a local nonprofit. I removed the pedals and lowered the seat so that Si can "scoot" on it. Not surprisingly to me, he cried when he first saw it, but calmed down a bit after I explained to him that when I was his age, I didn't know how to ride a bike either. He then declared that, even though he didn't like it, he wanted to practice. And, within 30 minutes: "I love my bike!"
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Lazy Sunday
7.3 miles in 1:01
Ran a short Marin loop (I'm sure its mapped somewhere) listening to an old This American Life ("Somewhere Out There") that made me laugh, made me cry. Came home and made yeast-risen waffles before pruning the blackberry bush. The waffles were pretty good, but will be better with blackberry compote this summer.
Ran a short Marin loop (I'm sure its mapped somewhere) listening to an old This American Life ("Somewhere Out There") that made me laugh, made me cry. Came home and made yeast-risen waffles before pruning the blackberry bush. The waffles were pretty good, but will be better with blackberry compote this summer.
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Long and hilly
Saturday am, 17 miles? in 2:31
Another long run with Sarah this morning, joined for the first time by Asa. Sarah's following Jack Daniel's plan for her Boston training, which meant that today would be something like a 2 mile warmup, 2x10 minutes of tempo pace, 80 minutes easy, 15 minutes of tempo pace, and a 2 mile cooldown. We didn't exactly stick to the plan, but got most of the main elements with the added bonus of staying on the Strawberry Canyon and Tilden Park trails. That meant a lot of hills, a lot of roots and rocks, and some good conversation. I also saw some great parts of Tilden that I hadn't run through before.
Another long run with Sarah this morning, joined for the first time by Asa. Sarah's following Jack Daniel's plan for her Boston training, which meant that today would be something like a 2 mile warmup, 2x10 minutes of tempo pace, 80 minutes easy, 15 minutes of tempo pace, and a 2 mile cooldown. We didn't exactly stick to the plan, but got most of the main elements with the added bonus of staying on the Strawberry Canyon and Tilden Park trails. That meant a lot of hills, a lot of roots and rocks, and some good conversation. I also saw some great parts of Tilden that I hadn't run through before.
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